2016 Finish-A-Long Q2 {List}

I utterly failed at accomplishing any of my Q1 Finish-A-Long goals. I almost did not do this because I am embarrassed. But hey! I am only human with many other projects (e.g. the shed and gardening) going on in my life. Also, I got sidetracked with the Gypsy Wife Quilt. One of my biggest weaknesses is that I really enjoy piecing above all the stages of making a quilt.

I am just going to narrow down my list to two things this time around.

The Green Quilt

1. Finish Hand Quilting Dan's Quilt

I have been working on this and just got completely sidetracked. I think I have made good progress and just need to continue working on it here and there in my down times.

top left: extra square-in-square block and an Unpieced Pershing block for Section Two
top right: Section 1 completed
bottom left: saved selvages for documentation and use later
bottom right: strips cut and ready to go per the Quilt-A-Long tips and whatnot.

2. Gypsy Wife Quilt Top

I am not exactly doing the quilt-a-long (QAL). I mean, I am following along and using the tips and whatnot; but, I am doing this at my own pace rather than with keeping up with the others participating in the QAL. I believe they are now putting sections 3 and 4 together whereas I am still cutting fabrics and piecing blocks for section 2. At the pace I am going, I am not sure if I will be finished making the top by the end of this quarter. But hey, I am going to plug away at making the top and enjoy the process.

Weekly Recap #7

{February 14 through February 20, 2016}

Gardening

• We went to a nursery I have wanted to go to for over a month now. I purchased some strawberry plants. These tend to be hard to find around here and I have missed having them last summer. We also got some advice about how to ward off gophers concerning plants and trees. So, I am going to attempt growing trees once again.

  I purchased an apple (Gala) and a Lemon hybrid (Lemon Drop) tree. We needed to go by Lowe’s to get more dirt and I ended up getting another pecan tree. We need two or more (pecan trees) to cross pollinate and I have only one surviving pecan tree growing. If the one lone pecan tree we have survives this summer, it most likely will stay alive for a very long time. I will be thrilled if the new one we purchased survives too. (general rule around here is that if a tree survives three years, then it most likely will stay alive in spite of the gophers).

• We managed to get my new gardening plot dug up and tilled with added soil amendments. We also covered it with hay I purchased last year from a local person selling hay through facebook to protect it until planting day. It took us approximately two days because it was hard work digging up the land. I am very much thankful that Dan was willing to help because it was extremely hard work!
• We used the advice we received about warding against gophers and planted the one pecan tree we purchased. I also purchased a bunch of daffodils and planted those around the trees. We are planning to plant the remaining trees and daffodils today.


• I took the time one day and made twenty-five seed starter pots out of empty toilet paper rolls. They were so easy to make. The cats completely enjoyed being outside while I did this task. I have a few seeds that need to be started a couple weeks before planting and I plan to get them started today.

Quilting; Crafts

• I continued to shop amongst my fabrics for the gypsy wife quilt and I had a blast! It was Like being in a quilt shop. I took my time and came up with what I thought is a wonderful combination of fabrics.
• I managed to get more hand quilting of Dan's quilt done. I am getting closer to being done with this thing!
• I worked on getting my mother’s sewing machine which was an old Kenmore that is older than me! It had some old duct tape on the plate (base) that was deteriorating. It was like fine sand. I think she used this as a guide. Anyway, I cleaned it all up and got it running smoothly. Dan helped me oiled the machine because it was so darn heavy! It was tons of fun loading the bobbin and I found a needle threader my mother had that was totally cool. I used it to thread my Brother machine too! Yes, I worked on getting the Brother machine set up and running too. I think I am all set to go with the exception of my Janome. I need to replace a part so that I can do some free motion quilting on that machine.

Miscellaneous

• Abby Gail caught another gopher. This time (her third), she was pure huntress and killer. The last time she caught one, she still behaved like a kitten – curious and wanting to play with it. This time, not so much. I got the feeling if I had not gotten to her in time; she would shaken her head violently and killed the thing. I got a good look at the gopher and it look just like a rat. They are just rats that live below the ground. Ugh! Dan and I have talked and we have pretty much come to the conclusion that we do not care if she kills them; we just do not want her eating them. So, I will not panic so badly next time.
• I started reading The Sword of Shannara by Terry Brooks. I have read this book dozens of times and this book about had it. The pages are falling out. I first read it when it was released in the late 1970s. In fact, it is the first fantasy book I ever read and it was just before I entered high school.

  I am reading it once again due to the fact the Shannara Chronicles is on TV. The TV series started with the second book (The Wishsong of Shannara) of the trilogy. I have been reading the book while I am down and out due to sickness (had stomach troubles one day and a minor cold with an ear ache and sore throat another day). I also tend to read while outside with the cats. I would stand out there with Abby’s leash attached to my wrist and just read. Gracie is usually so well behaved that I do not need to have her leashed up and almost always, she listens to me and stays within her boundaries that I have established.

Turning down the volume of life allows you to listen to God. .

~ Our Daily Bread ~

Weekly Recap #3

Quilting, Crafts

• I have been hand quilting Dan's quilt sporadically. I am still struggling with sickness; but, I am doing what I can when I am feeling somewhat okay. It made me happy to be able to do what I could which was a lot in my book. I am struggling with Abby Gail whenever I try to quilt; but, she is learning to wait until I am done and put the quilt away before getting on top of me.
• I have been wanting to make a Gypsy Wife Quilt for quite some time now. I even bought the booklet (much cheaper than what the price is now) and have chosen some fabrics. One of the bloggers I follow, Splish Splash Stash: hydeeann plus a needle and thread, is co-hosting a Gypsy Wife Quilt Along with her friend who also blogs. This quilt along (QAL) begins in March and I am seriously thinking about joining!
  

DIY

• I went to Habitat for Humanity Restore store for a specific purpose. I was looking for doors, including bi-fold, that I could use to hide a litter box from guests. This trip was very successful. I found a bi-fold door for $9.95. I also found a solid wooden door for $5.00.

  Anyway, I plan to sand down and paint the bi-fold doors and replace the handle. I also plan to make a couple of "feet" to make the doors more stable. And yes, the bi-fold doors are upside down; but, I like it best that way. Ha!

  Note: I purchased the solid one in case the bi-fold one did not work. Dan stole the solid door to re-purpose into a workshop table.

Books

• The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls happens to be one of the best memoirs I have read in a very long time. I gave this book four stars (out of five) on Goodreads. It is a heartrending book about the author and three other siblings who was raised in an unconventional environment along with the fact their father was an brilliant alcoholic and gambler and their mother was a brilliant artist and a dingbat (my words). Three of the siblings became prosperous while their parents chose homelessness.

Happiest Moment

• Abby Gail came to me as usual one morning wanting attention while I surf the 'net. She was not only laying on my arm; but, she also adjusted herself where she was belly up with hind legs spayed along with a roaring motor. A first for this spoilt little brat.

  By the way, She is still a chest (not lap) kitty. I hold her in my left arm and she usually rests her head on my right shoulder. This can leave my arm aching. But, at least, I can claim it (the arm) is strong. Ha!

Miscellaneous

• I "Shined my Sink" aka Flylady. I mean, deep cleaned the kitchen sink! It made me happy to be doing this again. I now keep it clean daily. However, I encountered a problem when I started this task. I apparently lost the sink plug for the garbage disposal side of the sink! Dan got me new one from a trip he made to Lowe's and I finished this task the next day. So, it took me two days to do this one little task! Ha!

Quotes

Closets become land of forgotten things.

{A random thought that came to me while doing chores one day. I am sure others have thought of it before; but, it was unique to me! }

2016 Finish-A-Long Q1 {List}

I am finally at a point in my life where I feel like I can sew and craft. For the longest time, I was so busy getting healthy and working on the house. So, I decided to participate in the 2016 Finish-A-Long: Q1. This does not mean the house is finished. In fact, it is a long ways from being finished. But, I think we are at a place where we are taking breathers and just working on projects we feel like doing.

All of the quilting projects I listed below were projects I have put on hold since coming home (the move). Now that life has settled somewhat and my room is basically completed, I will be working on finishing them. At least, I hope to finish them! Of course, I most likely will start one or two projects too because I like to work on new quilts or crafts.

So, without further ado, here is my list:

1. Finish Hand Quilting Dan's Quilt

I was in the process of finishing this quilt late last year until an incident with Abby Gail made me panic and I put this project aside. I had briefly set it down with thread and needle attached to attend to something. I turned around and there she was messing with the quilt licking her mouth. The needle was nowhere to be found. I searched and searched and could not find it. I panicked and ended up taking Abby to the vet to get an X-ray to make sure she did not swallow that needle. She was fine. It was worth the cost for my peace of mind.

I shut the cats out of the room and searched and searched for the needle. I ultimately vacuumed up the entire space in hopes of finding the tiny item. Nada. Zilch. None. It is my prayer that it was sucked up by the vacuum and I missed it or it fell through a crack in the floor board. My cats insist on being in the same room with me and the idea of a loose needle scares me.

Both of my cats have issues that I have to be vigilant with. Abby has a love affair with strings, threads, and ribbons and chews them. This makes life difficult for me in the studio. Gracie's problem is plastic. She will chew and eat them. So, I have to make sure plastics of any kind are either discarded or put in a place where she cannot get to them.

Anyway, I plan on overcoming my fear concerning Abby and her love affair with threads and pick up this project again.

2. Machine Quilt the "Layer Cake" Quilt

This is scary because I will be learning how to use a brand new sewing machine in addition to a "long arm" frame that I never got a chance to use due to the fact we moved before I could!

3. Machine Quilt the "Modern Basics" {Red/White/Black} Quilt

I have not decided yet if I want to use the "long arm" or the regular machine to finish this quilt.

4. Cross Stitchery

This is something that I will work on when I am down and out or when I am on the road. Cross stitching gives my hands something to do and is not so bulky to take along in my rare travels.

A Long Dozen Quilty Secrets

I got this idea from a blog I regularly follow called Porch Swing Quilts and she got the idea from a blogger she follows! I thought I do my version of it and I am sure I will offend people. But hey, it is all about being honest and I admire these gals for doing it too. I cannot believe the blogger does not like wonky log cabins! I adore them. But, it is the differences that make the quilting world go around. Correct?

Note: I have since discovered there is a link party here where you can peruse other quilters' quilty confessions. This is also where I got the above image.

1. I am not a fan of Batik (or Bali) fabrics. This is not to say that I will not accept or use them in my house. I just will not buy them.
2. I dislike solid fabrics of any kind (brand). I tend to go for fabrics that read as solids.
3. I am not a fan of the modern movement. The rules are too strict and, in my humble opinion, do not allow a whole lot of creativity to flow through. I mean, you can get penalized or dissed for not using what is considered to be “modern” fabrics! Every person has their own definition of what is modern. I think it is pretty sad when a judge penalizes a gorgeous quilt simply because the fabrics used were not considered modern enough by the judge's personal definition. Yes, this actually happened at QuiltCon in Austin I attended several years ago. I blogged a little about my experience at the show here.

   Note: To learn more about modern quilting, go here. {You will need to scroll down just a tad to see “What is Modern Quilting?”}

4. I do not prewash fabrics. I used to prewash fabrics; but, I feel getting good quality cotton fabrics no longer makes prewashing a requirement.
5. I will buy fabrics at 50% off (or more) with no project(s) in mind. In fact, it is extremely rare for me to purchase fabrics that are not 50% off or more. I buy fabrics that I either adore or read as a solid. I want to be able to shop among my stash and make any project I wish to make without guilt. And yes, I hoard fabrics. There. I said it. I am a fabric hoarder.
6. I cannot sew with shoes (or sneakers) on. I must be barefoot or have on socks.
7. What is the difference between pressing and ironing? I think I iron. I think I press. Actually, I must be doing both.
8. My most favorite part of quilting is choosing fabrics and piecing the top. This is why I also design and piece the backing using leftover fabrics I used in the top. My least favorite part is the actual quilting. But, I think if I can get started using my mid-arm with the quilting frame, I’d get over that hurdle.
9. I am not a fan of precuts. That is to say, I will use them; but, I prefer to buy half-yards or larger which gives me greater freedom. I am not a fan of the pinked edged that many precuts come in. I would rather cut my own squares, strips and whatnot.
10. I adore wonky log cabins. In fact, I love most wonky (skewed) blocks. It is a twist on the traditional which appeals to me.
11. I dislike polyester which is why I use 100% cotton threads. Yes, I am a thread and fabric snob. You won’t get me to use polyester or any other fake (man-made) materials for quilts I make. It is 100% cotton all the way!
12. I run over pins while sewing. It is not that I do it on purpose. It is just that I am sewing madly and I often forget that they exist. I do try to remember and remove them; but, if I run over them, it is not the end of the world.
13. I currently have four or five UFOs (Unfinished Objects) including one I started way back in 1994 or 1995 which needs to be hand quilted. I am dying to have my room completed to the point where I can start crafting, sewing and quilting again.

By the way, "long dozen" is a legit phrase. I bet many of you did not know this or what it meant. I am mean (a tease). Ha!

Tuesday's State of Affairs

Remember this?

Well, The project is now completed! I cut it all up and sewed the edges up to prevent fraying. It is now on this:

We put these leaders on last Saturday (4/7/12). I could not have done this without Dan's help. I am thankful that he is so supportive. I am planning to continue with this project this weekend and for this first time, I am finally feeling a tad excited about this. I am also very nervous and scared! But, I just have to dive in and get over the fear.

On another note, Chessie completely destroyed two toys that I got specifically for Gracie. That reminds me, I need to purchase some more of those toys as Gracie really likes them. Anyway, I had some leftover fabric from the above project. So, I decided to make a kick stick for Chessie last Saturday (4/7/12).

I still have plenty of fabric leftover to make probably two more of these in the future should this one get destroyed.

Chessie was feeling very aggressive last Sunday and went after Gracie. Gracie was fighting back by yowling and hissing as she was cornered. It was not a pleasant sound. Dan went after Chessie and gently diverted her away from Gracie. I picked up Chessie, took her into another area and sat down on the floor with the kick stick to try to help alleviate the aggression she was feeling. Boy howdy, she ripped into the toy! Even Dan was surprised. Fortunately, it held up really well. And, she was a much nicer cat afterwards. I think the catnip helped get her drunk and calmer. Ha!

Dan suggested that the next kick toy be made out of a thicker material such as canvas. The material I am currently using is a home decorator fabric that I purchased on clearance. It is slightly tougher than 100% cotton fabric; but, not as strong as canvas.

Tuesday's State of Affairs

And, it is not pretty. I am just keeping it real here. It is also extremely gloomy here this morning. So, the lighting is terrible.
Here is my sewing machine and cutting table. What a mess! I am working on several projects at the moment. You will find out what the stripe fabric is for someday soon.

I struggled with the machine itself this weekend. I got so frustrated that I stomped right out of the house and took a short walk to pick up the mail. Dan took a look and come to find out, it is the spool of thread giving me grief. I never dreamed it was the thread. I thought the machine itself was messing up.
Do you notice how much thread is left on that spool? I cannot even wind up bobbins with this particular spool. What a waste! Well, it is not a waste considering I can use the rest to hand sew bindings onto quilts.
Here is the troublesome spool compared to a full spool of thread. As a side note, these threads are getting harder and harder to find. I am going to switch to another brand. I am thinking of trying Aurifil threads with this machine. I have heard some good things about this brand. So, I am crossing my fingers Aurifil will work out beautifully when I do try them out with the machine.

By the way, I have not been back in the room since this fiasco (until now). I am planning to get back to sewing this afternoon. Pray for me! Pray that I do not get anymore grief from the machine and/or threads. Ha!
Here is my ironing board. I have a "work triangle" set up in the small space and it works very well. As you can see, this area is a mess too. I mean, do see the floor? And, why did the ironing board turn into a "hot spot"? Ugh, Ugh, Ugh! Anyway, as you can see, the top to the Maxine Mug flying geese mug rug is finished.
This is a closeup shot of backing for the Maxine flying geese mug rug. It is still a work in progress. I think I'm going to be real please with this silly little thing when it is finished.

Oops! Im Caught!

Im Out Ov Her!
Chessie was a bad girl. She snuck in, pawed an opening between the design wall and doors to closet and then hid behind the fabric. It was Gracie that "tattled" on her by acting like a Pointer (dog). I was surprised. Chessie is usually either sleeping underneath a chair or boldly laying on a small cot sized sleeper sofa. I would have never realized Chessie was in the room if it had not been for Gracie. By the way, I used a flash with the last two pictures. I grabbed the flash before attempting to take pictures of her because I know she does not like the camera.

Piece,

Tuesday's State of Affairs

I have been slowly working on making flying geese out of charm squares using a Fit to be Geese ruler. Actually, I used scraps because I wanted to be sure I understood the instructions first before dipping into a charm pack (a bundle of 5" squares).

I am not going to bother with the instructions in this post because you find them here and here. Both of these links were written by the same author. The first is in a PDF format and the second is a blog post.
I first dug into scraps leftover from my mother's Maxine quilt. I then sprayed it with some of Mary Ellen's Best Press. I have been hearing a lot of positive comments about this stuff and wanted to give it a try. I then cut a 5" square from each fabric. I also cut 4 1/4" squares from each fabric. If I were using a charm pack, I would have trimmed them down to 4 1/4" squares. Yes, there will be a little wastage making flying geese out of a charm pack. But, that is the price I am willing to pay if they turn out well.Triangles from the squares. I dived into chain piecing to make these units. It made things very quick! I think I will be doing a lot more chain piecing in the future!Finished Flying Geese Units
I am real pleased with my efforts. These are the best flying geese I have ever made. I think using the Mary Ellen's Best Press helped immensely especially when sewing on the bias. I also liked the Fit to be Geese ruler as it made trimming up the units easy.

Now, what to do with these units? I think I will sew up the units like you see in the picture and maybe make one row go in the opposite direction. And, I think I will make a mug rug. However, I could not decide which fabric scraps to use as borders.So, I converted the picture to a black and white format. It looks like the "blah blah blah" fabric has the best contrast. So, I am going with that. I hope I made the right choice! And, I hope I have enough of this fabric to use. Ha!

Tuesday's State of Affairs: A Finish!

With all that is going on in my life, I am amazed I managed to finish the backing to the Layer Cake quilt. We have been running around looking at houses and whatnot. I have also started up some work to be done around the house. My finger is real sore from doing book keeping yesterday and today not to mention balancing the checkbook which was a nightmare! Yes, I am old fashioned. I fear the death of ALL hard drives; so, I keep a paper record. Ha!

Anyway, Amy's Creative Side puts up a "One Thing, One Challenge" periodically. When she put one up last week, I decided to pursue the goal of "finishing up the backing" to the Layer Cake quilt. And, I managed to finish it in the nick of time!

I apologize for this poor quality picture. I did not have my handy dandy assistant to hold it up for me and it is currently dark and gloomy due to the weather. Anyway, it is done! finished! terminado! finito! I am so happy!

Here's a sneak peek into what I am doing next:

What in the world am I going to do? You will have to wait and see. Ha!

PS I just noticed that the colors are appropriate for Valentine's day. For those of you who celebrate this day, I hope it is/was a wonderful one! We do not celebrate this day much as we feel that everyday is Valentine's day. We are so blessed.

And now, I am off to rush and get ready to leave. We are going to view two houses. That should be fun in this weather. NOT!

WIP: Layer Cake Quilt Backing

I am slowly but surely making progress on backing for the Layer Cake quilt. It is wonderful to get back into the sewing room without any other worries nagging in the back of my mind. Sometimes, I just cannot relax unless other chores, goals and whatnot are done around the house first. But, after the office purge was completed, I gave myself a week off to do whatever I please. This does not mean that I am neglecting the household chores though. I still cook dinner, do the laundry, etc., and etc. I am just not letting the other things get to me.

Anyway, I ironed and trimmed up the blocks for the lone strip going down the backing on Tuesday and Wednesday. But, before sewing the blocks up, I decided to do an exercise. I wanted to check on the color values. The way I did this was to take a picture:
Note: The shadow on the bottom portion of the quilt is cast by my sewing cabinet and cutting table.

I then cropped the picture to focus only on the strip of blocks:
It looks pretty good, does it not? I then converted the picture to a black and white format:
This helps you see the tonal (color) value of each fabric. I did see two problem areas. One near the top and one near the bottom. Let us look at the top problem area first -- the seventh and eighth strip:
These two strips are from two different blocks not yet sewn together. They look really close in tonal value. If it was in a quilt block itself, I would probably change out one or the other because I would want the block to 'pop'. Remember, this was just an exercise for me to learn more about concept(s). I did not bother changing it up because this was just a strip of fabrics I wanted to use up for the backing.

Take a look at the cropped color picture above. Do you see how that area looks "blah"? I believe this is due to the fact they are very close in tonal value in spite of the fabric having different colors (brown and blue). The only thing that seems to save this area is the slight difference in the scale of prints.

Now, on to the second problem area, which is near the bottom:
Yikes! Again, these two strips are from two different blocks not yet sewn together. I found it interesting the two are essentially the same tonal value in spite of one being brown and the other blue. I think it did not help that they essentially had the same scale in prints. If this was for a quilt block, I definitely would take one or the other out and replace it with a different fabric.

This exercise was valuable for future design of quilts. I think I will do this in the future for all the fabrics I choose for blocks and/or quilts before cutting into them. After all, I would want my quilt(s) to 'pop' instead of just being "blah". Also, I learned that I should not rely upon my instincts alone and use the tools that are available to us quilters. Yes, a camera is a tool.

What Am I Working On?

Since my first hexies (hexagons) post, I have basted up a few hexies while away from home and a couple while here when I felt up to it (I've been sick). I only have 3-1/2 hexies left to baste and then I can sew them together to make a Grandmother's Flower Garden block.


I have also been trying to organize the space out in the entryway when I am feeling pretty good. This is an extension of the sewing room as the wall-sized closet inside the sewing room is used up for storage and is blocked by my design wall and a small sleeper sofa (for guests). Since it is part of a public space, I'm trying to keep it "neat". I purchased orange and teal fabric bins and reorganized the whole space. It is looking so much better! I need two more fabric bins. I think I am going to go with the natural color. I am also wanting a couple mini cubeicals to organize my messy miscellaneous craft supplies on top of the barrister cases. One thing at a time. I rather wait and get things on clearance and/or sale to minimize costs.

PS Ignore that bag at the bottom. That is Dan's bowling bag. He leaves it there because it is convenient. Speaking of which, he got a 611 series last night -- his first 600 series in this league. Isn't that great?!? He started bowling again this year after many years of NOT bowling. His team is composed of coworkers from the company he works for. Anyway, I think he's doing fabulous!