Pat Sloan's Blog

Pat Sloan On How to Tame Binding-A Tutorial Plus Show and Tell Thursday!

In the category of 'Walk the Walk' and 'Talk the Talk' ... I too am busting UFOs in 2013.  My True Confession can be read here, as well as prior tips, because I know you don't BELEIVE I actually HAVE any UFOs... snort!

At my Online group the UFO chatter and support and working on UFOs has been GREAT! There I shared that I was finally going to finish 'A Secret Garden'.

So here it is... sleeve on, binding cut and rolled ready to go, and the walking foot in the ready to be installed. Then I realized I may have NEVER SHARED how I keep my binding 'Tamed' while I sew it!

Would you like to know?

Sure.. let's get to it!

First you need a heavy-ish jar, jug or vase with a wide-ish bottom

Yes.. I do make up words as I go... don't you?

The jar.. jug... vase is to hold the binding!

But it has to be somewhat heavy-ish and wide-ish so it won't tip over

Because you put it on the floor!

Yep.. right between your feet.. or however it can work so you can still press the foot pedal.

The binding 'roll' is placed inside my jar... jug... vase

and it feeds nicely as I sew it to my quilt.

and no I don't pin the binding on in advance... why take that time? You can do it without pinning, I promise. Give it a try.

Fun eh?

I store these old spindles in it when not in use, some have binding wrapped on them, because that is MUCH cutier than using Toilet paper rolls... am I right? Am I?

and if you want to learn how I put binding on by machine.. CLICK HERE

Here we go!! 'A Secret Garden' FINISHED!

I braved sprinkles and the threat of a downpour to run outside, pin this to the fence and take some photos for today!

A side view... you can see my quilting swirls

Ta Da!

Someone on my Facebook page asked 'Why did it take me so long to Finish this quilt'

That's a loaded question isn't it?  But I'm a professional, so let me explain how even a professional does not get a published quilt, finished, for a very very long time.

This quilt is made with my "Arabella" fabric line. Arabella is one of the ladies way back on my family tree, love this name.. oh yeah.. what happened.

When Arabella was shown at the trade show we had NO FABRIC.. NONE.. just a few scraps as the fabric did not make it in time. So that means I had NO DEADLINE... you know.. DROP DEAD DONE DATE

None... so when I finally got fabric I made "A Secret Garden'... and basted it.. and took it around with me to use for quilting demos!  Then I stopped doing the demos and the quilt went on the shelf.

So now it's done.. well I have to stitch the sleeve and label, but it's in essence.. DONE!

SO EXCITED! Would you like to make this quilt? CLICK HERE for the pattern

That is my show and tell!!

Now I'd love to see YOURS! Put a direct link to your latest blog post, your flickr folder (did you share something new?), your pinterest board, or how about your latest project loaded to craftsy?

Click the blue box and follow the directions..let's have some fun!

I can't wait to see your latest quilt, finish, start or pile of yummy fabric!

 

Pat Sloan best laid plans

Sometimes your best laid out plans, the plans that are even in concrete, just don't happen. Yesterday I had a zillion best laid plans organized. They are even written down on my 300 lists I keep (hey I LIKE lists!).  But do you know what happened?

The sun came out
It was 60 degrees when we walked to the gym.. 60... yes 60!!!
That is fricken' beautiful for the end of January in Virginia

Then I went outside.... oh baby.. was it nice.

I sat in the sun, then I went and had my hair done, walked the street a bit before going home to sit in the sun some more. You see it actually went up to 70... sigh... bliss...

This is why I work for myself. 

I can take a few hours for myself when it is 70 degrees at home... in January... in Virginia.

That means my plans for the day were shot, but I'm ok with that. 

I posted this photo on my facebook page. Those are boxes of my books for the trips coming up (waving to you in Pennsylvania, Texas and Arizona!).

And I had a lot of interest in my chair on the front porch. I painted it during a challenge!

CLICK HERE to read about the chair!

It won't be as warm today.. so I should get back to my regularly scheduled task.. too bad eh?

Pat Sloan Have I been to visit you yet and quilts by you!

Have I been to visit you to do a workshop, share my quilts?  Have you checked where I'll be lately?

Yesterday I made a few changes to my workshops page and created a page for each workshop with project photos from class!

CLICK HERE to see my workshops and there is a link before each supply list to the new page.  I think this will make it easier for you when you are getting ready to take my classes. I'll be adding more to each page as I go along!

Susan Niezing from Holland sent me this photo of her Meadow Breeze Quilt! I love the warm toasty colors she used. CLICK HERE for the FREE pattern I did for Aurifil Thread company. My original hangs in their collection in Milan... now I need to go visit it!

What I love MOST about designing quilts is see what YOU make! PLEASE send me photos.. you can also post at my Flickr Group. I've not nagged, asked, told you enough about this but will be this year! This is where you can put your things for Show and Tell Thursday too!

CLICK HERE to my Flickr Group

CLICK HERE to my free pattern page

And I sent my Newsletter out yesterday.

If you didn't get it CLICK HERE to read it online!

Pat Sloan Tradition bumped up, Precuts and the importance of our story

Guest - Author, Designer Rebecca Silbaugh loves fabric and loves quilting. She has a new book out on creating quilts with precuts that is sure to excite you have have you grabbing a jelly roll or layer cake off your shelf to make a quilt!

http://www.rubybluequilts.blogspot.com

https://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Ruby-Blue-Quilting-Studio/302670990934

Buy Rebecca's book at my Amazon Link CLICK HERE

Guests- Authors Andrea Johnson and Kelly Biscopink have co-written "Modern Designs for Classic Quilts" from Krause. Their sharee a passion for historic quilt patterns lead them to designing together. I'm excited to hear about their book and learn what the design process is like for them!

Andrea http://www.andiejohnsonsews.com/

pinterest http://pinterest.com/andiejohnsonsew/

Kelly www.stitchyquiltstuff.com  (blog)

Pinterest: https://pinterest.com/stitchykelly

Buy Modern Designs at my Amazon Link CLICK HERE

Guest - The Quilt Alliance organization was established in 1993 with the mission to document, preserve, and share our American quilt heritage. A mission to Preserve our Stories. They do this by collecting the stories about historic and contemporary quilts. And I love that they also collect the stories of the quilt makers. I asked the Executive Director Amy Milne to join me today and tell me what this great organization has to offer us!

www.QuiltAlliance.org

Save Our Stories http://www.allianceforamericanquilts.org/qsos/

The Quilt Index http://www.quiltindex.org/

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Do you have a question for my guests today?

Leave it in the comments below!

CLICK HERE to Listen

Listen ON YOUR COMPUTER or download the PODCAST after the show!

ITUNES subscription available - CLICK HERE To subscribe

APQ FACEBOOK page  CLICK HERE to Join   

My FACEBOOK Quilt Community CLICK HERE to Join

APQ magazine online   www.allpeoplequilt.com/

Pat Sloan Starts and More

Let's start with the "more".. shall we?

These are my TOPS listed yesterday, even the ones I don't plan to keep. As I needed my studio floor back so they are in here waiting their turn.  The 'almost done' Secret Garden lays on the top calling to me to work on it.. which I did last night!

Yesterday Grace had an excellent question in the comments. She wanted to know

"why can't I have a top that I never finish"

Well you certainly CAN!  If a top is all the further you take a quilt, and that makes you happy, and you have no desire to do anything else with it, or guilt about it.. then go for it!!

There are NO RULES here. And what I share is how I work, if it speaks to you then SUPER!! I'm happy to help!

LOADS of UFO chatter at my Online group CLICK HERE to join us!

Now onto the starts..

I'm using my Eat Your Fruits n' Veggies' fabric for the Aurifil BOM this year!

Erin's block is awesome...

Jumping Jack Flash meet Fruits N' Veggies

Cool...

Click here for the block And CLICK HERE to see where to buy my fabric line!

I joined Amy Gibson's Stitchery Dickory Dock "Sugar Block Club"!

I have this set of Tapestry fabric from Moda that I really like. I've not worked in these soft colors lately and they were speaking to me. Plus I love a bit of a challenge. Layer cake + a bit of yardage.. and a mystery..

Can you do that?

Let's see some of the colors in this baby

ps - CLICK HERE and scroll past the guest name to the "Disco Player". Listen to my interview with Amy on Jan 7, 2013!

Red

Taupe Grey

Cream

Peach

Or maybe Auqa

Taupe Grey

Green

Peach

Cream

I decided to leave out the red and go with the softer quieter fabrics.  The peach yardage will be used as my 'background'

Now just to be sure... since I love it so.. I decided I NEEDED that luscious Aqua in the large floral for the border (yes I DID order it... hello mailman bring it to mama!!)

What are you doing this weekend?

Pat Sloan 12 UFO Busting Tips - true confessions

Start at the Beginning..

True Confessions... I counted MY UFO projects... CLICK HERE FOR TIP #1 directions

Basted/quilting
1.A Secret Garden

Tops
1.Over the Moon
2.Let's be Scrap Happy
3.Aurifil 2012 quilt
4.Bunny Hill
5.Seaside Applique Quilt
6.EYFV quilt blocks in a top - blue/yellow
7.5 o'clock somewhere
8.flower blocks
9.Frogs in the pond
10.Pimitive Blackbird design  4 block – mustard color
11.BOM with Jackie K.
12.jelly roll race in my EYFV
13.Patriotic baskets
14.Big Hexagons – navy
15.batik signature Quilt
16.Lavender Vintage blocks
17.Charm square small quilt – use as a backing
18.Stocking Quilt
19. Jelly roll race in Blue fabrics

Tops at Cindy's
1.Lucy's Crab shack fabric,
2. Mom's quilt...pink and yellow
3.A whacky log cabin with made fabric inner borders and a black border with BIG leaves
4.Baskets with stripe handles
5.pink and lime green quilt with border fabric with big pink flowers - SL block swap
6.quilt with words in 30's fabrics.

In Progress - Samplers
1.EYFV 2013 Aurifil Blocks – my fabrics plus white or my tonal
EYFV quilt blocks from Quilt Gallery red/white
EYFV quilt blocks from Quilt Gallery green/orange
2.Farmer Mistress
Add Sugar Blocks – same as Farmer Mistress block fabrics
3.Grey Antique dresden plates
COMBINE grey and yellow craftsy blocks – plus some.. put the pieced blocks around the center
4.Dear Jane + Alphabet
5.wool round robin
6.Halloween crooked cabins – studio
7.crop circles
8.Reproduction blocks on BLACK from simple stitches  hand appliqué
9.red/white baskets 
10.OP quilt – needs flowers 
11.Na-Na's Peppermints
12.rabbit round robin
13.easter blocks
14.Lifesaver Dresdens
15.Stripe and dot table runner
16.Cross stitch

This seems to be 42 lovely project that have been started.

I know a few of you (yes you Sharon) are calling me a light weight..

I'll take it.. as 2 yrs ago there were more!

Let me show you what this sorting can do for you.

Group A - Almost done - now list them in order of importance

here is mine(If I can do it YOU can do it!)

1. A Secret Garden
2. Seaside Applique Quilt
3. Over the Moon
4. Let's be Scrap Happy
5. Aurifil 2012 quilt
6. Bunny Hill
7. jelly roll race in my EYFV
8. BOM with Jackie K.
9. Patriotic baskets
10. Pimitive Blackbird desi
11. EYFV quilt blocks in a top - blue/yellow
12. 5 o'clock somewhere
13. stocking Quilt
14. jelly roll race in Blue fabric
15. at longarmers - Lucy's Crab shack fabric
16. at longarmers -Mom's quilt...pink and yellow
17. at longarmers -whacky log cabin with made fabric inner borders and a black border with BIG leaves
18. at longarmers -Baskets with stripe handles
19. at longarmers -pink and lime green quilt with border fabric with big pink flowers - SL block swap
20. at longarmers -quilt with words in 30's fabrics.

 Group B – Almost done but ...

From your list above I bet there are some you REALLY don't want to finish. And you don't see giving them to someone, or even doing them 'yourself' for charity. The BIG Point here is.... you do NOT NEED to finish everything you started.

If you no longer love it...give it away, sell it, but do not keep it

I'm walking the walk and talking the talk.. I think this group is going to go

1. flower blocks
2. Frogs in the pond
3. large  4 block – mustard color
4. batik signature Quilt
5. Lavender Vintage blocks
6. Charm square small quilt – use as a backing

 Group C – Patially done AND I LOVE the project and WANT to finish it

The photo above is of my tops. I have gone through them MANY times and right now I THINK I want them all. But the longer I do not quilt them... the more chance I'll have out grown them.

Now list your Partially done.. And put them in order of importance

here is mine(If I can do it YOU can do it!)

In Progress - Samplers
1.EYFV 2013 Aurifil Blocks – my fabrics plus white or my tonal
EYFV quilt blocks from Quilt Gallery red/white
EYFV quilt blocks from Quilt Gallery green/orange
2.Farmer Mistress
Add Sugar Blocks – same as Farmer Mistress block fabrics
3.Grey Antique dresden plates
COMBINE grey and yellow craftsy blocks – plus some.. put the pieced blocks around the center
4.Dear Jane + Alphabet
5.wool round robin
6.Halloween crooked cabins – studio
7.crop circles
8.Reproduction blocks on BLACK from simple stitches  hand appliqué
9.red/white baskets 
10.OP quilt – needs flowers 
11.Na-Na's Peppermints
12.rabbit round robin
13.easter blocks
14.Lifesaver Dresdens
15.Stripe and dot table runner
16.Cross stitch

Group D – Partially done but....

From your list above take out the projects that you really have outgrown, that you never liked that much, that are giving you Guilt.

I am working on what to move here... hey.. I'm human!

Group E – Barely started

And the last group for you to sort is this one, the ones you have BARELY started. I have those too... they are way down on my list (but I'll share in future posts!)

Now Take a GOOD... HARD... RUTHLESS look at your list

and be sure what you leave in the LOVE piles are projects you want to continue

Need support?

Join me HERE at the Quilt Forum where we can all hold hands

Shead tears for old projects

And give support for getting rid of DEAD WEIGHT

Post photos to share at our flickr group

Chat on Facebook.

I'm here for you!

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Can you do it? I KNOW you can because I have!

What did you learn so far this month, tell me in the comments!

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If you can't wait.. you can CLICK HERE to read the original posts the link takes you to my first from the last time I ran UFO busting.

Quilt Forum topic - be sure to hit 'NOTIFY' at the top right

http://quiltmashup.com/index.php/topic,2268.new.html#new

Flickr Group - http://www.flickr.com/groups/patsloan12tipstobustufos/

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