Community Projects Day

We were a small but mighty group yesterday. I have to say that I was a little disappointed. When I originally sent the e-mail out with dates, I had a fair number of people sign up. I sent them reminder e-mails and they didn't even respond to say that they couldn't come. Why?? If you're not interested, then don't sign up! Or if you send me an e-mail, put the damn dates in your calendar. BUT here's the thing - if they want something from me - they're going to go to the bottom of the list. Sorry - but that's just the way it is.

So HelenAnne, Diane and I had a great day. Not only did we get lots of stuff done, but I was so motivated when they left. I needed that kick start to get back into the sewing groove. Here's the best part - you get to sew a quilt top that you didn't have to cough up money to buy the fabric, you don't need to worry about getting it quilted or even binding it. You just get to make a flimsy which is what most quilters want to do! It doesn't get any better than that.

Our next date is December 13 which is a Friday. If you have a kit out that you're sewing, we'd love to have it back by that date. That day has been designated as a day for prepping the quilt tops we have for quilting - making a binding and the backing. If you can't get the top done by then, no worries but it would be nice to get some of this wrapped up before the end of this year.

Even with all the quilt tops we've done, we still haven't emptied one of these tubs and I have a feeling that the tubs are now permanently designated for the community projects.

This is the tub of completed quilt tops. That's what we're going to be working on in December. There's a few backings and bindings already in the box. We'll leave HelenAnne to work her magic in getting us organized.

Quilt tops waiting for binding and backing

This is the box with the remaining kits. Although it looks full (hey - HelenAnne had filled BOTH boxes with kits!), there's only a handful of kits left. As I walked to the library after they left, I ran into someone who is going to take another kit. There are two in there that I should do as they are a bit weird and probably easier for me to sew them than explain to someone else. I'll put them on the sewing list!

Kits left to sew

Yesterday, I dug out the project that I was working on the last time we had a sewing day. This was started probably 20 years ago. I'm not even sure I knew what I was going to do. But last time, I made up a bunch of nine-patches. I placed them on the design wall and this is what I came up with. I'm happy with it considering the origin of the project.

My nine-patch quilt

I added the black sashing between the blocks on all the rows and started to get the horizontal sashing in as well. I'm going to leave this on the wall and hopefully get it finished this Thursday which is Sit n Sew day. There are enough blocks still in this project box to make one more quilt. That's my goal - get that one done as well. So it looks like I have FOUR quilt tops for the community projects to get finished by December 13. No big deal. They are easy and well, I'm giving you a teeny preview of my QUILTsocial blog posts next week - the Husqvarna Viking DESIGNER EPIC 2 is an amazing sewing/embroidery machine. I wonder if they'll notice if it doesn't go back. I could sew all day on that thing - it's fabulous!

Helen Anne learned how to put the binding on a quilt using the sewing machine for the entire process. She was a quick study as I made her do it on a different machine than her own. Corners were good and the quilt is now done!

Binding on a quilt

At this point, we're making quilts for two groups  - Quilts of Valour and Project Linus.  QOV gets the first choice - well they have a size requirement. The one above is smaller so it'll go to Project Linus. If some quilts don't suit either organization, then we'll find another group to take them. And then, of course, we have the pillowcase project for Ryan's Case for Smiles. I tell you, it's loads of fun to be using up my stash this way, rather than just giving it away. And it'll be all cleaned up by the time I'm ready to downsize.

Think about it - a great day sewing (which I love), sewing with friends (where we talk a lot about everything and anything), the stash is being used for a good cause (which I love and M should love as well since she won't have to clean up the mess). It's a win-win-win!!!!  I'm so excited about what we're doing! It's also made me less "clingy" to the stash. While I might happen upon a piece from time to time that I want to keep, almost NOTHING is sacred. I'm ready to use it up if it's for a good cause.

You know what? My mother would say the same thing. I've just become my mother!! Shoot me in the eye!!!!

After they left, I got to work on the long arm. I got this quilt quilted. It's one that I made from my scraps a while back. Oh boy - there's a story to this quilt. The fabric is flannel and has roses on it. It was a kit from The Hobby Horse - again - years ago. I made one quilt for my Mom and had loads left over. I think I even made a second quilt which is still in the to be quilted pile. Then I acquired scraps from Joanne who owned Cockadoodle Quilts (thanks Joanne - I know you're looking down upon us all - we miss you!) and I got scraps from Rose. They had all bought the same kit and made quilts but had loads left over. This quilt was the result of those leftovers.

Community project quilt - DONE

Yes - I decided that I did NOT need this quilt, so it's going to be donated to Quilts of Valour. They've already approved it. The binding is made and hopefully later today, the quilt will get finished. I noticed that there are still more scraps in the community project storage area. ACK!!!

As that one was being quilted, I was prepping the backing for another quilt. Again - it's so darn easy to find appropriate backings in that stash room. I just don't feel like it's my house - things are super neat and organized and I'm LOVING it.

I had two small pieces that were leftover from other backings which I supplemented with something that coordinated from a bolt and I now had the backing for the next quilt. But this is why we do NOT rip our fabric. I don't normally, but it was just convenient. Yikes - that's ugly!! And you get long threads hanging off. I don't rip unless it's just way easier which in this case it was.

The edge of the fabric has been ripped and it's ugly

Today is another super busy day. I've got loads that I want to get done and I'm trying to be efficient with my time. That's a whole other story and I hope I've found a solution to all these private classes that I'm teaching. It's a whole lot of wasted time driving back and forth so, in the new year, I'm scheduling two days a month for private classes. I'm not budging from that schedule. Otherwise, I'm not getting done what I need to get done.

Oh, shoot - I didn't even get to what I really wanted to tell you about today. I was at the library and picked up this small book about catalog living. What the heck is that? Turns out it's a spoof on all the pictures you see in catalogs of perfect rooms. Well, the book is quite funny. Apparently, the author has a blog although nothing was recently posted. But some of the stuff is hilarious and just goes to show that those rooms are staged and NO ONE lives with all that STUFF.

Book by Molly Erdman

Anyway, I've now run out of time.

Have a super day!!!!!


Ciao!!!