3 for the Quilter

Michelle emailed me to say she finished with the longarm quilting of the items I dropped off last week! Yipee! I am going to pick them up tomorrow and I can't wait to see them. 

Here is what I gave her: 

First was a large (94" x 92") T-shirt quilt for a friend. It is a family quilt since t-shirts from the parents and the children were used in it. There were 5 sweatshirts, too thick to include, so I am making throw pillows with them. (This top was so big, I couldn't focus well enough for a good picture.)

Then this lap size Hunter Star quilt that I made quite a few years ago.

I used a technique from the 2007 Quick Quilts #83 magazine pattern called London Garden. It was easy enough to do. I had not added the outer border. I did that and called it done. 

The colors in the photo aren't true because the light from behind making them darker. (And I didn't want to ask my husband to hold the quilt up for one more photo.)

I was looking for some fabric for the backing for the Hunter Star quilt and saw this Halloween panel. I thought of my oldest daughter who really likes Halloween. I added the orange border. The green witch fabric wasn't long enough, so I cut it into fourths and added the swirly fabric strips between the sections. And it was ready to quilt. Having Michelle quilt it would  let me get on with some other projects. 

I look forward to binding, photographing and posting the final projects in the next week. 

I hope you enjoy a creative week.

1 More Quilt Completed

. . . and mailed off to my cousin! 

This had been a long overdue project on my part. I apologized to my cousin for taking so long to get this little project finished. 

Debbie had an antique wool embroidery that she wanted made into a quilt for a doll's bed. This is the completed quilt 18-1/2" x 20-1/2"):

I found reproduction scraps in my collection that had the feel of the era. 

I made the quilt base before adding the embroidery.

The embroidery was sewn to the center block of muslin 

(which was backed with a woven stabilizer).

I hand stitched around the edges of the embroidery to hold all the embroidery threads in place. 

Then I took stitches all over the back of the embroidery to hold it all against the muslin.

The top, backing and batting were layered. 

I quilted around the bird with my domestic sewing machine. 

Flowers and leaves were included to give some interest and secure all the layers. 

I quilted in a continuous line in all the boxes, which was really quite easy. 

I called her to tell her it was in the mail and said she was happy that it is on its way. 

(She said she didn't hold the delay against me.)

Thank you for stopping. 

Be sure to visit next week as I post a peek at my row for the upcoming: 

4 Quilt Projects - Finished

My weekend was quite productive in finishing these 4 quilting projects. They were quilted my Michele Fialek and I got them back about 2 weeks ago to add the bindings. It feels very good to have completed some projects. I took the photos in the evening, in the house, so the colors are a bit off. 

This twin size Christmas quilt top I made about 8 years. I used a pattern 

for a blue and yellow quilt and changed the colors. I cannot find

the pattern in my files, but I must say this one is prettier in my opinion. 

It was offered as a class at the store I worked at during that time. There 

are two other people who have a quilt like this one. 

This quilt was made with a pattern I designed and sold through local quilt shops. 

I used a collection of fabrics I bought about 6 years ago. This is a double bed size quilt.

This past January I participated in the Merry Mayhem Mystery Quilt.

 It was called Regatta and I named my quilt Scrappy Regatta. 

I changed the colors on mine. Here is the link to my post about the quilt top.

The triangles in the center form sailboat masts and the background 

was to have been light blues for the water and sky. The triangles were 

suppose to be darks. I am happy with this and it will fit a twin bed. 

This is a quilt I made just recently to send to my college friend for her

3 year old grandson. The picture blocks are trucks from bygone days. 

It is a large toddler size quilt. I think he will like it. 

I have a number of projects going at one time. My friend Marilyn is sometimes my conscience when she reminds me to finish 3 or 4 projects before beginning any new projects. It is a good policy, but I can't wait to start on some of those ideas I have spinning around in my brain! 

How do you approach new projects? Do you have one at a time on your worktable? Or are there a number of projects you are working on "at the same time"?

Thank you for stopping by. 

5 New Sponsors Added to EQ Seasons Row-A-Long

My computer is home from its tune-up and I am pleased to let you know that some new sponsors have jumped on to the EQ Seasons Row-A-Long coming September 1 - October 6.

We thank these new sponsors for supplying generous giveaways for those who are following along:

    
   

Craftsy will be giving 3 winners a class of their choice.

 Sulky will be giving two 6-packs of their newest cotton threads.

Hobbs Batting will be giving us some batting to give away.

DreamWorthy Quilts be giving away a pattern of your choice.

And Electric Quilt has announced they will be supplying one copy of Electric Quilt 7!

                                    

                          

The other sponsors are listed on my previous post, HERE.

While one might think that September is far away, for those of use designing and making up quilt projects it is very close. I

It’s going to be an AMAZING 6 weeks and I hope you will join all of us on our reveal days.

1 Low Cost Quilt Binding Idea

I thought I would post a recent discovery that helped me sew the bindings on my potholders the other day. I will use this on my quilt bindings as well.

I sew my bindings to the back of the quilted piece first, then wrap it around to the front and machine topstitch. When topstitching, I have used pins or just held it with my fingers as I moved around the quilt.(I do not like getting poked by the pins!) I tried the hair clips one time, too much work opening and closing. I thought of purchasing the Clover Wonder Clips from the store, but a bit pricey for me.

While at Staples, I found these clips ($1.99 for 35) and it seemed like it was worth a try. And if they didn't work, I could use them as intended--as paperclips.

I was very pleased. They held securely, were easy to put on and take off when the machine approached them. I did pin the corners because I want to get the miter to fit just so. 

I am happy to pass this tip on to others. I am able to spend the difference in the price of these vs the quilt shop product on other quilt shop items--especially threads!

Have you found something to use in your quilting that was intended for another use? What was it?

Thanks for stopping.

12 Quilting Books at Bargain Price

I went into town today to take some photos for a location quilt (something like a landscape). The farmers' market was getting set up. During the farmers' market the Friends of the Library open their used bookstore. One of my friends was volunteering today and beckoned me in. The shelf with the crafting books was a treasure trove today. For $16 I took these books home and can't wait to read through all of them.

I already altered one of the patterns in the scrap quilting book and made this 24" square quilt top. I used the corners from some other blocks I had sewn, added the center squares and corner squares and the alternating purple squares. The last of the fabric from the triangles, I used in the border. I am quite pleased with the result.

I have been working on more than a few quilted items during the past 2 weeks. The biggest project was completing a quilt request from a family member. Her mother had embroidered these 16" star blocks with the "chicken scratch" technique and wanted to have them made into a quilt for her mother's 91st birthday.

To stabilize the blocks, I ironed woven fusible interfacing on the back of each one. It will also secure the stitches from the back.

Her mother wanted a quilt that would hang over the sides of the bed and have a pillow tuck in it. I had to find fabrics that would work with the blue in the gingham. She did have the tiny blue floral fabric that I used on the front.

The backing fabric is a blue floral with a strip of the blue sashing fabric down the middle. I put a label on the back and it has been delivered. I do hope her mother is pleased to see her blocks finally made into a quilt.

I will show more of my projects from the past two weeks in my next post.