Monday Goals

New week--time for new goals.  

1. Quilt Petey's top
2. Hand sew one binding 
3. Make a backing or binding for a waiting top--or both
4. Sew on a UFO
5. Play with a block

Have to schedule some play time---its part of the fun process.  The camper is now parked in front of our house, we will be unloading it and getting it ready for storage.  Always a sad time for me--I do love camping and volunteering.


I finished binding a UFO--Henrietta's American Pie Quilt.

 

I think she finished the top in March of 2010.  Henrietta loves chickens, the backing is green with tiny yellow chicks.   I still have two more quilts ready for the hand sewing, one of my favorite parts of quilting. 

Do you plan your time?  I cannot plan any longer than a week, it becomes too overwhelming.  But weekly goals--and they are only goals--works for me.  I'm off to the sewing room and a bit of laundry!

Motivation Friday

Time to check on my goals.  Its been a busy week!  

The backing is ready for Petey's quilt.  I've worked on my Secret Santa project.   And, I made a backing for a top.  I even quilted that backing onto one of Henrietta's quilts!   I made a binding for another of Henrietta's quilts.  And machine stitched them on--I just have to hand sew them down.  I was on a roll!

Mason needed some new sheets.  His crib is now a toddler bed, and I forgot how long its been since I made any sheets.  Now he sleeps with a pillow---and of course a pillowcase or two from Grandma would be nice.  Ken and I squished this all in a priority box.  

5 sheets, 2 pillowcases.   4 sheets are flannel, and they just didn't squish real well!  I did find some Beatrix Potter fabric in my stash, but the Dr. Suess I had to buy.  And the yellow and red flannels I bought--I just don't have a flannel stash.  

I finished the baby blue 4 patches.  Having binding ready to go really sped it along.   This finish will keep me from being the UFO Queen--this time. 

If you ever have the chance to meet a fellow blogger/internet friend--DO NOT PASS IT UP!  This week I met Susan--and we didn't get to talk near long enough.  Susan--I have lots of questions I forgot to ask while we talked--expect a LONG email!  

Susan's route took her close to me, she was moving some stash.  Take a peak in her car--

Yup, that SUV is full of stash and things.  There is a sewing machine riding shotgun on the passenger side floor.   This was a solo run--no room for passengers!  But Susan did find room for a bit more stash from the local quilt shop. 

Over the weekend Ken and I plan to pack the camper up and move it home.   No sewing until next week. 

Monday Goals

I'm still a bit off track here, but I am sewing!  I've had a bad cough/cold and sometimes I was just too miserable to concentrate.   I didn't sew Henrietta's binding down, still saving it.  (I enjoy the hand sewing of bindings.)   Petey's blocks are all sewn together and waiting for the backing.  I haven't worked on my Secret Santa things--but I have time.  

So my goals for next week are--

1. Make backing for Petey's quilt
2. Work on Secret Santa project
3. Make a backing for a finished top

Last night I was digging in my finished tops, and I know that having a backing ready with the top makes it easy to pull one out and quilt it.   Seamed a backing and set aside binding fabric with it.  That way anything extra can go back into the stash and be used.   

I was looking for a baby top.  It would go quickly and I wanted to try a different pantograph on a small project.   When I found the top, it needed borders.  Okay--borders will go fast!  Half way through the borders my foot pedal quit.  What??  Just find a different foot pedal.  No foot pedal exactly like I needed.  Got the tools out--a nut had come off a short bolt inside.  Put it back together and sewed the borders. 

Backing--I had a piece of blue flannel the right size--threw it in the washer/dryer--and loaded the long arm.  The quilting was quick--the panto is nice--now I need binding.  I save all my extra binding on a cardboard roll.  And--I had enough of a plain blue.  Woohoo!! 

I'm off to sew some more! 

Motivation Friday

Its been a busy week.  Harvest, errands, sewing, meals and lunches--very busy!!  But "Petey's" top is finished!

Petey's Quilt

I learned that sewing rick rack on a curve is much harder than a straight line.  I used some fancy tools--a plate to mark the vine curves.   A washable glue stick to glue/iron the leaves on--then I sewed them down by machine.  The edges stay stuck down and the glue will wash out.   Its ready for quilting.  The baby is due December 10th.  

This afternoon I plan to quilt on Henrietta's top that is already loaded.  The afternoon sun just makes it easier on my eyes.  (My quilting room has a large west window)  And I will work on my Secret Santa gift this weekend.   The binding I'm saving for when I want to sit in my chair and just enjoy the hand sewing.  I love that part--its relaxing.  

Liz reminded me today that I'm now a "lady in waiting" on the UFO Queen's list.  I've made the top 10!  


Have you been sewing?   

 

Design Wall and Goals

Last night I played with Petey's blocks and I think this is the final layout.

The white diagonals look rather bare, but they will be filled in with leaves and rick rack vines.

Last weeks goals--I did make more Petey blocks.   I didn't sew Henrietta's binding down.  I worked a bit on the 4 patches.  Next week's goals will be--

1. sew the binding down
2. set Petey blocks into a top
3. work on Secret Santa gift

Yes, its already time to be thinking of Christmas.   I love Secret Santa swaps.  I love the planning and picking a gift for someone else--especially another quilter!  How could I go wrong????!!!!

I loaded another quilt on the long arm (one of Henrietta's).   I like having a top ready to go for when I've got the time.

Harvest is moving along, hopefully we will be done by the end of the week.  I still plan to volunteer this week.  The weather was beautiful yesterday--70F--and although it is cooler today--its still very pleasant.  I know cooler weather is coming--but I'm soaking up all this I can. 

Harvest is moving along--we don't have that much left--if we don't have more flat tires or broken chains.   Those endless fix-it instances that occur during harvest.  

  

Staying Focused and a Thank You

I have trouble staying focused.  Goal setting helps.  Vicki said she's going to limit her internet on weekends.  Good idea.  On Sunday I didn't use the internet.  Went to brunch with friends.  Did some necessary shopping.  Sewed for at least 3 hours.  Read.  Did I miss the internet?  Yes, but I got lots done! 

This weekend I sewed with a "buddy".   I received this email when I was lamenting I was #13 on the Queen's list to finish a UFO. 

"Get out the smallest quilt and work on it for just 15 minutes a day...it adds up quickly to a finished project.  And, once you are at number 1, should you reach it, that spot does have a week to finish something.
So, decide on a quilt and start cutting binding.  I'll be sewing along with you on finishing a quilt."  Liz

Liz--you don't know how much I appreciated your emails.  Liz laughed with me and encouraged me, and a binding was made and sewn to a top.  Only the hand stitching is left.

Remember to say kind words and encourage someone.  It took only 4 sentences to change my day.

Monday Goals

3 goals last week.  I completed one!  The blue/white swap blocks have been mailed.  I did want to work on Petey's blocks.  But--I FORGOT THE BACKGROUND fabric at home.  Oh well!  I didn't load Henrietta's quilt--I had less time than I had planned.   But I did pull out a quilt of Henrietta's that needed binding--the binding is made and on--I just need to hand stitch it now.  

So my goals for next week will be---

1. Make more Petey blocks
2. Sew binding on Henrietta's 30's quilt
3. Make more 4 patches

4 patches?  Where did the 4 patches sneak in???  I'm all about the process of quilting. That's my favorite part.  So when I saw a Billie Lauder video on scrappy 4 patches--I couldn't resist.

Billie Lauder ULtimate Scrap 4 Patch 

I have a heaping box of 5" scrap squares.  I pulled assorted colors in lights and dark.  And, one night when I couldn't sleep I got out of bed and matched them into light/dark pairs.   Yes--at 2 AM! 

charms paired up and ready to sew

And here are some of the finished 4 patches.

4 patches made with Billie Lauder method

I'm not sure how these will turn out--but if you watch the video about 10-11 minutes along she shows a quilt on the wall made with 4 patches--and that's what caught my eye!  Simple, soft--and scrappy!  She used a charm pack--good way to use charm packs--but I was thinking of that huge box of charms I have.  

Camping season/voluteering is almost over.  Last week I saw the Morning Glory's I planted by my camper were finally blooming.

Blooming at last!