Green & Pink Cat Beds

I hopped back on the Doing Good bandwagon this past weekend and I feel great about that.

Green Speckle Cat Bed
Green Speckle Cat Bed

I had some Cat Bed kits from the last BAMQG meeting I attended and I decided that sewing them would be a great way to get back on the sewing bandwagon.

These cat beds were using the same fabric Amanda used in the last round of Cat Beds – regular quilting cotton. I thought they were a lot easier to sew, but wondered about durability? I will sew whatever she gives me. It was just a thought.

I only had two and really had to force myself to sew at all and I worked very slowly. It took me much longer to pin these than it has in the past and I think my mind just kept wandering off somewhere.

This color scheme reminds me of the green and pink donation quilt I made last year. It is a fun combination that I don’t think gets used as often as it should.

Green Speckle Cat Bed detail
Green Speckle Cat Bed detail

It was also fun to see that green speckle fabric again. I had some of that at one point, but thought it was long since out of print. I wonder if it has been reprinted?

Both of the cat beds used a fun French cat fabric for the gusset. Again, this a fabric that I wouldn’t normally use, but this is a perfect application for it and it was fun to look at while I worked. As an added bonus, I forgot how much I liked the word “parapluie”.

Green Swirl Cat Bed
Green Swirl Cat Bed

Amanda did a good job choosing the fabrics as the greens she chose go together very well.

The cats are engaged in a number of different activities, which I found amusing. I hope the cats will as well, though I suppose they won’t care.

Green Swirl Cat Bed detail
Green Swirl Cat Bed detail

I was able to stuff both with a small amount of scraps, but Amanda will be able to use up more of the scraps she has as I didn’t have anywhere near enough. I haven’t been sewing and that is the outcome.

I have to say that doing these wasn’t enough, so I cut up some grey and black squares and have started to work on another donation quilt. I know it sounds a little depressing for a donation quilt, but my grey/black scrap drawer is overflowing. There will be little sparks of color that I will scatter throughout the quilt as some of the prints are mostly black, or have a black background, then have a colorful motif on top. Perhaps I will make it large enough for a teenaged boy. All teenaged boys like black and grey, right?

I don’t have many more scraps that will make a whole quilt from 2.5″ squares, so I may need to go down to 2″ to clear out more. I’ll finish this one and then we’ll see.

 

The Rag Man

In various books I have read, especially set in Edwardian England, a Rag Man has been mentioned. This person, presumably not always a man, came around and collected scraps of cloth, clothes to worn to use any more, bits of fabric too small for quilts, etc. That is all I know and I have to say that I have longed for a way to get rid of fabric (not quilt fabric!), items made of fabric that are no good for the various charities that take clothes and linens. I just hate tossing them and thinking of this perfectly good fabric, once cleaned and shredded and reused for …what? Something no doubt — ending up in a landfill. Sadly, no such person is forthcoming.

I was thinking of my mythical Rag Man last Friday when I tried to cram some recently washed socks into an overflowing sock drawer. I thought of him again two minutes later when I tried to do the same with some undergarments. That was it. I took everything out of the drawers, both sock and undergarments, one at a time, and sorted the good from the bad, then reorganized the drawers.

In the process, I found some handkerchiefs with the brown spots that come from fabric touching wood. I decided that I would line the couple of drawers I was cleaning out.

As an aside, I like a clean and tidy house, but I am much happier when someone else lines the drawers and cupboards. As I moved to this house when the Young Man was six months old, and I was more concerned about keeping the tiny being alive than lining the drawers, the drawers of my dresser were never lined.

Mod Century Geometrics Dots in Cream
Mod Century Geometrics Dots in Cream

My mind raced around the house for Contac paper or some other type of drawer liner. Nothing came to mind until my mind’s eye rested on the ironing board where I had pressed but not yet cut up a half yard of one of the Mod Century background prints. When I thought of fabric I thought “yes, something warm, but fresh and light.”

Pretty soon, I was cutting a rectangle of the fabric for my underwear drawer and glue sticking it directly to the wood of the drawer. Probably not the ‘right’ way to do it, but since the interior designer had the day off, I went ahead. The sock drawer was next and a giant pile of singles and knee socks went out. I put some more of the Mod Century print down to line the drawer, put the revitalized socks back in an order that surely only makes sense to me and felt very pleased with myself.

Drawer lining in process
Drawer lining in process

We have a lot of house projects to do. There is a long out of date list somewhere that is overwhelming to me every time I come across it. I have decided that one drawer is good. One shelf makes progress. Getting rid of three blouses that have not been worn since 2004 creates space and lightness and that is all good. I don’t have to clean out the entire closet at a go. Incremental or iterative progress is good.

The funny thing is that with this mini-success, I am eying the closet hungrily and can feel the clothes in there quivering in fear. I am also looking at fabric in a new way. 😉

Drawer lining finished
Drawer lining finished

Holiday 2013 Gift Post #1

You already heard about the various needle cases I made. Here are the final photos of the one I made for my BAMQG Secret Santa. Presumably she received the gift yesterday, but I wasn’t able to attend the meeting as the Young Man had a concert.

Gift Needle Case closed
Gift Needle Case closed

I finally finished the first needle case and am able to post about it.

I am posting a picture of it open and closed. While closed, it needed a ribbon or something to close it. I am not thrilled with the ribbon. I think it looks really nice, but it isn’t really practical for a needle case. I thought about other options, but the supplies for the closure I really wanted weren’t readily available.

When I was a teenager, thin hair elastics were available. I have a very few left, but only large. For this project I need a small one and didn’t have one. I don’t think they are sold in stores anymore as I haven’t seen them at Walgreen’s and such stores. I haven’t tried places like Claire’s, but will, perhaps. I would have put a button on and then pulled the hair elastic taut around the button to close. I will look at, and think about some other closure options.

Needle case open
Needle case open

I forgot to fill up the needle case with pins and needles, etc. I hope the recipient knows what it is without those little touches.

Scrapitude – Endlessly Some Progress

I didn’t sew on Scrapitude during the Black Friday sew-in, but I did cut. As you know, my original plan was to cut as needed. I wanted to see what would look good. Really, I wanted to exert some control over the process.

It was hard to move through the clues without having cut in advance. I don’t like to cut a lot at once, but I buckled down last Saturday and Sunday and spent a few hours cutting.

Scrapitude Background Squares
Scrapitude Background Squares

 

Scrapitude Background Stripes
Scrapitude Background Stripes

 

I was able to finish cutting the 2 7/8″ squares, the 2.5″x12.5″ strips (probably for sashing) and the 5.25″ squares. All of the above were from background and most of it I had to cut from yardage, though I did have some small enough pieces for the smaller cuts.

Scrapitude Foreground Squares
Scrapitude Foreground Squares

I also was able to finish cutting 2 7/8″ squares from foreground fabric. I rummaged again through my scraps to find large enough pieces that were cheerful enough.

Since I wasn’t limited to the dots on white, like I am for the background, find the right sizes was easier.

There are some really bright and loud looking pieces, but I think it will work out in the end.

I did pick and choose so I had a variety of colors. I think I was able to use all scraps for the foreground.

Scrapitude Posts

Russian Rubix Center Square Test

Russian Rubix 1st Block
Russian Rubix 1st Block

The center of the Russian Rubix blocks has been bothering me.

The block is put together like a four patch. to build the 4 patch, you add large and small triangles to the octagons. This makes the block really easy to put together (you should still buy the pattern).

The problem is that this type of construction means that there are four seams that meet in the center creating a very distinct seam line. I have had this block up on the design wall trying to decide if I can live with the seam lines or if I need to piece the block in a different way. Sometimes I can’t see the seam lines and sometimes they scream like a neon sign.

Russian Rubix block with solid center
Russian Rubix block with solid center

As I might have mentioned, I decided to cut a square and try piecing the block with a solid square.

As you, can see from the photo (bottom right), the center looks great – seam free and pristine. The bad news is those weird angles with which I need to sew the other parts of the block.

Sigh.

Some observations:

  • Print fabric with a large or distinct pattern would not work for the background. The messed up fabric design (from cutting up a large print or, for example, dot fabric) would scream at the viewer
  • Low intensity or solid fabric would work best.
  • Piecing the block with a solid center will end up with some weird angles to sew.

I don’t know where I will go from here. I will probably try to sew more parts of this block together to see if the piecing is as bad as I think it will be.

Russian Rubix posts:

 

Creative Prompt #236: Wildflowers

Completely inappropriate for this time of year, I know, but let’s say I am paying homage to my Southern Hemsiphere readers. 😉

Post the direct URL (link) where your drawing, doodle, artwork is posted (e.g. your blog, Flickr) in the comments area of this post. I would really like to keep all the artwork together and provide a way for others to see your work and/or your blog.

We are also talking about this on Twitter. Use the hashtag #CPP

The Creative Prompt Project, also, has a Flickr group, which you can join to  post your responses. I created this spot so those of you without blogs and websites would have a place to post your responses.

Death Valley is famous for its spectacular, spring wildflower displays, but those are the exception, not the rule.

Definition: “A wildflower (or wild flower) is a flower that grows in the wild, meaning it was not intentionally seeded or planted. Yet “wildflower” meadows of a few mixed species are sold in seed packets. The term “wildflower” has been made vague by commercial seedsmen who are interested in selling more flowers or seeds more expensively than when labeled with only its name and/or origin. The term implies that the plant probably is neither a hybrid nor a selected cultivar that is in any way different from the way it appears in the wild as a native plant, even if it is growing where it would not naturally.

“Wildflower” is not an exact term. Terms like native species (naturally occurring in the area, see flora), exotic or, better, introduced species (not naturally occurring in the area), of which some are labelled invasive species (that out-compete other plants – whether native or not), imported (introduced to an area whether deliberately or accidentally) and naturalized (introduced to an area, but now considered by the public as native) are much more accurate.

In the United Kingdom, the organisation Plantlife International instituted in 2002 the County Flowers scheme whereby members of the public nominated and voted for a wild flower emblem for their county. The aim was to spread awareness of the heritage of native species and about the need for conservation, as some of these species are endangered. For example, Somerset has adopted the Cheddar Pink (Dianthus gratianopolitanus), London the Rosebay Willowherb (Chamerion angustifolium) and Denbighshire/Sir Ddinbych in Wales the rare Limestone Woundwort (Stachys alpina).” (Wikipedia)

Tom Petty ‘wildflowers’

desert wildflowers

NPS Wildflower Walks

1999 movie directed by Melissa Painter. With Clea DuVall, Daryl Hannah, Tomas Arana, Eric Roberts.

A Family Restaurant in Yardville, NJ just off route 130S close to Hamilton, NJ & Trenton, NJ. Casual atmosphere servicing American cuisine.

Wildflower cases are hand made floral printed, studded cases for iPhone 4, 4s and 5, housed in a matte black durable soft rubber bumper.

What’s on the Design Wall

Periodically, I look at my design and think “there is enough here for a post”, so here is that post. The last post I wrote about what was on my design wall was earlier this year. You can find it on the April 1, 2013 post.

Design Wall 12/1/2013
Design Wall 12/1/2013

My cup runneth over. Well, my design wall runneth over. Seriously, there is barely any space for one more piece of fabric.

I often think that my design wall mimics my mind and my mind is in quilt chaos at the moment. My mind is better now that I made a bit of progress during the Black Friday Sew-in and the weekend.

Mostly, the design wall is covered with octagons for the Russian Rubix. I don’t know why I feel the need to look at them spread out like that, but I, apparently, do. That feeling may be passing. The group on the very bottom is helping me to see all the unique colors. I have placed the octagons on the top randomly. I might be getting over this desire to see them all. Or I may just be getting annoyed at not having one spare inch of design wall space.

You saw the FOTY pieces the other day. They are on the bottom left.

On the very bottom left are ATCs. These are bits of art from my art quilt friends.

Above the FOTY (mid/top left) is a Russian Rubix block. I am looking at it to see how bad that seam running through the middle looks. It looks bad, but not all the time and mostly if I look at it closely.

Top left are 2″ squares in red and turquoise. I cut the fabric whenever I wash and press either of those colors and then send them to a friend when I write her a letter. I don’t know how many I have sent her. I have and buy a lot of red and turquoise.

My Stars in Stripes are still waiting for background fabrics (upper right).

A lot of my Scrapitude pieces are on my sewing table along with a few Russian Rubix blocks.

What’s on your design wall (you can upload photos to Flickr, if you don’t have a blog and want to show me)?

 

To Do List – 2013 December

Yes, I am a listmaker. Soon you will see that I will get overwhelmed by the lists I am posting and I will abandon some of them.

As I mentioned last month, this list was a way to get me back in the saddle after, what felt like, a non-sewing October. This is separate from the 26 Projects list, and I decided that I would post it again as showing progress is always a morale booster. I might still add it as a separate category to the 26 Projects list, but it might also be good to continue it as a separate post.

To Do List:

  1. Finish binding on T-Shirt quilt
  2. Secret Santa gift for BAMQG
  3. Kathleen’s Round Robin
  4. Kelly’s Brown Round Robin
  5. Make sleeve for Original Bullseye
  6. Sew on sleeve for Original Bullseye
  7. Pillow from cake tea towel
  8. Finish sewing triangles for Scrapitude
  9. Try plain square for center of Russian Rubix blocks
  10. Take apart Ribbon Star and resew
  11. Sew green and red striped 8 pointed star
  12. Sew white on black wavy line 8 pointed star
  13. Layer, baste Christmas table runner
  14. Quilt Christmas table runner
  15. Quilt/stitch fish postcard
  16. Wash fabric (I am guessing this will never be off the list) 😉
  17. Make stiff bucket or box for TP in main bath
  18. Make stiff bucket or box for TP in second bath
  19. Dragon Box (gift)
  20. Anna Maria Horner Multi-tasker tote (gift-due Holiday 2013)
  21. Make 3 notepad covers (gifts)
  22. Color Group donation quilt
  23. Binding for Color Group donation quilt
  24. Make shopping bag for BAMQG
  25. Hand sew bottom opening in Shopping bag for BAMQG

Did I say that this list is in no particular order? This list is in no particular order. 😉

Fabric of the Year -Early December 2013

FOTY 2013 - December
FOTY 2013 – December

It has been awhile since I posted an update on this project. Nonnie asked about it during the Black Friday Sew-in and I thought it would be a good time to do an update.

I am shocked that the last time I posted about this project was in September. I am also shocked that it is December and I am about to need to start sewing this baby together.

One thing that has happened is that I have washed very little fabric this Fall. I don’t want a huge pile hanging around the workroom waiting to be pressed, so I haven’t been washing fabric unless I need it. A lot of what you see in the photo (left) comes from the various projects I have worked on recently, most specifically the Scrapitude project. I’ll need to wash some fabric soon as I’d like to make sure some of it gets in this project.

I am really shocked that in a month and a half I’ll be sewing this project together. That is the plan anyway. I can’t go to the CQFA Retreat (super sad face), so I am going to have to mark out specific time to sew it together.

Finished: T-Shirt Quilt

T-Shirt Quilt Front
T-Shirt Quilt Front

I finally was able to get some people to hold up the T-Shirt Quilt so I could photograph it. I finished it at the beginning of November, I think.

The boys would have held it up for me, but I did want it to be a bit of a surprise for the Young Man. He knew I was making it, but I don’t think he knew it was finished.

My BIL and nephew are both over 6’2″, so it was pretty easy for them to hold it up. They are inexperienced quilt holders, though, so I had to keep reminding them to get out of the photo, hold the quilt straight and taut, etc.  It was kind of funny.

T-Shirt Quilt Back
T-Shirt Quilt Back

I was very glad to have waited to give it to the Young Man at his family party. His face registered “ho hum another quilt” but the adults oohed and aahed and really looked at it closely, which was gratifying.

The only design choice the Young Man suggested was that I don’t put the Blue’s Clues t-shirt on the front. I could work with that, thus it is on the back.

One friend can’t get over my backs. 😉 This one is fairly tame, but she has seen other quilts, which have much more piecing. She loves them and that makes some of the drama of piecing the backs worthwhile. Some day I’ll make her a quilt.

Black Friday Sew-in Winners

The winners of the Black Friday Sew-in giveaway are:

Black Friday Sew-in #1:  – Janet, Kati R
Black Friday Sew-in #2:  – June in AZ, Peggy Burrell
Black Friday Sew-in #3:  – Kelly O!, Julia P.
Black Friday Sew-in #4:  – April, Torina in Stitches
Black Friday Sew-in #5:  – Jackie of Sew Excited Quilts, EngrSandi
Black Friday Sew-in #6:  – Diane Rincon, Leslie Noon

Bonus Prizes: Pam C and Jen

Fabric: Polly Rouse

DVD: Daisy W

Winners will be contacted soon and your names & contact info will be passed on to Lark Crafts.

Thank you so much for participating and for your great comments. I hope you will continue to comment and participate. I so appreciate your opinions.

Black Friday Sew-in Work

Original Bullseye sleeve
Original Bullseye sleeve

I finally got myself together to make the sleeve for the Original Bullseye. I haven’t sewed it on yet, but that will be good for some evenings in front of the TV.

I don’t know why it took me so long to get to making the sleeve. Except for piecing the fabric large enough to make the sleep, putting the sleeve together doesn’t take very long.

Needle Cases
Needle Cases

I also finished the needle cases I wanted to work on. I will give those as gifts, but I was pleased to be able to work out a few more of the kinks.

I tried using the flannel for the inside and that worked really well. It was still a little thick on the edges, but I could have trimmed the flannel a little smaller and that might have made the thickness at the edges a little thinner.

Instead of following the directions for the needle part of the needle case, I used a scrap of batting. I attached it with a piece of Perl cotton. I wanted to use felt, but didn’t have any. I’ll get a sheet of wool felt if I make any more of the needle cases.

Again, instead of putting binding on the needle cases, I turned them inside out then top stiched around the outside very close to the edge.

I have to be honest that I didn’t really get as much done as I had hoped, but I got enough done.

26 Projects List – November 2013 Update

I am just squeaking this update in under the wire. I almost forgot to post an update this month. Perhaps remembering is a sign I am getting back on track?

I am thinking about changing the name of this post in the new year. Freshen it up a bit to reflect the progress I have made on the old projects. We’ll see how things shake out. 12 quilts finished is nothing to sneeze at, but I am hoping to finish at least one more project this year.

Again I need to keep in mind that I need to be thinking about whether or not to focus my efforts on not filling up the list again. I don’t mind having a few projects going at once, but I continue to feel that I don’t want stalled projects hanging around for years. I really don’t. That is the key: I have to work on them. If I work on projects in which I am interested, I don’t think I will let them languish for years.

Finished 2013 Projects:

  1. Corner Store: Finished on 1/1/2013 YAY!
  2. The Garden. Finished on 1/5/2013 YAY!
  3. Stepping Stones: Finished on 2/14/2013 YAY!
  4. Fabric of the Year 2011: Finished on 2/27/2013 YAY
  5. Calm: Finished on 3/14/2013 YAY!
  6. A-B-C Challenge: Finished on 3/31/2013 YAY!
  7. Super Secret Project #1: Finished on June 13, 2013
  8. Super Secret Project #2: Finished on June 23, 2013
  9. Sparkle Pink: Finished on August 20, 2013
  10. Swoon: Finished on August 27, 2013
  11. Original Bullseye: Finished on October 20, 2013
  12. T-Shirt quilt: Finished

Other non-quilt Projects finished

Still WIPs

  1. Aqua-Red SamplerFrances and I are stalled. She has a lot going on, but I hope we will get back to it. I should be able to do the next tutorial regardless.
  2. The Tarts Come to Tea: I still haven’t worked on this since April 2011, though, periodically, I think about working on it.
  3. Pointillist Palette #4: Fourth is a series of 6 quilts; needs tiny square patches sewn together. I still haven’t worked on this, though, every once in a while I think about using some of the squares as leaders and enders.
  4. See: needs satin stitching. Small, also a possibility for finishing before the end of the year, though with all the cutting I have done recently, perhaps not so much.
  5. Self Portrait: started in 2006 at a class at Quilting Adventures in Richmond, Virginia. I like the piece, but don’t know where to go from where I am. Mouth? Hair? The attitude I need to have is that I can’t ruin it; there is always more fabric. Possibility for abandonment.
  6. Under the Sea: class project; like the design, but not the colors much. Possibility for abandonment. I have to face reality.
  7. Flower Sugar Hexagon: This piece is up on the design wall and I have sewed a few more hexagons together, but haven’t made significant progress despite looking at it all the time. I am beginning to think I should have added fabrics from different lines to this piece.

Ready for Quilting

Again, I don’t have anything ready to take to my quilter. The machine being in the shop has put a cramp in my style this month. Sigh.

  1. New:* Wonky 9 Patch: needs quilting and binding. I am still thinking about quilting this myself and I am thinking about it more and more. I am wondering how far apart I can quilt it so that it has some drape. (Not on original list)
  2. Infinity blocks: blocks sewn together into a quilt top, borders on. Back and binding made; at the quilter.
  3. Spiderweb: Top is together, binding is made. This is at the quilter.
  4. New:* FOTY 2012: top, finished. Back and binding are complete; at the quilter.
  5. New:*Star Sampler: Top finished, back and binding finished; at the quilter. (not on original list)
  6. New:*Fresh Fruit: Top finished, back and binding finished; at the quilter. (not on original list)

Please note that even if you combine the two lists above, I do not have 26 projects on this list even though I keep starting new things. I am so thrilled I have made progress!!!

In the Finishing Process

In Process
I decided that I had better put in an ‘In Process’ category. The difference, at least in my mind, between ‘In Process’ and ‘UFO’ is that I am actively working on something In Process.

Hunting and Gathering

      • Spin Wheel: really not started, but supplies gathered. I probably have enough fabrics and just need to decide to start.
      • Windmill quilt: Still hunting and gathering. Need to find a background, because if we use the cut fabrics, the pattern will be lost. The pieces are too oddly shaped to lose the pattern in a mass of scraps.
      • Stepping Stones #2 using Bonnie & Camille fabrics Bliss, Ruby, Vintage Modern: made two test blocks, but still in the thinking stage while I decide on the background colors. I want the contrast to be good.
      • Super Secret Project #3: working on color choices.

Abandoned

Nothing so far for 2013

Last update for the 26 Projects List. Read it. There’s some interesting stuff there.

I thought you might want to take a look at the first list I made, the one with the 26 Projects. I started the list in October 2011. I have made progress. I plan to stop this post when I have no more projects from the original list to write about. I wonder when that will be?

*New – Project started after I started working on the 26 Projects list

Black Friday Sew-in #6

The question for this giveaway is:

If you had to teach someone how to do one quiltmaking technique, what would that be?

If you are a beginner, what would you want someone to teach you?

More Chances to Win:

Mean Mom Stuff:

  1. Substantive comments only. “Sign me up” comments will not be entered.
  2. Comments on questions close tomorrow 11/30/2013 at 6pm PDT. I may not actually get to choose the winner until December 1, but no whining if you can’t leave a comment at 6:01pm on 11/30.
  3. The books will be sent from Lark. I will send them the names and addresses and they will send you the book.
  4. Everything else is coming from me and will be shipped the week of December 2.
  5. International entries are welcome!
  6. I will select winners using the Random number generator.
  7. Make sure your email address works. If I can’t contact you, I can’t send you your prize
  8. No whining, acting out, frowning or complaining. Whiners and complainers will be disqualified.

If you are looking for the Creative Prompt, look here: https://artquiltmaker.com/blog/2013/11/creative-prompt-235-meal/

Black Friday Sew-in #5

Update: Comments are closed and the winners for all of the BFSI giveaways have been chosen.

The question for this giveaway is:

Do you watch or listen while you sew? If so, what do you like to watch? To what do you like to listen?

For those of you who listen to the silence, tell me what you ‘hear’ in that silence.

The prizes for this giveaway are:

Fat Quarterly Shape Workshop
Fat Quarterly Shape Workshop

More Chances to Win:

Mean Mom Stuff:

  1. Substantive comments only. “Sign me up” comments will not be entered.
  2. Comments on questions close tomorrow 11/30/2013 at 6pm PDT. I may not actually get to choose the winner until December 1, but no whining if you can’t leave a comment at 6:01pm on 11/30.
  3. The books will be sent from Lark. I will send them the names and addresses and they will send you the book.
  4. Everything else is coming from me and will be shipped the week of December 2.
  5. International entries are welcome!
  6. I will select winners using the Random number generator.
  7. Make sure your email address works. If I can’t contact you, I can’t send you your prize
  8. No whining, acting out, frowning or complaining. Whiners and complainers will be disqualified.
  9. I may compile the responses and write a blog post, crediting you appropriately, of course.

If you are looking for the Creative Prompt, look here: https://artquiltmaker.com/blog/2013/11/creative-prompt-235-meal/