Getting a head start on one of the challenge quilts

As I finished the September's American, Patchwork & Quilting UFO challenge quilt. I figured I'd get a head start on another quilt on that list.  I am not sure what the next quilt will be.  It's out of three quilts (October, November & December).  Out of the three, this quilt is the one that has the most work to be done.  I've cut out all the pieces, sorted out the fabrics for the 350 nine-patches and the 70 half square triangle units.  I also wanted to see what the blocks would look like, so I made one up.  It looks good.  At least I think so.

This quilt is special.  This is a quilt using up shirting fabrics from the men in my life.  Everyone contributing their shirts as they finish with them.  My husband, my brother, my nephew, my sister-law's brother-in-law, I also have a few female shirts from my sister's mother-in-law.  Some even came from friends that knew I was collections shirts.

These are all the sorted units.  A lot to sew up.  I'll do what I can until the next quilt number is called. I'm kind of hoping this is the next number called, though I also look forward to the other two quilts too.

Pattern for this quilt is one of Bonnie Hunter's from her book Scraps & Shirttails II called Tumalo Trail.  

Almost done my September's American Patchwork & Quilting UFO Challenge quilt

We are nearing the end of September.  Just in time I finished my American, Patchwork & Quilting UFO Challenge quilt for the month of September.  I plan on waiting to quilt it, as my machine is occupied at the moment with a large practice piece.  I have a small window of time between clients to practice different technics in free hand, free motion quilting.

All the blocks are done and attached and the border fabric I chose below, is cut and attached as well.

Last post I showed you some samples of quilting options for the centre cream sections, but I am still trying to figure out exactly what I want for the chains and the borders.

Today I am working on a lot of loose ends and catching up on my 3-way BOM blocks for all three styles of quilting.  At this point I have only 2 1/2 more blocks to sew together to finish.  I also went ahead and did one other block that was easy enough to figure out the measurements for.  I'll share them all with you on another post.

Enjoy you day!

Playing around with quilting designs

I've been playing around with different ideas for quilting the cream sections of the drunkards path quilt. When all the blocks are together, you get this unusual shape, formed in the middle between the chains, when the blocks are sewn.

I drew this shape on paper to use with my homemade erasable plastic paper protector (table cover/protector).  I place the paper with the shape drawn on it under the plastic and start playing.  Once you make a design, you evaluate it, erase it and try again.  If I come across something that has potential, I will take a picture of it.  This way I can come back to it and choose later.

Above I used the organic petal feathers with a tendril/swirl to extend in the awkward space.  I like this, but I am afraid there may be too much thread buildup in the centre for my taste.

I came up with this possibility.  It's ok.......but a bit too simple.  I liked the fact that is wasn't quite so busy as the first design, but thought it lacked something to actually "fit" the space.  Later, after a few more options, I thought to use a combination of the first two designs.

I think I like this one better.  It is still simple, but the petal will "fit" the space better by contouring the curves.  I noted that in each of the samples I took a picture of, I always used the tendril/swirl in that odd shape.  It seems to be the best option to get up there to quilt that little area.

I will continue to play around with the design.  See what else I can come up with.  I don't usually commit to anything until I actually start quilting the quilt.  So, if anyone else has any other ideas, please pass them along.  I'd love to see what other people would come up with.

My green and red appliqué quilt

I have finally come up with and settled on the last four block designs for my green and red appliqué quilt, which as it turns out is no longer just green and red.

I've added a yellow, pink, double pink, and a blue.  I didn't want this quilt to look like a Christmas quilt. I think I will call this quilt my version of the Baltimore album appliqué quilt............or maybe not.  That is such a mouth full.      

This first block in the top picture is a bit outside of the usual Baltimore album style, with a more modern feel to it, with the curved hearts, instead if a simple solid heart.  This will be the "my version" part of the name I was thinking on calling this quilt.

I am really not good at names for my quilts.  I tend to go with the basic description as the name.  I think I need to start being more creative.  Think outside the box and come up with an individual name.  Maybe something like Gathering Flowers.  How does that sound?  Many of the blocks are of flowers or flowers in baskets, that sort of thing.  I think that works for me.

From this point onward this quilt will simply be called Gathering Flowers.

The one above is a variation of another block I have where the flower is in the middle.  This one though I decided to use berries and curved stems in the corners.  I am liking this one.

This next block is being added as a representation of my French heritage.  The fleur-de-lil will add in some more blue into the quilt.  I have a few blue baskets and now these fleur-de-lil.

This last block is back to flowers.  I have committed to this block, however I will be doing this one last.  I hesitate with this one, as I am thinking that in my subconscious I am not 100% sold on this block.  I am not sure about the single layer flowers, which is different than all the other blocks. We shall see....

I am looking forward to getting back into this quilt.  I did so much on this quilt already with most of the green stems, outside of these blocks and a couple of others.  I also did all the blue stems of the basket blocks too.  The only reason I am holding myself off at this time is because I have so many other handwork quilt/projects on the go that I want to get it a bit more under control, so that when I get back to this one, I can sit and really enjoy it, without the guilt of knowing I should be working on other things.  The To Grandmother's House We Go quilt being one of them.

Soon though, as I am making great progress on a lot of my quilts.  My UFO list is shrinking. Yay!

Progress on September's UFO challenge

The countdown is started.........not many days left of September!

This is my September's UFO challenge quilt.  I had all of the little curved units done and just needing to assemble the blocks.  So I thought it would be a snap, but by mid September this is all I have done.

All I can say is, I'd better get a move on it, if I want to finish this quilt in September!

Though I would settle for just having the quilt top done too.  I'm still working out different ideas on how I want to quilt this quilt, so that may not happen in September.

Finished the last red hearts quilt

Here are the last of the red heart blocks that were given to me by a friend.  She made a total of 20 of them and in the end changed her mind about the quilt she was going to make.  I figure she gave them to me knowing that I do charity quilts.

This is the last quilt of three that I made out of the blocks.  The first two were small NICU quilts.  This quilt is larger at 45" square, a good size for a cuddle quilt.

I took this picture while I was working on the blocks, a long time ago and thought I would have posted about it a lot earlier than now.   Since this picture, I've finished the top, as you see below.

I am a bit behind on my posts, but eventually I will catch up.  I don't always get a chance to do quilting each day, but when I do I take pictures.  You may find some of them posted out of order, but they will be posted.  For me posting is my sort of quilting diary, where I keep track of what I've been up to.  I like sometimes going back and checking things out. Sometimes I get motivated and spurred on to finishing more of my UFOs.

So, since the above picture, which was taken a while ago, I've even quilted the quilt and binded it too!  Label is on as well and it is ready to be delivered to Project Linus for distribution.

I quilted the above quilt using an edge to edge pantograph called Be Mine, that I purchased from Urban Elementz.  It has hearts in the shape of flowers with leaves and ribbon swirls.  It's very pretty.

Below is the last NICU quilt that I did, that didn't make the previous post, when I spoke about finishing it, as I hadn't finished the quilting yet.  This one is also quilted with an edge to edge pantograph.  I chose to quilt this quilt using the Painted Daisies design.

Enjoy this lovely morning and have a great day!

Got bitten by the hexies again

When we were on our way to the cottage for the Jenkins' family reunion, I took my hexagons with me.  I finished the one diamond along the way and a bit while there.

Well......that didn't satisfy my need and desire to get back into doing my handwork projects.  In the week that followed that trip, I got two more floret sections done, including the borders beside the florets.  This whole section is all attached together.  Yay!

I don't feel like the need to do handwork has left my system quite yet, so not only did I hang my finished section on my design wall, but I also took out the section that I had already completed to put up on the wall with it.  Soon I will take the time to attach these two sections together.

Together it looks big, however this does not even represent an eighth of the quilt top.  Though to my credit, I also have the florets for the top border done and assembled together, as well as the bottom florets.  I even have some of the second borders for these florets completed too!

The florets further down the design wall are the upcoming parts to complete.  The piece in the top picture goes just below the yellow floret that you see in the bottom picture.  I am currently working on the side pieces for the next floret, the blue one.

But......first I have to sewing down the binding by hand on three quilts, before the next guild meeting.

September's American Patchwork & Quilting UFO Challenge

September's American Patchwork & Quilting UFO Challenge number is 2.  Number 2 is my Drunkards path quilt.  Pattern also known as Old Maids Puzzle, amongst other names.

This is going to be my light weight summer quilt.  The colours in the picture appear a bit darker than in person.  The day was a bit dreary, so the lack of sunlight made a difference.   The colours I've chosen are light almost pastel colours with about 1/3 heading toward a darker medium.

I started the month with two blocks done.  I did them as samples.  Through these samples I realized that the colours need to have enough contrast with the cream that I am using to make the chain pattern show up.  So sometime before I assemble the rows, I'll need to remove three of the pieces within these two blocks.

By this point, I now have seven blocks done.  All the units are done and organized.  Below I have them all sorted in block piles and the piles are sorted in position order.  All but two from the top row are done.  Not to confuse anyone, the picture below is sideways, so the top row is the left hand column.

I've really been waiting patiently for this number to come up.  I am so excited that it is here.  I wanted to work on this one for a little while and thought it would never come up.

This weekend I didn't get a chance to work on this, but I am so excited to see this quilt done, that I don't think I will have a problem finishing the top at least.  That's if I can find fabric for the borders.

Is there anyone else working on the American Patchwork & Quilting UFO Challenge?

Blue stars quilt block completed

During the month of August, I had abandoned the quilt listed on the American Patchwork & Quilting UFO Challenge list.  I really do not care for it and don't want to dismantle it.  I just need to be in the mood for it.  Maybe another time.....

So......I thought I would just take a break from this list and try to get a bucnch of other things off my main list of UFOs.  I'm glad I did, because I got a lot of stuff done.

One of the items was this.  I started back to work on these blue star quilt blocks.  It may sound pathetic, but I only had four of these blocks to do.  I know, pretty sad, but I thing that is when life got busy and I had to put this one away.

During the last years' season of the guild meetings, I purchased a large zip loc bag full of material, mainly in blues.  Imagine to my surprise, when I opened it up and found numerous blocks and pieces already completed.

I didn't have a pattern with it, I only had various types of blocks and pieced strips.  I spoke about this in previous blog posts, as I made at least five NICU quilts with some of the blocks and pieces.  As I had more of these particular blocks, I put them aside to come up with something larger.

With the two types of blocks, I came up with this design.  The one block makes a chain grid across the quilt and the stars went in between the chains.  As I said earlier, I only needed to make the four star blocks to complete the centre.  I used many of the pieces from the bag plus a few from my own stash.

I even had a long enough piece, of this double row, of 2" finished blocks to make the border.  I just had to measure where to cut it off and measure the next one.  There is still a small piece of this strip left. Lol.  It must have been destined for a big bed quilt, however now it has been relegated to be the border of this cute quilt instead.

I wonder what the person who initially owned this fabric was going to use all those pieces for.  I wonder if she would like my take on the use of these fabrics.  Who knows?  

One thing for sure, is some young child will have the pleasure of snuggling under this cute quilt when it is done.  Now the next step is to assemble the rows and attach the borders.

Family reunion at the cottage

A couple of weekends ago, we had our yearly family reunion.  This year my grandkids were down from Moncton, NB.  So exiting!  We haven't seen them since 2 yrs ago.  Oh my!  How fast they have grown. 

Above is my granddaughter and below is the unphotogenic grandson.  He prefers not taking pictures, but that's ok, you can get a glimpse of him anyways.

As this is a quilting blog I will keep it minimal about the reunion, other than to say everyone enjoyed themselves.  The place is so peaceful and the kids big and small enjoyed the water and all the other activities they did.  Some of the cousins only see each other this one time during the year, but you'd never know it, as they get allow great and seem to just pick up where they left off.  I am sure it has a bit to do with social media, that keeps them informed of what each other is doing.

I am thankful for this time to see everyone.  Until next year.....

On the way up to the cottage, hubby drove, so I got to do some hexies.  I got some of a diamond done and finished it off while the bigger kids got into a three hour game of Risk (this was before the grandkids arrived).  It's not much, but it was enough to give me the itch to bring this quilt out again and do it more than just as a grab 'n go.  We will see how long I can hold out for.

Later that week, I worked on the NICU hearts quilt.  The top is done.  I even started working on the second hearts quilt, though this next one will be bigger.

So, now the kids are back in school vacations are over, time to get back into routines.  Not that I have many, but things did seem to run smoother when everyone had there tasks to do.  Adults dig into work, kids get down to homework and pets feeling more relaxed knowing the routine of regular times for walks, being fed and general activities. 

I will also be starting up the guild meetings in Halton and the longarm group in Oshawa.  I am looking forward to seeing everything everyone has been up to, during the summer break.

Progress on the beige swirly HST quilt

There was some progress made on the beige swirly HST quilt.  I've been assembling the blocks in the web format and to make it easier for me, I did this in quarters.  So, here are three quarters completed.  It's a little dark for my taste, but I am sure some male would like it. 

My daughter has also been making progress on my side garden.  In the last pictures I showed you, she was in the process of getting rid of all the blocks, bricks and stones that have been stored along the wall for a while.  By this time, a couple of weeks ago, she has only the large blocks to do and now she has removed all the grass and placed all the path stones.

By the time I am posting this, today, all the blocks are gone, the path stones have been rearranged and my daughter dug out seven of the larger holes to plant the bushes.  This garden is really coming together.

As of last week I did finish this beige swirly HST quilt.  I added a thin red border and followed it with the same beige background for the last border.  This quilt will be a donation to the guild for distribution to one of the nursing homes or possibly someone else in need.

So......in closing, this post may seem to span a long period of time, and it does.  I've been busy with so many things lately that I am at least trying to put like things together, instead of this that and the other at all different times.  That is really how I have been working.  My pictures look like a jumbled up mess.  One topic here, and a few more topics, followed by more topics from the first batch.

I do what I can when time permits, between work and commitments.  That really is the story of my life, and I am ok with that, it keeps life interesting.