{Post #62} Center Finished on 9-Patch

Here is the center of my 9-patch.  Came up to cook supper. Will clean up kitchen then go down and trim then border with muslin.  

{Post #61} About Half Pieced!

The 9-patch on point is about half finished.  Not that I'm all that speedy...54/56 blocks were already pieced.  All I did was piece 2 blocks, cut the muslin squares and trianges and put the pedal to the metal.


Here it is...I'll likely finish this as far as I am able tonight.  Tomorrow I am going to get a blue for a thin inner border, backing, and binding.  Will need to determine yardage for this.


This picture includes 3 of the 4 corners for the quilt.  This part will measure 46" x 52" when I am finished.  I was thinking of a muslin border, then a blue strip, then a wider muslin border.  Susie's room is blue.


I've already sort of picked out a quilting pattern, too.  An 8-petaled free motion flower in the cream squares extending out into the 9-patches.

Time for a little nutrition and then some more sewing.  It's my laundry day, so that is in there somewhere, too.


~Joan

{Post #60} Finders, Winners

My blog post title is a take-off on Finders, Keepers.  If you read my regular non-secret blog, Keeping you in Stitches, you know I just did a huge sewing room rearrange, declutter, discard, etc.  One of the things I found was a stack of 5" '30's prints 9-patch blocks.  Susie really likes these.  I just had to make two more (although we used up all our '30's fabrics on her rail fence quilt, including the backing--well, we thought we did).  


Here is one of the two identical blocks I made:

Here is a favorite block:

The whole center of the top laid out:

I am trying to piece and quilt this while Susie is in South Africa.  She drove to and then flew out of Washington DC last night.  She should be in Paris, France now!  

Her birthday is in November, and I hope to finish this secretly and have it ready to give her then.  

Only one son and I will be home from Saturday until next Sunday.  Can you say take-out?  Hahahahahaha...  You can be sure I will be spending plenty of time at my sewing machine.  I would like to make 5 jumpers for myself then, also.  My wardrobe is getting nastified.  My cotton jumpers are wearing out.  That is a catastrophe of monumental proportions!!

TTFN,

~Joan

{Post #59} Baby Quilt Under Way

About 6 weeks ago I bought a set of vintage double pinwheel blocks on Bonnie Hunter's e-yard sale.  I know...I was supposed to be selling things.  And I have...and will again.


One of my friends at church loves (and I do mean loves) antique and vintage things.  She even buys new things and distresses them to make them look old.


I decided to use my newly-acquired blocks to make her a baby quilt.  She is expecting a girl on MY BIRTHDAY!!  That little one deserves a very nice quilt, right?


One problem was that the blocks were all different sizes.  I took one block apart and made it perfect, but that was not going to happen again.  I bit the bullet and just cut them all down to the same size, irregardless of points.  But I think it's going to be OK.


Here they are laid out with muslin sashing and '30's pink cornerstones:

I have webbed the first 3 rows together.  Once I lay it out, I am eager to get it sewn together so the pieces don't get messed up.  So, I am off to a good start with this one.


Here is a second baby quilt I'm making (for a boy due, ironically enough, right around my birthday as well).  It's from Bonnie's Rectangle Wrangle pattern.  It measures 37" square.  With a small border, that's close to my target of 40" square for a newborn's quilt.

Shirts.  I.  am.  hooked.


~Joan

{Post #58} Ready to Mail

I pieced and ironed the binding last night for this quilt, Army Stars.  This AM I sewed it to the front.  I contemplated hand sewing it to the back, but what's the point?  I just machine sewed it to the back and added a label.  This afternoon I had time to wash and dry it.  Looks like it will be going in the mail tomorrow.

{Post #57} Machine Quilting Finished!!!

Doing the happy dance!!  The quilting is finished on the Army Stars.  This has been such a fantastic quilt to piece, and the quilting went equally well.  If I didn't love my sister so much, I'd just have to keep this for myself.  


I did a simple quilt pattern of loops and stars.  Had a couple boo boos and how-did-I-get-over-here's, but it went very well.  The thread colors matched the top and bottom fabrics very well.


Wes and Ben raised the table about 2 inches.  It seemed like it was a little too low.  

She has no idea this is coming!!  Wish I could see her face in person.

My sweet Rachel is having oral surgery tomorrow AM.  It is supposed to be a very painful recovery.  I am guessing I won't be sewing tomorrow much.  I will take my hand project for in the waiting room...I might just sit.  How weird would that be?  

~Joan

{Post #56} Started Army Stars Quilting

Right off I need to apologize to Natasha.  She asked me what secret projects I was working on.  I told her none.  I guess I've been mentally working on this quilt for a week, trying to decide how to quilt it and what thread to use.  


I started the machine quilting on the Army Stars quilt this AM.  Started piecing the back last night.  Did the final seam this AM then loaded it on the HQ frame.  


The first three passes are finished.  As I rolled it I discovered a gnarly knotted area.  I don't know what happened there.  After it is finished I will rip that out and requilt it.  Seriously have no idea!


Here is a shot of the border where the quilting thread shows up the best so far.  I am doing loops and stars.

The HQ pair (machine and frame) is a dream.  Glides so easily.  <sigh> bliss.


~Joan