Becky's quilt obsession

Note: The striped fabric was added to the corner blocks because of a cutting mistake. These directions do not include it. 1. Prepare embroidery blocks. Trim 4 of the to 8” square. These will be the center blocks. Trim 4 of them to 8-1/2” square. These will be the corner blocks. 2. Cutting: Flip-and-Sew method: ** see below for cutting regular flying geese Background – cut 4  16-1/2” x 8-1/2” rectangles Starpoints – Cut 8  8-1/2” squares. Center trim (Stripes) cut 2  1” x 8”, 3  1” x 16”, and 2  16-1/2” Borders are cut 6” wide on the lengthwise grain. Cut after finishing center of quilt, using Bonnie Hunter’s Quiltville tutorial. 3. Make a Sawtooth Star Center: Sew a 1” x 8” striped strip between two embroidered Blocks (EMB). Repeat, making sure the EMB are in correct alignment. Sew the resulting 2 sets together with a 16” strip in the center, taking care to align center strips. Sew a 16” strip to the top, then bottom of the square. Finish wit...

I’ve mentioned before that one of my first classes was with Alex Anderson making all the stars in her book, Simply Stars. The first day included Sawtooth Stars. She said that they were the best stars to make up quickly to do a lot of filling. The header quilt was made from her class and subsequent classes that I taught on star-making. This was my first big star quilt. The idea for it was in a quilting book that was a compilation of quilts in magazines. I was asked by the LQS to develop and teach it as a class. I did, and did, and did. If you are like me and it makes you crazy to cut homespuns not on square, the most time spent on this quilt is pressing fabric for cutting, pulling on the bias until it lays square in both directions. I made a cutting diagram for this one so you could cut it all from fat quarters, 8 light and 8 dark. Only the border requires yardage. Even the binding is made from scraps from the fat quarters. You really can make this quilt in a day, even the cutting. ...

This is the baby quilt I finished yesterday. It was started about 6-7 years ago by my friend that embroidered the blocks. She had made two sets of them, and we both started making  quilt tops at the same time one Sunday afternoon. We were having fun- good memories of a group of us meeting at my house on Sunday afternoons –and were making matching quilts. JA trimmed her corner squares too small,  gave up and threw the quilt in the corner. I put it away until last year, then added the strip around the outer corners to finish the quilt. It has been waiting for quilting for a long time. I wanted to be able to do something that would show off the embroidery. A few months ago we bought the Circle Lord radiating lines template for Black Bart (the long-arm). It took me quite a while to quilt as I was learning how to place it. It is an 18” template on a 24” table. I ended up having to move the quilt  to match template placement instead of vice versa, like I usually do. I liked h...

Don't faint that I am finally posting a blog update. I haven't been sewing very much - babysitting, sick, yard, etc. You know the drill. I did have a finish. Above is the Drunkard's Path quilt that a now deceased quilter left as a UFO. I don't know the lady; 4 UFOs came my way via my SIL. The quilter must have had time to put things in "dying order" as all the parts are together with little index cards with her plans on them. These drunkard's path blocks were with muslin squares that would have made an every other square setting. The problem I found was that the muslin was cut to what the block was supposed to measure, not what it did measure. She had sewn one set together, and the pieced block was gathered to fit the muslin. I decided to just set the pieced blocks together, and actually pieced it together by hand! I haven't done that in a while. The top sat languishing until a call from DSIL asking if I had one UFO finished for the the Charity auction...

I must have Big Stars on the brain. Today I finished the center of the Stashbuster Ugly fabric Challenge quilt. This will be a king-size Christmas present. The center is 48" square. The other picture is of the finished blocks to surround the center. It will have a plain border, a border of 6" blocks, another plain border, then a border of 12" blocks. I need to sew a lot, as I still need about 12 more blocks of each size. I did go down to the long-arm and loaded the two charity quilts that were on the design wall last Monday. My friend wanted to try a pantograph on something before she tried to do it on a snowman quilt top she made. The first pass was a bit rocky. I left it for her to practice. I hope she finishes them soon, as I have 4 tops waiting that need to be finished by Christmas. I really wish I was better at the long-arm, but it takes constant practice, and I don't do that right now. Even just loading and helping her get started was rough on my j...

We returned last night (early this morning) from visiting friends in Coeur d'Alene. The picture above is when we were out on the boat in the lake. It was so beautiful. The weather was overcast, which allowed me to take lots of pictures to use as examples of landscape colors in toned colors. It also made it very comfortable (temperature-wise), and it didn't increase my sunburn. I delivered the big star buffalo quilt to our friends, Chris and Patty. Chris said he moved to Idaho so he could have a buffalo ranch, but right now the only buffalo are in the various decorations around their house. Maybe someday. They both loved the quilt. We are holding it over the edge of the loft in their home, where you can spend the day just enjoying the view from the living room, as most of the two outside walls are huge glass windows. A few people have asked for directions for the Big Star, so I think I will do a tutorial, but not for a few days. Instead of a brief flight from Spoka...

I know this doesn't look like a design wall, but it is what I've been doing today. DSIL is growing a garden for the first time this year. Tomatoes have been late because we haven't had very many hot, sunny days for August. We went over to see DGD and take her a birthday present because she was too sick to have a party (she's 3). Their table was covered with tomatoes that were ripening - ripe. I offered to "do something with them", so we loaded then in two flat boxes to bring them home. DGD started crying and fussing - she didn't like it that we were taking all her tomatoes! I've emailed this photo to them so she can see what happens at grandma's house. If she wasn't sick, I would have brought her home to "help". I was surprised I could remember how to can, and that I had enough jars and lids. I've given most of that stuff away over the years. The kids and I used to do it every year as a family project - beans, tomatoes, a...

What's on my design wall? Nothing! That's because I finished the top of the big star last night, and now it's waiting on the cutting table to go down the street to quilt it. The only problem is I have to spend a couple of hours finishing the quilt that's on the long arm before I can do this one. I have lots to do today and tomorrow, so it looks like Wednesday will be the day to start. I have to meet with the Senator's constituent person tonight to voice my opinion of the health care bill. I think we will need to go a bit early to actually get in to the library where it is being held. I hope we are listened to, but I doubt it. It seems that political minds are already made up. I hope they have to run for re-election soon! Happy quilting! Becky Email me

There's not much change on the design walls. DH's son was visiting most of the week, so we did other things. I did finish the blocks on the left which make up the second border. I need to cut the two borders and put it all together. That's not the fun part for me, but if I want to finish by Labor Day, I need to get busy quick. Today I went with my DIL's aunt (MM) for her first class with her new Brother machine. It was most helpful, and we taught my DGS (10) to help her with it. He took off the throat plate to clean the machine, and then put it back on, changed a bobbin, and learned how to change the presser feet. MM has CP , so a more nimble set of hands is helpful with some of the small stuff. After the class, I took MM to where my quilting machine is located - no stairs - and she watched me load the top she made, and start quilting it. It is a Turning Twenty, a good start for a first big quilt. I have another simple quilt cut out for her so she has some...

The Reunion quilt top is finished ( see previous blog), waiting for me to leave in a few minutes to go down the street and long-arm it. The big star on my right design wall remains unchanged, but I've started on the 16" Sawtooth star blocks to make the 2nd border in the quilt. I'll make the 1st one after I measure the blocks and the center square, and make it all fit right. It is supposed to be 8" - we will see. Being a quilter helps when repairing veneer on old furniture. I am working on the top of my mother's (now mine) table. An electrician had drilled all the way through a wall and into the table top. I repaired it last night, and several places on the leaves of the table, and did use a rotary cutter to cut the veneer - a very thin piece of red mahogany. I've worked on repairing veneer one time previously, and this one was easier. I think it is just like quilting - practice, practice, practice. Happy Quilting, Becky Email me

The ugly fabric challenge blocks are back in the drawer. It will be August before the next blocks are listed on Stashbusters with directions. The center big star is sewn together, the 4 corner blocks are made, and I need to make 20 more 16" blocks out of green moose fabric. It has been put on hold for a bit. We finally set the date when we are going to Idaho to visit the recipient - Labor Day - so I can change over to a more pressing project. Last week I received a phone call from a cousin (I have many) that I haven't talked to in years. We had a delightful conversation, and I found out that there is going to be a Dunn family reunion at Big Lake, MO, June 18th. How delightful! Of course I'll go, and try to bring some of the family with me. It only gives me two UFOs that I need to finish by then - Yikes!! The picture on the right is what I've been working on for the past 4 days, with time out for July 4th family activities. When we had the last Dunn family reun...

These first graphics are on my design wall in EQ6. They are possible settings for the Stashbuster Sunshine (Ugly fabric) Challenge. It needs to be a king-size, as I'll be giving it as a gift for Christmas. The left center will be faster, but uses more blocks, and only 12" ones. The right one uses less 12"blocks, but lots of 6" blocks, and more borders. I really like feathered stars, but they do take more time to make. The real block I would make is the one from a Marti Michell pattern - used as a block of the month a while back. Below is my progress on blocks for this quilt; I only made 6" blocks this week. After my new glasses arrived this week (Hurray!), I was able to start on the quilt below. It is made out of mainly brushed cotton, but some real flannel. It is a King-size, so I think I will need to find a wool batting, or they won't be able to turn over under it. We visit these friends in Idaho nearly every year, and Chris has been hinting for...