"Procrastination is

 attitude's natural assassin. There's nothing so fatiguing as an uncompleted task."


-William James

Ain't that the truth!  So with appreciating that recently read quote, I decided to tackle a project that's been going through my head and wearing me out.  Are you recognizing a theme here? 
I've carved out some more time to play besides auditioning those stones Ithought would work great as a piped area for  the table top quiltlet "Inukshuk".

 What do you think?     I am at a quandrary and I thinking that this won't work at all.  It doesn't seem to enhance it, only to cheapen it.    I really appreciate you stopping by and leaving all the lovely comments.  So don't be afraid to give me your  honest thoughts about this.  Keep going? Or abandon the stones and bind it as it is.   

I also have some ocean rolled stones from our trip to Nova Scotia in my work area of the garage that I hope to make a Stone Inukshuk cairn for someplace around my home.  Either inside or out in the garden.  I will be tackling that soon. 
After posting the links and what the term means, perhaps I should start calling  this my  Inunnguaq.

Jane

What a difference with the 440

While finishing the Inukshuk quiltlet before I had tossed it into a UFO pile that is, can't remember now just why or how that happened, anyways I was able to start quilting on it  freehand with my Bernina 170.  I stopped just about 10 minutes into quilting it and found that I never packed away the thread that I used at the time so with working on this UFO, decided to use the BSR on my new to me Bernina 440. 

I used  the BSR mode 2  and absolutely love the results.  WOW!!! 
What a difference it made on the backside.  Now mind you, the front looked okay IMHO with my own free hand technique and the backs I always considered uh hummmm, cough sputter..................good enough. 
BUT after finishing the quilting with the BSR on the same project that I had started on my other machine, what a difference. 
There are no knots or little lumps of thread where it shows when I hesitated to go in another direction.  The back looks as good as the front.  It's too bad I finished this with the full sleeve on the back to slip it over the acrylic photo frame.   It would be nice to refer to it and show friends the difference.  But I know that  I wouldn't be able to display it like I want, so bury all that evidence I must.    Ahh another UFO bites the dust!  Yippee!!!!!!

Jane

I'll post a photo when I find wherever  I put my camera.

Stash Report Week 5, 2012

Used this Week: 0 yards

Used year to Date: 9 yards

Added this Week: 3 yards

Added Year to Date: 35 yards

Net for 2012: A gain of 26 yards

While I was in Rouses Point this past Thursday to deliver the quilt I finished for my deceased friend Cheryl,  I was able to stop by  my favorite quilt shop for wools, Fibre Junction.    Carole  has many items to choose from and even though I wasn't looking for any cotton or any more patterns, these extra items just happened to jump into my arms! hehehe

I've loved the ghastlies fabric line  yet wouldn't buy any just to have it in for a project for sometime in the future since I have no immediate plans for a Halloween quilt yet. But I did succumb and a 2 yard piece came home wiht me. Was able to find the perfect green wool for a pincushion project I also am working on but will share that with you at a later time. Only the top part is done so far. So want have I been working on?
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            

Tada!  The  Inukshuk quiltlet that is number 5 for Judy Laquidera's UFO challenge. 

Though my sewing space was in total disarray after making another wonky house, I shoved all that aside to get the quilting done on Mr. Inuk.  Check it out.  Was able to even quilt freehand the word Inukshuk onto the side of the piece.  It's not too evident, but it is there.    Now only to fix the back envelope sleeve so I can slip this bad boy onto an acrylic photo frame then get to the binding and embellishments.  Thinking of adding an embellishment of some sort for the piped  area within the binding.  Not sure which one will be used. Either yarn, beads or a sequin trim.... Time will truly tell.  Check back later this week and I'll show ya.

Enjoy your Day!   Jane

PS:  Check out how much better the other participants are behaving over at Judy's blog with moving and using their stash.  At this rate I'll need to have a larger studio built.  Not a bad idea since Judy just had hers completed and looks great.  Ahh more room to move would be grand!

Joining with Judy Laquidera's UFO challenge 2012

Judy Laquidera from Patchwork times blog has hosted this challenge for two years now, as far as I'm aware of. I did participate last year. Not as successful as many participants, but I still consider my involvement a success in being abole to totally complete 5 projects besides the other numbers were worked on and at least progressed on.
So it's with eager anticipation that I'm listing another 12 for this year. Now in the same paragraph, I'm also challenging myself to keep up with the UFO challenge that my mother's guild in Florida does. Naming 5 projects and with that challenge, you have 2 months to complete it. I'll list those at the end of this post without pictures since many are included in Judy's UFO challenge.


Number 1 - Husband's Bathrobe - Number drawn for February  2012.

Number 2 - Tow Mater Quilt - This one was  drawn for May 2012.

Number 3 - Scalloped Table Runner - This was July 2012 number that ws drawn.


Number 4 - Santa Redwork


*Number 5 - Inukshuk table quilt - Number drawn for January 2012
Finished this on January 31, 2012!  Glad I only used this technique for a small project.  For reverse applique, I  prefer the finished look doing it by hand rather than by machine as was taught in the class by Cathy Miller.   This quiltlet will remind me of our journey across Quebec and Ontario on our trip to the midwest.  Many Inukshuks were stacked along the highways and byways along the way.   Hummmm, reminds me I have an assortment of stone I brought back from Nova Scotia to make an Inukshuk to stand in the gardens or near the pond.  Perhaps I'll be getting to that soon.


* Number 6 - Cheryl's Chris' Quilt - Number drawn for ????? 
This was  finished and delivered this to Juanita on January 26, 2012.   Was able to make a bright green piping which I then added a solid  black binding.    It Looks really nice with that combo and it compliments the rest of the quilt beautifully.  When I delivered it, Juanita was in tears and thanking me for making this.  How  Bittersweet, glad I was able to, but missing her daugher , my friend Cheryl. 

Number 7 - Spring Patch-a-bilities this was drawn for August 2012 UFO challenge.


Number 8 - Disappearing Nine Patch with Moda's Kashmir IV line drawn for March 2012


Number 9 - Convergence
Sorry no photo......(I Need to find where I stored this one, esp if she pulls this number tomorrow!)

Number 10 - Grunge Quilt drawn for April 2012


Number 11 - 3 Baby Quilts to finish drawn for September 2012


Number 12 - Fall Country Flowers Patch-a-bilities - this was June's 2012 number drawn.



Two additional projects I'd like to get too are the Four Patch quilt and the Flora quilt.
Many of the above listed have been started and are languishing away waiting for me to get inspired or uh hum.... driven to finish them. Some are just kitted up and I want to get to, but yet won't allow myself to start until I get some more UFO's finished! A definite catch 22? and a vicious cycle? Or more likely my realistic "Janie Conundrums"!

*************************************************************************************

As for joining the challenge with Mom's guild that is starting on the 10th. You are to list 5 projects and number them. When the number is pulled (as Judy does) BUT herein lies the difference...........you have two months to get it completed. Here's how I divided them up for that:

1-     Tow- Mater Quilt

2-     Convergence Wallhanging
        Beach Tote finished 3 of these!  The last two while retreating in Fine, NY.

3-    - this was drawn for January through March 2012
        *Cheryl's Chris' Deer Quilt - Finished and delivered to Cheryl's Mom in Rouses Point, NY on 1/26/12
        *Inukshuk - Finished on 1/31/12 as a quiltlet to stand via an acrylic photo frame on a table top.
         Spring Patchabilities was drawn for August 2012.

4-     Disappearing 9 patch

5-     Santa Redwork 

As you can see most of these are also listed in the 2012 UFO list of 12 in Judy's challenge. I do hope the Number 5 is drawn first in Florida. All of these really don't have that much more to get done on. For the life of me I wonder why they end up in the UFO pile!

Happy New Year!

Jane

Inunshuk and the singing quilter

Last Wednesday our guild had Cathy Miller as the guest lecturer. What a nice presentation she did and for me it was a bit unexpected. Knew she was going to sing and talk about quilts but the way she laid out her program and the frivolous to the depths of feelings were exacted. She is a good entertainer. Of course I had to take some pictures of her quilts as well.


The hexagon quilt is a 1/2" finished size she made out of silk. Each segment has a differnt maze within it.



Her quilts of the New Zealand and many other designs show casing her Mock Mola raw edge technique:




Then her color study quilt (this is not mock mola, it's based on the Bella Bella Paper piece method):


Lastly, the self portrait:


What a charming quilter, singer and song writer. This is what she actually looked like at the class. Notice her vest showing her mock mola designs.


I asked if I could take a picture of her vest and she kindly agreed. Not many woman would say yes to a rear view, but she did whole heartedly!



She also gave a class on her technique of Mock Mola, raw edge applique which I was able to attend. A very nice class and all that attended were very liberated with our bits of creativity.
This is the project another guild member was doing: I think it was Jean W, a very talented quilter.



Lastly, this is the piece I was working on. I chose to make my own highlight fabric with some of my angelina Fibers. It's my Inunshuk.



While traveling to South Dakota back in 2006, they were plenty of stone cairns made along the highways and byways of Ontario standing as witnesses to our travels. It's a human like form stating that you have traveled that way and also as a mode of welcome. It highlighted our road trip and ever since, I 've wanted to make something quilted paying tribute to them and that area.
Just for fun, I added some stitches to the "eye area" of the top rock to make it easier for many to know that it is an Inukshuk beside trying to quilt that word into the side of this little quilt. Not sure if I'll keep that eye design, but I probably will since sometimes a bit of whimsy is necessary.

Enjoy your day,
Jane