Thursday, December 23, 2021

Deer pillows done!

I made the inserts for the deer pillows and ended up having more than enough fiberfill. I am glad I didn't waste a trip to the store to get a bag because I thought a week ago I didn't have enough.
Yesterday at work some company sent us lunch from Chipotle. I snagged two of the boxes so I could wrap the flannel quilts.
I will be taking off work from Dec. 24 thru Jan.2 so my posting will be sparse unless I can get my laptop to work from home. I don't have internet so I use the hot spot on my phone. The glass man is coming the 29th to install the mirror and shower door in the primary bathroom. My girlfriend is coming on the 31st and will be staying two nights for a sewing marathon and so neither one of us is alone on New Year's. My car appointment for new tires on the 27th had to be moved because a father and son who work at the tire shop had an exposure to covid and to be safe they are quarantining. That will give me more time at home so I am ok with moving the appointment; I hope they are ok. Covid is one level under the worst level in the country where I live. Have a safe and happy holiday season!

Wednesday, December 22, 2021

Two pillows done, two to go

I buckeled down last night and finished the two tie pillows. I am happy with how they turned out. They are now wrapped and sitting on the lady's desk who is getting them for Xmas; she is a coworker. The ties came from a close friend who passed away several years ago. I have had the ties for several years so it is good they are now made into pillows and out of my house. They finished about 14" and I did put a zipper in the back.
While I was making pillows, I got started on the two deer pillows. I was thinking about putting piping around them, but forget it!  I decided to use the KISS method - Keep It Simple Stupid!  LOL! The covers are made so tonight I just have to make the inserts and they will be done!  They are not very big; maybe 8 1/2" x 10 1/4".
Here is the current list which I know needs revised; our lists constantly need revised don't they? LOL!!! The deer pillows are the last thing sewing wise that needed to be finished for Xmas. I will revise this list later today to include some sewing that I want to get done while I am off over the holidays.
Yesterday a lady at work gave me a Kinder Joy for Xmas. We have fun with these at work putting together the little toys that come in these eggs especially the minion figures.
In my egg was a snowman. I put him together and he now sits with my display for Xmas on my window sill.

Tuesday, December 21, 2021

19th finish for 2021

Yeah rah! I got the pastel flannel quilt done! It's the same size as the dark flannel quilt.
I then started on another Xmas gift. I was given a bag of ties to make a pillow out of. There were plenty to make three small pillows, but for now I am making two. I first laid out these on a base, but wasn't thrilled with the look.
So then I changed them around and like this better.
The other colorway was the gray ties. Here I have them attached to the base using an embroidery stitch on my machine. I just butted them next to each other. I used a rayon Sulky thread.
I trimmed them to size and to make construction easier, I rounded the corner.
I made the pillow inserts out of some fabric that was given to me. I will stuff those at lunch time today. Tonight after work I will make the backs and sew them together then that job will be done!
The only other project I had planned for Xmas for gifts was to turn these two cross stitch pieces into pillows. I will have to get more fiberfill for stuffing and it just depends on if I can find the time between now and Christmas Eve to make these. I still have pies and cookies to bake.

Monday, December 20, 2021

Pastel flannel quilt and next project

Well here is where I am at on the pastel flannel quilt: I am over halway done with hand stitching on the binding! Not bad when I think that the blocks were in pieces still just on Dec. 6. I packed the quilt up this morning so I can stitch on it at lunchtime.
The next project is to make a couple pillows out of these ties.

Friday, December 17, 2021

A bit more progress

I only made a bit more progress on getting the pastel flannel quilt quilted since I had company last night, but it is all good. I got three more blocks quilted which now puts me at about 50% done with the quilting. I have to get the quilting done this weekend in order to have this quilt done for Christmas. Yikes!
I gave my friend her Christmas presents and she had a couple things for me. She gave me this cute minion ornament that also can stand. When you push the button it sing Jingle Bells but in the minion language. It is so cute.
She also gave me this very cool hot tumbler that matches the cold drink tumbler she got me for my birthday. You can feel the texture of the design which is so nice in the hand.
While we visited we opened the package of fabric that came in the mail yesterday.  I had ordered it for a baby quilt with the color Hunter Green as the launching point. This will be for my nephew and his wife's first baby.  We had fun arranging them and added the batik (the arrow is pointing to it) that was in my stash. I plan on making one of those zig zag quilts like the ones I recently made. I need to get this one in the mail sometime in January. I will probably make this over Christmas break.
I brought some stuff from home and did some decorating in my booth at work. Since I spend more waking hours at work than at home I might as well decorate here rather than at home! LOL!! I dug out some Christmas Cats Meow pieces that haven't been out of the box for 18 years!
And I hung up my stocking too!

Thursday, December 16, 2021

18th finish for 2021

The dark flannel quilt is finished! Woohoo! It is 81 1/2" x 96".
I am now 48% done with the quilting on the pastel flannel quilt. I didn't get all the quilted area in this picture, but what I got done last night was the upper left and those pink blocks.
Tonight I am having company so I don't know if I will get any quilting done or not.

Wednesday, December 15, 2021

More progress

The dark flannel quilt - the binding is all sewn on! I will slap a label on it and it will be done!
Pastel flannel quilt - it is now 36% quilted.
This morning I wrapped these gifts. They are for a friend that is stopping over tomorrow night which means I will have to do a bit of straightening up and vacuuming tonight.

Tuesday, December 14, 2021

Pushing forward

The binding on the dark flannel quilt is now half sewn on! Here is the quilt as I worked on it a few minutes before my workday starts.
For the pastel flannel quilt, I am now 25% done with the quilting. I outlined in green the area that is quilted so far.

Monday, December 13, 2021

Status of the flannel quilts

1. Dark Flannel quilt - binding is on and I will be doing the binding hand stitching before work and at lunchtime this week.
2. Pastel flannel quilt- I got started on quilting it and am now 13% done with the quilting. My goal is to quilt on it every evening for at least two hours. I did start in the center because it takes longer and is harder to do. I am using an aqua colored Aurifil thread on top and Connecting Threads Essential on the bottom. I had two different aqua colored Essential Thread spools - one just a bit lighter than the other. I am using them both. I don't think the difference will be obvious.

Friday, December 10, 2021

Getting close!

I am now 91% done with quilting the dark flannel quilt. My plan is to finish the quilting tonight and sew on the binding. I will leave the hand sewing of the binding for my lunch hours next week. Here is the front and the back so you can see how much I have left to quilt.
The binding is cut and ready for assembly.
So Saturday and Sunday will be all about working on the pastel flannel quilt. In my head I have convinced myself I can get this quilt done for Xmas. Lets see if I make it happen! I was anxious to see how the 9 patch blocks are going to look with the aqua and denim colored solid alternating blocks so I stuck them on the design wall and I am digging it! There is one more row that needs to go on the right, but I ran out of design wall.  I got eight more 9 patch blocks sewn this morning before work and will sew again at lunch time.  I need a lot more 9 patch blocks - yikes!
Have a great weekend!

Thursday, December 9, 2021

Finish line in sight!

I now have 78% of the dark flannel quilt quilted!
I also got 17 blocks for the light pastel flannel quilt sewn together at lunchtime yesterday. I have 15 days to get both quilts done. Yikes!

Wednesday, December 8, 2021

Dark Flannel quilt progress

I am now 70 percent done with the quilting! Woohoo! I ought to be putting on the binding by this weekend. I won't do the hand sewing though; I will save that to do at work on my lunch hour. I will use my time at home for getting the pastel top put together.
Yesterday at lunch time I started to sew the pastel blocks together, but then the architect called so I spent my entire lunch hour talking to him. Ugh! I only got two blocks sewn together.
I am using my spare machine and I haven't used it much since I bought it. It felt tight when I sewed on it so this morning I brought my oil bottle and oiled it up good! The presser foot would not lower like it should and it took a lot of oil to get it moving properly. I oiled the bobbin area and the shaft that holes the needle and now the machine is purring like a kitten! Here he is waiting for me the put him into action at lunchtime.
I don't care if the Pope calls; I am not answering the phone.  I am sewing at my lunch hour today!