Design Wall Monday--Borders for Scrappy Squares Quilt

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

The latest squirrel project made of scrappy 3.5" squares had made it to about 35" square, but that isn't really big enough to be a useful quilt, to me..  

In my yardage bins I found a number of strips that were border cuttoffs from the Go Four It quilt top I put together last year. 

I wasn't too happy with the joins for these borders, but overall the quilt is so large and busy, I wasn't too fussed about it. For this smaller, quilt, however, I took more care with the joining. 

One of these strips has a pattern-matched seam.  It only took three tries to get it perfect :)

Originally I thought I would do a narrow border, but this brown print looked better cut wider, 3.5", same as the block size. 

I haven't decided how many little stars/churn dash blocks I will make, perhaps not the whole length of the top. I may end up with partial borders or cornerstones in this cheddar fabric.  Not very much of this is left either, but using up stash is certainly a necessity, as storage is at MAX !

Memory Lane Figuring for the Finish Line

The Memory Lane Quilt blocks are getting closer to the finish line.  I completed two more blocks and need only 7 more to get to 20. The pattern calls for 5 fabrics in each block and I needed to make some notes to avoid repeat combinations of colors. 

I have started each block layout by choosing colors for the chain squares, then adding the strips in their position either as the center or corners. I jotted down the combos done so far, then paired up the remaining chain square pieces, avoiding repeats. 

The red and cream print still had two squares to use up, but looking at my photo, I did a double with the blue floral/stripe--that won't do!  There will be a short round of switcheroo again.  Glad I caught that. 

I caught the moonrise last week lighting up the palm tree and some clouds.  We are getting some much needed rain as I type this post, hope it soaks in deep!

Design Wall Monday--May 17

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

There has only been a little time spent on the sewing machine lately, but a few projects got moved along.  

I made the binding for the star quilt and that got applied. 

I made the binding single fold from this cheddar print and will hand stitch it down.  A bunch of thread ends need to be buried as well. 

The Plaidish quilt was also layered with batting and backing and is resting for a bit.  I pulled a number of leftover binding pieces to use with this scrappy project.  

Recently I pulled a lot of dark squares out of the bulging 2.5" precut drawer for a Plaidish2 quilt.  The designer, Erica of Kitchen Table Quilting, designed this second scrappy quilt with limited dark fabrics and more lights and mediums, which are more plentiful in most people's stash. She designed it block style to make it simple to make the size you want. Free download is available from her store.   

I finished the quilting and binding on the strawberry block mini quilt for my sister.  Mom wants one now!

Leftover binding to the rescue again--there were two pink lengths perfect for this job.  I still plan to make a four block version for myself.  The strawberry quilt was the on the cover of the April 2021 APQ magazine. I think there may be a quiltalong happening on Instagram too. 

What I'm Working on Wednesday--Multiple Projects

I seem to be unable to settle in to one project for very long currently.  Stalling on a major one usually produces this condition.  In this case, the Dreamweaver quilt and all its applique has been hogging the cutting table.  I've pulled out the table on the Hoosier cabinet for an additional cutting and auditioning area. 

My DIL was happy with the progress and agreed with adding more applique.  We decided some smaller circles over the larger solid ones would help them stand out less. I had already cut a lot of leaves from the Steam a Seam fusible but needed more sheets.  Also I wanted to pick up some floss for another embroidery project.  Happily, although limiting customer volume and requiring masks, the larger local fabric store in town is open. 

I was able to find all of the floss colors for this thrift store scored Blackbird Designs pattern, and then wandered about the rest of the store.  There were 20% off tags on many of the bolt tables.  I found a good option for the backing of the Dreamweaver quilt, then perused the fat quarters while waiting for the cutting table traffic to clear. 

Well I HAD to buy these $2.00 fat quarters, didn't I?  I always need neutrals and picked up the fun stripes and a couple of blues as I seldom buy blue fabric.  I could have bought a lot more FQ but had to consider how stuffed the FQ storage drawers are...and put some back, lol. I want to make some cloth napkins and fat quarters work well for that. 

While avoiding the applique, I worked on the Perkiomen Valley blocks from last post.  Trying to figure out how to nest seams when the blocks were going to be twisted and turned was impossible, so I pressed all the seams open after chain piecing the block pieces.  I got annoyed by trying to stick my scissors between the pieces to snip the chain thread while holding them in my hand, so did this instead:

I laid the joined rows  on the table, pulling down the just  added row to the limit of the chain thread, and snipped through the now visible chain. 

When laying out the first few sets of squares and HSTs before piecing, I noticed I was choosing a blue for the center, and went with that for the remainder. Above the blocks are looking good in a straight set layout....

...and here more dynamic in "The Stacey" layout, after a fellow guild member.  This is just a small corner of her layout, which I showed last time. The top is now complete. 

Another "squirrel" project jumped out when I was pulling charm squares for the Perkiomen Valley blocks.  I have acquired mini charm packs over the years, usually as freebies, but seldom use them.  A well aged Bubble Pop charm pack by Sandy Klop along with a sweet green and white background fabric pull from stash and I was on my way....

The Moda Love Quilt I have made in layer cake and charm pack size, but this is the first mini charm pack one I attempted.  These squares and HSTs are little!  This is a free pattern from Moda. 

Pen for size reference.  Since I used my Bloc-Loc trimmer for all of the HSTs, the rows went together pretty smoothly.  I did have to restitch a few seam allowances that got skewed, but it wasn't too painful.  This will likely become a pillow cover with the addition of more of the background print and leftover mini charms. 

...now back to applique pieces for Dreamweaver....

See What I Did There?

More sewing on the Doll Quilt Swap project--Lori of Humble Quilts has extended the mailing deadline but I hope to be able to send mine off by the original month-end date. 

I used the paper plate method for arranging my blocks and keeping them in order at the sewing machine.  My squares are cut at 2".

Leader ender blocks on the left, and the first five 9 patches with the setting squares. They looked so cute...but, does anyone notice why my heart suddenly sank?  If you see gaps around the setting squares, you will have correctly deduced that MATH kicked my butt again.  I cut my setting squares  at the finished size of the 9 patch block. After despair, there followed a session of option auditioning.  I mocked up smaller 9 patches with 1.5" squares, but they were small and would require so many more that I would not have enough of the striped fabric for the doll quilt.  I then tried cutting down the 2" squares to 1.75" but it still did not work well with the cut setting squares.   I really didn't want to dedicate a lot of time to re-cutting the print squares either.

Mini was of no help during this portion of the design process, laying on the floor in this weird position at the bottom of the stairs!

My next idea was to trim down the finished 9 patch to 4.5 inches, and this turned out to be the best option.  The 9 patch is preserved but will now be an uneven 9 patch when the setting squares are sewn.

Final layout after switcheroo.  I love the setting squares' change of direction in each quarter from the center out.  The design is more striking the larger the quilt gets and I'll do that one day with bigger squares--I can see it in a modern design too.  The rows are pinned in stacks and ready at the machine.  It should sew up fast.  I'll ponder backing, quilting, and binding options as I sew.

Design Wall Monday--Doll Quilt

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

On my design surface are pieces and parts for Humble Quilts' annual Doll Quilt swap.  I have wanted to recreate an antique 9 patch quilt I pinned several years ago, and this small scale quilt is a great place to try it out. The alternate square is a stripe arranged in different directions, quilt is circa 1880 per the description on 1stdibs (sorry,  I am unable to link the URL).  My version will be very scrappy whereas the original quilt used two squares of two different fabrics and plain muslin for the remainder of the 9 patch. 

I dug through my messy box of leftover CW pieces and parts but ended up having to cut most of the 2" squares from larger scraps. The 9 patches will be 4.5" by my figuring. The red shirting stripe has been in stash a long time; I'm happy to have a worthy place to use it.  My swap partner is in Canada so I'll need to get this stitched up and quilted in the near future.  The antique was hand quilted in a crosshatch.  I will likely machine quilt mine, depending on time.

Meanwhile, more masks went out the door today....

Design Wall Monday--March 2, 2020 New March Challenge

First Design Wall Monday of March is here--see more beauties on design walls on Judy's Small Quilts and Doll Quilts blog.  

Last March I did a UFO self-challenge working on a different project every three days.  That was a very motivating exercise and helped move along lots of different quilts that had been stalled at some stage or another.  This year I'm working on hidden projects, mostly contained in/on/under the Hoosier cabinet that substitutes for closet space in the open family room where I sew.  It's Empty the Hoosier this month!  I first attacked the overflowing scrap situation; I had a shoe box and deep wire basket full of fabric to deal with.

Pieces I had already precut to the sizes I save went into the drawers under the cutting table, and the larger slabs and strips to the ROY G BIV drawers under the desk, or the fat quarter dresser, depending on size.  The wire basket and plastic shoebox are empty again!  However, I accidentally started a new project while cutting up some of the green scraps....Squirrel!

I'm going to make a tablerunner for my oldest brother--his favorite color is green too. The fabric in the bottom right stack I used in a bed quilt I made him several years ago.  This squirrel project will match another started in April 2017 from Kim Brackett's pattern called Cross My Heart (from the book Scrap Basket Beauties), and finished in my Three for March self-challenge last year.

 Obviously this pic doesn't show the finish! I cut 40 sets of green fabrics but still need to cut the corner pieces from solid white. 

In the Hoosier cabinet I have a box with small unfinished projects; that also needs to be emptied! I chose one as a new leader-ender. I think the 5" charm pack was a prize and the pattern a free project card.  Anyway, I had already cut all the corner squares, they just needed to be marked with the stitching line, a tedious job that had stalled the project. 

This will make a good baby quilt if I make it square instead of a rectangle, wouldn't it?  Lots of fun piecing to start my Empty the Hoosier Challenge--I like it!

Design Wall Monday, 1/20/20

Several things on/off my design wall to share.  See more design walls on Judy's Small Quilts and Doll Quilts blog.  

In the interest of keeping quilts moving along in the process, I worked on quite a few different projects in the last week.  

Make the Connection baby/lap quilt got borders added.  This is destined for guild donation. I'll cobble a back together and probably quilt this myself.  The pattern is free on APQ website, designed by Jo Kramer and her daughter for charity makes.

Binding was attached to the Sliced Cake quilt (Canoe Ridge Creations blog).   I did finish the binding but don't have pic of that.  No one specific that this one is destined for as yet. 

I finally decided on borders for the Chunky Churndash for my dad (free pattern on Quiltville.com).  Bonnie's design had three borders and corner stones and I just didn't want to do that, so added only a 3" cut border.  The top is now 72x84, which is pretty big for a couch quilt!  I'll be ordering a wide backing for it, undecided if I want to quilt it myself on my home machine or not...will likely send this out as my sister's longarm is not working.

Here you can see the gray is not a solid but a small brown print on the slate gray; this is a print from Betsy Chutchian's line called Eliza's  Indigo.  Darn those stray threads.  I had such fun making all the chunky churndash blocks.  I'm sure I'll make more in the future. 

I made a bunch of 3" HSTs from the leftovers of the hourglass blocks and decided to make a companion pillow for the quilt.  I have always liked the Oklahoma Twister pattern and quickly cut some light squares and laid it out.

I'm going to add some borders and additional HSTs to fashion another sort of Churn Dash.  Hope it works like my sketched idea.

Also finished were the last four green star blocks for my version of Bonnie Hunter's My Blue Heaven quilt--another free pattern on her site.  I'll be laying those out this week sometime, hopefully.  Good to be making progress on multiple quilts--there are a lot more waiting for attention too!

Design Wall Monday--last day of September 2019

On my design surfaces are projects in play, and a squirrel or two...  See more Design Walls on Judy's Small Quilts and Doll Quilts. 

The Newlyweds' Dreamcatcher quilt is the project in play in the background.  I completed three more rows and have 13 left to sew, so its halfway done!  There was some surgery and switcheroo needed when I got the squares out of order again, but that was easily repaired. 

One squirrel project is due to the sudden cooler weather, finally below 80s here in the daytime and last night dipped below 60 degrees--I needed a throw quilt over my side of the bed. That brought thoughts of Fall decorating and a quilt by Sherri McConnell in the latest issue of APQ magazine.  She used Fig Tree scraps; I'm pulling from scraps and stash.  I'll make a small wallhanging or mini quilt from one block.  She used triple sashing in two colors for her design and that sounds fun too. 

Obviously I am still stuck on Churn Dash designs :) and have made progress on the baby quilt I've been making 9 patch blocks for as leader-enders while sewing Dreamweaver rows. 

The third row is assembled but not yet sewn to the others.  Good thing I got a start on this, as I received a baby shower invite for October for mommy-to-be.  Two more rows yet to assemble before backing and binding are made.

Another squirrel popped up when I got thinking about a speaker we had a Guild this month. She accepted all the baby quilts made so far, and mentioned a Christmas Shop put on by local government for disadvantaged families.  She noted that handmade items such as quilts are always the first to go from the shop, which is open for weeks before Christmas, and suggested doll quilts.  I had a stack of four patches that finish at two inches and quickly sewed up a bunch. 

I just noticed in this pic that despite my efforts to avoid it there are a couple of "humble" patches that got turned, but they will stay!

Design Wall Monday--August 26, 2019

It's Design Wall Monday again--at least I get on this blog about once a week for the sharing party! See more Design Walls on Judy's Small Quilts and Doll Quilts blog.

After multiple days of no machine stitching, I got busy sewing the Chunky Churndash blocks together, finally (free pattern by Bonnie Hunter of Quiltville.com).

Two sets of three rows laid out casually on the floor, not joined yet.  I have 7 more rows to assemble before getting the top together.   I sent this pic to my Dad, whose quilt this will be, and he thought it was "looking good".  I'm using smaller hourglass pieces from another Bonnie Hunter free pattern, My Blue Heaven, as leader-enders.  Gotta get these project boxes emptied sometime...

Another job crossed off the list was getting 520 squares cut for the newlyweds' quilt.  I sent this pic to son Nick and his wife and they both replied enthusiastically.  It may be a different reaction when I have them help me lay these all out on the floor :)  

One of our local independent quilt shops, Superbuzzy, had an anniversary party this weekend.  I made a trip with a gift card aging since Christmas.  There was a raffle prize ticket given and another scavenger hunt for a special gift.  I looked over the store several times and kept coming back to a kit I'd wanted since I first saw it few years ago.  While I was at the register, the raffle prize number was drawn twice with no one present with the ticket.  Third time was the charm, my ticket number was called!

I won the stack of Japanese fabric fat quarters, and my purchase of the Mahalo Kit earned me a cute pin.  Desert Bloom is a fabric line from Sherri & Chelsi for Moda. Sherri blogs at "A Quilting Life" and if you search her blog for Mahalo, she shares many different styles for this Dresden-type block made in her classes.  The quilt design was inspired by an antique of Sherri's, her great-grandmother's quilt that was 30's fabrics.  I'll look forward to assembling my own Mahalo quilt. 

Happy last week of August!

Design Wall Monday--Squares, squares, squares

It's DWM again. See more Design Walls on Judy's Small Quilts and Doll Quilts blog.  

Lots of activity in the sewing room, a few more things checked off the list.  Off my design wall and finished are two small quilts for guild, to be donated to an infant/mommy exercise class with the City. 

Falling Charms a la Missouri Star Quilt Company's method, using 25 charm squares.  My sister did this fun swirl quilting on her longarm.  I found a matching length in my leftover binding bin, love that!

Leftover flannel on the back--which my longarm quilter complained about, "It's stretchy", lol.  I hope some young mom will love it. 

What I'm calling a garlic knot/minecraft quilt is also finished.  I lightened the pic to try to show Kathy's quilting better--birds and leaves.  This is mostly made from a box of 2.5" squares I bought at a guild show, with some additions of solids from stash.  No pattern--this was just an enjoyable scrap box puzzle to layout.

The backing is the same as the binding, which was a cutoff from another quilt. Using it up! This quilt is a little longer than the charm pack one. 

I like this shape so much that I used it for our guild Pizza Box block swap.  This month's pizza box had all black and white fabrics for Maria. 

I used a few leftover pieces from the baby quilt for grandson Hunter (Adam's Rib from Fons and Porter), and filled in with her fabrics.  The monkeys were the backing fabric for Hunter's quilt.  I'm hoping this looks modern enough.

More squares in my sewing room---I finished the top made from Aussie fabrics bought on my trip to Australia in 2009, adding the two outer borders. 

I had quite a time with these pieced borders, having to take in numerous seam allowances on the squares to make the top and bottom fit.  The side borders lost an entire square and I still had to take in some seam allowances.  This is a Darlene Zimmerman free pattern that came long ago with a magazine solicitation, which she designed for feedsack prints.  Although the instruction sheet claimed this quilt was designed for "beginners and experts", I would never recommend this for a beginner---so many pieces to cut and seams to match.  It looks great now, but there was some frustration getting it together.  The quilt is small, 37x45, I think.  I'll probably end up donating it, but not yet :)

Three for March--Jewels in the Curio Update

I had a productive couple of afternoons this weekend in the sewing room, finishing off the borders for the Jewels in the Curio quilt.  Our son came over and collected his dad Saturday afternoon for a long drive to look at a car, so I had plenty of room to lay out the quilt in the living/dining room.  Well, after I shoved over the table and chairs. 

The pieced borders fit nicely and I was happy with the color/print mix.  Then the final 2.5" plain border got measured and cut wrong. 

 My mistake was turning the quilt when I laid it down the second time--but no matter, I just added leftover border pieces and measured again. The edge really is not wavy--the quilt is just a little wrinkled in the middle.  I looked through my fabric bins today and decided against piecing a back--this top is just under 80" square so will need a lot of fabric.  I'll order or locally buy an extra wide backing, and will also need to purchase batting.  I got the binding all made today too.

My sister Kathy came over in the middle of this process Saturday night and after I made us a tri-tip and cheese quesadilla for dinner, we spent time in the sewing room.  She was making blocks for the pizza box guild challenge, and I laid out another quilt top on the floor to cut borders.  

I had sewn the lengths of border together weeks ago and just needed to measure and cut. This quilt is not on my Three for March list but is one I'd like to get done by next month to give as a gift.

A closeup of the prints, a mix of stash and charm packs from Connecting Threads.  I sewed  the borders on today and made a backing.  However, while I was pressing the backing seam I noticed a big flaw and a tiny hole in one of the backing fabrics.  Sigh.  Repairs will be necessary.  The final task in the sewing room today was repairing some pillow covers for daughter Elaine.  The tassels were drifting away from the corners :)  

There is one more day allotted to the Jewels in the Curio pick, but since I don't have any more sewing to do for it right now, I'll work more on the Aussie Feedsacks or the Sanctuary panel.