Took Off

I took my machine in to be fixed, cleaned and oiled today.  Should be about 4 to 5 days and I'll have it back.  In the mean time, I set up my Featherweight machine and took off sewing.  I finished the jelly roll racer.

This one was made with 2.5 inch strips that are not a jelly roll.  I love that you can take your own fabrics and create a jelly roll to use.  I also love the way the way the pattern presents itself.  Like working with variegated yarn, you just don't know how the pattern will evolve.

P.S.  Another row added to the Orca Bay Mystery quilt.  :-)

The Best Laid Plans

I had all weekend to think about the goals I wanted to set for myself this summer.  I decided I was going to work on and finish one small project a week while working on a larger one.  For example, my Orca Bay Mystery quilt as the large project.  I figured a small project could be a block for a larger quilt, like a hexagon.  Or it could be a small quilt, table runner or topper, a tote, etc.

So today I was working on a row of the Orca Bay.  I found a jelly roll racer kit in the closet from Quilt Day.  I decided to joined the racer strips as leaders and enders. (A la Bonnie Hunter) I finished joining them, even though my row wasn't done, I decided to do the first pass of the racer.  I was barely 2 feet into sewing the strips together when my thread got caught.

Can you see it hanging there?  No matter what I did, I couldn't get it out.  So I guess I'm taking my machine in to be fixed.  While it's in the shop, I'll get it cleaned and oiled.  This wasn't my plan, but "The best laid plans of mice and men / Often go awry."   There you have it, a new plan of how I'm starting my summer sewing.

First Day Of Summer Vacation

School is out and today is my first day of summer vacation.  I've been looking forward to having more time to spend sewing and quilting.  And I have soooo many projects I want to work on.  I finished another hexie this week.

Three Little Kittens

I was kind of surprised when I counted them up, I only have 8 sewn.  But I've been cutting like mad this winter, so I ready with a travel project for summer.  We have a long weekend this weekend in the US.  So enjoy!

Happy Memorial Day!

Fun, Fun, Fun

Yesterday our Quilt Guild had a Mini Retreat Day.   It was a day of sewing from 9- 5.  So much fun to see what everyone is working on and their fabric choices.  Thoughts of   "Ooooh I want to make one like that." playing through you head.  

I worked on my Orca Bay mystery quilt and it's twice as big as it was.  Still lots of pinning.  LOL

I'm still loving how this quilt is turning out!

Happy Mother's Day

Hope you have a wonderful Mother's Day!

Another Row

I have another row done!  Row one and row two are sewn together.

When I look at the rows in person, I have a hard time seeing the pattern.  But when I see the picture, it shows up clearly.   

And it took a lot of pins for me to sew them together.  LOL Yes, I am a pinner and here is a picture after the rows were pinned. There are a ton of seams and I wanted to be sure that none of the seams slipped and bunched up.  I am going to machine quilt this.  I can't image trying to quilt something like this by hand, but I'm sure it's been done.

Whoa!

 Whoa!  I didn't realize it has been that long since I posted.  So sorry.   I have been busy, but I felt like I was droning on and on about the baby steps of progress I was making on the Orca Bay Mystery quilt, so I took a little break.  OK, more than a little break.

 I finally finished the rectangle blocks made with all the red string blocks and little winged HST.   Felt like a major accomplishment.

This morning I put the first row together.  This quilt has pushed me beyond anything I have every done before.  So many little pieces.  I'm really rather proud of myself.  It looks very busy, but when all the blocks are together, it will be wonderful.  I'm just hoping I get all the blue string blocks going in the right direction.

I've been cutting hexies for the days that I want to sit and stitch as the day is too hot to do much else.  These are from a line of fabric from Judie Rothermel called "Aunt Grace through the year".  They came out in 2003, almost 10 years old.   It really doesn't seem like 2003 was that long ago.  Most of them have a beige background and I'm only making one of each of those.  The rest of the fabric I'm going to cut into strips to be used in scrap quilts.  I want the flowers to have more color, but I did want to use the fabric.

And last but not least, is my little granddaughter in a tutu I made for her.  We were up to visit after Easter and the tutu and sunglasses were a couple of Easter gifts.

Last weekend was the last day that Prairie Star Quilts was open.  I'm so sad, I feel like I have lost a friend.  The ladies were always so nice, friendly and helpful.  I'll miss you PSQ!  But the weekend was also fun, as my sister Deb came and spent the night.  We sewed Friday night and again Saturday afternoon.  She worked on string blocks for a friend at work.  So I made some string blocks too.  They go together so fast.  It helped to lift the sadness. :-)