W.i.P. Wednesday

It's W.i.P. Wednesday again already!

Completed projects

Dream Big is all done, though photos of front and back are being saved for Gen X Quilters' Summer Fair: A Quilt and Recipe Show. The show starts today, but due to W.i.P. Wednesday, I'll be waiting until tomorrow to post. Quilts and recipes - that's right up my alley!

Ongoing projects

My Kaleidoscope quilt top is done and basted. I love how it is turning out! Last night I made the binding and quilting it is next on my agenda! 

The Summer Sampler Series Quilt Along is along coming along nicely! I finished block #7. I loved the blocks on flickr that had each star triangle in a different print fabric, but considering I was working with solids, I went ahead and made the string block. I really like how it turned out, and the pieced triangles were especially fun to make.

Afternoon Snack table runner and Cappuccino Bali Pop "Light & Shadow" have been started, but not much progress has been made. Once Kaleidoscope is done, I'm planning on facing both of these projects before I get totally wrapped up in bee blocks and swaps.

Upcoming projects

* Stash quilt - zig zag quilt. 

* Shades of Grey.
* For the Love of Solids project
* 4x5 modern Quilt Bee blocks

* Quilts for our siblings.

On hold for a while

Block-a-palooza quilt along needs basted and quilted.

Be sure and head over to Freshly Pieced to see more W.i.P.s! They are so inspiring!

To be quilted . . .

Well, it's always nice to have a quilt top and back completed and ready to go off to the long-arm quilter. It's kind of like an adventure - out of your control, but always quite exciting. Dream Big is heading off today. Last night I prepped her binding so it's ready to go the minute she gets back.

It was kind of a nice farewell for her to be featured in Fashioned by Meg's post last night about her Finish It Up! Challenge. Click here to see her collage, which includes Dream Big, as well as several other lovely projects being finished up.

Bye for now, Dream Big! Can't wait to see you again!

Finish It Up! Challenge and Friday Night Sew-In

Last night was Friday Night Sew-In, and I worked most of the evening on the backing for the Dream Big quilt I've been working on. I had what I thought was a good idea, to create a focal point for the back with 'modern crosses', inspired by Don't Call Me Betsy's latest finish, and then 'fill in' with the large pieces of Central Park fabric left over from the front. Well, it didn't turn out quite like I'd imagined - much more scrappy than I'd hoped, but I think we'll go with it. I'm so inspired by other pieced backs I see online, but never quite 'get it' to my satisfaction. Anyway, I'll be sending Dream Big off to my long-arm quilter next week, as it's a tad large to tackle with my machine. Meanwhile, I've ordered the binding and plan to have that made up by the time the quilt comes back home.

 completed top

modern cross detail on back;

weather precludes a full photo today . . .

Yesterday I joined the Finish it Up! challenge, sponsored by Meg of Fashioned by Meg. It is suggested to only list projects that are actually cut out, so "Dream Big" is my first major w.i.p. listed. Also included will be "Light and Shadow" Bali pop quilt and "Gentlemen Caller", the last quilt in my Prairie Women Sewing Circle series.

Bali pop strips for Cappucino Light and Shadow

bow-ties for "Gentlemen Caller"

There are oodles of other projects listed on my sewing room white-board, but none are actually cut out, so we'll add those as we go along.

I'm linking up with both Friday Night Sew-In and Finish it Up!. . .

 

The Race is On . . . postscript

Ok, so I mentioned a few days ago that the race was on to finish some projects before the upcoming quilt along and hst class starts later this month. But there's also a race due to new fabric coming out! Let me explain . . .

Whew! Finished my Geese in the Park using Kate Spain's Central Park . . .

and almost done with Dream Big for daughter dear . . .

so now looking forward to Kate's Terrain! Seriously can not wait!

Finished Ritzy Cracker with Camille Roskelley's Bliss . . .

so now anxiously waiting for Ruby.

And, just last night finished Annela Hoey's Comic Strip Quilt with Sherbet Pips . . .

Soon . . . Little Apples.

SO much to look forward to!

W.i.P. Wednesday

This week has been a good "back in the groove" kind of week. I sorted through my current and upcoming projects and sort of have a plan for the next couple of weeks. But seriously, there are not enough hours in the day!

Current projects

Comic Strip Quilt is quilted and so close to being complete - about 18" close, in fact.

My Dream Big top is nearing completion also. The 'pluses' are done.

Now the borders are going on - I'm reminded that this is not my favorite step in the quilting process either! But soon it will be done!

The Prairie Women Sewing Circle mini quilt has been put on hold for a few days as things progres on the previous two projects. Lots of little pieces and trimming yet to do here.

Ongoing projects

* Kaleidoscope quilt along hosted by don't call me betsy - I've added a few coordinates to my Denyse Schmidt Fairgrounds prints, and will soon have my stack collected for this qa that begins June 23. 

* Cappuccino Bali Pop "Light & Shadow". Still hoping to get this further underway before the qa starts.

Upcoming projects

* Afternoon Snack table runner adapted from this pattern by G. E. Designs.

* Hoopla charm pack received in May's A Little Fabric, A Little Chocolate {Swap!}.

* Shades of Grey. Ideas are still percolating - tentatively to include my variety of KONA grays, and then adding that splash of {as yet undetermined, but I think I've decided} color. . .

* Stash quilt - Sew Katie Did's zig zag quilt. I'm hoping to get started on this at Katie's HST class on June 29!

* Quilts for our siblings.

On hold for a while
Block-a-palooza quilt along needs basted and quilted.

That's it for this week! Now it's time to head on over to Freshly Pieced to see the other great W.i.P.s!

The Race is On

With the Kaleidoscope quilt along starting on June 23, and a Half Square Triangle class with Katie Pedersen of Sew Katie Did on June 29, there's really some {self-induced} pressure to get a few projects either finished or well on their way before the end of the month!

Central Park Dream Big

Prairie Women's Sewing Circle #6

Sherbet Pips Comic Strip

Not to forget Cappuccino Bali Pop "Light & Shadow"! Lots to do this week, and hopefully I'll be able to join in on Friday Night Sew-In this Friday, June 17.

Meanwhile, linking up with {Sew} Modern Monday today!

I'm a Counter

Yes, I count. I count stairs as I walk up them, and again as I go down. I count how many eggs are in the carton and how many steps to my car. I count the hours I sleep and the days until vacation. Seriously, I count. I'm relieved to say that my daughter is a counter too, and so is my mom. At a recent family gathering, this was a topic of conversation. The counters don't know why they do, and the non-counters can't believe it's an issue!

Anyway, it's no surprise then, that I count as I quilt. Working on my Dream Big quilt, I soon discovered that it took 20 minutes to piece 4 rows, another 10 minutes to press the rows and pin them into pairs, and another 20 minutes to sew them all together. Aha! Basically 12.5 minutes PER row, times 26 rows, would mean about 5.5 hours to piece the center of the top. Thankfully, I'm a good 4 hours into this process and have 20 rows to show for my repeated and unnecessary calculations.

The design wall is almost empty, with only 6 rows left. . . 

That would be 70 minutes to me.

W.i.P. Wednesday

Oh, it has been good to have my sewing maching back in the house and to be sewing again! Talk about withdrawl!

Finished

Just Swell sewing machine cover, pattern from Simplify

I also whipped up a new little project for my coworker's birthday tomorrow. She's planning a trip to Hawaii, so I hope she likes the tropical mug rug!

Current projects

Dream Big has been my main project in the last week, from planning layout on the design wall to starting to piece rows. I was kind of concerned about keeping all the rows straight, but it's going just fine.

first four rows done

Ongoing projects

* Kaleidoscope quilt along hosted by don't call me betsy - I couldn't resist joining this one! I'm planning on using my Denyse Schmidt Fairgrounds prints, but need to find a few more coordinates. Elizabeth suggested some DS Katie Jump Rope, but they aren't readily available in my chosen colorway, so I'm still pulling together my final stack of fabric for this project.
(Cutting instructions are released June 23, so there's plenty of time to join in!)

* Comic Strip Quilt is basted and waiting to be quilted.

* Cappuccino Bali Pop "Light & Shadow".

* Pioneer Women Sewing Circle mini quilt.

Upcoming projects

* Afternoon Snack table runner adapted from this pattern by G. E. Designs.

* Hoopla charm pack received in May's A Little Fabric, A Little Chocolate {Swap!}.

* Shades of Grey. Kind of thinking a wonky log cabin, including my variety of KONA grays, and then adding that splash of {as yet undetermined} color. . .

* Stash quilt - Sew Katie Did's zig zag quilt.

* Quilts for our siblings.

On hold for a while
Block-a-palooza quilt along needs basted and quilted.

That's it for this week! Now it's time to head on over to Freshly Pieced to see the other great W.i.P.s!

Dream Big

My sewing machine has been at the shop for over a week and I'm going through withdrawl! I've cut out several projects in its absence though, and decided tonight was the night to lay out the Dream Big quilt for my daughter. This quilt from Camille Roskelley of Simplify has been on my W.i.P. posts for several weeks now, and I confess laying it out has seemed a bit daunting. I realized today, though, that I was given a design wall years ago, and had never used it. Hubby helped me hang it, and it was the perfect place to tackle this project!

I started out slow, as it took a while to figure out the pattern placement. Eventually I got all the main blocks up. I need to look at it with fresh eyes tomorrow, adjust a bit, and then add the edge pieces. By then, hopefully, my machine will be back home and we can start stitching!

W.i.P. Wednesday

W.i.P. Wednesday is here again, but due to my machine being in for its annual check-up and taking several days vacation, I haven't done any sewing. But that doesn't mean I haven't been able to add new projects to my list!

Ongoing projects

Comic Strip Quilt is basted and waiting to be quilted.

Dream Big is the next big priority project.

Just Swell sewing machine cover.

Cappuccino Bali Pop "Light & Shadow".
Pioneer Women Sewing Circle mini quilt.

Upcoming projects
* Kaleidoscope quilt along hosted by don't call me betsy.

* Afternoon Snack table runner adapted from this pattern by G. E. Designs.
* Hoopla - charm pack received in recent A Little Fabric, A Little Chocolate {Swap!}.

* Shades of Grey.

* Stash quilt - Sew Katie Did's zig zag quilt.

* Quilts for our siblings.
* DS Fairgrounds.

On hold for now
Block-a-palooza quilt along needs basted and quilted.

Now head on over to don't call me betsy to see the other great W.i.P.s. (Freshly Pieced took the week off!)

W.i.P. Wednesday

It's W.i.P. Wednesday! 

Ongoing projects

Yay! I faced my nemesis

and basted my Comic Strip Quilt!

Dream Big got cut out during Friday Night Sew-In.

Cappuccino Bali Pop quilt is ready to start piecing. It's real name is "Light & Shadow" by Brenda Henning.

The last mini quilt in the Prairie Women's Sewing Circle series is cut out.

Just Swell sewing machine cover - fabric all chosen from stash and first pieced strip done.

Block-a-palooza quilt along needs basted and quilted. (This will probably be waiting a while.)

Need to do
* Shades of Grey.

* Stash quilt - Sew Katie Did's zig zag quilt.

* Quilts for our siblings.
* DS Fairgrounds.

Be sure and stop in over at Freshly Pieced to see lots of fantastic projects! Have a great day!

W.i.P. Wednesday

It's W.i.P. Wednesday again already! Be sure and stop in over at Freshly Pieced to see lots of fantastic projects!

Ongoing projects

My Comic Strip Quilt top using sherbet pips is done and waiting to be basted. Binding is ready to go!

Now that my Block-a-palooza quilt along top is done, it'll probably sit around for a while waiting to be quilted. Just sayin'.

Next on the sewing agenda is a Dream Big quilt for my daughter. I have made just one of Camille Roskelley's patterns before and really enjoyed it, so am anxious to get going on this one! For fabric, she picked out Kate Spain's Central Park, so it'll be fun to work with that line again. I've picked out my daughter's least favorite prints and will be adding some solids, which will be selected and ordered soon.

Last, but in no ways least, my supernova in DONE and posted on flickr before the deadline! I'll be sharing the story of this quilt on Friday with The Bloggers' Quilt Festival. I confess, I love this quilt!

Need to do

* Cappuccino Bali Pop quilt.

* Stash quilt - Sew Katie Did's zig zag quilt.

* Quilts for our siblings.

* The last project from the Pioneer Women Sewing Circle.

Have a great day!