No, I didn’t finish my Dear Jane quilt. But I did finish my Dear Jane Siggie Quilt! It was really nice seeing the piles of blocks before dinner. I was really concerned that I was missing 2 of the siggie blocks so I sent a note to the group this morning and found that there were most likely only 48 sent to us. I’m thrilled! Unfortunately I had to change the design just a little, one less column and 1 extra row, but I was able to use all the 9-patches I had already started. I used the Bonnie Hunter method of joining the blocks into rows and I have to say that sewing them together was so easy! I didn’t have to worry about getting blocks in the wrong place. I had hubby hold it up so I could get a picture, I think something might be wrong with my camera because the picture is a little blurry, but I might have been trying to take the picture too fast. I just know it’s done and I’m almost ready for the meeting tomorrow! Just need to do a sign up sheet and start working on the details.
I have to say that I’m loving working on this quilt. Over the weekend I started cutting the strips for around the siggie blocks and started putting those together, after I cut them all down to 5″. I’m doing a lot of chain piecing on this quilt because it makes it so much faster! On the siggie blocks I put the top piece on (1.25″ x 5″) all of the blocks. Then after pressing I added the next side (1.25″ x 5.75″) – log cabin style. I have the 3rd side cut out already and I’m planning on adding that this afternoon while Alex naps. I hope to cut out the 6.5″ side and get that added on this afternoon too, it’ll depend on how long he naps. Then I’ll need to cut out some more 2.5″ black squares with my Go to finish the alternate blocks. Boy are those easy to chain piece too! I saw on Bonnie Hunter’s site once how she will sew together the first 2 blocks in each row, leave them connected together then add the next piece on. Then everything for 1 block is together. I was flying through those blocks this weekend! I have 15 done and 34 to go as soon as I get the black cut out. I really want this done before Thursdays meeting. If I get enough done I’ll be back later, if not tomorrow!
I haven’t been working on much quilting lately, no time at the sewing machine and the hexagon diamonds have taken a back seat for awhile. I spent most of August and September working on a cross stitch present for my parents 40th anniversary, now that it’s been given to them I can talk about it. Unfortunately I was dumb and didn’t take a picture before I gave it to them! I should be going to their house this week and will see if I can get a picture.
I’ve also been working on some Christmas presents, which I can’t talk about until after the holidays. I have 1 stitched up and I am working on the 2nd, still have 1 to go after that. We just made some decisions yesterday about presents that I am making, boy do I have a lot of work in the next 2 months!
Still looking for a hand quilting class to take. I’m debating seeing if there is someone in the guild that would teach me. I seem to be taking more of an active role in the guild. I am now doing our guild blog. I need to go back and put the newsletters going back to January 2012, but I don’t think there is any hurry. 🙂
Alex is now 2 and I can’t believe how quickly the time goes by! He’s not talking yet, but some words are starting to come out. He’s so smart (I know, every mother says that!) and understands so much! Since I don’t have any cross stitch or quilting pictures, you’ll have to settle for one of Alex’s 2 year pictures.
Oh my goodness have I accomplished a lot lately! Today was the guild sew-in, only 2 people besides me showed! I finished the blocks for The Quilt Show 2010 BOM and started working on the borders. I got the first set done, I have 136 half square triangles to put together for the next set of borders. Probably won’t get to that yet, but it’s next on the agenda!
December Star Crazy Blocks
Remember last year when I said I was going to start hand piecing a quilt? Well, since I want to use the 2.5″ squares on the hexagon quilt I decided to just machine piece everything I had done and see how big it was going to turn out. It’s kinda on the small side unfortunately (only 20″ x 36″) , I’m thinking I might put some borders on it and have it in the car for Alex. We’ll see what I decide to do with it, it won’t be anytime soon! I might just decide to start making more blocks and make it bigger, I do like how it looks.
hand piecing project
My die from Accuquilt shipped last week and should be here Monday, so I will be able to cut up the whites I bought last week and the fat quarters I pulled from the stash. I’m really happy with how it looks so far, I did a mock-up in EQ and right now it’s designed at 37″ x 43″. I’m not sure how big I want to make this, so for now that’s where I’m headed as a starting point. I need 39 whole flowers and 10 half flowers for the top and bottom, right now I’ve got 15 whole flowers completed. It looks dark in the picture but’s it really not that dark. I bought some plastic templates at Joann’s last week and have started using them. I haven’t decided if I like the heavier weight paper or the templates yet. They are a lot thicker than the paper, I’ll have to see if there’s a difference when it’s sewed together and the templates are removed.
Hexagon Quilt 02-18-12
Never got up to the frame the other day, I still need to finish removing the red tacks from the backing so I can get working on re-tacking it, I want it off that frame!!! Now that I have my MacBook pretty much setup the way I want with music, I’m hoping I can work on it tomorrow since I’ll have music to listen to while Alex sleeps!
Was it only Tuesday I posted about starting my hexagon quilt? I cannot believe how much I have done already! I’m using red centers for the flowers and scrappy around that center. White in between each flower. I have 9 flowers done, 7 of them almost all put together. Putting this much together allowed me to pull some of the templates out and I can work on getting more flowers together. I’m hoping (weather permitting) to go to Joann’s tomorrow and get some fat quarters – white for sure and possibly some colors – even though I have a bunch of squares all ready to go. A few years ago one of my friends gave me a gift certificate for Accuquilt, and I haven’t used it yet. I think I’m going to get the 2.5″ square die which will cut out 9 squares per layer at once. It’ll be so much faster doing it that way instead of using the value die that came with my Go that only cuts 1 per layer at a time. It’ll also help when I decide to go back to my other hand piecing quilt project with the 4 patches.
Hexagon Progress 2-12-12
I didn’t mention it the other day, but I never made it to the guild sew-in last month. I spent the morning of the 26th prepping Star Crazy and making my pillow case contribution. By the time Alex got up I wasn’t feeling very well and had a fever! Somehow I managed to get the flu and was sick until the following week. However, they are having another one this weekend and I already told hubby I needed to go. Have to figure out a way to start working on my projects!!!
Pillowcase for charity
Hoping to get up to the frame in a little bit to see how much I can get done on basting my mom’s turning twenty quilt. I had it almost done and discovered that there wasn’t enough backing fabric the way I had attached it to the frame. Had to take it all out and start over again. Since I’m using those red plastic tacks I need to get the off the backing so I can start again. Hoping to get that done soon so I can quilt the tumbler quilt for my sister – haven’t worked on that in a long time! I just went back to link to the post where I showed it and I haven’t taken a picture of it yet! I don’t feel like taking it out right now, but I’ll get a picture before it goes on the frame.
I know, I know….it’s been AGES since I’ve posted anything. This 15 month old little boy takes up all my time! 🙂 I can’t believe how quickly time has passed. He’s 15 months old, walking (and running) and so damn cute it kills me! And smart too! Ok, you didn’t come here for me to gush about my little one, did you?
I’ve been doing some cross stitch, haven’t finished anything since Halloween though. I made this little wall hanging just in time to put up for our Halloween party. You can’t tell in the picture, but some of the thread glows in the dark, boy was that a pain to stitch with!
Trick or Treat Wallhanging
I haven’t really worked on my hand piecing project lately. I was working on cross stitch and just put that away recently to work on Dear Jane applique blocks. I was talking with some of the ladies at guild and they reminded me that I need to make time to work on my sewing – it’s been MONTHS since I turned it on! In fact I just cleaned it off a week ago! Mended a shirt for Alex that has been sitting here for ages and now it’s ready to work on some quilts! So I’ve decided to start working on Dear Jane again. Finished 2 blocks in the past few weeks and I’ve got another almost done, in fact it should be done tonight since there’s a basketball game to watch!
J-11 JS09
Saturday the guild is doing a sew-in from 12-4 and I’m thinking that I’m going to go. I really want to sew and this would allow me to do nothing but that! I think that hubby can take care of Alex for 4 hours, especially since he’ll most likely be napping for half of that. So I’m planning on working on Star Crazy. I’m going to get as much prepped as I can before Saturday, I’m hoping I can get the top put together in 4 hours. Heck I’ve already got the center done!
And just because I love posting pictures of my son…. Alex - January 2012
