Author Archives: Pam

I made my first quilted item as a visual aid for a math project in 7th grade. Over the next 25 years quilting was hit or miss, but quilting took over all the other crafts I've done in 2003.

March Recap

April 2, 2014 10:41 pm ⋅ Pam

I’m a few days late with my March Recap. Mostly because I didn’t want to report that I didn’t make my goals. For March I had 5 things on my goal list:

Make “visible” progress on the Double Wedding Ring
Make progress on Eeyore
Make the “O” block for the Alphabet BOM
Make progress on Orca Bay
Bonus – make the backing for Scrappy Trips

“Visible” progress on the DWR means I can color in another section on the icon on the right. I didn’t even get one arc quilted in March.

Progress on Eeyore – well, I did trace off the patterns, but I hoped to have more progress.

The “O” block did get made.

Orca Bay is now ready for Step 7.

Not having completed the first 4 goals, I didn’t even attempt the Bonus goal.

But, I’m no longer feeling sorry for myself. In addition to the work pictured above, I really did get a lot done in March — just not the things I planned.

At the quilt retreat I made the Shamrock block. The modified 9-patches are for the Jared Takes a Wife quilt-along (the 4-patches were formerly my leader/ender project).

I quilted the red, white & blue quilt and made matching pillowcases to ship off for a birthday gift. Then I started a baby quilt, only to get bogged down in the border.

I finally attached a hanging sleeve to the mystery quilt that I designed so it could be photographed. The musical green pouch keeps the tools together my husband uses to fix music stands at school.

Not quilting, I finished this knitted shawl.

Then I started another one in much finer yarn and made a mini 10-minute runner.

I definitely got more done in March than I thought.

Posted in: goals

Stash Report

March 30, 2014 6:17 am ⋅ Pam

Another week and more fabric came in and nearly nothing went out.

Fabric added this week: 6.9 yards
Fabric added to date: 29.879 yards

Fabric used this week: 0.25 yards
Fabric used to date: 38.987 yards

Net used to date: 9.108 yards (and I still haven’t counted those shirt yet.)

Check out the link up over at Patchwork Times to see how others are doing with their stash.

Posted in: Stash Busting Report

Where Has the Week Gone?

March 28, 2014 1:23 pm ⋅ Pam

There has been very little quilting or knitting this week. I think the wind got knocked out of me when I saw my embroidered border with the pieced top on Monday. I will get up and finish the quilt – sooner than later, but I really do need to do laundry.

To get in front of the sewing machine I set my timer for 15 minutes and over two sessions, I finished 40 of these modified 9-patches for my Jared Takes a Wife.

Yesterday afternoon I escaped and made it to the quilt shop. Yes, the count is up. I picked up some “neutral” FQs, backing for my Stained Glass top and a kit for a mini 10-minute table runner.

Last night’s 15 minutes was making the mini table runner.

I need to see about getting some more of the fabric. My husband thought the fabric would make a great tie.

Perhaps this weekend will see great progress on my March goals, the laundry will get done, the baby quilt finished and my niece’s prom dress hemmed!

Posted in: Uncategorized

What’s On My Design Wall

March 24, 2014 8:32 am ⋅ Pam

After finishing the embroidery on first border, I discovered that I didn’t get it centered. I’m considering this border treatment. Although the embroidery, which looks good by itself nearly fades away when put next to the quilt. So who knows what I’ll really do.

See what others have on their design walls by following the links over at Patchwork Times.

Posted in: baby quilt, designwall

Stash Report

March 23, 2014 9:14 am ⋅ Pam

My stash is still smaller than it was at the beginning of the year, but it won’t be if I have very many weeks like this past week. I’m still working on the baby quilt – and broke down and bought another yard of fabric. Not only did I cut the first border 1/2″ narrower that I was aiming for, I discovered that I’ve stitched the music off center and now need to piece the border — even with cornerstones. It will be fine, just frustrating.

Then there are the gorgeous batiks I ordered late Tuesday night which arrived Friday in the mail.

The inbound numbers are up and I only get to count the 1/4 yard that I used to make the tool pouch. Perhaps this week I’ll get something large finished.

Fabric added this week: 10.25 yards
Fabric added to date: 22.979 yards

Fabric used this week: 0.25 yards
Fabric used to date: 38.737 yards

Net used to date: 15.758 yards (and I still haven’t counted those shirt yet.)

Check out the link up over at Patchwork Times to see how others are doing with their stash.

Posted in: Stash Busting Report

In the Mail

March 21, 2014 5:26 pm ⋅ Pam

A box from Connecting Threads came in the mail this morning. If indeed the box contained a “Small Book” my stash report would look good Sunday.

This is what was in the box:

I suppose I will have to count this gorgeous fabric IN this week. It is for a quilt that will be auctioned off next January or February. I suppose I could have waited to get the fabric, but I saw that it was all in stock and opted to buy it now.

Posted in: Uncategorized

On the Needles

March 21, 2014 7:14 am ⋅ Pam

Saturday night I started Easy as Pie by Marisa Hernandez downloaded from Ravelry. My yarn is that gorgeous Admiral Jaggerspun 2/18 wool/silk that I won all those years ago at a knitting retreat. I’m having much better luck with this yarn than I did a month ago. The primary difference is the needles.

I’m using Square Needles by Kollage. These are a size 6. Surprising, even though they are metal, my hands don’t hurt knitting with them – probably because I’m not holding them as tightly. I don’t think I’m knitting as tightly, my stitches aren’t falling off the needles and the points are sharp enough to get under the stitches. So far I’m very happy with the needles.

To see what other’s have on their needles, check out the links over at Patchwork Times.

Posted in: Easy As Pie, knitting, On the Needles, Uncategorized

Border Progress

March 20, 2014 8:02 am ⋅ Pam

Two steps forward, one step backwards.

The decision was made yesterday on the border.

Then I cut the fabric 1/2″ narrower than I needed.

I’m going with it anyway and will piece this piece and hope the seam is somewhat hidden by the binding. But, I don’t want it to be the top border, so I’m going to do the entire verse – one phrase on each border.

I think my husband said this version was in F major.

Posted in: baby quilt

Side Tracked the Side Track

March 18, 2014 11:01 pm ⋅ Pam

This evening I was sidetracked to make this relatively quick project. While we were out tonight, my husband bought some tools he could carry in his briefcase to tighten music stands at school. He needed something to contain them and protect the other stuff in his brief case.

With a piece of stash music fabric, scrap batting, pre-made wide bias tape, and sticky hook and loop tape, I whipped up this custom pouch.

Sticky hook and loop tape is not one of my favorite notions – but it was what I had and it made positioning the piece on the flap easy.

Now I need to make a case for his batons and cute little 1/32 size bow he carries around for demonstrating bow holds. But that will be later. Right now I have to get back to the baby quilt. The border decision has been made and I have some embroidery to do.

Posted in: finish

What’s On My Design Wall

March 17, 2014 12:59 am ⋅ Pam

There is a lot going on these days. Just barely showing behind the black & gold is Eeyore, pinned up so I can work on the black & gold quilt. I still need to finish the borders and then it will be on to the quilting. I have a cool idea for the quilting in the border (which my husband loves) so I hope I can pull it off. That bit of cream on the right is from the 2 color binding.

The baby’s parents are musicians, so isn’t this the perfect fabric for the backing?

I’m going to have to do some piecing as I only have a 2 yard piece and there is a 10″ and a 5″ square cut out of it. I really like the gold with it and I bought more than I needed, so maybe there’s enough.

While I was piecing the quilt, I managed to make 40 + 4-patches for my Jared Takes A Wife. For the record, they were already paired up into 2-patches. I think I have 10 more left to make.