100 Day Challenge

Since I find I work better with goals and breaking down projects into steps, I decided to join in with yet another challenge.

Sponsored by Jen at Quilter in the Closet, is a 100 day challenge to get three projects done and off your to-do list.

My three projects are as follows:

• Finish the Bonnie Hunter Mystery Quilt top.  Right now I am about halfway through and really so close to the end it hurts.  But, knowing me, I will let other projects get in the way.  So I want the top finished so I can start looking for borders and backing. 
• My thick purple socks.  The first sock has been in a state of suspended animation for a couple of years now.  I want them done so I have them to wear around the house this winter.  Texter doesn't like the yarn, says it's too rough, so hopefully they will remain on my feet.
• "Harley Quinn" cosplay outfit for Texter.  I have the pattern and I want to do a muslin rough draft before I cut into the fabric (which I have, but some incidentals I still need to get).  And it's something I need to have finished by the end of May, but I also want to do a cosplay outfit for myself and for Lady K (and probably Savvy).  So I need to get sewing on this one first.

With reference to my sock project, the couple of socks I have started already...well, I have second-sock-syndrome.  So hopefully this challenge will cure me of it.

So 100 days and three projects.  Wish me luck!

Another Off the To-Do List and Onto the WIP List

Back when Lady K was still a small thing, I purchased a panel of flannel and the backing for a quilt for her.  And it languished in the 'to-do' pile.  So when a friend announced she was going to be a grandmother, it seemed like the perfect time to pull out the panel and move it from 'to-do' to 'WIP'.

It's not going to be a huge quilt by any means.  But it will be a nice size to throw on the floor or tuck in a stroller.  And being flannel, it will wear well.  Lady K has talked to me about the animals as I've started working on it.

But this is one of the reasons why I originally bought the panel.  I wanted to quilt it using embroidery floss and big stitches.  I plan on outlining the animals and the borders which should give it some 'quiltiness'.  I also doubled the batting to make it nice and soft and puffy.

It feels good to have embroidery floss in the needle again.  It has been years since I could rattle off the color just hearing the DMC number.  I am using all 6 strands and just outlining, but it is fun.  Enough fun I will be digging out the Christmas stocking and working on it.  But I don't plan on having it finished for this year.  

So off to knit before off to write.

Mystery Quilt and Stash Enhancement

I have committed to a friend to do the Bonnie Hunter Mystery Quilt this year.  One, because wherever KE leads, I just need to follow.  Second, it's based on Italy!  Italy...what could be wrong with a quilt based on one of my favorite countries.  So I am batik seeking.  I decided I would do it in batiks.

So the grey to the far right is my 'constant'.  Then I have my golds and I need some more black.  I have discovered one problem with my batik plan is the fluctuation in tones throughout the fabric.  So I will probably get a bit more fabric than called for by Bonnie Hunter in order to do a bit of picking and choosing for the correct look.  Now I need to get 1 more yard of blacks, some brick red and the biggie - whites.  And not just any whites.  This may be an issue too.  But I'm up to it.  KE also said I could come raid her stash and she has a stash very raidable!

In addition to the gold and black I picked up yesterday, I also found a couple of fabrics on the clearance table.

I have to double check, but I think the far left piece is part of a collection I have some fabrics to already.  And the smaller flower matches pretty well.  With them being on the clearance table I was 'forced' to buy a yard of each.  Twist my arm why don't you!

Now I need to start thinking about what colors I want for a quilt if I get accepted for the Bee Hive Swap 2016.  I'm thinking bright!  Purple and yellow maybe?   Those should be fairly easy for people to get their hands on.

It's a Mystery to Me!

November is my 'writing' month.  It's all about NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month).  So that is my excuse for agreeing to participate with a friend in a Bonnie Hunter Mystery Quilt.  This is KE's third year at doing it and my arms are very sensitive and I was distracted, so I quickly agreed.  It also helped my decision knowing Lady K and Texter will be spending two weeks at Christmas in South Carolina with the other grandmother.  Two weeks of FREEDOM! And no little hands helpin'.  So I will be able to spread out and leave things out.

Anyway, I decided to do it in batiks.  And I love the fact Bonnie gives you the 'color swatches' from the paint store as the colors for the quilt.  It really makes selecting fabrics easier than just saying 'two yards of grey'.  So I have a file folder with the initial directions printed out and the swatch cards glued to it (KE also brought me color swatches to push me over the decision edge.  Have to love enabling friends!)  I also snipped a bit off the cards and put them in a little notebook I am trying to keep all my sewing info in for reference and ease of carrying to the fabric stores.

I started with the grey, because that is suppose to be the one constant in the quilt.

I thought this piece captured the spread of the shades of grey and also the pattern would give some movement to the quilt.

Unfortunately, the whole process has me thinking of 2016 quilt plans.  Let's not think about the stuff I already have, that's stupid.  On my wish list of quilts are the following ideas...

Fancy Forest Quilt is one I would love to do.  Texter would also love for me to do it (hint, hint).

I also have my eye on a Jen Kingwell design.  (We will not discuss the several Judy Niemeyer patterns I have all ready to go!)  Gypsy Wife is what I have my eye on.

And the Tokyo Subway Map quilt is still on my 'want-to-do' list.

Needless to say, none of the quilts I want to do are 'quick and easy' in category.  And my fabric stash is very limited, which means I HAVE to build it up.  Right now, when buying fabric for anything, I usually round up to the nearest yard in order to have extra to add to my stash for future quilts.

But December will also find me combing through my bins and updating my 'project' list.

I have a couple of 'ideas' in my head for a couple of quilts.  One is my "Tree of Life" quilt.  I have a panel I need to finish calculating the borders around the panel and stitch it all up.  It will be similar to the Asian themed quilt I just did for Savvy (which needs to be quilted, by the way).  I also have fabric for and an idea for a "Batman" quilt for Texter.  I want do to a design on the quilt which looks like the old "Pow" graphic design on the TV show and comic books.

But right now, it's a search for batiks and a lot of writing.  See you in December!

Block #20 - 1930 Farmer's Wife QAL

The block was released on Thursday, two days after I had spend the morning playing catch-up.  So I was a little peeved and thought about waiting until the next one was announced so I could do two at a time.  But the current block was #20 - Caroline. Looking at the block I knew it was HST (half square triangles) and didn't want to do it as FPP (foundation paper piecing).  

Let me stop and interject here - this is not a book a complete newbie could pick up and figure out.  There are no 'step-by-step' instructions. I consider myself an intermediate quilter, but I am glad I am in this QAL for the tutorials.  I looked at the first couple and they weren't going about it the way I thought I wanted to do it - HST's.  Then I looked at Jess of The Elven Garden tutorial.  She constructed this using HST's.  And boy, did I learn a few things!

• This block reinforced the premise there is no quilt police coming after me if I don't do it a certain way.  There are alternate methods on each block (at least up to this point).
• I can press seams open!
• Jess showed me how to line up the seams so the points come out sooooooo good.
• As the leaders have said from the very start, this quilt is a learning process.  I can't wait to see what tips I pick up on the rest of the blocks.

There is still a bit of work on the points, but, boy, it's so much closer than it would have been if I had done it my usual way.  Plus, I probably wouldn't have figured out the big blocks are QST (Quarter Square Triangles) rather than HST.

Once I got my measurements figured out for the blocks, with Jess' help "Caroline" was a breeze!  I can't wait to see what I learn next. 

Farmer's Wife 1930 QAL - Week 2

This week I am playing catch-up.  With sewing for the Big Read (and life in general) I only got one of the 3 blocks completed.  Well, actually, since I am doing 2 of each block, I got 2 out of 6 done.  So today I ignored housework in order to get caught up.

I am still amazed at what a difference fabric selection makes.  Same blocks, different styles and colors make it a totally different quilt.

Some of the things I am learning and liking or not liking so far...

• Going to have to figure out getting the printer to print out correctly.  Right now I am having to 'guess' at some of the sizes of the block pieces. Don't think the directions are the best in the world or all that clear.  I would not like to be a beginner and not have this group to fall back on. I don't understand on some of the blocks why we were suppose to cut out triangles and deal with bias edges rather than making HST.  But then, that's me.
• My points are becoming a bit better, even when I feel like I am guessing at the size of the pieces.
• It takes almost as long to figure out what fabrics I want in each block as it does to make the block.  I am also finding myself paying more attention to the direction of the design and how it flows in the various directions.
• Pressing seams...I can tell there is going to be issues further down the line.  With some of the blocks and how intricate they are, pressing is going to be important.

With four blocks down, there are only 95 more to go.  I hope I am as pleased with the last four as I am with the first four.  Now, onto pj pants for Texter!

1930's Farmer's Wife QAL - First Block

So it's started.  The 1930's Farmer's Wife QAL.  And this is the first block.  They are starting us off easy so even beginning quilters can grow their skills.  Me, I'm the crazy one and doing it in two different styles of fabrics.

This block is done in more 'traditional' fabrics and I foundation paper pieced it.  Only to realize my 'inch' scale on all the 99 blocks I copied off is just a hair off.  Hmmmmm.....  So either I am going to have to deal and realize my blocks will be 5.5 inches finished or I am going to have to reprint all the pages as I go along.  Decisions, decisions.

But I think my favorite is going to be my black and white version.  Not only is it sharp looking (to me, at least), but if you look at the black with the stars - where the two blocks come together - I cut completely by accident and it pieced as a whole star. But what a difference fabric choice makes.

Overall, I am really pleased with how this block turned out.  They are now safely in their little protective sleeve and I will do the second block for the week today.  It's also fairly straight forward with regard to being squares and rectangles, so I will probably cut my fabrics the 'true' size.  Or maybe do FPP on the traditional fabric and correct size on the black and white one.  Interesting, isn't it.

Farmer's Wife 1930's QAL

I have joined a QAL starting on the 28th of this month.  There are several different ways to do the 99 blocks for this quilt, using templates, paper piecing, hand piecing, etc.  One of the reasons I want to do this quilt is the chance to practice some more complicated techniques and to practice my paper piecing skills.

A lot of the participants are using reproduction fabrics and being true to the time period and look.  I'm not really a reproduction fabric lover, so I am going a different route.  I have also signed a pledge not to start until the 28th in order to be in for a possible giveaway win.  But I have my patterns copied, my book I had spiral bound in order to use it better and I have my fabrics selected for my quilts.

Yes, quilts!  Why do anything the easy way?

I have been wanting to do a black and white quilt and selected these from my stash.  Black and white with a pop of red on the blocks for color.  I do have a bit of black/cream in there I will have to weed out unless the piece can be done on the black part of the fabric.  Texter already has her eye on this one.

The second one I am going to do is also pulling from my stash.  I have this layer cake and charm pack I need to do something with.

I figure it won't be hard to find other fabrics to fill in with these colors if needed.  

The background I am going to use on the black/white/red will probably be various light grey.  I will see what I finally use for the French General lines.

But I am really excited and figure with the quilt being spaced out over several months, I should be able to do the two quilts.  We will see.  In the meantime, back to watching Longmire and crocheting on Sophie's Universe.

"Joy"

Like I need MORE projects, I signed up at The Sewing Palace for this year long MODA U class.  The pattern we are using for this class is called "Joy" by Whirligig Designs.  This is the pattern we are using....

Of course, I have to be difficult different.  So I am going with a 'reversed' design in coloring.

And it is all because of this fabric, "Autumn Harvest" by Jason Yenter for In the Beginning Fabrics. 

Isn't it yummy?  I wanted to use all of this fabric that I could in the quilt, so I demanded decided I would go with this as my background. Not only were the colors luscious, but with the circles it brought out my love for mandalas/compass roses. This is the remainder of the fabrics I picked out.

From left to right, Dit-Dot by Jason Yenter for In the Beginning, Acacia by Tula Pink are the Racoon and the circles.  The rest is back to Autumn Harvest by Jason Yenter.  So I have 2 lights, 2 mediums (I am considering the fans medium) and then 2 darks and my background.  (I am proud of myself I remembered to jot down the fabrics I am using for the posting.)  On the pattern, I have to remember to reverse the fabrics when they specify light and dark.

Crazy, right!  I may have made the biggest design errors in selecting what I did, but I was going with my gut on this.  I just wanted these fabrics and I may be making the craziest quilt around, but right now I am happy with my choices.

This is what block 1 looks like.

It is definitely not a QUIET quilt by any means.  I can't wait to see how this quilt goes together over the next year.  I am so jazzed about it I just want to start cutting and sewing on it, but I will be a good girl and stay with the class on this one.  

It does bring "Joy" to my heart to see it and I guess that is all that matters.

WIP Wednesday

I set aside my central medallion for the Marcelle Medallion quilt.  The Y-seam was getting my goat and I was getting frustrated, so I set it aside until I could approach it without wanting to wad it up and throw it out.

So, in the meantime, Texter and Lady K threw in a couple of projects on me.

The first one, which is finished all except for the stuffing, is a large floor pillow.  Based on a McCalls pattern, I made it out of flannel from my stash.

The finished size is about 27 x 27 inches and will make a nice play pillow for Lady K.

The other project will take a little longer to accomplish.  Texter and I are making stuffed baby blocks.  I saw this tutorial on Sew Like My Mom and decided it would be nice for Lady K.  However, Texter took it a step further and wanted the entire alphabet and numbers.  

So we have the letters cut out and with fusible webbing on them, are putting them on the blocks.  I, however, got the great idea of rather than machine appliquéing them, I would do a blanket stitch around them to be sure they stay on well.  I have 6 letters down and only 30 more letters and numbers left to stitch.  But it is a great project for sitting in front of the TV in the evening and doing.

I had purchased several yards of flannel when Joann's had it on sale, so we are using it for the blocks.  Today we are finishing up cutting out 36 4.5" squares from each fabric and ironing on the letters to the different colors of blocks.  Then they will go into my stitching bag to blanket stitch before we assemble them into actual blocks.

Luckily, we have coupons for both Michael's and Joann's for polyfil.  We will need a ton of it for 36 blocks.  And a large bin to keep them in.  But can you imagine a kid sitting in a pile of cushy blocks to play with.  I want to play too!