WIP Wednesday # 7: Motoring Along

If I were ever in a race, I would be the tortoise, not the hare. I did get a few finishes and work on a few more, but I'm moving slowly.

My step-daughter has two little terrier/chihuahua crosses and she does a lot of obedience training classes with them. She wanted some training mats for them, so I have the first one ready for binding.

I had fun FMQing a few flowers.

All ready for binding

 I also started and finished 2 sets of wonky potholders.

 I finished the last 2 Christmas stocking (for my husband and me). Shown here hanging on the mantel with our Corgi's stocking (which was completed before ours). I gave away 14 stockings to family members on Thanksgiving. I made 17 Christmas stockings this month! Phew, glad that's done!

I finished up this table runner, just in time to use it for Thanksgiving.







Sew all in all, a fairly productive week. Now that I have my good machine back from being repaired, I can finish up some quilting.

So the stats for the week:

In-process: (5)
Hip to be Square FMQ sampler (still at 14 out of 30 blocks quilted)
Cubic Rhythm ( still 1/4 quilted)
Purple heart wall hanging (nope)
Expanding Possibilities quilt (nope)
Turtle pillow - (need to quilt and assemble).

New projects in the cue to start: (3)
FLMQG solids challenge crib quilt (Not started)
New Wave quilt (not started)
Friend's baby quilt - fabric picked out!

Projects completed this week: (9)
2 sets of wonky potholders started and completed.
Table runner
Last 2 Christmas stocking completed
Free-Motion practice samples - Superstar- linked up at Fluffy Sheep Quilting this was the last week :(  Machine quilting class at Quilters Corner.

I'm linking up with Freshly Pieced for WIP Wednesday!

Color Me Quilty!


Pat

An All Around Good Day at Quilters Corner

I had a great day yesterday at Quilters Corner, a local (Ithaca, NY) quilt shop. I took an Intro to Machine Quilting class. Cyndi, one of the fabulous owners, taught the class and had some great tips. The best tip was how to knot/tie- off at the beginning and end, which helps immensely in eliminating the thread blobs on the backside of your quilt. I will put together a tutorial (hopefully for Friday).

Done with a walking foot!

Quilters Corner is also where I took my Baby Lock Ellegante in for repairs. And oh YES, I got it back yesterday. I even got to use it in class. YIPPEE, SKIPPEE! Linda, one of the other owners, was fantastic at getting it working. Fixing, what appeared to be, a lot of past sins (missing screws, loose wires, etc.). It is now running like a champ!

While I was there, I spotted some fabric (4 of which were on the sale shelves) that just had to come home with me!

I'm collecting orange, because it seems to be several family members favorite!

Sew all-in-all a fabulous day! Thank you to all at Quilters Corner! Today, back to work. UGH!

Color Me Quilty!

Pat

Making Christmas Progress: Hung by the Chimney with Care!

Oh my, Christmas is coming at high speed, less than 4 weeks. While I still have a lot of stitching to do between now and then, I am making progress on my Christmas sewing list.

Stockings for my husband, myself and of course Humphrey Bogart (our Corgi).

Modern, wonky potholders!

Technically this was for Thanksgiving, but it's still festive!

 The best news is that I may be getting my big sewing machine back from being fixed (fingers and toes crossed)! This will let me free motion quilt a lot of the projects on the list!

Making Christmas List:
1. Quilt and bind my Cubic Rhythm quilt - (4 1/2 more blocks, plus borders) - No Progress this week!
2. Mermaid pillows
3. Purple Heart Wall-hanging - no progress

4. At least 4 Christmas stockings - All 17 stockings completed. All given out at Thanksgiving!

5. 2 iPad covers - 3 Spines embroidered - I work at a Chiropractic College and these are for co-workers - no progress this week

6. At least 6 potholders - 4 completed!

7. 2 doggie mats - embroidered - no progress this week

8. 2 pillows for friends embroidered - 1 pillow top and back ready to quilt. 

9. Several last minutes ideas that I haven't thought of yet! - Table runner for Thanksgiving!

I'll be linking up with Janine over at Rainbow Hare Quilts for Making Christmas List and Megan at Canoe Ridge for Sew Modern Monday!

 

Color Me Quilty!

Pat

Working On Wonky!

I think wonky or improv. piecing should be required therapy for all Engineers (especially Quality Engineers)! Okay, so I only made potholders, but I love the feeling it gives you.

 
They are completed with wonky FMQ. The potholders are 8" square with Insul-Bright batting. These cuties are Christmas presents, but I am definitely making some for myself (as soon as I can get some more batting). This project was so liberating and sew much fun!

Color Me Quilty!

Pat

Thanksgiving Yummies!

I have so much to be thankful for, wonderful family and friends, a warm home and really good food! The Christmas stockings I made for everyone were a big hit, especially with my grandsons.

My Taddy Bear getting a good look at his stocking!

I live in a part of the country were the food quality is outstanding. Fresh, free-range turkey, organically grown potatoes, and among other things homemade cranberry chutney. I have to share my cranberry chutney creation, because I just fell in love with this and can seem to get enough!

Cranberry Chutney
1 bag fresh cranberries
1 handful of dried, sweetened cranberries
1 orange (zest and flesh diced)
1 apple peeled and diced
1/2 large sweet onion diced
1 cup orange juice
1 1/4 cup sugar
Butter (enough for saute the onions)
Salt and pepper

In a sauce pan, add everything (except for the onions, butter, salt and pepper), place over medium/high heat (you may need to reduce heat to a simmer).

At the same time, in a saute pan, add onions and butter, salt and pepper to taste. Saute until soft and translucent. Add to cranberries.

Continue to cook cranberry mixture until thickened (about 45 minutes total). Serve warm or cold.

Even my husband, who doesn't like cranberries relish, liked this. Delicious on leftover corn muffins. Yummy.

Enough of this cooking, I'm off to quilt!


Color Me Quilty!

Pat

Free Motion Friday: Superstar!

Okay, sew I'm having a bit of a slow start today. But I can't miss the last Free Motion Friday hosted by the fabulous Cindy at Fluffy Sheep Quilting! I have loved every week trying a new design and pushing me outside my comfort zone! This week is Superstar.

Leah Day's Superstar

My Front

My Back

 I have enjoyed "meeting" so many new friends and feel better that I know I can still visit through their blogs.

I also know that I'm hooked on FMQ! I found a cool monthly FMQ challenge for 2012 at Sew Cal Gal blog. Leah Day is even one of the experts. I hope some of you will join in the fun.



Color Me Quilty!

Pat

Try New Things (TNT) Thursday: Gluing The Binding

I opted for a glue stick!

Happy Thanksgiving! But before I slip into cooking mode, then eating mode, then food comma mode, I would like to tell you about my latest experiment! Gluing bindings before machine stitching, no pins, no clips! Yup, it's true and it works like a charm. Jenny at Sew Kind Of Wonderful had this tip!

Went on like a dream!

I pressed the binding in place (otherwise it didn't stick)

Stitched from the top! It did NOT gum up my needle.

Front binding

Back of binding

All done and on the table for Thanksgiving!

This table runner represents so many Try New Things: 1st time to FMQ, 1st time to glue a binding, 1st time to machine (not hand) stitch a binding down. All in time for Thanksgiving and TNT Thursday.

I'm linking up with the wonderful Melissa at Happy Quilting for TNT Thursday. I can't wait to see what wonderful things everyone else is trying this week!

Color Me Quilty!

Pat

WIP Wednesday # 6: Marching on to Christmas

I feel like Christmas is marching toward me at high speed. I'm not sure I will get everything done I want to, but I am making progress. I decided that I really want to use this table runner tomorrow, so last night I found some nice purple in my stash and made the binding and got it sewed on the top. My goal today is to sew it down (I'm going to attempt to sew it by machine).

I'm really pleased with how well the binding matches!

This week, I also finished 15 Christmas Stockings...Yippee only 2 more to go!

I also worked on this pillow.

Sew all in all, a fairly productive week. I do have plans to sew this weekend, so hopefully I will have lots of stuff to cross off the list next week.

So the stats for the week:

In-process: (9)
Hip to be Square FMQ sampler (still at 14 out of 30 blocks quilted)
Cubic Rhythm ( still 1/4 quilted)
Table runner (Binding made and sewn on!)
Purple heart wall hanging (nope)
Expanding Possibilities quilt (nope)
Free-Motion practice samples (H20- linked up at Fluffy Sheep Quilting)
2 more Christmas Stockings  need to finish.
Turtle pillow - Top done

New projects in the cue to start: (3)
FLMQG solids challenge crib quilt (Not started)
New Wave quilt (not started)
Friend's baby quilt - fabric picked out!

Projects completed this week: (15)
15 Christmas stocking completed

I'm linking up with Freshly Pieced for WIP Wednesday!

 

In the U.S., Thanksgiving is tomorrow, and I just wanted to take a minute to tell you all how thankful I am to have found such a warm and accepting community of quilters and bloggers. You all really make my day, everyday.


Color Me Quilty!

Pat

A Pillow Top

I decided I needed a change from cranking out Christmas stockings, so I switched over to a pillow (still a Christmas present). I had embroidered the turtle the other day, so it was quite easy to throw some borders on. My friends, whose present it is, love bright colors and I thought that the turtle fabric was just perfect.

Embroidery Library design

I'm looking forward to Thanksgiving, I do love to cook, but I'm really looking forward to a long weekend sewing. I'm hoping to cross off a whole lot of Christmas projects. (I just have to stop to pick-up some batting, I'm running very low.)

I'm linking up with A Quilt Story for Fabric Tuesday! Click on the button to hop on over to see what everyone else is up to today!






Color Me Quilty!

Pat

Making Christmas Progress: With a Bit of a Modern Twist!

Only 4 1/2 weeks 'til Christmas, but I actually have a much closer (self-imposed) deadline for some of my Christmas projects. I really want to get all 17 stockings complete before Thanksgiving, that's this Thursday! I worked like a Santa Elf yesterday and got all but two complete. YIPPEE,SKIPPEE!!!

I really like this pink group.

The great part is using up stash to make these stockings, although I'm sorry to see a lot of my Patty Young Sanctuary gone.

Making Christmas List:
1. Quilt and bind my Cubic Rhythm quilt - (4 1/2 more blocks, plus borders) - No Progress this week!
2. Mermaid pillows
3. Purple Heart Wall-hanging - no progress

4. At least 4 Christmas stockings - 15 stockings completed.

5. 2 iPad covers - 3 Spines embroidered - I work at a Chiropractic College and these are for co-workers - no progress this week

6. At least 6 potholders - no progress

7. 2 doggie mats - embroidered - no progress this week

8. 2 pillows for friends embroidered - Learned how to make buttonholes for the back

9. Several last minutes ideas that I haven't thought of yet!

I'll be linking up with Janine over at Rainbow Hare Quilts for Making Christmas List and Megan at Canoe Ridge for Sew Modern Monday!

Color Me Quilty!


Pat