Quilting and Stuff by Knitnoid

Shopping the Stash

October 7, 2010 9:39 pm ⋅

I have a new project in the works which needs to be finished by next summer. Due to circumstances, there will be a mad rush to finish it.  Since it is going to require appliqué, I thought I’d start working on it sooner than later.  Tonight I remembered a length of light fabric I bought based on a tiny swatch. It’s perfect for my project.  Then I spotted some black fabric in one of my bins.  Turns out it a big hunk as well.  I need less than a yard for the appliqué, so if it turns out I need this fabric to set my Black & Bright Swap blocks I should still have plenty.

In addition to the fabric, I need freezer paper and fusible webbing.  It turns out I have both in my stash, along with a spool of black thread.  So, I think this quilt top will come completely from stash.  Check back with me next summer to see if the backing comes from stash.

Posted in: applique, crossword, Stash

Backing Decisions

October 7, 2010 5:39 am ⋅

Yesterday I said I needed to put together a backing for this quilt.  It’s a big quilt top – 100 x 100, so I either need 3 yards of wide backing or 9 yards of 45″ wide fabric and seam it twice.

In October 2007 I bought 10 yards of this yellow floral fabric, plus a couple of tone-on-tone coordinates (that I keep reaching for when looking for a peach or green fabric).

The fabric was on sale for not more than $4 a yard and I took the rest of the bolt thinking I would make  a 4-patch Stacked Posies quilt — and apparently a dust ruffle, curtains, pillows and other accessories.    This was pre-stash report days.

I really don’t want to make another 4-patch Stack Posies quilt (well, maybe one more from some Kansas Troubles fabric) — I’ve already made 3.  The only issue is the Row Quilt (need to find a new name for this quilt as well) has absolutely no yellow in the top.  The blue on the left of the picture is the border and binding fabric.

Now that I’ve written this post, I think I’ve talked myself into using this fabric.  If anyone can think of a reason for me not to this fabric let me know.

Posted in: RowQuilt, Stash

Three Rows are Quilted

October 6, 2010 11:15 pm ⋅

When I started this quilt in the floor frame, I skipped the first row.  I think that’s the row  I’m going to work on next.

Posted in: dwr

QA Wednesday

October 6, 2010 12:01 pm ⋅

A week has gone by and I have a mixed report.

There was a single goal on my list last week:

  • Quilt on the DWR — at least one hour a day –perhaps 2.

With the exception of yesterday I worked on the DWR at least one hour each day.  Most days I did two hours.  But I must not have been focusing, because I should have been able to finish the row and start on another.  Oh, well, I did make progress.

This coming week I have three items on my list.

  • Quilt on the DWR – at least one hour a day – perhaps 2.
  • Start assembling Star Struck into rows.
  • Fix the Row Quilt.

The DWR is self-explanatory – Nov 29th is less than 2 months away.

I’m not going to commit to more than starting the rows on Star Struck. My friends and I are having a quilting day Saturday, so there will be sewing — but also conversation, laughter and ripping out.

The Row Quilt on the other hand is new to this party.  It’s been waiting to be quilted since March 2005.  This is the quilt I’ve decided to quilt on the HandiQuilter at Rocking Chair Quilts.  But before I can do that I need to turn that last block on row 7.  I could leave it, but it would bug me.  Once I get that taken care of I’ve got to put together a backing and decide on a quilting pattern – but that can be next week’s goal!

See how others did on their weekly goals by following the links over at Bari’s

Posted in: goals

Design Wall Monday

October 4, 2010 4:00 am ⋅

Last month week I made significant progress on the red stars.  The blue ones have been done for a while.  I still need to finish up another 20 red stars – just the center seam – so it won’t take long.  But on the other hand since I’m doing my best to focus on the DWR, this might just take me all month.

Check out other inspirational design walls by following the links over at Patchwork Times.

Posted in: designwall, Star Struck

Stash Report

October 2, 2010 10:51 pm ⋅

It’s a good thing we aren’t tracking pattern purchases.  “Foldy” Stuff  came home with me from the St Claire County Quilt Guild Show in Lawry City, Missouri.  It’s a neat technique and will make use of my shoebox full of 2″ strips.  The thread I bought at Jo-Ann’s with coupons. The yellow is for the remaining quilting in Compass Lone Star.  It’s a bit brighter than what I started with, but I don’t think it will matter. The gray I’ll use for piecing.

No fabric came in, but I used enough fabric this past week to put me over 75 yards used.  Hum…I wonder if I can use another 25 in the next 3 months?

So here are the numbers:

Fabric Added this Week: 0 yards
Fabric Added to Date: 149.761 yards

Fabric Used this Week: 2.733 yards
Fabric Used to Date: 75.357 yards

Net Stash for 2010: 74.404 yards

See if others are where they’d like to be here at the start of the 4th quarter by checking out the links at Patchwork Times.

Posted in: Stash Busting Report

October Quilting Goals

October 1, 2010 6:00 am ⋅

It’s a new month, so it’s time for a new list of monthly quilting goals.

  • Continue quilting the Double Wedding Ring — can I get 3 rows done by Halloween?
  • Make the September & October KVQG BOM
  • Prep backing for quilt*
  • Bind quilt*
  • Make progress on Cream & Green quilt

My stated deadline for the DWR is looming ahead, so this needs to be my #1 priority for the next two months.  But a quilter can’t live by quilting alone.  At least I can’t – I’ve got to piece as well.  So, my piecing will be the BOM blocks — last month’s and this month’s.  I suspect Blue Ridge Beauty and Star Struck will also get worked on.

Prep backing & bind quilt*.  You would think I’d know what quilt I’m talking about.  In reality I can’t decide if I want to take Turning Twenty Again or one of these two baby quilts (quilt 1, quilt 2) to Butler on the 20th.  Regardless of what I take, I’ll need to prep/make the backing and bind it.

The Cream & Green quilt is back on my list this month since it’s one of my challenge quilts to finish by the end of the year.

Noticeably absent is keeping up the Sylvia’s Bridal Sampler quilt.  I’m not abandoning it, simply setting it aside for a bit for more pressing deadlines.  Who knows maybe I’ll make a few blocks this month, but if I don’t I’m not going to lose any sleep over it.

Posted in: goals

September Recap

September 30, 2010 10:42 pm ⋅

A road trip to visit family, two weekends with visiting family, plumbing issues and work.  I may not have accomplished everything I set out to do this month, but I sure got a lot accomplished.

  • At least 8 SBS blocks – Made 4
  • The September KVQG BOM – No
  • Finish Quilting and Bind Oklahoma Backroads – Yes
  • Quilt at least 15 rings on the DWR – 6 done
  • Make progress on the Cream & Green quilt – No
  • Make progress on Star Struck – Yes – all blue stars are made and significant progress on the red stars

In addition to the above, I finished 5 more embroidered dragonflies, made a nap quilt for Head Start, made significant progress on Blue Ridge Beauty, tested a new pattern for a mini quilt, tested a quilt block, then made a large quilt top, and pieced, quilted and bound a baby quilt.

I haven’t posted a full picture of the baby quilt yet so here it is:

This is the quilt I quilted on HandiQuilter at Rocking Chair Quilts.  I have an appointment next month to go back.  I haven’t decided for what I’m taking to quilt.  I do have a “few” tops which need to be quilted.

Posted in: finish, goals, Modern DP9

QA Wednesday

September 29, 2010 12:06 am ⋅

Simple goals last week:

  • Keep working on the DWR – Did quilt some, but not enough
  • Piece 2 SBS Blocks – Pieced one block
  • Finish the Fairy Frost Sunset top – Finished Saturday night

Did I accomplish everything — no.  Did I good off –no.  Instead I got distracted by other quilting.  I’m sure no one has had that happen.

There was the “Modern DP9” which I quilted and bound — in pink from my stash:

The turquoise and purple dragonflies:

And the Love quilt for Head Start at the church where the guild meets:

With the summer dramas on USA and TNT off the air, I need to find something new to “watch” while I quilt.  But if I can’t find anything I still  need to make progress on my DWR.  So there is just one goal this week.

  • Quilt on the DWR — at least one hour a day –perhaps 2.

It’s lofty but if I cut out the piecing for at least a week, maybe I can see some head way.  I really wanted to have 4 rows finished by now and I’ve only got 2 1/2 rows done.

Check out the links over at Bari’s to see if anyone else got distracted last week.

Posted in: goals

Star Struck Progress

September 28, 2010 6:16 pm ⋅

Each month I list out what I want to accomplish during the month.  Sometimes it’s easily done, other times I’m overly optimistic -or get distracted. Unless I don’t sleep or take the next two days off from work, this is going to be an optimistic/distracted  month.

One of my goals for the month was to “Make progress on Star Struck”.  Furthermore somewhere I defined the progress as completing at least 20 blocks — which would get all of the blue blocks made.    Well, I’ve finished those blue blocks, made a couple of red blocks and sewed the squares on the rest of the red units.  If I I had been thinking, I would have been using this quilt as my leader/ender project instead of Blue Ridge Beauty.  Oh well.

Regardless, I’ll be able to say “Done” to Make Progress on Star Struck on Thursday.

Now to “Make progress on the Cream & Green quilt”.  Does uncovering it again count?

Posted in: goals, Star Struck