Foundation paper piecing, or is it paper foundation piecing? Maybe the latter. Anyway I have been making a concentrated effort to make the blocks for the Morning Glories quilt I started. I am trying to make ~20 “A” squares a day. There are four per block, and 49 block total. I am going through some of my scrap bins for colors and greens, and finding some. I went through a large bin the other day, and ended up deciding to cull all the tiny/small scraps into the circular bin. It felt good to have that bin empty enough to combine it into another. As much as I like to save fabric, there is a limit of space I have. I have decided I am no longer saving scraps less than 2 ½ inches wide. There. It’s in writing.

So many scrappy quilts made, and hardly a dent in the scrap collection. The Morning glories quilt is 84 inches square, but mostly neutrals, so the color pieces make up only about three or four yards. There is a lot of green, over 700 pieces, but again, not much of a dent in the yardage department. I am enjoying the assembly line piecing and the ease of getting these blocks neatly put together.

In other Quiltville news, Bonnie announced the color families for this years Winter Mystery quilt, it’s called Indigo Way. Dark blue, sky blue, neutrals, and a constant fabric of red. I am happy with the blue, because it’s like my favorite color you know. I know it too, as I have lots of it. I am contemplating using Batiks, there are lots of scraps left from the Alaska quilt I made a few years ago, and the Storm at Sea. This quilt calls for 3 yards of dark blue, 2 yards of light blue, 4 ½ neutrals, and 2 ½ of red.

I have been progressively working on the Ribbon Runs Through It quilting. The 32 ribbon sashings are a PITA, but I have gotten to the point where they are easy to set up and stitch out, repetition it the key. The whole blocks stitch out nicely too, there are so many pieces (115) in each block, but the designs seem to bring it all together. I used an extra wide cotton sateen for the backing, I am hoping that it will look like a whole cloth quilt on the back-side. I like the feel of the sateen too, sort of silky.

Today I have to do some Quilty alterations, to a bed spread. It’s is too large for the bed it was bought for, so I will pick the binding off, cut about 10 inches off and re-bind it. Bleh, I’d rather hem pants. I haven’t opened the package yet, so I am hoping it is cotton, not some polyester slippery fabric. Hmm, it seems like I am a bit reluctant to start.

Consider the Lillies is being stitched, pretty much daily. Although I have been nodding off while stitching after a day of activities. I switched to a rectangular hoop, I was having to move the circular one too often. I would like to get the top border done this week, so I can complete the top section which is the first four pattern pages. Finishing those four pages is my end of November stitching goal. I still haven’t started a smaller project, that means I’m focused I guess.

Now that the weather is cooler, I have been thinking more about knitting. I have picked up a sweater that I started early this year. I am almost done with the back, the problem is, that the pattern requires thinking. Lots of “while this is going on, do this and this and reduce and add and pattern and…” etc. One needs to pay full attention, and sometimes I only have a half of an attention left after a day of my life. I need some mindless stockinette if you know what I mean. My subscription to Interweave Knits magazine is due for renewal, and I am on the fence about sending a check. I like the magazine, and there are always projects I would like to do, but I have about ten years worth of issues. It is printed four times a year, but that is still a lot of shelf space. Most of my current sewing, knitting patterns and books are PDFs or Kindle, which saves a lot of space. I also feel that I should support the magazine as it is an excellent resource, even if digital is taking over the market. I just looked at the web site and I can get membership with Interweave, and have digital access to all their magazines and patterns for about twice the paper subscription of one. I think I’ll just send them a check.

Be Kind.

I spent a lot of time this week trying to find an appropriate border pantograph for the Ribbon Runs Through it quilting project. Last week I found a set, at a new to me site, called It’s a Quilt Thing. The set included block designs and sashing ones, but nothing for the outer 6 inch borders. After looking extensively through the many digital panto sites, I found the perfect one, and it was already in my library. It took me a few hours messing with the sizing and positioning, but I got the first border stitched yesterday. I am using a rather ugly spool of King Tut thread, called Caravan, but it really looks good on the quilt. There is a bit of dark teal, tan, and rose in the thread, just like the quilt fabrics. It blends in with the pinks, and looks good on the teals. I had auditioned pinks and grays, and tans, but this spool is the winner.

In between surfing for pantos, I finished this top, from the Busy Hands pattern Picnic Plaid. Lots of little squares, but the pattern is very well laid out with charts and instructions to help achieve a random look. The fabric was from another quilt kit I had bought from “Craftsy” a few years ago. Two rolls of 9 inch wide 42 inch long strips, from the line called Strawberry Fizz. I have one roll left, which may become a Whimsy quilt.

In cross stitch land, I am finishing the October page for “Consider the Lillies”. I am doing this as a stitch a long with Jo from Jo’s Country Junction. The plan is to complete a page a month, since there are a bunch of motifs and flowers on each page, it wouldn’t be boring or overwhelming. Although, lately she seems to be working on other things. All good, though, as I finished two side projects this month as well. I still have to finish sewing the chenille to the edge on Hocus Pocus.

I am not sure if I truly like punch needle crafting, I find the constant needle threading tedious. Plus these projects eat up thread like nobody’s business. Also not sure how I want to finish that, it’s about 5 x 7, so framing is a possibility.

The color ways for Bonnie Hunters Winter Mystery Quilt are coming out next week. I would like to do that QAL, I did last years in her color ways, but orange, turquoise and purple are not my first choice. Hoping for no orange this year, or maybe I’ll finally get adventurous and change up the colors to ones I like. I did just buy her newest pattern, Silk Road, so many small brown squares. I have a few totes of scraps I can use, and I like brown scrappy quilts, lol. Perhaps I should work on the Morning Glories quilt I started last month. I got a bunch of green scraps cut, now I just need bunch of neutrals.

Be Kind.

It’s the third Tuesday of October, where does the time go? Keeping busy this past ten days or so, I think helps it to go even faster. Sitting here thinking about what to write down, hmm, I think I have done a bit of work and had some fun too.

Last Friday I attended the 2023 PIQF show. I was supposed to go with a non-quilty friend, but she had a prior engagement and had to forgo the show. I was on the fence about going alone, as when I go with someone else it curbs my urge to spend dollars. I ended up going and bringing a small reusable shopping bag, thinking that I can only fill this bag. After all that self discipline, and restraint, I bought one thing, a spool of thread. Two things that preempted my usual shopping spree, (besides the small bag) were that I have been going through my stash a lot lately and that there weren’t the usual amount of vendors. There seemed to be about a third less of the convention center being used. There were plenty of beautiful quilts, in fact more floor space was dedicated to the displays than to the vendors. There was a huge Bernina shop, and the two local machine shops had multiple booths too. There just weren’t many fabric shops, only 70 vendors listed. Some of the regulars, like Cherrywood and rainbow resources were there, but many were not. Is it possible to be sad and relieved at the same time? I really enjoyed the exhibits of some of Caryl Bryer Fallert Gentry quilts. There were forty quilts in her distinctive style. I was able to get up close to see her beautiful colors and stitching. Also saw a new to me quilt artist, Uzoma Samuel Anyanwu a Nigerian quilt artist. He is a master at improv fabric selection and collage and the quilted pieces are large and you can’t help but to be drawn in by them. Wonderful expressions on the faces and the clothing was so colorful. There was movement and joy emanating from these quilts.

In the sewing room, work on the two baby quilts continues. These came about from the purchase of four small panels and the leftovers from a fat quarter pack.

I am trying to decide whether to quilt these two next or bite the bullet and put “A Ribbon Runs Through it” on the frame. I finished the Liberty Star (Whimsy pattern) and there was enough backing left to quilt up a panel I had bought a few months ago.

I probably would have got the bindings on those two, if I didn’t get side tracked by a Halloween Tuxedo cat. I was looking through my stitchery basket O’fun, when I came across this all kitted up and ready to go. It’s from Teresa Kogut, and I may have it done before the end of the month.

I have been getting more done on Consider the Lillies too, not really sure I like the ‘A’ in my initials, I may change it to better match the ‘C’.

I want to end with a beautiful quilt that Velda Newman made, called Iris II. It was spectacular.

Be Kind.

Cruising right along, making stuff, finishing stuff and planning stuff. I even used some stuffing too.

First up, I finished the two smalls from Luminous Fiber Arts, Gathering Stitches and Gathering Snowflakes. I stuffed them with fiber fill and a handful of crushed walnut shells. This is the first time I’ve used the shells and I like the weight they add to the pillow. I am trying to decide if I want to add some trim to the edges, I don’t have anything suitable though. I am trying not to buy any more, maybe if I see the perfect one, but I’m not really looking. I am almost finished with the Hocus Pocus halloween small too. It is a quick stitch, I may make it into a pillow, or maybe frame it if I can find a black molding with a little character.

I finished and delivered the Vintage Sampler quilt to my client. She really liked it, and has another vintage one she’d like me to finish for her. It’s a Christmas sampler, in pieces, about 25 years in UFO stage. I consider it a challenge and a rescue operation. It’s rewarding to see how happy a person is when you finish something they didn’t think would ever be done. I find it almost as satisfying as finishing something of my own that has been languishing. Although, my motivation to re-start one of my ufo’s isn’t quite as keen. I did acquire another rescue project. This one is somewhat of a mess. It is a king sized Hawaiian appliqué quilt that was started with hand quilting, in the center (ugh) and part of a border. It is faded, water marked, frayed on the edges and probably not very square. The only saving grace is that it is basted. I am going to have to think on it for a bit, just getting it on the frame will be challenging.

Speaking of UFOs, I finished the two Cambridge bags that I had cut and ready to sew. I used waxed canvas for the outer parts and cotton fabric for the inner. I bought the hardware and pattern as a kit from Hammerstitch, which worked out really well. Lots of rivets and the leather is nice and soft. I may make another bag from them, I have a bit of left over canvas.

I finished up the four baby quilts, that I quilted on one backing piece. All are bound and waiting for their photo shoot. I got adventurous and bound one in some scraps of minky fleece I had. It went on pretty easily, luckily I remembered to cut it on the straight of grain. A trip to the post office finished the last of the Nocturnal quilts. I finished up the Noel quilt top too, and pulled out a bunch of other fabric collections which need to be made into tops. I got the Liberty fabric star quilt on the frame yesterday and I am quilting a dogwood panto on it. The pink thread shows up nicely, it’s a relatively dense pattern but it breaks up the white patches nicely. Then I had the urge to start a Bonnie Hunter designed quilt. It’s called Morning Glories, all paper foundation pieced, and very scrappy. There are over 750 – 2″x 4″ pieces of green needed. I printed out enough papers for eight blocks, I”m trying out some newsprint paper for this. It went through the printer well, and is a bit less expensive than regular paper, and much less that the specialty papers from Carol Doack.

After much self debating, I traded in my 790+ for the 790pro. I am really pleased with it, although it looks almost the same, it sews and computes a step up from the plus. I really like the laser at the needle point, it shows exactly where the needle will pierce the fabric. Very much like the add-on laser I have on my longarm machine. The touch screen is a bit bigger and the processor seems a little faster. It’s got WiFi too, so you can monitor it on your phone, while in another room. I don’t know if I would ever trust a machine to embroider while unattended. I’ve had too many messes to fix when I have “stepped away”, maybe it’ll work for bathroom breaks lol. I have to try out the embroidery unit soon, I just don’t have anything to stitch out.

All in all a productive first week in October. PIQF is coming up next week I may go on Friday, if I go alone, I’l shop the market, but if I drag along a non-quilty friend, I won’t be tempted.

Be Kind.

I have been getting better these past few days. Yesterday I didn’t have to nap, but I only did one strenuous (getting the trash ready for pick up, lol) activity. I spent a few hours watching the long arm do its thing, I only have one and a half more rows to finish that quilt. I would really like to have it packed up and out of here on Monday. I took a look at the commissioned quilt, the vintage appliqué quilt. I need to do some hand work, to fix the wave-y border, and figure out how to make a tuck in the backing look okay. The borders were not too wavy, but I ended up with about an inch or too extra in length on the long sides. Much steaming and manipulating of the fabric was done to alleviate it, but I still need to do a bit of fold and sew at the seam line. The backing was a bit wonky too, the maker had started to hand quilt the center of this top. It was basted to the backing, however the backing wasn’t square, causing a little difficulty in getting it to be on the frame straight/true. I had a few hours of struggle there, but I think I am going to have to leave the tuck.

I got another motif done on the Consider the Lillies piece. I won’t be finished with the page by tomorrow though. Page two is going to bleed into three, no biggie. I worked a bit on the “gathering Snowflakes” small. I am thinking if I finish this one, I’ll start on a halloween one, the “Hocus Pocus” one I kitted up last year. I was remembering that I have a few Halloween things to make, last year I was intent on finishing the All Hallows Fig Tree sampler quilt. I have it hung up and on display already.

I was looking for something to start in the sewing room, and came across a kit I bought a few years ago. It’s a wall hanging, but it is made from two panels and some yardage of the same fabric line. I opened it up and got started. I realized that it wasn’t a full kit for this project. There are a few half yards of fabric, and the two panels, but not the variety that is called for in the pattern. Good thing I have a stash of Christmas prints, I was able to augment the kit and get a similar look to the mix of fabrics in the picture. I got the N done and will finish up on the O today.

I may venture out to the Sewing Machine store. I have to pick up a foot I ordered for my serger, its for making curved seams. I want to talk to them about trading in my 790 plus for the 790 pro. They have a promotion going on, that will give 25% off with a trade in. I am hoping to get to trade in the plus, it’s worth a bit more than that though. Maybe see about 0% financing and such. Although I don’t “need” a new machine, there are quite a few features that would make sewing more enjoyable.

Be Kind.