Weekend Wrap up

Another weekend of quilting and I feel quilt accomplished. I didn't get done what I thought I was going to work on this weekend which was re pinning and quilting the paper piece project but I did get several other things moved along (nothing completed but that's OK). Also I got new light bulbs on the daylight spectrum for my room and that is making such a difference -- it's the small things that make this girl happy.

Item one was to assemble the t-shirt quilt top -- nearly there I just have to add the borders and then the top will be complete.  They still need to be pieced but I was putting them up on the wall to make sure that the top was still going to fit the backing that I found while out this weekend--- it's Star Wars Minky style fabric which means I won't have to add as much batting to this project.

Next I wanted to practice more FMQ on the guild top that I had finished last week -- now all I have left on this cutie is the binding and off to the guild she goes. I feel that the quilting turned out very nice on this one -- I used the frixion marker and drew all over the top before sitting down at the table, even though I didn't follow the lines.

I also got caught up on my Bible Studies block of the week series that is being hosted by The Quilter's Loft in Mooresville, NC -- check out their blog at http://quiltersloftcompany.blogspot.com/. I was 5 blocks behind and now I am ready for the new block coming out tomorrow. I am loving these blocks because it gives me the chance to use up my neutral scrap which I'm starting to run low on variety so I may be making a trip to Raleigh in the near future if I can't find something online to order -- perhaps I will try Craig's List.

Leviticus

 Deuteronomy

 Numbers

 Joshua

 Judges

I had already completed

Genesis and

Exodus

 (this one needs to be redone)

My hubby has requested that we make a project together and he wants a quilt of his favorite Transformer's character Soundwave -- here is the initial mark up using Paint.net software.

Well I know that the beginning of the week is going to be filled with working on that PP quilt, I want to have some quilting holding it together (or at least get all those pins closed) before I take it in for the final wrap up class on Thursday. I had a real blond moment with this one when I first sandwiched her together -- I closed about a third of the pins and then went to take care of something else and when I came back I just folded it up with the open pins and all. So now when I open it up to show people I make it rain pins. Learned that one at the guild meeting.

 I was just notified that I will have another Traveling stash box coming my way in the next week and this one has plenty of patterns and fabrics that look promising to me. 

Happy Quilting -- this has been the latest dish.

it's like Roswell over here

UFO's everywhere!!! All these plans gone uncompleted are taking over the crafting spaces of good quilters everywhere and  It's a global epidemic. Probing into the source it appears that it is the quilter herself that poses as the host source. Why do we get roped in to this pattern? I know why, it's all the pretty new fabrics and dancing ideas of wonder that comes from the quilt shop high. It starts out with I just need some thread or a fat quarter to finish off that latest project and before you know it Ben Franklin is coming back to you dressed as Alexander Hamilton or Abraham Lincoln and you now have another project for that someday and you forgot the thread. Thus the cycle continues because you're eventually going to need to go back for the "thread". 


How is one quilter supposed to overcome this infliction? Take inventory and work diligently to find that someday in the now, before adding more to the pile finish something. It could be something as simple as binding that one project, framing a quilt block, knocking out a small project in an evening. 


So here goes -- what UFO's are lurking in my space 

• A City View -- needs quilted and bound 

• Project Lotus -- another PP that is in the design phase 

• Star Wars t-shirt quilt -- most of the shirts are ready (one more to go -- which did arrive in the mail about 2 weeks ago) then assembly of the quilt top

• Block of the Week -- about 5 blocks behind at this time -- hopefully I can knock this one out in about 2 hours this weekend 
• Koi Mix up part 2 -- needs boarders, backing, quilting and binding

• Purple and Gold -- needs backing, quilting and binding

• Paisley Elephant -- several blocks remain to be put together
• Blooming Flower -- needs to be sandwiched and quilted 

• Pink star -- needs sandwiching, quilting and binding
• Froggy Day -- in pieces currently (a little more assembled than in the picture)

• Blue Modern -- in the design phase
• Scrappy trip along for Dad -- no progress at this time 
• Block of the Month -- right on track for next meeting on 3/5
• triple zip bag -- no progress at this time but I think I have the courage to give it a try
• block of the month for guild -- got all the directions ready but no progress at this time (20 blocks to go)

Well I think that might be all the hidden projects in the works and there are still more in the someday pile that don't even have names or ideas at this time plus different ones that I know I want to try my hand at in the future... cathedral windows, blooming nine patch, other paper pieces, applique (maybe). Who knows what the heavens will bestow upon me next? 

Happy quilting everyone and look out for all those UFO's. 

Just over 50 days into 2013 -- Let's see where I am with my goals

WOW today is the 51st day in 2013 -- hard to believe I know so I thought I would reflect on the goals that I set for myself this year and see if there are any new ones I can think of, you know to make myself a little crazier 

1.       Join a Quilting Guild or Quilting group – I find that I am far more motivated to get things accomplished when I have the support of others pushing me along. ---- Done

2.       Start a Blog and actually keep up with it – I get my best ideas and motivation from seeing the work that other people at doing --- going pretty well so far, lots of motivation, new ideas and a good deal of postings. 

3.       Complete at least 2 projects off my Pinterest quilting board – there are so many to choose from. --- one completed and one in the works, maybe I should increase this to 5 projects and revisit this goal again in a few months. 

4.       Learn to paper piece– I’ve had the book for over a year now and think it’s time to put that into motion.  --- Done with my first project and now I've got the bug and have another one planned for very soon. 

5.       Participate in at least one class per quarter at my local quilt shop  -- 1^st quarter is taken care of with the fabulous paper piecing class that I will be taking with Ms. Ellen starting just next week. --- 1st qtr class finishes up with a wrap up class on the 28th, there are other classes that I am already looking into for the spring.

6.       Complete 2 or 3 different block of the Month / Week quilts – currently on board with Sewingly Yours BOM and getting ready for Quilter’s Loft BOW that are both starting next week. Any ideas on another group to join let me know. --- Keeping up with Sewingly Yours BOM and only a few blocks behind on the Quilter's Loft BOW. I have signed up for the Craftsy 2012 BOM and 2013 BOM. I have all the stuff printed this far and just need to get started on them. 

7.       Get the scraps under control – I have tons of scraps and it’s time they made something great. The problem with this goal for me is one of the shops that I frequent (Wish Upon A Quilt in Raleigh) has a great scrap program where you get a large baggie of scraps for a great deal and I always get one or 2 each time I go because you can pick your own scraps rather than the prepackaged ones that some stores offer and I love it. So we can make this goal two fold – make something with the scraps I have and also find a better organization system so that I will know what I have to work with. --- Mt Scrapula has been organized and that was a great accomplishment. I have made a few projects including the paper piece with mainly scraps and the pile is SLOOOOOOWLY becoming more manageable. My BOW and Craftsy BOM blocks will also be coming from the scrap bin. 

8.       Set up at 5+ craft shows this year to get my name out there. --- Looking into a few at this time but no real progress on this goal at this time. I am considering doing the Kerner's Folly show coming up in April. 

9.       Have my quilts displayed in an exhibit – either for sale or as part of a showing. – I have no idea how to make this happen. --- No Progress here 

10.   Become a better free motion quilter -- I got an excellent book for Christmas on broadening your motifs and skills and can’t wait to put this to use.  ---- always working on this one with each new project but I think that I may need to make up some sample blocks to practice more along with the projects.  

New Goals 2/19/2013 
11. Conquer my fear of sorts about zippers and try my hand at making bags. 
12. reorganize my crafting space and show it off in a blog. Right now it's kind of a mess and I do not feel that the space is being used well. 
13. Make 8 charity quilts for the guild this year 

Moving steadily along this year -- with a few adjustments to the plan I feel that most of these goals are obtainable. Number 9 is the only one giving me concern at this point. I think I will try to update this list several times this year and add to it as new goals and challenges arise. 

The traveling stash box arrived today, so I will be posting it maybe tonight or tomorrow for anyone that is interested ingrabbing it next.

Love meets Logic

So last week was Valentines day and I hope that everyone had a great day being whit those that they love, I got to spend the evening at home with my hubby and a lovely steak dinner that we prepared together. As I am letting him more into the kitchen with me I am discovering that we really enjoy cooking together. After dinner we are exchanging small gifts and he got me a great new pair of silk pajamas, some chocolates and a Star Wars gumball machine that I had pointed out at Target a few weeks earlier. It's so cute and will eventually be joining me at work.

We're hanging out and watching TV and he looks at me and jokingly tells me that I messed up his real gift with my logic. After a little convincing he tells me that he was originally going to get me a feather weight machine that I had put on the watch list on EBay but I had talked him out of it. I know that we are trying to be better about our finances so that we can get some debts paid off and had decided that I would rather use the money I would spend on a machine to attend festivals and craft fairs in the Spring and Fall to hopefully get my name out there for commission sells, or sell some product thus helping pay off more expenses (or in my case buy more fabric or needed supplies). So logic wins out and my love shows that he does pay attention even when I think he is just humoring me during one of my rambles. So I am thinking if / when I do get the lovely featherweight I may just have to name it Vader.

Food illness from trying a different place Friday meant that we spent the weekend in the house and I got a little quilting done but not nearly enough to consider it creatively productive. The backing for the Paper Piece is put together and was sandwiched Sunday night so hopefully I can quilt it or at least think about quilting it this week of by weekend. Our class is coming back together on the 28th for the "wrap up class" and I think I would like to have it mostly completed by that time. You know because I'm a showoff like that. I also put together another quilt top for the guild but that's as far as that went. It's going to he another beauty that I will end up wanting to keep -- isn't that the problem we have in crafting, the love of the things that we create. I don't have a picture of it yet but It's a large star pattern using these fabrics (I used the pink line and some of the green and am holding onto the blues for another project) that I got from the guild stash with solid of the lighter pink as the background and a border of the brighter pink. Perhaps I will manage to get a picture of the completed top for the next blog..

I leave you with something to brighten your day -- my group of helpers being oh so helpful this morning when I was trying to get out the door for work as they were standing on my pile of quilts that I am taking to the guild meeting tonight. It's going to be a great one Melody Miller will be there as the guest speaker. 

Happy Quilting and as usual that's the Dish for now. 

Liebster Award from Pat

A great big Thank You goes over to Pat at Life in the Scrapatch http://scrapatches.blogspot.com/ for thinking my blog was worth reading and passing along to me the Liebster Award.

Last week I participated in the Hugs and Kisses Blog hop and met so many new bloggers to follow that offer great inspiration to help propel me forward in quilting and did break 1000 views and 25 followers -- so to me that was pretty great. Mostly because I didn't think that anyone would really read what I have to say except some of my fellow guild members and maybe other bloggers that I stumbled upon in this process of learning about blogging. I am touched by the kind words that I have received recently and hope to continue to meet many more great people to provide support and inspiration as we move through this journey.

The fun parts of the nomination includes

--- Telling 11 things about yourself

--- answer the questions posed to you be the nominator

--- choose other bloggers to nominate (must have under 200 followers)

--- create 11 questions for your nominees

--- once nominated link back to the blogger that nominated you so they can learn more about you.

Questions posed by Pat ---

1. What is your favorite color? -- Raspberry pink, My craft space is dripping in this color.

2. Would you rather walk on a warm sandy beach or hike on a high rocky mountain? -- I would rather be inside quilting or reading a book but I will go for Walk on the beach since I am not a great hiker.
3. What is your favorite season or time of the year? -- Spring, things are coming to life again and all the flowers are in bloom (again with the pink). The temperatures agree best with me even though I suffer from allergies during this time of year (which I also have in Winter and Fall) I'll take it over Summer which often gets to hot for my taste.

4. What have you taught others that you are most proud of? -- I teach people about themselves everyday in my line of work and that is a great thing to be proud of, I have worked as a drug rehab and mental health counselor and saying the right thing makes a big difference at times to create the desire to make a change in themselves.
5. Do you play or have you played a musical instrument? -- Nope, and as my mother would say "that child can't carry a tune in a bucket."

6. What was your favorite subject in school? -- English Literature
7. Do you still keep any of the books you read as a child? -- Indeed I do,when I was little my mother would always read me a story called Katie the Kitten and I had told my husband about it a few years back, so for my birthday he surprised me with a new old copy and it is one of the tings that is in my crafting space as a reminder of her.

8. What is your favorite tradition? -- new pajamas on Christmas Eve 9. Why do you blog? -- to log the progress that my quilting is making and gather inspiration from other quilters across the county.
10. Is there anything you would change in your life if you could repeat the past? You do not have to say what it is, just yes or no. -- The things that I would want to change I can not change because if I did I would not be the same person I am today. One example of this ----  My Husband and I had many times earlier in our lives that we could have met but some choice caused us to go in different directions, had I met him at another time we would not be married now because of the people that each of us was at the other possible meeting times.

11. Do you feel you have made the world a better place? -- This may sound conceited but Yes I do feel that I have made the world a better place, not the whole world but parts of it. I have helped people hooked on drugs to stop using and rebuild the person that they were before substance abuse, rebuilding damaged relationships and be able to regain a sense of self to be able to make a difference in the lives of others.

11 things about me

I am terrified of costumed creatures -- including the Chick-Fil-A cow and Easter Bunny

I have always lived in the triad region of North Carolina

 My favorite book is Alice in Wonderland

As a child I wanted to be a Marine Biologist 

 I can't swim and have panic attacks when I go in the water

I collect toys inspired by the 80's

I Love Star Wars

My mother was a great influence on my quilting, even though she couldn't stitch a button

I have been quilting periodically since I was 10 years old (that's 2/3 of my life)

My Kitties are the only children I will ever be able to have.

I have read all the Harry Potter and Twilight books at least 3 times

My Nominees ... (blogs I never miss)

http://khelikarma.blogspot.com/

http://dachsieswithmoxie.blogspot.com/

http://zanyquilter.blogspot.com/

http://mrspicklesgarden.blogspot.com/

http://rocknquilts.blogspot.com/

http://nap-time-crafter.blogspot.com/

http://sewingwithsqueak.blogspot.com/

http://travelthrugreece.blogspot.com/

Questions I pose for them

1. Biggest quilt inspiration?

2. Favorite spot to get away?

3. Why do you blog?

4. What is one thing from earlier in your life that you wish was still available today?

5. Favorite TV show

6. Favorite place to get fabric?

7. What are your thoughts on scraps?

8. Where do most of your quilts end up?

9. Favorite time of year?

10. What are you most proud of in your life?

11. What kind of quilting helper do you have?

OK this took a little longer than expected and is a lit of text but I promise the next blog will have more pictures. Let's have some fun with this -- If you have another question for me post it and I will consider answering it (most of them I will answer).

Happy Quilting.

Last Day of the Blog Hop

Friday February 15th
Why Knot Kwilt

NitaDances

Sew Darn Quilt

Quilt-N-Queen

Fiddlesticks and Humility

Stitchin Therapy

Moose Stash Quilting

Gypsy Dreamer Quilts

Color My World

Sew We Quilt

 

later today I plan on telling you all what my logical mind talked me into and how this effected my Valentines Gifts from the Hubby.

 

Happy hopping and happy quilting.

My Blog Hop Day

Today it's my turn to take part in the Hugs & Kisses Blog Hop with these other fine ladies.

The 4 R's

Em's Scrapbag

Kris Loves Fabric

Kathy Quilts

Cherry Blossoms Quilting Studio

The Distracted Domestic

Selina Quilts

Terry's Quilting Time

Rosemary B @ that other blog

as sweet as peaches

Karma Willow Designs -- that's me

So I have been working on a cute little pink gem that I will be donating through my Guild. I started out with some scraps from my stash along with items from the guild.

from the guild

in progress on the design wall

Completed top

Finished and in the sun

UP close

the backing and binding

Before I got the binding put on -- Hurley took the quilt for a spin. (man I love these guys).

I also have been working on a few items recently and wanted to share them with you.

This one is just the top and waiting to be finished. I have had a few comments on this bridge so I thought I would share a little about it being that this is the holiday of love -- it's a bridge in a local park that was donated in honor of a couple that had been married a long time that have since passed away and there is also a wooden swing there in honor of the love they had for one another and the community.

This is another quilt I have completed for the guild.

So in honor of the holiday of love, here are a few more things that I love and use for inspiration when quilting. First off I am obsessed with the color pink when I was redoing my craft space I recovered a few of my items in bright pink suede and have a large pink rug (I'll be posting a room tour in the future). I am a nut for Alice in Wonderland especially the Cheshire Cat

I also love owls and this is one that my mother in law sent me for Valentines day and it came in the mail today. It's so cute and guilty looking. (and for some reason the picture keeps loading sideways).

I found this fabric in my stash and hope to be using it soon in a scrappy trip along.

Thanks for stopping by and feel free to become a follower and check out some of my other projects going on.

PS -- I was just notified by http://thepeachpatch.blogspot.com/ that I have been selected to get one of the traveling stash boxes so I will be posting that ASAP and you don't want to miss out on this opportunity because these boxes travel all over the USA so who knows what all it will include. 

day 2 Hugs and Kisses and a tease

Hugs and kisses Blog hop day 2 -- some wonderful ladies and projects indeed.

Just Let Me Quilt

Quilt Monster in my Closet

Nati's Little Things

Kwilty Pleasures

Cherry's Prairie Primitives

Pig Tales and Quilts

the tilted quilt

Sew Much 2 Luv

Sew Incredibly Crazy

Freemotion by the River

Marjorie's Busy Corner

CLICK HERE for Full Schedule

Tomorrow it's my turn and here's a tease of some things that I have been working on.