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