Tuesday, January 31, 2012

A Plethora of Projects

(I love the word plethora.)
When I was making Lori's "Pink Lemonade" I made a few extras of the red Shoo-fly blocks. I needed a runner for my hutch to blend in with the Valentine's Day decor, so I pulled out those little blocks, made a couple more, and put this together.
I will call this one Raspberry Lemonade.
I think I want to quilt the center with the paisley heart design I saw on LuAnn's blog. She was kind enough to send me the link to Leah Day's tutorial for this design. I will bind it with the red I used in the setting squares.
I finally quilted my Itty Bitty Primitive Pinwheels. The one at the LQS was quilted in a straight line grid and I couldn't see a better way to do it. You can see the pattern more clearly on the back. 

My lines aren't perfectly straight, but it will do. Now I need to choose a binding and get it finished. I already have a home for it. For Christmas my oldest son gave me a shelf unit he knew I wanted for my sewing room. Can you see the picture sitting on top?
Next to the shelves is the cabinet to my Mom's 60-year-old Bernina.
 I can see that I need to trim the dangling threads from those flimsies
hanging above the shelves!
That was a gift many years ago from my youngest daughter. I love it, but have never had a place to display it that I felt did it justice. Now I do and I want this little pinwheel mat to go beneath it.
This picture is a print of "Hands of Time" by Liz Lemon Swindle. I love her artwork. Enlarge it and get a good look.
Rocky Mountain Christmas is coming along. It is still kind of a background project. Mentally I have divided it into 12 sections, and I have 4 of them assembled. 

I take one section, put it on my largest design board and take it to the cutting table. I trim up any corners that didn't turn out as straight as they should have and then take it all to the sewing machine. I web this section, sew the rows together and place it back on the wall. All of this takes very little time, so when I have a few minutes and don't want to think too hard about what I am doing I work up another section.
I'm in the cutting stage of another quilt. I've decided to make another Primitive Gatherings Picnic Quilt from the rest of my Kansas Trouble fabrics. This is the quilt that was my secret at Christmas because it was a gift for my oldest daughter and her husband, but this one is no secret.
I have jumped on board Randy's "The Farmer's Wife Sow-A-long." The particulars, as far as we have them, are found at the end of her post if you click here. My book came in the mail today. 
I'm a little nervous about keeping up, but I am anxious to try! I'm thinking I will make it from my shirt stash and call it The Farmer's Wife Cut up His Shirts. I don't know--that title is still a work in progress. Maybe I will go crazy fussy cutting all those plaids (you know I will have to do that), and give up on them, but I think it would be really cool, and different, in the plaids.  Okay, I know I already have two plaid projects going, but I just love plaid fabrics in quilts!
I've rambled long enough. Until next time,
Keep stitchin'
Janet O.

ETA: I forgot all about linking up my FMQ challenge project, until I saw Denise's link on her post today. Thanks Denise!
Here is my effort, feeble though it may be. I feel like I have regressed in my ability because I haven't been practicing regularly. Hopefully that will change soon--more to come. : )
I had tension problems this time--which I don't usually, my motion seemed anything but free, and I kept running into the pins. Talk about not seeing the obvious!! Lovely, it is not, but finished, it is! And now for the link.




28 comments:

  1. oh no now I want to make another one in red and pink!
    too cute.
    Love the picture with the quilts next to your moms machine....how special...
    I love plaids in quilts too, this one is going to be a beauty
    Kathie

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  2. I agrre with Kathie above! I love your raspberry lemonade! So cute!
    Your shelving unit looks so nice..love that picture! Beautiful Bernina cabinet!

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  3. I like the word "plethora" too. I throw it into conversation every now and then.
    I like your Raspberry Lemonade runner. Valentine's Day colors. I just poppped over to see the free motion quilting design you mentioned. That will work well.

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  4. That picture is gorgeous, Janet. Good luck with The Farmer's Wife; she made me crazy a few years ago. I finally finished a project based on TFW, but I had a lot of frustration with the template thing and ended up making other blocks to replace them. Here's my finished effort: http://nancynearphiladelphia.blogspot.com/2010/11/eat-sew-laugh.html

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  5. All your projects are great, but I do especially like the stars. What a wonderful scrap project and yours looks wonderful. Thanks for the peeks at your works in progress.

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  6. Well, you are busy...that's a lot of projects! And, they are all wonderful. I'm keeping an eye on the Farmer's Wife QAL - I have the book. Now if I just had the time!

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  7. I fall in love with everything you make....it happened again today and then you shared your photo of the sewing cabinet...and quilts...oh my word..loving it here!

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  8. What a beautiful plethora! I think I love a churn dash no matter what color.
    What a lovely picture. I love your little sewing shelf.

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  9. You weren't kidding when you said a plethora of projects, were you?!? I love your Itty Bitty Primitive Pinwheels piece. It's just darling and will look wonderful in its new home!! :)

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  10. Raspberry lemonade is perfect!!!! Rocky Mountain Stars is coming along great - what a treasure. Glad you are jumping in on the FW SAL! I know she said 6 a month (and I'm way a head) but it will be so fun to see each others blocks!!! Plaids sound wonderful. The sewing room shelf, quilts, pictures, sewing machine are all priceless!!! What a treasury!!!

    Have a blessed week!

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  11. Love this post! SO much to see :c) Why not call the Farmer's WIfe quilt....just "The Farmer's Shirts" Or..the Farmer MINUS his shirts...LOL!!

    I found the only good way to save a shirt that I brought home form the goodwill for my own use..without someone else STEALING it first...was to cut off ONE sleeve..LOL :c)

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  12. Glad you got your Farmer's Wife Book! I have been reading the stories in the front before going to sleep the past few nights. Do you have a large stash of Shirts? I've not seen a Pile of them. Glad you're having fun with all your projects. I've got most of the same ones going ---darn Blog-hopping does that to me!

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  13. Plethora's are great!
    You are on the ball already thinking of Valentine decor!
    All fabulous projects ;-)

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  14. Janet - You've definitely been busy! I've had the Farmer's Wife book for ages and never made anything from it yet - might have to check out the link you shared.

    BTW - I have a picture of my finished Temecula Quilt project on my blog - along with a plethora of other ones I've made recently.

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  15. Oops! I just realized that you've already seen the little quilts I posted - sorry 'bout that!

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  16. I love your Raspberry Lemonade quilt, Leah Day's paisley hearts will be perfect, she is a quilting whiz! The print with the hands of time is stunning, I think you have found the absolute perfect spot for that tiny twister too! Good luck on your FW blocks, I want to do those too, one day... one day! Plethora is a great word, and certainly apropos for your post today!

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  17. Love your quilts and the wee picture, so cute. Your quilting coming along great.....as they say : PPP....Practice, practice, practice!

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  18. Great projects; I really like your quilts & your blog!

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  19. Great projects. I love your red table runner. Now I wish I had been part of the Pink Lemonade QAL. Love yours.

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  20. Great post Momma! I like the name Raspberry Lemonade...you know I'm partial to raspberries! You already know what I think of your cute little mini!

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  21. The raspberry lemonade is perfect. I would leave it up long past Valentine's Day.

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  22. Sew many beautiful projects. It's amazing when we sit down to see how much we actually accomplish and you have been down right busy..

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  23. I think your leaf quilting looks good. Have you seen my tip about using hair spray on your batting instead of the 505 adhesive spray? This would elliminate the need for your pins.

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  24. Can't wait to see what you do with the Farmer's Wife. I've collected a few of my son's and husband's shirts. Love your Raspberry Lemonade. Your Itty Bitty looks good quilted. You are such an inspirtation.

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  25. WOW! I love what you did on Lori's QAL! They are adorable!! And your other projects look fabulous. No wonder you're worried about keeping up with the Farmer's Wife...you've got LOTS of sewing to do. I know you'll do GREAT, though! I love the idea of the cut up shirts!

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  26. Everything is beautiful as always, even with dangling threads. I love, love Raspberry Lemonade! "Hands of Time" brings back so many childhood memories of special women in my life who have inspired my love of quilts. I know you'll be able to keep up with the Sow-A-Long...have fun!

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  27. I must say this soft red version of the Humble Doll quilt sure is pretty.

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  28. Ohhhhh...Farmer Wife! I'm trying so hard NOT to order that book! LOL! I don't need another project but I do love that pattern.

    Your little quilts look lovely. You seem to stay so busy.
    Kristie

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