Over the weekend I finished up a couple of outstanding items on my to do list — finished repairing my nephew’s quilt, got the border on my Spool Quilt, made this month’s Alphabet block and cleaned at the sewing room/office. Admittedly I still have a pile of stuff on the cutting table and the “storage” end of the sewing table, but for all practical purposes the room is clean – you can sit in all the chairs.

The next item on my to-do list is the deadline quilt. I worked on it a bit last night while listening to The Fiery Cross by Diana Gabaldon. I love her books, but even the prospect of listening to another chapter couldn’t keep me in the sewing room.  I’m not sure if it’s because I don’t want to mess up the clean room or needing working to a deadline that I can’t move. (Which of course makes it tougher to meet said deadline).

This evening I’m running the quilt up to my nephew. Perhaps when I get back I’ll be in a mood to piece.

My nephew called me and asked what he should do about the stitches pulling out of the quilt I made him. I told him to bring it to his sister’s wedding and I’d bring it home for repairs.

That was nearly 4 months ago. 

I finally got the quilt out the end of October to see just what the issue was. It wasn’t a stitch here and there, but rather 1″ – 2″ of stitches which had ripped out. No wonder he was catching his foot in the quilting.

Originally, the black and white setting squares were quilted with diagonal lines running from the top left to bottom right along the bias of the blocks.  I suspect since there was no stitching going the other way, when the fabric stretched, the thread didn’t. That and my “fix” stitch didn’t always hold.

So, I decided to crosshatch the blocks and back-stitch where I started and stopped the stitching.

I’ll take it to him Tuesday after I get off work. It’s just in time — or perhaps not.  I just saw the forecast — 19 degrees in the morning (Tues) – but Wednesday morning the forecast says it will be colder  – 18 degrees.  Looks like I’m about 24 hours late.

November’s block from Dorothy Young’s alphabet BOM is Kansas Star. Eleven month’s into the 26 month project, there is still time to join the fun.

If you wish to quilt along, join the group by clicking on the “Join Now!” button.

Click to join apocketfullofmysteries

Over the weekend I finished my Spool quilt top, finally adding the borders. This was last year’s Leader/Ender challenge over at Quiltville. It’s been added to the box of tops to be quilted.

At the moment I’m not doing this year’s Leader/Ender challenge – Split 9-Patch. When the challenge started, I was working on my Postage Stamp L/E project. I ran out of those pieces a few weeks ago and didn’t want to stop and cut more, so I pulled out a stack of green and white 2 1/2″ squares. I’ve been sewing them into 4-patches which I currently have tossed up on the design wall.

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

I’ve had to correct my report!  I just counted the border fabric and completely forgot the fabric for the blocks cornerstones and sashing!

Most of the week was spent pressing and cutting my scraps into usable bit and pieces, but Saturday night I finally got the borders on my 3″ Spool block quilt — pictures tomorrow.  I did order a charm pack, but it has not arrived, so I’ll count it when it gets here.

Fabric Added Since Last Report: 0 yards
Fabric Added to Date: 164.037 yards

Fabric Used Since Last Report:  1.444 yards 9.068 yards
Fabric Used to Date: 106.267 yards 113.891 yards

Net Used for the year -57.77 yards -50.146

See how others are doing with their stashes over at Patchwork Times.

Several days this week I’ve spent time pressing and cutting my scraps into manageable usable pieces.  The pickings in several of my pre-cut boxes were getting pretty slim, but I’m happy to report that now there’s a good selection.  But my rotary cutter is wore out from prepping pieces for “Future Quilts” and I need to work on a couple of more pressing items.

So, the remaining scraps, including the pile I pressed yesterday, has gone back into the basket on the shelf. At least it’s no longer overflowing.

It’s been a while since I worked on my DWR.  Tonight I finished quilting two of the outer arc/melon sets.

Tomorrow it’s back to work on Josh’s quilt.  I understand the forecast for next week is the high will only be 32 degrees farenheit. He may want his quilt back before then.

On my list of things to do, is to rearrange the stuff on my “extra” shelves so all of the quilting overflow is on a single set of shelves. I didn’t think to take a “before” picture, but here’s a picture from July to give you an idea of what I was up against:

I’m not there yet, but I’m getting closer.

Fabric from my mom and a friend’s mom was found in some of the boxes — more than I remember having. (That’s a good thing).  In fact, I did the quilt along using all floral fabric to use up some of my florals, only to end up with more floral fabric than I started with!  Not because I went shopping, but because I opened a couple of boxes.

Now to the multiplying scraps.

In the first picture, the pile of fabric/scraps on the ironing board appears to be my orphan block box.  I got it “under control” back in July.  What you can’t see is the red basket on the shelf full of scraps and bits & pieces of leftover fabric dating back to 2011.  I  haven’t been keeping my scraps cut up.

Tuesday night I dumped the red basket into a laundry basket so I could root around and pull out the larger pieces and put them away.  I tell you the scraps multiplied.

They filled up the laundry basket which is nearly twice as big.  Then I turned around and spotted another laundry basket – this one with shirt scraps.

Clearly I have some work cut out for me. But when I get it done I’ll be ready to start accumulating scraps again in my newly labeled basket.

One third of the quilt has been re-quilted.  Ten more blocks to go.

Earlier this week my husband embarked on a lamp project for his music room/office. While looking on Craigslist for a lamp he could cannibalize for parts, he found the “perfect lamp” and we drove half way across the state to get it.  After bringing it home and studying it, he decided it needed a few modifications, which in turn has resulted in numerous trips to the assorted hardware stores.

One of the things he bought is a 75 watt equivalent LED Daylight bulb. That darn thing is pricey! But look what it can do.

The pictures above were taken about midnight with only two lights in the room — the LED bulb in my task light fixture and a large compact fluorescent bulb in a floor lamp approximately 5 1/2 feet away from the sewing machine.  The flash on my camera was turned OFF.

Guess what just got put on my wish list.

As for the perfect lamp I’ll post a picture when he gets it put in his office. It really will be the “perfect lamp”.