Getting closer to the end

Here's yesterday's Infrognito blocks:

and here are the ones I did today...

 not sure why but I got quite a few more done today than on previous days - and I was gone for an hour or so taking hubby to the dr..  They are certainly getting 'interesting'.   LOL  I just noticed that I took a pic of one of them twice.... hmm   but I counted and there are 16 complete... one of them must have been camera shy ( I know I didn't make two of that one).  Only three more to go then I can start stitching them together into rows & then the rows together... There is one other one that I forgot to take a pic of - there's an applique'd frog that will go onto a blank background square.  Get the rows together and then I can start piecing the checkboard type inner border, attach it and then on to the final outer border.  But all of this will have to wait a couple of days... I'm going to an art quilt show tomorrow and hubby has to go in for a CT scan on Wed. morning which is also 'errand running' day.  If I have any time between now and Thursday, I'll try and get the remaining frogs done.

Thursday, I hope to get into Lansing to pick up a HQ acrylic wave ruler and  a pattern from JoAnn's Fabrics so I probably won't have a lot of time before guild meeting to work on the frogs... and Friday, I'm planning on ripping out some quilting on the quilt that's on "Mo'e" in prep to finally finish it... I finally found what I want  to do on it (only took me TWO months!!  arghhh).  Hope to get it done over the weekend and then I can get that charity quilt done & back to the quilter so she can put the binding & label on it before Veteran's Day.

Once I get charity quilt done, I can get back to Infrognito... have a couple of other quilts waiting to get onto the frame,  too.... first up, the Christmas tree I made last week.  And somewhere in there, I have row by rows to make along with my oldest daughter's table runner and dresses for the four great granddaughters & their dolls.... all before Thanksgiving, I hope.  

Infrognito started

Ok, here's the start of the Infrognito blocks... I didn't get started on them when I said I was going to... got in the mood to work on something else first - which is part of the reason why it's taken me so long to get started on these.  The pattern calls for 19 of these blocks and one blank block with a frog applique'd onto it, then three borders... it only makes a crib size, though, so I just might keep making the blocks for a larger size.

What I worked on before starting these blocks was a Christmas gift for my step-son.  I mentioned in an earlier post how he asked for pillows to go with the quilt I made him for Christmas two years ago and how I wasn't sure I could find the same background fabric - but was able to & bought 4 yards 'just incase'; it was the border fabrics that I couldn't find this time and ended up settling on some homespun.

Then, because I still had about 3 yards of the background fabric left and for the fun of it, I made this pillowcase ( will buy pillow later)  The 'cuff' on the pillowcase is the same as the back of one of the throw pillows and similar to the back of the other one... both red plaids, just different.

He said he named his dog "Lucy" because he wanted to come home and yell "Luccyyy  I'mmm hommme" like Ricky Ricardo/Desi Arnez used to do on the I Love Lucy tv show. It's blank on the other side just incase he actually wants to lay his head on it.

Tomorrow, I hope to get a charity quilt onto "Mo'e" and giterdone and out of my house temporarily.  Then I can start on my older daughter's tablerunner :); I'm almost excited about doing it now that I know curves are not as scarey as I thought they would be.

Oh, and I found out that I wasn't the only one who's row by row with the Robin & eggs came out short.  One of my cousins (and fellow guild member) said that her's did, too.  I don't feel so bad now.

Yesterday, a friend and I took a quick trip over to the quilt shop in Portland.  I wanted to try and get some of the fabric that they used for the fence in their row by row kits.  I lucked out... bought one of the last scraps they had... and I'm not kidding when I say scraps.  This piece is MAYBE a fat eighth.
Enough for what I need, though.  I want to use it for the ark in my  2015 AQS Challenge  -- The Unicorn Quilt (wall hanging).  It won't take alot as the ark is to be off in the distance and so won't be very big. ----Something else I've got to get started on SOON.  It's due the beginning of March and I've got some things that I want to practice or experiment with before I actually try it on the quilt.

Til next time  Happy Quilting!!

Sept. 24th - couldn't come with a 'title'

Here's the next row by row I've done.  I thought it turned out great - until I put it up on  the wall with the previous ones I've done... see the difference?  :(

I did that row on Sunday.... last night, I started this....

and finished it today... I expected it to take a lot longer than it did - was surprised that it went so quickly.  I still need to tear the tissue paper pattern off the back and then it needs quilting and 'decorating' - I think I'm going to use crystals on it (already have them so might as well use them).  This will be our Christmas tree this year - and my annual Christmas quilt.

I think that while I'm still in the paper piecing mode and have all that green fabric out, I'll try a few blocks for the Infrognito quilt that I've been saying for years that I'm going to do.

That's it for this post... short and sweet!  :)

WoooHooo!

Today I tried curved piecing for the first time.... and it was a whole lot easier than I thought it would be!

I just used some leftover fabrics for this - so don't expect to see anything made from this LOL.  There is only ONE piece - the pics are so close together that it looks like one photo of two pieces.  

I am so hyped over this - I don't know why I was so scared and why it took me so long to try...  it was definitely worth the wait, though :).

What started this 'adventure' was my oldest daughter commenting that she really liked this table runner she found on FB ....  I told her that I don't do curves.  Because she is so hard to buy/make for, I decided that I'd take a leap and try to make this for her... and I figured that there are enough members in the guild  who can do curved piecing and could talk/walk me through the hard parts.

Trying to find the pattern was an adventure in itself.... she found the pic on Craftsy.com so I went there looking for it.... it was featured on the page of a quilting class.  I checked the info on the class and somehow mistakenly assumed that this table runner pattern was included in the class.  Only after I signed up for the class and was able to scroll  through the class info that I realized that it was NOT part of the class.  Sooo, I went back to the photo and scrolled through the comments & found the info on the designer... went to her website and ordered the pattern and  also ordered the paper piecing patterns for the 'spikes' ( thought they were for all the pieces, though).  Then I crossed my fingers that they would arrive before I went to the quilt show on Sept 6th.  It was being shipped from Canada- who knows how long it could take.... It made it here in time :).

After the quilt show in Marshall, we stopped by The Marshall House quilt shop, of course, and I started shopping for the fabrics.  I don't care for the print they used, so I found some lovely golden/beige print and the black I found has some of the same golden/beige in it...  then I only bought one shade of the gold... because the pattern directions weren't clear enough - it says 1/4 yd and only requires one shade of the gold.  It looks to me like it's going to need more than 1/4 yd...  ( I bought 2 yds  just incase lol).  I also bought two yds of the blue.  I figure if there's extra, it can be used for the backing. :).  I bought the gold and the blue online... someone ( can't remember who just now) had a sale and it was a good enough deal that if the fabrics weren't the exact color/shade that I  was looking for, it wouldn't be a big deal.... right now, I think they'll do fine.

She's going to be so surprised...  No need for her to know that I have now expanded my 'expertise' LOL.  So mum's the word!!!

OH!  Almost forgot...  my third row of the Mi row-by-row is done.

A-Z complete

I finally finished the alphabet part of the A to Z for Ewe and Me ( TQS BOM 2014) a few minutes ago.  It still needs the borders, but I'm guessing that's what we'll be working on in Oct and Nov. - maybe Dec., too.

The bottom corner blocks don't completely show, but I was limited on floor space and I was trying to get a picture before Mr Prissy ( one of our cats) decided to get in the pic, too.

Everything except the background fabric is from my stash; I did buy two fat quarters of med. gold because I thought I'd run out, but then I found more.  And, I'm not sure if I have enough of the background fabric for the borders so went online in search of more - and luckily found it; ordered two more yards - just incase.

Not sure what I'll be working on next...  I'm still behind on one other BOM, but it's getting close to Christmas and I have gifts I need to get started on, ... and I still have my new winter purse to make ( was supposed to have been for last winter, but I never got to it).

This coming weekend is sewing weekend at the library.  On Friday, (which is charity quilt project day) I think I'll have three quilts to put binding on ( for another guild member)... what I'll do Saturday is still up in the air... I have plenty of things to choose from ( too many choices to be honest).

I really need to go in to JoAnn's for some muslin, batting and maybe some backing fabric if I see something that catches my eye in the clearance section.  I want to take the quilt in progress off my mid-arm (Mo'e) and put the muslin (plus batting & something for backing) on so that I can do some practicing... I've barely touched the machine since May thanks to medical issues.  Guess that's what I'll do now... head to JoAnn's ( 50% off coupons - who can resist? LOL)

UWX

YAY!!  I'm caught up on my TQS BOM blocks....  I finished the August blocks ( U,W, and X) today.

Tomorrow, I'm going to work on tracing a pattern that I borrowed from a friend - I've had it wayyy too long and I need to get the original back to her.  I'm hoping that I can start on the quilt (actually, I'm making two - with different colored backgrounds) and work on it when I'm not working on the TQS blocks or Christmas gifts ( it's that time of year).

Another month of blocks DONE

I finished the T,Q, & V blocks today - these were the BOM for July.  It was quite frustrating because some of my pieces did not come out the size that the pattern required; I ended up having to add pieces here and there and, in the case of the Q block, before fusing and appliqueing the letter down, I unstitched the blocks on each side and cut a larger piece of background fabric.  I also wasn't paying close enough attention when it came time to cut the "T" - it ( and the Q) were supposed to be out of lime green fabric.  I knew it ahead of time, but somehow forgot until it was time to do the buttonhole stitch on it.  And, since I did the "T" with black like all the previous letters, I decided to just continue on using it.

Tomorrow is my birthday... would like to do something other than the A to Z quilt, but not sure what it will be.  I have to conserve my energy, though, because I'm hoping that I can talk hubby into going to a sock hop at the local senior center with me - It's my birthday, I should be able to do what I want, right?  :)  I might even be able to get him to join me in ONE slow dance - I'm hoping anyway.

I just checked the USPS website to see how close a pkg from China is to arriving here... it'll be here TOMORROW - FOR MY BIRTHDAY!!  I ordered some teardrop shapes for my Unicorn Quilt - after placing the order, I saw that it could take until OCTOBER 9th for them to arrive - that's also when I think I noticed they were coming from China.  I already have some crystals in teardrop shape, but they will need to be glued on... these that are arriving tomorrow have holes in each end so that I can sew them on.  We'll have to wait & see which one works better.

Here's the May and June blocks joined together and joined to the previous month's blocks... I'm now working on the July blocks... have T done, am working on Q and V is waiting in the wings.
Having a hard time doing anything today - went to a quilt show yesterday with fellow quilters, then lunch and shopping at The Marshall House (quilt store) - and then a quick wall through the craft show downtown -- I think I overdid it.  Having to make and then work with 1 1/2" half square triangles isn't helping matters any :(.  I manged to get 3 of the 6 required done, but then I had to take a break (and a nap).

I shared a pic of the table runner that I'm hoping to make my oldest daughter for Christmas and I said that I hoped the pattern would arrive before the quilt show... it did! :)   While at The Marshall House, I found (and purchased) the background fabric and a nice black print to go with it - I'll have to take a pic later to show you -- both are really nice -- and just a few minutes ago, I ordered the remaining two fabrics that I HOPE will work with them.

The quilt show was really nice... I saw a couple of quilts that I'd like to try... and lucked out when I found the pattern for one of them at a vendor's space :) --along with some other patterns & a book. Then, I bought three more patterns at the quilt shop - two were 50% off, so a really good deal!  The third one  was one I'd been looking at and tempted to buy several times in the past - decided to go for it this time!  I REALLY have to STOP buying patterns!!!!!!   They are really my achilles tendon ( is that the right 'word'?)... I just can't seem to be able to resist them.

Oh, and on Tuesday, I stopped at JoAnn's & found the fabric that I'll be using to make matching dresses for the three great granddaughters and for the great granddaughter to be - along with a matching dress for each girl's 18" doll.  Light green background with cute brown monkeys scattered around - and a matching brown with circles for the trim on the skirt hems.  Can't wait to get started on them - I want to get caught up on the TQS BOM quilt first.

Off to try and get the Q block done.....  wish me luck! :)