July’s Gridster Bee Block

July 24, 2017July 27, 2017 Elizabeth E.18 Comments

Here’s the block I made for the July Gridster Bee, for Carol. It was a fun make, made easy by this tutorial from Sara Noda. (She also has a blog post on her completed flag quilt.)

I also dragged out my hexagon quilt, and got started again. Here is Rosette #7, isolated (above), and below as it looks sewn into the quilt. I took the blocks and quilt rosettes with me on our recent family trip — since we had a lot of driving time — and was able to get the rosettes sewn together and one more completed.I’ve totally revamped Rosette #8, because frankly, everyone on the Facebook page was having real troubles with it, so I thought I would have a go at creating my own hexie arrangement. I’m choosing fabrics for it now.

I also picked my classes for Road to California 2018 (above)…

…and my classes for QuiltCon 2018, too. Anyone else going? Are we in the same classes?

And in case you think you only need fabric to create quilt patters, Sabrina Gschwandertner acquired a collection of old instructional films on the textile arts and has been creating quilt works of art. I will spare you the mumbo-jumbo about quilting from the LA Times, but here’s the article if you want to read it.

Film Quilt2 — *(PS Ignore the random “A” up on the right side)*

I actually wanted to see the movies, after reading about her and seeing images of her work. Now it is lost forever. Will we feel that way about the millions of YouTube videos? I doubt it. There is something about the tangible presence of film being cut up, the scarcity of that resource being destroyed to begin again. But I do like looking at her works. If you are in LA, the article has info about how to see this in the gallery, but the show closes soon.

And today is six months since my shoulder surgery. I’ve seen the surgeon for the last time, finished my formal PT. Now just the challenge of walking, getting back into some semblance of shape after sitting around, and doing the PT exercises on my own.

LASTLY, thanks to all who entered the OPQuilt Summer Book Giveaway (snazzy title, don’t you think?).

Here’s another:

Amy Friend’s Intentional Piecing, a look at using fussy-cutting to make spectacular quilts. She has a range of stellar projects, plus some fun paper-piecing designs to sew into various quilts and hand-mades. It’s signed by the author.

Again–leave a comment letting me know if you are interested in receiving this book in the giveaway. I’ll notify the winner by email.

Update: Roxanne was our winner from the last giveaway. Thanks again for all who entered!

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Quilts

Time for Refueling

July 7, 2017July 4, 2017 Elizabeth E.20 Comments

I’m Elizabeth, the girl behind the pump that fuels this blog.
I’m a quilter, mother, grandmother, wife, reader, writer, cook, housecleaner, recent PT-goer, free-motion-quilter. My driver’s license lies about my weight, my age, and how I look, for I’m really a care-free sylph of a girl, who really just wants to have fun.
This is me on a good day.

Other days, I’m just trying to be a maker, in between keeping the station running.

But it is time for some refueling. Time to break away from social media, writing, cleaning, cooking, stitching……time to fill up the creative tank……and look under the hood.

I’m off to get some Signal Lubrication, a check of the whitewalls,
and to sit on the back of a convertible without seatbelts (how did they ever get away with this?)
I’ll be back!

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Quilts

Happy Fourth of July • 2017!!

July 4, 2017July 4, 2017 Elizabeth E.10 Comments

Flag Washington Monumnet — Washington Monument

Happy Fourth of July!

SmithsonianQlt

A long time ago I lived in Washington, DC for a year, and our quilt guild (Mt. Vernon, a chapter of Quilts Unlimited of Virginia) was pretty active. We met in the community center, next door to the Variety Store (which had great fabrics) and someone organized a tour to the Smithsonian quilt archives in the National History Museum.

They took us downstairs into a room with tons of these large, flat drawers, and a docent pulled them out one-by-one to show us these historical quilts. This was in the days before our phone cameras, which take great photos effortlessly, so many of my photos are sub-standard. But a few fun things stood out for me, from that tour.

SmithsonianQlt_7

Gloriously colored applique, using ombre-shaded fabrics.

SmithsonianQlt_6

The teensiest logs in this stellar Log Cabin quilt (the use of the plaids interspersed with solids and other plaids is brilliant, I think).

SmithsonianQlt_2 SmithsonianQlt_1

Stars that are each their own character.

SmithsonianQlt_3

And this quilt, which looked like it was English paper-pieced out of felt, but it was wool from Civil War uniforms, carefully cut and pieced, and made by a soldier. SmithsonianQlt_4 SmithsonianQlt_4a

Celebrate!!

happy4thJuly

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200 Quilts · Family Quilts · Quilts

Riley’s Quilt

June 30, 2017April 2, 2024 Elizabeth E.14 Comments

Red, White, and Blue giveaway info is at the end of this post. Many thanks to all who entered!

RileyQuilt_8

If my grandchildren come to visit me long enough, we can crank out a quilt. Last time it was Keagan’s. This time, it was Riley’s. I discovered last time that simpler quilts are best, so I started leafing through my BLOCK Magazines from Missouri Star, until I happened on her pattern titled Slice of Life, found in Volume 1, Issue 4. You can get a download here.

Riley Quilt layout

Riley picked out blue and green prints from my stash (using your stash is also a good thing to do) and he ironed while I cut. He arranged the squares on the wall into groups of nine.

Originally the book called for “layer cake” squares, which if you have a layer cake (or have the pre-cut sizes memorized), you are set, but I don’t. I get grumpy when patterns call only for precuts, and don’t tell you what the actual dimensions are, so I’m telling you that I cut squares that were 10-1/2″ square. [Yes, I know they are bigger than a layer cake.] I narrowed the sashing, cutting it at 2″ (sewn in it will measure 1-1/2″ wide). You make three of these giant nine-patches, then cut them apart like this.

RileyQuilt_3

I cheated a bit, and folded the giant 9-patch into fourths, and took a bare sliver of fabric off the fold when I cut–kind of like when the local quilt shop cuts fat quarters. Then we arranged these new designs up on the wall.

RileyQuilt_Hallway

Sometimes Riley took a break with his little sister.

RileyQuilt_4

I sewed the giant pieces together, but sometimes Riley did. I pinned it a LOT when it was his turn at the sewing machine, also teaching him not to sew over pins.

RileyQuilt_5

Everyone helped pin baste the quilt on the kitchen counter. We would pin a large section, then shift the quilt.

Everyone helped quilt, even the littlest sister, as well as my daughter, mother to these three charmers.

Binding was next, again from the stash. Late that afternoon, they went to the beach and my husband and I headed up the mountains to our church’s camp for the young women. I sewed on the binding all the way up, and while we waited for the program to start. I finished it.

RileyQuilt_8a RileyQuilt_8b

Backing is Marimekko fabric. RileyQuilt_8c

He couldn’t think of a title, so I wrote a couple of details on the back. I think this is the section that Riley quilted–I think it’s great that he helped in all phases. This is Quilt #184 on my 200 Quilts List.

The youngest of these grandchildren is eight years old, so I imagine her turn will be next! Baby Blues comic strip ran these this week, and I thought it fitting (although the sisters do quite well, too!)

Congratulations to Nancy S. who won the bundle of Painter’s Palette Solids! I’ve been in touch with her via email and will get the bundle sent out to her. I had the best time reading over all the comments about fireworks, from those who had a first date watching them (that happened to me, too, early in our courtship) to those who watched barges-full launch them into the air. Thank you all for your wonderful responses!!

(This is for those who mentioned that they watched them over the Washington Monument.
I did too.)

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200 Quilts · Free Quilt Pattern · Giveaway · Mini-quilt · Quilts

Red, White, and Blue Star

June 26, 2017June 28, 2017 Elizabeth E.57 Comments

Welcome to Day 4 of the Patriotic Palette Blog Hop, hosted by Paintbrush Studios and Painter’s Palette Solids!

Red, White, and Blue Star • Quilt #183
25″ square, made from Painter’s Palette Solids

A couple of weeks ago, the fine people who make Painter’s Palette Solids sent me some fabric and asked if I would make something. At the end of this post, there is a giveaway so you can win your own stack of red, white and blue fabrics.

I’m part of a series of posts showing items you can make with just three reds, three blues and some white. Here is the complete list and the days that they are presenting:

6/22: Fabri-Quilt blog (@pbstudiofabrics)

6/23: Jayne of TwiggyandOpal (@twiggyandopal)

6/26: Elizabeth of OPQuilt (@occasionalpiecequilt)

6/27: Stephanie of Spontaneous Threads (@spontaneousthreads)

6/28: Shelley of A Pigeon in Pungo (@shelleybrooksquilts)

6/29: Linda of Flourishing Palms (@flourishingpalms)

6/30: Cindy Wiens of Live a Colorful Life (@liveacolorfullife)

7/3: Stephanie of Peas in a Pod (@stephiepeterson)

The project I chose was a quick and easy mini-quilt, which finishes at 25″ square, and is perfect for a table top when you want to give a little patriotic flare to the kitchen. I’ve written up a free pattern, available in my Craftsy shop for download (see button to the right), but the instructions are here if you need any tips and help with construction.

RedWhiteBlueStar_9

RedWhiteBlueStar_2

I was sent fat quarters in three shades of red, three shades of blue and a fat quarter of white. The white needs special cutting: cut the long borders first (see chart on pattern), then the squares for the half-square triangles. You may have enough the other way, but do it this way to be safe. I also was tight on the medium blue, as I used it for the binding, too. You’ll need to provide your own backing (about 3/4 yard, or pieced scraps).

RedWhiteBlueStar_3

I basically constructed this as a nine-patch, a favorite thing of mine to do with minis. I started by sewing four bright red triangles on the edges of the blue square, then pressed them all away from the center. I squared this unit to 7 1/2″. (This quilt is forgiving if yours is slightly smaller.) I squared all my nine units to the same 7 1/2″ as then I wouldn’t have to square up (or true up, depending on how you refer to it) the finished quilt top. RedWhiteBlueStar_2a

Next was the construction on this corner, sewing the medium and dark red triangles together to make a square, then sewing on the dark blue triangles to make a larger triangle.

RedWhiteBlueStar_2a1

Sew on the medium blue triangle to make it a square; true it up to 7-1/2″ inches. RedWhiteBlueStar_2b

Now make the rest of the blocks: sew the triangles together as shown, then seam those together to make a square. I always press to the side, if you are wondering. Only rarely do I press open, so avoid that.

Lay out all your squares (as shown above, left), then sew them together like a nine-patch (upper right). Measure the square; the sides should measure 21-1/2″. Trim your long white border rectangles to measure. Sew the darkest red blocks on each of two of the white rectangle borders.

Sew two white borders: one on top of the quilt and one of the bottom. Press. Then sew on the borders with the squares attached; press. Admire your quilt top.

Let’s get quilting!

Here’s a picture of the quilt in the sunshine, showing my quilting stitches. I always have the hardest time coming up with what to quilt where; yours may vary. The “bandstand swag” arcs on the outside were a happy accident.

RedWhiteBlueStar_6

This was all done on my Sweet Sixteen machine, but that functions like a domestic sewing machine. I did do ruler work (which is probably easier on my machine than a domestic) but it can be done on your regular sewing machine. Just make sure you have a thick enough hopping foot and thick rulers designed for this task (not your cutting rulers!); put grippy stuff on the bottom of your rulers, as you’ll use them to help you move the fabric under your needle.

Happy Fourth of July!

If you haven’t heard me tell you about Painter’s Palette Solids, made by Paintbrush Studio, you must be a new reader. It is my FAVORITE solid: it’s easy to work with, has a nice hand, deals well when I need to unpick and re-stitch (I had to do that with the quilting, but you can’t see it, right?). It’s a fairly new fabric to the market, but many brick-and-mortar shops, as well as online shops, are starting to carry it.

As is my custom when sewing for Painter’s Palette, I give away my scraps when I finish a project, so that some fortunate quilter can give this fabric a try. BUT! Paintbrush Studios has generously offered up a stack of the fabrics I used in this quilt — seven fat quarters — so you can make your own (giveaway is for domestic/US only).

To enter, leave me a comment telling me if you like fireworks, and why (or your most memorable). I’m not talking the little things that are lit up down on street level, but those glorious bursting displays of color and light. It will get us all in the mood for Independence Day.

Giveaway picking a winner ~~I’ll activate the Husband Random Number Generator and pick a winner, to be contacted by email.~~

Giveaway closed.
Winner has been notified and will be announced in next post. Thank you all!

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Mini-quilt · Quilts · Tiny Quilts

A Tiny Quilt for Summer

June 21, 2017November 1, 2017 Elizabeth E.26 Comments

Tiny Sailboat Quilt_front on frame I made this for an exchange at my Guild Night, but then my daughter and her family came into town and I didn’t go, so now I have my own little quilt. Tiny Sailboat Quilt_on frame

It has its own stand, and it’s easy-peasy to make.

Acrylic Frame

First, buy one of these. They used to be more durable, but this is cheap-cheap-cheap and it works.

Tiny Sailboat Quilt_1

Make yourself a sailboat. I pieced the sail on the left first before sewing it into the mini-mini-quilt. Here’s the templates in a PDF file (be sure to set your printer to 100% before printing): Tiny Sailboat And if you like to foundation paper-piece, here it is again: Tiny Sailboat PaperPiece Pattern

Tiny Sailboat Paper Piece

If you are using the foundation paper-piece, cut the pattern into three pieces, as shown by the red lines, being sure to mark it somehow with seam allowances. (I use a colored pencil and draw it along the line before cutting it apart to remind me it is NOT a cutting line, but a seam line.)

The little sailboat finishes at 6 1/2″ by 8″ which isn’t big enough for the frame. I added the sunshiney fabric on three sides, seaming a bit of “ocean” fabric on the sides to keep the horizon line. I also added ocean fabric to the bottom, so now my little boat is afloat.

Tiny Sailboat Quilt_cut to size

Quilt as desired (curvy waves in the ocean, straight lines outlining the sailboat and sails, and stippling in the sunshine), then trim to the above size: 8-3/4″ by 10-1/2.”

Tiny Sailboat Quilt_back

Make the sleeve: Hem one short edge of a piece of fabric cut to 8-3/4″ by 9-1/2″ and place it wrong-sides-down on the back of your mini-mini quilt. Pin in a couple of places.

Cut strips of binding 1 1/4″ wide, seaming if necessary to get the desired length. Stitch the binding from the front, right-sides-together, then turn the back, tucking under the raw edge. Hand-stitch closed.

Tiny Sailboat Quilt_front on frame

Our guild does these a couple of times a year, creating a changeable scene for your home. I’ve previously hung minis on a wall, but I’m really liking this quilt-on-a-stand idea.