Progress in the sewing room

I've been working on the machine applique on this quilt, I think I'll call Flower Garden, since I can't remember the name.  It may not look like much, but I've made progress.  This is very hard for me since I don't particularly like doing machine applique.  I'm going to a retreat this week and I'm planning to take it along.  I have other machine applique that are waiting in the wing, so I need to get more comfortable with it.  At some point I thought this was a good idea.

My lastest blocks for Sylvia's Bridal Sampler

These are so darn cute.  They don't look like it, but are 6.5.  I'm having such fun with them.  I finally got my copy of the book, so I know where I'm going with this now.  As I make these, I'll be posting them to keep  myself working on these.

All in all, I haven't been real busy quilting this week, but will surely make up for that at my retreat this week. 

Apple Crispers

Met with my group last night.  My turn to cook which turned out just fine.  We tallked quiling of course and decided on our next project.  It's so nice to be around other folks who love to quilt as much as I do.   We exchanged the last of our current project and I asked who thougth they would put this one together.  Several said they would, we aren't sticklers for finishes, and one said she had different plans for the pattern.  I'm thinking maybe I could also come up with a diferent setting too.  In fact, I did like her idea of a row quilt.  We'll see, many more UFO's in front of this one.

Latest fill in Band

Monday I got a fill and have been on liquids for three days.  Weigh in day today.  Last week I didn't post my two pound gain.  This week I lost 3.5 pounds.  So, over two weeks that's progress of 1.5 pounds.  Got lots of mind work to do here.  But I'm still losing even though it's a rocky road.

This fill is tighter , I'm having to eat and drink slower.  Hope that means I'm getting closer to my sweet spot.  I have 6 cc's now, so it should be soon.  Got to give this some time.  So, later..

Sylvia's Bridal Sampler

Last week I started with a group at the LQS in making Sylvia's Bridal Sampler.  I decided to use my 1800's reprductions and made one of the blocks at the shop.  The rest I finished today.  I'm most excited about the fact that I use strips from my 2" drawer and one block used a 3 1/2 " square, which I also had.  I hadn't really decided on any particular colors, but from these blocks I can tell I'm leaning toward browns. I'm looking forward to getting the book and continuing with this project.

Valentine Day Surprise

My husband really surprised me today.  The doorbell rang on a Sunday, no less, and here is a box with fresh flowers for Valentine.  I had already gotten up to the beautiful card. Aren't they beautiful?     He's definitly a keeper.

Quilt Show inspiration

Yesterday I went to the Golden Triangle Quilt Guild Show in Beaumont, TX. I did get inspired, so many pretty quilts by everyone. One quilt in particular by Carol as you see is very creative.  I participated in the same block exchange as Carol and have the same blocks.  I however, haven't been creative at all.  I have simply been putting mine together by the pattern.  Mine is the one below.

Now my thought is why can't I think outside the box and come up with such great ideas.  But putting the two pictures together, I do like what mine looks like and will continue to work on it.  I will do an update later since there is a lot more machine applique to do.  Actually, machine applique is outside my box.  I'm more of a needle turn applique fan.  Anyway, the bottom line, I'll just be a fan of the Carols of the world and enjoy their creativity, while I do the comfy, traditional quilts I love so much.

Odds and Ends

I'm thinking of all the odd and ends I complete as a matter of course, either at home or at retreats.  I like to think of them as leaders and enders, but also I work on block exchanges and sometimes just trying out an idea. 

I think I like these best of all.  I truly enjoy the process of stitching and thinking of projects.  Best of all I love to do scrape quilts.
 
I worked on a block exchange at the last retreat, and log cabin blocks.  It is such fun to look at a little pile of logs, remember the fabric from past projects, or wonder when I got this fabric.  It feels good to get a month or two ahead on an exchange instead of begin behind.  I like the sense of accomplishment too.

Sometimes I even get a top finished!

Retreat Finish

Another retreat finish and as you can see it's dated.  This quilt has made several retreats with me, as well as working on it at home.  It was a block of the month from the LQS and was a challenge in that the cutting directions were difficult to understand.  I also got the binding made from blue scraps and cut most of the left over scraps for use.  It feels good to finish a big project like this and follow though with completing it entirely.  I plan to purchase the backing and send it to the quilter soon. 

Quilt Retreat With Quilts Bayou group

Getting ready for a retreat at Stone Creek Lodge in Koutz, TX., my favorite.  I've been to a lot of quilt retreats over the years and have a set of tools I use all the time just for retreating in their own storage all set to go.   Now that I'm retired, I think I'm going to 8 or 9 a year.  I keep projects cut and ready to go.  Now comes the real problem,  how to decide exactly what I want to take on this one.  I have long since gotten over the "how many finishes' at retreats so if there isn't a finish I still have a good retreat.  Quilting isn't a race.  Now I simply work on projects in progress, WIP or UFO's.  I have a number of both.  I did learn a long time ago to take plenty to do and plently if I get bored or tired of a project.  Hopefully, I'll have this figured out before I leave in the early morning.  I'm looking forward to the weekend.

Band Update

Well, today is weigh in day.  My daughter Leigh and I both do this on Thursdays.  Today I show a loss of
1 lb.  I'm pleased with that.  Still have more twikking to do, but I am making progress.  John and I did not eat out as much.  I made a roast, Leigh recommended that, and she gave me more ideas too.  I was stuck on two or three things.  Really can tell the difference between eating too fast or not chewng enough.  I'm worth it though.

Took some Pictures

I'm trying to keep a record of what I'm doing to spure me on with a quilting plan.  So, I'm taking a few more pictures.

How I'm progressing:

My swap with my Wednesday Sewing group that we just finished.  One of the UFO's.  Not an old one, just the top level in the sewing room. 

       I didn't use all the blocks.  I was going to make a back with the remaining blocks, but decided that was more than I wanted to do with this quilt.  I need to buy something for the back, since I don't have anything suitable in my stash.

Trimmed up the rest of the half square triangles.

My  Triple 4 patch top made with 1800's reproduction fabrics and finished quite a few months back.  It needed a back.  I tried another idea from Quiltvile.com which was to cut 10 1/2 inches blocks to piece for a back.

The pieced back from 10 1/2 inches blocks with the 1800's fabrics for the triple 4 patch I finished this weekend too.

    
                                                                                                                                                                                                         After that, which is a lot to finish in a weekend, I realized I had made some progress on my bonus quilt leaders and enders quilts.  I started doing these after I read entires on quiltville.com

One is a scrappy log cabin quilt I volunteered to make for my daughter's best friend Emily.  So far I've made two king size quilts from scrapes cut 1 1/2 inch stripes, also cut into logs up to 9 1/2 inches.  I have two pizza boxes of these logs left after two big quilts.  May make a dent in the supply since Emily wants a quilt 103 in. by 130 in. 

Lastly, a pictures of the shaded nine patch I got inspired to do from seeing my friend's Karen's quilt.  I've been cutting up scrapes for over a year and chose to use the 2 1/2 inch squares and half square blocks I had collected. I wanted to try a setting I saw one of the ladies posted on Stashbuter's group pictures.  It looked great.


Anyway, onward.  Till next entry.