Taking a Time Out

If you've come to visit and have noticed that my blog is looking a little different, then I thank you for noticing! I'm in the process of finishing up some projects and am really working on getting some of my wares up for sale. Some of the new links are working and the rest of them will be shortly.

I also have a considerable amount of cleaning up to do on both blogs. I decided to copy and past my original template to the 'selling blog' because it was quicker and easier. However, I failed to clean up this one first. Now, I have two of them to work on. Oh well....

In the mean time I thought I would post a few photos of a couple of things I'm working on that aren't work.

First is my Yule block that was originally made for the CQN 2009 STS (Season to Season) Winter block share. As it happens, I'm not participating in the Winter or Spring rounds with the group but I do want to finish this set for myself. These blocks have special meaning for me and I don't want them to end up being yet another UFO in the bottomless box I have downstairs. I still need to add lots of beads, a charm or two and the spider.

Next is a sane(ish) quilt that I'm putting together. I say, "sane(ish)" because in addition to 'traditional' piecing and layout, I'm also adding hand embroidered motifs to it. I have several months to finish it but I need to be mindful of how quickly time can get away from you when you're juggling a number of projects at once.

I begin with this photo because a functional work space is essential. One day all of this will be in a much larger space downstairs but for right now, I'm feeling just a little pinched in this 12 x 15 foot room. Even without both buffet tables, it feels really full with the computer, desk, chair, two printers, filing cabinet, paper storage shelf, two full size dressers/hutches, a sewing table and two chairs, a sewing machine, serger, iron and ironing board, and of course all of the necessary collateral STUFF!!!! I do like that there is a lot of storage both the furniture pieces as well as in the large double closet, which also has a (portable) four shelf shelving system in it.

This quilt will be approximately 58" x 75" finished. And will drape nicely on a twin bed or as a decorative cover/spread for a full bed. Believe it or not, this project was originally going to be a 42" x 62" sofa throw. Obviously, I got a little carried away. That was due in part to the fact that my focus fabric are a panel piece. I've had this particular fabric since before my DH was born (nearly 21 years) and the time had finally come to cut into it!

If you've worked with these 'buy it by the panel' fabrics then you know that they are seldom symmetrical or square, and often times very large in scale. I actually like them and I've used them in my projects many times in the past, and after a little trial and error they were tweaked out. I also found it really handy and helpful (this time) to draw out the quilt design on graph paper before I started. Which is a good thing because I made numerous changes along the way. I know there is someone reading this and saying to themselves, "duh, that's a no-brainer" but I've never done it before.

I also chose not to make a typical pieced quilt. Simple squares and rectangles seemed to make the most sense given the focus and companion fabrics I am using. I'm not sure how true the colors are coming through but they are: Rust, Hunter Green, Rust/Oranges in the panels (cotton), with coordinating Rust (broadcloth), Dark Brown (Ultrasuede), and Dark Olive Green (Ultrasuede). There are also Browns/Reds in the hat fabric (cotton), White, Silver, Beiges, and Blacks in the horse fabric (cotton), and a trace of Blue in the stirrup border fabric (part of the panels).

The quilt back will be the Dark Olive Green Ultrasuede. Luckily, it came in 60" wide and will be one, solid piece.

As you can see, I've started to add some embroidery outlines to the quilt, keeping with the horse theme and leaning toward a more 'Cowboy' theme overall. So far I've added a cowboy hat, lasso (green and gold cording) and barbed wire at the bottom center.




In the bottom corners I've added a saddle and cowboy boot with more barbed wire. I guess I should mention that I'm using stencils for these motifs outlines. There are three sheets in the package, offering numerous designs. I'm sure I won't be able to use nearly as many as I would like to.

Additionally, I made some of my own templates (mountains, hills, and pine trees) that I will add somewhere. I'm also planning to make a pair of matching pillowcases, or maybe shams, or both. I haven't decided that yet, either. Let's see how I feel about it after I get done hand quilting the quilt!

Well, that's it for now. This post is far longer than I had intended it to be. I'll keep posting my progress. Thanks for visiting and have a wonderful weekend!

Until Next time...Happy Needling!!!

Gerry