A Good Start

My new year has started off at a fairly productive pace.  Of course with the end of the Christmas season come the take down of all the festive decorations.  Always a little sad for me and the house looks unhappy also.  So the only remedy is to do some redecorating.  My dining room was the focus for this new look.

A friend from high school (which was a long time ago) made me this quilt rack a couple of years ago and I thought it would look nice as a feature focus in the dining room.

Since I have been quilt making many, many years, I have many, many quilts to display. This was the solution for four of them. My friend is making me another rack for the opposite side of the wall so four more will be displayed when I receive it.  I will post a photo of the completed project.

As for my quilting accomplishments, I feel I am off to a good start.  As stated in my last post I wanted to make this block from Season's Tweetings.

Since straight stitch applique was to be used on this project. I decided to take some time to choose a needle and thread that I felt would work best on the project.  I finally decided to go with a Schmetz Gold 75/11 Embroidery needle.  Since the fabrics were batik for some of the applique I wanted a needle that would pierce the fabric and not skip stitches.  For thread my choice was Wonderfil Invisifil.  I was first introduced to this thread while attending an American Quilter's Society Show in Des Moines, Iowa in 2017.  The thread is fine and as the name implies is virtually invisible without using a monopoly or monofilament. I also decided to apply my embellishments now because I did not want the stitching to show on the back of my finished quilt.  I will have to be extra careful with my quilting but I think it will be worth it.  There are very tiny seed bead to be applied to each block with glue but I will apply those after the quilting process is complete.  Four more blocks to go.  The remaining blocks are not as large but I surmise I am still in for a challenge.  I get the Pine Needle Newsletter and am very tempted to order more projects but remind myself to finish this one first as it definitely is a challenge.

My next effort was to set the blocks together to get my first flimsy of the year. I had finished the blocks just before the end of the year.  Lots of buttons on this one and I kinda dragged my feet on getting all those buttons applied.  Once again quilting will be a slower process but I am okay with that.  Next week my goal is to get the backing made and batting cut so the quilt is ready for the quilting process.

This past Tuesday was my all day quilt guild meeting where we sew, have lunch, have meeting, have program and sew some more.  I chose to make my blocks for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge.  You will find their button on my sidebar and the link to the So Scrappy blog here.

Next on my list was to start the Sunshine Garden BOM from Quilt Doodle Doodle.  Button once again on my side bar and you will find the blog here.  

I am really excited about this BOM as I love this first block.  Can't wait until February and the next installment. At first I couldn't decide the method of applique wanted to use.  Being old school I like to turn my edges under and hand applique but with so much to get completed this year I decided to go with a fusible technique with Blanket Stitch.

Not sure why this photo flipped on its side but I can't flip it upright, but you get the picture (pun intended) I used this new to me fusible by Clover, I generally use Steam a Seam 2 or Heat and Bond Lite. I found it a nice fusible to use, it adheres well and using my Applique Scissors by Karen Buckley I didn't have any fray on my edges which is one of my pet peeves with raw edge applique. I used polyester embroidery weight thread in a color to match my fabric to finish the edge.

This is the results of our Friday and Saturday of this past week. It is really quite a lovely snow but I have been enjoying it from the warmth of my studio. I have kept my sewing machine humming with blocks for a new Charity quilt from a pattern called Roadblock Quilt, a Missouri Star Quilt Co. tutorial.  I will be presenting it to my day guild in February for approval so we can divide up in 4 groups and try to make four of the quilts in a day for our local police department.  It is a quilt consisting of blocks and strips so they should go pretty quickly. I'll show the completed flimsy in my next post.

The project that tags along with all my other projects is my leader enders project by Bonnie Hunter "Jewel Box Stars" I have lots of pieces and parts to this, but finished these six yesterday evening while making my 9-Patches for the Charity Quilt.

And where will I be the rest of the day...…

Hopefully finishing up the Charity Quilt, life is a journey...have a great day!

Dusting Off The Blog for the New Year

I ceased writing my blog some time ago. Not quite sure why, but I did.  I have continued reading my favorite blogs and doing lots of quilt making but realized recently my documentation of progress and completion was lacking.  I have kept a record of monthly and weekly goals but it stopped there. I am hoping reviving my blog will give me a better accounting of my daily accomplishments.  As I look back I think perhaps I tried to write posts when there wasn't much to say. So for now I am going to attempt a weekly update and see how it goes.

So hello again and Happy New Year!




I have my lists made of UFO's WIP's and New Projects I want to start.  So now to make this month's goals and see how I do.  Many of my projects involve BOM's or projects I can turn into them so I believe that will be my approach.  My Cancer Quilt is still not complete and I plan to try to break it down in segments I can achieve monthly to hopefully make good progress on it this year.
One of my new projects is the Garden Sunshine BOM from Quilt Doodle Doodle. You can find the latest post here and the link is on my sidebar.

The first month is now live and I love it already.  A combination of piecing and applique, what's not to love!

Yesterday I started the first block of this BOM.


I have started with the largest block, the Snowman.  I truly love her patterns but find them a little challenging.  She recommends using a straight stitch to secure the pieces to the blocks and I must admit, this is the first time I have used this technique.  I understand the reasoning but it is challenging even with this method.
I have a few other projects on this list for this week so will have to see how far I get. I will update later in the week.
So for now have a good week...and remember life is a journey.

Getting Back in the Groove

Happy New Year to one and all....

Upon reflection on 2015 I find it was definitely an interesting year and I know I accomplished several quilting projects, but find it difficult to recall all that was accomplished.  Today is the first day to my blog since January 11, 2015.  Last year I felt I was spending too much time on the computer and not enough time getting those much loved projects completed. But as I look back I find not having the structure and stimulation of participating in the many blog projects I find interesting has not been as productive as I has anticipated.  So here I am back in the loop with dozen of projects dancing in my head.  I hope to reconnect with many blog friends that were followers of my blog in the past.

In the upcoming months I will visit about some of the happenings of last year but think I will start out slowly and will start with my latest endeavor the Bonnie Hunter Mystery Quilt for this year.  This is the first one I have been able to complete the clues on time so since the reveal was last Thursday I have started to set some blocks together. I am really excited about this quilt and plan to focus, (hmmm perhaps focus needs to be my word of the year, will have to ponder that thought), on completing the top this month.

Here is one of the completed blocks, I really love the colors!

Off to sew. Life is a journey, enjoy your day.

Row Along Row 5

This is the final row of the Row Along and is exactly the same as Row 1.  I will begin with the finished row.

This is a very simple Road To California block but when blocks are rotated will create a zig-zag effect.

The fabric requirements for the row is as follows:

Color A  1 strip - 4 1/2" x WOF (width of fabric)   subcut into 8   4 1/2" squares

             1 strip - 4 7/8" x WOF                            subcut into 8   4 7/8" squares

Color B   1 strip - 4 7/8" x WOF                           subcut into 8   4 7/8" squares

Color C   2 strips - 4 1/2" x WOF                          subcut into 12   4 1/2" squares

For each individual block you will need:

Color A    2    4 1/2" squares

               2    4 7/8" squares

Color B   2     4 7/8" squares

Color C   3     4 1/2" squares

Now that the fabric is cut create your half square triangles.

You will use:   2    4 7/8" Color A  and   2    4 7/8" Color B squares.

You will need to draw a double line on the back of one color of your 4 7/8" squares.  To do this I like to use a sandpaper board, a ruler from the Omnigrid Ruler Trio Set and a Pigma Pen.

Place your lighter colored square on your sandpaper board and center the black center line of the ruler at the opposite corner of the block. 

Draw a line on each side of the ruler.

Sew a line of stitching on the inner side of the black line.  You can chain piece these and then just turn the chained squares around and feed them in again than create the half square triangle on the other side.

Lay a ruler on the stitching line on your finished square and cut along the edge of the ruler to create 2 half square triangles. Repeat with other square.

Press the seam to the dark side of the square. 

Trim off the dog ears.

Measure the finished square at this point to be sure it measures 4 1/2" square.  If the Square is more than 4 1/2" trim.  If it is not 4 1/2" you have taken too deep a seam and will need to unsew your stitches and resew further away from your pencil line and closer to the cut edge.

It is now time to lay out your block as shown below.

I generally sew my rows across and then sew those three row units together.

After sewing the first row of squares together, measure the unit to be sure it measures 12 1/2"

Sew the three rows together.  Repeat process with remaining three blocks.

Lay the blocks out in this order and sew together.

Well, that is it for this row.  

Assemble the rows in the order that I presented them here on the blog.  Take note that the bottom row is to be turned opposite of the first row.

For the First Border you will need:

8  3 ½” strips 

Sew in groups of two, one for each side.

Starting with the sides measure to size and cut two of your borders this size.

Measure quilt again and repeat with top and bottom borders.

For the second border you will need:

8  6 ½” strips

Repeat process same as  first border.  Your quilt is now completed.

Longarm Stitchin

This past Monday one of my students left this little beauty for me to quilt for her, to be given to her granddaughter as a birthday gift later this month.

It has been fun to stitch.   I find working around embroidery motifs a little puzzling.  Always try to not over power the embroidery with quilting.  

I chose to put flowers in the corner stones and leaves and swirls in the sashing.  Today all was going well and I was finishing up the little inside border.

It was being a little stubborn as I wanted it to be as straight as possible and it was a little puffy so I was trying to hold it down with my hand as I stitched.  My longarm apparently though it would lay better if it sewed my finger to the quilt.  I on the other hand did not share that idea.  I quickly removed my hand and said to my hubby that I might need a little assistance in the bathroom.  He followed to see blood and immediately started reaching for the band-aids.  Dear hubby is generally the one to need band-aids for his various cuts and scraps so he knew right where to find them.  

Being a quilter I naturally needed a quilted band-aid so he chose from this box for me.  "QuiltVent" technology has to be good doesn't it?

I know you are wondering about the quilt instead of  my finger.  But here is my finger anyway.  It sewed along the outside edge but you can't see the blood line in the photo.

 I am happy to report not one drop of blood got on the quilt and as you can see my border stitching didn't suffer either.  Frankly, I am a little surprised by that.

I can see right where it happened and perhaps you can also but I don't think it looks bad.

I finished the quilt holding my pinkie up as if I was drinking tea from a china cup, just in case.

My plan was to do some piecing on a quilt after this finish, but now I think I will curl up in my recliner and do a little hand embroidery on a project I have been wanting to start.  No more machines for me today.

Hope your journey today was without mishap.

2014 Reflections

As I look for my quilting accomplishments for the year I am a little perplexed at what I find.  I know I have done quite a bit of quilting through the year, but apparently not a lot to show for it.  I know my monthly goal setting plan has not been set to execution this past year so perhaps that is where my problem lies.

I did accomplish one piece that I feel is worthy of mention and that was my Challenge from my local quilt guild.  The coordinator placed a package of candy in a brown paper bag and we were to draw a bag and interpret our candy in a wall quilt approximately 24 inches in diameter.

The candy I drew was Snow Caps. To be quite honest I had not heard of Snow Caps before but fortunately it was not a difficult candy for me to execute into my Challenge.

Here is "On Top of Snow Cap Candy Mountain"...............

It is machine applique and the leaves on the trees are "Confetti Quilting" .  Confetti Quilting is a technique that I had been wanting to practice and this was the perfect opportunity for me to to do just that.

So as the new year begins I plan to be more structured to accomplish more for "me".
My wonderful hubby got me off on a great start with a wonderful kit as one of my Christmas gift.
But more about that in a future post.  I am off to get myself organized and decide what I intend to accomplish in the new year.

Happy New Year everyone.  May your journey is this fresh new year be a happy and productive one.

A Special Day

1. 

Today started out as a normal day of teaching my scheduled students.  Around noon I received a call from one of my students asking if she could drop by this afternoon and bring a friend also a student.  I said sure, excited for their visit.
One of these ladies writes poetry and stated when she came in that she had written me a poem,  She started to hand it to me and I asked her to read it to us and this is what she read:

“Sewing ‘N More”

Who is she? This lady of the day,

Her name is Sherry and I must say.

What a feeling of comfort she gives,

I know in her heart the Lord lives.

When you walk in the room she smiles,

Always confident after many miles.

The many talents of a true teacher,

Flows easily, you can always reach her.

Just give her a call, she is always there,

To answer each question I can fare.

No problem is too much for me to ask,

Whether something in the future or in the past.

If you need encouragement or whatever,

Just let her know, she’ll help you be better.

Expressing an inquiry or not.

Choice between alternatives at the top.

What is she? This lady of the day,

And when I say lady to always play.

She can work rings around the most,

Even though she will never boast.

From her background, she arose,

A great woman from her head to her toe.

Welcome in her home, door always open,

Such kind, sweet words are always spoken.

So many talents that can’t be hidden,

She has confidence and patience not forbidden.

If ask about a problem of sewing or life,

You can bet your bottom dollar she is right.

Where is she?  This lady of the day,

She is always there for you always.

Wherever she is she will always come,

Into her home to have some fun.

Her husband is equally great,

Whatever need you have for your sake?

Just call his name and he will be there,

Whether cutting, repairing, he is so fair.

You can wonder how some people meet,

And become the kind of couple you seek.

To be together and have no strife,

They hope to be together for the rest of their life.

                  By: Barbara Blubaugh

                  July 16, 2014

                                                 To my good friends, Sherry and Mike

This was so touching not a dry eye in the house, not even hubby who is also mentioned.  Sometimes I wonder if what I do makes a difference.  I think I received my answer.

Not only does Barbara do a nice job quilting but she is also a wonderful poet.  Just had to share.

Hope you had a touching moment in your journey today.