I'm Back On Easy Street

I'm back to working on my Easy Street blocks.  After I finished Sophie's Twister quilt, I decided it was time to do a little cleaning in my sewing room  Vacuumed and picked up the cutting table.

I'm back to working on my Easy Street blocks.  Working on the B Blocks, I only have 9 of those to make, so I'm hoping I can get them done quickly.

 

Tomorrow we find out which number is our next UFO on Connie's Game.  Hoping it's not a big project since February is such a short month.

January Finish For Connie's Game

I have my first finish for Connie's Game.  Sophie's Twister Quilt is done!

Sophie's Twister Quilt

A special thank you to my husband for holding the quilt for me.  I'm home on a Snow Day from work and it's a little too windy and snowy to go outside for a picture.  Considering all the ups and downs, it's done!!

Cathedral Windows

Saturday I took my class at Hancock Fabrics with Jean.  Head over to her blog and check out the others in the class.  Here is what mine looked like on Saturday just before I left.
 

On the design wall.

And here it is today, the front is finished.

I also finished making the binding for Sophie's quilt 

Learning A New Technique

I'm off to Hancock Fabrics today to learn a "new to me" technique for making Cathedral Windows. It's all  done on your machine, no hand stitching.   Jean is teaching the class and we always have lots of fun.

These are my fabrics for the "windows".  I'm using white Kona for the rest.  We're making a pillow so I hope to have it done soon....

Ups And Downs

This has been a week of quilting ups and downs.

Up- I was excited to quilt Sophie's quilt.
Down- I didn't get the borders on very well.
Up- I learned how to take a tuck in the border to take care of some of the "extra" fabric.
Down- I was a little frustrated with myself over the borders.  After all, I've been at this a while, I "shouldn't" have things like that happen. (Just goes to show you, they can.)
Up- When I was showing my husband, he reminded me that we are hardest on ourselves, his example was of the bathroom floor he put in last winter.  He can find all of his "mistakes" and I don't even see them.
Down- I had a hard time getting excited again on Wednesday.  I did my 15 minutes, but really didn't feel like doing more.
Up- Thursday I got busy and finished my "tucks" and removed the basting from Sophie's quilt.
Up- I tried a new pantograph called Daisy Duo.

Through the center there is a line of basting to hold the tuck while I quilted my design.  Then you hand stitch the  tuck and remove the basting thread.

Quilting

Up- I'm now ready to get the binding made and sewn on.
Up-  This quilt is well on it's way to being done!!

Going Well

Things are going well with the Sophie quilt.  My backing is all sewn, the zippers are on and I'm ready to head out to A Quilting Place after work tonight.  I even know how I want to quilt it.    I hope to have pictures tomorrow if all goes well.  I want to show you the cute backing I found.

On the Easy Street front, I am on my last A Block!  Whoo Hoo!  There are only 9 B Blocks to make.  It's coming together so well.  I'm excited for this project to be well on it's way to being quilted.

Speaking of being quilted....  most of my PhD projects are tops I have done that need to be quilted.  I'm still working on that list and I'll share it with you when it's done.  I've been rather surprised at how many tops I've found.  I need to get them all in one place.

Saturday, I'm taking a class to learn how to make Cathedral Window blocks without hand sewing.  I've always wanted to make a summer quilt of Cathedral Windows, but it would take forever doing it by hand, I kind of put it on the back burner.  After all, I'm currently working on some hexies that are done by hand and I really don't need another hand project.   Speaking of those, I really should get to making a couple more...

Days Of Fun

The past few days have been really fun!  Thursday I found some fabric to use for the backing of Sophie's Twister quilt.  I have an appointment to go quilt this quilt on Tuesday so I will getting the backing sewn together and the zippers pinned on.

Saturday I met with Rachel and Deb to work on a sample Quilts of Valor quilt. A local 4-H group is going to be sewing these with help for the Quilts From The Bluffs group.  What an exciting project for them.  Some have never sewn and don't own machines.  Hoping our love of quilting is transferred to this group.

Deb - busy sewing blocks together.

Rachel did most of the pressing.

Our pile of blocks.

Me - Two rows are sewn together.

All the blocks are done.

Whoa!

Whoa!  I missed a few nights of blogging.  Sorry!

Monday I worked on an Easy Street block.  Tuesday was Quilt Guild meeting.  Wednesday I finished the Easy Street block I started on Monday.

We're doing a PhD project as our challenge through the Guild this year. This is going to be the UFO year.  It all started last Fall with our UFO Retreat.  Continued on with my signing up for Connie's Game through Country Threads of Garner, Iowa.  And now I need to "sign up for classes" for my PhD.

I'm so excited about the thought of getting some things finished. And the public forum seems to be the way to go.  I know once I make a commitment here, I really need to stick to it, otherwise everyone knows.

Now to decide on my classes.....

Success!

Success!  The borders are on!  My sister came over this afternoon to sew.  I finished the borders on Sophie's Twister quilt and Deb finished making all the string blocks she wanted for a quilt top.  Woo Hoo!

Just in time, before the sun was behind the bluff.

I Promised

I promised a picture of the Hurricane Sandy quilt I had been working on and here it is!

I made the string blocks. Jeanine, who is the leader of the group, added the border and quilted it.  I then did the binding.  Jeanine keeps the stash for the group at her home.  You are more than welcome to come over and shop the stash for fabric to make a project for the group.   And most of our quilts are a group effort. For example, the string blocks we did this past year.  Some people made enough for a quilt and others made only 2 or 3.  But add them up and soon you have a quilt!

No Pictures Again?

I know, I don't have any pictures again!  I did finish the Easy Street block I started the other night.  Do you want to see that?  OK

I also cut the binding and pieced it together for a Hurricane Sandy quilt.  Today is Quilt Day for Quilts From The Bluffs so I'm going to get it sewn on there as the tables are bigger than my sewing space.  I will get a picture of it today after the binding is done.  Promise!

Another Block

I just finished another block for Easy Street.  I did get my binding cut last night for a Hurricane Sandy quilt.

It's been rather stressful this week.  Not only is it our first week back to school, but there was a big water main break and the school was without drinking water.  All is back to normal now, but wow, you just don't realize how much that can change your schedule.  We are so lucky to have the water systems we have in our cities and towns.

Finish borders is on the list for tonight.  It will happen!

Little More Done

I have a little more done on my Sophie quilt.  I now have inner border on two sides of the quilt.  Not sure if I'll get the top and bottom done tonight as it involves measuring and math.  I'm tired at the end of the day and that's when I make mistakes.  So will measure tomorrow morning and cut tomorrow night.  Want a little peek you say?  OK

I can't decide if I want to make some binding or sew an Easy Street block.  I'll let you know tomorrow which I decided to do.

That's The Way It Is

I didn't work on the borders last night, that's the way it is sometimes.  I did work on an Easy Street block instead.

Life gets in the way.  I had errands to run after work, then fix dinner and clean up.  By the time that was done, plus this being my first day back to work, I was done in.  So I worked on the Easy Street block.  Not much thinking required.  Not that sewing the borders did either, but I'm really loving how the blocks look.  So it's borders tonight.

I'm rethinking my schedule, too.  I'm at my best in the morning so maybe I should be sewing instead of being on the computer.  But, the computer time is when I drink my first cup of coffee.  Decisions, decisions......

Changes

I had to make a change to my UFO list for Connie's Game.  Number 8 I had listed needed to be done by May and if it doesn't come up until after that date, I would have a problem.  So I'm adding another quilt to the list.    New list is as follows:

My 2013 UFO List

1. Wool Christmas Tree skirt

2. Finish an old sweatshirt to give away.

3. Finish tote fro Quilt Retreat of 4 years ago.

4. Make a bag - "Bag Along" pattern

5. Sophie's Twister quilt

6. Christmas Table topper

7. Rick's quilt

8. Feedsack Patches

9. String blocks to finish twin quilt.

10. B & H's wedding guest book quilt

11. Easy Street mystery quilt.

12. Nickel Quilt "4 patch Plaid" only not in plaid.

I did get the borders cut out today for Sophie's Twister quilt.  See???

Tomorrow, I go back to work.  My game plan is to press the top and sew the border fabrics together.  I may even try to measure it. 

UFO For January

January's UFO is Sophie's Twister quilt.  All I have left to do is add 2 borders, quilt it, and add binding.  Not much right?

So yesterday I scheduled a time to go to "A Quilting Place" to quilt.  Today I'm cutting borders.  I know why I stalled out on this, I wanted the floral fabric for the outside border and couldn't find it.  I kept hoping that Karma would bring it my way, but alas, it didn't.  I did buy the turquoise with little brown sprigs from the Sophie line, so I'll be using that.  The inner border is the solid brown Kona.  Now to decided exactly how wide I want to borders...

Another ACK!

Another ACK!  I missed out on the start of Connie's Game at Country Treads!

So I'm posting my list and will start on Number 5.  Good luck to all who are playing the Game!

My 2013 UFO List

1. Wool Christmas Tree skirt

2. Finish an old sweatshirt to give away.

3. Finish tote fro Quilt Retreat of 4 years ago.

4. Make a bag - "Bag Along" pattern

5. Sophie's Twister quilt

6. Christmas Table topper

7. Rick's quilt

8. Flannel quilt

9. String blocks to finish twin quilt.

10. B & H's wedding guest book quilt

11. Easy Street mystery quilt.

12. Nickel Quilt "4 patch Plaid" only not in plaid.

ACK!

I finished my first A Block for Easy Street and I was going to go outside and take a picture.  "No" I thought "I'll get one B Block done and take a picture of both."  

By the time I was done with B Block, the sun was gone.  So I was setting the 2 blocks out on the cutting table and I noticed a problem.  I had 3 of the 4 stacked geese blocks going the wrong way in the A Block.  ACK!

See the 3 flying geese blocks going the wrong way???

So I'm now in the process of ripping those blocks out and turning them the correct way.  Good thing it was an outside block and not one from the middle row.  Although I would have changed that too.

Step Seven Is Done!

Step Seven of Easy Street is done.

Yesterday, Wednesday, I joined a group of ladies that sew every Tuesday at a local fabric store.  I had a wonderful time.  They do this all year round, so I'm planning on joining them this summer. (Since the store wasn't open on Tuesday, they moved sewing day to Wednesday.  Sounds hardcore, huh?)  Anyway, back to Easy Street, I finished 9 setting triangles yesterday.  I was so excited.  This morning I sat down and finished the other 3.  So nice to have that done.

I took a picture of the corner settings outside on Tuesday as it was so sunny.  Even if it was cold, I thought the sunshine gave a better view of the true colors.

Update on the organizing of the sewing room.  I found 15 UFO's while picking up and putting things back.  Kind of scary, as I have a bunch more in the sewing room closet and in my "off site" storage in the basement.

Then I discovered that Country Threads is playing a UFO game.  I'm joining in!  Sounds like the kind of commitment I need.  At the very least I'll have 12 projects done, which is not in my mind is not "least" at all. Check it out, you know you want to join in and get those UFO's done!

Easy Street

Everything has come at a rush for the final steps of  Easy Street.  You can see by the new button on my sidebar what the quilt looks like.  Or go to Bonnie's site to check out her finished quilt.

I'm going to list the steps out like I've been doing as Step 7 & 8 haven't even been noted.

Introduction:  Gather fabrics.  (done).

Step One: 194 four-patch blocks. (done)

Step Two: Cut 128 "goose" triangles (done)

                 Cut 256 triangles for the "wings" (done)

                 Make 128 Flying geese units (done)
                 Cut 64  2 x 3.5 inch rectangles ( done)

Step Three: Cut 64 two inch squares (done)

                  Cut 128 triangles for the wings (done)

                  Cut 64 larger half-square triangles (done)

                  Make 64 shaded 4 patches (done)
Step Four: Cut 64 "goose" triangles. (done)
                 Cut 128 triangles for the "wings". (done)
                Make 64 Flying geese units. (done)
                Take 64 geese units from Step 2 and sew them to the 64 units you just made. (done)
                 Cut 145 squares 3.5 inches (done)
Step Five:  Cut 64 squares 3.5 inches, but not the ones cut above. (done)
                 Cut 128 squares 2 inches (done)

                 Sew the 128 squares to the larger 3.5 inch squares at the corners. (done)

                 Cut 16 -  5.5 squares. (done)  

                 Cut the 16 squares with an "X" for 64 quarter square triangles (done)

Step Six:   Sew and cut 128 Stacked brick blocks from strips. (done)
Step Seven: Assemble 4 pieced corner triangles. (done)
                  Assemble 12 pieced setting triangles. (1)
Step Eight: Cut 16 3.5 blocks for the center of Block A. (done)
                 Assemble 16 pieced Block A. (0)
                 Assemble 9 pieced Block B. (0)
                 Lay out all the blocks and setting triangles, sew together.

I do have to share with you a picture of the 4 corner triangles I finished yesterday. 

Corner triangles.

I took the picture outside since it was so sunny. (Cold, but sunny.)  You can really see the colors in the true light of the sun.  I'm really loving this quilt.(Have I said that before?)  And it has gone together so fast!  It took me until August to finish Orca Bay.  I'm not complaining as this quilt really put us on Easy Street!

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year!

It's time for all those resolutions!  I love this blog's resolutions.  The only one I have a "problem" with is Number 3.  I really don't want to know how many UFO's I have.  But I decided I will list all of the UFO's currently in my sewing room.  ( I have "off site" storage in the basement and there are UFO's there too.)

So I'm starting with resolution Number 1 today and I'm going to clean my sewing room.  I'll also find all those UFO's so I can start a list.   I decided I would reward myself with a day devoted to sewing on Wednesday.  I really want to finish my "Easy Street" quilt.

I hate to do this and I really am not proud of this, but my sewing room is a hot mess.  I'm going to show you some before pictures.  I have a number of projects going at one time, my string quilts, my Easy Street quilt, and more. (The reason I need to list the UFOs.)

 There is a daybed lost behind my cutting table and I have a huge pile of fabric on the table from working on "Easy Street".  A pair of pants that I need to resew the hem as it's coming out.

Project boxes and closet. The closet is in pretty good shape, surprisingly.

Wish me luck!

P.S.  I just went back and looked at my Resolutions for 2012, the only thing I think I did was my 15 minutes of sewing.  Didn't blog about it like I said I would and I definitely didn't finish a project a month or quilt one quilt a month.  Wow, I need to get it together and make this year better!