Quilted Jonquil

The last two seams on the First Sat block are not ironed but I took a quick pic to prove I am ready for tomorrow’s First Saturday

Even though the lighting was horrible, I took a picture of  a sample layout of a “B” block for the Scrap Vomit quilt-a-long.   I’m testing black and red for the solid blocks.  Yes, those are -red- squares even though they look orange in this picture.   I’ll sew up this block and leave it on the design wall for a couple of days to see how I like the colors.

A while back I posted here about the half hexie quilt I named Pop Beads.   I had the top, back and binding all done….even had the batting cut to size.  So when Judy spoke about finishing flimsies for the Tennessee flood victims, I passed the whole lot on to her.   She quilted and bound it and took a picture for me.  It’s all ready to go to

Last night I finished off the last of the 18 scrap leader/ender quilt blocks.  Yup, that’s all 18 blocks in that stack.

I also sewed up the Oct First Saturday alternate block finished.  The main block units are done so it will be done tonight….good thing, because it’s almost the first Sat in November

I’ve got something new on my design wall finally   Hop over to Judy’s DWM post to check out some other design walls.

I finished 13 of the 18 “A” blocks for the scrap quilt.  The other 5 blocks are almost finished as well so I’m in good shape for keeping up with this one

Below you’ll see the test block, on the left, I made using directions from the latest Quiltmaker Magazine just to see how it works.  It’s quick to work up and looks good but you end up with bias edges on those triangles which could be a hassle.

It’s time.  Time to get on with the purchases from Ship-Shop-shewana as Judy’s been calling it.   I bought some wonderful, fun fabrics at both Yoder’s and Lolly’s, as well as Bonnie Hunter’s newest book.  The yellow yarn dyed roll is a piece of wide backing and will be great for my orange pinwheel party quilt (need to get that top put together1).

It’s time to update the stash report too   I’m not counting the fabric received from Dorris’ stash just yet and shirts that I acquired at Goodwill this weekend, not counted until they are washed and cut apart…..might not happen until the new year

Stash Report –

• Added:  17.5
  
• Cumulative Added:  137 yds
• Used:  9.5    yardage used for Oh, Crumb borders and IBOL package
  
• Cumulative Used:  48.25 yds
• Net Out/(In):   (88.75 yds)

Have a terrific Monday!

People who quilt are the nicest folks, aren’t they?  Take my retreat traveling companion, Judy.  She is quilting & binding flimsies which she is donating to Tennessee flood victims.  She’s pretty smart too, because if you ask a quilter, chances are they have a few flimsies around and will want to help out.   She’s gotten quite a few tops, around 15-20 if my memory is working, and has already sent most of them.  Not only that, but look at this:

Judy was using a purse like this and was shopping for fabric to match some she had for 2 more purses.  My enthusiasm for her purse must have overwhelmed her because she not only offered to make me a purse, but made it as soon as we came back from shopping in Shipshewana!!  All I need to do is get a black button for the loop to close the purse.  Isn’t it terrific?   Judy, thank you, again!!

I have a bit of my own sewing to show……the 4th step of the SAHR.  It’s just a plain strip but we are encouraged to leave some places for embellishments

I’ve made a few more Scrap Vomit (Katy of Ginger Monkey says there will be a new name )  “A” blocks.  In fact, I’m a third of the way done   Using the 4-patch blocks I made via leader/enders sure helps these go quickly.

I’m back from the quilt retreat in Shipshewana, IN and it was wonderful.  The accommodations were terrific, I met some fun & fabulous quilters, ruined my stash report shopped at some nice fabric shops, ate some delicious meals and had the opportunity to get to know my traveling companions, Karen & Judy, a lot better.  Couldn’t have asked for better fellow travelers!!  Alas, I was having such a good time, my camera never saw the light of day so no pictures

I’m layering on my design wall again so you can see a bit of the Crumb quilt peaking out…..but on top is the Topsy Turvy Nine Patch I finished putting together at the retreat.   I just have to say, I really DON’T like paper piecing and only the half rectangle units were paper pieced!!

This is a Judy Laquidara pattern that I started at a workshop with her last Oct!  I have the pieces cut and the strips sewn for the borders so it won’t take me long to finally finish this one.  You can check out the pattern and projects other quilters are working on at Judy’s Design Wall Monday post here.

I’ve joined Ginger Monkey’s scrap quilt-a-long and I’ve got three A blocks done so far……only 15 more to go!  I have quite a few block A parts sewn up and haven’t run out of 2 1/2″ squares yet but I’ll need more for the B blocks I’m sure!

Here are my results from my Friday night sewing.  I finished the little pinwheels for the Pinwheel Party blue & orange quilts and started sewing the sashings on the blue one.

While sewing these, I made these cute 1  1/4″ half square triangles leader/ender style along with adding a couple of more strips to my crumb house block and this purple piece (leftovers from trimming down a couple of pinwheel blocks).  Fun times!

I bought two items from the Craft Hope for Haiti Etsy store.  Below is the second item….a terrific zipper purse made by Margarida from Portugal.  It’s it amazing that Craft Hope allowed people from all over the world help?  Margarida has a blog (http://www.margaridagodinho.blogspot.com/) and an Etsy shop (http://www.etsy.com/shop/margaridagodinho).  I love her tags….see it on the right?

I’ve been busy sewing away on things this weekend and am amazed at how many of these leader/enders blocks I’ve gotten made!

Here’s my updated stash report…..more bad news, but it isn’t my fault, really, it isn’t.  I was given a gift certificate to The Quilted Fox and I had to use it

Added:  12     Cumulative Added:  39.5 yds

Used: 0         Cumulative Used:  0 yds

Net Out/(In):   (39.5 yds)  Something is still wrong here.  I had better finish something soon!!!!

With the sewing I’ve been doing lately, I managed to finish up a number of leader/ender 9 & 4 patch blocks.  I ironed a few up last night and put them in my collection box (isn’t it a fun box?) and, wow, check out these piles-ups!  Leader/enders rock, thanks Bonnie

The first Saturday is…..Saturday!!!  I didn’t have and still don’t have my block ready yet but I made some progress last night

I also threw some of the many 9-patch blocks on my design wall to see how they are looking.  These are made from 1 1/2″ squares so the 9-patch blocks will finish at 3″.  I have at least 100 of these made…..all done via leader/enders.   I think they’ll look better set on point….

I’ve been making leader/ender 9 patches for a while…..here’s a pile.

I read about fanning or twirling the seams on a couple of blogs.  Doing this helps your blocks lay flat but I haven’t given it too much thought.  Judy Laquidara from Patchwork Times has a good post about it here and since these are small blocks, 3 inches finished, the lumps at the intersection of the seams does make them un-flat so I thought I’d try it.  Last night while watching the Biggest Loser I picked the threads and this morning I gave a couple of these blocks a press.  Look at this:

Don’t they look nice and neat?  They certainly lay much nicer now.  I’m thinking I need to do this to all the 4 patches I’ve made…..nothing like a block that’s nice and flat

Every once in a while I grab a couple of fabrics from my scrap salad bag and sew them together as a leader/ender when I don’t have nine patch pieces all lined up.  I really do like the freedom of the crumb blocks!

It’s kind of like the cloud game where you look at the clouds and try to spot shapes, like a dog or an elephant.  In this one I see a house and a crooked fence