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.