2020 June!!

It's always my hope to be doing this daily, and then more than a year goes by. These have been ROUGH years. I am thankful that my mom's journey was over last year, this pandemic.... need I say more? Another day.
Getting together my projects. I'm sewing a blanket for my newest grandson at the moment. I have to GET IT DONE. In the middle of it, my machine went wonky. Frustrating. It's not a brand new machine, but I haven't used it in awhile, I couldn't remember how to take it apart. Then I had to find my manual, and then the tools, and then the machine oil. Whatever happened to The Sewing Box that had all that stuff in one place? Sigh.

Got it all together, got the machine cleaned and adjusted, all ready to get back to the blanket. Also discovered that my old iron stopped turning itself off, so it's been on at least 24 hours. Don't tell my hubby. LOL

Back to the project list.


UPDATE July 27..... I did it!!! It is done, mailed, and received. My machine is adjusted, made 2 pillowcases and some masks too. Sigh of relief. Also made 3 receiving blankets. Found out I have another granddaughter due in the fall, and I have some flannel.... so !!!! The world goes on in spite of having to stay home a lot, losing old friends, trying to keep my sanity. I picked 2 zucchini.

And a cactus is blooming. Lord have mercy on this world, thank you for the little things to appreciate. And that I remember how sewing machines work.

Well then! Onward!

FINALLY I am not spending all my time Not Sitting. It has been hard not sewing much and either Standing or Lying Down. I've been exercising, walking and otherwise trying to recover. I am still in pain, but at least it isn't excruciating any more. I got some x rays done to see what these old bones are doing, and he said I have scoliosis! I wonder if that's new?

Anyway. I finished a quilt top, and will be teaching a class using the pattern. It is a simple quilt, but hopeful that SOMEONE will want to make it! Actually, the day it was displayed a woman bought over $100 worth of fabric to make two of them. So the quilt paid for itself already.

It is called Take Five and you're supposed to be able to make it in five hours. Me? I was fighting a sewing machine for control of the 1/4 inch seams. It was winning too much so I ended up ripping. I think if you were sewing on a great machine, turned off your phone, and focused, you could do it. Probably in less time than 5 hours! This is the quilt to make when you really don't want to think about it beyond fabric choice.

Here is a picture of my quilt top. I love the colors. It is bright but kind of dreamy too.

here kitty kitty

Finished my daughter in law's wall hanging. :)  Since we decided not to exchange Christmas gifts, I gave it to her for a Hostess gift. It was a Laurel Burch panel I got several years ago with her in mind but never did anything with it. I had found some black fabric with sparkly snowflake-ish patches. It turned out beautifully. I sure hope she loves it. I love the sentiments on it, a Bounty of Bliss and Blessings, a Treasure Trove of Treats, A Season of Songs and Savories, and Many Moments of Magic Making.

Next up: Liv and Jonathan's Just Because gift. :)

I also added some cards to the "made by me" album to the right.

Great-Grandma's windblown tulips

(Note: This post was from my "Quilter's Friend" blog from 2008, which I am currently updating. I decided to delete this post from that blog but wanted to remember this... Quilter's Friend is a shop where I used to work; I still maintain their website and blog)

Well, I had a call (to the shop) from far away quite awhile ago when I first posted a picture of my great-grandma's quilt. The original caller said it was the quilt from "When Harry Met Sally"...I found out it was called "Windblown Tulips" and was designed by Marie Webster. To see a big picture of the quilt, go here:

http://www.antiquequiltdating.com/ColonialRevivalEraQuilts-on-Exhibit.html

There's also a little article about the quilt design and designer on about.com:

http://en.allexperts.com/q/Quilting-2339/2008/7/Harry-Met-Sally-Quilt.htm

It seems that this pattern was first published in 1911 in the Ladies' Home Journal. I wonder how many women made this? Marie Webster was the first to make a "cottage industry" out of quilting. What was she like? The historical aspect of quilters and quilting is fascinating to me.

Thanks to that long ago caller for helping me find a bit more history about my treasured quilt.

you can buy the windblown tulips pattern here:

http://www.practicalpatchwork.com/garden.html

a quilty pleasure...

Joel's quilt is now all cut out and partly pieced. A little more than yesterday. I'm using a really simple pattern, called Turning Twenty. It says, "turn twenty fat quarters into a quilt in three hours"... well I spent two today, and I am either very very slow or not very experienced... well I've done lots of quilty projects, but not quilts this big...

But I don't care. I'll get it done when I get it done. I can't see making ANY quilt in three hours... maybe cut it out and piece the top, but not make a quilt.

I like the way it looks so far. I should be able to get the rest of the top pieced by tomorrow. Will see. Depends on how big of a pull those erasers have.

Grandma's Windblown Tulips

Well, I had a call from far away quite awhile ago, about my great grandma's quilt. I found out it was called "Windblown Tulips" and was designed by Marie Webster. To see a big picture of the quilt, go here:
http://www.antiquequiltdating.com/ColonialRevivalEraQuilts-on-Exhibit.html
 
It seems that this pattern was first published in 1911 in the Ladies' Home Journal. I wonder how many women made this? Marie Webster was the first to make a "cottage industry" out of quilting. What was she like? The historical aspect of quilters and quilting is fascinating to me.Sorry it took me so long to get back to this. Life just gets in the way. I hope that you found your answer already. Thank you for helping me find a bit more history about my treasured quilt!

One more thing.... you can buy the windblown tulips pattern here:
http://www.practicalpatchwork.com/garden.html

bananas, anyone?

Finally done with this. I don't want to mention names, but the fusible stuff I used for this is NOT what I would recommend. The pattern said "advanced" but would have been "easy" using my old favorite Wonder Under.

I had great fun once I got the leaves fused. I had sewed all the borders on before I appliqued. I raw edge appliqued because I think the leaves look more leafy, LOL!

Anyway, now it's hanging above the bed, and it told me I need to paint the walls. Oh, and those drapes don't match either, and what about a quilt for the bed?

:)

Paper Piecing

The reason I like paper piecing is that it is precise. I still have a lot of practicing to do on Getting Pieces Perfectly Cut and Sewing With a Scant Quarter Inch Seam. I do better with Sorta Straight and Almost Perfect... so landscape quilting and paper piecing are right up my alley.

I discovered a site, Paper Panache, http://www.paperpanache.com/ and did the mystery piecing challenge. One takes a pattern and just follows directions and you get what you get. I thought it was fun. It's posted at the shop-- I don't want to spoil the surprise for those that are doing the project. There are some other ones that I want to order,but I've spent my allotment for the month already (yes I know we're not even halfway through the month!!) so I will have to wait until September. There are some good free ones I am trying in the meantime. Good site to explore.

Anyone interested in a class? I think it would be great fun to do a mystery one in a class, learn in the process, and see how different everyone's come out! Let me know by phone (209-333-2075)

I also got a kick out of Quiltville's blog today-

http://quiltville.blogspot.com/2008/08/tonya-bonnies-fungly-challenge.html

Sounds like a good way to practice a block and fits right in with my Almost Perfect style. :)