Hearts & Wreaths

The bottoms of the center blocks for Hearts & Wreaths have been quilted. Here are pictures of those blocks. I've included a couple pictures of the corner space in between the blocks.

Here is a link to my first post about Hearts & Wreaths way back in August 2021. And here is the link to Quiltmania magazine that has the pattern.

Last week some of you asked what I was going to do with this quilt. I am definitely keeping this one for myself. Eventually, someday, this quilt will end up with one of the grandchildren but that's in the future. It will have a turn hanging in the rafters sometime here at the new house.

I was also asked how close I am to a finish. Last week there were two full rows of the squares to be quilted. I've completed the bottom part of the first row. These rows quilt pretty fast however, spring is finally here in northern Indiana. I have grass to mow and other responsibilities outside. Quilting is probably going to slow down. I am going to go out on a limb here and say that I think the quilting will possibly be finished by the end of June.

This afternoon, Lynn and I are driving to Archbold Ohio to deliver quilts we've entered in the Sauder Village Quilt show. This isn't a big AQS show but I like it, it's more my type of quilt show. There is no money involved but possibly I might receive a ribbon for one of my quilts. I'll probably have a blog post about the show sometime in May.

Linking to Kathys Slow Stitching Sunday, Stitching Stuff, Oh Scrap, Handmade Monday, Sew & Tell, Craftastic Monday, Design Wall Monday, Monday Musings, To Do Tuesday

Retreat Project

My focus in 2024 has been to make progress with quilts that I've had on my 'to do' list for years. I had planned to work on two of those quilts at the Jane Stickle retreat a couple of weeks ago but progress was made with only one quilt.

I spent the entire retreat piecing pineapple blocks using the foundation paper piecing method. Pineapple blocks take a  l o n g  time. I actually thought I could piece the 49 blocks I needed in 4 days! That did not happen. 😞  I didn't quite complete 20 blocks but they have been finished since I returned home.

I purchased the foundation papers from Gigi's Thimble. Gigi had a sew along in 2022 but I wasn't aware of it. I thought her quilt was beautiful when I stumbled across it. Of course it was in blues, how could I resist? Then I ordered the foundation papers.

I was surprised when the papers arrived. The pattern was printed on ordinary white paper, just like what I would run through my printer. Normally paper used for foundation paper piecing is a lighter weight paper, easier to tear for removal, less apt to make the edge seams come undone.

The paper will not be removed from the back of the blocks until all the blocks are pieced. I'll work on and off this spring/summer to sew the last 29 blocks.

Surprisingly there were several pineapple quilts under construction at the retreat. One retreater was using the large ruler. She was frustrated when she couldn't get the blocks squared right. That is why I was foundation paper piecing. Another retreater was using the small ruler, her block ended up in the trash, she was going to use paper for the rest of her blocks. There were several pineapples in progress using small paper pieced blocks, I think they were a Bonnie Hunter pattern. My blocks are larger, I want this quilt finished in my lifetime.

The second quilt I had planned to sew blocks for was Garden Party, a Bonnie Hunter quilt from her Addicted to Scraps book. That kit will live in the retreat bag until next November.

I did take an embroidery project along which was embroidered during Show & Tell. I'll show you when it's completed.

Linking to Midweek Makers, Wednesday Wait Loss, Needle & Thread Thursday, Put Your Foot Down, TGIFF!, Finished or Not  Friday, Off the Wall Friday, Patchwork & Quilts

Heart & Wreaths

I've been quilting the outside border of Hearts & Wreaths and the border is finished! I took lots of pictures!

I also took a picture of the quilt before I rolled the border.

Here's a link to my first post about Hearts & Wreaths way back in August 2021. And here is a link to the Quiltmania magazine that contains the pattern.

Linking to Kathys Slow Stitching Sunday, Stitching Stuff, Oh Scrap, Handmade Monday, Sew & Tell, Craftastic Monday, Design Wall Monday, Monday Musings, To Do Tuesday

Radiant Blues

The first blocks for Radiant Blues are finished! These stars finish at 16".  All of the stars are going to have a flower center.

Foundation paper piecing makes these stars turn out perfect! This block is a little dark, I like the next block better.

There is a glow to the center fabric that doesn't show in the pictures. The gold vine gives the fabric a brown tint in the picture. It's not that way in real life. The fabric  around the center is a light gray but it looks white in real life also.

I took these pictures outside but they have a dark tint to them. Hopefully the next photos will show their brilliance.

The center fabric is called Dutch Cottage and is a Robert Kaufman fabric.

It takes me two days to piece one block. Feathered stars are slow blocks to piece.

The pattern for Radiant Blue(s) is found in the January/February 2007 issue of Fons & Porter's Love of Quilting magazine and is designed by Marsha McCloskey. I'm not using Marsha's directions to piece the stars, I'm foundation paper piecing them using the 16" pattern found here from Threaded Quilting Studio.

Linking to Midweek Makers, Wednesday Wait Loss, Put Your Foot Down, TGIFF!, Finished or Not  Friday, Off the Wall Friday, Patchwork & Quilts, Needle & Thread Thursday

Hearts & Wreaths

If you remember way back in January when I put Hearts & Wreaths into the quilting frame, I didn't put the full quilt into the frame.

Since the quilt is slightly more than halfway quilted, I put that portion of the quilt into the frame. It's not hard to do, just unpin, adjust and pin again. Here are pictures of the adjusted quilt.

The quilting frame had been at the west of the basesment, now it's been moved to the east end under more LED lights that have been installed. I've included scrappy sprouts in this photo. Those things you see hanging from the ceiling are part of some decorations the former owners had left. The farmer yanked them down but the ends didn't come. When son 2 comes, I'll have him remove them. He's tall and can reach them without a ladder.

Here is just the quilt.

A side view of the quilt.

My plan for quilting is to go around the quilt and quilt the outside border. That takes longer than the inside blocks. It does get rather boring at times but that's why I watch movies on my ipad. Years ago, in the farm house, our TV was on a stand with wheels. I was able to turn it around and watch TV while I stitched which was very convenient.

I know that corner looks slightly puckery, it will be fine once the border is rolled. Overall, I've been pleased with the side tension with this frame.

There will be no post from me next Sunday, I'll be at the Jane Stickle Retreat in Shipshewana!

Just a reminder, I have problems with Mail Chimp delivery. If my Sunday/Thursday posts aren't delivered to you via email, just type gretchenslittlecorner.blogspot.com into your browser. Or bookmark me!

Linking to Kathys Slow Stitching Sunday, Stitching Stuff, Oh Scrap, Handmade Monday, Sew & Tell, Craftastic Monday, Design Wall Monday, Monday This 'N That, Monday Musings, To Do Tuesday

Radiant Blues

In January I posted a list of projects for 2024. One of those projects was called Radiant Blue hereafter to be known as Radiant Blues. The pattern for Radiant Blue is found in the January/February 2007 issue of Fons & Porter's Love of Quilting magazine and was designed by Marsha McCloskey.

Marsha is famous for her method of piecing feathered stars. However, I'm not going to use her method. I'm a foundation-paper-piecer and I'm going to use the free 16" no Y seam feathered star fpp pattern from Threaded Quilting Studio. I used the same pattern for the first time when I made this little quilt.

The 16" star is a different size than the size star Marsha specifies for her pattern. I will make a sashing change. Another change is my wall quilt is going to be larger than the pattern and will include 9 stars.

I've pulled fabrics however the colors aren't quite true in this photo. And the fabric underneath the blues looks more brown than in person.

Here is a more true color picture of that fabric. I purchased this fabric several years ago to be used in a Patchwork of the Crosses quilt designed by Lucy Boston. I started that quilt with good intentions but quickly became unenthused. I made 6 blocks and made this little quilt.

I never did use this fabric so now it's time has come. These designs are approximately 5" on point, perfect for the centers of the stars.

I've laid the center paper on the fabric, perfect fit!

Here it is sewn. 

There are 3 different flower designs in the fabric, a perfect number for 9 blocks. Next post I'll have at least 1 feathered star block to show you, optimistically there will be 3 blocks!

Next time won't be next Thursday however, I'll be at the Jane Stickle retreat in Shipshewana!

Linking to Midweek Makers, Wednesday Wait Loss, Needle & Thread Thursday, Put Your Foot Down, TGIFF!, Finished or Not  Friday, Off the Wall Friday, Patchwork & Quilts