Wednesday, June 28, 2017

Phase II of Hearts and Hands has begun.....

The first part of Phase II in making Hearts and Hands has begun.  All the circular blocks are made (Phase I) and now I am working on the background.  This is very boring.  I am cutting up yardage of bronze Cherry Wood fabrics and sewing them back together.


It seems so pointless, but the grid work that is taking place will help with the placement of the circular blocks.


All the yardage is cut to the specific requirements and sewn together in their specific segments.


The longer pieces are the borders and the square and rectangular pieces (which are many) are "pieced" together to form the grids.

This section of the pattern shows you just what and why I am doing what I am doing.


To keep it all organized, I have been clipping all my cut pieces to the design wall with my large Wonder Clips. (thank you Sharon for those)  Now, I don't know if that little hole that is on the one side of the clip is for enabling me to pin to my design wall is there for that reason, but if not, everyone should know about it because it works great!


Ok...no excuses.....I am ready to start appliqueing my circles to the background.....117 of them.  

Stay tuned.





Friday, June 23, 2017

I am so easily distracted.

The Hearts and Hands is sitting over there, but I got distracted when I saw a couple people from a private quilt group that I follow on Facebook working on their disappearing four patches.  

I am still in this mode of destashing, so when I saw these two quilts online, I remembered I had this stack of sports themed fabric that was planned for this very pattern.  Now mind you, I have had these fabrics for ....OMG....I hate to admit it, but probably for 13 years when my friend, Sandy, gifted them to me when I had my first grandson.  


I started cutting out with the intent of making a lap quilt (7 x 7 blocks) which should end up being pretty close to 56" square.  

All the sports fabrics were used up pretty quickly, so I had to run out and get a couple more plus I used a little bit of the golf fabric I have for the backing.  So, all my 49 blocks are cut out and in four-patches here.  They are to the point of making them disappear (haha).


One of the first blocks was mis-cut and that is why one of my blocks has two different sports fabrics in it, but this is a pretty busy quilt, so I am sure not many are going to notice the one oddball block.

Here are most of  the blocks as I am auditioning how I want to lay them out.



Here's the adorable backing which I picked way back when because my son-in-law was a golf superintendent (now he is a commissioner).


The quilting design I decided for this quilt is "fantasy flames".  


I think that is pretty boyish, plus "Fantasy Flames" sounds like a sports team!

The quilt is quilted on my Millie.


....and here are a couple of close ups of the stitching.




Had to dig into the stash to find something I could use for the binding and came up with a piece of orange that I thought would work well.  

So, here is the completed quilt.   It's all stash....a good 7 1/2 yards out of the closet and into a quilt.  What a good feeling.  








Saturday, June 17, 2017

Disappearing Hourglass

This quilt came about when I was going through my stash (trying to destash, actually) and I came across a layer cake.  I did some research on-line looking for something to make with a layer cake.

I have discussed the whole process of making the disappearing hourglass here.

A couple fabrics were added to get enough blocks to get my 6 x 7 blocks and then I ordered another April Cornell fabric for the main border.

I added a small white border to finish off the outside of the blocks.


Then the deep periwinkle fabric was used for the outer border and one of the blocks, too. 


The top is complete.


A green dot fabric was purchased for the backing.


I put it on the longarm and I used another new-to-me panto called Venice.


It looks great on the fabric, too.  




Binding is the same as the final border.

The quilt is complete, binding and all.


Another finish.....yeah!!!

Friday, June 9, 2017

A new quilter is born.....

Not only in talent, but in heart, too. 

My friends granddaughter has been crafting with her for years and doing some sewing, too.  This year she has been periodically making quilt blocks and yesterday she decided she wanted to put them all together.  


Her reasoning for finally putting them together is that Kaitlyn's friend's dad passed away and Kaitlyn wanted to give this quilt to her.  Now....isn't that the way of all quilters?

Anyways, I got this quilt this morning with  a "rush" on it.  Her grandma decided on the "daisies galore" panto.  So, I got right to it.  



As usual, Nancy (my friend) has the best taste in backings.


How perfect is this backing for this quilt?

All fabrics were chosen from Kaitlyn's grandma's stash (she has a great stash!) and I think she did a wonderful job on her blocks.  I love the modern look of this quilt. 

I think her friend is going to be very touched by this wonderful gift.  




Tuesday, June 6, 2017

100 percent STASH

All five charity baby quilts are complete.


100% from the stash.

Four from a layer cake.

One from leftovers from a previous quilt.

Additional fabrics for the tops from the stash.

Backings from the stash.

Batting from my long arming stash.

I quilted four of them with "Angel Wings" and one with "Venice" (pantos)

Bindings ......three made from stash fabric......



one made from the left overs from the backing......


  one was a binding that got misplaced from a baby quilt made years ago and then was found AFTER that quilt was finished. 



 It's  a little brighter dot fabric than a couple of the backings, but I think it works and there was plenty for the binding with just about  6" left over, so it was meant to be.  

What a great feeling to work from the stash.

Better yet.....charity quilts to be donated to a local hospital.

While all this hand stitching of bindings was going on today, I was washing and re-washing the Cherrywood fabric (hand dyed) that will be the background for the Hearts and Hands.  Three times through the washer with an extra fourth rinse just for good measure.  The 13 yards just needs to be pressed and then I am ready to start cutting and getting Hearts and Hands going again (Phase II).

Stay tuned!




Saturday, June 3, 2017

Bits and pieces.....

Just a quick catch up on what's been happening here.  

I just took three of the five charity baby quilts off the Millie.  I had a four yard piece of fabric that I found in the stash and to utilize it the best, I loaded one quilt after another as I was quilting.  


There are three bindings ready and waiting, so these will be done soon. 

Hopefully, I will get to the last two charity quilts tomorrow.

Then yesterday, I took a day-long class with Lenore Crawford and came home with this. 


There is still some stitching and painting that needs to take place on this project before it is finished, but I am really pleased with it so far.  

There are 13 yards of Cherrywood fabric that need to be washed with Synthropal, so that will be taking place in the next day or two and then I will be back at the Hearts and Hands project.

I am trying not to get involved in too many projects at the same time right now.  It feels much better when you can get something done and off the list of things to do, so that is the way I am trying to work right now.

Michigan quilters, take note

  Come see us at our first Quilter's to Quilter's sale.   Don't know what that is?  Well, it will be 28 quilters/vendors selling...