Quilting and Stuff by Knitnoid

Category Archives: A Vintage Christmas Sampler

Weekend Quilting

I took my Vintage Christmas Sampler down — not because it’s finished, but because I needed the space for Cascades. I finished the blocks and have started the assembly.

Meanwhile on the longarm, I’ve pulled the Auction Top off the frame.  I was trying to do some free-motion quilting and ran into a spot that just drags really bad.  I’ve known about this spot for a while, but since the robotics has no issues with it, I’ve not done anything about it.

It seems like there is a bulge in my frame. It also looks like I may have some thread in the wheels.  Still have no idea what it’s not an issue for the robotics.  Anyway, I’m getting a customer quilt tonight, so I don’t want to mess up the machine. Once it’s quilted I’ll look closer a the thread situation and re-load the quilt.  I thought the MQA challenge ran through June, but found out this morning it goes through the end of July, so there’s still time for me to get it done.

Update on July’s Goals

  • Keep up with A Vintage Christmas Sampler Quilt A Long.  – I’m happy to report I have all of the blocks done that have been presented thus far. — and a few bonus HST.

  • Make Hummingbird Napkins – Done

  • Cut RWB Napkins – 12 napkins cut at 14″ and 4 at 13 1/2″.  Since I don’t need them immediately, I’ll put them in my retreat bag.

  • Cut Strips for RWB Jelly Roll Rug – The strips were cut last week, but I cut the 45-degree angle to sew them together. This will go in the retreat bag as well.
  • Decide where I’m going to hang the framed backing.  – Decision made. I’m putting it in the kitchen over the buffet where the lights can shine on it.  Now to get it put up.
  • Finish the prep work for the Wonky Tree class. – No longer needed – the class was cancelled.

This still leaves the following:

  • Add top coat to barn quilt.
  • quilt & bind the Auction Quilt Top I bought last year – Its on the frame – we’ve had thunderstorms in the evening so I can’t turn on my longarm.
  • finish the mystery quilt clues (the next one is due Monday!) – Monday’s clue is posted (and corrected) Still need to do 2 more clues and the finishing instructions.
  • help Ruby put up her design wall – Can’t find the sheet so she’s ordered flannel
  • Complete the Cascades quilt top.  Bonus if I get it quilted and bound
  • Complete the Sheryl top

Previously completed

  • 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
  • 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

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 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.

 

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.

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.