Thursday, February 26, 2015

Only the hand stitching applique to do yet on this Bella Bella project called Sewing in the Round by Norah McMeeking.  I want to finish this one off as a small wall hanging.  Starting to think of border possibilities.  I'd like to have it just a bit larger, but could settle with it being this size too.  Kompass for this project's name is a good idea Jennifer.

Sewing room including the design wall are ready for March's UFO!

Wednesday, February 25, 2015

I have my Sunshine Quilt Guild BOM done.  Wonder who will be the lucky member to win in March...

I added the inner ring to the outer ring of my Bella Bella project.  Let me tell you it wasn't easy.  The circle at the top will be hand appliqued in place.  I have some pressing and prepping to do before moving on.

Happy Wednesday!

Design Wall Monday, February 23, 2015

Kurry
2011 UFO

Sunday I finished Kurry.  I am so happy to be finished and up-to-date with all my planned UFOs.  Kurry took four years and a couple of months, but it's done.  I'm loving it!  All my purchases of Judy Niemeyer patterns have been created...  I am resisting the purchase of one of her newest designs, Osprey's Nest II.  Have you seen it?  It is shown in the newest Keepsake Quilting Catalog.

Next up to finish is the project I started in a workshop earlier this month.  This one is a design by Norah McMeeking called Sewing in the Round.  (The fabric at the bottom will be the center circle.)  There are a few days left in February before I know my next UFO project to work on in March.  I am anxious to have this one done.  I have yet to decide on a name for this small wall hanging.  Any ideas come to mind?

Have a wonderful week and be sure to head over to Judy's Patchwork Times for some more lovely projects by various quilters around the globe. 

Sunday Stash Report, February 22, 2015

I needed a sashing and a back for Krazy Koons 2 so this fabric was purchased on Thursday from Paradise Sewing in Poway.  I had a very good night there, finishing up two projects.  I still have the birds pinned down waiting for the perle cotton thread.  It won't take much to sew them down.  Kerry has another couple of projects coming her way...

Krazy Koons 2

This next one didn't need any fabrics to complete.  I added the strips at the top and bottom to make it square.  I cut 8 1/2" squares of fabrics leftover to create the back.  The eyes of the birds get a button once quilted.  I will also be tacking down the flower stems.  

Krazy Kookoos 2

There is no change in my stats unless I count 1 1/4 yards in and then 1 1/4 yards used.  The two tops are leftovers from the main project.  I already counted the fabric used when they completed.  You might recognize Kurry just behind these two Buggy Barn projects.  At this point I only have eight more seams to go.  Next week there will be a change worth reporting.  Stop by tomorrow for the final of Kurry!

Used this week: 0 yards
Used YTD: 42.75 yards
Purchased this week:  0 yards
Purchased YTD: 29.25 yards
Net Fabric Used in 2015:  13.5 yards

Wednesday, February 18, 2015

Kurry is coming right along.  I have 19 more melons to sew in place.  Anxious to get the rows assembled...  I'll be back at this on Friday.

Thursday I won't be sewing on Kurry.  I have Buggy Barn Club to go to instead.  Krazy Kookoos 2 and Krazy Koons 2 will be put into some sort of setting.  I have one dog and three birds that will become two separate small wall hangings.  I didn't make this once a month happening last month.  It will be nice to work with the Buggy Barn gang that I have come to know once again.  It is always on the 3rd Thursday of the month at Paradise Sewing in Poway.

Design Wall Monday, February 16, 2015

Sunday I spent a long sewing day sewing curves.  While the washer and dryer were humming along the wedges were placed on the outside ring of the Bella Bella project.  I did as suggested in the workshop and left the outer edge of the ring not trimmed to 1/4" but found that it didn't give me that much leverage when sewing the two together.  I'll try it again for the inner ring...we shall see.  Need that protractor to measure out the center circle still.  6 3/16 is the circle I will need.

Kurry is coming along well too.  I have eight of the 20 blocks with melons in place.  I started in the lower left corner as you may see.  Until I get the layout placed for the setting square correctly the whole project looks a bit wrong.  I have lots more curve piecing ahead this week.

Wishing you a good week.  See more wonderful projects with your cup of coffee this morning through the links at Patchwork Times.

Sunday Stash Report, February 15, 2015

Let's get the fabric additions out of the way...  After my Norah McMeeking workshop on Wednesday I headed to Beverly's.  I was hoping to match a green print I had purchased from there a while back. I just couldn't resist this novelty fabric.  It reminds me of the oldie television program My Three Sons.  =^.^=.  Not sure how I will use it; giving lots of thought to pillow cases.

I didn't have any luck matching the green print, but I did find a green that would work.  A bit boring not having a print.  It does match up with the busy green print batik of the outside border.  The neutral palm is the back.  What you see will be the sleeve.  I plan to cut the binding at 2.25 instead of 2.5.  I hope to work on perfecting a very tight binding...look out corners I am going to be paying special attention to you!  Kaskade is one exceptional quilt.

The stripe will go nice for Karnarvon.  It was made even nicer being on the sale table.  I have leftover four patches that I'll fit into the back as well.

Now that Kurry is figured out, I took some time out to work on my Norah McMeeking project.  This is the wedge that sets the circles on the outside.  The the two rings above fit into each other starting with the wedge attached to the large circle first, then the smaller circle to the center of the larger circle.

The center goes last.  It is appliqued by your preferred technique.  First I have to find a protractor to cut a circle 6 3/16" round.  Turn the outside seam under 1/4" so that the points of the center ring can float.  Do you have a protractor?

So my numbers take a little tumble this week.  Maybe next week will be better; of course that means getting Kurry finished!  Enjoy your week and take time for more eye candy through the links at Patchwork Times.


Used this week: 0 yards
Used YTD: 42.75 yards
Purchased this week:  5.25 yards
Purchased YTD: 29.25 yards
Net Fabric Used in 2015:  13.5 yards

Friday, February 13, 2015

I've decided on all the final version of Kurry.  I abandoned using the multi colored fabrics for all melons and setting square.  I have added in lots of similar fabrics for the melons and the setting square.  The melons all present better being on the darker side.  I only left a few in just to be interesting.  Next step...sewing in all the melons.  Don't like curves; do you?

The back for my Downton Abbey quilt has been sewn together.  I used the leftovers as often times I do.  Why waste them when you can use them is my motto.  I will share photos on my next post.

Lastly on my Friday Off-Day (just love these days) I attached the binding and sleeve for my most recent back from Kerry's Quilting project.  I hope to make some headway on the hand sewing over the weekend.

Off for dinner somewhere on this lovely night in San Diego!  Happy Valentines Day everyone... 

Thursday, February 12, 2015

Here is Kurry today.  I have just three more units to sew before I will be moving along to the next step...cutting melons.  I'm sure I want to use this fabric it plays nicely with everything its touched so far.  That setting square is still giving me problems though.  Anyone care to make a suggestion on what to try?  Perhaps a solid would work or maybe I need to use a few different fabrics.  The current one just has too much red in it, even when fussy cut.

Wednesday I took a Norah McMeeking workshop at Memory Lane.  Norah is an entertaining and knowledgeable instructor.  She shared lots of tips and tricks that I'll be sure to use with future projects.  This is my project after the day's six hours of sewing and demonstrations.  It will finish as a medallion block.  The marble affect is what I was going for since Norah's designs are developed from the many beautifully constructed floors in Europe.  I think this designed was brought together from a floor in Italy.  Fun workshop if you are interested in foundation piecing. 

Well as is the norm of the past few years my projects are starting to stack up...It's all the workshops that I attend in the beginning of the year added to my current project.  I only have one more empty basket...something needs to finish soon!

Make sure you remember your honey this Valentines Day!

Design Wall Monday, February 9, 2015

Kurry
2011 UFO

Kurry is coming along nicely.  I had time for lots of sewing today while the machines were doing the laundry.  I stopped when more parts needed to be cut.  The left side needs more pinks and the bottom right corner needs a few more blues.  I am liking how the colors are working together...a little tweak here and there should be all it needs.  Soon I will be cutting more melons and hone in on what those difficult setting squares should be.  This is a Judy Niemeyer design called Briar Patch.  It is the last of my long overdue projects from my 2011 UFO list!  I will be back to Kurry after work tonight.

See other projects today through the inks at Judy's Patchwork Times.

Sunday Stash Report, February 8, 2015

Kurry
2011 UFO

What a difference a few days has made with Kurry.  I think I am done with the yellows.  Plan to change out  the top long setting triangles.  I think the top right corner needs to be the brightest yellow.  Today I am working on the deeper blues.  The finished top is 4 blocks across and 5 blocks long...so you can see I am getting pretty close to sewing the remaining units.  I am leaving myself some wiggle room for rearranging the units to match the color affect that I am working towards.

Kaskade
78" x 87"
2011 UFO

I have Kaskade back from Kerry.  She did an awesome job on the quilting don't you think?  The dark green border fabric is left from a Canyon Quilt Guild Opportunity Quilt from years ago that I organized.  (Organizers get perks with the leftovers =^.^=)  I will be trying to match it with a fabric for the binding.  The back is a palm frond print green on ivory.  I purchased it a long time ago from Darlene.  Believe it or not this one was a 2011 UFO too.

No change to my Stash Stats this week.  Hope your day is perfect.  Patchwork Times will connect you to other quilters using up their stash.

Used this week: 0 yards
Used YTD: 42.75 yards
Purchased this week:  0 yards
Purchased YTD: 24 yards
Net Fabric Used in 2015:  18.75 yards

Wednesday, February 4, 2015

Kurry is moving right along.  I cut pieces tonight; no sewing.  Thursday evening I'll be sewing.  Once I cut the border sections and put them on the design wall it became easier to figure out the diagonal placement of the blocks.  I am still undecided about those setting squares.  The fabric pictured is the second one that I have tried.  Might have to keep on looking :(!

Hope your week is going well.  Thank goodness it is HUMP Day.  This week has been one long one for me so far.  It's all down hill from here...

Design Wall Monday, February 2, 2015

Well by now you've heard we have more winter ahead and the Mayor of Sun Prairie has a new place to adorn an earring when he found out!  The weather across the nation is cold, windy, and snowing.  Even San Diego is having some cold temperatures.

Kurry

Today after work I have been spending time on Kurry.  Wow this one is hard to assemble.  I have all the yellows and transitional yellows towards the pink side (on the left) sewn.  There are two transitional yellows towards the teal side (on  the right) sewn.  My next units will be the transitionals on both sides.  I'm still undecided on the setting square that are sewn in with partial seams.  The quilt will have 20 blocks (4 across and 5 down) sewn in diagonal rows with the yellow running diagonally from top right to bottom left.  Oh what fun is in store for me with this Briar Patch design by Judy Niemeyer!

I get to work on Kurry the entire month because my #1 called to work on by Aunt Marti of 52Quilts.com in the 2015 UFO Challenge she is running is complete!  I sure didn't think I'd have been so far along when back in December I added Bonnie Hunter's Grand Illusion Winter Mystery to my 2015 UFO List.  Here's my version which I named Kadabra.  =^.^=

Kadabra

Many thanks go out to everyone who left a suggestion on a name for my Downton Abbey Mystery project.  There were some great suggestions, but the name Karnarvon wins out.  Here's how Joy D describes her coming up with it:

"Great work on the mystery. My vote for a name would be Karnarvon. Downton Abbey 

is filmed at Highclere Castle, home of the 8th Earl of Carnarvon. As for mystery...the 

5th Earl of Carnarvon funded and accompanied the expedition to find King Tut's tomb. 

Was it the curse of the tomb that killed him a few months later? 

With the tall triangles, they could pyramids? 

Just my 2 cents! Great work on the quilt!"

Karnarvon

Hope you had a fantastic start to February 2015.  Take time to check out other projects from some great quilters through the links at Judy's Patchwork Times.

Sunday Stash Report, February 1, 2015

On the last day of January I worked on Kurry.  I have quite an assortment of the yellow background blocks.  Right now I think I will need 19 sets (2 per set) of the yellow.  The top right starts the transition into the pink side of the quilt.  I am very anxious to lay this out on my design wall, but want to have a few more sets of the yellow made up first.

This week I am happy to say that I have a use and no adds.  YIPPEE!  My Downton Abbey Mystery Quilt project by Tiffany Hayes is done.  I am still trying to decide on a name, but I'm leaning towards an Abbey called Kingswood.  Google helped me uncover this name.  It kind of fits the manly theme of the fabrics.  The top fabrics was purchased at the workshop.  I will be able to use the leftovers which there is very little of along with some from my stash for the back.

Here are my stats for this week.  Hope your day was perfect.  Patchwork Times will connect you to other quilters using up their stash.

Used this week: 10 yards
Used YTD: 42.75 yards
Purchased this week:  0 yards
Purchased YTD: 24 yards
Net Fabric Used in 2015:  18.75 yards

Anxious to learn what project I'll be working on this month.  Aunt Marti will be announcing that number to work on and there is a Parade of UFO Finishes to be seen today on her site.