Showing posts with label No Scrap Left Behind. Show all posts
Showing posts with label No Scrap Left Behind. Show all posts

Sunday, June 24, 2018

A Finally Finish: The June Quilt

Last year, I participated in Crazy Mom's June QAL and I finished the top in July (you can read about it here) and has sat in the studio waiting to be quilted.  It was on my Quilty Confessions, UFO Busting List which I have to admit this list has been put on the wayside along with some of the other lists I made for 2018.  Even though the June quilt would have been perfect to finally finish in June, I still hadn't plan to quilt it until I happened to come across a photo of the top on my Pinterest board this past Tuesday.  My eyes immediately saw the quilting lines, just simple diagonal and horizontal grid lines and I was suddenly in the mood to start machine quilting.  It also helped that we were experiencing days of heavy rain which is perfect quilting weather for me.  So, with less than ten days left in June, my June Quilt was rightfully and finally finished during her namesake month.
The machine quilting was an absolute breeze and made me wonder why I waited so long.  But it's a good thing I did because I only started machine quilting the Jacqui Gering and Christa Watson method of starting the quilting on the side rather than the center.  In the past when I did grid quilting and started in the center, there was always the inevitable puckering and pinches when quilt lines intersected and for some reason when you start the quilting on the side, this doesn't happen.
I chose to use black thread for the quilting which went well with both the top and the perfect backing which I love.  Last year when I was on my fabric diet and  really didn't want to purchase any new fabric, I did break down to buy more of this fabric since I didn't have enough of it and didn't have any other fabric in my stash which would work as well as this print did.
The binding was done with the happy green polka dot fabric which is the same print Crazy Mom (Amanda Nyberg) used in her June Quilt in her book No Scraps Left Behind and was generously given to me by my good quilt friend Mary Etherington who got me involved in participating in the June QAL.  I normally don't machine bind quilts which are for me but I had to so I can show off the black thread some more.  
And now for some glamour shots which were taken on Saturday, our first day of sunshine and no rain.  The grass was so soggy and there was no way I was going to lay it down so I thought I would use my cute bicycle as a prop to hold the quilt.  It's sad to admit that I don't ride this bike which was a birthday gift from my hubby two years ago.  Three years ago, he gave me a choice of either a new sewing machine or a bicycle and it should be no surprise my Juki 2010Q came home.  The next year, I had no choice and I found this bicycle waiting for me on the front lawn.  Her name is Banana and it has some really pretty patchwork details on the frame which still doesn't inspire me to ride it.  My old legs need a bicycle with gears since we live in a hilly area and the cruiser is only good for level roads (at least this is what I tell Hubby).  I thought my vintage looking quilt would look pretty with my vintage looking bike; they go together, don't you think.
And another photo with my metal farm animals.  I've been wanting to use my metal goat, which I purchased when I was in South Carolina in April, for a photo shoot with one of my quilts and I thought my June Quilt which also has a farm vibe would look good with it.  I haven't named my goat yet but Mary Etherington suggested Susannah which is the name of her dearly loved and departed goat which when she was alive was how Mary and I became friends since I was such a fan of Susannah.  My hubby still talks about the time Susannah butted him and is just glad that this goat won't, so he thinks.  Since Mary did give me the happy green polka dot fabric, I should name my goat Susannah.  I also think since I have some blocks left over from the June Quilt, I should make a small quilt to place over her back and sides; won't that look cute?  I would love to keep my goat out on the front porch, decorated with quilts and all, but hubby is afraid of it disappearing because Susannah is just that cute.

I'm so glad I finally have a UFO quilt to cross off my list; would you believe it's only my second UFO finish for this year.  I have ten more on my list but won't be working on anymore for the rest of the month since my dear, sweet granddaughter, Micah, is arriving next week for a six-day visit which means there is no chance of quilting in the forecast.

Thursday, August 17, 2017

Scrap Happy Rails Top

This is the second top I've made from Crazy Mom's "No Scrap Left Behind"book (I previously posted about it here)  and the fifth modern quilt I made with scraps this year.  With the exception of the June quilt which was made with feedsack scraps, the scraps for this quilt were from all of the Cotton + Steel quilts I ever made since the fabric line came out as well as the other modern fabrics which I don't use or have as much.  This is a happy quilt because my modern scrap stash is pretty low now which means I need to make quilts with new modern fabrics so I can replenish my stash.  As much as I like the "cleansing" feel when making a quilt with scraps, I need to re-stimulate myself with the new fabrics which have been sitting too long on my shelf.  Tula Pink, here I come, oh wait, there's new Cotton + Steel fabrics.  I'm hoping to start quilting the Scrap Happy Rails top today since the backing has been sewn.  Maybe I should dangle a fresh fat quarter of new fabric in front of me to really help me press the metal to the pedal?

Quilt Size:  60" X 84"
Block Size:  12" Finished, thirty-five blocks total
Block Construction:  Three rectangles, 4.5" x 12-1/2" Cut, middle rail plain (Cotton + Steel Macrame) with two scrappy rails on the outside 

Previous YTD Total:   -49.75 yards
Current YTD Total:    -62.25 yards
Linking up with:
My Quilt Infatuation: Needle and Thread Thursday
Confessions of a Fabric Addict:  Can I Get A Whoop Whoop?
Busy Hands Quilts:  Finish Or Not Friday
Quilting Is More Fun Than Housework: Oh Scrap

Friday, July 14, 2017

June Doings Done in July


My quilt top for the Crazy Mom's June QAL is done!  I'm a little bit late seeing that this quilt was suppose to be done by the end of June but I had to finish some other projects first coupled with a visit from my granddaughter. This is one of my favorite quilts from Amanda Jean Nyberg's "No Scrap Left Behind" book and I wasn't planning on participating in the QAL but decided to since my two quilt friends in Iowa were going to make this quilt.  Imagine my surprise when I found out several days ago that they decided not to do it since they didn't like how their first blocks were looking which is understandable  because I wasn't sure how I was going to like my quilt. Once all of the blocks were sewn I really like this quilt made with a collection of feedsack and 30's scraps from many past projects.


I started picking out the fabrics during the last week of June and sewed the block strips this past weekend.  I had the black and white check in my stash and the green dots, which is the same green fabric used in the quilt in the book, was given to me by my two quilts friends in Iowa so I couldn't be mad at them for dropping out of the QAL.  I will admit that I do not like making quilts with blocks set on point (it's those setting triangles) and considered doing an alternate layout with the blocks going just horizontal but I realized that would be too boring so I toughed it out and stuck with sewing the blocks on point.  I did a 4 x 4 layout which made this a 67" square quilt but, to me, it felt like I was sewing a king size quilt.

Like previous projects using scraps which always result in a messy aftermath, I've created makings for another scrap project.  I definitely should make a pin cushion with one of the leftover blocks but that will be for another day.  I was gifted with some beautiful feedsack squares from my quilt blog friend Wendy and when I received them I was surprised they were prints that I did not have in my stash so I'm looking for a pattern to showcase them. Since I've now made at least six quilts with the same feedsack stash,  it'll be nice to work with different feedsack prints.

From one QAL to now another one, I plan on making the quilt featured in the Twelve Days of Christmas in July Blog Hop and QAL (you can read about it here) which starts today.  My Christmas fabrics have been chosen so I'm ready to start the QAL on time and thankfully the blocks are not set on point.

I'm glad that I didn't machine quilt the Ardently Austen top, (previously posted here) right away because thanks to Susan Snooks, PatchworknPlay, (you can see her beautiful Rollercoaster quilt here) I discovered the serpentine stitch on Hazel, my new Juki F600 sewing machine which I'm still not as comfortable sewing on like I am with my old Juki 2010Q.  I'm liking this stitch to use for the baby quilts I make so I definitely plan on using it again.  It's a nice alternative to the straight line stitching and might make me adventurous enough to try free-motion quilting, maybe.

I'm still struggling with my Minus 100 Yard Challenge thanks to Christmas in July sales and never wanting to miss an opportunity to purchase sale fabric for backings. I definitely need to focus on quilting some of the quilt tops on my project list.

Minus 100 Yard Challenge:

Previous Total: - 42.50 yards         
New Total:  -49.125 yards  (this will change for the worst next week when the 8 yards of backing fabric arrives and is factored in-yikes!)


Linking up with:
My Quilt Infatuation: Needle and Thread Thursday
Crazy Mom Quilts: Finish It Up Friday
Busy Hands Quilts:  Finish or Not Friday

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