Where did my week go?

I don't know what happened this week. I did zero sewing. And, in case you didn't notice, there was no blogging either. I did work some overtime this week. Guess what that means! I can set aside some cash for FABRIC! Yay, and no guilt either. I worked a torturous 16 hours shift that ended up being 17 hours of almost non-stop hustle. I'm still tired thinking about it.

Anyway, here are the promised pictures of last weekends quilting. I haven't made a move towards binding but I have been thinking about it.

I am in love with this thread that my friend let me use. It's a YLI variegated and looks fantabulous!

I know that I copped out on the quilting. I really, really wanted to do some straight line quilting and then some kind of pattern on the solid panels. I took a poll at the Wild Thread marathon and the vote was unanimous for curved line quilting. So I succumbed to peer pressure and then just quilted the whole thing with the same pattern. Quick and easy!

This is the backing fabric that I used. I have had it for years and every time I pull it out and suggest it for a project, someone says, "eeuw no!". I really like it and I think it was really waiting for this quilt.

See what I mean? Perrrrrfect!

And here is my other quick quilting job from last weekend. There is nothing easier than corner to corner quilting. And this minimal quilting makes for a very soft and cuddly quilt. I planned this quilt to be unisex but I kinda flubbed with the backing.

It's kinda girly dontcha think? Oh well.

And I'm still pondering the binding fabric for this one too.

I made this too. I used some of the corduroy that my friend, Annette, gave me. This tote is a nice size for a knitting or handwork project. Or maybe a trip to the library. I used my Bernina gathering foot for the ruffle. I am really looking for ruffle projects. I don't buy Vera Bradley products because I always think I should make it myself, but I saw some cute VB items with ruffles when I was at the beach. Maybe I'll make a tote or little cosmetic bag with 3 or 4 rows of ruffles. That might be cute.

I also made this tote with ruffles on the sides of a pocket. I didn't use any interfacing or batting so this one is floppy. I'm not crazy about it and I don't know what to do with it. I think it's hard to give away something I don't like. If I don't like it, then I don't think anyone else will. Do you ever have something like that? What do you do with it. Should I donate it to my guild's Quilt show silent auction? What if no one bids on it? Oh good grief.

Let's hope I am more productive in the sewing room this week. I did get lots of little chores done around the house this week. The weather has been lovely. I love autumn and it motivates me. I am really tempted to make some big changes around here. I am still struggling with the layout in my sewing room and I'm tempted to move it to a completely different room. More on this soon. I think I'll need some input.

Hope you had a good weekend. I think I'll have some carry-out Indian food for dinner tonight, mmmm mmmmm! Bye!

Sewing with the Wild Threads!

Sorry there is no picture today. Yesterday I spent the whole day with my quilting buds, the Wild Threads. We had a sewing marathon at the local church. It's a wonderful big sunny room and everyone works on whatever they want. I had a slow start because I was tired but a little coffee perked me up and I got a lot done.
I took my quilt with the woodsy critter squares which was already sandwiched and basted and I got it quilted. Just simple straight lines diagonally. I also took the quilt I made from the fabric I dyed. Not only did I sandwich and pin baste it but I also got it quilted. I promise a picture this week. My friend, Kathy, had some YLI variegated thread that she said would be perfect and she loaned it to me. So I cranked it out. Lots of loops and swirls! I know that I committed to some special quilting in the solid setting fabric....but......I didn't. I really wanted to be able to get the thread back to Kathy and I was SO excited to be getting the quilt done. I haven't decided what fabric to use for binding. I don't think I have enough of the rust left, I'll have to see.
I also finished a little tote bag I had started out of corduroy and started another. Last week I got a Bernina gathering foot so I was itching to put ruffles on something. Both totes have some.
Marathons are great fun but what a chore to put the sewing room back together. I enjoy binding so that will make for some nice handwork this week.
I have a very sore elbow. I call it 'rotary elbow'. The Accuquilt Go company has been giving away the Go's all over blogland. I keep entering but have yet to win one. The latest giveaway is at Canton Village Quiltworks. Check it out and enter if you must. But I hope you also wish me luck, ha ha. It looks like a cool product and I really really want to make a few quilts with the tumbler blocks. I saw some really cute colorful kids' quilts with them on someone's blog and have been itching to make one ever since. When I went to Quilt Odyssey a few weeks ago, I looked all over for a tumbler block template. I saw zillions of different templates but NO tumblers. Phooey!
Give me a couple days and I will give you LOTS of pictures. Okey dokey?
Toodles!

Since I have something to send to my niece, Lucy, I should make something for her younger brother, Buddy. I actually cut into my new stash of Lizzy House Castle Peeps fabric and made a little blankie for his toys. I thought the border needed something after I had it done, so I inserted this little piece with the towers. I was glad it worked or I was gonna end up with a tiny border.

The back is a super soft lightweight polar fleece and I didn't use batting because I wanted it to be soft and flexible.

E.T. tried it out and he liked it (a lot!).

Monkey saw E.T. and wanted to snuggle. They're good friends.

But Monkey is just a baby and he needed a nap.

It's a sweet little blankie and I hope Buddy has fun with it. It's on it's way to a big adventure in the San Francisco Bay area with the Panty Pinwheels.

Wait until you see all of the fabric that a friend just gave me. Yards and yards and yards of corduroy AND velvet. I think I'm going to try my hand at making some large shopping bag type totes. I will definitely make a top out of some corduroy. Maybe some more playtime with simple squares and add in some half square triangles.

Au revoir mes amis!

Just piddling around!

While working up to getting the woodsy critter squares quilt quilted, I decided to play around. Call me crazy but I made these out of underwear. Yup! I mistakenly bought 'granny panty' style underwear. I liked the colors and patterns but picked up the wrong package and didn't realize my mistake until it was open at home. So I just set them aside. That is, until Inspiration knocked on the door!!!! It is cotton knit and I just fused a print on one side and solid on the other, cut out squares and - voila! - pinwheels.
Can you tell what they are? Pony tail holders!! Cutie cute, huh? I think I'll send them to my niece in California. (Hannah, you don't have to tell Lucy that they were underwear!)

Anyway, I also played around making some more scrap blocks and asterix blocks, and finally put a label on my friend's baby quilt. Maybe I'll do some quilting today. The Wild Threads are having a marathon (all day sewing together) next weekend so I need to decide what I want to work on. Maybe I'll start something new!

Now go look at your panties in a whole new light people! See ya!

How exciting!!

After my last post, I got a comment offering me some more red, white, and blue squares. Yaaaay!! I can make the quilt bigger. Thank you JoAnne! Can you email me please? I don't have any way to contact you and I would love to take you up on your offer.

And, boo hoo, I was told to fix the two identical blue squares, :( It's so true, though. Because the squares are larger, 5 inches, there aren't that many of them and it's so noticeable and baffling. Totally random doesn't always work. Oh well, seam ripping is a good excuse to sit in front of the TV.

I got something so cute in the mail today. When I was at Quilt Odyssey I saw a pattern that is so completely cute and funny that it was sold out. I bought it and have been waiting impatiently, and now it's here!! I'll try to take a decent picture of it and post it tomorrow.

Good night!

Sunday charms!

I said I wanted to play with squares so I did. First I pulled out my Heather Ross fabric, including a bunch of HR charm squares I got on eBay a while back. I couldn't make up my mind what to do so I set them aside. Instead I pulled out these fun woodsy fabrics and some solids and started cutting them into 5 inch charm squares. Ta dah!! This is 32 by 36 inches. Kinda small. I'm deciding between making it bigger using more squares or putting on a border. Ideas??
I had all of these red/white/blue charms from an online swap so I pulled them out and randomly put them together. Honestly, how pathetic that two identical squares are next to each other. I'm not positive but it also might be the only fabric that is repeated. Again, it's kinda small. I don't have any more of these charms so I definitely need to put borders on it. And that's how I spent my Sunday folks. Now it's dinner time and I still need to go to the grocery store and fill my car with gas and put some laundry away and straighten up.............. It was worth it though.
I had a nice sewing weekend. How about you?

Finished!

I got it done. I gotta tell ya though, I think the border was more work than the middle. I don't mind paper piecing but I do find it tedious. I probably could have made those blocks without paper piecing but I didn't put the thought into it. I did make up the corners though. They are a little different. I have a bit more paper to tear off. I really like this quilt, especially because I dyed the fabric myself.

I have a backing picked out, it's a folk art looking floral that I've had for a while. I don't have any ideas for quilting yet though.

For a hot minute I thought about putting some applique on the three solid strips, then I changed my mind. I am going to force myself to do some awesome quilting on them. Oohhhh lordy! Did I just put that in writing?

I guess I'll have to follow through on that bold announcement. Not yet though. I want (need) to make a quilt from ALL squares. Just simple squares. Every time I see a quilt like that, I just love the look. Plus, it really showcases the fabrics. I think it's time to cut into my Heather Ross stash. More crazy talk!! And I'm not even drinking. Enjoy your weekend!

Play, play, play!

Man oh man! I could only look at these for so long before I just had to cut them up! So the playing began. I took some cues from Liberated Quilting and just started chopping and sewing. I tried not to have too many straight lines, I wanted angles. I had no plans for where this was going but once I had a bunch of wonky strips, decisions had to be made.

I have always wanted to make a Chinese coins quilt so I borrowed that general idea and came up with this. It's not very big and definitely needs more work. I have a history of getting lazy when I get to this point. I'm not always crazy about making borders. BUT, I now have Judy Laquidara's book, Weekend Quilts. I've mentioned this book before. It's my new 'go to' source for border ideas. Judy makes awesome borders.
Ta-dah!! This top border is what I came up with. And yay! My math worked out. I'm foundation piecing these blocks so it's a little time consuming. It will be a while before I get them all the way around but I really like the look so far.

It all started with a few minutes of playing around and now I'm headed for my new favorite quilt. Sadly, I have to go back to work tomorrow after a week long staycation. Boo hoo!

Have a great week peeps!