Snowballs Without Snow and a Little Japanese

Japanese themed wall hanging

Our GBaby dressed up

Back of Japanese wall hanging

Butterflies on Japanese wall hanging

Our sweet little GBaby!!

Gosh, I am soooo sorry that I have not blogged for so long! I have been fairly busy...trying to start a business or two...keeping our little GBaby, who is growing fast...and quilting! Can't belive that 2011 is nearly upon us, and I have so many things to finish for 2010!

Currently, I am making a quilt using the snowball block. This is a block I have been wanting to try out for a while now, so I am pretty excited about how it is turning out! It has been fun to make, and I think the quilt is going to turn out really nice. Here is a link to a snowball block tutorial http://www.straw.com/quilting/articles/snowball1.html... I hope you enjoy making these blocks as much as I have!!

The Japanese theme wall hanging is finished and delivered and another one is on order for February! The Japanese wall hanging (photos above) was a real challenge for me...but one that I really enjoyed in the end. Any time you challenge yourself to do something different, you end up learning so much in the process. For the wall hanging I used an art quilt pattern, but didn't follow it exactly. I tend to use patterns as a starting point and then make the project my own by doing it just a little (or a lot) differently. Are you a strict pattern follower? Or do you use the pattern as a basis for your own designs?

Our GBaby is growing quickly! Our kids are all grown so we tend to forget just how quickly they grow!! She has molars, top and bottom, and can chew most things fairly well now. She is getting tall too!! We just delight in her and love to keep her.

A friend of mine just had a baby boy, so on my design board is a baby quilt...now if I can just find the time to put it on my sewing machine!! The quilt is just a patchwork quilt using 5 inch blocks...a charm quilt of sorts. These are fast and easy to make...and bonus...you use up lots of scraps!

Before we have discussed "sewing green" and lately I have seen a lot of articles on the subject. I get so excited to read these articles, because reusing and repurposing things is a great way to save money, and the environment. Recently, I bought several twin and queen size flat sheets (new and unopened) at a thrift store for $5 each. Sheets are a great source of large amounts of fabric and can be used as quilt backs, cut up for blocks, or embroider a nice design on the sheet and give it as a gift. You can typically find sheets still in the package at thrift stores for a very reasonable price. Thrift stores are a great place to find other sources of fabric...dish towels, duvet covers, bedspreads, long gowns, etc. One article told of a bride who had and all "green" wedding...she made her wedding dress out of a duvet cover, and her decorations were all made of repurposed materials! Wow! How are you "sewing green"? Have you found any good ways to repurpose or recycle everyday materials?

Well, back to the sewing room! I have lots to do, and fortunately it is cold and rainy outside, so it is a great time to be inside!!

Happy Sewing and Quilting!!

Fast and Furiously to the Finish!



Close up of panel quilt.




Panel Quilt finished a few weeks ago



Back of panel quilt. Love this batik!



Our GBaby trying on Nana's glasses!

Whew! It has been a busy last few weeks, and I am still working fast and furiously trying to get a couple of quilts done that are due this month. I am working on a blue/gray/white one and an Asian wall hanging. I would ponder the beauty of this last one, however, I haven't the time.

Once again I was not able to attend the Houston International Quilt Show...you either?! Well, not to worry! I just spent a pleasant half hour reviewing photos of the winners from this year's show... and you can too! http://www.quilts.org/winners.html

Hubby and I had a plumbing leak a couple of weeks ago, which forced us to purge some things from one of our closets...mine! Anyway, despite the wet dog smell of the carpet until it was dried out, it was good that it made us look at things that had been stored away for years...things we didn't even realize we had, and things we knew we had...somewhere. We have vowed to finish cleaning out the closets, and as a bonus I have found several items of clothing I plan to cut up and use in quilts....sewing green! My daughter-in-law also gave me clothes from our little granddaughter's first year (I know...time has gone by so fast!) to make into a quilt. That will be a fun project...when I have the time!

Time to quilt! And, is there ever not a good time to quilt?!

Happy Sewing and Quilting!

Another One Down...and Several to Go!

Yes, that's right! I finished another quilt today, ready to deliver tomorrow! Go Quilting Sue!! Not that I am finished by any means...I have several more orders to complete before the end of 2010! But, that is good for me.  It is always very satisfying to be able to check another order off my list...oh yeah...and to get paid for it...even better!

Currently, I am searching out gray fabric for the next quilt. You would think gray fabric would be easy to find...but, it's not so easy. I spent most of yesterday searching through my stash for gray fabric and only came up with 3 fat quarters that I think will work well. And by the way...I rearranged some of my stash to reveal floor space in my sewing room! Wow, if I keep this up, I might be able to actually walk around in my sewing room!! Anyway...gray fabric...not easy to find...so shopping I must go! Fortunately, most fabric stores are having sales this time of the year...so I am hoping to find some nice gray fabric to add to the next quilt project.

Fall is definitely here...my favorite time of the year!! We have had the windows open all day long...very nice! Good quilting weather for sure.

Well, I am off to bed now.

Happy Sewing and Quilting!!

Polyester Fusible Batting??!! -- Review

So, on the quilt I am finishing up now...as in today or tomorrow...I used polyester fusible batting. Why, you might ask? Well, I have found fusible batting to be a lot faster than pin basting, plus you don't end up with all of those pesky pins weighing the quilt down and pricking your fingers. BUT...while I have used cotton and bamboo fusible battings in the past...Fuis Boo being one of my all-time favs...I am not really liking the polyester fusible batting as much.

There are a couple of issues I have with the polyester fusible batting: 1) it makes the quilt REALLY stiff and hard to push through the sewing machine, 2) well...it's polyester...not a fun medium to work with in the first place, 3) it is a little tougher to needle through, and 4) lint, lint, lint...it produces way more lint than either the cotton or bamboo fusible batting, so I have to clean my sewing machine a lot more often. There...I have vented and feel so much better!! Have any of you ever used polyester fusible batting? What is your opinion of it??

Okay...all vented out now...time to go back to hand sewing on the binding of current quilt. And by the way...I am really liking the way this quilt is looking! The quilt is a panel quilt (no piecing)...so it really has gone together fast and easy! Hubby and I happened to find the perfect backing for the quilt and then digging through my stash...I found the perfect binding fabric...how perfect is that!! :)

Back to sewing.

Happy Sewing and Quilting!!

Quilting Marathon

Lily rides Grandpa!




Lily in the dirt!



Well, yesterday I had a quilting marathon day! I quilted for 6 hours, pretty much non-stop!! But, I got a twin size quilt all quilted, made the binding and sewed it on...now I just have to hand sew the back of the binding on...and voila...another quilt to deliver! But man, do my shoulders hurt today!! Note to self...when doing a quilt marathon, get up and walk around more and exercise shoulders!!  I have two more quilts to finish in fairly short order, so I know that more quilt marathon days are in my future. How many of you have quilt marathon days?

I started cleaning out my closet the other day and decided to only donate clothing that I couldn't cut up for quilt fabric...sewing green! Now where to store the clothes that will be kept for this purpose??! We are trying to clear our house of things we don't need or don't use. This is going to be a long process for sure!



My what a big stick you have!



So, our little GBaby Lily turned 1 this week! Seems like she was JUST born!! Anyway, we took her and her parents, our youngest daughter and her friend to the park for a picnic (see photos above). We had a great time and despite her bath previous to the picnic, Lily played in the dirt and got rather dirty!! Oh well...babies wash up pretty well!! :)



I am having trouble designing a quilt for a customer...Japanese theme...any suggestions or comments??!! Help!! The quilt is due in November, so it feels like I am running out of time....!!



Lately, I have had an urge to embroider and have a project or two waiting in the wings. Perhaps I will wait for really cold weather to start my embroidery projects?! Just seems like it has been a while since I have done any real serious embroidery...even though I have combined some embroidery in a few quilt projects.



Well, time to get back in the sewing room!! It's beautiful weather...so maybe I will get outside today.

Happy Sewing and Quilting!!





Such a sweet face!



Two Quilts Delivered and More to go...



Ouchita National Forest

 

Satisfied Customer!! :)



Back fabric is called "Punk Princess"



 

Pinwheels & butterflies





Batik Quilt - Railfence pattern




Border fun!



Baby Lily-almost 1!

Well, it has been a while since my last post, but I have been pretty busy! Lots to tell this time...so bear with me.

We have been keeping our GBaby some and now that she is walking...well, let me just say, Whew! Chasing her around is a full time job when we keep her, but she is just too cute for words. She will be a year old on Tuesday...she has 8 or 9 teeth...she says "Hi" a lot...and she is on the move! It has truly been a blessed year since she was born.

I did deliver 2 quilts yesterday to, what I believe, is a happy customer! (Photos above) The batik quilt was the more fun of the two quilts...went a little nuts on the border quilting, but had so much fun with it. Currently, I am working on another quilt for delivery soon...and then have 3 more lined up!

Oh...and I almost forgot the best news! Hubby bought me a new Janome sewing machine!! Yep...It is one that has 150 stitches!! I haven't really gotten a chance to play much with it yet, since I have so many quilts to get done...but soon I will have a "play" day!! I am just dreaming about all that I can do with it!!

We have discussed sewing green here before, and my thoughts tend to take me to how to sew green quite often. I am not sure if this is due to the many trips hubby and I take to thrift stores, or the poor economy, but my mind is all over the subject. What are your thoughts on sewing green? How do you sew green? Because I just got a new sewing machine, I will be selling one of my older ones...now I consider this part of sewing green because someone else can get many more years out of using my old machine, instead of it ending up in a landfill. Do you follow my thought process on this one? So, I was thinking of all of the other things in our lives that can be recycled...clothes, shoes, plastic, paper, etc...and was wondering how many of you recycle or repurpose. I saw a sign in an antique mall today that said "Shop vintage and recycle"...how appropriate! I will delve more into the sewing green aspect in a later post...so give me your thoughts on the subject.

We went camping with our daughters a couple of weeks ago...gotta love fall camping...and it was just gorgeous. We had fun and drove through the beautiful Ouchita National Forest in Oklahoma...now who knew Oklahoma was so beautiful!!

Well, it's getting late, so I will sign off for now.

Happy Sewing and Quilting!

Quilting Thoughts

Just thought I would take a quilting break! I have been going gang busters on a commission quilt...trying to get it finished. There is so much joy for me in getting a quilt finished...also a lot of relief! I am always so happy when I can start removing the basting pins and start making the binding. Piecing and binding are my favorite parts of the whole quilting proces...except for maybe shopping for fabric!! What is your favorite part of the quilting process??

I forgot to mention in yesterday's post about last week's thrift store run. In a previous post, discussing "sewing green", I had listed shopping in thrift stores as a great way to purchase fabric for cheap. Well, last week I found a 100% linen long dress for $4, minus hubby's senior discount of 25% = $3! I am talking about 2 yards of nice linen fabric for $3!!

What is all my excitement about? Linen fabric, even with a discount, costs anywhere from $5/yd to $50/yd. I have several projects which require linen fabric, so this find was like gold to me! So don't forget to check your local thrift stores for great fabric finds, especially for specialty or upscale fabrics that are expensive in the fabric store! For instance, a long women's evening gown made of silk or some other specialty fabric will yield anywhere from 2-5 yds of very nice fabric for a fraction of what it would cost in the fabric store. Most thrift stores offer a senior discount one day a week...don't be shy, just ask for the discount when checking out...you might be pleasantly surprised. Men's shirts, dress, casual or Hawaiian, are excellent to buy at thrift stores....they will generally cost between $2-5 each, but will yield between 1-2 yds of fabric a piece (depending on size...I say get the XL or XXL...same price, more fabric). The fabric can be used in any sewing or quilting project. Save money and sew green! Post your comments about other green sewing tips!

Well, back to the sewing room folks! It's been a nice break!

Happy Sewing and Quilting!