Design Wall Monday and Weekly Goals

Usually you see pictures of construction on a design wall, mine is one under "de-construction"--

 This is how the blocks looked before de-construction--

They looked okay but I wasn't in love with them.  And then I saw how Elaine finished her blocks.  WOW!!  And so the de-construction began...  Please see everyone's design wall at Patchwork Times.

Weekly Goals--

1. Finish center of Island Chain
2. cut squares for Honeysweet Pinwheels
3. Load QOV top/piece backing

Its going to be a short week.  Fri-Sat-Sun is sewing with the Iowa ladies.  I need to rest up, those ladies are serious sewers!  Saturday I finished quilting a Bricks and Stepping Stones top--

 

Next will be trimming/binding it.  I set a personal goal of 10 tops quilted by May 1st, this was #10.  I love this pattern, (thank you Bonnie Hunter) its an anything goes for fabric.  Finishes to 86x106", a nice bed size.  My thread choices were a little different.  I had two threads I liked--

  

A dark purple Permacore and a variegated YLI called Hollyhock.  The Princess likes Permacore.  The YLI was noticeably thicker, especially in the darker dyed sections.  I have had the dark dyed sections be weaker and break during quilting (what a headache).  I thought, what if I put the variegated in the bobbin and it didn't have the stress from running through the needle at high speed?  It worked like a charm.  The dark thread blends in on the busy front, and the variegated looks pretty on the backing--

The weather is definitely more like spring.  The grass is getting green, trees are budding, robins are staking out territories.  Today we put the snowblower away and got out the patio set.  

Has spring arrived where you live?  

Design Wall Monday and Weekly Goals

These blocks are on my design wall--

Its a Kim Brackett pattern called Island Chain.  I made the quilt bigger and it has given me lots of headaches.  Truly--headaches!  I have to sit on a chair in front of the wall with the book/picture.  I need my glasses to see the picture.  Then, when looking at the wall I shove my glasses on top of my head.  I pieced parts of the blocks as I put them on the wall, not my favorite method but necessary to make the interlocking pattern appear.  Not interlocking so much as optical illusion.  This is hopefully the final layout.  See everyone's design walls at Patchwork Times.

I finished quilting the Ozark Leaf quilt.  That quilt does NOT want to be a finish!  While quilting the little green flange strip wanted to flip over. Grrr.  But Ken made a quick trip to the Dollar store for Elmer's School glue.  I glued the edge down, then took the iron and pressed/dried it flat.  

Yes, while it was on the Princess.  Used my hand underneath as the pressing mat.  I had to do each section as I advanced it on the rollers, but it WORKED!!  Never overlook School glue as a tool while quilting!

Weekly Goals--

1. work on Island Chain
2. quilt a top
3. hand sew binding

Those will be my goals this week.  No goals last week, I went to stay with LB and Nick, attend guild, babysit the boys while they were house hunting.  The offer they put in on a house has been accepted, now its just the endless details.  The weather was beautiful while I was there, Saturday everyone went to the park.

Mason

 

Asher

Sign at Park

Grandpa doesn't always get to go along, the week before he did and Asher wanted Grandpa to read his story before naptime.

Grandpa reading story

The weather has turned cold again but we didn't get any snow.  Highs are in the 40's dropping to the low 20's at night.  

No plans for this week, just stay warm and sew.  I have a few tulips coming up and saw the columbine and peonies were peeking out.  Doubt they're doing any growing in this cold--they better wait for warmer weather! 

Design Wall Monday, Sunday Stash Report, Rainbow Scrap Saturday and Weekly Goals

This week has flow by!  This is what I am working on--

The pattern is called Honeysweet Pinwheels.  You can make it whatever size you'd like, the blocks finish to 16".  Although I HATE making HSTs, I am loving the blocks.  Check out everyone's design walls at Patchwork Times.

Stash report.  Not much changes there.  I've added 4.5 yds with no finishes.

Stash in YTD--38 yards
Stash out YTD--48 yards

I'm ahead--10 yards!

Rainbow Scrap Saturday--March was teal/jade.   I made six blocks this month--

Please see everyone's blocks at soscrappy.

Weekly Goals--

1. Finish pinwheel blocks for border of Honeysweet Pinwheels
2. Load/start quilting another quilt
3. Work on a UFO
4. Sew a binding on

Fri-Sat-Sun I sewed with the Iowa ladies.  They are hard core quilters!  Some ladies started at 6am and one night we sewed until 11:30pm.  I stayed with Lorri 2Rs--I had a blast!  Never pass up an opportunity to sew with others.  

Sharon had been working on a t-shirt quilt for a granddaughter--

Didn't it turn out lovely??  

Rhonda has been working on this quilt for over 15 years.  Its a present for her aunt--

Her aunt came to sew with us on Sunday and didn't recognize the quilt Rhonda had promised her 15 years ago.  When she found out it was for her--she cried!!  Look at all the tiny pieces, isn't it a beautiful quilt??

March is roaring out like a lion.  The wind is howling, the temp has dropped 20 degrees, and its going to SNOW.  Right now its spitting rain.  Temps tonight are going to drop to 12 degrees.  Noon was 58 degrees.  I better check my spare propane tank for my portable heater.  I don't think the power will go out, but I want to be prepared.  

Design Wall Monday and Weekly Goals

This is what I'm working on--

Its been waiting to be quilted, its called Sunny Lanes and its from a Nickel Quilts book by Pat Speth.  A large quilt, about 115" square.  It was a "camper project".  I worked on it while camping several years ago.  The pieced backing is hanging on the wall behind it, I had spritzed it with water to relax the wrinkles and creases.  I learned that from Mary.  Unless things go awry I plan to finish the quilting this week.  Please see everyone's design walls at Patchwork Times.

Weekly Goals--last week's goals didn't do so well!  Although I did lots of sewing, none of it was on my list.  And then I decided to visit the grandchildren, better plan anyway.  

This week's goals--

1. Finish quilting Sunny Lanes
2. Trim Iowa guild group project HSTs
3. Make a binding
4. Finish sewing Summers at the Lake

That will keep me busy.  

A couple of pics from the weekend--

Asher taking Selfie

Mason my Freckle

 

 

Even a picture of Grandma.  Letting little boys loose with something that has a button to push, well, you get lots of pictures.  The ceiling, floor, half a head, a hand, yup, lots of editing to be done.  

 

Design Wall Monday and Weekly Goals

Summers at the Lake is still on the design wall.  More rows sewn together.

The other corner is together and all the setting triangles are cut.  Just need to sew 4 more rows.  Please see everyone's design wall at Patchwork Times.

How did last week's goals go?

1. quilt 9 patch top--done
2. cut background squares for Iowa project--done
3. cut pieces for Pat's challenge--no
4. make one binding--yes
5. Cut setting triangles--yes

No cutting for Pat's challenge, I decided I have enough pieces to keep track of for the moment!  

Weekly Goals--

1. quilt a top
2. make another binding
3. finish putting together Summers at the Lake
4. sew one binding to a top 

And an Irish blessing for you!

May the leprechauns dance over your bed and bring you sweet dreams! 

Design Wall Monday and Weekly Goals

A new project for later this month--

5" squares in pair, 4 pairs to a color family.  I pulled almost all the squares from the 5" basket, just needed to fill out the oranges and reds.   Lorri with 2R's has a project planned for the Iowa ladies who sew together.  Well, Iowa ladies and one South Dakota party crasher!  Please see everyone's design wall at Patchwork Times.

Weekly goals--

1. quilt 9 patch top
2. cut background squares for IA project
3. cut pieces for Pat's challenge project
4. make one binding
5. cut setting triangles for Summers at the Lake

That will keep me busy.  I was in Sioux Falls for a few days, guild and playing with grandchildren.  45 minutes was spent with a "forbidden ball point pen".  Do you remember your mother not letting you use one because they didn't wash out?  

South Dakota has warmed up and most the snow is gone.  Its going to get cold again but spring is that much closer!  36 days until April 15th!  

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?