Tuesday, July 25, 2017

Yet Another Rug Started!

It feels like I haven't gotten all that much done over the past couple of weeks, probably because I am watching the Primitive Gatherings BOW bags pile up in the sewing room as I quickly fall behind! The weekend before last I worked on week #4 of the pieced and pieced/wool versions. Week #8 should be here on Thursday, so I am quickly losing ground! And I am even farther behind on the EPP version....I'm barely started on that one!

I also spent some time prepping more HSTs for Triangle Gatherings.


And then was able to catch up on the latest Triangle Gatherings blocks.


Almost immediately after I posted in the Facebook group that I was all caught up Lisa posted a couple more blocks. And then a couple more.  I am at least four behind now. I may have to prep more HSTs once I catch up on those!  My sense of satisfaction was definitely short-lived!

I am obsessed with quilts with lots of pieces. We had a very entertaining speaker (Gyleen Fitzgerald) at our quilt guild this month who began her trunk show with this beautiful antique quilt top:


And then this one showed up on Instagram last night:


I am so obsessed with quilts like these - lots of little pieces! A star quilt is on my "someday" list. I will have to live 100 years beyond retirement to finish all of the projects I have started, much less the ones I still want to start...

I spent last weekend in "Hooker's Heaven" - Janice's studio. This was my third workshop with Jayne Hester. I decided to really take advantage of her expertise in planning low contrast, very muted rugs this year. I usually push her out of her box doing things wth far more color and contrast. This is the fourth very large rug I have started in a little over a year - insane, I know - but I saw this pattern at Janice's and couldn't resist. 


After this picture was taken we decided the green stem was too strong - which is hard to believe if you see the color in person - and replaced it with a gray. I am in love with the colors in this rug!

I decided that I can't start any new rugs until at least next June when I am back at Janice's. I am setting a goal to finish at least two of these big ones before then. I am hoping to get back to hooking this evening if the thumb that I closed in the car door on Sunday cooperates. Yep, not the best ending to an otherwise fantastic weekend!

Wednesday, July 5, 2017

June UFO Status Update

It's that time again - this year is really flying by!  I don't have any pictures for my June UFO update, and technically no completions to report. While I should be reporting my Winter Stars (APQ UFO) complete as it was quilted and bound - and hung in our quilt show - I really need to redo some of the quilting along one edge where I had tension issues.  I had planned to put it back on the longarm over the long weekend but kept putting it off until eventually time ran out so I can't cross it off the list just yet.  I never even touched my Patchwork Times UFO - Sister's choice. I am keeping plenty busy with piecing my Primitive Gatherings SBOWs and decided to spend the long weekend focusing on those.

I have so many PG projects going that I had to get out the ironing board for more "table" space! I spent most of my four day weekend working on the pieced and wool SBOWs.  I have weeks 1-3 of the wool version and freebies pieced and prepped and weekss 1-2 of the pieced version completed.


I am completely in love with Starlite Skies (the pieced SBOW).  I am about half way through week 3. Not caught up, but not terrible. Week 5 should arrive this week.


I also managed to catch up with my Triangle Gatherings blocks. We are up to #48 now.  Unfortunately I used up all my prepped HSTs so I now need to make more before I get too far behind again.


I also managed to spend a little time on my latest rug since returning from all my travels.


I need to go through and put a plan together for the outside leaves. I think we had a plan and Janice has made quite a few notes on the border, but of course I have forgotten what they mean. It's always SO clear when we are discussing it that I am sure I will remember....not the case. My husband asked why I chose this design to work on...clearly that's his way of saying he doesn't like it....but I love it!  I am having fun with the background. I plan to keep working on this one for a while - at least until I start another new one with Jayne Hester later this month.  Arrghhh... I need to quit bouncing from one rug to another and finish something!

I have a head start on one of my July UFOs - I finished it in May! The other one, Magic of Christmas, is a bit more challenging. I only have a couple of blocks left but they are tough. Lots of cuting and tiny pieces. I need another four day weekend to motivate myself to work on that one!