Design Wall Monday 122914

Look what I got for Christmas!!

Something I have been curious about for a long time. College R asked a while back what I would like that was sewing related but was unlikely to get myself. It took me a month to think of something, but once I did I knew it was the right thing. 

I read the book from cover to cover, reread the Dear Jane website, made some photocopies and then just pulled fabric and sewed. 

I think my Bonnie Hunter training helps a lot.  My cutting and seams are right on and the tiny blocks are coming out just fine so far.


Linking up to Patchwork Times  to see what others are working on.

Grand Illusion Part 5

This was an easy clue. Perfect for a busy week.  Can't wait to see how they all fit together.

I am so thankful to be caught up. When school starts again and I go back to work my time will no longer be my own. 

Head on over to Quiltville  to see other people's progress.

Stash Report and 100th Post!!!

Kind of appropriate since I started blogging to help me be "accountable" and allow me to link up for the stash report.  I met my mental goal of 100 yards net out.  Yippee!!  And I had very, very little come in.

My personal rule of reporting fabric as "used" when an entire step in a project was finished worked well for me.  I tend to only be able to sew in spurts here and there.  By reporting steps finished I can see progress more often and am more motivated to finish and get another step done.

Test Basket

So here's the last stash report of 2014. Even though it was Christmas I had a little bit of stash out.  Working on some other things so will have a big report to kick off 2015.


Fabric Used This Week: 0.5 yards for Little Test Basket
Total Used 2014: 120.86 yards

Fabric In This Week: 0 yards 

Total Bought/Received in 2014: 16.08 yards
Net Used 2014: 104.78 yards

Linking up to Patchwork Times  for one last Stash Report for this year.  
Thanks, Judy, for helping me be more productive.

A Little Finish

I have been wanting to make this little basket since forever.  I thought I'd made a practice one before making the real deal for a Christmas gift.

I love it and will save it for a specific birthday that I always to a USA/Olympic themed gift for.  Never did do the Christmas gift one.  It was too crafty for the look I was going for.  My girls really liked it so I will be making more in the future.  Good use of scraps and about an hour of time. 


Here are the instructions I used: tutorial for fabric baske

And I am current on the Grand Illusion Mystery Quilt

Linking up to Crazy Mom Quilts  for the last Friday finish of the year.

Mommy's Christmas Stockings

Many, many years ago when I was born my aunt, who was 11 years older then my mother, knit a stocking for me.   My mother, who was very clever, then copied that stocking when my siblings came along.  As we got married she made them for our spouses and then for the grandchildren.  One year she even bartered stockings for my sister's wedding rehearsal dinner!

Each stocking is slightly different since she only copied whichever stocking she had access to when she needed to make another.  We always joked that she favored my brother since his stocking was huge.  He literally grew into it with a size 13 foot!  Little S gets the same grief among my kids.  But she came along much later and I'm sure by then my mother did not remember what size needles she had used or any of the details.

We have lived in a lot of places around the world but no matter how limited our access to comforts might be I have always made sure we had our stockings at Christmas. 

Does anyone have a pattern for these stockings that you might share or know where I could get it?  I don't knit but College R knows the basics and the nieces as well. Maybe by the time we need more stockings someone will be able to make them.

Have blessed Christmas everyone.

Showing off Christmas memories/crafts/projects and linking up to Quiltville

Grand Illusion Part 4

Friday I woke up long before the alarm - as usual - but I got up to check on the clue rather than try to get back to sleep. Since everyone else was asleep I worked on cutting first.  Got almost all the blue/neutral HST ready to sew before the alarm went off and it was back to reality.

As soon as I was able I was back at it. Had to finish the last 23 blocks for Part 3 before I could let myself start Part 4!!  Half of the 4x1 strips were already done so I was too close to put it off.  Good motivation. 

Made the test block. first.  Everything was fine so I went into a sewing frenzy to plow through them. I was super careful to always keep looking at the test block to keep things from getting mixed up. There were a few things I had to do but cooking dinner was not one of them so I actually managed to get all of Clue 4 done by evening!!  

Not sure which is which, but 40 of each!!

I know my family was relieved that on Saturday I got some housework done, got the room ready for College R's visit and even put up the Christmas tree!  

Head on over to Quiltville   to see how others are doing on the Mystery Quilt.

Stash Report 122114

Made this quilt for my team teacher.   Although the thinking it through, getting photos, etc took forever the actual sewing was very quick.  The progress can be seen here

and the finish can be seen here

Dakota's quilt top

Never reported on the fabric used for this   flannel baby set  I made in the Fall so I will do that now as well. 

Flannel Rag Quilt - set also included a lovey and burp clothes

Fabric Used This Week: 5.21 Dakota's Quilt  + 7.41 yards for gifted Flannel baby set
Total Used 2014: 120.36 yards

Fabric In This Week: 0 yards 

Total Bought/Received in 2014: 16.08 yards
Net Used 2014: 104.28 yards

Yeah !  I got over 100 yards net used and met my mental goal!  That confirmed what I already knew  -  it will take me a long, long time to use up all the stash.  Oh well.  That works fine since my favorite place is in front of the sewing machine!

Head on over to Patchwork Times to see how others are doing with their stash.

Completely Finished

Lately I've finished tops, but nothing has been actually quilting and bound in a while.  This was a "must" finish completely project ... and I did!!

Quilted, bound, delivered!!

Even though it made her cry, my friend loved it and is showing it off to everyone.  I left space for her to write in the pertinent details on the back label. 

Check out some other finishes at Crazy Mom Quilts  and Confessions of a Fabric Addict

Grand Illusion Part III

This step took me longer than the previous steps since I already had a full weekend and week.   Very glad it was a bit easier.  

The first 40!  Thursday evening things start to slow down. Hope to finish up before Friday morning.

Update:  I stayed upstairs and sewed rather than get on the computer to finish this post.  I got up to 65 before this post actually got published on Wednesday night.  There are lots of 4x1s ready to go, so I think I can get it done by Friday am for sure now.  Fingers crossed!!

Linking up to Quiltville  to show progress.

Friday Finish - Dakota's Quilt

This has to be of my new favorites.  I love how the colors came together and it looks good yet the focus is on the photos.   I say it looks good because I was working with limited fabrics so I didn't have too, too many choices but it worked just fine.

You can see the progress  Part 1 here   and Part 2 here.

There are very simple instructions for the Memorial Block here.

Check out some other finishes at Crazy Mom Quilts  and Confessions of a Fabric Addict

Memorial Photo Block

I like this block so much.  I thought it was perfect to show off the photo without taking the attention away from the photo.

So I figured I'd give a few more details. 

All the photos were a slightly different size. I figured/carefully calculated that a 6" background would work for all of them. I used artist transfer paper and first ironed onto a 7.5" background square. Then I trimmed down to 6.5" unfinished.  

The rectangles on the block are 6.5" x 2.5".  

The corner squares are 2.5".  

Finished block 10". 

This could also be done with rectangles 6.5" x 3" (which is what I wanted but did not have enough fabric).

The corner squares would be 3".  

Finished block 11". 

Grand Illusion Part II

I had a regular Friday off for the first time in ages and that helped a lot. I could hardly wait to get everyone delivered to the bus and school and get back home to sew.  I did the test block as recommended and adjusted my diamond before I cut all 200.   

I had fewer scraps to work with this week so I cut strips from yardage and the cutting went more quickly than last week.  Also, I did all the cutting first after my test blocks.  Last week I cut and sewed and cut and sewed.  I think this week was faster but more tedious. 

I can't wait to see how this is all going to come together. 

My goal was to get Part II done this weekend. I wasn't sure I could but I sacrificed a few things - housecleaning, Christmas decorating, prep for school - and got it done at the last minute.  Somehow it is easier to find an excuse to sew on the weekend than a work day!!

103 Part II units ready to go!!

It all still fits in the shoebox.

 Head over to  Quiltville to see how the others are doing.

Stash Report 120714

Lots organized. Lots done.  Lots out. Yeah.

Unexpected Trip Around the World that can also be seen  here.    2.75 yards

In a bag of misc scraps from a yard sale was a chunk of pre-sewn plaid squares.  I think you can buy it by the yard but not sure what it is called. I figured I would turn it into a hospice quilt top for the guild. In my new-found interest in cleaning up I decided to just do it and not put it away til later.  So glad I did.  I think it turned out rather nicely as the center and corners of this quilt and is all gone now along with a bit of stash for borders.   Unfortunately I could not come up with anything remotely good for backing for it.  1.25 yards

41" x 42"

Over Thanksgiving I gave several pieces of super cute outer space stars and planet fabric to my SIL to use for my nephew.  10 yards. 

And, in all honesty, in my cleaning and sorting I have actually thrown away some fabric due to stains and poor condition and donated some because it was not appropriate for quilts and I was unlikely to use it.  2 yards

Fabric Used This Week: 16 yards out in various forms
Total Used 2014: 107.74 yards

Fabric In This Week: 0 yards 

Total Bought/Received in 2014: 16.08 yards
Net Used 2014: 91.66 yards

I had really hoped to use 100 yards this year and I did!!  Now I would like to get to 100 net used.  It seems late in the game, but I am so close that it just might happen.  I know I made a baby quilt set in the fall and lost my detail notes so never did a stash report on it, so if I can recalculate that that will help too.

Head on over to Patchwork Times to see how others are doing with their stash.

Unexpected Quilt, Unexpected Finish

Kind of embarrassing

I have been working really hard on cleaning up the sewing/project room.  For the past months life has been in upheaval and little bits of sewing saved my sanity, but is now calming down, so there is no really good excuse for not getting things in order.

But I can either sew or clean

One of the big things - after clearing the flat surfaces - was to get my mother's stash organized in a way that would make it more useable.  She kept it color sorted in under-the-bed plastic boxes, so that is how I received it.  When I needed to get into it I had to unstack each of the boxes from under the table and stir til I hopefully found something useful.  After 18 months of that I was ready to move on.

Ready for business

I slowly worked through 3 of the 4 boxes and folded it like I fold my fabric, stacked it by color and was even able to get it on the shelf that holds her sewing stuff since I had already worked at sorting and dealing with that stuff and had some empty spaces.  It fit perfectly across the bottom shelf.  Now I can see all the colors and I am using more of it already.  (The 4th box is flannels and odd stuff that needs to be dealt with separately.)

Mommy's shelf

Since I was in the mood to clean and sort I started in on the numerous bags and boxes - mostly hers, some of mine!  What a surprise when I found the pieces for a Trip Around the World quilt in one of her bags.  I had just finished one and had said that even though I enjoyed the process I did not need another.  You can see that quilt  here.  That one used 2.5" strips/squares.  This one had 4" squares.  These fabrics did not seem like something my mother would have chosen and she never left works unfinished, so I do not know why or what or how or anything about this quilt except that it was in her possession.  Good enough for me.

The strips were cut.  Some tubes were sewn.  Some tubes were unsewn at alternating blocks.  Extra fabric was included.   I surely did not need another project, but this was just too tempting.  I laid out what there was and worked at it while the house was empty which is very unusual.  (College R was home and so the girls were out on a sisters outing.)  In about 3 hours I was able to have it all done ready for a border.  I used up as much of the existing fabric as possible to make it as large as possible.  I had to add some of the red color.  I did not have the exact same, but it was close enough and I worked it in so it looked planned.  When I ran out of the dark blue that was it.  I estimate that with borders it will be a good twin size.

Around the World 2

It's not very often that cleaning gets me a finished quilt, but I'm glad it did this time.
Subconsciously I think my motivation for cleaning the room was to work on THIS  this guilt-free!

Bonnie Hunter's Mystery - Grand Illusion!

 Linking up with Crazy Mom Quilts  and Confessions of a Fabric Addict  to show off finishes.

Dakota's Quilt Part II

Things were slow for one more day so I took advantage to get Dakota's quilt top done. I would have liked the border to be wider and without the cornerstones but there was not enough fabric.  All in all I really like it anyways.  I will bind it in black.

Worked on the backing too.  I had not thought about that at all.  I have some other images I could have incorporated but they were not great so I decided to keep it simple.  Once again I was limited by the fabric. The solid red was not wide enough so I it added the dog house print which I really like.  It is directional and in various pieces - not enough total for the back - but this one piece fit perfectly.  

I have finished tops but not quilted anything in a really long time so if I can make myself quilt it this will be my first complete finish in a while.  I realized I like the piecing best and not the quilting    But I really want to have this one done before the Christmas break starts so I will get it done - if life stays reasonable. 

Dakota's Memorial Quilt

I am making this quilt for my team teacher in memory of her dog and good friend, Dakota.  I was unable to get the photos other than to ask her so it might not be  a surprise but that's okay.  That's not the important part.

It took me so long to get the photos then get them printed on transfer paper then get them ironed on that I have spent several months thinking of a design.  When it came down to it I realized it needed to be simple with the focus on the pictures not the design.  

I worked with fabrics I had saved for a dog quilt for College R way back when she was in grade school.  No, I don't hang onto things for very long!!  I do not want to buy any new fabric so I am determined to make it work.  

So far I love it and I don't think it has a "make do" look at all. 

Good Start to Grand Illusion

I have stood on the sidelines for the previous mysteries since life just didn't let me play along.  This year I am going to play too! I was working and working on cleaning my work space and getting things in order.  I think subconsciously I felt guilty starting something new if I did not even have a clean work surface.  Work area is ready to go and I got lots of fabric and stuff out unexpectedly (you can see how that happened right here)  so I felt like I earned a new project.

Since I was cleaning I did not pull fabrics ahead of time so when the clue came out I was busy choosing colors right away.  I had read the introduction enough times that I knew what to look for.  I was very thankful that I had quite a few 2.5" strips to get started with.  When those were used up I moved on to cutting from the larger stash.

80 HST set aside

Started cutting, sewed a bit, make a sample and moved along.  I wasn't sure about the constant yellow, but ended up having enough to have a constant yellow for this part at least.  Good enough.  I also decided that I am not going to agonize over my color choices.  I am going to work with what I have and that is good enough.

Sewing the last seams

It is unusual to have this much free time to work on sewing, so I was able to complete Part 1 in two days.  Not sure what will happen next week.  But that's okay too.  I will do what I can.

Ready to iron

Looking good!

Done until next Friday

Probably won't fit in this box for long!

Head over to Quiltville   to see how the others are doing.

Stash Report 113014

Operation Christmas Child Kits

I was happy to see that one of the suggested items to include in the Operation Christmas Child shoe boxes this year was fabric squares and sewing kits. 

I've been working my way through my messy room and through my mother's stash.  It is time to get more organized.   As I sorted and ironed and folded I picked out some that coordinated pretty well and cut as many squares as I could.  Most were 5" or 6". 

One set was 4" because it was easier to cut out the squares from a poorly made panel (acquired a long time ago in a yard sale scrap bag purchase) than unsew the tiny stitches. The time savings more than made up for the little bit of waste fabric.  The larger scraps were still with the panel so I ended up with a good amount of squares even though they were smaller.  It was super pretty and I briefly considered sewing it up myself for a guild quilt for hospice, but then common sense took over and the little voice said "no more new projects!"

For each kit I included a larger piece that could be used for backing, 3 spools of thread, scissors, pins and needles.  It seems like it made a huge dent in the odd accumulation of stuff I have, but I really can't even tell. 

So even though I didn't sew anything I do have a good amount of fabric out. Wish I had thought to take pictures.  It was the most orderly thing I have done in a while. 

I put together 11 kits for a whopping  27.41 yards out +  33 spools of thread + 11 pairs of my mother's scissors and assorted accessories.  Surely I should be able to find a flat surface to work on now!

Fabric Used This Week: 27.41 yards for Operation Christmas Child kits  
Total Used 2014: 91.74 yards

Fabric In This Week: 0 yards 

Total Bought/Received in 2014: 16.08 yards
Net Used 2014: 75.66 yards

I had really hoped to use 100 yards this year and I'm pretty sure I will get there.  I have a few things in the works that if finished should put me over the top.

Head on over to Patchwork Times to see how others are doing with their stash.

Trip Around the World is a flimsy!!

It is not exactly what I planned.  There was not enough of the narrow border fabric for Plan A so I went with Plan B.  Plan B was to finish and move on. Always a good decision.

I am very pleased with the quilt.  I would like to say I would make another but I have too many ideas brewing in my head to go back and repeat something.  

 Linking up with Crazy Mom Quilts  and Confessions of a Fabric Addict  to show off finishes.

Stash Report 110914

Happy to have a Stash Report today.  I think life is slowly going to the new normal.  Swim season is over so there are no more 5:30am practices. Dad is out of Rehab and in Assisted Living so I have my afternoons/evenings back as well.  So now just work to worry about.  I have more energy and my family is happy to have real dinners again.

Approximately 68" x 76"

This was a surprise finish. Did the cutting and unsewing over in Rehab.  Did the sewing in little bits of found time to help me keep my sanity. I always wanted to make a Trip Around  the World quilt and now I have.  Sewing the strips into tubes and then slicing them and unsewing at alternating squares made it really easy.  You can see my slow progress here and here.

Used up quite a bit of fabric which was the goal.  

Fabric Used This Week: 5.86 yards for center and borders  + 1.5 yards for backing for guild quilt

Total Used 2014: 64.33 yards
Fabric In This Week: 0 yards 

Total Bought/Received in 2014: 16.08 yards
Net Used 2014: 48.25 yards

 Head on over to Patchwork Times to see how others are doing with their stash.

All the Way Around the World

Can't believe it!  I got it done.

approximately 60" x 62" at this stage

Well, the center part at least.  You can see my slow start here.  My idea for adjusting the rows so that I didn't get doubles where the 4 sections come together as in the original pattern worked.  I just used the 2 extra strips to balance out the side that ended up unsymmetrical and voila!  I am very pleased.  It was way easier than I ever imagined.  I finally made a Trip Around the World quilt. 

Working on borders now.  I have an idea so that it will end up more rectangular than square.  I am a "make it up as I go" kind of girl so we will see what really happens.  No matter what stash will get used and that is good.

 Linking up with Crazy Mom Quilts  and Confessions of a Fabric Addict  to show off finishes.

Halfway Around the World

Life is just getting in the way of sewing.  Can't help it so I'm trying to work with it instead of getting upset.  So while sitting with my dad in rehab I took misc strips to cut to a uniform 2.5" or 2".  Before I knew it I had enough for Jo's  Trip for Two  . Then in little bits of found time, which might have saved my sanity, I got them sewn together.

Then, again sitting with my dad, I carefully unsewed at the right spots so when they were opened up they made the staggered strips needed for Trip Around the World. In a few more bits of time I got 1/4 of it sewn back together.

The far side is sewn together.  The near side is just strips.  With no free time, I am not going to waste a moment cleaning up the table!

Since this was going so slowly I had a lot of time to think on it.  I decided to adjust my strips and not make the repeat square where the four large parts meet up like in the original.  With just a little bit of thinking - basically just leaving out one strip on the 2nd, 3rd and 4th part it will come back together as just a Trip Around the World.

There was not enough of one of the blues.  It is pretty noticeable here, but I think when it is finished on opposing sides diagonally it will not stand out so much and if it does, it will just further remind me of all that was going on when I made it!!

I'm only halfway around the world, so we will see if my plan really works out.  I have always wanted to make this quilt, so I am glad to finally get it going.

 Linking up with Crazy Mom Quilts  and Confessions of a Fabric Addict  to show off finishes.

Flannel Rag Quilt Set

Long Story for a Fun Project

Due to an unusual set of circumstances I taught a small group of students for three years in a row.  It was really a privilege to see them learn to walk when I was in the One-Year- Old class,  hear them make sentences when we were in the Twos, and just take off ready to go at the world when we were in the Threes.  It was sad to see them go at the end of the year last year.  We had a Super Party to send them off.  Check out what I made to go with the party   here and  here

Anyways, one of the moms was really great at keeping us motivated.  She kept us in treats all the time.  It didn't take much for her to think of some reason to bring us a goodie.  So when she became pregnant last year with a much desired baby, we knew we had to do something for her.  Mr. Blue has now moved on the the VPK class, but we still see him in the hallways and we have been keeping up with the baby's arrival.

Mr. Blue told us that the color for the baby's room was pink, white and purple.  I went to my stash and had plenty to work with.  For a long time I have wanted to make a rag quilt from flannel.  This was the perfect project.  I didn't have enough of a variety of all flannels, so I made sure that each square had at least one side flannel and there were no non-flannels side by side in order for the rag edge to work.  I did not put an extra layer of flannel or batting in the middle of each square.  We live in Florida and flannel is usually plenty warm.

I made the quilt in just a few hours - once I stopped agonizing over whether to cut the fabric or save it for another 20 years, the project moved right along.  My co-teacher did the cutting/fringing of the seams.  I got off easy on that!

Quilt Front

Quilt Back

Rag Edge Detail

I had a few odd pieces left over so I made a little lovey also with rag edges.  The edges are not quite a fun as on the larger quilt, but it is still very textural.  I had fun mixing and matching the shapes front and back.  I like a good puzzle.

Lovey Front

Lovey Back

The whole project started because I thought a few burp clothes would be a good gift.  I made them last and used up more fabric.

Burp Cloth Front and Back

Folded Burp Clothes

 Linking up with Crazy Mom Quilts  and Confessions of a Fabric Addict  to show off finishes.