I’m so excited about the Free Motion Quilting Challenge.   This is a skill I’ve been wanting to learn.  It’s actually on my goal list for 2012.  I’ll be following along and learning everything I can this year.     There will be monthly tutorials and Prizes!  It’s going to be an awesome opportunity to learn at home.   If you’ve been hesitating to give FMQ a try, 2012 is the time to stop hesitating and give it a go.

One of my goals is to finish the t-shirt quilt I started for my husband last year that was for his birthday the year before.  I know, I’m soooo bad.

In my defense, I started on the quilt and ran out of interfacing after about 3 shirts.   I realized I didn’t like the interfacing I was using and was stuck in the land of indecision, unable to move forward on the quilt because I didn’t know which interfacing to use.   I read blog posts, I googled.   I was still stuck.  Until I read this post talking about Fusi-knit.   I did a little more research and decided I was going to try it.

Of course, the next obstacle, was deciding how much to buy.   See, I know I need to do a few more of these quilts, and it’s cheaper per yard by the bolt, but I’d never used it.   What if I bought the bolt and hated it?  Finally, I sucked it up and bought a bolt.   It arrived just a couple of weeks ago.  I have to tell you, it was the best decision.  I love this stuff.   It works so well for the t-shirts.  I’m thrilled!  It was so easy to use and I love how it stabilized the fabric without leaving it too limp or too stiff.

Anyway, I’m dying to start the Orca Bay Mystery Quilt and I absolutely cannot cut a bit of fabric until this quilt is done.   So yesterday I got in my sewing room and sewed all the blocks together.

We worked on the layout together.   I took an initial stab at it and then had him come in and move blocks around until we had it like he wanted.  He’s picked his backing so now I just need to quilt it.   It’s 68 x 58.  I’ve never quilted anything that big in my machine.    I’m just going to do outlining about 1/2 inch inside each block.  I’m hoping I can roll it tight enough to make it work.    Hopefully, I’ll be done with this and able to start the OB Mystery shortly after thanksgiving!

My list of projects I want to do, projects I need to do, and things I need to finish is getting out of hand.  My dh is making jokes about me never finishing a quilt.   That’s not actually true.  I’ve completed quite a few, but I haven’t completed any for us to keep.

Lately, I’ve been reading some posts, like this one on UFO’s for 2012, and this one for Sew and Tell, along of course with WIP Wednesday.   All of these are designed to keep you on track and working on projects sitting in your closet, or on your sewing table, or floor, or, well you get the idea.  They’re all great ideas.  It’s hard for me to stick with someone else’s plan though.   So, I thought maybe I could kind of combine them all.    I work best with goals, so I have created my goals for the next 12 months and included my long term quilting goals.

1. Learn to FMQ.   Actually quilt some of my own quilts FMQ – start with Simply Silly.
2. Finish at least one project for every new project I start.
3. Blog  at least 2 times per month.  Catch up my blog with posts on projects that haven’t been blogged about yet.
4. Send quilts to long arm:
   1. Guest BR
   2. 12 days of Christmas
5. Quilt and Bind these quilt tops
   1. Simply Silly
   2. Fun Flowers
6. Complete these tops
   1. Lilac Hill Throw – next step sew HST’s into blocks
   2. Denim Quilt – finish cutting blocks, order border and backing fabric
   3. Charlie’s T shirt quilt – interfacing ordered,  apply to shirts when it arrives
   4. Dress Shirt quilt – pick solid fabric and cut blocks.
   5. Postage stamp quilt – sew blocks together
   6. Happy Quilt (freckled whimsy QA) – review project and evaluate
   7. Paris BOM – finish month 1 blocks.
7. Begin and complete these projects
   1. Baby Oyler quilt – complete ASAP (have at the ready for when the need arises.)
   2. Paw Paw Tshirt  quilts
   3. Diamonds Quilt for MBR
   4. Make a purse/tote bag
   5. Make a Ghastlie quilt
   6. Make a Sewing Machine Cover
8. Continue with these projects
   1. Farmers Wife
   2. Star Quilt – hand project
   3. Hexagon Christmas Tree wall hanging – hand project
9. Next up in Line
   1. Swing Patch with GA fabric
   2. Cappuccino Delight
   3. Chocolate Blueberry Squares
   4. Crossing Paths
   5. Hugs and Kisses
   6. Sunny All-Around

Future Goal:   Try a full on applique project – ie a block with multiple applique shapes working together.

I’ve included next steps in my WIP’s.  And I’ve thought about my stash.   I’ve got a number of kits I’ve bought or quilts I’ve planned (meaning I have all the fabric for that project) that I’ve never started.   I need to evaluate these projects this year.  Either I start them, or I release the fabric into my stash for other projects.  These are in my next up category.   Something needs to happen with these this year.

So going forward, as it works for me,  I’m going to use  all  3 of these : WIP Wednesday,  UFO List and  Sew and Tell.   When I can,  I’ll participate in the linky parties.   I’m going to use my goals list to keep me on track and focused.   I’m not waiting till 2012 to start.  My next 12 months starts now.

Not long ago, I was inspired. Well, lately, I’ve been getting inspired frequently it seems, but this inspiration was to make a mini quilt. I’d never made one before. I didn’t have a pattern, and as a fairly new quilter that was a challenge.

While strolling through the blogs I follow, I found the inspiration for this quilt.   I found the the drive to finish it when I saw Amy’s Mini Challenge.  I blogged about the inspiration for this quilt here cuz I was just too excited to wait until today.  So here’s my wonderful little mini that I’m so proud of.

 

All the circles are raw edge appliqued by hand.  I managed to pull all the fabric except the sashing from my stash.   BONUS!  My husband will tell you I have too much fabric, but I’ll say I really don’t have much of a stash yet.   Almost all of my fabric is committed to a specific project (that I just haven’t gotten to yet).  So being able to make this and only buying 1 fabric was awesome.

This little beauty is about to  be framed and then it will be hanging in it’s new home in our bathroom.  The master bedroom and bathroom are both done in greens and browns, so this matches perfectly.   I’m so excited about finishing this.

I’m so close to finishing the Ghastlie Bag that I started yesterday for Try Something New Thursday, but it still needs handles.  I’ll definitely be aiming to have it finished for Sew and Tell next week.

Thanks for stopping by!

 

It’s Thursday so I thought I’d join Melissa in trying something new.   I’ve wanted to make a purse or tote for so long.  I’ve bought patterns, but I always get lost reading the directions and never even get to cutting fabric.

After the Ghastlie blog hop,   I just had to have some of that wonderful fabric.   I knew I wanted a bag and a quilt made out of that awesome fabric.  I started searching and the mini miranda bag by Lazy Girl Designs had wonderful reviews.   I decided to take a chance and order that pattern.

After reading the pattern twice, I started cutting.   Everyone was right!  I CAN do this pattern!

It’s not finished yet.  I’m going to add plastic handles.     But I’m so excited about how it’s turning out.    The pattern calls for a seam in the center on both sides of the bag.   I only did the seam on one side of the bag so that the dinner scene could be intact.   The seam will be on the front and the main scene will actually be on the back of the bag.   Putting the main scene on the back will keep the tab that closes the bag from being in the middle of Ms. Ghastlies face.  I’m going to put metal feet on the bottom of the bag too.

 

 

Can you believe it’s actually sitting up looking like a bag?  I’ve still got to stitch just under the binding at the top of the bag, add the tab to close the bag and the handles, and add the feet.   I’m thinking of adding the cinch straps inside as well to make it look like more of a purse than a bag.

In hindsight, I  probably should have picked a non-directional fabric for my first bag.  It would have been so much easier. One side of the lining is upside down, but I think it’ll be okay.  Yeah – look at the picture, every single fabric I used is directional.  What was I thinking?

 

 

But isn’t it darling?!!  I’m so stoked.   I can’t believe I did this in an afternoon.  Even with directional fabric, this pattern was so easy to read, understand and follow.   I can’t wait to get the handles  and put them on!

Thanks for stopping by and  being excited with me!

In August, Southern Living had this recipe for Skillet Apple Pie that looked absolutely amazing.   You look at this pie and you think, I just have to make that.

The problem?  I didn’t have a cast iron skillet.   I know – what self-respecting southern lady doesn’t have a cast iron skillet?   Well,  I used to have several, but I got new pots and pans and the cast iron is so heavy I found myself not using it except for cornbread.   So I’ve got my divided corn bread skillet now, but I gave the rest of the pans away.   There was only one thing I could do.   I’d have to buy a new cast iron skillet.   Oh, yes, yes I did.

Once I got home with my new skillet, washed and all ready to go, I gathered up my 4 lbs of apples and started to work.   Now part of the joy of this pie is that you basically make a caramel in the bottom of the skillet and then place your bottom pie crust on top of the caramel.  MMMMM.   I was just about to add my apple mixture when I had a truly southern thought.   “This pie needs pecans!”   I tossed about 1 1/2 cups of pecans in some melted butter and then tossed them in cinnamon sugar.  I used the same ratio for the cinnamon/sugar as the recipe called for with the apples.

This is where I hit my first challenge.  The recipe called for a 10″ skillet, check.  It also called for store bought pie crust, check.  So, when I put my pie crust in the bottom , I realized it didn’t quite come up to the top of the skillet.  I figured I could make it work.  When I tried to put the top crust on, disaster struck.   Okay, maybe disaster is too strong of a word.  The top  crust was absolutely too SMALL.  It broke, it didn’t cover and there was no way I was going to be able to connect it to the bottom crust.   I decided it was easier to through together a quick pie crust (I used an oil recipe since I didn’t have any crisco in the house – I know, I’m soooo going to have to give up my southern card if I keep this up.).   Wanna see how it turned out?

I think this is the prettiest pie I’ve ever made in my ENTIRE life.   It’s gorgeous!   I look like a pro!  (Don’t worry, my pies never look like this.  I’m sure this is a fluke!)  My husband swears it’s the best thing I’ve ever made.  Not just the best pie, but the best thing ever.  I swear this thing is like 3 inches tall after its baked.

I kept forgetting to take a picture before most of it was gone and it’s hard to get a good picture after getting it on a plate because stuff keeps falling out.  But here’s an attempt.

Yeah, I’m not a food photographer.  And this is one of the last pieces of pie, because it really went quick.   Trust me, you have to try this recipe.  It’s really an easy recipe and the results are heaven.

It seems like 2011 has been the year of starting.   So much life has happened that it’s been hard to finish my quilting projects.    I’ve gotten a few done, but only when there were deadlines pending.   I really wanted to complete one that was going to stay at my house (which would be a first for me!)

A little over a week ago, I started on this mini quilt, inspired by one I’d see online.   I’m so excited that I’ve actually finished quilting it and I got the binding done.

Isn’t it darling?   I’m going to take it to be framed and then hang it in the master bathroom.  I want it behind glass since it’ll be in a damp environment.

Thanks for stopping by!