Quilting Conservation

Yesterday I stopped at an LQS to pick up some white on white fabrics, not because they were having an Easter Egg Hunt.  One of my favorites was working, and I asked her what was new that I had to have.  Boy did her face light up!  She asked me if I chain pieced.  Hello!  I have to conserve time!  She said I had to have this Cutting Gizmo.  And it was purple...BONUS!

This is the closest thing to an in action shot I could get, having only two hands and all.

I have been doing a little scrap management, trying to conserve space and resources.  Love these double hour glass blocks.  I have to buy the white though.  Been using all kinds of different white on white.  Remember, that is what I went to the LQS for.  It had nothing to do with the Easter Egg Hunt.

Finished fourteen today.  (There are two of some prints, lest you think I can't count.)  Yup, I like to chain piece.  See all that apparent clutter in the background?  It is actually pretty tidy, just cramped.  Guess that is all perspective though.  My family would probably tell you my sewing area takes up a lot of room.

Current count:  53.

The Cutting Gizmo has earned its place.  Have I mentioned its purple?

Oh, and here are the white on whites that I bought yesterday.  Because that's what I went for, it had nothing to do with the Easter Egg Hunt.  Oh, I got two free fat quarters in my egg.  They are the two on the right.

;0)

Linking up with Sew and Tell, and Finish it Friday.  Have fun checking out all the great finishes!

Blessings,

KT

Welcome to the family Violet!

This is Violet, she came to live at my house this past Friday.  Some of you may know that I have a UFO quilt that I have been hesitating to finish.  It will be way too big to quilt on my Janome.  I have been considering getting a Juki (and still may in the distant future) but I have home repairs that are more important.

I love my Pearl, my Singer Featherweight.  So, imagine my joy when I found this beautiful machine for only $45!  Saturday I cleaned, oiled, and lubed.  In doing so I found that she has a knee mechanism in her cabinet.  Yes, the original cabinet was part of that incredibly low price.  Violet is a Singer 201!

Still don't know for sure if my quilt will fit.  That is a 5" charm square in her throat space!  But as I used her to sew these picnic quilt squares, I realized I will want to do a lot of my sewing on her.  She loves to sew, and that knee thingamajig is wonderful.

Joy, my Janome, requires a visit to the spa about every 9 months.  At $70 each visit, I have nearly payed for her twice.  I love Joy, but Violet I can maintain myself.  In so doing, I can save some wear and tear on Joy.

On to the progress!

1.  Picnic Quilt---332 denim and fabric blocks done.  625 is the goal!  I have run out of denim, and am pestering all my friends for their worn out jeans!!

2.  Hunky Dory Quilt---all 86 blocks done.  Now to square them all up!

3.  Amy Butler Bag---no progress, but I need to pull this out and get it done before vacation.

4.  Fresh Cut Quilt---Going to get back to this one as soon as the bobbins, walking foot, FMQ foot, and new marked plate get here.

Off to re-arrange my sewing area so Violet fits!  be sure to check out the other works in progress by using the button on the side bar.

Blessings,

KT

Pouches on a Tuesday

There is so much going on, and I have so much to share!  But, getting my thoughts and pictures together in a post has been quite a challenge.  Any how, I have gotten these pouches done.  I used Randi's tutorial to make them.  It was a great tute!  You may notice the pouch on the left is bigger.  I made these for a gift, and wanted to use all that I had on hand.  Yup, that great Amy Butler print was a bolt end just lying around waiting its turn.  Perfect girly, but not pink fabric for a very special niece.  Just happened to find the perfect pale yellow contrast in my scrap bin.  Already had the zippers too!  

You know me, pulling out a little fancy stitch for the "quilting".

These are a great way to use up that batting left over after you trim a quilt.  Sorry, I forgot to take pictures of the interior.  It is just solid gray.  You guessed it...already had it...it was scrap.

Anyhow, maybe she will now remember her toothbrush and charging cords when she comes to spend the night!

Linking up with Fabric Tuesday, please feel welcomed to use the button on the side bar to visit the other contributors!!

Blessings,

KT

Love Multiplies

After seeing so many Japanese + and x blocks, I finally had to just make some. Instead of using a tutorial, like a sane person, I had to make up my own pattern. Lately, I have been a little nuts that way! Well, I grabbed some scraps and some stash and began to play.

I was all set to try some FMQ, but then the quilt said "no". I ended up with a lot of very close straight line quilting. It all radiates out from the center.

That...

Was a lot of quilting! It might have been easier to FMQ! For the last border, I just went around several times.

I fell in love with this fabric from Joann's. It was a higher quality than much of their stuff, and I am still loving it. Wish I would have bought more.

The binding was a Jennifer Paganelli print that was left over from making a wall hanging. Still have some left!

I think that the matching binding kinda brings them together!

;0)

I will be linking this up to WIP Wednesday, and Sew and Tell Friday. Be sure to check out all the other lovely projects for these linky parties by using the buttons on my side bar.

Blessings,

KT

Happy Finishes

Well, I finished this last week, but life has been crazy. Finally the sun came out when I had time to take pictures. For those just tuning in, this is an embroidery piece my grandma had made many years ago. Well, she must have loved it as much as I do, because it is wearing holes in it. I used fray check on the holes, and spray baste to put it on Kona snow. Next I added the border.

Next my blossom buddy Dee drew a wonderful free motion quilting design. Then I promptly chickened out quilting it for over a year! Recently I found my big girl panties and hitched them up!

;0)

At the bottom the quilting mimics the peacock feathers.

The feathers morph into flowers near the top of the piece. Dee's design was genius, and I just love the way it turned out.

Glad you could stop by for a quick visit. Be sure to use the Fabric Tuesday button on the side bar to check out what everybody is working on!

Blessings,

KT

A WIP Wednesday with a finish!

Grandma's Peacock is finished. Unfortunately, this is the only picture I have. I love the quilting pattern that Dee drew for me, and need to get some better pictures for you all. I am currently interviewing brick-a-brack for the shelf, so I am aware that it doesn't look altogether together! I am pondering what I might own already that is in storage that would spiff things up.

Quilting in progress on this + & x table quilt. I finally settled on the quilting plan, and I am loving it.

Sitting on top is a small pile of wonderful from The Intrepid Thread. Pat Bravo's Poetica line, plus a few extras added on. The service was great, and I am very pleased with the fat quarters she added in to round out the stack. The pale yellow is going to be the background. I bought it from Connecting Threads. They call it Custard, and at around $2.50 a yard right now the price was amazing. Not all of the solids were on sale, but I was blessed that this one was, and it matches perfectly! I ordered custard thread too, so I am ready to go....as soon as I get some other WIPs out of the way. The selfish quilt must wait.


No other progress.

Be sure to visit all the other WIPs by clicking on the WIP button.

Blessings,

KT

I Think I Might Live in a Cave

Grainy, dark picture alert.

Recently, after some research and being nearly out of needles, I ordered a few packages of these. While I was at it, I ordered some trial thread. If you let them choose the color, you can get it much cheaper. My needles happened to be a deal too. Bonus! Bless their hearts, they sent me lavender! Well, I was itching to try both out to see what all the fuss is about.

Being a purple sort of girl, I was sure to have something that would do. Needing a little pick me up, I grabbed my Paganelli Pile.

Well, wouldn't you know, one thing led to another. Purple led to pink, blue, and green...

Before I knew it, nine, count 'em NINE blocks done!

One in the incubator.

( Why, oh why did I only buy a half yard of that yummy blue on blue print, Pretty Please, Sally?)

After I get the tenth one done, I am going to go back and finish some of my other WIPs. This Paganelli quilt is just for my own selfish entertainment. I never understood what people meant about savoring the quilt, until now. I want to take my own sweet time!

On the left are fabrics to still incorporate into the Paganelli quilt. In the middle are the Hunky Dory blocks I am about to finish off. I may just leave that perfect pile of Paganelli out to sing to me while I sew.

Oh, and the needles and thread, like butter! I will try to keep you updated as I use them more.

Be sure to visit all the other entries for Fabric Tuesday by using the cute button on the side bar.
Edit:

1. Hunky Dory Quilt--14 blocks to go.

2. Grandma's Peacock---nearly done!!

3.  March FMQ Challenge--not yet begun.

4.  Paganelli Pop--new project, 10 blocks down, countless to go.  NO Deadline.

5. New commitment.  Baby quilt for missionary trip.  Undisclosed destination, deadline--SOON!

Also linking up to WIP Wednesday.

Blessings,

KT