new thinking for a new year . . .

Happy New Year!!  A new year always feels so fresh and sparkly . . . a clean slate on which to start over (or press on) . . . a new opportunity to get it right!  But so much for a clean *stash* slate. Between spending time destashing and spending time shopping (and even spending some time stitching) my slate is already showing bigger overall numbers than it did for the whole of 2015!

Ha!!  How's that for a first report?! I really went through all my yardage with an attitude of, "Does it have a purpose . . . does it bring joy?"  If it couldn't be yes to one of those, in the to-go bag it went, to the tune of 48.5 yards. And I was on the lenient side. I think I'll give it a couple of months and then go through it all again. Since I ended the year with an accumulated total of better than 200 yards, it's obvious my stash needed some pruning!

I used up a half of a yard preparing all my EPP 'houses' for the Hexie Birthday Swap. It adds up pretty quickly, eh?  I have all of them (seventeen, including one for me and an extra one for Sarah) for the year cut and ready to be basted together (with the exception of several ladies who haven't made a color/fabric choice yet) . . .

And a lonely little Chrysanthemum for a late-comer to the club. Between those and this . . .

my poor, neglected POTC block, I should have enough to keep my stitching on a slow Sunday afternoon!

And then the purchase . . . I purchased more fabric in the space of one day at the New Year's Day sale at Patches & Stitches, than I purchased in the entire of 2015. CRAZY! But, to my credit, it's got a specific purpose! Our Stitcher's group is doing a block swap.  Six blocks (a 3.5" nine-patch) for sixteen ladies.  So 96 blocks (by June)! Here's the quilt the blocks are for . . . 

It's really lovely, but I'm not convinced I'll be using my blocks for that particular look. We're using all Civil War fabrics and a cream.  Here's what I picked up for my offerings:

Isn't that gorgeous??? Oh yeah, and those are some beads I picked up for 'snowflakes'! But back to that fabric.  I just loooooove it!!

Yup, it'll be fun playing with this stuff! The nice thing about going to the sale with a bunch of gals from the Stitcher's group . . . we didn't get the same fabrics -- lots of variety -- spice of life.  ;)

I've challenged myself in several quilty/crafty ways for 2016. For one thing, I've got way too many UFOs hanging around. Most are pieced and just need to be backed and quilted, but I've got an older one where the piecing needs to be finished. Anyway, I'm tired of them taking up space. So when I saw that All People Quilt was sponsoring a UFO Challenge, I jumped right on it! I printed and filled out my list of UFOs . . .

On January 1, I hopped over to the APQ webpage to see which number I'd be working on. Would you believe it?

Number 2! LOL! My Christmas Hexie Topper. I didn't realize how old this was.

Hmmmm.  The reason this is unfinished is because I've never determined exactly what I wanted to do with it! Any ideas?! Hahahaha! If this particular challenge is of interest to you, you can check it out HERE! 

My second goal is to complete a very modest two Christmas ornaments per month, for a total of 24 by the time next Christmas rolls around.  

I loved the wool snowman and the Christmas tree, so for January, I'll stick to one of each of them! This way, when I'm wanting to attach a little something handmade to a special gift, it's already crafted, and I don't feel the pressure of *having* to stitch into the wee hours to have something ready.

My third goal is to reduce my stash this year, in a significant way (hopefully a combination of use and gifting away anything I don't find appealing anymore) -- and not to purchase *anything* that doesn't have a specific purpose! 

And finally, I want to keep my Nook in better order! I spent the better part of a day cleaning/tidying/tossing so I could sit down and create. I am definitely one who needs order! And the Nook was rather chaotic (it's a small space -- it doesn't take much)!

So, what about you?  Any specific quilting/stitching/crafting goals for 2016?

I'll be linking up to Patchwork Times and Kathy's Quilts!  Enjoy the remainder of the weekend!!

:)

busy, busy, busy . . .

A happy finish ... well, piecing finish, anyway . . .

I so love the way this pretty little Christmas twisted hexie looks!!  The basting stitches are still intact -- I haven't removed my template pieces, yet.  Now my quest to find an appropriate 'skirt' for it!  I think it will make a gorgeous holiday table covering!

I put my fall fabrics to good use and made another spirograph topper.  I think this may be my go-to project for a pretty little hostess gift.

But I think I may play around a bit with the center applique, too. Any thoughts? I made the center of this one a bit smaller than my original, and I don't think I'll do that again.  I *did* miter the corners of the borders on this one -- and I *will* do that again!

I got out and about a bit this weekend.  Our church had a huge yard sale to benefit the children and youth ministries.  I was mostly good.  I found a couple of fun things for Ellie's dress-up trunk and lucked into this group of silk ties . . .

For a buck!  I figured that between Easter eggs and crazy quilting, I'd be able to put these to very good use!

I also headed over to one of my favorite quilt shops.  I needed backing fabric for Pixelated and Hooked on Quilting was having a guild appreciation sale -- 25% off! So I headed there and found the brown Civil War print (on the left):

It works well with the muted red binding and the front, I think, and will be good for a son to roll around in. I've decided I really do need to machine quilt this, since it is for James ... now I just need to settle on how I'm going to quilt it.  Both the pattern *and* the logistics in the RV!  

I also grabbed some 'burgundy' (the photo doesn't translate that well, I'm afraid) for our guild's 2-1/2" strip exchange that starts next month.  

And I filled up my Martindale card and picked up this book on Baltimore Album blocks (which I *WILL* make one day).  Now I get a freebie book!  Yay!

I also have this fun thing pieced and ready to put a back to:

I'd won the strip kit for it in March and got a hankering to put it together. So I did (minky is a *mess* to work with, by the way!).  But then I needed a back in keeping with the front!  I swung by Sirs, where I remembered seeing the Dr. Seuss prints in wide minky.  Sure enough, I found what I think will make the perfect backing from that same line:

Don't you think?  Technically this won't be a quilt -- the minky is so thick, it really doesn't need batting.  I'm going to stitch the outside edges together (with the right sides facing), then pull it inside-out and 'quilt' down the vertical lines. It'll be an interesting finish!

All that fabric shopping injected another healthy dose into my August stash report, but I also will have some big yardage finishes to include, which will help balance things out!  Linking up this post to Judy Laquidara's Patchwork Times and Design Wall Monday and Kathy's Quilts Slow Sunday Stitching.

Before I head out to tackle the world, thought I'd share some of my favorite peeps . . .

Todd is *thoroughly* enjoying retirement and the ability to grow a beard!  I have to admit that I find him quite dashing in the beard and I'm enjoying the "Duck Dynasty" commando look!

Sawyer is now a dragon whisperer.  Seriously.

He's making up wonderful dragon stories and everything -- his imagination is quite vivid!  I got the dinosaur costume for him last October -- and he'd carry it, but refused to wear it.  Until just this past month or so. Gotta love it!

Ellie's driving.

Good gravy, slow the growing down!!  That's a smile she's sporting, just in case you're not sure.  She's pretty much able to give Sawyer a run for his money these day!  She's a clever little chatterbox, too -- Joc asked her to sing her ABC's and Ellie replied, "A, B, C . . . no more!"  Sassy pants!

June is ... well, at home she's called the Princess Baby.  

I think that means she's queen of the show -- I know she's got both daddy and big brother wrapped around her little fingers! 

With a smile (and giggle) like that, who can resist?!

Have a GREAT week!

:)

two in a row . . .

Posts, that is.  Quite out of the norm for me these days, isn't it?!  But I couldn't resist showing off a bit!

I bustled out to the closest LQS yesterday morning, and spent an hour or so with the pieced top spread out over a couple of tables, interviewing fabrics for the border and binding.  The binding was an easy pick for me, but the binding took a couple of tries.  I finally ended up with this combination:

The black print for the border and the red for the binding. Many thanks to Sharon, at Patches & Stitches, for all her help (and putting away all those bolts)!

Like I could walk into a quilt shop and *just* get what I came for.  I spotted the Christmas fabrics and, with a very specific project in mind (more on that later in the month...no, definitely not tomorrow), I scooped up these lovelies:

I'd say my August stash report is blown, but since I've got a top finished, that'll take care of that!

And . . . because I just realized I didn't have an 8.5" square ruler . . .

I can't believe I made all those blocks way back when, without an 8.5" ruler! Was I mad???  I threw in a package of my favorite redwork/embroidery needles, too.

After a quick stop at the grocery store (Todd has to eat, even if I could quilt through dinner), I hurried home to get BUSY!

I'm so, so pleased with how this turned out!!!  Here's the original pattern and what we were going for (20 of us participated in this block swap):

She used jewel tone batiks, which are really pretty, but our group agreed to use Civil War prints and shirting for the blocks (this is when I realized how beautiful and rich CW prints were and how much I love them). Her pattern calls for 48 blocks.  Here's my finished top with 40 blocks:

Yup, I'm totally in love with this!  The four corner blocks make it, for me . . .

And I did something new-to-me . . . I mitered the corners of the border around the corner blocks!

You really can't see it, but I think that's part of the charm.  It really does make the block look like it's floating.  Mitering the corners wasn't too tough, once I figured out how to do it.  I will say that I was glad it was only happening in one corner!  LOL!  I used a video tutorial by Penny Halgren to help me figure it all out.

There are so many things I could name this ... but when I texted a picture of it to my son, he commented how striking it was to him -- that it reminded him of pixels of color, all coming together to make a picture.  Since he's a graphics design guy, that makes sense.  I think I may gift this to him and call it Pixelated!  :)

Now I just have to decide how to quilt it . . . but that can wait.  I just had to have the top pieced for Thursday's show & tell!!

:)

a finish, a start, and a ufo-no-mo . . .

Well, a UFO no more, almost.  Well, not even that.  Random blocks no more. Actually, a completed, pieced top in the making and almost finished.  But that doesn't work as well in the title!

I can't believe it's been almost TWO year since I received these Journey Steps blocks from a block swap my Stitcher's Group had . . .

I blogged about it here.  And I took the blocks off my wall and didn't fool with them again.  I didn't particularly want to make any more blocks.  And then there was the dilemma I had with a couple of them being too small.  *But* we'd agreed to share our finished tops as a group at this month's guild meeting. Which is Thursday.  And I was feeling the pressure to participate.  So I pulled them out . . . 

. . . and started playing around in EQ to see if I could find a setting I liked and could work with, without having to make more blocks. These are some options I came up with:

A six-by-six block placement allowed me to square up the setting and use all the blocks .... by using the smaller blocks as cornerstones in the border.  

Then I decided I wanted the corner blocks to be inset in the border:

The center is now pieced!  I like this *SO* much better than the original placement.

I'm headed out to one of my LQSs to pick out a Civil War print for the border and one for the binding.  I do believe I'll have show and tell for Thursday!  (Although when it will actually be quilted, bound, and completely finished, who knows???) Linking up to Judy Laquidara's Patchwork Times and Design Wall Monday!

I also finished up my little September apple block:

What fun it was!  I even bit the bullet and FMQ'd little leaves all over the plaid. I'm particularly pleased with the result.  And now I'm all ready for a new month in my little quilt stand!

Finally, I started a new project . . . 

This is from Edyta Sitar's Seasonal Silhouettes collection -- the October block (surprise, surprise)!  I purchased three sets of the laser cut kits.  AWESOME!  I'll frame it out and then quilt it.  It's too big to go in my quilt stand, but I want to leave them as stand-alones.  (I have two more kits -- November's and December's!)

And I also 'dabbled' in cream cheese mints last weekend ... for a friend's daughter's wedding reception. Three hundred eighty cream cheese mints.  

Whew!  Her colors were sunflower yellow and azure blue.  And sunflowers decorated everything -- my kind of decor! The wedding was beautiful and the mints were a hit. I'm just glad they're not in my house any more!

I'm off to get into my Monday groove!  Y'all have a *great* week!!

:)

a delightful surprise . . .

I became fascinated with Civil War fabrics midway through 2011--right around July--when my Stitcher's Group decided to do a block swap using CW fabrics.  I've admitted before that up until that time, I really had no interest in CW fabrics, thinking they'd be dull and dark; and I've admitted how wrong I was!

After shopping for fabrics for this swap -- picture HERE -- I totally fell in love with CW reproduction fabrics and decided to to a little investigating into the fabrics and what people did with them.  That search resulted some fabulous finds, one of my favorite being Barbara Brackman's blog, Civil War Quilts.  On each Saturday of 2011 she posted a block and tied the block's name into the history of the Civil War.  Each block was crafted in CW fabrics and included wonderful instructions for recreating the block (it was a quilt along, for those who got in on it early enough).  

 

33 Indiana Puzzle

I found the entries (and the blocks and the fabrics) fascinating and immediately subscribed to the blog.  Since I didn't find it until late in August, I new I wouldn't be going back and making all the blocks, but for several weeks I truly enjoyed pulling up the Saturday post and thumbing through my CW fabrics and reproducing the blocks.  Then September rolled around with the weekend conference, followed by the Jamboree, followed by my foot surgery and while I continued to read and enjoy the weekly blog posts, I didn't make any more blocks.

 

35 Star of the West

But I made three ... the two above and this one:

 

#36 Kentucky Crossroads

And all of them I uploaded to the Flickr group associated with the blog, which generated some nice chatter and led me to some other interesting blogs . . . but I really didn't think anything more about it. 

Until I got an e-mail from Barbara Brackman herself.  Wow!  That was cool enough as it was, but what was even cooler was that she wants to include my rendition of the Kentucky Crossroads block in the book she's creating from the project.  See the original from Barbara's blog HERE.

HOW COOL IS THAT?!?

Of course I said yes (of course!) and emailed the completed documentation right back to her.  She says it will be about a year before the book is ready to hit the shelves, but when it does, a photo of my handiwork will be in it!  Wow!

I promise I won't get a big head or anything.  LOL!

:)

what's that refrain?

Oh yeah.

Same song, second verse,
A little bit louder and a little bit worse!

LOL! Well, maybe not a little bit worse, but I did feel like I was perhaps living out a scene from Goundhog's Day. Even the view out the window was the same . . .

Gray, cool and dreary. Oh wait -- there's rain! Loverly! That does make it an extra good day for stitchery, right? I was going to share window pictures throughout the day again, but since they all looked the same (again), I figured I'd save the bandwidth. If you really want to, you can just scroll back up to this window view every couple of paragraphs. Hah.

I was a little bit ahead of where I was at this time on Thursday. I'd gone ahead and sewn all my strips together so they were ready to be pressed and cut. I got that done in no time. I admit, I started the day feeling a little cocky about getting this second set done.

I didn't plan it, but I'm glad it worked out that I was playing with these two particular fabrics on the second day. I love that cheddar print. It's gorgeous and fascinating and captivating. I could have looked at it all day long. Ummmm . . . . . . yeah. The shirting I picked to go with it is really beautiful too. It was during my shop for these fabrics that I realized how rich and beautiful CW prints are.

Look at my "little Indians" all stacked up in neat little rows! When I'm working on something this size, I like to work in increments. Each one of these stacks represented one block. Since I was making twenty blocks, I worked with them in groups of five.

Before I got to stitching, I decided I'd better do a little PMS (preventative maintenance service) (what were you thinking?!?!?) on my machine. I'd taken a lot of stitches the day before and so a quick twist with the screwdriver and removing the plate and . . .

Whew! Yeah, glad I did that -- it was full of fuzz and lint. While I was at it, I replaced my needle, too. Now I'm jazzed and ready to sew!

I did a lot of chain piecing. A. Lot. Of. Chain. Piecing.

Round one. I got them snipped and pressed and grouped up ready for round two. I started running round two through the machine and hit a thread snag. Literally.

What in the world? This happened once yesterday, too. Thread was still feeding through the needle, but it was piling up on the other end of the needle too. Gah. As I started to pull the thread off the spool to re-thread the machine, I found this:

It rolled of my spool this way!!! What?!?!? I was very put out. It's the same thread I always use for piecing -- dual duty, cotton thread, cement gray ... I must have gotten a bad spool. Sheesh. Just out of curiosity, what do you consider the best thread for piecing?

Round three. The task ahead still looks ginormous and impossible. Ugh. What was I thinking?!?

Round four, chugging along. I sewed with my right (cast) foot up and my left foot pushing the pedal. I'm a sight, that's for sure.

Round five ... I'm seeing light at the end of the tunnel!

It kinda cracks me up -- it looks like the same photo, over and over and over. But I promise it's not!

And finally, all the stitch work is DONE! All that's left is to unpin, press and trim. Whoohooo!!!!

It really is a nice looking block. It'll be fun to deliver my two stacks today and come home with 38 different blocks, along with two of my own!

Wanna take bets as to what's on my design wall come Monday?!?

:)