March 27

To see what other quilters are up to go to Small Quilts and Doll Quilts.

I feel like I don't have much to show this week.

I started loading Jack in the Box last week, but one thing or another has come up and I just haven't gotten to it yet.

The kitties like to 'rearrange' it.

I got the borders on the HST Challenge quilt. I will buy a wide back for it, but everything else came from stash. That purple border is made from leftovers of a wide backing for another quilt.

It has been added to the pile of quilts waiting their turn. 

You can see I will be busy for a good long while getting all these quilted.

I have been working on piecing the sashing units for the Exchange quilt - A Very Coriander Christmas.

And, I got my block pieced.

We will start this exchange at the next retreat which is the second week of April.

I got all the blocks pieced for the Construction Trucks 4-Patch. Here are just a few to see what it will look like.

I will lay it out at retreat so I can get the placement of blocks just right. It should go together pretty quickly.

The cats are having fun looking out the picture window. The bird and rabbit activity have increased which they find very interesting.

Last time I was away from home for the day Skippy laid his paw on my foot for a little while as if to say "You stay home now!"

Stay safe and well.

Happy quilting.

UFOs and Wide Backing

To see what other quilters are up to go to Small Quilts and Doll Quilts.

I'm still working on trying to clear out some fabric and UFOs.

I got Jack in the Box to the flimsy stage.

A wide backing has been ordered.

I finished piecing the Farmland/Tractor quilt.

The colors are really not accurate in the photo above. They are more true in the photo below. I don't know if it was the cloudy day or my phone camera. 

The green tonal fabric in the upper left and lower right corners of the 9-patches really is a nice olive green, almost the exact same as the darker green of the tractors.

I had a block left over so I framed it with bonus triangles made when snowballing the blocks in the top.

I pieced the back together in order to use up the rest of the tractor fabric. I think it looks ok. This one will go on the quilt frame soon.

I finished the top for this Woodland Bears quilt while at retreat last month. 

Since I am trying to decrease my stash I decided to use the leftover blocks and large fabric pieces to piece a back. I ended up with this. 

I wasn't sure I liked it and debated taking it apart. When Husband saw it and said, "What is that at the bottom?" I knew it just wasn't working. So....

I took it apart.

I will now have two quilts! One will fit a twin bed and the other will be nice for a small child or as a lap quilt. I will be backing the smaller one with the green bear print that was used for the border. I have ordered a wide back for the twin-size quilt. 

And, that folks, is why I end up with UFOs and why I like wide backs. By the time I have finished the top, I am ready to quilt it and be done. I find trying to make fabrics fit together to make a back frustrating and time-consuming. I worked for two days piecing that backing for the bear quilt. So even if I end up with scraps I will be using wide backs as much as possible.

The sweater I am knitting is slowly growing.

I am seeing no progress yet in the winter sowing containers.

Stay safe and well.

Happy quilting!

March 21, 2023

To see what other quilters are up to go to Small Quilts and Doll Quilts.

I had a shopping day and a sewing day with my quilt buddies last week.

Shopping found me buying more fabric but it is for a specific project. My group will be starting another exchange in April, using the pattern  A Very Coriander Christmas by Corey Yoder.  I didn't want to use Christmas fabrics so I was going to go with batiks with a black background. I knew I had enough in my stash for that, but one of the other ladies said that was her plan for this exchange. I decided to step out of my usual zone and go with 30s fabrics. I had some in my stash, but I needed more. So, what's a quilter to do except buy more!

I finished quilting the Farmland quilt.

I think it is really cute. It has been washed and is ready to donate.

I got the rest of the HST Challenge blocks pieced and the frames sewn on.

Now I need to cut the sashing strips and get this sewn into a top.

On sewing day I got some more 365 Challenge blocks put together.

I have to say some of these are not my favorites, but once sewn into the quilt with all the other blocks I think they will look fine. If not, there will be a few extras that I will be able to swap out for.

I started pulling fabrics and cutting for the next batch.

I usually cut fabrics for 10 blocks.

I also worked on the Malachite quilt.

I have the top finished except for the borders.

I've been cutting fabric for another donation quilt.

All the 'truck' blocks are cut, and now on to the fabrics for 4-Patch blocks. 

And, then I decided to clean out my tub of batting scraps. I was able to piece together a batt for the small Woodland Bears quilt, and two other larger pieces with three small pieces left over.

That is much better! 

Here is something a little weird. My mom is going through her stuff, clearing out her house. She has been giving me old photos. Here is a photo of me at four years old apparently at a birthday party - not mine.

I flipped it over to look at the back. The day that photo was taken is my son's birthday.

And, lastly for something cute. My husband has his own personal LIVE neck warmer.

This happens every morning.

Stay safe and well.

Happy quilting!

March 1st

To see what other quilters are working on go to Small Quilts and Doll Quilts.

I have been busy.

I threw Shining Star on the bed to get a good look at it.

The cats approved!

I've been knitting.

This pattern, Baw Baw, is a free pattern on Ravelry and is made to use up leftover yarn.

I have all the blocks made for Jack in the Box and have started putting the rows together.

I'm working on a little quilt that will be donated.

I love this farm and tractor fabric. The 9-patch blocks are from my stash. The colors are not true. The squares on the upper left of each 9-patch block are green, not brown. 

I've been cutting and kitting up fabrics so they are ready to go.

Now that we are able to have sew days and retreats more often I like to take more than one project with me in case I finish the one being worked on.

This one is called Square Holes and was designed by Becky at Boline's to use a 5-yard bundle - a bundle of five 1-yard cuts of fabric that coordinate. I like this bundle of fabric because it can be used all winter, not just for Christmas.

This one is called Malachite.

I'm using a jelly roll I had in my stash. I do like it in the greens shown in the pattern, though, and may make it again.

This one is called Dream Weaver from Missouri Star Block magazine. Online you can find a video tutorial and a pattern to purchase.

The pattern calls for 2-1/2 inch strips, but I used a fat quarter bundle I had in my stash. 

I have another pattern and 1/2 yard bundle that I haven't cut yet.

This one is a free pattern from Robert Kaufman called Trails.

That should keep me busy for a while.

My husband just left for an appointment. I think someone is missing him.

Stay safe and well.

Happy quilting.