On the Wall

It may not look like much folks, but this is 18 blocks. I spent Saturday and Sunday making the Greek Key blocks. I ran into problems getting my swap ready for this week and didn't have them Friday to trade. I got two swaps cut with my new Accucut Go, then spent a lot of time just sewing the sets of 8. The small baskets are another Accucut Go cutting die that was developed by Alex Anderson. I've always admired this pattern of hers. Since I got this die I 've been wanting to try cutting this and see how it turns out. I had some scarps out so I tried it. Easy to cut, but it does have that handle on the basket that I sewed by hand. This was the only way I liked the look. The paper is the graph for Emily's quilt I colored in on Thursday. Not bad for a few days.

Update on Honeycomb Quilt

I got inspired last time I blogged and went in my sewing room and spent all day Friday making binding and backing for the last top I finished, the Honeycomb top. I used everything out for the top such as border fabric, then shopped the stash to see what would blend. I'm pleased with the results. I'm closer to getting this to the quilter which is the next step.

Update on Sewing Room

I wasn't brave enough to post picutres of what my room looked like before, just suffice it to say, it was a wreck. Frist of all I bought this wonderful cutting table from Tracey's table at the Houston Quilt Show. After it was delivered I took off for Dallas, seriously, that day. So, I had more than a week to think about how to arrange things. I wanted my stash of strips and other pieces cut from the stash leftovers to be handy. I do use these a lot and my custom now is to cut up scraps as I finish a project. I also want to really empty out stuff thats just been sitting in my sewing room for years in some cases. I decided this when I realised I still had a wooden apple that my son Edward gave me in Jr. High, he's over 30 now. Time to let that go!

On top of all that, I got a Go Accucut for Christmas from the family, WOW, and I wanted it handy too. So far, this is what I have completed. There is still another room half full with stuff from my sewing room I had to move to get the table in. Oh so much to do!!

Disclaimer

Let me define "finished" for myself. I realise that there are quilt police lurking all over the place that will tell you that finished is quilted, bound and labeled, but I define finished as finished top. I have to send my quilts out to be quilted by someone else which takes more time. There are several restrictions to this. One ,the time the quilter lady has, two, the money to pay the quilter lady, and three, my getting the back ready. Backs and finishing binding a quilt, whether I do it, or pay someone else to do it are actually another finish for me. Just to be on top of this, I leave the quilt on UFO list until it is totally finished, except for maybe a label.

This year my goal is to keep up with backs and binding, hopefully doing the binding myself.

So, when I list a top as finished, it is for me. On my UFO list is making backs and binding to get the quilt ready for final finish. I'm just saying...

First UFO Finish in 2011

This is starting the year off right in my opinion. I started swaps several years ago and after 3 different swaps, I finally had enough made to put together this quilt. It's bigger than a throw and too small for a bed, but perfect for the number of blocks I ended up with. I had originally thought I would not border only bind this one, I so like that look; however, this quilt called for a border. I've spent a lot of time looking at quilts as we all do I'm sure, and realized that the ones I admire grnerally have interesting borders. The inner border needed to stop the pattern and the other border needed to contrast to some extent. I still chose a fabric from my stash that had some of the colors in the quilt, but did contrast some. I like the end result.
I tried several choices. The picture may not show too well, but I tried blue then plaid with red and gold and the final choice the leaf with taupe and soft reds. This process of auditioning fabrics is really the fun part, unless I can't make up my mind. Taking pictures does help with this process.

From Texas again

I made my last entry from TX. and here again. After Christmas I got sick and then just 2 weeks after Christmas I'm back here to go to Disney World with my daughter and family. Knitting is good to do when recovering from an illness. One thing that does travel well and one can accomplish is knitting projects. The first scarf is called potato chip scarf because you can't make just one. The other is a simple knit 3, P I started here one time I had run out of projects. Leigh had this yarn and I started her this scarf. On this trip I completed both. It does help to quit so much Farmville also.

The Happiest Place on Earth

My daughter had this mantra throughout our trip to Disney World. How true it was. Although I was confined to a rolling chair, we really had a great time. After being there 2 years ago, we really saw a lot of what we missed before. This time Ashleigh had the most fun riding rides. Thanks goodness her dad came to do that with her for the most part. It was such fun! We had a couple of really cold days, but that didn't stop us from going. We enjoyed Epcot and Hollywood Studios. My all time favorite is still Magic Kingdom.

Update on Life

My last post was in TX, which seems like ages ago. I'm been terribly sick, sick enough to finally go to the Dr. yesterday. She said I have bronchitis. I believe her. I am on antibiotics now and should start getting better soon.

Since I've spent a lot of time in bed, I've thought about what I needed to do in the sewing arena. My Tracey cutting table is to come on Friday and my room has yet been cleaned out to make room for it. So for the next 2 days I have to work on that. After returning from Dallas and Disney, I'll have to put the room back together. I want very much to work on organizing my room to make a more productive use of sewing time.

I've decided that in order to quilt, I have to shift priorities. This involves the computer and face book. I'm stopping Farm ville, and Frontieerville is iffy at this point. I want to spend any computer time on Stash busters or blogs. I want to also limit my retreats, not so sure I'm headed in that directions since I just signed up for 3. Haven't heard back from the retreat to Le Grange yet. So life goes on. At least it's quilting!

Since I hate to post without pictures, I'm adding a picture of the Row Quilt I got at Happy Scrapers Christmas party. It's the culmination of a year. It's so beautiful and so me!