Row by Rowing Along

My Row by Row Experience continues. I may regret this, but I am assembling the rows, but not machine stitching the appliques. I am afraid this will be a long tedious process. For now I am having fun creating.

I know I mentioned that I don't follow directions. I have found it impossible not to make changes here and there in the various rows. I nearly threw out the baby with the bath water when it came to the Dry Ridge Quilt Row. Here is their pattern.

Row by Row Pattern

 Here is the problem. I already have two other rows that spell out home. Do I need a third? Don't think so. My dad was from Dry Ridge and I want this to be special. It's not doing it for me. Sooo, I decided to make some changes. First I shrunk Kentucky, put a heart over Dry Ridge. Then I enlarged and moved out the house.

Kentucky, the Heart of it all.

Funky Home Sweet Kentucky Home

I still needed to balance out the row, so I created some woods to represent the Appalachian Trail and Daniel Boone Forest.

 

I've discovered that I do better if I just freehand my trees, branches, etc. So I just backed a piece of green and brown with fusible and cut away. I am happy with the results, as I like a more free flowing form than something structured. I plan to stitch the green down with a variegated thread to add texture.

Row by Row my style

The second row I completed was from FabricShack in Waynesville, OH. I have to admit I pretty much followed the directions. Again rather than trace leaves and branches I freelanced. Just fusing and cutting shapes as I went along. This block will need extra details added. I was worried about this one, but do like how it turned out. I still may add more branches and leaves above the birds. I am waiting until it's stitched to decide.

Lots of details to be added when the applique is stitched down, especially on the birds

My final Row to report on is from Apron Strings Quilt Shop in Maysville, KY. I had a fun trip there and decided to purchase the kit. I had never done English Paper Piecing. I am hooked. Last week I was hospitalized for treatment for my Myeloma. This was a project I was able to do while there. I felt I accomplished something, rather than sitting around. I only had to do the Dresden Plate when I returned home.  I'm planning to make Christmas wreaths and trees during my next stay.(Need to do something to keep my sanity). I can even use my GoBaby to make the kits.

As you can see I have not sewn the squares together. I think I will probably make this a vertical row, rather than horizontal as shown here.

So that's my progress so far. I have saved what I think is going to be the most difficult Row for last. I also am designing a row for Our Sunset Place, our favorite home away from home on Lake Erie. But that is a story for another post.

Cathedral Stars first, Partial seam blocks second and Row by Row trailing behing.

Wow, I can't believe it been nearly a month since my last post. Time has  flown by and I have been busy. I pushed myself to finish the Cathedral Stars quilt. It's quilted and bound. I am satisfied with the end results. There are some seams that do not match up, but since it is so scrappy it does not show.  I love the red and purple ladder blocks and feel they really add a zing to the quilt.

Cathedral Stars-Bonnie Hunter Pattern

For now my obsession with partial seam blocks has been satisfied. I completed two Christmas quilts and one queen size using my blue stash. The blue quilt still has to be quilted.But my Christmas quilts are quilted, bound and labeled. I  fell in love with this bunny fabric and one quilt is built around that fabric. I've also completed a red, white and green Christmas quilt for my daughter.  I quilted these with a panto called ribbons.

Fabrics mostly from stash

I fell in love with this fabric.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Christmas Hearth

Detail of Christmas Hearth

 

 

 

 

 

Fabric I auditioned for my daughter's quilt (some of them anyway)

Two other Christmas quilts have been completed. One for my eldest son. It is called Winter Tumbler. I also used the ribbon design for the quilting for this quilt. It is not too dense and almost looks like the wind blowing across the quilt.

Winter Tumbler

And finally finished the winter quilt for my youngest son.

detail of quilting, I've already forgotten the name of the panto I used.

Both of these quilts have flannel back so they will be nice and cozy this winter. So done at last. I'm feeling relieved that my Christmas projects are completed.















That leaves the Row by Row. We've made trips to Maysville and Dry Ridge, KY.  We have been to Waynesville and Goshen Ohio. I've collected my eight patterns. Now I have only to finish the rows. It appears that will be a challenge. This appliqué is not my cup of tea. For now I am doing the rows, row by row, but not stitching the applique down. I'm only ironing them in place. I do have two new Rows done (with exception of stitching the appliques in place).  One is paper pieced.  They are from Loveland, Ohio and Sanibel Island.FL.

Loveland Quilt Studio and Crazy Ladies @ Sanibel Island, 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I am currently working (getting started) on the row from Dry Ridge, KY. We had a cool weekend, and I used that time to work in the garden and begin the process of getting it cleared and cleaned out for winter. There was a wonderful breeze and beautiful skies. I don't remember what kind of clouds these are, but I thought they where beautiful.

Hope everyone has a wonderful week. Hopefully I have a few more rows to share at my next posting. I don't believe in UFO's, so I think I have quite a task ahead of me. God willing I'll be able to get them done.

Falling in love with partial seam blocks.

I know, I know.  I was all excited about my Row by Row project. It is sitting in a bin as I continue to collect patterns. I've decided to put it aside until I get my Christmas projects completed. I still need two patterns, and will be traveling to Dry Ridge, KY and Waynesville, OH this week. I'll add them to my collection. Once all my Christmas projects are completed I will return to the Row by Row. And I will focus and concentrate on applique.

More old business. I finished Bonnie Hunter's pattern Cathedral  Stars. I am satisfied with how it turned out. However, if I every do it again I think I will eliminate the red and blue borders and only surround it in black. Nevertheless, it's completed and ready for quilting. That is also taking a back seat to my Christmas projects.

Cathedral  Stars top

What has caught my fancy? Partial seam blocks have become my new obsession. I have been looking for something uncomplicated, something modern, with clean lines, and an interesting lay out. I found it in  Japanese Quilt Inspirations by Susan Briscoe.  I really like the Irori Quilt. In her book each block has a red center to represent the hearth of the home. I like that idea. I wanted to use fabric from my blue stash. I have a lovely Tula Pink backing. I hope to quilt it on my next visit to Loveland Quilt Workshop mid August. This is my favorite block  and the finished top.

favorite block.

Irori top

In the book the quilt is 7 rows wide and 7 rows deep. As you can see I made mine a 10 block square. I am using this pattern to make two Christmas quilts. They are 7 rows by 8 rows. One is completed, but has to stay a secret. I am half way through the second quilt. I can share the fabric I considered. Not every piece made it into the quilt. More to be reveled.

Christmas fabrics

I love to piece, but sometimes the brain just wants something simple. That is what attracted me to this block. 

Reasons to do partial seam blocks.

• Easy way to use scraps: two length of width strips, 3 and half inches wide makes 3 blocks.
• Vertical rows go together quickly.
• Fewer seams to nest.
• Design choices are unlimited.
• Blocks go together quickly. I was able to do nearly 20 blocks in a little over an hour.
• Not really a top or bottom to the block so you don't have to worry about putting a block in the wrong way.

Some tips:

• Number your vertical rows
• Keep numbers on rows till entire quilt together so no rows gets reversed .
• Press each vertical row, reversing the direction of the seams with each row. Row one press up, row two press down. Everything will nest with little effort. No pinning needed. 

Label your rows so there are no reversals during assembly.

I will finish my blocks for the second Christmas quilt today, and will have it assembled before the end of the week. More old business. Sew the binding on three quilts I quilted last week. Two of those are for Christmas so once they are finished I will have a good start on holiday sewing.  I'm also thinking about making some mug rugs using the same block.

My projects-upcoming events:

• Bind three quilts
• Complete one Christmas quilt
• Get appointments to quilt the four quilts that will need quilting.
• Think about making mug rugs with my leftover Christmas fabric. 
• Get that granddaughter back here so she can work on her quilt and Christmas mug rugs.
• Enjoy the day.

The Row by Row Experience

I had a hankering to do something different. I saw the Facebook page for the Row by Row Experience and liked the theme Home Sweet Home.   I realized I would have to do some applique, but thought. "Why not give it a try?' Why indeed. So I set out a plan for the Contadino Row by Row, Home Sweet Home quilt.

My goal is to have blocks that represent the various parts of the county my family calls/called home. My daughter lives in South Carolina and she graciously traveled to local quilt shops to get patterns and license plates for her home.

Both of my parents are deceased so it is importance to have a row that honors each of them. My mother grew up in Florida and loved to go shelling at Sanibel Island. I was able to purchase a 2015 pattern from Sanibel Island, Florida.  This years pattern is not available for purchase until November 1st. I was happy to get last years. It an adorable palm tree with turtles, called Tipsy Turtles, from Three Crafty Ladies, Sanibel, Fl.  My next stop will be a trip to the Quilt Box in Dry Ridge, KY.  Dad was born in Perry, Kentucky and went to school in the Dry Ridge area. There is a lot of Bowman and Sechrest history in that area, so a pattern from Dry Ridge will represent dad's side of the family.

For our immediate family I have a pattern from The Quilt Cabin in Goshen, Ohio that represents Clermont County, Ohio, where we live. And it has lots of cats, which we love! Finally we are traveling to the Lake Erie region this week, so I plan to get a pattern from there, as it's our home sweet home away from home.

 Here are the 3 South Carolina patterns I've completed to date. I need to sew the applique down on some. They have been fused. The patterns below are: Sign- Bernina - We're in Stitches and  Home Sweet  Home Away from Home (Viking Sew'n Quilt), in Greenville, SC. The last is from Sew it Goes Quilt Shop in Pendleton, SC.

 

Two patterns from Greenville, SC

Adorable pieced cats from Sew It Goes Quilt Shop in Pendleton, SC.

The next two I need to do are heavy with applique. They are adorable, but lots and lots of fused applique. There is one problem. I suck at applique. Some of the patterns are recommending the satin stitch, which is not on my machine. I don't have invisible thread, and I am horrid at cutting small pieces. Yeah, that's more than one problem. I have ordered invisible thread from Superior Threads and will try using that and a straight stitch to secure the letters. Thank goodness for pieced pieces like the cats.

I will be looking for more patterns that are pieced. The pattern from the Quilter's Workshop in Loveland is pieced (yeah) and I will get that pattern when I quilt my next quilt. I have signed up for a class on fusible applique at Craftsy. This will be a long term project. Hopefully I will learn to be adequate. I doubt I will learn to love it. 

For me the Row by Row Experience is about family and sentiment. I'm in no hurry. I am not committed to getting 8 rows from 8 shops.  Each row needs to have some sentimental value to be included. I am considering making some of my own pieced blocks, maybe even some paper pieced barns and a church to round out my home sweet home collection of rows. As my wise granddaughter advised. Don't worry about it grandma. Just do it. After all we are having fun. That's what it's all about, right? Wise girl, enjoy the process.

Speaking of enjoying the process we where able to get together for a few hours this weekend and she completed a few more rows on her tumbler quilt. The quilt inspector was more of a hindrance than a help.

"What's going on Smokey. I need to sew" said Jana.

"But I like sitting here!"

"There is nothing you can do to get me to leave these tumblers."

 

 

While Jana worked on her tumblers I spent some time making star patches for the Bonnie Hunter pattern Cathedral Stars. This is a work in progress, and going a little slow. At first I felt the colors where too scrappy. As I lay the blocks out and see the pattern emerge I am feeling better about this quilt. I really like those red and purple ladder blocks. They add some spice to the quilt.

Cathedral Stars work in progress.

Finally, Jana wanted to update our photo. She has a new hair cut, so we took another selfie that has the new and updated Jana. I just love that girl, she is the best granddaughter.

Jana and Grandma July 2016

Coming events: Ohio Star Quilt Guild, Port Clinton, Ohio quilt show. And more Cathedral Stars.

Is it horrid or fun and funky?

I have a friend who has made over a dozen Yellow Brick Road quilts. She loves that pattern. I can't even imagine doing the same pattern over and over.  I like to try new things. However, sometimes I will redo a pattern. With that said,  I surprised myself when I finished my fourth version of Happy Trails by Connie Feller.

I believe I ordered this pattern many years ago from Keepsake Quilting. I liked that it had a finished block of 12 x 12, and that you could feature a large print fabric. The first quilt I made, was a Christmas quilt.  I had this interesting fabric of Santa in his sled, and wanted a quilt with him flying through the sky. Most of the blocks feature a snow village, but three featured Santa in his sled.

Santa flying through a snow filled sky.

Christmas Trails

 I think this quilt worked because of feature fabric, which was the neutral snow village. Nothing really shouts out and even the Santa and his sled compliment the base fabric.

The second quilt I made with Happy Trails was an autumn quilt from batiks.  The surrounding blocks picked up the colors from the sunflower fabric. This seems to be the trick to making the best quilts with this pattern. The pattern it's self does not dominate the quilt. The fabrics are the star.

Autumn Trails.

I recently finished two new quilts using this pattern. The first will be a Christmas gift from my youngest (an adult). He is interested in space, the cosmos and planets, etc. I wanted a quilt that looked like the night sky. I found several fabrics on E-Quilter that fit the theme. I think that I achieved my goal and can't wait to quilt it.

Space Trails

Quilt detail.

In this quilt the fabric is the star, but one fabric does not necessarily overwhelm the others. They blend together to create the overall look of an evening sky.

That takes us to the final quilt. Is it horrid? Is it funky and fun?  This quilt featured a piece of fabric I've had for many year. It features a farm and barn and that resembles my mother's home and barn on SR 138 in Highland County, Ohio.  I've considered this fabric for several quilts, but could never find the pattern that showed off the fabric. I didn't want to cut up the house or the barn.

I finally took the plunge and cut the fabric. I was able to fancy cut the houses and barn. However I was not really satisfied with the way this quilt came together. Once cut, there was not much else that could be done, so I put the quilt together. The jury is still out on this one. I did not add the last border, so it is a lap size. This is probably the least favorite quilt I have made.

The trail to grandma's house.

It remains to be seen if the quilting can save this quilt. It's a lot too busy for me. I will quilt it and keep it, only because the house and barn so closely resembles my mother's home. There are many good memories evoked by that fabric. Part of me thinks this is the most horrid quilt I have ever made. Another part thinks it kind of fun.

You know the saying about not crying over spilled milk. I think it's the same for cut fabric. I'll let this quilt sit for a while. I may go back and add the outside border. Who knows, it may become a favorite. One of the kids may adopt it, because they also have some great memories of the farm, barn and apple trees. Perhaps it's not so horrid after all.

Is there another Happy Trails in my future? It's hard to predict. I think it's time to put this pattern aside and move on. I still have to finish Cathedral Stars and have not even started last fall's Mystery with Bonnie Hunter. And my oh my, the 2016 Row by Row Experience has started. Time to try something new.

Coming events: Will the stars aline with Cathedral Stars or will the 2016 Row by Row Experience win out?

Jana and the tumbler blocks

Whoo hoo. I've finally got my granddaughter over for a day. It's hard for a grandma to fit into the busy schedule of a teenager, but when we do get together we try to make the most of our time together. Roasted chicken sandwiches and peach tea for lunch. Her favorites. We need our energy after all.

Selfie Jana took with my camera.

  On her last visit she used the Go Baby to cut nearly 300 tumbler blocks in various shades of purple.

Lots of purple tumblers

She started her quilt and finished three rows. Each row is 18 tumblers wide.  She has decided to do all her rows before she puts them together.  That way she may choose the most pleasing layout. It might take all summer, but hey she's on vacation and I'm retired.  Oh yes, the quilt inspector approved her work.

These look good.

Not sure he appreciated the hug of thanks for his approval.

That being said the object of her recent visit was to help me cut even more tumblers. I'm making a six foot by six foot quilt for my eldest son for Christmas. He insists on keeping his house around 60 degrees in the winter and wants something with a flannel back. I decided on a winter theme, and thank goodness Jana likes to use the Go Baby. We stopped counting at 400 tumblers. That's a lot of cutting and rolling through the Go Baby cutter. I still had to cut more to finish the quilt, and am so grateful she got me off to such a strong start.

Grandma cut the squares and Jana rolled them through the GoBaby

More tumbler block

Since this is a winter theme, but not Christmas, I selected shades of blues, whites and greens, and a  brown fabric with pine cones.

10 rows of the Winter Tumbler

I ended up making 22 rows, so the quilt is a little big more than a 6 foot square. It should be plenty big enough to wrap up in on a cold winter day.

Along the way I made a few mistakes that turned into design elements I ended up repeating throughout the quilt. I tried not to repeat a fabric next to each other, but discovered early on that some blocks matched up between the rows. I actually liked the look and then repeated it throughout. I felt it provided more movement. And perhaps a little more contemporary look. The same for the darker colors, especially the blues. I tried to space them, so they provided movement through the quilt.

The first match

Added more matched blocks.

 

 

As you can tell the rows are not sewn together in the pictures above. As of today's writing I have my rows together, the sides trimmed and stitched. I had preshrunk my flannel backing. I even have my binding cut and pressed.  All that is left is to attach the leaders for the long arm machine to the backing. I don't have a quilting appointment until August. I am on the cancellation wait list, and am hopeful I will get in before my August date. I am also working on a quilt for my youngest son, also a Christmas gift. I know that is a long way off, but I have some medical treatments coming up this fall, so I'm trying to get my Christmas sewing done. If I can get them quilted and the binding sewn on by machine. I can finish off the hand sewing of the binding at my leisure. By Monday I should have three quilts waiting for space at the longarm studio. Here hoping. I will post an update when it's quilted.

Coming attractions: One pattern, two quilts. Is it horrid or fun and funky?