It’s The Journey, they say….

Have a list for January.  It is only partially completed.  January isn’t finished yet, there are still some days left to me.  Unfortunately, not enough to finish my list.   So I guess those left unchecked will have to roll over to February.   Playing catch-up is not how I wanted to start the new year, especially when I have such high hopes of completing so many of my UFO’s still hanging in there waiting for my attention.  If only, I didn’t get sidetracked.   I see ideas for beautiful quilts, and I itch to make my own conveniently forgetting that I have tubs (many, many) of UFO’s that need to be completed.  Plus there are so many BOM’s being presented each month only to tease me and tempt me.   Where will I get the will power to stay on my journey and stay the course of my UFO project lists?  It’s the journey, right?  I believe it’s too easy to get lost and have sensory overload when there are new ideas and fabrics being presented everyday.  Or is it just me and my love of fabric and quilting?

Enough of that.  Let me focus on what I did get accomplished.  I made two project bags this month.  I finished a beautiful baby quilt.  I actually quilted it myself.  I am pretty proud of that fact and feel I did a very respectable job.  I prepped block 6 of A Boy & A Girl, it is now ready to hand applique.  I sewed the sashings around all 12 Saturday Sampler 2016 blocks.  Read the instructions for the 1/2 log cabin blocks. I am now ready to start cutting fabric for those blocks.  I think I’m still dragging my feet on the 1/2 log cabin blocks because I have made them before using a different technique that I really liked and have used many times with log cabin blocks.  For some reason I am stalling trying this new technique.  Wish I new why?  I’m generally up for a challenge.

I have one week before Saturday Sampler meeting.  I’ll challenge myself to see just how much I can get accomplished this week on the 2016 Saturday Sampler.  NO NEW UFO’s in my house!!!  That’s the goal.

Happy Stitches Everyone

Sissy

 

 

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Happy Birthday to Me!

Yes, today is my birthday, and I celebrate my birth.  It’s my day to do as I please and I spent it in my happy place, my sewing room and chatting with friends and family.   Surprisingly, I did get quite a bit accomplished today.

I finished making 2 project bags that will showcase blocks made for our Saturday Sampler group.   One is for me and one is for a friend.  I purchased the pattern and then modified it and made it my way just using the basis of their idea.    The bags have vinyl fronts and quilted backs, with a zipper opening and a snazzy handle attached with a button.  I have to admit, I still do not know how to sew on buttons with my Bernina 550 but I know how with my Pfaff.  So out came my Pfaff and that button was attached in no time at all.   I used my walking foot (just for practice) to do the grid quilting on the backs.  I have decided I am not a fan of sewing with vinyl.

I had finished piecing the woodland baby theme quilt Saturday.  I really amazed myself by acquiring my PHD  in ripping.  Simple math absolutely eluded me.  I don’t know how many times I added and added, sewed, and ripped, added again and sewed and ripped again.  Yikes.   But I finally got it put together.

 

Today, after finishing the bags, I basted the baby quilt and pulled out the walking foot attachment and the BSR.  Now that BSR is why I bought my Bernina in the first place.  I did have to apologize to it for neglecting it and promised to do better.

I plan on using both tools quilting this cute quilt.  The last time I quilted a baby quilt, I stressed myself out so much about machine quilting   simply due to my inexperience.  I got it quilted  and learned many valuable lessons.   My approach to this project is with considerable less stress and am enjoying myself so far.  I quilted until I started to get stiff and then decided to take a break.  Rome was not built in a day.

In the photo below,  I am outlining the Doe and Fawn.  Trying to make up my mind if I’m going to meander her background or crosshatch it.  Crosshatching I have experience with, meandering skills need improvement.  I think it really needs meandering.

This photo shows the cute backing that matches the woodland babies.

Calling it quits early tonight, after all it is my birthday and a little celebration is in order.

May everyone be as blessed as me.

Sissy

 

Winter Weather Advisory :(

Here we go again.  Winter Weather Advisory for 1/4 to 1/2″ ice storm.  The experts are already comparing this storm to the 2007 ice storm in this area.

I did not have power for 8 days.  Yikes what a nightmare that was.  I remember standing in the front yard and listening to trees crash in the woods.  Devastation was everywhere.  I also remember being able to see for miles due to tree tops no longer there.   This is just crazy because last Saturday it was – 2 degrees here when I went to Saturday Sampler.  Yesterday it was 73 degrees.  What a yo-yo.  Scary.  The good news is I had already planned on taking Friday and Monday off work for vacation days.  I had planned on spending that time in my sewing room.  Now I am concerned I won’t have electricity.  I have got to get my hand work ready to go or cutting the strips for 2016 Saturday Sampler.  I would have thought I would have been better prepared but it seems not so much.  Isn’t it amazing how much we rely on our conveniences, like electricity. 🙂  I certainly take them for granted.

So much for grousing about the weather.  This is what is under my needle right now…..

I finished hand appliqueing the 7 Sisters block, the last block for the 2016 Saturday Sampler.  I can now start setting that quilt top together so it does not become a UFO.  

I have a baby quilt for a friend to make this month.  The panels I ordered have arrived.  They are quite larger than I had anticipated so I am rethinking how I had planned on putting them together.  The back ground fabric I ordered did not disappoint.  It was exactly what I wanted.  Hopefully I will keep electricity and can blissfully sew while the weather is doing its thing.

Lastly,  there was an awesome full moon last night.  My camera is a good one but I do not know how to take nighttime photos, so here is the best I can do.  That little  white dot is the full moon that was beautiful.  The broken limb on the oak tree is a remnant of the ice storm from 2007.

Unfortunately, I have not gotten the next 2 blocks of A Boy and A Girl prepped.  Can’t get to that until 2016 Sat Sampler is completed and Baby Quilt completed.  Let’s pray that this predicted storm is not so severe.

Be safe everyone and happy stitches.

Sissy

P.S.  I have been saddened this week with the passing of Sue Garman.  I so admired her work and the quilt patterns she designed.  I did finish one of her patterns Autumn Joy and plan on beginning my journey into the Baltimore Album realm in January 2018 with her pattern Friends of Baltimore.  Rest in peace we will miss you dearly.

 

 

 

2017 Fresh Beginnings A New Year A New List of UFO’s

Fresh Beginnings doesn’t that sound inspiring.

January 1st, 2017 – 365 days of planning, sewing & finishing those pesky UFO’s.  I have a sewing room full of tubs of projects I thought at one time I had to make.  Many have fabrics, patterns included.  Some are just the idea of the quilt, like a photograph or page torn out of a magazine.  From time to time they tug at me to open them up and consider working on them.  I am feeling that tug today.  Yet, I have my current project on my sewing table to be finished.

Kudos to me.  I cleaned my sewing room!  I believe having brushed against those UFO tubs has given me the curiosity to peek into them and say, “hello, I haven’t forgtotten you”.  I am truly trying to stay focused on the list I would like to accomplish this year.  But sometimes it’s a challenge.

Yesterday, I had planned on cutting and sewing together 2016 Saturday Sampler quilt.  Surprise, surprise,  I had not completed block # 12.  Seven Sisters, a block of English Paper Piecing.  Slap to the forehead.  I had put off making this block while I worked on A Boy and A Girl blocks.  Not to get discouraged, I dug right in and started making the block.  I am hoping to finish the block today.

Maybe today I can actually start sewing the quilt top together.  It is a half log cabin setting.  I have made a quilt like this before.  The instructions for this one are a bit different than the technique I had used before.  I toyed with the idea of drafting my own pattern, but have decided I will be adventurous and follow this designers instructions.  Then I will have something to compare and know going forward which technique I prefer.  You never know if you will like something or not until you try it.  At least that’s what I’ve always been told.

Just 3 more sisters to go and I can finish this block.

I have a birthday coming up and I am trying to decide what to give myself as a present.  I need a new mat for my sewing table.  The one in the photo above is 36 years old and is starting to show it’s wear and tear.   But then I just saw this quilt book by Jen Kingwell, Long Time Gone, and all I could think of is what a wonderful way to use up my scraps.  I think the mat may wait a bit longer.

Happy Stitches and Happy New Year Everyone

Sissy