A Finish After 3 Washes

     I spent a couple of days doing free-motion quilting on my modern star comfort quilt for my church group.  I love quilting free-form feathers so quilted them in the background.  Here are couple of photos after the first stage of quilting. 

Next I decided to echo and quilt the background with a lighter thread to show off the feathers more. 

Here is the whole quilt finished.

      After quilting, I put it in the wash.  After the first wash, I noticed some dye runs onto the background so I put it in again with a Color Catcher sheet and Oxi Clean.  I always prewash my fabric; however, for donated fabric sometimes fabric doesn’t get prewashed. There was still excess dye a good bit excess dye after the 2^nd wash so I put the quilt in the wash again with another Color Catcher sheet and Oxi Clean to soak.  This photo shows the CC sheet from the 2^nd and 3^rd washes. 

I hope that will be enough. 

Enjoy some time sewing or quilting.

I'm linking up with Can I Get Whoop Whoop?   Check out what others are doing.

Week of Piecing

  

      I don’t feel like I’ve accomplished much this week since no quilting has been done.  I have sorted scraps and pieced a lot of red made-fabric. 

These pieces are trimmed and ready for my second “Baker’s Dozen” quilt.  Here is a photo of my first and the link has more info. I love this quilt pattern for a scrappy comfort quilt.

     I did add the border and piece the backing for the scrappy quilt that will be for a hurricane victim. 

I may wait to sandwich it with my church group next Wednesday. You can find out more about the project at From My Carolina Home .

     My modern blue and green star is sandwiched if I feel like quilting.  If the weather this weekend is as cold as they are predicting, it will be a great time to stay in, sew and quilt.  Enjoy some time sewing or quilting.

I'm linking up with Can I Get a Whoop Whoop? .  Check out what others are working on. 

Quilt Tops Are Stacking Up

     Monday my church quilt group met to do the craft sewing project of making an airplane carry-on duffle.  We came with our pieces already cut out and worked all day to construct.  I shared how to change the pattern a little by adding accent pieces.  Here 3 of us are with our finished bags.  I love them.  At least one thing is finished.

     Recently I have been using scraps to make fabric mostly of blue and green.  I decided to use the pieces to make a large star quilt.  This top is sandwiched and ready for quilting.

     Wednesday my church quilt group met.  We are working on a second quilt to be donated to a family in Willington, NC affected by the hurricane. You can find out more about the project at

From My Carolina Home .  

  

Many of us worked last month to make blocks, as a group we chose a layout and a couple started sewing rows together. The center is pieced. I love the layout. 

I will add a simple border and quilt it.  

     In recent days I added borders to my Rainbow Stars and Bricks so it is a top.  I need to piece a backing and it will be ready to sandwich, but that will wait until the others are quilted.

These cooler days will be a great time to sew.  Enjoy some time sewing or quilting.

First Quilt Finish for 2019

     This quilt finish will go for my church quilt ministry and was made using the “Have Faith” design by Jamie Elfert, who blogs at L’Fair Quilts . 

I added borders, quilting and binding this week.

I love this scrappy pattern and some other ladies in my group plan to try it also.  The block is a little more challenging than simple.  You need to pay attention to the piecing order to get seams to twist on the back to lay flat.  It is great for using 2 ½” strips and 4 ½” strips.

      This rainy Friday I plan to tackle the first UFO on my list (Rainbow stars and bricks) and add a plain border.  I hope to get it sandwiched this weekend and start the quilting.

I'm linking up with My Quilt Infatuation party.  Check out what others are working on.  

Stay dry and enjoy some time sewing or quilting.

Goals for 2019

       I hope your new year is off to a fabulous start.  

       It is here whether we are ready or not.  In the past few years, fabric and projects have TAKEN OVER my home.  My major goal for this year is to get it all under control and clear out “stuff” from a career of teaching and life.

Here are some of my sewing/quilting goals for 2019...

1 – Organize my quilting scraps and use them. ( I love crumb piecing and made-fabric.  I just need to organize better.)

2 – Finish many on my UFO Focus List. (Five are left over from 2018 list but I made good progress on 2 of those.)

3 – Finish 2 wall-hanging quilt kits I have. (These will probably be donated after finishing.)

4 - Make quilts for my church quilt ministry and local children’s hospital. (This is the easiest to spend time on. I will try not to let this overtake other goals.)

5 – Use a significant amount of my clothing stash fabric to make outfits for granddaughters, great nieces or for donation.

     

2019 UFO Focus List

1.  Rainbow star and brick quilt - started 2017, center together, needs border 

2.  Four Patch Swirl ( stack ‘n whack blocks) - started 2007, 60 blocks made, sashing and layout planned

3.  Blue and white Day Bee Mystery - started 2012, top together

4.  Made-fabric hexagon improv quilt- started 2014, add borders

5.  Gypsy Wife type quilt from orphan blocks – started 2015

6.  Bright Strings top – 2018

7.  Wickedly Easy quilt for day bed- 2018, blocks

8.  Make more Christmas placemats using children’s drawings – 2010-2018

 Wishing all a great day and a healthy Happy New Year with lots of fun sewing time!