Tag Archives: Tell It to the stars

27

Nov. ’15

#BFSI and #TGIF

I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving!  Ours was small but we had Turkey, family, and friends so it was nothing to complain about! 🙂

Today I am not braving the malls.  I am trying to get myself motivated to go to yoga in a bit.  I’m still in a food coma from all the goodies I ate yesterday so it’s REALLY hard for me.  I also really don’t want to drive in any traffic!  … can you sense that I’m trying to talk myself into not going! ;0  I really need to go… My goal this year is to go 3x a week.

And in addition to yoga, I want to get a couple of hours of study time.  I need to set a goal for this too.  I noticed that if I try to do the whole year, it’s too much and overwhelming.  So I need to think and decide what my next step is and the timeframe I want to complete that next step.

Then it’s all play time.  I’ve still got Tell It To The Stars on the frame and I’m about half way through quilting the background.  I need to get through this quickly if I want to have it bound and washed to give away for Christmas.  And I have a feeling I may need it done sooner to give it to the person before hand.  If it isn’t done, I’ll just have to set it aside for another time.  I hate rushing and my quilting needs a lot of work.

The other thing I want to do today is check out the first step for Bonnie Hunter’s mystery quilt.  I’ll play along but I’m not going to spend too much time on it.  Like I said in past posts, I like the community and I want to play but not enough to actually put all the fabric I will need into it.  I’ll just cut a few strips to do the first step and that’s it.

The next thing on my list is to cut more fabric for Scrapitude 2016.  I pulled the lights out of my stash and now I’ve got to go through and separate them by light and very light and start cutting. 🙂  I truly do not want to do this but I’m forcing myself to.  I ENJOYED Scrapitude last year and the best part was sewing all the pre-cut pieces together.  I want to recreate the experience for this quilt-a-long.  It means I’ll have to work more now and I’m okay with that.

Next is Raining Cats and Dogs and I don’t know what else.  I will be knitting later during the game.  I finished step #7 of Missing Ivy yesterday and I don’t want to go to the next step right now.  I can also cross stitch if I’ve got the urge.  I think that’s enough for today.  If I still want to do more, I’ll have to figure it out if I’ve got time. 🙂

I’m so thankful for having the next few days to just do what I want to do – play with fabric!

Happy quilting friends… time to go to yoga! ;0

Linking with –

WIPs Be Gone

Fort Worth Fabric Studio

Happy Quilting Friends!

Melanie

Posted by . Categories: Quilting. Tags: , , , , , , , . 1 Comment

22

Nov. ’15

Stash Report – Week 47, 2015

First, the stash report!  Nothing added and nothing finished!

Used this week: 0 yards

Used year to Date: -47.5 yards
Added this week: 0 yards
Added Year to Date: 98.08 yards
Net Added for 2015: 50.58 yards

Here’s what I got done from yesterday’s laundry list!

On Raining Cats and Dogs.

 

Raining Cats and Dogs Block 7 11/22/2015

Raining Cats and Dogs
Block 7
11/22/2015

For Razzle – I was able to finish piecing the blocks into rows.  Of course, I put it away before getting a good picture of it.  I got started on piecing the cornerstones with the sashes when I realized that I miscut them.  They’re supposed to be 3.5″ square but they’re not 3.5″ squares.  So, I will need to recut the next time this project comes into rotation.

The next project I need to pull out is Missing Ivy.  I will be going to the Clipper game today so I will not be able to get anything done today.  But this is the project I’ll be working on this week. The plan is to continue quilting on Tell It To The Stars.

see more stash reports atPatchwork Times and hand projects at Slow Sunday Stitching.

~Have a quilty week!

Melanie

Posted by . Categories: Hampton Ridge, Quilting, Raining Cats and Dogs, Tell It To The Stars. Tags: , , , , , . 12 Comments

16

Nov. ’15

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

Posted by . Categories: Design Wall, Quilting. Tags: , , , , , , , , . 6 Comments

15

Nov. ’15

Stash Report – Week 46, 2015

First, the stash report!  Went to my LQS this past week and got yardage for that final side of border #2 of Hampton Ridge.  I know I got way too much at +4 yards.  But I didn’t want to cut and piece the border.  Even with that info, I’m sure 4 yards is way too much but I needed at least 3 yards.  So I played it safe.  Not a big deal.  Now I’ll have plenty of dark fabric to add to my  stash!

Used this week: 0 yards

Used year to Date: -47.5 yards
Added this week: 4 yards
Added Year to Date: 98.08 yards
Net Added for 2015: 50.58 yards

Here’s what I got done from yesterday’s laundry list!

On Raining Cats and Dogs.

IMG_8734-0

I know, the lighting is horrible but by the time I got around to taking a picture, the lighting outside wasn’t much better.  Anyway, if you can see the needle to right of the arrow, the remaining part to applique down is from that needle to the end of the stem towards the left. The plan is to get to that today so that next weekend I can move on to the next bit.

Celtic Solstice Step 6 Block A 11/15/2015

Celtic Solstice
Step 6
Block A
11/15/2015

 

For Celtic Solstice, I was able to get the three rows of Block A put together.  Now I get to pack it up and set it aside for next month.  I realized while I was working on these that it took forever because I was trimming dog ears and then piecing.  For that middle row, I was also pinning to try and get those points to match up with the middle of those 4 patches.

And I was able to get Tell It To The Stars onto the frame.

IMG_8739

Yesterday was very productive in my house.

Today, I’ve got a lot more running around.  The girl is cheering at her school’s open house so I’ve got to wake her up soon to get ready and go.  The boy’s harvest festival is today too.  But he is not interested in going and we heard that it is supposed to rain today.  If that’s the case, he will definitely not want to go out.  I’ve got yoga shortly and more studying.  I also still want to go to that store where I’ve got a coupon at (it expires today!).

Here’s my quilty plan of action:

  • Continue to work a bit on Raining Cats and Dogs.
  • Start the quilting on Tell It To The Stars on it.
  • Cut for Scrapitude 2016.
  • Pull Razzle out and get going on that project for this week.

I’m still uncertain about joining Bonnie Hunter’s mystery.  I know last week I said I was going to and now this week I’m not sure again.  I started pulling fabrics from my stash and I’m not sure I’ve got enough of the colors she chose.  I’m waffling, I know, but I love the community around the mysteries each year.  That’s the best part.  I just don’t think I’ve got the time. Well, we’ll see how I feel  on Black Friday.

 

see more stash reports atPatchwork Times and hand projects at Slow Sunday Stitching.

~Have a quilty week!

Melanie

Posted by . Categories: Hampton Ridge, Quilting, Raining Cats and Dogs, Tell It To The Stars. Tags: , , , , , , , . 10 Comments

14

Nov. ’15

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

Posted by . Categories: Quilting. Tags: , , . Leave a comment

06

Nov. ’15

TGIF, 11/6/2015

Here’s an update on my progress on getting the borders on for Hampton Ridge.  I’m working on Border #2!

IMG_8596Step #1 – Cut the fabric.  Like I did with border #1, I cut the border parallel to the selvage to minimize waviness.  The first two I cut I wasn’t paying attention to the print and it wasn’t until the third strip that I wanted the border to be above.  I had enough fabric to do a total of three strips with that exact cut.  I need four strips.  So, I’ve got a trip to the LQS to do.  I do not know if I’ll have time to do three of the four sides before the week is done so I’ll plan to have the fabric in time for my next round with Hampton Ridge.

IMG_8597

Step #2 – Press the center of the top of the first side I will piece the first border on.  Normally I do a finger press.  But I was having a hard time matching the center of the border with the center of the top that I ended up pressing it with an iron.

IMG_8598

Step #3 – Press the center of the border.  For the top, notice I pressed the like sides together and for the border I pressed the wrong sides together.  This way when I match them up, they will be like sides together and the press is in the same direction.  If I forget to do this, it’s okay but I find it’s easier to match up when it is like this.

IMG_8599

Step #4 – Pin the centers together and pin the whole border.

IMG_8601

Step #5 – sew!

IMG_8602

Step #6 – Press it out.  For mitered borders, you want there to be excess fabric hanging off both ends of the top.  Those will be matched up with the other borders once you’ve got all 4 sides done.

Step #7 – repeat for all 4 side.  Once all 4 sides are done, it’s time to miter!

I haven’t had much time to do anything else this week. I am happy with the bit I was able to get done.  This weekend I plan to applique more of the stem on Raining Cats and Dogs, get the 2 other sides of border #2 on Hampton Ridge, finish my practice quilting on Bailey and load Tell It To The Stars onto the frame.

Linking with –

WIPs Be Gone

Fort Worth Fabric Studio

Happy Quilting Friends!

Melanie

Posted by . Categories: Hampton Ridge, Quilting, Tell It To The Stars. Tags: , , , , , . 1 Comment

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

29

Jun. ’15

Monday Madness – 06/29/2015

Design Wall Back for Scrapitude 6/15/2015

Design Wall
Back for Scrapitude
6/15/2015

The design wall is still the same as it was last week.  I’m still at the same place as I was last week.  I’ve got the idea in my head, the label is done and I just have to sit and do it.

Last week, I worked on Hampton Ridge.  I’ve got the sashes attached to the rows and the red triangles are attached to the ends of each row.  I found an error and I’m leaving it in.  It’s right in the middle of the 5th row.  It isn’t bothering me too much now and I hope it doesn’t bother me later.  So far I can live with it.  I would take a picture but I’ve put it away at the moment.  I’m a little bored with where I am at at each of my top 4 projects and I’m not sure how to move forward.  I think I’m going to start on one of the rows for the Row by Row experience and see how hard it’s going to be for me to actually do it.  If I can get the first one done in a reasonable period of time, I may try to get them done in time for the deadline.

Here’s a quick update on my top 4:

Scrapitude – need to piece the backing.  I’ve got an idea in my head and the label is ready – I just have to sit, cut and do it.

Tell It To The Stars – this needs to be quilted.  I’ve got everything!  I just need to trim down the batting, make sure the back fits perfectly, and then get it on the quilt frame.

Moon Glow – I need to get the borders on.

Hampton Ridge – The rows/sashes are done and I just need to piece the rows together to get the inner top done.  Then it will be time for borders.

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, Quilting. Tags: , , , , , , . 1 Comment

22

Jun. ’15

Monday Madness – 06/22/2015

Design Wall Back for Scrapitude 6/15/2015

Design Wall
Back for Scrapitude
6/15/2015

The design wall is still the same as it was last week.  I have an idea of how I’m going to put the back of Scrapitude together and it’s just a matter of cutting, piecing, looking at the design, cutting, piecing, and looking at it again.  This will probably take a few weeks but there’s no rush since I’ve got one quilt in line for quilting and this doesn’t have to be done until I’m done with that. 🙂  But it’s on my wall for me to review and change as I see fit.  The label is already done so it really is just cutting and piecing.

I spent most of the past week putting together the rows for Hampton Ridge.  I’ve got all the rows and sashing done and now all I need to do is put them together for the inner top.  I plan to finish the inner top this week.

If I continue with the So Cal Quilt Run through next weekend I won’t be able to quilt Tell It To The Stars until mid July since the 4th is the weekend after.  Once I’m finished putting the inner top of Hampton Ridge together, I plan to get back to Moon Glow.  I need to figure out what I have to do for the borders and then I can get organized and do it.

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, Quilting. Tags: , , , , , , . 1 Comment

15

Jun. ’15

Monday Madness – 06/15/2015

Design Wall Back for Scrapitude 6/15/2015

Design Wall
Back for Scrapitude
6/15/2015

The back for  Tell It To The Stars is done!  If I don’t make it to the Quilt Run this weekend, I’ll be loading this onto the quilt frame for quilting.  In the meantime, I’ve pulled fabric from the stash for Scrapitude’s backing.   The flowered print above is my focus fabric and I’ll be working the rest of the back around that color way.  I’ve created the label on the embroidery machine, so I’ll be incorporating that with the rest of the fabrics above.  The grays and dark blues from previous projects will go nice with the focus fabric.  I know there is not enough fabric for the back on my design wall but I’ll be putting together the label with other fabrics and figuring out how it will work over this week.  As difficult as creating the back for Tell It To The Stars was, I really love how it looks.  So, I’m going to figure out the back for Scrapitude as well.  I love the fact that I’ll be working completely from my stash.

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, Quilting. Tags: , , , , . 9 Comments