TMQG Retreat Insomniac

OMG!! I may finally be recovered from the amazingness that was the retreat this weekend. We ate to much, laughed a lot, drank a little, shopped and of course quilted. I defiantly feel closer to these ladies than before the trip and eagerly look forward to the next time Lee says lets go up home -- cause I am so in. 

All packed and ready to go -- yes quilting stuff and projects is in the larger one. 

Teri and I (along with her husband as chauffeur) headed west Friday morning and hit up some quilt shops along the way -- here is some of the fabric goodness that I proquired along the way. 

This set is going to be a wonky stars quilt -- adorable right.

After much debate and planning and a blog post last week I decided to take most of the projects I posted about. And it's a good thing because my pal insomnia showed up so there was a great deal of progress made and some seam ripping involved. 

bible blocks caught up (again) 

3 charity quilts bound

Unwind quilt top completed 

and promptly claimed by Mack

scrappy swoon (mostly) put together -- I forgot the fabric for the center at home. (the source of much of the seam ripping) 

backing for little fish quilt

and basted -- ready to quilt ASAP. 

started name tags for a guild member and her daughter 

started cutting blocks for Lazy Sunday. 

Such a fun time and now many more UFO's to add to the pile but at least many are close to being finished. 

What to pack? What to work on next?

I have a custom order I am completing this week and hopefully will be delivering on Friday on my way to a weekend in the mountains in the form of a quilt retreat with several others from the guild. It was a fun and challenging project made from various clothing items that a wife is doing for her husband after the loss of his mother earlier this year -- it needs to be quilted and bound in the next 2 days. I hope he loves it. 

Now for the more pressing matter at hand -- what am I going to take on the retreat this weekend to work on? Most of us have a million UFO's -- but right now I honestly don't, a good problem to have I know. I do have 2 blocks from my block of the week project to make, a few small charity quilts to bind, 2 small guild swap items to make and small throw that I need to finish the backing for to be able to baste and quilt. I am thinking most of these items can come with me because they are more manageable in size. I also want to start something new -- that list of projects I eventually want to make is quite long but choosing is the hard part. 

Should I make Lazy Sunday? 

Should I Swoon? 

Chevrons?

Disappearing nine patch? 


Or keep working on my rainbow string blocks?

I'm open to suggestions and I'll be sure to update next week what all I accomplish. Happy quilting everyone. 

2 for 2 for festivals

Last weekend I participated in the Asheboro Fall Festival and I was hoping for better results than my previous festival --- but this was not the case. I did have a great time because one of my buddies went with me and this meant that we had more things to offer and draw people in. 

Teri brought out her jewelry, beaded bookmarks, jingle sprinkles and wool pinnies. 

The trouble came with the heat that we had this weekend -- again it was over 80 degrees outside and that just isn't good quilt selling weather. I did have some interest in custom goods. 

Sunday I went to the sew in with the guild and couldn't get motivated so Jen and I made pillow cases for charity and with the ones that had already been completed our total is up to 14. 

And I managed to get these two charity quilts quilted -- bringing the total I need to bind to 5. 

I'm up to date again on my blocks of the week and eagerly await the release of the remaining 13 (I don't know why this loaded sideways)

I also had the opportunity to start looking for sashing this week and think I may have determined the direction I'm going. 

I am really leaning toward this purple with that swirly one as my binding. The trouble I am facing is block washout with all the neutrals that I have tried and this is a more reddish purple while still being dark enough to compliment the black. Math is not a strong point for me so I am having a bit of anxiety about calculating how much I will need to purchase (Silly considering that is a new bolt of fabric). 

I will be out at the Arts on Trade in Winston this Sunday and hopefully I will have a better response this time, it's a great block party type event and it's a smaller venue so you can actually talk to people more. 

Saturday may be filled with getting some small projects out of the way that Hubby has asked me to work on for him and a large commission that I am needing to get started on. 

• Commission Quilt (11/1)
• wrist wrest for hubby 
• Name tag for Tami (10/22)
• assemble pillow case kits (10/22)
• quilt star wars quilt (it's going to be a shock to everyone when this one gets finished)
• make kitchen aid cover for MIL
• finish all charity quilts in progress (10/22)

My next event is in 5 weeks away and I hope to have some new things for this one. Perhaps I can brainstorm in time to work on them in time for the guild retreat coming up in 2 short weeks (super excited about this one). 

Happy Quilting everyone -- it's going to be a busy month around here. 

September finishes and October goals

September was a very productive month for me -- though at the time it didn't feel that way -- I finished 7 quilts.  Of those 3 were commission projects, one was a Big UFO and 3 others were for charity. The charity finishes all happened last week after I had some dental work done and was out of work -- the quilting on the 3rd one isn't great but that was about the time the pain medication was really starting to kick in. 

I also completed my Block of the Week and am looking forward to the next few weeks because the remainder of the blocks should be coming out.

I have an upcoming event this weekend and don't know that I am really prepared for it because there are always a million other things that you wish you would have gotten around to but just didn't, for me the big thing here was making some pouches or a few more throw quilts. I think for this event I will try focusing on getting more commission work -- making things that I know I will see a return on rather than grasping at straws for what may sell. I've got some cute crates that the hubbs painted up for me to display fabrics in (similar to these but mine are now sparkly black). 

This is going to be my only big event in October because I will be doing a few of the AFAS Sundays in Winston during the month and a Guild retreat later in the month. My goal list for October is growing and I hope most of it is obtainable. 

• Kate Spain Charm swap -- hosted by Michelle @ Quilts from my Crayon Box , I signed up for 2 slots which means cutting 4 fabrics into charms. 
• Pillow cases for guild -- I want to make about 10 (3 done) 
• Complete 2 more charity quilts -- tops are nearly ready 
• Keep up with Block of the Week and start putting together the rows -- right now I only have one to complete but there are 15 more in the quilt to be released in the upcoming weeks
• Complete Tshirt commission quilt -- due in December
• Make Kitchen Aid Cover for MIL 
• Complete Star Wars Quilt 

7 goals not that shabby -- Let's see where the month take us. Happy Quilting everyone.