Chicken Bag

July 29

Jim H volunteered to teach/help a group of us make the Eleanor Peace Bailey "Old Bags" chicken bag.  I wanted to improve my skills in construction of bags so Mom and I took the class and made one bag.

Jim asked that we have the pieces cut out before class, which I did and also quilted my bag.  The instruction are not the greatest and I quilted and closed up the body piece but should have had an opening on both sides left open to insert the zipper.  had to pull out the stitching.

I used the same fabric inside and out since I had it.  I made the interior pockets the same as the wing pockets.  I did place the velcro a bit off (keep the wing pockets closed) but it still works.  We didn't stuff the chicken feet too much as it would have been too hard to sew them on.  Christine B gave me the eyes and that really makes the bag!

All in all a fun bag to make.

Medallion Starts and Finishes for 2017/2018

These are the starts I submitted for this year.

Hoot, Hoot submitted by mom

Finished Sept 2018

 

Card Trick Delux submitted by mom

Finished Sept 2018:

Flower

 

Finished Sept 2018

A Study in Transparency

Finished Sept 2018

Fabric Stash Clean-Up July 2017

July 2017

With the upcoming fabric stash sale and S in Oregon for two weeks, I tackled my stash.  I listened to the book "The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Are of Decluttering and Organizing" by Marie Kondo just prior to starting.  Although I could not get totally behind the keep it if it brings you joy ... I did use her suggestion on folding and placing things on edge. 

I started by clearing  my office desk and boy did that feel great! I then started in on the color wall. I came up with a fold template that maximizes usage of space in the shelves.  This did mean any piece smaller then 1/2 of a yard would not work in this space.  That did help me cull the fabric collection some.  It took me over a week to pull and fold every piece of fabric.  Boy did it feel great as each row got completed!  Here is a before, mid way and after picture.

About mid way through the color wall I also started with on the closet and pulled everything out.  I found new homes for some of the stuff and got rid of (put in the fabric stash sale bins). I got most of the large pieces of fabric for backings in the closet bookshelf. I dealt with most of the stuff in the closet and amazed at how much space I now have there. 

Next I went to work on the bins that contained fabric based on themes.  Because I had some room left on the color wall I put stripes, dots and multi-color non-specific theme at the bottom of the color wall.  It took me a week to get through all the bins.

I have a pile of fabrics that are weird shaped or smaller then 1/2 a yard.  My bins of scraps by color are pretty full and will not take on this additional fabric.  I really need a process to deal with scraps.  Most of it is discipline to deal with the scraps as the are generated or when the quilt top is complete.  Having a large pile is demotivating. 

Medallion round 5 2016/2017 -- #2

I had so many ideas on how I would do this last round when I signed up for last September, using other Elizabeth Hartman animals.  But when I got it ... none of my ideas would work.  So went back to my border books and went with this one since I had not tried it before.  Border Option #42 in the book 60 Pieced Quilts Borders.

Flamingo Florence -- class with Elizabeth Hartman

July 2017

Mom and I went up a day earlier then normal for the Sister's Outdoor Quilt Show so we could take a class by Elizabeth Hartman on her pattern Florence Flamingo.  It was a great class.  Mom and I worked on the same block and completed it is in the class. The fabrics was a bundle of 8 shares of hand-dyed pinks 1/2 yard each that I had in my stash for many years.

 We will make more blocks for a quilt.  I'll also will make one spare and submit as a medallion start.

Sisters Outdoor Quilt show 2017 entries

Mom's:

Big Rack 58x85 $145

Flannel Disappearing 4 Patch 46x72 $130 SOLD

Baubles & Beads 54 x 63 $130 SOLD

African Animal Stars 66 x 74 $130. SOLD

Flannel Plaid and Herringbone 62 x 72 $120 SOLD

Trina's entries:

Autumn 9 Patch Pizzazz 72 x 76 $180

Day on the Beach; 60 x 88 $100 SOLD

Rainbow Box in a Box; 46 x 52 $70 SOLD

Lavender Fields 61 x 85 $100 SOLD

Blue & Yellow Road Less Traveled 56 x 60 $ 90 SOLD

Dale's Entries

1) Reflections; 63x68; green, blue, all colors; Made: 2016; quilted by: Trina Jahnsen; Inspired by: Craftys My mom and I made the quilt blocks together as to improve our paper piecing skills.  $140 SOLD

2) Snorkeling Diving in Hawaii;56x62; blue, pink; Made: 2016 quilted by Trina Jahnsen; Inspired by: Fabric and Pattern: Check It Out; I loved snorkeling in Hawaii as a kid and this fabric reminded me of those days.  The quilter did a panto-graph motif of fish, shells and even a octopus. But you have to look hard to see them. $110

3) Alaska Wildlife Circles; 42x55; olive, gold, blue; Made: 2015; quilted by Trina Jahnsen; Inspired by: Pattern: I Spy with a Twist by Lisa Moore; I had gotten a package of Alaska wildlife prints and this pattern was perfect to use the fat quarters on.  $85

4) Fish Bowls; 38x50; blue, cream; Made: 2015 quilted by Trina Jahnsen; Inspired by: Pattern: Go Fish by Gail Abeloe; I saw a sample of this made up in a quilt shop in Monterey CA wanted to try it.  $110. SOLD