More Snow-No Quilting

The weatherman was wrong and instead of receiving only one inch of snow we received over 7 inches of snow. Since DH is out of town and DS is at school I am the snow plow. So my quilting time is going to the snow shoveling today. Hopefully, I can quilt tomorrow.

Carpenter's Star Block #3

Today I spent time cutting out squares for Carpenter's Square #3. This quilt will be in shades of green and blue. My thinking today was that if I got another one cut out, then I could sew both top together at once. It always seems that it takes me longer to cut than it does to sew.

Marking Squares

The last few days have been filled with things that did not allow for quilting time. Today is not much better, but I did get time today to mark my squares so I can get back to stitching the next Carpenters Star. I also mailed off the scrap bag for the scrappy block swap. I should receive my bag soon and will have a swap to work on. I also mailed off my scrappy house block swap.

More Squares

The only time I had for quilting today was while I was waiting for DS. I cut 50 more 5" squares. I should certainly have enough now for the Nickel Quilt.

My goal for tomorrow is to go through my projects and put them in order. Perhaps making kits with info of what is there, who it is for, and what is missing.

Nickel Block Quilt

I needed a take along project today so grabbed a bag of scraps, my 5 inch (nickel) square, small cutting board and rotary cutter and as I waited for DS I cut scrap squares. I don't know when I will actually begin sewing the quilt but I now have 125 squares ready to sew together. I am actually thinking about setting them on point, just to give them a bit of a punch.

Quilt Guild Meeting

I was unable to attend my guild meeting yesterday. So I spent my quilting time today working on my 9 patch charity quilt that I will donate to our children's organization. I cut the spacing squares today. Next time I will start sewing the nine patch blocks to the spacers. Cute, but easy.

Scrap Baggie Block Swap

Well the swap has closed and I now know that it will last 7 months. Each month I will receive a new bag of scraps. From those scraps I will add the same amount of my own scraps and then make 2 - 12 1/2" scrappy blocks. At the end of the swap, I will send the hostess half of the blocks that she will swap out and send me the same amount back. By the end of this swap I should have enough blocks to make a quilt. Need to finish stuffing my baggie and mail it off.
This should be so fun! Can hardly wait to get my first bag of scraps!!

#2 Memory Quilt Cut Out

I have all the squares cut out for memory quilt #2. This will be the same Carpenter's Star as the last one. It is #2 out of a series of 5 for my Aunts as a memory of their brother. The quilts are being made from his old shirts and blue jeans.

First Carpenter's Star Memory Top Finished

Was able to sew today even though DH was home and I got the top sewn together. It still needs to be pressed well and more threads trimmed, but it came out really well. Now I will need to figure out how to quilt it.

Ready to Sew Together Carpenter's Star Block

Well the pieces are waiting to be sewn together. I will be working on finishing this today. It is coming together really well. I hope to cut the next set of blocks this afternoon also. I think I will make all 5 blocks then sandwich and quilt them all.

House Swap Ready to go Out

Finally got my house blocks pressed. The challenge was to have the blocks say something about who we are. I have lived all across the US. The one thing that remained the same no matter if we lived in an apartment, rental house, government/base housing or our own home were flowers in the yard. Sometimes we had containers of flowers and veggies, sometimes we had flowerbeds, and sometimes we had just hanging baskets. All was good with the world as long as I had flowers in the front of the house. So I picked fabrics that depicted flowers for the house. At first we had only 6 people sign up so I made all my houses the same, as the swap grew I had to add houses with different flower fabrics. This was strictly a scrap swap so I had to keep digging for flower fabric. I think they came out really cute.

House Blocks all Done & More Snow Shoveling

I have all of my House Swap blocks finished. I need to give them a final press and trim and then put them in an envelope ready to go to the swap hostess. I have seen photos of one of the swap groups houses and if they are all as cute as Mary's we should have some really great houses.

We received another 8" of snow so again my quilting time is limited due to shoveling. We now have so much snow in the yard, I can't shovel it any higher without falling back on the drive way. May need to dig out the little red wagon, so I can haul the snow out to the street.

Carpenter's Star Block

I have all the pieces of the block cut and sewn together. I now need to press all the squares and lay them out so they can be sewn together. This quilt will finish at approximately 32" square. Will make a great table topper or wall quilt. I think all my aunts will love these remembrances of their brother.

Big Snow

I did not get time to sew as we received 20+ inches of snow. I spent my time when I could have been quilting--shoveling. While it is beautiful, I do not enjoy shoveling, but need to do so to get the car out to the street. Hope it quits so I don't have to shovel again. Here are photos of my back patio.

No Quilting Time Today

Well, today I had Dr. appointments so no quilting. We are expecting a BIG Snowstorm tomorrow, so I hope to quilt all day tomorrow! I am playing with the Carpenter's Star block design. I really like this block.

Memory Quilt Progress

I have finally decided what I will do for the fifth memory quilt! It will be the Carpenter's Star. My Uncle was a carpenter and this seems to be very fitting to honor him. Now, I need to draw out the pattern so the star will be approximately 32 inches square. Will need to get to work!

Scrappy Baggies Block Swap Blocks

Looked through Quilters Cache for 12 1/2 inch blocks to make for the scrappy baggie block swap. I found 6 blocks I am considering. Want to have a really scrappy quilt . Hope I can get at least 12 blocks from this swap. Now I need to finish pulling fabrics for my baggie. Can't wait until I get my baggie to add to and get started. This should be really fun!

Twister Quilt

Today, I cut out and sewed 12 - 10 inch blocks together and placed a 6 1/2 inch border around the 3 x 4 block layout. I made it in spring colors for Easter. I will try out the large twister tool tomorrow.

Design Wall Finally

I have always wanted a design board. Well, today I convinced DH to help me make one. I had picked up a piece of light weight plywood that measured 48" x 40". I used a piece of batting against the board and covered it all with white felt. I still need to decide if I want to hang it on the wall or just lean it against the wall. I used batting on the board so if I decided to pin something up I could. So far it works fine to just stick the blocks or pieces on the board. This should be a real help in visualizing what the quilt blocks will look like in different layouts.

Memory Quilt Work

Today I started laying out the pieces for the first memory quilt. I think it will be nice. A bit subdued. Now I need to start sewing. Hope to have the first top done by this Sunday.

Scrap Happy Block Swap Blocks

I signed up for the house block swap with my group, so I began making the blocks today. They are all made of scraps. I would like to get 6 blocks done today. This is not my block just a sample picture of what it should look like only in my fabric choices.

Camo Quilt Started

I started to cut the squares for the disappearing nine patch camo quilt for DS. I still am planning to give the quilt to him for his birthday. He may want it sooner, but I think this would be better as a birthday gift. That way I have more time to work on it. DS wants me to incorporate the cargo pockets into the quilt in some way. I will need to think about that.

Preparing Fabric and Ordering Batting

Today I prepared fabric for bindings and backings for the memory quilts. I decided to use fabric from my stash since Bob would try to use what he had before he would buy more.

I also was looking through the Connecting Threads Catalog and saw that they had batting on sale. I sat down and ordered 5 packages 80/20 Hobbs batting and a couple of Hobbs fusible batting. This should keep me in batting for some time. Now I have to wait for it to arrive!!

Swap Guidelines

Today's quilting time was spent writing up guidelines for a scrappy house swap and a scrap bag, block swap. Both should be really fun and my quilt group should participate well since we have had a lot of buzz about both these swaps. I want to do both but, jut don't know if I have time to do them.

I really want to do the house swap and have already decided how to complete the quilt. I want a center block that says, "Home is where your heart is!" To make a lap quilt I would like to get 35 7 1/2" blocks. But will make up the difference in what I get to do this quilt.The twist with this quilt is we also send along a note with our block saying what we thinks make a home and personalize our block to represent each of us. I always have flowers in my front yard and in my windows so I will do something with flowers.

The scrap bag block swap should be equally fun where you use scraps sent to you along with scraps of your own mixed together to make blocks to swap. Then you pass on the bag of scraps to the next person and they do the same thing. So all the blocks you get back should have some coordinating fabrics, thus they should all blend together to make a quilt. I would like to get 12 blocks from this swap. As the size requirement is 12 1/2 unfinished.

Big Progress on Memory Quilts

I was able to spend most of the afternoon quilting. I have all the pieces cut for the Twister, Scrappy, Disappearing 9 Patch and the Pockets quilt. I still have not decided on the fifth quilt.
I hope to be able to sew one of the tops tomorrow. It is so exciting to see the quilts actually starting to come together. My aunts will be so surprised when they get a quilt from their brother's clothes.

Camo Quilt Design

Guess DS is in more of a hurry than I am for his camo quilt. He showed me a picture this morning of what he likes. It kind of looks like a Disappearing Nine Patch. So guess I had better start working on it for him. It is a good thing I enjoy having several projects going at the same time.

Relearning how to download pictures from the camera

Well I have finally given up and will spend my quilting time today having DS teach me again how to download my photos from the camera so I can actually put pictures with my posts. If I already have the picture I can do it, but if it has to come off the camera, then I can't for the life of me figure out how to do this. I know it is easy, I am just being a sap!

Memory Quilts Still in Process

I cut out the squares for the twisted quilt. This quilt will be fun to make. Since this is a memory quilt I may have a spot of paint or a stain on the fabric and this is a reminder that he was a carpenter, painter and builder. I think those spots are part of the memory of this wonderful man, not including these flaws would be like not telling the whole story.

Memory Quilt work

Spent my quilting time today cutting pieces for the memory quilts. I still do not know what I will be making for quilt #5 but I am still looking for just the right idea. I have started to make blocks for the disappearing nine patch quilt.

Camo Quilt Request

DS asked me today if I could make him a camo quilt. When he was in elementary school his room was a camo theme. He since has redecorated, but guess he still likes camo. I have some black, dark green and brown fabric in the stash. He has some too small camo pants I will incorporate into his quilt. His birthday is in a few months, so I have plenty of time to make the quilt.

Fabric for Challenge Found

Picked the fabric for the Challenge Quilt. Now I am excited to get the cutting started. Did not get to quilt until this afternoon as I had family visiting for the National Western Stock Show.

We attended the rodeo, watched some Hereford judging, looked at stock in the stock yards and looked at the new farm and ranch items on the market. It was so nice to visit with the family and enjoyed seeing the best animals in the USA.

Challenge Quilt update

Went to the quilt store this morning, but did not have much luck with the sea green fabric. Will try another one tomorrow and hope for better results. I did find on pieced of fabric in my stash. So still need to find 6 or 7 more. I will not let this challenge get the best of me

Sea Green Challenge

I hope to get to the quilt shop later today so decided to make a color card so I could try to match fabrics to the challenge color. I will go through my stash of greens to see if I have anything I can use. I am thinking about using 7 or 8 different fabrics. I know in my stash I have some off white bubble fabric I will use for sashing and borders. Will need to find a nice backing fabric as well. Binding will a mixture of all the sea greens I used on the top. Have a plan now. Just need to find the sea green fabrics!

Crayon Challenge

At my guild meeting our challenge is to make a quilted object using a crayon color for inspiration. From the 64 pack of crayons I drew the color "sea green". I will need to find a way to incorporate this color predominately in my quit and display my quilt along with the crayon to be judged. This will be a challenge for me as I am not a fan of green. I will need to take a walk through the greens at the quilt shop and hopefully get some ideas.

I do like this quilt. I was thinking of doing it in blues. But, may try making it in the sea green hues instead.

Quilt Guild today

I will dedicate my quilting time today to attend my quilt guild. The talk today will be on scrap quilting. I have been working on a string quilt so hope to get some ideas about that today. Will share anything interesting I learn.

Christmas Tree Wall Hanging

Will be working on a small wall hanging with squares and half square triangles. This will be a variety of greens and tans. Will cut all the squares from my scrap basket. This is a recycle project.

More UFO's Found

Was up in the sewing room this morning and found more UFO's. I had forgotten I had made up some "kits" for quick projects last summer. So now I have 6 more items to work on.

1. A small wall hanger Christmas Tree made from squares and half square triangles.
2. A quilted cover for my stand mixer.
3. Toiletries bag
4. Holiday Purse
5. Tote bag
6. Christmas Panel that will have borders added on to make a wall hanging.

Really need to get my sewing room more organized so I can be more productive. Today, worked to get the fabrics color sorted, and FQ's into bins so I can see them. Have now hung my rulers and stencils. Have put my thread on a thread rack. Still have a couple of boxes to go through, but my sewing room is coming together. I have the computer and TV now set up in there too, so may never want to leave.

Still working on Memory Quilts

Continuing to take apart the clothing for the memory quilts. It appears that I will have approx. 1 yard of usable fabric out of the pants. I now have a good idea that I will be able to make small lap quilts for all 5 sisters. I will need to purchase backing fabric for the quilts. Still need to decide on what patterns to make the other 3 quilts. Thinking of the churn dash for one, disappearing 9 patch for another but will have to think about the last one.

Memory Quilts

This past summer my uncle died. His sisters miss him very much. My mom has given me his old shirts and pants and I will be taking them apart and making 5 quilts. That way each sister will have a remembrance of her brother. Depending on how much fabric I actually get from the deconstruction I hope to be able to make lap size quilts for each sister. If not, I will be making wall hangings. The first pattern I have already decided on is the Twister design. I still need to pick four other designs. My goal is to have all five quilts made by the anniversary of his passing this summer. I began taking the shirts apart today. It appears that I will be getting about 3/4 yd of usable fabric per shirt. I think I will incorporate the pockets into one of the quilts. So still need to figure out what I will do for the other three.

One Block Wonder

I just returned from the library with a new book. One Block Wonder. I had wanted to try this quilt for a long time, but just had not gotten the nerve to give it a try. Will need to read the book, but it sounds like it is actually not that hard. Think finding the fabric to use may be the hardest part.

Sewing Room and UFO's

I just came out from my sewing room and I will need to work on rearranging since I got a new sewing table. I also went through the items all over the room and realized I have 18 UFO's I should finish before I really get to working on the new projects I want to do.

5 UFO's need to be quilted and bound.
4 need to be sandwiched
3 need to have binding sewn on
6 are in varying states of completion.

I want to make a one block wonder this year and may experiment with some fabric I have in my stash to experiment. The gals I have talked to that have made one say they are easy. They look complicated to me. Guess it is all in the fabric repeat and lining it all up. Will have to read more on OBW.

Happy sewing!

New Quilt Idea

Last spring my family visited Washington DC during the cherry blossom festival. I had wanted to make a quilt to remember our trip but until today I had not found an inspiration fabric.

This fabric was at Hancock fabrics by M'liss Fabrics. Now I need to decide what style quilt I want to make so I can purchase coordinating fabric.

New Year New Try

2012 has arrived and with it, I again want to post about my quilting and sewing adventures. While quilting is my main focus, I may have some general sewing comments and crochet items as well. Here is to new starts. Health is better, family is better so here we go!

My project for today is to sew bindings on a tea towel and dish rag I am making for Christmas 2012. These were prototypes to see if I liked the idea. Yes, I do, so will make several sets.
Photos to come later.