Progress report!!!

Boy - the gym sure cuts into my morning time!!!  I do have to say that the more I go, the more I like it and our Team Fitness group is becoming VERY NOISY, but I love it. I was talking to someone last night whose friend has decided to leave the gym for various reasons. I equate the gym with a quilting guild. If you DO NOT participate - you will HATE it and not go. If you DO NOT talk to other people - you will HATE it and not go. And who is going to make those things happen??????   Certainly NOT the guild, and not the gym. That has to come from within!!!!!   Everyone is certainly getting more chatty with each other and it is great!!!!


I have been wanting to post a progress report for weeks, but there just seemed to be so much other stuff to chat about. Today is the day - we are having a progress report on some of the stuff I have been doing.

Let's start with Easy Street - the Bonnie Hunter mystery that happened at Christmas time.

I got all the piecing done for Clue 4 - flying geese - I am SICK of flying geese

Ooops - there are TWO triangles left over - does that mean I cut two too many or short one of the orange????   After a count - I did not cut enough orange. Dug out the orange, and made ONE more flying geese. 

Got my squares cut - didn't have enough DEEP purples so had to throw in some lighter ones. DRAT - not convinced that I like that, but I will see. 

All the pieces so far - after Clue Four

Clue Five was already cut and prepped and ready for sewing.  Now - I could have  made better or quicker progress on this, but I sewed it as enders and leaders, NOT as a project. Hence the slower progress. 

While I am trying to NOT start anything new - this was on the 2013 shelf.  For one of the upcoming quilt shows, we need to make something from precuts (and adding extra for the borders). I have had these for a while and decided to use them to make something. Not quite sure what yet, but I now have them laid out and started sewing this morning. I know - I am going to let it happen as it happens. No planning. 

Call me frugal - call me cheap. These pieces were leftovers after I cut the scalloped border from the Brampton raffle quilt. What to do with them????  I know - YOU would have thrown them out. I just couldn't, so I ripped them apart and they are filed in their respective spots!!!!

The batting will makes nice pads for cleaning the long arm and the fabric went in the scrap bins. And NOW that job is done and not sitting around any more. Like I have said before, at this point, I don't really care what I sew or rip or whatever, as long as I am doing something. And I currently seem to be getting a kick out of the cleaning up/tidying up rather than using the new stuff. KEEP CALM and TIDY ON!!!!!!!!!!

Then it was back to that red/white raffle quilt for Halton Hills. I HAVE to get this off the wall. So...........

You see the problem - there are a LOT of pieces in each block and a lot of prep - marking, trimming and then finally sewing the blocks together

There was also one block on the wall that was missing a white wing. I was hoping I would find it by the time I got to the end of the blocks, but NOPE - I was in fact short TWO wings, so cutting ONE square fixed both problems. I so hate to waste. I KNOW - I KNOW - I am pathetic, I am obsessive. Yep - I admit it and stupid little things like make me happy. So sad!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So what happens when you get the quilt to this state?????   

Well you suck it up and get the LAST block done. All the blocks are now done. Just have to rearrange the blocks - maybe try moving some of the lights and darks around?????   I might just say - SCREW that and sew it together as is. 

Then I took the leftovers and had to make MANY joins for the binding

See all those little cutoffs

But the binding is DONE. I just hope I have made enough. I am sure there is, but it was hard to tell because it is VERY scrappy. 

On the weekend, I taught the first class in the Christmas Club at Cockadoodle. The class goes for the entire year and we are going to make the above quilt. It is gorgeous and going to be a challenge with all the raw edge applique. It is called Bringing Home the Tree by Seams Like Home. 

Just before I left for class, I realized that those two blocks on the bottom had similar fabric, so when I got home, I had to take them out and reverse them. 

And VOILA - there is the background for my applique!!!!!!!!!!!!!

If anyone is interested in taking this class - the group is pretty WILD, but we have loads of fun and there is still a couple of spots open. Call Cockadoodle and sign up - it is NOT too late.

Had our monthly class for Stonehenge last week at Ruti's and my goal was to get all the blocks (as many as I could) sewn together. We have six more blocks to sew. And the best part - when I got to the last row - it was already sewn together!!!!!

Stonehenge - all folded, labeled and ready for the next blocks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

One of my things for this year is to get more "cultured" - whatever that means!!!!!!!!    Anyway - Judy and I took a little trip out to my FAVOURITE gallery - Joshua Creek Art Center to see the latest exhibit. Watercolour and inks by Mercedes Horne. I LOVED the exhibit. Hard to take pictures because everything was under glass. You should go - it is a great facility and a great show.

Watercolour and ink by Mercedes Horne

Detail of the inking on another piece

We spoke to one of the assistants and they have great things planned for that gallery. Last night was some sort of a drumming session. Congo drums or something. I would have loved to have gone, but I already had a commitment. Maybe next session. I just wanted to go and listen and be part of that.


Well - there you have it. My crazy day and while I should be quilting today, I am going to hit the sewing machine and try to get some more stuff done today. I have sit n sew on Friday and Sunday and I really really want to get some of this stuff cleared up rather than putting it away and dragging it out again next week. Wish me luck!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



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




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