2013 Project Summary

I had a list of 17 quilting projects and two Cross Stitch projects that I wanted to get done during 2013.

10 of the quilting projects were done plus two have the tops done only and one of the Cross Stitch projects is done.  

However, I added 14 additional quilt projects (mostly baby quilts) that were completed and one Cross Stitch project done.  Also I made a total of 14 pillowcases for Conker Cancer donated through NSQG.  

Total done projects = 40 plus two tops only

What a great year!  It was fun to spend so much time sewing/quilting and being able to share my finished projects with family and friends!

I made a list of Open Quilting Projects for 2014 and they total 49!!!!!

Guess I better get busy!!!!

Happy New Year!!!!!

Getting it Done-December Status and January List

Getting it Done-December Status

Things I really want do get done:

Complete bindings on Quilts of Valor 2 and 3 - done 12/7 and 12/16  - shipped 12/22/13 to QOV

Bind last Christmas present quilt - done 12/6 - all given out on 12/8/13

Clue#12 for BTSO mystery quilt - done 12/8/13

Finish Dorothy outfit for Baby Sophia - done 12/5 and given to Maddy 12/8

Work on Oh Christmas Tree quilt - nothing done

Things I might get done:

Complete binding on Craftsy BOM quilt - done 12/22/13

Work on Charlie Brown Christmas quilt - passed for now

Make three Pinwheel Charm blocks - 11 done as of 12/31/13

Make three Anita's Arrowhead blocks - none done

Getting it done - January 

Things I really want to get done:

Clue#1 Tell it to the Stars quilt

Finish Pinwheel Charm blocks

Make Anita's Arrowhead blocks

Make backing to 2013 BTSO top

Things I might get done:

Three rows for Oh Christmas Tree quilt

Start Cabin in the Woods quilt top

Craftsy 2013 Block of the Month Done!

I participated in the Craftsy 2013 Block of the Month program and loved it!  I worked with blues, yellows and greens and a tone on tone white fabric and I am very happy with the result

Also this is the first larger quilt that I quilted myself on my Aunt Bonnie's long arm quilt machine

I got a little courageous and did a loopy loopy in the two outside borders

Then I did a special design inside the Dresden Plate block. This is actually my second attempt. The first time I tried outlining the pieces and found it very hard to quilt a straight line.  Then I spent 45 minutes pulling out the errant stitches and deciding to do the squirly design instead

Thanks to Craftsy and Laura Nownes the designer and teacher. I learned a lot working on this quilt and hope that they have a 2014 program

Quilt of Valor #2 and 3 done and ready to mail off!!

I committed to doing three quilts for Quilt of Valor during 2013 and just finished #2 and 3.  I pieced the tops and Anna Andrews in North Carolina did he lovely quilting.

#2 is dedicated to my Uncle Ralph Stevens who served in the Korean War.  

#3 is dedicated to Lance Corporal William Alexander Campe who is currently serving in the U.S. Marine Corps and is the son of one of my Quilt Bee friends.  

I have made the presentation cases and now just need to wash them all.  Then I will notify the Quilt of  Valor  organization that they are ready and find out there to send them. 

Feels good to do this and glad that I finished my goal!!

Christmas Table Runners

Last year I made Christmas quilts for each of our kids and for us out of fabrics that had been collected by my mother.  

http://mustardseed-becky.blogspot.com/2012/11/lucia-beths-christmas-tumblers.html

I kept the rest of the fabrics for each quilt and used them to make table runners for each of us this year.

Also these were the first three items that I quilted on my Aunt's long arm machine. 

For Ron and I

For our daughter Stefanie

For our son Kevin

 

Sorry but I did not get very good pictures.

 

This is the label that I put on all three of them

 

Back to Square One Mystery Quilt Done!!!

Last night after celebrating our granddaughter's 4th birthday, I came home and finished Clue #12 for the Back to Square One Mystery quilt

This quilt top is huge!!  93 by 93!!  I had to have my 6ft + husband hold up the top so that I could take a picture and then we still did not get the whole thing!

I am glad that it I did this project though don't quite know what I am going to do with this top

I have decided to do Judy's 2014 project called Tell it to the Stars.  So stay tuned to see another wonderfully designed quilt!

Wizard of Oz - Dorothy Outfit for Baby Sophia

Our granddaughter Maddy has recently become a huge fan of The Wizard of Oz.  I love that because my mother loved the movie too and I love seeing Maddy follow in her ways. 

So I tried to find a Dorothy outfit for Maddy's Baby Sophia at a recent craft fair.  I found a blue and white striped dress and a pair of red shoes.  My mother in law had given me a book of patterns for the 18" dolls and I found an apron pattern.

So what do you think of the "Dorothy" outfit?

I just hope that Maddy likes it!!!

Tell it to the Stars - Fabric Choices

I so enjoyed doing Judy Laquidara's Back to Square One mystery quilt this year that I have decided to do her Tell it to the Stars quilt during 2014.  

I tried to find fabrics in my stash but that did not work.  So I had to buy more fabric!! :-)

Fabric #1 the background fabric is at the top and they go in order down to a dark rust color.  I like the colors and am excited to work with them.  Hopefully it will be a good autumn quilt.

Here is the link to Judy's post on this quilt a long:

http://www.patchworktimes.com/2013/11/26/tell-it-to-the-stars/

Getting it done - November Status and December List

Getting It Done - November Status

Things I really want to get done:

Clue #11 for BTSO mystery quilt -done 11/1/13

Bind Double Dozen quilt -done 11/28/13

Quilt Craftsy BOM quilt top - done 11/27/13

Quilt third Christmas present quilt - done 11/27/13

Bind all three Christmas present quilts - Two done 11/20/13

Things I might get done:

Bind Quilt of Valor # 2 and 3 - sewn on but not down

Make presentation cases for Quilt of Valor quilts - done 11/23/13

Work on Oh Christmas Tree quilt - 6 rows done

Getting it Done - December

Things I really want to get done:
Clue#12 for Back to Square One Mystery quilt

Complete bindings on Quilts of Valor 2 and 3

Bind last Christmas present quilt

Finish Dorothy outfit for Baby Sophia

Work on Oh Christmas Tree quilt

Thanks I might get done:

Complete binding on Craftsy BOM quilt

Work on Charlie Brown Christmas quilt

Make three Pinwheel Charms blocks

Make three Anita's Arrowheads blocks

Between work, taking care of my Dad and the holidays this may be a pipe dream list but I will try!  Sometimes sewing is the best thing to keep me calm!!

Thanksgiving To Do List - Update Saturday, November 30

Got a bunch of things done today:

Make and Attach Binding on Craftsy Quilt Top - Made Friday 11-22 and Attached Saturday 11-30

Binding on Runner #3

Labels for projects:

 - Runners - all 3

 - Double Dozen Quilt

 - Craftsy Quilt

 - QOV #2 and #3

Work on Christmas Tree Quilt rows - Finished through Row 6

Now I have all sorts of hand sewing of the binding to do!!!!

Double Dozen Quilt Done!

In November, 2012 I took a class at Linda Z's with my Aunt Bonnie taught by Kaye England using her Double Dozen pattern book.  I have been posting about my progress over the past year as I worked on finishing this.

I took the quilt top to Pieceful Gatherings in Fox River Grove, Il to be quilted in early September and got it back a few weeks ago.  Tonight I finished sewing down the binding!

I am very happy with the quilting as the quilter did flowers in the large and small white block areas. The sample we saw in class had something similar and I think it makes the quilt

This was the largest and most complicated quilt I have done and it feels really good to have it done.  

It has now taken up residence on the back of our family room couch so that I can use it on cold winter nights!!

 

 

Update on Thanksgiving to do list - Thursday Update

Got a few more things done:

Quilted runner #3

Quilted Craftsy Block of the Month quilt

Started labels for all quilts 

We are helping our son and daughter in law move into their first home tomorrow so may not get much done but I still have Saturday and Sunday!!

Update on Thanksgiving List - Tuesday, Nov 26

I have made more progress on my list:

Made Fabric Box - Monday

Fixed Quilt - Monday

Worked on Christmas Tree Quilt - 5 1/2 rows done through today

Started apron for Baby Sophia - started Monday but need to pull apart as too small :-(

Tomorrow I will be at my Aunt Bonnie's to use her Longarm quilting machine - I have two projects to do.  Hope that I am able to get them both done

Update on Thanksgiving To Do List

Since Friday night I have gotten the following done:

Binding on QOV #2

Binding on QOV #3

Made presentation cases for both QOV quilts  (I added this to the list on Saturday)

Made block for fabric basket

Monday I don't have any other plans during the day so I guess I will just sew!!!!

Thanksgiving Vacation - To Do List

I have not been able to sew much lately between work, visiting my Dad in the hospital and other family obligations.

However, I have taken next week off work and plan on getting all sorts of sewing work done over the next 9 days.

Make Backing for Craftsy Quilt Top - Done Friday 11-22

Quilt Craftsy Top

Make and Attach Binding on Craftsy Quilt Top - Made Friday 11-22

Make Apron for Baby Sophia

Fix Quilt 

Binding on QOV #2

Binding on QOV #3

Quilt Runner #3

Binding on Runner #3

Make Block for Fabric Basket

Make Fabric Basket

Labels for projects:

 - Runners - all 3

 - Double Dozen Quilt

 - Craftsy Quilt

 - QOV #2 and #3

Work on Christmas Tree Quilt rows

Start Charlie Brown Christmas Quilt

Not sure if I will get this all done but I have already started tonight.  If I get all of the bindings attached I will have weeks and weeks of hand sewing to do!!!!!

Will give daily updates as items are completed

Back to Square One Mystery Quilt -November Done!

The November clue is to sew together the log cabin and star blocks to make the next border.  

I was pretty tired from work and taking care of my father this week so wanted to do some "easy" sewing. So I thought that putting together this border would be good to do.  

I am very happy with how this looks and excited to finish it next month!

Getting it Done - October Status and November List

Getting it Done - October, 2013

Things I really want to get done:

Clue #10 for BTSO Mystery Quilt - done 10-27-2013

Crafty BOM for October - Done 10-12-2013

Work on Oh Christmas Tree Quilt (complete 6 rows? of 12) - None done

Complete top for Quilt of Valor #3 - Done 10-9-2013

Things I might get done:

Complete Binding for Purple Heartstrings quilt - done 10-22-2013

Complete Binding for Double Dozen quilt (if get back from quilter) - not done (just heard quilt is ready to pick up on Saturday 10-26 but have not picked up yet)

Make three Pinwheel Charms blocks - not done

Work on Christmas Present Quilts - 2 quilted on 10-24-2013

Getting it Done - November, 2013

Things I want to get done:

Clue #11 for BTSO Mystery Quilt

Bind Double Dozen Quilt

Quilt Craftsy BOM quilt top

Quilt third Christmas Present Quilt

Bind all three Christmas Present Quilts

Things I might get done:

Bind Quilt of Valor #2 and #3

Make Presentation Cases for Quilt of Valor #2 and #3

Work on Oh Christmas Tree Quilt

Not sure how much I will get done during November as my father is ill and I have had to spend a good deal of time with him.  

Back to Square One - Clue #10 Done

This month's clue was to make twelve star blocks.  I had the fabric cut out a couple of weeks ago but due to my Dad being ill again I just finished them tonight. 

Judy L said the key was to get a center points to line up and I did a pretty good job on that step.

Can't wait to see how these get added to the quilt along with the Log Cabin blocks from last month. 

A Good Day at Estate Sales

Yesterday I went to two estate sales in the area that had pictures of quilts on their listing.  My dad told me that if I did not get there early they would be gone. 

Lucky for me, he was wrong!!!!  

At the first sale I found the quilt below.  It is a lovely hand quilted quilt and I think hand pieced also. 

The second sale was a former antique shop dealer and the house and garage were full of stuff!!!  The house seemed like it was added on to several times and I ended up in the attic digging through several boxes of fabrics and linens.  Then at the bottom of one of the boxes I found the quilt below.  The tag says it is called Tic-Tac-Toe and is from the 1930's.  

I do love making my own quilts but these two quilts were quite a find.  I showed them to my Dad and he liked them both - though he liked to red one best. 

Design Wall/Table Monday, Oct 21st

I am currently working on Clue #10 for the Back to Sqaure One Mystery Quilt Project with Judy L at Patchwork Times.  So my design table/wall has one completed block and the makings for the other eleven. 

Did not get much time to sew this weekend due to family illness, grocery shopping, church and a memorial service for a childhood friend.  Maybe get back to this tomorrow night.  :(

Purple Heartstrings quilt done

I had started a set of Purple Heartstrings blocks around New Year's Day with the Heartstrings Quilt Project/Group.

Somehow I just kept putting off finishing them and but finally finished the last of the 24 blocks just before Labor Day.  Then on Labor Day I sewed the blocks together and decided that I would machine quilt the quilt.  This top was the first sewing I did on my Singer Featherweight named "Lucia" in honor of my lovely mother. 

Bad decision !!!  :(   I had pulled some high loft batting from my closet and thought that I had it pinned together enough but when I tried machine quilting I ended up with a real mess.  I stitched in the ditch and had completed the horizontal rows and started the vertical rows.  On the first vertical column I had to fudge over the horizonal lines and on the second vertical column I ended up with at least three overlaps of fabric !!!!!

So I decided not to continue and proceeded to rip out all of the machine quilting.  That took me at least two weeks of free time and a lot of frustration and mumbling!!!  Never will I use high loft batting again. Finally tied the quilt and got a quilt that I am happy with. 

Just finished sewing down the binding tonight...  finally a finished project!!!

Sewing Machines

I have recently become a sewing machine collector.   I follow Bonnie Hunter's blog and she has a whole page devoted to her machines. I guess my five machines is not too bad.  :) 

My first machine is a Kenmore that my wonderful husband bought me as my wedding gift.  I have recently decided to name her "Morning".  That is because we had the song " Morning has Broken". Sung at our wedding in 1980.  This is my 'go to' machine and the one that I am most comfortable sewing on. 

Next machine is one I bought for $25 from Barrington High School when our daughter was student teaching there in early 2007. I have struggled to come up with a name for her..... Finally decided on "Marie" which is our daughter 's middle name.

Then I inherited my mother's Viking when she was no longer able to sew. I have decided to name her "Beth" in honor of my Mom - that was her middle name.  This is the machine that I do any machine quilting on.  Mom had a feeder foot and also a free motion quilting foot so whenever I feel brave enough to try machine quilting this is the machine I use. 

Fourth machine is a Singer Featherweight 66 that I bought from an estate sale in Buffalo Grove which I paid $100 - it is in a lovely cabinet and works very well.  I decided to name her "Lucia" which is my mothers first name.  As pictured here I used this machine to sew together a recent Heartstrings quilt but unfortunately that is all I have done on it! 

Finally I bought my fifth machine last weekend at another estate sale in Arlington Heights. It is another Singer Featherweight but is in a case so that it is portable to sewing events, etc.   I have yet to try sewing on her but I am sure that she will work.  Decided to name her "Bonnie" after my lovely aunt and quilting mentor. 

I think that five machines is enough for me (at least for right now!).  I am trying to get a sewing group started at my church (Prince of Peace in Palatine, IL)  so having a few machines to use for sewing events might be good.  

Craftsy 2013 Block of the Month - October, 2013 Done

For October on the Craftsy Block of the Month, the work was to put the quilt top together using the blocks we made in prior months, some flying geese and some half square triangles.

After a little bit of rework and frustration, I got the whole top done!!!!  I ended up finding out that one of my blocks was a little too small - so I added an extra piece of the white fabric to make it fit.  Then I struggled with the half square triangles around the outside and getting them to fit correctly.  After a little trial and error they fit correctly. 

I am very happy with how this quilt turned out!!!

 I am going to my Aunt Bonnie's on the 24th to learn how to use her Longarm Quilting machine and will probably have this quilt be my first full size one that I do.  

Quilt of Valor tops # 2 and 3 Done!

I had committed to make three Quilt of Valor quilts during 2013 through Judy L's Patchwork Times blog.  I completed the first one pretty quickly but then delayed the last two.

I completed the second top a little while ago but then finished the third top last night.  My wonderful husband helped me take some nice photos tonight.

Top #2

Top #3

So tonight I will make the backings for these and send a message to Quilts of Valor to get a Longarm quilter to finish them.

Don't think I will get me done before the end of the year but will try my best.

Getting it Done - September Status and October List

Getting it done - September, 2013

Things I really want to get done:
Clue #9 for BTSO Mystery Quilt - Done
Craftsy BOM for September - Done
Complete top for Quilt of Valor #2 - Done
Assemble Purple Heartstrings quilt and send it with Binding and Backing - Top done, Tied and Binding sewn on - need to do hand sewing of binding

Things I might get done
Drop off Double Dozen quilt to be quilted - Dropped off at Pieceful Gatherings 9-7-2013
Start Oh Christmas Tree top - Cut out the fabric for the center of the quilt 9-29-13
Start Pinwheel Charms blocks - Pulled fabrics to use but did not start cutting or sewing
Complete We Are Family cross stitch picture - Done


Getting it done - October, 2013

Things I really want to get done:
Clue #10 for BTSO Mystery Quilt
Craftsy BOM for October
Work on Oh Christmas Tree Quilt (complete 6 rows? of 12)
Complete top for Quilt of Valor #3

Things I might get done
Complete Binding for Purple Heartstrings quilt
Complete Binding for Double Dozen Quilt (if get back from quilter)
Make three Pinwheel Charms Blocks
Work on Christmas Present quilts

Quite a list for October with a heavy work related month but sewing/quilting is what I do to relax so I might actually get it all done - if I can find the time  :)

Design Wall/Table - September 30, 2013

I started a new quilt project called "Oh Christmas Tree" in a queen size for our Master Bed.  I bought the Northcut Metallic Stones Strip Packs to make this quilt and spent a good part of the weekend cutting all of the pieces for the quilt.  Here is a picture of the pieces all cut out.

Because I was not sure about how to assemble this quilt, my wonderful quilt mentor Aunt Bonnie sugggested that I do a test with spare fabric.  

So I took some cream and green fabrics from my stash and made a quick three three row using the cutting instructions.  Glad I did that as I had to rip out the sewing on the first and second seams about two or three times each.  

Think that I willl sash this three tree panel with some Christmas fabrics and make a table runner out of it!!!

So now on to sewing the 12 rows of eight trees each.  Think that this will take me most of the month of October and that I will do some other projects in between as I get tired of sewing the same things together over and over.  

Stay tuned for progress reports !!!!

Finished Projects!!

I got three different projects done this weekend

First I finished a counted cross stitch project called "We Are Family". I plan to make. Pillow for our Family Room couch with this as the center. Will post that when done. 

Second project was a wall hanging that I bought at The Sweetheart Quilt Shoppe in Longmont, Colorado. It is titled "Quilt Like Crazy!" and was real fun to do. The directions said to layer the top, batting and backing and then do the appliqué which subsequently became the quilting.  It was great to do that way and turned out good. 

The third project is a table mat that I bought is a quilt shop east of St Louis, Missouri (sorry I don't remember the name). The kit is named " This and That" and I decided to machine quilt it myself. The quilting is not perfect but pretty good

Felt good to get all of these done. I keep buying kits and I felt like I needed to try and get some of the smaller ones done. 

On to the next project!  

Back to Square One - Clue #9 Done

The September clue was to make 24 more Log Cabin blocks.  Now I have made a total of 48 Log Cabin blocks and I am getting pretty good at it!

The second part of the clue is to add another solid border.  

This is really starting to look neat!!

Quilt of Valor top #2 Done

I have set myself a goal to make three Quilt of Valor quilts during 2013.  The first one was completed, quilted, bound and sent off in March. I cut out the fabrics for the second one in March also but did not get back to sewing the top until the end of August.

Tonight I put the last of three borders on the top (I am using a pattern provided by Judy Laquidara) and now need to decide if I should complete the third top and then send them both off to be quilted at the same time.  

In the meantime, here is the second quilt top

Good and bad day for sewing

I finally got around to trying to use my 1929 Singer 66 Featherweight sewing machine. I had bought it at an estate sale a couple of months ago and then never touched it until today!  After a few test stitches and some adjustment of the tension I was ready to go!

I was able to get it threaded without issue and the bobbin went right in without issue also.  I had a set of 24 Heartstrings blocks that needed to be sewn together so decided they would be the first project on that machine.  

Here is a picture of my sewing work 

I got the whole top sewn together and then decided that I would machine quilt it myself.  Bad decision.  I guess my layering and pinning must not have been too good. I stitched in the ditch on the horizontal lines and it was okay.  However when I started the vertical lines I got all sorts of bunching!!  

So I am now in the process of pulling out all of the machine quilting. Think I will just tie it and bind it and then send into the Heartstrings Quilt Project Group.  

So glad I finally used the Featherweight. It was fun but I do probably need to get it cleaned up a little.

Does anyone know a good sewing machine person for Featherweights?

Craftsy 2013 Block of the Month - September Done

For September we just had to add flowers to the basket block we made in August. I had already picked out the fabrics I wanted to use so decided to do this right away.

It feels good to have this done already so that I can move onto the rest of my projects for September. 

Getting it Done - August Status and September List

I got caught up on my monthly projects during August and that felt good!!

Status for August, 2013:

Things I really want to get done:

Complete Clue#7 for BTSO Mystery quilt - done

Clue#8 for BTSO Mystery quilt - done

Craftsy BOM for July - done

Craftsy BOM for August - done

Section 8 of the Comfort and Joy top - done

Things I might get done:

Send off Double Dozen quilt top to be quilted  - not done

Create Wall Hanging fromCross Stitch Sewing Room Kit - done

Start baby boy quilt for Jason and Meagan baby - done

Getting it done - September, 2013

Things I really want to get done:
Clue #9 for BTSO Mystery Quilt
Craftsy BOM for September
Complete top for Quilt of Valor #2
Assemble Purple Heartstrings quilt and send it with Binding and Backing

Things I might get done
Drop off Double Dozen quilt to be quilted
Start Oh Christmas Tree top
Start Pinwheel Charms blocks
Complete We Are Family cross stitch picture

My dear husband's surgery was successful so we are currently working on his recovery. God is good and I am thankful for answered prayers. 

Projects Finished!

My dear husband had back surgery yesterday and I brought several binding projects with me to the hospital. They helped to keep me calm while he was in surgery and recovery. 

I finished a small wall hanging that I made from a cross stitch picture of a sewing room.  Ironically I started and did most of the stitching when I was in the hospital and recovering at home last November.  I machine quilted it and am happy with the result

Today I finished up a baby boy quilt for a family member. I had shown this on a earlier post on my design wall.  I used some fish fabric I found in my stash for the backing - not sure where I bought it but the color and design are perfect for this quilt!  

My husband is doing well and will hopefully be home on Friday! 

Craftsy 2013 Block of the Month-August done

The August instructions are to make a basket block and then we will add flowers in September. My picture makes the background look yellow but it actually is white 

Still loving using my blue and yellow fabrics and am anxious to start assembling the quilt top!

Craftsy 2013 Block of the Month for July, 2013 - Finally done!

My July block for Craftsy Block of the Month was delayed due to vacation and other factors.  Finally got around to working on this today. I am happy with the fabrics and how it came out

The block is a little larger than it is supposed to be but should fit into the quilt okay.

Now on to the August Block!

Design Wall Sunday August 11, 2013

Started a new baby boy quilt tonight after dinner. Here is the link to the pattern:

http://christaquiltsblog.com/2012/08/29/diy-quilts-2-1-baby-bricks-supply-list/

I am thinking about using their quilting guidelines to machine quilt this myself

Comfort and Joy -Section 8 Done!

While my dear husband went golfing this afternoon I was able to finish Section 8 of the Comfort and Joy quilt!  It is a great sense of accomplishment to get this top done!  Thanks to my quilt mentor and aunt Bonnie for helping me get this done

 

Then I sewed the whole top together!  I like how it came out. Two issues though..... The left side of the top was about two inches shorter than the right side!  So I added a strip of fabric to the bottom of the angel block. Second issue is that one of the fabrics ended up meeting in the middle of the quilt. I thought about changing it but then decided to just leave it. 

Next decision is how to do the borders.  Not sure whether or not I will do the appliqué on it or not.  I am leaning toward just some fun Christmas fabrics.  What do you think?