Machine Quilting/Applique

A few months ago I finished this top.

It was a laser cut kit from Keepsake Quilting.  The pieces were just fused, not stitched.  I got it out this past week to start stitching.  I layered the top with just one layer of Quilter's Dream Request loft batting and nothing else and I have been free motion stitching around the edges, changing colors of thread.  I am using a lot of Superior Fantastico thread.  

There were some VERY, VERY thin vines that wouldn't fuse well and when I tried stitching I had a huge mess.  I kept going (stupidly) and finally decided I could not live with it.  I worked hard to get all the vines out from under one row of stitching.  Then I decided to just free motion stitch a stem.  I like it so much better!

 The cherry stems are just drawn on, but I will stitch over them and make it connected!  I still have lots of stitching to go!

After I finish this part, I will add another layer of the Request loft batting and backing and stitch all the background.  That is going to take time too!

It was back to work today,  I always forget that we really do have a lot of rules and routines!

Linking up with Design Wall Monday.

Retreat Projects

Last week I was at a quilt retreat hosted by Quilt Treasures.  I worked on 4 different projects.  I didn't have a lot of space, sharing a 6 foot table and no room to set up my little ironing table as I was on the inside so I sewed as many blocks together as I could.

Since I have been home I have assembled all the tops and added borders.

The first project I worked on was a batik throw quilt called Rip Tide.  I had purchased a kit, but exchanged out some of the fabrics.  This was a pattern by Karla Alexander where you stack up fabrics, slice them apart, move fabrics in your stacks and resew them.  It was fun and nothing to match up!  I loved that!

Rip Tide throw size

The next project I worked on was my 1930's Farmer's Wife.  I am a Farmer's wife, but samplers are not my favorite.  I also have the regular Farmer's Wife quilt in progress.  I am not sure what I was thinking!  Anyway I had 21 blocks done and there are 99 in the book.  I lost the CD with templates and I decided to do the lap size setting in the book and needed 32 blocks.  I went through and kitted up 11 blocks and got those sewn and I had precut the setting triangles.  I added a narrow border and I have a quilt top ready for quilting!

six inch block closeup  LOTS of pieces

Next I worked on a disappearing 4 patch.  I had a bunch of bright 10" squares and thought I would make a throw quilt for a gift.  I got all the blocks done, but couldn't lay them out at retreat.  After I assembled the quilt top at home, I HATED it!  It was too much, too intense, too something.  It was an 8 X 10 block setting.  I had decided on the alternating design, but I think I should have set it together like Ramona did.  I decided since it was too big for what I wanted, that if I split the quilt top in half it would work better and it does!  I added a border from fabric on hand and now I have two nice lap sized quilt tops!

disappearing 4 patches

The last project I worked on at retreat was a Scrappy Trip Around the World.  The pattern is found on Quiltville's site.  I had a bundle of Bonnie and Camille's Vintage Holiday fabric.  I just loved the pinks and aquas.  I added a few other fabrics and since I am not a true scrappy quilt lover, I made sure reds went through the center.  I am still contemplating a border or not.

Scrappy Trip Around the World

Scrappy trip closeup - sometimes matching fabrics came together!

School starts back up Monday.  I have worked this week and have open house tonight, but then have the rest of the week off. 

Triangles and a Gift

I didn't accomplish much this week since I was busy prepping for quilt camp.  However I did sew together the cutoff triangles from the quilt in my last post and decided to make a tablerunner.

I received this amazing wallhanging from my friend Melissa.  I am thrilled with it! 

Excuse the unedited photos.  I am on my phone and away from home at quilt camp!  I forgot to edit them before doing my blog post!

Clementine Sew Along top

Last fall I apparently signed up for a quilt along with Fat Quarter Shop to benefit St. Judes.  I honestly forgot about it, but a package of fabric arrived in late December.  Each month you printed a free pattern for seven months.  I just happened to sew all my blocks in the last few days!    July was the last month so I am not too far behind!  The quilt measures 70 x 90.

I will add this to my long list of tops to be quilted!

 The funny part I thought the setting/border fabric was an aqua pindot,   but when I took a close up I saw it was directional stars!

Check out other Design Wall projects at Small Quilts and Doll Quilts and Monday Making

Wedding Quilt!

I mailed the wedding quilt last Thursday and it was received in Kentucky Saturday!  I mailed it from a small post office in a town of 300 people and they don't have a postage printer and the postmaster put on a massive amount of stamps! 

The bride called me Saturday to thank me and say how wonderful it was and all that fun stuff!  So now is the big reveal!  This is an original design.  I used a world map, traced it and traced it again in sharpie on the reverse to get a transferrable design.  I hand cut and zigzagged around each piece!  I loved adding the stripe fabric for some interest and of course stars.  I drafted the design in EQ7.  I wanted a filler border and deccided on a swag. I threw together two Trip Around the World throw pillows from leftover pieces.

This is a king size quilt and I custom machine quilted it on my little Pfaff Grand Quilter.  I had extra tables around to support the weight!

Original Design - Stars Around the World - Huffman wheat almost ready for harvest in the background
 and it is laying on a round hay bale!

on the sewing room floor

center

swag border with stars and loops quilting

throw pillows

My birthday party went great over the weekend.  One daughter and her two kids are still here, but everyone else left and it was so fun to have so many people here!  The food was amazing.  When you say potluck in this community, everyone goes all out!  I can't believe I am really 60!  Neither can my mom, since I am her oldest!

Even though this quilt is no longer on  my design wall or floor I am posting to Design Wall Monday on Small Quilts and Doll Quilts. 

Vacations!

I haven't posted in quite a while.  There are lots of good reasons.  First off I was working on a wedding quilt, and hopefully get to finally post pics next week as I mailed it today.  To make this a quilting post, yesterday I actually sewed!  I used up some leftover strip sets from a msytery quilt and made this little 15" square wallhaning.  I happened to have some silk flowers I took apart and stitched on and added some beads and fun machine quilting.  A quickie little project for my stairwell.

Now, the rest of the post is about my trips and family!

In June my sister received an unexpected surprise and won a trip for two to Washington D.C.  I was her guest as her husband couldn't take off on short notice, since we already had another trip scheduled, more on that in a bit!  I drove to Boise June 21 and at least got to see my grandkids.  The twins were 7 months old at the time.  I will post a pic of the other two later in the post.

Remy (left) and Finn

We took off on June 22nd and did some touring of  D.C. before her awards conference for the Presidential Award for Math and Science Teaching (PAEMST).  She is a 6th grade math teacher.  We have a high school friend who works at the Pentagon and he gave us a private tour on the weekend.  We walked miles!  

Beautiful display in the Pentagon.  There were many quilts on the walls that they rotate given in memory of 9-11

 My sister and I went to all the monuments, Arlington Cemetary, Smithsonians (I went to one more than my sister when she was busy, as well as the Capitol and gardens) saw friends of my sisters for lunches from her time of her husband's two tours at West Point, and we went to the awards banquet at the National Portrait gallery.  It was lovely!

awards dinner with my name card!  We had assigned seating.

I flew home from Boise and flew back down three days later to take off on a long planned trip to Maine to a wedding.  I flew with my other sister to Niagara Falls first and then we drove across to Maine, stopping to look at many covered bridges in Vermont.  It's so hard to pick just a few pictures!  We had a great road trip!  We also crossed over to the Canadian side and got lots of great pics from there and we loved the Maid of the Mist boat tour.

American Falls, Bridal Veil and Horseshoe Falls from front to back.

One of many covered bridges we saw

 When we arrived in Bethel, Maine on the day of the wedding rehearsal we met up with my daughter, her husband and their two kids.  They had been on a different schedule, but had also flown into Niagara a day earlier than I had!  My sister and I took the kids for the morning of the wedding and went to a couple more covered bridges in Maine.  

Then on July 6th was the wedding!  Nicole was the flower girl and Jared walked with her as a sign bearer.  The groom is their mom's first cousin.

 The happy couple Kristine and Mike! 

 After the wedding both sisters, my BIL, nephew (best man for his brother), my daughter, SIL and grandkids and I went to the coast.  It was my first time seeing the Atlantic ocean and the grandkids loved it!  We went to Acadia National Park.  The next day we drove on down the coast stopping at lighthouses.  We left my daughter's family in Portland, ME to fly home and the rest of us went on to Boston.  My nephew flew home (he is also an Army officer stationed in Texas) from there and the other 4 of us went to Cape Cod and toured around Boston walking a lot of the Freedom Trail.  We flew home from there and I finally drove home on July 11th!

me at Acadia

one of several lighthouses

Since arriving home I machine quilted the king size wedding quilt (the couple lives in Kentucky, so it needed to be mailed), and I have done a deep clean and some painting in my house in anticipation of having a big birthday this weekend!  I am throwing my own party!

End of School and Wedding Quit

We got out of school June 7th.  The last few days of school are always super busy and tiring.  We sell calendars with photos taken by students to help fund this, along with grant money we sometimes get.   I did knit some dish rags on the bus rides!  Some of the highlights were visiting the Palouse Discovery Center in Pullman, WA, University of Idaho Ag field trip in Moscow, ID, Life Flight air ambulance in Lewiston, ID and we happened to see a helicopter take off for a call, Spalding Park and Museum and then an interactive morning at Tunnel Pond in Orofino, ID.  We had fishing, art, and water discovery activities. 

At Tunnel Pond I set up the art project and hauled tables and supplies down for it, but I assisted in the fishing activity.  I had a volunteer mom running the art project.  I have no problem putting worms on hooks and taking fish off hooks, but wow, it was busy and scary with kids from kindergarten to sixth grade have sharp hooks!   This is the art project, alcohol ink tiles to use as coasters.

We end the year with a sleepover at school and then a BBQ on the last short day. 

I have been busy with other activities and during this last week my husband turned 60, had friends over and I had to plant my garden!  I guess this is my excuse for not sewing!

I did finally start sewing on the wedding quilt I am making for my nephew and fiance.  I designed it in EQ7 and have all the stars made, but of course I can't show the design yet!  I hope to get the top done this week.  I am ignoring my long list of house projects to get done over the summer.

4 more blocks for my scrap vortex quilt

stars for the wedding quilt

Here are a few recent scenic photos. 

yellow roses in a field on the drive home

Sunday afternoon walk with a storm to the south

storm across the river canyon

Linking up with Design Wall Monday.

Memorial Day

I have been in a quilting slump lately.  I had a lot of yard work to do and the end of the school year is always hectic.   I did remember to put out my flag today.

A couple years ago I went to a retreat in Lacey, WA, about 7 hours away.  I had previously met three of the women, long time internet friends, and several others I had "known" for years but never met!  My friend Melissa was there and a few of us went to quilt shops.   Larrianne was buying the Laurel Burch Fantasia panel and the bright colors were fun, and Melissa surprised me and bought it for me!  This week I wanted something quick and easy to do and through pinterest found a free pattern on the Timeless Treasures site.  I did purchase the blue background fabric online recently.

I finished the top today!It's bigger than I envisioned, I didn't look at the finished size on the pattern!

I made 4 more blocks for my Scrap Vortex quilt.

I recently visited my daughters and grandkids.  The twins belong to Lisa and the older two to Amy.

Just 7 more days of school! 

Linking up with Design Wall Monday.

This and That

I have done very little in the quilting area.  I have puttered around and done some sorting.  I think it is just procrastination on starting a wedding quilt.  I need to dive in.

I joined a 100 day scrap vortex challenge in early April, but I struggle with random scrappiness.  The original scrap vortex sew along is pictured here.  I am using my batik scraps I had cut up into 2.5 squares, 2.5 X 4.5", 2.5 X 6.5, and strips that I am cutting into 8.5" and 10.5" lengths.  This is what I have so far.  I am thinking about black sashing, hence the piece hanging down

10" blocks - 26 completed

I bought this Hoffman Spectrum print that I fell in love with.  I LOVE flowers!  I am visualizing a One Block Wonder quilt, but leaving one piece whole in the middle.  I have seen several OBW's  using center panels. I have 8 repeats of this fabric!

I am not the world's best photographer.  We have a lot of dandelions popping up in the pasture and hay field below our house.  They are in the yard too, but I mow those and try to keep them out of there.  I was walking one day this weekend and saw honeybees in the dandelions.  I managed to snap a photo!  How is that for excitement?

 Linking up a little (lot!) late in the day for Design Wall Monday.
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Wizard's Chest quilt and retreat

The weekend of April 26th to 29th I went to a quilt retreat.  It's a small retreat, with 10 of us.  The retreat is at Reflections Inn, a B&B on the Clearwater River.  I had previously posted the pieces I had cut for Wizard's Chest quilt, a pattern from 2017 in McCall's Quick Quilts.  I didn't get the top finished at retreat, but managed to finish it this weekend!  I stay stitched around the edge of the quilt this afternoon so the seams won't pop!  I used Kaffe Fassett fabrics and black and white prints.

Middle Fork of the Clearwater River.  Lewis and Clark traveled on the ridges above the river

me chain piecing!

Wizard's Chest quilt top completed!
 

Linking up with Design Wall Monday and Monday Making