Saturday, August 31, 2013

Working on my Lazy Sunday Quilt

I spent New Years Day in the first quilting class I have ever had the pleasure of taking.  The instructor was Bonnie Hunter and the quilt was a mystery.  I only got into the class by the skin of my teeth because someone cancelled the day before.  Now, during my move to Texas I had drastically reduced my "stuff" and had given most of my fabric stash away.  The class gave a color list and amounts although it was supposed to come from scraps.  Not having any scraps, Mister and I went to a local quilt shop and selected some bright batiks in the requested colors.

The class was a blast and I learned oh so much.  It has taken me most of the year to get the blocks together, but finally I am making some progress.  I am able to lay out my strips in the studio and get an idea of what is happening here.  I still have border pieces EVERYWHERE but at least it appears as though it might become a quilt at some point.

We have rearranged the studio at least twice during this project and I am about to do so again.  Ugh.

After spending most of the day sewing away -- I am able to lay out ALL the strips and have the sashing sewn as well.  I have to take it into the house and use the living room floor in order to have a large enough space, but I can finally see the pattern taking place.


This color scheme is waaaay outside my comfort zone, but as it comes together I am liking it more and more.  My goal is to have it finished, learn how to long arm quilt it and take it to this years class on New Years Day again to show.  I hope I can make it.

The purple border pieces on the ironing board above used a technique that gave me bonus half square triangles on each end.  That made 310 new squares to work with on another project that would have otherwise gone into the trash.  Fun.  I took them with me to Austin for the soccer tournament and between games, cut the dog ears off.  I call that devotion to a project.

It is so good to be back at the machine after all these years.  I am lovin' life and lovin' my new vintage machines as well.  Now to find more of them.


Monday, August 26, 2013

A New Featherweight -- woohoo!

Oh My Gosh!! Isn't she beautiful?  This is my new baby. Her name is Barbara for the lady across the street.  When she passed, the estate sale had 15 of these lovely's and I managed to get one.  I feel so blessed.  These pics are after my sweetie took her all apart and cleaned EVERYTHING.  What  a treat.