Mystery Monday Again

And where did the week-end go? I was going to get so much done..and didn’t.  Just FARTed around.  Friday I didn’t work on Adirondack Autumn much as I tried  to get some housework done.  Then Saturday, friends from out of town dropped by (boy was I glad I’d gotten some cleaning done). A quick shopping trip that some how ended at the LQS and a bunch of fabric coming home with me. Then I worked on a folded star hotpad I’d seen on a blog, with little success. I got the body of the pad done, just couldn’t get the binding to work.  And Sunday I picked up an extra shift to pay for all that fabric.  All of this to explain why my total for Clue 5 is ( insert drum roll here) 2 . Yup, T W O.

And you can probably see from the tray, none of the other clues are finished.
But at some point I did get all the blocks done for the framed nine patch.  Since I only needed three once I found the stash of blocks already made this is not a big deal.
And today was skimpy on the sewing end again.  Due to another Fabric Acquisition Road Trip.  I think I mentioned about my friend gifting me some fabric a while back but I can’t find where or when that was posted. Anyhow, she phoned earlier in this month to say she had more for me if we could come in and pick it up.  Much to and froing finally established today as the big meet up at her place of work where this fabric was going to be discarded. As in tossed to the curb.  I was thinking a few boxes. Boy was I ever wrong. Here’s what we came home with. If it was all quilting fabric I would be turning cartwheels. However most was dress-making and tailoring , high end wool suitings, silks, linings. But  we couldn’t leave it behind and wound up talking ourselves into taking most of it. My dear husband would say "but this is silk !" and I"d go "can't quilt silk" and yet it stayed in the "to keep" pile. Now we are faced with the daunting task of carrying it into the house and finding a place to store it all.

So now to link up with Bonnie and see what everyone else has gotten done. Bet it is more than two.

Mystery Monday Link UP #4

Here we are at week four and the mystery continues. There has been lots of speculation on F/B over the block layout. This is not my attempt to guess the layout, merely aiming for a more interesting picture than the stacks of finished units.
I worked on a little bit of every clue Friday. Not as much done Sat & Sun as I was working at my day job.  Very exciting times Sunday with the ice storm we experienced. Here at the house we hardly had any power interruption, a brief flicker if anything. 
However at work Sunday, just as we finished shift change report and headed out to start our morning of washing and dressing, the power went out and we switched over to the back-up generators. Which only give light and power to the hallways, not the patient’s rooms. After a brief scramble to ensure that those with air beds got juice for their beds ( extension cords from the hall plugs) and those with oxygen tanks got switched to their portable battery powered units, we proceeded to go about our business with flashlights and an hour later were feeding them a cold breakfast. Shortly after breakfast, the power was back.
While working on these units I have been pondering what to do with the left-overs from the Scrappy Trips One of the downsides of doing this pattern is when cutting from yardage you can only get two 16” strips and then have a piece left of between 10- 12” depending on the width of fabric. As I was cutting I got to thinking that length gives enough for a nine patch.

This is the bin of strips. and my first project from them.  These are framed nine patches from a pattern Bonnie posted back in te summer.
My second idea is to do Boxy Stars that Bonnie just finished. Would have  to add some neutrals as this bin is mostly brights, but as the neutrals in Boxy Stars are squares, that should be easy to do. I have a whole stash of 2.5” squares, will just pull all the lights from them and off we go with Leaders and Enders.

Now I'm off to link up with Bonnie's Mystery Monday Link UP and see what everyone else has been doing.

Mystery Monday Link-Up #3

My body is slow and stiff this morning, hopefully my mind is functioning better. So far I’ve dropped the curved washer from my rotary cutter ( and haven’t found it yet) and burnt the shape of my iron on the ironing board pad (forgot the iron was sitting face down when I turned on the power bar).

Enough of that, on to progress on Adirondack Autumn.  I didn’t think I’d gotten much done until I assembled it all for a photo shoot.

Considering that I was only doing the clue one pieces as leader and enders,  a good enough progress. The tray of cut pieces shows 30 orange and 30 neutral left to sew. In the plastic bins are the yellow and neutral squares for clue two and counting I see I’ve managed to mark 80 yellows for sewing, however the greens are still in strips in front. And the strips for clue three are stacked waiting further cutting.

Progress was made on the Scrappy Rocket Trips. One is almost finished quilting.

And number two is ready to sandwich.

I just need to splice some batting, it ended up 6” too narrow.  Plus the two pink quilts were presented to pleased parents/grandparents.

The other Scrappy Trips is washed and ready to send out, but that’s enough pictures for today. Oh ok, here it is but don’t look at the mess in my kitchen

The mess is how I’ve been able to get so much done. Haven’t done any housework all week. Dear Hubby has been awesome with pitching in and helping ( including quilt holding) but I’ve promised everyone in the house that as soon as these two scrappy trips are finished a major clean-up will be done.

So that’s my week, I’m linking up with Bonnie's Mystery Monday to see what everyone else has done.

Second Monday Link Up

Well, here we go, another week over and what have we done?  Not a lot on Celtic, but quite a lot on other projects.
First the Celtic Solstice, although I was going to call mine Adirondack Autumn, I keep forgetting to refer to it that way.

 A grand total of 38 orange and 50 neutrals done and only 2 of the chevrons pieced.  I’ve been using the orange and neutrals for leaders and enders of the Scrappy Trips project I have underway.  Which now has a total of 26 done of the 48 blocks needed.  Not very speedy progress. Especially considering I blithely assured the  co-worker it would be ready next week. Time to ramp up the production line.

So I have all the strips lined up ready to go, time to do some chain piecing. I’ve been too casual only doing one at a time.  (stack at upper left is completed blocks bottom is strip sets ready to slice)
On the edge of the table is another project that is almost finished, ready to sew down the binding.

While downstairs, the first Scrappy Trips is finished being quilted and has one side left to hand sew on the binding.
And in the washer as I type is the Pink Double 4 patch, all done.


Once these get finished, I can focus more on Adirondack Autumn. I haven’t even really started cutting Clue number two. What I did sew was pulled from the pre-cut 2” bin and a stack of yellow squares left over from previous projects.
This is what I have so far before going into the fabrics pulled for Autumn. Obviously not enough variety so I will be cutting, there is only one yellow strip. But it was enough to get an idea of the block and that will do for now.  Linking up with the rest of the Bonniaces  at Quiltville

First Monday Link Up

Here we are already at the Monday linky. How fast the weekend went.  I couldn’t wait to get my pieces all cut before starting to sew, still have a few blue “recs” left to cut. I’ve sewn 25 neutrals and 12 orange.

 

Not enough done to really see the variety of the blues but here’s my idea of how they might go together.

And the main reason I have only sewn a few.

I finished the quilting on the Scrappy Trips, sewed the binding on the front and have been hand sewing it to the back.

Now to link up with Bonnie and see what every one else has been doing.

The night before….

Bonnie’s mystery. And how is the challenge coming? Have not finished quilting on the Scrappy Trips. Did not get the Sister’s Nine Patch sandwiched let alone quilted.
But I did get another flimsy done. This one has been languishing since last year. Only needed the outside border but I was dragging my feet over making more of the checkerboard.

A Story Time Star with all the checkerboard. And just in time, hubby asked for another quilt for work. Thankfully for a boy this time, so I can use this.
Not as successful a challenge as I would have liked but did move some  UFO closer to finished quilts.  Having a challenge sparked me to get a little more done.  Who knows, there are a few hours left tonight, maybe ?


Linking up with Jo for her challenge update.

Another Bonnie Challenge update

A lot of progress to report. Having a few days off work will do that.
The sister’s nine patch is a flimsy, although I think I might add a border of red. But I’m very pleased with it. Plus I still have 40 blocks left to make another one. This one came out 32 X 45 with no the border, a decent crib size. Smaller than I have been making them but it is done. And I hope to get it quilted this week in between the paying work.

The Scrappy Trips is in the machine being quilted. Had to stop last night when I did a whole row without bobbin thread. Didn’t get back to it today but will.

No further progress on Easy Street. But now have 12 blocks together for the next Scrappy Trips (the one with the rocket fabric). 

So now to link up with Jo and check on how everyone else is doing.
 http://www.joscountryjunction.com/bonnie-challenge/

Time to do some Math

I’m sure there are lots of girls who hated that proclamation by teachers. I was not one of the haters, and in fact was  pretty good at math.  So figuring out how much fabric I need isn’t usually a problem. The problem usually is that I haven’t taken the time to do the math. I’ve gotten lazy. Scrappy quilts don’t require calculation. Run out of fabric? Ha. Doing Crayon Box or Scrappy Trips just means pulling out the stash of 2.5” strips and cutting them into the required length. 

But then we come to the “pink quilt”. This project is only two colours and needs yardage. So the question became exactly how much  did I need. Found a really easy double 4 patch pattern posted by Mary Johnson and started crunching numbers. At first I thought a 5 X 7 setting but that needed 40 inches of fabric. Ended up with 5 X 5 so far and maybe another row to make.

While I was calculating, decided to crunch some numbers for the Nine Patch top. Several people commented on how big it was going to be so thought I’d verify their opinions. Yep,they were right,  gonna be a big one. The block on point measures 6.5’’ which set 8 across would be 52 inches. So maybe I could divide the blocks into two quilts.

Raggedy Nine Patches Number One ready to assemble.

Bonnie Challenge Update

I didn’t think I was getting very far with my Bonnie Challenge, Sister's Nine Patch, but a count of the blocks finished so far shows I am within 8 blocks of goal. It is so amazing how fast the blocks build up doing them as Leaders and Enders.  The pattern (in Adventurers in Leaders and Enders) calls for 169 blocks, which I am not attempting. This will be a baby quilt so only shooting for 80 blocks in a setting 8 X 10.  The yellow fabric I found at a thrift store was the inspiration to make this quilt. Don’t know if it is identifiable but it is Raggedy Ann and Andy.

I’ve also added the first border to Easy St. and hope to get the second on this week. Not sure if I will get it quilted but  at least will have it as a flimsy before the next mystery starts.


And a border on the Scrappy Trips. Finally I can link up with some progress. So linking up with Jo's Country Junction

Caveat Emptor

(or.. don’t buy on-line after 2 glasses of wine.)

The entire trip to the east coast I was searching fabric stores. Not only for fabrics for the new mystery but also for a particular space fabric I wanted to be the focus fabric in a Many Trips Around the World.  I had the idea to use it in the same place, every block and make X’s. Since the quilt I wanted to do this in is actually two quilts I figured I needed more than I had. However, no one had any of this through all four states and one province. After the last quilt store we went to in N.S., either my dear hubby or my sister-in-law (I forget which, see above 2 or more glasses of wine)  asked if I had searched on-line. Nope, hadn’t, thought it would be more fun to track it down on foot. So we looked, and found it, same designer, same name, ordered it.

It came this week. Not the same. What arrived was almost the same. But what I wanted was called “Blast Off”, what I got was “Final Frontier”. Same background, no space ships. I looked on the website again. They have both fabrics, and have called both “Blast Off”.  DH wants me to call and complain. I’ve got a feeling I didn’t look close enough the night I ordered and just saw the name and clicked buy.

I’ve started the blocks using what I had on hand

Not sure you can see enough of the space ships to warrant the effort to get the right fabric.

Blast Off on the Left, Final Frontier on the right, you can see how easy a mistake it would be .

Home, at last

We actually arrived Wednesday night but since we drove in almost exactly 9 hours before I was due at work, have not had a moment to breathe let alone write. And I only have an hour before taking off for work today.  DH likes to travel until the very end of vacation, squeezing every possible moment out of our time.  As rushed as it seems to come back and hit the ground running to work, I’m glad I picked up these extra shifts.

If any trip fitted the definition of F.A. T. this was it. We did fabric acquisition every chance we got. A stop at JoAnne’s, Keepsake Quilting, two stops at Marden, a Fabricville, a Walmat and the Stitch N Post in Marion Bridge

 

And what we didn’t buy, was gifted to me by my sister and sister-in-law.  Now just have to get through work so I can start sewing.

Some progress made

Have made only 5 nine patches for my Sister's Nine Patch this week. On the other hand I finished binding the Shades of Black quilt, plus quilted and bound the baby quilt I brought. Not too bad for sewing while on a road trip. The fabric aquisistion on this trip has been enormus. Pictures to follow once home and unpacked.

Lots of Scenery… not much sewing

Our 2013 Road Trip V3 has begun. (insert fanfare here).

The bride and groom of the weekend

invited friends and family to brunch this morning. So we had lovely last good byes before they fly off and we drove off into the west.

Which gave our GPS a fit, it wanted us to drive east. Much fussing ensued. Corrections were made to the settings and we drove happily down the highway to the border. A delightfully easy crossing, no traffic at all. I asked that we take a break as soon as an opportunity showed itself, and there it was. A plaza not 3 min. from the crossing, with a Lowe’s, JoAnne’s, and  Walmart.  All the things we were looking for.

I got the  paint chips to colour match the fabrics for Bonnie's new mystery challenge,  picked up a few quarter yards of fabric, and DH picked up a few personals at Walmart .

Back on the road, we did something a little different this time. Instead of sticking to the Interstate highways, we went off on the regular roads and cut through Adirondack Park. A little too late in the season for a spectacular colour display but pretty enough to make me consider calling this new quilt an Adirondack Autumn.

All the colours Bonnie has chosen were there, the rust, golden yellows, the green of the pines/spruces and the blue sky.

So lots of thinking about sewing, but didn’t get any done.

Not sewing today

I'm not sewing today.  Instead we are enjoying our friend's wedding. And all the socializing that comes with a group that doesn't see each other often. Getting a chance to visit and meet new friends.

I packed a couple of projects to work on later in the trip.  The Bonnie quilt I've chosen will be the

Sister's nine patch. Can't show a picture as it is all still packed in the van.

Linking up with Jo for the first day of the challenge. Jo's linky

Engage Hyper Drive. Full Speed Ahead!

Or something like that.

I have been working at top speed this week, so fast…how fast? Fast enough not to have time to come on here and whine about it.

But the end of the tunnel, horizon, whatever, is in sight.

Wedding quilt: Done. Washed, labelled, hanging out to dry

Shades of Black quilt:  Quilted, binding ready

Last minuet baby quilt for BIL’s godson’s baby: pieced.

All the unfinished stuff is coming with us on the road to be worked on evenings as we travel. Which means a sewing centre to be packed, in addition to the formal clothes for the wedding, warm clothes for the inclement weather we are bound to run into. Boots, coats, etc.

I wouldn’t be so frantic if we were leaving tomorrow as originally planned, however DH and a friend hatched a plan for us to stop and overnight tonight with the friends, leaving together tomorrow for Ottawa. So back to packing.

I Changed my mind….

 

and the new one works much better, thanks.

I spent the morning today waiting for my DD2 to have day surgery. As this was a planned event I had time to prep some sewing and printed off some more diamonds. However, I printed some different colours this time and tried a new arrangement.  Despite all the positive comments, I still wasn’t satisfied with the way the stars were going together. The slight offset was off-putting to me. So I’m mixing solid colours in with the print

 

Really like the purple.  And I think I will do a “Seven Sisters” block. Maybe four of them. We’ve got another road trip coming up so I have lots of hand sewing time.

 

 

Another change was the quilt I was doing for our friend’s wedding. I really wasn’t satisfied with the choice. While sitting sewing this morning I had lots of thinking time which helped me identify what was wrong with it. I wanted to make him a quilt full of boats and sailing theme fabrics. He’s an avid sailor and I wanted to acknowledge that in his gift. Once home I started fresh on a pattern I had flagged in the spring. It is in Pat Sloan’s book What a novel Idea.

This is only half way, there is another chevron on the sewing table but this is full of boats, flags and the white has sea shells. Much better.

And I changed the orientation of my sewing machine. Now I have closer access to the design wall and don’t have to reach over the machine.

It seems to be working better. But I’m sure there is a more effective way to arrange this room, I just haven’t found it yet.

Distractions

I’ve had a few this week. Enough to keep me from finishing anything on my “to do” list. So as much as I wanted a finish to show off, I don’t have one.

One of the things distracting me was a property we found for sale that seemed to fit our downsizing plans. Much time was spent looking on google street view and talking it over before setting up an appointment to view. Then Saturday we had our view and still more talking going on. No sewing involved in this.

Although if we do get this, I will have an awesome sewing room.

Another distraction was sewing related. I’ve know about Inklingo for a while and even have the shapes collection but haven’t used it. Then Linda started showing pictures of the Kaleidoscope Stars. Check them out here if you haven’t seen what she’s doing Inklingo - Kaleidoscope Stars.   So I’ve been working on printing out the diamonds and sewing them when I can fit in some hand sewing. (Like sitting waiting for the Kaffe Fasset lecture). My printing needs some work, well actually it would be the cutting out of the fabric to be printed upon. I didn’t get it lined up in exactly the same spot every time for all six sheets. So this is what my stars look like

Just a little off.  But once I’ve mastered the technique I will repeat with the fabric I really wanted to use.

Butterflies

 

 

So today I am linking up with Quilter Kathy for Slow Stitching Sunday. I will be sewing more of the practise stars in the van on the way to Burlington this afternoon.

Oh What an exciting night

This rates right up there with meeting Bonnie Hunter.

I did get tickets to the Kaffe Fasset lecture. I bought two and was going to take DH since he is so involved and interested in my quilting endeavours. However, he suggested that I invite his father, who has a great interest in colour and  fabric and even has as one of his prized possessions a Pantone colour book.  I thought this would be great and gave them a call. Some how, I wound  up with my mother in law coming  instead.  She was very excited and called back several minutes later to tell me she had found his Glorious Knitting book on her shelves. She had forgotten she had it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We had a great time. He gave a fascinating talk, only showed the two quilts, everything else was by slide show.  And then to top it off, I won a door prize.

So thanks Jayne, for encouraging me to go. I was almost going to pass on this.

How to lose half a day without even trying hard..

Pintrest !!!.  That’s how.  It is always with good intentions, of course we know where they led.  I thought I’d just look for a few pictures of Double Irish Chain quilts to see if anyone had ever put a border on one.  Several hours later, the answer was “yes”. And at least a dozen ideas on how to do it.  Plus ideas for other quilts.

It’s a wonder I managed to get any sewing done. At least I got myself to my mani-pedi appointment on time.

And I got all the Easy ST blocks sewn into rows plus the first three rows sewn together.  And of course that means more pink blocks done.

  

 

 

 

 

 

One more row on this then I’ll border it.

Back at it again

 

I did step away from the machines and get some housework done and we had a lovely time with our friends. Although I think I might have been a little over caffeinated most of the time, I was jumping around pretty hyper like. So now back at it again with the addition of a new commission to add into the worksheet. this one is for two boys quilts for bunk beds. On the plus side, she doesn’t want them until December, lots of time.  Since I don’t have to start them yet, I’ve been working on getting Easy Street together.

This is at the half way point.  Don’t know if it is obvious, but the last row is laying about 3 inches on the floor, my basting wall being not quite tall enough. Should be a great time getting this one basted, going to have to lay it on the living room floor I think.

For leaders and enders while I sew the rows together, I’ve been doing a scrappy/pink Irish Chain.  This has two purposes. One is as a sample for a client who wants a pink/white baby quilt and also to give to a co-worker of my husband who just had a baby girl.

I keep dithering on whether to make it 3 X 4 or go bigger. Mostly because I don’t think I’ve seen a border on an Irish Chain and without one it would only be 30” across, a little small.  Then again, Easy St. makes everything look small, maybe 30 X 40 is big enough.  I’ll just keep sewing blocks while putting Easy together and see what I get.