Quilting and Stuff by Knitnoid

Category Archives: Quilts

Time to Decide on the Borders

January 7, 2015 6:04 pm ⋅

christmasBOMcenter

 

I took some liberties with the snowmen and declared the block finished.  Now the center of the quilt is done and it’s time to figure out what to do about the border.

Right now the top measures roughly 48″ x 64″, which I suppose is a good size for a throw, but I have another Christmas quilt top that is 51″ x 59″, so I think I want it larger.  The pattern was shown in three sizes:

  • Small –  58″ x 74″ with a 1-1/2″ white spacer border followed by a 3-1/2″ border from what appears to be a woven plaid and heart
  • Full – 70″ x 86″ which then adds a 6″ white border with appliqued holly leaves, stars and hearts
  • Queen – 86″ x 102″ same as above with a final 8″ border in a green gingham

The small size is roughly where I’d like to finish up — maybe a bit bigger at 60 x 76 — so perhaps the 1-1/2″ spacer and then a 4-1/2″ print — but which one?

christmasBOMborders

 

Maybe I need to see what I can find in my stash for the spacer and go from there.

 

 

 

 

Posted in: Christmas BOM

The Christmas BOM

January 7, 2015 12:33 am ⋅

christmasBOM-1block

 

Earlier this week Shelly over at Prairie Moon Quilts issued a Procrastination Challenge. Pick something you’ve been putting off and move forward with it.  Well, this quilt fits the bill.  Currently it is my oldest UFO.  It’s been on my list to work on for at least two years. A couple of years ago I made significant progress on it and then there were two blocks left to do — Santa in his sleigh and the snowmen family.  As you can see the sleigh is completed.  The snowmen family still needs a bit of hand work done on it.

Although this quilt is on my list to work on this year, it wasn’t what I was planning on doing first. I’ll give it until this weekend, then get onto those things I need to get done this month.  But even if I don’t get the top finished this week, it has been “moved forward”.  Thanks, Shelly.

Posted in: Christmas BOM, goals

What’s On My Design Wall

January 5, 2015 1:20 am ⋅

JewelsintheNight

 

This is what’s off my design wall today.  This version is “Jewels in the Night”. I’m going to call the pattern Diamond Rails.  The first version can be seen HERE.

The quilt measures 62″ X 77″ after washing. The top fabrics are all batiks from Connecting Threads.

The backing is a wide batik I purchased last weekend.

batik-backing

 

The batting is Hobbs Heirloom 80/20 in black and I used Fil-Tec T-40 Cotton Poly Corespun Black thread on the top and Superior SuperBob in black on the bottom — just over 1 M-Style bobbin.

The quilting pattern is the pantograph “Popcorn”.

While I was at it I made a pillowcase.

batik-case

 

Check out what other’s have worked on this first week of 2015 over at Patchwork Times.

Posted in: designwall, Jewels in the Night

Life Happens

November 19, 2014 5:30 pm ⋅

graciebinding

 

I feel like I’ve fallen off the face of the earth. I haven’t, it’s just that “Life Happens”. I tend to keep everything (especially my quilting) going through crises real or imagined and then collapse when it’s all over. The past couple of months have been a whirlwind and it has caught up with me.  Two new cats, two trips, in between DH in the hospital for 3 days (thank goodness(?!) it was during my vacation) with a cat bite and mi$cellaneou$ car/home/yard maintenance that had to be done NOW.

So, I’m slowly getting my act together. The living room got a once over after watching a video of the cats jumping at a feather toy. I’m sitting down and working on the DWR – I’ve got about 5-1/2 rings left to bind, then I’ll add a label, photograph the quilt, wash it and photograph it again. (I’m terrified of the reds bleeding, but I really need to clean it before we sleep under it on a regular basis). Gracie was helping out a couple of nights ago. Last night Butterscotch was keeping an eye on me.

quiltingcats-butter

Earlier this week I’ve finished a few more of the batik blocks – I had pinned the strips to the center before the last trip so this required no brain.  There are 14 more blocks to finish.

batik1118

We aren’t going to talk about the Stars or the Alphabet BOM until after Thanksgiving.

In the meantime, I really need to do a bit of housekeeping.  It’s so far behind it’s beginning to bother me.

 

 

 

Posted in: Butterscotch, cleaning, dwr, Gracie, Star-A-Day

What’s On My Design Wall

November 3, 2014 6:30 am ⋅

dw1103

 

This weekend I was on call for work, so while I was waiting I finished up a few more blocks for the Batik quilt. I have 21 more blocks to finish then it will be time to start arranging them.  Right now I’m just tossing them up on the wall as I finish them.

I’m also up-to-date on my Star-A-Day blocks. I need to get busy and trace the templates. I only have stars traced to get me through Thursday and 3 of them are not cut out.  The section I’m working on now will have 32 stars in it.

Finally, I’ve rounded the 3rd corner on my DWR. The chart is updated on my sidebar.

Check out what others are working on by visiting Patchwork Times.

Posted in: designwall, dwr, Star-A-Day

The Forgotten Quilt – Gift Wrapped

November 2, 2014 1:02 pm ⋅

giftwrapped

 

Some of you may remember. The week before I left for my June quilt retreat I received an e-mail asking when the picture of “Gift Wrapped” would be available.  My first thought was “Huh?”  Then I dug through my e-mails and realized that in January I had committed to making this quilt but I couldn’t start working on it until “spring”.

A mad dash to Hobby Lobby for fabrics, a weekend of intensive piecing, another week to get it quilted and I finished Gift Wrapped.

Details:

  • King Tut Morning Sky thread on top
  • Bottom Line pre-wound bobbins in Gold
  • Measures 63″ x 84″ after washing
  • In the background I used Double Plume by Keryn Emmerson
  • The “bows” have continuous curves
  • The “ribbon” has “figure 8s”
  • Batting is Hobbs Tuscany Collection 100% Bleached Cotton

giftwrappedquiltingdetail2

 

The pattern is in this month’s issue of The Quilt Pattern Magazine. Also in the magazine this is the 2nd part of Cardinal Points, a mystery quilt in 6 parts.

 

 

Posted in: Gift Wrapped

61 Stars

October 29, 2014 6:30 am ⋅

star-a-day-Oct

Two months down and 10 to go. I finished the 61st star as the Royals scored 7 runs in the 2nd inning, then I went on to make star # 62, the first one for November and the last of the prepped stars.

star-a-day_novfab

I’ve been digging in my 1-1/2″ strip box for fabrics for my star points and have found these. They still need to be matched up with a background fabric.

star-a-day-butterscotch

Butterscotch is holding down the rest of the 1-1/2″ strips that I pulled from the box and that need a mate.

Tonight during Game 7, I think I’ll stitch on the DWR. I need want to get the next three rings stitched down by the end of the month. That will leave me with 11 rings and a label to get done by mid-November so I can then get it washed and on the bed by our 29th anniversary on the 29th. Totally do-able. Of course at one time I thought I’d have the quilt finished for our 5th 10th 15th 20th 25th anniversary as well, so who knows.

Posted in: Star-A-Day

What’s On My Design Wall

October 27, 2014 8:27 am ⋅

DW1027

 

More stars!

For those of you keeping count, my start date on the stars is September 1st.  That means as of last night I should have 57 stars completed at one Star-A-Day.  As you can see, there are a few extra up on the wall.  The extra stars are because 1 – I prepped a month’s worth of stars in advance and 2 – there was a lot of sitting and waiting going on last week.  One more star (and I just need 3 background pieces attached) and I’ll have all of October’s stars done.

There are a few more rings stitched on the binding, but I’m not sure how many. Maybe later today I’ll have some time to figure that out.

See what others have on their design walls by following the links over at Patchwork Times.

 

Posted in: Star-A-Day, Stash Busting Report

What’s On My Design Wall

October 20, 2014 9:01 am ⋅

dw1020

 

At first glance it doesn’t look like anything on my design wall has changed.  But there are more stars on the wall.  I’ve been keeping up with them.  Now that the scraps and magazines are gone through, it’s on to cleaning up the sewing room. I’ve taken 2 steps already.

Yesterday afternoon I  helped a friend baste her king size quilt. We decided the backing really needed pressing, so I had to clear the ironing board off. Some of the stuff ended up on the cutting table, the scraps I had been digging through ended up in a scrap bin, but the large stuff got put away appropriately. The 2nd thing I did was put away the piles of fabric I had pulled out for the Grand Illusion Mystery. I haven’t given up on doing the mystery, I simply need to clear the decks to get a few other things done first.

Linking up to Patchwork Times.  Be sure to go over and see what others are working on.

Posted in: designwall, Star-A-Day

What’s On My Design Wall

October 13, 2014 6:30 am ⋅

DW-1013

 

This week I’ve rearranged the batik blocks to get the stars up on the wall. I have two more stars made which are not pictured, so I’m still on track.

Surprisingly, the Star-A-Day quilt has been taking a big chunk of my time. But hopefully I’m good to go as I’ve prepped the stars for the rest of the month.

The last week of September,  I pulled fabric for the October stars.

Staroctfab

 

I stacked it all in my star box and couldn’t lift the box with one hand. So, I decided to further refine each kit. Last night I finished kiting up the October stars.

The pieces are traced and cut out, including the setting square.  I’ll explain those tiny squares in a minute.

prepstar-cut

 

They are then stacked up on the setting square.

prepstar-stack

 

I fold the setting square over to contain the pieces.

prepstar-fold

 

And stuff it into a business envelope which I’ve created 3 pockets by stitching through.

prepstar-stuff

 

I did this for all of the sets which I’ve not stitched and filled 7 envelopes  for 21 prepped stars.

prepstar-21

 

I’ve put two envelopes, a few pins, a couple of needles, thread, scissors, a pen and a glue stick into a pencil bag. It takes up much less space on my side table than the star box. The rest of the envelopes are in the star box in the sewing room.

prepstar-kit

So, why do I need those 3 tiny squares, a glue stick and pen? I’m keeping a journal of my quilt progress.

prepstar-journal

 

Now that the stars are under control (at least until the end of the month) maybe I can work on a second project — but will it be the batik quilt or one of the Craigslist projects? I’ll tell about those tomorrow.

See what others are working on by following the links over at Patchwork Times.

 

 

 

 

 

Posted in: designwall, Star-A-Day