Finishes for 2023

 All totaled up my 11 finishes added up to busting 105 yards of fabric. That makes my goal of using up a minimum of 100 yards a succeeded goal. It is not so big when you find that these were not projects starting from scratch.

1, Fidget Quilt - 20" x 28",  2 yards total, made for my dear sister. It was a fun project of hand embellishments and fun textures.

2. Just in Cases - 57" x 68", 9 yards total. American Jane has such cute (and sometimes challenging) patterns. This was made using 30's reproduction fabrics. The backing I used was a vintage muslin. It was 58" wide and was heavy yet not very finely woven. 

3. Red & Green Train Tracks Kid's Quilt - 47" x 47", 3.5 yards total. This small quilt was given to friends for the birth of their first grandson. Backing was a minky and was so very soft!

 

4. Blue & Gray Boomerang 3-yard quilt - 44" x 58", used 6 yards total. Another small quilt I had quilted with soft fleece backing. It has a warm and cuddly feel and ready for gifting. 

5. Brown & Black Vertical 9-Patch - 47.5" x 58", total of 8 yards.  This top has been hanging around a while so I sandwiched it up and hand quilted it in the evenings,. Made a nice throw for the TV room.

6. Jelly Nougat - 85" x 91", used up 18.5 yards of stash. This finished as one of my favorite scrap quilts. Made using muslin and a huge amount of "crumbs".

7. Trumpet Vine - 53" x 68", used 8 yards. A Karen Griska pattern that used up a lot of scraps in my Brights box. Loved the backing so much I had to go back and buy several yards more for future use.

8. Green & Yellow Moda University BOM Medallion - 98" x 98", used 18 yards. My largest finish this year. It has been hanging around since 2008(?) and just needed borders. Its finished and on the bed now.

9. Red Churn Dash - 78" x 87", used 14 yards. Love how I found a random remnant in the closing of a local quilt shop to use as vertical rows. I had just enough to finish it with only inches left over. 

10. Vintage Column Quilt - 94" x 94", used up 17 yards. A totally scrappy quilt using 1.5" finished size squares. Fell in love with this pattern the first time I saw it. My box of scraps took a big hit with this one. (that's a good thing)

11. Steampunk Violinist Christmas Wall Hanging - 14" x 28", 1 yard used (barely). Embellished with sequins and beads for extra holiday sparkle. 

So that is what 105 yards looks like. I also completed a Partridge in a Pear Tree wall-hanging but it cannot be counted this year as it still needs to be quilted. Its on the UFO list for next year.

I am now planning and dreaming up goals for 2024. So far I have a list of 18 UFOs and 5 or 6 new starts planned. I'll need to sew like the wind to accomplish all that! Especially when you know that the top 5 UFOs are labor intensive - Dear Jane, Montmellick, Love Entwined, Antique Wedding Sampler, and  Jaye's Bouquet. Maybe I should rethink those new starts!

Blessings and Happy Stitching!

The Partridge in a Pear Tree Challenge

Have you ever worked on a project that was a bit challenging and you felt the need to baste the pieces together before sewing them together to ensure that they match up nicely? That is what I have been doing to make these triangles with multi points to line up in my Partridge in a Pear Tree wall-hanging. Below you will see the two triangular pieces marked and ready to be sewn together.

These are the 2 pieces that make up the sides of the tree trunks and the sky blues. I hand sewed them together, matching end points and seam lines, and then pressed the seams open for a flat finish piece. 

Once these triangular blocks were sewn together, it was time to sew the rows together. I place a pin in EXACTLY the point where the seams should meet. Keeping the pin vertical.

 

You can see on the opposite side that the pin meets exactly on the seamline I want it to match up with. 

I carefully keep that pin in an upright position as I pin along each side. I often use the edge of my sewing table to do so.

 I then place 2 pins on both sides of the vertical pin all while keeping it upright the best I can. 

When pinning, be sure to take large enough "bites" so that your seam does not bunch up in thickness and make it hard to run under your machine needle. It can sometimes shift or bunch up into a knotted mess if you don't. 

This might be a good time to give suggestions for the pins I use. They are extra long and very thin. They are my FAVORITE pins to use. Actually, they are the only pins I use. These silk pins are made in Japan and are perfect pins for piecing.

I have no affiliate link. They are sometimes hard to find but they last a long time. When they become bend or damaged, I save them in a special box.

The Japanese have a special day they call, Hari-Kuyō. It is celebrated by women in Japan as a memorial to all the sewing needles that have become broken in their service during the past year, along with the added opportunity to pray for improved skills. My collection of broken pins and needles are several years' worth, but I think of their tradition and it reminds me to pray for improved skills along with being thankful for useful tools in my sewing box. 

My little box sits on the shelf above my sewing table. Do you like my little antique "studda bubba" pincushion? She makes me smile too and reminds me that I am becoming a studda bubba myself (old lady). Although I do not have a babushka. :-)

So back to the Partridge challenge. You can see my machine needle is lined up ready to sew this seam together below. My pinned seam joints are laying flat as I gently WALK my machine needle over the pins. Yes, I have hit a few now and again (see hari-kuyo above), but because it is s-l-o-w I have not knocked my machine out of time....yet. The only other solution is to baste these points together. That is probably what my Home Economics teacher, Mrs Starr would suggest. No wait, Mrs Starr did not suggest anything. Her motto always was, "There is a wrong way, and a Mrs. Starr way" Haaaa! I owe my attention to precision sewing to her. Thank you Mrs Starr! ♥

Pressing those seams to "set" once they are sewn. You can see my stitching has been guided along with my markings.

This results are points matching nicely once done.

And the real test is the basted seams with multiple points matching up together. Yippee! Success! These were the half diamond pieces (tree trunk and sky blue) sewn together by hand and them basted before sewing together in rows. (did not risk the 3 pin technique here).

So how do you conquer your sewing challenges? Do you baste and/or hand sew? Is there another technique you use? 

Do you have a favorite quote from your Home Economics teacher you can share? Do you have a favorite pin cushion? 

Please leave your comments below as I would love to read your insights and tips.

Happy stitching!