I don’t feel like I accomplished a lot today. I think I was in and out of the house more than home doing any quilting. I did manage to get one more triangle done:
I have gotten 4 of the 11 needed half Irish Chain Blocks done for the November assignment for the Star Crazy BOM – not today – I did these two days ago:
And one more ready to put together:
Mike was asked out of the blue today to go back to work tomorrow until the end of the year. They are short handed I guess and the short contract will work out alright with us as we had no out of town plans. He had already planned on going back to work if they have the budget in January for about 8 months. This will tack on another 5 or 6 weeks – he is a contract worker right now at the Nuclear Plant in the training department from which he retired from almost 4 years ago after putting in close to 27 years on the job – in training for 24 of those years. He likes it this way – he can keep his hand in and work short term then be off for awhile to do other things.
Tomorrow I am on my own once again – I wonder if I will get anything more accomplished – we will see. Tomorrow evening is a play (musical) at the high school that I am going to – my nephew has the lead and my niece (only 12) has a bit part – must go see the kids and show my support!
Recently on a quilt message board that I joined I raised a topic that was of interest to me – Do you have a sewing room that is decorative as well as functional or do you sew in a haphazard fashion – in other words things stacked up all over the place to the point that you can’t find anything. I was kind of surprised to see that – I think – more than half the quilters who responded said they work basically in a mess and could care less of decorating their workspace.
So I ask you – do you like to work in a nice attractive setting or could you care less as long as you have a sewing machine set up?
Here is my space, narrow, small, but yet everything in it’s place. No big plastic tubs of fabric, what you see is here. The boxes on the top shelves contain scraps. Under the quilting frame is a book shelve – two stacks. Another sewing machine in its case and numerous odds and ends that I need to clean up. The wall hanging doesn’t cover a doorway – someone asked me that once – it is just that this is a narrow room and that is a good place for it! Your eyes are immediately drawn to it when you enter. It is a whole cloth stain glass hand pieced and hand quilted. One of my favorites.
My little workhorse, freshly oiled and cleaned, ready to go. I have to drag the manual out every time I do this it seems or I forget spots!
Stacks of fabric, mainly fat quarters and neutrals with a few photos thrown in. TV above the quilting frame which seems to be off more than on – except when I am quilting then it is on. I tend to watch shows I have already seen when quilting when I am actually more listening then watching as I know what happens – I don’t like a quite room I guess.
More fabric, odds and ends of pieces, some at a yard or more some more like a half yard. The shelf in the corner above the machine is more bits and pieces tossed in wire baskets standing on end. I like to be able to see my fabric so I am reminded of what I have so I will use it – I don’t like it hidden away in plastic buckets where I can’t see it. Under the cutting table needs to be cleaned up once again also – I tend to toss things in the containers – patterns and things.
What about you? Decorative or messy?
Another Dear Jane triangle finished – that makes 5 this week – I really want to get done 
Only six of us showed up for quilt group last night – you would think because of the low number there would have been little show and tell – wrong! We are a prolific group 
Here are the quilts – I think this first group of baby quilts was done by another Karen but I might have the name mixed up – CJ do you know if these were done by Karen W. ?:
More – CJ’s quilts:
And some more (mine you guys have seen these):
The next 4 are by Anna (my son-in-law Ric’s aunt by marriage) this is one of the mystery quilts from a couple months ago:
This is what she is using for the back of the above quilt top, I’m not sure how she will have this quilted to complement both sides:
Another of hers:
Another fancy back this is for the one above – this one was swirly quilted all over:
Dee is having a little trouble with the borders on this one and says she is taking them off and trying again:
This one Dee brought along to put on the floor (large space) so it could be spray basted. This is a technique that I have not used and think I will try it on my next small quilt top that will be done in a hoop (haven’t decided what that project will be but something with the charm squares that I purchased from Connecting Threads).
And last but not least I know I said I was putting Dear Jane aside for a day – but this was an easy one and I got done with it quickly – worked on it a little yesterday afternoon and then again this morning. This make 4 out of 13 needed on the second border.
I brought the charm squares that I bought from Connecting Threads to both last nights group and again this morning and we all went through the fabric and all agreed they would use it too and thought it was good fabric.
I now have 13 of the 52 needed pieced triangles finished for this quilt. These that I finished are for the top border. I am now piecing the top border together so it will be done. I got done with two of the triangles yesterday and am I am half way done putting that border together – takes a little while when you are hand piecing!
Triangle #12
And triangle #13
I still am having a problem getting my lighting right for these photos. The “white” fabric is not white but butter cream – very much a touch of yellow in it. If I don’t use one of my true color ott lights for the photo it turns out way to yellow, and when I do use it the yellow – looks white. I can’t win! I know when I finish this quilt I will have to take it outside for sure to get a photo of the true color.
Last night while I was watching some old NCIS shows I got half of the top border sewed together, I will work on it more this weekend and then show the progress. I would like to have this quilt top finished by the end of the year but do not know if I will be able to keep up the piece with these tiny pieces – we will see.
My brother’s mother in law is going to try to get her blog rolling again – it has been dormant for awhile but she is writing again – you can check her out at http://www.emz-pineypost.blogspot.com/
Today the fall festival is held in Russellville. I wish they had a good farmers market but they don’t, it is very tiny. We are going to the festival to walk around this afternoon and see everything. I wish it was bigger like in other areas. Some that we have seen for small towns are really nice and very large. Our area just can not seem to get this fall festival any larger and the farmer’s market has never been large and have a wide variety of items. Very small and seems to be mainly summer squash and tomatoes in the summer and sweet potatoes in the fall! Maybe I will get some apples if they have some. I want to can some applesauce this fall. If they don’t have any I will need to find some at a store or search on line and see if I can find a pick your own apple orchard.
A variety of subjects today. Been a busy day working outside, then piecing a triangle while watching NCIS, and now quilting late this evening.
To begin with the mama cat is comfortable and getting fat – I have gotten the family comfortable down by the workshop which has a porch on it. (the kittens were in hiding while I was trying to take a photo of course they did not want to cooperate). The food and water are down there and I put a chair that is beginning to get worn out there and they have commandeered it! This worked out how I wanted as I did not want them by the front door constantly so that when son-in-laws are visiting the cat dander will not be out of control near the door and porch (both are allergic to cats). They seem to be comfortable down by the workshop so all is well. Mama has already presented us with a gift! you know cats – sometimes they leave you a mouse by the front door, a mole, a snake (ugh) while this pretty mama decided to leave us something different – a dead squirrel!! She is a good hunter I think – maybe she wasn’t an inside cat after all. Needless to say the many squirrels that can be annoying at times have not been seen as often since the cats arrived.
Fall colors at home – plenty of the leaves have blown off the trees the last couple days with the wind that we have had – although not as severe as a lot of you across the states had today!
All of the hydrangeas that looked dead when we came back from our trip are now looking like this one maybe they will all have flowers on them next spring.
The flowers and ferns are still blooming although I think we are possibly getting down to the 30’s one night this week – I might have to move the pots to the workshop for a night or two.
The Dear Jane triangle completed for the “Insanity Revisited” quilt – this makes number 9 or 10:
I have been working on the “Going in Circles” quilt this evening. I am up to the sashing and the patchwork and figuring out how I want to quilt this part of the quilt. I think this is what I have decided on. I was going to quilt three circles around each circle in this part of the quilt and then I realized not all circles are precisely in the center – darn I thought I had them right!! If I put three circles of quilting around each it will be more noticeable – by doing it this way it isn’t! 
Now how I’m I getting these wavy lines pretty darn good I must say so myself – with this wavy edge ruler:
Hope everyone is coming through all this wind alright today – across the northern tier of the country it is pretty bad. I was talking to my daughter in Wisconsin earlier today checking on her and the wind was howling but all was well. The other night the other daughter was in tornado warning in North Little Rock – she came through just fine too.
On Saturday on our drive over to Batesville to see Marshall Dry Goods Store – (see yesterdays post) we saw some pretty fall color. Not as beautiful as it can be – we have had a lot of dry weather over in that part of the state.
The above photo I took at a little rest area that we spotted along the way.
This photo is taken in the town of Mountain View. After we left Batesville we took a round about way home stopping here in Mountain View. A nice little town – almost always has some music going on. There are groups of people who just gather to play their guitars and fiddles.
A variety of people gather to listen.
There was a small quilt shop here in the old downtown, I wandered in but I didn’t really see all that much – it was a small store and I had just bought fabric and wasn’t looking for more.
There were cute displays of fall and Halloween around the town. I hope our fall colors will improve over the next week or two and I will post more then.
Here is another easy triangle that I made last night:
Now if they could all be as easy as this one was! I think it took all of 45 minutes to hand piece. I have the next pattern ready to go and I think it has about 30 pieces in it. I am part way done with my Star Crazy October blocks. I messed up somewhere in the cutting of the Irish Chain blocks and they are not coming together right – today I need to look things over and re-measure pieces. Something is wrong somewhere!! I might have to totally cut these blocks out over again and start fresh – sometimes it is not worth it to rip – we are talking 1 1/2 inch pieces!! I have plenty of scraps to re-do this mess.
If you join the American Quilters Society – AQS on Facebook you have the chance to be selected as Blog of the Week. I was told Friday that my blog was selected as blog of the week – how cool is that! Thank you AQS.
I managed to get a quick and easy triangle done for “Insanity Revisited” last night while watching the news – I did this one reverse applique. I am going to keep at it and try to get this quilt done by the end of the year! The top that is–the quilting will wait a year or so!
I got 3 triangles done this week! I’m on track for my goal of 3 a week at minimum.
Quilting is coming along nicely on the “Going In Circles” quilt also. I have no goal for this 
other than finishing it within a year of putting it on the quilting frame – I think that way I won’t be disappointed if it takes me longer than six months. Part of the first border is finished and up to the sashing.
It is a little far to reach to do the sashing – this was just me doing a little bit of it so I could see what I was thinking and if it would work out. It did so the rest will wait until I give the frame another crank down. On the aqua sashing I am going to put two or three lines of quilting closely together on the waving line. I don’t know if you get what I mean but that is ok a photo will show it next week I’m sure.
Everyone have a great weekend!
Yes I decided I better get back to work on my second Dear Jane – “Insanity Revisited” now that I have gotten some projects done and others under control This week I managed to finish two triangles — I believe I have 45 more triangles to make and the 4 cornerstones. I wasn’t as neat at them as I could be, but you know I hate to admit it but I have kind of lost interest in this quilt. I will finish it but I just don’t find it as interesting as I used to – I guess because there are so many other quilts out there to make.
Triangle #6:
Triangle #7:
Awhile back I had ordered a new carry bag for my featherweight. I thought it was much smaller than it turned out to be and was very dissatisfied with it. The bag will be used in the camper instead to store all of our books. It was a much larger bag than I needed for my featherweight – from the web site that I ordered it from I was under the impression that it was much smaller – the hazards of ordering on line.
I found a different bag last week instead that is especially made for the featherweight and I love it! It is a red padded bag with handles and shoulder strap (if you need parts for your featherweight or interested in the bag I got it at the site that the link goes to):
It fits in perfectly and has two side pocket for extension cords and foot pedal and plug in.
Maybe my foot can give you an idea of the size
I used it this morning at the quilt group and managed to get all my stuff in these two bags. The bag fits easily in the car and seeing as the sewing machine is only 12 pounds I can carry the bag without too much trouble. If I am carrying too much stuff I do have a portable thing with wheels that I can stack it all on – an old thing that you can put a suitcase on or whatever that you used to use before wheels started to be on everything!
I worked on my Star Crazy BOM this morning and finished two of the 4 stars needed. I also have to make 5 Irish Chain blocks. I did not get much done – we were just talking too much I hope to get most of these done this weekend – it is supposed to rain so unless we go someplace for a day I will be in the house and work on them.
First let me announce the winner of the give away – Sandi at Call Me Crazy – number 14 in the comments has won the give away. Sandi send me your mailing address and I will get the gifts out to you. I have also included pieces of two fabrics that were in my Going In Circles quilt.
Last night I finished the Red and Green Applique block – this is the 7th of the blocks. All those little red circles where a pain to make but they really make the block. This block originally had a different applique for the green pieces but I didn’t like them once I had them cut out and placed on the block so I went back to the book to see what was there and I decided to combine two blocks into one instead. I like this arrangement better. I need to look through the book to find 5 more of this size block to use (16 1/2 inches) then I still need to make the center block. It is coming along nicely. I will put it aside though for at least a couple days while I finish up a couple things. A lot of the blocks left in the book seem to have a lot of these little red circles so I’m sure I will be going through this again soon.
I am not a seamstress by any means and rarely make clothing but my daughter asked me to make a vest for her – I have it started – now I need to get it finished – so I will be trying to work on that for the next couple days and get that out of the way. Also I need to make my Star Crazy BOM October blocks. I have fabric picked out and pressed. The patterns are printed out so I need to get busy with it. Maybe I will organize that completely and take it with me to quilt group Friday.
I cleaned off my table last night and I am trying to get better organized once again. Things tend to get piled up and sloppy when you work on 4 things at once! I need to get my boxes on the shelve under the cutting table organized once again also – maybe in a couple days.
Once I finish the vest and the BOM for October I will soon to be starting work again on the border triangles and cornerstones for the Insanity Revisited Dear Jane quilt that has been put aside since late June – I really need to get back to work on it and finish it. I will be going back and forth on Insanity Revisited and the Red and Green applique while continuing to hand quilt on the big frame.
Three projects in the works will be much better than juggling 4 or 5.
I am nearing the finish line for the Christmas quilt!! Well in hand quilting terms that means maybe one or two more weeks but really the end is very near in sight. I put in a couple hours of hand quilting this weekend and gave the rollers another turn last night then quilted for another hour before saying enough and went to watch tv in the living room and started to applique on the Red/Green quilt. That block is going to be a beauty I think. I really like the flower in the center but I’m not going to show it until I’m done.
Here is what is left to work on the Christmas Quilt:
I would say about another 15 hours of work possibly – a week if my fingers can last otherwise it will be two weeks. We’ll see how it goes as you can tell I’m getting antsy to get it off of the frame.
I have been really good about not starting new projects and really trying to finish a lot that I already started this year – but I am ready to start working on some easy scrap quilts and get some of these scrap boxes emptied out for next year.
For the remaining months of the year I will finish the Star Crazy BOM and be close (possibly) to finishing the Red and Green Traditional Applique quilt – we will see on that – I might get tired of it and put it aside who can tell. Other than that I will get the Bow Tie Quilt finished this year also (the top that is). Remaining projects are the second Dear Jane – Insanity Revisited which I need to make most of the triangles for the border I will be working on that one next year in between other things of course.
The next to go on the large 3 roller frame is the quilt “Going in Circles” (link to photo on that highlighted word) that I made last winter. Next year I will have a pile of quilt tops waiting in line to quilt so I think other then finishing the quilt tops already started I need to think small and just do some couch size or smaller for awhile. The scrap pile should be plenty to work with and will have one more year of trying to not buy much in the line of fabric other than backings and background. I did pretty well with not buying much this year and other than 2 bolts of background neutral fabric, a yard of pink moda marble & one package of 8 fat quarters I do not remember buying much (fabric that is) – but of course I might be blocking my memory somehow – I’m getting forgetful as I age LOL
