Quilting and Stuff by Knitnoid

2010 Final Countdown Task Three

December 31, 2010 9:10 pm ⋅

Task #3 of the  Prairie Moon Quilts 2010 Final Count down challenge is:

Deal with a bunch of scrap

But before I can begin Task # 3, I have to finish Task # 2.  I’m happy to report that Task # 2 is completed.

1 – the ironing board

Yes, there’s a pile of fabric on the ironing board, but that’s what I uncovered clearing the flat surfaces and what I’ll deal with for Task # 3.

2 – guest sewing table

 

3 – the cutting table

 

4 – my sewing table

I did not just shuffle the stuff around.  The batting was put up into the appropriate bins, the quilting patterns and magazines filed, the paperwork sorted (filled up my under-desk recycling bin), stuff which doesn’t belong in the is room hauled out (and put away), quilt parts and pieces gathered and folded together.

Now, off to deal with that pile of fabric on the ironing board.

Posted in: Challenges

2010 Final Countdown Task Two

December 30, 2010 11:50 pm ⋅

Task #2 of the  Prairie Moon Quilts 2010 Final Count down challenge is:

Clear off a flat surface in your sewing area

I need to spend a couple of hours on the flat surfaces of my sewing room.  There are four of them – not including the floor or my desks and chest of drawers 🙂

1 – the ironing board

It’s not too bad — but then I had just dumped a bunch of stuff on the floor so I could play with some fabric.

2 – guest sewing table

It’s a flat surface, so what can I say, we come into the house from the garage and dump everything here.

3 – the cutting table

I recently cleared the guest sewing table and ironing board by dumping everything on to my cutting table.  When I need to cut something I pull out a mat and put it on the ironing board.

4 – My sewing table.

Ignore the open binder.  That’s a rolling cart with a work binder on it.  The pile of stuff on the right is a combination of personal and work papers I haven’t needed in a while.  Mixed in are parts and pieces of at least one quilt, and a windbreaker.

So what did I do instead of clearing these flat surfaces?  Made the pillowcase to go with No Blue Geese in my Tropical Garden.

It should count toward cleaning up – the fabric needed to be put up and  I needed a pillowcase.    Actually, I’m working on the  areas and have made progress on three of the areas.  Look for pictures either later tonight or tomorrow.

Posted in: Challenges, finish

2010 Final Countdown Task One

December 29, 2010 11:52 am ⋅

Prairie Moon Quilts is doing 2010 Final Count down challenge. Nothing elaborate, just simple tasks to get us up and in gear.  Here’s task # 1.

Find your oldest UFO and do something about it

I guess it depends on your definition of UFO.  I think generally, quilters think of UFOs as projects which are tossed aside, never to be worked on again unless someone prods  you to.  So, with that definition I guess the “honor” goes to my Christmas BOM which I started August 21, 2003.  For some reason, I’ve kept detailed notes. I can tell you when I made each block that I’ve got completed.

Why is is still languishing?  That’s easy.  I finished all the pieced blocks and all that remain are the applique blocks.  Ok, that and I thought I wanted to make it bigger, so I needed more blocks. I used my perfect “reindeer fabric” on another quilt — it was a perfect brown — and I stole my friend’s stash of the same fabric to finish something else.  And finally, there’s always another project calling my name.

So, what am I going to do about this UFO?  Put it back on the shelf and go with a different definition of UFO.  I’m going to use the simplest definition of UFO — UnFinished Object — meaning the quilt that is the oldest that is not finished– I just happen to be working on it so some might say it’s WIP – Work-In-Progress.  That honor goes to my  Double Wedding Ring  which I started in September 1989.

At the moment it’s stuffed in the basket and tucked behind the table — had to get it out of the way when I cleaned up for Christmas.  I’m sure everyone is tired of reading about this quilt. I missed all of my latest sets of deadlines – Nov 29th our 25th anniversary; Dec 22nd the last day to turn in a  UFQ project at the LQS and Dec 31st the last day to turn in  UFO on my on-line challenge (hey- no way I can quilt 20-21 rings and bind it by midnight Friday).  So, since all my “deadlines” have been missed, I’m simply going to work on this quilt with the intention of finishing it sometime in 2011.  Maybe I can get it done in time to hang in the Guild quilt show in April – wait -that’s another deadline.

Seriously though, my 3rd oldest UFO — one that is stuffed in a corner and not being worked on – is a BOM from April 2005.

This one got set aside for all of the usual reasons. – found something else to start, not excited by the setting, etc.  This one I have a plan for in 2011.  It’s quilt #12 on my UFO Challenge for Judy.  It’s on both lists — needs to be pieced and needs to be quilted since I’m doing it quilt-as-you-go — so there’s no getting around it when she calls # 12.

Well, I hope this listing of my 3 oldest UFOs – regardless of definition meets the challenge issued.

 

 

 

Posted in: Challenges, UFOs

No Blue Geese in My Tropical Garden – A Finish

December 28, 2010 4:42 pm ⋅

Early this morning (2 AM?) I finished sewing down the binding on No Blue Geese in my Tropical Garden.  I used the pattern Geese in my Garden by Mary Honas.   My quilt name reflects that there is no blue in the quilt top. At the time I started this quilt it seemed like every quilt  I made had blue in it.

Last month I took it down to Rocking Chair Quilts and rented time on their HQ16.  I loaded the top in sideways so I would have a good run for the feathers I did down the print and black strips.  The quilting is not award winning. At the time, I thought it horrible.  But once it was off the frame and washed, it’s not bad — still won’t win any awards.

The feathers in the top and bottom strip were done starting and stopping as I rolled the quilt up.  I obviously need to practice more with that concept.  Here are a few detail pictures. You should be able to click on them to see them larger.


 

It measures approximately 58 x 80.

Now to send an e-mail to Finn and let her know I have another finish for the year!

Posted in: finish, No Blue Geese

What’s on my Design Wall

December 27, 2010 12:38 am ⋅

This is the last Design Wall post of the year.  There’s nothing on the wall, but on my cutting mat I have No Blue Geese trimmed and ready for binding.  Who knows, I might just have another finish for Finn’s New Year’s Eve UFO Challenge and I’ll need to find another quilt to put on my UFO Challenge 2011 list for the challenge Judy is sponsoring.

I can live with that.

See what others are working on this last week of the year, by following the links over at Patchwork Times.

Posted in: designwall

Stash Report

December 26, 2010 10:46 am ⋅

Last stash report of the year. All in all I’m pleased with my results.  I used in excess of 100 yards of fabric.  My fabric purchases were kept to a minimum – 94 yards, although  I inherited or was gifted another 81 yards.

The pincushions above are the results of my last-minute sewing.  I read about the pincushions on The Cozy Quilter’s blog, which in turn led me to the Moda Bake Shop.  The pink, black and white pincushion at the top is HUGE.  It really needs some more stuffing.  I ended up using 45-degree diamonds cut from 2 1/2 inch strips.  They finished at about 4 1/2″ in diameter.  I stuffed my pincushions with about 1 1/4 cup of crushed walnut shells.  I finished it off with button from my button box.

Now the final numbers:

Fabric Added this Week:  0 yards
Fabric Added to Date: 175.955 yards

Fabric Used this Week: 1.14 yards
Fabric Used to Date: 103.593 yards

Net Stash for 2010: 72.362 yards

Check out other results by following the links over at Patchwork Times.

 

 

Posted in: Stash Busting Report

Last-Minute Sewing

December 22, 2010 8:00 am ⋅

 

I’ve managed to stir up my 2 1/2 strip boxes while doing a bit of last-minute sewing.

Posted in: Uncategorized

Pillowcases

December 21, 2010 11:56 pm ⋅

Finished two pillowcases today.  These go with this quilt.

Posted in: pillowcase

What is on my Design Wall

December 20, 2010 9:12 am ⋅

The fabric is just laying on my ironing board, but I’ve got to get this fabric made into two pillowcases this week.

See if anyone else has anything on their design wall by following the links over at Patchwork Times.

Posted in: Uncategorized

Stash Report

December 20, 2010 9:09 am ⋅

I’m running behind on the stash report.  Originally didn’t think I had anything to report, but there was one stop looking for fabric for a couple of pillowcases.

Fabric Added this Week:  .444 yards
Fabric Added to Date: 175.955 yards

Fabric Used this Week: 0 yards
Fabric Used to Date: 102.453 yards

Net Stash for 2010: 73.502 yards

Links to more Stash Reports can be found at Patchwork Times.

Posted in: Uncategorized