More Framed Squares

I spent a few wonderful days being grandma.  Here is my newest granddaughter. 

I had to share one photo.   
The older granddaughter was thrilled with her new outfit and we enjoyed playing.

    After I got back home, I took a little time to unwind and work in my yard when it was not too hot.  Yesterday and today I sewed more framed square blocks so that my share is finished. 

I plan to take them to my sister in a couple of weeks so she can put them with hers and piece the top.  She usually puts them together and I have the job of machine quilting.  I can’t wait to see her blocks.  We agreed to use yellow, green and blue batiks and make framed squares of 4 different sizes.  I hope our niece will love it. 

Sewing Gifts

   This morning I am on the road to visit my 2 week old granddaughter, her big sister and family.   I recently made almost matching t-shirts for the granddaughters plus a frilly skirt.

Months ago I made Mattie a pink skirt like this and she enjoys it so much she asked for another in a different color.  I hope she will enjoy purple.

If this comfort quilt top looks familiar it is because it the second one.  I cut 2 kits like this for SQG and one for myself.  This is the second for SQG.
    Since I will be out of town for a few days, no quilting will get done.

Applique Practice

     Today at the GCQ regular monthly meeting, Nancy Brannon gave a trunk show.  After lunch she taught a class in hand appliqué.  We practiced 2 methods for making narrow stems and then we practiced needleturn appliqué of points and valleys with a heart shape. She had us practice with red thread to see how well we were stitching.

She gave us many useful tips.  I learned more in today’s 3 hours than in the all day class last fall in Houston.  Here is one example of her work.

    For the Christmas in July monthly challenge I pieced a tree made up of 32 template pieces.  I fused a small bird for my touch of summer.  It did not finish at the size stated on the directions but I am not sure how I could make it.  I don’t think I will be making any more of these trees.  

A Few More Framed Squares

    Today I pieced a few more squares for the graduation gift.

 Helen whose quilt inspired these blocks calls hers square-in-a-square but when I hear that I think of this:

so I would rather call mine "framed squares".

Project Started

    Before beginning a new big project, I took a little time to piece a child’s comfort quilt top for GCQ.  I started with a donated cheater panel.  I cut out the blocks, added sashing and cornerstones and then a border. 

     My sister Irene and I have been making bed quilts for nieces and nephews graduating from college.  She started on her blocks a few weeks ago so today I started on my blocks. We are using yellow, green and blue batiks and making squares 18”, 12”, 9”, and 6”.

  

Our planned quilt was inspired by a quilt I saw on Helen’s blog at

http://patchwork-of-mini-grey.blogspot.com/  You can see part of it in the banner at the top of her blog.  She even has a tutorial on making what she calls the square in a square block.

http://patchwork-of-mini-grey.blogspot.com/2010/09/square-in-square-in-square-tutorial.html

Wednesday at church sew day Bev shared the string quilt that she just finished quilting.  

Jan is working on a string quilt and several others of us, including myself, are interested in making one.  I love it and it is made from scraps.

Floral Pinwheel Top Finished

     I am excited to say that the final borders are all on the floral pinwheel top.  It measures 103” square.  Because of its size, I can only lay it out at home folded in half so here it is.  

I have not yet found a backing I want but think I may have to piece the backing.  I also plan to talk with a longarm quilter.  I have quilted several queen size quilts on my home machine, but I don’t think I want to tackle one this large.  A friend kindly offered her longarm machine for my use; however, I have never used it before and don’t want to wait for practice time.  I want the appliqué border custom quilted to echo the appliqué and then perhaps quilt the outline of the leaf and vine in the open white area.  I am very happy with the top and can’t wait to see it after it is quilted. 

Wonderful Prize in the Mail

    I am thrilled!  Recently Lisa Marie on her blog http://thatcrazyquiltygirl.blogspot.com/   participated in a blog hop to share and give away a copy of  Melissa's lovely book, A Year Of Making Life Beautiful!!!  I was a lucky winner and my prize arrived in the mail.  I am excited and looking forward to trying out her recipes and patterns. 

It is a great collection of ideas. 

Adding HST Border

Happy 4th of July!  Hope everyone stays safe and cool. 

      I am nearing the completion of the floral pinwheel quilt top.  I have pieced 2 borders of HST units and laid them out to see how it will look.   It is nice to do the math correctly which I did not.  Luckily the only problem is that I sewed too many in a strip.  I do like how it is looking.  

      Next problem is finding a backing.  I have been looking for an extra wide green print backing so I will not have to piece.  The top should finish at 101” square and to have it long arm quilted, I need a backing about 114” wide.  The problem is most wide backings are only 108”.  The only 120” wide backing I have found is plain muslin so I’m still looking but I may have to piece.

Sharing a File on the Web

    Yesterday I was determined to learn how to share a file that I created on the web.  I have downloaded some that others had done.  I have been wanting to make a New York Beauty quilt like Karen Stone.  I love to design in EQ and I wanted to be able to share something on my blog that I created.  I don’t think I have found the best way, but here is one way.  I used Google docs and saved a partial paper-piecing pattern for a simple 6” finished New York Beauty block.

 My sister tried printing it, and at first it did not print at the correct size.  She had to save it and then print, choosing to print at 100% or with NO scaling.  If you want to try it, here is a link for the block.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ePbggxZLXnHcPSash1Jb4-4cLRSZ_lioktW6ffrBZQo/edit

I hope it works.

Making Half-Square Triangle Units

   The floral pinwheel quilt will have an outer border of half-square triangles using the same greens as the leaves.  I need about 128 so I used the paper which is much easier when you need a lot.  I found that out making all the HSTs for the Day Bee Mystery quilt.   I cut sections of paper and fabric about 8” by 20”.  With right sides together and the paper on top, you pin then stitch on the lines.  I did shorten my stitch length. 

Next you carefully cut on the lines.

Then you press the units and tear off the paper.  I finished about 20 and I took a break.

 

       I had a small piece of flannel and decided it would be perfect for doll pajamas to go with her bunny slippers.  Isn’t she cute?  This was very quick fun outfit. I stitched most of the seams on my serger.