Category Archives: Challenges

Diamond Links

September 23, 2015 12:35 am ⋅ Pam

Diamond Links is a Dorothy Young pattern that I started in 2007, but didn’t get the borders on until 2012. It was also in 2012 that rented time on a long arm to quilt it, but never finished. I only lacked 2-1/2 to 3 rows, plus the borders — which I was planning to quilt on my DSM. So, here we are 3 years later and I’m gettin’ it done.

I didn’t have a really good plan on how I was going to quilt this quilt, so there are ‘chains’, ‘continuous’ stitching and a bit of stitch in the ditch for traveling. The yellow pins are marking the rows where I’ve finished the chains and continuous stitching. I still have to figure out the traveling stitches, possibly something for the white square between the red chains and of course the borders.

My goal is to have this finished by the end of the week, but it may be more realistic to set the goal for the the end of the month.

Posted in: Challenges, diamond links

Calling It Done – Nifty Thrifty

September 22, 2015 12:33 am ⋅ Pam

I’ll get a better picture after I get it washed, but for now I’m calling it done.

Next up — either the other shirt backing or Diamond Links.

Posted in: Challenges

Ran Out of Steam

September 19, 2015 11:47 pm ⋅ Pam

After 6 bobbins, I ran out of steam. I’ve wound another 3 and think I’ll have enough to finish up the quilting, but given it’s nearly midnight I’m calling it a night. But I did find a solid green shirt which will yield enough 2-1/2″ strips to make the binding.

Posted in: Challenges

Thursday Night Quilting

September 17, 2015 11:51 pm ⋅ Pam

I’ve bounced between Out of the Blue (hanging off shelving) and Nifty Thrifty the past two days. Wednesday I started sandwiching Nifty Thrifty and got the backing spray basted. I even rolled the top onto the 1 x 6, but walked away at that point to work on the binding of Out of the Blue. Tonight I spray basted the top of Nifty Thrifty, then finished the binding on Out of the Blue.

Once I finished the binding, I cleaned the machine, changed the needle and wound 6 bobbins so I could begin the quilting on Nifty Thrifty. I’m doing simple cross-hatching so I don’t think it will take long. I hope to have the quilting done so I can take it with me when I go hear Bonnie Hunter on Sunday, although it won’t be bound. I have no idea what I’m going to use to bind it — maybe the red that I used in the Red Disappearing 9-Patch?

Posted in: Challenges, Nifty Thrifty, Out of the Blue

Frankenbatt & Challenge Creep

September 16, 2015 12:19 am ⋅ Pam

I have managed to piece together an 80″ x 88″ batt from my batting scraps. Since this is Hobbs Tuscany 100% cotton (bleached & unbleached) batting I’ve ‘saved’ $18.

As for the Challenge Creep, Out of the Blue is quilted and the binding is attached. I still need to stitch it down, clip miles of thread off the back, label and wash it. But this is not the only ‘creep’ on my challenge. There are at least 6 maybe 7 pillowcases not associated with the quilts to be made and the SBS Brown & Blue Swap quilt got added to the list. I really hope that’s it. My notes indicate that both the binding and the backing are made, but not counted in my stash report. I’ll have to dig it out in the next few days. I need it sooner than the rest of the quilts, but after this one will be shipped off.

Posted in: Challenges, Out of the Blue

6 of 19

September 12, 2015 11:37 pm ⋅ Pam

That’s task #6 of the 19 needed to get the 12 quilts completed by the end of the year for the Crazy Challenge II. This is the backing for Nifty Thrifty. Given that some of the tasks are going to take longer than a week (finishing the Green & Cream Swap and the Compass Lone Star come to mind) and there are tentative plans to travel in November, I need a couple of quick finishes.

Posted in: Challenges

It’s a Quilt Back!

September 12, 2015 12:19 am ⋅ Pam

Yes, this is the backing. I think I like it better than the quilt front. With the exception of the last seam, which I may or may not deal with, the last 28 inch of length (the right edge hanging this way) went together smoothly. If I’ve measured right, I’ll lose about 3″ on either side (where the piano keys are) and at least 3″ on the bottom.

My rules for making the quilt. No yardage could be used except for the pink/purple butterfly fabric. All ‘filler’ pieces had to come from my pre-cut strip boxes. I still have tons from the pink and white HST units left over and a few decent sized blocks which didn’t make it into the backing.

There are leftover blocks from one of my earliest quilts — a Pink Yellow Brick Road. A couple of extra blocks from the quilts I may my twin niece and nephew. The top right and lower left blocks were from a guild BOM that I wimped out on. I’m not sure why I made the lavender crossed canoe block – I’m sure I was testing something.

In the end, I used just shy of a yard of the butterfly fabric and not quite 3/4 of a yard of strips from my pre-cut boxes.

And if you are wondering, this is the quilt top this backing goes with.

After binding the quilt in the pink fabric from the front, I may have enough left over for the cuff of a pillowcase. I’ll use the butterfly fabric for the body of the case. Now to find time to quilt it!

Posted in: Challenges

UFO Busting Report

September 4, 2015 11:49 am ⋅ Pam

It’s time to report on my UFO Busting progress. No finishes in August — but progress was made. I completed one quilt top and two pieced backings. I’ve started quilting one of the Disappearing 9-patches and have identified a dozen quilts that I want/need to finish by the end of the year.