Binding with Love ❤️

I really don’t know how I get any work done.  Here I am getting the binding ready for the Star Trek quilt and I have to battle this kitty trying to turn my arm into a pillow.   I don’t mind too much though. Just like my quilting.... my animals keep me sane. 

I am asked all the time.... “How long does it take you to do a quilt?”  And the answer is that I don’t know. Each one is different.  Some of them take so much planning that it could be years, like this Star Trek one for example.  I really wanted it to be something that was usable and not an eye sore.  (To be honest....  I think I did it).

I finished the binding last night....  it took me three evenings of hand sewing - which I call binding with love.  So now I know approximately how long it takes to finish the binding on my average size quilt....  around 64x72 or so.  

So my uncles quilt is done....  I have 8 days to hand sew the binding to my Aunties!  I’m feeling good about being able to finish!  I can’t wait to see them and give them their quilts!

I will post full pics later.....  (I wish I had a professional photographer for my quilts!!)

Happy June and happy Friday!
I am linking up with crazy mom quilts --  Thanks for stopping by!

“The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.”   Exodus 14:14 NIV

Inspiration

What inspires you????

I’ve been working on a Star Trek quilt and it made me think.....  I am not a Trekkie.  I would never even look at Star Trek fabrics if it weren’t for my inspiration. Several years ago I had a conversation with my favorite Uncle and my quilting came up. Somehow we ended up talking about the type of quilt he would like. I knew that a sports themed quilt would be great as he loves both the Raiders and the A’s but I knew I wanted to do something he couldn’t buy at the store or get online.  That’s why I decided on the Star Trek quilt!  I had seen a couple of Star Trek fabrics and figured I could figure something out. I found a few in the local stores, my mom found a couple at one of her local stores (thanks mom), and I got one of my favorite ones for the quilt online.   I picked a pattern that I saw online that was used to make a Trekkie quilt.....  it’s from Camelot Fabrics. This picture I found online and it was taken at a quilt show but I’m not sure when or where but there is a tag on the pic listed below. 

I’ve had these fabrics saved up for awhile as I wasn’t super excited about the fabrics still....  but I had to work on it since I finished my Aunties top already (hers is flowers and pretty colors- she is NOT a Trekkie).  

So as I laid out the squares and made sure the colors I picked would work for my brain (since my brain has issues).  I started thinking how even when I’m not inspired to create, I still love how it turns out. I had this same thing happen with the fall quilt I did. 

So....  what inspires me???  Color, characters, one specific fabric, and even a pattern quilted by my long armer. But I think most often I am inspired by a person. I am inspired by the love of others and that makes me want to create something special for them....  like one of my very first quilts that I made for my great grandmother. 

In the case of the Trekkie quilt it is not the fabric, the colors or the pattern that will be quilted on it but the person who will cover up with it even if he is not cold!  I look forward to finishing up the quilts for the best Auntie and Uncle ever!  I’m sure I will have more bragging to do when I post the final pics!!  

“Live long and prosper.”

Donate Quilts

So these quilts were made years ago to be donate quilts for QFK. I made them.... then folded them up into ziplocks along with the backing and the binding, cut and pressed just waiting to be quilted.  Problem was that I didn’t like doing the quilting myself.  So they had to wait for just the right moment. Last July, my super amazing long arm quilter asked me if I had any quilts she could test a new machine on. I was excited at the opportunity to let her finish these however she pleased.   The only problem was that I never saw them finished.  She had an urgent need to get them done and had them bound by her worker bees. They went to Project Linus and I am hoping to do a few more this year for them as well. I am a little disappointed that QFK was not more open to keeping new members. Maybe it was ment to be.   

If my memory is correct these were completed last October.  I’m not counting these as my completions even though they were officially completed in 2017.   

“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”

‭‭Romans‬ ‭12:2‬ ‭NIV‬‬

http://bible.us/111/rom.12.2.niv

Let’s see how this works....

I really hope this works!!!  I have so many things to post about but have not been able to because the stinkin app to upload pictures doesn’t work anymore. Blogs without pictures are just no fun!

It's Another New Year

My favorite quote!

Amazingly, another year has gone by.  I knew that I set a lot of goals last year so I figured I better look back and see how my year went.  I knew that I didn't hit the goals that I set, but I thought that I did a bit better than I did.  As much as I love my Mary Poppins quote, I am definitely not perfect.

Number 1 and 2....  My first two goals were only half met.  I posted two of the four quilts that I made in 2016.  I really need to post the last two.  And I did not meet my goal of making more than four quilts in 2017.  I will get to that when I set my new goals for 2018.

Number 3....  As far as my clutter goal goes, it was worked on but still needs work!  This one may be a goal that will never be met as I have issues with getting rid of things.  And every time I think I have made progress my husband finds more boxes for me to unpack.  Overall I feel like I am still better than I used to be.

Number 4....  I did horrible at going to the gym.  I don't think I went at all!!!  I officially cancelled my membership in November.  The good news is that I am pretty sure my weight stayed the same - no gain is a good thing!  We have invested in a new elliptical type machine for the new year so we will see how that goes.

Number 5....  We went out and did archery a few times.  Not as often as I like but still something that I enjoy.

Number 6....  I did alright on this one.  I think...  I have been a bit better at cooking and keeping the house clean.  I just wish I was better at it.  Cooking is definitely NOT my gift.

Number 7....  Not too bad!  I had 8 posts in 2017.  Better than other years!!!  And the fact that I have plenty to post about is good!!  I just need to make the time.

Number 8....  I will never be good enough at this one!  I will have to continue working on a plan to get better at this one.

So....  goals for 2018:

Number 1....  Finish posting the quilts that are complete!  Catch up from last year and don't get behind with this years!!

Number 2....  Meet the goals of finishing quilts!!!  My mom and sister both surpassed my goal of 5 for the year.  And I know that they will again next year!  I just don't set enough time aside for myself.  I have plans for way too many!!  I have cut fabric and started several projects last year and the year before.  I need to finish some of these!!  Pics below.

Number 3....  Get to working out!!

Number 4....  Continue cooking, and start taking lunch more often instead of eating out all the time.  At least 2-3 of the days.

Number 5....  Be a better hostess.  Starting with the superbowl party.  Plan and cook without complaining!!  LOL!  I don't know if I can do this one....  but that is what goals are for!!!

Started in 2015 - Still not done!

Started in 2017 - Top is done - just needs to be finished.

Cut and ready to sew!

Half way done with cutting!  For my favorite Auntie!

Challenge quilt still not finished.

Not cut yet but getting ready for my favorite uncle!

This is fabric for one of my most ambitious quilts to be done this year.

Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.  No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, god lives in us and his love is made complete in us.   -1 John 4:11-12

Fall Fancy - Finally Finished

Fall isn't over yet.....  I am counting this quilt as finished in time!  Even though Thanksgiving is next week!!!!  I put this quilt together after starting the challenge with my mom.....  For some reason, I decided that a bag full of scraps that was handed from person to person to person was more important than the challenge quilt that I started in the first place.

The funny thing was that I didn't even like the fabrics.  I put this together and got it to my longarm quilter almost immediately and she was full of complements as always and made me feel like I am an amazing quilter (hee hee hee).

I decided that I would keep this quilt that I would call Fall Fancy!  I started on the binding and got tired of having a quilt on my lap so I put it away and kind of forgot about it til it was almost too late.  I finally got around to packing up my little bag of goodies and taking it to my son's judo practice and it only took me two nights to put the last of the binding on.  I get to enjoy this Fall Fancy quilt for another week before I put is away and break out the Christmas quilt that I have yet to post about!!!

So....  I typed this all up and then totally forgot to post it!  Oops!!!  Better late than never!!

Summertime's Over

My niece and I comparing toes.

I have decided that I sew a lot more during the colder months!  The weather in the Bay Area takes a lot longer to change.... It's supposed to be 92 here in San Jose today.  I can't believe that summertime is over already - even though it's still hot outside!  I look back and wonder where the time has gone. 

I haven't done well on keeping my goals so far this year.  I am hoping to finish at least one more quilt before the end of the year and maybe even some pillows to match the Christmas quilts that I finished last year and have yet to post about!  I keep thinking that if I write my goals down, that I will accomplish more.  I am thinking that it doesn't really work! 

Till I log in again.....


Romans 3:23-24   "...for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus."