BeAttitudes is a finished quilt!

March's UFO is DONE!

Phew...that was a tough one!
This is my BeAttitudes quilt (pattern by Nancy Halvorsen).
The blocks were a BOM that I started in 2008, so this quilt took almost 5 years to finish. 
I didn't enjoy the machine applique technique, but I forced myself to finish it, and it will probably be my one and only machine appliqued quilt! 
The machine quilting went fairly quick once I got started.
I don't like how the blocks puff out under the large applique chunks, because I couldn't quilt over the applique (way too thick with layers of fabric, fusible, batting and backing).

But anyway, it's done and I'm so thrilled to have this quilt finished, and to have one less UFO! 
This photo shows the machine quilting a bit.
Maybe I should stitch some rain drops coming out of that watering can?




I have to show a close up of the Easter bunny block because today is Easter, and because it was one of my favorite blocks in this quilt. 

I finished hand stitching the binding today...Easter is the perfect day to finish my BeAttitudes quilt!
To see more finished UFO's this month, hop over to the Lovely Year of Finishes Link up.

Design Wall Monday #27

This has been one of the hottest weeks I can remember and everything is brown from the heat and lack of rain. I have almost abandoned my garden. There are a few carrots and 3 green pepper plants, lots of tomato plants (but not many tomatoes on them) and 1 crazy zucchini plant that is taking over the world. **Less gardening time = more quilting time!**
So I have been working on my BeAttitudes blocks and look what's on my design wall today...all 12 blocks are finished! This is quite an accomplishment for me, since I have been working on these blocks for 3 years! There are a few embellishments to add but all the eyes are sewn on, and the buttonhole stitching is DONE! This shows the order of the blocks according to the pattern, but I am going to switch the October and November blocks to reflect the Canadian Thanksgiving in October (for the "Be Grateful" block), and Remembrance Day on November 11th (for the "Be Forgiving" block).
I am trying not to be critical of the colour choices I made in some of the blocks....like the blue in the "Be Smart" block meeting the blue in the "Be Joyful" block. I just made each block on it's own without checking what colour it would sit beside in the quilt, so "that's life in the random lane"!
It was odd to be sewing the Santa block while in the middle of a summer heat wave, but maybe it helped me to stay cooler? I did not enjoy the fiddley buttonhole stitching on the stars or candy cane, and am so happy to be done with that!
These are the 4 fabrics for the borders, but you can probably guess that I don't want to sew 4 borders! The thought of it could drive this quilt into UFO land! If you don't hear about this quilt again, please ask me and remind me that it really doesn't NEED any borders, but it does NEED to be finished!
To see other quilt design walls, visit Patchwork Times.

Be Forgiving?

I hate rabbits! My apologies to those of you who adore the little furry creatures, but this year I have declared war against the burgeoning population of neighbourhood rabbits. They have destroyed much of my garden and are able to figure out how to get through any type of barricade I have constructed so far. 
This is the first year that I have ever had a problem like this and obviously need to do a little research on how to keep rabbits out of a garden. You can see my lovely beans and peas from last year on  this blog post from Canada Day. And this is what was left of my beans at the beginning of the month this year, but now even those tiny leaves have been eaten and only tiny sticks remain. The beets, peas, beans, and even the green onions are absolutely gone...grrrrrr! Strangely, those rascally rabbits do not like my carrots (say what?!?!) and they haven't yet touched my red peppers, squash, zucchini, or tomatoes.  My husband likes to joke that "we likely won't make it through another winter with this level of garden produce"! I am having a lot more sympathy and compassion for Elmer Fudd these days! (I guess that reference probably dates me!)
When I'm not battling the rabbits, I am slowly working on the remaining blocks for my BeAttitudes quilt. In a bizarre bit of irony, I have just finished the embellishing of the "be forgiving" block #10 (does not apply to rabbits, of course). After working on it for about 5 hours this week, I am now half way done the applique on block #11 and have just sewn the base for block #12.
I was stalled temporarily when I ran out of black thread...so far I've used 800 metres of thread machine appliqueing these blocks, but I bought more thread and am ready to get to work again ...the end is near!!

BeAttitudes Update

This July will be the third birthday of my BeAttitudes project. I am using a technique that I discovered I dislike (machine applique) and I have to force myself to work on it. But I am motivated to get it done now because I have a friend who would like to use the pattern book, so that is helping me to get going on these blocks. The photo on the left shows all that I have left to do...2 more baggies for the last 2 blocks! 
 
The 10th block is almost finished...he just needs some embellishments.


I just loved how this BOM (from Reichard's) was organized...each block in it's own bag with the fabric all neatly placed in order, with the applique pieces together and the background block pieces together. The only thing I changed about the fabric was to eliminate all the floral fabrics, and I still had plenty to make the blocks. I have heard about people sewing kits that barely have enough fabric, but this one was very generous and a pleasure to create blocks with.
Here is the beginning of block #11.
The background is pieced and has the applique stuck down, and now it needs the letters, the buttonhole stitching and the embellishing. Only 1 more block to go after this one!

Be Smart!

The first part of this post is only of interest to fellow bloggers...I was finally successful in purchasing additional storage space for my blog photos. The problem was that my blog was at the max for photo storage in Picasa, which is the program that Blogger uses to post the photos to your blog. If I started to delete photos from that account to free up storage space, those photos would no longer show up on my blog.
My options were: 1) start a new blog using another program like Wordpress or LiveJournal OR 2) purchase more storage space OR 3) have a photo-less blog (not an option!)
I wanted to stay with Blogger instead of starting over with a new system (I'm lazy!) so I researched the increasing storage option. Happily, to double my current storage space only costs $5! So I tried to purchase the space, but kept receiving error messages saying my "request entity is too large". My brilliant son (not bragging here, but I spent hours researching this, and was unable to figure this out!) suggested that I try another browser since maybe Google (owner of Blogger) doesn't play nice with Safari (browser of my beloved Mac) ...well, that's not exactly what he said, but that's what I was able to decipher from our conversation. I tried to purchase the storage space on another computer with another browser and TA DA I am back in business!

And here is my first photo stored in my newly expanded photo warehouse...
block #9 for my BeAttitudes quilt is completed!
This was the most fiddly block so far, with having to buttonhole stitch around the bird's little feet. But I am happy with how it turned out.
BeAttitudes is on my W.I.P. wish list on the right side of my blog (you can click on it to see my other blocks so far). I only have 3 more blocks to go.

Design Wall Monday #42

Today I have my old friend "BeAttitudes" on my design wall. You last saw this project in August when I had 7 blocks completed (click here for that post).  At this point I consider the quilt top to be almost 3/4 of the way done, and somehow it feels very exciting and hopeful that this quilt is "almost done"! LOL

I have block 9 fused and just need to do the letters "Be Smart", and then the machine buttonhole stitching.
On the weekend I wasn't very smart!
In a moment of weakness, I started a new project.
I think I need to go to "Quilter's Anonymous".
"Hi. I am Kathy. I have no willpower over starting new quilts."
I saw this layer cake called "Happy" from Me and My Sister Designs when I was away with my sisters. I ask you, how could I possibly resist buying it?!?! Check back tomorrow to see what I'm making!
And when you have time for blog surfing, grab a cup of tea and go see what other quilters have on their design walls today - click here for Judy's Design Wall Monday postings.

Design Wall Monday #33

I have been making turtle-like progress on one of my top 10 UFO wish list projects - a BOM called BeAttitudes.  These are the first 7 blocks that I have finished on my design wall.

The "Be Honest" block is the one I finished this week. I am really not enjoying this project as much as I thought I would and it seems to be taking me forever. I like piecing the backgrounds and preparing all the pieces with fusible and ironing everything down, but I find the machine applique to be mind-numbingly boring, especially doing the letters. So I seem to procrastinate this task and only work on it when I have nothing else to do (never happens!), or I have company over to visit with while I do the applique.

And there have been issues with the appliqued edges holding down. I don't know if you can see but on this shape the right hand side had come away from the stitching and lifted up. Can you see where I have redone the stitching with a wider applique stitch?  It worries me because these blocks have not been handled much and I wonder how this quilt will last over time. It will have to be a wallhanging, not a lap quilt I guess. I am hoping that the wider stitches might hold the appliqued shapes better, even though it doesn't look as nice to me.
If you want to see what other quilters are working on today, go check out the other design wall postings at Judy's blog.

One block at a time

I have been trying to spread out any extra quilting minutes the last couple of weeks to make a little bit of progress on some of my UFO wish list projects (see sidebar on the right).

I have made some progress on my BeAttitudes quilt, and while watching "Dancing With the Stars", I have finally finished sewing in the thread ends on block #5 and #6 and they are done!


Do you realize what that means?!?
That means I am half way finished with the blocks for this quilt!
And here are the first 6 blocks on my design wall!

Design Wall Monday #7

One of the UFO's on my wish list (see sidebar) is a BeAttitudes BOM that I started in 2008.
On my design wall today is my finished 4th block!
The reason why it is taking me so long is because once I have the block base pieced, the pattern traced onto a fusible, cut out and ironed down, I want to be done with it! But then there is the buttonhole stitching ( by machine) to do around every little shape, and that's boring to me, so I procrastinate that step! My mind wonders to all the fun quilting things I could be doing and it takes great self control to stay at it.
In Ontario it is "Family Day" which means most people have a vacation day and of course I hope to quilt the day away.

This is the project I am going to tackle. This is a UFO of a long time quilty friend, and I can't wait to dig in and figure out what to do with it.
Why is it that other quilter's UFO's are so much more interesting than mine?!?
Could it be that I am procrastinating the buttonhole stitching?!?

Another BeAttitudes block done

I started my BeAttitudes quilt in the summer of 2008 when it was a block of the month at Reichard's. I completed 2 of the blocks fairly quickly, which to me means I sewed them in the same year as I got the fabric! But then I got distracted by other quilts, and the project box got pushed farther and farther into the closet.
Now it is on my UFO wish list and I'm determined to work on it.
This week I stitched the ant's legs and finished Block #3...."Be Positive".
I am happier with the size of my buttonhole stitch as compared to the stitches I used in block #2 , especially around the angel's head which were too big. And I am getting quicker at buttonhole stitching around the letters.

Ta da - here are my first 3 blocks finished. I'm already 1/4 of the way there :)

Did you get a chance to listen to Bonnie Hunter interviewed on Pat Sloan's radio show? It was really interesting and I was inspired to get my stash into a more workable state...another thing for me to work on in 2010! You can download the podcasts of Pat's Creative Talk Radio here. The most recent podcast is an interview with Heidi Kaisand focusing on machine quilting. I just love listening to people talk about quilting while I'm quilting...do you think I'm a quiltaholic?!?

Block of the Month stress

I am about 90 % back to my "normal" self this week. Here is a photo I took of our Christmas tree...I love it because it represents how I have been feeling! Just like me, the settings were too slow!
I am still dragging myself through the evenings and going to bed early instead of quilting at night. I just think I need the extra rest, but I sure do miss the quilting. I am trying not to get uptight about the decrease in productivity, especially at this time of year when Mrs. Clause should be in overdrive!
Two of my quilting projects that bug me the most are my Block of the Month (BOM) projects. I like to be caught up and feel stressed about unstarted blocks. The first one is my "Be Attitudes" quilt. I have only fully completed the first 2 blocks, and have the 3rd one appliqued and am ready to sew in the thread ends. And here is the pile of unopened block packages...ugh! Okay take a deep breath and repeat after me...don't worry, there is no deadline, except in your own mind, so just change your expectations! I am a hard taskmaster!

And the 2nd project is the Capricorn BOM. I just finished this block, which is block #9 for me. That's pretty good, eh?!? I don't even know how many more blocks I have to stitch...I think there are 14 blocks altogether because some months had a bonus block.
The photo is a little bit yellow, and my little sheep are somewhat defective, but hey, I'm only working at 90% capacity here!!!
What about you quilters out there in blogland...have you finished your BOM's from 2008???
Are you signing up for any new BOM's next year?

BeAttitudes Block #2

Thanks to everyone who commented on my finished Orange Crush quilt! I am very happy with it and plan to machine quilt it in the fall when the temperature is cooler.
This week I have been working on my second BeAttitudes block. I have added a couple of fabrics to the BOM kit and decided to take out all the floral prints.

Here is the base sewn together, looking very boring.

Then I started the fusing and the buttonhole stitching. Thanks for all the ideas that were left on this post giving me suggestions of how to improve my stitching. I am trying them out and getting a little better, especially at moving from one place to another without starting a new thread. The letters are the hardest. Here is a photo of the top showing all the threads. I pull the threads to the back, then I tie them in knots and hand sew them into the back of the stitches. I just don't want the black threads to unravel when I wash it.

And here is the finished block!

If you want to see another set of these blocks in development, click on Julie's blog. She just finished her second block too. She made me laugh because she made her plaid letters out of her husband's old pyjama bottoms!

BeAttitudes Block 1 - January

I do try to resist signing up for Block of the Month projects and swaps because I just know that I won't finish on time, and then I'll be stressed out. But this year I think my resistance has been a bit low and I have signed up for too many projects! Here is one of them - the BeAttitudes quilt. (You can read about my beginning of the quilt here.) On the left is the base of block one. On the right is the snowman and words all fused into place. I am getting quite handy with the fusing - and have a clean iron to prove it!!!

I thought this BOM would be a good project for getting to know my Janome Jem Platinum better. It was my first attempt at the buttonhole (or anything other than straight!) stitch since I got this machine for Christmas. It sure took a lot of getting used to, especially figuring out how to turn the corners. I decided to use a water soluble stabilizer on the back since the block was puckering up quite a bit. But I need to shop for some more since I could only find small leftover pieces to do the stitching of the various parts of the snowwoman. Oh well, it worked out fine.

I wasn't sure how to deal with all these threads, so I just left them where they were and then pulled them all to the back of the block, made knots and hand stitched the ends. It was a lot of stopping and starting, and therefore lots of threads to sew in. Does anyone have any tips about how to do this in an easier way?!?

Here is the January block finished! Yes I know it is July, but hey, it only started recently (that's my story and I'm sticking to it!). The pattern calls for embellishments (like a carrot nose for the snowwoman) and I know they have the original Nancy Halvorsen buttons at Keepsake Quilting. I am still trying to decide if I would enjoy shopping for my own embellishments or buy the package.

News Scraps

I should be working right now, and have scheduled a paperwork morning to get caught up at work, but I am a master of avoidance of all things boring! So I bribe myself (like I do to the children - see here) and agree that if I do an entire morning of updating clinical notes, I can sew for the afternoon. Technically updating one's blog doesn't count for "work", but I promise I will start my official work soon!!!

Sometimes I force myself to overcome my avoidance, just like I will do this afternoon and finish my OC top. It is silly really - it's just one more seam, but it is so bulky and there are so many seams to match (whine, whine) and I just want to do something easier. So I made a tote bag that I showed you last post and I have been working on this BOM from Reichards. This is the first month's package and I already have picked up the second month so I better get moving on it. I have pieced the first block and started with the applique, and it's more fun than fighting with the OC! This is the background block for January.

Another great way to avoid working if I were so inclined, would be to print out the July Capricorn BOM pattern here. I still haven't finished June's yet, so if I were undisciplined, I could work on that this afternoon!!!

Anyway, onto other news...thanks to Jane for telling me about the theft of Valerie Hearder's quilts while she was in Newfoundland! You can read more about it here on Valerie's blog. What a relief to read that her quilts were found!

And my last bit of news is that I won a blog award! Toni at 3 AM Designs has given me the "Arte Y Pico" award! You can visit Toni's blog here. I have been fascinated by her amazing paper quilling (no T - not quilting!) art. See the wonderful pieces she gave away in February here. This blog award is given to acknowledge "creativity, design, interesting material, and overall contribution to the blogger community, regardless of the language". Thanks Toni! I will have fun thinking about the 5 blogs that I will give the award to. But not while I'm working this morning....maybe this afternoon when I am working on my BOM's, uh, um, I mean while I am sewing the OC!!!!

Happy 4th of July to my American quilt friends!