Checklist

 

Last week I mentioned I was getting a bit overwhelmed by all the little things that needed finished or the next step completed.

How'd I do? Well, let's see...

Iron open the double flying geese and 2-patches. Sew the 2-patches into 4-patches.

Done! All the 2-patches have been paired up and I'm using them as leader-enders.

Make two more pillowcases.

Done! The Minion fabric came from Quilts for Kids, the rest is very old stash.

Community service quilt sandwich from guild.

Done! A flannel panel (ugly IMO) was my next practice quilt on the Moxie. I played with some free style straight lines and a curlicue design in the inner border. 

Didn't do too bad going up and down but need to work on the left to right and right to left designs.

My May UFO Challenge quilt - race car quilt - figure out a way to make it bigger.

The top is done! I fixed the 6th panel that I'd cut wrong and added it. It is as big as it's going to get, 72 inches square. I really like how this turned out and have a few ideas for quilting it.

Sew the flying geese into a top.

Done! The top is about 40 x 50 inches. I think I have the perfect fabric for the back.

Green diamond quilt...not done. I want to finish it using the Juki. When I was sewing the binding on the last week's quilt, I used the Juki as it handles the bulk so nicely, however the Juki was acting up. I just got it back from being serviced a few months ago and this was my first time using it. Back it went. Several wires were not connected and they would have to take it apart again to fix it. So the green diamond quilt will have to wait.

Not too bad, I checked off all but one item.

So what's on my list for next week? While I was being very industrious sewing and quilting, my house and yard have been seriously neglected: Vacuuming, dusting, floors mopped, windows cleaned, yard mowed, bushes trimmed, weeds pulled, bathrooms cleaned, garage cleaned out, and a large pile of stuff taken to the Goodwill.

Hmmm...wonder if all of that will get done?

Ta Da!!

 

I decided I'd practiced enough and loaded a small quilt to the frame. Then I changed the needle, loaded the bobbin and...nothing. I could bring the bobbin thread up, but it wasn't catching the bobbin thread when I attempted to stitch. Lots of bad words were said. So I checked the Moxie group on Facebook...thread guide in front and make sure the needle is all the way up...nothing. More bad words. Called my friend Donna who has a long arm, we talked through a bunch of possibilities...nothing. Oh my, shoulda washed my mouth out with soap - such dirty words. My mom stopped by and asking if I'd read the machine instructions...huh?

Sigh, the instructions had a picture. What I thought was the thread guide was not the thread guide, it was a groove in the needle which is supposed to be in the back. Turned the needle around and everything worked wonderful. My mother is so smart.

Above is the kind of geometric quilting I decided on. Lines aren't totally straight but not bad.

And here is the finished quilt. Doing a happy dance.

I have a lot of things in my sewing room that are almost done or would be quick finishes. Too many, I've been getting that overwhelmed feeling again. So I've been trying to finish things or take the next step / finish the step of something every day.

Layette blanket I picked up at Quilts for Kids a few months ago. Got it sewn, turned, and machine tacked down.

Sewed my Aunt Daisy flying geese blocks into pairs - still need to iron them open.

Made a pillow case from fabric I picked up from Quilts for Kids a couple months ago. Still have two more pillow cases to sew, they are prepped and ready.

I've also have a quilt sandwich that I picked up from my guild a few months ago that needs to be quilted. The back is large, so I'll load it on the frame next. It's a panel, should be quick and easy.

The race car quilt is ready to be put together. Although it needs to be bigger. Working on a few ideas there.

The Aunt Daisy two-patches need to be ironed open and sewn into four-patches. 

I decided to make the flying geese layout with the all the half square triangles...the geese have been sewn together now, I need to sew the top together.

The green diamond quilt with the high loft poly bat hasn't been touched since December - it needs to be finished.

See what I mean by overwhelmed. I'll be happy if I can check off three of the above this week.

Busy!

 

Yippee! The Moxie is all set up and I've been practicing.

Isn't she pretty? And no she doesn't have a name. I've never named my sewing machines or my cars. But with so much power they must be she's ;o).

Playing.

Practicing.

Need to work on my swirls more.

I need to practice a little bit more, but I think I'll load a quilt soon. 

I have a short attention span, a person can only practice so long. I decided on the flying geese layout - mainly because it would be the easiest to put together - although I like the zigzag better. I'll make the zigzag version soon with more interesting fabrics.

I made a bazillion two-patches for the Aunt Daisy quilt. Now I need to press them open and sew them into four-patches.

I also made lots of progress on the May UFO. 

I am loving this quilt and the layout. It is going together really fast and may be the first quilt loaded on the new frame.

Do you see the big ears? I haven't seen a jack rabbit around for a while. He was a big guy.

Soon

The boxes are still sitting in the dining room. The Moxie set up has been rescheduled to Wednesday. 

Our guild quilt show was this past weekend. I did not include any quilts. A combination of lazy (didn't want to make a hanging sleeve for each) and that I don't like the idea of my quilts getting judged (other than by me). It was a small show but had lots of great quilts. Below are a few of my favorites.

The two quilts above are made by Yvonne Cook. She is a prolific quilter who makes wonderful scrap quilts. 

The two quilts above are made by the same person, Susan Tresner. I love the whimsy. 

Again, I got very little sewing done. I got the Aunt Daisy strips cut and a bunch of HST made. Now I'm trying to decide which layout I like the best.

The color placement is not final on either quilt. I really like both patterns. Whichever one doesn't get made now will be made later.

Happy Dance

 It's finally here!!

It won't be set up until next Monday. When I called last Tuesday, I was told the owner would gone until mid-June!!?? I told the person who I was talking to that I had already waited two months and that I was not interested in waiting two more months and that I'd like to cancel the order. I was informed the owners daughter would be back in twenty minutes and that she could help me.  The daughter called me back (a first), apologized for the delay said she had already contacted Handi Quilter - they offered $500 in additional accessories and stated it would be shipped within the next two days. I had shipping tracking numbers the next day and it was delivered on Friday. The daughter will be out next Monday to install and train. I'm soooo excited again!!

I haven't touched my sewing machine in over a week. I decided I needed to declutter my sewing room and start cutting. Hopefully that will get me motivated to actually sew.

I changed my mind on the pattern for the fat quarter bundle. I think I'll like this star chain much better. I finished cutting everything today. I still have left over fat quarters. 

I also cut out background fabric for my next two leader-ender projects. My goal was to make a dent in the 5 inch square scrap bin. Unfortunately it barely made a dent. I'll show those as I get to them and make progress...right now it's just a lot of 5 inch squares...not too exciting.

My May UFO Challenge project is not really a UFO as I haven't started it yet. I've been trying to find a pattern for this hot rod panel for ages. I'm going to adapt the quilt picture shown to the size of the panel blocks. 

I think it will be a quick, easy and fun project. I'd kinda like to add some green and or yellow to the mix.

I also need to make 128 4-patch blocks for the Aunt Daisy quilt. I think May is going to be a very busy month.