30 Quilts in 30 days Day 4

What is wrong with me?  Four days in and I have only machine quilted ONE top (the one that had been pinned in for a couple of months!)  And, I have already misplaced it.

I did get borders sewn on the two purple tops that Moya gave me. One top will be gifted to my Niece and I was able to add a print from her grandmothers stash as the outer border.  The other top will most likely go to one of the granddaughters, I had purple yardage with Palm trees on it.  Karlee had told me one time she wanted a quilt with it in it.


NO pictures from today.  I did get to crash a library knitting/crochet group--I was the designated driver and instead of doing a drop and run, I hung around and cut letters out for my top. I also glue stick attached them to the two last border strips of the large top for our cabin bedroom.  I am so thrilled to see this top go together so quick.  Two days from conception to finish is a bit slow for me but seriously the way I have been piling up UFO's lately, any finish is a pleasant surprise.


The phrase I went with is :  (top)  All my Longings   (middle)  All My Dreams  (right side)  JESUS is LORD of ALL  
I have always loved this song and I am so very happy to have it on my quilt.  There were actually several songs that I was considering verses from for this quilt.  B/C it was for a bed, I had to go with the "Dreams" verse.

Tomorrow is another day-  I will try remember to bring my camera.  I have a Bible class in the morning, I am sure I can find someone to help (Make) me pin in something and finish it.

30 quilts in 30 days. Day 3

So last night I decided to start another project, I had a song stuck in my head and thought it needed to be made into a quilt.  This one will be for our lake cabin.

Pulling fabrics and cutting letters

Got to use up the large butterflies.  Two more rows to sew letters on and this one is done!!!

 I don't want to post the rest of the words in case I don't get around to doing them.  I did bring everything home to work on this evening.  Of course Carl came home tonight so  sewing time is if-fy

Here it is laid over the bed with the corners pulled up to show off the applique flowers.

I should name this one kitchen sink b/c I have used so many left overs.  It is so much prettier in person!

Picture of top right corner.  I had fun trying to make the butterflies disappear. It was hard but I stuck to a low contrast with bold fabrics and I truly love the outcome. 

I did NOT quilt anything again today.  I did get to visit with a favorite Niece, Abby from Cal. who is getting married this Saturday.  I am not attending but did shop for a new wardrobe just in case.  I told her I could get a few glammer shots of myself and she could photo shop them into the wedding party pictures.  We also discussed a wedding quilt.  I am several months behind but will pull the fabric I have in mind for hers.  My father-in-law (her Grandfather) would bring me back fabric from his trips to India.  I have made each of TaTa's grand-kids a wedding quilt from that stash.  Abby said she really likes purples so I will have to dig deep to see if I have any left.  I think the niece who got married last year go the last purple yardage.

To make the story more fun--Moya stopped by to visit and brought me 2 purple tops she didn't want.  We shopped my stash for border fabrics and found yardage of a purple that my mother-in law had sewn a dress out of.  A big smile knowing I can now make two quilts for Abby that have memories of her grandparents.

I like this green w/purple flowers but may change my mind.  I want to get the borders on before I decided it needs to be much bigger.  DIL, Kelly loves purples too so this might end up at her house on a couch someday.

This is the one for Abby, the floral yardage is left over from Ama's sewing days.  Another couch size snuggle under as soon as I  make myself start pinning them in.

30 Quilts in 30 Days, day 2I

Quilts finished today--ZERO--no tally points for this gal.  I seriously think I have quilters block (kinda like writers block but with actual quilting)  I had been blaming the machine but now that it is fixed I have no excuses.  What did I do?

I laid the top and bottom over the bar this morning, then ignored it all till this evening.  When I finally got ready to pin the pieces in I saw that I never sewed the iron on letters on.  Would have made so much more sense to do that before I set the top together.  Quick fix-- ready to tackle tomorrow.  Never do today what you can put off till tomorrow!

This is the back to the top I sewed yesterday.  It looked kinda plain so I raw-edge appliqued a crawling baby.  The one-sey print is the same as the side borders in the quilt top.

Worked on graduation quilt that I was supposed to do last May.  Student 'lost-misplaced 7 siggy blocks.  I was waiting to see if they ever turned up.  NO- so I made a top and bottom row and then half rows for the sides.  Top is now together and in line to get quilted this week--holding my breath!

This top was together on time but the back fabric needed pieced.  Another one ready for the machine this week.  My smile for the day was finding the tie dye fabric for the back--nice surprise.

This had nothing to do with what I was supposed to be working on.  I hope to make this one for our cabin bedroom.  It seriously looks better in my mind then in this photo.  Yes I was trying for using up all the uglies!

I also sewed up a few seams on a favorite sweater.  It really did not feel like I was asking Picasso to paint the garage.  I guess quilters can actually do mending if you ask nicely.

30 Quilts in 30 Days - day one, total--3 quilts

Yesterday, Connie and I took my quilt machine to Springfield to finally get looked at.  I have been having problems breaking thread for several years and for the past year have hardly quilted anything on that machine.  In fact the last 6 months I only finished two quilts.  Simple fix, the hour drive to Springfield  Friday morning was repeated by 5 pm to load the machine and head home.

My first project was to finish the small quilt that was pinned in earlier this year.  First row- wonderful.  2nd row broke a needle and bent the throat plate.  Would you believe everyone I called to help fix it was out of town this Saturday.  I  didn't want to waste the weekend so I ran to Friend Tire to see if they could/would help me.  Danny is a friend to our oldest son,  He knew just what to do, 5 minutes of his time and I was on my way to a fun filled day of quilting.

Now that the machine is running well, I want to challenge myself to finish a pile of UFO's and other TO DO's.  I normally don't do very well completing projects if I feel pushed to do so.  I am going to take exception to my normal routine and make a schedule and stick to it.  There is something to be said about writing one's intentions down and reporting progress.

Normally if I think I want to start a long range goal, I get distracted waiting for the perfect time to get all my ducks in a row.  This quest was thought of and started today, so today is day one.

I am not going to argue or negotiate with my self over what the word "IS" is.  So for the record-  a quilt is defined as 2 or more layers (with or without batting), Pieced or panels, machine quilted or tied, either way(s) I get a Talley mark when one is finished.


Quilts- 1, 2, and 3

This small top has been pinned in to quilt for several months.

Last row and I buried the sewing foot in a loose seam--my bad

This top is small so  it will end up being a baby quilt or a pet quilt.

I added the dog applique to cover where I ripped the fabric getting my foot out.

Instead of loading another top to be quilted I worked on my raw-edge applique borders for Austin and Nichole's wedding quilt.

Did you know that in a pinch you can use your GO mats to trim up fabric.  My regular mat had too much stuff covering it.  I was too lazy to clean it off just for a couple of corners.

Here is the top--Thanks to all the ladies who sewed units.  Special THANKS to Deb. H. for setting the top together.  We started this project over 6 months ago.  It as been gotten out and put away many, many times.

Please don't find any typos in the wording.  I kept meaning to spell check.

This is a line from a song Austin taught the church.

#2  Small quilt for Sarah to use for neighbor girls that are moving away tomorrow.

#3  another one left over from a round of donation tops.  These two will be tied and gifted.

The library class is going to do this pattern for a donation project.  I hope to teach the class next month.  I cut out blocks to practice with.  Easy, chisel, sqs and triangles.

We have a baby shower coming up soon.  I found a yard of pink to use for a back and made enough  9 1/2" blocks to fit for a top.  I think this will be a fun pattern to try in different colors and settings.

I sewed light purple triangles to the top right and bottom left on all blocks.  Then I sewed darker  triangles to the other two corners.  I added 3 inch strips on the sides to widen the top to fit the yardage I picked for the back.

I like the center sqs.  Light purple with cats- so cute!

I might just have to quilt this one tomorrow.  Baby shower is in a week.  It will feel good to have one done in time for a change.  I can 'steal' it back for the class on first Tuesday in Sept.  lol

Flower top is done, now to name it and get it in line to be quilted.

I seriously think I have a 5 yr waiting period to quilt b/c there are a lot of projects ahead of this one.

I am starting to fall in 'love' with this top.  I wan't found of the dating process, but now that the flowers are set together, I really love it!

Before I even started pulling fabrics for the flowers I jotted down that I wanted to do a 'saying' as a border.

The grass withers.....

grand daughters are holding up the outer border fabric to see if we like the way to looks.--  Passed inspection!

Large borders, I can decide later if I want to scallop or not

This is ALL that was left of the green I did the letters with, so close but I got it done.

Flower quilt top progress- NO I did not sew all night!

I didn't sew all night BUT, I did get up before the grand kids and sewed strip sets.  I do think this is going to be a favorite for awhile.  It may even get finished this year--lol

Sneak PEEK at the outer border and fabric for the quilt back.

Just starting to set blocks together.

A few more- turning out nice, if I say so myself- and I do!

I still have plans for a border w/words, I may have to run down to Pam's shop and get more of the green fabric.  I will be cutting it close to get the strips done.  Road trip for Saturday anyone?

Showing off the flower quilt work- so far

So I finally got my 20 flower blocks appliqued down.  These were origionally published in the Detroit Free Press in the 1930's and again in the Kansas City newspaper in 1932.

As usual I am a raw-edge applique gal.  I also like to tear my back ground fabrics and  trim to size after the flower is sewn down.  The blocks are 8 1/2 x 11 inches and traditionally set four rows across by 5 rows down.  I tend to like my tops more square so I am setting this group of blocks five across and 4 down.

 I took a quick trip to Aurora with Connie to look for sashing fabrics.  I found the perfect (for me fabric for the outer borders and the back but won't show it off now.  At first my plans were to do a 2 1/2 inch sashing with setting squares.  I sent Connie these pictures to help me choose which fabric for the strips.

 I just couldn't decided between the two.  In fact I thought I wanted the black, then changed my mind to the green.  When I started to cut into the green, I just didn't like how busy the print was when looking at 2 1/2 inches.  So next best thing, cut at 1 1/2 inches and do a strip set with 9-patches as the setting blocks.

 I am so going to love this setting  As a disclaimer-  I don't iron, the 9-patches are 3 1/2 inches and yes I do see the bottom right block is going to need attention,  I will fix it, I promise.  I don't use pins when I sew, so every now and then, my friend the seam ripper gets put to work.