July was the month to start reducing the longarm stack of quilts. Three are laptop size, and two are 80x80. I have over 140 quilt tops in totes awaiting quilting. I think August will also be dedicated to quilting tops!
Sunday, July 30, 2023
Wednesday, May 3, 2023
Saturday, April 1, 2023
March Finishes
The April number is #4.
So much pretty fabric in 4-6-8-10 yard pieces and what do I do? Of course--make a scrappy quilt instead of using the yardage! At least I did use a large yardage piece for the backing. The quilt measures 75x103. I should have used a dark fabric for the border--I may cut it down to a 1 inch border when I quilt it. It's always amazing which colors are dominant--when you look at a picture of the quilt, it often shows a dominant color that you did not see as you just looked at it. Maybe I'll cut this border down and attach a dark border around it. Now to proof the taxes and start ironing the huge stack of my husband's shirts!
Well, I had to do it--cut down the light border to a 1-inch finish and add a dark border. Looks better. Shirts are ironed and the taxes are done!
Finally--I have used the Innova longarm for something besides a place to drape fabric. I have finished quilting 3 quilts--1 baby quilt and 2 panel quilts. It is amazing how many things I "forgot" about the quilting process. I even needed a refresher on binding!
I used the Square Dance EtoE on the panel quilts--love the texture. I have another baby quilt loaded on the longarm but spent the last 2 days of March making 12 dozen mini cinnamon rolls! But I did get out the Lavender & Lace cross stitch so I can get it finished--in April. It is close to being completed. But what did I do next?! I started the cross stitch of another of Janet Powers' "watercolor" cross stitch flowers--a geranium. And in my surfing adventures on the internet, I found someone who must love them as much as I do (except she has hers for sale!). She had some I do not have the patterns for (tulips), some I have completed (lily, iris), and some other (not Lavender & Lace) patterns I have completed. I haven't gotten very far with the geranium but already love it! I also spent some time working on the crocheted afghan. I think April will be a month I concentrate on getting pieced tops quilted, finishing at least one of the cross stitch projects, and finishing the afghan.
The April UFO is #4.
Thursday, March 16, 2023
Saturday, January 28, 2023
January Finishes #3
The two sets of pillowcases were done from scratch--embroidered and crocheted edgings. The blue pillowcases were from Sandi; she said they belonged to her mother who never finished them. Sandi was going to take them to GoodWill if I didn't want them. Of course, I said I would take them! The yellow/green pillowcases were the last of the 5 I ordered a few years ago. Finally finished these. I thought it was swans until I was nearly finished and realized they were flowers! Glad to get these done. I counted 12 sets of embroidered pillowcases that have never been used; one set was a gift from my Aunt Agnes as a high school graduation gift!!
The purple/yellow tulips were a panel gifted to me (again) by Sandi; of course, I didn't say no (but wondered later why I didn't--so tired of doing panels!). It's now in the longarm quilting stack. I was wondering what to put as coordinating blocks--think this worked well.
The 4 tea towels were embroidered with recipe designs given to me by Sandi. Wow--January was a "Sandi month!" They are a nice addition to gift baskets--but quite a few stitches for a tea towel.
Then the last Sally King shoe quilt--the 6th one I've done. I was not as happy with the designs this time. Purchased a set of 6 in 2019 and then purchased 8 more as singles in winter of 2022. I "reused" 3 designs from previous quilts to complete the triple Irish chain pattern. I don't think these were as innovative as in previous sets and felt the digitizing was not as good. Anyway, the single design that I've shown (with my slippered feet!) was one that I really liked--called "Coffee or Tea." The designs are now being sold as singles and the price is $5/single design. I was not as pleased with the designs or the quilt itself--but it's done. Perhaps I will get the 6 quilts quilted on the longarm during this year. The quilt measures 90 by 105.
I have decided that my focus has got to be getting some of the flimsies quilted on the longarm. There are some beautiful quilts in those totes! In the meantime, I found some fabric I had set aside for a quilt (no pattern to show what I had planned) and may have to get it made in February as I love the fabric and have just the right pattern to showcase it. No wonder I don't get the flimsies quilted! Just keep adding to the NewFO list!!
Sunday, January 1, 2023
2023 GOALS
A) Reduce the Longarm UFO list.
B) Establish a UFO/NewFO quilt top list (to be pieced).
10a) Penguin (NewFO)