More Progress on Vines and Stars Quilts

Surprise, I'm back sooner than you may have expected.  Between job and family and working on two quilts simultaneously, there never seems to be time to tell you, dear friends, what is happening in my studio and life.  I'm trying to do better, honestly, I am!  You have no idea how much I miss you when I am unable to connect with you through this blog!

Autumn Chains is being quilted on my Bernina during the daylight hours when I can see to quilt better.  So during the evening hours when it is too dark up here in the studio to quilt confidently, I spend time on Vines and Stars. I'm really trying to maximize the hours I have when I'm not at work.

Last week, I showed just the applique strips and the stars completed at that time.  You can see photos in my last post  here.  Here is a look at what has happened since then.

 

There are two more blocks than there were in the last post.  That doesn't seem like much progress, but all of the remaining 16 blocks have now been cut.  All of the background triangles have been added to the design wall as well.  If things seem a bit off, remember that all of these pieces are separate pieces placed on the design wall. The quilt looks a bit "wonky" at this point, but it will be fine when everything is stitched together.

 

See all of those white spares?  Yep, 16 of them to be filled in yet.  Do you notice what is missing?  I mean besides those 16 blocks?  There is very little blue and yellow !  How did I miss that?  That is why a design wall is essential -- you get to see the big picture before the blocks are sewn together.  I've actually added very little more blue, but there are several yellow blocks waiting to be stitched together.

 

You may remember that there was some doubt that there would be a sufficient amount of the black background fabric.  It was purchased when we lived in a different state several years ago, so purchasing additional fabric was not an option.  Here is what was left once the background pieces and remaining blocks were cut out.

 

Yikes!  The largest leftover chunk is 9" x 12-1/2".  Enough to go back and re cut the block in the lower left corner.  Did you notice it?  Nope, you can't see it.  There is NO contrast in the photo.  In person, I can see it is a block made with a dark rust star, but it disappears in the photo.  Maybe there will have to be a blue block to replace that one.

Design walls and taking photos in progress are a good thing in quilt making!  It is far better to see a problem before all the pieces are stitched together.

Hope you are having an absolutely awesome week!

 

Until next time

 

xoxoXOXOxoxo

 

Lois

 

 

 

Vines and Stars Progress

Since my machine is busy with a machine quilting project, I've been needing to stitch something.  My friend, Julie, over at Julie K Quilts has been taking older UFO's and focusing on them which has been an inspiration as she gets those done.  She inspired me to bring out this ongoing project and spend more time on it again.

 

Yep, it has a ways to go to be pieced.  The applique strips have been done a very long time. These strips  began as a carry along project when I was doing a lot of teaching and traveling. They served as a demonstration sample on how to applique leaves and stems. They were worked on in quite a few states! This is my first strip quilt and I am liking it a lot!

 

 

Once the applique strips were done, I started working on the hand pieced 8-pointed star block.  The pieced bocks finish to 6 inches. I've gone back and forth on how to set them, but this is my preferred way to put the blocks and strips together.  I  need to make 17 more blocks for this setting of the quilt.

 

 

There may not be enough of the black, so I'm thinking of other ways to fill in the triangles.  Once all the blocks are done, I'll measure what is left to see if I can cut the quarter-square triangles or if I need to be creative by string piecing or something along those lines.

 

This quilt is using up a lot of bits and pieces left from other projects.  A true scrap quilt, except for the black which was bought as yardage too many years ago to think there might be some in a quilt shop somewhere!  I do love the multi-color leaves and stars.

 

Any suggestions for a different way to set the stars or a creative way to extend the black?

 

Do you ever have projects that get put away for months at a time?  What motivates you to get them back out and start working on them again?

 

Inquiring quilters want to know so leave a message about your experiences with UFO's.

 

Hope to be more regular in blogging than the last couple of months.  I miss you!

 

xoxoXOXOxoxo

 

Lois

 

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How to fit 100 inches into 7 inches

It seems there is never enough time and you, my friends, are often the ones ignored as things other than blogging take over my time!

This week I've spent parts of two days with those nasty things doctors want you to do -- you know, a physical and then blood work.  These are not my favorite things to do!  Besides my doctor's office is almost an hour away, so it takes far more time than the few minutes they spend with you in the examining room!  Next week, there is the last thing --  that dreaded, but necessary mammogram!

When there IS time, I've been quilting, but I can't really show you the whole thing as it will eventually be in a magazine.  Just took a few photos to let you know how I fit a 100 inch square quilt into the 7 inch harp on my Bernina.

All of my quilts are quilted on a domestic machine and while I'm not an expert at this, I have done quite a few so have learned a few tricks.

The first stitching I do on any quilt is what I call bones quilting.  Although the quilt is pin basted, it needs to be stabilized so that it won't shift during any of the free motion quilting that comes later.

Before putting it through the machine, both sides need to be rolled toward the center.  Each quilt is different, but in this case, the bones quilting was diagonal from corner to corner of the blocks for this part of the quilting.

 

The rolls are fairly loose because if they are too tightly rolled, the roll is stiff and hard to manage.

 

 

You can see the roll on the left side of the quilt in this photo.  The items to the left of the machine really should be removed from the desk while I'm quilting.  They tend to get knocked over or on the floor which is not a good thing! When I get to the free motion quilting, I use more of a "fluff and stuff" method to get the quilt through the harp, so that's when things really need to be moved!

 

 

My ironing board is lowered and placed behind the desk where the machine is.  The quilt would pull the quilt if it were allowed to hang over the back of the desk.

 

 

You may not be able to tell, but there is a rectangular padded board on top of a standard ironing board which really helps as it is 48" long and 16-1/2" wide. The quilt gathers up on the ironing board while I'm quilting.

 

So that is how a 100" quilt fits into a 7" harp on a Bernina that is quite a few years old.  In fact, I have a newer machine that was purchased primarily because it has a bigger harp, but the Bernina is still the one I enjoy machine quilting on the most.

 

Do you have any tips for quilting on a domestic machine?  Most of what I've learned was just learning by doing.  In fact when I started I was told by a very famous machine quilting teacher that taking a class would cut the learning curve a lot.  Unfortunately, I was in the midst of writing my Pine Tree Quilts book and had no time for a class, so it was learn by doing.  Sometimes, that's the best way to learn.  When you make mistakes, you learn not to do it that way again.

 

I'd love to hear if you have any brilliant tips on machine quilting on a domestic machine.

 

Until next time,

 

xoxoXOXOxoxo

 

Lois

 

 

 

 

 

S'more Chocolate!

Last week was our Vacation Bible School -- four days of fun and kids!  Our Nursery and 2's and 3's class is only for the volunteer's kids as the regular classes start at age 4.  This means we have a limited number of the younger ages, but we still need volunteers to staff these areas and for the 2's and 3's, we do a Bible story, crafts and music just like the bigger kids.

For my volunteers in this area I decided to give them s'more kits on the last night as a "thank you" for serving.  We had over 175 volunteers in the entire program, but a limited number in my area, so this was feasible to do.

 

Pardon the bad color, these photos were taken at night with the overhead spots on.

 

 

Simple ingredients - graham squares, marshmallows, chocolate bar were placed in a cellophane bag and a thank you label attached.

 

 

Ready to go!

 

 

Of course I sampled. One marshmallow was plenty, but for presentation, two looked better.

 

YUM!

 

 

Even though I'm chocolate sensitive, which means too much gives me a migraine, sometimes, a girl just needs chocolate!

 

In the summertime, nothing is better than a hot fudge Sundae and this is the fastest, easiest hot fudge recipe you will ever find.

 

 

Simple ingredients - cocoa, corn starch, sugar, water, vanilla and butter, plus a smidgen of salt.

 

 

Cook in the microwave, stirring every couple of minutes - watch carefully and make sure your container does not overflow.  Chocolate cooked onto the microwave surface is not a good thing!

 

 

Couldn't be simpler!  Click on the above photo to enlarge it to read the recipe.

 

Enjoy some chocolate goodness today!

 

xoxoXOXOxoxo

 

Lois

 

 



 

 

 

E-Reader Cover for an Artist

Since you know that I write an article for the Quilters Quarterly magazine as I told you here, I thought I'd show you one of the past projects I did using one of the products that I tested.

Our granddaughter is an artist.  She is in high school, but she is truly talented.  Her drawings are amazing.  As with many artists she also likes to read.  Being a typical teen, an e-reader is easier to carry around than a book.  She had received one for her birthday, so I decided to make a cover for her using an artist theme.

 

The finished product closes with Velcro.  The narrow silver between the artists names is fusible ribbon. I like the way it separates the black from the bright colors.

 

 

When completely flat, you can see all of the artists names.  The black rectangle at the top is one half of the hook and loop tape. (Velcro) The other half is on the lining.

 

 

The lining is bright and happy, also.

 

 

It was fun adding "our" artist with those who have been famous for many years.

 

Our artist will be famous someday as well.

 

Have a wonderful Memorial Day weekend!

 

xoxoXOXOxoxo

 

Lois

 

 

 

A Note to My Children

Hey kids!

 

 

Yeah, you guys!  Only you are all grown up now!

 

Just wanted to tell you how much I have loved being your mom!

 

You were funny, quirky, sometimes scheming, mostly obedient and most of all fun to be around most of the time.

 

I wanted to do everything to make your lives better, more fun and to protect you from all evil.

 

Sometimes I did a good job, some times -- not so much.

 

I am proud you have all chosen to be Christians.  I was proud of your choices most of the time. 

 

 

I likes most of your friends -- some better than others.  I didn't even object to most of your clothing choices -- except when those choices came from my closet and you forgot to return them.

 

There were advantages to you being so close in age -- you were going through the same stages at the same time. And, there were never more than two of you in diapers at the same time. WHEW!

 

There were disadvantages to you being so close in age -- you were going through the same stages at the same time.  You all wanted to use the car the same day and I was odd man out with no car!

 

 

There were times you disappointed me.  There were times I disappointed you.

 

I should have said "no" sometimes and didn't.  But, sometimes being a good mom also meant being the "bad guy" especially when your dad was out of town and there was just me.  I never liked that part -- the disciplining part, especially when it was hard to keep from laughing at what you did, but you needed to know it could be dangerous. And, yes, I did know you piled the mattresses at the bottom of the stairs so you could jump on them.  Not such a good idea, but none of you broke your necks, so I guess you had fun doing it.

 

I love you guys more than you can know.  Well, maybe you can since you all have kids of your own now.  I laugh when I hear my words coming out of your mouth when you are talking to your kids.

 

Well, just wanted you to know that for me, Mother's Day is a day to say "Thank you for making me a mom!"  I have loved the journey.

 

And to the grand kids, I want to say, "You are Perfect just the way you are no matter what your parents tell you!" 

 

Love you all!

 

xoxoXOXOxoxo

 

Lois a.k.a. Mom

 



Nancy's Pillows

My friend, Nancy, is married to the Senior Pastor at our church.  Nancy and I have been friends now for 25 years.  I know this because her husband is celebrating 25 years as the Senior Pastor this month.  He is a great pastor and they are good friends.  At one time, the church staff consisted of Roger as Pastor, Nancy as Administrative Assistant and me as the Director of Children's Ministries.  We had a great time working together and have many happy memories from the past 25 years. And the church staff now consists of enough Pastors and support people to serve a congregation with a weekly attendance of between 2,500 and 3,000. Quite a change from the 100 or so of 25 years ago!

Right now Nancy and Roger are in Hawaii to celebrate their 25 years.  On one of their last visits to Hawaii, Nancy picked up some fabric and asked me to make a couple of pillows for her.

I have not seen the pillows in their home yet, but photographed them before giving them to her.

 

Don't you just love the vintage feel of the palms on this fabric?  It reminds me of the bark cloth from the 1940's that I have seen in old photos.

 

The pillows are cut from different locations on the fabric so that they are not identical.  I do like the random placement of the palm fronds on the pillows.

 

 

 

 

The best part is that Nancy loves them!  It is so much fun doing something like this for someone who does not sew. Pillows are really simple to make, but don't tell Nancy!

 

Maybe Nancy will visit the fabric shops again and bring more wonderful, tropical fabric home.  I'm hoping that they are having a wonderful, relaxing time seeing the sites and lounging on the beach.  Thank you Nancy and Roger for 25 wonderful years of ministry!

 

 

Until next time,

 

xoxoXOXOxoxo

 

Lois