Tomorrow Should Be Sunday!

I set my intentions to enjoy each and every moment this weekend, but I still need more weekend!

I spent time with a friend of mine, who offered to sew up a bunch of the fabrics I cut to make more of the 10-minute blocks.  She had a computer problem, which we solved, and she also shared some of her sewing room organizational tips with me.

Afterwards, I attended the Organizing Your Sewing Room seminar that Karen held at Quilt Expressions on Saturday.

Do you see a theme here?    I’m not one to set New Year’s resolutions, but I have recently gotten the organizational bug.  So, yes, I am wanting to do something in my sewing room. 

The “something” is find more space and/or better utilize the space I have.  While I feel blessed to have the 10’ x 20’ bonus room over the garage serving as my Quilt Cave, I feel I could utilize the space better.  I’ve had a contractor over to look at it to see what ideas he has, and I’ve received a reply to my email inquiry from a local custom furniture maker, whom I need to call back.  Now I need to develop a “bubble diagram” to figure out what my work centers are so I can prioritize my tasks and figure out what is needed where, before I start tearing everything apart.

This is probably connected to the other projects I’ve started, namely re-arranging items and clearing off long forgotten residents from my office desk.  After working on it most of the afternoon, I can actually see the Formica on the desk top!!  It’s not finished, and I still have a couple of very large piles to go through, but now I have a space in which to work!  It’s actually comfortable to sit at my desk!

I’m a terrible procrastinator, which is part of why this has become such a problem.  I am determined to develop better habits so that I don’t have to spend my precious sewing time cleaning up my messes.  Putting it off doesn’t make it go away, and I just have to remember that!

Now that I have an almost cleaned off desk, it feels like tomorrow should be Sunday!

A Great Start to 2011…!!

Wanna know what I did on my vacation??

Since Thursday, I have been busting my stash!  Oh, I did visit Country Quilter to take advantage of their 40% off sale, although I did bring home ONE 3 yard purchase for which I do not currently have a purpose, but I do have an idea!  And it is right up my alley in all it’s dark fuscia pink glory!!  My intention was pure, though…my purpose for going was for in-progress or planned projects which are to be made in the next 2 months, namely the Vandal quilt.  Hey, I don’t have much gold and black, what can I say!?! 

I got the gold and black fabric washed up, but haven’t cut any more of it…I got tired of all those small pieces, so I distracted myself:

1. I started the 10 Minute Block and finished most of the quilt! 
   To my credit, I couldn’t figure out what I wanted to do for the border, then my friend Verna suggested making a skinny dark blue inside of the purple I already added to the quilt.  Wonderful!  Except I only have about 8 inches of the purple outer fabric left and I’m not sure I can find any more of it.  If that’s the case I’ll have to figure out another border treatment.  But hey, it wasn’t for lack of trying!  Overall, I used up 2 1/2 yards of fabric for the interior…yay!!
   
2. After demonstrating the technique to my friend, Verna, I cut this entire stack of 10” squares from my stash to make more 10 Minute Blocks!
   
   I am hoping Verna will want to practice the technique on my already-cut fabric, which will result in at least one, probably two, more quilts!  I’m thinking I can donate the results to the women’s shelter in town.
   
3. I cut this much of a black and silver (yes, Lola, SILVER!) Irish Chain quilt whose fate is yet to be determined.  I worked it up in EQ7 and it’s lovely!
   
   I even started making some of the 9 patch blocks…
   
   
   
   
4. Cut and sewed the blocks for a twin sized quilt pattern called Cotton Candy that I’ve had my eye on since Quilt Magazine came out with its December/January 2011 issue! 
   
   I woke up this morning and, knowing it was my last day of a long Christmas break before going back to work, I jumped out of bed, grabbed a cup of coffee and started sewing the last of the blocks for this quilt.
   
   I got it laid out before DH and I went to run errands…one of which was to get the border, as I didn’t have enough of one color in my stash to complete the project.  I might move a block or two around, but I’m rather liking this one!
   
   And…because I changed up the layout, I have quite a few blocks left over! I see a second Cotton Candy quilt in my future…
   

Vacation is over so, now, I better buckle down and get some “real” work done!

Quilts, quilts, and more December quilts!

Today has been a really great day!

I woke up thinking I had finally picked the fabric needed for the mystery quilt hosted by QT Mystery Quilts today.  Mind you, the directions say to pick the fabrics out and cut them to specifications BEFORE the day of the mystery!…but then, I’m “mystery challenged”!  I have such a hard time not knowing what the quilt will look like, I get paralyzed with not being able to pick out my fabrics….much like the Roll Roll Cotton Boll mystery that Bonnie Hunter is running!  Wow, is that one intriguing!  I haven’t started it yet, either, because, for once, I’ve stayed focused….

To begin with, I finished the two Bronco quilt orders I had, and they were delivered in time for Christmas…barely!

One was made with a Hungarian blue fabric, which I really liked.  This picture doesn’t quite do it justice, but it is an overall lighter colored quilt than the second one.

This close-up shows the Hungarian blue much better:
The second quilt used a very dark, tone-on-tone blue fabric that even my DH thought was great, and I put an orange binding on it for contrast:

During our Christmas holiday, which we got to celebrate at home, I took out a UFO that I’d started during the 2009 Humanitarian Bowl, featuring the U of Idaho Vandals.  It’s been on my mind, partly because I promised it to DH last February, and partly as a counter-part to the Bronco vs. Vandal rivalry here in our home…after all, I make BRONCO quilts!  DH is a University of Idaho graduate, and played football for the Vandals,  so I thought he’d like to use it during football season.

For some inexplicable reason, I picked a log cabin design.  Lots of people say this is a beginner’s block, but I truly don’t think so because the narrow strips require precise seam allowances, and the amount of work each block takes to create.

Of course, I planned on making a throw (he won’t go and get one of my many, pink, quilts).  I checked with him again as I pulled it out, and he’d really like a bigger quilt…one that will fit on our king sized bed!  Oh, the joke is on me!

Well, now that I’m making 12-1/2” blocks, I’ve had to go buy more fabric just for the blocks, and I’ve decided to add borders to make the design work the way I want it to.

I worked up a mock-up in Electric Quilt 7 and I have to say…it’s going to be STUNNING!

Now I know why this amount of work will be worth the effort.

While perusing the Yahoo discussion for the Quiltville mystery, I ran across the 10 Minute Block instructions that someone mentioned.  Wow!  Talk about making a block fast!  Sewing them together and putting on the borders took me much longer than making the blocks!

So, today, rather than working on the QT Mystery Quilt, I finished up the blocks I cut out last night and got it all sewn together.  It currently measures 44” x 63 and I achieved my goal of using up almost 2 1/2 yards of fabric!  A friend of mine stopped by and made a great suggestion for the outer border, so I need about 1/2 yard more of the purple plaid fabric that is currently shown on the border; I hope I can find some!

P.S.  Why is it that photos of quilts rarely look as good as the actual quilt??

Oh, and because my friend was interested in how I made a quilt so quickly, I showed her the technique.  Can you see the Bow Tie block?  Of course, I had to cut some more 10” squares….and I ended up with the beginning of a new quilt!

So, finishing this unplanned quilt took a bit longer than I had anticipated, and now I need to get back to cutting more 1 1/2” strips for the Vandal quilt, rather than working on either of the mystery projects.  That’s OK, because even though I still haven’t picked the color, I’ve decided, that I would start sewing together some string blocks for Bonnie’s project, because they are neutrals and I can work them into any other colors I pick later.

On the home front, we also found out that my DH needs shoulder surgery to repair his rotator cuff.  This will require a 4 month recovery, which pretty much puts him out of work for that entire time, as he is a self employed drywaller.  Luckily, he carries workman’s comp insurance on himself, and this all started when he was working on a job, so we are in the process of starting a claim.  He’s the sort who is very unhappy when he isn’t working, and we’ll both have to deal with the entire recovery process.

As much as I’m not looking forward to his surgery, I am very thankful for the blessings we have and the opportunities the new year will bring.  I think many changes are coming for this new year, and I can’t wait!

Happy New Year!!!

My Vacation Report

I am at the end of my vacation, and I have accomplished quite a bit…which is why I haven’t posted in 9 days!

1. Two twin sized flannel log cabin quilts have been quilted for a customer and delivered back to her.  She was delighted!
2. U of M Grizzlies quilt
   I am almost done with the U of M Grizzlies quilt that my mom commissioned, I just have to finish the borders, which will be done after I post this message!  Then onto the quilt frame for completion!
3. Bronco Quilt #1 – Snowballs and 9 Patches
   This is a custom order Bronco quilt that is to be a Christmas present.  I have half of the blocks made, and need to cut the other half.
4. Bronco Quilt #2 – Known as Towne Square
   This is a quilt that I started to cut out this summer…or was it last winter?…and never got very far, but I’m dying to see it made!
5. I created my first Bronco quilt listing on Etsy.com for a Bronco quilt that does not currently have an owner.  It sure takes a lot of time to get all that set up!
6. I scanned some family photos for DH and got them posted online.  Next time I’ll show him how to do it!

So, that is what I accomplished.

But, of course, I am scheming to also:

1. Make myself a cute bag that was posted as a free tote bag pattern from AllPeopleQuilt.com
2. I need to start cutting the blocks for the home game Bronco Football T-shirt quilts I’m planning to make and sell.  I even came up with a great idea on how to make them even more special, which I’m keeping secret right now…can’t wait to show you how it turns out, though!
3. I’m also thinking I should make some placemats as a Christmas gift for my sister-in-law…but then again, I’ll probably just buy them to go with the cookbook I plan to get her.
4. Of course, my hubby has been watching football and now that it’s turned cold, the lap quilt I promised him last February has come to the forefront.  Better get that one done.
5. And I’ve been dying to start the new Bonnie Hunter mystery, Roll Roll Cotton Boll.  I sorted through about 2/3 of my donated scrap fabrics and started pulling out appropriate colors.  I thought I had a photo of how that sorting project is coming along, but can’t find it right now, so will have to post it later.  I still have quite a bit left to go through…and then I had an idea for another quilt using some of those pre-cut strips.

On a less frenzied note, I have almost all of my Christmas shopping done, too.  Aaah…

I think I accomplished quite a lot in these 9 days!

Holiday Plans!

My holiday starts tonight!

I was given tickets to the BSU vs. Fresno State football game...of course, it's predicted rain and snow mix tonight!  But they are a good team and it will be a fun game.  My DH and I had season tickets for the past 5 years, until this year.  The prices kept going up and it just didn't make sense to keep spending that money right now.  Hopefully we'll be able to buy tickets again.

My mom is supposed to drive from Montana and arrive for the holiday on Tuesday, but with the predicted snowfall and bad weather, she probably won't make it.  So, while that will be disappointing, I’d rather have her safe and sound.  I will console myself by sewing and quilting all next week, as I have the week off, too!

I still plan to finish the quilt Mom commissioned for her U of M friend by Tuesday, so after running errands on Saturday I will get that one moving further along.  Unfortunately, when the fleece back that I ordered arrived on Monday, I found that it referenced only the sport of basketball.  Since this is a football quilt, that simply won’t do, so I am returning it and will have to find another suitable back.

After that, I have two other customer quilt tops to quilt, then start serious work on the orders for two Bronco quilts to be done before Christmas.

I also need to find time to post a couple of quilts for sale on Etsy, finish one of my Bronco flimsies, and 3 baby quilts that need borders and quilting.  Then I have 3 more quilts in the queue for American Hero Quilts, too, if I get a spare minute!

I’m ordering parts for a new computer this weekend, too, so I’ll need to put that together and get it setup.  I’m very excited about that prospect, though, as this is what I’ve been waiting on before installing my new Pre-Design Studio II software.

Last night’s guild meeting was fabulous!  If you haven’t seen quilts by Karen Schoepflin Hagen from Genesee, ID, you are really missing something!  She was fabulous, and what a depth and breadth of work!  Inspiring and intimidating all at the same time.  WOW!

I volunteered to do a demo and/or a make-and-take class at the upcoming BBQ quilt show in June.  So, now I need to come up with an easy sort of thing to make that doesn’t require a sewing machine.  Any suggestions, send them my way!

That’s all for now…

Fun Playing in the Fabric Scraps!

My customer picked up her quilt tonight and I think it turned out really well.  Her 8 year old grandson is going to really like this Christmas present!   I am definitely getting better at the consistency in my overall meander.   I think it helps that it took less time to actually quilt it than it has in the past, reducing the impact that fatigue plays.  Now I’d like to focus on more variety in the overall size of the quilting design and I will get that chance!

I had a surprise request today from someone I work with to quilt two quilts for Christmas.  I have already figured out my schedule so I can quilt them in between making the two Bronco quilts I promised for another customer for Christmas.

We finally decided on the patterns and I am excited to get moving on them!  The first one is one I designed in EQ7 and I think it will be really fun when it’s finished.

I haven’t had a chance to work the second one up in EQ7 to show it in Bronco colors, but I think it is going to look great, along with being really fun to make!!  This pattern is called Town Square by SweetWater, and I contacted them when I purchased the pattern to secure permission to make and sell quilts using their pattern.  I have been waiting to get to do this one for awhile, so I’m really excited that she chose this one!

Mom’s quilt is coming along, too.  Last night I decided to start putting up the pieces of the blocks on the design board before making any more, and this is what it looks like so far: 

Mom will be here Tuesday night and my goal is to have it finished by then.  I will need to do some finagling, though, as the back arrived yesterday…just in time, yay!….only to discover (look in the lower right hand corner) that their is a sport displayed in the design…and it ain’t football!

Oh, dear!  So, I will have to see if I can return the fleece and go with something else.  There was no mention of this in the description, so this is very disappointing.  I really hope I can return it.  Exchanging it is probably out of the question, as I need it right away.

I’ve also been sorting my big box of donated scraps into colors, and making quite good progress!  I bought one of those plastic 5 drawer organizers and it is pretty full, with lots more to add.  My inspiration has been Bonnie Hunter’s mystery for this year, Roll Roll Cotton Boll.  This quilt will eventually go into her 4th book so it won’t be posted on the site for a long.

Now, considering I have additional quilting and the two Bronco quilts to finish, I will have to delay the start of this mystery.  But it sure has been fun playing in the fabric scraps!

Starting out November Right

I seem to have misplaced the cord for my camera.  Of course, it has to be a special cord, it can’t be a generic USB cable.  That is one pet peeve of mine, having to have a bunch of different cords for everything!  I love my camera, but still!!

I have all sorts of gizmos and gadgets that I’ve kept around because “I might need them”, but they seem to be, shall we say, vintage?…and so, they are useless to me!

Oh, but finally, after over a week, a light bulb went on!  I finally remembered that I could plug my color inkjet printer into the computer itself and use the built in card reader!  You see, it’s set up using the network, and, well, I always seem to do things the hard way!…..DUH!  And I call myself a computer technician…sigh.

But enough of that.  This is what I wanted to show you…the BOM that I couldn’t resist buying at the guild meeting last week and that I finished tonight:

I know it doesn’t look like much now, but when it’s all tiled together, it’ll look like a ribbon, and the way I envision it is as in intertwining circle.  At least, that’s why I bought it.  And I hope I win all of the blocks back, so I can show you what I see!!

I’m definitely going to have to go through my scrap bag and boxes with my Bonnie Hunter 2010 Mystery instructions.  Yes, she’s hosting another one this year and I’d like to participate.  I am still dying to do the Double Delight, which I pulled all the fabrics for, and did start cutting a BUNCH of little triangles, but never got around to actually sewing.

Not that I deserve to…I won a ruler holder tray from the donated goodies basket last time.  I need another ruler holder, too!  Thank you to Nancy from www.MummQuilters.com

The blocks aren’t done yet, but here’s a photo of the quilt blocks in progress that I worked on last weekend.  It’s a comfort quilt for one of our group members whose throat cancer has returned.  She will be undergoing a new treatment and we are hoping for the best for her. She’s a great lady.  We’ll be getting together this Sunday to put the blocks together.

You can also see parts of the Grizzly quilt I’m putting together for my mom.  I got interrupted with yet another project when I had company two weekends ago and I was hostess to the 9 year old son of a friend of mine.  He designed a quilt top 0n my design board, and I am going to sew it together for him.  I can’t wait to see it finished, it’s really great!  Until I get it sewn together, though, I don’t have any place to put up the Grizzly quilt pieces!  So, I’d better get to it!

I’ve been tripping over a bag on the floor for awhile, which is part of what prompted me to start clearing out my workspace.  Here’s what was in the bag:

It’s a Pass The Bag project that I participated in last year but didn’t have time to put the blocks together.  Now, I have an idea of what I want to do to finish it.  I’ll keep you posted!

I’m doing pretty well in my class and I’ll be quilting on my customer’s quilt on Saturday.  Life is good!