Finish It Up Friday ~ A Little Zip Bag

Posted on July 15, 2016 by katyquilts

I don’t use my embroidery machine near as much as I should. Honestly, it intimidates me! But I decided to whip up a little project just to play a bit. The embroidery design came from Urban Threads. I used some parts of hubby’s old jeans to embroider on.

This design was supposed to have the body of the US in purple tones in the middle. I decided to embroider that part in red.

But my thread broke again and again! Ugh! I texted hubby and he told me to change the needle. Duh. Worked fine after that. But I wasn’t sure I liked the color in the middle anyway. So I tried again, just doing the last block of embroidery.

I thought it would make a cute zippered bag. My bag making skills are about as rusty as my embroidery skills!

I love this red print I bought out in AZ! It was perfect for the lining.

I sent this off in a care package for Daughter #2. I hope she finds it useful for something!

Linking up with Confessions of a Fabric Addict, Crazy Mom Quilts, Celtic Stitches

Posted in Crafty Things, Embroidery, Finishes, Machine Embroidery, Uncategorized | 12 Comments

Throwback Thursday ~ The Red, White, and Blue Edition

Posted on July 14, 2016 by katyquilts

I have shared most of these in times past, but since I am not getting much sewing done this week, I thought I would share them again! Most of the following mini quilts were made with vintage fabrics.

For reference, the little star quilt above measures about 6 inches square.

These are all machine quilted.

This little hexie quilt is made from repro fabrics. When I made this one, I didn’t have a vintage stash! The hexies measure a half inch on a side.

And this last pictures shows how I have them hanging all together in one of our spare bedrooms.

Have a great day!

Posted in Doll Quilts, Throwback Thursday, Uncategorized, Vintage Fabrics | 13 Comments

WIP Wednesday ~ Twister Blocks

Posted on July 13, 2016 by katyquilts

I’ve been working on my Twist blocks here and there as I have a few minutes. I haven’t settled on an arrangement, but here are a few possibilities.

Decisions, decisions! I probably won’t decide until all 80 blocks are done.

Have a great day!

Linking up with Quilt Fabrication, Sew Fresh Quilts

Posted in Uncategorized | 14 Comments

Accuquilt Tip

Posted on July 12, 2016 by katyquilts

I love using my die cutter and I also love using precuts. I wanted a way to quickly figure out which dies would work with charm squares and layer cakes.

So I decided  to cut some heavy paper with some of my dies so I could lay them on top of the stack of fabric to see if they would fit.

Looks like I can make some pretty big hexies with a layer cake!

We are still working away on our renovation project. I should have taken some before pictures. Here are a couple in process shots.



We still have a lot of work to do. I better get something done before work today.

Have a great day!

Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Comment

Design Wall Monday

Posted on July 11, 2016 by katyquilts

More like Design Frame Monday! Because I finally started quilting my Metropolitan Fair quilt!

I decided to try ditch stitching all the major seams first, and then go back to fill in the rest of the quilting. I quilted a piano key border and this is how I am stitching the pieced blocks:


I am thinking of putting feathers in this red border……

…..as well as in the alternate blocks. I’m not loving it right now, but feathers usually make everything better, so I have hope that I will fall back in love with it again.

I need to get this off the frame ASAP as I will have QOV tops coming I any day now. Yay!

Linking up with Em’s Scrap Bag, Love Laugh Quilt,  Patchwork Times

Posted in Uncategorized | 9 Comments

Slow Stitching….maybe?

Posted on July 10, 2016 by katyquilts

Progress on this has been very slow.

I really want to finish basting the rest of the pieces for this today. However, there is another project of a different sort in progress.

We have started redoing what has been known as the kid’s bathroom. We don’t have any kids at home anymore, and it is past time for a spruce up. Learning last week that we would be having a month long guest was a motivating factor! He will be here on Friday. Our renovation won’t be complete, but I hope for it to be much improved by then. 

Off to church and then, back to work!

Have a wonderful day.

Posted in EPP, Uncategorized | 5 Comments

Why I am (And Will Continue To Be) a No Reply Blogger

Posted on July 9, 2016 by katyquilts

Calais

Have you ever been told you are a No-Reply Blogger? Yeah, me too. If you blog using Blogger or you have a gmail account, there are  fixes. Many, many posts have been written to show how you can fix this issue.

However, these will NOT work if you are a WordPress blogger and do not have a G-Mail account!

There are some very good explanations of the issues posted on these blogs:

DIY Budget Girl (best explanation I have found)

Piecemeal Quilts

SewsNBows

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If you want the short version of the story, check out these quotes.

Piecemeal Quilts wrote:

“It isn’t because I’m deliberately trying to be difficult. If I could change it, I would. But I’m not the problem – your platform is. WordPress users, TypePad users, Tumblr and Moveable Type users – none of us have a problem with no reply bloggers. Only Blogger users face this issue. See, Google doesn’t want to share the sandbox, so they’re making it difficult for people using other platforms to play. Anyone who blogs on a platform other than Blogger will always show up as a no reply blogger.”

The following is taken from the WordPress forum:

“We cannot help you here with that. WordPress.com recognizes your blogger identity but Blogger does not. In reference to Blogger ie. commenting on blogspot blogs the issue is on the other end.”

****

The only current work around I have found, requires me to get a G-Mail account, create a Blogger profile, and respond to comments from there.

So while I love you all, love reading your blogs, and leaving you comments, I am not going to create  G-Mail and Blogger accounts in order to NOT be a no reply blogger.

The fact of the matter is, I do not want any more accounts than I already have. I also will not comment at all if it means the extra steps of  logging in and out of additional accounts to do so. I am too lazy for that and my time is valuable.

I am not ever offended when people do not respond to the comments I leave on their blog! Ever! And if I really want a response, I leave an e-mail addy in my comment.

So there you have it. I don’t mean to come across snarky. And I appreciate people taking the time to let me know that I am a NRB, but that isn’t going to change.

Have a great day!

PS The picture at the beginning of this post has absolutely nothing to do with anything written here. I just can’t have a post without a quilt picture!

 

Posted in Uncategorized | 10 Comments

Finish It up Friday ~ Modern Diamonds!

Posted on July 8, 2016 by katyquilts

Red/black/white week is coming to an end!  This certainly was a fast finish! Sometimes,  that is just what you need for a little motivational boost.

All the top fabrics came from my stash, but I did purchase the backing since I couldn’t find anything at home that I liked.

I used Candy Apple Red Glide thread in both the top and the bobbin.

The above pictures were  taken before washing. The rest are after.

It crinkled up nicely! I love the texture from the quilting.


I hope the happy couple likes it!

Linking up with Confessions of a Fabric Addict, Crazy Mom Quilts, The Carpenter’s Daughter Who Quilts

Posted in Finishes, Fresh Modern Quilts, Modern Quilts, Uncategorized | 33 Comments

Throwback Thursday! ~ Red and Black Quilts!

Posted on July 7, 2016 by katyquilts

Since I am in a red/black/white quilt mood, I thought I would share some of my past quilts made in this color scheme. Red is my favorite color and nothing makes it pop like white and black (and a wee bit of gray!).

These were all made back in 2008. This first one was made as a result of some ponderings on the word, justice. This verse just resonates with me still.

This was quilted on one of my domestic machines, can’t remember which one now. Probably my Singer 201 or 15.

Looking at this now, it reminds me a bit of the current graffiti quilting phase!

I remember randomly cutting the strips for the next one and just playing. After putting them together, all I could see was a reflection on water, so I added the red setting sun.

I still love this next one, just looking at it takes me back to the time I made it and the things that were going on in my life at the time.

Hope you enjoyed a look back at these quilts!

Linking up with A Quarter Inch From The Edge, My Quilt Infatuation

Posted in Art Quilts, Throwback Thursday, Uncategorized | 11 Comments

WIP Wednesday – Diamonds

Posted on July 6, 2016 by katyquilts

This top went together very fast!  The quilting, not quite so fast….

img_2379-1

 

I am using design boards to quilt this and the pattern is called Good Vibrations. This is what the board looks like.

Those lines are 3/4 of an inch apart. I stand at the back of the machine when using these and use a stylus that mounts on the machine and follows in the grooves of the board. Quilting the lines from right to left was a breeze. Going back from left to right the thread broke. Every. Single. Time. Ugh.

I changed the needle, cleaned, rethreaded, loosened the quilt sandwich, etc. I started stopping and starting for each and every row. After about 30 rows, I had a glass of wine and went to bed. img_6535

Whose idea was the red thread? I guess that would be me. Anyway, I got up in the morning and tried again. I found that if I turned the stitch regulator off and went slowly, I didn’t have the thread breakage problem. Yay! I am just always in a hurry I guess! I think Harry might want a spa day for cleaning and adjustment as well. I will have to make time for this. I don’t like it when he gets cranky!

Have a great day!

Linking up with Sew Fresh Quilts, Quilt Fabrication

 

Posted in Uncategorized | 12 Comments