December 18, 2018

December 18, 2018

It's been a year of a lot of sewing.  I had a good inventory of bowl cozies, key fobs, and hair scrunchies for the Starry, Starry Weekend sale.  I did well, sold out of bowls with people asking for more.

Dale introduced me to key fobs and it was a lot of fun to source the supplies and to pair up the webbing with the embroidered ribbons.  I think these would be a good thing to have on hand.

Scrunchies were revived because Amanda asked me to make one for Sabrina.  Not really interested in making a lot of those again.

Bowl cozies continue to be popular so I should whip up some more to have on hand for quick gifts/sales.

My Sunshine Stars quilt is complete.  The binding was the holdup because I couldn't decide what worked and was trying too hard to make it a coordinated match.  When I decided what the heck" and went with the KFC dot in the storm color way it just almost finished itself.  hahaha.  Making it a bias binding created a spiraling effect around the perimeter of the quilt.

None of the other pieces I made are any further along than when I wrote about them last.  Some things are not meant to be finished.

I find myself wanting to make some doll clothes again for my 18" dolls.  A few might be good to offer at the SSW sale next year.  I do need some different products to keep things interesting.

I've been thinking about doing a challenge to help me move forward in original thinking.  I have to come up with guidelines.  So far, I think it should be either 6" square or 16" square.  Big difference, I know.  I want to be able to use the wonderful beads, buttons, ribbons, and other things I have stashed all over.  I have all these wonderful things but never get to see them so by making a mini quilt wall hanging I can have the pleasure of seeing these things.  I am trying to decide if I should do them by color or by theme.  Maybe I should just get started and let the materials dictate how they would like to show off.

Another year and then some since my last post.  The Sunshine Stars quilt is complete except for the binding which is going to be prepared soon.  I've been practicing half-square triangles, the creation of them and then setting them in different settings.  I did a chevron pattern with blue batiks.  I relieved the blueness with a deep red batik one inch border and a wider border of a complimentary blue gray fabric.

I did another method of making half-squares in citrus colors and set them in a slanted pattern.  I haven't added borders yet.  In the same week I cut up some chili pepper fabric in each of the four colors I have and made another small piece.  The squares were smaller, 5 inches, so it took many to make a small piece.  I set them in what would be called straight furrows.  No borders on that one yet either. 

I'm also working on a Kaffe Fassett Mystery quilt.  I've received three of the "clues".  It isn't a block of the month because the assignment has been different numbers of blocks with each clue.  It's going to be fun to see what the final result will be.  His quilts are so about color.

I've decided to make another Sunshine Star quilt.  I enjoyed making the first one and love the result and had been thinking that I'd like to do it again. 

That seems to be it for tonight.  I'll post some pictures when I manage to get some good ones.

January 15, 2017

Long time no posting.  It's been a year of getting back to quilting and other fabric projects.  A couple weeks ago I started a quilt for myself.  I have twelve blocks pieced and am posting a picture to record my progress.

Dragon pillowcases

one of the pair of dragon pillowcases I just finished

What I've been doing this year. Pieced a small wall hanging, zipper bags, and pillowcases.

It's been several days since posting but I've been busy with quilting and Lego construction.  I had the misfortune of thinking I had placed the completed Lego bank in a safe place for a minute while I did something else.  While I was in another room I heard a terrible crash and there was the bank, upside down and tiny pieces all over the place.  I couldn't even look at it for an hour or so but I finally gathered the pieces and will assess the damage this weekend.  

I've finally been sewing on the wonderful machine I bought almost ten years ago but didn't use much.  It's a joy to use.  I made a bunch of nine patch blocks and I'm in the process of arranging them.  I haven't gotten to the AHA moment yet but it's fun to be able to arrange them and to take a picture with my iphone so I can compare the different patterns the blocks make.

Another night up too late.  I've gone back to working on the Lego Parisienne Restaurant.  It was my first kit and the hardest of all that I've done.  I've taken it apart many times and am putting it back together one last time.  The novelty has worn off plus I'm waiting for two new kits to arrive.

Tomorrow is back to quilt group.  It's been three weeks since we've met.  I have a new project in mind and will be starting it then.  I should have something to photograph tomorrow.  We'll probably spend a lot of time visiting which is always fun and interesting.

I went to the senior lunch today and was pleasantly surprised at how good the hearty vegetable beef soup tasted.  I could have had another bowl but I showed restraint.  Doris was there, at the other end of the table, as was Elaine and Bob.  It was a nice way to spend an hour.

I'm truly tired so, good night.