May Challenge Prooves Challenging, still WIP

Yes, it is May 31 and the noon deadline for the May Challenge has come and gone…unlike the project, it is still a WIP.  That is the way life is, and that is OK.

At least the pieces are all attached to each other (except the binding), and some of the little squiggly machine quilting lines look kind of cute, so that is all good.

A broken needle doesn’t really help.

I had the opportunity of verifying the wisdom of not sewing over bulking seams…yes, it is true, the needle will break.

I’m pretty happy about how it is all coming together.

Here are a couple of pics…

All pinned for machine quilting. To erase the lines I just have to squirt with water.

Some lines have disappeared!

Yellow sections filled with meandering lines and orange with wonky leaves.

…and seen from the back

Back to the sewing table…

~Isabella

Ahhh.

Ahhh.

And more ahhh.

Knitted wash cloth. Done.

Have a good one!

~Isabella

 

Ooops.

Ooops.

WIP…only 2 more rows to go!

Definitely WIP, emphasis on IN PROGRESS!

Last time I showed you the cut out squares for the Star of Bethlehem and one completed row.

Here are 3 rows:

3 rows out of 8 completed

Currently I have SIX rows completed, and in my usually whimsical style I have pinned the row 8 squares together and laid out the row 7 squares.  Well, what can I say? I laid out row 7, then was afraid I would lose parts of row 8, so I pinned them first.  Makes sense to me! 🙂

Just 2 more rows to go!

Added bonus update on washcloth…

Just a few more rows to go!

Just before starting this post I saw that the 50 needed washcloths have already been collected…but this will be an ongoing project for our knitters at church, so all is not lost.  And the best part is, I can still give it to the leader when it’s done, so I won’t lose it or forget which special safe place I put it. You know what I mean.

Blessings and joy

~Isabella

WIP…another quilter’s term!

WIP, unlike RIP, has nothing to do with dying, or peace for that matter.

Some quilty-bloggers make lists of their WIPs, and I might too if I can find a long enough piece of paper.

WIP is Work In Progress.  To illustrate this acronym I will show you my current (most recent, because in a way, all WIPs are current, maybe) WIPs, one started yesterday and one started the day before, one quilting and one knitting, YES! you can have all kinds of WIPs!

This one is for the Project QUILTING Off Season May Challenge.

My three colors are Lemon Zest, Nectarine, and Linen. The only thing is, I don’t have those colors in my stash, so I substituted.

Not only did I substitute the colors, I even changed the pattern and title to suit me! I wanted to make a Star of Bethlehem quilt block, but I didn’t feel ready to attempt those weird angle seams, so I got the Carpenter’s Star block and changed the corners and called it the Star of Bethlehem.  I think that is ok to do; I hope so.

The pattern was made by Danmar of the Quilting Board and can be found here once you register: http://www.quiltingboard.com/tutorials-f10/my-carpenters-star-pattern-t38408.html

You can see how I changed the corners and all my other scribbles, including new title at the top of the page. Danmar wrote the words at the bottom of the page.

So here is the first row of the wall hanging.  My blocks are bigger than the pattern…yeah, I cannot leave well-enough alone, always messin’ with stuff.

The first row of the Star of Bethlehem project. It will be about 22″ square when finished.

Star of Bethlehem due May 30.

The other WIP is a knitted wash cloth for some friends from church to take to the Ukraine this June.  I’ve wanted to make these for a long time, but never just did it.  So with the pattern sent to me and the yarn and needles on hand (not to mention a due date that is closing in) I started one last night.  I like it.

Wash cloth and bar of Ivory soap will be in baggie. Goal of 50 for ladies in the Ukraine.

I’m a great starter, so I have lots of WIPs.  The thing that gets me to finish seems to be a due date, an imposed due date. With that in mind, I think I will always have a good-sized collection of WIPs.

ooooh! just had this memory! In 1981 when I was pregnant with my second child I was beginning to nest and opened the closet that had my WIPs.  I estimated that it would take me 11 years to finish everything I had started! Not counting the new projects I was bound to start. So,I kept the ones I loved the most, bundled up the rest and put them in a yard sale.  That is a good way to complete WIPs before I RIP! 🙂

Blessings

~ Isabella

Coasting past for a quick post

Don’t get your hopes up for amazing wit in this post…it’s just not going to happen.

But to make up for that lack, here are pics of the set of 6 spring/summer whimsy-flower coasters I finished last night.

Tried something new…laid out 4 in a row for the first steps.

These are 5 and a half inch coasters, with 2 layers of cotton batting. Each one is different- right down to the stitching on the petals.

In spite of being on its side, this one is my favorite.

OK, well, TTYL

~Isabella