I'm getting there....

Wednesday, we delivered the quilts to the V.A. hospital and, once back in town, I delivered 8 quilts to Siren. Both places were very appreciative of our donations.

 Of course, we couldn't do a road trip without stopping to eat and shop.  The four of us checked out a quilt shop in Battle Creek where I found a few bargains, but managed to hold myself back by buying two fat quarters and a cloth book 'kit' about a dragon.  The next shop was the Marshall House where I probably spent more than I should....  I bought two yards of fabric ( a gold print and a solid black) to go with the other fabrics I need for the table runner for the oldest daughter ( yes, she's getting it even if she doesn't remember what it looked like online) and a few more fat quarters for the bowl holders. Oh yeah, and a pattern for a smaller version of the Christmas tree that I just completed ( will make good Christmas gift next year).   I started right on the book and one set of the bowl holders that night - finished them up the next morning.

great grandson will get the book

Being the 'skinflint' that I am... I cut my squares at 9" instead of the 10" a lot of patterns call for; that way, I could get 4 squares from each fat quarter.  

Here's the first dress completed... I started it Friday night - finished everything but the hem yesterday - that I finished tonight while watching tv.  It still needs the buttons sewn onto the back ( the back ends of the straps button onto the inside back of the dress), but I want to wait until she can try the dress  on and I can be sure where to place the buttons.  I'm going to make a dress for her doll out of the same fabric - just trying  to decide on which doll dress pattern looks the most like her dress.

Below is the second dress - started last night and finished today.  It's not as "easy peasy" as the designer claims... somehow I didn't get the pleats on the front the right size despite my measuring & marking and even pinning; I had to take a couple out and re-do them.  It was going so well in the beginning that I thought I'd have it done by noon today.... well, noon came & went and it was almost dinner time before I finally finished.  The doll's dress was hard, but easier than the full size version ( I did that one yesterday before starting on the larger one - if I messed up badly, it wasn't a major loss of fabric).

Even hubby appeared to like them... he chuckled when I showed them to him, which is a sign of approval.

Tomorrow I'll start on dress # 3 along with a second doll dress... and, hopefully, Tuesday will see the 4th and final dress done along with two doll dresses.  That's my goal anyway since Wed. I have to run errands, do some more Christmas shopping and buy a few groceries and Thurs. I'm taking my final group of guild members to the museum to see the art quilts.  

I'd like to have all the Christmas gifts made/purchased before Thanksgiving - that's my goal anyway.  I'll start working on making more of the bowls in between working on the table runner and also the weiner dog for my step-son starting on Friday- that will give me six days... if it's not enough, I still have the rest of the month to get them done .... but they have to be done by Nov. 30th because....

Dec. 1st starts the YUCKKY housecleaning... I'll have two weeks to get it clean before we leave for Texas to have spend Christmas and our 21st wedding anniversary with two of my kids, two grandsons and my three 'greats'.  The gal who's cats I watched while she went on vacation last summer will be coming in daily to take care of our cats and I really don't want to be embarrassed by an unkept house - yeah, she's a quilter, too, and knows that quilting comes before housework... but, remember, I've seen her house and it's spotless!  Besides, it will be nice to come home to a clean house.  :)

WoooHooo! It's Done - and hanging

But not without some minor glitches here and there.  For instance, while doing the feathers in the green, Mo'e would sometimes go off in one direction that wasn't where I was trying to direct him - especially in the middle over the tree trunk ( I put this on with the tree skirt end on first).  Then, just as I'm getting to the border at the top of the tree, he started acting 'funny'... I did some investigating and this is what I found...

I was a couple of inches shy of backing fabric... sigh...  luckily, there was a LOT of backing fabric at the other end ( I usually don't roll it as far as I did this time before loading batting & top), so I took it off the frame, cut the excess off the bottom, stitched it to the backing top and put it back on the frame so I could finish quilting it.  I was glad I was able to 'fix' it so easily.

After trimming, squaring up, binding & adding label & hanging sleeve - back it went on the frame this morning so that I could add the crystals ( approximately 206) in three different sizes.  I wish they would show; I'm quite pleased with the results.  Even that part gave me a bit of trouble this morning when I couldn't find the 'heat set tool' right off- because it was 'taken care of' ( I must learn to stop doing  that lol).  I ran my hand over it several times to make sure that I set each and every crystal - it took about three tries before I finally had them all affixed.

I dug out cookie cutters and traced around them before stippling/meandering on the white background - some show up better in the picture than others do, but you get the idea,  right?

I sat and cut out & stitched penquins while watching tv last night ( Hart to Hart and then McMillan & Wife - two oldie but goodies)... and added eyes & hanging ribbons to all that still needed them.  Three more left to do and I can cross that task off my to-do list.

Tomorrow, the plan is to go with three other guild members to deliver the quilts to the V.A. hospital... and, on my way to meet the others, I'll stop at Siren to drop off eight other quilts.  The members did a great job, as usual.  There are 35 twin size quilts including one afghan, 34 pillowcases, 1 wheelchair quilt, 2 bags and six pillows, plus the 8 for Siren.

This coming weekend is our guild's monthly sew in and my plan is to work on the dresses for the greats (great granddaughters) and their dolls.  Once those are done, I'll only have the doxi dog to make for my step-son before Christmas.  Looks like I'll have to wait until after the new year to finish up the Garden Quilts... along with my Fiesta de Talevera and my TQS 2014 BOM ( it just needs borders added).  Since we're going to be gone for the holidays and someone is going to be coming in to tend to our cats, I've GOT to clean house and I have Christmas baking that needs to be done - It won't be Christmas without my mom's fudge and cookies from Maga ( what my grands & greats call me).

Got some great patterns at JoAnn's yesterday - 5 for $5.00 - got a duplicate of the pattern for largest size 'greats' dress, but in half size, which I  think will fit her better, a pattern for some cute 'monster' pillows, one for dog clothes, another for 18" doll and the final one is a pattern for making stuffed polar bears, penquins & seals. --  everything except the dress can wait til after the new year when I can make them for Christmas '15.

I almost forgot -  I made another gift this past week; it's for the daughter of one of my grandsons' current girlfriend ( which means I hope she'll soon be a former girlfriend).  One of the guild members brought one in to the meeting one night and it dawned on me that it would be perfect for this little girl. -- so simple and inexpensive to do.  Anyway, here it is... a doll bed, quilt & pillow made with a 'rubbermaid' tub ( about 16" long thats been covered with  a couple layers of batting and then a 'sheet' which is hot glued to the underside of the lid which comes off so that the quilt & pillow ( and doll?) can be stored inside.  

The easiest way for me to make the ruffle around the upper edge of the container itself was to zig zag stitch over 1/8" ribbon which I  tied into a bow after I evened out the ruffles and hot glued them down.  To make sure the bow didn't come loose, I hot glued a 'jewel' in the middle of it.  I think she's going to love it; I know I had fun making it (except for the two times I burned my fingers with the hot glue) -- and I think I'm going to make up some more for future gifts/donations.

FINISHED!!

Well, at least this one is.....

Unfortunately, it's so long that I couldn't get the entire thing into the shot.

Here's a close up.....

 Oh!!  Son of a quilter!!   I just noticed that I missed quilting in the arcs...... be back later ( after I fix them and get back from guild meeting).


Ok, I'm home.... everyone at guild seemed to like the quilt and the quilting I did on  it.  I'm pretty pleased with it - there are some imperfect spots but for the most part, it's pretty darned good.  :)
I just don't want to have to do any more quilts where I spend as much time burying threads as I do quilting.  There has to be a better way to handle the tails at the  beginning and ending of each 'seam'.

Tomorrow I plan on loading our Christmas tree quilted wall hanging

 ( it's TALL) onto the frame, but probably won't start on it for a few days.... I told my dear hubby that I would YIKES do some housework - YUCK.  And there are a couple of dr. appts. for him coming up - and I'm planning on taking another group to M.S.U. museum to see the quilt exhibit there ( I've been twice in the past six weeks already).... and I want to help deliver the quilts to the V.A. hospital in Battle Creek.

When I load it on, I'm going to put it tree skirt and trunk first so that I can comfortably do feathers on the tree - probably 3 feathers across each section.  On the background, I'm going to trace some Christmas cookie cutters and  quilt them with white thread with stippling all around the shapes.  I'm not sure how I want to do the skirt part -  maybe I can write Merry Christmas in different directions on the red part - I'm not touching the green & white because the pieces are so small.

Still have more penquins to make up/finish, too.  Here's the pic I said I'd take & post...

Obviously, the purple one still needs eyes - most of them do; I plan on glueing eyes on a bunch of the penquins at the same time... will do the same with the hangers.  Still haven't figured out how I'll name & date them... I tried making 'ribbon' from white cotton and writing with pigma pen, but I was really  unhappy with it.......... just had a thought!!... what I did before was like making bias tape so it was pretty bulky... maybe I could just cut the strips with pinking shears, that should work better.

Ok, I'm beat and going to call it a night here.... remember I'm going to be doing housework, etc for the next couple of weeks - but if you don't hear anything from me by Thanksgiving week - call the Quilt Police EMTs because I'm probably either in quilting withdrawal or have gone into a self induced coma to get out of doing the housework  LOL.

Catching Up -- Again

Two more pairs of blocks for the Garden Quilt(s) completed - well, as much as I could  at this point... still need a wee bit of embroidery on the cart blocks ( bird needs legs and there are some swirly thingies sticking out of the flowers that need to be embroidered).

 I can't remember if I posted this pic of "What's on Mo'e" or not.... I've done a couple more swipes across the tulip block, but that's about it other than burying threads in that block. I'm liking what I've done so far ( on second row), just really haven't had time to work on it since I've been focused on getting the Garden Quilt tops done; was hoping to have them completed by the end of this week, but that's not going to happen.

I want to get back to my Christmas quilting/sewing this coming weekend.  I still have the four dresses for the "greats" along with doll dresses to match - haven't even started yet beyond purchasing the patterns and fabrics.  Then, today, while at JoAnn's, I found a cute dachshaund dog pattern (stuffed dog) that I'm going to try and make to go with the pillows that I've already made for the step-son's Christmas.

I'm also still busy making the cute penquin tree ornaments for the greats & grands... I think I have 8 bodies done- most still need their eyes glued on.  I WILL get a pic taken -- One of these days  :).

Time to call it finished on here and go work on some more of the penquins - if I can stay awake.
Later Gaters!!

Still catching up

Infrognito is on the frame and I should be done with the quilting tomorrow... then comes hiding threads, adding label & binding.  I changed the design a little bit prior to putting it on Mo'e - appliqued "Give me a Kiss" ( with lips instead of the word Kiss) and then scattering four more pair of lips around the border.  Because of this, I'm also changing the name to Give Me A Kiss.  I'll post another pic once it's done.

It's not my best quilting job, but one of my best so far, I think.  I've ventured out into free motion and away from using acrylic templates... I'm still struggling at some elements and I think it shows, but in a FB message from Ricky Timms today, I received encouragement from his telling me to keep practicing - it will be worth it.  Mo'e doesn't always help either... there are a couple of spots where I really had to fight with him to get him to go where I wanted him to go and not to go where he wanted to.  Then he froze up on me at one point- I didn't think I was going to be able to get the wheel to turn... think it was because the bobbin didn't get locked in correctly.

Last night and early this morning, I worked on The Garden Quilt... pretty happy with the way they turned out.

The boots were supposed to be done in greens according to the pattern, but I really liked the purples.  The 'partner' to this block is the garden gloves, which were supposed to be done in the purples which I didn't really like.... so I'll switch them out and use the greens for the gloves.  Six blocks done - eight more to go.  My friend, Colette, who's also doing this quilt is going to be gone out of town for the next 10 days - I'm going to try and get all the blocks done and the tops together by the time she gets  back.... no particular reason - just a way for me to set a goal for myself.

Oh, and I don't think I shared the 'news' that I'm not making the table runner with all the curves for my oldest daughter after all.  It was mentioned on FB and she didn't even remember what it looked like - just that she thought it was pretty.... arghhhhh!!!!  I'm still going to make it, but I'll just keep it with my finished quilts for awhile - then maybe I'll find someone else who would like it.  I am grateful that I got the 'push' to try curves; this will give me so many more options of things to try/make.

Ordered another pattern yesterday --- like I need another  LOL.  Chubby Chicks from Black Mountain - how could I resist!?!?  For some reason, I really like making chicken themed quilts 

And, I started making paper pieced Bear Paw blocks in a small size out of scraps after seeing Bonnie Hunter doing it the other night; a great way to dwindle my scrap stash and they should make great doll quilts for Christmas gifts next year.

Ok, back to working on the grands & greats annual Christmas ornaments - still no pic but I'll get one taken eventually.

Let's Get Caught Up

I've been busy... apparently too busy to post updates :).  First off... Love Purple quilt is finally off the frame!!  I no longer love it, but that's ok because now it can go to Siren (local shelter for homeless people/families and for battered women and their children) for some child to curl up under and I'm sure they'll love it.  It's so soft and cuddly that I don't think any child will be able to resist it.

Above is the border that I couldn't seem to duplicate a second time, let alone 3 times.  So, I went with something else for the other three (see below).  I was at the point ( actually beyond the point) of ripping out the first border and redoing it again... nothing wrong with one border being different that the others.

Close up of some of the blocks

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OOPS!  I thought the quilt was complete in this pic... but the binding is missing.  Here's the binding in this next pic.  I'm beginning to wonder if I'll ever see the end of the fabric I used for the binding.  Every time I think I'm using the last of it, I find more of it.  It's been used in three quilts that I can think of right off.  It wasn't the fabric I'd planned on using  for this quilt, but when it came  time to add the binding, of course, I couldn't find what I had selected and cut especially for the Love Purple until after I'd put this one on.

Now I have Ethel's batik quilt that will go to the VA hospital in Battle Creek next month on "Mo'e".  Here's a close up of the meandering in the blocks.

Here's the quilt on the frame. 

Close up of the border stitching... I have the exterior sides done... just need to finish the interior of the outer borders.  Then I have to do the inner border and the sashing which I hope to have done by Thursday so that I can hand it back to her for the binding.

This is my next project in the works.  It's Garden Quilt by Amy Bradley.  I'm doing two... one with pink background and one with white background.  The white background one will be mine - at least until I decide to pass it on; the pink one is for my granddaughter, Krista.

The shovel blocks are about 36" long... the next four blocks are about 7 1/2" square.

It's hard to tell but the 'water' coming out of the hose and the outlines around the pink print fabrics on the butterfly are done with Ricky Tim's Razzle Dazzle threads using 'bobbinwork'.

I'm not quite sure how I'm going to do the seeds on this block... I'm thinking french knots, but I'm not sure.  I maybe could use black beads???
Five blocks done - Nine more to go.

Oh, and I found what I'm going to make the grand(kid)s and great(grandkid)s for their annual Christmas ornament from me.  It's a cute felt penquin (http://www.bhg.com/christmas/crafts/make-christmas-ornaments-with-felt/#page=11)Some will be in the traditional/normal black & white, but since I don't have a lot of black felt on hand, I thought I'd do some in other colors...like pink or purple for some of the girls and a medium blue for some of the boys.

Infrognito Top done

Poor picture of the top with inner border complete.

I needed yellow for the outer borders, but had pretty much used up what I had in my stash.  There are a  couple larger pieces of yellow left, but not large enough for the borders without using both and I didn't want to do that.  So, my plan was to see if I could find some when I went to the quilt shop with my friend, Vicki, today.  

Best laid plans..... you know how that goes -  I woke up at 4 a.m. and didn't go back to sleep until about 7 - slept until 10:32 and I was supposed to meet Vicki at 10:30!  I gave her a call and told her to  go on without me... that I'd have to join her another day.  

Since I needed to go find somewhere to send a fax I thought I'd go down to the LQS to see what they had in yellow - but as I was pulling into the credit union, I remembered that I  had two  yards of yellow that I'd bought for my oldest daughter's table runner - and IF I use it on the table runner, I only need one yard at the most.  So when I got back home, I dug it out... and 

TAADAA!!

I really like how it came out :)

I was hoping to get the charity quilt done, but just got around this afternoon to ripping out quilting stitches on the quilt that's on the frame right now.  I really want to get it one finished before I take it off the frame... it's been on there since JUNE!!!  

 - that's what I'll be working on tomorrow and hopefully will get to the charity quilt on Monday or Tuesday.  It shouldn't take long to do since I've decided to do an all-over meandering pattern ( the charity quilt that is).

If I can find some backing, I'd like to get Infrognito quilted before the next guild meeting; I have batting and binding... just need to figure out what I want for the backing.  That reminds me, I have another pillow to make - this time for the VA.  Thank goodness that won't take long and I should be able to get it done before the meeting this week, too.