New focus

I have been busy for the last several months preparing for an event that ended here.

 It ended beautifully.

Welcome to the family, CJ.

It is time though for my focus to change, and I will first be focusing on this fabric which was given to me by a member of my small quilting group.

Each person in the group was given a piece of the same fabric and was challenged to do something with it to be revealed in December.  I have chosen these fabrics to accompany it and will be posting progress as it happens.

Oops!  I forgot to take a photo before I started sewing.  This a little further along than I planned to reveal just yet.  More soon.

~Mrs. Rice

Thanks. That's a wrap.

Wow!  I can't believe it's been two months since I received Mr. Spider.  Thanks, Vickie!  He is the cutest pin cushion ever.

He accompanied me and the bunny pin cushion to BIQR and really did seem to keep the spiders and snakes away.

  And while we are on the subject of BIQR, here are some scenes from our retreat.  There were tiny pieces

and busy hands

 and old machines

 and new machines

 and beautiful colors.

Did I mention that it is beautiful in Michigan in September?  

~Mrs. Rice

"She don't like spiders and snakes..."

Lucky...

I was the lucky recipient of this..

You see I am the iron maiden.  When we travel to BIQR, I am responsible for bringing the iron...only this year she will travel in style.

Super Secret

Shhh...

Mrs. Rice

#31

The most recent draw from my jar was #31- Remembering Christmas.  This was a kit I purchased at Country Sampler in 2009, while attending their annual Boxwood and Berries event.   I don't remember why I put this one aside, all it needed was borders, and the back pieced to the correct size for machine quilting...and I made the binding while I knew where the fabric actually was!  Done, done, and done...already at the quilters!

While you can actually see the quilt in this picture, I like this one instead...

Enjoy!

Vickie

Taking a Seasonal Break

This time of year I find I almost feel frantic when the new holiday/seasonal fabrics start showing up in the shops and on line.  I have been meaning to make some new seasonal quilts to display, soooo...



Looks like a pumpkin table runner to me!

Stay tuned, I'm sure there will be more!

Vickie

The House Quilt

I'm back to share my first project from my number jar.  This one is just known as "The House Quilt".

I have to tell you the truth though.  It never made it into the jar.  I wrote it down and kept it out.  I knew this one would have to be the first.  Daughter M and I started this together, picking fabrics and planning.  The top had been done for a couple years and just hadn't gotten quilted.  For some reason my machine quilting confidence was on hiatus.  I picked this quilt for a project challenge in February with my small quilt group.  Finally, it is done!  The inspiration for the house quilt was this quilt.  It feels good to have it under my belt and to get some of that confidence back.

My usual quilting is "that random allover thing I do".

I try to put in some fun stuff such as the tree in this doorway.

And I occasionally put in words like this one!  (Click any of the pictures to see them larger.)  M is happy and the quilt resides on her bed.

Wishing you progress,
Mrs. Rice

A Gift

Someone near and dear to my oldest son is battling a serious illness.  Of course being the son of a quilter, he asked if I could make a quilt for her.  I asked if there were any colors she preferred, he said blues and yellows...apparently he is unfamiliar with my stash!  I managed to locate this, actually #38 on my list.

The Big EZ  found here.  Purchased in 2009, and may I add, totally cut out!  This quilt traveled to several retreats, but I never worked on it.  Because it was cut out and ready to go, it was a breeze to put together.  A wonderful quilter took care of that aspect for me, I put the binding on, attached a label, my son wrapped it up...She loved it!

Vickie

The Jars of Mrs. Rice

Hi there.  I'd like to tell you about my jars.  Yes, you read that right.  I have two jars.  I am a quilter and a while back I figured I needed to get my unfinished projects down on paper so I knew exactly what I needed to get done.  You see, I am an out of sight, out of mind kind of person and I was having a difficult time remembering all the projects I had.   

I found in the process of my counting and writing down that I have over 90 unfinished quilts.  Over 20 of them just need to be quilted.  Since I quilt my own quilts these all needed to go into the jar.  This is why I chose to split my projects into two jars:  one for any project that is not ready for quilting and another for completed tops that are ready for quilting. 

Sometimes I feel like piecing and sometimes I feel like quilting.  This way I have a choice.  When it is time to pull another paper from the jar, I can choose which type of project to work on.  My goal is progress.  

Next time I'll share my first project from the jar and my rules for The Number Jar Project (the NJP).

Mrs. Rice

Vickie's Jars

I began my "Jar Journey" when I realized how much I was actually collecting.  And of course the ever popular, what do I want to work on now?  First in, first out, last in, first out?  I took stock of what I had, projects in different stages of completion, projects I had all of the components for, some that just needed borders, etc.  I made a list, assigned numbers, the numbers were written on post it notes (folded sticky side together), and put in a jar.  My goal is to finish to completion, which for me right now is finishing the top and having it ready for quilting.  I currently quilt by check book...maybe Mrs. Rice is right, I need another jar...  Future posts will share what I am currently working on and then I will work back to November 2010, when I made my first draw from my Jar.

-Vickie

Welcome, our very first post!

Welcome.  Let us introduce ourselves.  We are Vickie and Mrs. Rice.  This is our Number Jar Project.

We both seem to have the same dilemma...too many projects collected, too many projects started, not enough completed.  This is the place we will share our progress with you.  While we may have different approaches to the process, we have the same goal in mind.  We hope you'll join us on our journey.