My Bernina is in the shop so I have a few options to play with.  I would like to play with the Brother but I still need to get a quarter inch foot.  I could borrow the girl’s Bernette but it too doesn’t have a quarter inch foot.  I think I’ll pull out the featherweight.  I bought a quarter inch foot at the last Road and haven’t had a chance to attach it.  I’m not sure what I’ll be working on today but here’s my short list for this week:

• Moon Glow … finish quilting the last two borders.  Maybe prep the label on the Brother.
• knit the purple socks
• A Rainbow Garden … Get the final two stems applique’d on.
• Spooky Halloween … figure out where I left off from when I went on vacation and get as much as I can done before the next pick up on Thursday.
• Missing Ivy  … finish putting the rows together to complete the inner top.
• Raining Cats and Dogs … hand quilt again.  I missed it while I was away.
• Cross Stitch – Welcome project – go to the shop and find the floss I need to finish the embroidery.  For Bukid, finish the third row…
• Celtic Solstice – Continue to work on Block B as leaders and enders.

Okay the list isn’t short but each item on the list is just a small part of a larger whole.  Each small part is doable.  It is the first week of the new quarter so I’m anticipating work to take up more time than normal.

In the meantime, here’s a look at where I left off on Missing Ivy:

Missing Ivy
Step 11 – unfinished
More parts of rows pieced together
6/6/2016

I’m looking forward to a great week!

Check out more at  and  and  and  and   and 

Have a great week!

~Melanie

Missing Ivy
Step 11 – unfinished
More parts of rows pieced together
6/6/2016

Same picture as last week!  Sorry friends… I actually have all the rows done but I didn’t get a chance to take a picture.  Today was uncharacteristically overcast in Southern CA.  I wanted to start piecing the rows together but I’m frantically trying to get Moon Glow quilted so this is what I’ve looked at all day yesterday:

Quilting the borders of
Moon Glow
6/14/2016

I’m almost done with 2 borders.  I have today and tomorrow and hopefully I’m able to finish it up before I leave.  I am planning on taking my domestic in for servicing while I’m gone so I’ll need to finish up early on Tuesday.

I did try to get Missing Ivy pieced together.  While the Bernina was set up in FMQ mode I pulled out my embroidery machine and took off the embroidery part.  I haven’t ever used the brother as a regular sewing machine so I had to retrieve all the parts from their hiding place.  I got everything put together and realized that I don’t have a 1/4″ foot.  I can’t piece without that!  I set it aside and made a note to get myself one.  I think I need to play with this machine more now that I’ve got it set up to play with.

Last week’s to do list:

• Raining Cats and Dogs … continue to hand quilt an arm length of thread when I can.  I won’t hold myself to the daily work on this.  I’d be happy if I touch this once or twice. … done twice! 
• Cross Stitch – Bukid, finish the second row of the 1st page and start the third row! … done… 
• Missing Ivy – Step 11 – do the last stick of each row so that it’s ready to piece the rows together. … done… 
• Celtic Solstice – Continue to work on Block B as leaders and enders. … done… 
• Spooky Halloween –
  • Row 1, block 4 – machine applique, decide what will be hand done and prep it for hand work. … done… 
  • Row 2 – cut the fabric for all the blocks, piece all the parts that can be pieced, and prep it for hand work. … done…

Wow!  I got everything done last week.  It’s good to set small realistic goals.

This week’s to do list:

• Moon Glow … finish quilting the border.
• Turn in the Bernina for servicing
• knit the purple socks
• A Rainbow Garden … finish applique’ing the leaves
• Spooky Halloween … finish applique’ing block 2

I’m looking forward to a great week!

Check out more at  and  and  and  and   and 

Have a great week!

~Melanie

Missing Ivy
Step 11 – unfinished
More parts of rows pieced together
6/6/2016

Last week’s to do list:

• Raining Cats and Dogs … continue to hand quilt an arm length of thread every day. … I pieced 6 days last week!  It was awesome and I’m truly enjoying the hand quilting.  This wasn’t the case with my first quilt when I first tried hand quilting.  I think when I tried it then I wanted the quilt to just be done and you can’t rush hand quilting if you mean to enjoy it.  I’m glad I decided to do hand quilting with this project.  
• Hand work – Work a bit on A Rainbow Garden …done… 
• Knit – watch the first lesson of the sock class on Craftsy and cast on my first sock. … done… 
  

  My first socks
  5/31/2016

• Cross Stitch – For the Welcome project finish the embroidery on the right border and for Bukid, finish the second row of the 1st page! … I was able to get of this project done.  I’m still working on both tasks but I’m closer to finishing it. 
• Moon Glow … continue to quilt this every day …done…
• Missing Ivy – Step 11 – finish piecing the rows together. … still working on this. I pieced a stitch into each row so 2 rows are done but the 3 middle rows still need another stitch to finish them off.  
• Celtic Solstice – Continue to work on Block B as leaders and enders. … done
• Spooky Halloween – Row, Block 2 – finish the applique and the embroidery.  Block 3 – finish piecing. Block 4 – piece the background, and do the applique.
  • … Block 2… applique is done and I’m finishing up the embroidery.  I needed a different color that I didn’t have for the eyes so I purchased some from hawthorne threads in the weight I wanted. I plan to take this with me to Florida so I will not be working on this again until then. 
  • Block 3 – done! yay!
  • Block 4 – the background is pieced, I need to do the machine applique, decide what will be hand done and prep that for hand work. 
• Provence BOM – Block 10 …done…

This week’s to do list will be very short as I’ve got a lot to do for work and just getting ready for vacation:

• Raining Cats and Dogs … continue to hand quilt an arm length of thread when I can.  I won’t hold myself to the daily work on this.  I’d be happy if I touch this once or twice.
• Cross Stitch – Bukid, finish the second row of the 1st page and start the third row!
• Missing Ivy – Step 11 – do the last stick of each row so that it’s ready to piece the rows together.
• Celtic Solstice – Continue to work on Block B as leaders and enders.
• Spooky Halloween –
  • Row 1, block 4 – machine applique, decide what will be hand done and prep it for hand work.
  • Row 2 – cut the fabric for all the blocks, piece all the parts that can be pieced, and prep it for hand work.

I’m looking forward to a great week!

Check out more at  and  and  and  and   and 

Have a great week!

~Melanie

Design floor Monday
5/30/2016

Last week’s to do list:

1. Raining Cats and Dogs … hand quilt an arm length of thread every day… done.  I was able to do this 5 days out of the week!  woohoo.  
2. Hand work – Work a bit on A Rainbow Garden… done
3. Knit – Pick a new project, pick the yarn, read through the materials/pattern, and assuming it’s a craftsy class.  Start watching the lessons. … done… I’m going to do some sock knitting.  I’ve never knitted a sock but I have a sock class on Craftsy and I’ve been meaning to learn.  
4. Cross Stitch – For the Welcome project finish the embroidery on the right border and for Bukid, finish the second row of the 1st page! … not done.  I have embroidered and I’m working on this a bit at a time so I’m okay with not actually finishing the embroidery on the right border on the Welcome project or finishing the second row of Bukid.  I’m just happy to get a bit done every week. 🙂 
5. Moon Glow – This is now on the frame and I would just like to do a row of quilting every day… I’m quilting a bit on this but not every day like I planned.  This is okay because I just do not have the time to do it every day.  Again, I’m happy to be getting bits done at a time. 🙂 
6. Missing Ivy – Step 11, which is piecing the inner top together. … not done.  But I pieced pairs together. 

   1. 

      Missing Ivy
      Step 11 – unfinished
      I was able to sew pairs together.
      5/30/2016

7. Celtic Solstice – put together pieces of Block B as leaders and enders between working on Missing Ivy. … done… continuing to work on these as leaders and enders. 
8. Spooky Halloween – Row 1, Block 1 – Finish applique’ing the hexis onto the background and applique the bat. … done… I finished block 1 before my last post and I just didn’t update this properly. I got block 1 and block 5 finished this last week and I’m working on 2, 3, and 4 this week.  2 is almost done.  I have a bit of applique and embroidery to do.  I have piecing left for block 3 and block 4 needs to be completely worked on. 
9. Provence BOM – Block 10 … not done… 

This week’s to do list:

1. Raining Cats and Dogs … continue to hand quilt an arm length of thread every day.
2. Hand work – Work a bit on A Rainbow Garden
3. Knit – watch the first lesson of the sock class on Craftsy and cast on my first sock.
4. Cross Stitch – For the Welcome project finish the embroidery on the right border and for Bukid, finish the second row of the 1st page!
5. Moon Glow … continue to quilt this every day.
6. Missing Ivy – Step 11 – finish piecing the rows together.
7. Celtic Solstice – Continue to work on Block B as leaders and enders.
8. Spooky Halloween – Row, Block 2 – finish the applique and the embroidery.  Block 3 – finish piecing. Block 4 – piece the background, and do the applique.
9. Provence BOM – Block 10

I’m looking forward to a great week!

Check out more at  and  and  and  and   and 

Have a great week!

~Melanie

Happy Monday!  On to our to do list for the week!

Last week’s to do list:

1. Raining Cats and Dogs … start hand quilting! 🙂
   1. 

      Raining Cats and Dogs
      Hand Quilting
      May 23, 2016

      … done… and I don’t know why it took me so long to get started.  I’m enjoying it and my new goal is to quilt one arm length of thread every day.  

2. Hand work – Work a bit on A Rainbow Garden … not done
3. Knit – keep working on the Rosie Hat … done and it’s finished!  I’ll post a pic as soon as I can.  
4. Cross Stitch – work on the embroidery for the top border and the second row of the 1st page of Farmland! … the top border of the Welcome project is done and I’m not working on the right border.  I didn’t get the second row done, I was able to get a bit of it worked one and I will continue to try to get it done this week. 
5. Moon Glow – Check with my local sewing machine store about renting out their long arm. … decided to not do this and quilt on my Bailey. 
6. Missing Ivy – Step 11, which is piecing the inner top together. … didn’t get this done. I discovered I made a mistake on Step 10 and I’m debating internally whether to fix it or live with it.  
7. Celtic Solstice – put together pieces of Block B as leaders and enders between working on Missing Ivy … not done… I didn’t touch the machine this week as I’ve been working a lot on hand projects. 
8. Spooky Halloween – Row 1, Block 1 – Finish applique’ing the hexis onto the background and applique the bat. …done… to be featured on my next TGIF post! 🙂 

This week’s to do list:

1. Raining Cats and Dogs … hand quilt an arm length of thread every day.
2. Hand work – Work a bit on A Rainbow Garden
3. Knit – Pick a new project, pick the yarn, read through the materials/pattern, and assuming it’s a craftsy class.  Start watching the lessons.
4. Cross Stitch – For the Welcome project finish the embroidery on the right border and for Bukid, finish the second row of the 1st page!
5. Moon Glow – This is now on the frame and I would just like to do a row of quilting every day.
6. Missing Ivy – Step 11, which is piecing the inner top together. Yay
7. Celtic Solstice – put together pieces of Block B as leaders and enders between working on Missing Ivy
8. Spooky Halloween – Row 1, Block 1 – Finish applique’ing the hexis onto the background and applique the bat.
9. Provence BOM – Block 10

I’m looking forward to a great week!

Check out more at  and  and  and  and   and 

Have a great week!

~Melanie

Spooky Halloween
Row 1, Block 1
Still in progress
5/16/2016

I’m still working on the first block for Spooky Halloween.  My goal was to get a block a week done to stay on track and so now I’m behind.  But, I’m okay to let that goal slide.  I really want to enjoy the process of making this project so I’m okay with being behind here. I have half of the hexi’s appliqued on to the background.  I still need to finish that and applique the bat in the left corner.

Last week’s to do list:

1. Raining Cats and Dogs … start hand quilting! 🙂 … not done
2. Hand work – Work a bit on A Rainbow Garden … done
3. Knit – keep working on the Rosie Hat … done
4. Cross Stitch – work on the embroidery for the top border and the second row of the 1st page of Farmland! … done in that I was able to work a bit on this project.  not done in that I didn’t finish the second row.  I’m okay with that. 🙂
5. Moon Glow – Check with my local sewing machine store about renting out their long arm. … not done
6. Missing Ivy – Step 11, which is piecing the inner top together. Yay! 🙂 … not done
7. Celtic Solstice – put together pieces of Block B as leaders and enders between working on Missing Ivy … not done
8. Spooky Halloween – Row 1, Block 1 – I got some of the hexis done.  I still need to finish 2 hexis and then applique it onto the background and finish it up with an applique’d bat. … not done… 

This week’s to do list:

1. Raining Cats and Dogs … start hand quilting! 🙂
2. Hand work – Work a bit on A Rainbow Garden
3. Knit – keep working on the Rosie Hat
4. Cross Stitch – work on the embroidery for the top border and the second row of the 1st page of Farmland!
5. Moon Glow – Check with my local sewing machine store about renting out their long arm.
6. Missing Ivy – Step 11, which is piecing the inner top together. Yay! 🙂
7. Celtic Solstice – put together pieces of Block B as leaders and enders between working on Missing Ivy
8. Spooky Halloween – Row 1, Block 1 – Finish applique’ing the hexis onto the background and applique the bat.

I’m looking forward to a great week!

Check out more at  and  and  and  and   and 

Have a great week!

~Melanie

Spooky Halloween
Row 1, Block 1
In progress
5/9/2016

I started working on the first block of Spooky Halloween.  First, I cut the fabric and hand pieced the hexis together.  I have 2 hexis left to piece.  Then I’ll applique them onto the background fabric.  I would really like to get this block done this week.  The blocks will be 6.5″ unfinished.  My goal for this project is to finish a block each week. Since there are 5 blocks per row, I’d like to get 2 done in one of the weeks.

Last week’s to do list:

1. Raining Cats and Dogs … Finish the machine quilting on this on my domestic and get going on hand quilting this baby… done
2. Hand work – Work a bit on A Rainbow Garden …  done
3. Knit – keep working on the Rosie Hat … not done
4. Cross Stitch – work on the embroidery for the top border and the first row of the 1st page of Farmland! …  done
5. Moon Glow – I don’t think I’ll be working on this this week. I want to focus on Raining Cats and Dogs, so I’ll probably skip this this week … not done
6. Missing Ivy – Same – I want to focus on Raining Cats and Dogs so I’ll skip this this week … I actually worked a bit on this this weekend and finished step 10
7. Celtic Solstice – Same – I want to focus on Raining Cats and Dogs so I’ll skip this this week … I pieced together some bits… 

This week’s to do list:

1. Raining Cats and Dogs … start hand quilting! 🙂
2. Hand work – Work a bit on A Rainbow Garden
3. Knit – keep working on the Rosie Hat
4. Cross Stitch – work on the embroidery for the top border and the second row of the 1st page of Farmland!
5. Moon Glow – Check with my local sewing machine store about renting out their long arm.
6. Missing Ivy – Step 11, which is piecing the inner top together. Yay! 🙂
7. Celtic Solstice – put together pieces of Block B as leaders and enders between working on Missing Ivy
8. Spooky Halloween – Row 1, Block 1 – I got some of the hexis done.  I still need to finish 2 hexis and then applique it onto the background and finish it up with an applique’d bat.

I’m looking forward to a great week!

Check out more at  and  and  and  and   and 

Have a great week!

~Melanie