Finished Placemats

      I am pleased this week to share some finished placemats that will be a gift. These 4 are finished 

and then 2 more are quilted and ready for binding plus here is a long runner pieced which at present is in the process of being quilted. 

In the runner I added a layer of heat resistant fleece under the batting and my quilting machine is having trouble with the layers and skipping stitches. I have changed needles which did not help so today I will try a larger needle.

     The free placemat pattern originally came from Angela Walters on season 5 of The Midnight Quilt Show. Her mats finish at 13” by 20” and I wanted mine 14” by 18” so I made some changes. I made more changes for the runner because it will be used on a long buffet so it will finish at 16” by 66”. I love the watercolor effect. I do see one strip I wish was in a different place but it is not getting moved.

     Our vegetable garden is looking good. Son John bought fancy containers and started our container garden on the patio. We are already reaping lots of zucchini and yellow squash. The tomatoes are filling out.

Then we decided to expand the garden to the ground. Looking forward to beans and onions as well as other vegetables.

     I took some sewing time to make 25 masks for my church child development center staff as they reopen.

I'm linking up with Alycia Quilts for Finishedor Not Friday. Check out what others are working on.

Stay safe and healthy while doing something you enjoy like sewing or quilting.

UFO Progress

     I don't have a finished quilt top yet; however, I have finished a good pile of blocks from 2 projects. Last year I adopted a UFO from a guild member. This week I finished the 5 paper-pieced sunburst blocks.

The original pattern makes a wall-hanging. I would like to make a lap size quilt so need more neutral fabric. This project is on hold until I go out fabric shopping. I don't trust the fabric photos online and want to see the actual fabric to match beige tones.

     After some yard and garden work, I pulled out 8 unfinished half log string blocks from about 8 years ago. I added more strips to measure 12 1/2” and finish at 12”. Then I pieced 12 more blocks for a total of 20 (4 by 5 layout) which will make a lap size 48” by 60” quilt.

I would like to get them pieced into a top today; however, I have agreed to sew more fabric face masks and that will probably take priority.

I'm linking up with Whoop,Whoop Friday and Finished or Not Friday. Check out what others are working on.

Sewing and Quilting is a wonderful way to pass time while staying safe and healthy and doing something to help others.

A Small UFO Finish

     I did not post last week because I have been working in the yard so much, not much quilting has been accomplished. Saturday I finished piecing 48 “Hope” blocks from GE Designs 2^nd Quarantine Quilt Along, May 3^rd. Here is a sampling on my small design wall.  

 

I still need to lay them all out on the "design floor" and play with placement but I do not need to rush to finish this one.

Sunday I enjoyed a relaxing Mothers Day.

     Monday I finished the quilting on the Whig Rose wall-hanging. After a couple of false starts, I was excited how the “plumify” motif went 

and the “swirl with plumes” I quilted in each corner. 

 Both were FM motifs I learned from watching Patsy Thompson's “Ultimate Free-motion Feathers” class on Bluprint. I practiced a few times on paper before I was brave enough to try on the quilt. Because the background fabric was beige, I thought light brown thread would look good for the quilting. After doing a small area, I decided that it was too dark so I unsewed.

I switched to cream thread. After quilting a small area, I noticed the tension was terrible so that had to come out.

I rethreaded and was finally successful. I love it! 
* I updated the photo to show the quilting texture better. 

       With all the yard work and handwork recently, arthritis in my right hand has flared up so it needs a little rest. Today I machine sewed binding on a lap quilt and pieced backings for 2 more. My stack of finished tops waiting for quilting is growing.

Stay safe and healthy while doing something you enjoy (maybe sewing or quilting) or to help others.

Making UFO Progress

     Another split 9 lap quilt is quilted. This one is a joint project. Several members of my church quilt group pieced the blocks. I pieced them together and quilted the top. Another member plans to add the binding when I can get it to her but there is no rush.

I quilted a swirl over the center and used a Laura Fritz motif in the border. 

     I pulled a small UFO and I'm finishing it as a wall-hanging or table topper.  It was planned to be donated for the small quilt auction of a guild quilt show that is not happening this year so I can take more time.  The bright Whig Rose was hand appliqued about 2009. I decided to add trapunto under the flowers.

It will show up more when the background is quilted. 

 I got inspired by this example from Patsy Thompson.  

In her Bluprint class “Ultimate Free-motion Feathers” she teaches 

 a variation of the motif she calls “plumify it”.  I am practicing on paper; however, I'm not yet comfortable enough to try on the small quilt. If I can get comfortable with it, I would like to use the motif as a background filler on the large border of my blue and white UFO. The border is the only part not yet quilted. I better get busy practicing.

I'm linking up with “Finished or Not Friday”. 

Please stay safe and healthy while doing something you enjoy or to help others.