Tuesday Archives - Favorite Quilts

It's easy to forget that I've only been blogging for about 4 years, while the quilting has been going on for about the last 13 years.   So it's not surprising that there are quilts that have never shown up on the blog.  But for some reason it always amazes me when I come across one that hasn't.  Val's Tuesday Archive theme for this week is "Favorite Quilts".  Looking back through all my finishes trying to decide on what were my favorite quilts, I came across a project from one of the first quilting classes I took.

Carpenter Star
Pattern by Debbie Maddy for Calico Carriage

Carpenter Star was probably my first experience with half square triangles, I definitely started big with those.  I had no stash in those days, so bought fabric for each project from the quilt shop in town.  That always limited my choices, but I still like this quilt even though if I were to make it now the color choices would be quite different.

There was supposed to be a class to make another of Debbie Maddy's stars.  I bought the pattern and fabric for Evening Star, but not enough people signed up for the class so it was never held. Finally in 2012, I decided the fabric had sat around long enough.  

St. Isadore's Star
from the pattern Evening Star by Debbie Maddy

I finally finished this one last May, 8 years after Carpenter's Star.  This isn't one of my favorites, but it is one of My Guy's.  He was a bit sad to see it gifted to one of Drama Teen's middle school teachers.  

It's the first day of school, so I need to get moving on making lunches and getting Drama Teen up and going.  Check out all the other fun historical posts over at Val's Tuesday Archives.  

Slow Stitching Sunday - August 11

Sunday started off cool and cloudy, which is definitely different than our typical August mornings.  I'm not complaining, everything is green when it's usually brown.  My Guy on the other hand isn't very appreciative that he has to mow for the second week in a row.  Usually in August it's too dry for the grass to grow much.  Northern Oklahoma has had a fair amount of rain this week and temps have been in the mid 90s.  We've been lucky, but southern Oklahoma and Texas still have horribly dry conditions.  

Most of this week, I've been working on hand sewing labels to a few finish quilts.  First was the OSU quilt,

then the Evening Star quilt.

This afternoon I started attaching the label to Counting Stars. 

Just one more label left to stitch down.  That should get done before bed time tonight.

I'm linking up with this week's Slow Stitching Sunday over at Kathy's Quilts.  Take a break and check out all the posts there.   

June - 2013 Year of the Finished Project

Lynne over at Never too Hot to Stitch decided that 2013 needed to be a year of finishes.  Since it's always more fun to deal with UFOs and other unfinished projects as a group, she's hosting a challenge to help the rest of us finish up our projects too.

I had some pretty ambitious challenge goals for May as I was hoping to finish up 5 quilts last month.  So how did I do?  

May

1.  Evening Star          Done

          Finish binding

2.  The Sofa Quilt          Done

          Make binding

          Sew binding on

3.  OSU Quilt          

          Make binding          Done

          Sew binding on

4.  Sweet Treats

          Make binding

          Sew binding on

5. Calico Cats

          Make 4 blocks                                 Done

          Assemble blocks and sashing            Done

          Add borders                                    Done

          Make backing                                  Done

          Ship off for quilting                         Done

          Make binding

          Sew binding on

Not a bad month at all.  I finished 2 quilts and had a third almost done.  Plus managed to finish the blocks for a fourth quilt and get it assembled and quilted.  Though I didn't get all 5 quilts done, it was still an excellent month.  Evening Star and The Sofa Quilt are my first finishes of 2013. 

So what are my goals for June?  One thing they are not is as ambitious as my May goals were.

June

1.  OSU Quilt

          Finish binding

2.  Sweet Treats

           Make binding

           Sew binding on

3.  Calico Cats

           Make binding

           Sew binding on

4.  Neutral Gems

           Make 23 blocks

5.  Mon Ami

           Make 12 blocks

I have a lot of binding to do this month, which is slow stitching.  I plan to mix that up with some machine stitching on some ongoing projects. Neutral Gems is a gift for a friend who just recently retired and Mon Ami is intended to be a QOV, so these are the next two quilts I want to finish. 

Lynn hasn't posted this month's linky party yet, I know she's been busy. Once that post is up, I'll link up with all the others striving to reduce their UFO piles.  

May NewFO

It's the last day of a very busy May.  We celebrated Mother's Day, took Drama Teen on her 8th grade trip and also celebrated her graduation from 8th grade.  I'm still recovering from all the fun stuff that went on this month.  Lots of sewing happened too, well except for last week.  I needed some recovery time after all the end of school activities, so I took a few days off to catch up on sleep and a few chores. By the time the Memorial Day weekend got here, I was ready to get back to sewing something new.  

Back in March, I pushed a few buttons and ordered some yardage from Connecting Threads' Neutral Love line.  

I wasn't sure what I was going to make with it, but not long after it took up residence in my stash, one of my friends from work announced that she would retire this summer.  These fabrics are just so her that they have to end up in her house.  About the same time, I got a copy of Patchwork Palette by Donna Lynn Thomas and found a beautiful pattern called "Gems".  

After mocking up the blocks in EQ and playing around with the fabric placement, I came out with this layout.  

Neutral Gems
Pattern is "Gems" by Donna Lynn Thomas
found in the book Patchwork Palette

After washing, pressing and cutting out all the strips needed, only 2 blocks have been assembled.  

I'm happy with how it's turning out.  Hopefully I can finish this project up before the end of the summer.  So far I'm 5 for 5 in 2013, five starts in five months.  

Not only did I add a NewFO this month, two NewFOs from 2012 were finished off.  The Sofa Quilt was the June 2012 NewFO.

The Sofa Quilt
Pattern by Judy Laquidara of Patchwork Times
Quilted by Trudy Lindemann

Evening Star was the September 2012 NewFO.

Evening Star

Pattern from Calico Carriage

Designed by Debbie Maddy

Quilted by Trudy Lindemann

That leaves 5 NewFOs from 2012, plus the 5 NewFOs from 2013 to make a total of 10 uncompleted projects from the last 2 years.  I have a lot of stitching to do!  

Hop over to Cat Patches to check out more NewFOs from across the globe.   

Design Wall Monday - May 27th

Monday, already?  It's the last Monday in May. June will bring us to mid year (I know, don't remind you).  Being busy sure makes the time go faster.  

We had so much going on early last week that I didn't have time to write a post for last week's Design Wall.  To be honest, there's not much up on the design wall.  I've been working on binding quilts when we weren't running around with Drama Teen's school stuff. Two of the five quilts that need to be done by the end of the month are bound, my first finishes of 2013.  

Evening Star
Pattern from Calico Carriage
Designed by Debbie Maddy
Quilted by Trudy Lindemann

I really like how this one turned out.  The quilting was done by Trudy Lindemann.

The meander in the white spaces really makes the star stand out.   

The backing is a very pale floral print and the binding is the same dark purple as the last border.  Evening Star was the first finish of 2013. The second finish was The Sofa Quilt.

The Sofa Quilt

Pattern is Nicole's Sofa Quilt by Judy Laquidara (available here)

Quilted by Trudy Lindemann

 I love this pattern.  My only regret is that I didn't make the final border just a bit wider so I could show off more of that print.  Otherwise, it turned out beautifully.  This quilt was also quilted by Trudy, she used a floral motif on this one. 

The quilt is backed with a floral striped print that my sister gave me 12 yards of a few years ago. This is the second back that I've managed to eek out of that gift.  

The binding is a green Andover Dimples. I had wanted to use blue, but I was out of the darker blue used in the blocks and the lighter blue in the blocks didn't look right.  

I'm busy binding the OSU quilt right now.  Don't know that I'm going to finish the last three quilts that I had hoped to have done this month, but I've got 4 more days in the month to make that happen.

That's it for what's going on in my sewing room.  Hop over to Patchwork Times to see what's up else where.  

Finishing Projects - Mid Month Update

Hard to believe we are already half way through May.  Lot's going on this month, especially with Drama Teen graduating from 8th grade this year.  Even with all the extra stuff going on, good progress has been made on this month's sewing goals.  

Goal number 1 was to finish getting the binding on the Evening Star quilt.  That's done.

Evening Star
Pattern from Calico Carriage
Designed by Debbie Maddy

That's my first finish of 2013.  If I get the rest of this month's goals done, I'll end the month with five finishes.  

Goal number 2 is to make the binding and get it sewn onto The Sofa Quilt.  The binding is made, attached to the front, and I'm working on hand stitching it to the back.  

The Sofa Quilt

Pattern is Nicole's Sofa Quilt by Judy Laquidara

(available here)

I'm just about to turn the corner on the first side.  This will be finish number 2, hopefully sometime this weekend.

Goal number 5 was to finish the Calico Cats quilt.  Since the beginning of the month all the blocks have been made, the blocks have been sewn together, and the borders added to make it a finished flimsy.  

Calico Cats
Pattern is Fat Cats from the
The Quilter Magazine (July 2006)
by Lucy A. Fazely and Micheal L. Burns

It was sent out for quilting, which is finished now.  It should be back here next week all ready for binding.  

I'm feeling really good about what's been done so far.  Goals 3 and 4 were to make and sew the binding on the OSU Quilt and Sweet Treats.  No progress on those two goals as yet, but I'm sure it will happen this next week.  

Hope your sewing plans for the month have been going well.  I'm ready to get these 5 quilts done.  It's been a bit of a forced march with these as they are gifts that need to be done this month.  It's definitely made me manage my time more effectively, but I'm ready for a few months being able to sew without deadlines.  Too bad, I really should start looking at what I want to get done for Christmas gifts.  

Design Wall Monday - Feb 25th

It was a nice, relaxing weekend.  Drama Teen was much improved on Sunday, she's had a cold since Friday.  She still has a nasty sounding cough, but she was a lot more lively yesterday.  She's hoping that this is the last thing she can catch for a while.  

Most of Sunday was spent in the sewing room.  One of the goals this weekend was to get the binding made and sewn onto Evening Star.

I did get that far.  Trudy Lindemann did the quilting and it's gorgeous. More on that when the binding is done.  

Borders 1 and most of 2 were added to The Sofa Quilt. 

The Sofa Quilt

Pattern is Nicole's Sofa Quilt by Judy Laquidara

(available here)

The farther along this one gets, the more I like it.  So just 4.25 borders more before it's a finished flimsy.

Mon Ami has been a leaders and enders project for most of February.  A couple more blocks have been finished.    

Quilt of Valor
Modified from Mon Ami
by Miss Rosie's Quilt Company

Whoops, I didn't notice that I had that first blue block in the third row turned wrong.  I'll have to watch that when I start sewing these together.  That may be a while, I've got deadlines on several other quilts, so this one isn't taking priority at that moment.  

So that's what is up on my design wall this week.  See what else is in progress over at Judy's Patchwork Times.  

Design Wall Monday - January 7th

It was a long weekend.  We spent most of it perched on bleachers watching Drama Teen and friends play volleyball. It wasn't the most successful weekend on the court in terms of wins, but the girls are all getting better and what games they did not win, were pretty much nail biters. 

Unfortunately, being at the courts really put a dent in this week's stitching efforts.  Even so, all the borders did get stitched to Evening Star Saturday evening, so it is now a finished flimsy. 

Pattern from Calico Carriage
Designed by Debbie Maddy

Sorry for the dark picture, I didn't have a lot of time yesterday to get good photos.  Next step is to get the back pieced and then send it off for quilting.  

While I had all the photography equipment out, I finally got a shot of the finished  Fat Quarter Stars quilt (which was finished back in November).  

Fat Quarter Stars by Konda
of Moose on the Porch Quilts

I'm still looking for a name for this quilt.  It's intended as a gift for a family friend who is a mathematician.  At the moment, "Counting Stars" is the front runner.   

Neither of these are actually on the design wall, but there hasn't been much change in what's up there this week.  Hopefully, I'll more to show on that front next week.  You can check out all the other design walls over at Judy's Patchwork Times.  

2013 - The Year of the Finished Project: January

Lynn over at Never Too Hot to Stitch is determined to finish up her UFOs and WIPS by hosting "The Year of the Finished Project".

Since I only finished 3 quilts in 2012, but started 8, I obviously need a few more finishes this year.  So this challenge should be helpful in getting me there.  Lynn has set up some rules that she plans to use for herself and encourages participants to set up their own rules for the year long challenge.   So here's my goals for the challenge:

1.  Actively work on one UFO each month.  I don't have to finish one per month, just make progress on it.  The ultimate goal is to finish the two UFOs that have been on the list for more than 2 years.

2. Actively work on one of the quilts started in 2012.  Again, I don't have to finish it, just make progress on it.  I'd like to finish all 8 quilts started in 2012. 

Those are pretty simple goals, but with the crazy schedule around here, I need simple.  So what's on the list for January:

1.  Finish at least 5 Scrappy Star blocks.  This is my oldest UFO (started in 2003).  I've cleaned up my UFO list over the last couple of years, but this one is still around because it needed a lot of work to get completed.   When I pulled it off the shelf in 2012, it only had 3 blocks completed (48 are needed for the pattern).  I'm almost half way there. 

Pattern is Folk Art Christmas Stars

by Robyn Pandolph

 

2.  Finish the borders and backing for Evening Star, then get it shipped out for quilting.  This is one of the quilts started in 2012 and is the closest to being finished. 

Evening Star
Pattern from Calico Carriage
Designed by Debbie Maddy

3.  Complete all the "B" blocks for The Sofa Quilt.  That way this one will be ready for assembly, borders and backing in February. 

Pattern is Nicole's Sofa Quilt by Judy Laquidara

(available here)

 

That should be enough for the month of January.  

Monday Design Wall - December 31st

Happy New Year's Eve!  Hard to believe it's already the last day in 2012.  We don't have any plans for this evening.  We'll stay home, maybe watch a movie together, watch the ball drop and then go to bed. Not an exciting evening, but it works for us.  I'll probably get to stitch a bit as well. 

I've been on vacation since before Christmas, but holiday preparations kept me busy for about 3 days, then we spent about 5 days visiting family over the holidays.  Since last Friday, I've been able to sew for a bit each afternoon and have made a lot of progress on several projects.  I thought Evening Star was done, but then realized it still needed the borders added. 

Pattern from Calico Carriage
Designed by Debbie Maddy

More stars have been added to December UFO, Scrappy Stars.

Pattern is Folk Art Christmas Stars

by Robyn Pandolph

This is the oldest UFO on my list, dating from 2003.  This project will at the top of my "to do" list for 2013.

The Sofa Quilt has been a leaders and enders project for months now.  I finally got enough pieces made to complete a few more "block 2s". 

Pattern is Nicole's Sofa Quilt by Judy Laquidara

(available here)

 I like how this one is going together.  I'll continue to work on the blocks as a leaders and enders project, so progress will be slow, but at least there will be progress. 

That's it for my design wall this week.  It's been nice being off work.  The house is cleaner and my design walls are fuller.  To check out what else is showing up on design walls, click over to Patchwork Times.

Design Wall Monday - December 3rd

Weekends are so very short don't you think? They seem to get even shorter during the holiday season.  We didn't have much going on this weekend, so I was able to get laundry done, plus get the tree up.  I even managed to work in a little sewing.  Evening Star is now two thirds complete.

The top and middle sections are all sewn together.  Now just the bottom section needs to be pieced.  It should be a lot quicker than the center section as it doesn't have as many pieces. 

Progress is ongoing with both the Scrappy Coffee Cups and the Scrappy Stars quilts, but just not enough progress to be worth posting.  The Sofa Quilt is also moving along, but I'm out of room on the design wall so no pictures of the progress on that project. 

That's it for my design wall this week.  Check out all the other ongoing projects over at Patchwork Times. 

Design Wall Monday - November 26th

Not a lot of changes to the design wall this week.  There simply wasn't a lot of time to do much sewing with all the baking and visiting going on last week.  A bit of progress was made on Evening Star.

Evening Star Pattern from Calico Carriage
Designed by Debbie Maddy

A few more blocks were added to this month's UFO project, Scrappy Stars.



Pattern is Folk Art Christmas Stars

by Robyn Pandolph

Not sure how much progress there will be on any projects over the next few weeks.  Christmas preparations will get underway in earnst next weekend, so there won't be as much time to sew as there usually is.   

Linking up with Judy over at Patchwork Times this week.  I hope to take a peek at what is up on everyone's design walls later today. 

Design Wall Monday - November 19th

It was a quiet weekend around our place.  My Guy is off in Wyoming until Wednesday, so Drama Teen and I were on our own all weekend.  She's fully recovered from her round with the stomach bug, so it will be back to school for her today.  This is the only day I'll work this week as I'm taking a couple of vacation days in advance of the holiday, mainly because if I don't take them I'll loose them.  I'm sure I'll find lots to do around the house between baking, starting prep for the next holiday and hopefully a bit of sewing. 

The sewing room got some much needed attention on Saturday.  I reorganized a few areas and put away a few things.  Some sewing happened too.  The center section of Evening Star is now about three quarters of the way done.

The right most section is now up on the wall waiting to be sewn together.  It should go together fairly quickly.

I picked out the fabric for the last 6 cups for the Scrappy Coffee Cups project, but didn't think to take a picture of them.  I hope to work on some of those while I'm off work this week.

That's it for my design wall this week.  Check out Patchwork Times to see what's up on design walls everywhere. 

Safe travels to those in the US who are traveling to see family this week and have a happy Thanksgiving.        

Design Wall Monday - November 5th

Sewing time this weekend was split between organizing my sewing space and actual sewing.  The stash closet also doubles as the holding area for Christmas gifts which puts them in close proximity to the cutting table where we do most of the gift wrapping.  After shopping on Friday, space was needed to store what came home.  It will be a few weeks before the mayhem of wrapping starts, but it seemed like a good idea to take a bit of time and get ready. 
 
Progress was made on Evening Star. 

Evening Star
Pattern from Calico Carriage
Designed by Debbie Maddy

I found the perfect fabric for the back on sale for 40% off, so I ordered it this weekend.  Nothing in the stash matched and as this quilt is intended as a gift, I wanted it to have a nice back. 

Two more blocks were added to the collection of Scrappy Star blocks up on the design wall.

Scrappy Stars

Pattern is Folk Art Christmas Stars

by Robyn Pandolph

The pattern calls for 48 of these stars.  With only 16 done, I've got a ways to go. 

I also worked on the binding for the Fat Quarter Stars quilt which will probably be the last quilt finished this year.  Hopefully, Evening Star, The Sofa Quilt and the Scrappy Coffee Cups quilt will all make it to the flimsy stage before the end of the year.  At least that's the plan anyway.  Which should help give me a quick start to next year's finishes. 

Due to dual matches of volleyball tonight, it will be tomorrow before I get to check out all the other design walls linked up with Patchwork Times 

Monday Design Wall - October 29th

The weekend was way shorter than normal. Working on Saturday really put a crimp in a number of things.  Thankfully, working on Saturday isn't something I have to do often.  I did take most of Sunday off, just spent some time on a bit of housework in the morning.  Quite a bit of sewing happened Sunday afternoon. 

Those half square triangles that were on the design wall last week are now being sewn together in sections. 

Evening Star
Pattern from Calico Carriage
Designed by Debbie Maddy

Section one is complete, section 2 is almost done.  This project goes together pretty fast.  If I get time in the sewing room this week, it could be pretty close to being a completed top by the end of next weekend.

Progress was also made on this month's UFO project.

 Scrappy Stars

Pattern is Folk Art Christmas Stars

by Robyn Pandolph

The pattern calls for 35 of these little stars. Not quite half way there yet. 

Remember the Sofa Quilt?  It's been my leaders and enders project for the last couple of months.  I'm finally getting enough pieces done to start assembling the "B" blocks.

The Sofa Quilt

Pattern is Nicole's Sofa Quilt by Judy Laquidara

(available here)

Hopefully by the time the Evening Star is together, all the "B" blocks will be done and then the Sofa Quilt can take center stage on the design wall. 

That's it for my design wall this week.  Now click on over to Patchwork Times to see what's decorating other sewing rooms. 

Monday Design Wall - October 22nd

After 4 days off work, this morning is starting way to early.  The girl's weekend was a success.  My Mom had a great time, as did the rest of us.  But my sister and I have to head back to work today.  Mom and  the Drama Teen get one more day off before they head back to normal life. 

Not much sewing happened this week since it took a couple of nights prep to get ready for our trip.  I did some embroidery one night of the trip while we were sitting around talking, but that was it for sewing activities during the trip.  I did manage a couple of hours in the sewing room last night after we got home.  That resulted in enough progress have something to post for today.

Evening Star
Pattern from Calico Carriage
Designed by Debbie Maddy

All the HSTs for the Evening Star quilt are done.  Hopefully this evening I can start assembling the top. 

Progress was also made on Scrappy Stars. 

Pattern is Folk Art Christmas Stars

by Robyn Pandolph

 Two more stars were added to the design wall.  I do really need to check on how many stars are required for the finished quilt. These little stars are so easy to make, it wouldn't be hard to just keep on making them. 

There has been progress on The Sofa Quilt, it's just not up on the design wall.  Hopefully by the time Evening Star is pieced, there will be enough "B" blocks done that it will be time to put the Sofa Quilt back up on the wall. 

That's it for me this week.  I have high hopes for lots of progress next weekend as we have no volleyball games or other plans (that I know of anyway).  Check out all the other design walls posted at Judy's Patchwork Times. 

Design Wall Monday - October 15th

Weekends always seem so short.  With My Guy out of commission due to the lingering effects of what we think is an episode with food poisoning, I had to complete a few household duties which typically fall to him.  He seems to much better this morning.  Hopefully he will feel like eating more than just jello today. 

I didn't get a lot of sewing done last week due to some sinus crude that kept me in bed for a couple of days.  The only significant stitching happened Saturday and Sunday evenings.  One more Scrappy Star was added to this month's UFO project.  

Pattern is Folk Art Christmas Stars

by Robyn Pandolph

Plus more HSTs for the Evening Star quilt are up on the design wall.

Pattern from Calico Carriage
Designed by Debbie Maddy

Only 14 more squares to sew and all the HSTs will be done and I can start assembling the quilt.  This one should go together pretty quickly.  Hopefully there will be something more exciting than HSTs up on the design wall next Monday.

I'm still working on making the "B" block for the Sofa Quilt.  No pictures of all those pieces.  No progress on the Grandmother's Choice project.  This week's block is applique, which is not one of my favorite quilting techniques.  I'm still contemplating the options.  Make the block, it is a pretty simple applique, or substitute something else.

That's what's up on my design wall this week.  For more quilty goodness, check out all the other design wall links over at Patchwork Times.