Design Wall Monday--July 9th

Happy Monday!  On my design surface today are the final blue blocks for Cross Reference (APQ mag April 2017), which I am making for my son.  I had hoped to have to top together by the weekend but that obviously didn't happen, between the hot sticky weather and a Saturday quilt class.  

Two fabrics are repeats and three are new; the cross block centers are fun and easy to sew and I enjoyed that part.  The tiny setting triangles, not so much!  I got the quilt's final cream setting side triangles and corner triangles cut as well.  Borders will have to be cut once the center is sewn as I'm making fewer blocks than the directions call for and will need to measure first.  I'm hoping to have all the blocks made by the end of this week, but have three nights out planned, so we shall see.

I have a finish to show, however small, lol!

This mini flag quilt's center was made two years ago, and it has waited a year for thread burying after quilting for binding to be made and sewn on.  I put the final hand stitches in the binding in Sunday. The HSTs finish at about an inch and were leftovers from the Kitchen Sink quilt.  The other fabrics are from scraps and stash. Love those deep indigo blue prints.  I simply machine quilted in the ditch and made Xs in the corner squares.

The Star Spangled Banner music print was in a gifted bag of fabrics from a guild member.  I'm considering entering this one in the County Fair.  It will need a label, something I seldom manage to add to quilts I keep!

See more Design Wall Mondays on Judy's Small Quilts and Doll Quilts.http://smallquiltsanddollquilts.blogspot.com/2017/07/design-wall-monday-july-10-2017.html  

Design Wall Monday--June 8, 2015

On my design surface today are some disparate projects.   It seems when I am playing leader-ender, my two projects are the most clashing.  Perhaps this is subconscious so that I don't mix them up :)

I cannot show the main project I was working on yet--our guild Round Robin.  Tonight is the reveal after four months and I really am looking forward to see what mine looks like, and what others did with the rounds I added.  We each got to work on four quilts.  But another guild project did get worked on. Our challenge this month was to use Neon fabric.  Not my favorite sort of colors, but I did find a very very bright orange to use.  I have been wanting to work with my Quick Curve Ruler again, and use a pattern I purchased at the Road To California Show back in January, Metro Twist. 

I gathered some leftovers from other projects, a remnant polka dot, and used one of the purple fat quarters I bought in Livermore.  The QCR has you make oversized pieces and then square them up to a consistent size after sewing. The first time I tried this several months ago, my results were not as pleasing, but having had that session under my belt, it was easier this time to manage the curved piecing (that, and the fact that in between I sewed all those curved Winding Ways block sections for months!).

I'm not certain this really qualifies as a neon, but it is certainly very bright.  I'm going to piece another bunch of blocks, throwing in some other modern prints and probably end up with a tablerunner eventually. 

The leader-ender I used while working on the two guild projects was from a baggie of leftover corner triangle cutoffs from Kitchen Sink, a Kim Brackett design in her book Scrap-Basket Surprises.

 I first tried a random layout mixing the RWB HSTs.  Meh.

I separated the colors and ended with a flag layout.  If you know Kim's designs, they are all based on 2 1/2" strips, so these cutoffs are tiny--I trimmed the HSTs to 1 3/4 inch squares.

A mini flag quilt.  I'm not sure where I'll go next with this, but am pleased to have that baggie empty at last.  This is the third project I've gotten from leftover pieces of the original quilt, which I made for my Aunt's husband Tommy when he was recovering from cancer.  He again thanked me for the quilt when we were at a family wedding last weekend.  So sweet!

See more design walls on Judy's Patchwork Times. 

Tusday's Orts

Tuesday's Orts--bits and scraps of thoughts and events that land here semi-regularly.

• Unexpected nice events over the weekend included an evening reminiscing with DD Elaine and her best friend visiting from New York at her parents' house on Friday night, and then lunch on Saturday with one of my oldest friends and her husband who were passing through town on their way to a wedding.  Old Home Weekend, I guess :)
• On Sunday I got an out of-the-blue phone call from my aunt's husband, Tommy, to whom I sent a quilt when he was sick with cancer a couple of years ago (Kitchen Sink).  He just called to tell me how much joy the quilt gave him when he was so low and ill, and how he uses the quilt all the time.  So sweet and wonderful to hear!  By the way, he's cancer free and was able to return to work for awhile before retiring on his own terms later. 

Tommy with his quilt.

• Traffic Rant:  The warm fuzzy feelings somewhat counteracted the mail from the Court regarding the traffic ticket I got a couple of weeks ago (on my first day at my new job!).  The unbelievable charge for being cited for failure to stop? $490.00.    (I can hear you all gasping as I did!)
• People watching today included an interpretative lawn dance by a homeless guy wearing headphones and twirling a cane.
• Another plus of the new job?  My house is a lot cleaner without me being home all day and letting the animals in and out incessantly.

Forward

Forward is a destination I'm aiming for this year, in more ways than one.  In that vein, several quilt projects in play are getting due attention in rounds:

On the Getting it Done challenge, the four items of the month were:
1.  Finish Chevron tablerunner.  Not yet completely done, but well on its way.  Today I pieced batting and got the backing cut, sandwiched and pin basted, and quilted in the cream chevrons.  I consulted with the recipient (DD Elaine) a few days ago for a quilting plan and we both decided to keep the colored chevrons unquilted.  I will attempt stippling in the red border with cream thread as she requested, but may not like it very much--we shall see if it stays or if I go buy red thread!

 

2.  Make heart block tablerunners for shoppe.  Done.  I opted for mug mats instead and have a small pile for sale at the Shoppe; however, none have yet sold.  January is a very slow month for sales everywhere, though, so I'm not particularly concerned.

3.  Trace at least 4 designs for Greenpiece BOM applique and cut out of wool.  Not done.  Tracing is on the agenda for tonight.

4.  Do unsewing on Judy's Mystery quilt backing and repair to correct length.  Not done.  The project did get pulled out of the closet and given a once over review.  I sure wish I had made notes for myself as to the repair process!  As I recall, the backing is about a foot short, which will make for some unattractive repairs since it is a pieced border with cornerstones, but hey, this quilt is for ME, who can overlook those things!

So one item is complete, one is 2/3 complete, two others incomplete, and it is 11 days from the end of the month.  Doing okay so far but need to step it up this week to make the deadline for this challenge.

Other progress was made on the Picnic quilt.  The remaining block pieces had been cut and stacked to the side of my sewing machine at least six weeks ago.  As of this post, only nine more blocks are waiting to be sewn.

Since this photo double the number are now complete.  Next will come layout and stitcheroo, yay!

Binding had been attached to the mini Kitchen Sink quilt but I forgot to add triangle corners for hanging, so that was done today as well.

All ready to stitch down the binding, then I can call it a finish.  I bought a small package of the Clover binding clips and do like them.  Maybe I should call this "Toy Sink" or "Bar Sink" for its mini status :).  Any votes?

Task List making on a daily basis is a habit I need to return to--it really helps me with that forward motion.

One Word Wednesday

Binding: blue dot or cream?

Tommy's Kitchen Sink

The box full of quilty love reached Tommy on Tuesday and my Aunt Peggy called to let me know how thrilled he was.  I am happy to have brought some smiles.  She obligingly took some photos of the man and his quilt:

Tommy's been battling cancer and has lost a lot of weight, but not his great smile. 

Great modeling job, Tommy!  Sending healing thoughts as always, and extra love. 

Dashed plans

No sewing happened here for several days after the whirlwind quilting weekend on Kitchen Sink, but there was fabric prep!  I washed all the wedding quilt fabrics:

There are a couple of batiks there, which are so great because they are two sided.  The lightest fabric is a white on white and I sometimes have trouble keeping those right side up!  This pile needs ironing and then lotsa cutting.  Fortunately the Natural Beauty pattern (Quilts and More Winter 2010) I am doubling in size features strip sets so the cutting is minimized a bit.

I also composed the label for Kitchen Sink, got it assembled last night and stitched down this morning.

Though unplanned, the leftover triangle somehow turned into a little house and naturally it needed a window and a garden bed.  I like it!

Then I played with some other leftovers because I want to make a quick mini quilt for summer.  And here in the USA, that usually means some Americana for Independence Day.

I just love this wooden stand and mini quilt I won at a silent auction a few years ago at a local guild show.  I've made several other holiday minis but wanted one in a patriotic theme to replace my spring decor.  Easter has not been shown the door yet--I still have eggs and chicks and bunnies on display.  I've been busy, I tellya!  There is a certain future event that has taken over, okay? 

Speaking of which, bride-to-be Elaine and I chatted online for an hour brainstorming the use of Mason jars for the reception.  Then we hunted online and Elaine scored some on sale yesterday at Smart and Final at $7.99 for 12 jars and got a raincheck for the rest.  I stopped by Big Lots last night to look for scrapbooking tools for making labels and serendipitously found Mason jars for $7.25 a dozen.  Oh joy!  I snapped up another 9 dozen to complete the anticipated number, saving 74 cents on each.  Every penny saved helps.  We're going to make these jars do triple duty in a fun way.  But that's a secret til the wedding! 

In the meantime, nothing has been done on this month's UFO, Yuletide Blessings.  And now I'll be down to 11 days to make a quilt.  We'll see what happens!

Tommy's Kitchen Sink and a Bear

A finished quilt is a great feeling, and I put the last stitch in Tommy's Kitchen Sink this afternoon. He had to throw everything and the kitchen sink at his illness and I hope this quilt brings some smiles. 

I took this photo at my mom and dad's.  Luckily I did not have to pay a location fee for the photo shoot. 

However, a small blue Bear wanted to be in the photo.  (My dad says *Bear is a camera hog.)

*Bear is my dad's companion.

The backing is two colors of gingham flannel in wide horizontal bands.  (In this photo doesn't it look like the quilt is crossing its legs?)

My visit to my parents' house was twofold: taking pics of Tommy's quilt and also getting some measurements.  Apparently my brother Ted felt Bear needed a pair of choners (shorts) for modesty while riding prone on the dashboard during a recent trip Ted and Dad took (his crack was showing!).  I was telephoned from the road and asked to provide the clothing, since I live in the same town as Bear.

I think this recycled shirt is a good choice.  Iron crosses are pretty manly, right?

Dad said posting Bear's measurements online would be rude, so they are a secret.  Let's just say that Bear is apple-shaped and has healthy thighs. 

Various and Assorted

Long workweeks do not make for energetic nighttime quilters...I spent more time looking for quilting ideas and going to the fabric store for thread than actually quilting.  But this morning I got up early and got to it.  The Kitchen Sink quilt has aged far too long and needs to get to its new home.

After crosshatching with cream thread in the ditch diagonally through the center of the quilt, I went to my trusty three-step zig zag for the narrow border and some large puzzle-piece stippling in the wide border.  I know, I know, not adventurous in the least!

Using 40 wt thread means you run out of bobbin thread more often...one square foot to go and I ran out at this point!  Good thing I thought ahead and bought two spools of thread. 

Some free motion quilting in the setting triangles will finish off the quilting and I can proceed to binding, labeling, and mailing this off to my aunt's husband, who has been undergoing treatment for tongue cancer.  He's feeling better but is still recovering from radiation/chemo that took a deep toll on the Georgia native.  Hang in there, Tommy!

On the agenda

The quilting agenda, that is.  First up, I need to get a label made and the quilt I finished for the Brown Bag Challenge sent off to Quilts for Japan by April 30th.  Next, quilting commences on Kitchen Sink.  The sandwich was pinned last night and I can finally return my mom and dad's portable tables to them. With two of these tables and the bed risers I bought, it is a cinch to pin standing up rather than crawling. 

Pondering quilting designs but will probably go with a simple crosshatch for the center, stitch in the ditch around the inner border, and a swirly/loopy effect in the outer border.  Or not!  This is otherwise known as ITIS quilting (I'll Try It and See).

Thirdly, my UFO Challenge project of the month, Cheddar & Cinnamon, is lacking four 9-patches to be able to start assembly.  I get to play with some of my yummy new green CW print loot. I like the contrast of the greens with the cinnamon and cheddar fabrics.  Okay, ready to get checking off my list!

Not Tuesday's Orts

So I didn't get a Tuesday's Orts composed Monday night because I was too tired to think, and yesterday there was a lot of work at both jobs and I was too tired to think, plus DH was using the computer most of the evening.  Boy, am I ready for the 3-day weekend coming up! 

• Traffic rant:  Would you consider contining to drive when your car is putting out a lot of smoke?  The car I was following up a freeway offramp the other night suddenly disappeared in a cloud of first black and then thick white smoke such that I had to stop my car because I couldn't see.  The other car continued to drive, going up a long offramp, turning right and driving another 1/2 mile to major intersection.  Traffic was stopped entirely by the smoke and it was very scary.  I couldn't believe the other driver didn't notice his car blew up!
• Living in the same city all my life, I am still surprised to know so few people when I go to community events.  That's what happens when you're not much of a joiner, I guess.
• DD Elaine is in wedding mode now...the 1,000,000 decisions required between now and then are a bit daunting.
• I've watched a Lifetime TV show called One Born Every Minute, about labor and childbirth in a major hospital.  I am frankly astounded to see how labor happens these days for a lot of women--not all of them, but most.  They are stuck in bed strapped to a monitor, are given IV Pitocin to speed labor, have epidurals, and then are propped up in a sitting position for 45 minutes towards the end of the labor for gravity to help.  Huh?  Only one couple so far has had a natural childbirth.  It is still fascinating to watch, but I feel out of touch!
• I just got a phone call from work--the receptionist is needing to go home due to feeling ill so I gotta get to Job #2 immediately.  One final Ort is the Kitchen Sink Quilt top finish.  I made myself keep at the border work until it was all complete on Sunday night.  I think it turned out nice.   

Design Wall Monday--Feb 14, 2011

On my design wall/floor is the Kitchen Sink quilt (from Kim Brackett's Scrap Basket Surprises book). 

There was a slight problem with concentration as the news of our daughter's engagement was being anticipated as I pieced the rows on Saturday. 

Um, no, that corner paddlewheel isn't quite right!  Once we got the "Mom, I'm getting married!" call from our happiest girl in the world, I was able to get the center of the quilt completed.

Then I auditioned stash choices for the first border, a 1" finished strip.

Hard to tell from this photo, but neither of the blues worked.  I rejected the red as it was a directional print and I only had 1/2 yard of it.  So the green won out. It is very close in value to the blue dot but that's okay, I wanted it to be a quiet border.  Since taking this photo I've stitched on the two borders.  The outer border is the same blue dot as the setting triangles (which is Wiscasset, by the way).  I enlarged it by 3 inches as this quilt is going to a relative just starting radiation therapy for cancer and I wanted the quilt to cover him well.  Pics to follow.  See more design walls on Judy's blog. 

Happy Valentine's Day!  Virtual chocolate and flowers to you all.  I'm making an apple cobbler for a special dessert tonight.

Design Wall Monday--Jan 24, 2011

Not much to show on my Design Wall but there is something this week, as opposed to last!

The first few rows of the Kitchen Sink quilt.  It is coming together nicely.

Saturday I pinned the Comfort Zone quilt with my mom's help.  It is great to have a quilting assistant.  Thanks, Mom!  Now I have to come up with a quilting plan and get this finished in the next week.  I already know I have no appropriate thread to use so it's back to the fabric store for me. Oh darn.

This time when we set up the folding tables we propped them up with two pavers under each leg, raising the level of the tables by about 5 inches to a height of 34 inches, which is standard kitchen countertop height.  Working on a table instead of the living room floor required about the same amount of setup time (i.e., getting the tables/pavers from the backyard shed versus moving furniture and rolling up a big rug) and was so much easier on backs, knees and necks!  Go to Judy's Patchwork Times blog to see other Design Walls.

Design Wall Monday, Jan 3, 2011

It was really cold today for So Calif, 42 degrees on my front porch at 11:00 AM, windy, rainy and generally miserable.  A good day to spend at the sewing machine.  I got all the units finished for the Kitchen Sink quilt and cut the setting triangles.  Here it is all laid out:

I already played some switcheroo but think it's going to stay as it lays!

I purposefully made an all matching paddlewheel, just for fun.  I'm glad I added a bit of green to break up the red and blue.  There will be a narrow border and then I'll use the same fabric as the setting triangles for a wide border.  The finished size is about 53 x 58".  See other design walls on Judy's blog.  

Design Wall Monday--Dec 27, 2010

We had a lovely Christmas, but more about that in a separate post.  Yesterday I played with fabric and even hit the quilt shop with my sister and SIL.  I'm working again on the Kitchen Sink quilt from the book Scrap Basket Surprises. 

Originally I was just going to use my blue and red scraps but since it just about kills me not to put green in a quilt, I cut up some of those scraps too.

Mock up of some of the little paddle wheels.

At the quilt shop I picked up a couple of yards of this dot, which will become the setting triangles for the Kitchen Sink quilt.  I also picked up some more background fabrics as my stash is getting very low on those.  No idea what the borders will be made of yet, but I plan to use flannel for the backing.  Don't have that yet either!  See more WIPs on Design Walls on Judy's blog.  Happy Monday to me, I don't have to work at Job #2 all week!  I'm planning to take my sister and a friend up to Jalama Beach tomorrow.  However, if the roads are bad we may just go to Solvang instead.  Either way, we're getting out of town!day.