Fawkes

I've started to  make the objects that sit on top of the bookcase of POD2.    Here is Fawkes the Phoenix:

 

You will notice there is a slight error in the pattern.  I could have redone that section of the tail, but it was a complicated section and would have taken a long time.  Instead, I just patched over the break with a red piece of fabric and sewed it down by hand.  My longarmer will be able to see the mistake, but the quilting muggles will probably not notice.

 

He will eventually get a button eye. 

POD 2, One More Block

This is the final block in the body of my POD2 bookcase.  I still need to do the objects, some of them books, on the top of the bookcase, but I feel like this is a major milestone in the construction of this quilt.

 

 

 

 

The Dark Forces:  A Guide to Self-Protection, 1000 Magical Herbs and Fungi, Break With a Banshee, and Quidditch Through the Ages.

The Project of Doom, Take Three

I have been quietly working on my third  Project of Doom quilt before my second it finished.  That is the kind of stuff that used to drive my mother crazy! When I was a teenager, I remember her bugging me to finish putting together a sweater I had knit before I started another.  She was all about the finished project.  I am all about the process.  She would be very uncomfortable if she knew how many UFOs and WIPs I have now.  It is a good thing we don't live together anymore!

I have 3 blocks done for POD3.  I'm keeping up with the POD stitch along, and it is pretty easy, except that I have none of the titles on any of these blocks yet.  I'm trying to get all the titles on POD2 done first. 

I rarely have a paper piece fail anymore.  And I'd done this block at least 2 times before.  The pattern was slightly redesigned for this stitch along, and I did the new parts fine.  It was the basic block I messed up.  Here's what it should look like:

 

 

This time, my first mistake was printing out the pattern at the wrong size:  it was about 1/2 an inch smaller than it should have been.  My second mistake was totally missing that little bit of background below the leaning book.  I ended up adding a piece to the top of the block to make it the correct size.

 

It is ironic that I made so many beginner's mistakes.  The hard part of the block, the deathly hallows symbol, came together fine for me.  I then decided that I'd try and make the mirror image of the block.  I had multiple failures with this block, and it took me almost a day and a half to come up with this (which I can't get to turn despite taking multiple pictures and going into picassa web albums):

 

 

Let me just say that if you want to make a mirror image of a paper pieced block, you must CAREFULLY redraw  the pattern, or it will not fit together correctly.  Also, make sure you have enough fabric, just in case you have make a mistake.  I will probably use both blocks in my POD3 quilt.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

More Wild and Goosey

I been working on Wild and Goosey this week.  So far, I've made 65 units, up from 40 last Sunday. Each W&G unit has 13 little pieces, so  there are 845 little scraps in these blocks!  My goal is to sew my scraps into blocks instead of cutting,  sorting and storing them.  My sewing space is particularly messy right now!

 It takes me over an hour to make four W&G units.   I've had a lot of sewing time this week, but I'll be doing some traveling soon, so I won't be able to get as much done.  I'm setting a goal of making 10 W&G units a week.  That seems doable to me.  At that rate, it will take me about 6 months to make enough of these guys for a decent sized quilt.  I'm not sure that is realistic, but we'll see.

I've also been working on the last round of Group A Twilter Round Robin.  I've got the hard part (the designing) done.  Now I just have to execute it.  It needs to go out in mid February, but I'd like to finish it this weekend.  Sorry, I can't post pictures here until it gets back to its owner.

I'm also caught up with the Project of Doom block for this week.  All in all, a great week for sewing!

Scrap In a Box Mystery Quilt

The first clue in Charlotte's Scrap In a Box came out last week.  I've gotten all of the first step done.

 

I don't really need another project in my quilting lineup, but the last mystery from Charlotte turned out so well, I couldn't pass this one up.  Here is last year's mystery, 'Scrapitude'.

 

 

Last year's mystery was made mostly of  batiks.  I gave this quilt to my brother and his new wife as a wedding gift, and they both loved it. Charlotte's mystery quilts are a step down from Bonnie Hunter's in terms of effort and pieces required, but they are just as beautiful!  Last year's clues came out monthly instead of weekly, so keeping up with the quilt was easy.

 

If you are interested in a mystery quilt, here's the link:  http://scrapitudequilts.com/

Stash Report and Wild and Goosey

I have yards used to report this week because my Grand Illusion quilt top is finished.  It feels good to have one of my quilting goals for 2015 already complete.   I also bought 4 fat quarters for Project of Doom.  POD may be my downfall this year as far as buying fabric.  Already this year, I've bought seven and a half yards for POD.  

Used This Week:  6 yards                                                    
Used Year to Date: 6 yards 
Added this week:  1.0 yards 
Added year to date: 11.5 yards
 Net Added:  5.5 yards 

This week I need to work on the next quilt in my round robin even though what I really want to work on is Wild and Goosey.  I've got 40 Wild and Goosey blocks done already.

 

One of the things I like about making them is that it is helping me clean out my unorganized scraps.  I know a lot of quilters spend a lot of time folding their fabric, cutting their scraps, organizing by color.  I don't.  It doesn't bother me to work in a mess.  When I want to sew these blocks, I just dump out some bags of unorganized scraps and start sewing.  I would rather spend my time sewing than organizing lots of little bits and pieces.  Any scrap that makes it into one of these blocks is one less scrap I need to find a home for!

 

 

I never thought I would be addicted to itty bitty paper piecing, but I can't stop making these blocks!

 

To see more scrap reports:  http://www.patchworktimes.com/2015/01/18/fabric-report-week-3-2015/

 

Grand Illusion Quilt Top Done!

I'm happy dancing!  My Grand Illusion top is done at last!  I don't have a place big enough to lay it out and get a good picture, but here it is:

 

 

 

 

Linking up with Sarah:  http://confessionsofafabricaddict.blogspot.com/2015/01/can-i-get-whoop-whoop-time-for-another.html

  Amanda Jean: http://crazymomquilts.blogspot.com/2015/01/a-new-bedroom-floor.html

and Pink Doxies:

http://pinkdoxies.blogspot.com/2015/01/linky-party-pet-project-show.html

 

 

 

 

 

Grand Illusion Progress

Here's what I have done so far on Grand Illusion.

You can't really tell from this picture, but the rows across are all that is sewn.  This is a wild quilt. When I make a Bonnie Hunter mystery, I like to use up odd ball scraps.  This time I had to buy some orange.  The rest of the quilt is from my stash.

 

In my mind, a mystery quilt is a crap shoot.  You don't know what you'll get, and you will like some mystery quilts more than others.  It bothered me to hear unkind criticism of this pattern.  This pattern was a free gift.  How should you react when you open a gift?  You say 'Thank you!'  You don't say 'This really isn't my taste. I'd like another style or color'.  And if you are compelled to say something like that, you don't post it online where the person who has created the pattern and given it to you for free is likely to see it. 

 

  There are kind ways to critique, and there are unkind ways.  One of my child's teachers used to teach, 'three pats and a wish'.  The kids needed to say 3 things they liked before they said the one thing they wished was different.  I think we need to be gentle, especially when we critique something someone has made.

 

To see more design walls:  http://www.patchworktimes.com/2015/01/12/design-wall-january-12-2015/

 

Stash Report and Tokyo Subway Quilt

I bought six fat quarters to use for specific objects and books in my new POD quilt.  I used up a bunch of my white-on-whites and silver-on-whites in my Grand Illusion mystery quilt and need fabric appropriate for Hedwig and the crystal ball. 

 Used This Week:  0 yards                                                    
Used Year to Date: 0yards 
Added this week:  1.5 yards 
Added year to date: 10.5 yards
 Net Added:  10.5 yards

I don't have any pictures of my current work, and I'm out of town today, so I can't get a picture of what I've been working on.  But I try to put some sort of picture in every post, so here's my Tokyo Subway quilt.  I finished it in 2011, but forgot to get a picture before I gave it away. 

I've seen some discussion about quilters making quilts that aren't appreciated by their recipients.  If you want to make sure your quilt is loved, give it to another quilter.  My friend cried when I gave her this quilt.  And when she left the country a year ago on vacation, she brought me her heirloom jewelry and gave me the quilt back to keep for her while she was gone. 

To see more stash reports:  http://www.patchworktimes.com/2015/01/11/fabric-report-week-2-2015/

POD Block

I finished the embroidery on another POD block tonight.  In case you can't tell, that red object is a phoenix feather.

 

Broken Balls: When Fortune Turns Foul; Advanced Potion-Making; Dragon Breeding for Pleasure and Profit; Little People, Big Plans;  Advanced Rune Translation

 

Just one more block in the body of the bookshelf to go.  Then I need to work on the objects that sit on top of the bookshelf.  The end is in sight!  In 2 days, we start the POD sew along.

 

 

Adding to the New Year's Goals

When I made my New Year's goals list a couple of days ago, I totally forgot about a few things.  In addition to the following list and the 2 quilts for my brother's kids,  I need to add the next mystery quilt by Charlotte.  That one is already cut out.  I'd also like to make a quilt for my oldest son. He is using a loaner of mine that I'd like to get back someday. I also have one obligation project, a quilting round robin that needs to be mailed out in February.

1.  Finish Gypsy Wife
2. Finish Carolina Christmas
3. Finish Grand Illusion
4. Finish POD2
5. Finish one recycled fabric quilt
6. Continue working on Wild and Goosey
7. Start Turkey Tracks quilt
8.  Keep up with POD3
9. Optional:  another One Block Wonder quilt

That's a lot of quilting.  Maybe this should be my list for the next 18 months!

Grand Illusion Progress

I've gotten all the blocks together for Grand Illusion.

 

Here's a close up of my fabrics.  My GI is going to be super busy, and unlike a lot of GI quilts I've seen, I'm not going to do anything to calm it down.  My sashing is orange!

 

To see more GIs:  http://quiltville.blogspot.com/2015/01/mystery-monday-link-up-part-6.html

 

To see other design walls: http://www.patchworktimes.com/2015/01/05/design-wall-january-5-2015/

Stash Report and New Year's Goals

I ordered 9 yards of fabric last week, and it arrived after my last stash report of 2014.  I got background fabric for my next Project of Doom quilt.  I don't really need another POD quilt, but I can't pass up a Harry Potter sew along.  I think they are doing one block a week but can't remember the details.  Here's my background: 

 

I like the black background I've been using on POD2, but it has presented some problems since it is so dark.  I think dark items like the witch's hat and Harry's glasses will show up on this new background. 

 

I also bought some yellow and orange fabrics because I'm always running out of them.  At $5 and $3.5 a yard, I couldn't pass them up!

 

 

Used This Week:  0 yards                                                    
Used Year to Date: 0yards 
Added this week:  9 yards 
Added year to date: 9 yards
 Net Added:  9 yards

To see other stash reports:  http://www.patchworktimes.com/2015/01/04/fabric-report-week-1-2015/

I've thought about New Year's quilting resolutions, but instead of resolutions, I'm just going to set some goals.
1.  Finish Gypsy Wife
2. Finish Carolina Christmas
3. Finish Grand Illusion
4. Finish POD2
5. Finish one recycled fabric quilt
6. Continue working on Wild and Goosey
7. Start Turkey Tracks quilt
8.  Keep up with POD3
9. Optional:  another WBW quilt

By 'finish', I mean finish sewing the tops together.  If they all get quilted this year, it probably means I've won the lottery.  I don't quilt my own tops. It isn't something I enjoy, so I don't do it.

If my brother adopts two more kids, I will need to make them each a quilt too.

I have 2 big cross stich projects that have stalled out (Sleepy Hollow and VS Gingerbread House).  I would like to get at least one of them done.  That's probably overly ambitious, but let's just see how it goes. 

I want to increase my baseline steps from 10,000 a day to 10,500.  That should not be a big deal because I usually get 11,000-13,000 steps a day.  But it is hard to do in the winter, so I'll need to more aware of my activity level. 

I also want to break even this year with my fabric in vs. fabric out.  If I get all those tops put together, I'll probably be ok.