Tag Archives: month by month

TGIF, 6/5/2015

Whooo!  What a busy week.  With the girl culminating and the boy’s baseball schedule we’ve been booked every night this week.  I’m so excited to spend a weekend with my sewing machine and no other obligations.

Scrapitude – I plan to go to my LQS this afternoon to get borders.  I plan to tackle this step this week.  I may also get backing fabric since I’m there and will save me a trip.

Scrapitude 5/31/2015

Scrapitude
5/31/2015

Tell It To The Stars – I agree with everyone’s response – The gray is the best option for completing this back.  I plan to finish the backing this weekend.

Tell It To The Stars back 6/3/2015

Tell It To The Stars
back
6/3/2015

I also want to visit the sewing machine shop as I had some questions with the labels I made last week with my embroidery machine.  I have 1 more label to make for Month by Month so I want to finish that this weekend also.

The Midnight Mystery QAL ‘s fabric selection post was released yesterday and I’m hesitating on whether I want to be involved with this.  I think I’ll pass for right now.  I have some projects I want to get to and if I add this to my list, I won’t get to the projects I want to get to.  I have the instructions emailed to me each month so if I decide to play along later, I can always jump in.  For now, the final item on my list of things to work on this weekend is putting the sashing and blocks together for Hampton Ridge.

Linking with –

WIPs Be Gone

Fort Worth Fabric Studio

Happy Quilting Friends!

Melanie

Stash Report – Week 22, 2015

I wasn’t able to post my stash report last week because I was out of town.  But anytime I go out of town – I buy fabric!  Specifically 12.33 yards of fabric!

I was able to work on Scrapitude yesterday as I planned.

Scrapitude 5/31/2015

Scrapitude
5/31/2015

But I wasn’t able to get the borders on.  I didn’t make it to the LQS in time with everything else going on so I went through my entire stash.  I did find fabric that would work for the borders but I didn’t have enough of it!  C’est la vie!  I will be going to the LQS sometime this week to get something for the borders.  I was able to work on Month by Month! The only thing I had left to do for Month by Month was “put the binding on”!  I was able to do that and the next step is to get the label.  I’ll be working on the Embroidery machine to create that today.  But I consider this a finish!

Month by Month Finished! 5/31/2015

Month by Month
Finished!
5/31/2015  (sorry the picture is out of focus – I had the boy take it while I held it up)

Used this week: 7.50 yards

Used year to Date: -36.25 yards
Added this week: 12.33 yards
Added Year to Date: 53.08 yards
Net Added for 2015: 16.83 yards

The SoCal Quilt Run is coming up in a few weeks and the kids and I have been looking forward to trekking all over Southern California and visiting the participating quilt shops.  I took a quick look at the shops and noticed that the quilt shop in Westwood that I go to for the Modern Quilt Guild is not participating.  I wonder why? Anyway, I bring the run up because expect a big jump in numbers by the end of June.  While going through the stash for the borders for Scrapitude I recognize that I do not have enough darks in the stash.  I think I’ll be looking to enhance that part of the stash.  Although – to be real – I am going to make an effort to not by a whole lot.  I enjoy the run to visit the shops but I really do not need to buy anything.  I do at some point want to only buy fabric when I need it for a project.  And I want my stash to be only scraps from past projects.  That may be in my dreams but one day it will be a goal of mine.  For this run though, if I feel the buying bug.. then I’m going to concentrate on focusing on dark valued fabrics. 🙂

see more stash reports atPatchwork Times

~Have a quilty week!

Melanie

Monday Madness – 5/18/2015

Moon Glow  inner top done 5/17/2015

Moon Glow
inner top done
5/17/2015

 

I was able to get the inner top done for Moon Glow.  The next step is to do the borders. I also got it together enough to finish quilting the borders on Month by Month and trimmed them.  The next step is to do the binding.  Didn’t start on Celtic Solstice but I did pull out the cutting instructions for the next step on Hampton Ridge.

 

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

Have a great week!

~Melanie

TGIF, 4/24/2015

WIPs Be Gone

WIP Status:

1. Month by Month – 

Month by Month - off the frame but sprawled on the floor  4/10/15

Month by Month – off the frame but sprawled on the floor
4/10/15

Still on the floor where I left it although I’m hoping to get to this this weekend.  I’ve only got the border to finish quilting then I can bind and label it and it’s done.

2. Tell It To The Stars

Tell It To The Stars Designing the back 3/5/15

Tell It To The Stars
Designing the back
3/5/15

I actually removed this from the design wall.  I’ll put it back up when I’m ready to actually piece the back together.

3. Scrapitude – Clue #3 is done and I’m planning on tackling Clue #4 this weekend.

Scrapitude  Clue #3 4/19/2015 just section A... forgot to take pictures of the whole piece!

Scrapitude
Clue #3
4/19/2015
just section A… forgot to take pictures of the whole piece!

4. Moon Glow – This is done for this month and I’ll add the next step to next month’s goal list.

Moon Glow All blocks completed Up on the design wall 4/16/15

Moon Glow
All blocks completed
Up on the design wall
4/16/15

My exciting news for today – #5 – Mini project – I finally got the first project of the book “Sew Practical” done.  I still need to put more pins on it.  In the book it has buttons that we make with fabric.  I bought the supplies to do that but I wanted to use the bag to showcase some of my pins that I’ve accumulated.  I’ve got more somewhere so as I find them, I’ll be attaching them to the bag.  Next time I make this bag I will do the embroidery with thread that matches the inner lining. The instructions for this bag was pretty clear but there were some things I felt were left out.  First – to use a quarter inch seam or a half inch seam or something else.  The book didn’t say.  I’m a quilter so my default action would be to use a quarter inch.  However, I think I’m starting to be more familiar with bag making (this is, what, my 5th now?) and I decided to use a half inch.  I worried until I got to the step, that when it came to putting on the bottom it wouldn’t fit properly.  It wasn’t exact but it fit better than if I used a quarter inch.  Second – when I made the lining, the instructions said to follow the same steps to make the external part of the bag.  So I did.  Then the next line said, leave a 6″ gap in one of the long sides.  That one took me awhile to figure out but I had already followed the steps from before so I had to take my seam ripper out and re-do one of the sides to get that gap.  And that was it… just two things that I didn’t understand and had to redo.  I think this is a cute book bag to take to the library.  I do not know if I will make another one.  I don’t think it’s cute enough to make as a gift unless I change the fabric.  There aren’t any pockets inside or anything.  And it’s not that big.  It’s about 15″ (H) x 13″ (L) x 3″ (D).   But if I find I use it a lot then I might make more.  Or, if I get more buttons.

4/24/15 Project #1 of the Sew Practical book

4/24/15
Project #1 of the Sew Practical book

Happy Quilting everyone!

Melanie

TGIF, 4/17/2015

WIPs Be Gone

WIP Status:

1. Month by Month – 

Month by Month - off the frame but sprawled on the floor  4/10/15

Month by Month – off the frame but sprawled on the floor
4/10/15

Still on the floor where I left it.

2. Tell It To The Stars

Tell It To The Stars Designing the back 3/5/15

Tell It To The Stars
Designing the back
3/5/15

I actually removed this from the design wall.  I’ll put it back up when I’m ready to actually piece the back together.

3. Scrapitude – I still need to do Clue #3 and Clue #4.  I’m not sure if I’ll get to this this weekend because I have something else on my projects list that I want to get done.

and for 4. Moon Glow -I’m super excited to have all the alternate blocks finished.  The next step is to piece all the rows together –

Moon Glow All blocks completed Up on the design wall 4/16/15

Moon Glow
All blocks completed
Up on the design wall
4/16/15

Whoop whoop!

Happy Quilting everyone!

Melanie

TGIF, 4/10/2015

WIPs Be Gone

I’m back on WIPs Be Gone!  Woohoo!

WIP Status:

1. Month by Month – 

Month by Month - off the frame but sprawled on the floor  4/10/15

Month by Month – off the frame but sprawled on the floor
4/10/15

I finally finished quilting Month by Month on Bailey but I decided to quilt the borders separately on my domestic.  It’s waiting on the floor for its turn on the Bernina. 🙂

2. Tell It To The Stars

Tell It To The Stars Designing the back 3/5/15

Tell It To The Stars
Designing the back
3/5/15

The back of Tell It To The Stars is still on the design wall waiting for me to get to it.

3. Scrapitude – I still need to do last month’s Clue #3 and Clue #4 will be coming out shortly.

4. Moon Glow

Moon Glow Month 12 - taking up all my room on my sewing table 4/10/15

Moon Glow
Month 12 – taking up all my room on my sewing table
4/10/15

I’ve got one side put together on the last round of the 12 blocks for Month 12.  I’m planning on getting this done this week so I can finish quilting the borders on Month by Month and then hopefully get Clue #3 started for Scrapitude.  Those are my big plans for this weekend.

I’m back on the blogosphere!  whoop whoop!  I’m also back to doing a little bit of piecing every day!  Whoop whoop!  Here’s to getting our regular routine back! Cheers!

Happy Quilting everyone!

Melanie

Manic Monday – 3/16/2015

I wasn’t able to do any quilting yesterday.  Hopefully that changes this week.  I have Moon Glow laid out on my cutting table ready to piece together.  I hope I can find a few minutes here and there this week and piece a bit at a time.

 

Moon Glow Month 12 ready for tomorrow's sew time 3/14/15

Moon Glow
Month 12
ready for tomorrow’s sew time
3/14/15

 

Check out more finished BOMs at 

For Design Wall Monday…

Tell It To The Stars Designing the back 3/5/15

Tell It To The Stars
Designing the back
3/5/15

My design wall is still the back of Tell It To The Stars.

See more design walls at Patchworktimes.com

Have a great week!

~Melanie

TGIF, 3/13/2015

WIPs Be Gone

WIP Status:

1. Month by Month – 

Month by Month on the mid arm 2/28/2015

Month by Month on the mid arm
2/28/2015

 It’s still on Bailey… It’s half way done, I’ve ordered needles and I am waiting for them.  I went to Joann’s and found some but I don’t know if they’re the right ones.  I hope I’ll have time Saturday morning to see if they will work but there’s a lot going on this weekend so I’m not sure.

2. Tell It To The Stars

Tell It To The Stars Designing the back 3/5/15

Tell It To The Stars
Designing the back
3/5/15

The back of Tell It To The Stars is still on the design wall.  I still need to throw up more of the little pieces together but I’m not in any rush so it’s just sitting there.

3. Scrapitude – Clue #3 just came out and my quilt mojo has left the building.  It’s taking a break and I hope it comes back this coming weekend.

4. Moon Glow

Moon Glow Month #12 3/12/2015

Moon Glow
Month #12
3/12/2015

Here’s where I got stalled.  And it’s probably why it took so long for me to pull it out.  Month #12 isn’t just a block or two to put together.  There are 20 pieces of fabric that I’ve got to cut up.  I’m working through step 5 now which is basically cut more strips.  I don’t even get to break up the cutting with piecing.  It’s just 8 fabrics that I have to cut into strips of 1-3/4″ each… 12 strips each fabric… /sigh.  I do a little bit a day but it seems to take forever.  /whine whine whine… sorry… It’s kind of why I haven’t been posting this week.  I’m tired, I’m bored with all the cutting from Moon Glow and I’m trying really hard to stay committed and not start something new.  I haven’t bought fabric although not because I’m diligent.  I tried to go to LQS where I would have broken down but thankfully, they are closed on Sundays!  I went to Joann’s for some other things and it’s only because I’m trying to keep the quilt shop quality fabric in my stash that restrained me from perusing the fabric aisles.

We’re getting closer to party central here at the house.  My baby is turning 10!  OMG! ;0  That’s happening next Saturday (21) and then I’ll be heading up north to go to my cousin’s baby shower.  Then it’s spring break for the kids and we have another Vegas trip.  This time it’s for 4 days and its with friends.  We plan to eat, go to the pool and eat some more! 🙂  maybe throw a show in there too.

Happy Quilting everyone!

Melanie

Stash Report – Week 10, 2015

 

 

I’m sorry, I’ve got no pictures to show.  All I finished this week was the bucket bags from earlier this week for a total of 3 yards.  That’s bringing me closer to actually using more than adding.  I don’t think that’s ever happened except maybe the first week of the year.  Maybe… It’s a new place for me and kind of exciting. 🙂  I am planning on purchasing things at the guild’s quilt show in May and our SoCal Quilt Run in June so I’m hoping to get my numbers in a good place before then.

Martidiy asked me what I do with the bucket bags and I gave the girl hers and I’ve been using mine to tote my yoga stuff in the car.  It’s not big enough for the yoga mat but I put my yoga clothes and face towel in it.  It sits in my car so that whenever I’m able to go to a class after work, I don’t have the excuse that I don’t have my things.  That’s what I did with the bags this time.  If I get the mojo to make these again, I am thinking about saving them for emergency gifts.  I never feel like making anything when I do have to give a gift so it is a good idea for me to have a gift closet that I can go to.  A long time ago, I used to get things on sale and put them in a closet.  These things were usually anywhere from $1 – $10 each but whenever I had a party to go to I always had something to give without worrying about spending money at that moment or taking the time to go to the store.  Over the years I let the practice go for one reason or another – space, money, just not going shopping as much as I used to so not seeing the sales like I used to…  But I think I can do a similar thing but with things I make.

I spent yesterday morning quilting on Bailey and I’m prepping a whole post about that.  It’s not ready yet and I do not have the energy to finish it. But Month by Month is half quilted and would have been done yesterday if the needle hadn’t broken.  I do not have an extra one so I will not be able to finish it until I’ve got that.  I have to run errands today so I’m hoping to stop by Joann’s to get that and some other things that’s been on my list.

I spent the rest of yesterday’s afternoon getting “month 12” of Moon Glow started.  I finished step 3 and will be working on step 4 today.

I’m running a little slow today, we had too much fun with friends and stayed up way too late last night.  Now I’m suffering  – but it was fun! 🙂

Used this week: 3 yards
Used year to Date: -26.25 yards
Added this week: 0 yards
Added Year to Date: 29.75 yards
Net Added for 2015: 3.5 yards

see more stash reports at  Patchwork Times

~Have a quilty week!

Melanie

TGIF, 3/6/2015

WIPs Be Gone

WIP Status:

1. Month by Month – 

Month by Month on the mid arm 2/28/2015

Month by Month on the mid arm
2/28/2015

 It’s still on Bailey… I haven’t had a chance to do anything on this this week.

2. Tell It To The Stars

Tell It To The Stars Designing the back 3/5/15

Tell It To The Stars
Designing the back
3/5/15

I have started designing the back with my leftover fabric.  I thought about buying enough fabric for backing but these are all hand dyed and I didn’t feel comfortable using something else.  So I’m hoping that I’ve got enough scraps left.  I definitely do not if I just used the big blocks of fabric.  So, I’m trying to piece the scraps together.  Hopefully it comes out okay.  I’ve never done something like this but I’m open to trying.  I watched the Craftsy class: Creative Quilt Backs with Elizabeth Hartman for inspiration on how best to tackle this project and it was a great mini-class!  It was very informative.  I’m just playing right now so don’t think what’s on there is it.  There are some elements I like but there is a lot I do not like. 🙂

Another week has gone by and it’s Friday!  That in and of itself is enough to get a Whoop!  I’m just so happy to have a day I can play with my machines and play with fabric.  I’m hoping to get going quilting Month by Month on Bailey.  Whether it’s going to be done is another question.  I think I’ll leave the back up on the wall a bit while I let it sync in a bit.  I may piece some more of the smaller pieces together and place them around to see how things feel.  But I think it’s time to get Moon Glow out.  I need some new fabrics in my life and I think I’m ready for it.

Happy Quilting everyone!

Melanie