Q2 2016 and my OMG for April

Nope!  I was no where close to what I wanted to get done for my  Q-1 list so I'm including those same items to this quarter besides adding a few more that have come onto my horizon.  This finish along FAL has gone global and is a great incentive to get some projects finished besides the focus of OMG (One Monthly Goal) and the monthly numbers being pulled at All people quilt challenge.

The Quick Ripper
this girl loves her gadgets!

Three of those were completed.   Yippee!!!!
I shared only two so far since I never posted about the finished apron, Number 10 on the Q-1 list.

Here are a couple of photos taken while making it.   And you are seeing correctly, I had to use the Quick Ripper not once, but twice while making the pockets would you believe. That really makes quick work of unstitching or reverse sewing as it's sometimes called.  So I ordered one fro my Mom and had one shipped to her too.  In February she went to a quilt retreat with many of her Chatham Quilt Group and The Quick Ripper was the hot trend with every one wanting to know where she got it.   LOL  At the AQS in Daytona, a buddy of hers let me know that if I ever send her another little goodie like that, to multiply what I send by 4 so all of Mom's quilty friends get one too!  Joy is such a Hoot!
After that I settled down and got it finished in a day.  That red fabric shown was used for the lining  the pockets and the entire apron.   It looks great and I wonder why I put such a simple thing off for so long.

More handy gadgets I used for the apron construction was those red polka dot scissors, the purple thang and I finally used that set of curved templates to get a crisp smooth edge after turning the pockets.
I love it when I remember what I have, where it is and actually use them.  

Number 1 of the Hungry Hungry caterpillar pillow completely done.


Number 10 of the Christmas Apron Panel was finished but I never shared a photo of it will be back on Friday to remedy that (DH has an out of state appointment and we're heading over to MQX in Manchester after that for a couple of days.  Editing and adding this photo on 4/30/16.







Number 16 was made into the Valentine's Day wall hanging topper so hopefully this quarter I'll be able to quilt it and get it completely finished.
That is three listed completions realized so far this year with so many more I want need NEED to get truly done this year.




For April's OMG I hereby announce a community quilt to be cut and sewn into a top. The fabrics are black and gold and should work up quickly. (Fingers crossed!)

For my list of  Q-2:



1-Music themed Community Quilt made into a quilt top- April's OMG project.  DONE!

The top is made and will  be getting turned into the community project committee in the Wings Falls Quilt Guild the second Saturday in May.  I worked on this while attending a quilt retreat I go to annually at Dodge Pond in Fine, NY.

2-CCS- Finish the Red Thread - It's all stitched now, just waiting for the heart and star specialty buttons I ordered during The Stitching Post's sale to arrive [Note to self for the GPS directions, they're located in Catonsville, not Baltimore] Only need to attach those buttons and bring it in to be framed which I've already selected and paid for at Michaels. Thank goodness it was at 70% off but ye gads it was costly.  Will share more when it's totally, really and truly done.  (Now, I am hearing a tune for the Wizard of Oz with the Coroner singing about the witch being dead.)  edited this on 4/30/2016 it's DONE!

3-CCS- Daffodil Run designed by Just Nan editing this on 4/30 as it's now stitched and the only things left are to attach the charm fob and then frame it!

Editing on 5/3/16- DONE!

4-CCS- Wee Spring designed by Heart in Hand:
Editing this on 12/1/16 and was able to finish stitching this in November.  Only needs framing and I'm trying to use wwhat I have on hand.

5-CCS- Heart of America designed by Lizzie Kate: 

6-Make Native themed Hockey Seats

7-Make Dog Print Fleece Hockey sets

8-Make Dog Bed with same Dog print fleece for Scout's carrier kennel.

9-Make Boston Red Sox theme -  Hockey Seat fabrics Numbered 6 through 9 are all shown on the right along with the foam in too.

10-Doll quilt made with sea horse themed fabrics pulled.

11-BQ2 quilt assembled into a topper (just the borders left)

12-Braid blocks sewn into into a quilt top shown all together in a jumble with some coordinating fabrics:

 13-Kitchen pot holders made similar or all right then, copied from this one and possibly make an oven scarf too:

14-An Aqua sew together bag cut and sewn with some of these fabrics for myself:

15-Juvenile prints are kitted to make another sew together bag cut out and sewn for PGD#1.

The fabrics are stored downstairs and I will show more after it's made.  

I know there are numerous novelty prints kitted together for this with eye glasses, babushka dolls, and some other very kid friendly themes, all very bright and happy looking.

16-Sofa table runner made into a 9 or 10" by 40" size.  

Made out of this border stripe

or even this patriotic kit with the dimensions changed in order to fit the sofa table.

17-That dang Patchabilities St. Patrick's Day wall hanging 

(I am starting to feel like I'm crowing  and a partridge in a Pear Tree  every time I  include this one!  Go ahead you can hum along.  lol

It's a very old UFO that  needs to get off my back!

editing on 5/3/16 ... finally stitching this now  

18-Wool Table runner as my portable project and since I just loved that Primitive gathering Nesting Time Table Mat when I saw the kit at the AQS show in Daytona.  That one and quite a few others jumped into my shopping bag, but I will share more about that at another time too. 

Not sure I love all the wool with this kit, so I may change a couple of them out for higher soft contrast.

19-Miranda Bag another very old UFO that needs to be finished.

Sorry to say I haven't found this UFO yet so no photo to show.
It's all cut out with creams, pink and peaches with  a soft graphic style fabrics.
I just know it's around here somewhere but where? [typing while scratching my head!]

20-One of the Kim Diehl kits I have in or perhaps a new project that my muse demands to play with....

21- Scalloped table runner that's a topper but I'd love to try some feather quilting and bound it with a scalloped edge.
I started this UFO ions ago using the Moda Charisma fabric line.  Seems to be a recurring theme.....

22-Tater Strip Quilt another very old UFO, needs digging out since this too is packed in the basement and thinking about what stage that one is in.

It's another panel project I've had in since PGS#3 was in his preschool days and he's now in 1st grade. 8 {

23-Tulip Time Table mat from my miniature collection and I'd love to dye/paint the tulip fabric for it.

Or this even this larger project with fabrics painted for the tulips.  

24-Cherry tablecloth finished- Mary Engelbright (sp?) themed quilt top needs to be finished for a tablecloth quilt.  Very kitcheny don't ya think?  I won this topper at a quilt auction for a great price.  Should be perfect for some summer time flair.

Think I'll use some of mom's fabric donation for the backing, (it's that Black patchwork fabric on the right) and use that grunge red I bought in Trenton, FL for the binding.  

25-Rip out and restart the Disappearing Nine Patch which was started in 2015.  Not sure which direction this will go but it's honoring a nudge within me to make something pastel.  Way out of my normal color range I might add! 

26-Rip out? or rethink/redo the Hunter's star now hitting UFO status from 2014

perhaps a dresser scarf for PGD#1 bedroom....... Very bright but way too busy. It really needed to  be toned down with a soft white a bright color in every quilt block to sparkle.  

27-Make a quilt for PGS#3 with the Minion panel:

fabrics with the panel all bagged together.  

28-Make another quilt with the Star wars panel for PGS#3 in honor of us reading the book- Stories of the Jedi and Sith aka: Star Wars book being 187 pages in length and he's only 7.   

Way to go little one!  Makes a Meme proud.

While finally editing this on the 30th of April,  several of these are now done and a couple of them have been happily morphed with the grand children's desires!   Will share and post about them them soon.  Promise!

Yippee Skippee!!!!

I also realize a few more wants that I have tentatively on my want to get done list but didn't share yet because they are in a totally different wheel house.

What that? It's to fix a couple of necklaces I purchased while vacationing in Florida.  They both need at least a 1/2" to 1" added to their lengths so they fall correctly on me.

That's all.  A HUGE list with plenty of wiggle room.
lol

TTFN,
Jane

February accomplishments

Yup, didn't quite get everything on my list accomplished but came so close that I'm happy,  extremely happy!

#1- I only got one color section quilted but the quilting design is top notch and I'm so happy with it.  What do you think?  My question now is for the diamond center, should I add another stitching surround within it?
Those feathered fat commas surrounding and spinning around the diamond is not my own design.  I did see a quilt with this on it at the Malone Quilt Show and snapped a picture.  Of Course after much distortion I had to draw it out and then go to my local copy center and have them print it to a 9 1/4" inch size when I was happy with it.  Then to make a template and mark the top was a learning experience in itself.
I know many of you  love those Frixion pens, but I personally don't care for them since where I live is in a cold climate for 5-6 months out of the year and I will even keep a quilt or two in the car for travel.  That being said those pen lines will surely reappear continuously and I can't have that.  I did use a chalk pencil for this first block and am thinking of trying the pounce with the iron off chalk for the next colored block to speed that process up.

While taking the photos, I couldn't see any of the stitching  or even that much chaulk left remnants, that's why I laid the stencil I cut on top so you could see the quartered design.   It really shows up differently here.  

 I'll be washing this quilt out after all the quilting is done.

Should another design be added to the centered diamond quilted shape?  

#2- Baby doll quilt that matches the baby quilt I made last fall was Totally done!  This was a first for me making those scrap bits of fabric into blocks to add to the fabric when I didn't have enough charm sized squares left.  Mile a minute block is what they are called I believe. Not bad if I do say so,  now all of that fabric is completely used up.  What a great feeling about that.  It also used pink for the backing which was the color for February in the RBSC another plus in my book.

The second blue colored row has a mismash of fabrics sewn together to get enough for the row.  

Cute messages about family, love and friends written on the white cloth strips.

Baby Quilt with a matching doll blanket for when the child grows up she'll have a blanket for her dollies like she had.
I think with the 24" x 24" size this could also double as the infant carrier cover first.

#3- Check!  Got all the white stitched on but there's a stitch count off somewhere in the snow area.  Don't know if it'll be crucial to repair since snow blows all over the place around here.  Think I'll try to work on the rest of this corner this next week to see what should be done as whether to rip it out or keep it and make it work.

#4- Check!  Made 36 HST with the pink, (four made of each pink fabric).  Glad I am keeping up with this challenge so far this year.

#5- Check!  Made a total of  7  pincushions.  Will be back to share those later on this week.



#6- Check! The Round House by Louise Erdrich was a good book that I enjoyed. Near the end of the book the main character was making 12 peanut butter and pickle sandwiches for a road trip.  Jackpot I thought!  That combination in a sandwich is one I have loved since I was a little girl.  I kid you not.  Peanut butter sandwiches with thin slices of Kosher Dill pickle are great.  So for a snack at our book club meeting, I made little sandwiches for the members to try.  One didn't care for them, 2 wouldn't even try them and some thought they were good and several ladies loved them.    More of the members loved them than didn't so that book and I have converted some more palettes to this combo.  Insert wicked laugh here.  Maw Haaaa!

Enjoy Your day.  Jane

What fun

Little Miss PGD#1 finished her quilt and enjoyed all the processes it contained.

 She actually finished it about 1 1/2 weeks ago but it's taken her Meme longer to find the camera and get the pics loaded to brag about show it. lol

 

She sewed all of the squares, rows and then trimmed them.

Layered it and then fiercely practiced which quilt design she could do on a white board.

After that she decided straight line quilting on both sides of every seam.  That took her 3 afternoons of sewing on the Bernina 440.  Next  she learned to sew binding strips end to end and press them correctly.

Meme (meaning me) did sew on the binding and did the turnover by machine too. Luckily I thought of the label before finishing that last corner which she made herself and signed it.  I documented the details of it being her first quilt and the year it was accomplished.  I can see many more quilts being thought of in the future. 

See what she is pointing at Gigi?

 

  

 

 

 

Her first quilt label and we all know what a nemesis that is for some of us.  lol  She fearlessly drew a flower free hand after she corrected putting ink where it would have been messy, so she adjusted her name to cover the blob.  Most people wouldn't be able to tell unless I blabbed about it here.  But even there  she was fearless. 

Ahhh, I remember well when I too was fearless, I wonder where is that little girl hiding. 

 

Despite her wanting to get it done quickly, we both enjoyed the processes all along. 

She did bring it to her 2nd grade class  to show her teacher and friends at school then

 came home to let me know that everyone wants her to make a blanket for them too. 

 

I told her to get used to it.  That if they really wanted one they'd ask her to make one

and order a quilt in their favorite colors and offer to pay her. 

Then she could make them a quilt to add to her college fund or do it as a gift of love like her Meme did.

 

 

Enjoy your day,

Jane

 



SEW we started her project.

 

Several weeks ago I mentioned that PGD#1 was rumaging through my scrap basket

for snap bracelet coverings when she found some sweet little pink scraps and lovingly took them out. 

She started thinking out loud about making a quilt for her dolls.

I gave you a peak when that happened here.

 

I told her , "Okay, we can make it."

  Smilingly she informed me that she wanted it done that day. 

uh hummm, Perhaps she's heard of the quilt in a day method

and actually believed it.   lol

 

Anyway, we selected a background white fabric and Meme cut out more squares

to work with the already trimmed pink scraps.

 

Then when I said to get that green and white case to get "her sewing machine ready" she was overwhelmed. 

Saying, "You got this machine for me?" 

Looking at the  little white featherweight with eyes tearing up and emotion in her voice. 

Yes, I replied, but the machine will be staying at Meme's house for you to use. 

(Afterall she is only 7, same age I was when I started really sewing.)  

Besides her mother being so busy with school, work and family life is so busy AND she has never shown an interest in it.

 

 

SEW we started her project.

 

PGD#1 learning to speed piece

Her first Tibetian prayer flag with the bits sewn together, look at that smile.

 

 

We worked on the squares for several  afternoons.  She wanted to do more each day but Meme does have other choirs in her itinerairy and we'd get to the next step another day.    Patience I'd say.

 

Learning to sew the blocks into rows. 

 

Learning to use an iron. 

Press, don't iron....

We set it up for her at the right height and she loved it.

Explaining why she needed to be sure to press one row this way and the next one that way,

thereby learning to off set her seams so they'd snuggle together just right for the next step.

 

Then the rows were sewn together to make a baby doll quilt top.

 

Pride and look at what a neat job she did.

Check out that smile!

 

I'll be back to share her quilting and the next steps. 

Ahhh, that girl just warms my heart.

 

Jane