UFO Day

3-1/2 x 6-1/2" Flying Geese blocks + 6-1/2" mini blocks

In my never-ending mission to complete the hundreds of UFOs I have in my projects stash, I found a basket full of these flying geese blocks and underneath it all a bunch of these little 6-1/2" mini blocks from a long-ago swap.  What to do? 

How about put them together and make a bunch of 12-1/2" blocks?  Here's the first one, which went together pretty well.  The only unfortunate thing is the overwhelmingly brownishness of it all.

But then we are only six weeks away from the autumnal equinox, a time when the brown and red color scheme seems appropriate.  I think I will wind up with eight of these . . . one short of a nice lap quilt size.  So now I will be searching through the rest of the stash (could take years) for one more 6-1/2" mini block -- or I will have to make one from scratch. 

Have a happy summer day while it lasts!  xoxo

Brown Bow-Tie Baby Quilt

 Another UFO bites the dust!  As is the case with most of my UFOs, I wound up making additional blocks to round out the size, which turned out to be a neat 37" x 37".  When I started, I had 14 of the 4" bow-tie blocks.  The original blocks were made sometime during the 90's, I'm sure with the background fabric being tone-on-tone muslin. 

 I have a LOT of brown prints dating back to the 70's and some were traded pieces.  The alternating blocks is a cotton print purchased in the 80's.  Ditto for the accent frame and binding.  I used to do all my bindings by hand, but I have been practicing doing it by machine and I seem to have developed a knack for that! 

As for the quilting, keep it elliptical, baby!  Just freehand melon slices on the grid.  The backing is a tan cotton tone-on-tone that is very subtle and soft. 

This is a great size for a baby quilt, table topper, or wall hanging.  I'm thinking about putting it in the etsy shop. 

For the record, today is the hottest day of the year here with  97% humidity.  Not exactly quilt weather. 

Snowy day = another quilt

Scrappy Log Cabin

Close-up for fabrophiles.

Another snowy day and there are two things that go very well with snow:  baking and quilting.  I did the baking yesterday (chocolate chip cookies and chorizo & jalapeno strata).  Today as I was watching Don Matteo I poked around in the UFO pile and found a bag of 16 Log Cabin blocks.  I must have put these together over ten years ago because it is obvious they were sewed using the Singer 99K (which I haven't used in over ten years).  These are what I call "thread-saver" blocks.

Next step is to decide what color to make the border.  I thought about using a strip of blue, then brown, then green and finally red, but perhaps that's too much.  So, if you have an opinion about it, please leave a comment.

And, stay warm!  xoxo

Snow Day Quilt!

Lotsa stars!

In the 21st century, it only takes 5-1/4" of snow to close down our city and the state university.  Why, I can remember back in the '90s when it took 19" of snow to do that!  LOL!  Who cares, it doesn't stop me.  Well on my way to another quilt!  Next:  the border.  What will it be?

xoxo

Another View

Almost a full view, but not quite.

A different kind of meandering.

Just thought I'd post this almost-full-view and close-up of the quilting.  I'm feeling a lot better about it these days.  It moves.  xoxo

This is the new stuff

New project with the math!

The photo above shows my next UFO.  I guess it isn't accurate to call it a "new" project because it's been in the queue for a very long time.  I know this because while doing the math I realized I need more of the fabric for the backing and it isn't available.  Of course!   My other option is to back it with something entirely different.  If anyone out there has any of this, let me know if we can negotiate a purchase!  (BTW, I love love love my yellow mechanical pencil!)

These gorgeous, cheerful fabrics will become tote bags for groceries and whatnot! 

There are lots of exciting Earth-saving events occurring in my town:  (a) expanded recycling for plastics #1 through #7 (woo hoo!), (b) replacing trash bags with rolling trash carts (not sure how this will work, but the only people squawking are those who make so much garbage it's sinful), and (c) an impending ban on plastic bags at groceries and convenience stores.  So, triple Woo Hoo!  These fabrics, ordered from one of my favorite online fabric shops Quilthome.com, are going to become fabulous tote bags that can be washed and used repeatedly for decades!  My own personal stash of tote bags includes some mighty fine vintage items from the 80's and 90's. 

Yesterday I finished the Amy Butler Melons #4 quilt while watching Don Matteo on PBS/MHz.  Love that show!  Since the quilting was on the diagonal and wavy, I had a puckering problem.  I worried about this at first and did remove several rows of quilting and then someone very wise and very new to quilting (The Drag Queen Quilter, if you must know) mentioned that sometimes he worries about puckers and then sometimes he doesn't.  So I chose the doesn't part and plunged ahead.  Now I have a quilted quilt.  Hooray!  xoxo

COMO Pin-Ups

You know, I love to use the public library meeting rooms to pin-up quilts.  The tables are big and solid and there is no fear of harming them with pins.  However, in order to reserve a room at our more than fabulous (and I do mean that sincerely) library, you have to apply as a group.  So I created my group COMO Pin-Ups on the spot!  Maybe in the future someone will join me and we will have a group pin-up!  Not quite sure how to publicize it, though.  Meet-Up costs money, which I am unwilling to spend.  Perhaps a simple flyer that I can distribute to local sewing/fabric shops . . . what do you think?  Anyway, here is the fruit of my labor.  Only a small amount of bleeding occurred.

The backing. 

The top measured 48 x 53, so of course I had to piece the backing.  These are Amy Butler fabrics, mostly Midwest Modern.  It's the fourth in the Amy Butler series using the melon shapes cut from the applique of the previous quilt made. 

The sandwich ready for pinning.  My motley collection of safety pins . . . NOT the fancy-schmancy curved ones that make it easier on your wrists and fingers.  But that's my way:  the Hard Way.  No pain, no gain, right?

In the process of the pin-up.  Love these colors and the fabrics.  Very cheerful, especially in the middle of winter.

All pinned up and ready to quilt!! 

I chose not to add a border to this top because . . . WHY?  I didn't want to disturb the flow.  It's going to make me very happy to quilt this one because I just love the colors and the spirit of it.  It's like a garden in June!  Hope you are all toasty and warm.  Remember, in six weeks it will be time to plant snow peas and kale!  xoxo

Kissmess Card Case

Let's say you are giving someone a new tarot deck or Jessie Lawson's Sensory Reflection cards for a Kissmess present.   Once the wrapping paper is off, don't these cards deserve a nice place to live?  You can make one of these, too!  If you can't and you want one, let me know.  xoxo

Stars!

Full view but hard to see the fabrics.

Closer look, but you still can't see the fabrics.

A little bit better, but this camera sux!

I finished this UFO at the beginning of December.  Initially I had arranged all the stars on point and the edges were finished with triangles.  However, I wasn't careful enough with the squaring up on the blocks and some of the triangles did not fit properly.  So, I took the whole thing apart and cut additional squares and this went together very quickly.  I hand-stitched these star blocks some years ago and I was surprised to see how small my stitches were.  I was actually quite good at it! 

This quilt actually is more of a peach color than the camera has registered.  Someday I might get a better camera or better lighting, but if you could see it in person it would warm your heart! 

More to come!  xoxo

Another Fail-but-Finish!

The first sign of failure was the appearance of puckers during the quilting.  Hate that!  Then I ran out of bobbin thread with only 7" of border to quilt!  Hate that, too!

Then, I learn that my math is wrong and I am short 1-1/2" on the binding!  What the . . .!

Then, it's all done and I realize I should have quilted it in the same direction as the strings in the blocks!!  Oh, kurrapp!

And, as if that wasn't bad enough, I see my quilting is absolutely MORE than modern!  It's positively WONKY!

 So, as you can see it was a big day in the sewing room.  I finally pulled together those 5" Amy Butler scrap blocks and made a baby quilt.  Quilthome.com was having a sale and I couldn't resist this fabric on sale for $2.99/yard.  It's the perfect backing for this quilt.  The green fabric used for the binding was actually a mistake:  I forgot to remove it from my cart before clicking on "submit order."  Just another part of the "fail," but it worked out very well,  I think!

These are the days when I do so appreciate the Millenials and their Modern Quilting, where nothing needs to match and symmetry is frowned upon! After decades of measuring and worrying and pulling out stitches and resewing seams until my points matched . . . woo hoo!  Thank God Almighty, I'm free at last!  And these photos testify as to just how free I be!  

Done!

My pfabulous Pfaff quilting Key West!

The Key West quilt has been pinned up for months now but I never could figure out how I would quilt such a large top!  The worst problem is always keeping the top UP at the edge of the machine.  I just don't have a table big enough and, needless to say, I don't have a bazillion dollar Koala sewing furniture set-up.   It finally occurred to me yesterday that I could try to use my little fold-up plastic table as an addendum to my regular sewing table (which is really just a vintage formica top on aluminum legs 1950's kitchen table).  It worked like a charm!  I was able to finish quilting in just a couple of hours. 

I used variegated thread and quilted in wavy lines (mirroring reality in which no waves are the same, but they all do the same job).  It's fantastic (or at least I love it)!  And I love even better the new quilting set-up! 

I used eight bobbins during this quilting and it reminded me that I really would like to get a machine that has a top loader with a transparent cover so I can see when I'm running out.  And I'd like one that has at least a ten inch throat opening so I can stuff a lotta quilt in there without it getting caught.  I love my Pfaff, but it's pretty much a sissy.

It will have a turn-over binding, so I will have this quilt in use (or available for gifting) tomorrow.  Right now I'm going to go make pizza for dinner.  Hope you are all having a great Sunday!  xoxo

Key West

A less-than-optimal photo but at least it's not raining and there aren't any blinding sunspots and shadows on it.  This is the kind of quilt traditionalists will find problematic; modern quilters will have less trouble with it.  Fabric choices were made based on color and print; I purposely avoided prints with pink and orange in them because I wanted to focus on the colors of the ocean/gulf and the sand/flora of the beach.  I had a blast making this and freely admit that it was inspired by a quilt I saw ("Sea Grass" or something like that) in a magazine (probably American Patchwork).  The instructions for that quilt were all wrong; you wound up with all the blocks being on the bias.  There's no way it would sew together or lay flat once sewn.  So I redesigned it and this is perfectly easy to sew and will be easy to quilt as well. 

Can't wait to show it off when it's finally quilted!  xoxo Patty

Just like me!

It was hard, but I had to choose only a few!

 Today was the staff council arts & crafts showcase and, as usual, I dawdled all year and chose not to create a professional looking display.  I only enter because they have the BEST brownies (with chocolate chips in them)!  No, that's a lie.  I could easily create a professional display, one that would knock your socks off -- Quilt Market quality!  I just don't want to get sucked into that whole schtick.   So, what's on the table, you ask?  The first layer is that wonderful pinwheel quilt that I used last year for my display and on top of it I put the rug I made while "learning" how to weave.  On top of which there are a few recent mini quilts and the 3-D applique basket.  Most people stopped to look at the 3-D applique, which I admit is pretty cool.  I can hardly believe I did it! 

So here is a collage of the event, which was really inspiring and energizing.  We have many talented, skillful artists among us.  The first photo is of one-half of the room as the chair of the council makes her speech.  The dude in the middle right behind the period costume is the chancellor, who appears to be tweeting.  We got him from Texas and I guess that's what they do there.  Anyhoo, that's my stuff in the foreground -- a much better view of the 3-D applique piece.  There were so many participants this year that I had to share a table with another artist and you can see him there.  He was kinda grumpy. 

On the bottom row is a photo of a felted tableau that I am just in love with!  The piece wasn't more than 13 x 13 and if you can bigify the photo and check out those tiny little ducks on the pond!!  So KEWT!  The second photo is actually just a piece of a full-length coat vest . . . one piece among many that was full of color and verve!  And the final photo is a headdress that I must have.  I will go back tomorrow to inspect it more carefully.  There were many more pieces just as fascinating, but I liked this the best.

Preparation for this took one-half hour, which included the time it took for me to brush my teeth and hair, and I did not fret over any of it.  The only problem I had was not being able to find my third Amy Butler melon quilt.  Each quilt is made with the cut-outs of a melon-shaped applique used in the previous quilt.  I found the first two, but don't know what happened to the third!  The fourth one is a UFO and maybe I will finish that this year and display it at next year's showcase.  If I can find #3! 

Toodles and have a happy day!  xoxo

Remember Me

Back in the mid-1800's a lot of people were moving west beyond the Mississippi and one of the traditional going-away gifts was a quilt made of album blocks.  People would make blocks with a center piece that could be signed and often words of encouragement were included.

I have a friend who is leaving this beyond-the-Mississippi place to return to Virginia and so I made this "remember me" mini-quilt.  I hope she likes it.

xoxo

The Cloche

Amy Butler fabric, but can't remember which collection.

My friend Nancy sent me a blog that had a pretty cloche hat with a link to the free pdf pattern (on another blog, written in German) which I duly saved and made today.  Voila!  So, why is it posing as a lampshade instead of a hat?  Because it's too big for my head.  I asked Sabryin (the King of big heads) to try it on and he pronounced it "Too Big," as well.  You ask "Why didn't you try it on before you finished it?"  and I reply "The story of my life."  Now, I'm not going to remake it because I can easily wear it with the brim turned up on my forehead (the only problem with this solution is that you get to see more of my face).  I will, however, alter the pattern pieces so they aren't so generous.  I think my problem from the get-go was sewing 3/8" seams instead of 1/2". 

Happy Easter!

P.S.  That quilt on the wall behind the hat was made on the day of the big California earthquake back in '94. 

Key West Quilt

This is where I am with the formerly-known-as-Beach-Grass quilt, currently renamed the Key West Quilt.  In reality, I was going to copy the FKABGQ but realized that the instructions called for creating some blocks with on-the-bias sides and that didn't make any sense to me.  So I designed an entirely different process and, therefore, I can call it whatever I like.  Key West is what I like.

I find creating these blocks is addictive.  I've used only 1/10th of the fabrics I've chosen so far, but I am very pleased. 

If I think of it tomorrow, I will take photos of some of the thread-saver blocks I am finishing while making the Key West top.

We are currently riding out Day Two of spring severe storms featuring lots of rain, some hail, flooding, tornado watches.  Hope you are safe and dry!  xxoo

"Under the Gunn" (Shoot Me)

I was a late-comer to the Project Runway phenom, but I've made up for it by watching all the seasons on Lifetime or Netflix.  I've even watched all the Project Runway All Stars seasons.  I was so excited that Tim was going to continue with something similar!  Well, I watch it faithfully, but I will say I am pretty much bored by it at this point. 

The only thing remotely interesting to me is Tim himself.  The judges suck, the contestants are horribly uncreative and mundane, the mentors are unlikeable and distant and the whole thing is just not begging for another season, IMO.  I mean, Shan won last night's challenge by making what I would consider to be a pillow case dress with a long train . . . slapped together in one hour and made of the most horrendous GIANT POLKA DOT fabric I've ever seen.  Oscar doesn't win because his gorgeously crafted piece (which was totally inspiring from the color to the draping) was "too old."  And Asha's dress looked like lettuce in bondage -- UGH.  They are all so awful, I don't care who wins.  Oscar is the only one with a personality; at least he is happy week after week and always has an idea and always chooses the right fabric and makes beautiful things.

I don't dig the LA vibe, either.  Maybe that's why the show isn't edgy enough for me.  I like a little "Fierce"ness; I like the NY streetscapes.  It's busy, it's business; LA is like . . . vacation. 

So, whaddya think? 

Holy Kay Rap, is it March Already?

Remember this little one, an off-shoot of the Kitty quilt from last month?  Ta Da!  It's all quilted and everything and I just need to sew on the binding.  I love this one, although it is only 15-3/8" square. 

It's sitting on top of a selection of fabrics that I am going to use for a new quilt inspired by the colors of Key West and the Florida Gulf.  It is a simple string quilt and I hope it will be beautiful.  I was forced to supplement my light greens because I just didn't have many of them and those that I did have were blooming with lots of pink roses!  That seemed to be the case with the blues, as well:  bunches of pink flowers.  I don't want this to read pink.  Ninety percent of these were in my stash . . . a lot of Amy Butler and  few Heather Bailey fat eighths.  I'm looking forward to working on this one and will provide status reports every once in a while.

It felt a little like Spring today!  But that reminds me we are only getting closer to the Ides of April. 

xxoo

No Kill Shelter Quilt

I finished it yesterday, but I'm about to go off and have surgery so I'm afraid it won't be in the auction tomorrow.  Completion was delayed because I developed skin splits in my fingers -- something that happens often in the winter time, which I blame on antibacterial soaps and detergents -- and I had to wait for the splits to heal (cocoa butter and bandaids).  The quilting was all that had to be done and I tried free-hand (not freemotion) and loved it.  This is 44 x 44 and is cotton 1800s repro fabrics with warm & natural batting.  The gold block is in honor of Ginger Jasper, who crossed the Bridge last year, and the brown and carmel calico on the lower left is in honor of Sweet Praline, who left two years ago.

Detail of the free-hand quilting, which I think is fairly expressive.

Photo of the back-lit backing.  Kitty ghosts! 

What would you bid?

Spay-ghetti Auction Quilt

 Making progress with the calico kitty quilt for the Spay-ghetti Dinner auction.  All the blocks are done and now I have to create a setting and decide on borders and backing to complete the top.  If I work on this diligently through the rest of the week, I could probably finish it by the weekend. 

1800's reproduction fabrics, for the most part. 

I can never toss the little triangles that are left over from any of my projects, so I made half-square triangles and added a square to create a flying geese mini-block.  These are so cute!  I will sew them together, put on a border and make a doll quilt from these.  Doing this also helped me to come up with the final arrangement of colors.  A lot easier than schlepping big blocks around on the floor!

Having fun!  I'll be adding a few patterns to the etsy shop this week, too.  xxxoo

Ice, Ice Baby!

It's beautiful if you don't have to go anywhere on foot or en vehicle. The birds are quite confused.  Good day to stay inside, sew on charity blocks and search for saddle-yoked blouse patterns for your friend Nancy!  I was able to find five, but two are actually "faux" saddle-yoked.  I am posting the photos here for Nancy's convenience so she can see what I have, if she's interested.  Hope everyone else enjoys this little pattern fashion show.

This is a faux saddle yoke.I made so many versions of this to wear with skirt suits; it was a real favorite!

Bodice and back pleats!

Favorite camp shirt fits like a dream.

This is a faux saddle yoke -- particularly original.  In the right print, the collar is not as obtrusive as in the photo.

So this is what I have.  Most are from the 70's; the Valentino might be earlier, but not sure.  I am not willing to part with the Willi Smith or Valentino patterns, but they are already cut so we can work something out in private. 

Okay, so back to the Calico Kitty quilt blocks.  Only four to go!!  Stay warm and safe everyone!  xxoo