The plan had been to hand quilt the center and machine quilt the rest, but hand quilting won out in the end.
It is quilted a little less densely than the first one I made, but it is enough.
Secretly working on a little quilt for a Challenge swap with Randy. We are swapping 12" quilts, like we did last year. The one I am making involves this stuff...
...a book of foundation patterns, a copier, and sheets of newsprint paper. Sounds like there is some foundation piecing involved (there is).
When I am piecing minis (whether foundation pieced or not), I use lots of pins--the extra fine, glass-headed variety--and I sew over them! Do you sew over pins, or do you always remove them?I have never had a problem doing this. Yes, I have winged a pin or two, but they have only been slightly bent.
Well, as I have been working on this little piece, I have hit more pins than I can recall doing on any previous project. Look at the results of one such encounter--the pin on the left! Have you ever had that happen?
In spite of the mishaps, the little top is assembled. Now to remove the papers and get it quilted.
Aside from these projects, I have done a little bit of quilting on the beast, and I have been cutting up Dad's shirts to make a simple quilt for Mom. Can you tell he had a thing for blue plaid shirts? There are some green ones in there, too, but blue definitely is in the majority!! He had a few favorites that were fraying at the collar and cuffs, and worn a little thin at the elbows. Dad wore a suit, white shirt and tie all his professional life. When he was working around the house he would don a plaid shirt. After retirement he only wore the white shirts and ties for church meetings, and plaid shirts everywhere else. I don't know that I ever saw my Dad in a t-shirt. Well, at least I don't have to worry about making a t-shirt quilt from his clothing. As I cut up these shirts I recall times Dad wore them and relive some of our experiences together. They are all good memories. He was a very good man--and still is, just on the other side!
Until next time,
Janet O.
Beautiful Kim Diehl piece, love the sweet hanger it is displayed from. Yes Janet I have been known on occasion to abuse pins!
ReplyDeleteYour new finish is lovely and I had to laugh about hand quilting winning out! It looks lovely and gives it great texture.
ReplyDeleteyour story of your Dads shirts is so touching. He sounds like a real gentleman. The blues will make a pretty memory quilt.
I sew over pins too and occasionally bend or hit them. Have you seen the new Karen K Buckley pins? they are so thin - like a strand of hair thin. I have a couple of friends who love them.
Neat Maple Leaf piece for Canada.
Your new quilt is beautiful and I like the little hanger! My dad wears Plaid shirts too! Once in a while he will wear a polo and I have to do double take!! lol I try not to see over pins... it scares me when I hit one! :-))
ReplyDeleteIt was totally worth the time it took to hand quilt that little treasure! And, yes, I've bent a pin or two over the years lol! I do limit my sewing over pins to the old Singer machines which seem to do a better job of moving the pins aside, as long as I don't restrict the fabric as it goes under the presser foot. But I live in fear of messing up the Janome since the budget wouldn't allow for a new one! Those thin glass-head pins are so wonderful, I use them most of the time.
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful finish on your latest mini. Worth the hand quilting for sure. Nope....don't sew over pins after I knocked one machine out of timing once. Love all those blue plaids....and all those memories stored in them.
ReplyDeletePorchside Garden is just beautiful and your hand-stitching is so pretty. No doubt, the quilt you make from your Dad's shirts is going to be amazing! May you be filled with treasured memories with each stitch. It will truly be a quilt from the heart, celebrating your Dad.
ReplyDeleteI like your Kim Diehl design piece. A small sweet finish. I am always drawn to something with a bird included.
ReplyDeleteA 12" trade. That's tiny! I look forward to seeing what you have made. I know it is something Log Cabin style.
Terrific finish... so glad the hand quilting won the day!
ReplyDeleteYou are brave to be able to cut into your Dad's shirts. I find this to be a very emotional process that always involves some tears. But I want to use more of my brother's shirts. Maybe I'll take the plunge today and do some cutting.
PS I never sew over pins now. I had a friend who had a fairly new fancy machine, sewed over a pin while at a workshop. She missed the rest of the workshop day because the pin got stuck right down into the bobbin area, which ruined the timing on her machine, and was a very big repair bill. That scared me into changing my habits!
ReplyDeleteThat is a wonderful stack of your Dad's shirts. They are going to make a special quilt for your mom. The new mini is gorgeous. The hand quilting was a great choice. I love the decisions you make :-)
ReplyDeleteP.S. I try to avoid sewing over pins now as I've hit a few and hear horrible stories about the machine damage...which thankfully I haven't experienced yet.
Both my Grandfathers wore collared shirts daily:), my dad wears a lot of sweaters as he tends to run cold. Love the new Kim Diehl mini, and the hand quilting is so sweet. I don't sew over pins generally but have accidentally!
ReplyDeleteWow, I love the shirts and know they will make wonderful memory quilts. Your newest little quilt is co cute!
ReplyDeleteI run over pins all the time, not always with good results. Enjoy your week!
The Kim Diehl quilt is one of my favourite ! Congratulations for this finish !
ReplyDeleteI like to use lots of pins too and almost never remove them, so I have a lot of bent pins that look like yours. I've been scolded at retreats and classes by others that always remove their pins, and I make an effort for a while, but fall back into my slovenly ways pretty quickly--lol! Love your little Kim Diehl mini--so cute!
ReplyDeleteI used to run over pins until I hit one tiny just right and it got jammed in the bobbin area...now I am careful not to do that...by not using them much at all! Hey, I love those blue plaids...my very favorite!
ReplyDeleteYour finished quilt is so beautiful, and the hand quilting adds such a special touch. I have a bunch of shirts I will be working with soon. You've got a great collection, and will have a great memory quilt as a result. I take out my pins, ever since I learned I was supposed to!
ReplyDeleteso are you doing the canadian quilt? Do you think Grandma O. would appreciate a quilt for her birthday?
ReplyDeleteHooray for the finish--and it is lovely! Your stack of blue plaid shirts will no doubt generate many memories of your dad as you work on the quilt for your mom. May it be of comfort to you as you sew. As for sewing over pins, I try not to do that. I use to until the needle hit the pin just right and broke the needle, causing the needle parts to fly toward my eyes. Thankfully I happened to be wearing glasses that day so no needle parts in my eye but a good warning to me to remove my pins as I go--if I pin at all!
ReplyDeleteA blue plaid quilt will be lovely memento of your father, I am sure your mother and the rest of the family will appreciate. I used to love foundation piecing but havent done any for a long time. Yes I do sew over my pins and yes I have injuried them (and my needle) doing so. Tried to buy fine pins recently, as mine were getting blunt, only to find the new ones are like logs :( and they were not cheap! Going to insist on opening the packet before purchase next time, there is noting better then super fine pins.
ReplyDeleteYour dad's shirts are going to make a wonderful blue plaid quilt. Have you picked a pattern yet? The latest mini is a winner especially with it being hand quilted. I've broken too many needles by sewing over pins (actually hitting them to be precise) so I'm pretty careful about removing them.
ReplyDeleteLove the Hand Quilting. Lots of Blue shirts! Paul wears collared shorts, he doesn't care so much for T-shirts. His Moth in the Window Quilt is being made with his worn shirts and a few others. Have fun. As for your 'hula' pins. I don't run over mine. They cost too much to lose under the needle.
ReplyDeleteGreat hand quilting, the quilt and hanger go together perfectly.
ReplyDeleteYour dad had great taste in blue plaids.
I recently used the very thin Karen Kay Buckley pins and sewed other them. Eventually hit one and it was pushed all the way down into my bobbin case. Yikes!
I love your latest Kim Diehl piece..the hand quilting appears to suit it perfectly! I have been known to hit the odd pin or two but only at a slow speed when I knew they were there and it's a tricky seam or something! I hope you are having a happy time reminiscing as you cut your way through your Dad's shirts. When I cut up Dad's the first cut was really hard but then I was away!
ReplyDeleteYour latest mini is just beautiful. I haven't made any minis but they sure are cute. As for sewing over pins -- I try not to, but once in a while one gets passed the needle. I usually take them out just before I come to them. I don't like changing my sewing needle any more than I have to and nicking pins will dull it much faster. I've never seen one bent as badly as yours.
ReplyDeleteYour little quilt is delightful, Janet. I really like you incorporated colors from one area to another. And, of course, your hand quilting is beautiful.
ReplyDeletePins? Yes, I sew over pins but I've learned to slow down just a little. I've never had one bend as much as the one on the left in your photo but I have had them break needles, hence the slowing down when I go over them.
When those plaid shirts become a quilt it will be such a treasure for your mom. She might feel like her husband is giving her a hug.
lovely little kim diehl quilt and perfectly executed i know! anxious to see what you do with the plaids...a couple of plaid quilts are on my to-do list...
ReplyDeleteThat pile of your dad's shirts is very inspiring! I can't wait to see what you do with them. They should make quilts for all of your family!! And the Kim Diehl piece? Fabulous!! I think I'd call that a log cabin type quilt and would absolutely fit in with our challenge rules!! **hint hint** VBG
ReplyDeleteNow I'm going back to the drawing table!!
I tend to take my pins out as I go but sometimes they just sneak up on me. I've saved one as a reminder - it's bent at a sharp 90degree angle but without the xtra wiggle that your pin has. Be safe! Your Dad clearly loved that shade of blue plaid. My Dad's wardrobe is all over the place so it would take some doing to make a quilt. Well that and he wears everything to death - there's not much left to sew with. Happy memories to you as you make the quilt for your mom and I hope you make yourself something too!
ReplyDeleteYour latest mini is just beautiful. Yes I do stitch over pins and have bent a few but not too often. Love that stack of your dad's plaid shirts, it's going to be a beautiful tribute memory quilt. My Dh loved plaid shirts too but never had enough to make a quilt.
ReplyDeleteI usually pull pins out at last second - occasionally leave them in when tricky piecing, but hardly ever get bent, esp. as severely as these two of yours.
ReplyDeleteLOVE all of Dad's plaids. 8)))
Elaine Adair
Your Dad's blue plaid shirt pile makes me smile. My husband always wore a shirt and tie professionally too, but plaid shirts are the everyday wardrobe since retirement, the bulk of his are blue, too. I have learned to be a pin remover-- one time I hit one and it threw my machine out of time; that turned out to be an expensive lesson.
ReplyDeleteOh, I just LOVE your hand quilting!!
Just finished a Daddys shirts quilt doing a flying geese pattern. Would you like to see it?
ReplyDeleteWell hello there, beautiful lady! I hope you had a marvelous Easter weekend and Resurrection Sunday with family and friends! Your Kim Diehl piece is just darling -- it's perfectly quilted, I think! Yikes on the bent pins ... that can be a little scary sometimes! Funny you mention Canada's celebration in July...I just started cutting out a Happy July 4th banner! :)
ReplyDeleteHow fun to know that our dads both favored blue plaid shirts Janet! Can't wait to see what you make of all these. I'm surprised your machine needle didn't break after hitting that pin - I've had bits of broken needle fly through the air and hit me in the face before - VERY near my eyes! Scary stuff this sewing can be!
ReplyDelete