Can I have some bicycle fabric please?

I don't know what it is about quilter's but they become obsessed with fabric. Well lots of us do! I think it would be an excellent thesis to discover whether quilter's are obsessive BEFORE they start to quilt or after. 

My first experience with fabric collecting happened shortly after I started to quilt in late 1998. Guess what was around the corner? Yep - that would be the millennium and YES - there was fabric printed specifically for that event. I remember there were exchanges, quilts with 2,000 squares or 2,000 pieces. I would search out this millennium fabric - I had to have EVERY one that was printed. I remember seeing one in a magazine that was advertised in a store in GB (yes Great Britain).  I believe I did call the shop and order some.  

And what did I do with that fabric?  NOTHING!  Ooops - I lied. I have used it for the backing of one small quilt. The rest remains in the basket. I just had a peek - too funny. I'll share that with you tomorrow. 

So it shouldn't surprise you that I have a collection of bicycle fabric. While the millennium stuff was for a very specific time frame, bicycles will go on and on as a theme. And I'm trying - I'm really trying to not buy as much, but when I do see one that I don't have? well - I have to buy it, even if it's a FQ. 

Laundry basket of bicycle fabric

There are some pieces that are large enough that could be used for backings, some yardage, but mostly FQ or half meter cuts. 

Have I made anything out of this basket of fabric? Hmmmm - not specifically. I do have a bicycle quilt, but I think I bought it as a kit so it doesn't count. 

A friend of mine was diagnosed with ALS last year - I want to say in the October time frame.  My reaction was total disbelief - he is an avid cyclist, bike mechanic and all around great guy.  Due to his rapidly deteriorating condition, all that changed in a very short period of time. My second reaction - I have to make a quilt!  Now you all know that I'm not good at getting things done on time, but this quilt needed to be done ASAP.  

I went through the basket of fabric and sorted out the most appropriate ones. I wanted ones with all over bicycles - not those with a bike as part of the design. I started by cutting a 7 inch strip of each. 

Seven inch strips of all over bicycle fabrics

 Not to say that I'm obsessive or anything, but I think there were 20 fabrics in each row. Oopsy - now how did I accumulate so many?   Although I did have a couple of duplicates, I didn't have too many.

Next up was to cut a 7" square from each strip. I only needed one square from each.

Pile of squares (actually this is the leftovers after the quilt was pieced)

 In case you're wondering why I chose 7 inch squares, I had a panel with these bikes on it. I could cut 7-inch squares from it, so the rest of the squares had to be the same size.

Cut into fifteen 7-inch squares

I think I got it cut before I went to Quilt Market in October. Then at the retreat in November I got it sewn together. Quilted (with a bicycle pantograph), bound (by machine) and a label in December. I was about to send it when he indicated that he was away for Christmas.  

The bicycle quilt

He received the quilt this week and sent me a beautiful note. It isn't a fancy quilt - it's dead simple. But this is one of the reasons I love themed fabric. They make great quilts.  Now here's the problem if you haven't figured it out already.  I better get to know a LOT of people who ride bikes because there is enough fabric in that fabric to make a "few" more quilts. And I can't wait until they get sick.

So this one is going in my finished book. I'm pretty excited about that.

Have a super day!

Ciao!

My reputation is at stake!

Oh dear - I've created a mess. Nothing new and no one to blame by myself!

Yesterday a couple of points were driven home from several sources.  I have a reputation and it's not necessary a good one!  I'm a procrastinator - we all knew that. I'm a last minute, fly by the seat of my pants girl - we all knew that. And I'm not good at remembering things - we all knew that.

But when it gets mentioned THREE times in one day - that's really not the impression I want people to have of me.

The question is - why am I like that?  Is it because I'm too busy?  I don't think so - I tend to have a LOT of time just for me. I read a LOT, I spend time with my girls (my very silly girls and I'm going to have to write a post on Lexi's blog to explain just how silly and entertaining those two are!),  Is it because I'm forgetful?  Nope - despite forgetting things from time to time, I'm not that forgetful. Like I remember that I promised TWO people stuff at the guild meeting last night and even though I asked them to e-mail just as a reminder - I have remembered BOTH things and dealing with them this morning!

Nope - I would just have to say that it is exciting to leave things to the last minute!  How crazy is that?  Seriously?   Rushing at the last minute to get something done? That's exciting?  I must have my head examined on that one.

I cannot make any promises, but I am going to try, to seriously try to get things done on time. How will I do this?    I think one very important thing is to get rid of that darn clutter in my office.  I see it, it is discouraging and I walk out, leaving e-mails unanswered, paperwork undone.  I had an inkling of an urge to purge the other morning, so that might be part of this weekend's focus.  I don't want to get too technical with this all, but if I set up a Task Master for my paperwork???   That might the only way to not forget things.  I love to make lists, but those lists are usually on paper and they get lost - in the clutter!!!  So lists don't help.  BUT if I have a weekly Task List (in a book!) like I have for quilting?  I think that might work.

So I'm off to catch up on some pattern writing that needs to be finished NOW.  Then I'll get to those two other errands and can I call it a day????

Have a super day!!!!   (stay warm)

Ciao!!!

What I've been working on..........

If only I had those 12 UFOs to work on this year.  As if!   I have loads of stuff, but I have to say that I'm feeling super productive. Although I'm slightly behind in getting the tasks completed in The Task Master, I'm making great progress. I think it's a matter of getting the kinks worked out and the more you write in the book, the more you realize how long everything takes so be careful on the scheduling!  I also heard that in order to be productive, you need to surround yourself (or hang around with) super productive people!   

I'm going to show you on Monday just how my sewing room looks. As you know, it was tidied up when the ladies came to sew on December 27th.  That's over one week ago and the state of my studio would shock you!  Well - I'm not going to say more, you have to wait. 

And it seems that a lot of what I'm working on these days is fiddly.  When I was making those bags - I had to use a denim needle to go through ALL the layers and there were many, many layers on those inside seams. With the different thread colors and that needle, I couldn't switch off and do something else. No enders or leaders! No sneaking in another project - I was very focused!

I'm just about finished up another fiddly project, although not nearly as complicated or big and this one requires the walking foot and different thread colors. I'll share that next week - you're going to get directions to that project as well! 

But I have managed to get a few things done.  Here is an ender and leader project. These pinwheels were originally started for a quilt pattern that I was testing.  I cut as per the instructions, but there were way too many pinwheels.  The quilt got made and I was left with some half square triangles so they got made into pinwheels and are now sitting in the orphan block box. 

Extra pinwheels

I'm not sure if I ever showed the quilt that I made. It was for work - I seem to make so many for work and well, life between work and home just blends in. This quilt is called Cameo Rose and it's by Whirligig Designs.   (If you scroll down on Whirligig homepage, you'll see a black/gray version of the quilt). This quilt below isn't the quilt that I made, although it looks exactly like it.  It was made with Northcott Stonehenge Gradations fabrics and here's the link to the Northcott Stonehenge Gradation Brights

Cameo Rose by Whirligig

I got a cute little mug rug when the ladies were over sewing.  Thanks to Katheleen for this.  She had a panel of small squares and it was a great opportunity for her to practice her machine quilting and she got a nice group of mug rugs as small gifts.  GREAT IDEA!!!!!

My new mug rug

And it's perfect so I don't set my hot cup of tea on my cutting mat!

Rug mug - perfect for a hot cup of tea

Then it was time to get some backings and bindings done!  Oh shoot - there is a picture missing.  Whenever I sew a binding on a quilt, I keep the leftover binding and it all goes into a separate tin. I had a picture of the tin filled to the brim with binding. Whenever I make a scrap quilt, I sort through the tin of binding scraps and get enough to make a scrappy binding.

So I was able to make the scrappy binding for those two scrap quilts that I had made a while back - the ones on the fabric foundation.

Binding and backing made for a quilt top

The backing for the second quilt (the binding for both is in the first picture)

And I used up a bolt of fabric when I made the backings for both of the quilts. 

One bolt of fabric - GONE

Since that bolt was empty, I even did a bit of tidying in the fabric bolt area.  Still loads of fabric - enough to make backings for MANY quilts. And I restrain myself - I don't buy bolts anymore.


Oh yes - one more ender and leader project.  This is leftovers from another quilt that I made for work, which you never saw either!

Blocks need to be trimmed

These blocks will need to be trimmed and then something will be made with them. No idea yet what that will be.


And on that note, I'm out of here.

Have a super day (stay warm!)

Ciao!

Red and white quilt fever

You know my desire to own a HUGE collection of red and white quilts. Just like Joanna S. Rose who owns 650 and they were beautifully showcased at the Park Avenue Armory in New York City a number of years ago.

I have TWO red and white quilts.  BUT, I have plans to make MORE.  I'm in the process of making the quilt by Next Step Designs which celebrates Canadian women. There will be 150 blocks in the quilt (I might make two - I'll see how it goes.)   I am a tad behind in my blocks, but I did manage to get five cut last night and they will be perfect for enders and leaders in the coming days. I don't envision any problems in keeping up with that project.  

And the second (or potentially third) red/white quilt that I'm making this year is this one from Sew Sisters. Check out the links below so you can also be part of this amazing Canadian quilt.

Designer Number 1

Designer Number 2



Oh my - I'm so excited.  That truly is a Canadian quilt!


Is that going to mess up my plans with The Task Master?  Nope - that devil is keeping me on the straight and narrow. I'm getting way more work done than I had ever imagined. It's amazing to write the tasks down and then to check them off when the task is complete. There are a few adjustments I've had to make and I actually got rid of a quilt that I was supposed to quilt!  Yeah!!!  More on that another day.

Hopefully your plans with the Task Master are coming along.

Have a super day!!!!

Ciao!

And the fiddly project is..................

From the notes on the Facebook page, I can see that the Task Master isn't just nagging myself.  Nope - that Task Master is after all of us!!!  That's good news. The key to all of this is to NOT forget about how motivated we are as the year progresses.  And it will happen. It's happened to me in the past. I'm good for a couple of days and then POOF!  All is forgotten.  Not this year - we're going to keep reminding each other!

I love quotes and based on the fiddly project, I thought this was a fitting quote. 

Appropriate quote for this project reveal

The thread box is EMPTY!!!!

And the fiddly project???  Well, that would be some little duffle bags. Not one, not two, NOPE - there are TWENTY-ONE of those fiddly little bags.

Little duffle bags

As if that wasn't enough - this was part one because I realized that I had a "few" more of these bags started.  So might as well get them all done.   How many others did I have started???

Four big ones

Seven medium ones (although two of these were complete)

Two small ones

and five teeny ones!

For a grand total of 39.

A total of 39 little duffle bags

Seriously?  39????

And they all have little tabs on the backside as well.

Tabs on the back

The four sizes

Here's the pattern

And I even have THREE more little D rings in the event I want to make more of the teeny ones.

Three more D-rings

My problem was that I wrote in The Task Master to do the Little Duffle bags.  Didn't break the task down, didn't realize how much time it was going to take to make each one. The seams are finished on the inside. Oh yes - cute, cute, cute, but fiddly as ever!!!!!


But they were completed last week and I'm madly working on more stuff!!!!   Yeah!!!!!


Have a great day!!!!

Ciao!

Motivational Monday - the 13th project

Good morning everyone!  I have a confession to make. I did NOTHING yesterday! Well, that's not true, I did stuff, but I barely touched anything in the sewing room. It does happen from time to time and while there is much to do, there is no sense in losing sleep over it! It was a gorgeous day and I choose to do other things like walk the dogs to Tim's.

Lexi and Murphy patiently waiting at Tim's

I hope everyone had a great day and that you're all fired up to get those 12 UFOs completed.  I know that I am and there will be a lot more besides.

When I wrote my list of 12 UFOs, I had decided to throw in a 13th since the list was created near the beginning of December and I could get one more UFO completed. I had chosen the Lone Star Tree Skirt as my project.

Lone Start Tree Skirt pattern

The center star was already pieced

All the fabric was in the project box

So did I get the project complete?  In a manner of speaking.  I did get the top, binding and backing completed. Let's have a look.

The completed top

 I decided to NOT make it into a tree skirt. The center was pretty well matched and no sense messing that up!  It was a bit wonky and I had to remove a few of the white triangles and trim them down in an effort to eliminate some of the ripples.  It isn't entirely flat, but hopefully, the fullness will quilt out. I love how we depend on the quilting to make something nice!

I finished this on the day my sewing friends were over.

The back was easy - just yardage - no piecing required. And the binding got made as well. The pattern is also with the project.

All the pieces ready for quilting

This is what was left over in the project box

Including some strip sets

 I took everything apart and it went into the appropriate scrap box (yes, I have one for Christmas bits) and the yardage went on the shelf in the Christmas basket.

No, I didn't get it quilted, but I do have it on the priority list. I'm not sure how quickly I can get to it. The busy season of quilt shows is fast approaching and I have THREE quilts to make and quilt by Jan 18. More on that another day!

Katheleen brought her adopted girl to spend the day with us. This is Abbey who is 11. Her owner, an elderly woman, passed away and through word of mouth, Katheleen found out about Abbey. She is totally deaf and was so darn quiet, we barely knew she was here!!!!  You're welcome to come back, Abbey!!!

Little Abbey

OK - so that was the bonus project - DONE as far as I'm concerned.  Should something happen to me, there is the likelihood that someone would quilt that project, but when it was in its unfinished piecing state - well that takes a lot more courage to finish!  One down and 12 to go!!!

What's next???

This is my project for January. It's a one-block-wonder that I started years ago. So many years ago that well - I can't remember, but I have resurrected it on more than one occasion and there it sits - still on my design wall. I want it DONE!!!  At least to the "to be quilted" stage.

The pairs of rows need to be sewn together

I have the leftover bits from cutting the blocks that are sewn together for part of the backing. Some of the original fabric for the backing or the border???  And when I was looking for something else in my stash room, I found a BOLT of a coordinating fabric that will do for the rest of the backing that I need.

More than enough fabric to complete the project

For those of you who chose a 13th project - how did you make out?  How is your Task Master working??  Mine got bogged down a little bit when I wrote down a ridiculous project.  That project is now complete and the floodgates have opened.  I'll be posting that finish tomorrow, as well as a few others over this next week. The pictures are mostly edited and I'm uploading them today ready for publishing.

I promised a few tips on goal setting.  Every time you write something in the Task Master - it's essentially a goal. So what makes a good goal???

How to Set a Goal

First, consider what you want to achieve, and then commit to it. Set SMART (specific, measurable, attainable, relevant and time-bound) goals that motivate you and write them down to make them feel tangible. Then plan the steps you must take to realize your goal, and cross off each one as you work through them.

Yep - we've been setting goals all this time!  You wrote down specific tasks (12 of them!), they are measurable (they are either done or they are not!), they should be attainable (DO NOT attempt to do Dear Jane in one month - I've mentioned that), relevant (things that you WANT to finish) and time-bound (one month!)  Simple!!!

Be careful of delusional doability.  Do NOT write too many things for each week. Evaluate what you have time for.  Allow extra time for EVERYTHING.  If you don't get something done, plan on finishing it in the coming week and don't schedule so much for that week.  It can be achieved!!!

The other VERY important thing is KEEP that Task Master handy.  I have a habit of writing things in a book (or more likely on a piece of paper that I lose). I've started so many lists and books and I have NO IDEA where the books are.  The Task Master sits right beside the sewing machine and it's bright and it's hard to miss.  We're going to become very good friends over the year - I hope, although she does nag a lot!

On that note, I'm out of here. 

Have a great day and let's see pictures of those finished projects!!!

Ciao!!!!

Here's the link to the Facebook page so you can post your finished projects for us to ooh and aah over. 

Happy New Year!

Checking back on January 1, 2016. Yep - pretty much the same routine for New Year's Eve.  We watched a movie - Star Trek. All I can say is thank god I was doing some hand stitching. That movie wasn't very good at all.

I'm not even going to talk about goals and priority setting.  That happens on Mondays.  All I will say is that I'm super excited. I got home on Friday and that nagging Task Master MADE me finish the project. I swore at her and she didn't care. She just nagged harder! Next thing I knew, the project was done!!!  Yes - I did a little happy dance.   What a relief to get that done and without this Task Master, I don't think I would have kept at it. Of course, there is a bit of a back log now of other urgent things and I'm working hard on those.

I wanted to share this with you so you can see how long it takes me to get things done. I've no idea why we (or is it just me?) who procrastinates so long to get things done. Two years ago in January, we emptied our kitchen cupboards of everything. We sorted and sorted and gave about half of the stuff away. The rest found a home in the kitchen cupboards.

It did take a while, but most of the stuff got sorted through although several boxes of stuff ended up in the dining room. It's almost like I have a fear of finishing something!  There is ONE bag of recipes/books that had not been gone through. For some reason, I was flipping through that bag recently - can't remember why. But then DH asked about something that has been sitting on the kitchen counter forever (OK - two years) and I said that I had seen the manual in this bag and it's time to go through it all.

The contents of the recipe bag

I found countless clippings from magazines, recipes given to me by others and well - just a plethora of stuff. I did find a couple of treasures though. Have a look...............

Detailed instructions on how to make a sandwich for M

Including a diagram

 I guess one copy wasn't enough, as there was a second one.  Titled "How to make MY Sandwich".  Pretty funny!

How to make MY sandwich

Remember those recipe cards that you would get in the mail and then you could order the entire collection???

Recipe cards - GONE

Magazine clippings - GONE

Recipes from friends via e- mail - notice the date - 1997!!!   - GONE

I also found a TO DO list and some clippings from quilt magazines. The TO DO list - gone! The clipping, I put with my other quilt stuff to sort through.

Quilt clippings in the recipe drawer

 And this is what started that whole scenario!  A meat probe!  It's been on the kitchen counter for two years. We've had our range for 13 years and we've never used this. DH is into cooking these days so he wanted to know how to use it. I did find the manual and while it gave instructions, it would appear that we DO NOT have the socket in our oven to plug it into.  Seriously?  So why is it mentioned in our manual and why did we get the probe????

Meat probe

I did find a few old recipe books - ones that my mom or grandmother gave me. I found my hand written recipes from when I was a teenager. And I found my Betty Crocker first ever recipe book.  They have NO value to anyone but me. I kept the entire lot which fit nicely into the recipe drawer.

Receipe books

I also founda  few more appliance manuals. Come to think of it - we don't even have some of the appliances anymore!  I guess I can ditch a few more things.

That leaves the spices, one more box of utensils (but if they have been in the dining room for two years - we probably don't need any of them!)

I'll leave DH in charge of the spices since he does the cooking. Then it should be time to go through the kitchen ONE more time.  I bet we could get rid of more stuff.  I once read and it's true - that the more stuff you have, the more time is needed to manage the stuff. I figure if I can reduce what non-quilting stuff I have, I'm good!

On that note, I'm out of here. I'm off to get some sewing done, read a book or just veg out!

Have a super day!!!!


Ciao!!!!

Can't find the quote I was looking for but found this instead.  How true and I will get there one day.

You'd better check out Lexi's blog!