Slow Sunday Stitching--and Other Progress

 Slow Sunday Stitching--see more great handwork happening on Kathy's Quilts Blog in her weekly linkup. 

The DMC Cat Kit stitch is nearing the end. 

I added the dark crosses in the body and tail, the eyelashes, and started on all the white.  The kit calls for 3 strands for this color so it is slower going.  I'd say I am about halfway through all the white.  The last step is to add surface embroidery to the design for more detail.  Such a fun stitch.  

The quilt of the moment got thread tails dealt with and the binding made. I found two more pinwheel blocks that were missing a section of ditch stitching, so took care of that.  Then I hand trimmed the excess batting and backing away.  I plan to apply the binding to the back and machine stitch it down on the front.  So happy this top I completed in May 2020 will have a new home soon. Pattern is Summer Breeze from the Scrap Basket Surprises book by Kim Brackett.

Tomorrow for Design Wall Monday I will show the next Kim Brackett quilt that has been waiting a turn to be made!

Design Wall Monday--Summer Breeze

Design Wall Monday--see more Design Walls on Judy's Small Quilts and Doll Quilts blog. 

A lot of arm exercise these past couple of days while machine quilting the Summer Breeze quilt.  Pattern in Kim Brackett's Scrap Basket Surprises book.  All of her designs are based on 2.5" wide strips.

I stitched the seamlines between blocks and borders with the walking foot, then started quilting around the pinwheel blocks. I am so appreciative of the automatic presser foot lift on my Husqvarna machine when I have to make so many turns and stop/starts.

I could not figure out a way to continuously quilt all the seam lines in the pinwheel blocks, so did it differently in just about every one!  There are a lot of thread tails to deal with.  In the striped blocks, I decided to quilt a heart.  I did not have a quilting template but searched in my Valentine's decorations and found a perfect carboard one. It even matched the quilt's colors :)

I used a water-erasable pen to trace the heart.  After stitching around the first couple of hearts, I decided to add another line of stitching inside the heart to even out the quilting density.

 

Badly lit shot, but I just used the walking foot as my guide and didn't mark.  I'd say that's about 5/8" inside the first line of stitching.  As I moved up the rows from bottom to top, I discovered I had missed some of the ditch stitching of the rows and had to finish that up!  No harm done, and the layers didn't shift despite having no basting pins or basting spray.

The quilting is all finished.  I love all these repro 30's prints but the kittens in the blue dishes are the most adorable. 

The binding will get made and attached soon!  I'm thinking about what I want to put on the label, too.

While the Quilt Rests

 After the Christmas break, returning to work was hard!  I haven't spent any time in the sewing room since last weekend, but was productive then.  The backing for the 30's prints quilt arrived.  It is so sweet and pretty. The line is Aunt Ella's Butterflies, as you can read :)

I tore the yardage in half and sewed it back together about 1" in from the selvedge edge, then trimmed off the bound selvedge. Were you taught the same way?

Layers were immediately assembled and smoothed. Does that step always take longer than you think, too?  Then I folded the quilt package loosely to rest and left it on the floor.  Knowing Mini, my cat, claims anything on the floor as HERS, I had to add some obstacles to keep her off it.

She wasn't in the room when I grabbed all these things from around the sewing room but I found her there minutes later.

...and it worked!  She was very close, but not ON the quilt. :)

Unfortunately, no quilting happened during the workweek.  I'll get to it tomorrow morning, unfolding the package and re-smoothing the layers before I start quilting with the walking foot.  I'll start with ditch stitching and see how much more than that the quilt needs.  I should be able to finish the quilting in a day and then make and attach the binding on Sunday.  I'd like to get this to my daughter next week, to give to her friend when she gets out of the cancer rehab facility.

Design Wall Monday--last of 2021

On this final Design Wall Monday of the year, a quilt top has been chosen to be finished.  See more Design Walls on Judy's Small Quilts and Doll Quilts blog. 

My younger daughter Erica has a long time friend who has been diagnosed with brain cancer, shocking for someone only in her early 30s.  Erica asked me for pics of any unclaimed quilt tops that could be finished for Stephanie.  There were a lot to choose from--one of my New Year goals is to get several sent out for quilting! 

Erica chose this bright '30s print top I finished last year.  The pattern was called Summer Breeze, from Kim Brackett's Scrap Basket Surprises book.

Lots of sweet prints in this quilt.  The medium blue print closest to the bottom is an actual vintage fabric from the 30s. The rest are repros.

There was fabric set aside for binding as well.  I ordered a 1930s print from Fat Quarter Shop, it is from the Aunt Ella's line, a sweet floral with butterflies.  Erica chose the print in orange, it is also offered in pink. 

Happy New Year, everyone! Here's to a better 2022...

It's Design Wall Monday in May--see more design walls on Judy's Small Quilts and Doll Quilts blog.

Off my design wall--and finished!  This is a charm pack Moda Love quilt--a free pattern, here.

Mostly Vintage Picnic charm pack fabrics.  I auditioned a number of choices but settled on this green print from stash for the binding.  Backing was pieced from stash too.

Last week was a hard one for this hunker-downer.  The pressure at work with telemedicine patients, new technology, crowded internet, training sessions/learning a new EHR, not being able to see my family or go anywhere--really got to me.  Shhh, don't tell, but...

I got a home manicure from my friend (we both wore masks the whole time). I had been wearing bandaids on two fingernails that continuously split for weeks and superglue before that.  I gave my friend the Love quilt...she was thrilled, loved the red in the center, her fave color.  The first Love quilt I made was for her daughter a few years ago.  My friend told me that she sees that quilt every time she Facetimes with her daughter living out of state, as it is always on her daughter's bed.  That makes me happy!

Over the weekend a lot more time was spent sewing on all the borders to the Summer Breeze quilt I showed earlier this month.  I tend to make borderless quilts but really liked the design for this one.

Pattern by Kim Brackett from her Scrap Basket Surprises book--she made hers of Robyn Pandolph prints.  It's a nice throw size and just the bit of cheerfulness I needed to finish up the weekend.   More quilts are being released from their boxes and totes.  I'm trying really hard not to start anything else new!

May Day Play

Happy May Day!  I was very happy to see the hind end of April--what a month of upheaval and angst!  There was a lot of quarantine stitching done and I finished up the month with a WIP/UFO of 30's fabrics. The pieces have been safely in their box since May 2017 and were happy to get some fresh air after all this time.  I chose another Kim Brackett design, Summer Breeze from Scrap Basket Surprises for these prints  First order of business was to get HSTs made into pinwheels, then borders around the blocks. 

A lot more cutting was needed for the outer border pieces and alternate setting blocks and then a whole lot of pairing and switcheroo before and after sewing.  I mocked up a layout on the cutting table with a few finished blocks.

Such cheerful colors and prints.  Next was layout and more switcheroo...

Mini is always ready to hold a block in place. 

Two days of moving blocks resulted in the final layout. Rows are stacked and ready to sew. The border pieces will be added after the center is assembled. There is binding fabric in the project box too.  I'm glad this happy quilt is occupying the downtime at home.  

I am working a bit more now as another technological method can now connect me to the doctor's telephone visit when a patient does not have a smartphone or laptop/tablet, or the internet connections don't line up for a video visit.  This makes the doc very happy--as he then has me to scribe the visit as usual and can just review later and sign.  The practice is also changing electronic health programs and now we have an hour of training assigned each day online.  Sigh. 

Happy Anniversary to my Mom and Dad, 62 years tomorrow, wow!

Design Wall Monday: Seattle Sewtopia--What I Worked On

On my design wall is what I worked on at Sewtopia. See more design walls on Judy's Small Quilts and Doll Quilts blog. 

It was hard to make my choices for Sewtopia this year--the two previous events I worked solely on one project at a time.   I finally settled on three different options for Seattle: blocks to assemble, a child's dress, and a paper piecing project. 

Having recently finished all the individual blocks for Beach Cottage (Kim Brackett design), I brought them along to assemble into sets of four and play rearrange.  Having a design wall is a luxury for me--no space in my converted family room!  I stacked up the rows to assemble at home, and got to cutting out the dress for my daughter's best friend's little girl, who turns two this week.  It had been a long time since I sewed for a little girl.

New Look pattern, size 2.  I chose View A with the darling ruffle on the straps and hem. Of course, it was the view with the most pieces and pages of instruction :)  Cutting out went fairly smooth, but the bodice was pretty fussy, the ruffle being extended beyond the yoke and requiring a lot of stay stitching, clipping and pivoting, and lots and lots of pinning! I resorted to hand basting at one point. Laying the bodice aside,  I assembled the skirt including the pockets and bottom ruffle before stopping for the night.   

It wasn't hard, only time consuming, to gather the skirt and stitch to the bodice.  Having sewn many clothes for my girls growing up, I used my favorite method of stitching the gathering rows at 4/8" and 6/8", leaving the 5/8" seam allowance to be easily sewn between the gathering lines.  This makes pulling out the basting easy too.

I stopped at this point, with the zipper and lining finish left to complete at home.

My final project was the Mt. Hood  pattern by Violet Craft, who was actually sitting at the table next to us working on a new pattern!  She came to our guild last year and I got a small portion of the wallhanging done.  I didn't bother her, but had my seatmate help me when I got stuck--every five minutes!  I find paper piecing very difficult with its inside out and backwards fabric placement.  I had to rip out several sections more than once, especially after I sewed two sections together on the trimming line NOT the stitching line, making the moon wonky. 

My sister had bought me a set of Add A Quarter rulers.  The rulers are so helpful with trimming.  Hopefully I will not wait another six months before touching this again. I sure hope I have enough of the sky fabrics since I wasted some with my mistakes, yikes.  

Many others were working on making bags, Christmas quilts, lots and lots of blocks were being stitched, and there were plenty of design walls, cutting tables, and ironing stations in use.  So many repeat attendees were  present, a whole contingent from Canada, and from all over the US.  Next November's location was announced as Orlando, Florida.  The events sell out almost instantly, I think the Las Vegas one next spring took 4 minutes! 

Design Wall Monday--9/23/19

It's Design Wall Monday. See more Design Walls on Judy's Small Quilts and Doll Quilts blog. 

On my Design Floor are blocks from a UFO of several years.  I'm not sure I want to look back and see how long ago I started collecting batiks for the Beach Cottage Quilt! I pulled the box as a substitute for National Jelly Roll Day, since I surely don't need to start something new and this pattern uses 2 1/2" strips, as do most of Kim Brackett's patterns. 

The design from her book "Scrap Basket Surprises" is another clever one.  Four combinations of fabrics are composed randomly.  I chose brown and light green....

..and tan with purple

I had made a bunch of blocks last year but stalled out when I needed more tan and green prints for variety.

Well someone is covering a couple of the new blocks, but trust me, they are pretty :)  Say Hi, Mini.

The blocks are then combined into four patches ABCD and finally into rows.  I am pleased to be finished with all the parts for the quilt center.  Back into the box they will go for now.   I also made progress on the newlyweds' quilt.  

10 rows all assembled now....only 16 to go.  Let's see, that is 320 squares left to sew...

Three for March Keeps on Going!

Three for March, my UFO self-challenge, is nearing the close, only a few more picks left.  Last night I worked on pick #7, Beach Cottage, a Kim Brackett pattern from 2 1/2 inch strips.

It was good to spend time at the sewing machine after a very long and difficult day at work, getting some of each of the four color combos sewn. The blocks are assembled into ABCD blocks before final assembly. I'm looking forward to more yummy batik block making--these are easy to sew, no tiny pieces :)  Today I have off and am spending more time in the sewing room.  The pick this morning was #8, which happened to match with the same project number on my list, a small quilt with Blackwork embroidery by Stitchin' by the River that I bought at a quilt show several years ago. 

I had already cut the embroidery background pieces from this tea-dyed look Primitive Gatherings yardage, and got the edges zigzagged before tracing the pattern.

It is a beautiful day in SoCal and perhaps I will drive down to the beach and watch the waves while I stitch.  It has been quite a while since I was down there.  Later there will be some more sewing machine time and perhaps some clean up--flat surfaces are a complete disaster in the sewing room with all the projects being worked on this month!

Three for March--Another pick and progress

Yesterday it was time to choose another UFO to work on for three days in March.  The draw was #10, Beach Cottage Beauty.  

This is another slow build project that I collected Batik fabrics for gradually. It was curiously difficult to find light green batiks, so there will be many repeats. There are four different blocks made from the color combos, here are some I worked on pairing last night.  The pattern is from Kim Brackett.

I have made a number of her quilts and have several of her books, but not her latest.  The quilt on the cover of this book is gorgeous and also made from Batiks.  I cut most of the fabrics with my GO cutter sometime last year, and am happy that they will be sewn into blocks at last.  More cutting and maybe shopping for more variety will be necessary---I don't have enough of each combo for the required number of blocks.  

Meanwhile, more progress was made on Three for March projects.  The Round Robin Star's binding is attached and the quilt trimmed. I'm loving the spiral quilting. 

So glad I had just enough of that light teal blue for the binding, which I'll hand sew to the back.

Also moved along is the Aussie Feedsacks.  The quilt center is now complete.

There is a pieced border next, requiring prints to be sewn before cutting into sections, and I got those paired up. 

Some of my favorite prints are in this closeup.  Very pleased with the construction so far.  I'll try using the pairs as leader-enders with the Beach Cottage blocks and move both along.

Design Wall Monday--9/24/18

It's Design Wall Monday.  See more design walls on Judy's Small Quilts and Doll Quilts. 

Off my design wall is the "Squirrel" mini quilt, another Three for September WIP (I'm working on a different WIP every three days this month).  I got this mini quilted and bound yesterday.  This pattern is Cross My Heart from Kim Brackett's book Scrap-Basket Surprises.  The prints are Prayer Flag by April Cornell.

I used one of the fancy stitches on my sewing machine and a neutral cream thread, to play up the sort of Boho look of the prints.  The design shows up better on the mini dot backing.

I also pieced a Frankenbatt for the larger Cross My Heart runner, and cut and made binding for that one.  There was no sewing today but a bunch of clean up in the sewing room after work, as the housecleaners are coming tomorrow, yay.  

Last night I sewed up some missed spots on the machine binding on Narragansett Browns, and the quilt got a bath today. 

 There was feline QC after the binding was stitched.   Mini made sure to nap-test as well.

Are you guys sick of seeing this one?  Well, hopefully it will be going to its forever home this week when I give it to my uncle.   I'm going to have to just show up to his senior living home as he doesn't answer his phone and didn't respond to my email either!

Three for September--Squirrels

Three for September--this month I am choosing a different WIP to work on for three days at a time.

The Squirrel problem in the sewing room is a constant despite the lack of nuts or other foraging foods...unless precuts are considered foods!  For the next Three for September project, I have two tablerunner flimsies that were the result of thumbing through the book Scrap-Basket Surprises by Kim Brackett, seeing the pattern called Cross My Heart, and needing to try out my idea of using charm squares instead of scraps.  Naturally, this inspiration came at about 10:30 p.m., but I remembered a charm pack of Prayer Flag by April Cornell in a drawer, so it was a Late Night Squirrel.  

The celery green solid was in the stash and worked nicely with the Prayer Flag prints.  I am choosing from stash this daisy print from JoAnn's for backing and a Jinny Beyer print in gold for binding on the larger of the two tablerunners. 

This placemat-sized runner will be backed and bound with this mini dot in a faded red.  Nothing fancy for the quilting but I will be happy to have these off the list.  Kim Brackett has a new book out called Scrap-Basket Bounty, and I'm sure I'll be needing that book too--I love her designs.

Also off the list is the Narragansett Browns quilt, my version of Bonnie Hunter's Narragansett Blues quilt. I finished the binding today and aside from a label, it is ready to be gifted to my uncle.  I hope to have photos of this quilt being delivered tomorrow.

Cutting, Posing, Stitching

While I've been away from blogging for the past week plus, I've been busy.  First I finished cutting up all the batiks with my Accuquilt GO cutter.  Grandson Cove helped me with one pass  :)  This is for the Beach Cottage project (Scrap Basket Surprises book) and that means the last of four UFO boxes are all prepped and ready to stitch at last--with a sigh of relief they are moved one step closer to becoming quilts someday.  I can cross off another from the 2017 UFO Challenge list, yay!

The four color groups will hopefully have enough variety in hue to make sharp looking blocks.

A closer look at the dark browns.  My Central Coast Quilt Shop Hop purchases make up a good portion of those pictured. 

As for the posing part, my friend Toni sent a few shots of our Shop Hop goodbye photo that her husband took.

This is me grimacing after my sister trampled my toe causing me to pull my foot right out of my sandal, and Toni laughing at her husband taking photos of us while we were arguing about it! 

That's better.  The Cotton Boll in Morro Bay is right along Highway 101 and has a great ocean view from the front; our pose was taken 'round the back.

The weekend included a lot of stitching.  At our Modern Guild we had a Scrap Box Swap and the deadline for the finished quilted project was looming.  I had previously sorted, pondered and re-sorted the mostly scrap strips I received, but hadn't hit upon an idea I liked until I saw this quilt on the blog A Quilter's Table.   I thought it just right for my partner Judy's scraps.  Our swap rules allowed adding fabric and I chose black and white prints from the inspiration quilt, and set about sewing random-width strips into chunks. 

The narrower blocks were trimmed to 6 inches wide.  There was a lot of cutting and sewing to get everything fitted together.  However, it seemed there were still so many scraps left and the quilt needed a backing.  I added some solid gray and was lucky to find leftover black binding in my bin that was just the right length for this small quilt. 

The disparate scraps made the quilt two sided.  (My binding is not really wavy, I think the spray basted layers made the quilt stiff.)

 Straight line quilting randomly spaced and the black binding finished it off. 

I included one row of a different stitch in the quilting just for fun. My swap partner immediately recognized where I took the inspiration, as Debbie of A Quilter's Tale is a blog friend of hers.  How about that?  It was a fun reveal at guild as many members had joined in.  I don't have a photo yet of the wonderful little quilt I received from my partner.  

There was a lot more cutting, stitching and posing for the Bonnie Hunter workshop I attended, but I'll save that for the next post.