A Learning Day....

Hi everyone,  the other day I spent with some friends.  One of them has a long arm, and she is growing daily in her quilting.  It truly is amazing.  she has only been doing this for around a year.  She practices all the time and her quilting is..... beautiful! 

My other friend is new to machine quilting and then there is me, a scaredy cat.  I have had my HQ16 for about 4 years, and just now trying to do ruler work and free motion.  So silly I know. 

Well, Charlene - the very talented one - helped Toni and I.  We need lots of help!  we tried feathers....  don't you love feathers?  We had our white boards and our dry erase markers, and we drew and drew and drew.  We need LOTS of practice.  it was fun.  Thank you Charlene, you are a sweetie for helping us.  We spent the afternoon drawing away.

Charlene brought a quilt to bind.  Now several years ago, Charlene and I  were in a swap together.  the pattern was from Edyta Star.  we each made just the thread part of the blocks.  Each of us chose a color to make and I had blue.  Charlene's is finished, and mine?  well...  not finished! 

See how beautiful?  love it!!!!  Great job Charlene!

In the morning, Toni and I worked on Christmas Favorites by Nancy Halverson.  We both have lots of her fabric.  And we both have fabric. I have a lot of previous lines, and Toni has lots from the line used in this book.  so we are mixing them up! 

 
Here is the first block.  Now we can do all the sewing part.  hand buttonhole stitch or machine buttonhole stitch?  black or matching thread?  Oh the choices!  So a new start for us.  Hopefully we can keep each other on track.  And by the end of the year, a new Christmas quilt!

hugs.....

Stash Report 8

Hi everyone!  here is my report: 

Bobbins used this week: 3
Bobbins used year to date: 10
Thread spools emptied this week: 1
Thread spools emptied year to date:  3
Fabric used this week:  0 yard  
Fabric used year to date: 13 1/2 yards
Fabric added this week: 8 1/2 yards
Fabric added year to date: 25 1/2 yards
 Net fabric add for 2013: + 11 yards

UFOs finished this week: 0
UFOs finished year to date: 4 cotton and 4 wool

It's been a busy week.  Haven't finished anything, but worked on a lot of different things! 

I finished one more block of the Home for the Holidays.  I think this is #4.  8 more to go.....

My cheddar that is pink quilt -  I have 5 of the rows sewn with the sashing on!  2 more rows to sew the sashing on, then I can start sewing the rows together.   Yeah!  I can see the light at the end of the tunnel....

Next,  the new project that Vicki and I have started is Jersey girls .   But with a twist!  Kim's Big Quilting adventure did the coolest thing with the pattern.  She has a tutorial HERE to make roses to applique on top of the blocks.  We are making 20 blocks instead of 9.  the pattern has been easy to follow and to make a little at a time.  Vicki sent me LOTS of green 2"  squares,  to get started.  Love that girl!  All 80 4 patches are done. 

Now I am working on the 320 half square triangles.  I used THIS to print the paper  for 2" unfinished half square triangles.  Toni told me to use notebook paper -  What you buy for your children for school supplies.  OH. MY. GOODNESS!!!!  this works so well.  the paper tears off very easily.  I reduce the stitch to 2.0.  It takes minutes to sew up.  I have the Triangulations CD , which I love, but cannot find.  this is a really good substitute.  It is free.  I doesn't make as many half squares.  only 18 versus 24 for the CD.  It's ok.

I print it, trim the paper.  I cut the fabric  7 1/4" x 9 1/4".  REMEMBER to put right sides together with the paper on top.  Take my word for it, it's not fun taking out stitches.......  Sew and trim. 

I use the rotary cutter to trim and cut apart. 

I press, the squares open, then tear off the paper.  And there you have beautiful, little 2" unfinished half square triangles! 

hugs.......