Our Sewing Group Met Today

Our Sewing Group met today and got right to work making pillowcases for the fire victims in Gatlinburg. We had over 20 ladies arrive, ready to work and work we did.  We all stayed later than usual.  To get us going, we had a small group of ladies who prepared and cut the fabric. Others pinned it, so it was ready to sew. About half of us sewed, some pressed, some used their sergers and by the time we were done, there were stacks and stacks of pillowcases.  We haven't gotten the final count but it was amazing what a group of ladies can accomplish when they put their minds and hands to work.  Lisa, who works full-time, brought in lots of colorful pillowcases that she worked on while she was on her Christmas break from work.  Here's a sampling...

I wish all work was this much fun--it helps to be working with friends.
 

Design Wall Monday 2017

Too many projects have been started and few finished.  I've made progress on several in the last few weeks but spotted an interesting design on-line and thought I'd give it a try since I had several long strips of colorful fabrics from my friend, Sandra who recently sold her Dog clothing business.

It sure looked easy in the picture but I discovered it is more difficult than I imagined to get the fabrics lined up with the white strips attached to top and bottom of each strip and then look like the picture.  So here it hangs...I may just choose another pattern with shorter strips.  But here's what is hanging on my Design Wall today.  All the strips are not the same width, because I wanted to use as much fabric without waste. 

DWM 01-02-2017

See what's on everyone's Design Walls this first Monday of 2017 by traveling over to:  Patchwork Times.com

Happy New Year 2017

Just a few more HST to finish up today and I will have completed the 2nd quilt "top" for my 365 Quilty Challenge which I began on Jan.1st, 2016.  Please note that I wrote quilt top.  The blocks were too big
(4" finished) to cope with one gigantic quilt.  Both tops still must be quilted.  I plan to wait until my wide
quilt back fabric arrives before I tackle the machine quilting with the walking foot.   

This afternoon, I signed up for the RSC (Rainbow Scrap Challenge) for 2017.  I love the color purple and that is the color chosen for January.  Can't wait to start sorting fabric into colors......

You will find all the details about this challenge over at:   Superscrappy.blogspot.com/2017

Just now finished all the HST and added 6 extra blocks on either side of the last row of squares on my 2nd top for the 365 Quilty Challenge for 2016.  Too tired tonight to sew the rows together, so I'll work on that tomorrow.  Yesterday, I cleaned off my sewing table and it's now heaped up with fabric again.

New Year's Eve 2016

Oh my, the last day of this year.  Tomorrow will be a "Fresh Start" for all who choose to take it.  Even though I have two photo transfer quilts on my UFO List for 2017, I decided to start early, so I could get these surprise gifts finished up and mailed off no later than the middle of January.  Not to worry, I have plenty more UFO's to take their place on the list.

Yesterday evening, I ordered several "wide" backings from Hancock's of Paducah to help in finishing up some UFO's.  The machine quilting was done with my "walking foot", by simply quilting around each photo.  Since I had enough fabric left over after cutting the border, I chose to make the binding with the same fabric.
Just need to finish hand sewing the binding-make a sleeve for hanging and sew on a label.  Then on to the next Photo Transfer quilt.  Since I don't want to wait on the fabric to arrive, I will probably piece the back for the 2nd quilt.

Looking forward to the New Year and making progress on many projects "old and new".

Have a safe and Happy New Year!!

Pillowcases to be made next Tuesday at Sewing

Our Tuesday Sewing Group usually meets today but with everyone's family gatherings, we decided to wait and meet next Tuesday, Jan. 3rd., 2017.  Our Group was notified by the The Cherry Pit Quilt Shop that several different sewing and quilting groups planned to make pillowcases for the people affected by the fires in Gatlinburg in East Tennessee.  I thought it would be nice to make a couple of pillowcases here at home.  
The dimensions that I used were:
3/4 yd. for the pillowcase body:  27"
1/3 yd. for the border cuff:  12"
2 inch strip for the accent:    2"

Pillowcase on Left is finished-Pillowcase fabric on right needs to be sewn

There are many different Pillowcase Tutorials on-line but this one from Shabby Fabrics is my favorite. Magic Pillowcase Tutorial from Shabby Fabrics

Merry Christmas 2016

It is sunny and warm in middle Tennessee this beautiful Christmas Day.
It was wonderful to be able to attend Christmas Day Worship Service this morning and we had close to a full house.

Poinsettias decorated the Worship Fellowship Hall.  I was able to bring one of the poinsettias home, so I thought a little history about the beautiful bright red flowers might be nice to know.  The shape of the poinsettia flower and leaves are sometimes thought as a symbol of the Star of Bethlehem which led the Wise Men to Jesus. The red colored leaves symbolize the blood of Christ.

Poinsettia from Church

 

My 2017 UFO List

Judy Laquidara of Patchwork Times.com has challenged her Blog Readers to join her in another UFO Challenge for next year, 2017.  I love this type of challenge because "sometimes" I have a difficult time focusing on projects that should be finished.  If it is a gift, I make an extra effort to finish in a timely fashion, but not always "on time".  So, here it goes......

UFO List for 2017
1.  365 Quilty Circle Project (1st 6 months of 2016)-needs backing, quilting & binding
2.  365 Quilty Circle Project (2nd 6 months of 2016)-needs backing, quilting & binding
3.  Photo Transfer Top#1--GIFT-completed  Jan. 2017 and shipped --January's pick
4.  Photo Transfer Top#2--GIFT-completed  Jan. 2017 and shipped
5.  Selvage Top-needs back, quilting & binding
6.  Scraps & fabric strips need to be organized
7.  Fabric Journal-continue adding fabric pages & details of techniques
8.  Sort scraps by color
9.  Organize Sewing Room --February's pick
10. Make a 1930's Aunt Gracie quilt
11.  Make (1) QOV in 2017
12.  Make (1) QOV in 2017

The above list should keep me busy.....
Click here to link up with Judy's UFO Challenge for 2017 at Patchwork Times.com