borders and bonfires

I now have the border idea for the 30s top I am working on for the swap and started cutting all these squares to piece it with. No clues yet but hope to be able to show a finished top by the end of next week.

Even with lots of rainy weather yesterday and last night we still had a nice bonfire - hotdogs and smores included at my brother's house. Hope today the rain holds off so little man can have fun trick-or-treating tonight.

here was the view from my drive yesterday morning, yes I need to do the leaves but the rain won't let me. Maybe we will have a couple days of pretty weather next week so I can get my yard nice and neat again.

until next time ... happy quilting and happy Fall ya'll

Halloween Fun

here are my kiddos having a bit of fun. we had candy extravaganza at church last night and this is how they went - little man was a cute puppy and DD was a red bandit! They had fun!

weekly goals update

Goal #1 - BUSTED!! Here is the backing I have been piecing for the TN Strings Quilt. It is finally finished. Now to find batting and get to quilting on it.

Goal # 2 - BUSTED!!! Sashing strips have been added to the 30s blocks - whatcha think so far? I know it needs a border but still haven't decided on what to do yet. Gotta get on the stick though as the deadline to have this in the mail is looming. (sorry I was running outta light for this one.)

Goal #3 -- not quite finished but made some progress. Remember the basket I was sorting this week, well this is some of what I found while sorting it. Lots of pieces and parts to blocks. I got to work and pieced the most of them into blocks but I have a pile still to complete. I have one (the blue square one) that is leftover pieces from a border than I am turning into a hotpad. I have it sandwiched ready to quilt here but it is now completed.

I have no clue what the one set of pieces are supposed to be for (those in the upper right corner and in the center of the picture are the pieces and parts I have left to put together). I guess I need to play with them and find the layout for them. I hate when I come across block parts and no pattern is there with them. I am going to do better about putting the pattern with the block parts and putting them into baggies. Then I won't have this trouble.

Next weeks goals.

1. Cut and sort this basket into usable pieces and finish last week's basket.

2. Work on the borders for the 30s Top pictured above.

3. Find something to sort and organize each day. A little bit of progress is better than none!

until next time ... happy quilting and work on those goals.

Stash Busting Report Week 43

The year is almost over and I have made just a little dent in my stash. At the beginning of the year I joined Judy's 2009 Stash Bustin Challenge . Take a look-see here at how the others are doing - some are doing lots better than me but that is okay. I am happy to be using from my stash and making quilts and projects I enjoy.
I used strips to sash some blocks and as a backing for a orphan block potholder, that is about all I got to do this week. Hopefully today I can do some more.
Fabric Added this Week: 0 yards
Fabric Added Year to Date: 3.5 yards
Fabric Used this Week: 1 yds
Fabric gifted this week: 0 yards
Fabric Used Year to Date: 58.25 yards

Here's my thread usage report --I started the year with 34 total spools of various sizes and colors on hand. hhmmm ... while cleaning and sorting I found more thread and was gifted some. I now have on hand 51 spools of thread!
Spools added this week: 0 spools
Spools used this week: 0 spool
Total Spools used to Date: 7 spools
Total Spools bought to Date: 2 spools

until next time .... happy quilting and happy stash busting!

Stash Busting Report Week 42

Is it just me or has this year just been flying by? Christmas will be here before we know it. I have a couple gift ideas I'd like to make the ladies of my family but we shall see if I can work them into my sewing time.
At the beginning of the year I joined Judy's 2009 Stash Bustin Challenge . I fell off the wagon and didn't post my progress for awhile but didn't give up. I am back at it and trying to do better about posting weekly. Here's how well the Other's are doing.
Fabric Added this Week: 0 yards
Fabric Added Year to Date: 3.5 yards
Fabric Used this Week: 1.25 yds (piecing some backing blocks for the TN Strings quilt and making four more crumb blocks)
Fabric gifted this week: 0 yards
Fabric Used Year to Date: 57.25 yards

Here's my thread usage report --I started the year with 34 total spools of various sizes and colors on hand. hhmmm ... while cleaning and sorting I found more thread and was gifted some. I now have on hand 51 spools of thread.
Spools added this week: 0 spools
Spools used this week: 0 spool
Total Spools used to Date: 7 spools
Total Spools bought to Date: 2 spools
until next time .... happy quilting and happy stash busting!

This week's progress report next week's goals

Sounds like I've been in school and the teacher sent home my grades with comments huh? lol

This was my list for this week's goals
1. Piece the backing to the TN Strings Quilt -- got another row added and cut enough pieces to add the last row of ten blocks
2. Figure out a layout for these blocks for a blocks to top swap -- found the setting I am going to use, started cutting sashing strips already
3. Spend 20 minutes or more each day organizing something -- didn't work on this each day but almost every day.
4. Sort and cut the basket into usable pieces -- BUSTED this one!!! I got the basket sorted and put away the squares, strips and bricks that I had cut the pieces into. I did find some blocks pieces that will need to put pieced into blocks. I put those into a holding basket beside my machine. I think I will work on these this week as my leaders and enders. This week I did crumb pieces as my leaders and enders and finished four more blocks and have several more started. (I am happy with my small bits of sewing room organization I do each week. I'm trying to get it into shape by the end of the year so I can work steadily on Judy's stash busting challenge for next year. )

My goals for the coming week ..

1. Finish the backing blocks .. this is going to come off the list this week if I have to stay up all night one night doing so. I have other projects that I want to work on but this one is looming over me saying finish me finish me!!

2. Add the sashing to the blocks into tops blocks

3. Sort and cut this basket into usable pieces

unit next time ... happy quilting and work on those goals!

Week's Progress Report

I decided to start posting some small weekly goals to help me stay on track and get things done even if it seems like small meaningless things to others, it all adds up and makes a big difference to me, my amount of progress and the organization and tidiness of my house.

Update of my progress from this Monday's list. I did good but didn't completely finish them all.

Weekly goals

1. Sort and cut basket into usable pieces - BUSTED!!

2. Piece the backing to the TN Strings Quilt -- SOOO CLOSE I can taste it!

3. Spend 20 minutes or more each day organizing something - did this almost every day - I think I missed one day but made up for it on other days by doing over the 20 minutes. This one will be on the list weekly.

This week's goals

1. Piece the backing to the TN Strings Quilt

2. Figure out a layout for these blocks for a blocks to top swap

3. Spend 20 minutes or more each day organizing something

4. Sort and cut this basket into usable pieces

unit next time ... happy quilting and work on those goals!

Stash Busting Report Week 41

Have had a productive week ... Here's the link to the 2009 Stash Bustin Challenge I joined on Judy's blog. Take a peek at how the REST of the bunch are doing.

Fabric Added this Week: 3 yards (swapped for books)
Fabric Added Year to Date: 31/2 yards
Fabric Used this Week: 4.5 yards (piecing the backing for the TN Strings quilt and making some crumb blocks)
Fabric gifted this week: 0 yards
Fabric Used Year to Date: 56 yards

Here's my thread usage report --I started the year with 34 total spools of various sizes and colors on hand. hhmmm ... while cleaning and sorting I found more thread and was gifted some. I now have on hand 51 spools of thread.
Spools added this week: 0 spools
Spools used this week: 1 spool
Total Spools used to Date: 7 spools
Total Spools bought to Date: 2 spools

until next time .... happy quilting and happy stash busting!

Weekly Goal Busted!

I posted HERE my weekly goals and showed the messy basket of fabrics. I am so happy to be able to mark one BUSTED!!! I now have a nice stack of usable squares, strips, bricks and binding pieces all ready to use. Doesn't this look better than the first picture?

I put everything away except for the three stack at the upper left top corner of the mat. They will be used to make blocks for the backing of the TN String Quilt.

Weekly goals
1. Sort and cut basket into usable pieces - BUSTED!! Gonna pull another basket for next week and keep at it.
2. Piece the backing to the TN Strings Quilt - should have enough pieces cut to get the blocks started in the morning.
3. Spend 20 minutes or more each day organizing something - doing good with this one as well.

until next time ... happy quilting and work on those goals

Finally a Finish!!!

Here's a picture of the Bears in the Farmhouse from Judy's Quilt Along I did the beginning of the year. I am happy to say it is finished. I haven't been able to post a photo due to all the rain we've been having.

Hope you can see the great quilting Tirane did on it.

She is a terrific quilter.

until next time ... happy quilting ... work on those UFOs ;o)

Weekly Goals

Weekly goals
1. Sort and cut basket into usable pieces
2. Piece the backing to the TN Strings Quilt
3. Spend 20 minutes or more each day organizing something

As part of Judy's Plan for us to get organized by the end of the year ... I post before pictures HERE. To get me started I pulled a basket from beside cabinet to start reducing and organizing my stash. See the second picture in that post. The blue basket is in the stack to the right of the three drawer thingy.
Here is what I will be working on this week to help get the backing pieced for the TN Strings Quilt and to help organize my stash a bit. I am going to be sorting and cutting this basket done to usable size pieces. I started cutting this morning and got these nice piles agoing.


so what are you working on this week ... any small goals you are setting for yourself?
until next time ... happy quilting

Stash Busting Report Week 40

Have had a productive week ... Here's the link to the 2009 Stash Bustin Challenge I joined on Judy's blog. Take a peek at how wonderful the Others are doing. They are blowing me outta the water I must say.
Fabric Added this Week: 2 yards
Fabric Added Year to Date: 1/2 yards
Fabric Used this Week: 1 yards
Fabric gifted this week: 1.5 yards
Fabric Used Year to Date: 54.5 yards
Here's my thread usage report --I started the year with 34 total spools of various sizes and colors on hand. hhmmm ... while cleaning and sorting I found more thread and was gifted some. I now have on hand 51 spools of thread. No spools finished this week.
Spools added this week: 0 spools
Spools used this week: 0 spool
Total Spools used to Date: 6 spools
Total Spools bought to Date: 2 spools
until next time .... happy quilting