Hooked on Quilting

I hope everyone is having a great holiday and I hope you enjoy your time with your family and friends! I didn't get any of my projects finished...does that mean I've been naughty? or just not been good? Take your pick! Anyway, have a great holiday. Gloria

Kelly at Charming Chatter is hosting a wonderful wishlist give-away . Kelly wants to hear our favorite Chrismas memory. We should also share our Christmas wish from things offered from her quilt shop. How sweet!!! We lived in a center hall Colonial and our bedroom door was right near the steps. Nearly every year, my four children would come into our room EARLY and beg us to let them go down and see if Santa came. I made them wait and wait and wait at the top of the stairs to build up the excitement (they'd inch their way down, step by step) until one year, the oldest had this brilliant idea of going down and checking first and then he woke everyone up saying that Santa came...needless to say, we had a long discussion with him about the Santa thing for his younger siblings!!! Back to the give-away, here's my list of things I'd love to have from her shop: The thing I really, really, really want is the Stella Blue quilt kit--did you see the colors??? How can you resist? I wan...

I've finished Step 1 and am on Step 2. Here's a link to the fabric requirements from Bonnie's site.

So, I registered my iPhone and it worked! However, my second post didn't. :( Maybe it will come soon! It was a photo of my November "Picnic" Schnibbles fabric choices...not started at all so no parade for me...maybe December's????

Sent from my iPhone

Here's my October Schnibbles - just the top. Sigh. Just now choosing my "Picnic" fabric for November...no parade for me AGAIN!

Had a great Thanksgiving, hope you did, too! I found a great app for my iPhone that is really going to help me stay organized with my quilting projects!!! We shall see. I have a ton of quilts planned: Finish my grandson's nursery Schnibbles - November (after today, December's too) Bonnie Hunter's Carolina Christmas Fat Quarter's Bespoke Blooms Twiddletail's Dear Jane So many more...

I came across this retro blog in my RSS feeds and these are really interesting fabrics that Corrie's giving away a fat quarter of each. These colors are not something I have in my stash, albeit small, so I'd love to have a chance to get them. See what you think of these colors .

I'm so sorry that I haven't been posting regularly. We had another grandson! Jacob Charles and his parents let me stay with them for a week after the birth! I had a great time and he's got red hair; first one and lots of it! My daughter did not have more than two days of heartburn so that shoots a hole in the old myth. :) I'll be posting soon about what I've been doing. I took my two sewing machines, serger, cutting mat and nearly my entire sewing studio so now I've been re-arranging furniture and re-organizing the room. My son-in-law constructed me a design wall that is 8' x 10' and because of my over-the-garage-room's slanted ceilings, I'm having trouble finding room for it!!! More soon.

I'm getting a bit excited that the top is almost finished. I only have the outer border left to do. Do you think the colors are too bright? Finished!

I'm going to be doing my daughter's nursery with lots of bright colors. She's chosen the "Fresh" line by Moda designed by Deb Strain. Not using all the fabrics, but she isn't finding out the sex of the baby so we wanted to go neutral, yet bright. She's due on November 1, so I have a bit of time, but not much. I found nearly all the fabrics we wanted at The Old Country Store except the blue polka dot fabric. The fabrics cost less than we planned so we were very happy! I ordered them on Thursday and got them on Saturday!!! Great service!!! Very excited, but wanted to wait for that one other fabric before getting started. Will order again from them. I found the blue polka dot at Chickadee Shops and ordered it on Thursday in hopes to get it by Saturday and work on it over the weekend. Well, it didn't come until today, somehow, they missed this order and were very sincere in their apology and sent me a full charm pack of the entire line of Fresh!!!! Wow!!...

I'm going to get started on October's Schnibbles. Here's the one chosen - Cindy Lou Who . Not sure what fabrics I'll use, but I just might buy one of those Fit To Be Geese rulers. Got my backing fabric today for my September Schnibbles. Going to do my new grandchild's nursery bedding and I got the fabric on Saturday for that. I'll get a photo soon.

Okay, I'm getting closer to quilting this September Schnibbles. I've added the borders and it's not too bad. I'll pick up some fabric for a backing/binding tomorrow and try to get it quilted. I really enjoyed this one and I can't wait for October's!

Well, I didn't quite get September's Schnibbles finished in time, but I did get the top finished. I'll try to get the borders added and quilt it before I start next month's. I didn't really have enough time since I got such a late start, but I wanted to join in the group! Here's the top: I did it with Halloween fabrics because I've been trying to get a wall hanging for every holiday and I might even get this one finished for Halloween. Thanks for checking it out!

I've finished the first row of my Halloween Schnibbles!!! Check it out!

I've told my daughter that I'd sew everything for the new baby's nursery, so I'll staying with her and sewing at her house, probably mid-October. This means that I want to get something quick and simple done for Halloween, so think I'll do the Schnibbles in Halloween fabrics!

I've just found these cute little Schnibbles and they are starting a year-long group so I impulsively joined!! I don't have a pattern yet, but I have a little bit of time left for the September project. UPDATE: Looks like the deadline was September 1. Not sure they are still accepting quilters for this group. I'll wait to hear from someone before I order anything.

In trying to get something accomplished/finished, I decided to make a water bottle carrier following the tutorial by Pink Chalk Studio. Thank you so much for the instructions! I didn't put a strap on mine because I wanted the insulation part to keep my water cold or, at least, cooler. I'll just put it in my tennis bag where drinks were designed to be stored. I need to find some tennis fabric and make another one more fun for the sport. The strap would get in the way for my purpose. It will be great to identify my own water bottle among everyone else's.

I'm trying to be motivated to get this wall hanging finished in time for this year's holiday...it's only one year old, so it's a pretty new UFO!!! Here's what I accomplished and I'm trying so hard to figure out where I left off...still!!! Just not sure I should have put shutters on the windows...sigh. Instead of deciding what the next step is, I just might make a water bottle insulated carrier.

Sorry, I've not been posting, but I've been busy--not sure with what, but busy and no quilting is getting done! :( I am still on track, though, with my EQ Challenge and have finished both Lessons 3 and 4. Learning a bit more with each lesson. These photos are of the finished assignments: Lesson 3: Lesson 4:

Okay, I've joined the EQ6 Lesson Challenge and we are on Lesson 2. I've finished my homework and uploaded my quilt. It's a wonderful program and I'm thrilled to be working through the book - one lesson at a time. Do you EQ ?

Gosh, the summer is over and I had promised to blog everyday and that just didn't happen. Life gets in the way so much! I'd been working on my Mother Goose quilt to give as a gift for my daughter's baby shower, well, those one-inch cornerstones just never matched up and I finally realized it wasn't going to get finished by the deadline, so I just haven't been doing anything. I've still got some time before the baby comes, so I'll work on it...maybe, lots of frogging to do. To help (or hurt) the quilt, I thought I'd throw in something else to do while procrastinating...a Halloween wall hanging that didn't get done last year! Sounds good, don't you think? Well, I have no idea where I left off and the directions are just awful. I see I've checked off some steps, but it seems very haphazard. Maybe I can glean some info from last year's posts. Sigh. Thanks for reading...my bad for not posting, I hope to do better. Gloria

When I first got the quilting bug, I bought all kinds of supplies...took a couple of classes that needs special rulers, etc. Got the swivel mats in two sizes. Got this, got that. I'd gotten the 6 1/2" Quilt in a Day ruler and I couldn't remember it's use (squaring up HSTs)! It's not the typical ruler that has inches along the side, so why in the world might I have bought a ruler like this one??? So, I'm sitting here dreading the Mother Goose star blocks because there were eight HSTs in each block and there were 32 blocks!!! Dread, dread, dread...these things never seem to go easy for me. Sigh. So, I was reading my Yahoo Groups and someone mentioned this ruler as a quick and easy way to square up HSTs! I dug out the ruler (buried under a ton of "had to have" rulers that have specific uses) and you will be amazed at how quickly and easily an HST is do!!!!! Shall I say that again??? Now I know why I'd bought that ruler!!! Here's a video in case y...

Well, I finally started sewing my Mother Goose baby quilt. I'd cut out all the squares, unfortunately, they were all the wrong size and have to be cut down. Here's the photo:

Okay, so I haven't really worked on hand-sewing the Hungry Caterpillar binding, but I've gotten sidetracked with my local Shop Hop 2008 quilt. I've made a couple blocks from each of the shops and then I looked at the pattern I'd decided to use. I then decided that I would only like it if all the designs in the blocks matched. Here's a picture of the four I've completed. The bottom blocks are very similar and if I get stuck I can use the one on the right. I plan to make 12 more of the one on the left using fabric from each of the shops. I promised myself to get the flimsy ready before this year's Shop Hop which is in September. Check out my post of last year's Hop . This is just a picture of the pattern...my camera has been lost since we moved so I didn't get a "real" picture. See what they should all match? I'll just make pillows or something from the original blocks that I also hope to make.

Well, yesterday I finished the blocks for Step 5 on Carol Doak's Anniversary Mystery quilt. I don't like the colors, but it was in my stash and I'm saving all my money for a local shop hop in September! I've gotten on side of the Caterpillar quilt hand-sewn, three more sides to go! Then I'll start the Brown Bear binding. I really, really, want to do something new!!! Stop me, please!!!

Well, I'm back to the normal routine and I've decided to really get some quilts done. I worked very hard yesterday by pretending to have wrapped my body and chair in duct tape!!! I vowed to machine-sew the binding on my Hungry Caterpillar quilt top--and not get out of my chair until it was finished. Wow! Thank goodness for faux duct tape because I would have gotten up and wandered off three times in 34 minutes!!! Don't laugh...I guess I just can't sit still that long!! I set my stopwatch to see just how long I could last. Life has been going on and quilting had been halted, so I left off with Carol Doak's Anniversary Mystery quilt just sitting there untouched. I sewed pieces 8 and 9 last night, so I did something on that quilt. Trying to GQD!!! So, I also hand-sewed the binding on the back side while watching TV last night! I'm so proud of myself, no pics yet, but coming!

I've had house guests since late June and quilting seems to have really suffered! I promise to post more soon and get back to quilting next week! Sorry about leaving you without a word! Gloria

Only a couple more days away from July 4th and I have overnight family coming to stay so I didn't get my Ohio Stars & Rails finished for the 2009 holiday! Guess I should start for 2010 right after them leave this year! Anyway, thought you'd like to see it? It's a bit square-y looking so I might add some rows or something...make that 2011, okay? LOL I have family for a week soooooo...so much for daily posting! I'll be back soon. Gloria

I have finally finished this quilt that I made for my grandson. I really had good intentions of posting daily, but...

I'm working on the next step of Carol Doak's Anniversary Mystery quilt. I'll add photos once I get further along. Here's a photo: Can't believe I'm keeping up with this one! I'm also working on my Mother Goose baby quilt, just doing HSTs, in between other sewing. Put together one color of the 128 HSTs!! I need to throw in a Project of the Month and a few calendar strips, but... Sorry, played tennis, shopped, took my first golf lesson so I didn't blog yesterday, but I really want to get in the habit, so later... Gloria

I completely finished cutting the Mother Goose quilt today (except the 8" panels - scared!!) and have a 12" x 12" scrapbooking box full of the goodies. This is what I'm going to do with each project, so the pieces don't get lost. I use binder clips rather than baggies, not sure why, oh, probably because they were up in the "office" part of my studio and the baggies were way down in the kitchen. So, tomorrow, I'm going to play tennis and take my first golf lesson - unless it rains and then I will start again on my Ohio Stars & Rails by finishing the rows and maybe cut a border or two. If I end up playing tennis, I need to buy some new blades and numerous other things, so I won't get to sewing. I plan to also start on the HSTs for Mother Goose and use them as leaders and enders. I really want this to be ready by November 1 as that is my daughter's due date!!! So, that's my update for today. I found a bunch of Web sites that I want to ...

Today I felt like cutting and now I have a dull blade, any suggestions for a way to sharpen them with things I might have on hand? Here's a pic of the cutting I did today: It was a kit and some of the fabrics were a bit short...grrrrr! I still have the borders and sashing to cut, but the bulk is finished. I was hoping to use these as leaders and enders or maybe just go ahead and sew it up!

Okay, so I get side-tracked and start new stuff constantly...just can't help myself. I do plan to Get Quilts Done soon. Anyway, I started Carol Doak's Anniversary Mystery quilt and have finished the first two steps. Here's Step 2: I just used fabric from my stach, so it just may not be beautiful, but I'm just learning paper piecing so I can deem the quilt as a "Learning Quilt." Also, I have no eye for color, so you get what you get. Gloria GQD or trying, at least... p.s. I'm going to try to blog every day even if there's nothing to say.

I've made lots of progress, mainly because I've made myself accountable to my new QuiltWatchers Yahoo! group. Our mantra is "Getting Quilts Done!" I'm working very hard, at least 15 minutes to an hour on the binding of my " Kids Will Be Kids " quilt for my grandson. Might take lots of evenings of TV, but... I also got out my " Ohio Stars & Rails " from last year and finished all the rows, just have to put them together. Decide on the borders and then quilt it, can I get this done by July 4th? One can hope... I also decided to do Carol Doak's Anniversary Mystery quilt. Take a look at the first step:

Better late than never, I always say. Here's my May project of the month. It's a pincushion that I'm going to use for my hatpins that I can slip on my wrist. I love it! What do you think?

So, I'd love to say that all my quilt tops are bound and finished, however, I can't. I am still hung up on the labeling issue. I want my grandchildren to know that I've left them something special and just for them. A label is something I want to do to each quilt. So, I think I've found the answer, maybe...I'll let you know when I've made one and see just what it looks like. Gloria Getting Quilts Done (GQD!)

Remember that Yahoo! group I started called QuiltWatchers ? Well, I mentioned it to another group and got some others that are in the same boat and they joined!!! We are having daily or weekly or monthly or whenever you are in a slump check-ins! I'm doing daily so I know every single day where to focus. I've given the group a tag line - GQD (Get Quilts Done or Getting Quilts Done), isn't that great? If Nike can "Just Do It" why can't we "Get Quilts Done! One of the members made a great rotation chart and shared it with the group. It has 80 blocks that each one represent a 15-minute time frame that you work on a particular quilt. So, if you just want to play around and rotate each day, you'll know what quilt you should work on that day and move several quilts forward all at one time! Pretty cool beans! I have to stay focused, but after that, I'm going to be rotating the heck out of some projects! Update on my Kids Will Be Kids quilt - main focus ri...

I really, really made some headway on the Kids Will Be Kids quilt. I finished the top borders and the blocks and then the bottom border and the inside border of one of the sides. I have some work to do in QuiltCad in order to connect them. So I'm giving up for the night. I'm leaving to attend my daughter's graduation so I won't be quilting again until Friday. My eye was kind of funky today, hope things are okay. Getting my quilting mojo back! Pic maybe tomorrow. Gloria

Okay, the thread I used I thought was what I always used, but, alas, it isn't, so I'm been froggin' it a ton today. Just don't know if I can do it with this stuff. I'm also thinking that the trains may not be enough quilting and they just kind of end in the corners...maybe add an arrow? All I've gotten finished is the outside border on one side!!! Looking to do some airplanes next. Wish me luck! Sigh.

Okay, I've loaded KWBK onto my HQ16 and it's ready. I spent a couple more days re-learning QuiltCad so I could custom quilt it with trains, autos, planes, arrows, etc. I'm going to do a row of trains on the outside border, then planes, then autos and a continuous pattern of them across each of the rows of blocks...I think. So, I'm going to try to use a different color thread, only the second time I've gone out of the realm of beige. Wish me luck! Gloria

Wow, been a rough week here. I did have eye surgery and haven't felt like doing much so my quilting adventures are next to nil. :) Hopefully, I'll start doing some tomorrow. The eye surgery didn't seem to do what I'd hoped, still have the beginnings of a macular hole, but, hopefully, I've stopped it from becoming a full hole and losing my vision. Pretty scary stuff. Check up is Wednesday and I'll know more. All these eye drops are playing havoc with my doing nothing schedule. Sorry I've been among the missing... Gloria

Well, I didn't really get much accomplished this month, but I had great hopes!!! Lots of stuff started!! So, here's my pincushion that's a bit smallish, but it is cute!

I bought more shelves at Costco and they have shaved off 3/4 of an inch and now my three six-drawer plastic drawers are too wide!!! They also decided to make the shelves in black!!! So they don't match!!! Makes me so angry!!! I bought them specifically so that I keep the drawers off the floor so that the drawers wouldn't drag on the Berber carpeting. I thought about ripping up the carpeting, but I digress... So, I'd bought two shelves earlier that are the bigger size and gray shelves and discovered they looked great and would have used them both to house the six-drawer plastic drawers (I have seven of them, three on each, I'd hoped!) but I had an extra shelf and decided to just use it as it was designed--for shelves! I planned to buy more, but never dreamed they'd be a different size! I'm still trying to decide what to do...should I dismantle the larger one and use it? Too late to take them back because I've already assembled one and that's how I found o...

So, I'm back to quilting my Brown Bear, Brown Bear quilt top. I've traced the bear and plan to quilt the large border (people) with a row of bears. Now, what would you do inside the small blue border? Then what would you do for the small striped border? I've gotten together a great little grouping of the animals to use in the middle, so I'm good there (I hope), just need some ideas for the smaller borders. I really wish I had some confidence in my choices...someday??? Thanks for any suggestions. Gloria

What a great idea to host an online Quilt Festival ! Thanks to Amy @ Park City Girl! Be sure to stop by and add your favorite quilt! Well, I really want to join in this huge event, so I'm hoping that an almost completed quilt will qualify! I've chosen my Hungry Caterpillar quilt as my favorite because it is my best to date and who doesn't want to show their best? Of course, I have a long way to go, but I'm learning with each and every quilt. This quilt's story goes like this...it was a kit! I'm not ready to chose my own fabrics/colors just yet (may never be!). I got the kit and went to work trying to hit the one-year old granddaughter's birthday (missed it, of course). I simply loved its simplicity since it was panels that I just put together, but it was a good ego boost for this quilting novice, not to mention the practice I'd gotten! So, I loaded on my new HQ16 with the ProStitcher and it sat until I found a digital pattern to go with it. Once again, I...

Once again, I played with Life and quilting took a back seat. This is not a complaint, just an explanation for nothing getting done - quilting wise, anyway. I love doing stuff with my family and welcome the time to play. Maybe tonight, I'll get re-started on something, just nothing calls to me to complete and I just want to start something new and I'm trying so hard to get back involved in something I've started. Wish I could impose a deadline and then stick to it. Why is it that some people can finish everything they start? Gloria Need a project buddy to get something finished?

Okay, my USB stick was fried and it took a bit of time to get another one. Now I have another one and every project seems to be less interesting and I can't seem to get started again. Have you been there? Anyway, any words of inspiration? I usually just start a new project to get me started again, but, this time, I was trying to finish something instead. I'm thinking I need a couple of buddies to be accountable to...so, today, I created a Yahoo group for people like me that need inspiration and motivation. Not much there, but I'm working on it. Not exactly sure how it will work, but if Weight Watchers can help lose the pounds, surely Quilt Watchers can get some quilts or projects finished, right? Hope they don't mind me riding on their coattails with the name! Thought we'd list all our projects, maybe create a spreadsheet of sorts...reminders? Nagging? Gentle push? Quilt Watchers Gloria

Hope everyone has a very happy Easter today! I'm off to spend the day with my son and his family, hope you are spending time with your family and friends. Gloria

I came across this group of sewing and quilting studios tour and thought you might enjoy it. Here's the list home page . Maybe I'll try to clean mine up and share. I'd love more ideas about my design wall, but you really need to see the room first. I haven't done anything lately - no motivation. Sigh. Anyone care to re-spark my interest? Gloria

I'm looking for a great Easter wall hanging project, know of any? I've looked and looked and nothing's just right. I just haven't loved anything that I've found, any ideas? Well, I haven't gotten a new USB stick from Handiquilter and it has been a week. They usually have such great service...in fact, I was sure it would be on my doorstop tonight when I got home, but the only thing waiting for me was a bird which flew in the front door when I opened it! My husband caught and threw it back outside--think this is a sign that I'll never see the USB stick? Keep you posted.

I went to a workshop for scrapbooking today. I've tried to get into this hobby and feel so overwhelmed with 30 years of photos piled up so high. Today, I purchased one of those organizing boxes and have finished filing one bin of photos. Two more bins to go. I need more dividers to really get the job done. I have a macular hole in my right eye and surgery can be done in hopes to gain some vision back--poor odds, I hear. However, the success of the surgery is mainly in the recovery process which means I have to look down for the first two weeks after it's done so this gas bubble that put in there fills the hole. That's 24/7!!! Some say you get a few minutes each hour to bathe, brush teeth, etc., but, otherwise, you must keep your head down so I'm planning on the TV being on the floor and getting a massage chair (the kind with the hole) and just sitting in it for two weeks straight. I'll need something for the bed so that it forces me to sleep on my stomach and so I ...

Back in January, I, temporarily made a design wall. A MUST-HAVE for every quilter, if you read my blog, you'll know that I can't live without it and get upset every single day that my huge room has slanted ceilings and I can't have it against the wall!!!! The temporary wall has a few drawbacks, but I was so happy to have it that I've been living with them. 1. It's still too flimsy. 2. It blocks some of my HQ16 machine. 3. It blocks some of my cutting table. 4. The flannel is stretched properly yet. 5. Hard to move. 6. It really is in the way and if the window is open and there's a breeze, smaller blocks blow everywhere. This sounds like it's not worth it, but it really, really is. That's my whine for today...maybe I'll go look at wheels or one of those garment racks and see if I can adapt it to my needs. Or, maybe I'll just live with it for awhile longer. Or, maybe I should buy a "real" one. Gloria

Okay, cleaned my HQ16 ProStitcher yesterday and my USB stick failed and I lost all my design files so I emailed them and hopefully, a new is on the way today. Darn, I was so excited about finishing my Brown Bear, Brown Bear quilt. So, if you know me, you know that I jump from one project to another and another and another and now this disaster allowed me to move to something brand new! So, I decided to try my hand at applique. On to the baskets at Bunny Hill Designs (BOM) !!! Picked a white that I knew I had enough of and began getting some browns out for 12 baskets and, since I was three months behind, I decided to make an assembly line project. Sounds good, right? Okay, here's how far I got yesterday: More (in another post) on my design wall that you can see in this photo. Gloria

I found this pinscushion today and want to make a couple to hang several places. I'll add that to my list of to-dos. I'm still working on the borders for the Quilt Along with Judy L. I think I'll use them for in between projects. I still have the Brown Bear, Brown Bear loaded...waiting for a decision on what quilting pattern to use. Still have to attach the binding on my Caterpillar quilt. I have the Kids Will Be Kids quilt that goes on the HQ16 next. I need to get going on the Calendar Quilt Challenge...need to finish February and start March...yikes, how did that happen? I've decided that my design wall needs a frame. It can still be a bit portable, but it keeps bending in the middle where the two foam boards meet so I thought a frame would help. Boy, do I wish I didn't have slanted ceilings in this huge studio. I just don't have the height in this room to place it against the wall...whine, whine, whine! I should take photos of the room... No pics yet. Sorry...

Well, I played tennis today so I'm behind on my Quilt Along with Judy L. Thought I'd share a photo as I'm working on it and see if this will be enough to get the next step. Just have no idea why I wait so late to get started! Gloria

Not much quilting going on here, unfortunately. I did make a tooth fairy pillow for my granddaughter that just lost her first tooth. This is will be my Project for the Month completion. Now I have to work on Judy L's Quilt Along.

Well, I'm feverishly working on Judy's Quilt-Along project as well as the Calendar Challenge. Just wanted to drop a note to all since I've just been so busy since I returned on Monday. Gloria

Whoa!!! Can you believe this? I cut and pieced the top in one day!!! I'm making the backing and hope to quilt it tonight. Here's a photo: I am going out of town and need this completed by tomorrow! Would love some encouragement! Other notes: My design wall is breaking apart. My photos are so blurry. Maybe I should find my new camera? Nah, probably the photographer!!! Gloria

I decided to do the Brown Bear, Brown Bear quilt for my granddaughter so now I've got another project to add to my list. Blocks are fussy cut and this will be my first time, so wish me luck. Photos soon. Gloria

Phew!!! I finished the binding on the Valentine Wall Hanging for my finished February project. It was hard to finish it because all of the fabrics were so stiff, not LQS fabric, of course. Anyway, there's a bunch of stuff I didn't like and it needs more quilting, but I doubt I'll go back now. I dub thee complete:

Oh, no, I found another BOM that I want to do. Crazy me!!! It's really cute and it is from New Zealand and by Susan Claire and called Star Struck . It starts now, so time to add it to your list, if you are interested. I'm working so hard on the Hungry Caterpillar and I only have five more borders to quilt and then can do the binding. Still not ready to use my HQ16 ProStitcher to attach the binding, but maybe someday. Pics coming soon. Gloria

Okay, so I need to load my Hungry Caterpillar on my HQ16 Prostitcher now that I have updated my software. Somehow, time has gotten away from me, are you surprised? Working when I get a few minutes, I've finished the next step for Judy L's Quilt Along. Here's my photo of that step (the pic colors are a bit funky): Heading off to bed. Gloria

Okay, now that I've finished some quilt tops, I need to focus on upgrading my HQ16 Pro-Stitcher software. Pretty scary since I have a deadline, but the new features are way too important. If anyone has already upgraded and has some tips for me, please leave a comment. Gloria

Don't you just hate that phrase? Sure, you creative types probably love to read that as part of the directions, but now I'm stuck with coming up with a plan. Plan B is loops, so I think I need a Plan A. I'd love some ideas for the two quilt tops that I've actually finished. Yahoo!!! I'm so very excited about it all! These are two that I want to give away as gifts so they just can't be me practicing all over a top! Kids Will Be Kids is finished: Hungry Caterpillar is finished: Help is much appreciated. Gloria

Oh, no, I follow Kim's Big Quilting Adventure blog and she's come up with a St. Patrick's Day project that I just have to do. Now, I have to add this to my list. Got up late today, so I've lost some time, but I hope to move a couple of projects to the next level today. Wish me luck! Gloria

So, I need to get the Hungry Caterpillar quilt finished for a birthday by Monday or Tuesday so it can be shipped off. I might make a doll quilt to match if time permits. It's just a panel and a bunch of borders, but it's coming along. Can't work at all today on it, so tomorrow I'll stay focused. The Kids Will Be Kids quilt had stripes on the inner border and I followed the directions and made the stripes match as if there were no piecing of the longer borders. However, I did the next two borders with straight seams and they looked just awful, so I've been ripping out and mitering the seams--what a great way to build your stash--NOT!!!! What a waste. I do like it better and that's all that counts, right? Off to babysit today and will check in later tonight or tomorrow. I do want to do Pat Sloan's OP Challenge if I can fit it in, but it will probably be over before I can jump in with both feet. I also have to finish a project for the Project of the Month onli...

I just read Judy L 's blog post about finishing projects and totally agree with her. I'm no spring chicken and it could all end today. So, what do I want to leave behind? Beautiful quilts instead of unfinished projects, I'd say, wouldn't you? However, that's probably not going to happen!!! Here's my thing--I just hate to focus on just one project. Wonder what that means? Do you think I'm bored? I don't seem to feel that way, I just want to start everything I see. It's probably some sort of disorder or something I should discuss with a therapist, do you think? So, I'm going to try to narrow down my active projects--it's really hard to leave out 10 projects because they are all just sitting around in the way. Tell myself that it is okay to put them away for awhile and work on a selected few, perhaps? I'm using Bonnie's DD--doing the little pink 9 patches in between the projects, so I'm furthering my DD (which may take forever). May...

Well, I'm going to add yet another quilt to my many projects that seem to remain unfinished. I'm going to try "Bears in the Farmhouse" by Judy Laquidara . I'm really hoping that putting deadlines on each step will help me finish something! Here are my fabrics: Let's hope I can keep up. Gloria

Can you believe that I bought yet another kit? I need to have it done in time to ship by Feb 23! Why do I do this? Rhetorical question, obviously, but, still. My granddaughter is turning one and she's not walking on her own yet, so she needs a quilt to sit down on the floor. At least, that's why I bought the Hungry Caterpillar kit (I tell myself that, anyway.). I'll keep you posted on my progress, not much piecing so it should go fast--one would think, anyway. Here's the kit:

Well, look what I found today!!! Last year's Valentine's Day unfinished wall hanging! I'm just putting on the binding, as you can see. I'm excited because I'll use that as my finished project for February and I'll have it to hang on Saturday...hopefully. Keep you posted. I also used some of the fabric from the wall hanging for my calendar, unfortunately, these fabrics will go into January's batch. I really need to finish the Kids Will Be Kids quilt so I can give it to my DIL. I bought some more fabric today for the Bunny Hill Design BOM and something else I thought I'd do. I'm tired, off to bed. Gloria

Wow, finally got all the Kids Will Be Kids blocks put together!!! On to the borders next! I can't wait to get it on the HQ! I worked on my January calendar and still need a few more days. Can't decide which fabric to add. I was trying to use just what I finished, but I think I'll just use some from current projects because I can't get enough done in one month. :) I also worked on my Double Delight a bit tonight, but I'm having trouble getting my on-point squares to not shift when sewing. I need to get those pins Bonnie talks about in her video on her Quiltville site. That's it for Sunday. Gloria

Ouch! I've decided to try applique, not machine, but hand-applique. I'm hot-to-trot to do this BOM from Bunny Hill Designs and I love it!!! Each month will have a basket and some fun stuff inside. Here's the catch...I don't know anything about applique!!! I've been Googling and searching...I bought Wonder Under and some freezer paper, but I still need more guidance before I jump in with both feet. I spent some time on youtube.com and watched few things, but I'm still nervous. Which method should I try? Looks like I need to get some supplies. Roxanne glue and some back ground fabric to start. By the time I get everything, I'll be two months behind. How do I get so side-tracked? Gloria

Well, I went back to Baltimore for a weekend visit and help my daughter move and as a reward I brought back a nasty case of strep throat. I finally feel like holding my head up enough to read so I thought I'd check in. Hope to do some sewing tonight, we shall see. Getting a bit nervous for my eye specialist appointment tomorrow, seems I have a macular hole in the retina of my right eye. I've been reading about it and surgery is the treatment and you have to keep your head down for 2-4 weeks...they even have special chairs and bed cushions available to remind you!!! That will end my tennis and quilting for a looooooooooonnnnnnnggggggggg time. Anyone ever hear of this condition? Wish me luck! Gloria

I got a few more things done today. I finished the Kids Will Be Kids rows and then sewed some together. Need to finish them and then add the borders and it will be ready to load on my HQ16 Pro-Stitcher which needs to be updated first. There's some good features that were added and I want to take advantage of them. Maybe I'll quilt a different one as a trial. You'll have to turn your head to look at it the correct way, not sure I can flip it now. Got bored with rows of blue/brown and moved over to the Party Mints (boy) and did a few rows, just need to sew the rows together and add a border. I'll really be happy to see this one ready, maybe I'll quilt this one first. Got bored of that and decided I wanted to sew some stratas so I started the Mystery by Lesley and sewed eight of them and cross cut them into 120 pieces. That was enjoyable and wished I had more to do...next step has some. They are hanging in sets of 10 on the pegboard--all 120 of them. Double Delight...