Sunday, February 23, 2014

Design Wall Monday and Weekly Goals

Part of Summers at the Lake on my design wall--

Summers at the Lake
Nothing much done, they're still aging!  See everyone's design wall at Patchwork Times.

Do you carry a notebook with you?  Something to write on, lists, jot notes?  Usually its a small legal pad, but being carried in my purse is hard on it, the pages get all rumpled and raggy.  While at Staples the other day I saw a cardboard cover on one.  Perfect, except it was, well cardboard!  That wouldn't last long in my purse.  So I decided to make one.  Have I told you how I HATE fiddly projects?  But after trial and error, lots of frog stitching and one being tossed I had this--

Cover
Inside
There are lots of notebook cover tutorials online. But a legal pad slips in from the top and a bit of modification was needed.  I put a pocket inside to hold coupons, pens, receipts.  Very stiff iron on interfacing was fused inside.  A hair elastic with a button secures it shut.  And of course its beautiful, its GREEN!!!   I offered to make Ken one, but he just smiled and "no thank you".  I said I could make it in blue or black or some other manly color!  I like it being bright and eye catching, maybe I can keep track of it. 

Weekly Goals--
  1. Load and quilt another top
  2. Make binding for Diamond 4 Patches
  3. Setting triangles for Summers at the Lake, sew some rows together
  4. Sew binding to red/black/white quilt--I hate sewing on black, I've been procrastinating  
That will keep me busy this week.  I'm still thinking about spring--only 49 days until April 15th.  I'm SO READY for spring!



Sunday Stash Report Week 8

New numbers this week--

I finished I Love Yellow for 12 yards out.

I bought 20 yards of flannel backing and 5 yards of background for a secret challenge with Pat.  That makes 25 yards in.  OUCH!!

But it wasn't as bad as I thought--

IN YTD--33.5 yards
OUT YTD--48 yards

I'm ahead--14.25 yards!

See everyone's stash reports at Patchwork Times!

 

Saturday, February 22, 2014

Rainbow Scrappy Saturday

Four pink blocks for this month--


These blocks are so much fun to make.  I hard a hard time making only four!  See everyone's blocks at soscrappy.

We had 3 warm days this week, the snow is pretty much gone and the ice has been melted smooth.  Not completely gone--just flatter!   Its getting cold again but I KNOW spring is just around the corner!  

 

Monday, February 17, 2014

Design Wall Monday and Weekly Goals

I have a finished quilt--


Its called "I Love Yellow" and its was a gift for our Grandson Mason who recently moved from a toddler bed to a twin size "big boy" bed.  Mason's favorite color is yellow (just in case you missed that).  No good place to take a picture, too windy and cold out that day to take an outside picture so Nick and Laura Beth held it up in front of the big window.  Stained glass effect.  I wanted a yellow wide flannel for backing but couldn't find any--not even on the internet.  So, with the encouragement of fellow Stashbuster Liz I dyed my own.  I ordered dye and a bolt of wide flannel from Dharma Trading Co.  They have great tutorials on their website.  I dyed using my top loading washer, it was easy but takes some time.  I cleaned my washer afterwards with spray Clorox and no problems.  I have more colors of dye and will definitely dye more backings.  I have to, I ordered a whole bolt of flannel!!  So next week I'll have different numbers for my stash report.  See everyone's design wall at Patchwork Times.

Last week's goals didn't do too bad.  I was able to quilt another top, make the binding and machine sew it to the front.  Hand sewing is left.  Finished I Love Yellow and made my pink album blocks.  Most of Summers at the Lake is sewn into rows.  

Weekly Goals-
  1. load/quilt another top
  2. Finish Summers at the Lake rows
  3. Sew binding on black/red quilt
I'd like to work on Trail Mix but I need a bigger design wall.  We'll see how far I get on Summers at the Lake, maybe if I get it put together I can put Trail Mix back up.  

Spring countdown is on, 57 days until April 15th.  I know Spring equinox is March 20th, but I think spring is when you might be able to think about planting seeds outside, or digging in the dirt.  Some years we are still having a late season blizzard in April.  I hope not this year!

Are you being tempted by seed catalogs?  Have you bought any seeds yet?  I'm planning ghetto greenhouses with Mason and Asher.  We'll grow something easy like marigolds and zinnias.  I've been saving plastic pop bottles and quart plastic milk jugs.  
 

Monday, February 10, 2014

Design Wall Monday and Weekly Goals

Six rows of Trail Mix are together--

Its less confusing if I pin three rows up and then sew together.  9 more rows, 15 rows total.  Please see everyone's design walls at Patchwork Times.

I fell off blogging world the last two weeks.  Although I don't feel sick I could sleep 22 hours a day.  Ken really was sick with a sinus infection and isn't completely well yet.  But in between naps I've been sewing.  Nothing too brain taxing!

Weekly Goals--
  1. 3 more rows of Trail Mix
  2. 1 pink Rainbow Scrappy block
  3. Setting squares for Summers at the Lake
  4. Sew binding on Black/Red/White quilt
  5. Load another top
Too much for this week but I like variety.   I did get my 30's Rainbow Scrappy blocks sewn into a top.  




It was CRISP and sunny out the day I took this photo, the wind was blowing gently but I said "good enough!"  Its ready to quilt as soon as its matched with a backing.  I have one more set of these 30's blocks and think I will set them differently.  I used square in a square cornerstones with sashing.  The original quilt had no cornerstones but I think it needed some.  

Are you watching the Olympics?


Playing Catchup

Its been busy!  Thanksgiving has come and gone, soon it will be Christmas.  We got our vaccinations a couple weeks ago--Covid, RSV, Influena...