Design Wall Monday 2.3.2025

Saturday February 1st was the QOV National Sew Day. My online group picked the Log Cabin block (the national block for 2025) as the block to make. I got off to a slow start as Baby Brother and I went back to the spa for tension issues. Turned out the diagnosis was operator error: wrong/dull needle with (too thick) thread. The 'therapist' placed a new sharp needle into Baby and it seemed to help at the shop. At home...not so much. I was able to find a new Quilting 90 needle and that worked! So happy. :)

I made 10 log cabin blocks. I want to use the blocks with one of the panels I have. I thought I needed 14 total blocks so Sunday, I made 4 more. Now I think I need another 4...sigh... 

My fabric draw for the log cabin blocks.

My first set of blocks.

Here are a few of the layouts I was playing with...I think I like Layout 3 best.

Layout 1:

Layout 2:

Layout 3:

pattern: 2025 QOV Block of the Year, Log Cabin

Sharing today with Judy at Design Wall Monday.

SAHRR Round 2 2.1.2025

Anja of Anja Quilts is our hostess for Round 2 in SAHRR 2025. You will never guess! Anja chose half square triangles for this round and here, I just made a round of pinwheels for 'P is for Pat's Pinwheels'.

I didn't want to make more pinwheels and I wasn't sure 'where and what' I was heading for this quilt so, I procrastinated ALL.WEEK.LONG...

I finally decided on making half square triangles and then cut them up. :) I used Bonnie Hunter's Scrappy Mountain Majesties pattern. I'm still undecided on the 'how' of Round 2. I might make four more to add to the sides.

pattern:     center: 2025 Stash Buster Challenge block

                 round 1: pinwheels and 'pathway' blocks

                 round 2: Bonnie Hunter's Scrappy Mountain Majesties block

                 

In other sewing news, Baby Brother is having tension issues again while I was sewing the binding down for the next QOV. Well, I went to the 'spa' and the diagnosis is: Operator Error. Wrong size/ dull needle for the (too thick) thread I was using (permacore tex 30). She suggested a sharp 90 needle. So I brought a pack and will try it out. She discouraged using an universal needle as they have a rounded tip and tend to become dull faster. In the mean time, I am ripping out the little bit of binding I sewed back before I realized my problems. :)

Sharing today with Anja of Anja Quilts for SAHRR 2025 Round 2.

SoScrappy Saturday 2.1.2025

Today is the first Saturday of February of the color blue.

Time for my Happy Blocks for 2025!

pattern: Mary Johnson's Happy Blocks

Sharing today with SoScrappy Saturday.

Finish or NOT Friday 1.31.2025

This week I was concentrating on finishing the few QOV's that I have here. I did finish three of the quilts. 

First up is Signature Quilt Lima:

pattern: 8.0 inch cut alternating signature squares with a patriotic print

                    the rails are cut at 3.0 inches before sewing together 

Second up is one of the tops sent to me by Carol from New Hampshire:

pattern: Strip joints by GE Designs, pieced by Debbie S

panto: serpentine

The next quilt is the second top in the box.

pattern: Big Stars, Big Bars by Lisa Sutherland, pieced by Debbie S

panto: serpentine

The third and last top in the box. Unfortunately Baby Brother is having some tension issues as I was sewing down the binding. Back to the spa she goes tomorrow. This one is the unfinished picture I shared on FB (no binding).

pattern: Strip Tile Tango by Lisa Sutherland, pieced by Janet C.

panto: serpentine

Sharing today with Alycia at Finish or NOT Friday.

WIP Wednesday 1.29.2025

I loaded the second Working Stars top onto the long arm and quilted it down yesterday. Debbie the piecer sent the binding along so I'll need to sew it on and back in the coming days.

pattern: Lisa Sutherland's Big Stars, Big Bars 

                pieced by Debbie

panto: serpentine

Design Wall Monday 1.27.2025

I loaded one of the QOV Working Stars tops onto the long arm last Friday and there it stayed until today when I quilted it down.

pattern: pieced by Debbie, Strip Joints by GEDesigns

panto: serpentine

DH and I went and picked up Baby Brother. She's already back to working hard. Sunday was binding day for QOV Signature Lima. I've been waiting for the final sewing of the binding as I didn't want to do it by hand.

Angela's color prompt for February 2025 is blue. Baby has got the blues. :) Since this IS Design Wall Monday, on my design wall is three out of four Saturdays worth of RSC2025. When Joy announces her February Table Scraps 2025 prompt, I'll decide what to make then. :) 

Not to worry, each will have it's close up and blog post on the coming SoScrappy Saturdays.

patterns:  *on the left: Cynthia's Split Four Patch block drive

                *center: Mary's Happy Blocks

                *on the right: Stash Buster 2025 Challenge block

Sharing today with Judy at Design Wall Monday.

SoScrappy Saturday 1.25.2025

Today is the fourth Saturday of January of the color pink. It is also time to share my project for Table Scraps 2025. The January theme is 'warm beverage/something cozy'.

I decided on a little tea cup mat. I have a really sweet swivel chair in my hearth room but I wanted a place to set my coffee mug on. I only have about 12 inches of space in the corner. I was looking for an end table of sorts, then I remembered that I had a plant stand I was longer using. So I repurposed that with a little wooden board I picked up at Michael's.

I found this applique on the web and made this. I dug into my scraps for the background, fused the pink, faced the little quilt and even tried free motion quilting on Baby Brother. Ta-da...

pattern: found here

quilting: free motion and raggy edge applique

I'm liking it! There is room for improvement but...I'm happy! Using scraps and re-purposing 'what I already own'! Win-win!

 

Sharing today with SoScrappy Saturday and

Joy at Table Scraps 2025.

Finish or NOT Friday 1.25.2025

I'm just a tad late to Alycia's party but I do have finishes. I even sewed the binding back by hand as Baby Brother is still at the spa!

Here is finish #1: my version of Jordan Fabrics' Jagged X. I changed the border a wee bit so it finishes just under 60 inches. Our guild long armers no longer wish to quilt pro-bono quilts that are over 60 inches long. (looks like I was standing off center for this one. :( )

pattern: Jordan Fabrics' Jagged X

panto: Cindy's Water

Finish #2 is my Missouri Star Quilt Company Summer Camp. A little bit of wrong sewing and not wanting to rip out the horizontal row led to a design opportunity. Two small circles instead of one big circle. I went into my box of unloved 2.5 inch cut strips and pulled colors from the warm side of the color wheel (and a few from the cool side snuck in!). Next time I make this, I'm going to use a darker contrast (think black or navy) where the light blue is placed. The circle design will track better and stand out. I went for a scrappy pink binding, too.

pattern: Missouri Star Quilt Company Summer Camp

panto: serpentine

Sharing today with Alycia at Finish or NOT Friday.

Stay-at-Home-Round-Robin 2025

This Monday was the first prompt for the Stay-at-Home-Round-Robin 2025. Kathleen at Kathleen's McMusings is our first host and her prompt was to use King's Crown for your round. She gave a few choices but I wasn't liking the King's Crown for my center. IF you didn't want to use King's Crown block then you were prompted to choose a block that started with your first initial.

mmm...P....pineapple, pioneer braid, pinwheel, patience corner, pine burr, pathway...

I really wanted pathway but I did decide on pinwheels. I made a mistake, er design opportunity, with my pinwheels so I was able to incorporate pathways into the first prompt. I have decided after nearly 25 years of sewing for quilting...I'm still pinwheel challenged. :)

pattern: center medallion is the 2025 Stash Buster block - 16.5 inches unfinished

Sharing today at Kathleen McMusing - Prompt 1

WIP Wednesday 1.22.2025

I'm making good progress in the sewing room!

My Jagged X is now a flimsy. I adjusted the border to make it smaller and within the guidelines for the ladies that long arm the Howell MelonHeads' donation quilts. (They have requested no quilts bigger than 60 inches on any one side.) If and when, I make this again, I will definitely take the time to square up all 120 blocks. I was in a hurry and skipped this step. :(

pattern: Jordan Fabrics' Jagged X

QOV Signature Quilt Lima is looking good! This is how it's suppose to look. Although, I did like this method of sewing and was easy to keep track of when I was at sew day. (I took out 5 star focus fabric blocks and 5 signature blocks. I then sewed the rows into two-ises, then four-sies then six-ies)

I added a 2.0 cut inner border and a 3.5 inch cut outer border. I'm liking how this one looks. :) I had enough of the star focus fabric with about 15 inches leftover.

Pretty productive days in the sewing room. :)

Design Wall Monday 1.20.2025

The other possible quilt pattern to use as a stash buster for the Howell MelonHeads is Jordan Fabric's Jagged X. The program committee was careful to choose patterns that are free downloads on the internet. You guessed it, I decided to make one of those as an example. I have two 20 strip jelly rolls from Jelly Roll Fabrics (that I have had forever! and no affiliation) in Deep Ocean. I decided to use these jelly rolls and paired it with a sandy color background. I am hoping to give a beach-y vibe.

I did go ahead and make a few blocks.

pattern: Jordan Fabric's Jagged X

I also started QOV Signature Quilt Lima. Here is the fabric pull.

I started sewing it last Thursday at Sew Day and decided to set aside 5 signature blocks and 5 star blocks. I sewed two-sies, four-sies and then six-ies. This is one of the few times I just sewed and didn't lay the blocks out on the design wall. Here is what I had on the wall this morning when I pulled it out of the baggie.

pattern: 8.0 inch cut star blocks and 8.0 inch cut Signature rails

                    rails made with 3.0 inch strips of red, white and blue

Sharing today with Judy at Design Wall Monday.

SoScrappy Saturday 1.18.2025

Today is the third Saturday of January of the color pink!

I hadn't decided on another block to make for this RSC month but as I was trolling through the web. I remembered a couple of blocks drives. One is hosted my Kat (found here) and another by Cynthia (found here). Cynthia's fits more with the color pink so I decided to make a few for her. The block is called Split 4 Patch and the directions can be found here. I had originally gotten the lips with another Valentine project in mind but it wasn't working so I am happy to have found another home for the lips. :)

pattern: Split 4 Patch (found here)

Sharing today with SoScrappy Saturday.

Finish or NOT Friday 1.17.2025

A quick update on my projects...and I've started even more. My head is spinning...

The snowman wall hanging is complete. I faced it and sewed the facing to the back. I quilted it with wavy lines, I started following the serpentine panto then I veered off the path. The second picture is in the kitchen with the place mats from last week. :)

pattern: 6.5 inch cut snowman novelty and 3.5 inch cut squares pieced in 4

                     patches.

panto: serpentine

The 'Cherry Quilt' is stalled at this stage. I need to make a back and do the quilting and binding. My goal is to get this done for the Casual Quilter's meeting on February 12th.

The MSQC Summer Camp is pieced and a flimsy. I realized I sewed a row upside down which presented me with a design opportunity. :) It is a little wonky but hopefully it will quilt out.

pattern: MSQC Summer Camp

Sharing today with Alycia at Finish or NOT Friday.

WIP Wednesday 1.15.2025

Okay...let's see where I am on my multitude of projects...

First up is the snowman wallhanging. I unpicked the short 4 patch and 'found' more of the red polka dot without having to cut a whole strip. Go me! Here is the flimsy all pieced. It is 37 x 37 before quilting.

 pattern: 6.5 inch focus fabric and 4 patched made with 3.5 inch blocks (well

                        strips.)

The second project is the 'cherry UFO'.  I added the top/bottom black border then a bit of the white cherries to top/bottom to increase the length then a final border. I first had black on the sides but decided to unpick it and replace with red. 

Third, I was working on the MSQC Summer Camp quilt. At the last minute, I changed my black/white hst's with light blue/white hst's. I think this light blue is just not strong enough to stand out amongst my previously loved 2.5 inch strips. Oh well, lesson learned and hopefully passed on to another quilter. :) In the end, this pattern was not picked to share with the Howell MelonHeads.

pattern: Missouri Star Quilting Company Summer Camp