It's Been a While

 A lot has been going on here including some sewing / piecing / quilting. In no particular order...

This handsome guy is back again.  So funny, Bella went to check him out, he jumped up about a foot and move to the edge of the patio. He then proceeded to hiss and stamp his foot at Bella until he determined she couldn't get near him. Then he laid down again.

My first feathers on the long arm. This is a table runner that I got off the guild free table. I'll show all of it once the binding is sewn down.

This guy was walking across the patio and just plopped. Guess he was trying to cool down his belly.

Quilted a top that was donated to the Q4K group.

Table toppers with binding machine sewn.

Did a different design on each. They were fun to do. I got them from the Q4K free table and gave them back to JoAnne to use for her monthly raffles.

Lots of progress on the Wensleydale quilt. I already want to make another one.

I thought this was a great idea! And I have lots of old prescription containers. I hate throwing them away but I don't know of any place where they can be recycled.

Bella loves her boxes.

Next top to be quilt. Donna made it and hated it. I have no clue how I'm going to quilt it. Can't use a pantograph as she has a flange border around the center panel.

I had to go with Plan B fabric choice after the first quilt-along tutorial was released. The eye and claws would not have shown up on the black background fabric I wanted to use for the body, it is now the spike fabric. It took two days to cut out all of the little pieces. The pattern is not beginner friendly. You really have to pay attention to each step... but I love how he is turning out. I'm already planning on making another one.

How Did I Do?

I mentioned a few posts ago that my to-be-quilted pile was getting out of hand.  I think I said I had 32 tops that needed to be quilted. I really had 38. I had six table toppers from the Q4K free table that I had sewn together into a quilt top, then I changed my mind and took them apart. When I did that, I deleted the top from my spreadsheet but didn't add the table toppers back in.

Four of the table toppers are now quilted.

I used a single back for all. 

I played around with the quilting and did something different in each one.

Now I need to do some marathon binding...two are done, four more to go.

So what are my stats for May?

Started with: 38

Added: 2 (community service quilts from my guild)

Quilted: 9

Ending with: 31

Most of the nine were table toppers, but they are quilted and marked off of my spreadsheet. Unfortunately there are still a lot to be quilted.

I did it my way...

 ...and I haven't messed up since.

Eleven Wensleydale blocks are done and two more are prepped for sewing. It takes about two hours to make two blocks as I have to trim after I sew the seams. While time consuming, they are fun and easy to make.

A few finishes...both missing binding.

The last of the Xmas table toppers...looks like I scribbled all over it.

The charming stars quilt. WAAAAA, I miss Joann's. I love the flannel on the back. It was a wide back that I have put on at least three other quilts. If I piece the leftover parts I have enough for one last small quilt.

I've signed up for another sew along.

Astrid at Apples & Beavers is having a sew along beginning June 1. I have loved this dragon since the first time I saw him. So cute!

This is my fabric pull.

I haven't 100% decided on a background fabric, I have a couple of strong contenders. I've purchased the patterns for the crown and bird but haven't decide if I'm going to add them yet.

Can't wait to start.

Oops

 I started working on the first two Wensleydale blocks...and sewed them wrong (both blocks) ...unsewed them (both blocks), sewed them correctly (both blocks) then trimmed them wrong...both blocks in different ways. So frustrating. I said a few bad words (I really do have a potty mouth), whined (and had a glass of wine), and pouted. I also totally lost my enthusiasm for the project and all other sewing.

My guild had their quilt show this past weekend. I entered Wind Drifter - the first quilt I've ever entered into a show.

The ribbon is an Honorable Mention. The comments I received from the judge were interesting and positive. The only negative was on my points and seams matching up. Fair enough. I've always been a believer that if you can't see it from a moving train it's fine.

Earlier this year I went to a quilter's estate sale. One item I bought (I think I paid $5 for everything) was this finished quilt top that included the backing and binding fabric.

My picture doesn't do the quilt justice. It has some very rich browns and golds. It will be donated to my Q4K group.

Angela belongs to a national Quilts for Kids organization. A Moda fabric and pattern designer lives in the area and regularly donates sample fabric and blocks from her new designs to their free table. The members are allowed to take them and use them however they want. Angela gave me a few of the finished blocks and some scraps that she had picked up then decided she didn't want.

I don't have many small quilts or table runners that say "Spring". So last month I made a little wall hanging and table runner using some of the already made blocks.

Pretty much brainless sewing. I had fun quilting both this past week. 

Now I need to put my big girl panties back on, stop pouting and start working on Wensleydale again.

Wensleydale

 

Lots of progress was made on lots of things.

Bella helped me sew on the sleeve and label to my Wind Drifter quilt. I submitted it as my first quilt to be displayed at our guild quilt show next month.

I got the back made and the top quilted and bound. This is a top that was donated to the Q4K group. I had the same mouse fabric in my stash so choosing a binding fabric was an easy decision.

A while back I had an idea for a quilt based on this picture:

I had a cute dog charm pack and a coordinating brown. Once it was cut out and all laid out on the design wall I decided it was horrible...especially the brown...but I kinda sorta liked the brown with another fabric in my stash. On to Plan B.

I've been having trouble sleeping, I started cutting out the two other fabrics about 9 p.m. The top with one border was finished about 2ish a.m. I added the second border the next day. I really like how this gingham inspired quilt turned out. With borders it is about 50" square.

Have you seen Jen Kingwell's Wensleydale quilt? It is in her Quilt Recipes book. I'm using the foundation paper and following the sew-along videos provided by Quilted Chicken. 

I got everything cut out and grouped this past weekend.

The one area that doesn't seem to be showing any progress is my "to be quilted" closet, it is getting out of hand. Per my spreadsheet I have 32 tops that need to be quilted. Not all of them were made by me. The sizes run from mug rugs to king sized - but they all need quilted and finished.

It doesn't include this small wool runner I loaded and quilted today (still needs binding). I think beginning in May I'm going to post how many tops come in and how many quilts go out each month. Hopefully the list will get smaller, not bigger.

Negative Progress

 Two steps forward and four HUGE steps back. It took forever to load the smaller Aunt Daisy quilt onto the frame. Then I had a friend from California visit and family for Easter. Earlier last week I started quilting using a Baptist Fan pantograph...Absolutely hated it! Hated it so much the pantograph is in my guild donation pile.

It took almost 20 minutes after each pass to line up the next row and I still didn't get it right. I quilted four rows, said a very very bad cuss word, and took the quilt off the frame and chucked the pantograph. I plan to take all the quilting out. So frustrating.

On a positive note, I finish one of my oldest UFOs.

This was the last Project Linus mystery quilt (I miss them). Started in 2023. I still had four blocks to make. Decided I didn't like one of the original blocks, so I created my own...the coral and shells in the bottom left. The instructions for this quilt were fantastic with great ironing instructions. The blocks and rows were easy to put together and all the seams nested!

Next up is adding a sleeve to Wind Drifter. I'm entering my first quilt into our guild show next month. I also have a back to make for the next quilt I'm going to load on the frame. Hopefully progress will be made.

Up and Running Again

The Moxie is up and running again. I'm using the new off market bobbin I ordered from Amazon. So far so good...except...it doesn't like pre-wound bobbins. I love using pre-wound bobbins, so this may be a problem.

I finished two tops that were donated to Q4K.

This pink one took forever.  All ruler work, but kind of a boring design.

Quick finish. Simple meander. Whoever made the tops did a nice job, both are cute patterns.

I added a border and quilted one of my small quilts. 

When I went to mark it as done in my project log I noticed a note that I didn't want a border and the binding was already made.... oops. Oh well I like it with a border too.

My dining room staging area is full again. I'd picked a new UFO to work on, decided to go in a different direction, hated it, tried something else, hated it, third times the charm right...right...but...I decided to use a different background fabric. What to do with the old, already cut background fabric? Start another quilt of course. Both are sitting on the dining room table waiting their turn.

While I was suffering through the above, I pulled another UFO (I have lots) and started working on it. I'll show the progress on it in my next post.

I also made the modifications to my coat.

Not the best picture. The coat is still a little big, and I left the sleeves a little long intentionally. Overall I really like it. Of course, now that it's done the temps have been in the high 70s. I think coat weather is over.