BUCKET LIST QUILT #5 COMING ALONG

 This has been a productive week. I am coming along nicely with MY NEXT LIFETIME QUILT, aka Old Italian Blocks. It's been less than a year since I started this so that is good progress. The 3"blocks were made as Leader/Enders, using reproduction fabrics from my deep stash.

There is a very organized color plan although it may be hard to see here. First, I sorted all the blocks into basic color groups: dark blue, light blue, dark green, light green, black/brown, yellow/rust/orange, red/pink, purple, gray, lights. I was striving for NO repeats, but, alas, there may be a couple.

Once I cleared the design wall and placed all 289 blocks exactly where I wanted them, I knew I had to sew the complete top as quickly as possible to use the design wall again. Here is the layout:

The top row isn't quite right because I can't quite reach the top of the wall on my stepstool. Falling off is a possibility so I have to be very careful or get a bigger ladder.

Once I sewed several rows the wall looks odd and it's hard to be sure I have the blocks in the correct place. I have to get back on the stepstool to move them all down into position:

After  a lot more sewing it was time to really move everything down into position so I can reach all of them with the stepstool AND be sure all are in the right spot:

I have been asked to explain how I keep the rows organized as they come off the design wall and go to the sewing machine. It is a bit of a challenge but not really hard.

Here is the most recent row I added. Using the first photograph, the "official layout", I carefully check that each block is in the right place while still on the wall.

I carefully take each block off the wall and lay it on one of my large design boards, being sure to keep them in the proper order. The perimeter triangles are placed on the board to help me keep track of which side is left, which right:

Paying attention, I add a solid square to the right side of each block, then join them in pairs, then fours, etc. I have found it helpful to take a picture of the  board before starting to sew--it is EASY to get one or two of the blocks turned around, so out of order. 

After careful pressing, the sewn row goes back on the design wall and I make the next row. After making 4 rows, I join them in pairs, then into fours, then they go back on the wall. Once I get the first half done, I will switch to the other side to complete the other half. That way, the entire quilt is only under the needle for the final seam joining the two halves.

This is a replica of an antique top I bought in 2014--read about it  HERE--same link as above.

A yellow border wasn't my cup of tea. After getting started on this, I searched my closet and found the perfect border and binding fabric. This dark red, printed on the diagonal, will be just fine:

I am eager to get this top complete. At this point I expect there is a solid week of piecing to get it done. Then I can move on to other things and the design wall will be usable again.

For those interested, my DESIGN WALL is two sheets of 4' x 8' foam board, covered in Warm and White cotton batt, mounted to the wall. Blocks stick to the batting easily without pins. Only long rows once joined into larger sections need a few pins due to their weight. I've had this wall for 25 years. It is covered with strings--they are hard to remove because my husband used a squirt bottle of Elmer's White School Glue to adhere the batting. In hindsight, mixing a thinner solution of that glue/water might have allowed it to be painted on, keeping the batting more firmly in place. I still love my wall and use it every day.

If you want more information on how to make these fun blocks, in 3 different sizes, see my SUMMER SEW ALONG 2025

Let's quilt.

Barbara

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

Design Wall Time

As I will soon need the whole design wall for a big project, I decided to finish the Sawtooth Stars top that was taking up more than half the wall:

Once I study this photo a bit, I will decide which blocks to move or rotate. This can become a never-ending task so better not to over-think it too much. I see a couple I will rearrange...

There may or may not be added borders--that is a decision for months from now when the big project is done.

Glad to have this one to this stage. I will dedicate today to finishing it so I can "clear the board" and put up the big project, which I cannot show you, but it is fun and you will like it.

I  feel like I am way behind compared to lots of friends who are finishing old projects left and right and jumping into new projects--so much is available on the Internet right now.   The secret sewing has consumed me the last month and will for the next two months then I can jump back into quilting several tops that will get done later this year. Having 9 jobs that have cancelled or been postponed from April to August has kept me home, and I am enjoying that just fine. Still waiting to hear about two more big jobs for later this year.

What are you working on? Are you feeling accomplished with projects completed or overwhelmed with so much time?

Let's quilt.

Barbara

Design Wall Explosion

While I am usually working on at least two projects at a time, it is not often I have so many on my design wall at the same time:

Sylvia's Bridal Sampler
Patriotic Pineapples
Afternoon Delight in Red, White and Blue
Scrappy Plus--the cruise quilt I have to get done this week
$795--started many years ago and on the "plan to finish this year" list.

My extra Lifetime block is even up there--so I can find it when needed for lecture. It only got made when I mis-counted how many I had done and made one extra. Makes a good visual at lectures.

Lots of travel jobs on tap this year so these next two months when I am mostly home will be a time of high production. 

Stay tuned.

Let's quilt,

Barbara

Design Wall Wednesday

The wall still looks skimpy to me but I did make and quilt two small quilts yesterday--prep for an upcoming job. 

I do love  having my ammo box step-stool at the ready--the wall is 8.5 feet tall and I can't reach the top edge without a big step stool--the ammo box came from my Marine Corps days:

 Made and quilted in two days, ready now for binding to be prepared---these will be demo pieces:

6" Swamp Angel blocks--ready for binding demo

3" Old Italian or X Blocks--ready for binding demo. The blocks were made quickly from Charm Squares.

A few days last week I worked on my 6 month class: My Favorite Things, getting prepared for Session 3 in a couple weeks. My husbands' comment: "That's colorful"--about as excited as he gets:

Sunday, when the highs were in the upper 80's, not the 90's, we spent 3 hours walking around the Huntsville Botanical Garden. I had not been there in about 10 years--it has grown a lot and is a truly beautiful place. It was begun less than 30 years ago by those with a vision and people willing to donate a lot of money to make it happen. I will enjoy returning when the weather is cooler--something is going on there year-round. Huntsville Botanical Garden  I took lots of photos, here are just a few:

The Butterfly House

Beautiful potted arrangement

Lots for kids to do and play on--in the Children's Garden

Part of the Dinosaur Garden

One of the Water Gardens

The rest of this week will be spent finishing the machine quilting on Spellbound--the class has been set for October 5, 2018, 10-4 at Huntsville Sew & Vac--the sample now has to get done:

Let's Quilt!

Barbara

Wednesday Works in Progress

My plan is to post each Wednesday and Sunday. Here is what my design wall looks like today:

A little skimpy, I know--I took the big quilt top off the wall and since I do not like to see it empty, I put up a few works-in-progress.

The 1880 Sampler Sew A Long from Temecula Quilt Company is coming along. Find info about it here.

My Quilter's Scrap House Neighborhood is growing--these are so much FUN to make, I wish I could just sew these for hours:

I even added this as a 3-hour workshop for guilds and classes--fun and fast!

The Lifetime Quilt is getting to the almost-done stage, only 4 more 20" blocks to go, then the 100" x 100" quilt top will be finished.

More info about it here. This photo was taken in March, I am much farther along now:

What are YOU working on?

Let's quilt!

Barbara

Bits and Pieces

Now that I am feeling oh, so much better, I am back at it, making blocks, teaching 6 classes I had to postpone, answering email, booking trips,, all the usual stuff.

Here are a few things I'm working on. The Temperature Quilt, showing the first 5 weeks of 2018. More info about that here.:

More Little Monkey blocks, a section to be added to the section that is currently on display at Barb's Sewing Center:

A small applique' top, used as a sample with the Sunday Sew and Sews who are working on the Patchwork Barn 2018 Block of the Month. Applique' appears in month 9, practicing a bit now will make you comfortable when you get to that step. Some of this is machine, some is hand:

My first 6 blocks of the Patchwork Barn quilt--there are actually 3 of each of these blocks, for a total of 18 so far:

Temecula Quilt Company has a new, simple little sampler, with 4" blocks. I couldn't help myself and to keep it easy I'm using the same fabrics as the Patchwork Barn quilt. Find out more 1880 Sampler Sew A Long:

The design wall is bright and cheerful--time to get the last section of Long Time Gone done. And I am making good progress on my Lifetime quilt--it will be finished this year. More info on that here.

Let's Quilt!

Barbara

Texas Braid and Ohio Stars

Recently I taught a Texas Braid quilt class, based on the Texas Braid quilt in Bonnie Hunter's book Adventures in Leaders and Enders.  My sample is King-size:

One of the students was in this class the last time I taught it, five years ago.  She put it aside.  When she saw the class was back on the schedule she knew this was the nudge she needed to get it done:

Joyce hard at her task

Success!  The first two braids are sewn together!

She was so happy to get to this point and is now determined to keep going.  She told the other students, several times, "Don't put it away, keep working on it."

Linda came to class very organized:

She had a plan--this quilt is for her daughter and is going in a very specific bedroom so more retail therapy was required:

Ruth was also organized, almost too organized, as she agonized over every fabric, is it dark or is it light or is it both:

 Once I showed her that it is "contrast" that does all the work, while "color" gets all the credit, she was able to relax and start sewing:

Holly is not afraid of color.  She jumped right in and starting piecing those braids, doing two at a time for speedy piecing:

It was a good day and I think everyone achieved what they hoped to in the class.  I had fun too.

Now I'm working on Random Ohio Stars, a gift for an old friend.  Today it was small 6" stars:

I even made 2 itty-bitty 3" stars.  And my Lifetime quilt leader/ender project saw some action as well--it practically makes itself.

Then I started putting blocks on the wall, hadn't planned to do that today but it's like Doritos:  you can't stop at just one.  Once you start you have to keep going until all the blocks you have are up there.  Layout 1:

Layout 2:

Layout 3:

There are seven more 6" blocks to make, that's tomorrow's task.  Then I'll play some more with the layout until I'm satisfied.  It gets a border print border as well, so I think I need to put that up there too before the decision is made.  Seeing the quilt in a photo helps SO much to see things you miss with the eye.  I'm leaning toward Layout 2 but see a few 6" solid blocks I want to move...

Let's Quilt!

Barbara