Month: October 2017

Oct 30 report

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2 more UFO baby quilts finished

These 2 baby quilts were quilted very quickly.  That’s easy to do when they’re already sandwiched and ready to quilt.  And they are small!

I estimate that they used approximately 3.5 yards each.  Along with the baby quilt I showed on Friday – I figure that’s 10.5 yards of fabric …

The 4 Christmas placemats used about 2.5 yards … so a total of 13 yards this week.  WooHoo!

Trunk Shows

I presented 2 trunk shows at a guild last week.  It was a lot of fun to show my quilts and talk about my quilting journey.  In between the afternoon and evening meetings, I taught at their “Between” session and demonstrated binding by machine.  I will write a tutorial on machine binding, soon.

Anyhow, one of the ladies asked how I could exist without buying a lot of fabric.  I told her that not going through the door of fabric stores, not shopping online and keeping an account on this blog has helped a ton.  Also, having a frequent look at what I do have – well, that helps as well.  One thing that I haven’t included is the fabric that people give me … their scraps … Even when I try to refuse, somehow the bag comes home with me. Groan!

Stash Report

Fabric Used this Week:     13 yards  
Fabric Used year to Date:  162.5  yards
Fabric Added this Week:    0  yards 
Fabric Added Year to Date:   54 yards
Net Fabric used for 2017:   108.5 yards  

A Happy Dance for a net use of over 100 yards of fabric

UFO tally

2017   Completed
Jan:           2
Feb:           0
Mar:          0
Apr:          0
May:          2
June:          4
July:          0
Aug:          1
Sept:          2
Oct:           5 (all baby quilts – 1 gifted, 4 to be donated)

30  UFO’s left to complete.

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Friday’s Finishes

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The 4 Christmas placemats that I took to demonstrate binding on are done … and no, I did not get them completed while I was teaching everyone how to do it. They got finished this morning.

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I also finished up a UFO baby quilt!  This is pattern, by Anita Grossman Solomon, is from a 2006 Quiltmaker magazine. I think I made this UFO when the magazine first came out … so it’s an 11 year old UFO!  You actually make 3 quilts at the same time.  The other 2 quilts were gifted a LONG time ago.  This one had such a plain centre, I wasn’t sure what to do.  But this giraffe outline – quilted with a contrasting colour was a perfect finish for the quilt.  If you want to make this quilt, it is now a free quilt on Craftsy.  Click HERE.

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And here is a close up of the giraffe.

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Link-ups

To see what others in the quilty world are working on wander over to these blogs:

Happy Quilting
Gail

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Oct 23 Report

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Design Wall

Am preparing a few Christmas placemats for a binding demo / class later this week.  Later, the guild will be donating them to Meals on Wheels for Christmas.  Here’s a picture of one of them and it will have a flange binding on it.  These placemats will help my fabric numbers, but since I started them yesterday, they definitely are not UFOs!IMG_1139

2 quilts finished (on my last post)

I finished the quilt that needs to be gifted before I show a picture.  It was a UFO and I bought the backing and fabric for the appliqué.  (Which I included in my purchases a few weeks ago.) It used a total of 4.5 yards of fabric.

The other is a simple flannel quilt that has already been donated to the guild.  It used 4 yards of fabric.  It also was a UFO that was languishing in the baby quilts bin.

Total yards used this week: 8.5 yards.

Stash Report

Fabric Used this Week:     0 yards  
Fabric Used year to Date:  149.5  yards
Fabric Added this Week:    0  yards 
Fabric Added Year to Date:   54 yards
Net Fabric used for 2017:   95.5 yards  

UFO tally

2017   Completed
Jan:           2
Feb:           0
Mar:          0
Apr:          0
May:          2
June:          4
July:          0
Aug:          1
Sept:          2
Oct:           2

33  UFO’s left to complete.

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Happy Quilting
Gail

2 Quilts finished

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I finished 2 baby quilts.  Both UFO’s.

The one shown is a simple quilt made from flannel squares.  Simple quilting: just diagonal lines across the squares.  I was tempted to keep it! It’s so nice and cosy!   This one has been donated to the guild.  The other quilt will remain a secret until it is gifted.  But I do think it’s very cute!

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Link-ups

To see what others in the quilty world are working on wander over to these blogs:

Happy Quilting
Gail

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Quilting 2 at once

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IMG_0552Yes, I’m quilting 2 quilts at once.  Each on different machines.  On my Janome 8900, is the labyrinth quilt that I posted about in March.  Really? It doesn’t seem like that long ago.  I’m still deciding what to quilt – so for bits of time, it’s just sitting there.  Then, on my Janome 6500, I’m doing outline quilting on the quilt that is using this fabric: IMG_1108

I have not been through the door of any fabric store – sew it’s been super easy to not buy any fabric this week.

Stash Report

Fabric Used this Week:     0 yards  
Fabric Used year to Date:  141.75  yards
Fabric Added this Week:    0  yards 
Fabric Added Year to Date:   54 yards
Net Fabric used for 2017:   80.95 yards  

UFO tally

2017   Completed
Jan:           2
Feb:           0
Mar:          0
Apr:          0
May:          2
June:          4
July:          0
Aug:          1
Sept:          2
Oct:           0

36  UFO’s left to complete.

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Happy Quilting
Gail

Glue Basting

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There are no quilt finishes today – However, I do have a quilt glue-basted.

I had a couple of inquiries as to how I baste with Elmer’s School Glue, so I thought I’d show you.   A few years ago, I saw a post that someone sprayed with diluted glue to baste their quilts.  I tried it.  Well, it didn’t work for me … the sprayer got plugged up and by the time the glue was diluted enough to go through the sprayer – it was diluted too much and wouldn’t stick.   Then, I was at the dollar store one day and saw a jug for paint and a 4″ paint brush.  I bought them and tried it out.   I dilute the glue (1 part glue / 4 parts water) and paint it on.  If it’s not diluted – it’s like a rock to sew through.  1 to 4 ratio seems to be just about perfect.  Enough glue to stick – but not too much.

Here’s my process:

  • Place flannel sheet on top of the bed  (to protect the bedding)Glue Basting 2-1
  • lay out the quilt (bottom, batting, top)
  • fold top back by half
  • lightly paint the batting
  • press with an iron
  • repeat on the other side
  • repeat on the back
  • Quilt when it’s dry.  (I usually let it set for at least 12 hours).

 

The above pictures were taken with flannel. Glue Basting 2-2 You don’t see the glue or moisture when you use flannel.  When using cotton, it shows up – big time!  You can definitely see where the moisture comes through.  This is OK.  It usually disappears by the time it’s dry.  If the glue is super heavy or not diluted enough – you’ll still see it after it’s dry.  This is OK – just take your time quilting it and it’ll wash out.  (If you don’t wash your quilts before giving or using them, then don’t use this method.)

This process makes the quilt quite stiff, which is actually very nice for quilting!  However, as the quilt is manipulated through the machine, it does loose it’s stiffness.

I have not used this method on any quilt that is larger than 50″x 50″.

Link-ups

To see what others in the quilty world are working on wander over to these blogs:

Happy Quilting
Gail

 

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Happy Thanksgiving

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Image result for thanksgiving free images

 

It’s Thanksgiving Day here in Canada. I cooked a turkey yesterday and we had a yummy feast with the kids and some of their friends.  It was a lot of fun!

 

I did buy fabric this week.  But I absolutely HAD to!  No frivolous purchase was made.  No purchase just because it said, “BUY ME”.  No purchase because it happened to jump into my arms and fall in love with me.  None of that.  It was all necessary.  At least that’s my story and I’m sticking to it! unknown-jpg

The photo on the left below shows the brown background fabric I bought to do a Jelly Roll Mystery at the guild.  (I already had the jelly roll, but NOTHING in my stash worked with it.)

The photo on the right shows some flannel backing and binding fabric for a baby quilt.  (I’ll how a picture once the quilt is completed and gifted).

 

With doing mystery quilts that will not be finished by the end of the year, I will be adding 3 more quilts to next year’s UFO list!  Groan.   However, except for buying the brown background fabric, all of the material is coming from my stash!  YEAH!!!

Stash Report

Fabric Used this Week:     0 yards  
Fabric Used year to Date:  141.75  yards
Fabric Added this Week:    4.5  yards 
Fabric Added Year to Date:   54 yards
Net Fabric used for 2017:   80.95 yards  

UFO tally

2017   Completed
Jan:           2
Feb:           0
Mar:          0
Apr:          0
May:          2
June:          4
July:          0
Aug:          1
Sept:          2
Oct:          0

36  UFO’s left to complete.

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Happy Quilting
Gail

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Scrappy Irish is pieced together

/ quiltinggail / 13 Comments

I have been away!

First, we went to a Doobie Brothers/Eagles concert in Seattle with my sister & her husband.  That was a lot of fun!  Then my husband & I went down to the Oregon Coast for a few days.  We had wonderful weather and many long walks on the beach.  There was also a bit of whale watching, but nothing really close.

I did get the scrappy Irish chain pieced together and will hopefully get it quilted later this month.  This quilt is made with scraps from other people.  I’m not saying that you won’t find any of my own scraps in this quilt, but they are few and far between!  However, this is not a UFO … I started it in January while at a quilt retreat. It was a “Leader & Enders” project until I had all the 49 patch blocks done.  Then it was sewn together.

This quilt is adapted from Bonnie Hunter’s “Happily Scrappily Irish” that can be found in her book “Adventures with Leaders and Enders.”   I made it smaller than Bonnie’s and I’m not going to put a border on it.   If you’re interested in buying this book, it is no longer being printed, but Bonnie has them for sale on her website, Quiltville.com   It is a book worth having!

Link-ups

To see what others in the quilty world are working on wander over to these blogs:

Happy Quilting
Gail