Finish It Friday...er, Thursday

I didn't finish these this week, but I'll be away teaching on Friday, andi didn't want you to miss out on these......I never sent over any pics of the binding finishes from a few weeks ago. These have been finished for a couple of weeks, but the weather didn't cooperate for pics, and then once it did, I completely forgot about them....

So, here's some binding goodness from the past few weeks...

Winter Wonderland TableRunner

Quilted by : Carrie Barone, Lakeside, MT

I love the texture on this Tablerunner! And the piped binding is an interesting story. It's hot pink! Hoffman 1895 watermelon to be exact, but it was the right "red" to make the stars pop.

Compass Rose Tablerunner

Quilted by : Carrie Barone, Lakeside, MT

This one is significantly bigger at around 30 x 60. It will be going to my brother who wanted "no flowers, leaves or other girly things" . Does he realize how hard it is to find fabrics without floral motifs?

And a few more detail shots....

Now, I really must get to work on the curved binding....

Work In Process Wednesday

Well, the official start of Market Prep is underway, so Work In Process Wednesday is going to be a bit lean, as most of the things that I am working on at this point are super secret sewing related....

This week, I did get some non-super-secret sewing.....since I knew time would be limited until November, I made a conscious effort to work on things that I could finish up before market....knowing that, I worked on my Scrappy Crossroads, and my Scrappy Trip quilts....

I managed to get all the pieces made for Scrappy Crossroads....enough for 30 blocks (5x6) or approx 80x96.all pulled directly from stash...which makes the stash gods happy....

I am hoping to finish these up tonight during Quilt-Cam.

Also, up for work was Scrappy Trip. Again it is 30 blocks, but these are smaller, so total size is 60x72, so I decided to put on a solid border, and then use the extra strip set for a double 4 patch outside border. I managed to get the border pieced, now just need to do some layout and pick the inner border....

Now, off to the sewing room, these projects won't sew themselves.....

Catherine

New Projects!!!

Somehow, I suspect these will appear in Make A List Minday very shortly.

These are the newest Judy Niemeyer Releases - Fire Island Hosta Queen and Stormy Seas!!!

Make a List Monday

Well, the week was a bit nuts.... I got a lot of things done, and hosted a giveaway on Instagram, which was a first....I did some super secret sewing, and I will have quite a bit more super secrets sewing items in the next few weeks....

This week's to dos and tasks are a bit short....since I have some more super secret (translation : market releases) sewing, some more prep for Quilt, Knit, Stitch in Portland, prep for Montana, and class prep....so I have adjusted my to do list....

1. Curved binding - I have 3 quilts that now need curved binding....time to prep all of those and then do the hand work on the way to Portland.

2. Continue working on super secret sewing....

3. Complete a box a day in the sewing room....get things put away or into the donation pile. 

4. Make backs...I need to make 5 backs and get them sent off to the quilter.

5. Make signs for the show....

So basically, head down, and get it all done. 

Until then.....

Catherine

A Giveaway!!!!!

I'm hosting a giveaway on Instagram!!!

A fat quarter pack of these lovely fabrics from Angela Walters "Drift" line...which just arrived.

So, just hop on over and follow @queeniequilts and follow the instructions to win!

Catherine

My Erin Condren Life Planner

So, a couple of weeks ago I finally gave in and ordered an Erin Condren Life Planner....I've been looking at them for a couple of months, and so when I got a 10% coupon and they were on sale anyway, so I broke down and jumped in....

Here's some pics from the unboxing...

The box it came in - isn't it pretty!

Opening the box.....

Under the tissue, was the bubble wrap layer, and a sneak peak of the planner.....

Isn't she pretty?????

And here's a few of the stickers.....

I'll update everyone once I have transitioned everything....I am sure it will be interesting, since I've spent so much of my work life working from a Franklin Covey planner......this will be a totally different experience......

Until next time!!!!

Catherine

Work In Process Wednesday....

Well, there hasn't been a lot of sewing this week....The Quilt, Knit, Stitch !!! Show is quickly approaching, and I have spent most of my time prepping kits, cutting fabric and working on signs for the booth. We leave on the 10th, and I have a pretty crazy schedule between now and then...,so not a lot of sewing has been happening....

I did get started on my scrappy crossroads from the Instagram sew-along.

I managed to get all the parts started....and that is pretty much all I have actively in process at the moment....

I need more hours in a day....if you find any, please send them my way. 

What have you been working on?

Catherine

Weekly Update -- I need a Monday redo

So, the week was kind of a bust....I managed to get a bunch of things done, but they weren't the things that I had planned and this week is looking just as crazy, as I have a dozen or so orders on the way from EE Schenck, Robert Kauffman, Brewer, Checker, Hoffman, and Art Gallery Fabrics. It' just 3 weeks from the Quilt Knit Stitch Show in Portland, so there are lots of things on the way.....so, I'm going to keep working on these items, and maybe add a few, and I'll try to keep you updated on what's happening.

1. Finish Fire Island Hosta - it really only needs a few hours of work, but it's S-curves and you know how much I like them. I got all of the center finished since this picture was taken, and I have moved onto the outer border....which I am still not in love with. At least it is just a simple border (not pieced) and it's going to hang in a shop for 3-6 months, so if I find something that I like better I can replace it (que last week's large time suck while I looked online for the perfect fabric).....

2. Make blocks for Log Cabin Cutouts. I got the first set of curves sewn, and that was about all....I'll continue to work on these this week....

3. Catch up on all the desk work....update FB calendar, update multiple websites, pay the bills, deal with the mail, etc, etc, etc....Done!!! At least I got something done....thus all of the deliveries headed my way this week.....

4. Bind these....Winter Wonderland and Compass Rose are done. Didn't even start on the curved one, 

Compass Rose (red/black/yellow) - it's a simple back binding. Done.

Winter Wonderland - the inner binding is done, just need to add the main binding. Done.

Forever Yours - curved binding - not my favorite - but it needs to get done....at least all the bindings are made, and just need to be added....Not even started.

So, that's the plan for the week....I think I may have overbooked my free week.....Of course I did.....

What are you working on?

Catherine

Make a List Monday

In an effort to keep myself accountable I'm making a list of all of the things I want to do/finish/work on this week.....so here's this week's master list....

1. Finish Fire Island Hosta - it really only needs a few hours of work, but it's S-curves and you know how much I like them.

2. Make blocks for Log Cabin Cutouts

3. Catch up on all the desk work....update FB calendar, update multiple websites, pay the bills, deal with the mail, etc, etc, etc....

4. Bind these....

Compass Rose (red/black/yellow) - it's a simple back binding.

Winter Wonderland - the inner binding is done, just need to add the main binding

Forever Yours - curved binding - not my favorite - but it needs to get done....at least all the bindings are made, and just need to be added....

So, that's the plan for the week....I think I may have overbooked my free week.....

What are you working on?

Catherine

Thursday, sort of...

Well, it is technically Thursday. Really, it is late, late on Wednesday night, and I am wide awake. I've read some, I've instagrammed, I've facebooked, I've emailed, I've candy crushed, and I even did a few puzzles, but nothing seems to work.... I'm still wide awake in the middle of the night....

So, I decided to post a little early regarding last weekend's activities....specifically my weekend at Cotton and Chocolate in Thousand Oaks....it was the final class for Mariner's Compass, and we had quite a few people get finished or really close....here are just a few of the color ways that we have been working on....

Wendy's Asian version...it has fleks of gold in all of those fabrics....yummy!

Marilyn chose a fall color scheme....

Monique chose a red, black, and various shades of grey version....

And Lauren, well, she finished hers last month, and so this month, she finished her feathered star tree skirt in these lovely sparkly fabrics, a mix of Fairy Frost and various related cousins. I love it!!!! 

And yes, we made Jerry stand on the front counter at the shop for our picture taking adventures, as it had the best vantage point for pictures....

What have you been working on?

Catherine

Work In Process Wednesday

It's Wednesday -and it has been a busy week. I haven't gotten a lot done, since I have been teaching all week...

I've been working pretty exclusively on my rainbow Fire Island Hosta....and it's going well. I've gotten a little more finished since this pic, but this was the last time i had a floor available. I have now finished the rainbows and pieced them onto the fans. I just need to add the veins to the leaves, and finish the curves....I am hoping to get that done this weekend. So, overall, almost done....

And that's it for the week.....

Catherine

And then June was over

I feel like I was writing my May summary just yesterday, so how can June already be over? It was a slower month on the teaching schedule, and busier on the home front. Gabi's christening was last weekend, and I made her dress (posts and pics to come, I promise). I managed to get a bunch of homework done....the paperwork stuff that is just no fun. But it is done, which is what is important.

Of course, I also have a stash reduction plan which officially started on May 1st, and as per normal, priorities constantly change....so here's how it has changed and what we have happening around here....


The goals as stated at the new year are in black, amendments (changes/additions, etc) are in blue, and status is red....

Piecing
1. Captain's Wheel complete and sent to the quilter, due back next week
2. Celtic Wave (Queen) - Piece Along to start in mid-February! Sent to Montana for quilting. It's about a 3 month wait at this point. 
3. Flower's for My Wedding Ring - Got all of my fabrics picked, my backgrounds cut out, and am ready to get started with piecing. (No change since last month). This month I managed to get about half of the rings pieced, so making good progress on this one.
4. Scrappy Trip (80 pairs prepped), 8 blocks finished (no change since last month). I made lots of progress this month. I managed to get 25 blocks completed, and another 2 dozen prepped in regular cottons, so it's assembly time!!!
5. Osprey's Nest Done. Closed.
6. Hawaiian/Prairie Star - Added in April, I have cut it all out. and I will be taking it on retreat this weekend. So fingers crossed a lot will get accomplished. Got nothing accomplished on this one.....
7. Fire Island Hosta Queen - Added in April. I have cut this one out as well. I should take it to retreat, but that might mean I get neither done...so we'll have to see. I managed to get most of the components made on this one....just have the outer borders left to cut out, and then do all of the curved piecing assembly and the veins....


Quilting
1. Winter Wonderland - on the way back from the quilter (I got the shipping notice on Friday).
2. Glacier Star - this one remains on display for classes, so I have no idea when I will get it to send it to the quilter.
3. Mariner's Compass done. Quilted and bound.
4. Compass Rose - on its way home via USPS.
5. Meandering Star - done. 
6. Captain's Wheel - at the quilter
7. Celtic Wave Queen - sent to Montana for quilting
8. Flower's for My Wedding Ring - 
9. Scrappy Trip
10. Osprey's Nest - Done.

Pattern Writing
1. 2014 Block of the Month - starts on January 13th! - Done. started February 13th. whole year worth of patterns have been scheduled!!! Yippee!!! Have you been following along???
2. 5 new patterns for spring market - all done!!! I'll be introing all of the patterns over the next few weeks.
3. 5 new patterns for fall market - 3/5 done!!!

Other projects :
1. Amazon Star finished
2. Pepperdish finished - worked on this one, I am in the middle of the curved piecing, once that is finished this one is complete.
3. Crackers finished - complete
4. Feathered Star Queen finished - complete
5. Project Destash - current total is -34.25

July's Plan is a bit small, as I have a lot going on this month. I am teaching in Porterville next week mid week, along with my usual teaching schedule, and this is the final month to get ready for the Portland show in August and my Montana visit (also i August), so a lot of preparations going on this month. I am hoping to have all of my new patterns finalized and ready for the printers (no more last minute madness like last year!). I would like to get the following done....

1. Pepperdish
2. Fire Island Hosta.

And now that I have stated my goals for the year, they are bound to change. Market was amazing, the things that I got to see where fantastic, and I didn't even attend in person, just vicariously!!! I'll be demoing some new things, and working on some new things.....if you want to see them more often than I blog, make sure to follow me on Instagram @queeniequilts as I tend to update every day or so (though I must admit there are an awful lot of Penny candids in there......

How are you doing on your quilty goals for the year???

Happy Quilting!!!

Catherine