sewing quiltathon anyone??

Today I am going to do some sewing if anyone wants to join in and post along with me today of their progress please do so. Motivation and encouragement go a long way. My friends TIRANE and SHARON are now sewing along with me ... anyone else wanna join in please do so.
I have two projects I am going to be sewing on today. One is my Mother's 30s Sampler and the other is my friend's Black, White and Red Rows that are going to be re-created. Hope to make progress on both of them today. Shoot would love to finish one of them!

7:00AM
Iron is warming, fabric, blocks, center are all pulled waiting to get started creating.
9:00AM
Have two sides added around the center. Sashing joined to the other two sides and need to get them added and then onto the next step.

11:30AM
Here is what I have gotten done so far. I messed up though but I'm not taking it out. I'll just make it work and go from here. Gonna take a sewing break and go mow the grass before it rains again. I'll be back at it later on though. I'm gonna finish this one today!

2:00PM
The grass is as done as I can get it - it's pouring now so what I didn't get done will be done on Monday. Now to work on the last border of this one and finish this top tonight! Gonna go check on Sharon and Tirane to see what they are up to in their sewing rooms.
4:30PM
I'm taking a break to update and get off my feet for a bit. I have all the squares cut for the scrappy border. next step will be the piecing of them. Still raining here so it nice and relaxing to hear it hit the vent pipes. Ting, Ting.
11:00PM
calling it quits on this one ... I have all the squares sewn together and laid out around the center. I'll sew them into place in the morning before church. Thanks for sewing along with me Tirane and Sharon. It's finally stopped raining - think I'm going to open the windows for the rest of the night.

until next time ... happy quilting

Feb Quiltathon - Day 2

with coffee in hand ... I am off to start working on all those HSTs I made yesterday. I have about an hour before I get ready for church. I will have made some progress on them at least before I go.
Hope to complete trimming all these today and that is my only goal for today. I'll be checking out what everyone else is up to though as I am nosey ;o)

until next time .....

Feb. Quiltathon

Judy at Patchwork Times is hostessing her monthly QUILTATHON to motivate us all to work on our quilty projects.

Today is DAY 1 and I hope to have something to say I completed by the end of the weekend. I got up early and did a few things already to get my started on the right foot. Coffee is ready and waiting to help me along too.

My Quiltathon Goals are ...

1. Finish up four string blocks for a swap using the rest of these from my assembly line of pieces.

Goal 1 Completed!! Here are all 24 of the string blocks I've made.

2. Clean up the rest of the string/scraps on the table - remember the pile from the other day when I started working on the string blocks? well ... it has been sorted and cut and is now lots neater and more work-friendly. I have a decent pile of 2.5 in strings to work with on another project. I few different size squares to put in their hiding places for other scrappy projects. I have a few bigger scraps that I will need to cut down and put away too. Love the way that a cleaner sewing area helps to make your project flow more smoothly.

Goal 2 completed!!! Everything but the HSTs pile is now cut to size, put in there proper storage container and put away and where it should be. Nice and neat again. YEAH!! Wonder if this will last long.

various squares in their stacks

nice stack of 2.5 inch strings

3. Work on HSTs for the Quilt-Along using these 3 inch squares I have already cut.

Progress on Goal 3 -- HSTs are sewn - now to cut them apart and press and trim them. Then I'll be ready for the next step for this challenge.

Lookie Here ... remember the pile of 3 inch squares I started using this morning to make these 192 HSTs? Here is what's left of those squares ... I didn't make a dent in them. Good thing is there are so many there I could do another set or two of these HST, already cut and waiting. I didn't use any fabric twice. I even cut and sewed more HSTs than I needed to have a few extras to play with.

Sounds simple enough right? I hope so. I won't have all day and night to sew this time around but it will still be nice to quilt along with ya'll and share our progress.

With coffee in hand .. off I go to sew ...

Until next time ...

Quiltathon Sunday Edition

Day two of Judy's QUILTATHON is off to a good start.
Just after 8:30AM here ... I am working on my second cup of Vanilla Coffee ready as I sit here and post my update. I have already added two rows to the top and have all those HSTs waiting to be sew together and add as rows. I'll post an updated photo later on today.
9:40AM Another two rows have been added and pressed nice and neat into place. I am going to take a break from the quiltathon and will be back after church with my updates. Hope to get the top all done today but we will see. I don't have enough HSTs made up as of yet to do another row to any side of the top so I will work on more HSTs when I get back at it.
3:20ish here ... made up another 56 HSTs, got them sewn, pressed and trimmed. Taking a short break to post my update and stretch a bit. Those HSTs should be all I need to complete the center of the quilt, then it's onto the borders.

almost 10PM here ... here is what the top looks like now. I am done for the weekend. I added the last rows around the top a bit ago. Between company, the kiddos and all the phone calls I didn't get done what I wanted to but I am glad to have made some progress on this UFO. This ends my quiltathon updates. Nite ya'll!

Good luck to all those participating ... with accomplishing your goals. Anything we get done is better than nothing remember that. Some have may more time and work a bit faster than I do but I am enjoying my sewing time and that is what counts. I chose to work on a UFO instead of starting another project so I will be happy with whatever I can add to it to make it closer to being done.
until next time ...

Quiltathon Saturday edition

another Quiltathon is being held this weekend with Judy hostessing it for us. She is wonderful to have thought of this idea for a virtual quilt session among us bloggers. If you have anything you are needing or wanting to get done today come join in ... QUILTATHON

almost 10AM here and I have been up and at it but not just sewing all morning. I have gotten quite a bit done on the scrappy quilt I am working on - so far I have gotten another 33 HSTs added to the top and another 38 made needing to be trimmed and another 45 white squares cut and marked ready to turn into more HST units. I thought I had a before picture of this top but I don't. Here it is as of right now. I added a row to three side already today.
My goal for this quiltathon is to get this top ready to be mailed off on Monday to TIRANE Let's see if I can get that accomplished.
I have to get ready for an eye appointment so I won't get much done here until after I get back from there and the rest of my errands for the day. I'll post again with my updates when I come back.
It's about 4:30PM here ... having to stop for awhile. We are going to some friends' house for supper. Wanted to post an update though before we leave. I have another 76 HSTs pressed and trimmed and waiting to be added to the top. Might be able to work on this again tonight if we don't get in too late. If not tomorrow is another day.
It's almost 9:30PM ... We had a nice supper with our friends and now it's almost bedtime. I got another row added to the top and have another row set out to pin and sew in the morning. Planning on getting up early and sewing before church. No new pictures sorry. That will come tomorrow. Nite ya'll!
good luck quilters on getting what you'd like done today ...
until next time.

Quiltathon - Day 2

even with getting a late start on this with some Christmas shopping time thrown in ... I have made some progress today. This is day two of the QUILTATHON

I got the backing pieced for the BowTie quilt. Pl;ease ignore the strings that are still showing the the picture. I wanted to get this picture taken to share with ya'll.

I got this kitty box bedding made. Our kitty Smokey is an outside cat and he needed some new bedding for the winter. I stuff this with the trimmings I keep from cutting squares from my fabric. When I get enough I make a new one for him. It's not fancy but it's comfy for him.

I am going to play with these strips and strings and make some more string blocks to hopefully finish another UFO for a Christmas gift. I'll update when I can with how many I get done.

last photo and entry for this quiltathon ... almost time for bed and the kids are now home. Here are fifteen string blocks to add to my collection. Lots more to make to finish the UFO but at least I made some more progress on it. Can't tell I even used any of the strips and strings from the pile. Plan on leaving those out and work on them each day until I get this one done.

until next time ....

Quiltathon now in progress!!!!

here we go .... this is where I will be posting and updating my progress during the quiltathon ... I'll post photos along the way too. QUILTATHON

5:27AM First cup of coffeee is in my hand and I am off ....

6:50AM half of cup of coffee later ... this one is done!!! I used up some of the extra pieces of a FQ someone sent for a Secret Santa swap -- this is the second project I made the lady. Hope she likes it. Have one more idea to finish her fabric bits.

8:30AM taking a break and got myself dressed now that the sun is finally up. Been sewing away on my BowTie quilt. Making some serious progress and hope to have this one done by lunch. Gonna go grab some breakfast and get back to my machine.

1:28PM taking a break and fixing myself some lunch. Got several more blocks made and added to the BowTie quilt. Now for the borders. Gonna check the net and get back at it.

6:39PM After several detours I am back on track and have made some more progress on my BowTie quilt. I have the first border attached and the outter borders pieced. I am going to eat some supper and get that done and work on those two blocks I owe swapper before tackling the backing.

7:55PM BowTie top is now done!!! I am so happy!!! Now to get a backing pieced so I can get this off to Tirane on Monday. (man I should've re-ironed this before I took the picture)


9:32PM the two Birthday blocks are done - one wanted purple and cream and the other Fall colors and cream (doesn't the green plaid remind you of a flannel shirt?) now onto cutting squares for that backing.


11:02PM Last post of the night - I am beat! I got the 90 - 10.5 inch squares all cut and pressed. They are waiting for me to sew them together in the morning. Amazing with all those I cut you can't tell I took anything from my stash. Wonder if it restocks itself for us? :o)

Thoughts and blessing for the day ... I am so thankful for Judy who thought up the quiltathon - very motivating idea! I am so thankful for this day of sewing and the progress I have been able to make with my UFOs, my swap blocks and the non-quilty things I did like the yardwork and the housework. I am so thankful for the nicer weather we had today - the sunshine was a welcome sight and the slightly warmer temps allowed me to work in the yard like I needed to without freezing my tail off :o)
until then ...

Quiltathon this weekend

I missed the last quiltathon at PATCHWORK TIMES but I am joining this last one of 2008. I have lots to sew before Christmas and need that push to do so. I will post my before and after pictures later on. I hope to complete two quilt tops and backings this weekend. Planning Major sewing time with little else squeezed in there.

I have three main goals and two are rather large but I hope I can do them all ...
1. Bow Tie Quilt - need more blocks and get this top completed - piece backing
2 String Quilt - need more blocks and get this top together - piece backing
3. Make two Birthday blocks for a swap I am in to complete that one for the year