More show n tell....

The days are blurring together!  But it was Monday yesterday which is one of my favorite days of the week. As I said last week, I am able to get about 1 1/2 hours of cutting or other hand work in at Monday Mania before I zip off to work.  A great solution and while not an entire day of sewing with the Maniacs, it helps to keep in touch - well with those that get there early!

However I must be more careful about what I take to cut.  You see at some point, I did say that I was FINISHED with tractor quilts.  No more!!!!   Well somehow I still have a box with tractor fabric in it and at the Brampton Quilt show this past year, someone alerted me to John Deere fabric in the member's boutique.  I weakened and those John Deere fabrics came home with me. ACK!!!!!!

Upon inspection of the John Deere fabric, I realized that there wasn't going to be enough variety to make the quilt interesting.  So I did collect a few over the summer.  I know - they just jumped into my shopping basket!

Then I was able to get further variety from Diane who lives on a farm and has a LOT of tractor/John Deere fabric.

Cutting John Deere fabric at Monday

 Let's just say that I had a few comments about my working on a John Deere quilt!!!

Diane's borrowed bag of tractor fabric

 You can see that she still has a LOT left.  I took from her bag and added to her bag - but I don't think a dent was made at all!!!!   I think I have enough to make TWO John Deere quilts and then I am done.  I don't care if the fabric falls from the sky - I am NOT making any more John Deere quilts.  It is time to move on!!!!   I still have the other tractor fabric and I will take that to a Monday to cut and the leftovers - well Diane is going to get those!!!!!


Yes - I just put all the tractor/John Deere stuff together and could I make a plan to get it done by Christmas?????    Oh yes - must do that because when I am done the tractor stuff - there are many many other categories of fabric that I have collected and well - they must be dealt with!!!!


When I got home from work, I decided it was time!  I got out the scissors....................

The scissors

 And snip snip snip - this is what happened.....................  (OK - so it was more like hack and slash!)  The first part of this process doesn't have to be pretty.

T-shirt scraps

All the T-shirts are laid out 

I see so many patterns for T-shirt quilts that use big squares.  Then you are restricted to the number of T-shirts that you can use.   Nope - I take all the elements - little logos from the sleeves, from the back, from the front - wherever and I lay them all out like this.

Then I take the shirts depending on size of logo and colour and try to lay them out in some cohesive fashion. So this is what the "quilt" now looks like.

T-shirt quilt in progress

 I pinned all the T-shirts on the design wall (you gotta love the design wall). I sent this picture to the owner of the quilt and I will wait to get some feedback if there are certain elements that they want eliminated or moved.

And there are a few bits leftover that I will work into the design as I put it together.

A few more elements

Once this process is done - then I start "making" the blocks.  The rest is easy!


In case you are wondering about those six quilts that need to be urgently sewn. Remember the fabric arrived on Friday from Asia.  Well two of the tops (one is a table runner) are completed, one is mostly cut out (it is huge and she was missing one fabric when I delivered it to her), one is almost finished - and will be delivered to my house today, I am working on the 5th one today and should be done, and the sixth one will be worked on this weekend and completed. It is amazing what can happen when you have good friends. The long arm quilter is on alert and will be getting some work soon!

I did the table runner this morning and I have to say the colors are gorgeous!!!   All these items (and many more) will be hanging in our booth at Quilt Market.  I will show you the pictures once they are hanging up!

On the weekend, I also did a class on our applique quilt.  This is called The Garden Quilt by Amy Bradley and it is a fun and funky quilt as are all of her patterns.

Garden Quilt

Isn't that just a fun fun quilt!!!!!!

Here is the homework........................

Mariilyn

Carol

?????

Diane

Diane's practise pieces

Zildi

Liz

I see I am going to have to get better at remembering the names!!!!!    They did an amazing job and many of them (sucking up to the teacher no doubt) did a lot of practising.  Actually - the practice (while the teacher was very impressed)  is for their OWN benefit. The more practising you do - the better you get.  Remember that 10,000 hours thing.

I think we may have to have a quick hands on class for machine applique - one of the big issues with machine applique is some of the sewing machines just don't have the ability to do machine applique well.   I will give you a heads up - my week for QUILTSocial is coming up in a couple of weeks and it will be all about machine applique.  Yes - those Husqvarna sewing machines make applique a dream.  Don't worry - other brands are great, but I think the Husqvarnas have a couple of features that beat out the rest. Just watch for that.

On that note - I see it is time to get ready for work. Have to stop and pick up one quilt top on my way.  I am so excited to see these 6 come together so quickly.  I am truly impressed!!!!!


Have a great day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Ciao!!!!