What Are Quilters Blogging About Today?

Sometimes, while cutting shirts into useable pieces, there are off cuts that are not really useful for big pieces. I tend to throw them into a bucket to deal with later. I was in the mood to sort and cut. Some of these pieces will be great for string or crumb blocks.

As I dug into the bucket, some just went into another bucket for strings, but, a few, I could cut into HSTS. Most of my goals this month involve the longarm, which is currently busy.  I had fun just playing in the scraps.

 I had a box of recycled shirts that I wanted to cut for quilt patterns I am hoping to make. I had already taken the shirts apart, so, I made a box for each size I wanted to cut, 10 inch, 5 inch, 2 1/2, 3 1/2, 2. I decided to cut largest to smallest, so, that, the leftovers can be fed into the smaller sizes. I cut 10 inches. I used the front of the shirt without the pocket for 10 inch squares. The front with the pocket, I put in the box for 5 inch squares ...

I had some great Christmas gifts from my hubby. Probably a big favorite is my new mister for spray starch. He also bought a gallon of best press. I really like how it works. At our last sew in, the hostess made home made spray starch with vodka. It worked great too, but, I wouldn't know my way around a liquor store. I plan on starching everything. haha

best press and mister

I asked for these go dies. I own the studio and usually stick to studio dies, but these were a good deal. And I want to try ...

I had a big milestone yesterday - I added the finished in 2021 tab to the top of the page. I felt hopeful. Not that I can't add one last quilt to 2020.

I think I need to spend the rest of this year cleaning up from all the projects this year, and, try to get a bit more organized for next year. First, I need to reclaim my cutting table. I find, that I will travel around the house to cut, since the cutting table is a mess. It's embarrassing, but, I am sure it will be fun ...

Coming home from a quilt retreat is a challenge to unpack and get back to normal. I crammed a lot of projects into my weekend, and my bags. I wanted to pull them out, one by one, and, make sure everything is taken care to put where they belong.

The first project I worked on, was the big easy Christmas. This was my one monthly goal for November. I had it quilted before I left. I used the big tables at the retreat to trim it, and, then, I attached the binding by machine to the back side of the ...

I opened another project box thinking it would be an easy decision. This quilt kit was a Joann fabrics block of the month called peaceful paisley from 2013. It was not an easy decision. All the Joann kits come with precut pieces and instructions. I like that, sometimes, as an easy piecing project when other projects become stressful. I found a complete set, and the setting kit, and the precut binding in the box. But, I also found several other block kits.

 I decided it was time to sort another project box. This one was a bit confusing. I am trying to be very hard core on making decisions, but, it is very difficult for me not to finish everything I come across, or rather, to believe I will finish everything. But, reality, says otherwise. 

I have labels on the boxes to help figure out what I was planning. Still, The black elastic doesn't appear to belong to anything in the box.hmmmm

A clean cutting table is such a tempting notion. first, I seldom see such a thing, why mess it up? But, that won't do.. it is a playground of exciting potential messes.  What can I cut? mark? pile? Unfortunately, it is hard to get to my clean table, there are a "few" bags of undecided "things" in front of it on the floor. So, there is the boring place to start.

We have had great weather and have enjoyed outdoors, and, even found a monarch on our flower tubs. We have planted milkweed in our yard, but, it hasn't bloomed. What a surprise to see our own monarch butterfly.

I am making progress on the old world mystery quilt from Quilted Twins. I haven't sewn as much, since, I injured my finger. I really like putting this quilt together. It looks complicated, but, it doesn't have matching seams.

I made it a goal to clean this table in my sewing room next to my accuquilt. I tend to cut and throw the pieces here. It was supposed to be a place for a scrap basket, but the basket was covered and consumed by my untidiness. The basket was full, and it was time to empty it. I enjoy the quilted twins blog, and, she weighs her scraps before and after cutting. It sounded interesting, so I weighed before, and it was 5 lbs 2 oz. That means there is about 15 yards in the basket. That is enough ...

To the left of my accuquilt, is a little dresser. And, when I cut for a project, I want to cut for the project, and not fold and put away. I have a bad habit of adding the leftover fabric and pieces that need to be dealt with on the table, until it becomes a mountain.

To the left of my sewing machine, I have a nice space, planned for holding a quilt while binding and other work on large quilts. Unfortunately, it is always a great spot for shoving other parts and pieces. I want to do a binding, so it's cleaning time. If I don't, everything will end up on the floor. I am also curious about what has taken up residence.

Last week's to do
1. start quilted twins mystery
This was an adventure- In all this house of fabric, I couldn't find enough brown or gold for the constants in this mystery quilt. I started looking online for any suitable fabric. I didn't see any that thrilled me. I wasn't going to risk going out. Then, Joann fabric sent a coupon for curbside pick up. hmm. It took 2 attempts, but I found what I wanted. I was very frustrated in the end, but I have the fabric. That is as far as I got.

I went to Sam's club Tuesday for, of all things, prunes. I was pretty sure they are not flying off the shelve and I would find some. I stopped at Aldi's first looking for prunes, and, found to my surprise, fresh produce and some canned fruit and vegetables, but, no prunes. It takes awhile after surgery to  - you need prunes.
I found them at Sam's, and I found this great plastic storage container begging to come home with me. It didn't have a fever so I brought it home.
Each container in the set of 4 ...

I sorted through a scrap basket, and it is empty. I can't believe it. It has been a bottomless pit for several months.

A big thank you to  the hosts of to do Tuesday for the prize I received. It is wonderful and very thoughtful ( they added scraps) yippee. They host a linky party every Tuesday that is fun.

The color for the rainbow scrap challenge for January is bright green. Last year, the month of green, I didn't really do a look through the basket. I knew I needed to pull everything out, and sort through, to discover what hidden treasures I might have in the basket. My original plan was to cut everything into useable sizes. But, after it was neat and tidy, I didn't want to cut it.