I worked really well on my scraps when I got started doing that over a month ago – then I got side tracked as I assumed I would. I have a lot done, but tons left to do. This much left to work on – plus one box full of white scraps – I decided to keep that box separate for now. A summer project for sure – maybe a working on for a year project 
The box of whites
All lined up looking at from above.
A box of 5 inch charms and 4 inch charms
3 1/2 inch charms and 3 inch charms
2 1/2 inch charms, 2 inch charms, and 1 1/2 inch charms – I didn’t intend to cut so many different sizes of squares but I was finding a lot already cut in those sizes so I decided to go with that.
1 box of strings full, second box of strings started – one box of odds and ends of patchwork blocks leftover from projects.
They all fit on the top shelf for now – by time I get done with the basket who knows how many boxes – I might end up combining some if the boxes are not full.
Do I regret starting this chore of organizing scraps – yes I do right now – but I have a feeling I will be glad I did this when I start to use them!!
by Karen on May 9, 2012
in quilts
I mentioned last week that the plan for next year – or maybe this year? is to make the quilt called Sedona Star a BOM from the Quilt Show – I have 5 months of patterns and instructions printed out and in order!
Sometimes BOM’s come with few directions. This one on the other hand prints out like a book!! I got a ring binder and some page protectors. This is going to be a 2 ring binder project. I think I will just leave it all in the ring binders and make copies of the pattern pieces and then put it on the shelf to keep it. I doubt I would ever make a second quilt of the same but one never knows!
How do you store your projects like this? I start by printing out a large photo of the quilt top and slide it in the front of the ring binder – if it doesn’t have a “sleeve” for this I will tape it to the front – sometimes lament it also.
I print out the name of the pattern and slide it on the side.
5 months of instructions and patterns and it is full already and nice and neat in the protectors.
I am not going to do it in the same colors as shown – all that blue and turquoise is too much for me. A lot of the light blue/turquoise and darker blue – have to go! Right now I am thinking either white or black. I have not had good luck with black in quilts as it picked up lint – but I used Kona Cotton Black and it is a thicker heavier fabric than some. I have been told that Andover Black Dimples doesn’t have that problem – if I use black I will give that one a try.
This quilt finishes at 88 x 88 so I will enlarge it with another border to make it bed size. Why are so many quilts finished at 88 x 88 – that doesn’t fit a queen size bed with a high mattress does it? I know it doesn’t fit my bed! It seems that would be way too small for most queen size beds.
If you made this quilt would you go with the same color scheme or would you change the background colors like I intend to do?
Do you change out quilts on your bed often? I don’t really. I normally have one on the bed that I made with a heavier batting for the cooler months, then switch it out about this time of year for one with a lighter batting.
Last week I put “Going in Circles” back on the bed – what a light airy feeling it gives the room. Now I just have to find a new pillow for myself. Mike likes his but I need something soft. I have one of those memory foam neck pillows right now and it worked for a long time but recently it just hasn’t felt right. I think I will search for a new pillow today.
I have made great progress on the row of Joseph’s Coat that I am working on in the past two days – 5 segments left to do.
I got in an hour of quilting and marking quilt lines on Star Crazy last night while I watched a little tv.
Windows are open wide since last night – cool front has come through and it is in the 50’s at night right now and looks like for most of the week with dryer air I might be able to leave the windows open this week.
Off and on yesterday while sitting and taking breaks, watching tv ect. I managed to get back to busy on Joseph’s Coat – it was no hardship I want to get this baby done! It of course isn’t quite this color – but close. I will work on it more today.
Last night for 45 minutes I moved to the back room to do some hand quilting on Star Crazy. The corners of this quilt are going to be rounded. I am using a heavy acrylic template that is for the Drunkards Path quilt block to mark rounded corners using the inside curve. I do this in advance so I don’t put any quilting in that area. The tape just marks the center.
I didn’t get a lot of quilting done last night as we were talking a bit and getting caught on things.
One of these days I will get back to my scrap organizing – I really need to spend at least one day a week on this – I started out so good than got side tracked – I knew that would happen.
by Karen on May 7, 2012
in family
Now to get back into my regular routine! I am exhausted. I got home around noon – it was such a busy four days. I have sat down for awhile in between laundry and other routine and not routine chores – like unpacking. A little stitching was done and more will be tonight.
Mainly I had to get the plants watered. I watered before I left on Thursday and Mike did it once while I was gone, but they needed more – the rain has skipped on by us today. Do you always notice if you are gone a day or more that plants just seem to take off growing.
The little container garden.
When I left the blossoms hadn’t even opened on this yellow summer squash and now they are forming and I do believe I counted 3 or 4 growing.
Roma tomatoes – I have two containers of these, this plant is far ahead of the other though planted at the same time.
Another variety I don’t recall the name – bigger!
The other plants are two containers of green pepper and red peppers. Blossoms, soon more I’m sure.
Thanks for all the comments while I was gone – I didn’t keep up with responses. For some reason my e mail was not sending messages out most of the time but I was receiving. It is working fine now so maybe it had something to do with the hotel internet? I didn’t keep up with reading blogs either and way too many on my reader to go back and do it now! It would take forever – I read a few here and there – I will get back to my routine tomorrow – early to bed tonight? Clean house tomorrow and now I will get busy doing some relaxing and stitching this evening.
by Karen on May 7, 2012
in family
I am posting some photos of family for the family that looks at my blog, so just skip it if it doesn’t interest you – Aunt Bev this post is for you 
The new babies in the family.
Kristy’s baby – Jesse – 5 weeks old – the quilt next to him is one I made for Kristy’s brother John when he was born 23 years ago?
John’s baby Zoey – 3 months old – next to her daddy’s baby quilt
(my mom) Adelyn (Natasha’s daughter) with her Great-Grandma – Addy is about 8 months old I believe. Mom had 3 new great-grandchildren in the last 8 months.
Little Jesse and Little Zoey – Zoey’s dad and Jesse’s mom are brother and sister
Cousins on a bicycle built for two – Seth (Meranda’s son) and Peyton (Jennifer’s son) Seth’s dad Sheldon built this bike! No training wheels required I thought this was so neat when I saw it – the kids love it.
Before I left for my family visit on Thursday I had a chance to finish cutting and laying out the next sections of Joseph’s Coat on Wednesday afternoon. I plan to get busy stitching on it right away! This is the last of the darker blues. I have to immediately start going in to the lighter blues to turquoise next. I will be quickly running out of room on this quilt now. I am not sure if I will be able to use all of the colors I had showed you last week. This is where I will begin working on JC when I get home later today. Run on over to Judy’s at Patchwork Times to see what everyone is working on.
It is amazing how fast you get to these short rows once the full length diagonal is finished. When I get done attaching this row I might just have to get the design wall out and pin this to it in some way so I can get the color placement right for the next areas – I want to be able to use as many of the next colors as I can.
If you look back at how I started the first corner of the quilt you can see that in some rows I needed to use various colors in the rows – that bright orange is about where I am now with the blues
I don’t know how many of you have forgotten my Red and Green Applique quilt top that I started making about 2 years ago? I finished the blocks and put the top together last year but I never decided on an applique border. Finally – I made my decision.
When I finish Joseph’s Coat and have it ready to start to quilt I will need to get busy and find another hand project to work on. I must finish this top and that will be the next to work on.
A close up
I was going to make something that was kind of half way between fancy and simple but it had a lot of small pieces in it. I decided because a lot of the pieces in these blocks are actually large that something with bigger pieces would be appropriate. This quilt is more of a “folk art” type of quilt and simple and big will work.
This is the border I picked – image reds and greens – a little of pinks and yellows as they are used in the blocks. I few more flowers along the edges than what they show in the photo. Always hard to judge from seeing a totally different kind of quilt with a border but trust me – this is going to work out!
I think applique on this quilt will keep me busy for quite a few months this summer!
EDITED: I have been so busy that I have barely been on the computer! I have been answering a few e mails here and there but I have not had good reception in the motel. Sometimes the wi-fi is working fine and other times it hasn’t been so hot. I will add a few family photos after I get home. Also we went to the museum Crystal Bridges on Thursday afternoon and I got some photos there that I will share. We have been on the go constantly 
When I get home on Monday afternoon it will then seem like I am on vacation LOL
I have decided that Pineapple Square is going to be a wall hanging after all. I had thought to enlarge it with a Round Robin type of style to it but what with deciding to make one of the Edyta Star’s pattern next – and having two of her patterns as it is and the Sedona Star quilt – all large quilts to make – I better stick with a wall hanging for this one!!
When Star Crazy comes off of the quilting frame Joseph’s Coat quilt top will not be finished and ready to put on the frame. Pineapple Square is small – it can go on the frame. The quilting will be done simply and it will be finished quickly – maybe Joseph’s Coat will be ready to put on the frame when that one comes off?
I normally do not do mystery quilts. I like to see a photo of the final product first so that I select the right kind of fabric. I hate wasting fabric at the price it is and I can not pick out the proper colors without knowing what it will look like. That is the great thing of a free mystery quilt on line – you can print out everything – patterns and instructions and make it when you get it all!!
Pearl P. Pereira has a new free BOM out this year. If you sign up for her newsletter and web site you can have access to it. I haven’t a clue when I will make this and I don’t know if I will make the quilt or use the flower appliques in something totally different – but in the meantime I’m printing!
Here is a link to Pearl’s web site – P3Designs. If you go to Forums and then to Mystery BOM you can download the patterns. Another one for maybe next year – or the following 
