Design Wall Monday

Weill things did not go as planned last week. After spending all day Monday full of frustration over my fabulous Brother sewing machine, I had to give up and switch out machines. I decided it was time to use my Morse while Brother goes to the spa. Which I hope will happen one day this week.  

Since there is no quilting in my week, I decided to work  on my current leader/ender project-Tumalo Trail which is found in Bonnie Hunter's book Scraps & Shirttails II. I've been making 9 patches for quite a while-you need lots of them and then the half square triangles, I did in groups of 4 so the set for each block was together. 

It's fun when the project turns from leader/ender to the project.  I love using my little design boards (Link is to Lori Holt's tutorial) to lay out 6 blocks at a time. (I must really like this lay out and stack method as you can see here and here.)  By the time they are sewn together, it's time to get up and move around. On the right you can see my new leader/ender project, Bonnie's cover quilt from Quiltmaker magazine called Garden Party.

As always, I have a bit of help from Miss Shirley while trying to get a good picture of my current UFO project.  Goals for the week? I don't have a clue...but I need to:

• finish planting the garden
• take machine to the shop
• get ready for retreat next week

I think that's enough pressure for me. :)  Maybe I'll work on some of last week's goals too. 

This morning I'll be spending some time touring Blogland as I read what others have on their design walls.  Check them out at Patchwork Times-Design Wall Monday.

Design Wall Monday

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Quilting has begun on number 3 on the UFO Parade from August.  Thursday morning I cut batting for the next 3 quilts I want to get quilted.  2 were on the list and one needs to be finished before it makes a list. UFO 2 has the backing made but I forgot to cut that batting. Binding for #s 2 and 3 are sewn and pressed waiting in the binding basket.

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This is Scrappy Twin Sister and she is finished.  She has aged from September 2010. I think that's plenty long enough. I found this block design in Quiltmaker magazine as one of Bonnie Hunter's Addicted to Scraps Column.  It was so fun to discover all the fun fabrics I put in this quilt.  The back is scrappy flannel squares.  I'll take pictures this week.  Of course I had to have a seam ripper moment. Thank goodness it wasn't more that this little circle.  Aren't those pink poodles a hoot!

 Just for fun, Shirley and Polly have discovered the empty dishwasher. I had to spin the spray arm above them. They are so funny!  No kitties were harmed in the loading of the dishwasher.

Last week's list:

• Finish Tell It To The Stars   Done-waiting for the November clue
• Pin baste a quilt  Not only pin basted but quilted and finished!
• Next block for Wishes, work of border and sashing  Block in finished but didn't start on sashing or border
• Next step for Friends and Companions  Block is finished.

This week I plan to:

• Finish the pinwheel quilt
• Work on Friends and Companions.
• Work on Wishes.

I can't wait to have Monday morning coffee with friends of DWM at Patchwork Times.

2012 UFO Challenge List

Judy L is hosting the 2012 UFO Challenge.  I have been a procrastinator and have not made my list.  I see this morning she has posted January's number......I went in and finished my list of 12 and did some rearranging.  I know, shame on me but I want to be successful this year and figured-knowing myself-I better get a big project crossed off the list first.  I just noticed that is my first finished top of 2011 so it makes even more sense to me.

Here's my list.

1. Split Decision Flannel quilt--needs quilted.  February's project---finished Jun 10, 2012  
2. Rectangle String top, add another border and quilt.   May's project--finished June 2, 2012
3. Judy Neimeyer's Golden Harvest---get brave and quilt it.
4. Bright and Black Stars--black batting and backing fabric are all together.
5. Roll Roll Cotton Boll...back and batting are in the bag, all I have to do is get it loaded and quilted with a feather panto.  January's project ---finished May 24, 2021  
6. Carol Doak's Twisting Mystery.....finish last step, quilt, finish
7. Trees Left Standing--ready to quilt
8. Bonnie Hunter's Crab Apple-ready to quilt.
9. This is another Bonnie Hunter design called Twin Sister from Quiltmaker magazine that is ready for quilting.  
10. Blue and white sampler top needs quilted
11. Yellow backing Quilt As You Go String quilt.....make more blocks and put it together.
12. Pick something from the 2011 UFO List that still isn't finished and finish it.  June's project--- finished 6/30/2012

As I discover the photos and posts from these quilt, I'll link up to them

Now I will pull out project #5 and put it on top of the priority list.

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.

Blocks 15 & 16 of 100

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

It's Been A Good Day

Ernie is feeling really good and is getting very bored. I don't know how many books he has read or movies he has watched. I don't know how many miles he has walked on the treadmill or miles he has ridden on the bike. I do know that I need that man to find something to do outside the house! So today he took a drive to see his coworkers. Thank goodness!

I love him dearly but I need some Judy time! And this is what I did with my time.....I am caught up on my 100 Quiltmaker blocks. In fact, I am caught up on all my sew/quilt alongs.......

Blocks 9 and 10

Blocks 11 and 12

Blocks 13 and 14

Perfect timing, guess who is driving in the driveway........

Design Wall Monday

Can you believe this is the final Design Wall Monday of 2010? I am kind of excited for the first Design Wall of 2011 and the excitement it will bring with it. Thank you Judy L of Patchwork Times for hosting DWM each week. Monday is my favorite day in Blogland.

I spent lots of time in my sewing room on Sunday~~~in fact, I spent most of the day in there. It was dark and rainy and we both were ready for a quiet day. And I wanted to sew....I had some catching up to do.

First up was part 6 for the Roll Roll, Cotton Boll Mystery. Usually by now, I can figure out sort of what is going on but not this time! Bonnie has created a true mystery this time.

Then I got out my Moose on the Porch blocks and made block 4. I don't want to be behind when block 5 comes out on Tuesday. Using the batiks in my stash is making for some interesting blocks. I am going to have to buy something for sashing. Maybe a nice black or a dark blue. I'll find something somewhere, sometime.


I'm a bit behind on my Quiltmaker's 100 Blocks sew along over at TeaQuilts. Above is block 9 and


this is block 10, ready for some squaring up of flying geese and half square triangles before the block is sewn together.

It's going to be fun to start 2011 caught up on my sew alongs.

Blocks 7 & 8 of 100

Blocks 7 and 8 of Tea's Quiltmaker's 100 Block Challenge are finally finished. I'm already a week behind but I'm not too worried. I have my fabric picked for the next 2 and will be working on them soon.

I'm not loving the fabrics I picked for the star block. As I sit here and look at this photo, I think I am going to take the star points out and replace them with a nice creamy yellow and leave the center as is. That's my new plan!

I love Mr. Teddy even though he is looking like he has a swollen jaw. :)

Thanks Tea for hosting this.

Blocks 5 & 6 of 100

Block 5 from Tea's Quiltmaker 100 Block Quilt Along.

Block 6--I love machine applique' and seriously need more practice.

Blocks 3 & 4 of 100

Week 2 blocks of Tea's Quiltmaker's 100 Blocks Sew Along.

I have a bunch of fabrics left from making this quilt and I have lots of fat quarters that I have put in a bin to use up in my 100 blocks. I'm wondering if I can make all the blocks without buying a single piece of fabric. Of course I can! It will be easy.....she says now.

So far, with my 4 completed blocks, I have ideas for 3 quilts. Maybe I should write myself a note and put it in the bin, just in case....

Design Wall Monday

These blocks were made Saturday during my 5 fabulous hour sewing stint. These are blocks 1 and 2 for Tea's Quiltmaker 100 Block sew along. If you don't read Tea's blog, you are missing out on one of the most fabulous quilters in Blogland. The other day I was ready to pack up and move just to join her scrap club. Then I remembered how much stuff I have......

We have a cold snowy week ahead of us so I am planning to stay in as much as I can and keep my sewing machine warm.

Grab something to drink and a snack and visit Judy L and others to see lots of fabulous design walls throughout Blogland.

Saturday Happenings

We didn't start Saturday off very good around here. Both of us woke up with the nasty flu. Poor Ernie has it really bad, I just feel like I've been run over by a truck. He crashed on the couch with his quilts, dogs and remotes, I hid in my sewing room. He napped and watched tv, I sewed and sewed and sewed. (He says knee replacement is easier than this darn flu!)

Last night I started Quiltville's newest mystery-Roll, Roll, Cotton Boll. I finished step 1 this morning. I needed to make 172 units, I made 188, just in case. Either I need to make a trip to the quilt store for more fabric for the remaining steps or I need to rethink my color choices. There is a downside to using up your stash, I think that's a downside. I have a few days to figure it out but will probably work with what I have.

Then I started my blocks for Tea's 100 block sew along making the blocks from Quiltmaker's 100 Blocks magazine. I love the flower block but I'm not too sure about the other one. I think it needs more contrast in the center strip and will probably remake that tonight. Or maybe I will take out the center strip and trim it down and add a sashing strip. I'll have to play with it and see.

Edit Sunday morning:
I added the white sashing and I like the block alot better now.


I know I sewed for over a total of 5 hours today because that is how long this audio book is. I had finished making my second block and was almost to the end of this book so I grabbed my little bag of bonus half square triangle/pinwheel blocks and put together this mug rug. The book wasn't quite finished so I found some scraps for a backing and piece of batting and quilted it. I finished the binding just after the book ended. Pretty good timing.

Now I think I'll curl up in my recliner with my quilt and my knitting.

Stash Report 6.20.10

This week has been one of those weeks where it's hard for me to concentrate on much of anything for any length of time. I've worked on lots of projects from wallhangings to quilting to binding to small bits of time in front of the sewing machine. And I made jelly and fruit leather with a 10 year old. So i guess if I add it all up, I've done quite a bit.

I've been working on Judy L's June mystery-I'd show you a picture but then it wouldn't be a mystery any more, now would it!! I even started a new stash busting leader/ender project. This is the block Bonnie Hunter shows in the current issue of Quiltmaker magazine. I need to reduce the amount of bricks in my bin and this is the perfect project for that.

I made a quick trip to the fabric store with Taylor to pick up the remaining fabrics I needed for Pat Sloan's Meadow Breeze BOM. My used numbers include the wall hangings and Judy L's mystery fabric. Yeah!

I'm done dropping quilter's names now, so without further ado........here's this week's, in the black, stash report.


Used this Week: 13.5 yards
Used Year to Date: 139 yards
Added this Week: 2.5 yards
Added Year to Date: 133 yards
Net Used for 2010: 6

Head on over to Judy L's, check her report and then check the reports of others.

QuiltShow and Sewing

Friday we went to the quilt show. This is my favorite quilt of all that were entered. The maker used cream background and floral prints for the drunkard path blocks. I have a very small bin of pieces for my scrappy quilt. I need to get crackin' on that one. I have made 3 drunkard path quilts already but now I want a totally scrappy one. So thanks to this quiltmaker for sharing and for inspiring me to work on mine.

Miss Clella is a quilt show princess. I don't know how Crystal does it but she packed her almost all the time. She uses one of those pack things but just looking at her makes my back hurt.







I spent most of the day working on my Scrappy Sister's Choice quilt. If you enlarge the photo, you can see my center. I started making the centers as soon as I could sew after my surgery. I didn't know what I was going to do with them. Then I had a thought!

I was going to make this totally scrappy like in this post but I couldn't see the blocks in it that way. So I changed plans (that means I spent all afternoon with the seam ripper!!!) and now will make each block have the same background in the star points. I thought I had all my pieces cut but I don't. I need to make star points for 26 more blocks!
(See the block--2nd down, left side? Well, it's been fixed! Why didn't you tell me???)
So now I'm tired and I need my jammies and some quiet time. Good Night.