January 2022

The first half of January I was working on Rhododendron Trail (Bonnie Hunter 2021 Mystery, Quiltville.com).  When that top was complete I finished the applique for "My Garden", the red quilt kit I got at The Quilt Show.  Both quilts are now in process of quilting.  I did quilt and bind two small Bear Hugs (my guild's charity quilts). No photos, but that's two finished and out of the house.

My Garden. top finished.

Rhododendron Trail. Top complete.

I made Valentine's to send to the great nieces and nephews. As they're aging I need to find things appropriate for the older children.  

This one was so cute I kept one.

I found this block when sorting through tubs.
Now it's a pillow.

Two days were spent in virtual classes: 

Adele Scott - ruler work.  Great class. I learned some tips on using rulers in my quilting. She's offering the class again and offers repeat students different designs. I might take her up on that.

Kathleen Riggins - swirls.  Kathleen lives in Canada so outside the virtual world I would be unable to take a class from her. She taught variations on swirls that look amazing.

I think these designs are great. Now to use them on an actual quilt.

Thanks for checking in. 

October Update

 Another month and more projects checked off.

I sew two days a week with friends via Zoom. Some of us did not know each other well before we started doing this, but seeing other quilters twice a week has created some wonderful friendships. There are times of no talking - just the hum of machines - and other times the conversation is racing. We talk about quilts, books, recipes - lots of stuff.

Cabin Chills.  Kit from Picking Daisies.
50 x 80 inches

Notice the spider webs quilting in all the houses.

The following quilt was a kit purchased from Laura Heine at one of the first Long Beach quilt shows. I don't remember which one.  She had buttons at each intersection of the sashing strips; I chose to leave them off making the quilt better for naps.

In My Garden (Laura Heine)
70 x 80 inches

I purchased table runner kits at Thimble Towne during their moving sale. I made one using the pattern provided, but then used the fabrics to make other variations.  All are approximately 15 x 40 inches.

The original.

 

This one ended up being my favorite.

  

I liked this pattern last year when making table runners 
for my Soroptimist board, but these did not turn out as well.
Different fabrics bring different results.

The other exciting news is that my "new to me" sofa has been delivered.  The sofa was given to me by neighbors, but needed to be reupholstered. It's over 100 years old and fits in my home perfectly.

Before . . . 

after!

The Historical Museum in my hometown has a raffle every year; Local artists donate miniature paintings to be raffled off. I've always wanted to do a miniature quilt to donate.  Here's my first attempt.  It's a little large at 12 x 12 inches, but they will see if they can use it.

The quilt is 10 x 10 inches and finished with a facing. I painted the edges of the canvas black and attached the quilt using gel medium.  I'm hoping it is accepted.  If not, it was a great learning experience.

I like it set on point. Use your imagination!

Thanks for checking in.  Happy Thanksgiving.

Grassy Creek

A friend quilted my Grassy Creek, 2020 Bonnie Hunter mystery.

Now it's bound and on my bed!

I have three Halloween kits to put together.  Here's number one.

Cabin Chills by J. Wecker-Frisch.  Picking Daisies kitted it with a black background. 

Cabin Chills in progress.
16 blocks.

Thanks for checking in.

Guild class

Sue Bleiweiss presented a virtual workshop to one of my guilds this week.  Garden Life.

She has an unusual method of applique fused with Misty Fuse.  Rather than make a small quilt - what would I do with it?? - I made a table runner . . . and it's finished.

Table runners have become my thing.  I can try a new technique and the finished product is useable.  I have a hard time gifting my projects unless I plan to in advance, but I'm trying to get over that!

13 x 42 inches

Sue does not do much quilting after completing the top.
I chose to add some thread work to keep the pieces down.
I stitched both sides of all the black lines.

Thanks for checking in.

August Projects

 August 19 - 22 a friend and I hosted a guild retreat.  It was a virtual Cruise to Alaska.  We opened the Zoom meeting 11:00 am on Thursday and left it open until 5:00 pm on Sunday.  We had a shop tour from one of our local shops, Picking Daisies, and The Quilted Raven in Anchorage.  Through our fellow quilter in Alaska we also had a tour of Seward, AK. She provided photos about the local area and her husband's commercial fishing enterprise.  All of this without leaving the comfort of our homes.  No packing, no hauling supplies and machines, no forgetting any needed items, AND we slept in our own comfortable beds!  A great time was had by all.  We're now planning our next adventure.

During the cruise I finished quilting the inside blocks of one quilt, completed a table runner kit from Shabby Fabrics that was in my stash, and while looking for another project I found two kits in my Halloween stash purchased who knows when and from who knows where.  The fact that I had two kits meant is was a good sale price!

.

Shabby Fabrics Table Runner
14 x 56 inches
Covid #21-25

Mr. & Mrs. Hall O'Ween
16 x 16 inches
(pillow)
Covid #21-26

Halloween Kits
22 x 61 inches eachk
started quilting
Covid number assigned when they are finished.

Thanks for checking in.

Tree Skirt is finished!

I finally pulled out the crystals and embellished the tree skirt. They do not show up in a photo, but really sparkle under a Christmas tree with lights.

This is finish #23.  

Today I picked up my machine from its yearly service.  3,500,000 stitches in just under a year.  (This is not my embroidery machine.)

62 x 72 inches

Thanks for checking in.

Early July Finishes

I'm sharing three projects I finished since July 1.

Fall Cornucopia.  66 x 66 inches.

I started this quilt several years ago.  A friend visited recently and we pinned 5 quilts for her and three quilts for me.  I'm excited to get this one finished.

I struggle with quilting a sampler quilt. I have to decide
on a quilting pattern for 12 different blocks.  This time
I devised one design that I used for all blocks. I did a little
ruler work mixed with free motion.

It's a Girl Thing.  49 x 63 inches.

This is a donation quilt for two fundraisers that have been combined due to the pandemic.

Think Pink and Got Red. Breast cancer and women's heart health events.

This is the second time I've used this pattern. Cut squares, divide into groups and stack, cut the curves, shuffle the fabrics, resew, then cut new blocks down to a uniform size.  (Stack a New Deck, Karla Alexander). I'm amazed at how quickly this goes together. Start to finish - 7 days. Hopefully it will do well at the fundraiser.

I followed the curves and quilted feathers over the quilt.

Left Overs.  28 x 39 inches.

I made 80 blocks for the quilt above, but some of them were too small. I saved them and along with extras from It's a Girl Thing, I cut them all the same size and created a smaller quilt.  This one will be donated to the hospital gift shop for a baby quilt.  Nice and bright!

It's not clear in the photo, but I did "hooked" feathers in the border.
The center section is a design I'm using for my own pantograph.

These are quilt numbers 20, 21, and 22 completed since January 1, 2021.

Thanks for checking in.

I hope you're having a productive 2021.

Getting Caught Up

In June, when I sent my WIP (Works in Progress) reports to my friendship group, I was amazed at what I had accomplished that month. I'm going to catch up on reporting finished from February - June. Maybe just a few at a time.

February:

Enchanted Garden (52 x 72 inches)

  

Fay's Quilt.  (91 x 91 inches)

This one is looking for a home.

  

Valentine Records.  

Valentine "Cards" sent to great nieces and nephews.

 

New York Beauty.

I finished the blocks as a pillow rather than make a small quilt.  (24 x 24 inches)

I included a fat cording.  Not sure I'll use that size cording again.

Class with Sara Bond.

 

Thanks for checking in.

I'll keep posting till I'm caught up.

First finish of 2021

 I just finished my first quilt of 2021.  It's Grand Illusion, the 2014 Bonnie Hunter mystery. 

Grand Illusion.  2014 Quiltville Mystery
66 x 79 inches

The outside borders are a border print.

I used that fabric to select fabrics for the quilt.

After this one, I decided my mystery quilts would not be

made with "controlled" fabrics.  I'll stick with scraps.

OK.  It was an easy one.  The top was finished in 2015 and I sent it out to be quilted.  So all I had to do was binding and label.  But it is done!

This is the second quilt I've sent out to be quilted.  (Donn McKnight, Los Osos Quilting Co.)  I realized I was never going to quilt it myself.  It feels good to have another quilt finished and soon to be out of the house.  I have two more at Donn's waiting for their turn. 

I hope your new year if off to a great start.

Thanks for checking in.

September: Table Runners are finished!

 I finished all eight table runners!  I am in the process of delivering them to the appropriate people.

These are Thank You gifts to the Board that served with me last year during my first year of presidency with Soroptimist International.  

17 x 42 inches

12 x 36 inches

14 x 36 inches

13 x 36 inches

13 x 36 inches

13 x 39 inches

13 x 36 inches

10.5 x 47 inches

These are Covid Quilts # 10 - 17.

Thanks for checking in.

July

I did make progress on my WIP list this month, but mainly I started new stuff!

A friend will be a first time grandma in August.  She is decorating her nursery in pink and gray, with elephants.  I found an elephant stuffie on line and made it up then used the pattern pieces and appliqued elephants on a quilt top.  I think it turned out great.  The original pattern is by Christina McKinney for birch organic fabric.  The quilt pattern is from Fat Quarter Style by It's Sew Emma Patterns.

Grandma Dana.  45 x 45 inches.

The stuffie is separate.  I only pinned it to the wall for the photo.

AND I'm excited that my Midnight Hibiscus (Emerald City by Bonnie Hunter) is complete!  I've ordered a wide back hoping it will be delivered this week.  I'm anxious to start quilting this one.  I like how the border turned out.

Midnight Hibiscus (93 x 93 inches)

Then one day, trying to overcome boredom, I got out the 35 blocks I originally made for last month's graduation quilt and put them together in 3 tops.  I did need to make 3 additional blocks, but the resulting quilts will be good for charity donations.

52 x 64 inches and 40 x 40 inches.

Thanks for checking in.

Grandma Dana is Covid quilt #9.