The red and white Feathered Star/Sunflower quilt top, that is. It had actually been finished for a week but it was too windy to be able to get a decent shot of it out on the roof garden until Friday … Continue reading
My Red and White Quilt Top
Tag Archives: machine piecing
Small and Tiny Blocks
First, the small. Pink and green log cabin blocks that finish at 5″, made with the .50″ Log Cabin collection. There are 12 done and enough printed for another 12 or 16, I think – it’s been so long since I’ve worked on these that I don’t quite remember. Some are hand pieced, some machine pieced. I’m thinking this may be the perfect stitching for out on the roof garden this summer and I’ll get this little quilt finished. This one is destined to be a wall hanging and one I know I’ll love as many of my favourite shabby chic fabrics are in along with some pink and green batiks.
The tiny. Tiny 2″ Drunkard’s Trail blocks made with the 2″ Drunkard’s Trail Inklingo collection. Four blocks are made and joined and three more have been added. I only need to make 9 more of these little blocks and join them to make the quilt I’ve got planned. Another one that just might be the perfect thing for roof garden stitching. I realized when I got that project box back out just how many shapes for it I had printed on fabric. I’ve got enough to make at least 4 or 5 small quilts. Perhaps one long thin table runner will be made once I make the 8″ x 10″ quilt I have planned. That will only take another 13 little blocks and should be something I can do quickly.
Both those projects came back to somewhere near the top of the list when I excavated my sewing table a couple of weeks ago. And both have stayed out to be worked on mostly because I know I can complete the two small quilts relatively quickly. So they are going to be worked on soon. I think it will give me a feeling of accomplishment to get a few small quilts done quickly. That sewing table excavation threw me a bit when I realized just how many projects I’ve got on the go. Some finishes are in order … and soon.
That said, I started working on the red and white Feathered Star/Sunflower quilt border again last night. I guess I just needed that break from it because now I can see that there really isn’t that much left to do. Perhaps 2 weeks of stitching or maybe 3 (because we all know I get distracted and want to play with other things) and I should have that top finished.
This is one of Baxter’s favourite poses.
Scrappy Star Top Finished — Maybe
Actually it was finished on the weekend but we couldn’t get a good photo of it until yesterday. On the weekend it was too rainy and the grass on the roof garden too wet. Monday it was too windy and the top would have flown off, never to be seen again. Yesterday it was still a bit breezy and rather chilly, but we managed to get a shot of it laid out on the grass of the roof garden. One of these days I’ve got to sort out a way to have a permanent design wall. This waiting for the weather to be just right is a pain! We were lucky to get this shot of it as the wind kept threatening to pick it up.
It’s a good thing it was finished on the weekend before the New York Beauty collection came out. Otherwise, it might have been a week or so longer before it was finished.
Why maybe in the title? Because as it is now it’s a small lap quilt, measuring about 50 x 58. Mr. Q.O. likes it just the way it is. I’m tempted to add one more plain border all around and make it about 60 x 68. But for all intents and purposes, the top is finished because even if I do decide to add that final plain border it won’t take longer than an afternoon.
Now to choose a binding. I’m thinking something very dark to frame it. I like to choose the binding at this stage and get it made and ready, along with the label.
It is hand pieced except the plain borders. They were stitched by machine. But when it came time to add the final pieced border, I stitched that on by hand.
I know how I want to quilt the large plain borders. But the rest of it? That I’m still working on. I’m tempted to just quilt in the ditch around the squares in each round of the star.
It was made with shapes from the free Inklingo collection, except for the cornerstones in the final border. For those, I needed a 2.25″ square in a square and used shapes from the 6.75″ Storm at Sea collection.
I worked on another of the pieced blocks for the red and white Feathered Star/Sunflower border last night, although I was terribly tempted to play with another New York Beauty block. That New York Beauty block is just way too much fun to make! My ideas list using it is growing practically by the hour.
The crab apple tree on the roof garden is starting to look very pink. I can’t wait for the blossoms to appear as it really is a beautiful sight and the scent is wonderful.
I had tossed my sweater over the loveseat. I know better. The minute a piece of clothing is tossed there, Baxter is immediately on it making sure it has its fair share of kitty fur.
Sailing Away to the Sewing Machine!
After looking through a few quilt books and thinking about it, I finally decided on a quilt block. Within a few minutes of making that decision, the fabrics were pulled and I had everything cut for the first block. Some muslin rectangles, a print rectangle, two large squares — one of muslin and one of the print — for the HSTs and I was ready to go.
In just a few seconds, the muslin square was printed, using Inklingo, with the 3″ HSTs for the block. The muslin was layered with the print. Using the machine, I stitched along the stitching lines. The fabrics were then cut along the cutting lines, the pieces were pressed and …
A few seconds later I had perfect 3″ HSTs. No dog-ears, no having to cut down to size. Just easy perfect HSTs.
A few minutes later the HSTs and rectangles were joined and the first of the sailboat blocks was done. The block finishes at 12″. I’m going to use a three or four-inch muslin sashing between blocks. My plan is to make 12 blocks and set them 3 by 4 as this is destined to be a lap quilt.
I didn’t time it, but I doubt the block took even half an hour to make. Once the HSTs were done, it took only a few more minutes. So I may just get all the blocks finished today. I’m curious to see if I can get the whole top done by the time the weekend is over. I may get distracted by a hand-piecing project .. in fact, I can almost be sure of that happening.
Baxter was practicing his lounge lizard look, I think. The crossed paws make me laugh every time.
Twinklingo Stars
I’ve just released a new pattern for the Twinklingo Stars lap quilt that finishes at 57 x 72 inches. This one is perfect for machine piecing or hand piecing and is very quick to put together. It’s made using the Inklingo Tumbler collection .
While I made the original with a white background, making the stars from batiks with a dark background like this block gives a different effect and the stars really sparkle!
Baxter found the whole process rather exhausting!
Flannel Quilt Finish
On the weekend, I got the flannel top quilted and bound. The label went on and it was washed and dried yesterday afternoon. Now it’s on its way to its intended recipient. It finished at 56″ x 64″.
Machine quilting it was definitely a case of fabric wrestling. I am so spoiled now using the silk batts that I really noticed how much heavier and more difficult to manoeuvre the cotton batt was. That’s the trade-off, I suppose, for the ease of basting a fusible batt. It ended up as a totally machine-made quilt, other than tacking down the binding, which is totally unusual for me. However, it also made me more confident about my machine piecing skills.
Putting the binding on was fun. It was lovely and warm and was a true cat magnet. Baxter landed on my lap almost the minute I started tacking the binding down and stayed put for much longer than he usually does. Clearly a little flannel quilt is a must just for him.
Lots of Cutting and A Little Stitching
All the flannels were washed and ironed over the weekend and then the cutting began. Lots and lots of 2.5″ and 4.5″ strips for the double 4-patch block. I found a trick that makes rotary cutting much easier for me. I put a pine board beneath my cutting mat and it has made an enormous difference. I usually rotary cut on my ironing board as it is almost the right height for me. With the pine board underneath the cutting mat, it’s exactly the right height.
Once the strips were cut, I stitched a couple of the 2.5″ strips together and made two blocks just to see how they looked. They went together quicker than I had anticipated and press beautifully.
Working with flannel is fun! I didn’t need to pin at all as the flannel really does stick to itself quite nicely. I’ve started sewing the 2.5″ strips together and expect to get at least half the blocks I need for the quilts done today, if not more.
This is, I think, my favourite picture of Baxter so far. It’s a 3-for-1 shot. Baxter’s reflection can be seen in the window as well as on the marble windowsill.
Twinkling Stars
The top is done and is now in the queue waiting to be quilted. This one I’m going to quilt by hand with either a silk or wool batt. I’ve got some quilting ideas for the plain squares that will carry on the star theme of the quilt.
We took advantage of a sunny day on the weekend to take the photo out on the roof garden as it’s difficult to get a good shot indoors of a quilt that’s anything larger than a wall hanging. Twinkling Stars finishes at 57 x 72 inches and was made using shapes from the Inklingo Tumbler collection. This year’s baseball playoffs quilt top is done.
Last year’s baseball playoffs quilt is still waiting to be quilted.
Baxter had a very busy weekend chasing leaves as they flew by the windows and watching squirrels and birds.
Colourful Little 9-Patches
The last pieced border for Twinkling Stars was finished last night, but the baseball game was on and I didn’t want to be at the sewing machine attaching it to the quilt, so out came the 9-patch blocks to set on point. They’re now going to become a little quilt on their own rather than be incorporated into the Twinkling Stars quilt.
As the blocks are finished, they’ll be stored in a very special box from a friend. So far 13 of them are done. Once they’re all done, the quilt will be quick to stitch together. They finish at 4.24″. I think I’ll have about 100 of them by the time they’re all stitched.
There was some great feedback yesterday on working with flannels. I think I’m going to make a double 4-patch with the flannels. Once they’re washed and ironed I’ll get started. But today my plan is to attach the two borders to Twinkling Stars and hopefully get a good picture of it.
Baxter was posing in the pink chair after another busy day on the windowsill.
Twinkling Stars Progress
The main part of the top is together. Now to make and add the borders and this year’s baseball playoffs quilt will be done. With any luck, it will be finished before the World Series is over.
This is a big milestone for me. While I hybrid pieced some of the blocks and totally hand pieced some others, the majority of the quilt was put together by machine. it’s given me a lot more confidence about machine piecing, which will come in handy for some quilts I want to make.
On Friday evening I got a call from the LQS and, after close to 6 months, the white on white fabric has finally come in. I’m thrilled as it means I can definitely finish off the Feathered Star/Sunflower quilt exactly as I wanted with the pieced border I had envisioned for it.
Baxter is still teething and, on the weekend, he lost (and we found) a baby tooth. Rather than put it in a little pillow for the kitty tooth fairy, Mr. Q.O. tossed it. I think Baxter deserves a new toy and plan to get him one from the kitty tooth fairy.
Quilt Obsession 