Clover All Over

The first quilt I started during the shelter in place was a quilt-along with Sewhooked making Clover All Over. This was a free pattern from Jennifer Ofenstein and her Sewhooked blog. I had been thinking of making it, and had a couple of jelly rolls to get me going. Still needs to be quilted, but it is huge! I started the top March 19th, and finished the top April 6th.

Patchwork Barn, Mug Rugs and other things

First up, I have been working diligently, at least recently, on my Patchwork Barn BOM. This month was the center Barn block with applique. After stitching the barn block I had to decide if I wanted to use the fusible shapes that came in the kit, or do turned edge applique. I opted to use the fusible shapes, with a blanket stitch in sort of matching colors. I set my Bernina 630 up with a #720 stitch, reversed, 2.4 length and 2.2 width, and then used a small straight stitch to secure the beginning and ending section of stitching. I found that if I moved the needle over two clicks to the right it lined up nicely with the edge of the applique shape.

After stitching the center block I went ahead and stitched the parts together, so now I just have to wait until October for the next applique border.

In my last post I showed the first set of mug rugs. Well, I got carried away making them, and made three more sets. The pattern came from Shabby Fabrics, as did the kits for the sunflowers and cone flowers. I used my own wool for the shamrocks. I am looking forward to the October set, don't know what it is yet, but I am sure it will have pumpkins!

My Favorite things "redwork" BOM is a tea kettle this month. It is so cute, I want to make a tea cup / tea pot quilt. That has actually been on my "wanna-do" list for a while. Maybe next year?
Also done in the last couple of weeks, several dishcloths, no picture, and I gave two of them away.
I almost forgot about the mini-socks! These are for an advent calendar a friend is making. I made three, these are the first two.

Wooly update

This last week has been working with wool, both wool applique and knitting.
First up, I stitched the fifth Moon Garden block, from Primitive Gatherings, a BOM. So I am all caught up. No new stitches for me with this one. I love the fly stitch down the center of each petal, at least to look at, my hand got sore pulling the needle through, although the Colonial knots through several layers of wool was harder yet.

To take a hand break, I worked on the first of Shabby Fabrics Wooly Mug Rugs, a new one is available each month, to make for the following month. I just found them, so made the January block to use next February. I did learn a new stitch with this project, the little scalloped edging around the heart, AKA the scroll stitch.

Then, knitting, I am still working on the Feather Chic sweater, started the front, although the back is not done yet. I wanted something I could stick in my purse when I went to Santa Cruz Shakespeare. It was a lovely long weekend spent down there, and we took in three plays, Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet", "Loves Labours Lost", and David Ives' "Venus in Fur". A gem of a company almost in our back yard. While it is only about 30 miles away, we opted to spend the weekend there. Along with theatre, we discovered Kelly's French Bakery, the Santa Cruz Mountain Vineyard tasting room, and rediscovered Lundberg Glass studio. All in all, a lovely weekend.

Sitka Quilt top and other things

A long time ago, the June before our 25th wedding anniversary, and we just celebrated 36 years of wedded bliss, Paul and I went on a cruise to Alaska. I went to as many quilt shops as I could find, and in beautiful Sitka I found this quilt kit. It languished, as so many of my kits do. I got it cut out a few years back, and it continued to languish. Recently I started using it as leader/enders for other projects. It finally got to the point where I said, let's just finish it! So, I got it to the top stage yesterday, finishing just after midnight. The kit even came with backing and binding! So the next step is basting it. That might take a while to get around to.

Also last week I got the August blocks finished for Patchwork Barn. With the picture I can start assembling some of the columns, it is a strippy quilt.

The Quilt Pattern Magazine recently started a new Block of the Month-My Favorite Things. It is essentially a small-ish Redwork quilt, but I am doing mine in blue. I thought about using just white Kona as the background, but didn't like it after I started it. Then I thought grey! I noticed a wonderful piece of grey background, so I am using it. I am not sure what I got it for originally, but this won't take too much of it. The first two blocks are done now, waiting for the next installment in September.

And I finished Ulysses by James Joyce! We still have a few more meetings of the discussion group, so I will review the chapters for that, but actually, I think the earlier chapters make more sense once you have read the later ones.
The Feather Chic sweater is coming along, the back is about 2/3 done now. I am trying not to cast on anything else until this is done. Although I really want some socks on needles. But I have been resisting the temptation, so far.

Tuesday update - 14 August 2018

The big news this week is that I finished my "Goblin King: a Labyrinth quilt"!

This was a quilt along with Fandom in Stitches 2017. I wanted the black fabric to look like a stone wall, and the walkway to be pebbled. Thanks to Lori Kennedy's tutorials (The Inbox Jaunt), I think I succeeded.

I am still working away on the Moon Garden BOM, and got month four done over the last couple of weeks:

This is a Primitive Gatherings/Lisa Bongean BOM. I just got month 5 in the mail, but won't start it until I get caught up (again) with the Patchwork Barn BOM. Cutting out the rest of August's blocks now.
Then I have been knitting. I finally finished the scarf I have been working on for months, off and on, mostly off. This was the leftover yarn from my Old Shale Shawl I made last year, using a Caron Big Cake (Blue Macaron).

And I finished a pair of simple socks. These were knit on size 00 needles, using a skein of Opal's Harry Potter yarn (Harry and Ron colorway) from a long time ago. It was released along with the Goblet of Fire movie. I still have several skeins to go.

I have been trying to make my way through James Joyce's "Ulysses", hence all the handwork, my book club meets this Thursday, one long chapter to be discussed, so more knitting in my future. I read about the chapter, then listen to the chapter, sometimes following along in the book, sometimes doing handwork. It has been on my bucket list, but I will be so glad when I am done! Currently knitting on my Feather Chic sweater (cast on this week).

Tuesday wrap-up, just plugging away 7/31/2018

Not much finished this week, although I did do a lot of quilting on my Labyrinth quilt. The final border is being quilted now, so hopefully next week you can see the finished quilt. Meanwhile, here is a bit of the quilting detail:

This was a quilt-along from Fandom in Stitches in 2017. They are currently running a UFO finishing QAL, so this is my UFO. The brick quilting was inspired by a tutorial from Lori Kennedy's The Inbox Jaunt blog.

I did finish a couple of quick pillows, panels were pre-embroidered, and man did that fabric ravel! They are two sided, each with a hummingbird on one side and a dragonfly on the other. The plan is to put them in the new guest room, with the quilt in back of them on the bed.

Went to see "In the Heights" at City Lights on Sunday, so good!

A Bit of This and That - Tuesday 7/24/2018

My husband and I had an eventful day 36 years and a week ago, we got married. Last Tuesday we celebrated our anniversary. And then on Saturday we attended the wedding of a dear friend. My son and younger daughter both came home for the wedding, so that was nice. And the older daughter and her husband came to dinner so we could all visit. A lovely weekend. The picture is me and mine, 36 years ago, photo by my Dad.

This week I was trying to make a dress to wear to the wedding, but it was not to be, here is the mock-up, so far.

With only three unique blocks to go for Patchwork Barn, it was fairly easy to figure out next month's assignment. I used these blocks as leader/enders when working on the dress.

And finally, got started on the Moon Garden BOM, this is month 4, so far. I am listening to Ulysses while stitching. I will finish the block before finishing Ulysses, so I better prep another handwork block after this one is done!

I also read Hadrian's Wall, which made me want to go visit it! Another thing to add to the Great Britain tour.

Up to date on Patchwork Barn BOM

I can stop stressing about being behind on the Quilt Show BOM - Patchwork Barn, all caught up as of today!
June blocks were pretty straight forward, except for keeping those stripes aligned correctly!

The rail fence as one of the July blocks was perfect for using as a leader/ender for the other blocks. I used a wide variety of fabrics for those. I have decided I am not a fan of directional background fabric! I changed out the one used for block 19 (middle row) so I wouldn't waste fabric.

In addition to working on quilt blocks, I went to a Stitch n'Bitch for Ren Faire garb. Making doublets (and making your own pattern from a book, at least) and modifying some existing gowns and kirtles was the order of the day. I mostly just helped here and there. I also worked on making me a working woman's skirt, hopefully can show that next week!

Tuesday Round-up - 10 July 2018

I have been working away on Patchwork Barn - below are the month 4 blocks where I just used the suggested fabric to speed things along.

For month 5 I did a bit more individual blocks, some stash and some from the Patchwork Barn fabrics, did one as suggested, then modified the others. I have month 6 cut out, and working on cutting out month 7.

Since I have been working on Moon Garden, I have been in the mood for wool applique. Once month 3 was done I pulled out a kit (Twisted Thistles) I got from Granny's Legacy at some show (I think Stitches West), and got this done in about 10 days. It is only about 12" in diameter, but those star stitches around the border took a while!. I have two more kits, both poppies, that I will work on as desired. Currently they are being prepped.

Then I finally finished my Star Spangled Quilt! This top has been hanging around for years. I used stash fabric and enlarged a Judy Martin block to create this wall hanging. Free motion quilting, no marking, and a machine binding got it done in a day.

2018 Block of the Months

2018 is half over, and I have started several Block of the Months. Once again I am taking part in the Granary's BOM, this time Vintage Sampler by Barbara J. Eikmeier. I worked ahead and replaced the Feathered Star Block with a Carpenter's Wheel, and finished up the top last month.

Also on my to-do list is Lisa Bongean's Moon Garden BOM, this one in wools. We have received 3 months, so far, and I am caught up.

Then there is Patchwork Barn, an Edyta Sitar design, put out by The Quilt Show. I am behind on this one. I kept up through months 1 - 3, and just restarted working on it a few days ago. I have month 4 done, and am working on month 5, so two more months and I am caught up. I got the kit, but am supplementing with my stash. Except for month 4, the blocks are different (you make three of each block pattern). Hopefully with Vintage Sampler done, I can keep up with these two, and get a few more things done as well!

2017 BOM completed

Once again I did the BOM at the Granary, this time BOW Diddley, which I modified a bit (setting) and got done just after Christmas. It is a large quilt, almost 100" square, and took a while to quilt on my Bernina 765. I found some inspiring quilt motifs at The Inbox Jaunt.

Farm Girl Vintage

Last year I took a BOM class at the Granary in Sunnyvale. We really worked on more than one block a month, making Farm Girl Vintage by Lori Holt. I finished up the quilt last December.

Quilted in an allover design on my DMS.

Last year was travel, this year, not so much

In 2016, I traveled through 12 states in my 2008 MDX. I don't drive much while at home, but on the road I put on over 20,000 miles, driving most of it myself. After Empty Spools, I traveled around the Bay Area doing the Shop Hop by the Bay, picking up Row by Row Experience Home Sweet Home packets (mostly kits, some patterns), then a bit of an extended local collection trip (or two). Then my husband and I traveled to Salt Lake City for the ABANA conference. While he was busy with that, I went on my own shop hop, and visited a friend up in Logan, Utah, collecting more rows as I went. Then in August, my sister and I traveled the western states, going through California, Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, and Nevada, before returning home to California. I went to a John Flynn retreat while there.

We worked on three projects. I have finished one of them (the Arabic lattice in red and black).

I collected Home Sweet Home rows as we went, now have to finish some of them. I figure I will get several quilts from the 100 or so rows I collected. I collected themes, including one which will have one from each state I visited on my travels. More on those later.

Then in October/November I went to Houston Texas, driving all by myself. I visited friends along the way, and saw more of the western US, but I did not collect too many more rows. this was another loop,
to see different things coming and going.

This year I am trying to finish things, we will see how that goes. So far, I have finished five quilty things:

The Arabic Lattice (above)

Charlotte Angotti's Let me Surprise You class from 2010

a small wool pin holder from a Lumenaris kit

My Celtic Solstice inspired Autumnal Equinox

And my Candy Cauldron!

Candy Cauldron

I picked up this Pearl Pereira design (P3Designs) several years ago instead of her Halloween Baltimore pattern. This is pretty much the center of that pattern, only embroidered instead of appliqued. I started it and life happened and I put it down. I rediscovered it last November or December, got the embroidery done and then added borders at the end of March. Yesterday I got it marked for hand quilting, and today I got it basted. Now to find my small hoop and quilt it! I'd really like to get it done by Halloween, this year.

Farm Girl Vintage - April blocks

Got my Farm Girl Vintage blocks done for April, enjoying using the Lynette Anderson fabrics! I am not a fan of draw a line on the diagonal for corner HSTs, especially for some of these bits there is a lot of waste. I am putting all of my scraps into a tin and looking there for small things first. I actually got to use some for the centers bits of Apron Strings, top left block.

LUS assembly progress

A sneak peak of my progress so far with my Loyal Union Sampler assembly.

Assembling is slow going, especially when I can't find a block. Last night I had to take the ripper to some bordering, and now I can't find it! Column 6 is underway. Of course I didn't get enough white to do this layout, so now I am on the hunt to match the original fabric. Kona cotton should not be that hard to find, will bring a piece to the fabric store instead of guessing.