A Patriotic Parade!

There is so much R/W/B happening around here, I thought I should have a parade and show it off.
First up is my 3rd version of the Primitive Gatherings Picnic Quilt. I am naming this one "Independence Day Picnic." Ever since I made my first quilt from this pattern I have envisioned doing it in R/W/B. When Lisa came out with her Old Glory line, I knew that was what I would use. I've added rows and borders to make it cover a bed.
The center is all stitched together, but the borders are still just pinned to the design wall

 Next in the parade is my Simply Charming Every Other Month Mini Sew Along entry. I made Teresa's Treasure, but I wanted to make it look patriotic. So I split the "bricks" into two bars and made them red/light and I fussy cut the stars. I'm naming this one "Bars & Stars."

Then there is a project I think I started 2 years ago. I made the blocks and set them on point in a runner. I liked the blocks on point, but felt the red setting triangles dominated the whole thing. So I unpicked it last year and this year I have finally reset them very simply, basted the whole thing, and it is now ready to meet Gidget. I would like to have it on my hutch before July 4th. We'll see if I make it.

 Finally, take a gander at that cute little flag charm. Isn't it great? This was the latest addition to the bracelet we received as participants in Julie's (Me and My Stitches blog) Charming program. I love to make minis, but nothing like Julie creates. These charms just make me smile!
(My apologies to my international readers for all the flag waving going on here.)

There is more happening, but I can't show it yet. So until next time,
keep stitching!
Janet O.

p.s. I'll leave you with the view out my sewing room window a couple of nights ago. It isn't patriotic, but it sure is pretty.

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.

Odds and Ends, and an Oddity at the End

Do you make holiday table runners for the different occasions through the year? I have only made 4 table runners to use either on the dining table or the hutch. Problem is I don't have them for all the right occasions. I've made two for fall--one with leaves and the other with pumpkins--and two for spring, though one of those is still in flimsy stage. I have collected several table runner patterns I would like to make and every time Christmas or the Fourth of July rolls around I promise myself I will make something for the occasion. I even spent time this morning hunting for a pattern I know I have and want to make, but couldn't find it anywhere. I had pulled out scraps and fat quarters of my red/white/blue fabric and I didn't want to put it all away again. I needed to forge ahead, so I settled on an Ohio Star pattern, but I wanted more activity in the block. I put a 9-patch in the middle and away I went.
I like how the blocks turned out, but I couldn't decide what kind of setting to use.

I think the one with the blocks on point is getting my vote (though I might try blue setting triangles--what do you think?), and since I'm making it, my vote wins!
By the way, I know I have mentioned design boards before, but I want to say it again. These are great tools to use when making blocks with lots of pieces. I keep them by me as I cut and arrange the pieces on the board. Then I can stack the boards on top of each other and carry them to my machine. The pieces stay in place until I move them and I have a pile of blocks to work on without having to keep getting up to get more pieces and figure out how to put them together. Once the blocks are made they go on the design wall.

All of the loose pieces for the block arranged on the design board.
You can carry it from cutting table to ironing board to sewing
machine and everything stays in place!

Each of the elements within the 9 squares have been sewn.

Finished block.

The boards are so simple to make. Get foam core board at the framing department of a craft or hobby store. They will usually cut it for you with no charge. 15" squares have worked well for me. They hold up to a 12" block and are still a manageable size. Use adhesive spray on one side of the foam core squares and attach pieces of cotton batting that have been cut to fit. That's it! I have fifteen of them and sometimes I wish I had more.




The other night when I did the tutorial on the perforated paper method of piecing I cut all of the parts for another Mariner's Compass, just for demonstration purposes. I didn't think too much about it, I just grabbed some fabric from my "supply shelves" and went to work. The next evening when I was going to sew, the piles of cut fabrics were still sitting out. I was going to put all of it away, but was curious to see how well it would turn out. That is what I ended up sewing. I got it all finished except the center circle applique. When I took the class on this technique our instructor said she thought it looked good to have "movement" in that center circle. I liked what a batik did in the first one I made, so I went to my batik drawer again. I really like what I found to match--you might have to enlarge the picture all the way to really see it. I think I may finish this one before I complete my first one.

Okay, now for the odd. Have you ever seen a freshly sheared alpaca--for that matter, have you ever seen an alpaca? These guys belong to my brother-in-law and they are currently in the pasture that I can see from my kitchen window. The first glance I got after they were sheared made me laugh.

A face only a mother could love?

Their long skinny necks seem disproportionate to their bodies. DH and I agree that they look like some type of alien creature.  Anyway, when I see them out my kitchen window now they bring a smile to my face.

I had to make some pretty silly noises to get
 them all to look at me together.

So, until next time, from the little mountain valley where we actually were over 80 degrees today! (As we say around here, spring came just in time for summer.)

Janet O.