New Beginnings

2017 is over! The holidays are done and the house is getting back in order after our Christmas/New Years weekend. So I feel like doing some "New Beginnings." Over the last year and a half there have been many changes and so much going on. Blogging (which is my on-line journal) has been severely neglected and it is so easy to forget all the completions and happenings.

For 2018, the plan is to complete 10 UFO's. I am not going to list them because there are so many and it is nice to have the freedom to complete any thing that inspires me.

There are new projects that would be fun to start. After all, a person needs new challenges to keep us interested. Also, I am still in the stage of meeting new people since our move to the Aitkin MN area.

Looking forward to a lot of fun in 2018, hope you will join me on my journey over the next year.

Hugs, Beth

2015 Q1 Finish-Along

Okay, it is time to get some UFO accountability, so I am joining Finish-Along over at On the Windy Side. There are so many UFO's to do but I have identified four to finish for the first quarter.

1. Jelly Roll Quilt - needs to be quilted

2. Neutral Strip Twist Quilt - piece and quilt

3. Parry Primrose, A Walk in the Mountains block - finish the hand applique

4. Scrappy Mountains Majesty - piece and quilt

 Hop over to On the Windy Side to see what others are planning for the first quarter of the Finish-Along.

Hugs, Beth

Stash Report 2015

Used since last report:                   0.00  yards
Used year to Date:                        0.00 yards

Added since last report:                 0.00 yards
Added Year to Date:                      0.00 yards

Net Used for 2015:                     0.00 yards

Hey, it is always so nice to start out with a clean slate. Love all the zeros. I wasn't going to do the stash report this year but I feel it keeps me on track to actually use stash!! LOL  New purchases are so nice but I do need to clear some space to store them while they age. The shelves are VERY full.

The plan is to be more productive this year and finish projects even if they are not PERFECT. I tend to be a little bit of a perfectionist and sometimes this keeps me from finishing projects. Maybe that is just plain procrastination (which I have down to a fine art)??

Last night I finished sewing together the center portion of Celtic Solstice by Bonnie Hunter. I did add two rows of blocks to the center to make it longer. It now covers the top of the queen size bed nicely. Hoping that I can find the inner and outer border fabrics in my stash. The middle border pieces are done, just need to be sewn together into long strips. 

Celtic Solstice

This year a UFO list has been started. As I clean and sort the downstairs closet where a lot of the overflow from my sewing room is stored, I know that additions will probably be added to the list. There are a lot of projects that just need to be quilted and moved out of the house! LOL 

I sincerely hope that everyone has a wonderful 2015 and are able to work on some fun and wonderful projects.

Hugs to all and make sure you hop over to Patchwork Times to see what others are doing.

http://www.patchworktimes.com/2015/01/04/fabric-report-week-1-2015/

Hugs, Beth

Stash Report

Used since last report:                  0.00 yards

Used YTD:                                     0.00 yards

Added since last report:               4.50 yards

Added YTD:                                   6.50 yards

Net Used YTD:                              - 6.50 yards 

I sure have not been very productive lately, but I am "okay with that!"  Sometimes we just have to give ourselves a time out. I have been working on projects, just have not finished any.  Now that I have gotten the "whine ------" out of my system!!  LOL

On Thursday evening at our quilt guild meeting, I won one of the birthday drawings. It was the a very fun basket. There was a teapot, cup, tray, and tea bag holder. Also the cutest fat eights of fabric, Quilter's Apprentice book, slow cooker, and a red "Princess" teddy bear. I think the fabric will be used to make a sewing machine mat for my Featherweight. After all, she deserves the very best!! VBG

The other fabrics were purchased but they were all on "SALE." That is always great justification for purchasing fabric. Right? The check is for on some towel edges after I get recipes machine embroidered on them. The rest is stash enhancement - I borrowed that phrase!!

I have re-organized a walk-in closet that I use for most of the overflow supplies from my quilting studio. While re-organizing, I have been noting all the UFO's. I pulled one out to be finished this quarter as part of my challenge to finish a UFO per quarter. The problem I had with this quilt is -- it was a mystery block of the month I participated in quite a number of years ago. I had to force myself to finish the center. All it has needed is for the borders to be put on and then quilted. Well - it was just "too PINK" and reminded me of Pepto BismoL. Since I used to suffer from motion sickness as a child, my mother was always feeding me Pepto Bismol. Can you understand now why I didn't like so much pink? You know what??? When I dragged the quilt out, it wasn't so bad after all. In fact, I quite like it.  Isn't it amazing how our perspective can change?  I did find a fat quarter of a solid pink in my stash to insert before adding the final border.  Being able to use my stash is always a plus.

Mystery Quilt

Two of my friends did come out on one of the coldest days this winter and sewed with me. What nice hardy Minnesotans for friends. Mary is busy cutting sashing for her quilt and Maureen is steadily ironing.  We had a good day and everyone got home safely.

Hope everyone is staying warm and safe. This had been quite the winter!!

Hugs to all and make sure you hop over to Patchwork Times and see what others are doing.

http://www.patchworktimes.com/2014/02/09/stash-report-week-6-2014/

Hugs, Beth

Stash Report - Week 1, 2014

Used:        0.00 yards
Added:      0.00 yards

The start of a new year with a clean slate is such a feeling of new beginnings. I was thinking about not doing the stash report this year, because I know that I will purchase fabric that will be "just because I like it!"  Decided to rethink this. By keeping the stash report, it makes me think about what I am purchasing. Also, the stash report helps me create a purchase plan. For the coming year, there is a need to add "light value" fabrics in all color categories. Also, I would like to add more fun graphic fabrics that are more contemporary. It will be interesting to see I how do through the year.

It is also interesting to see how much I use through the year. This year I hope to finish at least one UFO a quarter. The UFO's are tops that are pieced but need to be quilted and bound. Notice that it is not an overly ambitious challenge. That is because a lot of the time I get the top pieced but do not get it quilted. 

This is a year to just enjoy and have fun. No guilt is allowed!! LOL I hope for everyone to have a wonderful and enjoyable quilty 2014.  

Make sure you hop over to Patchwork Times and see what others are doing.

http://www.patchworktimes.com/2014/01/05/stash-report-week-1-2014/

Hugs, Beth

Stash Report

Used since last report:        2.00 yards
Used year to Date:            61.00 yards

Added since last report:     0.00 yards
Added Year to Date:         49.17 yards

Net Used for 2013:             11.83 yards

I think I am finally getting on a roll!!  Drum beat -- Please!!  I have finished two UFO's. Course it helps that I am going to donate them to our guild for the small quilt auction at our quilt show in two weeks. Dead lines always seem to help the process.

I finished quilting and sewing on the binding for my Pine Tree table runner. It was from a mystery class that I taught about eight years ago. I would say that it was aged to perfection and time to complete! LOL

The next UFO is an Advent wall hanging. I know that all the fabric for this and a couple of other projects from Laurel Burch fabric were purchased before she passed away. Her fabrics, especially the ones with dogs, are favorites of mine. 

Well, it looks like the Hummingbirds are gone. I am going to miss watching out my sewing room windows at all of the antics of my little buddies.

Make sure you hop over to Patchwork Times and see what others are doing.

http://www.patchworktimes.com/2013/09/22/stash-report-week-38-2103/

Beth

Stash Report

Used since last report:       4.00 yards
Used year to Date:            47.00 yards

Added since last report:     3.00 yards
Added Year to Date:         29.17 yards

Net Used for 2013:            17.83 yards

Where is the summer going??  July is more then half over and it seems like summer just barely arrived. I do have to WHINE about the heat wave we had this last week. 95+ degrees weather just does not agree with me, especially when the humidity gets so high. Have to admit I holed up in the nicely air conditioned sewing room. 

Last weekend we went up to Fargo, North Dakota, to celebrate July birthdays for our daughter, Natalie, son-in-law, Norman, and grandson, Jacob.  We also brought something extra for grandson, Jordan, since we missed celebrating his birthday in February. Natalie was very happy with her birthday present. I order the adapter for machine needle felting. My son helped me modify an old sewing machine into a needle felting machine. It works very well and was a lot less expensive then buying a needle felting machine. The sewing machine will never be able to sew again because the whole shuttle area needed to be removed, but I think I have a significantly sufficient supply of sewing machines!!! TeeHee!!!!  (Hubby completely agrees!!!! LOL)

On Monday, we had our Sew-Sew Monday at Grubers Quilt Shop. It was a fun day sewing. Connie brought her Stars & Strings quilt from the Fall/Winter 2012 Quilt Sampler magazine. It turned out so beautifully.

On Friday, I finished piecing Hopscotch, Butterscotch quilt by Bonnie Hunter from her "Leaders & Enders" book.  My very nice hubby held the flimsie up for me to take a picture. I am very happy with how it turned out. I did have to buy the sashing fabric. Everything else came from scraps.

I am still in the black for stash enhancement. Trying very hard not to purchase unless I need it for a project. I did buy two one-half yard pieces of brown fabrics for a large quilt I am working on for our bedroom, besides the fabric for Hopscotch.

Little by little I have been sorting through stored UFO's. A few projects are being donated. Some projects that had not been started but had the fabric pulled for them have been dismantled and the fabric is going back into stash. Once things are back in the stash then I am able to know what I have and start using it. It is amazing how much a person accumulates. 

I am also considering selling my knitting machine. It hasn't been used in years and there is starting to be people interested in buying knitting machines. Sometimes it is just so hard to let go of "Stuff."  I always think I am going to want to use it sometime!! Bet no one else does that! LOL.

Make sure you hop over to Patchwork Times and see what others are doing.

http://www.patchworktimes.com/2013/07/21/stash-report-week-29-2013/

Beth

Stash Report

Used since last report:         0.00 yards
Used year to Date:            13.50 yards

Added since last report:     0.00 yards
Added Year to Date:           5.50 yards

Net Used for 2013:              8.00 yards

No change to the stash this week. I passed quilt shops by on my way home from Fargo, North Dakota, last Monday. Usually I like to stop in Perham, MN because it is one of my favorite quilt shops but I practiced will power and passed it by.  Kuddos to me!!!  LOL   Course part of it was that I still was recovering from a bad cold and just wanted to get home. That cold is still hanging on. BooHoo --

I have been trying to decide how to quilt the borders for a table runner that I have loaded on the frame but wasn't sure how I wanted to quilt it. Did find an idea on the internet last night. The table runner is another UFO that is years old. It was done in a mystery class that I taught for the local quilt shop. Have several of these type of UFOs in the pile. They will make good machine quilting practice pieces. I am considering the design shown below for the borders. Have been practicing drawing the design since last night so that I can free-motion quilt it. 

We are getting snow today in Minnesota. There is a little break in the heavy snow right now. Sometimes we can't see the trees out front with the heavy snow and wind. Good day to stay home, nice and cozy. Not as bad as out East. We expect to get about 12 inches where we live. It is so pretty! 

Check out Judy's Patchwork Times to see how others are doing:

http://www.patchworktimes.com/2013/02/10/stash-report-week-6-2013/

Beth

Stash Report

Used since last report:        0.00 yards
Used year to Date:              76.395 yards

Added since last report:     0.00 yards
Added Year to Date:           68.705 yards

Net Used for 2012:               7.69 yards

No additions or deletions!!  Sigh!!  Projects do need to be completed before Christmas, so hopefully some stash reduction will soon take place. Time to also work on the UFO list for 2013. I was not too successful this year. Too many large projects on the list. For 2013, I have put small projects on the list as well as some large ones. Hopefully I will be more successful next year at reducing some of the many, many, many UFO's around the house. (For all you Turtles out there who are worried about how long it takes you before you get some projects done -- I know that I have UFO's that are so OLD, they have grown mold and hopefully disintegrated into "time and space" never to be seen again! VBG

I am working on the mystery, Easy Street, by Bonnie K. Hunter. These mysteries are just too much fun not to take part. This is the second mystery of hers that I have participated in. Last year we did Orca Bay. The top is pieced but I have yet to quilt it. 

Chain piecing 2" strips for Easy Street

Chain piecing the two-patches into 4-patches.  After pressing, they are so cute!!

Pressing all those 192 4-patches

Yes, yes -- I have the 4-patches for Easy Street all sewn!!! Just need to finish pressing (while watching Bonnie on QuiltCam this afternoon at   http://quiltville.blogspot.com/.   Hopefully, I can keep up this year. 

Hop over and check out the rest of the stash reporters at Patchwork Times: http://www.patchworktimes.com/2012/11/25/stash-report-week-47-2012/

Beth

Stash Report

No change to report!!!       VBG

Used since last report:      0.00 yards
Used year to Date:            76.395 yards

Added since last report:    0.00 yards
Added Year to Date:        58.615 yards

Net Used for 2012:           17.78 yards

Next week I go on retreat at Bug-Bee Hive. Isn't that a fun name? It is a very nice facility and they feed us. That is  one of the best features because I do not have to do cooking or cleanup. Yaaaaaa!!!!  I also like that we just work on our own projects because I do not need anymore UFO's started. In fact, I plan to work on two of my items on the 2012 UFO list while there. It is amazing how much sewing is done at retreat. I know I am terrible about remembering to take pictures, so I will try very hard to remember to take some. 

Hop over to Patchwork Times and see what others have on their stash report- http://www.patchworktimes.com/2012/10/21/stash-report-week-42-2012/

Beth

Design Wall Monday

The last week has been an uneventful sewing week. The first week of every month has a majority of my club meetings and then not a lot is happening for the rest of the month. This month our quilt guild actually meets on the second Thursday, instead of the first Thursday, due to a scheduling conflict at the church. It is nice when the events are spread out over the month.

There was no stash report on Sunday, since there was not change, but I have been working on two quilts. One is actually on my UFO list and one is a new project -- "I just had to do it project!!!"   Very big grin ;>)

The quilt on the left, I designed a couple of years ago and just never finished it. It is called, "Black, White, and Bright." All of the red and black sections are pieced, I still have the white, black and colored nine-patch to finish piecing.

I saw a picture someplace for a dresden plate done with dotted fabrics and I "just had to do one!"  One-third of the plates are pieced and ready to be appliqued onto the backgrounds. I have another one-third of the plates ready to be pieced. The points are a great TV project since they are the most tedious part of doing the plates. I hope to have all of the plates pieced this week and then they can be placed onto their background squares. Since I have a retreat at the end of this month, I plan to do the machine applique at the retreat. Of course, there will be a few other projects taken along. After all, I don't want to run short of things to do!  LOL

Hop over to Patchwork Times and see what others have on their design wall - http://www.patchworktimes.com/2012/10/08/design-wall-monday-october-8-2012/

Beth

Stash Report

Again ---- NO Change

The last few weeks have not had a lot happening in the sewing room. No additions or deletions to the stash.

Used since last report:      0.00 yards
Used year to Date:            76.395 yards

Added since last report:    0.00 yards
Added Year to Date:        58.615 yards

Net Used for 2012:           17.78 yards

Oh well!! I did get the bedroom painted, cleaned, and rearranged. Relatives had come to visit. Finished machine quilting a quilt for my friend Mary. Cut and sent off my swap strips for October. Made a trip to Fargo ND for a quilt show and a "Tables du Jour" luncheon. My daughter, Natalie, decorates two tables each year for the luncheon and it is too much fun to miss.

Natalie with one of her decorated tables

Last Monday was a sewing day with my friend Maureen. She sewed half-square triangles that people have given her and I sewed on these blocks that have been in my UFO pile for a while.

Since Monday, I have had a terrible cold. Even my Zicam did not alleviate the symptoms. When I have a cold I have learned not to sew because I make just too many mistakes and then have to "unsew". Today I finally feel human. 

While I have had this cold, I have enjoyed the view out the window at all the wonderful fall colors.

Since not a lot happening to my stash, you will want to jump over to Judy's Patchwork Times and check out how others are doing.  

  http://www.patchworktimes.com/2012/09/30/stash-report-week-39-2012/   

Beth

Sunday Stash Report

Used this Week:                              3.625 yards
Used year to Date:                       42.485 yards
Added this Week:                         0.00 yards
Added Year to Date:                    32.375 yards
Net Used for 2012:                     10.11 yards

Bee Creative spring retreat at Bug-Bee Hive Resort was a a lot of fun (don't you just love the name???). I arrived on Thursday afternoon and left at noon Sunday. Quilters were in the minority at the spring retreat. There were a lot of scrapbookers and were a lot of fun. One of the retreaters was at the retreat with her two daughters. What a fun weekend for them. The resort has a projector screen in the crafting area and a lot of "chick flicks" were shown throughout the weekend. Not that we paid a lot of attention to some of the movies. We were too busy "creating/sewing," talking, and eating. It is so nice to go some place and not cook or clean. The food was fantastic and of course we were afraid we were going to "melt" away from lack of nourishment!!! LOL

I thought quilters brought a lot of stuff, but I think scrapbookers brought more!!! 

It was a very productive weekend for me. I finished two flimsies. A baby quilt and a table runner.

It rained on Saturday and it was such a good day to stay inside and sew that we skipped going on a road trip - QUILT SHOP!!!  Well --- That saved me from possibly adding to my stash. Oh, bummer!! LOL





Besides the two flimsies that I completed, I managed a good start on Bonnie Hunter's "Blue Ridge Beauty." I sewed and cut until I ran out of fabric. Would you believe I actually did not have enough projects with me? I managed to stretch it out until after breakfast Sunday morning. It was almost a major tragedy. Guess, I'll have to make sure that never happens again.

 Beth

UFO Completions

Hey! It feels good to finish another UFO challenge project. For March, my UFO was a queen size blue and yellow log cabin quilt. It is not quilted. Have to admit I am getting quite a stack of tops (flimsies) on my stair railing. When I start machine quilting, I should have a nice pile of quilts to work on. This will give me plenty of chances to practice some of my machine quilting.  I have the April UFO to finish and then I am going to start quilting the stack of "flimsies". (Love that name)

It is nice to finish some of the UFO's laying around and it is a plus to report fabric usage.

Beth

Orca Bay -- Done!!!

I am so excited to finally have the top done for Orca Bay. Added extra borders to get the top up to a small queen size - 87 1/2" x 97".  Showed it to my hubby and his only reaction was to say, "lot of little pieces!"  You can tell he is extremely thrilled!! LOL  He is also a man of few words (most of the time).

Since the top is so full of threads, I will be spending some time clipping threads and getting it ready to go on the quilting machine. Yaaaaa!!!!  Done!!!!  No longer a turtle ---

This also completes my February 2012 UFO Challenge project.

Beth

Orca Bay Progress

Well, it is a slow process, but I am progressing with OB little by little. Glad I made the UFO Challenge committment because it would be so easy to start something that is a little less intense.

Over the years of making easy, fast to piece quilts, I had forgotten to just enjoy the process of making a quilt that takes a little time and effort. It will be well worth it when I get it done!!!!

Even though most of the fabrics I used are from my stash (only bought two FQ's of black with white and three FQ's of white with black), no dent was made in the stash. The stash must just keep having babies while I am not looking.

Beth

Quiet Week in the Sewing Room

Had one of those weeks where I was busy all week but not a lot accomplished in the sewing room. On Tuesday I went bowling (bowled much better then the last two weeks) and after bowling I attended Machine Embroidery Club. Since we will be having a retreat February 20 - 24 for machine embroidery, I wanted to make sure to attend so I could see the projects we will be working on. On Thursday, I attended Featherweight Club (must have a Featherweight machine to attend) and sewed on a binding. On Friday, my Hubby wanted me to go bumming with him. Guess I can't sew all the time and neglect the poor boy!!!   LOL

I did do some sewing on the 38 cancer bags that I have in progress. Have to admit after I do a certain amount on them, I get bored and want to sew on something else. The cancer bags are made out of a variety of fabrics, but decorator weight is the nicest for these bags.

 I took a break from sewing the Cancer Bags and started working on Orca Bay quilt again.  Almost done with all of Part 4, which is red string piecing. I have been cutting up one of the physcian directories that the insurance company sends out each year. The pages are wonderful for the foundation piecing. Tears off very easy. Great way to recycle!!

After the string piecing is done, the block gets squared up.

 I then tear the paper off the back, spritz lightly with water and press flat. After pressing the front and back so it lies good and flat, the square is cut across the strips on the diagonal.

Now I lay my ruler (it is just like the companion angle ruler) on one piece, lining up the 3 1/2" line with the cut diagonal edge and trim off the excess fabric.

For Part 7, I added the pieces from Part 5 (black wing pieces) to the pieces from Part 4. I skipped Part 6 at this time (do have the pieces cut).

Are you confused yet??  Can you tell I tend to work in the order I want to work??  Oh, well!! Makes life interesting. I will get back to Part 6, but I wanted to check that the above units are going to be the correct size. I can understand why Bonnie sets out the steps to the mystery the way she does. She is only trying to keep us from guessing what it was going to look like.  I am so wanting to get this top done.  It also means another UFO quilt top done (some call these flimsies). Love the name "flimsies". 

Beth

UFO Challenge & Snow

Well, we are finally having some snow, but did it need to be just when I was looking forward to friends coming to my home for open sewing on Monday?  Since the freezing rain came before the snow on Sunday night into Monday morning, it was just too treacherous for the ladies to come. We plan to get together next Monday. Hopefully the weather won't interfere again.

It is pretty out!! I love the fresh snow. Since we live in the country with no close neighbors, it stays so pristine looking.

Tuesday morning I bowled. Talk about not being able to hit the broad side of the barn!! It was not a pretty sight!!  LOL  We go for lunch after bowling.  Good thing I go for the socializing and the lunch because the bowling - STUNK!!!

Last night I finished the quilt top for the UFO Challenge. This quilt is for my youngest daughter, Brenda. I hope to get it on the quilting frame this week. It will just barely fit. My table only has 10 foot poles.  Here is my husband (he is standing on a chair) trying to hold the quilt up ---     Poor guy, I hid him behind the quilt.  He sure was patient about it.

Here is another picture with only 1/4 of the quilt showing. It is just too big to spread out. I think the last four borders look like it was planned from the beginning and not just slapped on to make the quilt bigger (although that is what was done -- ).

Participating in the UFO Challenge looks like it will be a good thing for me. It is so easy to procrastinate and not finish up projects.  Brenda will be happy to get this quilt. It will have a cozy flannel backing. There are fabrics left over for some accessories such as pillow shams.

Beth

Sunday Stash Report

Used this Week:        0 yards
Used year to Date:   0 yards
Added this Week:     1 yards
Added Year to Date:  21 yards
Net Used for 2012:   -21 yards

Friday, on my way up to Fargo ND, I stopped at one of my favorite quilt shops in Perham, MN.  I did very well!!  I only bought two -- 1/2 yard cuts of sale fabric.  There were some really nice fabrics in the sale area, but I couldn't even think of a project that needed a backing at this time.  On my way past Detroit Lakes, MN, I notice a "store closing" sign on the quilt shop there.  It is sad to see some of the shops go out of business, but I understand why.  People are not in the fabric buying frenzy of a few years ago. Now a lot of us only purchase what we need to finish a project because we have so much on hand.

Once I finish some of the quilts I am currently working on, such as, Orca Bay Mystery and the quilt for my daughter, Brenda, a lot of fabric used will go on the report. Getting impatient to finish both of these projects. Trying not to start anything else until I do. Sometime I think I have short-term attention span when it comes to completing projects. I always want to be unto the next.  Guess that is why I am also doing the UFO challenge.

Beth

Orca Bay Update

Of course I just can't leave Orca Bay alone. It is just too great a quilt and I WANT to work on it. (Does that sound like a spoiled child??) Guess what!! When it comes to this quilt that is the way I intend to be!!!

Part 1 is complete:

Part 2 has been started.  I used the doctor directory from our health insurance for foundation papers. They worked great.  Another item that is being recycled.

 Part 3 has been started:

Hopefully, I can start part 4 this weekend. I plan to sign up for a "Sit & Sew" for Sunday. It is always fun to work on projects, and have people to talk to, and eat, and have people to talk to and eat -- Can you guess what all I like to do?  Talk & eat, and, of course, sew!!

Beth