Recent Finishes

An unusual FRIDAY edition of My Joyful Journey.  I have gotten a lot of machine quilting done in recent months as I took a break from piecing all the time so I thought I would share. 

Patriotic Pineapples, a Quilt of Valor for my husband, that has been in the making for many years:

Detail of fan quilting, done by machine:

The  second Quilt of Valor is for a friend of my husband. There is more information about this quilt in a blog I wrote as I was piecing it: Red, White and Blue  I call it Broad Stripes and Bright Stars:

Detail shot: 

With these done, I jumped on Janet's Happy Village, a top I got from my friend's estate sale and have written about here: Quilters Estate Liquidation Sale  A wonky size, 45" x 76", I am working on finding it the right new home. The panel says HOME IS WHERE YOUR STORY BEGINS. I think Janet would be pleased to see this finished: 

This is the back--a Hoffman panel I didn't know what to do with but loved. I couldn't cut it so I enlarged the quilt top and added a border to this back to make them fit together:

I was only when I saw this PHOTO, just the other day, that I realized this is actually TWO panels. If I had  seen that months ago, I would have cut it in half and used them for different quilts:

Another quilt I finished, I'm not prepared to show in full just yet but here it is waiting for the binding to be sewn in place. It is my COVID quilt--aren't we all making one of those?

Another thing that keeps me busy is teaching a ZOOM class to 14 quilters in England and Spain. Some are part of the "Thursdays at Three" one hour gathering where we talk quilting and life with each other. Western Sun was my backdrop and I got talked into teaching it to them. About half of them are hand piecing the blocks so I feel sure they won't be making theirs king size like mine is. Here is their efforts after the first 3 hour class:

Since I am teaching both Color My World and Western Sun locally this Saturday, I had to take them off the design wall. It really bothers me to have an empty design wall, like maybe my brain is empty too, so I stuck up the various projects I am either working on or have finished--so I have happy things to greet me when I walk in the studio:

That's all that's new for now. Back to our regularly scheduled posts, Sundays and Wednesdays.

Let's quilt. 

Barbara

Patriotic Pineapple Quilt

After 10 years, this red, white and blue Patriotic Pineapple quilt is done. I think. Maybe...

Border or No Border? What say you, Internet people? I got lots of suggestions from Facebook and Instagram--you will see below what I decided...

The particulars:

8" blocks
1" finished "logs"
2" finished red centers
set 8 x 10 blocks: 64" x 80" as is

I intend it to be a large throw size, not a queen-size bed quilt. As a throw, it is fine as is. For a Double bed, I could add a border, 4" all around. That would make it 72" x 88". But, who has a double bed?

Double bed batting I have on hand and plan to use is 72" x 93"--that wouldn't really work, it would be a bit too narrow for the quilt with 4" borders.  A 3" border would be 70" x 86"--that would be tight but I can make it work, I think.

I will quilt it on my Bernina Q20 sit down longarm. If I baste it carefully, the 3" border would work. But does it NEED a border?

The book that started this whole project was published in 2010, Trash to Treasure  by Gyleen Fitzgerald. I bought her Trash2Treasure ruler too, and made about half the blocks with it:

When I finally got back to this, about 6 month ago, I began using the Creative Grids Pineapple Trim Tool Ruler, since most of the students I would be teaching would have this one:

Both rulers work fine. I found the Creative Grids ruler to be my favorite because of the grip-stuff on the back of CG rulers. Once you figure out the instructions, of course. One of the best things about Creative Grid rulers is the instructions for each ruler is on their website--helpful if you lose the pamphlet that came with the ruler. And they often have videos there to show exactly how to use some of the specialty rulers.

In January I wrote about Quilts I Should Finish This Year. This was #1. So, I am either finished or close to it--you decide.

Next up, $795, begun many years ago, 2006, I believe:

Geese 1.375" x .6875"--Paper Pieced.

There are little projects that will be fit in between this one but it will also be finished this year.

Are there long-term projects you are working on and plan to finish?

As for the Patriotic Pineapple? My husband suggested blue so blue borders it is, from four different blues, cut 3". Finished size is 70" x 85":

Let's quilt.

Barbara

Keeping Busy at Home

In this unusual time, when we are being asked to stay at home to "flatten the curve", I try to keep things as normal as possible.

As a quilter, I make quilts--that is who I am and what I do. The Patriotic Pineapple is almost done--one more row and this half is done and can be sewn to the other half:

My usual routine, that continues:

1. Be at work in my Studio from 9-4 most days
2. Lunch break about noon
3. Elliptical exercise after lunch, shower, fresh clothes
4. Cook the standard meals, nothing fancy
5. Keep a running list of groceries needed, hubby does the shopping
6. Turn off the TV at 9 a.m., keep it off until 5 p.m.

What I am doing that is not the "norm":

1. Staying home, since March 15 when I returned from Retreat.
2. Only going in the yard to snap Spring photos--pollen makes me cough and that is just not what we want to do right now.
3. Not spending time booking airfare and  hotels, preparing Supply Lists, and class samples--3 jobs have been canceled for April and May, waiting to see what happens with two trips in July and two August.
4. Calling one friend each day just to talk--we are usually too busy. No excuse right now.
5. Spending too much time on Facebook--working to cut that back. There are quilts to make and pretty much everyone is saying the same things.
6. Finding it hard to remember what day of the week it is--lots of folks seem to have that problem right now.
7. Missing my Littles--they only live 30 minutes away but we are all "sheltering in place" so won't get to hug them for a while yet--we do FaceTime most days:

Sam and Stella on St. Patrick's Day

Back to  quilting. I am trying the Starch Method with leftover Yarra Valley fabrics to make more Double 9 Patch blocks, even though my Sample quilt was completed last year and my smaller Demo quilt was completed last month.

Pros of Starching Fabric:

The precision on small blocks is better. These have .75" finished squares and the 9 patches are 2.25" finished. When I used a few strips that were not starched along with starched ones I could see a difference--the firmness of the starched fabric kept things in place while sewing.

Cons: 

It takes time to apply the starch and let it dry, overnight is recommended. When I want to sew, I want to sew NOW so waiting is not in my nature. I have been spraying the fabrics for the next round while sewing the current round and pressing them dry if needed. Do not press while still wet--this will dry the starch into flakes--not what you want.

The quilt will need to be washed when completely done, quilted and bound. Starch is made from corn and bugs can be an issue with starch that remains on fabric. I usually wash quilts when done, but not always.

Since I wanted to do something with these little 9 Patches, they have become my current Leader/Ender project--when I run out of starched strips, I'll stop making them and that will determine how big this little quilt will be:

Quilters are probably better able to fill their time, being at home for so long, than many people. I feel for parents of young kids who have to work from home, like my son and daughter-in-law. My concerns are for all those who still have to leave their homes: healthcare workers, grocery folks, restaurants trying to stay afloat. And for all those fearful of financial worries.

And for my brother-in-law who had a stroke March 14. March 19 all hospitals in Alabama went under a No Visitors Order so his wife and kids cannot see him at all. They live an hour away and can only get updates by phone with the nurses. Today he continues to breathe without assistance, so that is good news. 

Stay calm, make quilts, wash your hands. This will pass and we'll all be back together soon, I hope.

Let's quilt.

Barbara

A Little of This...

A Little of That...

I've been working on several projects. Here is my Afternoon Delight "Demo Quilt"--the blocks I have made to write blog posts to use this year:

There are two more borders to go, a narrow blue, then a wider red. Next week.

I was able to finish this top because I got the last applique block done, #27 that will appear in September. The method is needleturn by hand for the red shape and I used Karen Buckley's Perfect Circles method for the 5 blue circles;

My hand applique needle turn is a little rusty but finished is better than perfect and I am satisfied with this overall.

Patriotic Pineapple is half done--here are 40 8" blocks:

The Creative Grids Pineapple Trim Tool works very well. The directions are pretty clear and there is a video on their website if you need more help.

I make one change to the pattern. After adding the 6th round, a dark, I use Half Square Triangles for the four corners. The squares are cut 3", then cut in half on the diagonal.

This works well because:

1. It saves time--only one seam on each corner instead of two

2. It eliminates a tiny little itty bitty triangle in the outer corners.

3. It puts straight of grain on the four corners--a real help with a block that has lots of bias edges.

I've been accused of being very organized and I admit to that. My motto is "I want the fastest method that gives me the result I want". Over the years I've been working on this quilt, I cut strips the sizes needed and put them in baggies. Now that I am hard at work getting it done, it is great to have all those fabrics ready to go.

I use 1.5" wide strips for the 8" finished Pineapple block. My sizes:

Light  Round 1   2.5"                   Dark Round 2   3.5"
Light  Round 3    4"                     Dark Round 4   5"
Light  Round 5    5"                      Dark Round 6   6"

The center squares are cut 2.5" and those outer triangles come from 3" squares, cut in half.

I make two or four at a time, laying out each with a variety of strips from the baggies, trying not to have repeats usually. You could plan it with less variety.

Here are the two final rounds ready to add to two blocks--this is Light Round 5 and Dark Round 6:

While working on these quilt tops I have been designing a couple new samples, using many four-patches I've made over the years as "leader/enders". Read my Time Management Tips for more about that process.

The second of these is almost done:

I showed the first one last week, made with mostly reproduction fabrics:

There are a few more layouts I want to play with using the endless bin of 2" four-patches. Stay tuned...

And I finally drafted a new pattern I am eager to make. Here is the teaser:

Last reminder--there is ONE SPOT LEFT FOR RETREAT--due to an unexpected cancellation. If you want to join us, please contact me right away. Final payment will be made soon and we won't add anyone after that. The Goody Bag is packed and ready for YOU.  See This Post for more info and a link to even more info.

Let's quilt.

Barbara