A SMALL FINISH

I seem to be out of synch lately!  I've been having difficulty with deadlines and appointments too!  
I decided to complete the small wall hanging made from my trial leaf prints.

I did  my usual "stitch in the ditch" to stabilize the quilt, then outlined all the leaves and stitched the veins.  Then I did some wavy stitching with white thread to fill in the blank areas on each block.

I quilted diagonal lines in silver through all the background borders, as the fabric had some metallic silver accents.
My next project is to complete a baby quilt for my community quilts group.  I found a cute panel in my stash, and added 2 borders to make it a bit larger.  Then I found some flannel, and added a strip of stripe flannel to make it wide enough.  I'm off to pin-baste......

STASH REPORT SUNDAY

Used this week 0 yards

Used year to date  173.875 yards

Added this week 0 yards

Added year to date  33.75 yards

Net used 2016   140.125 yards

No changes to my numbers this week! I spent time trimming the final 120 half-square triangle blocks, and stitched the final border of my redwork quilt top!  

Tuesday I spent all day with my community quilts group.  I baked some muffins before heading out, and we ate them with coffee as we stitched the labels on all the quilts completed since our last get-together.  Then we headed down to the workroom, and our fearless leader assigned some jobs.  My partner for the day and I were asked to add 3 borders onto a quilt top that had been rescued from a church sale - it was almost thrown out.  I also helped another person pin the borders onto her quilt top.  Lots of ironing of quilt backings, and quite a few quilts pin-basted, including the one I had worked on.  As members left, they chose a quilt to finish, and I brought home the large one that I had worked on.  My partner ended the day by making the binding, and several people helped with the basting.

Thursday, I decided to design the leaf quilt that I was making with my test blocks.  I used EQ7, with a custom set to place the blocks and figure out all the setting pieces.

I added pictures of the four blocks, but I just used contrasting fabric for the rest of the small wallhanging.

Below is my completed top.  I'll be using the dark framing fabric to make the binding.  (The dark around the edges is the carpet in my sewing room!)  The light fabric has silver sparkles, and looks much better in person.  I found both fabrics in my newly organized stash, so they'll be counted as soon as I get this little project completed.

Friday it is off the Kitchener to spend time with our grandson and his family.  We try to arrive mid-afternoon, and I make dinner for the worker bees so they can relax after a busy work week.  DH has a list of things he wants to help with around their home, so we'll have a busy fun weekend.

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

STASH REPORT SUNDAY

Used this week 0 yards

Used year to date  173.875 yards

Added this week 0 yards

Added year to date  33.75 yards

Net used 2016   140.125 yards 

It seems like all I did this week was work on new projects!  Our guild meeting on Wednesday evening was lots of fun, with many members attending.  The snack table was left with crumbs following the break!

I'm still working on my redwork quilt.  I'm taking my time so that I have lots of sharp points to show after taking such care to cut and stitch all the half-square triangle units!

Check everyone's progress at Judy's blog, Patchwork Times.

ATTENDING A WORKSHOP

I spent Thursday at a workshop that was sponsored by my quilt guild.  We learned how to make prints from leaves, using a product called "Colour Vie", a water based pigment system.

Our instructor for the day was Beth Cameron of Manotick ON.

She provided containers of already mixed pigments, and showed us how to paint the colours onto the back of the leaves, and then print it onto prepared fabric.  I used some white PFD cotton, and each participant had to bring some    1 inch foam brushes, paper towels, etc.  We all collected fresh leaves, and there was a large variety to choose from.
We were a very busy group - I have never spent time with quilters with so little conversation!  By the end of the day, everyone had lots of printed pieces.  

These were my test sample pieces, and I think I'm going to use them in a small wall hanging.  




A pattern for a quilt was provided as well, so the rest of my pieces will be used for that, but I have to find the perfect fabric to coordinate with the prints that I made.

I started out using very little pigment, and I like the lacy look that it provided.  Some of the others used lots more than I did, and their prints were very bold. 

 Some used just one set of colours.  My table partner made all her blocks in a yellow to orange blend, and another made all hers in dark blues and teals.  I hope to see their finished projects some time in the future.

MAKING PROGRESS

Yesterday, I did some "assembly line piecing" and stitched all the half-square triangle units.  

This morning I pieced some of the units into large triangles.

Now I have to lay out the giant "9-patch" unit, and stitch the centre of the quilt together.  

Then I'm back to pressing and trimming the remaining 200 units needed to assemble the borders!
 I love it when I finally see visible progress!

DESIGN WALL MONDAY

I began my morning hunting through my recipes, deciding what I was going to bake for both our pleasure, and to take along to my guild meeting on Wednesday evening.  I'm in charge of this month's "social committee", and we are responsible for snacks for everyone, and generally helping where needed before, during and after the meeting.  Every member is assigned a month to do this, and it helps to get more involved in the goings on at our monthly meetings.

I spent the rest of the morning cutting squares - 140 white ones and 160 red ones.  Now I have to start up my assembly line to make half square triangles to complete my redwork quilt project.

It is difficult to photograph a quilt on my new design wall, especially when the fabric is white on the white flannel, the lighting in the area is fluorescent, and the design wall is in a narrow hallway!

I pressed all the units yesterday, and trimmed them to size. (The bottom border didn't make it into the picture!) The missing star points will be made of half square triangle units, as well as the inside and outside borders.  I can see lots of stitching and trimming in my future!

I usually make a redwork project each year, but all the others have been made for children.  I hadn't made one for the past couple of years, and this one struck a chord!  DH is always surprised at how much time I spend doing the hand embroidery, but I love to keep busy while watching TV with him in the evenings - a win-win!

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

STASH REPORT SUNDAY

Fabric used this week  5.25 yards

Fabric used year to date  173.875 yards

Fabric added this week  0 yards

Fabric added year to date  33.75 yards

Net used 2016  140.125 yards

Thanks to the 3 sets of placemats, I can finally claim some fabric as "used" this week.  The fact that I made the tops of the placemats almost 2 years ago doesn't matter!  Now to get on with my redwork quilt.....

Check out everyone's progress at Judy's blog, Patchwork Times.

A QUICK FINISH

I delivered five quilts to my community quilts coordinator late Thursday afternoon, and also her quilt that she made for her granddaughter.  When I returned home, I cleaned up my sewing room and gave my sewing machine a spa treatment - new needle, oiling the places that need it and cleaning all the lint.  I even gave the table attachment a good wash, and rinsed the back of my "Supreme Slider" to remove lint and give it a better stick for the next time I use it.

Friday morning, I realized that I needed to get my placemats completed for next week's guild meeting, so I gave them each a good press, and pressed the backing fabric, then cut the backs and the Thermore batting that I like to use in placemats. 
The pattern I used is "Take Four"
I pinned all the layers together, then stitched around, leaving an opening to turn.
(These placemats do not have binding).  I top-stitched 1/8th inch around the perimeter of each, then quilted them lightly with a variegated thread.

Hopefully, they will cheer up the tables of local "Meals on Wheels" recipients.