working on the wedding quilt...

Had to do a lot of cutting of strips.

Cut them to size

Make some small segments.

Sew them together to make the block segments.

Then sew some sections together to make some more blocks.

So progress has been made; and it's starting to reveal just what it is going to look like.  I  do look at that piles of strips and wonder if I have enough to make two of these quilts!  Makes it a little hard when you aren't going by a "quilt" pattern and only  a "block" pattern.  So, we will see. 

It would be so much easier to make this quilt in only three fabrics.  This working scrappy is making it a much more tedious process, but well worth it. 

Also, thought you might be interested to know that I contacted the company regarding my "moldy" applique glue.

Her first remark to me was "horrors!".  She had never heard of that, but the good thing is that she is sending me a new bottle.  I am going to date that bottle; and while I am using it for my Cherry Trees blocks, I will see if or when  and how long it takes it to do that again.  Thanks to those who suggested I contact them. 

Ok...back to working on the quilt. 



Trash equals progress....

This is what I was looking at earlier today and to me it represents that I have been in my sewing room and actually sewing because there are scraps, snippets, threads, bent pins, dull  needles, etc. in my trash containers.  Not a pretty site, but definitely means I am making some headway on some of my projects.



First project is this one....

The baby quilt is done!  Yeah!  ...and with lots of time to spare.  I finished quilting it yesterday and even put the binding on and had it hand stitched down before heading off to bed last night. 

Today, I put it in the washer and dryer to give it that comfy, cozy look that I love.

I did a cross hatch on this one even though I had some lovely suggestions on how to machine quilt this myself on my regular machine.  Since I was on a time crunch, I was afraid of ruining it at the last minute and not having time to rip it all out and start over.  Anyways...it is done and there is always next time to experiment.

I finished this book this morning.  I am trying to read all of the Chiaverini books in order and felt that this one "story-wise" was  a little out of order, but still a very good read.  I wish I had been able to read this during the holidays because the storyline would have been so appropriate.

Next....

I plan on reading this one.  Thanks to my friend Sandy over at http://sewthisismyblog.blogspot.com/who has sent me all of her Elm Creek Quilts books, I don't have to wait to run to the store to pick up the next one.  Hmmm...I only have about 8 more to read and then I will be caught up. Jennifer's next book comes out in February.  Don't think I will make it though.

Now to get busy!!!

The wedding quilt is my next BIG project.  I made some segments this afternoon and put them  together to make some of the sections.  This is a Triple Irish Chain.  Each single block is made up of four sections.  I was throwing together some of the easier sections.  In fact, the one on the far left is probably a layer of 8 or more blocks.  It's the other section that is time consuming.  I only made one of those this afternoon. But, I have to say it is taking shape rather quickly now.  Wedding is in June.  I am hoping to have the top done by March or maybe April.....but those blocks are big and may make up quicker than I anticipate.

Now...explain  this one to me.  I was working at my sewing machine and was looking at my favorite applique glue sitting off to the side.  "Glue Something"

But look at this!  Have you ever seen anything like it before?

I am thinking it is moldy!  Heck, I have Elmer's glue that I have had for years and it has never turned "moldy".  This stuff isn't cheap, but I am thinking I may just have to throw it out before basting my next Beyond the Cherry Trees block.   I would love to hear what you have to say about this.  I still love using this though. 

Well, need to kick back and work some more on the wedding guest list. 

Happy quilting everyone!

Quilty Chicks....

That's Nancy, Sharon and me....the Quilty Chicks.  We met last Friday for a chatting, eating and show and tell afternoon.

Sharon's show and tell involved these lovelies.

These were just a few of her holly blocks. Since last Friday, she has made many more.

Also, she was knitting this gorgeous cowl for her daughter.  Got me thinking of knitting a cowl for my daughter...or maybe for me.

Nancy had plenty to show.

These were some of the hot pads she had made for Christmas gifts.

There were just a handful of her flannel blocks that she is making a large quilt out of.  It is going to be very pretty and cozy. 

Nancy made this lovely quilt out of her Aunt Gracie fabrics. 

Nancy was, also, caught up in making the hexagons that Sharon had gotten us for Christmas.   Only thing is that Nancy is starting to put some of hers together. Me...I just keep making hexagons (100 already).

I did get all the rows put together for the hst baby quilt.

Picked up some fabric for the backing and binding for this quilt. 

I now have the binding made and the quilt is layered and pinned.  Here it is in the pinned stage. 

I now have half of it quilted, but I will save that until another post. 

As for my Cherry Tree BOM....

This is where I stand on block #15.  I have printed up block #16, but what with work (and believe me there have been some hellish days lately);  my oldest dear daughter selling her house, buying a new house and planning on moving herself, her husband, three kids, a cat and a dog into MY house until they can fix up the new house; my trying to get prepared for my youngest dear daughter's wedding in June (I am working on the guest list as we speak and will be going out tomorrow to START looking for a dress for myself;  babysitting  ..or should I say dog sitting for my son this weekend......I just don't have the energy to pick up my applique right now.  I have been trying to get some reading in and finished up Sugar Camp Quilts and am halfway through The Christmas Quilt ...both by Elm Creek Quilts.   Oh well, I should be happy that I am finding the time to work on any quilt at this time. 

I am thankful for friends who have refreshed my spirit to get back to my sewing. 

Well, back to the wedding list and the baby quilt.  I will be posting my progress (or should I say a completed quilt) very soon.

Happy Quilting.  

Not enough hours in a day....or a weekend

When your time is limited due to work, family, home....etc...there just aren't enough hours to do all the things you want.

All the blocks for the baby quilt are stacked up in order... numbered by row with the top block being to the "left".   I need to get that stitched.

I got hooked on playing with these hexagons.  The Paper Pieces and the Luna Notte fabric were gifts for Christmas from Sharon http://totallyobsessedwithallthingscreative.blogspot.com/ and I just thought I would give them a try one evening and now I can't stop.  I have one whole charm packet cut and ready to go and there is another one waiting in the wings.

Then there is my new Nook Color that I have "Sugar Camp Quilts" loaded  on and I want to find the time to read this.  If you don't know, this book is one of the Elm Creek Quilts series.

Then there is the #15 block for the Beyond the Cherry Trees that I am obviously going to be behind on since the new one is due out tomorrow, but hey....there was Christmas, New Years, trying to work on a wedding quilt, etc. 

Here most of the freezer paper pieces have a fabric mate now.  I am going to trace around the patterns and trim them up a little and then it will be time to start stitching on this block. 

Like I said...there just aren't enough hours in a day or for me, there just isn't enough time on the weekend.

Hope you find time to take a few stitches. 



Layer, stitch, trim.....

I did some more of that today with those half square triangles (hst). 

Layered

Layered the print with the white, marked it with the pencil and stitched on both sides of each diagonal line and then cut.

Then did some trimming and making lots of confetti.

Laid out the blocks (all but one set of 8  that I was short and had to do to finish this).  Then....

laid out all the blocks to show what the quilt top will look like.

Think I will sew this together another day. There's a lot of pinning to do to get these rows done, so tomorrow will suffice.

Baby quilt is on it's way. 

I have been inspired by a quilt that Sharon worked on.  You can see it here.  http://grassrootsquilting.blogspot.com/  There is a baby shower that I have been invited to at the end of this month and I thought I would take some of my Aunt Gracie fabrics and some white and work up a bunch of half square triangles and see where it got me.  The first batch made is here. 

I have to make up another 80 or so blocks and I will have a baby quilt top.  There will be 3 "open" squares by 4 "open squares.  It will give me  36 x 48.  Then there will be borders if I so choose. 

I am using the Quilt in a Day half sqare triangle ruler and I just love using it as I have always hated making hst's, but with this ruler, they are a snap.  You get 8 at a time.  Love it! 

So, I hope to have a finished quilt in no time at all.  Of course, since I can't machine quilt like Sharon does, mine won't be as beautiful as hers.  ;)

Gotta go get busy.  My daughter's wedding quilt is waiting, so I need to get this one out of the way.

Happy Quilting!

Good start to the New Year.....

Now...if I can only keep up the momentum. I spent the good part of yesterday in my sewing room  and got quite a bit accomplished. 

First, I have given up on the Jack's chain block for my daughter's wedding quilt (in June).  I had to do too much fudging on the triangle blocks to make the block lie flat and just  thinking of doing a  queen sized quilt  with this block put me in a funk,

 so I have redirected my thoughts in this direction.  .....

This is the first block to a triple Irish chain.  I am still going with the pink, brown and dash of green scrappy on the cream background.  I am finding that scrappy isn't as easy as just whipping out a couple colors.  You have to make several segments ahead to get that really scrappy feel for each block, so that is my goal first ....make lots of segments.

Also, I pulled out three quilts that have been sitting for some time.  One of them needed a backing made up, so I did that.  Check that one off the list.  The first one was a round robin that I did with an online group that I get together with once a year in St. Louis, MO.  We worked on it for a year and then at our retreat we got our original top back.  I thought I would hand quilt that one.....but that's not going to happen.

The second quilt has been in the closet for a number of years.  It is a simple flannel quilt that I bought quite a few skeins of perle cotton for which I was going to hand quilt  in a  big stitch.  Obviously, that isn't going to happen either. 

The third quilt is the basket quilt that I did at Gwen Marston's Beaver Island retreat this summer.  That one I have intended on getting quilted.  They are all out of the closet and in the car. 

The next project that I worked on was for a birthday block exchange.  There are 19 of us from that same message board.  We are doing a variety of stars in the color choices of each participant. I wish I could post a picture of my first block...black and white; but I will have to wait until she gets her block on her birthday.

Then, there has been this quilt in my closet for quite some time.  It's my son's (who is 33) and it is his childhood quilt that was made by my mother.  It started falling apart awhile back and I thought rather than let it get worse, I took it away from him (it was one of his favorites to wrap up in while watching TV) before it got worse.   Here's what's happening with it.

It is machine appliqued with a satin stitch and then hand tied.

The problem is the seersucker fabric is rotting.

I thought I would try cutting away at the satin stitch, but that proved to be too difficult without damaging the background fabric.

So, I just cut away the bad fabric.

Made the hat and appliqued it down by hand using needle turn as satin stitching wasn't going to work without seeing the stitching on the backing.

I was so admiring my handiwork (the hat) when I realized that the scarf was falling apart, too.  (sigh)  Guess I will be fixing that next if I want this quilt out of my closet.  One more thing though....the edges of the quilt are showing a lot of wear, so I am going to have to find some fabric that will compliment the quilt and bind  the stupid thing  it.  I so want it gone....can you tell?

Now I am going to sit and trace my #15 block for Beyond the Cherry Trees.  I think once I get that start, it shouldn't take me long to get it done....probably right before block #16 comes out. 

I certainly hope your new year has started out with a bang.  Enjoy stitching.  Happy New Year to all of you again.