Friday I started cutting the pieces for the small Irish chain quilt I have an order for. Our power was turned off at 9 am, (grr) for PG&E to do some tree trimming on a road that is a quarter mile away. I thought I could use the new 2 ½” strip accuquilt die I got recently to cut the strips. With this die, I can cut 9 WOF strips at a time. After cutting the yardage into 8 ½” wide strips, I tried to put it on the die, they were a little creased, so I walked over to iron them. Drat. It was kinda like that reaction when you try to turn on the closet light, even though you know the power is out. I’ll admit, I did try to cut one set, and it turned out okay, but the strips needed to be recut with a ruler and rotary cutter. Which cancels out any convenience of using the Accuquilt cutter.

Our power was restored at around 2 pm, and I was able to iron and cut the rest of the strips. I sewed them into sets, and cut them into columns with the rotary cutter. There is a way to do it using the strip cutting die, but I didn’t want to experiment with this project. I am making 12 blocks, with 5 columns of 5, 2 ½” squares. I made one block, put it on the design wall and then cut the rest of the columns. After dinner I sewed all 12 blocks together, for a total of thirteen. While making and counting all the parts, I forgot the one on the wall, I guess that’s better than finding it stuck to my back or on the floor.

Saturday I was back to the cutting table, for the “B” blocks. I got the pieces cut and started to chain piece the blue squares and white rectangles. Hmm, why did I run out of blue squares? I rechecked my math, 13 blocks with four blue squares in each, makes for 52 squares. Yup, and 52 rectangles. Ugh, then it occurred to me, only 26 of the rectangles get blue squares on each end. I un-sewed the wrong ones and made them correctly. Once that was done, the blocks went together quickly.

Up on the design wall, things looked okay, but I thought I had worked out in EQ8 that there would be five columns of five blocks. The four column version on the wall was looking a little big for a baby quilt. Back to look at the EQ8 version, oh, that size version has 9 inch finished blocks, I made 10 inch blocks. Mmm. Now I have extra blocks, not enough to make another quilt though. I can’t put them on the back either, as it is supposed to have minky on the back. I guess I’ll make some more and have another to sell. This quilt has been a lesson on the importance of making a plan and clearly following the steps. But it is much more fun to wing it, and hey, I have another quilt top.

Going to get it all together today, and add a border or two.

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I finished my Appalachian Autumn quilt top. This went together really fast, and I didn’t buy any new fabric for it. All from stash and mostly scraps at that.

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The funny thing was is that I thought it was bigger than it really was. It’s 56 and ½ inches square, not huge, a good lap blanket though. I would like to get it quilted and use it for November. I have a halloween quilt on my chair for now.

I also bound two quilts. I still need to sew down the hanging sleeve on the Costumers Ball quilt. That one is pretty large, shown here on a full size bed. A little bit of ruler and template work, free hand around the figures and computer guided borders. A hybrid so to speak.

The Peppermint Poinsettia quilt got a binding to match its backing. I really like how the pearls in the white inner border turned out.

In other news, my DH asked me if he could use one of my quilts as a back drop for his court appearance (he’s an attorney) tomorrow. I set up my ‘Sew She Did’ quilt behind his chair in his office. I told him to tell anyone who asks, that it’s an award winning quilt. He didn’t think anyone would notice, but you never know😊.

I found an inspirational picture for the baby quilt I need to make. The Childs name is Theodore, so teddy bears are in order. I like the way this quilt has the bears peeking out of the chain pattern. I’m going to do a double Irish Chain and appliqué the bears in the squares. I found a few clip art bears that I like, so I’ll be drawing them out this week. I want to get started on this little quilt soon.

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I worked on the AAQ (Appalachian Autumn Quilt) Yesterday. I got the cream background ones done.

They go together pretty quickly, this should be a top by the end of the week, hmmm, maybe not. I was just thinking about the borders and all the HST’s that need to be put together. Power sewing mode may have to be activated.

Yesterday I finished the quilting on the Poinsettia quilt. For a small quilt, this one had a lot of stops and starts. I quilted the center with single motifs of leaves and flowers. Each one had to be placed and stitched, it was tedious, but I like the results. The borders turned out nicely too. This quilt was made from the scraps of the Christmas Figs BOM that I finished last May. Made me want to put that large quilt on the frame next. I’m going to hold off a bit though, I got an order for a baby quilt yesterday, and I want to do a round table top quilt for a friend.

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Off to cut some binding and make a few AAQ borders.

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This was my list from a few weeks ago:

1. Finish SQP – secret quilting project ✅
2. Finish Peppermint Poinsettia quilting – list on Etsy
3. Finish Meeting of the Geese (kit from 2019)✅
4. Finish quilting Costumers Ball – BEFORE 10/31 and Hang up✅
5. October BOM blocks✅
6. Get Growing Up Odd on the frame
7. Make some Christmas items for Etsy

The ✅ mean it is done. I did get the Poinsettia quilt on the frame so its a half check mark. I didn’t get to numbers 6 and 7, but I did make two quilt tops, Good Times and Rock Pool. So I’m calling it a win.

I made the rest of the string blocks for the Appalachian Autumn Quilt leaves. I also cut all the colored 300+ HSTs needed, I am hoping to cut the cream and gray ones today. This will become a November project, along with, um, something else. The mystery quilt doesn’t start until November 27th this year, it’s more of a December/January thing. I have a few quilt kits left, and a few collections of fabric that I have bought that need to be used. One of the collections is Farm Charm, I have a honey bun, a panel, a layer cake and some yardage.

I have a collection of another Gingiber fabric line called Thicket. I have made two small quilts with it already. I was looking for a photo of it and came across this free pattern, called Thicket of Stars its free from Moda.

It could be a start of something, I’m not sure I like all the white, maybe add in some 4 patches of the black and white prints. This one is more colorful, using HSTs of a print and the B&W Thicket line.

Lots of options and time this November.

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My 790 is back from its vacation/repair in Sacramento. The shop called me on Monday and I drove over there yesterday to pick it up. It’s about a two and a half hour drive each way, but it went pretty fast, as there is little to no traffic. The machine had some issues with the computer assisted upper thread tension and needed a really good clean-out. They also updated the software and now it purrs like it should. I made one of the BOM blocks from the halloween fig quilt as soon as I got it set up. Today I finished the other two October blocks.

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I was a little sad to move my Singer 404 off the sewing table. It has been standing in for the 790 for the past month. I made two quilt tops with it and two blocks for the Botanica BOM quilt. I kinda feel like I should leave it set up, so I can use it to piece with or something. I just don’t have enough room in my sewing space though. When I was thinking about moving across the hall, back in the summertime, I thought I would have room for another sewing table. I thought I could put the 404 and my Sail-right machine on it and that way they would be ready to sew when needed. Alas, not enough floor space, too many fabric containers and too many book shelves. I could use the computer desk in the guest room, then move them when we have company staying. Who knows when that will be though.

I also heard yesterday that the Serger, 890L won’t be here until mid-December. Oh well. When the shops name popped up on the caller ID, I got all excited, thinking it had arrived. No, apparently I had missed the preorder cut-off date. So I have to wait for the next manufacturing run and shipment.

I have been itching to start making Bonnie Hunter’s Appalachian Autumn quilt. I think I could squeeze it in the line up for the next few weeks. It’s a string pieced, large block quilt of autumn leaves with a cream and gray background. After going through my string pile I created earlier this year, I found “enough” to do the string blocks. Now to find the fabrics for the background.

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This weekend BH will be releasing the colors for the up coming Mystery quilt. I will most probably make it, as always, I have only missed the 2018, Good Fortune quilt. I wasn’t too keen on the colors chosen for that one, orange, green, blue and white. Similar to the colors combo of Celtic Sunrise, which is on my bed now.

Linking up with Denise at For the Love of Geese for Put your Foot Down

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