Sunday, March 31, 2019

Trouble


Actually I am avoiding trouble with so little time left in March.  I don't want to start something new (trouble), so I pulled out my tote of the Temecula Quilt Co. "Summer Scraps" quilt in progress.  A lot of Broken Dishes are made, but I have many more to complete the next step.  I have all of them cut, so it is just chaining thru the machine, square up, chain the next step, and blocks appear.  


Maybe with the excitement of seeing that pile of triangles shrink, I might get close to finishing these.  The next round is the 9-patches that I know will go a lot faster.  This is not a rush project, but I find if I let things sit for too long I forget about them or lose interest.  I love this quilt so I won't lose interest, but it tends to get forgotten.

Sewingly Yours,
Sharon

Friday, March 29, 2019

Whoop Whoop Friday


I'm happy to say that I finished the last of my month's projects - the small cross stitch piece.  I changed some of the colors and kept the backstitch to just outlining.  The flower centers were filled with either a button or bead.  I would have loved to have been able to center the top and bottom  border, but I was using a scrap of a strip and this was just enough (1.2" left over).  Even the side border with the cute flower pots was a left over strip I found in the strip tote.  The black skinny border and binding - scraps.  Batting scraps (I use two layers) and backing of course is scrap.  Finished size is 10" square.


Then I got the last of the stitches done in the Stone Soup Challenge.  Scraps sent to me by 5 other quilters plus a few of my SIL's and mine that were sitting on the side table to be cut down into my barrel system.  My tutorial for these blocks can be found HERE


I used all of the left over fabrics to piece the back and the label is added in the one row. There is a piece of fabric from each 'donor' in the back.  Thank you Dawn for putting this challenge together.

Hmm, two more days left in the month - what trouble can I get into?

Sewingly Yours,
Sharon

Wednesday, March 27, 2019

OMG - March Finish


I've used the OMG to help with tackling those P.I.G.S. and so far it has worked.  I'm linking up with March Goal Finish and please be sure to go visit and see all of the super awesome projects being shown.


This was my 'found' project shoved in a drawer of scraps.  Certainly time to get it finished as I don't even remember when I started it.


Just a good pressing/blocking, top stitch, make and add the handles - why did I let it sit?


No pockets inside, so kind of a dump bag.  I have a thing for blues, so really like this.  I did try to find the pattern on-line but it may be from so long ago, that site is no longer active.  So I am sharing my copy - if someone recognizes and knows the site (and available), I will update the source.  **some blocks per the pattern were knitted, but I used all fabric**


Sewingly Yours,
Sharon

Monday, March 25, 2019

It's A Trick


I first want to thank CARLA for hosting this unique HOP, the first day already blew my mind.  I joined to stretch myself out of the comfort zone as I am not fond of string blocks personally.  So I had to work something different to make it tickle my bones.


One of my 'do this year' items was to revisit the Card Trick Quilt Block.  The standard method of starting with the hour glass center.  Then people were coming up with short cuts to make them with squares and rectangles.  THEN - the lightbulb moment!  I remembered seeing some large block quilts made with strings for the Hands2Help Challenge - the good ole' Trick was formed.


I pulled out all the brights of four colors for a bit of Spring fun.  Three blocks of each color used them right up and the setting triangles cut from a background.  Layed out in the Card Trick and then I changed the colors around after this photo.


I made 6'5" unfinished size blocks; foundationed on old phone book paper which is so easy to remove.  I like to press those setting seams with a lot of bulk open to help make the finish smoother.
**Update**  People have asked if they make this size what amount of background is needed - six 7" squares cut diagonal once for setting triangles and you can get those with one WOF cut; so a quarter yard works.  If you want to add a border - depending on the width you want to use - use your quilter's math for how many strips.  The number of strips x's width of border = inches of fabric needed.


See, I switched those colors.  I like to make quilts (or large wallhangings) in two sections and then join the two halves.

And I just now have discovered I deleted my files of the finished piece!  I heavily 'pencil' straight line quilting in aqua, lime green, sun yellow, bold orange, and white threads.  This piece was donated to the Easter Egg Exhibit  (Mildred Vrooman was a gr.gr. aunt) raffle items.  Maybe I will get a photo of it while hanging there as I am part of the Old Stone Fort weekend events during the first open weekend of the egg exhibit.

**recovered the lost photo





Thank you for stopping by and please be sure to visit the other participants today:





Wednesday, March 20, 2019

Double Square Tutorial for H2H

Confessions Of A Fabric Addict

Today I am guest hosting over at Confessions of a Fabric Addict with the lovely Sarah for the Hands2Help Challenge.  I wanted to share a very easy block to make that is simple to 'quilt math' and a great scrap buster.


This is the Double Square block that, also, goes by the name Squared Star and Spinning Tulip.  It is simply the 'tulip unit' and how you use it.

  
To make the tulip unit you will need one large and two print squares; and two framing background rectangles.  Here is where you use your quilt math.  Your large square can be your choice of size and your two matching small squares (sewn together) equal the width.  I used a 4.5" large square, 2.5" small squares, making my rectangles 2.5" x 4.5" and 2.5" x 6.5".


Let's start stitching - draw a line corner to corner on your two small squares.  You have to pay attention to placement here.  The shorter rectangle has the square placed on the right - sewing out to the corner; and the longer rectangle has the square placed on the left side - sewing out to the corner.


Trim your flip corner seams (keep the little geese or toss).  Now you can just make the Tulip to use as a block - frame it, toss it in different directions, alternate with a plain block, or use two corner to corner for a butterfly look. With this in mind - your flip corners can be pressed out and your rectangles when added (short one first) can be pressed out.
*unfinished size is 6.5"*


Because I am making the Double Square, I pressed the short flip corner out and the long flip corner in - this will help with putting 'tulips' together for the square.


Two tulips upside down so you can see how I pressed the corners so the 'mesh' at the seam lines.  The short rectangle was pressed into the large square and the long rectangle was pressed out - so ALL seams mesh.


I pressed the unit adjoining seams open for a flatter laying block.


This, also, helps with neater block joinings when putting blocks into rows.
You could press your row seams open or press all one row to the right and the next to the left to help with meshing seams.  I did right-to-left and still got a nice flat seam.  *and here you can see, I used two different white-on-whites using up those scraps - if you make this size and number of blocks; one yard of background is needed*



 This is my quilt top set 3 x 4 blocks together and you can see you get an alternating pattern (the white quadrifoils).  You could sash, piano key the outer border - just play with it.  This will be one of my H2H donations locally with our quilt guild's community work.

A fun block, a quick block, a stash eating block, and an easy 'math' block.
Enjoy playing,

Sewingly Yours,
Sharon

Scrappy Wdnesday


I am finished with all the commission work and have a huge need to play in scraps.  The RSC19 color for the month is GREEN and I have a lot of green to use up.  I saw SARAH's post about blocks for New Zealand and I know what I am going to be working on thru the day.  Please go read her post for the full information, but I will share the pattern here as well.

Just right click and save to your favorite file to keep as reference or print.

You can visit Angel in Gumboots on Facebook and read a lot more about this project as well - mailing addresses are there, too.

Sewingly Yours,
Sharon

Monday, March 18, 2019

Monday Making


I showed the Basket Blocks from grandma's treasures before - one of the commission pieces.  These were all a tad bit different in size and I trimmed enough to keep points and to get them at least square.  Then I put a sashing around each and trimmed them all to the same 12.5" unfinished size block.


This gave a 'squared' quilt to work on.  The little bits of differences are not that noticeable.  This was the first quilt I worked on and it has sat for the end mainly: 1.  I wasn't sure how I wanted to quilt this and 2. the muslin I ordered (12 yards) was used up with the first three quilts - so not 12 yards!  Honestly two quilts 68" square and one 72" x 82" and I only use an extra 2" each side when laying out for home machine quilting ( my thrifty side).  Please, my math is not off.  I will figure on the high side and say I used 7 yards, but there was just about 10" x WOF (90") left.  I am very disappointed and yes, I let them know.

  
My two banquet tables side by side - 72" square is a little hard to fit in a photo - no, I don't climb ladders for pictures.  It's been decided to do a very open all over quilting as some of the basket fabrics are a little fragile.

The sun is shining, most of the snow has melted off, and I have my Monday planned,
Sewingly Yours,
Sharon

Friday, March 15, 2019

RSC19

SoScrappy

If you are new to RSC, you need to check out ANGELA's super great way to use up scraps by color.  Each month she announces a color and usually has a quilt/block idea each year.  This year is tiny blocks and I hope to catch up on those next month.


This month is green with hopes of seeing SPRING - we are all sick of this winter.  I had to clean my machine inbetween quilting, so I quick made up my Chandelier Bead Blocks.


And the ones with the black background.  I have enough green scraps/fabric to make at least three large quilts - this isn't even a dent.

Today is National Quilting Day, so go sew!
Sewingly Yours,
Sharon

Harry Potter QAL


It's time for a link up with Sew Fresh Quilts to share out progress with our HP blocks.  My grandson has enjoyed watching his quilt grow with each character.


The next four:  Minerva, Snape, Dumbledore, and  Hagrid

Minerva had us using some background fabric and it's nice to see how this plays with the blocks.

Sewingly Yours,
Sharon

Tuesday, March 12, 2019

Hands2Help


It's that time of year again.  SARAH has been hosting H2H since 2011 and I have participated each year.  She gathers so many goodies from many resources to offer up 'thank yous' to those who participate.  Each year she selects groups that need quilts to fill their needs.  As the project as grown, she has increased the number of groups and is giving us a chance to get to really meet them and their work.

If you are new to this project, please visit and read up.    Consider a donation.  If mailing is difficult for you, there is the option of working locally.  There are so many in need and we as quilters have this wonderful opportunity to wrap someone in a much needed hug.

Sign up HERE and there is a chance to win some goodies.  If you miss the sign up, you can still participate when the link-up of donated quilts goes live.

I am hosting on the 21st.

Sewingly Yours,
Sharon

Sunday, March 10, 2019

Monday Making


I'm working on the last commission piece.  These wonderful hand pieced patch blocks, you may recognize the fabrics from the basket blocks and the other patchwork quilt.  She used it up for sure - or was it her only fabric?  It was the leaf blocks that had me in tears.


These blocks are all hand stitched.  Such uniform buttonhole stitches almost had me thinking machine, but knew that was wrong.  I ran my fingers over every single block, trying to connect with this quilter.


Just look at these beauties!  There are 68 all together, some sewn in bands but the majority just loose.  These had me researching the history of variegated thread.  I ended up contacting a local crazy quilter whom I knew who would know the answer - Betty Fikes Pillsbury.  She found similar works in an old Harpers Bazaar - 1869.


You can see the knots - yes, she changed out colors to create her own variegated look.  Did this quilter see this work in a catalog, paper, or museum and tried to replicate?  Did she not have the means of funds or availability of variegated thread in her area?  Or was this just creative vision?'

I am using the last of her patchwork with these leaves to make a collumn quilt.  Anything left over from the projects, we discussed making table runners and a few pillows.  Grandma's treasures are going to be used to their fullest.

Sewingly Yours,
Sharon

Slow Sunday Stitching

Slow Sunday Stitching

It has been a while since I joined KATHY with a dedicated day to slow stitching.  It is cold and snowing/sleeting today - perfect to be indoors with some handwork.


This piece is working up faster than expected, so I might get to finish this with a dedicated day.

I have two hanging sleeves to stitch down on some wallhangings as well.  They just might see some work.

Sewingly Yours,
Sharon

Friday, March 8, 2019

Feline Friday with the Queen


Well Moe is no Queen, but he was a big help in squeeking in the finishing of the 'Stars in Her Crown' QAL with Barbara Brackman.  I have really enjoyed the history of the nine children of Queen Victoria.


Blocks #8 and #9  were Leopold and Baby Beatrice.  I used one of Connecting Threads' new lines - Arcadian Dusk - and just love the rusts and greys.  I used the rusts for the girls and the greys for the boys


I made the 8 inch blocks because I want to keep this a wallhanging.  I have yet to decide on how I will finish this off, but there are other things in line before I get to that part.

Thank you Moe for all your help with this one - he laid on it every time I pulled it out.

Sewingly Yours,
Sharon  

Tuesday, March 5, 2019

Scrappy Wednesday


This fun quilt is commission piece number two being prepped to go under the needle.  This is so large I could not get a photo of the whole thing - not even a quarter full here.  Just look at all that scrappy goodness! And the bubble gum pink and pretty shirtings.  This one is all hand stitched with great care.


A few people mentioned about wetting areas to help with the wavy.  I don't like to use this method too often as you have to just 'mist' not get too wet, and the concern of whether old fabrics are color fast.  I have my trusty little misters - one distilled water and the other a secret mix.  Thread at the ready should I find a little spot that needs repair (just one).  This one was flat and square - I can't wait to quilt.


In this photo there are 6 blocks that had little pieces 'added' so she had a full triangle - so precise in matching and hiding.  Can you spot them?  This is what led me to think someone else did the machine stitching on the first quilt.  I would have loved to have met this quilter.

We are brutally cold again, so a good day to quilt,
Sewingly Yours,
Sharon