Clue 2

I'm working on clue 2 of Roll, Roll, Cotton Boll.  It calls for 120 HST (half square triangles) made in groups of four, so I decided to use this method that I found on Missouri Star Quilt Company's website.

This is such an easy, cool way to make HST!

Basically, the method is this...

Cut two squares, place them right sides together, sew a quarter inch seam all the way around the outside.

Cut the unit on the diagonals.

Finger press the HST open.

Press open...carefully.  I finger press, press, then spritz with a dab of starch and press again.

Yes, they are on the bias, but I haven't found a problem with it...even before I was using starch.  As long as you're careful with them, there's no problem.

Next, they need to be trimmed down.

Once you've trimmed, you have a perfect 3 1/2" HST.

I did some experimenting to find out just how big to cut the squares and I found that the perfect size is 5¾". If you cut the squares at 5½", it's just too small, and if you cut the squares at 6", you waste a lot of fabric when you trim the squares.

Here's the trimmings left over if you use  5¾" squares.

I hope this helps those of you who are working on clue 2.  Clue 3 is coming this Friday!

Design Wall Monday - November 29

On my design wall cutting table this morning is the pile of pillowcases that I've been working on for the last several weeks.

I've been busy with lots of small projects including this one.

I've determined to make all my Christmas presents this year since I have the rare opportunity to spend Christmas with my family in Kansas, so most of them will be getting flannel pillowcases with a few mug mats thrown in for good measure.  My mom will be getting her wall hanging that I started for her several years ago (I just finished quilting it yesterday) and my sister is getting her quilt that I still have to quilt and bind.

Also, my hubby bought me a new laptop yesterday.  YEAH HUBBY!  My old laptop has been on its last leg for a while.  I'm so glad I have Carbonite so I won't have to worry about losing my files from the old laptop!

What have you all been up to?  Make sure and visit Judy to find out what everyone else has on their design wall this fine snowy morning.

Stash Report -- November 28

Well, I'm still using up stash, but most of it doesn't count because the quilt isn't finished, or I'm using stash that I bought for a specific purpose (like for all my pillowcases).

I finished a pillowcase and gave it to my hubby, plus I finished a couple others as well.  Most of the people on my Christmas list are getting nice fuzzy warm flannel pillowcases and I'm getting quite a pile.

I used up a bit of stash on Block 2 of the Layer Cake Quilt Along.  There's still time to join us if you like!

I used up QUITE a bit in the first clue of Roll, Roll, Cotton Boll, but I haven't been counting stash as out of my stash until the quilt is bound.  (I think I'm going to change that next year, lol.)

I finished a little quilt top that Cherie helped me name "Pink Lemonade."  That was for my Quilter's Academy adventure.  :-)  Again, it's only the top, so I'm not counting that yet.

I'll just have to wait for some finishes, but they'll come soon enough.

The only fabric that I'll count out this week is the fabric from the blocks I made for the families of the miners in New Zealand.

Shirley Goodwin from dyeing2design is collecting heart blocks to put into quilts for the families of the miners who were killed in New Zealand.

I don't know about you, but I always feel so helpless when a tragedy occurs, and this is a way for me to feel useful, so if you have a few extra minutes, please visit her site and think about whether you could make one or more blocks to send "down under."

So, here are my numbers:

Fabric in: 0 yards
Fabric out: .33 yards
Total fabric in: 40.08 yards
Total fabric out: 104.21 yards
Total fabric used: 64.13 yards

How did you do this week?  Make sure and visit Judy to find out how everyone else did.

Affair of the Heart

I'm sure that you have heard on the news of the miners that were killed in New Zealand.  I don't know about you, but when I hear things that that, I feel so powerless to do anything.

BUT...

I have recently had three people that I have gifted quilts to thank me...thank me for doing something that is such a pleasure to me and such a blessing to them; a comfort, a knowledge that someone is thinking of them and that someone cares about them.

There is a lady in New Zealand who is collecting 6" heart blocks to put into quilts to present to the families.

So, if you have some time, take a few minutes this holiday season and give to total strangers.

Here is the link to her blog with her address.

And here are the blocks that I did this morning when I got up.

Finished Block Two

I finished the second block in the Layer Cake Quilt Along.

This is from the Botany line by Lauren and Jessi Jung and it's WAY out of my comfort zone...BUT, one of my goals for this year was to make a quilt with fabric out of my comfort zone, so I'm fulfilling a goal.

Here are the first two blocks finished.

You should join!  You'd only have to finish two blocks to catch up and the new instructions are posted every two weeks, so it moves a little faster than one a month, but not SO fast as one a week, lol.

One more thing checked off my QA (quilter's accountability) list!  WooHoo!

Thanksgiving 2010 Is History

I'm not much for decorating...Martha Stuart I am NOT!  My daughters are more into all this domestic stuff, so that's nice.

But, I do like to have a nice table for special meals.

This is how our table looked for Thanksgiving this year...not as special as a lot of peoples', but pretty special for us.

We had a beautiful dinner with wonderful company (my hubby and my four kiddos).  Here's a picture that Liv took of the three younger kids (from l. to r.):  Mariah, Sophia, and Josiah.

Hope you all had a wonderful day spent with people you love!

Happy Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving to all my blog friends!  I really appreciate your visits and especially your comments.  I also appreciate your visits and comments to my daughters' blogs.  Olivia and Sophia really love your visits (hint, hint).

I also enjoy visiting all your blogs...the eye candy inspires me to think outside the box and try new things.

My family and I are SO blessed, and I am blessed with friends locally and through the internet.

Thanks so much!

I know this is a family day, but I hope that some of you are able to get to your quilting room today as well, or maybe just snuggle up under a quilt you've already finished.  After all, a day without quilting.......




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Cooking Day

I suppose everyone is cooking today, or cleaning in anticipation of family coming.

Me...I do have some cooking to do, but not a whole lot of cleaning because it's just us, lol.  na-na-na-na-bo-bo

There are a few things that we're going to get ready for tomorrow, but mostly, we'll do the cooking tomorrow.  I was smart and bought a roaster so I won't have to use up the oven with just the turkey!  My mom uses one, and she loves hers, so I hope it will work like I think it should.

We may cook some pies this evening and we'll cook the pasta for the frog eye salad since it's supposed to marinate overnight in the lemony stuff.

Can't wait.

So, today, I am doing some sewing.  I'm working on Roll, Roll, Cotton Boll.  Cherie (at Quilted Jonquil) dared me to do it, he he he!

Addendum:  Step 1 is DONE!  Woo Hoo!  One hundred seventy-two (plus a few extra) 2" strip sets.

Did anyone else get some quilting done today?

Quilter's Accountability Report - November 24

Here are my goals from last week.

1. Block Lotto blocks - DONE
2. Niblet exchange - didn't get this started
3. Finish stocking for A Dozen Quilters - DONE
4. Block 2 of Layer Cake Quilt Along - didn't get this started
5. Finish the pillowcases I bought fabric for - DONE
6. Make stockings for my kiddos - started, but not finished
7. Continue to work on Quilter's Academy and practice FMQ (free motion quilting) - finished a quilt top and also quilted a small quilt for practic
8. Continue to work on sewing area remodel - DONE

I did pretty well, I think, but I don't think I'm going to make a bunch of goals for this week.  I think I will get some sewing done, but with Thanksgiving, I'm not sure what I'll work on.  Here are just a few things that I plan to finish this week.

1. Finish the pillowcases that I have fabric for
2. Begin working on the wall hanging for my Mom's Christmas present
3. Begin quilting my sister's quilt
4. Clue 1 of Roll, Roll, Cotton Boll
5. Block 2 of Layer Cake Quilt Along

We're supposed to get a major winter storm, so I'll be tucked in warm and safe cooking Thanksgiving dinner, watching football, and sewing.

Should be fun.

Make sure you stop by to visit Bari and see how everyone else is doing on their goals for this week.

Design Wall Monday, November 22

On my design wall this morning is a little quilt top that I finished yesterday.

It's a project from the Quilter's Academy, Volume 1 and I wrote all about my adventures with this quilt here.

Make sure you visit Judy and find out what everyone else has on their design wall.

Addendum: Cherie just suggested a GREAT name for this quilt...Pink Lemonade!  I think it's perfect!  Thanks, Cherie.

Stash Report -- November 21

Oh, ladies and gentlemen!  I have had some significant movement of fabric out of ye olde stash!

I used around 2.45 yards on my Christmas Tree Skirt.

I used up about 8.5 yards on these two finishes.

I finished about eight or nine pillowcases this week, but I'm not going to count them because I bought fabric for them specifically and then used the majority of it up.

I also used about 1/2 yard for these three Block Lotto blocks and another 1/2 yard on this Christmas stocking for my A Dozen Quilters Project.

And finally, my girlfriend went shopping in my stash and she bought 6 yards!

Ask me how much fabric I bought..........Do ya give up????????  NONE!  WooHoo!

So, here are my numbers:

Fabric in: 0 yards
Fabric out: 17.95 yards
Total fabric in: 40.08 yards
Total fabric out: 103.88 yards
Fabric used: 63.8 yards

If I keep this up, I might get my net 100 yards out this year!

Make sure you mosey on over to Judy's to find out how everyone else did this week!

Recital Day

Well, Liv and I had our recital today.

It was fun.  Olivia did really well and I did okay, too.

Here's a picture I took since they were all dressed up.

When I got home, I got to work on some more pillowcases.  These things are addicting!

I'm not sure what tomorrow will bring.  It's snowing out right now, but I don't think we'll get that much.

What are you all up to this week end?

Christmas Stocking

I finished a Christmas Stocking.

It's this month's project for A Dozen Quilters.

I think it turned out okay.  I used a YouTube tutorial except I quilted the front of it.

I'm thinking about doing a tutorial.  Would you guys like one?

November Block Lotto

I finished three blocks for Block Lotto.  I think that's all I'll get to this month, but I wanted to get a few done.

The block this month was Quilter's Choice and the middle part was to be purple and white 8" finished block.  Then we were to add strips and cut the block to 12" finished.

It was fun.

I used HH (Harriet Hargrave) techniques to do the middle blocks and they were very precises, lol.  Read all about it here if you'd like.

This is how they turned out.

I'm hoping to work on stockings today.

Olivia and Sophia have stockings that they made in sewing class, but I need to make one for the two little ones.

Also, I need to make a stocking for my A Dozen Quilters project.  I'm really looking forward to that.

Tomorrow, Olivia and I have a recital and I need to pick up more fabric for pillowcases.  I finished the pillowcases that I had fabric for.

Because I'm making them out of flannel, I'm not able to use from my stash.  I just haven't bought flannel, so I don't have it in my stash.

What are your plans for today?

Addendum:  I just realized that the middle was supposed to be set on point, lol.  I guess I'll have to take the strips off and redo them.  BUMMER!  :-)

OK...Here are the blocks the way they are supposed to be done, lol.

Finished Some Pillowcases

Well, I did get some things finished today.  I felt much better as the day went on.  Thanks to the well wishers.

I worked on my sewing area and got some things done.

First of all, I' put my cutting table on stilts.

Now it's MUCH nicer to cut on my table.

I put my brand new sewing table and the Janome sewing table and a smaller table together to form a little sewing island.

I was sewing on my Bernina and my daughter was sewing on the Janome Horizon.

I'm just such a Bernina girl!  Perhaps because I learned on a Bernina.

My daughter started out on a Janome and she prefers the Janome hands down.

Anyway.

I also got several pillowcases finished.  I had purchased fabric for five pillowcases slated for Christmas presents.  One of the pieces of fabric was ruined when I prewashed, so I made it up and gave it to my daughter, but here are the four that turned out nicely, lol.  The main part of the pillowcases are flannel.

So, what did everyone else do today?

"Just Get Rid of It"

OK, all you Eleonor Burns fans will probably recognize that phrase.

I work up at around my customary time this morning (somewhere between 4 and 5), but my tummy was not happy.  So, my body decided to "Just Get Rid of It" (whatever it was in my tummy that was upsetting it...ICK) and I lay back down for a while.

I feel better now, but the kiddos have been running about the house for several hours like little banshees (playing with foam swords that I bought in a moment of weakness yesterday when I was on a "Mommy's Day Out" day with Sophia) and I think I'm going to play heck trying to get them to settle down enough to do school today!

That can be the downside of homescooling...when the teacher doesn't feel well, the students can suffer.

I hope I feel better because I took my machine in to have it cleaned yesterday and I REALLY want to sew today!

What are your plans for today?

Hope you have a quilty day.

Quilter's Accountability Report - November 17

Goodness, I got a LOT done this week!

1. Practice FMQ every day - missed one day
2. Continue to work through Quilter's Academy...working on it at least 15-20 minutes a day - didn't work on it specifically every day, but I did work on it a lot
3. Quilt my Christmas Tree Skirt - Done
4. Begin working on Christmas gifts...I asked the adult members of my family whether they wanted a fuzzy, warm pillowcase, or a cool mug mat and most of them answered back, so I need to get those started.  Have you seen those pillowcases made out of Minkee??????  I mean, how fun are those???????  Hmmmmm...I wonder if they make your hair all tangly by morning, lol. - finished two pillowcases...I went with flannel instead of Minkee, lol
5. Get stuff in the mail...I have those quilt tops to mail to Alycia, Block Lotto blocks, and the prizes from my giveaway to send off, so I'll go to the post office today...WARNING, "I'm coming to see you today, Cheryl!"  (I LOVE my post mistress.  She's SO awesome!) - DONE
6. Binding needs to be done on a table topper and one of the 1930s quilts.  (Don't you love how I worded that?  It "needs to be done."  As if some binding fairy will read this, sneak into my house one night, and finish it while I'm asleep!  Well, one can dream, can't one?) - DONE

I must have just kicked into high gear for the holidays, lol.

Anyway, I guess I should make some goals for this week.

1. Block Lotto blocks
2. Niblet exchange
3. Finish stocking for A Dozen Quilters
4. Block 2 of Layer Cake Quilt Along
5. Finish the pillowcases I bought fabric for
6. Make stockings for my kiddos
7. Continue to work on Quilter's Academy and practice FMQ (free motion quilting)
8. Continue to work on sewing area remodel

That should be enough, I would think, lol.  Make sure you check out Bari's blog and see how everyone else did.  Join us!  Accountability is a good thing!

New Goals

I'm already thinking about 2011 and the quilty goals that I'll have for that year.

The first goal I have added is to become more proficient at appliqué and embroidery.

I have this AWESOME appliqué quilt that I want to make.  I didn't get started on it this year, but I'm going to finish it in 2011.

Also, I have a paper pieced quilt that my best friend and I are going to do in 2011.

Have you thought about goals for next year?  After all, November's halfway gone!  :-)

Two Finishes!

OK, Ladies and Gentlemen!  I finished the binding on two quilts today!  Woo Hoo!  Cookin' with Gas!!!!!

First, I finished this table topper that I did for my beginner quilting class.

I had already sewn the binding on the front, I just finished it with the machine.

And, I also cut the binding and put it on this 1930s quilt.

It's going to my daughter Sophia.

I have another quilt almost just exactly like this one, but it's still in the quilting phase.

I'm REALLY excited because these will both come off my stash report on Sunday!  Life is good!

Design Wall Monday, November 15

On my design wall this morning is the first official "project" in Quilter's Academy.

This is the middle section of a sampler quilt that will be completed as I work through the books.

Every step was very precise and when I measured it, it was EXACTLY 14"...just like it's supposed to be!

What's on your design wall this morning?  Skip on over to Judy's for some more inspiration!

Christmas Presents

I finished a couple of pillowcases for Christmas presents.

The bottoms are flannel, so they're so nice and soft and cozy!

Now that I have in mind how easy the pillowcases are to make, I'll be making some more.  I have quite a few people on my list that are getting fuzzy warm pillowcases for Christmas, so this should be fun.

What did you do today?

A Finish!

I quilted this Christmas Tree Skirt this afternoon!

I had made this tree skirt a couple years ago and I had ditch quilted and then stopped.

So, when I decided to go ahead and quilt it up, I was somewhat at a loss as to what to do on the big white expanse.

But, my hubby came to the rescue.

He suggested that I put everyone's hands on there...since there are six sections, it was a PERFECT idea!

So, here's everyone's hand...

I'm so happy with the way it turned out and I think we'll enjoy it for years to come.

Stash Report -- November 14

Yeah!  Finally able to put down a little stash busted.

First of all, I've completed my goal of finishing seven quilt tops to send to Alycia for QOV (Quilts of Valor).  (Read how I discovered that starch is my friend while completing this last leg of my goal.)

I had counted some of that last week, but I get to count another 12.5 yards this week.  (I'm also sending some lengths of fabric for backings and bindings.)

I've busted a little stash in my Quilter's Academy Project.  Making up the practice squares eats up quite a bit of fabric!  I've busted 2.4 yards so far there.

I've also busted little bits of fabric for small projects like Block Lotto, and Christmas presents.  That's another 0.75 yards.

But, I bought a little fabric for Christmas presents...3 2/3 yards.

So, here are my numbers...

Fabric in: 3.66 yards
Fabric out: 15.65 yards
Total fabric in: 40.08
Total fabric out: 85.93
Fabric used: 45.85

Getting closer to that net 100 yards out!  Getting closer to that goal of only having fabric that I LOVE!

Make sure you visit Judy to find out what everyone else has done this week.  I suspect that we'll start to see some stash busted since everyone is getting focused on Christmas presents now.

PS:  This is my 200th Post!  Remember when I posted my 100th post?  That was only in August!  I guess I've been VERY verbose lately!

YEAH!

I finished quilt top number seven for Alycia!

It feels SO good to have that goal finished.

Now, I can focus on Christmas presents.

I'm excited about Christmas this year for the first time in a long time...thank goodness!

I bought this fabric today to make pillowcases, so I can begin work on those now.

What did you all do today?