FWIS 21-30

I just finished up block #30 so it is time to show you Blocks 21-30 and share a little about them.  I will be quilting this coming week with a little cutting for a Lil Twister Christmas wreath project and/or Halloween twister row thrown in for a weekend project with my FAB pals.  Until I get a bunch more --like, the next 20?-- blocks cut out, this project is temporarily on hold.

Block 21  #66 Periwinkle  (FWS book)
I used fabrics that had once belonged to my friend Theramae who passed away several years back.  This was pieced conventionally and actually I went together much more easily than I thought.   Some of the gals on the yahoo group had foundation pieced it so that was the fall back position.  I DID stitch around the outside edge of the block to stabilize it since I could not figure out how to cut it for the grain lines to be in the proper place.

Block 22  #3143 (BlockBase) 8 Points in a Square--pieced and then button hole appliqued to the base.
I had fun playing in the pink bin pulling fabrics for this block!   I knew from making one of these before that I needed to extent the EQ template and square it off to make that nice sewn-in point and no raw edge.  I also extended the length of the template so it would lessen the size of the circle required at center.

Block 23  #1853 (BlockBase)  Walls of Jericho.   I picked this one as it should look good on point.  Purple and green is always a fav choice too.  Foundation pieced  

Block 24 #9 Box (FWS book)  I shared about this the other day when piecing or cutting was not going so well.  'Nuff said, LOL.

Block 25--#56 Maple Leaf (FWS book)  Marti Michell templates except for that stem part which was foundation pieced.  I adapted the original 9 patch design as Michell suggested.

Block 26   H 035 Modified Puss in the Corner  (BlockBase) but I tweaked it.  Foundation pieced.
You can see how well that turned out.  This one will need to be re-done as I have an iron stain and a wonky segment there in the upper right.  I love the fabric but it was not easy matching this all up even with foundation piecing.   It also undersized.   SIGH.  Try again or substitute another block.

Block 27  #1851 Greek Cross (BlockBase)   Conventionally pieced.
I think that the background is a little much but I am going to let that go for now.  I love that Vintage Modern but I don't know that it necessarily works for these small babies.  This is the end block for Row 5

Block 28  #93 Swallow (FWS book)  First block of row 6.  
This one is a bit blendy too but I think the aqua shows up better in person.  Conventionally pieced---well, I did use some thangles!! but other than that, LOL.

Block 29  #90 Storm Signal (FWIS book)
Definitely foundation pieced as this does not section out like you would think.  Pieced QST's and then a HST to finish it off.  I used a piece of vintage appearing fabric in the black (from my mom?)  while the "light" print was a recent find at Wilson's in Boaz--some of my birthday money purchase.  The gold print is from my 30's reproduction stash.

Block 30   #4 Basketweave---actually this is one that I borrowed from a fellow blogger Starwood Quilter called Three By Three from Maggie Malone's 5500 Quilt Block Designs.    Even kinda, sorta went with her colorway too.  As easy as this was, I still managed to mess it up as I had switched machines and 1/4 inch  seam allowance was eluding me, etc.  I gave up and foundation pieced it but had to take the other one apart first as I had used two yellow charms and one orange charm of Riveria II----and that is all I had!  I even had to patch up two of the yellow rails to squeeze them out.  Hey, if it worked my quilting foremothers it will work for me!

I will tell you that I did cut out a Lemoyne Star that I was going to try to include.  I love the fabric that I chose for it so I will do it but not today!  The pairs went together easily.  The first y-seam was passable but the 2nd was not.  I set it aside for down the line when I have a different machine out---or I may try hand piecing it even.

Next thing I know it will be time to fix supper.  I need to get started on that QOV I said I would quilt for Aline and Jane--maybe even bind it as Aline will be going out of town.  I think they hope to turn it in at the next meeting on the 13th but I may be wrong.  Always something!

THX for stopping by----------

Saturday check in

 The resident cat was conked out on the bed till I went in to check on him---and re-load a recharged battery into the camera.  I caught him mid-yawn and meow so it looks like he was baring his fangs at me, LOL.  He relocated to the window perch right after the picture taking as though he would be a safe from the flash over there.

I've been piddling around the house today doing little home tasks and such.   A sewing room vacuuming was top priority as I had been paper piecing a good bit in past days and the floor looked like it!

I had the sewing table free as I was preparing to  swap out machines so took the time to mark the Halloween stitchery.  So far the only sewing I have done is stitching down the 3 non-selvage sides of this piece so it will not un-ravel.

I am up to block 27 on my FWIS endeavors.  26 will need to be re-done or replaced as I got an iron stain on it plus one segment is a little wonky.  Wonky enough that you can tell that the piece is crooked.  A little demoralizing  after spending the better part of an afternoon working on it.  Thankfully, the one I finished up with was a variation of a wrench type block and it went so much better---fewer pieces to mess up too.  You will see it soon enough.

Actually I was down to one kitted up envelope but the block it contained has been moved down to one of the lower, later rows.  I cut out three more to get to the 30.  At this point I am a quarter of the way done.  I will be putting this aside for a short time.  Jane and Aline are pinning a QOV top up for me to quilt as I type this probably.  If they plan on getting this turned in before the facility opening I will need to quilt it up for them fairly soon.  Monday and Tuesday probably.  I play with my 3 blocks today and Sunday in other words.

There is supposedly some rain on the way in and I wish it would just get it over with.  I want those fall temps again and lower humidity.  I let my hair air dry today and you would not believe how curly it is---ringlets in the underneath layers.  Why bother with the hot blow dryer if it is going to do something like it is did anyway?

Well, off to whip up a block called Swallow---odd looking thing that dates back to 1929.  Fits my vintage type plan anyway.

FWIS 11-20

Okay---2nd batch of 10 Farmer's Wife Inspired Sampler Blocks. 91 to go, LOL.  All 6 inch finished blocks.  The last one I posted is the first block in row 5, this thing being on point. In other words, I have a long way to go.  Any number other than 1-111 indicates one that I have added to the mix, and NOT included in the book by Laurie Aaron Hird.

Block 11
3418 The Whirling Pinwheel----you saw this one before I had straighted out a flipped piece.  The green wedge as I recall.

Block 12
From the book #69 Practical Orchard but I did a quick piecing trick actually maybe one even suggested by Marti Michell

Block 13
709 Flower Pot

Block 14
71 Puss in the Corner variation----and this one will probably be re-done as it is "too blendy"  My friend Brenda said to keep for now and decide later if it needs replaced.  I like the aqua and used it in PopStix but the red looked more solid to me when I was cutting it out.  The book did not call for the pinwheel bit at center either.

Block 15
31 Evening Star  Kind blah actually

Block 16
91 Strawberry Basket but I used some quick tricks making this a variation from the book

Block 17
1856 Crazy Ann    I had to start over on this one but am pleased with the results once I foundation pieced it.

Block 18
107 Windblown Square.  There is another in the book just like it but in one color flying geese and parellogram shapes called 102 Whirlpool BUT they did the whole deal with 16 HST units.. This aqua and red combo worked better than the one above.

Block 19
2650 Four T's.  My FAB pals may recognize some of this purple fabric as we used it as one of our first challenge projects.  Joann's had some of that yardage that has 4 or 5 bands of different purple fabrics and we had to use a bit of every one in a project making a gift for one of the FABS.  See THIS POST to see how Pat and I used it.  There is still one piece that did not make the cut on this block though.

Block 20
1495 Southern Moon----literally hot off the press with this one and just in time for me to start supper.   That center circle looks just a bit oblong to me but I am NOT taking it apart especially since I did a fair amount of re-sewing to get it finished.   Various sewing goof-ups.  IIWII

Next up # 66 Periwinkle---some have foundation pieced this one but I am going to TRY it by standard methods first and re-do it if I have to.  I think by the time I get done with the next 10 or the end of row 5 selections, I am going to give strong consideration to pre-sashing these blocks and joining rows.

Okay, off to deal with some pork chops--------

.......but I wanna sew

My little half done Four T's block had been waiting since Saturday afternoon.

No sewing on Sunday or Monday though I wanted to.  It just didn't happen.  Tuesday meeting days are normally busy and I have things to follow up with once I am home.    Sometimes that might mean just putting away the stuff that I drug to the meeting with me, LOL.   I did finally finish this up while I watched the NCIS season premiere, Parenthood and followed along with the Cardinals-Astros game.

This is block 19 of my FWIS quilt----I piece one more and I'll show the group of 10 that I have been working on.  The next one up has pieced and appliqued elements but I have the applique already prepped and in the envelope, waiting.

Sunday was just a lost day creatively with laundry, grocery errands, meals to fix.   Recharge the batteries, I guess.

Monday was just plain busy getting ready to quilt.  A look in my closet with the quilt tops waiting and you will see why this needed addressed.   My partially done "My Sunshine" set aside this past May and shown in this post  is waiting.  My recently finished PopStix is hanging with backing that needs to be pieced so we can run it to the long armer----Aline and Marilyn are probably taking one (some) of their tops as well.  Then we have 4 WTIL donation tops---all that need marked in some manner and/or batting pieced.  Then we have one more pro bono top that is going to Friendship Quilters and 3 personal projects that have been waiting a good bit too.  I spend time piecing and then the quilting just waits.........and waits.  We won't even get into the 3 projects that need hand quilting done and are stalled out.

So I marked.   This Romance Challenge fabric top was completed way back in December 2010.

Bridgecreek Blossom and Modified RR Crossing, both Jan. 2011.

Then we have the Beachy modified Prairie Window dating back to September 2011.

Most of them can be seen in the 2011 Flimsy tab so I won't link back to the quilts I just mentioned.

Then we had this mess.    One of the girls had handed me a bag with some batting scraps in it recently.  The other bits are cutaways or the last of the batting roll that needed to be joined.   I got together two batts worth.  Just like putting together a patchwork puzzle in some cases but you are just tossing money away if you do NOT do it.   3 of my quilts were over-sized meaning wider than the standard 48 wide batting that we use.    Whatever ones I did not piece to fit my larger quilts is labeled waiting in the bin at the  meeting site.


We really hit it with the pinning yesterday!  I only expected to pin maybe half of my quilts but we did all 4.  Brenda had two tops, Lois and Jane each one.

I also demo'd  how to cut with a Lil Twister ruler and shared a Christmas wreath idea.  Maybe I posted it here---can't remember.  I told the girls if they wanted to cut one out and piece their base that Jane and I would bring our rulers for them to temporarily borrow. They could cut the twist-y part to make one next time.  You can either check my pinterest file or try this one on the quilting board site for the "before square layout" and the finished wreath pictures.  That IS the pattern as we assume you will know how to place your twister ruler and cut around it.

And here is the final bit of distraction for me.  I told you that Norma and I are definitely going to do a Halloween row quilt.  Cher and Pat are going to join us in this endeavor---at least in part.  My Bird Brain Witches Hooray pattern arrived with their nice heavy weight muslin to trace it on to.  Norma and I both plan on a stitchery row and this was my choice of pattern.

But first, I  have to do some paper work and figure out what the heck we are going to do for lunch today.  Run an errand or two in the map dot we live near.

Then I can sew on Block 20 one of my choosing 1495 Southern Moon---appropriate, I thought.  Should find ones that are named Alabama, Illinois, Wisconsin---all the states I have lived in but don't have a bazillion pieces too.  6 inch block, after all.

Best get to it and figure out what it is that Skyler is wanting since he is sitting by the mouse and whapping me with his tail---and has been for 10 minutes now!  Get with the program, kitty mama!

My entries in the show

Here are my entries in the show------you followers have already seen these 7 button ups but it was unusual for me to see them up in one spot. I have 4 more at home---and 4 more that I want to make.

I also had a finished bed quilt to enter this year.  My Pioneer Sampler Plus.  It was in the pieced and quilted by one person category and won a blue ribbon.  I surely did not expect that!  My Daisy Chain from the year prior I thought was fair better executed but it did not get any recognition other than Gary telling me, it would have been his choice in the judging.  Anyway, my points and joins are good.  It hangs straight and flat.  The quilting is pretty basic stitch in the ditch though I did a nice cable in the outside.  30's fabric often solicit the comment that it "looks like a quilt" since it reminds them of something their granny made or a quilt they grew up with.    The little sliver of fabric that had to be added to the Single Wedding Ring block must not have counted against me.

Over the years I have gotten quite a few 3rd place ribbons for various wall hangings and misc. items.  I have 4 -2nd place ribbons also tacked up on my bulletin board.  This is my first blue ribbon of a quilt made by me.  I may have gotten a blue one before at their very first show but it was a quilt that was made FOR me and I sent that one on to the woman who had done the assembly  and quilting . It is a reversible pink and purple log cabins on the front and SBS with the remaining log cabin blocks on the back and the members of a quilt list I used to moderate made it for me.

I got home last night and told DJ that I had been awarded a 1st place ribbon and opened up the quilt so he could see which entry.  Skyler wasted no time at all in getting his kitty self on the quilt and playing with the ribbon.

Here are my two boys with the quilt.  Of course, DJ's interest was far more involved in whatever was on TV.  Skyler would have stayed on there as long as I would let him.  It was far too warm in the house to have a quilt on the lap!!

 They say that parts of north Alabama might be down in the high 30's tonight.  Doubtful here but guess we'll see come morning.  It was 54 degrees when I got up this morning.  Definitely a fall feel in the air.

I never did get any sewing done today though I certainly intended to do so.  I had finished block 17 of my FWIS yesterday morning and started 18 (Four T's) before Jane and Terri came to pick me up to go for take down.  I took one look at the floor this morning and knew I would have to vacuum up my mess.  I had foundation pieced the last two blocks and it looked like it had snowed in here.  What's more, I was tracking that mess all over the house.  Between laundry, grocery run, fixing meals and finally typing up the guild minutes now blog posts, the day has really flown.

There you have it--------

How about some quilt show pictures?

A few of the quilts at the Gadsden Quilt Guild show at Nocculula Falls Friday and Saturday. I told you that I went up on Thursday to help set up. I also went up yesterday afternoon to help take them down but I took pictures before that happened.

The guild is very small and mostly older members. Gary always opens the show up to any of the area quilt groups to participate or there probably would not be enough quilts to put on a show. He has considered just doing this every other year apparently but Jane said that since things went so smoothly with set up and take down, that he was already talking about next year. That doesn't sound like skipping a year, LOL.

So anyway----how about some quilt pictures? Some I don't know anything about and have no idea of who to credit. Some, I do know a little something.  The racks were up in a different configuration this year so it may have made it a little easier to get pictures but some spots the lighting is not near as good.


This is Gary's "My Blue Heaven"  Hand quilted--and very well done.  It should have had best of show but he told me later that it has already been honored several other places (Quilt Symposium, Gadsden Museum of Art etc) that he displayed it but it was not in contention.  The bottom had to be pinned up so as not to drag on the floor.

This one is a donation quilt that will be going to the county DHR.  They always set up a spot to display the pro bono quilts---either on the walls or quilt racks.  This one particularly caught my eye.

Sue Ann's Round Robin----Jacksonville (AL) Piecemakers group.  They did a bang up job on the two I have seen completed!

I think this is JoAnn's quilt----one of the ladies that was helping with set up.  Lovely bargello quilt!

Christmas wall hanging---I do not know the maker.  Cute, huh?

Brenda from my quilt group (and others!) made this Garden Rail quilt.  She hold told me that she and group of quilters had purchased yardage as group from Thousands of Bolts and then they divided it up amongst the participants so they each had a similar quilt when finished.  It is fairly long so had to be pinned up.   The  lighting is not making this show up as pretty as it is in person.

Aline's Round Robin---Jacksonville Piecemaker's group.

I thought this one was pretty---folk arty and you know I like that!  Maker unknown to me.

A husband and wife team did this one as well as the one hung behind it.  It took Best of Show.  Congrats, Howard and Kathy!   I could NOT back up very far to take a decent picture of it.  The wall was about 6 foot away and a rail in front of a trophy case took up any available space.

I believe that this one was a guild project.  Very well done.

This was another of Sue Ann's entries.  Lovely!  My February Button Up was hung next to it.  Art next to Folk Art.  Gary said since I had 8 of my Button Up pieces that he should have made them be their own category and I would be sure to get all three ribbons----naw, that is cheating unless you have a category for pieced and appliqued small wall hangings, LOL.

Edna C. got a blue ribbon for this small wall hanging and 2nd place entry on another entry---which one I do not remember.  She does consistently good work and uses a good bit of batiks in her stuff.  This is deserving of its accolades.

Brenda from my group made this adorable Halloween themed wall hanging.  Too, too cute!

Edna C. got a blue ribbon for this small wall hanging and 2nd place entry on another entry---which one I do not remember.  She does consistently good work and uses a good bit of batiks in her stuff.  This is deserving of its accolades.

I will do another post in a minute with some other quilt show news.  Stay tuned!