January Get it Done

I did not post anything in December for a "Get It Done" list. I knew it would be useless because I wouldn't "Get it Done". I figured I would just start fresh for the new year.
Sewwwwwww-here we go.


For the Month of January my "Get it Done" list consists of:

1. Snow Ruby-I haven't decided which fabrics to use yet. (Opinions?)

     

2. Need to get 8 Reach for a Cure Totes done.

These are the fabrics I have already cut up into kits for the totes. Now I just have to sew them.

3. Quilt & Bind Primitive Hearts quilt for Dr.'s office.

I do quilts that I take to my oncologist's office for them to give to patients receiving chemo.

4. Hot Rod Quilt.

 

(I know this pic is sideways. For some reason I can't get it turned.)
I have put a top and bottom border on this, and I have it loaded and halfway quilted. I want to finish quilting it and put the binding on this month for DH.
Hooking up to Patchwork Times. Check out what others are doing.

That's my line up this month.

Til later,
Hugs & Stitches
Mary

Slow Stitching Sunday 12/29

                                                                 

This week I dug out a project that I have had for quite some time. I bought this as an unfinished project at a yard sale in AZ when I was visiting my mom. The Apple Cores (or Hatchet) blocks were cut out and about 5 or 6 were sewn together. The woman who started this had passed away. I have worked on this off and on for a few years and now I think it's time to finish this. It won't be very large but it might make a good table topper or for the back of the couch.

On another front---I have a show and tell.
Just picked this little jewel up this week. All it needs is a needle clamp and a little cleaning.

It's a Singer 185K. This is my other passion-----sewing machines. Namely vintage machines.
Oh well------keeps me off the streets and out of bars :-).

Linking up to Kathy's Blog for Slow Stitching Sunday.

Til later
Hugs & Stitches,
Mary

Proposed Goals for 2014 Part 1

These are some projected goals that I would like to do in 2014.
What I thought I would do is start working on using up some of my stash. I think it has aged enough.

I have received some of these little pattern cards as gifts, or have purchased them. I thought I would try to get 1 done a month using ONLY from my stash. These are small do-able projects that I think I should be able to handle. I am listing the first 6 months here and will go through some of my other patterns to find small projects for the last 6 months.
(Please forgive the quality of the pics. Sometimes my camera (or operator) doesn't like taking close ups.)

January:

February:

March:

April:

May:

June:

Let's see how well I keep up with this. Wish me luck!

That's it for now.
Til later,
Hugs & Stitches,
Mary

Merry Christmas to All

Merry Christmas.
May you have Peace, Love & Joy.

Mary

I'm taking the Pledge

                                                                

Well let's see how well I do. I've decided to join this little group of Fabriholics Anonymous at The Elvin Garden.

Here's a few of the ground rules:

No fabric purchases for the first 6 months (except for backing and bindings, but try to pull from stash first).

After 6 months re-evaluate and see if you can go for another 6 months.

Another is to create a UFO list and finish them. (As you have seen in some of my posts I do have a UFO list-see Page tabs above for 2014 projects).

Start de-stashing by weeding out fabric that you know you'll never use. I have done that before and will go through again. (I have a person that I give fabric to so she can make quilts for the homeless.)

Exceptions:
If you don't have stash for backing or binding then you may purchase.
Books, magazines and notions are fine.
One of the exceptions I will make for myself is, if I need fabric to round out a pattern I am making (ie., I have lots of focus or main fabrics, but not blenders or accents) I may purchase only the amount needed.


I had already decided to do something like this so maybe this will give me the little push I need.
Wish me luck.

Til later
Hugs & Stitches,
Mary

What's on the Wall?

Thought I'd hook up to Judy L's Design Wall Monday.

This is what I have on part of the wall right now.

These are some blocks that were left over from another project. Don't remember which one. Found them when I was going through cleaning out some stuff. I have enough that I think I'm just going to sew them together, put a narrow border on them and call it good for a table runner. This next year I'm going to try to work out of my stash for the majority of things (ha, ha). I won't say I'll only work from my stash because I know how much willpower I have when it comes to fabric (NONE, NADA, ZIP).

Check out and see what others are doing here.


Til later
Hugs & Stitches,
Mary

Slow Stitching Sunday

Here's what I'm working on today. I thought it was time to slow down a little, take things easy, and enjoy the day.

 

I saw these on another blog and thought they were too cute. Needless to say I HAD to do these. This is probably going to be one of those long term projects, but that's okay with me. Great way to use up some of those scraps that keep reproducing in my sewing room (aka-the dungeon).

I'm hooking this up to Kathy's Quilt's for Slow Stitching Sunday.   Have a wonderful and pieceful Sunday.

Til Later
Hugs & Stitches,
Mary

2014 New FO's

                                                             


This is just a partial list of some of the New FO's I'd like to start (and maybe finish) this next year.

I still have charm packs enough to do 2 more D9P's.
I have a kit from Pam Mostec that I'd like to do.
A Cactus Basket Kit.
2 Rising Star Kits

There are also these:

I think I went a little overboard on large florals, but gosh darn, they were beautiful and they threw themselves at me (LOL).

I'm hoping to start clearing a lot of my kits out that I have purchased (on a whim). Again, besides  doing New FO's, I will also try to get some of my UFO's done.

I'm linking this up to Cat Patches. Why not go check out some of the others that are participating in this.

Til later
Hugs & Stitches,
Mary

Weekend Update

In a previous post I said I went to a friends house the day after Thanksgiving for a small quilting retreat. Here are some of the things I got done that weekend.

Note: For some reason these are posting sideways. I can't get them turned.

 This first one is the BQ4.

This second one is for DH. He is building a hot rod and this is for the car. I have since added a top and bottom border using the focus fabric.

This one is the 5 yard quilt. I just made a few changes on the inner border and outer borders.


I also got a top together called Grafitti, but wouldn't you know, I didn't get a pic of that one.
I also did a couple of other small projects I had taken.

Yesterday and today I spent the day making tamales. I hadn't made them for quite a while and my son and DH requested I make some this year. So, I got about 13 dozen made. Of course you  know, some will be given to friends (that's why I made dozens). I did regular pork tamales and some sweet tamales. Sweet tamales that I make are like the ones my Grandmother used to make. You add sugar to the masa and then put rasins and anise seeds in it and wrap in corn husks. My grandmother on my Mom's side was from Mexico and I learned to make these watching her and my Aunts making these. Oh how I remember all the hub-bub in her kitchen when everyone got together to make tamales. The husks would be soaked in her laundry tubs and the tamales making would commence (she had 10 kids-so daughters and DIL's would gather).

Anyway that's how my Friday & Saturday went. Check back tomorrow when I have posted on my New FO's I want to do for 2014.

Til later,
Hugs & Stitches,
Mary

December already?

I don't know where time is going. Sitting here today I suddenly remembered today is December 7th. A day that will live in infamy. For me that is two reasons. First is the attack on Pearl Harbor. The second is that on this day in 2010 I went under the knife for breast cancer. I want to thank my friend Vickie for sitting with my husband at the hospital all day while I was in surgery. I know it helped him get through it. It has been 3 years and everything is going really good. All reports are fine.

I need to get busy and plan projects that I would like to see done this next year. I didn't do too good on finishing a lot of projects this year. I WILL do better this next year.

I am also trying to work on Bonnie Hunter's Celtic Solstice Mystery. I have Part 1 cut for the smaller quilt (still need to cut for the King size). I still had a class sample to finish up before really working on the mystery. Now I have Part 2 to catch up on.

I also went the day after Thanksgiving to  a friends house for a little quit retreat (there were 5 of us). I did manage to get a few things accomplished there. I got a small wall hanging (for a class sample) done, a quilt top called "Grafitti" (also a class sample) done, a BQ4 top done, a five yard quilt top done, and a quilt top I'm making for DH for the hot rod he's building. I did take some pics of these and will post when I download them from the iPad.

This last week I also managed to pick up a couple of Featherweights. One of them, the paint is chipped up so I'm going to send it of to be painted. The other one is in pretty good shape (it's a 1941) but the box is toast. It has that special odor that is sooo hard to get rid of also.

Well that's my doings for this month so far. I'll try to post pics in the next post.

Til later,
Hugs & Stitches,
Mary

November's Progress

It's been a while since I've posted.
I really haven't gotten too much of my stuff done this month. I have, however, gotten all my client quilts out for Christmas delivery. NOW, I get to work on some of my stuff. I have 3 wallhangings to make for the Marti & Me Club at my LQS. Also, a new class sample called Confetti needs to be built.

Today I finished the last client quilt and after she picked it up I went downstairs and accomplished the following:
   1. Made two 10 minute table runners for Christmas.
   2. Cut out for a 5 yard quilt top.
   3. Cut out for a quilt I'm making for DH's hot rod he's building.
   4. Built 1 of the wall hanging for the Marti & Me Club.
   5. Pieced a backing for one of my quilts that will be loaded tomorrow.
I also started packing my small suitcase with projects that I will be taking to a small retreat the day after Thanksgiving. There are about 5 of us that will gather at a friends house (She has a separate set-up from her house for a few of us to sew and ---maybe-----sleep). The nice thing is that everything I've packed are projects for me-----not for inventory or customers or class samples-------MINE!!!!
I'll try to get pics of some of the projects done that weekend.

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving.

Til later,
Hugs & Stitches,
Mary

A Little Progress

This past Tuesday was the (sort of) end of a hectic and busy, busy time for me. Wednesday I thought I would get to quilt a client quilt. I did manage to get it loaded and then DH decides we need to go grocery shopping and other errands. By the time we got home I was out of the notion of quilting.

Thursday I went with a friend to the Quilting, Craft & Sewing Festival at the fairgrounds. What a day. I came home loaded down with a pretty heavy bag. Not all of it was for me (but about 80%). I did pick up some giftie stuff for friends also.

Today I did get to quilting a client quilt, and got it finished. I also loaded the next one on and will start on that in the morning. This evening after dinner I went back down and managed to finish piecing the last 5 rows of the D9P I've had on the flannel wall for a while. I have all the rows sewn together. I will not put borders on this, just a binding.

I also pieced a backing for the "Barns" quilt I finished a couple months ago.



I also sewed the inner border on Easy Street. Hopefully I can have this done before starting the new Mystery by Bonnie Hunter.

All in all I think I had a productive day.

That's it for now.
Til later,
Hugs & Stitches,
Mary

Where has the time gone?

I can't believe I haven't posted since the 31st of last month.
I can't say I've gotten much done except quilting 4 client quilts. Other than that, I've had 2 shows that I was a vendor at and then I worked all this last week at a LQS helping out on her customer appreciation sale. I'll tell you one thing----I sure have been sleeping soundly at night. :-)
This week I will be back out at my regular LQS tomorrow for the Marti & Me Club and then the following day to start a new session of Beginning Quilting. Hopefully I can get 2 more client quilts out this week also. After that, I will only have 3 quilts left for Christmas delivery. Maybe then I can get back to some of my stuff.
That's all to report for now.
Til later,
Hugs & Stitches,
Mary

October Get It Done

Well this month being as busy as it was, I didn't get too much done.
Here is my list for October:
1. Borders on Easy Street
2. Batik sweatshirt
3. Borders on Idaho blocks
4. Borders on Chinese Coins (aka Jelly Roll Jam Gone Wrong ).
The only thing accomplished on that list is the Chinese coins that I have named Sassy Coins. (That the fabric line that I used.)

Sooooo-for November's List we have:
1. Borders on Easy Street.
2. Batik sweatshirt.
3. Borders on Idaho quilt.
4. Borders on Thimbleberries scrap quilt.

Hopefully after next week things will slow down so I can get more quality sewing time in. I only have about 6 more client quilts to get out for Christmas delivery, then I can play with my stuff. YAY!!!
Here's the linky to Judy at Patchwork Times

Til later,
Hugs & Stitches,
Mary

October Retreat Weekend

Well I made it through the weekend in fine shape. Of course, when I got home on Sunday I was ready to just CRASH!!!!! I think I got about a total of 15 hours of sleep from Thursday night through Sunday. I did get a lot of sewing on inventory done though.
Here are a few pics of the retreat.

We had one organized class. It was a Bonnie Hunter, My Blue Heaven class.

There were 83 participants at the retreat.

Some of the projects and show and tell over the weekend.

A cute little vignette.

This was from a class I taught at April Retreat 2012.

And finally----

The full moon coming up on the left, and the top of Mount Rainier on the right. Beautiful!

That's all for now.
Til later,
Hugs & Stitches,
Mary

October Progress Week 2

Well I've gotten a lot done in a way. I have quilted 3 client quilts this week. Two "Almost Amish" BOM's and a Stonehenge BOM. I didn't get any pictures tho.
I did a lot of cutting and prepping stuff to take to retreat with me this next week. Unfortunately, all of it will be for making inventory for shows and nothing for me personally.

The next 4weeks are really going to be super busy for me. Tomorrow I go out to my LQS for the Marti & Me classes. Tuesday and part of Wednesday I will be quilting client quilts. Wednesday afternoon I go out and set up for retreat. I will be at retreat Thursday-Sunday. The following Monday I'm back  out at the LQS for another round of Marti & Me classes. Tuesday & Wednesday, client quilts. Thursday, set up for quilt show (vending) and out there till Sunday. The following week I will have Monday through Thursday to quilt client quilts and then Friday I set up for a craft show over the weekend. That takes us to the first full week in November which puts me back at the LQS for BOM class and then Tuesday thru Saturday I will be helping out at another LQS for her big sale. After that I have one day of rest. I tell you folks, November doesn't get any slower cause I have the Marti & Me classes along with a 4 week beginning Quilting class (which is full). If I make it through November I think I'm taking December OFF!!!!!!!!

I must say, I did get my Sassy Coins finished in between all this.

 

 

Hopefully I get a chance to get some more of my UFO's done before the end of the year.

That's it for now.

Til later,

 Hugs & Stitches,

Mary

4th Quarter 2013 FAL

Here is my list for the 4th quarter of the 2013 FAL

1. Sassy Coins quilt.

2. Medallion Quilt-this one has been sitting in the line up to be quilted for the last 2 years. I think it needs to get done.

3. D9P for Dr's office

4. Hidden Wells-I won't even say how long this one has been in the line up, but again, it needs to get done.

5, Thimbleberries Scrap quilt-needs to have borders put on and then quilted and bound.

6. T Shirt Quilt-needs quilting and binding.

 

7. Walkabout-I pieced the top at a retreat earlier this year.

8. Blocks won at retreat-needs borders ,quilting and binding.

9.  I need to put borders, quilt and bind Easy Street.

 

 

 

Well I think that's enough to keep me busy this quarter.

Check out what everyone else is doing HERE

 

 

Til later,

Hugs & Stitches,

Mary.