Sunday, February 7, 2016

Majestic Mountains and Sweet Surrender

 I've totally finished one of the Scrappy Majestic Mountains quilts (except for the label so I guess it isn't completely finished after all). I had pulled the box of my mother's homespun fabrics and cut everything that was large enough to make an 8-1/2" square. I hope our oldest grandson likes the quilt, it is rather somber. There are some blue homespun fabrics in there which help to brighten it up a little. Those are leftover from the valances I made years ago for the laundry room

There are 100 blocks in this quilt and in a perfect world, she finishes at 60" X 75". The blocks aren't square and finish at 6" by 7-1/2".



As usual, I stitched in the ditch horizontally and vertically using a variegated brown thread.

For the backing, I pulled fabric from mom's earth tones stash. There is a lot of striped fabric in there and it is time to use it. It seems right to use her fabric in quilts for her great-grandchildren.

I've washed this quilt but it seems to have a pink tint in the photo. It doesn't look that pinkish in real life. Homespun fabric bleeds at least the older fabrics do. I've had these fabrics in a box for almost 10 years and who knows how long mom had stored them.


The light colored homespun fabrics were all used, so I pulled fabric of my own I purchased years ago. It never really worked in any of my projects, the background was too beige but it was perfect for the homespun fabrics. This quilt will hopefully look less dreary than the first one. A grandson from a different family will be receiving this quilt so they won't be able to compare them.

There are 80 blocks in this quilt arranged 8 blocks by 10 blocks, there weren't enough blocks left to make it as large as the other quilt. You HAVE arrange the blocks with an even number vertically. It just won't work, trust me, I tried it with 9 in a row. It just won't work unless you want to make the layout called Streak of Lightning which I didn't.


Another Zippy-Strippy quilt top is ready to be quilted. I'm leaving for Tempe, Arizona in a few days and I doubt she'll be quilted before I leave. I might try to get her sandwiched so she is ready to go when I return home.






Two more Sweet Surrender blocks are completed and I've started prepping the next four blocks. 








Someone e-mailed me and asked how I am doing these. These blocks are triangles. I am using the same background fabric for all the applique blocks and I can get 4 triangles and 2 half triangles on a width of fabric. I've completed the 4 half triangles and 8 of the full triangles. Now I am prepping blocks 9 - 12 to take along to Arizona.


After I had finished the last block for the Pastor's Attic quilt, I prepped another block to be ready to go. I'm doing mostly back-basting applique on this block. I want to get the back-basting completed here at home so I don't need to drag yardage fabric along.

I've marked the background fabric with a Frixon pen. Please don't e-mail me and tell me the marks will re-appear if I put the quilt in the freezer! Really, how often do you put a quilt in the freezer?

I'm also taking along an older EPP project and yarn to knit a dishrag or two. I doubt I'll complete all these projects, but I don't want to run out of handwork.

Our daughter is taking off several days of work and we will be gone a lot during the day. She lives in a different time zone than we do, so my normal waking will come at 3:30 AM - 4 AM Arizona time. That is when I'll be appliquing!

There won't be much slow-stitching going on here today until this evening during the Super-Bowl. I'm probably the only person in the US who doesn't care who wins. I'll just keep on basting my block.


My Amaryllis have started blooming. I stagger planting the bulbs so the blooms are spread out over several months. These 2 decided not to get as tall as normal. They're still beautiful, but just short!



They are in a south facing window. I've told the Farmer to make sure he rotates the other flowers every day so they grow straight. We both enjoy the color that they bring to the dreary winter.

Linking up to Kathy's Slow Stitching Sunday, Quilting is More Fun than Housework, Love Laugh Quilt, Quilt Story, Mrs Sew & Sow, Esther's Wednesday WOW and My Quilt Infatuation.

15 comments:

LIttle Penguin Quilts said...

Love all your projects, but especially the applique blocks! They are just gorgeous, and perfect for a take along project. Enjoy your trip!

Sarah said...

Very nice finish. I don't think it's somber at all!

Podunk Pretties said...

Great projects, the applique really caught my eye, so colorful!

Cynthia Brunz Designs said...

I adore that majestic mountain! That is a favorite pattern of mine. Thanks so much for sharing with Oh Scrap!

Marti said...

Wow! I love your homespun Majestic Mountains! Those are my favorite colors too.

Cathy said...

You have so much going on! I think the delectable mountain is a perfect quilt for a grandson. I'm sure he'll love it.

Jennifer Fulton Inquiring Quilter said...

Lovely quilts! Your Sweet Surrender blocks are gorgeous as always. I'm chuckling at that short little amaryllis. Guess it just wanted to be different! Have fun on your trip.

Chopin - A Passionate Quilter said...

The quilts turned out nice. I like the zippy strippy one. You have accomplished alot!
Your SS is coming along very well. I love the fabrics you have picked! Have a great time in Arizona - maybe I will catch up with you while you are gone! LOL.

Nancy said...

Your Sweet Surrender blocks are beautiful. Love the fabrics and colors you chose.
Nancy. (ndmessier @ aol.com, joyforgrace.blogspot.com)

Teje Karjalainen said...

Hi Grethcen! Your quilt Majestic Mountains is beautiful! I'm so drawn to that pattern and you fabrics and colours are perfect! x Teje

Nicky said...

So many projects! Love the mountains and the sweet surrender blocks are fab! Thanks for linking up to #scraptastictuesday

Plum Cox said...

What lovely projects! The scrappy mountains quilt is particularly special - what a lovely use of that fabric.

Karen said...

More sweet flowers. I gave away all of my fabrics of that style a long time ago as I was not using them. Mistake to have done that.

Linda @ kokaquilts said...

Love your scrappy Majestic Mountains, great way to use those homespun fabrics!

Quilter Kathy said...

Love your sweet surrender blocks!
It's so funny how worked up people get about the Frixion pens. I love em!