12 for 2012

Last year I wrote a list of 11 quilting things I wanted TO DO in 2011.  Some were finished, some were started and some were ignored.  This year my goal is to continue to enjoy my creative side. 
My 12 for 2012 in no particular order are:

1-  12 quilts for QoV- Alycia in CO will hold me accountable for this one!

2-  Dear Jane-  All fabrics are in stages of prep and I will start on Jan 1, 2012- no plans yet as to how I will do the applique, my default is raw edge, I may surprise myself and do needle turn- only time will tell.

3-  Test  Blocks for QuiltMakers 100 blocks Vol5

4-  Finish and Submit Quilt from Amy Butler fabrics and blocks from Vol5

5- Quilt at least 12 tops from my flimsy stash.

6- Move all my upstairs sewing to the downstairs studio by the end of Jan. (and stay there- probably not going to happen but it is a goal)

7- DeClutter the Quilting room by doing weekly Flings (thanks StashBusters for the idea and encouragement)  One hour a week- Sunday afternoon marked on the calender- it's a date.

8- Use my GO and dies and kit, kit, kit,

9- Participate in at least One on-line Mystery or On Going Project (not counting Orca Bay which is almost finished!)  considering the 365 scrappy house blocks- we will see.

10- Organize my UFO-s  by year of poss completion- (I see a couple of crazy (tie  materials) quilts in 2013!)

11- Document the commissioned quilt for IDF- due June 2012- chicken theme

12- Host a lock-in sew-in


I will eventually do a post on each of these twelve TO DO's and link back to this page.  What are your sewing/quilts goals for this coming year?

Blue and Yellow for Chicago Sara, what do I do for a border?

the top is 80 x 80 so far, I am wondering what to do for a border.

This is cut using my GO and the Isoc. Tri die.  A controlled scrappy using blues and yellows.

I have yardage in blue and yellow that I could do a 6 1/2 print border.  I am wondering if I want to applique words or flowers or butterflies, etc... or just call it done.  I will leave it hanging for a couple of days until I decide if it is ready to get quilted.

Dear Jane 2012



I picked up my copy a few years ago, figured it would be a good read, NO WAY I am interested in making one!



Found and purchased the 'ruler' set during a shop hop with friends this past year- wonder what I will use it for?

Ruler set includes the square to resize one's blocks.

I have a tun on tracing paper, think I am seeing a future TO DO.

This tote is mostly repos from a moving sale.  Lots of strips and fats.  I have several ideas on how I hope to use them.

First I sorted out 250 different prints to use IF I ever do a Dear Jane. (I think I see where this is leading!)

Then, I picked out enough larger pieces to do the side triangle with a few to spare.

Looks Like I have officially jumped in to do my own Dear Jane.  Starting in 2012, my challenge to self is to complete the top by the end of the year (I might leave the year blank, knowing my love of putting things on the UFO list)

My reward for sorting through the tote was a chance to die cut the rest of the fabrics.  I now have a couple of more kits to use, gift or sell.  This 'pile' is cut using the chisel die.  They may be used for braids, stars or other blocks.  I also cut a similar amount of triangles and a flat of 2" squares.  Two good side flats of strips and strings are now ready to be worked in to a scrappy projects.

OrcaBaySpoiler group

I saw that someone had tried to post a photo to the mystery group album and was deleted.  I am sorry I missed it b/c I am having ideas too.  SO..... I am going to start an unofficial group for anyone who want to banter ideas of where this mystery may or may not go.

I set it up as invitation only so bear with me.  (my first group)  I will keep it up just till after the reveal.

No prizes, no deadlines, just fun "What IF's"





Your OrcaBaySpoilers group at Yahoo! Groups is good to go.

Here are the details on OrcaBaySpoilers:
Group home page: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/OrcaBaySpoilers
Group email address: OrcaBaySpoilers@yahoogroups.com


Of course I am traveling today so don't worry if it takes me a bit to get you in, I am still learning how to be a group moderator.


Merry Christmas to all the spoilers and non-spoilers out there!  cw

Step 6- Ohio Stars- My GO is getting a work out!

My 2 1/2' strip die is getting used a lot on this Mystery!  Because I can cut multiple of layers I think for this quilt I am going to use fabrics in sets of 4.
I really like the scrappy scrappy that I am seeing by other quilters but for me this will just have to be a little on the controlled side.  I was a little low on red and blue scraps but managed to get a fairly good variety for the string blocks in previous steps.  My blacks are really lacking and I am having to duplicate in several steps.
I am confident that I will love the final top and am not worried about only having a dozen different lights/darks. 
I found a piece of red that had been on the shelf way to long.  It was die cut and will be the centers of all my stars.

Step 5 (I'm hanging in there)

Most of my 'blacks' have floral on them

I even found some cameo to cut up

I was able to cut my 'wings' out using my 2 1/2" tri/sq die for my GO.  I am not sure but I think I will use matching wings to make this weeks units.  I am still sewing on the red strings but should be able to call it good this weekend.

After the units were sewn I 'trimmed' them using the triangle die #55009  3" finished 1/2 sq/tri

First broken arm --

Karlee first broken arm.  This is the temp cast from the emergency room.

Waiting to 'see' the specialist

Looks like this arm needs a Pink cast!

Mike called me Tuesday night to see if I want to go the the emergency room to check out Karlee's arm.  As a grandma I can't stand to see any of my little ones hurt.

Karlee (age 4 1/2) tripped over her brother while playing outside before bedtime.  She dislocated her elbow and has a hairline crack in the upper arm bone.  We were at the hospital till 2:30am.  Karlee didn't cry once.
When asked it it hurt, she would nod and say "A little".  What a tough kid!  (Grandma about passed out after just looking at the swelling- lol)
Today was the visit with the specialist to see if it needed pinned.  He thinks because of swelling to do the cast and re- x-ray in a week.  Prayers are that the growth plate is not damaged.

Karlee said that her arm feels a lot better now that it is 'bent' and in the cast, she likes her sling.  I can see grandma making a few more in novelty prints (a Christmas one or two too?)  I also want to make her a cloak, there is no way she can get her arm in a coat.

Now I know what to get her for Christmas- a pack of perm.markers- lol

I need help w/a saying--

can't show you what I am working on (yet).  I want/need to add an outer border.

I need a saying that will go with my personality and the fabrics I am using.

1- "when I give to you, what I make with my hands, I share my Heart'

2-Do what you can, with what you have, where you are"

3-Beauty is in the way you live,let your surroundings inspire you"

4-"want to see my fabric collection?

5- something else??  all ideas welcomed.

I will throw in a bundle of fats to the person who helps me pick a saying......

Orca Bay step 4 Red strings

I might not sub-cut until I know how we are using these- so far I like how they are turning out.

These should be called kitchen sink reds, everything is in here!

Pulled strings from my string bins and from the scrap bins.  Many of these are left overs from a 2 1/2" piano key border.  They will get sub-cut to 1" and 1 1/2" .  It will be fun re-visiting fabrics as I sew blocks for this mystery.  Lane and Karlee took turns using the GO dies to cut down the strips.

Gotta love having help at this stage.  Now to cut out the foundation papers and get started sewing!

Note to Self:  use the die for 5 1/2" sq to cut the foundation paper.  Use the Triangle Die #55002  4 7/8 triangles to sub-cut the units.  Just need to fold the striped squares in half and the die cuts out both perfect~

Orca Bay step 3

I would love to say that I am done but in reality all I did was cut into my fabrics!  The tri/sqs above are the ones still left on step #1 that need sewn together- my bad

In my defense, I had NOT planned to do this Mystery, so technically I am WAY ahead of schedule- lol

Here is "my step 3"  I am doing a light and dark sq. sewing down both sides of the middle and cutting them apart to product the desired unit.  "Zero down- 350 TO DO"

S&W finally getting sewn up

I don't seem to do very well working with fabrics that match.  For some reason, I was all excited to start a Stack & Whack style quilt, but lost interest right after purchasing the material.
This wild stash has been sitting around for long enough.

It didn't take very long to cut out the triangles using my GO and dies. The blocks sew up pretty fast too.

I hate to admit that I had these blocks done a couple of weeks ago.  I just couldn't decided how I wanted to set them together.

Lucky for me I had enough of the focus fabric to cut 10 1/2 inch blocks to alternate with the spinning blocks.

I rolled the back sheet to the front for the binding.

Doing the happy dance just knowing that I am using up the majority of this print.  Funny thing is, this is starting to grow on me now that I am close to done.  Do you ever have projects that you have to force yourself to work on, then discover it wasn't as bad as you were making it out to be?

I had an old hospital blanket and used it as the batt.

I like the way this is turning out!

When I asked Jess what he thought I should use on the back, his answer was; "anything with contrast'

 I totally LOVE how this new snuggle under has turned out.  The weight and drape from the blanket make this a heavy quilt.  The Winnie the Pooh sheet on the back just makes me smile.  Merry Christmas, Derrick!

Orca Bay Blue Strings

I strip cut a handful of 1 1/2" blues to use on the corners.  The rest of the strips came from my 1" pile (left over from my mini pineapple days)

I love using my GO 3 1/2" Sq Die to cut my strings after I have taken the paper off.

Lots of Ideas on how to use these cute blocks!

Another MUST DO from the QuiltMaker 100 Blocks Vol 4

QuiltMaker 100 Blocks Vol 4

Page 31 Block by Jan Krentz Designs- :  Star-ring Buttons

I chose to make my Test Block with a Black background and the ring and star points in scraps.  I love this block even though it is best done w/paper piecing.

Happy to say I have 36 block sets cut out and ready to get sewn up.

To keep the quilt really scrappy, I am adding a setting border between blocks.

 

 

This is what I did yesterday.... Took a photo that is- lol

A friend bought this from an antique shop as a Christmas Gift for her mom.

What a beautiful Trip Around the World setting~

I had to get a couple of photos and add on to my TO DO list.  The quilter used 1 inch pieces and hand quilted this beautiful keepsake.

My version will most likely be from 1 1/2" stripes.  Now I have a goal to use up my solids!  I can always use another scrap quilt for our bed! 

2012 is looking to be a year of busting stash- wish me well-  cw

Santas and Keepsake Heirlooms

Just had to share these adorable Santa's.

A peer in our office had these commissioned for her adult children's Christmas presents this year.  All three are custom made and incorporate a wool quilt, furs, jewelry, music boxes, etc.... from the grandmother's collections.

Each has a plaque on the base that has the year and who it is from.  The Santa's are all holding something each child will remember from their Nana.  What a great way to have a one of a kind keepsake for the Holidays.  Makes me think I need to start a display of my own.

On my way with Orca Bay- clue one is almost done!

Funny thing (to me) is that I was NOT going to do this new mystery from Bonnie Hunter.  I enjoyed watching the quilters over on quiltville get all excited about pulling fabrics and waiting for the reveal of instructions.  I was fine with just watching the fun.

Wouldn't you know after reading Fridays post, I (without thinking) went to the stash and pulled enough lights and blacks for the first round directions.

What's a few hourglass blocks here and there anyway?

My rational is I am busting stash and stripping down for a couple of TO DO's I have been wanting to do with my GO 1 1/2" die.  This is a 'round-about-way' of getting more scraps for next yrs mini's.  (Yep, that's my story!)

So to show off the future TO DO's here is what I am working on-

I am busing into the 1 in strips and combining them with 1 1/2 to make a scrappy mini Bento Box.

So far I have been playing with a 3 1/2 block which if set in a 16 patch yields a 12 1/2 block.  This one may take awhile but will be so much fun in the making

I will do a tutorial after I get a bit further along on the technique I am using for this scrappy blocks. -- cw