No time for my machine.

I am sure my sewing machine is missing me but there is no time for me to sew.  Doing fall cleanup, putting things away and getting ready to switch homes for the winter months.

See you in a couple of weeks!

After Thanksgiving - a finished UFO and new projects

I need to catch up with ya'll.  My dh left on a hunting trip (moose) and so I had a week of running here and there.  I headed to Vancouver Island to visit with my family for a few days and met up with a cousin from N. Carolina while there.  Came home and worked in the garden for a couple of days since our weather is incredibly awesome for October.  Hard to get it ready for winter when everything is still blooming and growing beautifully. 

And I made an effort to finish up a few projects before we head south for the winter. 

Using the Quilts of Valour Stonehenge, O Canada fabric, I made a totebag.

And, I made a table runner.

The big project that I am really happy about is finishing a UFO that is about 3 years old.  It was a package of flannels that I made into a Yellow Brick Road - some from the defunct Quiltopia and some fabric from my stash.  Feels good to have this one finished and crossed off the UFO list!

And then I made a preemie quilt to donate to the Special care nursery in New Westminster.

 

This summer, a good friend Susan gave me some Eeyore fabric and I made my grand daughter a quilt for her 4th birthday. 

 

 

 

My friends came for a quilting day while hubby was looking for moose in the wilderness and this is the project that I taught them.  Mine still needs layering and quilting and binding but I think it might go to live in my 'other' house so will take it as is and finish it there.  Takes up less room in my suitcase this way.

 

 

And, last but not least, I have two quilt tops ready for quilting but won't worry about finishing them until next spring when we return from our other house.  Thus, they are destined to become UFO's but will be in that category for only a few months.  These were made because I demonstrated the ruler from Lazy Girl/Lazy Angle as well as a technique from Missouri Star Quilts at the last guild meeting as suggestions for ways to make quilts for donation using your scraps. 

 

 

Housecleaning is done

I have spent the last few days doing major housecleaning after finding signs of an uninvited houseguest with 4 legs.  My house needed a good cleaning as I discovered when I started moving things and finding debris from summer (dead flies and other yukkies).  And, I cleaned windows!  So, no sewing for me for most this past week and now I am working on getting hubby organized and ready for his hunting trip. 

However, before the cleaning spree began, I managed to get my star blocks put together but I think I need a small black outer border on this one. 

And I got my 10" bordered squares quilt put together, ready for quilting.

A couple of friends want to come and have a lesson (or two or three) next week while hubby is hunting so I played with this table runner idea. 

Now, off to the kitchen since I have had a request for home made bread for this hunting trip.  So, need to get out the breadmaker and see if I have any yeast on hand.  Clouds have definately rolled in this morning.  Rain predicted this afternoon so I may get some quality time with my sewing machine. 

What's on my design wall

My design wall is busy.  First, I have been playing with the 6½" blocks that I collected from an 'ugly' fabric swap with my Wednesday quilting group.  Last fall, I made my Let's Twist quilt and figured out to create my own ruler since my squares were larger than 5" and didn't want to cut them all down. If you check out my blog from May 27, 2012, you will see the first quilt I made using the first half of the blocks.  We traded squares every week for months! 

And, I thought I would show you a picture of my latest 'gadget' that I am using to keep myself organized and on track.  A ridiculously expensive white board that is peel and stick and I absolutely love it. 

The blocks I have been working on for a couple of days are the scrappy strips, cut with the Lazy Angle ruler and then using some scrappy blacks for the side piece.  I have enough made for a perfect size for a Quilt of Valour and will get them sewn together this afternoon - AFTER I fill all my bobbins, dust and oil my machine and change the needle.  It is servicing time.  I do that after I have used 10 bobbins of thread and will fill those so I know next time it is ready for some TLC.

And last but not least, a girlie preemie quilt.  I had an email this week from Honour House asking me if I could provide two preemie quilts for twins born to a military family.  The twins were premature and are living in the special care nursery at Royal Columbian and mom and dad are staying at Honour House to be near their daughters.  My friend has a quilt that is girlie and I made a rail fence which needs to be quilted and bound in the next day or two. 

Getting a few projects completed.

Placemats for my grandchildren are finished.

The project on my design wall is the same as one I just finished quilting and binding for Quilts of Valour.  I have another started - this is such a simple and easy quilt pattern thanks to Missouri Star Quilts. 

And two Hallowe'en pillowcases for my grandchildren are finished.

Fabricland has some great aboriginal fabrics in stock and I made a variety of pillowcases for my daughters and grandchildren for Christmas.  I don't think they read this blog so they won't know what is coming their way! 

Am close to getting a few other projects underway - keep watching!!

Abbotsford guild Quilts of Valour

I had some stacks of red maple leaves given to me, some fabrics, a stack of pillowcases and some quilts at the guild meeting on Tuesday.
Thank you to all who contributed to Quilts of Valour.  My cupboard is no longer empty!