Hello, World! - WIP Wednesday

Hello World!  I really missed out on a few days there, but I am happy to report that I am among the living and the sewing!  Yesterday, was really the only day I have sewn in a week, but I feel like I got some things done (and that's what we like to see in these weekly progress reports, right?).

I've mostly been working on this wall hanging for Ashley's teacher.  It has given me a chance to put my new sewing machine through some of her paces.  I am finding that it is a bit like learning how to do everything all over again, especially when it comes to free motion quilting.

In particular, I am struggling with finding that perfect speed to do my quilting.  With Ms. Kitty, I liked a nice medium speed.  But if I go that speed with the new machine, my hands are slower somehow and I end up with more eyelashing.  So, I need to sew faster, but I find myself getting a little out of control at times.  Back and forth I go between speeds.

I also had a little trouble when quilting through thicker layers, like onto the leaves of this quilt.  The new machine would at times skip stitches in those areas, so I found myself going really slow and backtracking when necessary.  The stitches in those areas ended up really small as a result.

It is not perfect, but it is DONE!

I actually went to the trouble to hand bind this one.  It must have been a long time since I have done any hand binding (or the feverish pace I was doing it) because my fingers are extremely sore and even have a few bruises.  Who knew sewing would be so grueling?

This Wednesday......

Completed Projects:

• Vintage Holiday Quilt Along - Block 2, 3, and 4
• Thank you quilt for Ashley's kindergarten teacher - well it is almost complete.  In my haste to do all the machine binding, I forgot to add a label, but it is in the works.  I WILL deliver this quilt to the teacher by Friday.
• August Free Motion Challenge - I'll be writing this one up for tomorrow's post.

On-going Projects:

• Handstitched goodies - several projects in limbo
• Let's Get Acquainted Blog Hop Item - not started
• Vintage Holiday Quilt Along - Still behind, but catching up!
• Totally Groovy Quilt Along - not started.
• Star of Africa Bee - July block is now 95 percent complete.  Just a couple hand touches needed.  I WILL post on Tuesday - you won't want to miss it!  Thankfully, August is my month, so I don't need to worry about turning around and making another block right away.
• "Tree" themed quilt for the guild - the guild is having a quilt show in October and each member is asked to make a small quilt with a "tree" theme.  I've had my design planned out, but now I am wondering if I really even want to participate.  It is my first year in the guild, I've only been to one meeting, and as you can see, I have a lot of other things going on.
• Grammie's placemats - not started. deadline Sept 19th

Back Burner:

I am determined not to forget these projects!  Keeping them in this category reminds me of them on a weekly basis.

• Batik Stripe Quilt - still sandwiched and ready to be quilted!  
• Red, White, Blue New York Beauty - piecing in progress, but put well out of the way.  I need to be in a paper-piecing mood to resume.
• June UFO - "A Christmas Something for myself" -EPP in progress.  
• Charity quilt for the guild - not started

This week's stats:
Completed projects - 3, blocks that is.
New projects - 0
Currently in Progress - 7-ish

Don't forget to link up any blocks you have been working on to yesterday's post!  The linky stays open for a whole week, so feel free to add them as you complete or wait for next Tuesday (or both)!



Linking up with Freshly Pieced WIP Wednesday's .