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Saturday, June 18, 2011

A Woman Has To Do What A Woman Has To Do

Do you know what I mean?  I'm sure I'm not alone when I'm trying to squeeze in some time to finish a project and life keeps interrupting my plans.  So what do you do?  This is my solution:
Set your sewing machine up at the kitchen counter...the hub of our house....and squeeze in a few squares when ever I can.  I'm even thinking of how I can set up a system in my van so when I'm at a stop light I can just swivel my seat over and sew a line or two....ok...just kidding there :)


A week ago today, Mrs. Rosemary (Waldo) and I went to a quilt as you go workshop.  The purpose of learning quilt as you go was to get more twin size quilts to donate to charities.
One of our guild members, Carol Hicks, was kind enough to lead the workshop.  Basically we pre-cut large squares of fabric and centered a smaller piece of batting and then began adding strips.  Later we will put together all the squares and the quilting will have been done as part of the piecing process.


 Jenny, QuiltCrazyGalJennaLouise Blog,  was stitching away when I swung by for a photo.  I could not help but love her fabrics all lined up...check them out below....
 AND her wrist pincushion.   I loved her wrist pincushion.....who wouldn't smile with that on their wrist? 
How darn cute is this?  Jenny said she made it a few years ago at Quilt University....that is what she could remember and something about the number three and fiber.  I'm guessing it was the amazing gals at Three Creative Studios that taught the class (I'm not sure but I've sent them an e-mail to find out). 
Waldo and I are working on the same quilt.  We decided we might be more successful in completing our charity project by July's meeting if we work on it together.  I had the center fabric squares and some coordinating fabrics.  We both searched our stashes to find anything that would coordinate and we came up with enough strips to make at least one twin quilt.
The block below is another way to set up the blocks...if you have a print for the center.  I really liked this placement too.  There is a variety of ways to lay them out...I guess you just choose depending on what fabric you are starting with.

My two cents on the quilt as you go method....it does use up quite a bit of thread because you stitch, stop, cut, start, stitch, stop, cut....and all on small strips.  I find it a bit mind numbing at times...but you have to remember it takes some really striking colors and designs to keep me awake in the first place...LOL.  I really enjoyed the workshop and all the gals who were there too....I think that was the best part....it usually always is for me anyway.  I think I'd use the method again....when the opportunity presents itself...for perhaps a small project or I'd make larger blocks....then it would go faster.

That's what I've been up to....what about you? 

Smiles,
Kelly

PS...if you have not visited Three Creative Studios recently....oh geez....go over and check out their blog and their website.  They always have something fun going  on and lots of free tutorials and patterns too!

16 comments:

  1. Such a great idea. I am only involved in on-line quilt-a-longs and I miss the fun of sewing with a class.

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  2. I remember doing that once at a place I lived at, only because there was nowhere else to have my machine set...where there is a will there is a way!

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  3. When I renovated the kitchen, the new island bench was specifically designed to double as a quilting bench - in fact much to everyones annoyance I call it that all the time!

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  4. My kitchen isn't big enough to cook in, never mind sew, lol.
    I like the block with the art lady in the center.

    Debbie

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  5. Hey, good idea to sew at the counter - I have a friend who did that with a big table, she just couldn't sit still long enough to sew, lol. She HAD to stand up. I love that wrist pincushion, so cute! And darn you, I just had to follow 3Creative Studios, wow what a site. Thanks Kelly! Love your qayg, I've never tried that, it looks fun!

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  6. What we need are sewing machines the size of tablets or I-phones. Imagine the laws they would have to pass if that happened:) I like the idea of quilting as you go, and commend you for doing it as part of charity donations. The blocks with the center image are cool. I've been making crazy blocks using a center image and I'm hooked on them.

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  7. I am the messiest crafter alive so if I sewed in the kitchen, you wouldn't be able to move around to cook! :)

    I have been quilting on customer quilts hot and heavy the past few days. Yesterday afternoon I took a break and went upstairs to sew together some vintage quilt blocks that my hubby's grandmother made. I have 4 more to put the sashing around and then I can sew all of the blocks together and show it on my blog. Hopefully sometime today. :)

    I have never tried to quilt as you go method. Jenny's fabrics are pretty cool and yep! that pincushion is too sweet!!

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  8. I've tried that method before. It's fun until it's time to cut and trim. I messed that part up more than once. I haven't figured out how to fix it yet, and it's just sitting in the basement waiting for me to get back to it. UFO

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  9. Hi Rosemary! (wave). I'll be setting mine up in a hotel room tonight.. Woo hoo!

    At our next get-together you need to show me that method again. I have a book of projects using sew as you go... I could never understand it by reading.

    Love your blocks...

    ice cream (did I say that?) LOL!

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  10. What I need to do is make room on my computer desk for my sewing machine!

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  11. I have my machine in our loft which is NOW my quilting "studio" - I sit on a swivel chair so I can sew, spin and check by emails, spin and sew, etc, etc, etc! I do get up to press! I can see why the charity quilt would be lots faster if you use wider strips. Bigger blocks would mean less sashing strips - which are a PAIN with pre-quilted blocks - if I remember correctly!!

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  12. Quilting at the kitchen counter--how cool is that!! I am sure the hubby thought that was great as long as you fixed him something in between. he,he,he

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  13. In the RV, I sewed at the "dining room" table, laid out fabric choices all over the couch, cut spread out all over the floor, ironed on top of the stove, and stored the finished products on the chair, so I can relate to having your machine set up in the kitchen! Seemed we were always tripping over one machine or the other!!

    Your blocks are way cool, and I'm sure you feel great putting out yet another charity quilt! QAYG does seem to go faster, and it's a lot easier that wrestling with a whole quilt, but it's not my really been my favorite look. I guess I'm just not as imaginative or creative as y'all!

    What have I been up to? HAHA! I got me TWO, count 'em, TWO!, shots in the foot!! YAY!! Now I can walk again!! And, to celebrate, I had my driver take me to 3 quilt shops & 2 different beaches in 2 days! Ohhhh, and did we drop some $$! And out of my purchases, I made my first ever real quilt. A queen-size, that I'm afraid I've gotta keep - it's my all time favorite colors - aqua, teal, purple, blues & greens...all oceany batiks. I can't decide which I like more - the fact I can walk again or the quilt top!

    Today was hot, so off to another beach we went - this time with the pup! She was not happy when we got up to go into the water...and NOOOO, we did not want to take her into the water with us, thank you very much - it was an hour ride home, and we didn't want to take the fish-smell with us! Sooo....we had to cool off one at a time, which wasn't the most fun, but it was still good. Loved to watch the shore birds & the fish jump!

    Thanks for sharing your workshop with us!!

    (kcallander989[at]gmail)

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  14. I actually do stand up and sew...even though I have a sewing room...when I am on a roll..I like to take my sewing machine and put if on my island in the kitchen and I find I can sew quicker standing up...sew I am there with you Kelly...
    ohhh and I really like that wrist cushion..looks like an orange..now that is a sweet idea lol

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  15. How funny, we constantly hear "don't text and drive" now it will be "don't sew and drive".

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  16. I understand how you feel--there is never enough time to sew. Mom told me that Dr. Hicks did a great job teaching the class and her quilts looked great! I'll have to checkout Jenny's wrist pincushion in person :)

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