Design Wall - Rolling Star make way for Smith Mountain Morning!

For reasons not completely known, I simply could NOT sleep last night!!! It took forever for me to finally fall asleep (1:00 maybe????), and then toss-n-turn-n-toss-n-turn......by 3:30, I gave up and just got up!!!! I had a Diet Mt. Dew with dinner; that may have caused it since I haven't had a Dew in a while. ??? I also took an allergy pill last night around 8:00, which isn't the norm for me. My ragweed allergy started acting up on Friday....**sigh**....due to the lateness of EVERYTHING this year, when my allergies didn't show up at the normal time (usually 2nd week in August), I ALMOST had myself convinced that I was magically CURED!!!!! :\ Oh well.

Paul was outside for most of the day mowing weeds; I think that stirred up the pollen something fierce (AND we had the windows open enjoying the GORGEOUS!!!! August Wisconsin weather!!!!). So, I was getting pretty miserable as the day went on.

My actual theory for my sleeplessness is that it's a combination of the meds AND the Dew. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

Regardless....I was UP at 3:30 AM. Watching news. Reading emails and blogs. By 5:00, I was ready to start something, but I didn't dare start up the machine for fear of waking Paul. And I didn't feel like loading a quilt to the frame. So....I surfed some more until Paul woke at 6:00.

At 6:00AM, I was piecing away and finished up the sixteen blue star blocks for Smith Mountain Morning. I am absolutely in love with all these fabrics from the swap; and blue-n-brown are SPECTACULAR together!!! And I think it goes without saying.....coffee is STILL a must despite having been awake for nearly 3 hours!

My Rolling Star blocks have been on the design wall for toooooo long. Let's face it; they ain't gonna see any progress any time soon; not with Smith Mountain Morning and Jamestown Landing in the works!!! Therefore.....they were neatly stacked and set aside on the shelf for NEXT year's UFO challenge!! LOL.....oh goodness! I haven't done too well on the UFO challenge this year :]

Next came trimming up the hourglass units.

And then an hour of cutting the log units for the final 28 blocks. I can't wait to tackle these nicely organized piles, but I need to be patient a little while longer. Hopefully SOON, all these blocks and units will take over the design wall!

Today has a POSSIBLE full schedule even though it's still really loose. Candace and Caitlyn need to shower with me this morning. I can't even THINK of when the last time was they had a REAL bath/shower and not just lake water or "showers" from the sprinkler. Ick, right????
Then we need to do some errands; (pick up Cassie's glasses, order a pair for myself; small grocery supply list).
We have a lunch date scheduled with my former volleyball captain and her parents. What a sweet lil' gal!! She's receiving Transitions as her belated graduation gift, and as a "good luck in college" gift.

Finally, I hope to tackle all the school shopping today! THREE girls this year and not just two. Hmmm.....can I handle all of them at the same time? School supplies are one thing.....but clothes?!?! Oh, I don't know if I have the strength!!! Specially after a night of little sleep.

Happy Monday!

Rolling Star

The Rolling Star pattern is in the September 2005 Quilter's Newsletter. I searched and searched and can't find any back issue links to share with you for those interested in having the pattern/magazine :0( I have no problem scanning in the few pages I have and sharing them, but.....I don't want to hinder and violate any copyright laws.

Through my googling, I came across Lee Fowler's website; she is the quilt maker and she has an email link. Maybe that is a place to start????

When I worked on the blocks this morning, I grabbed the camera to give a step-by-step of how I have been appliqueing these onto the foundation fabric (NOT following the pattern's suggested method)

When I traced these pieces out back in 2007, I marked the 1/4 sewing line because (at the time) I wasn't sure if I was going to hand-piece the blocks as suggested by the pattern. OMGoodness! It's already nearing FOUR years; I can't imagine how long this would have taken me if I was to HAND-piece.

Using the washable (purple-fade-away) Elmer's gluestick, I just dab-dab-dab away along the seam.

And then fold over the seam allowance. My hands get a bit goo'd up, but I keep a small damp rag nearby to clean off my hands as needed.

I usually take my glued-folded-seams block to the ironing board and press from the right side. And once I center it onto the foundation fabric, I put a dab of glue onto it as well, to keep the pieces together. NO PINNING FOR ME.

My PRIZED possession since the summer of 2008 (HEY, I should check out when my machine arrived! I must be nearing the 3rd anniversary!).....anyway......since the summer of 2008, I have been piecing solely with my Bernina 440, and I LOVE LOVE LOVE it. When I took a machine for a test-drive before buying, the shop owner walked me through some different tricks-n-tips. Here is one she shared using Foot #20 and the Blanket stitch (#45). Move the needle all the way to the right; the inner-right-edge of the foot then becomes a guide for the applique unit. The programmed stitch-width for the blanket stitch is a bit too small for me, so I increased it to 2.9; FYI.

ALLLLL thirteen blocks have now been appliqued. DUH! Didn't even think of taking a picture of them. I think that's because I jumped right into the next step, which is making the sashing units and the 9-patch corner stones.

I dug through my 1.5" scrap bin to see what I may still have hiding in there of Grandma's ol' vintage 80's fabrics.

When those run out, this is what I have remaining of her fabrics; plenty to finish the sashing and outer border.

Design wall - UFO! and Stash Report

Oh BOY! This UFO hasn't seen the light of day for awhile, but for whatever reason, I thought I'd bring it out to FINISH over the next couple of days weeks now that I've learned a thing or two about applique. I don't know what happened where I had one "weird" block (placed in the center)----this has been an on-n-off project for the past 4 years, so I'm sure I miscounted/misplaced the original white units, so I just grabbed whatever "light" scraps I had to finish up the final block the last time I worked on this last year.

Most of the fabrics (I dare say 90%) are fabrics that I inherited from my Grandmother in 2007 (when I started this baby). I'll have to see what I have left of her fabrics because the blocks will be connected with strips of sashing.

I learned a trick using a glue-stick to turn over the seam allowance and it's how I applique now, unless I simply cut to size and applique with a raw edge. Applique is NOT my cup of tea, but I WILL finish this UFO!

Block #1 of 13. A block a day? That'd be 2 weeks, and then the EASY part of piecing everything together. ;0) End of July goal?......SURE!

OH! The designer suggests to cut away the extra fabric underneath after appliqueing..... I'm actually thinking of leaving it there; giving the finished quilt some more weight. Thoughts?????


I didn't post a Stash Report yesterday, so I'm doubling up this Judy post :0)

Stash Report: June 13-19
Used/wk: 23.292 yds {{I'll have to look, but I think this is the new record!}}
Purch/wk: 14.167 yds

Used/yr: 109.625 yds
Purch/yr: 47.167 yds

Net Used: 62.458 yds

Rolling Star pattern & how I applique

The Rolling Star pattern can be found in the September 2005 "Quilter's Newsletter Magazine." It was drafted by Lee Fowler after being inspired by a circa-1930's newspaper clipping showing a drawing of four blocks. Lee drafted this for hand-piecing and gives tips and tricks to assist a quilter. I attempted hand-piecing, but found it too time-consuming and I was afraid that the blocks/pieces wouldn't stay together. So, out came the machine---at a MUCH slower machine-pace due to the curves, but still faster than hand-piecing.

When I applique (the few times that I have done it), I use washable glue-sticks and freezer-paper. Here are my steps (sorry for no pics).
1) Trace the finished sized piece on freezer-paper;
2) Iron it (no steam) to the back of the fabric.
3) Cut out shape, eyeballing up 1/4" seam.
4) Press the seam over the edge of the freezer paper.
5) Remove paper. Repress if needed.
6) Unfold seam allowance and dab glue on egde of seam. Refold.
7) Press one final time. (Press on an old towel in case any glue is beyond the folded seam allowance)
8) Machine applique onto background. Sometimes I pin, depending on the size of the piece. Sometimes I dab another dallop of glue to hold the piece in place. I USUALLY use a blanket-stitch with the Bernina foot #20.

{{I'll need to applique again soon, so I can add pics later on.....Be sure to check "Email follow up comments" when you post because I'll submit a comment once pics are added to this "tutorial"---if interested}}

Today made up for yesterday!

Recap: Goal #1: Finish Jared Takes a Wife top: Completed (see post)

Goal #2 of the day: work on the final August block. Completed! Now I just have to type up the instructions, and I'll be set for y'all :0)

Then, it was the "look-around-for-the-next-project" time......

For those of you who have been around since the beginning of Amy's Passions, you may remember these blocks????

UFO: Rolling Star - Prior to today, I had 6 blocks pieced; today, all 13 blocks are now pieced.

And appliqued on the red centers. It feels REAL GOOD to have these pieced and ready for the next step!!! Now, I need to see how much white I have in my stash to see if I can move to appliqueing these stars onto a background square to get these closer to a top...

...but I wasn't done yet.....

My Star Struck swap blocks arrived yesterday; I swapped 12 sets. I had been piecing additional blocks together as a leader-ender project, and I had some inspiritation to finish up the stack I had pre-cut to see how many total blocks I had. Thirty-two blocks in total once I pieced everything. 32, eh? Hmm....4x8; that sure isn't a great layout. 5x6....then 2 go on the orphan-block pile.... :0(

15 minutes and 3 additional blocks later....a 5x7 layout with 35 blocks; AND sashing fabs being auditioned.

BOY---I should lay out more blocks on my living room floor! I tried some whites and other lights, but nothing worked better than the "tan" of the hardwood floor, so.....
This was the closest color I had in my stash, and NOT a lot of it (only 26 inches), so....... the sashing ended up being smaller than originally thought: only 1" finished. BUT....no biggy. I like the color! It'll be worth it.

I still am going strong, but there IS only so much time in a day before it gets too late, sooo.......it's time for me to turn OFF the machine ;0)

So.......{{drumroll please}}

---

Stash report: July 5 - 11 (I forgot to post last week)
Used/week: 4.181 yards
Purchased/week: 0 yards
Used/year: 169.873 yards
Purchased/year: 173 yards
Net used: -3.127 yards

---

Stash report: July 12-18
Used/week: 4.625 yards
Purchased/week: 0 yards
Used/year: 174.498 yards
Purchased/year: 173 yards
Net used: 1.498 yards

DO YOU SEE THAT!?!?!!!!!!????? I'm in the B-L-A-C-K!!!!!
doing a lil' happy dance

Back to Monday tomorrow! :0(

DWR DONE! Babyquilt DONE! Bag Dispenser DONE! And a few other projects underway...

Ahhhhhhhhh
Yesterday, after relaxing in the morning, I decided to FINALLY just finish the DWR! And then, I just kept going...

I spend most of the day working on the DWR, finishing it up around 4:00. It feels SO GOOD having that done and off my back--seriously! I think this is the biggest quilt I have made so far. It measures 96"x108", and is pictured on our King size bed.

With the extra pieces, MIL and I pieced together some pillow shams and an additional "monogram" pillow. MIL hand embroidered the "H". (Hmmm....I must not have taken pics of the pillow-shams, which are now in the hands of MIL for final completion; I quilted it, but she is putting the backing on.)


I was still in the mood to sew (amazingly!), so I kept going. Wednesday night I started cutting up some adorable FQ's I bought off a fellow Quiltvillian. They are just adorable!
While at my sister's last weekend, I went through all my old quilting magazines (again), and sorted them; patterns I will someday make and mags that can finally be given away. I only set aside 19 mags open to patterns (sarcastically undertoned!) Gosh---when will I ever make them all?!?!? Anyway, Wednesday afternoon, I came across a hidden box of white, white, white that had been given to my from (who else?) my mother. It was given to me last summer with all the other fabric donated to church. I simply had forgotten about it. So...I pulled some white, I went and pulled the lovely FQ's, and pulled a McCall's Quilting (March 08, I think??) The mag is downstairs right now and I'm too lazy to go get it to double check. But I'm fairly confident the pattern was called "Emma's Garden", which I have now changed to "Barnyards and Prairies". (40"x46" not counting Prairie Points)
The top was finished at 10:30, but I wasn't ready to turn off the machine yet. I pulled some yellow-check gingham from the stash and prepared backing. I pulled SIX scrap strips of batting and pieced them together. Boy, it feels good to get some of those scraps used up. It's so easy to piece the warm-n-natural batting on the machine!
The quilting is simple; SID (stitch-in-ditch) verticle lines. This is only the second time I've worked with prairie points (and I have decided I simply LOVE them!!!), but it's the first time that they have been the "border" of the quilt. The pattern called to press under 1/4" of the backing and hand-stitch to the back of the points. However, I took my time ironing and pressing the backing so that I could machine stitch the backing to the front; it didn't turn out all that bad. I finished it up just before midnight and finally called it a night! :0)

Wednesday after, while lunch was cooking, I browsed online and read through the past weeks' worth of Moda's Bake Shop blog. I had read through this pattern (Bag Dispenser; posted in June, I think) before, but wasn't really sold on it. But, for some reason, I was motivated to try it and whipped one out using some 5" scraps I recently cut up. If you haven't looked at the Moda Bake Shop blog, you really should if you are looking for some inspiration. I love the fabrics, even though I don't have any of them. But the patterns are very universal (as most are).

Here are some other things I've been working on since Sunday...

I posted about the sixteen fabrics that I've been strippin' up, getting ready (finally) to attempt the pattern pictured. I still am amazed I was able to pull all sixteen directly from what I had on hand...

Here is the other set of strips I cut up with Jille Kemp's pattern (from Red Rooster Fabrics) in mind: It's the Berries (even though I'm not using the suggested fabrics.) I'm using all of Grandma's flowery fabrics for this one; I don't think any of the fabric was something I had purchased.

I took some time to make up the June block for Now-n-Forever, the BOM by Beth Ferrier. July has just been posted, so I'll see about taking that on after I come back from Mom's this weekend.

Last Wednesday, I spent some time working on my Rolling Star UFO. I think I have been calling it Rolling Rock in the past, but now that I have found the pattern, I have corrected myself. Six down, seven more to go before being able to applique them onto blocks. Hmmmm! I'm glad I found that box of white fabric!!!

Finally, I am posting a pic of my Wafter Cookies flimsey that I finished up last Wednesday. It has joined with Seven Shirts on the wall, awaiting quilting.

So, that's it folks (I think!) I believe I have completely updated the blog on my past week's worth of quilting.

Laundry is underway and I have the task of packing up all three girls for TWO WEEKS. They will be down at both sets of grandparents for the next two weeks; next week with my parents, and the following week with DH's parents. It's so nice that they (parents) get along and that they live 5 miles apart from each other :0) I have some professional development classes for the next two weeks, so they are helping us out so we don't have to cough up $500/week for daycare! Besides, it's VBS week next week at my mom's church, so the girls will take part.

Happy Friday!

May UFO ; excited and motivated

Nancy (Patchwork Penguin) has set May's UFO Challenge to be #6. #6 on my list: Rolling Rock.

I'm actually quite excited to jump back into this project; it's a first for me when it comes to piecing curved seams. Therefore, this will be a TRUE challenge to finish because of the intermediate/advanced quilting/sewing skills. The pieces are already cut out and have been stored on a shelf safe-n-neat for the day I would pick it up again. MOST of the fabrics I used for the color sections were cut out of my Grandmother's fabric inheritance, so, it'll have all the more specialness to the project.

I have returned Quilter's Apprentice to the library and checked out Round Robin. I have not spent any time in the quilting room this week, but sure have been enjoying some quiet time in the evenings reading after the girls have gone to bed.

The family and I are heading up the the Farm this weekend; it's been months since we've been up North! I plan to take many of my quilts up with me that are still in need of hand-sewing the connector strip on the back. I also have to finish typing up the directions/lessons for Steppin' Out for the advanced beginners course I'm offering in a few weeks.

Enjoy your weekend!
Happy Thursday.

Progress, progress on UFO's

No OC tonight! I'm still only 30 blocks into OC#2, but, I figured----"eh....the pieces are all cut and bagged, so they'll be easy to transport to dear ol' 'Mom's,'" so I'll finish them up when I visit Thursday-Saturday.

So instead---it was a night of UFO's!!! First on the list, which WON'T be a UFO for long, is the Oklahoma Backroads (OB). (Yet another Bonnie pattern). I have decided to make this for my Dad for his retirement. It only makes sense (to me). I have to complete it in three weeks, so do I realllllly want to start something from scratch??!?!? Hmmmmmm....NO! So......I added 6 blocks tonight. I'm thinking 8 more blocks will finish it off, in addition to some borders. It'll be a perfect "lap-snuggler" quilt for all his daily naps!!!!

The "cool" thing about this pattern, is that I can create 2" Half-Triangle "off-shoots." So, after I ran out of 2.5x4.5 bricks for the OB, I figured....."hmmmm...it'd be a good time to square up the 1/2 triangles." Then, naturally, once they were square, I played with possible layouts....oooooo...the wheels are turning!

Then I pulled out my "Leaders-enders" box and pieced some of them into 4-blocks. A nice collection so far.........GOSH! I love what Bonnie has done to me!!!






Oohhhhh....and that makes me think about these Crumb Blocks. HA! Before December, these little pieces would have been in the trash, but not now. I "played" tonight with some of the scrappy crumbs I had from OC#1. I pieced this lower "wonky" 16 block. Then I took some scraps from my Kaleidoscope quilt and pieced the other crumb block in the picture.

Speaking of Kaleidoscope, I pulled those out tonight and squared them up. They are a bit smaller than the pattern needs them to be, but at least they are all the same!!! 9.25x9.25". I'll probably keep this to a crib size, or at least a small twin for my youngest.

Next.....this "Rolling Rock" block has been sitting half-complete for a couple of months, so I decided to attempt to complete it. Whew.....it HAS earned the "three thimble" rating! Yikes! I'm amazed it turned out as well as it did. My M-I-L had a wonderful idea of using a Yo-Yo as the center of the blocks! NEAT! I've never made a Yo-Yo, but it'll be a great opportunity to learn something from my MIL.

FInally, I didn't do any work on "Grandma's State" quilt, but I wanted to bring out all my UFO's and see the status of each. This....ooo....THIS is the MONSTER! Last summer, sure...I "inherited" all of Grandma's fabric stash and other quilting supplies. BUT, thats' ONLY because I helped my parents clean out her apartment and get things ready for auction. These "gems" was lurking in her quilting area. Who KNOWS how long they have been sitting???!?!? Then, the day after I came across the blocks, I found the BOOKS!!! All of these blocks are "State Patterns" from the Workbasket magainzes from the 80's. Grandma had finished 8 of the blocks, and I have completed 8 so far. They are a bit challenging because of how the patterns/directions are explained. The last block I worked on was in early January, and pictured here! It's my FAVORITE so far!!! The pink "flowered" pattern is actually cut from one of Grandma's shirt. This block ALONE took me about 12 "clock hours" from start to finish!

Soooo....that's it! I do believe this is ALLLL of my UFO's sitting around......
Ooooo....nope! Forgot about "Deer Camp," but I'll save that for another evening. I'm done with the top of that one; just need to sandwich and quilt away!!!


Happy Sewing!!!