A finish!

Well it took way longer than it should have but I finally got the quilt for my nephew and his wIfe quilted and bound.

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I didn’t go with either panto that I showed yesterday. Instead I purchased a digital download called Feather Meander by Jessica Schick from Digitech. Here it is:

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Honestly it took forever for me to size, print, and tape all the bits together. And even after washing it doesn’t really show. Given that, I should have saved my money and used one I already had. I do like this panto, just didn’t work any better here than what I already owned.

I also worked some more on my Quilt of Valor blocks.

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I hope to put these together tomorrow.

DH made it safely to Korea. Counting days until he is home!

Posted in HQ Avante, Pantographs, Quilt of Valor, Traditional Quilts | 3 Comments

Frame Friday

Finally got this loaded on the frame:

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Now I need to decide how to quilt it. Any ideas? I am considering one if the following pantos:

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I would custom quilt it if I could come up with a good idea.

My sewing class with my friends daughter went well! She was quite pleased with her project. Next week we will start the tote bag.

My hubby left on an unexpected trip to Korea for business. I guess I will spend my weekend sewing, especially since it looks as though the rain is here to stay!

Posted in Traditional Quilts | 1 Comment

Back to School!

Today, a friend of mine is bringing her 11 year old over to sew with me. I have no idea if her skill level but our goal is to make a tote bag with accessories.

Today I just want to assess her skills so I have in mind to do a simple pocket tissue cover like this.

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This was made for me by a friend from work. I will use it as a basic pattern. To make ours a bit more fun, I trimmed up a bunch of bright scraps on my studio cutter into 1 1/2″ strips.

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Aren’t they pretty? I am going to have her foundation piece on either fabric or paper to get a feel for using the machine and to practice a consistent seam allowance.

Last night was another time of teaching. Daughter #1 came over to learn how to can.

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We did 20 jars of apple butter!

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Now I am off to work. Have a great day!

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Work in Progress Wednesday

I have lots of things in progress this week! First if all, the finished top for my nephew and his wife.

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I need to decide on the backing and them get it in the frame.
I also made more 9-patches for a Quilt if Valor this morning.

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I have decided on a plan for these. I will show you when I get more pieces cut.

My hubby made these glorious apple donuts last night!

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But here is the very best work in progress:

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My grandson! He is due February 14. I am in love with him already!

I am linking up with Esther for WIP here. If you have never seen her blog, you will love it! She does the most lovely work. I am also linking up with Lee at Freshly Pieced.

 

WIP Wednesday at Freshly Pieced

Posted in Accuquilt Studio Cutter, Baby Quilts, Quilt of Valor | 8 Comments

Fresh Sewing Day

Good morning! It is looking like it will be another lovely day here in Michigan. Other than a little much needed rain last Sunday morning, we have had the most gorgeous weather for the last week here.

It is Fresh Sewing Day over at Lily’s Quilts where she invites each of us quilty bloggers to share what we have done over the last month. It is not only a great way to share, it is a great way to discover great blogs to add to my reading list! Here is a recap of my finishes for September.

First of all, I quilted several quilts for Quilts Beyond Borders:

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I also put these antique blocks together into a small top and started hand quilting this.

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I made 64 of these cross blocks for a quilt for a friend.

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I made 30 9-patches for a future Quilt of Valor.

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I finally finished the binding for the QOV for August. Oops!

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I made 13 of the following blocks for a quilt for a thank you gift. I actually have them finished and sewn together and today will add a border before work. I hope to get the back ready and get it in the frame yet this week.

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This seems a good time to set some October goals.

1. Finish the above album quilt and ship it off.

2. Complete two QOVs since I didn’t get one done for September.

3. Finish the small indigo and shirting quilt that I am handquilting.

4. Complete a sewing project with a young girl that I will be teaching to sew. She is 11 and will be coming to my house once a week in October to make a tote bag and some accessories.

5. Embroider at least three presentation cases for QOVs.

6. Make the challenge quilt for Small Quilt Talk Yahoo group.

Hmmmm…..I better get to work! Don’t forget to check out the links for Fresh Sewing Day at Lily’s Quilts.

Lily's Quilts
And since I am sharing my accomplishments for the month, I am also linking up with Sarah at Confessions of a Fabric Addict for:

Posted in Goals, Uncategorized | 7 Comments

Design Wall Monday/This and That

It has been a busy but wonderful weekend here. Friday I spent the day with Daughter #1 thrifting. We found some great sales! We found a lawn mower for her new house for only $5! I got a huge enamelware basin for $3 and a vintage christening gown for $5.

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I got this set of vintage pillow cases for fifty cents. Daughter #1 wants me to finish them for her for Christmas. However, we only want the crocheted edges, not the shy lady. Any idea how to remove the blue marks?

I did get a little sewing time in and got these blocks finished.

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I hope to get the rest done today along with some serious housecleaning!

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A friend at work has asked me to make a QOV for a friend of hers that has served in Kuwait and Iraq. I also have promised two others, one to a vet home and another to a Welcome Home weekend. The thing that seems to stall me out with the QOVs is the presentation case. I heard last week that we can buy and decorate a pillow case to use. This is great news to me! I bought these.

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And I plan to embroider them. Hopefully I can find the perfect design and get the embroidery machine going while I sew blocks.

The best part of our weekend came yesterday morning. Our Dear Daughter #1 and Dear Son in Law were both rebaptised at church.

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We are so proud of them both and know that God has great things in store for them as they have chosen to put Him first in all things.

Posted in Life, Quilt of Valor, Traditional Quilts | 1 Comment

My Favorite Quilt

On the blog, Moll Flanders, it was asked, what is your favorite quilt you have made?

Tough question! I thought long and hard about this. I think this is my favorite. It is hand pieced, appliqued and quilted.

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Sorry about not getting a full picture, I can’t move the piano! Check out other’s favorite quilts here. What a fun idea for a linky party!

 

Posted in Uncategorized | 2 Comments

Another project…

We recently got this new book at the library.

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I love books with pictures and rarely follow a pattern but I loved this one.

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She calls this block pattern “Vintage” but it is actually a very old pattern that she blew up in size. It is sometimes called Chimney Sweep. I like her take on it, especially the fact that you can make a good size nap quilt with just 12 FQs. Of course I can’t leave anything alone….. Her pieces are cut 4″ wide and mine are cut 3 1/2″ wide so I could use one of my strip cutter dies. Also she uses squares at the edges of the background and then trims.

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I am cutting triangles for this so I don’t have to trim later. Here are my bits ready to sew.

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These are the Silk Road Fabrics I showed earlier. I actually have 13 FQs so I may set all my blocks on point so I can use all 13. Here is a mockup of my first block minus the corner triangles.

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The background is Kona Stone.

Posted in Accuquilt Studio Cutter | 3 Comments

Finally! A QOV Finish!

This is my QOV for August…..yeah, I am behind. I usually bind a quilt ASAP. I remembered this week why I put this one off. I sued the great number fabric from IKEA for the back because it was wide enough without begging pieced. Problem is the printing on the selvedge is kinda far from the edge.

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Yeah, so I made a wide binding. Not wide on the front:

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Just on the back:

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I did finish the hand sewing last night.

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And here is a not so great finished picture before washing.

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And a detail of the quilting:

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Think I can get my September QOV done by Tuesday? Me neither.
I am linking up with Kelly at my Quilt Infatuation for Needle and Thread Thursday. She has such a lovely blog. I hope you will treat yourself to a visit!

My Quilt Infatuation

Posted in Quilt of Valor | 5 Comments

Work in Progress Wednesday

I couldn’t sleep this morning so I got up and made the binding for a Quilt of Valor and stitched it to the quilt. I hope to get the hand sewing done today.

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I am also still working on the hand quilting of this little quilt.

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I am working today so we shall see how much sewing I get done. I am linking up with Lee at Freshly Pieced for Work in Progress Wednesday. What is your WIP this week?

Posted in Hand quilting, Quilt of Valor | 4 Comments