Friday again. And it does not seem like I have finished enough projects this week. Stuck on a quilting issue. I hate to load something on the big machine, when I am not exactly sure what I am going to quilt on it. I have part of the pattern, but the other part is just evading me. It will come with time, but time is not what I have a lot of. Because I have to have this quilt done. Quilted and bound by the end of June...that means four weeks from today it will be ready to mail....
But today, I have to just look at the quilt...because I have some mending to do for a friend....and I have some bibs to make for another friend....and I have a wall hanging to design (already started) for another friend...so, that is my weekend.
The weatherman is finally forecasting the correct weather for the weekend. The garden is going to love it. I am really an Oregonian. I love the rain, the clouds, the temperatures..friends of mine think I am crazy (maybe I am), because I love the rain and the green so much. But, this weekend I am enjoying the sun, before it becomes too warm!
Hope that everyone has an enjoyable weekend!

Here I am....I got so caught up in the projects I have been working on that I have neglected to write any posts.
I have finally finished my appliqued tulip wall hanging. Even though it was a free pattern from the magazine, American Patchwork and Quilting, I could not leave it as they published it.

So, I added some more petals to the flowers. Replaced the word "flour" with some hearts...liking it a whole lot more, now. I goes to show, that just because it is a pattern, does not mean that you cannot add your own embellishments.

So, that is handles..will post pictures of the finished project at a later time. But, it is already finished.

Now, I am back working on the red woven quilt. I have decided this year, that I am going to enter a couple of quilts in the Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show. It is a big deal in Oregon. Check it out on their website. Anyways, I was already committed or maybe I should have been committed, because I entered their quilt block contest. I read all the rules, but was totally surprised when the fabric came. One 10"x10" main color block and 4, 6"x6" coordinating colors. What was I suppose to do with these small pieces of fabric? It was obvious that is was going to have to be something whimsical. I just had to decide....WHAT! I wavered between creating a block and applique...the applique won out. I had looked back to last years blocks and they were whimsical...so, go with majority. So, I have now finished those and got those sent in...



So, while I was working on those blocks....someone or something took control of my brain...because I decided that I could enter a quilt in the show. It is only a view type of hanging. Not, to be judged. And, oh heck, while I am in this frame of mind...I entered TWO. Great...what was I thinking...one is already done, but number two is not...and with other things that are floating in the brain, I can see the list is being shifted.

I am now heading back to the sewing room to work on finishing the backing for that second quilt. It is going to be the woven one at the top of this blog. But, as with comedies...this is one. Needed a backing fabric. figured out what the minimum would be for the length. To the fabric store, choose the most wonderful fabric to match the shade of red and the beige color background. Needed 4 yards, but at the very minimum 3.5 years. Found this great fabric...measure to cut....only 3 yards, 11 inches......NOOOOOO! It is the perfect fabric. So, I purchase the fabric and piecing some of the woven blocks into it...I dislike doing quilting the matches the front and not the back...but I am going to attempt to please myself...in my dreams. More needs to be said on this subject, but I need to sew. So, this subject will be finished at a later time or place or date....whatever... 



Grumpy, have not found the time to sew in two days....:(
Believe it or not, I do other things besides sew! But, in the mean time, I have to think about what I am going to use for the back of the wall hanging I am presently working on. I will post a picture. I am trying to decide how I am going to sew the applique down. Choices, choices and I still have not really decided...straight stitch or applique stitch....hmmmm. That is tomorrows desicions.

This is not my usual design. I really prefer to make my own designs, rather than work from a pattern. The leaves were a bit difficult to apply. I even took pictures when I thought I was finished. That way I can study it without having to be in the room staring at it.  And I did end up adding anothe leaf. It was an area that looked, empty.

Happy Mothers Day!. Yesterday, was also my Birthday. I have always been moody around my birthday....is that normal. Or, am I just resenting the idea that I have to share my birthday with Mothers Day? But, then I have to stop and think about all the MEN that have a birthday on Mothers Day...what fun is that? Okay, end of birthday rant.
What has been going on in the sewing room..or is that a studio? Another question with endless answers.
Right now, I am working an applique wall hanging (pictures to come later). This one is from a pattern and in my minds eye I did not see it as big as it is in reality. But, in the end, it will be lovely...I just have to make a few adjustments. I find it difficult to stick to the original pattern. I have to make it my own.
Spent some time in the sewing room trying to make the applique look okay, finally decided that following the pattern was just not working. So, remove the entire project and start from where I think we should start. Now for a short break to get the mind back in order....and back at it.

A few years ago....my oldest daughter bought me an oriental poppy plant for Mothers Day. I have failed to kill it and it seems to thrive in the pot that it resides. It is in the pot to keep the husband from mowing it off. He has no concept of flowers. That is another subject. But this flower is the most beautiful. Gives you ideas of art. I have taken quite a few pictures...because each one is different.
So, I will bore you with the beautiful pictures:

 

 

See what I mean...they are gorgeous!

 

 

 

 





 

So, today I will be deconstructing the border on the above quilt. Not to worry, I don't have to removed the entire border. I just have to take the corners apart for a modification.
The entire time that I have been adding the borders and finishing the mitered corners, it just was not going together as I pictured it should.
I needed a friend to visit and give me some ideas that she thought would be a good fix for those corners. The problem lies with the size of the strip pieces in the border. And, then I think, that is so simple, why did I not think of that....duh. I was making it more difficult than it actually should have been. Even the fixes I came up with, looked to difficult to achieve.
A lesson learned, have someone else look at your project, maybe they have a fresh idea that will work. Or, another thing that I have used it to take a picture of it. It gives another dimension to the project. If color value is an issue, sometimes a black and white picture is what you need to determine that issue.
So, I am onto the job of correcting an error "in my mind!"
Hope you have a good day Sewing, I will!

Today, as I write my first blog...I am wondering where will this all lead. Hopefully, to some place that will strike the imagination in someone. That sewing is not just straight lines and folds. 
Yesterday, I finished a quilt top. It was inspired by all of the Modern Quilters who I follow and they have been making the Scrappy Quilts or Sweet 16 blocks. I am not one to just follow a pattern that is so easy. My mind wants to know..."what would it look like this way" or "maybe this way." So, I am looking at the even rows with 2" squares or maybe 4" squares. So, what came to mind, was to change one of the dimensions. So, I pieced strips sets of 2" and 3." Then cut those strips sets into 2" increments (you will need 4 strips). Flip every other row and stitch back together. Just make sure they are matching seams in the center. And, this is the end product. Added a 2" border and a 2" chain of strip sets...another 3" border. Now, at sometime I need to get in on the longarm...but not today! Another project is calling and I need to respond.