The cutting band wagon

When I was at my mom's place last Friday, I noted that she has gotten on the cutting band wagon.  She has decided to take my example that I have taken from Bonnie Hunter, which is to cut up the scraps into usable pieces.  She has two quilts that she wants to make.  One of them is all in blues and neutrals and the second one is all scrappy.

Both patterns use 2" strips and one of them also uses 3" strips.  Mom has gone through Her containers of real scraps and pulled all the pieces she could use for the quilts.  When I went on Friday she was starting to cut up her larger pieces of scraps that are just about a fat quarter size.  While she is cutting the strips into 5" length, if there is anything left she will cut 2" squares for a someday quilt.

Me, yesturday before I had to leave for an appointment, I was working on cutting my pieces for block two of Tiny Town.  Today. I am hoping to at least sew the background together.

Yesturday I managed to finish sewing together the top row of my floret quilt and have it back up on the design wall.  I am trying to clear off my sewing table so that I can start quilting my daughter's Easy Street quilt.  This was taking up a large area of the table. 

I also ironed all the stuff that was on the sewing table and cut up my three light fabrics for my Texas Braid quilt that I will eventually be making, by Bonnie Hunter.

Now, what is left to clear off my sewing table completely?  Well, there is the sun shine Mariners compass wall hanging to attach the background so the block is square and the four pot holders that still need quilting and binding.

No appointments today, so as long as I don't get any distractions,  I can get them done.

First batch of pictures from the Etobicoke quilt show 2015

I must apologize in advance for the quality of the photos.  I forgot my tablet at home, so had to use my phone instead.  It is just not the same.  

Today my mother and I went to the Etobicoke Quilters' Guild quilt show.  There were sooooooo many beautiful quilts.  I only took pictures of  a small sampling. There were many many more.  I divided up the pictures into four post, not to overload and crash the post.

The first two pictures were I Spy quilts.  The first one was set as a square within a square and in rows with a colour family per row.  It almost looks like a rainbow across the quilt.  The second one is also set as a square within a square, but this one was set with random colours throughout the quilt, but with the sequence of the outer block colour placement as one light and the next dark.

These two quilts are loved by the children and keep them occupied for hours, as they play games of I Spy.

This next one was a good use of scraps.  The background was a very deep purple and the kaleidoscope blocks were completely scrappy.  I like that you get a circle affect out of each block without having to sew any curved lines.

The last picture for today is a striped quilt.  This quilt was done in black and white with a little bit of red for highlights.  This quilt could be done in any colour way.  I think I may make this quilt as a scrappy.  With all the colours of the rainbow.  This one can also be made using shortcuts or fast piecing methods to help get it done faster.  The border on this one is a piano keyboard affect.

Stay tuned tomorrow for the second batch of pictures.  I tried to take pictures with a variety of styles.  I am saving the best for last, or at least in my opinion.  The great part about quilts is that there are so many different styles of quilt to suit many different tastes.

Hope you enjoy the sampling of pictures I took to share with all of you.

Mom's old Crazy quilt

I am just getting back from a visit to my Parent's house.  It has been a very busy week.  With late nights at work trying to cram everything in before my vacations. Or as they say now, staycations.

Mom made dinner and we sat and chatted for a while.  While talking to my Mom, I was telling her that due to the overtime, I haven't had much time to do any quilty stuff, so that I could post about it.  That is when she asked me if I took a picture of her Crazy quilt.  

I didn't remember the quilt she was talking about.  She went upstairs and brought it down to show me.  I had completely forgotten about it.  This is Mom's Crazy quilt.  It is what most people would call a utilitarian quilt.  It's not a fancy heirloom quilt.  It's more of a memory quilt.  She made this quilt about ten years ago.  It consist of all of her scraps.  The blocks are large and sewn together at random, and sewn together in rows.

After the top was completed Mom took some blue embroidery floss and stitched a vine, all along the seam lines.  She layered the quilt and tied it.  At that time Mom wouldn't have known how to quilt the layers together.  The quilt is colourful with random placement. No rhyme nor reason.

The close up shows some for the stitching.  You can also see the ties that hold the layers together.  The blocks are approx. ten inches in size.  It doesn't look like much, but for us, the family, it is a composition of memories.  Most of the fabric scraps are from clothes that my mom made for one of us.  From pajamas for my nieces, a dress that my Mom wore, shorts for my daughter, and so forth.

This quilt will never win a ribbon in a quilt show, but we don't care.  This quilt holds many memories and can create more.  We don't worry when taking the quilt outside on a picnic or letting the kids use it to make tents or forts.  It gets thrown here and there.  We will use and enjoyed this quilt until it's last days, until it disintegrates.

That is what some quilts are meant for.

Floret number two for the bottom border row finished

I took the last few lunch breaks to finish this floret that goes on the bottom row.  It is the second floret from the left.  I am slowly working away at this quilt when time allows.

I have a couple more days of overtime this week, and next week I am off on holidays.  Or what I call holidays.  There will be some renovations to do at my sister's house, hopefully some renovations here at home, I have to do the five sets of taxes, appointments at the bank and between all this I want to make head ways on some quilting.  Hoping to finish my daughter's Easy Street quilt.  In the quilting department if I only get the Pleated Log Cabin quilt washed and set, plus my daughter's quilt finished, I would be very happy.

Maybe if all goes well I can even start on my log cabin quilt that is already done in he ditch, but I am not holding out for it.  I think the list I have already going will be tight on it's own.

Snowmen A to Zzzz.... P is for Plum Pudding

Today unfortunately would be another day that I haven't been able to do anything quilt wise, this time due to working overtime.  So again, I thought I would share with you another one of my daughter's letters for her Snowmen A to Zzzz.... quilt.  This one is P is for Plum Pudding.

The colours on this one are also not true, they are a bit brighter.  If you look closely at the white fabric she used, you can see the white on white snowflakes.  My daughter decided to do the background fabric in a few different snowflake fabrics or star fabrics.  Scrappy, but not too noticeable as they are all white on white.  But it will provide some subtle texture.

Another pretty block.  My daughter told me today that she has nine blocks done so far and twelve more blocks to go.  Some blocks have more than one letter on it.

Snowmen A to Zzzz.... I is for Icicles

I haven't been able to do much today quilt wise, as I was running around with my daughter after work.  So I thought I would share with you another letter from my daughter's Snowmen A to Zzzz.... quilt, that she is making.  This one is called I is for Icicles.

She had this one almost completed a while ago.  The only things that were left to do were the French knots for the berries and face, plus the daisy stitch for the holly leaves on the hat.  Now they are done.

She is doing a beautiful job of it.  Her stitches are quite lovely.  Very precise!  The colours in the picture are not really true, they are actually a bit brighter.

Enjoy your evening everyone.

An update on the Tiny Town appliqué block

Yesturday when I went to the class for Tiny Town applique, the teacher announced that the next block we were doing was going to be number four.  Number four!!!  What???  But I already started block number two, or at least I cut it all out already.  No rhyme or reason, she just decided to do block four next.  Oh, well.  Guess I will have a head start on number two when we get there.

So here above is block number four.  It is the post office, mail box, postal truck and a car with a bird flying above it all.  Below are the fabrics that I am going to use, roughly cut out.  I was hoping to cut them out to actual size sometime Saturday or today, but that didn't happen.

One thing that went well today is the fact that I did finish the label for Rose's Pleated Log Cabin quilt.  I even have it attached to the quilt.  Looks nice.  Now all I have to do is wash the quilt to make sure it will not bleed all over the white. Unfortunately, I already know that some of the fabrics are going to dye.  I did some spot checks on a few that I was concerned about.  This one is going to be tricky.  Wish me luck.  I want it to turn out perfect. 

After I finished the label, which wasn't until late afternoon, I decided to pull out my daughter's Easy Street quilt.  I needed to make the necessary repairs, so that I can get back to quilting it.  There was a small section where the chain crosses over the second chain going in the opposite direction that needed to be fixed.

Now that I have that all done, I am ready to tackle the large design that goes throughout the quilt.

So glad it's the weekend

My kids are sad and I am happy.  Not because they are sad, but because it is the weekend of a long week for me, with them being home for March break, sleep overs, doing the taxi service and working overtime.  I am so glad it is the weekend.  However, they are sad because it is the weekend, which means that their March break is over.

Quilting wise, what have I been up to?  Not much.  During my lunches I have been working away at the label for the Pleated Log Cabin quilt.  I am hoping to finish it this weekend and have it attached to the quilt as well.  This weekend, that is about the only goal I am setting for myself.  I need to take it easy.  I have another busy week coming, with more overtime and the quilt bee meeting.

This morning though, I have the Tiny Town meeting at Sew Sister's Quilt store.  We will be reviewing everyone's progress on block one.  Now everyone should be caught up.  This morning is also the official start of block two.  We may discuss some challenges with completing it, but for most of the meeting we will review the blocks done and all the differences.  The meeting gives use a chance to admire the different colour choices and the techniques that people chose to do.

As for me, I have all of my block two pieces cut out and ready to start sewing.  I am starting on the large house on the top row. Stay tuned for the pictures as I complete them.

Florets for the top row of my hexagon quilt are done

Now all the florets for the top row of my Hexagon quilt are done.  This one was the last one.

Now I start putting the pairs together to assemble the entire row.  This piece is the first set of pairs.  I have it assembled from the bottom up to the half way point.  I take the cardboard hexagons out as I go along.  So long as all sides of the hexagon are attached, the cardboard can come out.

It's not difficult to assemble them, only a little awkward when you start handling larger pieces.  From time to time, as time may allow, I continue to disassemble the old unused diamond shaped hexagons.  Once I have them all done, washed and ironed I can start sorting them.

During the sorting process I have to determine if the old fabric will be strong enough to go back into a quilt.  I will sort them throughout the quilt and add in some reproduction fabric to make up enough diamond shapes to complete the quilt.

I am looking forward to starting up on the diamond shapes.  At that point the quilt will really start to take shape.  Can't wait to see it.

Slow day

Yesturday morning I finished the binding for the Pleated Log Cabin quilt.  Unfortunately, I had some running around to do with my daughter, who was looking for a birthday gift for her friend.  By the time we got back I only had an hour before having to drive her to work for 5:00 pm.

She was only working a three hour shift, so I wondered to myself what I could get done.  I managed to sort out some of the half square triangle silks and neatly put them away until I am ready to start working on that quilt.

I also got the five give away quilts labeled, bundled and tagged.  Now they can be delivered.

By 9:00 pm I felt that I hadn't gotten much done, but I was beat.  I decided to go and read a bit before heading to bed.

Working on Midnight Flight

I am sitting in my chair this morning trying to finish the binding that I started last night while watching a movie, when I realized that I didn't post pictures of the progress I have made with the Midnight Flight quilt.

I while back I started this quilt for my niece, to replace the one that was basically disintegrating with all the use.  I am doing this quilt in all the same colour ways as the first one, only this quilt is different.  This one will be larger with smaller pieces and a more mature design for her and her husband.

When I had a chance to start back on piecing this one a few weeks ago, I realized that I hadn't made a draft. So, when I started back up on it, I couldn't remember how big I was making it and how many blocks I needed to make.  At that point I went onto EQ5 and draw up a draft of the pattern.

From there I was able to determine what size the quilt was going to be and how many blocks I was going to make.  First off I sorted all the units I had to confirm that I would have enough to construct the blocks.  I did......and some.  I figure with the extras I will put them on the back.

I started sorting out the units to make the first sub unit.  As you can see close to the middle of the next picture that I did my one two patch test, to check that I had the right seam allowance.

Finally, I was able to start making the first part of the blocks. What you see below is part of the blocks constructed.  This set is in the turquoise blue.  The next set will be in the lime green.  I have to make over eighty of these units for the size of quilt I want to make.

The chevron units you see in the picture above this one will be attached in the next step.  It will take me a while to get these units done, with all the distractions lately.  Since I took these pictures a couple of weeks ago, I haven't been able to get back to them.  They continue to sit on my sewing machine table waiting.....and waiting.  

Also sitting on my table are the five give away quilts, waiting for me to sew on the labels.  This past week I managed to go get photocopies of the tags for these quilts, so now they are ready to finish and bundle up to be delivered.

FYI.   I just got a pop up notice telling me that today is World Wide Quilt Day.  Happy quilting everyone!!!  Let's see what I can do to celebrate this day.

Trying to figure out what to do with silk half square triangles

This morning I actually slept in.  Yay!  When I did wake up at 7:30am, I realized that today my daughter and I had dentist appointments.  Well there goes a good chunk of our morning.  As I was left with only a hour to myself before we had to go, I decided to sort through a box of silk material I had been given.  It's a fair size box of silk material that I do not know what to do with.  

In the box there are many different colours/patterns of silk fabric and more than half of it, probably 3/4s of the box is half square triangles.  The pile that I took out this morning is the brightest of the bunch.  Within these piles there are three different fabric patterns. 

I found out that when working with silk in a quilt, it is always best to use interfacing.  This helps to stabilize the silk and make it easier to work with.  There is definitely going to be a need for mega patience while working with this.  Just trying to lay the pieces onto the facing was a bit tricky.

Once I stabilized the silk I trimmed them all down to a consistent size.  The person who cut these, used scissors and so with the nature of silk the cuts were quite wavy.  Now they are trimmed and ready to use.  I just don't know yet what I want to do with them.

Do I want to keep the colour families different for each there own quilt, or do I want to combined them together to make a larger quilt.  I plan to go online and see if I can find some patterns that appeal to me.  If I find nothing, I will resort to the pattern Scrap Triangles page 78 of For the Weekend Quilter, edited by Rosemary Wilkinson.

I've had this book for quite some time now.  I've made a quilt out of it already.  There are even some quilts in this book that are made of silk.  The one I chose isn't, but the one I made before was, though the one I made I did out of cotton.  The pieces in the quilts are a bit larger, so that you could at least finish the top in a weekend.  There are some basic patterns that would also be good for a beginner. 

While writing this post, I think I already committed to this quilt.  I forgot about the pattern.  I like it, but want to make it a little less bright.  Which is ok, as the silks are mainly dark but muted colours, outside of the pile that I took out this morning.  I will make up a small section to see how easy or difficult this will be to make out of the silk.

But for now I will put things away as I still have some things to clean up first, like finishing the Pleated Log Cabin quilt.  Today after the dentist and driving my daughter to work, I was working on the label for it.  Each line that is written take almost an hour to stitch up, so as of now I finished three rows and have another eleven hours work on it.  I have approx. five hours of binding to do on the quilt itself.  Maybe I will work on the binding while we watch a movie tonight. 

Another floret complete

Tonight was a Quilt Bee meeting.  Everyone was busy, busy, busy.  One of the ladies was working on a quilt for her own bed.  All done with appliquéd dahlias in navies beiges, burgundies and lighter shade of all the mentioned colours.  Looks beautiful so far.  Another lady was working on a quilt for her first soon to be grandchild.  Everyone was busy in various stages with their quilts.

Me...I finished the floret for the bottom left hand corner.  It is probably one of the brightest florets so far.  I also got the last floret that goes on the top row done, or rather the floret part anyways.  I still have to do the surrounding white and purple hexagons.

I worked on this last night while waiting in the doctor's office and during lunch.  A bit of time here and a bit of time there, is all it takes.  They do seem to be coming along well.

Four orphan blocks being repurposed

For a while now every time I go for a pot holder to take something out of the oven, I keep telling myself that I need to work on getting some more done up.  The ones I have now are starting to get worn out and stained.

During my cleaning bout on the weekend in my sewing room, I found some orphan blocks and the thought hit me to make them into pot holders.  The first three blocks were too small, so I added a small border around them.  Now I need to pick up some heat resistant batting and quilt them up.  They are not all the same, but really, does it matter.  Not to me.

The top three blocks are rejects from my Farmer's Wife quilt.  The first two were kind of plain with a lot less detail than the other blocks and the pieces were too big in comparison.  The third block was a half inch too small for the blocks I was making.  Regardless of them being rejects where they were intended, they found a home somewhere else where they will be appreciated and used, instead of sitting in a drawer.

This last block was an extra from the Grandpa's Star quilt that I made a couple of summers ago.  The quilt is still waiting to be quilted.  In the quilt these blocks were set with dark solid brown sashing with cornerstones.

I did a bit of this and a bit of that

Yesturday I did a bit of this and a bit of that.  My quilt room was looking like a dump sight.  I couldn't stand it anymore.  I needed to get a handle on the "stuff".  It was everywhere.  Piles here and there.  Each was needing to be sorted, cut, organized or put away.

I tackled the shirting material that was scattered about in piles of light and dark.  Cut up all the dark pieces I needed, a lot of the lights and all the sashings.  I even have my bright blue cornerstones.  I had to do some moving around and rethinking some of my containers because this quilt needed a bigger one, plus I needed more space for the rest of the deboned shirts.  So that caused me to make an even bigger mess sorting out other containers.

I sorted most of the containers below my sewing table, relocated some things and made them more accessible.  I labeled my containers and organized the contents.

In the process I sorted and counted my pieces for the future Texas Braid quilt, by Bonnie Hunter.  I am sure everyone remembers the system where you deal with and cut up the scraps as they are made. Well for me, since I finished the Bow Tie quilt pieces, I was cutting them up into 2" x 5 1/2" strips of either the lights or the darks.  I haven't been collecting these too long.  I am not even half way there yet.  So I will keep cutting as I go along and when I do have what I need, I can make it.

I even sorted the give away quilts.  Getting the tags together.  I realize I have to make more tags and copy more letters to go with them.  That needs computer time, so for now they are sitting on my sewing table waiting for the labels.

I went down to my room today to gather my grab and go bag, took a look around and sighed a breath of relief.  My room is back in order.  That feels good.

Shirting to make a quilt

I have been collecting shirting material to make a quilt.  My family has been saving their shirts just for this purpose.  I figure I have enough now to make a quilt.  I am in the process of cutting up my pieces.  It is amazing how far a large shirt will go.  I needed the variety for the quilt I am making, but not a lot of actual yardage.  For the most part, one front shirt is all I am using of each shirt.

Above are my darks and below are some lights.  I am going to have to substantiate some lights to have enough fabric for the quilt, but that is ok.  I am not too particular that the whole quilt be made of shirting.  I do have a lot of shirts, so the majority of the quilt will be shirting.

This will be consider my family and friends quilt.  I have some shirts from my husband, my brother, my brother's brother-in-law, my niece's husband, and even have some from St. Augustine from my Aunt who got them from someone in her family.  There are some from Grandma D, Grandma B, even one from my son.  This quilt is going to be so neat!!!  A big memory quilt.  You will have to wait and see. For now I am not telling what quilt pattern I have in mind.  Consider it a surprise.  Or at least a surprise until I can't hold the secret any longer.  My excitement my get the better of me.  We will see.

Stay tuned.

Completed hexagon number eight for the top row

Yesturday before heading to my parent's house, I took some time to attach the last couple of hexies to floret number eight for the top row, and I wrote out the label for Rose's Log Cabin Quilt onto the fabric.  It is now ready to start stitching.

When we went to my parent's home yesturday, I took along the diamond hexagons that still needed to be dismantled.  While in the hospital I managed to get about five of them dismantled.  At my parent's home another three were done.  There are twenty two diamonds left to go.

Today I haven't decided yet what I want to do.  I am trying to decide between working on piecing the Midnight Flight quilt or starting the hand stitching of Rose's Pleated Log Cabin quilt.  Maybe I will do a bit of both.

Getting things together

My Dad is back out of the hospital.  Things are stable at this time.  He is doing ok.  We just need to keep an eye on his breathing.  We are all relieved.

While we were at the hospital, for the most part, there was not much to do outside of worry and watch my dad sleep.  So during my stay over I was glad for my grab and go container.  While Dad slept I stitched.  I didn't get a lot done but keeping my hands busy helped to keep my mind focused.

After returning home in the morning I went to sleep.  I woke up in early afternoon and kept busy by making the label for Rose's Pleated Log Cabin quilt.  When the kids got home after school I spent as much time with them as I could, before having to go to the hospital again.  It is hard on them as well, when they don't know or understand the extent of what is really happening.

Now that Dad is out, the kids want to go visit him at his house.  We will be going to dinner so they can spend some time with their grandpa.  It will help them deal with the worry they went through and help relieve their minds.

Away for a few days

I thought I would let my readers know that I will be away for a few days, maybe even a week.  My father is back in the hospital with heart problems.  We will be in and out and staying overnight.  Talk to when I can.

Tea cubby

*******Yay, for me!!! I just noticed that this is my 250th post.*******

I'd have to say that I am proud of myself.  I didn't know if I could do this.  I didn't know if I would have much to post about.  It started as just a way to document all the quilts and projects that I do. Sort of like a daily journal.  But, it has turned out to be much more.  This has become a way to share with others my passion for quilting and for me to look back and realize just how much I do get done.

This morning I took a little break from my usual quilting to quilt some fabric to make something for my hubby.  My hubby is a tea drinker.  He grew up with tea and a creature of habit has to have a tea cubby to keep the brew warm.  The one I made for him a few years back, has had it's day.  It took me a couple of hours to quilt and assemble this.  It's not much but it will do the job.

Yesturday, I spent the whole day quilting the Pleated Lod Cabin quilt.  By the time my twelve year old son Dylan called me to come for dinner (he decided he was making dinner this day), I had completed the centre of the quilt and just over 1/8th of the last border.  It went very well.

Now that I am done the cubby I will get back to quilting the quilt.  Hoping to get the quilting done today and attach the binding.  That way throughout the week I can tack down the binding by hand, and wash it next weekend.  It is coming along and I am liking it so far.