Hooked on Quilting

Here's my list of unfinished projects that were either bought or started or not started in 2007: 1. Gossamer Petals - Found again in Jan 2009 2. Hopscotch Two - Top almost finished 3. Mystery Quilt - Red - May not finish; not sure it's all here 4. Underground Railroad - May not finish; not sure it's all here 5. Olde Tyme Anvil - Sashing is next 6. Valentine Heart Wall Hanging - Ready for binding 7. French Braid - Sashing is next 8. Double Irish Chain - Some blocks completed 9. Oakland Bay Sampler - Not started 10. Sentimental Floral - Not started 11. Short Stacks - Top Finished 12. Thimbleberries Club 2007 - Not started 13. Take 5 - Only binding left 14. Just Can't Cut It

Merry Christmas to all!

Okay, since I'm really, really, hooked (on everything I see) and want to do it all!!! I've decided to start tacking on some 2008 projects to my long list of 2007 UFOs. The list, so far: Bonnie Hunter's Mystery Quilt Kim of Block Central's Somewhere in Time Dorothy Young's Just Your Size Sindy's Baltimore Blues Applique I just bought another kit the other day...I need to get organized!!! Do you know of any others to do? Please post them here! I need more UFOs.

I had my HQ16 ProStitcher installed today. If only I had time to play. I have so much left to do before I can quilt with this wonderful machine. I'll take a photo of it once it's up and running. If only I had someone to clean my house, bake my cookies, Christmas shop and then wrap the gifts. Sigh. I'll get there...soon! Hope it won't be until Christmas Day!

My ProStitcher has just arrived and all I have to do is have it installed. I'm so excited!!!

Well, here's why I haven't been around and quilting...after 27 years in our home, my husband is retiring and we are going to move!!! The basement was the dumping ground for everything and anything. I'm a saver, but totally unorganized, so when the first floor got a bit messy, out came a paper ream box and everything went in it, from the kids report cards to the latest JoAnn's flyer. Need I say more for what's been occupying my time? Finally, I have three boxes left in the contractor's way and tomorrow, hopefully, I'll find the space to bring them up to go through and toss stuff...maybe. The garage is now a holding area as well. I'd take photos, but you really don't want to see the mess, trust me! Anyway, I really want to do Bonnie Hunter's Carolina Crossroads mystery quilt , but the guilt to take time away from cleaning would be too great. So, this will just have to wait, sadly. I have a ton of other projects to add to my list...I'll be back

Well, I've been so busy with life that I've not had time for sewing/quilting. I aim to change that soon! The great news is that I bought the Pro-Stitcher and it's being shipped December 13. I think it will make great strides toward finishing SOMETHING!!!! Back soon.

Lots of things have happened, but, alas, no quilting or piecing since June!!! The good thing is that I went to Handi Quilter University and learned soooooooo much. I'm very excited and motivated to complete some projects. More soon.

My babysitting stint is complete and I believe she had a good time and not too terribly bored or whatever... I'm going to try to get my life back in order today and make some calls and appointments, go to Curves, nails, hair, etc. The clothes dryer needs some attention. I'll check in later today or tomorrow. Can't decide which project needs my attention first! I need some photos and maybe I need a better way of reporting my progress on each one. Have any ideas? If you have a blog and would like me to link to yours, just shoot me an email.

This is my last week to babysit my two year old granddaughter. It's been a blast, but no quilting has gotten done nor have I had the chance to even look at any of them the numerous projects I've started. Can't wait to get back to them. Talk with you soon.

Just thought I'd check in. This is the first week of three that I'll be babysitting so I won't be making much progress. I didn't want my blog to look too abandoned.

I'll be checking in during the next few weeks, but don't expect progress on any of the 27 projects. I've listed them here so that I can be held accountable for them all and if you feel a need to prod me (after June 24), please do. There's so many classes I'll miss in June (I'm sure that's a good thing!) and their classes really slow down once school is out, so maybe I won't miss too much. Please feel free to comment on any of my posts! I'll be back soon.

My quilting has come to an abrupt halt as I agreed to watch my 2-year old grandchild for the month of June. She's a handful and no quilting and no more visiting the LQS as she might rearrange all the fabric in a nanosecond. She's a cyclone in the making. My love for quilting hasn't waned, just need to take care of her while her parents further their careers and make lots of money!

I went to a demo by an up and coming artist and bought some patterns of hers, but since I didn't buy the fabric for any of them, I can't call this a project. I'll add them if or when I ever step out of the box and not buy a kit.

I accidentally went to the LQS on the wrong day and ended up signing for a class that I had tried to resist! Did I mention that I was hooked? I used some fish fabric and it's looking really nice, but the class is over and I'm still not making any progress on this one. This was an early May project.

Another class at my LQS...surprised??? I decided to do a muted Bargello Heart quilt. So, I bought my fabric and it appeared that I had enough for a larger size, but, unfortunately, somehow, my stratas were crooked so I went back to the smaller size. Again, hit a stumbling block and it's unfinished and I didn't make the last class so no motivation here! This was an early May project.

Oh, my goodness, more backtracking. This was one of the BOMs that I thought would keep me busy. The fabric was bought (the same colors as their example--remember I'm not much on outside-the-box stuff), some of it cut, but this project hasn't gotten off the ground yet either. Maybe I just like to start projects??? I'm sure it's a disease of some sort.

Back in February, March and April, I visited my LQS very frequently and at one of the many classes, the shop had accepted someone else's stash for re-sale...as a courtesy to them. I bought $200 worth of fabric so I could say I had a "stash." "Hooked on Quilting" describes me, doesn't it? I wonder if it's a disease...know a cure?

I just bought four yards of this fabric to use somewhere--someday! I thought I'd make a quilt for each of my grandchildren...hopefully before they start college. I just recorded this so I wouldn't forget it...not sure what I did with the fabric now, though.

This was a cute kit that I bought from an Internet shop...they made a mistake and had to ship the rest of the fabric later...of course I hadn't noticed because I hadn't even opened the first package. Can't remember when this was purchased...I'll look it up one of these days.

Another kit that I just couldn't resist...it's untouched and could have been purchased as early as February. Got to stay away from my LQS.

This is another kit that I thought I'd try...just thought it would be easy. It's printed blocks with borders. Not sure when I purchased it, but probably in March or April. It's been around awhile.

I decided it was time to learn to paper-piece. You guessed it, I took a class at my LQS. I've gotten two blocks finished and I missed last class so it's still sitting here unfinished. I'm not sure this is for me, but I'll give it another chance as soon as they invent the 30 hour day. Started mid-April.

Oh, my goodness...I must backtrack again...why wasn't I blogging back then? This was a Thimbleberries Club side project. A table topper! I had help from my LQS and I actually finished it!!! This was the third project with my Handi-Quilter. I did a pattern, but later went back and filled it in with meandering...I need to do some frogging (taking out) of the pattern because it was awful!!! The meandering quilting helped, but the pattern shows in places. I'm hand sewing the binding while I watch TV. This may have been a March or April project, not sure.

I couldn't make the class on this one either, but I bought the kit. Early April - Not started yet.

This is yet another class at my LQS (since I've started taking classes, they have expanded...guess who's paying their rent!) for a wrapped star quilt. I just love taking classes...I must finish these quilts...I must!!!! I ended up not being able to attend the class, but I bought the fabric and it's not started...anyone see a pattern here? This was in late March.

I took a binding class in mid-March at my LQS, so I'm officially trained in bindings...think I'll ever get to use this training? So many unfinished projects and there's just not enough time to do them all!

I decided that I'd take just one more class from my LQS and finish the other spare bedrooms (I have three!) with blue and yellow! Fabulous colors--also chosen by my good friends at the LQS. It's a king size...I must really be crazy in love with quilting! I've gotten a lot finished...I think...it was started in mid-March and I haven't done anything since. Sigh!

I actually didn't realize it, but I bought what I now know as a cheater panel!!! I finished it, but didn't apply a border so it's just a panel with binding and I've quilted it...cute, but small. I need to fill in some open areas and add a label and I'll have actually finished a project, can you believe it? Photo coming--one of these days!

Another project out of order... My LQS had just gotten some black and white prints and I'd just gotten a daybed frame for another spare bedroom, so I thought I'd go dramatic! It's got a small red burst of color in the Short Stacks pattern. Not started, but purchased in late January or early February.

Yikes, I forgot...more backtracking. I signed up for a Short Stacks quilt and all the blocks are cut and I've laid them out...rows are not sewn together yet. This was probably a mid-February project. Sorry! I forgot about it!

I spotted this BOM on the Internet and purchased the kit for queen sized quilt for a spare bedroom. I love the colors, but, of course, it's still not started.

I decided that I should do some BOM's, so I scoured the Internet and came across this Oakland Bay Sampler BOM that was over and no longer available. I pleaded with the shop running it to get me a used pattern and they helped me chose the fabrics. This king size quilt will go in my bedroom...it's still sitting here not even started yet!

The hook is overpowering...and there's a sale! Free shipping if you buy the mid-arm quilting machine and table! So, I ordered it! Can you believe it? I took one lesson and just had to have it. Still practicing...it arrived early March.

This is a beautiful project for my daughter who is getting married this year. It's made from purple and red fabric and a few batiks, so I had to wash the fabric first for a class at my LQS in mid-February. I've been much better with the work on this queen quilt top. I'm almost finished the top...no borders yet.

In my effort to take a finished project to the Thimbleberries Club, I decided to do something for Valentine's Day. I made a wall hanging of four hearts outlined in a black inside border with a pretty pink outside border. I took the top to the meeting for Show and Tell. This was started in February.

Well, my LQS scheduled another class, Olde Tyme Anvils!!! Those chose my fabrics and I have almost finished the top. Still have a couple of rows to sew together. Sigh. Project started mid-February.

Okay, so I didn't have enough to do...yeah, right! I signed up at my LQS for the BOM for the Underground Railroad!!! Yeah, I finished the first one!!! Project started early February.

Just to keep you up-to-date and the posts in project order, this is Project #4, the Thimbleberries Club additional project of a table runner using the double heart block from the "Big Club Quilt." Project #6 - not started as of June 1, 2007. Ugh! Darn I date this stuff????

Finally, I started my first project with the Thimbleberries Club 2007. It was the double heart block--it went very well. The Club made available to the members a kit using those same hearts in a table runner--I bought it--Project #6!!! Yikes, "hooked on quilting" is an understatement. Started late January.

My LQS just started a Mystery Quilt in late January...I couldn't resist...I chose red!!! Project started late January.

I signed up for another class at my LQS and it was Take "5" and it was another kit so all I had to do was cut and sew! The top is almost finished...just have to sew on the borders and quilt. Sign...UFO again. Project started mid-January.

Since I don't really have an eye for color or a vision of any sort, I started buying kits. I took my first class which was "Hopscotch Two." It was a very easy class and the top is finished for the most part. I think I still have to add the borders, but it's still on my list of "to-dos." Project was started mid-January. Photos to follow.

As I caught you up on my hookage (is that a word?) of quilting, let me finish the table runner drama. It was the first meeting of the Thimbleberries Club and they give out prizes if you bring a finished project. I only had one, so I through some batting between the layers and just "stitched in the ditch" or at least that's what I thought I was doing. Looked terrible, but I planned that during "Show and Tell" that I wouldn't let anyone really see it! I'd never done a binding and looked through some books and read some online resources and hacked away at it. Unfortunately, I sewed the binding incorrectly and it just barely covers the sandwich and it's way too narrow...I just gave up and pinned the rest and took it with me to show. My name wasn't drawn for a prize anyway, so it's still sitting here...maybe next fall????

A little backtracking here to October 2006...all my children had moved out of the house. I now had three empty bedrooms. Hopefully, none of my children will come home now and the rooms are mine to use!!! I had bought a really expensive sewing machine - a Viking Designer SE. I decided to turn one of the bedrooms into a sewing room. I've always had to use the kitchen table to sew and put the machine away each time. What a wonderful thought that I could leave it up all the time! So, I moved everything out and painted the walls and decided to quilt a wall hanging to christen the room. The fact that I hadn't quilted before wasn't going to stop me. I searched online for wall hanging patterns and came across the Thimbleberries Club that I just had to join. I found a Local Quilt Shop (LQS) and drove the 40 minutes to investigate. Well, there was no room in the Club...I pleading and begged and they called to see if they could add another person. Two days later and several annoying c