Ruffled Roses

Begun in January 2011, this quilt, Ruffled Roses, was the Block of the Month on The Quilt Show that year. Designed by the late Sue Garman, the pattern is still available on her company website: Come Quilt.

I have written about this project several times over the years, including these posts:

Step By Step on the Machine Applique'

The last time I worked on it

Perseverance is a good thing. A friend asked me why it took so long--did I not like it or did other things get in the way? Most quilters know how the excitement of starting a new project gets in the way of finishing our UnFinished Objects (UFOs). That's what happened here.

The pattern has you making four of the 6" basket blocks and 3-4 of the border sections each month. I kept up in 2011 until the middle was done then it was put on the back burner as life and other quilts intervened.

Recently, I decided it just had to get done. Here is what I had accomplished up to that point, plus half of the border sections:

One of the 28 border sections, 3/4" finished strips:

                                 

Last week I was able to clear the decks and figured that would be enough time to get the top completely done. Well, it took 9 days of working 9-5 to complete the top. Each morning I woke up earlier and earlier, just so I could be ready to work on it by 9. After getting up at 4:30 a.m. the last day, it was really good to be DONE.

In the category "Living Right"--this is how much of the bright pink marble fabric I had left after making the final set of floater borders:

Sue was a friend of mine--I wish I could show her that I really did get it done. She liked my fabric selections and was an enthusiastic quilt friend to me and others. I miss her still.

Now it will go to a great longarm quilter who will do it justice. Then it is part of my "Legacy Collection"...

Time to do all the things I didn't get done over the last two weeks.

Let's quilt.

Barbara

Local Classes--Winter 2019

The new year is upon us and I have several local classes scheduled for the next few months. If you are near, I'd love to see you in class.

At Patches & Stitches, my perpetual Quiltmaking 101 class will be offered twice:

I have taught a 5 week beginners class for 30 years--the quilt has changed many times over those years. This one has stuck for a while--it is based on a pattern from Glad Creations and teaches ALL the basics of good quiltmaking skills. Many people who have taken this class get "hooked" on quilting--that is my goal.

A new class: Spectacular Scraps, will be a fun way to work with half-square triangles to create your own design:

When I posted this quilt several months ago, the positive response inspired me to offer this class again--I made this quilt more than 15 years ago and taught it then.

In the years when my guild, the Heritage Quilters of Huntsville has our quilt show, I offer a 3 hour lecture/demo class on Beautiful Borders and Bindings. Many quilters don't enjoy the binding process or don't do it as well as they could because they don't know the tricks. A poor binding really hurts a great quilt and you can improve your binding technique--let me show you how.

Trying something new, My Favorite Things will be offered as a 2 part class, 7 hours each time. Part 1 is in March, Part 2 in May:

An original design, I recently taught this as a 6 month lecture/demo class and the students loved it. This time it will be an all-day sewing class, moving through each of the 6 lessons at a good pace. Allowing a month and a half between classes will allow students to do most of their sewing at home, while getting started sewing in the classroom. This also will make a great multi-day retreat class and is being considered by several groups for their students.

At Huntsville Sew Creative, the wonderful quilt SIZZLE will be taught as a year-long lecture/demo class. The pattern is the 2019 Block of the Month from The Quilt Show --it is FREE to Star Members--that membership costs $49/year--just last night one of my students told the rest of the class that was money well-spent--she found so much content throughout the site that was valuable. I have written before about why I think this subscription is one every quilter should seriously consider: Why Join the Quilt Show?  

You can purchase a Kit if you want to make either of these beauties or select your own fabrics. This class will teach you so much and there is still room for a few more--I hope you will join us if you are local. No sewing machines--I do the sewing, while students learn and ask great questions.  Huntsville Sew Creative has recently moved locations and their website is under construction--call 256-536-3757 to sign up before space is gone.

That is all I have time for this winter--lots of sewing will be happening for future classes and preparation for 10 away-from-home trips this upcoming year. I hope to see you in class.

Let's quilt!

Barbara

Studio Clean Up--Before and After

While working so hard on quilts like Ruffled Roses, my studio gets cluttered,  plain and simple. It tends to stay that way until I have a reason to clean up. With two groups of students coming to visit this weekend, that time was NOW.

BEFORE:

Primary cutting and work surface and dumping ground 

Overflow work surface--the Q20 table

Chair rarely available for seating

What is under that practice quilt sandwich?

View from just inside the doorway

Miscellaneous stuff--and Garth

AFTER, this took less than 45 minutes:

View from the doorway

Another view from the doorway

View from the desk

View from the ironing station

Rare view of the cutting table with NO fabric or other stuff on it

Ruby lives under the practice quilt sandwich, a Featherweight I had painted Ruby Red

View from my sewing machine

I love having the design wall opposite the machine--I can often see things from that far away I would miss closer up. Ruffled Roses will remain up for a few more days then she needs to come down so I can put up two quilts I am working on. Ruffled Roses will head off to a great long arm quilter in a few months for the royal treatment. I have plenty of tops to work on and this quilt deserves the best.

It would be nice to say I'll keep the studio this neat indefinitely but I know that won't happen. This is my happy place, and when I'm being creative stuff just piles up. That's OK with me. All I have to do is invite a group over and the place gets a clean-up. There is still way too much stuff in all those boxes and the closets are full. A purge isn't likely anytime soon, however...

For photos of the wonderful closets see Closets 1 and 2, Closets 3 and 4, and Closets 5 and 6. Those photos were taken two and a half years ago--they are reasonably the same today, though there is more stuff in them now.

Let's quilt!

Barbara

SIZZLE Fabric Selection and Preparation

This is an exciting time--selecting and preparing fabrics for SIZZLE--the 2019 Block of the Month from The Quilt Show.

Here is the Cool Kit I will be using, it looks so neat, tidy and pretty all packaged:

Here are the fabrics, separated into lights, greens, and blues:

Then I separated them into lights/darks, relatively speaking:

While I don't usually pre-wash my fabrics, the instructions recommend pre-washing so I'll do it  to as part of this process:

I snip off a small corner of each fabric before pre-washing to cut down on raveling, especially if I plan to wash fabric with clothing. The other advantage to this method is I always know these fabrics have been pre-washed:

Shake out each fabric flat, don't put into the washing machine folded. I used the Express Wash cycle, it's not dirty, after all, and just a bit of Orvus Paste, a mild soap I use to wash my quilts. AND I added a Shout Color Catcher to each load. Do not use hot water, cold or warm is fine.

Here is the result of the Color Catchers: light load on the left, dark load on the right. There is some color loss in each load but not enough to worry any more about:

After drying the fabrics, I intended to smooth them flat and press them before using each one, as the instructions recommend. I found the solid woven shot cotton fabrics really needed pressing now and fabrics just look so much more scrumptious pressed flat so I pressed them all.

NOTE: Great tip from one of the Sunday Sew and Sews--hang the shot cottons to air dry on a rack--don't put them in the dryer--much less pressing to do.

MY BEFORE shot cottons:

AFTER.  I recommend not letting your fabrics get bone dry, about 99% dry is best, they press nicely then:

The hardest part for me now, is to NOT start on this--Christmas needs some work at  my house; otherwise...:

Last week I helped a few students select their SIZZLE fabrics at Huntsville Sew Creative:

Sheila started with the small piece of batik on the lime and pulled fabrics in those colors

Peggy is going black, white, gray and Royal Blue

Terri is working with this lovely palette

Several other people stopped in to ask questions and see my additional palette--I am also making a Cool/Warm combo version:

Some of these fabrics are more than 10 years old--the colors are perfect for me. Here is my fabric inspiration, I went heavier on the purple, less of the darker blue:

Kauai Rooster

Class begins January 5 at Huntsville Sew Creative, 256-536-3757. There is still some room in this year-long adventure, call today to secure your spot. You will learn so much, I promise. No sewing in class, I lecture/demo/help you for two hours each month, you do all your sewing in the comfort of your home. I hope you'll join us.

Here is a 10 minute conversation with Becky Goldsmith, the SIZZLE designer and well-known quiltmaker, author and teacher--she will get you excited about our new journey too:

Becky Goldsmith Video

Let's Quilt!

Barbara

Day 8 Blog Hop and Book Giveaway!

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UPDATE: We have a winner! Congratulations to Frogquilter--an email is on the way to you and you will receive an autographed copy of the book from Jenny. Thanks to all who posted a comment.
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My friend, Jenny K. Lyon, has written a terrific book on Free Motion Quilting--I am thrilled to tell you how it can help you. AND, you can win one right here, if you make a comment on my blog--more about that in a moment.

I first met Jenny more than 10 years ago when she was teaching FMQ at the International Quilt Festival Long Beach. One of her students was raving that Jenny taught her she really could learn to FMQ to her satisfaction, in just a three-hour class. I asked Jenny "What's the Secret?" This book is her answer to that question.

Subtitled "3 Steps to Joyful Machine Stitching in 21 days", the book will take you through the basics of FMQ and you will see results over those three weeks. We ALL want to see results as we learn a new skill. The book is FULL of useful information--here is just a taste.

Step 1: 21 Days of "Plactice"--you know we have to practice FMQ to get better, and so many of us treat that like work. Jenny calls it play and encourages you to just do it.  NOTE: Recently, I wrote about making your "practice/plactice" quilt sandwiches into something useful Here. Planning for that as you make those sandwiches is a good thing.

Step 2: Five to Learn On--5 great projects to get you going, from postcards to quilts to garments. Full of helpful photos and excellent instructions.

Step 3: Your Personal Quilting World--Everyone should read these 5 pages, weekly if necessary, to rekindle the joy quilting brings and to inspire us to love it even more.

Beautiful photos of Jenny's work will inspire you:

Over the years I have taken several classes from Jenny and my FMQ is better for those classes. This is a book I will read cover-to-cover with a highlighter in hand, learning more as I read and even more as I "plactice".

Want to WIN this book? Write a comment HERE on my blog--answering the question: What is your favorite thread for FMQ and why? Eight days from now one of you will win an autographed copy of Jenny's book, sent to you directly by her. For MORE chances to win, go to each of the other Blog Hop posts, answer their question, and increase your chances of winning:

Dec 1     Jenny K. Lyon              https://quiltskipper.com/

Dec 2     Lisa Chin                      http://www.lisachinartist.com/                                              Dec 3     Catherine Redford        https://catherineredford.com/               

Dec 4     Lyric Kinard                 http://lyrickinard.com/               

Dec 5     Heidi Proffetty             https://www.heidiproffetty.com/                

Dec 6     Debby Ritenbaugh Brown    https://www.debbybrownquilts.com/                           

Dec 7   Libby Williamson            https://libbywilliamsondesigns.blogspot.com/               

Dec 8     Barbara Black              http://bbquiltmaker.blogspot.com/               

Dec 9     Cindy Grisdela            https://www.cindygrisdela.com/               

Dec 10   Teri Lucas                    https://terificreations.com/

A few additional notes about the blog hop, the "fine print":

• You can enter each day but can only win once.
• Each blogger will leave the comments open for 8 days and will then randomly choose a winner.
• Jenny will send her book to the winner.
• International winners will receive a digital copy.

If you are new to my blog, welcome. If you are a "regular", thank you. Good luck to all--if you don't win, ask Santa to gift you a copy, you won't be sorry.

Let's Quilt!

Barbara

I Love This Tool!

New notions come along in the quilt world all the time. At Houston this year I purchased this--and LOVE it:

What is it?:

How do you use it? Press seams open--especially helpful with these narrow strips--they are cut 1.25" so finish to .75":

Border section of Ruffled Roses:

6"blocks for Ruffled Roses:

Ironic, isn't it, that now that both Ruffled Roses and my Lifetime Quilt are almost finished, I discover this wonderful tool, making all that open-seam pressing so much easier and effective?

The solid wooden base also serves as a "clapper"--another tool often suggested for making seams nice and flat.

I have been using a different tool, made from silicone, but this one just works so well and is so easy--I love it.

Check them out here: Wooly Felted Wonders. No connection to this company, just a satisfied customer. This tool comes in 12" and 20" sizes--I have the 12" which is plenty long enough for the kind of piecing I do.

Let's quilt!

Barbara

Month 12 The Patchwork Barn

This is the FREE Block of the Month pattern "Patchwork Barn", designed by Edyta Sitar exclusively for The Quilt Show. You must be a Star member of this world-wide quilt guild/show/Internet community to receive the free patterns each month, beginning January 1, 2018. Join today and get started on this journey.

Previous Months can be found here.

We made it to the end of this journey. This month you receive basic information on Quilting and Binding your quilt.

Here are a few photos showing the work of a couple of the Sunday Sew and Sews:

Donna created her own  home in the center

Terri used the Crystal Farms Kit and enlarged the background

My Top--still a Top

I have several detailed tutorials that may help you with Quilting and Binding:

Pin Basting for Machine Quilting

Batting, Backing and Binding: Bias or Straight Grain

I hope you enjoyed this quilt and learned from it. Now it's on to SIZZLE!

Let's Quilt.

Barbara