Big Plans Today

I have big plans for today.....

I need assistance.

Penny volunteered....I hated to tell her that I was looking for this type of help....

Let the games begin!

Hopefully you are sewing or scrap booking or procraftinating.....I'll just be cleaning. Wish me luck, and if you haven't heard from me by Monday, since a ambulance, and a shovel or 4.

Catherine

And then my Sew-Jo Disappeared. Literally.

I've been beavering away and working on tons of things the last few weeks, I've planned and completed the plans (which is always a plus). I've managed to get a lot done, and still have some "fun" sewing time. I've even blogged (which is kind of amazing really). And it was all good until today. And today I just kinda got lost. I had a bunch of errands to run and a bunch of things that needed to get resolved, and a house that needed cleaning. By the time I looked up, it was 10pm...seriously, I have no idea where the day went...and a result I got very little sewing done....

I managed to get one set of the primary Scrappy Trip blocks made, so a total of maybe 10 minutes of sewing. I did get the feathered stars all cut for my Fire Island Hosta, and I'll work on those tomorrow.

I knew it would be a day full of boring stuff, but I really had no idea that I would get so little sewing done!!!

So, if you see my sew-jo, tell her I am sorry, and please come back tomorrow, and I promise we can spend the day together!!!

Happy Sewing!!!
Catherine

Early Bird Thursday

It's Wednesday night, technically Thursday morning and I can't sleep. I had planned on getting to bed early, since a 6 am wake up call is in store, and I even got into bed before my usual 11pm. And then I just laid there for the last 105 minutes. Willing myself to go to sleep. And it doesn't seem to be working....

So instead, I decided to write a quick update post in the hope that one less thing will be swimming in my brain....

On the rainbow project...Fire Island Hosta

I got the fans made, and I really like them. They were quick, which meant I got a bunch of other stuff done today which was great.

 All stacked up.

 All fanned out.

It was late when I took these, so perhaps tomorrow a full layout in good light is in order...

But before that, sleep.

catherine

Work In Process Wednesday

It's been busy around here....busy working on Fire Island Hosta. I got the big piecing components completed, now it's just the minor piecing and all the crazy curves and we'll be all finished....

The bat wings are finished....

The parrot wings are finished....

And now there are just a the feathers and few minor piecing things, and then the curves...

I made some pattern changes....cause I had to.....at least that will be my excuse....

What are you working on today???

Catherine

Rainbow of Fruit Flavors....

That title is probably trademarked, but I can't remember by whom.....I feel like it is cereal, but who knows?

Anyway, it seemed appropriate considering what I am working on today...

Yesterday, I finished the left leaves....now affectionately known as the bat wings (thanks Kelly and Shawn)....

Behind it you will see the work for today....the right side leaves, are rainbows....kinda. Each leaf is it's own colorway, but travels from light to dark, similar to the left leaves. They never get really light, but there is a definite color shift. Of course, I have some "made-up" colors....since pink and teal aren't technically in the rainbow....my rainbow goes like this ..

ROYGBIV - Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, purple, pink, Teal

So, definitely not scientifically correct...

I made some changes to the papers, in terms of colors to make it work out the way I want....

Nothing major...but necessary to make it flow the way I wanted....

Here's the piles of cut pieces, ready to sew in order...

And a quick look at the fabrics...

There are 8 leaves, with 5 fabrics each, for a total of 40 colored fabrics in this quilt so far, and 5 from the "bat wings". So, definitely fabric selection heavy....

Now, off to grab some lunch before I get started, you gotta be fueled for this!

Catherine

What Next?

There are a million things going on, but I have plans for this week. Big plans. Fun plans....wanna play along?

We'll be working on this....

Fire Island Hosta!!!!

And here's our fabrics....

Rainbows....

And the final product.....should look something like this....in a general sense....

Like I mentioned on Instagram.....it's all blue bamboo's fault!

Stay tuned all week to see how it goes....

Happy Quilting!!!

Catherine

June 22 - Sunday at Cozy

Well, it is Sunday, and today was a crazy busy teaching day. I was at Cozy Quilt Shop, and we were working on the Osprey's Nest. I managed to get another bad picture of my Osprey's Nest...

and that was about all. It was a full class, and that doesn't really allow enough time for taking pictures. It seams that a full class always means someone is "modifying" the pattern....adding or subtracting units,malting size, or completely altering the color scheme. Of course, that is my favorite part, the personalization of a quilt ( which if you pay attention here you will have noticed quite a few of those modifications in my quilts)....so, we did a lot of playing in class today.

I also did a bunch of playing last night, as I worked on color schemes for my vintage compass....

A bright sunny summertime....

A patriotic version, with a gold outer star (of course I didn't have the right gold colored pencil, so you will have to imagine it)....

And finally, my typical version....purple with teal, turquoise and gray....

And that is all that I have done since we were last here.

And now for some evening planning and house cleaning, which will bore everyone to death, so I won't share....

Happy Quilting!

Catherine

Saturday, June 21

Well, it's been a busy one today. I got tons done. I ran errands early, then stopped by our local quilt store, to drop off some flyers and patterns. Of course, while I was there, I had to get some yummies....

This one to be exact...

It's the new Tonga Treats Strip grouping called Cabana. I love the colors and the prints. I'm going to make a Willow Bedrunner out of it. After I finish my Fire Island Hosta. 

We also had a fitting for Gabi's Christening gown. Her party is next Sunday, and I am happy to say I just need to put the buttons on and it will be finished. It is adorable, and was fun to work on. Though I remember now why I only sew flat things.....pleats and gathers and body shapes are really not much fun....but thankfully, it was an easy and quick sew once I got it cut out. I didn't get any really good pictures of it since I finished it late at night, but I will get some this week and post here. 

Tomorrow is a teaching day....I will be at Cozy Quilt shop in Rancho San Diego teaching Osprey's Nest.

I'll try to post some class pictures late tomorrow...

I received my auto shipment of the Vintage Compass pattern on Friday, so I played with color ways....right now I am headed towards a sunshiny color palette. I am really making a concerted effort to make things without purple or turquoise, since those are my favorites, a lot of my quilt end up purple and turquoise....here's my current version...

What are you working on?

Happy quilting!!

Catherine

Ongoing Household a Organization

So, this is what I am working on this weekend!

Every time I move I have to reread this book. Every single time. You would think that it would eventually just be part of the moving in process, but I have to reread it and refresh my mind on the "process" of organizing.

I wasn't an organized child, I like to think I was a creative child, but I think I was really more a busy child...always on the way to or from something. As a result, my room was a mess. But in college, a good friend gave me this book (yes, this is the original copy, all yellowed and brittle). She is now a professional organizer that gets paid to organize people's closets and count their shoes. I will never be that organized (and you will never want to hire me for that), but I do like to have an orderly house. I feel more free to make a mess, if I know I can get it back together....

But for me, I have to restart the process with every move. It seems that in moving house the "homes" for all my "stuff" get confused. So, usually about 2 -3 months after I move I finally get frustrated enough to get the book out and reread the "kindergarten classroom" layout plan. Once my plan is established and everything is laid out and has a home, I will feel much better and be much more productive. 

So, that's my fancy weekend plan. Hope yours is exciting!

Catherine

Crazy Week

Well, it's been a crazy week. I was at the Antelope Valley Quilt Guild on Thursday. I gave the evening program, and then I taught that Forever Yours Tablerunner on Saturday. I forgot my camera, and it was probably a good thing, since we had a full class and I had my 10k steps by 1pm. I can't wait to see everyone's finished runners.

In the meantime, I worked on my Pepperdish for a few hours, and found a few of the "missing" shades in my rainbow.....I'll get started on this one tomorrow. I'm hoping to step by step blog it....

But that is for tomorrow, first I need to do a couple of errands that I have been procrastinating on....

New Technique of the Month

Well, it's that time of year!!! Time for the newly released Judy Niemeyer Technique of the Month. A 6 month program to make this AMAZING quilt. I am super excited about this one, since it has appliqué!!!!!

So, without further ado, here's Paradise Blooms. As soon as I have more information about it I will let you know.

Until then, happy quilting everybody!!!

Wonderful Weekend

It was a most wonderful weekend in these parts. It was my monthly trip to Cotton and Chocolate for Mariner's Compass class, and I took an extra day and hung out in the shop to finish up some projects. And you know me, finishes make me super happy!

Penny was spoiled rotten by her favorite sitter, the illustrious Jared, proud papa to Emma, a golden lab mix, who is about 2 weeks younger than Penny and her favorite playmate! I wish I had a picture of them together, but all of them are blurry, since their favorite sport is puppy wrestling....

This is Penny after Emma has been here for a visit! Exhausted!

So, back to my weekend.....this is really my favorite weekend for Mariner's...it's class 5, and suddenly all the piecing comes together to make the big center octagon....

We had patriotic...via Vicki T.

We had sophisticated via Wendy's Asian inspired fabrics.

We had fall (with a hint of sarcasm). There is a back story. I promise it is hilarious. This one belongs to Marilyn......

We had Christmas from Judy.

We had modern, via Monique.

And finally, we had tropical....from Lauren. Which we nicknamed overachiever, since hers is also FINISHED! Hers started with the star print and we merged and selected from there. I think everyone was super thrilled with this one, since a couple of classes ago, Lauren tried to remove her finger with a rotary cutter. (Not a fun moment, thank goodness we had a class full of nurses to fix her up).

There are a few others I didn't get good pictures of, but I promise to get some next month!

Until next time! Happy quilting!

Catherine

Work In Process Wednesday

Well, it has been busy in these parts....

I've been working away on the Scrappy Trip - trying to get a handle on my 2 1/2" scrap drawer....which because of the number of strip quilts I've been working on is absolutely overflowing lately....

We've also been beavering away on a million ittty bitty teeny tiny prairie points. 

And now back to the sweat shop!

Happy Quilting!

Catherine