Really… What the Heck Was I Thinking???

I use to go through rolls and rolls of masking tape, have to move furniture…

Really???  IT’s not that difficult, a few clips from STAPLES…No crawling around on the floor…I love it!!  Sandwiching just became so much easier, and all because I needed to stretch a quilt with the Christmas tree taking up too much floor space.   Necessity is the mother of invention. Live and Learn.

It’s Almost Time to Fly the Coup

44 eye masks sewn, packed and alphabetized …CHECK

44 Cards “Wishing all Sweet Dreams and May visions of sugar plums continually dance in your head while expressing the fact I may not be seeing them next Christmas because of  my retirement at the end of this school Year but Giving instructions to visit me on Facebook, Goodreads or by  using my 3 personal emails and/or  by also my visiting this blog.” ….CHECK

The last mailbox Christmas stuffer of my working career completed. ….CHECK

Merry Christmas All It has been FUN...CHECK

Anne B's Batiks 1

In 2010 my quilting buddy Anne downsized moved to Arizona, and I inherited a third of her Batik stash.  Overwhelmed, and always the organizer, I cut 1 inch squares from each piece of fabric, pinned them together by color in hopes to use them as samples when I need a match. 

Two years I was still looking at the chain of pinned wads of color hanging in the sewing room.  On a whim I stitched several together to form small squares.  Still overwhelmed, and not really a batik fan, I took  all the batiks that I liked the least and formed 12 inch blocks around the blocks, and voila a not so unappealing quilt was born.

Fired Up and Ready to Go

Now that I have a few gifts under my belt I can now get to finishing the three quilts I have  yet to sandwich and quilt but luckily I'm fired up and ready to go.

Color Wheels

I piece in 3s and Quilt in 3s…so here is the first of my latest trilogy of UFOs. 

   

These 20” blocks started as color studies / color challenges now I may use them in a March Home decorating theme of pots of gold at the end of the rainbow, as in leprechauns and such…So many ideas, so little time.

It's Dear John to Dear Jane

Dear Jane, sorry but it's Dear John...

I love you, but I need my space.  Please don't call the quilt police  I carelessly printed patterns for your triangular  border rectangles without checking the default size box.  I then completed almost an entire row before I realized  each rectangle was really a "squatty" little 4.5 inch squares that I've now  grown to love.
Sometimes when you called for more flippin applique I made up patterns .  I guess you could say I did it "My Way".  I'll quilt you later sweetheart...Bye for now.

I L-O-V-E my new mini iron

Hit a Plateau and a Brick Wall

I’m trying to challenge myself with color by using the inherited stash of batiks to make color wheel place mats. It's a real chore for me to make color decisions.

I always finish a project , but this color thing is a challenge. Here’s all I was able to complete this March (and late at that with not one Christmas Gift) :

A gift top for a friend,

and five half place mats

But I am progressing in Project Scan…Scanning 37 years of family photos, and removing them from falling apart Photo Albums….To be continued

I Only like Left Overs if They are in the Frig

So after figuring out the largest half square triangle I could consistently cut out of the snivels of 1970 Christmas fabric I inherited, and designing a Christmas Doll quilt around that figure, how could I stop at the two I needed for Christmas presents?…. to not have to deal with left over fabric, I just proceeded to make 12 quilt and pillow sets. I think they will make lovely future gifts for some precious little girls don’t you?

February’s Progress

7.5 lbs. lost eating Nutrisytems’s candy bars and glorified dog food and well on my way to hopefully 10 Christmas doll quilts with matching pillows….

au boulot as the French say.....

Christmas through the year What Will be Occupying my Morning for Weeks

We all seem to be drawn to a favorite block, or quilt lay out, and mine has always been quilts on point, and the block the Greek Square. I had never noticed a Greek Square made with nine tiny squares until I was thumbing through 101 Fabulous Rotary-Cut Quilts by Hopkins and Martin.

Why not some American Girl Doll Christmas Quilts with the Christmas strip snivels I’ve inherited?….This may take a while because the finished squares measure 3.75”….

Christmas through the year Sweet Dreams No Matter the Season

Have you made one of those roll up tube pillows yet? The directions are complicated unless you just sit back and watch this video, and remember the magic numbers ¾ of a yard, 2” and 9”.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MrYWCma9wgM
These are for a very special 13 year old on my Christmas List. I think she’s going to love dragging them to slumber parties. Happy Sewing Everyone

Christmas through the year It All Started out so Innocently

Two yards of wine label material, with the intention of making a few, just a few wine tote hostess gifts.

got it home and realized alas, how can I make the 4.5” wide parallel cuts and not fussy cut to get the entire label centered…Dang now I have a ton of wasted strips?

I’ll think of something…..Okay why not” Dish to Pass Carrier” Totes?…YEA, that’s the ticket…

So using EQ7 I designed a 10” finished square, and built the tote around it….Easier said than done I might add.

For the base, and to keep the bag open I inserted a sheet of plastic needle point canvas between the lining and outer bag,. (After first ironing the edges so I would know how to position it).

Stitched the outer edge creating a crisp outer edge and to keep the plastic sheet trapped inside.

Asked the guy at Loews to cut 10 12” pieces from doweling for five bags, and created a pocket to keep them in.

Used tabs of Velcro on either sideto be able to remove the wooden handles for washing.

Those two innocent yards became more like a month of planning and sewing…ending up as 7 wine totes and 5 carriers…Oy Vay.. But I do think they are going to make 5 great gifts...on to the next project.

Hey Anne do you recognize your pumpkin making material???