Post Card Short Cuts

I love making quilted post cards, but sometimes just want to do something quick.

 In the Black Friday sale this year, Joann's had their Christmas picks on sale for 70% off.   I'd gone to look at them to see if I could find some smaller poinsettia blooms.   I didn't find that, but did find these cute felt ones.  There was also a Mrs Santa but I didn't like that as well as these.

First step to using them was to cut off the wire part of the pick.














Next step was to iron the fabrics for the front and back onto the fusible peltex that I use for the inside of my post cards.

I use a stripe on the back so that I have lines to follow when I write!

Then followed that up by finishing the edges of the post card.

 Finally from the front side I held the Santa down and then stitched around him where my sewimg machine foot would fit.  Didn't get totally around the edges, but enough to hold him to the post card.

This dapper gentleman went to a friend on one of my quilt lists.

So if you want to make post cards, don't be afraid to use something that may not be traditional for applique.



Gratitudes:
1. Tomorrow is a vacation day and payday!.

2. Foot is slowly getting better with wearing the boot at work, at home is another story tho........lol

Helping those who lost all in the Camp Fire in Paradise CA

I've been mulling over how to help a couple of families that are directly related to several people that I know, and will write more about that in a few days.

But in the meantime, here is one opportunity to help get funds to those who have lost everything in the fire.  This beautiful quilt is being raffled off by Lynn who blogs at Sew'n Wild Oaks Quilting Blog.  Paradise is her home town, and she is giving all proceeds from this raffle to those who will be rebuilding their homes and lives after this fire.  If interested in being a part of this then click on the link above and you'll go directly the page where she talks about the raffle.

Gratitudes:
1. For the generosity given to those who've lost all as they work to rebuild
2. For communities that work together in the face of disaster.

Stepping Out of the Comfort Zone

Last week a good friend sent me a link to a blog posting by Island Batik fabric that talks about the applications for their Island Batik Ambassador program and the application for the 2019 program.   If you're interested you can read about the program at this link.

After reading the post and all the info wanted for the application, I decided to step out of my comfort zone and submit an application. 

There were several reasons for this  -

-- I love a good challenge, and there aren't many of them that I turn down.
-- This seems to have the potential to build my pattern sales and design potential, along with possible publication potential
-- BATIKS.....what more needs to be said about my favorite fabrics that I have a bad habit of hoarding instead of using

One block was to be pieced and sent to Island Batik along with the application that was submitted electronically. 

This is the block that I designed and made.   Made from all batik fabrics from my stash. 

The three lighter blue shades were from scraps, the darkest blue from a FQ, and the background was the better part of 2 fat-eighth's.   No idea though what manufacturer since they are all from stash and I've had them a while.

Gratitudes:

1. For the day of friendship and fellowship with friends yesterday over Thanksgiving dinner.

2. For God's hand of protection with my platelets having taken a nose-dive.

Scrap Happy November

I've been playing in my scraps this month - mostly to straighten and contain them as they had multiplied drastically over the last several months.  More work tho needs to be done on that.

In all that work I did find time to use a few of them in this snack mat.   And in making it also finished off another UFO piece of cross-stitch as well.   21 different fabrics were used in this not counting the aida in the cross-stitch.

 Close-up of the pebble quilting.  Not perfect, but not bad for my first time doing it.

And the backing, also from the scrap stash.

To see what the other ladies have done this month click on the links below:

Kate, Gun, Titti, Heléne, Eva, Sue, Nanette, Lynn, Lynda, Birthe, Turid, Susan, Cathy, Debbierose, Tracy, Jill, Claire, Jan, Karen, Moira (me!), Sandra, Linda, Chris, Nancy, Alys, Kerry, Claire, Jean, Johanna, Joanne, Jon, Hayley, Dawn, Gwen and Connie

Gratitudes:

1. For the variety of fabrics that I have to work with in my stash

2. For a job to go to, even when not paid............

Mid-November Goals & To-do's

How is it possible time is moving so quickly these days?   It's been 2 weeks since I looked at my to-do list and 


Blog / General -
-- Art Quilt Blog Hop Post, Due November 2018 - still need to decide on which quilt I want to feature in this post  - Done!
-- Go to quilt Store and pick up Row-by-Row quilt - Done!
-- Military Teddy Bear #2 release post, pattern to Craftsy - Done!


Pattern Designing / Quilt Challenges:
-- Military Teddy Bear #2 - Released

-- Military Teddy Bear #3 - Block made

-- Military Teddy Bear #4 - Block made

-- Military Teddy Bear #5 - Block made

-- Military Teddy Bear Setting

      -- Pattern needs to be written, reviewed and released

-- MQG Michael Miller Challenge - due last week of November for submission to QuiltCon
      -- Piece backing - Prepped
      -- Decide on quilting - motif or quilt from the back based on backing fabric
      -- Quilt top on small machine
      -- Bind quilt
      -- Enter quilt show online

-- Stretching Art Quilt Challenge, theme= "20", due January 2019
-------- First design top has been completed
-------- Decide on design, Was getting closer, but have a second design drawn up now
-- Ready and ship Quilt for entry into Road to CA if juried in
-- MQG Mini Swap Quilt - Received partner's info and have sourced the desired fabrics
-- Mystery submission for either Fons & Porter or Make Modern - design complete, top in process


Quilting -
-- Applique saying (Bear Hugs) onto filler strip of Scrappy teddy bears
-- Make November F2F blocks (3) and mail - gotta find fabrics first!

-- Quilt and bind Scrappy Snail quilt, list for sale
-- Quilt and bind Scrappy Kitten quilt, list for sale
-- Quilt and bind Scrappy Puppy quilt, list for sale
-- Quilt and bind Hatbox quilt (for sale?)
-- Quilt and bind Teddy Bear quilt for Valerie
-- Giftie for Shoebox swap - due the middle of November
-- Quilt and bind whale and anchor baby quilt, list for sale
-- Make first set of curtain panels the F2F blocks will go onto

Commissions -
-- 4 12" pillows from customers wedding dress, due mid-December
-- Wolves Passport Wallet - Remade and delivered to customer
-- Passport wallets for sale - 2 in process

    
Ebay/Etsy Postings:
-- Completed passport holders (8) - Done!   All are listed on Ebay, now to keep up as I get more made
-- Completed passport holders (8) - Still need to list on Etsy
-- Completed scrappy quilts made for sale
-- Completed tablerunners and quilts
-- Quilt Magazines
-- Embroidery Floss
-- Finished Quilts
-- Vintage daisy and button, Fenton glass collectables (canoe, shoe, top hat, pitcher, cauldron, xxxx)


House:
-- clean up dead branches and trim trees/bushes in the back yard
-- figure out how to deal with the front door and how to pay for it.  Will need help with this one
-- Rearrange craft room for easier use - Done!
-- Rearrange fabric room for easier use


Gratitudes:
1. For it looking like there will be data coming in at work around the middle of Dec which means work for next year

2. For days when I don't have to drive in rain on the commute (not today....sigh)

Final 2018 F2F Blocks

The remaining blocks for this round of the swap came in yesterday.

Blocks from Kate -

I totally love this scrappy dresdan plate.   And it makes me want to do this with some of my scraps!

Blocks from Nanette

Blocks from Robin

Gratitudes:

1. No trouble on my commute to work this morning, even with the low temps and icy patches many places

2. For my home

F2F Blocks

These are the second round of wonderful blocks that I've received from this years swap.  And all are beautiful.

From - Claire

From - Esther

From - Sue

Gratitudes:

1. For friends around the world to swap blocks with.

2. For no snow or ice with the cold weather that N. TX is having right now

Weekend Progress

Progress was made in several directions -

Finished the remake on the commissioned passport wallet and that has been taken to my customer at work.

Got the 8 wallets that I've been able to get made so far listed for sale on Ebay.  The listings can be seen by clicking here.   The wallets still need to be listed on Etsy but I'm getting there.

I also rearranged the craft room for better access to what is in there.  I moved this metal rack from the

 Metal rack holds totes with quilting related, beading/CQ, and/or quilted postcard making stuff.   

Totes and boxes in front of the metal rack need to be gone thru as well and hold mixed contents.

Right hand side of the room -
By the window you can see the 12 totes that have mixed fabrics in them and that need to be sorted out.  Totes on right side hold the FQ's that are sorted by colors or type.  Also on that side are the 4 totes of gift stuff.   All needs to be downsized.

The second door knob is the closet where most of my batting is stored.


Gratitudes:
1. A heater in the house that works, esp. with temps that dipped to below freezing this week!

2. For friends who think of me at Thanksgiving and strive to make sure I've got a place to go to for dinner that day.

Studio organizing - 2019 Plans

Warning pic heavy and long post....lol

Shelly Pagliani who blogs on Prairie Moon Quilts has been doing a studio organizing challenge for several years now (you can see it here) and someone recently posted on one of my quilt lists a link to an older post by her. 

I'm the sort of person that works best if everything has a place and needs to be in it for me to find it.   Yes, there's that much that I need it organized in order to be able to find what I want instead of buying more!  However, for the past few years because of frequent moves the organization of my stuff has suffered.  So the idea of an organizing challenge really touched a chord for me.

Sewing area and where my laptop is.  Design wall is to the right of everything.

 Long arm and living room area.....any wonder why I don't entertain?

Cutting table, second sewing machine and then kitchen.

Craft room with some of the many totes that are in there.  Big totes to the left are filled with FQ's.

 Other side & corner of the craft room.

 Fabric room, left hand side looking in from the doorway.

Right hand side of the room.







The plan for the rest of this year and next year my plan is to do what I've listed out below.   It won't happen all at once, but my plan is to make a spreadsheet to "map" out what needs to be done so that I can keep making progress and not get too sidetracked.

In the Fabric Room -

++ Make spreadsheet so that things can be kept track of
     Nov. 2018 - Done.
++ Number all the boxes and totes of fabric so that I can better keep track
      of what I have and what needs to be gone through
++ Replace the xerox boxes as needed as I go through them
     (bankers boxes or totes?  yet to be decided)
++ Replace totes that are broken or damaged as needed
++ Sort the fabric stuck hither and yon in boxes, totes and everywhere
      so that once again like colors/themes are together
++ Downsize the fabric that I have as I go through things.
++ Arrange the boxes and totes to where I can get to things as needed
++ Go through the contents of the drawers in the chest

In the Craft Room -

++ Rearrange the totes and other items on the shelving units for
     easier accessibility to what I use most often -
     Nov. 2018 - This has already been started........
++ Repeat above steps as appropriate for what is in the craft room
     (rearranging, sorting, downsizing, etc.)
++ Sort through and downsize totes of gift items (3 huge totes of "gifts"
     bought or made over the years)

Also included in this will be listing what I down size for sale, or otherwise disposing of it.  The idea is to free up room and space.  =)

Gratitudes:

1. A three day weekend thanks to a day of vacation on Friday

2. For a bed to sleep in, even when most nights that I wake up 2-3 times

More Stretching Art Designs for this year

My first idea for this year Stretching Art Quilt Challenge was something based on Fibonacci's Sequence.  A Fibonacci Sequence is defined as

"a series of numbers in which each number ( Fibonacci number ) is the sum of the two preceding numbers. "

And being an engineering grad and ex-engineering teacher I thought that this would be fun to play with in a quilt for the challenge.  I've two layouts sketched out and both of which already have told me how they'd like to be quilted (Note - this is not a normal state of affairs for my quilt designs...lol).


1st Layout with only a sequence of 6 which is a total of 20 if you add all of them up.

2nd Layout with the sequence repeated/flipped on both ends which has two groups of 20 in it.


I like both layouts and both would fit the theme of this years challenge.   I'll definitely be making a version of the second layout.

Now the question becomes - do I make one for the challenge and not continue on with the Fractals one in process....or just do both, or is that all three...lol.


Gratitudes:

1.  The heavy thunderstorm that woke me last night was gone by the time I left for work.

2.  Fort he peace that comes from knowing that I don't have to fight to be in control of everything because I have a advocate who is and always will be.

Art With Fabric Blog Hop - My Day!

This piece is being made for the annual art quilt challenge that I've been taking part in for over 15 years.   This is the 20th year of the challenge, but there were a few of those years when I wasn't able to get a quilt finished for the exhibition.    This years theme was "20".  I struggled to figure out what to do for my piece because the theme is soooooooo wide open.   Along with the theme we are also encouraged to try a new technique when creating our pieces.

I ended up deciding to do a piece based on fractals with my inspiration drawn from art (computer-generated) and the world of nature.

A fractal is defined as a structure in which similar patterns recur at progressively smaller scales.

There are many examples of fractals found in nature, some of which can be seen here on the Mother Nature Network.  I particularly like the example of the cross-section of the Chambered Nautilus shell seen here.

And an interesting one from art here, found on the designyourway.net website.

















I used these as inspiration for my quilt, but choosing to go with circles as the element that would be repeated and scaled through out the piece.

Quilt as it is laid out before fusing with all circles pinned in position on the background fabric.  I've tweaked placement of several circles to make the line of the spiral smoother.  As soon as my new iron arrives I'll iron them in place on the background.

The circles have been stitched down with raw edge stitching.   the background here actually shows up much lighter than the golden cream that it is.   I'm thinking I might quilt it in a variegated cream if I can find that kind of color.

Next step in the process of making this quilt has been the decision on how to quilt it.  At this first I had thought about some sort of straight line quilting - either following the contours of the circles or echoing the spiral they are arranged in.

But the quilting design that the quilt really cried out for was the bubbles shown here on the left.     So my plan is to do that, but first i need to practice because I've never done it before on a quilt, altho I can do it on paper when practicing.

I'm glad that this quilt isn't due until around February of next year because it's gonna take me a while to finish it with everything else going on.



The schedule for the complete hop:

Monday, November 5th, 2018

• Heather: http://www.heatherquilts.blogspot.com/
  
• Tami: https://thriftshopcommando.blogspot.com/
  
• Moira: https://quiltedsnail.blogspot.com/
  
• Marian: http://www.seamstobesew.com 

Tuesday, November 6th, 2018

• Susan: https://desertskyquilts.wordpress.com/
  
• Terry: http://www.terryaskeartquilts.com/
  
• Janeen: http://quiltartdesigns.blogspot.com/
  
• Lee Anna: http://lapaylor.blogspot.com/ 

Wednesday, November 7th, 2018

• Bea: http://www.beaquilter.com/
  
• Carol: http://www.quiltedfabricart.com
  
• Andrée: http://quiltinglearningcombo.blogspot.com

 

Thursday, November 8th, 2018 

• Irene: http://Irene.grimes.wordpress.com
  
• Wendy: http://www.piecefulthoughts.com/
  
• Judith: http://www.frimart.ch/

Friday, November 9th, 2018 

• Melva: https://melvalovesscraps.blogspot.com/
  
• Barb: http://www.bejeweledquilts.blogspot.com
  
• Anita: http://quiltlovefordomesticfelicity.blogspot.com
  
• Alida: http://tweloquilting.blogspot.com/ 

Gratitudes:

1. For the knowledge that even when I fret and worry, my anchor holds secure to the Rock that will never be moved.

2. For the knowledge that even tho I've never have a life partner in any way, there are still many friends and family members in my life who are there for me when I've needed a shoulder to lean on for a bit.

Art With Fabric Blog Hop Coming Next Week

Next week the Art With Fabric blog hop coordinated by Alida is coming and promises to have some lovely works blogged about.   My post is scheduled for Monday the 5th.   Hope you stop by to see it!

Click here to go to Alida's post about the blog hop and schedule for the hop -

Tweety Loves Quilting

Gratitudes:

1. For a stash that lets me make most anything that I want to.

2. For the opportunities that the world of quilters gives me.