Five Shadows

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.

No, I really didn’t get sidetracked! I am just finally caught up on a year long project and decided to share the progress!

These pieced hexies are for my Temperature Quilt. I didn’t get all the fabric together until February. Since then, I have been trying to do two hexies a day to get caught up to present. I reached that goal this week! I have all the hexies pieced through today. But I still need to get caught up on stitching the daily hexies together into months. January is under way, left side of the photo. Each hexie is showing the low temp of the day in the two outer pieces, and the high of the day in the middle.

Another EPP project that I’m finishing is prepping for a class at my local public library. I’ve put together kits for each person to make a little rosette. And now I’m working on a few simple projects to show what you can do with the rosettes.

I need to stitch this rosette down to the fabric. It will be displayed in the 5″ hoop.

And for my To-Do list for this week, I did finish the purse made from a man’s suit.

I’m calling it the Midtownman Purse, that was the tag inside the suit. There is black ribbon stitched under the Midtownman tag, wrap the ribbon around the center buttons as a closure for the purse. I left the strap/ribbon long, which can be shortened to fit the build of the gal receiving this purse who wanted it as a crossbody purse.

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

1. Sandwich baby quilt. ✗ Hmmm. No, but I did buy a batting for it today.
2. Finish purse. ✔️ Ready to deliver this Friday!

To-Do List for this week:

1. Sandwich & start quilting baby quilt!
2. Work on UFO – Dresden Plate Table Runner.

It’s been a crazy week with my son and his family living 2 hours away but driving up to house hunt. After staying with us Thursday – Monday, they drove home late Monday just to get a call from the Realtor that a new listing will be available to look at Wednesday morning. They are driving back up tonight! Phew! I hope they find their dream house soon!

Linking to To-Do Tuesday and Linking Tuesday.

I was asked to make a purse from a suit, something a graduate could wear under a graduation gown. With no further instructions, off I go to find my creative juices & get this thing under way.

Part One: Cut apart the suit!

My plan is to use a leg with the cuff as the body of the purse. I’m going to embellish it with part of the lapel, sleeve cuff, and the Midtownman tag. Cording will be made using the Midtownman ribbon from the inside the waist band. I’ll add the inside breast pocket to the lining for the purse. I’m not sure if I’ll use the blue sleeve lining or something from my stash to line the purse.

I think I’ll use buttons and cording for a closure. And I also need to figure out a shoulder strap. But there is still lots of suit fabric available to play with a few ideas. Maybe belt loops will come into play at some point.

Part Two: Construction! Here is how it is all coming together.

I wish I would have photoed the lining with the breast pocket before stitching it inside the purse! I still have a way to go on construction.  Lining is not yet complete, closure not started other than the buttons attached in center of purse, and I am still puzzling over a shoulder strap. I think it looks far better in person than in the photo, so don’t be harsh with me! Thank you!

I hope you have had a productive week!

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

1. Working on the other baby quilt (newest great niece quilt.) ✔️ Top done! I’ll show it later this month once quilted.
2. Start order for a purse. ✔️

To-Do List for this week:

1. Sandwich baby quilt.
2. Finish purse.

Linking to To-Do Tuesday and Linky Tuesday.

A finish!

The baby quilt using a terry cloth robe is pieced, appliquéd, quilted and bound.

Here is the little teddy popping up out of the terry cloth pocket.

And here is his friend peeking around the ‘corner’ on the reverse side of the quilt.

I hand embroidered the eyes, nose & mouth on both teddies and then used a machine blanket stitch to attach them to the quilt. I love the little smirk on this one, it is as if he is saying,”Tee hee, you don’t see me!”

Quilting is simple diagonal lines stitched with the walking foot attachment.

Binding done by machine.

Teddy in a pocket side of the quilt.

Teddy peeking around the ‘corner’ side of the quilt.

Quilt folded over to show both teddies.

Here the terry teddy quilt is all bundled up and ready to deliver.

Quilt Facts and Thoughts:  The finished quilt measures 39 1/2″ x 42 1/2″. I was given the terry cloth robe with only a request to turn it into a baby quilt. That is called Creative Freedom, my friends! I purchased Moda Grunge to use with the Terry, with the plan to make the simple quilt as pictured above. The bears are machine appliquéd using Misty Fuse. I used Aurifil 50 weight, color 2745 for piecing and quilting. Color 2340 for the teddy appliqué.

Design – I thought using the pocket with an animal peeking out would be cute, and my daughter suggested using a teddy bear. Once the two sides were pieced, I thought the reverse side also needed a bear so I created the fella peeking around the corner. Once all appliquéd and pieced, I decided to use a thin batting and settled on Hobbs Thermore batting for quilted clothing, which I had in my batting stash from years ago. The terry was not the easiest fabric to work with, especially removing the pocket and belt loops! But I do like the final results.

Have your creative juices been flowing this week?

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

1. Finish terry cloth robe baby quilt.  ✔️ Done! Happy Dance!
2. Start baby quilt for newest great niece. ✔️Cut, cut, cut, and piecing done!

To-Do List for this week:

1. Working on the other baby quilt (newest great niece quilt.)
2. Start order for a purse.

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

Baby Quilt!

My goal for April will be to make a baby quilt start to finish.

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.

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

A few things got added to my week that changed my sewing plans. Those few things were my son and his family coming for a visit  Thursday – today! Instead of sewing, I had grand children to rock, read stories to, bake with, and play with during their stay with us. Did I mention in an earlier post that they are moving back to our town? They did some house hunting during this visit.

I did sneak in building another teddy bear for the terry cloth baby quilt.

This one is peeking around the border.

Tomorrow I’m sewing with friends. My project will be starting the newest baby quilt.

I’m using Tula Pink Spirit Animal fabrics and a soft pink for the back ground and backing.

How was your week?

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

1. Finish terrycloth robe baby quilt.  ✗
2. Start baby quilt for newest great niece.  ✗

To-Do List for this week:

1. Finish terrycloth robe baby quilt.
2. Start baby quilt for newest great niece.

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

March goal met! Which was to finish the Chopsticks quilt top. I did that plus pieced the back!

I’m really liking this top now with the added oranges!

And what about this back!?

I’m sure you can tell that the center strip are the triangle pieces cut off the sides to square up the top. The light print and dark green print were both used in the top. The orange floral was just a perfect match to finish up the back, and was the end of a bolt – meaning sale! from the LQS. I usually don’t make symmetrical backs, but for some reason this one went in that direction. I’m planning to practice several different free-motion quilting motifs in the triangle blocks.

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

What do you do with a bath robe when asked to turn it into a baby quilt?

How about an applique Teddy Bear popping out of a pocket?

My plan is to use the robe as one side of the quilt, and the Moda Grunge Hits the Spot as the other side of the baby quilt. I removed the pockets and belt loops from the robe which will let me cut a 33″ x 35″ rectangle from the robe, and also cut strips to use for a border on the Grunge side of the quilt.

I’m thinking Teddy is looking kinda cute with his embroidered eyes, nose, and mouth!

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

1. Start baby quilt for newest great niece. ✗ Oops! Got bumped for the robe quilt.
2. Practice FMQ! ✔️
3. Quick trip to watch grand kids for our son & DIL. ✔️

To-Do List for this week:

1. Finish terrycloth robe baby quilt.
2. Start baby quilt for newest great niece.

Linking to To-Do Tuesday and Linky Tuesday.

These sweeties came for a visit this past Thursday through today.

Love the kisses and snuggles!

Not much sewing happened. Grand daughter and I busied ourselves with lots of other playful activities.

Chopsticks top is complete! I’ll try to catch up with a picture next time!

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

1. Finish up Chopsticks top. ✔️ Top done!
2. Practice FMQ! ✔️ I did a little practicing.
3. I’d love a spray basting wall for larger quilts.  ✽  Still dreaming of a spray basting wall.

To-Do List for this week:

1. Start baby quilt for newest great niece.
2. Practice FMQ!
3. Quick trip to watch grand kids for our son & DIL.

Linking to To-Do Tuesday.

Hubs is home this week. We originally talked about doing a short, maybe 3 day trip, but he opted for a stay-cation. That is fine with me, because I’ll put my time into sewing!

Chopsticks is moving along. I like it so much better with the added orange fabrics.

I still have a way to go to complete this top.

Here’s another idea, how about shopping during my stay-cation!? A new quilt shop opened just 30 minutes from me. The Red Barn Quiltery, and they are holding a Grand Opening this week.

20% off everything! How’s that for celebrating!? What a great way to hold a Grand Opening! I bought thread, needles, and pins. Photo from shop’s site.

Plus I might have bought a few things at a shop hop last week …

25% off rulers and 50% off the rotary cutter!

Now back to regularly planned sewing!

I hope your are all having a grand week of stitching!

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

1. Catch up on Angela Walters’ FMQ Challenge Quilt Along – Yes? No? At least I’m working on it!
2. Piecing Chopsticks top – still working on that too!

To-Do List for this week:

1. Finish up Chopsticks top.
2. Practice FMQ!
3. I love a spray basting wall for larger quilts

Linking to To-Do Tuesday