Winding down and gearing up.

1. Layer cake started at retreat
2. Catch up on my CQA 52 blocks in 52 weeks
3.  Layout, join blocks and quilt and bind my last Baby Bricks #3
4. Stitch the last 3 blocks for QOVC for 2019 samples and cut kits
5. Make some samples of Garden Stiles for Canada Stitches for October
6. Quilt and Bind Sunrise
7. Quilt and bind QOVC log cabin #3
8. Quilt and bind QOVC log cabin #4
9. Quilt and bind Joannes quilt top for QOVC
10. Summer Solstice.
11. Rainbow scrap challenge blocks in black/brown/gray
12. Doorprize for modern guild for Oct
13. Meadow  Mist mystery step 2 
14. Complete  my mitten block  

This was my list for October and I did fairly well, adding in one last project for the month.  We are leaving on a jet plane soon and this all that is going to get done.  This mitten has been waiting for a long time to go from pattern/fabric to a small hanging for my hallway display.  Perfect for December/January?

Sunrise got quilted. I had so many ideas but in the end, just wanted it done so did something simple.
Binding is finished as well and will have a better picture after I show it at Wednesday Divas tomorrow.

My 52 blocks in 52 weeks are caught up.  I was behind by 9 weeks but once you cut the fabric for the blocks, they go together very quickly

The last thing I wanted to get to the quilt top stage was this Missouri star pattern using layer cakes.  I changed it when I didn't think I liked the way it looked... but now, I think the first way was probably the best?

It was really hard to balance the colours and drove me crazy rearranging blocks until I finally said "enough" and just put it together.  It will join one other top waiting for quilting.  Not bad, only two tops!
I am now tidying and organizing my spaces and will dust, vacuum and then am done until we return home later this year.  For the first time in many years, I am looking forward to being home and doing a bit of Christmas baking... trying to think positive here!

Am sure that not much sewing/piecing/quilting will get done for the rest of this month because my machine at my other house needs servicing badly.  She has been neglected for about 7 years and I think it is time to give her some professional TLC.  This year is going to be much better for me for quilting.  I will be able to join the quilting group, Sunland Stitchers as my tennis game days have changed and am looking forward to being a part of the group.

Rain should mean productivity time in my sewing room.

It 'should' mean that I am being productive but I feel like I am getting nowhere and not crossing much off my list of things that I would like to get done.  Sigh....


1. Layer cake started at retreat
2. Catch up on my CQA 52 blocks in 52 weeks
3.  Layout, join blocks and quilt and bind my last Baby Bricks #3
4. Stitch the last 3 blocks for QOVC for 2019 samples and cut kits
5. Make some samples of Garden Stiles for Canada Stitches for October
6. Quilt and Bind Sunrise
7. Quilt and bind QOVC log cabin #3
8. Quilt and bind QOVC log cabin #4
9. Quilt and bind Joannes quilt top for QOVC
10. Summer Solstice.
11. Rainbow scrap challenge blocks in black/brown/gray
12. Doorprize for modern guild for Oct

I added my list so I could see if I could cross off any items.  Managed a couple! But still feel frustrated.
What I have accomplished:
I caught up on my Meadow Mystery step 2 and I started trimming the leftover triangles from step 1. That actually felt like it took forever!

My teal swap came in the mail and this is what my partner, Sharon in NL sent me. Quite perfect and instead of using it as a mug rug, I put it up on the wall as a reminder.  The next two pictures are both sides of the mug rug I made her plus I sent her one of my zip pouches made in teal fabrics.

I worked on the layer cakes and no matter how I rearranged them, they just didn't look good to me so.... I took off the second border on each block and mixed them all up and stitched them on again. I have played with the layout for far too much time and am ready to just stitch the blocks together.
My first attempt looked like this:

My second attempt is looking like this:

I can see more blocks that I should move around but the problem is, when I move one, it creates a problem that I don't like, elsewhere, and I have been manipulating these all morning. I don't think I would make this again.  It is a Missouri star pattern that should be so darn easy but with so many duplicate fabrics in the layer cake, it doesn't seem to flow when I look at it.  I almost think that the first arrangment was ok and should have left it alone!  This might go into my UFO bin for a time out.

At the very end of September, I got my five yellow brick road quilts all finished except for a couple of bindings.  They are now done and ready to donate to We Care in our guild.

And my brown Rainbow scrap challenge blocks are done.  Ready to be put away with the rest of the blocks that I started last January and dealt with later. The colour for this month was brown and black and I ended up making 64 blocks.  Almost enough for a complete quilt.

I did manage to also get a few blocks for Canada Stitches made.  This is the paths and stiles block.

And my blocks that were the second set of 3 for Quilts of Valour got made and I also cut kits for the blocks.
Second 3 blocks made a total of 6 new ones for 2019.

So I need to focus on updating my 52 blocks in 52 weeks and deciding what to do with these layer cake blocks!
I also got my Janome back from servicing and need to crawl around on the floor and get her plugged in and set up to start stitching.
Happy Thanksgiving to all of my family and friends here in Canada. 

2019 Finish A Long third quarter

These are my finishes for the Finish - A - Long, 3rd quarter
My original list is here:

https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=7698960197369258798#editor/target=post;postID=3130720701384553961;onPublishedMenu=allposts;onClosedMenu=allposts;postNum=15;src=postname

1 - 5: Hug blocks.  Completed.  There were 11 made, not the 5 I had originally thought to make.  All my hugs blocks are gone!

6. Disappearing 9 patch: Finished!

7. Churn Dash - completed.

8. rainbow scrap challenge hst quilt from 2017 is finished.

9. Cutting mat carrier is complete.

10. Beehive got modified.  Instead of just using the 10" squares that came with the pattern, I changed my idea, added in another set of 10" squares and finished this quilt.

11. I made rail fences for the RSC last year, in  2018.  I ended up with 6 quilts from all those blocks.

 12. Polka Dot Blocks from 2018 is done.

13. Canadian blocks made into a quilt for Quilts of Valour.

14.  Last but not least, my Welcome from Patchabilities... a three year old project is complete and ready for this autumn.

And here it is ... October. Fall is in the air!

Not too bad, out of 21 projects last month, 5 didn't get worked on or finished.  I am happy with that!

But, I do have a lot of finishes to show you.  I was busy with some deep cleaning of my house while my husband was away hunting but, on the last day, I went crazy with quilting, binding and finishing projects so I could cross things off my list!
First two projects to show you are two more of my zip pouches using Terry Atkinson's method of using only one side of a zipper.  The first one I made was given to my good friend who was in love with it. I will tell you that if want to make these pouches with this method... do NOT use Walmart zippers (they unravel and fall apart, the tape is very thin).  I had picked two up when there to buy a gift card for my granddaughter and cursed the entire time.  The zippers I purchased at Fabricland were great as were the others in my stash. 

 And I finished this bowl cozy and cannot remember if I showed this before.  I finished it at retreat but it was started last December!

Last month, I did a workshop for my local guild and we made log cabin (Light in the Window) blocks and I brought home all the blocks that weren't taken by others to make quilts.  I worked on these at retreat and then this past weekend, spent two full days, (after the house was totally cleaned and before my husband returned home), loading them on the B-line quilting system, getting them quilted, and spent Monday and Tuesday, binding.  WHEW!!

 There are two more of these log cabin quilts to finish.  One is now quilted, waiting for binding and the other is just simply, waiting!

I also used a panel in this block pattern, for Quilts of Valour, but a little different than the log cabin block.

Plus, a bonus, I managed to add borders to and quilt and bind my polka dot blocks from the Sparrow blocks that I made in 2018.  DONE!

My Yellow brick road quilts for kids that I made using my Berenstein bears fabrics are layered, spray basted and waiting for me to get them quilted and bound.  I took my Janome machine in for servicing and am missing it for doing these quilts.  I might have to dig out my old but trustworthy Pfaff 7570 to do the job while Janome is working on my machine.

And Sunrise has been waiting a month.

But I did get this year's Sparrow blocks quilt finished.  I was making the 50 blocks in 50 weeks and started last November.  However, I realized that I didn't need that many blocks so stopped at 30 blocks and made the quilt.  Another finish!

I am still loving my white board with post it notes for keeping track of projects in various stages.  Some are ideas, some are in plastic bags, some are blocks, some will possibly never get done!  But they are listed and I peruse the list regularly.  It is such a good feeling to peel off a post it note and add it to the wall below as the month progresses.

My list for October is mostly finishes but I did add in a new project I started at retreat.  If I can most of these done, I will be a very happy quilter.

1. Layer cake started at retreat
2. Catch up on my CQA 52 blocks in 52 weeks
3.  Layout, join blocks and quilt and bind my last Baby Bricks #3
4. Stitch the last 3 blocks for QOVC for 2019 samples and cut kits
5. Make some samples of Garden Stiles for Canada Stitches for October
6. Quilt and Bind Sunrise
7. Quilt and bind QOVC log cabin #3
8. Quilt and bind QOVC log cabin #4
9. Quilt and bind Joannes quilt top for QOVC
10. Summer Solstice.
11. Rainbow scrap challenge blocks in black/brown/gray
12. Doorprize for modern guild for Oct
13. Meadow  Mist mystery step 2 
14. Complete  my mitten block 

You know I will end up adding to this list and I don't expect to get all done, but if the rain comes as predicted, you never know what I might accomplish.  I would like to add in cleaning up my mess, sorting my scraps by colour,  and getting rid of dust bunnies! But, as always, one day at time.

Enjoy your autumn weather.  Yesterday and today are glorious even if we have cooled off drastically this week. 

September is amost over.... for another year.

I went back to look at my goals for September.  Today is Saturday... I have three days to see if I can finish one or two more on this list but feel that actually did accomplish a lot of what I hoped to get done.


1. Polka dot blocks -  ready to quilt
2. Solstice (will I ever get around to this?)
3. RCS blocks for Sept 19
4. Ohio Star blocks (not very excited about this)
5. Replace Joanne's US flag block
6. Cut up kid's fabrics for Yellow Brick Road quilts (heartstrings fq challenge)
7. Make up the zip pouches that I have kits for
8. Woodland kid's quilt - Mary's strippie pattern?
9. Quilter's planner blocks
10. In from the cold block
11. Make more of Marge's blocks
12. Make more hourglass blocks
13. Stitch some blocks for Canada Stitches
14.Teal block swap
15. Quilt rail fence #5
16. Quilt rail fence #6
17. Quilt Missouri Star Diamond Chain
18. Quilt Sparrow blocks quilt
19.Diamond Chain
20. Strippie kid's quilt 
21 Baby block preemie 1 & 2 

My husband is away on his annual hunting trip and, while it will be a short few days, I have done the heavy cleaning that I like to do when there is no one to walk on the wet carpet on our stairs or walk across the hardwood floors before the wax coating is dry.  The fridge is clean! Lots of jobs done but not much quilting, sadly.  However, am hoping for a good couple of days to see what can be finished up.  I still have a small jobs around the house, month end desk work to do and then am free to stitch (and do all the dirty laundry that comes home).

No pictures for you.  My zip pouches were the last things I made.  But, I did take two sewing machines in for servicing and crossing my fingers that my Janome will be back sooner than the date they aimed for.  Who knew that technicians were so busy?

I promise, pictures tomorrow!

Off to get more jobs finished and then sewing to  my heart's content.

3 days at retreat and a weekend of wet weather

 I spent three days last week at retreat with my Wednesday quilting group.  This is my room. 

 This is where we stitched to our heart's content.

 My personal set up with my machine and a borrowed design wall.

 These two baby brick preemie quilts got quilted and bound. And the strippie quilt got quilted and bound as well.

 I changed the U.S. flag at the top of this quilt and put in some maple leaves, made by Penny. 

 And, I played with using panels in Quilts of Valour

 A bowl cozy got finished that I started last December.  Why does it take so long?  And another Quilt of Valour, light in the window, got put together.

Lots of quilt tops now waiting for quilting.
This past weekend, I worked on my zip pouches... I meant to work on them at retreat but forgot to take fusible fleece with me.  The first is the Becca bag which inserts the zipper quite differently.

And then the others were kits from Connecting Threads that I finished up.

And one more made for a swap.

Busy and productive!