She's Getting Stuff Done!

Although I don't feel like I've gotten a lot done in the past 6 weeks or so, I do have quite a few finishes - just not very many UFO finishes.

OK, first a UFO finish.  I did complete the Left-over Stars quilt.  I think the finished size turned out to be something like 48" x 75".  It's just big enough to cover the top of my double bed with a few inches of overhang.  I like it, but I'm not in love with it.  Mostly I'm glad to have it done.















My next finish are these two adorable cats.  These patterns came courtesy of Val Spiers of Australia.  She published the patterns on her blog quite a few years ago and I used 2 of the 4 as decoration for an applique portfolio I made.  (Val is currently selling very nice American Girl clothing patterns on Etsy, by the way.)  I've always liked the cat patterns and decided to make these as entries to my guild's silent auction in May.  They're about 15" square each.  I hope they bring in good bids.



The next finish is this little purse.  I don't often carry a full-sized purse and my cell phone and my wallet don't always fit into the tiny pockets that are put into women's jeans these days.  I had been carrying another bag about this same size, but it's really not very attractive. I bought this fabric to make a full sized purse and had plenty to make this smaller piece for every day.  This will do just fine.






And there's this little zipper bag that I completed.  This was part of an estate that was donated to the guild.  It was mostly assembled.  I just finished it and am using it to hold a small knitting project. 

That's all for the finishes.  And, there was only one official UFO finish.  But, progress none-the-less.







 In addition to sewing, I started a pair of socks in January.  I've sort of lost interest in these once I got used to the stitch and got the leg on the first sock done.  I've been much more interested in hand quilting.  But, I've picked them back up this week and will try to plod along.

The biggest project is this baby.  I finally got Ladies of the Sea all together, completed hand basting and have started quilting.  As of today, I've completed outlining the applique and blocks on 6 of the 16 blocks.  I'm very much enjoying getting back to hand quilting.  I'm still thinking about what design I would like to use for the quilting.  There have been some gorgeous machine quilted versions of this that I've seen on the web.  I'm not sure how dense machine quilting would translate to hand quilting.  Sue Garman's original is quilted with a cross-hatch design and is stunning.  I've got quite a bit of outlining to do before I make this decision.

That's what's been keeping me busy lately.  I am still entertaining thought of knitting two cardigans.  I have the pattern and yarn chosen for each.  I just don't know when I will squeeze these into my evening hand stitching time.

Winter UFO goals

On the last UFO challenge I completed one quilt, made progress on two, created a new UFO and ignored the rest.  This is the list of UFOs I want to make progress on this quarter:

1. Ladies of the Sea

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 I got all of the blocks completed and trimmed last quarter.  I am now working on the nearly 400 HST blocks that will be part of the borders.  I would like to have this top completed this quarter.

2. Left Over Stars

I put a border on this top in October.  It needs a back, basting, quilting and binding.  I'd like to make progress on this before the next quarter.

3. Scrapitude Take 2

This should be the next quilt I prepare for quilting and start machine quilting.  I would like to have it completed before our guild's quilt show in May.  I guess I'd better get working on this.

4. Bright Baby Revisited

Yep, still on my list.

5. Handy Dandy Scrappy

Still here, too.

6. Put A Chicken On It

This is new to the list.  The top is a bonus quilt with left over pieces that I cut for the border of the star quilt (above).  The chicken is the product of a guild tutorial from this summer.  She had no place to go, and I thought she looked good on this background.  I may give her a few eggs to tend.  I bought a quilting template this fall that looks vaguely like chicken wire.  I plan to use that and practice my machine quilting. 

 7. Maxine

These little blocks showed up in my stash and I don't exactly remember how they got there.  I probably got them at a guild UFO auction.  I've got a bunch of bright fabrics to use as borders around the blocks.  I think there are 25 printed blocks in total.  This should be quick and easy to put together.













8. Blue Floral

I haven't even given this on a thought.










That's the list of the quilting projects I would like to concentrate on this quarter.  This doesn't address the knitting I would like to do, or the tessellating lizard hand piecing project I've been playing with (it's not technically a UFO yet.)  I certainly have enough to keep me busy for quite some time. 

Progress This Fall

 The last time I talked about Flower Up was January of 2018.  I did complete it in 2018 (I don't remember exactly when), but I never showed a completed photo.  I still really like the border on this, although it's deceiving how long applique work on a border takes.  I needed to take a photo of this because a friend just bought this to give to her mother for Christmas.  I'm glad it's going to a good home.

I've completed all the applique for Ladies of the Sea and trimmed the blocks and borders to size.  I'm very thrilled to have this quilt nearing completion.  Many thanks to Linda for letting me borrow these gorgeous patterns for the 5 years it's taken me to get this far.  If she had not loaned me the patterns, I would have never made the quilt.  The patterns are now on the way back to her and I hope she enjoys the process as much as I have.  I have just started cutting out the fabric and putting together the 300+ half-square triangle blocks that will make the borders.  I was hoping to have the top completed before the end of the year, but I'm not sure if that will happen.

I've gotten a few other smaller projects done.  I completed these socks.  I've been playing with lace knitting patterns.  I've never really done lace before, and socks are a great project to try new stitches.  It took me a while to get the rhythm of knitting lace, but I did get the hang of it.

I started a sweater in a lace pattern, but after ripping it out 4 times, I decided I needed more lace practice before I tackled something larger.  This cowl was another quick project for lace practice.  There a still a few small mistakes at the start of the project, but I can live with that.  I will probably tackle a few more small lacy items before I start that sweater again.

This wool table mat was a gift exchange at the quilt guild last year.  I got it done in time for Thanksgiving.  I thought I would really enjoy the process of wool applique given my love of needle turn.  But, that was not so.  There are too many tiny pieces in this pattern and I don't like that the iron-on adhesive takes away the dimensionality of the applique.  I think I'll stay away from this technique.

The cat quilt is done!!!  This quilt started in 1993 as two Internet block exchanges.  One of them was black and white cats and the other was browns (I think).  They have been languishing in my closet for a very long time.  Once I finally decided to put it together, I needed a few extra cats to make the quilt the size I wanted.  I think I  made 3 or 4.  This quilt went with me to a couple of machine quilting classes until I decided on the quilting I wanted on each of the cats and the borders.  I'm really happy with how it turned out.  When I posted it on Facebook, a friend offered to buy it, so it will be going to her home soon.

This little bunny quilt was a baby shower gift for DH's niece who is expecting her first child in January.  It went together quicker than I expected and was well received by the parents and the rest of the guests at the shower.  I hope it is loved to tatters.














Enough for now.  I'm still stitching and keeping busy.  The next project I picked up is complex hand piecing of M. C. Escher's tessellating lizards.  But, I'm contemplating starting a sweater or a new pair of socks or another cowl.  And, since my daughter just got engaged, my plan is to make her a full-sized Hawaiian applique quilt, so perhaps I should get started on that since I have the fabric and the pattern.  For me, deciding on the next project and starting are always the hardest part.

Until next time...

Autumn UFO Club

I'm in again for the Ravelry UFO club.  I skipped the summer session because I was traveling so much that I knew I wouldn't get anything much accomplished quite-wise.  But, now I'm home for the season, except for a quilt retreat where I hope to make a lot of progress.

So, this is what I'm focusing on for the remainder of the year:

1. Clutter Control

I fully expect to complete this.  It is basted and I've started the machine quilting.  Each block gets its own personality.  Some of them are easier to choose a quilting pattern for than others.  I really do like this quilt, but I have been procrastinating on quilting it for some reason.  This was started in 1993, so it is definitely time to get this completed.

2. Handy Dandy Scrappy

This is the newest top in my stash.  I have the back and binding pieced, so it's just a matter of basting, quilting and finishing.  I would like to have this quilt done in time for our guild show in May and I expect to do that.

3. Left Over Stars

This lap-sized quilt needs a border, backing, basting and finishing.  This is another quilt I would like to have completed by May.  I have the fabric and am planning a keyboard border and white binding.  I am taking this to the quilt retreat and will probably finish the top there.














4. Bright Baby Revisited

This was on the list for one of the quilts I wanted to work on in the Spring, but that never happened.  It  is another of the projects that I will take to the quilt retreat, but it's low priority to finish.  I'm looking forward to playing with machine quilting on this.











5. Ladies of the Sea

I am working on the hand applique on the last two ships in this pattern.  My second priority at the quilt retreat is to get all the 1/2 square triangles for the sashing completed and get the entire top put together.  I have no idea if this is a reasonable goal or not.  But, I want to have the top completed before the end of the year, and that is a totally reasonable goal.  Then starts the hand quilting.  Any bets on how long that will take?



6. Scraptitude Take 2

I completed this top in the spring as a mystery project with my guild.  I've made this pattern before and really like the results. This is another quilt that I would like to have done by May.  It would be great to have a few from the guild completed and displayed together.

7. Blue Floral

Another long-term UFO that I have dug out of oblivion.  I don't expect to have this done by the end of the year, but I want it out of the shadows so I can think about what I want to do with it.  I'm taking another machine quilting class in November and the plan is to use this as a show piece for the great skills I will possess upon course completion. (Yes, I can be that delusional!)



These 7 are still a fraction of the 29 UFOs that are still on my list.  But, I started the year with a list of 35, so 6 completions isn't too bad.  Of course, this doesn't include a few projects that may or may not have been added since I officially counted in January.  The focus is on these 7 for now.  Then I can reevaluate again.

Wish me luck!

Summer Update

I use this blog mostly to keep track of my craftly accomplishments.  This is what I've been up to since the spring.

I had my machine serviced and wanted to test it out to see if the free motion quilting was still working.  I was having tension problems which resulted in thread breaking.  So, I went through some of the orphan blocks I have and put together this little table runner to test it out.  I'm not positive I have all the problems worked out yet, but the machine is better than it was.  And now I have a new table runner, too.

 This is the last of the grammy quilt tops basted and ready to be quilted.  I did get them all completed for the wedding I attended in July.  I decided that this last top would be going to my daughter, so I wanted to do a bit more elaborate quilting on it than I did on the others.  After basting this 9-patch, I put together a scrappy quilt and practiced  free motion quilting on it.  I then used that feathered wreath pattern on the 9-patch.

The quilts were all well recieved by the grandchildren and great-grandchildren of Laura.  I'm glad they are completed, out of my house and crossed off the UFO list.

 This Charlotte Hawkes scraptitude pattern that I used as a mystery quilt in my guild this year.  I have made the pattern before and really love the results.  The top is done and in line to be quilted.

I started thses socks in February and finally finished them in July.  There was no reason they took that long.  The pattern was reasonably easy to remember and the yarn was nice to knit.  I guess I just wasn't into them.  But I do like the results and they are comfy on my feet.




This completed ship block is 13th of the 16 blocks in the pattern.  The purple I used on the tulips never photographs well.  It often looks blue or black.  But really, they are lovely shades of purple.  Again, this took me a long time to complete.  One reason is that we were traveling from June 22nd to July 17th.  I didn't take any crafty things with me.  I usually take some hand piecing, but decided I'm usually so tired at then end of each day, that I never feel like sewing anyway.  This time I packed a sketch book and a variety of pencils.  When we sent a package home after a week on the road, the pencils and sketch book were included.


My version of Charlotte Hawkes' latest mystery quilt, Handy Dandy Scrappy,  was completed this week.  The top, anyway.  This is another top on the pile to quilt.  All of the fabrics came from my stash and scrap bin.  I wasn't sure about the background print.  I almost chickened out and used a plain muslin, but decided to give this a try.  I really didn't like the top until I got the scrappy border and plain fabric outer border on it.  The pieces of that background fabric weren't big enough to stand out in the blocks.  But, the border at the edge really pulls it all together and makes the background pieces in the blocks stand out.  This top willl hibernate for a bit while I finish some other quilts.

I FINALLY got the cat quilt basted today.  I've been itching to get the quilting done on this, but I really dislike basting.  I could give a dozen other excuses, but really, it's just that I wasn't looking forward to crawling around on the floor.  Avoiding basting is why the Handy Dandy Scrappy top is completed.  There are other tops that I could be completing, but I promised myself not to work on those other (more fun) projects until I got this top basted.  Now, let the quilting begin!

Spring 2019 UFO Challenge

I did so well on the 2019 Winter UFO challenge on Ravelry, that I am joining again for the spring quarter. I completed 5 UFOs this quarter and have only one more of the 'Grammy quilts' to complete.  However, it may take a little while to complete that last one for a few reasons.  The tension on my Pfaff is a little off, so I will take it in to a shop to get a tune-up.  And, this last quilt will go to my daughter, so the quilting will be more intricate than the others.  That's the privilege of having the quilt maker be your mom.

So, for this Spring UFO Challenge, I will complete the 9th and last of the the Grammy quilts.  The backing is made.  It needs basting, quilting and binding.

The next thing on the list is the guild mystery quilt that I'm hosting.  The last clue will go out April 1st and I'm hoping to see completed quilt tops at the May meeting.  I know at least one member has been keeping pace with the clues because if I am late, she reminminded me.  So far I have all the components completed and need to assemble the top and add final borders.  I would like to have the quilt completed by the May meeting and should be able to do that.

Once the mystery top is completed, I would like to do the quilting on my cat quilt.  The blocks were collected in an Internet block exchange starting in 1993!  I put the top together over a year ago and it's been patiently waiting for the 'Grammy quilts' to get completed.  I'm really looking forward to quilting this one.  It needs a back made, basting, quilting, and binding.

The left overs from the bright baby quilt I completed late last year are hanging around and will be made into another lap or crib sized quilt.  I want to see how the brights look alternating with solid grey diamonds.  I think I have enough cut out to make a good sized quilt.  This is just play.

The stars left over from the guild's last raffle quilt were assembled into a top a few weekends ago at a quilt retreat. The scale of the blocks and the 9-patch blocks looked much better on the bed-sized quilt, but I wasn't going to expand this project.  I'm reasonably pleased with this, but would like it a little larger, so I'm planning a piano-key border to finish the top.

That seems like enough to plan for the next three months.  I have to remember that the weather is getting warmer and I will be spending more time outside and less time in my sewing room.  If I can complete all five of these before the end of June, I'll be thrilled. Wish me luck!

Progress and Completions

I've completed more than I thought I would in the past two months.  That is a good thing.  Winter is still here in full force, but once spring arrives and the weather warms, I will have less time to spend on quilting while I persue other activities.  So, it's good that I'm taking advantage of my quilty productivity while I can.

So, I've completed three more of the 9-patch 'Grammy' quilts.  I really slogged through the quilting on the last one.  My initial goal was to quilt each of the 9-patch quilts differently, experimenting with quilting designs.  But, this last one was done using the same circular pattern as an earlier one.  I was in get-it-done mode and not lets-have-fun-quilting mode.  D is for DONE.  I have two more to do and may baste both of them before I start quilting again.  I'm beginning to see the end of this project and that is good motivation.

The tumbler pieces that I thought I would put together and make a top turned out to be a whole quilt.  I don't have a design wall, so for this, to try to get the diferent pieces sort of evenly spread throughout the quilt, I laid out a row or two on my ironing board and before I sewed them together.  I wanted to try some simple quilting, so this was the excuse to do that.  I have never really liked the look of quilting 1/4" away from the seams, but this quilt seemed right for that.  That's what I did and I really like how it turned out.  I also used a thicker, green thread so the quilting would stand out.  And I found that I really liked that, too.  It was a successful experiment.  This quilt was donated to my guild's comfort quilt project.

The other small project that I spend WAY too much time on last month were the stickers for my new sewing machine.  I love this Pfaff, but I've never been a big fan of the color.  So I figured some stickers would make it a bit more cheery.  My original idea was swirls or flowers.  However, I couldn't find any suitable patterns on-line to use in the vinyl cutter DH has access to,  But, I did find these dragons!  And, with a lot of manipulation and time learning new software, I got the design I liked and DH cut them out for me.  They are not the daisys and swirls I had originally imagined, but I like them anyway.

 I got myself an extension table for the Featherweight.  Once I started using it, I thought I would set up the Pfaff as a quilting machine and the featherwieght for piecing.  But, I only had one table in the sewing room.  That meant moving the machines every time I wanted to do something different, and that just wasn't happening.  It was easier to change feet and settings on the Pfaff than to move the entire machine off the existing table.  So, when I saw the extension table and bought that, I figured I needed a new table to go with it.  Nothing useful was turning up on Craig's list, so we took a trip to Ikea to see what they had.  This table (Pahl) is perfect!  It has adjustable height legs, so you can raise the table as your child grows.  The medium height is a perfect sewing height!  I just got it all together a few days ago and haven't had the chance to use it yet.

 The last project I've played with is this antique sewing puzzle box.  I've had my eye on them for a while and bought this last spring with the idea that I would outfit it for my hand sewing.  It came with none of the originall tools inside, which was what I wanted.  I removed the original liner, sanded it and applied new coats of finish.  Then I glued new velvet to the inside. attached the box, the pin cushion and some elastic to hold the pencils and scissors and have a new, beautiful piece of history to use as my new hand sewing box.  It doesn't hold nearly as much stuff as the last bag I was using, but this brings a smile to my face every time I use it.