January Monochromatic Challenge

 

I can’t believe it, this doesn’t actually start until tomorrow but I was in a sewing mood very early this morning.  All of the yellows came from my scrap bin.  These little “modern” art quilts are harder to sew than I thought!  It was so easy to get wonky piecing the strips but I like how it turned out (and I really don’t like yellow).  I even hand quilted it (gasp, I know, my fingers look like hamburger).  This is the best binding I’ve ever done too, I really took my time & used my Fiskars bias tape maker that I’ve had for 10 yrs and have maybe used once.  Just finished hand sewing the binding down & had to grab some pics!  Thank you Judy for a fun challenge!

I can’t wait for my new camera to arrive next week, these pics are awful.  Thanks for looking!

Another set of gifts done

 

I’m spending Christmas with my kids next weekend so I have a little more time to finish the gifts.  Just put the last stitches in these for 2 of mine & 3 of their new siblings.  I hope they like them, I can’t believe how much time they took, just the embroidery & applique alone took most of a day.

They’re for 6 & 9 yr olds, I was originally thinking “library bags” but they do a lot of traveling & they’re the perfect size for stowing a few books, a gameboy, phone, coloring books, etc for road trips.  And with such original names I know they rarely see anything personalized just for them.  The lining fabric is also specific to each child and I used up a ton of denim yardage & scraps from turning jeans into shorts.

Paper Piecing Success

 

I finally got it!  I made some templates to make cutting my “scraps” more accurate & less wasteful and I traced my foundation paper so I could see the lines on the back too.  Adds another step to each 1/4 square but it makes it much easier.  I’d love to dive into this today but I have a few “must do” projects to wrap up first.

Design Wall Monday

 

I’ve wanted to do a paper pieced quilt for a while now…but whoever invented this technique was nuts!  I’m using thin, easy to tear paper but I can’t see through it worth a crap once I have some pieces sewn on, wish I could print an exact reverse image on it.  I’m going to try tracing the lines onto the back before I do the next 1/4 square.  I also don’t have much room around the edges of this first one, I’m into my 1/4” seam allowance a little too close.  Ugh!  Guess I’ll start all over. 

I still have some Christmas quilts to finish & the kids bags (they’re half done anyway) but I won’t see them for 2 more weeks so I have time…needed to do a little “me” sewing but those 9 tiny pieces above felt like homework, lol.  I’m going to edit my 2011 UFO list to include this quilt, at least a few squares a month, it’ll probably take me all year but if I can do it it’ll open up a whole new range of available quilting patterns.

…and nothing was stirring, not even a mouse

 

I love being the only one up in the wee dark hours.  Mr Dog woke me up in time for the lunar eclipse.  I was the only fool person outside on my street in my pj’s in the 29 degree, windy night but it was worth it, what a gorgeous sight!  And let’s be honest, 29 is a heat wave after the cold we’ve had this month.

I’m feeling a little better after a tumble on the ice pond skating on Sunday.  My neck’s still a little stiff but the shoulder (that was already paining me) is getting there.  Sporting some lovely blue bruises!

I haven’t done crap for sewing in a week except 20 hrs of work stuff that I still haven’t been able to deliver or get paid for, I think someone went on vaca without telling me.  I’m finally getting the creative urge again, hopefully I can finish up a couple of Christmas things this week (crossing fingers).  I did cut a bunch of pieces for the library bags I’m making the kids.

I’m not really sure why I’m posting except no one’s on FB & I already blog surfed today & apparently I’m the only one up!  Off to mix some tuna salad for J’s lunchbox & putter in the kitchen until he wakes up in a half hour.  Hope you’re all well & ready for the Holidays!

2011 UFO Challenge

I’m not sure if I have enough to do one a month but here’s the start of my list of UFO’s (in quilt or knit-speak, that’s Unfinished Objects).

1. I’ve had this baby quilt top done for ohh, 3 yrs? It has HR Goldfish in Bags, a HR Beach print, a coordinating dot, denim & a cute pinstripe.

2. This one coordinates, originally I planned to give these to a friend with twin boys. Then I discovered Bargellos & made 2 totally different quilts instead. The top is actually done, just no nice pic like the other one.

3. Another finished top, this one is for me. I started it when I was still married though and I’ve been hesitant to finish it because it has some emotional garbage attached. I love it, no clue what to back it with. I have 2 matching throw pillows all done & tucked away somewhere.

4. These are hmm, not sure. I started with the larger ones on the left, hated it, bought more fabric & made the blocks on the right. There’s not enough of either for a whole quilt (even baby size like I intended). I just need to somehow use the blocks instead of throwing them away, I have quite a few of each though I’ve raided some of the extra fabric for other projects. No telling what they’ll become!

5. This is a small Halloween throw/wallhanging top. I made a similar one for a friend that I finished & gifted. Didn’t get this pieced until after the holiday so it’s been bagged with my Hallo fabrics for a while. Using scraps, I’m not thrilled with it, just need it done.

6. I bought this bag at least 5 years ago on some ridiculously low clearance, it’s pre-cut fleece for a baby quilt. I don’t like the included pattern though, need to spice it up a bit. Maybe a rag quilt eventually.

7. These are the Bargellos I made for the twins…I also made the one below with a brocade back for another baby. Loved all 3, adding a Bargello for ME to the list.

8. Another “I’d like to make” is a cathedral window quilt. Scratch that one...Insert instead a paper pieced quilt. I got started on this right after Christmas.

9. I made this for one of my daughters & have always liked the result, might have to do another similar one. I shy away from triangles for the most part but I like the modern look with repro-type prints & the satin back.

10. I thought for sure I had more UFO’s or must-makes! I’ll add to my list later

Design Wall Monday

I haven’t done much sewing this week…you’d think for someone who hasn’t had any work for a month I’d be sewing away on Christmas projects but it’s got me depressed.  When I started this part-time gig they promised I’d have so much work I’d have to hire help…uhh, no.  It’s either 2 or 3 days in a row of steady sewing or absolutely zip for days (or weeks) on end.

Here’s what I do have in progress.  I found this flames fabric at goodwill, brand new, about 5 yards, for only $3.50!  I used flannel for the batting & I really like how much easier it is to FMQ, less bulk to wrestle through the machine.  I only have about 20 minutes work to go before I bind it…gotta finish it today.

I got a bright idea (sarcasm…) to make another gift for 5 of the 7 kids on my list, personalized book bags for the library.  I have a ton of denim scraps & some leftovers from their quilts, haven’t started the bags themselves but I made their names with my Brother Applique Station thing I’ve had for years.  This isn’t much of an “embroidery” machine but I’ve used it for the same purpose for last minute birthday gifts for kids & they came out cute.  I used ultrex for most of the squares & I fuse some interfacing to the back to lock the stitches before trimming & appliqueing them to the finished item.

I made a few extra with a Christmas theme for quickie ornaments/hostess gifts too.

Then I got caught up in this ornament thing with 9 million little scraps & straight pins.  I have to rip the ribbon off the bigger one, it came out looking really tacky…the tiny one isn’t going to work, the squares I started with were too large.  Probably won’t do many more of these, there’s enough on my list but it kept me entertained one afternoon while J was hunting, lol.

I’m playing with Windows Live Writer for blogging…here goes my first upload, fingers crossed.  Thanks for visiting, stop by Judy’s blog to see more Design Wall Mondays from around the world!

Another finish

This project started so well...and then I hit the borders & it went downhill fast. They came out a little rippled because the body was so stretchy in all directions (and that border of tiny squares didn't help, all cut from scraps so the bias was nuts). After much pressing the borders are better (really, it's better in real life, lol) & after a wash & dry it should be fine. The binding is just the back folded to the front but I was short on about half of one edge & had to add fabric back on to have enough to flip. Ugh! Thank goodness it was a good print that you have to really look for it to see where I improvised. I quilted it on my regular machine, around some of the pinwheels & the borders, not stitch-in-the-ditch there, just a rough 1/4" from them. I left the wider outer border with no quilting, it's within the allowance for the batting, quilting is just going to make the ripple worse. It's a little smaller than I'd hoped for (46x60, pictured on full size bed) but I guess it's a decent couch/throw size. It'll have to do, I'm off to deliver it this morning & I hope it makes some money for the fire dept.