Orange Butterfly is done

Do you name your quilts? I don't really name my quilts as in writing a name on the label, heck I've only this year started putting a label on most quilts but that's a different story.  What I do is give my quilts a "Working Title", that sounds so Hollywood.

[caption id="attachment_2674" align="aligncenter" width="225"] Orange Butterfly[/caption]

This darling little quilt has been called Orange Butterfly since I started cutting the fabric.  The butterfly flannel fabric jumped into my arms a few months back when we had a cold day here in Southern Ca, I'm thinking it might have been our only cold day since December.  But back to Orange Butterfly.  I wanted to really showcase the butterflies and I wanted quick.  So I used Mary's Quick Strippie pattern, so I got the showcase part, quick, what can I say?  I guess I wanted to keep the butterflies around a bit longer.



This little darling is done and ready to go on to her new home.  For the backing I found a great orange with cream flowers cotton.  I do like backing flannel quilts with cotton, maybe that's just a Southern Ca thing too. I find flannel on flannel to warm for San Diego.



Oh the little bird? I found him at the shop just setting by itself and knew that it was meant to go with this quilt.



I'm linking up with Sarah at Confessions of a Fabric Addict

 

 

 

April NewFO

So I wasn't going to start a NewFO in April.  First my definition of a blogable NewFO. 1. a quilt started from my planned NewFO list. 2. a quilt I saw or found that I HAD to start right away.  Can you guess which one it is this month.  Here's a hint, my list is not getting any shorter.

[caption id="attachment_2664" align="aligncenter" width="300"] April NewFO Blocks[/caption]

I tell you I was so close to getting through the month staying on track, finishing things already started.  I just don't know who to blame, thank for this NewFO.  First I have to thank Sarah at Confessions of a Fabric Addict for hosting Hands2Help Challenge. That lead to a show what you are working on which brought me here to Maxine's blog, which lead me Wedding Dress Blue and it was love at first sight.  I just knew I had to make this quilt.

But what to do? I have more than enough projects going right now almost to the point of being overwhelmed.

Good Harriett said:  What are you thinking? Don't even think it, just get that thought right out of your head.

Quilt Harriett said: OMG are you looking at the same quilt!! I just swapped 300 2-inch charms and this quilt just shows up it's Karma.

GH Don't you think you have enough going on already?

QH Yes (sigh)

Now this is where it gets complicated. Do you ever make deals with yourself? Like last Monday I was really feeling behind on things and didn't want to go to exercise class. I wanted to stay home and get stuff done even though I knew I'd feel better after I went. So I made a deal. If I went on Monday I could take Wednesday off if I wanted to work on things at home.

Well this deal making stuff happens in the sewing room too

QH: But what if I only make on block a day? I promise one block a day. I mean really it takes less than 5 mins to make a nine patch.  Then when things are caught up it can move up the list. Right?

[caption id="attachment_2661" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Love Love the black cat[/caption]

So a deal was struck and I've kept my end of the deal making one block a day.  If I keep only making one block a day I'll have all the patch blocks done by August 23rd

[caption id="attachment_2663" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Thimbles and paw prints how perfect[/caption]

I think mostly I have Barbara to thank for having yet, another NewFO. She reminds us to take that leap, to slide down that slippery slope. Because in the end we will have a wonderfully beautiful quilt that we'd made and we didn't have to finish it in a day, a week or even a month. She helps me remember that part of the beauty is in the creation so I'll slow down and make a block a day.

I'm linking up with Barbara at Cat Patches for April NewFO

Lovely Year of Finishes April Finish

Another down to the wire finish for me this month. Seriously I just finish putting in the last stitches of the binding this morning.

[caption id="attachment_2649" align="aligncenter" width="271"] Tumbler Quilt[/caption]

 

When I started at the first of the month it was mostly just a stack of tumblers.  Then of course I wanted more variety which is the reason it was a UFO in the first place.

[caption id="attachment_2650" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Scrappy Goodness[/caption]

So out came the cutter and a big bag of large size scraps and a mess was made while cutting more.  You know what happen don't you? Yep I still have a stack of tumblers.

[caption id="attachment_2651" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Sort of straight line quilting[/caption]

That was my lesson learned with this quilt.  Tumbler quilts are not UFO's they are always quilts in progress that you collect fabric for as you go along.

[caption id="attachment_2653" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Love this piece for the back[/caption]

This is good news cause I don't have to put it on a UFO list and it can live on a shelf out in the open so fabric can be added at anytime and rows can be sewn between other projects.  Win Win.

[caption id="attachment_2654" align="aligncenter" width="300"] loving the scrappy binding[/caption]

I'm so glad that I got this done just in time.:)

Linking up with Fiber of All Sorts for Lovely Year of Finishes

 

Stash Report Week 17, 2014

Oh my, week 17 already. Last Sunday in April, for a month that seemed like it lasted forever it sure zipped by, know what I mean?  It means I've only a few more days to finish my goals. Yikes nothing like a deadline to get me moving.. :)

There has been fabric used and counted out these past two weeks. I'm working on my Hands2Help challenge and working on my stack of UFO's

After being in the red for most of last year, I'm basking in my 11 yards out of the stash.

•  Added this Week:  .50 yards


•  Added this Year:   62.50 yards




•  Used this Week : 7.00 yards


•  Used this Year:   74.00  yards




• Net Used this Year  11.5 yards

Today I'll be quilting this scrappy tumbler, that means even better numbers IF I stay out of fabric stores.

[caption id="attachment_2634" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Large Tumblers Top[/caption]

Linking up with Judy at Patchwork times for more stash reports

Design Wall Monday April 21, 2014

I'm thinking ahead to summer.  Usually in the summer it gets very very warm in the sewing room so this year I just might be ahead of the game, but I doubt it.:)

I've got a table runner and table topper on the wall today waiting to be quilted.



 

I made the backing and cut batting yesterday so today they'll be layered and hopefully I'll get them quilted this week.

What's on your design wall.  Link up with Judy and show us.

Hands2Help Check In

It's time to check in with Hands 2 Help and see the wonderful quilts in progress and some are even done.

My  goal is six quilts.  Two quilts for each group.  My quilting buddy has been helping me make blocks at Quilt Club and then I bring them home and sew them together and quilt.

Here's the progress so far.

One small quilt done.  Three tops are done.  Two are still in the block building stage

Here's the finished one.

[caption id="attachment_2530" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Baby Flannel Charm Quilt[/caption]

Two tops ready to layer.

[caption id="attachment_2635" align="aligncenter" width="281"] Mini Tumblers Top[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_2634" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Large Tumblers Top[/caption]

 

Go to Sarah's Confessions of a Fabric Addict to see more quilts in progress. Really do this I've already added two quilts to my list to make.

I'm so glad that I jumped in to this challenge this year.

 

 

 

Stash Report Week 15, 2014

I really thought I'd only missed one week of the stash report. Really where does the time go so fast.

I bought 3/4 yard of fabric this week, it was in the remnant bin and just what I needed for a tote bag.



I've been on Spring Break here, which is really more mental than a physical change. I mean really upholstery class in the evenings is hardly a full schedule. :)  But I'm using the break to do a super gigantic clean out of the old homestead.  Yes there have been full trash cans and two donation trips so far and I've another week to go.

On Thursday I powered through my list for the day so I could spend some quality time here...

[caption id="attachment_2623" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Quality Time[/caption]

The result is fabric to count out.  Woo-hoo!

I'm thrilled to be back in the black, using more than buying is a good thing here this year

•  Added this Week:  .75 yards


•  Added this Year:   62.00 yards




•  Used this Week :  8.75 yards


•  Used this Year:   67.00  yards




• Net Used this Year  5.00 yards

I'm linking up with Judy at Patchwork Times.  Check out how others are using their stash