Well it's December 1st ... is anyone really prepared for the end of the year? I've been working on my project to-do list the last few days and am glad to see that there's some progress being made. Unfortunately I seem to keep adding to the list ... so much so that I completely re-wrote it. Yikes! Here's the updated version just in time for December.
Okay, a few of the items are finished but just need to be mailed out. Until that happens they're still hanging over my head as a to-do thing. The items marked in green are future projects .. no deadline, no rush, no worries. As you can see they're all involving the studio. The only thing that I may push to the front on that bit is the design wall. That really will come in handy soon.
I did skip to a few of the quicker things so that I can get them done by tomorrow night's X-mas party at the Cheyenne Heritage Quilters. Thread catcher (tutorial here) for tomorrow night's gift exchange. We're all making one and then will play a game to exchange them. These are so quick and easy to make. They're the perfect gift to make for any quilters you know. They can also be folded flat for mailing too. We're beginning the opportunity quilt for next year's quilt show so I made six blocks for that. What I haven't gotten to yet are the charity quilt blocks or the block raffle. I know that I'll probably have a bit of time to make one raffle block but those charity quilt blocks will just have to wait until they're due in January.
The fourth pattern corrections and muslin have been made for Steve's vest. It fits almost 100% correctly now. I just need to pinch out a wee bit from the center front of the vest. Of course you're not supposed to have a non-straight line for center fronts and backs. Not sure what to do. I'm thinking that I'll probably put the muslin back on Steve and see if I can pinch that amount out of the topside of the darts and keep center front straight. I really wish that I could remember all the ins and outs of patternmaking but it's been 17 years since patternmaking class in design school. Other than that I just have to make the patterns for the facing and the lining. We're keeping this one clean and simple with no welt pockets or back belt. I can always add those details to the next one that I sew. I can't wait to cut into the Italian wool that I found at Britex in San Francisco back in January. I also picked up a nice silk for the back. If there's enough I'll also use it for the lining but it was a remnant so probably no luck there.
The binding for the Take 5 quilt is all done. Isn't that fabric perfect for the quilt?! It's a subtle tone on tone stripe that I cut on the bias. The owner at my LQS was spot on when she said that 5/8 yard would be a good amount to buy. After all was done I had just two pieces a little less than a fat quarter remaining to put in my stash.
The only other thing I've been doing is to start cutting out the rectangles for the Fractured and Red Centre quilts. Once I finish the last of those I'll post a picture. So far I'm really loving the way the two sets of fabrics (darks and lights) look together. These will be fun quilts.
So how have you started your December? Did you have a good Thanksgiving (for my American friends)? Is every one staying warm? I know that there's been snow up in Canada and parts of the US. Luckily our snow from a week ago is almost all melted. It only remains in spots where the sun can't touch it. Of course our friends down under in Australia and New Zealand are enjoying a lovely summer right now. Maybe we should all pack our bags and fly to the southern hemisphere for the winter? Wouldn't that be nice. Ah, maybe another year. Now it's time to get back to the cutting table. Welcome December!
