Jana and Grandma's new projects.

"Stars" Jana said, "I want to do a quilt with stars". It only took a few minutes browsing through the Free Patterns at Bonnie Hunter's Quiltville blog to have the perfect new project for 12 year old Jana. It's Smokey Mountain Stars. Jana, being her own bright star will be doing a "very colorful, rainbow" version of this quilt. Below is the Bonnie Hunter's quilt Jana is making.

Bonnie Hunters Smokey Mountain Stars from Quiltville Blog

We have been sewing ourselves silly this weekend. Yesterday afternoon I helped Jana cut out the 4 and 1/2 " squares she needs for this quilt. I have a container full of 2 1/2 " squares. So she is set to sew. She used the grab and sew method. She selected her 4 1/2 inch squares fabric, but for the corners she just reached into the contained and used whatever she picked up.

Not sure if she is saving those corners or tossing them.

 Her goal this weekend is to finish the 42 colored (dark) blocks. They get 2 1/2 inch squares on two corners.She is enjoying watching the design come together.  She achieved her block goal. I was very proud of that she stuck with it. There where a few blocks that weren't perfect and she fixed them, not settling for  "bad" blocks. She took a few breaks and before it was dinner time she had all 42 blocks completed. Her sewing skills are really taking off. I was surprised that she figured out how to use the ruler to have a straight and  even 1/4 seam when she she cut away the corner fabric.

Mission accomplished.

These took a long time to sew together, but it was fun!

Jana's "rainbow" star blocks (center of the star)

 Jana will work on her neutral blocks on her next visit. In the mean time we want to share the completed top she helped make for her mom.

Ready for the long arm quilter. The backing  is a surprise.

While Jana sewed, I offered support and worked on my own project. I am making a retirement quilt for a co-worker who loves to travel and camp. I found this fun panel and decided to use various 2 1/2 inch squares to make borders of 9 patch blocks.

This is an audition for the outer border. Not so crazy for the green.

I'm still playing with an idea for the corners. I may add green leaves to each corner to carry the theme through  out the quilt. Finally I am considering a  thin dark brown tonal border to set the center of the quilt. I am thinking about finishing the quilt with a four inch outside border.

Possible border fabric. Seeing them here I don't think they go together.

We won't get together for another few weeks, but we are both looking forward to another productive (and fun) weekend. Thanks for checking in.  Hope you have a chance to quilt together with someone this week.

Quick and Easy Projects

After months of working on Delightful Stars I decided to give myself a break. No, the quilt isn't finished. I have not started on any border. I just decided to change pace and do a quick and easy project.

This Happy Trails has been "sitting on the tarmac" in my Quilts in Waiting bin. I selected  fabric and set it aside, but borrowed a few pieces for another project. After purchasing some new batiks from Fabric Shack I decided it was time for this project to take off.

I purchased the pattern Happy Trails at Keepsake Quilting.  It is designed by Connie Keller. I've used this pattern in the past and it goes together in a weekend. The feature sunflower feature fabric is what inspired the theme and fabric selection for the quilt.

The Quilt Inspector Approves

The cat had to get in the picture. The quilt is nearly all batiks, which makes it light weight. He was a little miffed which I folded up the quilt top and put it away. Soon it will be on it's way to my long-arm quilter. I can't wait to see it completed.

Another nice thing about this project is no small pieces. Quick and easy, just what  I needed.

My sewing partner Jana was not here this weekend. My first quilt went together so fast I decide to work a little on the lap quilt we are making for her mother. I have the blocks together. Next weekend it's her turn. She gets to do the border. I'm not sure how I feel about the border fabric. It's what her mom picked. We are thinking about quilting this baby ourselves. Nothing complicated, just stitch in the ditch. This is Bonnie Hunter's Scrappy Mountains Majesty.

Autumn Quilt for Nicole.

I have started my Challenge quilt for the Port Clinton, Ohio Star Guild. My Challenge was a song. I picked Jump by Van Halen.  I like how it is turning out, but I made a fairly significant mistake. I wrote the patten making a 8 1/2 inch block, but used my 10 1/2 inch ruler to cut my squares. Results: the quilt has grown. It's gonna be a biggie, really long. Perhaps I will be far enough along to share later in the week.
Thanks for checking in and everyone have a great week.

Granddaughter's project completed and continuing the search for accuracy.

"Jana loves colorful fabric"

What a week. I have been waiting, not so patiently, for the weekend to come so my granddaughter could see her quilt. We just received it from our long arm quilter, Sandy Erwin. Before it was quilted Jana liked it. But quilted she LOVES it. Quilters know that no matter now nice the top, the quilting brings the quilt to life. I was supposed to take a picture of the back to share, but being easily distracted I forgot until now. Here is a close up of the quilting. The back is a tie dye dark blue and the quilting shows, adding additional interest.

Jana said that she wanted to hang this quilt in our sewing area, but I knew she would change her mind once she saw it. Surprisingly she is keeping it at grandmas, for now. It's on her bed, "So when every I come I can wrap up it in". She loves, loves, loves it, and warned me it's staying here for now.....but she might be taking it home.
.

Several of these blocks where a challenge and we both learned that we don't particularly care for some of them, such as the star. Overall it was fun. I still have to complete my quilt, which is not nearly as colorful as Jana's. There was a border of half square triangles in the pattern, but we both where ready to move on to a new project by then.

Grandpa is very bad, he is a big teaser, but Jana is holding on her her quilt.

Quilts are good to cuddle up with.

Saturday night Jana headed home and  I spent my evening catching up on the Delightful Stars Quilt-Along.
Besides making a new star, four stars where joined together to make one section of the quilt.

This weeks lesson

Since I knew this was going to be placed with three other stars I decided to use fabric I used in those blocks. This quilt is going in the direction of a softer palette. I do worry about the quilting in the end. I saw someone mention they should not have used a white thread. I am using a grey. It is a challenge with the dark fabric for the background. However Kona is a nice fabric and the grey isn't showing through. It also blends with all the fabrics I have used up to the point. I also splurged and purchase some Superior Masterpiece thread. I am really liking it.

First section complete.

 I realized that I made a mistake when I put the two rows together. My stars where off less than an 1/16 of an inch, but it drove me nuts, so I took it apart and corrected it. I am so glad I did. There are still a few grey threads to pick our, but I would not have been satisfied if I did not fix it. After all it's about improving accuracy.

I am really enjoying the Delightful Stars Quilt-Along. Michele Foster does a wonderful job. The lessons are well written and the pace is just right. Looking forward to the next lesson.

Thanks for checking in.