Row 9

More progress on Dutch Treat #3

Partridge

Pea Pod

Phazer

Piazza

Picture Frames

Pineapple

Pinwheels

Plantaganet

 

Here's row 9

And here's all 9 rows draped over a quilt rack (but not all joined together).  It's become quite colorful!

I've also been machine quilting one of the tops I had basted last week.  This one was made in 2006, if you can believe it.  It was a BOM at my local quilt shop using Thangles .  There would have only been 12 blocks but I wanted a bigger quilt, so I bought 3 of the strip sets each month and browsed a block encyclopedia to find more blocks that were composed entirely of HSTs and squares.  I can't say I'm a fan of Thangles because I'm not.  I still prefer to use oversized squares to make HSTs and then trim them to the perfect size.

Here I am working on the quilt.

But I ran into a problem..or as I prefer to call it..a design opportunity. The friend who basted my quilts on her long arm, lined up the top and batting EXACTLY with the edge of the backing  when she started, rather than centering both on the backing as I had expected and do myself.  I didn't realize that and started quilting in the center as I always do.  The top also wasn't as taut as when I pin baste and moved as I quilted towards the outer edges.  And then I realized I was going to be short of both batting and backing.   Ugh...................I was heartsick. 

I could think of a couple of solutions....one being to sew more backing along the short edge and then baste more batting butted up against the other.  But the top  had pieced cornerstones  like this

And the way the top had shifted I was afraid I might run short of backing and batting at all four corners and with pieced blocks such as this I couldn't just trim  them to fit.
So I removed them, added plain squares of the same fabric I used for cornerstones in the body of the quilt (a green print) and spent a couple of days appliquing flowers in each of them.



 Now I'm ready to quilt the borders.  I may even end up liking it better than the original design....maybe.

I'm trying not to think about the other (and much bigger) tops that were probably basted in the same manner. 

Blind Quilter

What a wonderfully inspiring story!

For those of us who think we "can't do" something.

Now Where Was I?????????????

It seems like forever since I've posted anything. I'm feeling a little stronger each day, but it sure is an uphill battle. I can't believe how hard the H1N1 hit me. It not only robbed me of physical strength, but it seems to have taken my emotional and mental strength as well. I'm having a difficult time finding enthusiasm for much of anything.

So....we went to Iowa for my family reunion. I've never heard the final count, but I believe we had over 150 people attend. This picture of my mom, sister, cousin and I was taken shortly before we left for the day. About 4 hours later I was riding in an ambulance!

After returning home to Kansas on the 3rd of November, I've spent most of my time in bed or in the recliner.

Last week I did find enough energy to quilt this cute little baby quilt for my friend, Cindy. She had given it to me for quilting just before we left for Iowa and she was hoping to have it to give as a baby shower gift this week. So I didn't want to disappoint her, even though I knew she'd understand.

It was small, so I was able to finish it in a few hours. It's really cute...would love to own it! Cindy does a marvelous job of piecing and applique.

When I left for Iowa I only had about five more blocks to hand quilt on my Dutch Treat to reach the halfway point. I not only fully expected to finish those during our trip, but I added two more rows so I'd have plenty to keep me busy.

We all know how those plans turned out.......................

I've done some hand quilting in short bursts in the last week and today I finished those five blocks. I can now say my Dutch Treat is half quilted! Of course that doesn't count the border, what ever that turns out to be.

Close up of some of the quilted blocks. Wish I could get a picture that really shows the quilting.

I've received a couple of really cute siggies in the last couple weeks as well

This from Nicola in Germany

And this from Erna in Germany as well.

Wishing everyone a wonderful weekend.

Show Your Stash

Judy L has suggested we share pics of our stash and sewing rooms as an incentive to both downsize the stash and get better organized. I've been working hard to reduce the stash for over a year now and have actually made some progress though one wouldn't think that from looking at these pics. And this doesn't include the fabric in dresser drawers in another room. Still I know I've made a dent and that's what counts!

Mainly I decided to participate in showing pics because I need to be shamed into straightening the room up. It's out of control again and I need to spend a few days straightening things up. Every time I start I get sidetracked by stopping to work on something or other. Those blocks on the pieced of flannel are one of my latest detours. I've decided I want to make a "Remembering Grandma" quilt with a dark background.

I also realize I haven't completed a project at all this month! Wow....I don't think that has happened since I started quilting 7 years ago. Wonder what the chances are that I get something done in the next 4 days. Probably not. I've also started trying to hand quilt my Dutch Treat in the evenings. That's going to be a long process even if I don't give up.

We were sad to say goodbye to our grandson, Greg and his wife, Eve, this morning. They are headed to his new assignment at Ft. Carson, CO. Visits are never long enough with family.

Block Source

I've had several people ask me about the pattern for the quilt I just finished. At first I couldn't remember where I found the pattern. I knew I had drafted the block to the size I wanted in EQ. I finally figured out I saw the block on Quilter's Cache. It is shown as a 12" block here. My blocks were 8" finished. That means the smallest squares were 1" finished. As you can see on the QC website there are many different ways to set the blocks together.

I'd love to see what some of you come up with if you decide to make a quilt with this block. I may do another one day as I really like the way this one turned out.

Happy quilting and thanks for all the nice comments.

Progress

Been kinda quiet here...except for the steady hum of my Juki. Making progress on my "Flowers" quilt.

Double Wedding Ring

For the last couple of days I've been quilting on a little table topper that I made about 3 or 4 years ago. It was made using the Quilt Smart fusible interfacing. At the time I bought the kit I was sure I'd never be able to piece a double wedding ring any other way. Then I hand pieced my Diamond Ring and discovered that the curved piecing really wasn't that hard.

At any rate, I decided this little piece had been waiting long enough so I started quilting it Thursday. At the time I took these pictures I hadn't removed the blue markings on the center motifs..so if you see blue, that is why. It's about 30 X 40".

And it's raining again this morning! Awwwgggrrrrhhhhh!

Blogger's Quilt Festival

Amy, over at Park City Girl has organized a Blogger's Quilt Festival this week. What fun! Many of us can't get to the big quilt shows, but we can still enjoy the creativity on display each and every day on the hundreds (?thousands?) of quilt blogs online. Check out her blog and find out how to add your favorite quilt to the show. Then take some time to attend the quilt show..in your jammies if you want!


It's hard to pick my favorite quilt to date but I've decided to show my Diamond Ring. It is a variation of the Double Wedding Ring. In 2006 a group of us that participated in the forum at Blockcentral.com decided to each make this pattern. I hand pieced mine in 17 weeks.

With all that hand work I thought it screamed to be hand quilted and because I am a machine quilter I decided to have my friend, Elaine, hand quilt it for me. She did a fabulous job as you can see.

My only regret is that I didn't add more blocks and make it queen sized.

My first attempt at curved binding. It wasn't nearly as hard as I had expected.

I presented the quilt to my husband on our 20th wedding anniversary. I also told him if he ever decides to divorce me, I get the quilt!

Now get on over to Amy's and join the quilt show

Birthday Follow-up

I forgot to mention something very important about Tom when I posted on his birthday. He's a quilter too! He's made one quilt and he has a small stash..of fabric and patterns. And he stops at quilt shops even when I'm not along.

Here he is with his first (and only to date) quilt in 2006. He designed it, pieced it, and quilted it all by himself. It's called "The God's of Golf Are Watching Every Shot...and They Are Hungry Today". You really need to read the label which I've posted down below to understand the name and the quilt. He won a 2nd place in the Beginner Quilter category at our guild's show and was so proud (rightly so!)

He used coordinating fabric for the back



A double bogey!!!!!!! He says the quilting represents his erratic golf shots.

The label and story

He is also been featured in a wall hanging I made for him the same year. I found the pattern online and knew I had to make it for his Valentine's present. He loves it! I call it "Some Things Change". I used one of his discarded flannel shirts.

Close-up . I later found a label pin for sale by the pattern designer that now resides on the quilt. It says "I Do All My Own Nude Shots".

Tom showing why it's easily recognizable as him. (It's hanging at our local quilt show. That's also my "All Tangled Up" reindeer wall hanging to the right , and my "Amelia's Bouquet" just below it).

And the label on the back...........some things change!!!!!!!!!! (and I'm so glad he hasn't made a quilt demonstrating how I've changed..hope he never does!!!!!!!!!!)