Tuesday ToDo #88

I think I'll try making lists again and see how I do with them. I've had mixed success achieving my goals. Oftentimes once I feel I have to do something, I don't want to. LOL

I would be really happy if I could finish all the foundation paper pieced stem squares for the Fall Foliage Spectacular quilt. I've started on them, but I'm still learning the technique and am fairly slow. I need 44 total for the borders squares, and I've managed to make 14 so far.

I would also like to start making the leaf blocks. Ideally, I would finish all 44, but I'm pretty sure I won't get that far. This is what they look like.

Anyway, I don't have a lot of time to sew this week because my father is visiting soon so I have to spend a lot of time straightening and cleaning house, but when I can, this is the project I want to work on.

Linking up with:
Tuesday ToDo

Ultimate Travel Bag Progress

I had a good time participating in this past weekend's online quilt retreat, offered by the Northwest Quilters guild. It gave me an excuse to sew all weekend and it was fun to hear other folks chattering away about mostly quilt-related topics.

I decided to work on my Ultimate Travel Bag during the retreat as I had almost everything ready to get started. I didn't take any in-progress photos, sadly, because I was determined to finish the bag during the retreat so I was quite single-minded in my focus.

But, I haven't quite finished. Everything is ready for the last step of sewing the pieces together

but there are so many layers my sewing machine can't sew it. On that final seam where I need to sew this bag together I need to sew through the 5 layers of cotton on the panels, 2 layers of cotton on the handle, 4 layers of batting, and the poly strapping. I had to replace my needle three times getting to this point and re-thread the needle due to broken threads at least eight times. 

I was thinking the new plastic machines just aren't up to it, so I actually bought a used older Pfaff machine with metal guts and it can't handle it either. It's just too thick to fit under the foot. 

I may try squishing the layers flatter with a tool, but I don't have time right now. This project will have to wait for the finish. I may also ask around my sewing friends and see if any have an industrial machine I can use.

I was hoping to make several more of these bags while the process is fresh in my mind, but I'm definitely going to need to omit some layers.

I also finished making quilt labels and binding my Morris Garden Quilt. I've submitted it to the Festival of Quilts for display so I'm looking forward to being able to get a better photo of it.

This coming week I actually need to work on some painting in the house, so it may be a couple of weeks before I post again. 

But when I have time, I would like to quilt up fabric for more of these bags. LOL I'll have to figure out how I can simplify the project because I want to make at least two more insulated shopping bags.

Linking up with:

Design Wall Monday

Tuesday ToDo

Tuesday ToDo #86

Other than finishing my green stained glass blocks, I haven't really done much sewing this month.

But my local quilt guild has a quilt show⏤the Festival of Quilts⏤planned in March and I'd like to display some of my best finished quilts, so I am trying to get those ready. Most can go as they are, but I'll need to add labels to any that don't already have them.

I've also decided to finally get back to work on an insulated shopping bag for my husband. After my earlier failed attempt, I decided to try a largish-ByAnnie Bag: Her Ultimate Travel Bag 2.0. I've finally cut out the fabric I quilted last August.

So, my plan for the coming week is to:

• Make Muslin quilt labels for the quilts that still need them. (I think there are 4 total.)
• Finish binding the Morris Garden quilt so I can submit it to the quilt show.
• Add hanging sleeves, if required, to all the quilts.
• Begin working on the Ultimate Travel Bag. I still need to cut out the coordinating fabric pieces. And I've ordered the required hardware bits, so it will be several days before I can really get started.

Linking up with TuesdayToDo.

Tuesday ToDo #85

I finished the purple and yellow broken bricks flimsy. Since I assembled it for a friend to give as a gift, I'll let her make the backing the next time she visits.

I also finished quilting the blue and yellow broken bricks quilt. I used scrap 80-20 batting and quilted it with the Daisies 4 pantograph by Donna Kleinke. I used the So Fine Digeridoo thread I bought inexpensively last year. Once I had finished, I wished I'd used blue thread instead. I am still learning what thread colors will look good on quilts.

I have finally started working on my green stained glass blocks again. So far, I don't have any finished blocks, just lots of pieces. I tend to sew misc sized chunks and then at the end I join them up into blocks. I'll post a photo soon.

My plan for the coming week is to continue working on the green stained glass blocks. I need 12 blocks total and I'd like to finish them this week so I'll have time later in the month to work on bindings.

Linking up with:

Tuesday ToDo

Midweek Makers

Tuesday ToDo #84

Somehow it is January and I did not finish all the projects I'd hoped to before the end of the year. We had a last-minute unplanned project down in our basement and it took over my schedule. If you're interested, I blogged about it over at our house blog: Laurelhurst Craftsman.

Finally, today, I am back on to quilting tasks. I actually had a customer quilt dropped off in early December and the customer said she wouldn't be able to pick it up until January, so I just set it aside. Today, I finally got it on the long arm and finished quilting it. It is a pretty, very scrappy project. 

I've also put together a backing for the yellow and light blue broken bricks quilt so I can put it on the long arm tomorrow. 

For the rest of the week, I'm hoping to finish the purple-yellow broken bricks quilt for my friend Denise.

I need to decide if I'm going to try and participate in the Rainbow Scrap Challenge. I totally failed at it last year. I think I will at least try and resume work on my stained glass blocks from two years ago. Since I left off last time on the color Green, and that is this month's color, it seems sort of like fate.

This is what I'm hoping the finished quilt will look like.

Finally, it would also be nice to finish the bindings on those quilts that I didn't finish in December. So I have lots to do this month.

Linking up with Tuesday ToDo.

Organizing Scraps

On my design wall is the little quilt I finished for my friend. We decided to name it Skittles because of all the bright colors.

I quilted it with Let it Bloom 3 by Christy Dillon.

Over the weekend I quilted a massive King size quilt for another friend. We used Cherokee Rose on it. I just love this pantograph, but it is a little bit of a challenge to get it aligned correctly.

For the past couple of days I've been sifting and slicing up my scraps. This was my scrap pile a few days ago and I'm tired of tripping over it.

I've made a lot of progress. The pile is now gone and I have a few tubs of sifted scraps. I'm now working my way through them ironing and slicing them into strips and squares and tucking them into my new scrap saving station.

I'm trying to wrap up the year with all my in-progress quilts finished and my sewing room cleaned up. I'd like to start 2024 with a clean slate.

Linking with up 

Design Wall Monday
Monday Musings
Monday Sew & Tell
Tuesday ToDo

Sewing Weekend

I had a friend visit this past weekend for a mini-sewing retreat. It was pretty fun. I had several of my own projects lined up to work on, then I just ditched them and worked on her projects. LOL

First, we had to make a quick run to JoAnn Fabrics so she could buy the backings. Then we quilted up this little lap quilt for her. I used the Nebula pantograph from Christy Dillon. I love how it turned out. Christy Dillon has definitely become my favorite designer so I'll be sure to not miss her 50% off sale on Black Friday.

She also picked up small pieces of fabric that coordinated with this in-progress scrappy quilt. It is so bright and fun; her niece will surely love it. If we had spent a little less time goofing off/sleeping we definitely would have finished it before she left Sunday evening.

Since it just needs another hour or two of work, I had her leave it with me to finish the long arm quilting. That is on my list for this coming week.

I did finish my Paducah quilt in time for it to travel down to California with my husband. I started a blog post on Friday but didn't get it finished before my friend arrived. I'll try to get it posted later this week as well.

I'd also like to work on my pile of quilted-but-not-bound quilts. I'd like to start 2024 with a clean slate.

• Flower Paths
• Cosmic Cabin
• Morris Garden
• Chocolates & Roses

I'm linking up with Tuesday ToDo, Midweek Makers and Wednesday Wait Loss.

Another Paducah Flimsy

The flimsy is finally finished!! I am so glad. I'm really hoping I can finish it by Saturday because that is when my husband is taking off for California to visit his mother and he'll be able to drop it off for me. I've made this quilt as a wedding gift for my brother.

I used a lot of William Morris fabrics and quite a few other earthtone fabric scraps. These are my brother's favorite colors. I really didn't like them when I started the project, but they've sort of grown on me. I'm quite pleased with how it turned out.

My plan for the week is to make a backing, quilt it, and get it bound by Saturday.

(This is actually the second Paducah Log Cabin quilt that I've made. This is the first one I made last year.)

Linking up with TuesdayToDo, Midweek Makers, and Wednesday Wait Loss.

Paducah Blocks Finished!

I've been hard at work this past week and I've finished making all the blocks for the Paducah Log Cabin! That's 144 for the center portion and then another 52 for the border. I'm so pleased.

For the coming week, I'd like to assemble them into the quilt. My goal is to finish this project within the next 10 days so I need to keep up my pace. I think I can do it.

Linking up with

Tuesday ToDo

Tuesday ToDo #79

I've been making steady progress on the blocks for my newest Paducah Log Cabin Quilt. My count as of tonight is 129 blocks for the center section, I need 144.

My plan for the coming week is to continue making blocks. I need 15 more for the center section, then I can get started on the 52 blocks for the borders.

I'd really like to have this quilt completed by the second week in November. If I can keep at it, I should have time to finish, but it's really easy to get distracted by movies and goofing off. LOL

This is approximately what the finished quilt will look like.

Linking up with Tuesday ToDo, Midweek Makers, Wednesday Wait Loss

Change of Plan

About 3 weeks ago I came down with a pretty severe cold. It probably wasn't covid, but I wasn't tested. The cold wasn't debilitating, bit it left me with no energy or motivation to do anything. I mostly sat around and streamed movies.

I did finish the last of the eleven charity quilts. I am not going to show photos of all of them, but there are a few I'm pleased with. I tried out new pantographs and played with some new techniques to get them cropped right at the edge.

Avril pantograph

Cherokee Rose pantograph. This was a little fussy to get offset correctly, but I really like it so I'll definitely have to do it on one of my own quilts.

West Wind in Autumn pantograph

I don't need to finish the binding on these quilts and they'll be returned to the Quilts Beyond Borders charity.

A couple weeks ago, I spent most of a day cutting out the Snake River log cabin quilt, and then I realized my brother needed a king size quilt. I tried to figure out how to make the Snake River bigger, but I just didn't like any of the ideas I came up with, so ultimately I decided to change the plan.

I wasted so many hours trying to come up with another idea that would use at least some of the fabric I'd already cut out. Finally, I decided to make another Paducah log cabin quilt. The finished size was a couple inches bigger than the Snake River and it would be a LOT easier to add an extra border strip. It should end up about 100"x100", which is big enough.

This is one of Judy Martin's suggested layouts and I liked it when I first decided to make this quilt again, but now I'm not sure I do, I may
change it to the more traditional log cabin layout. 

These blocks only use a few of the same length pieces, but because all the strips are the same 1½-inches wide, I can cut them down to the smaller lengths with not a lot of waste.

Finally over the weekend, I felt like sewing again. This is about a quarter of the total blocks I need for the center section.

My brother's favorite colors are brown and olive/drab-greens; I appreciate the chance to use up some of these old William Morris reproduction prints I bought way too much of more than a decade ago.

My ToDo list for the week is simply to continue making blocks. I need 144 total of the center blocks and 52 border blocks so it will likely take me more than a week to finish this one.

Linking up with Tuesday ToDo, Midweek Makers and Wednesday Wait Loss.

Insulated Bag, Take 2

After making three zipper units and wasting two zippers, I gave up putting a zipper on my first insulated bag project. I cut everything with the dimensions given in the pattern and they just don't end up the same lengths. So, I decided to cut my losses. I spent an hour or two putting the insulated lining and exterior bags together and added binding around the top edge. It's not my best project, but in this case, done is better.

But, I am still determined to make an insulated bag with a zipper so I decided to try again. I bought a ByAnnie pattern called Every Day Every Way, which is basically a diaper bag. 

Today I quilted up fabric for it. This is some very old Hoffman Fabric called Kaleidoscope and it looks like peacock feathers to me. For the batting, I used Pellon Insul-Fleece and a second layer of Quilter's Dream 70-30 batting. I used 100% cotton Harmony Violets Variegated thread. The manufacturer claims it produces minimal lint; that was not my experience.

I quilted it with the Modern Peacock pantograph from Kim Diamond. It is a really creative pantograph, but OMG it uses a lot of thread. I quilted about a yard and a half of fabric and it used SIX bobbins. 

Now I get to spend a couple hours cutting everything out. I'm hoping this one goes as smoothly as the last two ByAnnie bag projects I've made.

Tuesday ToDo #76

Sorry, I've been extra flaky about posting blog posts this summer. My motivation to keep moving along on my lists has been flagging. My last todo list was a whole month ago. Oops.

Finish the quilting on the Flapper's Fancy (Deco Elegance) quilt, which needs to be done by the first week of August. ✔️

Create quilt labels for all the quilts.  ✔️

Bind my stack of quilts - six in total.

I've only finished three of them: The Flapper's Fancy, Midnight Mosaic and Comet's Revival. I still need to get new photos of the finished quilts.

Complete my insulated shopping tote, which is this month's UFO.

Yeah, I failed on that too. The inset zipper is giving me fits. I made a new zipper unit and it still didn't fit in the bag right. I was very careful to follow her directions exactly so I'm not sure why I'm having so many problems. In the end, I've decided to finish the current bag without a zipper and try again with one of ByAnnie's zipper bag projects. My last two ByAnnie bags went together perfectly and I had no problems following her directions.

I've ordered her Every Day Every Way Bag pattern and I'll try making it with special insulated batting for my husband to shop with. I'm hoping I'll get started as soon as the pattern arrives.

My list for the upcoming week:

1. Bind Rose Lane
2. Bind Cosmic Cabin
3. Bind Flower Paths
4. Bind Unicorn Panel
5. Quilt the fabrics for the Every Day Every Way Bag (you quilt the fabric and then you cut out the bag).

Linking up with Tuesday ToDo.

Tuesday ToDo #75

I skipped last week's post as I got sidetracked before I could finish it. However, I did manage to accomplish all the tasks on my list, and even a bit more. My Rose Lane quilt is now quilted and waiting to be bound; I shared about it in a previous post here.

At the moment, I'm contemplating what my next project should be. There are a couple of projects with impending deadlines, so my strategy is to list everything out and simply check them off as I tackle each one.

The tasks on my list include:

• Finishing the quilting on the Deco Elegance quilt, which needs to be done by the first week of August.
• Creating quilt labels for all the quilts.
• Binding my stack of quilts - six in total, including the Deco Elegance.
• Completing my insulated shopping tote, which is this month's UFO.

I'm eager to see how much I can get done and how each project turns out. It's going to be a busy, yet rewarding month!

Linking up with Tuesday ToDo.

ToDo Tuesday #74

I did fairly well on my list from last week.

• Draft the Cricut files for the sashing units.  ✔️
• Cut out the needed pieces.  ✔️
• Piece together the sashing units.  ✔️
• Assemble the central quilt section.   ❌

After I spent all night binge sewing it together, I took the weekend off. Now that my husband works all week, I tend to take weekends off sewing now so I can spend more time with him. Most of my progress happens during the week.

This coming week I'd like to:

• Assemble the central section.
• Add the skinny borders.
• Assemble the border pieces.
• Quilt the customer quilt coming to me on Thursday!

Linking up with Tuesday ToDo.