February is on its Way Out

I have been working a bit in the quilt studio but not as much as I would have liked. I had two interviews this week and also a bit too much back pain for standing and quilting.

So I have done two squares on the Batik Windows quilt but I have had some tension issues and I have not moved forward yet.

The drawing on the left is how I am trying to quilt inside of the square. I am feeling OK about that but the tension issues are stalling me. I will hopefully work those out today and be able to move on with this project.

Since I have finished my leader ender project from Bonnie Hunter I do not have a new leader ender project to work on. I have been thinking I need to start another Quilt of Valor and these quilts make great leader ender projects. So I am making 8 X 8 squares that I will later sash. The individual squares are from my 2 1/2 inch square bins and I am using only red, blue and patriotic fabric. The finished size is 16 inches which are very large for me but should work up very quickly.

I have three of these done and have started on the 4th. I have not decided how many rows across and how many down yet.

I have the mystery quilt webbed together and I am now sewing the rows together. This will be so nice to have finished to the top state.

Well, this is all I have for this week. I will post again on Sunday.

Slow Sunday Stitching-Hibiscus Part 3

I have been a little slow in stitching this week but I have made some progress. There are times when I am stitching that I can't quite get myself motivated to finish the flower up quickly. But then I think about that and realize that this is OK because it is Slow Stitching and enjoying the process is the most important part in these projects. I like to start and finish the hair part of the flower before I move onto the face and then to the leaves. This flower has allot going on in the hair part.

I am linking up with Slow Sunday Stitching each week. I have never done this before this year and I am enjoying it very much.

To see what others are Slow Stitching please click here.

What I am Working on This Week

I have had a slow week in the quilt studio. I have worked in there but have very little to show.

I have all but one of the alternate blocks made for the mystery quilt. I discovered that I had mis-figured on the star blocks but it will be fine. I thought I needed 25 blocks but I only need 24.

I am short for the chevrons in the alternate blocks but I knew that I was at least one short when I was making them. At the time I sewed them I was not too concerned because I knew I would be able to take care of that at this point when I am putting the blocks together.

As soon as I make the chevron I need I will put together the last block and then I will web this top together. Yeah, another finished top.

I have started on the pieced outer border now so I can have them ready when I get the inner border on the quilt.

I also went to visit my friend Lynn and picked up the backing fabric and batting needed for the quilt I call Sunshine. I never name my quilts but this certainly shines like the sun. It is a beautiful quilt and we have chosen the thread and the pantogram for it. I was very worried that I did not tell Lynn to buy enough fabric for the backing and binding but it has turned out perfectly. I have washed, ironed and cut the fabric for the backing and still have more than enough for the binding.

The fabric on the right has very small flowers with a white back ground. I will start on this quilt as soon as I finish my Batik windows quilt that I have had on the HQ for a few weeks now.

I have not completed the last of the quilting because I have been intimated with the rain drops. But I plan to get some practice in on the white board and then I will dive into finishing the last of this quilting. I do not have the binding cut for this quilt yet but that should not take long and then I will have another quilt finished for 2014.

So this is all for this week. I will post on Sunday for Slow Stitching.

Slow Sunday Stitching-Hibiscus Part 2

I have been making slow progress on Miss Hibiscus this week. She is looking pretty good so far.

She seems to have allot more details to work on and it will probably take me a few weeks to complete here.

I have been very inspired by the slow stitching of many others who link up with Slow Sunday Stitching.

To see what others are working on please click here.

Rainbow Scrap Challenge-Pink (Craftsy blocks)

I have been working on the Craftsy blocks for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge and they are done now.

The first block is called the Balkan Puzzle.

The second block is called the Chunky Chevron block.

It is nice to have these done.
I am linking up with the Rainbow Scrap Challenge.
To see what others are doing for their blocks please click here.

Yeah! Progress! Split 9-patch & Celtic Solstice

I have been piecing like crazy this past week. I have finally sewn the entire top together for the Split 9-patch quilt for the leader ender project this year. I had seven blocks missed sewn together and had to rip them out and then put them back in properly. Jenny helped me rip and it didn't take long to have it all done.

I have also been sewing together the star blocks for the Celtic Solstice quilt and have completed all 25 of them.  I did come up short with some units for the last star. I quickly got those done up so I could have all the stars done. Yeah!

I have also laid out the alternate blocks that go with this quilt. I haven't sewn any together yet. Thank goodness because the one I have laid out to be sewn is not correct. I will fix that when I start sewing them together.

Well, this is all I have for today.

Slow Sunday Stitching-Hibiscus

I have completed Miss Fuchsia. YEAH! She is very happy.

I have decided to talk about the way I am approaching these flowers. I purchased them many years ago from a Tri Chem dealer. These were suppose to be painted. But 40 years later I do not want to paint them and I think that embroidery looks so much better.
I have to approach each flower with just my own ideas of how she should look. I go to the internet and google the flower and when I find an image I like and that I think will go with this particular flower design I then use it to pick out my floss colors and decide on the stitches that will look best with this flower.

So here are my resources laid out to help guide me as I begin the process with Miss Hibiscus. Maybe click on the picture to see all of the items. The drawing is where I start, then I transferred it to the fabric. The image I keep in front of me to help me choose the colors and then to refer back to as I go from color to color as I stitch. I feel like I have gotten better with each flower and I have tried to add more and more texture as I go along.

This is where I am at with Miss Hibiscus now. Oops I forgot to add the picture.

To see other Slow Sunday Stitching click here.

Rainbow Scrap Challenge-Pink

I have been making good progress this month and I am happy to report that I have completed the 10  9-patches in pink.

And the 10 string blocks in pink.

I don't have the variety in pinks that I have in blue. I am just not a pink type of girl. I have what I have though because I have lots of grand daughters that do like pink. I have made lots of pink and purple quilts for these girls.

I still need to make the Craftsy blocks but I have pulled my fabrics for both of them.

I am liking this challenge this far into it and do not feel overwhelmed. I have high hopes that I will have 2-3 new quilts by the end of the year.

I will have the Craftsy blocks to show next week.

To see what others are doing for their Rainbow Scrap Challenge click here.

Leaders N Enders

I have been happily sewing along with Bonnie Hunter and her leader ender project this year. I have loved doing the Split 9 patch because I am using from my 2 1/2 inch pre cut bins. I have two drawers full of these squares and now they have a place to go.

I have decided to use the same lay out as Bonnie has with hers because it has that vintage look. I am almost finished with all the blocks and have it all up on my design wall. As soon as I finish the blocks I will web this top. Webbing the top will keep it from getting all mixed up.

This is an awesome lay out. This is also a classic in showing just what scrap quilting is all about. I love it.

I am also making some good progress on my Batik Windows quilt. I have completed all of the tight stippling in the white sashings and have started on the black shadow of the window with small half feathers with black thread. The white on white and the black on black is so nothing is competing with the batik fabric.

Close up of the stitching before I have completed all of it.

The stippling has been a great way to stabilize the quilt for the rest of the quilting that I will be doing on it. I think the center pieces, the individual batik squares, will really pop once I have completed the tight quilting in the black as well as the white part of this quilt.
I am also excited to try the rain drops in the batick fabric as Anita suggested quite some time ago.

Well, this is all for now. I will be sure to show an update on both of these quilts.

Slow Sunday Stitching-Fuchsia

I was not planning to link up with Slow Sunday Stitching today because I didn't have Miss Fuchsia done yet. But I decided that since I am working on her today that I should show my progress. So here is Miss Fuchsia in the works.

She looks happy to be here on the blog and next week she will be totally finished.

This is our two cats watching the Super Bowl or maybe just sleeping through the Super Bowl.

Check out what everyone else is Slow Stitching today.

A Little Progress

I have had a long week trying to get over this cold. I have been very tired and spent allot of time just lying down. I didn't even take time to do my embroidery this week. Too Tired!

I am trying a suggestion from Na Na's Place on the Web to use rubber cement on the back of my rulers. Since I have purchased special plastic stuff for my ruler a few years ago and have not been happy with the grip or should I say non grip of them.

 I figured that I would not be out anything to give it a try since it rubs off when it looses it grip.

I have signed up for an applique class in Panquitch in June. I purchased some thread from Superior Threads for this because I understand that you need to use thread as close to the color of the fabric as you can get. I don't have any colored thread except what I use for the HQ longarm so I thought it best to get a little thread. My whole purpose in taking this class is to learn how to hand applique so I can get started on my kit I bought in Reno, NV this fall.

I have been sewing a little bit on my #5 units for the Celtic Solstice quilt. I have over 40 done so far. I have pulled my pink 2 inch squares and strings for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge. I am sewing the 9-patches between the #5 units.