Five Shadows

We traveled east to attend two events this past weekend.

First up was my parents 65 Wedding Anniversary.

We had a luncheon with as many family members as could attend.

What is a celebration without cake?

What a family! First row: my husband John & me, my siblings and their spouses, my folks Larry and Marie in the middle. Their great grand kids on our laps. Behind us are our adult children, nephew, nieces, their spouses, more great grand children!

Next up was a wedding on my husband’s side of the family!

Keith Schutt and his daughter Rosie.

Almost Mr. & Mrs. Travis Jarrett, saying their vows! Such a lovely wedding and reception!

It was a packed full weekend, and it was great visiting with both sides of our family even tho it was such a quick trip!

And let’s not forget quilting! The longarm quilter called me Thursday morning saying the Bargello quilt was finished! I met her to pick up the quilt, got home, squared it up, got the binding on, then Hubby, daughter and I got in the car for the 10 hour drive to PA! Phew! I was so happy to be able to take the Bargello along with me to present to my sister!

My sister and her husband (in the center) holding up their quilt! They love it! That’s me on the right side of photo and my hubs on the left side.

Close up of Honu (turtles) and quilting to represent the water currents in the ocean.

Close up of outrigger and waves.

My sister wanted this little fish print in the bargello. She could not tell from the photo I emailed her that I did incorporate them into the quilt. She was so tickled to see them in the quilt!

Fun Quilt Facts:

• Bargello center is ~ 80″ square
• Quilt is 106″ square
• Fabrics from Quilt Passions Quilt Shop Kailua-Kona, Hawaii and Edwards Sewing Center Fort Wayne, IN.
• Patterns used: Paddler’s Heritage & Someone to Watch Over You, both by Barbara Bieraugel Designs, and enlarged 150%
• Quilted by Paula Rueille
• Bound using the Flat Felled method

I’m so super pleased with how the Bargello turned out. And I’m overwhelmed with all the kind remarks received on my BIL’s post on FB. I think this is going to be my favorite quilt for some time!

Which of your quilts is your favorite?

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

1. I’m hoping the long arm quilter calls to say the Bargello quilt is ready to pick up! If so BIND! ✔️ CHECK! Bound and delivered!
2. Two big events are happening this weekend. My parents 65 wedding anniversary and my niece’s wedding! I won’t be getting any sewing done this weekend! ✔️ Celebrations attended and enjoyed by all!

Tuesday To-Do List for this week:

1. New baby quilt to make, prep & piecing this week.
2. Mark and quilt Leah Day’s Machine Quilting Block Party, block # 9.

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

This is the last month for Sandy’s One Block Wonders Block of the Month. I’ve used her September BOM paper pieced pattern to make a 26″ square table topper.

I decided to be brave and just jump in there with a rainbow variegated  thread to keep the theme going with the fabrics and now thread. 40 weight King Tut by Superior Threads, color # 921.  This thread might have been part of a “Try Me” package from Superior Threads, as I don’t think I’d order something like that with out a particular project in mind. The rainbow thread is really popping on the black and gray fabrics. I knew mistakes would be very visible, but I have to get over it and just practice, practice this FMQ if I’m ever going to succeed!

Close up of one of the corners. I was just playing with designs, and no, I didn’t have a good plan for turning the corner.

Do you like the rainbow fabric I used in the flange binding? I’m loving it!

The rainbow fabrics are from Be Colourful Color Palette by Jacqueline duJonge for Anthology Fabrics. Purchased from Pumpkinvine Quilting during the Shipshewanna Shop Hop back in June. The black is most likely a Moda, and the gray is A Hint of Print by Molly B’s Studio for Marcus Fabrics. Since  I only bought 1/4 yard of the rainbow stripe, I don’t know the name or manufacturer. (Not enough selvage to gain that info!)

Last Thursday I went on a Shop Hop with 3 quilt-y friends. We visited 6 stores in 9 1/2 hours! Caroline’s Cottage organized the shop hop and there were sales/specials at each store.

I picked up some fabrics for a pumpkin design I hope to make this Fall.

And I bought 2 more rulers and patterns. I really should have resisted, but the sale was too good to pass up! Clearance at one shop, and 25% off at another. I’m turning  in to a Gadget Girl, and I’m thinking 2017 is going to have to be a “Play with all the Gadgets” type year!

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

1. Shop Hop with friends Thursday! ✓ We had a marvelous time!
2. Mark and quilt September’s block for the Machine Quilting Block Party. ✗ Nope, but I did finish the One Block Wonders BOM.
3. Start Christmas Tree Skirts. ✗  Does buying a few more fabrics for them count? Because I did that during the Shop Hop.

I’m working on 2 BOMs this year. It just so happens that both are paper pieced this month.

This is the last month for One Block Wonders hosted by Sandy of Upstairs Hobby Room.

Pattern is printed, and fabrics are cut.

On to piecing. I’ve made 4 blocks for a table topper. Borders will be added.

Hmmm, now to decide which layout to use for a table topper.

Which do you like best?

Or maybe, linear?

I’ve enjoyed participating in this year long BOM which started October 2015. Each month Sandy gave us a pattern for one block that we than used anyway we wanted. I mostly made table toppers and table runners, but I did also make on lap size quilt and have one prepped for sewing which will be lap size, but only a few blocks sewn. Funny thing is, it is also a paper pieced pattern! When I get the current table topper pieced, I’ll have 10 quilt tops ready to sandwich and quilt, I have one underway with some quilting, and that one quilt top to finish paper piecing.

The next BOM is Leah Day’s Machine Quilting Block Party.

Paper piecing underway, trimming the extra fabric to 1/4″.

Paper pieced units trimmed to 4 1/5″ square. Time to remove the paper.

Block all pieced and pressed. It’s ready to be marked, sandwiched, and quilted. This month Leah is going to teach how to put the quilted blocks together in the quilt-as-you-go method.

I have a non quilting new-to-me toy.

It’s a Zojirushi Bread Machine that makes a 2 pound loaf. I still have some tweaking to do to perfect the recipe. And then there will be so much to explore. The manual says you can make jam and cakes in it too. Sounds interesting, I’ll have to give those a try once I’m happy with my whole wheat bread!

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

1. Binding t-shirt quilt (picking up from quilter this week) ✓
2. Piece September’s block for the Machine Quilting Block Party. ✓
3. Download last One Block Wonders BOM pattern. Can’t believe we are already on the 12 month! ✓

Oh My Goodness! I’m sending the Bargello quilt to one of my favorite longarm quilters this week! I am just so totally happy with how the appliqué has turned out on this quilt.

I used a monofilament thread on most of the appliqué pieces, and Aurifil all match-y match-y on the seaweed, turtles, canoe and paddle.

(Oops! I forgot to stitch the black of the eye!) On the close-up of the turtle, you can see the monofilament thread used for the blanket stitch. And on the turtle shell – can you see the spiral stitching in a brown matching thread?

Seaweed stitched in place.

And here is the completed Bargello quilt top! It is 108″ square, so it was hard to hold up for a good picture! My daughter and I are standing on our raised fireplace hearth, we are touching the ceiling with the top borders folded down and it is puddling on the floor.

This quilt is the brain storm of my sister. She lived in Hawaii, and when her husband was being transferred to the Mainland east coast, she wanted a King size quilt that spoke of her love for Hawaii. She saw a small Bargello wall hanging at a quilt shop, and wanted to know if I could make a King size Bargello. Then she found two wall hanging patterns, one with the outrigger canoe & paddle, and one with the turtle (Honu) scene. Her idea was to enlarge them to appliqué on the bargello quilt. My sister was a member of an outrigger canoe racing club. She loves the ocean, and the sea turtles that you could see feeding along the beaches.

Now the quilt goes to the longarm quilter for her to work magic in those bargello waves! I am so looking forward to getting it back and bound and delivered to my sister!

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

1. Bargello –  appliqué stitched in place! ✓
2. Bargello –  back sewn together.  ✓
3. Bargello – Hopefully, deliver to the long arm quilter! I’m so excited about completing this quilt! I’m waiting for the date from the longarm quilter!
4. Bargello – binding ready and waiting! ✓
5. Down load September pattern on the 1st for the Machine Block Party.  ✓

To-Do List for this week:

1. Binding t-shirt quilt (picking up from quilter this week)
2. Piece September’s block for the Machine Quilting Block Party.
3. Download last One Block Wonders BOM pattern. Can’t believe we are already on the 12 month!

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

I am so super pleased with how all the appliqué is coming together for the Bargello quilt! It is taking longer than I’d like, but all the pieces are constructed – outrigger canoe & paddle, and the turtle scene which is fused to the Bargello quilt.

This is the lower right corner, inside the borders, of the king size bargello quilt. The pattern for the Honu (turtle) scene is Someone to Watch Over You by Barbara Bieraugel Designs. I enlarged the pattern by 150%.

Now I need to decided if I am going to be match-y match-y with the thread with each motif, or use monofilament thread all over. Monofilament sure would make it easier, but would the sheen ruin the look of the quilt?

I love Misty Fuse! It is my go-to fusible. I like the feel of the finished product. And I find it very easy to work with when fusing appliqué pieces. Do you have a favorite fusible product?

I didn’t have the One block Wonders August block on my To-Do List last week, but I did finish piecing a table topper using the pattern! The block is called X Box.

I also finished the August Machine Quilting Block Party. I needed some time away from cutting out all the little pieces of appliqué for the Bargello quilt!

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

1. Bargello – finish constructing appliqués! ✔︎ All constructed and I’m so pleased with them!
2. Bargello – fuse and blanket stitch appliqués to quilt!  - Fuse! ✔︎ The Turtle Scene is fused in place and starting to stitch around them today!
3. Bargello – sew back of quilt together! ✗

To-Do List for this week:

1. Bargello – Top stitch all the appliqué in place!
2. Bargello – sew the back of the quilt together.
3. Bargello – Hopefully, deliver to the long arm quilter! I’m so excited about completing this quilt!
4. Bargello – construct binding for the quilt.
5. Down load September pattern on the 1st for the Machine Block Party.

I’m linking to To-Do Tuesday and Linky Tuesday. Hope your Tuesday is going well!

I’ve been procrastinating. I reserved a spot in early September with my favorite longarm quilter for the Bargello quilt. Problem is, I still have to get the appliqué constructed and attached! Today, I finally made it to the local Staples store to enlarge the patterns 150%. After lunch out with my hubby, I got to work labeling & cutting out pieces and cutting fabric.

I’m working on the outrigger canoe & paddle from Paddler’s Heritage pattern.

Next up will be the turtle scene from Someone to Watch Over You pattern.

I raided my very small stash of Batiks looking for the right fabrics for the coral. I might be taking a trip to the local quilt shop tomorrow for more Batiks! Such a shame, right!?

Do you have a particular step in the quilting process that you procrastinate on?

Here is a photo of the completed baby quilt I shared last post, and gifts to go with it for little Olivia.

I used the green Moda Grunge with a white solid for the flange and binding. I’m very pleased with how this quilt turned out – the bright fabrics, quilting design, name, binding. My son and daughter in law visited last weekend (with my grand baby!) and my DIL commented on how she really liked this quilt. It is nice to get an unsolicited compliment! She particularly liked how I quilted the baby’s name. Guess I’ll keep that idea filed away for future quilts!

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

1. Bind baby quilt ✔︎ – completed! But not gifted yet.
2. Enlarge and cut out appliqué pieces for Bargello quilt. enlarged ✔︎ and have a long way to go to finish the cutting, fusing, & stitching.

To-Do List for this week:

1. Bargello – finish constructing appliqués!
2. Bargello – fuse and blanket stitch appliqués to quilt!
3. Bargello – sew back of quilt together!

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

I pieced this baby quilt a while ago. I only had a small amount of The Very Hungry Caterpillar fabric left from a previous gift, and wanted to figure out a way to make good use of it for another baby quilt. So I pulled out my brights and cut 6.5″ strips and sewed them together with a narrow band of a white print in between.

Next up, I wanted to add the baby’s name, but had not decided on just how to do that. What I ended up doing was printing the name out in a large font, cutting the letters out, and tracing around them. Then I stitched around each letter.  I didn’t think of taking a picture of the first couple of steps, oops!

Next, I used the walking foot and added straight lines for the over all quilting.

When my straight line quilting approached the appliquéd butterfly, I stitched around it until reaching the spot on the opposite side of the butterfly to continue the straight line quilting.

After stitching straight lines in four quadrants, I went back and did a FMQ ribbon in-between some of the straight lines. The straight lines are stitched  1.5″ apart.

I wish I had taken a picture of the name before deciding to fill it in. When filling in each letter, I tried to keep the FMQ lines perpendicular to the over all straight stitched lines.

Below is a close up of the three types of quilting used in the quilt.

1. Back ground straight line quilting set at a diagonal, and off set, so they are not meeting in the center of the quilt.
2. FMQ ribbon quilting
3. Filling in letters with (somewhat) perpendicular lines to background quilting

The back of the quilt is The Very Hungry Caterpillar fabric that I found at a LQS. I was so happy to find yardage to coordinate with the little bit I had on the front! But it took running to 2 stores before I found it!

I plan to bind with the above green Moda Grunge.

This was a fun creative project. Starting with a scrap of The Very Hungry Caterpillar fabric, and then playing with ideas for the quilting. I have The Very Hungry Caterpillar board book to also give with this quilt, and my daughter has ordered TVHC stuffed caterpillar to add to the gift. The stuffed caterpillar should arrive this week, with that and the binding complete we will be ready to visit and gift the new mother and baby Olivia!

How has your creative process been this week? I’m happy with how this quilt is turning out!

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

1. Bargello quilt – finish borders & start appliqué  ✔︎ Borders on, and getting appliqué in order
2. quilt baby quilt ✔︎ quilted!

To-Do List for this week:

1. Bind baby quilt
2. Enlarge and cut out appliqué pieces for Bargello quilt

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

This Thursday, I host my quilting group, Curvy Quilters. I usually work on an UFO during that time. It’s a good way to get myself to work on the unfinished projects. And I have enjoyed seeing some progress, and even checking a few off my list this year. Today I pulled out the Timeless Tradition BOM.  I started it last year, while attending a Featherweight Sewing Club. I have the fabric cut for three blocks and all ready for piecing this Thursday.

As July came to a close, I did squeeze in finishing up the BOM for Leah Day’s Machine Quilting Block Party. I had the block pieced, marked, & sandwiched, so just had to quilt it. This BOM is using the quilt-as-you-go method. Each month we piece, sandwich, and quilt a block.

Yesterday, as the first of the month, the new block was available. I got it downloaded and fabric cut. Today I pieced the block.

For all the BOMs (I’m doing 3) I have challenged myself to use fabric from my stash. For the Machine Quilting Block Party BOM, I’m using scrappy prints in yellows, oranges, & reds, with the same white background for all the blocks.

Next up is pulling out the Bargello I started earlier this year. It’s time to add borders & appliqué. I had to set it aside for a while, as I had t-shirt quilts to create for customers. The latest went to the longarm quilter last week. I’ll take photos went it returns for binding.

After the Bargello, I have Christmas tree skirts I want to get started! I was hoping to get to those in July!

Do you have any projects that you are just waiting and wanting to get to sewing?

Back to the To-Do Tuesday list!

1. Host Curvy Quilters on Thursday – that means some house cleaning and baking to prepare for my guests!
2. Sew the next set of Timeless Tradition BOM blocks.
3. Add borders to the Bargello.
4. Friday the One Block Wonders August BOM will be available – download!

As the end of the month approaches, I’m trying to get caught up on the 2 BOM I am participating in this year. I got both blocks pieced, but not quilted.

Here is what I created from July’s One Block Wonders. I love how it turned out. I used hand dyes by Vicki Welsh and commercial Batiks. The picture does not do Vicki’s hand dyes justice. The blue background, oranges to deep rust are all Vicki’s. The blue dots are the Batiks. I’m not sure how I will quilt this, but I’m sure enjoying gazing at it every time I walk past it!

I won a scrap bag from Vicki earlier this year and pulled them out to play with this month’s block. Check out her lovely gradations on her Colorways website!

Next up is Leah Day’s Machine Quilting Block Party. My July block is pieced and marked for quilting.

I’ve also managed to piece a t-shirt quilt that I just took to the longarm quilter this morning. I’ll share a photo once it is back and bound. And I started a baby quilt, pieced, sandwiched, but not quilted, so I’ll show that one too once it is complete.

One last project, and, Oh Boy! was it ever a last minute undertaking! Hubs and I are going to a special friend’s birthday party this Saturday. She loves Hannah Montana! And believe it or not, a local quilt shop still has some HM fabrics! So today I bought 2 pieces, and a blue I liked with them, and sewed up a little quilt for her. I just put borders around two large pieces of Hannah Montana fabrics, sandwiched them – spray glue basting! – and did a quick curvy quilting stitch using the walking foot.

Pictured above is 1/4 of the quilt that measures 51″ x 60″. The pink center is flannel.

The flip side is quilters cotton. You can see the curvy quilting I did  ever 2 1/4″. I used the Flange Binding method, so you can see the purple flange on the flannel side. I’m so pleased with how this quick project turned out. I hope our friend will like it as much as I do!

How about you, have you ever dreamed up a project and pulled it off in a day? Really, I must say this is the first project I pulled off so quickly!

To- Do For this week:

1. Quilt July’s Machine Quilting Block.
2. Enjoy Saturday’s party.
3. Do some much needed house cleaning!

I’m linking to To-Do Tuesday hosted by Stitch All the Things and Linky Tuesday.

As of late, Hubs and I have been busy helping our son & his family prep for a move. I’ve been helping them pack, and playing with grand daughter as they do all the things related to their move. One of the things Hubs is doing is building a new back porch for them. The old one had some rotten spots, and dear DIL (and she is a dear, whom we love dearly!) was afraid it would not pass inspection when listing the house for sale. Once Hubs got into pulling up some rotten floor boards, he found rotten floor joists. So even though this was not how he planned on spending his free time in July, it sure looks like a good thing the rebuild is taking place. And truly, he does enjoy woodworking, he is a natural born handyman!

The question is, what did I accomplish in the sewing/quilting world the month of June? Very little! I did manage to keep up with my two BOMs.

Here is June’s block from Leah Day’s Machine Quilting Party

and here is my June’s One Block Wonders creation, one block repeated 4 times.

The kids are moving this weekend. I’ll be traveling with them Saturday. I hope to fit in a few days to help them unpack and keep grand daughter entertained as they get settled in, but not sure which days exactly! There will be a bit of traveling back and forth between here and their new location.