Another 2015 Final

The final 2015 design wall Monday is showing what's (not?) on my design wall - because it's in a bin, but the idea is that it's 'on the design wall', right? 

The project is Allietare, the Quiltville mystery quilt.  The only sewing I've done is to the strip sets so I could cut the sections for the 4-patch units. 

These are the clue components, labeled as to the clue they were given in, except the black, which was in clue 4.  Clue 5 has us sewing some of these units together, but I'm still trying to hold off until my friend Panda returns.  There's a lot of cutting but she has one of those cutting appliances so may be able to do some with that.  In fact, I didn't sew the parts to make block units in the previous clues either - just those strip sets.  I don't know if there'll be more cutting to do in a future clue or if it'll be construction only from here on out.  

While I'm waiting on my friend, at least for the next few days, I'm going to devote some time to re-acquainting myself with my 2-year-neglected genealogy work.  I renewed my "database search company" for six months, and two months are already behind me with very little work done, so for it to not be a total waste of $$, I'm intentionally going to work on it for awhile.  

And then, I want to get at least two of my prepped quilt tops quilted so they can be, dare I use the word?, decluttered out of my house and lovingly given to their respective recipients.  

Linking at both Patchwork Times and Quiltville.

Final 2015 Stash Report

The celebratory aspect of Christmas is over, the residual remains.  The new year will be upon us in short order.  New goals by resolution will be set by many - not me though because I know I never keep them, something I learned a very long time ago about myself.  I do think I'd like to make a greater effort at actually quilting some of those flimsies that live in my closet though.  That would be a very good thing as then I can disperse them to recipients and make more room for new projects.  Also, the more flimsies that become quilts, the better my stash report will look in 2016.  

Here's the look at my final for 2015 though it didn't change from last week.  All-in-all, given all things of this last year, a fair amount went out even with the huge amount coming in.  Most of the incoming was from my adventure on the quilt run in Oregon of last February.

Used This Week: 0 yards
Used Year to Date:  25.28 yards  
Added This Week:  0 yards
Added Year to Date: 63.02 yards  
Net Added for 2015: 37.74 yards 

Linking at Patchwork Times.

It Begins

I was going to hold off on getting started on Bonnie Hunter's 2015 Mystery Quilt, Allietare, but finally broke down yesterday and started in with the first clue.  So far, I've only been cutting the triangle square units with 40 more to cut.   I'm still undecided as to just how much I'll do.  My friend Panda wanted me to wait and we'd do it together, but she won't be home until towards the end of January.  I hope she doesn't get mad at me.  Before she left, I told her I may get started on it and only do half until she returns.  We shall see.

10 sets in each red clip, except for the odd 4 in front

Way too much to do today, including wrapping and sending off the pillow cases to my grandkids.  The last of the Christmas cards are in the mail box awaiting pick-up by our postal carrier.  I'm running late...not really unusual for me.  I need to do a little grocery shopping before Christmas arrives or we won't be having Christmas dinner.  I'm completely clueless as to what to get Marty for Christmas and while I've picked up a couple small things for Nick, I haven't purchased what I thought I'd get for him nor researched if there might be a better model elsewhere.  

Linking at both Quiltville for Allietare, and at Patchwork Times for Design Wall Monday.

Our Friend Blogger

Or is it me?

I tried and tried and tried to fix the font on my stash report post.  Below the ~~~~ line, I highlighted it all and selected the same font, and the same size, and at least on my end after publishing it (and even in preview mode), parts of the post came out with a different size.  That's just the way it'll have to be.

Does it look messed up to you? Have you been having problems with Blogger?

Stash Report Sunday, Week 51, 2015

Used This Week: 6.88 yards
Used Year to Date:  25.28 yards  
Added This Week:  0 yards
Added Year to Date: 63.02 yards  
Net Used / Added for 2015: 37.74 yards

Linking @ Patchwork Times

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2015 is rapidly coming to a close.  

I'm happy to report that Subtle Charm is now a flimsy.  I can now count that fabric out of my stash.  A year or two ago I decided I'd count my fabric out upon reaching certain stages with my quilts.  Stage I is when it's a flimsy and I count all the fabric used in the construction of the quilt top.  Stage II is when I've quilted it and then count the backing fabric, and Stage III is counting the binding when it's been finished.

fabric requirements and usage

Subtle Charm used up 6.88 yards of fabric, and took 65.2 hours to complete including the fabric prep time and pre-cutting I did.  I started this quilt on 14 May 2014, so it is a more recent one for me, but came from The Quilter magazine Nov.2000.  

time spent on construction

flimsy on double bed

 It now gets to be stored away for awhile as I am determined to get some other projects finished.  

Marty said he likes this one because it's calmer than some I've worked on.  He had in mind the annual mystery quilts I've worked on that have tended to be quite active in their design. 

Design Wall, What Day?, Monday!

I'm a day late.  I've heard that's better than being never, though better never late is better.

First, I'll show these because they were actually pinned to my design wall yesterday...just long enough to be photo'd.  These are the pillow cases I made for my daughter and her husband.  

My daughter and I had a tradition of making gingerbread cookies when she was with me as a child.  We don't get to spend Christmas together now due to 1200 miles of geography between us, but I try to keep the tradition alive in small ways like this, finding gingerbread cookies on fabric, or plates, or ornaments, etc.

The real reason though for the delay in not posting yesterday was I had an agenda, and that was to get this monkey off my back.

Subtle Charm.  At last, the borders were going on and I was dreading it, all for naught, as they went on very well.  I took my measurement down the center, cut my needed lengths, and had to do NO stretching or fudging, and all the points played nice too. 

There were two borders, of the same fabrics as the center to tie it all together.  If I remember right, the binding will also be the mottled green if you can envision that on the edges. 

I haven't planned the backing yet.  I have quite a bit of the four fabrics left over but haven't tallied to see if it is equal to 2 1/4 yards of 108" backing fabric.  I also have a yard of the gold floral fabric that is the same as the green and the tan. It'll be on the back, so a different color doesn't bother me if I need to use it.  Looking forward to showing this as fabric out on Sunday :)

Linking up at Patchwork Times.

Stash Report Sunday, Week 50, 2015

Used This Week: 4.8 yards
Used Year to Date:  18.4 yards  
Added This Week:  5 yards
Added Year to Date: 63.02 yards  
Net Used / Added for 2015: 44.62 yards

Linking @ Patchwork Times

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This week equated to a net change of .2 (1/5) yard of fabric IN rather than out.  

I used 4.8 yards in making some more pillowcases:

I bought this fabric oh-so-many years ago with Nick in mind because he was quite into playing with Hot Wheels cars - he has well over a hundred of them and several discs for the computer game.  They're all packed up now, along with the special raceways and track sets that many of them were part of; saved for that time when nostalgia kicks in. 

When I showed him the pillow cases for the grandchildren, he was really impressed and thought they were "really cool", so that gave me the idea of making a set for him, and finally using this fabric.  Perhaps this will help inspire his lazy parents (moi!) to paint his room to go along with these pillowcases.  He's 17 and it's never been repainted :/

The cuff is dark blue (not black) and the trim is a blue and green plaid.  I'm hoping these will still be a hit with him even if he's outgrown the Hot Wheels; he's still very much into cars, especially exotics or classics.  He saw one on the freeway the other day that he'd never seen before and was really jazzed about it.

I also made a set of pillowcases for my daughter and son-in-law.  They're a Christmas motif, but I haven't taken a picture of them yet.

Incoming fabrics totaled five yards.  I purchased two yards of the necessary gray for the Allietare mystery quilt, and three yards of a medium-sized chicken wire pattern on black to use as the backing for my Rooster quilt, originally written up over on my DOOW blog in 2012 - yeah, it's a long-running project.  Maybe I can cross off some of those UFOs in 2016 - it would be nice to have some real quilting accomplishments.

Design Wall Monday, December 07, 2015

One of the best things about Mondays is checking in at Patchwork Times to see what everyone is working on.  Being that it's December there are some of Bonnie Hunter's Allietare mystery showing up among the links.  I'm planning on doing it, just not yet.  I think today, I'll head out and see if I can find an acceptable gray for that project though.


On Saturday and Sunday I accomplished quite a bit on Subtle Charm, getting all the blocks into rows and then the rows sewn together.  It currently measures 61.5 x 73.5 and still needs borders.  The inner border will be 2" finished, and the outer border will be 3.75" finished.

Looking at it from one angle.

...and from the other angle.  That's as close as I've come to getting a picture of Flame 'bowing' to me ;p

This quilt is certainly living up to its descriptive "Subtle" with the fabrics I chose.  It leaves me feeling rather blah! Between my cutting and sewing, there seemed to be a lot of small alignment issues where I had to stretch or ease to get the points lined up, but once quilted and on a bed, I don't think the 'less than perfectly flat' areas will show much.  There are a lot of seams making for quite a bit of thickness in areas so I had to manipulate some of those areas too.  I'm reserving my full opinion on this piece until I get the borders on...maybe I'll like it better then.

I was planning to use this on our bed, but it's colors fit more with the living room furniture. 

Stash Report Sunday - Week 49, 2015

There has been a little change in my numbers this week.

On Tuesday, I went along with my friend Panda to Joann's.  She was looking for fabric for pillow cases, which she later showed me how to make.  As Christmas fabrics were all on sale, I found a nice generic gold and green stripe that had only a little left on the bolt.  That added the 1.33 yards to my stash. 

Yesterday, I made two Christmas pillowcases for my grandchildren, and that took out 2.2 yards of fabric from my stash.  While I'm still in the red this year, the total did shrink just a little. 

I also resumed work on Subtle Charm, which I'll post about tomorrow, and if I can get the borders on this week, then I'll have a bigger reduction in next week's numbers. 

Two pillow cases.

Used This Week: 2.2 yards
Used Year to Date:  13.6 yards  
Added This Week:  1.33 yards
Added Year to Date: 58.02 yards  
Net Used / Added for 2015: 44.42 yards

Linking @ Patchwork Times

A brief run-through of the basics in making these pillow cases...and my goofs! I mentioned the goof on the first one yesterday.

 Ruh-roh, we have a problem.  That trim flap is...

 ...supposed to be between the cuff and the body on this side.

 Time to make a brief list: All fabrics right side up. 

Cuff fabric first.

 Topped with body fabric - see the cuff fabric underneath?

Then the trim - all three fabrics now where they belong.  It was a real pain to have to undo the seam when I goofed.  I'd put the trim in between the cuff and the body - oops!

Roll up the body.

 Fold the lower half of the cuff to make raw edges meet, pin and sew.

After pulling it open, it is then folded with wrong sides together.  I pinned only this section as I wanted the trim and cuff seams to align.  I then sewed all along the side and bottom before turning inside out.  The reason this was sewn with wrong sides together is because I'm making French seams.

Once it was turned, another seam is sewn, which encases the first seam so that there are no raw edges anywhere, along the side and bottom.  It can then be turned back to right sides out and you have a beautiful pillow case.  I'm so glad I learned how to do this, and if I can keep my mind focused, will do them correctly each time in the future.  I showed them to Nick, and he thought they were really, really cool, so when he goes to school tomorrow, I just may make a couple for him as a Christmas gift.  He needs new pillows too and likes big ones so I'll have to make his larger than 'standard'.

Something New

On Tuesday when I spent the day with my friend Panda, she showed me how to make pillowcases with the French seams.   I made my first one today.  

Some refer to the method she taught me as the 'burrito' method.  I found an online tutorial that gives the same instructions so I won't fully repeat them here.  By Googling for pillowcase instructions, you can find many tutorials, some good, some not as good.  I found this method very easy...even if I did put the 'wrong' right sides together first and had to take that seam out.  Old habits, you know, are hard to break and I'd gone into automatic mode at that point.  I'll get it right on the next one.

The 'burrito' is under the needle.

It turned out pretty well if I must say so myself.  This first one will be for my grandson for Christmas (I still don't have his quilt quilted!).  The only "imperfection" I found was the widths of the opening and the bottom seam don't match, but when it's on a pillow, who will notice right?  

The finished pillowcase on the design wall.

One of these days I'll get the flannel put up so those seams and yellow tape won't show on the wall.  It looks small, but is a standard pillow size. 

A close up of the cuff, trim, and body.

These are all Christmas fabrics from my stash...so guess what I'll get to show tomorrow as out of my stash...yes!!  As I was looking at the blue fabric, I realized it is a good piece of overall "I Spy" - he'll keep busy looking for the snowman, a baseball, a boat, a gingerbread cookie, football, toy soldier, and many other items.  Fun, fun, fun.  And I think I'll send it with instructions to open as soon as they get the package.

Golden? Silence

I just haven't been doing anything crafty.  Rather, I spent far too long organizing and updating my stamp collection.  Then I started working again on some of my dad's paperwork for his 2015 taxes, and that, along with normal daily stuff, is all I've been doing.

My plan was to resume some quiltiness once the Quiltville Mystery Quilt was released, and I'm itching to get started on it, but my friend Panda wants to do it along with me and she's going to be pretty much tied up and/or gone until nearly the end of January, so guess what...I'm holding off on starting Allietare! until she's back, so by then, it will no longer be a mystery-at least to me.  That can be good or bad - what if I decide I don't want to do it after I see the reveal?  We'll cross that bridge when we get to it.  Then again, maybe I'll at least do the cutting for each step when required so that on the days I go to her house, I don't have to mess with cutting, I can just sew to my heart's content. 

Our power was out the entire day on Tuesday (a planned outage for upgrades in the area) so I spent the day with Panda.  We went to JoAnn's and a wee bit of yardage jumped off a bolt into the cart.  I'll add that on Sunday's stash report.

I'm tired of paper and paperwork, so maybe I'll clear it all off my work surface for a week or two and just remind my dad or whomever, that taxes aren't due until April and call it good for now ;p .

I want to sew!!

Smile Worthy

Recently I joined in on the fun at Whims and Fancies where there's a trunk show going on.  I think this is the first time I've taken part in such a display.  I'm enjoying the comments as well as viewing the many other displays.

One of the quilts getting the most reaction is this one:

I wrote just a little bit about it here before I switched blogs.  The pattern is from Eleanor Burns' and is Quilt In A Day "Double Pinwheels".  This one in the image is huge, measuring 91" x 113".  It's shown on a full/double bed.  It was tied as it was a 'many hands' quilt after the piecing was done, with perle cotton which I prefer over yarn.

What makes me smile about the comments on this over at the trunk show, is that everyone thinks it is a black and white quilt, and certainly the photo lends to that impression.  The "black" is actually a very dark teal of a packed hydrangea patterned fabric.

This close-up block shows it a little better.  My apologies for the photo quality; my scanner doesn't want to work with this computer so I had to take a photo of a photo.  Another thing I liked about this quilt was that I had found a white-on-white fabric of which the pattern was a bit like scattered windmill blades fitting in well with the pinwheel/windmill block.
Now I'm thinking I just might have to make it in black and white...just not so big!

A Special Trunk Show...

A blogger I was heretofore unfamiliar with is hosting an online quilt trunk show.  Whims and Fancies is where you can find this fun show.  And she has pictures of the cutest cat under her "About" tab :)  =^--^=

 

 

It started with this one...

progressed to three of these

Oh the joy of Friendship Stars and QSTs (quarter square triangles)

This was the third, and final, tree.

A Stack-N-Whack

A second Stack-N-Whack

Flannel case for a large floor pillow

And for the second pillow

A quilt for missionaries - the piecing was all mine, but other hands helped tie & bind

A second quilt for missionaries - my piecing, multi-hands for tying and binding

A third quilt for missionaries with the same M.O.

Same pattern, different colors and smaller size of the second missionary quilt, but scrappy pinks rather than 3-fabric only.

Cathedral Windows from a class.  Click on the photo to see the buttons - they had stars too.

"Jack In the Pulpit" for our pastor

And a matching table-runner for his Mrs.

My piecing - multi-hand finishing, for soldiers and/or their family in our fellowship group.

Same as the above Rail Fence.

And last but not least, a special gift for a special friend who house-sat and took care of our special needs kitty for several summers.  And, she had given me most of the fabrics in the quilt when she was cleaning out her 'clutter'.

That's my contribution to the show, I hope you enjoyed it.   Head over to Whims and Fancies for many more. I'm going to go do some browsing there now.