Calico Stars

Joy, from Calico Point, has finished the quilting on Calico Stars. Calico Stars is a pattern from the 2020 Volume 1 issue of Block Idea Book. Here is a link to the digital pattern for Calico Stars. I couldn't find a tutorial.

It does look kind of long and skinny in the photo but it's just fine. The pattern in Block is for a larger quilt but I wanted twin size, my quilt finishes 63" by 89".

The fabrics are from an older Summer Breeze layer cake. Since I made the quilt smaller, I had layer cake squares unused. I cut them in half and used them for the border.

Several years ago I made a crib quilt using a Summer Breeze charm pack and some yardage. The yardage fabrics found their way into the border too.

I did make a mistake in this quilt which a commenter pointed out to me in April. I had already delivered the flimsy to Calico Point for quilting so I just left it go. I've always said I wasn't a perfectionist.

The quilting design is called SS-DBD-Daisies.

For backing fabric, I used this dotted fabric. I thought it looked like happy fabric.

More pictures of Calico Stars.

For the binding I used blue and green strips left from the crib quilt I pieced so many years ago.

Linking to To Do Tuesday, Favorite Monthly Finish, Midweek Makers, Wednesday Wait Loss, Clever Chameleon, Put Your Foot Down, Needle & Thread Thursday

Almost Finished

I've finished the quilting on row 5 of Grandmother's Embroidered blocks. I also stitched the sashing between the top of the row and the outside border.

You can see the border in the top of the picture.

Lovely daffodils.

Another unknown flower, any ideas?

I was unable to mark the center circle in the lilac block so I just did a free hand circle.

When the quilt is out of the frame, I'll show you the back so you an see how crazy my freehand circle looks.

This tulip is a cutie!

These are Chinese Lanterns.

Last Sunday I said I had a project that was top priority for the week. That project is completed and here's a photo to show you. (I've blocked out the personal information.)

This is a counted cross stitch wallhanging to celebrate the birth of a friend's first grandchild. She did the stitching but didn't want it framed so she asked if I would finish it for her. 

She ok'd the fabrics I pulled and this is what I came up with. I'm very pleased, so was she! It measures 15" by 18".

I've made great progress with the new blogger format. One thing I haven't learned is how to delete a photo from the post. Open for answers here!

 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, Show & Tell Monday, Monday Making, Design Wall Monday, BOM's Away

Scrappy Sprouts & Circle of Squares

I wasn't planning on starting a new RSC project right away, I thought I'd wait and catch up on some other projects first.

I mentioned earlier that I was working on a project for a friend. That project used pink fabrics which are the color for June. 

While I had the pink box out, I decided to go ahead and cut the blocks for Sprouts but why just make one block? So I cut enough for two blocks.

Here is a link to the Scrappy Sprouts pattern.

Another project I've long admired is the Circle of Squares block, so I pieced two pink blocks. A link to the Circle of Squares block is here. I did make a slight change, I used a 2-1/2" by 4-1/2" rectangle in the corner units.

I don't know who originally designed the pattern.

Here's a link to a crib quilt  I made using the circle of squares pattern.

We'll see how long I last making monthly blocks before I decide I need a finish. 

I said last Sunday that I was going to start figuring out how to use the new Blogger format. I also said that Sunday June 28 would be the preview of my new skills, Wrong! This is my first post of the new Blogger format. It's been a learning experience which would be made much  easier if I would remember where everything is located. I'm sure with time I'll be as used to the new format as I was with the old.

Linking to UFO Busting, Scrap Happy Saturday

Thank You Sarah!

Every year Sarah coordinates the H2H charity drive and every year more charity quilts are made and donated.

I really appreciate all the work and effort she puts into this successful program.

She even coordinates gifts to the participants! I received these two mini charm pack as my thank you gift. I've always wanted to make a quilt with muted fabrics. These mini's will go into that box for the someday quilt.

So thanks again Sarah, God bless and stay healthy!

Linking to  Peacock Party, Confessions of a Fabric Addict, TGIFF!, Finished Or Not Friday, 

John Deere Panel Quilt

The John Deere panel quilt is finished. He was long arm quilted by the 3 Sisters, New Paris, Indiana and measures 91" by 100", perfect size for a double bed.

I love how this quilt has turned out. I started with this panel which I really don't think is very attractive. It's too saturated with orange and red and I don't think the blue and green plaid improves it any.

I still haven't figured out what the crop in the spring section is supposed to be. Definitely not spring in the Midwest.

I purchased the panel because I wanted the tractors, they look exactly like my father's old JD 6/20.

I thought about how to finish this panel for years, it came together very nicely.


I used 2" strips pulled from the 2" strip box to make the log cabin blocks.

I took this picture of a corner because I wanted you to see the lovely stripe used for the binding.

When I saw this fabric at the store, I bought it immediately, I knew it would be perfect for this quilt!

The fabric on the back is a neutral beige/brown.

An overall medium/large stippling was used for the quilting. This quilt is going to be gifted to a 12 year old boy. No fancy custom quilting necessary.

Link to post about the quilt.

Linking to To Do Tuesday, Midweek Makers, Wednesday Wait Loss, Clever Chameleon, Put Your Foot Down, Needle & Thread Thursday, Oh Scrap

Sunday Stitching Grandma's Embroidered Blocks

We started baling 2nd cutting of hay last week and I wanted to get Modern Amish into the flimsy stage. Hand quilting Grandma's embroidered blocks was not the top priority, the 5th row is not completed. The bottom half of the row is finished, then I rolled after taking the photos.

I'm not pressuring myself to get the quilt finished this week, just have to wait and see how farm work goes. I also have a small project to make for a friend which is my main sewing priority.

Since I have several weekday posts written ahead, I'm going to take the plunge and try out the new blogger format. Hopefully I'll be able to find the post button and post the prepared posts.

Since I can't write posts ahead about my hand quilting, next Sunday will be the premiere post using the new blogger format. If there is no post, then you know the transition isn't going smoothly for me.

It has been interesting to read about the varying experiences with the new blogger. The experiences have ranged from "IT'S A DISASTER!" to "No Problem". I'll let you know which type I am.

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

June RSC, Modern Amish

The RSC color for June is pink but I sewed pink blocks for Modern Amish in May so for June I pieced red blocks.

I've said before I'm not good at BOM's, I get impatient and want to get the quilt into the flimsy stage, so I did!

I love it!  He measures 60" by 85" at this point. 

I had 4 background fabrics, light gray, medium gray, dark gray and black. I pieced more blocks than I needed. All of the blocks with the darker background fabric were used but not the blocks with the light gray background, they just made the quilt too light.

The original pattern, called Sound Check, comes from McCalls Quilting, March/April 2014 magazine and was designed by John Kubiniec. 

I know the skill level says beginner, but sometimes it's fun to do an easy quilt! I've been wanting to make this quilt every since I saw the pattern 6 years ago. It's time has come in 2020.

I took these pictures with the early morning light, before the sun was up. It's so nice to see bright sunlight again. Last winter lasted way too long.

Since it was early in the morning, I disturbed the bull in the pasture to the south of the house.

He had to do his bellow, paw the ground and make the dust fly, then he posed nicely for a side shot.

Linking to Peacock Party, Confessions of a Fabric Addict, TGIFF!, Brag About Your Beauties, Finished Or Not Friday, Scrap Happy Saturday, Oh Scrap

Nameless Going in Timeout

There are now 30 of the nameless blocks pieced which is a good start on the quilt. All the triangles used in this quilt were leftover from other projects. There are enough of the 8" finished blocks to set 5 by 6 which makes a 40" by 48" crib quilt. 

As I've said before, I want a larger quilt. The blocks are going to be stored until I have more triangles to finish it to approximately 60" by 80" or, more accurately, 64" by 80".

To randomly change the subject, I baked cookies last week. For a change, I substituted half of the chocolate chips with white chips. Eight dozen cookies went into the freezer, I'm well stocked now, at least for several weeks. I enjoy my cookies with coffee while grandpa and the grandsons enjoy theirs with milk. 

Linking to To Do Tuesday, Midweek Makers, Wednesday Wait Loss, Clever Chameleon, Put Your Foot Down, Needle & Thread Thursday

Slow Sunday Stitching Progress

Row 4 is finished! I knew Grandma's Embroidered blocks quilt would quilt fast but I'm speeding along faster than I anticipated.

Here are row 4's blocks.

I've had several questions about the circles I'm quilting in the embroidered blocks. I purchased the circle stencil several years ago at the One Stop Shop Hop in Kokomo, Indiana. The vendor was from Ohio but I have no idea where in Ohio.

The information on my stencil says BS177 Circle Echo, 12-1/2" - 32cm. Barbara Siedlecki by QCI, Inc. I googled Barbara's name and it took me to a website. I have no way of knowing if this is the same Barbara or not and I couldn't find any information about quilting stencils.

So I went to The Stencil Company and perused through their stencils. Under Modern stencils I found two circle stencils, a 10" and a 14". Scroll down to the Circles.

Some people asked if it was a spiral, no, I'm quilting a circle but if you scroll down farther, you will find 2 spiral stencils, again in 10" and 14" sizes. I've order the 14" one. 

These are stencils I use in hand quilting, I don't know how they would work in machine quilting. They're a good quality plastic and last for years if taken care of. As you've seen, I hand mine on the wall.

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

More Nameless Sewing

I'm still calling my project the nameless quilt. It's fun making something from the many triangles leftover from other projects. I really like the design the white fabric is making.

Wow, you can definitely see a difference in the blocks sewn sewn in the first group than from the 2nd group. After sewing the first group, I found a baggie with more triangles but most of them were darker fabrics. The darker triangles went into the 2nd group.

So far 25 blocks have been completed. I'm planning on piecing 5 more blocks then I'm going to stop for awhile. I'm not planning on stopping quilt making anytime soon so I'll still be accumulating triangles.

With 5 more blocks, there would be enough of the 8" finished blocks to make a crib quilt 40" by 48". I want a larger quilt, so this project is going on hold while I collect more triangles.

Some future day this quilt will see the light of day again.

Linking to Peacock Party, Confessions of a Fabric Addict, TGIFF!, Brag About Your Beauties, Finished Or Not Friday, UFO Busting, Oh Scrap

Nameless Quilt

I'm still working on the nameless project. In my last post about these blocks, someone commented that they were called Indian Hatchet blocks. I googled it and found a pattern here.

My blocks are different in that I'm using different sized triangles and setting the small blocks differently.

I sewed a lot of squares then sew them into blocks. So far I've sewn 14 of the 8" finished blocks. This is not the final arrangement, just for fun to see my progress.

Then I got busy and pieced more of the small blocks. These are the triangles that are left. It's not surprising that there are more blue triangles than any other color.  There isn't much variety anymore.

Several people commented that putting sashing in between the blocks would look nice, I agree with that idea. It would certainly simplify sewing the blocks together.

But for now, I'll keep piecing the larger blocks until I've used most of the small blocks. I don't know how large this quilt will be. It maybe I'll just keep working on and off on this quilt for several years until I decide it's large enough. Then I'll decide how to put it together.

Linking to To Do Tuesday, Midweek Makers, Wednesday Wait Loss, Clever Chameleon, Put Your Foot Down, Needle & Thread Thursday

Row 3 Quilted

Last week I showed you the finished row 2. I had finished quilting row 2 earlier in the week, so I rolled and started in on row 3.

Even though this week has been extremely busy with baling hay, I got a lot of hand quilting in. Since my sewing project is a scrappy start and stop project, I don't feel pressured to keep at it. That means more time for hand quilting.

I finished row 3 this week and here are the blocks.

This pansy is so cute!

I don't know what these flowers are.

I especially like this tiger lily.

Are these canterbury bells?

Not sure what these flowers are.

I've rolled and have started quilting on row 4. Since there are 5 rows in this quilt, I'm more than half way finished!!

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, Show & Tell Monday, Monday Making, Design Wall Monday, BOM's Away