UFO Finishes for January 2014

After finishing umpteen hundred T-Shirt Quilts and Machine Quilting for the holiday season, I always take a week or two (or three) and work on 'my' stuff.  So far this year, have several finishes to report - Yippee!

Here are a couple of them.

Batik Jelly Roll Race. 

Batik Jelly Roll Race.  Started 2013 –   62  x 74  8.5 yards 2013.  This is one of those Jelly Roll Race quilts.  SUPER easy to piece, not as easy to finish and quilt.  I did join my strips on a 45 degree angle to give it a little more interest.   However,  I did get it done in January.  Added borders, quilted and binding.

T-Shirt Quilts - Should I or Shouldn't I????

At Shadywood Quilts and T-Shirt Quilts of Texas, we have literally made thousands of T-Shirt and Memory quilts since 2006.  Suffice it to say, that we have a bit of experience in the  of making a successful T-Shirt Quilt.

While we are busy making T-Shirt Quilts for hundreds of folks every year, we have several people that bring us the T-Shirt Quilt TOP for us to finish.  We love taking care of you, but sometimes we cringe when we see the top that the customer wants us to work a miracle on.  Here are some suggestions.

STABILIZER

Usually, the problem is that they have not STABILIZED the T-Shirts before piecing them together.  We use a high quality 100% cotton fusible to stabilize all T-Shirts before including them into a quilt.  This prevents the block from stretching or looking "saggy" in the finished quilt.  While we don't suggest using a heavy-weight polyester, that is still better than NO stabilizer at all.  If you do decide to not use a stabilizer, we will require a stabilizing 'waste' border be added to control the stretching.

SASHINGS

We also always include Sashing and Cornerstones at no additional charge.   We always press the seams away from the T-Shirt towards the sashing to reduce bulk.  The cornerstones help us line the blocks up nice and even.

BATTING

The finished T-Shirt Quilt does not have to be heavy and cumbersome when it is complete.  Use a high quality 80/20 (80% cotton, 20% Polyester) batting.  Don't go 'cheap' on the batting (or any of the fabrics) when making a T-Shirt Quilt (or any quilt for that matter).   Make sure your quilter does an 'all-over' pattern or 'pantograph'.  There is no reason not to quilt through the T-Shirts.   You want the quilt to be securely quilted so that it can hold up after years and years of loving use and laundering.  Our favorite battings are Hobbs and Legacy brands.

In most cases, stitching through the emblems does not cause any problems for the quilter.  However, sequins and crystals can wreak havoc with the longarm machine and it's needles.  Be aware that the 'hopping foot' cannot go over these items and may cause the stitching to go around the 3-dimensional object and corrupt the quilting.  'Puff' paint also causes problems, and if you think about it, is not very pleasant if you put your face on it!!

THREAD

We have been asked to use 'invisible' thread.  First of all, no thread is invisible.  It might a translucent shade that blends really well, but we really don't know how well the nylon or polyester thread will hold up to repeated washings and visits to a hot dryer.  We always use neutral colored thread, more on the light side that won't detract from the shirts.  Most popular colors that we use are a light grey or a light tan color. 

QUILTING

Be realistic.  If you are not familiar with machine quilting on your domestic machine, let a professional quilt your quilt.  PLEASE don't tie your quilt or just stitch around the squares.  We have had so many people bring their quilts to use to fix after well meaning moms, aunts or grandmothers have tried to do.  It really does not cost that much, and the recipient will be much happier with the result.

Basic Washcloth Pattern (Grandmothers Favorite)

Many of my quilting friends are learning how to knit and crochet.  At our last Bee meeting, most of us were sitting around knitting and crocheting rather than working on a quilt project.  How wierd is that?  I think it is a natural extension.  We all love fibers and yarn is just another fiber that is fun to look at and touch!

My friend Barb K. gave me a 'basic' washcloth pattern.  Lots of references on the web to "Grandmothers Favorite Washcloth", but it is just a very simple cloth and GREAT for beginners and for using varigated cotton yarns.

Designer: Unknown

Rating: Easy
Materials: Sugar and Cream or Peaches and Cream yarn; Size 6 or 7 needles (US) 
Instructions:

CO (Cast on) 4 stitches

Row 1:  Knit 4
Row 2:  Knit 2, yarn over, knit across the row.
Repeat Row 2 until you have 44 stitches on the needle.

Decrease Row: Knit 1, K2T, YO, K2T knit to the end of the row.
Repeat Decrease Row until you have 4 stitches on the needle. 

BO

Your choice to bind off or do a round of single crochet and make a little loop of chain stitches in one corner to hang the cloth when not in use.

CO - Cast On
BO - Bind Off
K2T  - knit two together
YO - yarn over

Would love to see YOUR pictures if you use this pattern. 

WORD for 2014 - FINISH IT UP

I've been a member of the StashBuster group for years, but had not been involved the last couple of years.  After finishing up the Christmas Holiday orders I turned the emails back on and jumped in with both feet.  Instead of a piddly little 15 projects  (see previous post)  that my Bee had us list, I started going through ALL of my projects (past & present) and while I keep adding more to the list, right now, I've got 47 (read FORTY SEVEN) UFO's that I would like to finish.

The list have been discussing the WORD for 2014.  Mine is more of a phrase... FINISH it up!

So, to that end, since the beginning of 2014 I have been quilting (and piecing) like crazy working on that list of UFO's   8 Finishes already, and it is only half way through the month!  Can I get a WHOOP?

New Years Day Annual Sew-In

My Thursday Bee came over for our annual Sew In at my studio.   Just woke up from a 2 hour nap after everyone left.  Sewing  is such hard work!

Finished putting the binding and label on my '4 on the floor - Flannel quilt.  60 x 80" 8 yards from stash.    Don't know if this counts, but gave away 5 pounds of 2, 2.5 and 3inch strips.  At our fabric by the pound sale next week, we figure that 1 pound of fabric is about 3.5 yards (Darker fabarics weigh more than light colored fabric!)  So, by that calculation another 17.5 yards from some really old stash (like from the 80s and 90s) .

Last year on New Years Day, we did a 'Jelly roll Race' with strips cut from my stash.  We measured out about 13 oz each for all our Bee members.  We -  in our estimation- figured 13 oz came out to about a good sized Jelly roll  (i.e. 42 2.5" strips)  We did not want to count strips, so we weighed the fabric.  See the quilts that we turned in to the Comfort Quilters.  Nita says these were the first ones to be selected at the nursing home due to the bright colors!







http://www.shady-wood.com/images/gallery/bee-jellyroll.jpg

UFO's for 2013

 Every year for the past several years, I've listed my top priority projects that have been UFO's (UnFinishedObjects) that I wanted to finish for the year.   Well, at the beginning of 2013, we had just moved not only our home, but our business (T-Shirt Quilts of Texas and Shadywood Quilts).  Not an easy task, let me just say...
 
We moved right before the Christmas/holiday rush began..   We had contractors building out our new studio, and we were only down about 2 weeks, and then we were working round the clock to fulfill orders.  Granted, there were a few local folks picking up their quilts on Christmas Eve, but hey.. EVERYONE got their quilts before Christmas!  Whoo Hoo!
 
This year, we made the cut off date a wee bit earlier (last weekend) so hopefully, we can enjoy a trip to visit the kids over Thanksgiving, and still get everything done.

We're HERE!

We have finally finished moving all of our  crap - junk stuff, that we have been accumulating for over 30 years.  We moved from 3/4 acre home with apartment, studio, garage, barn and STUDIO to our new place on 2 acres, larger studio, and HUGE 40 x 30 Barn/Airpane hangar  for Jon.  No garage, so guess where all of the stuff that had accumulated in the garage, apartment, barn and all of the built-ins from the house landed?  Poor Jon, the barn is filled to the gills with antiques, candle making stuff, studio stuff, garden stuff,  every peice of wire, wood, motorcyle and airplane part.  Not to mention all the tools and the AIRPLANE that is out there.   Oh, did I mention that the airplane almost did NOT fit in?  That was NOT a funney moment, when the last thing in was the airplane and it wouldn't fit.  Several things came out, and and we finally got it parked at angle.

OK, here is my studio in process.   At the back is the office and store room.   The steel building was in place when we bought the property, but was was uninsulated bare walls.   We had to add bug proofing, insulation electrical and so on...... 

Flash forward to the sheetrock.  

We have primed, painted, added flooring.  Oh, and a powder room!  Enough is done that we could start the move.  Oh boy, everything landed in the middle of the room.  Piles and stacxks and of bolts of fabric.  Of course all of the back orders of fabric have been arriving.    Did I mention that we had a lot of built in shelving and cabinets at the old house?  Slight miscalculation.   We have no place to PUT things.

Got the quilting machine set up today, a corner for my sewing area, and actually quite a bit of progress.  Had a bunch of built in shelving and cabinets that we couldn't take with us.   I would show pictures, but the camera cables are packed somewhere and I have not located them yet.  I am sure it is in some box the packers labled  "living room misc".  Good grief. 

We had to fire the movers.  Took them 8 hours to load and unload one trailer full of boxes.  They conveniently didn't load the BIG heavy stuff  and when we would point and indicate we wanted the 'big desk'  or 'heavy armoire'  they would sign and indicate that it would need to go on last in the trailer.  Well, then the trailer was too full, and would have to be next trip.   Anyway, long story short, we told them not to come back, paid them off and rented a U-Haul  truck.  Jon and I spent the next 4 days loading and unloading the stupid truck.  needless to say, we didn't get all the things done this week we wanted to, but managed to get everything done.  We both agreed we are too old to be doing this, and I kept suggesting we hire someone else (Labor day weekend - no change).  So, we sweated, hauled and heaved and got it done.

Funny how you get used to little things.  I'm used to the kitchen sink being on the right.  I keep going in and placing dirty dishes on the stove!   Tonight, still had not located the can opener, and Jon used his swiss army knife to get the can open.  He is kinda handy to have around.

Well, more later.

New Home, New Studio, New Look

Well, it has been awhile since I've posted, but it's because I have been super busy with graduation quilts, buying a new house, and getting ready for moving to new location.  Wow-  a lot has been going on.  Tried FB for awhile, but that is is not as gratifying as blogging.  Hope  I can be more consistant in the posting.

Well, the big new is that we are MOVING!  The movers come September 1, 2012.    I sure hope the new studio is complete by then.  Of course, that is optimistic as they haven't started on my building yet.  Bummer.

East end of new studio.

Here is current photo of studio.....   Right now, it is a mostly empty steel building.  A whopping 24' by 40'  building.  Bare walls, a few lights hanging and two garage doors.  This is the new building for T-Shirt Quilts of Texas and Shadywood Quilts.  We are moving September 1st, and we have NOT started on my buildout yet!  Yikes!!!!

The double garage door you see faces East  and will be replaced with  a solid wall and a couple of windows. 

The west end, is a solid wall with a couple of windows and we are adding an office, half bath and kitchen-ette.



West end of studio

 The contractor (and hubby) assure me that it will be ready by September 1, when the movers are coming to move us, lock, stock and barrel to the new location.

We have to finish hubby's new building, so we have a place to put all of our STUFF!  We currently have an attic, garage, barn and LOTS of stuff that we need to transport to his barn while we are moving. 

I am so excited, and can hardly wait for them to start, but the contractor says it will just take a week to do the build-out and they assure me that it will be done by the time we move.  We'll see....

OK, this is the BEFORE pictures.  I will post as we make progress.