Fall Quilt (maybe)

Started a Fall quilt on Monday.  Not sure if I really like it.

I had picked up a jelly roll of fall-colored solids at Quilt Trends (Columbus, Ohio) when we went down to pick up my HQ-16 from her “spa treatment”.  I had the jelly roll for a few weeks – trying to decide exactly what I wanted to do with it.  Came up with this little pattern while watching some of the Missouri Star Quilt Co. YouTube videos.  BTW, If you are stuck for an idea – and have some jelly rolls, layer cakes or charm packs in your quilt room just waiting to be turned into something fabulous – then watch some of the videos and you’ll come away inspired to start SOMETHING!

Not sure whether to keep working on this one or not.

Dear Sandy Brought Us Snow!

How fantastic – what a great Halloween present from Hurricane Sandy – some early snow!

Poinsettia Hexie Table Topper–update

Here’s an update on how my Poinsettia Hexie Table Topper is progressing.

Grandmother’s Choice BOW – Week 9

Got this week’s block done – it’s the Brick Pavement block.  Did a lot of fussy cutting on this one, and I’m not at all sure that I like it.  I might end up re-doing it.  I’ll wait a couple days and see if it grows on me.

Harvest Rows – Day 3 and Origami Bow Tie Table Runner - Day 3

Worked on the Harvest Rows quilt kit most of Monday afternoon.  This was another great kit from Good Wives Co. (Marion, Ohio).

Late last night I wanted to do some more work in the quilt room but I didn’t feel like fighting with a bunch of fabric to get the backing ready for the Harvest Rows quilt.  So I pulled out the bow tie blocks that have been waiting to be finished.  It was another great kit from Good Wives Co. (Marion, Ohio).

It’s made up of creamy muslin squares and an assortment of dark red bow tie blocks.  You can see the bow ties a little better in this photo.

Poinsettia Hexie Table Topper

I’ve been working on the hexies for this project off and on all week.  Started putting them all together a couple of days ago.  Here’s how things are going …

Grandmother’s Choice BOW – Week 8

Got this week’s block done early!  Lots of fussy cutting for this one.

Stopped at Jo-Ann Fabrics as part of my Friday shopping yesterday.  (I was all over the place)  I had a 40% coupon from the paper, a 50% coupon from a mailed flyer, a 60% coupon from the Jo-Ann app, and ANOTHER 60% coupon from Facebook!  So I got four items … Another desktop needle threader (this one to put in my hexie case), some star templates, a strawberry pin cushion (also to put in my hexie case) and another package of Wonder Tape.  The total should have been about $41 … I wrote the check for $18.38.  Woo Hoo!!!!

I also stopped at Catherine’s to take advantage of a sale they were having, and I had some Catherine’s Cash to use (like $200 worth).  I got TONS of things … a new winter coat, 5 pairs of socks, some hosiery, three casual cotton tops, two sweaters, a dressy blouse to wear for my next speech, a pair of jeans, a jacket, and two pull-over tops.  Oh … and two more pairs of pajamas.  Lots of fun stuff!!

After that I stopped at CVS real quick – only needed a couple of items this week so my total was less than $8.  Then it was on to Meijer.  Unfortunately the total was higher than I wanted it to be – but we needed all of the items.

Wednesday Update

I’ve got a lot of different projects going on right now – and quite frankly, it’s EXCELLENT!  I love having lots of projects.  So here’s an update on a few of the things I’m working on …

Here’s a picture of both table toppers together.  I finished the first one (left) on Monday night, and the other on Tuesday night. 

On Sunday I found out about a Maple Leaf Block Swap that’s happening on the Small Quilt Talk mailing list on Yahoo!  … so I signed up to do two sets.  (each set is made up of 8 blocks)  Here are my two blocks … each of them are 4½” finished blocks.  I had hoped that hubby could take them to the post office yesterday – but he ran out of time.  Maybe they’ll go out today.  I’ve got ‘til 11/5, so there’s still plenty of time.  The blocks are supposed to have dark backgrounds and bright, fall-colored leaves.

And each evening I’ve been making paper pieced hexies for another Good Wives Co. (Marion, Ohio) project.  This is my project box with my finished hexies, my notions, my fabrics, etc.  The project is a table topper with poinsettia flowers on it, done in reproduction fabrics.  

I’m going to start entering links for this hexie project at a blog site called Sarah Did It!  She’s a self-proclaimed hexie-aholic!

I bought a very Halloween/Fall quilt kit the other day when I was at Good Wives Co. (Marion, Ohio), and I really should get started on that one this afternoon.  It will take a few days to get the top done!  Wait ‘til you see it!

Fall Geese in the Cabin 10/16/2012

Got another small table topper done this evening while watching the baseball game.  This is a sister piece to the one I finished last night.  Of course this kit also came from Good Wives Co. (Marion, Ohio).  It’s also quilted with a light orange #100 silk.

Fall Steps Table Topper 10/15/12

Made up a quick fall table topper this afternoon.  I got the kit last week at Good Wives Co. (Marion, Ohio).  It’s got my favorite color – cheddar!  I quilted it in a light orange #100 silk.

Grandmother’s Choice BOW – Week 7

Didn’t like the way Saturday’s block looked when I posted it.  So here it is again.

BTW … the name of this block is Alice’s Flag.

Grandmother’s Choice BOW – Week 7

Finished this week’s block early.   Yes, the block was meant to be off center.

I also have all of my stuff ready to start working on a English Paper Piecing project – a kit that I got a Good Wives Co. (Marion, OH).  Nice that I had this box setting around just waiting to be used for a fun project!

And then this afternoon I also started a trial block for the Maple Leaf Block Swap in the Small Quilt Talk list (a Yahoo! Group)  Here’s my trial block.

And this morning I also got up and got the ingredients for sloppy joes put in the crock pot for dinner this evening.    Wow, those vitamins must be kicking in!!

Redbird In The Bowers – Days 1 & 2

Started a new faux applique panel on Tuesday, but didn’t get a chance to post pictures.  Here’s the panel that has been sandwiched with wool batting and backing fabric.  The individual panes have been stitched with black #100 silk along the lines.   In the past I have used cotton batting, but on a recommendation I’m using wool batting for this one.

Here’s a closer look at one of the panes with the background stippling done.  I will go back and outline the round gold parts of the flowers.

And here’s another pane with the background stippling done.  I will go back and highlight parts of the pineapple.

If you’re wondering, I do use the magnifying glass attachments for my Bernina to do this work.

Game Day Table Topper 10/8/2012

Worked on a quick little “game day” table topper today.  Decided not to do a binding on this one – just did a pillowcase finish or pillowcase turn on this one with some black fabric on the back.  It’s quilted in a dark red (scarlet) #100 silk.

Grandmother’s Choice BOW – Block 5

Finished last week’s block, block #5, this morning.  The name of this block was New Jersey.  (and has waaaay too many parts)

Grandmother’s Choice BOW – Week 6

I’m two weeks behind … so I did the week 6 block before I did the week 5 block.

This is Aunt Eliza’s Star.

I’ve got the week 5 block cut out – and partially pieced …

Brown & Pink Hourglass Swap Quilt

The quilting on this quilt was a headache.  I am so glad to have it off of the frame, ready to bind, and ready to put it in the finished pile!  I used a Baptist Fan pattern for the quilting.

and the back …

Will be working on the binding tonight while watching t.v.

Clambake – Day 3

Haven’t checked in with any pictures of the Clambake quilt in a couple of days.  Here’s how things are progressing.

Clambake – Day 1

After my MAGIC (Mohican-Area Genealogists Interested in Computers) meeting this morning, I did my weekly CVS trip, and then stopped at JoAnn’s to use my coupons … I had two 40% coupons and two 50% coupons, plus my normal 10% discount card.  Got a magazine while I was out – and found a cute project in it … called Clambake.  Started cutting out the pieces late this evening.

Winter Strip Quilt

Quilted this one this afternoon.  Will work on the binding tonight.  Used a variegated green LAVA thread (from Superior Threads).  On the cone, the green variegated thread looks like something you’d use to stitch out a swamp creature.  But on this winter (sort of Christmas looking) quilt, it REALLY worked.  I’ve extolled the virtues of LAVA thread before, but it just continues to amaze me.  The various colors have worked on SO MANY of my quilts!

Little Bricks 9/26/2012

Finished up my Little Bricks quilt today.  Even though this is one of my small wall hanging quilts, I decided to do the quilting on my longarm.  I set my Pro-Stitcher to do a Baptist Fan pattern and used that as an edge-to-edge quilting pattern in a dark golden yellow thread.  (unfortunately it’s hard to see the quilting in the picture)

Little Bricks

Grandmother’s Choice BOW – Week 3

Are we at block #3 already?  Eeek!  Barbara called this block Union Square.  With our other activities this weekend, I’m just now getting the block made.

“T” Is For Temperance 9/17/2012

Finished up the binding on this little wall hanging this evening.  I did some “big stitch” hand quilting on this one several months ago – and it was just waiting to be finished up.

This afternoon I got my Sands Of Time hourglass swap quilt top put together.  This was the product of an 8-month long block swap with a group of quilters on the internet.  The original pattern called for it to be bigger – but I like it this size.  It’s about 62” square.  I won’t put a border on it – just want it quilted and bound.

Also finished quilting the quilt for my youngest nephew whose first birthday is at the end of next month!  Don’t have any pictures of that quilt yet.

Saturday update …

Well, this was one of those mixed bag weeks.   I was anxious for Tuesday to come so that I could call to check on the status of my HQ-16.  When Tuesday came, I was hopeful for a little while – it really did seem like there was hope of it being ready.  I left the house to go run errands thinking that there was a chance that I could hop on the highway and head for Columbus.  But alas, it didn’t turn out.  On Wednesday, Hubby got off at 2:00 p.m., and we were able to go down and pick up my machine after that.  And, like I mentioned in my post that day – we had a nice supper at Max & Erma’s before heading back north.  On the way home, my right leg and right foot kept acting like they were going to start cramping – so we stopped THREE TIMES during the hour drive back home.  Needless to say that added extra time to our trip!

My Jo Morton sampler arrived on Wednesday, which cheered me up too.  I got to open it while holding the heating pad on my leg and toes (which seems to help).  This shipment added two more cheddars to the pile.  The one on top in the picture is a darker cheddar.  The striped fabric under it has light and dark shades of cheddar in it.  Can’t wait to use these! 

And then … the avalanche of hourglass blocks and nickel squares started arriving this week too.  About 90% of the packages arrived Thursday … so it was like Christmas morning.  This was an EIGHT MONTH LONG block swap with an added 300 nickel square (5” squares) swap at the end.  I doubled up on the nickel squares, deciding to swap 600 squares.  It was nice of Jo Lynn to take over the management of the swap when our original swap mistress had a crisis in her life and couldn’t finish out the swap.

I had time on Thursday night and Friday afternoon and evening to work on my HQ-16 and the newly updated Pro-Stitcher.  Thursday’s session did NOT go so well.  But Friday’s session was a little better – and I was able to make up some “cheat sheets” to use with the new system until I get used to the new way of doing things!