Let's work in TWOs

Yes - it is bad enough to have one project on the go, but TWO of the same thing??????  

I made this quilt as a sample for a class MANY years ago. Because of the colouring, I ended up with a LOT of leftovers. So ------------------------------   what does one do with leftovers????   You make quilts of course.

Here is the pattern

Here is top number one!!!   (It is only 36" square)

Here is top number TWO!!!!

The borders are all CUT for the second quilt. OK - so the first two (of FOUR) are cut, but the fabrics for the other two are included. The backing fabric was in the box (for both) and the binding fabric, but the binding was not made. This is my BBB project for this week. 

I've got TWO borders on so far. 

Now that is not all that comes in twos. Someone asked what my 12 for (20)12 project was for February - well here it is......................

This is a wall hanging - not that big - 37" by 53" or something like that. Again it was a sample for a class MANY years ago. 

Here is my top - yes - still just a top. 

But wait!!!!    Yep - there were TWO similar quilts

Here is the second one - NO that is NOT a kit, but I did cut all those squares once upon a time, so it is like a kit now. A PRE-CUT kit. 

Here is the applique shapes - not cut out, but traced and fused. 

The backing - just perfect and no need to piece because the wall hangings are only 37" wide.

See - here are all the pre-cut squares. They are in order and just need to be carefully laid out in the pattern

I did NOT want any lumps behind those LARGE applique pieces so  ALL the seam intersections on the back have been twirled. Yes - I am CRAZY!!!!!!!!    But the final result will be worth it.

 In addition to the BBB and the 12 for (20)12, I still have those monthly projects to work on.

This is Part 5 (the first part where we actually have sewn something) of This & That  mystery. Got Part 6 yesterday, but haven't worked on it yet. This is weekly, but the clues are very simple. 

I had found these three fabrics ages ago and had kept them together, but never found anything to do with them.  The mystery called for 6 fabrics - so I found a couple more

The new ones are VERY strong compared to the original, but I don't think I need much of any of them. I may tone them down a tad once it comes to the actual cutting!!!!    But this killed two birds with one stone. Used up that group of fabric and made the mystery. 

My Dear Jane blocks (there is one missing)

Spring has Sprung - the January homework - DONE

Farmer's Wife blocks - January - DONE

Here is the design wall with some of the current stuff including Elm Creek

Wow - and that is only a SMALL portion of the ongoing monthly stuff.

Last night, I had to watch a video and while I sat at the computer and watched the DVD, I cut a TON of applique. It is all fusible and was already prepared so I just sat here with the scissors and cut and cut and cut. Wow - I got some of it fused onto the background this morning, but I can't show you - not yet.


Going hiking this morning so I had better go and get ready.



Have a great day!!!!



Ciao!!!!!!!

Sewing FUN FUN FUN days

The last two days have been crazy - TWO Pampered Sit n Sew days and TWO classes on the long arm. Had lots of people over the two days and managed to raise some money for the two charities. The Ride to Conquer Cancer and The Healing Cycle.

Each morning required making lunch (from scratch - yes - there is hope for me) and then getting ready for the girls. I did manage to snag a few photos.................

Day One - the girls are hard at work

Elaine got this quilt top finished (I did NOT yell at her for putting her borders on incorrectly!!!!!)

Lynn worked on her Kaffe Fassett quilt. This is gorgeous. Going to be a class soon. 

Ronda got her Dear Jane blocks almost done - still has the applique to do. And that Ronda!!!!!    She also worked on her Border Creek Mystery. 

So on Day One, Pauline digs out her Border Creek Mystery. She had not started any of it. OH MY GOD - I completely forgot about Border Creek. I was so anxious to pick up Clue 4 at the beginning of January and then had not touched it. Shoot - OK - as soon as the girls left on Friday - I zipped over to Ruti's to get Clue #5.

And I got some of Clue #4 done. But not much. Then Ronda comes on Saturday and laments that she doesn't have Clue #5 so I lend her mine. I got the impression that she had NOT started Clue #4. So I lend her Clue #5. Then next thing I know - she is DONE both #4 and #5. I am still working on #4. DRAT!!!!!!!

Sharon worked on her Farmer's Wife blocks

We are using Marti Michell templates for these blocks and one of the blocks Marti says you can eliminate more seams. So have a look at Sharon's where she did NOT eliminate the seam

And my block where I did eliminate the seams. I DO NOT like it. Someone said that the center is not defined - I have to agree. It seems a bit off balance. Who would have thought!!!!

Karen worked on this Yellow Brick Road. A quilt that had been started by her Mom  (Beryl - who was a student of mine) and sadly passed away last year. I know Beryl would be excited to know that Karen and her sister Helen Anne are slowly working their way through some of those UFOs. Just something to keep in mind - look at your own stuff.

 Speaking of UFO's. I am back at it. Here is the BBB project for this week. I had to add the outer most border on this quilt. The fabric was with the quilt, but have a look at the border. Do you see what I had to do to it????   Yep - had to piece it - not enough fabric. Bottom line - it is DONE (well my version of done!!!)

Maple Leaf tablerunner/wallhanging - done

Here is the binding and the backing.

I took pictures of my February 20(12), but I don't have time to post. It is MONDAY and I have to get going.



Have a great day.



Ciao!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Do you really know ME?????

OH MY GOD - what a day!!!!!!

True to my style, I cruise along on something UNTIL the deadline is looming in my face. I DO NOT know why I do that. Yesterday, I had not one, but TWO editors on my case about the articles I owe them. OK OK - magazines have BIG deadlines and I can no longer put off finishing them.

I spent the morning finishing off the article on Squaring Up Blocks for A Needle Pulling Thread. Writing an article is not as easy as it sounds. Even for me who likes to write. How do you keep it succinct, yet interesting and easy to read and understand. Well pictures help a lot and as I am going through the sections, I am running around the house grabbing blocks or this project or that to use as illustrations. Drat - two of the pictures I want are on the small camera and for some reason my computer is NOT reading that card these days. Have to be done with the big camera. What do I have that needs to be trimmed???   Grabbed an UNSTITCHED block and used that as a demo. There are only TWO pieces of applique - I am sure it will be fine with the stitching.

Hmmmm - how to modify this picture in Photoshop Elements to illustrate my point. Ah - that was easy. My favourite software!!!!!!   At last - I shoot everything to the editor. ONE DOWN - one to go.


Now let's switch gears and look at writing an article about cycling. Yes - I know - who would have thought. I had a VERY rough draft in place. But how do you convey a trip like that - the topic was my trip to the Arctic. I edited and rewrote and edited and rewrote all afternoon. I am not 100% sure about the final product - I am one of those who could tweak forever. However I decided to shoot it to the editor so he could let me know what he thought. Then another editor was asking for pictures. LOTS of pictures. Oh drat - they are all still in HUGE size and how am I going to shoot her lots of pictures for her to choose. AHA - I can upload them to Flickr. which I did.

THEN another bombshell. The original editor says this piece is going to be a FEATURE in the magazine (which I knew), but now he wants a BIO from me as I will be on the contributors page. ACK!!!!!!!!!     Now they will know that I am a FRAUD - I am NOT a big cyclist at all.  Especially after I looked at back issues and see that everyone is a retired racer or something like that. Well not quite that bad, but this is going to take a bit of wordsmithing to come up with something really cool and exciting about the cycle side of me!!!!!   And I notice that all the contributors have pictures of them in cycle gear or on a bike. Yikes - I had better find something interesting that DOESN'T show my rolls of fat in my jersey!!!!    CRAP- have to review some more pictures.

I am not sure I could write on a regular basis!!!!    OK - so I like it - just need to get my head around it. Hmmmm - what else could I write????????



You never know who will remember what you do!  I got an e-mail from Frank's wife. Frank was the guy who redid the shower in our house several years ago. She is looking to make a quilt for her sister who is getting married and could I help her. I said YES, but only if I could trade for a couple of days of Frank's handiwork. I have some shelves that need built and a few other things - yes it is a waste of Frank's time - but it will make me and his wife happy at the same time - a win win for everyone. I can't wait to make up the list cause there are a lot of niggly little things. This is so perfect - I am excited. Only one problem - she wants the quilt by April 1 and I already have one memory quilt in the schedule. Just means I have to work smarter and faster.


Today is a Pampered Sit n Sew day. I had to get the place tidied up so they would have room to sew. Despite all my ongoing projects on the table, it took less than ONE hour to have the room ready for the girls to sew. I am SO EXCITED about that. Less than ONE HOUR. I really must try to get more things finished though so I don't have to move them, but it is very hard at this time with so many ongoing projects - those monthly ones are a killer.

I moved the rolling project shelf into the stash room along with a few other things and shut the door. Went back later to put something else away and CRAP - the DOOR IS LOCKED. CRAP CRAP CRAP - I normally leave the keys in the lock, but several times lately when I walked past that door - the key ring caught on my sweater so I removed the keys and GUESS WHAT - I put the keys on the shelf just INSIDE the door to that room. Yes - that means - the door is LOCKED and the keys are INSIDE. CRAP CRAP CRAP


Wait - don't panic!!!!!     Let's think - what can I do ???   Call a locksmith????   I was in shock and texted M - did she know how to pick a lock?????    After she stopped LAUGHING - she said - GOOGLE it - it is EASY. GOOGLE it - OK - so I googled it. Yep - tons of information on how to pick a lock. I couldn't deal with it last night so up bright and early this morning and got out my tools.



After fiddling for a few minutes - I gave up. This is stupid. Then I refocused - got a chair and then realized I was trying to turn the lock the WRONG way. DUH - then it was easy. POP - the door opened. WOW - that WAS easy!!!!!!!  

My lock picking tools

Have to run as I have to MAKE lunch (Shepherd's pie from scratch) and I need to get those potatoes peeled.



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




Ciao!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Doing DOUBLE duty!!!!!

Taking on all these projects and writing articles and EVERYTHING takes a LOT of prep work behind the scenes. If I can take advantage of doubling up - why NOT!!!!!

Case in point - I needed some pictures for my upcoming article in A Needle Pulling Thread. The article is pretty much done (one more review today before it goes to the editor) but I need pictures to illustrate what I am writing. Hmmmmmm - what do I have that needs to be done that will showcase those points????  

AHA - I have some blocks to make for the block of the month at the guild. They will be perfect.

Now in TRIPLE duty of that project - I thought I would share with you what happens when I need to make a block. Do I hit the stash????  NO!!!!!   I hit the scrap boxes. Honestly - what am I going to do with all that stash - I mostly use those scrap boxes. Just kidding - I do use that stash, but I use the scrap boxes equally as much.

Here is the block that I am going to make - came from  Quilterscache called New Waterwheel

Dig out the blue and white scrap boxes

Find scraps to make TWO blocks

TWO New Waterwheel blocks - yeah - they are DONE and I got my pictures (which you won't see until they are published in the magazine)

Got another customer quilt done. And I am TOO nice. I swear - I need to measure these backings as they come in, but I often don't get a chance when they come from the customer. The quilt size - 107" square - the backing - a wide backing, but that is 108" wide. I NEED at least 4" inches on that one side otherwise - it is a nightmare and just not big enough. So I had to regig the backing (don't worry - I charge them for it), but would be nice to get one that I don't have to do that. Anyway - it is done. Got to trim it later today. 

For those of you working on Dear Jane or any other hand applique project - here are some tips for hand applique.

I use SILK thread (comes in 50 weight or 100 weight), but lots of others use regular piecing thread. Use whatever works for you. Samples - make samples!!!!!!!     I can't say enough about making samples!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Make a knot in the end of your thread. Start anywhere (preferably on a long smooth edge) - definitely NOT on a point. Bring the needle up a few threads inside the applique piece

Then insert the needle into the background fabric RIGHT BESIDE where you initially came up in the applique fabric, travel along under the background fabric and come up the desired length of your stitch and back into the applique piece.

Now we arrive at that corner with all that excess fabric that I told you to leave until now. Stitch TWO stitches on top of each other right at the point to help secure the point and make it easier for you to SWEEP under that excess. This is the easy corner - trim a bit of that excess away (there is a better picture below). Then using the tip of the needle SWEEP that excess under the applique piece and hold with your thumb while you stitch. 

This is the opposite point - notice in the previous picture that I was following the flow of that excess fabric, now I am coming to it from the opposite direction. This one I find is harder than the previous one. 

Trim off the excess fabric and using the needle SWEEP that excess under the applique fabric. I have a better picture of this sweeping below.  You may find it easier to turn the fabric right around and sweep from the other direction.

Finish appliqueing the two pieces and press those diagonal lines to aid in the placement of the next set of pieces

Glue the next two pieces to the background

Holding that excess under the applique piece with my thumb while I stitch

To SWEEP under that excess - you may find it easy to turn the project around and using the tip of the needle (where the arrow is), SWEEP that edge under. This is something you must try - if really is easy, but make sure you trim. You get a PERFECT flat point every time. 

TWO blocks done!!!!!!!

Well I have editors on my tail and customers who want their quilts and THREE days of classes/sew days at my house starting tomorrow. Hmmmm - I think I am going to busy today as I write, edit, photograph, tidy up and quilt.


Have a great day!!!!!




Ciao!!!!!!!

Tutorial - Appliqued Circles

How is everyone doing????   I hope everyone is still on track with the various monthly programs, the block exchanges and the 12 for (20)12   - it is the end of January and what have I done this month.....................


I did actually FINISH THREE projects - yes they were small but they are MINE and they are DONE.
I got the borders/bindings/backings done on FOUR projects - yeah
I made THREE senior lap quilts for the guild
I made NINE blocks for various exchanges
I quilted THREE customer quilts


And I made GOOD headway on my 12 for (20)12 January project. It is waiting to be basted. Someone mentioned to me that they may NOT finish their 12 projects, but they will make significant advances to them. I'm like that!!!!    But I do hope to get it quilted and bound soon. If you want me to post a picture of your project - don't forget to send it to me and I'll post it. I have several and will try to do them all at once.


Let's not forget all the blocks for the various classes and samples and whatever that I have worked on.

I feel pretty good about all that - just wish it was more. There is SO MUCH more to do.


But enough about that - let's chat some more about applique.

I see that I had already put together a tutorial for starch applique and it includes all the details about stitching it down by machine. Check out this link below if you want that info for the stitching by machine, otherwise - I am going to cover the hand stitching tomorrow.

http://crazyquilteronabike.blogspot.com/2011/04/tutorial-applique-preparation-starch.html


Today we are going to talk about making perfect appliqued circles........

The tools - fabric for the circles, pencil, Perfect Circle templates by Karen Kay Buckley, starch, stencil brush, Roxeanne's Glue/Baste it, sharp to the point scissors, needle and thread

Perfect Circles by Karen Kay Buckley - made from heat resistant mylar

Choose the size that you need for your project (alternatively use a found object like a coin that is the right size or close to it). Remember if you use a coin - you can use a smaller size because the thickness of the coin will result in a larger diameter circle. 

Place the template on the wrong side of the fabric and lightly trace around it with a pencil

Cut out the circle leaving a less than 1/4", but great than 1/8" seam  allowance

Put a knot in the end of the thread (I am using contrasting so you can see, but not necessary). Stitch a gathering stitch in the seam allowance - there are NOT ENOUGH stitches in the above sample

This is more like it

Paint the seam allowance with starch and place the template inside the gathering stitches

Pull up the thread and using the iron - press that seam allowance . Make sure you hold that long thread tight to keep the gather tight

Press from the front as well

Let it COOL - this is very important

Then very gently release the stitches and pull out the template

The finished circle - note this one has some lumps and bumps on it - that is because the gathering stitch was too big and I did not wait for it to cool before I removed the template. 

This one has smaller stitches and notice there are NO pleats on the back and therefore no points on the front. You can carefully remove the stitching at this time. If you use a matching thread - there is no need to removed it if you don't want to. 

A good circle and a MESS. The mess happened for several reasons - I did not put very much starch on the seam allowance, I used too big of a gathering stitch and I did NOT let it cool for very long. So if you want  to make this process easy - use the tips I gave you!!!!!!

I will cover hand stitching tomorrow.

Remember I said I picked up a small project when I was at the Red Red Bobbin last week. Well here it is.

It's a Quilt Police doll - front

Back

It is pretty funny and the store had added a red ribbon as a sashing (as in NO QUILT POLICE), but I didn't bother - I was going to sew it on after I had the pillow stuffed, but decided it was OK like this. I should have put a hanging loop at the top. Well I can just sneak something onto it so I can hang it up.

Zebra Patterns


I must go - I have a LOT of paperwork and quilts to get done today and if I don't start, I will get distracted very easily.



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



Ciao!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!