Work in Progress Wednesday

Two new IcanQuilt Reversible Curvy Tablerunners cut out, backings picked and ready to sew.  One modern Christmas trees and one traditional cardinals.  I've chosen batik fabric (shown under the cut out tablerunner) for the back of each. On to the sewing machine.

3 new fabrics for microwavable potato bags.  Chef themed, wine themed and herb themed.
Sorry about the blurry pic.  I tried 4 times to get the shot clear and finally just gave up. :(  These fabrics will be sliced into bags very soon!  Stay tuned when Works in Progress are no longer WIP...but COMPLETE!

Keep Calm 'n Sew Somethin!

WIP Wednesday

My Adirondack "Loon on the Lake" quilt is FINISHED  - no longer a WIP! Happy, Happy, Happy Dance!!  Good Golly Miss Molly, it sure was hanging around forever a long time.  There are way too many hours invested in it to sell and I'm pretty sure I won't be attempting another one.  Sew, I'm going to put it in the man cave....McStevie's office.  We did a makeover on that room 2 years ago and I haven't put anything on the walls because I wanted it to be decorated in a bit of rustic, manly look with ever so slight female touches.  Stay tuned as progress of the room will be revealed, hopefully before the fall is over.  Still a couple of pieces I am looking for to complete the look.

 ~You should be able to click on any of the pics to enlarge~ This is McKenna Ryan's pattern from Pineneedles.com   I took this class from Sandi Verbridge a few years ago with my sister, Nancy.

A close up of the quilting...I enjoyed quilting the trees! Not so much the borders.

 A couple of weeks ago I made my IcanQuilt Reversible Curvy Table runner pattern in pretty fall colors.  This past weekend I made a matching candle mat from my IcanQuilt Reversible Candle mat pattern.  Nice to get those finished too!

Table runner with matching candlemat...fall colors.  This is going to be a gift.

Close up of candle mat quilting.  Sorry, forgot to take pic of the reverse fabric this time.

WIP Wednesday

 

 Been jumping all over the place with projects lately.  Sometimes that's how I roll!  It has been so hot in the north country that the basement cave offers relief, even though air conditioners are all ablaze on the first floor!  I have thrown up some recent WIP projects on a design wall so that they can stare at me until I make the move to finish them.



I made progress on my Adirondack Loon on the Lake quilt this weekend.  The quilting is going slow, but I'm really moving toward the end now!  Hoping to have it all done by next weekend.  Wish me luck!  That WIP has been around a few years!

Blessings,
SewHappy Cindy

WIP Wednesday~~More Turtle Quilt Love

My current project, "Turtle Love" is coming along nicely since my post last week.  The stitch in the ditch and a couple of rows of echo quilting around the turtles is complete. The inside free motion bubble quilting is almost done and then on to the outside border. A little more than a week to go before this quilt will have a new home. See more about this quilt and where it is going on a previous post here.

Work in Progress (WIP) Wednesday

Here's my current WIP:

This batik turtle quilt will be donated for a charity called the Ryan Wersten MIOP Foundation.       My daughter-in-law is involved with this wonderful organization.

It took a weekend to applique the turtles and piece the blocks and borders to complete the top.  If you click on the picture, you may be able to see the small turtles that are in the last border.

The backing was pieced on Monday.  It will be "sandwiched" next and then quilted.  This is the second fun batik turtle quilt I have made.  The pattern is from Quiltmaker Magazine, Sep/Oct 2004.

Ryan's Run 2013 will be held Mother's Day weekend (Saturday) in Saratoga Springs, NY.  I hope to post a picture of the finished quilt.

WIP Wednesday!

Just a quick picture post of a purse that recently made for my SIL, June for her birthday.  June picked the black and orange batik from my batik fabric stash.  It's was one of my favorite batiks ever!  The pattern is "Margo" from Lazy Girl Designs.  It takes me several hours to make one because there are so many steps!  Definitely not a "down and dirty" project, however I have another one in progress for a total of 4 I have made with this pattern so far.

Buttons and patches and the cold wind blowing...the days pass quickly when I am sewing!

(Found this saying and it seems to suit the long cold winter/spring we have been having here in Northern NY!)

WIP (Work in Progress) Wednesday

I'm sew excited! I have my VERY OWN RULERS!! Woots!!

 Sandy Kent of Magnolia Springs Quilts  is a good friend I met while she was living in this area.  She took a few classes from me when IcanQuilt Company was just getting started and has been a wonderful supporter of mine throughout the years.  Unfortunately for me, she moved to Texas!!! Sandy has enjoyed using my IcanQuilt Reversible Candlemat pattern and has been gracious enough to sell it to a few shops she is familiar with.  She met Jim, "The Ruler Guy" almost a year ago and thought maybe I should consider him  to make some rulers for my Candlemat pattern.   (That's the WIP part, took me awhile to send that email!)  I just got a sample ruler of the spoke and circle from Jim last week and tested them Monday.  WOWZA!  They work perfectly!  Sew easy to use!  I've placed my first order!  How exciting is THAT??

I tested the rulers on some lovely spring fabrics from a new local quilt shop called Sew What.  I have enough fabric to make one more.  Spring IS coming, right?

Oh yeah, and Jim, "The Ruler Guy" lives in NYS, near Binghamton, NY.  I lived in Binghamton for 5 years in the 80's!  SewHappy to do business with a fellow New Yorker!

The lovely new spring mat...find these fabs locally at Sew What!

Pretty pink fabric on the back!

A close up of the IcanQuilt rulers and The Ruler Guy's card!

WIP Wednesday- 25+ AND COUNTING

There is a WIP (Works in Progress) challenge being passed around to quilters, especially those of us who have been around for awhile.  The challenge is to count the number of WIP you have...write them all down and set yourself a goal to work them in your sewing schedule.  I have over 25 and did not include some of the smaller ones that are laying around that I try to pick up when I need a break from a larger project.  

My attention span is really not (liar, liar pants on fire) the issue, it's more the colors and blocks I like to play with.  I enjoy working on bright colors in winter, it just gives me a boost! Because, as you know, winter here in northern NY is LONG...VERY LONG.  It's March 20th and we are expecting more snow this week...which is a BRUTAL quinky-dink that spring also arrives today...on the CALENDAR anyway.  Yeah, we pretty much can't wait for ignore that each year. 

But I digress...anywho...back to the 25+...
I went to my WIP drawers (does that sound kinky?), dug them all out, and gave them each a name.  Quite the eye opener.  It was a great exercise though, because at least now I know what I am up against.  I have set myself a goal to finish 1-2 minimum project(s) per month. Because I do sewing/quilting for business, charity and personal gifts, I don't see fitting in any more than that, and then I'm prolly pushing it.  I am thinking some of them may be sent out for quilting.  Only a few of them are quilts, mostly lap size or below.  The rest are table runners, Christmas projects, etc.

Below are some pics of a few of my WIP.  Maybe you could let me know which one(s) you think I should "have a go at" for April? Ya know March is almost over and I need to ease into this - like going to the dentist.                      (Click on the pic to get a closer view.)

 
The Calico Gals from Syracuse, NY came to our little quilt guild and taught us how to do this Watercolor Heart wall hanging in a day workshop. That was several years ago.  It just needs a border or two and quilting.  It wouldn't take much to finish!

Started this little log cabin child's quilt a few years winters (it's bright) ago because I loved the green fat quarters...just needs a border or two...quilt it...then done!

Picked this Watercolor Irish Chain quilt from a quilt magazine to try the method. The top is complete.  Prolly going to be a table covering...it just needs quilting...I'm stalled because I'm not quite sure how I want to quilt it.

I tried the Disappearing Nine Patch pattern with this very long Americana (I love Americana) table runner.  It is complete except for the quilting.  I started the quilting, but didn't like it so I took it out!  Craptastic!  This one may go to the long arm quilter.  OY...I should have ironed this before I took the pic...it's been folded a couple three years!

 

This was a quilt pattern, but I liked the simplicity of the block and had some fun fall and Adirondack fabrics.  I didn't feel sew in love with making a whole quilt of it -thought a nice table runner was the ticket. Because the blocks are plain it needs to be dressed up with some nice quilting.  Yeah...I need to get to that. Gotta get those quilt pins out of there! (Sorry 'bout the blurry pic.)

Geeze Louise...that's ONLY 5 of the 25+! What a WIP slacker!

WIP (Work in Progress) Wednesday

Back a few weeks ago my WIP post was about table mat covers I was working on with some lovely fabrics.  I had four tables in the living room to cover.  This past week I finished the LAST one.  OK, so technically, maybe this is not a WIP post, as the project IS finished.  Sew...well...sue me.  But, YAY, all four tables are now covered with coordinated fabric covers...and...if you know me very well you know I'm a matchy-matchy kinda gal.

And.... most of the top of the mat was sewn with my NEW (OLD)  SINGER FEATHERWEIGHT SEWING MACHINE.  I bought this beauty (Barbie is her name) a little over a month ago.  She was born in 1953 and she is in awesome shape and runs like a deer! A John Deere, even.   John Deere fans (like my McStevie) know how GREAT that is!  (Oh, and a shout out thank you to my friend Cliff for finding her and saving her for me....smooches to you Cliff.)  See some pics of Barbie (named after my Aunt Barb who was instrumental in my love for quilting) further down the page.

New end table cover~if you click on the pic you will get a closeup of the quilting.

BARBIE~~~I.heart.her.

WIP Wednesday

WIP Wednesday- 

 This week I am the Work in Progress...

just sew you know...I'm still always working on me - but here's the thing....

I.Like.Me. 

I like the person I am. I have flaws. I have hang-ups. I have had many years of soul searching, cried a river of tears and struggled to get myself to this place of peace. I have NO ONE to blame for past mistakes but ME. If you don’t like me, I’m OK with that. I. REALLY. AM.

Now get the hell out of my way!!

Disclaimer:  Please do not read anything into this post, no one has ticked me off, I am not upset with anyone,  I'm not going through a mid-life crisis (I've technically already passed mid-life), I just wanted to say this for me and all the people near my age who have been around the block and know who they are and don't sweat the small stuff...(psst....I'm saying that as nicely as I can on the world wide internet) so now please carry on with your regularly scheduled programs. And...thank you for reading.  :o)

WIP (Work In Progress) Wednesday

I'm going to have a little garden thanks to this raised garden kit I bought yesterday from Sam's Club!  It will be a WIP for sure planning it out.  Sew excited to research what I want to plant!!  Last year's little crop of patio tomatoes and patio herbs gave me the fever!  Made in the USA...woots!

WIP Wednesday

Several microwavable potato bags waiting patiently to be sewn for the SewHappy shop.  The three in front are not far from completion. They will have to wait....just a bit more.  Had to bump them down the list.  It's temporary.  Oy, I need a mini-me!

WIP (Works in Progress) Wednesday (Yes it's only Tuesday, I'm an overachiever) :)

I have been trying to do a little subtle redecorating in between other sewing projects.  Giving the living room some spots of color. I found some paisleys and some blue that I fell in love with from a collection by Legacy Studios     from Joann fabrics.  This fabric is rich and washed up great so I knew I was gonna love it!  I showed you a "10 minute table runner" and the long custom table runner I  made with the fabric back in these posts.

This weekend I finished a mat for my favorite table.  The table was made for me by the husband of my friend Karen who used to attend my classes.  Jim is an expert woodworker and basically built a home from the ground up and most everything in it.  Karen and Jim are awesome friends, but now live at the other end of the moon map - in Florida.  I think of them whenever I look at my table and I look at it many times a day because it's the first thing you see when you walk in the living room.  I really hope we can visit them sometime in the not-so-distant future. 

Back to the mat.....I chose to do the mat in only two colors, but reversed it to the larger print so I would have a choice with decorating. It's made from my Reversible Candle Mat pattern.  I've made literally hundreds of them and never get tired of making them. (Sorry about the background mess, it's messy in the cave these days.)   :)

 

I have one more table to cover.  (Then I can get the Christmas mat off that table...lol.) I'll be using the same fabric theme but need to pick an easy pattern.  I am covering a space that is approximately 20x20.  I think I'll try some half and quarter square triangles on this one!

PS -I also used those fabrics to do a little project at my Quilt Peeps meeting last week.  We were making a folded star potholder.  Mine was a bit bigger and heavier, but I really like it. I'm anxious to finish it. I only have to put on the back, do a little quilting to hold, and the binding.  Just need to carve out a little time.  (Yup yet ANOTHER WIP not yet finished. :(   I used a pattern I found here at Bronze Wombat. Thank you Jennifer in Austrailia! 

WIP (Work in Progress) Wednesday

It's been awhile since a WIP post.  Life got crazy for a bit.  I had a little health hiccup and other "stop you in your tracks" moments. Now back to life in the cave, sewing up a storm.  Fun things.  Something for ME! Can you believe it! Just a little lap size cuddle quilt!

Sew....we got a new leather chair for the living room.  It has no arms and I was sure it was probably too big for the spot, but after having it hang around a day or so -  I. love. it!
Only problem I had was it looked a little naked.  It has this cute back and, well, it needed something.  I made a soft and cuddly rag quilt for it this past weekend.  It was FUN to make, went really fast (9.5 inch squares), is super soft (Robert Kaufman flannel- to die for) and I'm pretty sure the chair said "you complete me" when I laid it over the back! 
I'm on to making a matching pillow, it's half way done- the newest WIP!

PS If you have never made a flannel rag quilt, you really need to do a google and get yourself going on one.  The first one I ever made was a twin size and I put batting in between the layers,as the pattern said.  It was the last one I have made that way...too stiff.  I love just the two layers...much softer and much faster to make.  I've made several.  Baby rag quilts make up really fast if you need one in a hurry - and are quite adorable.

WIP (Work in Progress) Wednesday

 (Click on the pic for closeup)
 I've been working on these quilt blocks for awhile. I've loved this "Road to California" quilt pattern for a long time and eventually it will be a queen size quilt.  Thought I would put it up on my wall to see how it's going.  Now that I have it up and edited the pic, I know I'm going to change it a bit.  I just love this colorway, so I have a vision and will get there with it eventually. 

 And, I made MORE progress on my Loon on the Lake wall hanging this week.  I've quilted the trees, the main water and the clouds.  Still more to quilt. 
        (click on the pic for closeup)

 I took time out to try the 10-minute table runner on youtube.  It was fun, fun!

WIP (Work in Progress) Wednesday

So the good news is... I have made progress with my custom table runner.  I got it "sandwiched" and turned and have the first row of quilting (3/8 inch in from the seam) with some pretty variegated thread. I still have the rest of the quilting to work out in the body.  Click on the pic for a close up.

The bad news is...I put it on the entertainment center for fit and discovered it is not going to cover the entire entertainment center top like I planned.  When I added the two extra rows on the end to accommodate the points and then cut on the 90 degree angle, I created an opening also on the table because of those side points.  (See HERE on my pic for the corner.) So my goal of something pretty that COVERS the entire table fell through.  Color me NOT sewhappy!  The table is cherry wood. Eventually those corners will leave a mark because the wood will change with light. And THAT was the point of covering it completely with something pretty.

Lucky for me I still have enough of those fabrics for a do-over.  This means I WILL have a nice long table runner for my dining room table, which isn't a bad thing...just NOT my intention. Oy, I'm disappointed.  I've made worse calculations, I guess.  I'm going to get this quilted and take a little break with these fabrics before the do over.  I'll show you a pic next week of progress....done...hopefully.  :)

WIP (Work in Progress) Wednesday~~

Progress made last week....all but the last two rows of squares on each end.

Progress made Monday, all end squares sewn.

More progress from Monday...the ends shaped and cut, now ready to "sandwich" and quilt.  It will now sit until the weekend, but I'll be back to show progress next Wednesday.  I'm hoping I will have it finished!

 

This is a table runner quilt for our new entertainment center, my latest WIP.    I have done the math and decided on this fast fly- by- the- seat- of-my- pants custom pattern.  I will be making one with the same fabrics for new coffee table and end table.
Hope it all comes together like I have imagined.