Prairie Moon Organization Challenge

Pick one thing you've been procrastinating on organizing and just do it

So, there are probably so many thing that this could be.

I've been working on getting places cleaned up and cleaned out.

Going on a trip will require having someone stay here, so it would be nice if they could get around.

I'm thinking I would like to pick the desk, again.

The desk will be the school work along with all the things that migrate there.

Design Wall

My window design wall of Quilty Fun 

Jo's Club that should have been finished in April, but won't be.

It probably won't be finished until June. 

My Fall Blocks going together like a Gypsy Rose of my own design.

This is crazy to try and do, but I love puzzles, soooo.......

I only have a few more days at home, so I imagine this is what my design wall will look like for awhile.

Quilty Fun

I decided I didn't want to come home to having to do 3 blocks for Quilty Fun.

So, I did them.

The cocoa cups, trees and Quarter square triangles.

It feels good to get them done.

Another Challenge

OK, even though Prairie Moon has not been doing this challenge this year, I still wanted to try.

I've not been real successful, but maybe I can catch up later in the year.

These are those silly zippered pouches.

I can't say I like making them, but they are all cut out and the zippers ready to use.

So, I'll stitch them up and give them to Mom's nursing home to sell at their bazaar.

This is my May Challenge, but I'll not be home much to get them done.

I still have two of the other of these challenges not yet finished.

If I can focus, I should be able to get these finished.

OMG

So, we are headed out at the end of April, so I thought I'd post what my OMG will be in May.  

It has to be easy because we are gone most of the month.

All this really needs is to be sewn together and bound.

I can't believe I did not finish it.

I wonder if I should make it up and give as the June wedding gift (even though it is Christmas fabric)

I'll make it when we return home.

Too many things going on right now.

Wedding gift

So, I made 4 microwave bowl pot holders.

I need to give directions.

I made two sets of four coasters in the two colors.

I made two towels with the same fabric.

I made a microwaveable baked potato bag.

Put it all together and this is what you get.

Now to find a box to get it in the mail.

I think we are going to be gone for the wedding.

Only 1.6 yards of fabric used.

The coasters have UFO parts in them.

I had all the batting cut and the back pieces were cut.

Stash report

Judy has us keep track of what our stash is doing.

Used this Week:                                     6.23 yards

Used year to Date:                             133.63 yards

Total out of stash this Month (April)    110.00 yards

Gave away this year                           131.00 yards
Added this Week:                                  15.00 yards
Added Year to Date:                            31.25 yards
Goal:                                                  200.00 yards

Yards to goal:                                       66.37 yards

Net Used in quilts 2016:                     54.45 yards 

A couple of other fun facts are:

Prairie Moon is doing a 350 blocks challenge this year:
Number of equivalent blocks:               201

Perimeter in inches                               3210

Number of UFOs finished this year:   20.16

UFO Yardage Used                                50.12

Amount of yardage used in UFOs          92%

I had a friend give e fabric.  

Why does everyone think I need more fabric?

That's not really it, they don't want it anymore and it makes its way to my house.

I only kept a few yards and the rest will go to Tammy's church group.

I just need to get it to her.

I finished two quilts this week that have been hanging around a long time.

I'm excited that I have used some fabric and most of that has been for UFOs.

We are headed out of town for much of May, so I don't know what I'll actually accomplish in May.

if I can pull together some of my applique projects, I might be able to work on the tops and quilt when I return home.

We shall see what the week brings.

Cleaning

I opened a cabinet this morning and started looking at it.

How many baggies do I need?

How much freezer paper do I need?

Well, I organized it, combined boxes of things, sent boxes of gallon sized baggies to the kitchen, and 

Then you look and say, why are there so many tins in there?

I started saving them because they were metal and now they are plastic.

I'm trying to figure out nice ways to use them.

If anyone has any ideas, please let me know.

I did pull out two hiding UFOs that look like they might be almost done.

I'll have to add them to the listing.

I pulled two quilts to work on in July when I'm in Lubbock for DD's Band Camp.

I had not planned on cleaning this morning, but I'm glad I did.

I also inventoried my Go! Dies.

I won a couple in an auction.

I'd like to cut some things for the trip.

Of course, out trip has moved up a week and it gets us into a hotel on the Disney Property, so that is scary and awesome at the same time.

I thought I had an extra week to plan and work on UFOs and studio.

Why?

Do you ever start something again and wonder why?

Well, Gypsy Rose, or my version, was started again tonight.

I had the pieces there, I had some of the strips -- no jelly rolls here that would work.

I don't ahve the pattern, because I thought it was too expensive.

So, trying to figure it all out is rather interesting.
The other problem is the blocks are not all the "right" sizes, so it is more fiddling.

I was going to work on another project that wouldn't take that long, but....

Why?????

Dazzle

Dazzle is in a top form.

I hope I can get a backing put together for it and get this loaded to be quilted.

I love the colors, but the strange stars are not to my liking.

Nothing went together like I wanted it to.

Bright Pinwheels

Finished the binding on Bright pinwheels.

This is a cure little baby play mat.

I love the yellow border.

Bright Pinwheels

My bright pinwheels quilt is quilted.  

Very tiny, but it is off the machine waiting on binding.

I'll bind it in blue.

We have a doctor appointment tomorrow, so I should be able to get some of it done.

Prairie Moon Organization Challenge

Last week I decided to clean off the two shelves above my windows.

I actually paid DD to help me with it.

There was so much dust it was making me ill.

Maybe this will help

This long one was so full of dust. 

Yuck!

She took everything off, dusted it, and I helped to get them back up there. 

We did this one earlier in the week.

The teal container has all the cards and letters in it.

I feels better in the room to have them dusted.

Then, I cleaned behind the long arm and it looks better.

I think I need to re-vacuum it because of the dust that came off the long shelf.

So, this week is to revisit something we've done before.

I think I am going to pick work on paperwork.

I am doing better with it, but I do still have owners manuals for things I don't own anymore, so that will be the focus this week.

Olivia

I think this one is cute.

Olivia is finished and ready for washing and giving (when the right little girl is needing her).

Design wall Monday

The weather is horrible.

We do have to go out at noon, so I hope it is better then.

This is from my studio window. 

You can barely see the water tower. 

Not really a design wall, but the bright pinwheels is ready to quilt. 

I have one more row to put together and then the corners. 

This was the plan for the alternate squares, but I'm not sure I like it.

Feels like too much background.

I would really like these off the design walls this week.

Stash report

Judy has us keep track of what our stash is doing.

Used this Week:                                     6.99 yards

Used year to Date:                             130.39 yards

Total out of stash this Month (March) 106.77 yards

Gave away this year"                          119.00 yards
Added this Week:                                   0.00 yards
Added Year to Date:                            31.25 yards
Goal:                                                  200.00 yards

Yards to goal:                                      69.61 yards

Net Used in quilts 2016:                     48.21 yards 

A couple of other fun facts are:

Prairie Moon is doing a 350 blocks challenge this year:
Number of equivalent blocks:               180

Perimeter in inches                               2868

Number of UFOs finished this year:   18.16

UFO Yardage Used                               340.88

Amount of yardage used in UFOs          91%

I'm excited to be in the black again.  I found fabric to share, so it is going to a church group or making items to sell.

Making progress

I have the bag container in the corner and it takes up less room than the other things did.

In front of it is the red rolling bag with the good bags in it.

Next is a box I need to have some energy to go through.

On top of it is a box of my Dad's memories.

It has his rank changes and some old photos.

There are two containers of batting that will most likely be used for the pillows.

The purple bin has old ties if I'd ever want to make a tie quilt. 

It is all dusted and vacuumed.

I still need to clean off the long arm table and clean the long arm.

The curtains hold long term projects that I continually work on.

This area in front of the long arm is still a mess, but I ran out of energy.

That is for another day.

I found lots of stuffing for the pillows, so I think we are OK with what we need to make.

I tossed some machine parts for a machine I don't own anymore.

I got rid of another 12 yards of fabric that was hiding over there.

I think I might have a place for some of the yarn too.

Overall, it was a productive process.

I also have the binding ready to sew down on Olivia.

Making a mess

Mess Making

Do you ever get started on one thing and it leads to another?

Well, that is what is happening to me this week.

I have the challenge to clean off the who decorative shelves.

We have one and a half done.

DD is helping me because she doesn't like me to climb.

Oh the dust. :(

So, we are behind the long arm and I hate the mess back there.

So, we brought the bags out to put in the China container (it's round).

That led to me going through all the bags and finding one with mold on it.

Yuck!

That led to me looking at all the yarn under the long arm that has been rolling out of the wicker bin.

So, now I have a mess.

That round china container has lots of tote type bags, you know, the ones that are free.

It is FULL.

Do I need them? 

Sometimes I've used up to 30, so maybe/maybe not.

The white bin on top is full of lots of craft supplies that I don't have room for in the craft closet.

That should tell me something.

There is a red rolling bag that has some good larger totes in it. 

That bin to the left covered in the crocheted piece is full of yarn.

No good yarn, just yarn.

The blue square under bed container on the right is full of yarn too.

Now, it is not all over the floor, but contained.

I hope some of the places we volunteer can use yarn.

I'll donate it. 

This mess of batting is bothering me.

We are making pillow forms for a program this summer, and I imagine some of this will go to those.

Any case, I need to get it more organized and not behind the long arm.

I'm not sure what else I'm going to find back there, but it will be found.

DD is going to do the vacuuming for me. 

She is good at doing a detailed job of it, so that is a great help. 

So, before it is better, it is a MESS.

Olivia is quilted

All the tax stuff is in my studio, so I just decided to lay this over that mess. 

I did a flower to mimic the flower in the red fabric.

Now to bind it and one more baby quilt and UFO done.

I might have found a place to share my baby quilts with.

Prairie Moon Creativity Challenge

Divide a page into small sections and make daily drawings in the sections.

I've not been doing very good at this.

Maybe something small like that I can do.

Surprise

DH surprised me with ticket to Barry Manilow last night.

Dave Koz opened the show.

What an amazing Sax Player

Then Barry Manilow came on and played all the favorites.

It was a surprise with about 2 hours to get ready to go.

Thanks, DH for a wonderful night.

No sewing got done, but it was worth it.

barrel of fabric

I should have taken a photo of it full.

Old fabric, that I forgot I had.

I wonder where more is hiding????? 

This is what I'm giving away to Tammy's church group.

Next time we get together I'll pass it on, but I'm counting it out as of now.

40 lbs of fabric.

That's 120 - 160 yards.

I think I took credit for 119 yards of fabric.

This has put be back on more out than in. 

There were some large pieces of plaids (I'm lacking in plaids) and backing fabrics that were 100% cotton.

Band T-shirt quilt is done

It is bound and ready to delivery to the silent auction chair.

Clean off a shelf or clean out a drawer

Now, this could be anywhere in my room.

I have so many piles that don't even belong in here.

This shelf has card and who knows what on it.

I'll clean it off and organize it better. 

While I am up there, this is the shelf on the other wall.

I have no idea when I dusted it last, so I think I'll dust this and make sure it is organized well too.

Everywhere I look I see quilt patterns.

You know what I like looking for. :)

Austin, Texas

Spent the day in Austin, Texas.

We went to the Capitol and there were quilt designs all over the place

Judy has us keep track of what our stash is doing.

Used this Week:                           -19.22 yards

Used year to Date:                        41.22 yards

Used this Month (March)              -19.22 yards
Added this Week:                          27.50 yards
Added Year to Date:                     38.25 yards
Goal:                                           100.00 yards

Yards to goal:                              95.60 yards

Net Used in quilts 2016:              41.22 yards 

A couple of other fun facts are:

Prairie Moon is doing a 350 blocks challenge this year:
Number of equivalent blocks:               169

Perimeter in inches                               2606

Number of UFOs finished this year:   17.16

UFO Yardage Used                                36.89

Amount of yardage used in UFOs          89%

Mostly long arm quilting this week, and then a friend gave me yardage.

Very nice of her, but it sure messes up my totals.

I did find a barrel of fabric that I might be able to share with someone else.

I do have one binding that should get done this week.

Hoping that the two I have ready to quilt can be quilted and reduce my negative number.

Quilting Group

A few of us were there, but I didn't get photos of what they were working on.

Most were getting quilts ready for binding and cutting.

These are the UFOs I worked on

Stashbuster #16 is a cute little baby quilt.

I have the backing ready for it.

My OMG (One Monthly Goal) is Olivia 

I love the way this turned out.

Next was my split Quarter Square Triangles, which was my #11.

The star was bigger than the pillow form, so I made a flange on it.

I might need to stuff the points a bit, but it is another UFO finished.

So, I have two more of my own quilts to quilt.

That will wait until we return from our vacation.

How to make a flat border

My friend Lorena wanted help in doing flat borders.

So, she talked me into doing a video.

She has posted it on her site A Thread of Scarlet.

I can only say, I have crazy eyes.  LOL

But, if you need help with making flat borders, go check it out.

Tidings

Finally, the binding is done.

This one has been a long time coming.

It has put be in the positive used number.

Now to find more fabric to depart my home.  LOL

Prairie Moon Creativity Challenge

Set yourself up for being more creative.

Maybe for me that would mean getting my space in better order.

I have a stack of bags that sit in the corner and they are bothering me.

I found lots of material in a barrel that I need to go through and then figure out what I can do with the barrel.

I was wondering if the barrel would hold those extra bags/totes.

I'm not sure it is big enough or would work, but maybe I can find a solution.

Toys

So, whenever I bring anything into the studio, I worry about where to put it.

I guess I'm doing better about using what I have, because after removing one pillow form, this is how the cabinet looked.

I have space for the Go! and dies. 

I had to play with the dies.

It was fairly easy to use.

I can see how it could get tiring, but it worked and that is a good thing. 

I cut hearts, flowers, stems and circles.

I know I'll want more dies, but that can wait for now.

Wish there was a way to purchase them for less. 

After folding up the GO!, it fits nicely on the bottom shelf and allows the door to close.

I had to move my ribbon making supplies to the top shelf.

I found more ties for that tie quilt that I want to make but hate taking them apart,.==. 

The heat press will not fit in the studio.

This is outside the master bedroom and under that window is the window seat my UFOs are stored in.

So, it is not that far away, but I'm beginning to take over more of the house.

I'm not sure that is a good idea, but until I figure something else out, it will work.

Everything is put away in its place.