New Project

I am still not sure about the fabric for our bed quilt so I started a new baby quilt today.  I submitted a block to Quiltmaker several months ago.  Yesterday, I received the email saying my block would be in Volume 14 which goes on sale November 16th.  When I submitted the block, I also submitted a quilt design made from the block.

 So, today I was motivated to start that quilt.  It will be a bright baby quilt. Actually it was intended to be for my new grandson, until I found the Forest Friends pattern. 

I submitted a 12" block as requested, but Quiltmaker also suggested designing a pattern than uses the block - maybe use the block in a little different way.  So I did that.  I enlarged the submittal block and put it as a big focal point in the center, 24" square.  Then I adapted the block a bit and made several to surround the big center. I added a border with a touch of the same block. It is a fun, fast, and easy quilt.

 If you like to chain piece, then you'll like this quilt.  It is very repetitive. And if you are chain piecing, you can make good use of this little tool. Its a stand up thread cutter.  I bought it from Amazon.  It does seem to speed up the process and if you've been following me a while, you know I like fast.

So that is my quilting tip of the day!  I 'd like to have this one done by next weekend. I think it is possible.

The Hardest Part - picking the quilting design

I do think this is the most difficult part of quilting, especially for one who doesn't feel confident on a long arm.  I should be, I've had mine for over 7 years.  I finished Dandelions and am ready to do the quilting.  This is what I'm thinking of doing.....

The flower shape reminds me of a dandelion. I couldn't figure out what to do in the cross blocks, so I think I'll try the elongated meandering pointing it towards the centers.  I don't want to cover it all in dense quilting, but I'm not sure how this will work, leaving some spaces open.  Once I get started it may change.  That happens sometimes.  Wish me luck!

Quilting tools

Do you have some quilting tools you can't do without? I'm not much for gadgets. They have to really help me do something better or I won't use them. Some seem to slow me down. For example....

I know a lot of folks love using the binding clips. I bought these recently (are they not exactly like little girl hair barrettes?!). At first I thought they were great, but they really slowed me down. I don't pin my bindings but use my left thumb to turn it up as I stitch with my right hand. Nope. They are not for me. One thing I like to do for bindings is keep my little recycled zip bag full of everything I need -- needles, hand quilting thread, scissors, thimble, reading glasses. When I'm ready to bind, I just grab it and go.

These were an investment ($$$). They are leader clips. Pinning a quilt onto a long arm machine takes about an hour. With these, you place the fabric over the hard plastic dowel that has been inserted into the leader fabric. Then snap on the top. The verdict is still out but I do know they are not good for a quilt that has no border, or a border you want to quilt to the edge. Ok for loading the backing but I probably won't use them on the top again. On this quilt I had a two inch border that I wanted to quilt to the edge. They took up about 3/4" of my two inch border.
This jewel, I love....It is a silicone lint roller. Got it at the quilt show in Chattanooga. It came with three sizes -pocket, regular, and this big boy. Great for picking up all the little threads that attach themselves to us quilters and our work space. The only draw back is after you rinse it in hot water to release the junk it picked up, then you have to dispose of the water, preferably not in the sink unless you also use a drain to catch the threads.

I went out on a limb and tried a McTavishing type filler on my shadow quilt. I think it is much easier than stippling and looks "fancier." It really wasn't hard. The key is using matching thread to the fabric. On the back (Orange) it looks quite messy but on the front, beautiful. I worked all day yesterday on this. The filler took 9 bobbins of thread and today my arms and shoulders are sore.

So, what are your favorite tools of the trade?

(by the way, I've updated my running under its tab, and added a new wonderful recipe under the recipe tab)

Learning machine quilting

I've been scouring over lots of machine quilting YouTube videos lately. I want to learn how to do better at custom quilting. I found a relatively easy technique for filling background called McTavishing. I am going to try it on the white background on the shadow quilt.

They recommend using a thread the same color as the background, at least on first attempts. So I'll be changing thread from a light gray to a white for the filler. This one will take some time to quilt, but I am ready to stretch my abilities so I am excited to get started on it. I found a star pattern and learned how to enlarge it using the iPad. Just take a pic of it, then go into a free application that enlarges it. The biggest enlargement made it perfect for a six inch square. I have a new straight edge tool for the straight line quilting. I am ready to go! Going to a quilt shop today to find the right backing so I can get started.

 

Friday night lights

There is not much else I'd rather do on a Friday night.....

Upstairs in my quilt room, window open, a little cool air flowing in, along with the sound of the local high school band playing at the ballgame a mile or so away.

Didn't even have to cook tonight. The hubby wanted to eat chili for a fundraiser.

He wanted us to make a selfie to send to baby girl....We send her videos and pictures pretty often.

I said there is not much else I'd rather do on a Friday night....I can think of one thing I'd rather be doing -- playing with my granddaughter.

 

Monday

I say this every week...I love being off work on Mondays! Very productive today. Did some things for mom, ran three on the treadmill, made good progress on my two projects.....

Blocks for the shadow quit are coming along...And only nine more blocks to make for the remembrance quilt.

...but looks like I'm going to have to calibrate the treadmill. I've noticed it says I am going really slow when I feel like more. I think normally most people are able to go faster on a treadmill than outside.

I compared the Garmin to it, and sure enough.....it isn't working properly. I didn't calibrate it when it was set up. I guess I figured that was one of the things I paid for in setting it up, evidently not.

Guild Day

The attendance at our monthly guild meeting was down today but I enjoyed the meeting immensely. We got to see about half of a video about threads from Superior thread company. I learned a lot. There was even some discussion about their needles that was very informative. After the meeting I went to the shop in Greenback, which is great. Good prices, not your everyday fabrics, and lots of inspiration. I knew I'd find what I was looking for.

Some nice solids with subtle texture. And although I am supposed to be working on a remembrance quilt...

I just had to make a few blocks in this design. I love making quilts from strips.

Did you ever have something turn out EXACTLY like you imagined?

So far the blocks are just that. Hopefully when the quilt is finished it too will be what I envisioned. I'm trying some new techniques in an effort to be more precise. I am using a little starch as I piece, I'm really trying hard to keep my stitch at a scant 1/4", and I'm squaring up very often. I also picked up some Superior Topstitch needles, that I heard about today.

Nothing like some new needles, fabric, and a plan to get you motivated!

 

Inspired

Sometimes all it takes to inspire some creativity is to be alone and think. I've been wanting to make a new quilt pattern and have had my eye on some of the beautiful shadow quilts I've seen on Pinterest. I wanted to make my pattern a little different so it would truly be my own. My inspiration came yesterday while doing this......

I haven't been on the paddle board much this summer and decided yesterday to go out. Nothing like a little vitamin D, enjoying God's creation, and some solitude to renew your mind.

So....when I came home I worked on the design.....

It isn't final, but I have a good idea of where I want to go with it.

I have a theory......those of you who blog, would you consider yourselves introverts? My guess is a majority of casual bloggers are introverts. Why? Because we like our alone time, we don't always do well in conversation, and are much more comfortable writing out our thoughts....so, are you? (More of my thinking as I was on the lake yesterday...lol) Have a great day, ya'll!

 

Sneak peek

I finished my bright scrap quilt. I've named it Hashtag Graphics. I won't show it all just in case......some of the magazines are kind of picky about that. I've sent pictures off to McCalls. They have been so very nice and I want to give them first chance at publishing it. If they don't want to, I'll be sending pictures off to a few more. One at a time, with a 30-90 day response time, is a very slow process. It will be worth the wait though if I get a taker.

I'm really, really happy about how this one turned out. Pattern number three in my repertoire.

After church and lunch I got in my Monday three miler. Run and done. I love having Monday's off. I've got errands to do in Knoxville tomorrow, so now I won't have to find time to run.

My kids sent me this today. I had to laugh. They are still in Paris and have attended a few churches trying to find a good English speaking one. It seems not many have nurseries (Or crèche as they call it in Scotland) and Emma is pretty wild. This is how they distracted her today.

 

 

The bigger version

Got an email from the magazine today. I sent them the pictures of the bigger version of my Edinburgh Square quilt design, and they want to use it rather than the small version. Yay! I'd rather it be published than the smaller one. I think it was a fluke. They said they had two baby quilts for that issue and wanted just one, and after seeing the pictures of the larger version wanted to swap and use it instead.

So, I quickly made a nice label commemorating it's namesake and have it all ready to mail.

I finished my other design today. Now, to decide how to quilt it. Going to have to get some backing first. No more scraps left. Hope I can find something bright to go with it.

Can't wait to get it quilted. It really turned out cute.

 

More Edinburgh Square

I named this quilt for the city where my son and his family are living in Scotland. Edinburgh is a stately, old city on the shoreline of Leith, near the North Sea. I picked colors to remind me of the sea, and the pattern reminds me of the many historic castles in the area.

I finished the binding today on the big one, then continued working on my other design.

 

 

 

Edinburgh Square Quilt

I got this massive quilt back from the long armer today. It was just too big for me to quilt. More pictures are forthcoming......

In other news....I started my training today for a November half marathon.

 

 

Next Project

I'm still into designing quilts and came up with another one I want to make. I didn't want to buy anything so I decided to use some kiddie fabric scraps I'd saved and a large fabric piece, also from my stash.

It is going to be a bit more challenging since some of the blocks take about an hour to make. I guess I make up for it in the simple strip blocks though......I think it will make a cute, bright, toddler quilt.

...but for today, I'm snuggled up underneath one of my first and favorite quilts.....

Doing a little reading. We had friends over for lunch and enjoyed our afternoon very much, but now it's time to rest, relax, and count our blessings.

 

Day Trip

After church the fisherman and I went to Crossville. We ate lunch at th Cumberland Mountain State park restaurant. It was the best buffet food I'd ever eaten! The wait was about thirty minutes but it was worth it. We ate our lunch with a view of the river. Then we drove around a bit.

Crossville is a beautiful community, establshed by homesteaders.

In quilting news, I sewed up a small quilt on Saturday and did the quilting when we got back from our little day trip. Here is the pieced back.

I'm not showing the front yet, because I plan to send the pictures to a magazine as a submittal. Some of them are very picky about not posting pictures on the Internet.

I used three traditional blocks with some more modern fabrics. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that they will like it!

 

Saturday Sewing

Finished the massive quilt yesterday and today I made these to use as pillow shams....I think. Just put together some of the scraps.

Then I started a new little one. Probaboy going to be a baby girl quilt. Testing out a new design. This is only one of the block patterns. I've got two or three in the quilt.

 

 

Quilt Cave

Sometimes it reminds me of a cave. Especially when I keep the overhead lights off to reduce the temperature. It gets hot upstairs!

I worked on the large Edinburgh Square quilt today for a bit. One more column of blocks to go. I'm definitely loving it. My quilting room is due a good cleaning/organization day. Maybe after this big project I can take some time to do that.

 

Summer projects before and after

So today is the day the fisherman comes home. Yay! I've missed him. It sounds like they have had a fabulous two weeks. Great weather, lots of fish. Even had wifi in the cabin so we were able to FaceTime several times while he has been away.

Thought I'd do a summary post of all the projects I've done while he was gone. First up, and the biggest in my book....the garage. Dramatic difference.

I had already started tossing stuff before I made the top picture. Got rid of a lot, hired out the painting, purchased new storage containers. I love it. So clean. I am hoping I can keep it this clean. Next up the living room...

I've been wanting to replace the recliner and couch for a couple of years now, to something more neutral. I like change and I like to change out quilts and pillows for the seasons. I also painted the lamps black. The old furniture went to a pastor and his wife. They returned from Brazil as missionaries a few years ago and have had to start from scratch. No home, no car, no furniture. It blessed my heart to bless them with it.

...then the dining room. I'm very happy with the beadboard wallpaper.

It brightened up the dining room. Love that stuff. I'd like to put up more.

Then because the old, old fridge in the boat garage bit the dust, we replaced the refrigerator in the kitchen and moved the old one to the garage. I didn't think I wanted stainless but we got a great deal, only in stainless. Very happy with it now.

And, I believe this is the last project. I've been wanting to make a barn quilt for my front porch, but I just hadn't slowed down enough to do it. One of my friends from church makes these so I commissioned her to make us one. I designed the block and picked the colors. It is 20"x20". I like it on the front porch but I may end up putting it on the screened porch, where I can see it more often.

I'm very happy with it. My friend and I snagged the little antique table at a flea market yesterday.

And just in case you thought I hadn't been busy enough, I ran 6.2 miles this morning.....I did a virtual race sponsored by Skirt Sports.

All of this in two weeks, and I worked 55 hours in these two weeks. The Lord blessed me with boundless energy, or at least a goal oriented mind. I love lists and I always start my "stay at home while he is away fishing" time with a good long projects list.

Not sure I mentioned it here but I did go back to work part time. I'm really enjoying my new job.