Friday, May 29, 2009

Procrastinating Again

Backing...for some reason I do not like to piece the backing for a quilt. I just don't like working with such large pieces of fabric. I've got one to do and don't have enough of the same fabric, so definitely will have to piece several different fabrics in order to get a big enough back for this quilt. I just can't seem to get my thinking cap on. It's not my quilt, that may be part of the problem. Of course that gave me a chance to work on another project. I made two sets of coasters. They were small and much easier to work with.



Went to Hobby Lobby to day and got batting for the crazy 4-patch top I finished.

It looks better now that the borders are on. I even went to Hancock Fabrics on Wednesday and bought wide backing for it. Got enough to do three queen size quilts. Also got a few more dots and stripes and a Zebra print. The Rowenta Irons were on sale so I got one. Hope I like it, even on sale they're expensive.



I had to laugh when I read my horoscope a little bit ago. "The bargain basement is not for you today--you want quality, not cheap stuff." Well I did get a couple of pieces of clearance fabric at Hobby Lobby, but when I was looking at the other fabric and found a couple that I liked, after I felt them and inspected them, they went back on the shelf. I didn't like the quality. I did find a beige tonal paisley that I liked and got it.

Sunday, May 24, 2009

Crazy 4-Patch

I don't know if that is the correct name for the blocks that I've been making, but that's what I call them. They are made by the stack and whack method. They are fun to make. I started with 5" charms and made 4- patch and 2-patch blocks to make a baby quilt.



I love the way it turned out. The backing and binding is ready, just need to get it quilted.




Then I moved on to a larger block made from "sweet 16's".


It is sideways. That's the only way I could get all the blocks to fit on my design wall. I haven't sewn them together yet. Not sure I like the larger version as well the as the smaller one. It may just be the different fabrics. Although I like these fabrics before I "whacked" them. Maybe I'll like it better when it is finished and turned right side up.



Finally got the sampler quilt ready to re-quilt the last row. Just haven't gotten brave enough to do it yet. Maybe I'm just procrastinating so I don't have to fix the backing for the next quilt I need to get on the frame.



I chucked the "To-Do List" and am just working on what I feel like doing. Starting a new project is always more fun than than finishing an old one.

Sunday, May 17, 2009

A Lazy Rainy Sunday

Were can I get nice pantographs for my long arm? The ones I've found so far on the Internet aren't exactly what I want. A few months ago, I got a package of quilting designs at Jo Ann's, but I have to make copies of them and tape them together. That is what I'm doing today. I'm doing a butterfly and a heart. That is enough to start with. It is a real pain making all those copies and then matching them up and taping them together. But at least that will give me a couple more quilting designs to use.


Thought I had finished quilting the queen size sampler quilt. When I started to take it off the frame, I found that the stitching on the last row was messed up. Luckily, it wasn't hard to rip out. I should get that back on the frame so I can finish quilting it, and hope the stitching is ok this time. Don't know what is going on with it. There was another partial row I had to rip out and redo. I'm not fond of ripping out quilting stitches.


Somehow when I was writing about the shop hop, I forgot to post a picture of all the stuff I bought.

The FQ packs have turned into another project. The trip back on Wednesday with another visit to Country stitches, gave me an idea what to do with them. They had a quilt on display that I liked and I asked about it and was told how it was made with sweet 16's and they just happened to have another small quilt made using 5" squares. I've decided to cut the FQ's into the sweet 16's to use for that quilt. So between the two trips to N. GA, I've acquired three new projects that I want to get started on. The zipper in the "purse from hell" broke, so now I have to make another one. This time I'm using fusible fleece instead of the pelltex. I think that will make it a lot easier to work with. I just happened to have enough fabric left to make another purse. I'm going to make it just a tad bit bigger though. I think because I had the purse over stuff may have caused the zipper problem. I'll never get the projects finished that are already started, if I keep coming up with new projects.

Wednesday, May 13, 2009

A Mini Shop Hop

We did a mini N. GA shop hop today. You'd think we'd had enough of N. GA to last awhile when we went last Friday. But no, Sandra won a gift basket from Log Cabin Patchworks in Hiawassee. Of course we had to rush back and get it. Well, we tried, Map Quest did its best to get it lost! But we out smarted their crumby directions. We figured as long as we kept heading NE we'd finally find our way to 515/76 and get to Hiawassee. It took us a little longer than we planned, but we got there and Sandra got her gift basket. It had some nice fat quarters and books in it and something we couldn't figure out what it was supposed to be. It looked kinda like a thimble, but wasn't. I used my 15% off coupon and bought two Moda charm packs from the Glace line and one charm pack from the Gypsy Rose line, a table runner pattern and a wall hanging pattern that uses 5" charms. We ate lunch at a Barbecue place across the street and took some pictures of the mountains from their terrace.











Wish I had views like this from my porch.



We headed back and stopped in Blue Ridge at Country Stitches. I bought three more of the Glace charm backs and a Dessert roll (5" strips) and used my 15% off coupon to get two yards of fabric that I hope will co-ordinate with the charms and strips. The Glace line of fabric wasn't at the quilt shops yet. I noticed an interesting building across the street, so had to take a picture.



I don't know what the building is, but it is quaint with the rock base and old lumber on the upper part.





We just had to stop at Mountain Holly Quilters, after all, we were driving right by it to get home. I got four FQs from their sale bin.



We also found out there is a new quilt shop in Ellijay. Wish we'd have known that on the way up when we wondered right through there. We were probably only a few blocks from it. We didn't have time on the way home. That can be another outing on another day.



I've been busy all week. I finished the house challenge quilt. Got the binding done on Sunday.

I still need to get the label on it. I have it made. That's another one off my list.

Monday, I fixed the backing and binding for the sampler quilt and got it loaded on the frame. Tuesday was guild meeting in the morning. We had a silent auction of member items. I got a cushion, scissors, two pieces of fabric, some trim and a little sewing organizer that goes over the arm of the chair. An managed to get the sampler quilt about 1/2 quilted.

Tomorrow is a community workshop day and the Paradise Piecers bee. Than on Friday the Needle Turners bee meets. So this is definitely a Gad-A-Bout Gal week.

Saturday, May 9, 2009

Shop Hop

Sandra and I did the North Georgia Shop Hop yesterday. We had a nice time. I'm sure glad I printed out back-up directions from Map Quest though. The GPS didn't always go the way we wanted to. We found that out right off the bat when it took us to Tate instead of Dawsonville for the first shop. We eventually found the shop. We had to call them, luckily they had cell service in that area. We were only a couple of miles down the road from them, so we found them easily.



This is Sandra standing out side Sew Memorable in Dawsonville. It was a nice little shop. I bought a yard of very pale pink fabric there. The were celebrating Arbor Day as their theme. They were dressed in camouflage shirts and one of the ladies was wearing tree branches. The other shops didn't play up there chosen holiday.




We ran into rain in Dahlonega. When we got to the Magical Threads, we had to park in a near by church parking lot and walk back to the shop. Just as we got parked, it started pouring rain with hail. It didn't last long, thankfully.

I bought 1 yd of black on white music fabric for Rae's birthday there. The shop owner lives on the upper floor.

The next stop, also in Dahlonega was The Common Thread. I bought the Turning Twenty - Simply Sashed book and 1/2 yd of striped fabric.


Then we headed for Hiawassee to Log Cabin Patchworks. It was a nice scenic drive on hilly, windy roads with hairpin curves. We made it there and ate lunch at Subway before finding the quilt shop, only to realize that I had left my purse in the booth at Subway. I dropped Sandra and rushed back to the restaurant and found my purse still in the booth, untouched. Thank goodness! Back to the quilt shop I went, luckily I didn't get lost. I was in a panic and sure wasn't thinking too straight. I bought another Turning Twenty book there.



From there we headed to Blairsville and Fabric Center. It was in a strip mall a little ways off the round-a-bout going around the court house. There I found some pretty FQ bundles, so got two.


We headed to Blue Ridge and our last two stops. We went to Country Stitches first. It was a cute little shop in an old house in the down town district right across the street from the railroad tracks.

We found their sale section and I got the end of bolt of a pretty brown paisley print for 40% off. Then we headed for our last stop, Mountain Holly Quilters on the Appalachian Hwy. There I got a FQ and some thread I hope will work for the Simply Squares quilt that's on my list of tops to quilt this month.

At each shop we received five 5" charms fitting their holiday theme to use in the Charm Table Runner pattern we received and a little charm. Doubt that I will get around to making the table runner, I'll probably add them to my 5" charm collection.

In spite of the goofy directions the GPS gave us on occasion, we made good time. We'd follow the directions I printed out and eventually the GPS would get with the plan. On the way home we passed only one area that had restaurants and none appealed to us. So we ended up being back in Cartersville before we found a place to eat supper. Can't wait till next year to do it again.

Tuesday, May 5, 2009

No More Design Dilemma

Or at least for now. I decided to go with the 1/2" white border and then the blue for the last border. The top is now done.


I'm happy with the way it turned out. Now to get it quilted and the binding done by the 2nd Tuesday in June. I'll quilt it next.

Right now I'm quilting the log cabin quilt. I got a good start on it today, and so far it's going smoothly.

I'm getting excited about the shop hop. Friday will be here before I know it. I've got my list made for things to look for. Hope I have good luck finding everything. especially the fabrics. I need a white and black music print for a birthday gift and fairy fabric for a project that's in the planning stages. I also need 2-4 FQs in stripes for the polka dot and stripe Turning Twenty quilt challenge quilt. It needs to be done before Christmas. One of the ladies doing the challenge is giving hers to her son for Christmas. Last but not least on my list is Bubble Jet Set. I used all I had this week when I treated some fabric. I've already used 5 of the 12 sheets that I did. My daughter has labels she wants to print, plus I also have some quilt labels to make.

Monday, May 4, 2009

Design Dilemma

Designing a simple little quilt sure can be challenging. I can't decide how I want to do the last border or two borders.


Do I just want to go with one last border or do I want a narrow white border first? Or...


should I do a white strip between two blue strips? I need to get this finished so I can try to finish the rest of the things on my list which include three quilts to quilt and another tote bag that I started a couple of years ago.

Saturday, May 2, 2009

My First Selvage Project

Intown Quilters is having a handmade postcard contest. They will have a drawing on July 1. The winner wins a $100 gift certificate. They passed out the post cards to decorate at shop hop. I decided to enter and decided to make a selvage post card.





It was quick and easy to do and turned out cute. I embellished it with a button I had in my button collection. My selvage stash is still small, maybe when I get more I'll try another project.


I treated fabric with bubble jet yesterday and printed my house picture. Now to design the quilt top and get it made by the June meeting. I enjoy doing the challenge quilts that both guilds do.


Finally took a picture of the table topper that I made at quilt camp.


This was made from my batik stash. It wasn't hard to make, just had to pay close attention to what I was doing and make sure I sewed the small triangle in the right place. I like it, but still wish I'd had the right fabrics to go with the paisleys I've been collecting. Maybe another project will come along that I can use them in.

Friday, May 1, 2009

Rain To Make My Garden Grow

It is raining to day. My garden will appreciate it. So far it is doing well. I haven't checked to see if the spinach and lettuce have come up yet, but this rain should help.



I'm so wishy washy, I can't make up my mind about anything. It doesn't help that I got confused about my To-Do list. I miss read and started putting the Strip Twist top together. That was already scratched off my list, all I had to do was finish piecing the blocks, which I did. I was getting it mixed up with finish piecing the EVQG Mystery Quilt, not the community service quilt. I've just got four more blocks to sew into a row, then I'll number the rows and set it aside. Although I do need to have it completed in August. I thought originally that the community service quilts were due in October, guess the date was changed. Ugh! I'm only half way through my list of things to complete by the end of the month, so guess I'd better get in high gear and figure out what to due next. Guess start quilting some of the quilts on the list. I already have 12 items on my To-Do list for the next three months, plus I'll be adding anything that I didn't complete this month. So much for lists to keep me on track.



My birthday is coming up and I need to decide what fabric I want for my birthday. The Paradise Piecers Bee that I'm a member of gives each member a yard of fabric on their birthday. I just can't make up my mind, do I want yellows, browns, large scale florals, Orientals, batiks or paisleys. Maybe I will go with the browns. I don't have a lot of browns.



I finished the challenge project for EVQG, then found out it isn't due until August, thought it was due in June.

The challenge this year is "It's All In The Bag" The quilt must be similar in color and style as your selected bag. The project must be considered a quilt consisting of top, batting and backing and be quilted. My project meets those requirements I quilted it and it is three layers outside, fusible fleece and a lining. The gift bag on the right is the bag I drew out of the box. The tote on the left is my interpretation of the bag. I copied and printed the motorcycle onto fabric and used it for the pocket on the tote. I'm happy with the way it turned out. I need to be giving the AQG challenge project some serious consideration. It is due June 9Th. That's just over a month away. May be I'd better stop procrastinating about soaking that fabric in bubble jet and do that today, so I can print the picture of my house. I've got the fabrics. It won't take long to make once I get started.