Quilting like a Maniac- Relaxing through Quilting.

Here's  my "AYOLF"  goal completed!!!  Yee ha!!!!!  Yes it took a long time and crazy quilting - over 20 hours really.  I was on strike for two weeks in September which meant walking the strike line, and busy and stressed with that.  But I did it!!! Quilting on the top part Material Girls's quilt all quilted.  It looks great with its binding and all of the blocks done. It's on the bed and staying there.  About 16 hours of quilting on this one. Here are a lot more pictures to show off my "AYOLF" done!!! Cloes up quilting SOOOOOO big!!! And comfy. Here are many of my BOMs: Aurifil September completed .  Prairie Flower #12 to do.  Last one!! Now corners to do. Vice Versa  August and September to do.  2 blocks for each month.  But I didn't do either.  Being on strike doesn't give you more time, just more stress!!! Galaxy of the Stars -  July, and August done!!   July Augus

A long arm does beautiful work but if I hire someone to use one for every quilt I have, all my quilts would be very expensive, and as you can see there are many that are UFOs to finish.  I have 3 right now that need quilting, and all three would cost me approximately $400 to get done.  Not that it's not worth it, just my pocketbook says no. ;) So to cut down on the cost somewhat I'm taking the course "Free Motion Quilt Along" that goes at your pace, has great videos by Leah and her husband, and work well in my schedule.  The results - I've done the first 3 patterns, and each pattern has three squares to try a different style.  Here are the results: Each one completed.  The results:  I need to practise more on circles, and swirls, but the straight, in my mind, is well done.  You'll notice the growth right away. 1st attempt 2nd attempt - much better.   Wow!!  Need more practise here!! Straight is not the problem...  Looking good.

My Guild is going to do a Quilt Show in 2015 and as part of the preparation, they set up a challenge called "Back to Basics".   The challenge is to make a 24" by 24" quilt that uses a well known quilt block.  You use only two colours or variations of those colours that you picked out of a bag.  I got purple and green.  When done you include the name of your quilt block on your label.  That's it. I was considering just doing squares and making another pixelated quilt like this diagram that I made  Using these colors (it's Violets because of the purple and green), but it's not a traditional quilt block but it does do just squares.  The question is can I do this? Or I can do this one. the Midnight Garden by McCalls. Could do it in purple.   See my material?  What do you think.  I need help!!!

Here's my Quilt Doodle Design for September.  Nice sky, and another tree.  One more block or rather row to go and this quilt BOM will be completed.  It will be the 3rd one completed this year.  Truly this one has been so much fun, the design outstanding, and perfect for this year's Christmas time for a throw on the couch.  I look forward to completing this quilt. Here is Pat Sloan's Globe Trotter Block for August and September.  I'm still not crazy about the colours but maybe the sash will add spice.  Who knows. And then there is my favourite, the Aurifil BOM with special guests every month.  This one was tough, the block sizes were from 2 1/2 inches to 1 inch blocks, and it was very important that all sizes were accurate.  But it's the fabric that is really making a difference.  Check it out.  The colors are blues with pink flowers, and rid with pink flowers.  The squares are yellow with light pink flowers and then the stars are pink themselves.  It

Excel sheet with colours all numbered. See key below to understand. I've been working on a pixelated quilt that I learned from Crafty.  I calculated how much material I would need if I made the quilt out of 2 and a half inch squares.  in the end they will be 2 inch squares.  Once I did that I used the excel sheet I made and started to place my squares.  By using an excel sheet with the picture as the background I was able to place my picture in the  background (see Background section under Layout). I used an online web site that will accept pictures and pixelated the picture for me.  It's at  Patchwork Pattern Maker at this link.      It's free but you do need an account to save your stuff.  Otherwise you're doing a screen shot.   Then using the colour bucket (see below) I was able to colour over the picture the colours I wanted to use, and then use each colour with a letter so I could count up the letters .   The paintbucket icon is located here in

I can't seem to get motivated to sew lately.  So when my husband gets tired of me wandering around the condo, being too lazy to get the sewing machine out and sewing, he nags me enough that I grab one of my hand sewing pieces and that's what I'll do.  I finished two of them today.  The Prairie flower has been worked on all August but I was able to finish it today. That was the 11th block and I have one more to do before the corners.  Can you see the light at the end of the tunnel?!!!   Pairie Floswers #11  The other one was a cross stitch, Very small, but still nice. Hand stitched. Happy that something is getting down.  

Well another month coming and I have the Guild to think about the 2nd week of September.  I want to show them the many things I've done this summer but I don't want to show them any of the blocks of the months until they are completed.  So I'm showing them my "AYOLF"s.  And here this this months goal: Material Girls's quilt just didn't materialize for the past two months.  Didn't get to the squares that still need to be quilted.  But it looks great with its binding and most of the blocks done.  Just need to sit down and complete it.  Should take about 6 hours.  This is my next "AYOLF".   Here are many of my BOMs to complete. Aurifil September to do.  Prairie Flower #12 to do.  Last one!! Vice Versa August and September to do.  2 each month.   Galaxy of the Stars - have July to do and I didn't get the pattern for August so I have to tell the girls. Block Lotto pattern June - It's a sun!!!  Only got one done but I