Design board is cut to fit the slant ceiling and covered with the old flannel. Still need to figure out how to hang it so it can be moved. It's in front of the attic door to the furnace.

Now if I can just restore order from the mess I made making room for it I can sew! First order of business a quick bag for my fancy new camera. The bulky case makes it too big for my purse, but I'm worrying about it being just loose in the purse.
LindaB/CA

I need to work on a t-shirt quilt for a young man who will be graduating from high school. I'm still trying to decide how I want to cut the shirts. I made one for my DD years ago and used sashing between the blocks. Not sure if I want to do it with this quilt.
I also have to quilt the baby quilt for our newest grandson who is due the end of the month. I finished the top this week. This quilt will be hung on the wall above the crib.
Linda OH

What's the weird arrow they stuck on the word attic?

I'm not seeing any arrow. (?) Anyways, probably won't get to the sewing that much this weekend, still doing yard chores, big time. I have to make myself do it because: 1: my back isn't out yet. 2: It's still not too hot. 3: If I don't do it - it won't get done. I'm not in the middle of anything major quilting-wise anyways, just one of the landscape quilts I've been doing for a break from big projects.

I'm beginning to sew the red/white/blue Stash Attack blocks together and maybe get them done over the week-end. I'm anxious to get back to putting the last round of stars on Blue Mist so it can be completed by Sept. At least, that's the plan right now. Am still working on the Blue Ridge Beauty, too. :-)

SharonG/FL

My husband is going nuts being cooped up during his recuperation from back surgery, so he suggested that we go to Pigeon Forge, TN Quiltfest tomorrow. I was not going this year due to his surgery, but he seems to be doing well walking, so who am I to argue!

Jackie

Just got a call from my LAQer, and I will pick up my Peekaboo Monkeys quilt and the January Lotto Block quilt tomorrow. Can't wait to see them.

I've got all 16 of the turtle blocks and 9 of the 14 wave blocks from my Baby Honu quilt finished. I'm going to work on that this weekend. Then I have to bind the two quilts I'm picking up tomorrow.

I have to decide which quilt to start next. I have fabric for my husband's quilt, an Asian print quilt, a OBW and a scrappy batik. Oh, and a Hawaiian print quilt. Seems like decision time. Maybe I should just put the names in a jar and pick at random. Maybe I should work on my husband's. The others are just for fun - no recipient in mind. I may end my quilting career with a pile of quilts that were made just for my pleasure. I guess that's not all bad.

What a rare bird he is. Mine goes periodically, but rarely and usually takes a book. Glad he's feeling good.
LindaB/CA

I've started a puff quilt, just for something easy to do that I can stop and start on when I get busy with gardening. It was the child of straightening up my stash and the little pillows are using up scraps and small pieces and pug-ugly remnants as foundation pieces. It's been really fun and I try to crank out one or two twelve inch blocks each morning as I have my morning cuppa.

QHen, I saw that arrow on my iPad, but I'm not seeing it on the PC. I clicked on it and got an ad for something (can't remember what now),

Jackie, have fun at Pigeon Forge! Bonnie Hunter is one of the teachers there and I've been enjoying her blog posts. I saw on the other thread that your DH is ironing fabric for you while you're at work. Watch out - he may decide to start quilting, too!

I got the fabric for the baby quilt so my goal today is to finish the top. I'm considering a pieced backing, but I may need a trip to JoAnn's if I decide not to do that.

Donna

I am hand piecing some granny square quilt blocks this weekend.

Best to you,
Sandra

I am so jealous of everyone with good, warm weather! Colorado can't decide if spring is here or not - it is snowing and really cold today! I certainly didn't have fun walking the dogs!

Last night I worked on Lions Club paperwork and today I spent most of the day on the internet trip planning - DH & I are taking a 9 day Baltic cruise at the end of May then visiting our German exchange students (5 of them!) then attending our first exchange student's wedding in Germany. I was trying to figure out all of our shore excursions and get them booked. We are not using the cruise excursions - too large of groups, and I found better prices through independent tour operators.

ANYWAY, Most of that done, so I can sew! Yahoo. I think I will try to quilt the charity baby quilt I have sandwiched this evening, then tomorrow start piecing the Disney princess baby quilt.

I have also been sewing lots of scraps into 4-1/2 inch blocks and just counted. I have 200 done. Not sure what they will become, but I still have tons of scraps to use up!

Enjoy you weekend!
Sue

I am going to try and get another UFO done tomorrow and Monday. Probably won't get any sewing done after that for a couple of weeks.
Theresa

Sue, your cruise sounds wonderful! Our friends in Richmond have had several German exchange students. The first one met a girl here in the US and they are getting married this summer.

Donna

Well, I got to celebrate Nat'l Quilting day today with my guild!

I was able to complete my Chained Melody quilt top, with exception of the center circle. I'll try to post a picture tomorrow. I'm really excited about how it turned out.

I was also able to sandwich my bargello backing/batting/grid work, and sewed down my first 3 strips!! Doesn't sound like much, but it puts me well on my way to completion. The rest will go so much faster now. I will say that I'm sooooo thankful I have a quilt frame. If I had to get on the floor and pin baste a quilt every time I wanted to quilt one, well I might give up the hobby! That was murder today!

Finished the day early to attend my DD's chorus concert, but that was great too.

Tomorrow may bring me the chance to sew some more...we'll see.

Sounds like everyone is having a productive week-end in various ways. Planning trips, going to quilt shows, going to concerts and still getting some sewing done.

I had just gotten settled at the machine to get some horizontal rows sewn together and DH wanted to go to Walmart. Sigh....that was the end of sewing this afternoon. Oh well, tomorrow is another day.......and more basketball games!!!!

SharonG/FL

Yes, we Florida folks can't handle much more cold... glad the weather is changing...

I'd love to say that I will be quilting, but it isn't likely... I'm not sure why people think that just because I own a few sewing machines that I will be happy to take in their clothing repair projects for free, but somehow I've managed to agree to fix a few things for a few various friends, co-workers, and family members. It started out innocently enough, but now is snowballing out of control...I've actually had to start telling people no more after this! With two jobs, I have little free time, and I want to sew for me and have it still be my fun hobby.... it has started to morph into another job that I don't even get paid for, and that just sucks the fun out of it...

So last night, I was using my favorite machine to hem some pajamas for a friend's father... the seam guide lines on this particular machine are behind the needle rather than in front of it, so that is where I was looking when I SEWED THROUGH MY LEFT RING FINGER, for the first time ever in my 15 years of sewing.... the needle went all the way through and I keep the machine set to end with the needle down... so it stayed in until I could gather the presence of mind to raise the hand wheel... pain shot up my arm and it was so intense I nearly fainted, but feels a little better today... I can barely type now (w, s, x, and 2 are painful to strike).... the machine that bit me now has a red polka dot paint job..... :-/

Good news is I'm still talking to the lady I met on another site who has the same Bernina as I do (btw, the Nina is not the one that bit me... at least among her many quirks, a thirst for blood isn't one of them).. We still write novels back and forth daily about sewing and machines and we haven't run out of things to say after two months of corresponding .. we've really bonded over sharing such a persnickety machine.... she's sent me needles, thread, scissors..... I can't believe the sweetness and generosity.... but last night, she knocked my socks off... she knew that I'd been drafted to make clothing labels for a coworker and that my machine was having tension issues... I knew she would come back with funny commiseration and helpful advice, and she didn't disappoint... However, I didn't know she would spring into action to help. Last night, she actually made 21 labels with my co-worker's name on them (I'd sent her pictures of my failed attempts, and she responded with a picture of her successful ones) and mailed them today... I certainly didn't expect that, but I'm grateful nonetheless.... her machine is behaving at the moment and she wanted to help me cross that chore off my to do list so I can get back to the fun stuff... for someone I've never even met who lives three states away to do something so caring and sweet, it kind of restores my faith in humanity... it nearly brought me to tears (of course so did sewing through my finger!)...

All that to say, no more sewing for a bit... I'm still traumatized... I did get a used Laurastar ironing system and may press and organize some fabric, but there is no way I'm going near a machine until the finger heals!

Hope everyone has a great weekend, and please remember that sticking your finger under a moving needle hurts..... a lot!

Ouch Bobby !$£! Take care of that...I've sliced my fingers but have not had that kind of fun...

Sue...A Baltic cruise sounds delightful! Enjoy!

I finish the top on the Garden fence quilt, just need to add a small border than sandwiching begins. I took a detour...I learned my SIL, sister is having a double mastectomy next month, so I'm trying to do a quick lap quilt for her. I'm actually using fabric from my stash and a pattern featured in Vintage quilt revival. I'm hoping to finish the top this week and sandwich next weekend....busy. Can't imagine ... Losing both girls, just wanted to do something for her. Don't really know her well, but she's sweet, quiet woman, she's had some challenges in her life and here comes another!

V.

I flinched when I read about your finger, Bobby - please keep a close eye on it, a puncture wound is the worst for getting an infection. It's weird, I was just thinking about you a couple of days ago, wondering why you hadn't posted lately. As for the (ugh) mending favors, I immediately tell people that I don't mend, I don't sew clothing, etc. and that saves me from being put upon. I will moan and groan when DH asks for a button sewed on and will put on a real show of it when I do it but that's the limit. Don't be so darned nice!

Bobby, my sympathy too! I always enjoy your posts. I'm in complete agreement about mending. In fact I rarely even get to my own
LindaB/CA

Oh, no, Bobby! I hope it heals quickly. I've been wondering where you were, too.

Donna

Oh, Bobby, that must hurt like hell. I'm so sorry. The most damage I ever did with my sewing machine was years ago. Evidently I was concentrating very hard and my head had gotten really close to my work, when, WHAM... I was hit in the forehead by the thread take-up arm. At first, I couldn't figure out what happened. Then I felt like a real dummy. Watch for infection. I hope it heals quickly for you.

Ouch, Bobby! Cannot imagine the continuing pain you must have. Sorry that happened.

V, Looking forward to seeing the quilt you're making for your SIL's sister. With everything combined, she must be devastated. Just knowing you are thinking of her will bring her comfort when wrapped in the quilt.

SharonG/FL

UFO #6
I finished this one on Sunday and just did the binding this morning. The star is not done with Flying Geese and I know it has a proper name but I don't know it. Done with a 30's jelly roll.
Theresa

Very pretty, Theresa!

Wow, Theresa, This is really pretty! You're going gangbusters on your UFO's. When you run out, I can send you a few. lol

The star points look like a HST and a quarter square triangle.....?????

SharonG/FL

All done with strips.
Theresa

Sorry the image is so large.
I know there is a name for this star but I can't find it.
Theresa

Boy! Was my sight off!!!! I blame my eye problem. lol But, as I look at it, it could be made the old fashion 9-patch way instead of 4-patch. In any case, it's a very pretty quilt!

Theresa, Was it easier to make with strips?

edited to add: Missouri Quilt Co calls this a Jelly Star Block and has a video.

SharonG/FL

This post was edited by geezerfolks on Tue, Mar 25, 14 at 8:58

The summer issue 2013, of Quilting Quickly (Missouri Star and Fons and Porter) had a pattern I was very attracted to. It is made using this method but the stars are prints with white background. I decided that would be the pattern for DGS's wedding quilt, with changes of course. My stars are all batiks in various shades of what I call Caribbean colours. If you Google Sweet Stars, their name for the quilt, you will see what I mean.
This quilt was made to see how it would go together.
The quilt is at the LAQ right now. I am anxious to see it finished.
As for being easier, I guess it is 6 of one, half dozen of the other. Every method has its pluses and minuses. The challenge here was to match those seams.
Sorry for the longish answer.
Theresa

And here is a picture of part of the wedding quilt.
Theresa

Pretty quilts, Theresa. I love quilts with a white background. They are just lovely.

The wedding quilt looks great Theresa, thanks for sharing the quilt pattern with us.

Best to you,
Sandra

Your quilts are lovely...I'm partial to stars and doing one in the 30's repro fabrics tugs at my heart...just love it.
Thanks for sharing that pattern, I would not have thought of that approach.
V.

I just love to see all the creative work going on with this group! It is inspiring& the kick I need to creat but one more work in progress. Just taking a poll.....so how many quilt do you have in progress?

Like the quilt pattern Theresa........also would have never thought of using strips to create that star. I'll have to keep this one in mind. Beautiful quilt btw.

Redmary...........I got out from under a lot of UFOs (unfinished objects) and swore never again becuase it niggles at you when there are piles of quilts in all stages awaiting attention. At present I'm working on one quilt, with one quilt top finished and waiting to be sandwiched. But no hurry on that one, it was a spur of the moment quilt and may sit that way for quite awhile until I decide its destination. I like to have a quilt or two completed or near completion at any given time so that when an occasion comes up I'd like to use it for a gift, it's a simple job to get it ready to go. The quilt top I finished would only take me a couple days to machine quilt.

Redmary, I just bound and labeled four within the last two weeks that I had been working on for several months. I have one I'm actively working on; one that I'm in the middle of, but leaving to work on in Hawaii next winter; four that I have the pattern and fabrics for, but haven't yet started; and two in the planning stages. That should keep me busy for a while. I like to have a couple going at once in case I get bored with a certain process, which I usually do.

Redmary, I have 3 I'm actively working on, 1 sandwiched ready to quilt, one partially quilted, 4 more in various stages of WIP's and one I really need to finish the top and send out for quilting by Sept. These are the most important ones. Then there are the tops that are already completed that I probably should send off somewhere just to get them moving and out of the house, but, I really like looking at them so I'll keep them a bit longer. :-)

SharonG/FL

Hmm....off the top of my head I come up with:
in progress - 1 counted cross stitch, 1 crochet and 5 quilts
waiting to be started - 1 crochet, 1 knit and 6 quilts
Plus a list of "some day" projects that I have patterns for but haven't collected fabrics for yet.

I'm sure I've forgotten some. :)

Donna