That's Crazy!

When I made my Sampler Quilt, I had to make a back piece for it. Since I didn't want to buy any yardage for it, the crazy quilt piecing process began.

 

I was challenged to put the material in a box, pick out a piece and use it. No thinking about colors or shape or size, just use it. This worked for a while but eventually the sizes did matter and the shapes were needing more attention but the haphazard beginning was fun while it lasted!

 

When the crazy piecing was done, I almost wanted to keep it as a second quilt instead of using it as a back piece. But this beautiful mess was purposed to play second fiddle to the Sampler. What do you think? Would you use this as a top?

 

Sampler In Action

 

 

Orange Crush In Action

 

 

Aunt Martha's Embroidery Patterns

Are these too fun or what?

 

 

Early Pieced and Quilted Tablecloth

I just came across this small tablecloth that I made in the late 90's. I forgot that I even had it! It was tucked away in a box in the back of the kitchen closet and needed to be loved again. Well, today was the day I found this buried treasure.

 

Knitting Rescued from Obscurity

What happens when you take this box of yarn...

 

 

 

Wholecloth Quilting

I never heard of this technique until last winter, as was presented by Leah Day and the Free Motion Quilting Project. She gave step by step video instructions on a weekly basis that led you into this completed project. Actually, her pattern was bigger than mine. The corner hearts continued into a clover shape, similar to the middle set. But my variaion made this pretty project one that I actually was able to complete in a reasonably quick period of time. I was so happy with it, I gave it to my mom for Mother's Day. She promptly and proudly hung it up on her living room wall.

 

Double Delight Mystery - On to Part 4!

Remember these? The cutie pie little 9-patch squares! And how I had to make 120 of them? Oh wait! Did I say 120? No, that's not right. It was 130.... yes, that's how many I needed to make.

 

I've been spitting out strips for these squares for days. This morning, I did some cutting and put sets together for sewing, placing them on the arm of the chair so I'd be reminded that they were ready when I walked in the door. As I came home today, after work and giving music lessons and threw some dinner in the oven, I thought about my 45 squares and how I'd be rewarded to see step 4 when they were done. Twenty-five of them were cut and in piles ready to be chain-sewn together. It shouldn't take too long to cut and piece the rest.  Only 25 to sew and 20 more to square strips sets to be cut. Which reminds me...

 

Double Delight Mystery Quilt - Step 3

The 9 patch! Remember how I said in my strips and squares post that I didn't know how many I needed to make? Well, I found out. The double delight mystery calls for 130 patches. Yes, you read that right. Uh-hundred and thirty.

Side Project - Hawaiian Quilting

I started with one small project. We'll see how it goes!

It's cut and pinned. Now I have to sew the edges under.

I should be able to get that done this week!

Have you ever tried Hawaiian quilting? What did you make? Please share your link with us or leave a comment!

 

 

 

First Quilts

My mom encouraged me to "try quilting". I wasn't sold on the idea until I saw a puff quilt in a JC Penney catalog and I decided I was going to try to make it. It had 3 different colored squares set in a staggered design. I thought it looked simple enough. I had this reversible comforter that had a color on one side that I loved and a color on the other side that I hated. I proceeded to make the top out of burgandy, tan, and brown calico fabric. When the top was all together, I carefully sewed each square down on the side of the comforter that I hated, stuffing each one as I went. Can you believe that it actually fit the top perfectly? Talk about ignorance being bliss. I had no idea what I was doing, which is the typical story of anyone who decides to "try quilting". Was it that way for you? Jump in the deep end; sink or swim!

Orange Crush Mystery Project - Done!

Wanna see Orange Crush? Here it is as I was showing it to the ladies of the Second Saturday Quilting Club! (I am not that tall; I am standing on a chair.)

I will not be gracing my bed with it, as my husband has claimed it to be his. I will have to make another one! You can too - check out quiltville.com for the mystery instructions.

Mystery Project #3 - Strips and Squares

I checked out part 3 of the Double Delight mystery last night, after completing the last square-in-square. I think one of the hardest things to do in an online mystery is to control yourself from peeking ahead. I would think, "I'm almost done with part two, I can click on that next link..." At those moments of weakness, I wouldn't even go near the computer. It would be too easy to blow it. Almost like opening your presents when you found them hidden in the attic and rewrapping them so your parents didn't know you found them. "Yes! I got that spoon ring I wanted!!" So carefully lining up the tape back on the slightly ripped paper. "Oh, you are slick; no one will be the wiser!" But it just isn't as magical to open them again on Christmas morning, is it? Have you ever done that? Yeah, me too.

Well, THAT was a fun rabbit trail to visit!

Mystery Project #3 - Slow But Sure

Wins the race. Or at least finishes the race...

When I began Double Delight Mystery Project from Quiltville.com, it was a big job to get past step 1. Making the first set of 120 squares-in-squares was a slow process but the tortoise in me kept plugging away and these were done. Remember them? Yes, they were set aside and I was finally able to get to step 2.

The Ring-cupine

When you need a pin, keep them right at your fingertips.

The pins won't poke through but will be nice and secure in the Ring-cupine until you need them.

Wear it at the cutting table or at the machine. So easy to pull a pin out or tuck one away.

 

 

I make these and am offering them at $5 each. Custom made with your favorite color fabric.

Leave a comment here or email me to let me know how many you would like to get.

We can work out the payment online! This is a great gift for you and for your crafty friends!

 

Mystery Project #3 - Line Up

In my never-ending quest to find short cuts to be faster at what I am doing, I tried keeping the chain sewn pieces together during all the sewing and ironing. This worked very well and was a time saving technique. When sewing, it helped with lining up the next square to be put under the pressure foot. In ironing, the squares stayed down on the board and it was easy to pull the sides up one at a time for pressing. I love finding easier ways to do fiddley tasks.

Mystery project #3 - Part 2

Here we go again! 120 more squares-in-squares. Gak!

This time, the "cheddar" fabric is in the center and the outer fabric is a gorgeous chocolate brown with a flower pattern in it. Cutting went much faster, now that I had some practice from the last batch of squares. I knew how to use the Easy Angle ruler like a breeze! There's nothing like good tools.

Sparkie

Mystery Project #3 - P-S-I-C

One really great thing about Double Delight is my time frame. There isn't one! I can work along on the top for as quickly or as long as I want. My Orange Crush top was done in a record 15-days from start to finish. That is not the typical result for me. I usually take a long time to complete a project. Doing a mystery does cause a desire to get on to the next step so I plug along to complete it instead of set it aside.

What is PSIC? (it's a word I made up and the p is silent) It is what I have done within this step. The prep steps of the fabric went well. Now it is PSIC time. Pin - Sew - Iron - Cut and then repeat.

Mystery Project #3 - Starting Up

I have to admit that quilting has never kept my interest as much as it has lately. I so enjoy looking at patterns and projects, fussing over my material, picking out the colors that are "just right", and starting up! Now I'm starting up the "Double Delight" mystery project.

 

Mystery quilting is great fun. You are given the step-by-step instructions and have a gorgeous result at the end. I have to say that as I look for a new mystery, I check out the final result page first, just to make sure that I will like the darn thing when I'm done with it! I'd hate to put all that work into a pattern that I won't want on some sort of display in my house. By the time I click around a few more pages, I pretty much forgot what the pattern will look like so I figure that is ok to do. :)