Quilting and Accounts

      I am off today!! Yeah!!  ok, can you tell that I am excited??  I have lots of projects that I want to get accomplished during my 5 days off!   I've been putting my shopping receipts into the system which I found at:  http://thecouponproject.com/downloads/savings-tracker  I am loving this!  I need to have Chester show me where to save this so that I can FIND it again!!  lol    So far I am saving 52% by watching sales and using coupons.  Yeah me!!
      Now, I need to get cracking on the quilting part of the day! 

Violet Quilt

        Here it is March 1.  Violet Quilt is not done.  If it had been done, I would have amazed myself!!  I wish I could stay home and work on it for many hours, each day.  Ah, well.   I am not sure if I will participate in the next color (brown)  I really want to get the Violet one done!!  But,  who knows.... lol ...  I may jump in yet!
       Tom is off on a trip tomorrow and I need to get laundry and dinner all done.  See ya!

Cardboard and Quilts

Weighting the pieces down.

More blocks sewn!

     A rather laid back day.  I surfed the web, watched a few shows on the computer, worked on the Cardboard piece and sewed some more blocks for Violet Quilt.   I know that it will not be completed by the end of February.  Sad, but true.  I will have to make smaller projects for the rest of the year if I expect to finish each Item in the month I start. 
     I charged into the cardboard project.  I am always in such a hurry.  I had to add more cardboard to the sides.  And I will probably add another piece to the back too.  It was just too flimsy and needed more strength.  I didn't think it would need more strength when I planned this out.  But that is ok.  It is cardboard.. Just add some more!  Luckily this is a small project and not a large piece.  The paper mache part is more time consuming that I thought it would be.  Of course, trying to do this while watching a movie on the computer, and working on a small surface (tv tray) was not the smartest way to do this!

Violet Quilt

Not much today.  I did sew a little on the Violet Quilt.  Still lots of blocks left to sew on.  We had leftover ham and beans.. Still delicious!   :)    and that is about  all.  Hugs

Stash Sunday - Week 8

Week 8 Stash Report
Used this Week:  0 yards
Used Year to Date - 2 yards
Added This Week - 4 yards
Added Year to Date - 17 yards
Total  Fabric Busted in 2011: -15 yards

Obviously I need to SEW MORE!  ok and complete more, since I decided not to count fabric as USED until I finished the project.  (hopefully this will also encourage me to finish these projects!!
Please check out Judy's Blog to see what others have been doing!!
http://www.patchworktimes.com/2011/02/20/stash-report-week-8-2011/

Wow, I guess writing it down IS a good idea!!  I've gotten in gear and have a lot done on the Violet Quilt.  And I have even planned tonight's dinner AND tomorrow's dinner AND the night after that!.   Tonight, we are having chicken, carrots, Baked Sweet Potato and even Baked a Cherry Pie (Tom will be impressed... or at least he should!!)  Well, Wed. Dinner may have to be rethought.  Unless I cook more chicken!!  lol

Chicken and Carrots

Dinner and Desert, Yummm

Beans soaking for tomorrow

Violet Blocks laid out

Some Strip sets cut and ready to be sewn

My plan for tomorrow is to Start the beans & Ham in the crockpot before going to work, come home & make the cornbread.  There, dinner is done  :)    Then spend more time sewing on the Violet Quilt!!  

Sidetracked Again

Guess that title says it all.  I've been researching "making your own cardboard furniture"  or accessories!  I can get cardboard free at work (hmm I wonder if they would pay me to take it away?  Nah... lol )   So working on the Violet Quilt has been moved aside.  BUT, I will work on it today!  Going to put on a podcast and get to sewing.

Framework

This is the Framework of what will Hopefully be a Quilting Tool Caddy.  Section at the back will be for the rulers, Bottom two sections will become pull drawers and the two sections above them will be for things like Rotary Cutters and Pen/pencils.  So far I've only invested time into this and the cost of some wallpaper paste. 

I thought about going "back in time" and creating a blog entry for the days I've 'missed'.  But I decided that would be silly and take time away from what I want to get done today.  (maybe I'm getting smart??)

Design Wall Monday February 14, 2011

       My wall looks that same.  I really need to get that done and off the wall.  BUT.... I blame Judy here.  lol  She keeps coming up with fun projects and they take my attention away from the design wall!! (that is MY story)  If you go here:   http://trishquilts.blogspot.com/2011/02/easy-quilt-idea-brrrrrr-its-cold.html You can see what is still on there. 
       However, on my other design wall.  a.k.a. My Dining Room Table, my Violet Quilt is moving right along.   Here are more strips ready to sew together.

More strips ready to sew together.

I know you would like to see what everyone else is doing, so please go here:  http://www.patchworktimes.com/2011/02/14/design-wall-monday-valentines-day/  and check out all the other wonderful blogs.  :)
       Freckles is doing her Doggy Duty by sleeping right in the doorway of the sewing room.  So I get my exercise stepping over her constantly!!  Good Girl!! I was going to take a picture, but the room is soooo messy, I'm rather embarrassed about it. 

Stash Sunday - Week 7

Week 7 Stash Report
Used this Week:  2 yards
Used Year to Date - 2 yards
Added This Week - 0 yards
Added Year to Date - 13 yards
Net Used 2011: 2 yards

Sunday and my day off :)   I have been busy working on the Violet Quilt by cutting out lots of strips and then sewing lots of strips.  Imagine that! Here is a picture of what I have sewed so far.  More to be done.

Stacks of 10 Strip Sets

Goofy Dog

Freckles is so funny.  Here she is eating.  Talk about lazy!!  If you click on the picture, it should enlarge it.  I accidentally got an "action" shot.  She eats, turns her head and spills the food on the floor.  What a girl!!  I need to send this pic to the kids, they will love it!

Goofy Girl's Action Shot

I need to work on the Violet quilt today.  First, need to get off the computer!!

All the Violet out  :)

 Yippee!!  Working on the Monochromatic Quilt.  I have sewn lots of strips together.  The 'hardest' part so far is matching up the strips.  Some of the medium match up well with any dark; but, some really have to be specifically matched which meant I tried to NOT match the same ones together consistently!  Then I said "forget it"  Either they will be different or the same.  Get it done!!

Stash Sunday - Week 6

Week 6 Stash Report
Used this Week:  2 (Rough Guess-tamate from Table Runner )
Used Year to Date - 2
Added This Week - 3 yards
Added Year to Date - 13 yards
Net Used 2011: 2

Alright!  I have kept track for 6 whole weeks!!  It has got to be a record for me!  I don't know how much I used for the table runner, but 2 yards is a good guess.  It is rather wide and longish and of course it is Bound and finished!!   As always, please check out Judy's sight to see what she and other quilters are doing!!
http://www.patchworktimes.com/ 

I will be working some more on the Violet Quilt.  I need to get those 2.5" strips cut down into Rectangles so I can start sewing. 

Violet Quilt

I had to set aside some time for cutting the rest of the Violet Quilt fabric.  I say "had", because otherwise I think I would have floated through the rest of the without accomplishing this!  It will have to be done over a couple of days, but I have the fabric ironed and the strips cut, Yeah!! 

'Lost' Violet fabric cut into strips.

I just realized that I haven't written my resolutions for February.  Hmm.  have to make dinner.. lol  ... Will have to come back to this one!!  Have you written yours?

What's For Dinner and Violet Quilt

What's For Dinner?  I'm glad you asked.  I actually have something planned!  And it is healthy!  Not something I'm very good at.  We have Turkey Polish Sausage, Shrimp, Blend of Wild Rice & Rice, Salad and Green Pepper and Baby Carrots.  I slice the sausage and cook it in a skillet and when it is just about done I throw in the shrimp.  These are salad shrimp.  These are smaller than I usually use but were all that they had.  Well, I didn't want the JUMBO shrimp, the idea is to keep everything small.  I bought this rice but haven't tried it yet.  The directions seem simple enough  :) 

Dinner Ingredients

Yummm   

Purple selection

Pattern Choice

 According to Judy at http://www.patchworktimes.com/   February's color is VIOLET.  Wow, really challenging us at the beginning of the year!!   I have a pattern, I have fabric, what I am not sure of is:

• 1.  Doing the whole quilt Monochromatic.
• 2.  Do I have definite Light, Med and Dark Violets
• 3.  Can I add Green instead of White or black????    lol 

Those 4 fabrics in the Medium pile look dark.  But, when put with the Darks, look medium.  What is a girl supposed to do???   I'm thinking I will have to be very aware of where I place them.  :)   Here is the pattern I want to do.  The problem.  It will be a large quilt.  Probably king size.  I wonder.  Maybe I should do a strip quilt.  Keep the Dark Purples for the center Stripe, Then I can play around with the blocks and create an interesting pattern with them.  Decisions, decisions, decisions.  Maybe I should invest in EQ7.

The storm is still blowing.  Tom said lots of drifts and even places where the road is just blown clean.  Of course the ice on the road is still there.  Darn wind, why doesn't it just blow the ice away!?!   I'll have to get pictures either later or wait until tomorrow. 

The other Item at hand is Judy's Pick for our UFO Challenge.  I failed miserably at January's.  In fact, all I did was to get it out, put it on the couch and then NOT EVEN TOUCH IT.  For the whole month!   *sigh*   The new UFO is #10.  Happy Smile.  It is my Bright Quilt.  And all it needs is the binding sewn on.  :)   Keep asking me about it.  Keep me on track! 

Completed Table Runner and Big Tent

Yes!!  The Table Runner is now Completed!!  Binding is all sewn on.  I tried the method where it was sewn on the front, raw edges together, then flipped to the back, pinned, and stitched again from the front.  It has too much 'edge' past the stitching for my taste.  But it is done!!  Good way to practice a new technique.  I see more table runners being made so that I can perfect this technique.  Maybe I'll try using fancy stitches instead of a straight stitch next time.

Completed Table Runner

Brrrrrr Snowy day

You can see the snow blowing in.

Snowmen playing on the New Table Runner!!

I have been listening to pod casts from Big Tent while sewing.  I found "Quilting for the rest of us" and scrolled to her first session and have been working my way forward.  I have to say that this is like having a friend or two sitting in the room, having a discussions and you can just listen in and get a lot of you own work done!!   I am surprised that I am experiencing such a great feeling of accomplishment for completing "just a Table Runner". (which is what I am saying in my head)  But it sure does feel great!!

Yellow Table Runner

Although I had planned on making a Yellow Quilt.  Time turned it into a Yellow Table Runner!  I enjoyed the process of deciding what pattern to choose, how I was going to lay it out, the changes I needed to make to take it from a quilt to a runner. 

This storm that is coming in has created a layer of ice on the roads that I considered too dangerous.  After talking to people that made it to work, I am glad that I stayed home.  Talk of all the wrecks they've seen along the way and the sliding that they did.  Whew.  I'll just keep throwing more wood into the furnace and staying warm!

Freckles did NOT want to go out to potty, I even had to help her down the step so she wouldn't fall and walk out to the trees so she would follow me and go.  I dread what tomorrow will bring.

Stash Sunday - Week 5

Week 5 Stash Report
Used this Week:  0 (Still haven't FINISHED a project)
Used Year to Date - 0
Added This Week - 1 yards
Added Year to Date - 10 yards
Net Used 2011:  0

I bought 4 fat quarts of yellow to add to my yellow quilt.  This was before I truly realized how short a time I had left to get it done.  WOW, this month has flown by. 

 I've been busy working on the Yellow Table Runner (Formerly known as Yellow Quilt!!)  And I am pleased with my progress.

I am trying to decide how to lay out the Runner.

This is getting closer!

 Is it considered Anaerobic Exercise when you have to step over the dog just to get to the quilt pieces that you are going to sew next?  I think so, because I always pause, catch my breath (because I almost stepped on her, well not really.  I try to be aware of where she has plopped down.) and then high step over her, then Repeat when coming back to the sewing room!!   If you can  see the bedroom in the background, that is where they Runner is laid out.

Yellow Quilt

I need to get motivated again.  I probably won't get this Yellow Quilt done by the end of the month.  I think it will become the Yellow Table Runner!!  lol    I sewed another round on and am thinking black half sq. triangles and these blocks set on point should finish it up nicely.  :)  OMGoodness  I still need to quilt that other project. How did the end of the month sneak up on me so quickly.  :(

Work day

Went to work.  Probably should have stayed home, but  made it in.  Went 40mph, even on the interstate.  Coming home was fine until I was almost to the house.  With the sun shining so bright on the snow it was hard to see where the tracks were.  Love nice clean snow, always hated the muddy snow, but I sure could have used a bit of dirty snow to tell me where the tracks were!  I worked around the house and am keeping my sink shiny! No quilting.  I need to get back the the Yellow Quilt

Design Wall Monday 1/17/11, Yellow Quilt

   DESIGN WALL MONDAY 

Trying to figure out what to do for the sashing. Black border or Gold?  These are the pieces left over from cutting for the blocks.  Or should be "piano key



Here are the strips as varied lengths.  This is what I had imagined.  Too busy? I wonder how a "ribbon" edge would look, using solid Green and Red?  I would have to buy fabric.  Any suggestions?   board" size? 






This is what I have done so far for the  Monochromatic Yellow Quilt.

Stash Report and Yellow Quilt

I woke up way Too Early this morning.  (3am)  On the bright side, I finished sewing this round on the Yellow Quilt!!  Have to go to work  :(    Yeah, work is over for the day, now, I need to cut some more strips to 4.5 length and get to sewing some more.  House is COLD  Brrrrrr.  Maybe I'd best throw some more wood in the furnace first!  :)

Week 3 Stash Report
Used this Week:  0
Used Year to Date - 0
Added This Week - 9 yards
Added Year to Date - 9 yards
Net Used 2011:  0

Looks bad.  But I will add the fabric that I have used when I finish a quilt.  So, I'd better get alot of quilts done this year!!

Quilting and Cleaning

My daughter was home for Christmas break and she helped me declutter my bedroom. She streamlined the sorting by making piles of "next" levels of clothes. (we had to sort into 2 levels). Yes I am trying to loose weight. And have lots of outside help to encourage me. :)
This morning I was playing at the computer, started feeling grumpy and realized that I hadn't "officially" started my day. I had not Shined my sink. And I wasn't even dressed yet. :( I must have been thinking last night, because I sorted thru the next level of pants and had put them in the bathroom, so this morning I tried them on... TADA!! they all fit. Alright, Flinging the old work pants, because I have 2 new pair that fit!!!!! And, I am flinging 4 old pair and only bringing out 2 new pair!! While working in the bedroom, we made enough room on the shelves to spread out my husbands gym clothes. No more piling them into one HUGE and TALL stack for him from now on! Thank you so much, I am looking forward to continued success with Flylady!!


I still haven't worked on my #6. table runner.  I need to focus on that when I sit down on the couch.  Hmmm maybe that will be my next cleaning spot!  I also need to trim up the centers of my yellow quilt.  Kitchen is all clean.  Now Tom says he is going be turning off the water to work on bathtub.   So, I found 'a few' jugs to fill with water!!  Might as well as them all full.  You never know what might happen.  And it never fails, as soon as I hear "No Water" I get very, very thirsty!
Working on Yellow Quilt!  I have the next segments for the blocks cut and mostly sewn on.  Need to get dinner and work on #6 tonight, so the rest of the sewing will have to wait.