Sunday Stash Report

I did a fair bit of catching up this week. Just this morning I finished Block 4 of the Hazel's Diary Quiltalong mystery. I had more trouble with this block than the first 3. The center part just seemed too small so the block doesn't look as square as it should. But, I really like how its turning out overall with the bright colors against the black background I'm using. I think I might be the only one working with a black background. Check out the Hazel's Diary Flickr Group for more photos from others doing this project.

Here are my first 4 blocks.

To see what else I did this week, check my previous post.

WEEK 13 STASH REPORT

All fabric used this week went into the melons (petals) for my Joseph's Coat quilt.

Used this week:               .50 M

Used Year to Date:      16.75 M

Added this week:               0 M

Added Year to Date:     7.90 M

Net used for 2010:        8.85 M

Be sure to check out how everyone else has done this week with their stash use on Judy's blog.

January Finish

I was told that I was too late to sign up for the "finish one a month challenge" at Abyquilt but, I am going to challenge myself to do it anyways!! Accordingly, I am setting my own rules. I'm going to have different types of finishes:
- Phase One Finish - All the piecing for the project is complete according to the instructions or pattern used.. in other words, a flimsy (finished quilt top only).
- Phase Two Finish - The completed flimsey is backed and quilted.
- Phase Three Finish - Quilt has binding sewn on and is labeled, ready to use (or hang).
If anyone else would like to join me, let me know and we will start our own "finishing school"!

My finish (Phase One) for January is the EPP Star Table Topper that was a mystery from CD Designs. The top is done, but I now need to figure out how to complete it. I think an additional border would look good although the design instructions don't include one. Since it is made by English Paper Piecing, I have to remove all the papers from the back, even along the outer edges. Then, I'll need to open out the edge seam allowances so that I have something to attach to. Cross your fingers for me! If you have any ideas on an easier way to do this, I'd love to hear it!!

I finally figured out that my problem with posting pictures is related entirely to the newest update for the brower I use, Opera. I far prefer Opera over IE but, until they can fix this glitch, I'm stuck using IE to upload any pictures.

English Paper Piecing

I have been working on the English paper piecing mystery quilt at CD Designs.  I was able to finish the first 5 steps easily within one week with time to spare. The first photo is steps 1 through 5 joined together.

A new step is posted every saturday. When step 6 was posted, I thought I would have plenty of time to complete it and didn't start working on it right away. Needless to say, it took longer to do this step than I expected and I didn't get it finished. Well, these things tend to "snowball" and now I am one step behind.

Here are the most recent pieces that I've done. The colors in this photo are more true to life. The six pieces are just laid out this way for the picture. Since this is a mystery, we won't know exactly how it all goes together until the end. Maybe I will be able to get caught up yet this week.

I haven't done anything more yet on the Rainbow Hearts baby quilt. I'm still trying to figure out what exactly to do for the actual quilting. I've had advice suggesting circular designs. I have no idea what would be good or if I would be able to accomplish something like that myself. I would be able to do a large all over stipple but I just doubt that would be the best design. I also could easily stitch in the ditch or do a 1/4" outline around the hearts. I just need to make a decision and then do it!

As for the binding, if I want to use the same fabric as the border, I'd need to cut the border down by 2" or I will not have enough of that fabric to do the binding. Since this was a pre-cut kit, I don't have any of the fabrics that were used within the quilt to use for the binding. **sigh** This was supposed to be an easy project! 

Finish #2 in Finn's Challenge

I've been challenging myself to stay OFF of the computer and spend more time in the sewing room. Now, its starting to pay off! Here it is... the Late Summer's Evening mystery quilt top totally pieced complete with borders! I'm counting this as a finish for Finn's challenge. It measures 84" square so I had to take the picture outside on the clothes line since I don't have a big enough empty floor space to lay it on!

I keep looking at the center block and wishing I had used a bit stronger yellow, or maybe even a red, as the pale yellow seems to almost disappear. The thought goes through my head that I should pick out that center square and re-do it...

I had mentioned in a previous post the English Paper Piecing mystery that I signed up for at CD Designs. Here are my steps 2, 3 and 4. It is interesting guessing how this might go together, but then, we don't know if all of these parts are joined or if there are other pieces to go between them yet. All in all, its a fun project with an easy time line. Each step is easily finished in about 3 hours.

   

Keep on stitchin' until next time!

What am I doing!

I haven't got back to working on my mystery quilt borders... actually, it's called "Late Summer Evening". This mystery came from a site called The Quilt and Needle. Here are all my borders waiting patiently for me on the design wall door of my sewing room. If you like mysteries, they are planning another mystery quilt weekend probably on December 6th and 7th. 

Ok, I can hear you saying "What the heck have you been doing??"

Well.. its not like I am sitting on my hands - I always seem to manage to find things to distract me! Like - this English Paper Pieceing mystery from CD Designs. This is done completely by hand and new steps are posted every Saturday. This photo is of step one. See all those pieces of paper? ALL of those will be used in making this project which will finish at about 26" around for a table topper. Those triangles look kinda little...

But wait.... that's not all! I also found the quilting forum at Garden Web. They are doing a monthly "Lotto" block which I thought would be fun to join. I finished two blocks that are now on their way to the host. There are many other interesting groups to find in the home forums. 

And then, of course, there are all those other wonderful blogs out there for me to discover like these I found this week:

My Quilting Porch

Thoughts from a disorganized quilter

My Yellow Farmhouse

So, thats my excuse(s) and I'm sticking to it! 

Those blasted UFO's

I have whole totes full of them. I know this because I just found another container full of tops, all of which are completed except for borders. Most have the binding cut and stored with them. I guess I was organized better at some point! lol 

I did a google search and found a site called The UFO-RPHANAGE for Quilters that has ideas for finishing UFO's as well as other topics. A couple that made me giggle were:

         "A stalled project gets a "time out". The project gets put away in a drawer or closet for a prescribed amount of time (days, weeks, months) and then is allowed to come out for another attempt at progressing smoothly. " 

Personally, I am really good at this one except that I didn't set a time limit other than "some other time"! That's how I accumulated so many UFO's! I'm thinking I need to go back and put some dates on things.

         "Start a new, small project (wall hanging, table runner or simple baby quilt), that can be finished in a couple of days. Just starting and finishing one project gets me inspired to finish some of the UFO's that have been sitting." 

This one was how I justified working on new projects... and added to my UFO's! Everyone finds different things that work for them.

Seriously, there are some very good ideas there such as:

• Set a timer for 15 min and work on a UFO before going on to your current project
• Choose not to finish the project as it was originally defined. Use the blocks to create something else (like a table runner or a tote) and put the extra fabric back into your stash.
• Get together with a group of others for a day of finishing UFO's
• Make a list of all UFO's to see if there is a pattern of when you stop working on a project.

The last one made me realize that I have a problem with borders....  I'm not sure why as most borders are not difficult. Perhaps its just having a small space to work in? 

OK - I am going back in there right now to sew the first borders onto my mystery quilt!

Question about flying geese

I have a QUESTION about pressing flying goose/geese units that I am making for the border of my mystery quilt.  When you join two units together (or many units as in my border) do you press: a) --> the way they want to go (which is away from the point of the goose)? If you press this way you don't have a guide when you sew the next border on and could loose the side points..

b) <-- towards the point of the goose?? It seems that when pressing them this way, you don't get as sharp a point at the top.

What do YOU do??

So, while I wait for your input I'm mending the big "T" rip in my grandson's sheets! That's just one little way for gramma to say I love you.

PS:  Because "t" asked, YES I have finally got my new glasses!!  I can see!!

Mystery Quilt and Glasses

It's been a while... did anyone miss me??  I have decided to take some time to do things that make me happy. One of those things is sewing - specifically quilting.

I joined an online mystery quilt weekend at The Quilt and Needle. This is something that they offer a few times a year and there is a forum on their website for members to keep in touch and to track progress during the mystery quilt weekends. Here is my almost completed quilt top. There are several borders to be added yet, one of which is made up of 148 flying goose units.

Here are some of the flying goose units waiting patiently to be joined into borders.  

I have an excuse for my tardiness in completing this task. Gotta hate it when this happens and you can't see well anymore without your bi-focals. 

I had to go to an optometrist to have my eyes checked and to see if I needed a new prescription. I had already thought that I needed stronger lenses as I've been having trouble seeing fine work up close. So now, my new specs are ordered and will be here next week. Until then, I have to struggle along by using drugstore magnifiers.