Wednesday, June 21, 2023

When Pigs Fly

 


Thank you JOAN for this very clever HOP.  If you haven't looked at the previous days' posts of those participating, you have to.  Lots of inspiration and advice on working thru those lanquished projects.

I didn't work a project to a finish, but rather I'm showing in honest what I have.  I have a strict 2-year policy - use it in two years or pass it on.  I am not a collector of fabric or projects.


This is my 'work space' in a corner of my living room.  I had taken this apart a several days ago as I needed to use some of these items at our Guild Show.  It gave a good reason to clean - vacumm, dust, and get all those pins up.  The small rolling cart has my thread and the tall cart - large drawers contain specialty fabrics and the small drawers hold pins, zips, special threads, templates, supplies, etc.




I don't keep things in bags as 1.  you tend to stash and forget,  2.  you can't see what is inside, 3.  they do not store easily and 4.  it attracts mice.
I prefer tight sealed containers for each project.  They stack well and are easy to store on a shelf AND visible to what is inside.




6.5" blocks that are replicas of guild members blocks from a president's challenge.  These do need to get into a flimsy before the year's end.




This was a travel project while I was taking the Hall of Fame quilt around for ticket sales.  It is two years old, and you can see I am trying to get this into it's flimsy stage.




This Hexi project just needs it's final border on and then sent off for quilting.  I hate doing borders, but this one is on it's timeline as well.




Another traveling project - yeah, I love to work hexies when you need a little hand project on the road.  All the 'tiles' are made so this needs to become a flimsy this year.

 


This was an on-line block of the month which has it's sashings and borders cut, so it is just a flimsy assembly needed.




This was a project using African Fabrics brought home from a guild member who traveld to Africa.  Again, sashings and borders are cut. 

 


This is a one-block wonder quilt - a technique taught during one of our guild's Saturday sew days.  I have fallen out of love with this and think this one will be a 'pass it along' project.

Some of these projects I plan to have ready for a Spring 2024 Quilt Show, so they will get done.




My main goal this year is to get 'that tote' of tops finally quilted.  Hey, I've gone from three large totes down to one.  I have been doing 3-5 quilts myself and then 'quilting by check' with 1-3  each month.  That tote should be empty at the end of this year.  These three tops I pulled to use as table covers at our quild show with the purpose that they WILL be the next ones quilted - not to go back in that tote!




Now I am ready to get to work.  My Juki has been thru a lot of years piecing and quilting - love this machine.  BUT she is getting a little grouchy (I do most of my own repairs), so I have been researching for a new machine - leaning toward the Baby Lock Jazz II!  Oh, I have 6 other machines used in our class room  - so not to worry.  (and I have a long arm)  Yes, I keep a herd. 

Please by sure to visit today's other guest hosts:

Just Let Me Quilt

Thursday, June 8, 2023

BRR and COUGH

 


We have been rather on the cool side - 50's-60's - with the weather current coming out of Canadian down swing.  It brought so many the same few days of smoke from the fires in Canada.    About an hour after I took this picture you could not even see the mountains - just an orange 'haze' thru the entire valley.  You can't go outside with out a mask and it has penetrated the house so I have a cough and sore throat.  Even my poor asthmatic kitty is having troubles.

 


The commission piece is at it's new home in New Jersey.  It was ordered by a nephew of one of our guild's (friend of mine as well) founding members.  They wanted someone who not only knew her, but sewed along with her.  I had some of "T"s stash from her estate which was used for the patchwork and leaf blocks.  The Majestic Mountain blocks green fabric came from another guild member's estate.  The background of muslin came from another guild member's estate (bestie with "T").  These three ladies were my quilting mentors and I was glad that I had that 'extra' touch to this piece.  The Loon Panel is by Northcott and chosen by the family for their love of loons and campsite in the Adirondack Mts. in upstate New York.




I had a young lady contact me to see if I would look at a quilt that was found in the attic whilst clearing her grandmother's estate.  I told her I wasn't cetified, but estimate the age and tell her the pattern and it's history.  Pieced on a treadle - yellows hand dyed - Old Maids Puzzle - hand quilted - this blanket for batting.  What a treasure and estimated around 1850-1870.  She said that made sense as it would have been her great grandmother  who apparently did a lot of quilts during the Civil War and dyed a lot of her own fabrics/wool.  I gave her a name and number of a certified appraisor for sake of having this insured.




Our guild had a Sit N Sew Saturday and folks could work on their own project or take a quick class with me on how to make these cute Button Boats.  I was so glad to use up that box of Bosal foam with them - a product that was new to all of them.  Since I am not teaching this class again, I gave all left over and even my 'step outs' away - YEAH an empty spot in the house.



AND we set up the quilts on Tuesday in preperation for our combined quilt/flower show at the local library.  Saturday we will have a guild sale booth and have a raffle quilt as well.

So I might not be blogging as much but still busy.  OH OH OH OH!! 




I  can't forget - making sure that I am ready for the next HOP.  This should be a real fun one - if everyone is honest (wink, wink).

Sewingly Yours,

Sharon