Snow Day!

Crabapple Hill Studios has a great winter quilt pattern called Snow Days.    While I like their colour scheme for the quilt, I do find it a bit dark...so I decided to make my version as a Snow Day.  The kind of Snow Day that we had as kids, where its the first big snow of the winter, when we've woken up with inches of freshly fallen snow, the sun is shining, and its time to play outside...no school!!  With that in mind, I've chosen a light tan, pink, blue and steel blue, dark red, to brighten up the quilt and reflect the fun and spirit of a Snow Day!

 

[caption id="attachment_1292" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Snow Day, block one[/caption]

 

I chose the Wimsicals line of fabric called Simply Imagine, and spent a lot of time choosing the embroidery background fabric.  Do you know many different shades of white and cream there are!! lol.  I finally chose Pearl by Free Spirit (Pink Chalk fabrics has the best selection of solids from all kinds of lines!).

The piecing and embroidery in this quilt isn't difficult, but there's a lot of it!!  Many of the embroidery blocks are joined to pieced blocks then the embroidery runs from the plain block over on to the pieced block. I really did want to complete each block's embroidery as I went along, rather than leaving all the joining and embroidery finishing to the end.  The disadvantage to this is I can't lay out the quilt before assembly to possibly re-arrange placement.

I  roughly drew the quilt plan on EQ7 and coloured thefull blocks.  There are a number of full blocks, and lots of  small filler blocks.  Knowing I had to make the main fabrics last as far as possible, I prepared rough pre-cuts of all the main blocks on the border and centre, to try to arrange the colours as best as I could.  Now I have the scraps to make the filler blocks,   and I'm ready to sew each  block section as I complete the embroidery.  This quilt will likely take the year to sew and if I'm very lucky I'll have it ready for next Christmas!

 

No quilting, just piecing

My Janome Horizon is still not fixed properly...I don't know why a sewing machine tech can't determine the problem and repair a machine!  When the machine came back from the tech shop a few weeks ago, I encountered the same problems as it had when it went in, the top thread shredding and breaking during free motion.  I'm doing nothing different than I did when I had the best quilting ever with this machine, and these problems are really frustrating.  After a few weeks of putting up with constant thread breaks, but still getting some necessary quilting done, I sent it back to the tech shop complete with video of what is happening.  The machine came back "fixed", but not...so back it will go again on Monday.  The gift quilt and table runner is ready to be washed and wrapped, I'll post pics soon.

So, I'm piecing.  I put together a top which is a variation of Summer Reigns by Kathy Schmitz.

[caption id="attachment_1285" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Summer Reigns, variation[/caption]

 

Piecing the Past is a scrap quilt presented in a Craftsy Class....I had  completed the main blocks and it was time to dig through the repro scrap drawer to sew  a number of setting blocks  to make the quilt as presented by Kaye England.  Now that these are sewn, I've put them away with the main blocks and I'll put the quilt together at another time...still thinking about the borders!



 

I did put together the Just Takes 2 quilt...wow!  There is a lot of pressing to do on the finished top, the picture will have to wait until I can manage that...and find a place to lay out the top in all its glory!

So, all this piecing is just adding to my collection of tops!!  I want to be quilting!  I've stocked up on batting and backings and have several quilts that I'm looking forward to finishing.  Since my machine has been out of commission, I've managed to finish one top, have two ready to put together, a pieced one started and kitted, and Bonnie Hunter's  Easy Street on its way! Oh - and Snow Days!..that will be another posting.

 

Just Takes 2 and Easy Street part two

I was so excited to see the December 1 instructions for Just Takes 2.  I got to see it assembled.  Here's the quilt that Gay at Sentimental Stitches completed....click here and scroll down a bit for a full view...isn't it wonderful?!

Part way through making my Just Takes 2 quilt I got to worrying about having enough red fabric.  I had had a few oopsies, and I know my red may not be found six months later, so I ordered an extra emergency yard.  So after receiving the last block instructions, I had to drop everything to cut the red pieces required.  I did have just enough left without touching the extra yard...this is all of the leftovers.



 

 

Despite wanting so badly to finish that Just Takes 2, reason took hold and I got back to work on the Easy Street flying geese for part two.  And I did have Christmas decorating to do, Christmas baking, a present or two to finish up, so Just Takes 2 has to wait for now.

 

[caption id="attachment_1279" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Easy Street, part two[/caption]

Bonnie Hunter's Easy Street mystery, part one, done!  One hundred and ninety-two four patch, plus a few more for good measure.



 

 

Just Takes 2 piecing and applique, done!  Just need to decided what I'm going to do on the signature block.



 

And, mother-in-law's top done for Christmas, almost done!  Just a bit more stitching to go on the applique.  The pattern is Penny-Wise by Kim Diehl (that seriously needs a name change before giving it to my m-i-l, lol!).



 

What was I thinking?! and Easy Street fabrics

I've been working away at quilting my son's T Shirt quilt, to have it mostly done before Christmas creeps up on me, so I set myself a goal of having it all quilted but the binding by November 23....why that date?  Because  a Bonnie Hunter mystery starts that day!!  I'm not very good at doing a lot of sewing at one time, so I'm not sure how much time this quilt might take up...and Bonnie's quilts always have lots of sewing!!

So, back to the T Shirt quilt.  When I began to do the quilting, I looked at the cornerstone blocks, and thought what?!!!  Why on earth did I do that ?!!!  Look....the block, I guess you could call it a kind of uneven nine patch, is uneven in the opposite way to the sashing..what was I thinking?



 

It looks okay, but really, did I plan it like that?  My EQ drawing shows it like that, did I just not notice that it was "opposite" to the sashing, or did I do it in purpose?  I sure wish I knew, lol.

 

When Bonnie Hunter announced her latest mystery quilt, I told myself that I would only do it if I could come up with fabrics from my stash...and I did.  Pink, blue, green, white/ivory background, and black "constant".  Hope this works!!



 

Jacqueline's Album and applique methods

I've completed the first two rows of Jacqueline's Album (pattern by Lori Smith) quilt.  There is supposed to be an American eagle type design in the second block, second row.  I substituted that with a different Lori Smith block, one that I thought my Aunt Jacqueline my like.

 



 

I'm using the back basting method of applique...here's the back of one of the blocks....it really amazes me how accurate the placement and shape of applique is achieved with this method!  There are plenty of tutorials around the web on how to back baste...Gayle at Sentimental Stitches is a good place to start.



 

There are many methods of hand applique preparation, and I think I've tried them all.  Backbasting did take some practice and trial and error finding the right needle and thread for the backbasting sewing.  I'm now using Star hand quilting thread and a size 7 sharp needle.  The hand quilting thread is quite stiff and thick, the sharp needle has a thick diameter from tip to end, these two in combination leave a good enough hole in the fabrics to follow when sewing the applique piece.  I also find that doing the backbasting several hours before the applique seems to set the holes to follow.

The great thing about backbasting for me was the accurate placement, especially for those symmetrical designs.

And then I recently received a copy of Jeanna Kimball's Red and Green, An Applique Tradition.  Jeanna provides many terrific stories and information about the history of applique and how various patterns may have been developed.

What I really took from this book was that Jeanna encourages the applique maker to develop her own designs, taking the templates and layouts provided and arranging them in a way that appeals to you...not necessarily following a traditional layout for a block.



 

 

This puts a whole different spin on my efforts to duplicate exactly  the Jacqueline's Album design.  I'll continue along as I have been on this quilt...but I can see an applique quilt in my future where I'm not going to think too much about exact mirror image symmetry!

 

 

Quilt Tops and More Quilt Tops!

This past summer I worked away at finishing tops that were at the "almost done" stage....this included Dear Jane, Garden Fence, Antique Sampler, Moonglow, a variation of the Farmer's Wife . My flimsy count now stands at eleven tops, not including Twelve of Eleven and my older son's T shirt quilt.  Some tops have been in my closet for a few years and may never get finished until I know of a recipient.  Others I'm anxious to get to the quilting so they are finished and can be used/displayed and enjoyed!

So after all that sewing this summer, I thought okay, that's it, no more big tops.  I stocked up on batting and backings and thought I'd spend the winter doing nothing but quilting.  Ha!

It doesn't seem to have worked out that way!  Just Takes 2 will be done in a month or so, Piecing the Past just needs setting bits and pieces, Stars and Sprigs is very close to finishing, and I want to do Bonnie Hunter's new mystery that starts soon (providing all the fabric I found in my stash really will work in her quilt design).  I've planned out Snow Days by Crabapple Hill, but that will be at least a year from now before that could be done.  And I've fallen in love with this....solids and log cabin are two quilting elements that have always been on my list! (although I think I'd turn the blocks in the centre to form a square rather than a star)

And then I found these strips that I cut at some time...



The problem is, as much as I enjoy quilting the quilt, I enjoy piecing at least as much or more!  So, I keep sewing and making tops...and quilting the tops....but I think the tops will always end up ahead of the quilted quilts!

Just Takes 2 November 1 blocks

These were I think the most challenging blocks in this series (but I think I might have said that before!).  Making these two blocks was irritating, frustrating, and just not enjoyable.  I struggled through every stitch.  Mostly because I really dislike paper piecing and I really dislike repetitive sewing....and these two blocks had both problems.  Knowing that we`re so close to finishing this quilt, I struggled through.  This weekend I stitched the wonderful redwork  that Gayle offered and givess me something to focus on rather than my rather shabby piecing.

Don`t look too close!  I`m the only person in the world who can lose points on a block with paper piecing method!!

 



 

Quilting with confidence!

My Janome came back from the repair tech and of course he found nothing wrong!  He did give it a cleaning and a check up, and so far its behaving better.  At least I know that any problems I'm having are my "fault", meaning time to check the needle, threading, tension, etc.

A while back I enrolled in Cindy Needham's class at Craftsy...Design It Quilt It!.  I think I came away with a lot of good ideas, and lots more confidence in my quilting skills.

I finished this wallhanging, a variation of Pat Sloan's Meadow Breeze, using wool applique.  I used many  ideas from Anne's class, not so much as designs as much as how to fill the quilt with quilting!   Previous to Cindy's class, my go to sources for free motion quilting were my videos from Patsy Thompson and the book Quilt Savvy, Machine Quilting Guidebook by Diane Gaudynski.  I sort of combined ideas and confidence from Anne, with what I had learned previously.



I quilted what I think Diane Gaudynski called `headbands`in the centre, echo quilted in the applique border, free motion lines in the first and last pieced borders, feathers in the border following the applique border, and leaves in the wide border.  Whee!  I had fun!

Then I started on `Twelve of Eleven``.  Stitched in the ditch around the blocks and border triangles. then stared at that open space between the block column.  I`ve always been scared of quilting open spaces, and scared of feathers in those open spaces, even though its something I`ve very much wanted to do.  I took a deep breath, and lookee what I did!  Am I ever happy with this!!  I don`t think I could have done it without the confidence I took from Cindy`s class.



If you look closely, you`ll see some not so nice spots and a few not so nicely formed feathers.  But I`m still so very happy that I got over this hurdle!  I`ve ordered some stencils to use on the pieced blocks, and maybe the plain squares....and I`m not sure  yet what I`m doing with the outer area of the quilt, so I`m putting this on hold for now while I tackle my son`s T shirt quilt.

Just Takes 2, third section

Here's the completed 3rd section...

 

[caption id="attachment_1237" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Just Takes 2, third section[/caption]

 

This is going to be one great quilt!  I took a pic of the three sections (not knowing really how they are suppoesd to fit together!)..at this point they don`t all fit on the double bed.

 

[caption id="attachment_1238" align="aligncenter" width="1024"] Just Takes 2, October 22 2012[/caption]

 

Basket blocks

I've been sewing scrappy basket blocks for an idea that may end up looking something like this....or not!

Grandmother's Choice, colour change!

About a year ago I bought a 20 fat quarter pack of green batiks...these were on sale for a good price, and I thought I'd use them in a future applique project.  Well, I disocvered I really didn't much like batiks for applique, and more importantly, I didn't much want to cut into this fat quarter bundle because it was beautiful!  and my favourite colour, green!  Every few weeks, I'd take out the bundle and look at it, spread it out, and consider it for a quilt, but didn't want to use it, lol.

Well, I finally decided its time.  I'm using those greens in the Grandmother's Choice series quilt by Barbara Brackman.  I'm going to love this, way more than the purple.  With that bundle of greens, I had put aside some background possibilities that are white with a very light green pattern....just in case!  I think the new blocks are bright and cheery and full of hope.



 

Looking again at the purple blocks I had done originally, I think it was that darn background fabric that dragged them down.  There was no spark!  This background fabric is going somewhere far away, where it might only be used for backing.

Stitch good thoughts!

 

Works in Progress

In the last week or so, I've been quilting my version of Pat Sloan's Meadow Breeze.



Unfortunately, I really do need to take my Janome in for service.  It seems to be really happy for a while, then that darn top thread breaking starts happening again.  I need to make sure there's really nothing wrong with it  before I continue pulling my hair out trying to find what I'm doing wrong!

I've completed the last block in the Piecing the Past Series.Included in this Craftsy course is setting instructions, using various small setting blocks to create an interesting layout.



And, I've been keeping up with Summer Reigns by Kathy Schmitz.



Yesterday I took a good look at my Grandmother's Choice blocks that I've sewn to date...and I think I've decided that I don't like the purple colour theme.  I'm cutting up fabric to re-make these blocks a different way!  Pics soon!

Stitch good thoughts!

 

 

 

 

T Shirt Quilt

Early in the summer my oldest son dropped off a bag of T shirts and asked if would make him T shirt quilt.   As I was preparing the shirts (ripping off the back and sleeves) I was thinking of how these could be set.  The answer was pretty easy!  All the bright cartoon like colours...the shirts are a collection of "Grimm" punn-y scenes...made me think of the solid bright jelly roll strips I had bought months ago on clearance.

Almost all the drawings on the shirts fit nicely in a 12" block, except for 2 which I joined together in to one block.  And, Fraser had given me a total of 14 shirts...which mean 12 for the quilt and a faded one for the back. A bit of doodling on EQ and here's the centre...the quilt can be done as a Christmas gift.

[caption id="attachment_1209" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Fraser's T Shirt quilt, centre[/caption]

 

I still have to design and make a border.  Pressing the seams was difficult because of the interfacing on the back of the shirts, and the t shirt "paint" c an't be touched at all with the iron (but a pressing cloth helps).

I think the quilting will be the challenge for this quilt.  Anyone know of a batting that can be quilted 12" apart?!!

 

Antique Sampler top done!

 

 

[caption id="attachment_1205" align="aligncenter" width="1024"] Antique Sampler, top only[/caption]

I just love this quilt!  The pattern and quilt designed by Sue Daley was one of those quilts that I wanted to make exactly as the original...no design tweaks, no changes of colour scheme or types of fabrics, no block substitutions, no size change, nothing!  I did the quilt as block of the month from Quilter's Paradise (Califorina) and they did a terrific job in their fabric choices.

I enjoyed every bit of sewing in this quilt...all hand applique and english paper piecing.  The only machine stitching was to stitch the blocks together into the setting and to stitch on the borders.

Sunflower Block...geesh!

 

The Grandmother's Choice block this week was one heck of a challenge.  The sunflower block had three main sections...the petals that form a circle, a centre circle, and background that went around the petal section.

I chose to hand-piece the centre petals.  I then thought I would machine sew the surrounding background ...I guess my handpiecing wouldn't win any awards, as I realized that I hadn't quite formed a circle with the centre flower and my background was flopping all over the place in weird folds.  Hmmm...  So I decided to applique the background on top of the petals...I cut a square an inch bigger than the block size, cut out the  circle and carefully laid it on top of the centre so that the points would be pointy!  That worked out okay, and I was able to trim the block to a 8 1/2" square shape!

The centre circle had to be made a bit smaller than on the pattern...if I used the original size, some or most of my inner points would have been cut off.  By making the centre circle smaller, I kept my points but did end up with some points that didn't quite reach the circle.  Better that I think than lopped off points!

 

[caption id="attachment_1201" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Sunflower Block, Grandmother's Choice b.o.w.[/caption]

Jane's Path...top done!!!

Jane Stitckle sat on her porch sewing the little blocks from scraps of fabric.  I imagine Jane getting restless, waiting for news or visitors, walking up and down the porch and thinking of the events of the day.

[caption id="attachment_1196" align="aligncenter" width="1024"] Jane's Path, 85 Dear Jane blocks, 84 alternate cross blocks, 72" x 72"[/caption]

Solved it myself!

I think all of us enjoy a trip to the sewing machine mechanic about as much as trip to the dentist...or worse!  My experience, and I'm pretty sure this has happened to many of us, is... take the machine to the mechanic and explain the problem with samples.  He then fiddles with the machine, cleans it, might make an adjustment or two (likely not the ones you expected) and returns the machine to you  ( in a week or two or three) with the words "it worked fine here; no problems found; must be something you're doing".  Arrggghhh..  And a $100 bill to boot!

So with that in mind, I was determined to figure out how I can fix what was my happy machine back to its good working condition.  I played with adjustments again all Tuesday morning.  Then gave up with a sigh that yes it will have to go the shop.

That's when I found the Craftsy class on sale, the one I've had my eye on for a several days, Design It Quilt It by Cindy Needham.  All I can say is wow!   In the second or third lesson she covers tension, and as I'm accustomed to a vertical bobbin, I was happy to have some good visuals on adjusting a drop in bobbin.

My problem with my machine, it seems, was the bobbin tension was not near tight enough.  Even though I had been adjusting the spare bobbin case, I hadn't yet tightened it enough to really solve the problem and once I did, voila!, thick threads, thin threads, my regular Aurifil, all making lovely free motion stitches with just slight adjustments to the top tension! I have no idea why the bobbin tension became loose over time, but its fixed as far as I'm concerned!

[caption id="attachment_1182" align="aligncenter" width="300"] front of quilt, photo adjusted to try to show black thread quilting on the dark fabric[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1183" align="aligncenter" width="300"] back of quilt, showing nicely formed stitches[/caption]

Just another word about Craftsy...I had signed up a for a different free-motion quilting class and quickly discovered that there wasn't much new for me in that class.  I contacted Crafsty about their class guarantee, and they refunded my money, no fuss no muss!

Mis-behaving sewing machine

I've been so very happy with the Janome 7700, but the last few quilting sessions it has been giving me grief.  I keep getting a broken top thread, and/or loose tension on the stitches.

I've tried using a second bobbin case with a tighter tension (leftover from my old janome 6600); different needles, different threads, different top tensions...nothing is giving me good results.  Before I go completely  nuts, I'm going to take it in for service and see if there's something that the tech can find or adjust...then I'll know if its something I'm doing wrong!

 



 



 

Blue and White Dear Jane

Yesterday I finished up the 84 setting blocks for my Dear Jane quilt.  I had been making these blocks in "batches" during the summer.

 

I had got to a certain point in the Dear Jane quilt when I decided I just didn't want to make any more blocks!!  I had looked through the Dear Jane book at the various settings others had done, searched for pics on the web of various Dear Janes, and realized that some of the Janes I liked best weren't the ones that used all the blocks in the original setting.

So I got to work on an Electric Quilt file of what I might do with the 90 ish blocks I had.  My favourite turned out to be using this "x" block as an alternate block.  I drew it in EQ, using various widths for the X band, and tried it both with the white band, blue triangles and with blue band, white triangles.  I played with various colours and arrangements.    Once I was happy I had to figure out how to sew the block!  I used the EQ rotary cutting directions to determine the cutting width of the X bands, and the dimensions to cut the triangles.  I did end up having to cut the triangles a little larger, and I cut the X bands about a 1/2" longer than necessary so I could just trim the block into square later.

When I finished sewing the block, I marked a line down the centre of each X band and use my newest cool ruler to square up the block.  I bought this Tucker Trimmer ruler last spring, not so much to square up half square triangles but to square up blocks that has two diagonal lines.  I love the clear markings on this ruler!



 

Once I got those darn setting blocks finished, this morning I had to see what a few rows looked like!

Works in progress

Keeping up with Just Takes 2...here are the blocks so far for the third quarter...I think this quilt is going to be a stunner!

 



 

And, just six more applique blocks and some star blocks for Stars and Sprigs.  I'm pretty sure I'm changing the setting.  The original has a marvelous applique border.  But since I like my quilts to be mostly useable, I don't think that the border would be all that practical.  So I finally came up with the idea of embroidering it with an outline stitch; then, I came up with the idea of medallion setting with the applique border on the inside of the quilt; then I thought maybe I'll embroider that inner border.  So still thinking.



 

 

[caption id="attachment_1162" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Stars and Sprigs by Kim McLean[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1163" align="aligncenter" width="300"] EQ sketch of Stars and Sprigs medallion[/caption]

 

 

 

 

Templates and Set-in Seams!

This weeks Grandmother's Choice block presented me with the one block making technique that I really don't like - set it in seams!

This is the method for preparing templates for this type of block, it's what I've discovered work best for me.

First print the templates onto regular printer paper.  Rough cut and clue on to the paper sided of freezer paper.

Starch or use best press on your fabric.

I can accurately cut four pieces of fabric at once with this method, so I fold the fabric to a layer of four, or stack four rought cut rectangles...be sure to be aware of mirror image pieces to make sure you end up with the right pieces with the right side up!  Press the freezer paper to the fabric stack.



Cut out with a ruler, I line up the 1/4" mark on the ruler with the solid line so that I can double check the 1/4" seam allowance.



Once the fabric pieces have been cut, I use micron pigma pen to mark the seam allowances at all corners...on the wrong side of the fabric.



I used to rely on the 1/4" mark on my presser foot, but I found that I just didn't get good results.  The good line I've drawn tells me exactly where to pin, where to start and stop sewing.

I also use a very very small stitch, 1.2 or so, as I approach or leave those set-in seam corners.  This gives me a good tight seam without having to backstitch (set in seams do require a bit of pushing and pulling on sewed seams, and I don't want anything coming apart!)

 

[caption id="attachment_1156" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Amethyst block, Grandmothers's Choice[/caption]

Quilts to consider

 

I thought I'd share this link to Sue Garman's blog where she shows off her new quilt, Afternoon Delight.  Scroll down until you see some wonderful applique pictures!

 

And here's a link to the Caswell Quilt.  Corliss Searcy has drawn a pattern for it.

 

I've been busy with hand applique over the past few days.  I completed  two blocks of  Jacqueline's Album first row.

[caption id="attachment_1146" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Jacqueline's Album first row[/caption]

 

 

 

 

[caption id="attachment_1137" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Georgia Lotus Clark, born September 6, 2012
10 lbs. 11 oz. (really!)[/caption]

 

 

 

 

 

Waiting to be a grandmother!

Our first grandbaby is ready to be born, likely sometime tonight!  I've been nervously waiting for text updates from my son at the hospital...waiting for when we can come!  The hospital is just under an hour away, so he's waiting till things are really progressing before calling in the parents!!  I think I'm beginning to relate to those fathers from years gone by who weren't allowed in the labour and delivery rooms!

I did put together the Garden Fence quilt top...during which I made way too many cutting errors on the borders as my thoughts were definitely elsewhere...but I did end up with a quilt I'm thrilled with!

 

[caption id="attachment_1133" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Garden Fence, 66" x 66"[/caption]

 

Weekend sewing...and un-sewing!

Here's a pic of my first Grandmother's Choice block.  I finally settled on purples, with black sashing.  I find its a good idea to sew the sashing on as the blocks are made; makes less work when your ready to set the quilt together!  I'll be using the same background throughout the quilt...its part of the reason I decided to go with the purple colours.  I bought about 5 yards of this background fabric, thinking it was a lovely tone on tone background blender.  But its got this odd grey hue to it, everything I've tried to put with it so far has just not looked right,...but purple and black seem to be the one colour that plays nicely with this background.

[caption id="attachment_1127" align="aligncenter" width="296"] Grandmother's Choice, week one[/caption]

 

The other project I got accomplished this weekend is getting My Whimsical Quilt Garden blocks sorted out.  I got them separated from the batting, and made setting blocks.  I think I'll be calling this quilt Garden Fence.  There'll be a light inner border and a red outer border.

 

[caption id="attachment_1128" align="aligncenter" width="404"] Garden Fence layout, hand-applique blocks from My Whimsical Quilt Garden[/caption]