A great weekend for indoor activities, and quilting with my granddaughter.

Oh yeah, a three day weekend. Grocery shopping was done on Friday night, and my granddaughter Jana came over for a long weekend. We are ladies on a mission. She wants to complete a quilt for her granddad and I'm making a baby quilt for a co-worker.

We ordered the fabric for her quilt last week. It arrived just in time for our sewing marathon. Jana's paternal grandfather is a Navy Veteran, and she wanted to making a patriotic quilt for him. We started on Saturday by designing the layout and cutting fabric. The top was finished by Sunday morning. The back was pieced by the afternoon. Finally Monday we made the quilt sandwich and she quilted it using a stitch in the ditch.

Quilting on her Janome

She picked a snoopy backing from the Hugs for Heroes collection.

She is very proud of her work and  that she completed this quilt. She has been sewing and making quilt tops for several years now (since she was 7) so it is no surprise that at 12 she can work pretty independently.

While Jana was working on her masterpiece I completed a baby quilt top. I found a lovely heart patterns in the newest McCalls Quilting. It's strange, but I stopped getting all my quilting magazines. I thought I had just too many already. While grocery shopping I was browsing through the newest McCalls and saw several quilts I liked. Of course I purchased the magazine and will probably end of renewing my subscription.The quilt in the magazine was full size and in reds, greys and white. My co-worker wants a pink and purple quilt.

I used the heart pattern, but changed the sashings, and of course, made fewer blocks. I love the way it turned out.

co-workers baby quilt

I decided to make  a sweet and girlie quilt that her daughter could continue to use as she grows. I used a baby fabric for the back. I especially like the outer border which is pink hand prints. So cute!

backing fabric

The back is pieced and I am just waiting for a long arm lesson on March 11 to quilt the quilt.

Jana's close up photo 

 

So we are tired and happy. I can't believe I am saying this, but I am done with sewing for the week. Back to work tomorrow, time to straighten our sewing area, and maybe..just maybe...I'll resume work on the Scrappy Mountain Majesty for my son later in the week. For now I am taking a hint from the cat. I am going to find a quilt, curl up on it and rest.
Thanks for checking in.

Things to do when your sewing machine is being serviced.

It had to happened. It's been over a year and many a quilt have been pieced on my old Janome. She is still running fine, but you know when it's time to take her in for service. The last two weeks have been a time for a change of pace. I've finished the binding on two quilts that have been sitting around since Thanksgiving.

First to get finished was my Delightful Stars  quilt. I say it's finished, but it still needs the label and maybe a hanging sleeve. My plan was to hang it, but it does not seem to fit where I wanted it. For now it's hanging over the rail around the open staircase. Obviously the picture is outside on the deck.

Delightful Stars pattern by Michele Foster

In between quilts my granddaughter visited and we did some baking. We made pizza from scratch and also some Italian Feather bread. We decided if we repeat this bread that we won't put any egg white on the top. It seemed to make the crust too hard, but it was still tasty.

Italian Feather Bread

Jana's first homemade pizza (dough from scratch)

The weather was perfect for an winter day in Ohio. The temperature reached 55 and it was sunny. Jana wanted to go barefoot in the grass..She says, "there is no law against it." She had not heard of grandma's law....."Keep those shoes on". I can understand her temptation. Here in Ohio folks put their convertible tops down and put on their flip flops when it gets above 50.

We took a walk through the garden. The ground is still too cold for anything other than a few snowdrops to peak through. Still, we are grateful for the warm day and sun.

Beautiful end to the day.

 Sunday was a day for me to piddle around.  I worked on some projects for work, made dinner, and finished the binding on this last quilt. It too needs the label and the hanging sleeve. I really wish the picture gave you a true sense of what this quilt looks like. It's simple, but I think the fabrics, layout and quilt panto all comes together to make a fun and quirky quilt. My granddaughter says it's her favorite.  I designed this quilt around the fabric by Masha D'yans. The song Jump by Van Halen inspired the hopscotch. So we have frog playing (jumping) in a rainy, puddle filled garden.

Quilt Challenge-based on song "Jump" by Van Halen, Panto "drip"

Thanks for checking in. Have a great week everyone.

Tidying up-finishing simplier projects.

When ever I finish a big project like Grand Illusion, I like to give my sewing space a once over. I have cleaned my machine, and added a dab of oil. This should hold it over until I can get it in for it's yearly service and cleaning. This will leave me without my machine for at least a week. I've a plan. I put binding on two quilts, all that is left is to hand sew down the back. They are nice large quilts, so it should take awhile. Unfortunately for some reason the binding seems to be coming out wavy. I am not sure why. I used a walking foot. Any ideas?

Today I went through a big box of scraps. Some had already been cut into 2 1/2 inch strips. This is my meager attempt to be organized like Bonnie Hunter. I ended up with a shoe box size container of 2 1/2 inch strips, some 2 1/2 inch squares and some three inch strips. Not a bad start. There are a few other boxes to clear out, but I'm feeling satisfied with my progress. I also created on container for all orphan blocks.

Earlier in the week I finished a quilt top for a great nephew.  I am scheduled for a lesson on using the long arm machine at a local quilt store. It will be interesting.  Here is Brandon's quilt top.

Brandon's quilt top

Lastly I have been working on blocks for a Scrappy Mountain Majesty for my son. I'm not sure which layout I will use when it is done, and my son is absolutely no help. I wanted it to look something like the Smokey Mountains. Not sure if my fabric selections for the sky is working. So I have about half done...and many to go.

A sampling of blocks

An option for layout.

I am not thinking too far ahead. Hopefully the design solution will be clearer when I have more blocks completed.

Tuesday the machine goes to the shop and I'll be hand sewing. Let hope the snow misses us. Everyone have a great week.

Bonnie Hunter and My Imagination- Grand Lake Illusion

Oh, it's just my imagination, running away with me, yes it's just my imagination, running away with me.  When I first saw the colors for Grand Illusion I knew I would change the colors. I just used a lot of pink in Lazy Sunday, and since even the cat is a boy. I didn't want another pink quilt.

As I rummaged through my fabrics I came across my inspiration fabric. Everything I pick from then on related to this fabric.

Inspiration

I also knew that if I followed the pattern I could not mess up a Bonnie Hunter design or pattern. So, I took a calculated risk, I changed pink for purple,  I flipped the aqua (my inspiration) and the neutral. My aqua, green and yellow where constants and my neutral and purple where scrappy. I followed Bonnie's pattern in every detail but the color. I just wanted to see what would happen.  In my Grand Illusion my imagination decided to focus on the lake. I imagined a design floating on the water, lake grasses, water lilies, and sunlight dancing off the lake water. Oh yeah, and the brown is the stones and rocks around the lake.

My next decision had to do with the narrow border. I liked how the yellow looked on every one's quilt. I laid out my inspiration fabric and the yellow. The inspiration fabric won. I like how the aqua melted into the border at the triangles. Keeping with my lake theme, the water is splashing against the shore.

Water wins over the sunshine.

I had a little last minute panic as I put the border together. I thought I had not completed enough blocks. But I found a few blocks  that were on the wonky side and needed to be reworked. In no time at all I was back on track......and......here is Grand (Lake) Illusion
inspired by Bonnie Hunter and my imagination.

Completed Grand Illusion

Corner Detail

I still need to clip some threads on the back and stay stitch the outer edges so it does not stretch and then put it away till I can get it quilted. Oh what fun this has been! I am happy, happy, happy.

My next project is to finish a space quilt for a great nephew. Then it is a toss up between Crab Apples, a Christmas version of Celtic Solstice, or maybe Carolina Christmas. So many of Bonnie's quilts, so little time.

Check out this link to see everyone  progress. It's not too late to print those lessons off and start your own Grand Illusion!
http://quiltville.blogspot.com/2015/01/mystery-monday-link-up-part-6.html

Grand Illusion plan is slowly coming together

When we started this quilt and I changed my colors. I picked a beautiful blue batik as my background fabric (rather than a neutral).  I changed pink to purple and used a neutral where Bonnie used the aqua. The vision in my head included a quilt that looked like the lake, with maybe some lilies. I know it was out there, but I think things worked out and I am on my way to achieving my goals for this quilt. What do you think about how the colors worked together so far? It reminds me of how the light and shadows reflect off the lake,

In my eyes, a pattern floating on the lake. Love that blue.

I have to say I am moving a little slow on this one. I only have the first three rows of the center completed. Row four's blocks are done and I am putting that row together. Row five is put together in kits just waiting to be sewn together.

3 and half rows completed.

Honestly, the wind child is -22 and I'm having trouble getting motivated. I'd rather wrap up in a quilt than work on one in my basement.   I will get the last two rows together before next Monday (We are having a heat wave and it's going to near 30). I still need to decide on the inner border. Bonnie used yellow and I am considering this. I do not have enough blue, and I do have some purple. Once the center is completed I will audition some border fabric.

I did want to share some of my tools.  For Christmas I got one of the magnets for pins. Well that little thing is great. I am horrid at keeping my pins off the floors, etc. One sweep with this lovely and they are all organized. No more stepping on pins.  I've also loved using my 4/12 sq ruler and the same for the 12  1/2 in square ruler. Everything is going together greater. I am sure using these tools to square things up really helped.

These are a few of my favorite things.

Finally I have discovered an interesting batik wide background fabric on line. I am still deciding, but I like the soft subtle look.I am not going to impulsive and will hold of purchasing until I am sure it's what I want.

Here is the link to Bonnie's weekly link up. Enjoy seeing everyone's progress.
http://quiltville.blogspot.com/2015/01/mystery-monday-link-up-part-6.html

Thanks for checking in.

Why do I do things the hard way-finishing clue 2-and moving onward.

Sometimes I wonderful why it takes me so long to get a clue done, and then I wonder why the heck I did not figure it out sooner. I swear I worked on clue two for three days. I decided to go ahead and sew those bonus triangles. I did this when I made a quilt for an aunt, and I used the bonus triangles as a border. The thing is that quilt did not have so many triangles. I mean four extra triangles on each block times 100 blocks. What was I thinking? These things are about 1 inch. Again, what was I thinking. I think I had a lapse in my good sense!

I thought I would use them. I actually have some orphan Blocks from Easy Street that have the same purple and teals. I figured I could add them to that and make something fun and funky. I did not count on how much time it would take to do that extra sewing.  It finally dawned on me and I STOPPED. I completed my last forty in record time. Finally that step is complete. This is what I have left to show for my work. I just stuck them into a zip lock bag. After all that I may use them...someday.

bonus triangles-  about 240 sewn. Then I came to my senses.

This is probably not how Bonnie is using these block, but I will in another quilt.

I moved ahead to step 5 because Bonnie said it would be easy. I had it completed in no time. I had already cut my strips, so it was easy to sew together. Most of my quilt is not scrappy, but my neutrals are. I used as many fabrics as I could find, and followed Bonnie advice with no more than four or five four patches of each set. Yes, my four B blocks are upside down in the picture. I made these all the same. I am feeling more confident about my color changes as everything comes together.

Step 5

Going backwards, I started on Step 4 this afternoon.  We have done this block, so it was not a matter of difficulty. Frankly I thought I had miscalculated my purple and white half square triangles from Step 1. I had to borrow some from my extras to complete the step. I assumed I would run out so I deferred working on this step until now. Funny thing is I had more than enough purple half square triangles. I guess I made extras?  So far I have cut out, and made 42 kits for the first block. I hope to put these together tomorrow, and maybe even get the kits for the second set made. I love making up the kits so when I have some extra time I can head down to my sewing space and power sew.

Layout of step 4

It's been a while since I've had several days off work, with nothing scheduled, to just sew. It has been wonderful. If I am lucky I may be caught up by Sunday night. If not that is okay too. I have New Years Day off work, another chance to sew.  I'll probably go through and make sure all my units are the correct size and do any needed trimming as some of those clue 2 blocks are a little wonky.  Here's hoping and waiting for Friday. Do you think we will start putting a block together this Friday?
Here is the link to Monday's link up http://quiltville.blogspot.com/2014/12/mystery-monday-link-up-part-5.html

Easy does it, not always that easy-Grand Illusion- Clue 3

Hello Bonnie Hunter Mystery quilt fans.  Another week of piecing, work,  and holiday preparation. While I have finished 80 of Clue three, I have not hit my target. However I am off work today and will not go to sleep until I finish those last 40 blocks. This is an easy block, but as Bonnie has told us over and over, if your seam is off just a little and it's multiplied by many seams, you can be off a lot in the end.  In my excitement I was a little too speedy sewing some strips, and did not pay enough attention to my seam allowance. You guessed it, I had to redo some block.

80 down- 40 to go

My progress so far is respectable. I have finished Clue 1, only done four of  clue 2 (was out of town that week) and will finish Clue 3 before the next Clue is released. I am proud that I'm keeping this in perspective, the last few Mystery Quilts I sewed like a mad woman the minute the clue was released.

This year I am relaxing and enjoying the process. I think since I have changed some fabric on my quilt I am being a little more thoughtful as I work through this quilt. An example of this is my decision to use a constant green fabric. Now I warn you that I have an imagination when it comes to fabric. For example my blues remind me of the water of Lake Erie and the green are the lily pad or grasses with the light reflecting off them. Yeah, I know that's a little out there. However, that is why I chose this fabric. I had a preference for a lighter fabric, but did not have enough and did not know if I would get the look I was after by going scrappy. I also thought the lighter it might look too washed out.

Which green to use?

Today's goal is to take my time sewing strips so I have a consistent seam and finish those 40 blocks. I want to straighten my sewing area and organize my fabric so I'm ready for the next clue. Oh yeah, I almost forget, and I'm getting a new furnace today. How much excitment can one girl take?

Be sure to check our Bonnie's link for Clue 3. I know it's the same block over and over, but it is fun to see what colors everyone is using and check out some quilting blogs at the same time.
http://quiltville.blogspot.com/2014/12/mystery-monday-link-up-part-3.htmlhttp://quiltville.blogspot.com/2014/12/mystery-monday-link-up-part-3.html