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HST Quilt

November 25, 2012 in Quilting

Pattern: Half Square Triangles, Quilt Along

Purpose: not sure yet

Dates: November 2012

I don’t like having left over fabric.  I thought the Modern Block Medley would use all my up, but I actually had quite a bit left over.  So, I went on the search for something to make with what I had.  That is when I stumbled upon a half square triangle quilt along.  I originally found it on a forum on Ravely and I was about nine weeks late to the game.  But it is 72 weeks long.

It worked out really good, because I do struggle with my triangles.  By the time this is over, I should have them mastered.

The pattern called for 3 1/2″ blocks to start and trimmed down to 2 1/2″.  What I don’t like more than left over fabric, is wasted fabric.  Normally to make a HST you take the finished size and add 7/8″ of an inch.  I know that many quilters don’t like dealing with eighth inches - personally  I don’t have an issue with it.  But for accuracy sake, I cut my blocks 3″ and trimmed down.  The trimming is a pain, but I am getting much more precise blocks.

I am working to cut all my blocks and making the HSTs now.  This way when the next pattern is posted on the Quilt Along, all I have to do it assemble.  Shout out to Knit ‘n Lit for all the hard work on each of the block tutorials.  She is doing a great job on them and makes them very easy to understand.

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LBB Update

November 5, 2012 in Quilting

I have been steadily working on Little Brown Bird.  Instead of working on the next block, I decided to move to the side triangles.

There are eight of them, all in the same pattern.  I thought if I worked on them assembly line style it would go quicker.  I thought wrong.  It is going just as slow all the other blocks.  On top of it, each one has 22 stuffed berries.  These little berries take some time to make – of course, by the 22nd it was going a bit quicker.  I am at the stage of stitching them on.  Not the easiest task either.  But boy, do they make the blocks stand out.  Here is what I have done so far – still about 13 more berries to stitch on.

Now, it can’t be all applique and nothing else.  But, those who know me, knows that I do not like to have too many projects started at once.  I really wanted something to piece.  So I purchased one of the border fabrics for LBB.  Now I can get started on the sawtooth star borders.

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Quilt Along Coming Soon

November 1, 2012 in Quilting

I am planning a Sew ~ Stitch ~ Create! Quilt Along.  I plan on starting it in the next few weeks.  So mark your calendar.

It will be a block a week for 12 weeks with the borders on the 13th week.  I know the holiday season is really busy for everyone – that is why I am keeping it to a block a week.  We all have time to make one 9″ block.  Right?  Plus, I found that many of us don’t take the time to make something for ourselves during this time of year.

I am designing the blocks using EQ7.  It will be a mystery quilt with the blocks being revealed one at a time.  But, the theme will be Valentine’s Day.  The schedule has the quilt top completed in time for the holiday.

To give you a heads up, here are the fabric requirements for the quilt top (FYI – these amounts are generous)

  • 1yd White
  • 1yd Dark fabric
  • 3/4 yd Light fabric
  • 3/4 yd of two medium tone fabrics

 

Here are the fabrics I am using – reds and pinks for Valentines day.

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Sew-In Results

October 28, 2012 in Quilting

Our first Saturday Morning Sew-In was yesterday; boy did I have fun.  Having a time that you are dedicated to sew was great, but I also enjoyed having twitter open right next to me.  It was a bit slow for this first one, but it is my hope the each month we get more and more people to join us.

So what did you work on?

Because I wanted to keep the conversation on twitter going, I didn’t work on anything that would take me away from my sewing table.  So I stitched on some applique pieces on my next LBB block and made a whole bunch of stuffed berries.  I need more than 160 of these berries.  I got 22 of them done yesterday.

The next sew-in will be Saturday, November 17th.  It will be the same time, but remember – you don’t have to be on Twitter to participate – sew anytime on Saturday and share your results.  See you then!

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Prepping Applique Pieces w/ Glue

October 27, 2012 in Quilting

I created a video showing how I am prepping my applique pieces for my Little Brown Bird blocks.  I came up with this method by combining a few that techniques that I have tried and read about.

Please forgive the quality – It is my first video with my new camera.  I am sure the quality will get better the more I make.


Fast Tube by Casper

 

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Little Brown Bird

April 1, 2012 in Quilting

Pattern: Little Brown Bird by Margaret Docherty

Purpose: to just do it!

Techniques: needle turn applique, stuffed applique, embroidery

Dates: April 2012

I found this pattern in an old magazine and blogged about it.  A reader commented and told me where I can find it.  So I purchased the CD and the book.  This is definitely a pattern that I needed instructions for.

 

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Modern Block Medley

December 1, 2011 in Quilting

Pattern: Modern Blocks: 99 blocks from your favorite designers

Purpose: who knows

Size:

Dates: December 2010

This project started out as a quilt  along on SeamedUP.  I don’t stash and really only had scraps to start with. I ended up being able to make 33 large blocks and 20 small ones all out of my scraps; and I really didn’t make a dent in them.  Early on, I thought “I am not a modern quilter”  I didn’t like how big the blocks were and I was against wonky.  But as the project went on, I started to really like the book and the designs.  I still can’t do wonky, but I like how the quilt top ended up.

 

 

 

 

 

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Gator Quilt is Sandwich’d – Ready to Quilt

August 24, 2011 in Quilting

I am entering the home stretch.  The Gator quilt is finally ready to quilt.

This quilt is being made without batting; just the quilt top and the fleece backing.  Sandwiching it was not fun and very hard to get flat.  When I am doing this, I generally use my hands and do a lot of flattening and smoothing out.  I do this with spray baste.  However, with the Gator quilt, I was afraid that if I ran my hands of the quilt top too much, my chalked quilt markings would be rubbed out.  So then I tried to do this with the quilt top on the bottom and laid the fleece on top – DISASTER!  Everything was wrinkly.

The problems didn’t end there.  The backing is tight on size.  I only have about 2″ on the top and bottom to spare.  Twice I sandwiched it and couldn’t get the fabric centered and ran out at the ends.  About 1 1/2 hours later (did I say I was doing this in the garage in the heat), I got it together, but it wasn’t perfect.  The top was smooth and flat – the quilt marks stayed perfectly – but this is what the back looked like:

I think the fleece got stretched out at some point.  So what I did was move this wrinkle slowly – remember is was spray basted – and little by little it moved to the edges.  It was kind of like moving an air bubble when you put on a screen protector.  In the end all turned out well.

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Quilt Marking is FINALLY Done

August 20, 2011 in Quilting

Today, I finally finished marking the quilting on the entire Gator Quilt.  I ended up using a combination of two marking tools.

  • Bohin chalk pencil for the orange and blue sections
  • Quilter’s Silver Marking Pencil for the white areas

I marked the quilt before I sandwiched it because I wanted to quilt it in the “Gators”  and “University of Florida” logos.  So I used a light box to help with the marking.

The marking wasn’t difficult, it just took a while.  I have decided that marking the quilting is my LEAST favorite part of the process.  And it was making my neck hurt and gave me headaches looking down and tracing.

But I will soon be at my FAVORITE part – the machine quilting!

Here are some more pics – hopefully you can see the marking.  I am off to go sandwich it.

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Little Brown Bird

August 14, 2011 in Quilting

I have decided that Little Brown Bird by Margart Docherty will be my next applique project.

After my magazine review podcast I heard from Errin telling me all about this pattern and where I can buy the CD.  I immediately ordered it, but when it came it, I knew that I would need more than just the printout of the pattern to complete such a difficult quilt.

The book is currently out of print – but a used copy was finally affordable on amazon.  Look what came in this week!

I am super excited to get started.  But you know me – I don’t stash – I am I going to need about 50 fat quarters to complete this one.  Plus background and border fabrics.  For now, I am slowly collecting everything that I need.  I guess in the meantime I will try to finish all my other hand projects I started that are sitting around.

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