Blissful sewing

A morning of blissful sewing! An appointment was changed to the afternoon I was as giddy as a schoolgirl hearing the announcement that it was a snow day.  There was snow on the ground but as I sewed I listened to the rhythm of the dripping snow melt from the roof. I thought this would be quick to sew, I did start it back in September and it would have been if I had cut all the strips the same size but I found leftover strips to use and then life happens with lots of distractions.

I’m calling this quilt Racoons in the sweet corn. The racoons are circling the patch a few have eaten their fill or are going to share the news with their friends and relatives.  —Ann—

A quilt top!

 

Finally something to show on the quilt front. It took all week to get the last 9 rows sown together, some weeks are like that…….my brain was thinking more on what fabrics I would use next instead of focusing on the current project. It’s together now start a stack of quilt tops because I don’t layer and pin baste until I have 3 or 4. It’s too much bother to move chairs and set up the quilt frame for one quilt. —Ann—

Friendship stars

 I machine quilted this for a girlfriend, her first quilt!  I let her use fabrics from my stash, my sewing machine and design wall.  We had fun!  And hardly a dent in the fabric stash.  The baby got the quilt over the weekend, she is now 4 month old her little eyes will have lots too look at, bold bright colors and little black and white motifs. Make tummy time a happy time. I just love looking at these bright colors. She is going to have to make another quilt from my stash sometime. Quilting with friends is the best time. —Ann—

Ta da da da da done

 

Finished and ready to go to the post office.  The baby is 4 months old already. What have I been doing??  Not much blog worthy. —Ann—

Design wall

 A little quilt top finally together I had almost all the pieces in a bag of “quilt seeds” leftover from other baby quilts. Fewer decisions when I can start with quilt seeds. I will just say a nephew ( I won’t go into the greats and grands of the family tree) and his wife have a new baby girl. A tummy time quilt with lots of colors and black and white patterns for those little eyes to focus. Rainy days and sunny days, still chilly days are good days to quilt.  —Ann—

Just one thing........

It was that kind of a day........a day I just needed to accomplish one thing........the blizzard warning dudded out in our area we were on the outside edge of the snowstorm, we got snow but not with the viciousness that was forecast.  I had a stomach bug but we don't need to go into any details--not polite conversation --I'm better now but certainely didn't do much for a few days other than read and knit a little then fall asleep.  Monday was a new day with fresh snow, I wasn't going anywhere so do something..........

 

This quilt has been lounging in the sewing room for more weeks than I care to admit the only thing left was the binding which was also lounging by the sewing machine.  I went downstairs to get to work before lunch and sat for a while I usually start by tidying up but my table was clear—when did that happen!?! Just one thing...... my jeans were laying there by the machine….fix those first. Then it was time for lunch. Back to the sewing room the one thing was done but I had the rest of the day…….finish the quilt…..the snow put me in a festive mood. I bought the plaid fabric for a skirt 30 some years ago. I think the quilt wears it better.—Ann—

The Roar, the Hum

 

I sat down to do some sewing after weeks of not sewing, the roar of the machine was such a comfort. A couple days later I sat down to sew again the roar was still roaring so I oiled the machine. It’s humming a happy tune now in my happy spot. I cut out these hexes before my little grands were born, now they are ready for bigger quilts but I’m not making them bed size, just bigger snuggle quilts. Looking forward to more time in the sewing room this week.  —Ann—

Square in a Square

I feel like I have worked on this quilt all summer.  Hubby was off fishing last week so I had a staycation……..the things I can get done when I don’t have to stop and make meals. My pile of plaids has been greatly reduced I used all the fabric for the side triangles and had to find something else for the corners.  As I was trimming the blocks I noticed I could make a cross if I put the right corners together. I had everything laid out right on the design wall and somehow next to the sewing machine blocks got reorganized. I’m not ripping. It is what it is almost done. —Ann—

Ta da done

 

Kaleidoscope tummy time quilt finished for a cousins granddaughter. This seems to be my favorite go to baby quilt pattern because I always cut too many triangles so there are always “seeds” scraps for the next quilt. All of it came from the stash. Ann

Another quilt done

 

I really like this quilt, the colors and the pattern. My niece will get this in a couple weeks for high school graduation. She requested the colors hunters star block was the perfect choice for her since she is into hunting and shooting sports. Machine quilted with concentric circles a bullseye in and around each star with navy thread. Another quilt entirely from my stash. The only thing left is to sew the label. Ann

The Last is First

 

The last quilt top sewn is the first finished because the graduation party is this weekend. Just simple point to point free motion quilting. I found a long strip of binding in my binding box and cannot think what I was going to do with it. Perfect for this quilt which I am calling Shades of Green. All of this was from the stash.  Ann

Back and done

I picked this up from the machine quilter yesterday.  A king size is just too big for me to do on my sweet 16 machine. The all over floral and leaf design does not over power the star or the border. I had the binding cut and sewn in less than 2 hours I was so excited to get it finished and on the bed. All this fabric was in the stash.  Sweet dreams. Ann 
 

One done

 

The snow is shrinking here some grassy spots have reemerged. I went for a walk after finishing the tummy time quilt top. My reward for the accomplishment the sun on my boots went all the way through to my toes.  I could feel the warmth, happy toes! A cup of coffee reward for the walk then back to the sewing room to sew the backing and the binding. Tidy up the table and put all the leftovers in a bag I’m sure I have enough parts for another tummy time quilt.  On to the next…….Ann

Small goals

Just one small thing yesterday…..to cut the squares and triangles and starch the pieces.  That took less time than I thought so I sewed two of the quarter sections together. Today I finished sewing the star together…….that was a big thing either as a goal or the mass of fabric. 76 inches square! Don’t you love it when a plan comes together or a quilt top and even better when the seams intersect with precision. Spray starch is a marvelous tool. Ann

Star points

 

All the points are stitched, starched, and pressed. I need to make some decisions about the setting triangles and squares because yardage might be a problem and if I need to piece it I might as well make it pretty. Now I need to start planning the Thanksgiving menu. 

Ann

Another good day to sew

First star point sewn together. It really is a diamond shape it’s just the photographer is looking at it a bit wonky to get the whole thing in the picture. 

Another fussy step in the process pinning the diamonds to a grid drafted specifically for this quilt. Measure the smaller diamonds seam to seam, take an average from those measurements and draw a grid on fabric with a permanent pen. It has to be fabric not paper because there is a lot of spray starch involved. Pin the Star point to the grid using glass head pins, match up seams and lines. Press seams open let dry completely before removing it from the grid. It is worth the effort so the seams intersect just right when the points are sewn together. This is the book with step by step instructions. 

First Star point completely done. Leftovers on the left pinned up for a larger cheat sheet to help me keep everything in the correct order.

Ann

 

Strip sets

 

All the strip sets are sewn, pressed and starched. The starch helps stabilize all the bias edges. Fussy fussy work but I know the results will be worth it. Now to cut 8 strips from each set and keep them in order. Always some little challenge.     Another snowy windy day on the prairie. A good day to sew. ~~Ann~~

Second verse same as the first

 

Here we go loop do loo

Here we go loop de li

Stitch in a butterfly

Watch them flutter by

And now my rhyme is through.

And so is my quilt. My butterflies improved greatly as I stitched more of them. Some of the first look more like moths like the last picture. Practice makes perfect….eventually.

Finished is better than perfect.  —Ann—