I'm keeping it simple this month. I have several extra work days scheduled, surgery on my knee coming up, and birthday parties for the grands to plan. And besides, the weather is cooler and I want to be outside.

1) Add my B'day blocks to the quilt started last year.
2) Make a big dent in my king quilt

beverly

I've got the dorm quilts for the twins to finish and I know I can get one done because I finished it tonight! LOL - Is that cheating? All I have left is the label. The other one will get done in October but it might take a week or two.

Tomorrow I have 2 birthday blocks to do, but I already have the fabric cut so it should go fast.

I'm hoping to find time to work on the red silk poppy panel quilt that I'm making for our home office.

I'm thinking about a couple Christmas holiday project but haven't exactly decided what to do with them yet.

(Beverly, good luck on the knee surgery! I'll be thinking about you and wishing you well!)

Kate

Thanks Kate. Doc says I'll walk in and walk out. He did a friend or our's knee last month and he was up and riding his bike again in 3 days.

beverly

Yes, Beverly, hope your surgery is successful, painless and quick recovery. Kate, how is your knee coming along? My goal is to be able to get back to the quilt that I've had to put aside for FM quilting due to the hand injury. I would like to finish it for my Aunt (she doesn't know about it) because it's already snowing in WV where she's at. I've been cleared to do whatever I can stand to do with it, Dr. just said to use my own judgment and my pain level will dictate what I can do. He said sprains just take time to heal, but that anything I do now won't re-injure or hamper the rest of the healing process. I'm debating on whether to go back to the volunteer job with the horses. They can always use and extra set of eyes but I hate just standing around doing nothing.

Hi all.

Beverly, good luck with the surgery. I will pray for you.

Sharon, don't overdo, but I hope you can get some sewing done.

My goal for October is to get off my duff and do some sewing! LOL.

Last night, I sat down and went through my 'stuff'. I have 2 tops partly finished, 4 quilt projects with a pattern and fabric cut, 2 quilt projects with a pattern and uncut fabric, 2 quilt patterns----each one in a bag with one fabric and I need a couple of coordinating fabrics to get started with the pattern,...... a pillow cover that needs to be finished, 4 panels that I want to add to and make into quilt tops, plus a wall hanging that will be photos in an attic window block. Can't remember if there's anything else. Where did it all come from??? There was a time last year (or was it the year before?) when I was down to working on just 1 project with no UFOs.

Last night,I listed down all the projects in a notebook. I promised myself that, starting tomorrow, I am going to work on one or more of them each day, even if it's only for a 1/2 hour. We'll see how that works.

I must say, I feel better having that list...I get a kick out of crossing things off a list, even if it's only the grocery list.

Good luck to all with your Oct. goals.

~Geraldine

Sharon I hope your eye slight is better soon. I am amazed at how much you always manage to do. I secretly think it is to make the rest of us (ME) look bad lol!!!!

Beverly best wishes on your knee surgery. My 17 yo DGG just had surgery on both knees. She said it is worth not being able to get around for a while!

Rita I'm glad you are healing so well. You are acomplishing a lot too with a hurt hand. I had a bad sprain and fractured ankle and the doc told me a sprain is more painful than a break.

Geraldine you are so organized, maybe I should try a list. I have also said that I am going to dedicate some time each day to my hobby.

Kate there is no way I could be sewing at 1AM! Looking forward to the pics.
Rosa

I think my goal is the same as Geraldine's! I've been in such a funk. Hubby's BD is Oct. 19. I got his quilt loaded on the frame Sat. and stitched one row across, then quit. Yesterday I was going to work on my T shirt quilt (current class at QU) and instead I took a nap and read. I know part of it is due to having the bathroom under construction for the last 6 weeks (argh), but it sure would be nice to get my "mojo" back.

I have guild meeting tonight, so maybe that will perk me up. :)

Donna

I really don't have any specific goals. I do like making lists and crossing things off but this week it will be getting ready for our Cdn. Thanksgiving on Monday. After that, we'll see.
I think, for me, that after I finish a major job (the wedding Sampler and the trip west for the wedding) that I experience that same funk that Donna has. I must get some anti-funk meds. Anyone have any ideas where to get them??

Kate, Nope, that isn't cheating! We're at the stage where we'll take anything!!!!

Rita, I'd take it easy and put off going to the corral until your hand is better. Even if using it wouldn't re-injure it, it could still be painful should you have an automatic response to a situation. Just greatgramma's opinion of course. @:)

Geraldine, Don't even complain about UFO's...you want a list of mine??? I have at least 50 and I'm sure there are more if I'd dig for them. But, I don't look at the entire list too often because it's depressing. I do like to complete one or 2 before allowing myself to start another one, though. Working on one for a little while each day does help to get closer to crossing it off the list, so, you're going in the right direction. @:)

Rosa, I could never make you look bad!!! I'm all talk and you are the doer. lol

Donna, Don't get discouraged now....you are too close to lose your mojo at this point. Get a picture of your DH's smile in your mind when you give him his quilt. That will put a smile on your face and joy in your heart.

nannykins, I think after a big 'happening' in our lives, we feel some kind of a let-down that puts us in a funk. Whatever it is can be overcome by admiring our fabric, running our fingers through those bushels of scraps and making a list of things we've already done so they can be crossed off.

I'm just full of it today, eh? Have a good week everyone and make your lists.....safe travels to our retreaters and make Beverly behave so her knee doesn't get worse.

SharonG/FL

Well, until this weekend I had only one goal - to finish the baby quilt I was working on. I heard of a quilting shop about 30 miles from me that had a great supply of Minky, so I took a ride up there and now I have plenty of goals. The shop had incredible fabrics.

I am making my grandson an animal skin quilt with a Minky backing that looks like giraffe hide. He is infatuated with animals, especially giraffes. For my granddaughter, I found some beautiful yellow and orange batiks (her favorite colors) and a matching Minky backing. I was actually leaving the shop when I spotted a fantasic batik quilt made in shades of taupe. The pattern was made of huge blocks - very fast and simple - the beauty was all in the fabrics used. I, of course, had to have that for myself. These are all in the 45"x60" range, so nothing huge, but plenty to keep me busy. I'd like to get the kids' quilts finished for Christmas.

I think I can officially be called obsessed at this point. I certainly understand how you can end up with 50 UFOs (unfinished objects???), Sharon. I'm well on my way. My husband spends a lot of the fall hunting this and that, so I have lots of time to work on these. My problem is getting to bed at a decent hour so I can get up to go to work in the morning. And... I have to find some storage space for all this fabric. I'm really having a great time though.

Lois

Haha, Lois, we'd get a lot more quilting done if we didn't have to go to work, wouldn't we? LOL I have 5 more vacation days to use this year, so between holidays and those I have at least a 3 day weekend about every other week. I try to make those Fridays exclusively sewing days!

Donna

Beverly, you are probably right. Although these animals are very disciplined and as "bomb-proof" as you can find, they are still horses and they can suddenly startle or shy while you're around them and jerk the lead or cause you to stick out your hand on impulse to keep a rider from falling off. OUCH!

I am going thru a ??? how did I do it phase. I am ready to "birth a quilt'. I done it before but now forgot. I have the 3 layers laid out but my question was how do you keep the 3 together when you are going to sew the 1/4 inch Do you pin around to keep them together I am trying to do flowere bed chores. Maybe my brain can't figure out the 2. Taking a break maybe it eventually will come to me

finch, This is how I do it: batting down first, backing next with the right side up then the top with the right side down. Smooth it all out and safety pin together. I usually sew this seam more than 1/4" .... leave an opening to 'birth' the quilt. I trim the edges after sewing and before turning. Hope this helps.

SharonG/FL

Wow..........I've been away from the sewing room for months, and now that I'm able to get some time up there, I've been spewing out all that creative drive I had pent up. LOL

I finished a four by five floor cloth I've been wanting to do for years. Finally sewing the paper pieced blocks togegther for a quilt top I've had on the design wall since last winter. Have you ever been away from a quilt so long that you had to get yourself up to speed again to remember the technique you were using when you quit?

Took a break from that and am into making SOCK MONKEYS! Decided my toddler g'son needed one since his daddy had one when he was little, and we are expecting our first great g'child on Hallowe'en. My step-daughter is still psyching herself in preparation of being a g'ma. I think her youngest is in second grade. You all are responsible for this sock monkey thing. Somebody brought it up about a month ago that they found sock monkey fabric.

Got three new patterns and a hankerin' to do some clothes sewing. A retro 40s suit for myself and a few jumpers and some scrubs for my g'daughter who just started nurse training.

My machine is smoking!

Calliope, it's so nice to have you back with us. :~))

I LOVE sock monkeys lol!!!!!!!!!!

I've been sewing today! I got all the panels for my T shirt quilt stabilized and squared up, and did quite a bit of quilting on DH's BD quilt. YAY! It's great to feel like sewing again!

Donna

After a slump, getting back to quilting feels so good! Donna, I'm glad you're having fun!

It's a little after midnight and I just finished hand sewing the binding on the 2nd dorm quilt. These 2 quilts weren't even on my To Do list until last month and now they're both done. I'm so happy to have them completed! They'll get mailed off to Emma's and Robert's colleges early next week.

Kate

I have two of my Sept. quilting goals done.

Baby quilt for my new great niece Azalia:

This I-Spy rag quilt is for her 2 yr old big brother RJ:

Rebecca

Good job on both.
Theresa

Rebecca, your quilts are lovely. I especially like the baby quilt. I have seen that pattern done with really bright colors but never with the colors you've chosen.(I can't remember the pattern name). I like the quilting you've done on it and the prairie points and corner blocks are a perfect finish.
TFS.

~Geraldine

Good to be back Kate! rosajoe, this pic is for you. I think I'll make myself a sockmonkey pincushion. LOL

Rebecca, that baby quilt is beautiful! That batik is just perfect for a baby quilt. The rag quilt is really cute! I bet a 2 year old will really love the texture.

Calliope, I'm not a monkey person, so I'd love to stick pins in a sock monkey! LOL. He's cute, though. Did you make the face, or does it come as a kit?

Well, I had a sewing marathon yesterday (in addition to a few other things...laundry, getting the car repaired, helping hubby with some stuff) and I got all my T shirt quilt blocks done!
{{!gwi}}

Love love love the sock monkey. Have always wanted to make one, but never have. Looks like the legs and arms would be so easy for a little hand to grasp....and soft, too.

Rebecca, Using the shade of fabric you did makes the baby quilt look so soft....perfect! It's beautiful.

The Jewel Depression top is almost all together, 8 green tone blocks are completed (hoping to get the last 2 rows done today) and one Block from the Past is done....neither one of those is on my list. Do we care? nope!!! @:)

SharonG/FL

I have seen some Sock Monkey kits at Hobby Lobby, but no.....this one is just made from a pair of socks. The mouth and face are the heel sections of the sock, msmeow just embroider the nostrils and eyes. You can put buttons on instead, but these monkeys are going to little people who put things in their mouths so that's not an option.

Loving those quilt pictures. Never saw a tee shirt quilt, but that's a great idea. Also enjoyed that I-spy rag quilt. Kate.......dorm quilts. I was able to live at home and commute each time I went to university, but had to go to a boarding school one year when in secondary school. Man, oh man, was I homesick and I carted everything I could from home to relieve the angst. I'm sure a dorm quilt would be like an adult security blankie (yes I still have a fav blankie like a lot of other adults, I'd wager)

Calliope,I love the sock monkey!

Donna, good job on the T-shirt blocks. I have never made one. Will you use sashing between the blocks?

Update for Oct. 9/11.:

1.Finished my two tops that were in the works.
2.Have the blocks done for the BB2 pattern.
(I have 24 blocks for this pattern...layout 4 units by 6 units, which will measure about 44"x66". I want to add about another 16" to the length and width but don't have enough of any one fabric for borders. Each side would need an 8" width. Any ideas on what I could do?)

Plans for Oct10th.-16th.:

1. Finish BB2 top
2. Start a new top and MAYBE finish it.....unsure about which UFO I will start.

~Geraldine

I am definitely a SOCK MONKEY person! But I've never made one. It's on my To Do list. My first and favorite doll as a child was a sock monkey.

Donna, Great job on your t-shirts. Where is the peacock from, do you know?

Geraldine, You're on a roll! When you get your blocks together, post a picture and I'm sure there will be suggestions for you. Good goin'....

I finished getting the Jewel Depression blocks together and am now thinking about a border. I don't want to take away from the beauty of the jewels, so might use a solid dark fabric as a narrow first border...I'll have to do some auditioning. @:)

SharonG/FL

Rebecca love the gorgeous quilts, my fam really likes raggedy qults!

Donna you're doing very well in your class.

Susie the sock monkey is adorabe, you did a great job! I used to have one for a door stop, a pin cushion would be great. I think I love them so much 'cause they were so popular when I was growing up. I think they are perfer for the little ones to drag around. P

I'm not getting as much done as everyone else, but I plan to do a little more this week!

Sharon, the peacock shirt came from Guatemala. They had tons of shirts that were all hand embroidered.

Thank you, Donna. It's really pretty. I'm a bit partial to peacocks since we had one stay around for a few years. They're beautiful but can be destructive.....especially when seeing their reflection in a brand new vehicle and get territorial.....their claws are very sharp and strong! We were finally able to feed him by hand and then another peacock came along, stayed around a few days then they took off together. He was beautiful.

Mid month update:

Baby Quilt - Top is done complete with borders
Finish sewing Jewel Depression blocks together - Done and the first border is ready to be sewn on.
Oct BOM blocks - Have some of the squares cut
Oct BOW blocks - 2 are done (they're posted on Sundays)
Uncle J's ties - .....sigh.

SharonG/FL

I am almost done quilting hubby's BD quilt. Then it needs binding and a squillion threads finished off. So...won't be done by his BD Wednesday. I'll show it to him Weds. then finish as soon as I can.

Today I pulled some fabrics for sashing & borders for the T shirt quilt. Maybe I'll work on that tomorrow (since hubby will be home).

Donna

Update for the past week.

1.BQ2 top....FINISHED!! (last post I made I was calling it the BB2 pattern)
2.Offset Hydrangeas top.....FINISHED

Plans for Oct 17 - Oct. 23

1. work on another UFO.......pieces already cut.... using fussy cut violet fabric. Right now, I am calling it Midnight Violets, but the name may change.
2. make a binding for the BQ2 and Hydrangeas quilts

Sharon, have you decided on your borders for the Jewel Depression?

Donna, love that word ......'squillion'....sounds like the perfect word for what you are talking about.

Keep up the good work, girls.

~Geraldine

I have reached my goals! Got the blocks added to the quilt at the retreat and got the top part of my king quilt done, now gotta do the sides. Now I am cleaning up the sewing room. WooHoo!

beverly

I pieced two tops at CC retreat so I think my goal should be to get them sandwiched and quilted. I am going to Joanns with a friend tomorrow because I told her I would sew a hearth cover for her fireplace. She does daycare and has a brick hearth ALL THE WAY across a room! We're getting foam and fabric, so that will have to top the quilting - maybe ...

Sue

Geraldine, I have the first border ready to sew on the Jewel Depression but I have to have 2 quilts completed within the next 4 weeks so everything is set aside until those are done. One is almost half quilted and the other is ready to be sandwiched.

Donna, How did your DH like his BD present???? You've sure worked hard enough on it!!

Beverly, Are you able to be back to the sewing room yet?

Sue, I cannot imagine what you're getting yourself into! Will certainly need pictures when you get it finished.

Have 4 of the 5 BOM blocks completed. For some reason have started some novelty crumb squares and am making them wonky (tilted). Six are completed and six more need to be wonked. Sometimes I wonder why I bother with a list....sigh.

You're all doing better than I am at staying on track. Good for you!!!! Another week and we'll be thinking about the Thanksgiving menu. lol

SharonG/FL

Hi all. I am doing great with the sewing...not getting all done that I planned to do but working steadily.

Plans for Oct. 24-31
1. Midnight Violets blocks are done but I need to get them sewn together.....MAYBE get borders added.
2. Start working on another UFO...have fabric and pattern but that's it so far.

Sue, the hearth cover sounds like a challenge. Good luck with it.

Beverly, congrats on reaching your goals.....and it's only Oct. 24th....now you'll have no quilting projects for the next week LOLOLOL!!!

Question for you, Sharon.....by novelty crumb squares, do you mean that you are using all novelty fabrics for the crumbs?

~Geraldine

Oh man you guys make me look so bad lol!!! I had a hard time with the mouse applique on the 'cats' quilt. Finshed all six and took out the first one and that took me several days. It's a Christmas gift si I'm still ahead SO FAR!

Now I am sick of it lol so I worked in the yard for a while. I am plugging along on the 'bright' quilt.

I finished a crocheted afghan for my sister's bday in November.

The blood drive is really cutting into my quilting and comouter time!
Rosa

Sharon, I think he liked his quilt. I forgot to show it to him on his BD 10/19, then on Friday 10/21 we had to have our kitty put down. :( I showed it to him after we got home from that, so his mind was elsewhere. I still haven't finished it yet, anyway! We spent the weekend cleaning the bedrooms and painting the master bedroom. I've still got lots of construction dust to clean up and they still aren't quite finished with our bathroom yet.

Getting there... :)

Donna

MsMeow.............so sorry to hear about your kitty. I waited two years after I had to put the last of my six cats down from old age. Have two new ones now, an orane marmalade boy and a black tortie girl. They look like Hallowe'en embodied. Just weeks after I got the male, the little black female showed up.

One UFO is bound and finished and on a bed, and the second has all the borders on now. Pick off the paper backing and it's ready to be sandwiched and put on a frame.

I also got a retro 1940s pair of wool trousers made and just finishing up on a winter jumper made with the rest of the piece of wool. It hit me I didn't have even one dress in my closet.

Geraldine, Yes, 99% of the crumbs are kids fabrics. I'm making them 7 1/2" and with the wonky they end up 9 1/2". I think they look pretty neat.

Donna, Once you get the quilt finished and he's actually able to use it, he'll feel all the love that went into it and sleep like a baby. :)

SharonG/FL

Thanks, Calliope! Our Max was orange and our other kitty Penny is black & white, so they looked like Halloween, too. :)
Max was pretty much DH's kitty and Penny is mine (their choice, not ours!). Hubby's already talking about getting another cat.

Donna

Donna, so sorry to hear about your kitty. They are such a big part of our lives and they leave a big empty space when they go.

Kate

The Crumby D9P is DONE!! Picture by tomorrow...hopefully. I need some help with a suitable name for it as it's going to the oldest great-granddaughter's mother. She's had a rough life, has made bad choices, etc etc etc and admits it but is trying to make her life better now. I'm wanting to give it some kind of positive spin for encouragement....you'll have some good suggestions after you see it.

Also have the last 2 BOW's cut out and 2 more wonky novelty blocks completed.

SharonG/FL

You people are real go getters!!! Everyone has done such great work on their projects that it makes me feel very lazy!! Difficult for me to set goals as I become obsessed and depressed if I don't meet them.
Love everything! Sorry I missed coming in sooner.

All I really had to get done this month were the dorm quilts, the lotto blocks and the last of the year's birthday blocks - and I managed that. I was hoping to get more done on the poppies wall hanging but I didn't. November will be crazy with a work project keeping me busy until the middle of the month and then it's Thanksgiving and Holiday Season, so I may not be too productive from a quilty standpoint between now and the end of the year.

Kate