Design Wall Monday - 3/7/11

I was all excited this weekend - I had finally designed and free motion stitched my trapunto leaves and flowers and decided the binding would match the red flowers. Then I started quilting the background. I was boogying right along. I really enjoy pebbles and could do them for hours. I figured it would take 2 hours to finish this little runner...until...I ran out of thread. Can you see it there at the far end?

ARGHGHGHGHGH!

No one carries Superior brand threads around here so now I have to place an emergency order** so that I can have the thing done by next weekened.





** We changed the class date so it no longer has to be an emergency order but still...I hadn't planned on buying thread and I might as well buy a bunch if I am buying any, right?! Now I have to decide what other colors I want...

Forgetfulness

While showering this morning I had an idea for something to post...and promptly forgot as soon as the water was turned off. I wandered the quilt room but just couldn't remind myself what it was.

Desperate for something, I thought I might add this runner picture. I mean, it's oh sew different from the last time I posted about this runner and yet, not at all where I need to be with it. I've got the blanket stitching done - now it's time for free motion. My fav part!

I could really use some uninterrupted time in the quilt room. I've got a good book to listen to; I just need the time. 2 late night rescue calls in the last 3 days, 2 meetings, a dinner date, a run to the not-so-LQS, and 2 trips to Mom and Dad's to perform CPR on their computer don't make for a productive week.

Then I came across this little bugger. The pot is a leftover from fall pansies and I had dumped the birdseed on top when I cleaned out and filled all the feeders last weekend. I was really hoping the Cardinals or ground feeders would find it.

I have about 4 squirrels in the yard - this one is normal, one is missing an eye, another has only about 1 inch of his tail left and the other, that I saw for the first time this morning in my big feeder, was a little red squirrel. I used to shoosh them out of the feeders but it takes too much energy. That and it's more fun to watch Cali run from window to window to see what the bugger is doing and where he went when she scared him off.

When I was about to put my coat on and run out the door, I remembered my original idea. Too late for meaningful pictures, I did pull it out so that I'll remember it next time. OK, twist my arm for a hint - it should help me with that runner pictured above. Taking that picture should have reminded me but it didn't. hmm....

ZigZapps and LQS shopping

Yesterday was the end of the month sale at one of the LQS that is about 20 miles from here. On the last day of each month, you can get one item for 30% off. They know that we quilters won't buy just ONE item and I didn't disappoint altho I only got 2 things that weren't on my list. I drove over there for the remaining yellow brick road fabric - too bad I couldn't get the camera to take a better picture of this golden fabric. This pix looks washed on out on my laptop. I also grabbed a couple browns for the Sweet Potato Pie blocks I am working on. I needed dark red thread and I found some 3/4" hexies at half price. I only bought 2 packages to get me started as I am really looking for a punch to make my own hexies. Any one have one they want to sell? Anyone?

Based on a couple comments I received yesterday, I think I should write a little about ZigZapps.
Essentially they are a tool for applique. Designs are printed on a fusible web with lines for sewing, cutting and slitting. After sewing the panel to the fabric, turn them inside out, finger press them to flatten, lay out your design and iron them to the background fabric. You can then machine or hand applique. It is not a permanent adhesion -they will peel off. This is good if you want to reposition them but I'm not sure how well it would last for hand applique - maybe you only add one or two pieces at a time. I am machine appliqueing and it worked great when I ironed on all the pieces at once.

I am using the leaf panel for the design I posted yesterday - you can see that it offers 3" or 4" leaves depending on how you cut it out. The panels also have little design ideas. I received the gingerbread panel as a gift when the most-LQS had their grand opening party. I have some brown and green tea towels that I want to add the gingerbread men to. Check out Quiltsmart for other design/panel options. At 99 cents per panel at the LQS it's not a bad idea if you need a standardized applique shape.

Design Wall Monday - 2/28/11

First, those of us at the ATEP** are happy to report that we are making considerable progress at CasaGrande.

Second, there is a house rule that there will be no white rooms (I've lived in too many white rentals), so this is just primer and within a week, the walls will be 'Colorado Springs' blue with an accent wall of a darker blue. The baseboards and window trim will remain white. The wall to the left of this picture while host a 4x6' USA map with map pins for all the places I visit(ed). Can't wait to get the map up there and remember all those trips.

On the quilting front, I am working up this little table runner and wall hanging using zigZapps. I'm still working out the design for the wall hanging (on the left side pf the photo) but both pieces will look great in my dining room. You can see with the partial runner on the right that I am working on trapunto for the leaves and flowers. I need to do some more trimming and free motion quilting on those pieces tonight and then hopefully get it sandwiched and quilted by week's end.

**Alliance To Eradicate Pink