Easy Breezy

Bonnie Hunter has a new leader/ender project out called Easy Breezy. I didn't plan on starting this quilt but I saw the blocks other people were making and decided I was going to make just 1 block to see what I thought.

I pulled strips from the 2" box and prepped 4 of the 6" finished blocks. They looked so nice, I decided to prep more, I ended up with 34 blocks in my favorite blues with some yellow.

I wonder how these blocks would look in a larger size, how about 8" finished?

The pieces in the 8" blocks are made with strips from the 2-1/2" box.

Then I sewed 2 6" finished blocks with autumn fabrics.

I didn't intend to start a new project, now I've started 3!

Linking to To Do Tuesday, Midweek Makers, Wednesday Wait Loss, Needle & Thread Thursday

Sunday Stitching

Another week has passed by and more hand quilting has happened but not as much as some weeks.

Last week there were 3 comments asking about marking the quilt. Yes, I do like to mark the quilt ahead of time before putting it in the frame. All the white borders were marked with a Paper Mate sharpwriter #2 mechanical pencil. I try to mark lightly. I read on Sue Garman's blog years ago that this pencil is what she recommended.

I didn't decide how to quilt the pieced sections until after I was quilting. I tried marking with the pencil but it didn't show on all the fabrics and there was the problem with a sharp point poking into the fabric.

I've started using a marker that has blue on one end and purple on the other end. The purple is supposed to evaporate on it's own and not be long lasting. If I mark lightly, it evaporates before I get all the quilting done. If I mark too firmly, the marking stays for 24 hours but it does show on the darker fabrics.

Maybe I'm making a mistake by using this marker, I certainly hope the markings don't come back to haunt me some day.

I haven't decided how I'm going to quilt the center section of the quilt but the quilt has told me it doesn't want Baptist Fan which is ok with me!

This weeks goal is to finish quilting across the quilt. 

Hand Quilt Along is an opportunity for hand quilters and piecers to share and motivate one another. We post every three weeks, to show our progress and encourage one another.  If you have a hand quilting project and would like to join our group contact Kathy at the link below.

Kathy, Margaret, Tracy, Deb, Susan,  Nanette,  Edith, Sharon, Karrin, Gretchen, 

Kathi, Bella, Daisy, Connie, Monica and Sherrie

Linking to Patchwork & Quilts, Kathy's Slow Sunday Stitching,  Oh Scrap, Show & Tell Monday, Monday Making, Design Wall Monday, BOM's Away

Happy Little Things

In the summer of 2019, Jacquelynne Steve's had a block of the month called Happy Little Things. I decided to participate since it included embroidery.

I enjoyed the embroidery but decided to finish the blocks in my own way instead of Jacquelynne's design.

This quilt has been quilted in my machine quilting marathon and she measures 42-1/2" by 45". 

My friend Deanna embroidered this Grandma's heart block several years ago for me. I decided it was perfect in this quilt.

For the machine quilting, I stitched horizontally and vertically around the 9 patches, then diagonally in both directions. The embroidered blocks only have diagonal quilting.

This is the last of this blue oval fabric, I thought it went perfectly with the blues in the front. Unfortunately I didn't have quite enough so I had to add the narrow strip to the side.

And a quilt roll.

Here are other posts about Happy Little Things.

Linking to Peacock Party, Put Your Foot  Down, Whoop Whoop Party, TGIFF!, Finished Or Not Friday, Free Motion Mavericks, Brag About Your Beauties, Let's Make Baby Quilts, UFO Busting

OMIGOSH!

At the Jane Stickle retreat there is a quilter who loves to issue challenges, she actually finishes them too! Usually I'm not interested but one challenge she suggested last November was the Omigosh! quilt. 

Since this quilt was already on my to be made list, I decided to participate. Here is my small finished quilt. The double 9 patch block and the shoofly blocks finish at 4-1/2". She measures 46" by 51". The borders are my own design. I didn't want plain white borders.

Spiral quilting was the perfect design for this quilt with so many tiny pieces. Son 2 is an accountant and I had him figure the number of pieces in this quilt. The final figure is 4513. I am so glad I didn't make a full sized quilt! In an earlier post I had figured the number of pieces and came up with a different number, but hey, never argue with a accountant.

My spiral quilting isn't perfect, don't get out a compass!

The back is a pale blue & white pinstripe fabric.

And the fabric roll.

You can read more about my Omigosh! journey here.

Linking to To Do Tuesday, Midweek Makers, Clever Chameleon, Wednesday Wait Loss, Needle & Thread Thursday, Let's Make Baby Quilts, Free Motion Mavericks

Slow Stitching Sunday

I have to say I'm getting used to the new blogger format. My biggest complaint though is the difference between the 'normal' font and the 'large' size! It seems like there should be another size in between the two. Many blogs are using the normal size, it is really hard to read. Guess they don't have a problem with eye strain.

Here is my progress this week on the vintage Boston commons quilt.

This quilt has some challenges so my marking isn't exactly perfect. I had planned to have cross hatching as the background of the feathers but that didn't work out. 

The mitre seam doesn't look right but it needed to be quilted because of puckers.

The Baptist fan quilting is happening on point. I like it this way.

This quilt is never going going to be a show quilt, I'm just quilting this for fun and because I liked the quilt. I didn't piece the quilt, it was  purchased for $20 off the resale table at the Jane Stickle retreat last November.

Linking to Patchwork & Quilts, Kathy's Slow Sunday Stitching,  Oh Scrap, Show & Tell Monday, Monday Making, Design Wall Monday, BOM's Away

Masks!

I've taken a slight pause in my machine quilting marathon to make more masks.

Schools will be starting soon and our school district is requiring masks to be worn on the buses and in school. I made masks for our local school age grandson so he will have plenty and one for his little brother too. He selected the fabrics for his masks.

The superintendent of our school system has worked with the local health department and received approval for the plans.

I had made several masks for family back in March. This time around I used a different pattern than from before. 

I got the information from Karen's blog which had a link to Craft Passion. This pattern is in 4 sizes which was handy. I didn't add the nose wire. I also used good quality elastic which should last a long time and hold up to washing.

Linking to Peacock Party, Whoop Whoop Party, TGIFF!, Finished Or Not Friday, Brag About Your Beauties, UFO Busting

Amish 4 Patch

I had a lot of blocks left from Modern Amish. I took them apart, made 4 patches and now I have an Amish 4 patch quilt.

It was hard to get good pictures, the sun was so bright but I'm not complaining about sunshine. I'm still recovering from the gray dismal lack of sunshine last winter!

I had originally thought about using black for the alternate squares but thought it would be too dark. I found yardage of blue Kona in the solids tub, perfect! 

The quilting is 1/2" from the edge of the seams. I see now I missed a quilting row 1/2" from the edge of the bottom border. The border edge is stitched in the ditch. Oh well, I'm calling it finished.

I had 4 patches left so I used them on the back of the quilt. Those spots are from the dew on the grass.

Becky, from Quilted Twins, always has a quilt roll photo so here is my roll.

I took the pictures of Amish 4 patch and Modern Amish the same day. After the photo op, I washed them, then hung them on the line to dry. Of course I took a picture! After washing, Amish 4 patch measures 58" by 70".

Linking to To Do Tuesday, Midweek Makers, Wednesday Wait Loss,  Needle & Thread Thursday, Free Motion Mavericks