I'm not real big on goal setting for my quilting. It is truly my therapy and deadlines just create more of the stress I am trying to alleviate. But with recent events in life I have really been on hold in the quilting department and I needed a push. So I gave myself a couple of targets to aim for in January. I wanted to stitch-in-the-ditch on my "Quilters Madder", but when I tried to get started my machine wasn't functioning. It was WAY overdue for a spa treatment, so I sent it away for a few days. I actually picked it up a week ago, but didn't have a chance to sit down and work with it until today. That baby just purred. Hasn't sounded like that in....well, I am too embarrassed to admit.
But this is what got quilted.
I decided to do the whole thing with SITD and diagonal lines.
My other target was to get "the beast" off of my design wall. I thought about just pulling it off the wall and calling it good, but that would be cheating. So while my Pfaff was away at the spa, I sat down to Nellie (my featherweight), and that little workhorse assembled the whole beast!
This is a king size quilt, so it was no small task. (This is my second quilt like this. The first one is here.)
I know some of you thought I was crazy for fussy-cutting each of the 71 sashing strips from the plaid fabric, but when I laid it out on the living room floor and stood in the loft to take this photo, I was glad I went to the extra effort. I think the blocks are so busy to start with that keeping the plaid uniform in the sashing prevents it from being a hot mess!
Here is Nellie (who is pretty proud of herself) posing with the magnetic pinbowl I won in Lisa Bongean's 12 Needful Things giveaway at Christmas time. Thanks, Lisa. :)
And more happy mail came in the form of this bundle from Sandi. What a fun early Valentine! Thank you, Sandi! If you know me you know I love useful things made from rulers and yardsticks!This year I will be putting more effort into getting some larger UFO quilts completed, but that doesn't mean I won't slip in a mini whenever I can. In fact, I think I have earned a treat. I am going to whip up Temecula's little Box of Chocolates Valentine mini. How about you?
One last thing--Rebecca in AK won the snowman pattern from my last post. Please send me your snail mail address and I will send it your way.
Until next time,
Janet O.
From my sewing room window last evening.
Except for those few deadline projects it's really therapeutic to just enjoy our quilting as the spirit moves us and not worry about how many we finish in a set time. Took an awfully long time to learn that! Your Quilters Madder mini is lovely with just the SITD and straight lines, there's so much going on with the block pattern that anything else would hardly be noticed anyway. Featherweights are such wonderful workhorses when we finally get them out and let them shine! I need to do that more often too. Happy Quilting with Nellie!
ReplyDeleteOh beautiful. Love your beast and the sashing is perfect.
ReplyDeleteYour Quilter's Madder is beautiful. The sashing on the T-shirt quilt is perfect, time well spent fussy cutting it. I'm with you on no goals no stress. Hugs
ReplyDeleteI'm with you on goals, but sometimes a nudge is what we need. First and foremost your t-shirt quilt is absolutely fab. I love the plaid setting fabrics. Do you use regular cotton fabric? I have some tshirts of my sons I'd like to piece together. any advice would be great.
ReplyDeleteYour QAL turned out nicely with the SITD and diagonal - I always like diagonal stitching.
I saw the Temecula piece on IG - very charming!
lovely gifts too and what a GORGEOUS photo. Your views are so special.
I wrote out a list for the year, which didn't include too many things. The list is mainly UFO's, things I tend to forget about. Some are tiny finishes but I have already checked off three of them!! Your new quilt is beautiful and that t shirt quilt is stunning! Love the extra effort you put into matching the plaids!
ReplyDeleteI'm not one for quilty goals either but I may have to start. We have finally moved back in after floor renovation. I need to bring fabric back into the sewing room cabinet and get started on something. The little mini from Temecula Quilt Co is tempting me too but I will probably work on some curved piecing blocks just to get in the groove again. I love the picture of your sunset. It was rather spectacular here on the coast as well. God's creativity is overwhelming at times. I have to stop and take it in.
ReplyDeleteYour madder and tshirt quilt are lovely. And yes, that fussy cutting really did pay off. It looks wonderful!
What is it about all red or all blue quilts that is so charming?!? Love how your madder quilt turned out! I happen to have red fabrics all over my cutting table for another project and I think a little Box of Chocolates may slip into the mix--lol! Your careful cutting of the plaid really paid off--it sets off the blocks wonderfully!
ReplyDeleteI love the fussy cut plaid sashing, I think its perfect and was worth the effort. I have a plaid border from an early quilt and I cringe when I see the off cut plaid. As for the goals, I think that moving forward on any project is good. My push this past month was to finish up those small things that I kept moving around in my sewing room. The banners for 4th of July, the sleeve on the Quilts Madder, etc. Felt good to move things out of the sewing room, made more room for more piles and more projects!
ReplyDeleteGlad I'm not the only one that fussy cuts fabric, so it looks right. Perhaps that is from my years in 4-H where I was taught to do the very best we can do. Love the view at the end. The beauty of nature is one of the things that feeds my soul.
ReplyDeleteWow, Janet!! That teeshirt quilt is absolutely fabulous!! And the sashing is just perfect!! Congratulations on a job well executed!! :-)) Does that magnetic pin dish just have magnets underneath - it's VERY cute?
ReplyDeleteSo glad you got the beast off the wall :) Now to just get it quilted :)!!!
ReplyDeleteI should send my machine in for a tune up...hmmm...should think about that.
That little "Box of Chocolates" is cute...you could have a lot of fun with it!
Now you have an empty Wall. Lucky you! I saw the Box of Chocolates. I prefer mine to be Real and in a Russell Stover box. Congrats to you on great finishes and the Featherweight that said, I think I can...
ReplyDeleteCongrats on finishing the beast! The fussy cut plaid was definitely worth the extra effort! Will you be making more tshirt quilts? I should bump my tshirt quilt up the honey-do list. The top is made and I have flannel to piece for the back. I'm not going to use batting given how heavy the top is.
ReplyDeleteWill you be making the box of chocolates "full size" or will you miniaturize it? Either way it is adorable.
Well done on meeting your goals Janet. I love your madder mini - the straight line quiting suits it well. And Great Effort with The Beast - the effort put into the plaids was well worth it, and I'm sure your son will be delighted...do you have plans to quilt it straight away? Isn't it nice to have a purring machine, I try to get mine done regularly, it makes a nice difference. I love your last photo, what a beautiful sunset.
ReplyDeleteThe "Beast" looks fabulous! I think the sashing really brings everything together. I bet it feels good to have that off the design wall and no longer being a monkey on your back. I'm working on UFOs this year too. When I have an opportunity to get another one out (Sleigh Bells is taking most of my time) it will be Barbara Brackman's Civil War BOW from numerous years ago. It wasn't assembled because of an appliqued inner border that has been finished for years. The picture out of your sewing room window is lovely. You have really received "snow on snow on snow" this January. I've been humming that line from "In the Bleak mid-winter" all month.
ReplyDeleteSpa treatment for your machine? Don't tell MY machines, please!!! LOVE That idea, though!
ReplyDeleteAnd that view?? OMG. Gorgeous.
Very impressive (although not surprising) that you are meeting your goals for January. How smart to set realistic goals!! Your quilting of Lori's little madder is fabulous! Love the way you modified the pattern.
And the BEAST is fabulous. I agree with you on the extra time for the sashing. makes a huge difference!
xxxxs
Just love both projects you have going!!! Enjoy....progress forward is wonderful in my book!
ReplyDeleteTwo great finishes, well done! I just got my machine serviced too, but havent had a chance to use it since, but counting down the days until I do. That reminds me that I was going to buy a new packet of needles! Love your mini, I think SITD is perfect for some small quilts and this is one of them. Hope you get a chance to get the binding on soon for some relaxing hand sewing. Hoping the big quilt is going to the LAQ? It is big!
ReplyDeleteThank you Janet! I will send you an email. Wow! The Beast is fantastic. I am sure you are breathing a sigh of relief on getting it done. It was definitely worth the extra effort with the sashing fabric. We are always happier when we listen to that little voice. I got my Featherweight out the other day to do some string piecing, I had forgotten how much I love sewing on her.
ReplyDeleteGoals--sometimes they make me crazy because it is self imposed stress, other times I need them else I would never get anything accomplished. Your quilts are beautiful! Fussy cutting the sashing for the beasts was worth every minute! You and Nellie did a great job! Please don't tell my machine about the spa--she will want to go.
ReplyDeleteUnusual to see you working on a BIG quilt. Especially on your Featherweight. The machine handled it well.
ReplyDeleteWell, good for you! I love your mini as usual! I loath making t-shirt quilts. I have to say yours is the most beautiful one I have seen. I absolutely agree with your fussy cutting the plaid sashing. Kudos! I don't know how you get anything done with that view out your window!
ReplyDeleteThat you did a big quilt on your small featherweight and a mini quilt on your big machine. You're a quilter with multiple talents. Don't use goals to stress yourself, but rather to occasionally give a gently nudge.
ReplyDeleteIf I had a view like yours I should dream all the day behind my window !
ReplyDeleteYour quilts are gorgeous as usual and I encourage you to finish them ! It's the first time I see a quilt like The Beast and I'm so impressed!
Your Madders quilt looks great. Congrats on getting it done. But the "Beast". What an accomplishment for your little featherweight. She should look very proud of herself for that!! I love your plaid sashing strips. You are right, they look so good with the extra effort you did. Kudos to you!!!
ReplyDeleteI love your Quilters Madder quilt more and more every time I see it, Janet. especially that you added that great border. It's always amazing to me how quilts shrink as they get quilted. It shows especially well on the back of your QM quilt. And your plaid sashing and border on the t-shirt quilt would not have looked so great if you hadn't fussy cut the plaid. You have such a great eye for detail1
ReplyDeleteCongratulations - two nice quilts finished. goals are not so bad, eh?! I admire your T-shirt quilts. I've never tried one
ReplyDeleteyowza...look at that snow!!! went to guild in WV the other day and saw a forsythia bush in bloom....definitely a new sight for me this february...no snow here...plenty of rain but nothing white yet...lovely little quilt and it is wonderful when the machine runs smoothly...my old viking needs a checkup as well...
ReplyDeleteOh, just lovely, your Mini Madder. Glad your machine is back to purring the way it ought. The Tshirt quilt is wonderful. I myself hope never to make one...
ReplyDeleteEnjoy your quilting time no matter what!
Your "beast" is one of the most striking t-shirt quilts I've ever seen - and the fussy-cut sashing is what makes it so amazing. Great job!!! And I think the straight line quilting in your Madder quilt is perfect. Sometimes simple is the perfect solution, right?
ReplyDeleteThe tshirt quilt is one of the best I've seen! That sashing is perfect!
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad Quilters Madder was at the top of the list too. :)
Your beast looks great! Definitely worth the time to fussy cut the sashing. Happy that you like the ruler box and tiny scissors. I am positive you will find both useful. Sandi
ReplyDeleteFussy cutting your plaid sashing definitely paid off! The plaid you chose is perfect and it sets off the shirts beautifully, adding cohesiveness, yet makes each shine. What a gorgeous T-shirt quilt! Did you frame each shirt with a thin border? I love it!
ReplyDelete