Donation Quilt

At our most recent All Day Sew, we had agreed to make donation quilts for local purposes.  These blocks are so easy - 2 1/2 in strips of lights and dark kid-themed fabrics.  Being enthusiastic, I made many more blocks than necessary.  At first I set them all jumbled up -- not good! -- neat rows are better this time.  This is an "Hourglass" block.   

Here is the back, with 5 extra blocks.  I used what I had for the crosswise strips, cutting them in equal size strips for some visual continuity.  Don't you just LOVE the surprise when you a quilt over to find something unexpected?

Recent days have been very warm - our snow is melting, but this pile is still huge.  As I leaned over to straighten the quilt - kersplat - I hadn't noticed the ice at snow edge.  No damage, I just felt silly and lucky. 

I machine quilt my own projects on a 10 year old Janome MC 6500. 

All Day Sew Participants, others as well!

 Our local quilt group is meeting soon and some of us wanted to make a donation type quilt, Linus or kids quilt, etc.  This demo is totally for those who wish to participate and use this particular design (Hourglass?).  While it is beautiful made in "adult" fabric, it is not difficult and really cute in kids fabrics.  Some of our gals are not familiar with this technique so I thought I'd post it here.   My project is made with cuts from width of fabric, (WOF) coordinated lights and darks kids prints.       

First, cut your strips ahead of time, before we meet, if possible,  at 2 1/2 inches.  Each strip set makes 2 blocks, each block is approx. 8 inches unfinished.  Cut your strips from WOF,  or you can piece shorter strips.   

I used this Companion Angle ruler, by Darlene Zimmerman - it is perfect for the job.  If you have one for "side setting triangles" (Fons and Porter) that will also work.   I am not familiar with other rulers but I'm sure there are many.

Sew one light and one dark strip together, using 1/4 in. seam allowance, press to the dark.

Good tip!  See that orange bit of tape?  I placed it on the back of my ruler with the tape's top edge at the 2 1/4 in. line.  It is thick and kinda catches at the right place.  Be careful - there are a lot of numbers, lines, but the one I am interested in is the 2 1/4 line -- it is in the center of this ruler, and that will be the matching point so it should be exact. The line on the ruler indicates 2 1/2 and shows the arrow down -- you want to pay attention to the mark above the orange tape.  Very important.  (The tape is a quarter inch in width. )

Above is the ruler position for the first cut, and below, flip your ruler around, for  the second cut.  Use your rotary cutter.  Be sure the seam line (where the stitches are) is always at the 2 1/4 in. line.  As you move along the strip set you might need to "clean up" your cutting line just a tad, now and then.  Don't get mixed up with the 2 1/4 in. line when you flip your ruler around. 

 You should get 8 wedges from each WOF. 

 Lay the block out -  I'm using a variety of combinations.  I found it best to make/sew one block at a time.  Lay the 2 quarters together, and run it through machine, starting at large dark end first, so that the seam that was pressed to the dark, goes into the machine facing away from you.   Use care as these edges now are all bias.  Note that (below) both halves are in the same configuration - be consistent. 

 Sew the 2 halves together, matching intersections.  I finger pressed these - you might want to put a pin at intersections.   The seams all abut each other neatly.  You may have to stretch a tiny bit here and there, to ensure good intersection, but since they are bias, matching is easy.  Be gentle. 

 Be consistent with how you feed the blocks into the machine.  Can you see where I removed the last 2-3 stitches on that last seam with my seam ripper (below)?  Pull them out on one side (seam ripper), then flip the block over and remove them out on the other side - don't trim the threads.  Open the tiny center seam up, and press all seams in a clockwise direction, press all flat.  The center will press neatly as well.  If you have been consistent with your sewing, pressing and sending them thru your machine consistently, as above, they will ALL line up with each other as you put all your rows and blocks together, and all seams will abut and lie flat.  If they don't, relax and have fun anyway! 

At this point I am using a variety of fabrics, anything that a child will enjoy - I am not concentrating on one color or a "perfect" quilt - I just want it to bring pleasure to a child.  I will spread my various blocks around.  I may set them on point.  You might aim for a quilt that is 5 x 6, about 37" x 44" or so, or 30 blocks, then plus border.  That would be a generous size quilt.  Perhaps 4 x 5, plus border?  Your decision.  The blocks finish at 7.5 in. 

For the group, if you wish to participate, bring your supplies, pre-cut strips, and if you don't have enough fabric, feel free to use some of my pre-cut strips or fabric - I have plenty.  You may also borrow my rulers for our time together, if needed.  My fabrics tends to be mostly young boyish fabrics.  That Companion Angle ruler is one of the less expensive and I use mine a lot - it was a good purchase many years ago.

See ya soon!

2015 - My birthday tree planted about 5 years ago.  Fortunately, it grows faster than I do!  LOL

In case you don't remember - I MQ on a DSM, currently a Janome MC 6500.

Below is one border edge on my huge "Cowboy Up", aka Tumalo Trails, from Quiltville.com.  I am practicing these swirls, and I think the end result is quite passable!  8-)) .  I had originally thought this design would be very time consuming, but NO, I did about 60 inches in one sitting.  I was careful to match the light blue thread to the border color, so hopefully, the texture will show, not the thread. 

 OK, I keep showing it - but hey, I LOVE it! 

I'm getting ready to take a driving trip and frequently dig in my quilting stash for gifts that might be suitable.  I love ALL of my quilts but they don't do anyone any good in the closet.  The Rocky Road to Kansas (blue string) that I call "Stringing my Blues" is one of my favorites. The quilting in the white area was done in a variegated white and pastels - turned out really nice, but kinda feminine.  Next time I will quilt something more masculine in style. 

The hourglass turned out nice as well.  This is an easy quilt with strip piecing.

Below (left) is my "Handsome Log Cabin" - I had a man in mind but then remembered he is from Canada!  Uh ohhhh, WRONG colors!!!  

Hourglass, DONE

This one is DONE - I'm pleased.  It's 70" x 80".  It was too windy to hang on the fence.  The 2 light borders on each side of the HSTs, are a twining vine, with hearts/leaves that poke into the white part of the HSTs.  This was all free-form with the exception of the large side setting triangles when I used a template.  THAT is the only part I don't particularly care for - apparently I am a total free-form gal. I called mine an Hourglass, but I see it's the same as Quiltville Disappearing Spools.  

The last of the quilting was done with my new Janome feet.  They come 3 to the package, and include a round clear plastic foot with guidelines, so circles can be done well - that is my ultimate goal, anyway.  At first, I had problems but learned to loosen the pressure on the foot, and also unscrewed the spring on the new foot itself (less pressure), and voila, it worked.  PRACTICE was the key.

Notice the hint of GREEN in the grass. 8-)) 

 

New quilting design

I ventured forth and tried a new quilting design.  The are basically 4  "S" curves back and forth, with a swirl at the end of 4, and then taking off in a new direction - something like a large McTavishing, (IMHO).  But as soon as I tried these, my hands just kept curving, swirling, filling in gaps, making "S" curves - they were not hard, and  watching it on YouTube made it do-able.  8-)   The thread is a light variegated King Tut that works well on my machine.  This quilt is 70" x 80", not a small quilt, and the backing is again, made up of 10 inch squares from stash.  

This Hourglass quilt should be completed in a few days.  I'm working on the border quilting.  

Warm days in western Nebraska have been filled with yard work, except for a brief return of winter and snow, now gone.  I do NOT overdo!  Also, one little screech owl is in our tree almost every day.  No owlets yet, but I presume there is a nest nearby.  

Retreat, RRTK and Machine Quilting, Hourglass

I spent last long weekend at our Guild Retreat, located at a beautiful lodgey YMCA, with friends, a LOT of food, and beautiful views.  I think this was my 5th or 6th retreat at this location.   If you've been to a Quilting Retreat, these kinds of photos will look familiar. If you HAVEN'T been to a retreat, you are missing something. 

 I think that head on the pink shirt is Marlene!

 This pink shirt belongs to Donna, the recent Raffle winner of a quilt I helped make last year, called Prairie Schooler - lucky girl!

 Another view - we had a fireplace when needed.

These are part of Scotts Bluffs, the view out our window.  Just beyond the rail fence is the North Platte River, gurgling away, full of ruching water.

 The walk in front of the various rooms.  I believe there were 5 or 6 double rooms.

More North Platte River, with the noisy, gurgling tributary.  

 This is the entire lodge where we stayed - so comfy, economical and pleasant.  We gals did the meals, all taking turns in the wonderful kitchen.  No one went home hungry!!

My workspace - that "red" around my quilt is a flange, not binding.  I was with 2 other friends, and we were comparing work spaces -- neat or messy.  Note - no mess on the floor under MY project.  Also, I have learned to use a boat cushion on my chair to help me sit high enough.    A boat cushion doesn't compress, nor does it make rude noises when I plop down on it!

That portable machine worked just fine for much of the machine quilting.

 Carol, one of my roommates, also works neatly.  Note, no mess on the floor.  This was her first retreat, and we KNOW she had a great time.

 And then there's Tina - my other roommate, who said her floor was a mess because she was piecing a tiny chicken that took her all day, and there was much unsewing!   8-))

 This was just to show to DH, how much of a mess we all make and that he is not alone when he comments about MY mess at home.

I almost finished my project, a Rocky Road to Kansas design, that I call "Stringin' My Blues"  I DID have to unsew one entire border side of machine quilting as it just "didn't do"! The improved version was 2 simple evenly-spaced lines using my walking foot -- soooo much better.  Even someone who has machine quilted a LOT makes errors in judgment.

Also, some of the gals were interested in how I machine quilted on my DSM, questions about  what did I draw with, what stencil, etc.  Repeat - this is all free-form - no drawing, no stencil, no paper.  At first, thinking about quilting those swirls in the white border scared me and I had planned to draw them, or draw guidelines, but almost right away, I realized I could do them just fine free-form, and they are all surprisingly evenly spaced. Frankly, I'm amazed they ARE evenly spaced and wonder about brains and hands actually being able to coordinate so well. The design itself took about 10 minutes of practice to get the right size for that border width.

The flange sewn between the border and the binding definitely gave the quilt pizzazz - a trick I learned from my friend Jody (Goddess).  I DID purchase the RED for the last minute idea to add the flange.

 All of the other fabric for the top is from my stash.

Here it is today, hanging over my fence.  I hung heavy clamps to the top of the quilt that weight it over the top of the fence so wind does not blow it down.  The size is about 71" x 81".  As I frequently have said, "It turned out much better than I thought!"  

And here is my Hourglass, ready for sandwiching.  More stash use.  Hmmmm, how to quilt this????  This is probably the easiest pattern I ever made.  Onward and upward - Quilt ON!

Hourglass -- watch which ruler

Dear Elaine Adair:

Please remember that when you first wake in the morning, you are full of enthusiasm, but your brain is not yet in gear.  If you had just waited 20 minutes or so, you would not have wasted so much fabric cutting all those side-setting triangles too small by choosing the wrong ruler -- the much -loved Companion Angle -- when you should have used the much-loved Easy Diagonal Set Ruler. But you also deserve a pat on the back because seeing all those miscuts gave you an idea for the border.  

I am sure others can use either ruler with better-functioning brain cells, but in this case, you did not. 

Signed,

YOURSELF

Here, the side setting triangles are now correct.  Now, on to the border.  I LIKE it!  I felt that using fabrics of similar value, for this setting, worked well, even with a few "clunkers" for interest and education.  

Hourglass, or Spools

[ Late edition -- The general consensus for this block name is Hourglass, and some call it Spools.  Thanks everyone!]

Here is my current project - blocks are made from my box of 2 1/2 inch strips.  Several of the blocks were too light - they will be labels.  As is my style, I just started sewing the strips together, very light and whatever dark was in the box, not knowing where I was heading.  In the end I put the darker blocks near the edge, lighter in the middle.  It goes fast.  They are set diagonally, and I used a Side Setting ruler to cut the corner and SS triangles.  I actually have enough of one fabric to do all the side setting and corner triangles.  I've seen other examples where all the values are similar and they seem most appealing to me.  The first 3 upper left diagonal rows are sewn together.  Wouldn't this be great in Crayon colors?

Do you know the name of the block?

If you are not sure how this goes together, sew a Width of Fabric light (2.5 inch) and a dark strip (2.5 inch) together, press to dark.  Use your Companion Angle and lay the 2 1/4 line on that seam and cut.  I put a bit of blue tape on the 2 1/4 in. line.  Then reverse the ruler and cut the next, ALWAYS keeping that 2 1/4 line on the seam.  This will guarantee a good match when you sew them together.  Sew gently, as the units have bias edges.  I pieced a few of the blocks from shorter strips.  You can get 8 triangles per strip to make 2 blocks.   You cannot get enough for a block from a half strip - you need 42-44 inches.

Never wanting to leave things alone, I really want to see the results if all the triangles were mixed up with other, non-matching triangles?

It appears that this is our last week of lovely weather.  This view of 2 weeks ago

was so astonishing I gasped at it's beauty!

Time to get out the snow shovel and have it ready!