Merging Blogs

I found my old blog after I re-started this one!  After a few weeks of trying out both, and fussing and worrying, I've decided to stick with the new one = This One!     In one go I'm going to add some of the photo's that were posted on my old Blog (OakLane Quilts and Things), so here goes!

The first one is another photo of the Sprocket Cushions I made as gifts for this past Christmas.  I wrote up about them on my post "Cushions for Christmas 2015"   where I link them back to the Cluck.Cluck,Sew tutorial that I first saw them on.   These are somewhat finished, only the center "buttons" missing.

The following photo's are of some of the quilts I made before "Going Into Hibernation"... so they are a few years old, but I still like them very much.

this is Flower Boxes IV... I made it back in 2007, when doing improvisational quilting was still looked at as "weird".  By far, this was the FUNNEST quilt I have ever made - no pattern, just pick the colours and go!   FYI:  there are no other quilts of mine called "Flower Boxes I, II, or III"... I just decided to start with the number "IV"... and WILL continue on this summer with new ones numbered "V", "VI", etc!  

This photo is taken from Poppies, another fun quilt to make; I enjoyed the colours in this quilt and had not thought of combining them together before (yellows, soft greeny-blues, etc).  I loved the border fabric and just went with that....  

Another shot of Poppies: I only put the poppy fabric on 2 sides... loved the wonkyness of it.  I made this quilt in 2006 or 2007....

This one is called "Who Threw A Monkey Wrench Into The Works?"   A medallion type quilt that uses the Monkey Wrench block to build upon itself, with other blocks surrounding them.  I will never make another quilt this big again!  Never!     This is only a small view of the quilt, its needs a picture of the overall quilt which I will attempt to add soon. 

The next photo is taken from my quilt "Flowers for Vincent". I just started sewing log cabins and it grew.   One of my favourites! 

Scraps

I have a hard time throwing away scraps of fabric that I think one day, will be useful.  Today I took some of my smallest scraps and started to sew them together.  In a few days I'll be able to see what, if any, progress I have made.  

When I cut fabric, I put the bits into a small basket that I keep for sorting through later. 

Organizing My Quilting Space

It took days to get my quilt room more organized, but it certainly needed to be done.    Now most of my fabric is on shelves (though some still in boxes, gulp!), my quilting tools and rulers located and organized, and everything else relatively tidy.

I use this table as a surface, but it also doubles as an ironing board;

 I just put down a bit of older cotton linen, folded,  on top that I keep for this purpose.  I prefer ironing on a "hard" surface rather than a "cushiony" surface, and in our household, the only ironing that occurs is if I need to do some ironing of quilt seams or quilt fabric.

My sewing tables are 2 ikea tables, easy to clean and move.   One of my 2016 projects is to make proper sewing machine covers.

I placed the sewing tables so that I could look out to the back garden, which doesn't look too great at this time of year.

I was able to fit a small couch in the room, where my trusty and loyal fans (my 2 terriers) can sit when they want to join me.  Its a great addition and it also means that my husband can brings in mugs of coffee or hot chocolate to sit and share with me.  Hmmm... it looks like I still need to clear the couch off, yet this is an improvement, trust me!

Both of these cupboards hold fabric and projects.   I have promised myself that I will NOT buy any more fabric during 2016 until I have Significantly Reduced The Amount of Fabric I already possess.

I'm not entirely sure how successful I will be, but I am determined that my output this year will be awesome and my current fabric stashes will be drastically reduced.  I am so looking forward to making that happen too!

Sprocket Cushions for Christmas 2015

Courtesy of Cluck, Cluck, Sew, I made  2 Sprocket Cushions for 2 sweet little girls I know for Christmas.  Well, the cushions were a hit and the girls love them!  I am so happy to give them something they want to use.  They even took them on a small ski vacation they took the week after Christmas.    Their mother is making them coordinating quilts which will be done later this month.

The pillows were great fun to make!  As the Cluck, Cluck, Sew Tutorial promised, they are very easy to quickly sew and make.

They are a bit contagious!  I found myself wanting to make more but I had to restrain myself in order to keep to my pledge "Don't Bite Off More Than You Can Chew" that I am trying to maintain.  In fact that is one of my motto's for 2016, however I do plan to make more of these, they make great gifts!

At Last, its ready to send

Here is a pic of the quilt I just finished....folded on my chair at work



The blocks are 8 inches square, finished.  The pattern is a Broken Nine-Patch - sort of!  I cut out squares and then made the individual 4 pieces per block first, then exchanged 2 of the cuts from one block with 2 from another block.   Its the 2nd time I've done this and think its a tad more fun that sewing up a 9-patch first.

It is for a family member, promised many years ago. She picked the colours, generally.


This project occupied my brain - and a slot on my "To Do List", for 4 years and 361 days, plus or minus a day for a leap year. Soooooo,  that totals up to 1821 days of a quiet, stressful obligation that I only had myself to blame. YIKES!  

Note To Self:  Never under any circumstances, tell anyone you want to make a quilt for them.  By doing so you have just given yourself a job (a deadline) and given them an expectation.  Instead, just make them a quilt, and surprise them with it when its finally done!   They won't know if it took you 6 days to finish, or 6 weeks to finish, or even 6 years to finish.... and Bonus: you don't even have to finish it!

Its being shipped as I type; I hope she likes it!

UPDATE:  She loves it!!  Soft and Cozy and the colours look good in her living room.  That makes me happy :)