Bax's social media

This is Bax. He thinks the whole world revolves around him.

 

Bax has a back yard, but he especially likes to go out to the front yard.

We have lots of dogs in the neighborhood.

Bax likes to sniff around to see who's visited lately.

 

DH coined a phrase for this:

"Bax checks his pee-mail."

 

Linking up with Really Random Thursday over at Live a Colorful Life

 

WIP Wednesday 9/4/13

Remember the problem jelly roll, here?
This is what I've been doing with it:

 

Actually I made a top using these blocks and Kona Bone where the brown is. It's pretty, but kind of expected. So I made the same top again using the brown, which is Kona Cappuccino.

 

Two tops. That means I need two backings and I have two WIPs to quilt.

 

Inspiration: sandwich the two tops back to back and have a totally reversible quilt:

 

OK, it was a challenge to get it perfectly matched.  I used tacks up through the bottom layer at the block intersections, and I aligned the top layer over them and pushed the tacks through all layers.  Then I carefully aligned the outside edges and pinned at all the seams.

 

I quilted with a simple (ha ha) meander, using a thread color that would complement both sides.

 

I DO NOT RECOMMEND THIS! 

 

With back-to-back matching tops, all the seams stack up.  In some places there are 12 or more layers of fabric in a small area, and trying to quilt over them on my domestic machine was a nightmare.  It got bogged down, then jumped; didn't slide easily; and just generally didn't cooperate at all.  Very disappointing.

 

Oh, well.  I hope to get the binding on and finished this week.  Pattern in work; hopefully I can progress on that next week.

 

Linking up with WIP Wednesday over at Freshly Pieced; check out all the other inspiring projects in work over there.

 

Design wall Monday 9/2/13

Remember the background fabric dilemma, here?

And all those pretty Dresden pieces, here?

Here's what they look like on my design wall today:

I've solved the ground color problem. I've chosen Kona cotton in color Cappuccino, a luscious brown that really makes the colors pop. I'll applique these rows onto the brown ground. Hopefully I can get this top completed this month.

There's a lot you can do with the Dresden shape besides plates and fans.  I have lots of ideas so maybe some of them will show up on future Design Wall Monday posts.

Linking up with Judy over at Patchwork Times; check out what everyone else has on their design walls today.

August Stash Report and September Goals

Time for the final accounting of stash enhancement for August:
 
August in: 12.0 yards (my 5 yard order of Kona cotton arrived Friday, gotta count it)
August out: 6.5 yards (includes 2 yards from my stash given to a friend; I will shop her stash sometime but I'll have to count it in when I do.)
Net change for August: +5.5 yards in
 
YTD in: 97 yards
YTD out: 92.83 yards
YTD net change: +4.17 yards in
 
Not too bad, could be worse. Still hoping to end the year at breaking even. I actually used a lot that I can't count yet because the top isn't done.  Hopefully it'll be done in September so I can count it all used.
 
Monthly Goals
 
August:
 

1. Quilt & finish Charmed Snowballs.  DONE

2. Post Charmed Snowballs tutorial on blog. DONE

3. Quilt & finish STLMQG Ohio Star Challenge and find someone to take it to the September meeting which I will have to miss.  DONE

4. QQ2013 entries: Labels, label covers, sleeves, entry forms.  Give quilts to friend to turn in on due date as I will be away. DONE

5. Keep up with bee blocks and new BOM from LQS.  DONE   I guess I did OK on these, maybe I should set tougher goals?  Actually I keep a list of private goals that I don't publish, and I didn't do as well on those. The private goals are not necessarily sewing or quilting related.  Only two out of 5 complete, one started,  two not touched.  The partial one and the not touched ones will have to continue into September.    September Goals:   1. Complete applique on Dresden project. 2. Layer, quilt, and bind jelly roll project. 3. Edit pattern for jelly roll project; finalize for publishing.

4. Write & post tutorial for hidden zipper pillow to blog (requires reconfiguring tutorial tab).
5. Keep up with bee blocks & LQS BOM. 

My sewing machine and I will be away from each other for two weeks in September, so not much sewing will take place. Therefore my September projects will have to be less sewing-focused, or will have to feature hand work.

Come back tomorrow to see progress on the Dresden project for Design Wall Monday.

Linking up today with Judy at Patchwork Times, who encourages mindful stash management with Sunday Stash Reports. Check out how others are managing enhancing their fabric libraries!

A Friday Finish 8/30/2013

 

 

Finished Drunkard's Path Pillow

 

 

This went together surprisingly quickly. It's solid green Kona cotton on the back, with a lightweight fusible interfacing for body. A hidden zipper is in one of the seams. It's big - 24" - so most likely it'll be used as a floor pillow rather than on a sofa or chair.

 

Linking up with "Finish it up Friday" at Crazy Mom Quilts and "Can I Get A Whoop Whoop" at Confessions of a Fabric Addict

Random Thursday

I love "Really Random Thursday" over at Live a Colorful Life, so today I'm linking up.

My randomness today:

• The dishwasher works. It cost me the equivalent of 22 yards of LQS fabric to get it repaired, but now it washes dishes. 
• The new garage door has been installed and it looks great. So clean! and SO QUIET!
• I'm contemplating submitting a proposal for a book to AQS; outline, project notes, & research in work.
• A friend is coming over today to play in the sewing room and have lunch.
• My studio is not too much of a mess:

my studio, 8/29/2013

Life is good.  Today is gonna be a great day.

WIP Wednesday 8/28/2013

Haven't been able to spend much time in the sewing room lately...
But the good news is, the dishwasher's fixed and the new garage door's installed.

I did get the little Drunkard's Path layered and pin-basted yesterday, and started the quilting. Got the stippling done in about an hour.  Hopefully I can get this finished up this week to show it on Friday.
Here's a sneak peek at the quilting. 

 

Linking up with Lee's "Work in Progress Wednesday" over at Freshly Pieced - check out what everyone else is working on.