What's Up? Not much!

It seems like it has been a busy week but nothing much accomplished. No additions or uses reported for the stash report. The only thing to show for design wall is the pile of handles for patient bags that I turned right side out after sewing a seam down the long side!! Whoopee!! LOL

I did finish a fleece scarf for my youngest daughter. Brenda picked out the thread color for the machine embroidery when she was home in March. Since I was going down to Minneapolis this weekend for Easter, I wanted to get it done. Course now she has to wait until next winter to wear it. Haven't figured out if I am behind or ahead!! I also delivered her finished Log Cabin quilt. She was very happy to finally get it!!

I think winter might finally be over. It was over 70º F.  Whoopee, Yippee, Wow!!  Last Wednesday, we received over 12 inches of snow. The ground had been almost bare of snow but by the end of day, it looked like this -----   The snow is gone again!! Hope it stays gone.

On Saturday, I attended a maintenance class for my Featherweight sewing machine. It was a very good class and I learned a lot. My little machine is just humming now after a thorough cleaning, lube, and oiling. It should help me to better maintain my other vintage machines.

After the class, I went over to my daughter's place. She lives in Minneapolis. Brenda took me on a tour of the hotel (The Commons) where she works. It is a very uniquely decorated place. We then had a leisurely dinner at the hotel, went back to her place and relaxed for the evening. On Easter morning we went to Ikea and I picked up a little kitchen cart that I wanted for in the sewing room. After Ikea we went to a little place called Hazel's and had a delicious brunch. It was a wonderful time spent with Brenda. Then homeward bound I went. Hubby and son had been left to their own devices and it was time to get home and make sure they hehaved -- Very Big Grin!!

Today was Sew-Sew Monday at Gruber's Quilt Shop in St. Cloud, MN. One of the ladies brought in a quilt she is donating to "Breaking Free." What a great quilt. I worked on my "Talkin' Turkey." Might get it done some year! LOL While we were sewing a whole bus load of Canadian quilters stopped into the shop on their way to Paducah. They were doing a fantastic job of shopping. Hope they are not broke before getting to the quilt show! LOL

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

http://www.patchworktimes.com/2014/04/21/design-wall-april-21-2014/

Hugs, Beth

Design Wall Monday & Late Stash Report

Used since last report:         3.33 yards

Used year to Date:               5.33 yards

Added since last report:       0.00 yards
Added Year to Date:             8.00 yards

Net Used for 2014:             - 2.67yards 

Not a lot to report but have been keeping out of mischief! LOL  I finished putting borders on a 

log cabin quilt center that my daughter Brenda pieced. Also pieced a back for it and currently loading the quilt on the frame. Hope to quilt and bind it this week.

Brends's log cabin quilt

Since the weather has not been cooperating -- Snow, Snow, Snow---- I couldn't open windows and start airing out the house after a long winter. Soooo -- I decided the stash is so far out of control and started to purge some of the old fabrics. These fabrics have been cut into patient bags for the Coborn's Cancer Center. The scraps left after cutting the bags are being cut into usable sizes for future quilts. So far I have completed another 10 bags, three are in process and approximately another 50 bags cut out. Each bag uses approximately 1/3 yard of fabric. You know what --- It hasn't appeared to even make a dent in the stash.  <Grin>  Guess I will be sewing for many years. Too many years working in a quilt shop surrounded by all those wonderful fabrics did it to me!!  LOL That is my story and I am sticking with it.

Stack of cut out Patient Bags

On Sew-Sew Monday, Maureen brought her Bulls Eye quilt top.  What a great quilt!

Mary brought a star quilt top she has completed. What a fun quilt.

Connie has a quilt started with a block using four pinwheels with a nine-patch surrounded by sashing. It will be absolutely smashing.

I'll end with what it looks like out my window on March 31st.  Spring will come!!!!  <Grin>

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

http://www.patchworktimes.com/2014/03/31/design-wall-march-31-2014/

Hugs, Beth

Stash Report and Design Wall

Used since last report:         2.00 yards
Used year to Date:            13.50 yards

Added since last report:     4.00 yards
Added Year to Date:           5.50 yards

Net Used for 2013:              8.00 yards

I am a little late for the stash report but my nasty cold has me operating at "turtle speed" - SLOW!! My Hubby very generously shared his cold with me. Since it was also our 45th Anniversary on Sunday, it was a bit of a bummer that neither of us felt like going out for dinner.  

Usually I do not like to sew anything when I am feeling under the weather, because if it can be screwed up -- I can screw it up!  ;>D   I did manage to get the borders on Easy Street without any major mishaps. I worked on the borders during Quiltcam on Sunday. 

 A friend of mine likes to put a stripe in the border of all her more contemporary quilts and I liked the look so much, that this was a good opportunity to try the look. I did cut the stripe on the bias, so had to be very careful handling the strips. The purple was cut on the lengthwise grain (parallel to the selvage), so there would be no stretch and it would stabilize the bias strips. The border is also mitered to take full advantage of the stripe looking like it is turning the corner. The stripe fabric was even in my stash. I only had to buy the purple and bought enough to use for the binding as well. I really like how it turned out.

I decided to participate in the RSC13 this year and will use the "Basketweave star by The ADD Crafter" for my rainbow blocks (http://www.add-crafter.com/).  I intend to only do one point per month. By the end of the year I should have three complete blocks and can work it into either a table runner or small wall hanging. The points are paper pieced and the background will be a variety of white on black. The color for January is hot pink. Well -- I found out I do not have very much hot pink in the stash or scraps. Guess we will have to do something about that!!!

Last Monday, it was Sew-Sew Monday at a local quilt shop. We didn't have a very big turn out, as it was 15 degrees F. below zero here in Minnesota.  (We have gotten "wimpy" over the last four years.) LOL There is even one knitter that attended. The quilts hanging on the walls are always such welcome eye candy.

While pressing the Blue Ridge Beauty blocks I am working on, I had the opportunity to try out the "Mighty Travel Iron" by Dritz. It is more then cute!! It gets nice and hot and did a nice job of pressing my blocks. Water can be used in it but I used just a dry iron. Of course, I had to buy one of those little cuties. It doesn't count as an addition to the stash!!!  

Wednesday morning I am heading up to Fargo, ND, to house/dog sit for my daughter and her husband. So I am currently deciding what projects to work on while I am up there. Just think - my own private retreat. I plan to take some string quilt projects along, would like to start "Talking Turkey" from Bonnie Hunters "String Fling."  May also take Blue Ridge Beauty along.

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

http://www.patchworktimes.com/2013/01/27/stash-report-week-4-2013/

and

http://www.patchworktimes.com/2013/01/28/design-wall-january-28-2013/

Also, check out Scraphappy:

http://superscrappy.blogspot.com/2013/01/scraphappy-saturday-pink-roses-for-hope.html

Beth

Design Wall Monday

I sewed most of Sunday on Easy Street. All of Part 7 (pieced setting triangles) is complete. On Part 8, I have three of Block A completed and about half of Block B completed. I love this quilt and think it will make a great graduation gift for my Granddaughter. Since it is two years before her graduation, that gives me plenty of time to machine quilt it after the top is completed. Sometimes I am very slow at getting quilts on the frame and quilted. Also, I do not have border fabric yet that I am completely satisfied with. In a pinch, I do have a Kaffe Fassett fabric that might work, but to me the fabric does not speak young lady!

I started a QOV quilt. It will sew up fast, but because I am only using from my stash, I will need to be creative with the borders to get it up to size. Just not enough fabric to make the center as large as I would have liked.

Make sure you hop over to Judy's Patchwork Times and see what others are doing:
http://www.patchworktimes.com/2013/01/07/design-wall-monday-january-7-2013/

and to Bonnie's Quiltville's Quips & Snips:
http://quiltville.blogspot.com/2013/01/mystery-monday-link-up-jan-7th.html

Have a fun and fruitful week -

Beth

Design Wall Monday

WooHoo!!!!  I am getting ready to go to retreat.  Lots of friends, no cooking, no cleaning, and only going to work on my own projects. WHAT MORE COULD A GAL ASK FOR????

I have all of my Dresden Plate blocks ready for applique and I absolutely love it. My friend, Maureen, was here today and thought it was awesome and she usually only likes more traditional projects. So I guess it is going to pass the muster. This project is going on retreat with me.

The other projects that I am taking with me is a diamond string pieced quilt (great mindless sewing), Scrappy Bargello & Blue Ridge Beauty by Bonnie K. Hunter. The WalMart cake carriers are great for organizing all the pieces and fabric for each project. Hopefully this will be enough projects to keep me busy. At the spring retreat, I almost ran out of projects to work on. Couldn't believe this would ever happen, so "YES" it is possible to not have enough along to work on. LOL Have to make sure that never happens again, especially when I am so well supplied with UFO's. (Very, very big grin)

Well, hopefully there will be a lot of progress to show next Monday. Until then, to see what others are doing, hop over to Judy's Patchwork Times: http://www.patchworktimes.com/2012/10/22/design-wall-october-22-2012/

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

Design Wall Monday

September is here and it is time to get back into quilting mode. This summer I have not done a lot of sewing of any kind but as the cool fall weather starts to settle in, I get more energetic. The trees are already starting to turn colors and lose their leaves. The Hummingbirds are feeding in a frenzy, so I suppose my little buddies will soon be gone. They are so much fun to watch, especially since they are right outside my sewing room window.

This is the first time I have put something on "Design Wall Monday." I thought I would share since I had so much fun collecting more dots for my "Dotty" Dresden Plate quilt and I have a sample block ready to be appliqued. All of the black and white background squares have been cut and have been assigned their designated locations. I used both dotty and geometric for the background squares.

Most of the 600 blades have been cut. Thought I would wait until the majority of the blocks are done before cutting the last 30 blades, that way I will be able to see what fabrics need to be added. I think I will wait to start machine appliqueing these down, as they may move around onto different background squares.

 

Most of the stack of dotty fabrics were in my stash, other than the ones I reported in my stash report. All of the black and white fabrics were from my stash but it doesn't seem like I made a dent even though I will be using over five yards.

 

This is what the leftover stack of dotty fabrics still looks like. These are only the ones that I used, not the ones that I didn't use!!  ;>)  Have to admit that after working for eight years in a very large quilt shop, my stash grew a lot in that time. My fabric 401K is quite extensive.  (Very large Grin!!!)

 

 Check out what others are doing at Judy's Patchwork Times:  http://www.patchworktimes.com/2012/09/03/design-wall-monday-september-3-2012/

 

Beth

Clean Sewing Room

Almost!!!  It is not quit clean, but the sewing room is presentable enough to take pictures. Since I featured my daughter's sewing room while I was in Fargo, thought it was only fair to show mine.  So here goes ---

View as you walk in from the kitchen/living room area:

To the left, as you walk in, is my design wall.  I have two rods from which the design wall hangs and it works like sliding closet doors. The center and largest piece of foam slides on the front rod.  The two smaller pieces of foam slide on the back rod. (This idea came from sliding closet doors my Mother had on her closet)  There are cabinets behind the covered foam insulation boards which hold fabric and projects. The panels easily slide to expose any section of cabinet I want.  ** You can see a section of Bonnie Hunter's Scrappy Bargelo in progress in the center.

This picture shows the cabinets behind the design wall panels. I also have storage up above the cabinets.

 

Moving around the corner of the room is my ironing area. I have a big board on the top of a shelving unit. (If it takes up space, it has to have storage. An ironing board provided no storage.) There is a covered idea board on the wall above the ironing station.  My laptop is on a rolling cart which can be moved any place in the room.

On the same wall as the ironing station is the first sewing/embroidery station. In the corner, I have a tall bookcase that holds books, magazines, and my TV. 

Moving around the corner, is the second sewing station. The cabinet was made by a cabinet maker when I bought my first Bernina in 1984. There are french doors behind the cabinet which I never use. The room is suppose to be a formal dining room, but who really uses a formal dining room very often? Sewing takes priority -- doesn't it??

Going around the last corner, I have my cutting table which is on the same type of shelving unit as the ironing station. The shelving units were on sale and very inexpensive. I did purchase a ruler rack for on the wall. It holds a lot of my rulers and my spinning cutting mat. My templates are stored in a bag hanging from the shelf bracket for the wall shelves.

Last area is my sitting area. Have to have two chairs because my children often join me in the sewing room when they are home. (Dad only watches westerns and my son likes a lot of the same programs that I watch.) The girls like to see what I am working on and check out current books and magazines. There is a little blue shelving unit made with wooden spools to separate the shelves behind the chairs. It was a find at an occasional sale. They are so much fun. The table between the chairs is half of my grandmother's sewing cabinet. She had sawed the center section out and made end tables. I only got one of them.

The room is 12' x 14'.  Thought it was going to be large enough to hold everything but ----  IT DOESN'T!!!  I only keep what is current in this room. Other projects, fabrics, and supplies are stored in a walk-in closet in one of the bedrooms. My mid-arm quilting machine on a frame is kept downstairs. Gives me an excuse to get some exercise by going up and down stairs. This room is always in transition because I am always thinking there is a better way to arrange everything, hoping to get more into it.

Beth