What's On My Design Wall? - 12/28

Another week where I am recycling an old photo. There's nothing on my design wall this morning.

I finished Raising Cane yesterday and I don't want to start anything new. Not that I don't have plenty to work on. My goals for the rest of the year are to get the borders on Ladder to the Stars and finish the rest of those seams on the DWR. I'm not sure what's up with the DWR.

So last night, instead of doing either of these tasks, or even working on step 3 of Carolina Christmas I was playing with WordPress to see if I would like it better than Blogger. I like the idea of pages and with WordPress I can upload PDF files. So this may be my last Design Wall post from Blogger.

But I will not work on it any more until I get the DWR ready to baste! Keep reminding me of this. I really want this quilt on our bed by the end of November.

Check out what everyone else has on their design wall this last week of 2009 over at Judy's blog.

Review of October 2009 Quilting Goals

The month is over, so how did I do? Well, not as good as previous months, but it could have been worse.

* Keep up with the SBS BOW - Done
* Finish the hand quilting on Josh's Quilt - nope - two thirds of the last block remains
* Finish piecing the DWR - nope - one row is ready to attach and the last row needs putting together
* Hand quilt 2 rings on DWR - obviously not
* Complete Finishing Instructions for both sizes of Kansas Spirit BOM - The smaller quilt instructions have been turned in!
* Machine quilt borders on Josh's Quilt - obviously not
* Make at least 4 make-up SBS blocks
* Decide on the quilting for Jeremiah's quilt - didn't even look at it.
* Work on Ladder to the Star sashings - finished and got the center completed
* Keep Scraps Cut Up - did this, not that there was much to do

I also made a pineapple block to try out a new-to-me technique.

What's On My Design Wall? - 10/26

These are the melons for the last planned row in my DWR. One I get the previous row attached and these into a row and attached I'll make my final decision. The melon on the bottom doesn't have it's corner squares yet because I'm not sure if they are supposed to be red or blue.

Right now I'm seaming the corner squares for the previous row. When I get these two rows attached, I'll finish up the borders on Ladder to the Stars.

Check out what's on everyone's design wall by following the links over at Patchwork Times.

Borders Needed

The center of my Ladder to the Stars is done. Well, I need to trim it. The picture here is the result of a bit of photo cropping magic.

I'll follow my original design, shrinking the borders proportionally for the smaller 6" blocks.

The original quilt was raffled off for charity by the quilt club. At the time, the club had only 12 or 13 members with varying skill levels. Everyone pieced at least one block pulling fabric from their stash. The border and sashing fabrics were purchased from the LQS where we met. The sashings were pieced by several ladies, then I assembled it before it was sent out to be quilted.

What's On My Design Wall? - 10/19

I've fixed the block -- it was actually every block in the row, but only the red one was noticeable. Anyway, I've got 3 more rows to sew together and then the borders.

Check out other quilters' design wall via Patchwork Times.

Stash Report Week # 42

The week started off with 1/2 yard inbound from the Kansas Troubles Stash Society and ended with cutting the setting triangles for Ladder to the Stars. In between a sample pineapple block and this week'sSBS BOW. As a result, a bit more fabric went out than came in.

I've also pulled 2 1/2" squares out of my pre-cut box to use as leader/enders, but since these were already cut I don't think I'll count them until I put them into blocks.

See how everyone else is doing with their projects over at Patchwork Times.

P.S. I guess I should actually put the #s in the report. Must have gotten distracted by the timmer going off on the microwave.

Fabric Added this Week: .5 yards
Fabric Added to Date: 282.083 yards

Fabric Used this Week: 1.207 yards
Fabric Used to Date: 77.261 yards

Net Stash: +204.822 yards (162.583 was gifted)

10/19 - Added another 1/8 yard to the totals used. Forgot about my extra SBS block I did.

Ugh!

I'm sewing the sashings and cornerstones on each block and then the blocks together. Clearly, however, I need to do one block at a time.

I had trouble sewing row three to row two -- my seams weren't nesting like they should have, but I plowed ahead and sewed the long seam. Then I started putting the sashings on the next row. It was wasn't until I was putting the individual blocks back up on the wall to verify their placement that I realized I had a problem.

I'm off to frog.

Stayed on the Straight and Narrow

Well, after an evening of fingers itching to start something new, I stayed on the straight and narrow and finished up the sashings for Ladder to the Stars. They are all finished, and I've got the setting triangles cut. Now to sew them together.

What's On My Design Wall? - 10/12

Ladder to the Stars is up on the wall. The blocks have been made since May, I'm currently working on the paper pieced sashings. I'm not sewing the sashings to the blocks yet, as I'm still deciding if the blocks are in the right spots.

I'm flitting back and forth between this quilt and the DWR.

See what other quilters are up to by checking out the link's on Judy's blog Patchwork Times.

Stash Report Week # 41

Two weeks in a row with no fabric coming into the house. Tomorrow night is the Kansas Trouble Stash Society meeting so I'll be in a quilt shop for at least an hour, so there is no telling what will come home with me. At least 1/2 yard of Kansas Trouble fabric.

After Monday's marathon sewing, I was only able to spend 10 or 15 minutes at a time at the sewing machine. But still I accomplished a bit. Finished another 9 sashings for Ladder to the Stars and added arcs to both sides of 12 melons for the DWR. Saturday I had more time and it all went to the the SBS Block.

Fabric Added this Week: 0 yards
Fabric Added to Date: 281.583 yards

Fabric Used this Week: 1.125 yards
Fabric Used to Date: 76.054 yards

Net Stash: +205.529 yards (162.583 was gifted)

See how others are doing with their stash over at Patchwork Times.

Marathon Sewing

Last night I had 3 hours of uninterrupted piecing. The 34 arcs for the next row on the DWR have now been pieced and I pieced 10 more sashings for Ladder to the Stars. Didn't get the last of the trimming finished as I simply ran out of steam.

What's On My Design Wall? - 10/05

This does not mean I'm finished with my DWR.

This is a 6" version of Ladder to the Stars. I designed this quilt to be raffled off by the quilting group I was in a couple of years ago. The original quilt has 12" blocks and finished approximately 87 x 105. This one will finish around 58 x 70.

I've finally gotten the sashings down to a 'science', so need to cut the rest of the blue fabric so I can go to town on it. That's not to say I've put away my DWR. The row that was up on the wall last week is complete and needs to be attached to the quilt. I've got the pieces for the next row sitting on my sewing machine ready to be pieced together. This coming week it will probably be a bit of both, plus this week's SBS BOW.

Check out what other quilters are up to by visiting Patchwork Times.

Stash Report Week # 40

This week I managed to use a smidgen over a yard of fabric making my SBS blocks, cutting the background for more DWR rings and cutting the background fabric for a dozen paper pieced sashings to Ladder to the Stars (I need 80).

Nothing came in - and I stepped foot into a quilt shop on Friday. (OK, just as the store was closing, as I was waiting to the owner to go to dinner, but doesn't it still count as being in a quilt shop?)

More fabric might have been used this week, but I traveled to Rock Springs, Kansas for String Romp. My original plan was to sew in the hotel room Saturday on the sashings, but a combination of events resulted in me driving out myself Saturday afternoon, so I didn't bother to drag the sewing machine. The group above is the 6th grade orchestra that my husband conducted this weekend. The kids were from all over Kansas.

Back to the report:

Fabric Added this Week: 0 yards
Fabric Added to Date: 281.583 yards

Fabric Used this Week: 1.050 yards
Fabric Used to Date: 74.929 yards

Net Stash: +206.654 yards (162.583 was gifted)

See how others are doing with their stash over at Patchwork Times.

October 2009 Quilting Goals

More of the same this month.

* Keep up with the SBS BOW

* Finish the hand quilting on Josh's Quilt - needs to be off the frame by 10/15

* Finish piecing the DWR - top needs to be done by 10/15

* Hand quilt 2 rings on DWR

* Complete Finishing Instructions for both sizes of Kansas Spirit BOM

* Machine quilt borders on Josh's Quilt

* Make at least 4 make-up SBS blocks

* Decide on the quilting for Jeremiah's quilt

* Work on Ladder to the Star sashings

* Keep Scraps Cut Up

Stash Report Week # 39

Since I'm focused on my DWR and my nephew's quilt, there seldom is anything outbound except for a tiny bit used for the Sylvia's Bridal Sampler block. Well, as I write this, I haven't gotten the SBS block made, but I have prepared part of the fabrics I'll need for the sashings to my 6" Ladder to the Stars quilt. If I travel with my DH to String Romp, while he is rehearsing the youth orchestra, I'll sew on my sashings. I need 80!

Inbound, I purchased nothing. However I won a Halloween Panel and V brought back a FQs from her trip to Idaho.

Fabric Added this Week: .875 yards
Fabric Added to Date: 281.583 yards

Fabric Used this Week: 1.375 yards
Fabric Used to Date: 73.879 yards

Net Stash: +207.704 yards (162.583 was gifted)

See how others are doing with their stash over at Patchwork Times.

June's Goals

On the QIAD Forum, there is a thread to list your monthly goals. By the time I posted them yesterday, my June goals had already changed. But here they are:

#1 on the list is still my nephew's quilt, I've got 6 1/2 blocks left to hand quilt and then I'll machine quilt the border. I don't know if I'll get it done by the end of the month or not.

#2 - a new project. I came home from the quilt shop with fabric for a quilt from 40 Fabulous Quick-Cut Quilts (Fall Frolic). I'm making the quilt smaller 5 x 6 blocks and I've used a charm pack and jelly roll. The blocks are made. I'd like to have this quilted and bound by next Friday. We'll see.

#3 - Various blocks. I need to make a birthday swap block done, a Kansas Spirit block, and I'd like to make some of the star blocks to go with my birthday blocks.

#4 - Sashing for Ladder to the Stars.

#5 - I've got to write two sets of setting instructions for the Kansas Spirit quilt -- or at least get them far enough along we've got a good handle on yardage requirements.

#6 - Simply because I'm looking for some handwork to take to Music in the Park, Theater in the Park and on our trip at the end of the month, I'll work on my red work snowmen. I get done what I get done.

Wow. I'm exhausted just thinking about this. We'll see how far I get.

What's On My Design Wall?

Judy over at Patchwork Times asked "What's On Your Design Wall?"

This week it's the blocks to my Ladder to the Stars. They've been made since early May, waiting for the paper pieced sashings. Paper piecing is not high on my list of fun things to do. When I designed this quilt using 12" blocks, I had the size of the fabric for the gold points worked out to "a science". I haven't got that "science" figured out yet, so I've put off the sashings.

So, my goal this week is to figure out the paper piecing so I don't have to think and get a few more sashings done. I am not going to attempt to get all of them done (80 total are needed) as I need continue working on the hand quilting on my nephew's quilt and make this month's Kansas Spirit block.

Ladder to the Stars - Blocks Complete

Earlier today I finished pieces the 32 six inch blocks I need for my Ladder to the Stars. The star part comes in with the paper pieced sashing which I have not started. I was short pieces for one of the blue and white blocks which surprised me because I was positive I had cut enough fabric, but I made 2 more 4-patches and cut 3 more white squares to finish the block.

A few minutes ago I finished emptying the case I took to retreat with me a couple of weeks ago, and found the other pieces. Apparently the pieces fell in to the open case. Perhaps it is time to do a bit of straightening up in my sewing room.