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Saturday, July 14, 2012

99 and Counting (see the end of the post)

If these blocks look familiar it is because I made them last summer for a table runner and asked for opinions on a straight set or "on point". On point was favored and I proceeded to assemble it. Didn't get it past the flimsy stage and it has been kicking around my sewing room for a year now. I was planning to have it quilted for this summer, but every time I thought about tackling it, I couldn't do it. As much as I prefer these blocks "on point", I just didn't care for all the red in the setting triangles (you can see it here). I thought about piecing new setting triangles, but finally I just unpicked it and did a straight set. Maybe I will have it quilted for next summer. If it ever does get quilted I will be binding it in red.
During a recent family camping trip I took some hand quilting. The little sampler finishes at 7" and you may recall that it used up the bits and pieces leftover from the mini quilt I made from Kathie Holland's triangle trimmings of her 9-patch blocks on point. Did you follow that?
I had one basket block leftover when I made my little basket quilt (bottom of the linked post) inspired by this free pattern from APQ, using leftover fabrics from a quilt my mother made last year. It has been about 4 years since I did any hand quilting and it was a refreshing change.

I finally got around to my version of the "Ramblin' Rose Meets Jamestown" BOM. I hadn't made a block since March. I got the next four cut and three of them are sewn up, but I am struggling with the fourth one. I will say that paper templates are not my favorite method for constructing blocks. I often measure the template and then cut it out using rotary cutter and rulers instead. If I can't get the seventh block to work I may have to design my own. The three blocks on top are the newest ones.
Since I am not using the true "Ramblin' Rose" fabrics (just some rose fabrics I have picked up over the years), I have chosen to call this "Random Roses in Jamestown".

As I did my usual pawing through the remnants at the LQS recently I found a 3/4 yard piece of "Just Train Crazy" fabric. It caught my eye because my youngest grandson is crazy about trains. I picked up a matching black (I think blacks are hardest to match) and at home I found the blue and green in my stash. This is the favorite donation quilt pattern of Mary at Maryquilts.com. I have made one before and I think it works up fast and cute. You can get the instructions here. The strips are just clinging to my design wall--I haven't started stitching them together yet. I'm thinking this will be a great quilt to use with Leah Day's train tracks quilting design. I got enough black for the binding, too.
Earlier this week I received an unexpected squishy in the mail from Ruth. I had just sent her some extra pins I had and she gifted me with these fun items. There is a cute little portable tissue pack cover and a cheery trivet made from yo-yo covered bottle caps. How clever is that? And look at the cute little quilty card. Thanks, Ruth. I didn't expect a trade, but it was fun!
Oh, here I am with another long post. It has been two weeks and there is so much to squeeze in. I've had questions from several people about how I finished my little tumbler flag,
 so I made a tutorial. You will find the tab for it at the top of the page under my header. There are many ways you could do it, I'm just sharing what worked for me.

Finally, this is my 99th post, and although that is small compared to many of you, I think a little celebration for my kind followers will be in order when I hit the 100 mark. Stay tuned.

30 comments:

  1. I love, love, love the flag wallhanging... well done! Congrats on 100 (almost) posts, that's an accomplishment to be celebrated!

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  2. Good morning Janet!! Long post, but oh so love all your work!! I LOVE, LOVE, those stars!! (okay, so maybe I do go a little overboard) Straight setting looks great! bound in red will be just the right amount of red!!! The trains are adorable!! What a cute fun setting! I'm sure grandson will love it!! Your little hand quilting projects are so cute!! Well done!! And the
    Random Roses - ooo la la!! So pretty! Ruth is so sweet, what a fun trade! I still have not made anything with the tumbler - maybe something in the future! Have you ever seen a tumbler "star" LOL!!!!

    Have a great day!!

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  3. 100 posts is nothing to sneeze at -- especially since you've just been blogging for little more than a year! It took me five years to get to post 100! LOL! (I got a little more prolific after that.) I didn't know you were a camper! What fun! Are you participating in the Crafters' Campfire on the 21st??! All your sweet little pieces are beautiful. You really do lovely work. Thanks for including the tutorial on the flag piece! I really love that!! :)

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  4. That flag is wonderful and you are sweet to take time for a tutorial. Ive enjoyed many of your post and look forward to more of course.

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  5. I love the stars. They will be great bound in red. I have admired your little flag, too. Thanks for the tute. Enjoyed every one of your posts so far and look forward to the next 99.

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  6. You always have so many projects, and they are always all great! Don't you love to hand quilt? I don't get to it as often as I'd like, but I sure enjoy it when I do. Love your flag - I'm going to check out the tutorial now.

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  7. You had lots to share today. I am looking at your star blocks and prefer the on point setting too. Do you have enough of the same navy you used for setting them in a row to do triangles for the on-point setting?

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  8. All your projects today are great. I love the background of your Rambling Rose Meets Jamestown and also the quickie train pattern. Whooo Whooo for you !

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  9. Congratulations on your approaching 100th post! Definitely a milestone...

    I'm with you on the template thing... I measure the templates and then cut out like you do.

    Your Random Roses in Jamestown blocks are gorgeous... I enjoy how you make projects your own.

    That is some cool train fabric and perfect for a Quick Strippie quilt!

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  10. You have really gotten a lot accomplished! I agree with you, I like the table runner better straight and not on point. Your mini quilts are darling, as well as your BOM. Thanks for the tutorial on the tumbler flag. That is on my to-do list! I hope you have a wonderful day!

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  11. You've been very busy! Great projects. I love your flag quilt and thanks for the tutorial.

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  12. Congratulations on such a great number of posts as well as how much you accomplish in a couple of weeks! Wow. Always enjoy stopping by for inspiration.

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  13. Love that train fabric! My mom used to have a caboose fixed up as a vacation cabin, set up on a real railroad track with trucks (train wheels) and all, so we're partial to train-related things in my family.

    I really like Mary's Quick Strippy quilt pattern - I've made a bunch of them for donation. It's one of my go-to patterns when I need a quilt fast.

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  14. Janet, you have so many goodies in your post, I just don't know where to start. I love them all and I just drool over your fabrics that you use. :)
    Kristie

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  15. Wow good on you tapping away at the projects - you really look like you have achieved lots in the last couple of weeks. Sometimes I think flimsies stay that way as we aren't quite happy with them... maybe your runner will be completed before you know it!The train fabric is going to make a great quilt for a little boy. The yo-yo covered bottle tops sounds like a good idea - you received lovely gifts!

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  16. Lots of fun stuff Mom!
    Ben will love the trains :)

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  17. The number and variety of projects in each of your posts always (happily) wears me out, just reading about them. LOVE your chosen name for your Rose quilt. Doggone it -- I forgot I have that one somewhere in the house. A couple boxes with all those fabrics and BOM patterns and specialty rulers, as I remember.

    Your little flag quilt is a cutie, and that train quilt is going to be well loved.

    You certainly have more interesting projects to grab and go than I do. Your hand quilting looks great.

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  18. It makes me feel a little better to know that this is TWO WEEKS worth of projects you're blogging about! LOL

    I feel so dumb - I spent the day at a rug hooking gathering in Nibley - I should have invited you to stop by for a little visit! So we could meet! Grrrr.....

    Love your projects - I think it's very clever the way you finished your flag quilt without binding - I like it!

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  19. Wow! Amazing amount of productivity! That has got to make you feel good.
    I've seen Mary's donation quilt pattern, but I love your train quilt more than any other strip quilt I've seen. (Yes, trains are in my blood!)

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  20. I love all your projects, and your hand quilting on the basket block in lovely!

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  21. Love the stars with the 9-patch center! I like the straight set and predict you will have this quilted in no time.
    Glad you have a chance to hand quilt again and enjoyed it.
    Those rose blocks look fairly complicated. Why paper templates? Was it patterned for hand piecing?
    The train pattern is a good one for novelty fabric. The black sets off the strips nicely.
    Looks like a nice trade!
    Thanks for the tutorial. Very good, detailed instructions.

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  22. I am glad I got to meet you and that you keep Blogging, even if it is bi-weekly... The projects look great. I thought the 99 might have been your UFO number...LOL

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  23. janet, you over-achiever! no slouch in the project department at all i'd say...love the roses squares, really nice...and somebody's gonna love those trains!

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  24. Well as usual you've been busy, busy, busy my friend!!! I always love to come visit you because I know you'll have lots of fun things going on, and you never disappoint :*)

    I just love your new picture for the blog - very dramatic and the sky colors are amazing!

    Your little sampler turned out so cute! And all from scraps... you go girl! I'm saving all my triangles from one of my current projects and sewing them together as leaders/enders - i can't wait to see what I end up doing with them :*)

    I love the look of hand quilting! The design you chose is just perfect for that sweet little basket.

    I made Rambling Rose Meets Jamestown a few years back and gave it to my mom. I used Marti Michell's acrylic templates and it went together very smoothly. If you'd like to try my templates, you are welcome to do so. I am not using them right now and would be happy to let you use them and see if they work better than the paper ones. I like the fabrics you are using, very soft and sweet, but I especially like the name!!!

    I'm off now to check out your tutorial for that cute little tumbler flag!!! I'll be back soon to check out your 100th post - WooHoo!!!

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  25. Congrats on 99!!!
    I've seen the yoyo coasters made with pennies but not bottle caps - another great idea. And you always have nice finishes!

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  26. What fun progress you are making this summer. It's fun to see the old and the new. As far as template pieced blocks go, I have traced the template on freezer paper, ironed it on the right side of the fabric, cut 1/4" around it, and then left it on the fabric when I sewed the pieces together using the edge of the freezer paper as my sewing guide. Does that makes sence? It worked really well when I was trying to sew a complicated set-in star.

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  27. Love all your projects (and posts) wow - congrats on 99! You are a dynamo of projects and fun ;-)
    Thank you for sharing.

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  28. Love all your projects (and posts) wow - congrats on 99! You are a dynamo of projects and fun ;-)
    Thank you for sharing.

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  29. I love seeing all your projects!!!
    I've met Ruth and she is a lovely woman!

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  30. What about neutral string blocks for your setting triangles for the three stars? Cute name for your Rose quilt project. Like everything you have going on...Sandi

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