Kate, from Life in Pieces, is hosting “Stitching Stuff” and the goal is to sew for at least 15 minutes a day. I use Kate’s guideline, but my personal goal is to sew for 30 minutes a day. On those “blah” days, it does motivate me to sit at my machine and 30 minutes often turns into several hours. Thank you Kate for the motivation!
I’ve missed 2 days of sewing in the past 2 weeks … that’s what happens when you spend full days helping someone move!
January – April: 117 / 120
May 1 – 29: 17 / 29
Total: 134 / 159
Percentage = 84%
Stash Report
Donna at Quilt Paint Create hosts a weekly linky party where you can display your stash numbers. This has really kept my stash from growing (somewhat!) Before I buy anything, I am always mindful of the fact that I need to report it on my blog … That sometimes stops me in my tracks!
The apron used 1.25 yards and the 2 small quilts used a yard each for backing … for a total of 3.25 yards used since my last report. No shopping, so nothing added!
2. A Squirrel Attack: The flimsy is done – but I forgot to take a picture …
Quilting:
Squirrel is sandwiched and I have a plan for the quilting!
2. Quilting is in progress. I have been working on Sandra Walker’s Pop Star Quilt … Yesterday, the instructions for adding the border were posted. You can access the steps at MMM Quilts HERE.
Carla, from Creatin’ in the Sticks announced this blog hop in March and I immediately thought of 2 projects I could make!
Here is the challenge:
Create something to do with food. It could be anything from a quilt with a food fabric, to a tea cozy. A mug rug for coffee to an apron. A Corn and Beans Quilt Block to a drying rack for the kitchen. Maybe you are trying to raise money for a charity that supplies food. You decide! The theme is really your own interpretation, surprise us!
I knew I was going to use this fabric – left over from a recent finish. I’ve always loved the blueberry fabric and was positive it would be perfect for this blog hop!
I ended up with a list of about 10 projects I could potentially make. However, lack of time and lack of fabric prevented me from making more than 1. In the end, I chose to to make an apron. The pattern is “Super Simple Apron” by Valley Girl designs. When I googled their website, it said “This site cannot be reached.”
Here is the apron. I’m not a frilly girly person, so I left off the bottom ruffle. I like this apron because the ties cross in the back and it fits a multitude of sizes!
Here’s what we were told, “The Triangle Tricks Challenge is designed to take you out of your comfort zone with square or rectangle blocks and have you work with triangles. Have fun!”
I’ve done oodles of triangle quilts, half-square triangles, tri-recs triangles, flying geese is all about triangles … Lots of different quilts … and I have a current leader and ender project that is also all about triangles, but I wanted something a bit different.
I spied Triangle Stars in our guild library … it looked great … it said “Deceptively Easy.” Time to try it out!
I chose to use the precut “Starry Night” that I received last year. Isn’t it a beautiful collection??? And with my favourite blues …
Here’s the first triangle I made …
Lots and lots of triangles … They are paired with Island Batik black solid with either white solid or rice. The black, white and rice are basics and available all the time.
Sew, I put all these triangles together and was thinking, “yeah, I’ve almost got this top done.” THEN, I went to iron it … oh my … I told a friend that it was a mess with multiple Double E sized bra cups all over it. Groan … I tried to press it into submission, but nothing worked … and I forgot to take a picture.
But, lots and lots of unstitching …
Then I realized that the triangles were off! They were SUPPOSED to be 60 degree triangles … so they all got squared (triangled?) up to be 60 degrees. I’m not sure that you can see much difference in the picture, but the one on the right is a 60 degree triangle and I have no idea what the one on the left is …
but there was a LOT of trimming! Depending on the triangle, there was anywhere from 1/2″ to 1/16″. That in my book is way to much variation. I checked my templates … yup – they were correct. I checked my seam allowance … yup – they were all the same 1/4″ … I have NO idea what happened! But I do know that IF I EVER make this quilt again, I will draw out a paper piecing pattern and there will be no templates used!
Here is the finished quilt! I must admit that it went together much easier once I made the triangles all the same size. And there were no Double E bra sized lumps … there was one “A” sized one, but that was easily quilted out!
I used Hobbs Batting BLACK 80/20 batting … it was perfect for this quilt! The stars and the shadow stars were quilted with Aurifil Thread #4644 (Smoke Blue) and the rest of the black was swirled with #2692 (Black). I used a microtex from Schmetz Needles.
Wait, there’s more!
As I was cutting up the left-over fabric to use for my leader and ender project, I thought “why not use it right away?” I do need 2 small table toppers for the newly painted and carpeted guest room – so I should make them now!
I used my 8″ Cube Accuquilt #4 & #5 dies to cut out triangles with the left-over Starry Night fabrics. Then I cut tons of triangles with #5 die using Chevron – Iceberg … my plan was to make something cool with HST and flying geese. I made lots of HST and flying geese, but my plan did not come to be. That was OK … I decided I’d make one topper with HST turned into pinwheels and another with the flying geese.
Have you seen Kate Colleran’s signature fabric line from Island Batik called Contempo? It is truly an awesome line of fabric. I designed a quilt for the Island Batik catalogue using Contempo, so I know what I’m talking about! I called it 3D Pinwheels. You can read more about this quilt HERE.
Look at all of the wonderful fabrics! So bright and beautiful!
To celebrate, Kate is offering 2 fat-quarter bundles of Contempo on her blog “Kate Colleran Designs” – so be sure to visit her blog for your opportunity to win this awesome collection!
Kate has organized an Instagram hop featuring many designers that have worked with the Contempo line. You can follow each of the links below to see the fantastic quilts that designers have made with Contempo! Here are each of the IG handles … be sure to visit each one!
Sorry, I have not been posting much lately! I’ve had Covid and it’s been a slow recovery. However, I am recovering. I know at one point, I told a friend, “I feel like sewing today.” I sat at the machine, sewed 2 stitches and turned the machine off. I knew I was sick! But, for the last few days, I’ve been sewing for more than 1/2 hour a day – so that is good.
Overhauling the Craft Room
Before I got sick, I did work on my studio overhaul and took some pictures.
Here’s a Before and After pictures of the same spaces!
I now have a full ironing board to iron on. Yes, those dark brown spots in the upper right and lower left definitely indicate that I need to recover the board. But not for now! I’ll live with it for a little while longer!
And the area behind the machine where I quilt is now tidy. Hopefully, it will stay that way! It has so far!
Stitching Time
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Kate, from Life in Pieces, is hosting “Stitching Stuff” and the goal is to sew for at least 15 minutes a day. I use Kate’s guideline, but my personal goal is to sew for 30 minutes a day. On those “blah” days, it does motivate me to sit at my machine and 30 minutes often turns into several hours. Thank you Kate for the motivation!
I missed many days of sewing in the last few weeks … that’s OK. I’m just thankful that I only have one deadline at the moment!
January – April: 117 / 120
May 1 – 15: 5 / 15
Total: 122 / 135
Percentage = 90%
Stash Report
Donna at Quilt Paint Create hosts a weekly linky party where you can display your stash numbers. This has really kept my stash from growing (somewhat!) Before I buy anything, I am always mindful of the fact that I need to report it on my blog … That sometimes stops me in my tracks!
It was fun to free motion these quilts … all different and using different motifs!
Finishing these baby quilts used 7.5 yards of fabric.
1. Foodie Blog Hop: These fabrics are from my stash. You’ll just have to wait until May 24th to see what is happening with this fabric!
2. A Squirrel Attack: The flimsy is done – but I forgot to take a picture …
3. I have been working on Sandra Walker’s Pop Star Quilt … Yesterday, the instructions for adding the border were posted. You can access the steps at MMM Quilts HERE.
Quilting:
Need to sandwich the May Island Batik project and get them quilted! And also need to sandwich the Pop Star Quilt.
Again, I’m counting 2 baby quilt panels as 1 UFO that is finished. That means that I only have 4 more UFOs to finish this year! Sigh … I thought I had found ALL of the UFOs before, but alas … there are likely more hidden away! I was secretly hoping that this would be the last year for me to host PHD in 202? But, if I keep discovering more – I’ll be hosting PHD for many years to come!
Quilting Gail 