Sunday, May 31, 2009

Stash Busting Report Week#22

This week I spent mostly preparation sewing for DD's party favors. Thanks for all the wonderful comments as I showed my progress! The girls liked the rice frogs best. My report follows:

Fabric added this week: 0 yards
Fabric added this year: 67.5 yards

Fabric used this week: -11 yards
Fabric used this year: -140.5 yards

Net fabric for the year: -73 yards (used)

What I accomplished this week:
  • prepared party favors~7 tote bags, 6 rice frogs, 6 mini pillows

Goals for next week:

Only 1 week of school for DS~graduation is June 7th and 2 weeks for DD....summer is almost here! :)

ps...HAPPY 10th BIRTHDAY DD!

Wednesday, May 27, 2009

WIP Wednesday

I've been working on preparations for DD's 10th Birthday Party Sleepover.

This is what the girls will each receive. I have the frogs made and ready to stuff with either rice or plastic pellets (one girl is allergic to rice). I cut an 11 inch square (well, approximately) and sewed about 3/8 inch seam allowance and the pillows are ready to be stuffed with fiberfill. I hope that as each girl fills either her pillow or her frog then I can simply sew the final seam shut. and woohoo! Take home party favors! :)

DD and I were going to make key chains with the girls' names to identify the bags but now I think that I may make luggage tags like I did for my secret pal.

I brought the popcorn and pizza for the party. DH is on breakfast patrol for Saturday morning. Now to order the cake. DD has said she would like a Culver's Concrete Cake...sounds yummy! I better buy the bigger one so there is plenty of leftovers for the natives.
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Monday, May 25, 2009

Memorial Day

With thoughts and prayers of all the men and women who have served our country and who are currently serving our country, "THANK YOU" for doing what you do so that I may do what I do.

Sunday, May 24, 2009

Stash Busting Report Week#21

A good week for me~ a little fabric added and more fabric out of the stash!

My report:

Fabric added this week: 0.5 yards
Fabric added this year: 67.5 yards

Fabric used this week: -13.5 yards
Fabric used this year: -129.5 yards

Net fabric for the year: -62 yards (used)

What I accomplished this week:
  • pieced Starry Squares to a flimsy
  • quilt and bound Starry Squares
  • pieced a GPS pouch
  • pieced a prototype rice frog
  • pieced two tote bags
  • pieced 20 horse blocks

Goals for next week:

  • prep for DD birthday...make tote bags, frogs and pillows (ready to stuff)
  • piece horse blocks to a flimsy

This should keep me busy in the sewing room and everything else that goes along with hosting 6~10 year old girls for a sleepover birthday party! :)

Saturday, May 23, 2009

Birthday Tote Bags

I made a couple of tote bags today. I hope to make a few more to give to the girls at DD's birthday party next Friday to take home their crafts we are planning on making that night. DD picked out the fabric when we were at Patched Works Quilt Shop a few weeks ago.
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Friday, May 22, 2009

A Mixed Bag of Happenings

DH asked me to make a pouch for his GPS unit.

I lined it with flannel in hopes that the screen doesn't get scratched when it is stored in the glove box.

I also made a prototype frog for DD's birthday party favor. I backed this with flannel so it would be very cuddly. I also put brown rice for stuffing and 100% cotton batting. The thought was that it could go into the freezer or microwave for 'ouchie relief'. :) (DD took the picture so it's a little fuzzy~her camera is a tad better quality than mine and takes a better zoom picture...she used my camera!)

After dinner I made a few blocks for the next quilt project. One night while chatting with Norma and Linda, they directed me to the Quilter's Cache Square in a Square 2 pattern. I thought it would be a fun one to try using this horse novelty print. This quilt will be for a special teacher of DS's who friendship and help is greatly appreciated during our years at DS's current high school. DS said she loves horses and has even owned horses in the past. Funny thing~I brought about a yard of this horse print as an impulse buy~now I'm happy it was in the cupboard waiting to be gifted to a great teacher! :)
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Thursday, May 21, 2009

Starry Squares Finished

I decided to leave the 4 units that were made together and sew each as a bigger unit. I then had a brilliant idea to move all the blue blocks to the middle then alternate white and red around the perimeter of the quilt. Only I didn't like the concentration of red in the corner as I had more red blocks then white blocks. I followed Mary's pattern for Boxed Squares for making this quilt.

With a little re-arranging I thought this design looked pleasing. After I sewed it all together, I realized that is it almost the same as when the blocks were not sewn on the design flannel! I guess I just like strong diagonal lines in my quilts :) I decided to use more 2.5 inch (unfinished) strips as the border treatment. The border is okay but, next time I would cut the white down to 1.5 inch (unfinished) as I like the look of a smaller, thinner inner border~again...just a personal preference!

I quilted it with the Ebb and Flow panto from Willow Leaf Studio.
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Wednesday, May 20, 2009

WIP Wednesday

Binding day.

Only the hand sewing and label to finish Starry Squares.

I made two luggage tags for my May Secret Pal. One of her hobbies that she listed was travel when she retires this summer, any color and batiks. I blended a couple of tutorials I had to come up with the finished product. Hope she likes them. :)
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Tuesday, May 19, 2009

Goodies in the Mail

I won! Jacquie at Tallgrass Prairie Studio sponsored a 'Spring to Finish' Challenge that I won the April edition! and with only two finishes! Jacquie is continuing her 'Spring to Finish' May edition...there is still time to play along and maybe win some great stuff like I did!

Here is how my package arrived.

Jacquie included a Orla Keily Dishtowel Pillow Cover, 1/2 of a yard of some cute bird fabric and a set of Orla Kiely coasters. Thanks Jacquie! everything is so adorable! and now I own a 'Jacquie original'~woohoo! If you wish to make a Dishtowel Pillow Cover, Jacquie shared her tutorial on her sidebar of her blog, you will just need to scroll down a little way..

Here is my pillow with a 14 inch form in it. Looks good with the quilt from Norma, eh? :)


DS is interested in culinary so he volunteered to make 'Berry Baskets' for dessert last night. Yummers! Cream with fresh fruit in a waffle bowl.



I thought it was healthy...he says not.


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Sunday, May 17, 2009

Stash Busting Report Week#20

No fabric in and a finish!

Here is my report:

Fabric added this week: 0 yards
Fabric added this year: +67 yards

Fabric used this week: -8 yards
Fabric used this year: -116 yards

Net fabric for this year: -49 yards (used)

What I accomplished this week:

Goals for next week:

Lots to do in the sewing room this week~it's getting to be 'crunch time' :)

Saturday, May 16, 2009

Good News...Bad News

The Good News is that I graduated from physical therapy this week! Now it is up to me to continue the exercises I have been given to strengthen my back muscles and inner core muscle group.

The Bad News is that my chronic back and leg problems most likely are caused by my heel spur that I've had for about 8 years. Dr. James, my chiropractor, doesn't think that the heel spur will re-absorb into my heel bone. It's been free living for tooo long! This heel spur has caused me to walk 'funny' for awhile now and I've shifted everything out of whack, even with 'the inserts'.

The Good News is that I can get orthopedic shoes that will support my arch and help alleviate the heel spur pain.

The Bad News is that they will probably look like something a very very old person might wear!
To heck with fashion~ if it means relief. Dr James suggested a Dansko shoe (website here) and they might even have enough arch support that I won't need 'the inserts'!

The Good News is this is the most fashionable shoe that I have owned in about 25 years! and oh, so comfy! I'm in the breaking in period where today I wore them for four hours. What a difference they make :) and purple, too! and a little heel, too!

Now to buy me some purple socks...woohoo!

Fashion and comfort have arrived on my feet :)
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Friday, May 15, 2009

Boxed Squares

I continued piecing the Boxed Squares sub-units today with the red/white/blue 2.5 inch strips I won at Night Guild meeting in April. Now I need to decide if I want to keep the similar units together or scramble all the units up. I had more blue strips than any other color but I am surprised that the red units are the strongest color line.
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Thursday, May 14, 2009

Day Guild Workshop

We had a workshop today at the Day Guild. Wendy Rieves from The Creativity Studio was our instructor and she was very generous! Last month, she presented a lecture and trunk show to the day guild about 'Using 6 Inch Squares'. She then let us pick, whatever we were interested in and today she arrived at guild and lead us in the making of our various projects. We had our choice of two different quilts and a blocks techniques class.

I choose the blocks but boy, I must have left my brain at home this morning! I made the bear paw first and this is the second one I made after the first was a totally disaster! It was easier just to start over! Next came the ladybug...I sewed the right side to the middle and then the wrong side...oh boy! I decided to 'leave as is' since it was the technique I was interested in learning. The I proceeded to sew the head the wrong way~impossible you say~I found a way and my seam ripper! :) She also shared a really cool method for couching on the ladybug antennae. By now the class was already half over...a lot of the sewers left and I found it much easier to concentrate. I made both the basket block and the heart block in the last hour. You can't tell from the picture but the handle on the basket is 3 dimensional...very cool! I definitely want to make more of these blocks and perhaps a wall hanging or maybe table toppers... All in all, a fun day sewing at the guild. :)

Thanks Wendy for sharing with the Day Guild!
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Sizzling Shoe Strings

My next finish...Sizzling Shoe Strings.

This is a Ben Franklin Mystery Quilt that we received clues once a month starting in January 2009. It will be shown at the June 2009 meeting then will hang in the fabric department for the summer. Over 50 ladies participated in the Mystery Quilt~it will be interesting to see all the different color combinations and block settings!
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Wednesday, May 13, 2009

WIP Wednesday

Working on the Offset Spiral.

Binding day.

Two sides done, two to finish.

I decided to name this quilt...Sizzling Shoe Strings.
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Sunday, May 10, 2009

Stash Busting Report Week #19

I had my first finish of May! woohoo! My Magic Trip Around the World is now on the guest bed. My report follows:

Fabric added this week: + 9 yards
Fabric added this year: + 67 yards

Fabric used this week: -19 yards
Fabric used this year: -108 yards

Net fabric for the year: -41 yards (used)

What I accomplished this week:
  • quilted and bound TAW
  • pieced BF Mystery to a flimsy
  • began piecing Boxed Squares

Goals for next week:

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY to all!

Enjoy your special day! :)

photo from Google search 'Goldens Moms and Pups'

Saturday, May 9, 2009

Mystery Quilt Solution

On Wednesday at the Ben Franklin Quilt Club, I received the last clue for the mystery quilt I was participating in. The technique is based on Margaret Miller's book, Strips That Sizzle. There were many options for the final set and it turned out that I had enough blocks to make a nice size cuddle quilt: 54 x 66. The teacher was explaining about setting the blocks when she casually mentioned that any log cabin set would work or a set with blocks that had a light and dark side like split 9 patch.

It was like a light bulb went off in my head! I was so excited!

You see, I was thinking about making an Off Set Spiral quilt for DS but was not looking forward to the 300 hst's it would need if I made split 9 patches for a full size bed quilt.

Picture found on Wonder Cut Ruler wesite gallery.

I rushed home and began placing my mystery blocks on the design flannel. One minor problem I encountered was that the veggie border fabric I had chosen no longer seemed appropriate. So I searched and found this fun, funky shoe print that was gifted to me last year. Gotta love a stash that will has just the right 'weirdness' factor! :)

I'm pretty excited about how this turned out. Now to apply this technique to a black and white quilt~but that is a summer project for me!

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Magic Trip Around the World

I finished the hand sewing the binding last night. Late.

Here is TAW on the guest bed. I turned off the flash so the colors would be truer but then the picture is a little fuzzy. :)

This is the sassy back. I wanted to use my map fabric and thought a big yellow frame would bring it up to size. I used four different yellows and due to a calculation error, I needed to add a strip along the side and bottom. You can see a little bit of the light green showing in the lower left corner. Luckily, the bottom green worked as a 'grabber' on the apron. Why green? Why not...seriously, it is light and the thread blends and I had enough yardage so there was very little piecing. :)

I envision someday, DD will be giving trunk show lectures with my quilts and her theme will be: 'WHY DID SHE DO THAT?!' or maybe 'IT IS WHAT IT IS!'. Just about sums it up. :)
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Wednesday, May 6, 2009

WIP Wednesday

I shopped today!

One of those chain stores had Mary Ellen's Best Spray Starch Alternative on sale! I purchased quite a few bottles as I was replenishing my inventory and plan to give it away in my Secret Pal's Goodie Bags~this year, each month I have a different Secret Pal. So I figure that I will be able to give each one a bottle, a few fat quarters of their preferred fabric and another trinket or two that I will pick up as I see something. I also added to the stash but it is already in the washer/dryer.

I also couldn't resist making a few Boxed Squares blocks. These four sub-blocks are from two 2.5 inch strips. I have quite a few of the navy with white stars so, I think I will wait to sew the bigger blocks when I can distribute the alternate blocks.
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Monday, May 4, 2009

Sassy TAW

This morning I started quilting the Magic Trip Around the World. I just might have to re-name it the Sassy TAW~because it is being sassy to me! LOL I am quilting it with the Popcorn panto from Willow Leaf Studio in Permacore Eggshell thread. I am just about to the center point of the quilt before I decided to break for lunch, laundry and blogging.

Hope after dinner, I will be able to sew a few more rows.
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Sunday, May 3, 2009

Stash Busting Report Week #18

No finishes this week but I did manage to add to the stash.

My report is:

Fabric added this week: 5 yards
Fabric added this year: 58 yards

Fabric used this week: 0 yards
Fabric used this year: - 89 yards

Net fabric for this year: -31 yards (used)

What I accomplished this week:
  • pieced Magic Trip Around the World to a flimsy

Goals for next week:

  • quilt Trip Around the World
  • bind Trip Around the World
  • begin piecing a project (not sure which one yet)

The Magic Trip Around the World didn't progress as fast as I had hoped. Now I am running into some problems with the backing.

Never a dull moment, eh?

Saturday, May 2, 2009

Trip Around the World is a Flimsy!

I set aside some time this morning to work on the borders for the Magic Trip Around the World. I needed to sew the top and bottom inner border then the outer border. I realized when I went to pin the borders on that I had transversed the sizes...I made what I thought were the sides to fit the top/bottom and what I thought were the top/bottom fit the sides... I guess that is why I usually pick non-directional prints! but hey, IIWII! and I will probably the only one who ever notices!

Here is as much as the Flimsy as I could get into the picture!

Here is the rose print border. The blue really seems to 'rule' the quilt top. I was hoping the green inner border might just calm the whole thing a tad. In any event, it will look pretty on the guest bed!

Right now, the binding fabric is in the dryer along with the backing fabric. Next I will need to piece the back.

I forgot to share a picture out the kitchen slider door yesterday, May 1st. So here is today's view. DH was able to mow today~the first of the season. Looks and feels like spring has arrived in my corner of blogland! Miss Daisy Dog decided to saunter past just as I snapped the picture. She loves being outside with DH and walks around with her tennis ball in her mouth~hoping that someone will throw it!
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Friday, May 1, 2009

Spring to...Finish Results

Thanks to Jacquie who organized this challenge.

I finished two quilts this month.

The twin size Hollywood Big Quilt for DS.

The queen size Navajo Log Cabin for DH and myself.











I want to make one more bed quilt. It will be a full size for DS's bed that was new last summer. So far, he *knows* he wants a black and white quilt with some sort of *swirly* thing...ummm...I was chatting with LindaJ of Life, Quilts and a Cat, too and she suggested a Snail's Trail (or Indiana Puzzle is another name). I also found an 'Offset Spiral' that might work. CarolE. of Giraffe Dreams has also shared her graph for her 'Swirl Quilt'...Thanks!...you will need to scroll down a bit to find 'Swirly'.

So many ideas...how will I ever choose one?!