WIP Wednesday 3.31.2021

The LAST day of March, how can that be?  Time keeps marching on! <grin>

I continued working on my current FB QOV Working Stars Row quilt. I decided to off set the rows to add interest, hope I don't regret that choice. I also decided to go with the light/dark red as sashing and the inner border, I hope I don't regret that! The blue grey just seemed a little flat.

My outer border is navy with white stars. Yummy!

pattern credit:    top row: MSQC Ribbon Stars

                          second row: Wonky meets Floating stars

                          third row: Creative Grids Strippy Stars (aka Bev's Stars)

                          fourth row: Quilter's Cache Starflowers

                          fifth row: Floating Stars with constant legs

Linking up with Susan at MidWeek Makers

Design Wall Monday 3.29.2021

 On Saturday, my Wisconsin friends hosted a Zoom Sew-In. It was fun to see so many familiar faces and a few new ones!

I was able to finish piecing my Debby Brown Color Block March 'Monkey Wrench". I also sewed the back together Saturday and on Sunday quilted it before the NCAA Basketball game.  Here it is one the design wall from Saturday. All it needs now is it's binding...which is cut but not made, yet.

I modified the pattern a wee bit to make it longer. My Wisconsin friend, Iris, kept asking, 'Aren't you missing something? Are you sure it's done?' Turns out, I forgot to add the plain side borders... Another 'design opportunity', right?!

pattern credit: Debby Brown's Monkey Wrench

The FB QOF Working Stars group announced the newest project is row quilts during the month of April. The rows can be any pattern in rwb. Guess what? I have star rows on inventory that I wanted to make into a quilt! So on Saturday, I worked on a few Starflowers (also known as Lemoyne Stars). Here is what I have, so far. I'm thinking instead of the 60 inches across for the rows, I'm going to do 50 inches and add borders...

pattern credit:    top row: not real sure but looks like the floating star 

                                            with constant size legs

                          second row: wonky meets floating stars 

                                                (I was experimenting on which leg/background I liked)

                          third row: Creative Grids Strippy Star ruler 

                                            (I also call these Bev's Stars since Bev shared the

                                              technique)

                          fourth row: Starflowers

                           fifth row: MSQC Ribbon Star

Linking up with Judy at Design Wall Monday

SoScrappy Saturday 3.27.2021

 I dived into my green scrap bin and pulled out a pile of the darker greens.

Believe it or not, this smallish pile yielded 16: 6.5 crumb blocks! and I still have some of the scraps leftover! I may or may not get to them in the upcoming week... I see a few lighter green scraps snuck into the crumbs! LOL

Linking up with SoScappy Saturday.  I wonder WHAT April's color prompt will be...

Whoop! Whoop! 3.26.2021

 My first Whoop!

DH received an email on Monday saying that he was eligible for the Covid Vaccine and did he want to schedule? He jumped right at the chance and was able to include me in his invitation! 

The best news: the vaccine site was about 5 minutes from the house!

The fun news: we were in line behind the cottage neighbor who lives one town over from our new house. The waiting time really went fast catching up with the cottage neighbor! 

Another fun fact: photo thanks to my brother and FB. I forgot to pick up a sticker, doh!

Second Whoop!

I changed out the 4 patches on the January Suitable for Framing quilt for a green then decided to carry the green into the border and use less blocks. Clear as mud?! Here's the picture...

I'm liking it better now but still needed to improvise on the second border as I was short on the green I chose. Figures, right? The changes really helped to reign in all the wonderful scrappiness of the 16 patch blocks. It finishes at 60 x 72 before quilting, just the size requested by Covered in Love which is one of the H2H Quilt Drive Charities 2021.

pattern credit: Debby Brown's  Suitable for Framing

Third Whoop!

I finished DD's 'promise quilt' for her English Professor. Well ahead of her April 15th deadline. DD's prompts were pink, green and black on the front. The front should be pieced not just big random pieces of fabrics. Her professor is the head of the English Education Department so something to do with either teaching or reading, any kinds of food, pandas, music and dancing, her father flew airplanes for the military and they lived in Texas for a spell. Anyone else hear 'the Pina Coloda' song? LOL

So, that being said...this is the front:

pattern credit: wonky star meets floating star

panto credit: small popcorn

Here's what I did on the back. I'm actually kinda grooving to it although I should have planned a little better...ok, I should have planned but I feel it captures her likes.... And maybe sewed a little straighter...

The bluebonnets and Texas flags were out of my stash and I think that was the last chunk I had collected over 15 years ago when we lived in the Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex. 

Linking up with Sarah at Whoop! Whoop! and Alycia at Finish or NOT Friday

WIP Wednesday 3.24.2021

 I put my floral 16 patches on the design wall and they looked a bit chaotic to me.

Since I was going to make wide sashing, I thought I'd make 4 patches as the cornerstones to try to unify the blocks.

Maybe not...or maybe a different color or maybe a 'read as solid'. I'm using grey as the sashing.

pattern credit: January's Color Block 'Suitable for Framing'

Linking up with Susan at MidWeek Makers

Terrific Tuesday 3.23.2021

 I spent about three hours quilting down the pink/green/black stars quilt.

pattern credit: wonky meets floating stars

panto credit: small popcorn

Design Wall Monday 3.22.2021

I started my next donation quilt, January's Color Block Quilt Along Suitable For Framing. You'll need to scroll down to the bottom of the page and click on the colored link. That will open the preview that is printable.

I'm strip piecing the blocks for this quilt.

Late yesterday, I finished piecing the blocks.

Now to decide on a background but I'll need to purchase as I don't have enough yardage...

Linking up with Judy at Design Wall Monday 

SoScrappy Saturday 3.20.2021

 My dark green crayon.

pattern inspiration found here.

Linking up with SoScrappy Saturday

Whoop! Whoop! 3.19.2021

I worked a bit more on the motorcycle quilt as in, I made the hanging sleeve and hand stitched it down. Not real exciting but a part of the project that needed to be done. I also need to bury a few threads as my top thread shredded a few times while quilting.

I did finish the borders on the star quilt! With each step, I'm liking it more! I have one more QOV to quilt then it will be time to make the backing and quilt this! 

pattern credit: wonky meets floating stars

Linking up with Sarah at Whoop! Whoop! and Alycia at Finish or NOT Friday

 

WIP Wednesday 3.17.2021

 HAPPY SAINT PATRICK'S DAY!

image credit: pinterest here

I've moved my two current projects along.

First up:

I trimmed the stars and I didn't have a lot to trim off but it made a difference. I then added the sashing and cornerstones to the star quilt. Next up to add the inner and outer borders.

Second: 

I hand sewed back the binding on the t*shirt quilt. I can't remember the last time I did hand sewing. I was lucky I was looking for something else in my sewing space and came across my hand sewing kit. Next up on this project is the hanging sleeve. The lightening in the new dining room isn't geared for hand work so I brought my task light. Good thing I brought it a few years ago to take to retreat!

Linking up with Susan at MidWeek Makers.

Design Wall Monday 3.15.2021

I finished piecing the stars for the next *promise project*.

For some reason, I feel like I should place the brighter stars surrounding the paler stars.

pattern credit: wonky meets floating stars

I also quilted down another *promise project*. I've had these t*shirts a little over a year so it was time to move them along. Truthfully, they probably would have sat in the sewing room even longer but I am on deadline for the star quilt above and the t*shirt quilt was requested before the stars quilt... I'm hoping to keep peace amongst the children by finishing first request first. <smile and a wink>

 

pattern inspiration: found on Pinterest but a link with only the picture

panto credit: inkblot

I think I'll hand sew the binding back and DS also requested a hanging sleeve on this quilt. I think the hand sewing will be tonight's project after I get the binding on. I'll need to refresh my memory on the whole hanging sleeve thing. I've done them in the past so I'm sure I'll find a tutorial. Maybe even here on the blog!

Linking up with Judy at Design Wall Monday

SoScrappy Saturday 3.13.2021

 GREEN continues at RSC and I made a few pinwheel blocks.

pattern credit: pinwheels-public domain

Linking up with SoScrappy Saturday

Friday at Bell Creek Quilts 3.12.2021

 It seems like I've been spinning my wheels this week and goin' nowhere in a hurry! LOL

I ordered a couple of new pantographs and was excited to try the soft ripple one. I want to make a couple of water type quilts and thought this would be a good fit. I generally stick to pantos since the spacing is already all figured out.

I needed to replace the needle in the long arm before I quilt my son's t*shirt quilt and wanted to quilt something before the t*shirt quilt. Enter the Tri Your Luck quilt, blogged here.

Right, load it up and a quick 10 inch panto and I would be done in a jiffy. Guess what? This panto has an extremely long backtrack and was resulting in a lot of 'push' of the fabric. That resulted in a few unsightly puckers...ugh...on the front! Halfway through, I abandoned the panto and free styled the rest of the quilt from the front of the machine,  Shocking, I know!

It's a 35 mph quilt on horseback...can't see the flaws...no close ups...

pattern credit: Debby Brown Tri Your Luck

It still needs binding. Speaking of which,  I got a call from the repair shop. Baby needed a new bobbin assembly. Apparently, I jammed the ultra strong steel into, well, I'm not sure where except the whole mechanism stopped spinning. He kept telling me it was like a $300 fix and they only replace that part after about 750 gazillion stitches and how??? did I do that??? Then he started mumbling about how I just had it in for service so the cost was covered under warranty! Lucky me! 

I'm off the pick her up in a few. 😍

Linking up with Sarah at Whoop! Whoop! and Alycia at Finish or NOT Friday

WIP Wednesday 3.10.2021

I started another 'promise project' this week. My daughter requested that I make a quilt for her favorite English professor that has been a Godsend throughout her time at NMU. DD told me that she likes green, pink and black. She likes to read (an English professor!), a child of Army pilot, all food and lived in Texas while growing up for a time....and DD requested that the top be pieced and the back have her favorite things on it.

Here's what I got. I decided I'm not a fan of the green/pink I got going here but I think black sashing will unify it a bit. I was sticking with the spring greens since it will be gifted in May. I've used all the different pinks I had so I'll need to re-use some of the prints.

pattern credit: wonky star meets floating stars

Linking up with Susan at MidWeek Makers

Design Wall Monday 3.8.2021

 One 'promise project' done!!

Four more rock bags for DS's GF. I made a few as a Christmas gift but she wanted a few smaller bags. I blogged about my totes here. This used up all the rock fabric I had...

pattern credit: Atkinson Design's Traveling Tote 

                        (pattern no longer available 😞)

A question for my friends in blogland: 

*what sewing machine do you piece with and why?

* Baby is back in the shop with a stuck flywheel. I'm just wondering if I should retire her. My sewing needs have changed over the years since I first brought her home. Now I mainly straight stitch for piecing up to 6 hours/day. I occasionally will zigzag batting together. I now apply my bindings totally by machine...thinking I might need a machine that can handle the more layers of fabric easier...

Linking up with Judy at Design Wall Monday

SoScrappy Saturday 3.6.2021

March is for GREEN! and it's the color for the RSC this month. Angela suggested using the darker spectrum of greens and the lighter tones will have their month in the future.

So I dug for darker greens and found a few! First up: I made Mary's Rectangles. 

pattern credit: Mary's Rectangles

I miscut my first strip set so I only have one block of the upper fabric. I hate when I'm slicing away and then...wham...I realize, I just cut THAT wrong! Oooops...In my defense, I just put a new blade in my rotary cutter and man, that just glides effortlessly through the fabric. (mindlessly, too at times...LOL)

Linking up with Angela at SoScrappy Saturday

Whoop! Whoop! 3.5.2021

 My Whoop! Whoop! this week are the next batch of Quilts of Valor for the Casual Quilters that I quilted down in February. I just realized that I never posted them! Oooops!

Quilt A: 

pattern credit: The center was pieced by a snowbird who is somewhere warm, like 

                        maybe Alabama. The center panel looks a lot like one I've seen from 

                        Eleanor Burns except this tail feather is pieced and not appliqué.

panto credit: Baptist Fans

Quilt B:

pattern credit: looks like Sister's Choice to me

panto credit: Baptist Fans

Quilt C:

pattern credit: squares on point

panto credit: square spiral

Quilt D:

pattern credit: looks like Loose Change

panto credit: large scribbles

Linking up with Sarah at Whoop! Whoop! and Alycia at Finish or NOT Friday

WIP Wednesday 3.3.2021

 I finished piecing my Tri My Luck top and I'm liking it!

I decided upon the arrow setting.

I was thinking about using the extra hst's cutoffs for the border but eventually decided on a simple pieced border.

pattern credit: Debby Brown Tri Your Luck

Linking up with Susan at MidWeek Makers

Design Wall Monday 3.1.2021

 Do you ever have the urge to sew something when you KNOW you should be working on a 'promise project'?  Yes, I can say 'squirrel!'

Well, instead of sewing on a 'promise project', I dug into my 2.5 inch pile of brown strips. Only thing is I found 14 strips and wanted  28 total. Off to the cupboard to supplement my browns. I made 16 patch brown blocks for Debby Brown's Color Blocks Quilt Along. I didn't make the January quilt and I wasn't going to make the February quilt until another member in the FB group posted a brown and beige color way. 

Light bulb moment! I thought I had cut quite a few brown 2.5 inch strips for when we were demo-ing the Strip Tube ruler at the Oconomowoc Quilt Guild. After a little bit of strip piecing, cutting and re-arranging, my yield of 24: 16 patch blocks in (sorta) brown!

February's quilt is Try Your Luck. Debby has you add corner pop units. Here is one arrangement.

Here is another:

I can't decide which I like better. Of course, here are the corners waiting to be sewn and trimmed. I find that I do 'better' if I trim the seam to 1/4 inch and then run the hst's through the sewing machine. Hey, it works for me! That's my story and I'm sticking to it! lol

You can join Debby's Color Blocks Quilt Along for free and download her monthly pattern from her website. You can also join the FB page for lots and lots of inspiration.  Alycia is actually is the one who told me about this Quilt Along. It just so happens, that I was making 16 patches as my lender/ender project...

pattern credit: Debby Brown's Tri Your Luck

                       Debby Brown's website so you can sign up and download her Color 

                       Blocks quilt patterns.

Linking up with Judy at Design Wall Monday