Design Wall Monday

When last we met, I was finishing up the quilting on the secret project. 

Now it is finished and I still can't share any photos. 

So instead I'll show you what's up next at my machine.

That's right!

A major cleaning and oiling and putting stuff away.

So I am procrastinating! 

Big Time!!

Instead of cleaning my machine and grabbing the next UFO,

I'm knitting and binge watching Netflix.

I can't let this fabulous No-Fuss Shade Shawl become a UFO!

Really I've been feeling a little peaked and when that happens,

I just like to knit and watch tv.

I've been fighting off a cold since retreat and I think I'm winning.

And my shawl is almost finished.

I must get my machine cleaned today because 

tomorrow I pick up my En Provence from Jane the Quilter. 

Now, where did I put that binding?

I'm planning a pretty busy week.

Wish me luck!!

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Design Wall Monday and Retreat Report

Last week was my final retreat for the year. 

I had plans, lots of plans.

I worked and worked, chatted and laughed!

My first project was to make this table runner for my friend for Christmas.

I just need to add the buttons to the intersections.

Ramona showed it last week on this blog post and I knew it would be the perfect gift.

Then she sent me the link for the tutorial.

Thanks Ramona!

Next I worked on bow tie blocks for another table mat.

Insert my sad face here when I did bring enough of my background to finish the blocks.

And then I cut for another table runner and the fat quarter I wanted to use was all cockeyed crocked!

It was so bad! 3" bad!

I have the charm squares cut and ready to go so I'll find something else that will work with it.

It wouldn't be a retreat without a Whoopsie or 2.

Next project--UFO #8 for August from Patchwork Times UFO Challenge.

20 Garlic Knot blocks were from a block swap and I made 28 more.

We layed them out and arranged them and pinned into rows at Binding Friends last week.

The sewing went pretty fast.

(After I made the last 3 blocks that I needed.)

Next up will be to quilt it and bind it with a scrappy batik binding.

Then I pulled out my Garden Party #2 Blocks and worked on them the rest of retreat.

I am almost finished with them.

Retreat started Thursday for me so I spent lots of time quilting the secret project before I left. 

I'm almost ready for binding and gifting and sharing.

Here is my favorite snag on the road into retreat.

The rains and winds knocked all the pretty orange leaves off the trees.

I take a picture of this at every retreat. 

I love this old snag!

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Design Wall Monday

It's been over a year since I worked on my tumbler top. This month Judy L at Patchwork Times chose #6 for the 2017 UFO Challenge and guess what was my #6, that's right the Quiltville leader/ender project for 2013-14. I pulled out the bin and promptly ignored it! Again!!  I haven't been too good about keeping up with this challenge. I need to go back and see where I am and make these a priority because UFO Busting is my challenge for this year!

I just went back and looked at the numbers list and will pull out the August and September projects to have ready to assemble next.

When I got to a stopping/I need batting point in my top secret birthday project, I wasn't ready to stop sewing. So I opened the tumbler bin and took inventory. Meaning I layed the top out on my bed to see where I was. I had a bunch of parts and pieces of rows and a bunch of rows sewed together. I wasn't as far along as I thought I was.  I sewed a few more rows and added them to the top, layed it out again and see I still need at least 3 more rows of neutral/color and 2 border rows of just color.

This means I need to cut more tumblers! So today I will count so I don't go super crazy with the Go cutter.  Will it be done by the end of the month? No, but it is now the main project at my machine...after the quilting of the secret project because I bought batting and the quilt is basted, bobbins wound, machine cleaned, thread is threaded and I'm ready to quilt. 😉 Binding is made and pressed ready to sew on. I'm hoping I can get this finished by Wednesday. Wish me luck.

I have another retreat this week. I have more secret projects to work on there-I need to prioritize my list! (Hubby fixed my machine rolling cart.....the wheel lost it's lock washer thingie so he went to the hardware store and bought more....$4 for a baggie of thingies vs $80 for a new cart.  He's a good guy!) My machine is cleaned and oiled with a new needle ready to go to work! I'm excited to just sew and sew and sew!

Have a good week everyone......I'll be back soon. Or Monday, whichever comes first.

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Design Wall Monday

Wahoo, wahoo, wahoo!!!

Midnight Flight is finished and headed to my bed today.

I started this quilt in May at a retreat with Bonnie Hunter.

I am thrilled to have it finished.

My friend Jane quilted it.

I told her I wanted gold thread and swirls and to just do her Jane thing.

I love what she did!

I have been working hard on trimming up the scraps.

I am pleased to report that the backing extras are cut to usable sizes and put away.

Each retreat I stop to take a picture of this snag.

It's on the road into Royal Ridges.

I was a bit disappointed that the leaves weren't all orange yet.

Maybe they will still be there when I go back in November.

Like this photo from November 2015.

I worked on the secret birthday project until all the blocks were complete.

They are now stacked and pinned in rows thanks to help from friends.

Next up was Garden Party #2.

I just took posy block kits and I think I completed 30 more blocks.

These are so fun to make.

All the while, leader and ender Oklahoma Backroad blocks were being made.

I think 21 more blocks were completed.

I'm almost ready to lay this one out for real.

Retreats are fun.

Retreats are energizing.

Retreats are exhausting.

Retreats are special.

I get to spend hours sewing with one of my daughters and a bunch of my friends.

Today is catch up at home day.

Lots to do!

Hubs was lucky and harvested a deer on opening day so today is processing day.

And when that's over, you'll find me in my sewing room.

See what others are working on at Design Wall Monday at Small Quilts and Doll Quilts.