UFO # 2 Completed

   The next few days are likely to be cold and rainy so a great time to sew.  Which UFO to work on next?  I’’m trying VERY hard to finish things on my list before starting a new project.  I have a twin size quilt top that has been waiting about a year to be quilted but I was not in the mood for something that would take a couple of days to quilt.  I wanted something I could finish quickly so I chose the chain block tablerunner with holiday fabric.  I’m happy to say I can check off another UFO from my list because it has been completed.

The problem for tomorrow,  which UFO to work on next?  

Love Scraps?

This morning before Sunday School  and church I was checking out some bogs I like and I ran across a FABULOUS blog for all those who love scraps or crumbs of fabric and don't throw any away.  I love the free piecing of Bumble Beans Inc .  She has tutorials and some fun projects for people to join in such as the "15 Minute Sew-A-Long".   She blogs inspired me to get out my crumbs and scraps and try some new free pieced  blocks.

One UFO Down

     I feel like I accomplished a lot today.  Mother's birthday quilt is finally finished. That is one UFO off my list.  Guests at her 90th birthday party in September wrote messages and signed blocks which make up the front. I used the same fabrics and more to piece blocks for the back.  Since the top and back were the same size, sandwiching was a little tricky to get the edges matching as close as possible. For the quilting I meandered and added in a few hearts.  I hope she will enjoy reading the messages people wrote as she uses her lap quilt. 

Front -Birthday messages

pieced alternate side

   My granddaughter requested some finger puppets so here are the ones I finished recently.  They are made from felt and sewn with a blanket stitch by hand. 

Back to Piecing

Today I finally got back to doing some piecing for a quilt top.  Deciding what to work on was the hard part.  Whenever I look through a nice quilt magazine or watch a quilting show, I see something I would like to make or try.  The problem is that I already have at least a dozen projects started in various stages of completion that I want to finish.  I am also motivated to finish them because it is the challenge for my local guild.  So its back to work on a UFO and not a new tempting project.

Guild Day and Sewing Clothes

Today was guild meeting with Greater Columbia Quilters.  The program was a truck show and the inspiring story of one of our members.  She shared her story along with quilts she worked on at the time.   I love trunk shows and seeing what others do.  It stimulates my creative juices.  We also turned in our UFO list for the year’s challenge.  I only listed 14.  There were some I found that I’m not sure I want to finish.  I also have a collection of orphan blocks.  I usually try to put them together with others for charity quilts.

 

 Instead of working on quilt projects the past 2 days, I have taken time to sew some clothes for my granddaughter so after guild meeting I needed to shop for a toddler long sleeve shirt to go with corduroy jumpers I made yesterday for her.  I almost waited too late.  The long sleeves were about gone and almost all the shirts were spring short sleeve.  I finally found two that suited.   That gives her options with the outfits.  It can be a bit of a problem sewing for her when she lives 3 hours away.  I hope these fit and suit her style.  Here are photos of my efforts.  My granddaughter has requested finger puppets so that is on my list also between quilting projects.   

Playtime and A Little Work

I did need to take some time to clean and do some wash this morning.  Before cleaning the house and running an errand, I took time to play a little. 

 I pieced 8 chain link blocks using 16 different holiday fabrics.  These were very easy to piece and make an interesting design.  They are pieced totally from 2 1/2" strips to make a 10" finished block.   I’m still playing with layout to decide how I want to sew them into a table runner for next Christmas.  Here are 2 layouts I’ve tried.  I have plenty of time to decide so I’ll wait a bit. 

 

 

  

I also pieced another wonky little house that I like better than my first.  I also pieced the word LOVE.  I want to do some more free pieced words.  When I work on crumb blocks I usually like them to finish at 6”.  I don't know if I want to try to piece LOVE small enough so that all the letters will fit on the same line and yet still fit in a 6" finish block. 

 

 

Added Borders Plus

The duck quilt top is complete with borders.  I like how the orange inner border sets off the blocks from the duck border fabric.   After quilting, some child will love this quilt. 

This morning I spent some time on the web and added Tonya Ricucci’s blog ( Unruly Quilter) and web site ( Lazy Gal Quilting ) to my links.  You should check out her site if you want to learn or enjoy crumb piecing.  She has some neat tutorials.  I also enjoyed looking at her quilts.  Here is my first little house made following her directions but I did not pay attention to the directions for the chimney.  Next time I will do better but does it really matter?  It was fun!

Finally Some Sun

  The sun finally came out today and melted a lot of our snow by afternoon.  This morning was supposed to be the day for sewing group to meet at church; but because of a parking lot covered with ice, we decided to sew at home.  I finished sewing a small comfort quilt top of scraps but it is not very pretty so no photo.  Then I finished the top of a child's comfort quilt with adorable little ducks.  The borders are not sewn on but I put two strips in the photo so you could see my inspiration.  I found the duck fabric on sale and it was such a great price it had to come home with me.  The ducks are fusible machine applique.  Tomorrow I will add inner and outer borders.

Another Icy Day of Sewing

The weather was too cold and icy for me to venture out so it was another great day to sew.  All the batik "Jungle Fever" blocks are together in a 5 by 5 layout.  The pattern creates 3 block sets and I made 9 sets for 27 blocks. I was glad to have the 2 extra blocks as I worked on my design wall. I was also thankful to my quilter sister for her opinion.  I will have to think of a use for the 2 leftover blocks.  Check out the completed top.

 

Snow Day of Sewing

I woke up to a solid white lawn and driveway this morning so it was the perfect day to sew and work on a UFO.  The Greater Columbia Quilt Guild has been challenged for 2011 to complete our unfinished projects.  It was a challenge just to decide what among my many UFOs was worth being completed.  Today I tackled one. I'm using mostly pastel batiks.  I'm using the "Jungle Fever" pattern by Karen Montgomery.  I have found it simple yet interesting.  Starting with 3 different 10" squares stacked, you follow one of 5 cutting diagrams.  Shift a few pieces in the stacks and sew the 3 blocks together in sort of a half log cabin block. 
Here are 3 sets I completed today.  I can't wait to get all the blocks sewn and then play with them on the design wall for the final arrangement. 

More Quilted Postcards

I spent the afternoon making more quilted postcards.  As I listened to the weather report about the predicted snow and ice for Monday, I worked to create snowglobes with fabric.  I found a great free design template on the web at www.scrapbooksetc.com/printables/paper-piecing/ . Many of their paper-piecing ( for scrapbooking) can be used for fusible applique piecing with fabric.   If tomorrow's weather forecast is correct, it will be a great day to stay inside and sew.

 

Morning of Paper-piecing

Here is the completed 3D Stars quilt sample for my class starting in February.  The photo does not show the 3D component of the stars very well. 

 

Last evening I started paper-piecing snowmen.  I enjoy paper-piecing.  This morning I finished embellishing the first snowman quilted postcard.  I have several others in process.  I enjoy sending quilting postcards to friends and family.  Usually I try not to add any 3D components like buttons because the cards are easier and less expensive to mail; however, I felt this snowman needed the real buttons. 

Afternoon of Quilting

This afternoon I decided on the free-motion design I wanted to quilt on the 3 D Stars.  That took a while.  I thought I wanted feathers, but I am not a good free-motion feather quilter and could not get one to look the way I wanted in the space I had.  So I created and tried out more simple leaf designs on paper.  When I had one that I liked, I practiced the selected design on paper in the actual size and shape space. 

After that I practiced it on a scrap sandwich with marked spaces.  Then I worked on the quilt with matching gold thread.  I finished quilting all the center gold area.  I’m pleased.  Here is a small area.