Swoonin Again

Many years ago, when the pattern for the Swoon quilt was released, I jumped in with everyone else and made a swoon quilt. (Pattern by Camille of Thimble Blossoms) A couple of years ago, I bought the Swoon 16 pattern for 16 smaller blocks, and made one for a friend in need. My sister has long loved this quilt pattern and wanted one, so I finally caved and said I would make one for her. The only condition I put on it was that we would have to find a quilter to quilt it. She wanted 16 full size (24") blocks so it would drape all the way down on her bed. It is about 104 inches square.

 She agreed and we set about the project. I had her go on line to find the fabric she wanted. I told her the best way was to choose a fat quarter bundle. That way it would already be fully coordinated. She knows how to choose colors she likes, but having to choose that many fabrics is daunting. This way, there would be enough fabrics for 2 per block, times 16. She knew she wanted a creamy color for the background. That was easy. We used my Kona color card once the fat quarter bundle arrived, and chose the perfect cream color.

Now, if you have never made one of these quilts, there are 81 pieces in each block. It very definitely is a precision piece of work. I would cut the fabrics for 2 blocks on one day. The following two days, I would sew a block each day. I did have to use the seam ripper a couple of times, but over all, it worked out fine. I have my copy of the pattern stapled together so I can just flip the pages as I work through the steps.

This is the finished quilt top. This is a queen size bed. The 24 inch blocks are centered on the bed. You get a sense of just how big this thing is.

The fabric she chose is Mill Creek Garden by Jan Patek. It a a beautiful collection of purples, greens, brown and cream. I had her pair up the fat quarters the way she wanted me to sew them. This way, the designing of the quilt could be hers. It worked beautifully.

It took me several weeks to get all the blocks made. I didn't want to rush it, and it was hard some days to stay on track. I truly think this will be the last quilt of this size I will ever make. I am just getting too old to struggle with that much fabric. It is tough. But I am glad I did this and can't wait to see it quilted.

I sent her to the local quilt shop to get recommendations for long arm quilters. I have found that that is the best way to locate one. They gave her 6 business cards and she sent out emails to 4 of them. She has chosen one and we will go meet with her tomorrow at the quilt shop. I have explained about batting and backing, and this quilter can provide both, which makes my job easier too. The only thing I will still have to do is to bind the quilt when it comes back from the quilter. I am hoping that when it is fully finished, I can get a full photo of the quilt to share here with y'all. Until then, have a lovely day.

Eight Projects? What?

 I was sitting in my sewing room the other day, and for some reason, I counted the projects I am working on. This does not include crochet or hand work. I have EIGHT quilting projects going on right now. Eight. How did this happen to someone whose sewing mojo was on hiatus? So let's just see what's going on in there.

This is the beginning of a baby quilt. I don't want to show too much of it yet, since the recipient doesn't know about it and I want to keep it that way for awhile.

This is the beginning of another Swoon quilt. I told my sister about a year or so ago, that I would make her one of these. So now I am starting on it. Instead of nine blocks, I am making 16 blocks, in the large size. The original calls for 9 blocks. These blocks finish at about 24 inches and she wants a drape down the sides of her bed, which is a queen. This block has 81 pieces in it, and once I have a block cut and ready to sew, it takes me about 2 1/2 hours to put it together, and press all the seams. So this will be a slow and steady job.

My tiny house quilt top is done and waiting to be basted and quilted. For now, it's on a hanger on the door of the room. I am thinking of stitching in the ditch around the houses for this. I don't want to detract from the houses on this.

The first two rows of my Project Pink quilt are together. I have to remove the paper pieces from each block before sewing them together. So for each session with this quilt, I remove paper and sew one row together, and then sew it to the others.

This is my second Project Pink quilt. I have long wanted to do this quilt. I am using up many of my pink scraps for this one. I had tons of 2.5 inch squares cut and in the scrap bin. I have since had to cut some more from bigger scraps and this is about half of the size of the quilt, so a ways to go yet.

After I finished the pink strip blocks, I decided to do some blue and green ones. I am really trying to use up some of the many scraps I have. These will go into a quilt together. I have way more blue strips than green, so that's the way this quilt will eventually go. I make a block almost every day. This is another slow, steady project. I have found that I like that type of project. No pressure.

My Penny Sampler is near to being done. The quilting is done (picture of that coming soon) and I just got the fabric for the binding. I need to make and attach the binding and label. So, very soon it will be done.

And last, but not least, my Geesey Geesey quilt. The top is done, the backing is ready and the batting has been cut from the roll. I need to pin baste this and I am thinking maybe this weekend I will do that so that it is ready to quilt when the mood strikes me.

A Swoon Worthy Finish

I have finished another quilt. This was one of those quilts that needed making for someone in need. As I have often done when a friend or co-worker has had a great need due to life's circumstances, I decided to dive in and make my friend a quilt. This friend is also my daughter's friend and so my daughter told me what colors would be best for this quilt. So we started with that.

We chose brown and blue. Once I got home from NC, I searched my stash for as much brown and blue as I had. I also had decided on the way home that I wanted to make a Swoon quilt. I had made one years ago, but I wanted to make one with 16 blocks in a smaller block size. Camille has a pattern for Swoon 16, so I went to her shop and bought that.

 Then, once I had the pattern and knew the amounts of fabric, my husband and I headed to our local quilt shop to find more fabrics to supplement my stash.

My husband is very good with selecting fabrics and finding the colors I needed. And as a bonus, he helps me carry all the bolts to the cutting station.

 I spent about four or five days cutting all the pieces for the blocks. I only assembled the first one before I cut all the rest. I stuck it up on my design wall for inspiration.

I wasn't very far into things when the quilting motif presented itself to me. Swirls...lots of swirls.

 Once the blocks were done, we decided that the sashing needed to be blue and I ordered it on line. A Moda marbles shade of blue. After the main quilting was done, I decided to quilt the border in infinity swirls. That is what I call these.

 And when I was almost to the first corner, I had to find a way to turn the corner, so I did this double circle. I like the way it turned out.

I found this extra wide backing at Pineapple Quilts. They sell lots of interesting wide backing fabrics. You can buy by the yard, or you can buy a 3 yard cut for one price. At the time I bought this, I believe they were having a sale on the 3 yard cuts. It is so different that I just knew it was the one.

 Back to the quilt store we went to get a brown for the binding. Once the quilt was all quilted, I knew brown was the choice and I didn't have enough of it left. Gosh, I loved making this quilt.

I used one of my new labels from Dutch label shop and sent this baby out priority mail. It got there super fast and made my heart sing when I knew it had been received. For me that is the best part of the quilt process. It is a hug from across the country. Having been on the receiving end of this just 3 short years ago, I know how it feels. It feels great.
Have a lovely Wednesday my friends.

Swooning Over Pillows

What do you do when you have two square European pillows from a guest bed you no longer have? You make Swoon blocks as covers to make big floor pillows. My sister had these when we moved in and since our room is no longer the guest room, she asked if we could cover them for floor pillows for the living room. It was a great idea as they are the perfect size. She chose the fabric from my stash and we added some Kona solids for the edges and the back, which is just an envelope closure.

 I love the Swoon pattern. I love it even more when I can make and quilt one block. These pillows are the perfect use for this block if you have never made one.

 I quilted each of them the same, with the lines crossing in the very center to add some interest to the otherwise rather large, plain area.

 Then I quilted around the other parts of the outside star. This was to add definition and to anchor the batting to the inside. I always quilt a pillow top. Not so the back of a pillow.

              They even look good outside on the patio.

And now they are ready for use on the living room floor. Have a great weekend. Link up with Amanda Jean at Crazy Mom Quilts.

A Birthday Gift

Even though the sewing is slow going here, when it came to my best friend's birthday, I just felt that this year, I wanted to make something for her. She lives half way across the country and I haven't actually seen her in 15 years. Travel is expensive and so we keep in touch on line and on the phone. And it's just like we were together yesterday, each time we talk. She has been such a great support for me these last few months and I really wanted to make something small, that showed how much I appreciated her friendship.

 So, since her birthday's in April and I had these lovely bright spring colors in my stash, I decided a single Swoon block that she could either hang up or use as a table topper, would be wonderful.

 The solids are Kona, but I am not sure what the print is. I won it last year some time in a fat quarter bundle. But I just love it. The quilting is one, big mum, starting in the center.

 The corners I decided to quilt a leaf in each one. I love the way it turned out. I think it finishes the corners so nicely.

The back is a small chunk of Sweetwater's wishes line I also had in my stash. Just the perfect size.

So, Happy Birthday to my friend. I hope you love it and have many more birthdays ahead.

A Promise Made, A Promise Kept

When I was working on my Swoon quilt, I kept all those little HSTs as I am sure most of us did. I promised myself I would go back later and make something out of them. How hard could that be? They were all cut after all, just needed sewing together. HA!

So, they sat...for awhile. Then I sewed a few together.  Then they sat...for months. Then I sewed a few together. Then they sat...Ok, enough sitting. I pulled them out this morning and finished sewing and pressing.  Then, I started playing on the design wall...

Chain piecing is the fastest way to go, but there were a lot of these little guys.

Here they are, all pressed and stacked.  There are 140 of them. I think I may have lost a couple. A couple of the stacks have odd numbers.

 So, what do you think? This arrangement?

 Or this one...

 Some pinwheels maybe?

 How about this...wait, I see a problem here.

There, that's better.  What about this one?  So this is my latest dilemma with these. Leave me a comment and let me know what you think. I would love to finish this. I will let you know when I do.
Have a great week!

A Tale That Will Make You Swoon

Let's go back in time, shall we?  About a year ago, Katy, at I'm a Ginger Monkey was hosting a Swoon Along for all interested quilters to make Camille's Swoon quilt pattern.  I loved it and bought the pattern and made my first block.  Challenging, but not too tough.  Okay, I can do this.

I did some quick calculating and decided that if I only did one block a week, in nine weeks they would be done.  Yeah...that so didn't happen.  I don't know how long it took, but I did finally get it all put together.  Then, I had to stop for Christmas sewing.  Yes, that's right 11 months later.

January I bought batting and pin basted.  I had decided to quilt it myself.  What was I thinking???  I was thinking I couldn't afford to send it out, even if it was 91 inches square.  So this is what I did to set up:

 I got a pair of gloves.  These came from the Traveling Stash box.  I have never used gloves before, but you can bet I am a fan of them now.  And yes, this poor little Bernina is what I quilted on.

 It slides on my desk, so I put pieces of foam cabinet liner under the four feet.  Worked like a charm.

 I had to duct tape the extended top in place.  It's the one thing that isn't made very well on the Bernina.  The plastic "clips" that held it in place broke off a long time back.  If you are doing any free motion quilting, it moves and falls off.  Bad news!

And I put on my knee pedal to lift the presser foot so my hands would be free to wrestle the quilt.  There is the roll of duct tape down there.

So I began...I cursed...out loud...a lot.  This was harder than hard.  I had to make myself go in there and work on it to keep moving forward.  I think it took me 3 1/2 weeks.  Finally, Sunday last, it was done.

 Here is the binding, all pressed and ready to sew...I had no fabric for the binding, so I went on Etsy and found the checked red from the Reunion line which I thought was just perfect.

 This is how I wind it to attach it.  I put it on an empty spool and let it feed off of that.  I don't use pins. Gasp!!

 And here it is in all its Swooning glory.  Quilted, bound, washed and crinkled.  It is so soft and nice.

 Here is the back. I decided to use big blocks of the rest of the fabric line and I am so glad I did.  I love the way it looks.

                            See how nice the red checks are as a binding?

 This is my last label from the first set I bought over a year ago.  I just ordered some more and I changed it just a wee bit to a script font.

 If you look where the grey and the green meet you can see some of my quilting stitches that are not very in the ditch.  That happened a lot when I was trying to subdue the quilt to pass it under the needle.

I quilted around each star and a bit of straight line quilting coming from the corners.  Very minimal, but about all I could manage.  Will I ever do this again?  Nope, nada,  nunca, huh uh!!!  But I do love my Swoon Quilt!  Thanks for reading this far.
Talk to you again soon.