Twist & Shout Finish

My Merry Mayhem New Year's Day Mystery quilt project is finished. I just took the last stitch last night. 

She measures 52" x 63" and I used up 8 yards of my Civil War Reproduction fabrics.  I used these CWR fabrics with the hopes of whittling down the collection I have. Isn't that funny, because you know how that goes! Sadly, they are not so popular these days but the quilt finished nicely and looks at home with its fellow antique.

This Twist and Shout quilt is my third finish for this year and I have busted through a total of 34.81 yards of stash so far in 2024. I need to attack the "binding to be" pile to bump that number up.

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This has been a busy month. Between attending our grandchildren's soccer and softball games, getting the garden planted, and keeping up with the lawn and flower beds it has been hard to get into the sewing room. 

The bees are busy and humming in the herb bed. The sage has flowered this year along with the chamomile and chives. I planted some onions, lettuce, and spinach on the other side and it is fenced off temporarily to keep the neighbor's dogs and rabbits out. 

We worked outside all week and planted the rest of the garden. It is watered and mulched, and we have high hopes for lots of fresh produce. Each year it is fun to try something new. This year's new vegetable is Armenian Cucumber. It is actually in the melon family but tastes like a cucumber. It takes the heat well so it might be a nice substitute. 

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Bernina has announced a new Quilt Along. 

This "Between the Lines" QAL is divided into 9 rows and will feature different techniques like: paper piecing, curved piecing, strip piecing and more. The finished project will measure 55" x 66" which is a nice throw size. And it is small enough to machine quilt myself if desired. 

The first row begins June 9th so head over to their site for more info.

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I'm still plugging along on hand-quilting my Siggie quilt. These blocks were the D13 block from the Dear Jane quilt. I participated in this block exchange for several years and it was such a thrill to find my "squishie" package in the mail with all the blocks by quilters from around the world. 

Some of the blocks were embellished so that is why I have decided to hand quilt it. No machine quilter would agree to working on it - unless it was free style. 

I have found that I really, really love the feel of hand quilting! The quilt is so much softer, and not stiff like it would be if machine quilted. It has taken me a few months (8 months?) and I am almost done with all the blocks. Once they are all quilted, I will have the four 5" borders to quilt. and then it will be ready for the binding. And lots and lots of snuggle time.

Perhaps you have found your block while reading these blocks? I know I always look for mine when I see a siggie quilt posted online. Let me know in the comments. ♥

"Why the big push for Quilters to use up their Stash? 

Nobody asks stamp collectors to mail letters!" 

Another Finish - a new start in 2024

But a finish IS a finish after all! This diversion began in January while watching YouTube videos. I came across The Quilted Forest channel and fell in love with this block. It has no name that I could find (just a Block-of-the-month block) but it is somewhat of a variation of a disappearing nine patch. Although its construction is not like a disappearing nine patch. The small squares that run diagonally was the appeal for me. It catches the eye as more blocks are made.

 

This block above was not used on the front because it was too pastel to blend well with the others. Instead I used it along with another like it on the back for an "after quilt".

This quilt project truly is a utilitarian quilt. Nothing special, although I do love many of the fabrics I used. Perhaps with better planning, and more time spent it could have been a bit more spectacular, but it is done and ready for use now. Can you spot the diagonal design now?

Maybe one day, I will try another. I often say that, but rarely do so... Stay tuned. You never know. 

 

This one finished at 72" x 88" and I estimated that I used up 14 yards of stash. This will make finish #2 with a total stash used - 26.81 yards so far in 2024. 

 

I am presently waiting on my New Year's Day Mystery quilt to come back from the long-arm quilter. And I have 2 more quilts ready to take with me when I pick up my Mystery quilt. So there will be more finishes to report. 

This is the year I hope to really clean up on the UFOs. I know I will always have some unfinished projects but I hope to get that number down to a number that does not overwhelm me. 

Oh dear. We found this written on our back window by our darling grand daughter. I guess we will never wash that window now.
 

 Happy Stitching!

Across Kansas Remake

During my recent endeavor to add up all the stash I have sitting on my shelves, I ran across a few forgotten UFOs. One of which was a box holding 12 bright yellow Dresden plates. Sunflowers. I've had these for years. I seem to remember purchasing them on ebay or maybe at a garage sale. The centers are cut out but not sewn on. The points need pressing. Just a little finessing is all they need...and a nice setting.

I have experimented with different ideas through the years. Pictured is a block I made using scrap neutral squares and then I appliqued the Dresden, or Sunflower in the center. Meh. Likely why I quit after one block. In the box they went, waiting for new inspiration. 

I combed Pinterest for ideas a couple of times and found a few I like - you know how that goes. But then I happened upon a pattern I tore out of an old Quilter's Newsletter Magazine from 1996. It was written by Faye Anderson and the pattern is called, Across Kansas. 

I am hooked! Unfortunately, the pattern as given in the magazine finishes with 9" blocks. Because of the fact that my Sunflower dresdens are 12", I have a problem.  My first attack at enlarging this pattern was to go to my EQ software. All was going well, except when I saved to my workbook, two lines separating the center squares would disappear. Perhaps I need to set up the worktable with more division marks but after 4 tries I gave up.

Now it is time to take out the trusty Quilter's graph paper by June Taylor, and say another silent prayer of thanks for the hand-sewing, quilt-drafting class I took many years ago. June? Are you reading this? If so, I love you!

I learned so much in that class. ANY block pattern you see, you can redraft, trace unto template plastic, add seam allowances and go! Yeah, its old fashioned, but it gets the job done. 

So now I have my templates made and cut out ready for my first sample block. I am so hopeful this all works because I really, really love this pattern! And did I mention that I have lots and lots of fall fabrics to use?

 

I did a little searching online and found that Kaye also wrote the pattern, The Early Bird Gets the Worm. Remember that one? So crazy cute!! I think it made the QNM cover one month.

And she also wrote the book, Applique Designs My Mother Taught Me to Sew. 

I own both of these items and I may have to give them a second look soon. Does anyone have information about Faye Anderson? Is she still an active quilter? She certainly was a talented one! I can certainly name three designs by her that I love!

So wish me luck as I dive into the fall stash and make my first test block. If you hear someone screaming in the distance, it might be me. Angles and arcs are not my strong point, but I am determined! Sometimes we need a little challenge, right?

Happy Stitching!

My First Finish - and it is March Already.

It seems I am a bit slow in getting my projects to a finish this year, but slow is still progress, right? This quilt began in 2016 as a New Year's Day Mystery with Merry Mayhem. I think this might have been my first mystery I participated in with her. I am very happy with the final quilt.

The original directions were for 4 blocks in a row with wide rows on each side for lots of white space. It was really quite pretty, but I fell in love with these star blocks and decided to make 12 more for my own setting. 

I copied the center star as cornerstones in the sashings for some extra interest and expansion of the design. It is very scrappy and made with reds, greens, golds, and browns. I also used various beige and cream fabrics for the backgrounds. 

The backing is a plain muslin and the binding I used was a print that had all the colors I used in making the stars. Strangely, that was the hardest decision in finishing this quilt as I debated between a plain cream binding (safe choice) or go with framing it by using a multi-color print. It should have been done months ago! 

I sewed on a piece of the binding fabric diagonally in one corner to partition off an area to sign and date the quilt. 

It finished at 85" x 85" and I used up 12 yards of stash. 

So I recommend Merry Mayhem Mysteries. They run each year with fabric requirements and pre-cutting the week before the new year begins. I have since participated in two other mysteries. Twist and Shout was done earlier this year and you can read about it here.  It still needs to be quilted.

Happy Stitching!

 

 

Quilt Alongs are Rewarding

Rewarding because they keep you on task, on time, and using a chunk more of your stash. This quilt-along that I jumped in on is Cheryl Brinkley's Takes 2 Charms and the pattern's name is Betty. I am in a granny square kind of trend right now. These quilts with squares so appealing!

I have the Betty blocks sewn together now and it is currently a flimsy. I've been debating on purchasing some large print border fabric to extend it a bit more. Hmmm....

I love the charm pack fabrics I used. They were Moda's Field Notes by Blackbird Designs. No guess how long I have had these charm packs. At least since 2016 when a local quilt shop closed. 

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I made 18 of these little prayer pockets to pass around to the ladies in my Small Group Bible Study. And another 8 that I gave to my darling grand-daughter to pass on to her teachers and friends. She sewed the crosses on hers, and tucked in little prayers for the back pocket.

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And while I wait for my Maymont to come back from my quilter, I am working on this Wee Woodland cake mix pattern. 

Oh how fun and easy this pattern is! These whimsical 9-patch blocks are stacked with background fabric, and cut using different widths both horizontally and vertically. Be careful not to get ahead of yourself though. I would only work on 2 at a time.

I have all the blocks completed with what I had left of a  layer cake pre-cut. I will add a narrow border and perhaps order a nice border fabric to bring it to a 70" x 70" throw size. 

I have several more layer cakes in packages. Perhaps I will make another using this pattern. 

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So how many layer cakes do you have? Jelly rolls? Charm packs? I have a drawer full and it is time to use them up, or pass them on.

Hope you are staying warm and looking forward to spring. The days are getting longer and Daylight Savings time is about to spring forward in a couple of  weeks. It is time to take inventory on seed packets.

Happy stitching!

 

A New Year and New Starts

While we are getting used to the fact that it is 2024, I have been biten by the New-Year New-Start Bug that was lurking in the sewing room (and online browsing). It was a BIG bite because I have 3 new starts to share here today.

My New Year's Day Mystery with Merry Mayhem was completed into a flimsy the first week of January. It was a fairly rapid project that finished at 55" x 65". I dug into my stash of civil war reproduction fabrics because I have more than I need and can afford to "waste" on a mystery project. But this was no waste of fabric!! I really enjoyed this mystery quilt making and am delighted with the end result. I will either take this to my long arm quilter, or maybe quilt it myself when I catch up on my current hand projects.

If you decide to make this yourself, take seriously her advice of sorting and labeling blocks A & B. It can get confusing fast as they mirror one another. This is my third Merry Mayhem Mystery that I have participated in and I have always been happy with the big reveal. I highly recommended her mystery projects!

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I finally got my Maymont beast sewn together and it is now ready for the outside edges to be trimmed. This is not a new start and has been an ongoing project since last August of 2023. I am happy to have come this far with it.

And oh how I love, love, love this quilt! I fell in love with it at first sight and knew I had to make it. Bonnie Hunter strikes again! It ate quite a bit of my 2" scrap strips and squares. After trimming the edges, I will add a 3" border, have it quilted, and am considering adding prairie points when I bind it.  I have never made prairie points before and I think it will be an appropriate finish effect to this quilt. My goal is to have this off the wall and ready for the long arm quilter before the end of February.

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Another new start this month was an unnamed quilt block that I found on a Youtube video by The Quilted Forest. It is their December 2022 Block of the Month block. How original, right? It seems like a variation of a double disappearing nine-patch, but it is assembled very differently than a double disappearing nine-patch. 

This is an extra block that I did not use because it was too pastel and faded into the overall look. Do you know the name of this 16" block?

These are the 20 blocks that made their audition. They are now sewn into rows and ready for final assembly and a simple 3" border. This will also be taken to my long arm quilter. Did you notice it is on top of my Maymont? I can't wait to get them both down and sandwiched for quilting.

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And lastly, I got the notion to make a handful of prayer pockets for the ladies in my small group Bible study for Valentine's day. Originally, I wanted to make them into hearts, but I fear I won't get 15 of those finished in time for gifting. Instead I have chosen to make simple blocks from 3/4" squares (finished size).

 

I have passed out a few of these already but am busy making more.  These are such fun assembling by using and coordinating just a few scraps. You can find free directions, pattern, and prayer sheets on Hello Sewing and ShabbyFabrics.com. Make a few for gifting yourself. You can tuck these in get well cards, leave on the table for your server at the restaurant, or anytime you want to encourage and uplift another with a little prayer and love. 

Now that I got my January post in, I can get busy with putting the borders on the above two tops and embellish some prayer pockets.  

Happy Stitching!

 

 

 

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!