April

April is here and almost over.  It has been a busy month.  Our church presented an Easter Pageant and I have spent several Wednesday evenings during their practices in the nursery, so those who can sing could sing while I took care of their babies.  Then, the two weekends the pageant was presented, I helped in the nursery.  I am thankful for the time the choir practices to do these pageants and the message of Jesus that is presented.  It takes time though.  Takes away my free time, but that is okay.  Just less sewing and quilting time. 
Now that the pageant is over, Track is in full swing.  We were scheduled for meets on Thursday and Friday of this past week and we have one on Monday.  Thursday's meet was cancelled because of thunderstorms after we got there.  Friday was great weather for a meet.  We had a good meet.  The kids did very well. 
Today, I actually got to sit down and sew.  I worked on the quilt guild's Mystery Quilt blocks.  I finished several today, but still have several to do.  Here are some pictures of the blocks.

The first month was Four-Patch Blocks.  We had to make 32 of these.  I have these completed.

 

 

The second month was Double Four-Patch Blocks.  We had to make 38 of these.  I have these completed.

 

 

 

The third month was Triple Four-Patch Blocks.  We had to make 44 of these.  I don't have all of these completed yet, but I am closer today than I was yesterday.

 

 

 

The fourth month (this month) is Double Nine-Patch Blocks.  We have to make 24 of these.  I have one completed, but have several started.  I have about 20 of the Nine-Patch center finished. 

 



 

 

We have one more set of blocks to do next month and then we get the reveal.  Since I am presenting the Mystery Quilt, I have to finish early with my blocks so I can get the quilt put together before the big reveal.  I have cut the blocks for Part 5 already and have started them.  I cannot show those yet...next month I can show those.  I hope to have those together before our next Guild meeting, which is the second Monday of May.  This quilt is a scrappy quilt...anything goes.  It will finish at 83 1/2" x 101 1/2".  The blocks are 6" finished.  As you can see, there are a lot of blocks.  We are working to use our stash and I thought this quilt would be a good one to use up fabric.  My plan is to use only my stash to make this quilt.  Not going to purchase any fabric for this quilt.  So far, so good.  I hope I have border fabric and don't have to purchase.

 

Well, I'm off to sew some more blocks or go downstairs and quilt.  I have a customer quilt on the machine at I really want to have finished.  So, I'd better get to it.

 

Happy Quilting!

End of March Already!

I can't believe it has been 2 months since I posted anything.  I was going to post weekly, kind of journaling my quilting.  It seems my quilting life has taken a back seat to my Track life.  Yes, Track has started.  Our first meet was last Monday...cold, snow, and all.  Yes, I said snow.  We had a few flurries at the meet, but it snowed pretty good on the way home.  It was cold, but that meet is always cold.  The girls did pretty good.
I have also started beading.  Beading...taking needle, thread, and beads and making jewelry (mostly bracelets).  I have made some scissor fobs to sell at the quilt shop.  I have sold a few.  I am out of the lobster claw hooks that I like for the scissor fobs, so I haven't made any for awhile.  I have to wait until next week when I go to St. Louis and look for some.  I have made some bracelets.  I have gotten several ideas on YouTube on how to make them.  I also have some books.  It has been fun.  It is easy to take with me, as long as I have a place to sit and stitch, preferably with a table to sit at.  I think I see jewelry on everyone's Christmas list this year.
I have been working on my UFO Challenge quilts that are due next month.  I have one quilted, but cannot find the binding (if I made it), so it sits unfinished.  Either have to get some more fabric or look harder.  The second one is taking a long time to quilt.  It is a Trip Around the World.  The squares are about 2" and I am quilting my flowers in every other one.  The others I am trying to quilt with a different design in each color/fabric.  It is just taking me a lot longer than I thought it would.  I need to go quilt tonight.  I want to have it quilted before I go to St. Louis next Wednesday.  I have an away Track meet Tuesday, so can't quilt that night.  That means I need to finish it by Monday night.  I wanted to have Alyce's quilt quilted by then, too.  That way I can work on the bindings while I am in St. Louis.  I will be there Wednesday - Saturday for the AAHPERD Convention.  I am excited.  I have not been to one since I was in Graduate School.  Then it was in New Orleans.  This is the first time that I know of that it has been in Missouri.
I keep loosing stuff.  I can't find my book The Loyal Union Samper Quilt that we are making a quilt from on the second Saturday each month at the quilt shop.  I lost Alyce's quilt top, but I found it.  Guess I will go look some more and then go down stairs to do some quilting.

Happy Quilting!

Friday

It's finally Friday.  It has been a long week.  We were back in school after being off for 3 weeks...2 weeks for Christmas Break and 1 week because of snow.  They kids were ready to get back to school.  I have almost all new classes this Semester.  Most of the classes I teach are Semester classes, so they change completely.  It was a good week, but I didn't get much done in my quilting life.

Tomorrow is our 3rd Saturday Sampler class at the quilt shop.  We are ready for that.  We are also having a "Pre-cuts" class.  It will be different each month.  I did get a sample done for our project for next month.  I will be able to show it tomorrow.  The class tomorrow is using a Layer Cake, which is 42 - 10" squares.  We are cutting them with the Half Hexie ruler and then making a quilt.  Don't know why I have not taken a picture of that quilt.  I will have to do that tomorrow.  I will also take a picture of next month's quilt.

I have not had much time to quilt this week.  I loaded a quilt on the machine this week.  I think I was able to quilt 2 nights.  This is a large quilt...97" x 97".  I am doing a simple pantograph on it, so it is going fast.  The trouble is, the pantograph is not very wide, so it seems like I have to advance the quilt a lot.  The quilt is made from 2 1/2" strips.  It is one of Bonnie Hunter's designs called Scrappy Trip Around the World.  It is the second UFO I need to have finished for the CRS Quilt Guild meeting next month.  It is on my large UFO Challenge list.  I had trouble finding batting big enough for it.  Finally found a package of bamboo batting I had bought several years ago that was large enough.  I worked on the binding tonight for the small UFO Challenge quilt due next month.  I think I can get them both done.

What's on the machine

I have also been doing a little bit of sewing when I get a few minutes.  Sewing some large pinwheel blocks together to make Disappearing Pinwheel blocks for a future Pre-cuts class.  Just using fabric from my stash for them, but a Layer Cake will work for it.

I also worked on some of the pieces for the Celtic Solstice quilt, which is Bonnie Hunter's mystery quilt this year.  This one is going to take some time to finish.  There are a lot of pieces in it, especially for the large quilt.

I will try to post more pictures of what I am working on in the future.  I would like to work on the Sylvia's Bridal Sampler quilt this weekend.  Maybe I can cut some blocks tomorrow during class, after I get everyone started on their quilt.

Until next time...
Happy Quilting!

Sunday Thoughts

Had a good day at the quilt shop yesterday.  We started our Elm Creek Quilts class.  Everyone wanted to do The Loyal Union Sampler Quilt.  We did two blocks!  They now have homework, so maybe we can get a row done this month, or close to being done.  Here is a picture of the first block we did.

 

The second block had Y seams!  Those are not fun and everyone decided it was a good practice block and would probably do another one.  I did not take a picture of our second one.  Next month I will post more.

 

I came home after the class and worked on a sample for February's Pre-Cut class.  I have it ready for the borders to go on.  January's Pre-Cut class will be the Half Hexagon quilt using a Layer Cake and yardage for the border and binding.  That class will be next Saturday, January 17th.  I think we have some new people coming to do the Pre-Cuts class and to start the new 3rd Saturday Sampler quilt.  That will start next weekend, too.

 

Today is a quiet day.  I need to get my Bonnie Hunter Mystery quilt out and count pieces.  I don't know how many of each clue I have made.  I have been sewing them as Leaders & Enders, so I have not kept up with the numbers.  Time to count and see how close I am to having enough for the quilt.  I know I need more.  I have not done any of the last section before the reveal.  I will have to cut fabric for that.

 

I wanted to get another quilt on my machine and start quilting it last week.  I got a quilt out, one that is on my UFO Challenge list of Large quilts.  It is 97" x 97".  Pinned it to the leader, but did not have batting big enough for it.  I thought we had a king size batting at the shop, but we didn't.  I cut backing fabric and pressed it.  I finally found a package of batting downstairs that is big enough for it.  I took it out of the package.  It is SO wrinkled!  I laid it out and sprayed it with water to help get the wrinkles out.  I sprayed it again today.  Hopefully tomorrow it will be ready to go on.  I am going to do an easy pantograph on it called Chantilly Lace.  It should quilt pretty quickly.  Will have to wait until after school tomorrow to start quilting it.

 

Tomorrow we go back to school.  We have been out for 3 weeks.  Two weeks for Christmas break and then last week for snow.  We are starting a new Semester, so I will have different students in every class, except one.  I am ready to get back to it, I think.  I will miss having so much time to quilt.  My days have been filled with quilting and thinking about quilting.  Now, I have to think about teaching and coaching is not too far away...about 2 months.

 

We also have a Quilt Guild meeting tomorrow night.  The Current River Scrappers Quilt Guild meets the second Monday of each month.  It will be good to get out and see everyone.  I hope we have lots of Show & Tell.  I love to see what everyone has been working on.

 

Well, I need to get off of here and work on the Bonnie Hunter Mystery quilt.  We are going to be starting a Mystery Quilt with the Guild tomorrow, too.  It is a really neat quilt.  I am anxious to show everyone Part One!  I may post it here, too, so you can join us if you want to.

 

Happy Quilting!

 

Another Quilt Quilted

Here is another quilt finished.  It is another one of Lori's.  She does such a good job!

 

I used the pantograph called Chantilly Lace to do this one.  I did it in one day. 

 Easy and quick pattern.

 

Now I have a problem.  The next quilt I wanted to quilt is one of mine.  It is on my UFO List for the Quilt Guild.  I call it Scrappy Trip Around The World.  I made it from 2 1/2" strips using one of Bonnie Hunter's patterns.  It is big.  One of those quilts I didn't plan ahead and just made a bunch of blocks.  Well, it is 97" x 97".  The largest batting I have is 96" wide.  Now I have to wait until I get a king size batting.  I think we may have some at the shop, but not sure.  Can't put it on the machine until I get the batting.  If we don't have to batting at the shop and I start putting it on, then I will have to take it off to start on something else.  So, what to do now?  Put another quilt on or wait until this afternoon to see if there is batting at the shop?  Maybe I will put another one on so I can quilt this morning.

Have a wonderful day! 

Happy Quilting!



Sylvia's Bridal Sampler Quilt

We are starting a new class this Saturday at Quilters Journey, 10:00 a.m.-?, called Elm Creek Quilts.  We are doing The Loyal Union Sampler and Sylvia's Bridal Sampler quilts.  Yes, at the same time.  I have a feeling that most will be making The Loyal Union Sampler quilt.  These are quilt books from novels by Jennifer Chiaverini.  I have read most, if not all, of her books.  Love them!  Anyway, I had to make samples of the blocks we are going to be working on this month.  I hope that everyone will get them all cut out and start sewing during class.  Then they can finish sewing them before next month's class.  Students can make them all or just the easy ones.  Some people don't like sewing Y seams and have said they would skip those blocks.  There are not many with Y seams.  There are also examples in the back of Sylvia's Bridal Sampler book of different setting, which do not use all the blocks.  I don't remember if The Loyal Union Sampler has pictures of other setting.  I posted pictures of The Loyal Union Sampler blocks yesterday.  Here are pictures of Sylvia's Bridal Sampler blocks.

 

The block that is blue and white in the top right corner still needs applique'.  I will try to have that done by Saturday.  It will be machine applique'.  There are little flowers and leaves that go in each corner.  My book has laid open so long that it wouldn't stay closed.  Can you see the little post-it note tabs around the book.  About a year ago, I went through and picked out all the "easy" blocks that I wanted to do to make a quilt that is in the back of the book.  I never did start the blocks.  I will leave the tabs there until I make that block.  I also have papers in the book that has all my notes. 

 

 

I pieced 8 of the 10 blocks last night.  The first two I did earlier.  Some of these blocks are paper pieced, one has a Y seam, and one has curves.  But, they were not too difficult.  I had them all cut out and ready to go, so it didn't take too long to piece them together.

 

The Loyal Union Sampler has all the blocks in alphabetical order.  The first row starts with "A" and continues through the quilt with the names of the blocks in order. It is easy to do the blocks for the first row.  Start at the beginning of the book and work your way through.  There are 11 blocks in each row and there are 121 blocks in the quilt.

Sylvia's Bridal Sampler does not have them in alphabetical order.  They are listed in the front of the book with the name of the block, page number, and position in the quilt.  For example, the first block (top left corner) is Mosaic No. 3.  It is on page 50 and the position is Block A-1.  So, I went through the book and made a list of all the rows, the name of the block, position of the block, and page number.  As I worked on the blocks, I had to flip through the book.  A little more time consuming, but it will be worth it.

These blocks will finish at 6".  I think they are fun to make.  I think my favorite one is the Star of the Orient.  It is the block that is at the bottom, second from the left.  The colors are red, blue, black, and white.

I am using the same background in all the blocks for Sylvia's Bridal Sampler.  The colors will be different from the original quilt.  I am using fabrics from my stash as much as I can.  These blocks don't use much fabric because they are so small.  So, I probably won't have to purchase any fabric for awhile. 

For The Loyal Union Sampler, I am using blues and tans/creams.  Also using my stash.  I have LOTS of blue fabric, so probably won't have to purchase any blues for this one.

 

Well, that is it for now.  Plans for today:  exercise, start quilting another quilt, open the quilt shop at Noon, and go to a Quilt Guild meeting tonight in Rolla.  Not sure what I will work on at the shop today.

 

Happy Quilting!

Quilted Today

This is what I quilted today.  It is a quilt made by a friend of mine, Lori.  She has done a lot of quilts this past year and had me quilt them.  This is her third, I think, from this pattern.  It is from a book called "Lap from Fats".  All Lap size quilts from Fat Quarters.  Easy quilt to put together and looks good in any fabrics.  I have made several of these quilts, too.  I did a pantograph on this one, too.  I used the same pantograph as Linda's quilt-Rosey Posey.

Just started quilting in this picture.

 

It is finished and I am taking it off.  Started around 11:00 a.m. and finished at 3:00 p.m.

 

Okay, now I HAVE to do a different pantograph on the next one.  Trying to get the ones that I am doing pantographs on done first before moving on to the bigger ones that I am going to custom quilt.

 

I also finished the first row of blocks for The Loyal Union Sampler by Elm Creek Quilts.  Here are pictures of these blocks.

 

We are doing this as a class at Quilters Journey Quilt Shop this Saturday.  We will also have Sylvia's Bridal Sampler quilt to do.  I have not finished piecing those blocks.  They are cut, but I have been too busy quilting to get them done.  I will do them tonight and post pictures tomorrow.

Happy Quilting!