Sweet Sugar Swirls

Now that Christmas is over, I can finish the post on this one.  Earlier, I had whined about the bias stretch in this quilt.  I have to admit, however, that the closer I got to finishing it, the better I liked it.  And I kept thinking it would make a great gift for someone who is very special to me.

That person was my sister, Patricia and, if her reaction is any indication, she loved this quilt.

Sweet Sugar Swirls

Now that Christmas is over, I can finish the post on this one.  Earlier, I had whined about the bias stretch in this quilt.  I have to admit, however, that the closer I got to finishing it, the better I liked it.  And I kept thinking it would make a great gift for someone who is very special to me.

That person was my sister, Patricia and, if her reaction is any indication, she loved this quilt.

Thinking Outside the Block

It's finally done!  I've spent much of the past several weeks working fast and furious on this king-sized black and white quilt for our eldest son, Bryan.  It was WAY too big to put on my quilt frame so I had to wrestle with it on the dining room table, putting it away just long enough to serve Christmas dinner.  My shoulders were in knots so I kept borrowing Bryan's heat pack that he uses for his back.  That helped a lot.

Arranging the 144 blocks to sew them together presented a challenge.  My knees are too old to try to crawl around on the floor, so Scott and I put our heads together and built a design wall out of pvc pipe and flannel-backed tablecloths.  It stands 7 feet tall and 7.5 feet wide.  I could lean it against the hallway wall out of the way while I assembled the top.  Worked great until I realized I was too short for the top rows and had to get the stepladder.  (Santa Claus, alias Scott, built me my own little stepstool the day after X-Mas!)

The entire day after Christmas was spent stitching the binding.  I got it done just before Bryan got home from work.

I think he likes it.

Thinking Outside the Block

It's finally done!  I've spent much of the past several weeks working fast and furious on this king-sized black and white quilt for our eldest son, Bryan.  It was WAY too big to put on my quilt frame so I had to wrestle with it on the dining room table, putting it away just long enough to serve Christmas dinner.  My shoulders were in knots so I kept borrowing Bryan's heat pack that he uses for his back.  That helped a lot.

Arranging the 144 blocks to sew them together presented a challenge.  My knees are too old to try to crawl around on the floor, so Scott and I put our heads together and built a design wall out of pvc pipe and flannel-backed tablecloths.  It stands 7 feet tall and 7.5 feet wide.  I could lean it against the hallway wall out of the way while I assembled the top.  Worked great until I realized I was too short for the top rows and had to get the stepladder.  (Santa Claus, alias Scott, built me my own little stepstool the day after X-Mas!)

The entire day after Christmas was spent stitching the binding.  I got it done just before Bryan got home from work.

I think he likes it.

Thinking Outside the Block

Since my Janome is STILL in the shop, I can't finish the quilt on my frame.  So I've started a new quilt.  I made a Scrappy Diamonds for my younger son two years ago but had a hard time trying come up with a pattern for my elder son, Bryan.  Where Devan requested bright greens, Bryan wanted black and white bandanna fabrics.  Impossible!  So here's what I came up with instead:

The pattern is "Thinking Outside the Block" and the king-size requires 144 of these blocks!  

The finished size will be about 103" square.  Much as I'd like to, I don't think it's gonna be finished by Christmas...

Thinking Outside the Block

Since my Janome is STILL in the shop, I can't finish the quilt on my frame.  So I've started a new quilt.  I made a Scrappy Diamonds for my younger son two years ago but had a hard time trying come up with a pattern for my elder son, Bryan.  Where Devan requested bright greens, Bryan wanted black and white bandanna fabrics.  Impossible!  So here's what I came up with instead:

The pattern is "Thinking Outside the Block" and the king-size requires 144 of these blocks!  

The finished size will be about 103" square.  Much as I'd like to, I don't think it's gonna be finished by Christmas...

Janome 1600p

After struggling for a week, I broke down and took the Janome to the shop.  This is the machine that sits on my quilt frame and I'm right in the middle of a quilt!  Seems there was a valid reason for my frustration.  There was a burr on the needle hook which did a fabulous job shredding my thread every 10 inches or so!  Ed said it was probably caused by a broken needle (I don't remember having a broken needle, or even a bent one!)  No matter!  But he also couldn't see an obvious cause for my tension issues, so it's time for a tune-up.  He's promised to fix it good as new.  Whew!

Janome 1600p

After struggling for a week, I broke down and took the Janome to the shop.  This is the machine that sits on my quilt frame and I'm right in the middle of a quilt!  Seems there was a valid reason for my frustration.  There was a burr on the needle hook which did a fabulous job shredding my thread every 10 inches or so!  Ed said it was probably caused by a broken needle (I don't remember having a broken needle, or even a bent one!)  No matter!  But he also couldn't see an obvious cause for my tension issues, so it's time for a tune-up.  He's promised to fix it good as new.  Whew!

Orchids

Like many quilters, I have several projects in various stages of completion.  There's one on the frame.  It may be there awhile, because the darn sewing machine is NOT cooperating!  I've spent the last few days trying to fix tension and thread breakage issues.  My husband could hear me expressing my frustration from the garage!  And I just starting cutting out a black and white quilt as a gift for my eldest son.  

At the same time, I usually have a needle-turn applique project in the process.  I've got it nearly applique'd and will probably get it ready for the hoop this weekend if I can decide what color to use for the back!

Orchids

Like many quilters, I have several projects in various stages of completion.  There's one on the frame.  It may be there awhile, because the darn sewing machine is NOT cooperating!  I've spent the last few days trying to fix tension and thread breakage issues.  My husband could hear me expressing my frustration from the garage!  And I just starting cutting out a black and white quilt as a gift for my eldest son.  

At the same time, I usually have a needle-turn applique project in the process.  I've got it nearly applique'd and will probably get it ready for the hoop this weekend if I can decide what color to use for the back!

Sweet Sugar Swirls

I've been working on this one since mid-summer.  I first saw this quilt in California made up in batiks.  That should have been my first clue.   Exact 1/4-inch seams are a must (and almost impossible for me to do).  And the bias edges are killers!  I've never had anything stretch the way this one has!  Starch is now my new best friend.

Anyway the top ended up like this:

I've had it on the frame for about two weeks trying to decide how to quilt it.  Yesterday, I finally settled on a tighter panto and so far I really like it.

Thank goodness, I'm not in a hurry!  Some of these quilts are taking me awhile to complete.

Sweet Sugar Swirls

I've been working on this one since mid-summer.  I first saw this quilt in California made up in batiks.  That should have been my first clue.   Exact 1/4-inch seams are a must (and almost impossible for me to do).  And the bias edges are killers!  I've never had anything stretch the way this one has!  Starch is now my new best friend.

Anyway the top ended up like this:

I've had it on the frame for about two weeks trying to decide how to quilt it.  Yesterday, I finally settled on a tighter panto and so far I really like it.

Thank goodness, I'm not in a hurry!  Some of these quilts are taking me awhile to complete.

1000 Cranes

Our son, Bryan, has a friend getting married today.  Several months ago, the groom asked him to build a cabinet as a gift for his bride.  This cabinet is to house the 1000 Cranes.  As I understand it, the bride folds 1000 origami cranes before her marriage to ensure long life, happiness, and good health.

Bryan figured he had enough time to do a good job on his first real wood-working project.  Mitch, the groom, was getting the glass panels cut and they were ready only 8 days ago!

With lots of help from his dad and brother and very little sleep, the job was completed late last night.

The bride got the following in a fortune cookie and wanted it included:

We wish them well!

1000 Cranes

Our son, Bryan, has a friend getting married today.  Several months ago, the groom asked him to build a cabinet as a gift for his bride.  This cabinet is to house the 1000 Cranes.  As I understand it, the bride folds 1000 origami cranes before her marriage to ensure long life, happiness, and good health.

Bryan figured he had enough time to do a good job on his first real wood-working project.  Mitch, the groom, was getting the glass panels cut and they were ready only 8 days ago!

With lots of help from his dad and brother and very little sleep, the job was completed late last night.

The bride got the following in a fortune cookie and wanted it included:

We wish them well!

Kamaka Ukulele

During one of their visits several years ago, I took my dad and stepmom, Marge, to tour the Kamake Ukulele factory.  I thought Dad, a violinmaker in his "spare" time, would enjoy it.  And we did.  However, that also jogged Marge's memory that she had a ukulele packed away somewhere.

After they got home, she searched and found it. It was a Kamaka dated December 1972!  But it was in sad, sad shape.  During the tour, we learned that they repair only Kamakas.  Marge and Dad sent it to me and I took it in.  That was the first week of June 2009.

Last week, I got a call saying it was ready for pickup.  When I went in today,  I overheard them saying today that there is now an 18-month backlog for repairs and only a Kamaka decendant does the repairs.  I think it is a great grandson who does all the repair work.

They did a wonderful job and it sounds great!  My boss plays a little bit so we enjoyed listening to it this afternoon.  I tried to take photos that highlighted the beautiful koa wood.

Isn't it pretty?

Kamaka Ukulele

During one of their visits several years ago, I took my dad and stepmom, Marge, to tour the Kamake Ukulele factory.  I thought Dad, a violinmaker in his "spare" time, would enjoy it.  And we did.  However, that also jogged Marge's memory that she had a ukulele packed away somewhere.

After they got home, she searched and found it. It was a Kamaka dated December 1972!  But it was in sad, sad shape.  During the tour, we learned that they repair only Kamakas.  Marge and Dad sent it to me and I took it in.  That was the first week of June 2009.

Last week, I got a call saying it was ready for pickup.  When I went in today,  I overheard them saying today that there is now an 18-month backlog for repairs and only a Kamaka decendant does the repairs.  I think it is a great grandson who does all the repair work.

They did a wonderful job and it sounds great!  My boss plays a little bit so we enjoyed listening to it this afternoon.  I tried to take photos that highlighted the beautiful koa wood.

Isn't it pretty?

Floating Triangles

Last spring, I took a class for this quilt, Floating Triangles.  It's a fast, easy quilt to do and I thoroughly enjoyed it.  It's a perfect pattern for a "layer cake" fabric bundle (10-inch squares).  I purchased this one on eBay.  At first, I didn't like the colors very much because it's sometimes hard to tell on the internet.  And that's also why it's sat unfinished for nearly 6 months.

Using a paper template, the squares are cut into 4 pieces and then sewn back together using a center triangle from one of the other blocks.  It's really easy to put together.  The pattern calls for 25 blocks, a narrow stop border and a wide outer border.

I don't follow instructions very well because I used all the squares in the layer cake (42), put on a 2-inch stop border and a 3 1/2-inch outer border.

I thought it turned out very well until I realized there were 2 big "mistakes."  One was that the stripes in the backing were going crosswise instead of lengthwise.  The other is that the top thread I was using to quilt is actually thread for embroidery machines!  And I've used it on not 1 but 3 quilts!!!  Is there such a thing as a perfect quilt?  Or will I ever learn all the "right" ways to make them?  Maybe I should just quit sweating the details and enjoy the process.

P.S.  When folding the quilt to put it away, I discovered that one end was a 1/2-inch wider than the other.  I thought I'd squared it up properly before adding the binding, but I wonder how that happened?  Stretching during the quilting process maybe?

Floating Triangles

Last spring, I took a class for this quilt, Floating Triangles.  It's a fast, easy quilt to do and I thoroughly enjoyed it.  It's a perfect pattern for a "layer cake" fabric bundle (10-inch squares).  I purchased this one on eBay.  At first, I didn't like the colors very much because it's sometimes hard to tell on the internet.  And that's also why it's sat unfinished for nearly 6 months.

Using a paper template, the squares are cut into 4 pieces and then sewn back together using a center triangle from one of the other blocks.  It's really easy to put together.  The pattern calls for 25 blocks, a narrow stop border and a wide outer border.

I don't follow instructions very well because I used all the squares in the layer cake (42), put on a 2-inch stop border and a 3 1/2-inch outer border.

I thought it turned out very well until I realized there were 2 big "mistakes."  One was that the stripes in the backing were going crosswise instead of lengthwise.  The other is that the top thread I was using to quilt is actually thread for embroidery machines!  And I've used it on not 1 but 3 quilts!!!  Is there such a thing as a perfect quilt?  Or will I ever learn all the "right" ways to make them?  Maybe I should just quit sweating the details and enjoy the process.

P.S.  When folding the quilt to put it away, I discovered that one end was a 1/2-inch wider than the other.  I thought I'd squared it up properly before adding the binding, but I wonder how that happened?  Stretching during the quilting process maybe?

Postage Stamp Basket

Last night, I was watching Alex Anderson and Ricky Tims on the computer and Alex made one of these Postage Stamp Basket blocks and has a neat trick for the handle.  So I played around with a few scraps.

This on is my first try and ended up a little wonky.

Each try got a little better.  Finished size is 4 1/2 inches.  I'm not sure I have enough "stick-to-it-tiveness" to do a whole quilt, but it's a great way to use up scraps.

Yesterday I found some batting I'd put in a safe place and forgot about it. Now that I have 4 tops waiting to be quilted, I can get started on them (after the laundry gets done)!