Monday, December 12, 2011

Design Wall Monday

Some quilters use a design wall, others a bed, still others the floor but for me I used a penguin. Yes a penguin. I made an apron for a friend's daughter and needed a model for it. This penguin was given to me last year to keep me company sewing late at night. I thought it would make a perfect model. I still need to sew on the buttons but otherwise all finished. From start to finish took about four hours.

Monday, October 17, 2011

Design Wall Monday

Once again it's design wall Monday. I am teaching these days. I so need to work on class samples. I saw on Judy's friends blog a Lil' Twister wreath. I have a class coming up on Lil' Twister so I decided to make a wreath. It was quick and easy.

This is with the blocks and border sewn together before the cutting begins.



After cutting out the blocks I laid them out.



This is the top completed. But now looking at it, I'm wondering if I should add an outer border of the dark blue.

Monday, September 26, 2011

Design Wall Monday

This top is cute. As long as you follow the directions it is easy to do. I just make another one. When I look at this top I think it's going to make a sweet quilt some little girl would enjoy. The picture of the pattern shows the fun tabs at the edge of the border that is done after it it's quilted. The best part is I only had to buy the background and it turns out I would have had it in my stash. I even have the back in my stash. While I lost track of stashing busting, I know I am in the negative column. I plan on doing it again next year.


September Goals - update

As there are things I want and or need to do this month, I decided to make myself a list so I'd remember and make myself accountable to me. I'm not going to put the ongoing cleaning stuff, that's a given. What I am going to list are projects needing to be worked on or better yet completed.

Back for 2011 Cat Quilt
Binding for Japanese Bunny Doll
Birthday present for Cheryl
Cut out black and white fabric for log cabin quilt
Extra border and binding for Halloween pinwheel top
Little Charmer Halloween tote bag
Quilt on design Wall - Snuggle Blocks
Thread Catchers - made 2

Thursday, September 8, 2011

September Goals

As there are things I want and or need to do this month, I decided to make myself a list so I'd remember and make myself accountable to me. I'm not going to put the ongoing cleaning stuff, that's a given. What I am going to list are projects needing to be worked on or better yet completed.

Back for 2011 Cat Quilt
Binding for Japanese Bunny Doll
Birthday present for Cheryl
Cut out black and white fabric for log cabin quilt
Extra border and binding for Halloween pinwheel top
Little Charmer tote bag
Quilt on design wall
Thread Catchers

Funny when I listed them I don't have as many as I thought I did. This is a good thing.

Thursday, September 1, 2011

Lil' Twister

Once again I worked on something new instead of what I am suppose to do. I love projects I can start and finish within a day or two. I am going to have to make a list of what I need to do first. But in the mean time here is my latest project. I am scheduled to teach this quilt so thought best to make one myself. I was lucky to have the class sample made by someone else.

The squares all sewn together.



Squares started to be cut and put on the design wall.



All the squares sewn together with the borded on.



Top completed. I might add another border to make it bigger.

Monday, August 29, 2011

Design Wall Monday

It's that day of the week again. Time to post what's on my design wall. Last week I was putting away fabric and reorganize my "kits", I came across one I knew would be quick and simple. It's from a Quilts and More magazine and I have made it once before. As I wanted a quick project that would not become an UFO, I cut it out and sewed it up in a day and a half. I even got the back all done and it's waiting to go to the quilter. The picture only shows a portion of the quilt as I could not get the whole top. It's bigger than my design wall.



This is a store model for my local needlework store I finally finished after having it way to long.It's a cross stitch piece. I love getting things finished.

Monday, August 22, 2011

Design Wall Monday

Last week I tried to post what was on my design wall and the power went out. Someone decided to take out a power pole and poof a transformer blew. Well 13 hours later I finally had power but too late to post. The first picture is a the final layout of this years quilt I am making for Marin Cat Connection.



These cute little snowman centered blocks are blocks I made used Jodi Barrows Square in a Square ruler. I had these 50 3 inch squares cut out for ever and figured they would be a good test of the ruler. It was so much fun to use, I am going to make more. Figured this will be my I don't feel like doing anything else project.

Tuesday, August 2, 2011

Monochromatic Challenge

I got the quilt top done and even got to show it tonight at guild to Laura Nownes who's pattern I used. It was also done from my stash with the exception to 4 pieces of fabric and will be given as a baby gift to a little guy that was born yesterday. The back will be from my stash too. Gotta love a quilt that serves four purposes.

Wednesday, July 27, 2011

Cat Quilt

There are cats all over my design wall. I have been working on it and here is an updated picture. I added an additional fabric and like the look. Love shopping from my stash. Still needs more done on it but it's a good start.



Sunday, July 24, 2011

Design Wall Monday

As I finished the top of the Card Quick quilt last week, I figured it was time to start this years cat quilt. For the past five years I am been making a quilt for the Marin Cat Connection to help them raise money for their rescue group. The quilts are a big hit and people ask if there is going to be one each year. At my Friday night UFO mini group, a friend helped me figure it out and today I cut it out. Still need to trim the cat blocks but wanted to put it up to see how it looks. I think I like this layout and figured I'd sleep on it to decide tomorrow. Nothing is sewn as of yet so I can rearrange to my hearts desire.

Tuesday, July 19, 2011

Card Trick

I did it. I completed the top long before the deadline I made had made for myself. I am really happy with it's out come. I do need to trim it up so off to do that. I just was so excited to finish the top and post a picture. I even have the binding and a backing from my stash.

Monday, July 18, 2011

Design Wall Monday

Best laid plans of mice and men was to have the top completed. So how life gets in the way as did having the stomach flu. So here are two picture of progress. I am happy with the way it is turning out. This is with the half square triangles laid out around some of the edges.

This photo shows it about half sewn together. Still need to sew some rows together but I wanted to see what it looks like.

Monday, July 11, 2011

Design Wall Monday

I can not believe I have something different on my design wall. This pattern is something I've wanted to make for a while. When Judy over at Patchwork Times post her monochromatic challenge for July it was blue. I figured this would be perfect to do it blues. The pattern I am using is Simple Tricks by Laura Nownes and Diane McClun. Laura is going to be our speaker at next months quilt guilt so my goal is to have the top completed. It worked on it last night and it should be quick. I also know someone who is having a baby boy in August so this quilt will go to him.

Monday, July 4, 2011

Design Wall Monday

Long time no blog or post for that matter. It's been a while since I've actually had some thing to post. These are blocks from a Block of the Month I have been taking at Quilt Fans in Alameda. It's been a mystery so far but we have completed all the blocks and will find out in a few weeks how to finish it. I do know it's on point and the blocks will having sashing around them and setting triangles. This is just one of many ways it could be laid out. I'm decided there will be no right or wrong way.



Tuesday, May 3, 2011

Design Wall Tuesday

Once again I'm late in posting. Is this a completed top for a class sample for a class I am teaching in August.





Monday, April 25, 2011

Design Wall Monday

Shhhhh don't tell anyone I did this top instead of on the class samples I am suppose to be working on. I found this in the stack to be made when looking for some fabric to make pillow cases. The top is only folded over as it did not fit on my design wall. At least this was from my stash. This is the forth top this month.



Wednesday, April 13, 2011

Irish Chain

I just finished my third quilt top for the month. This one is a class sample. While it color looks black it's actually a green and white. I'll get a better picture in the daylight. This was not even on the list of things to do this year. Plus it was done totally from my stash.

Monday, April 11, 2011

Design Wall Monday

True to my word I have a different top on my design wall. It's actually a completed top. I started it last week as it was something I had cut out and ready to go. I thought it was going to be a quilt project but it wasn't as quick as I thought. But as the saying go done is good and it's done.


This a close up picture of the fabric.


Tomorrow I will start an Irish Chain for a class sample. It's cut out ready to go. I'm trying to make class samples smaller as to not take up so much wall space at quilt stores where I teach.

Saturday, April 9, 2011

Good day sewing

Spent most of the day sewing. Finished the last 36 blocks out of 42 blocks needed for my next quilt top. Even got the first row sewn together. I am pleased with the outcome. Thought I was going to have to put it aside to make a class sample to be delivered this Wednesday but after looking at the calendar, I don't need it until the following Wednesday. After talking with some quilting buddies, I decided to make a smaller class sample and then bring in my full size quilt the day of the class. I went through my stash and pulled out fabric. Even got it cut out as a break in sewing the current project.

Monday, April 4, 2011

Design Wall Monday

It's done!!! At least the top is 100% completed for Hugs and Kisses. I am very pleased with how it came out. This will be the last time it will appear on Design Wall Monday. The first picture is with out the borders. It was to long to fit on my design wall, so part is folded over the top.


This is the bottom corner showing with the three borders.





Monday, March 28, 2011

Design Wall Monday

It's Monday and although my design wall still has the same quilt on it, it's grown. I now have 16 out of the 24 blocks sewn and even the first two rows sewn as rows. There was even a mistake in one of the blocks that has now been fixed.

Tuesday, March 22, 2011

Design Wall Monday (on Tuesday)

Long time no blog. I've been busy working on thread catchers and not this quilt. Figured I'd start back so I can get it done and work on something new. I finally have made enough progress I felt I could post a photo. I have to make 24 block and I've made 10. All the units are made so just need to make the blocks. My goal is to be half way there by nights end.


Update: I did make my goal of getting the two blocks made and also made all the center row of the block. Now off to make the first and third rows and make more blocks.

Monday, January 24, 2011

Design Wall Monday

It's still Monday night in California so I am not late. I have several things on it. More of the blocks for the wagon wheel quilt. After finding an error in the pattern, I put it into EQ7 and decided it will look ok just the colors will be backwards. As the pattern is from a 1997 magazine not much I could do about it. As I can not wait to see what it look was going to look like I actually sewed the top two blocks together but not the bottom two blocks. The original pattern has the colors reversed.The other block on my design wall is for a quiltlet for San Francisco Quilt Guild. They are suppose to be 8x8. Still need to quilt it and add the ties. I'm suppose to get together with a couple of quilting buddies to work on them so I'm waiting to finish it.

Monday, January 3, 2011

Design Wall Monday

So what's on your design wall for the first Monday of the year? I have an old project and a new project. The old is my Storm at Sea all sewn together waiting to find more blue for the border.


I thought new year new project. This is one that was cut out over a year ago to go to quilt retreat with me. For some reason it keeps attending without getting worked on. So I decided to do it as it was all cut out just waiting to be worked on. I need 24 total blocks. One down 23 more to go. If I can, I make one block to see what it's going to look like. So far all the strip sets done.


Saturday, January 1, 2011

First Post of 2011

My first post of 2011 starts with my being able to finish sewing the rows together of Storm at Sea before midnight. Now the hunt is on for more blue fabric to complete the quilt top. I am about 5 inches shirt to do what I want and piecing will not do. Arggggg.

As far as stash busting for last year, I did good. All in all I have 118.25 yards less of fabric in my stash. I only added 53.25 yards, gifted/donated 37.25 and used 132.25 from my stash. I am going to try to do this yet again this year. I still have lots and lots of fabric to use and it's fun to shop my stash. I have quilts I want to make in the coming year and look forward to starting something new. The $64,000 is what to do first. As I have several cut out but never started I will do one on those first. As I did last year, I will try to make a donation top every other month and if I do one every month better yet.