What I'm Working On Wednesday

I'm having a lot of fun playing with leftovers, scraps, and ideas from the pages of magazines.

When I made Kitchen Sink last year (Kim Brackett's Scrap Basket Surprises), I cut a lot of extra pieces since I was considering making it larger than the pattern required.  In the end, I simply added a wider border.  With the leftovers, a 9 paddle wheel layout was my choice and, serendipitously, I had just the right amount of leftover cut print pieces and exactly enough triangles to fit the setting I had decided on.  Gotta love that! 

This is about 24 inches square--no borders on this one.  I've got the backing there and already picked out prints from the 2.5" strip bin for a scrappy binding. 

Leftover orange and blue squares from a Quilts for Kids project, a few bright Aussie prints from a 6" precut pack I bought on my trip to Queensland, some leftover flannel, and a small cuddle quilt is born.  I will sell this at the crafter's shoppe. 

These prints are from a jelly roll I bought at Tuesday Morning for a song--I'll get at least three more cuddle quilts out of it.  This setting idea was from a Quilts and More magazine from a few years ago.  Quick and easy.  Enjoying myself immensely, and ideas are teeming for more scrappy fun with leftovers! 

What are you working on?

Design Wall Monday--Sept 10, 2012

Monday again already!  On my design surface is the ongoing UFO of the month, the witches quilt.

The pattern only called for eyelashes--false ones sewn on--but I felt drawing them made more sense.  But they needed eyebrows!  I remembered an old Mary Kay eyebrow kit a friend had given me that had stencils.  That worked out great. Now the dilemma is the lack of a nose.  I'm not certain I can draw well enough to give the suggestion of a nose--which are remarkably hard to draw straight on.  Pondering... 

I've been throwing the triangle cutoffs from the Picnic quilt into this wonderful old pressed glass vanity dish that belonged to my mother in law.  They are now sewn together and on their way into a mug rug or mini quilt for sale.  I signed up with a local Senior Craft Shoppe to sell my wares there--when I went to the organization's meeting to show my crafts, one lady joked that I might need to be carded.  Though I was definitely the youngest person in the room, I vowed I was the minimum age of 50, so they didn't make me show my driver's license :)   See more design walls on Judy's Patchwork Times. 

Moo, GenerationQ, and Old is New

Squishy mail is best, right?  Last month I was the lucky winner in Nancy, Near Philadelphia's 1500th post giveaway.  She offered a mug rug and I requested a bovine theme, since on occasion I have adopted her C.O.W. ranting (Crabby Old Woman).  

Love my generously sized Cow mug rug with its cow border print.  Thanks, Nancy!  I had completely forgotten a magazine was also part of the prize. Generation Q magazine is a new publication and our local paper had a writeup on it recently since it is written and the product reviews tested right here in Ventura County!  Jake Finch is the publisher--she teaches classes at Cotton and Chocolate Quilt Company in Thousand Oaks.  My favorite article of the debut issue was on a stash and UFO resale shop called Fabric Recycles in Overland Park, Kansas.

They are "clamoring " for submissions to the magazine:  go to generationqmagazine.com if you have a design or article for consideration.  Love their motto of Quilt. Sew. Live. Breathe, and they have some impressive sponsors already.     

I have been searching for a lap desk that can also be used bed or podium style and came upon this vintage/antique folding table at a garage sale yesterday.  Truth be told, we stopped at the sale because Grant saw a Fender bass amp for sale, but I was the one who came home with something.

This is a solid mahogany table that is probably about 90 years old.  I had recently ordered a laptop desk that folded, had a cupholder and a mouse tray, but when it arrived from Amazon on Friday it already had a plastic piece broken off and floating around the box.  It was flimsy and cheap but cost $35 with shipping and handling.  I'm sending it back. 

The table is very scratched up and a piece of the veneer is missing, but I'll sand and fill and revarnish.  It is HEAVY.

The label says "If it folds, ask...Howe".  An Internet search indicates the Howe company is still in business and was the original inventor of the folding banquet table.  They sell quite high end products these days for offices, hotels, etc.  I paid $10 for this relic from the early 20th century.  Do you think it sacrilegious that I plan to cut the legs down to make it bed tray height?   I promise not to cut a cupholder hole in the top...

X's and O's

A self-imposed deadline for finishing this small quilt was just the right impetus to get done what little was left to do.  "Puzzle piece" quilting and and binding went on in a matter of a few hours. 

Pattern from American Patchwork & Quilting, June 2011. 

These pink 9 patches were from Julie's swap of a couple years ago.  Normally I am not that fond of pink, but mixed with brown, I really like them.

The tan and cream ones were leftovers I had put together for the swap. 

I enjoyed working with the Tri-Recs ruler to make these stars.  The pattern provided a template but using the ruler was fast and easy to cut the pairs.

A simple pieced back from fat quarters, and these hugs and kisses are on their way to Arizona as a housewarming gift.  My brother and sister in law and family are finally getting to move into their new home, four months after they originally hoped to.  Happy Days!

What I'm Working on Wednesday

Witches...that goes with the W theme :)

The outer border has been attached.  Dimples fabrics are textured solids and I think that goes just fine with my "lighter" black inner border and the hats.

Piecing was necessary for the backing, but I like a pieced back!

Here is the beginning of quilting on the X's and O's wall hanging/tablerunner.  It should be quick to finish once the jigsaw puzzle quilting is complete; I've already made the binding.  I have a deadline for this quilt and those are always good for me! 

What are you working on?



Design Wall Monday--September 3, 2012

Happy Labor Day!  On my design wall today is the UFO Challenge pick of the month (I swapped #11 for this one), two Any Witch Way quilts. 

Since I don't have enough of the black print I used in the hats and inner border, this is getting a black Dimples final border and then will be backed with the orange print and quilted.  The pattern (Quiltmaker magazine, Sept/Oct 2009) called for false eyelashes to be tacked to the faces, but I think I may just draw the eyelashes on--I'm pretty sure falsies won't survive a run through the washing machine!  Once this one is complete, I'll work on the other Any Witch Way, adding free-pieced names that I made all of the letters for last year--when I also worked on the witches for the UFO Challenge in September!

Otherwise, I need to make a run to the grocery store today.  In an ode to our usual method of menu planning, my husband wrote "Dinner Stuff" on the list.  Guess I'll wander about and think of something!  See more design walls on Judy's Patchwork Times. 

UFO Challenge Update

The Zig Zag 9 Patch is a completed top, which was my goal for the month.  A day late but I have excuses.  Mostly about MATH.  

Trimming and squaring the top seemed to go just fine.

But the border measuring didn't!  I decided to go with a narrow 1.5" border of the brown print (thanks for the input Janet and Joy!) and then a wider 5.5" border of the cheddar.  MATH again.  So there was cutting and adding on to the cheddar border.  Then I decided to sew the borders together before attaching.  Anyone catching on to what is happening yet?  I didn't, at first---I was too busy with the next MATH problem.

Since I cut all the cheddar lengths before deciding to add the narrow border, the top and bottom pieces were then too short once the side borders were attached.  So there was more cutting and adding of cheddar.  Once the right length, the borders went on easily.

I had no plan to make this large of a quilt, it just happened!  Grant is behind this California King-sized monster, trying his best to spread it out for a good photo. The hazard of being empty-nesters is that there is no one to hold up the other end of the quilt :). 

The other unplanned result of first sewing the borders together is that the narrow border extends to the edge of the quilt.  This is not bothering me in the least so it is staying!  These swapped 9 patch blocks were from an online Yahoo group I belong to, Quiltbuddies, and are from at least ten different states and two countries. They have waited patiently for four years to be put in a quilt.  This UFO is busted! 

September's pick by Judy is #11, which on my list is another swap block project from Quiltbuddies, this time a Christmas theme.  I am going to swap that for #4 on my list, which is a Halloween theme. 

I have two of these Any Witch Way quilts and last year free-pieced witches' names that need to be added to one.  Can't wait to get these finished and ready to use for October!