Five Shadows

This past week I have continued piecing blocks using the Square in a Square system by Jodi Barrows. I’m working through her book Letters to a Soldier but I’m not using Civil War reproduction fabrics. I’m using a theme fabric of Hummingbirds.

This block is called Gentleman’s Fancy in Jodi’s book.

This block is The Fox and Miss Emma.

This block in progress is traditionally called Milky Way Star but called Vicksburg Star in the book.

I’ve continued playing with monogram lettering on my Janome and have stitched out some months for my temperature quilt.

They are not perfectly centered, I’m still learning. I think I’ll make a window template so I can center the name of the month in the Hexie shape.

Update on our son settling in to new home:  The unpacking and finding a place for everything is coming along making the house look more like their home! My husband has been working in the basement, removing old tile floor. I’ve helped some with childcare when they went shopping, provided a few meals, and helped with breaking down empty boxes. That means it has been a more relaxed week, for me anyway! Oh! And they sold their former home! That will add to their peace-of-mind.

Later this week I’m heading to Shipshewana Quilt Festival with several friends. Plus, we will enjoy one day of sewing together at a friend’s lake home. Hmmm. Do I pack some UFOs to work on, or start on the Brimfield quilt after shopping? Decisions, decisions!

What are your plans for Summer quilting?

How did I do on last’s week To-Do list?

1. Continue to play with monogramming function on my Janome. ✔️ I’m stitching out the months of the year for my temperature quilt.
2. Stitch up the set of blocks I cut this week for the Square in a Square BOM. ✔️ Done, and did second set too.

This week’s To-Do List:

1. Enjoy Shipshewana Quilt Festival with my quilty friends!
2. Figure out what to take for our sewing day.

Linking to To-Do Tuesday and Linky Tuesday.

What a full week! Our son and his family successfully moved back to town. There are still boxes to be unpacked. It does take a while to settle in to a new home and neighborhood. Yet, my DIL says she feels at home already.

With all the time spent helping them, I only fit in a few little steps in my quilting plans for the week.

BOM – I selected fabric and got the pieces cut.

Monogram label – I think I have the program figured out on my Janome 8900. Now  I just need to tweak it a bit before mailing it out to my friend.

Temperature quilt – I’m keeping up with my daily hand piecing.

Plus I bought the start of a new project. I’ve been eyeing Brimfield EPP Pattern for a while. Paper Pieces had it on sale last week. I could not resist! I bought the pattern and 3/8″ window templates.

I am going on a shop hop next week with a few friends, and plan to shop for fabric for Brimfield.

Do you have any new projects planned for the Summer?

I’ve been quiet for a few weeks because Husband and I have been out of town helping our son prep his house to list for sale. The For Sale sign should go up this week! Son and fam are moving back to our town Wednesday. That means I better fit in some sewing while I can!

I pulled out a BOM that I started in February, deciding I better get going on it as the online lessons are only good for one year. I only have 2 months completed.

I’m following Jodi Barrows’ Square in a Square method using her template.

These blocks are from Jodi’s book _Letters to a Soldier_ and the block name is Yankee Blockade.

This Dresden Plate block is one of three and an UFO started in 2015. I finally sat down and machine blanket stitched around the center circle and outer points. All three blocks are now stitched. My plans are to turn them into a table runner.

This week, if time allows, I’m going to sit down and attempt to learn how to use the Monogramming function on my Janome so I can make a quilt label. Yep. I’ve owned this machine for 3 years and have not taken the time to figure out the monogramming program yet. It’s time to do that!

Do you have fancy functions on your machine you are not using? Monogramming is just one function I hope to take the time to learn this summer.

How did I do on my last To-Do List:

1. Machine stitch Dresden Plates in place, table runner project. ✔️ Machine blanket stitched.
2. Sandwich & quilt Dr. Seuss themed baby quilt.  ✔️ Delivered for auction.

I’m linking to To-Do Tuesday and Linky Tuesday.

I’m trying to keep my OMG for June pretty simple. My goal will be to piece the back and then sandwich the Chic Country quilt top I finished piecing back in January.

If I start the quilting, that will be a bonus!

June is gearing up to be a busy month. My #2 son is moving back to our town with his family on the 6th. My Sweet DIL is anticipating help with their two young children as they settle in. And of course as Grandma, I’m very willing to help entertain kiddos, ages 5 months and 3 years old!

I’m thinking there won’t be a lot of sewing happening this month. Most likely I’ll be helping with the Grands, and also helping unpack and organize their home.

Oh, and BTW, the quilt top was made for the 3 year old! It would be nice to complete it for her as she settles into her new bedroom!

Linking One Monthly Goal with Elm Street Quilts.

My goal for May was to complete a UFO baby quilt top to be donated to an auction.

I did complete the quilt and delivered it before heading out on of town May 14th.

The quilt measures 40″ by 47 1/2″.

I attached the multi-color binding by machine.

Machine quilted with straight line quilting in the large orange zig-zag, spiral quilting in the squares, meandering with loops in the background.

I’m pleased.

Linking to One Monthly Goal hosted by Patty of Elm Street Quilting.

Did you know that OMG has sponsors with a monthly drawing from those who complete their goal?  Last month I was one of the lucky winners for a free pattern from Violet Craft!

I selected the Barn Owl English Paper Piecing pattern, and Violet sent along a few other goodies! Thank you Patty for hosting OMG, and thank you Violet for the pattern and goodies! I’m putting this pattern on my to make in 2019. …   If I can wait that long!

My To-Do list was very short this week and will continue to be so for the month of May.

This past week I wanted to finish the quilt top from a BOM I participated in last year.

I surprised myself and actually got the 2 borders sewn on in just one day. I looked through my stash to see if I had something to use for the back. But didn’t find anything, so I stopped in the LQS and found a piece I liked on their discount wall.

The quilt top and fabric for the back will ‘rest’ in my to-be-quilted pile for a while.

How did I do on last week’s To-Do List:

1. Sew borders on last year’s BOM from the Facebook Group: Sit Down Free Motion Quilters.  ✔️ All done!

To-Do List for this week:

1. Machine stitch Dresden Plates in place, table runner project.
2. Sandwich & quilt Dr. Seuss themed baby quilt.

Linking to To-Do Tuesday and Linky Tuesday. Come join the fun!

Decisions, decisions. I’d like to have a quilt ready to donate to an auction coming up May 20th.

Having looked through my finished quilt tops, I’ve decided on a baby size quilt.

This one is Dr. Seuss themed.

I used two fun orange and yellow dot prints to create large zig-zag.

The back & back ground fabric has line drawings of Dr. Seuss characters.

My goal is to sandwich, baste, quilt, and bind all before May 20th.

Looking at my schedule, I really need to have this quilt completed by May 9th, because of other commitments for later this month.

I’m thinking some simple line quilting in the zig-zag and meandering in the background will work nicely.

Linking to One Monthly Goal hosted by Patty of Elm Street Quilts.

Happy May 1st!

I’m teaching a little English Paper Piecing, EPP, make-n-take at our local public library today. The library is offering a craft night the first Tuesday of the month. Crafts like felting, beading, card weaving have been offered and I’ve been asked to demo a quilting project. I decided on EPP because each participant should be able to finish a rosette during the class.

I’ve made up kits, and have my supplies ready, needles, thread, scissors, glue!

I have couple projects to show so those attending can see what you can do with EPP.

EPP Rosette stitched to a background and mounted in a hoop for displaying.

EPP Flower stitched onto a notebook cover.

Plus I have this antique quilt top to show!

Last week I finished this baby quilt, I’m loving it!

Read all about this heart quilt design here.

How did I do on last week’s To-Do List:

1. Finish quilting baby quilt and Bind it!  ✔️ Completed and ready to mail!
2. Finish prep for EPP demo I’m presenting Tuesday, May 1st.  ✔️ Ready! I hope it is a fun class!

To-Do List for this week:

1. Sew borders on last year’s BOM from the Facebook Group: Sit Down Free Motion Quilters.

Linking to To-Do Tuesday and Linky Tuesday.

My OMG, a baby quilt, is finished!

Recap – I bought a Tula Pink Spirit Animal Fat Eighth pack from Quilts Plus in Indianapolis, IN. And soft pink yardage for the background and back from Edwards Sewing Center in Fort Wayne, IN.

Before I cut into the fabric, I saw a wonderful heart quilt on Sarah’s blog Quilt Moderne. Seeing that quilt totally change my plans for this baby quilt! I asked Sarah for permission to copy the quilt, which she gave me, plus she shared some tips on how she assembled her quilt. Sarah mentioned the heart design was not original to her, she had copied it with permission from Rene Creates (blog link was not working when I wrote this post.)

I sketched out a drawing of my plans on graph paper, and calculated using 1  1/2″  finished squares and half square triangles for a quilt measuring 42″ x 51″.

I worked row by row following the measurements I had calculated in my graph paper drawing. I used a yellow highlighter to mark through each row on the graph paper as I completed the row. That helped to keep me on the current row. Plus if I ever want to make this quilt again, I can still read my design! Above I’m at the half way point! And I was so super happy with how the quilt top was coming together!

Happy dance! The completed top!

Close up of quilting. I did a simple grid with the walking foot attachment, stitching in the ditch and then 1/4″ to one side of the seams. More happy dancing! I love it!

Binding attached by machine. I attached the binding to the back of the quilt and then pressed it to the front and stitched along the edge of the binding which shows on the front of the quilt. On the back, stitching shows on the back fabric just a hair in from the binding. I like the look of this type of binding and it will hold up well to multiple washing.

Finished Quilt! Pieced on my 1951 Featherweight Sewing Machine, at my sewing club days, using Aurifil 50 wt thread. Quilted on my Janome 8900 using So Fine! Superior Thread.

I hope my nephew and his wife love it as much as I do for their baby girl!

Linking to One Monthly Goal hosted by Patty of Elm Street Quilts.

I have a lovely 1951 Featherweight. I take it to my sewing group days.

(Blocks are from a quilt I made and gifted Christmas 2016)

The last 2 times I used the Featherweight I had trouble getting the power to work. Actually, the last time I used it which was last Wednesday, it was not getting power. There seems to be a loose connection where the power cord attaches to the plug that plugs into the machine. Handyman Hubs has not taken a look at it yet, I’m hoping he can rewire it. If not, I’m looking for a new power cord. I’ve found several on line, so hope to have it up and running before my next quilty group meets to sew.

On to current sewing! I’m liking how the baby quilt is coming along.

Here is a sneak peak.  1  1/2″ squares, grid quilting with a walking foot on my 8900 Janome, using So Fine! Superior Thread.

UFO Dresden Plate Table Runner is pinned and ready for machine blanket stitching.

This was started at a class I took in 2015. I’ve made three Dresden Plates for a table runner.

UFO 2017 BOM piecing top is in progress. I finished all the blocks last year, but never got them sewn together. Now it’s ready for the first border.

I have all the hour glass units sewn for the first border. I’ll work on that step at my next group sewing day.

Do you have any UFOs to work on? I’m pleased to be getting these two back underway!

How did I do on last week’s To-Do List:

1. Sandwich & start quilting baby quilt! ✔️
2. Work on UFO – Dresden Plate Table Runner. ✔️ I worked on 2 UFOs! The Dresden Plate and last year’s BOM from the Facebook Group: Sit Down Free Motion Quilters.

To-Do List for this week:

1. Finish quilting baby quilt and Bind it!
2. Finish prep for EPP demo I’m presenting Tuesday, May 1st.

Linking to To-Do Tuesday and Linky Tuesday.