Monday, November 18, 2013

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.

4 comments:

  1. My goodness, Nancy, you have been a busy little bee! Your flimsies are all wonderful. Will you hand-quilt or machine quilt? Do them yourself or have them done? Love the stockings. What we do for our daughters, huh?

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    1. I have a daughter who has a long arm machine and quilts for me. She is way behind on getting my stuff done but she is attempting to change that. Soon I will be buried in quilts needing binding. It is the perfect time of year for that. I plan on doing some small quilts on one of my home machines. My big one has a rather large throat area. I just need more practice. Straight line I am OK at but I want to do more free motion.
      Yes, we do a lot for the kids and now the grand kids. Yesterday, I got a call from one of the grandsons asking if he could come over and could I pick him up. It is 35 minutes one way but of course I headed out. I later found out he and his brothers had been fighting big time and they needed space. He did have to help with house work and then I taught him how to hand embroider. I let him draw is own design, copy it to the fabric and taught him the outline stitch.
      Not much of my own sewing going on right now as I prepare for Thanksgiving but I am hoping to get the other three stockings done today.

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  2. That quilt with the black background is going to be gorgeous!

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    Replies
    1. Now I just have to get the back made and get it to my daughter to quilt.

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