Finishing out 2017

     During holiday sewing time I made some more microwave bowl holders in 2 sizes ( 10" and 15") This is the first time I have made the larger size.  There have been times when I could have used one so now I have one.  A couple will be gifted.

     I worked on finishing up this hexagon table topper.  I started English paper piecing with the New Hexagon quilt along and decided a lot of handwork is not for me.  I machine pieced 2 hexagons to finish the number needed.  Next I pulled out paper and ironed flat seam allowances (trimmed a little) to then machine piece the hexagons all together.  I layered batting and backing and sewed together pillowcase style so I would not need binding to finish the edge of all the hexagons.  Now it still needs quilting.

        As 2017 comes to an end, I finished another lap quilt for church.

Here are closer photos of the quilting. 

  

      Even though I only finished a couple of quilts from my listed goals, I am satisfied.   I finished and donated 1 Quilt of Valor,  2 kid quilts to my guild for the children’s hospital, 1 wall-hanging to my sister’s guild for silent auction,  and 10 lap quilts to my church (which includes 2 JoAnn class samples). I made 5 quilts of various sizes which were gifted to family and friends and 1 full size quilt I kept for myself for a total of 20 which does not include a couple sets of placemats and many mug rugs along with many other sewing projects.  I’m counting 2017 as a productive year for quilting and sewing projects even though I still have numerous UFOs and WIP.

     As I look toward 2018 I hope to continue to make progress on finishing up UFOs.  The AQS blog recently shared hints for prioritizing UFOs.  I usually store projects in 2.5 gallon ZipLock bags. Here are 8 projects I pulled to take a new account and make a plan for finishing in 2018. ( This is not all my UFOs.)

My red, white and blue LeMoyne star improv quilt is partially quilted.  I would really like to quilt a mystery quilt top that has been waiting many years.  A graduation gift quilt has not been started. That is plenty to work on in the new year. 

Be Safe for your New Year celebration.

Enjoy some time sewing or quilting!

Holiday Projects

       On Nov. 6^th I posted quilting project goals for the end of the year, hoping that would help give me focus to get them done.  I’m not sure how much it helped.  In this holiday season certain projects have taken precedence over those planned. The Circle Back lap quilt was finished and given.  The appliqued Double Wedding Ring lap quilt was finished and taken to church for a comfort quilt.  I have done the stitch-in-the-ditch quilting to stabilize the RWB Lonestar (Lemoyne star) improv quilt, but I have not given any thought as to how I want to do the rest of the quilting. There has been no progress on the scrappy rainbow anvil blocks or any Rainbow Scrap Challenge quilts.

  

The green, blue and yellow string blocks were partnered with hour glass blocks and are pieced into a charity top.  

 I also pieced 2 charity lap quilt tops NOT on the plan – Giant Swoon and 4 Patch Change Up – which tells you why progress was not made on others ON the list.

        Some holiday gift projects interrupted other work.  I made a scrappy small purse as a gift for one granddaughter. I found the directions here.  I did lengthen the strap and I used D rings to attach it.

I made an 18” doll chair from PVC for another granddaughter.  You can find the tutorial here. I may make more.

A few holiday mug rugs also were quick projects.

I enjoyed time with granddaughters.  I baked and put together 2 small gingerbread houses for them to decorate. 

Hope you are getting your holiday projects done.  Enjoy this holiday season and maybe find some time for sewing or quilting.

Project Progress

    I hope many enjoyed time with family and friends for Thanksgiving.  I did.   

      As I was preparing for the holiday break, I did make some time for sewing and quilting.  I finished piecing this giant Swoon top for a church comfort quilt.  I used lots of larger scraps plus one light background fabric.  It will wait a few weeks to get sandwiched for quilting when my group meets before Christmas.

    Then I worked on one of my UFOs.  I sandwiched the red, white and blue improv star inspired by a show of “Sewing with Nancy”.  I will truly miss having new shows with Nancy to teach and inspire me as she has for so many years. 

     All the stitching-in-the-ditch of borders and around the large center star is done so it is stabilized.  Now I need to think and plan the rest of the quilting.  That might wait a bit as I have an idea for a couple of Christmas gifts that I want to make. 

Hope you enjoy some family time this season.  However, maybe we can also enjoy a little sewing and quilting.

A Completed Quilt and a Quilt Top

     I spent most of the day focused on comfort quilts.  I finished quilting and binding the double wedding ring quilt.

I am pleased with the free-motion quilting using motifs I had not used before.  I quilted S curves in the small melon areas.

 

I tried out Angela Walters’ bracket motif on the outer edges before the border and stitched parallel lines to the edge of the double wedding rings. They create a great texture.   I was not sure how to turn the corner so I stopped the parallel lines on the diagonal.

Then I finished piecing the 4 Patch Change-Up quilt top.

 Holiday projects probably need to be the focus for the next few weeks.

Hope you have a break to enjoy Thanksgiving with family and friends.   

Progress and A Finish

 1.  The second Circle Back quilt is finished and ready for the mail to gift as a house-warming gift. Today it was put in the mail. 

 2.  Quilting is in progress (about half way done) on the appliqued Double Wedding Ring lap quilt.  I quilted S curves in the melon areas. 

3.  I have 31 green, blue and yellow strings blocks waiting on the alternate blocks. Today at church quilt group I found some fabric in our stash but did not have time to cut it up or sew.  I also chose fabric for 2 other comfort quilts in progress, one of which is the next. 

4.  The pile of leader/ender 4 patches have been sewn into 16 patches and are part of a planned top.  Inspired by an episode of Sewing with Nancy called “Change-Up Patchwork” of which I was reminded when I saw the blocks that Wanda at http://exuberantcolor.blogspot.com/ is working on.  Here are the blocks on my design floor. 

I still would like to get more accomplished before Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Enjoy some time sewing or quilting.

Upcoming Quilting Goals

    I don’t usually plan for upcoming projects but I decided I might accomplish more with more direction. With the holidays approaching quickly it is probably unrealistic to think that much will be accomplished by year end but here goes.

     I already have 2 quilts sandwiched and ready for quilting. 

1.   First is a Circle Back adult lap quilt which will be a house warming gift. 

  

2.   The second is an appliqued Double Wedding Ring lap quilt for a church lap comfort quilt made from donated pieces. There are tons of leftover precut pieces but someone else will have them to play with.

3.   The RWB Lonestar improv top is pieced and ready to sandwich. I have not decided on the future of this quilt. I need to check measurements for a QOV.

4.   All the alternate quarter square blocks are made to go with the scrappy rainbow anvil blocks.  I want to get this top pieced. This is the EQ plan.

5.  I have been finishing up scrap blocks for the 2017 Rainbow Scrap Challenge and have blocks for 3 or 4 quilts.  Next will be choosing design layouts to put them into tops. Here are the 3 blocks I have made from each color.

  

6.  Green, blue and yellow strings are becoming string blocks with 4 patches as leader/enders.  The pile is growing.

I have plenty to keep me busy sewing and quilting. Wonder what will be accomplished with a break for Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Enjoy some time sewing or quilting.

Progress Finishing Projects

     After watching Nancy Zieman on her show “Sewing with Nancy” in 2014, I was interested in her creative design options for the quick lone star and I was inspired to make my own. You can watch the show online here that inspired me.  

I used 8 bandanas to create the stars.  My top is finally pieced and measures 62” by 76” so a generous adult lap quilt.  I have not decided whether to gift it or not.

   Here is the final photo of the dinosaur quilt with its binding that I wrote about recently. The black binding was the perfect choice.

I finished quilting and binding a set of 4 fall colored placemats that will be gifted. 

     I cleared off my craft table and sandwiched two quilt tops which are ready to be quilted. I took some time to bake for a Family Promise supper at church.  I used the Caramel Apple Coffee cake recipe found here and made muffins instead.  They are wonderful.  I baked them for 30 minutes and encourage you to give the recipe a try.

  

Enjoy some time sewing or quilting.

Finishes and Donations

     I spent Tuesday finishing the quilting on this child’s quilt made from scraps of 3 different dinosaur fabrics. 

  

 Just need to add binding so I am counting it as finished. I think a black binding will look good.  This quilt will go to the local children’s hospital. 

I quilted several new FM motifs in the narrow short frame strips and borders. 

     Since my last post I also finished quilting this Blocks and Ladders small quilt as a JoAnn Fabrics class sample.  

     Today is sew day for my church quilt group and I pulled 2 small quilts to donate that I finished in 2015.  I held onto them because I used them for class samples - this crumb quilt . . .

and this half log string quilt. 

      I also took time to make a skeleton Halloween costume for a granddaughter.  Many years ago I made one for her dad.  This time I took the easy route and started with a black sweatshirt and leggings and paint instead of applique bones.

     

      I am feeling discouraged about the lack of progress on my UFOs so really want to work on them. 

                                                                                                 

Enjoy some time sewing or quilting.

Cool Mornings Make Yard Work Time

     I love these cool mornings. It was about 46⁰ at sun up. Cool air is great for yard work and getting new plants in the ground. I have been outside most mornings so less sewing has been accomplished.

Here is a new bed planted. 

     Granddaughters have enjoyed using the new doll clothes.

They have also spent time sewing.  When I was cleaning out a drawer, I found a preprinted Halloween witch doll with friend.  I did the prep work and the girls enjoyed sewing the Halloween decorations - Lily with assistance.

  

                                 

Mattie is becoming quite the sewer and even designed and hand sewed this whale for a school project. 

                                                                                                 

Enjoy some time sewing or quilting.

Pink Scrap Blocks and Doll Clothes

     The color for this month is pink. I have made several pink blocks and have one more set ready to sew.

I am anxious to sew some into a quilt top and finish a quilt. Instead of the whole rainbow I am considering the “Scraphappy” idea in her blog post of Spring Cleaning  to use 2 or 3 colors in a quilt – whether analogous colors or complementary or some other plan.  

I’m linking up with SoScrappy .  

      I also spent a day sewing doll clothes. My granddaughters each have an American Girl doll.   Two 18” AG type dolls also live at my condo and the girls love to play with them all.   The dolls share outfits; however, since we added a doll, I decided more outfits would be good.  I have wonderful scraps from sewing for the girls or scraps from friends.  They made great outfits.

I also used an old tie dyed t-shirt to make a doll t-shirt. 

Enjoy some time sewing or quilting.

September Finish

     Instead of playing with more orange scraps, I worked to finish the quilting on my low volume quilt. 

I had fun quilting a different FM motif in each border. 

In the outer border I tried a new motif from Angela Walters called "Ferny". 

I even turned the corner without too much difficulty.  I plan to use this motif again. 

Enjoy some sewing or quilting this weekend.