OMG - December :)

Here's a quick drive-by post because my oven is going to beep in a few minutes to tell me that my turkey is finished cooking, lol.  I checked it a few minutes ago and it needed about 10 more minutes, so it's a good thing I type fast!  ;)

My goal for OMG this month is to actually finish the quilt I've been working on. I posted a picture last month of the progress I had made in November, which was to finish the last 2 (of 9) blocks, to QAYG them, and to trim them down to size.  I actually got the entire quilt top put together in November, so this month's goal is to buy the fleece for the backing, then birth and tie this puppy so it's ready to be donated :)

Posting this to the December goal setting party here :)

OMG for November - completed :)

I've been working on a dinosaur D9P (disappearing 9 patch) quilt for OMG since I joined it last month.  This month's goal was to finish the last 2 of 9 blocks, quilt them (QAYG), and trim them down to size.  Mission ACCOMPLISHED :)  I not only got all the blocks finished and quilted, I also got them stitched together, so I now have a quilted quilt top ready  to be birthed and tied :)  I hung it on the clothesline to get a picture - it's currently 3C out there with the windchill (feels 37F) :D  It was a mite nippy to be out there in t-shirt and sandals, lol.

D9P quilt back

D9P quilt front :)

I suspect that finishing the quilt will be my OMG for next month :D  If you have a "quilt related goal" that you need a gentle kick in the butt to work on ... I suggest you try this challenge - my fabric would still be hidden in a drawer NOT being a quilt top, had I not decided to try this :D  Thanks Heidi for starting OMG, and to Patty for continuing it!  Posting my photos to the November finish link-up party here :)

OMG for November - my goal, and OMG's new home :D

Last month was my first attempt at the OMG (one monthly goal) challenge, hosted by Heidi at Red Letter Quilts :) Starting this month, Patty at Elm Street Quilts will be the new hostess for this challenge, and I'm ready to get cracking :D Here's my November entry, involving a dinosaur D9P quilt.  Last month my goal was to cut out the squares and start on the blocks (and I reached my goal - cutting done, 7 of the 9 blocks assembled).  This month I want to finish the last 2 blocks, QAYG quilt them, then trim them down to the correct size.

D9P blocks 8 & 9 ready to be assembled

Left = the 7 blocks ready to be quilted.  Right = the batting cut out for the 9 blocks, and the squares for the two last blocks to be assembled.  

I found the last of the pictures of my  Halloween finishes for this year - skeleton puppets for several of the neighbour kids and for some greats (niece + nephews), along with bat finger puppets that either got tucked into cards, or tucked into treat bags :)  This is 2 different sets of skeletons - on the first set I had forgotten to stitch the mouth on before sewing the pieces together, so I had to draw them in with permanent marker (I wasn't happy about that!).  On the second set the mouths are stitched on - a much nicer look, in my opinion :)

Skeleton Hand Puppets (pattern here)

Another set of skeleton hand puppets (pattern here)

Bat finger puppets (pattern here)

AHA, lol - I forgot about this little guy that I made either in September or October ... a simple bunny hand puppet made from a washcloth!  I sent him off as part of a Christmas gift for a great nephew :)

Bunny bathmit hand puppet - tutorial here :)

Posted to OMG for November :)

OMG for October - progress report :D

Earlier this month I decided to try out the OMG challenge/linky, to get some projects done that have been planned in my mind, but not even started.  I decided on a dino D9P quilt - here's what I posted as my goal for this month:

"For October I'd like to get started on a toddler size Disappearing 9 Patch (D9) quilt with some fabric I bought on sale a few years ago ;)  Since October is a big month for Christmas sewing, I'll aim for cutting out the block pieces, and assembling some of the blocks (4 maybe?)."

I'm happy to report that I achieved - and even surpassed - my goal, and finally cut into the fabrics and got started on a quilt :)

One of the D9P (Disappearing 9 Patch) blocks :)

I got 7!!! blocks done!  So pleased :D

Because I was doing a lot of Halloween and Christmas sewing earlier this month (plus I've been feeling not-so-well :D) I set my goal low - to cut out the blocks, and to MAYBE get 4 done.  I did get the fabric cut (81 X 6.5" squares - not exactly the most time-consuming of goals, lol) and got 7 of the 9 blocks needed, assembled.  The other 2 are laid out on the cutting table ready for stitching - after everything is cut, each block takes less than 1/2 hour - it's very VERY simple sewing, with very little matching needed ... which is why I like the block so much, lol.  

I'm definitely joining OMG again next month - Heidi's non-aggressive KITB (kick in the butt!) is just what I need - especially at this crazy busy time of the year.  Thanks Heidi!

Posting this to the October OMG finish linky party :)

Monday Makers #1

My bloggy friend Vera posted today about a linky party that has just started today - it's called Monday Makers!, and basically, we get off of our duffs and start something creative on Mondays - in my house that would be housework.  NOT!!  Of course it would be SEWING, lol!  So I hunkered down in my dungeon sewing room and picked some projects to work on during the next week.

Future D9P quilt :D

 First up is a strawberry D9P (disappearing 9 patch) quilt that I've been planning for a while to work on.  The blocks will be made from those 3 prints, and the backing is the pink gingham.  I started cutting out the squares, and will work on this one slowly over the next month or so.

Next up are some superhero capes for some kidlets I know - these are planned as Christmas gifts :)  The orange fabric will be the backing for all 3 of them.  I got monkeys cut out today. 

I decided late tonight that I needed another project, as hubby and I are headed Stateside this weekend and I need a project to work on in the car.  This will be a zipper pouch with a tiny little fox cross-stitched on the outside using waste canvas.  The fox is only about an inch square on 14 count cloth - I should certainly be able to complete it in the car on the drive to Niagara Falls :)

Posting to:  Monday Makers! #1 :)  Vera, I hope you'll be participating next week!  ;)

Cleaning off the desktop photo uploads :D

Here are a few pictures I needed to clear off of my desktop - this is my latest QAYG D9P quilt under construction - I purchased 6 x 1/2 yard cuts of fabric a few years ago, and decided to use them up.  I have 8 of the 9 blocks finished that I need (positions 4 and 5 have 2 blocks each, although it's hard to tell) - once I get the 9th block done I can start the quilting.  I have enough of thefabrics left over to make scrappy binding for the quilt - it'll be toddler size (approx. 50" x 50").  The backing will be that dark pink that makes up the little squares in each block :)

I haven't figured out yet how to do a slideshow, so here are photos of more May finishes - most of these were "use up the last of the fabric" type of projects :D

Gnomes ... and a free bonus ;)

QAYG D9P quilt finished a few weeks ago.  Backing is the same red as the binding.  This is for a little girl who is turning 3 in the summer :)

 And now a free bonus - for today only!!  It explains well why cats will one day rule the earth ;)  It auto plays music so if you're at work or the baby (or hubby) is sleeping, hit mute first :D

Another toddler quilt finish - colour me happy :)

Here are a few October finishes - I've been mainly working on these toddler quilts, and haven't done much of anything else!  #6 is now underway and should be done by the end of the month - then I can concentrate on non-quilt projects :D

QAYG D9P quilt using Brrr! line - measures 47" x 47" - this is a Christmas gift :)

Quilt back :)

Trick or treat bag and Halloween book - for g-nephew Lleyton :)

Turkey finger puppets - set 2 - a gift for Lleyton (tutorial here) :)

I made this zipper pouch for my SIL to hold her camera USB sticks.  Note the camera fabric and ...

... and the camera zipper pull, lol!

We went home (Rideau Ferry and Osgoode, Ontario) for Thanksgiving last weekend to visit my family :)  I have to unload the photos from my camera, and get some photos from my SIL - we had a great visit, and even got in a quicky run to Joanns in Ogdensburg, New York :D  I picked up a couple of king sized quilt batts so my love affair with QAYG quilts will continue - for the time being, at least!  I started cutting out the squares for a froggy version - my sister gave me the fabrics last year, and now that they've aged properly, I can start chopping :D

Brrr! and Booo! with a side of drool and dribble :D

53" x 53" Disappearing 9 Patch quilt, done in quilt as you go method (D9P QAYG) - this is a Christmas gift - the fabrics are from the Brrr! line by Laurie Wisbrun :)

Close-up of the fabrics in this quilt :)

Here's the back of the above quilt - it's hanging upside down, as I just noticed, LOL.

Another Christmas gift D9P QAYG quilt (46" x 46"), using the other colourway of the Brrr! line :)

Close-up of the fabrics and quilting

The back of the quilt -- I was using up scraps for the back, so 2 of the blocks are patchworked from leftovers :D  The lime green (backing blocks and cover strips) is from Joanns.

5 boy bibs using up scraps - the tutorial for the monster bibs is here :)

One last Halloween trick or treat bag - this one measures 14"w x 13.5" t x 3.5" d.  This one isn't from a specific tutorial.

Brrr! -- polar bears!

I finished up this toddler quilt today for a great-nephew for Christmas.  It measures about 50" x 50", and is a D9P (disappearing 9 patch) design.  I used prints from the Brrr! line by Laurie Wisbrun. A set of fat quarters in 6 of the prints was a gift from my sewy friend Nancy (THANKS NANC!), and then I purchased more yardage from my favourite Toronto quilt store -- Sew Sisters :)

Here's a fun tutorial for the block - I quite like her colour block version, and will probably try it :D

Front of Brrr! D9P quilt - freshly washed after completion, and hanging on the clothesline to dry :D

Here's a close-up of the QAYG quilting on the quilt - the centre of the picture is the centre block - it's quilted in both directions - the other blocks are quilted in one direction only.

Here's the back of the quilt, translucent in the sunshine, lol.  I had more of the fabrics from the front so I whipped up an extra D9P block to make the backing more kicky :D

Construction notes for my reference:
WOF (3/8") seam allowance ... 6.5" squares ... 19-20" backing and batting squares ... trim down to 17 1/4" block (8 5/8" cut from centres) ...  2" cover strips (next time use 2 1/4") ... binding cut to 2 3/4" wide (perfect with 3/8" s.a.), needed 6 strips. 

First QAYG quilt finished :)

I finished my first QAYG (quilt as you go) quilt - I love this technique!  This one measures about 49" x 49" - perfect toddler size :D

Construction details, for future reference:
- 9 x 6.5" squares stitched 3x3
- each 9 patch block cut and restitched into a D9P (disappearing 9 patch) block
- D9P was layered with batting, quilted in straight lines (about 1/2" apart)
- quilted blocks were trimmed to the same size (17")
(this is pretty much the technique I followed - thanks Maureen :D)
- 9 quilted blocks assembled and backed (backing was pieced to make it big enough)
- straight stitched in the ditch of the 9 blocks to quilt the front to the backing
- corners rounded off with a plate, then 2 3/4" binding attached
DONE and GORGEOUS (iidssm) :)