Monday, Monday....

I really got a lot accomplished this weekend and was hoping to keep the ball rolling today.  I did in a way.  I got my workout in this morning and am feeling it tonight.  After coffee with my dad I went to the quilt shop to look for some more novelty prints for the baby quilt.  Got what I needed, came home and had lunch.  By the way, I'm really loving My Little Pony!  Joe told me this weekend he was surprised I went ahead with the Mustang convertible.  He thought I was going to get another SUV.  Even though it was not the greatest of days- not a top down kind of day, it's still fun to drive.  Again, distracted!

I needed to start thinking of what I need to bring with me to Boston for Bryn's graduation.  I usually get my handwork together before I worry about what I'm going to wear!  Priorities!  I needed to clean out and organize my travel sewing bag so I thought I'd share it with you.

 

Jinny Beyer Travel Bag

 I got this bag one of the years I was at Jinny's Seminar.  You can get it on her website.  It's "legal" travel size for your liquids on airplanes.  The size tucks in my pack and contains everything I need with room to spare.

 

Bag Contents

 In the bag I put a box of applique pins, my needle threader (my favorite quilting tool) a finger pin cushion (just got it today!), thick quilting thread, needles, 1/4" steel, sandpaper covered seam marker, 2 mechanical pencils, a marking pen, scissors and a couple of thimbles.  I just realized I need to put in some regular thread for piecing.

Thimble Pin cushion

I found this little thimble at the quilt shop.  There's a piece of elastic that holds it on your finger.  It will be perfect for holding those little applique pins where I can keep track of them while in a plane or in the car-as a passenger!  I have told people I like to piece while in the car and they thought while I was driving!  I think that would be worse than texting!  Anyway, I found pleasure today for $2.50 with this little pin cushion!

 Then I have my baggie filled with cardboard diamonds for English paper piecing.  I cut the diamonds out of poster board.

 I've cut rectangles of scraps and threw 6 of each color in a bag.  I then pin the cardboard diamond to the scrap, leaving plenty of room around the edges.  I did adjust this after I took the picture.  I do have to change the pin to an applique pin-less likely to get stuck!

 I then trim the fabric so I have at least 1/4" around the cardboard.  Next I baste the fabric on the cardboard.  Since I am traveling and they are thrown in a bag and get thrown around a lot I use a thicker needle and baste it directly on the cardboard.

 When I have six made I whip stitch them together WITHOUT removing the cardboard.   I don't take the cardboard out until every side has been stitched to another piece.

 English paper pieced star from the back.

 Here are a bunch I have already put together.  It's coming together!

The other thing I needed to do today was get my projects organized.  A few years ago I started charting my projects.  Along the top I have the steps to finishing the quilt from planning it to binding it: Plan Quilt, Calculate yardage, buy yardage, cut pieces, make blocks, (of course, I can't read it from here and I'm sitting in a very comfy chair but I'll try to remember the rest) arrange blocks, sashing, piece top together, trim, borders, baste, quilt and binding.

 I then list the projects along the left.

 As I complete each step I check it off.  There's something satisfying about checking the steps off!

As I complete a project I'm able to cross off the line.  I really should date it as well.  Okay, that's what I"ll do from now.

It's getting late and I want to get a little hand quilting done so for now...

Happy  Stitching!

Weekend Accomplished!

Ahhh!  What a weekend!  Saturday was one of those cold, raw, damp days-PERFECT FOR QUILTING!!!  So down to the Quilt Lair I went!

I used to listen to quite a few books on CD.  It started with the Harry Potter books.  Yep, all of them!  In the car, walking the dog, sewing, wrapping Christmas presents.....  For some reason I stopped.  I love reading and don't always have enough time to read everything I want to AND accomplish everything I want.  A friend of mine told me she's been getting her audio books from the library.  I can't put my finger on my library card and should probably drop by the library this week and find out the scoop on downloading books online from the library.  Until then I wanted to listen!  Last summer I started reading the Earth Children series by Jean Auel-"Clan of the Cave Bear", "Valley of the Horses", etc.  I had to get the next one, The Mammoth Hunters, so I downloaded it from iTunes.  I started listening to it yesterday as I finished Brendan's top.  Granted, it's not deep literature but an interesting story.  I completely lost track of the time!  It was 7pm and Joe wanted to go out to eat!  I was in my sewing attire so had to change and throw on some mascara to be presentable quickly!  LOL!!! 

But I digress.... I need to find a fabric for the borders and back for the quilt.  Sounds like an excuse to go to the Door Mouse!  I talked to the twins' mother and I'm going to give them the quilts on the Cape the end of July so there's no immediate rush to get Patrick's done this month.  In the meantime,  I've been invited to a baby shower for my trainer, Sara, in June.  I saw a baby quilt online and pinned it to my Pintrest page.  I just needed an excuse to make it.  I've been collecting baby novelty prints and used the Acuquilt Go to cut out the blocks.  I worked on it today, again, listening to the book.  I had to tear myself away to go golf with Joe this afternoon.

What I have completed so far.

I need to pick up a few more novelty prints.  Maybe a trip to Cristina's tomorrow after workout!  I am looking forward to getting back to my book! 

This evening it's TV and bonding with my Feathered Star.  (I need to come up with a name for it-maybe tomorrow)

Happy Stitching!

Back From Denver...

Had a great time in Denver with my Dad, Joe, Katie and her boyfriend, Drew.  The weather was PERFECT!  In the upper 70's to low 80's and no humidity.  We arrived at noon time on Saturday and asked Dad what he wanted to do while in Denver.  Without pausing he said "I want to see the Air Force Academy!"  He served in the Navy but wanted to check out the competition!  It was VERY impressive!  Most of it is closed to the general public but he really wanted to see the chapel.  I didn't want to push him too hard because of the change in altitude and the fact he's 90!

 Notice how blue the sky is! 

 Joe, me, my dad and Rew.

 

Inside the chapel.

 Dad, Joe and me inside the chapel.

The next day we got up early and went to Dinosaur Ridge.  Again, a beautiful day!

Katie, Dad, Joe and I

After the Dino tour we went over to Red Rocks.  Dad was blown away!  It's so beautiful and big in the natural setting!

 

Katie, Rew and I at the back of Red Rocks.

 

Looking down at the stage from the top.  What a great setting!

We then drove to Evergreen for lunch.  It was a great drive-so many beautiful vistas!  We had lunch at a great place called "Creekside"

 Joe, Katie and I outside the restaurant.

Monday we went to spend the morning with Katie's 2nd grade class.  I didn't take pictures but the kids were SO cute and well behaved!  My dad loved being there and reading with the kids.

Tuesday Dad and I relaxed by the pool until it was time for us to leave for the airport.  He kept saying  "This trip is like a dream!"  The last time he was in Denver was in 1936 when his family drove there from southeast Kansas!  I'm so glad I had this opportunity to spoil him!

Wednesday was back to workout, grocery shopping, laundry and general getting back to reality.

Thursday was designed to be my "Get Back on Track With My Quilting" Day.  I got down to the "Studio" (it sounds so pretentious- I think I'll call it "My Quilting Lair"!)  So I went down to my Lair and got back to working on my nephew's quilt.  As I was trimming up the blocks I realized it was just plain boring.  Mostly white tee shirts with just a few colors.

I also remembered that one of the local churches was having their rummage sale!  Perfect timing!  So I took inventory and went over and got 10 tee shirts and turtlenecks to "harvest" the colored fabric! 

While I was out I thought I'd stop at Joanne's to get a snap to replace a defective one on a new jacket and picked up some more red Kona for the Spider Web quilt I'm dying to get back to work on.  Then on to Costco to gas up Pretty Pony and pick up a few items and over to Target for a few staples.  Got back home for lunch and to get back to Brenden's Quilt.   I needed to call my hair dresser-gosh, doesn't that sound old?  Needed my highlights done and a trim before Bryn's graduation next week.  Of course she had no time available except yesterday at 2:30- in just over an hour!  Had to take it!  Then needed to pick up some bobby pins and personal grooming products.  Went home and completed some beauty necessities.  Before I knew it, it was 6:30 and I had gotten no more than 3 blocks squared up all day!  After dinner I just worked on hand quilting my feathered star.  For a day that was supposed to be a nothing but quilt day life just happened! 

I wanted to get this posted before too much more time passed.  Off to quilt!

Happy Stitching!

It's Tuesday...All Day!

I have been fighting some bug for about a week now.  I completely lost my voice for 5 days.  It's now moved down to my chest.  I really feel wiped out today.  I started coughing up "greenies".  I was supposed to have a dental appointment today but realized yesterday when a cough developed that I could not go though a crown prep with a cough so I cancelled it.  I still had a nail appointment scheduled.  I called the doctor's office and was able to get in today.  And it's a good thing I did.  I have been feeling worse as the day wears on.  I digress.  I started stabilizing my nephew, Brendan's, tee shirts this morning.  I got a good start and did about 6 shirts.  I got the basic lay out done and had to leave for my nail appointment.  I got home in time to grab my knitting and headed to the doctor's.  Sure enough, I have an upper respiratory infection.  I started on a Z pack but I'm still feeling terrible.  In fact, I'm feeling worse as the day goes on.  I don't feel like doing anything.  In fact, I think I'm going to go back up to bed for an hour.  I'm sure I'll be feeling better after 24 hours.

Off to bed!

Happy Stitching!

Monday...

I didn't get much accomplished this weekend.  I'm still not feeling great.  I got my voice back but have developed a cough.  I'm not one to run off to the doctor at the first sign of being sick but it's been almost a week now.  And I don't want to be ill when we go out to Denver this weekend.

As I've written about before, I've been working on my Lotus Temple top which I started in Ursula Kern's class.  I started with 2 shoe boxes organizing my palate.  It's now grown to 4 overflowing boxes!  I have quite a few "ish" colors  (yellow'ish', pink 'ish', etc).  For being a quilt "outside my box", I sure have a lot of boxes!

Below is the original picture of the Lotus Temple in Delhi, India.  I was there during the day with LOTS of people.  We were not allowed to take pictures of the inside, which was absolutely stunning!  I was looking for a picture of the inside, of which I found none, but came across this picture.

 I took the pictue and blew it up.  We then "gridded" it to make individual blocks.  I've marked off the blocks I've done

 I then isolate the block I am going to do-in this case F3-and make a muslin foundation on which I will sew fabric that loosely mimics the box.

 I want the block to finish at 6" so it will be 6.5 unfinished.  I use a 7" square piece of muslin as  it will "shrink" as I sew on it.  It's easier to cut it off than to add it on.  Believe me, I've done it both ways and would rather trim! 

 I made the angled line which is part of the roof line and broke the sky up into 4 (later 5) separate areas.

 The pencil lines don't show through the fabric and if I used a Sharpie the black may show through when I use light fabric.  I had one of those "Brilliant" moments (Oprah calls them "Ah ha Moments") and used a new water soluble pen.  The ink is a lighter color and if it shows through all I have to do is wet it and it disappears!

 Here's the line on the front of the muslin
 

 

Here's all the lines marked.

 

How the line looks on the back!  I'll be able to see it when it's time to sew on it.

 It's kind of difficult to see in the picture but the lines are pretty clear in real life.  If they were too light I could always go over them again with the soluble marker.

 This is where it will be with some of the completed blocks.

 The next step is picking out the fabrics to use on the block.  I want a light fabric for the roof and fabrics a bit darker for the sky to give the impression of the building glowing in the setting sun.

 To keep track of where each fabric goes I have numbered the flower pins (this Brilliant Idea comes from my friend, Ricki Selva) and stick numbered pins in the fabrics indicating where they go on the foundation.

 The numbered foundation with the first fabric.  I have changed my mind (I'm blonde and I'm a woman.  It's allowed!) and now have a 1 and a 1a.  I layed fabric 1 approximately 1/4" over the marked line making sure it covered the marked area with plenty to spare.

 I then pinned (!) 1a with PLENTY OF OVERLAP and making sure it covered the required area when flipped over.  I can't tell you the number of times I didn't pin and the fabric folded itself over and I had to tear and swear and do it all over again.

 Both ends pinned down.

 Flip it over and start sewing AT LEAST 1/4" beyond the foundation.

 After the seam is sewn I set the seam (press it just as it came out from under the needle).

 I then press it open making sure there are no little creases.

 Next, I flip it over and take my Handy Dandy Tool (I got this one from Deb Karasik) and line it up along the NEXT STITCHING LINE!!!

 Sure enough, I didn't measure correctly when I drew the line, but it's not that critical with this project so we'll just fudge it.  Anyway, I hold the foundation back over the Handy Dandy Tool so I don't cut the muslin...

 ...and I take my 1/4" ruler (it has a 1/4" lip) and butt it up firmly against the foundation wrapped Handy Dandy Tool (HDT).  (The HDT gives extra firm bulk so the ruler won't slip when you cut).  OOPS!  I didn't take a picture of me cutting!  But then again, I've heard so many horror stories of people getting cut with their rotary cutters I don't want to take a chance of getting cut!

 I'm a firm believer that there is always more fabric that needs to be bought so I tend to cut pieces larger than needed.  That and I've been caught with cut pieces being too short and having to tear and swear and reposition too many times.  I can buy more fabric but have yet to find somewhere to buy more time!  To measure my next piece I start by giving myself a generous 1/2" to 3/4" from the previously cut edge. 

 I didn't show it but I give myself at least 1/2" extension off the end and measure the widest part-here it's almost 3".  I call it 3.5"  I then look at the longest measurement and give myself at least an extra 1/2".  Here I cut the fabric 9" x 3.5".

 I repeat the pinning, checking that it will cover the section, sewing, setting the stitches and pressing.

 The next piece I want to fragment.  I cut a small piece to give me a little triangle next to the roofline.

 I sew it at an angle and trim the seam.

 After I press it I cut the edge so it will line up with the previous piece that has already been trimmed to the 1/4" seam allowance.  Pin and stirch.

 I haven't mentioned yet that I use the thinnest pins I have since I will be sewing over them occasionally.  I also sew pretty slowly so the needle can slide over the pin if they come in contact with one another.

 At this point in the block I am coming to an eventual seam intersection.  I will eventually need to turn the foundation along this line so I don't want to stitch too far over it.  I try to stitch right up to the line and fix my stitch and cut it at this point.

 Here is the completed untrimmed block. I'll now trim it to 6.5"

 I'm such a blonde I put Post-it notes next to the 6.5" lines on my square!  I note where I want the roof line to fall and make sure that the entire 6.5" area has fabric-no "open" places!  I trim the right side and top.

 I then flip the block and line up my lines with the cut edges.  Trim the last 2 sides and Voile La!

The block in it's new home!

I then started going through my nephews' tee shirts.  I really should get started on those quilts.  I'd like to finish both of those quilts and Sara (my trainer)'s baby quilt before the pool opens.  I do love going to the pool and reading.  It's really the only time I dedicate a lot of time to reading.  I am a sun worshiper.  I know it's not good for me and I do put on sun screen.  I have wicked Seasonal Affective Disorder and probably feel the best in the summer absorbing all the sunlight!  I do have one of those simulated sunlight lamps that sits in front of my sewing machine to help with my moods in the winter but there's nothing like warming my bones, reading and visiting with friends by the pool!

I really should get some hand sewing done.  I WILL finish hand quilting my feathered star quilt by the end of the year!

Happy Stitching!