Chopped Flower UFO Finished

      Finally the Chopped Flower quilt is finished.  I spent a quiet Sunday afternoon watching TV while I hand stitched the binding on the backside. 

I really like my version of Leah Day’s “Flowing Leaves” that I quilted in the background.  The quilting was tedious and time consuming but the perfect choice.  You can see a close up of some of the quilting at this link.

In the outer border I meandered and simply to add more interest I stitched the cursive words “flowers” and “leaves” which hardly show on the busy print. 

This is a very bright fun quilt and I am glad it is off my UFO list so it can be really enjoyed.

Quilt Class at JoAnn Fabrics and More

       This afternoon I taught the 3^rd class in the series for the Homestead quilt at JoAnn Fabrics.  Although the ladies are beginner quilters and this is not the easiest pattern, the ladies are making good progress.  Betty started sewing her rows together in the on-point setting. 

 

Denise is holding just one of her blocks. 

   Baby birds ( probably House Finches) have hatched in my airplane plant.  The parents do not like me getting close but I was able to get one photo. 

    I missed several days of sewing to make a trip to my eldest sister’s house. 

All the sisters were able to come so we enjoyed a couple of days working together painting and moving furniture.  Niece Katherine also helped some. 

This is youngest sister, Miriam, painting.

We were well trained by our father and shared memories of working with him as children.  The 2 days were special although I have some sore muscles to prove I was working.

Now back to more quilting.

  

Inspiration and Play

     This morning I had volunteered to help at the Seeds of Hope Farmers Market at my church, but the farmer sold most of his produce on a previous stop so ours was canceled.  Since I did not need to work, I started quilting.  I finished free-motion quilting leaves on one border of my chopped flower quilt and I needed a change. ( I love the "flowing leaves" background quilting but it is tedious.)

     Not long ago on “Sewing with Nancy” she showed how she made several easy lone star or large Lemoyne star quilts without the dreaded “Y” seams.  A few night ago I was browsing my July copy of American Quilter magazine in which Victoria Findlay Wolfe has an article called “Dances with Flowers”.  She gives directions for making a large Lemoyne star without the dreaded “Y” seams.  I also LOVE Victoria’s book.

In it she describes a little about how she made this quilt.

     I was “inspired” and wanted to “play”.  I dug through my stash of 3 ½” squares and pulled a selection.  I had 8 of several fabrics but not 16 so I cut them from a red with tiny white dots.  

I laid out the squares how I thought they would create fabric large enough for me to use my large diamond template. 

Next I sewed 8 units of fabric and used the template to cut 8 large diamonds.

I could not get the largest size but close.

I used my diagonal sets ruler to cut triangles for the “easy” process with no “y” seams.

 

With 8 diamond units sewn together I discovered that my plan was not correct for the exact look I wanted, but I was playing and not following a pattern.  I sewed quarter units then halves and the star is together. 

  I will probably add a border or 2 but that was enough play for one day.   What fun! 

FMQ Flowing Leaves

     After stitching-in-the-ditch along the borders and breaking for another project, I started the FMQ on the chopped flower UFO.  I practiced several designs but decided to try Leah Day's Flowing Leaves.  I am not echoing as many times as Leah so this is my version of her design.  I still a lot more to do but I am excited about the way it is looking.

JoAnn Class Homestead Quilt Top

      I have finished piecing the top of the sample for the JoAnn Fabrics "Homestead" class.  I don't usually staystitch the edge but I did this time because there are some bias edges.

The large right side border is pieced.  Because it is a large design, I took the tried to match the design.  It is not perfect because the design is not printed perfectly on-grain but I think it is pretty good.  Can you see the seamline?

Students in this class will learn many techniques and have a finished lap quilt  is 45 by 58".

Sewing JoAnn Class Sample

    I have been sidetracked from quilting on the UFO because I have a 4 week class starting this coming Saturday at JoAnn Fabrics.  I chose different fabric than the pattern.  My local store has some of the suggested fabrics in stock but not all.  The pattern is called the "Juliana Horner Homestead Quilt".

  I spent hours Saturday and Sunday cutting out all the pieces and organizing them as the directions suggested.

Then I started laying out blocks and sewing them together.  I usually have a sample finished before the class.  This one will not get quilted before Saturday but I will have the top together. Since my design wall is not large enough, I have the layout rotated 90 degrees.  Here are several of the blocks finished.

Working on a UFO

   Recently I have spent a few mornings working in my yard before it gets too hot.  I took some time to piece a child's comfort quilt top.  I started with this puppy panel.

I fussy cut out blocks,  added some multicolored 4 patches and here is my pieced top.

     Then I finally pulled out a UFO to work on. The chopped flower blocks are at least 4 years old.  Now the top is sandwiched and I started quilting.  I used the walking foot to stitch-in-the-ditch on each side of the inner border and the outer border.

I plan to free-motion quilt the rest.  I need to practice on the plastic to finalize my design plan and then I will take photos to show you.

      This afternoon is open house at JoAnn Fabrics so more quilting will wait, but it least I've started the final stage for this UFO.

FMQ on Comfort Quilt

        The appliqued heart comfort quilt is finished.

It was made mostly from donated fabric.  The fabric appears to be rather old fashioned.  The construction was not following any pattern but using fabric that SQG had that went together.   I am most pleased with the Free Motion Quilting on it.  Here is a close up of several of the feathers around the quilt. They don't show up great because I used cream quilting thread on the pink background.

 These were stitched with only marking the spine.  I did practice on plastic to build muscle memory first.  Here are a couple as I planned and practiced.

Next is the center feather motif quilted. 

I hope you will try some FMQ. I will be teaching a class in the fall at Midlands Tech- Harbison campus.