365 Challenge Week 43

I am feeling sad because I have not made a single block this week.  I had high hopes for catching up this weekend, but my computer decided I must install a new iOS.  And it took FOREVER.  And once it was loaded, the computer was so slow it pretty much couldn't function.  And then the next day I had to install an update to the iOS, which took quite a while too.  At least afterwards everything was faster.  But then I lost the computer to my husband and FLL (FIRST Lego League).  And now that I finally can use the computer it's Sunday night and I'm tired so maybe sometime this week I can get the blocks and get to work.  Seven behind.  boo.

AG Pets & Some Quilts

I feel like I'm meeting myself coming and going lately.  I have a bunch of things in the works; some I can share, and some I cannot yet.  Next week is the big reveal!  So be sure to stop by again!  Anyway, I was at Sam's Club this morning and they had this year's American Girl pets in the special boxes.  These pets don't have the collars, but they usually come with an activity book and some small pet accessories such as food and water bowls.  I snapped some photos of the ones currently at my club.  They are $30.48 each.



They also had an assortment of the mini dolls with the book sets.  These usually have an attractive price.  The thing I don't like about them is that they don't come with the doll-sized book.  There were different activity kits too.  Late fall is definitely a good time to look at Sam's for AG things.

I'm working on a quilt top and even though it is easy, it is taking me forever.  One frustrating thing is all my sashing strips ended up 1" too short so I had to fix them by adding another seam to each piece.  Not a huge deal, just annoying.

I'm binding this quilt and it is taking FOREVER!  I love binding, but this one is just not calling to me like usual.  It's close though--about 3/4 done.  This top was a kit I bought probably five years ago in Annapolis.  It came with fabric for the binding.  I cut it narrower than the directions and still didn't have enough.  :(  Luckily I had tons of the blue fabric from the backing left over since the first cut I got from Jo-Ann was so crookedly cut that it was off almost a third of a yard from one side to another, and thus, too short.  So I had an extra five yards.  Sigh.  At least I got it on special so it was only like $2.50/yard.


I haven't many any progress at all on the HP cross stitch I shared a few weeks ago.  I'm close to having both Halloween costumes finished for my kids.  About time, right?  Ha.  I did get all of the doll clothing photos uploaded into the Doll Clothes tab.  It's fun to look back at all the outfits I've made.  And, just because I don't have enough going on, I signed up for another mini mini Bonnie & Camille barn quilt swap, Christmas themed colors this time.  It will have a two-week turnaround.  I may be crazy, but I couldn't refuse because Ginger runs a great swap and this one always has a good end product.

365 Challenge Week 42

Only 10 more weeks to go....  

This week's blocks are all 3.5".

October 18
October 19
October 20 
October 21--I did an ill-advised reverse color scheme.  :\
October 22
October 23
October 24

Funny Things #32

Stores sometimes put some pretty strange descriptions on their receipts.  This week is a two-for-one.


We bought two of these dog tail hooks at IKEA.  
Read the descriptions under the hook.
We bought large "fundraiser" boxes of candy bars.  Sam's Club's description of them is kinda gross!

Mini Barn Quilt & Blog Updates

I really loved the mini barn quilt I sent to Ginger during a swap a while back, so I made one for myself too.  Here it is, and I've also added it to the 2016 Finishes tab.  It is made from a pattern I purchased from SLOstudio (available on Etsy and Craftsy) and printed at 65%.  It measures 6.5" by 7.5".  The printed fabrics are all Bonnie & Camille prints, solids are Kona and Moda.

I am updating some things on the blog.  I've moved around some of the content in the right side bar.  I've started to add photos into the doll clothes tab.  I'm going through six years' worth of photos, so it will take me a while, but I plan to have them all up there in the next few weeks.  More changes are coming, so keep watching for more updates!

365 Challenge Week 41

I'm caught up this week, but I did do a few modifications on the blocks.  I couldn't get October 14's block to go together no matter what I did, so I omitted the center piece.  I didn't even want to attempt October 17's block, but I remembered that there is a bonus "birthday" block.  And the 17th is my aunt's and niece's birthdays, so it seemed appropriate.  These are all 3.5" blocks.

October 11
October 12
October 13
October 14--minus the center diamond
October 15 
October 16
October 17--substituted with this birthday block



Seasons Change

A lot of changes lately, more are coming.  Hopefully will share more sewing next week.  Took this picture at the apple orchard a while back.

365 Challenge Week 40

I finished the large 12" corner block.  Funny story, I got all done and went to take the picture and noticed the block seemed kinda small.  So I measured and it was only 11"!  This is odd; usually I'm off an eighth of an inch or less.  I'm a little panicky and then I notice that I neglected to put on the two white strips on the outside of the block.  Duh!  So I go to sew them on and manage to get them right side to wrong side.  Super duh!!  But now it's all fixed and at the proper size.  Whew!
October 1
October 4
October 5 
October 6
October 7
October 8
October 9
October 10






Let's Talk HSTs

It seems that a lot of the projects I've been working on this year require half-square triangles or use the "stitch and flip" method to add corners to blocks.  I've made these in so many ways this year...my 365 Challenge quilt uses them on an almost daily basis and with a variety of construction techniques. Sometimes we will make them and only need an odd number of finished HST. Sometimes we are just doing a "covered corner" aka "stitch and flip" and we trim off the excess, as has also been the case with the Aviatrix, Fig Tree Mystery Quilt 2016, the heart blocks I made for Pulse, some of the blocks from The Aqua Umbrella QAL, and the Cluck, Cluck, Sew Pumpkin quilt.

What do you do with all the trimmings?  Keep or toss?  I know some people just throw them out, and I do if the resulting finished HST would be smaller than an inch, but that is A LOT of fabric to toss out.  So I've been sewing all my trimmings into HST. Just look at some of the piles I have made recently!
This is the trimmings pile from my pumpkin quilt.
Here are the trimmings and extras from my 365 Challenge quilt so far.  Sometimes
we get lucky and can use the leftovers in another block.  I've done a couple of those so far.
These are the trimmings from ONE border of the Aviatrix quilt.  There will be more.
We all know I am cheap and can't toss things I might use again.  :P  Since I like most fabric and don't work with strictly one palette, I think I'm leaning towards minis or pillow covers with all these extras.  Putting them all together could yield a rather yucky end product!  



365 Challenge Week 39

I am mostly up-to-date.  I still have to complete October 1's block.  It is one of the large 12" corners.  The rest of the week is done!  Oh, and they are all 3" blocks.

September 27
September 28
September 29
September 30
October 2
October 3--I really like this one even though I dreaded making it.