Progress

 

I remember playing with Barbie when I was young.  I wanted to BE Barbie!!
I had dresses and shoes AND the Barbie Dream House ... The Original Dream House.

(Photo plucked off eBay)

Now I have a Barbie Quilt and the top is done.

65 X 73

 

 

 

Three borders and binding will be added which will make this quilt 94 X 103  
...big enough for a bed quilt. 

 

I'm preparing to take a short road trip to Nebraska so it will have to wait until I return. 

 

And, I will have a BIG surprise when I return!! 

And Here We Are

 First Fall

The weather has been beautiful....warm days, cool nights....but we have not heard the last of Summer, I'm sure of it. 
Even so, I love Fall and I will take what has been handed to me!

I'm taking a break from the UFO clubs for September.  There are two things I just MUST do THIS month.

Finish Barbie 

I did start the  Falling Charm quilt using Barbie Fabrics....sewing on Miss Ellie.

It has been a pleasure the past few days.

 

Designed in EQ8...I even imported the fabrics from Riley Blake's website.

 I've numbered each of the blocks and will follow this layout....

As simple as this pattern looks, it can get confusing, especially if you're using directional fabrics, as I am.  

I'll admit, I'm only a few blocks in and Jack and I have already had a date. But, you know the saying...It isn't really a quilt until Jack shows up.

 I'm taking it one-diagonal row at a time.

 

The other item I want to finish for September is Ana's Pullover. 

Ana asked for this a year ago when I was in Seattle at Thanksgiving....It's going to be pretty easy.  My hesitation has been cutting such a beautiful piece of fabric...and messing it up.

I will do a "practice piece" first...using some inexpensive fleece, which I've already purchased...so no excuses.

 

I've been wanting to get back into garment construction....have been following a couple YouTubers, and purchasing vintage patterns from Etsy and eBay. 

 

Did you know the four big pattern companies, Simplicity, McCalls, Vogue and Butterick will no longer be producing clothing patterns?  Here is the latest scoop.  While sad, it kind of makes sense....with fast fashion being as cheap as it is and fabric being as expensive as it is....not as many people are actually sewing their own clothes...too bad.  It will certainly be a lost art if it dies out.

 

 

Flying By....

 

 

 

Wave, bye-bye !!!

 

 I will admin, I'm not sorry to see these DOG DAYS go away...man, has it been hot and humid !!!  😰

 

 

 

 

 

My goal for the remainder of August is to finish up bits and pieces and re-group. 
 

I'll start with tidying up the studio.  It's a bit out of control.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I've not been totally distracted from the UFO groups...  
UFO's I'm SUPPOSED to be working on for the month of August are:

River's Edge:  August's Letter is " I " 

 

 

Years ago I was going to make a quilt for one of my dearest friends, Hank.  
I ordered these panels because I thought they were so pretty.  
Sadly, Hank passed away in 2013. 

These panels have been in the queue for at least 14 years? 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

They're beautiful and hand-painted and a bit intimidating, I don't really know where to start, and I don't want to mess them up.  But, might as well jump right in and do something....better than having them in a box on the shelf !

 

 

Companion fabrics purchased over the years.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

APQ's:  August number is 10.  Barbie Fat Quarters!   

I'm probably not going to even think about Hank's quilt for now and focus on the Barbie Fat Quarters because it will be easier.  

I don't know what I want to do with the "Hank" panels  and Barbie will be a no-brainer... or mostly a no-brainer.

The Barbie Fat Quarter bundle was purchased in 2023 while I was in Las Vegas visiting my quilting Niece, Desiree.   An impulse buy from Sew Yeah Quilting.

Not sure where I picked up the black fabrics, but I think they complement the Barbie fabrics, don't you agree?

 

 

 

Maybe use the same pattern I used for the Halloween Fabrics, 
Falling Charms?

 

 

 

 

 

 

By-the-way the Halloween-Fabric quilt is finished.  
Needs to go to the LAQ*. 

Update:

You're Invited has been received by my Great Niece, JayCee...and she loves it!

 

Peanut, the puppy, is checking out the points...seeing if they line up. (Don't look too close, pup.)

*LAQ - Long Arm Quilter.

Every Garden Needs Weeding

 

 

Weeding out the Unwelcome, the Unwanted, etc...
The Push to the Finish.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Day 15: UFOs and all things started but never finished. Karen "counts" a UFO differently than I do...it's a UFO if "fabric has been cut."   If it's a project that has a pattern and fabric but the fabric is NOT cut...it's a "Kit."  Kits are tomorrow. 
Because I just did this, end of 2023...HERE  it's a FREE day for me!

Day 16: Kits:  Different from UFOs in that no fabric has met a rotary blade yet.  Therefore there is no commitment for that fabric.  This is decision time...keep the "kit plan" or return the fabric to the stash and consider it no more.  Yes, I do have a few of those (remember Spooky and Witchy HERE and Barbie  HERE?) 

But again, I've thought through this process (see note above) I'm calling it "good."  YIPPEE!  Another FREE day!

Day 17: Conquering Mount Scrapmore*.  The first "rule" my Quilting Auntie Nyla gave me when I started quilting was
"don't throw anything away (referring to scraps) no matter how small !  Someday you may need it." 
I'm nothing if not obedient, so for years I heeded that rule. Truth be told, (whispering) sometimes I do throw scraps away.

All My Scraps

Truly, I don't think my Mount Scrapmore is all that mountainous...more like a Butte than a Mountain. 
Still the two bins on the floor have not been opened in a few years.  Maybe time to scrap some scraps?  

I feel a Leaders-and-Enders** project coming on....or some crumb quilting? *** 

 

 A little while later....  I did it!  I went through the scraps; did some combining and set aside two plastic shoe boxes-full for the "Pass 'em on" pile.

Reduced Mount Scrapmore to a hill.

The two "Micky" tubs are 2.5" strip scraps.  I've been meaning to make a Jelly Roll Race quilt.  HERE 
I'll give it one more year, then it's "Bye Bye Birdie."

 

 

 

Day 18: Another easy day for me!  Batting and batting scraps. 
I don't keep much in the way of batting and certainly minimal scraps.

This is it!

 

Day 19:  What I thought would be a super easy day for me because of my low inventory, may not be the case....Today is Yardage and Backing day. B-I-G pieces of fabric.  

 

I did not think I had any "yardage"...certainly no "bolts" of fabric, nor do I have any large backing pieces.  But I do have some "large-ish" pieces. 

Now, what to do with these pieces? 

Took several ideas posted on the De-Clutter FB page HERE, and came up with:

 

Using Dollar Tree cutting sheets from the kitchen section, hexie EPP papers and big safety pins, I labeled each piece with the amount, IF it was at least 2 yards.  Otherwise the piece stayed with the fabrics.

 

 

 

 

 

Day 20 and 21:  Dealing with the rest of the fabric...I do not have a "stash", per se...I have "left overs."

I have bits and pieces and small portions. Time to reorganize (mostly by color) and then thin the flock.

Bonus Day:  Do-dads.  This probably should have been included with Day 13, Notions.  But, better late than never.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I have all these "cups" sitting around the studio, (sewing area, cutting table, ironing board, etc.) holding
various tools.  

Let's sort and organize and see what we have.
(I found more scissors...)

 

 

 

 The "Pass 'em along" pile is beginning to look like a landfill.  I think that's a good thing...???

 

WHEW!!  As they say in the movies, that's a Wrap for the De-Clutter Challenge 2024! 

Thank you, Karen Brown, for making me think through what I need and what I do not need.   
I'll admit I found this de-cluttering fun and energizing.  Every morning, even before I got out of bed,  I'd reach for the iPad and see what was on the menu that day!  I'll most definitely be participating in 2025.

Now for the garage!  (I'll wait for it to warm up a bit.)

*     Mount Scrapmore - Karen Brown's label for all the mounds of fabric scraps you feel compelled to keep.
**   Bonnie Hunter and Addicted to Scraps; Leaders and Enders
*** Jenny Doan has a YouTube video on Crumb Quilting HERE.
**** You can still do the De-Clutter challenge.  Karen Brown's videos will be available until November, 2024  HERE

Exchanging My Babes for Vegas Peeps

A quilt-related weekend and more visiting.

Felicia and her two youngens.

Elder Sister, Neva

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

How long does it take to finish a quilt you're not working on???? 
We all know the answer to that.... because we're all just as guilty....

The Quilting niece and I spent two days getting her back on track with a UFO she started more than FIVE YEARS AGO! 
Well, I have UFOs that are at least that old...so I guess I can't judge.  We worked on this quilt my last trip to Vegas ...
July, 2021

But she is back on track now and hopefully can get it finished without me sitting next to her, cracking the whip.  Big progress has been made; the last two blocks are now done, the layout planned with sashing and corner stones,  and the quilting and binding plan made, Sew Yeah* has finishing services and the cost is very reasonable.

Slow and Steady wins the race...but you do have to be IN the race...just sayin, keep at it.

First Row

 

 

 

We quilters are often asked to "help" with garment projects. (Which really means...."can you do this for me"...)  My sister asked me to help her finish a night gown for her granddaughter.

I had to dig deep to remember some of my basic garment-sewing skills...but, we made it happen.

 

No trip to Vegas would be complete without a trip to *Sew Yeah.  They have a new bigger, brighter location. It Is Very Nice!!  Their new location now includes a section for sewing furniture and cabinets.

Dez and I browsed for quite a while, touch all the fabric getting our " fabric fix." We nearly made our escape without buying  any fabric....but....right next to the door was a bin of fat quarter bundles....
and I could NOT resist!!

 

 

 

Who doesn't LOVE Barbie...especially the classic Barbie!!

Fifteen Fat Quarters!!  I need to decide on a pattern...I'm thinking a Wonky Star. Or, something like it.

 Fussy Cut Miss Barbie for the Center of the star.

 

Next time you are in Vegas, this shop is worth a visit!! Website

 

 

 

 

And with the blink of an eye, it was time to say good-bye, again, to the people that I love and return to
"my 'ol Kentucky duplex."  Home - Sweet - Duplex.

 Until next time....