New Blocks, Quilt Tops and More

I showed a picture of the first block earlier in the month, but here are my two blocks I made for my KFC Block Exchange group. The blocks are starting to trickle in and I thought I had taken a picture of the other two that Pat had made for me, but unfortunately, I didn't have it on my camera.  (might have taken it with my phone or tablet.  I will have to check and see.)  As soon as I have 6 + blocks, I will post another picture.  I might have to sash this quilt so the blocks stand on their own, but  I will think more about that when I get a few blocks up on the wall. 

 

 

One Friday on a Missouri Star tutorial, Jenny showed how to make little chicken pin cushions.  I have seen these pin cushions all over the place for many years, but have never made one myself.  Until now.  Below is my chicken pin cushion (or will be after I stuff it) without her tail feathers.  I totally forgot about that part of the video.  This one is made with leftover made fabric from the blocks I have made in my KFC Block Exchange group.  When I get to a point where I don't know what I want to work on, or am trying to avoid something that I need to do, I pull out some scraps and make some fabric to use in a project.  I had already used some of this made fabric in another project, but had enough to cut out a couple of squares. Check out the Missouri Star tutorial and make one for yourself.  I will definitely be making a few more of these to give as gifts.



 

 

Speaking of Jenny Doan, early in June, I went to Arkansas to visit with family and got to attend a Jenny Doan trunk show with my mother and take one of her quilt classes with my sister.  Paige and I worked really hard and fast and made many blocks in the short time we were in class.  We had a great system going and were cranking out the blocks.  I didn't realize that Jenny would be leaving at noon from this "full day" bring your own lunch class that I had signed up for.  Apparently everyone in the class knew and some had made plans to stay there the rest of the day and sew and some left at noon to go do other things (some even had to go to work).   Since the teacher was leaving, Paige and I decided to leave pretty soon after she did.  So, I packed everything back into my car and went back to my mother's house.  I left all the blocks I made in a tub until yesterday when I decided to get them out and finish putting them together.  I had already started sewing them into rows during the class and had two rows sewn together and another completed and ready to add when I pulled them out of the tub.  30 blocks!!  Can you believe that we made 30 blocks (31 really) in about 3 hours time?  We did!!  Did I mention we had a system going?  It was fun.  Paige said I was the better sewer and kicked me off the cutting detail at one point  That didn't hurt my feelings - I had previously been kicked off another cutting detail many years ago when my mother, a friend and I made my bulls-eye quilt.  (I can't free cut a circle out of a square of fabric to save my life. They were more a fat football shape)  When I put the remaining blocks together, I only had to make one more "dark" block to make the pattern work.  I have two leftover "light" background blocks and they may have to go on the back somewhere.  This is probably a crib size quilt (about 45 X 52 or so) and I wasn't sure what fabric to use for the outer border.  I auditioned about 10 different fabrics and only two of them made the cut and I wasn't totally sold on either one of them.  I am glad I chose and stuck with this one.  It makes the quilt cheery and fun. 

 

 

The only other thing I am going to type about tonight is the little quilt that is to the right of the exploding block quilt.  That is made from trimmings from a company in Australia, Umbrella Prints.  They have a challenge every March - June and they send you (for a small fee) a packet of fabrics and you have to make something out of it.  I didn't learn of the challenge until late and by the time my fabric arrived it was toward the end of school when I got very busy, so I never put anything together until now.  Here again, like making fabric, I just pulled things out of the packet laid it out on the table and started sewing bits together.  Where I thought I might be going with the fabric and design, doesn't even show up here since I cut that up and sewed it all back in.  It looks like I was making a couple of log cabin pieces, but I only made one.  I was crossing my fingers on the border because I wasn't sure I would have enough fabric to go all the way around.  I am really enjoying this little piece and can't decide how I want to quilt it.  Either by hand with pink pearl cotton or by machine with pink or khaki thread.  Oh, yes, these fabrics are linens or have a rough feel to them so hand quilting may be a bit much, but it might just add some fun if I big stitch.  Until I decide, I will enjoy it on my design wall. 

 

 

Busy BEE weekend

I am picky about the purse I carry.  It has to have an inside zippered pocket and I like little pockets on the outside for my keys, phone, cords and it has to have a shoulder strap!  That's a must.  It also needs to be large enough to carry all the stuff I need and my tablet.  However, I don't want it so large that I load it down and make it too heavy for me to carry -which happens a lot!  So, needless to say, when I find a purse I like, I carry it for awhile.  I am not one of those that changes purses with every outfit I wear.  I have one purse and that is it.  My blue purse has served me well for the last year, but the hook that holds the strap to the purse has been coming undone for the last 3 months.  Not alot at first, but lately, ding, and it just falls off my shoulder.  So, it's time to get a new one.  (did I also say that most of my purses come from Target?   I am cheap that way)  So, off to Target to find a new one.  I go through the racks and nothing catches my eye.  I fix the hook and on to another day. week.  Well, no more.  I have to have a new one.  I trudge back to Target and . . . pick up a fairly cute purse, put it on my shoulder, no, not that one.  Next.  No.  Next.  There.  A cute natural linen with raspberry faux lizard straps and trim.  However, it doesn't have any outside pockets.  That is not good.  It's the only one that catches my eye and I have to have a new one NOW!!  So, home it goes.  (well, of course, it first goes into the basket and then I pay for it before I take it home, duh)  I transfer all my stuff and there isn't a pocket for the keys or for all the cords that go with the phones, tablet and i-pod.  I knew that, but I didn't want the ugly boxy purse and I know I can make what I want if I just would do it. 

After using it for a couple of days I decide that I have to have a little bag for the cords because every time I take something out of my purse, a cord is attached to it and comes out, too.  Sometimes with other items attached to the other end.  To the drawing board.  After making the first bag too tall and skinny, I made this little bag.  It currently has the cord for my traveling docker that I take with me quilting.  It's a cute bag, but not as cute as the little black and white and hot pink bag in my purse.  (sorry no picture at this time).   I think this is going to work - maybe - those ribbon ties might drive me crazy, too.  I will let you know.

At our workday Saturday with my Bee Friends group I worked on my chicken quilt.  I got the fabric made for the top border and then added some red fabric to set it.  Now I can't decide what else to add.  I don't think it's finished, yet.  I love him even though his right wing is flipped upside down.  I have thought about going in and fixing it, but it's not square and if I take it out I will create another problem. The bottom is behind the ironing board.  Sorry you guys get to see the boxes on the top and the mess on the ironing board.  However, I have rigged a wonderful place to hang a top I am working on.  You really can't see it very well, but I have a red yard stick that I have bulldog clipped my quilt top to and then I have set it on the top shelf of my storage shelves.  The top hangs down and covers up all the other boxes and I am able to figure out what else I need to add.  I do have a flannel wall, but it has a quilt top on it that I can't move yet.  So, this is my improvisation.  OOPS!  it's thundering here so I don't know how much longer before Taegan - my scardy dog - will hold out before I have to go downstairs and lay on the couch with him.  I guess I will type faster. 

I know I whined about making a table runner, thanks for listening by the way, but I have made the top part of one.  I know!!  I was totally shocked myself.  My friend, Gerrie, made one of those jelly roll quilts where you stitch the strips all together.  Then she put on some applique flowers and stems.  Gorgeous!  Then, at BEE, Saturday, my friend, Kathy, had some Moda candy bars she won and was asking about putting them together in that same fashion to make her table runner.  I think it's a great idea, but that isn't what I want to do for my table runner.  I don't know exactly what I am going to make, but not that.  Well, today, I was putting away some of the items I cleared off the cutting table yesterday morning in my attempt to avoid deciding what to work on at BEE - another story - and came across a piece that I made with the intention of cutting it up and creating blocks out of it for another quilt.  I looked at it and decided it needed a black border.  Then it needed some flowers.  I really like how this turned out so far - not quilted yet - and I may have to keep it for myself.   I just attached it on top of the chicken quilt so I could take a quick picture. I can't wait to quilt it. 

Alright, I know this has been a bit long, but I really worked on several items fast and furious this weekend so I wanted to share with you one last thing.  We have a door prize each month at our BEE.  If you win the prize for that month, it is your job to supply the prize for the next month.  We have been doing this for the last 3 or 4 years now.  We have also had the tradition - a bad one, in my opinion - to keep the same gift sack for the entire year.  Whoever wins in December, changes out the gift sack with a new one for the next year.  I don't know who started this or even why we do it, but we have done it this way for at least 3 years.  Well, this year, we have kept the same sack as last year.  We have had this sack for a year and a half!!!!!  It is time to retire the sack.  So, since I won this month, I told them that I was going to make a bag/sack that could be part of the gift or it could be passed around (over and over)  The deal will be, if you decide to keep the bag, you will have to make another bag to replace it.  If you don't want to make a bag, then this bag - or the bag your gift came in - has to move on to the next person.  I measured the current gift bag and this new one is the exact same size as the one we have been passing around for a year and a half.  Below are two pictures of the new bag. 



I really like it.  I have a few adjustments to make if I am going to make it again, but it works for my first try.  Okay, the dogs are all barking - even though I don't hear any more thundering.  gotta go sleep on the couch!!