Short and Simple

Started and finished today... well, the top anyway... quilting will have to wait.

After I finished this, I decided I'd better do some cleaning up in my sewing room because I'm tired of having to move things to either cut fabric or iron fabric or pieces.  Oh oh... I found another 'kit' that I'd made up.  It's a big star that should measure either 50"x 50" or 60"x 60", I can't remember which.  I'll tell/show you more about it in my next post.

take care...

ttyl

A little catch up time

 I started on a new pattern on Monday... from a 'kit' I'd built and stored in another plastic bin.  Actually, there were two patterns and two of the Crayola Crayons fq bundles.  I didn't have the black fabric needed for the one pattern so just went ahead and worked on the other one which looked to be simpler anyway. 

I managed to get all of the strips sewn together except for three, which ended up waiting until yesterday ( Wednesday).  Once I had all the strips sewn together using print fabric scraps, it was time to add the sharp 'ends' of each crayon and, once that was done, I could start adding sashing and joining the rows together.

 Here's the first two.....

It took me most of yesterday to do... well, I had to work around two 1+hours worth of phone calls from two of my dearest friends.

The top is DONE....

For those who might be interested... the pattern is called Color Me by Emily Herrick Designs.  Approx. size 50" x 64" ( I haven't measured mine yet)

The lesson I learned from working on this was that I don't have as many 'larger' scraps as I thought I had.  The pattern called for (20) 2 1/2" x 5" strips for each crayon ; I found that I might have enough for multiples of one fabric 'scrap' but only enough for one of others... and some ended up being pieced to meet the size requirement. I refused to cut from yardage or from my collection of fat quarter prints... it had to come from the scrap bin!!  I did use some of the Crayola fq fabric for the solid crayon tips - but I felt that was ok since that's what I had purchased them for.  There are still more than enough for the other crayon quilt.

Progress on our porch continued last night, too.  

All the photos were taken from inside the house looking out the front door.  Hopefully, he'll have at least the porch floor and steps finished tonight.  Our back door is giving us fits and not wanting to close tight unless you SLAM it... going to have to have someone come look at it.  I'm also going to talk to our 'porch guy' about getting a new set of steps for the back door... those are even worse than the front porch was.  We don't normally use the back door/steps, but it's used when we have repair people come to work on the hot water heater, washer or dryer... and we also have a guy delivering our softener salt so we need a porch in better shape.

Ok, that's it for now... Buddy wants BREAKFAST!  lol  

take care.... 

ttyl

Busy weekend

It was sew it at the library on Friday and Saturday... AND we were in the process of getting a new porch/deck for our home.

I'm the guild's charity quilt chairperson and was 'gifted' to put it politely, with a stack of tops that need batting and backing - and quilting.  One of our members likes to tie her quilts so I asked her if she would be willing to do some of these quilt tops for us.  On Friday, she showed up along with another member and, between the two of them they got one quilt almost done.  They returned on Saturday and finished that one and, with the help of Katie, they finished a second one.

I started piecing some odds and ends of batting together while they were working on the tieing.  I thought there might be enough for a small quilt, but once I got into it, I had enough for a doll quilt and another piece that I didn't have to piece that might work for a doll quilt also.

Then I decided that I'd better get on the ball and get to work on the tote bag for my stepdaughter; she and her husband will be up here visiting from Georgia in just a couple of weeks and I want to give it to her then.  I don't plan on mailing out Christmas gift packages this year - just gift cards and so it's either give it to her now along with a couple of other things for an early birthday or not at all.

It took some focus but it went together pretty easily...

 

It took me both Friday and Saturday, but I got it done except for the button on the outer pocket and the inner bottom (reinforcement) - those I did as soon as I got home.

 Today, I decided that I might as well go ahead and make the one for my youngest daughter to go with the frog quilt that I made last week.

the back

I ended up having to use corrugated cardboard strips for the bottom reinforcements because I couldn't find my plastic canvas that I usually use; if I find it before the step daughter gets here, I'll switch it out.

And I still have almost a full 5" square packet left ( 42 pieces in the packet)!  I think there will be a baby quilt in the near future... 

"Friend" Katie showed me a new quilt a long https://jacquelynnesteves.com/save-the-bees-block-of-the-month/ that starts in August...She likes to send her 'squirrel'/distractions down to my house to bug me instead of her lol.  I don't know why I did it, but I signed up for it.  It's theme is Save the Bees and it's a (largish) crib size quilt so I feel like I almost have to do it because I can't say no to anything involved with bees ( quilting wise).  My mom's mom was Grandma Smith to her sixteen grandchildren but once the great grandkids started coming along, she decided that she'd like to be called Grandma Bee ( her first name was Beatrice) and even had a front license plate on her car with a bumble bee on it.  So, anything pertaining to bees makes me think of her - sure do miss her.

Well, guess that's it for this weekend... what's next on the to do list has yet to be decided.  I have the fabrics out for an applique'd Christmas tree done in reds with white polka dots - I might just start on that.

in the meantime... take care

ttyl

Short post tonight

 Not because I didn't accomplish a whole heck of a lot today - because I did...

First off, it was back to working on the frog quilt from yesterday and the night before....  I discovered this while stitching blocks together.... guess I forgot something.

Ok.... here it is... DONE ( well, the top anyway)
Pretty quick to assemble once you get the applique done.

And with the finishing of that, I have another empty box/bin/tub... which means, I believe, that I have finished at least three projects ( well, the tops) this month.  We won't talk about the fact that I've refilled one of them lol.   It's progress :)

After finishing this top, I spent quite a bit of time doing some cleaning while searching for the tote bag pattern I had purchased on Saturday; I want to take it with me to the sew in this coming weekend.  There are some frog 5" squares left and I want to use them in one of these bags... I also have some other 5" squares that I want to use in another one of these bags if the frog one comes out ok.

edited:  I found the pattern!  It had fallen to the floor back in the corner and kind of under my sewing table. 
that's it ....

take care...

ttyl

It's a short one tonight

Due to America's Got Talent coming on in less than 1/2 an hour, my sewing is done for today.

I finished the appliqueing....

'

I made three out of 7 nine patch blocks and

I stitched blocks onto the two sides of one frog block. 

I should have it done by tomorrow night.... time to start deciding what I'm going to take to work on at the Saturday sew in at the library... decisions, decisions...

Ok... I'm outta here..

take care...

ttyl

VERY Productive Day

First off, remember my saying that I must have forgot a couple of things that I had purchased at Sunday's quilt show's garage sale?  Well, here they are.  I still think that I have another copy of the pattern on the left, but have no idea where it is... and for $2, better safe than sorry.

 Ok, now do you remember this pic?  I posted it about a week ago and said "to be continued"...

 Well, I continued and I finished it yesterday.... here it is below.  It's a pattern from weallsew.com and called arrow baby quilt.  It calls for  6 fat quarters and 1 5/8 yds of white - that's for crib size 36"x51".

 When I started cutting the four inch blocks from the fat quarters, I noticed that there were enough left to make about four more blocks, so -waste not, want not, I went ahead and used them... also adding 51/2" borders to the top and bottom to make it more square.  It now measures about 60"x60".. someone will be getting a couch quilt :).... and I got another one of these...

Then, I started working on finishing up some placemats (circular quilted placemat tutorial by sing all you want for imagine gnats) that I had started a week or so ago.  The pattern called for a large 9 patch block using 5" squares.  I had enough for two.

 On Sunday, when we went to the quilt shop after the quilt show, I purchased two fat quarter fruit prints and 1/2 a yard of another fruit print so that I could finish them up.

 Two placemats two coasters made from the leftovers.

I think I'll be donating these to the church's bazaar along with the fruit jar quilt of Annette's that I finished ( unless Annette wants the quilt)

Ok, next up is a 'new' project... one that's been 'hanging around' for a couple of years at least.

It's Not  Easy Being Green....designed by Carolyn Vagts and was published in a 2009 Quilter's World magazine.

This is a twin size ( or couch size) quilt that will be 'willed'/left to my younger daughter - someday.  She doesn't collect frogs, but I always like to make or buy her something frog themed ( or I'll put frogs on it) whenever I can... kind of a 'joke'.  There are 8 blocks with applique'd frogs on them - two frogs done so far ( still have the eyes to do, though).  Then there will be 4 1/2" blocks cut for 9 patches and then I have frog themed 5" squares that I will be cutting down to 2 1/2" squares for the blocks bordering the appliqued blocks.

Dr. appt for me early this afternoon... guess I'd better scoot and see how much sewing I can get done before lunchtime.

take care...

ttyl....

Quilt Show Hopping

There were two local quilt shows this weekend and, of course, I had to check out both.  I went with my cousin and fellow quilter, Cathy and friend & quilter, Joyce.

Friday, was the Lansing Area Piecemakers show at the Summit.  Several nice quilts - and a tote :)

 I didn't spend a lot on Friday... bought a 'pillbox' acrylic ruler for my longarm and a Dahlia panel, which is really the rage for a lot of long arm quilters.  I didn't think I'd get one because when I looked online, they were either unavailable or cost more than I was willing to pay for a length of fabric ( like $20 or more).  I found this one for something like $15.... no pic yet.

Yesterday's quilt show was another story ( shopping wise), though... and I didn't take a lot of pics, either.... there weren't a lot that really 'spoke' to me .  This show was in Marshall, Mi. and is always one that you don't want to miss.  It's a large guild with, I think, over 200 members ( too big for me) and they always seem to have lots of things going on. 

 I really liked this one... just the idea that you make blocks and sew them together into a top and then add the applique'... not a new idea, but definitely different than what I usually do and I'm kind of intrigued.

This one was just amazing to me.  And, as I'm standing there drooling, I got to talking to another woman about it and found out that she teaches a class on this technique'/quilt - and she happens to be friends with another woman who works in one of our town's quilt shops.  I'm hoping I can get people interested in taking a class from her.

 I just thought this cat quilt was 'fun' and a good idea for scraps.  I can see taking a pic from a coloring book and trying something like this.

 I took this pic simply because it's bright and colorful and a Hunter's Star which I really like but haven't done yet.  I have a grandson named Hunter and I've always wanted to make him one of these... he graduates high school next year - maybe this is what I'll do :).

 This one was interesting... too bad the photographer ( myself) couldn't get a CLEAR pic.

 

And, last but not least... there was this simple 9 patch set on point and sashed.  It just appealed to me.

The 'garage sale' that this guild has at their quilt show is not to be missed.  Joyce bought a kit consisting of 12 stamped blocks that you embroider and then sew together to make a quilt top.. I don't remember how much it was, but it was CHEAP!... one block was already done and embroidery thread was included.

I bought this...

It's two cheater panels... I haven't opened it up to see what they are, but I figured they would be good for me to put on Mo'e ( my longarm) and practice with.  For five bucks, you couldn't really say No, could you?

And I bought this for another $5... bought something else but can't remember what it was... it/they were another $5 .. so I spent a total of $15 at the garage sale... last year I spent about FIFTY but it was worth it.

ah!  this pattern is one of the other garage sale purchases... but I'm pretty sure I spent $15 so there must be a $2 item that I'm missing.  I was thinking that maybe with some of the charity quilt 'scraps', I might be able to get someone to join me in making some pincushions to donate to the church's bazaar this fall.

 Then it was time to hit the vendors and that's where I started to get into trouble lol

Due to some confusion, I ended up sitting in the vendors area while Cathy and Joyce went back and checked out the last row of quilts... well, as I sat there, I was checking out the vendor booth right across from me and noticed a pattern that I'd been interested in for awhile...

so over I went to check it out.. Of course it wasn't right in plain sight so I could just buy it and sit back down... nooooo.  While searching for the pattern, I came across this fabric... which will be great for hubby's t shirt quilts ... I bought two!  lol 

 Then, once Cathy and Joyce rejoined me, I found this is the bottom of a sale bin and, even though the color doesn't match, I think it's enough to use for backing on a quilt that I'm working on now ( but haven't shared with you other than to show you the fabrics in grayscale).

 In the same bin, I found this... it's  6 sample pieces which will be great for at least a couple of I SPY quilts... for $3 would YOU turn it down?

 After lunch at Schuler's... which was VERY good, we hit The Marshall House... one of the best quilt shops around - but it wasn't as great as it has been.  The clearance ( $6 yd) fabrics went from two rows along one wall to one 'bin' full of Halloween fabrics.  :( 
I still managed to drop a bundle ( big enough I had to write a check) there....
I found some fruit/veggies fabrics to finish the two placemats that I'm making to go with that fruit jar quilt of Annette's that I'm finishing .

 And I found a chenille brush for less than $4.
Two old car panels for hubby's t shirt quilts....

oh, yeah, and a bag pattern so I can make stepdaughter a smaller more manageable one than the last one I made her.  Once I got home and really got to looking at the pattern to see what I'd need to make it... YAY!  it takes 5" squares and I have LOTS of those.  Yardage for the lining and handles, but only about a yard and I can decide on that once I figure out what 5" squares I'm going to use. - anything but Green ( she doesn't like it).

and then I bought this bargello pattern... just for the fun of it, although I think it could be done with some of the charity quilt fabrics.

While there, I saw the most adorable chicken quilt ... but luckily, each block pattern comes separately and they didn't have the entire set - so I was able to pass them up.  But it was cute!!  

Ok, I think I've caught you up... My friend, Katie ( www.katiemaytoo.blogspot.com), is going to the show in Marshall with her mom today .. we'll see what, if anything, she finds.  :)

in the meantime   take care and I'll 

ttyl