Judy ~ Something Different!

This week I worked on something unusual, a few quilt blocks.  Our group is making a quilt for a local hospice. The camera sure picks ups on the inconsistencies in my measuring. Sigh.

This one is called Connector Chain.

I love hearts.  Our blocks are to be red, white, and blue, so I think I need to add some stitching to this one.

This was my first attempt at a Disappearing 9-block and looks a bit wonky. 

Has anyone figured out how to make these diagonal dishcloths "unwonky" on that last corner?  This is the Illuminator pattern, once again.  Have a great week!

Moira: Finishs

Finished the scrappy sampler this evening.    It finished at 60" wide by 72" long.  No border going onto this one.

It will be shipped off to American Heroes sometime this week with the quilt top shown below that I finished last year and never shipped off.

 Also finished this flannel quilt that will be donated to Little Lambs in Utah. 
















Backing for the flannel was from my stash and was a 60" wide flannel I'd picked up about 2011 or so while working at Joann's in Lafayette during my grad school days.

Currently am working on passport wallets that will be listed for sale on Etsy.  And waiting to hear about the house I'm putting an offer in on today (multiple offer situation).

Moira: Crazy before Christmas Vacation

Almost finished this potholder, just need to add the binding for it after I find fabric that will work.



















Next up was this quilt top that is approximately 40" by 60" in size.  It was made in response to both a challenge on Sunshine in a quilt that would be sent to Quilts Beyond Borders as a part of what the Sunshine group normally does. 

I used a Long Quarter of a halloween monster print and pulled an orange checked print and a yellow TOT strip to make the rail fence blocks.  A lime green TOT strip for the inner border and solid orange for the final border

Final look has almost a 3D look too it because of the colors and the way they work with each other.

Next up was the stitching on this embellished sweatshirt for my mom.  This was one scene from a panel of cute kitties.   Still have lots to work with for future projects.  =)

Final project over the weekend was making this little mug rug.  It finished out at 9.5" square the pattern and a couple of the fabrics (the house and the snow) came as part of the third free kit during the shop hop I participated in back in November.  This will most likely end up being a gift for someone this Christmas.

Moira: Finishes and progress on others

Tried posting this before and the system burped and posted it with a date from 2 wks ago.  So trying again to get it to work right.

Finished off the late baby quilt and got it sent off last week.  Made the quilt after seeing a pic of one somewhere.   Love it because the blocks can be made to fit whatever amount of the focus fabric that you have on hand.









I managed to get a quilt sent off for the Hands-2-Help project that Susan and I have been participating in this year.  I sent one that I had made years ago, but then never used or gave to anyone.   It is one of the very few that I've ever made and then washed right after making.









Got the first sample row laid out and fused with the exception of not getting the three wise men added to it.   I still need to cut a large enough piece of Kona block to do that.  This one has the correct layout that I want, but because I wasn't thinking is too long for the actual specs.  So I'm re-thinking a little on the directions and the measurements for it.   Will be June tho before I can really get back to it.  However I did get the draft of the pattern to the gal setting up the row-along.  So that is progress.

And finally I worked on the commissioned origami swans quilt this week.  Got all of the final sets of fabric prepped (fusible ironed to them) and the pieces cut out.  Only to realize that I traced the main body section upside-down to what it should be.  Net result was I had 6 or 7 sets that I have to redo part of them so that they are usable.   These blocks will end up flying in the opposite direction as the ones I've been making.   I'll do that some other time.








In the meantime I pulled more sets of fabric
coordinates and prepped them as replacements.  All of the pieces have now been fused down and I'm working on doing the stitching on them.  There are 31 blocks in process, and 30 already done.....and yes I only need 42 for the commissioned quilt.  But I knew I needed extras in order to be able to play with them as I lay things out to get the look in my head.  Will have enough at the end for a second quilt that I'll finish up and sell.

Moira: Swans, swans and more swans

Lots of prep work this week, but only a few completions for a change.....

I was able to get a total of 24 blocks fused (not all are pictured below), and 7 of those are already stitched.   Have the thread for the next 7 pulled and ready to go.  Still have 25 sets of fabric (well 21 sets and 4 pieces that need a coordinate) to fuse webbing onto so I can cut the pieces out of them.

Next up was getting the borders onto a quilt top for Sunshine Quilts.  And yes, I meant it to be asymmetrical in layout.  =)

And lastly, just a wee bit of bragging.  On May 2nd volume 15 of QuiltMaker's 100 blocks by Top Designers will be out and one of my block designs is in it.

And I've finally gotten business cards ordered for my quilting business.....woohoo.....now to look at getting a tax license here in Tx (altho I haven't decided on this one) and building the business up to where I have a consistent level of business coming in.

Moira: Lots of sewing on a holiday weekend

This weekend was a holiday weekend for me which meant I had today off, definitely enjoyed that.   I continued working on UFO's.   I put together some purple/lime and blue/lime HST's together with a WOW out of my stash to make 4-patches.   The triangles were given to me by a friend several yrs ago, but I couldn't tell you who.  

I've also found some other bits and pieces that are in the same color family that I'll put with them.   Haven't a clue tho at this point on how I'll set them.

For finishes - I finished off the next 2 teddy bear blocks.   Charles the farmer and Maria the dancer.

I designed two applique blocks to go with an orphan block that was in my stash.  Blocks are of an origami swan and crane.   All three blocks are now in a tabletopper.   I'll get that quilted at some point.

The last two things completed were getting two sets of UFO blocks bordered out to a consistent size of 15" and then together in two quilt tops for Sunshine Quilts.

This week tho there won't be much accomplished because I'll be down in Savannah GA with Susan at Quilt Con...can't wait!   Well I could skip the 4 am time that I have to leave my house to get to the airport, but that's beside the point.   I'm just hoping for good traffic on the hr long drive over there.

Moira - Finishes

I've continued to work through things here trying to sort out and get rid of.   More to do with the clothing fabric I don't want anymore.   That has left a mess in my fabric room.  =P  I did managed to get all of my completed tops into the same big tote.....don't even want to think about how many I have in it..lol.

But along the way this past week i've finished off the borders on two quilt tops, and made a third one.  And I made another tote bag or two as well.  All three are donation quilts and they finish off two UFO's!

Moira: More t-shirt pillows...........

This past weekend and this week I'm busy working on getting 6 t-shirt pillows done for a silent auction item(s) at my 40th HS reunion this coming weekend.    4 are finished, the 5th is in process and teh 6th is ready to start.    A friend supplied the shirts, and I'm supplying the rest as a donation to the auction.

Once I'm done with all 6, I'm going to be putting them into space saver bags and will "vacuum" the air out of them so that I can get them into my carry on luggage for the flight back to CA for my reunion this coming weekend.  

The pic below shows three little quilts - two table runners and a wallhanging (hand quilted!), that I pulled out of my completed quilts.   These will all be donated.   the wallhanging is going to a fundraiser for a no-kill cat shelter in CA, and the tablerunners are going to the group here that has been helping those affected by last years Christmas tornado.   They are currently collecting holiday decor as the families face their first Christmas since the tornado.  These were never used so this is a perfect thing to do with them.  

I'm hoping next week to be able to sew some for me!  lol.....I also need to get my contest quilt top basted, but have to find a place where there are big enough tables for me to use to do it.

Moira: Chugging along.....

More progress was made this week on quilting the t-shirt quilt.   I've now finished 14 out of 35 block pairs (front/back).   I'm doing a combination of stitching around the outside of the block and machine tacking to quilt it.

Have also started this months entry into the block design contest.  The design is pp'd and has 192 pieces in the complete block.    Have finished half of it at this point.   the traditional block we were to work with is the Rail Fence block.

Will upload a pic for the finished block on the 10th and voting starts on the 11th and goes thru the 14th.
If you want to vote, then just click here in that time and if you're logged into Facebook you should see a Vote button.    I've been fortunate to win the last two months, but am still waiting for all winnings from last month, and the batting assortment from the month before....sigh.

Also finished up a couple of quilt tops that will be donations.  These were made with the scraps of FQ's and other pieces that I'd cut novelty print swatches to sell.  All of the fabric in them was out of my scraps except the alphabet fabric used in the ends of the last one - and was a remnant.

On the design "wall" as it were is the setting for the contest blocks so I can start putting that together sooner rather than later.   At any rate here are the blocks that I have finished at the present.   I still need to go back and design one for the one month that I missed.  That block has to be designed from the Ohio Star block.

Have also started working a PT proof-reading job for extra income to help pay bills off.  And continuing to collect commissioned jobs, the latest of which are a set of leather knife sheaths.   Will be digging out my Singer-99 machine to do that job.  Got all of the materials needed for the sheaths last weekend as I was toodling around the state for doctor appointments.  And found a really nice, and large(!) quilt shop as I did that.  =)

Moira.....and the Merry-Go-Round goes on

At least that's what it feels as I work a consistent 3 jobs here.   Ugh....not thrilled to be working so much, but really really really need some of these bills paid off so that I don't have to do this anymore.

Did get a little bit of sewing done this past weekend - made more of the red/white striped block sections, for  a total of 10 completed.   Pulled red strips for 8 more blocks and found a blue w/white stars to use for the rest of the block.     Used 4 of teh striped sections to make completed blocks and am liking how they look so far.   Now if I could only figure out I want to set them.....lol.......  Eventually there will be about 30-33 blocks completed and in the final top.   This quilt will be going to American Heros when the top is complete.

Did also get travel arrangements made for the trip to Rawlins WY so I can see what the town looks like.   Hoping to have a job offer in hand either before I leave there or shortly after I get back out here.  (They would not make an offer w/o me heading out there to see the place first because it is a very rural little town about 2 to 3.5 hrs from everything major.)

Only other thing I've managed to do this past week is get a bunch of FQ's ready to sell, (pics done and bundled) but have not got them listed yet.

And nope my block did not win the contest for last month.   Came in a distant second.

Moira: more of the same....

This past week has pretty much been more of the same - lots more sewing on the commissioned garments.   Have now finished 25 of the 29 that I'd had cut out, and have 2 more in progress.  Did take a few minutes to put together a quick top for Sunshine from a border print remnant that I'd picked up at the store last year.

The last 3 days the store was closed thanks to storm damage and teh power being out.   Am working tonite for a coworker...that will make up for missing hrs on Sunday.

Have two teaching positions (one in Waco and one in Tucson) that I need to put applications in on.   So that is a priority.   Also need to get in touch with the owners of the the driving school that I'm supposed to be working for...........and school starts back up in one month.....yikes, where has my summer gone?

Moira - Finishes

Here is a pic of my finished mystery quilt that I'd been posting instructions for on my blog the first 5 months of the year.   Finally got the instructions up for the final corner of the border this past week so now you can see a pic of it.

Also finished up was a quilt top that will be going to Sunshine Quilts.   The four blocks were made by a gal on another list and used a FQ that I sent her.   I made the setting blocks and did the layout.  The quilt finished up at 48" square.

I've also been doing lots more sewing on the commissioned sewing.   Mailed off a box filled with 14 scrub tops and payment for that is in the mail to me.    Have finished up the remaining 2 scrub tops, and 4 of the blouses/house-dresses.   9 more cut out and am about 3/4's done with one of those.  

And par for the course with this customer, I've also received a box full of fabric for more garments (mainly scrubs) - 18 more to be precise.   Also found out that she's changed her mind about about half of the flannel I had for her and she no longer wants it.   So I get to 'keep' it or donate it.   Thinking I might offer it for Sunshine quilt backings because I don't want to use it.

Have also started into my job search and am getting ready to complete an application for a job in TN and one in TX as well.   Keeping my eyes out for other possibilities as well.   And working lots of hrs at the store as well.  Have also been certified for Drivers  Ed, and am just waiting on the license for that.....I guess one of these days things will slow done some.....maybe.

Moira - School's out and.....

.........the 'mice' are quilting and sewing now that school is out for the summer!  Lots of work in there as well since hrs have increased at the store for me, and am working hard to finish everything up for my driver's ed instructor certification (will be another PT job for me).

Have managed to put together two quilt tops and finish the border on a third one over the last 10 days or so.   Have even finished up the first of 16 commissioned scrub tops that need to be done asap this summer.

The first to I finished up started with wanting to use up a remnant with the 'super-hero' words used in the old time super hero shows like Batman.  Added a solid red and yellow to the print.  Adapted a quilt design that I'd seen in a picture online for it.  

The second quilt top finished up started with blocks received from another member of an online group I'm in.   the focus fabric with  dancing alligators was one i had and she made the blocks from it.   Center block is off-kilter because she had left the ends of strips on some of her fabric for the outer fabric (the striped one).  Added a yellow to the outside and trimmed it square to get rid of teh selvedge.  The alternate blocks were made with half-square triangles blocks and were super easy to do.   The printer fabric is more orange that the picture shows.

The final quilt top finished is the top for this year's mystery quilt that I had designed and hosted on my blog.   Just need to get the final corner posted (the light green one) along with final assembly instructions and then it will done.   Then it'll be on to working on my next design for posting.   Have an idea for that one but need to pull some fabric out to test it with.

Both of the first two quilt tops will be donated to Sunshine Quilts.

Have also finished the first of 16 commissioned scrub tops that I need to get finished this summer.   Only 8 different fabrics (two of each)......so they get worked on two at a time while I have the right color of thread out and in the machine.

Moira - Flying by

School is fast coming to an end this year with less than 2 wks to go before final exams.   Lots to do there makes me a stressed quilter because I need to be there for hrs on end doing the grading that I couldn't get done while off on medical leave.  =P

And when I'm stresssed, then I want to sew......but on easy stuff.   As a result I put together two more quilt tops for donation this past week.   And in the process emptied a bag of scraps and smaller pieces of one line of fabrics with only a couple of yard sized pieces going back into the stash.  With these two I tried something different and used a yellow on white print for the background/coordinating print.  The pics show the prints a lot clearer than they show up in  real life.   When looking at them they really are pretty much a TOT rather than a distinct print.

Moira - Finished donation tops

In the last few days before heading back to work I managed to get a couple of quilt tops finished off for toddlers.  Both will be heading out to be finished off by someone else for Sunshine quilts,  

Pic of the top one is a little misleading on color because the blues are closer to the same color, but I do admit they are different.

the bottom quilt started with 5 blocks made by a gal who also makes stuff for Sunshine with a FQ I had.  I then played around with a setting that I'd seen somewhere and can't remember at the moment.

Have started another quilt for Sunshine as well from a stack of pastels and white pin-dots.  Am using an almost tone-on-tone yellow & white chevron fabric for the neutral in it.  No pics of it this week, maybe next week.

Did get 8 tops boxed up and mailed out  to a gal who quilts a lot for Sunshine.   It will be nice to see those finished up and not sitting around here.  All had been finished in months prior so no pics of them here.

Moira - Oops...........

.......hmmm, all the good intentions I had did not get this post written on time.....oops.

I did manage to get some sewing done this week.   put together a set of 10 blocks that I had from a challenge into a top for Sunshine Quilts.  It finished out at 50" by 64" in size.

 Started working on the border for my mystery quilt.   There will be four different corner treatments.  The upper left and lower right will be chevrons and flying geese.   Still thinking about what to do with the lower right.   I want it to be along the lines of the one I've done, yet a different block.  I know, clear as mud right?

And last but not the least I started sorting the many piles of fabric that I've had laying around this place so that I can put them in the proper boxes.  (Stash is organized by color, theme, and type).    These piles are laying on the table for my mid-arm machine.  I've got more than this yet to sort and put up.

Have also been sorting out stuff to sell or donate.   Need to find time to deal with it......hmmmm, maybe when I'm off for surgery would be a good time to do that.

Retreat is next week so I've also started packing projects and what I'll need for sewing while there.  Will get eventually to the clothes.....lol