We're moving - Sewing rooms that is

I've had my sewing area in one part of the house and my longarm in a different part. Well that's all ready to change.  I've got the shelves in one area where the long arm will be and right in the next room is my sewing studio.  Hopefully Amanda and April will be very close to each other shortly!

Amanda's new sunny spot

April will be in the room with the fabric.  

And I even got a couple of projects completed.  First a panel quilt that is just super cute.  I quilted around it like applique then did some stippling and allover loops.  I have a hard time with stippling I need some practice.  Wish I had one more of these panels cuz it's really adorable.  And one of the girls needed a shower gift so I put together a twister quilt.  The colors are yellow and grey for the shower, I hope this is enough yellow, definitely think it's enough grey.  I think I have enough for one more.  White instead of grey?  Hmm do I have enough yellow in that fabric stash?

Panel quilt 

 Don't forget to check the side bar for linky parties, so much wonderful inspiration out there!

Add caption

two quick updates - one hexie update, I really need to go on a trip to work on these some more. One of the points of the star is attached, the other is ready to be attached. Kinda looks like a cat now doesn't it? Stop by Angie's to see all the other hexies wonders.

And if you haven't entered the give away, there's still time to leave a comment. A winner will be announced on 1/31, your choice of quilting or a fat quarter bundle, go check it out here

Hands 2 Help update and Design Wall Monday

I received some wonderful fabrics from Diane at Life Scraps

I'm thinking about adding these to the mix

I have a couple of patterns that I'm thinking about, but haven't settled one yet.    The first one is from Quiltmaker magazine, called Raspberry desert.  I just love this pattern.  But I think I like Urban Cabins below a bit more and with these fabrics.  Terry Atkinson is the maker of Urban Cabins.  So what to do you think?  Which one?  Maybe something different?  Different colors to add to the fabrics???  I love the process of starting a new quilt.

Oh but that's not all.  All four girls were home this weekend and look what we got done!!  I just love the stash closet re-organized.  It's so much easier to find fabrics, pull them out and get them back where they belong.  You can see the before picture here  What a nice Easter surprise for me!!    

Random fact:  My kids, 31, 27, 19 and 17 still like to hunt for Easter eggs.  Yep that's right, when will it end?? This year the three grandsons are old enough and they hid the eggs for the "older kids".                                                                                                                                                                                             And what do you do with the left over panels from a a Bargello?  I finished the top of Tyler's Bargello .  I cut up the left over panel pieces for QST and pinwheels and came up with this.    I used every last bit of those panels, just enough.  I'll add a black border then a border of strips from the material that is left and another black border. Two quilts for the price of one!                                                                                                                        

Design Wall Monday - Bargello fun

Oh, this may be the only Bargello quilt I ever actually complete.  I love the Bargello quilts and admire them so.  I really wanted to try one.  And I did!!  Good thing is that Tyler will be getting a nice size quilt instead of a bargello hot pad!  I managed to almost complete the blocks this week.  I would have completed them if I didn't have to redo 24 strips that were sewn together backwards!  But at least I'm making progress.  I don't think I'll be doing another.  This gives you an idea of what it's going to look like.

I did make a little progress on the Mirage Bargello. But I have to say, there is a part of me that thinks this one may never actually be finished.

While I'm sewing this my mind wanders (which might be why I had to re-do so many strips) and was thinking about the stash.  I love seeing pictures of peoples stash when they use the little mini bolts.  I looked them up on line and they were just too much for what I have.  So I thought what about manila folders folded in half?  They should be sturdy enough and most of what I have is less than a half yard.  I tried it and was please with the results.  Here's a picture of my closet before.  Not sure how long it will take but the girls are coming home this weekend, wonder if I can talk them into wrapping fabrics around folders?????  Or maybe the Easter Bunny would do it for me???

Don't forget to stop by patchwork times to see what everyone else has on their design wall.  Sew darn crafty has some wonderful things that people have worked on all week.

new sewing table

Not a lot of sewing this week.  But I did want to share my new sewing table.  Here's my work surface before.  It's actually made for my Pfaff, but I've got it on the Bernina now.  This is what I've used to do all my machine quilting for years.  It's been wonderful.  But then I saw how to make a cheap sewing table   Sent my wonderful husband to the home improvement store after we watched it.  He was very excited, he loves doing things in my sewing room.  And the fact that I just finished a quilt for him that he loves, was even more motivation for him!!.

And here's what he came up with.    Oh my goodness so much space, I absolutely love it and I love the price of it!!  The foam insulation was very cheap at local home improvement store and the vinyl on the top from Walmart was next to nothing.  The fabric just glides right over the vinyl, amazing.  I did cover the foam with a bright and cheery fabric.  I can't believe how much of that I have.  But now, my ironing board and sewing table match.  Oh and as an added bonus, the table is actually larger. The foam hangs over the edge about 6 inches on two sides, so bigger table to hold those big quilts, woohoo!!!

Here's a picture of the end so you get a feel for how it was put together (in case you didn't see the video). I needed 3 different sheets of foam to get to the correct height for my machine.  You just cut out for your machine, then cut the vinyl to fit your machine and 30 minutes later, you have a wonderful new sewing table.  I was able to adjust the height of my chair to be raised a couple of inches so it's not uncomfortable for me.  If I would have been able to do that, Tom would have cut off a couple of inches of the legs of the table.  But so far so good.  The only problem I have seen so far is with fleece.   The fleece does not glide on the vinyl.  I did not have any problems with flannel or cotton, so I am pleased as punch!

Ah and there is the sewing.  I have my new leaders and enders project lined up.  I"m going to do  Bonnie Hunters Fair and Square from her new book.  I have some really ugly fabrics that I want to use up and that calls for string blocks and 1.5 inch squares.  I've heard if  you cut the ugly ones up small enough their inner beauty shines.  I'm going to put that one to the test!

Don't forget to stop by Sarah's and see what everyone is Whooping about.  And check out her helping hands challenge, sign up starts tomorrow.

Organized Thread

and here's the picture without the thread, just simple screws

Organized Thread

I love organized thread.  My husband made these for me out of 1x3's and a whole lot of screws.  They work wonderfully.