Hooked on Quilting

I was able to do a bunch of SID in the blocks on the Dino's quilt. I should finish tomorrow. Lots of thread show on my SID blocks, but it's a quilt for a kid and I go way to fast and look away way too much. I'm getting lots of practice. Just need to hold the ruler in the right place and slow down. Not re-doing any SID. As usual, my tension wasn't the best and I had to fight with it. I'm thinking I need to look at my tension on the bobbin winder. Still haven't decided what to do with the actual dinosaur blocks or the borders around the letters.  I really need to decide my goals for the year. I'm trying to be sure I get some quilting done every day, so, in theory, I should get something finished, right?  Been surfing all the quilting blogs looking for inspiration and daily motivation. Any thoughts on that?  I bought the Baltimore Liberty kit and opened it today, not that I need to start anything new, but I checked the fabrics on Block One and I'm ...

I was able to get a bunch of projects moved forward today. I was able to sew quite a bit today (Saturday). My February goals are: 1. Pot Holders/Mitts - I cut the fabric for them (TODAY), just have to quilt it and then cut them. 2. Dino's - Cut valances for two windows (TODAY). Each are two fabrics and one appliqued Dino per window. I will go back to the quilt next. 3. Dear Jane - Almost finished two blocks, should finish tomorrow, will post pics then. 4. Baltimore Autumn - I didn't finish Block 1, so I'll probably tackle it again in February. 5. Baltimore Christmas - Didn't finish Block 1, might continue or move on to Block 2. I think Block 1 is the hardest of all of them. 6. Baltimore Halloween - Block 2 here I come!!! 7. Baltimore Liberty - None much was done in January. :( 8. Vintage Valentine - About halfway on this one - Block 1. 9. Country Cottages - Little embroidery left, then will move to Block 2. 10. Nursery stuff - Started a pillow awhile ago, p...

I'm really enjoying visiting all the blogs from the " Grow Your Blog " party and if you've stopped by to enter the giveaway, please click through to this  post .  Thought I would update my January 13 projects (way too ambitious, will need to adjust that soon. LOL Part of a quilt journal is posting regularly about the projects as motivation to complete, right?  1. Tooth Fairy Pillow - Finished.  2. Apron Ties - Finished. 3. Easy Street - Steps 1 & 2 have almost 40 of each, Step 3 has a bunch half sewn.  4. Dear Jane - two more blocks finished,  A-7 and C-6 this week. Take note, they aren't trimmed yet. LOL I've chosen two more for this week, so I should have eight total for the month.  5. Stop Sign - SID in the horizontal seams, just have to outline the letters...need to practice that some more. Ripped a bunch out already. LOL 6. Spot - Not even touched. Not my favorite job, ripping out stitches, ...

Got a late start today so not much sewing time and went out to dinner. :( I was able to do some crosshatching on some fabric that matched the aprons and then I cut the pot holder and mitt. I have enough fabric to do a set for each apron. She's only two years old, but I hope they will last awhile. I did not use heat resistant batting so they are only for "fun" cooking. I was also able to create the other half of my design wall. It really sticks out in the hallway and it's not very sturdy so unless or until company comes, it's not going anywhere. Both design walls need some more thought put into them to make they more sturdy and more mobile/portable. Maybe I'll frame them with a light-weight wood. Suggestions? I also worked on Baltimore Autumn, Baltimore Liberty, A Modern Twist and Dino's. More photos soon.

Well, I think this 15 minutes is working out, but might be a harder to maintain as time marches on. The desire to actually finish something in one day might win out. I finished appliqueing a bird on Vintage Valentine. I cut out the tooth fairy pillow pieces. Made some more four-patches for Easy Street. Found my Dear Jane software and installed on my new laptop so I can print out a block to keep this huge project moving along. Sewed one more tie onto an apron. Four ties on two more aprons to go. I labeled all the fabrics for Baltimore Liberty and Baltimore Autumn and copied the pattern. I decided that for Baltimore Halloween and Baltimore Christmas that I'd go back and finish up block 1 so I'm putting the center block on hold until all blocks are finished. I put together the rows on "A Modern Twist" quilt. Started appliqueing the awning on the house on the Country Houses BOM. Appliqued two threads on the Dino block above. Need to move my design wall or p...

I keep meaning to create a paper journal of my quilts, but it never seems to happen. Technology has made it so easy for recording memories, notes, photos, and information for us. I can snap a pic and upload it in seconds, seems silly not to take advantage of it. Calling my blog a journal, makes it okay to post often and just about itsy-bitsy progress that I might make or no progress at all. LOL Today, I tried my 15 minutes on each project and I made small strides with them all, but one. I hate frogging, so I let that one slide. I did switch out a project for a different one because "Stop Sign" would require me to switch thread color, so I want to finish up "A Modern Twist" first. The "Stop Sign" is actually at the quilting stage, so thread and machine settings need to be changed from piecing. To update: 1. Tooth Fairy Pillow - Refined the pattern. 2. Aprons - Was only able to add one tie, but prepped both ties. 3. Easy Street - Sewed a couple of...

Trying something new here as nothing I've tried has ever really worked. I'm going to choose 13 projects to work on for the month of January.  Naturally, I chose 13 because it's 2013 and it's a lucky number, right? So, if I were to work at least 15 minutes a day on each of these projects and there's 30 days left in January, that would mean I should have worked a total of 7 3/4 hours on each project. I spent some time getting it all ready for a quick transition from one project to the next. I would like to see all 13 of them move forward each day, but I'm hoping that I get hooked and keep moving on just one project. I'm going to use a timer and be sure each one gets its fair share and will rotate the projects so each gets to be #1 at least twice. I've got my spreadsheet all worked out for this micro-management system. I did it a couple of days during 2012 and I found that it works for me as it seems to prevent boredom and keeps "in the project....

Here's another block From another BOM that I'm hosting on an appliqué Yahoo group. It's the Heart Bouquet block and it's got a cute little flag in the shape of a heart. Again, it is not stitched, just prepped. It seems it takes more than a month for me to do a block with this many pieces.

This is another Baltimore-style quilt I'm working as a BOM. Tons of small pieces and my first flowery appliqué. Pieces are somewhat prepped, but I've made the least progress on this one. Just wish there were more hours in a day!