Nine patch wonder

Well .... I finally got the binding sewn onto this quilt.  The machine quilting was finished back in February 2017.  This is so unusual for me not to get a binding on right away.  Oh well, it is finished and that is all that matters.  Simple nine patches with patch sashing.  Simple as that.

 The backing is made up of three different pieces of flannel.  They look washed out in this photo.

 This is more like the vibrant colours in the one piece of flannel.

For making labels, I stretch and pin my label onto a piece of Styrofoam board and then write my information.  The label doesn't move as I write and I no longer have to use a piece of freezer paper on the back to write.  This way is quicker too.  Just pin and write.

Label sewn onto the backing.

 My machine quilting is just simple straight lines.  Washed and crinkly.  Love it.

 Another view of the stitching.  Simple lines.

Simple patches.  Lordy, as I write this post, the light bulb went on.  That is the name of this quilt.  "Simple Patches".  I will need to get out my permanent marker and add that to the label.

Without further ado, the quilt was stretched slightly and pinned onto my Styrofoam board and the words added to the label.  Done.

I love simple quilts.  Also, complicated quilts.  Makes life interesting.

Quilt info.:
Started - Jan. 27, 2015
Finished - April 5, 2017 (only took 2 yrs. and 3 months to finish) LOL
Top Size - 58-1/2" x 86-3/4"
Finished Quilt Size - after machine quilting and wash and dry - 57" x 84-1/2"
Pattern Source - me, myself and I
Patch size - 5" x 5" finished.
Batting - 80/20 cotton/poly
Machine quilted by me using my domestic sewing machine.

Have a great day!

My kind of basting

I think the older I get, I'm getting smarter for using tools to make quilting easier.  That is the beauty of ageing.

Anyway, in the past, my knees and back used to suffer sandwiching quilts on the floor.  It worked.  There were no puckers on the back of my quilts.  But, boy did it hurt.

Eventually, I did end up putting two folding tables together and using lots of masking tape (same as I did for the floor), but puckers were always there, no matter how much I tried to keep the backing taut.

Enter Styrofoam boards and flower pins.

This quilt is the last one that I did using this method.  Binding has yet to be cut and sewn on, so no full photo of this quilt just yet.

Below photo shows two full sheets (24" x 96") of Styrofoam taped together.  My dining room table is the perfect spot for this job.  See those arrows?  Lots of flower pins at the side and the front.  I just had to be careful not to put the flower pins too deep and scratch the table.

Then, the right side of the backing was stretched slightly and pinned in place.  Lots of flower pins about every 2".  No pins were placed on the side that is closest to the quilt you see hanging on the wall.  The batting and top were placed on top and then I could start to pin baste.  

The flower pins stay pinned into the Styrofoam.  The process of pin basting (using quilting safety pins) can start.

Once I moved the whole section forward towards me, I don't bother placing any flower pins where you see the arrow.  Gravity does a wonderful job.  Flower pins are placed on the backing (just the backing), starting on the left side and then stretching the backing slightly and more flower pins are placed on the right hand side. 

At the end of machine quilting .... no puckers on the back.  Wonderful.

The down side to this?  Miss Ashes can't help me anymore.  She is not allowed on the dining room table.  Lordy, but she sure does protest this new method!  LOL

Next time I sandwich another top, I will use strips of wood on my top just to make the smoothing easier each time the section is moved forward.

Like I said, I'm getting smarter.

Have a great day!

A Bunch of Barns

Well, here it is .... my first finish for 2017!  Can we say 'yay'!!!!  This is hanging on the wall beside the door leading into the garage.  My barn quilt is not my usual style, but I have a plan and it includes making a large barn quilt.   This was a panel and what can I say, except I love panels and have quite a few in my stash to work on.  Yes, I do make complicated quilts, but when I see a panel that I love, I buy them.

 Coordinating fabric was found for the backing.  More barns.  Love it!

I used my Styrofoam design wall to block this quilt.  Perfect for blocking.  Just stick in pins on one side and then pull and manoeuvre into place.  Stand back to make sure everything is straight and adjust where necessary and then leave the quilt to dry.  Perfect way to block.

Well, what can I say except this is a good start to 2017.  How many more quilts will get done this year?  Oh, the surprises in store to come.

Have a great day!

Styrofoam queen

Yep, that is what I'm famous for these days.  Why, you ask?

Recently, I took a machine quilting class with Martha Schellingerhoud and amongst the items that we needed to bring was an extension table for our sewing machine.

Well, there was no way that my special extension table that DH made for me was coming to the class.  It is way too big, too heavy and too cumbersome to transport.  You can see how big it is just by the ruler that is laying in front of my sewing machine.

So, what to do about it?  Enter Styrofoam and duct tape.  DH had some leftover 1-1/2" thick rigid Styrofoam that he used to insulate our sky lights.   It was fortunate that the height of my sewing machine base and the Styrofoam doubled up was the perfect match up.  This is what I came up with.  Mind you, it works well, it just is not pretty.  The Styrofoam is doubled up and taped very well together.  The red duct tape works the best as the adhesive is very good.  The ladies and the teacher at the workshop thought my special table was a great idea.

Once it is slid into place, this table doesn't move or slide around at all.  To pretty up my special table, a few ladies suggested that I look into designer duct tape. You know, if anyone is on a tight budget, this would work very well for you and you could make it to whatever size you want.  Who knows, you might even be able to buy half sheets of Styrofoam from your nearest home hardware store?  This table is perfect for quilting workshops and retreats.  Red Green would be very proud of me!  :o)

When my DH saw me making my special table, he said that I would be getting comments about it.  Actually, I wondered if the ladies would laugh me right out of the room.  They didn't (thank you guild ladies) and I enjoyed my classes because I was able to machine quilt with ease.

Below are my samples of the machine quilting workshop.  They also are not pretty, but for the first time trying it out (except for meandering and straight line machine quilting which I've done in the past) they turned out pretty darn good.

At our guild's September meeting, I gave a demo on how to make a design wall using 1" thick rigid Styrofoam and duct tape.  Perhaps I should bring my special table to our next guild meeting for my show and tell.  :o)

If you are interested in how to make a folding design wall out of rigid Styrofoam and duct tape, then go here.

Have a great day!

Same, but different .... Part 1

In order to make this quilt from Debra's blog, we gals from We 3 Quilters cut out our strips and we exchanged them this past Sunday afternoon.  We each choose our ugliest 26 FQ's (or more if we were unable to get 9 strips per FQ) and cut out 2" strips.  We each decided to make our quilt large enough to fit a queen size bed and it will be larger than the photo of the quilt shown below. 
Since there have been a few comments about wanting to make this quilt too, I will give a wee tutorial on how to make one as I go along.  Debra got the instructions from a lady that was at quilt retreat with her and that lady is our source for making this quilt.  Debra changed the setting sashes and border from the original instructions.

This is what 234  2" strips looked like before we started dipping into them to sew.

No blog Mary couldn't stay, but Debra and I forged on and sewed for a few hours.  Debra was shy (not) but we started getting funny with our strips.  Her pile is partly on her head and the rest by her sewing machine.  My pile is at the bottom of the photo closest to the food.  My lovely DH provided us with tea and refreshments so that we could keep up the pace.  We were on a mission!  :o)

These are just some of my panels that we sewed.  We need 9 strips per panel for a total of 24 panels.  So far, I've done only 10 and Debra left off at 13.  That girl is fast at her sewing machine.  She probably will have the rest finished by today, not to mention the entire quilt.  At times, grass does not grow under her feet!

I've already started to cut my panels.  First cut is for a 14" x 14" square.

 This is the A cut for the 14" square.

 From the same panel, cut out 3  2" strips.

Here are my cut 3 strips.  The rest will be for the scrap pile or if any piece is long enough, they can be unsewed and used in the sashing and border to help mix the overall look.

Now, I take another panel, cut my 14" x 14" square and switch my ruler around to make my B cut.

Here are some of my A and B cuts together with my stack of 2" strips. 

I will not cut all my 24 panels evenly into A and B cuts.  I will need 3 panels to make C cuts (those instructions will come later).

Debra had mentioned about selecting fabrics for her blocks towards the end and how it can become more difficult to find fabrics for her panels.  So, with that thought in mind and with the last 9 blocks to make, I chose all my fabrics for those remaining blocks.  Yes, it was starting to get difficult and there was much shuffling around of fabrics so that the panels looked good.  My handy styrofoam boards came in handy to hold my fabrics ready for sewing.

This is the pile of strips left over.  We all added extras for a just-in-case time.  They may get used in the sashings and borders or they will go into my scrap bins.   

All I know is, we are having fun.  Our quilts will be the same .... but different. 

The tutorial will continue.

Have a great day!

Fabric holders and cat fight!

When I am thinking about a new project, fabric is pulled from my stash, ironed and placed on various holders in order to keep the fabric pressed and at hand for when I’m ready to start cutting.

Here is a clothes dryer (and it sure is sturdy) that holds the bulk of the fabric.

A quilt rack (purchased at a thrift store for just a few dollars) and rigid Styrofoam boards.

Here is all the red fabric for my red/white challenge quilt.

The girls ….. you thought they were sweet and adorable ….. well …. they are, but a few times a week they fight. I still can’t believe that I caught them in action. Peace and quiet prevailed a few moments later.
Tomorrow afternoon, I will be making my way over to Debra’s place for lunch and a sew-in. She will have lots to show me! :o)

Have a great day!

On the floor no more ....

Yes, I’ve learned my lesson and will not be putting my blocks, top, etc. on the floor anymore. I don’t need to have one of my girls cough up hair balls on my work. A few days ago, a hair ball was on the landing on the stairs going down to my studio. No, I don’t need to find surprises on my work.

So, what to do? Walls in my design studio are almost non-existent except for one area where there are sliding doors and I have a piece of batting type of material clipped in front of the doors and that is used all the time. Problem though, it is not tall enough and you all know by now that I make mostly large queen size quilts.

DH came to the rescue. He went out and purchased some rigid Styrofoam boards 24” wide x 86” high. My boards fold up like a screen (accordion style) to store out of the way when not needed.

Tape the seams as shown.


A piece of flannelette sheeting is pinned in place (with an exception).
Because the boards are to be folded, pin the sheet in place until you reach the seam that was taped on the backside. Smooth the sheet as shown by following the arrows, pinning as you go. Now try closing like a screen to see if it works. If not, make adjustments until it does fold properly.

Here is my Lover’s Knot on the board.

Here it is all folded up.

I use a LOT of pins for sticking my blocks in place and you will need pins if you plan to close it up with just single blocks on the board or if you move the design wall around from place to place.

The added bonus to these boards is turning it around and placing another flannelette sheet on the backside and another design wall is ready to use. Two in one ….. now how is that for space saving?

I hope that this helps anyone out there that has a problem with lack of design walls.

BTW …. my girls love to play hide and seek behind my board.

Have a great day!