Thursday, October 31, 2013

Patience - it just takes patience.........................


I don't know why, but I LOVE cutting. The process of sorting, pressing and cutting scraps is very calming!!!!!   I could do it all day!!!!

However after a while one must get to work and sew up some of what has been cut!!!   I used to cut pretty much all day Monday when we were still at the Hobby Horse. I have no idea what I cut!  Well - I guess all those half sewn projects!

Anyway - got to Julia's and got set up and then  READY, SET, SEW........................  (I went to Julia's house and ANOTHER Julia joined us!)

The GUEST Julia was working on this bargello quilt. It is gorgeous. She had purchased a kit. This piece above is what she has sewn together so far. She spent the day working on sewing the strip sets together. I think there were 70 or 80 strips to sew together. She was up in the 60s by the end of the day. Now she will have a LOT of cutting to do before she is ready to sew again!!!!
This is a quilt that (host) Julia made. It is beautiful!!!!

Host Julia was working on aprons for an upcoming craft sale. They are so much fun - adjustable strap at the neck, a big pocket in the front (that is fussy cut to match the print) and LOTS of extra fabric to wrap around our ample butts!!!!!    They are beautiful and fun. Makes a good gift. If anyone is interested, let me know and I'll pass on her contact info. 


I got busy sewing up my scraps.  By the end of the day - this is what I had accomplished.


Pretty impressive. FORTY FOUR blocks!!!!!!!!!!!!   I thought I had cut lots of fabric pieces and I had, but I was still short mostly of the dark. So it was time to come home. 


Of course, I had to run them down and put them on the wall to see what it looks like.


BEFORE (this is what I had already done before I went to Julia's)

After - ALL the blocks that I have done now. Oh yes - I am making it big - you know me - go BIG or go HOME!!!!


I had several choices - I could dig out those bags of 1 1/2" strips which is the easy solution OR I could dig through the existing scrap boxes to find stuff.


Who am I kidding???  I went for the easy option!!!!   I dug out the 1 1/2" strip bags and cut. 

And here are my dark strips. 

Now when I finished cutting and put the stuff away, I realized that I need DOUBLE the dark strips because each block takes TWO dark strips.


OH CRAP - pulled out the 1 1/2" strips AGAIN!!!!!!    At least there are getting used up!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



When I got home - I had time on my hands. HA!!!!!   But I wanted to get that cutting mat cleaned up. So I got out my cutter, plugged in the iron and started to sort, press and cut the remainder of those batiks bits. And when I was done - this is what I was left with.....................


TWO boxes of scraps. The one on the left is filled with larger pieces (I decided to NOT cut everything that I could into 2 1/2" squares). The box on the right is too small for 2 1/2" squares. I've got a couple of ideas for that box.  But NOT now. 

A box with all the strips that are less than 2 1/2" wide. YES - I have a plan for this box. 

The bits that went into the garbage

2 1/2" strips. YES - there were quite a few in the box and I decided to NOT cut up everything into squares. 

I decided to add these to my BOX of 2 1/2" batik strips that we had exchanged a number of years ago. I dug out the box and YIKES - IT IS FULL..............


Box of 2 1/2" batik strips 
 BUT I also found a number of patterns that I had stuck in the box that will make great ideas for quilts for these strips. AND..............


I found this tool which should NOT be in the box. It is going back on the shelf!!!!!!!!!!!!


And what did I finally end up with?????????????


I managed to cut 1,086 squares!!!!!!!!!!!!    I have shoved them all into a bag and I will pick out the lighter ones for my class on Saturday and then decide what to do with the ones leftover. 



So I feel very happy that the multi colour scrap box is under control, the two batik boxes are under control. It now means that I have about 5 new quilts on the go. And how the heck did that happen???????   I'll just blame Jackie!!!!!!


However these are the kind of quilts that I like and might as well make what I like and have fun using up those scrap boxes at the same time. (Now there are only 36 more scrap boxes to deal with!!!!)


Well - it is time to get to work so I best go!!


Have a great day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Ciao!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Wednesday, October 30, 2013

Oranges and bikes????


I have come to the conclusion that I NEED to be committed. I CANNOT help myself - I am ADDICTED to quilting. I am ADDICTED to cutting, I am ADDICTED to sewing - I am ADDICTED to scraps. It just happens. It is VERY SAD when your thoughts before you go to bed are "how can I cut up the next box of scraps?"


Before I let myself get immersed in scraps - I did get a quilt quilted. We have to get the priorities done!!!
Community project quilt - DONE - well it is quilted. I still have to trim and add the binding (and I thought it was due for THIS Thursday - NOPE - it is due NEXT Thursday!!!!)

Quilting detail

YES - I am a bit behind in quilting on the machine so I will be making a push to get that done. One a day!!!! Well for most of them!


Then I heard the scraps calling my name and I got pulled in...............  You see - I am taking a workshop on Saturday and I have to get some cutting done. There are THREE choices and I like them all. What to cut?????   I decided to use my batik scrap boxes.......


TWO overflowing scrap boxes of batiks

The pattern calls for 664 (or something like that) 2 1/2" squares. I went to Ruti's and picked up a deep blue batik for the background. So then I started cutting..............

As I was cutting and seeing what was left of the batiks - I started to sort as well and visions of MORE scrap batik quilts came to mind.

At the end of the day - this is what I was left with...............

One overflowing box still to cut and sort

A box of strips - got TWO ideas for quilts from this box

A box of odd shapes  (they are small) - got ONE idea for a quilt from this box

I found some triangles that went into another box with the rest of the big triangles (yes - these will all be put together into another quilt)
And well over the required number of squares. Those piles (except the big one in front) are in 10s. There are six hundred squares cut and laid out. As I was cutting, I was checking for contrast to the background. Then I said - who cares - I will cut EVERYTHING I can into 2 1/2" squares. Then I can make a dark quilt and a light quilt. YES - TWO quilts are better than ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!   OR - I can find another use for the squares, but they will be cut!!!!!!   

My scrap basket at the end of the day.



I was reading Bonnie Hunter's blog yesterday and she was teaching one of MY favorite blocks of hers. Well - I decided it was the perfect quilt for something new. Here is the story............

Our guild has a "challenge" for their outreach program. They have kits and give it to the guild members to make up what they want. This year - the 8 FQs were packaged as a book and I think Vicki made this one for me. The cover was orange and it was filled with brights!!!!!!

Eight FQs doesn't make a big enough quilt for my liking - so I dug into my stash and found 8 more fabrics. Then I cut them last night. 


Now I shouldn't really show this - I don't want anyone copying me!!!!!   But I am so excited, I can't help myself.


Here is my block - I LOVE THIS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Here is the link to the blog where Bonnie has pictures of a guild making this quilt.


Scrappy Tripping


And if you do a search through her free patterns - you will find it - it is called Scrappy Trips. Just click on the name to go to the tutorial.


Got a PLAY (SEW) day scheduled today with Julia. I've got two projects in my bag - all cut and ready to sew!!!!!!!!!!!1    Can't wait!!!!



But while I was getting ready for bed last night, I thought about this box with border prints in it!!!!!

Oh yeah - I have a couple of ideas on what to do with this.


Box of border prints

While I was searching for the fabric to add to the Scrappy Trip quilt - I found a couple of fabrics that I really don't like. And I put them back on the shelf. THEN I had a light bulb moment. Why not separate those from the "good" stash and cut them into scraps?????   I will use them in a heartbeat as strips, but NEVER as yardage!!!!   DUH!!!!!

So..........................


I grabbed a couple and threw them into this laundry basket - when I have a few minutes - I will cut them and future UGLY fabric that I come across in my stash -  - OFF WITH ITS HEAD (well - I mean cut it up into strips!!!!)   


As you can see - I am hopelessly addicted to this scrap business. It is like solving a puzzle, it is exciting to see what you can make from stuff that no one wants. While I do enjoy making NEW stuff, this is what gets me excited!!!!!!!!!!!   And YES - I know that I need to be working on what I love. And there are a LOT of UGLY fabrics in that stash!!!   Stuff that I bought because it was on sale or I thought I liked it!!!   Don't worry - I won't go crazy - just when I see something I don't like - I will set it aside, but I won't actively search them out. Oh please - DO NOT let me search them out. I might have to put a big sign on the door to prevent from doing that!!!!!!


Remember when I posted this bar code fabric that I had to have. Well so did someone else !!!!   And since they only needed a small piece - they traded me bar code fabric for bike fabric!!!!

Bar code fabric
New bike fabric - fair trade!!!!!    Thanks Mary!!!!

Found this at the CreativFestival - had to get it. It is only a FQ - no need to panic!!!!!


Beautiful curly bows!!!!!   Orange of course. Hmmm - I could almost make a wig out of those. OK - I'm kidding!!!!!!!!!!!

And Linda was sewing at my house a week ago and she borrowed one of my sewing machine feet. Inadvertently she took the foot home. So to NOT forget the foot when she saw me at the CreativFestival, she tied it to this sparkly orange ribbon and put it around her neck!!!!   I LOVE IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I tell you - it pays to have a FAVOURITE THING you collect and a favourite colour!!!!!    Makes life more interesting to say the least!!!!!!!!!


It is post card exchange time and I received TWO of them this week.


Postcard Number One

Postcard Number Two


I should get working on mine - OK - even though I have something else planned - I should try to work some scraps into the mix.


On that note - it is time to head out for my play date!!!!  


Have a great day!!!!!!!!!!!!!



Ciao!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Tuesday, October 29, 2013

SCRAP HAPPY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


I made it!!!!!!!!!!!   Five incredibly full days and I survived!!!!   And pretty much intact despite this cold TRYING to take over, BUT my immune system must be in pretty good shape because other than a bit of early morning "clear the head stuff", I am doing not bad. I must must must get my sleep or I will be toast!!!


Even though yesterday was a busy day - it was for me and I got to sit down. That was a welcome change.

Yesterday may not have been the most productive day, but I got things finished and for that I am EXTREMELY happy.


Label sewn on a quilt - that one is DONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Another label on another quilt - DONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I have to search for one date and then I can print off a few more labels and get those quilts ready to take to Monday. That pile is slowly decreasing. Yeah!!!!!!!!!!!!  You see some of the quilts have the information on a piece of paper attached to them, sometimes the label is already made, but not stitched down and other times - there is NOTHING on the quilt.

The other day, I was trying to make up a batch of labels (got to keep ahead of myself and not be running around at the last minute to get things done - Oh I try - you don't know how hard I try!!!). So I am trying to make a label for this quilt....................


It is a teeny tiny quilt. I started by digging out the pattern (you see there are pillow shams to go with it and I have EVERY intention of making them). Anyway, found the box with my miniature quilts stuff and there was a photocopy of the pattern. It was from Issue #38 of Miniature Quilts. No date on the photocopy so I went to the actual magazine and it is dated November 1998. Sine I started to quilt in October 1998, I seriously doubt that I made that quilt right then!!!!


I remember sewing the binding on as we were hanging one of the Brampton Quilt Shows. Hmmmm - which one?????   Thanks to Bernice (who is the convenor and had all the programs) - she searched and found the show that this quilt was in. Can you guess the date???????



OH MY GOD - it was 2001!!!!!!!!    Bernice was happy that I wasn't rushing things!!!!   But twelve years without a label???   Well - it will have one now!!!   Thanks Bernice for looking up that information for me. I am sure there will be one or two others.


BUT THE MOST IMPORTANT THING FROM YESTERDAY was this................



This is BLOCK EIGHT from the gingerbread quilt. Finally - it has been - well it has been a number of years. I finally got all the circles stitched down yesterday and then I was going do some embroidery!  BUT - when I looked through my black handwork box - NO HOOP!!!!   And I don't stitch without a hoop. OH CRAP!!!!!!!!!!!!  BUT there is LOADS of prepped work in that black box - so I just whipped out this and got it finished. 


The center swirl was a pain to stitch and it looks a bit off on the red side - but I DON'T CARE - well I do care - I am very happy that this block is DONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Pat loaned me her version of the gingerbread quilt. She used FOUR small blocks, not 14 like the pattern calls for. This is a nice setting, but not the one that I want to do. 

Close up of the border. Apparently I gave her the idea to do the flying geese border!!!!    I better check the date on the label of Pat's quilt so I can get an idea when I started this!!!!


When Pat dropped off her quilt the other day, she also brought me a present. Here are the TEN little blocks that she did not use.


TEN little blocks from the original quilt. 


I think I need THIRTY-TWO little blocks. When I finish making mine - I will have 14 plus Pat's 10 - that makes 24. I will still have another eight to make. No big deal!!!!   I am going to make all the big blocks at the same time and then - if I can't find someone to pass them onto - (they ONLY get passed on if that person is actively working on this quilt!!!!!!!!!!! - do you hear that Rose and Flo?????    First come, first serve on those!!!!!!!)

If I don't end up passing them on - I saw a gorgeous quilt at the CreativFestival that would be perfect for them.


I just have to say - DAMN that Jackie!!!!!!!!!!!!   You see - she started us off on a scrap quilt thing. Each month we get ONE pattern for a scrap quilt. And you know I was hard at work cutting through my strips and getting those various sizes organized.

Here are the TWO bags of UGLY fabric strips - 1 1/2"


Well - this is what I have so far and just no time to get the entire top done.


My version of scrappy "Not Just Any Rail Fence" by Jackie Syer

Of course - Anne had her top COMPLETED at the guild meeting last night. She would have had it quilted but she did not get the backing and batting as she had planned.



Well - we got a NEW pattern last night and I may just have to dig out those scraps again. I mean - there is lots and I can always cut more for the log cabin if I have to. No shortage of stuff to cut if it comes to that.

AND I am taking a workshop with Jackie on Saturday and I really LOVE  TWO of the THREE quilts available. SO..............................     I have a LOT of cutting to do between now and then. BUT I do not look at this as starting a new project - I look at this as getting rid of the scraps. You saw those boxes the other day and they are over flowing. I have already dug out TWO boxes of the same fabric type (you'll see tomorrow) and I will start cutting and see how far I get. Then I must choose a different scrap colour/style for the second quilt and if I am still feeling perky - I will find something for the third quilt. Those scraps HAVE to be used up!!!!!!!!!!!!!

On that note - I am late this morning, and now I have a LOT of quilting and paperwork to catch up on.


Have a great day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Ciao!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Monday, October 28, 2013

It's all about the BIKE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Whew - ONE more day to go!!!!!   I'm sick, but NOT noticeably sick!!!!  Let's hope that it starts to clear up and not get worse!!!

We were finished at the CreativFestival by 8 PM. Yeah!  It wasn't as bad as I had envisioned so that made it a bit better!!  I hardly got out of the booth to spend money so that was a good thing, HOWEVER, M came down to attend one seminar and "oh Mom - I found the most amazing thing". So armed with MY camera and MY credit card, my child enjoyed the show!!!!   Actually she didn't do too bad - she did clear the expenses before she bought (at least I think she cleared everything!!!!!)

I picked up a couple of patterns - very cute patterns. I'll show you later.

I am HAPPY to report that I got the first set of instructions done for the mystery quilt that I am designing. Whew - that first set is always the hardest as you get fabric samples, format and style organized. Making up the next couple of sets shouldn't be that big of a deal, BUT I must do it now so then I could have the rest of the year to slack off in that department!!!!!!!!!!!

The big quilt show is on in Houston and someone sent me this picture of a quilt displayed there.................

Bicycle quilt (I found it on the ladies blog - obviously this wasn't taken at the show)


Blog from the bike quilt


This is the original pattern................






And just so you know that I am not the only one that gets ALL THINGS BIKES!!!!!!!!!!!, The other night, I was at the Annual General Meeting for Tour du Canada (the organization that I have taken my bike vacations with). Anyway - look at what I saw on the counter.................  (I think Margo would have frowned had I scooped her tea cozy!!!)   (YES - I have scads of bicycle fabric - I can easily make one)


Tea cup and tea cozy (which was a bought item - it had a contents label on it - I checked!!!!)


Managed to get a FEW things put away this morning. I did NOT go to spin class. Let's not push the envelope here. Besides I think I got lots of exercise last evening as we huffed many boxes and many dolly loads of stuff.

Off to Monday Motivators today. (HEY - I get to SIT all day!!!!!!!!!!!!!)


Have a great day!!!!!!!!!!!!1

Ciao!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!