Tuesday, December 29, 2015

ALYOF December Goal Met

This month's goal for ALYOF was to finish the Mustang BQ quilt for Ms. Carol, the kids preschool teacher. She seemed to really enjoy it. I took off after work on Friday afternoon and went to my dad's to quilt it. I was able to get it all done and it turned out great. I was even able to pull the minkee backing around to the front to create the binding.
A little quilting on this one today. Now to finish it before Christmas.
I just love how cuddly it is and even Ms. Carol mentioned that they all loved the cuddle.
Ms. Carol's mustang quilt with minkee back got a wraparound binding last night. Another Christmas present done.
I was able to successfully make the Whirlwind quilt from start to finish, after a few little boo boos. It turned out more beautiful than I imagined. I quilted it the same day and even had an audience of my dad and Ann's neighbors who wanted to see what my frame and quilting looked like. I'll be teaching this class at the Sewing Center in March.
Whirlwind is quilted! I also showed the neighbors how the frame and machine worked. Love quilting and the relationships it builds.
I also finished up my Carry All Caddy. It's a bit challenging, but after I got over a few hiccups, it went pretty smoothly. For some reason it intimidated me. I will be teaching this one in February. It's definately a bag you'd want to take a class to learn. It's on the advanced beginner side.
The Carry All Caddy is DONE! This one tested my patience, but I'm glad I made it and look forward to teaching it next year at The Sewing Center!  I love the size and stability of it. This is a class you won't want to miss, as the pattern doesn't have a lo
A few little fun Sweet Pea Pods used up my leftover Bendy bag fabric. I'm just waiting for zipper pulls to finish up the rest. They are quick and easy and oh so cute.
Using up Bendy bag scraps! I'll be making a lot of sweetpea pods as soon as we get the zipper pulls in. These are beyond quick and easy. #lazygirl #sweetpeapods

And another sweetpea pod made in about 20 minutes.  Love how quick and easy these are to make.
Over Christmas weekend, Paul hung up the quilt rack over the quilt frame at my dad's. We hung up mom's first quilt, made with all the fabrics she used to make dad shirts. Lots of memories in these fabrics.
It's a beauty!
Dad and Ann wanted the grandkids names embroidered on stockings, so I got to it and got them all done.
I put the embroidery machine through a workout this week,  but they turned out great.
While I had the embroidery machine out I made Jen a couple t-shirts. I had them designed, but just had to get them prepped and have the right USB stick at the right time.
The stars have aligned, allowing me to finally embroider the tshirts I bought 2 summers ago. Hope they turn out like I envision them.
January is going to be a fun month, with hopefully a lot of sewing. I'm already planning for next year.
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Wednesday, December 02, 2015

ALYOF December Goal

My December goal for ALYOF is to quilt and bind this quilt for the kids preschool teacher. The tricky part is going to be getting out to dads to get it quilted. I'll just have to take the time to make it out there and get it done. I think I'll do it in a red/white/blue thread. It will have red minkee on the back. I bought two yards of minkee, only to read the pattern and realize it is 72", but luckily I have a couple inches to spare when I laid it out, so it will work. I'm looking forward to getting this one done.

Quilt top #2 BQ quikt for preschool teacher for Christmas

In other quilty news, I started on a Carry All Case made out of black sewing fabric. I only got the handles done so far, so I have a ways to go, but think it will go together well. I am also busy cutting out the Whirlwind quilt by Triangle Frenzy. So excited to see it come together. Both of these will be classes next year at The Sewing Center. Tonight I am teaching the Stowaways bag class at The Sewing Center. So excited to be teaching this fast and easy bag.

Tuesday, November 24, 2015

ALYOF November Goal Accomplished

November has been a very successful month for me! I did a lot of preparation for quilt retreat, thus not much to show throughout the month, until after retreat this weekend. I had the best weekend sewing with 7 of my close quilting friends. I pieced the mustang quilt top, which is a gift for our preschool teacher. It turned out really cute. This was my goal for ALYOF for November, so I feel great that I got it finished.
Quilt top #2 BQ quikt for preschool teacher for Christmas
At retreat I also made Mathew a Toy Story bag. His sister has a lot this size, but he's been in need of some for his trucks and cars.
A new toy bag for Mathew. Third finish of retreat
I finished this leader/ender project I have been working on for a few years. It's about 80" square, so a good size quilt. I hope to make this into a quilt to give away, when the need arises.
Fourth finish of the weekend. Batik jewel box quilt.
My big accomplishment was finishing the Trip around the world top. I've also been working on this one for several years. I love how it turned out. I was one block short, but decided to piece the top and make the other block at home, since I hadn't brought the fabrics, just the done blocks. I found the "extra" fabrics this morning and realized I had enough for 5 more blocks. Not sure why I hadn't made more. So glad I have enough of the center yellow to make the last block. This is a Bonnie Hunter Scrappy Trip Around the World pattern, with a control strip of light yellow. It is all scrap batiks.
Fifth, almost finished top. I'm one block short, but calling it done for now.
The Strip Lash quilt by GE Designs was my major project this weekend. It took me over 12 hours to piece and is 80"x 81". It's a quilt for my MIL, but I am not sure when I'll get it quilted. It is much more gorgeous in person, with the shimmer and sparkly glitter and silver glistening.
The Strip Lash quilt top is done! This quilt took me all afternoon and night to piece together.  #gedesigns
This was a random project I kind of put in at the last minute, but it is the friendship blocks from my mom's Wall quilt guild back in 2004. I just put a simple sashing on them. It will be quilted up as a comfort quilt. I also have my grandma's friendship blocks from the same guild exchange, but I ran out of time. I am going to put them in the same type of setting, although they are larger at 12", these were 10".
Mom's friendship block quilt. Last finish of the weekend. Six quilt tops and a bag done this weekend.
I also made this BQ4 quilt from my mom's stash of Loralie Design fabrics. It turned out pretty cool. Again, it has no destination, but will be quilted up for when I need a quilt to give away.
My first finish,  a Loralie Designs quilt top, made from mom's stash.
Before retreat I made this mustang Bendy bag for a guy I work with to give to his daughter. It's a bit super sized as I used most of the fat quarter.
Super sized Bendy bag from 2 fat quarters. Love the Nt. Rushmore and mustang.
Before our trip to MN another roommate decided to join us, so I had to make her son a bendy bag as well, so I whipped this up before we left. His parents are big snowmobilers.
Another Bendy bag finished after a great Sew Together bag class tonight. Love teaching!
So it's been a very successful month of sewing. Paul got his deer on Saturday, so I am unsure what we'll be doing this weekend. I had hoped to go to dad's and quilt, but we'll see if that happens.

Wednesday, November 04, 2015

November ALYOF Goal

This year I am going to quilt retreat in November with my quilty girlfriends, thanks to my Aunt and Uncle who are watching the kids while Paul hunts. I've been making lots of preparations to get quilt tops done. My November goal for ALYOF is to make this BQ quilt top for my kids preschool teacher. She love mustangs and is in the mustang club, so I am sure she will love it. If I can get the top done, I'll be really happy, but if it gets quilted I'll be even more excited.
Mustang quilt cut out and ready to sew. Hope to finish the top for #ALYOF  November goal.

I've been Bendy Bag crazy in my studio, making these bags like the are going out of style. This is the 11th one, Thomas, made for a college roommates son.
Another Bendy bag,  this one a little bit bigger as an experiment. I'm hoping the little Thomas fan will love it.
A star wars one for another college roommates son.
My tenth Bendy Bag! Made for a special little boy. It glows in the dark!
Frozen ones for the girls. These are so fast and easy! I made three... chain pieced in an hour.
Three more Bendy Bags, all Frozen, so I could chain sew them. They will make great gifts.
My office mates and I dressed up for Halloween. It was simple yet fun. Since no one else dressed up, at least a few of us did.
Weary have been the only ones to dress up, but we dressed up in style!  Our fun M&M costume. Rachael, Moneik, Becky, & Susie
I'm linking up with Sew Bittersweet for the November ALYOF goal setting party.
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Wednesday, October 28, 2015

October Goal A Lovely Year of Finishes

This has been an awesome month for me! I've completed so many quilts it isn't even funny. First up is my big finish for A Lovely Year of Finishes. Mikaela's Frozen quilt top was quilted and bound and she loves it! She sleeps with it every night. The soft Frozen Minkee on the back makes it warm and cozy. This was my October goal for ALYoF.
Mikaela's Frozen quilt is bound and on her bed. She'll be excited when she wakes up tomorrow morning.
In addition to finishing my goal for ALYOF, I was able to finish several other quilts. I had a quilting marathon at my dad's house over the long weekend. I finished Mathew's Toy Story quilt, including the binding on it.
Mathew's Toy Story quilt is done and he's sleeping under it tonight.  Sidelines by Maple island quilts
I started making Bendy Bags and couldn't stop. I made one for me and one for a co-worker/friend who is leaving.
Because I can @cre8tivequilter ! These turned out as super cute Bendy bags!
One for Mikaela to put her My Little Pony's in.
A Bendy bag for Mikaela.
Mathew got one made from scraps of his Train fabric.
One Bendy bag done from scraps for Mathew.
I made Ann a new horse purse.
This might just be one of the best purses I've made in a while. My dad asked me to make it, so with a few scraps and 1 new piece, this was born.
A Toy Story Bendy Bag for Mathew.
The other side of the bendy bag.
Since Club Sew has been all about miniatures, I made this miniature rail fence with scraps from the larger rail fence I made last month. This was so quick and easy and I just love miniature quilts.
Miniature rail fence quilt made from left over 2.5" ×4.5" subcut pieces of larger rail fence. Bound with backing.
I also made a miniature granny square block. The binding was not fun on this, but it is done!
It's a miniature granny square!
I finished the second baseball star quilt. This is the scraps from the first one I made a few months ago.
The 2nd eight point star from leftover baseball fabrics is done. Love how it turned out! #goroyals
Another Bendy bag for a co-worker who is leaving.
One more Bendy bag down, a few more to go this week.
Mathew's Tonka truck quilt is almost done. Just the binding left to sew and I have to administer another test on Friday, so it should get done then.
Quilted track for Mathew, just need to finish the binding.
My biggest accomplishment was finishing my mom's first quilt, made with scraps from shirts she made my dad. I think she took this class in 1985, so the fabric was sheer and I did a wobbly back and forth line across, similar to what she might have done. The binding is on and I was able to sew it down a few weeks ago.
Oldest UFO ever! Mom's first quilt, 1985, quilted and bound.
While we were at the ranch the kids got to ride in the tractor with grandpa. They loved it! They did it the next weekend too and were in heaven. So fun to see them playing out in the country.
The kids got to ride with Grandpa Hugh in the tractor to move bales this weekend.
I'm linking up with the ALYoF Finishing party for October. There are still a few days left and I have 7 more Bendy bags cut out!

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Wednesday, October 07, 2015

October goal ALYOF

This weekend for the first time in 10 years, I have this 3 day weekend off. I haven’t had Native American Day off, so I'm looking forward to it. We plan to work on my dad's deck, but that also means I'll be at my dad's house,  where my quilt frame is, so I plan to have a quilting marathon. I have 4 quilts prepped and ready. My October goal is to quilt and bind Mikaela's Frozen quilt.

Monday, August 31, 2015

ALYOF August Goal Met!

Just as the month is coming to a close, I finished the Winter Wonderland quilt top, which was my ALYOF goal for August. It's a sample for the store and turned out pretty cool, just very time consuming and a lot of little pieces. So glad it is done and I can move on to other projects. I did get quite a bit done this month, considering how much I traveled.
Last night I put the Winter Wonderland top together.
I also made this fun little baby quilt using 8 fat quarters. It's super simple, yet is good practice for doing Y seams. I quilted it with baseballs. I'll be teaching the class in a few weeks.

Baseball 8 point star quilted today. It turned out super cute.
While I was on my first work trip this month, I pieced this rail fence. It's scraps from quilts I made about 5 years ago. Friday while I was at my dad's I quilted it up. It'll make a nice baby quilt.
Scrappy rail fence quilted.
The leftover pieces went into this quick little doll blanket, which also got quilted at dad's last week.
Scrappy twirl quilt is quilted.

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