Quilting and Stuff by Knitnoid

Author Archives: Pam

I made my first quilted item as a visual aid for a math project in 7th grade. Over the next 25 years quilting was hit or miss, but quilting took over all the other crafts I've done in 2003.

Stash Report Week # 45

November 8, 2009 12:40 am ⋅

It was a rather productive week. The last row on the DWR was attached, which allowed me to determine what I needed in the way of backing and batting. The backing was found in my stash — so that’s 9 yards out. Woohoo! I also finished the hand quilting on my nephew’s quilt. I have one border machine quilted and have the second one partially marked. Finally, I cut into a kit I put together a little over a year ago and have half the blocks made — 20 FQ = 3 yards. So 12 yards out and I’m back under 200 yards inbound.

If I push, I might just make 100 yards used by the end of the year — borders for a couple of quilts, binding for Josh’s quilt, backing & binding for the music quilt and perhaps a dozen SBS blocks.

Fabric Added this Week: 0 yards
Fabric Added to Date: 282.333 yards

Fabric Used this Week: 12 yards
Fabric Used to Date: 89.761 yards

Net Stash: +192.572 yards

See how others are doing on their stash busting effort by checking out the links on Judy’s blog Patchwork Times.

Posted in: Stash Busting Report

Start of a New Quilt

November 6, 2009 11:04 pm ⋅

This evening after finishing the hand quilting, I thought I needed some mindless piecing. The 4-patches in the DWR in theory are simple enough, but trust me, it’s not so simple. Ladder to the Stars just needs borders, but I’m going to miter the corners, which means I need to think. There’s nothing on my extensive list of quilts in progress which I would consider mindless enough for this evening – not that I looked until I sat down to write this post. The call of new fabric was too much.

I went to my crate of PIGs and pulled out Autumn Splendor. Twelve FQs plus border fabric tied nicely with a gold ribbon. I’m using the FQ friendly pattern Crazy Eights by Bits ‘n Pieces. I think this is 3rd quilt/top I’ve made, but the others have been with just the 8 FQs.

Instead of mindless piecing, I cut the new quilt out. Surprisingly, given that I was looking for something mindless, I didn’t make any cutting errors. I can also report the scraps are all appropriately cut up and in their boxes.

I’ll be ready now for when I do need to sit down at the sewing machine for some mindless piecing.

Posted in: Autumn Splendor, UFOs

The Hand Quilting is Complete!

November 6, 2009 7:46 pm ⋅


On Josh’s Graduation Quilt.

Now I have to finish it. For the border, I’ve decided to quilt lines 2″ apart perpendicular to the edge of the quilt — like a pieced piano key border. Once I get that done, I’ll need to trim all the thread ends from my machine quilting, bind it and put a label on it. Who knows he might get it before the end of the year — only 17 months after he graduated.

Posted in: hand quilting, Josh's Quilt

DWR Backing Found in my Stash

November 4, 2009 10:59 pm ⋅


After measuring my quilt top last night, I got to worrying about the batting. I typically use Warm & Natural in my quilt tops, but when I buy it by the yard, it’s only 90″ wide. My quilt measures approximately 94″ x 104″ – so I’m going to have to buy a king batt. I’m currently leaning toward Quilters Dream Cotton – Request.

That got me worrying about the backing. I called the LQS to check to see how wide the backing are – and shoot I can’t remember now – but I did validate that even the narrowest wide backing (is that an oxymoron?) will be wide enough. The bolt sale lasts through Saturday, so I can get the backing on sale.

That was this morning early. Fast forward to about an hour ago and a flash of inspiration struck me. About a year ago I bought a bolt of 60″ wide 100% cotton shirting for next to nothing. I pulled it out looked at it and decided that it would be perfect for my backing. Although I’m not looking forward to seaming the backing, I can take comfort in that it is fabric out of my stash and no additional purchase was needed.

Since I was on a roll, I pulled out my thread box and found both a partially used and a brand new spool of thread. The color is Camel. Since I really like this color, and would hate to run out of it before the quilting is complete, the next time thread goes on sale, I’m going to buy at least one maybe two spools of it.

I might just have this quilt on the frame by this time next week. Still have to finish seaming the 4-patches. I’m not sure what I did this evening, but it wasn’t a whole lot of piecing.

Posted in: dwr

It Is the Last Row!

November 3, 2009 10:34 pm ⋅


I just finished attaching the last row of rings to my Double Wedding Ring quilt! No, it’s not ready for the frame — I still have 4 patches to seam on the last two rows and then stitch the seams on the outer 4-patches, which are only going to be 3-patches. No sense in making them 4-patches and giving me 2 more corners per ring to miter around when I finally get to the binding.

Now I’ve got to measure the quilt to see how much backing I’ll need and start thinking about thread color for the quilting.

This is what I’m planning on quilting in the background. It’s a stencil by Gloria Hartley that I bought years ago.


I will also need to do some sort of quilting in the pieced arcs and 4-patches. I’m leaning toward outlining the arc, but not the individual pieces. I do want to finish this in this lifetime, preferably by this time next year.

Given that some of the quilting will be on the off white background and some on the colored pieces, should I use two different color threads? Or is there something which won’t look odd in both places. I suspect my thread color may influence my backing choices.

Posted in: dwr

What’s On My Design Wall? – 11/02

November 2, 2009 7:46 am ⋅


This is what I believe to be the last row of my Double Wedding Ring. Last night I finally sewed on the previous row, although I still need to sew the 4-patches. The row is far enough along so I now know I need an extra blue arc for this last row.

Check out what other quilters have on their design walls by following the links over at Patchwork Times.

Posted in: designwall, dwr

November 2009 Quilting Goals

November 1, 2009 7:13 pm ⋅

Since I didn’t do so well on last month’s goals, it’s more of the same.

* Keep up with the SBS BOW

* Finish the hand quilting on Josh’s Quilt

* Finish piecing the DWR

* Complete Finishing Instructions for large Kansas Spirit BOM

* Keep Scraps Cut Up
Posted in: dwr, Josh's Quilt, KTS, monthly goals, SBS

Stash Report Week # 44

November 1, 2009 7:30 am ⋅

This week was a wash. A couple of SBS blocks (although not the one due tonight) were completed and one FQ inbound.

Instead of quilting Saturday, my DH and I drove down to Independence, Kansas for the Neewollah Festival, specifically the Marching Band Festival. We heard some great music. The day was absolutely perfect for the drive and festival. It cooled off after the sun went down, but I had my trusty picnic quillow with me. It was a great seat cushion until I needed it to keep warm.


So here’s the report

Fabric Added this Week: .25 yards
Fabric Added to Date: 282.333 yards

Fabric Used this Week: .25 yards
Fabric Used to Date: 77.761 yards

Net Stash: +204.572 yards

See how others are doing over at Patchwork Times.

Posted in: Stash Busting Report

Review of October 2009 Quilting Goals

October 31, 2009 11:38 pm ⋅

The month is over, so how did I do? Well, not as good as previous months, but it could have been worse.

* Keep up with the SBS BOW – Done
* Finish the hand quilting on Josh’s Quilt – nope – two thirds of the last block remains
* Finish piecing the DWR – nope – one row is ready to attach and the last row needs putting together
* Hand quilt 2 rings on DWR – obviously not
* Complete Finishing Instructions for both sizes of Kansas Spirit BOM – The smaller quilt instructions have been turned in!
* Machine quilt borders on Josh’s Quilt – obviously not
* Make at least 4 make-up SBS blocks
* Decide on the quilting for Jeremiah’s quilt – didn’t even look at it.
* Work on Ladder to the Star sashings – finished and got the center completed
* Keep Scraps Cut Up – did this, not that there was much to do

I also made a pineapple block to try out a new-to-me technique.

Posted in: dwr, Josh's Quilt, KTS, Ladder to the Stars, monthly goals, pineapple, SBS

Playing Hooky

October 29, 2009 8:19 pm ⋅


Well, not really. I had a day of PTO (paid time off) today. The plans I made last week included sewing all day and perhaps going down to Heritage to get the backing for my DWR. Then over the weekend I got an e-mail from Quilter’s Quarters in Leavenworth, Kansas saying that Earlene Fowler, who writes the Bennie Harper Mysteries would be in the store for an informal book signing. So my plans changed to include the drive up to Leavenworth.

By the morning my plans had changed again. #1 I still don’t have the DWR finished and #2 it was rainy and overcast all morning. Since the DWR still isn’t finished, I don’t have the finished dimensions, so I don’t know how much backing I’ll need. And with the rain, I didn’t want to drive for an hour to the book signing. So, instead I spent the morning working on my 6″ Arizona block, ripping out various pieces because I kept sewing my HST facing the wrong direction.

By noon I think I had had it. Even listening to Voyager by Diana Gabaldon wasn’t soothing me (Jamie and Claire are preparing to sail to the West Indies). So, my DH decided I needed to get out of the house and do something besides go to the grocery store. (Not getting out of the house can become one of the pitfalls of working from home if you are not careful).

So, off we went in the drizzle to Leavenworth. I got to meet Earlene Fowler, she signed my copy of Bennie Harper’s Quilt Album (my husband gave it to me the Christmas after it came out), and while I was in the store I picked up a FQ purple to try with my SBS blocks (it’s too dark) and the Little Gripper.

On our way out of town we stopped at The Bargain Factory – a closeout/liquidation store – because I saw a sign that said “fabric”. Didn’t bring home any fabric (didn’t really think I would), but DH got a couple of pieces of music and a new lunch box.

Even with the rain (it poured on the way home) it turned out to be a great break and just what I needed.

Posted in: Uncategorized