Tag Archives: raining cats and dog

This Weekend’s Laundry List

I couldn’t wait for the weekend to come quick enough.  This week I was sick and my Clippers lost and wow! were we busy!  I was off my game.  I missed my gratitude post too many times to count.  But now it’s the weekend.  I still have a lot to do but I have time and I’m feeling better but not 100%.  The goal is that by Monday, I’m back to my normal self and I can get back to my regular regime.

Today I’m off to the SFVMQG Sew In at my favorite LQS.  But first, I’ve got to get some studying done.

At the sew in, here’s my list for today:

 

  • Raining Cats and Dogs

    Raining Cats and Dogs 11/15/2015

    Raining Cats and Dogs
    11/15/2015

    – need to get that flower appliqued down.  and get a better picture to post.

  • Razzle
  • Design Floor Razzle 11/15/2015

    Design Floor
    Razzle
    11/15/2015

    I need to piece all the sashing together, piece the cornerstones, and get the rows all together.

  • Celtic Solstice
    Celtic Solstice Step 6 Block A 6 done 10/17/2015

    Celtic Solstice
    Step 6
    Block A

    — If I get bored with Razzle, I’ll be bringing Celtic Solstice along so I can get some more of these blocks done.

— Here’s to a great day!

~Melanie

Monday Madness – 11/16/2015

I made a lot of progress yesterday but nothing really finished.  For Tell It To The Stars, I’m quilting the background first and have gone through two passes on the frame.  I’m actually drawing guide lines to help me make sure I don’t get stuck anywhere.  I’m not yet sure about the middle of the stars though.  I’m going to go back and finish those off once the background is done.  I was wondering if that’s how people do it or do they do thread changes before moving the quilt up the frame.  Let me know how you do it?  This is my first time changing threads and I may end up regretting it later.  For now, it’s an experiment and we’ll see how it turns out.

Tell It To The Stars Being quilted 11/15/2015

Tell It To The Stars
Being quilted
11/15/2015

 

I cut more scraps for Scrapitude 2016.  I actually went through all my #3 scrap bin and cut all the darks that were large enough.  But I still need more darks.  So I went to bin #4 and pulled out more darks.  These are scraps that were larger than a 5×7 and smaller than a yard.  I pulled a lot of darks so there will be a good sampling in the quilt.

I finished the stem in Raining Cats and Dogs and prepped the next piece.

Raining Cats and Dogs 11/15/2015

Raining Cats and Dogs
11/15/2015

And finally I pulled out Razzle – this week’s project.  I’m really disappointed.  The white corduroy I bought didn’t match the white corduroy of the quilt.  So now I’ve got a yard of corduroy that I can’t use.  At least not for this project.  Rather than try to get another yard of white corduroy to match, I decided to just make the quilt smaller.  So I’m going to have 4 rows of blocks.  I lined them all nice on my design floor:

Design Floor Razzle 11/15/2015

Design Floor
Razzle
11/15/2015

As you can see, the sashing isn’t pressed so I went and pressed them.  This week, I’ll be putting the blocks together.

 

 

I’m looking forward to a great week!

Check out more at  and  Patchwork Timesand Cooking Up Quilts and Bits 'n Bobs

Have a great week!

~Melanie

This Weekend’s Laundry List

It is Saturday again!  Woohoo, it’s the weekend.  The hubby is taking the boys to the game today so I’ve got the whole day to myself.  Of course, I’ve got the kids but my kids are practically grown and can pretty much watch themselves.  The girl had a late night cheering for her football team at the first playoff game.  So she’ll probably sleep most of the day away.  The boy is planning on spending a lot of his day playing with a friend online.  He doesn’t normally do this but he just bought a new game last weekend and he’s been making plans with his classmates all week.  One day is not going to kill him. ;0  So that leaves me free to do whatever I want… Unfortunately, I have more than quilting to do today.  I’ve got yoga and studying and something for work that I’ve been procrastinating on and there’s this coupon at my favorite clothing store that expires on Sunday and I need to go back into the garage to find something to throw away…  Those are the 5 things outside of quilting that I plan on doing today.  For quilting… here’s my list:

  • Raining Cats and Dogs
    Raining Cats and Dogs Stem down 11/1/2015

    Raining Cats and Dogs
    Stem down
    11/1/2015

     – need to get more of that stem appliqued down.

  • Celtic Solstice
    Celtic Solstice Step 6 Block A 6 done 10/17/2015

    Celtic Solstice
    Step 6
    Block A

    — get more of these pieces together.

  • Tell It To The Stars
    Tell It To The Stars Top Finished 2/22/2015

    Tell It To The Stars
    Top Finished
    2/22/2015

    – prep the back and batting and get everything onto the frame.

— Here’s to a great day!

~Melanie

Monday Madness – 11/2/2015

I was able to get a little bit of that stem appliqued down on Raining Cats and Dogs.  But it doesn’t look much different from yesterday so I didn’t bother taking a picture.

Raining Cats and Dogs Stem down 11/1/2015

Raining Cats and Dogs
Stem down
11/1/2015

I put away Missing Ivy but before I did I put Block A and Block B together on my design floor so we can see how it’s looking so far.

Missing Ivy Blocks A and B placed Design Floor 11/2/2015

Missing Ivy
Blocks A and B placed
Design Floor
11/2/2015

I am loving how it’s coming together.  I haven’t looked at the next steps but it probably has to do with the half triangles and then the borders.  At the rate this is going, I may be able to get this completed (quilted and bound) early next year.  I can keep my fingers crossed. 🙂

I practiced a little bit on Bailey and I’m getting comfortable with it.  But nowhere near confident.  That may take some time so after this practice quilt is done, I’ll put Scrapitude on the frame and just go with it.  These are my first few attempts so I’m just going to have jump in and tackle it head on. 🙂 No one is expecting perfection!

And finally, this week’s project is Hampton Ridge.  Yup, I decided that the backing for Moon Glow can wait another day.  I would rather get closer to a finished top with Hampton Ridge.  I pulled out the final packet and took out all the luxurious fabric and read through the instructions.  There are 4 borders to attach.  Borders #1, 2, and 3 are fairly easy in that they are just one border fabric.  Border #1 and #3 are the same fabric.  Border #2 is a different fabric and is slightly more complicated in that they will be mitered.  Border #4 is a lot more complicated in that it involves 350 HSTs. 🙁  boo.  What makes it worse is that the instructions indicate that I should be using “Star Single” Triangle paper and they were not included in my packet. 🙁   The BOM included it throughout the program and suddenly for the final packet, it was not included.  I’m kind of irritated.  I tried to contact the quilt shop via their website but I’m not sure it worked.  I’ll wait a week and then I’ll call.  The good news is that it isn’t necessary until Border #4 and I’ll probably spend the rest of this week working on the borders before hand.  Here’s the thing, I’m pretty organized about this kind of stuff.  I keep all the pattern pages in a binder along with the templates they provided and all the Triangle Papers they provided previously (I still have all the extras that I had received).  None of them are the 2″ kind.  All the fabric and packets and even the inner top were packed together in a project bin.  So, I’m pretty confident that I didn’t misplace it or lose it.  However, I will concede that I did move over the summer and things happen so, there’s a chance it could have been misplaced or lost.  If I have to, I can go buy these things.  But I’m going to wait and see what the quilt shop says first.

Once I mentally moved passed that (because of course I had to pull everything out and look), I started to work on Border #1.  It will consist of 272″ of 1 3/4″ strips all around the inner top.  First, I pressed the fabric.  Then I cut my 1-3/4″ strip.  I usually cut my borders from from parallel to the selvage and I cut a pair at once.  I read, heard, was taught this somewhere from someone.  I do not know if this is the normal way quilters do it or if it was a quirk I picked up along the way.  I figure I’ll share with you in case you didn’t know this.  But the selvage or lengthwise grain (per the image) has the least amount of give.  So if you use that for borders, your border shouldn’t be wavy.

fabric_grain_drawing

Anyway, I was in the process of putting my strips together when a thought came to my head.  I was at a guild meeting and one of the ladies was showing us how to do the quarter inch border.  Anyway, she said to piece them together straight, like this:

straight pieced (it's not really pieced but just pinned together)

straight pieced
(it’s not really pieced but just pinned together for example purposes only)

But I usually piece them the same way I piece my binding strips together, which is drawing a diagonal line:

IMG_8569-0

sewing on the line, cut that little triangle on the upper right side of the line (leaving a quarter inch from the sewed line, of course) and then opening it up:

IMG_8570-0

I believe it isn’t done this way on a quarter inch border because it would be too bulky.  But it made me think that maybe I’ve been doing it wrong for my borders all this time.  Maybe this is only supposed to be done this way for binding as that diagonal line gets lost in the binding.  Maybe the proper way is to do the straight line.  Of course, no one notices and probably doesn’t care.  But I wondered so I wanted to know how you do it.  Please comment and let me know.  Thanks!

I’m looking forward to a great week!

Check out more at  and  Patchwork Timesand Cooking Up Quilts and Bits 'n Bobs

Have a great week!

~Melanie

Monday Madness – 10/26/2015

I was able to get a little bit of that stem appliqued down on Raining Cats and Dogs

Raining Cats and Dogs Block 7 10/25/2015

Raining Cats and Dogs
Block 7
10/25/2015

 

It’s not much but it’s another step further.

This week’s project is Missing Ivy.  I pulled out my project bin from under some other project bin and found that I was at step 6.  And luckily it’s an easy step.  I have most of the pieces already cut and it was just a matter of putting them together to form 9 blocks. But in getting all the pieces in the right spot, I discovered that I needed 9 more 3.5 inch white squares.  So, I’ll need to cut in order to finish these up.  In the meantime, I’ve pressed what I’ve got pieced and can continue on until I really need to cut.

Here’s what I’ve got so far..

Missing Ivy Step 6 10/25/2015

Missing Ivy
Step 6
10/25/2015

 

Since it’s Design Wall Monday and I still do not have my design wall up (no complaints here)… here’s the last time I had Missing Ivy on the design wall:

Design Wall 12/2/13

Design Wall
12/2/13

 

 

I’m working half days this week while I recuperate from the last few weeks.  It’s back to yoga and my sewing machine!  I’ve got a Valley MQG meeting tonight so I’m really excited about it.

I’m looking forward to a great week!

Check out more at  and  Patchwork Timesand Cooking Up Quilts and Bits 'n Bobs

Have a great week!

~Melanie

Monday Madness – 10/19/2015

Okay. I’m changing my project rotation.  Currently it is as follows:

  1. Raining Cats and Dogs – I put 1-2 pieces during the weekend.
  2. Celtic Solstice – I was consumed with finishing step 5, then started step 6.

I have the following still on my list but I haven’t gotten the mojo to do it yet:

  1. Moon Glow – prep the label and the back.
  2. Hampton Ridge – Get the borders on.

I haven’t moved forward on these is because I still have 2 quilts before Moon Glow ready to be quilted so I’m not in any rush to get Moon Glow to #3 on that list.  The same goes for Hampton Ridge.

I’m finally ready to put Celtic Solstice aside and visit a different project. So here’s my new project rotation:

  1. Raining Cats and Dogs – continue doing what I’m doing, which is applique 1-2 pieces every weekend.
  2. Celtic Solstice
  3. Razzle – the Corduroy Quilt
  4. Missing Ivy

And for BOM Away Monday – I was able to get more of these Blocks done for Celtic Solstice.

Celtic Solstice Step 6 Block A 6 done 10/17/2015

Celtic Solstice
Step 6
Block A
6 done
10/17/2015

And I was able to mark up the top of the final block of Raining Cats and Dogs.

IMG_8350

I’m looking forward to a great week!

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

Have a great week!

~Melanie

Monday Madness – 10/12/2015

I finally got the ear on the doggy for Raining Cats and Dogs!

Raining Cats and Dogs doggy finally gots his ear on! 10/11/2015

Raining Cats and Dogs
doggy finally gots his ear on!
10/11/2015

Next step is to mark up the upper part of that block.  See above the house in the pic below – it’s empty.  There’s a whole section there and once that section is complete, this block will be done. 🙂

Raining Cats and Dogs Block 7 as of 10/3/15

Raining Cats and Dogs
Block 7
as of 10/3/15

I got a little bit more done on Celtic Solstice but I’ve still got more of these pieces to make.

celtic solstice step 5 - a ton of these 10/8/2015

celtic solstice
step 5 –
a ton of these
10/8/2015

I put together a bunch and they’re sitting at the pressing station waiting to be pressed.  The rest are at the sewing station waiting to be pieced together. 🙂 The plan is to finish them up this week.

I’m looking forward to a great week!

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

Have a great week!

~Melanie

Monday Madness – 10/5/2015

Hampton Ridge Inner top is done! 10/3/2015

Hampton Ridge
Inner top is done!
10/3/2015

 

Celtic Solstice – I’m still working on step 4.  Nothing new to show but more half triangles done and more fabric cut.  Hopefully this will be done soon.

I’m looking forward to a great week!

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

Have a great week!

~Melanie

Monday Madness – 09/28/2015

 

IMG_8246

Raining Cats and Dogs Block 7 – next step: Dog collar 9/28/2015

 

Raining Cats and Dogs! – I was able to get the dog on to Block 7 of Raining Cats and Dogs… Next Step: dog collar.  This one is really hard because of how tiny the piece is.

Celtic Solstice – I finished piecing the right sides and now I’m working on piecing the left sides at the sewing station.  At the cutting station, I’ve got to cut blue triangles.  At the pressing station I’ve got to press the finished right sides as well as blue fabric to cut blue triangles from.

I’m looking forward to a great week!

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

Have a great week!

~Melanie

This weekend’s lineup

I can’t believe how time flies.  It’s just amazing!

I was able to get a little hand applique in on Raining Cats and Dogs… not enough to take a picture but I’m happy that I got a few inches on there.  It’s way better than not touching it all and I’m okay with that.  I started my yoga practice again at Core Power Yoga.  The unlimited monthly classes is way more ($155 vs $65/month) than what I was paying in Northern California so I took advantage of a Groupon that I found.  I don’t know what I’ll do when the Groupon expires in a few weeks but I have a hunch I’ll be looking for a new Groupon. 🙂  I feel so much better than last weekend.  Work is still work and it’s kicking my butt.  I really have to start hiring again but I finally found a team I like to work with and the dynamics always change when we bring a new person in the mix.  I’m not sure I want to mess with it at the moment.  I’m also not sure if the increased workload is temporary or if it will last past the holidays.  I may hire temporary part time support and if the work continues as it is make a more permanent decision in the new year.  Well, until that happens I’m working every weekend until the end of November.

Despite all the work, I will be sure to put in some quality quilting time.  I need it to keep me balanced/sane.  Today’s quilt project is to start the foundation piecing part of Moon Glow.  I do not know if I’ll be able to finish it this weekend but I’ll get it started and we’ll go from there.

On my wish list… I want to get another 2 blocks quilted on Flowers and Baskets and I want to get more of the hand applique done on Raining Cats and Dogs.  I also want to finish Kayla’s cowl.

Kayla's Cowl October 11, 2014

Kayla’s Cowl
October 11, 2014

Only 2 more rows and I’m done so that may actually be at the top of the wish list.  🙂

Hope everyone is having a great weekend!

~Melanie