Belle Meade ~ The Beginning

Remember this photo? This is where I had all my papers & fabric stacked up & ready to sew.


I have all the 2" hst's sewn as well as all the center hst's. I lack cutting the 2" hst's apart, removing the paper & ironing. I also lack cutting the large/center hst's apart & ironing.

Then? Well, THEN.....all I have to do is asemble them just like these 2 blocks below!




In the photo below, this is the paper from just 32 of the small hst's! Just 32! Amazing.........that's a lot of pieces.


Red, White & Blue is one of my favorite color combo's. The pattern is named "Belle Meade" & it's a Bonnie Blue Quilts Pattern. Though I don't think I'll call it Belle Meade. I'll have to think up something much more patriotic. No clue whether what color the borders will be. I'll have to wait & see how it looks assembled before I can make THAT decision. I have plenty of 3 yard cuts of blue. Not so many of red. If I set the blocks on point, as the pattern calls for, 3 yards won't be enough. So? We'll see.

Well, I did'nt accomplish what I wanted today. My longarm machine is giving me a fit. The stitches were'nt what I wanted them to be. I fiddled with the tension and it never got better - so I figured it was the timing. I took everything apart & the whole bobbin assembly fell out! Right to the floor. Scared me nearly to death. So after getting it back in - my buddy Cotie got me a website that has some photos - I adjusted everything & screwed it back together. Well, the BAD news is that now it's skipping stitches. It wasn't doing that before. The GOOD news is that the stitches (that are NOT skipped) are perfect! Ack! So now I have to take it apart again & try again. And then maybe again..... Right now I don't feel like I am winning the fight. But I AM learning more about it..........(heavy sigh here...)

I'll probably spend the evening piddling with those Belle Meade hst's. Cutting them apart & peeling the paper. If I don't do that, maybe I'll cut out some boxer briefs & tank t's for the grandbaby (summer jammies) I am also babysitting the grand-dogs. They are pretty good lap warmers! I just don't need my lap warmed while sewing or visiting the bathroom. You know????

Prince Charming has been on the road this week. He's home this weekend & it's doing nothing but raining & thunder storms. So no yard work this weekend. (OH DARN! Can you hear my regret????) Anyway - in about 30 minutes I'm going to make some cheese fries & steaks. Sounds good just typing that.

Sam~

On Eagles Wings - The Beginning

This is my *new* paper piecing project. Another Pineapple - but it harly resembles the last one.

The pattern is called "On Eagles Wings" - by Laundry Basket Quilts

Don't hold your breath thinking it's going to get done anytime soon. The last one took over 3 years.

I am pretty certain that I will NOT set these on-point, only because I think my eye is drawn too quickly to the line of black/white rows that the design would create. I will set them side by side, straight set, alternating a shirting/light geese block with a black geese block.

How many do I have done? HHHmmmm....5 or 6. How many do I need? No clue really. I printed 100. Only because the last PP project I completed - the blocks were 8.25" unfinished. These are slightly SMALLER.

These seem to go really fast! There are only 4 pieces less than the last project, but in this *new* project: In each block the center & all corner/geese are the same color, each "side" is the same color. No time spent checking/sorting/making decisions. Pretty easy.

I am excited about it.

Sam

More Storage

(BEFORE)


(AFTER)



My sewing "room" is in an area of our bonus room. (or family room - huge room over the house - our 3rd story) I take up about a 1/3 of it. It's a nice space. I can interact with the family & I can see the TV too. Though I don't watch it, I usually only have it on as "company", you know?

Anyway - I have one of those fold out cutting / craft tables, but I only use half of it because: #1 it takes up a LOT of space when it's all the way out - & really isn't very useful for quilting all the way out, #2 my favorite cutting mat fits on half of it. So I only use half.

Forever & ever I have had these plastic drawers under the one side. 10 , 12 years or better....but they are not quite tall enough, I have to stick a 2X4 under there to make up the difference in height.

QB1 had a couple of dressers/chests of drawers that she was getting rid of. I needed one for the grandson & took both when she showed up. This one fit perfect under my cutting table! Perfect! And it is SO much more stable then the plastic drawers ever were!

Did I get rid of the plastic drawers? Well, what do YOU think?

Of course NOT. 3 of those drawers in the chest are empty, I just moved the plastic ones to another place (under the window).

One day, Prince Charming is going to make all matching furniture for me. Cabinets, cutting table, ironing table, and a counter with drawers...(that's the plan) until then? Well, this is good enough. Besides, who is going to complain about more storage????

Not this me.

Sam

PS: my longarm machine is in a room in the basement. So I have TWO sewing rooms!!

Ocean Waves - UpDate

Do you see this? I could bet that you may not know why this post is so important, nor that you really know what you're looking at!!

What you see in this picture is the very last side of the inner pinwheel border on my Ocean Waves Quilt. Yippee! Yay! I did this on Thursday night - what was Thursday? I think it was the 17th. QB1 came over to the house & we sewed some. It was the first time I have "sewed" in days & days......thought I was going into withdrawls.....

All I lack now is getting the outer plain blue borders on it & to get it quilted.

Normally, I put 6 inch outer borders on my quilts. Just do. No reason. But if I finish this quilt with a 6 inch outer border - it makes it 105 inches wide. I am thinking I need to make them only 4 inches. If I make them 6", I don't think I can comfortably quilt it on the longarm. All the printed backings that I have are all 108" wide. 3" just isn't enough wiggle room. Not for me.

sam

Checking In

Ugh! I have been busy. Busy with "work" (meaning my regular daytime job!), busy with life, busy being sick, busy with family, and very little sewing. My long arm customer (s) probably think I dropped off the face of the earth.

I didn't.

But it sure feels like it.

On the other hand - today seems like it's gettting bak to normal. I took Friday off & sat & sewed with QB1. Actually we did very little sewing and did a lot of jawing. We also went & had a sandwich & went to Wooka's & the new Mennonite store in Charlotte. My friend Chernal was going to try & join us & that didn't work out (hopefuly crossing my fingers worked for you Chernal!!!)

I have tried to get motivated to finish the borders on my Ocean Waves. I am going to have to finish it THIS month as I have already ordered the label for it with MARCH 2011 on it. If that isn't a motivation maker, I don't know what is!

I think I have Pineapple Fever. What is that you ask? How silly of me, I will explain. I just finished a pineapple quilt that took me over 3 years to complete, i have a 30's Pineapple (pineapple variation...) that all the blocks are done - I lack setting the rows with cornerstones, putting on borders & appliquing flowers on the borders. NOW - I have started another Pineapple. Another variation of sorts. It's called 'On Eagles Wings". Google it, under images - It's really pretty. Block goes together super fast - even though there are 32 pieces in each 8 inch block - and after that one, I want to do (what will hopefully be my last & be OUT of my system forever) another Pineapple called "Everlasting Wreath". I think I'll pretty much have my paper piecing technique down pat! Whatcha think?

Here is the 2nd Dear Jane block that I have finished. ( WOW, I am SO glad I am NOT doing this baby in the real 4.5 size!!!)Actually finished this block over a week ago - just been too busy to get it posted.



And here is the A-3 flop. I'm just going to applique teh melons onto a square - I'm no good at curved seams, can you tell???


Sam