Never a Dull Moment

 Never a dull moment around here. I thought that as soon as we got moved in and settled, I would have lots of time to sew and catch up on sew alongs etc. Not happening. So much to do.

Since I have gotten back into embroidery, I decided to rearrange my floss into color families. In an effort to be able to still find them by number, should I need to, each color family is in numerical order as well.

I was finally able to finish the blocks for January for the Pas de deux quilt along with Rachel at Stitch in Color.

Tried a new recipe from the New York Times. Chicken pot pie with cornmeal biscuits on top. I can highly recommend it. Mad a half size and it was perfect for two.

Bought myself some tulips. I needed the spring happy colors in my apartment. These filled the bill.

I bought all four different kinds of cinnamon from Penzeys. I am teaching one of my grandsons to cook and bake and we are going to have a lesson on cinnamon. It should have some delicious results.

Still working on the perfect pineapple QAL with Gigi's Thimble. I actually have 4 blocks done, but I am going to be 3 weeks behind as of tomorrow. These take me almost 2 hours to finish one. I plan to keep chugging along though.

I am working on a new wedding quilt for a recently married couple. All batiks, which I almost never do. I think this will be stunning when I get done. Mor pictures to come.

My two oldest daughters have discovered the joy of antiquing. They bought me this early mother's day gift to help to display some of my many quilts.

I did finally get February's blocks done for the Pas de deux. I am waiting for some fabric for March's blocks. In spite of all the fabric I seem to have, a couple of colorways are lacking.

I put my crocheted blankets in the bottom of this cabinet that I used to use for linens. This apartment has linen closets in each bathroom, so yay! Blanket storage it is.

Still chugging along on my Schoolhouse Sampler. I haven't done much in the last week. I had a cold; the first time I have been sick in over 2 years and I just had no desire or energy to sew anything. I did take a Covid test just to be sure. My husband had the cold the week before me, so I know where it came from.

I started this little project about 6-7 years ago when I first learned to make colonial knots instead of French knots. I didn't think I would ever finish it, but something sparked me and I worked diligently on it to finish it. I must say that it did not end up as I first pictured it, but I am very happy with it. A good long rest in time out was what it needed.

And finally, it seems we have a rooster living near our apartment complex. I don't know where he comes from, but some mornings he is just there and the other day I got to hear him too. Don't forget tomorrrow is Pi Day. I am off to make my pie dough now! See you soon.

Pushing Myself, Creatively Speaking

How do you push yourself to continue being creative? I love sewing, it's a really big part of who I am. But sometimes I feel like I am just churning things out and not being terribly creative. Or it begins to feel same ol' same ol' to me. So I started thinking about this yesterday. And in the last year or so, there are a couple of things I started doing to keep things fresh and new for myself.

Now, I have never been a big joiner when it comes to quilting. No quilt guilds, and only a few classes back in the early days. I love working on projects, but I hate packing everything up to go work on projects. I am a bit of a solitary maker. And then I love to show it off when it's done. I stayed away from many techniques that seemed too hard. And then I realized that that is what was holding me back and making me stale. I had to get over it and do something.

One of the first things I did was to make this set of tiny blocks to work on my precision piecing. These all finished at 2 inches square. I found that while they weren't tooeasy, they weren't too hard. Slow it down and do it right.

The next thing I did was to take the Penny Sampler quilt class on line from Rachel. I love her classes for their content, but I was also able to work on this at a pace that worked for me. The other thing about it was that there were some techniques in this class that I needed to learn and master. Like paper piecing. I came away knowing how to paper piece. It's still not my favorite technique, but when it's called for, I can do it. Also, this was a 12 month class. I have NEVER taken that long and slow to make a quilt and I found I really liked that slower pace, with time for other projects as well.

The next thing I did was to make this quilt for my niece. I used only fabric from my stash, except the background fabric. I have never done that, and only blues, which is also the first time I have made a quilt using only two colors. It wasn't that it was hard, just different and helped me to stretch myself a bit creatively.

I am currently working on an English paper piecing and applique piece, also hosted by Rachel of Stitched in Color and Jodi at Tales of Cloth. I never had any interest in EPP when it was all the rage a few years back, but now I cannot seem to get enough of the slow hand stitched pace of the hexies.

And now I have joined in on the 100 blocks in 100 days 2018 on Instagram. I bought the book for inspiration, the year it came out and then it sat on the shelf. This 100 day project is really pushing me creatively. I am doing every 10 blocks in one color, like a rainbow of sorts. I added pink, teal, dark pink and split the violet into red violet and blue violet to have enough for ten sets. It is all coming from my stash and scraps and choosing the colors is tough, but oh, so satisfying. I do a happy dance for each one I pull.

So that's what I am doing to keep moving forward as a sewist, quilter and maker. Tell me, what to you do to keep it fresh for yourself?
Talk to you soon.

Kingfisher Stitch Along

I have never (until now) had a desire to EPP hexagons. I have seen it done many times on blogs over the 8 years I have been on the internet doing this blogging thing, but never once did I want to do it. Until now. Rachel from Stitched in Color has a way of making me want to be a part of these projects.  She and Jodi from Tales of Cloth are hosting this thing. I don't know why. Maybe it's because she makes it look so doable or so much fun. I'm not sure. But I have been convinced once again to join up. So here is my start at this thing.

I decided to use my Ombre Confetti Metallic for the hexies. I love the look of these.

                 So I made a bunch of them...

And then I made some more. I am not quite finished with making them, but I decided to stop and start assembling some into flowers.

The other thing I am doing is to audition some low volume fabrics for the diamonds that the hexie flowers will be appliqued to. These are a few of my ideas.

 This is my very first flower all assembled. I am trying to get the ombre color gradient to work here.

And these are my first four flowers on one of my background pieces of fabric. The centers of the flowers will all be done in the yellow ombre confetti metallic or in some yellow ombre I had on hand. There are 46 flowers to be made. So far I am really enjoying all this hand stitching. There's still time to join us if you have a mind to. Talk to you soon.

Big Bed Quilt Done!

I finished binding my big bed quilt this week and even got the label on it. I was so happy to have it done, I didn't even wash it before putting on the bed. I am happy it's done, but also, I love it. I have to give great thanks to Rachel at Stitched in Color for the push to finish this quilt.

Last summer I won some fat quarts of Improv by Amy Friend. When I received them, they were even prettier than their pictures. So I ordered some more that I didn't have and I added to it from my stash to make this big bed quilt. I pieced it in October and then folded it up and let it sit.

 I love all the colors and the way they look together. The pattern is Cobblestones, I think a free pattern from Fat Quarter Shop. I didn't know what to do next.

 And then Rachel spurred me to action with the Big Bed QAL in February. I had the top, but I needed the back and wasn't sure how to do that. One of her sponsors, Pineapple Quilts, sells some of the most beautiful wide backing fabrics. Once I knew that, I had a plan.

 I was thinking of quilting it in continuous eights, and Rachel confirmed that for me with her suggestion and a few tips on the width I could use for them. I quilted this over about a week and a half, using 2-3 rows as my limit for a session. It was big and heavy, and I didn't want to get worn out or discouraged. That worked rather well.

 I used leftover backing fabric to make the binding and I love the border it provides. The top thread was a Superior Threads variegated thread which I loved on the spool, but wasn't sure about on the quilt top until I saw a big chunk of it and then I knew it was right. It adds so much interest to the quilt.

I hope the next time I need a new big bed quilt I can afford to have it long arm quilted. I know just the person to quilt it for me. Happy weekend everyone. Linking up to Crazy Mom Quilts.

I'm Back and I Only Sewed Two Days This Week

Back from my visit to North Carolina. I had a great time with two of my daughters and their husbands and oh, those grandchildren. I can't believe how much they have all grown since I saw them last August. I go home Tuesday night and I was pooped. I only did a bit of sewing on Wednesday and a wee bit on Thursday. The weather here was so pretty I have found several tasks to keep me busy and out of the sewing room.

 I finished assembling this quilt top for the Hands 2 Help campaign that Sarah is hosting on Confessions of a Fabric Addict. This one is either good for a boy or girl.

 Then I cut the neutral squares for this more girly one. I need to get it stitched up this week so I can get backing done and get them finished up. Technically I have until the end of May, but I hate to wait until the last minute. Now that I am more rested, I should be able to get them moving forward this next week

 I also made the binding for the Big Bed QAL that Rachel at Stitched In Color is hosting. I used edges of the wide backing that were leftover after it was quilted.

 Looks a little washed out in this picture, but I got it pinned and stitched on to the quilt.

And now that that is done, I have an evening hand stitch project to work on stitching down the other side. After that, label and wash and dry and on to the bed!! Can't wait to see it all finished up. I will talk to you soon.

Big Bed Quilt Check In

So I am checking in on the last day of February to share my big bed quilt progress with you. Here is what we have so far:

 Last fall I started to piece my queen size quilt. I had fabric I loved and found a pattern that would really show it off.

I figured out a layout that would work for all the prints in this quilt and photographed it so I could refer back to it as I went, and I drew a map of the placement as well.

And I ended up with this lovely quilt top. At which point I hit a wall and folded it up and put it away. I knew I would eventually return to it, but when?

And then Rachel rescued it. She proposed a Big Bed Quilt Along. So I decided to join her and get this thing done. Since I had the top finished, I needed a back and I really didn't want to piece it, but all the wide backing I had seen was awful.

Rachel to the rescue again. She has a sponsor called Pineapple Quilts that has LOTS of 108 inch backing fabrics and they are great! So I found one I loved that would go well with this top and ordered a 3 yard chunk.

My goal for February was to get the backing and get this beast pin basted and ready to quilt. I finally did that last week and a wee bit ahead of schedule, I found a thread  and began quilting.

    This green cross weave is the backing I selected and it is perfect for this quilt.

 Here is the top all pinned and ready to go. It took about 3 hours to pin the whole thing and there was furniture moving to accommodate it on the living room floor.

And now here are the first bits of quilting. I chose a variegated thread to quilt with, just for fun. I emailed Rachel to ask advice on the quilting motif and we agreed on this one. It took me most of a day to do the first two rows from top to bottom. I broke a needle and I can't believe how much thread it took for just these two passes.

So if I only do two rows each day I work on it, I have ten days of quilting left. Yeesh that sounds awful, but I am hoping it gets better.  It is very heavy as well and my shoulders can only take so much. So, wish me luck. I know I can get it done.

Talk to you soon.

A Three Year Finish

I know we all have them. Those quilts we start, we love and then they get lost along the way. Back in the winter of 2015, while I was at home going through chemotherapy, Rachel, from Stitched In Color had a Clambake quilt along. I had always wanted to make one, but it seemed too difficult to me. Rachel's method was a quilt as you go method. That I could do, I thought. This was before the fatigue got really bad, so I started the process.

I cut out all the clam shells I would need. It was to be a neutral row and then a colorful row. I went completely scrappy. I did get all the clam shells traced and cut. I think it took about a week. Then I chose my backing and started sewing. I think I got 3 rows done out of 34 rows needed. I tried to keep going, but I just didn't want to do it. I didn't want to do anything.

Fast forward to 2018. I decided to make this the year that quilt got finished. I pressed the edges with starch and then pinned each row and sewed them on. It took 3-4 weeks but now I am proud to say it's done.

 I was able to use so many fun and favorite pieces of fabric. I used some 5 inch charm squares.

 Here is the whole thing. It is a nice lap size quilt. I made the binding from the leftover pieces of the backing that I trimmed off when it was done.

 And this is the back. I don't remember the name of this fabric, but I love the shade of blue.

Not the most perfect stitching lines, but who cares, it's just for me. This makes me feel so happy to see it done. It reminds me that I came through to the other side.

Now my next project to quilt is a queen size bed quilt. I am trying to decide how I want to quilt it, so I hung it on the design wall to look at for awhile. I bought an extra wide backing fabric from Pineapple quilts. They have the biggest selection of wide backing fabrics I have seen yet. It arrived today, so now I can pin baste it as soon as I decide how to quilt it.

This is the top, on my bed. It is the free Cobblestone pattern I got from Fat Quarter Shop. So, linear quilting or curves? I think not too dense, to keep it soft and because I want to get it done this year. I am willing to entertain any ideas you have.
Talk to you soon.

Back at It

Well, our guest has gone and the sewing room is once again, the sewing room. I did manage to make quite a bit of progress on the Penny Sampler Quilt though. I will show it to you soon. I would say I am 3/4 finished with the quilting on it.

Today, however, I worked on piecing the backing for N's quilt. First thing I did was to pull a bunch of fabrics, in various sizes. I laid the quilt top on the floor and arranged the fabrics on top, like a puzzle.

These are the fabrics I used. I took them outside to photograph for you so you could see the true colors. I had the three patterned fabrics and these 4 shades of purple.

 This is the fabrics, just lying on the floor before I sewed them together. I wanted a sense of whether they would be enough for the back and how to fit them together.

 And this is them, all sewn together and ready to quilt. I am thinking I will get the batting out and pin baste next week, but I am so happy to have this step done. I even know how I am going to quilt it.

 This next quilt is a WIP that I started back in 2015. When I was at home, during the time I was doing my cancer treatment, Rachel at Stitched In Color was doing this sew along. It is a quilt as you go project, which I had always wanted to try. I also have long wanted a clam shell quilt. I got all the clam shells cut out, and I even sewed a few rows. But as I felt less well, I sewed less and less until I didn't sew at all. For months.  I picked it back up and did a few rows, once I began sewing again, but still no finish.

If you look closely at the two pictures above, you can see how difficult it was for me to get perfectly rounded edges. But the point of this was to learn the technique, and I hope I will improve. This quilt is not quite half finished.

 Here are all my neutral colored clam shells. I did have to press them a bit after all this time.

 And here are my colored clam shells. I cut some form yardage, but most all of them were either from scraps or 5 inch charm squares. There are not too many duplicates in here.

I found these two in the bag. They are starched and pressed and ready to sew on. And that's part of what is taking so long. I have to starch the edges and press under a quarter inch using a cardboard form. Then you pin on a row, and sew. Then you do it again, and again and again. I am determined though, that this will be the year I finish this quilt. Three years is long enough. I hope to be able to show you some real progress soon. I have already sewn on another row this afternoon. Talk to you soon.