Bits and pieces...

Collapsible thread catcher with laminated bicycle fabric

So - since my last post I've managed to get a few things a step closer to completion. Practically speaking "completion" is the end game I guess - but  getting there is really what it's all about. The journey so to speak. (this is my cleaver way of justifying never getting anything done!) Making progress on an "in process" is always a bonus however. I'm almost afraid to tally up my "in process" projects for fear they will send me into panic attack mode. But "just for fun"...

Quilt a long at Miss Rosie's last week - in which we stitch , drink tea and eat cookies!

• Gypsy Wife Quilt  - all blocks done - just requires the sections put together.
• Christmas Stars Quilt - not sure what's happening with this quilt - I usually pull it out every Christmas and work on it during a Harry Potter or Hobbit Marathon - ahhh tradition! 
• Hometown Picnic Quilt - Oh - SO - CLOSE!
• My Small World Wallhanging (Started cutting all the little squares - but suddenly got distracted by the next quilt on the list)
• Circle Game Quilt - offered as a class at my LQS - only 2/16 blocks done so far - me bad!
• Autumn Quilt as You Go Table Runner - loved making this with a gay improv abandon - but when I hit the "sashing instructions" I went blank. (Note to self: You must learn how to do sashing. Going blank is not an acceptable oft repeated excuse).
• Christmas Gold Table Runner - no excuses here - I want this done by Christmas.
• Matryoshka Lemoyne Stars Lap Quilt - I loved making the stars - but my colour palette is a bit challenging - I think it would make a nice child's quilt.
• Improv Log Cabin Bedrock Quilt - I started this as way to try my hand at improv block making - lots of bright primary coloured blocks with dinosaurs in the middle - another child's quilt?
• Craftsy 2013 BOM Quilt - I learned alot of great techniques making these blocks. I didn't get all the blocks done - but there's enough there to move this towards a completed project.
• Chatter of Houses Quilt - Yoko Saito Quilt . This is being hand stitched and is a labour of love quilt so I don't mind having it in the "in process stage".
• Green Stitch Hexagon Quilt - this was my first attempt at hexagons (part of a "piece and love hexathon group" on Flickr - dated 2012.)
• Epic Passacaglia Quilt - This is another hand stitching project. I did get started but bogged down with all the fussy cutting. Plus I spent so much time on Instagram admiring other people's #passacagliaquilt progress I made little forward movement on my own. (warning: do not go down that rabbit hole!) Things have come to an abrupt halt and the endgame for this remains uncertain (a mini not so epic mug rug perhaps?). 
• Christmas Bells Applique Wallhanging - just needs the backing / quilting and binding.
• Viking Socks Applique knitting bag - I started this to put my next project in...
• Viking Socks stranded knitting project - because I like to knit and wear hand knit socks.
• Audrey cardigan - this sweater is all done except for 4 rows on the last sleeve - now how pathetic is that! I had to quit when the temp hit plus thirty degrees Celsius and I just couldn't pick it up!
• Tour de Fleece handspun - this is my handspun fibre project for this year's 2015 Tour de Fleece group. I need to skein one bobbin and ply the remaining two bobbins.

I have the fabric and patterns for a few bags etc but since I haven't officially "cut into anything yet"  I still have options. Soooo... here's the tally:

• 9 quilts (the #passacaglia quilt status is not yet confirmed)
• 2 table runners
• 2 Wallhangings
• 1 project bag (sewing)
• 2 knitting projects
• 1 handspun project

17 projects in all - anyone having a panic attack yet?

Having done a mental inventory and documented it I have surmised that things aren't as bad as I had thought. I like the projects I'm working on and it's good to reflect where I am on the "completion spectrum. It helps with prioritizing what I want to work on next.

Happy stitching!

My Small World - Summer 2015 Quilt Along

No doubt about it - I'm a major Jen Kingwell fan. I have several of her quilt patterns and they inspire me to actively work on my quilts and use my stash (my name is Judi and I'm a fat-quater-holic).

Yes my Gypsy Wife blocks are almost all done. When I heard there was yet another quilt pattern being released (this time in Quiltmania) I dashed to my LQS to ensure I was going to get a copy.

And yippee! As I was about to stash it in my "future quilts" wishlist - I came across a " My Small Town" Quilt Along on Instagram being hosted by verykerryberry !

 I'm currently putting the binding on Youngman II's Baltimore Ravens Bleacher Quilt (pics to come). I haven't organised my stash or anything (I'm doing it scrappy) - but I'm always open to augment my stash if something special comes along. I have a low volume off white tones jelly roll that I'm planning to use for the "sky portion" of the quilt.

Anyways - MSW QAL - more coming soon!

My Small World - Summer 2015 Quilt Along

No doubt about it - I'm a major Jen Kingwell fan. I have several of her quilt patterns and they inspire me to actively work on my quilts and use my stash (my name is Judi and I'm a fat-quater-holic).

Yes my Gypsy Wife blocks are almost all done. When I heard there was yet another quilt pattern being released (this time in Quiltmania) I dashed to my LQS to ensure I was going to get a copy.

And yippee! As I was about to stash it in my "future quilts" wishlist - I came across a " My Small Town" Quilt Along on Instagram being hosted by verykerryberry !

 I'm currently putting the binding on Youngman II's Baltimore Ravens Bleacher Quilt (pics to come). I haven't organised my stash or anything (I'm doing it scrappy) - but I'm always open to augment my stash if something special comes along. I have a low volume off white tones jelly roll that I'm planning to use for the "sky portion" of the quilt.

Anyways - MSW QAL - more coming soon!

A big surprise!

  

I have to confess that it did require a wee bit of liquid courage to pull out the rotary cutter and start whacking through my fabric. After months of selecting, sorting, washing, starching, pressing, culling, revising, and just delighting in these lovely little bits of pink cloth, I finally had to just "get it done". One of my Sunday morning walking buddy's had laid down the proverbial gauntlet, that fabric would indeed be cut - within 24 hours.

Under the template is 20 layers of fabric - all in a variety of pink hues - randomly alternating from dark, light to medium

  

  

... and so I did. After cutting, I was to remove the top fabric "ribbon" layer which was under the freezer paper. After that each "block" would "miraculously" appear. It was a delightful surpise! As you can see into the pictures below The "ribbon" fabric from block A (below) becomes the background fabric in block B.

When the A-B block is removed  - the B - C block is revealed.

 When the B-C block is removed, the C-D block is revealed...

 And so on...

And so on...

And so on.

Until, finally 20 unique blocks have been created.  And none of them required a hands on design plan - they just revealed themselves as each layer was peeled back - it was a thrill! It was liberating!
And as a bonus, a little packet of strips and fluff... just to enjoy.

A big surprise!

  

I have to confess that it did require a wee bit of liquid courage to pull out the rotary cutter and start whacking through my fabric. After months of selecting, sorting, washing, starching, pressing, culling, revising, and just delighting in these lovely little bits of pink cloth, I finally had to just "get it done". One of my Sunday morning walking buddy's had laid down the proverbial gauntlet, that fabric would indeed be cut - within 24 hours.

Under the template is 20 layers of fabric - all in a variety of pink hues - randomly alternating from dark, light to medium

  

  

... and so I did. After cutting, I was to remove the top fabric "ribbon" layer which was under the freezer paper. After that each "block" would "miraculously" appear. It was a delightful surpise! As you can see into the pictures below The "ribbon" fabric from block A (below) becomes the background fabric in block B.

When the A-B block is removed  - the B - C block is revealed.

 When the B-C block is removed, the C-D block is revealed...

 And so on...

And so on...

And so on.

Until, finally 20 unique blocks have been created.  And none of them required a hands on design plan - they just revealed themselves as each layer was peeled back - it was a thrill! It was liberating!
And as a bonus, a little packet of strips and fluff... just to enjoy.

First Quilt is "finito!"

Well I am happy to announce, that after much humming, hawing, foot shuffling, room rearranging and excuses (let's face it I am a procrastinating aficionado) I have finished my first quilt. Which I started here.
In retrospect, I am feeling quite "sheepish" (ha! ha!) in that it took me so long to finish up - when all that was required was indeed "finishing up". As you may recall I was having problems with my machine during my class - first the tension was screwy - and I had forgot my sewing manual (which is a voluminous text which I have printed off the internet). I had to go home to retrieve it. By the time I returned to class, the instructor had solved the problem and I was now an hour behind. On Day 2 I raced to catch up and just as I approached the homestretch (binding 101) I had another machine malfunction and ... just... threw in the towel. I packed up my stuff and went home.
My instructor emailed and said to bring the quilt and binding in and she would show me how... I was soooo close!
Put you know how it goes. I went to hand quilting classes, and hand applique classes. I bought needles, and threads, and of course more fabric. I put up a design board. I bought books and magazines and DVDs. I bought another old sewing machine. I rearranged my room... one  more   time.
I got so desperate I even decided to clean out the Inbox on my email. And then I found it...

"....  August 25th, 2010: Here is a picture of you and your lovely quilt, don’t forget to come and see me as needed to finish up!"


And so on January 3rd 2011 - I did. And it was easy. And quick. And I was embarrassed that I had put it off for so long. I hand stitched the binding to the backing... and I learned on more thing.

I like sewing by hand.

 (Ps . I am late posting this because I wanted to have my "Made by Me - Label" on it. Haven't quite figured that out yet).

First Quilt is "finito!"

Well I am happy to announce, that after much humming, hawing, foot shuffling, room rearranging and excuses (let's face it I am a procrastinating aficionado) I have finished my first quilt. Which I started here.
In retrospect, I am feeling quite "sheepish" (ha! ha!) in that it took me so long to finish up - when all that was required was indeed "finishing up". As you may recall I was having problems with my machine during my class - first the tension was screwy - and I had forgot my sewing manual (which is a voluminous text which I have printed off the internet). I had to go home to retrieve it. By the time I returned to class, the instructor had solved the problem and I was now an hour behind. On Day 2 I raced to catch up and just as I approached the homestretch (binding 101) I had another machine malfunction and ... just... threw in the towel. I packed up my stuff and went home.
My instructor emailed and said to bring the quilt and binding in and she would show me how... I was soooo close!
Put you know how it goes. I went to hand quilting classes, and hand applique classes. I bought needles, and threads, and of course more fabric. I put up a design board. I bought books and magazines and DVDs. I bought another old sewing machine. I rearranged my room... one  more   time.
I got so desperate I even decided to clean out the Inbox on my email. And then I found it...

"....  August 25th, 2010: Here is a picture of you and your lovely quilt, don’t forget to come and see me as needed to finish up!"


And so on January 3rd 2011 - I did. And it was easy. And quick. And I was embarrassed that I had put it off for so long. I hand stitched the binding to the backing... and I learned on more thing.

I like sewing by hand.

 (Ps . I am late posting this because I wanted to have my "Made by Me - Label" on it. Haven't quite figured that out yet).