Hugs and Kisses

I started on a Hugs and Kisses quilt for my granddaughter a few days ago between sewing on the Winter Wonderland lesson and cutting a million squares for the scrappy Irish Chain.

It is done in 30′s prints with a yellow background.  The pattern is one of Eleanor Burns Quilt in a Day  Click here for the website. 

It called for part of a layer cake, and yardage for the background.  All the cutting is done: 160 1.5 inch squares, 60 2.5 inch squares, and the layer cake pieces are hearts and border X’s and O’s. I also cut the sashing. So far, the center went together easily. Next up are the Xs and Os.

Fabric Prep for the Next Academy Project

All fabric is washed, 90° outside and the AC pumping out cold air.  Yeah.  Cold enough to counteract the heat from an iron.

I found it is better to iron the material while still damp from the machine spin cycle or at most, toss it on “cool” if it feels too wet.  Previously, I had been drying it, spritzing it with water,  and ironing it.  The small wrinkles left from the dryer still seem to be there.  So, I tried something different: leave enough dampness in the fabric and finish drying it with the iron. It turned out just perfect.

The next project is the same design as the previous Winter Wonderland.

For this one, I have chosen an ABC children’s print.  The blocks are 5.5 x 5.75 and can be cut the size the paten calls for. Here is the “after” lineup:

This is going to be absolutely perfectly c-u-t-e!  Each letter of the alphabet is matched with a flower, A thru Z.  Love it.  I think part of quilting is the ability to get excited about the fabrics you are working with to create something new.

Sandstitchers Quilt Show 2012

The guild I belong to hosted an biennial show.  Here are a few of the entries.

I love the optical illusion.

This was one of my favorites; the pattern is Roll, Roll, Cotton Boll by Bonnie Hunter.

This Double Weddinbg Ring was done totally by hand.

And a quilt to honor Jane Stickle.  Wow.

My entry was an Alzheimers Initiative quilt:

A few more:

I can barely wait for the vote to be counted.

Tiny Pieces for Happy Scrappy Irish Chain

I was traveling this weekend and stopped by The Quilted Owl in New Orleans for some ziplock bags of scraps for an Irish chain scrap quilt.

I am cutting those scraps up into 2 inch squares to work in as a leader ender project.  Instead of starting a chain piecing effort with the same tiny piece of scrap cloth over and over, with a little planning, as Bonnie Hunter claims, I can be leading and ending those chains with these squares.  

Here are a few stacks of the 1,700+ squares needed.  Cutting goes fast.

I love a scrappy look, and Bonnie Hunter is the Queen of Scrap Quilts. This quilt pattern comes from her book Adventures With Leaders and Enders.  It will give me lots of practice with quarter inch seams as I work through projects.

I took time out in April to continue basting applique onto a baseball quilt I am making for my grandson, and also tested a pattern in May for a Mystery Quilt that one of our guild members will be presenting next weekend.   I will post pics of that after the mystery is over!

Progress on “Winter Wonderland”

All the rows are assembled.  I really like the bolder fabrics used.  There is a pattern to the blocks, framing the blue block.

I like that!

And here is one of the fussy cut cowboys.  The fabrics are a far cry from a “Winter Wonderland” LOL!

Even the back is pretty!  The Best Press fabric stiffener did help quite a bit.  I was very pleased at how it helped flatten the seams and kept them in place.

Too long between posts

I was looking at the blog, and decided it’s been way too long between posts! 

Here are my cute little Cowboys and Cowgirls so far.

Five rows are sewn together. I admit to getting lost on the instructions on how to chain sew the entire thing together, then connect the rows. I did each row seperately, and am now joining the rows, starting with the bottom rows and working my way to the top.

Looking at my “free” time, I seem to be involved with the continuing “move into the sewing studio” and working on Non-QA projects for the grandkids and quilt guild.  Working 12 hours a day doesn’t help.  I’ve got an app on my phone that I should be able to post from, but the keyboard on the computer is soooo much faster.

I will try to do better! Perhaps if I don’t limit myself to just posting about QA, the frequency will increase, and perhaps stoke my creative juice.

Now, on to sewing more rows!

Sew Much Has Happened in March!

Wow; gotta remember to P-O-S-T!  So much has happened in the past month with both regular projects and some with the lessons in the QA.  I’ll post a few entries over the next few days to catch all of you up on where things stand!

First, I’ve purchased a lighter, more portable machine to take along when I go to a Sit and Sew or Project Night!  Maybe a class or two are in my future.   This Featherweight was born in 1952, and the oval says she is a ”Centennial” model. 

I replaced the belt, purchased a screw to screw down the seam guide attachment, and adjusted the tension.  She is in my travel case, ready to go to work! 

Last night, the portable extension table for the featherweight arrived!

 

 

 

 

Cutting the Next Exercise

 I straightened and cut the fabrics for the next project tonight.  I have a new Creative Grids ruler that seems to be much more accurate — it has thin lines plus  slightly rough surface on the back to help grip the fabric.

Here are the cuts:

5 strips each color; 1.5" wide

 

49 blue 3.5" squares

 

Fussy cuts

The cowgirls and cowboys are just “too cute”.  I love the ’50′s – ’60′s look of the artwork.   The borders will be made out of this fabric. 

Now, if I can just get my three 1.5″ strips sewn together to measure 3.5″ wide, I’ll be in business!

 

Sewing Room Finally Finished

The “Billy System” Ikea bookcases — before filling them.

And the photo below is AFTER — to include my new Heavenly Seating sewing chair, and Ott Lighting that I got at a half price sale.

As you can see, I still have a few things to find a home for on the Sashiko table.

The little details: a plug strip installed at the base of the bookcase:

The start of my “scrap user’s system”.

 

A scrap bag.  When full, it is processed into “ready to use” sizes for a scrappy quilt — maybe a QA project in the future?

 

And here is the trash basket made by my daughter.  She meant it for my car, but I couldn’t resist hanging it on my Sew-Ez.  It’s amazing how fast both of these bags fill up!

Paisley trash bag from Sadie!

 

And here is my huge cutting table with tons of storage.  There are 15 cubicles on the front and 9 more each side for a total of 34!  Most of them are empty at this point — but not for long.

 

 

Here are pictures of the top surface.  It has room enough for a ruler rack, cutting mats and small ironing surface.   These can be moved if I need the entire surface.

 

 

And the storage area underneath for batting and my sewing machine travel case is just right:

 

I am so pleased with this cubby tucked under the cutting table.

 

The cutting table is on rollers so the rear storage can be accessed, or moved aside to open the futon in the corner: 

 

 

 

Thank you Harriet and Carrie — you inspired me (or gave me the excuse?) to take the plunge and just “do it”!

 

I don’t think a sewing room is ever really “finished”; so, as I improve on things, I’ll share that  here.

Fabric Selection for Next Project

“Winter Wonderland” is the next project.  I’m very excited about the fabrics for the next project.  However, instead of a “Winter Wonderland” theme, I’ve chosen some juvenile “cowboy” prints.  Yes, I know there is a cowboy project in the book, but I’ve decided to make THIS one out of these fabrics:

And these fabrics are for the border and some of the light squares, fussy cut, of course.  The backing will be the cowboy hats.  I could not locate a border print in a fabric that got me excited, but the cowgirls and cowboys are somewhat aligned in a row.  I’ll do my best to make it work! 

The first step will be to wash all the fabrics and straighten them up.  Tomorrow . . .