A FINISH AND STASH REPORT

Fabric used this week  17.75 yards

Fabric used year to date  31.25 yards

Fabric added this week  0 yards

Fabric added year to date  6 yards

Net used 2019   25.25 yards

This week I completed the mystery quilt, and then worked on another panel that has been in my stash for quite a while!

This is another 24 inch panel, and needed to be made wider.  I used some 6 inch finished pinwheel blocks in light green and blue with a red center, and white with red hearts neutral fabric.  I outlined all the printed details, and then had fun with the remaining quilting.  This will become another donation to my guild's community quilts program, that provides quilts to many places in our city and area.

 

ANOTHER QUILT COMPLETED

I put the final stitching in my second mystery quilt today!

The pattern is called "Rainbow Rotini".  It was designed by Marjorie Rhine, and was in the March, May and July 2012 editions of American Quilter magazine.

I chose my main colour as pink, as it will be a gift for my granddaughter in a year or so.  It will fit a single bed.

I machine quilted it with monofiliment thread, using a stitch in the ditch around all the various elements.  

I stitched two different designs in the background surrounding each block - 

Flowers and leaves around six blocks, and butterflies around the remaining six.

All the quilting on the neutral areas was done using Superior Thread's King Tut thread in colour #937  Tiny Tuts.  It has a mixture of pink, yellow, blue, green and mauve.

 The outer border was stitched with my favourite feathered hooks.  

I also added green binding, her big brother's favourite colour!

MAKING PILLOWCASES

Next week is my southern quilt group's annual "make a pillowcase day".  I decided to get mine made early, so I can continue to work on the machine quilting of my mystery quilt.

We get lots of extra help from friends and neighbours, to pin, press, and fold all the pillowcases.  Last year we completed 317 in 4 hours!  I think it will be hard to beat that record.
All the completed pillowcases will be donated to "Ryan's Case for Smiles", and will be distributed to local area hospitals.

WEEKEND FUN

I spent some time over the weekend piecing batting.  I had used parts of 3 queen batts over the past couple of months, and decided to make some "Franken-batts".  I needed one for my second mystery quilt, as I had pieced the backing fabric, and pressed the backing and the quilt top, using a bit of spray starch, ready for pin basting.
First, I used all the smaller pieces of batting to make one the correct size for a panel quilt that I had planned to finish for donation.  I managed to pin baste the quilt top on my cutting table, and I began with all the "stitch in the ditch" quilting on Sunday.
Monday, I completed all the quilting, and added the binding, trimming the back and batting to make sure that my binding will be full to the edge.
Next, I pieced two larger pieces of batting to make one the correct size for my mystery quilt.  I took some time this afternoon to watch an episode of "Vera", a British police investigation series, while I hand stitched the binding on the panel quilt.

Tomorrow is my weekly quilting group, so I have to get my bags packed ready to go!  We are having a pillowcase sewing day in 2 weeks, and I have some samples of the finished products, along with some step-out samples to show everyone.  I posted in our community newsletter, looking for volunteers, those that can sew, and some to just pin, press, fold etc., and we try to show them what to expect before the actual date.  I'm sure we'll have fun, and Cases for Smiles will appreciate the finished pillowcases to give to children in area hospitals.

STASH REPORT SUNDAY

Fabric used this week  4.125 yards

Fabric used year to date  4.125 yards

Fabric added this week 0 yards

Fabric added year to date  6 yards

Net used 2019  -1.875

I finished the first of two mystery quilts this past week.  It is a paper pieced wall hanging designed by Carol Doak.

I also have the top for the second mystery quilt completed, but I'm busy finishing the quilting on my sister-in-law's king size quilt.  It will be pin-basted this week, I hope. 

 I saved all the selvedge edges, and have used them to cover some clothesline, with the plan to make a basket to match the quilt.

My progress had been slowed in the past week due to cold temperatures.  ( I'm not really complaining since many parts of North America were suffering from artic temperatures!)

My sewing room is an unheated space built under the carport, and I waited for the sun to warm my room each day.  Unfortunately we had many cloudy days.......

Things are back into the normal range, so I should have some large blocks of time to work this week!