UFO Challenge for 2018

Patchwork Times is running a UFO Challenge. There are no rules. It is just a way to keep track and try and get those UFO out of your closets, from under the bed etc.

I try to do one UFO before I start cutting another quilt project out. Sometimes I am successful, other times... the temptations are so strong that I crumble and start something new. Well, the thing about new projects is it does get you motivated to sew...

UFO's 2018

1. Allietare Quilt. - needs 2 borders, pieced back, sandwich & quilt. 
2. Halloween quilt - backing, sandwich & quilt.
3. Stack and Whack - top, etc
4. Jar Quilt- QAYG. Sashing, backing & batting.
5. Amber/Wes signature quilt. Assemble, back, batting quilt 
6. Wes dragon quilt. Globe and claw. Backing, Sandwich, quilt.
7. Convex illusion. Finish top, sandwich and quilt.
8. Sampler. Finish last block, backing batting quilt.
9. Seattle Skyline Wallhanging. Needle, borders, back sandwich & quilt.
10. Spool Wallhanging. Batting and backing. quilt
11. Lighthouse Wallhanging. Needs lighthouse dome.
12. Ugly pink baby quilt top. Quilt and donate.
13. Accordion Carpenters Wheel.

This is a start. I am sure if I actually took my closet apart I would find a few more. 2 years ago I donated a LOT of UFO's to a church in Canada and to a group that was making quilts for survivors of a fire up in Washington state. It felt good to give away many UFO's I knew I would never finish because I no longer was attracted to them. Some were early experiments in learning new techniques. Other were WWIT, What Was I Thinking!!! 

Happy Quilting, Sewing and Organizing for the New Year!!

Aileen in Florida

Linking up to Patchwork Times

After Christmas

I can't believe it has been 3 days since Christmas.

Everyone like their handmade gifts,

especially...

Time to clean up the old sewing room and get organized.

Happy Cleaning

Aileen in Florida

Book Pillows

Merry Christmas!

 Hope your Holidays are filled with
love and joy.

These are the book pillows for 3 of the Grands. 

I hope they like them.

Time to finish up those last minute gifts!

Happy Holidays

Aileen in Florida

Busy Busy

It has been a very busy few days. Did a bit of sewing with the ladies group on Wednesday.  I am not a hand sewer. It was taking forever to hand sew the binding down. The doggie quilt had to be ready for photographs on Thursday. I finally basted it down. Today I will continue sewing it down the right way. Isn't he cute! This will be in the quilt show in February 2018. In May I will give it to my grandson for his 1st Birthday.

 The pattern is by Stacy Iest Hsu. Its called All Wrapped Up. Scrap buster. I used what I had on hand in 2 1/2 inch strips. I think he needs a bow tie! 

The Christmas party was fun. Many more people than I remember attending  previous years. It was nice to chat with friends over a good meal. We had a Tea Towel exchange. This was my contribution. 

The one I got back is much prettier than the one I made.

Time is running out! Pushing forward to get my handmade gifts done. How are you fairing? Are you ready for the Holiday?

Happy Sewing

Aileen in Florida

Sunday was My Birthday!

Turned 65th! Older than dirt.

Saturday was a crazy sewing day. My 2 grandsons slept over to celebrate with me. We watch TV, laughed and then we got ready for bed. Read books for a while. Late bedtime but we had fun.

My Birthday Morning. Making cards with the boys.

Painting for Grandma's birthday!

Frame made by his mom and dad.

Somewhere I lost a day trying to recover from the sleepover and my birthday.

I made up for it today. I finished 8 pillowcases.

Picture is of pillowcases and dog quilt. Still have to finish binding, sleeve and label by Thursday.

Also 2 Book pillows. Two more to go. I have not put the pillows in yet. They are stashed in a box in the bottom of my closet. Kids stop by all the time and I can't hide stuff as fast as I use to. HA HA!

 Princess fabric. Rest is all that pink.

3 different cat fabrics.

This is the back.

Tomorrow is a new day. Still a ton of things to make but I am getting there at last!

Happy Sewing

Aileen in Florida

SEW SEW

Busy Busy Busy! 

I cut and sewed for 9 hours. My mind is numb now.

I finally put the binding on the doggie quilt. Just have to hand sew. I will make the label and sleeve later this coming week.

I also cut out and sewed 6 pillowcases. Then I cut out the Book pillowcases for 2 of the 4 Grand kids. One is going to be a Creeper from Mine Craft. That one has to wait a few days.

I want to start doing Stash Report! I need to use my stash. I have so much fabric. As I was looking through my stash, there were so many fabrics I don't remember buying or having used.

So this week -------- Added 3/4 yards Fabric
Used this Week ---- 11 yards.

To do list:

1- Make a Tea Towel for Christmas Party
2- Wall hanging for Art Challenge
3- Cut out and sew Creeper Book pillowcase
4- Cut out and sew Kitty Book pillowcase
5- Sew 2 more pillowcases for niece
6- Quilt Wall hanging for sister-in-law
7- Quilt Wall Hanging for niece
8- Print tags

Happy Quilting

Aileen in Florida

Unclutter!

I wanted to get some things cut today. When i actually paused and look around i realized, "What a mess!"  I have to laugh because this is not news. If I am working and I have to get something out of the way, I just fling it on another surface. You all know what I am saying.

There was no surface for me to cut on.   My first thought was open up another folding table. Why not? Well,  it is Christmas season and people show up when you least expect it. It would not be cool if they can't step in your front door because there is no path. SO clean up was in order. I made a spot to cut on my table..... The chaos was still there. So i clean a little more. I needed to clean off the design wall. A lot of failed ideas up there that are slowing me down. Better but not perfect. I can work with this for now.

I am working on cutting out Book pillowcases for the grand kids. 18x18 with a pocket on the front. Time to dig through the fabric bins.

#1 Grandson likes Green. I decided to make him a regular pillow and maybe a book pillow. The book I got him is so heavy that it will probably tear the pocket. It's Rigley's Believe it or Not. He does not like to read books, but he loves this weird stuff.

#2 Grandson also likes green specially the Mine Craft Creeper. This will take more work since I have to cut a few dozen squares to make the face. His book is a Mine Craft's Ender book. Looks like comic book to me but very thick.

#3 Granddaughter LOVES pink. She also loves My Lil Pony. I have a sliver of MLP fabric left from a purse I made her which can be the pocket. I found a Unicorn book. Its not MLP but I is a lovely story.

#4 Grandson (age 2) loves everything #2 has. Thinking blue but will have to check my novelty fabrics. Maybe cats. He loves cats. The book I got for him is a Dr Suess book "Because a little bug went KACHOO!." He laughs his head of when someone sneezes.

Saturday flew

Sometimes the day starts out terrific an ends with a fizzle.
I was intent on sewing today. Many of life's interruptions just came rolling in. When I looked up at the clock it was 3 pm already. 6 hours had disappeared. Sigh.

I finally was ready to quilt the dog quilt. I had intended to try some fancy quilting, but the more I thought about it, the more I talked myself back into my original plan. Just meander. This is for my grandson's 1st birthday in May. It is meant to be dragged, stomped on, soiled, squashed and loved until it is a rag. I want it soft and cuddle worthy. He is 6 months old right now and currently in love with his gauze blanket. It is soft and airy. It is time to square the quilt and put on the binding. I may revisit this quilt with a little more quilting.

Moving on to a pillowcase set with Guardians of the Galaxy fabric. I originally order some Star Wars fabric but alas it was gone. I bought some Zelda fabric for the cuff but its not going to work color wise. The Star Wars would have because the background was taupe beige.  Never fear, I will stick it in the stash and let it marinate! LOL.

Time to start cutting!

Happy Sewing

Aileen in Florida

Christmas Decor and Machine Basting

The kids decorated my Christmas Tree on Thanksgiving. I still have not spread out the ornaments. As is typical with young children, they pick one branch and load it up!

I put up my Tree wall hanging but I have not found the stick I put in the lower part to keep it from curving in from the weight of the tiny ornaments.
I love this little tree. I made 3 of them and supplied the ornaments.
This one is mine.

I finally got a chance to machine baste the doggie quilt. Just as I was finishing a big storm rolled it. Unplugged my machine right away!
I did SID for this one. Next will be the actual free motion quilting.

 I will be working on this all weekend, until it is FINISHED!

Happy Quilting

Aileen in Florida

The Sandwich is Done!

It took what seems like forever to get the Doggie Quilt sandwiched.
I finished pinning it 15 minutes before DH got home from work. Yay!

Rest of the night was spent working on the newsletter for the guild I belong to. It is a lot of work but I do enjoy it.....not in December though.

Yesterday was the board meeting. Then out shopping a box store with a friend. I did very well. I got a 60 mm rotary cutter for 7.99 with the coupons! Woot! I have needed one of these for quite some time.

While I was searching through a folder of quilts I have made, I ran across this mini. I named it Blooming Friendship. It was for an online swap  several years ago. I have always wanted to make one for myself. It was made with all the scraps that were on my cutting table. I may make two of them. One for me and one for the Small Quilt Auction.

Blooming friendship

Time to start quilting.

What are you working on today?

Have a Great Friday!
Happy Quilting

Aileen in Florida

Down Boy!

I started working on piecing the back of the Dog Quilt. Yesterday afternoon I had to make an emergency run to the box store and get more yardage. What was I thinking when I purchased it in the first place. I even added a piece that was suppose to be for the binding. Still at least 8 inches short. I like at least 4 inches of backing fabric all the way around the quilt. Long time ago I made a king size quilt. After quilting 95% of the quilt, it was short 2 inches on one side, I pieced in a strip but was annoyed that I didn't center the quilt correctly. That strip was crooked. Doesn't bother my daughter but it kicks my OCD in the head every time I see that quilt!

Fast forward to this morning. I am determined that this quilt be basted and ready to sew. I have my 2 tables set up in the middle of the living room with not much room to get around. The floor and I are no longer friends when it comes to basting.

1. Finish piecing back -- DONE
2. Piece the batting  -- After sewing it wrong and resewing it - DONE
3. Use Longest ruler to smooth out the back, then batting and
   then the top so sandwich is a smooth as possible.
4. Pin basted quilt before DH gets home from work and crashes into tables and I have to go back to step 3!!
   
   
   
   

Its pinning time!

Happy Quilting

Aileen in Florida

Dog Quilt

Today is a day to kick my sewing into gear. Time is flying by. Holidays are VERY near.

I have to make a backing for my Dog Quilt. This will go into the WPQG quilt show in February. I have to have it done by our meeting this month. Our guild puts a picture of every quilt in our program guide. It is not a big quilt. 45x60. My gal friends at the Wednesday sew convinced me to have it judged. That kind of put the mental breaks on my quilting it. Second guessing myself. I just have to push forward! Sigh...HA HA

It is a pattern by Stacey Iest Hsu called All Wrapped Up. It went together very quickly. I used scraps I had on hand in my Scrap system instead of the listed size. After the show this quilt will go to my grandson for his 1st birthday. If I make this again I may opt to do the scraps as an I Spy.

Happy Quilting

Aileen in Florida

Sleepovers

We had a sleepover with 2 of the grand kids last Friday. My daughter was so exhausted that I took pity on her. All three of her boys had head colds for the past 10 days. Needless to say they ran her ragged.

We watched Boss Baby, had popcorn and a pillow fight. Then some milk and mini cookies to calm them down. When everyone was exhausted, it was time to read in bed. My grandson Louis and I took turns reading. He is in second grade and is a fantastic reader. His little brother who is 2 loved the book "Pete the Cat and his Groovy Buttons". The book is bigger than he is. To cute.  The next morning after a pancake breakfast made by Bampa, we colored some ornaments.  Yup, that is marker on the corner of his mouth. Toddlers have to taste everything. The markers are non toxic.

The ornament is my grandsons version of a Mine Craft Christmas!

Then the boys road around on their noisy car, screaming with joy.

The little guy was getting cranky so I let him vacuum. He takes his vacuuming very seriously!

Everyone had a good time. I took them home afterwards.
I came home and slept for five hours and still went to bed early!

Happy Quilting

Aileen in Florida

31 Day Blog Challenge

Hi Everyone.  Many things went by the waste side this year due to all kinds of reasons. No time, to many appointments, illness. You name it.

The New Year is just around the corner. I have many things I want to accomplish in the New Year. New habits to get me on track to be a more productive Sewist, Quilter, Blogger, Editor. So I will start with this 31 day challenge. I am behind by 2 days but at least I am starting TODAY!!!

Rules are simple:

Post once a day.

Link back to http://muppin.com/wordpress/index.php/the-2017-31-day-blog-writing-challenge/  so we can follow others who are doing this challenge.

If you use social media  use the hashtag #31dayblogchallenge or
#2017blogwritingchallenge



Happy Quilting

Aileen in FL

November Fun

At the end of October I was sewing like a maniac, continuing into November. Christmas is getting very close. Too Close! I did take a break the week of Thanksgiving and now I am having trouble getting my speed back.

What is helping is my Quilters Planner. I purchased one last year. I was slow to write in it. Just like that fabric you pet but don't want to cut! I have been writing in it everyday. I have a project list of ongoing items. It's a good thing. With 5 grandchildren coming and going I have to hide stuff. Since I have CRS quite often, I forget "Where I hid things or If I Really made something!" LOL!!!!

I purchased The Quilter's Planner for 2018. Lots of improvements. Already writing dates I am sure of, such as birthdays, quilt shows etc.

**********************

Just after Halloween I had a special Pizza date with my grand kids. We all had a great time eating pizza and laughing.

Then came Thanksgiving. Aunt Robin put together a saran wrap ball game. Prizes were in the layers of the wrap. The kids had a "BALL"!

My granddaughter requested to come sewing with me during the school break. She was an absolute delight. The ladies loved talking to her. She made a new friend. He invited her to play on the computer with him. He told me he thought she was really cool! LO!

I was able to get a few teacher gifts done this week. Zipper pouches. I made each one a different way so I could see which technique I like best. I hope they like them. I also made a pouch for the Christmas stocking I volunteered to fill for a young girl.

It's almost here. Time to kick it in gear and finish those gifts!

Happy Quilting

Aileen in Florida

Finishes for October

Hi Ladies! Its November and it has actually been a bit cold in Florida. Very refreshing.

Update on my grandsons costume Teen Titan Go's Robin. He loved it. He will probably wear it until it is worn out. Too Cute!

Another finish is the last Charity quilt that I will be making for this year. I think I made 10 but I forgot to take pictures. End result is what matters.

Penguins

Now it is time to work on Holiday gifts. Also have items to make for the Quilt Show Boutique for February 2018. Time is flying by.

I have ideas for gifts just have to spend a weekend cutting out stuff. 

Someone said there are only 6 weeks until Christmas. I almost had a stroke!!!

What are you making for the holidays this year?

Quilt On,

Aileen 

October Oy Vey

It's half way through October. I just can't believe it.  The month was very busy. Filled with the flu, runny noses and doctor appoints for the grand kids and myself. The main problem is this is the final month to turn in our forms for the quilts we want in the quilt show in 2018. We were asked to be good quilters and NOT wait until the last minute. Sigh. Life interferes with good intentions.

I have 2 quilt tops done that i can submit. I have never had a quilt in a show. My youngest daughter had her 1st quilt in a show at age 8.  She used that quilt until it was a rag and then we made it into a dog blanket. The dog loved it so much that after several years of use it became a rage again. I took what was let of it and made a very small quilt for him to sit on by the television. There is nothing like watching a grown Lab nuzzle a freshly washed quilt the size of a square table runner. Ha Ha. Eventually I made him a brand new quilt. What a happy dog. It was a QAYO.

I have tried several times to put quilts in shows but made the mistake of giving the recipient their quilts for Christmas then asking to borrow them. NOPE! Though I was annoyed, it really is a compliment that they are afraid to part with said quilt. "It might get stolen", they say! I just had to laugh.

The problem I face today is that I also have a piece of challenge fabric for the Art Quilt challenge 2018. I have drawn no less that 10 ideas and nothing satisfied me. I have to put something together today if I want it in the show. The deadline is this Thursday, 2 days from now. Talk about procrastination! I can choose to skip it but I feel guilty.

On Sunday I was determined to cut some pieces to put on the background I made for the quilt challenge piece. So much for plans. I was still procrastinating anyway...

My daughter dropped by with 3 kids in tow and a red T-shirt. My grandson wants to be Robin from Teen Titans Go. Okay?? Well a few hours later the shirt is done. I cut up my only green T-shirt to make the sleeves. I still have to squeeze a pair of pants out of the rest of that shirt but will wait till the weekend to tackle it. Good thing he is long and skinny!

Louie striking a pose. Too funny. There is a t-shirt cape sewed to the collar. It was just the collar of another shirt with a triangle shaped piece hanging from it. He doesn't like anything touching his neck. So I sewed the black collar onto the red shirt about an inch below the original one, then cut off the red collar. It was so easy because the t-shirt didn't stretch all over the place. 

Its time for me to put fabric on that background. It doesn't have to be done until February 2018 but requires a picture to show colors used etc.

Heading to the kitchen for another cup of coffee.....

Happy Quilting

Aileen in Florida

Holy Moly has time flown!

Some many thing have happen since grandson # 3 arrived in May.
I just looked up and August is over.

I have sewn a few things but not as many as I hoped too.

Since the last few months have revolved around helping with the 2 year old and the newborn baby, I decided to sign up for a wallet course with Vanessa The Crafty Gemini. Her videos are great!. I have made bags before but for some reason I kept putting off making this simple flip wallet.

I finally bit the bullet and made it. I took me an hour and a half to sew it but my daughter loves it. That made it all worth it. I also made her a small bag to go with her diaper bag and wallet. She tends to carry 50 pounds of stuff in that diaper bag.




Today is a special day. My grandsons cast comes off! He is 2 yrs old and had surgery on his left thumb. It was non functioning. The tiny thumb was removed and index finger was used as a thumb.

Everything turned out well. Thumb is healed. Now he will need therapy to help with movement.

Quilt on,
Aileen in FL

Baby Baby

Hi Everyone!

My newest grandson Liam arrived May 12. What a beautiful, healthy, little bundle of joy.
His brothers are in love with him. We are so blessed. Mommy is doing very well.

After the marathon sewing of the diaper bag, I took a little break. Cleaned up my sewing room and found missing things. Ha Ha. I have several items started that just got put aside.

Today, I am worked on a small box pouch for the diaper bag.  Using up oddball scraps. I did say making bags is addictive...

One UFO done, A Bazillion to go! LOL!

Happy Quilting

Aileen Kline

May is for Mommies

This year it is a very special Mother's Day. My daughter will be welcoming a new baby boy.
We can't wait!



I made her a special diaper bag, which was an upgrade from her sisters diaper bag I made in 2012. Many more pockets, which she loves.  In the mean time I was thinking my Mother may like a bag. So I made her a Little Pouch Purse.

It came out smaller than I thought. I laughed when I was done. It is so very cute. Shipped it out on Monday. She should have it before Mother's Day.

Pouch was received today. She loves it. Theses bags are getting addictive.

I am off to clean my house and sewing room. The boys are sleeping over tonight so mommy can go calmly to the hospital in the wee hours, Their brother will be born tomorrow. Grandma is very excited!

Have a good day!!!!

Aileen in Florida