Five Shadows

My goal for August was to learn how to use Sue Pelland’s Hearts and More templates and create the center of this quilt.

Here’s the center, 4″ unfinished blocks in rows on design wall.

And top pieced, finished 3 1/2″ blocks.

The pieced center measures 42 1/2 inches x 49 1/2 inches.

Read about how I used Marti Michell templates instead of Sue Pelland’s for cutting and piecing the center. I didn’t want to do raw edge appliqué, and curved piecing with Marti’s templates seemed like the solution.

As seen in the top photo, the next portion of the quilt will be appliqué vines, leaves and flowers.

Hello September’s goal!

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

168 curved pieced blocks makes the center of the quilt I’m currently working on.

This section of the quilt measures 42 1/2 inches by 49 1/2 inches.

The next step is creating appliqué vines, leaves and flowers to border the center of the quilt.

To make the vines I cut 1″ bias strips. Using  Pauline Rogers Sasher tool the strips are pressed making 1/2″ finished bias fold strips. They are ready to pin in place on the back ground fabric.

To make the leaves I’m using Sue Pelland’s Hearts and More templates. I’m following the instructions for cutting the leaf shapes, page 21 of Heart and More book, but I’m shifting the template just a bit to enlarging the leaf shape by 1/4 inch. Next I’m pressing the edge of the leaf fabric around freezer paper templates also cut using the Hearts and More templates. This will eliminate the raw edges, making turned edge appliqué.

I found that using starch helps with holding the pressed edges in place.  The freezer paper templates are easily removed once the leaf shapes are pressed. Also, the templates can be used multiple times. The pattern calls for 330 leaves. I have 200 cut. I might change that number using   fewer appliqué leaves and adding more flowers.

Cover photo of Sue Pelland’s book, which is the quilt I’m currently working on.

Last Week’s To-Do List:

1. Finishing piecing rows, above.  ✔️ Completed and moved on to appliqué pieces.
2. Shop or dig through stash for a back for above quilt. ✗  I didn’t find anything in my stash to use, and didn’t go shopping.

This Week’s To-Do List:

1. Continue with prepping appliqué leaves, move on to the flowers if I complete the leaves.
2. I have an order ready to pick up at a LQS, I’ll look for backing fabric while there.

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

Here they are, 168 pieced and trimmed 4″ blocks.

120 with pieced curves in opposite corners, and 48 with one pieced curve.

Trimmed blocks and trimmings.

The layout on design wall. Ready for stitching rows together.

The pattern is from Hearts and More book by Sue Pelland, starting on page 53. Sue is known for her rotary cut fusible appliqué designs using her speciality templates, Hearts & More and Leaves Galore. Instead of doing fused appliqué for the center of the quilt, I decided to do traditional piecing. This quilt will be well used and machine washed. I thought piecing might be steadier in the long run. There will be appliqué flowers and vines around this pieced center, and then 3 rows of Clam Shells bordering the flowers. I’ve got a long way to go to finish this quilt!

Back to row piecing!

Last Week’s To-Do List:

1. Continue piecing curved blocks. ✔️ All 168 pieced!
2. Lay out center of quilt, maybe even sew rows? ✔️ Layout on design wall and piecing rows started!

This Week’s To-Do List:

1. Finishing piecing rows, above.
2. Shop or dig through stash for a back for above quilt.

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

The More:  I did hem 3 pairs of pants for a friend. Check that off the list!

And More: I started the quilt on the cover of the book Hearts and More.

Figuring out the piecing for the center of this quilt is my One Monthly Goal for August. The quilt made as designed, all the prints would be fusible appliqué. I’m changing up the center of the quilt by doing the curved pieced blocks.

I’ve played around with Marti Michell’s Drunkard’s Path templates and have come up with 3 1/2″ finished blocks.

For the background I started with 4 1/2″ squares and used Marti’s “B” template to cut off opposite corners.

I used Marti’s “C” template to cut the prints to be sewn into the corners.

6 units sewn, pressed and trimmed to 4″ square. I only need to stitch up 114 more!

More piecing, and now 74 more to go!

As you can see, I made the pieces oversize so they can easily be trimmed down to 4″ square.

Happily I sew along.

This week I’ll continue with the piecing, 74 more! And then lay out the rows for the center of the quilt. Looks like I’ll be sticking with this quilt for a while instead of complicating things by working on more than one project at a time!

Last Week’s To-Do List:

1. Hem 3 pairs of pants for a friend. (shhhh! don’t tell anyone this quilter knows how to hem pants!)  ✔️ All knit fabrics too. But they are done!
2. Piece lots of the Drunkard’s Path blocks. At least as many as I have time to do.  ✔️ Figured it out, and sewn just over half.

This Week’s To-Do List:

1. Continue piecing curved blocks.
2. Lay out center of quilt, maybe even sew rows?

I’m linking to To-Do Tuesday Linky Party hosted by Home Sewn by Us.

Scrappy Star is all quilted, label made and bound.

I used a charm pack that I won earlier this year along with blues from my stash. Also two friends gave me blue fabrics to add to form the star and border.

Batik fabric and pattern I won from Living Waters Quilter.

Close up of pieced border, diagonal quilting, and binding. Quilted with Aurifil thread 1128 Light Blue Violet, 50 weight. Finished quilt measures 54 1/2″ x 58.”

For the new quilt to start, I decided on the quilt on the cover of Sue Pelland’s book Heart and More. I’m tweaking it, as I don’t want all raw edge appliqué pieces.

Piecing the 168 Drunkard’s Path units and sewing them in rows for the center of the quilt is my August One Monthly Goal. This past week I played around with Marti Michell’s templates and figured out piecing for the 48 -  4″ unfinished units shown above.

Only 120 more units left to sew with curved pieces in 2 corners. Ha ha! That shouldn’t take very long! Right?

I’m feeling like this was a good week, and hopefully this new week will be a good one too!

Last Week’s To-Do List:

1. Make label & binding for Scrappy Star. Bind. ✔️ All done!
2. Start a new quilt, I have 2 waiting with patterns and fabrics purchased. ✔️ Shown above!

This Week’s To-Do List:

1. Hem 3 pairs of pants for a friend. (shhhh! don’t tell anyone this quilter knows how to hem pants!)
2. Piece lots of the Drunkard’s Path blocks. At least as many as I have time to do.

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

Last year I saw the quilt on the cover of Sue Pelland’s book Hearts and More displayed at a local quilt shop. Having promised a quilt to my son, Noel and his wife, Alicia, I thought this quilt would be something they would like. They stopped by the shop to look at the quilt and loved it.

I bought the book, templates & fabric the quilt shop had kitted for the Clam Shell quilt.

Hearts and More book by Sue Pelland.

I’ve not started that quilt yet! Honestly, I don’t think that’s a big deal as they have spent the last year gutting and remodeling their almost 100 year old house. No reason to have a new quilt in all that mess! Actually, they stayed with us during most of the dirty demo. Plus, most of their house hold items have been stored in our basement and garage for the past year. As rooms are completed, items have been moved back into their house.

It’s time. I want to finish the quilt by the end of this year, if not sooner!

For August, my goal will be learning to use Sue Pelland’s Hearts and More Templates.

Plus I don’t want to do raw edge appliqué, so there will be some tweaking of the pattern on my part. Oh, and I need to enlarge the quilt for their queen size bed. Not too many changes to conquer, right!?

August goal – start Clam Shell quilt for my son and DILove! The center of the quilt is made up of Drunkard’s Path blocks. That is where I’m starting.

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

My OMG for July was finishing up two baby quilts I’m calling Splash.

Moda Slice precut solids triangles and pattern. I cut the triangles in half to make 2 smaller quilts. Then followed the pattern for piecing layout, but added my own appliqué, omitting the anchor.

Top before appliqué is added. (I made 2 identical tops.)

Appliqué pieces: baby whale, mother whale tail, scuba diver.

Fabric selected for the two quilt backs.

Scuba diver applique.

Quilted and bound.

Close up of baby whale.

Quilting around scuba diver.

Quilting, I hope it looks like ocean currents. Back. Flange binding.

The quilts measure 46″ x 51″  Quilted with Superior Thread King Tut #1031 Edwardian Blue, 50 weight.

All done! All happy!

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

Here are some photos as Scrappy Star came together this past week.

Rows on design wall.

Building borders.

Pieced, sandwiched, ready for quilting.

Half way there with walking foot diagonal quilting. Aurifil thread 1128 Light Blue Violet, 50 weight.

Last Week’s To-Do List:

1. Finish piecing Scrappy Star quilt top.  ✔️ Finished piecing and moved on to sandwich and quilting!

This Week’s To-Do List:

1. Make label & binding for Scrappy Star. Bind.
2. Start a new quilt, I have 2 waiting with patterns and fabrics purchased.

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

News! As of Monday, July 20, it was announced all major grocery stores in our town are making masks mandatory. No mask, no entrance. I’m fine with that. If for some reason you can not wear a mask, there is curb side pick up.

Last week several members of my family who have returned to work have requested more masks.

Some like ties, 8 masks made with ties.

Some like masks with elastic, 6 made.

While shopping at the local quilt shop for the elastic, everyone had on masks. And when I checked out, my debit card was wiped with sanitizer before it was handed back to me. That was a nice extra step!

Scrappy Star is coming along.

Rows completed. Next up borders.

I have no idea where this past week went! It flew by with little sewing happening.

Last To-Do List:

1. Piecing Scrappy Star baby quilt.  ✔️ Progress made.
2. Make more masks! I have several family members requesting masks.  ✔️ 14 masks made.

This Week’s To-Do List:

1. Finish piecing Scrappy Star quilt top.

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

Many pieces! Here is my latest baby quilt in progress. I’m calling it Scrappy Star.

HST units pieced and being trimmed to 4″

40 units all trimmed using Bloc-Loc tool. Bloc-Loc has several sizes and shapes that make trimming units a snap!

Time to lay out the star design. Sewing in progress.

The next project I worked on this past week was a zipper pouch made from candy bags.

I bought 2 Mentos bags. After cutting them open, I covered both sides of each bag with Heat n Bond Iron on Vinyl. I followed this youtube by Laura of Sew Very Easy.

And easy it was!

Flip side.

The zipper pouch measures 10″ x 6″. The Mentos pouch and candies – her favorite – are ready to mail to a special friend for her 20th birthday. Hubby said to add a note that says, “Mentos as a memento for your 20th Birthday!” He is such a punny guy!

That’s it for this week. How was your week?

Last To-Do List:

1. Prep for one more baby quilt. A star design this time. ✔️ squares cut, units sewn and trimmed!
2. Candy Bag Pouch – hoping to find a bag of Mentos to use! ✔️Mentos comes in fruit favor too. Who knew?! I bought 2 bags in two flavors.

This Week’s To-Do List:

1. Piecing Scrappy Star baby quilt.
2. Make more masks! I have several family members requesting masks.

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