Six of Ten in 2010, Happy New Year

I didn't get Illinois Sampler's backing stitched on the 31st, got too sleepy to keep my eyes open at about 11 p.m. But I did finish it today, Jan. 1 and since it is a holiday I will count it anyway. And I will get the label done tomorrow, so because that is a Sunday and still the holiday weekend, it will still count. (My quilting, my rules!)  I missed the guild deadline anyway, since it was way back on the day of our party on the second Wed. of December.

The best news of all, I retired on Dec. 31-sewing room here I come! It's going to be a great, quilty 2011.

Year's End

I've taken a time out from Roll Roll Cotton Boll to finish some nearly done UFO's from the 2010 list before tomorrow night at midnight!  I finished the quilting on Illinois Sampler and trimmed the back and batting yesterday evening. This morning I started stitching down the backing. No work today, so maybe I can finish this before 2011?

Another One Done

Finished Wind Power on Dec. 20; label and all. That makes five completions on 2010 UFO list.

Wind Power

A couple of years ago, our guild had Billie Lauder come to teach and we did a mystery quilt class. I've had the top done for quite a while and just didn't quilt it. So I decided to

 send it out to a long-arm quilter (the first time I've done so).

 I got it back the day of our guild's day group party, and I really like the way it turned out. She did a great job- a swirly all-over design. I put the binding on by machine last week, and then on Wednesday got three sides hand sewn to the back at my sewing group. I am confident that I will get this done before Dec. 31-another finish to check off my 2010 UFO list!



RRCB Step 3

I 've been working on the neutral string-pieced blocks for step 3, need 60 of them-8 1/2 inch squares. Cutting foundations out of old phone book pages, and using scraps of a wide variety, 

This is fun and addicting.

RRCB Step 2

Half Square Triangles

The clue was on Bonnie's blog on Friday, and I had all 120 units done on Sunday! At one point I was happily chain piecing with kirtan music playing, zoning out, when I got to the end, reached around in back of the machine to remove the chain and surprise-no chain, just pieces. I had run out of bobbin thread halfway through the first pair!
 Using the Easy Angle ruler, it does make accurate units. I have been doing HSTs by cutting squares, drawing the line diagonally and stitching 1/4 inch from both sides of the line; and then squaring up. They are perfectly accurate that way but take a long time and is tiring on the wrist. I will surely make them with this ruler when I have so many to do in the future.

 This mystery is so much fun-I have made much faster progress than I thought I would. It helps that the weather has turned cold, drizzly and/or snowy.



RRCB Clue #1 Done

Had a very nice Thanksgiving dinner with family at my house. After everyone left I finished the 172 units for clue #1. Ready for clue #2 tomorrow.