Hooked on Quilting

Now, on to the rows!!! I just don't seem to have enough time to do all the steps! Life just gets in the way! If you see anything that I should change about the placement of the blocks, be sure to tell me. I've looked and looked to be sure the rails are going in the right direction and that all the Ohio Stars really are stars! Check out my makeshift design wall. It's two pieces of flannel sewn together and draped over two four-foot wide closed closet doors secured with plastic over-the-door hooks. Trouble is it's in the bonus room where the huge TV is located and two huge reclining couches. The couch is in the way, so all my design wall photos are going to slightly skewed. Yikes, just went to look at Bonnie's Ohio Stars and Rails and it looks like I have to shift some blocks so there are stars at all four corners, what do you think? They are just pinned for now. Ugh, does this mean I might need to make more????? Comments welcomed.

Tonight I was invited to a small informal group of ladies that monthly at a local church to quilt. I had the best time with my new friend, Nancy, her mom and all the others. A couple of ladies belong to an organized guild and invited me to come. So I'm getting out there for motivation, however, I chatted all night instead of working on a project. I just didn't have anything "together" to take with me. Next month, I'll save something to do!!! On a side note, I didn't cut enough stars for my Ohio Stars and Rails quilt top, so I only have four more to go...photo soon!

I went shopping today...tsk, tsk, spent way too much money, but had a ball!!! I went to The Quilt Box in Dry Ridge, KY and they were so nice and extremely hopeful and friendly. I bought some "on sale" fabrics for several projects. A Mother Goose kit, some fat quarters and a civil war wallhanging kit. I also bought a shopping bag kit. Two baby quilt kits (boy and girl). It was a good thing that it was closing time or I'd still be there. Anyway, the "on sale" fabric is for the mystery quilts that I hope to start asap. How are your projects coming? I did three stars (of my Ohio Stars and Rails ), but my goal is five per day. I really want it finished (at least the top) by 9/11/08. Anyone else have a project that has a deadline?

I've been away again and need to get motivated again. My Ohio Stars and Rails is not complete, but I'm going to chip away at those stars soon. I'm anxious to start a mystery quilt and use up some of my smallish stash. So maybe I can fit one in around those star chippings. So many quilt patterns and so little time. I hope to get started on something tomorrow.

As I'm trying desperately trying to finish some of the blue stars...this keeps crossing my mind... Okay, so in my haste to be a real quilter...I took a couple (that's lots if you are really counting) of classes at my LQS and washing first was never an option, i.e., I didn't choose the fabrics until the moment before the class or I bought the kit for it. This means that nearly all of my fabric is unwashed (and untouched, might I add). This may be as many as 20 or so projects/quilts and all BIG sizes. The kits should stay unwashed to be sure I have all the needed fabric, correct? Thoughts on that? Dare I wash these small pieces should there be any? Also, I'd had a very nice online shop owner pick out a wonderful set of fabrics for me and half way through our plans, she developed an illness and decided to close her shop. I ended up buying lots more than I needed for this king size quilt (what was I thinking?), so do you think I should wash those fabrics? At the LQS one da...

Yahoo! I've made progress! I've gotten the red rails completed today! Now, on to the blue stars! I just don't know what to say about no pics for you to see. I just don't know where to look for my camera anymore. I'm so worried I've lost it forever. Anyway, there's not much chance I'll get it done by next week, but I'm trying! Gloria

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.