UFO DONE!

Remember this idea for a table runner?!  Well, I dug it out yesterday and finished the stitching around each of the appliques.  Then before I could leave it in another pile, I put it right on the frame and quilted it up.

I did a bit of thread play, too, which was a fun accent.  

I will be putting the binding on first thing today 

so it will be able to be used! 

By then, my friend will be here to help me paint

 the living room/kitchen walls!  

Stood Up!

What a day spent in front of the quilt frame!  I finished the hexagon flowers and then quickly ripped off two flannel quilts with meander.  And before I completely ran out of strength, I loaded up the next quilt!

This one I used a pantograph so I could accent the sweet colors and butterflies

 with a meander and dragonflies!

See?!  I am using a variegated thread in pinks.

While at Millie's the other day, I 'borrowed' some invisible thread! 

 So I began the applique work for the tropical table runner! 

 I didn't get far on this one;  who's idea was it to make so many lobes on these large leaves! Ha! 

 See how I fold up the rest of the table runner so it is easier to maneuver the fabric

 back and forth to stitch around the intricate edges?  

That little trick and having a needle down feature is the best way to tackle applique!

 Our prompt for day 7 is FANCY  and this is what came to mind! 

 Nothing like a little girl playing dress up!

Pencil drawn, inked in with a .05 marker and then watercolored.

Touch it All!

The fun part is done-the drawing, the cutting out the placement decisions....

now comes the actual stitching to keep it in place

 and what did I forget to buy from the fabric store--invisible thread!!!! 

 I am going to have to stitch it in color and that might be a good thing; 

 I'm trying to be positive!

I'm also going to cut and add borders to this top and then load it onto the frame! 

 I'm feeling ready.

Another new yarn form KnitPicks;  this one called muse. 

 It has a great tooth but not  rough-a good knit will resume!

A just becuuse postcard painting-it's also from Deborah's blog-Michigan, if I recall. 

 I love the way the bluff turned out but the perspective is off.

  I will try again but it sure was a relaxing few hours....

 

Finding My Stride Again!

First thing yesterday, I sewed the two borders in place.  

Once pressed, I admired the work of my hands! 

 The quilt is 42 x 54" and like the rest of the tops, 

await a backing before it can be loaded on the frame.

The centers each have a very pretty Fall scene with either cats or kittens!

I took the many hst's that were rejected from the border and started sewing them into pinwheels; 

 I will add solid squares in between these blocks to make another top. 

 Fabric never goes to waste!

I also decided to finish cutting out the flowers and tropical leaves for a table runner--

I don't have the background fabric because I sacrificed it for the quilt above! lol

 Robbing Peter to pay Paul as the saying goes. 

 I hope to make it to the fabric store at the end of the week!

Sock number one was bound off and number two is begun; 

 I think I have matched the stripes after several false starts.

I ended the sock just a bit before the point of repeat to do the toe.  

And for the guessing game-here is the latest watercolor postcard!

  Happy guessing!

 

Two Hoots

Aren't they full of fun?!

I have another two appliqued owls traced and cut out and hope to iron them to their blocks today.

Some are fancy and some are plain but they will all make a very interesting quilt!

Each of the steps are easy to do and easy to execute;

stitching the edges takes the longest but even that 

has its own rhythm.

The Frog's Last Leap!

 

I was able to do some spinning first thing yesterday morning...

it was so peaceful with Lena in the sunshine in front of me

chirruping good morning!  

Later in the day, I worked on the final row of the frog applique quilt!

When I was ready to shout a ta-da, 

I realized I had the four blocks to do that would go in the backing;

I almost tossed them in the orphan block pile 

but stuck it out and finished them as planned!

Now I am truly over the frog fingers !

(I did 552 frog fingers for this quilt--as in needle up, needle down, turn, needle up, needle down, turn...you get the idea!!!!)

 The beautiful Cana lily I received for Mother's Day is still going strong....

it is an amazing pop of color in the pool area!

Frog Legs

 I passed the halfway mark while working through the frog quilt!

I have cut my time to applique them to only 11 minutes.  

Those frog fingers will be the death of me! lol

Tw0 more rows to go and I will be finished!

Will made this frame for his Dad for Father's Day-he was so excited to give this gift to him yesterday.

I am glad this rough and tough little boy has such a wonderfully creative streak, too!

Jerry Rigging....

 The longarm machine I have (APQS Ultimate I, 20+ yrs old) uses a stylus to trace a pantograph.

I have a hard time keeping my view consistent so I wanted a laser light for more accuracy.

 I had to find a laser light with an on/off switch, used a bit of electrical tape to narrow the size of the light on the paper and then taped it onto the stylus!  Now as for the skewer -it is helping to hold the laser light mounting bolt in place-the apparatus that held it in place inside the housing of the machine came apart many years ago.  This way is not ideal mechanically but it works!  I can happily quilt for an hour now and it is a dream even if it doesn't look shiny bright! lol

 Yes, it works just fine-so nice to make a mile and see the progress when you don't have to keep stopping to fix your equipment!

 In fact, one down.......

and one to go!

On the sewing front, I finished the other 'row' of frogs and am now working on the individual ones.

I leave some of the tear away stabilizer on the wrong side-those frog toes just won't let go!

Frog Jump!

I started happily sewing the blocks together and when I finished the second row,

I realized I had skipped a BIG step-

doing the applique stitch with invisible thread on each and every block! 

 It was not so much fun to try and stitch around all those fingers

 with all those other blocks still attached!  

But I persevered and have one row done.....and I ran out of my sewing time!

At least now I know what I have to do - 

and each one needs to have stabilizer which I know I do not have enough of--

good thing I have to take the boys for a visit today so I can get some more from WalMart during my wait!

Ribbit

 Ribbit as in frogs have hit the design wall!

I used a 6 1/2" block to cut circles and then used the negative space for the sister block before

so I used the same layout here;  

the frog was cut out and then I used the rest of the square

 with blue behind it for the neighboring block. 

 It's a good use of fabric and makes a nice design.

 This block is the newest in Accuquilt's anniversary dies.  I couldn't resist!

 Originally I had planned to use the white for the background color 

but a white frog looked like a dead frog so I gave up on that idea!

So, of course, I found just the right blue but it was scraps and I am only 6 blocks short of what I need!

On top of that, I ran out of the paper-backed fusible so I am stalled until I can schedule a trip to JoAnn's.  I have to use invisible thread to applique each of the blocks so I won't be lacking any activity in the studio!  (This die does come with a free downloadable machine embroidery design but I will save that for when I use the frog on a t-shirt.  It wasn't efficient for all the blocks I wanted to do!)

Squared Away!

I managed to place all my applique pieces in place 

and then stitch them down with invisible thread.

The borders are selected but not sewn in place yet

but it sure is nice to see the conclusion is going to be a good one,

if I do say so myself!

(I had this scheduled to post at 6;30 this morning but I clicked the wrong button
and it was scheduled to post at 6:30 this pm....sigh.)

Slow Work

 Boy Wonder is running a high fever;  all my appointments were cancelled for the day so we sat togeter on the couch most of the day!  I traced all the applique pieces for the wall hanging, cut them out, ironed them onto the appropriate fabric during one of his naps, sat by him and cut the fabric out when I could!  By bedtime, the pile was completed!

I did piece a few more rows on the background-

since he woke up with the fever still, there will be no going anywhere today either-

sorry for him to be sick but loving the reprieve of all the appointments!!!

He is so funny - when he woke up this morning,

he says, "I feel like the old man in the movie UP;

I can't just get up in the morning without a lot of tries!!!"

Welcome to old age, Boy Wonder!

Week Finished......

I have been this close to the finish line all week literally and figuratively.  

I have almost fallen off the planet!

It has been a hard week to put it mildly. 

Good news and smiles among the tears, though:

I made a new friend-a real live one-she was knitting at the pain clinic doctor's waiting room also.

Of course, we talked but it went deeper than polite conversation

 and then she came to visit this week, too!

It was an oasis in the middle of this desert week!

Another highlight!  My neighbor, Millie, and I went shop hopping for the Florida Shop Hop to local and not so local quilt shops!  This year you receive a free block printed with a Florida light house or bridge.  It was a wonderful day!  We will be planning another shop hop in a few weeks.

I taped this pattern to the window for a light box so I could place my fabric over it and then glue the little applique pieces in place . 

Then I iron them nice and flat and it dries the glue so I can stitch with invisible thread.

Eight blocks almost complete 

They are all in their place but I need to sew them all around.

I am still enthralled with this quilt! 

On the knitting front, I have this man's sock done with the zig zag sock blank left over yarn.

I added a second color heel so that I would be sure I had enough of the other for a pair.

It is looking like I might have had enough but I didn't need the added stress of wondering the whole time I was knitting.  I listened to the yellow light in my head this time!

Look at this pineapple!

I grew it from a pineapple top so long ago (2 yrs to be exact)

We cut it off so the wildlife would not get it first! 

The good news is the plant has a whole new shoot to grow another one!

I can't wait to chow down on the fruit of my labor!

Here's to a new week on every level!

FO Friday

 One completed Fall table runner!  72" long20" wide  Keepsake Quilting Medley

 I used my new sewing machine finished binding-hand sewing is now a thing of the past!  Very grateful I found a way that is neat and professional on the machine!

 And I made the other two blocks I needed for the basket quilt top-I am so much happier with this arrangement!  Worth the extra days of work!  This is an Eleanor Burns Quilt in a Day quilt so I used her method of applique which is better than needle turning each piece but is still a bit slower than piecing each block!  I am excited about sewing all the blocks together now!  Next week....

 I added tulips and

 canterbury bells to the quilt.

Bill has filled the trailer  and the truck and we are ready for a day of sales tomorrow!