Melinda Quilts etc
Robin completed four blocks and has them up on her design wall. Here they are -
I think the sashing is working well and the weaving will be more apparent as we add more blocks. I really love her fabrics. She said it reminds her of Mother’s kitchen and she is right – this would have fit right in the kitchen we had when we were growing up.
Melinda
Here is the first nine patch for my class in Las Vegas. You can’t really see how it is going to look with only one done but hopefully I can do a few more soon. I have to go quilt a customer quilt now so had to stop playing with the nine patches.
I talked to Robin and she is starting to put her nine patches together so she should have something to show soon also. She is sewing along with me so I will have at least two samples that are very different to show when teaching – isn’t she a wonderful sister!
Well, off to quilt…
Melinda
I have been making nine patches from five inch charm squares of black and white fabric. I have 20 of them made and am getting ready to cut them apart, insert sashing and sew them back together again.
Here is the sashing I have picked out.
If all goes well, the sashing will have a woven look when finished and you won’t be able to recognize that the blocks started out as nine patches. Wish me luck!
I am teaching this summer in Las Vegas and I need to get this sample made so I can get the supply list ready. It works in my head so let’s hope it works in fabric.
Melinda
Last night was the monthly Beyond Beginners Class. There were five wonderful women attending the class. This month we focused on Paper Piecing. It can be quite confusing when starting paper piecing and this pattern is a nice one to start on since the pieces are large and there are cutting directions to allow you to precut pieces to be used in making the block.
Here is my sample for the class, followed by the blocks that were made last night.
Don’t you like the perfect points that they were each able to achieve? Next month we will be doing curved piecing. Here is the sample for next month.
Melinda
I have something new on my design wall today. I have been playing with this set of tumbler blocks that I purchased precut from Jackie at Canton Village Quilt Works. They are cut with the AccuCut tumbler die.
I don’t think 99 of them will be enough to make a decent size quilt. I may have to contact Jackie and see if she will cut me another group of them. My other option is to do an alternate block – perhaps a batik. I am open to opinions so if you would like to share your idea, please comment.
By the way, I just threw them up on the wall and haven’t done any rearranging yet. I will play more with them as I decide what to do with the project.
For more design walls, go to Judy’s blog here.
Melinda
I am working on a class sample for my Beyond Beginner class. It is a series of five classes and I have finished samples for four of them. I need to finish one for the second class of the group.
Here is one of the blocks I finished this morning.
I am teaching the fourth class tomorrow night – the focus is on paper piecing. Here is the sample I made for it.
In the book this is a four large block wall hanging. I cut it down to two blocks for a table runner. This one is made from 30’s reproductions which aren’t my favorite but will look great on my kitchen table.
Melinda
I worked at the quilt shop again today. On Friday's we have Quilt Till You Wilt where customers can come in and sew all day. We had a relatively small group today and several of them worked on pillowcases for children with cancer. Here is Marcia with her first finished project – a pillowcase. Doesn’t she look happy?
By the way, can you see “Frankly My Dear”, the Scarlett Gone With the Wind quilt in the upper left corner? I am beginning to like the quilt again – I think the pain of making it is starting to fade.
I finished binding the Five, Ten, Twenty quilt this evening so here is a photo of my next project. We got this luscious new flannel in and I am going to make a quick Wacky Devine Nine quilt.
The printed patchwork will be the backing. The nine fat quarters are in the front, with the green floral for the outside border and the pink polka dots for the inside border. There is a stripe for a bias striped border.
Melinda
I thought I would show a couple of the upcoming projects at Tiny Stitches. This first photo is of the Civil War quilt – Terry made it for the shop and my hat is off to her. It has a LOT of half square triangles.
It is a very large quilt and has lots of blocks but is beautiful.
Next is a quilt using the new Hunter’s Star ruler, along with the Wing Clipper. These are made by the same designer that makes my new favorite ruler the Tucker Trimmer. You can see them here. Of course, you can get them at Tiny Stitches.
Here is the quilt that Mindy is making. She is also going to teach it in a class.
Love this quilt!
Melinda
Here is the Five, Ten, Twenty quilt quilted. I quilted each section of the quilt with a feather swirl. I used a variegated pastel thread and like how it turned out. It still needs binding but I think I will take it to the shop tomorrow to show it off and then bind it tomorrow night.
Next are some close-ups of the quilting.
Love the texture on the quilt.
Melinda
Today was the last session before we put the quilt tops together. We made flying geese blocks today and they all did a great job. The first set of photos is from the morning class.
This next photo is all the flying geese blocks made by the evening class. Almost all of them enjoyed making the blocks. We use the Marti Michell flying geese ruler and it works out wonderfully if they have an accurate 1/4 inch seam allowance which most of them have mastered by now.
We won’t meet next week so they have an extra week to do any homework that they are behind on. We meet in two weeks to put the quilts together.
Melinda
Here is the Robyn Pandolph quilt all pieced and ready to quilt. It goes together very easy and looks great.
Off to guild for a board meeting and then to the shop to work a few hours. Hopefully I can quilt tonight.
Melinda
Here is what is on my design wall today. People who know me well will never believe that I willingly made this since it is so far from my usual bright style. It is soft and sweet and reminds me of a baby quilt I made several years ago that is on the back of my couch.
This is made from 20 fat quarters of Robyn Pandolph’s latest collection. I am using my sister Robin’s newest pattern called Five, Ten, Twenty. You can find it at her website here.
Although this is very different from my usual quilts, it is growing on me. I think I will like it once it is put together and quilted.
Check out Judy’s blog for other design walls.
Melinda
I am getting ready to quilt the Secret Project that has been in progress for the past few weeks/months. I have been putting it off but it is time to get it finished. The photo above is the backing fabric. I hope to get the zippers on it tonight so I can quilt it tomorrow.
Melinda
Today was a busy day at the quilt shop. During Saturday Sampler, I gave a demo of some of our new rulers. I especially like the Tucker Trimmer. It can be found at many quilt shops – we carry it at Tiny Stitches.
Carolyn brought one of her blocks from the last Beyond Beginners class. She used the Tucker Trimmer to trim all of her half square triangles. The block finishes at about 20 inches.
Later in the afternoon, a student who has signed up for my Blooming Nine Patch class in May came by. She wanted to select some fabrics to use for class to go with some she already had. Here are two stacks of fabrics we looked at.
The only difference is switching the bottom two fabrics. She is coming back tomorrow and she will make a final decision.
I think it will be very pretty.
Melinda
42 years ago today, my daughter Christina was born in Long Beach, California. She is my baby but I don’t understand how she got to be 42 years old when I do not feel that much older than that myself.
The photo above is from her facebook page with her son Emilio. She teaches elementary school in San Francisco where I am sure the kids are helping her celebrate.
Happy Birthday Christina! I love you!
Mom (Melinda)
I received a package yesterday and finally got it opened up today. It was my package from Amazon. Since it came super saver, I hadn’t expected it to arrive until next week.
First is the latest Elm Creek book.
We have had it in the shop for over a week but customers keep buying it so I ordered it myself. Next is a book I have been wanting for quite a while. Nancy brought it for me to look at a couple of weeks ago and I couldn’t wait to get my hands on it.
I have been reading about the next book all over the internet and had to get my own copy.
I am going to start the Elm Creek book this evening and will try to make it last as long as I can.
Melinda
I am finally starting on the five, ten, twenty quilt this week. This is one of my sister Robin’s new patterns. You can make it from five yards, ten one-half yards or twenty fat quarters. This version is using the twenty fat quarters.
I spent time this morning finishing up our taxes and finally got them filed this afternoon. Nothing like waiting until the last moment. Since we had to pay (fortunately not very much) I guess I made the most of our money by not filing until today.
Hopefully tomorrow morning I can finish the rest of the blocks and start putting the quilt together. It is going to be so soft and pretty – not like most of what I make.
Melinda
I taught two sessions of the beginners class today. We reviewed the log cabin blocks, made a square dance block and started on friendship stars.
As usual, they all did a great job.
Next week we are going to work on flying geese blocks and then put the quilts together. I can’t wait.
Melinda
I finished up and delivered two customer quilts. The first one is bright and cheerful.
Next was the first quilt by a young woman and has the names of bible verses quilted into it. It is for her boyfriend and is named “Covered in Scripture”.
Melinda
