Quilting is started.... and UFO progress!

So I've been working on a few projects... And did get some of my goals met! Not quite all, as my mom's birthday gift isn't complete yet... but were aren't celebrating it until Nov 7!

• My daughter's quilt. I have started quilting it, which was my goal for this week.
  I am happy with how this is going, but have a number of more hours on it!

• Finished 1 UFO - A Halloween Hanging

• A bag for my mom. This was started 2 years ago, and I attempted to finish it last year. Now its out on my desk again! I pulled it out, and now need to start working on it.

• Pattern Tracing ~ I traced some pants for me. Now have to figure out what fabric. Its pouring and cold outside now, so I really need another pair!

• Mending Mondays ~ got a swimsuit and pair of leggings mended for my daughters!  And I got badges sewn onto Brownie and Cub Scout sashes...  

• Arm Warmers for my husband ~ First one done, needs a little tweaking in fit.  Second one cut out!

Goals for Oct 25-31:

• I'm going camping for the weekend and its Halloween!
• My goal is to continue quilting my youngest Birthday Present, and finish my Mom's Birthday Gift & and small doll's blanket & pillow to match the baby quilt finished earlier this month.

UFO Buster Tips

Pat Sloan is posting tips on busting UFOs (UnFinished Objects). I have a good idea of the number of UFOs I have... Some are quilting, two are Highland dance related, and a number of other sewing projects. My goal is to decrease the number of unfinished projects I have hanging around...

TIP 1:
The first tip is making a list of unfinished projects.  Here is my first attempt at a UFO list...

• Group A - Almost done
  
  • Hallowe'en Quilt - Now done, Oct 24
  • Hand print quilt for dh
  • My youngests Quilt - ready for quilting
• Group B – Almost done but ... give away
  
  • Black Highland Dance Vest
    needs braid, and buttons - then put up for sale
• Group C – Patially done AND I LOVE the project and WANT to finish it
  
  • My sons quilt
  • My mom's purse (Birthday Gift)
  • Top for Me
  • Tshirt Remake for my husband
  • Kilt for my oldest - finish hand stitching

• Group D – Partially done but....Do you REALLY want to finish them?
  
  • Rocking Chair Cushions - for my mom
  • A small bag, with heart appliqué (demo from sewing show)
    going to use as free motion practice...
• Group E – Barely started
  
  • My older daughters quilt - Yes I want to finish this, but need to get a few UFOs done before I start another big project
  • A baby quilt I'd cut out years ago
    Its quite happy in its ziplock bag, I think I'll keep it for a bit, love the fabric, no time to finish right now...

TIP 2: In order to finish you MUST.... PICK SOME to work on!!!! And she suggests picking 3-10 to work on.

• Pick one that's fast to finish
  
  • The halloween wall hanging -- DONE
  • Hand Print Quilt for DH
• Pick one that has a deadline
  
  • My mom's bag -- DUE Nov 7
• Pick one you love
• My Youngest Daughters Quilt -- DUE Nov 7

TIP 3: Time - Must set aside time each day! My goal is to set aside 10-15 minutes while the kids are at school and 15-30minutes after they go to bed.  The goal is to work a minimum of 15minutes on an UFO.  Any extra time can be on new projects...  UFOs must be done first... Oh and Mending will be done on Mondays!  First thing...   

Hallowe'en Sewing

It's Show and Tell Time!

I haven't done much sewing all week, but I did attend a class at a local sewing store. They offer a sewing club each month, with a small charge for supplies, etc. This months project was a small pumpkin bag. It was cute, fairly simple and fun to sew with some other ladies. BUT I'm still trying to decide if I really got my money out of the time I spent there. First there is the time issue -- I had to pack everything up, and get down to the shop, and then unpack everything after returning home.  The supplies for the project certainly were less than the cost of the day... and once again I was much younger than the rest of the attendees - I wonder what the age of the evening class would be?

Pumpkin Bag

The project was cute, the techniques weren't too difficult, but I did use a foot I'd never used before... Mainly because I've never thought to change to that foot while using an overlock stitch!  Their was also a number of problems with the project as items weren't cut out correctly and needed to be re-cut. Maybe I'll try again and see if the next one is worthwhile...

Embroidery UFO

Today I finished up an UFO! It was a Halloween stitch out on a knit fabric -- sorry I did this 2 years ago and don't remember my sources for the embroidery. I had been test stitching for a tshirt, but decided that it took too long to try another one, and that it was really too big for my tshirt... so turned it into a wall hanging. The backing and binding are cheap broadcloth from my stash (actually part of my sons Cub Scout costume at his last camp) - but the colour was correct and it didn't require another trip to the store!

First Pentagon

This week I also started a prayer shawl for a friend and have finished the first section of it. She recently had a double mastectomy in her battle with breast cancer. Her youngest is the same age as my son and they are in Cub Scouts, Martial Arts and School together.

Next weeks Goals

Here were my goals for Oct 11 until 17, and I finished them all!
* Finish hand stitching the quilt -- DONE!
* Finish my daughter's Quilt Top -- DONE!
* Make the backing for the above Quilt -- DONE!
* Hopefully Baste the layers together -- DONE
* Make a Birthday Present - Swim Bag, for a friend's daughter -- DONE!
* Run my first Half Marathon --- OK this is totally NOT sewing related! Check here for an update on my - completed in 2:13:40

I also purchased thread for the quilting I need to do. I think I'm going to sew wavy lines across and down the quilt, in 4 different colours.

Goals for Oct 18-14

• Start Quilting the quilt
• Finish my mom's bag
• Trace pants pattern for me  -- winter is coming and I only have 2 pairs of jeans, a couple of long pairs of exercise pants, and some skirts...  Really need another pair (or two) of long pants.

Virtual Sewing Retreat - Day 3

Well I didn't get as much time to sew Thursdayas I had other "chores" that needed doing today. After my run this morning, I managed to get a bit of sewing in before I went out for lunch with my grandmother. Then no sewing again until the kids were in bed.


Its Friday again, and I am just finishing up the baby quilt. My sister-in-law had a little girl early this morning, and I'm finishing the quilt label now.

Gift Sewing

Gift - Bag

Tonight I started and finished (ok it still needs the drawstring) a drawstring swim bag as a birthday gift. The bag is lined with ProCare, a water proof fabric, that is used in diaper covers, wet bags and sheets for babies, left over from my diaper making days.

Quilting

Scrappy Quilt

Back of Scrappy Quilt

I also made up a sample of the quilt fabrics. Its a little scrappy quilt, that I made the top for and quilted today. I used some store bought bias tape that was in my stash. It has become a dolly quilt, to match the yet to be quilted birthday present. The top has been quilted with 4 different colours... I actually like the pink, yellow and green quilting lines, much better than the blue. The blue wasn't a perfect match, but I liked the bright colours. I will definitely need to pick up more thread to do the whole quilt top!!!

Free Motion Quilting

Free Motion Practice!

And I practised some free motion quilting. I found a project I started at a sewing show, but never had a chance to finish. Today I did some of the quilting, before I tired out...

I am still not 100% happy with my stitches, they really vary in length... but I am working on it, and practising. I don't know if I would free motion a large quilt, but I will finish this project with free motion.

Its BASTED... now what?

Basted!

Its now basted, but now I need to figure out how I'm sewing it!  I'm wondering what colour threads to use... I think I'll use white on the bobbin, and see about a matching blue for the top... but might also use yellow and pink on those sections.  Of course I'll need to buy some thread as I'm low on pinks, yellows and don't know if I have the right colour blue.  Need to check in the sunlight tomorrow.

Tomorrow's plan:  The following will need to be done before I get to the sewing room.... drop the kids at school, a morning run, lunch with my Gramma, pick up the kids, homework/music/dance practice, Martial Arts, dinner, story time, sewing with the kids... then at 9PM when the kids head to bed I'll get to sew by myself!

Virtual Sewing Retreat...

Day 2 of Virtual Sewing Retreat. Check out what everyone else is working on!

Today was a day with more interruptions than yesterday.  My youngest daughter was upset this morning, so I couldn't just drop her at school, I waited until she settled before coming home.  Because of the new hot water tank install yesterday I didn't get laundry done, so started that today.  I finally did get some sewing done and pieced the quilt backing.

The backing was a little more difficult to piece than I'd originally intended... I couldn't put the fabric on its side as the print is somewhat directional... So I added some extra strips that I made with leftovers from the front. 

Here is the backing taped to the floor ready for basting.

And the Warm & Natural still folded needing to be cut!

Layered together, but not basted.  I had to head out to supervise at lunch at the school, then went to the bank, post office, Walmart and dollar store for a few errands... including picking up more pins for basting.  I've never basted a quilt this big!

After school the kids played in the playground as it was beautiful outside, then my son had Martial Arts, then dinner, then my daughter had Highland dance. The kids are in bed.

Now to get back to basting it! While catching up on Project Runway!




Head on over to Tea Rose Party for lots of wonderful projects!

Quilting Progress

My Grandmother's Memory Quilt

Today I worked on my 2nd Quilt of 2010! I'm participating in the 2nd Annual Yellow House Virtual Quilting Retreat


My Quilting!

First I will start this blog saying that I have mainly sewn clothing... I have made a few quilts over the past 10 years, mainly for friends as they had babies. My two favourite quilts are one I did for my Gramma for her 90th birthday and one for a friend who adopted a 6yo a few years ago.

First Quilt of 2010: Carebears
Done, waiting baby, so it can be labelled!
This quilt top was made by my 7yo daughter! I did the quilting and binding. I was going to try my hand at free motion quilting, but chickened out and ended up using my walking foot.

Second Quilt: Airplanes & Teddies
Quilt top finished and pressed! Its 73" by 97"!

Assembled Quilt Top

This quilt was started years ago (before my son was born, he's turning 10 in January), but I'm making it for my nearly 5yo. I got the "rows" done last summer (the last status update), but got side tracked by making a kilt last fall. Today I finished the quilt top...

Fabric for backing

Tonight I hope to iron the quilt backing, and start prepping it for basting.

Third Quilt: A Nautical Quilt
This is still in the box, but I plan to do some block assembly tomorrow.

Next step, measure and assemble backing... Hopefully tonight.

ETA: And I added photos!

Quilt Finished!

Quilt Show & Tell

My goal for last week was to finish the quilt. I quickly got the binding attached, but didn't quite get all the hand sewing done on the binding until Thanksgiving Monday. The quilt is now finished - just waiting a label. I will make the label once the baby is born...


Because of Thanksgiving, I missed the linkup here... That's OK! I hope to have something complete for next weeks Show-n-Tell... See below for this week's goal!

Quilt Back

Quilt Top

Near the edges, I used flowers

Flower Sections - For the middle, I used parallel lines on an angle

Free Motion Quilting Practice


Last week I picked up a second bobbin case so I could change the bobbin tension on my sewing machine. The great thing about it is I have two sewing machines to use: my Janome 4800 and the kids Janome 4130QDC - and they both use the same bobbin case. My mom's Janome 6500 needs a different bobbin case as it has built in scissors -- but all the feet are interchangeable on all 3 machines!!!


I do like the quilting a bit better now... the tension is better, I hope that with practice I can get my stitch lengths better... I might do some Free Motion on my next project... but maybe not as I'm not 100% comfortable with it...

Free Motion Practice

Free Motion Practice Back?

My Next Quilt Project

This is an OLD UFO/Wip! I started this for my son who is turning 10 in January... its now for his almost 5yo sister. I'm hoping to have it done for her birthday in November... I have 8 strips, and have started sewing the strips together. The goal this week is to sew all strips together and get the backing ready. Hopefully I'll also get it basted together...

My Next Project....

For this week - Oct 11 until 17

• Finish hand stitching the quilt -- DONE!
• Finish my daughter's Quilt Top
• Make the backing for the above Quilt
• Hopefully Baste the layers together
• Make a Birthday Present - Swim Bag, for a friend's daughter
• Run my first Half Marathon --- OK this is totally NOT sewing related! Check here for an update on my run

And upcoming at the end of the month is...

Quilt Progress and More

Baby Quilt

Quilt with Binding Strips Cut Out

The quilting is done on my quilt. I didn't do any free motion on it, although that was the original plan... BUT I am happy with it. The quilt has been quilted, squared and binding cut out. Next job is sewing on the binding.





Skirts
A couple of weeks ago I completed a skirt, reviewing a pattern from Squiggly Twigs Designs. I was sent the Casey Pattern to review... It took me a bit to think of what fabrics to use, but I decided on some Christmas print fabrics that I had in the stash. I luckily had some coordinating pink and green broadcloth in the stash too... and along with some bright coloured thread, some light blue eyelet trim and a piece of elastic for the waist - I had a skirt. The pattern was easy to sew together and other than the length of trim I had to roll hem (fast for its length on the serger) and it went together really well. I did change the width of some of my fabrics, as I ran out of solid pink and didn't have enough of the prints to do more sections of them...

hem detail

I also completed a quick skort that I posted in Friday's Show-and-Tell
Sew For Me
I did make myself a quick wrap as shown in Friday's Show-and-Tell

Goals: Oct 4-10
Because it is Canadian Thanksgiving this weekend, I am only going to have one goal... and that is to attach the binding on the quilt and stitch it down.

Quilting... Nearly done...

OK - now I'm at a loss... I have quilted the large strips, I have quilted the tiny strips... now I have the medium sized strips left to quilt.  I'm not happy with my free motion quilting so I'm not doing that! So what can I put in that narrow strip?

Close up of details

Full quilt

from my flickr set

A quick skirt & some quilting

Skort - Navy Rib Knit with lettuce hem

Show and Tell

Here is my show-and-tell for the week... not very pretty, but it was what was needed....  I finished a quick skort for my daughters. She has moved up to Brownies (Girl Guides) and needed a dark coloured skirt, as pink no longer matches her uniform top. So I had some rib knit that someone gave me in navy blue... An ottobre leggings pattern, a circle skirt and a waistband. Quickly hemmed using the rolled hem on my serger...

My new Mildred Wrap

Quilt Update
Tonight I attended the local guild meeting.  I don't think I'm going to join as I'm unsure of what I'd get out of it... I was probably the youngest there by a good 10 years and probably a good 30 years younger than the average age.  They did have a good speaker tonight about making things from recycled fabrics, but I'm not sure the guild is for me... The Show and Tell was wonderful at the guild, but not worth the membership fee, if that was all I was getting out of it.  I can find inspiration online.

I've given up on free motion quilting...

Back of Test

lines

squiggles

so I'm a free motion drop out! But I am still quilting my quilt. I have two of the sections filled (one with stars, the other with rainbows) and have started the section with clouds. Then I need to figure out that to quilt in the blue floral sections.

Top Side - Rainbows

Back Side- Rainbows

Star and Cloud Quilting