DESIGN WALL MONDAY

Nothing on my wall - just finished the last 3 projects I had been working on, but......

I have been staring at these two piles of flannel scraps, trying to decide what kind of quilt top I can make.  Sometimes having too many scrappy choices make the decision more difficult!


There are lots of pastels, and a few bright colours as well.  Should I mix them all together?  Should I make a pastel quilt and a bright quilt?  What to do, what to do?

Check out all the creativity shared at Judy's blog, Patchwork Times.  I'm sure I'll find some inspiration there.....

STASH REPORT SUNDAY

Fabric used this week  12.125 yards

Fabric used year to date  115.25 yards

Fabric added this week  0 yards

Fabric added year to date  28.5 yards

Net used 2014  86.75 yards

I finished the second flannel baby quilt.  This was a second project using leftover flannel.  Depending on the quilt that I back, and how accurate the flannel was cut, how much shrinkage occured during washing and drying, I have varying amounts left over after backing quilts.

Then I completed my version of Le Jardin by Red Brolly.

I stitched a different design in each of the coloured strips surrounding the embroidered blocks, repeating the designs by colour.  I used a pastel variegated thread.

Depending on the colour of each strip, the stitching showed more or less, but it gave me an opportunity to try some designs that are good for narrow areas.

 

This was fun to stitch, both by hand and by machine.  It made me remember some of the embroidery stitches that my Mother taught me, but I hadn't used in a very long time.  The quilting was challenging, finding many different, narrow, continuous line fills that suited the garden theme of the project.   I have to thank The Inbox Jaunt for much of the inspiration - her tutorials are great!

Join everyone at Judy's blog, Patchwork Times to see others' weekly reports.

 

PICTURES TAKEN

I always have difficulty taking pictures of larger quilts, so I wait until my 2 tall sons arrive for a visit. 
The first picture is "Chocolate, Strawberry and Vanilla Oh My!" which was completed in January.

They did a good job, struggling with a few wind gusts!  Good thing we have tall sons!  The next quilt is "Row by Row" completed more recently, in April, but started a year + ago!

 I also added pictures of these quilts to my Quilts 2014 page, but without my two wonderful sons.  I would like to invest in a portable quilt stand, some lights and a good tripod, so I could take better pictures of my quilts and others, in a more controlled way.  I'd still have to find somewhere to set everything up - not always easy in a small townhouse!

FLANNEL SCRAP QUILT NUMBER 1 FINISHED!

I completed the quilting and hand stitched the binding yesterday, while waiting for my family's arrival!

The backing was made from leftover pieced backing from a quilt made for our friends' granddaughter.  I had to add a bit more to make it the correct size, so I added the green zig-zag, to complement the green fabrics in the top.  The binding is cotton, in a pale yellow with pale pink "splotches".

I kept the quilting simple - just diagonal lines through the squares.  I use King Tut thread from Superior in a colour called "Tiny Tuts" number 937.  It is a lovely variegated pastel thread, and I use it often on baby quilts.

The quilt is resting on the top of the pile headed to my guild's community quilts program, to be donated in our area.

SCRAPS AND MORE SCRAPS!

I've been trying to tidy my sewing room, and manage an ever-growing pile of flannel scraps.  I love using flannel on the backs of baby and kids quilts, so I've collected lots of leftovers over the past few years.

This was my first quilt top, using 5 inch squares and 2 1/2 inch strips and cornerstones.  The colour choices were determined by the size of the scraps available.

 This is the second top, made with 2 1/2 inch strips.  I used Bonnie Hunter's scrappy Bargello pattern, but only sewing 3 strip sets, with 23 strips in each.  My pile didn't shrink much, but I'll keep working on it .....

My guild needs more baby quilts for our community quilts program, so I better get them finished soon.

DS2 and wife, and DS1 are arriving tonight for a visit!  I'll be making a pot of chili today, along with some French bread to feed them when they arrive this evening.  They are having clear weather for their drive, so that is always a bonus.  They should arrive around 6pm, depending on the traffic leaving Toronto.  I'm looking forward to lots of hugs - always welcome after a winter spent in the south!

DESIGN WALL MONDAY

Here are the final two hand embroidered blocks for my "Le Jardin" quilt, designed by Red Brolly.

I went hunting through my stash for a collection of pastel floral prints to make the blocks.  I finally found a few.....

Following the instructions, I decided the colours of each strip, block by block.

I found some floral stripe fabric that had been hiding in my stash, and decided to use it for the border, with a green leaf print for the cornerstones. 

 Now I'm off to hunt for some suitable backing fabric, as well as some for binding!

Check out all the creativity shared at Judy's blog, Patchwork Times.

STASH REPORT AND EASTER SUNDAY

HAPPY EASTER TO EVERYONE!

Fabric used this week  19.625 yards

Fabric used year to date  103.125 yards

Fabric added this week  0 yards

Fabric added year to date  28.5 yards

Net used 2014  74.625 yards

I was finally able to count the fabric used in two quilts that were made while I was south for the winter, including backing fabric that was added just before we returned north.

Boxy Stars was made with tons of scraps, all leftover from previous projects.  The only "new" fabric was the striped border and the backing, both picked up on sale.   Machine pieced and quilted.

  Cherry Pie Friends began as a  small panel, and a collection of cherry themed fabrics.  The group sat together for more years than I'd like to admit, before the inspiration hit.  The backing was new fabric, also picked up on sale.  Machine pieced and quilted, with unstuffed piped binding, sewn by machine.

We're having a quiet Easter, but our two sons and families will be visiting next weekend.  They don't like to travel on a holiday weekend, so they drive to our home on Thursday night, taking Friday as a day off.  That way they have a nice visit before returning on Sunday.

Check out everyones' stash reports at Judy's blog, Patchwork Times.

DOING A LITTLE CATCH UP

I updated my 2014 quilts page today, as well as adding 2 items to the "Other Items" page.  I still don't have pictures of some of the larger quilts, but hopefully I will by next week!

I spent the past couple of days completing the quilting and bindings on 2 quilts that travelled north with pins - I just ran out of time to complete them.

 Cherry Pie Friends was made to finally use a collection of Mary Englebreit fabrics that had lived in my stash too long.

I used the "unstuffed piped binding" on this quilt.  It was machine stitched to the back first, then turned and stitched in the ditch between the main and accent colour, using invisible (monofilament) thread.

 I really like the tiny accent this adds to the binding, especially when it is matched to the final border.  I missed hand stitching the binding though - it almost felt like cheating!

 I also completed the quilting on another Boxy Stars quilt - pattern from Quiltville.com (Bonnie Hunter).  A couple of these blocks were leftovers from a group project that my southern quilt group worked on a year or so ago.  The 9-patch blocks that I used in the border, were made from my "leaders and enders" - also a Bonnie Hunter idea.

 One of the most difficult tasks I find, is how to quilt each quilt.  Since I hand-guide my quilts, and don't use a quilting frame, I can't do a pantograph style of quilting easily.  I also used an odd colour of thread - variegated between a medium purple to a gray-green.  I find it useful on many quilts!

 The 9-patch flower quilting is a "go to" design that I've used frequently.

These 2 along with a few others, will be donated to the community quilts group for my guild.  The group donates many quilts in our local community - wherever there is a need.

DESIGN WALL MONDAY

My sewing room is slowly getting back up to speed after returning north.  We've just finished doing our income taxes for this year - always a stressful time.

I needed something to stitch while things were in limbo, so I turned to Red Brolly's "Girls Own Stitching Club" project called Le Jardin.  
I prepared the first 4 blocks and started stitching with a bag of leftover embroidery thread scraps from cross stitch projects.




When we arrived home, I chose a light gray print for the applique pieces required for the next 5 blocks, using the "other side" of the fabric, to make it appear more muted.

 This is a great project to use various embroidery stitches.  Some are so rarely used, and I like being a bit challenged.
There are instructions included for all the stitches!

I'm enjoying some of the whimsical details from the designer's imagination.

Two more blocks to go......
Then I can assemble the blocks into a lovely spring-summer wall hanging.


Check out the creativity shared at Judy's blog, Patchwork Times.

 

STASH REPORT SUNDAY

Fabric used this week  21.5 yards

Fabric used year to date  83.5 yards

Fabric added this week  0 yards

Fabric added year to date  28.5 yards

Net used 2014  55 yards

I finally finished my hexagon quilt, so I was able to claim all the yardage this week, although it was a 13 month project! 

 

This is the first picture of the finished quilt, although it doesn't show the borders.  I placed it on our bed as soon as the last thread end was clipped!  I machine quilted around each of the motifs.

Head over to Judy's blog, Patchwork Times, to see other quilter's stash reports for this week.

QUILTING DOWN TO THE WIRE

I'm looking forward to returning home soon, seeing family and friends, etc., BUT - I can't seem to stop quilting!

My hexagon quilt is about half quilted, and this afternoon, DH and I pin-basted 2 more quilts - one about twin size, and the other a bit smaller.  I had the backing prepared, and thought it would be easier to use the large tables in our clubhouse.

Tomorrow is my last day with the quilting group, but the hall is booked until the end of the month.  There are always a few trying to finish the last bit of their quilt projects.  When I get home, I'll have to start packing up my sewing room - I've just been regrouping items, trimming scraps into usable sizes, measuring leftover batting etc.  Our final few meals are interesting, trying to use up most of the food in the house.  Our left-overs will be passed along to neighbours, and finally get shared with some of the full-time residents.

The beds in our guest room are beginning to be piled with items that need to be packed.  The totes are lined up, ready to be loaded.  Once I start packing, it will all disappear quickly, then it is up to DH to fit everything in the van.  This year he has more equipment than ever before - golf clubs, 3 guitars in cases and 3 amplifiers, music and guitar stands, etc., etc., etc.  For the first time ever, I think his items are more bulky than mine!!!!!