WIP Wednesday: Binding Edition

I think I need a WIP Weekend Edition, since that's when I seem to do most of my sewing.  I've been working six days a week for the last few months, which wreaks havoc on my down time.  Not complaining - I'm having lots of fun at my bonus position - but it's made for some sparse posting.


In other news, spring is just around the corner (it will be sixty degrees out tomorrow!) and my Spring Zig-Zag wallhanging briefly made an appearance on my wall, although it has since been replaced by a beautiful framed art print. 


Completed Projects:


Lattice Quilt - A new and completed project since the last time I posted a WIP Wednesday.  Made with love for my husband's grandmother.  I finished hand-sewing the binding last night!  It needs a label before its sent off, but it's otherwise ready to be packed up and sent.  Pictures soon, hopefully!



Handwarmers - Another new and completed project - I made my husband some little pocket handwarmers from felt and rice for Valentine's Day.  These were really quite fun and simple to make, and he now has two pairs to help keep him warm while he's stationed outside in the cold.  (Not that he needs it right now exactly since it's getting warmer out!)


Free Motion Quilting Worksheets - I'm counting these as completed, since the class is complete - although these are more like scratch paper than actual projects.  I never posted about the actual class - I had a lot of fun, developed confidence in my ability to learn this, and I know that I need to keep practicing for a long time. 


Ongoing Projects: 

Star Log Cabin - Once I got started hand-sewing binding, I kept up the momentum with this one.  I'm about three-quarters done sewing down the binding, and I think another couple episodes of Battlestar Galactica and/or Upstairs Downstairs should see me through it.  It will be awesome to cross this off the UFO list after about ten years!

Diamond Throw - I finally gave in and picked this up off the floor where it was all laid out.  I have oodles of options to pick from for an additional light repro fabric, thanks to a very generous friend.  I want to get working on this one, because I have visions of it draped on my living room sofa, and I like it.

Orange and aqua throw -  I'm practicing my free motion quilting skills on this one, by quilting flowers in the background squares.  Each one is a little different, but I think I'm okay with that.  However, I think I'll have to work up my courage to show it. 

Dad's Sudoko Puzzle - No physical progress on this one, but I was inspired by Amanda Jean's awesome Math Facts quilt.  It didn't hurt that the colors match the oranges I've used for this quilt already, but it was mostly the bold, graphic, and decidedly nerdy statement the symbols make.  I've been toying with the idea of using a variation on blocks like these as borders around the Sudoko as a central medallion.

No Progress/On Hold:

Red and White Crosses and Losses  - need to order some more red solid (but from which online store?)

Placemat Pair

Curtains for the dining room

Fall wall hanging of maple leaves - put away for the season

Sisters Sampler
Wedding Quilt
Old Timey Stars

Hand-quilted dresden plates

Orange and aqua pillow covers - still not dropped off my list

This Week's Stats:
New projects - 2
Completed projects - 3
Currently in progress - 13

WIP Wednesday

New Projects: 

It's finally winter - quilts in the snow!

Star Log Cabin - This is really an OLD project, started when I was in high school!  I brought this back from my parents' house at Christmas, and decided to get to work on it and finally finish it.  I had finished the top quickly and hand-quilted it, but got stalled on the binding.  For some reason I decided it needed a bias binding, even though it doesn't have any curves and has some bleeding issues so it won't be washed.  This week I decided to soldier on, and now the binding is attached and waiting for some quality hand-sewing time.  

Roll of bias binding - finally made up.

Detail of the bleeding, which looks worse in person than it does on film.

Free Motion Quilting - I've done my homework for my FMQ class tomorrow night - cutting and pin-basting 18" sandwiches.  I'm wicked excited about my new FMQ foot and the prospect of improving my skills here.

Ongoing Projects:

Diamond Throw

No Progress/On Hold:

Placemat Pair

Curtains for the dining room

Fall wall hanging of maple leaves

Orange and aqua throw

Sisters Sampler
Wedding Quilt
Old Timey Stars
Dad's Sudoko Puzzle

Hand-quilted dresden plates

Orange and aqua pillow covers - still not dropped off my list

This Week's Stats:
New projects - 2
Completed projects - 0
Currently in progress - 13

2012 Sewing Plans

The new year has me reflecting on how I go about sewing, and I am making some plans (is it too late for them to be resolutions?) about what and how I want to sew this year. 

1. Finish more.  I am really good at diving into projects, pretty okay at finishing tops, and horrible at follow-through.  This is why I still have UFOs from more than eight years ago (almost a quarter of my life!).  I have already taken a stab at this particular UFO, and I'm hoping to finish the binding soon.  I'm also thinking of using the Finish It Up Friday link up at Crazy Mom Quilts as motivation to push myself to follow through on more.  Which leads me to...

2. Blog more.  As I've said before, once I miss a bit, I feel like I'll never catch up, and it perpetuates itself.  I am going to try to post more, maybe with more link ups - and hopefully with more finishes!  I want an awesome collage of finishes at the end of 2012. 

3. Explore more.  I want to push myself to learn new things (hopefully without starting too many new tangent UFOs.)  I am signed up for a free motion quilting class this week (and I have to finish my basting homework in prep for that!).  I also have a project set on the shelf because of my fear of Y-seams, which I need to get over and tackle.  I know I'll make good friends with my seam ripper for both of these, but they'll make me a better and more well-rounded quilter. 

(Mis)Adventures in Free Motion Quilting

Remember how I promised, I would talk about my failures?  This is one of those stories.

I got inspired by Mug Rug Madness, linked by another blog, to try my hand at a mug rug.  I've been wanting to try free motion quilting, so I could expand beyond in-the-ditch and grids as quilting options.  I also have a bunch of 2" strips left over from a log cabin that I've been itching to use.  They are a star patterned, and I found a tutorial for an awesome star free-motion quilting stitch.  So I grabbed a handful...

...made an itty bitty top...

...sandwiched, basted...

...rethreaded my machine and dropped my feed dogs...

...and made friends again with my seam ripper.  :-(

I was using slightly heavier thread than usual (in an awesome deep purple!), which may have contributed to the issues.  I also don't have the proper foot to use, but I'm not sure about investing in one without knowing that I will use it.  (Though I know I do want to invest in a walking foot, and soon.)  Now the question is to try it again with my usual thread, or to try some straight lines or wavy lines with the purple thread to get used to it, or something else.  For now it's set aside while I whipped out a dishmat (success!) and two more quilt-along star blocks (successes!) that I will write about in just a bit.