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.

Halloween Quilting

I’ve collected Halloween fabric for a number of years with the intention of making a Halloween quilt. This year I’ve made several projects, ironically none with my collected fabric! Most of this fabric came from The Quilted Cow in West Branson, Missouri from watching their Wednesday night shows on Facebook. There are a couple of exceptions.

This table runner is made with the fabric line Too Cute to Spook by Me & My Sister for Moda Fabrics. I purchased it from Stitch-On Fabrics in Lawrence, Kansas.  It is one of the table runners in Little Charmers II by Anka’s Treasures.

This is Pint Size Parking, an Atkinson Designs pattern. The fabric is from Jo-Anne’s.

The towel on the left is from the Riley Blake line Halloween Whimsy, the one on the right is Haunted Hallow by Clothworks.

Dry Ideas drying mat has Whimsy fabric on one side and an autumn print on the other.

This table topper is Orange Spice from the Little Charmers IV pattern by Anka’s Treasures. It’s made up in Halloween Whimsy.

I bought a kit for another Whimsy quilt, but ran out of time.  Perhaps next year.

Next I have several projects using Gnome-str Mash fabric line.  First up is the Tinzley Table Runner, a pattern by The Quilted Cow. Super fast to make and fits on top of my tea cart.

 

This is another Quilted Cow pattern, Wicked Big Hexi.

This is a sofa pillow that I change out seasonally.

I purchased a 4-yard kit, backing and binding.  It had these 3 fabrics, a green and black buffalo print and the ‘tossed gnomes’ for the backing.  I opted to make this three yard quilt Roman Holiday from Quilt As A Wink 3-Yard Quilts.

 

 

 

July 2022 Road Trip Fabric

While in Kansas City, my SIL and I did a quilt shop hop of our own making.  I knew I wanted to go to Hunters Quilt Mart in Centerview, Missouri since the batiks were on sale. I am making Bonnie Hunter’s Rivanna in batiks on black.  I picked up 18 of the batiks at Hunters and more at other shops during the week.  Since I’ve been home I’ve brought my total count up to 30.

The pictures are sorted by ‘quilt’, not shops and are not in the order I visited the shops.  The Magnolia, gold, cream and gold & green piece I found at Hunters. I think the dark green, almost black I found at Stitch On in Lawrence, Kansas and the bottom green on green was in the bucket I won at the Guild meeting! It’s going to be the backing.  As I look at this picture I think I have an extra fabric.

The stripe in the middle I found at Missouri Star, which is where I picked up the pattern Quartered Stripes. The purple fabric I bought on a whim while I was at Hunter’s. Later that week we called and ordered the rest of the bolt as we discovered it works so well with several fabrics we picked up.

The final stack of fabric is from a variety of shops and are not for specific projects.  The solids were on the clearance rack at Hunters. the FQs I bought at Mes Amis in New Orleans. The black on white I found at KC Maker Studio.

Tuesday we stopped in at Show-Me-Quilting in Raytown, MO specifically to pick up a couple of things I ordered on line — the book and blue fabric in the left picture. I picked up some cork to use in bag making and found fabric on clearance for the quilt, binding and backing. Of course now that I look at the stripe, I’m not sure it will work well for the Quarter Stripes quilt.

Purchased at Mes Amis, the tiger stripe will be the backing to the purple, yellow & white Athena I’m making. The green backing I picked up at Missouri Star to make tablecloths. I’m not sure where I found the red buttons. I purchased it for the centers of a log cabin quilt, but then opted for another fabric.

I love these waterlilies and dragonflies.  The prints I picked up at Missouri Star, there’s that purple again from Hunters. I’m not sure where I picked up the pink/lavender.

At Prairie Point Quilt and Fabric Shop in Lenexa, Kansas I picked up fabric to make a blouse and the pattern for a bag. The bag fabric came from KC Maker Studio off the clearance rack.

Notions from Mes Amis, KC Maker Studio and Missouri Star, thread from Hunter’s Quilt Mark, and the barn wood star from the grocery store in Hamilton, Missouri.

I’m happy to report that the tablecloths are made.

And I’ve started on Rivanna.  I’m using it as my leader/ender project.  Lots of HST, so I’m working on them one color at a time. 3 down and 27 to go.

A Week in Kansas City

Back in July, my sister-in-law and I flew to Kansas City for a week.  We did a few touristy things, hit a lot of quilts shops and naturally visited with family and friends.

Monday on the touristy front, we visited Powell Gardens. They had a special butterfly exhibit while we were there. This was spontaneous stop.

Afterwards we went to a baseball game.  The Kansas City Royals won!

Tuesday we ate Barbeque at Joe’s KC Bar-B-Que at their original location. I had eaten at their other locations before.  After dinner we went the Starlight Quilters Guild meeting.  I won one of the buckets and a door prize from the guest speaker – Missouri Quilt Museum.

Wednesday we were off to Hamilton, Missouri to visit the museum and shop. They had 2 special exhibits – Red & White quilts and miniature quilts.

On the way home (my brother’s) we visited my sister in her new digs. We are standing on the roof in this picture.

Thursday we took it easy. We ran to town where I purchased team shirts.  I can’t wait to go to another baseball game and wear my Royals’ shirt.  I’ve been wearing my Chiefs’ shirt while I watch the games on TV. 

Back at the house, I dug through my grandfather’s carved teak chest. I didn’t think to take a picture of it. I knew there was information about my grandfather’s last flight. I found the telegram the government sent. I also found a photo composite of our military men. My grandfather is on the bottom right and his brothers above and to the left.  Now to figure out who the other 3 men are.

Friday I needed to run into Kansas City for an appointment and we had time for another spontaneous stop – the Johnson County Museum.

When we got back to the house there was a beautiful sunset.

It having been a long week, the family just chilled after dinner.

Here we are Saturday morning before we left for the airport.

We shopped so much, we had to buy luggage to take it all home. Good thing we were on Southwest!

The fabric haul will be another post.

The Pink and Brown Quilt is Finished

Can you believe it’s been 3 1/2 months since I last posted? I’ve had knee surgery, 4 weeks of physical therapy, went to Kansas City for a week where I shop hopped so much I had to buy additional luggage to bring it home, installed my design wall in the Quilt Studio, hosted Bunco twice, my office cabinets were installed, made several Halloween projects and quilted Atomic Starburst.  There is a lot to catch up on.

But first, the Pink and Brown quilt is finished!  It all started with this “ugly” pink and brown vintage fabric a friend gave me back in 2007 or 2008.  I spotted a free pattern called Pathways to the Stars in a Windham Fabrics ad and started collecting vintage pink, brown and neutral fabrics. I finished the top back in June 2009.

After the top was made I found the perfect fabric for the backing, which I pieced, matching the pattern so it’s nearly impossible to see the seam.

I used Strawberry Blond Glide Thread and the Baptist Fan E2E.  The batting is Legacy 80/20.

Prior to washing the quilt measured 67.5 x 95.  After washing it measures 64 x 89 1/4″.

 

 

My Quilting Mind

My quilting mind wanders.  I setup the 2nd two cutting/pressing stations Saturday night. The space is still not finished and the boxes are not correctly labeled – not to mention stuff got shoved into them when packing last year. (Can you believe it.  I signed the mortgage papers on this house just over a year ago)

Anyway, buy Monday night the space looked like this.  How did I get there. Come along on a ride.

My SIL asked me if I wanted to go to Hobby Lobby since this week the fabric is on sale.  Of course.

I need more fabric for this table topper for  Halloween.  I’m hosting Bunco in October and need something to protect my wood tables.

My pink and brown quilt needs a label and I don’t want to use bright white.

It’s been suggested that we wear costumes when we get together for Bunco in October so I need to figure that out.  I briefly thought about Minnie Mouse when I saw a 1″ white dot on red fabric, but if the costume doesn’t get made I’m not sure how to use the fabric.  So I’m going to do Belle in her blue dress and apron.  There are 3 reasons for this option.  1 – if I don’t get the costume made, I can use the fabric in a quilt, 2 – I can use the costume to test fit my pattern for a ‘real’ dress, and 3 – a light blue dress with a white pinafore and blond wig becomes Alice in Wonderland or with blond wig and tiara it’s Cinderella.  I’ll be set for 3 years of costumes.

This still doesn’t explain the mess.  That happened after I got back.  I started looking for my Halloween fabric. This meant every tote was opened.  Oh look!  It’s the music ‘jelly roll’ race.  If I add borders it’s will be of donation size.

Isn’t the music fabric in the tote under the shelves by the chimney?

Oh – and there’s the red & white fabrics. Need to remember that and some of the Halloween fabric.

All this music fabric and nothing is working.  Back to the drawing board, but where is the Halloween fabric.

Found it. The labels are new. I added them as I opened each box.

At HL I stopped my SIL from buying some fall fabric.  Actually what I said was I purchase 1 yard of 3 different fall fabric from The Quilted Cow and she could have some.  I had to stop and cut her some fabric.

Now If I had just stayed home and worked on the project on my sewing table. There are 3 maybe 4 projects there. A purple and yellow quilt in the zipper bag.  My fabric swap blocks, a band for the second tea towel. The lavender fabric is for a pillowcase — if I make it. The whole area needs picked up.

So what am I going to do next?  Who knows. None of the quilts have deadlines and who knows how long it will take to get the dress fitted.  I’m leaning toward working on the dress.

An Out and Out Brag

A number of years ago I walked into a quilt shop and spotted this pink & brown pheasant fabric.  Not my style, I don’t even like it, but I knew it was the perfect backing fabric for my Pink & Brown quilt. The only catch is it was 44/45″ wide and my quilt top is 67″ x 94″.  So I bought an extra yard of fabric to match the seam. I think I nailed it.

 

Now to load the quilt.

Tuesday Morning and Midnight Gardens

First up is Tuesday Morning Garden. I was in my local Tuesday Morning looking for something and discovered they had a decent amount of charm squares, jelly rolls, and layer cakes.  I’m not a huge fan as typically there are only 5 prints in each collection, but I really liked this one.  The tag says ‘Garden’ so Tuesday Morning Garden it is.  I bought a charm pack and a FQ bundle.  When I got home I paired it with the remaining background yardage from Shimmer (was I supposed to make a pillowcase? Oops!) and found 2 yards of the splotchy fabric in my stash for the backing.  It was supposed to be used in a sweatshirt jacket that clearly I’ve not made. I started this quilt on 6/16 and finished it this past Monday (6/20).

Pattern:  Jumping Jacks by Sweet Jane’s Quilting & Designs

Size: 38″ x 49″ before washing

Quilt Design: ‘Butterflies 10’ – I’m not not sure where to get it.

Thread: 40 wt Glide in Peacock.  I thought it was a pink until I set it next to my purples.

I’ve really need to stop watching Facebook Lives.  But I love this fabric line – It’s Botanical Magic.  It’s a quick and easy sofa pillow with an envelope style backing.  I couldn’t find a pillow in the recommended size locally, so I bought a ‘travel pillow’ from Walmart.  I think it’s 14″ x 20″.

My last ‘project’ is this Amish Diamond block.  I wanted to test some instructions. This block will go in the orphan box for a future project.

Also, as a result of my spending the past couple of months, I’ve decided to track my purchases and usage again.  I started on June 1st. My fabric stash is not included in my beginning total.  By the end of the year I’d like to have my usage be greater than what I bought.  Tops already completed don’t count, but any backing that I use will go against my usage #.  I’ll post my first # on July 1st. It’s not going to be pretty.

 

Plenty of Finishes —

Just not mine.

My sister and nephew were in town this past week to quilt.  They set up their machines on the driveway side of the studio. They got a lot done while they were here.

First on the frame was The Ancients. My nephew pieced this quilt top this past spring and added the borders at the quilt retreat.

It was his first time using the longarm.  He did most of the work under the guidance of his mom.

We found this really cool dragon E2E design to use.  I’m not sure when I’ll ever use it again, but it was perfect for this quilt.  He’s already delivered it to his friends in New Orleans.

Alison quilted and bound this quilt this week.  She made the top at the quilt retreat in March. It’s called Starlight Dazzlers.

She also quilted and bound this quilt for her newest granddaughter.

This ugly fabric swap quilt was bound this week.

Last summer Alison loaded a quilt and started quilting it.  About halfway through quilting it she realized she forgot to add the borders.  So, she quilted the borders and as soon as she gets the additional fabric she ordered, she’ll add them to the quilt.

Next up is Diamond Divide.  She made this quilt top last month. I think she did a fantastic job with the ruler work.  It was also bound while she was here.

This was a BOM from a couple of years ago called Pinswheel Pizzazz.  It was quilted before I left Kansas City. She got it bound while she was here.

While they were very industrious, I made this bag. It’s a June Tailor printed batting bag called Sophie. I bought the kit from The Quilted Cow a couple of weeks ago.

With assistance, I put together my pressing station. I’ll do full post on how I did this when I make my next one.  This one is 24″ x 72″. I have plans for a 24″ x 60″ and 25″ x 72″ as soon as I get the shelving ordered.

As they were packing up their quilts, Josh pulls out his graduation quilt as asks if I can fix the holes.  One was from a dog and he thinks the other were from the washing machine.  Clearly this is a loved and used quilt, so of course — but I don’t have any more fabric and if I did it wouldn’t match this 13 year old quilt.

Since most of the holes were around the sail boat block, I went with a sea theme.  Octupuses, a parrot (think pirate), and a sail boat.  Since the dog chewed the quilt we added the paw prints on the top.

The last thing Josh did before they headed home was hang my wind spinner. I didn’t think to get a picture this afternoon, so it’s hard to see.

 

My Latest Finishes

Right up until I messed my knee up, I was finishing projects left and right.  Up first is  Dragonflies Dancing on Glenwood Avenue.  The layout is my own design.  The blocks are call Glenwood Avenue. It was the retreat swap block in 2008. I used Legacy 80/20 batting,  4o wt Glide thread in Magic Mint and the the E2E design Dragonfly Dance. After washing it measures 62″ x 82 1/2″. It will be donated to the Mississiippi State Veteran’s Home. Started 4/20/2008 – Finished 5/21/22.

This is Johnny’s Strip Twist.  Strip Twist is available HERE. I started this quilt 5/13/2016 and finished it 5/25/2022.  It measures 101 x 103.  Legacy 80/20 batting, 40wt Glide in Pistachio. The E2E pattern is Espalier.   This quilt is on my Brandon Quilter’s UFO list.

Shimmer – The 3rd quilt from the FQ Bundle + 10 FQs. For now I’m keeping this one.  Washed, it measures 64 x 79.  I used 40 wt Glide in Magic Mint, Legacy 80/20 batting and the E2E pattern Espallier. I started this quilt 8/24/2020 and finished it 5/22/2022.

Roman Holiday never made it to the UFO status.  I started it at the retreat last month (4/21/22) and finished it on 5/28/22.  The pattern is from Quick as a Wink 3 yard quilts.  Shoot, I have no notes on the quilt, so I’ll have to look it up after a bit.

I’ve made some kitchen accessories.  An applique towel and the Staci Kitchen Scarf.  I’m on the lookout for matching towel as I have enough fabric for a second towel. These were made Saturday.

The Tinzley Table Runner was a quick finish as well. I’m going to use this on my tea cart in the living room.

 

 

Last Week’s Haul

For a number of years I was able to curb my purchases, limiting them only to the essentials — absolutely only what was necessary to complete my project.  However, over the past 30 days I’ve gotten away from that.  This was last week’s haul.  Admittedly the 6 yards of batik was a steal – I think I paid $5 at the guild auction.

I am looking for peach fabrics for a quilt I’ve been asked to make, but that doesn’t explain the brown leaves or the other 2 orange fabrics above it.  In my defense, they were all on sale, a couple 25% off that price since I took the end of the bolt.

But I went to Hobby Lobby to get 1/2 yard of white fabric for quilt labels. That was my downfall.  I love the floral print. I’ve looked at it several times and walked away.  But it didn’t happen this time.  I bought it, picked the darker purple and the lighter green to go with it.  But I struggle with 3 fabric quilts, so another green, the lavender and orange dot were purchased.  I also picked up a few fun neutrals.  Aren’t those “legal”?

My justification is that I’m getting projects done. Never mind that I purchased fabric the week before and the week I went to Kansas City.

A friend asked me if I could rebind the quilt his mother made for him in 1989.  I said sure, and the last time he came through town he left it for me. It’s done is all dusty blues, many lighter than these white hearts on blue.   Interesting, the binding is done as a facing. I opted for a traditional binding and found that Winterwool in this light blue was perfect.  I simply bound over the edges, leaving his mother’s work in place. As a result, a bit the original binding is showing.

The next quilt finished is this 2008 retreat block swap quilt. The blocks are called Glenwood Avenue, although I have no idea where we got the pattern.  Since I used the Dancing Dragonflies E2E design, I’m calling it Dragonflies Dancing Over Glenwood Avenue.  I’ll take more pictures later.

As soon as I hit post, I’ll move Shimmer to the dryer then start the binding on Strip Twist.