Where have I been?

I'm home...from Houston!!!! 

What a great time! I loved the quilts, I took classes and I shopped!

 

Here is a bit of my unpacking!

 

 

 

It's hard to see on top of my busy quilt! But as I make things I'll be showing them.

 

Going to International Quilt Festival was one of my bucket list trips and a 50th birthday gift to myself! And now I want to do it again! It was inspiring!

 

But now Christmas is right around the corner and I have to get busy! busy! busy!

 

Happy Stitching!

Oh no...a VERY big UFO list!

What was I thinking would happen when I started peaking in bins, looking on shelves and moving things around?

 

What happened was that I found a huge UFO pile. Some of it technically not unfinished because it is just in the 'I collected it for this project' stage, but it is all there and ready to go! My list has over 25 quilty things on it. And all I can say is how did that happen???

 

So I organized my list into categories with the most urgent things first and hung it on my bulletin board. No more ignoring reality! I started with what had to get done for Christmas because 3 of the quilts are for gifts and one is a Christmas lap quilt for us (or maybe a gift). Then in May my local quilt guild is having a quilt show and I have a couple quilts I want to get done for that. Next on the list is scrap quilts - I have 3 of those started. Then I have hand quilting projects. After that I listed the small UFO's that are just little day projects like bags and things. And finally the miscellaneous section full of the non priority projects.

 

My thought is to work on several things at one time (such as something with hand work and also something with machine work) but to finish things starting with the top 3 categories first.

 

So here is what I have been working on this week...

 

Two posy blocks done (and another one is started)

 

 

 

And a scrappy log cabin is coming along. I have almost 90 blocks complete of the 169 I want to make. They are cute and will finish at 4-1/2"

 

 

Happy Stitching and hopefully your UFO's are not as out of control as mine!

 

Little Hexagon Progress!

I spent a couple days this weekend relaxing with my Dad.

He watched football and I sewed hexagons...lots of little hexagons!

 

 

By Sunday afternoon my hands were all cramped up from handing those little 1/4" hexagons  but they are so worth it!  

 

I have 4 more stars, all the neutral 'in-between' hexagons and a few partial blocks that go around the outside edge still to make. Lots to do but I made good progress!

I placed a dime down on the block to show just how little those pieces are!

 

 

Happy Stitching!

 

Quilt Therapy

I have immersed myself into quilt therapy and have hardly left my sewing room the last few days. I was still getting my new sewing space organized so I worked a bit on that in between other things.

 

 

I almost finished the cowboy boot quilt top. The border fabric I had set aside was older fabric and when I spread it out to cut borders I found that at some point it had been exposed to the sun and had a faded grid all over it. It will be a quick finish though after I get some border fabric for it! It is going to be a Christmas gift for one of my stepsons! He is going to love it!

 

 

I finished a second block on my Posies quilt. I am much happier being back to my usual freezer paper method. One thing I am keeping though is the vinyl overlay idea for placement of the pieces. I really like that!

 

I have one more hand applique method I want to try - back basting. I've been reading a little about it online. The people who do it seem to love it. I think thought that instead of trying it on this quilt I will just make a small wall hanging to test it.

 

I've basted and pressed my pieces for block #3 and I am ready to start pinning pieces to the background.

 

 

 

 

 

This is going to be such a whimsical quilt. I have been thinking it either needs embroidery or big stitching to add to it's playfulness. Maybe even some beading!

I suppose I have a while before I need to decide what route to take. 

 

 

I have been having Dear Jane thoughts again. While sorting things out I found an old packet of some Dear Jane blocks (8 of them in fact). I am not sure what stopped me from continuing, but I kept those little blocks. After finding them I started dreaming a crazy dream...what if I changed the color scheme to blues and browns and instead of 4-1/2" blocks maybe I could do 3" blocks! I did say crazy after all. So I printed off a couple of 3" block samples from my software to compare.

 

 

It is something to think about....

 

 

And now that summer is over I am back to hand quilting. It feels good!

 

 

Happy Stitching!

 

 

 

 

 

Beyond Sadness

I usually keep my personal life away from my blog, mainly because my blog started as a place to get away from the stresses I was facing at that time.

It has been a place of peace for me.
 

But something happened...my little brother had an accident and fell, landing on his skull and fracturing it. The resulting brain damage was severe. After 5 weeks he passed away. As his big sister it was always my responsibility (at least I felt so) to protect him, but I couldn't protect him from this. I could not have asked for a better brother. Although distance kept us apart I never felt he was that far away. He was creative and giving and sarcastic and wonderful. He was only 47 when he passed away. 

 

A picture from long ago... and a favorite for both of us.

 

 

 

He was always the biggest supporter of my blog. He would often email me little comments and sometimes would ask if what I was making was for him. Knowing that he will never again read my blog or comment on it breaks my heart beyond words.

 

 

A picture from just a year ago at my wedding. It was a happy day.

 

 

 

It is time for me to start healing and I know that my quilting and keeping my blog updated will help me get through this.  
 

So it is time to get quilting and blogging again...
so back to my sewing room I go.