Category Archives: Quilts

Keeping the Momentum Going

September 28, 2023 12:33 am ⋅ Pam

Since I’ve gotten back from the retreat, I’ve kept the momentum going. There are 4 more quilts on my 2023 Brandon Quilters UFO list and 2 of them are one step closer. My goal is to show them Monday night at the meeting. First up is Auction Strings IV. For this one I used Strawberry Blond thread and Overlapping Crop Circles. The backing is a wide back I picked up in April. The binding is cut (turquois with a cheddar flange) and needs to be made.

LSU Athena is next on the list. For this quilt i used Buttercup thread and a sports motif quilting design. Originally I planned to use the LSU fabric as the outer border, but I like the tiger stripe better, so the LSU fabric ended up on the back. I have enough fabric to make a pillowcase to go with this quilt. The binding will be in the tiger stripe with a purple flange, just to make it easer to stitch down.

The most recent top is the Orange Lily Garden Lattice.

It is ready to load on the longarm as soon as I get the backing pieced. Since I have so much of the lily fabric, the backing will be the same as the main fabric. After cutting the backing, I counted folds. I think I still have 7 1/2 – 8 yards of fabric left. I have another quick quilt in mind, but before I can start it, I need to get the bindings on all of these quilts.

And because I sat down to write this post on the 27th, a picture of my babies. Butterscotch (R) and Gracie (L). Today was their ‘gotcha day’ anniversary. I can’t believe it’s been 9 years.

Posted in: 2023 Brandon Quilters UFO, Athena, Auction Strings, Butterscotch, Garden Lattice, Gracie

Weekend Quilt Retreat

September 25, 2023 9:01 am ⋅ Pam

This past weekend was Brandon Quilters annual retreat at Lake Tiak O’Khata. A great time was had by all.

After I had committed to attend the retreat, I found out that I needed to work this weekend. Fortunately it was for just an hour each Friday night and Sunday morning and I work remotely, so it didn’t diminish the fun too much.

The first project I finished was Auction Strings IV. This is the last of the string blocks I purchased at auction back in 2018. I just needed to add the setting corner squares and the borders.

I pulled Athena out next. This is from GE Designs Stripology 2. Shortly after I moved to Mississippi I started this quilt, but it got put away after the work on the house started in earnest. I had 16 of the 48 blocks made, but all the fabric cut. It is made by piecing strips around a center square then making 3 diagonal cuts through the block. The pieces are then mixed up and sewn back together again. Then the trimming begins. One that’s done, the top comes together quickly. I put it away at this point, as I forgot I had not bought, let alone brought with me the inner border fabric. I did make a run to a LQS and purchased fabric for the border, so I hope to get it finished this week.

I always bring way too much with me to work on, so I had to choose what to work on next. My rainbow charm swap or something new. I picked something new. All of this fabric came from the estate of former guild member. It went together so fast. I plan to get the border done on this quilt this week as well.

Posted in: Athena, Auction Strings, Garden Lattice

Stash Enhancing

September 11, 2023 9:38 am ⋅ Pam

Saturday morning I had the opportunity to add to my stash from the estate of a local quilter. There was so much to chose from and as I understand it by the time I got there there was a ton of stuff which had already been hauled out. There was still plenty left, but I didn’t know where I would put it and I just didn’t know what I’d make.

From the haul, I’ve pulled these fabrics. That flower is 8″ wide, so it makes it challenging. But I think I’ve found the pattern.

Garden Lattice. I’m planning on using the green fabric in place of the yellow, the peachy orange in place of the blue and the stripe in the cornerstones and for binding. I’ll probably use the floral for the backing as well, as I have at least 10 yards of the fabric.

When I got home I finally finished the binding on Halloween Whimsy.

This is a Riley Blake kit that I purchased from The Quilted Cow last fall. It took no time at all to make. It’s quilted in a spiderweb pattern using Strawberry Blond Glide thread.

Posted in: Garden Lattice, Halloween Whimsy, Stash

A Few Finishes

August 22, 2023 1:57 pm ⋅ Pam

I’ve finally gotten to some of the binding. It’s not all done, but I’ve finished a few. First up is Cairdeas. This wall hanging was done in commemoration of my trip to Ireland in June with Bonnie Hunter. She designed this quilt, and the pattern is available in her on-line store. I started the embroidery in Ireland June 14th and finished the binding August 4th. It measures 24 1/2 x 25 1/4 after washing.

Up next is the Christmas Star Swap quilt. In April 2019, I attended a quilt retreat and some of us swapped blocks. This quilt was on my 2023 Brandon Quilters UFO list. This quilt finishes at 74″ x 93 before washing. The quilting is a combination of ruler work — 1 1/4″ and 3/4″ circles using the Handi Quilter Swiss Cheese ruler, free-motion continuous curves in the chain, and computerized motifes-Feathered Square 3 which I divided in half for the white areas and used who in the pieced blocks, and Christmas 2010 Border and Boder Corner by Sweet Dreams Quilt Studio. It took about 6 bobbins of Glide 40wt in Pistachio.

Kimberly is my most recent finish. I started this quilt at the MQA Summer Gathering and finished it August 21st. The quilting motif is Liberty. I used 3 bobbins in Glide 40wt in Mercury. It measures 65 x 82 1/2.

Posted in: 2023 Brandon Quilters UFO, Cairdeas, Christmas Star Swap, Kimberly

What’s on My Design Wall

May 7, 2023 11:43 pm ⋅ Pam

This is a photo I took Saturday afternoon. Friday night I was cutting fabric for a couple of new quilts and cut something wrong, so I decided I needed to focus.

Clockwise, starting on the long arm

Christmas Star Swap on the long arm
Squedge 18 degree tablerunner on the design wall
Community Quilt for Brandon Quilters (brown bag on floor by design wall)
Auction Quilt from Brandon Quilters (butterfly bag on floor by design wall)
Postage Stamp Leader/Ender because I need to cut more HST for Rivanna (brown bin)
Pink, Green, & Purple Quilted Sweatshirt
An old sheet to make some body pillow cases
Fairy Frost Sunset pillowcase and remaining fabric to process
Christmas Star Swap pillowcases & binding fabric
HSTs for Rivanna
Kimberly from Stripology 3
Tara from Stripology 3
Crystal from Stripology 3

So this is the progress I made over the weekend. I’ve left the numbers the same, but obviously stuff has been moved around.

Christmas Star Swap is off the frame and trimmed. Not only that, I have the binding cut (it’s on the far side of the sewing machine) and most the trimmings have been processed.
Squedge 18 table runner is now a top. There is a pile of fabric on the corner of the ironing board that is for the backing and binding. I counted wrong and have some extra wedge pieces, so I may end up making either a square table topper or a pillow.
The Community Quilt is still waiting to be quilted.
The Auction Quilt will be up next on the longarm.
Postage Stamp Leader/Ender. It’s put away. I only sew use the 1-1/2″ squares as my L/E when I don’t have another L/E project going on.
Pink, Green, and Purple Quilted Sweatshirt is still waiting to be finished — I don’t need it until September, so I have some time.
An old sheet to make some body pillow cases – I’ll work on it after I get the Christmas quilt bound while the longarm is running.
Fairy Frost Sunset pillowcase is pinned to the design wall. The extra fabric is processed and put away.
Christmas Star Swap pillowcase and extra binding if I need it. I won’t make it until after the quilt is bound in case I need more fabric for the binding.
HST for Rivanna. I trimmed the 60+ HST which were sewn, then cut another 240, which should keep me going for a while.
Kimberly from Stripology 3 – 4 of the 14 fabrics are cut
Tara from Stripology 3 – 4 of the 14 fabrics are cut
Crystal from Stripology 3 – I’ll the fabric for this quilt after I get the rest of the fabric cut.

As I was recording my most recent purchases I realized I missed the April Stash Report.

Posted in: Christmas Star Swap, Crystal, Fairy Frost Sunset, GE Designs, Kimberly, Leaders & Enders, Moms Sweatshirt, Pillowcases, Rivanna, Rulers, Squedge 18, Stash Busting Report, table runner, Tara

Fairy Frost Sunset

May 7, 2023 11:40 am ⋅ Pam

I have a new finish. This is Fairy Frost Sunset. Fairy Frost because all the colored fabric is Michael Millers Fairy Frost and Sunset as that’s the name of the pattern. I bought this fabric years ago – January 2009 to be specific, but then didn’t work on the quilt until September 2010. Well, I finally got it quilted and bound. It’s on my Brandon Quilters 2023 UFO list.

The quilt is roughly 56 x 79. I used Glide 40wt in Mercury. I used Kraker Quilting & Design’s Swirls & Feather Border Corner and Border on the outer border. I simply stitched 1/4″ from the seams on the inner border. For the center I enlarged the Swirls & Feather #3 Block to fit the blocks.

I bought the fabric for the top at Heritage Fine Fabrics in Belton, MO back in January 2009. The quilt top was made in September 2010. I found the backing at Hobby Lobby. I loaded it on the long arm last month, finishing the binding on 4/29/23.

There was extra border and backing fabric, so I made a matching pillowcase.

Posted in: 2023 Brandon Quilters UFO, Fairy Frost Sunset, pillowcase

Progress

April 29, 2023 10:45 pm ⋅ Pam

I finally got my Fairy Frost Sunset quilted. It’s been hanging around since September 2010. It’s been bound, but needs to be washed. Hopefully next week I’ll get that post written.

The Christmas Star Swap from April 2019 is now a top. I’ve pieced the backing from some vintage Christmas stash and cleaned out a project box. I hope to get this loaded on the frame in the morning.

Both of these quilts are on my Brandon Quilters UFO list.

Posted in: 2023 Brandon Quilters UFO, Christmas Star Swap, Fairy Frost Sunset

A Whirlwind Trip

April 16, 2023 10:09 pm ⋅ Pam

Last Thursday morning my SIL and I headed off to the Kansas City metro area. The occasion? The start of Hunter Quilt Marts Customer Appreciation sale where everything in the store is 25% off. (I’m not sure is that is true for sewing machines and longarms). I was in need of quilt batting. I’m down to about 9 yards on my king roll and maybe 9 yards on my queen roll.

After 12 hours switching off the driving every few hours we arrived at my brother’s just outside of Ottawa (KS). We visited that evening and Friday morning. We then headed toward the city where I visited with a friend from my previous guild for a few minutes — she was holding some quilt books for me (will do a post on those books) and we did another small task that I cannot do here in Mississippi. Then we kept driving north to St Joseph (MO) where we visited with my sister who had quilts I had purchased from a guild members estate via proxy. We spent the night, heading to bed early so we could get to Hunters Quilt Mart in Centerview (MO).

The goal was to get there by 10:15 or so because we wanted to leave by Noon so we could get to another shop before they closed. We got there at 10:45. Oops.

We both had lists. Ruby started with her notions and notions she remembered from my list. I headed to the thread.

All of these are Glide 40wt thread which stitches beautifully with no tension issues. Cool Gray 7, Mercury, Biscotti, Magic Mint, Grape, Salmon, Strawberry Blonde, and Yellow Whisper. All of these are replacement cones except for Salmon and Yellow Whisper.

As for the notions, I picked up needles for the longarm, an 8″ rotating mat, a Hot Ruler, a tube of bobbins, 2 backlash springs for my bobbin case, a new ruler and small snips. The small snips were not on my list. They did not have the Brother bobbins for my sewing machine in stock, but now I know exactly what I’m looking for.

That just left backings – not that any of these quilts are finished (or started in some cases). At the top left is the backing for my Quartered Squared quilt which I haven’t started. In the middle is the backing for Cascade which clearly hasn’t been started. At the top right is the backing for my Rivanna which is my current leader/ender project. I have just over half of the HST made for it. That’s the left over FQs sitting on top of it. At the bottom is the backing for Star Studded, a BOM I started in 2019. It turns out I only have to made the center star and assemble it.

Although the batiks were calling to me, I remained strong and stopped shopping. We checked out, stopped by the batting and told them what we bought and headed to the car to unload it so we could load the batting. A Honda CRV has more cargo room than my Nissan Cube. The same amount of batting was brought home, but I had plenty of leg room this year and there were 2 us in the car!

Where we went next later this week.

Posted in: books, Cascade, Longarm, notions, Rivanna, shopping, Star Studded

Design Wall Monday

April 10, 2023 10:47 am ⋅ Pam

On this Design Wall Monday I first have a finish. Last week I made the Midi Bag. This past weekend I made the larger Mondo Bag. I think this will make a great reusable shopping bag.

Here are the two of them together for size comparison.

After the bag was finished, I pulled out my Christmas Star Swap blocks from April 2019. I made the 6 alternate squares, now I need to do the setting triangles.

Posted in: Christmas Star Swap, designwall, Mondo

Twisting Star Magnolia

April 1, 2023 7:40 pm ⋅ Pam

I’ve finished the Twisting Star Magnolia. Years ago, I made another one of these for my mother. The fabric was found on the road trip to Iowa – 3 days and 3 nights, 13 shops. We left Friday after everyone got off from work and spent the night at a hotel on the interstate closest to our first shop. Shopped all day Saturday. Managed to hit a few shops which were open on Sunday. Stayed another night and hit a few more stores before heading back to Kansas City. Anyway, I think it was the shop in Ames, Iowa which had this on display and I had to make it for my mother as she was decorating her new home with magnolias. This was my mom’s. I now have it.

A few years later my friends and I shop hopped our way to St. Louis so I could meet my first great-nephew and I spotted the magnolia fabric in one of the stores. I bought enough to make 4 more toppers, 1 for each of my husband’s sisters, my aunt, and myself. I did not have the dragonfly fabric, and got 3 of the 4 made.

Somewhere along the way I found more the dragonfly fabric in the original wall hanging, but after my mom passed, it came back to me, to the fabric for my quilt has been sitting in my stash as a PIG. I started to send the whole mess to my sister, but decided I’d just make another one to give her. Now that it is done, I’ve put the rest of the fabric back in the stash. It’s off my PIGs list and on my DONE list. Now I just have to remember to take it with me when I travel to Kansas City in a few weeks.

Oh, it’s the first of the month, so I need to do my stash report.