Hello, I just recently joined this forum and have found lots of great support and information.

Just checking to see if any of my "over 50" sisters here are quilters?

Maybe we can have some sort of weight loss/stash reduction challenge!

Denise, Northern California

What a great idea! This last week I've gotten back into quilting and I'm really using it as a distraction when I want to eat. I have about 3 projects going right now in my sewing area and it seems to be working quite well.

What kind of quilting do you do?

I have done some quilting in a most uncrafty way years ago. Just pieced a few crazy quits. I have pieces in my closet that I started putting together about 30 years ago. Ha, ha. That will probably never get done. But I know what you mean about keeping the hands and mind busy. It really takes away the cravings to munch junk.

You are right about quilting keeping our hands busy!

Kris - what are your projects?

Isabella - I've seen some very inventive crazy quilts! My mother-in-law made all sorts in her day with her scraps, and some of them were prettier than the patterned ones.

I have quilted several wall hangings, and have made many pieced comforters that I've tied off. Does that make me eligible for this group? My current project is to make a comforter that goes with the colors of my living room, which are aqua and shades of brown. The fabric is bought and washed, so I have no excuse to delay any longer!

Here's hoping the original poster will check back before long.

Well, I just put a grouping of quilt blocks up on my design wall today and I hate it. Unfortunately, I'm going to have to do some unsewing. It was a kit that I bought years ago, precut bali batiks in a curved block pattern. Well, there is 1 fabric in the entire batch that I simply can't stand and it sticks out like a sore thumb. I suspected I wasn't going to like the color when I was sewing the pieces together but ignored my gut instincts.

So, I've about 12 pieces to unsew and put something else into it. Oh well, such is life! It will be a good project to work on in front of the TV.

Other projects.....so many.....not enough time! Currently I'm working on a king size quilt that needs to be bound for the guest room, I'm also into making some quilted bags, I'm doing some wool pin cushions and also working on a couple scrap quilts to donate to Project Linus. Those are just the ones that I'm currently working on......

How about you gals? What are you working on?

Kris - well, you'll certainly have busy hands! On the bright side, at least it is only 12 pieces instead of the whole project. I've heard of the Linus Project. Isn't that where sewers donate blankets to children in the hospital? I'm curious; what type of weight loss program are you on? I had lost weight on Weight Watchers, gained it back, and am currently counting calories, and using many of the WW guidelines.

Any quilters reading this, or anyone interested in quilting, please jump in and join us.

Hi Jane,

You're right about Project Linus. It's the first time I've made anything for them so I'm not 100% sure on the details. One of the local quilt shops back home organizes work days through out the year to complete these quilts. My plan is to find out what size tops they prefer and make several out of fabrics I'm no longer interested in. I like the 'mindless' sewing part of quilting but have no logical need for another quilt so I'm hoping this will work out for me.

As far as my eating plan, I guess it's a combination of calorie counting and lower carb eating. I'm about 10 days into really dialing down my calories into a deficit in order to start shifting some more weight. My plan is to keep up this deficit until Christmas and then try to normalize or maintain for a few weeks. I'm real good at maintaining (really no weight loss to speak of for the last year) but I still have poundage to remove. I think I've tried most diets known....low carb works for me in many respects but it triggered some health issues when I went ULTRA low carb (nearly zero carb) so now I'm trying for mid-range carbs and those are mostly from veggies. So far, so good.....

Good morning Kris,

My fabric is ironed, but I'm not sure when I'll be able to begin cutting. This weekend if full-up! I've got the pattern worked up on a diagram, so once I begin, the work should move along nicely.

Your weight loss plan sounds very doable! It's good to have a general long-range plan. When I eat carbs, I try to make sure they are of the complex variety, but I'm not always successful with that, lol. Sounds like you enjoy your veggies. I do too, except for brussel sprouts. I've been back OP since Sept. 29, so I'm just finishing up 3 weeks. Although I began on a Tuesday, I like to weigh in on Saturdays.

Today I am making a birthday cake for my son's birthday celebration tomorrow. He and his little family have rented a large cabin and have invited the rest of us over. Every year, he requests a Fruit Cocktail cake, and I always make it from scratch. My challenge tomorrow will be to have only a small piece of it.

Happy quilting!

I have always been a much better starter-of-quilts than a finisher-of-quilts (I love doing the tops and dislike doing the actually quilting.) So, back about 4 years ago, I made myself a promise that I wouldn't start another quilt until I finished the ones I had. And it worked!

I haven't quilted a stitch since!

However, the notion of hands that are busy with fabric are hands that are not busy with food is a very good one, so sometime this week I am going to see if I can find a place to set up the old sewing machine and take another look at those unfinished quilts. And maybe even take a look at my fabric stash --- just moving all that around should be good for a pound or two! LOL

Great idea for a thread!

DarkAspen - yes, even just shifting the fabric from one pile to another will help keep your hands busy. Also, please join us in the General Chat thread here where we discuss all sorts of things.

I've been trying to make two applique Christmas 'Mother and Child' quilts as 'thank yous' for two ladies I know. The quilts are about a foot square {or so} but I'm having problems picking colors and have been second guessing myself. I'm trying to use my stash rather than go out and pick new fabrics but maybe that would help??

I'm vision impaired so I do all my work on my regular sewing machine. I have to give a lot of credit to Elenanor Burns' techniques that I can quilt at all.

I've mostly quilt but this autumn I've been crocheting and knitting hats, sczrves, and sweaters. I tend to go in waves of what my interests are.

Looking forward to getting to know all you.

Good job gals on your projects!

DarkAspen - I'm with you re: quilt tops. I have been hand quilting a grandmothers flowergarden quilt for....oh......maybe 10 years or more. I have a box of quilt tops ready for quilting. Luckily, my sister is a professional machine quilter so when I really want/need a top quilted, she fits me into her schedule. Another quilt related 'problem' of mine is that I love to piece quilts but a person only needs so many quilts - and I've given one to everyone I know over the years.

Penguin - I think E. Burns is just great....especially for newbie quilters but truly, her techniques/ideas are spot on for everyone. I also did quite a bit of knitting this winter - everyone on my Christmas list is getting a scarf, cowl or a cap this year.

Jane - how did it go with the cake?

I'm ready to start on my next project.....going to do a little pressing and cutting in preparation. At a quilt show in Huron SD last month, I found this cute little pattern for pin cushions. The pattern calls for 3/4" strips but I think I'll go with 1" strips - that 1/4" seems to make a big difference to me. I'm also finishing up on 3 little make-up bags. Oh, and I have more unsewing to do (the bane of my existence).....grrrrr.....

Penguin - hmmm... I'll have to check out Eleanor Burns. I've always wanted to knit, but each time I try, I've found that my stitches get tighter and tighter with each row! Very frustrating. My sister told me to just keep practicing, but I'd rather do a craft that comes more naturally to me.

Kris - I did great with the cake!! Actually, it didn't taste nearly as good as I had remembered. The pin cushions and make-up bags sound great for projects that don't take so long. Bet they are cute, too! If you'd like to post a picture, I'd like to see them.

I going to change the title of this thread to include the word Crafters so others may feel welcome to jump in. After all, any crafting helps keep our hands out of the cookie jar, lol.

I still haven't begun cutting the squares for the comforter. But I've been catching up on some mending. My DGD had a unicorn with a ripped belly, and then there were a few pieces of clothing that needed mended.

Does anyone reading this scrapbook?

Jane, I think changing the name to attract other crafters is a good idea. My stitches {whether knit or crochet } seem to get looser and looser as I get used to the pattern and get 'into' the work. I have to pay attention to keep my work from getting sloppy.

Kris, I originally learned hand quilting {from a library book} and did several projects including a king size quilt for our bed {watercolor log cabin} but my eyes had other plans and I learned to used the machine. I think between the two I prefer the machine, now. I'd still like to sit on the couch, watch TV and quilt but hand piecing would drive me nuts. I don't understand instructions that are 5 3/4 or 1 1/8. EEEK! I like to round things up when I can, but sometimes this gets me into trouble.

Aspen, I have noticed these past few weeks that I've been eating less and not obsessing about food. I can't drive so I'm at home most days and that fridge is always close. My sewing room is next to the kitchen and my closet is our pantry. Whoops! who thought that was a good idea!?

Denise, Thanks for starting this thread! what a great idea to get us together.

Penguin - will your eyes likely get better at any time, or is this an on-going thing. Forgive me if I'm asking too much. Oh my gosh, a watercolor log cabin design sounds so beautiful! I'm always drawn to watercolors.

Trish - how's your day going?

Denice hasn't been back since the day she started this thread. Won't she be surprised when she logs on again?

I've got to get back to scrapbooking! My DGD Caylin started Kindergarten this fall, and I want to get her pictures done, like I already did for her twin older sisters when they went to Kindergarten. Then I've got many, many vacation photos to work with.

Too many projects, and not enough time, lol.