Small Updates

Now that I'm done with Christmas projects, I'm returning to UFOs and trying to wrap up all existing projects by the end of the new year, and before I get too ambitious and start on something else.  I am kind of waiting for the new year to start on new projects because I hope to join some BOMs for 2013.

Today I tried to start quilting my owl wallhanging (the one I was hoping to do for Halloween? Oh, yeah....).  I am having a big problem with my stitches skipping.  I rethreaded the machine and it's still not working.  Check out the wing on the owl below.

I realized I haven't switched out the needle so I will try that next.  I think the problem has to do with the fusible web making it really stiff and hard to punch through.  I can't remember if I used the Heat n Bond lite or Heat n Bond ultra hold since I made this a while ago...hopefully it was the lite.  Anyways, this setback is a bummer because I wanted to knock this out tonight.  I think I will move onto some other areas of the wallhanging and then come back to the owls.

Anyways, my other finish is the December block for my guild's BOM:

My three colors

The finished block.  It's supposed to be a basket but if you turn it upside down it makes a good house.

If you zoom in on that pic you will see that my seams are horribly off - somehow the middle portion is like a half inch wider than the top and bottom portions.  Oh well.  Piecing does not appear to be my strong suit.  I decided to make this BOM a "quilt as you go" which I have never done before, but never a better time to try!

And in final news, I bought Melinda Bula's book "Cutting Garden Quilts."

I really want to make a quilt like hers.  This book is amazing.  Unfortunately it requires having a million shades of each color so you can get it just right...my stash is nowhere near ready for a challenge like that.  Anyone know of a good place to buy fabric scraps or small pieces in batik shades?  I wanted to do a wallhanging yesterday that required a bunch of shades of green and I only had like two.  And I need like a charm square or less of each shade. So that project is on hold.  I am planning a black Friday trip to Joanns to load up on stuff...25% off your entire purchase before noon!

Okay that's all for now.  I am going to tackle that wallhanging again soon.