Angel Scraps Quilting

Couldn't Wait for Friday Night!

2012-02-17T20:00:00.000-05:00

Last night I reached the half way point of machine quilting my Jacob's Ladder quilt. I needed a break so I switched from the quilting foot to a quarter inch piecing foot and made the current Blogger's Block of the Month. This one was different than any other quilt block I have made or ever seen. It was fun to make and turned out very cute.

The blogger who designed this month's block is Quilt Dad.

The block is made from eight 1 1/2 inch wide strips.

The next BOM will be available on February 25th.

WIP Wednesday

2012-02-15T07:05:00.001-05:00

Its WIP Wednesday over at Freshly Pieced.

Here's the only thing I have been working on! Quilting the Jacob's Ladder Quilt has been very enjoyable. Even though the same quilting pattern is being used all over the quilt each block takes on a different look after being quilted.

LOVE IT!!!!!

Its big, but the quilting batting I used is thin and its not hard to handle at all.

I've been trying to come up with the name I will give this quilt. We recently sang the song "We are climbing Jacob's Ladder" at church, so I was paying extra attention to the lyrics looking for ideas to name this quilt. Yes, even in church I am thinking about quilting.... sorry Lord....

This quilt is for my much loved son, Jacob. One idea I have for the name is "Soldiers of the Cross". I'm planning on re-reading the story of Jacob's ladder in the Bible for further inspiration. So, not sure what the name will be yet. Any ideas?

Here's the Bible story:

Jacob left Beersheba, and went toward Haran. He came to the place and stayed there that night, because the sun had set. Taking one of the stones of the place, he put it under his head and lay down in that place to sleep. And he dreamed that there was a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven; and behold, the angels of God were ascending and descending on it! And behold, the Lord stood above it [or "beside him"] and said, "I am the Lord, the God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac; the land on which you lie I will give to you and to your descendants; and your descendants shall be like the dust of the earth, and you shall spread abroad to the west and to the east and to the north and to the south; and by you and your descendants shall all the families of the earth bless themselves. Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land; for I will not leave you until I have done that of which I have spoken to you." Then Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, "Surely the Lord is in this place; and I did not know it." And he was afraid, and said, "This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven."

Wow, lots of inspiration for the name in there!

Hope your Wednesday is a good one.

Friday Night Sew In

2012-02-14T16:56:00.002-05:00

Its time for Friday night sewing for February, which is this coming Friday, the 17th.

My plan is to make my Bloggers Block of the Month block. Its almost time for the next block to come out, so I need to get to work on it!

A Winter Weekend in the Sewing Room

2012-02-13T06:51:00.004-05:00

Thinking Spring with another clothespin bag:

A nap mat cover and matching pillow for a friend's little boy to use at day care.

Got the sewing machine set up for free motion quilting and quilted a few blocks before I officially hit the wall last night:

I hope you accomplished some winter weekend sewing at your house!

Quilt Widower

2012-02-10T06:00:00.000-05:00

You've heard of a golf widow or a football widow? My hubby jokingly calls himself a quilt widower.

After a day at work he cooked our supper....

while I was doing this:

The support of my hubby helps me to get more quilting done!

WIP Wednesday

2012-02-08T06:00:00.000-05:00

This post is linked to WIP Wednesday at Freshly Pieced.

1. Jacob's Ladder Quilt. I finished all the blocks and got them sewn together into rows for a finished top/flimsie. This week I am working on the pieced back so that I can get this quilt pin basted and then start the FMQing. I'm trying really hard to use what I have on hand and so the backing will be pieced from 4 different pieces of fabric that coordinate with the quilt. All four of the fabrics are used in the front of the quilt also.

2. The baby boy stacked coins quilt. Its ready to quilt, but no progress this week. The machine and my time were both concentrated on finishing the Jacob's Ladder quilt top. After I pin baste the Jacob's Ladder quilt, I will quilt both of them.

3. Cheddar Bow Ties Leaders and Enders project:I have 60-some done and have gone through a small fraction of the zillion scraps I have in search of pieces big enough to use for this. Just love playing with my scraps! Each one has a story and takes me down memory lane. The criteria for a scrap to be used for a cheddar bow tie is that it has to be 2 inches wide and I need 6 1/2 inches in length. It doesn't have to be all in one piece. I sit down while watching tv with Hubbie with a ruler and end up with a pile to be used. For each block I need two 2 inch squares and two 1 1/4 inch squares.

I still haven't decided how big this quilt will be but since the blocks are only 3 inches (finished), I don't think it will be too big.

4. Hand quilting the Baptist fans on the Grandma quilt: No progress :o(

I have my eye on SEVERAL new projects, but I must finish at least the first 2 quilts on this list before I allow any more projects to start!

High Tech, It Is Not!

2012-02-03T20:49:00.005-05:00

Its not very high tech, but it works to keep my blocks and rows in the right place.

Row 4, Block 1

.....Scraps of paper with numbers written on them, paper clipped to the tops of each block. After sewing the blocks together in a row I take them off and use them on the next row.

So far, no mistakes.

My Favorite Room

2012-01-31T06:15:00.003-05:00

I love my sewing room, especially early in the morning when the sun shines in so brightly. Its on the east side of the house so its the first room to get that bright sunshine each day.

A quilt picture bought at a thrift store is perfect for the sewing room.

It makes me sad to leave my sewing room each morning just when its reaching its glorious crescendo of sun rays.....

Dog Ears

2012-01-30T06:00:00.000-05:00

You know you're addicted to scraps when your husband sees a pile of dog ears and asks if you are going to make something from them.

I hate to waste any scraps, so maybe some decoupage?

Accentuate the Positive.....

2012-01-28T20:53:00.006-05:00

And the negative....

When making the Jacob's Ladder blocks I cut out enough pieces for two blocks from the same fabric and then switch the color of the ladders.

72 blocks done! Only 18 more!!!!!

Friday Night Sew In Results

2012-01-21T08:57:00.003-05:00

Here are my results from last night's Friday Night Sew In.

I started working on the baby boy's stacked coins quilt for my cousin, who already has twin girls and is now expecting a boy. Just one boy this time! The girls are about 2 1/2 years old and I thought she would appreciate having a handmade boy's gift.

I have lots of blue fabric, so I pulled out the ones I thought went together the best, with the blue checked animal print as the theme. I have a large piece of that fabric that I will use for the backing as well. I really love the little sheep!

I also really love blue with browns, beiges and tans.

Two rows of the five needed. These are really quick to sew, so I hope to finish it this week.

I also made 3 more of the Jacob's ladder blocks. I now have completed 51 blocks. I will need 90, so I'm doing good.

To see the results of other ladies' Friday Night Sew In, go to Crafty Vegas Mom's blog HERE.

Friday Night Sew In

2012-01-20T05:39:00.002-05:00

Today is Friday Night Sew In for January, 2012. Go HERE to Crafty Vegas Mom to sign up.

I'll be back tomorrow with my Friday night sewing results!

The Odd Block and Cheddar Bow Ties

2012-01-17T05:00:00.000-05:00

I'm up to 42 Jacob's Ladder blocks as of yesterday. Not sure about that yellow one.... kind of stands out in the picture. It doesn't look that bad in person...

I got to thinking about how said yellow fabric was about the color of the cheddar in the cheddar bow ties Leaders and Enders quilt along that some readers of Bonnie's blog, Quiltville, are doing HERE.

So I made these using leaders and enders while making the Jacob's Ladder blocks today.

Each one finishes at only 3 inches, so I will be doing leaders and enders for a while!

Quilting Surprises

2012-01-16T06:00:00.002-05:00

What a nice surprise I received in the mail this week from Penny, a sweet blogger friend.

Three fat quarters in just the right colors for my Jacob's Ladder quilt blocks, a chicken pin cushion and some needles:

I went right to work making these blocks:

Thanks Penny!

Miniature Quilt Table Topper

2012-01-11T08:30:00.001-05:00

This post is linked to Amy's Creative Side - One Thing, One Week Challenge HERE.

Last night after work I finished the Miniature quilt/table topper I was working on to go on top of this sewing machine cabinet.

Now, back to the big quilts!!!

Mini Quilt Sneak Peek

2012-01-10T06:30:00.000-05:00

Here's a sneak peek of a miniature quilt I am making to be used for a table topper for my grandmother's antique sewing machine shown here.

You might recognize the fabrics as being the same ones used in the Jacob's Ladder quilt blocks I have been working on. Two by four inch rectangles are all I needed for this quilt and I already had lots of two inch strips laying around accumulated while working on the Jacob's Ladder blocks.

I can't wait to post my first finish for 2012..... even if its a tiny one.

WIP Wednesday

2012-01-04T06:40:00.002-05:00

Here are my projects in progress for the first week of January, 2012:

1. The grandma quilt. I started back handquilting on it last weekend. This project has been hanging around my house for a couple of years, not to mention the 50 or 60 years it hung around Grandma and Mama's house!

The quilting doesn't show up too well in pictures so I took several in the early morning sunlight hoping to capture it.

My goal is to quilt at least 15 minutes a day. Over time this will add up.

2. Jacob's Ladder Quilt Along:

I've finished 26 blocks and trying to do a few blocks every week. Here are a couple of blocks:

3. Quilter's Block of the Month Christmas quilt. Here are the first 4 blocks.

These two haven't been started yet:

4. A baby boy quilt. My cousin who already has a set of twin girls about 2 years old is expecting a baby boy (just one this time) in March and I plan to make a baby quilt for her. The stacked coins pattern is my go to pattern for baby quilts. I think I've made 4 girl quilts in that pattern and am looking forward to using some of my blue fabric for this one.

5. I'm also thinking of a college graduation gift that will be needed in May! Just thought about this this A.M.!

Using Clothes to Make Quilt Blocks

2012-01-02T08:00:00.000-05:00

In my pursuit of making my current Jacob's Ladder Quilt project using masculine fabrics, I pulled out this 100% cotton shirt I purchased at a thrift store with quilt making in mind. I washed and dried it and as you can see if has been stored folded and wrinkled.

After removing the buttons which will be stored in my button jar, ironing the shirt and cutting it into usable pieces, I ended up with a pretty good sized stack of fabric.

Then I combined the really soft shirt fabric and some equally soft beige muslin to make this Jacob's Ladder block.

The blue plaid fabric in this block was made using a pair of my son's pajama pants.

Most of the blocks in the Jacob's Ladder quilt will not be made with clothing! I am making good progress and after a few more seams will have completed 26 blocks.

Bloggers Block of the Month # 4

2011-12-27T13:35:00.002-05:00

The pattern for Block Number 4 of the Bloggers Block of the Month came out today. I like this block very much and the pattern can be found HERE On Pat Sloan's Blog.

I barely got Block #3 done before Block #4 came out! But, I had some time for sewing and so I've already done #4.

BLOCK NUMBER 4:

Here are all four blocks so far:

Bloggers Block of the Month, Block Three

2011-12-26T19:52:00.004-05:00

Its so good to reclaim my sewing room, even though there are still some stray Christmas things in there. I bet I'm not the only one whose sewing area turns in to a present wrapping and stashing area this time of year!

Here is my Bloggers Block of the Month, Number Three, which will be part of a Christmas quilt when finished.

This third block is called "SPLIT STAR"

Turned two different ways!

Go HERE to Canton Village Quilt Works for more information about this Block of the Month.

The Pillows

2011-12-23T18:20:00.000-05:00

These pillows and pillowcases are ready to be given as gifts for Christmas. I think its important that gifts be something useful and I think everybody can use an extra pillow. Its also nice when gifts are personal and each of these is different and hopefully will be something that fits the personality of the person receiving them.

Another great way to make these useful is to use them as a gift bag. This idea came from Freda of IMPERA MAGNA. The pillowcases go together so quickly, you still have time to whip one or two up!

As for me.... I've called off any more sewing until after Christmas!

More Pillowcases

2011-12-11T15:51:00.001-05:00

Another Pillowcase

2011-12-02T19:36:00.002-05:00

This fabric line is called "Summer House" and therefore it is perfect for my summer loving daughter.

Jacob's Ladder Block Number 17

2011-11-25T09:12:00.001-05:00

Bed Bugs

2011-11-21T06:33:00.003-05:00

I made this pillowcase for my four year old grandson. The fabric is called Backyard Safari. I was looking for some different fabric other than Thomas the Train or Spiderman, since I've made him several things from those kinds of fabric in the past.

I love this pillowcase tutorial found HERE at Twiddletails!

I have three more pillowcases to made for Christmas.

The Last Quilt of The Year

2011-11-17T17:20:00.003-05:00

Today I finished the binding and even put on the label on Bluberri Breezes. This will be the last quilt finish during the year 2011 for me. I have other quilts in progress, but don't foresee that I will be able to finish them.

I am looking forward to working on my remaining quilts in progress as time allows during the remainder of November and during the month of December. I also have a few more pillow cases left to make before Christmas.

I am already thinking about the quilts I will make in 2012!!!

Bloggers Block of The Month - Block Two

2011-11-07T06:32:00.003-05:00

The colors in the picture aren't true to the actual block, but when you are using a phone camera and low light, this is as good as it gets!

I think by next Christmas of 2012, I will have a cute Christmas Quilt done.

Here is the Block in progress. I am printing out the instructions for each block, punching holes in the edge and keeping them in a notebook.

The Last Corner of Blueberri Breezes

2011-11-04T09:43:00.003-04:00

After two weeks of sporadic free motion quilting, last night I reached THE LAST CORNER AND THE LAST PIN OF BLUEBERRI BREEZES!

If I can get a few minutes to make and sew on the binding, doing the hand sewing on the back will make a great project to work on while I am away from home at night helping with my mother. I hope to show the TOTALLY finished quilt next week.

Fall 2011 Bloggers Quilt Festival

2011-10-29T18:54:00.002-04:00

Its time for the Fall 2011 Bloggers Quilt Festival at AMY'S CREATIVE SIDE.

The quilt I want to enter in the festival is my red and white double nine patch quilt that I named "Razzle Dazzle".This quilt is named Razzle Dazzle because the colors are our favorite team, N. C. State's colors. The name comes from what my husband yells when NC State does a trick play or a good play. You know when you hear him yell "Razzle Dazzle", that something good has happened. Its too bad that this year I haven't heard that yell...at...all...

Anyway, I love this picture of the quilt taken with the cotton field in the background.

And hanging on the clothesline:

If you would like to see lots of beautiful quilts be sure to visit Amy's Creative side during the Fall 2011 Bloggers Quilt Festival.

WIP Wednesday

2011-10-19T06:00:00.000-04:00

Its WIP Wednesday at Freshly Pieced. Here's what I've been working on in the sewing room.

1. The first block in the Bloggers' Block of the Month (BOM). Since this BOM lasts a year and will finish up next year right before Christmas... and I've been wanting to make a Christmas quilt, I decided to make the BOM's from Christmas fabric.

These are some fabrics I used for the first block.

The first block

2. The Jacob's Ladder Quilt Along. I've finished 16 blocks so far.

3. Blueberri Breezes. I pin basted the quilt sandwich and started free motion quilting it.

One More Star for a Soldier

2011-10-17T06:53:00.003-04:00

I was able to make another star for the Fallen Soldier's Quilt. For more information see my previous post.

I think I'll mail the three I've made this weekend today and then try to make a few more before the deadline.

Stars for a Soldier

2011-10-16T06:44:00.005-04:00

If you would like to make one or more Star Blocks to help with the construction of quilts to be made in memory of a fallen soldier, CLICK HERE for more information.

I have been trying to find some appropriate fabric and then I looked into an envelope of fabric sent to me by a blog reader (Thanks Coleen!) and was so excited to find this "Firecracker" fabric by Connecting Threads. It was right up under my nose the whole time.

The blocks can be made in either 8 1/2 or 12 1/2 inch size. The larger block above is the same block that I made a quilt from using denim and plaids several years ago. The block is called Party Hats and the pattern can be found HERE.
Here's the quilt I made using this block.

My thanks go to Freda of THE ADVENTURES OF THE EMPRESS OF THE UNIVERSE who has made several blocks for this cause and has more information HERE.

I hope to make a couple more blocks this afternoon after returning from visiting my mother in the hospital. :o)

One Day at a Time

2011-10-14T06:45:00.005-04:00

Well, its been a topsy turvy week!

Update on Mama: Her Nephrologist made the decision that she does need to go on dialysis and so today the surgery to insert the Portacath will be done. I'm not sure how much longer she will be in the hospital, but I suspect at least 2 or 3 more days. As much as I dread this new burden for her, I realize that it is a blessing that dialysis exists to help her live a much longer life. So, "it is what it is!".

Last weekend I started 3 mug rugs for gifts. My thoughts were that these would be small portable projects for sewing down the back of the binding, while waiting at the hospital this week. After quilting them and sewing on the binding, these 3 fit into a gallon zipper bag along with a spool of thread, small scissors and a couple of pins. So far I haven't done any of the sewing on the back, but I may today while Mama is in surgery.

I couldn't resist showing you just a couple more pictures of "Razzle Dazzle". I was finally able to download pictures to my computer. Sometimes I think I should have named this quilt "Troublemaker". When trying to take pictures of it, we broke one clothesline due to the wind and here I am fighting with it.

Miraculously, the wind completely stopped for about 2 seconds and I got one picture of it being still!

Ok, I promise that I won't show you any more pictures of this quilt! In my defense, I just don't finish that many bed size quilts, so I need to make the most of it.

Bedazzled

2011-10-09T17:20:00.000-04:00

Razzle Dazzle

I guess its appropriate for a cotton quilt to have a photo shoot in front of a cotton field. Kind of like getting back to its roots.

Jacob's Ladder Continues

2011-10-05T06:50:00.004-04:00

My ironing board cover shows the wear of pressing many quilt blocks! Here are some parts of three Jacob's Ladder blocks in progress.

A few more blocks finished.

I'm really making use of some fabric that are either truly vintage or have a vintage look.

Razzle Dazzle Quilting Progress

2011-10-03T07:00:00.000-04:00

After setting up my sewing area for quilting I got down to the business of Free Motion Quilting "Razzle Dazzle". I cleaned the machine last weekend. I filled several bobbins. I set up the card table to the left of my chair. The needle was new, since I had broken the old one a couple of days ago. The quilt was pin basted.

So, I was off to the quilting races!

Here's one corner of the quilt.

I finished about two thirds of the quilting and will work on it for an hour or two each night this week. I hope to bind it and post the finished quilt soon.

The Mysterious Quarter Inch Seam

2011-09-30T06:10:00.003-04:00

Achieving the perfect quarter inch seam has been haunting me since my high school home economics sewing class days.

I've tried many of the tips offered for the perfect quarter inch seam. On my old Singer the presser foot was the width of a quarter inch. I put down a piece of masking tape at the quarter inch mark. On my new Brother I use a quarter inch piecing foot.

But, even though I made sure the quarter inch was accurate, the quilt blocks never really came out the exact size they were supposed to be.

I have finally figured out this mystery....

Are you ready for the mystery to be revealed?

Here it is:

When piecing quilt blocks the size of the seam must be LESS THAN A QUARTER INCH! Its a "Scant quarter inch"! The width of the thread line, the width of the crease made when pressing, and whether or not the pieces are rotary cut or cut from templates, all go into the equation.

When I first got my quarter inch piecing foot, I thought my quilt blocks would magically all be precisely perfect. NOT!!! If I sew my seams butted up to the guide on the quarter inch foot, the blocks will be TOO small. I must sew a couple of hairs away from the guide. When I do this on a consistent basis the blocks come out the right size.

Now, some machines allow you to move the needle position a hair at a time until you get it right where you want it for that perfect quarter inch seam. My Brother machine only allows this for certain stitches, but doesn't do it for a straight seam. At least I haven't figured out how to, if it has that feature.

The bottom line is that you have to measure, measure, measure, and adjust the point that works on your machine, until your block is the right size. Your quarter inch seam may be slightly different than your friend's quarter inch seam. You have to know your own quarter inch seam.

Another point is that some blocks are easier to achieve accuracy with than others.

Sewing this block drove me crazy! The smaller the pieces the harder it is to obtain accuracy. Hardly any of these blocks were exactly the right size and they certainly didn't lay flat. I love the quilt, but just don't look too closely at how the seams match up!

Sewing these blocks is a joy! Almost every block measures 9 1/2 inches and they lay flat.

I've come to the conclusion that every time I start a new block design, I must measure the units of the block and the finished block to figure out where the seam line should be to make that particular block the right size.

In My Sewing Room - Thursday

2011-09-29T06:56:00.004-04:00

This is my sewing chair. We bought it at a "junque" store. Rescued it would be a better description. This particular store has a tiny building with a big shelter and there is more furniture outside than in. This chair was not even under the shelter. It was sitting outside in the weather.

Its perfect for my sewing chair. I put the rug underneath it because I was scratching the wood floors.

I like the red toile fabric seat. I think someone covered the seat with the fabric and then painted the wood black with a distressed look.

WIP Wednesday

2011-09-28T06:05:00.004-04:00

Today is WIP Wednesday at Freshly Pieced.I have been working on two of my WIPs this week.

The Jacob's Ladder Quilt Along. Go HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THIS QUILT ALONG. I am making this quilt from fabrics I have on hand and am trying to give it a masculine, antique quilt feel. My inspiration is from this quilt found on the Quilting With the Past Blog FOUND HERE. I fell in love with Lucy's quilt and realized that I have lots of older similar fabrics. This quilt will be for my son, Jacob.

Razzle Dazzle:

This quilt has taken over my life which is what happens when you really make up your mind that you are going to finish a certain quilt.

After work this week I am pin basting it in preparation for machine quilting this weekend. I am using Freda's table top pin basting tutorial FOUND HERE. I have worked so hard to get it basted, even enlisting the help of the hubster! This method's positive points are that you don't have to crawl around on the floor and you don't have to find an unoccupied floor big enough to work on. But, no matter how you go about pin basting a quilt, its a J..O..B..!

No other progress on my other WIPs that I can post, but they are growing in my mind!

In My Sewing Room - Tuesday

2011-09-27T06:39:00.004-04:00

Good Morning!

Here are a few things that make my sewing room cozy for me.

Some Bible verses taped on the wall directly in front of the sewing machine. Lately I have looked up the Sunday readings for the upcoming week and then I write down some that have special meaning for me on index cards. That way I can keep them on my mind all week, which helps me to be ready for church on the following Sunday. This is better than just hearing them in church and then promptly forgetting about it.

A few pictures of some loved ones. These are of my Jacob and my Lori when they were small, along with a special cross stitched Bible verse that I received in a blog swap box.

A cork board with more pictures of loved ones and some other special things.

Hanging on this rack is a purple scarf my daughter crocheted for my birthday one year. I will always treasure it.

These things help to make my sewing room one of my favorite places!

In My Sewing Room - Monday

2011-09-26T06:54:00.002-04:00

I love my sewing machine. So, I decided it was high time I got out the instruction book to see how to maintain it.

The only thing listed under maintenance is to clean out the bobbin case. No oil. So I dutifully followed the instructions and this is what I found:

That lint has a red tint. Would probably have something to do with the fact I have been sewing a red and white quilt for weeks!

I'm sure this machine will run much more smoothly from now on. And now that I know how to take care of it, I can clean out the bobbin case regularly!

Razzle Dazzle

2011-09-25T06:11:00.003-04:00

I finished sewing the blocks together, and then the rows and borders on the red and white double nine patch quilt.

I've decided to name this quilt "Razzle Dazzle". Why?, you may ask.

Although technically this isn't an NC State Quilt, it does have the red and white colors, which is a winner at my house! If while watching football the Wolfpack makes a trick play, my hubby yells, "Razzle Dazzle". So that's why this quilt is named Razzle Dazzle.

I hope to start quilting this quilt soon.

Friday Night Sew In Report

2011-09-17T08:40:00.003-04:00

Each night I have been making three of the blocks for the red and white double nine patch quilt that I have been working on for..... ever. Last night I was really tired and got a late start, but was able to complete three more blocks.

Here are the blocks laid out on top of a white blanket.

Only six more to go!

I will start sewing the blocks together this weekend. Then I will cut and sew on some borders.

Friday Night Sew In

2011-09-16T09:42:00.003-04:00

Won't you join us in doing some Friday night Sewing?

Tonight's the night ... (that's a song isn't it?)

I've missed the last couple of months, but tonight I'm IN!

Go HERE to sign up.

Bloggers Block of the Month

2011-09-15T12:43:00.002-04:00

I've been thinking about doing a block of the month (BOM). I should be able to handle that, just one block a month, right?

Jackie at Canton Village Quilt Works has introduced a new BOM and I'm joining. The place to sign up, if you are interested is HERE.

The Block designs will be free and will be designed by 12 fabulous quilt bloggers, one each month. You can use the fabrics provided by Canton Village Quilt Works, or your own. Since I'm trying not to buy any new fabric, I plan to use what I have on hand.

I'm ready for September's BOM!!!

WIP Wednesday

2011-09-14T05:52:00.002-04:00

Its WIP Wednsday at Freshly Pieced. Here's my progress this week:

1. I have been working really hard on the red and white double 9 patch quilt this week! My goal has been to complete three blocks each week day and six blocks on each weekend day. Each of these blocks contains 49 pieces. Of course, strip piecing helps a lot, but still each block takes a little time to complete. I try to work for just a few minutes in the mornings before work, even if its only 5 minutes. Then after work I start to work on quilting while supper is cooking

I'm up to 57 blocks and I need 72. So just a few more days and the blocks will be finished. Then it will be time to sew all of the blocks together and match up all those seams!

The Stack:

Working on more blocks:

2. The Jacob's Ladder Quilt Along.

Here are the first two blocks. I really love how they turned out and am looking forward to making more. I made a decision not to buy any fabric and I've come up with some nice fabric combinations using what I have in all those plastic containers in the sewing room. I Can't wait to show you the blocks as I make them.

Here are close ups of the lighter fabrics in the blocks:

3. Crumb blocks

Here are a couple more blocks made from the crumbs I am accumulating while working on the red and white quilt.

4. Hand quilting the Grandma Quilt..... well it makes a great place to put projects.

Jacob's Ladder Trial Block

2011-09-12T09:00:00.000-04:00

In preparation for the Jacob's Ladder Quilt Along, I made a trial block on Saturday. I carefully followed the directions provided by Bonnie at Quiltville. I have to say that this block came out great. It lays very flat and is square. I'm ready to roll!

Information for joining the Jacob's Ladder Quilt Along can be found HERE.

Bonnie at Quiltville's instructions can be found HERE.

Spinning the seams on the back of the four patches worked!

I went through most of my scraps, remnants and other fabric this weekend and found some great combinations for the blocks. It will have a scrappy, yet masculine look.

WIP Wednesday- Red and White Double Nine Patch

2011-09-07T06:30:00.002-04:00

Its WIP Wednesday at Freshly Pieced

I've been working on my red and white double nine patch Irish Chain Quilt Top. After not working on this quilt for months, I made quite a bit of progress on it over the weekend and before and after work. I started out with 7 blocks and ended up with 31. I'll need 72, so I have many blocks left to make!

When I first started laying out the blocks, I played with the idea of using this pattern, which would alternate the blocks with plain white blocks. It makes an interesting pattern and would take half as many of the double nine patch blocks. But, after seeing the above pattern, I decided to stick with it and make enough blocks to cover the entire bed.

I haven't worked on any of my other projects, but here is a list of my quilts in progress:

1. Red and White Double Nine Patch: Piecing the top

2. Bluberri Breezes: Ready to baste and machine quilt

3. The Grandma Quilt: In the hand quilting frame to be finished

4. Jacob's Ladder Quilt Along: Picked out some fabrics and ready to make a trial block.

5. Crumb Quilt: Haven't decided if this will become a project. Just playing around with the idea. No commitment!

Jacob's Ladder Quilt Along

2011-09-06T06:16:00.002-04:00

I'm joining The Adventures of The Empress of the Universe in a Quilt Along. The pattern will be Jacob's Ladder.

If possible, it is preferred that the fabrics come from each participant's stash. So, you may recognize some of these fabrics from a previous quilt. I'm making this quilt for my own Jacob and will be using greens, tans, browns, rusts and most any fall-like, masculine fabric. The background or ladder of the block will be beige muslin.

The quilt along starts later this month, but I want to make a trial block this week.

A Little Scrappy Diversion

2011-09-05T14:42:00.004-04:00

I've worked on the red and white double nine patch Irish Chain quilt during every spare moment this whole weekend and needed a little diversion. You can see some of the red and white to the left of these blocks.

I used the tutorial for Crumb Quilts found HERE on Quiltville.com. I just pulled out a handful or two of all kinds and shapes of scraps and went to sewing. When each square was big enough, I laid a 6 1/2 inch see through plastic square on top and trimmed around it with my rotary cutter. Before I knew it I had 4 done. I'm not sure how I will use them yet, but they make a great leader/ender project.

My first love in quilting is scrap quilting, so I love these! Looks like another WIP for the list.

AAH, September!

2011-09-01T07:00:00.000-04:00

Now that September is here and fall is on the way, I organized my sewing room (aka cleaned up the mess). I pulled out my 2 oldest UFOs and am ready to sew and quilt!

I know you are probably sick of hearing about my hand quilting of this Grandma Quilt, but here it is again. Believe me, you aren't nearly as tired of the non-progress as I am. Well, its time to finish this baby!

I set it up in the sewing room, so its out of the way of the comings and goings in the house. I can see the tv and my hubby from there.

The red and white Double Irish Chain Quilt.... same story!

Let the Quilting Season begin!

Flower Child Finished

2011-08-23T20:30:00.004-04:00

I've finally finished the Kaleidoscope Quilt along and given the quilt the name "Flower Child". Baby Aven's due date is in September, so its done just in time!

Finally, Some Quilting!

2011-08-15T05:26:00.004-04:00

Summer time is not the traditional time for quilting and the summer of 2011 at my house has certainly been a season of not doing much sewing or quilting. My grandmother quilted in the winter and stayed busy doing all kinds of other things in the spring and summer. Now I know why!

Things have slowed down some here and I can see that summer is slowly coming to an end. The due date for Baby Aven is approaching rapidly, so I had to get going with the completion of the Kaleidoscope Quilt top I made earlier in the summer.

Saturday I pin basted it and have machine quilted about 1/4 of it. I plan to do some quilting on it every day after work and have it ready to bind by the weekend.

WIP Wednesday/Kaleidoscope Quiltalong

2011-07-06T06:39:00.001-04:00

This is my Kaleidoscope Quiltalong WIP. I am making it for a friend of my daughter's who is expecting a baby girl. For the name of the quilt, the first thing that came to my mind was "Flower Child". I was pleasantly surprised to learn that the baby's name is Aven, a type of flower!

The back of a block with seams pressed open:

This post is linked to WIP Wednesday at Freshly Pieced

Kaleidoscope Trial Block

2011-06-30T07:04:00.001-04:00

I like it! Can't wait for the sewing instructions.

The Kaleidoscope Quilt Along Starts Today!

2011-06-23T20:44:00.005-04:00

I keep forgetting how to spell Kaleidoscope, but WHATEVER!

Today the quilt along started on DON'T CALL ME BETSY'S BLOG.

I printed out my templates and the instructions and chose some fabrics. Note the holes punched in my instructions. I can put them in a notebook for future reference.

My version of the quilt will be a baby girl's quilt. I'm going to use some very bright colors.

Tonight I started cutting the strips. This weekend I will use the templates to cut out the shapes.

Here is a picture of a quilt using the kaleidoscope pattern, just so you can get an idea of how it turns out. Once the blocks are put together, a secondary shape develops and seems to dance across the quilt.

FNSI Results - Zebra Pocketbook

2011-06-18T08:13:00.002-04:00

I made a departure from my usual Friday Night Sew In pillow case this month. I have been working on this pocketbook for a couple of weeks and last night I finally finished it.

The purse organizer I posted about HERE is so easy to switch from bag to bag. It makes me want to make lots of new summer pocketbooks.

For other FNSI results go HERE.

Friday Night Sew In for June, 2011

2011-06-16T19:39:00.002-04:00

Its that time of the month again. I'm not sure what I'll be sewing yet. I have so many projects in different stages of progress, that it won't be hard to find something to work on!

If you'd like to sign up for Friday Night Sew In, click HERE.

WIP Wednesday

2011-06-08T06:38:00.004-04:00

Today is WIP Wednesday at Freshly Pieced.Do you ever feel like you just can't get any quilting done, even though you REALLY want to? I've been that way for a couple of months now. Some of my WIPs are right where they were last week.

But, I do have a couple of new projects in the works.

1. I've decided to jump start my summer quilting by joining "Don't Call Me Betsy's" quilt along. The pattern is the Kaleidoscope pattern. There are still a couple of weeks before the actual cutting of the fabric begins, so there's plenty of time to jump on the band wagon if you want to join.

I need to make a baby girl's quilt and don't want to make this one using the Stacked Coins pattern, since I've made the last four baby quilts in that pattern. This would be a good way to join the quilt along and get the baby quilt done.

2. I've slowly been working on the 2nd pocketbook of "My 53rd Summer. I've finished the quilting and just need to make the lining and handles and then sew it all together. You can see the first one I made and the purse organizer insert HERE. I plan to make several purses and then just switch out the insert when I want to use a different one.

This one will have a zebra print at the top and a pink bottom.

Happy WIP Wednesday!

WIP WEDNESDAY - Summer Plans

2011-05-25T06:33:00.006-04:00

Its Wednesday and Lee at Freshly Pieced is cracking the WIP again! I do need some motivation!

Ok, the temperatures this week have reached the mid nineties, so its time to start staying indoors and work on quilts.

I am making quilting plans for the Summer of 2011! Last summer I made a nine patch block a day and thoroughly enjoyed the process and the resulting quilt. So I've been thinking about what I want to get accomplished by Labor Day. The wisest decision would be to finish my WIPs.

I have to be honest with you. My WIPs are the same as they were a month ago, but here goes:

Handquilting Baptist Fans on the Grandma Quilt:

Bluberri Breezes quilt top, ready to be pin basted and quilted:

The red and white double nine patch quilt top in progress:

My summer goal is to finish these three quilts.

..... And maybe start a new one!

FNSI Results - Pillowcase Number 5

2011-05-21T08:19:00.003-04:00

This Pillowcase is for my daughter whose favorite color is aqua blue and her favorite flower is the white daisy. The daisy fabric is soft flannel and I hope it will be comfy for her to lay her princess head on next Christmas. She will be 31 in June, but she's still my princess.

My thanks go to Handmade by Heidi for hosting Friday Night Sew In!

Gentleman's Quarters

2011-05-20T21:13:00.003-04:00

The Spring Blogger's Quilt Festival is here and this is my entry for Spring 2011.
Click HERE to see all the quilts on display at Amy's Creative Side.

This is a quilt I made for my son, Jacob, from his old blue jeans and flannel. He loves this quilt. Its kind of heavy and he can't hurt it because all of the fabric has been washed and dryed countless times before it ever evolved into a quilt. I just throw it into the washer and dryer or like the picture, hang it on the line. Its handquilted, which was kind of hard since the jean material is so thick!

Friday Night Sew In - Christmas Gift Number 5

2011-05-19T18:37:00.003-04:00

Its time for Friday Night Sew In this Friday night, so you know what that means. I decided to make at least one Christmas gift each month during Friday Night Sew In and so I will be making pillow case Number 5.

This one will be for my daughter and will be made from flannel. The fabric is currently in the washing machine being preshrunk, so is unavailable for a photo.

To sign up for Friday Night Sew In, Click HERE.

I'll be back Saturday with my results!

From Mug Rugs to Baby Pad?

2011-05-16T06:23:00.008-04:00

After seeing the mug rugs I made as gifts recently, two of the recipients requested that I make some a little larger to be used for baby pads. It never occurred to me that these would work, but I complied with the requests and here is a set of three for girl baby.

They can be used for burp cloths, changing pads or many other uses. They measure 10 X 15. I'm planning to put some of these in my Etsy Shop, but gardening is still taking priority over sewing. Soon, I will get back into the swing of things with sewing.

This set will be part of a baby gift containing various items. I think they would look nice rolled up and tied with a ribbon, sticking up out of a basket of baby goodies.

Happy Monday to you!

WIP Wednesday

2011-04-27T06:22:00.004-04:00

Wow, spring is a busy time for outdoor work, so my quilting and sewing have really suffered lately! I haven't worked on any of my quilts for about 3 weeks. But, now that the initial work has been done outside, I will increase my quilting and sewing time.

Here are a couple of projects that I have sneaked in during rain showers:

This mug rug set is for my friend/coworker's daughter. She has some health problems and her middle name just happens to be "HOPE". So this will be perfect. I hope her favorite color is green too.:o)

Here is a tiny quilt top which I hope will become a mug rug tonight. I'm all out of the pink "Joy" mugs, since all of the ones in the store seem faded to me. I guess they have some kind of defect. Never fear, there are more Dollar General stores to be browsed in my area.

This post is linked to Fresly Pieced's Work In Progrress Wednesday.

Friday Night Sew In - April Pillow Case

2011-04-16T12:00:00.005-04:00

I'm pretty proud of myself for getting this project done, despite the fact that I REALLY DID NOT HAVE TIME TO DO SO! But I made up my mind that I would make a Christmas gift every month during Friday Night Sewin and I stuck to it.

But, with all that being said, Its not my favorite. The blue fabric doesn't show up in the pictures as its true color. The close up in the next picture may give you a better idea. There are little swirls and a tiny yellow dot in the fabric.

So far all 4 months I have made pillowcases for the guys. Next month, maybe I'll tackle a more feminine one!

Boy its a stormy Saturday! Stay safe!

Debbie J.

WIP Wednesday -

2011-04-13T05:53:00.009-04:00

Its WIP Wednesday at Freshly Pieced. Here are the current projects I am working on.

I have four coworkers for whom I have been working on mug rug sets. Each one was made using their favorite colors or incorporated their favorite flower, etc.

This is the fourth one made for our newest employee. She has only been working with me for a week and a half. When I asked her what her favorite color is, she said yellow, but did not have a favorite flower. I used the yellow scraps I had on hand and thought a red cup would be nice with it. I used some of the decorative stitches on my machine to quilt it. I especially like the little leaf design. These stitches work great on a small project like the mug rugs. I plan to make some burp cloths using a decorative stitch.

I started a Spiderman fabric basket for my grandson and this is how far I got. It will have a short handle on each side. I think it will be good to use for a gift basket and then afterwards, it can be used in his room to store small toys, etc.

I pieced some quilt batting together for the fabric basket with a zig zag stitch.

Projects on hold until I can get some gardening chores done and finish taxes:

1. Bluberri Breezes: The top is done, but I need to make the backing and then machine quilt it.

2. The Grandma Quilt: Its still in the hand quilting frame and I have figured out where I can put the frame so that I can work on it while watching tv with hubby, but it won't be in the way too much.

3. The red and white double nine patch Irish Chain quilt: Still working on piecing the blocks using leaders and enders.

4. I have a couple of baby quilts to make, but don't know the babies' genders yet. I really hope there will be at least one boy, so that I can try out the Stacked Coins quilt in blues! The last 4 I have made are all pink and white.

Happy Wednesday!

Debbie J.

April's Christmas Gift

2011-04-10T16:26:00.004-04:00

Its time for Friday Night Sew In this Friday night, so you know what that means. I decided to make at least one Christmas gift each month during Friday Night Sew In and so I will be making pillow case Number 4!

Here are Numbers 1, 2 and 3 that I made during the previous three Friday Night Sew Ins this year.

January:

February:

March:

April's pillow case will be made with this fabric.

WIP Wednesday

2011-04-06T06:23:00.004-04:00

Its Wip Wednesday over at Freshly Pieced.

I am still on a break from making bed size quilts, but I will be back to my regularly scheduled work in progress soon. There's something about Spring that does not encourage me to work on quilts. You know what I mean? In the Fall and Winter its natural to work on a quilt, but in the Spring and Summer the yard and garden are calling me. I am blessed to have so many things that I love to do! I have been working on more mug rugs to go with the mugs I bought and showed in last week's WIP Wednesday.

Here are some of the mug rugs lined up beside Big Brother ready to be quilted. Some sunflower mug rugs in progress. They need the binding.

Here are some completed sets.

WIP Wednesday - What if?.. and a Finish

2011-03-30T06:26:00.004-04:00

I make my first mug rugs this past weekend....

Then I had an idea....

What if....

I bought some inexpensive mugs and then matched them with fabric I already have on hand to make a cute gift.

Here are some possible combinations.

The sunflower mug is mine.

These pastel mugs will be for my three coworkers. I took a poll today to see what their favorite colors are and made a lunch hour trip to Dollar General, which yielded these sweet spring cups.

Green "Hope"

Pink "Joy"

Blue "Believe"

In addition to making mug rugs, I finished the SIDNEY quilt which has been delivered to the Mom to be:

This post is linked to SIMPLY PIECED WIP WEDNESDAY HERE.

WIP WEDNESDAY

2011-03-23T05:54:00.005-04:00

Here is an update on the progress of my current projects.

One half of the Sidney Quilt has been free motion quilted.

My next Christmas gift pillow case will be for my ATV enthusiast son. I found these two pillow panels on EBay and will add border fabric to make them work for making the Magical Burrito pillow case during April's Friday Night Sew In.

Still no new hand quilting of the Baptist Fans on the Grandma quilt. It been stuck out of sight in the spare bedroom. My goal is to pull it out into the open so that I will be more motivated to work on it. Just 15 minutes a day would get me going!

Bluberri Breezes is still in line to be machine quilted.

I made a little progress on the red and white double Irish chain quilt using leaders and enders.

This post is linked to FRESHLY PIECED WIP WEDNESDAY.

Christmas Gift Pillow Case Number Three

2011-03-19T11:02:00.004-04:00

Here is my Friday Night Sew In Christmas Gift Pillow Case Number Three. I have to be honest with you that I was waaay too tired last night to sew, so it was done early this morning.

These pillow cases are so much fun to make. I love the way they turn out. Even with my limited sewing expertise, they turn out professional looking.

I made the trim a little wider on this one so the blue color would show up better.

The late March sun was shining in the sewing room so brightly this morning.

These two pictures show the inside seams. By sewing french seams, there are no raw edges or loose threads. When the pillowcases are laundered there will be no fraying of the seams.

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Friday Night Sew In is sponsored by Handmade by Heidi.
The pillowcase pattern can be found on the Twiddletails Blog HERE.

WIP Wednesday, The "I Forgot One" Edition!

2011-03-17T08:14:00.002-04:00

In yesterday's post on WIPs, I forgot all about mentioning the handquilting of Baptist Fans on my Grandmother's vintage,perhaps antique,quilt top.

NO PROGRESS!

I know that's not much of an update, but hopefully posting my progress here will give me incentive to work on it. I know once I get started I will continue on, because I have already made a lot of progress on it and the nearer I get to completing it, the more excited I will be about having another 2011 quilt finish!

WIP Wednesday

2011-03-16T05:46:00.004-04:00

Here's an update on my WIPs (works in progress)

Bluberri Breezes is at a standstill, but in line to be pin basted and quilted.

My collection of selvedges is growing for a selvedge quilt some time in the future. Perhaps as a leaders and enders quilt????

I am beginning to spend more time on the red and white quilt that I began last year as a leaders and enders quilt. Its a double nine patch Irish chain in all reds and whites.

I have been working on the second of the pair of shams to go with "Farmhouse Magic". I should be able to finish it tonight.....

And then on to quilting "Sidney"!

I am linking this post to FRESHLY PIECED WIP WEDNESDAY.

Sidney Progress

2011-03-14T06:51:00.004-04:00

It was such a busy, busy weekend that I didn't achieve all I had dreamed of on the quilting front. But, I was able to pin baste the Sidney Baby Quilt. The good thing about a smaller size quilt is not needing such a big area to work on.

The kitchen table is oval and not so big, but its perfect for pin basting a baby quilt. I tape the backing fabric down as best I can. The corners are the only area that is hard to tape down.

Hopefully I can start machine quilting tonight.

Meet The New Quilts

2011-03-11T06:30:00.005-05:00

I have completed two quilt tops this week!!! I am so happy about that. This weekend I will work on getting them prepared for quilting. Next week after work I will have big Brother set up for quilting so that I can quilt after supper.

Did you know you can accomplish many things during commercial breaks? If you are watching a favorite show such as Jeopardy or American Idol (GO SCOTTIE!!), just commit to sprinting into the sewing area and quilt as fast as you can until the commercial is over. This works for many things such as cleaning, decluttering, or whatever it is you are want to get accomplished.

This is "SIDNEY" the fourth baby quilt I have made using this pattern and all of them have been for girls. This one has brighter pinks than the others and quite a bit of green in it. I have named it Sidney because that is the middle name of my brother-in-law who passed away in October who is the grandfather of this baby girl. He knew the baby was on the way when he died, but he did not know it was going to be a girl. He would have been so thrilled and would have loved this child so much. I don't know what the baby's name will be, but the quilt's name is Sidney!

This is "BLUBERI BREEZES" It has been a Leaders and Enders Quilt for several months and finally has been completed. I am still amazed at how many different versions of quilt patterns can be accomplished just by using the lowly nine patch block.

1000 Pyramids - My Oldest UFO

2011-03-10T06:35:00.002-05:00

Oops! I thought I had confessed all of my UFOs and was making progress on finishing them. I forgot this one.

I started this quilt 9 or 10 years ago and was actually hand sewing the triangles together. It was supposed to be a Charm Quilt, which as you probably know, means all the triangles would be from a different fabric.

I'm not sure what to do with it because:

1. I don't really like it

2. I don't have any idea where I got the instructions from and so don't really know how to proceed.

But, after I laid out the blocks I thought the pattern was pretty striking from a distance.

I don't think I will ever finish it as a completely hand sewn quilt, but might be able to incorporate it into a smaller quilt or as part of the backing of another quilt.

I have been thinking of making a true charm quilt using the 1000 Pyramids pattern, but it will be made on my sewing machine. I will post a picture of the possible quilt soon.

Sneak Peek at March's Friday Night Sew In

2011-03-09T06:44:00.004-05:00

I have been making pillow cases for Christmas gifts each month during Friday Night Sew In. Pillow case number 3 is for my son-in-law, who teaches guitar lessons, is a member of a band and great musician. He is so talented and he's a wonderful son-in-law, husband to my daughter and dad to my grandson.

Friday night sew in for this month is March 18th, a week from Friday and is hosted by Handmade by Heidi.

Leaders and Enders, Blue and Beige, Irish Chain Quilt

2011-03-04T09:29:00.002-05:00

I must give this quilt a name! But, for now this is the blue and beige leaders and enders Irish Chain quilt I have been working on while working on other projects. At some point a leaders and enders quilt must become the main quilt you are working on and that time is almost here!

Here are the blocks completed so far laid out on a bed.

These are 2 1/2 inch blocks I have laid out beside my sewing machine to use as leaders and enders.

Sets of three blocks already sewn together waiting to become nine patches as leaders and enders.

My very lofty goal is to complete one quilt each month and I hope to complete this one for March. If I work really hard I may be able to complete a baby girl's quilt for my soon to be born great niece, as well.

Finished "Picnic in the Park"

2011-02-28T05:42:00.005-05:00

Here is my second finish of 2011, Picnic in the Park. Completely finishing one quilt a month may seem slow to some quilters, but for me its pretty darn good!

The pattern for this quilt can be found at Crazy Mom Quilts HERE and Crazy Mom's finished quilt can be found HERE.

I am so happy to have finished a quilt made totally from scraps, remnants and stash.

FNSI Results - Christmas Gift Number Two is Made

2011-02-19T08:04:00.003-05:00

This ECU Pirates project is the third pillowcase I have made using Twiddletails Magical Pillowcase Tutorial and I really love the way they turn out. After making three, I can now make them much faster. I estimate that including cutting time, the pillow case takes less than an hour.

After making one, I was ready to keep going and may just put together a couple today, in between pin basting my quilt.

Ready for my Weekend Sewing!

2011-02-18T05:57:00.007-05:00

My fabric is ready for the East Carolina University pillow case I will be working on tonight during Friday Night Sew In. Go Pirates! (as long as they aren't playing NC State!)

Picnic in the Park is ready to pin baste. The backing was pieced with scraps. When you have lemons, make lemonade, right? These long strips were just right for sewing together to make the backing and helps me to use what I have on hand and not buy anything.

The quilt top and backing folded neatly awaiting pin basting:

The backing in progress:

The Grandma quilt in the quilting frame has been used for storage of fabric for a couple of months now. I plan to change that this weekend and get back to the handquilting of the Baptist fans!

A Quilted Walker Caddy from Stash/Scraps

2011-02-16T07:09:00.007-05:00

I made this for a friend's walker this week.

It has a front and back pocket and securely attaches with Velcro, sort of like a saddle bag. The pocket in the front has a small Velcro closure to protect its contents while out and about in stores, etc.

I would like to embellish it a little by adding a ribbon bow on the front. If I make more of these I would like to add other decorative touches like ribbon or rickrack trim.

I was determined to make it without buying any fabric and I had exactly enough fabric in this color from scraps left over from this quilt made years ago!

I am really doing well at using what I have on hand and reducing the contents of some of my plastic bins!

High Tech Quilting Tool

2011-02-15T06:36:00.003-05:00

This is about as high tech as I get. LOL

This lint roller came in very handy when finishing up my most recent quilt. The quilt batting made the dark fabrics used in the border very lint-y. With the lint roller I made quick work of cleaning it up while snipping any loose threads.

Friday Night Sew In Plans for February

2011-02-14T13:14:00.003-05:00

So far no plans for Friday night that will interrupt my Friday Night Sew In Christmas sewing for February!

I have purchased my fabric for another pillow case. This one will be another college themed one - EAST CAROLINA.

I'll be posting pictures of it Saturday, if all goes well. Then I will have 2 handmade Christmas gifts made for 2011!

If you want to sign up go to HERE. Crafty Vegas Mom and Handmade by Heidi share this fun party and this month its Crafty Vegas Mom's turn.

My BestTips For Getting More Quilting Done

2011-02-08T12:36:00.003-05:00

Since I work full time outside my home, I don't get a huge number of quilts done. I am amazed at how many quilts some ladies get done! Even though I consider myself to be a slow poke quilter, I do have a few tips for turning out more quilts.

1. Choose simple patterns. Even the simplest patterns can look complex and turn out great! For recurring gifts, such as baby gifts, use a favorite simple pattern over and over again, using different color combinations. Its much faster to make a pattern you are familar with. My "go to" quilt for babies is Stacked Coins from Crazy Mom Quilts. It always turns out great and goes together easily and quickly.

Here's the most recent version. I am in the process of making another one for another little girl, but this one will have more green in it.

2. Designate a certain amount of time you will work on quilting each day in order to meet a self imposed deadline. I recently completed a quilt by making a decision that I would work on the quilt at least an hour each night so that it would be finished by the end of the following weekend. I succeeded by pure perserverance!

3. Stay home. This isn't hard for me, because I stay home unless its absolutely necessary to go somewhere, most of the time. But, If I am out and about on Saturday, I end up getting very little quilting done.

4. Leave the quilt out in progress. I know this is hard if you don't have a separate sewing room, but it helps to be able to go back to where you left off without having to get everything out again.

This is an old picture of my sewing area. Trust me, it doesn't look this neat right now!

My First Quilt Finish of 2011 - Farmhouse Magic

2011-02-07T13:20:00.001-05:00

I really worked hard on this one! Here is a picture showing the borders, binding and how the back looks of "Farmhouse Magic"

I enjoyed Big Brother's assistance for the Free Motion Quilting.

I also enjoyed having a warm quilt to work under while watching basketball on Saturday and the Super Bowl on Sunday with my hubby. Its always a happy moment when I make that last stitch on the back of the quilt when sewing down the binding. I usually excitedly and loudly say, "I AM FINISHED", at which time my hubby cheers.

Christmas 2011 Sewing

2010-12-29T14:50:00.007-05:00

AND..........

A GREAT JOINT VENTURE!

Every year I "plan" to sew some Christmas presents and every year I end up with ... not much done.

This year I'm hoping that I will be inspired by the Sewn With Grace Blog and the Handmade by Heidi Blog to make at least one gift each month all year.

The third Monday of each Month, Sewn with Grace will feature a different Christmas gift idea.

I think a great idea would be if I dedicated my "Friday Night Sew In" projects to Christmas, 2011!

Just one more way to be consistent in 2011.

A Southern Girl Can Never have too much Pink!

2010-11-07T14:28:00.003-05:00

Thanks to my extra hour today, I was able to finish this baby girl quilt, label and all. I enjoy making this pattern very much and will definitely use it as my "go to" baby quilt pattern when I need a baby shower gift and don't have a lot of time. There are so many color combinations that can be used and it turns out beautifully.

I need to give credit where credit is due. Thank you Crazy Mom Quilts! The pattern can be found HERE.

Little Miss Lily Marie Progress

2010-11-04T09:06:00.000-04:00

Sometimes you just have to keep going and keep your goal in mind. I am determined to finish the 2 projects I have been working on this week, no matter what.

Last night I finished quilting "Little Miss Lily Marie", but not without mishaps! Twice when quilting near the edge the excess backing fabric was turned under and got caught in the stitches. After very carefully removing the stitches, thankfully I was able to make it look ok. Then I discovered I was almost out of white thread, but made it right down to the last quilting stitch. I kept stopping to fill the bobbin, trying not to use up all the thread on the spool.

One bright spot in the quilting of this quilt is that my thread didn't break a single time! That is a first and I'm not sure what, if anything, I did differently. I have quilted quilts when the thread broke constantly.

I am trying to branch out into new machine quilting patterns. I love the basic meander stitch I have been doing and have practiced it enough to produce decent results. I thought for this little girl's quilt a looping meander stitch would give it a fun, whimsical touch. The jury is still out on whether or not I really like the way it turned out, but what's done, is done!

After finishing quilting the quilt, my attention then turned to the binding. I wasn't happy with the fabric I originally planned to use, so I looked through my "pink" fabrics and found another one that I thought would look nice. Of course, there wasn't "quite" enough of this one to go all the way around the quilt.

SO.... a visit to the fabric store is in order today to purchase white thread and enough fabric for the binding.

Blogger's Quilt Festival Fall 2010 - My First Real Quilt

2010-10-29T06:42:00.006-04:00

Be sure to visit AMY'S CREATIVE SIDE for literally hundreds of quilts and their stories, in the Blogger's Quilt Festival for the Fall of 2010.

The quilt I am showcaseing is very special to me!

In 1998 I made my first "real" quilt for my daughter. She had just left home for college and I wanted to make something special for her.

I had always dreamed of making quilts and quilt making was a part of my soul, even before I actually made one.

My first memories of this quilt obsession was when I was about 10. I collected squares of fabric in a box, but never made the quilt. I Don't know what ever happened to that box of squares.

In the early 1980s I ordered Georgia Bonesteel's Lap Quilting book through the mail. I would sit and study this book for hours. I didn't have a quilt frame, so lap quilting was the answer!

So my first real quilt was a Sampler Quilt made from the patterns in this book. The anchor fabric was a "cat" print in blues, browns, and beiges. My daughter liked cats and the color blue a lot when she was young.

Here are close ups of a few of the blocks:

GRANDMOTHER'S FAN

MONKEY WRENCH

PINWHEEL AND CARD TRICKS

CRAZY PATCH

LITTLE DUTCH GIRL/SUNBONNET SUE

SAILS IN THE SUNSET

HOUSE ON THE HILL

THE BACK OF THE QUILT

Not shown is the top right hand block which is a friendship block. In the center is a square that I cross stitched my daughter's name, the date and my name, with love, of course.

A Quilt For My Sister

2010-10-26T15:23:00.000-04:00

I finally finished binding this quilt and also made the label tonight. This will be a gift for my sister.

I wonder what Summer Quilt Project I will tackle next year? I think making one block a day is a great way to get a project done.

My Quick Quilts Quick Pic

2010-10-21T07:00:00.001-04:00

My December/January Quick Quilts came yesterday.

Without a thought I flipped it open to this page! What a surprise!

I will receive 2 of the issues of the magazine the picture appeared in and a free quilt batting from the Warm Company, but not sure when it will come.

A Quilt, or simply a Quilt Top?

2010-09-29T12:12:00.004-04:00

This Quilt belongs to a coworker/friend of mine who after telling me about it, brought it for me to see. It was given to her by another friend whose aunt had made it. From her description I thought it would be a quilt top that had never been quilted.

But, after seeing it I decided it was meant to be used as it is. It consists only of the top with no quilt batting or backing. Its COMPLETELY hand sewn using polyester fabric, which makes it quite heavy. Since the squares are set on the diagonal, this makes the edges have a pointy edge, like "prairie points".

Its a beautiful pattern and lots of work went into it! Have any of you ever seen such a quilt that has no backing or batting?

An Iron-On Quilt Label

2010-09-26T18:38:00.003-04:00

I posted about making quilt labels HERE. In this post I mentioned and posted a picture of a book full of iron-on quilt labels that you can color with crayons and markers. Well, I needed to make a label for Maddox's Jungle Babies Quilt II, since it was finally time to deliver the quilt to him.

It worked out pretty cute! I did need to go over the words with a black permanent fabric marker to make it look nicer, in my opinion. I had my doubts about using crayons, but it actually worked really well!

It was really easy. Here's how you do it:

Iron on the label according to the directions. Then use freezer paper to stabilize the fabric so you can write and color on it. I guess most of you know how freezer paper works, but you iron the fabric onto the shiny side of the paper which makes the fabric stick to it. When you finish, just peel it off.

To set the crayon coloring, just place a pressing cloth over it and press with the iron.

I was very happy with the results.

A Fall Strippy Runner - Here we go Loopdey Loo

2010-09-25T12:47:00.003-04:00

**** A little note: I hope its not too much of a problem that I will be posting some of the same things on this blog as my Homemaking Dreams Blog. Any time I post about quilting here, I want the readers of both blogs to see it. So, if you follow both blogs, you might see duplicate posts. If you haven't read my Homemaking Dreams blog, check it out. Thanks for your understanding.

This is the first runner I have made and the first time I've done a different kind of free motion quilting other than meandering. I love the loops! It was just like making cursive small "e"s. Easy and I think cute!

Every time I see these loops I want to sing that children's song: Here we go loopdey Loo, here we go Loopdey Li, on a Saturday night. Not sure of the words, but its something like that... isn't it?

Thomas The Train Quilted "Big Boy" Tote

2010-08-30T07:58:00.003-04:00

My grandson turned three this past weekend and I just had to make him something. As a quilter and seamstress, I can't seem to pass up an opportunity to make a handmade gift for my loved ones. But, I do try to make sure its something they can use.

Recently I bought 2 yards of Thomas the Train Fabric on clearance for $2.50 per yard. I decided my grandson already has enough quilts made by Grandma,for the time being. But, what could he really use? Well, any toddler just beginning preschool needs a bag to "tote" his blanket and pillow and big boy underwear around in. No more diaper bags, this is a BIG BOY BAG!

If you would like to make a bag like this, my "Reusable Grocery Bag" tutorial might be helpful. It can be found on my other blog, Homemaking Dreams. The only change is that I quilted the outside panels before putting it together.

I meander quilted the outer panels like this.

This is what the outer sides look like after being quilted and trimmed.

I used a heavy fabric for the backing of the quilt sandwiches and for the inside of the handles. My sewing machine could just barely go over the seams when sewing the top together. For my next quilted tote I will use a regular weight fabric for the quilt sandwich. But, I think this bag will hold up well to whatever my little preschooler puts it through!

Free Motion Quilt Along and Give Away

2010-08-19T12:56:00.003-04:00

I am excited to be participating in a quilt along that concentrates on the quilting part! As Christina said in her blog post HERE, most quilt alongs work on the quilt top with just a little bit of information about the quilting of the quilt.

And don't you hate those quilt patterns that say, "Quilt as Desired" at the end and that's it? I do. There's more to making a quilt than just making the quilt top.

Christina is also doing a great give away for free motion quilters that I would love to win!

My Summer of 2010 Nine Patch Challenge Quilt Top

2010-08-15T16:50:00.003-04:00

Let me just say one thing. I may have worked on these 9 patches most of the summer, but the real work was in doing the borders and sashings! I hope to show the completed quilt after quilting it and binding it soon.

I am completely enamoured with Nine Patch Quilts now that I have completed this quilt top and am planning two more already!

For the directions for making this quilt see CRAZY MOM QUILTS HERE.

Sneak Peak - Summer Nine Patch Challenge

2010-08-11T06:31:00.002-04:00

Sewing one block, or more, a day is a great way to get some quiltmaking accomplished! Several times I got behind, but it was easy to catch up. I think I will use this method in the future. Doing a small amount each day really does add up!