Quilts

Moments of Friendship

November 11, 2014November 12, 2014 Elizabeth E.8 Comments

I had some enjoyable moments last week with friends and family, and a funny little moment in a fabric shop watching these two little future quilters in the lower right corner climb up the shelves of fabric. I was also able to attend Andrew’s baptism at the age of eight, and I got all teary listening to the talks, the messages from the bishop of that congregation, and enjoying seeing my son interact with his sons (he has four boys).

Another friend and I traveled to Roger’s Gardens in Costa Mesa (Orange County) to see their holiday decorations, newly revealed and loved all their arrangements. But since we didn’t rob a bank before going, we took snapshots of a lot of them for you to enjoy (although I would have like to have sent you all that beautiful wreath in the upper right).

And to honor another friend, we finally gathered up all the signature blocks we needed in order to make a quilt for Lora.

Another reminder of how the weekend went was the chance I had to listen to still another friend who had just lost her father, and all the attendant issues that come with the dismantling of a childhood home, of caring for the remaining aging parent, of dealing with grief and loss.

Some of us have known each other for 25 years or more, and like all friendships, our ties to each other have come about layer by layer and shared experiences and I have had a chance to reflect on why they had impacted my life so deeply. The salient characteristic was as Emerson described: they listened to listen. They listened to learn. They listened and then asked questions and our answers and questions to each other would ping-pong back and forth.

They never listened to me in anticipation of getting the conversation centered back on themselves, a commonplace experience nowadays. Slowly over time, like the process of building a quilt, we learned about each other, the years sifting over us until we found ourselves at a dinning room table talking about seam allowances, a flood in a kitchen, how a child is doing in college, a child’s wedding. Not all friendships can go the distance, and perhaps Emerson’s words are a golden nugget for me to think about again and again. All I know is that time with a good friend is a treasure, and this past week I had more than my share.

Quilts

Sewing Sewing Sewing Along

November 9, 2014November 3, 2014 Elizabeth E.12 Comments

To get you back in the mood for this post, here’s my son’s pumpkin. Did I tell you he has a great sense of humor and can write computer code that drives websites?

First up is Keagan, the Egyptian Princess. I visited my daughter’s home in October and went right to work. We had to double-line that white sheath because, well, it was white. Keagan and I talked over costumes, looking some up on Pinterest before she went to school and then I headed to JoAnn’s. I hate paying a billion dollars for patterns, so picked up one of the $2.99 Quick and Easy patterns that looked like it might work, and added on enough at the bottom to be long enough. I used the bodice of the dress to fashion a collar out of paper and tried it on her. Keagan had a few suggestions and I trimmed it to her specifications.

The drapey thing was pinned on in the back with a safety pin, then wrapped around some rubber bands. Her mother and dad fashioned some gold bands for her (one solution is to cut a Pringle’s can into sections, then spray-paint gold) which she slipped over to hide the hair bands. She also had some on her upper arms to complete the look.

Maddy wanted to be Elsa. She had VERY detailed instructions, and since she was recovering from a tonsillectomy I had her at my disposal for measuring. The dress had to had see-through sleeves and silver at the top of the bodice, and Maddy was very specific about the drapey overcoat thing, wanting it to flow from her shoulders, but since I only had one day to get both costumes done, I went with a “coat-type” construction, made out of organza so it would have some body.

We cut out a giant silver snowflake by tracing it onto the paper side of fusible web, adhering it to the silver lame. We cut out the lame, peeled off the paper and fused it on. Because the lame and the organza are kind of “open” this process left a residue of stickiness. I told my daughter she’d better wash her ironing board cover so it wouldn’t stick to anything she ironed after that.

I’m told both costumes were a hit.

Here they are with their brother who was a Mad Scientist-Zombie Guy. Maddy is not wearing a crown (it’s a bush behind her). Sure looks like a crown, though.

I was also able to get ahold of the pouch I made for Barbara and check it out, fully loaded.

She says it works great. I’m so glad I can sew! Thanks, Mom!

Circles Block #6–another view, EPP Sew-A-Long

November 6, 2014June 26, 2019 Elizabeth E.8 Comments

I told you in the last post that I’d made up another version of Circles #6, and today I’ll show you what I came up with.

When I was sewing this up, I kept thinking what a great Christmas pillow it would make.

So I made one!

As usual, I audition fabrics to see what I like. You can see which won.

I lined up the Star Point with the lower inner arc and put a pin through the centers.

It’s easier to stitch when you do it three-dimensionally.

Cute little thing, isn’t it?

I made this circle differently. I think the method I showed you on the first post is much better, but here’s this one: Stitch the inner ring pieces together, then stitch to the center circle. There’s no need to ease; it should fit together neatly by taking a stitch or two at a time, then moving along. Sew the final inner ring seam together.

Now stitch together the inner arc (red) and the small star point (blue) and add the left star points (more red, on either side of the blue). After you’ve made six of those little units, start making the larger outer ring by attaching the large star points (white). Like the first ring onto the center circle, it should “match” easily onto the sign. You can see how I began here, by dropping the ring down and starting the stitching. I did take time to figure out how I wanted the white star points to be aligned on the final block.

See the two circles side-by-side, above, to see the different alignments. The Christmas Star has a star point centered, pointing North, but the other circle has it differently.

Like I said, I think the other method is much easier.

Done!

Ah, you know I love this view!

I had several backgrounds to choose from, but my granddaughter Emilee helped me choose the white one with the stars.

Papers out, and here we go a-quilting!

One thing I learned from Sandra Eichner’s blog is how to let the batting poof up under a design element by stitching towards it. First I did the red pieces in between the star points in a meander, trying to quilt toward the star points large and small. Then I went for the outer margins, having fun and letting the machine roll. Black thread and a tiny stipple for the inner ring, dodging the berries, and then outline the angel in the center in order to control the fullness of the batting. Lastly, I outlined everything, using my even-feed straight-stitch foot.

Yay! A new piece of Christmas fun. Hope you’ve enjoyed seeing both of these Circle Blocks. I’m taking a break during December and will be back in January for the last six circles in this project. Yes, I’ve decided I’m stopping after twelve EPP circles. That ought to give you enough to play with! If you are making these blocks, please shoot me a photo, and I’ll post it up on the blog.

EPP · Shine: The Circles Quilt

Circles Block #6, EPP Sew-A-Long

November 3, 2014March 2, 2021 Elizabeth E.19 Comments

Circle #6: Star of Wonder
(but stay tuned. . . another variation of Circle #6 is coming in a couple of days)

Welcome to my series of English-Paper Pieced Circles! I decided some time ago that I needed a new hand-work project for those night when you just want to sit around and stitch and watch TV or a movie. I liked circles, and hadn’t found any EPP versions, so decided to create my own. All my patterns are hand drawn, but they are free. I do test-make them to get rid of any quirks before I present them to you. I’ve already done five circles and this post gives you the sixth. Here they all are together:

This sixth circle, based on a six-pointed star, is all English Paper-Pieced, except that I do appliqué the larger circle onto the background square, as the results are better that way. And since this center circle does not need go over a series of joining seams, it can be paper-pieced right into the circle. I can’t remember where my inspiration for this one came from, but I do like that secondary star pattern that forms in-between the golden star points. The center of this star is suited to a medallion-type piece of fabric, so drag out those large prints and see which one works.

As usual, these blocks start with a hand-drawn circle, and then I trace off the patterns. And then I realize that it would be better if I had one more of THAT star point and one less of THIS arc.

RWB Shine_Block Six

The free patterns are now returning (Red, White & Blue version is above). I request that you not distribute them, but send people here to this website to get them. Click to download a PDF file:

SHINE Block 6 pattern_opquilt

Please remember to set your printer settings to 100% and check the little scale square included on the pattern. It should measure 1″ in size. Illustrations below are with the OLD version of the pattern, so it may vary from what’s included now.

This time I didn’t staple the wad of three sheets together, as I used to in the past, but instead cut more carefully around each piece. Tedious, but they go together better at the end, I think.

I’ve pinned the pieces on, cut around them, then I lay them out to check for color/pattern. I liked it so I moved forward.

I did this circle in three different states at five different houses and a hospital room. EPP travels very well. Here I have stitched the ring pieces together, sometimes attaching them to the circle as I go. Now I’m starting to attach the star points. I think it looks like a clown hat at this juncture.

I try all the points on, lining up with the seams in the blue-and-green polka-dotted ring. I stitched them on, one by one and set it aside.

Next is stitching the inner sections together. First join the upper small star point (red) to the lower wedge (white). Then attach one (blue) arc to the side, then the other. The first time I tried this I got all confused, but remember to lay the longer flat side of the arc along the small star point and you should be fine.

Trying this out.

I took this photo to show how I attach those inner wedges: first one side, a stitch at the point, then the other side. I also take a stitch at the top of the blue arcs, holding one to the next.

Ta-DONE!

I lay the circle on my 14 1/2″ square of background fabric. I’m visiting a brother-in-law in the hospital at this point and am doing this on his bedside table while he is sleeping, so instead of being able to iron four neat creases into the background fabric to help guide me for placement (as before), I finger-pressed in what I could and eyeballed the rest. As you’ve noticed, there is a bit of extra fabric all around the circle, so I’ll be able to correct any missteps later. It was at this point I realized that my center medallion was not centered on its axis. It was kind of keeling on its side, pointing a bit to the Northwest. AAAGH. I still appliquéd the circle down and checked my suspicion with my husband when I got home from traveling. Yep. It’s a re-do.

The circle without its center. I just snipped loose the stitching (it’s amazing how easy it was) and centered it again. This time I loosely (about a stitch per seam) basted in the center and checked it often as I did the regular EPP stitch. I did this step as we drove to see our grandson at his eighth birthday. Circles on the move, I say.

So here it is. . . all done, and ready to go into the quilt. I made this circle up in a different coloration and will show it to you at the next post.

But here are the first six, arranged digitally. I hope you have been able to keep up with our progress, but these patterns will be here for a while if you haven’t.

Now come back for the next post, where I show a completely different look to this circle.