Craftsy Block of the Month

Well, well, I have started another quilt! Let's see...I think that makes 3...no 4...that I am working on this year. This one I just couldn't pass up. It is a free class on www.craftsy.com and since I had lots of 30's fat quarters from birthday club at Allatoona Quilt Guild, I didn't have to go buy any fabric. I even had enough white Kona for the background--so--totally free quilt!! Well, not exactly, since technically I did pay for the fabric...but...I didn't go buy any for this quilt--just drew from my stash or "resource center". These are really easy blocks--I can knock them out in an afternoon. The top 2 are January's blocks and the bottom 2 are February's blocks. Now I have to wait 3 1/2 weeks for the March blocks *sigh*. But...on to other quilts...

The Civil War is Over!!...til further notice

Here are some pictures of my Civil War Tribute Quilt. It was a block of the month (BOM) from my local quilt store (LQS). It took me about a year to piece the whole thing. It was a gift to my dad in Minneapolis for Christmas 2010. I had it quilted by Stitch'n Quilt in MAbleton, GA and I am very pleased with the way it all turned out. It is an absolutely gorgeous quilt with, my dad estimated, over 2,000 pieces--that's about one piece for every mile of the Appalachian Trail which my dad completed at age 68 after section hiking for 3 years.
I love the half-square triangle border. And to think, I almost didn't
do that border!! This was not an easy quilt...the directions were
very confusing and hard to follow, but I struggled through and
finished it!
My dad loves it and it will be a treasured heirloom for many years
to come. It will keep him warm on those cold Minnesota nights.
And ...now...it is on to the Civil War Chronicles...another BOM from
my LQS that I picked up each month last year and will finidh it this year! This one belongs to me and Randy!!

Re: In Progress

The fabric sticking out around the rail fence border of the quilt is the backing I will use--not a wonky border!!

In Progress

After spending the last almost 2 years sewing projects for other people, I got up this morning and said to myself, "Self, its time to make something for ME!!" Sewing for other people, some paid, some gifts, is not a bad thing. It's helped me get to SOAF in Huntsville and most everyone really likes what I sew for them and I really enjoy giving away my projects because that's part of the joy of making them. But, looking at my buckets full of PHD's, I decided I need to spend a good amount of time just sewing up what I have started. So...after hemming a pair of jeans for my daughter's sister-in-law I got right on it. At lunch time, this is what I have so far. I bought the design and instructions last December in a special deal from Zundt. This is just the center of the Christmas table runner. There are 5 more borders to go on--one of which looks like a ribbon going all around the runner. That is my project for this afternoon.

Also, got my cousin's queen size log cabin quilt finished, bought the backing and am ready to take it to Shannon, the quilter (after I buy the batting). I want her to feather it. I love Shannon's feathers. Check out her work at http://www.piecefulkwilter.blogspot.com/ The quilt is Summer Lake Log Cabin from Judy Martin's Log Cabin Quilt Book--love that book!

Okay..the pictures did not post like I wanted them to, but I think you can tell which is the table runner and which is the quilt!! Time to head back to the sewing room where I know what I am doing!!

Civil War Mission Accomplished!

Well, I got the blocks all sewn together, which was my goal for today!! This section is 84 X 96 1/2. Now I will put 3 borders on it, adding another 8 inches on all sides, which should bring the size to 100 X 112 1/2. The outside border consists of 204 half square triangles--oh, joy!!

I must say, this is the hardest quilt top I have ever pieced! The directions were terrible, horrible, and just plain difficult to follow. I won't even talk about the cutting directions--confusing!!! There were no finished sizes for the 9 patch squares or half square triangles in the various blocks, which makes for inaccurate piecing. I ended up cutting off lots of points, so don't look too closely. A lot of stitching was on the diagonal and you have to be careful not to stretch the fabric. There was no diagram showing how to place the blocks for sewing it all together. I just had to look at the picture of the finished quilt and match up my blocks to theirs. And for the finish, they don't even tell you how to cut the corner blocks!!

My LQS did a great job of sending out tips and tricks. Without their help, I would still be pulling my hair out.

I only had to go back for more fabric once and that was on the center square. I read the directions wrong and cut the squares too small.

On to the borders now, then off to the quilter (wish I could quilt it myself), then binding.

Stay tuned...

Civil War Tribute

The Civil War is almost finished!!!!!

Okay, I'm only 6 months behind on this, but at least I kept plodding on. This is the center of the king size Civil War Tribute Quilt--a BOM from an LQS for 2010. (That's block of the month from a local quilt store for you non quilt talkers). Isn't it pretty!?!

This center block is 36 inches square. There are 36 more blocks to the quilt...some 12 inches and some 18 inches. By the end of today, I am hoping to have all the blocks sewn together.

Stay tuned...

Cars and trucks, baseballs and footballs quilt

My exercise coach at Curves is going to have her first grandchild, a boy, in August. She comissioned me to make a little quilt for him. She wanted cars and trucks and balls and she chose this pattern from a Quick Quilts magazine.

I bought the fabrics during Shop Hop in March with the help of my shop hopping buddy Linda!! I pieced it and backed it with a soft cuddly flannel, then quilted it on my Bernina using a beautiful variegated thread. Thanks, Dawn at Red Hen, for your help. It is bright and cheery and just right for a little boy. It's not too cutesy, so he will be able to use it for quite a few years. I think my customer is happy with ithe quilt. She showed it to a few ladies and one comissioned me to do a twin size for her little grandson!!

The Dreaded T-Shirt Quilt

Okay, I know I said I would never do a T-shirt quilt. I made this for my friend Glenda's son's 30th birthday. He's played baseball since he was a little guy...little league, played for McEachern High School and Southern Poly. So Glenda gathered all his shirts from over the years and I had a tremendous learning experience. Whew what a job! He's also a Georgia Tech fan, so I used GT fabric for the backing and also made 2 pillow cases. I had the baseball fabric in my stash (resource center--thank you, Nancy Zeiman!) from many long years ago...I think I was going to make Randy a pair of shorts or something...

I'm really pleased with how the quilt turned out. Glenda picks it up tomorrow--I hope she is pleased also.

HoopSisters TNT

HoopSisters TNT--Textures and New Techniques--all done in the hoop, piecing, quilting, and decorative stitches. Its going to be pretty small, more like a wall-hanging. I think there's only one more row to go all the way around, but I think I am going to do the optional stipple border.
Next month we add texture. I'm going to use jumbo rick rack in a plum color. Stay tuned...

Almost Finished Pinwheel Party Quilt

I have sewn all the blocks together with little pinwheel cornerstones and sashing. There is still another border to go around the quilt with little pinwheel blocks in each corner. Then it will be completely finished except for the quilting. But, wouldn't you know, I'm about 1/4 yard short of fabric for the last border. I really liked this when I started it a few months ago, but now I am not too sure. I love the 30's fabrics but there is just too much white background. I've wanted to make a quilt out of 30's fabrics for a long time, but this one isn't it. I will probably just finish it up and try to sell it.

I've got ideas for about 4 baby quilts for little Anna who will be here before we know it! And I need to get on to making a diaper bag, and bumper pads for the crib. So this will get put away for a while...

Pinwheel Party

Here's my 12 finished blocks from Playing at the Pinwheel Party. I really like the 30's fabric with the Kona snow. This is not the finished quilt. There are still cornerstones and sashings to be completed, something like 48 half-square triangles that finish at about 2 inches--itty bitty work which I'm not too fond of. I was going to just sew all the blocks together and put a border on it, but I think I will go ahead an do it by the directions. I think it will look better. So, stay tuned...hopefully by the end of next week I'll have this top completed and be able to move on to other PHD's.

Hoopsisters Quilt

This is Month One of a block of the month class I'm doing this year. Its a Hoopsisters design called Textures and New Techniques, TNT for short. Each block is totally done in the embroidery hoop...piecing, quilting...all of it! It is so easy and very fun. I'm using batiks in greens and blues and my accent color is purple. The blocks are only 5 inches and the quilt will be pretty small--have no idea what I'm going to do with it, but its a neat little project. Stay tuned to see the progress each month.

Baby Quilt

I don't think my neighbors read my blog, so I'm pretty safe in posting this. Their first child is due next month and its a boy! I embroidered a bib and some burp cloths that I'm going to give them.
And I also made this cute quilt out of baby flannel and baby fleece. I embroidered the fleece squares with designs from Anita Gooddesign's Nursery Quilt. It was really easy and turned out pretty nice. Its soft and cuddly, too.

Wedding Gown and Quilt

I have been a busy little bee since I last posted. I made my daughter's gown for her June 12th ceremony, my jacket, and the quilt which hung at the reception behind the cake table. I loved making these and am very proud of how everything turned out. My cousin took lots of pictures and some were published in Martha Pullen's newsletter! You can see it at www.marthapullen.com. Look on the left for Martha's Newsletter, find the one for June 28, and scroll down to From Our Readers. There we are!! Thanks, June, for some great pictures!I found this quilt pattern in Quilting and Embroidery magazine. It was designed by Jennifer Gigas, a Bernina educator. I used the fruit of the Spirit as the words in each heart block. Since there's 9 fruit of the Spirit words, I had to add a couple extra. This is the jacket that is on the cover of Fabulous Fashions. I made it out of silk organza and used designs from Zundt Designs Vol 1. I have always wanted to make it and my daughter's ceremony gave me the chance. I love wearing it.

Back to the Party and the Civil War

Now I know why Bridal Lace is so expensive--it has stitch counts in the thousands and takes forever to stitch out. So while one machine was busy stitching lace in the hoop, I went across the hall to my other machine and finished up these quilt blocks.

This is the 5th block in the Pinwheel Party. Very easy and fast. Next week is the halfway block.

And then back to the Civil War Tribute...

I wonder if I can secede from the union of Civil War Tribute quilters? After all, I do live in the south...and like the majority who were tired of the war after the first 3 months, so I am growing weary of this...

I did not like this block. I don't think the directions are all that easy to follow and nowhere could I find what was supposed to be the fiished size of any of the half square triangles or the weird trapezoid shapes. Anyway, I stayed consistent throughout--I stretched all the bias edges and chopped off almost all the points!! And, lo and behold, it came out the correct 18 1/2 inches! Whew--now I have to do one more block this size and 2 12 1/2 inch blocks. The big pieces were hard enough to work with, now I have to make smaller ones???

Partying On!

I am now caught up...this morning I finished blocks 3 & 4 of the Pinwheel Party. I'm having fun with these and they go together so fast. Now that I'm 1/3 of the way finished, I'm asking myself...is there a right and wrong side of this Kona Snow? I can't seem to tell.

Here are blocks A-3 and B-1

Now I wait til Monday when the directions for block 4 will be released!

Pinwheel Party Blocks 1 & 2

Ok, I am officially crazy! I am multi-quilting again. This is quilt number 4 that I have in the making, but it looked so good and is very, very easy. I just had to jump into the party. We do a block a week and I am working hard to catch up to block number 4--I only joined 4 weeks late and I did block 1 & 2 this afternoon. I am using '30's reproductions and Kona Snow White as the background.

This is a portion of my stash of '30's reproductions on top of the Kona Snow. I have many more '30's fabrics in my fabric stash. Most, if not all, will find a place in this Pinwheel quilt. Block A-1 and A-2

Stay tuned for blocks A-3 and B-1 coming right up!!

Civil War Tribute Feb Block

This is the February block for the Civil War Tribute quilt. There are four of these blocks in the quilt--all the same. At least they will be. Notice one of them is a little larger because of the spacers added to the top and bottom of the block. I didn't like putting this together very much. Every join had 2-3 triangle seams coming together--blech!! No fun, much bulk. After the second block, I quit obsessing over points and seams and direction of fabric and just hoped for the best so don't look too closely at it. It looks great on a galloping horse!! Now for the March block!!

Civil War Tribute

I'm doing the Civil War Tribute quilt block of the month program through my local quilt shop. Reproductions and civil war prints are my favorite fabrics. I'm SO traditional! There's lots of strange piecing techniques and weird angles to this quilt. I'm liking it a lot!!

Christmas Gift Quilts

These are the two quilts I made as Christmas gifts:

This one was for Robbie, Catherine's boyfriend, who will be son-in-law next December. Its made from 5inch homespun squares. It was fun and easy to put together and Catherine said it looked very "manly". I hope Robbie really enjoys it this cold winter!

This one I made for Catherine. It was the Batik block exchange at Quilt Guild in 2009.

Its called Twirl. I really like how the black sashing sets off the blocks.

I quilted them both myself on my friend Linda's longarm.