Category Archive: quilts

My friend, Mary made this dress for me along with three others for my brother’s granddaughters.

Here is the dress I finished today.  It is the first “in the hoop” dress I’ve done.   I learned a lot from making this dress.   For one thing,  I will make the arm size a bit larger as these dolls have their fingers spread so it actually takes more room to get over their hands than their arms.

I purchased a couple of sale dolls for which to make clothes.   A doll with some outfits will make a very happy girl at Christmas.  And if I start now, it could get done.

Between retrieving an escapee dog and trying to tame the Quicken program so I can get taxes done,  I managed to get a bit sewn.

The borders are on and the top is finished ready to be quilted.  The red across the top will be the binding which I think gives it a more finished look than having the binding match the outside border.  Also you may notice the missing basket handle has been added.  Such an easy thing, so why did I keep putting it off?

Tomorrow after grocery shopping, maybe, just maybe, a doll dress will get created.

Little by little, the quilt top is coming together.   The inside is finished now, except for the one basket handle.   After that,  it will get borders, and be put in the quilting pile.

These baskets begged for something more than just plain sashing.

  So I made a strip of three fabrics, sandwiching the red between two yellow pieces for the sashing.

This called for 9 patch cornerstones.

I like the way it’s coming together and hope to get the top finished next week.   Along with sewing the sashing and cornerstones, I have some setting triangles to add.

Stay tuned for the sweatshirt finish tomorrow – the buttonholes are done, just the buttons to go!  Have any of you started your sweatshirt makeover yet.   If you have and would like, I’ll post photos of them here.

The greater Seattle area is having one big party with their team at the Superbowl.  Everywhere people are wearing jerseys with numbers.  In fact if you aren’t wearing a number, you may get that pointed out to you.    So what better time to do a superbowl mystery with Homespun Hearth?    This is their Agatha & Sherlock’s Mystery #17.  I admit, I did change the layout on the last step. but it’s my quilt, so I should be happy with the result, right?  Here’s how I’m going to sew it together and then add a surprise or two applique on top when done. I’m hoping to get it sewn together yet tonight.   It was very easy and went together quickly.

Last night we celebrated my husband’s 80th birthday with a party hosted by two of our daughters.  It  was a fun night as we also celebrated a daughter-in-law and two of our children birthdays at the same time.   It’s great having birthdays close together.

I started my work day by cutting out the fabric for the Superbowl Sunday Mystery put on by Homespun Hearth.  There are only 3 colors and good-sized pieces.   She says this is for beginning quilters so it should go pretty fast.    If you have not done a mystery before, clues are given throughout the day and often there is a site where you can post your progress and see what others are doing.  There are usually virtual foods and most quilters have lots of fun.

After that it was time to cut my pieces for the pattern I’m testing for the July issue of “The Quilt Pattern Magazine”    Sorry I can’t show you the pattern, but I can show you how one of the parts was created.   Here are the fabrics I’m using for the throw and crib size pattern.   Don’t they look fun?

For beginning quilters or even someone who wants to get their feet just a little wet, this is a flying goose.  Rarely will you see one alone.   They are used in numerous ways, such as 4 of them used  to make the points around a star.  Sometimes they are used one after the other to make a row of geese flying.   If you look for this shape, you’ll start seeing them all over quilts.

There are several ways to make these geese, however, since I am testing the pattern, I did it the way she instructed.   I started with a square and a rectangle.   The pattern will specify the size of the two pieces of fabric to cut.   I started with drawing a diagonal line corner to corner and then because these are generous sized geese, and I am going to have to cut off the corner, I drew a second line 1/2″ away from the first one. 

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To get a scant 1/4″ seam, sew just to the outside of the line you drew.   This allows room for the fabric to fold over the thread and still be 1/4″. 

  I chain sew as it is faster and I don’t have problems with the machine trying to eat the corners.  

After sewing the first line on the pieces, I cut the pieces apart  and then go back and sew the second line I drew.  When done with this step, I take the pieces to the cutting mat and cut between the two lines I have just sewn.    This gives me the little half square triangle (above) to use in another quilt instead of tossing it in the trash.  

After sewing the first side of the goose, repeat for the second side.   The two sides will overlap in the center about 1/4″ in from the edge.   This is perfect.

You will be amazed how many times in the quilting world, you will need this information.

Here is my yardage report for the week ending January 26.  I did sew the baskets, but did not finish the quilt, so nothing counted.

You can see how others are doing on Judy’s blog.

Yardage used this week:   none

Yardage added this week.   none

Yardage used this year:  19.88 yds

Yardage added this year:  none

Net yardage used:   19.88 yds.

 I did get 3 more blocks finished two days ago, two yesterday.  and finished the last two today.     These last two were definitely more time-consuming.    I see the 4th block still needs a handle, which will be hand appliqued on.
What to do with all the space between the blocks.   I could make other blocks to fit there,  or I could put solid squares in there and fill it with quilting.     For now I think I’ll leave it on the board as it is and see if it will tell me what it wants.     There are other tasks waiting their turn while I think.

Suggestions as to what might look good are welcome.