Mini Me

40" by 50" baby quilt top.

26" x 30" from leftover blocks.  I've been using the Essential Pro from Connecting threads for piecing and have had seams coming apart for the first time ever.   I had one come apart today and figured out that for piecing it's not good as I believe that when it is pressed with a hot iron, the polyester essential pro must melt.  I had a whole, about 4 inch seam come apart in my hand today and it was one where I had really put the heat to it.  Oh well, so much for saving money, it's back to Aurifil for piecing.  Hopefully, the quilts that I've made won't be coming apart.  I already have had to mend 1 top, and I noticed a day or two ago a seam about 1" long on one of my table toppers that had come apart.  You live and you learn, but hopefully not at the expense of quilts that I've made for others.

Stacked Blox Baby Quilt Coming Along

It's coming along, not super babyish, but even with the blue still girlie.  The borders have lots of pink, so the girlie factor will increase.   In the original, the blue frames were green, and the bottom stacked block was purple flowers, so again, the same but different.  I think I'm going to use the 2 fabrics we didn't use and either add little 9 patches with them in the corners, or maybe pinwheels.  The whole pattern seems to be based on squares and rectangles, so probably little 9 patches.

In case anyone has doubts about the baby quilt issue, the bottom block explains.  I found that fabric on sale at a quilt shop, and it was perfect for this.  It had the purple and pink, which I feel lets me add the big splash of pink, and the baby is very appropriate.  I have another girl baby quilt to make for my grandson and his wife's baby, and I'm sure it'll make it into that one, too. 

Lazy, but Getting Back in the Groove

Lazy days, I wanted to do a little, but not anything too difficult and so I decided to do 40 more squares of my second Scrappy Lattice as it was cut out.  Now I have 120 out of the over 400 I need.  It's a start.

This morning, I decided to get started on the baby quilt that I'm making for my brother's friend, a Stacked Blox quilt kit from Connecting Threads.  We made a few substitutions, but I think it's going to look nice, and the first cutting steps are done.  It's going to be more of a sophisticated baby quilt, no Disney or cartoon characters, just flowers, butterflies, geometrics, etc.  I'm anxious to see how it turns out.

Good Times

It's back to normal life now, our friends have come and gone and we had a lovely visit.  We ate, relaxed by the lake, ate some more, went to SeaWorld, and ate and ate.  We did get in a little sewing, we ladies both made little Scotty dogs while the guys visited, but I have to admit that hers turned out better than my poor little guy.  It was fun though, and I like him even if he does have an elderly wrinkly behind, and slightly crooked legs and head.   I had cut them out and made several kits about 3 years ago or so and it was nice to finally get a couple of them made.   SeaWorld was great, they hadn't been before and we got to see about 4 shows.  It was overcast and sometimes drizzly, but we were grateful that it wasn't steaming hot.   We had really good seats at Shamu Stadium, the best we've ever had, and the shows were awesome.   It was hard to see them go, we haven't seen much of them over the years, but have considered them our really good friends for over 40 years, they introduced us to our church. 

His birthday was Sunday, Kaylea's was this past Monday, and Micah's and mine were yesterday, so my daughter and her husband had a family gathering at their house.  It was a very nice last evening before they had to go.  I think three birthday cakes is really going above and beyond.  Our friend had his birthday cake before they came, but we still celebrated his birthday, too.  
PS.   Since we were both sewing, I first got out my Janome Platinum, and the foot pedal was having issues (they have been long time and I've read on the net that it's not uncommon for them to keep sewing after you let off the pedal.  I ordered a new pedal today, and I certainly hope that it resolves the issue as it has had it since almost the beginning after I purchased it.  If not, I think Janome is going to get a letter from me about my unhappiness  I had tinkered with it a few months ago and thought that the problem was resolved, but uh-uh), so I got out my Featherweight.  I remembered from over 40 years ago that when we sewed together she had a really cute little black machine, and I was right, it was a Featherweight.   Anyway, I've had mine for several years, but it has been mostly a decoration and it was nice for someone who knew how to use them to plug her in and give her a little workout.  I was happy to see that she purred right along.  

Spur of the Moment Unmatching Placemats

I had kind of had it in my mind to make mug rugs ever since I saw some with piano keys (sorry, I can't remember which blog I saw them on).   The husband of our friends who are coming to visit  plays a keyboard, probably as interested in his music as we are in our quilting.   It was obviously challenging for me to get the black keys even.  I ended up with placemats, they are about 14 x 20 inches.  Kind of big for mug rugs and I decided for time sake to use orphan blocks, can you tell. 

The backs however, are all matching.  Just a solid fabric, but I think I would call them reversible.  Pretty fast not that good job.  I decided yesterday afternoon to make them, and finished about 20 minutes ago.  It's about 4:40am now.  I did take a few hour rest in the middle.  
Kim of Kim's Big Quilting Adventure is doing Scrap Basket Sunday, so if you'd like to see some scrappy projects go here .
She also asks what constitutes a scrap to us.  In this case, it was leftover orphan blocks and bits and pieces.  Also, leftover bindings, but I must confess that I went to yardage this time for the backs as time was an issue.   

A New Tablecloth

Yesterday, when I should have been doing other things, I got the urge to sew and I thought what can I do.  I've been wanting a quilt for my dining room table, but haven't made one, and then I thought, I wonder if I could make one from one of the manly quilt tops that I have already made.  I figured it out, and I just had to add 5 inches to each end on the top (see the light color at the top) and a few inches to one end of the back.  I did that, and got to basting.  Today, I quilted it, my usual meander, and put on the scrappy binding.   Voilà, my tablecloth (table quilt?).  I'm going to wash and dry it and then I'll take a picture on the table.  It isn't the fabrics of my dreams for my table, but it's ok, it'll be quite good in a month or so, and it is a good pattern for a tablecloth, hardly any lumps, and it's almost like a table runner down the center.   My house isn't any cleaner though, and I'm not any more organized.   Now, I'll get to doing those other things I should have been doing.  I know it's probably a little tacky, but I'm also going to go to Walmart and see if I can find a clear vinyl tablecloth protector.   It'll save on the washing.

Oh well, it's not washed yet, but I wanted to see it on the table.  Sorry, terrible lighting and dreary outside.

Hiddenwells Finished

Not exactly what I pictured, but it's finished.

A bit of a closeup. 

The label.  It's from my brothers family for a very sweet 82 year old lady.

And of course, the back. 

Progress and a Break

Progress has been made on my hiddenwells, but I'm not too thrilled with it.  I think that I'm going to cut off about half of the red border and call it finished.  It's for my brother to give a friend, and that is his vote, too.

Meanwhile, I kind of took a break and made a purse (tote).  It started out to be for a gift and then I realized that it matches the ipad case that I made and I decided that I'm keeping it for myself.  There are large patch pockets on the front and the back and....

Lots of pockets inside, too.  I have to have my pockets.  I have discovered that I like to have a big about 8 1/2 or 9 inch square pocket on the inside, it's great for doctor referrals, lab referrels, etc.  Also, I have a big strip of velcro on the top.  I was going to do a zipper, but didn't have one, and I did have velcro.   Now it's back to working on the hiddenwells, I still need to do the back and then baste and quilt it.  Next step is the label. 

Large Hiddenwells

This is the first 2 blocks of 24 lain out for my brother's friends quilt.  It's kind of busy, but hopefully will turn out well and be pretty. 
Our friends are coming the end of this month, so my BOM's will probably have to be doubled up next month, but my brother's quilts are a priority.  I'm hoping to get this one done.  The other is a baby quilt kit from Connecting Threads, and I have to get it ordered.  I haven't done any kits before, but I have confidence that Connecting Threads will supply enough fabric.  

Green RSC Kaleidoscoope, Etc.

04/12/2013

Since I finished 2 table runners and a table topper, I linked up with crazy mom quilts Finish it up Friday here. 

My six inch nine patches.

They look the same in the picture, but these are four and a half inch nine patches.

Sixteen patches.

I can't seem to stop Picasa from assigning weird dates.  I actually finished this table runner 040913.  Green scraps in the side on the left, so I figure it's part of the Rainbow Scrap Challenge. 

This was actually finished 040713?  Again one side has green scraps.  They are not really out of shape, it's my photography.

And I almost forgot this green finished 0410.  My Rainbow Scrappy Tripalong, or Bargello?  I'm kind of liking this Tripalong though.

And here, last but not least, my snowballs and nine patches.  Sorry, this whole post is out of chronological order.  I kept adding things to get everything in one post. 

04/11/2013

I tried not pressing my block until the end, but my center isn't too good on this one.  I pressed my bonus block as I went, and the center is better.

My crazy bonus block.


I don't know about my expected company, when they will come, so I'm trying to finish everything as my focus will change to cleaning and cooking when I know they're coming.  I just have one more RSC project and I'll be doing it asap (it's done, my snowball and nine patches).  I also have quilts my brother has asked me to do for him as gifts for friends that are a priority. 
If you'd like to see lots more green, it won't fatten your wallet, but you can visit Angela at Soscrappy here .

And my last hurrah for April RSC.  Top Row: Scrappy Trip Along, Table Runner, 4 1/2 inch 9 patches.  Second Row: Rainbow Jelly Roll Race, Snowballs and 9 patches.  Bottom Row: Table Runner, Kitty Table Topper, Kaleidoscope blocks, 6 Inch 9 Patches and 16 Patches.