Fanciful Quilts

Today is Tuesday ... the 10th of July 2018.  We moved into this beautiful house several weeks ago...and we're still "moving in".   Moving in had its challenges.  Riley's mom passed away early on the 2nd of July.  We had driven up to Wellington on the 1st of July after church service, arriving around 4pm.  She passed away very early in the am on the 2nd of July.  Funeral took place on the 6th of July.  She is in heaven with dad and all those who have passed from this earth before her.  That was (and is) a huge comfort - knowing she is in a much better place.   To continue..... You would think that moving from "small" renovated office space (about 1800 square feet) to a 2112 square foot house would be a snap.  After all, how much stuff could two people accumulate in 6 years living in a 1800 square foot space? Lots. Dear God, we are hoarders.  Pure and simple.   How I wish I could find a photo of...

The last stitch was completed awhile ago on the Fussy Crumb Bird Block Quilt.  This usually means a hiatus on quilting for awhile.  A week, a month, several months.  Usually.   However, every time I walk into the QS (aka Quilting Studio, so dubbed by my husband), I hear the VOICES.  Multitudes of voices coming from a large basket underneath the quilting frame.  This large basket just happens to house a multitude of flimsies.  Multitudes?  That's a number larger than 5 - and no, I haven't counted.  Don't need my blood pressure to raise any more than it's current state...which isn't that good.  Another story for another time.   ....so I looked among the stash .... and saw something that looked pretty lengthy.  No, you can't see it lurking in the photo on the left.  But I saw it.  Okay - that might make a nice backing.  It was somewhere on the right side of the cubicles...oh seriously, you...

And victory is claimed!! Fussy Crumb Bird Block (aka FFBB or the ARRRGHHH quilt) project has been completed!  Yes, binding and everything.  Okay - not a label.  I haven't prepared a label yet.  For another day.   A word to the wise....multiple seamed quilt tops do not play well with multiple seamed backings when one quilts the layers.  Creatively speaking, the wavy lines when one looks closely (or even not that close) are a result of Mz Bailey, my trusty mid arm, not liking it very much when she had to sew across all those seams.  I swear I heard her mutter "I think I can, I think I can....".  (If you never read the Little Engine That Could - you should).   But it is done - and it is a very heavy quilt.  I imagine once it's on our bed, it won't slip off the bed easily.  Hey - good excuse.  I would have gotten out of bed earlier but the quilt wouldn't let me.   Next project?  Hmmm...

And there is real progress! Yes, indeed.  Two full passes of quilting.  Brightly variegated thread was chosen...and the pattern? Words fail.  Call it a combination of X marks the spot and swirlies across the sashing.  Throw in a bit of meandering also.  My Xs are not quite straight but it will do.   To sum up:  so far, so good.                                                                                                             And then there's the every growing piano key border.  No, haven't measured the length yet.  Very doubtful it has reached the magical width yet... around 300".   And that will be sewn to these blocks: Blocks...

And yes, it IS a snow day.  Looking out from the landing just outside the Treehouse.... Yup, there is snow out there.   Schools are closed....so I imagine there's a lot more snow than I had thought.   Yes, we live above a chess club.  For now.  House hunting is quite an adventure.   Progress! Backing loaded on frame for Fussy Crumb Bird Block flimsy.  I thought I had squared it up nicely...but obviously not.  The backing had been hung up for quite awhile ... the ole "the wrinkles will remove themselves if hung up long enough" theory (theory is just theory)....and the squaring up obviously did not take happen other than trimming off both ends of the backing.  To remove or not remove..... In the meantime.... Strip blocks continue to grow.... And grow...... And finally ....almost finally.....just FOUR more 6 1/2" blocks to go and viola - I will have the required thirty-six 12 1/2" block...

Last post - 5 March?  Time warp.   What have I accomplished?  Dismally not much.   Quilt/backing/batting (not in that order!) still not loaded on the frame.  I wait and wait but the quilting fairies have still not arrived on the scene.   Backing - hasn't left its resting place Batting has left the packaging it came in .... so that's a plus.  Right??? The flimsy has been unfolded on the frame...that's a plus also.  Right!!!! Rather than concentrating on what was NOT done, I have made more string blocks towards the goal of - well, darn.  Thirty six 12 1/2" blocks is the goal - I think.   Somewhere I have that EQ7 drawing.  Have I counted?  No, I have not.  I just know I have a bunch of them ready to grow into larger blocks.  Here's the proof....    There is something wonderful about strip blocks.  You just never know how those colors will...

Double checking the calendar...and yes indeed.  It IS March.    I "had" a goal - one UFQ (Unfinished Quilt) per month.  Surely that would not be difficult.  In thought it didn't seem that difficult.  Even written - didn't seem that difficult.  Instead, I am in the process of ADDING yet another UFQ to the pile.  This is truly sad. Strip blocks!   12 1/2" unfinished strip blocks.  In the event you're unaware, these blocks required four 6 1/2" squares.  (Did I get the math right ?) And ONLY 16 more blocks to go....that is, 16 more LARGE blocks.  The "string stash" is definitely diminishing.   And my vision for this project?  Glad you asked.....and if I knew how to add a photo of the project drawn up in EQ7, you would share that vision.   Suffice to say, this is going to be a project that will take some time..... In the meantime, packaged batting arrived 5 days ago .... and I have high expectati...

This greeted me a bit after midnight on the 26th of February  from my beloved husband.....who had to deal with a cranky 66 year old. Two days into turning 66.  Every fiber of my being says "enjoy - enjoy - God is not ready to take you home yet - DO something". I took self to heart and spent quality time in the QS.   And so I did.... Two blocks for an online Yahoo group.....which is quite an interesting story, Yahoo groups.  For another time.  "Block Challenge" is the title of this particular endeavor.  I rather like the one on the left more so than the right one.  I do love the practice of a more precision cut and sew block.   And I leave you with these.... Life is all about.....Jesus, my dear husband, quilting and coffee.  However, there are days when it's Jesus, my dear husband, coffee and quilting.   Sharon

Eighteen 12 1/2" blocks completed!!!  I do believe I am slowly becoming quite addicted to sewing string blocks.   What a riot of color ... right up my alley.   Goal?  Queen size .... which I want to fit our queen size platform bed.  Guess I better measure the platform bed first, huh.   To sash or not to sash is the question.  Oh snap - I already have a sashed strip quilt flimsy waiting to be backed.  Somewhere there's a photo of it....somewhere.   Next on the list:  ORGANIZE those photos. Sharon

And the backing for the Fussy Crumb Bird Block Flimsy is done! And it's all squared up and ready to go.  Yes, it's a mishmash of 6 1/2" squares and strips.  Wish I could claim the polka dot stash is gone - but alas, not even close.  Yet, when I started I could have sworn this would have done the trick....                                                                   Certainly is large enough (83" x 83")....  Waiting for the packaged batting to arrive....lovely online purchase that didn't break the bank.  One of these days I will venture into using fleece as a backing.  Certainly more economical. And while waiting.....  6 1/2" blocks become joined into one nice big block. And one block becomes two...and then two becomes three..... Even a few min...

It's almost 9pm and I can honestly say "15 minute challenge met today - and then some".  Fifteen minutes doesn't seem like a lot of time - but it can accomplish much, day by day.  Sounds like I've really committed to this 15 minutes a day challenge.  Alas, not.  Tomorrow always means a fresh new start. The backing for the Fussy Crumb Bird Block flimsy continues to grow. What a mishmash of strips....but I think I am going to like it.   Interesting find....as the smaller block strips were added, several were a square short.  Improvising - that's the name of the game with this quilt.   No deadline - but I sure would like to see this on the frame by mid March. Do-able? Not a clue. Sharon

And we have warmer temps.  Lots of rain - but warmer temps. It's a trade-off, I suppose.  Right now, I'm feeling chilled to the bone.   Quilty update!  Working on backing for that illusive Fussy Bird Crumb Block top.  Or did I name it Fussy Crumb Bird Block top?  Nonetheless..... Polka dots.  A perfect plan to rid the stash of polka dotted fabric.   Just 10 more lengths of 6 /12" wide pieces to go.   These 4 strips are the more sedate of the strips.  Boggles the imagination, doesn't it?!!?! In the meantime I have been researching how to use fleece as a backing.  What a bonus that will be....backing and batting in one.  And cozy!  That's next on the list...... This sums up my 15 minute challenge....so to speak.  More like 40 minutes this evening.  I need to assess my table and chair height.  Sewing should be a pleasure - not an "oh my aching back" event.  Or is this just...

The subject line was to simply remind me that’s IS Saturday and the 10th day of the month and it’s February.  Oh wait - 2018.  I will blame this on the quick memory exam mom had at the neurologist’s office.  Yes, she passed.   Okay.  Quilty things.   Photo time!   My favorite take along project....plus the set up I managed in mom’s small condo.   Doesn’t really need much of an explanation, does it?  Oh wait - it does.   6 1/2” squares and then the squares are put together into one square to create a 12 1/2” block.  How many many of these 12 1/2” squares make a queen size bed .... uh, platform bed queen size bed. Googled  the number of squares and I believe it to be 35 squares.  Maybe.   Quilt on my friends....quilt on.   Sharon

Packing day!  We will leave this evening (hopefully no later than 9:30pm) for a hotel just outside Indianapolis.  Two hours worth of driving.  Sleep in tomorrow morning and then 6 hours plus to Oshkosh to spend a few days with mom.  We will accompany her to her neurologist appointment on Thursday (just a followup), celebrate her 87th birthday on Sunday and then Monday morning, make our way back home. As to Quilty talk.... This was delivered to the recipient yesterday..... I am rather pleased how it turned out.  Most of the surrounding heart blocks were a result of a call out for this particular quilt for a Yahoo group member.  There are some very talented quilters in this particular group so it was a pleasure putting the quilt together.   After the quilt was acknowledged as having been received, I quietly removed myself from the group.  Sometimes life has a way of telling us to start paring down.  Time is preciou...

One UFQ down, 11 more to go.  Quilt flimsies that is.   Okay - to be honest and above board, the binding was stitched down but there are a few missing "quilting" lines....which were removed from their buddies because the thread did not play nicely in several spots.  Does this make me an Expert Quilter??   Hardly. UFQ #2..... So how did I settle on this particular group of blocks....???   Oh snap - these blocks: Which turned into this..... Okay - so the "turned into this" is a bit blurry but you get the idea.  Maybe. Where was I?? Oh - why this particular one?  Because that's the one I grabbed from the pile of quilt flimsies.  And there are a lot of quilt flimsies.  I even went so far as to measuring each quilt flimsy. If nothing, I am pretty thorough.  Most of the time.  This one measured 73 1/2 x 73 1/2.  Maybe.  Measuring skills - eh, sometimes spot on.  Sometimes not.  ...

It's been a very long time since I sat down on New Year's Eve and made a list of resolutions.  At the end of each year, I'd look for the list and it was nowhere to be found - thankfully.  Such high hopes for the new year...only to be lost along the way a few months later. So...simple goal.  Yes, I can do simple. UFQs....lots of them.  Pieced tops waiting to be quilted.  Lots and lots of them.  Pieced quilts.  Appliqued quilts.  Panel quilts.  Did I happen to mention lots and lots of quilt tops???   Okay - game on.   Here's January's.... Every quilt has a story.  It's what makes quilts so fascinating.   This one is made of a block swap  .... an online Yahoo group ..... and darn if I remember when that swap took place but I know it was a long time ago.  If memory serves me right, the block is "Prairie Queen".  Now you and I both know that a single solitary block may have more...

  2018?  What the heck happened to 2017???? Let's see....lots of decluttering happened.   Quilting Studio finally reorganized.  It will always be in a state of reorganization.  I can't help it.  I am a storage junkie.  Is there a 12 step program available???  I'll be the first to sign up. In the decluttering stage, I foolishly tossed quite a few UFQs...(that's Unfinished Quilts for those who don't know I'm not a fan of "UFOs").  Never ever ever declutter while in a state of unhappiness.     And as for the 2017 no buy....I did quite well, thank you.  I purchased backing and some FQs for  an online yahoo quilter's bingo game.  That's it.  Honest!   And so the latest off the quilting frame is a project that was ONLY three months late.  It will go in the mail today .... Despite all, I was quite pleased with it.  However, I have to divulge that one must NOT a...