Sunday, June 29, 2008

Baby quilt



Baby quilt I made in 30's fabrics from Aunt Gracie's Scrapbag collection.

What I am working on now. Or current projects



I really like this block. I am speed piecing two at a time. Guess you would call them a positive/negative set. They will not touch each other in the quilt.

I think this is a pattern called courthouse steps. Just 1 1/2" strips sewn around. The block measures 7 1/2" square when completed.

I went to a quilt show this week in Fort Wayne, Indiana. It was put on by a very large quild here called Appleseed Quilters. I was so inspired by all the beauties I saw there. And there were two quilts there quilted by my longarmer who has both my Orange Crushes to quilt! I am sure they will be beautiful!

I had to leave after my tote became full of fat quarters and patterns. I spent so much I could not get gas for my truck. Oh well... I will just have to stay home and sew!!!!!!!

My new Featherweight, Sissy

She sews like a dream. Man is she ever fast. I have yet to find the sweet spot in the pedal to have a little more control. It is either nothing or pedal to the metal. I am sewing barefoot. (with my big toe) Any suggestions?
For being over 70 years old she is a great stitcher. These machines are so easy to operate!
This is at the start of my sewing session. Yes, my sewing area is always neat. My house may be falling to pieces around me but my sewing area is in order!
Don't you think that the Art Deco Scroll Face is classy? I bought the DVD from the Featherweight guru, David. I oiled her and we sewed and sewed!!!! I am in love. I hope my Janome 6600P does not get too jealous!

I now own a Spartan!

Isn't she cute? I have yet to try to sew on her. I need to look at that manual.
This was purchased on E-Bay. The seller really took the time to package her very carefully. I was totally pleased with the whole experience.
I just had to have one since Bonnie Hunter has one too. She is my hero.

Tuesday, June 17, 2008

40th Class reunion quilt completed

Closeup of corner. I found purple fabric with gold alphabet and used that for the final border. Yes are colors are purple and gold. NHHS Class of 1968
It ended up being 67" square. Perfect size for my own quilting setup.

Saturday, June 14, 2008

cats and blocks

Our local quilt shop had FQ's for a $1...couldn't resist.
These were leftovers from my Hubby's BD quilt. This one will be for me. I just love creams and browns, don't you????
Baby in the back and Bess in the front. They are half sisters. Same feral mother and who knows who the father was. Their coloring is the same down to a pink toe on the rear paw. But Baby is smooth haired and Bess has long flowing hair. Bess looks like the feral mother. That colony no longer exists. Kinda sad but better for the cats. They were all trapped and hopefully have been taken to new homes. That feral mother had 2 litters a year for 10+ years. But the cats were all too wild to be socialized. Baby and Bess were both taken when mom was moving young kittens. They have a safe warm home with me.
Three of my 4 cats. Baby on the left. Macy on the catbed. Pearl looking out the window. They love my sewing machine being under the front windows. Great perch for watching birds, squirrels and chipmunks.

My 2 New Featherweights

My black 1938 Featherweight named "Sissy". She sews perfectly and is very fast! She really rocks!
This is Lily and I am so dissapointed in her performance. She is lovely to look at but barely moves. I did get the DVD set from Dave on the Yahoo Featherweight site. When I get a moment and feel mechanical I will work on her. The previous ower says she was conditioned and then put away for 2 years. So she may simply need to be woke up!

Blue Ridge Beauty in wild animal prints

Just a few blocks on the wall. The blocks are all made but need a good press before I start assembling this Beauty!
See Baby in the box? She is so silly. I also did not use Bonnie's size blocks. These were all found cuts in that box under my cutting table. I used 2 1/2" squares etc...so this will turn into a bigger quilt.
Nice stack of block pieces. I love little plastic containers. They keep things so sorted for me.
As I go through the assembly process, to keep things random but really scrappy. I will make a block from one group and then move the stacks and make another and so on. Chain piecing makes such a difference in the time spent piecing.

Both Orange Crush quilts done! (scrappy and pink/brown)

Here is my biggest kitty, Baby. My swap blocks came in the mail today and she claimed the box. It will not last long as she is way too big for the box and will bust it out. Until then she is in cardboard heaven. I wonder what goes through her little head!
Scrappy Orange Crush came out beautiful. Hubby really likes this one. The border does not ripple as it looks in the picture....my kitchen is just not wide enough. The quilt measures 83"x96".
My pink/brown Orange Crush has a story to tell.
First it ended up being square instead of a rectangle. I had blocks left over but thought nothing of it until I had it all sewn together and did a measurement. ??????? All 4 sides were 73 1/2". What happened? Well I must have not made my row long enough when I was doing the layout. It was too big for my design wall but I was propping blocks up on the table under the design wall. Oh well...I really like it square.
All the pieced border pieces fit fine and it is now a grand 79" square.

Both of these will be at the longarmer on Monday.