The Splendid Sampler 2 Goes Up a Notch

This week the Splendid Sampler 2 ratcheted up a notch. Now there are four blocks a week to make, instead of the one a week, and we are working from the book. I purchased the Kindle version this time and I have to say I am very pleased with it, especially that I can just print of the PDF’s which makes life easier.

Top left is Estelle, designed by Joyce Beenes,  it has so many pieces to it to make this 61/2inch block! But I have learned from doing the Splendid Sampler 1 that sometimes you just need to starch before cutting and I am happy to say it came out the correct size! Yay!

Top right is Ticker Tape designed by Debby Brown.  This was a paper pieced block and turned out really nicely.

Bottom left is Hashtag Love designed by Jane Davidson. This was an appliqué block, and is rather cute.

Bottom right is Curves Forever designed by Jenny Pedigo and Helen Robinson. This was a great way to do the curves, although I had to have a second go at this one because I couldn’t follow the directions that well for cutting down at the end, but on my second round and after watching a video I was set to succeed!

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And Moving on with the Bookcase Quilt in November

I am linking up with Elm Street Quilts for this November goal.

Ah what to do for my November goal, I am working on various things but what do I want to make sure I progress somewhat. I think its going to need to be my bookshelf quilt so it doesn’t languish there on the shelf!

My goal is to fmq on the names of authors on the two bottom rows. The two that I experimented with can be seen here on the top shelf, but on the bottom shelf I want to go back to my early reading years and then eventually come back to this top shelf which will be for authors I have come to love in the last ten years or so.

So …….. FMQ the names of authors on books on the two bottom rows which will equal about thirty six names.

 

 

Progress with Bookshelf Quilt

I am linking up with Elm Street Quilts for my October goal.

My goal was to sew the shelves together, add the borders, baste and start some quilting on the quilt. The big thing was waiting for the cotton batting that I had ordered. It was quite a fiddly order plus when it arrived in the country it sat at the airport for a week most likely due to a long weekend holiday.

But anyway it arrived Friday 26th, which gave me some time to baste and start stitching in the ditch.  I have done the main stitching of that but then decided that I wanted to stitch in the ditch around each book which I have done. So I am very happy to have all that accomplished and my goal achieved.

Now I am thinking about the fmq to be done. I have decided after watching Leah Day in a video on You Tube about thread painting words that I will “write” the names of authors I like on my quilt as a start to the fmq. It will take awhile but I am happy so that’s what counts!

Here are the two I have done after one practice there on the side of the quilt.

I plan on putting childhood favourites on the bottom shelf and then working my way up to the top where newer to me authors I have come to enjoy are. That’s where these two are! After that lots more fmq so I can see a November goal looming!

October Plan for Bookshelf Quilt

Linking up with Elm Street Quilts for the October goal

Okay here is October already. I am just going to make a small progress for one quilt.

I have two shelves put together. I’ll put the other two together, join them alland put on the two borders on.

I have some cotton batting ordered, if it arrives in time I’ll also sandwich and pin the quilt and begin some quilting. But that depends on the order arriving from the USA, it hasn’t left yet!

Patchwork and Quilting – Always

There have been a few things finished and others started. I always seem to have a number of things on the go, so that I can pick up what I choose according to the way I feel.

I’ve been keeping up with the Splendid sampler 2 blocks, I still have to do the last one which is embroidery so I’ll catch up with that at some point.

I finished the first memory quilt about my mother. This was a kind of trial one before I put together one with a more streamlined fabric. However when finished I thought it was okay enough and gave it to my youngest sister – thirteen years younger. I am the oldest and she is the youngest. In many ways we had different experiences of my mother but still shared the love!

Here it is hanging on the line just after I washed it and it was nearly dry. I backed it with a minky kind of fabric so will make a cosy lap quilt I hope! So blocks I haven’t talked about:

• the house with the heart – because she was an excellent homemaker and welcomed all to her home with love. My parents in later years always watched the birds and were delighted when they built their nests in the eaves and trees and they watched them hatch and fly away!
• the houses stand for her neighbours, plus the friendship block for friends and the hand with the heart because she reached out to all those in need around her.

I have started the next one, I am making the center of the wedding ring blocks a little different at least for one!

 

I have also started making blocks for this Scrappy Crossroads Quilt that I found on Lori Holt’s blog.  I love that it uses up scraps of 2 1/2″ squares. I love seeing all that fabric used up. The pink fabric I had to buy but it was very inexpensive.

I finished off this small scrappy quilt for a child using left over fabric from another quilt. Will donate it when I find out where to do that. It’s backed with pink minky so I guess for a girl!

And this was my finish for September one month goal. I have found a small hole in a square which I am going to have to deal with, either quilting over it, hand sewing over it or doing a small bit of embroidery! Not sure which yet. I was so annoyed when I saw it.

Not sure what I will do with it, maybe another donation quilt. I always feel a little odd about giving quilts. I am not sure if a person wants it or not! I was listening to Leah Day’s podcast and she said she is never there when the person gets it, because of the possible response. As quilter’s we’ve put our hearts and souls into it, but not everyone understands that.  I adore quilts, but I can’t have a house full of them!

Quilt Finish

I am linking up with Elm Street Quilts September finish post.

I set out to complete a quilt. I had stitched in the ditch along the sashings and for September, wanted to free motion quilt the squares and bind and wash the quilt. In other words totally complete it.

So I planned it….

And then I got quilting. Well the daisy looked easy so I started with that. No … actually it turned out to be the most difficult but any way!  Using the supreme slider eventually won the day as it certainly stopped the drag, the backing is very thick and it had big pulling power!  Let’s just say my wrists and thumbs and shoulders were complaining.

As I neared the end of the quilting I realised I had kept back no scrap fabric for the binding. So I scrabbled around and eventually found two pieces – one pink and one red that matched in. I then started to look at the other quilt tops waiting and looking to see if I had binding fabric for those, or…. had I cut it up into scrap strips and squares. Need to be more awake!

But its has binding and is drying on the line.

And this is the backing – will be a warm, cosy lap quilt.

 

 

One Day I’ll FMQ like I Touch Type!

This month my goal is to quilt this top. It is pieced with scraps that I then put together as leaders and enders. I actually rather like it!

I wanted to practise some fmq, even though this is a rather heavy quilt to do it on with a very thick backing, but I decided to give it a try.

I felt justified in doing that, I was watching a TV programme the other night and it said to learn  new skills because it is so good for the brain. Especially as you get older! I hope to get to the point in fmq as I am in touch typing. How did I learn to touch type. I taught myself with a book years and years ago!

They showed a woman who touch types but couldn’t say where the actual keys are, because it has become so imprinted onto the brain. I wouldn’t be able to tell you either. My fingers just type. Oh to be like that with fmq. And there are so many skilled people who are like that. It’s possible!!

I saw this pattern being done by @quiltmekiwi on Facebook. On a long arm! I decided to do it, its a bit difficult so I am only putting it in the corners. I have just done the one so far. I’ll have to practise again before I do the next three because the rhythm has kinda slipped from my mind!

My first attempt at doing a daisy like this. After this one I decided to mark out the rest. I actually found this one the hardest of all, I expected it to be the easiest.

My second attempt! I’ve completed all the daisies now and am on to the other pattern.

The third pattern is what I am working on at present. I don’t need to do any marking for this one.

So I am making some progress, a little at a time, as it is a little tough on the wrists!

FMQ my way to a Quilt Finish

I’m linking up with Elm St Quilts for the goal for September.

Earlier in the year I pieced this County Fair pattern mostly as leaders and enders and using left over fabric from other projects.

I have now sandwiched it together – it has wool batting and a thick fleece backing. Sounds heavy and it is but does produce a nice cosy lap quilt!

I have also stitched in the ditch along the sashing both ways.

My goal for this month is now to fmq in each block with my home sewing machine. There are twenty. I want it fairly simple – I am a beginner fmquilter! I have prepared three ideas that I will place around the quilt and I do have a plan for what goes where!  I’ve done a little bit of practice for it but will be different feel once it is on this quilt which is heavy to manoeuvre.

Once that is done I will bind it (part of the goal) and wash it all going well weather wise.

My quilting plan – all done on good old kitchen grease proof paper!