Saturday, March 14, 2015

"Quilt as desired"

Do you dread those words as I do?
My mini version of Lisa Bongean's Burgoyne Surrounded is a flimsy. It has been on a design board in my sewing room for a couple of days.
 I find myself sitting in a chair across the sewing room from it--just staring, trying to decide how it should be quilted. This is small; the blocks finish at 3 3/4".


It is a miniaturization of Lisa Bongean's version of Burgoyne Surrounded from the APQ designer SAL last year. Her quilt swept me off my feet. It is shown in the lower corner of the photo to the left, and you can see the post about it here.

I used a pattern from issue #11 of the OOP Miniature Quilts Magazine, but followed Lisa's colorway, as the pattern is for a 2 color quilt.
If you are not already lucky enough to have the magazine, but want to get the pattern, you can usually find most of the issues on ebay.









My little Leprechaun Lamb quilt just needs the binding hand sewn. I've been toying with names and right now "Leaping Lulu" is the frontrunner (with apologies to the local Celtic band of the same name).
It will be hanging on the wall before St. Patrick's Day, which is a vast improvement over the Winter and Valentine's Day lambs.  Pattern (by Lisa Bongean) from which this is adapted can be found here.
The other 3 unfinished lamb quilts have all of the machine quilting completed and just need the big stitching around the wool applique before binding.

A couple of other minis have been getting some love. "No Big Diehl" (my miniaturization of Kim Diehl's "All in a Row" design), just needs stitch in the ditch around the outside of each churn dash. The rest of the quilting is finished. Can't wait to get this one bound.
 These blocks finish at 1 3/4"





This little quiltlet is made from the leftovers of "No Big Diehl". It needs a name, but I am drawing a blank. Any ideas? This little baby measures 5 3/4" x 6 3/4".  The blocks finish at 1/2". That is a pint jar behind it, for some perspective.
 It is all quilted, but the binding needs to be hand stitched down.




















Just wanted to share this handsome guy that was in the pasture beside our house. I took the photo from our second story kitchen window with the camera I got for Christmas. It has a great zoom!
That is all I have to show for the past two weeks. Hope you have had more sewing time than I.
Until next time,
Janet O.

Sunday, March 1, 2015

I guess it was wishful thinking on my part

that I could actually get my chosen UFO at least to flimsy stage by the end of the month. Didn't happen. This is where things stand with my miniature Burgoyne Surrounded (based on a large quilt by Lisa Bongean, shown HERE).
 Ten out of twelve 4 1/4" blocks are completed (and it looks like they could all use a shave--haven't trimmed them yet). The cornerstones will be more little 3/4" 9-patches.

 The last two blocks are waiting the completion of the tiny 9-patch blocks before they can be sewn together.

So this is the only finish I had for February--the Buttermilk Basin heart pillow from retreat last month. (The quilts on the rack are all my Mom's handiwork.)
At Miss Stacy's recommendation, I stuffed it with the Morning Glory Brand Premium Polyester Fiberfill. It makes for a firmer pillow.

I wish I could show you more, but I haven't done anything else. That's all, folks! : )

Until next time,
Janet O.