Design Wall Monday - BOMs

The weekend was cold and damp, absolutely perfect for spending time in the sewing room.  Other than some laundry and a spot of housekeeping, that's where I spent most of my weekend.  I did play editor for a bit yesterday.  Drama Teen had to write a speech for English and wanted an audience for a few practice rounds.  

Scrappy Stars just needs one more border before it's a finished flimsy.  No pictures of it today, the last 6.5" border makes it too big to photograph in my sewing room.  I've been playing around with names for this one, Luminous Stars is my current front runner, with Elegant Stars the current runner up. 

Other than Scrappy Stars, the design wall doesn't have much on it.  The September Inverted Star block was finished yesterday.

Inverted Star
by Jessica Boschem of Common Threads
available from Craftsy as a free download

It's definitely bright.  

Since I've finished two quilts, with a third almost ready to send out for quilting, I gave myself permission to start a new project.  Amanda over at Sea Breeze Quilts is teaching a beginners class at her local quilt shop, but is also sharing the blocks on her blog for one month so others can sew along.  The blocks are posting on the 15th of the month, so you still have a couple of days to get the instructions for blocks 1 and 2.  My version of block 1 is almost done.

Chocolate Marshmallow
pattern from Amanda of Sea Breeze Quilts

The pink is a bit brighter than it shows in the picture.  I've always wanted to make a brown and pink quilt, so it was just too hard to resist starting this one.  It's going to be a good stash buster too, I noticed while I was cutting out the dark pink fabric for the second block that the selvage had a date of 2007 on it.  I'm pretty sure most of the fabrics for this project date from about the same time, except for the pink in the block above, it was purchased last year.  

That's it for me this week.  Check out Patchwork Times for more design walls.  

Stash Report - Week 41 of 2014

It's been cold and dreary this weekend.   But it's not been so cold as to keep the roses from adding spots of color to the gray days.  

It's been a good weekend to spend in the sewing room.  Though I've spent more time this weekend cutting fabric than I have stitching it.  Still I have a bit to count as going out of the stash. 

Used last week:  0.93 yards
Used in October:  1.59 yards
Used year to date:  22.36 yards

Hopefully all the cutting this weekend will mean more fabric out next week.  

For more states of the stash, check out Patchwork Times.  

Rainbow Scrap Challenge - More Autumn

The temperatures dropped into the low 60's as the high yesterday; a sure sign that autumn is here.  The trees haven't caught up with the temps just yet, many are still green.  However the Sumac and Virginia Creepers are already showing off their fall finery. 

In addition to my efforts to spend at least 15 minutes stitching each day, I've also been trying to get outside and walk each evening after work.  I've been more successful with the stitching goal than the walking goal.  Schedules around here are still a bit crazy with end of year projects at work and Drama Teen still in physical therapy.  

Even though I've been making it to the sewing room for a bit each evening, not much actual stitching has happened.  Before I could start this month's brown Inverted Star block, I had to cut more white squares.  The pieces for the butterfly block had to be cut out as well. I've made progress with the butterfly block, but forgot to get a picture of it.  So all I have to show for scrappy progress is the Inverted Star blocks.

Inverted Star
by Jessica Boschem of Common Threads
available from Craftsy as a free download

Last month's block is almost all stitched together and the beginnings of this month's brown block are up on second the design wall. 

These blocks are going to need to be set soon.  It takes me forever to decide on a setting, so I started playing around in EQ with possibilities.  

It's a start at any rate, it may be too dark.   I'll play some more later, for now I really need to get going on my Saturday chores.  

For more scrappy fun, check out what's going on over at Soscrappy. 

Stitching in 15 Minute Increments

In an effort to get myself back into my sewing room and use up some more fabric, I challenged myself to find at least 15 minutes to stitch everyday between October 1st and the end of the year.  

Next week on the 16th I'll fess up to my success or lack thereof.  It always seems like it's more of a motivator if I have to report on my progress.  There will be a linky party for anyone who is also motivated by having to own up to their progress or lack of.  

So what can you do in just 15 minutes?

• cut block pieces
• press a set of seams
• trim a stack of HSTs
• cut up your scraps
• measure a top for the next border
• pin pieces for stitching

 
That's what I did last night, I cut one of the borders for Scrappy Stars and pinned it to the quilt top.  It's sitting up in the sewing room waiting for me to wander up and sew up that long seam during my 15 minutes of stitching this evening.  Hopefully my 15 minutes will morph into an hour or so. 

My biggest problem in the evenings is thinking I'm too tired to sew. I will usually wake up once I make it to the sewing room, but convincing myself to shut off the computer and vacate my comfy recliner is often difficult.  Challenging myself to 15 minutes every night starting at 8 PM is often the best way to get me moving into the sewing room. 

What is your biggest challenge to making it into your sewing room on a regular basis?  

Wordless Wednesday - Sign of Autumn