Thursday, July 24, 2014

Productivity of a different kind

Hey there,  not a lot of quilting going on today but we got our second chest of drawers assembled and moved into our bedroom.  They look pretty good. Her

Sign production

Hey there,
  Mr. Her is wondering if you are starting a etsy store for signs or if you have back order requested signs to make?
Her

Two more days of being productive before holidays!

I took Mr. Her's advice and put the blue as the binding.  It looks great!!

I found something that Mr. Her needs: 

You have to admit, it's pretty cool!!

I finished the top of the ballerina quilt:
I left this on our bed because I had to go golfing.  Mr. Me didn't even complain so I might be able to keep it on our bed!!  This is another one I want to finish when I come to visit!!  I'm planning on coming up middle of  August.

I finished all the baby blankets for Carrie and Brad.  The material that Carrie picked out is so cute!!  I love the birds and elephants. 

I ran down to Noonan and picked up more material.  I have a slight obsession with Basic Grey - Grunge.  I'm not sure I bought enough!!

I found a couple of patterns to use all of this in but now I need the lighter colours for each of the bright colours.

I bought a range of blues for a Norther Lights quilt for Mr. ME's Mom.  Not sure when we are going to give it to her.  

It won't be for a while because I need to find material for Mr. ME's Dad.  I'm searching for some John Deere material.  Something not too busy or kid-ish.  I think I'm going to make his a Northern Lights too.

My goal today is to exercise, do laundry, start packing, and quilting 2 quilts!!  I think I can do this because I'm going to do straight lines on one of the quilts and a meandering on the other.

Happy Thursday!
ME



Monday, July 21, 2014

Staying on the productivity train

Hello,
  Wow your update list is impressive.  I'll comment on it tonight.  I'm kind of scared to even make a list.  I just wanted to share a recent finish-a baby quilt.  It's a panel I bought in Sherwood Park when we went to the toy show in June.  I outlined all the blocks and did a loopy free motion in the border and did a cheater binding.  Not sure who it's for but I'm sure someone will be having a boy sometime this fall.  Keep up the good work.   Her
p.s.  Mr. Her says bind the Northern Lights in the dark blue that's in the middle of the quilt to tie it all together.

Sunday, July 20, 2014

ME's To-Do List - Update

It's time for my yearly check to see if I have actually accomplished something.  By accompishing, I mean actually finishing something.  I went back in the blog and looked for other to-do lists that I have made.  There were two - one from 2012 and the other from last summer! Let's take a look at what I've been up to!!

2012 Goals - Check in

The already started, just need to be finished list: (and probably haven't changed much yet)
  •  Frosted Flakes - Top is done, need material for the back, to quilt it and bind it!  I haven't looked at this one yet!  Maybe a Christmas/winter finish??
  • I have made a few more squares for this one.  I need to dedicate a weekend to making this one and get it done!  Checkered Past - red and white quilt  I haven't looked at this one in a long while!  Maybe I'll bring this to your place this summer and get it done.


  • This is the paper piecing one I was talking about in my last post.  See how wonderful it is!!  My goal is to finish this on this week!!  How Lovely Are Thy Branches - wall hanging - paper piecing is going to kill me with this one!  The top is done.  I need to find a back for it, quilt it, put the binding on it and sew on the buttons ... wonder where the buttons are ... not sure I bought them yet!!


  • I've got to get my butt in gear to get this one done for Christmas!  I just have the outer borders to put together!  I'm still planning on giving this to Mom in pieces and letting her put it all together!  Stars Around the Garden - this one is going to take a lot of patients to finish!!
I finished what I needed to for this one.  Mom decided that she could would like to finish this one.  I made all 14 blocks, cut all the other material into its required widths, packaged it up and sent her a text (at 1:08 am the other day) that said "Your quilt is ready for pick up".  

When she got here, yesterday, to pick it up, she said I thought it would be more done than this!!  I left her with all the appliquing too!! I gave her instructions, she wrote them down.  We numbered things so she knows what order to do things in.  Then I sent her home.  She sent a message last night that said where can I buy a new sewing machine.  I think she's going to get the same one that we have.

  • Material is bought and cut out!  I have one 3/4 made!  13 to make for Christmas ... I better get moving!  I am making my whole family Christmas stocking for next Christmas.  I did get the stockings done on time ... well ... I haven't finished ours yet!!

Haven't started but would like to make list:
  • I have a top done!  Chelsea wants to buy this one from me!  Not sure if I can let it go.  I really like it!! Twister - your new ruler  No change ... Chelsea bought a different one!!

  • Intersection by Sweetwater - No change ... I look at the pattern and think ... I like it and would like to make it!  No change!  I think I have some scraps that I can use for this now!!

  • No change - Mosaic - I want to do this is bright colours and white - I think this one would be fun in bright blues and white or a bright pink and white!!  I love this quilt and still want to do this!!

Here's the 2013 list - Procrastination and Taking Inventory  

*  I have a whole pile of material that needs to be used up.  I can't remember what this is!!  I did ship off an entire rubbermaid tub of scraps to you.  Does that count??

*  I've got 2 rubbermade tubs full of bluejeans taking up very valuable space!!  Mr. ME has cut all the jeans up for me.  Now I just need to do something with them.

* 11 finished quilt tops  I think I have finished one of these ... maybe two!!

Top to bottom:  Christmas tree wall hanging, halloween baby quilt, argyle quilt, curved one that I started at your place, Christmas quilt that Mom got me when I was in Taiwan, 6 scrappy squares with everything else white quilt, flannel squares quilt, Hometown quilt (that was going to be the quilt for our bed), Twister Ruler quilt,  light/dark quilt and Barn Dance quilt.

*  2 Christmas stockings  Still not done ... maybe I'll get them done for this Christmas!!

*  Ghosts and pumpkins - I need to attach the pumpkins!!  I think this is done!

*  I've also got Snowmen, like the ghost, to finish too!!

*  A stack of squares, already cut, just waiting to be sewn together.  I was going to make another Twist Ruler quilt!!  I'm still collecting material for this one, for some reason.  

*  A few practice blocks that I made so long ago that I would have to practice again before I actually do anything with them!!  I've added to the practice blocks.  I'm thinking of sending them to a quilting blog that's making quilts for kids or donating them to something.




I think I'm going to make mini pillows out of these blocks or put them into another random blue jean backed quilt.  Have I shown you the blue jean quilt that I made?  

*  Then there's the quilt that Mom bought for herself.  It was a block of the month from Quilt Patch in Moose Jaw.  It's going to be a beautiful quilt, if and when I actually get it done.  Each block takes about 1.5 hours to make.  You have to cut out lots of little pieces - squares into halves and quarters.  It takes forever to make each block.  I think there are 14 blocks that surround the centre piece.  I'm done  8 of the  14 blocks and the centre piece.  The centre piece has a bunch of appliqué on it and it hasn't been stitched down yet.  It's one of those projects that never ends!! This one really took a long time.  So glad it's out of my hands now!!!   

The top bag has the outer board in it.  I think you cut 250 3" squares and then sew them together in a random fashion.  The middle bag has the remnants from the blocks I'm done

These are the last 6 blocks:  

Here's the square I did today:
The colours look better than they do in that picture!!

*  This one needs some binding ... I ran out of white thread so I can't finish this one!!  Still need to bind this one!

I did finish the light and dark quilt top this morning:  It's in the same state ... needs backing, to be quilted and binding done!

This one was more challenging that I thought it would be.  The sewing part of it was easy to figure out.  It was challenging to determine the difference between light, medium and dark fabrics.  I have lots of mediums in the light spots!  Its still pretty small but I like it!  I don't think I'll put a border on this one.

*  I finished making the blocks for my Ballerina Quilt.  I haven't found a layout that I really like for it yet.  Once I do, there are a dozen 1/2 blocks to make to finish the top.  This one will be easy to sew together.  I have a few more rows to sew together to finish the top for this one.

*  I am still working on the red and white 9 patch quilt.  This one is another one that is never ending .... I'm sure I'll get it done some time, I'm just not sure when!  This one has been worked on for a long time!!  I have to finish it this summer!!


Do you remember this one:

This was one of the quilt tops in the pile above.  Well ... it's done and gone to a new home.
Chelsea loves it!!  I loved it and still do ... please remind me not to be sad that I sold it!!

Here are a few new ones:

* Northern Lights - Binding ... what colour???  Help!!!!

* Triangle quilt - I have a bright blue for the back!!  
When I showed this to Mom, she asked me who it was for.  I said me.  She rolled her eyes! What's with that!!  Maybe someday I will give it a way or sell it or even finish it!!!

* I finished this top the other night.  It's a Jaybird Quilts pattern.  I don't actually have the pattern, I have the ruler that she uses to make the quilt.  JayBird's version of the quilt is scrappy!!  I can't remember the name.  I used Basic Grey - Grunge material.  I have a slight obsession with this material.  I did no planning or thinking while I made this.  I just sewed the blocks together then the rows.  NO PLANNING!!!
I'm excited to start quilting this one but I don't know what to put on the back.  Need to do some thinking on this one!!!

* These are my next project.  I want to get this done before Dallas and I go on holidays.


There's more .... I found the Ballerina quilt!! I'm in the process of sewing the rows together. I have to get this done if I'm going to be able to quilt it while I'm at your place!!! 


Well ... I have actually finished a few items and still have many more to do!!  Can't wait to see your list!
Happy Sewing!
ME

PS.  Sorry I deleted your post!!

Wednesday, July 16, 2014

The roll continues!!

I'm still going!!

I'm also getting creative with wine.  Here's my first attempt at wine-pops!!  Let me tell you, they are great!!

So ... he wants proof that I can make a couch size quilt does he ... well here it is:
See much, much smaller than the other ones!!

I quilted lazy daisies in the red!  Not too bad for my first time!



Straight lines for the orange.

Circles for the blue - this one took a large amount of thread!!

Wavy lines for the light blue.  I tried clouds and rain drops but it looked terrible so I removed it.

Another little flower in the white.

I tried to do some kind of grass like thing in the green.  It kind of looks like sloppy sea-weed.  The green thread that I used sucks and kept breaking.  I'm gong to get some new green and finish quilting it later.

I'm thinking of binding it with black but I'm not 100% sure.

How's things going in your part of the world??
ME

Tuesday, July 15, 2014

I'm on a roll!!

Here's one more top done:

Do you think I'll ever figure out the correct size for a couch quilt???  I don't think it will ever happen!!  I would have blogged last night but it was late and I had to golf early this morning.

My next decision ... how to quilt this one???

I was doodling some quilting idea on the quilt.  I figured I could do some straight line quilting but it's going to take some work.  I was worried that straight lines would be too much.  Do you think I should sew over the colourful triangles on the angle or just use stitch in the ditch??  

Help!!
I'm off to quilt the Norther Lights quilt!!
Happy Sewing
ME


Saturday, July 12, 2014

Another Top Done!!

I love this pattern (Nothern Lights by Jaybird Quilts).  I think it's going to become my go-to pattern when I need something done quickly!!


I am going to quilt each row with its own colour.  I'm going to try strips, circles, swirly patterns, etc.  Each colour will get it's own pattern.  It should be pretty easy to do because it's small!!  An actual couch quilt!!  Amazing ... I know!!  Who knew I could actually make a couch size quilt!!!
Happy Sewing
ME

Thursday, July 10, 2014

Two done ... many more to finish!!

I think it's time I took inventory again.  I need a reality check and I need to know if I have room to buy more material!!  I am obsessed with the Grunge material by Basic Grey.  I love it.  I just ordered more!!  Good thing I have packed this rubber maid tub for you!!  I'm going to have to sit on it to tape it shut!!  I'll toss it on the bus because I have no idea when I'll be heading up this summer.

I went down to the Duff today for lunch with Chelsea.  I also delivered the quilt that she bought from me.  She wanted it to have a fuzzy back so I ordered blue fleece for the back.  I cut the fleece 1 inch larger than the front and used the cheater binding method.  I'm not sold on this method yet.  I think it will work better with cotton material rather than fleece.


I might regret letting go this one go because it took me so long to make and I love the bright colours but I know it's gone to a good home!!  Chelsea called me tonight to let me know that she's wrapped up in her new quilt on her bed!!

I'm going to take inventory over the next week and up date my to do list.  When was the last time I put together a to-do list??  

Happy Sewing!
ME


Summer time = Late night sewing!!

I've got a few things finished lately!!  Aren't you proud of me?!?!?!  I made a baby gift for Kevin (Mr. Me's cousin) and Sheena's little boy, Theo!  It's an X's and O's quilt with a panel in the middle.  I'm pretty proud of how the quilting turned out for the tree. 

I also finished the quilt that my cousin, Derek's wife Carla asked me to make for their little guy Tucker.  I think it turned out great except as I was making the binding, I didn't realize that I put it on wrong-side out.  Didn't notice that the seam was sticking out until I sewed over top the 4th one.  Oooops!!!  It's a pretty big ooops.  I didn't fix it either because I was 1/2 way around the quilt before I noticed it.  I think it adds character to it.  Yep ... I'm going with that ... character!!

Since I finished two, I've started two!!  
I have fallen in love with Basic Grey's fabric line called Grunge.  Its solid colours with some texture on them.  Love them!!  I bought two jelly rolls of this material below.  I'm adding white triangles inbetween one below.


This is the second quilt I started.  I actually started this one about 10 pm tonight!!!  I love Jay Bird Quilts pattern called Northern Lights.  Since I have the ruler and I bought some great material, I thought I should give it a try.  I took a look at the pictures and then drew myself a pattern, measured the material and cut it out.  I sewed two rows together to see what it was going to look like.  I think I have it right.  Might be a little skinny!!  

I have a bunch of other items to be working on but this is way more fun!!  What have you been up to lately?  I have most of my scraps and odds/ends into a rubber maid tub for you.  I'll ship them on the bus before the end of this week.  Then you will be loaded up with scraps!!!

Happy Sewing!
ME