Five Shadows

This past week I fit in two full days of sewing with friends. I focused on completing the Fence Rail Star quilt during those two days. And ta-da! I did complete that quilt top!

Yesterday I made a quick trip to my LQS to pick up a ruler set I had ordered. And while there, I looked through the fabrics in their clearance section and found this piece for the back of the Fence Rail Star quilt.

I just thought the sayings on this piece worked perfectly with the scrappy quilt top!

The print has a saying starting with each letter of the alphabet: Act kindly, Be honest … Jump for joy … Make someone happy … Read good books, are a few of the saying.  Cute, right?! The fabric line is Ron’s World by Buggy Barn for Henry Glass & Co.

I also spent some time catching up on a BOM I’m doing this year. Here are blocks 6 & 7 completed for the Facebook Sit Down Free Motion quilting BOM.

Block 6 has a zipper pocket in the center of the star. I can see this block used in future quilts to tuck little notes in for kids quilts, or maybe wedding quilts. Where would you use a zipper pocket in a quilt?

Block 7 was paper pieced and has those dreaded inset corners and triangles. Our instructor is doing just a bit of pushing to help us all overcome some piecing fears! Have you conquered inset and ‘y’ seams in your piecing?

And I did get a few of the On the Wave units sewn together. This is a quilt-along sponsored by Goshia of Quilts My Way.

Goshia’s quilt-along is called Sew All Around. That may be a clever play on words as both of the quilts she has presented have curved piecing! Have you ever made a quilt with curved piecing?

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

1. Fence Rail Star quilt – sew together rows, maybe get to borders. ✔️ top completed and back purchased!
2. Layout On the Wave quilt pieces, start stitching. ✔️ layout ready and stitching started!

To-Do List for this week:

1. Piecing On the Wave quilt top.
2. Piece back for Fence Rail Star

Today I made progress on the Fence Rail Star quilt. The star points are all attached, the 12 blocks are constructed, and some sashing is sewn on. I hope to get this top completed this week!

I have all the corner stones cut, and most of the sashing. Here is a quick peak with a few pieces of sashing in place.

Yesterday I finally sat down to work on the BOM from the Sit Down Free Motion Quilters group on Facebook. I was 2 blocks behind.

Block #5 is now complete.

This block has some dimension because the pink and light green triangles are actually Prairie Points.

New project alert! I have been following Gosia Pawlowska’s “Sew All Around” quilt along on Facebook. She has introduced a new pattern design, On the Wave. I’ve decided to once again play along.

I think she likes curved piecing! This is the second quilt in the series, and both have had curves in the construction. My pieces are all cut and ready to lay out for stitching together.

How did I do the last To-Do List?

So, for my June One Monthly Goal (OMG) I did not finish what I planned.

I hoped to get these three table toppers quilted, and even bound if possible. But I stalled when it came to the blue quilt. I think I just don’t like it enough as is, so I plan to rip it apart and add sashing. Or maybe give the blocks to a friend who will turn them into something wonderful for a charity.

I did finish this one, a Christmas table topper.  The pattern is Blessings by Sandy of Upstairs Hobby Room from her One Block Wonders BOM.

I used a variegated thread for the quilting.

Close up of flower design.

Close up of circle design and straight line stitching. And binding!

I also completed this table runner which I’ll use in the Fall. This is also a pattern from Upstairs Hobby Room‘s One Block Wonders BOM from last year. This design is called Whispered Dreams.

I used a straight edge ruler for the spiraling diamonds. For the spiraling squares I stitched with a walking foot using its edge as my guide. I completed the quilting in June, but attached the binding July 3rd.

Hopefully I’ll come up with a goal for July that I’ll be able to complete!

Will you be heading to any quilt retreats or shows this summer?

Projects this week:

I finished a table runner. I hoped to quilt up 3 table toppers in June, but only finished 2. This is the second one completed.

The pattern is from Upstairs Hobby Room, pattern is Whispered Dreams from Sandy’s One Block Wonders BOM series.

For the quilting I did some ruler and walking foot play.

Today I finished a little project for a friend. She had asked if I could patch her ripped eye glass case. She gave me a blue print to work with. The leather like fabric was ripped where the magnet fastener was attached. I opted to use the old case as a pattern and made a new case for her.

I added a card board insert for stability, and also fused interfacing to both layers of the fabric.

I used a sew on Velcro closer instead of the metal magnet. My friend was very pleased with the results!

How did I do the last To-Do List?

1. Continue quilting In Box Jaunt Quilt-Along, floral quilting in sashing, then setting this one aside for a couple of weeks.  ✗
2. Helping adult kids with their new home to get it move-in-ready. That should about fill my week! ✗ Sadly this trip got cancelled. New dates set!
3. Touch Monkey quilt if there is time.  ✔️

Since I didn’t complete my free motion quilting goal for June, I think I will take a break from machine quilting and focus on piecing this month. I had a really good run January through June, minus the one table topper I didn’t finish! I completed one lap quilt, 7 charity quilts, and 6 table toppers! Plus I worked from start to finish on a wall hanging! That’s 15 completed quilts of various sizes!

For July, my plan is to complete my Fence Rail Star quilt top. You can read more about it here.

I’m making 12 of these wonky star blocks.  Each block has 36 logs. I’m not repeating any fabric (I hope!) that means cutting the logs from 432 different fabrics! The blocks will be set with sashing, corner stones, and then border(s) added.

You can see all the other quilters July OMG by heading to Elm Street Quilts blog.

Two weeks ago Missouri Star Quilters shared their Fence Rail Star quilt on their youtube channel. I shared it with a friend looking for scrap quilt ideas. Then I got sucked in. Yep, started a new quilt!

I remembered a Chinese Coin fabric exchange I was in years ago. Maybe 10 or so of us cut coins 1 3/4″ x 6″ and then we swapped them so we each ended up with a nice pile of 320 coins with no fabric being repeated. I got 2 sets. I started to make a traditional Chinese Coin quilt top, but decided to add hand appliqué sets between the Chinese Coins, but never finished it.

One day I’ll return to that UFO but will switch to machine appliqué to get-er-done! The Chinese Coins are all sewn into 5 strip sets. The 4 vertical vine strip sets need leaves, buds, berries added. I’ll use fused fabric scraps left from other projects for those – sometime in the future!

So the new project?  I’m using the left over coins in place of the 2 1/2″ jelly roll strips to make the Fence Rail Star quilt.

I have sewn 4 coins together and then trimmed to 5 1/4″ squares. 9 of those are needed for each block. I’m sewing the star points on in a wonky fashion. One completed!

I had almost enough coins to complete 9 blocks. But since I want this to be lap size, I attacked my stash and a friend’s stash to cut 108 more coins. Phew! Fun, but maybe crazy! Especially when I had other plans for this past week!

So, how did I do with my original sewing plans for the week?  I did tear myself away from the Chinese Coins to sew a bit of the Facets Quilt units. Here are just a few to give you an idea of how they will be sewn together in the quilt.

I’m liking how the Facets Quilt is looking!

The other 2 quilts on my to-do list didn’t get touched. Oh well, I did have fun switching it up this week! How about you, did your plans pan out?

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

1. Continue quilting In Box Jaunt Quilt-Along. Next step just presented today! ✔️ Stitched! Setting this one aside for a couple of weeks.
2. Piecing Facets quilt. ✔️
3. Stitch around Monkeys. ✗
4. Plan out Whale quilt.  ✗

Baby Monkey quilt under way. Fused Monkeys are ready to be top stitched.

Baby Whale quilt. I purchased these fabrics a while back, but never made the quilt. Does that count as a WIP? A dear young couple we know are expecting their first baby and they are decorating with an Ocean Wildlife theme. So out comes the Whale fabric! The Whale fabric will be the back of the quilt. The blue fabrics will be ocean waves. A Whale will be appliquéd in the waves. I’m not sure what color the whale will be – I’m open to suggestions!

Facets quilt update: I had to recalculate size for yardage as my son would like this quilt for his double bed, not a lap quilt. I cut more dark blue triangles, and also cut the light blue background triangles. I need to buy more of the light blue, or find something close, as I think I bought the end of the bolt at the LQS. I also need to make 4 more improv triangles. I’m taking this project along with me to Thursday’s Curvy Quilters sewing day.

I’m caught up on the In Box Jaunt Spring Quilt-Along, as of Monday night. What fun FMQ motifs!

Crosses, above.

HST Flowers, above.

This table topper is called Blessings, design by One Block Wonders/Upstairs Hobby Room. I’ll call it a WIP as I intentionally set it aside to use for practicing FMQ. But now it is a Finished Table Topper!

I just finished the quilting and attached the binding today!

The above flower is similar to HST Flowers (2 photos above). This design I saw on page 31 of Lori Kennedy’s new book Free-Motion Machine Quilting 1-2-3.

Above, straight line quilting with circles. I used a variegated green/tan Gutermann thread, Color 9994, 50 wt for the top thread. And Superior Threads Bottom Line, Taupe, 60 wt in the bobbin.

I added a few things in this past week, how about you, anything new craft/quilt wise in your life?

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

1. Cut background for Facets quilt. ✔️ I cut out all that I could. Need to shop for more fabric.
2. Continue quilting In Box Jaunt Quilt-Along. I’m falling behind on this one, so hope to catch up. ✔️ All caught up as of Monday night!

Is it really June already? This year is flying by! Happily, I’m completing quilts and checking them off my to-do list each month.

Since I had success in May OMG with quilting and binding a table topper each week, I think I’ll continue with quilting table toppers again in June.

But I’ll only commit to 3 table toppers this month. I have to allow time for quilt festivals and retreats!

So here they are. All are from a BOM I followed last year. One Block Wonders hosted by Up Stairs Hobby Room.

The quilt patterns are: Blessings,  Topographical, and Whispered Dreams.

One is partially quilted, and the other 2 are ready with backs and batting. I even have 2 bindings already prepared.

My goal for June is complete the quilting of the three table toppers. If I have time, I hope to attach the bindings, but I’m  not commenting to that!

Have you set your June OMG? Come play along with us at Elm Street Quilts, One Monthly Goal!

For May, I decided my goal would be to quilt 4 little table toppers I had pieced but not yet quilted.

Above photo, they are sandwiched and ready for quilting. I use 505 Spray for basting.

The first week of May I quilted Brilliant Cluster using a simple diagonal grid. Brilliant Cluster pattern was from a BOM I followed last year sponsored by Up Stairs Hobby Room.

The second week I quilted Simply Elegant using a clam shell ruler. Read more about it and see close up photos here.

The third week I quilted Sweet Mint. You can see more photos and read about this table runner here.

During the rest of May I quilted Jolene Star, a table topper pattern by Laundry Basket Quilts. Today, I attached the binding. Read more about the quilting here.

All four finished!

I reached my May OMG! Not only did I get the 4 table toppers quilted which was my goal, I also got the binding on each one. I’ll consider that a Bonus!

Check out all the other One Monthly Goal participants and see what they have been busy sewing and quilting by hopping over to Elm Street Quilts.

Thursday I hosted my Curvy Quilters group. I worked on stitching up more improv piecing and completed the 80 triangles needed for the Facets quilt I’m making for my son. Next up is cutting the background triangles. Pictured is the light blue that will be the background, two piles of the improv piecing, and a pile of dark blue Batik triangles.

As time allowed this past week, I also worked on quilting my Jolene Star table topper. I quilted it with Fantastico 40 weight variegated pink thread color number 5031 by Superior Threads. This thread was in a sampler bag I bought and I do like it! Bobbin thread was The Bottom Line 60 weight, Taupe, also by Superior Threads.

I used a design from Lori Kennedy‘s new book Free-Motion Machine Quilting 1-2-3, Open Spiral Leaf on pages 70-71.

Tension is just a little off on the back. Sigh. I will have to keep working on that. I do like the design though, Open Spiral Leaf. I practiced drawing it out on paper, then quilted on a practice sandwich, then bravely moved on to the quilt! It’s not perfect, but I like it.

I think I’m improving on my Free Motion quilting skills, which is a goal of mine for this year. How about you? Are you working towards improving in any areas of quilting this year?

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

1. Part 4 of my OMG is to quilt another table topper – Jolene Star. ✔️ Quilted and binding attached!
2. Thursday I meet with my Curvy Quilters group. I’ll be working on more improv piecing for the Facets quilt. ✔️I have all the improve triangles completed!
3. Enjoy time with family. I don’t think I’ll be fitting in any more sewing/quilting this coming week. ✔️ We had a great time with family and I sewed up 3 curtains for my daughter’s new home!

This week’s To-Do List:

1. Cut background for Facets quilt.
2. Continue quilting In Box Jaunt Quilt-Along. I’m falling behind on this one, so hope to catch up.