Still here and a fan of Quilter Blogs

Hello Quilting World!

Where have I been?
Here, gestating, LOL I am a stay at home mom of three and it's busy! We are also in a transition to go to the states for maternity leave, and I'm both excited and bummed. So it's been an emotional push/pull for me. But mainly, my sewing machine is packed, and I won't see it probably for about a year or so. I will be using my MILs early-80's JCPenney machine while stateside, yeah! So, it's not like I won't be sewing! I NEED Sewing! I discovered it keeps my BP down during the final months of the pregnacy!

I've been watching you, well maybe, not you, but the Quilting posts!
I Love keeping up with the quilting community in many ways online. One fav is through Quilter Blogs. I subscribe to the RSS FEED , and so I don't actually get the Quilter Blogs webpage, just the text and photos from the blog posts. I hit page down and get through them fast.

In May, there was an online quilter festival. I Bookmarked EVERY single entry in my RSS Feed folder. I have not had a chance to visit them much but admit, if it doesn't talk mostly about quilting/sewing, i take it off my list.

Enough Text, where's the Photos, projects, UFOs?
As I say, this is a Quilt Blog, so It needs to talk about Quilting and have PHOTOS! LOL

• Tshirt Quilt for Hubby - WIP

• I have been purging our whole house and was finally able to get hubby to go through old clothes. I have a stack of Tshirts (see above), I have cut off the sleeves and blank backs in prep for his ongoing Tshirt Quilt.
• Have you Made a Tshirt quilt?
• I've made several small ones and love doing them!
• Denim, something...

• Hubby even gave my a stack of old jeans (above and there's more), I have on my to-do list to do a denim quilt/blanket/something. Not too sure what to do. I've collected different patterns and instructions of the year.
• Have you made a denim quilt and any pointers????
• Other TO-DOs, WIPs/UFOs
• In the USA:
• I made my sister's daughter a butterfly quilt top (year and a half ago or so). I told her when I get stateside to send it to me (with batting and backing or the money for them) and I will finish it
• I told my brother to gather his old Ts and I'll make him a T-quilt
• My MIL wants a Music themed quilt, I'm still trying to design in my head!
• Anyone have ideas or Music fabric to donate or I'll SWAP!
• In GUA:
• The polyester quilt is packed away for after I return to GUA after having the baby.
• My own T-shirt quilt site awaiting for the purchase of something cool for sashing. I cut these years ago, they are already stablized and ready for assembly!
• Two "quick quilts" the baby size of cheater fabric. They never were finished because I didnt have batting.

The Quilting Group
I am still with a quilting group here in Guatemala and it is a huge blessing to be part of it. I have been able to help much when I go but it sure is mental therapy for me!

some photos of show and tell

*hugs*
Jackie


Disclaimer: Life happens :)

Feature(less) Friday: WIP report instead

I didn't have anything to FEATURE today. Not that I don't have a resource to share, I just didn't type it up in advance for today. Forgive me. :)

I have had a busy week for sure! I'm a momma of three amazing kids with limitless energy ages 5, 3, and 1. I am also 3 months pregnant and counting. I do not have the option of daycare/school or taking them to a relatives house (i live in Guatemala!). So it's all me... all the time. Now do not get me wrong... I do have an AMAZING Husband who helps as soon as he gets home from work (serving in our ministry). He does the bedtime routine way better and is just a wonderful partner in this whole parenting thing (and an even better godly husband!) ! While he does that, I have been cutting my 4x4s for my 9-patch quilt, more to come on that!

Ok, no one likes a "Quilt Blog" that does not talk about Quilting or without photos more than me, so I have segwayed into quilting with my last sentence. LOL

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Top projects, I am working on:

• Cutting any more 4x4s for my Stash 9-patch, then I get the creative part of matching the squares into beautiful 9-patches (if possible, heehee) to sew!

• Continue to work on leaders and enders while I do any other sewing! It's fun to use these 2.5 squares as my leaders and enders and before i know it I will have blocks or sashing sewn for a quilt!

• Needs (to finish these projects):

Backing for the "Grandma Polyester Quilt" - I got great feed back on batting and backing on this quilt, so I am looking for a lightweight plaid and thin batting for this beauty.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I need a tan or beige for sashing for this Neighborhood Block Swap Quilt.
I don't have any and willing to SWAP Fabric if you want!!!
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Batting for several quilts I have backs and fronts ready. Mainly Baby quilts for the baby dedication quilts I make. I do have a few larger sized blankets I want to make with my larger pieces of fabric for charity quilts for my Agatha Victims Project.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The rest, I guess you could call UFOs
since they have sat longer than 6-12 months! heehee

• 
  
  my daughter's butterfly quilt. Those from APQ may remember me making the blocks, I now need to put them together to complete the top!
• 
  
  my husband's t-shirt quilt. I am waiting for him to go through his t-shirts.
• 
  
  my high school track t-shirt quilt. I made two smalled t-quilts for myself and just have this one left. I was last selecting sashing but want to find Fun track-type fabric if possible out there??
• 
  
  Noah's Ark Panel, It's pinned and ready to hand or machine quilt, I don't know which to do... I think Hand is best but I don't know what to do, never done it.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Then there are projects I add to my
"Want to do in my lifetime PROJECTS":

• 
  
  Log Cabin Quilt - see this adorable one by logcabinmercantile
• 
  
  Hexagon Quilt - check out the Hexagon Posts on Quilter Blogs
• 
  
  Ticker Tape Quilt - See the tutorial at Sew Mama Sew

I figure If I keep busy with all this, I have less time to think about how fast the kids are growing up and will be out before I know it! Sewing will always be here for me... right!? As long as I have a Project List!

How about you? do you have a list or is sewing therapy to you as it is for me??!!

I am thankful for having 14 Followers! I hope I didn't bore you! *hugs*

*Hugs*

Jackie

Nine Patch Project: Name and Update

Sew... I started this Nine Patch (9P) project because of a stack of precut blocks I had and thought "I better do something with them NOW or they will just sit and collect dust." We cannot have beautiful fabric sit and collect dust! It calls to be displayed and admired!

We all have these beautiful stashes, and they are folded (maybe) and put on shelves, bins, and such. Also, I have heard people talk about saving a piece of fabric from all the quilts they make and give away. Well to conquer:

1. Showing Off your stash while also seeing what you have at a glance, and
2. keeping a piece of fabric from your stash for memento purposes

...WHY NOT Cut a piece of all your fabrics in your stash, NOW! :)

That is what this project has now become, my stash portfolio in 9-Patch form and a memory of all the fabrics (not too sure if I will ever has this amazing stash again). Some may like and some may not, but it's what I have decided on progressively - Heehee!!!

I am cutting a 4x4 out of *almost* EVERYTHING in my stash and making a "MY STASH 9 Patch!"

some Guatemalan Tipico fabric - love it!

I’m having fun and laughing at myself that these squares ended up being the inspiration to the project! and now all my beautiful fabrics have a 4x4 cut out of them!

and if this isn't bad enough... this project is spinning off other projects... with fabric that are more juvenile and kid-fun, I am saving those 4x4s to the side for an I-Spy Quilt.... hilarious huh!?

Have YOU ever had a small thing end up into a BIG project?? surely not. (is any one out there?)

I am excited to see more "followers" I guess i could take myself off the list! LOL sad huh!? oh well. [:o)
*hugs*
Jackie

Beware, your project list can grow out of control before your know it! So can your UFOs and WIPs while you make BOMs and all you want is R&R. LOL KWIM! 

My First 9-Patch... block!

Ok I have quilted off and on since 2006, so I am not *that* experienced, but you would think I have done a 9-patch by now! LOL! Any way, I wanted to show off my first one...

So what inspired this FIRST Nine Patch block? Last Fall, I was searching for fabric and came across... eBay and what all was sold on eBay as far as fabric in all shapes, sizes, and precuts! My favorite Search is Fabric, Free Shipping, 99 cents and under... Click the link and see the list on the Left and make your choices... "100% cotton" or "squares" and so on!! WARNING: Can be very addicting and such! I am NOT responsible for any purchases made! LOL :) I didn't buy anything with shipping fees and never spent more than 4-5 bucks a purchase and I only made 4 purchases! :)

I bought those sets of precuts, why not!? And Actually forgot about them. I looked for them a few months back and couldn't find them. My daughter and I were setting up to sew one day and I found them! YEAH!!!

One pack was a whole bunch of 4" squares of different material. I kept thinking, I cannot wait for a project to come along, what can I do with these, now!? So 9-Patch came to mind.

I may not have put them in the right orientation but that is what is fun to see, test, try, and learn. So go easy on me if you choose to comment below - I DO love comments by the way :)

So, now what? I will post more on my 9-Patch Project later, but for now, you know the inspiration for it! Getting rid of precuts and wanting to learn something NEW!!

Ok here is one more photo of my 9-patches made with that pack!

*hugs*
Jackie

Sewing is FUN! DO it! and Teach someone to!

Update on the "Grandma Polyester Quilt"

So in the box I got there was this unfinished quilt top from a friend's husband's late grandmother. She said to give it to someone to finish, yada yada. I told her *I* wanted to keep it and finish it! :)

So I got it out and mended the threads that had broken or were on the edge of the fabric and broke free. So right now there are no holes and the ends are reinforced. I even found a large piece of fabric to back it. My daughter and I measured it at roughly 60x90. I will see if my brother and his wife can bring me a nice piece of batting for it. (they are coming to visit me in Sept).

I just love this quilt and am eager to finish it! I think it's screaming for yarn ties. What do you think?

Another Question from this beginning/novice quilter with Zero schooling... I think the pieces are polyester.. they are so like my grandmother's pants! So what would you back it with? What kind of fabric? The piece I have in mind to back it with is similar in texture (so sorry I am not a fabric-ologist).

Enjoy these close ups of the quilt top!!! CLICK and make the LARGER!

Do you have a quilt like this?  What would you do to finish it? I miss my APQ pals who had the BEST ideas!!! I am sure you all have great ideas too... My WIPs are always fluid/flexible. I make it all up as I go along! :)

*hugs*
Jackie

Latest Projects... now

Ok I got my first Block Swap done, although I am not trying to find a way to get them stateside for safe mailing. yes and to save money too! Now what do I have to do?

Where do I start?

• My daughter's Butterfly Quilt is a UFO
• My husband's t-shirt quilt is a UFO
• My track t-shirt quilt is ... welll you get the idea
• My mother-in-law's Quilts; one is made from various book bags (she's a teacher and has loads) and a musical one for her anniversary in Nov. she game me a deadline ;) I love her so!
• Two "quick quilts" (aka: cheater cloths) to be quilted and bound
• I do want to do 5 more house blocks for my father, siblings and myself for framing.
• and a load of ides in my head!

This is my track t-shirt quilt - in progress... I have had these fused with stabilized and cut since 2005!

I will ask.. has anyone seen any of the following fabrics, I would like to use for sashing in some of my above projects. Send links or info please!:

• "Track & Field" fabric. It is for my highschool track t-shirt quilt (see above). I have searched on line for years and found only one thing on eBay, and it was way over my budget. If you know of any 'type' fabric, please let me know.
• Generic Football (my husband was in football most of his life) fabric for my husband's t-shirt quilt.
• Music fabric - notes, sheets of music, instruments, etc
• Teacher type fabric - apples, or something

That's all I can think of tonight!

What are your top UFO's?

*hugs*
Jackie