Quilts from My Past

May 23, 2009 10:07 pm ⋅ Pam

Blue Charm Applecore, originally uploaded by knitnoid.

I can’t tell you for certain what it is I’ve been doing, but it certainly hasn’t been quilting. Today i even went shopping — as in clothes, accessories and kitchen ware. My friend T suggested I go home, take 2 aspirins, lay down and perhaps the urge would pass. After a couple of hours visiting various stores, not finding what I was looking for, I did just that. –OK — I did bring home 3 new t-shirts. I found the cookware on-line and ordered it.. Then I finally sat down to the hand quilting.

So, here’s a pic of a quilt I made for my DH. I purchased the WonderArc ruler and Applecore pattern at one of the quilt shows. Then I decided to make a blue charm quilt. I have no idea what I was thinking. Needless to say, I ended up collecting 200+ different blue fabrics for this quilt. It’s not any bigger (about 70″) because I decided to start working on it. This quilt was the last quilt I made in 2005, finishing it about 8:30 that evening.

Posted in: Applecore, shopping

Peacocks

May 18, 2009 7:00 am ⋅ Pam

Yesterday I was in the mood to sew — and preferably on something new. So, I pulled out the peacock fabric and the pink and purple which came in over the last two weeks and made this lap quilt top from the BQ2 pattern.

If you need a fast quilt this is it. Large blocks, just a few seams. I started to track the time I spent on it, but since I kept getting distracted, I lost track. I know it would have taken me less time if I didn’t have a directional print. I sewed 3 seams wrong — at least to keep all the peacocks on their feet.

This top measures approximately 54 x 72.

Now the tough part. Figuring out how to quilt it.

Posted in: BQ2, peacock

Stash Report Week #20

May 17, 2009 12:09 pm ⋅ Pam

It’s been a really long week. Orchestra Concert Monday night that I audio taped for. Tuesday was the band tour (4 concerts, also audio taped) and evening concert (video tape). Wednesday I finally got going around noon and did a quick run through the MQS show and vendors — Got away virtually unscathed there $2.55 for scissor tip protectors.

Somewhere along the way my pink fabric for the BQ2 came in. But I didn’t get to work on it since I needed to St Louis. Of course that meant stopping at quilt shops along the way. Again, I did pretty good on the way over — a pkg of Tiger Tape, and a thimble. It was the stop on the way home that did me in.

Who knew you could find a quilt shop open on Saturday until 8 PM? Corner Quilt Fabrics is located in the Warrenton Outlet Center and they keep mall hours – except for the occasional Sunday or holiday. I picked up 4 blue FQs – I’ve got a blue, white & yellow quilt I’m planning on making, and I need to make some blue and yellow blocks for a swap I’m in. I also picked up a couple of reds and a green for the extra blocks I want to make to go with the Christmas Swap Blocks. I can’t explain the butterfly print except to say it was pretty.

So, here are the damages:

Fabric Added this Week: 7.75 yards
Fabric Added to Date: 132.5 yards

Fabric Used this Week: 0 yards
Fabric Used to Date: 38.872 yards

Net Stash: +93.628 yards

Posted in: block swaps, BQ2, Stash Busting Report

Fabric Before the Pattern

May 12, 2009 8:39 pm ⋅ Pam

Judy over at Patchwork Times asked which comes first — the pattern or the fabric. For me, I think it depends. Since I tend to do ‘scrappy’ quilts, it’s probably the pattern most often, but occasionally it’s the fabric.

For instance, this peacock fabric:

Two years ago I found this fabric at Blessings Quilt Shop in O’Fallon, MO. I had absolutely no idea what I was going to do with it, so I didn’t even know how much to buy. Ultimately I ended up with 4 yards, plus a yard of purple and pink to go with it.

I tried desperately to make an Irish Chain quilt, but before I cut into the fabric, I designed it in EQ6.

I just wasn’t feeling the quilt, so the fabric has been sitting in my stash waiting for the right quilt to come along.

In April at the quilt retreat I went to, I saw a BQ2 (about 1/2 way down the page) made up in a Christmas print. Immediately I knew what I was going to do with my peacock fabric. I bought the pattern on the way home. After I started studying it, I realized I didn’t have enough of the pink or purple fabric.

I found the pink easily enough online, but the purple was trickier. I sent an e-mail to Blessings, and they were able to give me the color # so I could find the fabric. Blessings keeps excellent records, for just such purposes, and yes, I did inquire to see if they had either of the fabrics before I ordered them elsewhere. The purple arrived last week and the pink was shipped today. So, as soon as the pink arrives, I’m going to make a pair of the BQ2 quilts.

Meanwhile, the Irish Chain waits for the right fabric.

Posted in: BQ2, peacock

Hand Quilting Update

May 11, 2009 10:08 pm ⋅ Pam

Well, I’ve made it through three blocks since I got this wild hair last week. Using the floor frame has made a considerable difference in my speed. Seven not constantly in my lap has also helped my speed. At this rate, I think I can be assured Josh will get his quilt before he goes back to school in the fall.

Posted in: hand quilting, Josh's Quilt

Stash Report Week #19

May 10, 2009 8:54 am ⋅ Pam

Early in the week I opene a box of fabric which wasn’t sorted. I was surprised to findthe exact blue and gold fabrics I need to work on my Ladder to the Stars quilt. I completely forgotten that I ened up buying extra last summer for the 12″ version of the quilt. Admittedly, there’s not enough to complete my 6″ version, but there’s enough to get started on the pieced sashings. So the cornerstones are cut, and I’ve got 3 of the sashings cut. The only other thing I pieced this week was the Kansas Trouble block for the Kansas Spirt quilt.

In coming fabric was limited to 2 yards of a deep purple to use in a couple of BQ2 quilts featureing a peacock fabric. The pink will come in next week and I should be able to knock out the quilt tops in no time. When I bought the peacock fabric 2 years ago, I wasn’t certain what I was going to make wiht it. I also bought a yard of purple and a yard of pink to go with it. While at retreat I saw the BQ2 pattern made up in Christmas fabric and thought it would be great for my peacock fabric.

So, here’s the report.

Fabric Added this Week: 2.0 yards
Fabric Added to Date: 124.75 yards

Fabric Used this Week: yards
Fabric Used to Date: 38.872 yards

Net Stash: +85.875 yards

Posted in: BQ2, Stash Busting Report

She’s Still Helping Me

May 9, 2009 9:44 am ⋅ Pam

Last night after finishing the Kansas Trouble block, I went back to the hand quilting. I really need to get some better lighting. I’m quilting with black thread on black and I simply can’t see. Seven’s help is hindering me as well.

I finally gave up on quilting in my lap. A different hoop might help, but Seven wants to be in my lap at the same time and it just doesn’t work well. So, I looked for my Q-Snap quilting frame which my parents bought me when I first started working on the DWR.

There’s been very little quilting done on the frame, but I did use it to hold a blanket I cross-stitched. Anyway, got the frame setup, quilt loaded and sure enough, it needed a QCC inspection. Yep, Seven thought it was a nice place to hang out. I finally convinced her it wasn’t a large hammock made especially for her and got to quilting.

I finished up the first block and started on the second block before going to bed. Who knows how much I’ll get done today.

Posted in: hand quilting, Josh's Quilt, Seven

HST Orphans

May 8, 2009 6:04 pm ⋅ Pam

How hard can it be? I know multiple ways to make accurate HST. But apparently it’s still important to READ the DIRECTIONS.

Last night I started working on a 12-inch Kansas Troubles block for the Kansas Spirit BOM at my LQS. I read the directions – they are using the add 7/8 inch to the finished size to make the HST. I prefer to add a full inch and then trim square using my QIAD Triangle Square Up Ruler. Sure I ‘waste’ those slivers of fabric, and it takes time to trim the square, but my HSTs are significantly more accurate using this method.

I cut my squares pairing the light to the dark and make 24 HST. They are trimmed and press and measure 2 1/2” unfinished. I sew them into pairs. That’s when I discover I have a problem.

The instructions say to cut the squares 2 3/8”, not 2 7/8” squares. I should have cut my squares 2 1/2”. Further review of the pattern shows me I only need 16 HST, not the 24 I ended up with. The other 4 light and dark squares do not end up as HSTs.

So, into the orphan pile go these 24 HST units. After dinner I’ll start over on this block – paying more attention to the instructions. Good thing I don’t need it until NEXT Friday.

Posted in: KTS

Help with my Hand Quilting

May 6, 2009 6:57 am ⋅ Pam

Last evening while watching Dancing With the Stars, Seven kept trying to help me quilt. I persevered and got 1/4 of the first block quilted. When I got up, I sat the whole thing on the floor and went about my business. When I came back in, Seven was on top of the quilt ‘inspecting’ it as part of her duties as QCC – Quality Control Cat.

After the photo session, I moved the quilt.

Posted in: hand quilting, Seven

QD is Home and I’m Hand Quilting?

May 5, 2009 8:15 pm ⋅ Pam

I got a call from the repair shop today saying QD could come home! She’s cleaned and had two new light bulbs — and she’s still out in the car. I’ve got Miss Genie sitting in her spot and have gotten distracted with a bit of HAND QUILTING.

I don’t hand quilt, like I don’t hand applique. But both are changing. Several years ago I took a hand quilting class with the intention of learning to hand quilt so I could hand quilt my double wedding ring (DWR) quilt – the one that’s still not pieced.

Over the last two weeks, I got to thinking that I need to practice my hand quilting before I start on the DWR. Meanwhile, my nephew’s quilt still needs to have the pieced blocks quilted, and I haven’t figured out how/what to quilt. These two thoughts resulted in deciding to finish up the blocks on the quilt by hand.

There are 15 pieced blocks. Hopefully by the time I get to the last block, my quilting will be decent and I’ll have found a style that works for me. It’s slow going at the moment — I think I’ve only gotten through 1/8th of the first block so far.