Labor Day Weekend

The first two rows of my Michigan Row by Row quilt are completed except for adding sashing between the rows and then some decorative buttons after it's assembled and quilted.  I didn't think I'd really get into doing these row by rows, but I'm finding it kind of fun.
The idea behind the Row by Row is to collect (free) patterns or purchase kits from at least 8 different quilt shops that are participating in the Row by Row.  I think I have 9 now, but there are a couple that I'm not crazy about and am hoping to be able to get my hands on a couple others that I really like ( like the Mackinaw Bridge for one).
I'm sure I won't get mine done in time to be the first submitted to any of the quilt shops ( fat quarter packs and a gift certificate, I think, are the prizes for being first in each of participating quilt shops), but that's ok - I'm having fun anyway... maybe if they do this again next year, I'll get started earlier and give the rest a run for their fat quarters lol.
Now that these two are done, I'm devoting the rest of the weekend to getting back to working on my TQS (The Quilt Show) A to Z Ewe and Me block of the month quilt... I'm wayyyy behind ( like 4 months - it'll be 5 tomorrow since it's a new month) and I really want to get caught up - it's really a cute pattern.

These are my Jan-April blocks.

I also have another BOM (block of the month) that I need to get back to working on, too, but it's going to have to wait until probably Jan; it's time to start sewing on Christmas gifts.... first one up will be the table runner that my oldest daughter HINTED for.  I told her that I don't do curves (which is true) so it should really throw her off and she won't suspect that she's getting it :).

No guarantees she'll get it this Christmas - it may be next year or the one after... I wasn't kidding when I said that I don't do curves so this may take longer than it should.  Why couldn't she have spotted it months ago???  :)  Right now, I'm just hoping that the pattern arrives ( from Canada) before next week's Cal-Co quilt show so that I can start shopping for the fabrics I'll be needing for it.  If it doesn't, I'll just go down to Sweet Bee's here in town and let my fingers do the walking over her gorgeous batiks while trying not to drool on them too much. :)
Ok, enough stalling, I need to do a little cleaning in my sewing room tonight so that I'll be ready to get back to my A to Zs tomorrow morning.

DONE FINALLY

Well, at least the top is... of course, it still needs to be sandwiched and quilted, but that will have to wait until I find backing fabrics for both sizes.

I have been focusing on getting this top done since this past Saturday.  That day, I worked in my sewing room for 8 1/2 hours and almost as long on Monday... this was just piecing and attaching the border.  Because this top is larger than the pattern called for, it took some fussing to get the borders to fit...  the length wasn't too bad -

- I simply added a straight bar of the color.  The shorter sides were a little more difficult - and, looking back now, I could have done a better job.

What I ended up doing was simply laying out the two lengths for each side and then sewing them together where they met & cutting off the excess.  I think I could have made another block to bridge the gap between the two lengths if I had stopped and thought about it.

As I am adding one of the long borders, I noticed that something didn't seem right... OOPS!  I missed adding an inner border!!  There's only scraps of the background fabric left so if I had tried to go back and add the missing border, it would have involved lots of piecing.  At this point, I just wanted this quilt top to be done and over with - I've only been working on it since January - time to call it done.  I don't think most people will even notice it, especially once I quilt it.

It is what it is - DONE!

Last week, I went on my second row-by-row road trip with my cousin, Cathy, and our quilt guild friend, Joyce.  This time, Vicki was able to join us.  We hit six shops this time ( only three the week before).  I was not only collecting the free patterns for the row-by-row quilt that's currently going on in several states across the nation, I was purchasing fabric for next year's AQS group challenge.

I can't remember if I've mentioned it in previous posts or not.  Our guild decided to use letters as our theme this time around.  A small baggie with all the letters of the alphabet was passed around to the members to draw from.  We can use the letter itself or we can do something related to the letter ( i.e. A could be an apple, accordian or acorn for example).  I drew the letter 'U' and wasn't sure what I could do with it at first... immediate thoughts were Umbrella and Unicorn... thought about unique but couldn't figure out how to use that in a quilted wall hanging (size is to be 36" wide by 48" tall).

Once I started thinking about unicorn, The Unicorn Song by the Irish Rovers started running through my head - CONSTANTLY!!   I've gotten the pattern worked out in my head for the most part... thought about using the unicorn for the center of the quilt and then printing the names of the other animals (green alligators, long necked geese, humpty backed camels, etc) scattered throughout the background (sky) - changed my mind on the animal names.  I think I'll only include a couple of the other animals .. like the alligators, but then I'm going to try and make the camels and maybe a cat or a rat out of clouds ( you know how you can look at clouds and see different shapes in them? - that's what I'm talking about).  I'm also planning on including a panda bear in a patch of bamboo in memory of Joan Mason, a fellow guild member who recently passed away.

Anyway, I was able to find and purchase most of the fabrics that I'll be needing for the Unicorn quilt while out of the roadtrip.  I still need something for the unicorn itself - silk has been suggested but I'll have to wait and see.  I want something that's a little shiney but not TOO shiney and it has to be easy to work with - I don't want to have to use fusible (  i.e. Heat n Bond) and I don't want something that's so sheer that it will need lining to prevent the background from showing through.

I've purchased some heat set crystals for the rain... but they are round and I wasn't sure they were what I want so I went on Amazon.com and found some teardrop shaped crystals.  I couldn't tell from the pic whether they have holes in them so that they can be sewn on or if they will need to be glued on.  Heck, I'm not even sure they're going to be the right size - will find out when they arrive either today or tomorrow.

I'm also collecting yarns for the unicorn's mane & tail.... I want bright and colorful.  So far, I have eyelash yarn in hot pink and deep purple (found in clearance sale).  I'd like some yarn with 'knots' in it and maybe some with sequins or something similar.  I don't want to have to buy skeins of each - would LIKE to find people to donate a length of their scrap yarns.

Still need to find a fabric for the alligators, too.

Small top done -

Finished the hand stitching on the smaller Dragonfly Dancing quilt top last night... didn't take quite as long as I'd thought it would.   I was down to only a couple blocks left of the hand sewing when Buddy got ahold of the spool of thread... arghhhh!!  what a mess!!!!

this was after I tried to clean it up a bit.  

 The scarey thing is that there was a needle stuck in the spool when Buddy pilfered it, but I couldn't find it when I managed to get the spool back from him.  I'm seriously hoping that it's found and that he didn't swallow it.

Here's the small top.....

I should have smoothed it out a little more, but I didn't and it is what it is :).  There isn't enough left of the background fabric to finish the larger quilt - there are only a very small handful of scraps left, so I'll have to use another fabric for the border background.   Still no idea what I'll use for the backing and binding... 

I've been busy - honest I have

I know I haven't posted for a couple of weeks , but I have been busy.... both quilting and non-quilting.  Quilting wise ( actually sewing wise), I hadn't touched my sewing machine since I finished the challenge quilt for our guild's picnic, and really didn't feel like it so, to get myself back into the 'groove', the weekend of July 25th ( while 20 of the guild members were upnorth on retreat) I made this mouse pincushion.

.

Since the gals were upnorth on retreat, I declared that I was having a retreat here at home and I proceeded to get back to working on my Dragonfly Dance quilt top.  I stitched 12 of the 16 blocks together with sashing in between each block.  I didn't like the 16 block layout, so ended up with 4 extra.  I also got started on piecing for the border.  ( Ignore the pink plaid at the bottom of the pic - that's backing for a bedrunner that's waiting it's turn on the midarm.)

Then came the hand stitching part again... I didn't get it all done until this past weekend.  I even took the top with me to work on while on  a  'row by row shop hop' trip with my cousin, Cathy, and another member of the guild last Wednesday.  I only got three blocks finished though - Michigan roads are not condusive to hand sewing :(.

The shop hop trip was fun, but I got carried away and spent way more than I should  have.  We went to a cute little shop in  Pinckney first where I bought some cuts of Spartan print fabric and a pattern that I'd been looking for - and the main fabric for it, too.  Then it was on to Ann Arbor and a wonderful quilt shop that just about left me gobsmacked.  I bought four patterns and a yard of a beautiful gray fabric.  The patterns were for cute owl potholders ( future Christmas gifts), a little girl's dress with matching doll's dress ( also for Christmas gifts), a pattern for a Monster Trucks quilt and, at checkout, I spotted and bought an adorable Dogs vs Cats wallhanging pattern.

At the third quilt shop ( in Saline), I bought more cuts of Spartan print fabric and the patterns for a Dog Park quilt designed by McKenna Ryan.  I think I'm using the Spartan prints to make a picnic 'basket' (pattern bought at  quilt show in Jackson earlier this year) which will also be a Christmas gift.   We're going 'shop hopping' again on the 13th and Cathy hopes to hit SIX shops this time.  I'm really going to have to put a lock on my wallet this time :).

On Thursday, I sat down and started picking out stitches from the quilt that's on my midarm machine, but didn't get very far because one of my brother in laws called to let us know that  my husband's other brother was in the hospital and it didn't look good.  We dropped everything to go to Kalamazoo both Thursday and Friday.

Saturday, I took the four 'orphan' blocks from the Dragonfly Dance and stitched them together (no pic yet)....  hand stitching took up the rest of the weekend for the most part.  I also tried this little cutie....

Yesterday was spent unstitching on the mid arm and  making the Dogs vs Cats wallhanging... so cute! Can you see why I couldn't resist it?  

 I think I'll be making one or two more for a donation and a gift.

Today, it's back to Kalamazoo to say our final goodbyes to my husband's older brother.  We got the call yesterday that he was being sent home from the hospital and is expected to only live another two or three days. 

It's been awhile

It's been awhile since I've posted... life happens.  We lost my sister in law two weeks ago - that involved a quick trip to Kalamazoo while she was in the hospital and then another trip back down for her funeral three days later.  Then the physical pains started - actually the day of the funeral - not just legs or back... but both :(.  Called dr and have appointment for tomorrow - the earliest they could get me in.  The pain has let up for the most part, but it's still there and I really need SOMETHING done.

I have been plugging away at the dragonfly quilt... just seven blocks left to assemble.  I have half of the sub-blocks done, working on color # 3.  I think I mentioned in a previous blog that I was going to either have to make a trip to Kalamazoo (K-zoo from now on) for more green 'fairy frost' as I've been calling it ( it's actually 'rock candy') or just use what I have ( darker shade than what I'd been using).  Since we were in K-zoo for the funeral, I was able to stop by the quilt shop ( Lucy in the Sky) and pick up more of the lighter green that I've been using.

I still don't know what size this quilt is going to end up being... have to wait and see what background fabric I have left after I get the sixteen blocks sewn together ( yes, I think the number of blocks changed, too).

The dragonfly quilt has been put aside since last Wed. so that I could get to working on my Ruth's Challenge quilt.  A few months ago, Ruth gave out details for the quilts.  We drew from 4 different boxes the size, the color(s), the pattern/print, and the technique to use.  Each of us has something different.  I drew 20"x30", red & black, leaf and multi techniques.  I had a pretty good idea early on of what I was going to do, but continued to look for other ideas, which I never found.  What I did was a version of a wall hanging I'd done before.

This is made from the original pattern.

It was the multi techniques that was the hardest for me - decisions, decisions, decisions.  As you can see from the pic above, it's basically machine applique' and free motion quilting.  Had to do something different this time... and had to make a smaller version.

First off, I sent for a sample of Texture Magic and copper sheeting (for crafts).  Wasn't sure if I was going to use them or not, but at least I'd have them if I wanted.  

Last Wed., I finally took the plunge and used 'discharge' (1/2 bleach and 1/2 water) on the black background after blocking off parts of the fabric with painter's tape.

 

The next step was fusing on the poinsettia and appliqueing it with satin stitching.  Before satin stitching, I tried the Texture Magic..I took pics, but they really don't show the difference between the 'before' and 'after'. 

Before

                      

After

I cut a medium size ovally/circle shape out after shrinking the Texture Magic fabric and used it for the center of the poinsettia.  THEN, did the satin stitching.

Once that was done, it was time to try a new 'trick'... I call it 3-D.  I traced three of the poinsettia 'petals' a second time and, after applying fusible to red fabric, I fused the red fabric to red felt then cut each out.  The next step was to satin stitch around the edges and then to place a fabric covered florist wire down the center of the top of the petal and satin stitch that down, too.  I also straight stitched veins in.

first try

Because I wasn't sure how well the felt was going to go through my machine, I put a layer of phone book page underneath before doing the stitching.  The petal shown above is actually a bright red, not pink as it looks in the pic.

Next up was sandwiching and quilting... I had orginally thought I would like red stitching using one of my fancy machine stitches riding along where the solid black and the discharge meet.  After doing one 'row', I realized it wasn't the look I was looking for so ripped it out.  Simple straight line stitching where the two blacks meet is all it really needed ( besides stitching around the flower petals, stem and leaves).

Up next was the beading for the stamen, etc (flower center).  It covers up most of the Texture Magic, but that's ok.

Oh yeah, I inserted the 3-D petals before the quilting and beading... just made a small clip in the fabic and pushed the end of the floral wire in & bent it into the shape I wanted.

Then I decided I needed a second leaf on the stem, but smaller than the original one because I only had a 4" square of the copper and I wanted to use it on a leaf.  Next up was heating the copper to cause it to change colors... it didn't come out exactly how I'd hoped it would, but it's still nice. ( no close up pics).  After cutting out 3 shapes from the copper, I used an old sewing machine needle and punched holes along the outer edges so that I could attach the pieces with embroidery floss by hand and set them aside.

Up next was the 'faux' piping borders...  taking a 1 3/4" strip of red and a 1 1/4" of  black, I stitched them together (actually, I had three strips of each color).  After joining the two together with a quarter inch seam, I brought the raw edges together so that there was a bit of red showing on the right side and hit with a hot steam iron - then stitched it to the quilt by sewing it to the back first with the red side up.  Brought it around to the front and machine stitched in the ditch between the red 'piping' and the black.

While stitching the borders on, I included the label so that two sides of it were sewn in with the borders ( leaving me only two sides to hand stitch down), but forgot to add a sleeve.

backing fabric

I just went into my fabric stash for the backing fabric... found this Valentine print fabric that had lots of both black and red ( and I knew I'd probably never use it for a quilt front).

After stitching the pieces of copper down, I took two 3.5" squares, folded each in half on the diagonal right sides together, stitched around the raw edges while leaving an opening to turn right side out; pressed them and then hand stitched them to the top corners of the quilt and Voile' I could call this project   DONE.

Update.

I haven't posted lately, but I have been sewing.. not a lot, but some.  Last week, I made one schlep bag for the guild and then made a second one at the sew in on Friday.

Started back working on my dragonfly quilt, but have run out of the green that I need for some of the dragonfly wings.

 Ten blocks done and six to go.  Have to put it aside until I can get over to the quilt shop in Kalamazoo that I purchased the other two fat quarter packs from and hopefully find some more of the right shade of green.  I'm also having to be very careful with the background fabric.  Despite buying 3 yards more than the pattern called for, I'm afraid it's not going to be enough and I've tried finding more, but it's no longer available.  :(

Tonight I started on a new quilt.  I shouldn't have since I still have two BOMs that I haven't worked on in probably two months because I just haven't been in the mood.  I think I'd better put it aside and work on the BOMs starting tomorrow.  I really have to get caught up on them.

Sometime SOON I have to really do a deep cleaning of my sewing room.  Too many things have 'disappeared'.  I thought I had cleaned/cleared it up enough when I replaced the old set of gray metal shelving, but apparently I didn't.

I also have to get started on the guild challenge that is due at our guild picnic which is less than a month away.  I know what I'm going to do and how I'm going to do it and I have everything together in a 'rubbermaid' type container.  AND, I STILL have a quilt on the frame that I need to finish.  I'm on the borders, but I want to rip out and re-do some of the stitching on the top & bottom.  Get those done and I can move to the side borders.

In other words, I have to start cracking the whip on myself.  I have wayyyy too much going on without much progress.  What I've mentioned above is just part of what I've been hoping to get done.

Oh yeah, and my step-son has requested (twice so far) pillows to match his daschund quilt that I made him for Christmas two years ago.

 I had warned him that I probably wouldn't be able to find the same exact fabrics, but he said that was ok.  I went to JoAnn's this past Sunday not expecting to find the same fabric that I used for the background on his quilt - BUT I DID!!.... at 50% off!!  I bought FOUR yards.. LOL.  I shouldn't need more than a yard or a yard & a half, but for that price, extra won't hurt, especially when I like it so much.  I wasn't able to find matching plaids so bought a red & white plaid homespun fabric that should match pretty close or will at least go with the sashing on the quilt.

Ok, so here's the plan.... tomorrow morning, I'm going to repack up everything that goes with the dragonfly quilt and put it aside for now.  I'll pack the new quilt that I started on tonight back up, too... then get back to working on the BOMs.  If I stick with it, I SHOULD be able to get caught up within a week.  Please keep your fingers crossed for me ( only if it doesn't interfere with your quilting).

I'm up and running again!

Well, Moe is anyway - I don't run anymore lol.  Apparently, he fixed himself.  Tested him yesterday and he ran, but the stitches were sloppy; I checked and it looks like the top tension moved somehow. After tightening it back up, I tested again and stitches were much better.  Still had a few problems today getting the machine to start once I hit the buttons, but the problems seem to lessen with continued use ( did he figure out that I'm stubborn so he decided to straighten up his act?)

So, here's the quilt that I had on the frame.... completed ( as least the quilting part) and ready to return to the woman who asked me to do the quilting on it; she gets to do the trimming and binding.  It's a V.A. quilt ( maybe I mentioned that earlier) and will go to a local V.A. hospital in Nov.

Now, back to some of my own work.  I want to get the tulip bedrunner onto the frame next, but think I want to work on some other projects with my domestic machine before I spend time with Moe again.