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In my last post I mentioned I was changing my focus. This last week has seen me working towards that new focus.
I finished two weighted blankets this week. I have had the tops done for five weighted blankets since January or so. I even pinned the tops to backing fabrics so I can sew up the side seams, flip them right side out and start sewing the channels to fill. I've been stalled at that point for months. I found another person in need of a weighted blanket, so that meant I had three claimed by other people, and I wanted to keep one at my house in case someone needed one while staying here. So, of the five I had partially prepped, four were already spoken for. It is time to get this project off my to do list and onto my TA-DA! It's Finished list. I realized I should be able to get all five weighted blankets finished in a couple weeks as long as my arm holds out. Two down, three to go, and then I've got the weighted blanket monkey off of my back!
I haven't touched the rows of red 6" rail fence blocks since I sewed them into rows. I have enough pink and purple 6" blocks done for one quillow each, and enough green 6" blocks for two quillows. I'm also amassing a nice pile of 9" rail fence blocks. I'm going to make the green blocks into a twin sized quilt. I'll be adding in some framed squares to make up the blocks I need for the size I want. I could make baby sized quilts from the pink and purple, and a throw from the red, but I was thinking about it, and I could also mix some colors together checkerboard style to make something larger. I really haven't decided yet. I don't need any of those quilts anytime soon, it's the weighted blankets and quillows I need to get finished.
The only other color I already have sub-cut is blue, and I should have enough blue cut to make two quillows from 6" rail fence blocks. I think I need four blue quillows though. I'll be digging out different size strips to make the extras. I need at least 13 quillows total, and that's without making one for myself or a couple other people I'd like to make them for. At least I've got the blocks made for 5 quillows, that's a decent start.
My main project for the next couple of weeks is the weighted blankets, and any other sewing time I have I'll be working on either the quillow projects or the other scrap busting projects I have going. I'm not going to be doing any FMQ while I work on weighted blankets, it's too much stress on my arm.
The first half of 2019 my focus was finishing UFO's, whether they were wedding quilts or not. Although I do hope to wipe out the stack of basted UFO's this year, they won't be my focus for the rest of 2019. My focus will be on new starts.
New starts, when I have so many UFO's? Yes! I already mentioned my plans to give all my grandchildren quillows for Christmas, and I wouldn't mind having a couple for our car as well.
As you can see, I chain pieced the pink blocks already, and now I'm working on purple. I've already figured out that I'm going to have to go into different sized strips from my scrap user system. It's taking more pieces than I thought to make these quillows. Of course, I also cut for other projects from the same width strips, so maybe if I had only cut for these it would have been enough. I am not worried a bit about it, I'm in no danger of running out of my scrap user system, and the reason I opted for 6" finished rail fence blocks is that I can make that size from any width strips I save.
I also want to finish up the weighted blankets that I started earlier this year. Keeping them from becoming UFO's is almost as good as a UFO finish. I've already got two takers for the weighted blankets I have yet to finish.
As if that weren't enough, I am really thinking about all the clothes from my second sister that I need to use to make memory quilts for her family. I went through all the clothes when I received them, and donated what I wasn't planning on using. I still have three large totes of possibilities. Right after she passed away, it was just too much to think about, I was too close to her to be OK working with her clothes. I'm not sure I am up to it even now, but I think as soon as I have a handle on all the quillows, that is what I am going to try to tackle. I'm not planning any fancy quilts from her clothes. I more want her clothes to shine, so I don't want to cut them up too small. I know there will be at least one t-shirt rag quilt, but likely more, and I've already got a plan for scraps from the t-shirts. She didn't have traditional t-shirts, just lots of printed shirts made from cotton knits. I need to buy some flannel for that project, so that at least some of the fabrics will actually "rag". Thankfully, she wore a lot of natural fibers, so the biggest difficulty with the projects will be emotional, not the fabric itself.
I think I've got plenty to keep me busy.
It's a good thing I got my house company ready right after the last batch, because I've got company again for a week. I found out on Friday it was a possibility, Saturday a definite, and by Sunday they were here. They'll be here until Saturday, so not a lot of sewing time available this week.
BUT...I sewed like a fiend over the weekend. DH was off all of last weekend, but he was editing a magazine he self publishes. All the company has bitten into his writing time as well as my sewing time. Since he was busy, and I had a couple days with no company, I took advantage and sewed and sewed.
I was rapidly climbing the Queen's List in the UFO Challenge in Stashbusters Yahoo group. The quilt I've already started quilting on was ruler work and slow going, so I grabbed a baby quilt from the stack of basted quilts, put the walking foot on my Bernina, and quilted and bound this in a day. I made the quilt top pretty recently, but it was made from leftovers from a different UFO, so I think it should count as a UFO. All the pieced units were made last year.
It's some really simple quilting, but I think it works, and the quilt is really snuggly because it's not overquilted. It's backed with fleece.
I also got some piecing done. Since I did all that sub-cutting while I had the grandkids, I have lots of pieces ready to chain-sew.
I got all the blocks done for the first quillow. These are just up on the design wall, and I may move a couple around, but I think my idea of monochromatic rail fence blocks will work well for my quillow project. Since I'm planning the quillows to be for car use, I didn't need any fancy piecing. It's pretty hard to get a good look at a quilt you are using in a car.
By going monochromatic, it will be easy for my grandkids to pick theirs out of a stack in the corner of a car. I plan to match backings to front colors. The best part is it will help me whittle down my overflowing Scrap User System quickly.
I've been thinking about what works well for me, and what habits I should change based on circumstances. The scrap user system really works for me, I always go to it first when I'm pulling fabric for a quilt. The thing is, with a repetitive stress injury in my arm that is easily aggravated, I need to start using my Studio cutter for most of my cutting. I need to develop a new habit, even though my current one works for me, using the Studio cutter is a better habit for me to get into because of my arm. I've increased the number of dies I have significantly, and most dies work best with fat quarters or yardage.
Now, sub-cutting strips doesn't bother my arm much. It's not short cuts that get me, it's long cuts that kill my arm, so I can continue to have a scrap user system, and honestly, I'll never run out of scraps so that's good. I do think I need to whittle my scrap user system down though, it's taking up too much space for something that should not be my first choice. Cutting fat quarters and yardage with my Studio cutter needs to become my go-to method of cutting for a quilt.
It seems like I'm always rethinking what works best, and what could be improved. When I have time to sew, I think I'm pretty efficient, but everything can be improved upon. Maybe next week I'll have time to sew, or who knows? I could end up with more company!
.....My house is quiet. For the first time in weeks my house is actually quiet. I love all of the people who came to visit, but six weeks of company all in a row is a LOT.
My sister knew I was going a bit crazy, and she knew my dream is a cabin in the woods, so one day during the chaos I got this in the mail.
It was a nice pick me up in the midst of all the busy-ness.
The grandkids I had for two weeks got to play with my fabric markers and make themselves new shirts.
I did get pillowcases done with the boys too. I had five migraine days in the two weeks the kids were here, so it's amazing we got anything done. All the stress and lack of sleep is doing me in, and I am definitely feeling that I can't keep up to old activity levels.
I did take some time and sub-cut strips while the kids were here, so I have plenty to sew up now that they are gone, but really, I need a few days of just doing nothing.
My house cleared out yesterday, and today DD#3 came over and helped me clean, more she cleaned while I mostly rested and did a couple things here and there. I've got all the guest beds remade with clean linens, so they are ready for more company, though I'm honestly hoping for a bit of a break. I've got all the laundry done aside from my hamper, which I'll tackle tomorrow. DH is working today, and when DD#3 and I went out to lunch, I brought half my lunch home to be my dinner this evening, so I am free for the rest of the day! I'm thinking some leisurely reading, putting my feet up, and just enjoying the quiet is a good way to spend my evening.
