November NewFO

Yes, it IS hard to believe it's already time for posting about our November NewFO's, but indeed it is.  I'm linking up to Barbara's Cat Patches.

I've kept you up to speed on my progress on this latest project, so I'll just re-link some of the previous pictures of Sister's Choice.  It is a selection from Bonnie Hunter's Quiltville blog.  She provides instructions for some wonderful scrappy quilts.  (The pattern is here, along with her pictures.)

 The review:

Corner squares

Sets ready to sew

9-patch units

Star-point units

Star-point unit pressed and grouped in sets of 4

A completed block

Another completed block

28 finished blocks

I have 33 blocks finished.  I need 72, but think I've planned for 77 (there's that math problem again).  It's better to have more than less I suppose.  Or, maybe I'll turn it into two quilts.  I'm already surprised at how large it seems on the design wall, but then I left a little space between each block.  If I put a narrow sashing in, then I likely will make two, or not.  I will continue to work on it though I'm working on the mystery quilt (Quiltville) too.  There's time for both, right?

Are You Ready?

It's almost here. 

 

Fabric....check (though this is not the fabric I'm using)

 

 

 

 

 

Thread...lol, I do have plenty more

Pressing machine, small but mighty

Scissors....used occasionally...oh, and furry companion for company :)

Bobbins, ... oh yeah, they've been filled, you did see that empty thread spool a few photos back ;p

Rotary cutter blade changed...yep

A motto, and a pin-cushion

It won't be long now, are you holding back your excitement?  Are you able to sleep tonight?  

Happy Thanks-giving

 

Design Wall Monday - 25 November 2013

With Nick home from school all week, it doesn't seem like Monday.

I spent a good portion of yesterday afternoon sewing together the separate components of the Sister's Choice quilt blocks and was able to get eight of them done.

The pile of 2.5" squares for the four corners of each block.

The finished 9-patch units

 I may have to go back to school to take remedial math.  My project calls for 72 blocks.  Somehow I managed to come up with 77 9-patch units, so I have five extra.  There are two I put into the 72 that I'm not sure I really like, so I may swap them out and then use all the extras on the back.

The 72 sets: each has one 9-patch, four star-point units, and four corner squares...and an accurate count of 72!

The stack of five "extra" 9-patch units.

The very first completely finished.  That upper left square appears a little dark, but by the time it's incorporated into the completed quilt, it'll fit just fine.

The first eight blocks finished.  I left a narrow gap between them all. 

I'm still considering a very narrow sashing so leaving the gap will give me room to audition some fabric choices to determine if that's what I really want to do, partly because I'm not thrilled with the idea of lining up the star-point tips.  As it is, I'm finding that many of the star-point bases, don't line up really well with the 9-patch seams that they adjoin to.  So much for precision piecing though I thought I was doing pretty well.  I'm not going to be a perfectionist on this one, and those slightly 'off' parts aren't glaring so will stay that way.

Once again, it's link up time at Patchwork Times.  I'm sure glad Judy does this as I really enjoy seeing what others are doing.

Stash Report - Week 47, 2013

I'm linking up with Patchwork Times, even though, par for the course, I've no changes in either direction.

Used This Week: 0 yards 
Used Year to Date: 10.25 yards  
Added This Week: 0 yards  
Added Year to Date: 46.375 yards  
Net Used for 2013: -36.125 yards

Aha! I Found It!

Yes, yes, yes, I found the gadget so that you can follow me here on this blog and added it to my left side-bar.  

And since that has now been tidied up, I'm going back to work on tidying up a few things here in the Sanctuary so that I'll be all ready for Bonnie Hunters Mystery Quilt coming up on the 29th.  That's only six days away.  I'm looking forward to it as a child looks forward to presents under the Christmas tree.

It's Wednesday

Sure seems to be difficult lately for me to pick a title for my posts! "It's Wednesday" is highly creative, no?
 
Well, last night I was able to finish the star-point units for the Sister's Choice quilt blocks.  Tonight I will press the points open and decide if I want to co-ordinate these units to the 9-Patch units, to some degree, or just let them randomly fit where they will.  

The reds are quite variant and some of them don't play as well as others with some of the 9-Ps so those will be the ones I'll be more attentive to in matching up.

This being Wednesday, I met with my quilt student but I don't think we even mentioned quilting.  We had a shortened time so just sat and chatted.  We won't meet next week because of all the Thanksgiving goings on. 

Her husband will be home all week, so we might get together earlier in the week just for girl-time without the kids.  She has three and our normal times are often interrupted with childrens' questions while they work on their homeschool work.  

One of her daughters is only seven, and really wants to learn to sew, so I said I would be happy to help her do that.  The sweet daughter was so excited today she could hardly sit still. 

I Heart Quilts

 I added a link over at the upper right-hand side back to my Duck Out of Water blog should you want to see my non-quilt stuff.

 

I need to find a better place for this in my Sanctuary.  For now, it's just dangling on the plastic thing where I wrap the cord to the mini-blinds.  It's not a very large plaque, only 8 3/4" wide x 5" high including the wire hanger.

I stacked sets of the star-point units as I pressed the points open.

Another stack of the star-point units prior to pressing.

The stacks you see are the last of the star-point units that need to be done.

That's all for now.  I think I'll go work on those units.  Then I need to finish some paperwork.

Blog Housekeeping / Frustrations

OK, is it me? Am I really dense? I just don't get it? Blogger changing things?  I hope this is the only non-quilty post I have to make here!

On my Duck Out of Water blog, I have the "Join This Site" button / link / whatever it's called so that you all can follow me near the upper left, and when I look at the layout page where we add gadgets, on Duck Out of Water, it's referred to as "Configure Followers List". 

Now, here on Webs of Threads, I go to the layout page, select 'add gadget' and do not see that option any where!  What IS there instead(?) is "Google+ Followers New" which I'm assuming is the replacement gadget, I may be wrong.  I started to 'sign up' for that but got to the point where it told me I didn't want to do that if I blog under a pseudonym...which is what I do!  So how do I make it easy for you all to follow me?  Is the only option left for you to scroll all the way to the bottom of my blog page to where it says "Subscribe to"posts (atom)"", or to subscribe in the 'subscribe to' box?  

Does anyone who's more tech-savvy have any ideas?

Design Wall Monday 11182013

This morning I pressed open scads of star-point units so that I could have something to show on my design wall.  I hastily pinned up the 9-Patches, Star-Point units, and corners for each block.  If you haven't guessed by now (I know some of you have done this quilt) I'm doing a quilt from the Quiltville site, a free pattern Bonnie Hunter calls Sister's Choice.  She used scrappy greens for her star-point units, I'm using shades of red and brick.

Temporary Random Placements

Off to link up with Judy's Patchwork Times and to see what you all have been working on.

Thanks for stopping by.

Stash Report, Week 46, 2013

Linked up at Judy's Patchwork Times.

Once again, there are no changes.  Nothing In.  Nothing Out. 

Used This Week: 0 yards 
Used Year to Date: 10.25 yards  
Added This Week: 0 yards  
Added Year to Date: 46.375 yards  
Net Used for 2013: -36.125 yards

I spent several hours again last night working on the star-point units for my current project.  38 of 77 sets are now done.  The star-point units are at the four sides of the 9-Patch, without the corner blocks. 

Welcome Transition

Hopefully you have found me again here, if you've read my blog post here at Duck Out of Water, then you know the story.

If you found me by another route, well, I decided to open a second blog for the sole purpose of my quilting and any other stitchery crafts I do.  I may not do many of those, but I do do some, and some of them are planned to be part of a future quilt or two.

It's nice to see you here and I hope you enjoy your visit.  Leave me a comment if you do.