Sewing D4P blocks

4 done, 2 in process and 4 more to go...that will give me the 10 needed...

These are coming together much better and faster than the blocks for the first D4P quilt I made....

Hopefully when the time comes, I will be able to get a picture of the top/finished project for you.

Unexpected and Lovely Idea

I met with our quilt group last Monday.  One of the members brought a lot of 5" squares she received while at Market...She suggested we use them in a scrappy D4P quilt to be given to the local Habitat for Humanity.  We agreed and eventually had them grouped and some given to each one (about 10 blocks for each).  I was the last one in line, so to speak, so I was honored with not only my 10, but the rest of the blocks...so I will see how many I can make in two weeks.  Can't remember if it will be a twin or double size...we will see how many blocks we have at our next meeting...

Here are the very beginnings of my blocks

We have yet to find out from the local H/H as to when the residence will be completed, but decided to go ahead and start on the quilt...worse case scenario is we give it to some one else who needs it...
It's nice to have a group that is small enough to decide on a project this quickly, and yet have enough people to be able and willing to do it in a timely manner.

Finished Wounded Warrior/Zigsaw Quilt Binding & Quilt

 You have seen the top before, but now this is ready to go, as soon as we receive the labels from the WW group.

It is quilted with variegated thread with a dark blue backing,,same color as binding.  This is one of the few I did not HQ. 

So glad it is done....it really was a challenge to put together.  I plan on using the pattern again, maybe in 3 -4 months. 

Whoop! In the Middle of......

....my Christmas Butterfly table runner....

I have quilted my wings to the rest of the sandwich and am in the process of sewing/tucking the black border.  I will be adding a body afterwards.  I need to decide what type of quilting I will have on the white background.  I have a solid red backing and used red thread to quilt the wings.  

I really don't want any more color other than the butterfly...Probably a white thread would be good, even if it will show up on the back...

I hope to finish the black edging this weekend...I am going out of town, but will have some time tomorrow evening to sew...

In the meantime, be sure to check on Sarah's blog for more Whoops!

See ya......

Flannel Top Finished- Whoop!

Here is a Whoop for me and a Finish as well...the flannel top is done.  56" X 76"  with two finished borders of 2" each.  And enough blue left for another day. I have plans for it already.

The red will be the binding color.  But that is in the future...

I enjoyed chronicling the progress of this top here, as well as on Sarah's blog...I started on Jan 5th, two weeks ago.  Wish all my tops were this easy. And it was, even with all the mental decision making....

I like this pattern..I am thinking about using the same idea with another set of fabric ...maybe the dimensions of the blocks might be slightly different, but not too much...that will be later in the year, when I am ready.

Look at all the people who are Whooping it up on Sarah's blog this week...See you there...

Flannel Quilt: Thinking Process for Borders

Regarding my flannel quilt:

I admit it,,this is kinda a way of procrastinating..

But you've heard the saying, "Measure twice, cut once"?  Well, I am adding another phrase to it..."Think carefully".  Sometimes, actually a lot of times, I just go with the flow when deciding on fabric, design, placement, etc...I wait until something seems right.

Well, so far, I haven't gotten that "right" feeling about these borders.

And I am telling you now...there will be no pictures showing the final solution on this blog...However, I have progressed somewhat.

Ok, enough hemming and hawwing...here is the situation..

 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  Basic size of middle design = ~ 65" x 59"

1st Border is shown as finished 2", using  the same fabric as is within the red blocks.  I have almost decided to put one fabric on top and bottom, the other on the sides... this way I am certain to have enough for that border.

 Second border is supposed to be 5" wide in the blue....and I Love the blue!

There is No Way that's going to happen with this amount of fabric...

 

I even brought back some remnants of the blue I had when cutting for the 4-square blocks: 

blue is 4" x < 4"

They are called my "Last Resort Squeezing in Inches" pieces..

Hopefully, without going into a Math/Number discussion,  here are some choices.

1) Keeping the 1st border 2 1/2"(cut size) and (after very careful measuring) cut the second border either that same size OR a 1/2" bigger.

2) Making the 1st border a little bigger, and have a blue/white second border with blue still the predominant color. (ex:white on corners)...This will insure I have enough blue with a little white to fill in what is needed.

Either way, I figure the size of the quilt will be slightly smaller than the pattern, which is okay with me.

So here I am..Using most of the day playing around with the fabric, making sure...Because Once I Cut....It's Cut...

 

Liked the top...LOVED the finish!

Started on 6/22/12.

First Finish on 2013: 

Rainbow Quilt...Disappearing 4 Patch

Roughly 47" X 47"

Made with Rainbow Charm Pack from Keepsake Quilting circa 2006.

Bordered by Stonehenge, binding by Sale Fabric....

It pays to wait for the right design to come along..

I like to show you the tops of quilts as I finish them.  But when I finish the entire quilt (usually HQing) I feel the need to show it again.  This one took awhile to finish because other things pushed it aside (quilty things as well as life).  Luckily, most of the items I make do not have a time frame. 

I am keeping this for awhile...love the range of colors and am so glad they were all included in a charm pack...I would have never been able to choose them from bolts....

Now, as a promise to myself after finishing...need to get a leettle housework done...

Step Back Whoops Move Forward

ASSEMBLY: 

I worked on my flannel quilt. Got all the blocks done and in rows.  My progress can really be seen.

Unfortunately, so can several bad waves & wrinkles.  I am not a perfectionist by any means, but I think the best thing for me to do is to rip out the two loonnnggg seams, straighten the edges, and try again.  It should lie(lay?) better and I will be happier with it.

But it is coming along. 

BINDING: 

The violet binding is on a quilt and I am hand sewing the final edge for it. 

 I have binding cut and ready for the wall hanging, but realized that I will need to put corners or a sleeve on the back before I add the binding. So glad I realized that before I skipped a step. 

 I read somewhere that I can cut 2 squares (size variable), fold each into a triangle and place each into a corner with the folded side out and hide the edges under the binding.  You would then see the folded edge and be able to put a dowel stick for hanging.  For a small wall hanging, it should be enough.  And I can take the stick out if I wanted to use it for a table runner. (pictures later).

So I am ready for a Whoop, Whoop on my progress thus far...and maybe next time I will have the top done, borders and all...

Progress Report

I went into town yesterday early...my car needed a little loving care/recall strokes.  They shuttled me to a near IHOP and I had a nice leasurely breakfast, came back, got the car, and headed to the local LQS. 

There I saw a perfect Sale Fabric for my binding (had to buy 2 yds).  Came home and realized that it would work with two of my bindingless projects.  I worked on one yesterday and cut the other this morning. 

If I had thought, I could have cut/sewn them both yesterday as one continuous length and saved me another cutting...hindsight... 

In the meantime, I cut more units for my Flannel Quilt.  They look really small in comparison, don't they?  They will have a 2" border all around that will (hopefully) bring them up to size.

I'm still looking for a backing for my Butterfly table runner...I have a red that would work, but somehow, I feel I should still look around for just the Right One...know what I mean?  A binding has to go on that one too...don't worry, I won't use the same one again......although.......

And I have a few more leaders/enders done....

So that is my progress in the last few days...slow but steady. And this is the beginning of another day...rainy as it is....

Flannel Quilt Discovered and Started!

BTW, I am back with Sarah on her blog, just Whooping it up today.  Check out what other people are doing.

I have an older stash of flannels.  They would be in second or third grade if they were human. There is not a large variety and I have been a long time deciding on a pattern.

I finally found one....in my pattern notebook...

It is a series of 4 block rectangles hopscotching next to some larger rectangles.  

I don't want to show you the pattern because I may not have enough fabric for the entire quilt...I may need to tweek it a little...The borders are a little iffy.  As it is, I am using two fabrics for the larger block, other than just the one.

Here are the other fabrics...

One of the problems is the red....It is supposed to be used for the outside border as well as part of the main body of the quilt.  And I may not have enough, so I may have to punt.

I decided to finish what I can and, if need be, lay it aside and look for another border...I do have an idea, but need to see how everything turns out first... Hopefully, I won't have to wait until next winter season to come about to finish this...

Since the main section consists of larger blocks, it should be quick to put together.  As you can see, I have one set of blocks started already.  Even as slow as I am, I should have more updates and pictures by the end of next week.

Progress Report #2

My Butterfly is trying to come out of his cocoon.  I have it basted onto the background fabric and am slowly sewing everything together.

I am ready to put the binding on another lap quilt and should be showing you that next time also...

I know, Promises, Promises...

New Year Greetings! Progress Report #1

Hope you welcomed in the New Year with a new bobbin, a new inspiration, and a firm resolve to tackle all the UFOs you didn't last year.

My 2013 list on the side will grow longer as time progresses...Last year, I had goals already figured out the first of the year...this year...well, I have some in my head, but I'm not quite ready to commit..

I have decided to try and strengthen my weak area of sewing....applique... I have a couple of simple items I plan to make and then will start a project I have been wanting to do for several years.. I am not going to keep you in suspense, really...  Just let me say that it is a wall hanging that a boy might enjoy... regarding insects...

And it may take me an entire year to do it!

In the meantime, I have two projects (almost three) that need binding, one that needs finishing, one still at the leader/ender stage, and several in the wings...so to speak.

Now for the Progress Report:

I really could finish this in one day.  Whenever I am "winging it", I have to get my nerve up for the next step.  I so don't want to forget something (such as the rounded corners of the wings, which you cannot see).  I am now ready to add the stablizer to the back of the wings, just wide enough to be able to tuck the black border under as I am sewing the edging.  I still have to decide where to cut the wings so they are hidden under the body, cut the size of the table runner, placement of the butterfly, and how to construct the all important antenna...

What to do with Leftovers......

 Leftover fabric, that is....

Remember this Tree Skirt I have been blogging about..almost Forever?

I started out with these...

And used only the bottom two strips for the skirt...

So what to do with the upper pile of strips?

I realize if I don't come up with something soon, the collection of strips will disappear into the back shelf  void.

I snipped off the narrow end...the fifth section of each strip..it would be invisible anyway... and started playing around with them.  I thought right away about some type of table runner...scattered over a white background.  I am not any good at "scattered"....so I started bunching them up together...

And came up with this....

The angle is weird, both sides are equal, really they are...

 and it may end up being a wall hanging instead of a table runner, but it is definitely the beginnings of a Christmas Butterfly.....

There are 14 strips on both sides...The body in the middle will be a little bigger after sewing because of the seams, but it definitely has possibilities...

Now, should I sew each set of strips together and see where that leads me, or sew each strip to the white underneath.....I am leaning toward the togetherness angle.

Or maybe a Butterfly Angel??? Just typed the word "angle"....////  Nah, I'll stay with the Butterfly....

I'll make the wings and then decide whether it goes on a table or a wall....

I love these Sew by the Seat of Your Pants ideas.....

Finished Top...Wounded Warrior aka Zigsaw Quilt

Finally, I have finished this top! It will be donated to the Wounded Warriors in April.  Our quilting group will buy the batting, probably early next year and we supply the backing.  So it will be awhile before this one is completely finished. 

I went back and forth between the two names depending which context I was talking about...Hope I did not confuse you too much...

Would like to put a border on it, but with the WW size restrictions, it seemed better not to have one.

Size:  Min - 65 x 75
           Max - 72 x 82

..and it is roughly 68 x 78, which would only allow a maximum of a 2" border around all the sides.  I had to add another row and column to get it within the minimum size. Hopefully, the binding will add a little closure to the quilt.

I can see this design as a lovely children's quilt...Maybe after awhile I'll make one...At least after my eyes get readjusted.....

....And That's Not All....

In a nice little zippered container, I found all of these. I have run across oodles of scissors while looking through my mother's things...Most of these show the wear and tear (and dullness) of years past.  I know that a lot of them (some not shown) are of recent vintage, but at one time or another, Mother used them.  Some are not worth keeping, but I hate to throw them away.  Some of them,,,ie: left hand upper corner black handled spring loaded one (with notched end), and one on the right next to it, as well as the one on the bottom left, pointing upwards, I really like.  Can  people who sharpen scissors do anything with the rust, etc. on the blades so they will cut again? Are the new sharpeners geared for older scissors? I don't know.

Do any of you have suggestions as to how to clean these?  I thought about using fine steel wool on some of them, but am afraid I'll mess up the cutting edges.  I could google, and probably will, but would love to hear how ya'll would handle this situation.

BTW, slow as slow I am, I only have two more blocks to go before finishing the rows on the zigsaw quilt....

Attention Grabber.....or Lack Of....

I had to post today....

The end of an era....12/12/12.....Last time....My DH celebrated his birthday one year in the past on 08/08/08; Just last year we had the final time of slash lines 11/11/11...Ahhh, memories..

I have been working, a lot of things going on..

But now to quilting...sewing...piecing....

Yesterday evening I sewed on my 7th row on my Zigsaw puzzle and proceeded to kit up about 4 blocks for my final row, which I will get to right after this post.

In spreading the top down on the floor to double check the placements, I noticed this for the first time....

Somehow I had missed seeing the leader/ender piece while sewing on the earlier row. Now that's Concentration! I have one more 4 piece block for my Wash Day Stars quilt than I thought.

Yes, I haven't pressed my final seams down yet..otherwise I would have noticed it earlier. I do like to press as I go, but I was tired and, I guess, lazy, so I haven't done the final pressing on that particular row yet. 

Now, hopefully, I can remember to cut this little block off before I sandwich and quilt it on....