Tag Archives: quilt

Beads & Quilting

These days, I've been working on a top-secret project for an unnamed magazine.
See the sneak preview below...


The photo shows several different types of beads and how they look on the project's yarn.  Any thoughts?

And, in the quilting world, I've been prepping!


All my quilting blocks from last year's Craftsy Block of the Month Sampler needed some sashing in order to free-motion quilt them.  So, I'm taking that first step and adding 2.5" strips around all the blocks.  I can't wait to start FMQ'ing!  I may start before I finish sashing them all.  I don't think I have that much patience to wait!

And, news on the Knitmaster knitting machine,  I've opened it up to inspect its condition, and there's a lot of dust and cat hair, but as you saw, the machine can still knit.  Plus, the needle retaining bar (aka sponge bar) needs replacing, and once that's done it will be a lot smoother.  So, that's what I'm up to this weekend!  Hope you are all doing well yourselves.  Anyone doing any fun projects this weekend?  I am sorta missing sewing clothing.  Perhaps once the quilt and the deadline projects are done, I'll work on some trousers.

Farmer’s Wife blocks

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It’s been awhile since I found time to work on some Farmer’s Wife blocks. The quilt shop where I was taking classes closed. Now that I don’t cart it back and forth, I have put my templates into some containers that are easier to browse through. As I finish each block, I check the size against my 6 1/2″ square ruler to see if it passes muster. Yesterday I sewed the four remaining blocks for which I had pieces cut. Even the scary one turned out fairly well!

Baby Quilt for Emily

Hello Constant Reader,

This project is actually still a WIP.  The main quilting is done, but we (baby mama, her sister-in-law, and I) plan on filling in the open spaces with some hand-quilting, embroidery, and embellishing.  I just wanted to share with you my latest nearly finished project because it's my first totally improvised quilt!



I used Bella Solids pre-cut 5" squares and a charm pack that was a gift to me.  If anyone can identify it, that would be great.  I couldn't find the specific collection.  The backing is an all-over floral print from Free Spirit, a collection called Summersault, and the fabric is "pinwheels" in apricot.

Although the half-square triangles that make up the big diamond motif were slightly larger than the 4x4 squares, I made it work.  And, I'm pretty happy with the way it turned out!



I'm hoping my friend's baby likes it as much as I do!

Slippery fish, slippery fish, sliding through the water

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I’ve had blocks done for this larger version of Up a Lazy River for ages. I’ve finally found time to get on with this quilt! I even had most of the setting triangles cut and just needed to add 2 or 3 more to finish the quilt top.

the kind of a biscuit that’s supposed to bounce back off the wall into your mouth

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Ricochet is finished and I’m really happy with the result. Clearly I need to stock up on this fun stripe fabric for future baby quilts!

Yay! Finished Brown Quilt

This is my first large scale quilt.  Ever!  I finished it.  Not just finished the top, mind you, the whole thing is quilted and even washed.  I'm over the moon as you can tell, and I learned heaps of things throughout this project.

Here it is!

Firstly, the biggest thing I learned is about basting the quilt-sandwich... If you're going to do one method, make sure you see it through in its entirety.  I kind of pick and chose, and ended up with some major snafus in the center of my quilt.  Here's my mistake... I was doing the Ann Peterson method from "quilting a large quilt on a small machine" from Craftsy where she sews around the outside of the border first and then stitches in the ditches afterward.  BUT she uses adhesive spray for added support when basting.  I chose pins... and not very many of them.  By the time I had realized my mistake, I was in too deep to seam rip.  I couldn't bear to do it.  So, I forged on ahead and only ripped the absolutely necessary areas.

So, lesson learned... Next time, I will quilt medallion-style so I can evenly space out my pins and not have any crazy shifting of my fabric.


I used pre-cuts for the front and donated backing fabric.  A very kind lady sent me the backing fabric when I purchased thread from her.  I couldn't believe how perfectly it went with the brown. Thank you, kind lady!!


I used the backing fabric as the final binding and found zig-zagging to be a very nice way of getting a really flat look to the binding.  I really like it after washing, too!  Despite the ridiculous amount of shifting and scrunching at the center, I consider it a success.  I have a blanket, and we needed one... it's still quite cold in these parts.

What are you all working on?

Finito

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The Jacob’s Ladder quilt is done and dusted. I’m really pleased with the border and Riley obviously approves. I need to find a box for it and send it on it’s happy way. I hope it brings some small comfort to the intended recipient.

All squared up

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With a little expert help from Riley, I was able to finish my Jacob’s Ladder squares and create a layout for my quilt top. Winnie observed the layout from her perch in the warm sun.  She was so blissed out she let me get a rare closeup.

WIPS: quilt, sew, knit…

Just to fill you in on projects from earlier this year.  My 2012 resolutions still stand for the most part, and my biggest gap is that I may not be able to finish this quilt in time!

Here's my progress so far...



I'm so close, right?  Since I took this photo, I've already stitched in the ditch 60%, but the free-motion quilting remains to be done as does the binding.  I'll keep you posted!

In knitting, I've finished the final worsted weight project in a line for boys' knitted garments... a cute 2-color shawl collar pullover.  It's still blocking and drying.


I'm also halfway through the body of a knitted vest design I'm working on... but more pressing deadlines have taken over since the vest will be a self-published project.


And in the sewing world, I started to lay out the couture dress from Susan Khalje's Craftsy course, but am thinking the full skirt is too full.  So, I embarked upon self-drafting my very own half-circle skirt!  Why not?



Jacob’s Ladder and no-mark HSTs

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The Jacob’s Ladder squares are coming along slowly but surely. I’ve decided I quite like the no-mark method of making half square triangles. I’ve tried it with a strip of paper or with a strip of template plastic and either way works fine.