An April update.

I have been MIA haven’t I.
Where have I been you ask?  I don’t really have an answer.   Mostly I have been working, sleeping and I  don’t know what else.  I can’t believe B it’s been over a month since I last posted.
It seems that work has been sucking the life out of me.  Just like aliens have been taking all my energy..   I get home and I just can’t do anything.   I haven’t worked on any quilting.  I have to write a speech for Toastmasters and I keep putting it off.   I have been working on my small rug for my doll house but I haven’t done much more than that.
I have been watching a lot of tv series on DVD.  I have fallen in love with Drop Dead Diva.   I just today watched the first shows of Veronica Mars.  I wasn’t sure on the pilot but it has gotten better.  I have watched Garrow’s Law and I am on the third series of Bramwell.
It has also been a month of record rainfall here in Oregon.  The days have also been very GRAY.  That has been the hardest thing or me this year.    So gray it doesn’t want me to do anything.    I don’t have the energy to get the quilts out and work on them.  I could get so much out if I could just get it out but It just seems just to much work.
I didn’t update the progress on my UFO’s from Judy’s UFO Challenge from the Patchwork Times.    For February – I haven’t even cut anything out so that is not yet completed.  For March the number picked was # 8 which was Kenny’s quilt.  I have given it no thought. 
Today the number picked for April was #10.   This is the quilt I am going monthly to Quilting Delights to get the pattern.  I have been going since November and I haven’t even cut a single piece for it.   No excuse really – just nervous to make that first cut in all the beautiful fabric.
Hopefully I will do something in the month of April. Let’s keep our fingers and toes crossed.
Another thing that I have been reading a lot about in blogs lately is Copyright issues  and how some people feel it’s getting out of control in the quilting world.  I do believe that to a point.  I can understand if someone uses the photo of their quilt or design for promotion purpose and does not give credit or compensation.  But I feel it’s going too far if you are using someone’s line of fabric in your design and you show it on your blog and you claim it’s a copyrighted fabric design and try to have them stop using it.  For me that is going to far.  Why else would you design fabric other for it to be used?  That’s all I am going to say on that for now.   There are so many sides and so many opinions – so if you want to learn more search the issue on the internet and make your own opinion.   I am just sorry that a craft that a lot of people do for creativity release and pure pleasure has turned into such a minefield of touchy subjects.
It’s Sunday night again.. I am off to watch the CMA’s and the spring break song “Red Solo Cup” 
Till next time.

February UFO.

My birthday was a downer day this year  but my week  definitely got better.    On Wed the 1st – Judy at the Patchwork Times picked a new UFO.  This month she picked #1  For me this is the  Floral $5.00 Monthly Quilt from Quilting Delights.   I have not started this at all so I am really going to have to buckle down and work on it.  I still didn’t get photos' but I promise they will come.
In fact I started to work on this weekend along with my Provence quilt.  I pulled the both out to start cutting and then I got distracted.   I knew with the Provence quilt I should pull some fabrics to use as practice for the 12 squares.  I then started looking through my stash which lead me to pull everything out of my closet and reorganize.    I was happy I did.  I found a couple of things I couldn’t find.
No photos' today but in organizing my stash I was thinking about ways I want my future craft room to be.

From Pinterest    http://lifeinmystudio.blogspot.com/


via Country Living
Another  exciting project I found was listing to Mark Lipinski's – Creative  Mojo.   I am a few radio podcasts behind but I was listing to one from the Spring of 2011.   They started talking about doll houses. ( This is another area I want to explore – in fact I think I have one  in my storage but that fascination is for another post. )     They started talking about needle pointing rugs for doll houses.  I got so excited and I immediately got on line and ordered a kit for one from  Janet Granger via  Rose Cottage in Staffordshire England.  The package arrived today with 4 stamps with the Queens image and a customs declaration.   How cool is that. 

UFO # 5 for January

I am so excited.  I finished my  UFO early.    At this point in my life I am considering completion to the flimsy as completing my UFO.  Perhaps next year I will consider UFO’s from flimsy to complete.
In 2006 I participated in a block of the month exchange at the Shop Heart to Hand.  I received 13 squares.  The pattern was A Fathers Journey – which I think was an original design but I might be wrong.  I would occasionally take them out and try to figure out what to do with them but always came up empty.    At one point I even bought coordinating fabric to tie them all together.  A green, a goldish tan, a burgundy red flora and a dark blue.
Last year I could not get them out of my mind and I finally decided to do something out of them. I went through them and really looked at what I had.  All thirteen had the same piece of medium blue fabric in all of them and they also had a mixture of dark blue, light blue, tans and one had red and a few other oddities thrown in.   I can’t remember the original count but I determined that what I needed  was 5 dark, 5 light, 3 red and 3 neutrals and i had to do some resewing.  So I got to work and tore some of them apart, added other fabric that coordinated and made sure that the one fabric was in all of them. I think i did 14 of them and then had two more complete ones to sew up.
Last September I was house sitting and  I brought the project along.  I sewed the final two blocks and then started measuring the others and found they were not very accurate  and the seam ripper came out.
This is what I ended up with . 


Then I was stuck.   What was i going to do next?  I laid them out in all different order but could never find a good balance. I tried out all the fabrics as borders.   Nothing seemed to work.  Then inspiration struck.
i came up with a 5 set on point in a square.

I then I layed the remaining ones around the square but I had a couple of problems.  One.  I  was a square short but did not have any more of the fabric that was in all of them.  That was okay-  I used fabric that was in many of the others and hoped it didn’t stand out.
This is what it looks like.
    
The next problem was the square in the middle was slightly smaller then the outside square.  Inspiration left and i put it back in the box.  I took it home and asked my mom to help me deicide on borders.  Still no decision.
Then  I put it down on my UFO list and it was pulled for January.
I am house-sitting again so I brought it back out and I set down on Thursday night and put in a 4 hour session.
I was able to figure out a way to  showcase the difference between the two “squares”.   I then held it up against myself and it was too square and wasn’t long enough to use on the couch.  So I added another row on the top and the bottom of a neutral.   
I then cheated  (wink) on the last border.  I had borders already cut from another quilt that wasn’t used.  All I had to do was use two of them and just had to cut the two long sides.
Tada!!!  Sorry about the bad lighting it was at night.
   

UFO Challenge 2012

I have decided to get organized with my UFO’s.  I pulled them out of my closet to catalog them  on and listing them here in no particular order.  I have each on in an ArtBin box.  They are the bomb.   I went through and put in a sheet with it’s working name, a sheet where i could write down the progress of each row or month if it called for it and tried to put everything pertaining to the box.     As i pull them out I will inventory it and see where I am in the process what i have to do get each one done.
This list is a work in progress and I will be updating as I go along.   I am also going to try the UFO challenge from Patchwork Times.   I can’t guarantee I will finish them all but it’s a great goal.
#1.  2003  Floral $5.00 Monthly Quilt from Quilting Delights.    I did not participate in this monthly quilt but  I found all the parts in the sale room at Quilting Delights for one third the price and I picked it up.  It has a country feel.   I don’t have finishing instructions  but have fabric for each of the 12 months.   I don’t have a photo of it right now but will take some of the fabric when i open it up.

#2. 2006  Row By Row Quilt  April 2006 – October 2006. Heart to Hand     This has 7 rows.    I have done the first row but got stuck on the second one on how to do the sailboats.  I am just going to do it  like the pattern says so i can complete it. 










#3.  Kaleidoscope of Kolor  2008 BOM Quilting Delights - Dot’s version  Below is a photo of how this BOM should look.    My version is a deep pumpkin color, which is in the second photo.  



#4. Kaleidoscope of Kolor   2008 BOM Quilting Delights -  Pat’s version  My friend Pat did this BOM with me.  She loved her background in the beginning but as the months went on she got busier and didn’t finish it and by the end of the year she wasn’t so in love with the fabric.  When she moved to Tennessee she gave me her quilt to finish up. 

5.  2006 June Block of the Month Exchange   A Fathers Journey  Heart to Hand      When i was dong the Dotty BOM at the shop Heart to Hand they had a monthly exchange where many people turned in blocks and they drew names. I have reworked the blocks and added more and here is where I am at.





#6. Cherry Hill Sampler panel   I bought this panel at a quilt shop because i loved the flavor of it.  I have gotten it out a bunch of times to try to design a quilt and keep getting stumped.  Today I found a pattern on the internet that might just help me as a starting off point.











#7. Pink Roses and Purple Quilt.    I started this one out as a table runner for a class I took.  I didn’t like how it was  turning out so I changed it to be a small quilt  I am in the midst of working on converting it to 16 squares. 










#8.  Kenny’s quilt   and figure out fabric for Tass’s quilt.   I made a quilt for my oldest nephew and niece.  I now have to make one for my two youngest .  I have the fabric for the boy.  But in looking at them it might work for the girl.  I will now have to find material for another one –   I will make this one and then decide who to give it to once i find the fabric for the second one.   Here is a really bad photo of the first two. I have learned so much working with my camera since then. Its a pattern of my own design. 






#9.  Mary Engelbreit Baskets of Flowers Panel from 2008   I have some coordinating fabric to go with it.  I found these photos of the panel on the internet so you can see what they look like.  I think i am going to make a pillow for my couch on with the tree bottom squares.


#10.   2012 Block of the Month – Quilting Delights.   I am currently participating in this and doing it in a red color way.  So this one is ongoing and actually hope to have it done at the end of the year.












#11.  Complete any flimsy to a full quilt
#12.  Complete any flimsy to a full quilt

What will the new year will bring?

I have been contemplating in the last few days my goals for 2010. I see so many people putting them out on the web. I am not sure what mine will be. I know I want to be happy. Even with all my ups and downs the last year I have been happy, I know that for a fact. I don't have many "set" goals.. Maybe more of wishes.

One of the things i have decided is a goal is to walk the 5 mile sponsored by Kaiser for the Portland Marathon. My hair girl is running the marathon. I am not up to that and will probably never be as I am not a runner but I do enjoy walking. I will do that. I need to go to the gym. I keep saying that but I have no reason not to. I know it will make me feel even better. It is on 10-10-10. A goal to look forward today.

I want to save money to get my own apartment. That should be a goal for 2010. Get my own place. Be a grownup and be my own women.

Find a job i am happy to do in 2010. I think that I have found a good temp job and we will see if that can help me get on with the company.

Crafts and Crafting. So many goals in that area... I want to finish my Christmas table cloth. Finish my two needlepoint projects. Work on that needlepoint Christmas project and the silhouette idea. Finish at least two quilts to the floppy stage by June and another two by the end of the year. I want to completely finish two quits. I don't care if they are "quilted" or tied.

Books. - just keep reading.

TV - watch as little as possible...

Movies.. watch as many as possible.. getting them from the library..

Have some craft parties, have some cooking parties..

Save money and pay off debt.

In total what i want to do is be the best I can be.

Christmast Table cloth

Christmast Table cloth view I
Originally uploaded by Tadlafleur

Here is my Tablecloth that I have been working on at work. I will work on it this Christmas season but i don't know if I will get it done by Christmas. I love it. If you want to see more photos follow this link. Sorry about the light. It was a December day that was clear and cold and I had the window shades open but was the light I had to work with.

Progress is being made

Progress is being made
Originally uploaded by Tadlafleur

Here is my needlepoint project. I am making progress. I finally uploaded the photos. Can you tell? lol. I am loving this project. I eventually want to design my own needlepoint designs based on the influences of my Aunt's Jennie and Smay. Or like Kaffee Fassett. Look at my flicker page for more photos. I will update photos as I progress

Almost finished

Almost finished
Originally uploaded by Tadlafleur

I don't think I ever posted a photo of my little cross stitch project. Here it is. I just need to put it in frame. I might have a little time this week. lol

A new project....

Hi,

Well i haven't quite finished my cross stitch project all the way. I have painted the frame i just need to sand it a bit and but the piece in. Will do that when i have time as I feel like all I do is work and sleep. lol

Last week i bought a new needlepoint project. I have had the urge to do it again. My Aunt's Jennie and Smay do them all the time. This is the one I found at Joanne's for 9.99. I got two. I hope to use them in my new apartment on a slip covered couch. . Not bad in price as I saw them on the Internet for over 23 dollars. It's a Bucilla pattern # 4904.
I also had to buy a new frame as I never did go get my first one out of storage. When i tried it on my days off the canvas was too big
for the frame so i tried folding the sides. It didn't work. It wouldn't slide into the slots on the dowels. Lol.. nothing was working that afternoon - check out my post on crocheting to see what else didn't work that day.. So I took it to work today and ended up cutting off about an inch of the canvas on the sides. It slid right in. I wrapped it up and then next separated my thread. Did you know that this pillow has light dusty pink, medium dusty pink, dark dusty pink and dusty pink. Who thinks up these things? lol Well understandable for shading but hope iI identified them right. After that was done I couldn't help myself and i worked on the checkered corner. The green is really a yellow green and it's paired with a cream. It is lovely. I love it. I plan to have this as my home project and work on my table cloth at work. I did work on my table cloth today. I had my thread got tangled up like 5 times and I had to cut the thread and pull out the thread and secure it and start again 3 times. The other times i was able to get out the knots. A couple of times the tread just broke. Not my day on that piece. lol

Work is slow so i was able to do alot but then we had a little rush at 8 pm. Who would of thunk after such a small amount of calls throughout the day.

Well off to bed to read until midnight to wait out the "public service" shows on the radio so i can fall asleep to music. I plan to get up early in the morning to work on "projects".
Hope you had a great weekend.