Design Wall Monday

 

After finishing my log cabin quilt Saturday,

I went through my UFO list to find something to finish for our oldest grandson.

I didn't see anything I wanted for him,

everything is too feminine.

So I decided to pull out my 2 1/2" batik strips and a stack of books.

After looking at all of them,

marking and looking again, I chose to make Monkey Business.

It's in Kim Brackett's Scrap Basket Surprises.

Then I pulled UFO box #7 and 

decided to use the fabric I had set aside for something else for this quilt.

I have that big bin of batik strips but these are all ready to go. 

I think I may even have a great animal print to use for the backing.

Use the stash Judy!

While I was pulling, 

I got out the replacement UFO #12,

(I explained that it in Saturday's post.)

I have 35 12 1/2" blocks.

I'm not sure how I'll set them so I pulled out this Log Cabin book.

I might make another block for a 6x6 setting.

But I'll think about then when #12 is drawn.

In the mean time,

I pin basted February's UFO today.

This is #10 on my list. 

Since the tables were all set up,

I basted a small string quilt too.

And now I'm out of batting on my roll.

Any others basted in the near future will need to have batting pieced for them.

Use the batting scraps Judy! 

Check out all the great design walls at

Small Quilts and Doll Quilts Design Wall Monday

Design Wall Monday on Sunday Night

After last week's pickle situation,

I am all excited to be sewing on a found project,

 better know as a squirrel.

Did you all see there is a Squirrel! Club?  

I love it!

I've had these 4 gifted blocks for quite a few years.

I've always known I wanted to continue and make a quilt with them.

I pulled out my 30's fabrics to bust more of these scraps.

Then I got online and ordered yardage for borders, binding and backing.

That center block on the top row was from my very first project using the Tri-Recs rulers.

I made a table mat and made enough to make 2 but only made 1.

It's being used in the bus. 

I still have 8 little blocks so I using 4 as corner blocks on the outside border.

I sat down at the computer and chose a few blocks.

It was lots of fun to choose and kit up these blocks.

It was more fun to sew them. 

I have these 2 blocks to sew up and then I can set them.

We are headed back to the beach with family this week, 

so that won't happen until the weekend.

As I was cutting, 

I noticed all the rulers I had out. 

I like to call these the tools of my trade. 😉

I like the Essential Triangle Ruler but on occasion, 

I grab the old standby Easy Angle and Companion Angle. 

Another UFO is being busted!

It felt good to make great progress this weekend. 

It was so hot here that I didn't mind spending all that time 

in my air conditioned sewing room.

Check out all the great things happening at

Small Quilts and Doll Quilts Design Wall Monday.

Design Wall Monday on Sunday Afternoon

Design Wall Monday may not happen for me. 

I've got myself in a pickle.

 Or a giant mess that I like to call the beginning of some organization
and cleaning and clearing out. 

OMG! 

My sewing room has turned into my own private dumping ground. 

I will not share too many pictures as it's a huge embarrassment. 

HUGE!

It all started after I finished this quilt. 

You can read all about it here if you want to.

All I wanted to do was pull out the UFO for July and make my plan.

First I decided to take care of the backing and batting from the quilt.

I'm trying to do that with each project I finish.

The really big pieces were folded up and put back on the shelf to use on another backing.

Then the smaller strips were cut and put away.

I cut the batting pieces into 14" hunks to use on my quilt as you go string blocks.

These are stored away in a box, ready to use.

So after taking care of that,

I decided to cut a bag of scraps and make a dent in that mess.

I was on a roll so I grabbed another bag.

I have my sewing machine table covered in pile of strips and squares and containers.

It's still like that today. 

I may have created a bigger mess than I started with.

I admit it, I have a scrap problem.

I cannot say no.

Oh Jeez Judy!!

I called it quits for the night, planning to start again in the morning. 

This morning instead of going back in, 

I decided to take care of some paper clutter.

Oh yes, I am a procrastinator! 

I love pdf downloaded patters and have lots.

After reading about Connie's use of the ProClick binding system,

 and stewing about it for a few months, I finally ordered one for myself.

Now my pattern instructions for my clothes are all taken care of.

I have lots more that just these 3. 

I'm going to purchase a couple of these magazine holders to store them in.

One of these days, I'll start on my quilt patterns that I've printed off the internet.

But not today,

I've chased enough squirrels this weekend.

So through all this chaos I found my July UFO.

Really, I knew right where it was.

Grandmother's Choice Sampler that started in October of 2012. 

I finished the top February 2014.

Backing and binding were ready in the bag.

I just need to cut the batting and give everything a good press 

and get basting.

Or call my friend Jane and have her long arm it for me. 

I did find a few more UFOs I've forgotten about.

Why do I do this to myself. 

No more whining,

I'm going to go clean up my sewing machine table so I can sew. 

Or cut a few more scraps.

😀😉😎

Check out the fabulous posts linked up to Small Quilts and Doll Quilts Design Wall Monday. 

Design Wall Monday and Mystery Monday Link Up

I am loving each step of On Ringo Lake, the current Quiltville mystery.

(Link found at the top of her page.)

I never count when I start cutting pieces.

I'm a guesser.

I always guess wrong. 

Usually I start way under and then go way over.

I love having the extras in another project or pieces for the back.

 I want to cut into these piles today.

And the pile of neutrals that are waiting their turn.

Christmas shopping is top priority today.

I have my driver and shopping companion. I am ready with my list.

We'll have a great time and a late lunch out, 

be home in plenty of time for him to go to his meeting.

I will cut and sew and press until he comes home.

 I press and clip into 10s.

I am having so much fun visiting old fabrics,

using up the last of the chunks that I haven't yet cut for my Scrap Users System.

(Have you ever read the Scrap UsersTestimonials?-Mine is there. 😃 )

So many fabrics pulled from my blue and neutral strip bins.

So many fabrics acquired through swaps with friends.

Today is link up day and my favorite day in Blogland.

Quiltville's Monday Mystery Link Up Part 3

and

Design Wall Monday at Small Quilts and Doll Quilts

Have a great week everyone!!!

Design Wall Monday

I spent some time this week working on my Splendid Sampler blocks. I have the 2 embroidery blocks to finish and the new block from Sunday and I'll be all caught up. Hopefully before the new block comes out on Thursday.

I got my first t-shirt finished. I still need to teak the pattern just a bit but I really like this one. It has a black back. Like I said before, that pile of knits is going to be use up. Mixing fabrics has never been a problem for me. LOL

I also worked my scrap problem...I was looking for a certain piece of fabric and while digging, I decided to make a pile of cut it up fabric. So there are new tumblers, strips and strings along with enough backing squares for another quilt as you go string quilt. With the Sampler blocks, several sets of 2 tumblers were sewn together waiting to be mixed in with the new fabrics.

It was a good week in the sewing room. See what others are working on at Patchwork Times. I was quite excited to see Judy L is sewing again.

April Scrap Busting Plan

I have a Grand Plan.
(Don't I always!!)

I really, really want to get my scraps and my stash under control.

For April, I plan to use up this stack of t-shirt knits.

In my past sewing life, I made clothes.

Lots of clothes for me and my kiddos.

Jeans, western shirts, t shirts, shorts, pjs, cute undies, cute dresses...

Right now I am in desperate need of new shirts.

I hate to go shopping for clothes so it's time to get this done.

And I want to free up that space the basket of fashion fabrics is taking up.

I love sewing with my serger so this gives me a lot of serger time.

(Can you believe my spell check didn't include the word serger?!? I does now!)

The bottom knit is already a shirt.

It is my "muslin" for fit.

It's not too bad,

I'll wear it around home or to sleep in.

I'm excited to use these up.

This morning I'm listening to the latest Quiltcam.

She read an email from someone that was cutting with her Go Cutter.

The light bulb in my head turned on bright.

I put Bonnie on pause and got out my own cutter and small tumbler die.

I need more variety in my tumbler boxes and while making string blocks, 

I found a nice bunch of fabrics in my string bin that were too big to turn into strings.

It's time to get working on my tumblers again.

They will not be my focus this month but will be ready when I'm ready to work on them.

This morning I will finalize my basic t-shirt pattern

and maybe cut out a couple more shirts.

It's fun to have a plan.

And now I must get to it!