{Sew} Modern / Design Wall / BOM's Away Monday

Whew...lots to share today. So excited to get my latest design, Charmed Network - Terrain version quilted and bound. I had a customized quilting planned out, but the quilt kept sitting there on the machine and distractions kept taking me away from the idea. The more I looked at it and kept seeing how busy the fabrics were, I decided a simple 'bones stipple' all over which is done freehand, would be nice. It would also give me a sample of this quilting design.

A {Sew} Modern Finish - Charmed Network
(v.1-Terrain by Kate Spain for MODA)
This pattern is now available at Craftsy. I will also be teaching it as a class at Stash in Walla Walla, WA starting February 16, 2012. It will be a two session with an optional third session class.

The next sample on the design wall is another 'Zoe' in the punctuation fabric line, focusing on red/blue as the backgroundn colors with black and yellow accents. Once I add the circles, that are all yellow/black, I'm hoping it will give it a bit more pop. None of the circles are cut out yet except that little one in the lower right. I got a circle cutter as part of the McCall's Quilt Design Star 2011 round 1 gifts and want to use that to do the circle cutting. This is using about half of a layer cake, instead of the actual size called for in my pattern. Using the tickets as a border adds a bit of whimsy. There are blue tickets too.



Here is my BOM progress for this week - Pam Bono's Out of the Darkness. I had started this block several years ago, got it all cut out and nicely put back into sandwich baggies, but never sewed it together. I decided it was time to work on this quilt this year. I'm hoping to get one block a month done. This is Block #1 - Morning Glory. Lots of little pieces, but using the Angler2, it goes fairly quickly. It still needs the 1/4" bias stems, but I'll make enough to do them all when I'm done with the blocks.

Contests are in full swing again, and this weekend I participated in the Quilting Gallery 'New Beginnings' themed contest. My 'Your First Journey' quilt was entered and received a 2nd place! I was awarded a $25 gift certificate from Fat Quarter Shop. THANK YOU!!!!

I'm currently in a contest that lasts through January 25. If you have a Facebook account, become a fan of Aurifil Thread and vote! My '1892 Rondure' is entered. Thanks for checking it out.

While on a self made mini shop hop on Friday, I heard of another person going on the Ireland trip! Don't forget you can still sign up. And that irish welcome hand block....I've got my fabric picked out of my stash and hope to work on that this next week. Let me know when you post yours!

Enjoy the others linked up via

Design Wall Monday @ Patchwork Times

{Sew} Modern Monday @ Canoe Ridge Creations

BOM's Away Monday @ WhataHootQuilts

Distractions

So easy to get distracted when the schedule falls apart!

I had in my queue this week a commission quilt that the client hasn't provided critical information in order to continue the process. It was so easy to let other things creep into my daily life when I'm on 'hold'. I probably should have pressed on with the next client in the queue, but I also wanted to get 'Charmed Network' the Terrain version quilted. But, even other non-quilting activities have distracted me significantly. Most of them will be out of my life I'm hoping within a month, but it really does take time away from my business. Maybe I'll get it quilted TODAY??

And then...I hear of a long-arm shop closing their store-front to work only out of their home, so everything is basically 50% off (fabric, patterns, etc.)...now that is usually worth checking to see if there is anything you HAVE to have, right? That is in the schedule today too!

Some were good distractions...I decided to spend some quality time designing the EQ7 layout. Exciting times ahead.

So....We'll see.....!! Happy Weekend!

WIP

Completed:
Christmas Mug Rug - actually did two (but will count it as one finish)...I'm calling them lame and late. ;-) (HA!) They are so small, I just did a quick quilting job on my domestic with my regular foot. Sometimes I wonder, what I am thinking? The top one used the backing fabric as my design motif which is laid out in offset squares, so just quilted on those lines. The second one I quilted from the front around the stocking motif and in the ditch between the 4 fabrics. These are scraps given to me through someone who got them from another person who had closed their fabric shop long ago and was trying to clean out old fabric samples. I like the 'old world' style to them. One of them is going to the person who selected it in the mug-rug swap, and the only one left for me to pick in the swap was the other one ;-) At last night's guild meeting, I gave them both to the person. She liked them! yeah!

Extras
I decided to use every scrap of this bright floral fabric which was used in some blocks I made for a quilt guild project last year. These pictures are both sides of the 'mug rug'. I get really stumped when dealing with something so small. WHERE do I quilt it? On my domestic or my long-arm. To change my domestic over to doing real quilting is just annoying (not really hard, just annoying), so I started off trying to hand-hold this on the long-arm and move the long-arm too...well don't try to imagine that picture. I ultimately put the channel lock on both vertical and horizontal and moved the mug rug around to get these loops just as I would have on a domestic, but on the long-arm. OH BOY. It didn't help that I had a quilt loaded already and I was doing this in the remaining margin and the back handles were hitting the side. DOH!

I gave it to the recipient of the latest quilt that used the original fabric, last night at quilt guild. Just for fun! This should surely brighten the recipient's day when using it! She had not been able to attend the December meeting, given her medical situation, which is when we did the mug rug swap. I hope it is the thought that counts with this.

I'm including a photo of the finished quilt too--it was a group project--along with the recipient from last night's guild meeting. So glad she is back with us! We call them hearts and flowers quilts. There is a committee in our guild and when a life altering event occurs, we try to whip one together. Sometimes it takes us a while, sometimes they come together like magic. One of our newly minted guild officers for 2012 had some subdural hematoma's just after Thanksgiving. When her friends didn't hear from her for a couple of days, they checked on her and found her on the floor! CHECK ON YOUR FRIENDS! I was working on some blocks for our Dec. block lotto which should have been a 'light' background....but I found a fat quarter of these gerber daisies in my stash and just thought WOW! These would be so great. When this life altering event occurred and it became evident we were on task for another hearts and flowers quilt, I suggested instead of me submitting these blocks to the lotto which was to be turned over to hearts and flowers anyway, and since I was in such violation of the original idea of the lotto blocks, that we just use them as starting points for the latest quilt. I had 24 blocks in all which was a great start to get going. The stash of collected blocks had some loud / bright blocks too and we were able to put this together. The striped inner border was out of my stash, and the outer border came from donated stash of a deceased quilt guild member (Trudy Y.). I volunteered to quilt it and put the same bright green -- minkee backing on it which I still had in a charity project / stash from several years ago. This was a good cause! Jan E. is our committee chair and was instrumental in getting it put together--including fixing some of my hastily pieced blocks that were NOT the right size, DOH! Thank you Jan!! She always has such a can do spirit--so appreciated!

I also got the binding done on this class project from Linda Taylor's class at MQX-West 2011. This wasn't on my list, but had been quilted and was awaiting binding. When I used the binding fabric on that mug rug, it is what I typically use to bind the class projects, so went and grabbed it from my long-arm room and got it bound as well! YEAH! Another one completed!










Progress this week:

Charmed Network - Terrain Version quilting in progress

Got the quilt loaded yesterday onto the long-arm machine, thinking I'd get it done and take it to guild last night. After finishing the Habitat for Humanity quilting yesterday morning, I just didn't have time, so pushed on and got some other things completed (see above!) So...this is what is on my list today!

BMCU Mug Rugs - tops are finished, one has some quilting done on it, but am little bit torn on what type of quilting to do...on my domestic (these are small pieces) or on my long-arm just because writing a word is easier to do on the long-arm. I may end up doing a mix ...the straight stitching with a walking foot to outline the mountains on my domestic, then take them to the long-arm to write the initials of the credit union in the lower portion.

Skill Builder Sampler - this is a photo of both blocks so far since I didn't show you what this was last week. If you follow Lee at all, you'll recognize these blocks since she is working on this quilt-a-long too. I'm way behind the rest of the group, but fun to add them to the flickr group anyway.


Started:
Alaska Shop Hop 2007 - fun to get something new going! It appears there will be lots of trees and stars! This block is called Whispering Pine and was from Quilts of Many Colors in Wasilla, AK. I went to Alaska for the first time back in 1995, but returned in 2007 to attend a friend's wedding in Seward. I discovered a quilt shop while hanging out in Seward for a few days and their State Shop Hop was underway. I cannot imagine that anyone is physically able to get to all of the shops that participate. It motivated me to try and get to other shops in the locations that I would be during that trip which included the Anchorage area and north to Denali. Wasilla is on the way! I don't think I actually made it to this particular shop based on the information I found today on the web, but for all the places I didn't get to, I called and had them ship me the block! More than one way to accomplish a shop hop. Each block had to be purchased (they weren't giveaways), so add some shipping and it arrived in my mailbox back at home. With my recent cruise to Alaska in 2011 with my husband's family and my parents, my motivation was renewed to get this out and try to make it.



Untouched this week:

• EQ7 BOM layout --well, I did some research and sketching...any details may have to wait until the March 1 deadline for the contest ;-)
• Oddie's Wild Nature
• BMCU Table Runner
• McCall's Mystery
• Rose of Sharon Bird Block
• Snowflake/Blizzard Quilt

Awaiting quilting:

• WWVQG 2006 Basket BOM
• Charmed Network - Eva version ----but I must tell you, I'll be teaching the class at stash Feb. 16 with follow-up classes on March 1 and another TBD. yeah!!

STATS
Completed: 3
In Progress: 12
To start: 5

Are you going to Ireland in June? Join me!!

More WIPs at the linkup on Lee's Freshly Pieced blog. Happy WIPping ;-)

Design Wall / BOM's Away Monday

Continuing with my Mug Rugs, I got two Christmas Mug Rugs done (lame and late) and finished the piecing of the remaining CU Mug Rugs. In the end I decided that the upper portion did not need to be exactly alike, the key was to get them finished! One was done completely improvisationally because I remembered there is also a part-time worker so needed to make one more and thought it a great opportunity to try some improvisational piecing.

Skill Builder Sampler Block #2 - we were supposed to learn color values in this block.

Alaska 2007 Shop Hop Block #1 - there will be lots of trees and stars! So fun to get started on something new. This block is called Whispering Pine and was at Quilts of Many Colors in Wasilla, AK. I went to Alaska for the first time back in 1995, but returned in 2007 to attend a friend's wedding in Seward. I discovered a quilt shop while hanging out in Seward for a few days and their Shop Hop was underway. It motivated me to try and get to other shops in locations that I would be during that trip which included the Anchorage area and north to Denali. Wasilla is on the way! I don't think I actually made it to this particular shop based on the information I found today on the web, but for all the places I didn't get to, I called and had them ship me the block! More than one way to accomplish a shop hop. Each block had to be purchased, so add some shipping and it arrived in my mailbox.

oh...and I did the Block Lotto block for our local quilt guild.
King's Crown ...scrappily ;-)

Other Design Walls @ Patchwork Times and BOM's Away progress @ What A Hoot Quilts.

Back to the routine!

Happy New Year!!  -- ** DELVE INTO '12 **

Are you 'delving into '12?  ha! I thought that was a fun word to rhyme with the new year's number.

Yay...so great to back in the routine of getting several customer quilts done and also working on my own stuff. A great balance to stay creative and feel that the work I do for customers can still be fresh and continues to develop.

So typically Monday is spent working on my own creative list of items! I was able to do my first Skill Builder Sampler block (twice DOH)  and blogged about lots of other items I'm working on as well. But it was technically a holiday, right? ;-) My DH was home, so there were some other things to take care of too.

Tuesday, I try to work on pattern writing and samples. After testing and getting the feedback on these patterns, I was able to publish two new patterns (now on Craftsy) Click on their logo to the right here on my blog to go directly to my patterns that are there. I hope to get test patterns out for at least two or three more shortly. I have the two "Charmed Network" test versions to quilt and finish next.

Wednesday and Thursday are intended to be days that I work on client quilts. Four client quilts got done, from small ones to LARGE ones, free-motion fills on all four which included bones stipple on two, loops on two, and one of the loops had specially placed free-hand stars too. Three are already picked up and they loved them, so that makes me feel good! Photos are always posted on my Facebook page as I do them in the 'Customer Quilts v.X' album....this year is v.3. Key lesson this week: when the quilt top is large, I still like to attach the bottom of the quilt top to the bottom leader with my red snappers, mid-size just do the short snappers in several spots, and a small quilt, typically not worry about it. But...if the loft of the batting is quite high, attaching the bottom of the quilt top to the bottom leader is very helpful in maintaining a consistent tautness across the quilt. Do you have any other tips? The wool bat was my biggest loft this week AND it was a big quilt. Ideally I like to stay at 96" or less in the smallest direction of a quilt because of my short table. This one was squeaky close inside 100". With the simple quilting stitch, it went fine. YEAH!

Several more quilts tops were put into the queue this week as well as another 'memory' quilt to be designed and made. Just talking to the individual requesting the 'memory' quilt is an emotional experience. They clearly want something to be made as a momento of their lost loved one, but don't have the emotional will power to do it themself. It is gratifying to me to be able to assist in their grieving process by creating something that they can treasure. I remember dealing with my Great Aunt's estate when she passed away years ago. There are so many details to deal with, but those kinds of details are ones that come easy to me to handle. Though my mother was handling the estate it felt good to be able to help her during that time i.e. calling creditors, opening mail and sorting bills, getting the death certificate, etc. At one point I almost thought of doing that as a business. The people who are emotionally involved often find it difficult to focus on these types of critical tasks. To me, it was a bit of a puzzle, a mystery, an investigation. All things, I enjoy!

Enough of my musings, need to get my Friday chores done and quilt a group effort quilt for a member of our guild with a minkee backing!....hope your year is off to a great start.

WIP 2011 Recap

What a year!
Here is my photofinish of my WIP projects for 2011 and a kickoff for 2012.

When I joined the WIP linkup part way into 2011, I started off with 13 projects on the list and the possibility of new patterns.

Original List Completed Items (above, l-r, 1st row then 2nd row)
One Fabric Wonder - Table Cloth
SuperNova-BlackHole

Starlight-Flutterbright

Jinny Beyer BOM 2010 'Jinny's Garden' --my version= "My Garden"
My First Journey

View from the Old Cellar

Psychedelic America


Original List Progress
EQ7 BOM blocks completed, EQ7 layout contest now due March 1.

Oddie's Wild Nature - several blocks completed, several to go, will keep working on this!

• Lonestar Wallhanging, setting blocks re-set, but really no progress
• Basket BOM still ready to quilt --definitely a 2012 project now!
• Tulip Wallhanging -still needs to be re-quilted
• Old duvet repurposed - still ready to quilt

New Patterns

- Hugs and Kisses

- Charmed Network

now available at

Craftsy

Ready to test several more. Great feedback from the Blog Shop Hop and Giveaway post in December! Thank you! 

Added to list...Completed items (above l-r, 1st row then 2nd row)
1892 Rondure
Mi Amore
Two Christmas Potholders
WWU Baby #1/spring theme
Pulsed Illumination
INMQ Challenge
Wine Valley Placemats
Fearless Design Placemat set --fancy quilting inspired by Sharon Schamber
WWU Baby #1/star theme




Added to list...Progress
These last few items have become part of the list since the last WIP posting in December. I've got a couple of Christmas mugrugs in progress too. One that was supposed to be done for our Guild's mugrug swap in December, but at least the person who liked it said I could finish it later!
Christmas MugRug
Charmed Network - 'Terrain' version  ** NEW PATTERN **
Charmed Network - 'Eva' version ** NEW PATTERN **
BMCU Table Runner
BMCU Mug Rugs
McCall's Mystery Quilt

 

2011 WIP STATS
Completed: 16
In Progress: 12....9 of which I do want to finish in 2012 ;-)

note...I'm dropping the tulip re-do, heart duvet quilting and lonestar projects going forward.

So what is new for 2012?

I've created quite a list from my piles in my stash, but will only add a few for now. Monday I talked about how I want to go about accomplishing this in amongst the real work of my business.

*1. Skill Builder Sampler {Sewn by Leila}-- I so wasn't going to do this one, but had a crazy idea, so now I want to and just got it started this week. Hoping to do one a week until I'm done.

2. Out of the Darkness - a Pam Bono design - I'll do one block a month and will likely report this on Monday's Design Wall/BOM's Away blog post. Major progress points, I'll include here.

3. Alaska Shop Hop "Trees" from 2007. - I'll do one block a month and will likely report this on Monday's Design Wall/BOM's Away blog post. Major progress points, I'll include here.

*4. McCall's Mystery - our 'Fearless Design' small group has decided to do this. It will be in three issues of the magazine. I got started a little early (see above), but also want to do a second version of fabrics.

5. Irish Hand Block (Céad Míle Fáilte) for the International Quilt Festival of Ireland -- Due Feb. 2 --are you doing one?

*6. Rose of Sharon Bird Block - this is my block that made it into Nine Patch Media's DVD from the Rose of Sharon Block Contest. I started a large version of this in 2010, so want to finish it up.

7. Peace Park -- can't wait to do this!!

*8. Snowflake/Blizzard - I won a few blocks in a block lotto several years ago. I have a rough design that I'd like to explore more and make this one. The block lottos of course are done ;-), but much more to do here! I even stole some in the past and used them in another quilt. HA!

9. 2007 Shop Hop the Blues - the first shop hop I did locally. I got the pattern from completing the shop hop and collected fabrics as I shopped. I want to get this collection of leftovers (once the quilt is pieced) back into my stash ;-)

10. 2009 Shop Hop the Blues - leaves, some applique some pieced, all blocks with pattern and material provided on the Shop Hop.

*started ;-)

2012 Stats

In Progress: 12

To start: 6

Thanks Lee for hosting the WIP linkup! I look forward to another great year of inspiration and accomplishments through the motivation and encouragement provided by all of you. Let's go DELVE INTO TWELVE!

Design Wall / BOM's Away Monday

Happy New Year! Great to look back on 2011 and see what has been done (stay tuned for the WIP on Wednesday update for a review of my WIP finishes for the year) and look forward to 2012 and to create a new list. Today will focus on my current Design Wall and on my BOM's Away progress, specifically my own personal projects (not usually my business related projects....but sometimes you just might get a sneak peak!)

In general for 2012 my plan is to work on 3 different BOM's until they are done. With January having 5 Monday's....this week I'm going to play catchup on a few things and a new mystery project is on my design wall today. But normally weekly I'm going to do the Skill Builder Sampler, Week 1 of the month I will also do an Alaska Shop Hop 2008 (I think) block, Week 2 I'll also do a Pam Bono Block from her 'Out of the Darkness' quilt. Week 3 and 4 I'll be working on some project hoping to start or finish something. There are a few things from my WIP 2011 list that still need to be finished, so I hope to keep them on the back burner and get to them as I can.

EQ7 BOM for 2011 is DONE!! Whoo Hoo!!

Here is December Diversion which did get done in time last week and was submitted before month end.

I used the Square-in-a-Square technique to make the flying geese. There are 5 different greens, this photo makes it seems like only two. The center block is a pale green and each direction of geese has its own green fabric which I had hoped to be a nice variegation.

Just waiting to hear about the 'layout' contest EQ7 will host now that the BOM is complete.

We Can Do It! Skill Builder Sampler Block #1 (This is from Leila's 'Sewn' blog). I have what I think is a really fun idea for putting these all together. She started this quilt-a-long several months ago, but I wasn't interested until this idea popped into my head. I couldn't get started though until the new year with everything else going on. I missed my opportunity to create an element of 'my cool idea' while on Christmas vacation, but hope I can still execute the idea sometime in the near future. I wanted this block #1 to be a true log-cabin vs. the pattern that was given, so did my own in EQ7. Unfortunately I mis-read the center block dimension so will need to re-do this!  I cut a 2.5" square instead of a 3.5" square. DOH!!!  UPDATED --> Got it right this time!

This is my fabric selection for the McCall's 2012 Mystery. Our small group 'Fearless Design' has decided to do this and see the different interpretations we create based on our fabric selections. I've completed the instructions for part 1 for this version of fabric.

I hope to get a second version done too in the pink/blue fabric set.

So...I'm linking up my BOM's Away at WhataHootQuilts and Design Wall at Patchwork Times. Check them out!