2018 Bloggers Quilt Festival: Echinacea Dream Quilt

This is the week of the Bloggers Quilt Festival hosted by Amy Ellis of Amy's Creative Side.  I have a new quilt, Echinacea Dream freshly finished just last night at 1 a.m. in the morning.  This is the second year I am participating and may not have remembered that you don't need a a new quilt for the festival.  Oh well, at least this was a very good impetus for me to finally finish this quilt which has been laying around my studio for the past month.

If this quilt has an air of familiarity, it's because this is the fourth quilt I've finished using my Staggered Squares and Strips pattern and also this is the second quilt made with my favorite colors of the year, steel teals and grays with a hint of coral, which were used for my Spa Spurts quilt finished earlier this year and many of the fabrics used for this quilt can be seen on the Echinacea Dream Quilt.

I just love the fabrics in this quilt, especially the Anna Marie Horner's Echinacea print in the Pretty Potent color way which I've seen my fellow blogger and mentor Susan Snooks of PatchworknPlay used for her beautiful Delilah quilt.  One of the reasons why I love making Staggered Squares and Strip Quilts is that it's a great pattern to use a mix of fabrics from all different fabric lines and also because I can die-cut these strips.  The Echinacea Dream Quilt follows the pattern I just used for my Smiling Sloths Quilt.

I had a hard time coming up with a name for my quilt, which is part of the fun of making a quilt, and was just calling it plain old Echinacea and added Dream after it was finished last night.  Usually when  I have a deadline it usually attracts quilting disasters but thankfully the stars and strips were aligned yesterday.  Choosing the backing and binding were an easy decision and not the usual one or two hours going through the backing vault and stash, picking the thread, I used Silver, Juki June Bug was on her best behavior and no binding strips were lost--this quilt was a dream to finish. This does not happen too often; really it doesn't, because Quiltastropes are always waiting to happen in my studio.

Here's a close-up so you can see the wavey line quilting, charcoal gray polka dot backing and the Spa Green binding; have I mentioned how much I love these colors.  This quilt measures 56" x 70"--I am amazed how much my length loses, 2",  after the quilting.

I woke up this morning to an overcast sky and thought, "Great", after a perfect finish last night, I wouldn't be able to take photos outside, but to my surprise and joy, the sun came out.  The Master Quilt Holder and I braved the mosquitoes to take some outside photos but decided to include an inside photo with Susannah the goat who, thankfully is metal, because it looks like she's ready to take a chomp on some Echinaceas.  Now that this quilt is a finally finished and part of the festival, I can visit and enjoy the other great quilts on the Bloggers Quilt Festival.  Next year, I hope I remember that I don't need to make a new quilt just for the Festival or will I?  I got out of a few things yesterday because I needed to focus on finishing this quilt--I don't need to tell Hubby that there was no Quilt Emergency after all.  Sealed lips would be appreciated.

Hope everyone is enjoying this year's Quilt Festival and thanks again to Amy for hosting.  This is a great way to visit other Quilters' blogs, get inspired by wonderful quilts and make new blog buddies.

Linking up with:  Amy's Creative Side: 2018 Bloggers Quilt Festival, My Quilt Infatuation, NTT From Bolt to Beauty: Brag About Your Beauties

I Keep Throwing Along: Patchwork Throw #4

Yep, I made another patchwork throw; the three made within the last few weeks was not enough.  Truth is I needed to make this one after my Hubby's surgery last week after realizing that the other patchwork throws I made were just not the right size or were not meant for my use.  I needed one small enough to cover my lap while sitting in the hospital waiting room which I knew would be too cold for my newly acquired Senior Citizen body so I was resolved to make one when we returned home.  While Hubby was recovering sitting in the family room, I stayed upstairs and made this while sewing in the dining room.  I needed to be close by if case he needed anything or if someone came knocking at the door which always happens when you can't get out of the chair.  Before I continue with this post, surgery went very well and Hubby was feeling like his old (literally and figuratively) self in a few days; in fact, he said he hasn't felt this good for awhile since the hernia was really bothering him for the past few months.  

I can say that this patchwork throw was ready to be made; I already had the right scraps already cut to 8-1/2" wide strips mostly from my C+S Coin Quilt, Ernie Interrupts Quilt and Unruly Quilt along with leftover patches of some of my favorite Tammis Keefe, Lotta Jansdotter, and of course, Cotton + Steel prints.  Since I wanted to make this a smaller patchwork throw, it was quickly sewn together by sewing five rows of the 8-1/2" strip sets and patches 'ala Scrap Vortex style until the desired length of 60" long; this was a quickie.

Another reason for making this throw 40" x 60" is that I wanted to use this IKEA fleece throw purchased many years ago for just $2.49 and no longer available. I'm using this with some trepidation since the washing instructions are, wash in warm water, gentle cycle, do not dry or iron which makes me wonder if this fleece can't handle heat and might melt or disintegrate.  So, if I'm going to use this, I might as well be the guinea pig and of course will follow the washing instructions. This fleece is very lightweight, almost like flannel, and if you hold it up to the light, you can see the top but that doesn't bother me, just the possibility that I really didn't want to make a disposable throw.  We'll see and hopefully I can't report later about this patchwork throw after I wash it, but first I'm going to use it for awhile.  It is such a cute and modern print.

I did some daredevil machine quilting with straight and wave lines by only basting the top with flowerhead pins.  I know I could have spray basted, I have never done this yet, but didn't want to wash it for reasons stated above.  The fleece did sew very nicely and I didn't experience any problems.

What I love about my latest patchwork throw is that I'm once again using my beloved scraps and laughing at this Tammis Keefe print which you can see why it didn't make the "cut, for the quilt since Mama Kitty's head went missing but I thought it was okay for the throw.

Also, I used one of the prints for the binding, red newsprint from Carrie Bloomston's Paint fabric line and I love seeing the words appearing around the throw and thinking of using more text prints for binding.

As you can see, the lightness and size of this patchwork throw can be easily rolled up in case you need a pillow and fits in my hand so I can take a photo of it with my other hand.  Okay, I do have large hands.

Seriously, with Florence happening last week and people having to evacuate, it made me think this patchwork throw is small enough to throw in my bag if needed which I pray I never will.  I'll be leaving this where I can quickly find it.  Also, if I can find a suitable fleece, (I'm really hoping the IKEA fleece will wash fine)  I'll be making more of this size to give.

Unfortunately, National Jelly Roll Day fell on the 15th this month which is the day I always set aside to work on my QALs:

Classic Meets Modern hosted by Kelly, My Quilt Infatuation

The 12" Squash Blossom and Eccentric Stars were so fun to sew and they may be my favorite blocks so far.

Next month, the last two blocks will be made and then in November we will sew the filler blocks before the top can be assembled and finished by December.  I really love this quilt along; I'm using skills long neglected like patience and paying attention to details and my seam ripper is my Studio Pet.

Fireburst Mystery hosted by Tish's Adventure in Wonderland

Block #2, four blocks are finished and I am up to date.  Would you believe these took the majority of my day to make--I had to read the instructions nice and slow and Señor Sudio Pet was very helpful.

Last but not the least, I finally finished the fabric flash cards made from an Einstein Baby Genius panel.  I originally was going to make a quilt sooner but had an epiphany that granddaughter Micah has enough quilts for now and can play with these fabric flash cards when she is at my house since I realized that I hardly have any toys for her here.  Another reason why they're staying at my house is because these cards were pretty labor intensive and I could have made at least two-three patchwork throws for the time it took me to make these fabric flash cards, these need to stay here so they don't get lost with her other toys.  Of course, I may change my mind if she really wants to take them home. What sound does an unhappy Grandma makes when her hard work gets lost.  Grrrrrrrrr with a smile of course.

And speaking of epiphanies, I had one while I was doing upstairs sewing in the dining room, the formal dining room with the Queen Anne furniture, dark and heavy.  This room also houses a lot of my finished quilts and with the thought of moving the desktop computer back to the dining room for various reasons, I thought I could turn the dining room into a FORMAL sewing studio.  My regular studio, or soon to be renamed my informal sewing studio, will still be downstairs in the basement.  It would involve no furniture moving or purchase, I would just need to pack up the never used China from the cabinet and buffet which would be replaced by lovely bundles of fabric stash never used or to be purchased.  Pretty good idea but of course I would have to wait until Hubby recovers from his surgery which depending upon how much he's on board with this idea may not happen for another five years.  Hee Hee, one can dream and scheme, right.

Linking up with: Cooking Up Quilts, Main Crush Monday, Quilting is More Fun Than Housework, Oh Scrap!, My Quilt Infatuation, Needle and Thread Thursday

Finally Finished: Two More Patchwork Throws

I finished the remaining two out of the three patchwork throws this week and was racing to take photos before the rain started again.  It's either been rainy or humid, both ideal conditions for staying indoors and finishing up these two patchwork throws.  The first patchwork throw, Scrap Vortex II was finally finished and you can see it on last week's post.

Both of these tops were backed with only plush fabrics, no batting in between, and when I do that I call them patchwork throws instead of quilts. I mentioned in last week's post how much I like how quilt tops with plush backing look and feel and that they really make quick finishes.  You can see the simple quilting I did. Sometimes, you just want to make something nice and simple. The only time consuming part is when you're pinning the binding down before sewing and once again for machine binding because you do have to pin every inch then.

Here are some details about these two patchwork throws which were both DrEAMi projects meaning they were both unplanned and not on my project lists.

I call this patchwork throw Gee Whiz and it was mentioned in this post several weeks ago and named so because it reminded me of a Gee Bend quilt and am amazed that it turned out the way it did.  I made the top from a charm pack of Denyse Schmidt's New Bedford and yardage of Chicopee so this would explain the unusual but fun color palette.  

I started making the top after I had stumbled across these fabrics back in May and got as far as making 2.5" x 4.5" rail blocks and was trying to figure a layout which involved several times ripping out and sewing back blocks twice.  I ended up with 8-patch blocks made from the yardage and four-patch strip blocks made with the charm pack. For some reason, I couldn't decide on the layout and put these blocks away on my project cart. Several weeks ago I came upon these blocks and knew what to finally do with these rail blocks--inspiration happens sometimes when you least expect it.

Such a simple layout and I don't know why I couldn't figure it out, alternate an 8-patch with a 4-patch.  Well, I'm glad I figured it out and knew that after all that I didn't want to quilt it, mainly because it only measures 48"x70" and knew it would be perfect as a patchwork throw.  The backing is a chenille plush which is my favorite although it is a little messy once you cut it but not bad as long as you have a Swifter nearby to clean up the fuzz.  And one last tidbit to add to the Gee Whiz of this quilt, I already mentioned the time involved in binding these patchwork throws, I had just enough of the tone on tone black used in the top for the binding.  After making the binding,  I was pinning it down and was almost to the end, I realized I did not have enough, I was one 42" strip short which I couldn't believe, I thought I had enough.  So I had to unpin the binding thinking I had to come up with an alternative and spent at least a half hour going through my bins of black fabric trying to find a replacement and in hopes of maybe finding more of the black on black tone fabric, but I didn't, and came up with using the last 1/2 yard of Kona Black I had.  So after, I cut the strips and went to my sewing machine, what does my wondering eye see, a strip of the black on black tone fabric which had fallen off the table and I didn't realize it.  So, I added this strip to the already made binding and once again had to pin it back onto the quilt.  I can say calling this quilt Gee Whiz was the nicest of all of the names I could have called it.

The Fairies Patchwork Throw is made from Lecien's Cinderberry Woodland fabric and started making the top during the waning days of August while working on finishing up other projects.  Yes, DrEAMi projects are meant to be interruptions.

Isn't this fabric just so adorable; it reminds me of Strawberry Shortcake and came to be in possession of this bundle back in May thanks to the Master MMM-nabler, Sandra who was helping a friend destash and asked if I would like to buy some since she thought it would make a cute quilt for my Granddaughter, Micah.  How can I say No to a sales pitch like that.  I was itching to make something with it but for the wrong reasons--I thought it was Holiday fabric and it's not, the red and greens misled me.  I decided to make a simple quilt with just 8" squares and 4"x8" rectangles and made sure I included every piece in the bundle.  I used brown polka dot fabric from my stash for the binding and in keeping with the polka dots found throughout the fabric, I used a dot plush for the backing.  This patchwork throws measures 52" x 64".  I'm planning on keeping this at my house and will use it for Micah when she's in the car with us but then again plans can change if she decides she wants to take it home with her.  Again, how can I say No to my sweet granddaughter.

Here's one last look at my row of Patchwork Throws.  If you're looking for a nice gift for the upcoming holidays, (btw I can't believe I'm typing this), you may want to make one, especially if you already have a top already made. I'm looking forward to working on the September smorgasbord of projects I have lined up and hopefully will have the time but not the weather to work on them.

Linking up with: My Quilt Infatuation, Needle and Thread Thursday,  Confessions of a Fabric Addict, Can I Get A Whoop Whoop Friday  and Crazy Mom's Finish It Up Friday.

Scrap Vortex II: An UFO and a Finally Finish

I can't believe how fast August went and now we're in the first days of September already which for some means Summer is almost over.  It seems like it took forever for Summer to start and once it did, we definitely had a range of weather from heat, cool, drought and heavy rains.  Last week heavy storms, took down our Willow Tree which has graced our backyard for almost twenty-five years and it has been used it as a backdrop for several of my quilt photos.  And speaking about another range is my activity on my project lists which I have to confess I did not follow much at all.  I have twelve projects on my UFO list which I committed to finishing for 2018  for Tish Adventure in Wonderland Quilty Confessions UFO Addition.  So far, I've only finished five of the projects but we still have four month left and maybe I can finish a few more.  I'm happy with my latest finish which is my Scrap Vortex II which last year was another UFO finish when it was completed as a top and now I can say it's a Finally Finish and a check off on my UFO Project List.

Here's a close-up of Scrap Vortex II which has scraps of fabrics from quilts past made and fabrics I still love:  Cotton + Steel, Denyse Schmidt, Lotta Jansdotter, even my beloved IKEA Nummer fabric and lots more.  I love the idea of sewing scraps together and have enough to keep me busy for years. I do plan on sewing more scraps to use for blocks and make quilts like the ones in Kelly Young's Stash Statement Book.

Like Scrap Vortex I, Scrap Vortex II is what I consider a patchwork throw since I only backed it with a plush fabric like Minkee and did not use any batting in the middle.  I take Scrap Vortex I with me when traveling to use in lieu of the blankets in the hotel rooms, it's cuddly and warm and I know who's been using it--just me.  Making patchwork throws is a quick way to finish quilt tops and one of the benefits is it only needs to be likely quilted.  I quilted it 6" apart vertically and 8" apart horizontally. You do have to baste it like you would a quilt and I use a Jersey/Knit sewing machine needle plus polyester thread--I do like the ones from Missouri Star Quilt Co.  I used Silver color thread, both top and bottom and I like how it blended with the lime green pseudo Minkee.

And here's a photo of the two Scrap Vortexes Patchwork Throws together. For Scrap Vortex I, I backed it with another type of plush fabric which has a chenille look which I like very much and used it for several other throws.   Both of these plushes were purchased from Walmart which seems to have the best prices but limited colors and variety. Scrap Vortex I measures 52" x 70" and II measures 52" x 75".  Scrap Vortex I, which was made several years ago, has been washed in cold water and dried on a low  temperature at least five times and have held up well.  In fact, after each washing it feels more softer on the top, as well on the bottom.  These really should be called Adult Blankies and make a nice gift.  Several years ago, I made one for my Godmother with some HST blocks just waiting to be made into a quilt top so I quickly made a patchwork throw to give her when she was recuperating from leg surgery and it was very much appreciated.

Here's a close-up of the two Vortexes side by side so you can see how well Scrap Vortex I looks. The top of the quilt does not look wrinkly and has a nice washed look--that's my opinion.

I'm looking forward to taking both of these patchwork throws with me when we go to Washington D.C. in September.  Sadly, this month's upper state New York trip was cancelled due to my hubby having unexpected laproscopic surgery for an external hernia. Scouts Honor, Halo Up and Horns Down, this hernia had nothing to do with his gig being my Master Quilt Holder and 99.99% sure it did not involve carrying massive shipments of fabrics into my studio. As for him being the FacilityManager for my studio, I plead the Fifth.

I hope everyone is enjoying the last holiday weekend of the Summer gone by too quickly.  It's much too hot and humid here so I do plan on finishing two more patchwork throws.

Linking up with:  Tish Adventure in Wonderland UFO Busting, Cooking Up Quilts, Main Crush Monday, Quilting is More Fun Than Housework, Oh Scrap!, My Quilt Infatuation, Needle and Thread Thursday,  Confessions of a Fabric Addict, Can I Get A Whoop Whoop Friday  and Crazy Mom's Finish It Up Friday.