Where did the months go?

Good Grief is it really November?  When did that happen?  I have been busy but I feel like I have not gotten much accomplished. 

I did finish the stamp quilt to the flimsy stage.  I have the backing cut and together.

Not good light.  If I don't have anyone around to hold it up outside I have to take it in the house and the light is just not good.

I began and finished another quilt - Disappearing 4 patch made from Kate Spain's Cuzco.  I had the fabric since last spring and had been wanting to cut into it for awhile.  I just realized that I only took photos with my phone so I will have get them from there.

Here is what the block looks like after it has been cut apart and re-sewn.  It goes together quickly but I after you cut them you have to be careful to get them sewn together correctly.  I was so afraid of messing up the piece that I would cut one block and then sew it together before I would cut another one.  No chain piecing with that.

It was to big for the design wall.  So the floor had to do.

I did this at my daughters and we had plenty of help.  Kids running across it and the dog coming thru.

I have now the rows sewn together and the boarders on.

The outer boarder has piano keys.  I think they turned out pretty darned good.  So another one to the flimsy stage.  I also have the backing made for this one.

I also finished a quilt that had been a block of the month thru one of the local quilt shops.   Again to the flimsy stage.  I still need to get the back from the shop.

Hmm...those steps are looking very much in need of paint.  Not going to happen this year the rains have already started.

I almost forgot.  I also made a table runner.  I just needed something that I could make quickly.
This picture is before I got the binding on it.  This was a quilt as you go.

I have gone a little crazy lately with my fabric buying......boy is that an understatement.  I have enough new fabric for at least 10 more quilts. Oh dear.  All those new fabrics coming out and the older fabrics going on sale.  And I do so love a sale.

What I did this weekend.  Beside going to a Craft Store Christmas Open house and the birthday party for the 8 years old grandson - was work on adding names to some Christmas Stockings.  Over the years, I have given Stockings to all the grand kids.  Usually by their first Christmas.  Last year I got a big fancy embroidery sewing machine.  So this year my daughter-in-law ask me to add names to the stockings.  She is not a seamstress and had not a clue as to what it would take to go back and add them but I said I would do it so now I am on a time schedule.  I am sure she will want them soon after Thanksgiving and I have procrastinated awhile about starting them.  I hate to rip.  That said I got started this week end and managed to get three of them done.

I think they came out pretty good.

These were the three easy one.  I had to take off the cuff.  Open it up.  Add a shape flex to the cuff.  Load a stabilizer in the hoop.  Baste the open flat cuff onto the stabilizer - after making sure I was putting the name in the right spot.  That meant getting them centered, and on the correct side going the correct direction.  That all took longer than the stitch out.

One of the three remaining is on a fabric that I will most likely not be able to baste into the hoop.  I will have to attach it to the stabilizer with a spray adhesive, hope it does not move.
Most of the name are five to six letters, except my son,  he has eight, that I am going to have to figure out if it will fit with the same font size.

I have used the embroidery part of my sewing machine for designs that I have imported this is the first time I have branched out and done something that was not preloaded.

UFO for August

I have several UFO's in my sewing room and I got to work on a couple of them this month.  I started this one last November, but then I decided that I needed to change the floor in my sewing room and for several months everything else got put on hold.  I have worked a several others in the meantime and finally got back to this one this month.

The fabric is Moda Blitzen by Basic Grey. I bought this fabric last year in Bend when I visited a fabric store after The Sisters Quilt Show.  I really like this Christmas fabric.  I actually finished this a couple of weeks ago but kept forgetting to ask someone to hold it up so I could take a picture.  I still need to get a back made for it but I have the fabric already.

The next project that I plan on completing this month is partially sewn and some is on the design wall.

It you look close you will see that this is also made out of the Blitzen fabric.  I had a jelly roll that I used to make these blocks I have completed 10 block and have 10 more to make.  I have more of the blitzen for the sashing and borders.

This is actually the third quilt made out of this fabric.  I made a buzz saw quilt out of a layer cake.  It is with my daughter to be quilted.    I must remember to take a photo to post of it.

I still have a charm pack of this fabric and a bunch of scraps so looks like I will be making at least one more project with the Blitzen.

I have a goal to finish 13 UFO's this year but I have not progressed very far with them.  I was attempting to remember what else I had completed this year and I finally remembered that I put together a quilt top from 2004 but I did not take a picture of it before I took it to my daughter.
I have also gotten binding on about 4 quilts this year.  Andrea had wanted to slow down my sewing so she have quilted a bunch of my quilts in January.  Although I think she still has a bunch of my quilts to do.
I also completed a log cabin quilt that I had started last year.  It also needs a picture taken, but at least it is already quilted....I will need someone to hold it up.  The binding is sewn on one side but not sewn down on the back. - found a picture of the quilting.  This was taken while it was still on the machine.  It turned out beautiful.

I have finished a gift for a friend in June.  I did a patriotic table runner for her.   I had trouble getting a good picture.  It was still pretty rainy here in June so the light was not good.

I gave this to her for her birthday which is July 3rd.

My daughter also asked me this spring to make a wall hanging for her quilting room.

Cruel me  - told her she had to quilt it herself.  This was made with a mini charm pack.

But what has kept me super busy is trying to get my embroidery blocks done for a Hoop Sisters Feathered Star.  I am not anywhere near getting it done.
I have also been working on a block of the month.  I picked up the last block patterns last week and just need to get the two blocks sewn.  Next month we get the completion instructions.  I have some of the sashing already together but also need to finish that.  Good grief.  I need to get busy.

Finishing projects

I wish that I could say that I had really finished a project today, however what I really did today was baby sit for my daughter so the she could sew together a quilt top.  She took a class today from Violet Craft at Quilter's Delight. She complete Violet's new herringing bone pattern quilt.  The pattern just came out at quilt market.  My daughters quilt is beautiful! You can see it on Violets instagram site. If I knew how to link it I would however I am not a follower.  Guess I better figure out how to do that.

Well after much procrastination I finally sync'd my phone so I could add a photo of my daughters quilt top.  She has since quilted it.

I did get a chance to sew for a bit before the grandchildren arrived this morning.  But once both sets got here sewing was out of the question.  I had a scare that I had messed up my machine when I broke a needle.  I never did find a portion of the needle.  When I attempted to continue sewing the machine sounded funny.  Luckily I discovered that I had not rethreaded the bobbin.  Whee that was close.  I love my little machine.  I find that even though I bought a new big embroidery machine I go back to my old machine for sewing.

I have been watching some Craftsy classes and working on a quilt from the class.  I have made some progress but since I also signed up for two - yes two blocks of the month I have been busy working on one of them a lot.

Well lets see if I can save this thing...and publish it...