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!

 

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!  

 

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.  

 

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?

Design Wall Monday and Weekly Goals

The yellow Irish chain is on the wall--

Several different colors of borders were auditioned.  Red, blue, dark blue, navy blue, black.  Green looked like it fit the best.  Red looked angry, the blues out of place, the black was too much contrast.  Yes, there are two different green fabrics, after sewing the first border on someone suggested that I needed to extend the green so the background setting square floating in the first border, well, just didn't look odd!!  Not enough of the first green so did my best to match them with another green from my stash.  Then a border of the focus fabric.  Thanks everyone for your help!  See everyone's design wall at Patchwork Times.

I finished making all the blocks for Trail Mix.

The little pile in the lower left is what was left over from my cut pieces.  I refolded all the civil war fabrics and put them back in the box.  Neater, but not appreciably less!

I'm not much of a soup eater.  But I did make this--

Peasant Soup!!  Polska kielbasa, white beans, onions, and kale cooked in chicken stock.  It was delicious and easy.  

Last week's goals didn't do so well.  Seven items, only two done.  

Weekly Goals--

1. Piece a backing/ready a top for quilting
2. Mt Hood blocks
3. 30's blocks
4. Machine sew binding on black/red quilt
5. Summer at the Lake setting blocks
6. Merry Go Round blocks

The Merry Go Round blocks need to be sewn together, I want to use the design wall for Trail Mix and the 30's blocks.  The weather is going to stay cold so its good sewing weather.  I'm tired of winter, 73 days until April 15th, I'm going to start counting down.  Most years its starting to warm up by then.  

A favorite spring memory--the smell of fresh dirt!  Do you have a special spring memory? 

Design Wall Monday and Weekly Goals

Do you know what these are??

The 4 Patches to Trail Mix.  Two of the five different blocks completed.  I've cut a lot of the pieces needed, but it didn't make much of a dent in the box of civil war repros.   Please see everyone's design wall at Patchwork Times.

Last week's goals went pretty well.  Quilted the black/red top, made Rainbow Scrappy blocks, finished Mt Hood sub-pieces, and worked on Trail Mix blocks.  Didn't cut the alternate blocks for Summer at the Lake and haven't decided on how to finish the yellow Irish chain.  Sorted last year's Rainbow Scrappy blocks into two groups/two quilts.

Weekly Goals--

1. Lay out/start sashing one set of 30's blocks
2. Piece a backing/ready a top for quilting
3. Machine sew binding on black/red quilt
4. Sew Mt Hood bits into blocks
5. Trail Mix blocks
6. Work on Yellow Irish Chain
7. Summer at the Lake setting blocks

Lots of variety for this week.  I know there is a belated Christmas party later this week, and I'm not sure if Ken has any road trips planned.  We missed most the bad weather last week, high winds but no snow here.  

Hey, if I finish the black/red quilt that means I can START another one!!  I saw a scrappy Burgoyne Surrounded that was gorgeous.  I know, I know--I need to wait and see how much I really want to make it.  Avoid magpie syndrome. 

Are you working on a special project?  Maybe you pulled out a UFO?  Or, maybe a NEW project??  

How can two people have so much laundry, and why does Ken always run out of socks??  Is there a sock thief?  If there is I think he takes showers at our house and uses at least 10 towels.

   

Rainbow Scrappy Saturday

The color this month is blue--

Great Granny blocks or Album blocks.  Each block has some blue in it.  The outside edges are various COC, WOC, COT.  I won't trim the edges until its time to assemble the blocks.  Please see what everyone is making at soscrappy.

Design Wall Monday and Weekly Goals

I have these blocks put together--

An Irish chain using more 30's plus a bit of yellow.  Please see everyone's design walls at Patchwork Times.  Last week I had some finishes and Nick (favorite son in law) helped me take pictures--

Yellow tilted rails.  This quilt had languished in the closet for almost 10 years waiting for borders.  Used 16 yards.

P

Patchwork Among Friends, its a personal favorite.  I estimate it used 20 yards.  It was a challenge among Liz and Marilyn from Texas and myself.  We were to use the pattern Four-Patch Plaid from the book Nickel Quilts by Pat Speth.  We could change the pattern as desired.  I used the pattern as written--king size.   

Liz used MAM blocks for her border.  She selected dark scraps to frame the top.

Marilyn used her 30's stash and made a piano key border.  It was a great challenge, use our stash to make the top.  Next we're going to make Mt Hood from the same book.  I doubt I would have finished this quilt this quickly but I didn't want to be the only one who didn't!  I love my quilt and its going on my bed.  Thank you Liz and Marilyn for the encouragement!

Last weeks goals were just that--goals!  I did finish binding my quilts and worked on Mt Hood and Trail Mix but I didn't load another top or work on a Rainbow Scrappy block.  Instead I played with grandchildren.

Weekly Goals--

1. Load a top
2. Rainbow Scrappy block
3. Finish Mt Hood bits
4. Cut Summer at the Lake setting blocks
5. Think about how to finish Yellow Irish Chain--do you have suggestions??
6. Trail Mix blocks

Last week my organizing was folding all the 30's fabric back into a box.  A smaller box but still plenty left.  They will go under the quilting table to age.  

In the Sunday paper was this comic strip--

This is for my daughter!!  Love you--Mom

Sunday Stash Report

A new year, new numbers.  This week I bought 8.5 yds.  I finished two quilts (pics tomorrow) so that's 36 yds out.  They are BIG quilts!

Stash in--8.75yds
Stash out--36 yds

I'm ahead 27.25 yds 

As long as I'm ahead I'll use big text!  My purchases--

Some added color for my Trail Mix and Mt Hood. Please see everyone's numbers at Patchwork Times.  

 

Design Wall Monday and Weekly Goals

Hung these blocks on my wall--
 

Irish Chain

The picture a bit washed out, the background is a soft yellow.  See everyone's design wall at Patchwork Times.

How did last week's goals work?  Good, I've worked on all of them.  I loaded and quilted a top.  Almost done binding the Tilted Rails top.  Made more Mt Hood and Trail Mix blocks.  And finished making those yellow Irish chain blocks. 

Its bitterly cold, so I'm doing this--

Staying inside underneath a quilt sewing the binding!!  I'm #3 on the Stashbuster's UFO Queen list, so I've been binding as fast as I can, hoping to avoid the crown or at least be able to abdicate gracefully.  

And, for all you sock knitters out there--

 
Honest, they didn't have these holes the last time I wore them!   Ken laughed at them, I rarely wear socks out, these were about 15 years old.  Don't worry, I bought new socks.  

And I found a new use for my ironing board--

Good place to prop my feet while I frog stitch or read.   I'm wearing Danskin shoes.  Comfy, lightweight and machine washable.  Courtesy of the clearance bin at Walmart.  

Weekly Goals--

1. Finish binding quilts
2. Load another top
3. Rainbow Scrappy block
4. Mt Hood blocks
5. Trail Mix blocks

More than enough to keep me busy.  The 30's repros are all folded and back in their box.  I'm tired of them for now.  What are you doing to stay warm??