Five Shadows

The last Clam Shell – finally – stitched in place!

Making and stitching the Clam Shells for this quilt was definitely the section that took the longest to complete. I didn’t think I would ever see the end of Clam Shells! Actually, the next step will be to sandwich the four sections of this outer border, and then quilt the Clam Shells. So I’m not done with them yet! I’m hoping quilting will go a lot faster than blanket stitching them in place.

Moving on to some piecing, I made one section of Wave, which is the next block in Sew Kind of Wonderful’s Rock the Block QAL.

Here are all the blocks so far -

I’m not making multiple of the blocks yet. But might as this QAL builds.

Spring in my yard -

Grape Hyacinths! I love these little flowers.

Plus we have the large Hyacinths blooming in three colors.

And my first vegetable of the year -

Asparagus fresh from the garden.

How does you garden grow?

Last Week’s To-Do List:

1. Finish appliquéing clam shells.  ✔️ Finally! Completed appliquéing all the clam shells!
2. Next block of Rock the Block.  ✔️

This Week’s To-Do List:

1. Sandwich Clam Shell Borders.
2. Next block of Rock the Block QAL.

Linking to To-Do Tuesday on a Wednesday!

Squirrels! It’s Spring and so many are running around! The animal type, and the quilting type – quilt alongs! I decided to go ahead and play along with Sew Kind of Wonderful’s Rock the Block quilt along. Every Thursday they are showing a new free block with a video. We have completed three weeks.

Week one: Mesmerized.

14 1/2″ square

Week two: Links

7 1/2″ x 14 1/2″

Week three: Crown Flower

7 1/2 x 11″

There will be 9 blocks in all, and then sashing. Instructions list how many of each block to make. Right now I’m only making one of each. I don’t need another large quilt, so I’ll see as this QAL progresses if one each will work for a small quilt. If not, I can always go back and make more blocks. As you can see Sew Kind of Wonderful loves curved piecing! They have created three rulers for curved piecing. I happen to own them all and have used them all – I like curved piecing too. Which is why I jumped in on the QAL.

Clam Shells! I now have three sides of the clam shell border completed. And first row of fourth border pinned.

Not sure if I have enough thread on that spool to finish, but here is hoping. My LQS did not have a matching thread. After stitching the final fourth side it will be time to sandwich and quilt.

Spring flowers continue to bloom!

Daffodils! Two varieties so far. There are a few more varieties yet to open up.

Happy Easter all! I pray you know God’s blessings.

Last Week’s To-Do List:

1. Clam Shells – keep multiplying! ✔️3 sides completed!
2. Maybe follow a squirrel … Sew Kind of Wonderful QAL  ✔️ 3 blocks made

This Week’s To-Do List:

1. Finish appliquéing clam shells.
2. Next block of Rock the Block.

Linking to To-Do Tuesday.

Ab Intra – Last challenge for this season!

I’m not going very deep on this one. Actually, just below the surface. In jest, I’m puzzling why we still live in Indiana after 32 years! I’m a mountain loving girl! Having moved from the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains, I miss the mountains and waterfalls.

So I give you Indiana Puzzle.

Yes, this is a re-visit to Snail Trail, our PQ12.4 challenge, but with a twist.

After our PQ 12.4 challenge had passed, quilter Joan of Hummingbird Highway shared how she used Creative Grids Pineapple Trim Tool (mini) to make a Snail Trail block.  She first posted about it on February 25, calling her variation Swirl.

My little brain just kept going back to how she used the Pineapple Trim Tool to make a Snail Trail! I own that tool, and was itching to give it a try.

I followed Joan’s instructions, purchased for just 3$. And instead of a traditional Pineapple block, I created a Swirl, or Snail Trail, or Monkey’s Wrench, or Indiana Puzzle.

This little bound block is just 4 1/2″ square. Guess I have a new mug rug.

If you are waiting for more depth, sorry to disappoint!

I love how many of you PQ 12′ers are digging deep into your souls for this last challenge. I’m just skimming the surface here! Hope you enjoy this little piece. I’m tickled with how it turned out!

When I told my hubby about my Puzzle, he laughed! He’s a good natured guy! And we do travel, so I do get my mountain and waterfall fix.

Linking to Project Quilting 12.6

Recently I’ve purchased some poor quality products. Happily though, when I contacted the companies they corrected the problems. Since I’m very happy with how both companies responded to my inquiries, I want to recommend and praise them for their great service.

First is The Warm Company. They make batting and supplies and advertise their cotton as grown and processed here in the USA. I bought a twin size Warm & White. When I took it out the the package to use, I found it full of hard little bits.

Once emailing the company, I heard back within 24 hours with an explanation that they had a bad run of cotton and thought they had caught it all before it went out to quilt shops. Oops. At least one slipped through and I happened to buy it. The rep offered to replace the batting. Later I got a tracking number from her and she said she slipped a few more things into the box.

A few things! Look at all the goodies she so kindly sent to me! The rep sent Insul-Bright, Baby Size 100 Warm, Baby Size 80/20 Warm, a package of Lite Steam-A-Seam 2, a package of printed letters, numbers & shapes of Lite Steam-A-Seam 2,  a sample folder of their products, and the Warm & White twin size replacement! Needless to say, I recommend this USA based company.

Next is The Featherweight Shop. Hubs bought a 1951 Vintage Singer Featherweight sewing machine for me off Ebay several years ago. When I learned about The Featherweight Shop, I started buying parts from them. They have parts so you can free motion quilt on the Featherweight! Since I take, or at least used to take before Covid, the Featherweight with me to my group sewing days, I thought it would be great to have the ability to FMQ with my little machine.

While setting up my machine, I discovered one of the parts was warped.

See the long black spool pin on top of the machine? It should be parallel to the top of the machine. I sent an email with the above photo to The Featherweight Shop and I heard back that it was indeed bent out of shape and they would send a new part.

New spool pin. Doesn’t that look better?

The Featherweight Shop sells more than just parts for the vintage machines. Go check them out for fabrics, notions and gifts!

Now to my To-Do Tuesday list -

I’m moving forward with the Clam Shells, and will share photos when I feel like I have something more exciting than just the rows of clam shells.

I posted about the You’re Crazy Project Quilting 12.5 challenge here.

Crazy Thistle, my You’re Crazy entry for this past week.

Last week I shared the Winter Aconite blooming. This week Snowdrops have opened!

This is one of many patches in our yard. See the bee? Even the bees are happy to have fresh flowers blooming!

I hope you have a great week and time to check out The Warm Company products and The Featherweight Shop!

Last Week’s To-Do List:

1. Oh those Clam Shells, keep plugging along. ✔️ Row prepping.
2. Project Quilting 12.5 “You’re Crazy” Challenge.  ✔️ Finished and posted.

This Week’s To-Do List:

1. Clam Shells – stitch stitch stitch!

Linking to To-Do Tuesday hosted by Chris Knits.

Project Quilting 12.5 Challenge this week is You’re Crazy. Crazy Quilt challenge!

I own the Creative Grids Scrap Crazy 8″ templates. It would have been easy to use those for a traditional Crazy quilt block.

Creative Grids Scrap Crazy 8″ Templates

I decided to go just a little bit more crazy.

My husband and I just recieved our Ancestry results. Big surprise, I found out I’m 43% Scottish! I didn’t know that! I’ve always heard that I’m English and Pennsylvania Dutch. My ancestors came over the big pond early. 1600s & 1700s.

With this new family history in mind, I did a quick search of things Scottish. I was determined to some how use it in this week’s challenge.

I landed on the country’s flower, the Thistle.

I purchased this paper pieced pattern on Etsy with the plan to crazy quilt the flower and leaves. Instead of paper piecing I used the flower design as appliqué.

I got so busy pulling fabric and sewing, forgetting to take pictures along the way.

I CraZy  StiTcHed three sections of greens and one of purples and used them for the Thistle. I fused the 4 Thistle parts to the background and got busy decorative stitching.

Close up of Thistle flower.

Close up of Thistle leaf.

I had so much fun changing out the stitches that I forgot to change out the threads I selected.

Thread plan gone wrong. LOL

All stitched, and I’m happy with the results.

The finished CraZy QuiLt. My nod to my Scottish heritage. Finished at 16″ square.

Linking to Project Quilting.

This week I finished a quilt! Using Moda’s Thicket panel, I cut the four animals down to 8 1/2″ square.

Next, I did just a little bit of piecing around them.

Set them in a row.

Sandwiched and quilted with intersecting arches.

Owl

Rabbit

Fox

Bear

For the back I used a white with black dots print. Bound with one of the prints used in piecing.

Labeled (not shown), washed, and packaged to ship.

Shipping is slow, the tracking number originally said it should have arrived March 1st. Today I got a message that it will arrive late. Hmmm. Hopefully it will arrive today. I told my nephew and niece to be on the lookout for it yesterday.

The quilt measures 48″ x 56″ Pieced and quilted with Aurifil Thread 50 weight, color #2021 Natural White. I used a walking foot for quilting on my Janome 8900.

The 12″ or so of snow melted enough this past week bringing on our first Spring Flowers! These popped up Sunday February 28.

Winter Aconite.

Last Week’s To-Do List:

1. Finish and mail baby quilt. ✔️ Finished and shipped.
2. Get back to Clam Shell quilt. ✔️Background prepped.

This Week’s To-Do List:

1. Oh those Clam Shells, keep plugging along.
2. Project Quilting 12.5 “You’re Crazy” Challenge.

Linking to To-Do Tuesday hosted by Chrisknits.

This week I focused on making a baby quilt for a new great nephew.

I cut 4 animals from a panel to measure 8 1/2″ square. Moda panel, Thicket.

Excuse the poor lighting. I did just a bit of piecing around the animals making 16″ finished blocks.

Then pieced 20″ of white fabric on the left side, and 10″ on the right side of the pieced blocks.

Aren’t those cute animals? Owl, Bunny, Fox and Bear.

My niece requested no colors in the baby quilt. She is decorating in woodland animals in grays, so I hope this quilt will be well received!

Quilting started using  a walking foot, curves set 1 1/2″ apart. I’m using Aurifil 50 weight thread, Natural White color #2021.

I’ll bind the quilt in the black and white print used in the pieced owl block.

I was hoping to finish by today, but other things happened. And tomorrow is looking full too. So I’ll just keep moving along as time allows.

I did not touch the Clam Shell quilt. Hopefully I’ll get to it this coming week!

How are you plans working out so far this year?

Last Week’s To-Do List:

1. Need to make a baby quilt.  ✔️ Working on it!
2. Layout Clam Shells on background (which needs to be cut) and start stitching in place.  ✗  Oops, didn’t get to it this week.

This Week’s To-Do List:

1. Finish and mail baby quilt.
2. Get back to Clam Shell quilt.

Linking to To-Do Tuesday hosted by ChrisKnits.

Project Quilting 12.4 Challenge is Snail Trail. Find all about the challenge here. There is time for you to join in on the fun, quilts must be finished by February 21, at noon CST.

Using the Snail Trail block, I built a flower.

I started with four yellow fabrics cutting squares at just one inch.

Then built around the center in light and dark purples, going very scrappy. Then I used two greens fabrics for leaves.

Here’s the finished pieced top before quilting.

And here is the back. Seams pressed open and flat with the help of Acorn Precision Piecing Products. This little starch brush is new to me, and I really liked how it applied the starch, which helped with pressing the seams.

Here is a short youtube video if you are interested in learning about Acorn products. I bought the product at my LQS.

Snail Trail Flower mug rug quilted and bound. 8 1/2″ square. I used Aurifil thread through out project.

Back, showing quilting.

My list for To-Do Tuesday did not include the PQ12 challenge. But I’m happy to let it sneak in!

I did finish prepping all the Clam Shells.

228, top right. 66 with concave curves pressed over.

See the difference? The 66 with concave seam pressed will be the bottom row. 4 rows of Clam Shells total.

Mock up. I still need to cut and mark white fabric for lining up Clam Shells in straight rows.

See the snow through the window? We got an additional 12″ over night on top of the 6″ we already had! Nice stay indoors and quilt weather!

This week I need to switch to creating a baby quilt for a new nephew. Fabric bought and quilt planned.

See you next week!

Last Week’s To-Do List:

1. Stick with Clam Shell making ✔️ All made!

This Week’s To-Do List:

1. Need to make a baby quilt.
2. Layout Clam Shells on background (which needs to be cut) and start stitching in place.

Linking to Project Quilting 12.4 and To-Do Tuesday hosted by ChrisKnits.

My goal to start the New Year was to bind a quilt for my grandson.

I used the red and white print for the binding.

Bound and washed and ready to gift to my grandson for his 3rd birthday!

All Aboard! all bound.

Here is my grandson and granddaughter inspecting the quilt!

He loved pointing to all the cars and the train engine!

After gifting the train quilt, I moved on to appliqué.

Vines, leaves & flowers now circle the Drunkards Path center to this quilt.

I think that all adds up to a good month!

How was your January goal setting and meeting those goals?

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

Decisions need to be made. After prepping 228 5″ Clam Shells and then pulling out the fabric they are to go on – I find I don’t have enough fabric. Grrr. I have enough to piece two sides of the quilt using 2 white prints already used in the quilt. So, buy all new fabric for the four sides, or piece and still have to buy new fabric for remaining two sides?

While the Clam Shells sit, I ponder this situation. I’m making no progress on the quilt. There is a sale coming up in February – do I wait or just buy now? And before I quilt this last border, I need to purchase more backing fabric.

A trip to a quilt shop is definitely in my future!

Here is the pillow I made for my grandson that met the challenge in Project Quilting 12:2 last week.

Read all about it here.

Last Week’s To-Do List:

1. Clam Shells!  ✔️ 228 Clam Shells prepped
2. Maybe create a Fussy Cut truck pillow for my grandson – Project Quilting 12:2 Challenge.  ✔️ No maybe about it! Completed a cute pillow with back pocket to hold a book.

This Week’s To-Do List:

1. Shop for fabric?
2. Start layout and stitching Clam Shells in place

Linking to To-Do Tuesday hosted by Home Sewn by Us