Monday, January 27, 2020
TILDA SCRAPS
I have been collecting Tilda fabrics for several years. I've made several projects with them, which produced a good collection of scraps. Normally I do not save smaller scraps, but send them on to a friend Michelle that uses even 2 inch pieces that I prefer to toss.
This week I decided to see if I could actually do something with this and clear out some of it.
I got on line and TildaWorld.com offers lots and lots of free patterns. After looking at them I discovered this pattern was a perfect solution to using up most of my scraps.
And a big surprise. I was able to get 300 of these 2.5 by 4.5 inch rectangles out of those scraps. Only goes to show that even little scraps can get used in a meaningful way. I've bagged them up into 10 sandwich bags of 30 each. I don't plan to start the Cozy Stripe Quilt yet, but when I do things should go really fast and they should make a really nice quilt somewhere in the 60 by 60 inch size with just a few long strip between rows.
For those fans of my daughter's pets. She earlier this past summer obtained 4 baby peacocks to keep Freddy her adult peacock company. Her hope was for a couple of ladies. Well things didn't work out so well. Only one is a female and the other three are males and already beginning to strut their stuff. Looks like Freddy will have lots of completion this coming summer.
And there she is. The boys all trying to get her attention.
Monday, January 20, 2020
ALMOST 12 YEARS DONE
This past week I finally finished my Dandelion Wishes quilt. I started it in April of 2008. Yes, thats a really long time to get a quilt finished.
The quilt and quilting itself didn't take long, it was the eight hand appliquéd flowers, stems, and leaves that took forever. They were all appliquéd on after the quilt was not only quilted but even bound.
I started this quilt and showed it last week, things happened pretty quickly on it.
And the top is finished. It will be going to the charity division of my quilt guild for their call for more masculine quilts. I just need to prep a binding for it. They will provide batting and a back and quilt and bind it.
I also started another guy quilt for the guild. I have been using up some of my bin scrap stash for these quilts. I have piles and piles of beige and cream fabrics so have found a way to deplete some of those piles.
Monday, January 13, 2020
BAKER'S DOZEN DOUBLED
I got a SOS from my guild's charity division this last week and there is an urgent need for more quilts for boys. It seems to be true that so many of our quilts are for girls. So I dug into my scrap bins to see what was available.
I also dug around in the closet for some pattern ideas and came across this book. Oh my, one of the first quilts I ever made was out of this book. Now that was some time back in the early 90's, the book was published in 1988. I wonder what ever happened with that quilt. The one thing I really like about this book is that all the patterns in it use small scraps of fabrics. It is perfect for using up those scrap bin leftovers.
I started with these fabrics. I love that red, however, I made a mistake. The finished 9 patches will be 4.5 inches, so I cut the red blocks 4.5 inches. They need to be 5 inches to finish at 4.5. I used up all that red scrap.
So I substituted with this red. At this point things look pretty good.
Now I am thinking that red is a bit much. I have more of it so maybe I can introduce it into the next row or two or replace it for something not so bright. I guess I will just have to continue on and see how things go. Once I see how things go together, maybe a blue quilt version from that book will be a good idea as well.
Monday, January 6, 2020
NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTIONS
I usually each year vow to make a New Year's Resolution to finish UFO's stored away in my sewing studio closet. That usually last only a couple weeks then I just go on my merry way starting and maybe finishing various projects. However, this year I hope to be more successful in actually doing something about the multiple UFO's I have hanging around.
For about the last three years I have invested in a Quilter's Planner. I worked for nearly 40 years as a controller for a large church and preschool through grade 12 school. I kept an extensive planner to keep things moving smoothly. Once I retired I sort of decided that a planner would help me keep a handle on my quilting projects.
I have resolved myself this year to work more in finishing up UFO's and also try not to start too many projects without at least finishing up an equal amount or more. Plus keep track of my charity quilt goals as well.
The first thing this new year I pulled out this project. The blocks are large 20 inches. The pattern had 12 of these blocks, one for each month. I prepared 4 and decided I was done. I did get this first one appliquéd down with a small zigzag stitch.
The last three will need to be appliquéd now.
The plan is to join them with a lattice, borders, and binding of this lime green fabric. Then it will be donated to my charity division of my guild.
For the fans of pictures of my daughter's pets I thought you might enjoy a picture of my youngest grandson Ben and a little bit of duck love. Her name is Peaches.
And for those of you that remember the kitty in the white Christmas tree. No the tree did not survive! After daily plucking that guy out of her tree, and worried he would strangle in the light wires if she was not at home she opted for this as a replacement. He still looks like he is considering climbing up it, but she said he decided it just was not worth bothering with it.
Monday, December 30, 2019
HIDDEN TREASURES UPDATE
This past week I finally have the last border appliqués on my Hidden Treasures spool quilt. The appliqués are fused and the bias vines pinned and ready to sew.
At the beginning of last week I laid the top out on the floor and realized I had finally made it all around to the very last border to get appliqués on. This has been a challenge as I did not have the pattern for the quilt any longer and I was on my own with the placement of the appliqué pieces. That is what happens when you stash away a project for years, and years, and years, only to one day discover it buried in the closet.
So I pinned the bias vines on and finished off this last border. Off to the machine to blanket stitch the appliqués and vines down.
This is the left over leaves and flowers. Obviously the original pattern had way more appliqués that should be put on. At this point once I finish the last border appliqués I plan to go back over the borders and add more leaves and possibly those last two flowers as well. So I guess I am not as near done as I thought. But I think it will be easier to pop some additional leaves in here and there and at least utilize some of these leaves and fill in some more of the empty spaces. As I look at the quilt laid out on the floor I can see a number of areas that can use another leaf or two.
Monday, December 23, 2019
TREES, DOLPHINS & ELVES
This past week has been spent finishing up a bit of old projects and newer ones.
I finished up my tree quilt. Colorful is certainly the statement for it. 60 different background fabrics for those blocks. Lots of digging around in the stash.
A bit of a closer look, such happy colors.
How is this for the back of it? When our Beverly's Fabrics store closed I purchase LOTS of fabric at wonderful prices. Many were 4 yard cuts for future quilt backs. Sometimes that works out well, and sometimes you wait years for the perfect pre-purchased back. This one is perfect.
At least 3 or 4 years ago I made a runner like this for my grandson Ben's dresser. He was into everything in the sea. I started this second one just to finish off the panel blocks. I got a bit tired of seeing it hanging on the closet door so decided to finish it off. He no longer is into this decor so it will go to my guild's boutique booth at our next quilt show.
One of my daughters, I have three, teaches 5th grade at a local elementary school. She is a little tiny thing not much bigger than her 5th graders. Every year the staff have her dressed up as the Elf on the Shelf and she is photographed in all sorts of naughty activities in the principal's office. The photos are plastered all over the school to the delight of all the students.
The best to the end of the week. By grandson #33 and his high school team just won the state football championship in their division. Lots to celebrate.
Monday, December 16, 2019
CURB APPEAL
After making a small house and tree wall hanging a month or two ago I found myself looking for a larger project on that idea. My January American Quilter magazine arrived with the perfect project. Curb Appeal by Wendy Sheppard. Another perfect place as well to use some of my Tilda fabrics. I belong to a monthly shipment of them from The Intrepid Thread.
I have learned that when working on projects with a lot of piecing especially with smaller pieces that starch is a must. I mean heavy duty starch!
This beginnings of a tree is pretty stiff with starch. I do really love this new turntable too.
So first off I completed one of the fourteen tree blocks. I think they are really cute. I am using Moda Grunge Paper White for the background.
Next finished up were two of the smaller houses.
Then a larger house completed along with more trees and houses of course in different fabric choses.
So I am off to a good start.
It appears that the Christmas season is off to a good start at my daughter's home. The hope is the tree survives.
Her dogs behave a good deal better. The appliquéd stockings are two out of four I made for each of her children when they were babies.
So I am off to a good start.
Monday, December 9, 2019
CHRISTMAS STOCKINGS
I spent a couple days this past week working on making a couple of Christmas Stockings for my granddaughter and her boyfriend. I ran across a free pattern provided by Bernina's We All Sew. It actually gives patterns for three different stockings designs.
The first one had you do a strip set of 7" by 16". Then cut out these various shapes.
The first decoration was easily made. The directions are so easy.
Before I knew it I had them all put together and the stocking front was done.
And in no time at all, just an afternoon for a couple hours a fully lined, quilted stocking was completed for my granddaughter.
I decided to try the second stocking in a different pattern with some more manly fabric ideas. The strip set was 17" by 20" and I had fun putting in some strips with some wording on them.
The backing like the first one I made is just a cut from a single fabric. However, I found this backing fabric that I used as one of the strips on the front worked really well. It is just plain cute.
I did discover that using invisible tape to hold the pattern on the fabric works so well. No pinning to ruin the pattern and the tape comes right off the fabric with not problem. On top of that the tape stays on the paper pattern and provides a nice strength for the pattern edges for future use.
Both stockings were quilted with a diagonal straight stitch. I used a Frixon pen to draw lines one inch apart, then the markings iron right off. The lining is completely separate, so you quilt right on the fabric and batting. I use thin cotton batting, and there didn't seem to be any problem with the feed dogs on the machine handling the batting against them.
And stocking number two is done. Actually the second one went faster than the first as I did not have to do the ornaments. I think they are both so cute. They have become somewhat addictive. Wish I could find someone to make another for.
For those chicken fans. Here is Orbey. The contractors came a couple weeks ago to construct a new chicken yard for him and his family of 26. It seems he felt it necessary to supervise the construction site.
My daughter's peacock Fred could care less, he was just too busy showing off.
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