So much beautiful work...

I'm just amazed (I don't know why) at the creativity of my small Tuesday group of women. There are only seven of us and yet the work that comes out of the group is astounding. Truly. I know I've said it before, but I'm saying it again, "I'm so blessed and grateful to be a part of it."

Here's what was going on this week...

Pat A was working on a Scrappy Many Trips Around the World and look at that color!! This is totally out of character for Pat, but it's a gift and she's been having fun making it. I love it and can't wait to see it all together.

Karen was working on another embroidery panel quilt. She is so fast and does such exquisite work. This photo really does not do it justice. This panel is on my "to do" list.

Katie got her baby quilt back from the quilter and shared it with us. Isn't it adorable and so colorful. Such cute fabric!

here's the back...

Pat P is almost to the point in her Modern Wedge quilt where she can sew her blocks together. Yeah Pat!

And lastly, I wanted to show your our little mascot in our Thursday quilting group. His name is Teddy and he is the best behaved little pooch. He's so cute. He sits directly across the table from me and he occasionally turned in my direction to see what was going on. It's kinda funny.

Take care,

I know I said I had three quilts to baste...

but I was wrong. I went looking for the other two quilts and I could only find this one. My version of the very popular Scrap Vomit.

I had already basted, quilted, and bound the other one and completely forgot about it. Ooops! That's a good thing - not that I forgot about it, but that's it's already finished!

Take care,

Planning ahead...

I'm going to be very busy for the next couple of weeks because my sis is coming to visit the last week of September. I'm using her visit as impetus to get a lot of things done around the house that I've been wanting to do, but haven't made the time/had the motivation. These things won't matter to her in the least, but it will make me feel good to get them done.

My dining room is a total mess and has become a "dumping spot" since we don't use it for just the two of us. I've also got two 6 foot tables set up in there so I can baste my quilts on them.

I've got three quilt tops (this is the first) that are ready for quilting so my plan is to get them basted in the next couple of days so I can put the tables back into the garage and get that dining room cleaned and set up to be used! :)

Take care,

Another quilt done!

This has been, by far, my most productive year in a very, very long time. I'm getting so much done and I have to say it feels really, really good. Now if only I could motivate myself to finish all my UFOs instead of starting new projects. ha, ha! - that's not going to happen, although every now and then I get the urge to work on something old, so we'll see...

Anyway, I finally got the quilting and binding done on this Scrappy Chevron. I did straight-line vertical quilting, which I'm really liking these days. I find myself, more and more, attracted to the simpler forms of quilting rather than all the feathers and curlicues I used to do.

It's quite a mix of fabrics and colors but as with all scrappy quilts, it all works together.

This will be in the shop tomorrow late afternoon.

Take care,

Great fabric...

I'm sure it will come as no surprise that I made another Zip and Go bag. But, this one is a little different because I used a new Robert Kaufman fabric from Jennifer Sampou's Shimmer line. I'm telling you... it's gorgeous fabric. This is the Stone colorway.

I love this bag and think it's the perfect "evening" bag. It's not too small and it's not too big, and it's easy to keep track of since it's cross-body or over the shoulder, but it's elegant and just a tiny bit "shimmery." The pattern is the Zip and Go.

I took this in to show my Thursday group today and one of the gals bought it. My husband is perturbed that I don't let him take them into his workplace to show his co-workers before I sell them, but I just get too excited! One of these days he'll get a chance to take some into work. :)

I've got a new Chevron Scrappy quilt top and a Scrap Vomit quilt top all ready to sandwich and quilt, but I just can't seem to tear myself away from making bags long enough to get them finished. *sigh* There are just not enough hours in the day!

Take care,

I cannot stop...

I just can't stop making mug rugs! I use them all the time and finally have trained DH to use them. He always says, "they're too pretty to use" and I tell him, "I can make more." That's an understatement, if I ever heard one.

They're here, if you're interested.

Linking up with Inspire Us Thursday.

Take care,

Playing catch up!

Since February is my birthday month I decided I was going to thoroughly enjoy it. So, I sorta took the month off from blogging, and it felt relaxing and rewarding to step away from the computer. But, I certainly don't mean to imply that I didn't do anything creative because that was not the case at all.

I finished the quilting on my Gothic Prairie quilt and love, love, love how it looks. Just simple wavy, horizontal lines across the quilt. I'm torn about this, but I've decided I will be selling this quilt in my etsy shop. It will be listed there in the next couple of days.

I also made the decision to re-start my Goodnight Irene quilt, and I used some of the previous sewn-together blocks to make mug rugs (I forgot to take pics) for friends and this cute little basket (which has already been used quite a bit).

I joined a new mini group. It's geared towards a more "artsy" or at least, less traditional approach to quilting, although we can work on whatever we want. I like the attitude and the sense of freedom that comes with it. We've been meeting a little over a month now and I'm really enjoying it and my new friends. We all have different skill levels and different interests so it makes it educational as well as inspirational - plus it's just so much fun!!

I found that I needed a ironing pad/carrier in order to take my iron with me to group meetings so I searched online and found this pattern. I was able to make it in one afternoon, after I located and purchased the ironing board fabric and the insul-bright. It was easy enough to assemble and sew, although it was slow sewing since it's five layers of batting, fabric, insul-bright, and ironing board fabric. I just used the walking foot and took it slow, being careful to check the backside to make sure it was lying smooth and that I was catching all the edges in my binding. It's clever, don't you think? My husband loves it! I've been asked the question, "is it possible to set a hot iron down on it?" and I honestly don't know the answer. I'm planning on letting the iron cool off somewhat before I pack it up, but if someone does know I would love to hear about it.

I made a new zipper pouch for carrying threads to quilting class. I know I read somewhere what to do when making bags with zippers like this one so that the zipper wouldn't ripple. Darned if I can remember where I read it or what it was I should do. If anyone knows, I would love to be reminded.

I've also signed up for a couple of classes being held in the next couple of months. Two are bag classes and one is a quilt class with Louisa L. Smith. I'm excited!

And, I've been knitting socks again. So fun! I've missed it and so far, it doesn't seem to be a problem for my shoulder. Yeah!! Tesserae pattern in BMFA Socks That Rock lightweight, Purple Rain colorway. Just finishing up the toe on the second sock! 

and, finally... I'm presently working on this... a Scrap Vomit!! The blocks are on the design wall, but I need to make just a couple more before I can sew the quilt top together. I've been working on this on Tuesdays and Thursdays when I'm at my quilt group meetings.

Whew! That was a lot of effort! Both writing this post as well as all the sewing/quilting/knitting, but I'm not complaining. I haven't gotten this much accomplished this quickly in a very long time.

Take care,

Reminds me of a lovely summer day!

I made this quilt a couple of years ago and stuck it in my pile of quilts and promptly forgot about it. I guess that's because I made two quilts - same design, same fabrics - one just a lot bigger than this one. Well, I don't need two of them! :)

So this one is in the shop!

Take care,

Love making these!!

I do... I love making these "mug rugs". They are so much fun and the kind of sewing I need when I've had a stressful day. I can just sit and "play" with fabric.

They are in the shop, if you're interested.

Take care,

Still working on the HST/values quilt top...

I had hoped to have my quilt top all sewn together by now, but instead of staying home yesterday and finishing it up, I went out to lunch with a friend. The quilt top isn't going anywhere, right?

My wrinkly design wall is situated on the wall behind my sewing table with my ironing board in between. I get up and down to iron a lot when I'm sewing... probably way more than I need to, but I view it as exercise so I keep doing it.

My cutting table is on the other end of the room and requires even more walking back and forth, both to the sewing machine and design wall. Maybe that's why sometimes I don't seem to work very quickly. :))

I've wanted to make one of these quilts for a long while now and so far, I'm liking how it's coming along. Maybe tomorrow I'll be able to start sewing the blocks into rows and assembling the top.

I also dragged out my hexagon diamond blocks (I can't find the link to an earlier post that showed quite a few of them - sorry about that) that I was working on a while ago and started thinking about how I can use them in a different way than I was originally planning. I pulled some fabrics and now they are sitting in their own little pile waiting for me to get inspired.

And, if that isn't enough, I've started pulling fabrics for a Fractured quilt. Sally took the class with Kathy and had rave reviews so that inspired me to want to make it. I finally got the book a couple of days ago and have been picking Sally's brain about how to choose fabrics, etc, etc.etc. I love her quilt and the fabrics she's used so far. I'm sure she's sick of my emails, but I do appreciate her knowledge and help. Vicki is also going to be making one so I'm going to join in with her and do it in September. I'm hoping that a lot of you will join in too... the more the merrier, right?

Take care,