A quilt, a coffee cup pegboard and 4 potted plants....

And the question is:  what did-ya do today?

Ran to the Ozark office to drop off this long overdue future keepsake.  King and then some sized to hang way over the bed.  Made with Kansas Troubles Cakes (thanks Pam) and the D-9 pattern.
Not bragging but my friend/co-worker loves it !!!

Narrowed the coffee cup collection down to 72!  Subject to revision.  Everything that didn't make the wall (or the kitchen collections- lol) will be gifted or  sold at the next yard sale.  It was fun revisiting many old favorites.  All these have been used over the years and made it to 'favorite' status and now retired to the wall in my glass/mosaic room.

Every time I visit Connie in Aurora I leave with something.  4 large pots of plants will be re-gifted to my girls as soon as I can divide and replant them.  Connie put the golf balls in the cactus to keep her cats from digging in there.  I don't have cats or play golf.

FNSI- report and hopefully repeat

While the rest of the world was busy sewing up beautiful future heirloom projects....

I got side tracked working on my List of 11 Quilting Things TO -DO in 2011.

I can already cross #1 off my list! The book is done. (I get extra points for adding the list to my side bar!)

I can mark off #5 also, I have made a UFO list and posted it along with photos.

I get one check mark for #11 (sew-in), # 10 (worked on a new utility quilt) also counts as a check for #7 (a New To-DO)

A couple of weeks ago Dawn gave me a yard sale find. Several rows of the 9-patch blocks were set with a purple sqs of fabric. The setting fabric was in very bad shape.

All total there were 48 Nine-Patches of which I ended up saving 36.

The blocks were all hand sewn and a bit wonky. (just the way I like it- uh huh, uh huh)

I re-sized to 6 1/2". I then sewed into Four larger 9-patch units.

My choices now are to set them together and add a border- applique butterflies perhaps?

Or, cut them up into a D-9, then add borders- applique????????????

Or...my favorite.....let them sit around until I get other ideas.

With the hand stitching I really need to commit to getting some sort of border on so the blocks don't pull apart.

Some day this will be a scrappy take to the park, drag through the dirt quilt.

What did you do on your FNSI?

cheryl

Tylers belated b-day quilt

Tyler wanted to help make his B-day quilt. We were planning on getting together this summer to pick fabrics and pattern.

I was hoping to let him do some sewing. As always summer went to fast.
The other day when Ty was over at my house he asked if he could start picking out fabric.

Of Course! Any thing you want...


I love to do the D-9 when working with misc prints. I had just enough of the motorcycles to do an outer border.

He picked out a blue sheet that has Transformers all over it. It will go great on the back!

This Birthday Quilt may be a Christmas quilt if I don't get it quilted soon.

We might just save it for a time when we can work on it together. I love having grand kids!!

Happy B-Day Grandson, Ben is 3!

This b-day quilt has a little of everything in it.

The 8 1/2" scrappy blocks have been sitting in my orphan pile for many years.

Ben is the only grandkid that expressed any interest in having them sewn into a keepsake quilt.

This turned out a little 'eye spy'

It is set in a D-9 pattern with additional borders.

His name was added as raw-edge applique'

I am not normally a gal to do bindings but I had scraps of this zebra print that just begged to get put to use.

I hope Ben enjoys this snuggle under quilt as much as I have enjoyed making it for him.

Friday Night Quilt-IN-

I laid this thrift store find out to see what needed mended. For the time being I am going to leave it as is. There are about half dozen small places that could use a bit of hand work. I will either put it in the pile of other 'fix' me ups or maybe hang this one in the guest bedroom. It really is pretty enough to get its own quilt rack!

Several of the quilters are doing a Quilt-IN tonight. I have four projects that I want to be working on, I just don't seem to 'have time'. Today I decided NO EXCUSES, just turn off the phone and take a couple of hours to re-discover my quilting side.

My BAD is I didn't 'work' on anything from my TO-DO List!

In my defense I was able to put away a lot of misc. piles that had been growing over the past couple of months.

I cut up this quiet book panel and sewed it up to make a small 36 x36 baby top. I hope to use the orange for the back, quilt it and bind in orange. I make a lot of small quilts from the quiet book panels. Normally I will either set the pgs in a 4 x 6 using alternating plain blocks the size of the pg. Or I will set 3 x 4 using setting strips and setting sqs. This is the first time I have just sewn the pgs all together. (I think I like this smaller size- it should make a nice drag along quilt for a toddler)

These next two are made from material I picked up at the $$ bag sale. The sqs were already cut and sewn into strips. I took them apart and made a couple of 'puppy' tops.

I know that is not a term we call quilts but last year I made my friend Pam a couple of small quilts when her dog had puppies. Pam likes them so much she asked me to make another 6 for gifts for friends. (She supplied the material, cute doggie prints of course- and I am sewing the quilts and doing the quilting.)

These two small tops will be added to my on going pile of future doll quilts. The first is a D-9 the second is 4-patches. Both are 24 x 36 (ish)

Not to exciting of a Quilt-IN but I did get to do a little mindless sewing. I was starting to miss the hum of the machine.

After I get Pam's puppy quilts finished maybe I can talk myself into doing a project or two from my list.

Save your scraps for me!- cw

Would believe a D-9 in time for the holidays?

I learned something “new to me” tonight.

When laying out the Disappearing 9-patch block one needs to pay attention to directional or focus blocks! Duh……

I knew I knew that but did I do it? NO, good thing I am not ashamed to own a seam ripper!! (actually I just rip them apart by hand) This Holiday top was made using TWELVE raw-edge appliqué snowmen (from several years ago- different story) , Twelve 12 1/2” light Christmas fabric sqs. and Three of the darker green.

You only have to make THREE of the 9-patches (the third one is sewn in a line for the vertical row) I most likely will look to add a border for this one, possibly in reds and then use it as a gift.

The snowmen were made for a Holiday Block exchange and I like them so much I did a lot of them. Pretty much everyone who participated got at least one. I have snuck them into several holiday quilts. This is their first top as the focus block.

54 x 70 (ish)”

one more D-9 12 1/2” blocks

I had the fabrics picked out the other day. I knew I wanted to do a quick raw-edge applique but wasn’t sure ‘what’

After looking through sets of what I had on hand I decided the red tulips were going to be the ONES TO-DO. I picked through the pre-cuts and found enough red ones that I didn’t have to duplicate very many. Evidently I went through a ‘RED” stage a few years ago b/c I found several packets of red Tulips.

Must have been around the same time as my ‘blue daisy’ phase b/c I found several sets of those too.This top measures around 70 x 88”. Soon as I find the right dark purple sheet for the back, this one is getting quilted for favorite Daughter-in-Law, Kelly.

She pretty much gets dibs on anything I do in purple, or pastels, or anything else she likes!

This Top was made using the D-9 concept. I started with 12 1/2” sqs. Sewed them into 9-patches, cut into quarters and re-sewed. It takes FIVE 9-patches to make this layout. You do have to plan your focus block placement on the fifth block b/c that one is then set in a row.

Tulip Top Tonight’s Ta-DA!

I don’t have a ‘design wall’ per Se but do seem to enjoy pinning stuff to the mini-blinds in the living room. There is just something about walking up from downstairs and ‘seeing’ the tops from a distance.I don’t know why I like tweeking the colors, This is a raw edge applique on a 10 1/2” sq.

This shot is more normal size but lightened up a bit. To me it looks like a ‘controlled’ w/a little scrappy. The tulips were cut out a few years ago and I still have several sets waiting on me to do something with them.

Sometimes I sew in a series, I have one more D-9 cut and ready to work on. It will be Purples on a 12 1/2 starting sq. I just need to figure what I want to do with the large light sqs.

I have a couple of sets of ‘daisy’ flowers in blues I could add. I might go with a larger version of the butterflies and cut them in scrappy purples. I also like to do the Sun Bonnet Sues, or even appliqué Dresden Plates, I just don’t know. - cw

D-9 w/Tulips 60 x 75

I have decided to add one more row to this controlled scrappy top. The original idea was to start with 10 1/2” sqs, do the D-9 and figure out something to appliqué before the top was set together.Normally, I would pin or use a glue stick to secure the pieces. I am out of glue sticks so tape is going to have to work. If I do this again I will appliqué each flower before I sew the 9-patch. The appliqué goes a lot faster when working with just one block at a time. I think I like scrappy better than controlled fabrics b/c I get board looking at the same thing over and over. For this top I used a set of flowers that was left over from a project I did several years ago.

I think they give a little scrappy to the project. This top is on its way to getting in line to be quilted. Don’t know yet who is getting it but I hope they like TULIPS! cw

fast D-9 w/butterflies

I was messing around last night and appliquéd 24 of the scrappy butterflies to 8 1/2” sqs of this dark pink sheet. I usually do something scrappy to set the blocks but this time decided to do a Disappearing 9-patch just to ‘see’ what it would look like.

Have to say, I am a-liking-it! Very fast- I had another sheet with similar pinks that I used for the 4 side sqs. A green fabric from my stash matched well and was used in the center. The butterflies were placed in the corners.

When I am doing these ‘quick’ projects the idea is to sew and not be stressed about the process. I do not iron but will smooth the block out by hand. I fold the 9-patch in half and then half again and scissor cut the folds apart.

There is no need to resize unless you want too. I sew by ‘sight and feel’ and for the most part end up with pretty flat tops.

This top is 58 x 78” (I have slightly narrower borders on the top and bottom than the sides.

I like to keep them smaller than 60” so I can use a twin sheet on the back. I like to pull the back to the front to bind.

It takes me a little over an hour to appliqué the butterflies- I still need to draw on the antennae. This style of top takes about an hour to cut and sew up. Not bad for a couple of hours work.

I can see doing this in other colors too. I picked up a light purple sheet the other day at the thrift shop for $1.00, bet I can find a couple of fabrics to go with it.

D-9 Displayed at Ladies Night 2008

Our quilting group had decided to make the 9-patch in RW&B for the Down town Fire Station.

Sad to admit that we have the tops finished but are WAY behind in getting them quilted.

Too many excuses to even start listing but the main reason is I am just slow. We did not put a time limit on the project and it keeps getting moved back.

I may have to open it to the public to help finish. I thought it may be fun for the spouse or other relative of the recipient to participate in the quilting or binding process. I also like the idea of using a personal sheet on the back, something that reminds them of home. However we decided to proceed, these will be beautiful quilt to share with our guys to spruce up their bunks in the station.

Mary is learning to quilt on my machine and I hope to let her take on this project when she is ready. We have 9 tops ready to quilt and hope to finish them to gift for Christmas! (Notice I didn't commit to a year)

From the Archives- D-9

The Disappearing 9-patch was a pretty popular pattern a couple of years ago. I don't remember where I first saw the concept but I do remember a fellow blogger posting pictures of charity quilts she was working on and I 'had to try' one for myself.

Here is one thrown together w/Valentines Day Prints. Still not quilted but waiting for the chance to be a baby quilt for a little one born in February. I don't 'date' my projects but am pretty sure this at least a couple of years old already.



This Holiday Day print was made for favorite DIL, Kelly. She had helped me cut a tub of fabrics and picked this pattern as a reward for her hard work. If I remember correctly I 'let' her quilt it herself. I am a very nice MIL!
Kelly know if she wants it finished she has to do it herself.

Good Friend Linda, wanted a Navy Quilt for her son who is serving. She had four pre-printed pieces that we used in the corners and the D-9's were planned to match them in size. Linda tends to purchase fabric with out knowing what she is going to have me do with it. We had just exactly enough to complete this quilt.

These are the first two D-9's I made. I used scrap 6" sqs and totally enjoyed seeing each block come together. I set the top randomly. Just goes to show that you can't do this pattern 'wrong'

Of these two tops, One has been quilted and given away. The other is still waiting it's turn to be gifted. I have been wanting to practice some free motion quilting, this may the top to work on.

I have several other Disappearing 9-patch tops that need finished. I may have to show them off in another post.