September, A Highly Productive Month

Finished my Medallion center for the 'mystery quilt-a-long' the other day. This completes the October clue. I'm really enjoying the colors I chose. I've been very drawn to reds and aqua so lately. 

And this is my Poppy Fields quilt. It is NOT a panel. Those are all individual fabrics, trimmed from side to side, along the image-edge you want to capture. The fabrics are: the stems, large poppies, small red flowers, birds in the branches, and a strip of white with blue clouds, then the strip of blue with white clouds. Clouds and all edges were raw edge appliqué. I quilted this one with a swirl pattern and my 'glide' foot!  Not a single edge flipped up. This foot is wonderful. I can see how much it will help. 

This quilt top came home with me yesterday from an informal group of stitching enthusiasts. I love the fabrics she chose and her improvisational approach to making blocks. I enjoyed quilting this one up on my long arm. I was able to send her a message last night that it was done. I put my client's quilts onto the longarm at the first opportunity. I like getting them back to their owners quickly. 

I've spent quite a bit of this past week getting a group together to do a Round Robin. Only ours will be a 'row' robin. We're going to make a row 6 1/2" by 36 1/2" each month for a specific person. When we get our rows in the mail, it'll be up to each of us how we put them together. I think we're all anxiously waiting for January 1, 2016 when it officially starts. If you would be interested in joining in the fun, send me a message at my email address Luann.fischer at yahoo dot com and I'll let you know how to join in. 

So, how/what were my accomplishments this past month?

** 3 clients quilts quilted using various patterns that were adjusted to the size of their quilt tops

** I walked more but this old body could use a regular routine, not so sporadic about it

** I spent a lot of time attending meetings, networking with others in my trade, & perfecting my skills

** How to create a continuous design with Spoonflower Handbook

** Caterpillar Crawl completed and hanging on a wall

** Fractured Flower was made into an oversized mug rug, so it would hold plenty of cookies,  LOL

** Sunrise/Sunset piece is quilted, and binding is attached to the front, just needs a little handwork

** Poppy Fields quilt is ready for binding

** DSP quilt completed

** 3 table runners pieced with my hand dyed fabrics are finished and waiting for gift giving time

** 4 Improv pieces have been completed, 1 given away, 3 being enjoyed at our house

** 7 previously quilted pieces were bound and given to a local charity

** Blog posts were kept on schedule

** Mystery quilt has September and October steps done

** Primitive Woolies is ready for quilting 

And what got put into "cogitation time" ?

"Roots" it was due today, and I'm not ready to show anything,, soon!!

The series on 'nests/beginnings'

The Princess, I did decide on the backing and binding fabric, but the quilting design is baffling me

Canberra Tree. The quilting and thread sketching was started on my sewing machine, I'd like to change over to the long arm, but I'm just not 'feeling' it yet!

And last and possibly going to be dropped off the list, is the 2015 Summer BOM on Craftsy. I like the pattern and free is great. I'm happy with my fabric choices. The whole project just hasn't held its appeal, so I'll get the info, watch the lessons, and maybe even save the group of fabrics in one place. 

There are only so many hours in my day and I want them to be invested well. So, sometimes, that means changing my mind, postponing an activity or project, or using discernment as to 'what' I will be busy with. 

My month has been filled with many other wonderful times with people I care about. This month, October, I will be visiting family and friends in the Midwest and I am looking forward to it with great anticipation. I may be a bit quieter, but I'll be creating one way or another. Creating and maintaining loving relationships is the most important activity in my life. 

May Holy Spirit comfort you and keep you, 

Until we meet again,

Luann

Third Review for September

The cotton fields are coming into bloom. Before long it will look like a 'field of snow'. 

Here we are, almost at the end of September. 

I posted my intentions on the first, and I've done two reviews during this month. I'll be adding pictures and text over the next few days as they roll on by. 

I now have the sashing/border around the center piece, and black borders on also. The final border of 1" finished half square triangles will have to wait until I can find my Thangles for making them. Well, I tried to find them, but I didn't. I'm not waiting any longer. Here is my pile of HSTs all pressed and ready to be trimmed to 1&1/2" square! 96 of them to do. 

And I have finished this quilt made with deconstructed screen printed fabrics. 

The feather wreath block is so soft. This quilt was pieced improvisationally. That made it necessary for me to customize each design to the area it would go into! It's pretty busy, but that doesn't seem to slow anyone down from wanting to try it out.

And here's a closer look at the binding. I sewed it by machine with my favorite decorative stitch, I call 'heartbeat'. 

I finished off this next piece into an over sized mug rug. I like lots of cookies with my coffee!!

And the reverse for when I want a bit of a change of scenery. The quilt design only shows up well in dim light. 

Then I got busy with a piece I had on one of my design walls for 'way too long' and added borders, put on a facing, inserted a piece of Peltex for structure, and added a piece of fabric over the back. It looks a lot like the insidecover of a hand bound book. I attached the hand dyed lace piece with buttons. On this picture, my caterpillar still had his tail. He has since gotten a docking! 

My next activity will be trimming up those half square triangles and making the border with them for my little "woolies" piece. And they are done and attached. Next step will be the quilting of it. 

I also took my Sunrise/Sunset piece off the design wall, mounted it onto the long arm and worked out a design. I had already stitched in the ditch around the border. It has been trimmed and a binding attached to the front. Just waiting for hand stitching the binding to the back, etc. 

I'm definitely learning how to tweak designs to fit into the spaces I want them for. 

And I've just started reading this book:

It's very interesting and something I never learned much about as I grew up. Jesus and God yes, but Holy Spirit not very much. 

What's been on your reading radar lately?

It's 12:11am Tuesday, I think I'd better get some sleep so I can get at more sewing and quilting tomorrow. 

I'll do the final review in a couple of days, but this is so full of pictures I think I'd better post it now. 

May God bless you with a restfilled night,

Luann

Second Update on September Intentions

Middleton Place is a lovely place, with plenty of walking paths and delightful eye candy for a nature lover. So, yes, I am walking more and enjoying my surroundings. That was the first intention that I listed, and it's well underway. 

The above image is the picture I took of my thread nests laying on my kitchen table. The picture below is of the fabric I ordered from Spoonflower with the image printed.  It's an online site for printing your own designs. I had this printed onto a silk. They have several kinds of fabric, as well as wallpaper and gift wrap!! If you haven't checked them out, getting an account is free and you can purchase samples, fat quarters or yards! 

  

I had every intention to use this piece for part of my Beginnings/Nests quilt, but the silk is so gorgeous I'm going to have a hard time cutting or stitching it into a quilt! Maybe I'll need to order another fat quarter in quilter's cotton??

Bindings onto four more charity quilts, now waiting to be delivered. 

Improvisational table runner was quilted and bound in time to give to my new Pastor's wife at a 'meet and greet' our Ladies Ministry group had for her. 

Then I was able to finish the tablecloth and two placemats from that same improvisational workshop. 

Next is a closeup of the quilting pattern I  chose to enhance the geometric shapes. I used a unconventional way of screen printing the leaf onto the top, before quilting. 

I sure am enjoying the unique things I can do with my longarm. 

I'm always taking pictures of the ironwork gates I see when I go into Charleston. I have several ideas that I think would look great as quilts. 

Worked on these little blocks at With These Hands meeting. The background fabric was cut to 5x6 and will be trimmed to 4 1/2" by 5 1/2". I don't usually work this small, but I bought the kit several years ago and I want to get it finished. 

I continued the hand stitching but didn't do all blanket stitch edges! A girl has to follow her own heart, right? I was getting bored, so I did some stab stitches to hold mini leaves in place on the purple posey block in the right column. 

And last night I got the last of the twelve little blocks done, attached the sashings (these are cut 1" wide, to finish at 1/2" wide!!), and I got the blocks sewed into the center piece. It needs more borders, etc. but I'm very pleased with how far I've gotten it. 

Yesterday was an awesome day. We invested time in our relationship with God. When I read in The Bible, pray for direction, and 'listen' to His promptings, my day goes well. I am so blessed!!

May God bless you today, with contentment in your life,

Luann

First Intentions Update for September

Sending you sunshine and smiles,

Spent some time down by Shem Creek. 

     No picture of my messy calendar, but I 

Posted intention areas for the month, and announced the winner of August giveaway. 

Quilted this for Betty. I used an edge to edge design. I used Bottomline and Fantastico, both from Superior Threads. 

Edie dropped off a QOV top, batting, and back. We decided on a gentle edge-to-edge meander. King Tut and Bottom Line were used.  

Final decisions on fabrics for Terrie's Mystery Quilt Along. 

And the first 8 units. 

The surface design swap pieces, Aug and Sept, and a package to Monica, the winner of the August Giveaway, have been mailed out. 

I chose the collection above for the free Craftsy class, BOM Summer 2015. 

These three quilts are bound and ready to be given to my quilt guild's special project. 

           No before and after pictures, but we,

Cleaned out the attic that was filled with building materials, left by previous owners. The useful stuff went to our local Habitat for Humanity Restore. 

These three table runners are quilted and bindings are finished. The fabric across the top was used for backings, makes useable during the Christmas Season. 

Cut and packaged hand dyes for a special event at Cobblestone Quilt Guild meeting, tonight.

I also have bindings cut for 4 more Charity quilts. I ran out of steam about noon today! 

This is a good start to September. I'm keeping focused and getting some projects off my list. 

I had hoped to get my Improv pieces quilted but I chose to cut those bindings instead. 

I'll be back in about ten days with another update. 

May God bless the work of your hands,

Luann

Intentions for a Productive September

 I will walk more often, and enjoy nature's beauty. 

I will invest time to become better in my profession. 

I will stay open to learning new techniques. 

I will give more thought to the art quilt 'nestings'. 

This side of the design wall holds drawings of two of my Grandchildren. These were done for a Lola Jenkins class on Craftsy. I will get them layered up and lines sewn over. The piece on top is made from snippets of my hand dyed fabrics. I think this piece would be great fun to put it on the longarm and thread sketch stems and leaves in. Then add some couching and other embellishments. 

This side holds several projects. Woven ribbons, fractured flowers, one of the four 'free flow' pieces, a thread painting I started several years ago, I Love You cross stitch, another fractured image, improv stable, a pillow top made from four pieces of fabric I designed and bordered with a commercial cotton.  By having these 'in view' I hope to be inspired to get at them. 

My design wall with black felt is such a great background for some of my pieces. The dragonfly piece in lower left corner is to remind me to grab it and the other 8 'pages' and get this book bound. The piece above it has a stitch in the ditch around the border, and I'm not pleased with how it looks. Those stitches are coming out, and I may put this in my 'by hand' group!  Across that top edge is a 5" square that reminds me of Barbra, my Compassion child in Uganda. I don't have a plan for it, but I doubt I will ever part with it. Down the left side are three pieces that really just need finishing. The bottom two are from my Elements in Fabric class. I have two more elements to make for the class. The top one is from a class with Karen Linduska. Up the center is a group of fabric printed squares of Tahquamenon Falls State Park in Michigan. They were sewn together but things went awry and it became distorted. I will be adjusting their placement to each other so I can have a piece that will hang squarely on my wall. 

And of course there are the carry overs from August that didn't get finished: 

Princess, poppy fields, Canberra tree, deconstructed screen prints quilt, table runners from shaded hand dyes, my improvisationally pieced group, and bindings on charity quilts. 

B

I also have two quilts to be done for clients. 

Ok, let's do a little recap on this idea. 

July, I had 3 intentions and I didn't get any of them done, or even worked on. 

August, I listed 10, got 4 completed and another one 50% done. Definitely an improvement!

September, 26 areas of focus. I have a more detailed list of just how far each needs to be progressed for me to consider it moved along sufficiently. I'll keep you posted on my progress, which makes that 27 areas!! I only plan to post every ten days this month, perhaps I will have more done each time.

No giveaway this month, but please leave your comments as that's the only way a blogger knows people are stopping by. 

May God bless your day with much happiness,

Luann

And the Winner is,,,

It's Tuesday, the First of September, and a package will be going to,,,,,,

Monica in Australia!!!  You will be receiving 5 fatquarters of hand dyed cotton. Two are a single hue with plenty of texture. The other three are nicely textured pieces of multi hues. Also in your package will be five hand dyed pieces of an insertion type lace, each about 12" long. 

Monica left this comment on the post "VIP PLEASE READ THIS Hand Dyes and HOT Water":

Thanks for this useful info - I'm going to soak my hand-dyed fabric in hot water overnight in future.

Posted by Monica to  Let's Create Today on August 16, 2015 at 6:43 PM

Monica,

I trust you will make good use of your new treasures. 

Thanks to everyone that commented. Next giveaway is in the works,,,

May God bless the work of your hands,

Luann