Beginning Quilt Top Finished

One of my students from the last session of beginning machine piecing brought in her finished quilt top this afternoon.  She did such a wonderful job on her quilt.

I really like this one.

Melinda

Hexagons–yet again

I still don’t have all the hexie flowers put together.  I have two more to add and then I will put it on the background.

I still don’t like it but I am anxious to get it put together.  I plan to take a different hexie project with me to Houston.  I have to decide soon because we are flying out next Friday.

Melinda

Women of Courage

One of the block of the month’s at Tiny Stitches is Women of Courage.  We are getting ready for month 5.  I just took it over a couple of weeks ago and got the shop kit.  Unfortunately, the person who was cutting the kits had not had the time to do any of the blocks so I am playing catch up.  She had cut months one and two from the shop kit so I got them sewn together. They are actually the same block but different colors.  Each month there are two blocks to make, so I did two of each color way. 

I cut the kits for month 5 so I decided to get those made.

The two blocks on the left are month 5, the two on the top right are month 1 (I think) and the bottom two are month 3.

I have month 2 cut out and have started piecing them.  I hope to get caught up soon and would like to get the quilt put together in the next couple of months.

Melinda

Sampler Class–Fun with Spool Blocks

The homework for last week was the spool block.  I was surprised that most of the students had a great deal of trouble with this block.  Getting the intersections right is a challenge but with the help of pins, it is doable.  Their blocks did turn out looking good, especially from a galloping horse!

Here are the blocks from the morning class.  Some of them were also able to finish their churn dash blocks.

Here are the evening blocks.

Not sure what happened in the evening class but I don’t have photos of any churn dash blocks.

We worked on our Grandmothers Flower blocks, Ohio Star and a Bear Paw variation last night – lots of homework again this week.  Will be fun to see what is finished next Wednesday.

Melinda

Piecemakers

I mentioned that we went to Piecemakers on Monday.  Michele taught everyone how to make crumb blocks.  Michele loves little pieces of fabric!

Here is the whole group. We have more members but several were unable to attend this month. Janice came and brought her quilt that we made for her last month.  She looks great and is doing well.

I am in the back on the right – wearing lime green as usual.

Melinda

Table Runner Class

Last night I taught a 60 degree table runner class for Barb, who is recovering from surgery.  We had a great time making these very cute table runners.

They are all so different but equally wonderful.  After each of them made one, we went back out and they each bought fabric for a second one.  They enjoyed it also.

Melinda

Design Wall Monday–October 15, 2012

Today on my design wall I still have just a few of my chevron blocks.  I haven’t worked on it for several days and don’t see much time ahead to work on them.  I am enjoying the process but would like to get it put together.  I have been spending any extra time down in the basement quilting studio working on the raffle quilt.

I am still trying to sew blocks of zigs (four blocks sewn together) and I have a lot more to do.

This morning I am baking a sopapilla cheesecake to take to Piecemakers.  It is a recipe I found on Pinterest.  I just took it out of the oven and it looks great.

For more design walls, got to Patchwork Times.

 

Melinda

Working on the Raffle Quilt

I have been working on quilting the guild raffle quilt.  It is a beautiful quilt, using Kaffe fabrics and a Kim McLean pattern.  She graciously gave us permission to use Stars and Sprigs for our raffle quilt.

Here is a brief preview of the quilting.

 

There is still a lot of little pebbles to quilt before I start on the stars.

Melinda

Update on Zig Zag Quilt

I made a few more blocks of the zig zag/chevron quilt.  I am sewing the blocks together in fours and will then worry about getting it all together.  It will be way to large for my design wall. I am sewing zigs and the zags will happen when I start sewing the four patches together.

My Pfaff went in for a spa treatment and is happy to be back home and sewing again.

Melinda

Bee Blocks

I have fallen behind on my bee blocks and I am trying to get caught up.  Both of these are in the mail and should be arriving soon.

Melinda

Evening Homework–Sampler Class

Here are the wonderful blocks from the evening class.  They are doing a great job, aren’t they?

Melinda

Morning Homework from Sampler Class

Look at all the great blocks from the morning class.  This was their homework from last week. Today we worked on spool blocks and sewing the hexagons together.

Melinda

Halloween Trick or Treat Bag

On Saturday we decided that we needed a trick or treat bag for the shop.  I brought home some pet screen, Halloween fabric and strapping.  Here is what I made on Sunday morning before going to the shop.

I know you can’t tell the size from the photo.  I started with a 12 inch square of the pet screen.  I figured that children do not put bags on their shoulders like women do so the handles are short enough for them to carry the bag in their hands.

Now that I have made one, I need to get another made for Emilio so I can get it in the mail in time for the end of the month.  I also made him a pillowcase for Halloween.

The cool thing about this pillowcase is that it glows in the dark. All three fabrics are glow fabrics. I hope he will enjoy it.

Melinda

Design Wall Monday–October 8, 2012

This is the latest of the Saturday Sampler that I am working on – this is actually for next month.  The yellow is a bit be a bright so I did replace it but forgot to take a photo.  Will get one later.

For more design walls, go to Patchwork Times.

Melinda

Hexie Progress

I haven’t finished putting the flowers together yet – still have four more to add but I did decide on the border/background.  I had a lot of good suggestions about possible fabrics and they all sounded good.  Sarah suggested that I use a Kaffe print.  I couldn’t find one I liked but sitting right next to the Kaffe was Amy Butler and I tried one of them.  I like it.

I know it is not a traditional fabric to use with a GFG but I don’t want traditional.  I think I have said  that I don’t really like this hexie quilt but I am determined to finish it.  Now I need to get the rest of the flowers sewn on so I can applique the whole thing to the Amy Butler fabric. 

Next to come up with a name for the quilt.

Grandma meets Amy

Not Amy’s Grandmother

???

Suggestions welcome.

Melinda

Sampler Class Number Two

Yesterday was a busy day with two sessions of the sampler class.  First here is the homework from the morning group.

Here is the evening groups homework.

I love seeing all the different takes on fabric for the same quilt.  I was really impressed with the great points everyone achieved on their blocks.  Last night we worked on the Churn Dash and Kaleidoscope blocks – also started the Grandmothers Flower Garden.  Can’t wait to see the results of this week’s homework.

Melinda

Design Wall Monday–October 1, 2012

I can’t believe it is October!  My design wall today will look familiar.  I am almost done with adding flowers to my GFG.  I have the last row to finish and I am done.  I took it to the shop yesterday to explore possibilities for a background to applique it to.  I really would like something non-traditional.  I plan on using a solid color but haven’t found one that will work yet.

I tried red, black, blue, lime green, pink and white.  I still have no idea what to choose but hope to try again later this week.

If you have any ideas, let me know.

For more design walls, go to Patchwork Times.  I love seeing all the inspiration on Mondays.

Melinda

Design Wall Monday–September 24, 2012

Time for another design wall Monday.  Today I have two different projects to share.  First is a finished project.  It is small but I was able to finish it in just a few days.  I started it at the Modern Quilt Guild sew-in last Thursday night and got it quilted and bound last night.  It is from my favorite new line – Mama Said Sew.  The pattern is by Sweetwater and is called Mama’s Spools.  I uses a charm pack and a little yardage for the background and borders.  Quick and easy!  The spools are actually fused on and then stitched with a straight stitch close to the edges.

It doesn’t look very square on the wall, but it is – believe me please!  Just need to finished sewing down the label and writing on it.

Next is a quilt I actually started this morning.  I saw a video by Missouri Star Quilt Company about making a quick quilt using two layer cakes.  I brought home a layer cake of Spa which is a wonderful blue and white collection.  The shop didn’t have a white layer cake so I just picked up yardage of Kona White and cut my own 10 inch squares from that.  Lots more blocks to make but here is the beginning of the quilt.

I am looking forward to quilting this – love the open white areas.  I see lots of feathers in this quilt’s future.  I can’t wait to play more with this.

For more design walls, go to Patchwork Times.

Melinda

Stash Report–Week 38, 2012

I think I am giving up on stash reports – at least for this year.  I have not made much progress about using my stash and have made too much progress about adding to it.  I plan to work on organizing my sewing room over the next few months and will be able to get my stash so I actually know what I have and will hopefully be able to use it more effectively.

Hopefully next year, I can make progress on using my stash, not just adding to it.

On another note, here is my finished Sampler quilt hanging in the shop waiting for the class this week.

To check out stash reports, go to Patchwork Times.

Melinda

Monthly Kaffe Fabric

Look at the wonderful fabrics I got this month.  Now I just need to use some of them.

Melinda

Finishing Beginning Machine Piecing

Yesterday was the last meetings of the beginning machine piecing series of classes.  Only one of the quilt tops was completely finished but the rest of them are well on the way.  I think everyone will be able to finish on their own.

They will look very different when they get the borders on.  Most of them were able to get the inner border on last night and just have the final border to do.

Next week we start the Sampler class.

Melinda

Binding Class

I taught a binding class last week.  I teach straight grain binding and Stella teaches bias binding.  I use pre-quilted fabric to cut a placemat size piece and we bind that.  They are able to cut binding, sew it on by machine, learn how to do the invisible join and sew it to the back by hand.  Fun and easy.

Have you used the Clover binding clips.  They are so much better than the hair clips that most of use have used. 

Today is the final class for Beginning Machine Piecing.  We will be finishing the quilt tops.

Melinda

Piecemakers–Quilt Made

One of the members of Piecemakers needs a comfort quilt.  She will have surgery this week and we wanted to get something make quickly for her.  We had a sample of fabric for color inspiration and all make a couple of Ohio Star blocks.  Yesterday we got together and put together the quilt top.

Here are the blocks on the wall.

We had four people on the sewing machines, one cutting sashing and cornerstones, one ironing, one getting pieces to sew to the sewers and I organized putting the top together.  In less than two hours, here is what we had done.

After this we cut the borders and they were sewn on by the time I left but I forgot to get another photo.  The backing was also made and Michele has the whole thing.  She will be quilting it on her new Sweet Sixteen.

Just goes to show what a small group of determined women can do for a friend.

Melinda

Design Wall Monday–September 17, 2012

Thought I would show some of my slow progress on my hexie quilt.  I still have 2 more columns to add to the right plus one more flower on the upper right corner.  I haven’t been working on it but would love to get it done.

Here is the other project that I have been working on – the Sampler quilt.

Since this photo I have quilted it but will hopefully get it bound this evening.

For more design walls, go to Patchwork Times.

I am also linking up to Sarah’s Hexie Linky Party.  She apparently does this every month and since I love to look at other people’s hexies, I am in!

Melinda

Stash Report–Week 37, 2012

I finished the Sampler quilt this week but I also bought some fabric.  The out and in were almost even.

I received the monthly solids – blue/gray this month for a total of 2 yards.  I bought 2 yards of extra wide for the Sampler quilt.  Sew Stitchy yardage came in and I got 17 fat quarters plus 3 yards for a total of 7.25 yards.

Going out is 9 yards for the sampler quilt plus the 2 yards for backing.

Here are the current numbers

Used this Week:  11 yards
Used year to Date: 236 yards
Added this Week: 11.25 yards
Added Year to Date: 321,25 yards
Net Used for 2012: –84.25

For more stash reports, go to Patchwork Times.

Melinda

Beginning Machine Piecing–Class Seven

We had a wonderful time on Wednesday.  We worked on the last new blocks – flying geese.  Next time we will put the quilt tops together.

Here are a few of the quilts so far.

Here are some of the flying geese blocks from the evening group.

I can’t wait to see the results from next week.

Melinda

Sampler Savvy Quilt Top Finished

Yesterday evening I finished piecing the rest of the Sampler Savvy Quilt Top.  This is the top for the next series of classes I have scheduled.  It will start later this month.  I need to find backing and get it quickly quilted.  I have been thinking about custom quilting on it but I think I probably need to do a quick overall and be done with it.

I like how it turned out – now to write instructions for each block and figure out the order to teach them in.

Also this morning, I opened up my last package from Pink Chalk.  It included my monthly solid fabrics – blue/gray this month.

Cleaning house and doing laundry today – not fun but necessary.  I hope to make a few block between loads of laundry.

Melinda

Design Wall Monday–September 10, 2012

Today on my design wall is a quilt that I did NOT make.  It is the raffle quilt for the ECQG guild and I am going to quilt it.  I did make two blocks but can’t remember which ones.  The pattern is by Kim McLean and she graciously gave us permission to use it for our quilt.  I like our colors even better than the original.

We have a quilt show every two years (odd numbered years) and this is one of the highlights of the show.  I hope to get it on the machine later this week.  I am thinking that is needs a small tight fill in the white, and no quilting in the applique.  Of course the stars will get some quilting – still trying to decide what to do in them and what color to use.

We picked out the backing yesterday and it is another Kaffe print.  I am loving this quilt.

For more design walls, go to Patchwork Times.

Melinda

Stash Report–Week 36, 2012

I made a little progress with the stash this week.  I finished the jelly roll variation quilt using Mama Says Sew for a total of 5.5 yards.  I did add a little fabric – you probably know about my Polka Dot fetish.  I found 8 new polka dot fat quarters at the buy one, get one sale last weekend.  I also got a yard of wonderful polka dots printed on the diagonal that will make wonderful binding on a polka dot future quilt.

Here are the numbers for the week.

Used this Week:  5.5 yards
Used year to Date: 226 yards
Added this Week: 3 yards
Added Year to Date: 310 yards
Net Used for 2012: –84

For more stash reports, go to Patchwork Times.

Melinda