Quilts in Process

This has been a pretty productive week.  This Owl D9P has been quilted.  I would quilt a row and then go knit.  However, by the time I got to the end I was up to two rows at a time.

I finished embroidering the label and have sewn the binding to the front. 

Isn’t that owl cute?

I also got the owl 9 patch put together and ready for quilting.  I will be using the same Minkie and, in fact, I already have it on the frame.  I put the whole 3 yards on the frame before I started quilting the D9P so I just have to reattach the top of the leftover part and off I will be going, again.  Yea!!










And I even decided on my next baby quilt.  I have this bin of 30s  scraps that I have been trying to figure out how to use up (not my favorite type of fabric).  So I have a plan and will begin working on it this week.





I did not do any work on the big owl quilt but will be working on it side by side with these other three.

I get a lot of comments on how much I get done.  I do want to say that it takes me a lot longer these days to complete anything because I have to take rest brakes quite frequently.  I do try to knit while resting but sometimes even that is too much.  I have found that at least twice a week I now get/have to take naps (the puppies love that).  All that being said, I need to say that I am so grateful that I am able to work/play in my studio and knit everywhere.  God has been very good to me.

I am linking up with Patchwork Times so I can share the creativity of many other quilters.  Have a GREAT week.
Gari

Back to Normal

 
 Sharing this picture of DH shows a little of our long July 4th weekend with friends.  I had only three days at home to rest up from my trip to Mother’s before we were off for 4 days of fun and frivolity.  We got home Sunday night and although I got up and dressed on Monday I quickly returned to bed where the puppies and I napped on and off all day. 

On Tuesday I again was up and dressed but still tired so I used my time knitting.  Here are two dishcloths and one washcloth.  I have a couple more that worked on while at Mother’s but I still need to weave in the yarn ends.






I spent Wednesday doing laundry and winding bobbins for the quilt on the frame.











And today I started quilting.  I forgot to take a picture until I had rolled for the second pass.  I would have done the second row but a storm blew up with thunder so I decided to return to knitting for the rest of the afternoon. 










I can show how the back is turning out.  I love how the stitching shows on the Minkie.  I am doing just the loops on the border and some individual designs on the blocks.  If the weather behaves I should have better shots for Monday’s post.

 I have worked for a few hours on this sweater.  It is pretty show going but I now have about 5” of the yoke done.  I need about 2 1/2” more before I can start on the sleeves: keep knitting!







We did have a little drama today as our 15 year old Shi-Tzu became ill: unresponsive, good eye closed (she is blind in the other eye) but she didn’t appear to be suffering.  I took her to the vet who said that she was breathing all right and had only a mild fever.  He gave her a shot, a Rx for an antibiotic, and meds for her eyes.  She seems some better but I anticipate that this is only temporary. 

While at the vet’s he told us about a doxie that is looking for a new home.  I had to resist my normal “I’ll take her” because I have already realized how difficult it is to handle the 3 I now have when I take them out on their leashes.  And DH reminded me that it has been especially difficult when I was having to use my cane. 

So we are planning for a quiet weekend which I hope will include plenty of quilting, knitting, appliqueing, and maybe even some regular sewing.  How about you?    Gari

Good Start to May

Every day last week I put in some time quilting DH's Boots quilt.  After quilting the majority of the quilt I began detailing the 12 boots.  This morning I made it up to the top row of boots when I discovered this.  The top of this boot had not been appliqued down.  Of course I did make them about 2 years ago but it was a shock when the hopping foot tried to take that piece of fabric out. 





I decided to cover this mistake with a curlicue stitching.  It took me longer than I expected to detail all of the boots because of the numerous thread changes due to the variety of colors I had used.  I must remember that when working on other applique projects. 

And early today I completed the quilting of this quilt.  I still need to cut the strips for the binding but that will have to wait until I can clear the cutting table.  I must figure out how to put things away so they don't pile up where I don't really want them. 













Below are two of the several quilt labels I am making.  I used to make my labels as I finished my quilts but I have fallen woefully behind.  But our guild is having a show in November so I am trying to get caught up. 

And last but not least, here is my
design wall today.  I decided to finally get busy working on my Celtic Solstice.  I had pieces but nothing put together so today I put 5 blocks together and up on the wall.  And I seem to have made a mistake: can you find it?  I guess I know what I will be doing tomorrow.  :-(



I will be linking with Patchwork Times along with several other talented quilters.  I never have time to read all the blogs that link there but if you go over there, too, between us we can get them all read.  :-)  Have a great week,  Gari

Having Fun in the Studio

This has been a great week.  Both Sadie and I are feeling great and I completed the quilting on this Carol Doak BOM quilt.










It is 78 x 78 and will make a great throw.














I had a couple of people ask me how to mark for the ending of a panto.












Here are my markings.  Can you see the arrow where I am skipping an area because it is off the quilt top.  I drew all the way across so I could have a continuous line of stitching and still keep in the pattern. 








I have to say, I am very happy with how this quilt has turned out.














I got it all trimmed and the binding made so it should be completely completed this weekend.











While I was cleaning off the cutting table I found this pattern that Rhonda sent me some time ago.  She made a mug rug and gave it away, not to me ( ) but shared the pattern so I am going to make a couple to give away.  I have three drawn out and will begin searching for the fabrics next week.










I also drew out the letters for the three components of Block #1 of the Quilt Show’s BOM for this year.  For each of the letters there are also patchwork blocks.  I have not chosen the fabrics for that part yet and even need to find the right fabric for the letters.  I guess I still have a lot of prep work to do here. 







Last but certainly not least, look at how I am doing with my toe up, two at a time socks.  I have to say that so far this has really been easy.  I am almost ready to begin the gusset and heel and I figure that I will have to pay special attention since I will be doing these backward to how I have been knitting them.  I know that once I completely understand the pattern it will be OK but, oh how I hate that learning curve.

However, there will be no learning, knitting, sewing or quilting on Friday.  DH and I will be quietly celebrating our 53rd anniversary.  We had planned to see The Hobbit but the 3D version is not showing around here anymore and since we will soon be able to rent the 3D version to see at home we have decided to see Frozen.  Besides, who needs all that “war” stuff while we are celebrating the longevity of our love ?

So while we are having fun, you have a great weekend …… Gari

Slowed Down but Still Moving

Isn’t he cute?  It took a while but I finally found a white fabric that doesn’t shadow the black wings.  He is all stuck together but is currently resting on wax paper, waiting for me to decide on a background fabric.








Somehow I seem to have let my owl BOM blocks (Fat Cat Patterns) fall by the wayside.  So this weekend I pulled out all the put together blocks, I am at least 2 months behind, and got this one appliqued.  I hope, by the beginning of November, to be ready to start putting the newer blocks together as well as appliqueing the ones I already have ready.  This will be a beautiful quilt, someday. 










I did do some quilting on my Halloween tablerunner.  I am using this as a learning tool for McTavishing but sometimes it is a little hard to see where I am going when I am quilting purple thread on purple fabric.  I am having some thread breakage problems but I think it is the thread and not the machine……I hope.






And I knitted.  This is the first slipper: it is made using alpaca wool, oh, so, very soft.   I already knew that reading and following a pattern would be difficult for me, I have never been able to do it in quilting.  So I think I pulled this apart at least 10 times before I could finish the heel/gusset.  This is very chunky yarn and some of the slip stitches became holes but they have been grafted shut and this slipper is done.




And the second one is started.  After reading how so many knitters complete one sock and then have difficulty getting the second one done, I decided that I must begin the second sock immediately on completion of the first.  So far this has been working. 





Several times this week I have had knitting buddies.  Here we are all three sitting on the deck swing where I have spent several happy mornings knitting.










While out on the deck I decided to update Fred so he could cheer for Auburn’s football game on Saturday.
















And it worked!!  With Saturday’s win they/we are ranked #11, pretty good from being completely out of the rankings.










So, now that all the excitement is over I will retreat back to my little studio and see if I can get a little more done this week.  DH came home from his weekend away and all last week dropped in so many times it seemed that I had installed a revolving door.  But I am so very lucky, he really likes being with me. 

I will be linking up with Patchwork Times and What a Hoot.

Have a great week,    Gari

Blank Wall

Right now there is nothing on my design wall.  To see what I had there until Friday check out my last post here.

I have, however been busy. 

I belong to a Yahoo list, Homequiltingsystems, and their Frame Friday encourages me to keep something on my HQ.  So on Friday I put this QAL from two years ago on so I can get it ready to give as a comfort quilt. 




I got everything loaded and set up and began quilting.

Then, suddenly, everything came to a stop and I couldn't move the machine forward.  I checked the wheels, if there was something on the track, if I had left something on the panto table, if a cord was caught up on something, and anything else I could think of. 




And here is what I finally found.  The track on the carriage had moved.  Can you see how far off of the carriage it has gotten.  Only the back part of the track is off so the first part was still in place.  And, I couldn’t pick up the machine and move the tracks.  Besides, I would also need to figure out what to use to more permanently stick the track down before I put everything back.  So I packed it in for the night.












Saturday DH and I spent spending money at Lowes: pool supplies, plant supplies, weed eradicator supplies, and metal to metal glue.  Then we went home and glued.  The directions said to wait 24 hours before using so I spent some time stitching applique teapots.





Sunday afternoon found me back to quilting.  Yea!













I am really happy with how this is looking.














This is the panto I am using. I like how it is showing up in the large white spaces and then seems to disappear when it comes to the blocks.  I am using a very soft pink.











Here is the name: it comes from Urbanelemtz. 












This is my Walmart gardenia bush.  I am so happy with it as it almost died the first winter and now look at all those blooms.

















Beauty and scent, what a wonderful combination that is greeting me every morning. 










And, of course, this is just above that beautiful bush.  Life is good.

Have a great week.

Scraps and Quilting

Moving right along.  Every time I got tired of quilting on Henrietta I would work on these blocks.  Now they are done and I have begun adding the sashing. 
















And, Henrietta is quilted  (earlier individual blocks can be seen here).







When I had all that empty space it was really hard to not quilt feathers.  Funny thing is that once I learned how to quilt them I want to put them on everything. 

I did little freemotion shingles on the roof and curtains on the windows. 



















And this is the last block.  I put a vine of leaves, lots of different leaves, to go with the acorn. 
Today I hope to get the binding on so it can get hung before the end of the month.




Lots of people have been making lists of UFOs, WIPs, etc., but I don’t because I hate to feel pushed by my project friends.  However, what has happened is that they, along with scraps, have taken over my studio and there is no space to work anymore. 

So…..on May 1st I am taking a week long break from sewing/quilting and I am going to devote my time to cleaning. 

Part of my plan is to relocate all non-quilting fabrics to free-up space for quilting stash.  If I get a lot done, I think I will put in some time sorting my scraps. 

I will be linking up with Patchwork Times so everyone can see all the wonderful work quilters around the world are working on.

Have a great week,  Gari