Hibernation Quilts

2012 finishes....hopefully

2012-01-01T21:32:00.000-08:00

Judy over at Patchwork Times is hosting a UFO finish challenge. Since I have so many ufos I thought I would join.

Here is a list of some I would like to finish and some I really don't want to finish but I don't think anyone else is going to do it for me so I am reserving the right to start more quilts and use them to replace some of the below that I can't stomach finishing. Especially the 'roundabout'

1. Zigzag

just needs quilting and binding

2. Tropical Sundance

needs almost everything

3. Scrappy hearts (I think this has been in a bin for 10 years)
4. Cowboy (in a container I have no idea where I left off)
5. lovin' these colors

Can't wait to start this again.

6. Hudson's quilt

Well I have the fabric picked out! Hope he gets it before he goes to kindergarden

7. Mod blocks

top finished, needs basting quilting and binding

8. Uff da

I started quilting it but hate the quilting, not sure where I am going with this

9. Seeing blue

top finished needs quilting

10. roundabout (in a box got stopped at the applique)
11. blue strips

This now has a gaping hole in the top. I didn't like the strippy look so modified it and yikes!

12. Scrappy mishap- I had a great idea and miscut the whole thing, it may end up at the landfill.

This is really just a housecleaning idea. I really can't wait to start something new and if I hadn't spent an hour doing this post I probably could have.

Off to the sewing room.

Do I look taller?

2011-11-25T15:19:00.000-08:00

Finishing this project stretched my abilities. I feel like I grew as a fmqer.

I went into the quilting process not really liking this top any longer. The colors are much more subtle that anything I have worked on in a while, so I figured what the heck, I'm going to practice feathers.

The ones on the left look more like hearts than feathers but I still kinda like them.

Then I figured might as well go for it. Yeah, not so good but with practice....... maybe. (Don't remember them looking quite so shaky and misshapen in person.)

I like the back so I might use it as the top.

The binding has to be hand sewn still but the sun was out so I thought I should take advantage of it. This one is 95 x 104, yikes!

Hope Thanksgiving was great for everyone. It is my favorite time of year because it is the opening of fudge season!

2012 Challenge

2011-11-22T17:09:00.000-08:00

I have been moving right along with 'Crazy Mom Quilts' finish it up Friday (Thanks Amanda!) Enough so that I am planning on joining the 2012 FMQ challenge. I am totally enjoying the FMQ that I am doing on my machine and sooooo want to get better.

Enter SewCalGirl's challenge. The link is to the right of this post. I am excited!
Only 3 1/2 UFOs to go.
If you are interested click on over to SewCalGirl's page and check it out.
No pictures today, but hopefully tomorrow.

2 finishes this week

2011-11-18T09:54:00.000-08:00

This is lame, but I finished my new ironing board that I have been thinking about for a long time. I covered half of my cutting table with that batting that is heat resistant and then used a cotton shower curtain that I had picked up at TJ Maxx several years ago for a buck. I love this big ironing surface since I very seldom make anything smaller than a queen.

My second finish this week (and I promise I will not post about this again) is that very old flimsie I got from a friend.

I took a long time to figure out how to quilt it. I think it is from the 30s or 40s or what ever era reproduction fabric is from and this is not a reproduction, it is the real deal.

The quilting is not perfect and at times I thought about ripping out some of the quilting but kept telling myself it doesn't have to be perfect. I am so not a perfectionist and that is why I love freemotion quilting cause it doesn't have to be perfect.

I used a border that I removed to bind it.

I totally love the crinkly goodness of the back even with the gingham.

It is blizzarding here today so I guess I need to start pin basting a UFO that is back to being a PIP.

Happy Friday

Flannel goodness

2011-11-14T13:06:00.000-08:00

My youngest son just moved back to our town. I went over to see his new apartment and there on his bed was a quilt I forgot I made. Gee it must have been 7 or 8 years ago.

Of course him being a boy and me being a mom I knew it needed washing. So I brought it home and washed it, now it is so soft and snuggly, and snapped some pictures of it. I have lots of quilts that I never did take pics of.

It warmed my heart that he is still using it.

Don't know why I haven't sewn with flannel for so long but as soon as I get some of my PIPs finished I am going to make a flannel quilt for my bed.

Maybe since flannel is so bulky and I usually quilt on my little Bernina I gave it up. I'm thinking a quilt as you go flannel quilt is in my future. Any one tried that?

Fiinnnnnnaaaaaallyyyyy!

2011-11-12T12:40:00.000-08:00

It's about time I started quilting this. I was so wary of quilting for someone else, mostly cause this top is so old, and didn't want to screw it up. But sitting in my 'to do' pile wasn't a good thing either. So I bit the proverbial bullet and lowered the needle and viola! I am not even half way done but I think it will be okay.

I always thought this should be hand quilted but I wasn't up for that and Launa didn't seem to care. She had been using it as a table cloth for crying out loud. Some of the fabric is so old and worn you can see through it. Yikes!

Last week I worked on a quilt with lots of whoop to dos to practice for this one.

Guess I better quit procrastinating (again) and get back to sewing.

No snow yet!

Frosty finish

2011-11-11T08:01:00.000-08:00

Figured I might as well take a frosty pic of this black and white quilt.. It doesn't pop in the flat light.

This has been a UFO for ?????

It feels so good to have a finish.

Here is a close up of the quilting. It seems I always fall back to leaves and this time I put in loopy crazy daisies. I was getting practice for a friends quilt that I am going to start quilting today. I have been putting it off cause it is an old top and I sure would hate to have pick out all of my quilting.
Sounds like we will get snow this weekend so it is a great time to hibernate in my sewing room.

Have a fun weekend.

When is a ufo a ufo?

2011-10-14T18:28:00.000-07:00

After a long fun summer I have moved back into my house and am thinking about sewing. Yay. It has been a long time. I was flipping thru some of my fav blogs today and found 'finish it up friday' over at crazy mom quilts. I know I have lots of unfinished projects and think I am going to follow along with her.
Of course then I start to question what I really need to finish before I get to start something new. Obviously if it is cut (or some of it is cut) it has become a ufo and needs to be finished. But what if I have purchased the fabric and know the pattern but haven't cut anything, is it a ufo? I'm thinking it is only if it hasn't been bumped lower on my priority list by something I really really want to start.

The above picture is from a crazy long hike I took in Glacier Nat'l Park this summer with a 37 lb pack. Crazy!

Okay these are the 6 ufos I am claiming

. This one I had some problems with some cuts I made when I didn't like the finished top so I need to do some head scratching then JUST DO IT.

This one I started two years ago. Man how time flies.

The zig zag I just made this spring and put the top away with one strip left to finish the top.

And Oh man, this one has been waiting several years to be quilted. I love the quilting part but I really hate making the sandwich. And I guess I will be doing that since I have not made any room for a longarm. Really did think I would have one by now.

Isn't this cool. It is an old top that a friend of mine was using as a table cloth. Anyhow she gave it to me to quilt. It is pinned and ready but I need to get some practice in before I start this one.

Hope you all have some finishes in your future.

Sounds like I make a lot of rules for myself and yup I do. Sometimes I follow them sometimes I don't

a glimpse and a finish

2011-05-31T21:52:00.000-07:00

Never thought I would like to quilt feathers but they are fun and good for me to practice on. But, yikes, I combined them with some random squares, really not sure where I am going with this.

I finished this a week or so ago and it felt so good. I rented a long arm and had lots of fun with the quilting. It is so much easier with a LA than with my domestic machine.

It is starting to finally feel like summer and I sure would like to make a dent in the stack of tops before I hit the trails.

We still have high avalanche danger in the mountains here so I don't think we will be hiking for awhile. My favorite chalet in Glacier Park was damaged by a big avalanche this winter, the pictures are amazing.

Enjoy the blue skies.

great find

2011-05-28T12:59:00.000-07:00

I'm not much on garage sales but yesterday I stopped at an estate sale and found

this fun bunch of stuff for 5 bucks. The rotary cutter is worth that, but I also got the large pinking shears (not that I will use it much) a ton of old wooden spools and lots of old bias tape.

Fun fun fun.

The best is the measuring egg! At first I thought it was Silly Putty but on closer inspection.... what could be better? And the little white and red contraption is a needle threader, and it works. Yowza!

Okay now the fun is over and I have to get this top finished.

I do have a finish that I will post soon plus I have a top that I started quilting looked at it and thought 'what the hell was I thinking?' Any way I will post that soon and see if you all have some ideas for me.

It's gotta be the rebel in me

2011-04-26T21:49:00.000-07:00

Somewhere I saw a picture of a rainbow cake and had to make one.

To find the recipe I googled rainbow cake and could not believe all the comments about the food coloring, sugar and whatever else. Come on! Lighten up and enjoy.

I had a bit of extra batter so I made some cupcakes for the neighbor kids. I like them and want them to live long happy lives but really? I don't think they will be eating this everyday (well at least until the cupcakes are gone) so I think a bit of color and fun is okay. I think the unfrosted cake is more fun to look at.

Here is the ~~finished~~ half eaten cake. Kinda reminded me of a clowns wig. Probably a once in a lifetime eat but I am glad I made it, gel colors and all. Sure got a smile from the kids.

The other day I realized

2011-04-18T14:59:00.000-07:00

I didn't have a finish yet for 2011. I have lots of starts and finishes of flimsies but nothing layered and quilted and bound.

So I dropped everything

and headed for the closet with the line of tops just waiting for a finish.

I grabbed this 'colorbrick' quilt mainly cause it had a back and binding just waiting to be used.

I had followed Rachael's quilt-along directions for the top and decided to use her quilting instruction as well. I don't use straight line quilting much, mainly cause fmq'ing is so much fun, but wanted to follow the whole shebang. It was fun. I think it would have turned out a bit better if I had paid attention to my fabric choices all being prewashed or not. As it is some of the fabrics must have been prewashed cause there were some that did not shrink. If I had done an all over fmq I don't think the shrinkage or lack of would be as noticeable.

All in all it is a really cuddly quilt that I love and so does my soon to be daughter in law (we will see who gets it). And it is my first finish of the year. Yay

It's play time.......finally!

2011-03-27T16:13:00.000-07:00

I am finally getting to put these on the design wall. When I pieced them together I was really random, just barely pairing light and dark.

The one above is putting like colors together regardless of value. The layout would be way too time consuming and I am feeling with all the trimming I am over these squares.

Right is squares of value regardless of color. This is my second choice so far.

This one is lines of light and dark but with my whimsical piecing of color value it does not work (even if I could lay it out correctly) But I like this idea and may do something like this in the future.

Somewhere recently, I saw a top pieced like this one in zigzags. So far this one may be my favorite.

Any thoughts?

Holy HST's

2011-03-27T10:30:00.000-07:00

This is my brain.......

after spending several evenings making these

I have been on a scrap/stash busting binge for a couple of months now and hate to say I have hardly made a dent on the stash and the scrap bins are now overflowing. Huh????

I had figured I needed 6?? some hst's for a large quilt and as my mind was wandering aimlessly I realized if I was only to make this quilt 30hst x 30 hst's I needed 900! Yikes.

....so back to the cutting board. Since I was trimming these, I figured I could eyeball the diagonal line instead of drawing it. It totally saved alot of time and I just used the theory I use while skiing in the trees; look where you want to go. So I just put my eyes on on the end corner and voila, that is just about where I ended up.

I hope to finish these bad boys today while it is snowing.

Can't wait to start putting them on the design wall ;)

I hope someone out there is getting spring and blue sky.

Spray basting question

2011-03-19T22:14:00.000-07:00

Hi,
No pics today just a few spray basting questions. I want to spray baste a queen size. Can't do it outside cause of all the snow and mud, so what is the procedure. I can tape the back to the carpet but I don't want all the overspray to end up on the carpet. Any tips on how to manage that? Is a queen just too big to spray baste? I hope not, cause I am hoping to get away from the safety pin gig. Any suggestions will be very welcome.

Inspiration on the hill

2011-03-16T11:28:00.000-07:00

I went skiing today and while the skiing wasn't spectacular I saw some amazing ski jackets (I bet they really were snowboarding jackets) I couldn't wait to get home to start working on my ideas.

But I got home and this was still on my design wall!

What! the finishing gnomes didn't come and work their magic on this? Well shoot! But I had a AHA! moment and now I know what to do with this. Yup, I'm going to finish it before I start one of the new tops.

I have never been one to draw out my ideas on paper, I'm a fly by the seat of my pants kind of girl, but it worked. Imagine that! If I sit down and draw it out, it gels and hopefully I will not waste as much time, fabric, thread or patience. Can't wait to get to work.

Have a blue sky day.

To cut or not to cut!?

2011-03-13T10:58:00.000-07:00

I had a bunch of strips that I decided to sew together and now I am not sure I like it. I am thinking about cutting it up kinda bargello like. Or the other thought is doing some thread painting on it before I sandwich it. What do you think? I need some input....please.

yowza!

2011-03-11T09:13:00.000-08:00

I finally tried spray basting. I love it! When I cleaned my sewing room I found several tops that I had never quilted and don't really love anymore so I thought they would be my guinea pigs. I practiced doing feathers, never thought I would want to quilt feathers but they are kinda fun. Lately I have been doing alot of straight line quilting and though I do think there is a place for it.... I really, really, really love free motion quilting. The spray baste really held the layers together so there was not a problem with the back getting any wrinkles.

I have 5 or 6 queen to king tops finished and I think I will try spray baste and use my little ol' home machine to quilt them. But first, I have a finish (well except for the hand stitching) so I can start a new quilt........right?

Really...I had good intentions...

2011-01-14T12:56:00.000-08:00

to clean my sewing room and I did..kind of.
I smoothed and folded and color sorted a good bit of my stash. Then I had such an urge to start cutting I had to do it.

I followed Rachel's tutorial here for a 'colorbrick' quilt. It was fun and fast.

And now it is all ready for the back and some quilting. Wahoo!

There are so many ideas swimming around in my head I just ~~can't~~ won't take the time to finish all my big ideas about rearranging the room. Ahh well, there's always tomorrow ; P

LLQ

Mary

spinnin' my wheels!

2011-01-02T13:21:00.000-08:00

My youngest son just left after spending the holidays with us. The house seems so empty now. So I thought I would get busy organizing..... took the ornaments off the tree...

but couldn't actually get myself to take the tree
down

Went to my sewing room....... Yikes!

I really need to do something about that scrap bin.

Lined up my extra glasses....

Decided I needed to do something fun. I have been thinking about making some letters after seeing some dandies on blogs. They took much longer than I thought but now I had some fun so maybe tomorrow I will post pictures of my CLEAN sewing room.

Happy New Year!

2011-01-01T13:17:00.000-08:00

Time goes faster and faster the older I get. Wow, can't believe another year has passed. What a good year it was though so no regrets.
I have more starts than finishes so my goal this year is to have more finishes than starts. That's a novel idea for me.

Between Thanksgiving and Christmas I started 3 quilts and finished these two

Last year I had started a wonky log cabin quilt and never finished it so I turned it into 25 hotpads. They were fun quick gifts to give.

I found loving homes for several of the quilts I had finished during the year. I LOVE IT when a someone is thrilled with the quilt I picked for them.

My niece got this one.

My oldest son got this one.

Then, and I think the most exciting, I used over 80 yards of (what was I thinking of when I bought this?) fabric from my stash, to make pillowcases that were sent to Afghanistan.

It did make a dent, WAHOO!

Can't believe I lost the pics of all the pillow cases so you get a pic of my pup sleeping with one of her Christmas toys.

Cheers!

Mary

When a quilt screams....

2010-10-24T16:26:00.000-07:00

you should listen.

This quilt kept telling me it should be quilted with straight lines, but did I listen? Nope! I always think that free motion quilting is cozier plus I wanted some practice before I started quilting two oversize queen quilts that have been waiting to be finished.

It is backed with flannel and is so warm and cozy you could almost overlook the quilting.

Struggling with my regular machine really made me remember why I want a long arm so badly. If only I could get the hubs to sell the pool table I could have room for one. Ah well, straight line quilting it will be for the next quilt. On to basting.

Enjoy the upcoming week.

Mary

....and I thought I would post more often

2010-08-07T10:47:00.000-07:00

....but summer got in the way. I have not been doing much sewing but have had alot of time with my kids and nephews. They are hardly kids anymore (all in their 30's) and so much fun to spend time with. Luckily we have been at the family summer cabin for much of the summer and I have had the most incredible 'studio' in the screened porch.

I did manage to start and finish a twin + doll quilt for a charity auction. I am hoping a doting grandpa or grandma will spend the big bucks for this cute pink pair.

After my last HST quilt I was pretty sure I did not want to tackle another for quite some time but the scraps I had were begging to be HST's. For the white I used an IKEA sheet. I took the time to trim the HST's and as much as a pain that was it sure more accurate points. Next time I think I will press the seams open then trim to eliminate some of the bulky seams.

On the back I used a sheet for the orange/white/pink squares, probably won't just use a random sheet again without knowing the fabric content. It did not shrink the same as the rest so it looks really rumpled, but hey it's the back anyhow. I quilted it with a wavy cross hatch. After washing it is crinkly and cozy. Can't wait to see if it sells.

funny little fish.

2010-06-08T16:13:00.000-07:00

The first and only kit I have ever purchased sat on a shelf for a couple years. Since I have been trying to reduce my stash a bit I decided to pull out these cute little fish and try paper piecing again. My first try was not so great. I waste alot of fabric with miss cuts, jeeez you'd think I would learn after one or two miss cuts. Anyhow these turned out okay and on the third fish they started to come together pretty easily, maybe they were even fun! I am giving them to my sister-in-law cause we are going to visit for a few days. Hoping the weather in MN is nicer than our weather in MT.

sashing standstill

2010-06-08T14:08:00.000-07:00

I have started sashing these blocks and find that I really don't like to sew the sashing on. I had so much fun making the blocks but the sashing not so much. I really like the colors and some blocks I like sooooo much more than others but I think this will be a really fun quilt. I had planned on giving it away but I made something else for that person so now I think I will keep this quilt myself. I think it is perfect for the guest room.

Here is a picture of about half the blocks, some are sashed some aren't. I am sure this isn't the final layout. It seems I either spend too much time on the layout or I put them up on the board and don't move anything.

We are hitting the road for a week so guess this won't get finished anytime soon.

Have a fun week sewing.

Mary

a ufo finished

2010-05-26T10:39:00.000-07:00

Well it is not a quilt but it is a finish. I had forgotten about these little diamonds I knit about 10 years ago. I had a pattern for a wonderful sweater but I guess I chickened out and was going to make an afghan. I unearthed them while I was looking for a certain fabric(yet to be found).

Anyhow I am glad they are all sewn together now. I wonder how many other ufos I have forgotten about. Ignorance is bliss in this case.

Yahoo.

M

Inspiration overcomes willpower!

2010-05-24T15:42:00.000-07:00

I have been reading my way thru the entries in the blogger quilt festival. Wow, all the talent and imagination blow me away.

And just when I was doing so well at finishing my ufos I see Angela's quilt at my three sons and I know that is the quilt I need to make and of course start right now. I really liked her color combos. I added some black and white but otherwise pretty much copied the colors. I'm not sure what size I want the blocks to end up, usually I get 10 or so up on the board and then start cutting and adding to get the look I want. The ones that don't make the cut are going to be turned into hot pads so really I am getting two projects done in one.

Keep on stitchin'

M

Is spring over?

2010-05-23T08:58:00.000-07:00

My last tulip. I bet the petals will be falling off in an hour or two. It sure was beautiful.

My son was home for the weekend so no sewing. We don't get him home very often and I would rather spend time with him than down in the sewing room on a beautiful day. Maybe to the sewing room tonight I have some plans for hostess gifts that I better get moving on.

On to summer

My quilt for the Bloggers Quilt Festival

2010-05-21T13:51:00.000-07:00

Yup, you saw this yesterday, but that was before I knew about the quilt festival.

I love this quilt, it makes me smile when I look at it. Generally I do not like to hang a quilt, except around someone's shoulders but this one was screaming to hang on my wall.

With this quilt I tried new things like: quilting parallel lines

and hand quilting.

Just the little hand quilting I did gave me a whole new appreciation for those of you who actually hand quilt a quilt.

It was good for me to push myself to do things out of my comfort zone but I think I will stick with free motion quilting. I LOVE that.

Thanks to Amy for putting this festival together. Check it out if you haven't been there.

I am glad you found my blog and have fun browzing the quilts in the festival.

Light at the end of the tunnel

2010-05-20T08:01:00.000-07:00

I am seeing a light at the end of the tunnel! I only have one

more ufo to finish (well from the pile I said I would finish). This one is finished and hung.

It so fits into my living room. I love it.

Rain today so it is a good day to clean the much neglected house.

Happy sewing.

M

Lazy hazy crazy....

2010-05-19T13:09:00.000-07:00

This quilt reminds me of those hot lazy hazy crazy days of summer. I think it will be a good picnic quilt. I didn't notice it in the quilt but in the photo I really see how I pieced the zig zag border. I guess I really was lazy about matching at least the color of the zag. Oh well I still like it. I think it will be a donation for the community fair this summer. I do love to see the bidding in silent auctions for my quilts. Sometimes they go for waaaaaaay more than I think they should and sometimes they go for less than the fabric cost.

It was supposed to be rainy today but the sun is out so I am heading to the golf course. Yippee

M

1 more finish.

2010-05-18T14:33:00.000-07:00

I have had this in my ufo pile for a couple years.

It started off as a quilt for a Christmas gift and these were the leftovers. Don't know why I didn't pay attention to see that I had enough to make another lap quilt but I just set the pile to the side and it was buried for way too long. I still like this fabric so I just may keep it for myself.
We'll see.
This is my 4th finish in the last couple weeks. I am actually seeing the bottom of the ufo pile. YAY

M

spring strings

2010-05-15T15:27:00.000-07:00

It finally feels like we have spring! Blue sky and sunshine. Today was probably the last day that I will hike up the mountain and slide down on a black garbage bag! It was so fun and so fast. What a great way to start the weekend.

I finished this last week. It was my first string quilt. Next time I will do the middle string the same color to add some definition. This floral fabric just never ends and maybe multiplies in my stash. I am not sure how I got so much of it and WHY I just can't get rid of it. How many quilts have to have it before I can just throw the rest or donate it and move on to something I really like?

Tonight I am going to do some hand quilting for embellishment on a wall hanging that has been sitting around just wanting to be finished. Maybe I can show it tomorrow.

M

turning over a new leaf.

2010-05-12T11:06:00.000-07:00

I have started a new blog and am hoping I do a better job at keeping this one up to date. I have been finishing up my ufo's at a good steady rate...... So I think I am turning over a new leaf! Haven't cleaned my house yet but, hey, I am not sure that is ever going to get very high on my list.

This is a baby quilt I made for my niece's new baby. I like how fresh and snappy it is. I used minky for the binding hoping he likes carrying it with him. I really, really, really, am disappointed when the quilts I make get left in the nursery instead of being drug thru the sandbox, slept on even by the family dog, used for a picnic, taken in the car, thrown up on, used to make chair tents and end up a rag by the time he doesn't need his blankie any more.

I am hoping to finish a wall hanging tonight that I will post about soon.

Enjoy your day.

Mary