Friday Finishes

My big finish for the week is that all of the Free Fall Blocks for the MMM Quilts Sew Along are done and ready to be sewn together next week.  I'm looking forward to completing this top, machine quilting and all--not quite sure how I'll quilt it though.

I will admit that I definitely had to use some brain cells and some hours to complete the last six blocks.  This is what I get for choosing to use two lights instead of one light.  I did enjoy making them and have to give Sandra a shout out for designing such an amazing pattern.

And the Smitten Blocks, I just keep sew, sew, sewing along......just twenty-four more to go and I finally am done watching everything Gilmore Girls.  I'm going to miss them.  Tom Selleck and Blue Bloods are next on the binge-watching queue.

Finally, I'm happy to show that there is absolutely no fabric waste with quilting.  I'm someone who hates to throw away even those tiniest bits of fabric pieces and have finally started throwing away some selvedge bits but I still have several bags full of these tiny pieces.  I found an idea on Pinterest several months ago of making a dog bed with scraps which I hadn't tried yet. Since I had to clean my sewing table which was filled with tiny fabric scraps I decided that would try this idea, you can read it here.  It turned out I had enough scraps to make two dog beds. The first one I  made (above), I cut my fabric 18" x WOF and it makes a nice small bed.  You can see it is Sophie approved. The next one I made, the fabric was cut 25" x WOF and it fits inside the waste basket much better.  I will say, though,  these scraps make for a heavy bed.

Laura from Slice of Pi Quilts also has a tutorial on her website for making dog and cat beds from scraps also, you can read the post here.  I have another case sewn for the waste basket and it's ready for the fabric scraps that can't be used for scrap quilts, rug weaving, jewelry making, etc.  It's so nice to have a place to throw my scraps in and a way to use them up.  For my dear quilting and blog friend, Susan, who just confided in me she throws away scraps that are under 2.5" and I know she has fur babies in her family, you better save your scraps now or else I will call the police.  Ha Ha!

Wishing everyone a Happy Mother's Day (guess what I'll be receiving!)

Minus 100 Yard Challenge YTD Total:  -56.75

Linking up with:

mmm quilts: Freefall QAL Link Up #4

Crazy Mom Quilts: Finish It Up Friday

Busy Hand Quilts: Finish Or Not Friday

Confessions of a Fabric Addict: Can I Get A Whoop Whoop

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Pin Puffs for Smitten Safety

I made these Pin Puffs yesterday after coming home from a doctor's visit and a pharmacy run with my husband.  I'm very embarrassed to be sharing as to why I decided to make these Pin Puffs but I feel it's my conscientious duty as someone who likes to sew on the go.

Before I left to go with my husband on his doctor's appointment and knowing this would be a good time to do some hand piecing, I grabbed some of my paper piecing from my Smitten project and placed them in my neat little project bag, from one of the Fat Quarter Shop Sew Sampler Box, which I was using for the first time.  I've included a needle and thread and a pair of scissors in this bag.  Usually when I transport a project I used a metal lunchbox to contain my project and supplies but this little bag was a nice size for portability and it fits on my lap.  While I was basting and had to rethread my needle, I stuck the needle on the chair since I didn't have a pin cushion. This is what I usually do when I'm sewing in the car.  My husband happened to come out to the lobby while I was in the process of rethreading my needle and we got to talking and I put away my project so we could then go to the pharmacy.  While I was sitting in the pharmacy waiting room, I pulled out my project and realized that I left my needle stuck in the chair at the doctor's office.  I quickly called the doctor's office and alerted them to what I did and fortunately they found the needle.  Even though they thanked me for calling them, I felt so bad thinking about the disaster this would have caused; someone sitting on it, a child finding it, the question if it was contaminated, etc.  In my vision of a worst case scenario, this would have been a news story and I didn't want my face splashed across the screen.

Thankfully, this did not happen, but as a precaution that I will never do anything so irresponsible again, I decided to make some pin puffs which would fit it in this bag.  I had some leftover circles from a yo-yo project and used those to make my Pin Puffs, by stuffing it lightly with foam and adding some funky buttons for embellishment.  I also sewed an stretched-out elastic pony tail band on the bottom so I can wear it on my wrist.

As you can see, the Pin Puff fits very nicely in the project bag.  And if you're wondering why I made so many, probably because I had the circles and also because I plan on leaving one in the car.  

Somewhat sewing in shame, I hope everyone remembers to sew responsibly.  I know I will now.  

Linking up with Beth/Cooking Up Quits

Cotton+Steel Coin Quilt-Top Completed

When I previously posted about the making of this quilt, I may have sounded a little unenthused about this project being that I was using Cotton+Steel scraps that I have already used on many other quilts and was tired of seeing them and longing to work with some fresh new scraps.  I did admit that I after laying the fabric strips next to the sashing I was beginning to come around.  I absolutely love this pattern which is based on the Melissa Corry's Sugar Pop N Change quilt pattern found here: and the quilt made by Kats Craft here:

My block dimensions are different because I wanted to use the 2"x3-1/2" rectangles that I previously cut for another project and soon dropped because I liked this pattern more.  Here are my pattern stats:

Quilt Size:  60" X 75"

Block Size:  15" Finished, twenty blocks total

Block Construction:  Three strips of 10 rectangles 2" x 3-1/2"(cut) with four 2"x 15-1/2"(cut) strips.

Once the rectangles were sewn together and the sashing cut, this quilt sewed together so nice and fast. Did I mention how much I love this pattern? I would make this pattern again but with different fabric scraps, please. I really need to make a quilt with new Cotton + Steel fabrics so new scraps can be made.

I haven't included an update to my Minus 100 Yard Challenge lately so I am happy to say I haven't purchased any new fabric since my buying spree during the first week in April so I'm almost been fasting for a month.  I will admit that I did receive some lovely fabric for my wedding anniversary, thank you 43 years, which doesn't count because I thoughtfully included a rule that gifts of fabric do not count.  And guess what I'll be getting for Mother's Day.

Minus 100 Yard Challenge YTD Total:        -53.75 yards   

Last, but not least, this is Week 3 of the 2017 New Quilt Bloggers Blog Hop in which I am a member of the Better Blogger Bees. I am having the best time meeting fellow quilters on this Blog Hop and am amazed at the creativity and talent I am seeing.  Please be sure to check out these links to meet some new and some familiar quilt bloggers and also to enter a drawing for some great prizes: Better Blogger Bees,  Blooming Quilters and Let's Bee Quilt'n.   

Linking up with:  Crazy Mom's Quilts Finish It Up Friday, Busy Hands Quilts: Finish or Not Friday

and Confessions of a Fabric Addict's Can I Get A Whoop Whoop

It's Smitten Time Again

As mentioned in several of my previous posts, I am doing an unofficial Smitten Sew Along with my friend, Carol.  This is a quilt designed by Lucy Carson Kingwell and consists of 27 large hexagon blocks.  I've finished sixteen of these blocks and have not worked on them for several weeks because I needed to prepare the fabrics for the remaining eleven blocks and hadn't found the time until this past Sunday when I had the house all to myself.  I only had the Gilmore Girls and four sleeping dogs to keep me company.

Each of the remaining eleven blocks consists of three small hexagons so my approach to making them is to make all of the small hexagons and then group them into threes since these blocks tend to have a more scrappier look. I spent the entire afternoon picking and cutting fabrics for these blocks and then placed them and the paper pieces in separate sandwich bags.  I also decided to cut additional pieces to make extra blocks just in case.

Paper piecing is fun BUT produces a lot of scraps, big and bitsy which are put in a big plastic bag for sorting through on a later day.  I have a lot of these bags of scraps from other projects waiting to be sorted.  

I thought it would be a good idea to lay out the blocks I've done (per the layout diagram) before I started working on the new ones to make sure there is a good mix of colors and prints and that some of these blocks should made be on the quiet side.  The nice thing about the Smitten pattern is that you don't have to follow the block layout diagram and can move the blocks around which I pretty sure I'm going to do since I don't like putting the same block types next to each other, but we'll see.    Once the quilt is done, it will measure approximately 48" x 61" perfect for a  wallhanging.  While working on these blocks, I've been binge watching Gilmore Girls and sadly I only have two episodes left to watch.  I decided to re-watch the sequel episodes again before moving onto my series in waiting, Blue Blood.  And if I happen to finish the quilt before watching all of these episodes, I have bags of scraps I can sort.

Linking up with Cooking Up Quilts Main Crush Monday

Freefall QAL--I'm Still Stepping

I have to admit that I pretty proud of myself for completing Step 3 of this QAL which Sandra of mmm! Quilts is hosting.  It's been awhile since I done any foundation piecing and it's good to sew something out of your comfort zone. I still had to draft the pattern for the large leaf points since my printer won't print the correct size which is the reason why I was procrastinating making these blocks.  I'm glad to say these blocks turned out well and am hoping that the large leaf points will click into place once they are sewn with the leaf blocks.

I'm using two different lights from the same fabric line for these blocks since I didn't have enough of just one print.  I'm using the smaller print for the leaf blocks and the larger print for the large leaf points and open areas; I think it's going to work.

Updated Version                                                                   Original Version

Update:  I changed two of the blocks by switching to the other light fabric; I think this creates a nicer flow.

Most of the fabrics I'm using for this quilt were purchased when we were on vacation in Arizona exactly one year ago.  It's funny I didn't realize it until this week when Facebook reminded me of this trip and as I was laying the blocks on my design board that this quilt is going to be a nice momento of the Grand Canyon--it was absolutely breathtaking.

Linking up with mmm! quilts: Freefall QAL Link Up #3, Crazy Mom's Quilts Finish It Up Friday, Busy Hands Quilts: Finish or Not Friday
and Confessions of a Fabric Addict's Can I Get A Whoop Whoop

New Cotton + Steel Scraps Wanted

Cotton + Steel fabrics were first launched in the Fall of 2014 and the first bundle I purchased was Rashida Coleman Hale's Moonlit.  Soon afterwards, yardage was purchased to make the three quilts on the top row and then the mint green Tokyo Train Ride for a baby quilt.  Since then, scraps from my initial and subsequent purchases of Cotton + Steel fabrics have been used on many of my scrap quilts and have even traveled across the Pacific to Susan Snooks of Patchwork and Play whom I have given some of my leftover blocks and scraps.   Susan made such marvelous use of them with her Dreamcatcher and Stacks quilts you can see them by clicking on this link.  

It seems like the Cotton + Steel scraps are never ending and there is always have a project involving these scraps. For 2017, I'm making a quilt based on Moda Bakeshop's Sugar Pop 'n Change quilt which  I thought would make a pretty good dent with these scraps, so time was spent die-cutting hundreds of  2"x 3.5" rectangles.  Last week while I was being indecisive on what I wanted to sew, I decided to finally sew the rectangles together to make 3.5" x 15.5" panels which reminded me of lasagna noodles, leftover lasagna noodles.  While grouping these panels to make 15" finished blocks, I came to the realization that I was tired of seeing some of these fabrics and I was momentarily concerned that I was falling out of love with Cotton + Steel fabrics but I'm not.  I'm just thinking that I've made enough quilts from these scraps and this would be the last quilt I make using these old scraps.  It's time to start using some of the many new fat quarters in my stash so I can have some new scraps.  As much as I love using up my scraps, there is a time when you know when you've done enough with them.

Linking up with:  Quilting Is More Fun Than Housework: Oh Scrap

Saturday Night Sighs

Actually I want to scream or swear but I chose to  sigh instead, big sighs.

After juggling several sewing projects this week and before I started working on the Freefall QAL blocks, I   had time to machine quilt a top which needed to be done by June.  So last night, I sewed the backing, ironed it, cut the batting, prepped and ironed the top and then pin basted so I was ready to start machine quilting this morning.  Of course, before I started, I wound some bobbins, cleaned the machine,  installed the walking foot, adjusted the foot pressure and changed the stitch length.  I enjoy machine quilting now since I resolved my problem I was having with my Juki 2010Q Even Feed Foot, you can read about it here:, long story short, using a Janome Walking Foot was the answer.  While I was doing my favorite straight line quilting, I noticed that the fabric moved more than usual so I thought maybe my luck with the Janome Walking Foot was ending.  After the first bobbin of thread was used and I placed the quilt on the table, I noticed how puckered the quilting looked and felt and how the basting was so out of whack.  Because I had to get ready for Church, I left the quilt on the table feeling very disappointed and wondering how this could have happened.  As soon as I walked into my bedroom, I knew what I did wrong, I used the Juki Even Foot instead of the Janome Walking Foot.  Usually the Juki foot is in a drawer now but I had used it to sew some binding on a quilt, which is the only way I use this foot and left it beside my sewing machine instead of putting it away. It didn't even cross my mind to check to make sure I had the Janome Walking Foot since it stays next to my sewing machine. 

Lesson learned, big lesson learned--I put a label on the Juki Even Feed Foot which is something I should have done when I bought the Janome Walking Foot.  Also, to make matters worse, I decided to use Aurilfil thread for this quilt and was marveling at how many more rows of quilting I could do with one bobbin; instead of the usual fourteen rows with another thread, I could do twenty-five rows, which is how many rows I have to remove now.

Big sighs, big, big sighs.  Instead of having a quilt machine quilted tonight, I will be ripping out quilting instead while watching TV.  The quilt will have to wait until after I finish this week's Freefall blocks.   It's a good thing I have until June to finish this quilt.  Big sighs, big, big sighs.  I think this is the Mother of all the Quilting Mistakes I ever made.