Show update

I wanted to share with you that the Ocean Waves Quilt Guild show 2017 was a huge success!  My little corner of the show was busy and we made lots of sales at the 2nd Time Around Booth.  Quilters loved the bargains and bags we filled at check out reflected that!  Lot of merchandise moved on to someone else!

My transfer of inventory has taken place, and my fellow guild member Lois is taking over following the quilt show.  I am “moving on” to another job in the guild.  (I truly believe that 2 years in any volunteer position is long enough.)  My next job is membership chairman , and I admire Melissa for doing it for longer than I have been a member of the guild.

As we wrapped up the show, I thought a lot about the more than 40 volunteers who worked with me in the lead up this week to the show.  Beyond that, in the last year and 1/2, probably another 40 have worked tirelessly preparing fabric for sale at the show and the guild meetings.  It has been fun, and a lot of work, and lots of friendships were made in the process.  My apologies to any & all if I was a tad short tempered by the end of the day today.  By 3 pm today, I just KNEW I needed some time alone and away from the booth, and I spent an hour walking the quilts on display; and admiring the talent and art that was exhibited by the show participants.

I spent a bit of time talking with the representative of the Fiber Arts Center in Denton Maryland after enjoying the 300+ quilts on display.  What an interesting organization!  They are creating a great directory of artists, teachers etc on the DelMarVa peninsula, and we had a wonderful conversation.   Their purpose stated is this:  “The Delmarva region is home to a thriving fiber arts scene! The Fiber Arts Center of the Eastern Shore (FACES) was founded in 2011 to preserve and nurture all forms of fiber arts. From the pre-Colonial era through the Civil War, to today’s modern and fast-paced world, fiber artists have created works that reflect Delmarva’s culture. At FACES, we’re working to preserve this tradition.

We’re also working to build a vibrant community of fiber artists and enthusiasts. Perhaps more than any other visual art form, fiber arts are often social in nature. For centuries, women have joined together for quilting bees, sewing circles, and “stich ‘n bitch” groups. As more and more of our communication moves online, the face-to-face sharing of talent and ideas has become more important than ever.

We invite you to join our community. Become a FACES member, subscribe to our e-newsletter, join our regional directory, or check out an upcoming exhibit or class on our regional event calendar. Happy stitching!  ”  Check out their website – http://www.fiberartscenter.com

I got pulled “away” from that conversation by the chairs of the show; and was delighted to be told, that my quilt “MITTENS” had won the VIEWER’S CHOICE award.   I was stunned, and overjoyed.  My thanks go out to all who voted for this art quilt. I’m so glad you took 6 steps back from the quilt and looked at it, as it was meant to be viewed.

Additionally – I received a 3rd place ribbon for “Addison’s Quilt“.  Now, I am sad to say, I never took a photo while it was hanging at the show with the ribbon beside it! (Insert shamed face here.)  I do have a few photo’s take at the time the quilt was made though —

“Addison’s Quilt” has an interesting reverse side, and I think that is what got it into a prize winning category!

So, that’s it for my show update.  I spent most of the show behind the cash register, while coordinating volunteers who helped customers during their shopping.

If you want to see more about the Pet Mosaic Project – “MITTENS”, I have a FLICKR album with a ton of photos –Pet Mosaic Project . I also have an album full of photo’s on the  construction   of Addison’s quilt — https://www.flickr.com/photos/92296158@N02/albums/72157666492829803

I’ve made multiple posts here on the blog in the last year on both of these quilts, and you can read more about them if you back track through the older posts.  🙂

Taking a little time off in the morning to head to Hershey PA for the quilt show there and looking for Bonnie Hunter’s exhibit. My reward to myself for hard work (and the hard work of my two friends riding along).

How is your weekend?  Tell me, if you enter a show and it is judge, what do you think about the report given to you????

 

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Cards and Quilting

I had a busy day on Saturday!  It was “card making class” at the library day.  There is a lovely lady, Jan,  in the community who has offered to give “free” classes at the library. We just bring our supplies, and she often will bring her embossing machine and other tools to share.  I decided on Friday to check out two books to gather ideas, and managed to page through them before I packed up my gear and went to the class.  We are “self guided” as we have been meeting for several months. Jan is available for suggestions and shares here experience with those who attend by offering suggestions.

I managed to get these 4 cards “crafted” in the time allotted.  I am glad I came in with ideas.  I had a little bit of fun with the stamps and fabrics and ribbons and tulle.  Now I need to create the insides.

I decided that these next two cards are “lacking”, so will look at them for a few days before putting them away.  They just need a bit more pizazz!

In the afternoon, I spent some time working on my granddaughter Addison’s quilt. She is 2 months old, and I am building a double bed size for her.  I started collecting the fabrics in March, not long after she joined the family.  Before I left on my cruise, I was able to get some of it cut and sewn into half square triangles.  I worked last week on squaring up quite a few.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/92296158@N02/26796133025/in/album-72157666492829803/

During our fabric acquisition road trip, I acquired more white and another grey to add to this collection.  The whites and the new grey are waiting to be starched & ironed.  (I am a pre-washer!).  Meanwhile, more trimming must be done.

These HST will trim to 5″.

I got over 100 HST stitched yesterday, using up all the whites I had cut.  I will take a break and trim some today, then show you the layout that my daughter chose for Addison’s quilt.  It is quite graphic and fun!  (I really should figure out “how many” of those HST I need, but because I enjoy making them, I will keep sewing!)

Have a great day!

Binding and other projects

So many projects, so few complete~!!~  Only 1 week to go before the 1st clue on Bonnie Hunter’s blog  Allietare Winter Mystery Quilt 2015 .  My fabric is all pre-washed.  I won’t bore you with the photo’s of the RED color catchers and the BROWN color catchers! Just know that I am VERY happy to report that my pre-washing was not done without good reason.  Used nearly a full box of those color catchers while washing the red, the brown, the gold, and the green.  Yes, the red bled like crazy, and so did the brown.  (The red fabric that was running was quality quilt store fabric by Robert Kaufmann.  Can’t blame it on the fabric I got at Hancock’s or Wal-Mart.)  No color transfer from my golds or greens.  I have some ironing to do, but all in all, the fabric came out of the washer & dryer with little ravel.  I pinked the raw edges with an Olfa rotary pinking blade before they got washed.  I have all the reds “starched” and ready.  I will work on the other colors this weekend getting them ironed. Meanwhile, while I await the 1st clue, I have other things in the works.

I  do need to “make a list” at some point.  Actually have my UFO list posted, but I have many more things to get organized.

I have been helping my hubby at his train club get ready for the annual  Delmarva Model Railroad Club Open House .  The skirting under the HO layout needed some work, washing, repair, resizing etc.  I did some of it at home, but then took my machine, rotary cutting tools, iron & mat to the club and worked Monday for several hours. I had convinced him to buy new fabric and got quite the deal on some broadcloth for $1.79/yard. So, 2 bolts &  40 yards later…..My part is easy. He has to hang new furring strips etc to attach the skirting in a more permanent fashion.  In previous years the members had just “unrolled the bolt, wrapped and stapled as they went”.  This wasn’t a bad approach, but when ever you needed to get UNDERNEATH for work (wiring etc), it was difficult to move.  I am working with width of fabric (44″) sections and measuring to length.  This way, they can just clip up a section in the area they need to access.  Certainly won’t get it all done before the first Open House date, as the hubby is the “limiting factor”.  I can sew pretty fast, but his efforts for hanging furring strips take lots more time.  Oh well, on to more fun sewing…that black fabric gets pretty darn boring!

I am doing a Christmas Table runner Sew Along, following along with From My Carolina Home on WordPress.  Step 3 of the Table Topper was published a few minutes ago, so I am chomping at the bit to get out to the sewing room.  I have Step 1 and Step 2 completed – pix here:  Step 1 and 2 on Flickr  .  (Note – I am going to start using Flikr for my photo’s for the blog for a while as I am nearly at my limit here on WordPress.   Do let me know if you were able to click the link and if you had any troubles.)

I am also “busy” working on my Little Blue Bird project by Pat Sloan.  I got the half square triangle border on yesterday and the final outer border.  I worked on cutting bias strips (THANK YOU to YOU TUBE) to make the trailing vine around the outer border.  I actually got the vine attached on the top, and have the other strips cut and ready to attach.  Pat Sloan used a fabric glue, but I found I had a roll of fusible web that I could press on the back of the bias strip and iron to the project.  That worked out really well for me, and I didn’t have to wait to order the fabric glue.

My other project this week started on Wednesday, and FINISHED on Wednesday.  My quilt bee – The Material Girls met at 1 pm, and we were handed a stack of flannel squares.  The backing fabric was cut and ready, the batting was cut and ready, and after 2 hours of sewing during the bee, and then a couple of hours at home, I have a finished charity quilt ready!

Charity baby quilt in flannel

Used my favorite binding method

I was reading a post from Carole – Adventures in Machine Binding ; this morning and her efforts at machine binding. Well, 1/2 way through the article, she discusses turning the backing from the back over and making it binding.  Good tutorial if you are working with charity quilts.

I was “supposed to” do that with this flannel quilt, but I struggled with the method, and ended up using my favorite binding “SUSIE’S MAGIC BINDING”.   My first exposure to this method was from Aunt Marti on her blog 52 Quilts in 52 Weeks (Susie’s Magic Binding ). Recently I tripped over a great tutorial by Margo Clabo on this style of binding.  The video is a bit long, but she had so many tips on my favorite binding method to ensure an excellent finish. Yes, I learned several things and have incorporated them already!  This is a great tutorial and one you might want to save:  Margo Clabo tutorial .  Carole also mentioned a method she was going to investigate and linked to it from Susan at Quilt Fabrication – and it is the same as Susie’s Magic  Binding, and the Margo Clabo method.  As a collector of information, I will share that link as well.  Quilt Fabrication method   I think it is important to “look at all these tutorials and get as much information from them as possible, to find methods that work for you.  Every time I look at other tutorials I find things that make the method a little bit easier.  I still struggle with lining up the piping at the join and use lots of basting stitches until I get it “just right”.  Takes me longer to line up that join than any other step!  Practice makes perfect!

I hope what ever your project is today, that it goes well, with few ripped stitches!

Do let me know if you had troubles with FLIKR.  Did you have to join anything? Sign up? Etc….    🙂

 

Three days of Fun

Day 1 — Got off to a good start at our Sit & Sew Camp.  This is a camp organized by 1 lady in our guild for her bee, and 2 other bees.  My bee is invited each time and we have a lot of laughter and good times.  A little learning goes on too, as we often ask and receive help from those around us.

We have several ladies who do demonstrations, and yesterdays was interesting, and included handouts. Monday’s demo by Mary Reddington showed us a quick way to turn rows into a Boston Commons quilt, with 3 simple cuts.  I should have taken a picture of her before & after. Hopefully she has it with her today, and I will seek permission.   Mary does many baby quilts with a group called Tiny Tots in our Guild. They donate the baby quilts to local hospitals and all the babies born whose mother’s are on Medicaid get one of the quilts.  She showed us many methods for fast assembly of your rows by labeling using simple painters tape the first block in the row, stacking them up and putting a pin in the top left.  Then, when she assembles, the rows, she “webs” them, not snipping anything apart.  I have seen Bonnie Hunter ( Bonnie Hunters blog ) do that when I’ve watched her videos.

Eleanor Burns – Quilt in a Day has patterns on her website if you are interested in seeing what a Boston Commons pattern.

I also found detailed instructions on another blog by doing a quick search online – check  out Traveling Quilter Fast Quilt Method Boston Common

I worked at my projects all day.  I got quite a bit done.  I am making 6 “Star Pillow” envelope style slip covers.  The front (star) is made for all 6.  I also got 4 “pillowcases” stitched up.  I went prepared with 6 pillowcases pinned and ready to sew; and all the pieces cut for the stars.  I made all my my half-square triangles ahead of time at home.

double starch

Marking for HST

Trim time

I need to add the border around the block this morning and then they will be ready to layer and quilt.

18″ finish size

I decided to quilt the front of the pillow so I added an extra 1/2″ beyond the original pattern instructions to that final border to allow for that bit of shrinkage that occurs when you quilt.  I have my batting and some VERY lightweight muslin all ready to go for this morning.  I think I will keep the quilting fairly simple! Taking my ditch foot for the walking foot, and will simply stitch in the ditch around the star.  Once they are quilted, I am going to have fun with the back of the pillow. I will be using each of the different fabrics on the back, just to spice it up a bit.  Wait & see.

Off & running for another full day of sewing with my Bee buddies.

NOTE: The star pillow pattern inspiration came from a blog post by Melissa Mortenson – Polka Dot Chair Star Pillow directions.  The sizes were perfect for what I was going to do.  (Now, when I looked at her blog again, I saw she channel quilted her pillows…..no, still going to ditch them and make that star POP). Anyway, I think Melissa wrote a GREAT tutorial/pattern instruction if you want to try one of these BIG blocks.

Whatever you do today, have fun with it!  You never know what tomorrow will bring, so celebrate today!

 

In between things 5.5″ squares

The first week of the month is “QUILT GUILD” week.  We have our meeting on Monday, a class on Tuesday and the board meeting on Thursday.  I try not to schedule much else, but I did sneak in a visit to a guild member and spend some time in her “over the garage” quilt room.  She has a beautiful space with a long arm and two lovely tables big enough for laying out a quilt to mark patterns on, etc.  Our time was spent chatting about all the “stuff” you need to have to use your embroidery machine and how to  get those embroidery files from the computer to a flash drive to the machine.  If you haven’t read my post from earlier in the summer,   Embroidery Machine Resources , you will find some useful information.  It was fun to share with my guild friend as she got ready to go off to an embroidery machine class!

Following meetings this week, cleaning up after my Table Runner class project, I did a bit more cutting of the scraps and storage.

I un-earthed a basket of “bonus triangles” left over from the Grand Illusion Mystery Quilt(s).  I sat down and started trimming those Thursday evening, and before you could count, I had 100+ half-square triangles trimmed to 1.5″.  I stitched a couple up into pinwheels, but wasn’t sure that is what I wanted to do.

Bonus Triangles 1.5″

Then I looked at my scrap storage box of 1.5″ squares and a light bulb went off.  I decided to make some more blocks from the Scrap Dance Finish.  That pattern was all 2.5″, but if I  used my 1.5″ squares …what would I get and how hard would it be to handle those little bits.  Remember now, I just took a class where they used a grid for small pieces.  Well, I didn’t buy any of the smaller grid, and I figured I could press on without it.

the “A” block from Scrap Dance done in 1.5″ squares

“B” block Scrap Dance  This finished as a  5.5″ block.

I made 2 blocks Friday evening, and 3 more Saturday evening.

Scrap Dance 5.5″ blocks

It was fun to sit and sort the different bits in the boxes, going “controlled scrappy” for these. (Now there are little stacks all over the top of my desk in various color waves).

My hubby asked how many  of these little blocks I was going to make and I haven’t decided.  I do have about 200 more half-square triangles trimmed up, so a few more for certain!  I might make a few more later this afternoon.  They are a nice “bridge” between projects.  I like taking a break from cutting scraps to do a little sewing.  I am pleased with how these turned out so far.

Using the scrap storage system and actually turning those bits and pieces into something fun makes it worth all the effort. Watch for a future post where I talk about my storage methods.  I did write several blog posts in January 2014, about my  Scrap Storage System , and what I considered as I “cut the scraps”.  Since then I have modified what I store and how I store. Natural progression I think, but I will update in the future on my method.

I still have scraps to clean up and cut and put away.  I have 2 baskets of “bits” left over from the Grand Illusion Mystery Quilt from last winter and MUST put them away in the next few days! I need my “project box” empty so I can be ready for the NEXT Bonnie Hunter Mystery Quilt ! Sometime in October the colors get announced.  If I have a mess on the cutting table I won’t do the project! It’s a bit like raking leaves, you have to hurry and finish before more fall or you might give up!

What are you sewing today?

Notes: Scrap Dance Quilt Along was a mystery quilt running between March and September 2015 by Caroline at “From My Carolina Home”.  There is a button on the right side of my blog to take you to her page.

Grand Illusion Mystery Quilt was a Bonnie Hunter pattern running from Thanksgiving to New Years in 2014. The pattern is no longer available on her blog, but will be in a future book or on  Bonnie Hunter’s website.

 

A class project and other fun

I know, all quiet on the quilt front for several weeks.  First….I want to report that the Scrap Dance Mystery Quilt I posted about (here – Scrap dance finish)  has been delivered!  And JUST in the nick of time!  The package went out via DHL last Tuesday, and the baby was born on Friday!  She was early, and the package was late.  It finally delivered today following 5 days hold up with customs in Manila!  The mother, Bella,  likes the quilt; the baby is sweet  and tiny; and of course, my friend, Howard, the father, is proud and happy as can be. All is well.  Oh, I never showed you the label! So, one last photo.  Ignore the adorable little bundle of joy in the background…we are here to talk quilts….  she is so tiny! Just under 5#!

Quilt and baby delivered!

After I finished this project I thought I better get busy and organized for Quilt Guild this week.  I have taken over the “Second time around” tables at the guild.  I get all the goodies that someone clearing up in their sewing room is tired of, repurpose the items and sell them back to guild members.  One persons discards are another’s treasures.  And, for a person who has been an active “shopper” at the Second time around table, and someone who likes “scrappy”, it was a perfect job for me.  First day out we sold over $200 worth of items to the members.  Lots of sorting and folding and ironing and trimming, but it was worth it.  Hubby has arranged a great shelving unit for me, and I have all the bits and baubles in plastic totes, ready to go for next month. Of course, I think I brought home as much in donations as I sold, so I will be busy the next few days sorting out the “NEW” old stuff.  I have 8 milk crates of quilt books and magazines along with numerous totes of notions and fabrics. Fun to sort through, that is for certain. Last week was non-stop rain as we awaited a hurricane and dealt with a “Nor’easter” instead.  So, was a good time to hang out in the quilting room.

On Tuesday,  I took a class with the guild, instructed by Joan Ford and got some  Scrap Therapy!  Check out her website – http://hummingbird-highway.com/  She has a great scrap storage system that I have mentioned before, and has written 2 books with patterns using her “scrap storage system.  I had already included her system into mine, refining it to my own needs.  Also, be sure to look for her blog –Scrap Therapy Quilts on Blogspot.

Our class was a lot of fun, introducing us to her Small Scrap grid, a fusible product with a 2″ grid.  The pattern selected for the class was called Magic Carpet (available on her website here: Magic Carpet Pattern  ).  This pattern is written for multiple sizes, and we selected a table runner.  Using the fusible grid product, along with her clear instructions gave us good results for working with small pieces.  This particular pattern had us working with 1.5″ x 2.5″; but the method kept us from handling those narrow pieces, and made it rather simple.  When you look at my photo, look for the beige and tan pieces.  Those are done using the grid.

Joan also introduced us to the Deb Tucker Square 2 tool, and we made Diamonds in a Square VERY easily.  Deb Tucker (Studio 180 designs) has a great video on how to use the tool on her website – Square 2 ruler video  .

Because we were doing a table runner, most of us left class at 3 pm with the body of the table runner constructed and some of our Diamonds in a Square constructed.  I had two made, and as soon as I got home, made the remaining 4 units.  I wanted to “get them done” before I forgot how to use the tool.  Well, now that I found this great video, I will remember easily!

So, here are some photo’s of my project; with it’s wild colors.  I modified the pattern to suit my own needs, and added an extra border.  This afternoon, I finished it up, got it quilted and bound.  WOW…a record for me!  And, no “project in a box” leftover from a class for October!

Butterfly Carnival is my focus fabric for the big blocks

Body and 2nd border

Project completed as per the pattern

trying to decide if I want a checkerboard border

Decision made – Pink border added

I auditioned several pieces for that “extra” border, and the hubby  picked the pink. I used the feature fabric for the cornerstones as well.

Magic Carpet Table Runner

I used the feature fabric for the binding, and the same green as in the diamonds in the square for the piping on my binding. (How fitting to use Susie’s Magic Binding in a Magic Carpet Table runner!)  Just need to stitch up a label and call it done!

Meanwhile…this is the mess I left on the desk after a day of sewing,

Only 2 days of sewing to achieve this mess

but hey, it’s after 11 pm and I need a nice glass of wine and call the day over. Clean up tomorrow afternoon before I start all over again!

Time to think about that Batman cape that is “over-due”….happy sewing

Scrap Dance Finish!

Just finished putting the binding on a baby quilt!  This pattern,  Scrap Dance Quilt Along ,  is by Carole on her blog -From My Carolina Home here on Word Press.  A button on my side bar will also take you to this quilt along. Step one came out in March 2015, and each month she gave another “step” to follow.  The final reveal came out on Sept 9th!  I am tickled to be finished with a few days left in September!   I decided when I started I was going for baby size.  I think I was overwhelmed with other projects and that size was achievable!   This has been a fun project to work on for an hour or two every month.  (The most time consuming was that first month, making all those half-square triangles.)

Half square triangles, ready to trim

Assorted scraps cut in required sizes

the 10 finished “rows” for step 2.

the tamed blocks – 2.5″ and 3 “

the basket that awaits taming

I am going to make a label tomorrow and get it stitched out on the embroidery machine and then I hope to have this ready for mailing!  I was thinking about holding onto it until our next Quilt Guild meeting, on October 5th, but this is going to the Philippines to a friend whose baby is due the end of October. I guess I should get it on it’s way.  Finished size is 40×40.

Scrap Dance Quilt Along Finish!

Scrap Dance Back

The purpose of the Scrap Dance Quilt Along was to cut up those scraps we all save into useable pieces.  Since I follow Bonnie Hunter’s scrap storage system, I try (cough) try (cough) ok….I sometimes try….to keep up with my scrap storage.  If you looked at my tables right now, you would think otherwise!!  Honest, I will clean up before the next project!  This quilt, however, came from “on hand” fabric!  The only thing I pulled from stash was some of the neutrals.  I had to cut up a few fat quarters for them. Otherwise, all the rest came from the scrap storage system.  The backing is pieced, from 2 pieces left over from a class project 2 years ago! Even the binding is scrappy!  Since I use Susies Magic binding on most of my quilts, I often have pieces “left over”.  I decided to go scrappy and put those leftover bits together too.  I will tell you what I find fun with using “scraps”…I get to see the fabric I love again and again.  I also get to see fabric that my friends love in my projects.  I am often the recipient of their “scraps” and I joyfully use them.  My friend Nancy and Cindy will see lots of their bits of fabric in this project.

Time to come up with a fun label!

Keep sewing and having fun!~!

 

Greeting September with scraps

Hard to believe it has been a month since I have had a blog post! September is here and August is long gone, but full of fun family memories.  I spent 2 weeks with the grandkids and their family, sightseeing and playing, and celebrating a birthday.

When I got home I set to work immediately on assembling a quilt for the outgoing president of our guild.  I will show you pictures in a couple of weeks once it is presented.  More details when I share the photos. It was fun to work on and took me about 4 days to get my part done.  After that I took about 4 days to work (gasp) in the garden.  The weeds were as tall as me, the weather was decent 80-85 degrees and LOW humidity, so I tackled the job.  Poor garden had not been touched since May.  (Hey, don’t judge, I was busy sewing)  .  The hosta’s have bloomed, the lirope is blooming, and the sedum is in bloom.  The bugs are in the garden too.  Boy did I disturb the bugs who were just having a field day under the leaves!

After all that gardening, the call to the sewing room was loud!  I decided I better get busy and “catch up” with the July & August blocks for the Carolina Home Scrap Dance Mystery quilt.  That took me about an hour and they are done!  Sept is the last month where we get the setting for all our parts.  I will post some pictures later this weekend. (I forgot to take any during the last 2 steps.)  There is a button on the sidebar of the blog if you are interested in joining in.  Not too late to join in.

Once I finished with those blocks, I was looking at the leftovers in the basket, trying to decide if I should make “more blocks” and do a bigger quilt, or  move on.  I decided to move on and tackle a scrap challenge that Pat Sloan published on her blog – Scrap Happy Little Wishes challenge .  I was excited to make a stack of 9 patches out of 2.5″ squares (I have LOTS of them in my scrap storage system and lots left over from the Caroline Home Scrap Dance Mystery).  That part went quickly.  Then I dug into the basket of scraps that lives on the back of my cutting table.  The basket my friends contribute to was getting beyond full.  Here are the results thus far, and only a dent made in the scrap basket!  This was from 2 days of sewing, and as most know, the half square triangles that make the star points are the time consuming part, especially when working with scraps.

I am determined to make more blocks, and even more determined to tackle that scrap basket, which is now “over turned” on my ironing table.  I was digging for neutrals that would work well for background of the star points.   I think this afternoon, I will do some sorting, pressing and cutting into appropriate sizes.  Anything that is the size of a “fat 8th” won’t get cut smaller, but stored in the large pieces box. It always amazes me what people “get rid of”, and I have several large batik pieces that were gifted in the last scrap bag from a friend.  Not quite fat quarters, but darn close!!  If you want to know more about “scrap storage”, I wrote a couple of blog posts last year about how I “store” and which systems I follow.  Check out these posts – Scrap Storage and using up the scraps  and here A Different Storage System .  My systems are a combination of what Bonnie Hunter – Quiltville.com uses, and some others that I have mentioned in those posts.

I am looking forward to the October speaker, Joan Ford, at Ocean Waves Quilt Guild meeting.  She is a “scrappy” person and her blog and website are interesting.  She has several books out, one titled Cut the Scraps.   Check out her blog – Scrap therapy blog  .

Gosh, I have so many pictures and things to share, but it will have to wait for another day!  Tomorrow, I will post some photos of my trip to the DAR Museum in Washington DC and the “Eye on Elegance” display of quilts.

Happy sewing!!

Scrap Dance Mystery Quilt Along Updated

Ok…like I don’t already have enough to do…..but really…this kind of thing is just my speed…once a month.

Carole from the blog “From My Carolina Home” is sharing a project that is a “scrap buster”.   She posted about it in March, and I looked at it and thought…no time ….no time… Today, she released the directions for Step 2, and I was hooked.  I know, there are all these blocks of the month, and patterns I have saved etc…but I like this one…so here I go to play along with Scrap Dance Mystery Quilt Along.  This is what happens to me and why I have SO many projects going…oh look…fabric…shiny …ooooh  !!!!  I like to get distracted by a new project.

I won’t tell you what size, but I will tell you that today, I will go out, clean up the scraps from my last project (QOV) and all those other scraps that are piled on the back of the cutting table and on the little skinny table in the center of the room.  My friends KNOW that I love scraps and have gifted me several bundles that are now needing to be put to use and under control.  I think I will tackle one piece at a time. Press it, cut it; store it / add it to the “SCRAP DANCE MYSTERY QUILT ALONG.   It is NOT too late to start, step one & step two are posted, and I think I can “catch up” today and tomorrow, then I won’t worry about it again until MAY.  (While I press and sort & cut I am keeping my eyes open for possible “hexi” pieces…I am short a couple of hexi’s on one of my “rounds” of double diamonds and am on the lookout for a particular scrap!)

If you want to play to – go check out  https://frommycarolinahome.wordpress.com/2015/03/12/quilt-along-mystery-quilt-2015/

I put a button on the side of my wall to her Scrap Dance Quilt Along too.   The button and the link above will take you to the “intro – part one”.  Today’s post was step two – https://frommycarolinahome.wordpress.com/2015/04/09/scrap-dance-mystery-quilt-along-step-2/

Now, don’t tell anybody…I have dishes to wash, taxes to do, etc.  But…the clean up of the sewing room needs to be done before I can carry on QUILTING those 2 Bonnie Hunter Grand Illusion Mystery Quilts AND my Quilts of Valor top that are waiting.  I might even break the vacuum out and clean up the threads and bits on the floor….you know it is SPRING and time to clean up a bit.   Hope you are inspired to play with your scraps a little too.

Oh the scraps to be tamed!!

Shhh…..don’t tell; I spent 3 hours working on the scraps. but now it is time to get on with the family life…the dreaded trip to the warehouse store for groceries.

But I DID get something done……

the 2.5″ light squares to go in the house for hexi’s

the basket that awaits taming

 

 

the tamed blocks – 2.5″ and 3 “

Pat Sloan: Massive Show and Tell

Well; as always, I like to enter contests….and so far this year I have won 2…so lets keep that streak alive, shall we?

How about this one from Pat Sloan for a lovely prize package of her new line of fabric Bobbins and Bits – which is not even in the stores yet!!

http://blog.patsloan.com/2013/05/pat-sloan-massive-show-and-tell.html

So, now; go enter on her blog and be sure to post about your “first quilt”…..

Here is what I wrote on her blog about my “first” attempt —

“My first “quilt” was for my first grandchild! I figured if MY mother could make a quilt for a grandchild, I could make one!! It was NOT pretty….or really a quilt! I got a panel of fabric; and backed it with red satin. It did have batting. I finished it with satin binding and TIED it with blue ribbon. Well, when the grandson was 2, I was given the task of rebuilding the quilt. And in those two years, I had learned a lot. So, it got ZEBRA stripe for the back…why…well, the front was Noah’s Ark….and I did a MUCH better job finishing it too. When the grandson was 3 I made him a “big boy quilt” for his twin bed complete with 1/2 square triangles. I’ve come a long way !! :)

”

Do you want to see a photo? (You know I am full of pictures with my projects!!)

Ok; so I am a miserable failure at remembering the specifics….when I went back to look at the photo; I realized that the one I “rebuilt” was FLEECE and Satin; tied with blue ribbon. Now, this was before I owned a rotary cutter and mat….so forgive my lack of “straight” on this quilt. I believe I borrowed my husbands trusty FRAMING tools…some big L shaped metal thing that was really long…..hey…you use what you got, right?

So; Here are the blocks for my grandson’s quilt which took me nearly a year to make!! Love those 1/2 square triangles !! Really…I do. For some reason there are no finished pictures, but, hey; what you get is what you get.  That quilt was a JOY to make!!  and I actually brought it home last year and took out all the ties; and QUILTED it. !!  (And repaired a few spots along the way!!)  Next time I have it, I WILL take front and back photo’s…but considering how well I fixed it up the last time…it might be a few years!  This is also the first quilt I used my OWN binding on!!!  So many firsts today….but more about that later….

 

So, I have come a long way in a short bit of time; being taught mostly by my friend Kristin up to the point that I worked on this quilt.  It sure has been a lot of fun, and I am GLAD that I am not working at the dining room

table any more, and laying quilts out on the living room rug!! Oh, I have come a long way with my quilting room all set up like a pro….now, I better fix dinner and go out and tidy up the mess I left out there!!

Sew fun! (oh crumb…there goes the smoke alarm…..seriously…..porkchops…MELODY knows how I am with them….)