Category Archives: Moon Glow

05

Jun. ’16

Stash Report – Week 23, 2016

Moon Glow On the frame 6/5/2016

Moon Glow
On the frame
6/5/2016

I’ve been diligently working on Moon Glow a bit every afternoon after work.  Some days it goes by fast and I think, “hey, I’m getting the hang of this… I can do quite a few more quilts on this machine!”  Then other days, Bailey is unhappy with me for whatever reason and thread nests and other issues occur.  I just have to walk away from the frame and come back the next afternoon.  Of course, I have to run through my quality checks:

  1. remove and replace the bobbin, and if that doesn’t fix it
  2. rethread the machine, and if that doesn’t fix it
  3. remove the bobbin, swipe around the inside and get as much of the dust as possible, and if that doesn’t fix it
  4. check the tension, and if that doesn’t fix it
  5. as a last resort, change the needle.

I have about 3 passes left to do and I’m done quilting the inner part.  Like I usually do, I’ll save the border for my domestic.  I’ve gotten comfortable with doing it this way and it’s mainly because I’m more comfortable with my little Bernina than I am with quilting small spaces with the Bailey.   I’ve got 9 days to get this quilted before we leave for Florida.  Wish me luck!

And now for the numbers:

For the fabric stash:

I bought fabric.  I went into my LQS looking for something and not finding it.  But I was at the shop so I couldn’t not buy anything.  I ended up going home with 3.5 yards. 🙂

  • Used this week: 0 yards
  • Used year to date: 34 yards
  • Added this week: 3.5 yards
  • Added year to Date: 23.50 yards
  • Net USED for 2016: 10.50 yards

For the Budget:

Since I bought fabric, you know that means I added to my “spent” numbers…

Spent this week: $32.96

Spent year to date: $3297.01

For the yarn stash:

OMG I forgot that since I finished the Rosie hat last week I can add to my used yarn for the year!  Here are the numbers now.

Used this week: 300 yards

Used year to date: 300 yards

Added this week: 0 yards

Added year to date: 0 yards

Net Used for 2016: 300 yards

And for Slow Stitching Sunday with Kathy at Kathy Quilts, I plan to work on A Rainbow Garden again today!  Here’s what it looked like last week:

A Rainbow Garden Block 5 put the flowers back onto the block until next time... 5/29/2016

put the flowers back onto the block until next time… 5/29/2016

All of those pieces are not applique’d down.  They are nicely laid out and when I’m done working with the project, I roll it all up and hope that nothing moves too bad.  They will always move a little but as long as I don’t lose any pieces, I’m okay with it.  Here is where I am at now:

A Rainbow Garden Block 5 unfinished 6/5/2016

A Rainbow Garden
Block 5

I started with the big flower’s inner center and I really wanted to use a blanket stitch for the flower’s centers.  I had to rewatch tutorials on youtube to remember how it goes.

A Rainbow Garden Block 5 unfinished 6/5/2016

A Rainbow Garden
Block 5

I was enjoying the hand work so much that I did the next inner circle:

A Rainbow Garden Block 5 unfinished 6/5/2016

A Rainbow Garden
Block 5

Then I kept messing up towards the end of my stitchery that I decided I should stop while I was still feeling good.

A Rainbow Garden Block 5 unfinished 6/5/2016

A Rainbow Garden
Block 5
unfinished
6/5/2016

I plan to take this with me to Florida so I may not actually work anymore on this until then.  I need to concentrate on prepping projects to take with me.  My goal would be to get this block finished while I’m away.

Until next time…

 

 

see more stash reports atPatchwork Times and hand projects at Slow Sunday Stitching and Quilting is more fun than Housework

~Have a quilty week!

Melanie

 

Posted by . Categories: A Rainbow Garden, Moon Glow, Quilting. Tags: , , , , , , . 16 Comments

29

May. ’16

Stash Report – Week 22, 2016

First the numbers:

Last week I used up 2 yards of fabric to make a practice sandwich, load it onto the quilt frame, and practice quilting to resolve any tension, thread issues on Bailey.  I forgot to add it to the “used” numbers.  I plan to bury the thread and bind it to use as a lap quilt while watching TV or something.  In addition, I gave 5 purple fat quarters at the Valley Modern Quilt Guild meeting last Monday.  For every fat quarter we bring, we get a ticket and then a ticket is drawn and the winner gets all the fat quarters.  Did I win? Nope so I get to add to my used numbers. 🙂

For the fabric stash:

  • Used this week: 3.25 yards
  • Used year to date: 34 yards
  • Added this week: 0 yards
  • Added year to Date: 20 yards
  • Net USED for 2016: 14 yards

For the Budget:

Nothing purchased this week!  woohoo!

Spent this week: $0.00

Spent year to date: $3264.05

For the yarn stash:

Used this week: 0 yards

Used year to date: 0 yards

Added this week: 0 yards

Added year to date: 0 yards

Net for 2016: 0 yards

And for Slow Stitching Sunday with Kathy at Kathy Quilts, I plan to work on A Rainbow Garden again today!  So I took a break from this project a bit.  After I finished block 4, I prepped block 5 by tracing all the parts onto freezer paper, pressing them onto the fabric and cutting all the fabric to make all the pieces.  Then 2 weeks went by.  This week, I really enjoyed getting back to the project and hand applique’ing the bits.  I didn’t follow the instructions though.

A Rainbow Garden Block 5 All pieces laid out, nothing applique'd 5/29/2016

A Rainbow Garden
Block 5
All pieces laid out, nothing applique’d
5/29/2016

The first thing I was supposed to do is applique down the stem.  Instead, I decided to start with the top pieces and applique them to their parts.  So I started with the little flowers.

A Rainbow Garden Block 5 Flower #1 pull the needle up from the center 5/29/2016

pull the needle up from the center

 

A Rainbow Garden Block 5 Flower #1 take the needle to any side and go down 5/29/2016

take the needle to any side and go down

 

A Rainbow Garden Block 5 Flower #1 I finished 1... 5/29/2016

I finished 1…

 

A Rainbow Garden Block 5 Flower #1 then 2... 5/29/2016

then 2…

 

A Rainbow Garden Block 5 Flower #1 and next thing I know, all 6 flower buds were done. 5/29/2016

and next thing I know, all 6 flower buds were done.

 

A Rainbow Garden Block 5 put the flowers back onto the block until next time... 5/29/2016

put the flowers back onto the block until next time…

I really am enjoying my handwork at the moment.

 

 

see more stash reports atPatchwork Times and hand projects at Slow Sunday Stitching and Quilting is more fun than Housework

~Have a quilty week!

Melanie

 

Posted by . Categories: A Rainbow Garden, Moon Glow, Quilting. Tags: , , , , , , . 18 Comments

22

May. ’16

Stash Report – Week 21, 2016

Moon Glow Finally loaded on the quilt frame 5/21/2016

Moon Glow
Finally loaded on the quilt frame
5/21/2016

Okay so I decided to get over myself and quilt Moon Glow. I’m using Superior Thread’s Fantastico’s #5122 for the top thread and Superior’s Bottom Line to quilt it.  For the batting, I’m using Hobbs 80/20 blend. Not by choice really.  Did you know that you can only get black batting as a blend? Anyway, I quilted a practice sandwich last night to test my thread and my tension since I was having problems with this thread on a previous quilt.  And I was able to get things working.  I do not have the control I want on my Bailey to quilt this the way I really want to quilt it but I decided that done is better than perfect.  I do not know when/if I’ll ever get to that perfect state but I am done waiting.  I was intending to go to the sewing machine place to rent out the Bernina long arm but I can only long arm a bit at a time so it was stressing me out to have to get this on a frame and quilted within a certain time slot.  So here I am finally.  Moon Glow is on the frame and I’ll be working on quilting this.

In the meantime, nothing used and nothing added.

For the fabric stash:

  • Used this week: 0 yards
  • Used year to date: 30.75 yards
  • Added this week: 4 yards
  • Added year to Date: 20 yards
  • Net USED for 2016: 10.75 yards

For the Budget:

Nothing purchased this week!  woohoo!

Spent this week: $0.00

Spent year to date: $3264.05

For the yarn stash:

Used this week: 0 yards

Used year to date: 0 yards

Added this week: 0 yards

Added year to date: 0 yards

Net for 2016: 0 yards

And for Slow Stitching Sunday with Kathy at Kathy Quilts, I plan to work on A Rainbow Garden again today!  All I have is a picture of block 4 from 2 weeks ago.

A Rainbow Garden Block 4 5/8/2016

A Rainbow Garden
Block 4
5/8/2016

Block 5 is all ready to go and I plan to start stitching the pieces down today.

 

see more stash reports atPatchwork Times and hand projects at Slow Sunday Stitching and Quilting is more fun than Housework

~Have a quilty week!

Melanie

 

Posted by . Categories: A Rainbow Garden, Moon Glow, Quilting. Tags: , , , , , , . 12 Comments

24

Oct. ’15

Weekend Line Up

Razzle has been the project of the week and I finished piecing the last strip of white corduroy onto the parts I’m putting together.

Razzle Strips 25 done

Razzle
Strips
25 done

Well, I do not have enough of these finished strips.  I need about 50 and I’m about 10 shy of 50.  I kept thinking that I must have counted wrong and triple counted everything over again.  And each time, I ended up with 40 completed strips.  I have about 10 half way done.  There was not enough white corduroy included in the kit originally.

Razzle Strips 10/20/15

Razzle
Strips
10/20/15

Thank goodness that I have the ability to order online and get another yard of white corduroy.  And I discovered this issue at the end of the week, so I can jump on Project #4 a day early and leave Razzle for next month.

The plan for today is to applique the next piece for Raining Cats and Dogs.

Raining Cats and Dogs Block 7 Upper part marked up 10/18/2015

Raining Cats and Dogs
Block 7
Upper part marked up
10/18/2015

Pack up Razzle, update my project page so I remember where I left off for next month.

And pull out Missing Ivy to work on this week.

Design Wall Monday November 25, 2013

Design Wall Monday
November 25, 2013

Yes, the last time I worked on this was in 2013.  Remember I’m pulling out old UFOs and getting them going again.  I also have Bailey out of the garage and in my living room.  I’m having some technical difficulties on it so I’m not going to do anything with it today.  But I hope to have some time to try to get it to work again tomorrow.  I spent all afternoon on it yesterday and I really want to work with fabric so I’ll be putting off machine work until tomorrow. 🙂

Project Rotation:

  1. backing for Moon Glow / borders for Hampton Ridge
  2. Block A in for Celtic Solstice
  3. Razzle
  4. Missing Ivy

Happy quilting friends! 🙂

~Melanie

Posted by . Categories: Hampton Ridge, Moon Glow, Quilting, Raining Cats and Dogs, razzle. Tags: , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

13

Sep. ’15

Stash Report – Week 37, 2015

Moon Glow Finished top! 9/13/15

Moon Glow
Finished top!
9/13/15

I finished the top for Moon Glow yesterday!  I count these small finishes so I can celebrate the small stuff.  I did add yardage though.  My LQS had a Labor Day sale last Monday and knowing that I needed backing for Moon Glow and soon Hampton Ridge, I bought 17 yards of fabric on sale.  So my net added for the year is 39.58.  I’m not sad or frustrated or angry with the numbers being what they are though… I remind myself that last year at this time I was +60 yards and in 2013 I was +125 yards.  So even though I’m up, my progression from year to year sees me adding less and less.

With all the yardage I’ve added and the scraps I’ve got, I’m really excited that Charlotte announced the cutting instructions for the next Scrapitude – “Scrappy Stars Around the Corner”.  Here’s a link to her blog…  It’s a lot of cutting but I think it’s a great way to reduce the amount of scraps I’ve got hanging around.  First clue is released in January so there is plenty of time to get the cutting done.

‘Used this week: -7 yards

Used year to Date: -47 yards
Added this week: 17 yards
Added Year to Date: 87.08 yards
Net Added for 2015: 39.58 yards

see more stash reports atPatchwork Times

~Have a quilty week!

Melanie

Posted by . Categories: Moon Glow, Quilting. Tags: , . 6 Comments

12

Sep. ’15

Saturday Musings

So I’m getting to the end of my quilt list for 2015.  At the beginning of the year that list was:

Flowers and Baskets was completed.  Scrapitude and Tell It To the Stars are in queue to be quilted.  Moon Glow will be joining the queue this weekend.  That leaves

Hampton Ridge is very close to being done and Raining Cats and Dogs is a hand project.  And I’m working on the last block for that so that will soon be in the finishing stages too.  That leaves

I have to be honest and say that I’m not thrilled with the last two.  I enjoyed working on the mysteries while it was going on but after the reveal, I didn’t like them.  Although Celtic Solstice has grown on me.  Maybe it’s because I’ve got a lot of those little pieces done.  I don’t know. Anyway, I went through some of my project bins and in the mind of simplifying my life got rid of some of the miscellaneous projects that have accumulated.  Most of them were small projects that were given to me for free somewhere.  I’m never going to work on them so I got rid of them.  I think Grand Illusions will be going that way as well.  I’ve still kept them all together because I did finish 1 or 2 steps.  But I’m revamping my list and Grand Illusions is moving down.  And since I haven’t loved the last two Bonnie Hunter mysteries, I’m not sure I’ll be playing along this year.  I enjoy playing – it’s just a lot of work for something I may not end up liking.  Here’s the new list:

A lot of these still do not even have their own pages yet.  ;0  They were mentioned in blog posts but I never set up the pages.  My excitement is mounting but I think I’m getting the urge to quilt.  The plan is to get the Moon Glow done.  Spend some time with Raining Cats and Dogs and then… bring in bailey from the garage.  I’ll have to practice some, trim down the batting and backing for Tell It To The Stars and then if I feel good, get that baby on the frame to be quilted.

Happy Quilting friends!

~Melanie

Posted by . Categories: 2015 Goals, A Rainbow Garden, Grandmother's Flower Garden, Hampton Ridge, Moon Glow, Quilting, Raining Cats and Dogs, Tell It To The Stars. Tags: , , . 3 Comments

11

Sep. ’15

TGIF, 9/11/2015

Moon Glow with 2 borders on 9/11/2015

Moon Glow
with 2 borders on
9/11/2015

Despite being laid up this week I was able to get 2 borders on.  The plan is to get the last 2 borders on this weekend.   And hopefully I’ll be able to miter the corners and have the quilt top finished!

Moon Glow Strewn about on the floor 9/11/2015

Moon Glow
Strewn about on the floor
9/11/2015

Afterwards, I’ll set it aside and work on Raining Cats and Dogs!  I’m not sure if I’ll take Moon Glow out again or if I’ll work on something else but here is the next few steps left for Moon Glow:

  1. Measure the top
  2. Determine how much backing I need and measure the backing fabric I have to see if it is enough.
  3. Embroider the label
  4. Piece the back
  5. Set the top and back aside for quilting. It is now the third quilt ready for quilting. :0
  6. Clear up the bits and pieces of leftover fabric and put it in the various scrap bins I’ve set up for my new scrap system.

If I’ve got time, the next project on my list is Hampton Ridge. So far, I’m being a monogamous quilter; working on one project at a time.  Part of it has to do with my space.  The other part has to do with the part of the project I’m working on.  I was on the border part for Moon Glow.  I had to finish that step before I moved on to another project.  I’m sure when I get to piecing things again, I’ll be able to work on a different project every weekend. 🙂  If I remember correctly (and I might be wrong) I’ve got the rows pieced for Hampton Ridge.  I need to piece the rows together to finish the inner top and then get the border on.  And then get the back together for it.  Then this will be 4th in line for quilting.  ;0

Linking with –

WIPs Be Gone

Fort Worth Fabric Studio

Happy Quilting Friends!

Melanie

Posted by . Categories: Hampton Ridge, Moon Glow, Quilting. Tags: , , , , . 8 Comments

09

Sep. ’15

WIP Wednesday – 9/9/2015

Soaking my feet 9/8/15

Soaking my feet
9/8/15

After a day of on and off icing, I dipped my feet in the pool.  It’s nice to have a pool to dip into.  I’m very grateful.

IMG_7933

But here’s where I am on Moon Glow.  The borders are done and all I have to do next is attach them to the top.  Then I have miter the corners.  Not sure if I’ll be able to get to it anytime soon.  I’m gingerly walking around and I’m not in the mood to do so in the sewing room.  Well, I’m working from home as I recuperate and when I’m done working – I have to leave this room.  My sewing room doubles as an office. A few days off will not hurt in the overall scheme of things.

Hey – something cool happened.  The girl asked for her sewing machine so she can randomly sew when she gets the urge.  I was thrilled.  She isn’t interested in actually doing anything – she really doesn’t have time.  She just wants to sew pieces of fabric together whenever she feels the need to relax. I wonder where she gets that from?  I have my bin of scraps (really small scraps) and I’ve given her free reign to piece them together.  I have been known to do the same when I’m bored with current projects and I don’t want to start anything new.  Anyway, now I just need to get the hubby to put one of the furniture pieces that was relegated to the garage because we weren’t sure where to put it and move it into the girl’s room.  Then I can take her little Bernette out for her to play with at her leisure.  She learned how to make pillowcases over the summer.  Maybe we can re-visit how to do it and maybe she’ll want to make more.  Maybe she’ll want to make some for Christmas gifts…. 🙂

See more WIPs at … WIP Wednesday at Freshly Pieced

~Here’s to a great week!

Melanie

Posted by . Categories: Moon Glow, Quilting, WIP Wednesday. Tags: , . 7 Comments

07

Sep. ’15

Monday Madness – 09/7/2015

Happy Labor Day!

My design wall is still not up but I’m hoping that that will change today.  The hubby needs something for the project.

I continue to work on Moon Glow and I’ve made some progress since last week…

  1. Piece the strips (of the same fabric) together – DONE
  2. Cut each strip into 4 equal strips – DONE
  3. Piece fabric #1 with fabric #2 to create piece A – DONE
    • repeat for fabric #3 and fabric #4 to create piece B – DONE
    • repeat for fabric #5 and fabric #6 to create piece C – DONE

…. EXCERPT.. I spent Sunday pressing the strips, next I have to pin before piecing the next set…

Moon Glow From Left to Right Strip #7 Part C Part B Part A

Moon Glow
From Left to Right
Strip #7
Part C
Part B
Part A

  1. Piece A +B to create piece D
    • repeat for C and fabric #7 for piece E
  2. Piece D+E for 4 sets of borders
  3. Then connect top and bottom
  4. connect right and left
  5. finally, miter the corners

Last time I linked to BOM Away Monday was last June.  Since then here’s a quick update on the projects I highlighted on that post.

Row by Row experience – have not done anything with it.  The kits are in a box in my sewing room and I will get to it one of these days.

Here’s a quick update on my top 4:

Scrapitude – This is ready to be quilted.  I think I need batting but I’ll work on that once Bailey is in the living room and Tell It to The Stars is quilted.

Tell It To The Stars – This is ready to be quilted to.  I’ve got everything!  I just need to trim down the batting and backing and get it on the quilt frame.  Of course, I need to get Bailey and the quilt frame into my living room.

Moon Glow – Working on getting the borders on now.

Hampton Ridge – This is still in my project bag.  I believe the rows are done and all I have to do is piece the rows together.  Then I’ve got to get the border on.  I’m not sure though and will figure it out when I’m ready to take this project out.  With the way my sewing room is set up currently, I can only have 1 project out at a time.  But I think this will wait until the final block for Raining Cats and Dogs is finished.  I want to work on that once the borders for Moon Glow is complete.

Check out more finished BOMs at  and design walls at Patchworktimes.com and Cooking Up Quilts

Have a great week!

~Melanie

Posted by . Categories: Design Wall, Hampton Ridge, Moon Glow, Quilting, Raining Cats and Dogs, Tell It To The Stars. Tags: , , , , , , , . 6 Comments