Friday, October 30, 2015

Getting there

I am almost at the half way point of having the sashing quilted. This is my project for the weekend. I wonder how much I can get done? I have no plans to do much of anything else except maybe make a quick run to the grocery store and getting my walking in, so I have no excuses for not making major progress on this quilt.

What to you see how I am going to salvage the binding!


Have a great weekend!

Thursday, October 29, 2015

Making progress on quilting the t-shirt quilt

I now have the sashing around the first row of t-shirts quilted. I think for this quilt I will quilt all the sashing first then quilt the t-shirts.

Wednesday, October 28, 2015

Next project

Over this past weekend I managed to get my son's repaired t-shirt quilt top pin basted.

I made a change to the already made backing. I did a lot of cleaning this past weekend because I was looking for three missing items which I found all three items - yeah! When cleaning I came across a crib sheet that I used on my son's bed when he was a baby. I had found the sheet at my parent's house this summer when my siblings were helping to clean up their house. I must have given the sheet to my Mom to use for one of her grandkids. I can't believe it was still at their house all these years later. I decided I had to use it so I took the back partially apart and sewed the sheet into the backing.

I got started on the quilting and I will be using a meander design throughout the quilt. When I originally quilted it I had stitched next to the ditch for the sashing and there was minimal quilting in the t-shirts that made it easy to take apart. Now I am quilting the heck out of it! This t-shirt that my Mom had brought back from China was in rough shape and I thought I was going to have to replace it. I ironed on new interfacing and it ended up being salvageable! I made sure I quilted over the couple of areas that were worn through to help nail them down. Meandering over the entire shirt will hold it together for years to come.

My son gave me this quilt a number of years ago to fix and I know he will be happy to get it back. It won't take me too long to quilt it as it is not a huge quilt. I will be very happy to get this one done.

Tuesday, October 27, 2015

15th finish for 2015 - two more items off the UFO list

Here is the 15th finish for 2015. I used Sulky rayon to quilt the blues and greens and Aurfil to quilt the black.

This was also on my UFO list so this is like killing two birds with one stone. It turned out 31 1/2" x 50 1/4". The blues and greens plus the shibori back were fabrics that I dyed.

The blues and green were scraps leftover from making this quilt.

I also knocked one more item off my UFO list which was mending the holes in this pile of socks. That is my grandmother daring egg. It came in quite handy!

I fixed this tote bag that had a hole in one side and the top of the seams for the sides were coming apart.

My order from Connecting Threads came too. They were having a sale and I needed a variety of fun colors for the baby quilts I need to make. My stash of baby quilts is very low right now.

I have more to show tomorrow of what I accomplished over the last three days. Take care!

Thursday, October 22, 2015

Hello!

In case you are wondering where I have been, well I have had some personal family things to deal with. I appreciate that several of my blogging friends have contacted me wondering where I have been. What I am doing is needed to find the truth and to have no regrets in the future.

I hope to be back to posting next Tuesday.

Monday, October 19, 2015

Binding a wedding ring quilt and repairing a t-shirt quilt

A quilting friend came over this weekend to have me help her put the binding on a double wedding ring quilt. She was asked to finish this top into a quilt. First we had to shop my stash for some binding fabric. She chose this feed sack fabric. Since there was feed sack fabric in the quilt, the choice was appropriate.

I started sewing on the binding and only did a couple of feet so we could trim the backing and batting and check that how I was sewing it on was correct. After we both gave it a thumbs up, S. sewed the rest of the binding on. This was a good experience for me also since I have a double wedding ring quilt top to finish for a friend also.

While S. was working on the binding, I worked on the t-shirt quilt that my son's dog did a number on. Remember this?

It now looks like this. S. couldn't believe I still had some of that black and white homespun left in my stash from making this quilt in 1997.

I also have 3 plus yards of the white background pasta fabric that I had originally used for the back. I had to add the yellow background fabric to make the backing.

I also cut the batting and so all the layers are ready to be assembled and pin basted.

I put my new drunkard's path flannel quilt on my bed and I thought you might like to see it on the bed. I have not turned the heat on in the house yet, so this quilt keeps me nice and warm at night!

Thursday, October 15, 2015

A little progress and two t-shirts

The majority of my evening was spent on the phone so all I got done on the blue/green/black UFO was to press the binding and pin it on. I guess that is better than nothing.

I received two identical Bob Marley t-shirts in the mail yesterday. I got a great deal on these on ebay. I have to leave them in the garage until I can wash them because they smelle like cigarettes.

Wednesday, October 14, 2015

Next project - another UFO

Yes, I am still working on finishing the green/blue/black piece, but I needed to figure out what would be my next project. Remember this t-shirt quilt? I made this for my son when he graduated from high school. A couple of years ago his dog decided to tear into it.

I took it with me when I had to sit at the merchandise booth when my nephew's band played. I spent my time removing the binding

Removing the patches and the label

and freeing the top from the backing that was totally shot and the horrible batting

I think I have enough of the sashing fabric left to replace the torn sashing. It is amazing I still have it!

I also have a bit of the fabric that I had used for the backing. It is not enough for the entire back, but at least I have a bit I can use.

I will have to replace one t-shirt that got destroyed. Unfortunately, it is not one that I can replace with a duplicate. My Mom went to China with my Dad on a business trip and it was the t-shirt she had brought back for my son. I will try to salvage a piece and stitch it into the quilt somewhere - possibly on the back by the label.

Monday, October 12, 2015

Charm days and the green/blue UFO

I spent Friday and Saturday working at Miller's Dry Goods in Charm, Ohio for Charm Days. All the businesses in town had specials and there were lots of activities for the community including fundraisers. Fabrics, patterns, thread, books, and notions were 20% off. I tried hard to restrain myself from buying fabric except for projects I had in mind. I bought mostly 1/4 yards of these green and turquoise fabrics to add to what I already had for a project. The bottom pieces in each pile were a bit bigger as they were remnants so I had to take the whole piece - a 2/3 and 1 yard piece. I actually don't like the top green fabric so I don't know that I will use it now.


The white and black print was 20% off, but the rest of the fabric was 20% off the discounted price from the bargain basement. I bought mostly 1/2 yard and 1 yards pieces.


The two mud colored fabrics were in the bargain basement and the papaya - well, I just loved the color! It was 3 3/4 yards.

I loved this Moda line call Nocturne so I bought a 1/2 yard piece of each. The ladies were all laughing at me because I couldn't decided how much to buy. They were egging me on to at least buy at yard or two of each! I told them I would make a quilt with them and show it to them when I come to work for the anniversary sale next May.

I needed some gray thread. It is hard to tell, but there are three different colors.

I also bought some embroidery floss for my next t-shirt piece. They have a huge assortment of DMC floss.

Here is one part of the shop on Saturday morning all ready for the customers to come and shop.

When I got home Saturday at 4 p.m., I started washing my fabric and it was all washed, dried and pressed before I went to bed!

I finished quilting the green, blue, and black UFO. I also cut the binding and I will have just enough - yeah! Maybe I will get that sewn on tonight.

Thursday, October 8, 2015

Almost done!

I stitched and stitched last evening and I am very close to being done with this UFO. All I have left to quilt is the long black piece on the right side and the two borders.

I even managed to find the scraps from the backing for the facing binding I plan to do. I hope there is enough.

I will be working at Miller's Dry Goods in Charm, Ohio on Friday and Saturday. I can't wait to see all the ladies again and fondle all that fabric. I am planning on restraining my purchases as I don't need anymore fabric except for the few pieces I need to go with the snips of fabric I showed you the other day. I do need some gray quilting thread, light, medium, and dark also.

If you come to Charm make sure you find me, Patty, and say hello!

Wednesday, October 7, 2015

More UFO progress and making a plan

I quilted a bunch of the small black areas of the current UFO I am working on. I don't cut the threads, but when I am done with a section I pull the top and bottom threads to get some length before I start the next section so I have some length to bury. I did a bunch and now I have a bunch of threads to bury!

I have been cutting some strips from my stash to make some baby quilts. I need some prints to fill in so I am taping what I have onto a paper to take with me next time I head to Charm.

Tuesday, October 6, 2015

UFO reporting and stuff a person has to do

UFO Busting 2015

Well it is that time of the month to report my progress in reducing my UFOs. Last month I finished a big one - the drunkard's path flannel quilt. I didn't start any new projects or trash any projects. I now have 9 out of the 40 items on my UFO list done. I am currently working on item 10

which I worked on after I went and got some gas so I could mowed the front yard

and the back yard

changed the burnt out bulk in my security light

and sprayed weed killer on the thistle in my planting bed

Here is this morning's sky - pretty pink clouds.