Whipping on My WIP!

I have been trying to finish up some quilts that REALLY need to be finished. I have so many more quilts in my head wanting some time and attention, but I will not work on them until my last three WIPs are completed.

Last night I started quilting my purple hearts quilt. I have been a bit nervous about quilting it because of all of the seams.

Front

Back

I actually finished my Expanding Possibilities quilt - Yippee, Skippee!

This quilt was started in July of 2011, completed November 2012!














I also worked on Storybook quilt #2

So I have been making progress - Whipping on my WIP!

My stats for the week:
In-process: (3)
Purple heart wall hanging  (quilting and binding)
Elephant quilt
Storybook quilt # 2 - All embroidery is done, plain blocks are cut and white border. Backs are cut.

New projects: (0)

Finished (1)
Expanding Possibilities quilt - done
 
I'm linking up with  Freshly Pieced for WIP Wednesday and The Free Motion Quilting Project for QAL Wednesday

Color Me Quilty!

Pat

UFO Trilogy

I have three UFO's that I REALLY need to get finished. They have been hanging over my head for far too long. I have been working on them, I'm just not that fast. Maybe it would help if I work on just one at a time, but I find I need a break in the type of quilting I'm working on, i.e. FMQ, cutting, piecing, etc.

This is my second Storybook quilt (Christmas present). I got a lot of the pieces cut yesterday. This is a QAYG quilt, so hopefully it will go together quickly!

This is a second generation UFO that I had spray basted, but the batting was 80/20 (spray doesn't work well with poly batting), I decided to add pins

Expanding Possibilities quilt that I have been FMQ forever. Lots and lots of quilting. But I am making progress.

One of the big reason for the progress on this quilt is my new Gidget 2 table. I received the insert this week. What a difference a level surface makes.

My new sewing set up! I love it!

All three projects need to be completed on or before Christmas. I think I can, I think I can! I should go quilt, but.....

 

Today is the first meeting of the Ithaca Modern Quilt Guild (join our group on Facebook) held at Quilters Corner in Ithaca, NY. I can't wait to meet a whole bunch of like minded quilters!

Today I'm linking up with Leah Day on the Free Motion Quilting Project for UFO Sunday!

Color Me Quilty!

Pat

Paisley Runs Through It!

If the design has paisley in it, I love it. Okay, I admit it! I'm a Paisley junkie! So this week's Leah Day homework, Trapped Paisley,  HAD to go into my Expanding Possibilities quilt.

This was stitched into the edge of my quilt with the bulk of it supported behind my machine. I didn't have any where near the problems I had last week. Leading me to believe that most (although not all) of my problems are caused from the weight of the quilt or me pulling/pushing on the needle to get the quilt to move. I can't wait to get the insert to my Gidget 2 table, I think that will have a profound impact on my quilting.

So my question for Leah is about the Ikea table and adjustable legs you show in this post. Since I don't have an Ikea within at least 200 miles of me, I will need to order them online. You show two tables, one that you said you cut down. I'm assuming it was the one behind the machine. Could you share the exact dimensions of both tables and your combined sewing table configuration? How did you cut the table down, table or circular saw? Did this affect the pre-drilled holes for the legs? Was the raw edge of the table a problem? I love your sewing machine set-up, so any pertinent information would be hugely appreciated. 

I wasn't able to get a whole lot accomplished this week and I will probably get even less done this coming week. I have a conference in Indianapolis, I know, you are all jealous ;).

Finished the quilting in the center of the quilt

I got my purple hearts quilt basted

I started designing a new quilt.

My stats for the week:
In-process: (3)
Purple heart wall hanging  quilting and binding)
Expanding Possibilities quilt (Continue to quilt)
Storybook quilt # 2 - All embroidery is done

New projects: (1)
Elephant quilt

Finished (0)

 
I'm linking up with  Freshly Pieced for WIP Wednesday and The Free Motion Quilting Project for QAL Wednesday

Color Me Quilty!

Pat

Going with the Flow

Leah Day's homework this week was flowing lines. What a great FMQ motif! I love how it looks stitched out into my Expanding Possibilities quilt.

I was easily able to go around a corner with this design

I'm still getting a few thread "burps" (the thread just sort of explodes out into a birds nest, but more on the top of the quilt and just little on the bottom). I think it is because this quilt is so heavy, it pulls and my machine doesn't like it.  (I can just hope that my dear hubby will read this post and will buy me a Gidget II table for Christmas!!!)  Any convincing argument to get him to buy it for me for Christmas????  I mean, I have been bad this year, I bought a new machine! How do I say this nicely, the man is frugal, his hobby is doing our cost book!

On to other projects! I was pretty good this week working on several projects on the WIP list!

My library quilt is getting close to completion. All quilted, and I have the blocks joined into rows.

Now to get the rows into a quilt! Then I need to bind it, attach a rod pocket to hang it and a label. Almost there!

I also pulled out a WIP/UFO that has been on my list since last fall and started working on it, my Purple Hearts quilt.

I added and embroidered the borders. Now to baste and quilt it.

My stats for the week:
In-process: (4)
Purple heart wall hanging ( needs backing, quilting and binding)
Expanding Possibilities quilt (Continue to quilt)
Storybook quilt # 2 - All embroidery is done
Geneva Public Library quilt - join and quilt

New projects: (0)

Finished (0)

I'm linking up with  Freshly Pieced for WIP Wednesday and The Free Motion Quilting Project for QAL Wednesday

Color Me Quilty!

Pat

4th Quarter and 4 To Go!

You may think I'm talking football, but I'm talking Quilter in the Gap's Finish Along 2012!

My Score:

1st Quarter: I had three projects on my list!
       Completed: 1 - Hip To Be Square quilt

2nd Quarter: I had nine projects on my list
        Completed: 5

3rd Quarter: I had eight projects on my list
       Completed: 6 - two pillows, two quilts, two minis

So on to the 4th Quarter List: I have just four projects - All due for Christmas (or before)!

1. My second Storybook Quilt. This was on my list since the first quarter. I finished the first quilt in the second quarter, but the pressure is now for her sister's quilt.

2. Expanding Possibilities. I finished this quilt top over a year ago. I have now promised to donate it to a wonderful kids charity, due just before Christmas.

3. Purple Heart wall hanging. One of my mom's UFO's, turned into one of my UFOs. Planned as a Christmas give to a family member.

4. Library Quilt.  I have been working on this pretty steadily for the past month. It NEEDS to be finished. It will hang in the Geneva Public Library. Since I have 2012 date on it, it must be given this year!!!!

I have completed twelve projects so far this year on Quilter in the Gap Finish Along (FAL).  I will have sixteen if I complete these four remaining projects. I'm pretty happy with that score! Thanks Ronda for hosting this FAL!

Linking up with Ronda at Quilter in the Gap for the 4th Quarter FAL!!!

Color Me Quilty!

Pat

2nd Generation UFO

As many of you may know, I inherited much of my fabric, thread and machines from my mom two years ago. I also inherited her UFO's. She quilted for 30 years and she accumulated some fabulous UFOs that really deserve the light of day. This particular UFO, I actually helped her with back in the late 1990's and has been on my to do list since last fall.

Watercolor quilt approx. 23" x 26"

 I know that my mom intended to be the center of a king sized quilt, but never really knew what do put around it without making it feel lost on the bed quilt. I realized when I found this in my mom's stash that it needed to be a wall hanging.  Last fall I picked up fabric for a couple of small borders and this machine embroidery design from Urban Threads.

Embroidery design from Urban Threads.

I love this "love" embroidery design, kind of like saying that my mom's love is never really finished!

Yesterday, I pulled it out, embroidered the border and made up this wonderful wall hanging.

So now the real dilemma (and why I haven't worked on this until now), how in the heck do I quilt this? It is made up of tiny one inch squares and I certainly don't want to take away from the quilt design, I want to enhance it. I figured I could use a light lavender thread, should I use something darker in the bottom areas where the flowers are?  I suppose I could use a large stipple, but I would like to highlight the hearts. Any suggestions?????

I'm linking up with Leah Day for UFO Sunday! Can't wait to see what everyone is working on.

Color Me Quilty!

Pat