Sunday, June 27, 2010

Studio Stats

So the last thing I wrote was that I was going to go get my sewing organized for the next opporunity I had to sew. I never thought that would entail cleaning and organizing my sewing room. I feel so rejuvenated! It didn't take much to go through my stuff, but I work best if things don't get toooo out of control. I have no priorities or immediate plans for my quilting right now, so I just thought I'd survey the workload. Next thing I knew I was actually dusting. This is the situation:

quilts needing binding 5
tops needing borders 8
tops needing quilting 103
tops in progress- PHD’s 15

So, I really got organized. First I removed two chairs from the room and moved a table to a better position. That alone made me feel great for 2 days! Next I put away a few piles of fabric then stacked up some of the work waiting to be done. In a little while I could see that this pile of tops waiting for borders is the first I'll focus on. Ripping, pressing, tea-dyeing and designing are required on some of these which might just be why work stalled.


As I was working I came across this red and purple print that just might be perfect with the red and purple stripped triangles that I made in March and April. I never had any real plans for those triangles, so now I'll come up with a plan to incorporate the print. Sort of my own personal mystery. What fun.

So did I actually get any sewing done? Yes, actually I quilted more on Brian's extra long log cabin quilt and I cut background triangles for the red and purple mystery quilt. I also put blocks together to move it from the PHD pile to the needing pressing and borders pile. I think I will take the ironing to the basement this week. Even with the A/C on I'm hot all the time. Ask Mark!
Sew long till next time.

Tuesday, June 22, 2010

Mending, piecing and stitching, oh my

And quilting, too. What a busy day sewing in so many ways. I had mending and alterations that had been sitting here since winter. And I finished up the last two logs on about 50 log cabin blocks that the church ladies started and quilted more feathers on the big quilt on the frame and made up another 6 of the 12 pillowcases here for the million pillowcase challenge.
It sure feels good to get all those things off my list.

On the wall in the photo is another comfort quilt turned in by one of the church ladies. It's waiting for me to add borders and quilting. I'll add the borders cause all the blocks were from her stash and I have the church's fabric here. The piecer is betting that we have something suitable.


Here are a few more of the quilts turned in last Tuesday. The sampler I put together from the orphan blocks that I collect. Occasionally I make a block or two from leftover pieces. I think I needed to put together 3 for this quilt.

The quilt below Lucrecia put together starting with a pillow panel in the center.
Now I am going to organize my next day's sewing. I hope that's tomorrow. Sew long,

Monday, June 21, 2010

A quilty June

Well, I'd have written sooner, but I have been having some trouble with the new modem sent to me by my ISP. They are taking it "to the next level" and hopefully can find a problem to fix.

I did happen to get Spring Dance together a few weeks ago. Now I feel I can move onto other things. I am surprised how long that one was on my design wall. Once it was this far I debated borders and decided just to go with a flat piping before the binding.

More comfort quilts were turned in last week at church. We had quite a few quilts piling up and decided we needed to make a distribution. I took in 13 quilts to Love Inc. They were thrilled to get them. It is always nice when the gals in the office are excited when we come in with quilts. Sometimes we make a delivery and you wonder if they really want them.

Here are just two of the quilts turned in. Both double-four patches. Amazing how they can look so different.
In the last two weeks I also attended a 25th anniversary party for the guild I started. It was great fun to reminisce with other past presidents that were invited and some of the charter members. I also gave a program to a guild in Illinois, delivered the raffle quilt to Judy to quilt and quilted one last Friday night with the girls. All this quilty activity has motivated me to do even more quilting. I can't wait to see what I get done. My to do list keeps getting longer. It must be time to post that. That's it for now. Guess where I am going.
Sew long,

Tuesday, June 8, 2010

Lovin' the Rain

Am I strange to like rainy days. When I had a huge garden I used to pray for rainy days so I could take a day off from working in the garden and clean my house. Then I got smart. I just prayed for a cleaning lady. I like the rainy days now. I think it is the quiet sound that I like and I tend to get lots done then.

It's been raining several days now and I got some real quilting done. This was a top I had sitting around for almost 10 years.

Since I still have no plans for it, the binding will probably continue to wait patiently in my tub o' bindings. I really don't mind doing bindings cause I do them completely by machine, but I'd rather do other things right now. See? I know how to prioritize. Now I am down to 103 quilt tops. Doing good I'd say. Sew all the long rainy day.

Friday, June 4, 2010

Old fashioned charm

Time sure flies when you enjoy your work. I planted all my annuals. My peonies are finally opening, just as we are getting a week of rain. Just like every year.


The raffle quilt top has been in my possession for a week now and I finally took a picture. I had Pam's challenge on the wall the whole week and didn't get far enough on it to take it down without getting confused! Dear Mark thinks it will appeal to the aging population of our church just fine. Uh, that would be him. What does he expect from almost a dozen golden girls?

Lily's cuddling lessons are not going well. This is the cat that never liked much to be held more than 60 seconds without her cardboard box. With a box, she has been known to go 3 hours!
Well, I am going quilting. Sew long,