I haven't decided quite how to finish this quilt so I started something new...
Good things about the new quilt:1. It used scraps from recent quilts.2. I was unsure about it for a while but I like it more now that it is sewn together.3. I'm already quilting it.4. It used a flannel backing that I've had for years.
Slowed Progress
With the sudden arrival of spring weather this week work in the sewing room has slowed to a crawl. I have making a little progress on quilting this quilt. I'm stitching a serpentine line through the scrappy parts and haven't quite decided what to do in the background yet. I'll probably have it figured out by the time I finish the other part of the quilting.
We have been out enjoying the warm weather a bit though.
We even saw some bare feet this week!
Yay! I love the warm sunny weather - even when it slows the sewing progress to a snail's pace.
We plan to get some peas planted in the garden this weekend.What about you? What are your weekend plans?
I've Been Hexed
When local artist Lynn Krawczyk asked if I wanted to make a little quilt from her new fabrics on spoon flower I practically jumped out of my seat. I have been a fan of Lynn's work since I first saw some of her pieces about two years ago.She sent a lovely selection of prints. First I tried a scaled up quilt block but that didn't have enough interaction between the fabrics.
Then I tried something similar to the Zinnias quilt but that didn't really give the look I wanted either.
Then I saw these hexies on my sewing table and thought I'd try some paper piecing with Lynn's fabrics. I was thrilled with the look of this and kept going.
When basting the edges to the back of the paper pieces I only stitched through the fabric instead of all the way through both layers of fabric and the paper. This was easier on my hands and also made it easier to remove the paper after the were stitched together and I had spray starched the back.
I wanted a "clean" edge with no extra binding fabric for this quilt. After hand basting in preparation for hand quilting I trimmed the batting even with the turned edge of the front of the quilt. Then I folded the backing over the batting and hand stitched the front to the back giving a crisp finished edge.
I don't know the exact size of the hexagons. I made my own template by tracing a circle and folding it into sixths like you would to cut out a paper snowflake. I trimmed the rounded edge straight from corner to corner to get the hexagon template.
The finished quilt is 20 by 17.25 inches. It is hand quilted with perle cotton thread.Here's the back.
Aren't these fabrics great?
Pinwheels and Strings
Last night I finished hand stitching the binding on this Pinwheels and Strings quilt.This scraptastic quilt is heavily quilted and finished with a half inch binding.
I have started putting more quilting on quilts that will be used and washed. My early quilts didn't have nearly as much quilting on them and I have found that with wear and washing some of the quilting threads have broken. More quilting means that there is less stress on any single quilting thread.Also, I like the half inch binding better for wear too. After quilting I trim the batting and backing to 1/4 inch bigger than the top. That way I can avoid clipping any of the quilting threads and they will not be able to slip out from under the binding seam. Straight quilting lines will have an extra quarter inch of stitching to help keep it from pulling out.
The finished quilt measures 83.5 x 60 inches.And I think I can still pull a few more scraptacular quilts from the scrap bin!
Big Spool
This time I ordered a BIG spool.
My thread order arrived. I'm off to finish quilting a quilt.
Sewing
Here's a quick update from our sewing room.The string pinwheel quilt is about half quilted.
I have also been helping P with a secret project.
What have you been working on?
String PInwheel Top
Yesterday, miss P was home with a fever. She worked on making some Valentines while I pieced this string pinwheel top together.
I'm pretty happy with it so far. I think I'll use a multi color thread for the quilting over the strings and maybe a blue for the pinwheels - or maybe the pinwheels will be left unquilted. I haven't decided yet.I need to order more batting so I have some time to think about it.
String Quilt Update
I've been working on the string quilt! It turns out I couldn't read my own handwriting and I needed 140 six inch blocks instead of 130. I whipped out 10 more of those yesterday and went on to phase two - sewing triangles to one corner of each block. Phase three - making four patch pinwheels from the six inch blocks. Here's a big 12 inch block comprised of four of the smaller ones.
I think I'm really going to like this one when it's finished.I hope you are having a great Crafturday.
Crushed
Here they are. All 130 string pieced blocks needed for a twin size quilt. I am smitten with this block on top. That row of tiny scraps gets me . I don't remember who gave me that skeleton fabric scrap but that is the last bit of that fabric that I have.
Really, it slays me. I know that if I had started with yardage of that fabric I wouldn't feel the same way. It was precious and I had to include it in this quilt.Are you like that? Do some fabrics make you emotional? Is it just me? I got a little teary feeling this morning cutting a center for a tiny star out of the very last scrap of fabric left from a dress I made myself in 1975. Sigh.Look, they are crushed under their own weight.
This little stack is making me very happy. I think I'll just keep it and pet it for awhile before moving to the next step.edited to add:My method for making string pieced quilts is shown in detail in chapter one of my book, Every Last Piece. There are directions for several string quilts as well as photos and ideas for more string quilts included. You can purchase an autographed copy of the Every Last Piece from me here.
Stringing Along
I've really been using up the scraps this week. I'm making six inch (finished) string blocks. I need to make 130 blocks for the twin size quilt I have planned. I'm using quite a mix of fabrics. Leftovers from a skirt for P, a sunhat I made for D when he was little, scraps from kid pajamas, scraps from other people, new scraps - do you see some Jeniffer Paganelli in there? A couple of the blocks even have scraps from a dress I made for myself when I was in middle school. Pretty much anything goes. I am not using the very pale or mostly white fabrics so there's not too much value contrast. These are just like the string blocks I made for this quilt and this quilt. I plan to do something different with these though. I'll be sure to show you when I get to that step.four six inch string blocks:
Here's my method for making these blocks.Because I want there to be a visual direction to the blocks I use strings, or long skinny scraps. I often have strips of quilt backs after trimming, extra strips or parts of strips from cutting quilt pieces and they work great for these blocks. I am making these blocks 6 inches because that is the size of my ruler. I work with the ruler right next to me.First I cut a bunch of strips to length.
Fatter scraps are cut to narrower strip widths. 
Short pieces are sewn together to make strips that are long enough for the block. I usually work with scissors for a more "organic" look to the piecing but I sometimes trim one edge of these pieced strips with the rotary cutter to make it easier to sew them to the block in progress.
I sew these strips together to make a chunk of fabric that is large enough for a block. As I sew each strip on I lay it where I want the seam to be on the block below. I often place it a little askew to get wedge shaped strings. I sew along the straight edge of the new strip and then trim the extra fabric away. Sometimes the bit that is cut away is wide enough to sew to another block.
It is best to press before adding each new strip. I work in big batches of sewing and then pressing.Here and here are a couple of other quilts that use a similar string piecing technique.'Tis the season to bust those scraps! String piecing is quick and easy. You should give it a try!
Crazy Love Quilt
I finished the binding on this Crazy Love quilt this morning. I am pleased with how it turned out. I used a blue Carolina Chambray from Robert Kaufman for the triangles and binding. I like that the zig zag of the blue makes diagonal channels of color.
I chose to do minimal quilting on this to echo the diagonal lines of the blue. I quilted in the ditch on all of the seam lines and then one walking foot width to either side of the blue triangles as seen here.
You can see a corner of the pink tone on tone fabric Jennifer sent for the backing in the picture below. P was hoping there would be some extra of that fabric!
The binding on the quilt is 1/2 inch wide.It measures 64 x 79 inches.Fabrics are from the Crazy Love line coming out this spring from Jennifer Paganelli.I started my next scraptacular quilt today. It already has some Crazy Love scraps sewn in. It will be one of those quilts that includes all kinds of fabrics. After a couple of quilt finishes I found that my scrap bin is over flowing again and the tiny stars are just not putting any dent at all in that huge pile of fabric. I have started a scrap intensive quilt. I'll share more later, after I have a few photos.
Wordless Wednesday
Productive Weekend
I went on a little sewing retreat with the Ann Arbor Modern Quilt Guild this weekend. I had a lot of fun and was very productive.I made 50 tiny stars,
and finished the Crazy Love top for Jennifer Paganelli. Thank you, Rossie, for suggesting the diagonal bands of color. The color bands help calm the chaos that was happening with all of these lively prints together.
P is back at school today so I want to keep the productivity going. I'm off to the cutting table!
Twinkling Stars
I finished the binding on this quilt a few days ago. I was waiting for a good weather day for photos but it has been dreary and rainy everyday. I am tired of waiting and want to share this before the year is over. It is my last "finish" of 2011".
I started this quilt in September 2010.As I said before while making it, I am thrilled with this quilt.
The finished quilt is 67 by 73 inches.Here's a peek at the back and my photo helper.
I think it has found a new home. Or maybe it'll be a bed topper. Or maybe I'll just carry it from room to room with me!
You can see the rest of my 2011 finished projects here.Hope you have a great New Year's Eve. We are having game night with some friends.
The Feathered Vine
I don't know why I waited so long to quilt the border of this quilt.
It really wasn't hard. I got out Gwen's Quilting with Style book and refreshed my memory on the process. I first marked the vines and then the individual feathers. I use a silver colored pencil (berol verithin). The markings wear off as I work on the quilt and what ever is left will wash out.
When doing the actual quilting I started with the vine. I sewed the center vine line all the way around the quilt. Then I quilted one side of the feathers all the way around and next moved to the other side. I really tried to be relaxed and not in a hurry while quilting the feathers. I think that made all the difference. I was slow and careful and even managed to get some of the restitched areas (where you have to sew back over the original stitching to make the pattern continuous) stitched in the same holes as the original stitching. I'll have to remember this in the future. "It's not a race." "Take your time."
I wanted the feathers to stand out a bit so I put in some background stippling around the feathered vine.
I'm pretty pleased with it so far. I just need to bind, wash, and put it on the couch!Hopefully we'll have a bright day for me to take finished pictures! It has been dreary and raining this week so my photos are not the best.
Star Crossed
As I have been making more tiny two inch star blocks I've been thinking about my "Twinkling Stars" quilt that I started LAST September. The stars in that quilt are three inch liberated stars.Last February I quilted the main section of the quilt leaving a wide nine inch border unquilted. At the time I thought it needed a big feathered vine in it and was intimidated by the idea.
I have gotten the quilt out many times and thought about what I could quilt in there. I tried plain cross hatching, and seriously considered a closely stitched bishop's fan.
Still, I think it needs a big feathered vine.So, I've told myself that this needs to be the next quilt I finish. You heard me so now the pressure is on. I need to mark it and get to quilting.Really, what have I been waiting for? When I finish I can snuggle up under THIS!
Here's hoping I can get it done.
Brenda's Stars - tutorial
I finished and washed my latest quilt, Brenda's Stars. It is heavily quilted in the linen look background and the star centers. The sashing and star points are not quilted.
Here's the full view.
50 by 62 inches. It shrank a bit in the quilting and washing.The fabrics are from Pink Castle Fabrics. It was fun to browse through Brenda's great selection and put these fabrics together.
Here are some basic directions for the quilt as I made it.Cut from the fabrics:large floral - 20 6 1/8 inch squaresfat quarter spots - 50 5 1/4 inch squares30 1 1/2 inch squaresquilter's linen - 80 4 1/2 inch squares20 5 1/4 inch squaresCut all of the 5 1/4 inch squares on the diagonals as shown to make quarter square triangles.
Lay out the blocks as shown.
You will be piecing the block into diagonal chunks. Sew the first groups together as shown. Be careful not to stretch the pieces as you sew and press.
Continue sewing the pieces together into sections as shown.
Sew the last two seams to make the block.
Measure the size of your completed block (mine measured 12 1/2 inches). Cut 49 1 1/2 inch wide rectangles the length of your completed block (12 1/2 inches).Lay the quilt out the way you want it to be sewn together.
Sew the top together, sandwich with the batting, and quilt as desired.
More Tealorange
I have gotten the last blocks from my bee members!
These beauties are from LauraJ.
she even sent me FOUR extras!
I LOVE that they are all different. Some are very pointy and some are more fat and squarish. Have I mentioned how excited I am about this quilt???
Tealorange
I had more fun mail this week! In addition to a box from Godiva Chocolates on my porch I got a package from Sarah containing these blocks.
Aren't they great?
I am eager to get working on these orange and teal stars. I am still awaiting a few more blocks but I hear they are in the mail! Wooo Hoo.We have pies in the oven and a turkey in the fridge. Have a great day tomorrow.
Wordless Wednesday
