another finish

I have been working on binding again for a few days.  This Faux RR Crossing is the one I did last week but I waited to launder out the marks from the double hearts I had quilted in the light squares till today------

Pattern source:  I attribute it to Marti Michell and her book Quilting for People Who Still Don't Have Time to Quilt.  What makes it a Faux version is that I did not piece the sashing bits---use stripe fabric!

This is the other one that hit the laundry room.  Bridgecreek Blossom #2.  Pattern:  Atkinson Designs.  I made enough blocks for a queen sized quilt but made two smaller donation quilts instead.  The first one had a jigsaw puzzle border but a pair to the same blocks.

Note who managed to get into the shot with those glow in the dark eyes.  Minutes before when the quilt was laid on the couch he was trying to hid under it or on it or whatever.  It was still warm from the dryer and we all know how cats love warm laundry!

Yesterday was our Friendship Quilters meeting in Pell City.  Aline and I were the only ones of the Calhoun County contingent that went this time.  Life happens.  Our program was on miniature quilts and was presented by Donna who will be coordinating the guild's biannual quilt show.  Her sister was visiting from KS and she assisted with the program as we will be borrowing something for her guild there.  They do a miniature auction as a fund raiser donating part of the proceeds to local charities.   When they mentioned resources for mini patterns and such, someone mentioned "Miniature Quilts" magazine but Donna said they no longer print it.  I knew I had a stack of the magazine currently residing under my bed.  To be truthful I did not remember just how many!  Issues #40 thru #69.    My mom passed them on to me.  Someone in her town donated them to her when his wife had to be admitted to a nursing home.  We have some sew-in days next week again so I may take these with me, especially if I know Donna is going to be there.  Some will be looking for additional ideas down the line.  Meantime I have something to look at for bedtime reading. 

The day before the guild took the quilts from the coordinator's home and their other storage places to the Veteran's Home.  They finally had the ribbon cutting on November 1st.  The girls caravaned over and delivered 211 quilts.   Just in time for Veteran's Day.   The CBS and ABC TV affiliates were there and they either interviewed the guild president or the project coordinator.  The paper was there as well so I have a link I can send you to
http://dailyhome.com/view/full_story/20797824/article-Guild-donates-quilts-to-Veterans-Home?   

Our guild historian Beth got some good pictures too that are on facebook.  If you are on Facebook, try entering "Friendship Quilters Guild Alabama"  and see if you can access them. In one of them you will see
Margaret's (the coordinator) dining room table piled high with quilts and then she and her husband smiling that it was finally cleared off!   Hard to say which of them had the bigger smile, LOL.

 They still say we have more to make but those are for the domiciliary beds, like temporary housing apparently.  The first patients are scheduled to be transferred in soon, about 20 to start with.  Then apparently they have to do some sort of certification or inspection before more come in---from what the guild has been told. 
When I was out on the WM run today, I picked up a couple more skeins of yarn to make a few more knit hats.  I thought these looked a bit more boy especially the one labeled "Woodsy" .  It has an Army, camo feel, don't you think?  I have a routine doctor's appointment tomorrow so I already have my stuff packed to knit while I wait.  Mid morning app't and I know I will be lucky to be out of there by noon.  Might as well keep busy while I have to be parked.

Other than that, not much going on.  Just stitching that binding.  Thursday evening Norma has told me that she mailed off my Christmas Patience Corner that she had offered to long arm quilt for me.  She wanted to be sure to miss the holiday mailing season and be sure it would be on my bed for the Christmas decorating season.   When mailing from BC, Canada to clear down south in Alabama you just never know how long it might take.   Woohoo!  I can't wait to see what panto she used.  Get this though:  she still has to quilt her own!   What a pal!  I knew she had been working on one for her brother and sister-in-law but when she was talking about doing one for another client I never dreamed she meant ME!

I guess that is it for this edition though I still have a feeling that I had planned on mentioning one other thing, just what escapes me now.  It happens--------

how I spent that last two days............

..............Erik the Red and I have been machine quilting.   Aline pieced the top, Jane helped out with some of the fabrics and batting.   I quilted it and put the binding on by machine about 9 p.m. Tuesday.  Jane will finish up the binding hand work.

The quilt measures about 60 x 90 as that was the size that the coordinator requested for the veteran's home beds.  DJ has some problems with his shoulder so could not hold it up for too long or high enough to be a decent picture of it.  Hence you get a nice shot of the coffee table, his reading selections and the half covered  fall table runner I put on it, LOL.

So I tried a shot on the bed---------not much better.  All in the ditch except the borders where I did 2 inch apart piano keys.  All the block centers have something in them too--either another star or a heart.  Of course some of those are pieced so I would have "ditched" them anyway.  I treated the 6 little lone star things like a Lemoyne Star so they would pop a bit too.

And then a shot of the quilting from the back-----

You can kind of understand why I am leaning towards cutting instead of quilting today??  I do need to cut out some squares to do a twister wreath for Belles next week as I told the girls they can borrow my Lil Twister tool if they pieced the base part.   (Demo how it is done for those that were not at group last time.)  I  also want to cut some Halloween squares so I can do the row squares this weekend with my FAB pals.   It won't take long!  Maybe a stand up job between quilting--stretch the legs and move around a bit?   OR I can start putting a few stitches in the Halloween stitchery row.   I am so torn.

ta-da

The sum total of my creative output the last two days, other than tweaking my Farmer's Wife inspired sampler::

Album Cross block from re-purposed fabric that might go in the said sampler.  My re-scaling plan from a 8 inch finished to 6 inch finished  block using Fons and Porter's mag article worked.

Other than that----ugh, binding and more binding but I got it done about 4 this afternoon.  The 60 x 90 size was making it very hard for Quilt Holder to hold it up for pictures.   Glad that job is finished.

Out comes the sewing machine again and tomorrow I'll try to figure out where I was on the Popsicle Sticks top and get back to making more blocks for a queen sized top.

Sunday evening

I would give anything for him to tell me what he was finding so fascinating about the floor this morning! Oddest thing, a few hours later he was doing his "best Snoopy atop the doghouse" pose on DJ's desk chair.

This being Sunday both Cher and Norma were asking what project is next up on my list.  I took things easy last night, though I was on the hunt for a pattern which I eventually located.  Along the way I found something that may work for a guild "top secret" project so no hunt is without rewards.

I mentioned several things in response.

DJ's neck things did NOT get done last week.  He told me he was in no hurry.  While not sure that was such a good thing to tell me since I DID leave a shirt of his that asked me to iron for months one time.  I did the hand finishing on those two wall hangings instead.  Here they are finished up----one and a spare.  He's happy and I'm happy that it is out of the way.

 2nd choice was to pick up with the Prairie Stroll donation top, last seen HERE.  I was thinking about doing this at Bama Belles on Tuesday but have another plan now.  The machine is revved up from the neck things, the blocks are all done.  Assembly should not take all that long----nice Sunday evening/Monday project.

3rd choice----start back on Popsicle Sticks------I drug the fabric tote out but will need to see just where I left off on it.  Too much water over the bridge, LOL.  It is going to be a pretty quilt, I think as it will have all my favorites in it!

And then there is this------the veteran's home did NOT open in July as planned.  They totally messed up the floors in moving beds, equipment etc in from what we were told.  Now they are shooting for Labor Day weekend or less than 3 weeks away.  Margaret, the coordinator for this project and former state QOV coordinator had brought in about 10 quilts that will be donated by our guild members but we need to finish our binding first.  One of mine was among them.  Odd that it is one of the ones I made this year and not the one I turned in way back in September last year but whatever, Line Art/Skinny Strips will not be done in time for the opening though I certainly did my part to make that happen.   Craig Heyer of Over The Mountain Quilting in the BHM area quilted this one as he had volunteered his services for some of them at Margaret's request.  Since the backing is a golden colored print, he did rings of stars on it.    I believe you can see them from this angle.

  

I think binding this will be a good project for the quilt meeting since I will have far more table space to spread it out than I do at home.  As long as we get it delivered back over to Pell City later this month, it should be okay.  I believe Jane and Aline have one to take care of as well so we can probably make the run together.  Decision made.

The guild also passes out little quilty gifts in our birthday months.  I was one of about 6 guild members with an August birthday.  Here is what came out of the reach in and grab one----a bit of a fall feel, don't you think?  Not sure which project it will show up in but you just  never know!!

And sew it goes-------back to top assembly for me.  I woke up entirely too early this morning so hard telling how long any ambition will last, LOL.  Hope you have had an enjoyable weekend.

some progress

Friday I pieced a bit. Two Album blocks made using the Blue Elephant granny square tutorial.   11 blocks towards a pro bono quilt.  I have a bunch more strips paired up so who knows how big it will be.  Maybe eventually two quilts even.

Saturday, I quilted on the Row QOV--last posted HERE but before I had completed the side borders--late February of this year anyway.  I got the top 4 rows done before I quit.  There are a total of 10 rows but it is far too warm in the house to want a quilt on my lap.  Mind you, not quite warm enough for my husband to okay turning on the a/c but close.  (Has to hit 80 because the thing is set at 79.  I repeat, I did not move South for the summers).  One of the Belles wants to see how I approach machine quilting so I am probably going to work on this at the meeting on Tuesday if not before.

So what am I doing today?  What I wanted to do yesterday actually.  I have barely touched my embroidery lately.  Now that I have to take minutes at guild meeting, there went some of my stitching time and I was dismantling quilt blocks at  my last doctor's appointment.  Seems like I am always doing something else and don't pull it out to work on it.  I have forgotten just how many of these that I have completed but they are up in my facebook album and on here too.  This one is about done, mostly a gob of french knots that accent the star shaped cookies.  Patterns are free from Bee Tree Designs on her flickr pages.

Hope you have found something to trip YOUR creative trigger today-------

a finish

Woohooo!  Except for sewing down the label this puppy is done!

Thanks to Denise B. of Friendship Quilters for quilting it for me.

I'll post some pictures from the quilt show  in the next couple days.   There were some pretty quilts including some from my own quilt group that I had not seen before.  Bev had made a slew of QOV quilts and Brenda had some pretty ones as well as Beverly's Christmas quilt that I had not seen either.

WIP Thursday

In the past few days I have gotten a few things moved along------April Button Up finally has the tulips and leaves basted down for hand applique.  I  must have spaced the stems differently than they show on the pattern jacket as the leaves do not look like theirs at all!  I like it but I guess mine will have its own touches.

I picked up some plastic pellets at  Hobby Lobby on Tuesday, Belles quilting day. ( Once I get to the meeting place it is a heck of a lot closer than from my house.)  My pal Veronica sent me the larger chicken you see below, minus the "innards" for me to stuff.  I was able to re-use the contents of one of long time chicken pin cushions that met its demise.  This bad boy, being so much larger than any of the 4 you see pictured plus the "dead" one I needed more pellets to complete the job.   The two red chickens are cute but are filled with fiber-fil exclusively and tend to topple.  I may do a little surgery on them since I have plenty of pellets left----but not today.

I cut the borders for "Bloom" ----the lighting is not the best in the shot but there you have it, LOL.  One the list to sew----  if not today, tomorrow.

I also did some of the "boring" sewing-----in the 3 B's category.  (backs, borders and binding=boring!)  I seamed the 3 quilt backs for my recently completed QOV's.  I also cut binding but seaming it did not happen yesterday when I had the machine fired up.

 I DID go over to Pell City for the informal work day today.   A couple of the girls who follow me on Facebook from the Friendship Quilters wanted to know if I could show them how to do it.  The Belles and I were playing with this on Tuesday and I was yakking about it on FB.  My attempts on Tuesday with the Belles fell short---fumble fingers and I lent someone else my needle, LOL.  I had offered to lend one of the gals my Fantastic Folded Flower book (by Rebecca Wat) but I would sit down and work through it with them if they wanted to try it.    I'll post that stuff up here on another day or when I more seriously, pick that UFO up again.

Come to find out, Teresa sent me a link with a tutorial for the folded flowers that shows a way to use them for a table runner, rather than the small wall hanging mine may become some day.   Sew WE quilt has a guest tutorial  for the technique---scroll on down to the bottom for the print friendly version.  Actually their graphics are a little easier to see than the books, I thought.

My main objective for the trip was to turn in the QOV tops (Row quilt, Land of Liberty panel and the 76 Bowties)  and the D4P I have completed----yeah, the ones I ran off without on Saturday!  I have decided that I will quilt the row quilt so we cut batting for all three of the tops.  Denise, the gal that I lent my book to will quilt the bowtie medallion as she has a long arm.  The 3rd one is bagged up for whoever quilts it down the line. The president Peggy will put it with the other 16 or 17 waiting for a volunteer.  It will NOT be me.

Next week I'll be back on the road again.  I am taking the large stack of I think, 40 donation quilts down to the Presbyterian  Home for Children in Talledega.  The stack is up over the top of the armoire next to it now and are blocking access to my spring/summer clothes closet.  Seeing as we have been up in the high 70's early 80's this week, I may need my shorts outfits sooner than later, LOL.   I had hoped to run them over there this afternoon after I left Pell City taking the backroads over but it just didn't work out with their schedule.  The coordinator suggested next Tuesday afternoon when some of the kids would be coming to that area for a class.  They would be able to pick out their quilts from the conference room display.  Carla was working there when we have given them quilts in the past so knows best how to handle the distribution.  The church we use sponsors one of the cottages so we want to be sure those kids get one.

Thursday I'll need to go back over to Pell City for an executive board meeting.  Husband not happy but can't help it.  Had I known it was coming this month and not early April, I would have combined trips.

And sew it goes----I have a date with some binding.

finished to flimsy

QOV #5  76 Bowties in Barn Raising Set

............and after lunch  I am going to work on my embroidery reward project, "Bloom".   I am also going to write a list of what I want to concentrate on next, UFO and otherwise.  Pro bono and otherwise too.

a start

11 more rows to go on this barn raising set.  I should be able to get this done in time for the Saturday Friendship Quilters meeting even if I do have a couple errands to run.

If I were to do one more with the remaining scraps etc,  THIS Scrappy Strips and Bars from Cindy Carter might be one I consider.  Lots of free patterns there, some mystery quilts and such too.  Not that I "do" mysteries necessarily but show me how it turns out and I might be in, LOL.  I am talking about the Patriotic version in the 2nd pic of course.  And if not that one, I like this one for a planned 3 color quilt, borrowing from my friend Pat.  9 patch variation, Mock Trip Around the World

You know where to find me------

78 bow ties

If I counted correctly, I have 78 bow tie blocks done and ready to assemble into the medallion style top.

The Singer seemed to be having a little problem with the stitching though that probably was "me induced".   I need to read the manual and just play with tension settings but I didn't have the time or inclination to do that today.  I also want to explore the cams that came with it so that might be  good time to put it through its paces.

I brought the Jem in from the car.  At least I knew for a fact that it would not mind the 4 to 6 layers of fabrics.  I spent the better part of the day yesterday pinning the blocks so I could just chain to my hearts content today.  Now I'm off to start the assembling process.

Hopefully this will be a top by day's end Friday----6 inch blocks 10 x 15.  The hard part is already done.

WIP Tuesday

 The primary focus of my day will be joining the center seam on a pile of 76 bowties for the QOV top.  I was further along with this project than I thought I was---woohoo there!  76 is sort of a symbolic number for a patriotic US quilt, don't you think?

I'll work thru the pile and see how far I get.  These are just a more lumpy 4 patch at this point.  I switched machines though.  The Brother, pampered princess that it is, balks at sewing thru too many layers.  The Viking tends to sew a little tight so un-sewing is not easy.  If you are going to sew, you have to be prepared to rip.  Long ago lesson from my mom, there.   I probably did the bulk of the sewing on the Jem.  I could use it but I pulled out the Singer that I got from Lois' mom's estate instead.  It has a nice stitch and we'll see how it behaves over those folded in knots.

I got a bit done on "Bloom" yesterday.   I left it out to do a bit more here and there.  I am already to the leaves with the three flowers done.  Handwork, machine work----a good mix.   Good reward project too!

And while I am sewing, I'll be thinking about the March Button Up.  Sheila, a friend and reader, offered me some basket weave fabric that will be perfect for this!  (THX again, Sheila)  I am itching to sew this one up but I have a feeling that I better reserve it for a reward project for completing the QOV bowties.  I still need to find the border choices.  I do NOT like all that brown around it.  Brown for dirt for the carrots is one thing but ugh, on the rest!   HMMMMM something to ponder.


And sew it goes-----------

Switching gears

Since I need to wait for a small fabric shipment from my mom to proceed with the March button up, I am moving back to the QOV stuff. When I last worked on this (Friday 2-17) at the Friendship Quilters sew-in, this was as far as I got. Jane gave me the blue yardage for that last round or it would not gotten THAT far.

Currently it measures 36 x 56 and it needs to be bumped up to as near to 60 x 90 to meet the requested size for the veteran's home beds. Translation: 17 inches more to the top and bottom and 12 inches to the long sides. I have it worked out on paper in EQ---see THIS post for the sketch.

The Marcus Brother fabric site has the pattern designed to use their American Valor fabric line. They show a version of variable star scattered between pieces of triple rail using a partial seam method. I don't think that is going to work for me since mine is a bit asymmetrical. I thought maybe Friendship Stars instead?? Name of the quilt group, after all but only a quilter would recognize the block name and make the connection between the two.

Jackie had cut these stars away from that same panel piece to just use the eagle part in her top.  I  happened to be standing at the cutting table at the time and thought these might work on my panel quilt.  Only thing is, there is now way to cut the blocks out evenly.  I decided to fuse them down to a base fabric and it will eliminate having to piece any sort of star for the quilt and get more mileage from Jackie's panel at the same time.

J

One good thing from my treasure hunt yesterday was that I found some fabric I can use for the outer border and probably the star bases. It will still have to be pieced for the long edges but it is 44 wide x 64 inch long cream colored stuff that will also work for the radiant stars. Another dinosaur, it was with a half done Debbie Mumm cow project that I never got around to pitching or re-purposing. It might make a cute center for a kids quilt so I still didn't pitch it but I did run off with the remaining background fabric. When I could not get the ingrained how long folds to press out, I just threw it in the washer. I also located that navy with the tannish paisley that might work for the binding. I'll get to cutting as soon as I finish my blog post. 

------

Tomorrow is Bama Belles day with a potluck lunch. I took time this morning to make a double batch of Italian Wedding Soup for my contribution. I also did some prep work for our supper meal since we are having Turkey Cobb Salads. I will just have some plating to do when its time for supper and not have to drop whatever I am in the middle of come 4:30-5 p.m..

We are STILL waiting for the replacement dishwasher. It arrived at the store on Wednesday but so far no one has called to set up a time to install it. We do like the frigidaire model and seem to be getting used to it but do not like the scratch and banged up kick plate. Both of us have our fingers crossed that the washing machine won't be next to crash. We have had to have the dryer serviced but not the machine once we got passed the initial improperly installed hoses, that is.

The temps have been in the 50's and 60's so DJ is busy caulking and touch-up painting. That siding is constantly in need of attention, it seems. I am still not ready to concede DJ's point that we are having an early spring. March can be such a changeling, after all. Next he will be saying that we didn't have any spring and went straight to summer-----like that old saw that "Alabama has the following seasons: almost summer, summer, still summer and Christmas"

Well, I can either talk about quilting or I can actually do it------till next time.

Almost!

Just the side borders to go and this puppy is done.  I had it laid out to measure and both boys were lending a hand.  DJ moved back to the AL-MSU basketball game and Skyler wants my measuring tape.

Okay, back to sewing as I WILL have this done tonight.

I should be sewing........

Okay, two of the turnstile blocks are done but neither meet in the middle as well as I would like.  The other 4 blocks are pieced but in halves.  That is as far as I got yesterday.   Want to make a bet on whether I will have any better luck with the centers on the other 4?

If it were not for the time I have already invested and my great desire to be done with this top, I would scrap these and substitute something else.

And I DO want to move on..........I got a pile of 3-D bowties in navy and white with red knots to address for another QOV top.  I love 3-D bowties way more than pinwheels.

Just whining---fire up that machine and make it happen, Linda!  Think that is enough of a kick in the behind?  LOL.

WIP Weds

One more row to go----that turnstile block you see in my work space.  6 of them.  Ordinarily I do not like to do pinwheel type blocks with all that stuff landing in the middle of the block.   Still, it seemed to go with the mix of rows and will pick up the same yellows in the friendship stars that I did yesterday.

Hopefully this whole top will be done in a day or two so I can move on-----to lets say, that pile of 3-D bowties with the red knots I had started at the fall sew-in.

And sew it goes.  Still pluggin'

QOV sewing continues

What a fun time at the sew-in the last two days!  Good fellowship and the Ways and Means see to it that we eat well providing the meals.  The members bring munchies and snacks.   My Pride of Iowa cookies were a big hit as was Jane's Southern Praline Pecan cake.  Guess we know what we better fix when it is time to do our turn on the refreshment committee!

DJ was a little disappointed that I did not come home with any cookies.  I bake cookies so seldom as he likes those cardboard tasting ones from the grocery store.  Translation:  why bother in that case?  Thursday when I handed him some good fresh baked ones I said "now THIS is what a cookie should taste like or why eat them?".   He got those and an over-sized one from the last bit of batter in the bowl.  Two days in a row he asked if I had any left.  Come to find out, a couple of the girls had taken one home for their hubby's to try and then insisted that their wives get the recipe, LOL  I told DJ I would make him another batch tomorrow but most of them are heading to the freezer!  I ran a few copies of the recipe on Friday night to take to the ones I knew wanted it.

Yesterday we in the north end of  Calhoun County had to duck out a little early as there was a possibility of storms and tons of rain with the worst predicted around 3 or so. The 15th top for the weekend was finished up as we were packing up and the 16th was not far behind it.  There are quite a few still in progress too.  Some of the gals were packing up the finished flimsies with backing and batting for their trip to the long arm quilters.  Not bad at all!!  Once they have the picture loaded on our new and improved website I'll send you a link so you can go look.

While I personally did not get a whole lot of sewing done, it was not for a lack of trying.  I'll concentrate on my work this week at home and see if I can get the three I have committed to do finished up by the end of the month or thereabouts.

I did get my Land of Liberty panel piece up to the round of rails and stars on Friday.  One of the gals used the same panel but just the eagle part trimming off the printed  Lone Star type piece.  I latched on to those but I will have to fuse them down as there is not enough fabric to cut it out evenly on all 4 sides.  Another gal  gave me some of her leftover fabrics to use for the rail sections.  Combined with what I already have I should be okay on that one, excepting perhaps a small outside border.

 The same person was offering some suggestions for the sashing sections on my row quilt.  Turns out she had some of the very yardage I need.  Woohoo!  One of the Belles thinks she has some of it tucked away as well.  I am hopeful that I will be able to squeeze out sashing and borders.  I had pulled the row you see just to the right of the bowtie apart the other night to square it up.  I'm calling it an Illinois Road variation;  I ended up re-assembling it slightly differently.  I also made another block as it was one block short, trying to  match the colors as best I could.  I pieced the Cotton Reels row yesterday.

Today I am making this chaining row below.  I am calling it Half Puss in the Corner chain.

The other day as I was drawing in EQ I had a row of Double 4 patch blocks arranged in this same zig zag pattern.   Where the blocks joined there were a few extra seams.  I fiddled with it but STILL had more unnecessary seams where a different section met.  Finally the light bulb went off----there are two blocks in this row if you approach it vertically.  That 4 patch with a solid patch either below or on top of it is one.  The half Puss in the Corner thing is the 2nd.  and they are just reversed every other one.  PLUS it can be strip pieced with just two strip sets though I made a third one just in case I mis-cut, mis-counted or mis-calculated on the math.   I am filing THIS idea away since it would work for a pieced border too.

So once this is done, I have 3 more rows to piece----hearts, turnstiles and friendship stars or 15-6 inch finished blocks.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dishwasher saga---round 3
While I was gone on Friday, they delivered the new replacement dishwasher.  The one DJ picked out the other day that would accommodate the bowls to his liking.  See one of the previous posts in recent weeks.  It is a Frigidaire model, not another model of Whirlpool as he had told me the other day. That part doesn't matter--if he is happy with his choice, I will be too.    BUT it has a big scratch on the front of the panel and a dent in the kick plate.  DJ said he refused to accept it and the installer got on the phone to Lowe's.  A replacement one is due in on Tuesday.  We are back on the list---again.  DJ thought he was getting a new one, not a refurbished/"as is" one.  That is what we paid for.  Actually till they credit the account and turn the Whirlpool one into a refurbished one we still own TWO dishwashers.  I would not anticipate the final installation to be done till at least the 24th or 27th.  Damian went ahead and un-installed the Whirlpool but left the scratched Frigidaire one so we had something in the meantime.  I haven't even looked at the manual to know how to operate it.  Once DJ knows how to operate it, I'll just stuff dishes in and he can move them if he doesn't like where I put them.

Next thing I know it will be time to fix supper.  This day is just speeding by especially since I had grocery errands to day as well.  Hope you are having a good one, in whatever you chose to do---------

WIP Weds

As I told you in my last post, this is QOV week around here.

Today I was working on the row design to figure out just how many blocks/rows I would need to piece to include with some that were donated.  Several of the rows come in right on the money at my targeted range of 54 finished.  Two do not---like an inch bigger! I think I can see where they went wrong.  Some slightly off seam allowances along with some inaccurate cutting.  I am pulling them apart to square them up.  I'll re-cut if needed and of course, re-assemble them.   Yes, I would probably be easier to just pull some other fabrics and just start from scratch.  I like the fabrics and someone at least TRIED to participate in the row project.  I can do a selvage operation.  I've done it before and I'll do it again.

Yesterday when I was measuring them at the meeting, I found  one row that was wayyyyy shorter than the rest and made with what looks to be Moda Marbles.  Problem was: quarter of a Broken Dishes block is pieced with half square triangles, NOT quarter square triangles and those bias edges were stretching, big time.  I tossed it.   Definitely better to start from scratch on that idea!

So here is sort of what I had for the Marcus Brother" Land of Liberty"  panel---my name, not theirs.  I think they called it American Valor but I believe that name referred more to the fabric line rather than the quilt itself.  It says "Liberty and Justice" on it anyway.  I bumped the rail sections up to 9 inches so it made more sense to use a 3 grid block rather than the variable star shown in the pattern.  Besides, it will make it a little bit different than the quilts some have already made and turned in  AND the guild is Friendship Quilters after all and the friendship star is on our name badges etc.

Still not sure what fabrics to use for that area around the red.  One navy piece I do have that might be big enough looks too juvenile but one of the Belles said she might have more like it at her house.  Maybe use it on the other quilt??

And here is what I have for the row quilt sections.  The row that looks like just sashed squares is actually a folded fabric origami blocks.  The bowties, Cotton Reel, Illinois Roads, Fans and Flying Geese do exist.

That means, I re-piece the stuff I pulled apart plus make friendship stars, hearts, turnstile blocks and probably substitute Broken Dishes for the diamonds on point---but maybe not, LOL.  I like the looks of it but I am just not sure what size to cut the squares.  I kinda like the lighter blue in the drawing  but in actuality they used a lot of red to burgundies rather than the royal blue and clear red that I used in the mock up.

Now I have a plan,  I just need to execute it and round up some fabric.  That might help.

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Here at home, DJ and I planned on going to Outback Steakhouse for a late Valentine's lunch today only to find that they are only open in the evenings.  I had quilt group yesterday so we had elected to wait.  We went to Golden Corral instead.  When we were preparing to sit down, someone called to us.  Jane and another quilting friend were sitting on the other side of the divider.    Normally if I am going to run into anyone, it is at the grocery store.  We really don't know that many people down here even after 15 years.

Nothing much else going on though we still are waiting to hear from the dishwasher installer guy.   DJ will have to put up the silverware drawer and bowls that flop over a little bit longer, LOL.

Hope you are having a good day in whatever you chose to do---------

Design Wall Monday

Seriously there is nothing much happening on that design wall.  Same blocks up there---some blank squares for quilt labeling purposes, a piece of bias binding for the Christmas Patience Corners.  We also have a block Aline gave me for Christmas along with the Oxmoor House components that I hoped would inspire me to keep going on that.  Odd kid quilt components but mostly I can't quite reach them, LOL.

A slump or just busy with other stuff?? Both actually.

On Thursday through Saturday this week Friendship Quilters is having a sew-in to work on our quilts for the Col. Robert L. Howard Veteran's Home being built in Pell City (AL).    The Popsicle Sticks stuff that I hoped to work on a bit over this past week just did NOT happen.   The guild met on Saturday and I did not feel well a few hours after I got home.  Yesterday, some cutting and grocery errands. You know how it goes. Life happens.   I put the stuff back in the container for now.  Not forever, just not now.

Now I have to make room for it to stay in my line of fire.
That also means the large blue tub of Christmas fabric is going back under the cutting/pressing table.  The stack of stuff on the left atop it is all related to the Oxmoor Quilt---back it goes too.

I also have 30's fabrics (by no means all I have) to the right and the smaller tote atop it is holding some newer acquired stuff from the donation bin that I have plans for.

I knocked the paper shredder over as I moving things around so I got to vacuum up the room along with some hairy base boards under the table.   Maybe that was a good thing, LOL?

Seismic shifting.

.........Out comes the patriotic fabrics etc from its hiding place.   Aline had given me the extra Land of Liberty panel she had to do something with.   The fabric manufacturer Marcus Brothers has a free pattern on their website for American Valor that I will use but it is not quite long enough when the suggested size is 60 x 90 for the beds at the veteran's home.  I'll do some tweaking in EQ to re-size it before I cut.

To prepare for the sew-in I cut the alternating squares and rectangles that go with the RWB 3-D bowties I had started at the last sew-in.  The kit next to it is one I cut out for Jane.  The guild was setting up kits of fabric for anyone that wanted one but it was not cut to size.  Apparently she is not as confident in her cutting skills as I am and said so.  It is a simple "potato chip" quilt or one that I knew as Rainy Day Satisfaction from ten  years back.  Whatever, LOL.    The other bag is the RWB row quilt some one donated that I need to sash/add more blocks to or adjust in some manner to get to the targeted size.  I have made 2 already and plan on 3 more--that's enough.  A more truthful statement would probably be that with pro bono sewing there is never enough. The needs are great and always present.

I had gotten my QOV Disappearing 4 patch back from the long arm quilter a month back.  The binding IS on it but I need to stick a label on it as well.  Margaret had done some up on an embroidery machine but she may not have been the one that quilted this.  I had thought about asking one of the Belles with an embroidery machine if she could help me out with that.  OR play with my Brother to see if I could figure out how to set up the lettering.  Just haven't had time to look at the manual and play.

I asked Jane if she would want to work on the binding at the sew-in rather than drag her machine with us.  She, more or less, jumped at that idea!  We were swapping services.  I cut, she binds.  We're both happy.  I'll hand off at Bama Belles' tomorrow.

The fellowship hall we normally use is needed by another group to set up for an event they have the following day.  The church secretary had given me a "heads up" before they okay'd this.  Rather than schedule an alternate event or location we are just meeting in one of the classrooms in the church.   Handwork day, more or less.  Some members cross stitch, others like me do redwork.  Some body wanted me to show them how to hand quilt  (Teresa maybe?) so I may take my Birdbrain Santa quilt instead of my  embroidery.  Makes no difference to me, LOL.

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On another front, DJ who is the primary loader and unloader of the dishwasher is not happy with our choice.  He hates the silverware holder in the door which HAD been a selling point and the bowls will not stay in an upright position which was driving him around the bend.   I told him to quit bellyaching and try to get used to the change in features.  I was thinking that we had made our choice and would have to live with it.  See how sympathetic I was, LOL?  After listening to 3 days of how we had made the wrong choice, I was fresh out of sympathy and tired of the complaining.  Today he calls Whirlpool and the CSR got to listen to it too.

Off shoot of all this, Lowe's will take this one back.  We had 30 days after the sale to get an exchange.  He asked me to go with him to talk to the sales person but frankly, I have not really had to load the new one except for a few items used in food prep.  He is the one who has the problems and loads the bulk of it.  I haven't even read the manual yet. Therefore he is the one who needs to be happy with his choice.  To that end, he took 4 different kinds of our bowls in question to try them in the models they have till he found one that fit the bill--another whirlpool with different features.   It will cost us 3 additional dollars and another installation fee with a credit coming down the line.   They have 2 business days to call and set up an installation time again.  Hopefully the same person can come back.

And sew it goes---I got a label to sew on, a car to load and some designing to do.

Sew-In day/check in

Fun day with the gals from the Friendship Quilters group. It is far easier to visit with folks across the table than in the guild meeting set up where you basically set in a chair and vote on this and that, LOL. Except for the time before and directly after the meeting you just don't have that chatting time.

I was having some machine tension issues with the Jem so I did not get too far with the project I cut out yesterday. I had said that if I had to spend my day doing "boring sewing" i.e. seaming backs, cutting, sewing binding then I wanted to do something fun and "new to me" at the sew-in. It meant more cutting, of course. This is Billie Lauder's "Reflections" using a batik layer cake pack that my pal Pam sent to me. I did try one half of the block but really want my Brother for this one. No, I do not know where this one will be going. Some of the colors are right up QOV alley but is it allowed to put in other colors, like red, green and orange?? Does it really matter? I suppose those are campaign ribbon colors so maybe. I didn't touch the folded eight point star which I found on delaware quilts as a free pattern---later with that one.

I did get started on a pile of QOV 3-D bow ties. These will have red knots throughout which I did not color that way for the layout in EQ. That was mostly for counting purposes. I need 76 pieced blocks and will have to buy some WOW for the alternating spaces.

Of course I had to demo the bow tie block to a few of the gals. That and the EZ flippy corner version to a newbie quilter. She spotted the printout in my work space. I told her I could show her a really easy way to do them --the ez one and a FUN "how did you do that?!" one, LOL.

Our vice prez/program person gave us instructions on how to make those cute little bags from mesh pet screen and a sewing themed fabric. Fun! Of course, you can do them any size but this is what they had kitted up for us. My tablemate showed me the cute tomato like pincushion they had done yesterday. Tomorrow they are doing a convergence class but you can go even if you don't want to have the class and work on your own stuff. I don't plan on going but they were certainly encouraging me to do so. The pals that I went with today are going over to East Cobb Quilters bi-annual show in Marietta tomorrow.

That other stuff in the picture? Well, I didn't get to the binding sewing and in fact, need to cut more. I DID get the boring sewing stuff mostly done, other than that. By 930 PM, I quit sewing, though my brain was still in overdrive planning something else for down the line. Not so conducive to sleep, let me tell you. I have one more quilt back to go though (the other 4 are done). Then the green stuff needs washed as it is a little stiff feeling. Tomorrow........Sunday, I am going to do hand work. Next week probably start quilting since the machine I use for that is set up right now.

Yesterday afternoon Jane had called to see if I had any binding to do as she didn't really want to take her machine to the sew-in. She had no particular project that she was itching to do. m I had to take a little detour last night to get one bound for her to work on and it took a little time to get the quilt prepped---a re-do is always harder than the "from scratch". Aline wasn't sewing either but she had binding to finish up on a quilt entry for next week and was hand quilting on her redwork Sunbonnet Sue quilt. Betsy was working on QOV pillow cases.

Oh, I had a "treat" shortly after I got there! Recently I had sent a good sized box of abandoned blocks to a guild member in response to a need for quilts in the Shoal Creek area of Alabama where there was significant tornado damage this spring. The lady I sent them to was my table mate today---in fact, Mary was quilting on her half of the table on one that will go to a young person . Mary pointed out a member of her small quilt group who had put a good many of those abandoned blocks into a top at the sew-in. She was preparing to put on the outer border when I arrived. The woman wondered if I had any information about who made the blocks. She knew a couple as either she or her sister had made some of them. I could point out the ones my mom or I had made farily easily. A few I thought were Aline's but they were hand pieced and Aline would have used the machine. BUT I went off without my camera--dang it! I'll ask Mary to have the other gal take one if she can. It made a pretty quilt for someone and will find a good use NOT hiding in my closet waiting for a "some day" to come along.

And sew it goes--------thanks for stopping by

QOV

My friend Betsy called this morning to see if she could come by and pick up the blocks I had made so this quilt top could be completed.

I missed the sewing date but had told her I had 4 blocks to include in the project. My blocks will just need sashing applied and then the rows can be joined. Close up on the blocks can be seen in THIS POST

Looks pretty, doesn't it? I am not entirely sure but I think this will be going to the Veterans Home in Pell City (AL). I'll find out down the line.