Design Wall Monday 4.2.2012

Finishing up this little QAL by Temecula Quilt Co called Blessing Baskets...

Original design is for five baskets. I made three more. One was by accident because I rotated the four patch in one of the baskets. Instead of unsewing I made a new one. (The two baskets in the center.) Then decided to use my goof basket, came up with two more variations, rotated the basket blocks and added two more setting triangles. Turned this little guy into a rectangle instead of a square :0) Adding a small border with the fabric folded off to the right which will probably be the binding as well.

Used up some of my Civil War fabrics and will have a little quilt for a table.

This was a fun little project. Temecula Quilt Co has great little QALs from time to time. You may have seen or made the Twelve Days of Christmas last year. They also organized a good cause, taking donations that will buy sewing machines thru World Vision to help women make a living and support their families. Check out their blog.

Just Takes Two posted a new unit yesterday. One of the blocks is a BIG appliqué project. Pulled out my #10 UFO for April. Another BOM that I thought I had all of the blocks done... not the case! Sew I've got lots to do for the month of April.

Hop over to Patchwork Times to see other folks' design wall projects.

This week I will share more pics of Gail's antique quilts... Have a great week!

JT2 Grandma's Favorite Compass

This is my version of Block 23 ~ Unit 6 for Just Takes 2:

JT2 ~ Block 23 ~ Grandma's Favorite Compass

Original instructions/pattern call for this block to be hand pieced. As much as I would love to hand piece, I decided to machine appliqué the red pieces onto a white background piece, using the same method I came up with to make the Turkey Tracks and the four hearts block. Not as pretty as needle turn, but not as flat as fusible and no raw edges. As promised on our Flickr group, here is a tutorial on how I made this block...

From the hand piecing templates only use A, D and F. Using freezer paper trace six of A, six of D and one of F. Press the freezer paper to your color fabric. The pieces are small enough I used some of my red scraps :0)

 Using a rotary cutter and ruler, cut a scant 1/4 inch seam allowance

 With scissors or a small rotary cutter cut the curves

Cut the tip of the points leaving a small 1/8" amount to turn

 Using a glue stick, put glue on the curved edge and the point

 

Using a wood cuticle stick, pull the fabric over the edge of the freezer paper, smoothing it out as you go. Fold the tip down without folding the paper

Using small scissors (not your good embroidery scissors because of the glue) trim away some of the seam allowance. Add glue to one side

and pull the fabric over the edge of the freezer paper with the cuticle stick. Smooth the fabric and get the points flat. Trim more seam allowance if necessary. Repeat with the other side.
Note: Use a fresh glue stick. What makes this easy is the glue is "gooey" which makes the fabric easy to manipulate. If the glue stick is too dry, it doesn't stick or is too stringy.

Glue the seam allowances of all 13 pieces including F. Once the glue has dried, use a seam ripper to make a small hole in the paper. With scissors, start at the hole and cut away the center of the paper, leaving a small edge of paper under the seam allowance. Be careful not to cut through to the fabric.

Prepare a 13+ inch square of your background fabric with a stabiliser. I used a iron on/tear away by Sulky. A wash away would be even better! Lay pieces on the right side of the background fabric 

Glue down the pieces with a water soluble glue like Roxanne's basting glue

 Once the glue has dried, press if necessary. Now you are ready to sew the pieces using your favorite appliqué machine stitch. *(You could hand appliqué at this point, that's how I made the 4 hearts block.)*

I used a button hole stitch and started with the small points (A), going all the way around each, one at a time. Next start at one corner of the large points (D) sew all the long edges going from one point to the next. Once all the points are done, continue into the middle and stitch the curved edges without taking it out of the machine.

Turn it over, tear away the stabilizer and Ta Da! Done!

Note: if you don't want to leave in any of the freezer paper, use a temporary water soluble glue stick, don't cut the center of the paper away before stitching. After stitching and removing stabilizer, cut into the back of the backing fabric behind the pieces and remove the paper. This method of machine appliqué is from Beth Ferrier of Applewood Farm. She uses mono filament with a different stitch.

It's been a great week. We got rain. I quilted my UFO for March. Just have binding and a label left to do. Have a quilty weekend!

Design Wall Monday

JT2 block 19 ~ Feathered Star is on my design wall this morning...

My first feathered star... I've always wanted to make one and considering how much I love to make HSTs, odd it's taken me this long to try one!

One of the things I DO like about JT2, it does take me out of my comfort zone!

I lost a few points and most of the outer star points don't have 1/4 inch seam allowances so they will be lost when this block gets set in.

For my first Feathered Star I am happy with this one :0)

The next set for JT2 has a variation of a Mariner's Compass! Oh joy!... to be hand pieced! Oh oh... out of my comfort zone again! Click Just Takes Two for info on this 2012 Mystery QAL. Check out my progress on my JT2 page.

To see what other Quilter's are working on go to Judy's Patchwork Times. 

Have a wonderful week!

JT2

Finished the last 3 blocks in Set 4 ~ Just Takes Two this week.

JT2 ~ Set 4 ~ Blocks 14 thru 18

Not one to give up easily, I decided to keep going on this Mystery QAL until I run out of my red fabric. I do love the crispness of the red and white as well as the challenge of these blocks. Each one is very different, both in appearance as well as construction techniques. One of the newest blocks posted for set 6 is no exception! Lots of curved seams, it may need to be hand pieced! :0# what!?!

This week I finished Blocks 14, 16 and 18

Block 14 ~ Pinwheels was easy peasy with HST:

JT2 ~ Block 14 ~ Pinwheels

 Block 16 ~ Pine Burr which was a challenge with Y seams

JT2 ~ Block 16 ~ Pine Burr

... and Block 18 ~ Turkey Tracks was fun! I used the same technique as the four hearts block to prep for appliqué. In place of hand stitching, I machine stitched a blanket stitch :0) With a turned edge instead of raw edge, I really like the look

JT2 ~ Block 18 ~ Turkey Tracks

Close up of Turkey Tracks stitching

Click on my JT2 page to see finished blocks for this QAL

Here is today's view from my sewing room window...

Flowering is a Red Bud in the back ground, next to the garden house we built (from scratch using many left over and re-used items). To the left is what's left of the Star Magnolia's flowers. The wind and rain blew most of the petals away. Chico had 2 inches of rain so far this week with lots of wind. More on the way. The foothills around us are getting much more. Sue, up in Grass Valley reported this morning that she will have 10 inches!

Have a wonderful weekend :0)

It was a 3 letter week

JT2, QAL, BOM and UFO! LOL!!! :0)

I worked on a few blocks for JT2.

JT2 ~ Block 15 ~ The Basket

JT2 ~ Block 17 ~ Broken Heart

Unfortunately I printed the directions for this QAL the first day and did not check back. There were too many red pieces and not enough white for the flying geese. I found out later with corrections, it was because the geese should have been white. Oh well, my block stays as it is as I don't have enough red fabric for any more do overs!... Lots of folks are dropping out of this QAL because of all the paper piecing, blocks turn out too small and corrections. I have to say, I'm not really "feeling the love"...

I did figure out another technique for appliqué that is working for me. After finishing the handles for my baskets I hand stitched the hearts for block 6 of JT2

JT2 ~ Block 6

I used freezer paper, a water soluble glue stick and Roxanne's. Cut the paper into the heart shapes and ironed them to the red fabric. Cut out the red fabric with a small seam allowance. Used the glue stick on the back and pulled the fabric over the edges of the freezer paper. It makes the shape of the heart nice and smooth. Once the glue dried, cut the middle of the freezer paper away, leaving 1/16 of an inch along the edges. A few dots of Glue-baste-it to hold them down on the white background fabric and hand stitched.

Wednesday we had our Block of the Month at Cathy's. We made block 7 - Water Wheel for Color Me Happy. Here are five of Kathy's blocks, Water Wheel is in the upper left corner...

Kathy's blocks

Linda's blocks

Not everyone brought previous blocks for pictures. We all have blocks to make up, last month I cancelled block 6 when I was sick.

And for UFOs, I pieced the outer borders for Simple Scrappy Pleasures wall hanging, appliquéd the basket handles for a second UFO and have half of the rows for that top put together.

The weather has been beautiful. We even worked out in the garden, getting beds ready to plant. Mom and I sat outside yesterday while I finished my appliqué. Rain is forecast for next week which we desperately need. Once piece of sad news, a family member lost treasured possessions in an apartment fire in Princeton, NJ on Tuesday night. She was in Texas at the time but flew out there yesterday. Georgine, my heart is with you this weekend. Haven't heard anything from my brother or the person renting my mom's house to know how they fared after last weeks tornadoes. Hope all is well...

Next up

UFO quilt #8 for Judy's 2012 Challenge at Patchwork Times to be completed in March:

I pulled out the pizza box where this quilt has been living since 2002! An online block of the month by Claudia's Quilt Shop called Simple Scrappy Pleasures. Directions were for a twin size quilt which I did along with a smaller version I calculated to be half the size. It is scrappy! All of the fabrics, mostly calico are scraps from a job where I worked in the 1980s. I was head seamstress and designer for a company named Accents by BK. Barbara and Karen were the owners. We made giftware, samples would be made and taken to the big gift shows... Houston, Atlanta and LA. The shows were for shop owners and Barb, Karen and the sales reps would come back with box loads of orders.

We always had piles of scrap that were thrown away and I took some of it home. It was fun to look at all the fabrics when I pulled the box out. Brings back memories of all the different products we came up with, very country at the time!

A little more to do for this UFO than what I remembered: All the blocks are done except three basket blocks. Baskets with appliqué handles which would be the reason they are not done ;0) Pieces are all cut including the bias strips for the handles. 3 of the rows are completely pieced. The row with the baskets and one more small pieced row thru the middle left to be finished.

HST for the inner border (not cut) and 4 four patch units for the corners (made). I made notes with a plan to make it a solid navy blue border in place of the HSTs. Will wait and rethink that...

Piece the outside border, pieces are all cut and there are 4 nine patch blocks for the corners (made). That will finish the top. Then to quilt, bind and label. Lots to do for this month.

Four more blocks for JT2 were posted yesterday. One big feathered star block, 2 strips of flying geese and a small block. Not too bad. Heads up for anyone doing this QAL, there were mistakes in the first post... corrected at the end of the first day.

Terrible weather and tornadoes today from the gulf to the Great Lakes of the US. Kansas, Tennessee, Kentucky and Indiana are taking the brunt of it. Hoping my two brothers and mom's house are OK. Glad she is here with me :0)

Wishing everyone a pieceful weekend

Country Cottages

Click here for link

Warning!... Distraction!... Temptation!... Brandie, don't look! ;0)

I was checking out other JT2 blocks on the Circle of Friends:Take Two! flickr site when HeresLucy posted her version of the house block made as a cottage. It is sew cute!!!

There is a Country Cottages flickr site set up too. Click here

I am sew tempted! The blocks are appliqué and embroidery. I would do the appliqué by machine with a button hole stitch. My Bernina has two button hole stitch options, one is extra thick with 2 threads. The embroidery and embellishments would be fun to add and would make a good take along project. NOT that I need another project!!!

I am making good progress on my UFOs and getting work done! The borders are added to my red and white quilt and it's ready to be quilted. Yesterday I FMQ a small quilt on my Bernina. Now that I am finally feeling better and at the tail end of this nasty coughing flu I had the energy.

Meanwhile my studio is warming up and I plan to quilt my red and white quilt this afternoon. Waiting for the next set of blocks for JT2 to be posted today. I hope there are not another 1/2 dozen blocks again. I have to say this quilt is taking more of my time than I expected, but I do like the challenges and new techniques.

Hummmm... it is the middle of February, I am making good progress on my UFOs, getting jobs done. The big question... Do I start a new quilt project?!?

Be My Valentine

Be My Valentine

This card reminds me of grade school. The teacher had us tape a bag we decorated with hearts to the edge of our desk for our 'mailbox' and we traded cards much like this one. Those were the daze... simple innocence

"I will always love you" the lyrics as sung by Whitney Houston

played over and over this morning as her death is reported

Life has ceased to be simple and certainly no longer innocent

Come Ride With Me, My Valentine
on this life's sweet journey

All caught up with JT2 until the next set of blocks to be posted the day after Valentine's Day. This is block 12, paper pieced and was it ever a challenge... 

Block 12 ~ Rocky Mountain Chain or Tumbling Blocks

Next up is UFO #1 to be completed in February. Mine is a red and white quilt. The center is ready for borders. I have the quilting designs planned. Once the top is finished it will be quilted with feather wreaths in the snowball blocks, a reel design in the alternate blocks and feather borders. Better get to it!

Have a Happy Valentine's Day!

Just Takes 2

I am still fighting a flu bug. Almost 3 weeks... I'm so sick of being sick! I am better tho, after five days of antibiotics, a breathing treatment, inhaler, cough RX, soup and allot of sleep, I am finally vertical and able to do some quilting...

I worked on Just Takes 2 Mystery quilt. I am really enjoying the process! A little appliqué, paper piecing, templates and rotary cutting/piecing. I opted to add the Redwork as well. However, a different design. These are flower/heart designs from Alex Anderson's Redwork Garden. I tried to do the Redwork by hand, my attempt was pretty bad. I played around with my Bernina and came up with a way to make them by machine using free motion stitching...

Block 3 ~ California Poppy

 I resized the designs to fit these blocks. Block 3 is a California Poppy and on block 4 are Morning Glories and Sweet Pea...

Block 4 ~ with Morning Glory and Sweet Pea

The appliqué I am doing by hand, just not needle turn. I came up with a combination of methods by various quilter/teachers. Basically, using freezer paper and a glue stick I make the shape first and then hand stitch them down. Here are the hearts for block 6, ready to be stitched...

I love needle turn hand appliqué, both the process and the look but it's hard on my hands. Machine appliqué methods are just too flat!  I found a happy medium that works for me.

I also worked on my blog...

Check out the new pages I added under my header... quilts I am working on, UFOs and a gallery. The gallery page is still "under construction" until I dig up some photos of finished quilts.

Red and White

Decided on a layout for my Tree of Life blocks after completing 4 of the blocks. I will make 4 more that will be placed in the corners and add sashing between them. I am getting pretty excited about this quilt.

Then I started on my blocks for Just Takes 2 mystery quilt. These are a combination of blocks from both set one and set two. 

I am trying my hand at Redwork for the first time. What started out as a cold moved into my chest and a cough later this week. I figured it would be a good time to take it easy with some handwork. So far it's not looking too good :0( Tried it with a hoop, without, with a stabiliser, without... first one has become a practice piece. Will try again, later. Pushing the button on the camera is about all the energy I have for today. Best to burn a day and get to feeling better.

Sure so miss checking the CW blog for a new block on Saturday mornings. Barbara Brackman did post more pictures of finished tops today. Check them out here