Charity Quilt

Yesterday I quilted this one for the New Beginnings Quilt Guild. I used a variegated pink thread and worked on perfecting a swirl pattern. By the end of the quilt I had a pretty good rhythm going. I made the binding from left over fabric from the back and got about half of it whipped down last night. I have one more of these to do but got a late start this morning so I am not sure it will happen today. This one was made with half square triangles made from 10 inch squares. We have been able to set these quilts together in several patters using these jumbo HST's.


Happy Stitching,

Teresa  

Almost There

Yesterday I had a quilt loaded on the long arm but just couldn't find the motivation to go out and quilt it. In stead I worked on my 100 patch blocks. I only needed two more to have the required 20 blocks  I wanted. My box of two inch squares was about empty so I pulled some short strips from my overstuffed 2.5 inch strip drawer and cut them down to get a few more squares. I finished the two blocks and started the process of setting them together. I chose a royal blue Kona cotton.

I cut a 15.5 inch strip of the royal blue then sub cut into 3.5 inch sections.

I had to get back into the 2 inch squares box to make the four patches for the corner stones.

Adding another row and I think I have made the right choice in the blue.

I finally get all 5 rows together, but it was to late to think about borders. I plan to add a five inch border in the same blue and bind it in the same fabric. I think it will frame it nicely and maybe have some control over all that scrapyness (not sure that is a word). There is 2048 two inch squares in this quilt. Can't wait to get the borders on and this one quilted, I am really loving it.

Happy Stitching,

Teresa

Final Two

Several months back I saw a patchwork quilt, probably on Pinterest, that was 100 pieces sashed in a bright orange fabric. That one color seemed to pull it all together and it was a wonderful way to use up scraps. I decided to use two inch squares and setting them 10 by 10 will made a 15 inch finished block. At first I thought 12 blocks would be enough but latter decided that 20 would make an overall better size quilt. I am down to my final two and this is what is left of my two inch squares. 

Truthfully I have already had to dip into my two inch strip drawer and cut more squares but I have depleted the variety there as well. I have tried not to repeat a fabric in a block but may have slipped on one or two. I may be forced to get into my fat quarter cabinet and pull some variety from that. I have a lot of smaller pieces there that probably need to be cut down so this will help clean out the cabinet and make room for some newer stuff. I usually just cut what I need and leave the partial fat quarter in the cabinet for later use, only after it gets down to less that 4 inches will I cut it up and put it in the strip drawers.  Hopefully I can finish the last two blocks and start putting them together. I have chosen a royal blue for the sash fabric. I plan to cut it 3.5 inches and use the 2 inch squares to make a four patch for the corner stones. If you do the math that is 2000 squares for the block and a few more for the corner stones.  Check back later to see if I have been successful.

Happy Stitching,

Teresa

Weekly Goals 5-28-17

It is hard to believe this year is almost half over, another month and we can chalk up half of 2017. I guess this blog is a kind of journal for my quilting life. It helps keep me focused and it also helps to realize just what I have accomplished. Last week I put a pretty good dent into my weekly goal list but didn't accomplish everything. I did get 3 quilts quilted for others. One of the I did the binding as well. I still have 5 other quilts to do for others and hopefully I can get some of them done this week. The purse still didn't make it so it will go back on the list.

1. Purse
2. fabric box in Alabama and Auburn fabrics
3. last 2 100 patch blocks
4. rainbow challenge blocks
5. quilt

Hope everyone has a good week.

Happy Stitching,

Teresa

100 patch blocks

One of my weekly goals this week was to work on this 100 patch quilt. I only needed 6 more blocks to have the 20 that I had decided was necessary for the size quilt I wanted. As I was working on another block last night and finishing it up this morning I had a lot of different thoughts running through my mind. First was why I was so obsessed with using up all my scraps when I have new fabric that has never been cut. While scrap quilts is kind of like making something for nothing, you have to deal will raveling and strings. Newly cut fabric would be so much neater. But then I started actually looking at some of the pieces and recalling memories. This little piece was from the backing fabric of that quilt or these were left overs from teaching the Thimbleberries block of the month quilts. I taught that four years and have made several quilts from just those fabrics but they are slowly going away. Some of the squares I could remember which quilt shop I bought them from, some of those shops are closed now. Some I know were gifted to me by friends. Some I think I purchased when I first started quilting and that has been over 17 years ago. Most have been in multiple quilts but no two are exactly alike. Also I think age is a factor in this little mental argument I am having with myself. I am hearing about too many older quilter friends families that are having to do away with that persons quilting  supplies and it is just heartbreaking. I have no idea what would happen to all mine so I guess I am doing my best to use them up now while I am able. It is a monumental task but a reality all people must face at some time. Little by little I am going through all my project bags and boxes to determine if the project is something I am interested in finishing or if it is something I can pass on to someone else. Thankfully the guilds nickle auction is giving me an outlet for these items. Meanwhile I will keep working on the last 5 100 patch blocks and hopefully check off another UFO from my list. 

Happy Stitching,

Teresa

An Ugly Quilt

Is there such a thing as an ugly quilt? Maybe, maybe not, if beauty is in the eye of the beholder then surely someone will see this quilt as beautiful. Since I volunteered to share the technique of the Not a Wink  quilt I had to make up demos. I had a lot of light floral strips in the 2.5 inch drawer so I decided to use those. I know Bonnie Hunter would have used them as her neutrals in a quilt, but I have a harder time doing that. I did use some in the split nine patch blocks that I used to make my "Spinning Out of Control" but usually I prefer a stronger contrast with my light and dark fabric. Usually I use tone on tone or a shirting type for my light. This is an easy and quick quilt to put together and I have now made three of them.

Maybe it is not as ugly as I thought it would be and quilting will improve it even more. Has anyone else noticed how much even simple quilting can improve a quilt top. I have done several things that when I showed them to Johnny, I got a so-so response, but when he saw it again after quilting I got a YEAH!

Even though I don't plan to quilt this one any time soon, I went ahead and made the binding. I have found it is a good idea to make my binding when the top is complete. This eliminates the possibility of the intended fabric getting used in something else or even just misplaced.

After making the binding I fold it accordion style and store it in a zip lock back. I just tuck the bag in the folds of the quilt top and then it is ready to sew on after it is quilted.

I have not pieced the back for this one yet, but I am thinking I may use several larger pieces of different floral fabrics that I have in my stash. I have heard that is being called back art. I'm calling it reducing the stash, I have two boxes of lights, mostly floral fabric that needs to move on out of here.

Happy Stitching,

Teresa

Another Week

It is the start of another week and time for another list. Even though I did work on some things that were not on last weeks list, I did manage to get everything but the purse checked off. I got started on the purse on Friday, reading the pattern and trimming the pattern pieces for the style I chose. However that is as far as I got, I ended up having to go into town and with the three stops I made that killed the afternoon. This purse is going to be something different from the quilt patterns that I am used to, but I believe it is doable. It will go back on this weeks list, but will only get done if I can find a chunk of time to devote to it.

On Monday of last week I made the comment that I didn't have anything to quilt for others so I went to Janis's and got two of the guild charity quilts to work on. Then Tuesday afternoon my aunt brought a top over that someone in the church and cross stitched. She had said it was a double but when we measured it, wrong, king size. Purchasing a back for it was one of the stops I made Friday afternoon. Then while I was quilting Square Deal, I had two more tops brought to me to quilt, and yesterday at stitch day I got 3 more, so that makes 8. So this weeks list will be heavily weighted to the quilting side.

Weekly goals for the week of May 21, 2017

1. Purse
2. finish putting flower garden top together
3. work on 100 patch blocks, only need 6 more
4. Alabama - Auburn fabric boxes
5. quilt
6. quilt
7. quilt

I can only hope to get 3 quilted this week, but I have a little road trip planned for Monday and we may have roofers coming this week and who knows what the weather holds for us this week. I don't usually run my machine when it is lightning. Whatever happens it is going to be a busy week.

I finished the binding on Square Deal last night. This is a bonus finish for the year.

Happy Stitching,

Teresa

Saturday Stitch Day

We had a great turnout for our stitch day at the Somerville Community Center. Good attendance and good food. I didn't get a picture of everything everyone was working on but here are a few.

Cathy says this is all the hexies she wants to do, but didn't it turn out nice

This is an applique project Cathy is working on as well. I think I have this pattern too, probably just possessing the pattern will be all I do. Beautiful !!!!

If I have my story straight, this is one Mary B started and Mary H finished, either way great job.

This is a special Alabama quilt for Habitat, Ivy pieced it with donated Alabama fabrics and Mary H. quilted it with an Alabama panto-graph.

A T-shirt quilt done by Mary Harris.

I'm trying to remember the words Sharon used to describe this rail fence. I think she called it trash fabrics. Just proves the theory about ugly fabric, you just need to cut it smaller. Nothing ugly or trashy about it now.

Gail's baby quilt that she said took a village to make. So soft and sweet.

Faye's group project finally together, love the blue setting fabric.

I was binding on Square Deal, got about 3/4 of it done. Some were knitting, crocheting, cross stitching or working on hexies, didn't get pictures of all that. But we had a good time, just visiting and catching up on everyone.

Happy Stitching,

Teresa

Friday, Friday

It is the end of the work week for those still on the job, but for me it is pretty much just another day except for it's connection to any event going on in my life. Tomorrow is Somerville stitch day so that means today I need to get everything ready for that. Yesterday I got a big quilt from my stash quilted and the binding sewn on so that I can carry that for some hand work.

I also got this little table runner quilted, but I finished the binding on it last night. I haven't taken a picture of it after it was quilted.

Last week I was trying to decide how to finish those pineapple blossom blocks. As you can see I decided to make 9 blocks an set them in a non traditional pattern. I think it works.

Friday also means I better be pretty far along on my weekly goal list and this week it seems I have worked on everything but what was on the list. I have gotten a lot accomplished just not necessarily what I had planned.

These are some of the demo blocks from Not a Wink. I presented this as a program at both guilds so I had a good bit of the quilt done at different stages. This week I have finished the rest of the blocks and have assemble a good portion of the pieced border. It won't take a lot to get this top together. Since I have done it in floral with green sash strips I think I will just call this on Flower Garden.

We got an estimate for a new roof and that may happen in the next week or two. I have four quilts that need to get quilted in the next couple of weeks but I don't think roofers would be too much of an interruption. 

Happy Stitching,

Teresa

latest read

   I am reading a mystery series by David Archer. They started out pretty light, good plot a little humor, a little romance. I am up to book 8 now and it has gotten into some pretty scary stuff-- politics. The power in politics or the horror in politics is weighing heavily  into the plot, but truthfully it is the horror in power that is the true evil.  They are very well written and not to graphic or too detailed. They move quickly, this first set was a free download from Barnes and Nobel. We have found several good authors by trying some of these free books.

On the quilting front, today I hope to quilt a top that has been finished for some time.  I think the pattern is called Square Deal or Fair and Square, not sure, I'll have to find the magazine it was in and find out. It is made with 30's reproduction fabrics.

 Happy Stitching,

Teresa

DWM 5-15-17

Okay May is half over and not a lot has changed on my design wall. Garden Party, a Bonnie Hunter pattern, still has top billing. I had two side triangle units made so I added another row.

Last night I made 10 more of the side setting units and I added another row, but I don't have enough blocks to add 5 rows so the next time I find to work on it will be spent making the Garden Posey blocks. But adding that fifth row is really making it come together.

One other thing I did get accomplished last week was to make a pair of pillow cases to go with the Thank You Stars quilt.

The quilt and pillow cases are now on the bed. I wasn't sure Lucy would get back on the bed with something new on it, she doesn't like change, but she did.

Happy Stitching,

Teresa

Mothers Day

Happy Mother's Day to all, it was also decoration day at the cemetery where my grandparents are buried so I carried Daddy out there to place flowers on the graves and to visit with others who were doing the same. He says it used to be a big thing, one of those all day dinner on the ground events. He has only missed 2 in the past 70 years, once when he was in the army and in Korea and last year when he was too sick from Chemo to go.  So I will gladly drive the 60 plus miles to carry him.

Today is also weekly goals list day. Right now I don't have anything with a deadline or anything pushing so I had a little trouble coming up with a list.

1. log cabin table runner
2. 100 patch
3. work on Garden Party
4. purse
5. quilt on from stack
6. finish going through storage basket in ironing station
7. make either another fabric box or bib

I was able to mark off the items on last weeks list but that is about all I done until yesterday. I had felt bad earlier in the week and just couldn't get in the mood to do anything but Saturday was better and I tackled several little projects to completion.

I made this little quilt as you go patriotic table runner. It is bright and fun.

Then I had a half of a jelly roll of these civil war fabrics so I made another one.

I also made these mug rugs from the same patriotic fabric as the runner. So I felt like I had a pretty productive day even if they were all little things, they all got finished.


Happy Stitching,

Teresa

Five Down

I just remembered that I had not posted the update to my 12 for 12 list. So far I am staying on target, finishing one from the list each month. May's was North Wood's king size. It sat loaded on the machine for a week but I got it quilted and bound but don't think I have posted about it.

I guess I have not photographed it after the binding was added. I will have to get it back out and do that.

2017 Project List

1. En Province-------March finish
2. Jamestown landing in green
3. Black and White disappearing nine patch
4. Split Rail ---------February finish
5. 100 patch
6. Three inch shoe fly
7. North woods - king ----May finish
8. Black white and red rails ---------   January finish
9. Pink 1 x 4 x 16
10. Rick Rack Nines
11. Oversize Dreams   ----- April finish
12. Blue all around


Happy Stitching,

Teresa

Pillow Dilemma

Last Tuesday night at the Quilt Lovers Guild meeting Becky shared a pineapple pillow she had made for her granddaughter. It coordinated with the quilt she had done called Bad Hair Day. It was a two color pillow and I just loved it. The not scrappy aspect of it inspired me to try my own. I  had thought I would use Bonnie Hunter's Pineapple Blossom and just reduce the size, and the dilemma begins.

I reduced the strips to 1.5 inches and the squares to 2.5 inches and that makes a 6 inch finished block. The problem is I have an 18 inch pillow form that I planned to use and if you lay out the blocks like the pattern above it is not going to look the same set 3 by 3.

The blocks can be turned this way as well but adding the other blocks will change the pattern.

I thought about forgetting the pineapple pattern and lay them out this way and I believe it would be alright to add the other blocks. I haven't made them yet although I have one started.

Another option would be to add another round to the block and make it an 8 inch finished block and I could either find a 16 inch pillow form or frame the four blocks so that I could use the 18 inch form I already have. The whole time I am making these blocks I am thinking they are just not the same as Becky's. Hers were smaller, maybe paper pieced, but then the main difference hit me, they were true pineapple blocks where all four corners are sewn off, huge difference. So it is back to the drawing board trying to copy Becky's inspiration, but what about these blocks. I am open to suggestions. Please leave me a comment saying which way I should go, meanwhile they are on hold.

Happy Stitching,

Teresa

DWM 5-8-17

Garden Party is still on my design wall. I have got a few rows together and have made several more units. Hopefully I will add another row or two this week. This pattern by Bonnie Hunter is a square quilt and that is not my favorite. I have done a little calculation and I think I will drop a row which should decrees the width by about 7 inches which will make it 75 by 82. I think that is still a good size. I could add a row to the length and make it fit a bed better, I am just not sure. I guess it will depend on how quickly these little blocks go.

Happy Stitching,

Teresa

Another Week

Another week has ended and it is time to set goals for the next. It is easy to get side tracked or off the road completely sometimes, so making a list helps me to stay focused. I am trying however to not make the list so detailed that I don't allow time for some creativity. If I don't allow myself some time to just jump in and try something different then it becomes work. On the other hand my desire to try new things is a good part of why I have so many unfinished projects, so I have to find a middle ground here. So with that in mind here is my list for  the week of May 7th.

1. finish binding on North Woods--- got about 3/4 of it done last night before my fingers go sore.
2. make name tag for guild -- using embroidered name from Tuesday's lesson
3. re-pack demo item for Thursday night program
4. add borders to B&W D9P
5. make binding for B&W D9P -- getting it ready to quilt
6. work on Garden Party --- even a few blocks will move it along
7. make one 100 patch block --- need a total of 20

There are some other things I am playing with but are still in planning stages. Check back later I may need some decision making help. 

Happy Stitching,

Teresa

End of week

This week is drawing to a close and despite a couple of non sew days I managed to complete almost all my weekly list. I finally got around to quilting North Woods today. It has been loaded on the machine since last Saturday but it sat there until today. Loading it is a big part of the quilting process so with that done I was able to quilt it rather quickly.

I got the binding sewn on and a jump on the hand stitching this afternoon, but it is still probably more than I can finish tonight. It is 97 by 97 inches so that will take some time with the needle.


Last night I played around with this little fabric box, all it needs is buttons on the flaps. Isn't it cute?

Check back later and I'll show you another project I am working on.


Happy stitching,

Teresa

Tedious

I worked a little on Garden Party last night and again this morning. I had told myself I would not start putting the blocks together until I had at least 50 of the units done. Again my will power is weak. I think I was over 40 blocks but not to the 50 mark yet but I just had to see how it was going to look. I know you are saying why couldn't you see how they would look with them just laid out on the design wall? Yes you do get an idea but actually sewn together, taking out that seam allowance just makes all the difference. So here is the first corner and I love it. It is going to be slow going, these 5 inch blocks are very tedious. There are at least 3 steps per block. I can see that this is one I will be working on between other projects.

This is something else I have been working on, my sewing room. For those of you that have been here before you know that it has mostly been just a path between sewing machine and iron/cut tables. I now have a much larger open floor space and notice the closet door even closes. I told Johnny I have got it going my way.

Georgia came over Tuesday and helped me with my embroidery machine and the software that goes with it. I have had the machine a year and a half and used it very little. I was really letting it intimidate me. There were so many things that I had just a partial understanding of and Georgia was able to fill in a lot of the blanks. So many areas she would be able to show me just one little added thing that would make it all make sense now. Of course the more you know the more you realize there is still a lot to learn. After I practice a few of the things I did learn I will get her back to take things a step further. We embroidered my name so that I can make me a name tag for the guild meetings. I practiced applique on a little puppy dog that I may make into a small pillow and she helped me make a rather lengthy label for a quilt. It was a good day but I was kind of on brain overload by the time we were through. Then I had to switch gears back to quilting because I was doing the program for the Quilt Lovers Guild Tuesday night so that was a very full day.

Happy Stitching,

Teresa 
 

DWM May 1st 2017

Oh where is this year going? May 1st already and while I did get a lot done last week I only added a few blocks to my Garden Party. I am liking how it is going except for the speed of it. In all fairness I did have a few things that took priority this past week due to deadlines. I am not sure I will get to work on it this week even as much as I did last week. I am going to have to spend some time on those items left on my 12 for 12 list. I confess I have finished the easiest ones first and now am going to have to put some work into the others, but then, that is the reason they are on the list, to force my hand to complete them. Someone else blogged about accountability of list and goals and that is a definite thing with me and blogging about them makes it even more accountable. No longer able to push them to the back burner or hide them away in a project bag or box by the end of the year I want these 12 projects DONE. Of course it won't be free sailing next year because in my cleaning and organizing I am finding at least 12 more projects that I still want to finish. I am culling a few things where I have just made a few blocks and put it aside for some reason. They will either go to the guild's Nickle Auction or into a quilt back. 

Happy Stitching,

Teresa