KatyQuilts

Quilts of Valor

Posted on April 14, 2015 by katyquilts

You don’t have to hang around here very long to know that I am a big supporter of the Quilts of Valor Foundation. I firmly believe that we are to give honor to whom honor is due and those that serve in our nation’s military are most deserving. I believe that showing honor can touch someone’s spirit in a way that nothing else can. It shows appreciation and acknowledgement of service, but it also celebrates their value and worth as a person. I believe it can soften the hardest of hearts and create an opening for healing.

This Saturday, I was able to attend a sewing day with the Stitching Sisters QOV group that I joined a few months back. I have been long arming for them since December but this as the first time I was able to meet them all face to face and sew together. I had so much fun! Kindred spirits they are! I was given these awesome pins! Thanks, Terri!

It probably comes as no surprise that I got very little actual sewing done. I was too busy talking! But this is the project I brought to work on.

I finally decided how to use this panel! Here is my design in EQ7.

On Saturday, I added the first blue border and made a pitiful handful of blocks.

The piecing shouldn’t take long. This quilt will be all about the quilting. But I have a QOV in the frame to finish first.

This is the panto I am using on it.

If you would like to learn more about Quilts of Valor and how you can help honor the men and women of our nation’s military visit the QOVF site.

Linking up with Free Motion By the River.

Posted in Quilt of Valor | 6 Comments

Design Wall Monday

Posted on April 13, 2015 by katyquilts

Happy Monday! I am heading down to Ikea today with Daughter #1 and Little Man. I am pretty sure I will find trouble to get into! But this is what is on my design wall at the moment.

Yep, city sampler blocks. And after playing around with this, I have decided I really like the way this is shaping up as a layout. I played around a bit in EQ7 to decide if I wanted to make any more blocks or not.

I think I prefer the white space at the top. This will give me lots of room to play with the quilting.

I kind of like the sashing and corner stones but need to think about it for a few days.

I also started a new project this weekend but I will share that with you tomorrow. Linking up with Patchwork a Times for DWMonday.

Posted in Uncategorized | 6 Comments

Finish It Up Friday

Posted on April 10, 2015 by katyquilts

I love my little finish today! This was the April Challenge for the Small Quilt Talk Yahoo group that I am part of (SQT).

The HSTs and 4 patches finish at 2 inches. I marked the quilting lines with this point turner.

I started by quilting the diagonal lines but I shouldn’t have. Even though I was using my walking foot, starting with the diagonals began to pull it out of square.

So I went back and did all the vertical lines before I finished the diagonals. I didn’t mark the vertical lines, just eyeballed it. As Angela Walters says, close enough is good enough! And here is the finished quilt.

See that border fabric? On its own, it is not the most exciting print in the world. But it really makes the scraps sing. It is what I think of as a “nothing” print because it isn’t really identifiable, you just know it isn’t a solid. These prints are some of the most useful you can buy.

They are the “servants” of the fabric world. You know how there are people with the heart to serve others. They tend to fade into the background. Their job is often to make others look good. But nothing would look good or happen without them. That is what a nothing print does. If you see them, buy them!

And here is the back.

Linking up with Crazy Mom Quilts, Richard and Tanya Quilts, Confessions of a Fabric Addict.

Jelly Rolls

Posted on April 9, 2015 by katyquilts

Aren’t new jelly rolls the cutest things?

So beautiful that they can be hard to even open! But I did.

This was a gift from Daughter #1. Isn’t it lovely? This is Amy Butler’s Hapi line. The only downside to precuts to me, are the pinked edges. The strips are 2 1/2 inches wide. But is that measured from outer edge of the pinking to outer edge? Or is it from valley to valley? Or do I use the valley on one side and the peak on the other?

I decided to use my strip cutter die to remove all doubt. I ironed my strips and stacked them up. I very carefully lay them on the die.

See the bits that were shaved off? Now I know to line up my pieces with the outer edge to get a perfect piece.

This can get a bit messy but it is worth the effort.

So a jelly roll from this manufacturer is a bit wider than 2 1/2 inches. Your mileage may vary.

One of my personal challenges with precuts is how best to use them without any waste or leftovers. I’ve been playing with some designs in EQ7.

I’m still thinking on this. What is your favorite pattern for using jelly rolls?

Linking up with My Quilt Infatuation.

Posted in Uncategorized | 4 Comments

Work in Progress Wednesday

Posted on April 8, 2015 by katyquilts

I made 12 more blocks for my City Sampler quilt. Here are a few.

I decided I should lay them out in color families to make sure I am keeping things balanced.

Apparently, I am partial to green! I am rather liking this layout as well.

I pieced the top for my SQT challenge quilt also.

I hope to get this quilted and the machine stitching for the binding done today.

Linking up with Freshly Pieced for WIP Wednesday and Sew Fresh Quilt’s for Let’sBee Sewcial.

Posted in Uncategorized | 17 Comments

Tuesday Tidbits

Posted on April 7, 2015 by katyquilts

It seems most of my posts are random tidbits lately. I work on one project for a bit and then go on to something else. Apparently I have project ADD. Here are some bits I prepared for a new little project.

This will be for the SQT challenge quilt for April.

I looked back at my goals for the month and that motivated me to get these 6 sawtooth stars done.

I am up to 70 now.

The box is getting heavy! I think I have 30 to go.

I did get my long arm cleaned and oiled yesterday and did the same to my Featherweight over the weekend. I need to do my Bernina as well.

Daughter #1 is up to her old tricks again! I found this in the diaper bag while watching little man yesterday.

She spoils me! Linking up with Free Motion By the River, Quilt Story, I Have to Say.

Posted in Uncategorized | 3 Comments

Design Wall Monday

Posted on April 6, 2015 by katyquilts

I finished the last QOV that I had here so this week I will work on some of my other projects. First, a few City Sampler blocks.

I also hope to take a little time to clean the tracks and relevel my long arm frame. My machine works hard for me and I take good care of it! Some cleaning and oiling, a new needle and he is happy.

I have a new quality control officer in the sweatshop.

He says it looks good!

Not sure how much I will get done with all this “help!”

Here is the QOV I finished.

As soon as nap time comes, I will be linking up with Patchwork Times.

Posted in Quilt of Valor, Uncategorized | 3 Comments

He is Risen!

Posted on April 5, 2015 by katyquilts

I thought I would republish this Easter post from several years ago (2010, was I really blogging that long ago?). Enjoy! And Happy Easter to all of you,
Katy

Posted in Uncategorized | 8 Comments

A New Machine

Posted on April 4, 2015 by katyquilts

Hubby and I did some bumming around yesterday. We stopped in a few antique shops and he bought me this:

This little gem dates to 1949 and was made by the Betsy Ross Sewing Company in Chicago. Isn’t it cute? It I’d in working condition, just needs a needle. These are heavy, sturdy little machines as they are die cast. I’ve wanted this one for a long time!

In the afternoon, we colored eggs with the Daughters #1 and 2.

Of course, this little man came too.

I worked this morning, but I plan to finish the quilting on this yet today.

Time to get to work! Have a great day!

Posted in Uncategorized | 5 Comments

Finish It Up Friday

Posted on April 3, 2015 by katyquilts

I have two small finishes this week. I put the little hour glass top together earlier this week and quilted it in a random grid pattern.

I finished the hand sewing on the binding last night while watching Unbroken with my love. I highly recommend this movie about Louis Zamperini. Although the book by Laura Hillenbrand is even better. The back is a very old piece from my stash.

I added borders to just the two ends.

This makes it a perfect size for my coffee table.

Should have straightened those pillows!

My second finish was a kill two birds with one stone project. Kathy Tracy of Sentimental Quilter post the pattern for a cute little mug rug for National Quilting Day. Last fall, I proposed a small quit challenge using vintage fabrics with a friend. Why is it that when the word challenge is used all my creativity flies out the window? I spied this little pile of fabric and used it for this little quilt. Mine is not going to be used as a mug rug! But I think it is cute with one of my vintage toy machines.