Quilting and Stuff by Knitnoid

Star Struck Progress

September 28, 2010 6:16 pm ⋅

Each month I list out what I want to accomplish during the month.  Sometimes it’s easily done, other times I’m overly optimistic -or get distracted. Unless I don’t sleep or take the next two days off from work, this is going to be an optimistic/distracted  month.

One of my goals for the month was to “Make progress on Star Struck”.  Furthermore somewhere I defined the progress as completing at least 20 blocks — which would get all of the blue blocks made.    Well, I’ve finished those blue blocks, made a couple of red blocks and sewed the squares on the rest of the red units.  If I I had been thinking, I would have been using this quilt as my leader/ender project instead of Blue Ridge Beauty.  Oh well.

Regardless, I’ll be able to say “Done” to Make Progress on Star Struck on Thursday.

Now to “Make progress on the Cream & Green quilt”.  Does uncovering it again count?

Posted in: goals, Star Struck

SBS Block

September 27, 2010 4:27 pm ⋅

M8 – Dogtooth Violet

69 of 140

Posted in: SBS

Design Wall Monday

September 26, 2010 11:33 pm ⋅

Today I’m deciding on the binding for the ‘Modern DP9″ baby quilt I  threw together a couple of weeks ago.  Yesterday I drove down to Rocking Chair Quilts and quilted it on their Handi-Quilter.  I am thrilled with the way it came out.   Here’s a picture of the back:

Now I have to decide on the binding.  I have 3 choices from my stash:

  • Use the backing fabric
  • Use the white I used in the quilt top
  • Use the pink/orange mottled fabric.

My original intent was to use white — not that it makes a whole lot of sense as either a binding or on a baby quilt, but I like the concept of the “crispness” it would give to the quilt.  The backing fabric I think is too pale, but it did send me off to my stash to search for some orange fabric which is where I came up with the pink/orange fabric.  I’m not sure it’s right either.   I guess I’ll dig some more through my stash, perhaps looking for a ‘pinker pink’ or a yellow.  I only need 10″ WOF – but since most of my stash is FQ or smaller, my options will be limited.

Check out the links at Patchwork Times to see if anyone else is having binding issues.

Posted in: designwall, Modern DP9

Stash Report

September 26, 2010 7:25 am ⋅

A day off from work, a trip to a quilt shop on route to a mini-quilt retreat and no fabric came into the house – just this book, which my husband encouraged me to get.

I saw Get Your Stitch on Route 66 at Quilting Bits a Quilting Bits & Pieces a couple of months ago. When I came home and told my husband about it, he wanted to know why I didn’t buy it.

On the usage front, I finished up my Fairy Frost Sunset quilt top.

So, here are the numbers:

Fabric Added this Week: 0 yards
Fabric Added to Date: 149.761 yards

Fabric Used this Week: 2.85 yards
Fabric Used to Date: 72.624 yards

Net Stash for 2010: 77.137 yards

See how others are doing by following the links over at Patchwork Times.

Posted in: Stash Busting Report

Fairy Frost Sunset

September 25, 2010 7:04 pm ⋅


This evening I finished the Fairy Frost Sunset top. I really think I need a better name for this quilt, but for now I know what I’m talking about.

Ok, enough playing, I need to work on my Sylvia’s Bridal Sampler blocks and my Double Wedding Ring. Of course in the process of making this quilt top, I’ve made significant progress on my Blue Ridge Beauty as leaders/enders…

Posted in: Fairy Frost Sunset

Some Sunset Blocks

September 23, 2010 11:43 pm ⋅

Posted in: Fairy Frost Sunset

QA Wednesday

September 23, 2010 7:03 am ⋅

I knew I wasn’t going to get much done this week, so I didn’t list much.  Little did I know, I’d get even less done than I hoped!

  • Get back on the DWR –I’m behind schedule – still behind schedule, but I did make progress.
  • Make the September KVQG BOM – didn’t get it done.
  • Piece 2 SBS Blocks – made 1

Even knowing I was going to have to report what I accomplished this week couldn’t get the 2nd SBS block made.  I did get the foundation paper printed, so it’s not like I totally blew it off.

So, what’s up for this week?

  • Keep working on the DWR
  • Piece 2 SBS Blocks
  • Finish the Fairy Frost Sunset top

See if anyone else accomplished their weekly goals by following the links over at Bari’s.

Posted in: goals

Design Wall Monday

September 20, 2010 6:58 am ⋅

Today it’s the ironing board.  I’m cutting the strips for my Fairy Frost Sunset.  Since I read all of the directions and made a sample block, I know that I can cut the pieces more efficiently resulting in bonus blocks.  Each strip set provides a 12 1/2 piece with a 45 degree cut, a 6 1/2″ piece with a 45 degree cut, a quarter square triangle and a 2 patch.  I  don’t think the 2-patches will play nicely with quarter square triangles, but I’ll cross that design challenge when I get there.

Today is the Guild mini-retreat and as I do for any retreat, I’ve over packed.  This is a handwork retreat, so I’ve got my DWR. Also in my bag so I don’t get bored, is the red work I’ve been working on for 3 years – I think this block just needs a couple of snowflakes, my dragonflies and crayons and fabric to make yo-yos.

Check out what others are working on by following the links at Patchwork Times.

Posted in: designwall, Fairy Frost Sunset

Stash Report

September 18, 2010 11:15 pm ⋅

Working on two new quilts, sample blocks and a backing kept me from back sliding further when the dragonfly fabric came in.

Fabric Added this Week: 4 yards
Fabric Added to Date: 149.761 yards

Fabric Used this Week: 4.801 yards

Fabric Used to Date: 69.774 yards

Net Stash for 2010: 79.987 yards

See how others are doing by following the links over at Patchwork Times.

Posted in: Stash Busting Report

For Best Results…

September 18, 2010 10:46 pm ⋅

read instructions first.  So begins the instructions on the Sunset by Sunflower Hill Designs.  It’s good advice for lots of things, not just new quilting patterns.

Somewhere in the back of my mind is another piece of advice “make a sample block before cutting ALL of your fabric” — or something like that.

Of course, I’m not one to follow instructions if there are good illustrations.  And then even if I do read the instructions, I tend to go off on my own anyway.

The first place I varied from the instructions was in my fabric selection.   The pattern said 2 3/4 yards of assorted prints in various colors for the strips in the blocks.  My first question was can I use fat quarters?   To know that I had to read the cutting instructions.

At first glance, it doesn’t look like it:

Cut 48 strips 2″ x 40″.

So I kept reading.  After the strips are sewn together the directions say cut 2 – 12 1/2″ segments and 2 – 6 1/2″ segments.  Knowing this, I could use FQs since I could get a 12 1/2″ and a 6 1/2″ strip out of the width of the FQ.  So, I purchased 11 fat quarters (2 3/4 divided by 1/4 = 11).

Over the last couple of days, I cut into my Fairy Frost and sewed strips together.  Now it’s time to cut those 6 1/2″ and 12 1/2″ segments.  But wait – the next instruction is to cut the end of the rectangles off at a 45 degree angle.  Resulting in triangle “waste”.

These triangles will not end up in the trash — they’ll end up either in my  “crumbs” can or the “orphan block” box.  But then I got to thinking.  Could I cut the fabric with my Companion Angle ruler?  To know that, I’d have to make a sample block.

I’ve figured out that yes, I can cut the strip with the Companion Angle ruler and the block will go together correctly.  After I get all of my blocks made, I’ll sew 4 of the triangles together and use them in another quilt with the left over dragonfly fabric I am anticipating having.

Wasn’t I supposed to be making another SBS block and the guild BOM, not to mention quilting the DWR?  Then there’s the monthly goal to “make progress” on the Cream &  Green quilt and Star Struck.  Good thing this is only the 18th.

Posted in: Fairy Frost Sunset