Finished!

Finished the Ladybug quilt last night.........yippee........and as it were I'm finished early because the due date got moved to late Feb.   Oh well, now I can focus on the other projects with due dates.

I ended up sewing the brooch pin backings onto the ladybugs so that I could pin them to the quilt because I couldn't figure out a doable way to stitch them on with the number of layers that it has.

And then in the morning before work I needed something that didn't make me think, so I took these scrap strips of silks (1" to 1.5" in width) and started sewing them to a piece of fusible fleece for the start of a new purse.  I have a couple more strips to sew on to cover the fleece.   Next up is finding something to use for lining.   I'm thinking maybe a coordinating oriental print for the lining, and ribbon for the strap on it.   I also want to put a pocket on the inside of it, but haven't decided what i'm going to do for that.   This will eventually be listed for sale.

Gratitudes:

1. Paper work that I need to gather for the mortgage is almost together.  

2. For progress in getting things done.

Yikes........

Because I don't want to have to see all of what I've got on my to-do list for this year or even this first quarter....(what can I say....lol), I've decided to show the active projects in order to help my focus stay where it needs to be.   Mind you, I'm not saying anything about my sanity here..........  I just gotta keep telling myself that a few minutes here and there spent working on things will make a hug difference in how long something takes me to complete.

Non-Quilty

• Start the process of looking for a place to buy now that the pre-approval has come through.  May take a miracle to find something in my price range, but God has always supplied my needs.
• Email to Sharing Committee re: missions and status / to-do's
• Make word doc copy of missions application and send out to committee - in progress but not done

Quilty

• Wallhanging for baby shower - 
• Design pattern for name blocks
• Fuse Top
• Applique Top Due Feb. 17th
• Make framed backing for signatures - Due Feb. 17th
• assemble
• Quilt
• Bind
• Label
• 7 Baby Bibs (gift for above shower) - due Feb 17th
• Applique stitching
• Cut out neck opening
• Add binding to neck
• Stretching Art Challenge Quilt - Due in February - almost done, just a couple of things left 
• Make one final ladybug
• Attach pin backs to all ladybugs
• Sign label
• Mail to Amy
• Tablerunner for QuiltMaker - Finished piece due to QM by end of Feb. - 
• Make 8 side sections "A"
• Make 8 side sections "B"
• Make 8 corner sections "A"
• Make 8 corner sections "B"
• Assemble blocks
• Assemble tablerunner
• Border
• Quilt
• Bind
• Label
• Tablerunner for QM, pattern pieces/sizes - due first week of Jan to QM - sent info, need to send additional email with border fabric amounts and sizes
• MQG mini swap quilt - Due in February, Quilt is complete and ready to mail
• Wedding quilt - Binding and Label
• 2018 BOM - 
• Write up 1st block pattern
• Add post showing example of how block can be used in an individual project (baby shower wall hanging)
• Upload block for 3/1 release date
• Blog posting for fabric requirements before release w/pics of fabrics that I'm using
• Start working on next block (for Vol.18) for submission to QuiltMaker
• Finish Hankie Butterfly quilt (quilting and binding) - Send out to be quilted
• Regatta QAL -
• Pull fabrics for this

Commissioned Sewing

• Follow up on possible t-shirt quilt commissions (2 of them)
• Potholders - fabrics are purchased
• Cathy C - 2 blueberry, 2 mixed berry (all square)
• Ruth H - 4 blueberry (2 sq, 2 rd), 4 cherry (2 sq, 2 rd)

UFO's

• Find the Aqua and Brown Swap blocks, set 1, 11 blocks 
• Bright Houses blocks into a finished quilt top/backing - Quilt

Design

• Get needed information together for my pattern that QuiltMaker is publishing.  Due to them ASAP (will be sent off the first week of January) - Need to send border info asap
• Write up pattern for Calico Lion, Block 1 for 2018 BOM - Not started, need to get done this week so the pattern can be posted on 3/1
• Write up patterns for the military bears (5 individual patterns + 1 combined pattern) and publish on Craftsy
• Write up patterns for the quilting bears (3 individual patterns + 1 combined pattern) and publish on Craftsy
• Write up snail quilt pattern and publish on Craftsy

Gratitudes:

1. For getting through the preapproval process

2. For all that I've been blessed with in my life

Ladybugs Are Flocking

I made lots of progress this weekend on the art quilt.

All leaves are now made and attached to the quilt.  The last two rounds of leaves are only stitched down at the base and part ways up the sides in order to give a 3D feeling to the quilt.



















And I figured out how to make the ladybugs.  I've now actually made 4 of them, with the final one for the center not shown here.  At the moment I've just got them pinned to the quilt, because I'm still trying to figure out how I want to attach them to the quilt.   One friend suggested that I could make them pins and put a brooch pin on the back of them so that they were pinned to the quilt.  And at the moment I'm leaning towards that, but haven't fully decided.

I need to make at least one more bug, and maybe three,  because I want an odd number of them in the quilt.  Fabrics for the bugs was pulled from my scraps.  the black is sewn to the red before the ovals are cut out. 
Spots on the bugs are painted on with acrylic paint using a q-tip for a paint brush.


Gratitudes:
1. Mortgage pre-approval has come through (and for more than I'm planning on spending)

2. That even when I'm not seeing a lot of choices in housing possibilities (like well under 10!), God has this in his control and will supply what I need for housing in this forced move.

Lady Bug Progress

Thanks to getting off work early last night I was able to make more headway last night on getting this top closer to done. 

Binding is now on (using the same fabric that is on the underside of the leaves).    The hanging sleeve is on and sewn down, and the label is sewn on as well.    I also managed to get the second round of leave stitched down.

The final round of leaves is pinned on in the approximate size that they will be trimmed down to.  Tonight I'll do the satin-stitching that will finish off the ends so they don't ravel and then stitch them down to the quilt.    And I plan to find fabrics to use as test materials in order to make a sample lady bug to see how that process goes.

Close up of the center to the right. 

So far I've used almost 800 yards of thread in making the leaves with all the satin stitching that has been done.

To be decided - the best way to attach the lady bugs to the quilt.  There will be three in the center of the leaves, and several others tucked under some of the leaves.

Gratitudes:

1. For warmer weather

2. For not having to deal with the issues that were found in the home inspection of where I'm currently renting.

Progress on the Lady Bug Challenge Quilt

Made progress on my art quilt for the Stretching Art Challenge today.

Made 12 padded leaves, the top side is a yummy blue-green batik.   I'm using a variegated Sulky 30 wt cotton to satin-stitch around the outside, colors 4120 and 4013.  The underneath threads are by Mettler and Coats.

Bottom fabric is this print.   It is a blue-green with gold metallic weave.

7 of the leaves have been pinned into place and are ready for the centers to be stitched down.   the upper halves of the leaves will be only tacked down at the tip so that they have a little bit of a curl to them.  Once these are stitched in the center, then i'll stop and put the binding on so that I can get it done before it gets too heavy.

One more round of leaves to be made and then 5-7 lady bugs to be made and stuffed before being sewn to the quilt.

And here is the photo that I'm working from. 

Gratitudes:
1. Good friends who speak truth to me

2. For encouragement from those who know me best.

To-Do Progress and goals

Time to check in and see if I've made progress on things........and going through the lists I can see I've made progress, but not as much as I'd hoped for.  Still we're not quite through January so hopefully I'' make more progress soon.

Non-Quilty

• Look into finding and getting Tableau training - on-hold, other possibilities for software training have come to my attention
• Email to Sharing Committee re: missions and status / to-do's
• Make word doc copy of missions application and send out to committee - in progress but not done

Quilty

• Applique sweatshirt for D - Completed and mailed
• Stretching Art Challenge Quilt - Due in February, quilt is in progress
• Tablerunner for QuiltMaker - Finished piece due to QM by end of Feb. - Fabric has been received from Hoffman and pp'd patterns have been printed
• Tablerunner for QM, pattern pieces/sizes - due first week of Jan to QM - sent info, need to send additional email with border fabric amounts and sizes
• MQG mini swap quilt - Due in February, Quilt is complete and ready to mail
• Wedding quilt - Binding and Label
• Wedding Quilt - Make backing - Done!
• Send the Wedding quilt off to be quilted - Done!
• 2018 BOM - Make the blocks in a timely manner
• Start working on next block (for Vol.18) for submission to QuiltMaker
• Scrappy Wolf - in process of cutting 2.5" squares needed for quilt
• Scrappy Deer - pattern chosen
• Finish Hankie Butterfly quilt (quilting and binding) - Send out to be quilted
• Complete the Regatta QAL - Haven't started

Commissioned Sewing

• Appliqued T-Shirt for D (commission) - Stitching is in process and should be completed by the 22nd  
• Follow up on possible t-shirt quilt commissions (2 of them)
• Fruit cobbler potholders for CC - 2 blueberry, 2 mixed berry
• Fruit cobbler/pie potholders for RH - 4 blueberry, 4 cherry

UFO's

• Complete 30's Baby Cakes blocks quilt top and donate for sunshine auction
• Put together top with 30's Granny's Choice 9" blocks (12 blocks)
• Put together top with Aqua & Brown Swap blocks, set 1, 11 blocks - Need to find these blocks because I'm going to swap them......or hope to in March
• Quilt one of my 2015 mystery quilt tops
• Put together the Bright Houses blocks into a finished quilt top/backing - Done, but wasn't on the to-do list originally.....lol

Design

• Get needed information together for my pattern that QuiltMaker is publishing.  Due to them ASAP (will be sent off the first week of January) - Done
• Publish the final bear pattern for the 2017 BOM - Done
• Write up pattern for Calico Lion, Block 1 for 2018 BOM - Not started, need to get done this week so the pattern can be posted on 2/1
• Write up pattern for Sherry Bear - Done
• Write up patterns for the military bears (5 individual patterns + 1 combined pattern) and publish on Craftsy
• Write up patterns for the quilting bears (3 individual patterns + 1 combined pattern) and publish on Craftsy
• Write up snail quilt pattern and publish on Craftsy

Gratitudes:

1. For allergy meds that help

2. For the blessing of having a job