Rag-tag Monsters

On Sunday, I pulled out the pieces for the twins' Monster Rag quilts.  There was still a good bit of sewing to do, but it went along rather quickly.

I was finished sewing the first one and by 8pm.  As the family settled in to watch Winter Wipeout, I started clipping.  I am so glad that I purchased these spring loaded scissors several years ago.  

These are the best scissors ever for clipping rag quilts.  They are from Heritage Cutlery and I absolutely LOVE them!

After 5 days, I finally found another opportunity to work on the 2nd Monster's quilt and I learned a very valuable lesson...


...in my house (where my bedroom is my sewing room), you cannot leave the sewing table or ironing board empty for 5 days.  This is what happens...

Everything migrates!  I spent at least 1/2 an hour moving, folding, putting away and rearranging things...then I had to vacuum...

...another thing I learned is that if I have a quilt or fabric spread out all over the floor, no one bothers my stuff & the room doesn't get as dirty.  But, if I pick everything up when I am done, they will wear their shoes on the carpet, bring in food and leave a mess that needs to be cleaned before I can spread out my stuff again!

Alright, enough complaining.  Here are the photos I took of the assembly of the Monster Rag Quilt...

The front of the quilt before clipping

The back

Close up of the monster fabric

 

 

Quilt after clipping

And finally, the happy boys...

...and their raggy Monster quilts.

Finishing Stitches

I spent today finishing the 9 Patch Variation lap quilt.  Darren is happy to have it done.  He says it has always been one of his favorites.

 

Since I have been packing and moving this one around for about 3-4 years, you can probably guess that it has been a bit of a bugger for me.  It was a project that I attempted when I didn't really know much about quilting.  With my Type A personality, I have fought with this project for a long time.  I was not able to match points and the smaller read squares kept taunting me every time I looked at it. 

A year or two ago, I managed to keep it out long enough to get the backing pieced.

 

Today, it got a quick quilting (just through the red squares) and I wrapped the back around to the front for the binding.  I don't usually do a machine stitched binding, but guess what...today, I did.  I will probably go back and knot the blue squares since this one will be living at the Fire Department after this weekend.

Once this one was finished, I decided to go ahead and look at my other UFOs.

My goal is to get these projects organized and finished before I buy more fabric for new projects.  AND, since they made it here, I can keep track of what I have managed to accomplish.

 

1.  "Monster" Rag Quilts (for the Twins)

2. Find a pattern for the left over Urban Indigo jelly roll & fabrics used in my red Jelly Roll Jive quilt (there are tons of pieces that I messed up by sewing the triangle to the wrong side of the fabric strip).

3. Cinnamon & Nutmeg Quilt

I found this pattern in an American Patchwork & Quilting magazine

February 2009

 

I've been collecting civil war reds, browns & tans for quite some time now.  I keep finding more to add to this collection.

4. Kansas Winter Jelly Rolls from Kansas Troubles

I think I'm going to do a "Friendship Braid" from Pam & Nicky Lintott's book Jelly Roll Quilts.

5.  Fun & Done "Zip Strip"
 

I started this one in a class at my local quilt shop in early November 2011.  I decided to increase the size from lap to twin (otherwise, I would be done) and then had to put it away to get ready for Christmas.  The pattern is from Prairie Sky Quilting and I highly recommend the Batting Buddy template. 

So, tomorrow I start to whittle away at my list of quilt projects that need to be completed.  By the way, these are ONLY the quilts...I have plenty of small craft bags that need to be finished, beachy fabric that was purchased for making aprons for everyone and my new desire to knit a pair of socks...

Completely Basted...

I have a quilt top that has been shuffled around for a number of years.  This is the quilt that proved to me that my first quilting instructor was SO right when she said that I would become a "Fabric Snob" after making a couple of quilts with Quilt Shop quality fabric.  

I don't know how she got to know me so well after just 4 or 5 class sessions...

Anyway, this quilt is a 9 Patch Variation.  I bought all of the fabric at Wal Mart...and I hate it!  I am scared to death that the red (and quite possibly the blue) is going to bleed all over the white fabric.  And what a waste of time it will have been.  

Only Darren really likes this one...he says it is one of his favorites.  Oh, well...when it is all done, he can take it to the Fire Department and have a snuggle blanket like all of my other kids.

I figured since he likes this one so well, he could help baste it.  And, he did...but said his fingers were too fat so he moved on to other projects.

...like hanging hooks behind the door so I can get a little more organized.

So, 24 threaded needles...

...3 hours, 2 blisters &1 broken fingernail later...

...this quilt is Completely Basted!

Finished!

WOW!

That was fast!  John's hat is finished and he is thrilled...

And, yesterday, I was able to finish a quilt top that I have been battling for at least two years.

Inner borders cut...

...and attached.

And finally, the outer borders...

Unfortunately I don't have enough backing fabric.  So, I will have to get creative and find something in my stash to make it fit.  And now I have to decide if I am going to hand quilt it or send it off to the quilter. 

If It Ain't Broke...

I cast on John's hat last night and knit a couple of inches on it.
He's really excited and since he was such a good sport modeling Sidney's pink hat...I just couldn't say no.

This morning I decided to stitch up the small handbag that has been pinned and waiting on the ironing board.

...Broke the sewing machine...

...or not.  Just when I was ready to tell Darren that I needed a new one and that I was going to shop for one that does embroidery (something I haven't tried yet), I managed to finagle the parts and get it working again.

So, I finished stitching the handbag, pinned the 2nd one, cut pockets and handles for two others...and now I'm afraid to sew because I don't want to break my machine.  I really need to get the Monster Quilts finished for the twins...and I still have my red, white & blue Jelly Roll Jive to put borders on and take to Kelly on Friday night.

And let's not forget the Fun & Done that has been in a box since early November...

...but John has noticed that I haven't done any knitting on his hat and wants to know why...

UFOs

I am trying to get a handle on all of my UFO's.  Here are just a few of my bag projects and abandoned quilts:

So far, I have one small handbag that just needs whipped closed in order to be finished...

...two small handbags that are completely cut and waiting to be assembled...

...fabric collected for another half dozen or so handbags and/or expandable bags...

I also have the fabric and pattern for a new bag: "Satchel for Two" that I hope to get started on soon.

As far as quilts go, I need to finish my "Fun & Done" quilt that was started prior to Thanksgiving...

I need to quilt the lap size Red, White & Blue quilt that has been laying around for several years & finish the twin's "Monster Rag Quilt".  

Oh, yeah, I also have the Jelly Roll Jive that needs a border & sent to Kelly for quilting...

...and I really need to decide if I am going to hand quilt the queen sized "Pinwheels in my Garden" or send it to the quilter's as well.

There are also several projects that I have been collecting fabric for and have a pattern in mind; I have committed myself to making a T-shirt quilt for Darren's cousin and I have a wonderful collection of fabric that I bought at Myrtle Beach 3 years ago for making aprons (and maybe a new purse for me).

...And these are just the sewing projects.  I am also organizing my knitting, crochet & weaving projects.  

I wonder how long it will take before the newly organized UFOs become forgotten UFOs again...

Casting On...

SOCKS!  I want to knit SOCKS!  I know that I need to become familiar if not efficient in purling, knitting in the round...perhaps even comfortable working with DPNs, but I WANT TO DO IT NOW!

I finished a scarf for Morgan in November...no biggie...

I finished an eyelash scarf for my MIL for Christmas, again...no biggie...
(I forgot to get a pic of that one.)

I am currently working on a hat (my first attempt to knit with circular needles) and it is going well.  The twins are even willing to model for me... 

 ...although the yarn is not to their liking.  It's a good thing this one will be for their cousin.


BUT...I WANT TO KNIT A PAIR OF SOCKS!!


Maybe tomorrow...