UFO Progress

We are getting there!  I got 3 more blocks pieced today for a total of 21. 

   

BUT…there are a couple of “rejects”.

The purple block is rejected just because the colors don’t belong in this quilt.  The red/blue block is rejected because of the red fabric.  It is a very large-thread flannel.  I started not to use it when I was cutting the blocks out, and now I wish I would have listened to that inner voice.  The feel of the fabric and the “busy-ness” just bother me, so it will not be used.

Another reject…  the fabric I purchased for the pieced sashing.  The print looked more brown on the internet.  I do not like this… it looks too “Christmasy”.  I thought I would like it better after piecing some but today I decided it will have to go.

What I am really wanting is a brown/gold stripe fabric but I have not found that anywhere.  OH… and of course, I want it on SALE. 

So, after all of that we can deduce that I have 19 keeper blocks and only need 6 more.  They are cut out and ready to piece but it will be next week before I can get to them. 

I’m very pleased with the progress I have made on this UFO, and I should not have any problem finishing the piecing and getting it quilted by the end of February…. provided I can find the FABRIC for the sashing!

Have a great weekend!  And next week I will post my sock progress… you will be surprised!

KAT

Happy Birthday to…

Katie Bug.  My darling granddaughter turned 11 years old today.  It is sort of sad in a way.  Grandchildren grow up way too fast!  It seems just a few years ago she was tiny.  She loved to sit and read, play games, work puzzles.  Now she is most attentive to the Nintendo DSi, her MP3 player, and the Wii.  I guess technology has done away with some things.  But I digress.

I was thinking today as I was working on her birthday cake, and really sort of bemoaning that my little honey is growing up.  And then, she arrived home from school and turned the TV to “Sponge Bob”.  Maybe she is not completely grown yet!  Her heart is still young, she is full of laughter and a quick smile.  I love looking at her smile.

After supper (Mexican chicken, at her request), birthday cake, and ice cream we plugged her new game for the Wii in… “Just Dance 2”.  She does so well, and her mom can do a fair job of it to.  We will NOT talk about how Granny does.  Let’s just say that most of the music I have never heard, and most of the “moves” they want you do to, my body no longer goes that way!!  It was a hoot!

So HAPPY BIRTHDAY, KATIE BUG!  But please slow down on the growing up… Granny wants to savor every moment I have with you!

KAT

Sometimes I Amaze Myself!

Mama always says, “Stupid is as stupid does.”  Forrest Gump

Sometimes I amaze myself… at the ridiculous things I can do!  I was working on a customer quilt and she asked me to piece the lining for her….  no problem, I’ve done it a million times.

I measured the quilt top…  66” wide.  Now that I have IQ on my machine I rest the machine on the end where I have the “0” end of my measuring lines.  IQ is in the way.  I have to add 10” to the measurement I want because the closest I can get to the starting point is the 10” line.  I wanted my lining to be 10” wider than the quilt.  (I bet you are a step ahead of me here.)

I need to cut 2 pieces 76” long.  I lined it up to the 76” mark, cut it, sewed it together, put it on the machine mounted the batting and quilt top. When I pulled the batting up to baste it onto the lining I realized that my lining was 10” narrower than the batting.   HMMMMM….

Yep… I added the 10” that I needed to the measurement but FORGOT to add in the 10” start point difference on  my measuring marks!  The results?  My lining is only 1” wider than the quilt so there is no room to clamp.  SHEESH!!

Time to improvise…  I cut additional strips of fabric to sew to the sides of the lining.  Rather than taking the quilt off the machine I sewed the edges together on the longarm using the tiniest seam I could make.  It was a real pain, but it is done and IQ is now stitching away.  I have to be SUPER-CAREFUL each time I roll the quilt so the add-on seam does not get quilted into the body of the quilt.

So, add this trick to the list of things I do NOT want to do again…  the lesson was learned the hard way.  That list seems to be growing longer all the time.

The bonus for my customer… no charge for piecing her lining.  Since I made such a mess of it she gets a freebie. 

Now I think I will go RE-NUMBER my machine bed starting from the other end so this does not happen again.

Time to laugh at myself and move on.  I wonder what kind of goofy trick I can pull NEXT week?

KAT

Updates on Many Things…

I am so sorry the blog has suffered from lack of attention lately.  I’ve had lots of IDEAS for blog postings but just have not gotten them down on paper… errr, keyboard!  And of course, you KNOW about the love/hate relationship I have with the digital camera.

UFO PROGRESS:  I have 16 blocks and half of the 348 half-square triangles needed for the pieced sashing.  That is PROGRESS!  I will use the HSTs as “leader and enders” while piecing more blocks, so I will be working on both piecing blocks and piecing sashings at the same time.

SOCKS UPDATE:  I have finished a pair in Oct, Nov., and Dec.!  January’s pair is coming along nicely… I am almost through with the gusset decreases and then I can just knit around the legs.  I am anxiously awaiting the arrival of my new knitting book, Personal Footprints for Insouciant Sock Knitters, by Cat Bordhi.  (Thanks to DH… the book is an anniversary present for putting up with him loving and caring for him for 20 years come Feb. 15th.) This sock method has NO HEEL TURNS!  I can’t wait to see how she does this.  Reports I have gotten from a friend who uses this method says they are very fast to knit.  That’s what I want!!  I move along pretty fast until I get to the heels, and then things slow to a snail’s pace.

MOM UPDATE:  We are still waiting to hear from test results and the doctors in Houston to see if they will perform her heart surgery.

PRAYERS NEEDED:  Our family is really saddened at the loss of my little niece this morning.  She was born very premature (24 weeks gestation) on Tuesday evening and weighed less than one pound.  Although we knew the odds were against her, you always hope for a miracle.  I pray for God’s peace to surround my sister and BIL.  We know this tiny child is now with the Father, and we will get to see her again.

Have a blessed week, and give your spouse/child/grandchild/niece/nephew or ANYONE you love a hug this week… Life is so precious, and so much taken for granted.

KAT

Progress!

I have completed 14 blocks for Jeremy’s quilt.  I am trying to get one done each day.  When I lay them out, a couple of the ones I have made don’t seem to fit in this quilt, so I will probably be remaking a few.  I had second thoughts when I picked up that purple hound’s tooth check.  And the red/black/white hound’s tooth also jumped out, but I thought I was just being too picky.  I think they don’t belong in this quilt, but perhaps another one.  I need 25 blocks so I am well on the way with this quilt.

I also finally found the fabrics to use for the pieced sashing.  Hopefully they will be here tomorrow and I can get them washed and ready to cut.  I figure when I am tired of working on the blocks I can take a break and work on sashing instead.

Other retreat projects:  (I HAD pictures… I really did!  Due to a camera/computer mishap they have been lost.  So sorry!)

Mary Anne got the body of her Neptune jelly roll quilt done.  She has since completed borders and has already given it to me for quilting.  WOW!  This really almost WAS a “Quilt In a Day”!  I’ll post a picture after I get it quilted.

Debbie got all blocks made for her camp quilt, and has since gotten it all sewn together.  I’ll get a picture of this on our next retreat.

We really did accomplish a lot on this retreat, and we are planning another one as soon.

KAT