First up is this top which I completed Saturday night.  These blocks are from a 2008 swap I participated in.

This past weekend I also prepped two quilts for quilting. The one on the left I need to have finished in the next 3 1/2 weeks, so naturally I’m going to do the one on the right first.  All kidding aside, my plan is to quilt them both alike, so the floral will be my practice quilt.

There was a bit of bad weather through here during the early evening, so I thought I would do a bit of treadling — I haven’t done any since the 5th – but I had not sliced up my strip sets.  So I did 12 of them – 6 for last week and 6 for this week.  But I still need to rip out one seam before I can start sewing again….

But the weather cleared up and I needed to clear my ironing board to do a bit of clothes pressing (I don’t do that often). The left over fabric from the Kansas Troubles 4-patch Stacked Posies was on top, so I made a pillow case.  That cuff used the last bit of red fabric that I bought and I think I may only have a F8 left of the blue.  I have plenty of the floral, so I’ll use it for the binding.

With this week’s sewing I finished 10 spool blocks.  I need to make either 100 or 130 more before I start sewing them into blocks.

The plan for this week is to work on Sew Scrappy, get the two quilts quilted and bound and get  12 Scrappy Trips blocks made. Who knows what will really get done.

Check out what others are doing by following the links over at  Patchwork Times.

I had high hopes to finish both the 2008 Swap Top, a pillow case and quilt a top for my sister.  Given the excitement this week 2 out of 3 is not bad.  I ran out of steam before the pillow case was done. Tomorrow I’ll show the swap top.

Friday I hit the LQS Bolt Sale looking for backings.  I came home with backings for 2+. I found a wide backing for my Kansas Troubles 4-patch Stacked Posies which is wider than I really need, but the price was right. I ended up with 2/3 yards more than I really needed since that’s what was left on the bolt. The second piece is for the floral quilt top that I finished a few weeks ago.

For my reporting, I’ve converted the yardage to 40″ equivalent.

Fabric Added Since Last Report: 10.7 yards
Fabric Added to Date: 112.869 yards

Fabric Used Since Last Report:  2.92 yards
Fabric Used to Date: 33.14 yards

Net Used for the year -79.729 yards

To see how others are doing check out the links over at Patchwork Times.

The bag was delivered last night in this bright pink package.  My niece tells me she is going to use the zebra and pink bow as part of the table decorations tonight at her party.

My niece picked the fabrics and pattern for the bag when we were on vacation the summer of 2011.    I told her at the time I couldn’t get it made until Christmas at the earliest.  In fact mid-December 2011 I started working on the bag with the intention of giving it to her for Christmas.  This is evidenced by the label I sewed into the lining while I was making the bag.

But the grommets brought me to a halt.  I was terrified to cut the bag.  That and I suspect it was wet outside.  The bag was set aside and taunted me for a year and a half until I finally overcame my fear and made the grommet holes.

Of course now there was the issue of the label, not to mention the grommets not covering the edge of the lining fabric and batting showing after I got the grommets in the bag on a few of them.  While I was pondering these two issues, I made a  coin purse and a pocket tissue cover from matching fabric.

I think the next time I make the coin purse I’ll move the zipper down just a tad – or put it on the top.

The inside of the bag is lined with pockets.

In the side seams I attached elastic loops. One holds a pen…

and the other side has a key ring flashlight on a hook.

The lining fabric came from my mom’s stash.  It’s a VIP Colorworks print from the late 80’s or early 90’s.  My sister, sister-in-law and I all had skirts with this fabric in them.  I’ve since tore into the skirts to make a quilt.

As for the batting and raw edges of fabric from the grommet holes?  My friend Vic suggested using a pink Sharpie and Fray Check.

It’s not perfect, but it worked well enough.

As for the label…

The most important thing is that my niece loves the bag.

This is the quilt my sister made for her grand-daughter Isabelle. She’ll be 2 in the next day or so.  I’m so proud of her.  She has taken to piecing like a duck to water. However, as this is only her second piece quilt (her first one can be seen HERE) she hasn’t learned to do any quilting other that straight-lined and wanted something loopy.

So, I offered to quilt it for her.

We used Hobbs Tuscany 100% unbleached cotton batting.  Bottom Line in Red (used part of one bobbin) and a spool of Star Thread in Lavender for the top. The understanding was if the top thread gave me issues, we were switching. I’m happy to report that once the machine was threaded correctly, there were no issues.

The quilting pattern, was freehand — Dawn Ramirez calls it Floral Echo on her DVD Pajama Quilter Reloaded which arrived on Saturday.  My quilting won’t win any prizes, but I was happy with it.

As for the “with Stitches” part of the post title, after all these years of wielding a rotary cutter I joined the ranks of those needing stitches after cutting myself.

Home alone, I drove myself to the hospital (1/2 mile away) when I couldn’t get the bleeding to stop. No, it didn’t hurt (stung a bit) nor does it hurt now.  They decided on 3 stitches which I’ll have to get taken out in a week.  The huge bandage can come off Friday morning.

These are the 2008 Retreat Swap Blocks. The block is from Block Central’s 2007 Block of the Month. It is installment 3 B and is called Glenwood Avenue.  I ran out of steam before finishing the center of the top, but all of the remaining pieces are prepped and ready to go.

This past week I also finished up another 20 of the flying geese blocks for Sew Scrappy.  I got distracted by the bag and the swap blocks.  This top may end up going to retreat with me next month.  After I get the rest done, I have a ton of 9-patches and 25-patches to make.

While all this sewing was going on I managed to make another 20 spool blocks.  This brings my total to 170 of the 310 that I currently think I need (this number varies depending on how I think I’m going to set them.)

Check out the links over at Patchwork Times to see what others have been up to.

This week I finished the Bellenca Bag, but the vast majority of that fabric was previously counted.  I made another 6 Scrappy Trips blocks, worked on Sew Scrappy and even though the plan was to take the 2008 Retreat Swap Blocks to another retreat next month, I started working on them.  But all of this fabric will be counted when I finish the tops.

Fabric Added Since Last Report: 2.0 yards
Fabric Added to Date: 102.169 yards

Fabric Used Since Last Report:  0.38 yards
Fabric Used to Date: 30.22 yards

Net Used for the year -71.949 yards

This week I hope to finish the swap top, make a pillow case and I’ll be quilting a top for my sister.  She’s taken to piecing like a duck to water.

To see how others are doing check out the links over at Patchwork Times.

Tonight was Stitch and Chat, so I pulled out my DWR and did a bit of hand quilting on it.  I really do need to take at least one other night during the month and do more hand work.

Yesterday I made a coin purse and tissue cover.

And I have settled on a layout of the swap blocks and the fabric I’m going to use.  (Note to self add 2 yards to stash report for Sunday.)

I found the black fabric in my stash – it was left over from the backing of No Blue Geese in My Tropical Garden, but I didn’t have enough white on white fabric for the sashing. There’s not enough fabric to bind the quilt so who knows what the binding will be.  But that is getting a head of myself.

This evening I conquered the grommets on the bag I’ve been working on (and off) for the past 17 months.  The bag calls for 16 grommets.  The pattern recommended hammered grommets purchased from Home Depot, which I bought.  But the thought of cutting into the bag terrified me.  That and it was December and wet (not that it’s been wet for the last 17 months) outside.  The pattern recommended cutting the holes out side.

Oh, the pattern – it’s The Bellance Bag by Lila Tueller Designs.  My niece picked out the pattern and the fabrics when we were on vacation summer before last.

Anyway, last week when it was pretty outside, I got gutsy enough to cut the holes.  I got 7 of grommets in before I tossed my hands up and worked on something else. But tonight I got the remaining 9 grommets installed in less time that the first 7 – or at least w/less frustration.

The solution?

Painter’s tape!

The cool grommets I used are Silver Grommets from everything Mary.

I read the brief instructions which came in the package, but I HIGHLY recommend reading the instructions that are on their webpage.  I’m sure I don’t know if they’ve been updated since I read them 17 months ago or simply didn’t remember what I read.

The grommets are held together by 2 tiny screws.  I removed them and taped the front portion of the grommet over the hole on the outside of the bag.

This held it in place long enough for me to put tiny slashes (don’t do this, follow the instructions on the website) in the fabric and screw the back on.

Now, to find the rest of the instructions.  I think all that is left is the drawstring and shoulder straps.  Oh, and that incorrect label.

UFO progress does not always mean stitching.  Next month I’m going on a 3 weekend day retreat, so I’ve started planning what I’ll be working on.  As I was studying my list of possibilities, I started playing in EQ7 with various layouts for these swap blocks from 2008. I think I have a layout.

I’ve printed foundation papers for the square in a square blocks and have put together my cutting instructions.  All that is left is for me to find the fabric I’ll use.  I think I have enough  white in my stash, but I have no idea what I’m going to use for the black fabric — or if it will even be a black fabric.  I see a trip to the LQS with my blocks and notes sometime in the next 4 weeks.

On the other hand, those screw in grommets on the Bellance Bag are giving me fits.

I’ve spent the last week cutting fabric, working on the bag and piecing flying geese, but there wasn’t anything on my design wall. So, I sat down and pieced 6 more Scrappy Trips blocks on my treadle. There is no deadline on this quilt so I’m not rushing the process.

I’ve finished 100 of the 178 flying geese blocks used for the sashing in the new quilt I started from the Kansas Troubles scraps. The other 78 geese have one sky piece.  Doesn’t everyone start with pieced sashing when making a quilt?

10 more spool blocks were completed, but now I’ve decided I need 30 more than what I have cut. I’ll worry about cutting the last 30 when I get some of these off my sewing table.

Check out the links over at Patchwork Times to see what others are working on.