New Year's Eve

Friday was super sew day. First I worked on the next clue of Bonnie Hunter's 2016 mystery. I got all the cutting and sewing on the 64 quarter square triangles. Trimmed the dog ears off of them today but again took picture with my cell phone but not my regular camera.

Yellow was the color of the day yesterday for these little zig zag  blocks I am doing. The blog was Nann's with strings attached. Today's color is blue.

Step six of the mystery was cut from 2 inch strips and as I finished this step I remembered that the second inspiration from Nann's blog was made from 2 inch strips.

These are just some of the blocks I made straight for the 2 inch drawer.

Here is 28 more strip sets to go with the ones I made yesterday, not sure it I have enough yet but I should be close. Not sure yet what size I am going for but these will make a good size throw maybe even a twin. I have yardage of a rusty red that I think I will use to set them together. Got to do a little calculating to see how many more strip sets I will need, but I think I will stop for now and square these. I am squaring them to 8 inches and then cutting on the diagonal, with half cut on the right angle and half on the left. These 28 plus the 36 I did last night may be enough.

I spent about 30 minutes cleaning up this morning in the sewing room and only got the cutting table cleared. I would like to say that was going to be my New Years Resolution along with finishing everything I start but there is really no reason to set myself up for failure. I told Johnny earlier today that all this chaos was really just my creative juices flowing everywhere. I believe that will be the story I stick with.  Truthfully I don't think I could function if everything was totally organized, but then I don't think I ever have to worry about that happening.

Go with what works for you and happy stitching in the New Year.

Teresa

This photo just shows part of the top, don't really have a big enough space to be able to see a king size quilt. I still have to add borders. I have yardage of two different fabrics from the line and I think I will wait until the other blocks are put together to decide which fabric goes best with what top.

There are some panel blocks but they are not the same size as these blocks. They are smaller, maybe I can frame them and use them with the rest of the previously made blocks. This will take more planing than I am up for right now. Tomorrow we will get another step in the mystery from Quiltville so I will probably work on that. I have a couple of backs that need to be pieced and bindings to make. This should give me some time to think about these other blocks.

Last Monday will checking on other blogs I saw a top with these blocks. She had a good demo. I have been making one a day.

Today's was green, here it is laid out before sewing. It is made from 1.5 inch strips of two fabrics. You need the full 45 inches to get the 16 pieces. Just found the top very interesting, will try to find the post so that I can share the original.

Until later, happy stitching.

Teres

Dumpster Diving

Dumpster diving or my version of old project box diving. Pulled all these blocks from a box tucked back in the corner underneath my sewing machine cabinet. There are at least 80 blocks already made and another 20 or 25 all cut out and pinned together. I obviously planned to do a large king size quilt. I don't think I correctly calculated the amount needed. I think I will have enough to do a king and a throw. The fabric is all from Moda called North Woods Crossing by Holly Taylor.

I have put 8 blocks in a row and have 5 rows put together here. I will either do 8 or 9 rows. I will work a little longer on it tonight and maybe get the top finished by the weekend.

I did make a short little shopping trip today to Three Hens and a Chick's after Christmas sale. Then I carried Daddy to lunch at Clark's Restaurant in Athens.

I also gifted this quilt to my aunt ,Gail Stewart. She has been there for Daddy during all his treatments. She has been his chauffeur and his ears during this past year.

  

happy stitching,

Teresa

Recess Day 2

I feel like I am on permanent recess and it is play time all the time.  Today was day two of retail retirement. I finished putting these blocks together. The blocks have been complete for several months and even a few rows put together but they had been set aside for more pressing projects. I had originally planned to add a red inner border and then a black and white outer border but I have changed my mind. It is big enough now so I will use the red for the binding. I just need something for the back. I have three yards of a black and white wide back but hate to waste nearly a third of it since this top is not that large and I have another black and white quilt in the to be completed pile that will be a king and that back will work, so I may have to go shopping. 

I also  quilted a little table topper for a friend, so overall it was a productive day .

I have a lot of  unfinished projects and I need to get a handle on the ones that I really want to finish and those that need to be truly abandoned or re-purposed. I am going to pull out a few boxes tonight and see what is what. I know it won't happen over night but hopefully I will get it together soon.

Until later, happy stitching.

Teresa

DWM December 26, 2016

I am about half way finished with step 5 of Bonnie Hunters 2016 mystery En Privence. I still have to square all the steps but most of the sewing in done. This is the first time in a long time that I am able to post on a Monday or really any day, but hope that is about to change. Christmas Eve was my last day of work in the retail world. Hopefully now I will be able to do more of the work I love, quilting. And if you love what you do then it is really not work.

I finished this quilt just in time for a Christmas gift for Daddy. I took a picture of it on his bed but with my cell phone so that is another thing I have got to learn is how to get those pictures to my computer.

I took some of the scraps from Daddy's quilt and made this table runner.

My sister-n-law found this top in a recent move. She said it was made by her grandmother probably in the 60's. She asked if I would quilt if for her. She lives out of state so she brought it to me when they were here Thanksgiving and I got it finished and to her yesterday. It was a large quilt for that time period, 86 x 104. She was very pleased and plans to use it on a guest bed.

Hope to get back to posting on a more regular basis. Happy quilting.

Teresa

Customer Request

A friend of a friend called and asked if I would make a baby quilt for her. She had order her fabric on line and sent me a picture of how she wanted it made. She wanted a scalloped edge. I have done a scalloped edge before but it has been a long time. Now I remember why.

I got it done. There was no piecing involved just quilted front and back and scalloped the edges. It might have been easier if I had the scallop  edge ruler, but I used a paper template. She was happy and I guess we all grow from challenges.

About another challenge later.

Teresa

project bags

I found these blocks mostly complete just had to finish a few and put them together. The pattern was called Flower Girl by Me and My Sister design. I had actually kept the pattern in the project bag with the blocks and the extra fabric needed to complete the blocks. The pattern called for 25 blocks but I had cut out enough for 35 blocks.

This striped fabric is what I have for a border and that will require mitered corners, not a favorite. I don't have, but think I may look for a solid blue or green for a small inner border. Not sure yet and it may take a while to get up the nerve to cut and miter these borders. I think I have enough of one of the yellow florals for the back and if the border print gets the best of me I could put it on the back, but I would hate to waste it there.

 

I got the 30's top put together, only had 20 blocks not 30, don't know where I got that number. I thought I might get a blue solid for the border but it is a nice crib size now, will just have to see what I can find. Either was this is another project bag gone, YEA!

I am still digging so check back to see what else I have found and what other inspiration has hit.

30's project bag

My last two post have shown two different baby quilts I made from 30's reproduction fabric. I really don't have a big stash of 30's (not near as much as my friend Donna) just an average size tub. Whereas with civil war reproduction fabric I have two tubs the same size as the 30's one plus four smaller tubs. I have every intention of cleaning out some of my project bags while I am recuperating from foot surgery and I found this bag  Wednesday night. I had 8 blocks finished and the components pieced for 21 more for a total of 30 blocks. I have all the blocks put together now I just need to lay them out so I can spread the fabrics around. I think these were made from a jelly roll. I thought about making 3 baby quilts from them but have decided against that. Hopefully will get these put together tomorrow. This would be a good one to put on the machine to quilt first. It has been so long since I have been out to the quilting shed so I will have to relearn it I'm sure. I have another quilt for a customer that it waiting on quilting but need to practice on one of mine first.

I have the blocks from another project bag put together just waiting on the border. It's not 30's but is an older line of fabric from April Cornell (yellows and blues) check back later for photos.

Teresa

30's continued

I guess I kind of over cut when cutting strips for the Dancing Nines. I had a good many parts left over so just cut a few more and made this Rick Rack Nine baby size. This in another Bonnie Hunter pattern that I just made smaller. I think there were 48 nine patches in this one. I think I still have two nine patch units left so they will go in the orphan block bin. Now to get this one as well as the Dancing Nines quilted. Hopefully these two baby quilts satisfied my need to start something new and I can get back to finishing up some older projects.

I found a couple of project bags where most of the work was done, just needs putting together. Check back later for their story and can you believe one of them is another 30's pattern.

Teresa 

Back in the sewing room

June 13th I had surgery on my left foot. Didn't think it would be such a big deal, WRONG.
The doctor wanted me not to go back to work for 6 weeks when he would take the pin out of my toe. Well last Tuesday he took the pin out and he was right I didn't feel a thing. But the news I didn't want was I still could not go back to work for another 3 weeks. I had not been able to do much especially sew. My sewing cabinet has shelves underneath so I couldn't get this boot up under them. I tried moving my machine to the kitchen table but it was too high. Even sitting on 2 pillows my back would start hurting after sewing only 30 minutes so I moved it back to the sewing room. Well when I got the news I would still  be home another 3 weeks I said something had to give. With the pin out of my toe I could get the boot up closer, still not close enough to use the knee lift but close enough to sew.

I had been working on unfinished projects before the surgery but now I wanted to work on something fresh. Since I would not be getting paid for these added 3 weeks off I thought I would make a baby quilt and try to sell it. 30's are always a good look for baby quilts and the Dancing Nines by Bonnie Hunter is a fun quilt.

I like to make a crib size quilt so it is big enough for the baby to grow with a while.

I got the blocks made, sewn together and borders added in two days. Hopefully I can get it quilted soon.

Check back for my next 30's project.

Teresa

DWM 5-23-16

It has been another busy week. Last weekend I got this quilted finally. This was a mystery quilt that we did at the Red Rooster Retreat several years ago. It really wasn't me so I donated it to Ivy for her quilts for Habitat. After I got my long arm I told Ivy I would quilt some of her charity quilts for her, well guess which one she asked me to do?

This was a huge quilt 100 x 115, I wanted to try this cabbage rose pattern. By the time I got to the end of that thing I wasn't sure I ever want to do another cabbage rose but I had gotten better at it. I also quilted Holiday Chorus for Ann. This was a quilt block of the month that I taught at Quilters Refuge several years ago. No Picture.

The rest of the week I worked on this t-shirt quilt. It is just a small throw. I got it quilted and bound on my off day Friday. I was trying to make a label for it but somehow my thread got tangled up around the spindle and broke my needle. I replaced the needle but it still wouldn't work right kept dropping the needle out. I think it may have bent the needle shaft so I will carry it to Ken's to see if they can fix it. Just made me cry, haven't had the machine 6 months.

Didn't do a lot yesterday, just made a few more of these blocks. I thought I had enough HST's to do 120 blocks but only have enough for 113. So do I change my setting to 9 x12 or 10 x 11 or do I make enough HST's to do 7 more blocks so I can set it 10 x 12?

Got another busy work week ahead, but hope to squeeze some sewing.

Teresa

DWM 5-9-16

I haven't got a lot of sewing done in the last couple of weeks. Working on my split nine patch my box of squares had gotten so mixed up I had to take time to straighten them up. I have made a few more blocks.

I made up a list of unfinished projects back on March 6th and I have been pretty good about working only on something I had already started or on something for someone else. That is until last weekend.

I saw this pattern on facebook and it was so different I had to try it. It is a simple rail fence but adding the HST . The key is in the direction the block is turned to make the rows. I am using the same light and civil war fabrics for the dark. I am also using Thangles to make the HSTs.

Got a few more blocks done this weekend. Did not even sit down to the machine Monday through Thursday, very rough week at work. Hope this is one is better although not counting on it.

I did finish quilting this one yesterday, I has loaded it on the machine and did a couple of rows last weekend hoping to work on it after work one day but that didn't happen. I have a charity quilt on the machine now that I would really like to get done before Saturday.

Have a good week.

Teresa

DWM 4-25-16

I have gotten a little more done on the split nine patch friendship stars or pinwheels. Six of the twelve blocks are done. I worked a little in between other projects on more half square triangles. I have a box of six inch squares that came home with me from Ada's a couple of years ago. We made several disappearing nine patch quilts from these for charity but the box is still full. I have been using these for my  half square triangles. I can get eight from one light and one dark.

I put the last stitch on the binding last night during the Good Wife, so this is another one I can mark off my list.

I finished the T-shirt quilt and her mom Jamie picked it up Friday. She loved it, said it was beyond her expectations.

Can you see I quilted her name in at the bottom.

I am liking using the same back fabric for the label, and using the same color thread is very subtle.

I have another quilt on the machine and hope to get it quilted this week.

Happy stitching to all.

Teresa

DWM 4-18-16

I have put another two of the split nine patch friendship stars together so that is four down and 8 to go. I have also been playing around with single blocks and neutral blocks as a border.

Cleaning a little on the sewing room I found these blocks or block components, but no block put together. That is very unlike me to not make at least one block. Of course there was no pattern with them but I was thinking it was probably a Bonnie Hunter pattern since I do so many of hers. Couldn't find anything like it on her side so I put them on the back burner until something else turned up on them. Low and behold on Jo's Country Junction's blog the other day she posted a picture someone had sent her of one of her free patterns she had done several years ago. Christmas stars.

I would never have put the block together like this on my own, but love the secondary pattern when you put four blocks together.

Her quilt has 120 blocks set 10 x 12. I don't have near that many units made but it is something I can work on in between projects.

Got to go to work today so happy quilting.

Teresa

T-shirt quilt for Macy I

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This is my second t-shirt quilt to make for someone. The first one I sewed t-shirt to t-shirt with no sashing. This one is for a graduation gift for a cousin. She already has her linens for her dorm room, this girl likes to plan ahead. So turquoise was her choice. I hope to quilt it tomorrow. I have the back and binding ready to go but still need to do the label. I hope she is happy with it.

Meanwhile in the little sewing time I have left before getting ready for work tonight I think I will make a few more of these split nine patches. I will use some to make these large friendship star blocks and others for the border.

This is all apart of my finish up project list. The only new things I have done are for customers. If I get bored with one project I have plenty of other previously started projects to work on, but it really is tempting to start on something brand new. I have several kits still sitting in the box but I am trying not to start anything else. Although since they are already bought and paid for it wouldn't be like I was going out and buying something new. I feel a slip coming on.

Happy quilting

Teresa

stitch day show and tell

I think I have this right the top one is mine, the middle one belongs to Ivy and the bottom one to Donna. I changed the gray to brown and the black to dark green. Ivy changed the gray to brown and the black to purple, Donna choose the original colors.

Francine showing one of her applique quilts.

Can't see a face on this one.

Think it is Francine.

Sue has a block to share.

Think this is Donna, I have got to start posting these sooner.

Think this is one that Ada had left from the shop days.

I believe this is one Barbara was binding that day.

I will try to do better when I take pictures the next time and post them in a more timely manor.

Teresa