Goals for 2016

It's the last day of 2015.  Wow - how did that happen?

As I have been mentioning - this coming year is the year to get this mess that I have created under control.   I doubt all the UFOs will ever get completed in my lifetime - who am I kidding?  Of course - they will never all get done, but there are projects that have been sitting here that have been promised to PEOPLE and the projects are still waiting (years later in some cases). That is just not acceptable and those deadlines have been hanging over my head long enough.

Imagine the freedom to enter the studio and say "hmmmm - I can start something new - guilt free and it's for me!"  That would be like winning the lottery!  Just imagine!

Before I get into my goals for this year - here's a recap of my progress on the weekly goal list.  By the way - I'm loving that list - the key is to not overload it!!!   It's about prioritizing, and scheduling according to TIME I have available  (not what I want to get done).

Weekly goal list

Remember this tote bag that I made for QUILTSocial this past summer???  Yes - I made it while I was on vacation in PEI for the month of June.  Obviously my inspiration came from the beach where I went for daily walks with the girls  (my two doggies). If you want to make your own bag - check out the tutorial here.

Beach tote

Well - I remade the bag this week.  Have a look - isn't it gorgeous.

Tote - what happened to the color????

 AHA - so you know how I hate technology - well this is one of those occasions where I love technology.  You see by making this tote in grey, it can be photographed and then I can choose ANY fabric that I want to "remake" the bag!!!!!     OK - so it isn't me who will be doing that - mapping software is a bit tricky.  I'm leaving that for one of our graphic designers at work (yes - I work for Northcott - so any fabric will be NORTHCOTT fabric).  The plan is to take that tutorial and rewrite it as a pattern and it will be available as a free download sometime soon.

Anyway - it was a pleasure to CHECK off that grey tote bag from my weekly goal list!!!!


Next up was to get a customer quilt done.  It is now trimmed and ready for pickup. CHECK!!!!!!

Customer quilt done!

 Next up was designing a couple of quilts.  Both of these are bit tricky - not just the normal - throw some sashing between the blocks.  For one of them - I actually cut circles out of paper and put on the design wall. That is scrap paper that you see - don't go reading a whole lot into that pink quilt!

I'm not sure that this is my final design, but at least the ball got rolling with the design.  According to my list - the design must be solidified by the end of this week so I can start sewing next week.

Design of a quilt - in real - not on the computer

I have a second quilt for a customer that needs to be designed this week.  This is fabric from a long dress.  It is wool and very scratchy so it isn't going to make a nice quilt, but I'll put flannel on the back so it will be nice on that side.   I have the design somewhat laid out in EQ7, but needed to get a visual on what material I have to work with.  I took close-up pix of the fabric and will slice and dice and make a virtual quilt out of this one before I start to cut the real fabric.

Three pieces of a long dress to make a quilt

So you see that I'm making progress with my new system - OK - so it's only the first week, but you have to think positive.

Here is my plan.

I have made six different lists.
1. Charity quilts (these usually are for guilds, but there are some that our Monday group was working on).  These only need to be quilted and I can bind them (by machine or get someone to do it by hand)
2. Complete quilts to be made (from scratch) for customers
3. Quilts that need to be done for others (as gifts)
4. Customer quilts to be quilted
5. My quilts that I want to finish this year
6. Quilts/items to be made for work


I have decided that I am going to put these in a book. I found a nice little notebook and a Sharpie pen (ball point pens just don't work for me).   My vision is that a few items will be added to each of the categories over the coming year.  Not many, but a few - probably Number 6 will get the most added to it.

I'm going to have fun with my book -   I also found a duplicate book of POSITIVE sayings and I'm going to add sayings on the pages to keep me focused. Yep - I'm going to cut up that book and glue those sayings in!!!!!

My notebook and my inspiration for 2016!

I also dug out this book which I used in 2012 and 2014 to list projects that I completed!!!!    Seems like it gets used every second year!  But what fun to go back and see what has been accomplished in a year.  Very inspiring!!!!   I guess technically, I could put everything in one book and then have ONE book for the entire year.  I will have to see about that as I need 52 pages for each set of weekly goals.  I'll count the pages and see how many I have. Don't forget I need my 6 lists in that book as well.

Book of finished projects

The plan is that on Saturday evening  (I have a recurring appointment with myself set up in my phone), I will review the six lists (which MUST be kept current or the entire system falls apart).  I will select the priorities based on my schedule, timing of the quilt, etc and based on that - I will make up my GOAL list for the week.  I will keep that goal list in the SAME little book as the lists.  The goals for the week will no doubt be less than 10.  This has to have some very serious thought - no way can I make or do 50 things in a week.  It make take a bit of give and take to get this organized!  If it doesn't get done that week - I guess it will get carried over to the next week and if too many things are carried over - I am scheduling too many things or too big of things to get done.

When I'm looking for something to do - I will check the goal list for that week.  In theory this should work.  It is just a question of PRIORITIZING.

I have to say that I feel great.  I feel like a HUGE weight has been taken off my shoulders by having this plan. Yes - there are going to be people who try to throw me off - I don't have a problem taking on new work.  It will get added to the bottom of the appropriate list  - don't worry - the quilting customer quilts is currently the SHORTEST list and since that is a profitable venture - that list and the quilts being made from scratch - they get FIRST PRIORITY!!!!   Well maybe quilts for work as well.

I am contemplating making one more list and that is items that need borders/backings or bindings.  I think I will as I have a huge pile of quilts that just need one or the other or all three things and seriously - how long would that take to do????  A couple of years ago (2012) - I did one a week from January to August (and then I didn't write them down or I didn't do any more)  and I bet none of them are quilted!!!!


Notice - there is nothing about cleaning/sorting/organizing.   There is no time for that and it will just get messy anyway.  I have to get things DONE so that is where I am going to put my focus.  Now - I will continue to put things away as most things have a home in my studio.  That is an ongoing thing so doesn't need to be the focus of daily goals.


How about you??????   What do you have planned for 2016?????   I'm going to be participating in a LINKY with others that are writing their goals for 2016 and I have several friends on Facebook who are in the same boat as me.  Quilting is their career and so we are going to help each other to meet and shall I say exceed those goals?????  


Wish me luck - it's going to be a fun fun year and I can't wait to get started!!!!   I'm already itching to write my goal list for next week, but NO - I'm not going to start in the event that something else more urgent requires my attention between now and Saturday.   I can't wait to make that happen.


Have an awesome day!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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

My to do list

Oh oh - the wonders of technology..  I had a post all typed out and ready to go.    And then something was wrong with the post - it wouldn't save.  I knew that - the system told me that and INSTEAD of copying all the text and then hitting RELOAD - I just hit reload and POOF - it was all gone.

Part of what I talked about was decreasing stress levels - eliminating technology from my life is going to be the only way to reduce my stress levels.   I'll fill you in on that stuff another day.

Today - I'm going to share with you the quilt that I made this week.  It was on my list of 12 goal items for the week. How am I going with the list?   Well - I now have TWO of TWELVE items done - I still have until Saturday at 8 PM to get the other 10 done.  Some of them are very fun - like designing quilts!!!!

Here's my clip board with the GOAL list for this week

I'm thinking it might be fun to keep track of all my goals over the year and I have MANY journal/notebooks - perhaps I can recreate my lists in a notebook and then each week - write a new weekly goal list in the notebook.  Would be a good keepsake for the year.

The other thing that I forgot to include in my list making was a list of MY quilts that I would like to get done this year. In the past, I have set aside projects and put them on a shelf - next day - they are forgotten as I look at the stuff on the cutting table or wherever.

So I am going to add a list to my clipboard/notebook - MY quilts to be completed this year.

All of you need to figure out some way to keep track/make goals for this year.  I am very tired of this mess, I'm tired of not seeming to make headway and I want the stress levels and frustrations to go away or at least be greatly reduced.

I'll be working on that over the next couple of days.   My first hurdle is going to be "defacing" a new journal with my chicken scratch of hand writing.  I need to get over that hurdle and once that happens - I am sure the flood gates will open and I can start to use my journals.  For goodness sake - I bought them to use - why am I not using them??????


OK - so let's look at the GOAL list - what's been done???   The two customer quilts are done and gone  - I don't think I posted pictures of them?  or maybe I did.

I have also made and quilted a quilt.  Here's the scoop on that.

A while back - OK - a LONG while back, someone (OK - Ronda) gave me a kit that she had purchased and didn't want to make. I think technically she was trying to sell the kit, but well - I just hung onto it.  I decided that I would make the kit for her.  

Now why didn't she want to make it?????   Could it have been the mess that happens when you cut fireside fleece????

Fireside fleece is a mess to cut

Could it have been the mess to sew the fleece????

Linty stuff from the fleece all over the floor

Could it have been the nastry stretchy seams that she didn't want to touch?????

I serged all the seams

I bet it was all of the above!!!!!   Love the end result, but boy what a mess to deal with!!!!!

But between my kitchen scrub brush and the vaccum, the studio is more or less cleaned up.

Cleaning up the cutting mat

And there is the finished quilt top!!!!

Quilt top from fireside fleece

 There were leftovers once I got the top together.  Hmmm - what to do with them?????

Leftovers from cutting the quilt top

 Thre were 16 squares and so technically - I could have made the quilt a smidgen longer (more on that in a moment), but I decided to cut up the remainder of the pieces and this is what I got. Hmmm - it could be a rug or a dog bed.

Leftovers from the quilt top!!!

Actually - I could take it apart right in the middle and make a nice dog bed from it.  I'll see how the girls like it - otherwise - it becomes a rug.


Once that top was done - it was whipped onto the long arm.   I love having the freedom to finish a top and whisk it right onto the long arm for quilting.  That does happen from time to time, but not often enough!!!!

Starting the quilting process

Now I knew there was going to be a problem, but there was NOTHING I could do about it until it happened.  Yep - the backing wasn't long enough!!!!

Backing is too short for the quilt

 And I didn't waste much at the top - heck - you need an inch or so at the top to hold the quilt to the long arm.

Nothing was wasted on the top

To all quilt shop owners/workers - if you are cutting backings of plush/fleece or minky - please ensure that there is about 6 inches MORE than the length of the planned quilt top.  So if quilt top is supposed to be 72 - cut the backing 78.  If I were basting and quilting this in a regular way - it wouldn't be such a problem, but on the long arm - there is a slight bit of stretch to the way the backings get loaded and it is frustrating to have a backing that is a mere two inches longer than the top. It just won't work.

Trust me - I would have gladly paid another $5 for a couple more inches than to spend an hour fixing this problem.


 So I had to unload the quilt from the long arm.  I trimmed off one side of the backing from where I had already quilted.  Then I added that trimmed off strip to the bottom of the quilt.  I used the serger.

Serging the cut off strip to the bottom of the backing

 And then without changing any tension on the serger (there aren't even dials to change the tension) - I serged the bottom of a pillow case to make a pet mat.   I love my enlighten Baby Lock serger.  It was worth EVERY PENNY (make that EVERY NICKEL) that I spend on it and I would buy the same serger in a heart beat.  Threads like a charm,   no issue with tension EVER.  It just doesn't get any easier than that.

Serging pillow cases for pet mats

 Then back to the long arm where the quilt was reloaded onto the machine and now the backing is long enough.

Backing is now long enough

 When I trimmed the side - I had to make sure that I left some part of the backing on the edge where I had not quilted yet so I could clamp the backing.  You see where an extra 4 inches of backing would have saved a LOT of hassle.

Leave enough on the edge to reclamp the unquilted part

 When I took the quilt off the long arm - I marked the positiong of the various pieces and I didn't do too badly getting it back in place.   See that red dot - it is supposed to be in the center of that hump created by the red dashed line.  Not bad!!!   A quick twist of the laser and everything was lined up and and I could finish the quilt.

Not bad at getting it realigned

 And at last the quilt was done!!!!

Quilt is quilted!!!!!

I didn't put on my goal list to trim and put the binding on - so I am going to keep that for next week.


I'm part way through a couple more goals on that list so I had better get myself organized and get that done - the clock is ticking.  So far I am liking the list (it's been three days!) But I just have to look at that list to see what the priorities are.  No more having to rely on my memory or picking up the first thing I see.  AND I set the priorities for the week ahead.  I get to see what is due, and it's a way to tell people - not this week - I'm already booked up!!

Could it be that I have finally found a system that will work for me????????

Stay tuned for that!!!

On that note - I'm out of here.


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



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

Tiny Town show n tell - the FINAL quilts

All I can say is that the internet is HUGE.   Let me restate that - the internet is HUGE.


Every time I think I have things under control - I don't.  Not even close.  I look at so many blogs and all their lovely designed and quilted quilts. There are contests and sew alongs and blog hops and - well following these links could become a FULL TIME job.  And then how would anyone get anything done!!!!   I follow in moderation and I thank all of you who follow me!

Before I get into the show n tell for today - I have to confess about a situation at work.  I thought I was doomed. You see, I have TWO monitors on my desk.  Well my laptop and another monitor.  When I first started to work there, I had a bit of trouble getting used to that second monitor.  My mouse was going all over the place, but NOT onto that second monitor.   OK - so I got that figured out.  Then when I would disconnect the laptop and then connect it back up - the second monitor was gone.  Now I really missed the darn thing.  Anyway - with the help of Jennifer, I got the laptop to recognize the second monitor and now I knew how to set up the two monitors for future.

Then a while back, after one of my unplugging episodes, the color in the monitor went weird.  Everything was bright PINK!!!!  I ignored that for a long time and didn't use the second moniter even though I missed it.  Finally one day - I decided to try and figure it out.  I managed to change the color to a blue tone, but still not WHITE!

Yesterday - it was very quiet in the office and Brian walks by and asks why I am not using the second monitor.  Crap - busted - I had to confess my technological woes and that the color wasn't right.  By this time - I couldn't even get a display on that monitor.    OK - I'm going to get this fixed if it kills me.

  For some IDIOTIC reason - I changed the external monitor to become my main screen and then I pulled the image from the laptop over to that monitor.  Except that I couldn't get the image to appear on the monitor.  So basically I'm sitting there with a dead laptop!!!!   Yep - there is an image, but I can't see it!!!!   Oh GOD - he is going to think I'm an idiot for sure.   In desperation, I fiddle with the cables - OK - loose cable.  Got that tightened up and then played with the settings on the computer.   Phew!!!!!!  

So I am back to using the two monitors, although the color of the external one is very weird.  I will try to fix that later this week!!!!!   But I managed to scrap out of that situation MYSELF!


OK - so here's the show n tell.


Let's see how I do on the names today.   Just in case you are thinking I might be getting Alzheimer's and forgetting things - part of the problem is on this particular class day - I have about 45 students in total.  At least half of them are new to me and even though I have seen some of them all year - it is for an hour max and it isn't the kind of setting where I can get to know everyone's names.  I'm lucky if I can get 3 or 4 new names under my belt each session.   So bear with me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Remember the original pattern from yesterday????    This class was taught at Sew Sisters.

Tiny Town by Bunny Hill

First up is Suzie's.  She got the top together - oooops - forgot the tulip in the top left corner.   But I think she is forgiven because not only did she work on Tiny Town, but Suzie did Amish with a Twist II as well. She is still deciding on what borders to put on the quilt.

Suzie

This next one is Beth's.  It's so fun and very whimsical with all those bright colors.  Can you see my house????  She is still deciding on some border/sashing options.  And very interesting that she used some busy backgrounds but solids for some of the houses.  Yes - any combination works!!!!

Beth

 I think at this point, I stated (and they made me say it several times!) that I am going to use BUSY prints for the background of our next project.  ACK!!!!!   Now it is public knowledge - and well - I must do it.  I'll be showing you the next project and my fabric choices in a bit.   Not today.

Here is a very soft version of Tiny Town.  That inner border really makes things pop!

Belle

 So I'm going to be honest.  I know this lady - I can see her face but do you think I learned her name.  I'm disappointed to say no.  I even know her friend and her friend's name.  ACK!!!!   Anyway - this person was very busy making some cross stitch items for her boss  ( I hope she got a HUGE bonus for doing that!!)  So she wasn't quite finished, but the applique on this one is exquisite!!!!

Exquisite hand applique on this version of Tiny Town

 We needed to put sun glasses on for Lynn's quilt.  Wow - that turquoise and orange combo is awesome!!!!!  It is hard to see in the picture, but the border print that she found is perfect!!!!!   It is bright!!!!  As you guessed - I just love it.

Don't get me wrong - I do admire the other softer versions - they are equally beautiful, but these bright ones get my heart racing!

Lynn's version of Tiny town

 And then there is Karen!   While this doesn't quite look like Tiny Town, it is.  Let's just say that Karen took a few liberties to make the quilt her own.  First off she did a reverse machine applique and well - I think the techniques evolved as the year went along.

The borders are ROWS from the Row by Row.  I know - how clever was that.  Let's just say that I've known Karen for several years now and she has participated in these monthly classes for a long time and she never ceases to amaze me at how creative she gets!  Or should I say CRAZY????

Karen's version of Tiny Town

 Here are a few detail pictures of Karen's quilt.  It is the kind of quilt that you would want to look at for a long time and you probably woudn't get to see all the details.

Shoe buttons for Shoe-La-La  (obviously an upscale shoe boutique!)

Fussy cut images for the fire hall  (and I saw some hunky firemen on the quilt!)

The CHIP trucks!

The unfinished quilt at Karen's house no doubt!  Certainly not mine!

Karen and one of her dogs!   That's me (sort of) on the bike!!!!  - You know - it's representational!

Fussy cut moose   (from Northcott!)

You can have so much fun with any pattern.  Stick to the pattern or step out of the box.  Perfect an exisiting technique, learn a new one or combine - the possibilities are endless.  It is your quilt!!!!!  And there are NO quilt police.


There were a few others in this class, but - well they weren't there for the final show n tell or they were and their quilts weren't completed so they didn't bring them.  I always welcome those quilts any time they get finished!!!!

This picture is from the November class when Lucy brought in this star quilt for us to ooh and aah over.

Lucy's star quilt

Wow - there you have it.  Tomorrow I shall try and list all the upcoming classes that I have so you can see if they fit in your schedule.

Have an awesome day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!    (It's a play date for me today!!!)


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

Tiny Town show n tell

The group is going to kill me.  I found a draft blog post of pictures of Tiny Town. This was the second year long class that I taught at Sew Sisters.   I didn't have time to edit the final pictures, but I found these pictures from about two months ago!!!!   Better late than never and at least you get to see some of the detail in these blocks - you can't always see the detail in the finished quilts.  I PROMISE to post them tomorrow. 

Tiny Town by Bunny Hill

This is a fabulous quilt by Bunny Hill which I have wanted to do for a long time. Sadly (but as usual), my quilt isn't anywhere near done!

As we are moving to a new year though I am trying desperately (oh so dramatic!)  to figure out how to make this whole mess work.  So I have devised a system.  How long the system will last - only time will tell.  

But as I mentioned the other day, I have created a list - actually five different lists of quilts that need to be done. Charity quilts that need to be quilted, customer quilts that need to be quilted and so on.  Each list is on a separate piece of paper and those five sheets are firmly attached to a CLIP BOARD.   

Now I don`t think it is enough to just make lists. Although I will say that lists are excellent.  It helps us to face reality.  And the reality of the situation is that my five lists doesn`t even scratch the surface of what`s in that studio.  That's the sad part and I MUST get a handle on this situation if I don't want to end up in a huge mess that someone else has to clean up!

OK - so the lists are made and while I know that I will work on other stuff than what is on those lists, those lists really really need to get done this year.  Some of that stuff has been hanging around for a long time and I want it out of my house. 

So - the second thing I did was set an appointment with myself on Saturday evening.  I picked Saturday because I'm usually home.  It's called SET GOALS for the week.  So on another piece of paper, I created another list.  I perused the five lists and picked out things that I want to get done this week.  And yes - there are a few other small items that went on the GOAL list for the week as well.   The key is to try and not load up that list with so many things that it would be impossible to NOT get all of them done. There are 12 things for this week. 

Yesterday wasn't my most productive day, but I still managed to get a quilt top cut and sewn together.  I'm not going to share it with you yet - it's a gift and when it's done you (and the recipient) can see it. Trust me - it was very simple. 

Now I was left with scraps from that quilt top and I even devised a second project that would use up absolutely everything that was left over.  You'll see what I mean when I show you!!!!

I'm going to leave that clip board with the five lists and the GOALS for the week list that sits on top - it is going to reside on my cutting mat where I can see it every day.  It can't go missing because then I will forget about it and then I'm doomed. 

Oh yes - I was looking at that dining room of mine as well and well - I'm disgusted at the mess.  I'm going to take pictures and get started soon.  Remember that I made that list of 14 things that could clear up a lot of the mess very quickly.  I also found my labeller and so I can now label the folders to go in the filing cabinet.  Yes - I have a filing cabinet but not much in it - it's all piled around!!!!!   I even had a peek at some of the folders and found instruction manuals for things that we no longer own - they are already gone.  I need a mental make over about now and cleaning up this office and getting a handle on the quilting stuff is right up my alley.  I hope you'll on board with me. 

And so on that note - here are the pictures from Tiny Town. 

Lucy

Lucy loves to use pictures of animals for her appliqué.  The little owls are cute!!!!

Hey - if you think I struggled with the names of Amish with a Twist - these pictures are from even further back.  Don't ask for names.  I can see the faces - but some of the names are blank!

Lynn's bright town

Karen - a very funky town

Verja  (I don't have my list in front of me - so not sure if that's how her name is spelled)

There are some very cool Tiny Towns and when you see the finished quilts tomorrow - you are going to be blown away.  They are so awesome.

This was show n tell by Verja.   I have to say that some of the most funky and fun work is coming from the more mature women in the groups.  No holds barred and I love it!!!!!

The can-can dancer quilt 

It even has a bed skirt attached and she made two pillows.   I believe it was her own design.  So much fun!!!!!

Oh yes - I found this article and thought you might like to read it - It's called Should I Join a Quilt Guild????   The article doesn't have a lot of meat in it - but look at the group quilt they worked on - it's spectacular.


Well - it's time to get to work.  Can you believe that I'm excited to come to work????  Oh yes - I will miss the dog park this morning, but yep - I'm excited.

Have a great day!!!!!!


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

Amish with a Twist II (and I) reveal.....................

This past year at Sew Sisters, we worked on Amish with a Twist II by Nancy Rink.


It's a beautiful quilt and it's all pieced - no applique.  It was originally made with solids and is a medallion style quilt. I bet you're thinking that there isn't much you can do to modify that quilt - right?   WRONG!!!!!!


Have a look at what was revealed in our show n tell - the class did an amazing job!!!!!!!!!!!   I don't even feel like I can take credit for it - they just got inspired and went for it!


Here is the original quilt by Nancy Rink.

Amish with a Twist II by Nancy Rink

Sit back and relax. Now some of the class decided to do their quilt using the same solids as the original.  Well - let me clarify that - Sew Sisters does not carry the brand of solids that was used in the original, so I substituted KONA for the original fabrics.  Kits were made up for those that wanted one.  However there were some that didn't want to use the kit and wait until you see what they did.  And thanks to Ronda who took pictures for me.

We started off with Raili's quilt.  The top was together - she made the outer border a bit smaller than the original. AND - she was almost done the quilting that she did on her table top Tiara quilting machine.  Yes - she quilted an overall design by herself on this huge quilt.  I won't tell you how young Raili is - but there is NOTHING that will stop her!  She's feisty!!!!

Raili's Amish with a Twist II

 Next up was Marlene.  She also made the outside border a smidgen smaller than it was supposed to be.  I think the original border was 8 inches which is a pretty wide SOLID border.  Notice that she used the skinny blue strip (that was to be used as piping in the binding) as a little border right next to the multi-color border.  It really makes the quilt pop - well in real life it does.

Marlene's Amish with a Twist

Next up is Susie's.   She didn't put any  outer borders on hers yet and wasn't sure that she was going to.  It really is a big quilt at this point.  However  -   I'm thinking that we all need to take pictures of our quilts BEFORE we put borders on them and study the photos.  I'm not going to say more, but check it out.  Do you see what I see?????   And none of us saw that in class - perhaps because of the way the quilt was positioned.  But eagle eye camera snapped the error.

Susie's quilt

The next quilt is Marilyn's.    She also brought in a finished quilt for our viewing and it's gorgeous.  She finished off the borders as they were in the pattern, but did NOT put the piping in the binding.

Marilyn's quilt

She had it quilted by someone else with a overall Baptist Fan pattern which is just gorgeous and very appropriate.  We had also purchased die cuts of an Amish Buggy and this is where Marilyn placed hers.  You can also see the quilting in this picture.

Label and the Amish Buggy die cut

Now there were other people in the room, but some were not quite finished their quilt so we didn't get to see them.  But others in the room had finished tops but did NOT use the solid fabrics from the kit.    Have a look - the quilts are stunning.

This next quilt belongs to Mary.  She had only gotten as far as adding the first outer border - yes - we know there is an issue with the design.  I'm not sure what happened, but this was a pattern that by the time you got to assembling it - it was so big - well you just wanted it together.   We told her to not fix it, but knowing Mary - she went home and fixed that!

Mary's quilt

 And I know I am going to mix up these names on these next two so bear with me!!!!

Bonnie used some interesting fabrics for her quilt. There are some fussy cut images in the center of the stars, but has a totally different look yet the same as the original.  I think she did an excellent job with choosing fabric values!!!!!

Bonnie's Amish with a Twist II

And now for something completely different!!!!!   Look what Joan  did with hers.  She didn't want to make a big quilt so she made TWO smaller ones. She used her own fabric and then took all the log cabin blocks and made one quilt from them.

Half of the Amish with a Twist  II

And this is what she did with the star blocks and the center.

The second half of Amish witha  Twist II

So she gets TWO quilts for the price of one!!!!   And has all the different blocks left over to put on the back???   Make another project?????   We'll have to wait and see what she does with them.

Anne used batiks on her quilt and it was also completely finished.  It was custom quilted and it is stunning.  No piping on the binding - it is fiddly for sure - oh yes - she also made that outer border a smidgen smaller than the pattern. An excellent use of value - especially for batiks!!!!

Ann'e Amish with a Twist II

We had a bit of a blast from the past - This is Marlene's Amish with a Twist I top that she has finally finished and brought in to share with us.

Amish with a Twist I  - Marlene

 Here's a link to my issue with piecing my version of Amish with A Twist II.

Shoot - I know that I have two other finished tops to show you - Giovanna and Genny and I thought Patricia was finished hers as well.   They weren't at this class - well Giovanna and Genny weren't so I must find the card with those pictures and I'll add them in.  But I need to get this post up!!!!!


AHA - back from the dog park and found the missing pictures on my phone.  I think I had forgotten to take my camera last time.

This is Giovanna's quilt.  She  hasn't put borders on it yet, but WOW - those colors are stunning.   We were a little concerned at one point about the value of some of the blocks - but I think this is absolutely stunning!!!!!    She used batiks and batiks are very very hard to work in certain values!

Giovanna's quilt

The last one for show n tell of the Amish with a Twist is Genny's.  Genny's quilt was completely done and I think it was given away as a gift so she had to have it done.  She also modified the borders and I like the look of the lighter color. She quilted it herself on her long arm.  Awesome job Genny!!!!

Genny's Amish with a Twist II

The next couple of quilts are other show n tell from our November meeting.  Yes - these darn pictures were on my phone and I take them, but then forget about them.


This is Anne's Grand Illusion quilt - the Bonnie Hunter mystery from 2014.   Yes - it is complete - quilted and bound!!!!   Anne is a machine!!!!   I have to say that this isn't my most favourite of Bonnie's mysteries but I would love to take it and throw that block in EQ7 and come up with another colouring.  If you look closely - you can see the sashing (the green).   It is still a beautiful quilt.

Bonnie Hunter - Grand Illusion by Anne

 Hmmm - I wonder if she is doing the current Bonnie Hunter????   Me - didn't even give it a glance. If I want to sew something that fiddly - I'm going to be very picky about what I sew!!!!   And too repetitious for my liking!  Oh my - says the modern quilter in me!

This next one is also a mystery.  It is last year's Border Creek Station (I think it was last year or the year before).  Marilyn made this one.  Again - all quilted and bound.  These girls are serious quilters!!!!

I didn't make this Border Creek mystery, but I'm supposed to be making the current one.  Haven't even picked out the fabric yet!

Marilyn's Border Creek Station mystery

 And this last quilt belongs to Genny.  Oh my - I don't remember the story on this one - I believe a family member made it????  That was well over a month ago!

Star quilt

OK - I'm done with the post now!

Anyone up for Amish with a Twist III????

Amish with a Twist III

I still have to finish I and II - so I think I'll be passing on number III.

We had a bit of other show n tell as well.  This is a wall hanging that Mary did - she has thread painted that tree and it is gorgeous.  Again - the picture does NOT do justice to the work that she did!

Mary's wall hanging

And look at this - Marilyn brought in this bag to show me.  She had made many bags like this - I believe they were gifts for Christmas.   But look at that fabric - isn't it familiar????

Marilyn's bag

Yep - that is the same fabric that I made the Weekender Tote out of!!!!   I certainly LOVE the color of the fabric, but it is not pleasant to work with.  It is outdoor sunproof fabric and it's coarse and nasty.

Weekend bag

On that note - I'm out of here - got something to get ready today for work tomorrow.    And to find those missing pictures.


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


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