Mail Call Monday - Can't Stop Making

I was taking a jog around BlogLand a few weeks ago and found A Little Bit Biased.   Amber, of "Gigi's Thimble" quilt patterns, offered a cool T-shirt as a way to support a neighbor in need.

Click HERE to read all about the shirt project.  THIS is a direct link to find out more about the recipient of the shirt proceeds, Brinley Mae Raven.

How could I refuse this charitable purchase?  In light of all the help my family received in 2013 when DS2 was in the hospital for an extended period of time (when diagnosed with Severe Aplastic Anemia and needed a Bone Marrow Transplant...)  I couldn't resist the Amber's request.  I know first-hand how important unexpected contributions can be!!

Order placed.  Weeks went by during the making of the shirts.  Mailing took place.  Next??

Happy mailbox!!!  This package arrived in today's mail (Ignore the junk mail, please.):

This is the shirt "Can't Stop Making" is was inside the package:

Yes.  It's upside down, but my photo program was misbehaving tonight.  Sorry!!  If I can get it sorted out, I'll post the photo right side up.  Unable to get it sorted, I nipped the picture from Amber's blog:





Until next time...
Be generous!!!

ScrapHappy Saturday - RSC15 - Week 15

Welcome to Week 15 of the Rainbow Scrap Challenge!!

WAIT!!  WHAT???

That's right.  We've been at this FIFTEEN WEEKS.

Can you believe ???

Here's how Week 15 panned out...

Sunday...  The Easter Bunny came and went.  I hope that YOU had some time with family and friends (and maybe even some time to SEW!!!)  I took a few minutes to sew while the guys were busy getting ready to leave for the in-laws.  I made ONE String block in PURPLE:

Showcasing fabrics from Diane's scrap bag.  Thanks again, Diane!!  :o))

Monday...  I chose to work on one of my quilts with a looming deadline (instead of having fun with my Rainbow Scrap Challenge projects.)

Tuesday...  After applying one border to Jacob's T-quilt, I took the time to make ONE Slab Block in PURPLE.  (Then went off to make dinner for DS2 and look up some info requested by a friend before heading back to finish up that quilt top.)

Wednesday...  After work, I volunteered for Vision Screening with the local Lion's Club.  When my shift was over, I decided to get a hearing test (offered at the same sight.)

The conclusion???

Contrary to my son's belief, I am NOT deaf!!  :o))

I spent a few minutes in the studio tonight.  I made ONE Tiny Nine in YELLOW:

And prepped a few more in PURPLE for sewing at a later date:

Thursday...  You will be surprised how efficient I was this morning!  (NOTE:  This has NOTHING to do with sewing, quilting, or the RSC.)

DS2 to Jazz rehearsal, Taxes to the post office, Copy shop for a working copy of a NEW project...
Back to school to drop off purchases for teacher meal before Face to Face conferences, AND an oil change on my car.

ALL before my 9:30 AM Quilt Bee meeting!!!

Other quilt related tasks were performed after my Quilt Bee meeting.  Still no RSC sewing.  Maybe later!  My afternoon looked something like this:

4:00 Press.  Press.  Press.  Adhering stabilizer to T-shirts for R.W.'s Gift T-quilt.  HOT work!!! (Drats!  Only completed two-thirds of the shirts.)

When I took a break, I found that Angela had posted the RSC Sawtooth Sampler PURPLE Block 2. Thanks, Angela!!  It's called the Broken Sugar Bowl and if you haven't made one, she provides a tutorial.  Click on the block name to go have a try.

5:00  Jump in the car.  Race to school.  Pick up DS2's report card.  Meet briefly with all his teachers.

6:00  Jump in the car.  Head home to pick-up DS2.  Grab dinner on the way to Duke University Symphony Concert.  Enjoy concert (followed by a reception.)  Drive home in the pouring rain to fall into bed.

Absolutely NO time for RSC sewing!!

Friday...  No RSC sewing today!!  Other fiber-y goodness, but not a stitch was sewn.  Knitted, yes! Sewn, no.  My knit group took a field trip to the Carolina Fiber Festival.  Hooray!! for some yarn-y goodness!!!  :o))

Upon my return home, it was back into the car with the family to head to Greensboro for a special family get-together.  That a LOT of car time for one day, but totally worth it to meet T.  She'll be joining the family in late 2016.  Welcome, T!!!

Saturday...  Up early for a drive to The North Carolina Trombone Festival (in Greensboro!!)  Linking up with Angela and the RSC Quilters had to wait.  I'll take care of that now.  Look for me at link number 20 this week.  Click over and take a look at what everyone has been working.  Prepare to be inspired!!  :o))

On the Trombone Festival front, DS2 enjoyed the clinics offered and learned some new things.  I am sure to enjoy the concert that culminates the day.

Until next time...
Get Scrappy!!!

This iris bed is performing MUCH better than last year.  Look at all that PURPLE goodness!!  I posted this picture for Paula at PaulaB Quilts, but hopefully others will enjoy my little Dwarf Snow Iris garden, too.  Oops!  It needs some mulch!!

Design Floor Friday - T x 2 + 1 = Top x 2!!

WHAT is all that gibberish in the title of this post?!?!  Well, I'll clue you in.  It requires a bit of celebration... and even more needle and thread time.

Join me in a Happy Dance!!

Why, Joyful??

The second T-shirt quilt is now the first top with borders.  I couldn't be happier (well, unless is was quilted already!!)

Here is the picture proof:

So inspired (read guilty) about finishing the top of T2 before finishing the top of T1, I promptly got to work remedying the situation.

I give you T1:





And now to focus on T3, whose deadline in also rapidly approaching!

Until next time...
Get busy!!!

Spring 2015 (Ravelry) UFO Club - The List

Sign-ups for the Spring 2015 UFO Club close soon.  I wanted to post early so that I didn't forget about it, but suddenly it was too late.  The deadline is TODAY!!

So far, membership for this session is at 5 for the SEND group and  17 participants in the NO SEND group for a total of 22 quilters who will be attempting to work down their UFO lists during the next 3 months.  Wish us luck!  (Did I mention that I was posting my list early?!  Didn't happen!  There's still 4 more hours for additional quilters to join in the finishing FUN.)

I'm posting THE SAME lengthy list this quarter.  (Minus my Crumb Quilt that I finished on 3/28/15.) Again, the length of the list is not because I plan to have extra time to quilt, but because once I complete the NEED TO FINISH list, I want to have a variety of projects from which to choose my FUN projects.

Here's the NEED to FINISH list:

Jacob's T Quilt  (DONE - 4/19/15!!!)
Kennedy's T Quilt  (DONE - 4/19/15!!!)
R.W.'s T Quilt  (DONE - 4/27/15!!!)

This is the COMPLETE list for this quarter:


4 "T" Quilts:

1. Jacob's T-shirt Quilt

This project needs to be quilted.

2. Kennedy's T-shirt Quilt

This one is waiting for quilting, too.

3. The Tiny (Christmas) Tree

Still not sure about the bows in the corner...

4. R.W.'s T-shirt Quilt

Shirts have been cut apart, but no other work has been completed.

2 "C" Quilts:

5. Calico Ric Rac

This top has proven a challenge.  Needs borders... but WHAT???

6. Circle of Friends

I've got a plan for the borders... just have to execute the plan.

3 Mystery Quilts:

7. The Margaret Mystery

Pieced borders are in the plans for this quilt... I just need to make them!

8. The Tiffany Mystery

This project has been sitting in a basket on the bookcase shelf for MORE THAN 10 YEARS!!

9. The Bonnie (Hunter) Mystery - GIMQ 2014

~ 48" x 63" as is, but what to do for borders???

3 Swap Quilts:

10. Snow Star Swap

This projects has been sitting on a shelf in the closet for 8 YEARS!

11. Ravelry Red Swap

Swapped AT LEAST 5 years ago... and STILL not a quilt top!  :o((

12. Art Bee Slice Swap

Blocks were swapped at the December 2014 meeting, but these stragglers were traded in January 2015. The quilts are due at the October (business!) meeting of DOQ.

3 Other Quilts:

13. Where's Jackson?

How many years CAN a dog sit on a sewing table?  Only time will tell...

14. QE2 Goodbye Quilt

2015 is the year to complete this quilt... I've been in NC nearly 15 years!

15. 100 Patch Quilt

This project got "shelved" due to a design issue.  OK, so it had more to do with  my (sloppy) piecing. I've worked up an alternate plan for the blocks.

Until next time...
Happy Finishing!

ScrapHappy Saturday - RSC15 - Week 14

Welcome to Week 14 of the Rainbow Scrap Challenge!!

On Sunday morning Angela released the April Color Announcement.  Yesterday, I guessed that the new color would be the same as my current nail polish.  :o))

So... welcome to week one of...

Although... I may take the next few days to make up some more YELLOW blocks and clean up my mess before really digging in to my PURPLE scraps.  We'll see what happens when I head upstairs...

On Monday, I spent a few minutes going through my scraps to dig out fabrics to work with during the coming month.  That's all I had time for, so pictures will have to wait for another day.

While you're waiting for that picture, have a look at the stack of YELLOW blocks that I made during the month of March:

It doesn't look so bad in the close-up...

Tuesday saw NO sewing, RSC or otherwise.  I looked at the Tiny Nine that I prepped last week, but (wisely) opted to work on one of my commission quilts (as it felt SO GOOD to make progress on that front!) and then...  Off I went to Quilt Bee.  :o))


Have any guesses as to how many blocks were sewn during YELLOW month???


Shall we take inventory?


Sure, Joyful.  Have at it!



EIGHT (8) String Blocks:

FOUR (4) Maverick Star Blocks:

THREE (3) Slab Blocks:

FOUR (4) Tiny Nines:

(In desperate need of pressing!!)

For a total of NINETEEN (19) YELLOW blocks made during the month of March.  Just think!  If I had only made that one last Tiny Nine the total would have seemed MUCH better.  Don't you agree?

And...

If you recall, I like to point out the trimmings, too.  Therefore, I present the small stack of trimmed up YELLOW squares to be used in future projects:

Let's take a moment to review the composite photo for the (measly) outcome of the YELLOW sewing done during the month of March:

Hey!! That YELLOW progress doesn't look so bad, after all!!!

That brings us to Wednesday, the day that I worked all day and then made the trip to pick up DS1 from college for the "Spring Holiday."  (Not to be confused with Spring Break which was in March!) I blame the TRAFFIC for my lack of RSC sewing today!  The trip (going AND coming) took TWICE as long as it should have!!!  Grrr!!!

The only saving grace???

I wasn't the one driving on the way there!!!  DS2 needed more "supervised driving time", even though he already HAS his driver's license.  Fighting traffic one way was enough for him, so I had the "pleasure" of driving home (since DS1 injured his shoulder last week.)


Thursday went by in a blur!  There was too much going on for any RSC sewing to get done.  However, these are the scraps that I've gathered to work with during the month of PURPLE... er... I mean April.  I should totally be able to make to good blocks with these fabric scraps:




This Friday I had hoped to get a TON of RSC sewing completed.  Alas, commission quilts await and there are precious few days in which to get them done!  I'll share a bit of PURPLE goodness from my garden because that's the only thing that REMOTELY relates to the RSC Color of the Month:

Hooray!! The dwarf iris bloomed today!!

Saturday was a work day for me.  I did manage to finish this post and LINK up with the other RSC Quilters over on Angela's SoScrappy blog.  Look for me at link # 22 this week.  Go have a look at all of the PURPLE awesomeness that everyone else was up to... since you didn't get that here.

I worked all day yesterday (and, as mentioned, worked on commission quilts when I got home.)  I was so busy that I didn't have time to check Angela's blog.

WAIT!!!  WHAT???

That's right...

Too busy and then I was such a hurry to post/link up this morning that I didn't even notice that Angela had posted the first RSC Sampler block of the month!!  It's the Carrie Nation block and you can give the tutorial a try to make blocks of your own.  Thanks to Marly at Marly's Quilts for cluing me in so that I could let YOU know!  :o))

Until next time...
Get Scrappy!!!

March = YELLOW = Productivity

Design Floor Friday - {T-shirt} x 3

By this time, you probably know that I've got a "thing" for T-shirt quilts.  Right??

It's my method of choice for preserving memories of and for loved ones.

On Thursday, March 19th, I took in ANOTHER commission T-shirt quilt.  That makes THREE on the go at one time!!  (Fortunately, T-Quilt #1 and T-Quilt #2 are ALMOST done.)

This one is for a wall hanging (so it should go quickly.)  I probably SHOULD have said  NO, but it's for a woman who wanted something special for her mother's 94th birthday.

With an order like that, how could I refuse?!?!

I de-constructed the shirts right away and then on Monday, March 23rd, my client brought another batch of shirts to fit in.  The good news is that I don't HAVE TO include ALL of the shirts provided.

Otherwise, this SMALL wall hanging will end up being twin bed sized!!

Here is the preliminary layout:

Please excuse the sideways view. Photo program is giving me grief, again.)

As you know, there is a 75% (OK, 95%) chance that things will change between this and the final design.  :P

The next challenge will be getting ALL of these shirts to fit within the size parameters set by my client.  Upon first look... there isn't a snowballs chance of it!!

Until next time...
Cut, press, and SEW!!!

Winter 2015 (Ravelry) UFO Club - The Results

The Winter 2015 (Ravelry) UFO Club is now CLOSED. Any interested quilters with 5 (or more) UFOs were required to sign up by Midnight (EDT) on January 7, 2015. All qualifying UFOs must have been completed by Midnight (EDT) on March 31, 2015.  Spring UFO Club sign-ups are OPEN until April 7, 2015.  If you're on Ravelry, come join in the Finishing FUN!!

Here are the stats for this quarter:

Membership(24):

SEND(4):

andimc13
MamaPro
mducky: 1 completed project
jrnylst: 4 completed projects

NO SEND(20):

sockjeannieous: 5 completed projects
basketcase9702: 1 completed project
hexiemum: 1 completed project
amalberti: 1 completed project
janaknits2
needleb: 2 completed projects
monicarose51: 2 completed projects
PeggyStuart
Silverflipflops: 2 completed projects
siberspinner: 1 completed project
aerieiris
laceyspinner
allspots: 1 completed project
teajoygreye
Yarnosophy
americana: 1 completed project
Kat872: 1 completed project
epararas: 2 completed projects
sylviawon: 1 completed project
Kris7: 2 completed projects

Session Totals:  16 quilters completed 28 projects.

Congrats! to all of our finishers and to Siberspinner for slipping in her FIRST (and only) project finish of the session within hours of the deadline, assuming the title of “Queen of the Last Minute”. :o))

Thank you to ALL who participated. Finishers or not! Thanks to any who cheered us along. YOU make our efforts all the more sweet.

Remember:

If YOU have 5 (or more) quilting projects sitting around awaiting completion, please consider signing up for the Spring 2015 UFO Club.  It's worth joining Ravelry for!!  Sign-ups will remain open through April 7, 2015.  Don't miss out on the finishing FUN!!!