Sunday, February 22, 2015

Wedding Ring QAL - Week 1 Status Update

It's the end of Week 1 -- have you decided which pattern you are working on??? What about colors??? It's a big decision, I totally get it!!!


Week 1&2 February 15th -28th - Project Selection and Supply Attainment -- I made a decision. It was a tough one. I debated and debated and debated, and finally talked to the recipients, and they want a "fancy"....so Flower's for My Wedding Ring it is. I have lots of fabric options....a Group 1 Judy Pop, a rainbow homemade pop from Cozy Creative Center, a black and white pop from place unknown, and a Hummingbird pop.....can't quite decide exactly what I am going to use. I'll be spending this week narrowing down my choices and picking some backgrounds.....


Week 3 - March 1 - 7 - Paper Preparation - cut out and bag you papers according to your pattern. 

Week 4 - March 8 - 14 - Sewing A Arcs - there are multiple sets of these and we are going to spend multiple weeks working on them.

Week 5 - March 15-21 - Sewing A Arcs - just keep sewing!!!!

Week 6 - March 22-28 - Sewing B Arcs - 

Week 7 - March 29 - April 4 - Sewing B Arcs - 

Week 8 - April 5 - April 11 - Using QW Wedding Ring Rulers - Cutting out backgrounds -- Asteroids and Melons.

Week 9 - April 12 - April 18 - Pieced Asteroids and Melons

Week 10 - April 19 - April 25 - Assembly

Week 11 - April 26 - May 2 - Assembly

Week 12 - May 3 - May 9 - Assembly

Week 13 - May 10 - May 16 - Assembly

Week 14 - May 17 - May 23 - Applique - Fused

Week 15 - May 24 - May 31 - Applique - Hand Turned



Monday, February 16, 2015

Make a List Monday

It's been a bit crazy around here, with a new job, a crazy teaching schedule, and a sick family. But I am happy to report that we are all on the mend (though not completely well) and life is starting to return to "normal" or at least the new form of normal (which is completely not normal, but that is beside the point)....

I've not done a lot of sewing in the last few weeks, I just haven't had any mojo. I did spend a few hours in the sewing room this evening working on a project, and I finally found my mojo returning...now I just hope it sticks around.

For this week, I don't have big plans, but I do have a few plans....

1. Finish some binding on a swap project.
2. Make a decision on fabric for the QAL.
3. Sew the borders for Paradise in Blooms. Seriously, these should have been done weeks ago.
4. Finish the appliqué for Paradise in Blooms


That's a pretty big list, considering the number of quilting hours that I get lately, but I am determined to get it done this week. I am tired of having it over my head, so I am going to finish it if it kills me.

And I am going to stop myself from starting this beauty....


My autoship arrived, and I am itching to start on this baby!!! So, no starting this one until Paradise in Bloom is finished. 100% finished. Realistically, I don't think I will get to start this until next week, but it is heckling me from the sidelines. Which might work to my advantage, if I can keep the mojo!

Now, off to work, and then a few hours of sewing this evening.....

To see how well it goes this week, make sure you are following me on Instagram, since that's my daily update spot.....you can find me there as QueenieQuilts.

What are you working on this week???

Catherine

Sunday, February 15, 2015

Wedding Ring QAL Schedule

So, we've been talking about this long enough, let's get started!!!

Here's the schedule.....it is based upon spending about 5 hours sewing per week (or an hour a day Monday - Friday). 

Week 1&2 February 15th -28th - Project Selection and Supply Attainment -- my favorite part!!! - time to select our fabrics and decide which project we are going to work on. I have a couple on the short list to choose from...Flower's for My Wedding Ring, Grandmother's Wedding Ring, and Diamond Wedding Ring are on my short list at the moment. At least I know the colors....brights!!!!
There are so many options!!!! The new Diamond Wedding Ring (with no Y seams!) is coming out soon.....so depending upon when the papers are available, I may have to wait for that one (I was SO hoping it would be ready in time to start this QAL)....which leaves me with these two as options.....





Week 3 - March 1 - 7 - Paper Preparation - cut out and bag you papers according to your pattern. 

Week 4 - March 8 - 14 - Sewing A Arcs - there are multiple sets of these and we are going to spend multiple weeks working on them.

Week 5 - March 15-21 - Sewing A Arcs - just keep sewing!!!!

Week 6 - March 22-28 - Sewing B Arcs - 

Week 7 - March 29 - April 4 - Sewing B Arcs - 

Week 8 - April 5 - April 11 - Using QW Wedding Ring Rulers - Cutting out backgrounds -- Asteroids and Melons.

Week 9 - April 12 - April 18 - Pieced Asteroids and Melons

Week 10 - April 19 - April 25 - Assembly

Week 11 - April 26 - May 2 - Assembly

Week 12 - May 3 - May 9 - Assembly

Week 13 - May 10 - May 16 - Assembly

Week 14 - May 17 - May 23 - Applique - Fused

Week 15 - May 24 - May 31 - Applique - Hand Turned

I hope you will join us on this journey -- whether you are making the Wedding Ring as a gift or for yourself.....and play along with us to get it finished.

See you next Sunday when we check in on fabric selection and pattern selection......

Saturday, February 14, 2015

Happy Valentine's Day and an Announcement

Happy Valentine's Day!!! Hope that you are spending the day doing things you love with people you love. For me, today begins the "season of love" -- you see, for the last 3 years, I have a friend or family member that has gotten engaged on Valentine's and married before the end of summer. Which means this is the wedding quilt making season. This year, the couple got engaged a while ago (last spring) and are getting married at the end of August, so I technically have had a little more time. But the didn't pick a date until a few days ago, and as a result, I can't really plan. I need info -- wedding colors, etc, etc, etc. And of course, I love procrastinating, so I need a deadline. Let's face it, that is how my life works.

So, starting March 1st, we're kicking off a Wedding Ring QAL, and we have some people joining us! There are a couple of different CIs who will be working on their quilts, and a few quilters talking about different ways to quilt them to show off the various elements. We'll be doing tutorials on using the Quiltworx Wedding Ring rulers, and a tutorial on those pesky curved bindings. We'll have some great giveaways, and get some masterpieces completed.

So, for the next few weeks, we'll be gathering our supplies, and getting ready, and be ready to sew come March 1st. The schedule and details will be up on the blog tomorrow...

In the meantime, spend the day with those that you love doing things you love. I'll be parked on the couch under a squishy quilt cuddling with the dog, bing watching Friends on NetFlix, and eating ice cream and diet coke. That's how this single girl rolls.

How are you spending your Valentine's Day?


Catherine

Monday, February 9, 2015

Fire Island Hosta

This weekend was our final class for Fire Island Hosta at Cotton and Chocolate in Thousand Oaks. It's been a great 6 month project, and we've had so much fun with this versatile pattern. Here's a few samples of what the ladies have been up to...



Judy's Queen in the original colorway.


Lauren's fall version.....


Vicky's original colorway.


Vicky T.'s aqua and lime colorway.


Jonette's masterpiece in black white and red.....will grow up to be a Queen. 


And Jerry's Misty Mountain Pond....

There are a dozen or so others in process that I didn't get good pictures of....

I got my copy of American Patchwork and Quilting on Friday, which has the Paddlewheel special project by Judy. Lauren finished her Hosta, so she worked on her Paddlewheel on Saturday. In just under 4 hours she got all the blocks made and the center assembled, can't wait till next month to see how she quilts it!


What have you been working on?








Make a List Monday

Lately, make a list Monday has been replaced by rush home from teaching Sunday, followed by over sleep Monday and rush to work. But I am finally back to a real routine that feels a little more in control. So trying to get back into things....

Starting with making my many many lists....for this week, we're focusing on some things that need to get done around the house and some samples.....

1. Post the schedule for the new QAL
2. Work on appliqué for Paradise in Blooms
3. Finish organizing the kitchen

It's bound to be a busy week, so I doubt I will get much else finished this week! Sad, right?

What are you working on this week?

Catherine

Tuesday, February 3, 2015

It's almost Valentine's....

Just a warning that the day of hearts and flowers is coming up...and with it will be the beginning of a new QAL....

This time, it's going to be a bit broader...we'll be focusing on .....Wedding Rings!!!! Whether you like the Diamond Wedding Ring, the Bali Wedding Star, or the traditional Grandmother's Wedding Ring, we'll be looking at all of them, we'll have a couple "guest bloggers" who will talk about various aspects, and even go into quilting options....so stay tuned. The big announcement and kick off will be on Valentine's, and we'll be wrapping it all up just in time for wedding season in June...

In the meantime, we're running a pop sale on the website....all Bali pops are at least 15% off! So stop by and stock up, as you will need them for the QAL!

Www.queeniequilts.com

Happy pre-valentines.....

Catherine

Sunday, February 1, 2015

January's Over??? How???

Seriously, how did it get to be February 1st??? I swear it was January 1st last weekend.....It's been a crazy month, with a new job that started on the 6th, and a full teaching/class/show schedule. I can't believe how crazy the month has been. So, not a lot of progress this month, but hopefully, February will be a little smoother (and less tiring).

January updates are in Red.
Certified Instructor Stuff
1. Tea Time Placemats - make a new set of samples. My originals became Christmas presents for someone who LOVED them. So I need new samples of this new and very popular class. Got the pieces completed, but haven't added the veins yet. Hoping to get to that this week.
2. Paradise in Blooms TOM sample - in process. All the pieces are done, but the final assembly remains outstanding.
3. Prairie Pinwheels New Sample in Batiks - picked the fabrics
4. Urban Candy Quilt by Sew Kind of Wonderful - done and quilted. Hung at Road to California last week.
5. Flowers for My Wedding Ring Sample - Ring sets all done and ready to be trimmed.
6. Prairie Star Sample #2
7. Amazon Star Sample #2
8. Winter Wonderland Sample #3 - non Christmas fabrics (both other samples are Christmas)
9. Fractured Paint Box
10. build the business to teach 20 days a month - January 5 days of classes completed

Queenie Quilts Pattern Company
1. 3 quilts I designed over Christmas break tested and published
2. 7 new patterns for Fall Market (10 total)
3. New BOM for 2016 designed and marketed

Other Stuff
1. Gym - 175 visits in 2015 - 10 visits this month
2. knit a pair of socks - picked the yarn and pattern.
3. knit from my stash (no new purchases until something is finished!) - no new purchases this month!!!
4. Destash 200 yards from my personal sewing fabric stash. (that's a lot of placemats!!!) - used 6 yards from my stash.
5. Minimal fabric buying - I bought backing for my Hosta and backing for Urban Candy. So, not too bad.
6. Reorganize the house, making the business the priority - in process, got a lot done, but still have quite a bit to do.
7. go to Disneyland - no change.
8. save for a new car - no change.

So, overall, I got more done that I really thought I would, considering the changes happening around here. Since it is now February, and life is calming down a bit, I'm hoping to get more done.

Did you get all of your January to-dos done??? Do you have big plans for February???