update

Just a quick little post, as I've been working on stuff but have a bunch of un-photographable stuff.
However, I did finish a sampler of stitching, knotting and tying techniques from the book, Utility Quilts

 and even though I've tied several quilts before, it was

a)fun to try different things,

b)great trying all these things at once, so the comparison is immediate and lasting

c)great to try a bunch and not be committed to one you don't care for on a whole quilt

So, all in all, a good idea--for me, anyway.  Aaaaaaaaand, here it is:

I left the markings in, so I can use them for a class sample of more than just the finishing techniques.  If you click on the pic, you'll get a close up of all the different ones:

there's big stitch with tiger tape with the top stitch bigger than the bottom one, big stitch quilting where the stitches are the same top and bottom, running cross stitch, surgeons knot, square knot, methodist knot, modified backstitch, crows footing, buttonhole stitch.........whew.

Not gonna tell you which ones I prefer so as not to bias anyone.  To each their own, right?  Plus, different batts and patchwork patterns might require a rethink.  

I saw a post on LuAnn's blog the other day that she had gotten the book Feathering the Nest  published by Quiltmania and was really pleased with it, so of course, as I'd been drooling for it for a while, I went ahead and ordered it today.  Can't wait for it to come.  I sure hope somebody appreciates my library when I'm gone!!!

Kitchen is calling me to fix something for dinner.  

later, 

linda

More Good Stuff

I'm just working on a "few" projects, right, so now there's more?!  Yes!
     My daughter saw a quilt in Anthropologie last winter and wants one in grey.  So I said sure.  Why not, Right?  So, I've been collecting greys:

     I know some look a little brown and some look a little blue, but I think that'll help the overall richness. These greys will be opposite white and set in a streak of lightening pattern.  I'm going to try and make it as a potholder quilt with knife edges to the blocks.  So I said to her "What color/s do you want on the back"  and she immediately said "Canary yellow".  No hesitation there,(glad I asked), so:

     And there may be a few others added as I find them.  

     Since that's all taken care of , LOL, when I saw this quilt on the Bunny Hill Designs web site (go to the page and scroll down) I fell in love.  And  The Fat Quarter Shop has it all kitted up. (usual disclaimer) (go to the page and scroll almost 3/4 down the page on the right)  It was one of those grey days and I lllooooooovvve

polka dots and a few days later I got this:

 in the mail.  

   I'm still working on how to make this a pot holder quilt..have to see if I'll need any more fabric, and decide what to use as a backing.  So many decisions................ : ). 

     I better figure out what to fix with the potato salad for dinner and get the clothes out of the dryer and........

later.

linda

Made ya look!

I'm actually back the next day like I said I would be.  (Surprised me, too.)  Well, I took a look at the blog after I'd posted and realized I had a better pic of the quilt that I posted-twice, even.  So:

 

Yes.  I'm happy with it.

So, now to the new stuff.

I had ordered a book:

Utility Quilting by Carolyn Forster and took it to work.  (no, I have no connection with Amazon except I occasionally shop there.)  Didn't want the girls to have to order it in if it wasn't something we could use.  Mel loved it!  We saw this picture:

 

done in thirties fabrics.  We decided to do it out of Civil War repros:

 

     It took about 5 hours to piece it being really careful, cause if we use it as a class sample, I don't want people seeing how inefficient I can be : )     I think I'll finish it using a lot of different techniques demonstrated in the book--and believe me, there are a lot!  I learned things that I had never seen any where else.  How many of you know about the "Methodist knot"?  And how about the "Decatur knot"?  So, finishing the quilt will be an adventure! And it will be so nice having a quilt that you don't care if the kids gack on it, or spill milk on it, or the dog lays on it or the cat leaves a hair ball on it.  But you still had the fun of choosing fabrics, and trying different combos than you normally would, and maybe even using up some of the stash you haven't figured out how to use anywhere else.

     That's all I have for today.  I have been working on some pot holder blocks and buying fabric for a quilt for my daughter.  So I will have some things to show you soon.

later.

linda

It's Done, Sent and Received

I actually do get some things done, though sometimes it take a while. : ]  

This was for my friend Cathy's 60th birthday, and the top was finished in time for that, but I just got the quilting done 2 years later.  But we're both still kickin' and it's done!  And she likes it! What more could you ask for?  

Tomorrow I'm posting about a book that inspired a quilt top for a class.  Got ya curious, didn't I?

later

linda

Every Thing Old is ....almost finished.

Well, not everything old is almost finished...but this lovely roll of binding

 is now applied to this quilt

 and it will go to it's home in North Dakota 2 years after the birthday, but on time for May 30.  Yea, me.

I also have two more pot holder blocks pieced and layered awaiting quilting.  This is going to turn into a quilt even though Mr. Wonderful still sees it as a table runner and I could stop and not lose any status in his eyes.

 The rooster is photographed upside down, but he is centered, and it's no problem as I can fix any setting issues before I whip the blocks together.

 Well, 

I have to go sew that binding down while watching the season finale for NCIS.

later....

linda

Jester Quilt

I saw a sweet little doll quilt in the Small Endearments book that I think I've mentioned before.  Well, it's been talking to me and so I had to start it, didn't I?  Anyway, I'm doing it larger-48x48 --three blocks across and 3 blocks down, pot holder fashion.

 

I had originally planned to bind it in the acid green.  Then I thought maybe acid green on 2 sides and red on the other two:  

  I think I like that idea better.  I'll let you know how it turns out.  I've got block 2 almost done.  Look at me, I'm making progress!  

The weather has been gorgeous, a little on the chilly side yesterday and today but we missed the big storm that hit the east coast and PA.  I'm grateful.  

later.

linda

Pineapples !

I finished the pineapple table topper using the pot holder technique.  I'm very pleased with the results:














Have a close up look at the front seam:

and the back:

There are historically several bindings for the blocks.  This one is the knife edge.  The first blocks I did had applied straight cut binding, put on opposite sides first then the remaining 2.  There were also continuous bindings that were single thickness that did not have mitered corners.  A few have been found with woven tape bindings.  And of course there were some where the front had been taken to the back and those where the back was turned to the front.  The versatility of these blocks just cranks me up and I wish I had several more hours in the day to get more done!

I'm off to put some applied binding on a couple of Amish style blocks.  Wheeeee!

later, 

linda

AAAANnndddddd she's ahead of the curve, again!

     Ya know how in love I am with the pot holder quilts and method?  Go back and read the previous 2 posts if you missed them.  Well, I went to work yesterday and a rep was in with the girls and........Marcus Fabrics is coming out with a fabric line and pattern based on one of the pot holder quilts in the Civil War Quilts book!    It's called "The Union Forever".  If you go to the Marcus link above, it'll take you to the
free pattern.The original one has some of the center blocks done with red, white and blue fabrics in sort of a medallion in the center, but what the hey, change is good!
     In the meantime, I'm still working on the knife edge table topper and will have a picture tomorrow, hopefully, and I'm considering cutting apart a "modern" quilt I did with lots of Amy Butler and Kaffe Fassett fabrics in big blocks with white sashing.  I think I'll have fun turning it into a pot holder quilt and actually get it done.  Might add a little more kick with different block bindings!  (My grammer is getting more and more incorrectly convoluted, but that's how my brain is working right now, and I have to get things down.)
   I have to go work on my pineapple blocks, as this evening I get to mow the lawn again, today, the 29th of March.  Right.  As my daughter says, "It's not snow".  Amen.
later,
linda

Making progress

Here's a quick peek at my applique blocks:  

 

     The blue is really black, and I really do have all 4 done but I couldn't find the 4th one at the time, and it's a good thing because one of the cats managed to gack a hair ball in the open upper quadrant, and if the block had been there, well, you see where I'm going.

    I'm getting ready to go put batting and backs on these so I can quilt them on my Sashiko machine, then whip stitch them together!  Probably take me 'til the end of the week, but we'll see.  

   We've had 2 weeks of summer already and today it's back to seasonal temps in the 50's, but now that every tree is in full bloom we're supposed to get a killing frost tonight.  I hope it doesn't get all the apple trees in the orchard I like to pick in the fall.  This weather is too weird.  But the sun was shining and I got things done....mowed the lawn in March!!!

later, 

linda

Back--with a vengence

Oh, yeah, I'm back.  My new knee is great, I'm coping with my hives and my shingles are gone.  It's been a weird 4-5 months.  While I was gone, the girls at the shop where I work found a new-ish book:

 

      It's by Pam Weeks and Don Beld and it deals with "pot holder quilts"--quilts that are made as individual blocks that are completely quilted and bound, then whip-stitched together!  Makes group quilts as easy as those knitters and crocheters have it.  What it does for me is feed my "lazy quilter" mode.  I get to hand or machine piece a block, hand quilt or machine quilt a block, and bind a block  and then whip stitch it in rows or square units.  If I do it all by hand I get to do it all on the couch without displacing the dogs or abandoning Mr. Wonderful! 

     Look at this sweet block!  I turned it into a table runner by adding just 3 more (they're 14" blocks), and now I have plans for getting other quilts that I have in assorted stages of "not finished" actually finished!  And I'm getting to hand quilt without having to wrestle a big hunk of fabric stuff.

Right now I'm working on a pineapple applique table topper that will have a knife edge finish instead of applied binding.  If I go applique right now, I'll get to post a new photo in a day or 2!  

Check out this book!   

later, 

linda