Explanation and/or Excuse - Buying Fabric

Yes, I bought some more fabric...see side bar... I plan to make this and really needed a variety of Christmas fabric. I will be adding some of what I had in my stash to this, so it should be an interesting result. 

This was a huge bargain  and I spend enough to warrant a post about it.  It falls under my loophole exception clause....Unless Really Needed... I bought 1/2 yard pieces to be sure I have enough, and I have even thought of making two of them...not at the same time.  I was able to get a good deal - 20% off with $20 gift certificate for future buys. Plus a free FQ. 

I'll add more from my stash and should end up with a very colorful skirt (plus another Christmas present if I make two of them..).  I have ordered the template shown in the link above and hopefully will begin this new project within a month....

Also, I needed a positive push to get back into sewing again.  I am HQing a quilt, but my sewing machine is gathering dust. 
This is the last project of yearly things to do (see side bar) and I feel I am really following through on that.  

A Blast From the Past....

This is to affirm that I really do Finish, Finish things.....Sometimes I finish a top, which stays unfinished as a quilt for a time; sometimes it is an beta apron which stays unfinished, but has served its' purpose, and sometimes I actually Finish a Quilt, backing, quilting and label and all.....

 

This has been such a long time coming.....some of you may remember when I showed you the finished top ** a long time ago...this was a quilt along that Amy did at one time on her blog.  Unfortunately, it was such a long time ago that I couldn't find the directions anymore on her blog...She may have them elsewhere, I don't know.  

Now it is completely done, bathed, and spiffed up, ready to head out to its' new home...which may be awhile...I would love to take it personally.  That has not been decided yet.

Oh, do you want to see the back?  OK.. here 'tis....

I had some of these large pieces from the front and a little white left, so.....this is the result.  If you make it bigger, you might see all the finagling I had to do.  This was really a "fly by your seat" backing.  But it was fun.

It has been so long since I finished this top.  I find myself looking at what I am piecing now and there is so much difference in design.  But I am loving what I have done,,,and this one really stands out to me...

(Arm sore from patting on back)....

Makes me want to hurry up with the other things I have on the assembly line!

 ** Oh.....the other Quilt  Along that is in the post?  It is still waiting for its' turn at quilting.  

Necessary Repetition- Whoop! (times X times)

I have finished sewing the 2 1/2" strips together for the Wash Day Stars quilt.  

When I started this, I had about 19-22 different fabrics.  I wondered how I could corral these into a somewhat logical arrangement for future cutting/sewing.  I realized that it was very possible to have a repeat of the resulting 4 patches.  To try and eliminate this possibilty,  I came up with this idea.

I laid out all the different fabric strips in small piles..Then I chose one and continued to match that one type with various others until it was all used up.  I then chose another, matched that one with others the same way.  This prevented a possibility of duplication of sewn strips.

This is where I am now.  

I now am faced with keeping in order oodles of  2 1/2" wide segments from each strip that I am cutting.  I plan keep all the strips with a common fabric together in a baggie, hoping that later I can continue to keep from duplicating 4 patches by using the same method of choosing as I did before...

 I usually break up this same-thing monotony  by sewing in between, but am afraid I'll get confused, so I'm going by the directions in the magazine this time.

I would love to hear how ya'll keep order while doing something like this.  I am early enough in this process to rethink ideas, or at least keep them for future reference....

I will be adding my photo with others in Sarah's post on Friday.  Take a look at what others are doing. 

Winner of #29 Giveaway

Sallie is the winner of the Happy Camper panel and fabric!  Congratulations!  I'll e-mail her ASAP and send it on its' way. 

Come back on the 15th of next month and see what's on the agenda then

See you soon.....

Mini-Giveaway #29 - Happy Campers

Todays' Mini-Giveaway is from Happy Camper - American Jane by Moda.

I have a panel, two FQs and a few scraps to give away this month.  The panel is double the length (folded).  This is several years old...When I was in Paducah, I bought a package of FQs of the entire series and this panel was folded up with them.  I had to finish the quilt/binding before I knew what I was going to give away. 

Please comment and be sure you are reachable....After 10:00am on 7/17/12, DH will draw the winner out of the hat as usual. 

I almost kept this to use in a charity quilt, but have so much other stuff, I decided to let it go to one of my bloggin' friends.....

See ya in a few days.....

Four Steps Forward, Two Steps Back (Whoop?)

I feel like I'm working clay on a potters wheel....I know I will turn out to be something great, but not after a couple of missed throws.....

But still it deserves a Whoop!. Check out Sarah and her quilters!

I finished my D4P blocks....but can't decide the placement....

This one kinda recreates the Rainbow effect with these Rainbow Charms....but the blue and teal together seem...........too blue.  Other than that, I really like it.  As I look at it, maybe I should change out the red (top left) and the blue (bottom right) or the teal (next to the blue) and the purple(bottom left).... ????

My DH suggested that I use the blue/teal as a dividing line like so with other colors grouped in 3s....

or lined up like the blue....

 What do you think?  How many times do you play with placement???

On another note, I have finished binding my Quilt Along I did a looonnnggg time ago.  Or so I thought.  I used my featherweight with its' 1/4" seam and it really went well.....except when I finished....

This is the second place I have missed the binding underfold.  I am willing to rip and resew, but am afraid (no, I haven't looked yet) that this may not be all.  I am wondering if I should just resew all the way around....This is going to a relative for just a throw...

Well, that's another decision I will have to make.......must remember next time to allow maybe a little more than 1/4" along the binding.....

How much do you allow for when you bind? 

Must close now,,,enough Creative Procrastinating on my part (writing a post instead of making a decision).

See you in a couple of days with the Mini-Giveaway......

 

Tour of a Quilt Shop

I found another excuse to go to the quilt store close to Marquez!  I needed scissors sharpened! And could do it while I wandered around looking at fabric I could not buy......

And this time I remembered my camera.....

 

I brought my 2 Gingher scissors to this nice lady who happens to live close by.  She and her husband travel to various locations and have a steady clientele all over Texas. Look at all the equipment she has... (including some behind her).  

No web site, but her email is bladerescue@gmail.com.  She even said she accepts mail-in business with a very fast turnaround....

So while she sharpened, I snapped more pictures.....

This compact little store is all in a 30 x 30 metal building...and a better use of space within I have not seen in a long time...

Just look at what is inside...That's Teri, behind the counter....busy, busy, busy.....

...and what is behind those quilts?....

A space to sew/work/teach.....Once a week she opens her shop to whoever wants to come and quilt/sew (bring sack lunch)...the boxes are for the 'Let's Make a Deal" shop hop that was going on.

The floor area around the shelving, counter, and other displays ( made by her DH, btw)  is wide and gives plenty of room to move around. It really looks like it's in a mall or in town.  

She is even ready for Christmas.....the unwrapping will be toward the end of this month.....

All in all , a very welcoming, pleasant place to shop and visit....

See more at her website here.

D4P is Appearing on the Horizon

I have 12 blocks done for my Disappearing 4 Patch quilt...13 more to go..

This is from a charm pack from Keepsake Quilting labeled Rainbow Charms...I still have the colors teal, orange, red, and green to cut.  I will have one block that will be different because there were 50 in the pack with 2 colors having 7 charms, not 6. That one may go in the middle of the quilt....

What I am really excited about......my 1/4" seam on my Featherweight is right on the money for a change.  When trimming the blocks, I could actually place the 4 1/4" line on my template on the middle of the block.  That was So Cool!

  This is the first time I have "cut and pasted" a block where everything fits together at least 95% of the time or higher.  It makes so much difference...I know this is one of the fundamentals of quilting, but I have been struggling with it for so long....  For that I deserve an extra Whoop!

Oh, the bins in the back? They are my "before and after" strips I am using for the Leaders and Enders...they will be going on another quilt eventually.

Very Long Time Eventually....

Back to it.......

Oh, check out Sarah's blog for more Whoops....