What Are Quilters Blogging About Today?

Another month has gone by, and we are halfway through the year of using up some of our stashes. Did you do well this past month? I had a momentary lapse, but did get a little bit done.

I picked up my Dahlia quilt from Asheville Cotton’s charity show, and took the opportunity to spend the gift certificate I won. I seriously considered getting a new ruler, or a book, just so I wouldn’t have to count fabric in, but ultimately caved when I saw these beauties on the sale rack at 70% off. So I bought what ...

The weather this week has cooled off and the humidity is down, so there was a lovely day to open the windows behind the longarm and get this quilt done. It was 58º at dawn, when I got up, and by the time I began working on this QOV, it was still in the 60s. Fresh cool air filled the basement as a gentle breeze wafted through the lace curtains.

I finished quilting it in just a few passes, using white Glide thread on the top, and Bottom Line in the bobbin. The pantograph is called Blue Star.

I checked ...

Once again, we’ve had a busy week with yet one more quick trip to Atlanta among appointments and planning a big event that was held yesterday. I’ll have more on that for you in a day or so. In the heat this week, my daylilies decided it was time to start their show. I got out early one morning before the heat hit to get a few photos. This peach one with the yellow throat is huge. I like the ruffled edges of the petals.

Nearby, a dark purple one is blooming.

I thought I had pulled up ...

Note: Giveaway now closed. I actually selected two winners because I found enough for two kits. Winners have been notified. Hope to hear from them soon so I can mail off their prize!

Good morning all! I intended to post this before Memorial Day. Somehow it didn’t happen so I am writing it this morning. No worries though. While patriotic projects are good at any time of year; May, June and July usually put people in the mood for red, white and blue with Memorial Day, Flag Day and Independence Day during these months.

Doesn’t ...

Veterans Day was a weekday this year, so the British Car Club committee for the Veterans Drive planned an event for the Sunday after. Three British car clubs from North and South Carolina gathered for a lovely autumn color drive in the mountains. We had 33 cars, and most of those had two people, so a big group.

We started in Brevard and wound our way around beautiful trees on back roads for over an hour.

Mountains seen between the trees show beautiful color all the way up to the top.

We brought picnic lunches and chairs, and the club ...

After all that cutting you are probably itching to get stitching. I know I am!

First we’ll make 4-patches.

To create each 4-patch you need two colored pieces and two background pieces.

Stitch each colored square to a background square. Pause a moment and press the seam allowances towards the colored piece. It really does make a difference.

Next stitch the pairs together, putting the colored pieces on opposite ends and nesting the seams.

The next step of pressing has many options. I prefer to press this seam open. It gives the benefit of reduced bulk without the fussiness ...

Have you got your scraps gathered? YAY! Let’s get going!

These directions are for a quilt finishing at approximately 60″ x 80″. Useful on a twin size bed, as a throw or couch quilt, or as a donation quilt. Or, you can make it exclusively because it is beautiful and makes you happy. That might be the best reason of all.

1. Divide your scraps into two piles: Colored and Background. My Colored is all red/blue. My Background is cream or coordinating low volume prints.

TIP: Generally, when cutting scraps, cut the largest piece you can/need first, then ...

I have named him Varun, after the Hindu deity of sea and sky and rain. By now Varun has traveled the width of the country and reached Bernie on the west coast.

Varun  - 60" by 80"

Varun - Green Backing

Each plus block finished at 10" square. 48 blocks were arranged 6 by 8 for a finished quilt measuring 60" by 80". Varun is my contribution to the Positivity QAL and is a Mercyful Quilt. 

Thank you from Mercy Hospital

Mercyful Quilts Update

Wrapped with Kindness (may need tissues)

A Note from Mercy Hospital

Here are the pictures showing the progression ...

Earlier this year, Katy shared a picture of this wonderful quilt.

I thought it was a great idea! A few weeks ago I cut out pieces to make a similar quilt. Katy and I got to talking and decided it was just too much fun to keep to ourselves, so we are inviting you to join us and build a Two And Four quilt of your very own.

I am building a version similar to the one above (based on 2-1/2″ squares and strips) and Katy will share directions for making a very similar quilt, but using larger (and ...

It was a week of flitting from project to project. Somehow my concentration was a bit off. Early mornings were cool, but the days warmed up fast to hot and humid. On the bird feeder this week, a mom cardinal brought her son. You can see he is almost done molting his baby feathers and is coming into his full red color. The tips of his wings are still grey, and a little fluff is still visible at the top of his tail.

A rainy beginning of the week gave me plenty of time to play in the basement. I ...

Several months ago, I was invited to participate in an incredible effort to honor and support a very deserving veteran and his family by the television show, Military Makeovers, on behalf of Janome-America. Due to contractual obligations, I wasn’t allowed to share anything publicly until after the episode aired but now that it has been featured on network television, I can share the behind-the-scenes story and some photos with you all! 

Daniel Burgess, his wife, Genette, and their two daughters were the recipients of a complete home makeover by Military Makeovers, hosted by Montel Williams. Dan was severely injured ...

Someone was sitting nicely, paws folded on our front door mat the other day. The mat says ‘wipe your paws’ but I’m not sure he did so. Still, cuteness abounds and peanut butter sandwiches needed to be made and offered.

This week, I made my Summer Squash Casserole, with a slight change. After mashing the squash, I drained the water again to reduce the liquid in the dish. This worked really well, and the result was a creamier filling and less water at the bottom. It barely lasted two meals. It is a great side dish, but could also ...

I'm still here, working and sewing much of the time.  Hey, this home maintenance being completed by just ONE person takes a lot of time!  My spirits remain sorta OK, and I get lonesome, pretty much like everyone else.  A terrible anniversary is looming -  sad and scary but I will face it.  Time flew by so quickly, it is shocking.  I barely learn what day it is, and it's the next!  

During my blog lull, I have finished the quilting on this QOV, shown as a top previously.   

We are not yet back to doing Quilt of Valor presentations, but the construction of quilts goes on.  At some point, we’ll need a closet full to cover the backlog of veterans in line for a Quilt of Valor.  So, we continue to sew, piece and quilt, in i-sew-lation.  This one was pieced by Didi Salvatierra.

Joyful news, the borders are straight.

So, I began with stitching the edge down.

I used white Signature thread on top and bobbin this time, all cotton with a matte finish.

The pantograph is Pipeline by Urban Elementz, a medium density.

The white ...

This quilt came off the longarm about a week ago.  It is a Quilt of Valor, and was a bit more of a challenge at the beginning, as the backing had several problems.

This is what I call Frankenbacking.  There are four vertical seams and two horizontal ones.  The friend that gave it to me to quilt was so proud of herself, telling me she left the selvedge edges on for me to load it, and that she was able to use a pretty piece of floral fabric.  I was not expecting this though.  First, the print is directional.  Normally ...

On our recent retreat at Febuary Hill, one of the days was spent working on another Quilt of Valor.  I had enough stars left from you, dear readers, to do another To The Nines pattern.  All I needed to do was to make some nine-patches.  I had cut squares and brought them with me, this time using the same light print in the center.  I used the web method to speed piece the blocks.

I put the stars on the design wall and began filling in the nine-patches, when one of my friends said something didn’t look quite right ...

Our sewing day for Quilts of Valor was a fun day of hard work by a small group of very motivated sewing enthusiasts.  We set up the night before, with the door prizes displayed, refreshment table set with nice decorations, patriotic quilts on the walls, wool batting sample gifts for participants set out, and information on our local Quilts of Valor group in case new friends wished to join.  I want to thank my wonderful husband for all his help.  He carried the heavy stuff, helped volunteers with their things, kept us on track with the hourly door prizes, took ...