Tuesday, January 29, 2013

Free-Motion Quilting Day

    I have done a lot of free-motion quilting today and had a lot of fun trying out new patterns and practicing of my technique.  This quilt has 9 butterflies and each one is quilted with a different design.  I used a piece of overhead plastic and a water soluable pen to try out and practice a design before free-motion stitching it on the quilt.


Here are a couple more.


The lower edge of the quilt has green to represent plants so I free-motion quilted a couple of different leaves across the area.

I still have a good bit to quilt since I am quilting more densely than usual.  It is time to stop for the evening.

Saturday, January 26, 2013

Orphan No More


     A few months ago I found 19  - 5” pinwheel blocks that were leftover from a quilt I made at least 5 years ago.  Today I finished a quilt top that includes them.  I did not want to throw them away so I feel good that they have been used.

     I also finished quilting and binding the scrappy squares quilt.  I have pieced several quilt top in 2013 but this is the first quilt that I have finished so far this year. 

 I divided the outer border into even squares that I used as a guide to free-motion quilt loops small and large.  I used a variegated blue thread that does not show up much on the top.  I used the walking foot to quilt a wobbly line in the small inner border.


Here you can see part of the back border where the quilting shows up better. 

I have a bin of scrap binding pieces.  I chose pieces of basic colors and used them to bind the quilt.  I love it.

Thursday, January 24, 2013

WIP - Works In Progress

    Today has been a great day for sewing.  Yesterday I sandwiched the bright scrappy squares.  I had just gotten my Bernina back from being serviced so I thought it should be in great shape to quilt.  I used the walking foot at first to quilt wavy diagonal lines which stabilized the center.  Then I changed to the free-motion foot and quilted between those lines with lines sort of like wood grain.
Here is the front.

The quilting shows up better on the back.

I needed a break from quilting so I finished sewing the rows together for the orphan pinwheel top and I got one border added of the floral so it makes the pinwheel blocks float along the edge.

When I sewed the blocks and rows together, I had to press the seams open because of so much thickness at the points where the geese units met the square in a square units.  I don't know another way to avoid all the thickness.

I would love for someone to share a pressing suggestion for how to aware the thick seams at points like in the yellow circle.

Monday, January 21, 2013

Orphan Pinwheel Blocks

     All the blocks for the top incorporating the orphan pinwheel blocks are sewn. Yeah!  The next thing to be done is sew the rows together, but not tonight.  Here is my design wall this evening.


I'm glad I used the Easy Angle and Companion Angle rulers but my flying geese units are not perfect.  Maybe it is because they are a strange size and I should have cut them differently. I was not following a pattern or directions, just winging it from EQ.   I had to trim each one after sewing and my points are not perfect.  Just don't look too closely. I plan to add several simple borders and it will still be a nice lap quilt for someone.

Sunday, January 20, 2013

Weekend Sewing

      My baby sister was here this weekend to visit with Mother so I spent a little more time sewing.  I added a couple of simple borders to the scrappy colored squares so it is a little larger and will finish 53 by 65".  I added a blue outer border thinking that it could go to a boy or girl.


     The other project I worked on I have been calling a UFO; however, that is not accurate.  Five years ago I made a quilt and had 19 pinwheel blocks leftover so they are really "orphan" blocks.  I don't remember why they were leftover.  Maybe I had to remake them for some reason.  I worked in EQ and came up with a plan to use them.  I did have to make one more pinwheel.  Here it is on my design wall tonight.


It has been good because I am making square in a square blocks which I have not done much of, and I am using my new Easy Angle and Companion Angle Rulers (recommended by Bonnie Hunter) to make the flying geese units instead of flip and sew squares on a rectangle. This way there is no waste.


Thursday, January 17, 2013

Just a Little Sewing- - -But Fun

     Tuesday for guild meeting we had Deb Karasik with a trunk show.  It was very enjoyable and inspiring.  I have had her book Quilt Mavens for a few years but had not tried one of her patterns.  I recently bought her book Quilts with Attitude which includes the pattern for the quilt she taught Wednesday for a workshop held at local shop Pieces and Patches. The workshop was enjoyable.  I did lots of prep cutting and a little paper-piecing.  I learned some valuable tips for paper-piecing and piecing curves.

This is the only piece I actually sewed in the workshop.   I love it.  I look forward to getting more done soon.

  Last night to relax I pulled out scrap block rows and finished sewing them together.  It is presently 42" by 54" so I may add a border.

Wednesday, January 9, 2013

Prep and Piecing Going On

     I don't have any photos to share but I have been working on quilting projects.  Today was sew day for my church group.  I worked on 2 different projects.  I added right triangles to pieced squares to make a square in a square blocks.  I stopped when I had sewn all the triangles that I had pre-cut for blocks.
Then I laid out 63 blocks for a very bright scappy lap quilt.  I got 4 rows sewn together before we decided to stop for the day.  This evening I printed out all my pattern foundations for Deb Karasik's paper-piecing workshop next week. I'm glad that is done.  I still have to make some fabric choices to make, but I can relax and enjoy the weekend with my granddaughters.

Streaming Videos about Quilting

   Are you an Eleanor Burns fan? or familiar with "Quilt in a Day"?  A few days ago I received a promotional email about a free webinar (live video class on the internet) that Eleanor Burns was having.  I have learned a lot from her shows on PBS in the past and have a couple of her books so last night I checked it out.  The live part is over but the info says it will still be available for you to watch free.  I thought some of you would be interested.  Following is the link for the show:  http://www.quiltinaday.tv/tv/default.asp

While visiting her site, I also found a wonderful resource of her online videos which are worth checking out.


Watch Quilt in a Day For Free

Watch Eleanor's programs from the comfort of your computer, visit the Quilt in a Day Media Theater. All programs are free to view anytime, day or night. There are hundreds of hours of streaming video from many Quilt in a Day books and patterns. Sew with Eleanor as she demonstrates her techniques to make quilt construction fun, fast, and easy! Watch the best way to make Flying Geese Patches, Half Square Triangles, Applique, Strip Piecing, mitering, borders, binding, and so much more! These quilting videos are perfect for beginning quilters as well as seasoned quilters.


Friday, January 4, 2013

Puppy

  About 27 years ago I made a couple of stuffed puppy dogs for my boys.  I found one in a box of stuffed animals in the attic and pulled them out for when my granddaughter visits.  Mattie loved the puppy so much she asked me to make her a white one with brown spots.  I still had the pattern from 1986.  It is McCalls 815.  It is a great pattern if it is still around. I cut it out yesterday and got most of the sewing done. It goes together easily.
Here is a view of the right side.

Here is a view of the left side.  Isn't he adorable!
 
I still have more of the plush fabric to make more if I want to spend the time.
     

Wednesday, January 2, 2013

Starting Off 2013

    I read about one blogger who was creating a new banner with pictures of all the quilts she had made during the year and I thought that would really be nice.  I have not done it.
    I read one bloggers list of new techniques she wants to try out this year.  I still have my ever evolving list of quilts I would like to make but I feel good that I have been reducing my UFOs and orphan blocks.  I am sorry to say that I still have at least 5 complete quilt tops waiting to be machine quilted by me.
    I have spent several hours the past couple of days working on my sample block for a machine applique class for August at Midlands Tech.  The only part not stitched down this evening are the berries/grapes.


I hope your New Year of 2013 is off to a GREAT start!