Design Wall Monday

It's way past time to work with these blocks. I have been a long time member of WASIQ (Washington State Internet Quilters) and in 2008 we celebrated the 10th anniversary of the group by doing a signature block exchange. Soon after a 4 patch exchange was added.

I think it's time this quilt gets put together, the blocks have aged long enough. So I spent some time in front of the wall to figure out what I might want to do. I think the above design might be setting #3.



Then I woke up in the middle of the night thinking of this design. Now that I look at it, the bottom half 4 patch blocks need to be turned to create a white trail. This is what makes the design wall and the camera such a great team! So while I work on the next UFO from Judy L's challenge, I will be working on this UFO also. I will continue to work on my Crabapples leader/ender project.

The trick is to get back to sewing. I've spent quite a bit of time in front of the TV watching Grey's Anatomy-I never watched any of it until Netflix!-and knitting.

Check out other design walls by visiting Judy L. I hope all of you in the path of the big storms are safe and warm.

Tuesday Knitting Report

The front and back of Maemae's sweater is complete. I was ready to cast on the sleeves but I got sidetracked (again!) by hats.

I have a little knitting bag that I keep in my purse with a project of some kind. This time it was a hat for Maemae (aka The Hat Model) and while in the car the other day, I got to the almost finished stage so I decided to finish it. I really wish I would have made it longer but she loves it!


Not wanting the brothers to be left out, I cast on the Thorpe hat (on the right) for Leland. This was done in a couple days. It is a top down pattern-my first and my first time making i cord which is very fun to make. Here's the short video where I learned how to make it. Then on the left is Elliot's hat in progress using my favorite Gotcha Covered pattern. (Here's a great post I just found about the Thorpe hat with some modifications. )

All 3 hats were made using stash yarn.....I think I have enough yarn for 47 more hats! But I think when Elliot's hat and Maemae's sweater are finished, I'm going back to socks......I'm still ignoring my sweater.

Block Frenzy Continues

Blocks 21 and 22
This pinwheel block was fun to make. Quick and easy. The cow print block was supposed to me a redwork embroidery block but I am not in the mood for embroidery so I got out my farm print box and found this fun print. I think it is going to help make the baby quilt I have planned just a little more fun. Thanks Tea for picking these blocks for Quiltmaker's 100 Blocks sew along.

Moose On The Porch Layer Cake Quilt Along
These are blocks 5 and 6 for Moose on the Porch Layer Cake Quilt Along. I am having a hard time with this quilt along because I am using up some older batik fabrics that I don't really care for. But they are in my stash and I am going to use them up! I got these 2 done just in time as block 7 is posted today. :0) When all the blocks were put on the design wall, I kind of liked them so I will continue until the quilt along is over.

BOM Quilt Addicts


The block on the bottom right is the block that started this block frenzy I am on. It's January's block for Yahoo group BOM-Quilt Addicts. I am using a fat quarter pack that I got for Christmas a few years ago for all these blocks. I even have the setting designed already. I should probably print it out and put it with the blocks. You know~~~~just in case I forget what I want and where I put it......there are still 7 months to go!!!

I amaze myself with how much I can get done when Ernie is watching something on tv (football) that I could care less about. So I go to my hidie hole and sew a block, come out and do something, then back into my room to make another block. Of course all the while, I am listening to an audio book that I have become so addicted to.

Design Wall Monday

Sunday I went on a block making/finishing frenzy! My Focus on Four list this week included catching up on my 100 Quiltmaker's blocks. Last night I finished up the 5th block and have the 6th block ready to do today. I left the Crapapple block up to inspire me to continue the leader/ender project. The fabric is ready to cut for the paper pieced portion of these blocks while I continue working on the "blossom" part as leaders/enders.

I have plans for all these blocks. So far I have 4 quilts planned out for the 100 blocks. It won't take long to use them all up.

Check here for more design wall posts from Blogland.

More Quiltmaker's 100 Blocks

Blocks 17 and 18 of 100
These were fun to make. I am really enjoying machine applique. Even thought the block on the left was quite fiddly and the center of the snowflake bothers me but not enough to take it out and replace it.

Blocks 19 and 20 of 100
And needle turn applique is not going to happen so I machine embroidered the house block also. I love the star block and have marked that design to use in a table runner one day.

It's hard to believe we have made 20+ blocks already! Check out Teaquilts blog to see who else is doing this challenge.

Finishes #3 and #4

I can't believe how much I was able to finish this week! I am loving my Focus on Four list! These two baby quilts were on my list to finish and they are now taking a bath in the washer.

Finish #3, The Tumbler Quilt was pieced in September 2010 using pieces that were cut with the GO! 6 1/2" Tumbler die. I still have lots of these little gems left to use, some string pieces and some solids. This is definitely going on my list for a new top soon.

A few years ago, Gloria (oh please let my memory be correct!) gave me this little quilt top that I named 4 Patches and Flowers, to finish for a charity quilt. I promptly put it on Mt. ToBeQuilted and there it has layed all this time. (Gloria, call me if this is wrong!!)


Flannel and Minkie make up this fabulously cuddly little quilt that will go to a deserving little girl. The back has a very light lavender Minkie and the whole quilt is just so soft and smooshie.

It feels so good to be marking things off my Focus on Four list. Today I hope to mark off some sew along quilt blocks.....like maybe 4 of them!!! I picked 4 because that's how many I am behind and if I hurry and get them finished, I can put 2 new blocks on my list for this week. Oh yes, there is a method to my madness~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Tuesday Knitting Report

There is some progress on Maemae's sweater. I knit a few evenings this week but several were spent in the sewing room. Ernie was watching stuff I didn't care to watch. Just a few more rows and I can start the sleeves. Although I am a bit nervous about sleeves now.

I was so excited last week to be putting my sweater together only to have been brought to tears when I tried it on. Look at how ginormous that sleeve is! I can't bear to look at it! I was ready to throw the whole thing in the garbage until Ernie says why don't I just take the sleeves off and make them again. I hate it when he gets all practical and reasonable! So I folded it up and put it back in the bag.

Today when I got it out to take a picture to share my misery with you all, I decided to take the sleeves off and take them apart and do them again! In previous years, this would have already been gone with the garbage man but now I am determined. So I will finish Maemae's sweater and hat first then I will tackle this again.

Finish #2

I'm calling this one finished! In reality it's almost finished.......but will be done, done, done by this evening! I'm headed in to sew the binding on and then I am going to finish it by machine. Add a label and do the happy dance.

I chose this project as UFO#6 for Judy L's UFO Challenge. This is Quiltville's 2008 New Year's Eve mystery called Double Delight. From looking back in my blog, I see I made good progress during January and then who knows why but it got put away. Then looking at more photos, I see the borders were added and the top was finished in November 2009 and folded up and put on Mt. ToBeQuilted.


I used a twin sheet for the backing and of course it isn't wide enough. I made these orphan blocks from parts of several quilts including Double Delight and thought this was a good place to use up these blocks.

Thanks Judy L for the 2011 UFO Challenge and for choosing UFO #6.

Design Wall Monday

One of my new Focus on Four projects this week is to make the back for my RRCB quilt. I started to pull out leftover fabrics from the deer quilt so I could empty the bin. I had forgotten how big the pieces were. As I'm hanging them up I start to think this will make a great boy quilt. So the fabric will be folded up and marked for that and something else will be used up for the back of RRCB.

The block on the left is my first complete Crab Apple block. This is from Bonnie Hunter's Leader/Ender book. So far I have all the pieces sewn to make the blossoms and am now working on the paper pieced part and the border. It's been alot of fun.

UFO #6 aka Double Delight is loaded, machine is cleaned and oiled, new needle is in and bobbins are wound. I see a finish in my near future.

Audio Books

After responding to a comment left by Cathy at Eagle's Wings Quilts, we had a conversation about audio books. My friend Sharlene has been telling me how great they were for a very long time but I hadn't started to listen to them until she gave me one to try out. That's all it took for me to be hooked.

I swear I am getting so much more sewing done because I am wanting to continue "reading" my book! I have only found a couple that I couldn't listen to because of the reader. I have found a few that I loved because of the reader. I listened to An Irish Country Village by Patrick Taylor, narrated by Terry Donnelly and is fabulous! Each character has their own Irish voice. I wish my library had all of the books in this series. An Irish Country Girl is my next book to "read".

Right now I am listening to Miss Julia Delivers the Goods by Ann B. Ross, narrated by Cynthia Darlow. To me, Ms. Darlow reads the main character, Miss Julia, in a voice that sounds like Katharine Hepburn. It is a fun little mystery to listen to.

I love that I can visit my library via the internet. I place holds on books and audio books for both of us and they email me when they are ready for pick up. I try to just go in and pick up the books but most of the time we have to browse for a while. It is the library after all.

PS--I've asked about the downloadable books and they are working on that right now. We should have that option available to us soon. How fun is that going to be???

Photo Play

I wanted to create a collage header for my blog and didn't have a clue how to start. Until yesterday! While cruising through Blogland, I read somewhere and gosh I wish I could remember where, that you can create a collage with Picasa Web Albums. I downloaded the program-free of course-and started playing. Thanks to whoever posted that.

Last night I created the new header and a collage for my computer background full of family faces. This morning I spent some time organizing some folders and created this for my 100 Blocks so far. But really I want to sit here and play--I think I see a chicken collage turned into a poster...........

But now I must get in there and get the next block finished so I can be up to date and work towards being ahead.

Blocks 15 & 16 of 100

I made time today to work on Tea's Quiltmaker's 100 Blocks sew along.

Finished Top #1

On Sunday, I wrote this post about focusing on four projects for the week. Today I get to mark one of those projects off the list. I finished my Quiltville Roll Roll, Cotton Boll mystery top today! The binding is cut and ready to sew and press. And the backing fabric is right there ready to sew but I'll wait next week to do that. WooHoo.

I have to laugh at myself because I was so stressed over working on this top and nothing else that I gave myself permission to work on something else. I didn't touch any other project.

I'm excited to go back in and sew but we've been invited out to dinner and how can I turn down someone else cooking???

So far, January has been quite productive. That's a good start to the year.

Tuesday Knitting Report

I AM SO EXCITED!!!

Sorry, didn't mean to yell but really, I am very excited. I finished the sleeves Sunday night and now I am ready to sew my sweater together. And then I can do the collar and the front bands. I need to find some buttons so that side might be put on hold until I go to JoAnn's again. But...I think I might have some in my button stash.......I have buttons from both of my Grandmothers so there might be something super fabulous in those tins.

One night I canned baked beans like Judy L does. Let me tell you, if you are a canner and you haven't made these, you must. You will never buy baked beans in a can again! Again, thanks Judy L for the support while I had my issue-I learned that when you pressure cook, the 3" of water is measured AFTER the jars are in the cooker, not before. But all is good with my beans and they are delicious.

So while I am watching the pressure gauge, I decided to get off the computer and cast on this sweater for Maemae. So far, quite simple and fast but I learned I do not like long stiff knitting needles. I have several sizes of circular needles but not a size 7. You know what is on my list for JoAnn's next time. Yes indeed. Every size of circulars that I don't have........which isn't many. I should just break down and buy that fancy kit with the interchangeable needles but I probably won't.

Design Wall Monday

It's border time for my RRCB mystery. I can see a finished top in my near future. Yeah!

I am using the fabric left from the quilt I made for Ernie's hunting club for my inner border and binding. Then everything else in the box will go on the back. It will be nice to have one more small bin empty.

Thanks to Judy L for hosting Design Wall Monday. Go here to see some fabulous projects throughout Blogland.

Focus on Finishing

I never imagined how hard it would be to for me to stick to one project. I know I can do it but gosh, I have to force myself to not pick up something else to work on. The photo shows the remaining blocks waiting to be sewn into rows for the RRCB mystery. I'm sewing it in sections and I'm on section 2 of 3. I am loving this quilt and cannot wait to use it.


So I have come up with a plan for the week. I have a white/silver board that I use for my Focus on Four lists. These are the projects I want finished this week. I've been using this method to keep myself on track for a while now. But I have never planned the week out like this.

I make my own rules and now I need to follow them. Even if it's just for this week. I am giving myself a choice of projects to work on. Maybe that will keep me on track a little better and I can reduce the height of Mt. ToBeQuilted.

We woke up this morning to a bit of snow on the ground. I haven't listened to the news at all so I have not idea how much is expected. I'm just going to go into my hidie hole and check on it later.

Tuesday Knitting Report

As I was pleasantly sewing along on my RRCB blocks last night, I hear a noise from the living room.
"Aren't you supposed to be knitting?"
"I'm sewing."
"But didn't you want me to remind you to knit at night?"
"Yes, but I'm sewing."
"I'm reminding you to knit and it's night."
"Ugh~~I'm coming!"

I suppose I should be pleased that he remembered that I asked him to remind me of something. And I do like to knit while watching (listening to) tv. And I do want to get my sweater finished.

When I measured last night, I am past my elbows on the sleeves now, only 8 more rows until I start the decrease for the cap. Exciting!!!!! Maybe not for everyone but it is for me since this is my first sweater. I wonder sometime if I should have started with a child's or baby's sweater instead of one for myself. Then I think if I didn't do mine first, I may never do it. Now I am in hurry and finish mode.........I bought yarn yesterday for another sweater. This one will be much smaller and pink.

Design Wall Monday

I have been working on my blocks for Quiltville's RRCB mystery.......sure hope I didn't just ruin it for anyone. Sorry if I did. This block was a complete surprise for me and I am so glad I dug in and had all the parts ready for this step.

I am very excited to put it together and that means I will focus on this project all week and think about the others that are line up waiting for me. Good thing I have a list~~~

Now I am going to enjoy my cup of tea (I slept in this morning and feel like I'm running late!) and read a few DWM posts from Blogland friends that are listed over at Judy L's. And I need to write that quilt she shows on my ever growing list!!!

Finish #1

At no time did I plan to start a new project this weekend. I was happily making my blocks for RRCB but when Taylor asked to make a project for her mom, I had to . We started yesterday and this afternoon, the little wall hanging was ready for mom. And she loved it! And now I want one.

But first, I have other things that need attention.

1.1.11

Happy New Year

"They" say that whatever you do on January 1, that is what you will do all year. This is going to be a very fun year!!! I got up early, sewed for a couple hours until Ernie and Taylor got up. We stayed up last night---way too late for me! But she wanted to see in the new year and it was fun.

It was just a lazy kind of day for the most part. We fixed an early dinner and after dishes, settled in to watch a movie...until Little Mr Louie came in and demanded to have a bath-stinky little dog! During doggie bath time, Taylor was reading a quilt book and found a little wall hanging she wanted to make. I gave her a bag of scraps and told her to pick out her fabrics.

While we were deciding which paper pieced flowers to sew, I had a brainstorm! (Yeah, we are hoping to have lots of those this year!!) I remembered a wall hanging I saw on the Accuquilt site, showed her and off we went--fusing and cutting, planning and plotting. We had to lay some things around so she could see what it would look like. I can't wait to see how she decides to finish it tomorrow.

But now it's bedtime........hopefully she will be up before noon tomorrow.