Thoughts and Prayers

As I woke this morning to another bright, sunny day here in S.E. Arizona I thought of those experiencing the devastation / effects of Hurricane Sandy.  My thoughts and prayers are with all.  

I finished the 'clothing' quilt tops.  Grabbed my camera in anticipation of finally posting some pictures, but, alas, the camera battery is sleeping.   So I will let it get it's rest and recharge and have pictures to post next time.
I have such a mess in my sewing room.  My inclination is to close the door and ignore it.  Put a quilt on the frame and start the process of getting these 5 quilts completed.  But.... at some point, I will have to open that door again to attach the binding to these quilts, so I might as well get in there and straighten up the mess - anyone want to come help?!

Katie who's headed to the sewing room - but not to sew.......

Not again!!!!

Okay…. Maybe that’s a bit of a dramatic ‘title’, but it seems like I rarely have pictures to post – well, ones that would interest anyone anyway….

I had big hopes of having the 5 ‘clothing’ quilts done by now.  Didn’t happen but I am in the home stretch as far as construction of the quilts.  I have the kids’ quilt tops done and I hope to finish mom’s today.  I have the sashing & borders to cut then just get it all together.  There were a couple baby outfits that I simply could not bring myself to cut up and include in the quilts.  I will return them to mom with the suggestion she put them aside to give later for a grandchild to wear – I did that with a couple of my son’s baby outfits and both of his sons wore them and have photos of the three of them…. Sorry, there I go again, sidetracking   The little T-shirts and hankie bonnets that were from the hospital when the kids were born, I did incorporate into mom’s quilt.  I had a very hard time cutting those little T’s but those are something that I know would not be used otherwise.  Any future G-kids will have their own birth T’s and bonnets/ caps.  I am happy with the way these quilts came together, but I have to say – I don’t think I would rush into doing anything like it again.  Some of what I was given had already been cut up and I had to create applique blocks.  There was several different fabrics involved – lace, cotton, stretch jersey, polyester….. I have decided that if I am ever again approached to do this type of a quilt, the clothing will have to be intact and they will have to be willing to pay for stabilizing materials…..  Fortunately, the stabilizing material I used was not too pricey, but because I did not mention the need to use it, I won’t charge for it…. It’s the full disclosure thing for me.

On another note, I really want to love my quilter again so may have to give in and take it in to be serviced / checked out / whatever it needs.  I don’t know if it’s the thread I’m using, the fabrics in the quilts or what, but it just has not been playing nice.  I’ve actually considered selling it and maybe buying one of the sit down models.  BUT… then I start from square one relearning to move the quilt under a needle versus the needle over the quilt….. and I’m sure there would still be issues to overcome – eventually…..

I am hoping that everyone on the east coast remains safe in view of the upcoming storm predictions. 

Until next time (and maybe, hopefully, some pictures)

Katie

Is it Fall yet??

I was away longer than I had anticipated.  My SIL's surgery had a small complication and she had to undergo a second procedure.  An out patient surgery ended up with a couple days in the hospital, but I'm happy to say she is doing okay and getting around on her own.
While we were up (she lives a little over 200 miles north of us) helping out, we had a cold front come through bringing some rain and breezes.  If finally felt a little like fall!  Coming home through the mountains, I could see the leaves starting to change giving me hope that maybe it will finally cool down enough that I actually can think along fall and Christmas.....
I have tons to do today as hubby leaves Mon. afternoon to go hunting.  I expect he will be gone close to 2 weeks and my plans are to get the quilts done from clothing.  I have the two boys' quilt tops completed, so actually only the 2 girls' then mom's.  
Hope everyone has a wonderful Sunday...

Katie

Challenges

Do you ever back down from a challenge?  Well, I suppose, for me, it depends on the challenge.  I know my limitations and sometimes I may be challenged to do something that I, quite simply, don’t want to do!    That said, there was a challenge (well sort of) over on the QFC Yahoo group to take stock / inventory of your UFO’s.  OH, wait, let me back up some (I know, I know…. me and my getting side tracked….) 

Cathy B. is the master mind behind QFC.  She is an amazing organizer and QFC would not exist without her.  She is one of my closest friends and yet the only time we actually talk to one another is during Sew Fest, which I was not able to attend this year   Anyway, we try to get together several times a week…. Yes we do, seriously!!! We do IM (instant messaging)  and we met for cyber coffee Tues morning and got to talking about UFO’s.  I say it can not be an UnFinished Object if it never got started in the first place.  She says that if you have the pattern and bought the fabric for the object, then it’s a UFO.  I say that I reserve the right to change my mind and repurpose my fabric.  So on it goes……. I mean, seriously, if every piece of fabric I bought or pattern or book was with a project/object in mind …… I don’t even want to think about it…..  Anyway, if I buy fabric for a specific pattern or project in mind, I make it almost immediately.  If I’m thinking it, I’ll probably make it. 

Okay, back to challenges.  Cathy posted on the QFC Yahoo group for the group members to make a list of their UFO’s, pictures of their UFO’s and post their list where they could see it.  So…. I did and here is what I came up with:

The first and last quilts are ready for quilting.  The 2nd and 3rd quilts need borders.  I know I’ve posted pictures of these here before but remember, this is my UFO post

 

This is for my “Screaming Christmas” quilt.  I blogged about this here.  I still have a few more embroidered blocks to do and I’m sure I won’t have enough of the red fabric but I do have something that will work and it’s for me and it’s for Christmas and my wrapping paper never matches, why should my Christmas fabric ?!

 

 

This will be called “Sea Birds”.  I bought the panels at the Estate sale and then came across these designs from Ace Points.  I need to find blue, beige and probably a brown to go with the colors of the embroidery and the panels….

 

 

This is definitely an “on going” project.  These are small paper pieced blocks – 4” finished and I work on them just whenever…. I know this will end up as a table topper, maybe a wall hanging.  I know I don’t have the patience (or enough fabric) to make this into a quilt….  The pattern is from Quilters Cache.

 

 

I try to have designs embroidered and ready for ‘if something comes up’ or I’ll embroider the set simply because I like them.  The Art Deco reindeer done in red are paired right now with some swap blocks from several years ago.  The blocks are Christmas prints and red and there are not enough for a quilt but maybe a wall hanging…….  The Christmas Angel designs still need 2 more stitched out to complete the set and I know I will be putting them into a quilt.  My plan (and I reserve the right to change my mind) is to use satin and velveteen fabrics.  I think the designs are quite elegant and deserve to be showcased accordingly….  The Christmas Angel designs are from Embroidery DK.

You’ve seen these before, too.  This is one of my “Scrap Bin” projects.  I always have lots of white strips from trimming embroidered squares that go into quilts so this was a great use for those strips.  This is a 6” square and has 21 pieces per square.  I plan on this being at least a queen size quilt.  May take me a while as I work on this only when I’m not wanting to really accomplish something – I know doesn’t make sense but I understand what I’m trying to say

These are my Farmer’s Wives blocks (and book) that is another ‘if I feel like it’ project.   This is another one of those things that I like but that I’m in to hurry to complete and is another “Scrap Bin” project…

 

 

And lastly, my LIST.  I printed it out and posted it on the closet door of the sewing room. 

Now I just need to remember to look at it and actually do something from it …..

I will be gone for a few days and probably not have access to a computer.  My sister-in-law is having surgery for a kidney stone and hubby & I will helping her until she’s up and about.  She had a similar surgery back in January and it took her a couple of days to feel able to get up and moving around.   Anyway, if you leave a comment and I don’t respond right away, it’s not because I don’t care….  I do welcome comments……

Katie

Finally–pictures!

I really have been working on projects….. The bigger quilts > I was sent 4 sets of embroidered blocks and I assembled those.  The motorcycle flame quilt is my work entirely.  I will show close-ups, but will say with the flame quilt I was not happy.  My quilter was not behaving well.  After washing the quilt it helped pull some of the ‘pokies’ in….    

These quilts will be donated to a boys home in PA.

 

I like the piano key border quilting of this quilt.  I used a varigated thread, white to black and in some places it looks like the batting is coming through….

 

There was so much color in this set of embroidered designs, that I chose stack-n-whack as a ‘filler’.  I made the ‘fillers’ first and then needed to frame the cars to make them fit the fillers.  I could have trimmed the stack-n-whack blocks down, but then I would have had to made a larger border – this worked….

I really liked these designs.  There was such a variety of color, I chose the black fabrics because they had a lot of color in them as well – it doesn’t show up too well in the picture – maybe if you click on the picture it’ll enlarge and show better

 

This turned out okay.  I used scraps to make the 9 patch blocks.  I was not overly fond of the designs but in the end it came together.

 

 

I really like this quilt, I only wish the quilting was better – enough said…..

 

 

 

 

These are little tiny quilts.  They measure 14” X 19” and will be donated for a NICU.  I questioned the size, but then was told these little quilts actually are used to cover the tiny preemie babies.  Several of the ladies from QFC have also donated for this NICU.  I will try and remember to get a ‘group’ picture of them all before I donate.  They are all so darn cute!

When I think of the small size of these, I think some little girl will be able to wrap her dolly in her quilt, but if the parents are like me, the quilt will be put away…..

So that’s what I’ve been working on and it will probably be a while again before I have many pictures to post.  I will be working on 5 quilts for a family…. using the kids clothes to make each of them their own quilt from their clothes and what’s left will go into a quilt for mom.  I think it will actually be fun to watch the quilts come together….

Katie