21st finish - Ad Hoc Improv Project

My 21st finish is my Ad Hoc Improv Project. I pieced this last year I think - or maybe it was two years ago. It turned out 39.5" long and 40" wide.

My next project will be to finish my piece that I started at QuiltCon in Feb. of 2014 in a class I took with the Gee's Bend quilters. I had them sign my piece.

Pillowcases done!

At work the contractors are finally starting to take the building down. Over the last 3 -4 weeks they have been stripping the lockers, aluminum framing, copper, cast iron, and steel out of the building, but now it is time to knock it down. The big digger knocks stuff down and the smaller digger picks thru the debris, pulls out the metal and puts it in a dumpster. It is entertaining to watch.

I sewed together the pillow cases last night

and even got them wrapped!

I need to make a Xmas stocking and after some digging around, I found the fabric I want to use.

I couldn't find the pattern I use for stocking so I just drew one up. I think this will work just fine.

I am taking vacation next week so I might not be posting much. I have lots of work to do around the house.

Have a safe and happy holiday season!

Working on it

Last evening I made some of my oatmeal raisin cookies for the contractors. I hadn't brought them cookies all week. As I was leaving last evening, I stopped to let them know some information and they first thing they asked me is if I had any cookies. I said I didn't have any but what kind do they want and they wanted more of the oatmeal raisin.

I remembered to take a picture of the backing for the double wedding ring quilt.

I got the pillowcases cut out

and they are now ready to sew. I had to change the orange fabric for the body of the pillowcase, because the piece I had picked out was not big enough.

Backing, chocolate, and zig zag

Last evening a friend stopped over to bring me the backing she had bought for this quilt. I forgot to take a picture of the backing for you, but it was a very nice piece of fabric, dark maroon with a little print. This quilt means a lot to her as it was made by her Grandmother. It is going to take some serious work to quilt this as it is hand pieced very poorly. It must have been one that she did late in her life, because I saw another double wedding ring quilt she had done and it was beautifully done.

She also brought me this present.

The bag was full of chocolate from Germany, Belgium, Austria, and Cleveland.

I dug out some fabric to make two pillowcases.

And I got a bit more quilting done on the zig zag quilt.

Making progress

I now have about 1/4 of the zig zag quilt quilted and that's about it for now.

Was that the plan?

My plan for this weekend was to work on the zig zag quilt and get some walking in. The best laid plans ....

There was no walking outside on Saturday since it was raining and water on ice - well, difficult to walk on. I spent most of the day on the zig zag quilt. By the end of the day I had the backing and batting laid out and ready to pin baste the top.

Sunday I got up early to head to the grocery store to pick up a few things for Xmas cookies. The temperature had dropped overnight and the parking lot was like a skating rink. I got home and decided to work on dishes, cook some mushrooms, and throw the two small whole chickens I bought in a pot to cook. So I am washing dishes and the water going down the drain seemed a bit loud. I looked under the sink and here the pvc had come apart and the water was running all over the cabinet and ended up running down the wall in the downstairs bathroom and laundry room. Crap! That wasn't in my plans! LOL!!!

I tried to fix it, but the nut would not hold the down pipe in place. My brother always says to me "let me know if you need anything." Well, I need help with this so I called him. I mean a week before Xmas and I can't use my sink?! I was planning on making some cookies and I was cooking. I started cleaning house so in case my brother could come and help me. This happened at 9:30 and Mike came over fixed the sink about 1:30 so I had been running around doing laundry (4 loads of towels, 1 with quilt backing, and 1 with clothes), vacuuming, taking out the recycling, trash, putting away the dishes that were already done, etc. That wasn't in my plans either! LOL!!! I got over 8,000 steps in from going to the store and running around the house.

He was able to fix the sink and I was back in business, but I was hungry and a bit tired. All I managed to do the rest of the day was to pin baste the quilt, clean the cooked chickens, and fold laundry. I did get a little bit of quilting done this morning.

So much for a plan! Oh, well things could have been worse. I am just so grateful Mike was able to come over yesterday and help me out.

The lock on the gate for the job site was frozen this morning so I just parked my car outside the gate and went for my walk. It was 12 degrees and the sidewalks and parking lots are covered in ice. The school threw down a little bit of calcium chloride, but it was still very dicey walking. Tomorrow it is suppose to get above freezing and full sun so maybe that will get rid of some of the ice.

My first Xmas present and progress on the zig zag quilt

Yesterday, I received my first Xmas present. It was from a girlfriend. Last week I gave her one of my hand knitted scarfs and this is what I received

Now I don't have to borrow it from the library!

I managed to get 5 rows of blocks sewn together last evening. They are the ones in the lower right. I still need to sew the rows together. The missing row is sitting beside my machine ready to be sewn.

My only plans for this weekend is to work on this quilt and get some walking in. It was cold walking this morning - 7 degrees! The forecast for tomorrow is 48 degrees and rain. We will see ...


Have a great weekend!

Accomplishments

Did a load of laundry. Cooked some meat. Made and sewed the label on the baby quilt for my sister's friend.

Got the blocks made for the last row of the zig zag quilt.

I was having a hard time getting motivated to do stuff last evening. Walking and getting my steps in in this cold weather really zaps my energy. My sister took off work yesterday and she kept texting me on how much she was getting done so I tried to use that as inspiration to get at least a few things done.

This morning when I walked it was 10 degrees with a -4 wind chill. It has now started to snow and it is coming down pretty good. It is now up to 9 (hum? that is the wrong direction!) and the wind chill is now -9. I broke down and wore my heavy coat today for the first time this year. It is actually the Starter jacket I bought my son when he was in high school. He just had to have a Notre Dame Starter Jacket. I remember paying over one hundred dollars for it, so I made him get a big size so he wouldn't outgrow it. He did outgrown it several years after he was out of high school so now I wear it. I guess I have gotten my money's worth out of it!

Zig Zag progress

I got a lot done last evening on this quilt. I only have one more row to add and I can start sewing the top together. I decided to add the gray row to switch it up a bit.

Great reuse and zig zag quilt progress

Yesterday I came across a post on LuAnn's blog https://luannkessi.blogspot.com/ and she showed the vintage train cases she had collected. LuAnn uses these to carry her hand piecing projects. Each case is supplied with a scissors, pins, and everything she needs for working on a project. You need to go to her blog and read this post. I had a train case sitting in the garage and here it is. Mine is a color called Wild Strawberry. It has been sitting in the garage for years and now I will be using it as a sewing box to carry supplies. I have thanked LuAnn for the brilliant idea!

I got the rest of the strips cut for the zig zag quilt. I found some Kona white in my stash, but it needed washed so I did that last evening and cut the strips this morning. I now can start sewing tonight!

19th and 20th finishes for 2016

I was gone all day Saturday visiting and grocery shopping. By the time I got home it was 5 p.m. and I still had to put away groceries. I stitched a little bit on the binding, but I was tired. On Sunday I finished the binding on both baby quilts! This one is 36" x 44.25 and I will be sending this to my sister for her friend's baby.

Here is the other one that is finished. It is 34.75" x 50". The backing is a linen look fabric. I reads like a solid in this picture.

I also made brownies and a few cut out cookies for the guys demolishing the building on site.

About 5:30 I went out to shovel the snow. We got about 2" and very wet snow. It kept sticking to the shovel which was quite annoying!

I need to make a girl quilt for a friend of my brother. The baby is due 12/24 or 12/25. He likes my zig zag quilts so I started cutting strips for the quilt.

Snappy binding and Xmas decoration

I got a little over half of the binding hand stitched on one of the baby quilts. I think the binding is snappy!

This is the only Xmas decoration I put out. It sits year round on a ledge in the guest room along with other sentimental items. My mother painted this and my Dad wired it. Of all the ceramics my Mom did for me this is my favorite.

Even the backside is beautiful. I have had this for a long time. I forgot to look to see if there was a date on the bottom. Mom died 16 years ago this upcoming January so I would say I have had this for at least 25 years as Mom quit doing ceramics a number of years before she passed.

This weekend's plans are to finish hand stitching the binding on both baby quilts, pin baste a couple more baby quilts, and get a baby quilt started for a friend of my brother. Always something to do! Have a great weekend!

Binding progress

Despite being tired, I powered thru and got the corners sewn and the quilts trimmed. Tonight I will start the hand stitching.

It has been muddy at work so I have been wearing my boots. I have been getting my steps in everyday, but I have been tired. This morning I decided to take my new Dr. Scholes inserts out of my athletic shoes and put them in my boots. Wow what a difference. The original inserts in the boots were thin and served no purpose! I will be interested to see how I feel tonight. I have been getting to work early so I can walk before working. I walk the parking lots at the high school and middle school (the two buildings are connected) and entertain myself by listening to my iPod and looking for lost change. This morning I found a quarter and three pennies. Last week I found a 5/8" combination wrench and a key on a lanyard. I turned the key into the school - it was lost by a teacher. I pick up pencils - I will never have to buy one! - and a couple of weeks I found a baseball. Crazy the stuff that gets lost! It's only 8:54 and I already have 7,283 steps. My goal everyday is to get 10,000, but during the week I have been doing between 11 and 13,000. Saturday and Sunday I don't always get all my steps in.

Binding progress

I got the binding strips sewn together and then sewn on both quilts.

Tonight I will work on machine stitching the mitered corners.

Last evening's accomplishments

I put together a double batch of cookies and got the dough rolled into logs. After they sat in the fridge for awhile I sliced the logs and baked them.

While the cookies baked, I cut the binding for the two baby quilts.

My brother, who lives in California, and I spent some time talking on the phone last night. There was not enough time to start sewing and pressing the binding so I will work on that tonight.

Quilting progress

This weekend I managed to get both of the baby quilts quilted.

I found this bold stripy fabric in the fabric storage room that I will use to bind these.

So now you know what I will be doing this week!

I did go into a new shop that opened in the town where I get my hair cut. They sell Polish pottery and what eye candy!

I bought this 4.25" angel for my sister in Georgia.