Wednesday, December 11, 2013

Give Away and final UFO update

First... there's a giveaway at  
 http://ihaveanotion.blogspot.com/2013/12/simply-sensational-square-agonals.html?showComment=1386764774575#c2010109792047226408

fun stuff and soooooooooooo easy to enter!  go there............... now!  enter and if you win.... you can share it with me!  lol

UFO# 23 and #24 are now complete......  a back to school wall hanging and a summer watermelon wall hanging.... I believe these are from A Quilters Dozen.......   I have one more somewhere.... then all 12 will be complete

24 UFO's!!! yay me!  I have two more  Must finish  ones to go.... I doubt they will be done this year... but they will be done soon!

2014 is the Year of the Scrap........  time to tackle that huge pile of scraps that have been accumulating....  Bonnie Hunter will be coming to our guild next november so I'd really like to have one or two  of her scrap quilts done to show her!!

Happy Holly-daze  and Merry Christmas to all

Thursday, December 5, 2013

Ok.... I repeat......... what the heck happened???

It's now December............  last post was August??? seriously???    ok so my resolve for 2014 is to post on a regular basis!

I currently have 22 UFO finishes for this year......... the last one was that white knit lace scarf.... it is now done... fringed...and packaged up to send to my mom as a surprise for christmas...........

I have two more small ufo's that I want to finish yet to bring my total to 24 for the year....  that will leave me with about 6  ufo's unfinished ......... at least two of them are going in the box for the guild auction........... and the others.... well... I've not decided yet about them......... but by the 31st a decision will be made.... they will either be finished......... or gone!

2014 will be my Scrapmaster Tour ........... My huge accumlation of scraps and selvedges will be reduced to nothing!  I plan on doing a couple of Bonnie Hunters Scrap Quilts....  Geese on the Line is one of the first to be done......... I will make scrappy geese.......however, I'll be using Eleanor Burns way of making geese..........  that's the plan!  Bonnie is coming to our Guild in November of 2014 and I would really like to have a couple of her quilts done to show to her........... 

Christmas 2013 is pretty much in the bag!  I have two ties to complete this weekend.  They will be given to hubby early......... he needs them for his ASTA conference next week.  Since it seems that no one prints soybeans on fabric.... I headed off to Spoonflower and designed my own!  Thats what I'll be using for his ties........  there will be pics when the ties are done............he has two soybean committee meetings so one new tie for each meeting!!

I'll make the cats some new toys right before christmas... just to keep the spirit going........... and then after a bit of house cleaning......... The scrapmaster tour 2014 will commence!

I will post here often..............  I'll even put pictures here for those who don't go to flickr........  I resolve to do better for 2014

Whatever your reason for the season............... maybe it be all that you want it to be....

Be safe...........   Be well............  Be Merry!

Lish


Sunday, August 18, 2013

what the heck happened???

It seems I've totally lost july and we're halfway thru august!!!  I have been productive though.... I have now finished my GPS quilt!!  It's going along to guild with me on wednesday for show and tell too!

I've done 9 quilt tops for Indiana Quilts for Kids.......  trying to do 3 a month for them.... I've taken a toe up sock class and have 1 and 1/2 socks completed... just the heel and leg on the second sock to go.....I think I like this toe up thing.......... I've done blocks for the Peace Love Quilt charity group on flicker and a couple of swaps.... all done and in the mail!!  everything I needed to do for August is DONE!!!

today I did a couple of burpers...and 3 campus clutches... which are small zippered pouches with a pocket on the front for your ID............  I'm going to try one out and see if I like it and maybe replace the one I've been using like forever!! 

Read a couple of books....  NO Impact Man..... Under the dome and ummmmm can't remember the third one...........something large............

played a bunch of Papa Pear saga and more Candy Crush than I care to admit...........  lol

School is back in session now... so the next two or three weeks will be super busy..... then it should settle and I can get back into my usual routine......... sewing.... and POSTING!!   I'm also starting an Accelerated Clerical Excellence Program at Purdue but I don't think that will be too much of an impact on my routine.........

Pics of everything are on flickr     www.flickr.com/sewwunderful   

Have a great rest of the summer!!

Lish


Friday, June 28, 2013

And another one bites the dust!!!

Another month has just flown on by!!!  Half of 2013 is gone........but I have completed 16 UFO's so far!!  So that's a good thing.

the ufo pile is dwindling...and the wob pile is growing........although some of the UFO's have their bindings done also.....

The Glitter Card Trick table topper is done............the turning twenty and GPS are backed and batted and on the to be quilted stack......... a couple more skinny mini runners have been quilted and bound but that darn white scarf just doesn't seem to want to be finished!  lol   I'll be heading out next week on a mini vacay and it's going with me.... it's the only thing going with me so I will have to work on it and I WILL FINISH IT!!!!  I want it done! 

Not much else has been going on........... there are a few new projects out on Flickr... practice bags for a triple zip swap and a few other pretties to look at..........

another week and the 25Weeks til Christmas project starts........ that will be fun for sure and I have my list all made up and I know how much I have to do each week to get it all done before Thanksgiving... which will be here before I know it!!

I've started doing Hexies again.... as an I'm Bored.... project and I've gathered some embroidery floss and patterns together and hope to do some hand embroidery work also........ its been while since I've done more than just a bit... so I got a book to remind me of how to do some of the more complex stitches too.......  so we'll see how that goes!!!    I think the main thing is I need to stay away from the Candy Crush game and work on this stuff while I watch tv instead of playing that infernal game!   I swear its more addicting than crack!   lol

I've also decided that next year will be the year of the scrap.  Those things breed!!! and I have enough scraps to probably do 6 king size quilts with no problem!   I plan on doing Bonnie Hunters Geese on a String... and probably a scrappy Trips quilt.  What ever I do next year will be scrap before cutting anything whole!   yep...it's gotta be a scrappy year!   The year of the UFO is working well and i'm sure I will have at least another 12 more completed before the end of the year...........so I have great hopes for the Year of the Scrap too!

ok.. till next time

Lish

Monday, May 27, 2013

Ok Ok....so I'm late again!

I really can't explain where the time went............  I certainly wasn't outside enjoying the sunshine...since we don't have any!!!  We've had rain and cold and more rain and flooding..the more cold and a few days of warm yummy weather and now cold and rain again!   I realize Indiana is weird... but this is screwed up even for Indiana!  lol

I have been productive though......... UFO's are being completed  and new projects are completed and not put on the ufo stack....  I think I've done 13 ufo's now so far this year..........  a batik wall hanging is the latest one.........and next up are two christmas table mats.

Im all caught up on my swaps........ I did my mug rug swap yesterday....and it'll be mailed out in June....... the row by row for guild is at number 6 now....  at June's meeting we'll get the last switch before our quilts come home.... I'm anxious to see what mine looks like... I haven't seen it for a few months now.......... I do have some ideas on how I want to put it together...........but we'll see

If you go to flickr to look at stuff you'll notice a big change... flickr made some MAJOR changes and not all of them are good........  they did fix the mobile upload problems so that's a good thing.....it will just take some getting used to

Among some of the things I've recently done are burpers....a cute bath mat made from scraps and an old terry towel....a tote bag and sewing caddy that went to a swap partner...a kitchenaid mixer cover.... which I need to make another one as soon as I figure out what I did with the pattern.......a couple skinny mini runners.... i've made progress on that darn white scarf and hopefully soon it will be done.... I'm forcing myself to do 5 rows on it at least 3 times during the week to get it finished!!   I have a big stack of quilts ready for quilting also!  I think all of the large quilts are backed and batted and ready to be quilted........and the UFO box is definitely dwindling...... I'm still shooting to have it completely empty by the end of the year... but as I move things and cleanup things I keep finding things!  grrrrrr   lol.... I have enough scrap blocks and orphan blocks to probably make 3 or 4 quilts....  that might be next years projects............ for now the focus is on the UFO"s!!!

well it's time now to head off to the sewing room........... need to work on an embroidery project for club next week............

Have a safe holiday...........  and see you soon!

Lish

Monday, April 1, 2013

All my UFO's are DONE!!!!

Ok.... april fools!!  lol   Not all are done but UFO's #9  10 and 11 are!   UFO 9 is a set of zakka nesting boxes.... these were started last year during the zakka sew along.......... UFO 10 are the water bottle carriers from the same  sew along... I became very disenchanted with the amount of errors in the book we were using and never finshed these projects nor the few remaining ones in the book...........  UFO 11 is my Neon Goose wall hanging.... it's 40 x 40 and very bright!  Its an Eleanor Burns pattern... Fox and geese or something like that

I currently have the GPS quilt on my tables ready to be pinned.... I'll be working on that UFO tonite... the turning twenty quilt and the Glitter Card Trick are also backed and batted.... ready for quilting when their turn on the list arrives!

I want to mention a blog hop for you paper piecers out there.... throughout the month of april there will be free paper piecing patterns..........and give aways!   What a great way to spend spring time!!!

You can see the blog here      Spring Fling Blog Hop for Paper Piecers       Hop on over and at least get your name in for the give aways.... even if you don't Paper Piece..... yikes?   why wouldn't you want to do that??

Precise angles... perfect lines.... sharp corners.... oh yes..... it's a wonderful technique!!

My pileated woodie was on the feeder two nites this week.... she spent about 20 minutes each nite eating.... I wonder if she's preggie and I'll have little woodies this spring??  That would be awesome.... I haven't seen the male yet... but he's kinda shy...........

Hop on over to flickr to take a peek at the completed UFO's.... and i'll keep you updated on the next couple UFO's on the list............

Have a wonderful springy week

Lish

Monday, March 11, 2013

March Madness

I've been moving right along on the UFO front........  ufo 6..7..and 8 are now done.  Six was a candy cane dishcloth that's been on the needles since last july when I decided to get a head start on christmas dishcloths........ ufo 7 is the tokyo subway quilt...DONE!!!!  i'm on the last side of stitching down the binding and ufo8 is a mini braid batik wall hanging.........  wooohoooo!

This past weekend I backed and batted the Turning Twelve... ready for quilting
I also made backings for the GPS quilt...The kansas troubles quilt.... the jumbo geese lap quilt...and the glitter card trick table mat.... they are now ready to be backed and batted!  I have my tables set up and hope to get them all ready for quilting by the weekend........

I think I have just one big quilt left..... it's a thimbleberries from several years ago..... and a flannel star throw quilt........ the rest of the UFO's are table mats and toppers............. I think.... not sure what I'll find when I dig deeper into the UFO box.......     I've been making a concentrated effort to finish each project this year so as not to create any more UFO's and so far.... so good!   I WILL empty that box by the end of 2013!!!

I found three small wall hangings that need their applique stitched down..........and then quilted... it's a pilgrim couple resembling american gothic.... with a dinner fork instead of a pitchfork........lol  started those about 4 years ago..........  there are 2 small christmas mats......... one large batik crazy 8 mat... a patriotic quilt in a day runner........and who knows what else!  we'll see I'm sure!

The weather is finally turning spring like......... and that's good!!  Haven't decided on a garden yet this year... didn't do one last year......so I'll have to think about it........ I have several farm stands close to me and we have a weekly one at the University from april thru october so I can get decent produce there.... I have some time to decide...........

I have the white scarf still on the needles......... and my handsewing pile is growing......... i'm working on the stitching on a set of Zaaka fabric boxes......... the large is done... the medium is 3/4 together and then the small one.......... should go quickly once I have time to just sit and sew!

first up though is to finish the binding on the subway quilt.... it was my ufo finish for guild and we have guild this wednesday so between comedy's tonite and NCIS tomorrow nite I'll have it finished up for sure!

Not much else is going on......... been busy and productive but really not much to show for it til I get some handwork done.........  guess I'd better get on that!!!

I'll update again soon.............

pics are up at Flickr if you are interested........

Lish

Thursday, February 14, 2013

February Checkin

We're to the middle of February now and it appears springtime is hanging around central Indiana... of course the southern portions are still having quilt a nasty winter...and the north is also up to it's armpits in snow and cold.. .but here the middle we're nice and cozy...............  but shhhhhhhh  don't tell mother nature!  lol

My guild challenge was number 6 on the UFO list... I had to make bindings for the first 5 quilts on my UFO list....  I managed to find suitable fabric and got all of my binding done...   they are rolled on tissue tubes and ready for the quilts to be quilted......... I made bindings for the Tokyo Subway... Giant Postage Stamp.... Neon Geese... Batik Mini Braid and Glitter Card Trick.......and my Turning 12. 

I finished my black and gold wall runner and it's now hanging on the wall in my office...........  it looks wonderful!!!   I found my state of indiana pattern and i'm contemplating doing that also.....  it's a series actually for the Big Ten teams...so there is a state for each... done in the team colors with a gold square marking the city of the team......... it's pretty cool and doens't look to daunting.... appears to be a lot of strata's....

My goal for Weekerville this month is zipper pouches.  I have 5 or 6 cut and started... need to do the zippers now... its a free pattern from Thimbleanna and I just love it!  I have one for quite awhile now that holds all I need for a day trip and it fits in my back pocket!  I've even put a tube of lip balm in it and there's a small emery board as well as drivers license... ID... debit card... credit card...and a host of those little keyring size rewards cards.........  there's a bit of cash in there too...   it also has an elasticized pocket on the back for cell phone... or receipts etc.........  i hope to complete those this weekend....  also up on the list are sock sacks... I need more of those for my stash.........as well as microwave bowl potholders... those two things just seems to fly out of the gift box rather quickly!

My swaps are all done for february and in the mail............ so I'm really all set for this month!  Perhaps I"ll work on an extra UFO or two..........I have 4 finishes so far this month... not counting the bindings.....
I'd like to sneak at least one more in there before the end of the month

I'm off friday afternoon and the hubster is gone til saturday nite... so who knows what I can get accomplished.   My february UFO for Weekerville is to finish the christmas dishcloth I started.... I think it's a candy cane... but I don't remember... I'm hoping the instructions are still with the yarn and needles!  lol...  it shouldn't take too long to finish that up... if I remember it's got about 20 rows or so done and I think there are maybe 60?  not sure....  first I have to find it!

The link to the bindings is here      http://www.flickr.com/photos/sewwunderful/8458845583/in/photostream
The link to the christmas mat is here   http://www.flickr.com/photos/sewwunderful/8420147497/in/set-72157632563012200 and you can get to the halloween mat by just clicking on the small pic of it to the left

Here's the link to the wall runner    http://www.flickr.com/photos/sewwunderful/8454520700/in/photostream

and the knitting case    http://www.flickr.com/photos/sewwunderful/8431747449/in/photostream/

Have a great Valentines day!!!

Lish


Thursday, January 31, 2013

January Wrap Up

Hard to believe January is just about gone.... it's also hard to believe that two days ago the temperature was 60 and this morning.... just 48 hours later it's 16!! What's with that? .... gotta love Indiana weather lol Two more UFO's bit the dust last week.... my Halloween Table mat is now on the WOB pile and a small christmas mat that was folded up inside the halloween mat is on the WOB pile also......... so that's 4 UFO's for January!! I dug out my white scarf knitting project UFO.....it's about 1/2 way done so the plan is to get it finished in february.... I also need to make bindings for 4 quilts that are on the UFO pile.... I'm trying to make the bindings as I finish the quilt top so I have it when I need it........... that will also prevent me from using that fabric for something else! I saw a tiny little case for the interchangeable knitting needles.... 25.00?? I think not....... so with a picture and some dimensions I whipped one up last nite... it's perfect! lol Pics are on flickr......... Both of my swaps that are for february/march mailing are done!!! I'll get them boxed up and off to the post office next week. One is just two states away so that will go quickly..the other is going to the UK........so I'm guessing about a week or so for that one... but who knows these days with the postal system! Pics of both the fabric bucket and the friendship bag are on flickr.......... The hubster and I are going away for a short weekend vacay so I won't see the sewing pit much this weekend.... but since everything is pretty much under control.... it's ok!! When I get back I'll pull out two UFO's to work on for February...and cut some pieces for my office wall runner... I've finally decided on a block pattern! I think it will be really nice! There really isn't much else going on right now......... I'm sure things will pick up as the months go by and I find more things that I just have to make! lol I plan on keeping with the ** finish it up** goal this year to eliminate more ufo's being added to the pile......... so hopefully that will work out just fine....... So til next time!! Happy Sewing

Sunday, January 6, 2013

Two UFO's bite the dust

January 1st I spent the day sewing.......... I completed the barn paper piecing and it's now complete and ready for hanging...... I then started working on blocks to finish my Tokyo subway quilt top.... I did several blocks over January 1st and 2nd.......and then worked on them each nite after work. It took me about an hour per block. This weekend I finished all the blocks and put it all together............ wow!! It's pretty cool if I do say so myself lol you can see it here http://www.flickr.com/photos/sewwunderful/8355172082/ and the Barn PP project is there also The Tokyo subway quilt top is 1600 pieces... 25 blocks with 64 squares per block... it took me about 27 hours not counting the time it took me to get all the various colors cut.....that was about another 3 or 4 hours if I remember right..........my quilt is 60 x 60. It doesn't matter what size you make the quilt... it's still 1600 pieces... it's just the size of the square that changes to make it larger or smaller....... So I think I'm doing pretty good so far.... 2 ufo's done and it's only the 6th of January. I'll quilt the top later this month... I have bitty block snowmen to do first...and I have a row of flying geese to make for my Row by Row quilt that I'm doing for our guild..........after those two projects I'll get the subway quilt backed and batted.... hopefully I have something here that will work for backing.......... I'm sure it's not going to matter what color I use lol since all of the colors of the rainbow are in there..... I'll do straight line quilting on it since it's pretty much straight line piecing........ Check out the pics on flickr and let me know what you think! Happy January Lish

Tuesday, January 1, 2013

The First of the New Year

Happy New Year to all!! My wish to everyone is a Happy Safe Productive year. May it be all that you hope for. This year again will focus on my trials and tribulations in the sewing pit..........UFO's WILL BE totally completed this year.... last year 16 were completed and this year I will empty the UFO box......... most of what is in there is about two-4 years old.........and there is NOTHING in there from last year... everything that I started... was finished! YAY ME!!! The flickr site will once again hold all of the project pics and some will be posted here........ I plan to start on a barn paperpiecing that needs to be finished. I need to do a roof... 4 fence pieces...and a silo then I can put it together.... I think the reason this one became a UFO is the fences...they are tiny.......with a lot of fabric changes...so we'll see how that goes today........ The WOB pile has a couple of placemats on it that need binding's stitched down.... should be able to wipe that out this week....... oh wait... this week is almost over... ok...so by next weekend the WOB pile will be empty!! My last project for 2012 was a LazyGirl Designs Mini Miranda...... she's the perfect size for toting my IPAD and a few odds and ends for work......... so... it's off to the pit for some paper piecing time!! later... Lish