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!