What I'm working on Monday May 25, 2015

Lots going on this week. I finished up several pieces of furniture last week and got them into the shop.  Now my room doesn't  look so bare.

Quilting:
 I have a small red/white/blue quilt going on.  The block design is from Missouri Start Quilts. Double Slice Layer Cake.  But I wanted the quilt a little bit wider and longer than I had 10 inch squares for so I added sashing so of making it up as I went.  I'm ready to add strips between the rows to make it a bit longer and then I'll see whats next.

I also have a baby quilt I'm remaking.  I received this vintage well loved baby quilt.  There request is to make a new one using what I can for a new grand baby.

Furniture:
Working on finishing upholstering a chair. This is the most current photo of the chair on the computer.  It's been painted and the seat is upholstered.  The bad news is this picture is from February.  I better move this up the list.  Yikes.

House:
Working on cleaning out the main floor. I'm at the stage where pulling everything out to go through it makes a bigger mess than before.  But it's progress.

Well I'll see how far I get.  It's already Monday afternoon/evening and I just found out I'm working an extra day this week.  It's all good and it will all get done, maybe just not this week.

Linking up with Judy at patchwork times.

Stash Report Week 37, 2014

It would seem that this has turned into a monthly stash report for me.  In true Harriett fashion it's not even a end of month report but mid-month.  :)

It's suppose to be in the 100's today and I'll be working on a Christmas quilt.  Some how that just sounds wrong.  But that what September is like in Southern Calif.

I've been doing well not buying unless I need it for a project.  So my yardage in went right back out.  Love it when that happens. I have three quilts at my quilter so I can count out the tops..

Added since last report: 6 Yards
Added this Year: 110.75 Yards
Used since last report: 21.0 Yards
Used this Year:  174.0 Yards
Net Used this Year 63.25 Yards

Holding fast to being on the positive side. So if you are only interested in fabric you can stop now and head back over to Judy's for more stash reports.

So what else have I been up too:

We lucked into some old iron beds.

[caption id="attachment_2816" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Bring home the beds[/caption]

and I've been sorting them

[caption id="attachment_2818" align="aligncenter" width="225"] sorting beds[/caption]

Then there was a hutch that was just asking for a bit of paint

[caption id="attachment_2819" align="aligncenter" width="225"] painted hutch[/caption]

Some Halloween burlap that became pillows and upholstering for a chair

[caption id="attachment_2815" align="aligncenter" width="225"] Fun Halloween Burlap[/caption]

Oh can't forget a couple of quilts too.

[caption id="attachment_2820" align="aligncenter" width="225"] T-shirt quilt[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_2817" align="aligncenter" width="225"] Halloween Quilt #1[/caption]

Have a great week and keep sewing.

H

Summer Break 2014 Week 4

Summer Break Week Four just sort of flew by.  It was taken up with appointments and errands and then there was the 4th of July  too.  What a great week.

I took the chairs I finished last week into the shop, worked on my QOV string blocks.  Had an eye exam, yes I still need glasses for hand work.

[caption id="attachment_2775" align="aligncenter" width="225"] Red Chair[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_2778" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Foot Stool[/caption]

Machine sewed binding on a QOV ready for the hand work, Usually my favorite part but it's been a tad bit warm for having a quilt on your lap here.  Time to break out the little table I have to rest it on.

[caption id="attachment_2798" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Binding for QOV[/caption]

I made a pair of pillowcases for niece and blanket for nephew



[caption id="attachment_2785" align="aligncenter" width="300"] new blanket for J[/caption]

 

On my three summer projects.  I got 14 3 inch 9-patchs finished  and five more blocks for the 2" quilt.  No sets cut for the plus quilt.  I realized this week that I want to add some holiday fabric in to all three of these quilts and the timing is perfect since I'm pulling out my Halloween and Christmas fabric so I can at least pretend that I'm ahead of the game.  :)

[caption id="attachment_2796" align="aligncenter" width="300"] 3in 9-patch[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_2797" align="aligncenter" width="300"] 2in 9-patches[/caption]

SUMMER BLOCK COUNT

3" 9-Patches :   This Week:  14   Done: 261   Need about 400 I think

2" Quilt: Have:  This Week:  5    Done:  59

2.5" Plus quilt: Have 184 sets of 5 cut Need 97 more sets for a total of 281

2.5" Plus quilt: Have 10 sets of 4 cut. Need 21 more sets for a total of 31

That wraps it up for week 4.  I'm starting on a super secret project tomorrow morning.  I'll tell you all about it next week.

Have a good week and stay cool

 

Summer Break 2014 Week 3

Well I made progress this week.

I worked in the yards: It really doesn't take much to fill up all the trash cans around here. :)



My cutting table went from this:

[caption id="attachment_2768" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Cutting table before[/caption]

 

To this on Monday, and really you can still see the surface today too.

[caption id="attachment_2769" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Cutting Table After[/caption]

I tackled my "Mountain of Flannel"  now it is mostly contained in these bins.

[caption id="attachment_2761" align="aligncenter" width="225"] Mountain of Flannel[/caption]

I finished up my String Star Centers and even trimmed up several to start my star block.  Yes I was doing it at the kitchen counter and yes I grabbed a bowl out of the cupboard above for the scraps. :)

[gallery ids="2774,2772"]

Also finished up some furniture.  How about this lovely little shin warmer chair. Is she cute or what.  While I was on the furniture roll I finished up this little storage footstool too.

[gallery ids="2779,2778,2775,2777,2776"]

I received some 2" charms from Deanna at Wedding Dress Blue for my 2-inch quilt which is her pattern Growing up Odd.  Still totally in love with this pattern and can't wait until fall when I have it all together.  I've fallen behind on my one block a day goal but made up many when I received her charms.  I just had to use them right away. Of course

[gallery ids="2770,2773"]

I'm cutting squares and sewing blocks as I work through my scrap bins

Here is my block count for my three summer projects

3" 9-Patches :  Have 247  Need about 400 I think

2" Quilt:  Have: 54   Need 17 to be caught up to July 1st

2.5" Plus quilt:  Have 184 sets of 5 cut  Need 97 more sets for a total of 281

2.5" Plus quilt: Have 10 sets of 4 cut.  Need 21 more sets for a total of 31

Summer Break Week 2

Week two of summer break and no finishes sure hope it won't be like this all summer.  So just what did get worked on this week?

There was some painting. I changed color in mid painting of the chairs and this is the vintage fabric I'm using on the seats.

[gallery ids="2738,2739,2740,2741,2742"]

We welcomed a new old sewing machine to the fold.  She came with her own cabinet. A singer 201

[gallery ids="2747,2749"]

We did some cleaning out, yes this part of the house still has original 1960's avocado green carpet. This is not the permanent home for the new machine.



I started in on the guest room.  Can you believe there were still Halloween and Christmas pillowcases and table runners on the bed from last fall.  It's no wonder we don't get many guest. I think they're afraid they'll have to sleep on the floor for all the fabric on the bed.  Not really Sister, you can come anytime.



Mr Bill took apart an old pump organ.  Before you feel too bad it was in really bad shape and we saved the good pieces and carved pieces to repurpose.

[gallery columns="2" ids="2743,2744,2745,2746"]

Tuesday was QOV sew day.  We were making string blocks ala Al Lind.  I have a few many to go for my quilt top.  But I sure do like string quilts.  Here is the link to the pattern on the Quilts Of Valor site

This summer I'm trying to get the sewing room back in order and get all the donated scraps under control. Some times I have a hard time cutting up the larger scraps, cause wonder if I need a 4 inch block and I cut it all down to 2.5 in.  Really sometimes I can drive myself crazy.  Well not this summer it's all getting cut down to usable sizes and this fall I'll have a empty "scraps to cut down" bin (or two).

So with that in mind I'm cutting 2.5 in and 1.5 in squares in sets of five.  The 2.5 in for a plus quilt that I'm starting in the fall, as of this morning I only need 100 more sets, no matching sets for this one.  The 1.5in is for nine patch blocks I started last July as my leader/ender and I'm ready to finish it up too....But I need lots more for the layout I'm thinking so it has moved from leader/ender to summer project.

[caption id="attachment_2751" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Sweet little 9 patches that will finish at 3in[/caption]

Then there is the 2in quilt.  The one I was going to make one block a day quilt.  Well I'm only 13 days behind.  I'm thinking Wednesday night will be 2in nine patch marathon so I can get a few days ahead. I wrote about it here.

[caption id="attachment_2752" align="aligncenter" width="300"] 2 in quilt[/caption]

So that is how Week 2 went. Not so exciting yet but there's always hope.

Till next week.

 

 

 

Summer Break 2014 Week 1

And just what did I get checked off my impossible long list.  Well not a gosh darn thing.  I've started on things but no finishes for the first week.

First there was the furniture.  Doing the prep work always takes the longest

[gallery ids="2719,2720,2721,2724,2725"]

I did make a cover for Mr. Bills computer while getting acquainted with my new featherweight.



The dirt piles that have been showing up got moved and spread around.  Mr. Bill got to do his favorite job of "water boy "  and look there was a bonus in the piles of dirt.  Big granite rocks, we like big rocks here.

[gallery ids="2726,2727,2728,2729,2730"]

Then I pulled this quilt top out of cold storage..well you know what I mean. You might remember that it was just last summer that I was finishing it up.  I really was not happy with the way it turned out so it got put away to rest.  I think I'm ready to try again to get this one off the UFO list.

[caption id="attachment_2723" align="aligncenter" width="225"] Charm Quilt Top[/caption]

Time was also spent cutting up scraps, eye appointments and trips looking for paint and to Home Depot.

I did some cleaning too and found the top of my buffet.  Now that impressed Mr. Bill.

[caption id="attachment_2731" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Buffet[/caption]

Not too bad for the first week of summer after all I don't want to get it all done in one week.  :)

Big Fall Clean Out Day 1

 

A while back last week I was trying to find something. It wasn't a big thing but it was important for what I was doing at the time.  I searched and searched. I looked and looked. It was so frustrating because I'd been so careful not to miss place this item. As I was looking for said item, I even looked in places that it could not be unless it walked there it's self. Know what I mean.

This lead me to make a few decisions.  It was sheer coincidence that it was the first day of Autumn. That also according to the calendar there were 100 days left in this year.  What was I going to accomplish in the next 100 days?

There is a need here to clean out so that has lead to THE BIG FALL CLEAN OUT.

Here are my guidelines:

1. Official start October 1st.

2. No stashing, stocking up. Everything bought in the next 100 days has to be consumed. (I might have to make an exception for the day after Thanksgiving)

3. Work on making product for November Craft Show.

That is basically it. K.I.S.S.

So today's clean out:

Bottom two shelves in pantry. Sorted paper bags. Silverware drawer. Cleaned off the kitchen counter.

[caption id="attachment_2310" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Pantry[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_2311" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Drawer[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_2312" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Counter[/caption]

Really it won't take long for that counter to get filled up again.

Sewing/Product

Finished the blocks for the red/white quilt.

[caption id="attachment_2314" align="aligncenter" width="225"] Red and White Quilt[/caption]

Started taking apart stool so Mr. Bill can paint the legs. Since he said he would paint the stool I snuck in a magazine rack and a chair too.  I was just trying to make it easy on him since I want them all the same color. :-)

 

[caption id="attachment_2313" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Stool to paint[/caption]

Ok that was day one of my Big Fall Clean Out.  Let's see how far I go.