What Are Quilters Blogging About Today?

 Last year I made tiny wonky stars along with the color for the rainbow scrap challenge at so scrappy. I had no idea what I was going to do with them. I just knew they were cute and fun. And, when I made the roofs for tiny houses, I had 2 little triangles left from trimming that needed a purpose. I made 60 0f them, but that isn't enough for anything.

 It's time to pull out the crayon quilt I have ready for borders. I worked on it until december 2019 and I had everything ready to do for borders. I needed to add the white inner borders first. Before I could add the outer borders.

 this past week I started working on an older ufo - on the go. It was a kit I bought in 2014 for a donation quilt. It is bright and colorful and easy. I added the outside borders this morning. It was raining or I would have a better picture. I have fabric for the binding, but, I will need to find a suitable backing in my stash. Then, it will live with the other quilts waiting to be quilted.

My radishes are ready for harvesting. I picked a mild radish, and, it is too hot for me. Good thing the ...

 The mint has really done well this year. I have had several versions of mint for years, and, have not done anything with them, except munch on a leaf every now and then. This year, I have started drying them, and making tea with them. I am really enjoying them cold. By now, I don't remember what the names are, I do know, I like the taste of the ones by the rose bush more than the ones in the wash tub. 

I cut them back 2xs a week.

these are the best taste.

I found my on the ...

 I'm not even sure where to start with the show and tell. I seem to have problems remembering if I posted the homework or if I didn't. I checked the blog, and I see that April was the last time I posted homework for this group. Sigh..................

Well, that's the bad news. The good news - you get two months' worth today. It's a small group, so there's not a ton of photos. 

These are the dreaded feathers! They were a lot of work, and I'm still working on mine. However, I LOVE this block ...

I seem to always get stuck on borders.  Nothing seems to satisfy me these days.

Take this top for example.  The centre is all together.  I love it!

The centre of this top is now complete .... time for the borders!

There will be red gingham inner border and then blocks of different dark red fabrics for the outer border.

The plaid stars quilt top is finished and it’s a source of both pride and relief.

An exercise in patience and perseverance, this top was completed in four to four and a half years, discounting three and a half years for an interstate move, a return to the work force and building a home, plus one additional year of sitting in the closet because I didn’t feel like working on it.

If memory serves, the first patches (background fabrics) were cut sometime in 2012. Still, not bad, considering the fabric, the top’s size and the way the ...

I’ve been making productive use of my quilting and sewing time since the vintage tree block for March was completed early in the month. I’m working on the pieced outer border for the plaid stars quilt, (which you can see here) although it has been a bit slow going.

Starting with the ¼-yard cuts of the homespuns used to create the star centers and points, I whacked a chunk off the end which had already been cut into to create those patches. The satisfaction of taming all those loose, floppy, uneven edges felt good.

Homespun count = 115, excluding ...

I had a sew day Saturday for working on my florabunda quilt. I wasn't sure the last time I worked on it, that I would like it. But, I decided to press forward and make a simplified version of Bonnie Hunter's  borders on her quilt. I calculated that I needed 5 1/2 inch, 2 1/2 inch, 3 inch strips, to strip piece what I wanted to do. I had a leftover collection of florals to use.

5 1/2 floral plus 2 1/2 yellow strips

 I've released some new Cross Stitch Border designs for Spring.  

Designed to repeat for towel borders, these patterns can easily be stitched as a single motif for pretty little ornaments!

Ask for my patterns at your favorite needlework shops or find them in my Etsy Store.

The last time this project was worked on was April 2011.  A long time ago!  It was probably pinned on the wall for me to think about the borders and what to do and then promptly shelved.  

Fast forward to February 2021 and out came the bin.  It was time!  Up on the design wall it went.  What to do with borders?

When it was pinned onto the design wall last week, I could see there were a few areas on the outside sides that needed completion before working on borders.  So, rummaging through my scraps, fabric was found and ...

Lick Mill Observatory seen from Joseph Grant Park.

Joseph Grant Park trail meanders around historical buildings.

Oak tree in the park, a thing of wonder.

Red and Blue 4 Medallion quilt top finished, 60" x 60".

My Amaryllis, still blooming, a beautiful example of the color white.

Closer view of 4 Medallion top, the solid blues are Kona Cotton solids.

Yet another view, The black and white striped border by Cotton & Steel sets it off great.

January color of the month white!

My latest thread catcher finish, pieced with scraps/leftovers.

Quilt News! and Happy New Year!

My color calendar ...

It's been a LONG time since I posted about this project -- last year in fact! The construction directions were released in January, I printed them out, and only now finally managed to finish the quilt top. 

Because my burgundy fabrics were cut from three different fabrics and not from one fabric, I arranged the units so that a single fabric was used for an entire star. I ended up needing to make a few extra units as I put the rows together, but I had plenty of extra fabric. I didn't end up doing that with the pink ...

Another successful Zoom presentation last night. It was all about finishing off quilts, and one of the things I wanted to showcase was the Binding Attachment. Do I actually do a live demo? Why not - let's do it. 

The binding attachment on the PFAFF creative icon

Actually, the demo went very well. It's hard to do a live demo. Not only do you want to do it reasonably quickly when you might take a little more time if you're on your own. You have the pressure of people watching you. Let's not forget the camera in ...

When my sister is feeling better after her chemo IV treatment, we go to the cottage. Fresh air, no stress, limited connection to the outside world .... what better place to be than at the cottage during our hot sunny days, especially when there is a lovely breeze off the lake!  That is where I've been a lot lately. Total bliss. 

Disappearing Nine Patch 

Disappearing Nine Patch Tutorial

Cutting:

Yesterday was a much better day, mentally. I think my mental health is in a good place, but I felt out of sorts on the weekend. Bored perhaps? So I vowed to shake things up a bit. Well - that happened - more than I would like! Just give me a minute and I'll tell you what happened.

We had our Zoom meeting for the Monday sewing group. One of the ladies wasn't on the call as she was trying to get in touch with a dentist who could prescribe her some antibiotics for an abscess on her gums. What ...