CATCHING UP

Yesterday was supposed to be a catch-up day with LOTS of sewing getting done but that wasn't happening. Instead ... grandchild #4 and I spent the afternoon baking. I've been a Gramma for less than 2 years and still getting the hang on it.



Keilie wanted to visit just like her sister did but sewing wasn't on her mind ... cooking was. We baked cookies AND pumpkin bread - her "MommyJasmine's" favorite.

Which brings me to today ... I REALLY need to catch-up. Here's a finished Mountain Baby Blanket. (Dawn - that leaves 2 to do).

And my July - Love Knows No Season - block of the month. Elsie did offer an alternative for her non-American followers. I just loved how the ribbon turned out. And ... best part ... no hand sewing on this block!

Left to do today ... Update my iPod, get a sock started (both for my trip to FL tomorrow) pack, finish the laundry and I need 80 little 3" 9-patch blocks for my guild meeting (tonight). 32 of completed. Hmmm, that's not even 1/2 way there. Better get cracking. The ironing can wait.

BACK PROBLEMS

No ... not a physical ailment. Anyone who has ever done much quilting with a machine on a frame ... long-arm, short-arm, mid-arm ... it matters not ... you've probably had this moment. That final roll, that final pass - HURRAY - not so fast.

What's this? The backing is shorter than the quilt top? How can this be? Measure, measure, measure and ... oh no - the backing is shorter than the quilt top.

I recently got an evening phone call from my friend Starlyn who had this happen to her ... what to do? I talked her through a solution, gestures included (but we were on the phone so only the Cute Husband really understood the hand signals). I did tell her that I'd never actually tried this before.

I certainly did NOT expect to be trying it out 5 days later ... but it did work! Cut a chunk of fabric that you know is big enough in length and width for this project. Fold the quilt top and batting up out of way. Lay the new backing piece (right sides together) with the original backing still pinned to the leader. Pin the new piece to the leader, keeping the original one there too. This is being added from the underside. You'll have to pin the other edge up to the quilt to keep the whole thing neat and tidy. Then run a stitching line across, close to the leader/pins. See the stitching? I unpinned the other edge so you could see it.

Take out all the pins on the backing fabrics and repin the new backing edge. The seam allowance will be there, just finger press it down. Smooth the batting and top back into place and keep on quilting.
The frustrating part of all this was that I was only 1.5" short. I could have trimmed the border shorter and it would have fixed the problem but I didn't want a smaller border. I had already quilted some really cool spider webs in the top border and wanted the same on the bottom.

The quilt top? I'll show that off as soon as it gets a binding. Later today? tomorrow? soon - I promise!

BITS AND PIECES

How crazy has the weather been?!! It's only supposed to be a high of 58 today. What happen to the warm, sunny, sandal-wearing weather we were having? I actually wore my newest socks yesterday, thought it might be 6 months before I needed them. The pattern is called, "What Happens in Vegas" by Knitters Brewing Company and they were NOT for wimpy knitters. It's hard to see in the photo but there are dice knit in the pattern and the left and right socks are mirror images ... what an accomplishment!
Pat Sloan's free pattern: It's 5:00 Somewhere finally got finished. I started it ages ago (years) and it's done ... HURRAY! This quilt might end up at the youngest daughter's house. She requested a "summery" quilt.

My mom is here (in MD) visiting. We've really been enjoying our time together ... talking, eating, laughing, eating, talking and ... eating. My mom used to be a fabulous cook but she's done - cooked all she's ever going to cook and now it's my turn. I love it that my mom now looks forward to coming to MY house to eat MY cooking.

QUILT CLOSE-UPS

What a beautiful spring Saturday it is today here in Maryland! Thank you so much for all the nice comments yesterday on my "Friday Finish." I do sew a lot and lately I've even been finishing a lot. But ... I no longer have young children at home (or even old children at home). I no longer have a full time job (or even a parttime job). I'm no longer packing (or unpacking) for military moves across the country or out of the country. AND ... I have a very supportive husband who happens to love take-out pizza!



Yesterday I promised some close-ups of my Farmer's Market quilt. I did continuous line butterflies in the border using my Handiquilter ProStitcher (computer generated).

As I've said before ... I'm better at sewing than computers or cameras ... not sure why or how these jam jars are upside down but ... I outline quilted all the applique.

and added buttons and a little embroidery and pigma pen after the quilt was finished.

I did free-motion circles in all the sashing.

And for Michelle, who left such nice comments about my applique and her dream of making an applique quilt someday even though she hand pieces and hand quilts ... Please make sure you've all been introduced to Heat 'n Bond Lite. It's the ONLY way I applique. It will become your new BFF.

Spring has started to spring in my garden. Hostas just seemed to pop out over night.

FRIDAY FINISH

HURRAY HURRAY! I love Friday's ... it's the day we get to do a little blog hopping and see what others who suffer from this wonderful thing we call craftiness have accomplished. Hop on over to Sew and Tell and join in on the fun.

So (sew) what did I finish this week? First up - my March block for Love Knows No Season. Elsie's FREE BOM is only available until the next block posts on April 15. You better hurry over here and get it.
Here's a not very good picture of my Sunday Drive. This is a Pat Sloan pattern. It still needs lots of buttons (leaves) on the trees but that will wait until AFTER the quilting is completed. This was a fun project, even though it took 3 years. I love how Pat designs scrappy patch backgrounds with the applique hanging over.

AND ... finally completely finished ... another Sloanie quilt ... Farmer's Market. These were FREE blocks on Pat's web site. This was also a long forgotten project that finally made it's way up to the top of the pile. And it's also not a great photo. I took this late last night and the lighting wasn't good. (photographers always say that about not-so-great pictures). I'll try for better ones and some closeups later today. Hmmm ... probably could play a little with cropping too so you don't have to look at my ceiling. I was trying to keep Cute Husband's Gear Head pants out of the shot.

And my last finish for the week ... this one was a START and a FINISH! It's measures 28". It's a Square in a Square project for a class sample. I'll be teaching this ruler at my friend Donna's guild in 2 weeks.

I also did LOTS of ironing and not sewing related ironing just regular ironing. Donna told me that IRON was a 4-letter word! I am glad that the weather is nicer and Cute Husband has started wearing polo shirts to work ... more time for sewing related ironing!

Have a GREAT weekend!

FRIDAY FINISH

OH MY ... yesterday was quite a day and did not involve even an inch of thread! It was warm and beautiful outside - perfect weather to sit on the deck and admire my pansies. But NO, that didn't happen! Instead, the cute husband thought it was a perfect to day to stay home from work and move mulch ... lots and lots of mulch. And that's what we did.

OK - honestly - he moved the mulch - lots and lots of mulch and I raked it. At the end of the day, we were 1/2 done. Just 1/2, and if you're good at math ... that leaves another 1/2 to be done tomorrow. Today does not involve mulch or rakes. Today, he will be heading off to the MD Eastern Shore on his motorcycle and I will be heading off to a quilt shop (or 2!).

In the meantime ... here it is ... the Buffalo Ridge quilt - and it's done, baby ... done, done, done! This quilt was mostly done with my ProStitcher, the computer system for the Handiquilter.
The big reveal ... what do you think?

A LITTLE BIT SPRING

A lot of different signs of spring have been showing up on blogs lately. My neighbors have some very pretty daffodils in bloom. Several houses on our street have Bradford Pear trees just about ready to pop out their fluffy white flowers. Me? Nothing in the garden yet, except a few old dead things left from last fall. BUT ... I do have this pretty little wallhanging
Hope you're finding something to put a little "spring" in your step this week!

FRIDAY FINISHES

Holy cow, am I late with my Sew 'n Tell today. I actually finished these 2 tops yesterday. I'm late getting the photos posted because I had to go for the dreaded mammogram this morning. After that, I thought I deserved lunch out ... don't you agree?

Before you get too crazy and think I MADE this 2 quilts this week - take a breath. You KNOW that didn't happen. The mostly blue and white, 9-patch and snowball was started last October. Yesterday it got borders. This is going to my sister (Goody 1) for Christmas. I've got plenty of time.
This one is called Buffalo Ridge. It's from the book Nickle Quilts. Dawn, Starlyn and I did it as a block swap, also started back in October. We made 3 of each block and 3 of each flying geese (there were a million of those!) and then swapped. This way, we got a lot more varieties of fabrics and when we met up to swap ... lunch! Not sure where this quilt will end up living but I do have some great ideas for quilting it.

Dawn - if you're reading this ... I know 1/2 my geese are pointing in the wrong direction. Starlyn said I could call it a "design decision." That's my story and I'm sticking to it!

Rootn' Tootn' Cowboy

As promised yesterday, here's a look at Rootn' Tootn' Cowboy. It's a Spring Water Designs pattern. I often get stuck on what to do for a boy quilt but this certainly fixes THAT problem. Although ... when I was little I wanted to grow up to be a cowboy and I spent several days looking for cowboy boots for MY daughter when she was little - it was the ONLY thing she wanted for Christmas. Today ... this gets quilted.



You really need to go and look at the banner on this blog, it's big and beautiful and "wool crazie! I was instantly taken with it and hear my bin of woolies calling me. BUT - I have to resist the urge. There are other more pressing (not ironing, don't worry) matters at hand today. Besides, I think the bin of wool is under several other bins and baskets so they won't escape.



Off to load the cowboy quilt on to my Handiquilter and "git 'er done!"

Edit: I posted this before Amy got the Sew 'n Tell link up this a.m. - check it out!

SQUARE IN A SQUARE

About a year ago, I started making a quilt called Fantasy Star. It's in the book: Advancing On II by Jodi Barrows. Jodi is the queen of the Square in a Square technique. I bought her original book and ruler ... oh ... maybe 12 years ago. It sat on my shelf for 11 years. Actually it sat on the shelf of 3 different homes in those 11 years. One day, I decided it was time ... time to learn how to use this ruler that has no measurements. The only numbers on it - 4 different angles.

Anyway - a year ago and Fantasy Star - I started it, even got a fair bit done on it and then the whole bin got lost in that scary place. You know the spot - in your sewing room, under LOTS and LOTS of other things. And then it somehow managed to make it's way out of the scary place and into the light. When I opened the lid ... this is what it looked like.
I almost put it back into the scary place. Where do I start? Where did I end? What the heck are these pieces? And where are the directions? Oh my ...

Square in a Square (SnS) isn't done in the typical cut-out-the-shapes-and-sew-them-together method. It's all done with strips and squares and the very special "ruler with no measurements." After sorting out all the pieces in the box and still not sure what some of them were for or from or even if they were part of this project ... I reread the directions. HURRAY - I might actually be able to put this baby together!

Jodi's directions are very simple, very clear and there are pictures. This is part of the border. It's already been pieced, cut (with the special ruler) and stitched again.

And cut again ... with that special ruler.

And cut again ... yes - with the special ruler. Actually, this last cut can be done with any ruler.

Then all I had to do was repeat this step 30 times and end up with 60 pieces. And THEN - just sew those together. Here's part of the border being auditioned with some border fabrics. I've actually only completed 12 of the pieces. Hey - remember ... quilting is a journey not a race.

And here's the center part of the quilt. I'm so close to finishing. I refuse to let this quilt sneak back into the scary place. It will be completed!!! someday ...

NEW PROJECT

For every project completed, it seems I start 2 new ones. I'm never going to finish them all but I'm sure having fun! This is block #1 of the newest start. It'll be a year before I see this little guy again. OK - not so little guy, the block measures 20".

It's called the Beige Behemoth from Big Horn Quilts. Mine will be in black and white with a little red. I'm working with a group of women and we'll swap boxes each month. Several others will be making my other 11 blocks using my fabric and I'll make their blocks. You'll have to be very patient for the Big Reveal ... it'll be next year.

ONE PATTERN, DIFFERENT LOOKS

One of the projects I worked on last weekend on my retreat was this 9-patch/snowball quilt. It started with a bundle of shirtings that my sister (Goofy 1) picked out. Obviously (to a quilter), I couldn't just make a quilt from shirtings - it would be a little bland, even if the shirtings were beautiful ... and they are. So ... Goofy 1 said, "make it bright and happy. I love purple and my bedroom curtains have little blue flowers." I think this quilt will certainly fit that request. I still need to add a border of some sort. This quilt will be her Christmas present so I have lots of time. This project was started in early December 2009. Three of my sewing buddies and I decided to make the same quilt. Teresa (blue/yellow) and Tara (green/brown) have finished their quilts. Cappy (brights/brown) has her top all done and mine still needs a border.

What a difference the fabric can make ... same pattern, very different quilts. I just love sewing with friends!

TGIF

Last weekend I spent several days with my sewing buddy Diva Donna. She's a new blogger - stop by and say hello. While it was snowing (20"+) at home in MD, I was happily stitching up my own storm ... managed to get 4 quilt tops DONE and used up a great amount of patriotic stash. Home on Monday just in time for a blizzard this week. So - I sewed! Here's the first one all finished ... quilted and bound!
I sew a LOT ... pretty much every day. Most of the time, I'm alone in my studio (still have a bit of trouble with that word ... it's the basement, it has GREAT light, but no windows, it has LOTS of space, but no windows and a bathroom ... but no windows.) Any hoo ... I crank up the iPod and I'm in my happy place ... most of the time. But yesterday, I had the most persistent helper.

Can't you just hear my little pea-brained furry friend ... "I'm here to help, don't worry, I'm not leaving you here to tackle this all alone. I'm sure you need a little kitty assistant and I'm up for the job."

"You want me to hold that? Hello! I don't have thumbs! If you take out the pins, I'll be glad to step on, and leave a little kitty fur ... I mean, kitty love all over it."

Because it's Friday check out Amy's Sew 'n Tell

First I was snowed-out in VA, then I was snowed-in at home in MD and now ... today, I leave for my quild's quilt retreat for 4 days. No computer for the weekend. I'll be back on Tuesday!

Quick Note

Do you get this magazine? Check out page 25 ... it's ME advertizing Handiquilter1
This is my 3rd finished quilt top this weekend. I'm still working with the same set of 2.5" strips and some yardage. Yes, I am getting a little tired of red,white and blue. BUT - I still have a bag of 1.5" strips to use. I going to keep on until there are none left. well ... except for the little cut off bits that I'll save but only if they're at least 2.5" square. AND only if I can sneak them back into my bag without Donna's intervention. She thinks I might need a 12-step program for m scrap addiction.If you're a Bonnie Hunter fan, you need to check out this blog - Bed of Roses for a great giveaway.

HAZMAT quilt

Today I'm going to tell you a story about how this quilt was born. I just finished it at 2:00 today. It's still just a top, probably won't get quilted until next week ... maybe a little wishful thinking on my part.
It all started on day over 3 years ago ...
My friend Donna (my sewing buddy who moved away - but I am going to see her tomorrow!) had this great stash-buster idea. Let's randomly cut LOTS of strips from each of our stashes. Make 2 piles, share one and start sewing. Well, I would have done the "start sewing" part but Donna had already found several strippy patterns to choose from, so we each picked one and spent a delightful day sewing and cutting and sewing. Here's the quilt ... I call it Broken Crystals. There were MANY strips left and I put mine into a large Harley Davidson shopping bag.

A year goes by and now it's July 2008 and I've signed up for a class at Quilt Odyssey (which happens to be run/owned by Donna's sister, Missy), in Hershey, PA. I don't exactly remember the name of the class - something about strings, but Elsie Campbell was the teacher. The course description said ... bring lots of strips/strings. So I simply took my Harley Davidson bag of various sized strips and after a bit of a disasterous start ... really didn't like my original pieces, this is what I made ... A Diamond in the Rough. That's Elsie holding it with me. Elsie liked it so much she put it in her book, STRING QUILTS, (Yeah for me!) and for 2010, this quilt is on display at the People's Place Quilt Museum in Intercourse, PA (double Yeah for me!!)

Here's the back - I quilted it with my HQ Prostitcher.

Now fast forward to yesterday (2/2/10). I didn't exactly have a New Year's Resolution to clean up/clean out my studio but a LOT of quilters did. I've been reading about studio redo's and organization tips, etc. I even cleared off and cleaned up around my cutting table, but everything else is still a mess ... and I LOVE my mess. Any way ...

There on top of the red box (not sure what's in that) next to the basket (lots of ribbons), was the leftovers from my Broken Crystals quilt. the sign on the bin says: "strippy quilt w/ Donna 11/06).

And, I managed to fish around and find the original 12 blocks that I'd started with Elsie. The reason I didn't like them ... I thought they looked like HAZMAT signs ... not the look I was going for in that particular class.

And ... the Harley Davidson bag full of leftovers from the Diamond in the Rough quilt. Some of these chunks were pretty chopped up and some were pretty small. But ... it's a snow day and I'm staying in and sewing.

After a very productive morning ... The HAZMAT Quilt was born!

Now ... I have 2 (yes ... 2!) empty containers just waiting for some new projects to get started. And - the Harley Davidson bag? It was pretty beat up and one handle was torn off so I had to finally throw it away. I also threw away a small handful of scraps.

That's not quite the end of this story however ... I still have 6 pretty good sized blocks left from the Broken Crystals quilt. Hmmm - maybe we'll get another snow day.

Eating Out

Do you have a Glory Days Restaurant near you? Did you know that on Monday's they run a special? $5.00 BURGER NIGHT. They make really good, really messy burgers. And even better - if the Capitals (do you follow hockey?) make 5 goals and you happen to have been at the game (we were) ... bring in your ticket and you get FREE WINGS. Cute husband and I had dinner out last night for under $25 and we even shared dessert! I do so LOVE a bargain!!

Here's a quilt that I made awhile back. It's from a magazine (sorry don't remember which one). I put this out in February because it's red and pink and sort of sweet. I was very proud of myself for managing to get all the children in the borders in an upright position.

I have some bits and pieces left over. Hmmm ... maybe I'll get them out and make a little something today.

Calendar quilt

In 2009 I participated in 2 monthly challenges. A Tisket a Tasket with Anne Sutton from Bunny Hill and Pat Sloan's calendar quilt. With a little set back, here and there, I did manage to mostly keep up (or at least catch up) each month. Each quilt was VERY different. The basket quilt was all appliqued - not something I do much of normally. I had been exploring wool so I decided to do a mix of wool and cotton. The wool I hand appliqued (no need to turn under seam allowances) and the cotton I machine stitched. I added a few beads and buttons as well. And there was some embroidery. The calendar quilt was simple, simple, simple ... just sew one strip each day - preferably using fabric from something you were working on at the time. My strips were not uniform in size but each month, the panel measured 10x40. I added a few appliques here and there, representing something about the month ... a snowman, a turkey. And I kept track of when I finished a pair of knitted socks by sewing on a little appliqued sock. In April my Dad passed away and I wasn't home (or sewing) for most of the month. The hearts were sent to me by members of my quilt guild so I added them in for that month. Best part of this quilt ... a strip a day (or sometimes 5, if I needed to catch up) and suddenly the year is over and I've got the parts and pieces for a queen-sized quilt.

Here we are in 2010 and here I am (again) making a calendar quilt. Pat has group going on over at her Quilt Mash Up site to keep everyone inspired and encouraged. This year I decided to go with a 2" block for each day. 7 blocks in a row for the week and then a row for 29, 30 and 31 (if needed). The unfinished block will measure 10.5 x 14.5". I'll add some sort of applique to represent the month. I worked ahead on January, just have to stitch down the snowflake. I'm not sure why I choose blue ... hmmm ... I think I'll use white thread for the blanket stitching.

I'm also doing 2 other BOM's this year. Neither of which I've started and both involve applique but it's only the 27th! I still have plenty of time. OMG ... it's already the 27th and I haven't started! How much applique does one have to do before one can no longer say, "I don't do much applique."? I might be there.

I've printed off and will (maybe) work on today, Bunny Hill's new pattern Snowbound. It's really cute, couldn't resist and it will be all machine appliqued in cottons. I'm going to try and figure out how to add the button on my side bar. Anne has a flicker group too so you can see everyone's progress.

The other BOM I'm doing (ok, planning to do) is Elsie Campbell's Love Knows No Season. Elsie has lots of tips on her blog for different methods of applique. I'll be doing the machine stitched with fusible method ... my favorite. The actual pattern for this is on Elsie's web site not her blog.
You can see the whole quilt on her web site.

I'll post pictures of the blocks if ... oops, I mean WHEN, I get them finished. The sun is out and the sky is really blue this morning. I've got an electrician in my sewing room trying to fix a lighting problem so I can't sew right now ... but I could be tracing off my applique pieces for these January blocks. OR ... I could go and catch up on some blog reading and be inspired!