Quilting and Stuff by Knitnoid

What I’m Working On this Week

I did not do my What I’m Working on Wednesday post as I had nothing new to show and Wednesday evening was spent installing spice racks.  I bought the Vertical Spice racks I’ve seen on my Facebook feed — but not before actually going to the home office while I was in Minnesota. I probably would have bought them on the spot had I not decided the week before I left for the trip that I wanted to lower the shelf so my original measurements were all wrong.

When I got home, I pulled all the spices out of the cabinet, as well as bringing in the last box from the sunroom.  Turns out I have duplicates of some of the spices. I combined bottles where I could and pulled the duplicates out. They now live in the bottom of the utensil pull out.  The plan was to get what I needed for the bottom shelf first.  I ended up putting the larger slide on the 2nd shelf. I failed to consider the angle of the door in my calculations, so the wide slide out didn’t fit. I haven’t decided if I’m going to get more slides or not.

For my segue to quilting, I offer these napkins.  The plan was to have 6.  However, it’s been a couple of years since I made any and I simply couldn’t remember how they were done, as a result the first one ended up smaller.  After I took this picture and had them put away, I found the 5th large napkins.  For future reference, I washed the fabric first, then cut the back/binding square at 13 1/2″ square — essentially 1/3 the width of the fabric. The contrast was cut at 9 1/2″ square.  Cutting the inside 4″ smaller allows for a 1-inch border.

Last night I finished block 1 of the 2025 Brandon Quilters Mystery Quilt.  I have 2 weeks to get the next set of instructions written.

Finally, I’m still working on A Vintage Christmas Sampler.  I started working on the Tall Trees last night.  I have 2 or 3 small trees to do, then it will be on to the Candy Canes.

July Goals Update

It’s only been a week, but I have a few updates on this month’s goals

  • Bind Wonky Trees  – I want this done so I can take it to the guild meeting on Monday. – BOUND and LABELED
  • Quilt the American quilt on the front of the frame. I’ll do that tonight, as my customer wants to bind it this weekend. – DONE
  • quilt & bind the Auction Quilt Top I bought last year – Its on the frame
  • finish the mystery quilt clues (the next one is due Monday!) – Monday’s clue is posted (and corrected)
  • help Ruby put up her design wall (I’ve got to find my other flannel sheet) – Can’t find the sheet so she’s ordered flannel
  • Keep up with A Vintage Christmas Sampler Quilt A Long.
  • Decide where I’m going to hang the framed backing.
  • Finish the prep work for the Wonky Tree class.
  • Complete the Cascades quilt top.  Bonus if I get it quilted and bound

Additional goals

  • Complete the Sheryl top
  • Make Hummingbird Napkins
  • Cut RWB Napkins
  • Cut Strips for RWB Jelly Roll Rug -DONE I cut 21 half yard cuts..  The large rolls have 2 of each fabric and small roll just has one.

Maybe Its Summer

I’m not sure if its the heat or the storms, but I feel like I’ve not been in the Quilt Studio very much this week. And it’s not because I’m watching the Royals on MLB.tv.  They’ve been in Seattle and the game haven’t started until 8 PM.  Last night I loaded the Americana quilt which was brought to me Sunday afternoon.

I got the binding made for the Wonky Tree quilt.

And I found everything in my stash to make this Villa Rosa pattern “Sheryl”.  I’m going to double the size to use the entire layer cake.  I found this layer cake in a box of stuff I got from my friend Sheryl. My LQS is having a 25% off sale starting on the 4th, so I planned on getting the “sashing” fabric, but found this slightly gray white fabric in my cabinet – and I have enough! Not wanting a ‘white’ binding, found some lavender fabric in the cabinet which blends well with the layer cake.  All I need now is a backing, but that can wait until the top is made.  I’ll probably take this to an upcoming retreat to make.

What I’m Working on Wednesday – 7/2/25

Not a whole lot has changed since yesterday’s post.  Yesterday evening there were thunderstorms, so I couldn’t turn on the long arm.  I did get the backing loaded and the batting cut.  After the storms blew through, I fired up the computer to begin working on the quilting design.

Apparently this is the first time I’ve attempted to do and E2E since I finally upgraded the Mach3 software.  Notice the blank spots at the top and bottom of the quilt layout.  I tried several times, then picked a different design that I know I’ve used.  Same thing occurred. Finally I figured out that the clip connect setting got reset with the upgrade.  I was then able to create the quilting profile, but I decided it was too late to start quilting.  Assuming there are no more storms, I’ll get this quilted tonight.

July 2025 Goals

Here we are 1/2 way through the year and I have crossed off 1/2 of my quilting goals for the year.  Normally I’d list out what I want to get done for the week, but given the nature of my quilting goals, I’m going to list it for the month.

  • Keep up with A Vintage Christmas Sampler Quilt A Long.  Those are the blocks at the top right of the design wall. Although I have the pattern and fabric for the center of the quilt, I’m not quilting ahead.
  • Bind Wonky Trees  – I want this done so I can take it to the guild meeting on Monday.
  • Decide where I’m going to hang the framed backing. I know it goes in my den, but I don’t know if it’s portrait or landscape. Once that’s decided I can add the wire.
  • Add top coat to barn quilt.
  • Quilt the American quilt on the front of the frame. I’ll do that tonight, as my customer wants to bind it this weekend.

  • Finish the prep work for the Wonky Tree class.
  • Complete the Cascades quilt top.  Bonus if I get it quilted and bound

Not pictured

  • quilt & bind the Auction Quilt Top I bought last year
  • finish the mystery quilt clues (the next one is due Monday!)
  • help Ruby put up her design wall (I’ve got to find my other flannel sheet)

In other news, a couple of shop sampled came home.  They are laying on the take-up rail of the longarm.  Double 4-Patch Table Runner & the Dragon quilt Emerald Reigns.  I need to get a label on the dragon quilt and get it shipped off to the recipient.

July is looking to be busy from a quilting perspective.

 

Stash Report for June 2025

 

I started to compile the stash report this past Friday and realized it had been nearly a month, so I decided I’d just wait to do the report since I was expecting fabric to arrive Saturday.  Well, fabric arrived, but it was not what I ordered, so an email was sent and I’ll call them later today. I also realized that since they fabric was paid for, I had already accounted for it in my #s.

The above piece I picked up in Iowa on my way home earlier this month. It was on the clearance rack.  I have 4 of these squares.  I thought they would be great practice pieces for free-motion/ruler work.

The purchase #s are up – but then again I did go to 2 quilt shows and did a little shop hopping on my trip.

The Stash Report.

Fabric Added Since Last Report: 49.873 yards
Fabric Added to Date:  158.933 yards

Fabric Used Since Last Report: 10.917 yards
Fabric Used to Date: 97.885 yards

Net Fabric Stash: 61.048 yards

Wonky Trees is Quilted

It’s a small quilt, but it still took me 2 sessions to get it quilted.  I started with a little ruler work to make the ‘garlands’ on the trees, but I couldn’t remember how to mask the trees. Since it was late I decided to regroup in the morning.

I read the book, and watched 2 different videos on YouTube.  I eventually figured it out — for the 1st 3 trees.  When I advanced the quilt, I had to rewatch the video again. The last 3 trees I didn’t have to watch the video, but I did struggle with doing the steps in the right order, but I got it done.  I think if I had to do it over again, I would outline the trees completely, but naturally I didn’t think of that until I was halfway though the quilt. Maybe next time. Now to get it bound.

Wonky Christmas Trees

A few months ago I was asked to teach Wonky Christmas Trees at Ritzy Quilting for Christmas in July. As I did not make the sample quilt, I thought it best that I make a few blocks before I taught the class.  I pulled fabrics from my stash to make this small top.  It goes together really quickly.  I hope to get it quilted today.

This past week I also got caught up with the A Vintage Christmas Sampler QAL by Kansas Troubles Quilters.  I was slow to get started as I didn’t get the fabric kit until this past Monday. The HST on the far right are NOT part of the quilt – they were made with the cut off corners from the Square in a Square blocks and the Flying Geese.  I don’t often participate in a BOM or QAL where the fabrics are kitted as I don’t want a quilt that looks like hundreds if not thousands of other quilts.  This week Lynne “gave us permission” to use other fabrics outside of the kit for our blocks, suggesting we pull from our KTQ stashes.  This is something I planned to do if I had too many ‘oops’ and needed more fabric, but decided not to wait.  I have a whole bin of KTQ fabrics waiting to be used.  It’s hard to tell, but I used 3 different fabrics in the pinwheel blocks.

Another Art Project

Earlier this year at a guild meeting we did a hands on project with narrow strips of fabric.  I was careful in cutting out the dragonfly which allowed me to create a second project.  The first project can be seen HERE.

Last week I finally got a frame to put it in.  Now to decide where to display it.

 

 

What I’m Working on Wednesday – 6/25/25

This summer I’m participating in the Kansas Troubles Quilters Quilt Along for A Vintage Christmas Sampler.  Every two weeks Lynne Hagmeier is posting a videos on how to make the blocks. The first videos came out the day I left on the road trip and the fabric arrived while I was gone.  As I had it held, I had to pick up the package Monday morning and I finally watched the videos last night.

My first two blocks are done and I have the fabric cut out for the next 4.  I didn’t get those done because I was playing with one of my new toys…

I’m still tweaking the exact alignment of the light, so I’ve ripped out the stitching of the block a couple of times.  Perhaps tonight I’ll have better luck with it.