Panel Quilts

Do you have panels that you bought to make a quick easy quilt and then once you got them home, you thought, "What am I going to do with this?"  I think several of us have been there, done that.
I designed two quilts from one panel over the past year.  This is supposed to be a class at Quilters Journey, and it will be this Fall.  I still have to write the patterns for the quilts.  The idea is two quilters can work on the two quilts together and then they will each have a quilt when they are finished.  Or, one quilter can make the two quilts and give one to their friend and keep one.  I finished these two quilts last month and showed them at our Third Saturday Sampler in June.  We had several sign up for the class.  One lady, who will be President of the guild in Rolla was there.  She later told the lady in charge of programs next year about it and suggested they ask me to do a program next year on making quilts with panels.  So, the lady called me and I agreed to do a program on designing and making quilts with panels.  Since then, I have been obsessed with panels.  My first thought was, "I need to go buy panels!"  Then I started looking around.  I have several panels and fabric to go with them to make several examples!  No need to buy more (although I have already!).  I have been researching and there are not very many books on using panels for quilt making.  Maybe there will be another one in the future.  There are several examples online, such as on Pinterest.  That has given me lots of ideas.  So, all those panels I have already purchased have come out to play and one has already become a quilt top (still deciding if it needs another border) and another one is in progress.  Three more panels have been purchased.  They will  not have to wait too long to become a quilt.  Two more are in the design process (two panels I already had).
That's what I have been working on.

Happy Quilting!

Already Marking Off

I am already marking things off my Summer List.  Went to school and cleaned out my office.  It had been a few years since it has been this clean.  I also did my end of the year check out list.  Glad to get all that done. 
Tomorrow I take Mom to her doctor's appointment in Springfield.  I will not be doing much on my list tomorrow.  But, I will work on finishing painting the gym the rest of the week. 
As far as my quilting list goes, I have so many quilts to finish!  I will need to work on customer quilts first.  I was at the shop this morning and saw that Geriann brought another small quilt in to have quilted.  So, there is another one to go on the list.  Plus I need to finish Stacey's Grandma's quilt before I go see Marcia, so I can take it to Stacey when I go see Marcia.  Which is what I think I will work on tonight.  I also need to finish Phil's quilt.  Just redoing some of the binding...one side to go.  Maybe work on it first and then Stacey's Grandma's quilt.  Would like to have it finished by Thursday so I can take it to the Quilt Guild and turn it in as a UFO finish.  Time to get to work.
Happy Quilting!

First Official Day of Summer

Today is the official first day of summer vacation.  The last day of school was Friday and I missed it.  Aaron Pole Vaulted at the State Track Meet, so I went because I had to take the poles up.  Savannah vaulted on Saturday and also threw the discus, so I stayed up there Friday night for her stuff Saturday.  When I got home from that, Chris and I went to St. Louis, spent the night and went to the Cardinal Baseball game Sunday afternoon.  We got home last night around 7:30.  I am glad to be home for awhile.  It is good to get away, but always good to be home. 

I saw someone posted a list they had made with their kids with their summer plans and called it their "Summer Bucket List".  I thought that was a great idea!  How many times has the summer gone by and I didn't do half of what I had planned on doing because I forgot or got too busy with other things?  Well, this is going to be my last "Summer Vacation", because I am planning on retiring after next school year.  So, I have to make it count.  There are always so many things I want to do and never seem to find the time to do them.  Maybe because I don't make a list.  Oh, I make lots of lists and I love to make lists.  I even follow my lists.  But, I have never made a summer list.  So, I am going to start it now. 

Summer List (If it is in red, it is done) (Added items in blue)

1.  Clean house
     a.  Clean out cabinets
     b.  Clean out pantry
     c.  Clean quilting room
     d.  Clean sewing/computer room
     e.  Clean bedroom
     f.  Clean out closet
     g.  Clean out basement
     h.  Get rid of one bag of stuff each week

2.  Quilts to quilt
     a.  Lori's 4 quilts  +1
     b.  Henry's quilt - needs binding
     c.  Mary Jane's quilt
     d.  Geriann's 2 quilts + 1 small quilt + 1 small quilt (1 Large quilt-binding)
     e.  Quilt for quilting ladies at church
     f.  Kim Diehl Quilt
     g.  Celtic Solstice Quilt (need to re-do borders)
     h.  UFO quilts
          i.  Pastel Trip Around The World - due in August
          ii.  10-Miute Block #2
          iii.  Log Cabin Heart Wall-Hanging - due in June
          iv.  Bowtie Quilt
          v.  Chris' Storybook Farms - due in August
          vi.  Large Bowtie Quilt
          vii.  Pastel Log Cabin - due in June
          viii.  Merrily's 3rd Saturday Sampler
     I.  Trim Mom's Quilt and get to her
     j. Tumbleweeds - Judy Niemeyer Quilt

3.  Quilts to finish piecing
     a.  CRSQG Mystery Quilt
     b.  1st Saturday Quilt from last year (Eleanor Burns Quilt)
     c.  UFO Quilts
          i.  Loyal Union Sampler Quilt
          ii.  Twist and Turn-Ugly Fabrics - due in August
          iii.  Miniature Paper Pieced Diamonds
          iv.  Underground Railroad - 6" - due in June
          v.  Underground Railroad - 12"
     d.  Idaho Farm Girl - missing blocks!

4.  Quilts to finish for Quilter's Journey
     a.  3rd Saturday Sampler
     b.  Block of the Month Quilt
     c. Friendship Quilt - Needs Borders
          i. Write Pattern

5.  Things to start
     a.  Sue Spargo Wool Applique Butterflies

6.  School Stuff
     a.  Clean out office
     b.  Finish Painting Gym
     c.  Do summer check out

Okay, there is the start of my Summer List.  I know, it looks like a lot to do.  I guess I have to plan my time wisely.  I am actually starting with #6 today.  These are the things I have to get done this week at school.  I am doing a. and c. today and then b. Wednesday - Friday.  Hopefully I can get the gym finished this week.  If not, I guess I will have to finish next Monday. 
Well, I guess I'd better get started!  It's going to be a busy summer!

What I Quilted This Week

Last week I spent all week quilting my projects.  I got several quilted and didn't feel guilty about it.  This week I worked on customer quilts.  I had 13 things to do for others at this time last week.  I quilted 1 for Alyce, 2 for Geriann, and 2 for Carolyn.  That brings me down to 8 things to quilt for others.  Here are some pictures of what I quilted this week...

This is Alyce's quilt.  It is for her future great granddaughter (someday).

 



 

Very simple and "modern".  I quilted the words that are in the white fabric on the blue strips.

"Create"

 

"Play"

 

"Imagine"

 

 "Dance"

 

 

"Wish"

 

Here it is all quilted.  I also did the binding, but forgot to take a picture before she picked it up.

 

This is one of Geriann's.  I call it her "fish" quilt.  I drew a pantograph of circles (bubbles). 

 I still have to finish the binding on this one.

 

Here's a closer picture so you can see the circles I quilted.

 

This is Geriann's second quilt.  It is paper dolls.  So cute!

 

Here's a close up so you can see the quilting.

Here's a picture of the back of the quilt.  I quilted it in bright pink and green. 

I just finished the binding tonight on this one.

 

Here are Carolyn's table runner and table topper.  I put them both on the machine and quilted them at the same time.

 

Here's the table topper closer.

 

Here is a close up of the table runner.  I still have to finish the binding on both of these.

 

 

I have a quilt on the machine for Wounded Warriors now.  I will take pictures tomorrow of it and post next week.  I have one more charity quilt to do.  I may do it after the Wounded Warriors quilt. 

I still have 2 more quilts for Lori, a lap quilt and a wall-hanging for Carolyn, and two snowmen quilts for a new customer to do.  Guess I will be working on those this week.  I hope I get them finished so I can quilt on some more of mine. 

I finished piecing a disappearing 9-patch today.  It still needs borders, but the center if finished.  I started it yesterday.  So easy to do.  Still sewing on the Urban Pods quilts. 

That is it for now.

Happy Quilting!

New Quilt

Saturday I decided to start a new quilt.  It is called Urban Pods.  The pattern uses the Quilt Curve Ruler.  I also decide to use the fabrics I bought in Moldova the past two years on this project.  I would like to offer a class using this ruler at the shop.  We have ordered rulers, but they have not come in yet.  Should be here this week.  We have several patterns at the shop already, but the rulers were back ordered.

Here are some strips I cut from the fabrics I bought in Moldova.  The lightest blue on the far left I bought 2 years ago.  The white, pink, and blue with yellow I bought last year.

 

Here is the pattern I am doing.  It is called Urban Pods.  It uses the Quick Curve Ruler.  I did not take a picture of it, but you can find it at this blog:  www.sewkindofwonderful.blogspot.com

 

Here are my pieces all cut out, ready to be sewn together, by my sewing machine.  I think I cut enough for 2 quilts.  Which was the plan.  The fabric from Moldova is twice as wide as what we get here in the United States.

 

It is an easy, gentle curve to sew.  Not too bad.

 

This is my pile that is sewn together ready to be pressed.

 

 

Sewing a few more pieces.  One side has already been sewn on this block, now doing the other side.

 

See, easy curve sewing.

 

The end of one curve sewn.

 

Here is my pile that is ready to be pressed.

 

These are the first four I did as a practice run.  It seems easy enough.

 

Press toward the center piece.

 

Front side pressed.  It looks a little wonky, but that's okay.  They will all be trimmed later.

 

Here's my pile of pressed blocks.  I will trim them later.  If I trim now, I will want to put them together, so I need to wait.

 

As I pressed, I had some company.  Here are my faithful companions this summer. 

Lady is on the bed, napping (of course!).

 

Licorice is on the floor, also napping!  They are always close by, no matter where I am in the house.

 

 

As I work through this quilt, I will post more pictures.  I will try to post some pictures of the ruler.  You use it to trim the blocks, too.

 

 

Happy Quilting!

Terrie

 

It's Summer

Yesterday marked to official first day of summer.  We have been out of school for almost a month.  Summer vacation seems to go by really fast.  Why is that?  I don't feel like I have done a whole lot.  Summer plans never seem to get accomplished.  But, what plans did I have for this summer?  Quilt as many quilts as I can.  Prepare for the Moldova Mission trip.  Go to summer PBiS training.  Well, I guess I have done one and are still working on the other two.
I have been quilting a lot this last week.  Monday I finished a quilt for Lori.  I think I have quilted a total of 12 of her quilts over the past year.  I still have 2 of hers to do and she is working on another one.  After I finished Lori's quilt, I quilted a baby panel that is my next UFO on my small quilt list.  I had 3 sets of flannels that I was going to quilt to make baby quilts.  I bought one yard for the front of the quilt and about 1 1/2 yards for the back of the quilt and binding.  I quilted all three of those.  Then I quilted a Chevron quilt that I made to put on etsy to sell.  I finished quilting it Friday.  So, I got several of my quilts done last week.  Now I have to bind them.  Binding is sewn on 3 of them.
Next week I have to focus on other people's quilts.  I have several small projects for Carolyn to finish for her.  There are 2 wall-hangings, 2 table runners/toppers, a pillow case (finished last night), and a quilt.  I have 2 quilts for Geriann to quilt.  And, a lady brought in 2 quilts for me to do that she needs for Christmas.  Plus the Lori's 2 quilts.  That makes 11 quilts for others to do.  I also have a Quilts of Valor quilt to do and a quilt for the ladies at church to quilt.  Now I am up to 13.  Wonder how many I can get done this next week.  I guess I should set a goal, but I won't.  It would be nice to get half of them done, even better to get them all done. 
Well, it's almost time to go to church.
Happy Quilting!
Terrie

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!