Five Shadows

This was a good sewing week.

The Christmas Tree Skirt I’ve been working on is quilted and ready for binding!

I think I’ll do a scrappy binding, it’s on my to-do list for this week.

The May One Block Wonder table runner is also quilted and the binding made and attached!

I learned something this week. When attaching the binding to the May Blossoms table runner, one of the corners just would not turn into a nicely mitered corner.

I fiddled and poked and pressed and fussed, and just could not figure out what I did wrong on that one corner. So I googled “mitered angles” and found this youtube: Mitered Binding for Different Angles.  It seems that I didn’t fold the binding down far enough on that one corner. Live and learn! I’ll be ready to attach a nicer binding next time!

The above mitered corner looks so much nicer than my ‘oops’ one.

Timeless Tradition BOM is coming along. I have sewn the set triangles on to the pieced blocks and trimmed them to 12 1/2″. Next up is sewing the blocks into rows!

Thursday, I picked up a quilt from a client to bind for her. I cut and pieced binding strips for her 90″ x 102″ quilt today. I also picked up t-shirts for another quilt. Prep and trimming are in the plans for this coming week!

How has your week gone? Have you learned any quilting tricks this past week?

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

1. Sandwich and quilt Christmas tree skirt! ✔️ Next up, binding.
2. Finish quilting May Blossoms table runner. ✔️Ready to use Spring 2017!
3. Continue piecing Timeless Tradition quilt top. ✔️ Just a little bit of piecing and trimming.
4. Enjoy family visiting this weekend. ✗  Sadly they got sick and didn’t get to come for the planned visit. But our middle daughter surprised us by dropping by Sunday night. It is always nice to visit with our children!

To-Do Tuesday List for this week:

1. Bind Christmas tree skirt.
2. Continue piecing Timeless Tradition quilt top.
3. Bind client quilt.
4. Prep t-shirts for client quilt.

Last week, while being sidetracked from my to-do list, I made up a spreadsheet of the quilt tops I’ve completed over the past year. Some were WIP, Works in Progress from previous years. Some were new quilts, and others are from One Block Wonders BOM, Block of the Month, I joined for this year. I’m pleased to say, I got the tops all measured, batting all cut, and even some have backs and binding ready! The large tops I placed on hangers and they are neatly stored in my sewing room closet.

While organizing the tops, I came across the cute May Blossoms table runner I made back in the Spring while participating in the One Block Wonders BOM. I allowed myself to be sidetracked once again to finish the table runner instead of sandwiching and quilting the Christmas Tree Skirt, which is what I should have been completing.

When I set aside the May Blossoms table runner, the top was pieced and appliqué fused in place.

This past week, I blanket stitched the appliqué, sandwiched, and started the quilting.

Shucks, its not done, but well on the way.

If you are interested, Sandy of Upstairs Hobby Room has 8 of the 12 One Block Wonders patterns listed on Craftsy. She plans on posting all 12 patterns soon. For the BOM, Sandy provided instructions for one pieced block each month. Then we used the block design anyway we wanted. For May I added stems, leaves, and buds to make the table runner. I pieced 3 blocks for each end of the runner to be form a flower.  Sandy is now has expanding the instructions to make full size quilts, available on Craftsy.

At my Thursday Curvy Quilters sewing day, I worked on piecing star points on to pieced and appliquéd blocks for the Timeless Tradition BOM.

Oh, and I selected, prep, cut appliqué pieces and fused the pieces in place for 4 blocks before going to Thursday’s sewing.

I’m using all fabrics – so far – from my stash for the Timeless Tradition quilt and I’m liking how it is turning out. Using from my stash was just a little challenge I decided to try. So far so good!

This weekend we have out-of-town family coming for a visit. That means I need to do a little sprucing up of guest rooms. I’m looking forward to spending time with them!

One of the quilting Facebook groups I follow posted this today: Quilting makes me feel ______. How would you fill in that blank? I’m feeling accomplished right about now!

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

1. Piecing star points on BOM Timeless Tradition blocks. ✔️
2. Select, prep, cut appliqué pieces for 4 blocks of Timeless Traditions BOM. ✔️
3. Sandwich and quilt Christmas tree skirt. ✗
4. Purchase November’s Machine Quilting Block Party pattern. ✔️

To-Do List Tuesday for this week:

1. Sandwich and quilt Christmas tree skirt!
2. Finish quilting May Blossoms table runner.
3. Continue piecing Timeless Tradition quilt top.
4. Enjoy family visiting this weekend.

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

I got sidetracked this week with my quilting plans! I was going to pull out the huge roll of batting to cut it for the tree skirt. I hate pulling it out, unrolling it and cutting it.

So I thought, what if I measure all the tops I have waiting to be quilted* and cut batting for each while I have the batting out. That would save me some time by not having to pull it out multiple times, right? So I started measuring the tops, and then decided to create a chart to catalog tops, backs and batting size needed, all for easy reference.

 

Then I got sidetracked from THAT! Because, I decided to measure out some fabric for a few backs too.

Besides that lovely idea, I am working on a WIP (work in progress) BOM (block of the month) Timeless Tradition – started in the winter of 2015. I dropped out of the group, but since I’m making the quilt at the request of my brother, I do need to finish it. My goal is have it ready to gift for Christmas 2016. So, back to being sidetracked. In my stash, I found a fabric that would be great for the star points of the BOM. But it would also be great for a back of another quilt. See where this is going? I stopped measuring the quilt tops and looking for backs and switched to focus on which fabrics to use for star points and which to use for the back. After more digging in the stash, I selected the fabrics and even cut out the star points. (I plan on taking that project to this Thursday’s Curvy Quilters sewing day. So actually, that was not time wasted. See how this noggin works?)

The deep blue triangles and burgundy triangles (above) will be star points on some of the blocks for the Timeless Traditions BOM.

Now my handy Tops to be Quilted chart is organized with nine quilts listed. I still have table toppers to list. In a way, I’m actually ahead, because this is something I planned to do before the New Year, 2017. *I have saved these tops because I’m determined to quilt them myself on my domestic machine instead of sending them to the longarm quilter. 2017 is going to be my year to concentrate on  improving in free motion quilting, walking foot quilting, and maybe even learn some ruler ‘play’ quilting.

One of my goals from last week was to mark and quilt the October block for Leah Day’s Machine Quilting Block Party. I did accomplish that!

There are two more months and blocks to this BOM. Leah has already shared how to connect the blocks with her Quilt-as-You-Go method. It might be January before I start that process.

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

1. Mark and quilt block for Oct Machine Quilting Block Party. ✔️
2. Complete Christmas tree skirt, sandwich and quilt. ✗ top completed, but still need to sandwich and quilt

To-Do List Tuesday for this week:

1. Piecing star points on BOM Timeless Tradition blocks.
2. Select, prep, cut appliqué pieces for 4 blocks of Timeless Traditions BOM.
3. Sandwich and quilt Christmas tree skirt.
4. Purchase November’s Machine Quilting Block Party pattern.

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

The Grow with Me Monkey quilt is finished and on its way to baby Emmett. Hopefully you can see the quilting in the photo: squiggles in the sashing and meandering in the pieced blocks. I also outlined the monkeys and rings they are holding on to with coordinating thread.

And look a mouth! My son noticed that I had forgotten to add a mouth, I used a black Pigma pen to draw the mouth and then stitched over it with black thread.

I really like how the name turned out. I completed the quilt with a flange binding, green print for the binding and white print for the flange.

Here is block 10 for the Machine Quilt Block Party.

I was a bit brain dead when cutting the sashing. I cut it at 2″ wide instead of 2   1/2″ wide. I was wondering what in the world I did wrong that this month’s block was so much smaller than all the rest. Dah! I had some ripping out and recutting to do to accurately complete the block.

I’m also sewing up a Christmas Tree Skirt for my daughter. This week’s progress:

My daughter asked for gold and cream prints. I selected 16 different prints and I sure hope she will be pleased with the outcome! I was hoping to have it sandwiched today, but decided to add another row to enlarge it.

I bought fabric to make pumpkins table runners, but have not gotten to them yet. They were kind of purchased on a whim.

I really have to finish up Christmas gifts before I allow myself to start yet another project. My goal is to complete the Timeless Traditions BOM for a Christmas gift this year. I’ve been working on for almost 2 years. Egads!  And of course the Christmas Tree Skirt, which I’d like to complete by Thanksgiving. Maybe I’ll get to the pumpkins and they can be Thanksgiving decorations – maybe!

Are you working on any Holiday quilting?

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

1. FMQ and bind baby quilt.✔️ Quilted, bound, and delivered!
2. Select fabrics & sew Oct Machine Quilt Block Party block.✔️ Pieced.
3. Christmas tree skirt.✔️In progress.

To-Do List Tuesday for this week:

1. Mark and quilt block for Oct Machine Quilt Block Party.
2. Complete Christmas tree skirt, sandwich and quilt

Linky parties! To-Do Tuesday and Linky Tuesday

One of my goals for this past week was appliquéing 3 monkeys on top of a pieced baby quilt. I’m happy to say I got those completed.

Or so I thought! Do you see what is missing!? The mouth! My son noticed it while taking pictures for me and pointed it out!

I also appliquéd the baby’s name on to the quilt.

I was just about to sandwich the quilt when I remembered I needed to add the baby’s name! I used the font Arial Rounded at 425 points for the lettering (but I took the little curl off the bottom of the ‘t’.) Where was my brain while working on this project? No monkey mouths and almost no baby name! I’ll go back and add the mouths to the three monkeys. Then I’ll finally be ready for some FMQ.

Thursday, I hosted my quilting group. At which time I stitched up the last 4 pieced blocks for the Timeless Tradition BOM. I’m using fabrics from my stash and making it very scrappy. Each month there are two 6″ blocks and one 12″ block to make. But there was an extra 12″ block this month, so I decided to use yet another set of fabrics for it. I think this last block is my favorite, the cream, red and green block. I like how the pieces are intertwining around the center square.

There are 4 appliqué blocks to make for the Timeless Tradition BOM. Then the setting triangles. I’d love to have this quilt completed in time for Christmas, it will be interesting to see how fitting it in goes with everything else I’d like to accomplish.

Last Christmas my daughter asked if I would make a Christmas tree skirt for 2016. Of course I said yes! I inquired as to what style she was picturing and also what colors. We looked at lots of patterns on line, and I dug out a few I already owned. She selected Tula Pink’s Moxie pattern that IS NOT a tree skirt, but should work well with some modifications.

I was lucky in that a local quilt shop had their Christmas fabrics 50% off between Christmas last year and New Year’s Day. Only thing was that I had to buy one yard pieces. The pattern calls for fat quarters, so I have enough fabric to make 4 tree skirts! I’m making 2, and will figure out another project with the rest of the fabrics. My daughter selected golds and cream prints for the skirt. This past week I cut out the fabric and my plan is to have it finished by Thanksgiving. That way she will have it for decorating this upcoming Holiday Season.

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

1. Appliqué monkeys on to baby quilt. ✔️
2. Sandwich baby quilt and begin FMQ. ✔️ oops! add those mouths then FMQ.
3. Select fabric and piece next set of Timeless Tradition BOM. ✔️
4. Select fabrics for Oct Machine Quilt Block Party block. ✗ Nope, didn’t get to that.

Tuesday To-Do List for this week:

1. FMQ and bind baby quilt.
2. Select fabrics & sew Oct Machine Quilt Block Party block.
3. Christmas tree skirt.

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

Back in August I went to Brickworld, a gathering of Lego enthusiasts who build wonderful creations and share them during Brickworld events. One gal had some optical illusions built from black and white Lego brick that I thought would make cool quilts.

This log cabin one is my favorite.

I’m keeping these in mind, there might be an optical illusion quilt in my future.

There is a free pattern offered through Craftsy, which I’ll keep in mind as my first attempt in piecing an optical illusion quilt. 3D Op Quilt by Pippi22

It is lovely!

Have you ever made an optical illusion quilt? I’d love to hear about it. Do you have patterns to recommend?

New baby quilt under way!

Pieced top complete and now to add appliqué.

Three appliqué monkeys hanging from rings, fused in place. Time for blanket stitching. Oh, and adding the mouths with some thread stitching. Pattern: Grow With Me for Moda.

September Machine Quilting Block Party all quilted.

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

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

1. Appliqué monkeys on to baby quilt.
2. Sandwich baby quilt and begin FMQ.
3. Select fabric and piece next set of Timeless Tradition BOM.
4. Select fabrics for Oct Machine Quilt Block Party block.

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