tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-66603819631727026022024-03-15T18:12:23.458-07:00In the desertMelodiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12985153057462197110noreply@blogger.comBlogger1048125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6660381963172702602.post-22519918995300788832024-03-14T08:45:00.000-07:002024-03-14T08:45:58.852-07:00How Many Projects in a Week? I mention working on multiple projects often on this blog. I don't think I've ever given an example of how many projects that could mean. Since last week, I took photos of every project I've touched in the past seven days. I'll start with the basting/quilting/binding projects first, because that list is shorter. Project 1- I finished FMQ and bound this baby quilt. That's finish #9 for Melodiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12985153057462197110noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6660381963172702602.post-50457553362540493472024-03-07T12:50:00.000-07:002024-03-07T12:50:50.640-07:00Using the Same Fabric Twice The grandtwins are 13 now, but once upon a time DD#3 and I were decorating their nursery. With boy/girl twins in mind, DD#3 wanted a samurai/geisha themed nursery. I bought some fabric from Japan, and made some curtains for the nursery. When we took the curtains down, I put them aside because the fabric was in great shape, and eventually I cut them apart and put them in a couple quilt Melodiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12985153057462197110noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6660381963172702602.post-52712636611676958502024-02-29T08:40:00.000-07:002024-02-29T08:40:55.404-07:00Finish #7, Five Of Which Were UFO's I'm starting to think of this year as Operation Clean Slate. I won't finish the year with no UFO's, I have too many to catch up in one year. If I had a longarm, maybe, but I don't so I'm not going to stress about it. Quilt tops don't stress me out as long as they are hanging in the quilt closet, BUT, I now have more quilt tops than I have hangers, and I refuse to buy more hangers. What I'd Melodiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12985153057462197110noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6660381963172702602.post-50401152392653176102024-02-21T16:06:00.000-07:002024-02-21T16:06:38.302-07:00Finish #6 for 2024 It's not a big finish, but it is finished!It's a baby quilt, about 45" square, and it's the last of some fat quarters I used in three quilts, this being the smallest. I'm almost finished quilting another quilt, a twin sized one, so once that one is bound I'll have another one to show. I had four blocks to make for the Greek Murder Mystery quilt for February, and here they are all Melodiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12985153057462197110noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6660381963172702602.post-52949979941593202702024-02-16T11:34:00.000-07:002024-02-16T11:34:39.924-07:00Go-To Block Sizes for Scraps I love a good scrap quilt, and for scraps, my go-to block size is 6" finished. Why 6" blocks? Here are just a few reasons.Novelty prints-This particular novelty print is fairly small scale, but some novelty prints are huge. I've found that when I cut 6.5" squares (to finish at 6") even the larger prints have enough of the design to tell what it is without fussy cutting. I know some quiltersMelodiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12985153057462197110noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6660381963172702602.post-16584365663340449652024-02-05T16:56:00.002-07:002024-02-05T16:56:27.011-07:00What Did a Month of Tidying Get Me?This weekend DH and I will be hosting a family reunion. There will be little, if any, sewing going on this week. Coming off the holidays my sewing area was trashed, so I spent a lot of time in January tidying up my sewing spaces. It's far from perfect, but maybe you can tell me if it's company ready. At the beginning of January, my ironing station on the left was piled high with stuff,Melodiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12985153057462197110noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6660381963172702602.post-42491066111439603352024-02-01T16:00:00.002-07:002024-02-01T16:00:41.982-07:00Two More FinishesMy original goal for 2024 was to finish 40 quilts. That sounds like a lot, but between basted quilts and quilt tops, I actually have that many quilts ready to finish. Potentially, I could finish 40 quilts this year without piecing at all. If you add in the quilts where I have the blocks done but they need assembly, that brings me closer to 60 UFO's! Crazy, right? I will be piecing this year,Melodiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12985153057462197110noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6660381963172702602.post-56391191575512580652024-01-25T16:57:00.000-07:002024-01-25T16:57:31.912-07:00First Two Finishes of 2024 The first two finishes of the year are for the same recipient. I've got a great-nephew due anytime now. He is my second sister's first grandchild, but unfortunately for all of us, my sister was taken from us too soon and she won't meet him this side of heaven. One of her great regrets was not holding a grandchild, so when I finished making memory quilts for her family from her clothes, I Melodiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12985153057462197110noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6660381963172702602.post-89976024348520150332024-01-18T13:43:00.000-07:002024-01-18T13:43:35.111-07:00Time to Show Off My Husband's Work I told DH back in maybe October, that what I really wanted for Christmas was a wall mounted quilt rack for an empty wall in our living room. I knew he wouldn't have time to make it before Christmas, and I was fine with that. Most of my quilts I donate, and I usually wait until I have several done before I turn them in. The thing is, once they are done, I stick them in a closet and Melodiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12985153057462197110noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6660381963172702602.post-2873992797621920462024-01-11T13:44:00.000-07:002024-01-11T13:44:54.812-07:00Mystery Quilt Progress I've been busy working on Bonnie Hunter's Indigo Way mystery. I've got all the block A's done in both colorways I'm doing.Here's my colorway.And here is Bonnie's colorway, but using only men's shirts.I'm working on the B blocks now, though I am taking time out of that to assemble both baby quilts I'm making. I had hoped to be quilting them by now, but those plans were derailed. Those need Melodiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12985153057462197110noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6660381963172702602.post-4595737770616793982024-01-01T10:32:00.000-07:002024-01-01T10:32:45.179-07:002023 Reckoning and 2024 GoalsHappy New Year! 🥳I always reflect at the end of a year, and make plans for the new year. I am a planner by nature, not that I can't adapt to changes, but that I just naturally make plans, set goals. This morning I was thinking how many plans we've had that have fallen through. Some big plans fell through (We had planned to move in 2020 or 2021 and that fell through in a big way), some home Melodiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12985153057462197110noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6660381963172702602.post-31338010077186201462023-12-28T13:24:00.001-07:002023-12-28T13:24:46.807-07:00Viking Murder Mystery Quilt is a Top! I managed to get all the blocks into the quilt top, in a way that satisfied me. I didn't add the suggested border for a couple of reasons. The quilt is a good twin size as it is, and I didn't need it any bigger. Also, the past couple of years I've gotten to the point where I only add a border if I think the border adds something to the design, and another border added nothing to the quilt Melodiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12985153057462197110noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6660381963172702602.post-11008602586198421652023-12-21T16:55:00.000-07:002023-12-21T16:55:24.631-07:00Decisions Can Be Tough First the good news! I'm all caught up on the Indigo Way mystery! I just finished sewing up the rest of clue 4 so I'm ready for clue 5 tomorrow. The few units that aren't pressed yet should get pressed tonight, so I'm good on that.Here are a few units done in my colorway.And here are a few in Bonnie's colorway made with men's shirts. Yeah, stripes and plaids going every which way do not Melodiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12985153057462197110noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6660381963172702602.post-26356492446996510252023-12-14T16:33:00.000-07:002023-12-14T16:33:25.083-07:00Clue 3, Not Finished Yet! Indigo Way mystery is chugging along. I kept up with clues 1 and 2, but I won't be finished with clue 3 when clue 4 comes out tomorrow. That's OK, I figured I'd fall behind at some point. I've got hopes of catching up the week of Christmas.Where most people will be really busy Christmas week, I won't be. Our family is celebrating Christmas on the 17th, so in just a couple days. Things will Melodiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12985153057462197110noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6660381963172702602.post-84039539093823750792023-12-07T17:02:00.001-07:002023-12-07T17:02:59.220-07:00Clue 2 done!So far I'm keeping up on Bonnie Hunter's Indigo Way mystery. I'm not counting on keeping up the whole time, but so far I have.Here's my colorway. My "red" is peach and one fabric, and my "neutral" is lilac and one fabric, so all my units are identical in this clue. I still have to trim dog ears but I can do that while watching tv.Here are my units in Bonnie's colorway, made with men's shirtsMelodiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12985153057462197110noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6660381963172702602.post-76028926323118472192023-11-30T14:15:00.000-07:002023-11-30T14:15:23.181-07:00Mystery Season Bonnie Hunter's new mystery, Indigo Way, has started. I'm attempting two colorways this year, one full size of my own color choices, one smaller version with Bonnie's colors, but only using men's shirts.This is clue one in my colorway. The lilac is my neutral, the teal my indigo. Not all my sets are shown here. Here's some of the clue one with men's shirts. When going for a smaller Melodiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12985153057462197110noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6660381963172702602.post-13707739882120284182023-11-24T11:10:00.000-07:002023-11-24T11:10:08.613-07:00Scrap Thoughts and Fabric Prep Scrap quilts are my favorite, super scrappy everything goes in is my personal preference. I find them interesting, every quilt becomes an I Spy quilt, I just love it. BUT, I don't keep very many of my quilts, and a lot of people find those type of quilts a hot mess. Color controlled scrappy allows me to work in as many fabrics as I like, but also make quilts that non-scrap lovers enjoy.&Melodiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12985153057462197110noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6660381963172702602.post-45946926479427042602023-11-17T10:15:00.000-07:002023-11-17T10:15:45.947-07:00Scooter Rally Wore Me Out!This has been a sloooooowww week! I'm still tired from everything I did last week! I had a ton of little jobs to do last week, along with the big stuff, and a few last minute projects we added. We like to add personalized stuff to the rally bags, and this year was no exception. DD#1's family made these awesome wooden ornaments for the rally. They have a fancy laser etcher engraver Melodiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12985153057462197110noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6660381963172702602.post-41156018631718811092023-11-02T15:42:00.000-07:002023-11-02T15:42:22.798-07:00It's Been a Very Busy Week! Next week I won't be doing any sewing at all. DH's scooter rally starts on Thursday the 9th, and I'll be busy all week getting ready for that. I have rally bags to fill, cookies to bake for said rally bags, plus DH and I are cooking all the food for Saturday evening's dinner. We are borrowing our oldest grandson to help us, plus DD#2 will be making cupcakes for the dinner and helping where Melodiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12985153057462197110noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6660381963172702602.post-58107927970586099442023-10-26T16:52:00.000-07:002023-10-26T16:52:24.848-07:00Never Too Busy for Compassion DD#2 called me on Monday, and asked if I had any quilts made that had a lot of florals. I'm not big on florals, so unfortunately the answer was no. I asked her why, and she told me that a friend was just put on hospice and she loves florals. Can I just say cancer sucks? This woman is very young, I think late 20's, and a newlywed to boot. DD#2 is going up to see her this weekend. Am I busy? Melodiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12985153057462197110noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6660381963172702602.post-88467008638856335422023-10-20T12:01:00.000-07:002023-10-20T12:01:51.202-07:00Pro-craft-ination I've been doing things, just not what I should be doing. It would have been nice if I had finished the table toppers for the rally this week, but at least progress was made. All of them are basted, two of them are even quilted. They need to be finished before November 11, so I still have time, right???One of my grandsons really wants a space-themed quilt for his birthday in Melodiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12985153057462197110noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6660381963172702602.post-39537056638271720612023-10-13T14:46:00.000-07:002023-10-13T14:46:18.867-07:00Just Sad This has been a really tough week. My best friend of 36+ years passed away. She lives far from me, but I was still the last to talk to her. It was quite unexpected, which is always a reminder that none of us know how much time we have on this earth. I didn't get much done on the sewing front, because sewing wasn't high on my priority list this. week. I am just now Melodiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12985153057462197110noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6660381963172702602.post-90582090023331044572023-10-06T15:58:00.000-07:002023-10-06T15:58:14.870-07:0030 Minutes at a TimeI did get DD#2's quilt done before her birthday! OK, so it was the day before her birthday, but I made the deadline! This is finish #22 for the year!She's been wanting a quilt with a minky backing. and she loved the color of the evergreen I backed a baby quilt with a while back. Minky's not my favorite to quilt, so it's a good thing I like my kid! I've got my version of this quilt ready for Melodiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12985153057462197110noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6660381963172702602.post-29820536084896869722023-09-27T19:29:00.000-07:002023-09-27T19:29:14.582-07:00Mad Dash I've already had two of the grandkids for a couple days, and I'll have them for another week. I did a mad dash last weekend, and got a few things further along so I'll be at a good starting place when life calms down again. I got the binding sewn on this quilt, which had been quilted for a week or two.I busted two different fabrics on the backing, I made it into an offset four patch toMelodiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12985153057462197110noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6660381963172702602.post-7953013461951750992023-09-21T18:59:00.000-07:002023-09-21T18:59:18.070-07:00A Little Sewing Can Go a Long Way I've been trying so hard to be good and take lots of sewing breaks. Today I overdid it, but so far I can still lift my arm and the rest of this week I have smaller goals, so I think I'll be OK. I said I was only going to work on DD#2's birthday/Christmas quilt, and although that has definitely been my main project, I have worked on a couple others. The thing about DD#2's quilt is Melodiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12985153057462197110noreply@blogger.com0