Christmas Rush

I enjoy making special goodies for the people I love at Christmas.  Every year I tell myself I am going to start earlier.  I had good intentions but was still sewing Christmas Eve. 

The tree is almost 7 feet.  Since it took me 2 years to make and my mom and I get together and sew she had seen me working on it.  She kept asking me why I didn't put my tree up and when she opened her present it all made sense.  She loved it.

I also made a couple bags, a pillow case, a dopp kit, a cosmetic bag and 4 flat iron cases.  The Free pattern and tutorial can be found at Rebecca Mae Designs they make up quickly and can hold a flat iron and a curling iron. I will be making may more.

Enjoy!

My Pulse Quilt and Quilts for Pulse

I received a call from my daughter early Sunday morning June 12th just to let me know that she was fine and that all her friends were fine, so when I heard the news I would not worry about her.  There was a terrible shooting at the Pulse night club.  My heart went out to the families and friends of the victims.  I wanted to do something but didn't know what.  I heard about the Quilts for Pulse within a few days and started making one. I felt that someone would receive my quilt and know that lots of love and prayers went into it and in some way it could help them through this horrible time.

I had the pleasure/honor of being the one to deliver our 25 quilts from South Florida Modern Quilt Guild to Alissa, the President of the Orlando Modern Quilt Guild.  She is the one who started Quilts for Pulse.  She asked me to just bring them to her home.  This is where she was collecting all the quilts being donated for the families of the Pulse Night Club Shootings.  It was amazing.

This is the quilt I made for Pulse

What I saw was unbelievable.  Alissa's home was covered with quilts in all stages of completion.   There was a bedroom that was full of quilts.  No bed just quilts.  There were piles of quilts in her dining room.  There were piles of quilts in her living room and there were piles of quilts her family room.  Also in her living room was a long arm quilting machine (now thats my kind of quilter).  I don't think she ever thought she would get so many.  

Can you imagine, she was hoping to get 105 quilts.  So far I believe she has around 1800.  I just love how the quilting community pulls together to show how much they care.

You may think this is stacked on the bed but it is just a headboard leaning against the wall.

Alissa's Dining Room

The 2 stacks at the top of this picture are the 25 quilts I dropped off from SFMQG.

Living Room

Look at all the love these quilts represent. 

Beth

Who Doesn't Like Pink & Orange

What do you think...too wild?

We are making small lap quilts for a nursing home as one of our charity projects this year.  They wanted them to fit on the wheelchairs and not get in the way.  I think a sweet little lady will enjoy all this color.  I know I do!!!  

I pined it and started quilting it today.  So it should be done by the June meeting.  Wait till you see the back.  It's as pretty as the front.

Enjoy!

My 1st Quilty Box

Its so much fun getting a package in the mail.  I was so excited to open it and see what goodies were inside. The goodies are picked by a different designer each month.  The designer this month was Annemarie Chany, she is Gen X Quilters, she chose 10 fat quarters of the Piemaking Day  collection, a half square triangle ruler, a Frixion pen and two of her patterns.

Also included is a card with information about the designer and a description of every item in the box.  I love the fabric and will probably gift the rest of the goodies.  I think this would be great for someone new to quilting.  

I had a coupon code for $10.00 off my first box.  I had to try it.  

Enjoy!

New Idea

I am going to start posting my pictures to my blog even if I don't have time to write about them. I think it will help me to keep up to date. I can then just go back and update when I have a few minuets to write about them. 

I'm on my way to my guild meeting. Last month I won the raffle basket so when I give it back I wanted to put a few goodies in it. I made a pincushion and a thread basket   I thought someone would love that and appreciate the time it takes to make it. I also added chocolate and cookies. 

Now I just need to remember to hit post when I'm finished. This should have been posted a few weeks ago. 

Enjoy!!

My Wonky South Florida Modern Quilt Guild March Meeting

Wonky Stars-March BOM

I started to help with BOM at our guild.   This month I got to pick the block.  I had an some extra time to work on this one and I was able to complete a baby quilt with Wonky Stars.  See the BOM stars on the board behind me.

On my way to the Guild meeting I stopped at the Palm Beach Quilt show to see my first Wonky Star quilt on display.  It made me so happy to see it hanging up.  This is the first quilt I have had hang in a show.  It was not being judged just for display.  (That's Next)

It was my lucky day I won the raffle basket.  

It must have been in the stars.

Enjoy!

Quilt Week--Daytona

Just returned home from AQS Daytona Quilt Week.   I had a wonderful time. My mom went with me and we both kept very busy with classes and shopping. 

I ended up taking 3 classes with Cindy Needam. What a fantastic teacher.  I highly recommend her classes. She teaches heirloom quilting and feathers. Since I'm feather obsessed it was a must. 

The other class she taught was called the open thread bar.   She explained all about the different of thread. She is also a spokesperson for Supirior Thread. We had the chance to try all the different types of thread she brought with her. I especially enjoyed the silk. 

I also had the pleasure of meeting Vanessa from the Crafty Grmini. She is so sweet. I got her new ruler and thread collection. 

Enjoy!!!

Charm Pack Cherry Quilt finished

Looking Forward to an ice dying class I'm taking on Sunday.  Thats the reason I had to buy fabric.  I'm really trying not to buy any for a while.  I do have an AQS Show in Daytona at the end of the month.  I doubt that i will be able to control myself while I'm there.

ENJOY

This week's Stash Report is unchanged:

Used last week:  4,75 yards

Used in February:  4.75 yards

Used year to date:   10.50yards

Purchased last week:  4.25 yards

Purchased year to date:  6.25 yards

Weekly Stitch Minutes:

15 minute stitching days this week:  6 days

15 minute stitching days in February:  6 days

15 minute stitching days in 2016:  34 days

Cutting Up My Stash

I held on to this for a year without cutting into it. I picked this up last year at QuiltCon and didn't know what I needed it for but I needed it.  This is hand dyed Cherrywood Cotton Fabric. It looks like suede. 

I think I should have put black in middle also instead of the white.  I notice the white more than the colors

ENJOY

This week's Stash Report is unchanged:

Used last week:  0 yards

Used in January:  5.75 yards

Used year to date:  5.75 yards

Purchased last week:  0 yards

Purchased year to date:  2 yards

Weekly Stitch Minutes:

15 minute stitching days this week:  5 days

15 minute stitching days in January:  28days

15 minute stitching days in 2016:  28 days

The Farmers Wife Sampler Quilt

One of my goals for this year it to try to sew something for at least 15 minuets a day.  The other day I read in someone's blog that there is a group that has the paper pieced patterns for all the blocks in The Farmers Wife Sampler Quilt book.

I had bought The Farmers Wife Sampler Quilt book a few years ago.  I only managed to get one block finished and then lost interest.  It was very difficult to print the template, then cut them out  and then sew them together.  Each template was a different size and it was lots of work.  I can't imagine what it must have been like to quilt before rotary cutters.  I remember garment sewing before the rotary cutters but I can't imaging quilting without them.



I joined The Farmer's Wife Sampler Quilt Along. It's a restricted Yahoo group, so you have to request to join and once you do you all the paper pieced patterns fare available for you to download and print.   This makes it so much easier than the templates.

Here are two of the blocks I have finished

Block #1 Attic Windows

Block #2 Autumn Tints

I will keep updating the blocks as I finish them. As you can see I am using bright modern fabrics. 

ENJOY!!

This week's Stash Report is unchanged:

Used last week:  0 yards

Used in January:  5.75 yards

Used year to date:  5.75 yards

Purchased last week:  0 yards

Purchased year to date:  2 yards

Weekly Stitch Minutes:

15 minute stitching days this week:  6 days

15 minute stitching days in January:  23 days

15 minute stitching days in 2016:  23 days

Off to a Wonky Start

I have Wonky Stars on my design wall today.  I have been working on this all week.  I was planning on doing this block as a block of the month for March.  I got a call Friday night that they have changed the schedule and will not be doing these for while.  I decided to sew them together and make it a baby quilt.  So this adds a quilt to my to be quilted list and eventually to my etsy store.

No Finishes this week.  I did get my Charm Pack Cherry Quilt pinned and ready to quilt.  I will be able to work on this during the week.  Hopefully it will be a finish by next weekend.

Quilt pinned and ready for quilting.

Still trying to photograph the completed quilts from the last post.  We have had bad weather all week and I have been under the weather this weekend.  Hoping for more success this week.

Enjoy!!

This week's Stash Report is unchanged:

Used last week:  0 yards

Used in January:  5.75 yards

Used year to date:  5.75 yards

Purchased last week:  0 yards

Purchased year to date:  2 yards

I have a better report on my Stitch Minutes:

15 minute stitching days this week:  7 days

15 minute stitching days in January:  17 days

15 minute stitching days in 2016:  17 days

This year I'm tracking my Stash and how many days I manage to make it to the sewing room for at least 15 minutes.  The more I'm in the sewing room, the better chance of having a reduction in the stash and the UFO pile.  I started with 500 yards of Stash in 2016.  I can count it as used when the project is complete and ready to gift, sell or use.

Welcome 2016

My Word for the Year------Purpose

 My 2016 quilty plans and goals

Open my Etsy Store
Get one of my quilts into a quilt show
Be more active in the guild.
Design a quilt to put in Quilt Con in 2017
Do better with this blog and possibly change platforms
I would love to teach.
Use 100 yards of my stash.

I realize that I did not meet the goals I set in October to get nine quilts quilted by the end of the year, but I did get two of them done by the end of the year and two more of them were completed this weekend. That only leaves five waiting to be quilted and I am very happy about that.

I listen to a podcast that I really enjoy called Hip To Be A Square.   hiptobeasquarepodcast.com  She records about twice a week and talks mostly about quilting and she has helper cats.  Very fun to listen to and a great sense of humor.  She is very active in her guild and always has a project going. She reports what she adds and uses and updates her totals once a week.   At first I couldn't understand why she did this and the more I thought about it I thought it would be interesting to know how much fabric I use.  So it has been in the back of my mind to do this since last year.  I had a few days off over the holidays and decided to count the yardage I have.  Of course I estimated it but I think I am pretty close.  I almost fell over when I realized that I have at least 500 yards of quilting fabric in my sewing closet.  I will be keeping track and trying to use up some of that stash.

Used last week:  5.25 yards
Used in January:  5.75 yards
Used year to date:  5.75 yards
Purchased year to date:  2 yards


This year I'm also tracking how many days I manage to make it to the sewing room for at least 15 minutes.  The more I'm in the sewing room, the better chance of having a reduction in the stash and the UFO pile.  It was a good week on that front too.

15 minute stitching days this week:  7 days
15 minute stitching days in January:10 days
15 minute stitching days in 2016:  10 days


I will post pictures of the quilts in a few days.  I need to take some good pictures of them first.  I will include some of things I was working  on this past week.

New bins to help organize my sewing machine stuff.  One for each machine and one for my clips

Birthday goodie mug rugs

Pin Cushion

Cat Goodies

The Tester

Enjoy