TWO QUILTS IN ONE! FINISHED!!!!!

After  more than one setback.... this is DONE!    This is a reversible Duvet cover that I made for our king size log bed..... (oops.. don't mind the wastebasket in the background.... I was on my way out to the garbage, when I decided to take pics.... )  This side is made up of 4 different "panel" pieces, all by different manufacturers.... and two other outdoorsy prints... married together with scrappy flying geese.   It is HUGE.... 104 x 114".....  

This is the back side..... a mystery quilt I started last December over at the Quilt and Needle.   I added the extra side border of deep red/rust to bring it to the same size as the panel top.

Originally,  I had this..... which I did not like.... I had to substitute the cream fabric for the leaf fabric i ran out of while cutting.   I just didn't like the way the cream popped....

so... I decided to make more blocks with a rust instead.... much better...

Now we're on the right track....   I got sidetracked when it came time to add 2 invisible zippers so I could stuff it with the comforter.....   and then I needed more of the animal print on the other top.... which I had to find and order on line.....  This puppy was so large, that I had to move all my family room furniture out of the way to work on it!   

Since my original plan was a duvet cover.... I was concerned with the seams of either top fraying as the comforter moved around inside.  My remedy was to use a muslin backing on each of the tops... which I spray basted and stitched together.....   I now know I will most likely NEVER quilt a king size with a batting inside on my domestic home machine..... I love my Janome... but even the two layers of fabric w/o batting were difficult to maneuver around.  The spray basting saved my bacon... I'm sure that pins alone would have been a nightmare....  So... all together there are 4 layers of fabric in the cover alone....

When I turned it right side out, and put the comforter that has been on our bed inside,  it was incredibly heavy!     I had originally thought that I would use the comforter during the winter months, and then use it as a "summer topper" w/o the comforter during warm weather... but as of  half way through the night last night,  it will be a summer topper all year through.... I have removed the comforter today.   It was so heavy, I couldn't roll over under it....

This is a picture of the leaf side showing on the bed... it is so pretty!  I'm going to have a hard time deciding which side to have up every day....

Here are some other close-ups... one of the quilting... I used up 5 spools of that green thread I posted about a couple of weeks ago.....

Center of the top...

See the picture above the bed?  Matches pretty good, eh?



Boy, it feels good to get this one out of the UFO pile...... anyone need my old king size comforter?   LOL

UFOs... Progress and Plans

It's time to pick my choices for the 2012 UFO Challenge over at Judy Laquidara's site .

I have a huge pile of UFOs that need to be completed.... so I've made my list for 2012. 

You can read my list here.

This is just one pile of projects that need finishing... These are mostly tops waiting to be sandwiched and quilted...  I see one i there that's been there for at least 5 years.... it's the green and red one above the salmon colored backing that belongs to it... this was a mystery quilt... Quilt till you wilt... from several years ago... The quilt shop where we did this has been out of business for at least 5 years....  Where does time go?

I did get a bunch done in 2011.    Since I give them away as fast as i can finish them... I don't have a pile of quilts to photograph.

I only started 3 new quilts that are not yet completed....

I finished up 6 old UFOs that were on my List for 2011....

I won blocks to be pieced in 5 different block lottery / exchanges in 2011 ..

I actually started 4 quilts in 2011 that got finished and delivered... to people I know....

On the giving front...

I pieced and quilted 3 tops from my stash to go to others in need

I pieced 3 tops from blocks that were group contributions or donated in some way

I quilted 6 tops that for donation or group presentation of some kind... (these did not go to anyone I know personally).

When I actually type the list out... I realize I really did accomplish something besides therapy while sitting at my machine this year....

If It's Organized... Is it Still Considered Hoarding ? ? ? ?

Ok... I'm obsessive.... I'll admit... but there are times when I even question myself...

I started straightening up from about 6 months worth of projects from around my machine area.  This means that I take all the little scraps and bits... and begin sorting into Bonnie's scrap user system.  Bonnie Hunter's Scrap Users System Tutorial   I've been trying to do this now for about a year.... but all the pieces were in ziplock baggies in a drawer.  (not very easy to get to.... for either sorting or using)....  As I was cutting squares and bricks the other night,  I decided I really needed another way of doing this if I was ever going to use it.  

Later that night,  it dawned on me, that I had a couple of those drawer sets that you get at the hardware store for sorting nuts and bolts.  I've had these forever.... it was what I used for thread storage.... (we'll get to that just a little later).....

So... yesterday morning, while working on my second cup of coffee.... I decided to go empty the thread bins... so I could dust them out and start putting my pre-cut squares away......

The bins turned out to be just the right size!  And they are clear on the front.... so I can sort of see what's in them....


Drawer set #1



Drawer Set #2

Here is a picture of one of the drawers 




Drawer of  2 1/2" squares

I even stacked some twosies together so I can just grab a stack and stitch when I want to make four patch units....

twosies... ready to stitch!

These two little units sit perfectly ontop of a shelf that holds some of my papercrafting supplies... (*Believe me.... that is an entirely different post.... ) Just to the left... are my larger scrap drawers that hold pieces that are about a FQ or smaller....


Scrap drawers



I have a drawer for everything....

I tried plastic shoe boxes several years ago... but I found it hard to get into them..... I pick up these drawer units when they are on sale..... I've figured out how to take them apart and stack them together in taller units..... (Don't even start in on how much I've invested....  my DH might be reading my blog secretly... LOL)  But remember... I did say I ALWAYS buy them on SALE! 

And where would I be without IKEA shelves?  

It's sort of sorted by color..... and overflowing..... and I shouldn't have to buy fabric for a very long time!

Now.... back to the thread story.....

If one has 293 spools of thread,  is it too many?   As I was unloadin the thread out of those cute drawers... the word "HOARDER"  crept through my mind.... 

I have some spools that I can pinpoint exactly when and where I purchased them.... It was 1980, in Bend, Oregon... at the sewing machine shop where I purchased my first new sewing machine....  There were no quilt shops then.... in fact... I can't remember if Bend even had a fabric store other than the few bolts that were in the sewing machine store.... If I remember right... I had to drive to Portland to buy fabric....  Maybe there was a House of Fabrics?   or the fabric section at the Ben Franklin Drug store.... I sewed all my own clothes then... so you would think I would remember.... but alas... it doesn't come to mind clearly.    Any how.... these spools of Molynyke thread were from there.....

I have a serger... and so I've accumulated several sets of thread on cones for that.... I must have purchased 4 of every color..... because I have this...

Serger cones

And just how much white hand quilting thread does a machine quilter need?   I found this batch at a yard sale one time, and thought I needed it.... but really... 36 spools?   I got an even better deal than the price listed on the spool ends.... I think I paid $5.00 for the entire lot! 

 Now.... just how much dark green thread should one girl have?    I ask sarcastically?  Maybe I just wasn't organized enough and couldn't find the green I already had?   Maybe I thought I needed that specifically different shade of dark green?   I can explain why I have three spools..... One for for my Viking machine.... and two were for the serger..... so that I could stitch a seam  and then serge with the same color of thread..... (Did I mention that I can be obsessive? LOL)...   that does not explain why I have the two serger cones as well though....

The spools in this picture have never even been started.....  still factory sealed....

And just in case someone thinks I've been wasteful.... here are some spools to prove that I never throw anything away !!!!

I found this thread holder at a garage sale this last summer.... thought it might come in handy.... It's two sided... and has a carry handle on the top... It will hold 120 spools of thread

 So today... I gathered up all the thread I could find in the house.... and sorted.... I put all the serger cones together... all the hand quilting thread together.... all the rayon and variegated thread together....  Then... I sorted by color groups.... red,  brown, blue,  gray.... etc.

Small spools went onto the thread rack... and the larger spools went into this little shelf on my wall.

All in all... it's now organized.... and my goal is to use it up!    I make enough quilts for charity purposes,  that I should be able to use up some of these dips and dabs..... when piecing.....  I know... some is poly... some poly-cotton... some all cotton.... but as long as it doesn't snap when I tug on it... it should work just fine! 

After all.... I don't see myself needing  6+ spools of rose pink for a project anytime soon

Have a great week everyone!

And a Bonus Quilt!

Using some of the extra component pieces I had cut way back last November when I first started RRCB,  I was able to piece this bonus top! I had to cut and stitch another ten blocks.... I reversed the pink and brown from the original blocks and left the red/neutral HST blocks off.  I did however use the green corner stone blocks for the centers of the 10 extra I made...so I used all those up!

 I still have some of the border components... but I'm thinking of cutting some green/pink/green strips  and making some cute 4" 9 patch blocks.... not sure where they'll get used yet.. but I'm sure they'll get more use than the leftovers I have now....

The piece of shell pink I used for the alternate blocks has been hanging around for awhile.... and I used most of the piece I had....  This measures about 53 x 65".  A great youth size, or even a nice sized baby quilt.   I'll have this one waiting in the wings for someone special.  It has more piecing in it than most of the charity type baby quilts I do. 

I can't believe how labor intensive those pieced borders are.... 

My Roll, Roll, Cotton Boll Mystery top by Bonnie Hunter

Roll Roll Cotton Boll mystery quilt

Well,  this mystery started a year ago!  I know I work slowly sometimes... but I had actually made excellent progress on the steps as they were posted last December,  but I put it aside sometime in early spring to work on something else... and didnt get back to it.   (I had been sloppy in either cutting, sewing or both, when it came to all those  red and neutral 1/2 square triangles). 

I've decided that I don't need another queen size quilt.... and since the majority of quilts that I gift to people are larger lap throws to snuggle under,  I've decided to use fewer blocks... and not add the pieced border that is pictured at the very top of the photo.   This is beautiful and busy, just as it sits... so I'll sandwich it... quilt it... and put a binding on it.... no border at all!  This will most likely go to one of my nieces..... sure hope she likes pink, green and brown! 

The remaining units that are cut, stitched, etc?   I have an internet buddy who wants a King size... and she dislikes the string piecing process... so I'll ship my strings to her this next week..... then I'll use the remaining pieced blocks and border pieces and some neutral fabric to create another top.   Since I miscut several of those half square triangles... I won't border the churn dash blocks with them... rather I'll use the ones that are the correct size in another way.... or possibly set them aside for a different project later.   (I already have a baggie full of HST to cut down to 1 1/2"  rather than the 2" they were supposed to be.)   Lesson learned... cut carefully... stitch carefully... watch that scant 1/4"! 

I do love the way this has turned out!   Bonnie has started a new mystery for 2011 on her blog which is now in step 3.  I'm saving the steps for later... because as you see by my side bar... I have tons of projects in process that I am determined to get off the shelf and into someone's arms. 

Quilts for others....

I've been working on several quilts that will go or which have already gone to others, who I don't personally know, in the hopes that they will find warmth and hope around them.

This little quilt went to a young lady who's dad was killed in a surfing accident this fall.   The Windy Hill Quilters out in Corbett give to those in their community who are in need.  Each of three siblings received a quilt.  I worked on this one..... thinking that a 12 year old girl would enjoy the bright panel prints and sort of funky floral fabric.




Teen Girl Panel Quilt

This butterfly quilt is a group project at thequiltandneedle.com .  We have several group projects going... Quilts of Valor,  Charity projects for Pine Ridge Reservation, and a children's center for children who have been through abuse.  We also make Quilt Auntie quilts for the wee ones in the lives of our members.  This quilt will go to a little baby granddaughter of one of our members in Arkansas.   I was the quilter for this project, but it is good to know that it is  on it's way to it's proper owner.

Where is my Blog mojo?

I always have good intentions of stopping by and giving updates..... but this has been a stressful last couple of months for me...

Excuse #1 - my dear husband was diagnosed with prostrate cancer in September.   After consultation with his doctors, we opted for surgical removal.  His surgery was a the week before Thanksgiving and he is now home healing and recouperating.   Pathology reports will be back any day now... and we'll know if there was anything detected in the lymph nodes that they removed.  If it's an "all clear", then he won't need any radiation or chemo. 

Excuse #2 - the program that I teach for, moved locations over the summer. This has created some changes in the types of activities we do with our students and the locations that those activities occur in.   We also have a new administrator this year, so things are stressful there as well.

Excuse #3 - when I feel like I actually have some "extra me time".... I try to fill it with doing something creative.

Excuse #4 - my mom always told me that if I couldn't say anything nice, not to say anything at all.  I try to live this daily.. and try to carry it a step further... and feel that if I can't be positive then I should probably not share my thoughts..... instead, I try to reach deep within and find the strength to keep moving on... to recharge myself.....to look for solutions to problems  and figure out how to turn lemons into lemonade.

So... why do I sit here and type excuses on a blog?  Mostly to let those of you out there in blog land, know why I haven't posted in several months.....   In the next few days... I hope to give you all an update of what's been happening postive in my life the last few months....