Quilting and Stuff by Knitnoid

Category Archives: Alphabet Blocks

Alphabet BOM is Finished!

The Alphabet BOM is finished!  This was a 26 month quilt which I started in January 2013.  If I remember correctly this was one of the last projects on the now defunct Pocket Full of Mysteries Yahoo! Group.  Or maybe it was the last project I did.  Links to all of my blocks and their names can be seen HERE.

The blocks are made from recycled cotton shirts, the background is muslin.  Several summers ago I purchased the blue and red fabrics. This picture feels washed out. I can’t seem to get a decent picture of the color of this quilt.

Before washing the quilt measures 78 x 91.  It was quilted with Glide thread in the top and bobbin the color is Leather.  The computer driven pantograph is Squares All Around.

The backing is a Kansas Troubles Quilting wideback.

 

Stash Enhancement

It was a beautiful day here in Kansas City.  I think it got up to 60 degrees Fahrenheit.  I started the day at the local phone repair store.  What I thought was just a crunched screen protector was actually a crunched screen on my just paid off phone. After I dropped it off I had 2 hours to kill, so I headed to the LQS where I had a gift certificate.  I found these neutral FQs which just had to come home with me.

After picking up my phone, I put the binding on the Alphabet BOM. I folded it and the Wonky Dishes quilt up to take over to another LQS and set them down while I went into another room.  I was out of the room for not more than 2 minutes and Butterscotch had found the quilts.  She actually let me pick them up and walk to the door before I decided she HAD to get down.  My cats are good Quality Control Cats.

At the shop, I picked up one last bolt of fabric from the Bolt sale.  I plan to use this floral as the backing for the Sampler quilt I working on.

Finished (or Not) Friday – 2/26/2021

After a big finish — or push to a big deadline,  I frequently end up taking a break. This week has been no exception.  I’ve wandered into the sewing room briefly, only to wander back out.  I finished the quilting on the Alphabet BOM Monday, and still need to press the binding so I can bind the quilt.  Perhaps Saturday.

I’m linking up with Alycia Quilts for Finished or Not Friday.

 

2021 Personal Quilting Challenge #1 – The Results

On January 13th I challenged myself to get a few things done.  You can read the complete list HERE.

I’m happy to say I accomplished nearly all of the list.  I still need to write the instructions, but I have time to get them in the mail as my sister-in-law is out of town until Monday.  Quilting the Alphabet BOM top was on my double stretch list, but I thought I might just get to done in time for the Guild meeting. It was quilted, but I didn’t get it bound. For that matter it’s still not bound.  Tuesday was the Guild meeting and Wednesday after work I went grocery shopping for the first time since early February. I think for the next few weeks I’ll just putter in my space, but I think there will be another challenge in my future.

 

 

Design Wall Monday – 2/22/21

The picture is not true to the colors, but my Alphabet  BOM top is complete!  I was part of a now defunct Yahoo! group which made these blocks over 2 years. The final layout was up to the quilter. This was one of three I came up with and the one my husband liked best.  I wasn’t keen on it because I wasn’t sure how to do the inner border.  Over the weekend the ladies at the Sew Day seemed to like this one best as well, so I figured it was a sign.  My first effort to get those corner blocks did not work.  I ended up getting the graph paper out and still didn’t get the measurement right, but at least it was too big. Just don’t ask me to explain how I did it.  I’m not sure I could easily repeat it.

This is the next to last thing on my Personal Challenge #1 for 2021. I still need to write the instructions for the BOM.

  • Alphabet BOM – Complete the top, I have a plan. – DONE
  • MQA BOM – Assuming the rest of the tops is released I’d like to get at a minimum the rest of the blocks made. – DONE
  • Red, White & Blue Wonky Broken Dishes – Quilt and Bind.  This is what I want to show at the meeting. – DONE
  • Moda U – finish the binding. – DONE
  • Ruby’s BOM – I’d like to get at least the next 4 blocks made and instructions written. – In Progress
  • Runaround Bag – Everyone needs a new start on occasion. This is mine. – DONE
  • Wedding Quilt – Finish the top. – DONE

While working on this I finished 3 more Easy Breezy Blocks.

  • 350 Challenge February = 55
  • 350 Challenge Cumulative = 111
  • Easy Breezy = 121

I’m linking up with Small Quilts and Doll Quilts for Design Wall Monday.

A Long Productive Day

Saturday was the my guild’s Zoom Sew Day.  I’m happy to report that I was able to finish framing the blocks and building the rows.  Saturday evening I managed to get 4 rows together. This is the next to last thing on my Personal Challenge.  I still have to write the instructions for the BOM.

At 5 o’clock I was racing to finish up the last 10″ of binding before the sun set so I could get a “snow pic” and I had help. I should have pictures of the finished quilt tomorrow.

 

  • 350 Challenge February = 52
  • 350 Challenge Cumulative = 108
  • Easy Breezy = 118

Progress

Friday I made more progress than expected on the wonky dishes binding.  I think I have less than 40″ to stitch.  I know there are many who enjoy this last step, but I’m not sold on it yet.  I will say, I am getting faster at hand binding.

I set aside the binding to circle back to the Sampler blocks.  The big 12″ block goes into the sampler.  I simply made lemonade from the mistake that I made and now have 2 new orphan blocks to add to the box.  Once the block was made, I pulled out the Alphabet BOM blocks to see what my next step was going to be.  I had 4 or 5 which I needed to adjust the seams on to get them to 9 1/2″.  Once I did that I started framing the blocks. I’m a bit over halfway done. During the Zoom Sew Day I hope to finish the framing and get the sashing and cornerstones attached.. I’ll also have to finish kitting up the rest of the Easy Breezy blocks.  I think I only have 2 more ready to go.

  • 350 Challenge February = 49
  • 350 Challenge Cumulative = 105
  • Easy Breezy = 115

 

Finished (or not) Friday – 2/19/21

As the deadline for my 1st Personal Challenge of 2021 looms, progress is being made.  This is the 3rd of the 4 blocks in this set of blocks for my sister in law.  I was on track to have the last block made, but apparently wasn’t paying attention when I was cutting the fabric and got my turquoise and pink swapped.  Since it will make a difference to the design, I need to cut more fabric.

Binding on the wonky dishes quilt is proceeding. During the evening the cats took turns briefly sitting on lap. It wasn’t until the 3rd cat got on me that things slowed down.  Although she wasn’t on the quilt, she was sitting in such a way that it was making it difficult to see what I was doing.  I suppose it’s fair my goal was 40″ and I was at about 48″.

Tonight I plan on pulling out the Alphabet BOM and making my final plan.  Tomorrow is the Guild’s Zoom Sew Day and I hope to make progress on the top.

I’m linking up with Alycia Quilts for Finished (or Not) Friday.

  • 350 Challenge February = 42
  • 350 Challenge Cumulative = 98
  • Easy Breezy = 111

 

A Little Bit of This, A Little Bit of That

I spent the better part of Saturday in my sewing room.  First up were 3 more of the Addicted to Scrap Blocks.   That’s Hot Cross Buns from Nov/Dec ’10, Scrap Basket from Mar/Apr ’11, and 4 Patch X from Sep/Oct ’10. I pulled out my bonus HSTs for the last two blocks.  My entire cutting board was covered in bits and pieces of leftover blocks and parts.  I was not working on ripping out the quilting on the Wonky Dishes quilt. Given I have a deadline, even if it is self-imposed, I shoved everything back in to the box and put away my Addicted to Scrap Blocks.  My current plan is when I receive each issue of Quiltmaker over the next 2 years, I’ll make the current block plus 6 of the ‘backlog’ blocks.

Eventually, I did get the quilting ripped out.  I finished up the feathered squares and found a feathered circle to put in the smaller blocks. In fact, I finished all of the quilting in the neutral squares.  Now I have to go back and quilt the broken dish units.

While the computer was running the machine, I made one of the sampler blocks for my SILs sampler quilt. I started another block but ran into issues with my instructions. Since this was about 10:30 and the quilting was done I decided to call it a night.

I have just 9 days left on my Personal Challenge and I oscillate between I’m not going to get my main list done and I might just make it happen.  Here’s the latest status:

  • Alphabet BOM – Complete the top, I have a plan.
  • MQA BOM – Assuming the rest of the tops is released I’d like to get at a minimum the rest of the blocks made. – Done 2/7
  • Red, White & Blue Wonky Broken Dishes – Quilt and Bind.  This is what I want to show at the meeting. – in progress
  • Moda U – finish the binding. – Done 1/25
  • Ruby’s BOM – I’d like to get at least the next 4 blocks made and instructions written. – in progress
  • Runaround Bag – Everyone needs a new start on occasion. This is mine. – Done 1/16
  • Wedding Quilt – Finish the top. – Done 2/6

I’ll go on the record and say none of the stretch goals are going to happen.

  • 350 Challenge February = 40
  • 350 Challenge Cumulative = 96
  • Easy Breezy = 111

2021 Personal Quilting Challenge #1

This past year I found that if I had a hard date I could challenge myself and make significant progress on my projects. The Guild program for February is Member Show and Tell.  Although the Guild is meeting via ZOOM, we really haven’t had Show and Tell.  I would like to have something to show that I haven’t posted in our FB Group Chat.  The title of this post is Challenge #1, so it’s possible I’ll do more personal challenges this year.

Challenge Dates:  January 1st – February 23rd. (Six weeks)

Challenges:

  • Alphabet BOM – Complete the top, I have a plan.
  • MQA BOM – Assuming the rest of the tops is released I’d like to get at a minimum the rest of the blocks made.
  • Red, White & Blue Wonky Broken Dishes – Quilt and Bind.  This is what I want to show at the meeting.
  • Moda U – finish the binding.
  • Ruby’s BOM – I’d like to get at least the next 4 blocks made and instructions written.
  • Runaround Bag – Everyone needs a new start on occasion. This is mine.
  • Wedding Quilt – Finish the top.

Stretch Challenges:

  • Wedding Quilt – Quilt, bind, label, and make pillowcases.
  • Ruby’s BOM – Finish the top and complete the instructions (12 blocks total)
  • MQA BOM – Finish the top

Double Stretch Challenges:

  • Ruby’s BOM – Quilt, Bind, and Label
  • MQA BOM – Quilt, Bind, and Label
  • Alphabet BOM – Quilt, Bind, and Label

I’ll continue to do daily-ish posts, leaving the challenge post to once a week, or whenever I cross something off the list.

  • 350 Challenge = 16
  • Easy Breezy = 93