Virtual Quilting Weekend -- December 16-18, 2016
 

Welcome to Virtual Quilting Weekend. The next one will be January 15-16. What are you going to work on this weekend? Do you still have some Christmas presents to finish? Perhaps your sewing room needs to be organized so you start the new year off with a clean room (I should try this myself!). Or maybe you're ready to start a new project! Is there a UFO you want to complete before 2016 is gone? Whatever you're working, join us for a fun-filled weekend of quilting. I'm going shopping at a few quilt shops tomorrow then will hopefully finish a couple projects Saturday and Sunday.

I just finished all Christmas projects. This weekend I need to clean that wreck I call my sewing room so I can get gifts wrapped. Then on to anything fun without any time constraints.

I'll be working on Bonnie Hunter's MQ and some Christmas sewing. I need to finish a tree skirt and some stockings for the kiddies. Thanks for leading us on another VQW!

Finish quilting my tree skirt and my daughter's table runner, make a shoe bag for my son in law, then hopefully finish up my orange peel Christmas quilt. No one is coming until the day after Christmas so I feel like I'm going to get everything done in time.

I will be changing labels on quilts -- The boys saw the quilts hanging and liked different ones than I thought they would!

I've been away from my machine. Our temperatures are at a seasonal low and it's quite cold. My sewing center is stationed before a window with a wonderful city view. But the chill has left me stagnant. I'm in search of a small heater!

Organization is at the top of my list. I have some new quilting books from the library and I'm eager to pour through them. Sewing wise, I'll set things up for one of my projects. An early start coupled with a steaming cuppa will keep the cold at bay and encourage me to push forward.

I will sew along if I am ever home - Saturday is our family Christmas at my sister's lake house in Brown County (IN). But our DIL is waiting a call from her OB doc and may go in for delivery of my grandkid #4 this weekend and if that happens all bets are off.
Her due date is 3 weeks away but she is high risk and showing signs of pre-eclampsia so most likely will deliver sooner.

I have a lot of projects that have to be done for Christmas, and we are expecting a blizzard tomorrow afternoon - thru Sunday, so it will be wonderful to be able to just sew, sew, sew. Got lots of food in the house and a nice warm kitty, so what more could one ask for a great weekend?

I definitely intend to quilt, though I may forget to posts anything more about it! I need to finish a quilt for my MIL, who isn't doing at all well, so that's my priority. Then I'll try to get a border around the center of a king size quilt for my daughter and call it good for Christmas for her. Maybe she'll get it by June!

I also want to make, or buy and personalize, a stocking for my son's GF, who is Jewish. We're celebrating both Christmas and Hanukkah this year. I need to think about cooking next week!

Wishing all the best and a safe delivery for your DIL. She will be in my prayers this weekend. Please keep us posted on when the little grandchild is born:)

Thank you - I will!

I'm in--plan to finish these stockings tomorrow--struggled with the cuffs until I turned on my brain! And then need to see if my long arm is going to work--maybe having issues--sure hope not! Cause the other thing I need to get done before next Thurs is piecing lap size memory quilt for a customer--need to do 3 by end of Jan--only one cut out so far!

My Christmas sewing is done. I'll be working on Bonnie's mystery quilt. I decided to make a half size instead of quarter size. Still have to trim 16 of clue 2 and need to make 60 more of clue 1. I doubt that I'll get all of that done but it's on my to do list.

I'm in ......... hubby is after me to finish quilting his quilt so I'll be working on that. I'm at the half way point. And I should also be prepping some applique basket blocks (my forever project) since this Monday will be spent in doctors' waiting rooms. Hubby is in for cataract surgery and my oldest daughter will be having a MRI on her mid back, neck and head. Whee, I get to play taxi ........

I'm wishing this would give me the kick in the butt I need to get back into the studio after my foul up with basting my DD's quilt. It kind of pulled the desire rug out from under me. We'll see how I feel, how inspired I am, when I wake up tomorrow; hasn't been good so far this week.

Jan in VA

I thought I was done sewing for Christmas. Then I saw a post on microwave bowl potholders and decided I need to make a few as gifts. For my home too.

I'm working on a Grandmother's Flower Garden for someone. Their mother/gma started it and passed away before finishing it. I'm finishing it for her. It's already about 2/3 finished.

It's always so fun to see what folks are working on.

I'm done sewing for gifts, got a dozen tea towels shipped out. I'm rather tired of hemming edges now but have a couple to make for myself.
This weekend I'd really like to finish up a few 9-patches and then I'll be ready to start assembling my scrap quilt. I'm excited to start the next project but am disciplining myself to finish the one I"m on, no space to have multiple WIP here.
Next week I'm taking vacation and the week after is shut-down, so I have a couple of weeks of staycation! Looking forward to lots of sewing and cooking.

Of fun!

I started the morning cutting up batiks for a jewel box quilt. I have to be honest and say I'm not really a fan of batiks. I bought a lot of 1/2 yard and fat quarters for the AOH quilt, (way, way more than I needed) and after working with them a bit, I just don't like it. So I've had four small totes filled with batiks - and yesterday found the Jewel Box pattern, and decided it would be the perfect use for some of them.

I'm also cutting off chunks to send to a friend that likes them.

BH's clue 4 is out, so another item to work on.

But mostly - I need to spend quality time with my HQ. Last Sunday I spent all day putting together backings for all the floppies I had. I didn't think it would take all day, but I also did not realize I had 20 floppies! Some qualify as UFO's, so they get priority. Many I'll do an all over computer design, so they will go fast. I'll save the ones I want to do FM for later.

We also have a major winter storm coming in (8" of snow), so DH and I are ready to be stuck at home for several days. We live rural, and it's very likely the County won't get around to plowing the roads until Monday. We have a 3/4 ton 4x4 if we need to get to town. We're only 5 miles off the highway, and that does get plowed a lot sooner than the dirt roads.

I don't think I'll be quilting this weekend but I might make myself a little cotton top. I found this cute pattern a couple years ago at quilt fest. It had a box pleat in the front and when I made a sample out of old fabric, I couldn't get the pleat to hang straight (often a problem with pleats in the front of tops). I really like the collar and neckline of the top and was trying to figure out what to do when I saw a pic in a catalog of a top just like it without a pleat! I thought "Why didn't I think of that?" I pinned the pleat together on the sample and I can still get it over my head easily so I decided to take a quilting break and make this cute little top.

What good timing!! Our weather forecast is for a very very snowy weekend. I blew out the driveway yesterday and went into town for essentials. We will probably be snowed in by Saturday morning. I have a double batch of baked beans slowly cooking in the oven--smells heavenly already--and a batch of peppernuts ready to roll and freeze.

I have to finish hand sewing the binding on DD's quilt. I've been procrastinating. I also have about 3 hours work to do on a QOV top, and I would really really like to start on a giraffe baby quilt. Altho I'm wondering if I should do the Elephant one instead. Both patterns are from Sew Fresh Designs (here's a link to her Etsy shop https://www.etsy.com/ca/shop/SewFreshQuilts ) She was a speaker at our guild in autumn. Love her clean designs. The baby quilt needs to get done asap--baby is due Jan 2!!

Does she celebrate Christmas as well? Hanukkah falls quite late this year. Are you cooking both days or preparing dishes that you can enjoy for each?

I am wrapping the table runners for my 8 friends and trying to get in touch with all of them to meet next week on different days....hope the weather holds. Also, finishing the binding on a full quilt 90" x 105" that is red/white/blue on one side and Christmas quilt on the other side. Whew!!!

Yes, I'll be quilting this week-end. I'm working on Elizabeth Hartman's Lepidoptera Butterfly Quilt:[h=1]https://www.etsy.com/listing/463840728/robert-kaufman-fabrics-elizabeth-hartman?ref=related-3[/h]Not a whole lot, I have packages to wrap....but maybe in the middle of the night, when it is quiet, I will sew. Crinkling paper and noisy scotch tape don't do well when others are sleeping.

Jane - that is an awesome pattern! Adding to my bucket list!

Update on DIL - her labs came back normal so the doctor will see her at her regular appointment on the 22nd unless her blood pressure gets too high. No more working for her, that should help!

So back to sewing Clue 4 of En Provence for me!

SarahBethie, I don't really know what we're doing just yet. The kids have been enjoying sunny Mexico for the last 10 days (grrr!) and we haven't talked. The GF (Becca) has celebrated Christmas with us the last two years, but this is the first time Hanukkah has fallen so close to Christmas and we want to include her celebration as well. I hope she will do some cooking, and I will do some, and we'll worry about our waistlines next year!

I'll be making a pair of pajama pants for 6 year old GS. Found out GD's boyfriend will be here for Christmas this year, and didn't have enough flannel (bought last year on sale) for the additional pair. So found 4 matching pairs (at $8 each!!) for them (adult sizes) so bought an XL to use as fabric for the little one. They, of course, are not as well made as mine would have been, but they are wrapped already. Hope everyone accomplishes everything that they hope to. I think the weather is definitely going to make us want to stay in and sew!!

Linda in Missouri

Bought flannel on sale last year for matching pajama pants for the grandkids. It is expected now, and they always enjoy it. Granddaughter's boyfriend is coming this year, and I am short on fabric, so I went shopping yesterday and bought them! Had to buy an extra pair to use as fabric for youngest. That is what I will be working on this week-end.

Linda in Missouri

Sorry about the duplication -- thought I had deleted instead of posting.

Linda in MO

I will be putting my blue horse on the background fabric this weekend and (hopefully) getting it sandwiched.
If that goes well, I might take a stab at beginning a yellow and grey throw that I should be working on.

Watson

It been a successful day so far. I finished the Christmas stockings, some more Christmas ornaments and a treeskirt for our mini Christmas tree... Tomorrow will hopefully be just as productive:)

Uh-0h. What went wrong with the basting?

If I get a second wind after dinner, I'll start quilting the chemo quilt for my friend. Would love to get it to her ASAP. We're expecting a dip of temperatures, with some snow and ice overnight, then changing to rain tomorrow. Then much colder on Sunday. So, doesn't it sound like a wonderful weekend to stay in and sew???!!!

I was hoping to push pressure on myself to finish a baby quilt for my 4-month old niece by Christmas. However, my sister (her mommy) was just laid off and so was her daddy this week. Money has already been tight for them. I think instead of rushing to give the sentimental quilt, I'll relax and get something that's only practical (like diapers or something).

I finished cutting up the fabric for the Jewel Box quilt - and have a stack of batiks to send to my friend - and I'm down to 2 small totes of batiks left, so that is good. I used about 50 different fabrics for this - and probably have another 30 that I didn't use. That's the fun of buying fat quarter bundles - lots of variety!

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...psuvrdpxey.jpg

and I got started on clue #4 of the BH mystery.

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...psxgghsm0w.jpg

And so DH didn't feel neglected, a made a batch of sweet dough and made a pan of rolls and a dozen donuts. Here are the rolls - the donuts didn't last long enough to get a picture.

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...pstnwks19i.jpg

I also forgot to close the door to my fabric room - and Max took advantage. After all, quilts are for sleeping on, right?

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...psvqsenoim.jpg

I'm in! Last night, I finished sewing my Bonnie Hunter clue #3. I still need to press them open and swirl the seams. Then I can start on clue 4.

I tied a small fleece blanket this evening. One of the cats curled up on the fleece as I was tying it and both took turns laying on the fleece beside me waiting to be tied. Goofy cats.

I am not planning on going anywhere until 3:00 on Monday afternoon. We are supposed to get 5-8" of snow tonight and then winds increase and temp could drop to 20 below overnight Saturday.

It will be a good time to turn on the space heater in my sewing area and sew!

Connie

Hope everyone in the storms path stays safe and warm! Here it is supposed to rain tonight and tomorrow with temps rising to 50, only to drop back to the 20s on Sunday. It's a roller coaster winter so far!

I'm in! I want to start (and maybe finish?) a disappearing nine patch throw for my mom. It's going to be her Christmas/wedding present. I realize I'm cutting it close, but I won't see her until New Year's Day so I've left this project for last. I have one charm pack and I have cut the other 5 inch squares that I'm using to augment the charms. I'm planning to start tomorrow!

Love all the projects so far!

Finally decided to hand stitch the cuff on the stockings--some people in family have too long of name to have it fold over evenly--so will attach with a decorative stitch and embroidery floss. Work for tv time. Then started on the snowballs for the first memory quilt. As I was working on them realized there is NO WAY that I can get 3 memory quilts (twin size) out of the shirts and pants she gave me--had told her that may need to be adjusted big time and I was right. So go the snowballs worked on (have one more point yet)but decided I needed to cut the alternating blocks for the other 2 out of the pants that I had left before I cut more squares for the snowball corners. I think I will be using almost every thread I can eke out of these clothes for these 3 quilts! And also did some work on the long arm. Just practicing stuff for the quilt that will get worked on after Christmas--planning "heirloom" quilting. More work on memory quilts tomorrow--but also some wrapping of presents--the one thing I do NOT like about Christmas!

Margaret, you're fortunate to have some help. I haven't settled on a menu as of yet but the close proximity of each has its challenges. The lone certainty I have are latkes and fried dough. The rest is a toss up. I celebrate both holidays and it's nice to enter the new year in the right spirit. Enjoy your feast!