Black Friday Madness

While the rest of the country shopped or spent the day recovering from a turkey hangover, I stitched.  And stitched.  And stitched like mad.  I stopped long enough to have breakfast and cut down a Christmas tree (okay, I picked the tree and hubby chopped it down) with family and friends. 

Then it was nose to the grindstone to finish up my 4x5 bee blocks.  The block I chose is called Geese All Around.  I've had this block bookmarked for quite some time, and I was happy for the chance to finally make it.  Here's what I learned from making these blocks: If you are going to wait until the last minute to sew multiple bee/swap blocks, do not choose a block with 56 pieces.  Enough said.

The move went pretty smoothly, with the exception of breaking one of the glass doors from my china hutch.  And breaking the glass from the dryer door.  Doesn't bad luck come in threes?  I should just go ahead and throw a glass on the floor and get it over with, because we've still got a few mirrors to retrieve from the old house.

The rest of the weekend will be dedicated to unpacking, and decorating the Christmas tree.  Out of curiosity, has anyone else gotten their tree yet?

Linking up to Finish It Up Friday at Crazy Mom Quilts.

Wrap it up!

The feeling of accomplishment after completing a project never gets old.  It's inevitably followed by inspiration to finish other projects, and while that never gets old either, reality steps in.  This house isn't going to pack itself, and the big move is Saturday, so no more sewing until after the weekend.

I do have a couple of finishes to share.  First up is a long-overdue quilt for the Love Circle at do. Good Stitches.  My month to host was July, but the backing fabric got boxed and put in storage a few months ago.  The fabric was finally unearthed and the whole quilt kit came along to the SBAMQG retreat.  There the backing was pieced and quilt sandwiched basted (no quilting due to walking foot debacle), and I finally quilted and finished the binding at home this week.

Here are detail shots of the quilting (stitch-in-the-ditch) and binding (Kona Coal):

 
This one is hard to send off, but it's going to a great cause.

I also finished my partner's pillow cover for The Pillow Talk {Swap} Round 9 (last-minute,of course).  Batwing blocks in front, hexies on the back.  Quilted very simply, with a top-zipping invisible zipper closure.  This was the first pillow cover I've ever made, and I definitely see more in my sewing future.

Linking up to Finish It Up Friday at Crazy Mom Quilts.

Almost there!

This is the first round of The Pillow Talk {Swap} that I've participated in, and it's been fun.  It's always so nerve-racking to me to make something for another person.  Even though my partner made an inspiration mosaic and left comments on discussion threads and other PTS9 projects, I never know if I'm getting it quite right.

The top is now pieced and quilted, and thanks to some great tutorials on how to use an overlock stitch (I didn't even know it, but I had an overlock foot amongst my accessories!)  the pillow top and back have been serged.  So thrilled to have learned how to do this!  I'm just a few hexies for the back and a zipper installation away from finishing this pillow.

Then it's on to my 4x5 Modern Quilt Bee blocks.  The fabric pulls for my beemates were done fairly early, but I agonized too long over block choice.  I thought I'd get around to at least making the test block with my own colors by now, and I could offer up any number of excuses why I haven't, but I won't.  There will be some crazy times ahead since we are moving this weekend and the deadline is a week from Saturday...

Linking up to WIP Wednesday at Freshly Pieced.

Have a great week!

Weekend Sewing- Retreat among the Redwoods

I do so love a quilt retreat, especially one that's rustic and remote.  The South Bay Area Modern Quilt Guild organized such a retreat (their first) and were gracious enough to open it up to members of sister Modern Quilt Guilds in the area.

Who goes on a quilt retreat but forgets to bring her walking foot?  Yep, I'm the genius that did that.  Grand plans for quilting my Converging Corners quilt for do. Good Stitches and completing a pillow cover for The Pillow Talk {Swap} Round 9 foiled!  Several people kindly offered the use of their walking foot (feet?), and I actually tried a universal walking foot offered by Miriam, with whom I was sharing sewing space.  But my Singer 301A is a persnickety little thing, and she will only quilt with a walking foot modified especially for her (which I purchased from Jenny at Sew Classic).

Luckily, I was still able to work on these projects despite the forgotten walking foot.  I pieced the backing for the Converging Corners quilt, as well as the front of the pillow cover.

The pillow cover is based on the Batwing Block from The Farmer's Wife (I drafted my own templates).  I stalked my PTS9 partner's ispiration mosaic and favorites, as well as her comments on other projects posted to the Flickr group, and I hope I got it right.  Now I just have to figure out how to quilt it, as well as hit up some tutorials on how to actually put together a pillow cover.

Aside from these projects, I was busily engaged in making new friends with the ladies from the guild- such a fun and friendly group!  I loved the flow of chatter and exchanging of advice, ideas and (of course) fabric.  And there were so many great projects being sewn up.  Unfortunately, I didn't think to take pictures, but most of them can be found here. 

Since I didn't get to quilt Converging Corners at the retreat, that's the current task at hand.

The goal is to finish up the quilting today, then bind it before the weekend is over.

Linking up to WIP Wednesday at Freshly Pieced.