Icy Weather

It's an icy, snowy day and we got out of work early.  I was able to get a couple of pictures of the deer eating around the bird feeder.  Not sure if they are finding anything good or if they will eat the hulls of the sunflower seeds.

Been working on my binding.  I have 2 sides done.  May end up with a snow day tomorrow, which would give me extra time to work on the quilt.

I'm a Slacker Myself



The front

 I've been a slacker and not writing about my quilting. I have been working on the binding (both Friday and Saturday) and it still isn't done.  But I will show you some pictures taken Saturday during our Craft Day with the quilting group.  

Another picture of the front.



The back.





Another picture of the back.

Me, on the quilt, just so you can really get an idea of how big this quilt is.

Binding Part 3

Did some pinning of the binding and spent about an hour hand stitching.  I'm getting so excited.  Been thinking about what to start next.  I have too many choices, as I have so many things I want to get done.  Maybe I need to go back to working on the UFO's.  Or maybe start something new.  Endless possibilities while I'm thinking.

Binding Part 2

The last rumble with my quilt and the sewing machine.  I got the binding sewn on and am now ready to do the hand stitching of the binding.  Looking forward to some movies I have DVR'd!

Binding

I got the binding all made and I'm now pinning it to the quilt.  I'm pretty sure I made enough.  There's a lot of binding.

Binding

I'm working on the binding tonight.  Pressed my fabric and cut 10 strips out, now to sew them together and see how many more strips I need.  I think I need from 14 to 16 or 17 strips to go around the quilt.

This Ain't No Wimpy Quilt



Pictures taken during the sewing of the last strip.



Spread across the table.



In all it's glory.





Like I said, this ain't no wimpy quilt.  The quilt measures 124.5 inches across and 137 inches down.  I wanted a quilt big enough to go down the sides of the bed and to be able to wrap around the pillows.  Now to make the binding.  Hope I bought enough fabric.

Closer

For Deb -  This is the binding fabric, a batik.  Goes well with all of my pinks and reds and with the fabrics I used for the backing, four different batiks. 

I got 2 more strips sewn on today.  For some reason I am starting to feel like I need to yell "Get reeeeaaadddyy to rumble!"  before sewing.  Don't know what's up with that.????

Stitching Again

Just don't feel like wrestling with my king-size quilt tonight, so I'm doing some stitching on the pre-printed panel.  I'm gearing up to work on the big quilt on Saturday.  I bought binding this past Sunday as I only have 2 pink fabrics left.  They are each about a fat quarter size, so not enough to use for binding.  I also decided I didn't want a scrap binding; I want something to frame the outside and to read as a solid.  Found the perfect fabric! 

Another Boring Post LOL

Tonight I did the decorative stitching on the section that I pressed and pinned last night.  Baby steps, baby steps.  Slow and steady will win the race to get this quilt done.

Boring

I did some pressing and pinning tonight.  Nothing exciting, but I got my 15 minutes in!

4 More Strips Done

I have 4 more strips done on my quilt.  I only have 4 left to go.  It feels like I'm wrestling now when I'm sewing the strips on.  It's not too bad when I'm doing the straight stitch, but it seems to really pull when I'm doing the decorative stitch.  Maybe it's just me.  (And it's getting so heavy that it's pulling the cover off of my ironing board.)   

My Stitching

This is for Cathy, just wanted to show you the pre-printed panel I'm stitching.  I have 2 shades of green and 2 shades of a pink/salmon that I'm working with.  I also have some batting on the back of the section I'm currently working on.  I'll do that with each section and when I'm ready to sandwich the quilt, the embroidered area will look a little padded.  Not really a true trapunto, but kind of close. 




I also have half or 8 of my strips sewn together for my king-size quilt.

Sewing Central

Here is Sewing Central all set up in the kitchen.  This is working much better as the table holds the weight and the chairs catch the weight.  I also have a Deacon's Bench that I'm sitting at and that helps hold the weight of the quilt out to the side while I'm sewing.  Seven rows are on the quilt.

Change of Pace

I needed a change of pace.  I didn't work on the quilt tonight.  Instead I pulled a pre-printed top out of the closet of UFO's and worked on it.  It is pre-printed with leaves and flowers and I have been doing some embroidery, filling in the stems and outlining the leaves.  Relaxing.....

One More

I have one more strip sewn onto my quilt, now at 6 strips.  I'm working on pressing the seams and getting ready to do the decorative stitching.  I'm going to have to move sewing central to the kitchen table in order to handle the size of this quilt.  When I get it finished, I'm going to measure exactly how large it is.  (I think the next few posts are going to sound very much like this one.  Not unlike listening to me go on and on about 6 inch and 3 inch squares. LOL )  I'm really thinking very small, quick projects are going to be in my future for a while.

Another Snow Day

I had another snow day today, but I wasn't NEAR as productive as I was yesterday.  I got 4 strips all sewn together and I have them pictured in my heading.  I added only one more strip today (total is now at 5) as there was all the normal home things to do.  Laundry, dishes, sweeping etc., as I didn't do any of that the day before as I was too busy with the quilt.  I guess it's all about balance, but I really like it when the scale swings to the sewing side.    But I do have this to show you:

It was such a pretty snow, even when it was coming down.  Big, fluffy flakes gently falling to the ground.   I did go for a walk today, which I needed.  I was tired of being cooped up in the house. 

Snow Day!

First of all, I have to say Thank-you to God for giving my this snow day.  Otherwise I wouldn't have my first strips sewn together.  Thought you might like to see a picture.

Also, I just realized I didn't blog about yesterday's sewing.  I think it's because I was too frustrated.  I am putting this quilt together using this method:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i_uDhKTSQB0

At first I thought I would use the highway seam and after I got to pressing and pinning, I decided for a strip this long, it was waaaaaay too much work.  So I changed back to the one way street fold.  Then, because I have some decorative stitches on my machine, I thought I'll use one of those.  (I should tell you that I have made a log cabin quilt using Betty Cotton's pattern, so this isn't new to me.)  Started with one that was kind of a satin stitch s-curve.  Didn't like the way that was turning out and after 9 inches, I stopped and ripped that out.  SO today when I started I used the basic blanket stitch and was much happier.  And I have two strips together! 

The Finished Strips

My strips....All are done.  Thought you might like to see how a few turned out.  I have 4 different fabrics for the backing and so I divided them into piles accordingly.  Now to sew them together.

THE LAST ONE IS DONE!!!

I finished the last strip of my king-size quilt tonight!  No more reading about me sewing 6 inch or 3 inch blocks. (at least until the next quilt with those size blocks.)  Now I'll be sewing the strips together!  YEAH!!!  I can't begin to tell you how excited I am about this.

What Can I Say?

Wow, what a pass 24 hours.  (Or more)  Yesterday morning I wasn't feeling the best, but I still went to work.  By the middle of the afternoon I was feeling really bad.  Went to see the school nurse, as I work at a school, and I had a temp of 100.8.  But I stuck it out until the end of the day.  Came home, put on my PJs and that was the end of me.  I didn't go to work today.  Slept in late and did a little sewing and cleaning.  Got the 6 inch squares sewn and am now pinning the 3 inch squares. This last strip is almost done!

Bonnie's Scrap Saver System

I have been trying to set up Bonnie Hunt's Scrap Saver System for about the past year.  Check it out here: http://quiltville.com/scrapusersystem.shtml

I started cutting out strips and was using this little chest of drawers.  This is how full one of the drawers has become: 

I now have way too many 2.5 inch strips.  So I picked up eight 12 quart see through bins tonight.  I'm going to divide the strips into light and dark.  I also have about as many 3.5 strips.  And a third drawer that is about as full of 5 inch squares.  My 15 minutes has been spent on sorting.  Some day, MAYBE, I'll be organized - to the point that I can find something when I want it. HAHAHAHAHAHA

Another One Done

I'm done with another strip and I have ONLY ONE MORE TO GO!!!!!!  I'm so excited.  I'm hoping to finish this quilt before too much more of the New Year slips by. 

Every Day Sewing

Today's sewing was all about repair.  I brought home 6 vinyl aprons from work to fix.  We use them for painting and for playing in the water table.  Four of the six are done.  Just two more to go.  Not exactly how I wanted to spend my sewing time, but sometimes you just have to do some every day sewing.

Getting Closer

I have the 6 inch blocks finished on one strip and pinned down on the second one.  I'm getting closer and closer to sewing the strips together!

Happy 2011!

I'm looking forward to this year.  I feel like I have a jump start to sewing/quilting thanks to Shelly at http://prairiemoonquilts.wordpress.com/  I completed the 3 tasks she set out for us.  And received the "boot in the patoot" that I needed. 

I still haven't come up with my goals for this year, other than bonding with my longarm quilting machine.  I really am leaning towards working on my small kits just because they would be fast and I can get them out of the stash.  I'm thinking on a small kit a month and then work on a larger quilt or whatever once that is done. Have the larger project as the background work so to speak with the smaller project being the focus.  Face it, I just have too many projects that are calling my name.    So focus project for January will be a table topper kit and the background project will be the UFO that I found for Shelly's challenge, Dutch Inspirations.

All of the above is contingent on the completion of the king-size quilt.  Speaking of which, I have only two more strips to complete.

2010 Final Countdown Task Three

 I'll confess, when I read Task Three, "Cut up some scraps" I whined in my head, "I don't wannna!"  I immediately thought of these 3 bags sitting in my cupboard waiting to be cut up.  (The door shuts on this cupboard so I don't hear them calling to me in a very loud voice.)



I then thought of these scraps sitting on my cutting table waiting until I was done sewing my 6 inch and 3 inch squares on to my last strips of the king-size quilt.  Hey, I could cut these up now and kill two birds with one stone.  I thought it was going to take a loooong time so I set my timer for 15 minutes and started cutting. I cut some strips 2.5, but most was cut into 3 inch squares as I have a lot of those and I thought I'd make some kind of pillow shams for the bed. To go with the quilt.





Fifteen minutes later I had that scrap all cut up.  Had a few 6 inch blocks, but mainly had 3 inch squares.  Can't believe it only took 15 minutes, I was sure it would take me at LEAST an hour.