Not feeling it…

Okay, so I told you about the Dolphin quilt.  Let me say here that I normally really like the quilts I make.  I have a hard time parting with many of them… This one, well…. I’m just not feeling the love:

Here is the body of the quilt without it’s borders.  First, I’m disappointed that the colors are not exactly (or probably even close) to the Dolphins colors.  I think they should have been lighter…. I think the designs are cute, though:

  Designs are from Ace Points. Secondly, I think my use of solid, instead of print fabrics, was a mistake.  I doubt I will ever again make a quilt using only solid fabrics.

I had already made up my mind to add black & grey borders.  I decided on grey as the outer border – not sure I’m liking that either:

This quilt is on the frame and I will quilt it today.  I would really like to do something special on this quilt, but because I really don’t like it, it probably is not going to happen.  I’m at the point where I just want it done and gone!  Hopefully, once quilted, it will a little more likeable!

Now this quilt I’m lovin’

The Dresden Plates measure 20” each and I’m using 4” scrap squares to build out from the center.  This one I can hardly wait to finish! 

Next week will be another busy week for me – no sewing (bummer).. My sister and her significant other will be here Fri. evening and leave the following Tues.  He has never been to my home so, of course, I want to make a good impression, and that means all those lick and promises have to become follow-throughs.  Plus, my sister has requested a family Mexican dinner and that means a day making tamales.  On top of that I get the privilege of turning 60…. I can remember thinking 60 was ancient.    I think I’ve changed my mind.  Though there are  times I do feel ancient…..

Have a great day, I’m off to the quilting room….

Katie

A Quick Summer

Did your summer go by as quickly as mine did?  Sunday is the first day of Autumn and here in southeast AZ we’ll never notice the change of season.  We’re just about out of our rainy season, and here where I live we didn’t get near the rain we normally get (sad).  Phoenix is still in the 100+ temp range (so glad I don’t live there!)  Once we start showing signs of summer leaving it’ll be wonderful.  There will be a slight crispness in the air with gentle breezes and I will enjoy it very much!  Okay enough about the weather…. So, did you have productivity over the summer?  I did as far as QFC goes.  Going to Sew Fest and then finishing 9 quilts after I got home.  Here’s a sampling:

		From Sew Fest VIEW SLIDE SHOW DOWNLOAD ALL

I was in such a hurry to get the box sent off that I didn’t get pictures of the last quilts I completed.  See, I told you I’ve gotten really bad a taking pictures!  My G-sons’ football league is having a ‘parents night’ and they requests items for raffle and my DIL asked if I’d do a quilt.  Their league is the Oro Valley Dolphins and have the same colors as the pro team.  I’m embroidering a set of Dolphins and thought I’d got the right colors (orange and teal) fabric…. well the teal I think will end up being too ‘blue’ to be correct, but I’ve already got most of the blocks assembled so it’ll have to do.  Okay, Okay,  I can hear you now, Kitty yes I will work really hard to remember to take pictures!!!! 

If you follow me, you know I’m a horrible blogger and I’ve noticed I only have one post this month.  I won’t make excuses but I do have reasons.   I told you in my last post about my friend in the hospital – well he’s still there.  Actually in a rehab facility.  The doctors have finally given him a diagnosis of arthritis and he’s received injections in his knees and is walking with a walker.  He is hoping to come home soon.  I was in Prescott Valley for a few days while my sister-in-law underwent her procedure.  I was in Tucson yesterday and back down there today.  I had a small cyst on my jaw that got infected and today I am having it surgically removed.  That small, less-than-a-pencil-eraser sized cyst went to the size of a nickel and was sore.  From my general practitioner, to a dermatologist, to a plastic surgeon – has only taken 2 months to get to the point of removal….

Okay I’m off to get some things done before I have to head into Tucson and again tomorrow as my G-sons’ have ball games each Sat.  Maybe I’ll rest on Sunday

Happy beginning of Autumn,

Katie

Just chit chat

What a week this has been.  I did manage to quilt and bind 2 Sew Fest quilts (still need to take pictures).  I started adding those 4” squares to the Dresden plates and I really like how that is all coming together.  I still don’t feel like I’ve accomplished much this week.  We have a good friend who is in the hospital with severe pain in both his knees and ankles and, so far, the doctors can not find out what is wrong.  He had his lady friend fly in to help him with some of his financial stuff and we gladly went to get her from the airport.  The next day it was back to Tucson for doctor’s appointments for both the hubby and myself.  Back into Tucson tomorrow for my g-sons’ football games.  This year they are on different teams, playing at different times at different fields.  This all adds up to the entire day in Tucson, but I wouldn’t miss it for the world  

This morning as I was surfing the different blogs, it dawned on me how close Christmas really is and that I really don’t have a clue what to do for my family.  The kids are getting older now and really know what they want.  I’d prefer to just give them a gift card but I’ve always felt that was so impersonal (it’s a “just me” thing).  With not knowing what the current trend is in toys in the specific age groups, it just seems to be mind boggling to me.  I’ve already discussed with my DIL that I think it’s time to concentrate gift buying for just the kids as the adults buy what they want, when then want anyway.  She seemed to be in agreement…..

My SIL has to have her ureter stent replaced every 4 months so that means a trip to Prescott Valley north of Phoenix for a few days.  When we get back from that, I need to do some home maintenance such as touch up paint around door jams and such.  My sister and her significant other is coming the beginning of October.  She’s talked about taking a trip to the Grand Canyon as he has never been out west.  That will be at least a one night and more likely a two night stay.  I still have not been able to get from her exactly when they’re coming, how long they’re staying (and they will be staying at a hotel and not at my home – he likes his own space…..) or what they’d really like to do / see while they’re here.  I’m sure it will all be very last minute but I haven’t seen my sister in 3 years and I’m looking forward to the visit and her significant other is a great guy so I’m sure we’ll enjoy the time however, wherever we go…

My day today will be spent putting my home in order as having been out for the past couple of days, things have been put down but not put away.  I need to do laundry, mop and vacuum, dust – oh yeah all the usual fun stuff…..  I hope to get some pictures for a future post.  Before the time of digital photography, I carried my 35mm with me everywhere so as to not miss a photo op.  You think I’d be better at taking pictures for posting on my blog????  Maybe I don’t put as much importance in my crafting/ hobby as I should????  Ah well, stay tuned and maybe I’ll have some pictures next time

Have a great weekend,

Katie

What was I thinking????!!!

the dreaded scraps are to blame for this mess!  I made the decision to pull my scrap bin(s)  because I needed to cut some 4½” squares of scraps.  I’d made the decision to border my big dresden plates with scraps of squares.  The Dresden plates will be in the center and I will built out to size from there using the squares – as well as using the squares as a ‘sashing’.  Here’s a start of my squares!  But of course, as I go along, I find more:

 These little pieces were left over from this quilt:

  (oops, I moved a lot of pictures off this computer onto a thumb drive so don’t have the picture of the finished quilt – but I’ve posted it before….)

Anyway, I turned those little pieces into this little mat that I’m not sure what I’ll do with :

  Then as I went along, coming across other little bits of this and that and leftovers:

  I added to or assembled.  The green/blue was 4 - hour glass squares and will end up as a hot mat.  The brown and white squares had the triangles added to them and trimmed down and will become mats of some sort.  The black and yellow were 4 pieces that I put together and those will become coasters.  I had several orphan blocks that I will make into mats to be used somehow.  I plan on putting a backing on the frame, laying scrap pieces of batting and just lay out these smaller items and I’ll just do a mass quilting of it all at one time.  I have some Insulbright batting that I will add as an extra layer under the items that I figure might be used in the kitchen. 

I’ve also started up on some knitting.  I want to learn lace style knitting and it’s not difficult, but I found one really needs to pay attention.  Here’s a picture of fingerless mitts and a headband/ears warmer  I made.  The headband still needs it’s buttons attached:

 I’ve also got a Sew Fest quilt on the frame to get to and I think I can fit one more in the box to send off so will get to that before I start a quilting marathon (I have quite a stack to be quilted!)

And is the sewing room put back in order?  Well  - sort of.  I did manage to go through all my scraps and I have 4 gallon baggies full of strips that measure 1½ – 2” that I will use in my strip blocks.  Once I have all the strip blocks I want done – I will dispose of what’s left.  I have a box of odd scraps that are short but at least 2” that I will use for my pineapple blocks. And again, when I’ve assembled all the blocks I want for that, those scraps will be gone.  I also got  a shoe box full of 2½” strips that I have no idea what I’ll do with, but if nothing else they can be put into a scrappy binding – like I need that when you look at this:

 My bin full of left over bindings…..

And I did manage to clear off the cutting table somewhat.  I disposed of the old computer that was taking up floor space and connected the new printer that was also taking up floor space.  I was on a roll when hubby asked for some help and I have yet to get back to finishing up the ‘clean up’ (maybe today….)

So that’s what I’ve been doing – getting a little done here and there …

Katie

Still around

I’m still around but haven’t spent much time in the sewing room for the past week (and I was on such a good roll).  My grandsons are back to playing football and I spend last Saturday in the full Tucson sun for 4 hours.  I almost threw in the towel but figured if those boys could play in full gear, the least I could do was hang in there and support their efforts.  I don’t know who organized this league but my honest opinion is they should be prosecuted for child abuse!  I simply can not believe any sane person believes it’s okay to put children through that much heat…. Okay, enough of that rant (for now)

Sunday was picking apples and peaches with my son’s family.  I did not get very much as I really did not want to spend that much time processing it.  I think about the expense of driving 3 hours to get to the orchards, then what it cost to do the work of picking your own, don’t forget you have to have a meal while you’re out…..  That was the most expensive 20 lbs of fruit I’ve ever bought!

Kari leaves today for college and I will miss her so much.  The past couple weeks have been really emotional for her.  I think the realization of all the new changes coming her way have finally hit.  I’m hoping I can keep it together today when she leaves……  Anyway, I’ve spent quite a bit of time with her and that is another reason why the sewing room is quite neglected.

Okay, that’s it for now.  I apologize for no pictures but no sense in posting what you’ve already seen…

Katie

Sat. 8/10/13

Sorry, no catchy title for my blog post today.  Maybe I could have said “miscellaneous” because that’s what this post will be.

I drafted this block in EQ because a lady from QFC had sent some blocks like this and I really liked them:

Linda S. made these blocks – see the upper left corner star.  I thought it was stunning but I didn’t know the name of the block or where it came from so I just drafted my own pattern.  I don’t plan on selling it or passing it along to anyone so I don’t think I did anything in regards to copyright…. at least I hope not!

I made this quilt top some time back and I have a dear young friend who is expecting baby #3 in Sept. so I decided to finish it up to send to her.  I put a cream Minky on the back and bound it with a cream satin.  I used a layer of white flannel in the center for the batting then just did stitch in the ditch around all the blocks for quilting.  Last time I talked to her she still wasn’t sure the gender of the baby but suspected a baby girl.  I know this doesn’t exactly look girly, but I don’t think every little girl in the world has to be pink!  I am also knitting baby caps and booties to send along with the quilt….

I finished quilting my designated Sew Fest quilts and will send them off next week.  I have 5 kits left and if no one comes forward to request them, I’ll get them quilted and sent off as well.  A couple of the QFC ladies did say they would take a couple, but these same ladies already had a few to finish.  I told them to finish what they had and if they wanted more after that, I’d send them.  I don’t want anyone to get ‘burn out’….

Because I’m not the most organized person in the world (really, I’m not!), I decided I really, really needed to get my WIPs/UFOs done.  I pulled them out and put them with their designated fabrics.  Got them kitted and stacked on the cutting table.  I thought about working on them until they were completed – well, at least to the ‘needs quilting’ stage, but if I just designate one day a week, I should have them all completed within a month’s time.   I have my large Dresden plates that I’ve decided I will simply sash and border in scrappy patchwork squares.  My  Feathered Star is a little undecided yet.  I’m thinking about framing the star in a deep (not bright) orange, then doing a variety of different piecework borders to obtain size, sort of like a round robin quilt would be, leaving the star as the center medallion.  I also have some paper piecing projects that I need to get completed.  I really do love paper piecing but I hate removing the paper, but ……  I bought Kari a Viking (6690 I think) at a thrift store that sews about 100 stitches per inch – okay maybe not quite that many but it’s a lot and there’s no adjusting it (might be why it was at the thrift store!).  Needless to say, I’ve kept the machine and discovered it’s perfect for paper piecing.  That paper just falls off

So that’s what I’ve been doing and what I’m planning to do.  Once I get all these projects done, I’m planning on a total reorganization of the sewing room.  Planning and executing are not necessarily the same thing!!!!

Katie

Something else

I’m finished up a couple more Sew Fest quilts:

The quilt tops are so nice and I always worry that I’ve done them justice.  I’m happy with the way these are turning out.

I also dapple in paper crafts.  A little scrapbooking and card making.  I made a journal using an old book’s cover – No pictures of that but it got me doing this:     A journal.  I made this one for Kari as she heads out to college in just a couple weeks.  She will be majoring in journalism and a simple store bought journal simply wasn’t something I could see Kari excited about.  So this was customized for Kari:

		Kari’s journal VIEW SLIDE SHOW DOWNLOAD ALL

There are tags for her to write on.  Little flaps for her to slide other items into.  I made little envelopes for her to stick tags she’s written on into or to keep other keepsakes in.  After I gave it to her, she looked at me and said “Oh, Grandma, you know me so well!”  She is such a special person and I am sure going to miss her when she heads out to college.  Thankfully, she’s staying here in AZ so I can take a road trip…….

Katie