Hunkered Down

As are most folks these days, my family and I are hunkered down, trying to "flatten the curve" and avoid catching the novel coronavirus COVID-19.  I haven't been out of the house since March 11th, so I am on Day 16 of self-isolation.  We are all of us in the "high risk" category, so we're being pretty careful.  The Kid and The Potter have both gone out, but only for essentials, like groceries, taking the mail to the post office drop box, walking the dog and that sort of thing.  And, except for last weekend when we had some beautiful weather, it's too cold and rainy to want to go out much anyway.  

Our lives now aren't really that different from before all this started.  We don't go out much at the best of times.  But I do miss going to the store and I really missed my quilt guild meetings!  The Potter had to cancel a class he was going to give, and a lot of his selling opportunities, like the Spring Fair, have been cancelled.  And of course, we all miss the occasional meal out.

We live about an hour from Seattle, out in the boonies, so we are a little more isolated than the folks in Seattle.  But there are many people who live out here and commute into the greater Seattle area for work.  So, we're not completely out of danger.  Really, I don't think there are many places left in the U.S. that aren't in danger, looking at the news and the maps of the outbreaks!  These are very scary times for all of us!

One would think that with all this time at home I would be in the quilt studio, just sewing away.  But no, that's not the case.  I've been obsessively looking at my smart phone and all the terrible news.  My anxiety has been so high that I can't seem to focus on much of anything else.  So I am working on NOT looking at the news so much (just once a day) since at this point there's nothing happening very quickly, and trying to do some other things.  

How are you doing?  How are you coping with the world being topsy-turvy?

I've been playing the piano, trying to reduce my anxiety.  It works some. It's also frustrating as I'm out of practice, but I know the cure for that!  I also have been messing around in the quilt studio, but not focusing on any one project.  I did get one project sewn into a top, but I can't show you that as it's a secret for now.  I need to make a baby quilt pretty soon and have decided on the pattern, but not the fabrics I need.  So that's probably what's up next.

Very Very Mary
70" x 95"

This is my quilt that I named Very Very Mary, as it's made of lots of Mary Engelbreit fabrics.  There's a story for this quilt, of course.  

before quilting

I started the quilt at a quilt retreat about 20 years ago.  I had a lot ME's fabrics that I loved, so I decided to make the quilt with the Yellow Brick Road pattern in a twin size.  Well, when I was finished putting it together (minus the borders), I was kind of horrified at how very busy it was!  I was so disappointed that it didn't come out like I had envisioned, that I put it away and forgot about it for about 20 years.  It might not have been that long except for the fact that we moved in that time and I "lost" some of my sewing projects for a few years. 

corner star detail

Then, last year when it was almost time for the quilt show and I had only finished one quilt, I thought that was kind of a poor showing on my part so I decided to take this top out and see if I could finish it in time for the show.  First I added the red inner border.  I was going to do a different, pieced outer border, but decided to keep it simple.  I think the dotted border calmed it down some, as well as coordinating with the Mary E look.  I also found a little 6 inch star that I had done, so I made one more and put them in opposite corners in the border for a little whimsy.

the back

Then it was time to make the back.  Well, I found tons of ME fabric that I still had.  Lots of panels for pillows etc.  So I thought I might as well use up what I could of that and made a busy, scrappy back.  I had the long-armer do an all-over simple pattern, as I thought any quilting just wouldn't show too much with all that pattern!  So, it's really a two-sided quilt!  And I still have too much fabric left!  

back detail

At the quilt show, it was hung so you could see both the front and the back.  It's still a very busy quilt, but it's done!

I've learned an important lesson with this quilt.  I don't really like the whole "everything and the kitchen sink" approach to quilts anymore.  It was fine when I started, and it still works for some scrappy quilts, but I'm happier now with some "breathing room" in my quilts.  If  I were to do this quilt again, I'd definitely do it differently!   Isn't it funny how our tastes change over time? 

Happy quilting and stay safe and healthy!

Edited to Add:
I don't know what happened to my photos.  I've returned them, but don't know if they're in the correct order. Sheesh, blogger!  What's up?

Back In The Saddle, I Hope

Hey Ho!  I will try to do this blogging thing again.  I fell off the "blog/horse" last year and have been having trouble getting back to it again.  Mostly because I really wasn't doing much that was blog-worthy.  At least I felt that way.  So, a new year, a new decade and hopefully I'll be a more successful blogger.

My broken ankle has healed up beautifully.  I'm able to do pretty much whatever I want now.  I am more careful about how I do things now though!

"Positive Vibes"
60" x 80"

I did finish my Plus Quilt in time for the quilt show.  I'm very happy with it.   And it was lots of fun to make.  It was a very easy pattern to do.  The hardest part was deciding how to set the blocks.  LOL
You can see more about the start and the process of this here and here.

Back of the quilt

I had Sue Bradbury of Pretty Threads Quilting quilt it with an all-over pattern and I really like the look of it.  You can really see the quilting design best on the back of the quilt.  I used something from my stash for the back.

I had three leftover blocks (because I can't count, I guess) and I set them in the back.

I love the way the V&Co. Ombre Dot fabrics change color across the quilt.  I set the colors in diagonal rows.

I used one strip of each of the seven colors I used for the binding.  I had just enough!

More photos, just because.  I just love those Ombre dots fabrics! 

And all of my low volume fabrics make me happy too.

I didn't do as much quilting as I would have liked this year.  I was lacking focus, I think.  But I did accomplish some things.  

The start of the 1st scarf

I re-learned how to knit!  I've learned about 6 times now (first time in High School Home Ed), and it never "stuck" for me.  But now that I've forgotten how to crochet, the knitting seems to be working for me.  Hee hee!  Between You Tube and my son who knits, I finally "got" it.  I'm not ready for anything too fancy yet - I tried and it didn't go well!

Finished Scarf!

I have finished one scarf and am now working on another, which is just straight knitting.  I was a little disappointed with my first, because I think the color blocking of the yarn is too large, but it's still warm and cozy. I used a free pattern called Little Checkerboard Scarf from Ravelry.  

 I do enjoy the process of knitting the best.  I wanted to knit to keep my hands busy while I watch TV, but I have to look at what I'm doing!  Hopefully the next scarf will finish a little more "artsy" since I'm using nicer yarn.  

I have more quilts and projects to share with you, but I'll save them for my next blog post.

Meanwhile, Happy Quilting!

Gwennie-Inspired Liberated Medallion Quilt Along - The Start

OK, I'm a day late, but better late than never, right?

I totally spaced on Lori's Liberated Medallion Quilt Along (see it here on her blog Humble Quilts).   When I saw her post yesterday, I remember that I wanted to do this too!

Lori started out the Medallion by giving us the prompt "Basket" for our center block.  And then I saw all the wonderful baskets popping up in Blogland!

So, after I emailed Lori and got permission to play along, I went and found my basket block that is already done.

Basket #1

I had made this last year after my class with Gwen Marston on liberated baskets the previous year.  (see the post on that class here)  Well, it doesn't fit with the other basket blocks I've made for that project - it's too soon to call it a quilt yet!

my baskets as of March 2015

It's a different size and it just doesn't fit with them well.  So, I thought it would be perfect for the Quilt Along.

Basket #2

And then I found one more (in the bottom left in the picture of all the baskets)  It doesn't match very well either - all the others have a more pastel background.

So, I have choices.  I haven't decided quite where I'm going with this, and options are good. 

The print fabric is a vintage late '60's/early '70's one.

Here are my possible fabric choices to go with Basket #1.  I think I need to add in some of the gold/mustard for some spice!  Oooo, shopping!

This is gonna be fun!  I love a liberated quilt and a good QAL too!  And I just had the Medallion class with Gwen this spring to get me started thinking medallions!

The next border's prompt is "Childhood" and I already have some ideas in my head.  Now if it would just cool down enough that I can go upstairs and play in the quilt studio.

Click here to go to Lori's and see all the other baskets that others have made to get started.  I'm humbled by their creativity!

Strings & Samples & some Progress

Finally, I'm able to show you some more of my quilts that I finished for the quilt show that happened a month ago.  Where does the time fly off to?  This year is going way too fast.  It's been so busy around here that I haven't had time to blog or even do much sewing.

I'm staying home today rather than going to my guild's workshop this afternoon because I've had a sinus infection and unrelenting headache for 10 days now.  I've been to the Dr. twice, started a second antibiotic since the 1st one did nothing for me, and am starting to feel a little better now.  I missed my Modern Quilt Guild meeting last night too.  I'm kind of pouting about that.  But since I'm the hostess for 12 family members for Turkey Day next week, I thought it would be a good thing to feel better by then.

Batik Strings
25" x 30"

I started this quilt in a Liberated Strings class with Gwen Marston this past spring, which means I got this finished in less than a year!  Yay me! That doesn't seem to happen often around here. I'm calling it Batik Strings for lack of a more inspired name. 

I made this quilt with yardage cut into strips instead of using strings, and it was made without a foundation, doing what Gwen calls Block Base construction.  It's explained in her books.  That was a new technique to me for sewing strings.

A detail shot so you can see some of the fabrics I used.  I quilted this one myself.  I just free-handed straight lines, no marking.  I did use painter's tape for the initial line down the approximate center of the block, but no other markings.  I'm pleased with how this came out.  

This is my downstairs half-bath where the quilt lives now.  I made it to fit into this space, both size-wise and color-wise.  Unfortunately I can see now that the quilt isn't too flat.  I think the quilting kind of warped it, so I'll have to fix that soon.

The assemblage hanging on the wall on the left is a collaboration piece.  I made the ceramic tile, which I felt was less-than-successful, but then my sister took it and incorporated it into one of her assemblages.  I think it looks good now.  *grin*  And I'm really pleased to have a collaboration piece done with my sister!

Magic Triangle Sample
22" x 22"

I was trying to get more quilts done for the quilt show and thought this one wouldn't take too long to finish, so I finished up this older UFO that's been waiting it's turn for about 15 years.

When I went to sandwich this top with the backing and batting, I found I had to take off the outer borders and redo them.  They were 'waving in the wind', so I had to get accurate with them.  I've learned that sewing a border on and then whacking off the excess fabric rarely makes a nice flat border and that it pays to take a little more time with them.

Here's a detail shot of the center.  I used the Magic Triangle template (see below) that I bought at a quilt show.  I was so excited to try this template that I came home and immediately made this.  I made the smallest blocks that the template would make (2 inches) because I was using some fat 1/8th's I had of reproduction fabrics.  There was no actual plan involved in the construction of this top (that I remember) so I'm pleased it turned out so well.  This isn't my style any more, but I do appreciate a finished quilt!

A detail shot of the corner.  You can see a little of my quilting in this, and also that I used the binding with a flange, which I've learned to love.  I think that little bit of red really pops!  I had to piece the leftover bits of red to have enough length for the flange, so that's scrappy too.

One 2 inch block

I believe this design is also called Mary's Triangle, or Shaded 4-Patch.

Here is the template that I purchased at a quilt show about 15 (or more) years ago.  This doesn't seem to be available anymore, but I did find some other useful links.  This technique was developed by Sally Schneider in her book Scrapmania that you can find on Amazon here.  You can also find a tool from Sally on her website. (scroll about 1/2 way down the page).  There are also instructions on how to make this block without a spiffy template on Sew Fresh Quilts blog.  If you Google 'Mary's Triangle quilts', there are many, many images of all the different ways you can set this block together to make great quilts!  Some day I want to do this pattern/technique again!

I haven't decided what project I want to focus on first, so I pulled out my Scrappy Trips project that I'm doing with all my dots fabrics.  I've got 20 blocks done now.  Still have about 50 blocks to do to make a quilt that fits our queen-sized bed.  Kind of an intimidating thought!  So, this is obviously going to be a longer-term project that I will work on as I'm inspired to.

We got our first snowfall last weekend!  We only got about an inch total, and most of it was melted by the time I got this photo.  We've had some wild weather the last few weeks.  Tuesday we had a huge wind storm and rain storm.  We lost power for about 3 hours.  Now there are fir boughs all over the deck and back yard, but luckily no other damage to us.  We're supposed to get down into the 20's tonight.  Yikes!  Cold!

I hope all of my U.S. readers have a wonderful Thanksgiving Day.  I know I'm thankful for all we have, including a loving family.  Wishing you and yours a happy holiday!

One Done, Three Begun

Done!  
18.5 x 25 inches

I finally got this little preemie quilt quilted and done.  It's now ready to give away.  Yay!  Even a small finish is still a finish.

I did a very simple straight-line quilting job on it, and used some soft, sweet baby flannel on the back. 

#1 Begun

I've gotten more baskets done since I got home from my class with Gwen.  Still have at least another 4 to do, then I need to figure out what I want to do with them.  I'm not sure which part of that will be more fun.  *grin*

As I promised in my last post, here are my goodies I got at the Quilted Strait in Port Gamble.  An 8 inch square frame for some needlework I did, a purple with cats fat quarter (by Laurel Burch), some great labels fabric and some cute fabric to trim kitchen towels with.

Look at the cute selvage on the flower fabric!  It's ladybugs!

Here are two fat quarters that I received from the owner of the Quilted Strait.  These are the new made-in-America solids.  She gave everyone in the class two fat quarters, as she had just gotten the fabrics in stock.  They seem very nice, from what I can tell without undoing the cool folding job.

#2 Begun

A few weeks ago, I taught some of the ladies in my guild how to do Bonnie Hunter's Scrappy Trips pattern.  The class was very successful - everyone got at least one block done and they all looked great!  But, it involved starting a new quilt!  I decided to use some of my polka dot fabrics.  Wow, I had a lot more than I had realized!  So, these were some samples to show the various layouts you can do.  Since I have a LOT of dots, I'm not sure how big this quilt will be.  As big as it needs to be to include as many dots as possible, I guess.  *laughs*

A few weeks ago, I found these blocks.  Can you guess what decade they're from??*  My friends in my very first quilting bee made these blocks for me.  Since I was the baby of the group, most of these ladies have now passed away.  I don't really care much for these colors anymore, but I do care that my friends made these for me.  I decided to keep them and see what I could do with them.  But I think they're kind of boring.  *yawn*

So, I tossed them up on the design wall to see what I could do.

#3 Begun

So, I've made 3 more blocks to bring the count up to 12.  And I tried to incorporate a little more contrast in the blocks I've made.  I know the block in the bottom left is a "humility" block.  I "fixed" that boo-boo THREE times, and it's still wrong, so it's staying!  Even though it bugs me.  Resisting. . . .

Now, I'm trying to decide what I want to do next.  These are 14 inch blocks, so I don't want to add much more size to this.  The Thinking Cap has gone on and I'm cogitating now.  Hopefully something will occur to me soon!   I don't know if it's a good thing or not, but I don't have many fabrics in these dusty blue colors anymore, and I want to up the contrast on the whole thing as well.  I'd like to have this one done for the quilt show in October, so I know I can't dawdle too long.  And I also don't want this to be boring and predictable.  So, that's the challenge I've given myself.  *gulp*  I hope that's not biting off more than I can chew.  I'll be keeping you posted as I hopefully make progress.

* These are the dusty blues from the 1980's.  Waaay out of style and favor!

Dots, Dots, Dots

I thought I would share my Bullseye quilt today. I made this a few years ago. I was inspired by a quilt titled "Lots Of Dots" by Mary Mashuta. You can see it here. She spoke at the quilt guild, and this was one of the quilts hanging for her talk. It's been published in her book "Cotton Candy Quilts". The quilt was hanging right by where I sat, and I just fell in love with it. So, I was inspired to make a quilt with all polka dots.

When I started looking through my fabrics, I was surprised to see how many "dotty" fabrics I already had. But, of course, I had to buy lots more dots for the quilt. Every single fabric has dots or spots of some kind, even the background fabrics, the backing fabric, and the binding. All dots.

It was a lot of fun to make. I really didn't have a pattern, just a picture in my head. I didn't even have a circle template. I was at retreat, so I cut out the center of a paper plate and started with that. And then, when I was doing the border, I ran short of the border fabric. Thus, the not-really-square corner squares. Needless to say, it's pretty wonky. But I love that too! This is the quilt I use every night to keep me warm while we watch TV. It makes me happy! And isn't that the best reason to make/have a quilt?

Spring Is Showing Up

Nothing much fun going on here this week. Certainly not any quilting! We're working on income taxes and paying bills. Not very blog-worthy subjects. But, I have to say, moving makes it pretty difficult to find the important papers that you know must be somewhere! And I was being careful too.

We had sunshine for a few days this week, and I got out to look at the yard. We actually have evidence of Spring! The primroses are a trifle chewed by the slugs, but still a beautiful, vibrant color.


The crocus are starting to open, and the daffodills are getting buds on them! These are the bulbs that I actually got planted in the fall - the others are a little behind.

And this is the tiniest primrose I have ever seen! The whole plant is about 3 inches tall. I put my hand in the photo to show the scale. It's all the way across the yard from the house, and yet DH managed to see it from inside! Of course, he was using binoculars, but still . . . I wouldn't have been able to see it, I'm sure!

And, because this IS a quilting blog, here is the requisite quilt photo. It has the bonus of a cat in it as well. This is Hamlet, who is my daughter's cat. This photo was taken almost 2 years ago. He lives in Nevada now. (We miss him.)

If you look closely at the quilt, you can see that I was in the process of putting the binding on. I'd had the quilt folded and draped over the chair back, and Hamlet managed to crawl up inside the quilt and pull it down, so that he could lay in/on it. Clips and needles don't bother Hamlet!

This is my Bullseye quilt that I did all in dots. I'll show the whole quilt in another post. I need to take a good picture of it.

I hope Spring will soon be visiting everyone.