Color, Color, Color!

So for the past few weeks I have been cleaning, purging and organizing. This center section was not  complete, but the other blocks that go along with it were sewn together just waiting for me. I remember when I was getting ready to pick out the fabrics for this, I was stumped and put it away. Sometimes I think that is a good idea rather than rushing it and not being happy with the result.
This is all machine buttonhole stitched matching threads as close as possible in case you were wondering.

Tried yellow first

The other lesson I have finally learned is that just because I sewed blocks together, if I don't like them I don't have to use them! I think we are all guilty of that at one time or another. They (the yellow) will be used somewhere else and will not go to waste. To me they were just too blah.

The Lipstick Pink on the other hand makes it sing! It also turns it into a cohesive quilt. I am excited to put this together after I make all those half square triangles.

This week our guild is having Demo Day and I am showing how to paper piece. Today I worked on some examples and got my things in order. It is a fun day and the members seem to enjoy learning something new, especially the new quilters.
Does your guild do something like this too?

Kelly

January Is Almost Gone!

Time is flying! I have been sewing, organizing and working on a whole bunch of different things! I made this baby doll quilt for my granddaughter, Brynn who will be 1 on Friday! We have had  a rough start as mommy is her favorite person and she never want to be away from her. We finally have made our peace and now she is happy to have me watch her!

I have not sewn a garment in a very, very long time. It wasn't bad but I need some work on my buttonholes. This is the geranium dress which is a pretty, basic traditional looking dress. I can't wait to see her running around in them this summer. She started walking at the end of 9 months, so she is a pro! It's so funny to see such a little munchkin running around.

This has been languishing long enough in my sewing room. I finished the binding and it will be in the Downingtown Library auction this spring.

I always have a book going. Sometimes even a really bad book. My pick for book club was a bomb! So bad I am not even telling you the title! This book Trials of the Earth was a wonderful easy read. It may not be for everyone but I enjoyed it for the simplicity.

If it's January it must be time to organize and clean out! My guild is having a silent auction in March and it was a good time to do it. My husband built me some new shelves for my closet and I was able to really organize things much more efficiently.

Here's the other side with my scraps, interfacing and fusibles in their individual containers.

I love this heavy duty shelving that I bought years ago. Wood shelves have a tendency to sway under the weight of the fabric and these do not get dusty. I bundled up many, many, many pieces of fabric for the sale. Now I can see what I have in there!

As you can see it is all ready to go! I love the feeling of getting rid of things I no longer need/want and giving them to others that will love them.

I also cleaned out my scrap basket and cut out some pieces for an ongoing quilt. I want to become more efficient of making use of my scraps.

My Go Cutter turned these into a usable pile that will make a perfect scrap quilt.

Here is the beginnings of the quilt. I am sewing the half square triangles together and then sewing them without paying attention to which way they are going. I want them random and may throw in some squares.

The good thing about cleaning out is finding projects you started. I made all these stars at last year's getaway. I am trying to decide if I want to finish as I originally intended or go another way....
On the left you can also see the progress of my temperature quilt. I am excited to start on February!

The arcs were from a workshop I took with Sara Bond. Her techniques and patterns are wonderful!

The getaway is right around the corner so now it is time to go make a mess in my nice clean room!

Kelly