Projects, projects and more projects

If you follow my blog, you know I can't just work on one thing at a time. I get bored easily.

So as I'm working on my version of a 1918 quilt, I'm also working through this box of vintage blocks and scraps.

These vintage friendship blocks are a mess...shredded and frayed. I took each apart, pressed them and remade them. They were a variety of sizes so I cut them to be finished at 4-1/2". I had 20 blocks...4 turned out to be so bad that I had to make them into 3" blocks. The 16 others were stitched to form a quilt center.

I kept the original fabrics as much as possible.
I haven't decided on what to do next with this center but most likely I'll form a pieced star around it.

The box also had a few blocks that were attached...the start of a quilt. But there wasn't any more purple or yellow so I took the blocks apart. I'll decide later how to use them.

And then there's these hexagons cut out of 30's fabrics. They're SO pretty. Some past quilter drew on fabric and cut these out. She started making hexagon flowers then never finished. So I'm taking her cutouts and her scraps, and I'm making more flowers. These will be appliqued to solid fabric along with hers. That's as far ahead as I've planned. I'm just having fun finishing up her projects.

So speaking of finishing up, I completed my top today.

It's dreary and rainy out so the color doesn't show well, but the top is done. I'll pin baste it over the weekend. 

I gave it a good press and starch this afternoon. 

 I really love the colors in it. It looks exactly as I hoped it would.

Vintage style quilt will soon be a top

The blocks, cornerstones and sashing are cut and complete. Now it's time to sew everything together and finish this top.
I think a few hours sewing tomorrow should do it.
I'm working on three quilts right now. This one above, a star quilt and a hexagon quilt. I'll post a bit about the others tomorrow evening.

My next project

 I started this quilt about a year and a half ago so it's a newer UFO. This is my version of a quilt I found in an older magazine of mine (no pattern available, circa early 1900s). Using EQ7, I came up with a block that worked...15" sq. The block is made up of HSTs, 9 patches and rail fence pieces. (113 pieces per block!)

These are some of the nine patches. Im using scraps so if I run short, another fabric is substituted in ...that will give it the vintage feel I'm looking for.

 Finished up this block...one more to go then sashing and cornerstones.

Would you like to make this block?

I put a tutorial together on a past blog post:

vintage block tutorial

My quilt will be smaller since I'm doing 12 blocks and the original has 20. A 3"x15" sashing will surround each block, even on the outside edges. The cornerstones are 3" finished 9 patches. When it's done it'll be approximately 57" x 75"....nice as a throw or large lap...unless I change my mind and add another border. 

I just love it! 

Update 4/25/20: I've just found out this block is called Queen's Crown. It's always nice to be able to put a name to one.

Hand sewing HEXIE flowers

 When I'm on vacation, I love to do a little hand sewing...especially EPP (English paper piecing).
This "stay at home" period isn't exactly vacation but I thought if I looked at it that way, it might improve my spirits.

So I asked daughter Jenn what color hexies she still needed for her quilt. She wanted tans, neutrals, browns and olives.

Well, I can do that. A few of these were already cut out so I stitched those up first.

Then I dug through my "drabs".

I didn't find many...I seem to collect brighter, cleaner colors.

But there were some shirtings...

And homespuns.

I stitched up 10 flowers for her and about 1/2 were darker or drab.

Then I decided to bake. Instead of buying bread, I'm baking loaves once a week. This week I did one sandwich loaf and one cinnamon raisin 😋

I love this recipe that I found online. It needs kneading for 7 minutes so I let my kitchenaid mixer handle that. So easy!

Here's the link:

homemade bread

STAY HOME & STAY SAFE everyone😷

Blue and White Quilt Top

Check off another quilt top! 

Im finally done with this blue and white quilt top after...oh...maybe 10 years? It's going onto a hanger with the rest of my unquilted tops, mainly because I haven't decided how to quilt it (hand, domestic or longarmer) and I haven't found the batting or backing. It's not a rush...I have PLENTY more UFOs to work on. 

This one started YEARS ago as a class sample. I was teaching from a book with lots of jelly roll quilts. I had a finished sampler quilt to show the class but I started this solid one to explain cutting and piecing. The center star and some of the surrounding stars were taught in the class along with the 12" corner blocks in the next round. They were never put together...just stuffed in a box for 10 years. I'm just thrilled to have finally finished this much of it. It's 80"square. 

I love two color quilts and am so happy to have one. They feel vintage to me. I suppose that means I should hand quilt it. Yup...maybe.

Making birthday dinosaurs

It's really hard to find a good present and have a fun party for a two year old right now. 

Charlie's birthday was a few days ago. He loves trucks, diggers, dinosaurs and balls.

I dug up this pattern that I've had since the 80's (buried in a box in the basement) and made two...one for the birthday boy and one for brother Henry. It took about 8 hours to make these two...not hard, just time consuming. 

I think Henry loved this more than Charlie. 

Since we're all in lockdown, I couldn't really be there to play with the boys or have cake with the family but seeing the pictures from Jenn just made my day.

The local fire department drove by with all the trucks...horns blaring...sirens going, then stopped in front of Jenn's house and sang Happy Birthday to Charlie. 

Very special day!

Boy, how things have changed..

I haven't posted in a while...I just can believe how the world has changed in a bit over a month. We left Florida on schedule and got back home in time to stock up on groceries and necessities.

First it was the social distancing, then the "stay home order". Part of our family is in southeast Michigan where the virus is the worst. I think they're staying home and staying safe. Up here in the Traverse City area, it's not bad yet...maybe 9 or so cases.

When I finally sat down to sew, I started working on finishing up my Kaffe Bear Paw quilt. This was one of many UFOs I would be working on to finish up BEFORE starting anything new.

So I added a plain border, basted and quilted this quilt then attached the binding.

First UFO of 2020 ✔. I posted a picture on Instagram because I'm following and playing along with @2020finishalong 

This really pushes me to get projects done.

Next up is my #blueandwhitequilt 

It's a two color solid one that was started YEARS ago when I lived in Charlevoix. 

I am currently working on the final border...lots of white with a sawtooth edge and stars in the four corners. This is being designed as I go...just seeing what I think it needs. It'll be about 80" square when done...seems like a good size.

After making 188 half square triangles, I stopped working on this quilt to help out the local hospital. They are requesting face masks that can hold the N95 mask inside. I made a dozen then started sewing masks for family and friends. A call has been put out for these same masks to be made for first responders also. That's what I will be doing today. Not my favorite type of sewing but it's got to get done. Until the government can get more masks, we need these covers to be able to reuse what we have. I'm using a sheeting fabric for the inner because it's a higher thread count. 

The nurses in our area made a specific pattern request. We are making masks according to the ones recommended on this site: 

  MASK PATTERN

So that's it for now...STAY SAFE AND HEALTHY...STAY HOME!

Orange peel blocks

The orange peels blocks are coming along. I made a cardboard template, cut a bunch of ovals and started to applique them onto the white background. 

They're really quick blocks. I'll have quite a pile when I get back home. 

Al and I took a ride to Dunedin this afternoon. They have one of my favorite quilt shops there and it's going to be closing. Everything is 40% off. I REALLY don't need much fabric but it's fun to look.

I did buy this cute stripe. It's perfect for binding on a future quilt. There's a growing stack of quilt tops at home that need quilting and binding. I have plenty of backing pieces but am short of bindings.

Now it's back to relaxing. The weather today is perfect.🌴

Red and white vacation project

What do you do when you've forgotten your hand sewing project at home? I had to make a quick fabric run. Bought a few yards each of Kona dark red and Kona white. Also bought a new pair of scissors since I don't have a rotary cutter or mat down here.

This will be a two color, vintage style, orange peel quilt. I'm cutting oversized background blocks of red and white. I cut a cardboard template to use for the appliqued peels.

When I get 64 done and I'm back in Michigan, I'll trim the blocks to 6-1/2" square. I'll add a 2" border around each for a 10" block. 64 blocks will give me an 80x80 quilt.

Headed south to relax

As much as I love these two sweeties, it's time to head south and warm my bones!

I put away my blue and white quilt until i get back. 

I'll just be doing a little handsewing and lots of shopping. The antique shops have loads of inspiration. It's this vintage quilt pretty?

So we're heading to Florida...sun, sand and warmth!

 We really need to kick back and relax....Especially Al. He's been working hard to finish all the little details on the house...bookshelves, toe kicks, handrails, shelving...all the little stuff that was put off so that we could get in by Christmas. Most is done so time to relax until spring when we start finishing the lower level. 

Blue and white star quilt

I had a little sewing time this afternoon and was able to add 3 blocks to my #blueandwhitequilt

I changed the design just a bit. The outermost border was plain. I decided to add a bunch half square trianges (hst) and a few more of the stars going around the center. I really HOPE I have enough fabric to do all of this. It's going to be close.

 So besides sewing this weekend, we met a new family member. It's amazing what can be discovered through #Ancestry.

And now I'm relaxing a little before the big game comes on....I'm also admiring Al's handiwork 😉 He's such a talented carpenter.