Finally. . .

My hubby was thirteen days before he got the one little red line instead of two. He is still coughing a bit, but back to his normal self. We have been busy with catching up.

I did tell you about three finishes. I can only put two of them here as the other is a Christmas surprise for a special person. It will be posted next week. Here are the two little ones. They were leftover panels from the large quilt already posted. The first used up most of the remaining border print of small lighthouses, plus the blue I used for sashing. The red came out of my stash of scraps.

The second used up more leftovers. Feels good. I quilted them very simply as can be seen.

The picture below these is a runner that quickly went together for our living room coffee table. It matches the blue decorations used this year. I usually alternate with red/gold, but enjoy the blue ones the most. Anyway, it used up some blue Christmas fabric scraps, so that feels good too.

Below that is a top. It goes to our guild charity division. I called the person who chairs it and she said: "Make tops. We have lots of volunteers to longarm quilt them, and you have too much to do..." I wanted to hug her on the phone. Anyway, this was four orphan blocks plus a few fabrics that matched them and only one fat quarter from my stash. It is about 50" square and was fun to make. I used strip sets to make the piano key border, just as much sewing but seems to go quicker and straighter than sewing all the "keys" individually.

While all this was happening, I decided to get serious with scrap sorting. I tried various options until realizing that I work best with color, so took the orphan blocks and patterns and sorted them according to colors that would work together to make a quilt inspired from that small piece. That is, each will be improv using what I like as a color combo. It will be easier to see when I start posting them!!

In the meantime, Christmas. Almost ready. Parcels all wrapped under the tree. Stockings getting fatter by the hour. Cookies in tins and jars. Salmon ball made (our son must have that appetizer). Roasted nuts today. Kids are making dessert but I want to make one too. Turkey is thawing. Veggies bought fresh today. Singing carols without even thinking about it. I love it that God sent His Son to be our Savior and this day coming soon is about that amazing gift -- and about being with those we love. 

It is really cold here, and really white. Yesterday way -34C when I got up with a windchill of -41C. But we have a warm house and garage, and a full pantry, and are thankful for so many blessings.

May your Christmas be filled with joy and peace.

Lighthouses finished

This one is done, just needs a label and a better photo. It was slow but enjoyable to quilt. I don't have a computerized longarm and rather than marking the motifs on each block, I marked them on Press 'n Seal, stuck that to the block, quilted the lines and then tore it off. Took about 20 minutes per block but didn't seem that long. The design was simple and easily done in one continuous line, except for the center. I had another alternate motif but didn't take a picture of it.

I had two lighthouse blocks left over so am using other leftover fabric to make table toppers. Not sure where this queen-size will go but glad to get it finished.

 

Lighthouses

Someone gifted me with 6 yards of lighthouse panels. I was going to cut them up and make table runners, but didn't like the way they looked. So I cut them up and put them back together with some sashing between the blocks. There was enough trim to go all the way around as an outer border. It is big, about 90" x 92" or more. I ran out to the nearest fabric store and found a perfect backing. It is now on the longarm, batting on top of it, and waiting for me to have enough energy to finish the sandwich. It has been a busy week and I'm tired, but also procrastinating. Not fond of doing big quilts. I could not put the top on the design wall as it had a gift quilt up there, can't show it yet as it is a surprise. Anyway, here is a hint of one of the lighthouses. There are four different ones and the top is 4 x 5 blocks. The drawing is the quilting design, sort of a mariner's compass that can be done in a continuous line, sort of. I'm hoping to do each one tracing it like a pantograph. The border fabric is about 4.5 inches and I'm not sure how I will quilt it yet, but it will be simple.

Sewing on a facing - the easy way

I have been busy... but also working on quilts. One is just started (a Hobbit quilt) and one is nearly finished. I put a facing on that one and because it is 36" x 72" came up with this idea to make the hand quilting much easier.

First, I have this comfy chair in my sewing area. It folds out to almost a bed (which is a whole other temptation). I put a lamp on the table to the right, and a pole lamp on the left.

Then there is this small folding table that is low and light, but sturdy. I use it to select fabric, spread out patterns, etc. This went in front of the chair. That plastic drawer thingy peeking out at the right is my "hand sewing" box of tools. It has several spools of thread in it, but I had to go find some white to sew this facing on the back of the quilt.

The last photo is the quilt plopped on the table. Normally, I like 'neat' 'folded' etc. but that puts creases in a quilt and I didn't want any of those in this big wall hanging. So it was loosely arranged with the side to be worked on along the edge of the table facing the chair. I have a TV, but if the television programs stink (normally they do), there is my Bose CD/radio to the left. I found some calm music and had this facing stitched securely in no time. 

Now all that is left are the sleeves (I'm putting one at the bottom to hold a strip of something to weigh it down) and the label! A finish-photo is next...

Ready to finish...

Here are the better photos, as promised. The first one shows the correct color, and the second one, with "brilliant sunlight" from the overhead light, shows the quilting. 

I plan to sew a facing to the edges and mount it on a stretcher frame.

Lighthouse

Finally, the quilting is done and it is blocked, but not trimmed. Don't ask what the white thing is... I had just enough time to snap one picture and write this short post before heading to the kitchen.

A better shot soon, I promise!

Slow progress

Yesterday I began quilting the sky in this quilt, a landscape with a lighthouse. It is sort of a scribble pattern. The example in my book is even and regular, but my mind can't seem to do repetition. I think more like jazz than chords or toe-tapping. Anyway, it is started.

It seems that my biggest procrastination is not so much picking a quilting motif as the fear that my lack of skill will mess it up. Translation: I need more practice. That seems to be impossible right now. I should have a practice sandwich on the long arm all the time. For this, I mounted the quilt a bit to the right and put a practice piece on the left to try my threads, etc. so maybe that will help.


Another project is on the wall. This one is for a competition, so I'm not going to reveal all of it, only enough to say that the photo on the right is one front leg of a horse. You can see the pattern for the other front leg to the left of it. I'm making it in a combination of foundation paper-piecing and applique. So far, this is lots of fun! The pattern is my own design, sort of. I have permission from a wonderful artist to use his paintings as design ideas for my quilts.

We had a month holiday in SC and that was a good rest. Now I'm back at full-time studies and trying to squeeze in time to quilt and other artistic endeavors. Actually, this changes concentration from one side of the brain to the other and works well as a break... beats cleaning and other housework. My reasoning? How can the house get dirty when I'm on the computer all day?!

Being away from my sewing machine for over a month has left me lean and hungry. I did manage to buy a couple yards of fabric at Mary Jo's in Gastonia, NC (a great place) and sew on a button, but that is all. Oh, that was difficult. 

I was going to take a project with me on this trip, then buy a used sewing machine to leave at my daughter's house, but after seeing all the models that Baby Lock has to offer, I knew I would not be able to buy a simple used machine, and if I bought a less-than-simple new one, leaving it behind would also be difficult. 

So instead, I developed a new pattern while my hubby was golfing and my daughter was working. Remember the nativity scene quilt? (Link) I developed and quickly sold this pattern (all that I could make by copyright permission). I'm still getting requests for it, so decided to do a new one, this time not needing copyright permissions that would limit how many I could sell. It isn't quite ready yet, but watch this space! I will have to make the quilt too, but can post a picture of the pattern when it is done. A finish is soon expected. 

For now, the lighthouse quilt (Link) is on the longarm and I am trying to decide how to quilt it, starting with the sky. I could follow the design of the clouds in the sky, or do an allover motif that looks like clouds. Opinions and suggestions are welcome.

Happy New Year!

Top is nearly finished...

This top is a large wall hanging, about 48 x 72, and for a nameless relative who I hope is not reading my blog! Anyway, the basics are done. It still needs a fence at the bottom of the lighthouse and a few other details, like bushes, maybe a few critters in the rocks. I'll put lots of grass and details in with thread as well.

 

The cherry tree on the right is now ready to be framed. I'll post a photo when that part is done and before my GD gets it. 

FLOOD Report: My sister got into her home to view the damage a week ago last Monday. She said it was "a mess" and was glad that the water wasn't too deep. Wednesday, she was allowed back in to clean up. (The reasons for this are long - like sink holes under the water, some open sewers, electricity still on in places, etc. with officials trying to keep people safe.) She lost her furnace, hot water tank, a pool table, two freezers, her frig (spoiled food) and some of her original art, plus many prints. Garage also had a foot of mud on the floor. A crew came in and by Friday (3 days later) it was "clean and sanitized" with power and water but no gas. She figures it will be months to repair/replace everything. Some folks have no family/friends to help, but there has been a huge outpouring of support. People are driving miles to go there and deliver supplies and food. A nearby Hutterite colony has fed hundreds of evacuees 3 meals a day for several weeks. Janet says there are so many God-things happening that she often weeps for joy... even in the overwhelming amount of need.

Slow Going

My last post said "each day" but that was far too ambitious. Since then, a heavy course load has kept me at the computer instead of the sewing machine. Here is what it looks like now:

That dark piece is a camera trick - it will also lighten up when I quilt it as there will be some vegetation there. This one keeps calling me, but then there are those deadlines...

Lighthouse Progress

The lighthouse is progressing. I put the details on the very top, but need to add some windows. The quilting will add more detail. Each day, the bottom part gets another layer of rocks, grass, etc. Again, the quilting will add more definition. This one is great fun. It is 48" wide and about 72" high. (Just noticed the puckering in the sky... about a five-minute fix, sigh.)

Also, I've got 11-12 patterns now for a "Hobbit" quilt. It is foundation paper-pieced in 7" squares, but I've decided to do those with tiny pieces in 11" blocks. That size will work with the smaller ones if I use 1" sashing. This will be fun and I've a boy in the family that says he will "sleep under it for the rest of his life." The patterns are available through Regina Grewe.
 

Cherry Tree Progress and Lighthouse Start

It is raining here today and we are glad. Our part of the world has been dry and dusty, with wildfires threatening several towns. 

Kali's Cherry Tree: So far the tree is nearly quilted. This was taken with overhead lights so is not as 'pink' as the picture on the right. It is densely stitched with a curly, loopy ribbon design. My hubby says it looks even more "like a bird could fly through it" which makes me happy! Next to quilt will be the grass and sky. This one has been my favorite for a long time, but when it is finished, it will be framed and given to our darling granddaughter. She is a very mature 20 year old who plans to treat it as a heirloom. That helps me to let it go!
 

Close-up of quilting on Japanese Cherry Tree

No name yet: This lighthouse is a new project (and I hope my DIL is not peeking). She knows it is started but does not know the subject matter, etc. The area below the 'floating" lighthouse will be rocks, grass and a cliff, so there is much piecing left to do. I also will be stitching lines for glass and railing etc. at the top of the lighthouse and putting at least one window in it. 

The sky is in strips using several "sky" fabrics, as is the water. I'm really happy with both so hope I can find just the right fabric for rocks and rugged-looking bottom part. The rocks are more like exposed layers of mountain and will come up over some of this water, especially near the lighthouse. They will extend to the bottom of the paper pattern it is pinned to. It is 48" x 72" and will go high on a living room wall stairway, very open to view from the loving room and the loft above it. 

Beginning of lighthouse quilt

Happy quilting...

A small Lighthouse

 

This little project was done way back last April, but I finally got it in a mat and frame, with a label, so now consider it finished. It started out as a patch for Julie's lab coat, but when I found out it was too big, I was kind of glad that I got to keep it. (Sorry, Julie... I know you liked the bird instead...)

Actually, it isn't quilted, but tacked down and sewn to a bit of background. I would love to make more of these landscapes. It is like a postcard only larger,  6 1/4" by 11 3/4" and took about 30 minutes of madly diving into my stash for just the right bits and then madly cutting them up.