Monday, February 06, 2006

Productive Weekend!

I feel like I had a very busy and productive week-end. I finished quilting the Ruby Tulips quilt for the shop, and it came out beautifully. It's a very striking quilt - I may have to keep this one when it's done being on display. I did not really like the pattern because the instructions weren't particularly helpful, especially the ones for cutting the scalloped border. Mine ended up being different from the pattern because I got tired of trying to figure out the instructions and "winged" it, then realized that I spaced them wrong after doing the cutting. But the end result was very nice and I like it.


I also finished this small portrait piece. It is something I've had on the back burner for a while. It was fun to get it done. I did not like the way the fusible quilted, my machine did not like it much at all, I broke my thread several times. Next time I'll try a different needle and see if that helps. I actually liked the back better that the front, but then again, I am a piecer at heart. I do want to try new things, though, so I will keep experimenting! This one is before adding the decorative thread to the front. I'm not so sure I like it, but it does look rather rainy which was the whole point of it.

The quilting started out at the top with some swirls to represent the wind, but then I ended up doing more of a McTavishing towards the bottom, which I really liked a lot better. Anyway, done is a good thing, so now I don't have to feel guilty about another project that I've started and not finished! I'm all about finishing projects this month - enough tops already, I need to finish some quilts.

Back Art

Friday, February 03, 2006

Back to Dear Jane


I had intended to spend the afternoon yesterday at Cheryl's basting a couple of quilts, but at the last minute decided to get out the old Dear Jane project (which I have not even touched in a year) . For those of you who are wondering "what in the world is Dear Jane", Dear Jane is a book featuring drawings from a civil war era quilt. Said quilt is made up of 4.5" quilt blocks. 13 rows of 4.5" quilt blocks with 13 blocks each. Definitely a life-time project for those of us who get distracted easily. When I purchased the book, I had a fantasy of completing the quilt in one year. After a dozen or so blocks, that fantasy was over! I actually have all of row 1 done, most of row 2, and some of the easier blocks from the middle done. Anyway, to get back on track, I completed 3 blocks yesterday and started a third. It was fun! So, I am back to working on it, which was one of my New Year's Resolutions anyway. My quilt will be all blue and white. I'm sure it will be stunning whenever I get it finished!

I did come home and baste the two quilts I want to finish this weekend, so it was a very productive day, and I am looking forward to machine quilting this weekend. I am hoping february will be not as busy as January was! I would like more time to play and less time doing things that I have to do. Enough said, I am off to do the "have to" for the day, and the play will come later!

Thursday, February 02, 2006

Busy, busy, busy

It seems as though I have been running from dawn way past dusk all through January! I am hoping that February might slow down a little. Working at the quilt store has been a marvelous thing, but I am still amazed how much 10 hours a week makes a difference as far as getting things done around the house. It seems that I am always behind on the dishes, the laundry and the cleaning. And how will I ever get the downstairs painted if i don't even have time to run the vacuum? I need to get a better time management thing going on! I have really cut the amount of time I spend on-line (and on spider solitaire!), but I still haven't seen much progress in getting other things done.

Thursdays are "me" days. I have bible study in the morning, then in the afternoon I go to quilt at Cheryl's house. Today I am bringing three quilts to baste for machine quilting. I did not finish the project for January, so that is first priority this week. Not the most fun, basting, but wonderful when it is finished and Cheryl has a wonderful big living room that I can baste in! Off to the races, don't want to be late.