Finish it Up Friday - Clamshell Quilt

I need to update on my UFO goal for the year.  I have been working on it, but I haven't posted about any progress. Here is one update.  

I've been working on a clamshell quilt for just under four years.  For a while I was posting updates with the Clamshell Club, but I didn't hand piece as fast as those ladies.  This project was always more of a long term project, something I worked on when we traveled and such.

When we went to Nebraska earlier this month, I determined I would finish it on the trip.  I had about five rows left and figured a week in the car would provide ample opportunity.  Well, it didn't get finished on the trip, but I got close.  Since we've been home I neglected my sewing room in favor of the couch and hand-stitching.  Sunday morning before church I put the last stitch in this quilt top.  Huzzah!

I already have the backing and plenty of binding options in my Christmas fabric stash.  My plan is to quilt this as soon as I finish my Farmer's Wife quilt.

The applique is totally not perfect, but I cut, basted, and pieced the entire thing by hand.  The top measures about 54" x 65", so it'll make a good Christmas quilt for our couch.

Linking up to Finish it Up Friday with Crazy Mom Quilts!

WIP Wednesday

Since the Olympics started, I’ve been making a concerted effort to stay upstairs and watch the evening coverage rather than lurking in my basement sewing cave.  However, not sewing for a couple weeks isn’t an option if I want to keep my sanity.  So I pulled out the box with my clamshell quilt and have been working on it while we watch skiing, figure skating, and the like. 

The baby is in bed – because he is not a happy camper after 7:30.

My four-year old is full of questions – Who do we like (cheer for)?  :Answer:  Why are they doing X?  :Answer:  Why?  :Answer:  Why?  :Answer:  Why?  (You get the picture.) 

My husband dozes on and off in the arm chair (he’s worked a full day and then helped feed the cattle and sheep after work). 

And I, I stitch. 

I measured the other evening, and my quilt was 54” wide by 45” long.  To keep it the same proportions as a 60”x72” throw quilt, I am going to make it 65” long.  I then measured my clamshells and figured out each row adds 2” to the length (Are you kidding me?  That’s it?  Why didn’t I know this ahead of time?)

The good news: it’s just 10 more rows. 

The bad news:  it’s 10 more rows.  And I may need to make a few more clamshells - my box is running low on variety.

Since I measured, I’ve added one row and just last night pinned and got started on a second row.  So I have 8.5 rows to go.  We’ll see how far I get after the closing ceremony.

One of my “goals” for the year is to focus on one UFO a month.  Maybe not finishing them, but making a focused effort to work on them.  I hadn’t intended for February to be clamshells, but I guess it counts.  I’m hoping this one will be done for the Christmas season this year.  It’s only been four years . . .

I’m linking up to WIP Wednesday at Freshly Pieced!

Clamshells

Haven't worked on this one in a while...

 I measured and need about 20-25 more inches in length.  Not sure how many rows that makes.  Just a little hand stitching and TV after putting the kids to bed.

July 2011 Clamshell Club Update

As always, a few days late . . .

but after no progress last month, I did make some in July.

May

July

:-)

Clamshell Club May 2011

I'm a few days late again - darn lack of home internet access!

I managed to finish the fourth row and put the green clams on the fifth . . . as my husband says, I'm going to be working on this project for years (or I may work on it more as fall and Christmas approach).

Clamshell Club - April 2011

I didn't do an update last month because I didn't have any progress.  This month isn't much better . . .

 I added 1.5 clamshells to the top.  Maybe I'll do better next month. 

I am still excited about this project; there has just been a lot of baby quilt sewing and house renovating-type projects going on lately.  After I finish the current one, I am sewing up some curtains, and then it is nothing but fun sewing - pillows, sundresses, quilts I want to make . . .

Clamshell Club - February 2011

I forgot last month - sorry!  All this progress is actually what I was doing in January; there hasn't been much action this month.  But since I forgot, here is where I am now.

You see - I actually started construction!  I'm just lining them up and pinning one at a time and hand-stitching away.  I'm not worried about perfection for this project.  It is about 55" wide since this will be a throw size.  And I realized I didn't have enough greens, so I found some more green fabrics and have just now started cutting them out and basting them so I can get back to piecing.  Let me tell you, it's going faster than I expected, and it's FUN!

This will have to go on the back burner for a bit as I quilt one baby quilt, and piece and quilt another one.  But it's a great TV watching project.

Clamshell Club - 11/30/2010

 142 clamshells basted in November.  A weekend trip with built-in babysitters really helped me make some progress.  Whatever is left in the stack on the right is what I have left to baste. 

December will probably not have much progress since I am busy working on lots of Christmas sewing.  After that I can let myself work on these while watching TV.  I'm excited to put these together and see how it all looks . . .

Clamshell Club - October Update

Better a little late than never . . . we were out of town this weekend, but I wanted to wait until we got back, since I actually got to ride in the passenger seat this time . . .

In October I managed to baste 87 clamshells.  I didn't get to work on this as much as I had hoped, but still, 87 is not bad for a few here and a few there.  The new stack is on the left.  I guess altogether I now have 199 clamshells basted.  There's still a good amount left in the box to work on.

And here are a couple of my favorites - actually, there are a lot more faves than just these . . .

Clamshell Club - September 2010

I made good progress during September.  I started the month just trying to finish cutting out the clamshells.  At some point I realized I didn’t have enough red fabric (I had more yardage of green and cream and had just small amounts of the different red fabrics).  So I found more.  I still am not exactly sure how many clamshells I will need for a throw size quilt, but I’m thinking several hundred, and I’m pretty certain I have enough cut out. 

Last weekend I was with the ladies of my mom’s family at a house in the mountains of North Carolina .  I started on some more basting.  Not wanting to set up the ironing board or mess with glue, I decided to try that nasty thread basting technique.  Wonder of wonders, I actually enjoy it!  Here’s my stack of thread basted clamshells, just from the weekend and car trip back home.  There are 112 of them.

I’m trying really hard not to work on the clamshells at home, since they are supposed to be a travel project (and since I have lots of other projects to sew at home).  It’s hard, but I will be good.  This weekend starts our fall of traveling.  I’m not sure there will be much/any sewing since I have a library book I need to finish.  But I think by next weekend I’ll be done and ready to dive back in.  Teehee.

What I was doing this weekend . . .

The women of my mom's family all joined up at a house in the mountains of western North Carolina last weekend.  This is how I spent most of my time around the house:

 

I was trying to finish up a project, and once I did, I moved on to another:

I'm on the right, with my cousin and my aunt on the deck.

 

Don't worry, we did some shopping and touring as well!

I even found some fabric, but I don't have pics of it yet. ;)

Clamshell Club Update – 8/31/2010

This was my first month of the Clamshell Club.  I got off to a slow start, but I never claimed this would be a fast project.  I decided to use Christmas fabrics from my stash – this will bust over half of them.  I'll have to get some new Christmas fabrics to finish the quilt, but at least I did use from stash first (a big deal for me).

 

I spent most of my time cutting as my supplies started trickling in (mylar for the template, a book for the pattern, appliqué pins and straw needles, etc.).  So far I have this stack of cut clamshells . . .

This stack of glue-basted clamshells (some of them are coming unbasted, Yikes!) . . .

These sets of sewn clamshells . . .

And this set of pinned clamshells . . .

I like it so far.  I guess I am most worried about having the colors balance, since I am going for a super scrappy look.  I like order and planned and pretty, so random scrappy is a challenge for me. 

 

I was a little sad that I was only able to piece two sets of clamshells on our trip the other day, but I think it will go more quickly if I pin a bunch before we leave (pinning in the car is difficult).  We will be doing a lot of traveling this fall . . .

 

I wonder how long it will take me to accumulate fabric for, cut, baste, and piece and throw-sized top? 

Yay!

I was getting worried that my applique pins and straw needles wouldn't show up in time for our trip this weekend, but guess what came in the mail today! 

So I spent a little time glue-basting some clamshells and pinning the first couple together so I could sew tomorrow in the car. 

I am way too excited for this project - I'm such a nerd.

New Project - Clamshells

I have decided on a new quilting project (because I don’t already have like 26 on the list).  I want to make a clamshell quilt.  It will be all hand-pieced, which will be good for trips.  I was really inspired by Brown Dirt Cottage’s blog, and she had a picture and the name of the book she was inspired by, so I found it on Amazon for $0.48 plus shipping (used, but in very good condition).  I needed to get the replacement charger for our camera anyways, so I added the book, and then found a mini cutting mat and ruler set for $8.55 that would be great for working in the car, at work, etc.  So we have three little packages coming our way.  

After some serious internal debate, I have decided to dig into my Christmas fabrics and work from stash.  I can always add some new if I need to, but we'll start with these and see how many clamshells we get.  It looks like any new fabric will need to be green . . .

Obviously, it’s going to take some time to make a throw-sized quilt, but it’ll be a good hand project, just grab-n-go (something I am always struggling to find right before we leave for a trip). 

 

I got a sheet of Mylar template plastic, so when my book gets here, I can copy the clamshell template and get started.  I looked at appliqué pins and straw needles, but I didn’t like the ones at JoAnn’s, so I’ll have to head online or go to Sew Biz again.  I should have everything in time to start on our trip back home the end of the month. 

 

I guess I need to check my smaller rotary cutter to see if it is small enough (I think it is) and get a new blade or get a mini cutter.  I am so excited to get my little kit and get started.  Although the clamshell quilt will be slow progress mainly for trips or hand sewing while watching TV, the mini cutting kit can be used for many projects, including marking FGF squares at lunch or while watching TV.

So dear readers, wish me luck as I join the Clamshell Club!