Design Wall

I pulled out a bin to get started on finishing up some of my UFOs and found the makings for this quilt - pieces already cut out for the 66 inch quilt.

I put up a piece of batting in our hall so I could lay out these pieces. The blocks on the batting are for a quilt abt 100 inches square.

The pattern is from American Patchwork and Quilting from Feb. 2011 - Row By Row.

I thought about making it bigger but I just finished my half hexie red, white and black quilt so not sure I want another bed size quilt in the same colors. Also haven't decided on the sashing color, probably a light gray. To make it bigger I will need to cut out 100 more blocks. Not sure I have the fabrics in my stash to make it bigger, I think that will be the deciding factor. I just might put it back in it's bin and back on the shelf and work on it later in the year.

Does anyone have any feedback on Joann's Soft and Crafty Toasty batting?

So fun to see what others have on their design walls so check out Judy's blog....

Traveling Stash Box - Last Stash Report for 2013 - 2014 Goals

Deb from http://simplystitchingalong.blogspot.com/ is the new owner of the traveling stash box!

First:

I won the "Traveling Stash Box" from Kris at http://farmgirltransplant.blogspot.com/

Here is what I kept -

And here is what I added to the box -

1 pad of graph paper - a book on quilting filler designs - a bobbin keeper - 4 patterns - 9  neutral fat quarters - 5 sherbet pips mini charm packs - and a Christmas wallhanging kit from Keepsake Quilting.

Leave a comment if you would like to have a chance on having this box of goodies arrive on your doorstep. Please be sure I will be able to contact you for your mailing address. Must have an active blog....

I will be picking a name from the comments on Monday, December 30th sometime in the afternoon and will be mailing the box on January 2nd, 2014

Since trading the fabrics was a even trade I will not be counting in or out the fabrics from this box.

The rules can be found here but, basically, you must be an active blogger in the U.S., replace chosen items with like items in quantity and quality, and be willing to move the box quickly along to the next recipient, although, allowances for the holidays will probably be tolerated at this time of year.  

Second:

I thought I would actually go through withdrawals with my goal of not buying any fabric in 2013. I didn't. Once the decision was made it was really easy for me. I deleted all online quilt shop ads without opening them. Tossed any catalogs after I looked through them. I was never tempted when I went to the bank, to drive around the corner to the quilt shop. I think I went to Joanns 3 times this year, once for supplies for a grandgirl's report, once to help a grandgirl pick out fabric for a quilt, once to buy a piece of foam. I went to the Paducah show and didn't buy any fabric. Think of all the $ I saved and was still able to make some really fun quilts.

I have already noticed that since I decided to keep some quilts on hand for gifting that I find I want to keep all the quilts I make, hard to put them in the HUG pile.

I decided to get started on finishing my UFOs. The first box I pulled out had a bunch of 9 patches. I decided to make another one of these quilts with them. This one is 98 inches square.

I am saving it to give to my friend for her birthday in April. I very seldom use the same fabric for binding as I do for the border, almost looks like the binding isn't on.

This quilt is for a friend's granddaughter and I want it to be a surprise so here is a picture of the back...

Bought YTD - 47 yards (paid for 41 yards in 2012 - it arrived in 2013 so I counted it for this year) actually only added 6 yards this year)

Used - 365.91 yards

Total YTD - 318.91

Check out Judy's blog to see how other stash buster have done this year.

Third:

2014 Goals.....

1 - finish one UFO each month - includes quilting and binding - these seem to be never ending....

2 - not to buy too much fabric, I am running low on blenders

3 - donate two HUG quilts each month 

4 - finish each new quilt that gets started, no more UFOs

5 - make 5-6 quilts to have on hand for gifting - baby to large lap sizes 

6 - clean up after each quilt - cut scraps into usable sizes and put them away, clear off cutting table, vacuum, sew extra batting together - this one is going to be tough one for me

I have Tula Pink's City Blocks book  and plan to make ten blocks a month - I will be ordering some of Tula Pink's fabric for this quilt. This will be a very modern quilt for me, totally out of my comfort zone.

I also want  to make one baby quilt a week (no bigger than 40x40). I will be using extra blocks and really simple patterns, thinking I should be able to do this in about 5 hours. Maybe even make one block quilts.  I will be doing this along with Michelle.

I am going to combine Judy's Scrappy Block Challenge with So Scrappy's Rainbow Scrap Challenge.

I want to participate with both of these challenges and combining them seems the perfect plan. I will be using the color that Angela picks to make a quilt using the block Judy designs.

I want to join the Fat Quarter Shop's "Wishes" quilt-a-long, only one block per month. I have some polka dots I plan on using.

Not sure how many of these goals I will be able to meet. Some might get dropped along the way as we are building a house about 2.5 hours from here and will be moving about April or May. The more fabric I can use, the less we will have to move. Fabric sure is heavy!

I know it is totally nuts to think I will be able to accomplish all of this. I will have to mindful of how I spend my time. Having goals really help me to be more productive. Of course everything is subject to change at any time.

Check out Val's Quilting Studio to see what goals other quilters have made for 2014.

Hope the New Year brings much happiness your way.

December 15, 2013 - Stash Report

I unofficially joined Pieces by Polly's Half Hexies Quilt-Along. http://www.piecesbypolly.com/2013/07/hexies-from-halves-quilt-along-lesson-1.html

I had a bunch of red, white and black fabrics that I thought were perfect for this project. I never dreamed that I would make any type of Hexie quilt as I knew I wouldn't attempt "Y" seams. But these 1/2 hexies seemed so doable. And they were! I love this quilt. I didn't want to cut off the pointy bits, and after watching many you tube videos, decided to purchase a bias binding ruler.

My first attempt at bias binding and binding pointy bits was a success. I did really good at the peaks, but the valleys could use some more practice. The quilt is abt 97x103.

Using Lori Holt's Half Hexie template made cutting out my pieces really easy and fast.

I made extra 1/2 hexies so I would have a good variety to choose from, enough to make this quilt.
I am adding this baby quilt into my gifting pile. Perfect for a baby girl.

I used this fabric for the backing.

It was already pieced and was big enough to use for both quilts.

Not sure why the name "charity" quilts bothers me. If we, my family, were in need of a quilt, for whatever reason, I certainly wouldn't want to be considered a "charity" case. Pretty sure not many people would. I took to calling them donation quilts, sounded much better and then Lori gave me the great idea of calling my donation quilts "HUG" quilts. She sews "hugs" into all of her quilts. All quilts that I make and give to someone else, friend or stranger, will be called a "HUG" quilt. Love the new name!

Bought YTD - 47 yards (paid for 41 yards in 2012 - it arrived in 2013 so I counted it for this year) actually only added 6 yards this year)

****Used - 344.30 yards

Total YTD - 297.30

Hard to believe 2014 is almost here. I have been thinking about what I would like to accomplish this coming year with quilting...

1 - finish one UFO each month - includes quilting and binding

2 - not to buy too much fabric, I am running low on blenders

3 - donate two "HUG"quilts each month - QOV and RMH 

4 - use some of my strings to make a couple of quilts

5 - finish each new quilt that gets started, no more UFOs

6 - make 5-6 quilts to have on hand for gifting - baby to large lap sizes

****344 yards = 1376 fat quarters ( it is easier for me  to visualize fat quarters) . 1376 fat quarters take up a lot of space and I do not have any empty spaces on my shelves. That would equal all my fabric on my spinner. My fat quarter spinner is overflowing. I told Bill I needed another one, his reply was to make more quilts! Guess I better get busy!

Linking with Michelle and Judy..........

2014 Goals and a Stash Report

This week I finished some quilts, they all only needed to be quilted and bound.....

Monday: This is the 2nd quilt I have finished like this one. It has been sitting around for almost a year just waiting to be quilted. This one will be going to RMH.  This one is one row smaller than the first one. 65x75.

Tuesday: Finished this quilt that I made when my granddaughter  was here last week making her "Big EZ" quilt...This one will go into my 2014 gifting pile. This one is 63x79.

Wednesday: I pieced these baby tops a few months ago, finally finished them, one has orange binding the other has green, one will go to RMH and the other into my gifting pile. These two quilts finish at 39 inches square. The blue squares are flannel. 39x39.

Thursday: I finished this quilt that was pieced earlier in the year. I had a bunch of 4 patch blocks (thinking it was suppose to be a Jacob's Ladder quilt) that I have had sitting around for years.

Decided to just sew 4 of the blocks together and added sashing and corner stones. Sewed a bunch of leftover binding together and it finished at about 63 x73. I will be keeping this quilt for the dogs. After their baths they zoom through the house rolling on anything they can find. 

Friday: This is the yellow version of the quilt I gave to Project Linus a couple of weeks ago. This one will be going into my gifting pile


I am turning my sewing room into a guest room for the week after Christmas. That means there will be no last minute quilting to use more fabric. That also means that I am going to have clean - pick up - put away - shouldn't take more than 4-5 hours to put everything in order.

Hard to believe 2014 is almost here. I have been thinking about what I would like to accomplish this coming year with quilting...

1 - finish one UFO each month - includes quilting and binding
2 - not to buy too much fabric, I am running low on blenders
3 - donate two quilts each month - QOV and RMH - I dislike like calling them "charity" quilts
4 - use some of my strings to make a couple of quilts
5 - finish each new quilt that gets started, no more UFOs
6 - make 5-6 quilts to have on hand for gifting - baby to large lap quilts

I only count fabric out when the quilt is 100% finished.

Bought YTD - 47 yards (paid for 41 yards in 2012 - it arrived in 2013 so I counted it for this year) actually only purchased 6 yards this year)

Used - 324.74 yards

Total YTD - 277.74

I am linking up with Michelle and Judy.

Project Linus Quilts / Stash Report

When I make donation quilts I always finish them - quilting and binding. I got a call from Project Linus and they needed some tops so they could tie them on their next sew day, luckily I had a stack of panels waiting to be made into tops. I also had five pieced tops waiting to be quilted that went to PJ.

The first four are panels with side borders -

This next quilt I got last year as a kit from Hancocks of Paducah. I do remember that I thought the directions were a bit confusing, just can't remember what it was that had me stumped.

I spy panels with side borders. I bought this fabric for $1 a yard 3-4 years ago. I had enough to make 8 of these tops. I just let the fabric sit until I decided to add a 1 inch strip on each side in a primary color and then a black and white stripe fabric that matches the black and white stripe at the top and bottom of the panel. Easy way to finish off the quilt top.

Another kit from Hancock's. I like this one better than the other and I had no problems at all with the pattern. Love sewing with Batiks.

Next quilt is made from 5 inch I Spy squares. I got the idea for this quilt from "made by Rae". Here is the link - 

http://www.made-by-rae.com/2010/12/finito-storytime-squares-quilt-in-far-far-away-ii/

Great pattern if you need a a super fast and easy quilt.

Next, I can't remember on which blog I saw this quilt. I ordered the book and while waiting for it to arrive made the top.

I also made a yellow version of this quilt. Made with 5 inch I Spy blocks. Learned that I should have used a busy non-directional piece of fabric for the framed blocks, as some of the designs are now sitting  cockeyed.

I made this quilt for my friend's husband who is in the hospital for a extended stay, hope it brightens up his room and reminds him that we love him.

It is from Kim's Bracket Scrap Basket Surprises book and is call Scrap-Basket Blues. Pretty easy quilt, cut and pieced in one day, quilted and mailed the next. I used one fabric for the back ground.

My granddaughter wanted to make a quilt for her cousin for Christmas and picked the pattern 

"The Big EZ" by Bloom Creek

We went to JoAnns and she picked out all the fabric, it has bears, wolves and eagles on it. She is getting so much better at her 1/4 in seams. She patiently watched while I cut out the pieces and stated that now that she is 13 she should be cutting out the pieces. Next time she can, after I buy her a cutting glove!

She pieced the top in one day, it is huge - 63x79 and most of the pieces are big so it went together quickly. She quilted and bound it the next day. I am only adding 1 yard of left over fabric from this quilt to my report.

Bought YTD - 47 yards (paid for 41 yards in 2012 - it arrived in 2013 so I counted it for this year) actually only purchased 6 yards this year)

Used - 281.04 yards

Total YTD - 234.04

Hoping to get some bed quilts finished by the end of the year and that will really help my numbers.

Check our how other quilters are doing with using their stash

I CAVED!!!!!

Well.......... so much for my commitment not to buy any fabric this year. My best friend, for over 35 years, just adores Suzy's Zoo. Every card and letter I receive from her has Suzy's Zoo characters on them. When I heard about the fabric line I went in search of it and got 5 yards. It is so cute. I especially like the happy little snails.

This is the fabric I used. The pattern is Picnic Quilt from the book "Orchard Quilts" by Lynette Jensen.

The flying geese are hard to see. The quilt finishes at about 78x66, perfect for a outdoor concert quilt.    I used just over 8 yards to make it.  

Had problems with my thread breaking on my long arm. Called APQS and Dawn Cavanaugh called me back while she was traveling and was so kind about my lack of knowledge of the machine. She stayed on the phone while I   completed all the tasks she gave me, took about 1/2 hour. She gave me her cell number just in case I needed more advise. The thread quit breaking and everything is running smoothly once again. The APQS team have always been so helpful and kind to me. 

Bought YTD - 46 yards (paid for 41 yards in 2012 - it arrived in 2013 so I counted it for this year - actually only purchased 5 yards this year)

Used - 234.43 yards

Total YTD - 188.43

Linking to Judy's blog.

QOV-RMH - Kimmy's Quilt

These two quilts are on their way to Alycia in Colorado.

I finished this top a few years back and sent it off to be custom quilted. I just love it.

I bought the I Spy fabric for $1 a yard, I will be making 8 quilts from it. I added a solid strip on each side and then added the black and white stripe on each side. Here are the first two all ready to go ...

I am using primary colors for the inside strips and binding. These will all be going to Ronald McDonald's house.

My 9 yr old granddaughter wanted to make a quilt for her friend's birthday - she did a great job - it took her 9 hours and she hung it there with no complaints - even did the quilting on it. All the fabrics she chose were polka dots.

So far this year I have used 226 yards of fabric.

Daisies and Rick Rack

I saw this quilt at a county fair about 5 years ago. I loved it, found the fabric and began making it. Bill wasn't too crazy about it so I made it into two donation quilts. I have finished one so far and it went to Sarah's quilt ministry. The 2nd quilt is one row smaller.

Picture disappeared

This next quilt I put together so Bill's cousin, Pat, could practice on it using the long arm.

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Excuse the mudding paw prints at the bottom of the picture. Pat gave this to her friend for her new grandbaby. I got the kit on sale at Keepsake Quilting last year. The kit included the panel, the batting and the backing. The blue robots were suppose to be for the backing but I wanted the quilt to be a bit wider,  I had some fun flannel that was used for the backing instead. I have three more of these kits to make. The aliens were just too cute to pass up.

Totally Decaffeinated

Finished this quilt today!

It is from the book "Coffee-Time Quilts". I am not a coffee drinker so I really should change the name. I even used the same colors as the quilt in the book. I love this quilt. It measures 100 x 107. I like the look of the stacked log blocks. I also made the small stars smaller than the pattern called for as I wanted to use up a bunch of 2.5 inch squares I already had. It was a easy quilt to put together. Almost 23 yards of fabric went into this quilt.

The background fabrics are whites, beiges and creams, not greens like the photo shows.

Stash Report - March 24, 2013

I prefer making quilts without borders, I would rather make extra blocks to make the quilt the size I want it than add borders. I have 4 quilts of my grandma's and they do not have borders probably due to the fact that fabric was hard to come by, and I love them.  I usually make my quilts bigger than the pattern calls for and then trying to figure out how to make the pieced border fit just isn't going to happen. If a border is needed it will just be a strip of fabric, nothing pieced.

Next week I should have a picture of my sister's quilt to share with you. She came in yesterday and leaves on Wednesday.

What if - 
a - you went to the quilt shop and the owner told you that you were her first customer of the day at 4:30pm (store closes at 5) 
b - you picked out 24 yards of fabric - 4 yards Christmas sale fabric and 20 yards of full price fabric
c - she refused to cut 1/3 yard cuts of the Christmas fabric (sale fabric she only will cut 1 yard pieces) knowing that you had plans to purchase 20 additional yards of fabric at full price

Would you - 
a - buy full yard cuts of the Christmas fabric knowing that most of it would end up sitting on your shelves for years
b - not buy the Christmas fabric and purchase the other 20 yards of fabric
c - not buy any of the fabric you had picked out thinking that as you were her only customer of the day that she should be grateful you were there at all and sell you the fabric in the cuts you wanted

hmmmm.......

I started this quilt in February and finished it this week.

It is 105 inches square and will be living on our guest bed. The pattern is "Color Me Crayon" from the Fat Quarter Shop. The colors make it the perfect spring/summer quilt. The pattern had great directions and was easy to make. I used Batik strips. 

Used since last stash report - 20.9 / Used YTD - 133.69

Bought since last stash report - 0 / Bought YTD - 41 (bought in 2012, arrived in 2013)

Net used YTD -  92.69

Quilts finished in 2013 - 16

Visit Judy's blog to see what other quilters are up to......

Goals for 2013

1) I am planning on staying out of quilt shops - there is not one thing I need. No patterns, no thread, no batting, no fabric, no rotary blades, no rulers, no gadgets, nothing. If I don't have it then I do not need it. There isn't any reason for me to visit a shop in town or online. I guesstimated how much fabric I have and I will never come close to using it all. The folks who get my quilts don't know if the fabric is brand new or 6 years old, they only know that someone out there in the world cares enough about them to make them a quilt. I will be unsubscribing to all emails from quilt stores, if I don't see it I won't be tempted.

Amendment to Goal #1 - I will be going to the Paducah Quilt Show in April with our new quilting cousin and I will be bringing home some fabric/patterns/etc...  That will be the only quilting shopping I plan on doing this year.

2) Make 12 QOV and 

1 

2a) 6 quilts for Boots and Booties

1-2

3) Make 12 quilts for Ronald's House

1 - 2 - 3 - 4 

4) Finish 5 quilts that I have already started

5) Make 5 quilts for Margaret's Hope Chest

1 - 2 - 3

Other finished quilts

1- 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6 

Visitors.....

Every morning we have a herd of deer that come strolling through our woods, they probably live in the woods at the far end away from our home.

There are 7 of them. Couldn't get them all in one picture.

Harry and the Hendersons is a fun movie and seeing the deer remind me of the ending when they take Harry back to the forrest and all of a sudden you see other Bigfoot/Bigfeet (?) magically appear. Same with the deer, out of the corner of my eye I see a flash of white and look up and there they are.

I think they come by to say hi to our dogs.

They come within 1 foot of the fence and all the barking doesn't send the deer running off into the woods. They just stand there and twitch their tails. I think the deer actually enjoy this commotion from the dogs.

Grandma Doyle

My dad's mother, Fannie Mae, was born on March 12, 1878 in Mississippi. She had 9 children, the twins died within a week of being born. Another died of TB. Grandma had a stroke and I only remember her living in a hospital and speaking German. I could not understand her when we visited, though she did teach me to count to 10 in German. Her parents were from Germany.

I am so blessed to have many items that belonged to her.

 This is a photo album given to her by her husband on her 20th birthday in 1898, the original photos had been removed and I have copies of them.

 Here are her reading glasses, a pencil she used to mark which eggs she was leaving for the hens to hatch, an oil container she used on her sewing machine and a canning tool. I have all my treasures tagged as I want my boys and grandgirls to know why these things are so special to me.

4 of her wonderful scrappy quilts, one needs to be quilted and I really should do that some time soon.

I have some love letters written to her soon to be husband, they are in a safety deposit  box.

Then there is this doll......

I had a doll just like this one. I loved her and took her everywhere, she is posable. Her name was Candy. I took her to see my grandma in the hospital and my grandma also fell in love with her, she thought she was a real baby and talked to her for hours and hours. When we were ready to leave Oklahoma I was asked to leave Candy with my grandma and I would get another one when we got home. Of course I pitched a fit and said no! When we got home my dad bought another identical doll and sent it to my grandma. To this day I am totally ashamed of my behavior. I was only 7 when this happened. My doll is gone, this one belonged to my grandma. Every time I look at this doll I am filled with shame, maybe shame is too strong of a word, guilt, yes, I know it has been 53 years and I should forgive my small 7 year old self who didn't understand the act of kindness, of thinking of others, only thought of myself, my own needs. I keep her in a cabinet with my other treasures and smile when I see her and know how much I have changed over the years, and so glad I am not that selfish little 7 year old any longer.

I have only had one granddaughter who has shown any interested in playing with Candy II so when the time comes Emma will be gifted this sweet doll.

Here is my grandma as a young married woman and her with her dad in 1880.

Happy Birthday Grandma!

Linking with http://thebrambleberrycottage.blogspot.com/

March 10, 2013 - Stash Report

Using Mollie's tutorial on Forest Bricks I created this fun little quilt. It will be going to Ronald's House.

It is all made from scraps and used my darkest green for the binding. Finished at about 50 x 62. It reminds me of spring when all the leaves begin to appear and the flowers are popping out of the ground, such a magical time of the year.

I changed it up a bit as my bricks are smaller. They are 4.5 x 2.5 and the frames are 4.5 x 1.5. Each little block finishes at 4.5 inches square.

The greens are left over bits from this quilt. Instead of cleaning up from making that quilt, I thought it would be just as easy to make another quilt. And the mess is still there! I already had a baggie of the black strips in a drawer.

 You could use a jelly roll and a honey bun to make it.

SewCalGal from California and Kaholly from Texas are having a quilt drive. They are asking for baby quilts that will be given to soon to be born babies whose daddies are away serving our country.

I will be sending this one to Texas.  I copied it from one on Michelle's bog. Mine finishes at about 39 inches square. I used 2.5 inch squares in my 9 patches. Gotta love making a quilt when you do not have to piece the backing! The border is extra from a backing.

This quick strippie quilt from Mollie's website will also be going to Texas. The dog fabric is left over from a backing. I have enough dog flannel to make another one.

I am enjoying making these baby quilts, they go together easily and I am able to use up some leftover fabrics from other quilts. A win/win for me and the babies.

When I gift quilts made with flannel I do not wash them as they can sometimes look used.

Used since last stash report - 10.94 / Used YTD - 112.79

Bought since last stash report - 0 / Bought YTD - 41 (bought in 2012, arrived in 2013)

Net used YTD -  71.39

Quilts finished in 2013 - 15

Visit Judy's blog to see what other quilters are up to......

Goals for 2013

1) I am planning on staying out of quilt shops - there is not one thing I need. No patterns, no thread, no batting, no fabric, no rotary blades, no rulers, no gadgets, nothing. If I don't have it then I do not need it. There isn't any reason for me to visit a shop in town or online. I guesstimated how much fabric I have and I will never come close to using it all. The folks who get my quilts don't know if the fabric is brand new or 6 years old, they only know that someone out there in the world cares enough about them to make them a quilt. I will be unsubscribing to all emails from quilt stores, if I don't see it I won't be tempted.

Amendment to Goal #1 - I will be going to the Paducah Quilt Show in April with our new quilting cousin and I will be bringing home some fabric/patterns/etc...  That will be the only quilting shopping I plan on doing this year.

2) Make 12 QOV and 
1 
2a) 6 quilts for Boots and Booties

1-2

3) Make 12 quilts for Ronald's House

1 - 2 - 3 - 4 

4) Finish 5 quilts that I have already started

5) Make 5 quilts for Margaret's Hope Chest

1 - 2 - 3

Other finished quilts

1- 2 - 3 - 4 - 5