Working those UFOs

I have been recuperating from a medical procedure at my beach house. A great place to recuperate!

It is giving me some good time to finish those oodles of UFOs I have accumulated over the years.

Here is a quick project I finished. These date from 2007 and the "kitchen towel" of the month at a LQS. I got three. They were supposed to be hand appliquéd. Well of course they languished in my UFO PILE. I'm not doing anything by hand that I'm going to dry dishes with, just would just be silly.

So I pulled out my Steam-a Seam II, my Superior Threads Monopoly, and went to work.

This is the first time I've done invisible appliqué using a mono filament thread. I used a very narrow and short zigzag stitch. It worked perfectly.

Happy Quilting

 

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My Updated List and the New England Quilt Museum Guild Challenge and Teaching Quilt Classes

I did get my decorating done - we still have to buy a tree - I will only have a real tree.  But my creche is up - I made this ceramic set about 25 years ago and use it every year. Little Elfie is on  the dining room chandelier - he reports to Santa and has been around since my kids were little. The stockings (3 hand knit by me) and my husband's made by his mother, are on the mantle. I even got some shopping done. So Christmas preparations are progressing.
I made LOADS of fudge yesterday using my husband's uncle's recipe - it comes out perfectly every time.
I will post the recipe separately.

Quilt Lists and Projects
I, like most of us, struggle with a growing list of UFOs (unfinished objects/projects). I went through the boxes and bags in my studio and made a list of every project I had on index cards - it took 4 - 4X6 inch cards - LOTS of projects. I am determined to make a dent in all of these while I am still unemployed.
So to keep me honest I have posted the list on the blog. As they get done I will preface them with COMPLETED. The list is so long it doesn't all show. I have prioritized the first 6.

My issue is, I keep finding more things I want to work on. I have volunteered to chair the New England Quilt Museum Supporting Guild Quilt Challenge - to be shown at Images in Lowell MA in August 2010. The finished quilts will then be donated to the NEQM and used in a fund raiser at a future date.  The theme of the quilt is "From Lobstahs to the Green Monstah!" . For anyone reading this that is either not from New England or not a baseball fan  the Green Monster (in a Boston accent - Monstah) is the wall in left field at Fenway Park home the Boston Red Sox. I think Lobstah is self explanatory!

Well I had a light bulb moment , went to my EQ6 and came up with a very nice design - I won't post it til it's done - but I was very pleased.  The quilt is small  - only 36 Inches square. Our Guild is small, but I am planning to have the blocks paper pieced and lots of people will pitch in to make a block. So that will need to be added to the list. I will of course incorporate Texture Magic in there somewhere - it really adds to a quilt.

Then - I am doing two LQS block of the months, plus the www.thequiltshow.com block of the months - there are two - I still have to finish this years pieced one. Also, my quilting buddy Carol, and I will make a really cool bag - the easy on the shoulder design - I have a leather one from LLBean and I love it. I got the pattern at the Gathering in Nashua NH in November. She is a teacher so is off between Christmas and New Year and we will get it done then.

Add to that I am learning to long arm quilt at my friends MaryAnn and Dora's long arm studio - Mad About Quilts.  They rent out time on their long arm - it is great - only done the intro class so far, and know it will take a lot of practice, but with all the quilts on the list I will get a lot of practice.

I am also putting together a list of classes I would like to teach. It is something I have wanted to do for a long time. Making all the samples for my Texture Magic business led me to realize I had a lot of techniques and info to offer. I will list the Texture Magic Bags (they make fabulous classes) and I am working on one of the Eleanor Burns quilts (that's not on the list either - so needs to be added!) using charm packs - it will make a great beginner quilt, but it also uses the  scallop ruler to make a scalloped edge - giving a more advanced look to the quilt when done.

My DD is coming home from college tomorrow - YEAH! and DS will be home next Sunday. It will be good to have them both home. I have three dinners this week and will try to get to some quilt stores for my Texture Magic demos. - Oh that reminds me of another project - the Texture Magic Festive Stockings - great new pattern. My friend Carol did one up very quickly - In fact I think I will go do one up tonight.
The Patriots are winning right now (4th quarter - 7 minutes to go) so life is good.
That also means I can leave my house and do errands in about an hour and a half.
The game is at home, and it takes about that long for the traffic to abate after the game is over. You learn to plan around these things when you live in a small town that hosts a NFL team!

I will post the Fudge recipe later this week
Peace
Mary

Christmas Decoration Time & Eleanor Burns

Well, like a lot to the country it is snowing here in metro Boston. The view out my kitchen slider is beautiful









DH doesn't have good snow tires so he took my car today and I am finally going to put up all the Christmas decorations. Last year at this time I was confined to a chair and the bed with a cast on my right leg after having surgery to repair all three broken bones in my right ankle!
So decorating was at a minimum last year - I want to make up for it this year. I am looking at the treks up and down the attics stairs as my aerobic workout for the day!

I already had to throw out the fresh wreath on my front door - put it between the storm door and the main door and the front of my house faces south west and gets a ton of sun. Well with the almost 70 degree weather we had last week, the wreath toasted and browned terribly. I am going for a really nice fake wreath, it is the only thing that will hold up in my doors.

I will post some pictures of the finished decorating.

Eleanor Burns
On November 19 I had the opportunity to see Eleanor Burns at the Holiday Inn in Taunton MA. She was brought to the area by Ann's Fabrics & Sewing Machine Center in Canton MA
A good friend had gone to all three days of the classes but I just went to the open lecture on Thursday night. My goodness she is such a dynamic person! She was doing magic tricks and demoing - via a coordinated video- her products. I tried not to purchase anything, but you all know we see things we MUST have when we go to these events!
I am a sucker for tools and gagets and new things. I have always loved a scalloped border, but struggled with making them come out even, well Eleanor has a ruler for that!
I got the ruler and a cute patter that uses charm packs
Sorry for the flash hot spot, but once I saw this demo'd I knew it was just what I needed.
The pattern uses charm packs but also uses the scalloped ruler. I can't wait to try it.

I also got the Day & Night book -it came with templates too - so of course I had to get it.











Then I had the opportunity to have a picture with Eleanor and have her sign my book! It was a really fun night.

Well it's off to the attic!
Peace

Mary