About to start another stash buster...

I am about to begin another stash busting quilt.  You are welcome to join me.  The measurements and yardage estimates below are just that- estimates.  I don't have any sewing actually completed yet.  

I am making 20 blocks using a fabric I have of cats with blue, red and yellow balls of yarn.  I have not selected the lattice fabric yet.

Here are my actual fabrics.  

Here is approximately what the finished quilt will look like- I hope...

I designed it pretty quickly in EQ8 this afternoon while my quilt machine was being serviced.  

You need a yard of the focus fabric- that gives you plenty for fussy cutting those center squares.  They measure 6.5 inches.  Red you need 1 1/8 yards- you need to cut 7 strips, 3.5 inches wide of the red.  The darker blue, you need a yard-14 strips, 2 inches wide of the blue.  The red/yellow corner triangles- cut 3 7/8 inch squares-40 of each color should yield 80 finished half square triangles when finished, draw a line down the middle to use as your quarter inch and cutting guide.  IF you aren't sure how to do this, I will post about it in a few days...

Come on- I challenge you to a stash buster!

Making Some Progress

So, I have mostly been crocheting this week but I did get to some quilting yesterday.  I finished "Flower Child" which just needed a few more rows of quilting.  I knew I wouldn't have time to do this quilt all in one standing (not sitting because I have a long arm) so I went for a hand guided pantograph rather than computerized.  This is the first time I have used Quilter's Dream Wool batting.  I loved it and already ordered more!  I hope it washes nicely...

I am rather proud of myself with this quilt, simply because I purchased the women's head fabric to help me use up my stash and that is exactly what I did.  All the other fabric in this quilt, including the backing was already in my stash at the time.  Challenge left- find a binding in my stash...

Here you can see the overall with the border...

A little better view of my rusty hand guided quilting skills. 



I also managed to get the borders on my pink Hawaiian quilt.  It is about a 60 inch square.  I have a lovely flamingo flannel that matches well that I could use on the back but I hadn't planned on using flannel on this one so I will have to think about it. The pink and bluish neutral were in my stash.  I purchased the Hawaiian recently.  Stash busting is hard...

In addition to working on the "Cat Nip" blocks I showed last week, I started this one.  It will have 5 blocks each of 4 different colors around that same cat fabric.  I am hoping it will look quite modernish.  I am thinking I got the cat focus too centered in these blocks so may change the measurements on the rest of the blocks to make them more off center.  the cats should really look like they are randomly placed through out the quilt.  We shall see...I am also wondering if I will include the mint green with the other more olive and pea.  I do like the blue though. 

The cats have been in my stash for a long time but I had to go get the solids to go with them.  Again....Stash busting is a challenge for me. 

Today the long arm is to be serviced, then need to get my main Bernina in to the shop if I have time.  My backup machine and the one my daughter is using also need some TLC.  How do they all need service at the same time?  

I'm still waiting on two yarn packs to arrive from The UK.  It has already been the suggested 2 weeks so I am not sure how much longer I will have to wait to begin the Attic 24 CAL.  I am trying to fill my time with extra squares from the Moogly CAL and working on two ongoing blankets- a Neat Ripple and a Cosy Stripe.  the Cosy stripe is King size so will take FOREVER! 

Slow moving this morning

I am moving quite slowly this morning.  I started a women's chorus this week, with 3 hour rehearsals on Thursday evenings and it kicked my butt for some reason.  I am still dragging.  Last night I made progress on the Moogly Crochet along and hope to get it completed today. 

I learned a lot but will probably never use the back post stitch again.  It looks great but was just very uncomfortable to do.  I had to finagle every single stitch.  Not sure how many of these squares will get completed if they are all this much work.  Crochet is one of the things I use to relax...

I'm a bit worried about adding the last rows since there has been some talk online about how difficult they are.

I am still waiting on Royal Mail so I can start the Attic 24 Dahlia blanket- I loved the stitch so much on that one that I ordered 2 color ways. 

My daughter surprised me earlier this week by showing up with a completed quilt top of the 2 that got sent home with her last weekend. 

She got the Pokemon blocks sewn together and now we need a border.  I also need to get the quilt that is on the machine quilted so that she can have a turn with that.
I was even more proud when she told me yesterday that she was working on a new project, one she went and bought fabric for after a moment of inspiration...and here I was hoping she would help me use up my stash...

This project is the one I cut out after she left last weekend- a full day of cutting for her projects and then I had no new ones...can't have that. 

I am calling it "Catnip".  I still need to put together all the blocks with red in them.  The others are ready to go. 

 I also purchased solids to go with that blue cat fabric because I have enough of it to use it as a focus fabric in another lap quilt.  Still trying to figure out a design for it though. 

I guess I better get moving because on top of all these want to do items, there is always a huge list of have to do ones for the weekend. 

Happy Stitching!

Slow start Saturday

I am not moving very quickly this morning.  2 cups of coffee have not removed the dull ache from my head so I guess I'll move on to Excedrine...I think my daughter is on her way for us to have a sewing/singing kinda day.  Hope we make some progress on something...

Here is where I am with the Attic 24 CAL.  I am not liking how my rogue colors are playing together but I will stick in a little longer.  I LOVE the pattern though and it stitched up super fast so I ordered 2 yarn packs from Wool Warehouse yesterday. 



I had a few hours of sewing yesterday and got this tropical quilt top together.  3.5 hours of sewing.  Just need to add two borders and it will be ready for its place in line for quilting...

It is a design I have seen online in many places and just quickly drew up on EQ8.  I just upgraded from EQ7 with the new year discount.  This is the first quilt I worked with so I still have a lot to figure out with the new features.  I am hoping I can do quilts with differing sized blocks.  That is supposed to be lots easier with this version of the software. 


I have to head back to work on Monday so my productivity will plummet again.  And, I haven't been attending to my exercise like I should. 

The last two nights have begun my opera education.  My daughter is going to graduate from University in May with her degree in Opera Voice Performance.  She is currently applying to graduate programs.  So far we have watched The Magic Flute and Daughter of the Regiment.  Both amazing performances on MET on demand. 

Happy Saturday Stitching!

Second day of a new year!

I hope you all had a lovely day yesterday.  I did minimal cleaning so that I could get a big quilt loaded on to the quilt machine, minimal cooking, some crochet, spent time with family!  It was lovely and relaxing and rejuvenating!

Some of you may know what this is, though I have my doubts.  My son, 19 years old, has convinced my husband and I to start playing World of Warcraft Classic.  He created himself a new character so that he could help us along our journey and my daughter joined in as well.  He spends most of his game time saving our butts!  So, we now spend some time, almost daily, playing together as a family.  It is family time where we talk about the game and have a good time.
It has been fun but I know it will happen less frequently once I get back into the swing of work next week.  However, it gives us a great link to our kids and what is going on in their very busy lives.  Both are in college and we do not get to see them enough so this gives us a little connection. 
These are my and my husbands characters. 

Our doggies are always so happy when the kids are home.  Here, Jack is enjoying the smell and feel of my son's backpack while we sit around the table as a family. 

This is my preparation for the Attic 24 Crochet Along that starts tomorrow!  I can't wait!  It is the first time I will actually be joining in the fun.  I am sure I will fall behind quickly but am going to try hard to keep up.  I still need to grab a couple more pinks, hopefully will find them today. 
I guess this means my current project of a Neat Ripple blanket and the languishing Cosy Stripe blanket will be left unattended until after the Dahlia blanket CAL is complete. 

I also want to keep up with some quilting, daily exercise, and I am joining an A Capella group that rehearses every Thursday, so I am going to be a busy girl!  And then there is that thing called work that is going to take up the majority of my time...

Reading goals may suffer this year.

 Here is one of my latest creations- a very simple little quilt made from a digital print fabric I have been eyeing for months.  I finally decided I would just get it and do a simple something. 

It is wall-hanging size, and has now been quilted and binding sewn on.  Just need to find the time to do the hand stitching on the binding. 

I had a major oops when adding the hanging sleeve.  Don't know where my mind was...I sewed the thing on inside out...

But I fixed it and all is well.  Hope to get it on the wall some time this month. 

So, you know how some people choose a word to focus on for the year?  I am choosing an animal. 
I have chosen a wolf- mostly because I need to focus on running and what better running partner could one have? 
Also, you may have seen this somewhere, I have found it online- in many places...

Advice from a Wolf

• Trust your instincts
• Be at home in nature
• Keep your den clean
• Stand fur what you believe
• Stay on track
• Howl with your friends 
• Pack life with good memories!

In addition to my running, my husband and I are planning on doing a lot of hiking to get ourselves out in nature and spend time together focusing on health.  I always need to clean more...but mostly want to focus on spending quality time with quality people and having a great year!

I need to head out to the grocery store today, and start focusing on laundry and meal prep to get ready for next week.  I am due back at work on Monday, bright and early.  

While I enjoy my job as a High School Librarian, I am sure everyone can understand the draw of being at home, warm and cozy, coffee, tea, and poodle cuddles whenever I want, quilting, crochet, books, naps under a soft quilt, time with my college kids who are also on vacation...

Who would ever want to leave that?

Hope you all have had a wonderful Holiday and are looking forward to 2020!  We can do this!