Quiet Week

 

This past week was on the quiet side. The only piecing on the sewing table is my leader ender project and I am truly using it as a leader ender project. Seems kinda strange not working on a new project but I'm really trying to finish up things, even if they are little, and check them off the list. 

Little is the key word.

The disappearing 4 patch is 8 x 10 inches. The seams and points are so wonky all I did was quilt it in the ditch around the blocks and add single fold binding. I hand sewed the binding the next day.

For just sewing add scraps together I like how this little table topper turned out. Quilted it using my walking foot and added the double fold binding one night then sewed the binding down the next day. It is roughly 9 x 13 inches.

I am really pushing my April UFO Challenge finish. I finished loading the Christmas table cloth on the frame today.

At 64 x 77 inches it is one of the largest quilts I have quilted on my frame lately. It will really push the limits of the Juki and me. I'm going to meander quilt it as when I get toward the bottom of the quilt I'll have about 3-4 inches of quilt in the last pass. Anything larger than a meander is pushing both our limits.

So. Should I continue quilting my 20 odd quilts that need finishing or start something new?
 

Trying to Focus (again)

 

I've been feeling a little scattered again lately so decide to focus on a project until it was done!

First up was a quilt top I picked up at Quilts for Kids last month. It just needed a back, quilted and binding. I got the back pieced, the quilt loaded on the frame and I actually quilted it all in one day. Truly amazing. Even more amazing...

...was how close I came to running out of batting. Yikes!

The quilt is done and donated. I'm getting pretty good at meandering. I really need to try some different FMQ designs.

At the Quilts for Kids meetings JoAnne always has lots of donated fabric, panels, pieced blocks, yarn, fleece, etc. I normally pick up already finished tops that need quilting. However I have a number of tops I've made that need quilted and donated so I wasn't going to pick up anything new.

Famous last words. The bag has two panels (and one back), a polar fleece kit, and a fat quarter bundle of flannel (I see a couple of Yellow Brick Road quilts in my future). All quick and fast projects but I really didn't need to pick up anything new. Oh well.

JoAnne also has a free table with odds and ends that can't be made into quilts but that people have donated. I also picked up these.

I'll turn this into a mini quilted wall hanging.

This is a very old Creative Circle kit. The hardware was also on the table separate from the cross stitch so I made sure I grabbed that fast. Again quick projects but I already have a ton of quick projects. I think I'm a hopeless case.

I did finish quilting and binding one quick project.

The last three mugs rugs are done. Now I have a set. So happy.

I forgot to show my cross stitch and blackwork progress last week. Here's my blackwork.

I got all of the garden layout completed and I'm now trying to get caught up on the flower fillers. The numbers are the week that flower filler will be released. I think I'm on week 6 and week 16 was just released. So I have a little bit of catching up to do.

And here's my cross stitch progress...

 

Huh, no picture. That's because there has been no progress. I really wanted to get the blackwork garden layout completed, so I've ignored the cross stitch project.

I didn't sew a stitch...

 

But my friend Angela did.

I took a road trip last week to the San Francisco bay area to visit Angela and Stephanie. I had a great time!

Angela loves crafts and recently learned how to knit (I've tried to get her into quilting with no luck😄).  She wanted to make a tote bag for her knitting from fabric that she's had for years. Sew with a little bit of fussy cutting, and a whole lot of make-it-up-as-we-go (no pattern), this is what she made.

The front.

The inside.

Her daughter really liked the tote and wanted one also...but no pocket...or inside ties...or lining. She wanted a reusable grocery bag.

Another make it up as we went. I think both of them turned out great. Angela as already bought fabric for two more.

Angela has a vintage quilt that belonged to her mom. It is hand pieced and quilted similar to a crazy quilt.

All of the pieces are turned under, based with a white thread, then "quilted" with a feather stitch.

I think it is a "summer quilt" as there is no batting. Just the front and back.

I've never seen anything like this before and just love it.

Stephanie and I meet up and went to the Vacaville Outlets. Lots of shopping but not much buying. We also found that the Cloth Carousal which used to be in Winters had moved to Vacaville. Their new location is great. Large with lots of light. I was low on solid black and they had a remnant at a good price. I know, boring purchase.

I also got to meet and spend time with Roy. He is such a sweet boy and reminded me so much of Fred.

Then I came home to my demon cat who destroyed the batting for the Xmas table cloth quilt. Grrrrrr.

Exploding Flowers

 

I finally finished my Exploding Heart quilt top. I love how it turned out!

I tried to hang the quilt for it's photo op but I can get better pictures on the design floor.

 It is an easy quilt just very time consuming to make. I would consider making it again which I rarely do. My favorite part is that I used really really really old floral fabrics from my stash. 

I'm going to swap out my April UFO Challenge with another on my list.

I'm supposed to quilt the green swirl quilt I made eons ago (August 2015). I decided I want a different, more gender neutral backing fabric since I plan on donating this quilt. But I don't have anything suitable in my stash - dang, have to go shopping. The quilt is on the long side and would be perfect for a teenage boy. I had previously made a backing with a rose floral flannel (not prefect for a very teenage boy). So I'm going to quilt the Christmas table cloth instead. I have the backing made and the batting all cut out so I should be able to finish it quickly.

I'll give an update on my cross stitch/blackwork projects next week.

And because she is so cute (I'm not biased)...

 Bella pretending to be a lap kitty.