Slow Sunday Stitching - August 6, 2023

This post should be subtitled "Santa needs a Beard: 'The 80s' needs a border. But Karla got though close".

That pretty much sums up this week. 

I did get the quilt top done - except for the small (2 inch finished) border.   I really like my new quilting/sewing set up in the dining room.   Other than the fact that I still have no place to lay out a larger quilt to take measurements and photographs.  Once I'm retired and get the big desk out of here, I think I can rig up a temporary design wall in the window seat area where the desk is now.   Just a few months.....   No date yet, but training my replacement is winding down in all but one area.  

In the mean time, photographing half the quilt at a time, pinned to sheets of foam insulation precariously perched on dining room chairs up against the bookcase is the best I can do! 

I thought about trying to photoshop them together, but decided my skills just are not up to the task.   I need to think about how to display a finished quilt, too!

I also got all the stitching done on the Heirloom Santa Ornament:Canine back during Christmas in July, as planned.   I even got him cut out and the hanger on him, but I still have his beard/mustache and the tassel on his hat yet to do.   And the backing to apply and cut out.   

I'll report on the sweater and the Blackbird piece next week. Linking up with the SSS crew (roundup here).

Slow Sunday Stitching - July 30, 2023

For the first time in absolutely ages, I am reporting on all three of my craft categories!   Not a LOT to report in any one of them, but enough that I feel like I can at least mention stuff. 

Now knitting won't have a photograph this week since I just added about an inch/2.5 cm (6 rounds) to the body of the brown sweater in simple stocking stitch.   When I get another 10 rounds or so, I'm going to put the sweater body on my longest cable and try it on.   I think that's about where the waist shaping should go, but I need to check.   I'll take a picture then.

But for needlework, take a look at the tiniest, cutest little stitches on my BBD "Two Hearts" needlebook:

For scale, that needleminder is almost exactly the size of a US quarter/UK 10p!  56 count linen, one strand of CC floss over two fabric threads - full cross.    And let me tell you, it's fiddly work too!   I need both a 5x magnifier light AND my needlework glasses.   I do have a 10x lens, but it's hard to work with since the smallest movement (like just drawing the thread through the fabric) will knock it out of focus.   Technically, those stitches are the same size as one over one on 28 count, but having twice as many ground threads makes for a much more supported, much denser and altogether to my eye more attractive stitch.

Speaking of one over one on 28 count.  This month I put in 1268 stitches on the Sugar Skull; a much more respectable showing than June.   My monthly average is just short of 1600 stitches per month, well over my goal of 1000 stitches.  Time so far on this project is 66.25 hours.  Picture of it when I hit my next milestone, which is getting one of the temple areas done.

And my quilt is one long seam and a small outer border from being an actual quilt top!!!  I got the bottom third of it put together over the last two weeks.

The reds are actually rose pinks, it's a hard color to capture.

Linking up with the SSS crew (current roundup is here)

ETA:  my thumb is better.  After it not getting much improvement for a couple of weeks, I went to the doctor. X rays say that it's not broken, but I'm in a splint for at least a few weeks to keep it protected and not moving to let the tendons heal.  I think it's helping.

Slow Sunday Stitching - July 9, 2023

For the last several months, ever since I got the dining room table situation fixed, I have been waffling about how I am going to sew now.   I do not have a dedicated sewing room or even a sewing space.   I always set up my machine on the dining room table and the old table top was so scratched and marred that I didn't care if there was another scratch added by a random pin or dropped pair of scissors.   When the leg support on the table collapsed, the only other possible space was my work from home desk.  And with the laptop stand, large monitor, files etc, there was barely enough space for my sewing machine.  Plus I didn't want to ruin the finish on my desk.   Then the NEW dining room table top is also lovely and I do not want to ruin it either.  What to do???   So I haven't had my sewing machine out since.

Well, I was getting ready to take my order of furnace filters down to the basement, and it struck me - here's a huge horizontal space that needs to be protected and here's a huge expanse of very nice cardboard that is only going into the garden as mulch or into the recycling.   It's a match made for each other!

So here's my sewing set up.  One of the drop leaves is up and the cardboard is just about a quarter of an inch over the edge.  The weight of my machine is enough so that the cardboard doesn't move around and there's just a tiny triangle of space that isn't covered on the near side of the table.  (I think I'm going to put masking tape on both sides to fix that.)  My built in buffet in the back is counter height and just fits an 18 x 24 cutting mat perfectly.   And the ironing board is usually just where I'm standing, but I moved it out of the way temporarily.   I have one of those three tiered craft carts that you can find anywhere that are dupes of the IKEA Rashult for all my tools.    

The quilting bug has bit again and "It was the 80s" is now 2/3s of the way assembled.  I rebooted it back in December of 2017, which is a bit embarrassing because at that time I thought it would be a six month project LOL.  I got distracted by a couple of other quilts, including Lucy Boston, and I just do not sew all that much these days. Hoping for more time once I retire.  And now that I've figured out the set up, hopefully I'll do better.   

It takes me about five minutes to set up once everything is pulled out of the hall closet and about 15 to tear down, including sweeping the floor and putting away all the fabrics used.   I have another old cart that my mom had in her pantry that holds the thread box, the pattern and fabric for the current project, the cutting mat and the case for the machine.  Adding the carts to the mix has made it so that I can corral the tools and materials in a way that is both efficient and easy to work with.   I'm still tweaking the tool set up, but I can find everything. 

The machine, by the way, is "Bee" my mother's Singer 99 from 1955.   I use that one as my 'daily driver' because it has a bigger harp than my grandmother's Featherweight and a larger bobbin, which I appreciate when doing long seams.  "Alice", the Singer 221, is still my workshop machine and my favorite overall.  I learned to sew on that machine.

Posting to the SSS crew, who are probably amused by my glacial quilting progress!  Link to current round up.

Quilt WiP - It's still the 80s

 I haven't touched this quilt for a bit over a year - Jan 2020.  I lost my 'sew-jo' somewhere in the never-ending parade of masks last spring and it has been reluctant to come back.   But I made a resolution to move forward on my quilting and decided early last week that the best way to do that is to allocate a specific time (namely Saturday and Sunday afternoons) to the task.   I promised myself that I would set up my sewing machine on the dining room table Friday after dinner and then sew on Saturday and Sunday, then put the sewing away for the work week to keep everything in my work space (currently the corner where the living room and dining room come together) nice and tidy.   

What do you know, I worked on my quilt!   I had finished all the blocks and all the pieced sashings (though I had not cut the solid sashings) when I put it away last year.   I will cut those sashings as I come to them in the assembly.  This quilt is not put together in rows due to the asymmetric setting.  It's not even put together in quadrants, but instead in seven large areas that are then seamed together in a way the makes sure that there are no set in corners.   The sections are designated A-G

I actually started with section  B, which is the center and center upper area.  While this one is the largest area wise, it is also the one of the simpler areas in construction, with only one real sashing strip and very few places where corners meet or points are a concern.  I trimmed the outer round of the log cabin blocks down so that the bright rose would not overpower the blue so much.  They were a bit wonky, so that also made that less of an issue (and I hope the rest will quilt out).  The lighting makes it look much worse than it is, btw.  And I didn't smooth out the wrinkles at all, as I was losing what little light a grey winter day provided in my north facing bedroom!.

It's going to be huge.  The length of this section is about 2/3 of the length of the quilt, and between 1/3 and 1/2 of the width.  And it almost covers a double bed mattress top.  It will be nearly 90 x 90.   Bedspread sized.

Next I will try to work on Part A.  It has a much more complex layout with sections of pieced sashing.

Quilt WiP - the never-ending scrap basket

UMMM, I found another box of quilt scraps last night when I was putting away all of the Christmas stuff.   In one way, it was great - there were actually some fabrics that 'go with' the quilt I'm working on - "It was the 80s".   All these are matching or coordinating prints to the fabrics already in the quilt.  There's at least a yard total, maybe closer to two.  

I will be able to remake and swap out one or two blocks that have a lot of that bright rose pink solid in them (and move those blocks to the back).   And I will have enough to do the one fabric sashings now.   But I'm so happy with the Carpenter's Wheel block, which was made out of necessity when I thought I was running out of fabric, that I can't be sorry these fabrics were hidden up to now.

There are also a bunch of pieces of homespun, shirt weight ticking, parts of shirts and shirting fabrics in small checks and plaids.  I've been casually collecting for one of Bonnie's quilts from "Shirt tails", so the variety will be nice. Not sorry I found that box in the basement storage, but will I ever get to the end of zombie craft supplies????

It is becoming increasingly obvious that I need a better storage system for my quilting fabric! 

Quilt WiP - back to "It was the 80s"

One of my major goals for this year is to get "It was the 80s" done.  I haven't been putting time into my quilting.  Knitting and needlework happen in the living room in a comfy chair.  They are often (though not always) projects where 15 mins of work can happen without needing any set up or much prep.  I can leave a needlework project on a frame on the floor stand and the pattern on my antique music stand that I use for a chart holder and just sit down and stitch whenever I get a minute.  Knitting is even more portable yet.  Even on lace pieces, it's just a matter of finding my place on the chart and away we go.

Quilting, on the other hand, means hauling out a sewing machine, setting it up, getting out fabric, and iron and ironing board.....  I'm a dining room quilter and I can't really leave everything set up.  Well, I COULD, but the dining room table is the only place to eat in the house other than a TV tray in front of the tube (which I try not to do).  I'm trying to find a solution.  But in the mean time, I'm going to try hard to utilize the weekends. 

So this weekend, I spent some time organizing my projects.   And sorted and folded the fabrics that will be used on the back and sashings for "It was the 80s".   I also made a list of the steps needed to finish the top and back for the LAQ.  I have the funds saved up to pay her and once the top and backing are completed, I'll get on her waiting list.  Jean is pretty quick, and I just need an all over pattern, so it shouldn't be a long wait. 
So the next part is checkerboard sashings - 4 of them, three that are a single strip and one that is basically 4 patches set edge to edge.   I got all the parts cut on Saturday and the machine set up and pairs run through on Sunday afternoon.

The single row sets went quickly - these are the two that are 12 patches each.  The four patches (2 x 11) were fun, too.  I wanted to include as many of the mid blues as I could, so there are some 'patched patches' in this set.  The blue and cream stars from the salvaged sashings of the old quilt cut down nicely into two patch sets. 

Still have the one patch row that is 22 long (this one will go along the lower edge of the top).  So that will be next weekend's goal along with figuring out where and how to do a design wall.  I don't want to lay this out on the floor unless I have to.


EDIT:  last of the sashings

Slow Sunday Stitching - June 2, 2019

Milestone reached!   All the blocks for "It was the 80s" are done.   There's still sashing to cut and a whole bunch of assembly, but I feel like I'm making progress again. 

I really love hand piecing.  The points on this are very crisp and tight.  Well worth the time it took.  The assembly on this quilt will be done on the machine, though, and it will go to the LAQ, so the next time you see this on SSS will be when I'm working on the binding.   Who knows when that will be LOL.

And I pulled out a block from "Aunt Lottie's Garden" to work on this week.  It feels good to get back to that project, too.  My first goal for today is to get it basted.   This will be Block 20 of 30 for the center of the quilt.  Borders still to be appliqued, to say nothing of the quilting.  So a far way to go on that one. 

My needlework project is rather back burner this week.  My attention has been on the hand piecing almost exclusively.  Hopefully I'll be getting back to it after I get the applique block basted.  To see how the other Slow Sunday Stitchers are spending their days, visit this week's round up at Kathy's blog.

Quilt WiP: "It was the 80s" - Block 22 - finale

As I mentioned in the "sneak peek" for this block, I turned a 12 inch hand pieced Lemoyn Star into a 24 inch hand pieced Carpenter's Wheel block to replace a block in Pat's layout that I did not have enough fabric for. 

It took me a lot longer than I thought it would, but it came out wonderfully.   There are a BUNCH of Y seams - so hand piecing was the way to go on this.  I truly dislike machine piecing Y seams and miters, though I know how and can do them well.  

This block will make a nice solid anchor for one of the outer corners on the asymmetrical setting.  

Now I just have to figure out how to do a design wall somewhere in my little house so I can lay this beast out!

Quilt WiP: "It was the 80s" - Fill Area #3 (6 inch blocks)

The last of the three fill in areas is in the right side, about the mid point.  It's an area 6 inches by 12 inches, so perfect for a pair of half size (6 inch) blocks.   I debated doing some true miniature piecing there, but when I saw the "X and O" block that Pat called "Hugs and Kisses" in her design, I knew what I was going to do.  That block was Block 20 in "Solstice", and I substituted a block from the old quilt, but I made one X and one O for this area.

These are four patches with each patch 'snowballed' on two opposite corners using the 'stitch and flip' technique.  The X and O simply happens with the way the 4 patches are orientated.   Fun little blocks. 


The Solstice Quilt on Pat Sloan's blog with the blocks and layout.

Intro: How this quilt came to be
Trackback to prior block - Fill in #2

Slow Sunday Stitching - April 28, 2019

Not a lot of progress this week on the crafting front.   I've been a bit distracted by the yard and stuff at work. 

I did get started on the hand piecing of the Carpenter's Wheel block for "It was the 80s".  I unpicked the outer background of the Lemoyne Star from the original quilt and have started cutting and marking the new background.

Behind the block, is my graph paper sketch of how one section of the expanded block will go together.   If I've done my math right, it should fit the 24 x 24 inch space I need to fill.  There are two versions of the Carpenter's Star.   The modern or 'simplified' version uses half square triangles, and this traditional version uses equilateral diamonds.  Lots and lots of "Y" seams in this version, which is why I'm hand piecing this.

  

Besides, I like to hand piece.

There are a lot of people who do hand work, linking up with a bunch of them on Slow Sunday Stitching - link to the current roundup.

Quilt WiP: "It was the 80s" - Fill Area #2 (EPP Hexis)

The second of the three fill-in areas is at left side of the layout a bit over half way down.  It is 6 inches by 18 inches.   I showed this area off in the Slow Sunday Stitching link ups while I was working on it.   The English Paper Pieced hexagons are appliqued to a backing piece that will be trimmed to the correct size.

The Solstice Quilt on Pat Sloan's blog with the blocks and layout.

Intro: How this quilt came to be
Trackback to prior block - Fill in #1

Quilt WiP: "It was the 80s" - Fill Area #1 (Crumb Block)

In addition to 25 blocks of assorted sizes, Pat Slone's "Solstice" with the asymmetrical layout includes solid sashing and several sections of checkerboard sashing.   Three of those checkerboards are fairly large - block sized.   So on those areas, I am substituting something other than checkerboards.

The first area - at the center top of the layout - is 10 inches by 12 inches.   The original quilt had a 'crumb pieced' block that I will cut down for this section.   I think I'll trim off the far left side. 

The Solstice Quilt on Pat Sloan's blog with the blocks and layout.

Intro: How this quilt came to be
Trackback to prior block - Block #25

Quilt WiP: "It was the 80s" - Block 25

This is the last of the machine pieced blocks (still have the rest of one hand pieced block and some pieced checkerboard sashing to do).   I used Pat's pattern for this block.  she calls it "Summer Rose", but I have seen it as "Christmas Cactus" as well.  

I was very pleased with the way this one turned out, the 'oversized and trimmed down' half square triangles work very well for me

So next thing will be to show off the three 'fill in' sections.  They are all done, just need pressed and a picture taken.

The Solstice Quilt on Pat Sloan's blog with the blocks and layout.

Intro: How this quilt came to be
Trackback to prior block - Block #24

Quilt WiP: "It was the 80s" - Block 24

And another block from the original quilt subbing in for one of Pat's blocks.   Her block 24 is this same star with a nine patch center instead of a 4 patch and the corner blocks divided. 

This one will do just fine.

The Solstice Quilt on Pat Sloan's blog with the blocks and layout.

Intro: How this quilt came to be
Trackback to prior block - Block #23

Quilt WiP: "It was the 80s" - Block 23

This block is a simple 16 patch,  I've seen it called "garlic knot" "tied knot" and Pat calls it "Eureka". 

At any rate, I was originally going to just sub in a 16 patch from the original quilt in the 'sunshine and shadows' set, but it had a LOT of that bright rose in it.   So I salvaged what I could, pieced pieces where I ran short and added new neutral fabric

I didn't take a picture of the 'dead' block.  But here it is laid out:

And finished

I think I did a pretty decent job of hiding the 'pieced pieces' by matching up the print repeat carefully. 

The Solstice Quilt on Pat Sloan's blog with the blocks and layout.

Intro: How this quilt came to be
Trackback to prior block - Block #22

Quilt WiP: "It was the 80s" - Block 22 - sneak peak

I have mentioned that I'm running short of blue fabric.   I have only four blocks left to make plus some pieced sashing which can use up 2.5 inch or larger scraps and some longer runs of one color sashing.   I do have some plain solid medium blue, which I hope to use in the one color sashing and on the backing.  There's plenty of the light rose print and dark rose solid to use for both the sashing and backing as well, though I do plan to minimize it on the front of the quilt.

But the problem is those four blocks - well ONE of those four blocks.   I'm going to substitute one of the original quilt blocks in (though not the one I'd originally planned to), there's a 16 patch that I can just remake with some new neutral from an existing 16 patch, and the last block I think I have enough of the tone on tone floral for. 

But this block is a doozy.  It's 24 x 24 finished.   And the pieces in it are scaled up, too - big 5 to 8 inch square pieces.  This is just not going to happen with the fabric I do have left.   I've spent some time pondering the question.  And decided to look at big blocks I can make with one of my existing blocks.

There's this from the original quilt.

A hand pieced Lemoyne star.  That I was originally going to substitute it for Block 24.  But.....  this particular block is also used as the center of a classic Carpenter's Wheel block.   Now Carpenter's Wheel quilts come in two varieties: a modern, simplified version made out of half square triangles, or the antique version made out of equilateral (equal sided) diamonds that are 45 degree angles at the narrow point.  I'm obviously going with the classic version here.

I'm going to take the background fabric out, re-cut with the new background fabric and cut a bunch of these diamonds out of the old blue sashing, since it's the only medium blue that I have enough of (I hope).    I sure hope it turns out close to the right size!!! 

A lot of bias edges and Y seams means that this whopper of block will be hand pieced.   Luckily, since I found the book from the original class, I can remake the template for the diamonds.   Poor Aunt Lottie's Garden applique will be going back into hibernation while I tackle this.  In the mean time, I have plenty of machine work yet to do on this quilt.


The Solstice Quilt on Pat Sloan's blog with the blocks and layout.

Intro: How this quilt came to be
Trackback to prior block - Block #21

Quilt WiP: "It was the 80s" - Block 21

This block is another of the 12 inch blocks, but what it lacks in size, it makes up for in the number of pieces.   The grid is a 36 patch (6 by 6) of 2 inch (finished) pieces.   And 16 of them are half square triangles - that's 52 pieces in this one block. 

Pat's diagram has a dark/medium/light coloring, so I used two pieces out of one of the deconstructed nine patch blocks that let me use the navy calico print for the darkest fabric.  The medium is one of my new fabrics and that half yard is now down to a six inch square and a few scraps.  The light is the 'stars on cream' Bonnie Hunter neutral that was in the sashing of the original quilt.   I love that this block had small enough units to get full sized patches out of the old sashings.   A quick wash and a spray of Best Press was all that was needed to get the fabric back to 'near new' condition. 

All the units:

And the finished block:

If I were going to make a full quilt of these (and Pat's block pattern has a nice layout for just that), I would make at least the center set of four squares into flying geese units.  There's eight seams coming together in the center of this block and it was very had to get them all lined up and meeting nicely.  Flying goose units would at least eliminate two of those seams.


Note:  One thing I haven't mentioned about Pat's wonderful pattern is that not only does she give two layouts for this quilt (the other one is a symmetrical layout with all 12 inch blocks, so she gives  alternate sized blocks or units from the larger blocks to scale into the 12 inch block size), she ALSO does full quilt layouts for most of the blocks and provides a 'coloring sheet' of those layouts.   That's a lot for a free pattern!!!

This block reminds me of Southwest Native American art - rugs in particular.  I think it would be stunning in some of the turquoise, red rock and sand colors.   Maybe with a wide border of Kapolei dancer rock painting figures or something similar.  There are some batiks with those types of primitive art.   The block would scale up nicely to 18 inches square with 3 inch finished units instead of 2 inch.   I have too many quilts in the 'to do list' already, but that might go into the 'ideas' list. 

The Solstice Quilt on Pat Sloan's blog with the blocks and layout.

Intro: How this quilt came to be
Trackback to prior block - Block #20

Quilt WiP: "It was the 80s" - Block 20

Here's another substitution block.  I am running low on fabric, so I really need to use more of the old quilt blocks.

This is a block called 'Star Flower' and it's basically a modification of the classic Lemoyne star, but made with half square triangles instead of equal sided diamonds.   The classic one will show up a few blocks from now as I also have a hand pieced classic version with the equilateral diamonds from the old quilt.

Pat's block this time is an 'X and O' block she calls 'Hugs and Kisses'.  I do like this block.  Each of the four units in it finishes at 6 x 6 and there just happens to be a fill in area that is 6 x 12.  So I'm going to be making one 'X' and one 'O' for that area when I get to doing the laying out, sashing and fill in areas. 

The Solstice Quilt on Pat Sloan's blog with the blocks and layout.

Intro: How this quilt came to be
Trackback to prior block - Block #19

BOM Challenge update

I totally didn't make my goal of keeping up with my Block of the Week progress and getting this quilt finished in 2018.  


For some reason, I fell out of love with this project in the second half of the year and this is all I accomplished from April to December


Block 16 - friendship block*
Block 17 - shooting star
Block 14 Redux - honey bee * with the applique finished
Block 18 - on the go*
Block 19 - board games*

And one part of the fill-in areas

I'm so disappointed with myself.   I have 6 blocks to do yet for this quilt and a ton of assembly for both the front and the pieced back.  I need to re-dedicate myself to getting this one done.  

Quilt WiP: "It was the 80s" - Block 18

This project has been on the back burner for several months.   Yard work, housework and other projects have taken priority in my life of late, but I do want to get this top to the LAQ by sometime this year, so I need to put some time in on it.  
The next block is another of the 12 x 12 inch blocks; it takes 16 half square triangles arranged in diamond and 'flying geese' units.  
  

I debated taking apart one or more of the old blocks that are on a 16 patch grid, but ended up making it from new cuts.

I was disappointed with my points on this block.   There's a lot of bulk in the seams and they didn't come together as nicely as I had hoped.

I think if I were to do an entire quilt with this block, that I would do oversized flying geese units with either 'stitch and flip' corners or paper piece them, which would eliminate half of the seams. 

The Solstice Quilt on Pat Sloan's blog with the blocks and layout.

Intro: How this quilt came to be
Trackback to prior block - Block #17