Tuesday, August 16, 2011

15 Minute Challenge with Kate







I'm back for another week of Kate's 15 minute challenge and I'm feeling like a bit of a fraud. I don't have a lot to share this week. 


The Flying Dutchman Quilt 
I publicly announced I needed to finish the Flying Dutchman quilt this week. I'm publicly announcing that  I'm bringing this one down to the wire.  It's not as if I didn't touch it at all this week. I made the backing. Let's see how well I work under real pressure. It needs to be finished in 6 days. Last time I brought my finish this close to the actual giving I ended up staying up until 3 am Christmas Eve attaching binding so I could give the quilt to someone Christmas day. 

For reasons that are unknown to me the floor on which I normally baste my quilts has decided to become uncooperative at allowing masking tape to adhere to it.  Anyway I had to suck it up and baste this quilt on a very large couple of tables outside on Saturday. I'm not sure I love that method of basting and I'm not sure I did a great job. 


I started quilting - I like the black and white variegated thread. 


What I didn't like was the curvy lines I decided to do on the coloured parts ...so the seam picker and I had a session. I'm also dreading having to de-lint this quilt when it's finally done. 


Tis the Season Stitcheries/Quilt 
This week I finished two more stitcheries from the 'Tis The Season blocks.




And made some headway on the very last block. I'm disappointed this is almost done and will have to find some other hand stitching to do. Yes- you heard it here. I like hand stitching. Alert the media. 


And then I got really ambitious and decided to start making them into actual quilt blocks. (I think at this point I would have done almost anything to avoid the Flying Dutchman quilt ) 


Pop on over to Kate's to see what other crafters have been up to this week with their 15 minutes. 


P.S. Does anyone want to pop on over and quilt the Flying Dutchman for me? 
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25 comments:

  1. LarriAugust 16, 2011 at 10:25 PM

    Good luck on the Flying Dutchman finish! Hope the rest of it goes well.

    I didn't see you mention Flurry? Have you tossed it in the corner? Mine's on the sewing table mocking me right now.

    Happy Tuesday night/Wednesday morning!

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  2. VesuviusmamaAugust 16, 2011 at 10:29 PM

    What are you talking a out, not a lot to show? All those stitcheries? I'm impressed!

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  3. LarissaAugust 16, 2011 at 10:43 PM

    You sound a lot like me in not realising just how much you have achieved, even when you can see it in front of you - I tend to look more at the 'things that need to be done' pile rather than the 'done' pile.

    Congratulations on achieving so much - yes, SO much!!

    I am in love with the fabrics in your Flying Dutchman quilt - they are gorgeous, especially in such combination and placement! Good luck with the quilting!!!

    Also, I am loving those stitcheries! I am also a fan of this work, and recently got my own copy of the 'Tis the Season patterns... looking forward to making up these stitcheries!

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  4. PauletteAugust 16, 2011 at 11:14 PM

    I'm quite good at ignoring my own quilting projects, thank you very much (case in point, the B&W quilt). Looks like you're well on the way to finishing it though. Keep pushing. It's going to be great! (And if it's not great, it'll be done, which feels almost as good, in my book.)

    Love your stitcheries. You made great progress in your 15 minutes-es this week!

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  5. Canadian AbroadAugust 16, 2011 at 11:32 PM

    I think your Flying Dutchman looks great but you are putting me off making a black quilt of my own. I would hate always delinting it. Maybe dark grey hides lint better. For now, there are too many other things on the go for me to really worry about how as of yet unstarted dark quilt would look.

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  6. JennAugust 16, 2011 at 11:52 PM

    I'm with you on the frustrations of working with black fabric - the lint is awful to get rid of!!!

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  7. AnonymousAugust 17, 2011 at 12:36 AM

    Good luck with The Flying Dutchman - you can do it! I have terrible problems basting quilts, even small ones as when I put pins in I always catch the carpet too and when I go to finally lift the quilt I end up trying to bring the carpet up too. I now push a small board around under the quilt but it's not an easy job. Definitely going to try some spray baste but the problem there is that the parrot lives in that room so I'd probably kill her with the fumes which couldn't go down well.

    Love, love, love your stitcheries and the fabrics you have chosen to block them with. So looking forward to seeing this one done - it's adorable. I'm sure you'll find another project to hand-sew, maybe you could squeeze in an autumnal or Halloween quilt - there are some cool freebie patterns out there.

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  8. AlisaAugust 17, 2011 at 12:48 AM

    Good luck on bringing that floor back into line. It does seem a bit odd how our tried and true methods can fail us just out of the blue like that. Love the hand-stitching. I've become a big fan of it in the past few years. Check out http://wildolive.blogspot.com/ She's got some really cute, simple patterns that I like to do when I don't have too much time, but feel the need to stitch.

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  9. AnnieOAugust 17, 2011 at 1:13 AM

    Oh, I recognize that fabric since I'm making bags out of the gray squares print! Good work on the FD--I'm sure you will get it done. I always drag my feet with the quilting too, it is the hardest part!

    Love your stitcheries--the Santa with the Christmas Goose is so cute!

    Keep at it, Shay, you can do it!

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  10. NickyAugust 17, 2011 at 1:14 AM

    Those stitcheries are cute - are you finishing that one for this Christmas?

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  11. PatAugust 17, 2011 at 1:34 AM

    I love the variegated threads you've been using. I'll have to try some. Congrats on all you accomplished this week.

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  12. RachaeldaisyAugust 17, 2011 at 4:58 AM

    I think you've done heaps!! Basting in itself is a huge job, let alone starting to quilt. The flying Dutchman is an awesome quilt!! I really like the b/w thread your using. I've got my bets on that you'll finish it in time. The little stitcheries are very cute and look great as quilt blocks!

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  13. KristieAugust 17, 2011 at 6:18 AM

    Good progress! Your stitch work is so pretty :)

    For basting I use barbells on the corners/edges as my tape always comes loose, too! Anything heavy and compact will work....heavy cans and such. Give it a try!

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  14. seabreezequiltsAugust 17, 2011 at 7:09 AM

    Why don't you just stipple in the coloured bit. You can get a grey batting (haven't seen it for a while though) that you put in dark quilts less lint that you can see anyway. I've been working on my special project so much so my index fingers are raw from the needle, have lots more hand sewing to do so am going to have to find thimbles for them all lol.

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  15. HelsieAugust 17, 2011 at 8:35 AM

    There you go a positive whirlwind again! Can't believe how much you get done. The Flying Dutchman is looking very good. I'm sure you'll get it done in time.
    Cheers
    Helen

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  16. MisteaAugust 17, 2011 at 8:42 AM

    Gorgeous Flying Dutchman and on the home stretch too - You will make the deadline and it will be magnificent as always.
    Pretty TTS blocks - Love that Santa how generous of him to bring lunch!

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  17. KateAugust 17, 2011 at 10:01 AM

    Pretty impressive week, stitcheries, basting and a start on the the quilting for the Flying Dutchman quilt. That's pretty significant progress, even if it seems to be slow progress. I like the varigated thread on the FDQ. Love the fabric you are using for setting the stitcheries. The darker pink tone on tone is gorgeous.

    Thanks for linking up this week. Since you have a deadline, next week's report should be extra super duper. Right?

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  18. MartiAugust 17, 2011 at 10:16 AM

    If that's not a good week, I might as well throw in the towel!

    I hope you don't have to pull an all-nighter to finish quilting, but I bet you get it done - with minutes to spare. It always seems to go faster once I've started the machine quilting.

    I absolutely adore the Tis the Season Quilt. I tell you what, I'll come over and finish your Flying Dutchman in exchange for that quilt. Does it matter that I've never done FMQ successfully?

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  19. theaAugust 17, 2011 at 11:55 AM

    Loving the stitching .. and the flying dutchman. I love the colors -- I'd be happy to come and quilt it for you. Just need the ticket!

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  20. ElizabethAugust 17, 2011 at 2:28 PM

    Very impressive work! I love your 'Tis the Season blocks! I'm so glad you're liking hand work!

    The variegated black & white thread is really awesome on The Flying Dutchman. And I'm sure you'll finish it with, like, 15 minutes to spare ;). Just keep at it and don't be so critical of yourself! it is an awesome quilt.

    xo -E

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  21. Michelle RidgwayAugust 17, 2011 at 4:48 PM

    Heaven help us if you do decide to become an over achiever....a lot of wonderful stitching done there Shay. So glad you are into your hand stitching now.

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  22. Baa-Me KniitsAugust 17, 2011 at 9:14 PM

    Did you say you are loving the hand stitching!! ;-)

    I would love to come and quilt your flying dutchman for you but seeings how I have only managed to cut out the squares for Billys quilt and nothing else I don't see me being any quicker than you xx

    My mum used to always say that you have to let your anxiety level reach its optimum peak before you could be productive....you are just waiting for yours to peak
    :-)

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  23. MargAugust 17, 2011 at 9:23 PM

    I think you have achieved loads this week, and I bet you go to the wire on THe Flying Dutchman. It is awesome and the variegated thread looks really really good with it. At least you only had to unpick one line of stitching.
    Love your stitcheries, and you've finished stitching them and it's only August, that deserves a woo hoo all by itself!
    I'm ignoring your last sentence!

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  24. melissaAugust 18, 2011 at 2:34 PM

    Well that will teach you for cleaning your floor !( tiles and grout remember? ) You will be cutting it fine Shay but i have absolute faith in you getting this one finished. If you wash it and throw it in the dryer will it de-lint it for you? Your hand stitching is beautiful BTW, i love hand stitching too!

    PS your parcel should be there very soon!

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  25. MichelleAugust 19, 2011 at 5:55 AM

    The red, black and white quilt is just gorgeous! Looks like you're making great progress.

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