Churn Dash

While I was making an attempt to organize my sewing room last week, I came across the rows for my churn dash quilt .  This one was on my UFO list for 2011 but got replaced by a special order quilt.  I added it to my 2012 UFO Challenge list, and I felt pretty obligated to get it done this year.

I finally finished adding the borders to it this morning.

The thought of quilting this one is a little intimidating.  It'll probably go to the bottom of my "to be quilted" pile.

The blocks are 6" square.  I started out making the blocks with Christmas fabrics, then added other green and red prints from my stash for variety.

It has just a quiet, cozy Christmas feel to it.

Three Steps Forward

and one step back.  I'm o.k. with that.

I satisfied my piecing itch for this week with this log cabin scrap quilt.  I was able to make 12 blocks while using each fabric only once.

I really made a mess of my sewing room making this one!    One of the oldest fabrics in the quilt was a gift that my daughter brought from Finland over 20 years ago and the newest piece was bought on a recent trip to Green Bay.  I don't remember where I've used all the fabrics, but most of them bring back warm memories.

One more in the "to be quilted" stack.   After I get my sewing room somewhat back in order, I'll work on that.

Working on my Promise

When I said I would devote August to quilting, I really didn't realize how many tops I had stacked away.  It seems there's enough to keep me busy through the next few months.

I thought I better get started - so I quilted

and I quilted.

Then I took a little break to make some binding.  This was pretty slick -- I used a sheet found at a garage sale.  Cutting a sheet on the bias gives you pretty long bias strips.  I only needed to piece together four strips to make more than enough for the quilt shown above -- 60" x 90".  It'll make it so much easier to avoid seams on the corners when I stitch it to the quilt.  

I did a little basting

and went back to doing more quilting.

I plan to keep at the quilting, but it's hard for me to stay away from piecing for very long.  So last night I pulled out my bin of 2-1/2" strips and started grabbing anything that was on the light side.   On a  whim, I decided to start a scrappy log cabin.  I think I'll see how big it gets without using any fabric more than once.

Using more scraps

I'll have to admit I'm not too crazy about the quilt I shared in my last post.  But please don't say "me either" because I'm a little touchy right now.  It seems like that often happens with quilts that I start and then put aside for any length of time.  I have to get better about finishing a project that I start -- or just get rid of it if I don't want to finish it while I'm still excited about it.

Anyway -- I needed something to cheer me up.  I had cut tons of 2-1/2" strips for the 36-patch quilt, and I had lots of end pieces left after I diced them up.  I thought I should be able to put them together into  something that would please me, so I made another baby quilt top.

I just love a scrappy look.  My design board still holds the 36-patch quilt, so I tried the clothesline.  It doesn't really show the colors too well.

Here's one indoors.

I love it -- it almost makes me want to have another baby to wrap it around.  Even the purple polka dots don't bother me.  Now I really really have to get busy and quilt a few of my tops.  Really.  That'll be my August goal.

My 36 Patch Process

Last July I joined a 36-patch quiltalong with Amanda Jean of crazy mom quilts.  I decided to use some of the softer colors in my Kaffe Fassett collection, and this was the start of my quilt top.

I soon ran out of colors that would work and so it got shoved into a bin for a year.  I finally pulled it out a year later but had a hard time getting interested in continuing with it.  Then I decided I wanted to see what would happen if I added a little brightness to it.

I liked the higher contrast blocks but I needed more of them.  Also, I made a few poor choices, leaving some of the blocks with no contrast at all -- I needed to replace at least a few of them.

Getting closer, but the purple polka dot didn't agree with me -- back to the sewing machine.

There are still some blocks that are lacking in contrast -- but I'm getting pretty tired of making this block so they'll probably stay in the quilt.  I'll play around with the layout a bit until I'm satisfied with the balance of color and then start stitching them together next week.  I do love having a design wall that allows me to play with the layout until I come up with something that makes me happy.  Just might be that the purple polka dot finds its way back into this quilt.   Or I may end up back at the machine, but not today.  My only real goal is to stick with fabrics I have and not go buy something new that I think may be just what it needs.

Or maybe this will work -

More Summer Company

Some of the grandkids were in town for the past two weeks.   Though they were staying out at Small Traverse, they did want to take turns spending the night at grandma's house.  I was pretty honored that they did -- with temps in the upper 80's and low 90's and lots of sunshine, I wondered if they'd really want to leave the big lake.

First came Pete and his cousin Kyle, both easy boys to have around.  They spent a good part of the time reading Archie comic books, but we did manage to squeeze in a trip to the candy store.

Next came Rebecca and Kaarina.   We made a trip to the candy store, stopped for a visit at great grandma's, and took a little walk at McLains.

On Saturday, Elizabeth and Aubrey came to spend the night.   Aubrey was a little upset to find out it was too late to go to the candy store and she would have to wait until Sunday.

We found great grandma sitting on the swing enjoying the fresh air.  I was pretty pooped from a long hike at McLains so we didn't stay too long.

It looks like the rest of the summer will be quiet at my house.  I usually get some summer company in August, but that probably won't happen this year.

Once I had dug out all my pink fabrics for my last project, I decided to cut up some of them and put together another scrappy baby quilt -- not quilted yet though.

Now I have a few tops to get quilted -- I think I better devote any spare time I have in August to doing that!
Someone asked Sharyn if I like quilting on my machine -- I need to refresh my memory so I can reply to that.

July Post

I just noticed that I haven't posted since June 5.  I'm getting pretty lazy about this blogging stuff - but I suppose I could make a monthly attempt.

July started off with company for the holiday weekend.  A man and his dog.

The dog's name is Sunny -- and it's obvious that she's smitten with her owner.

Who wouldn't be?

I did make some progress on my churn dash quilt in the last month -- sashing done on 7 rows, three more to go and then I can start stitching the rows together.  I'm anxious to get this off of my design wall so I can have something new to look at.

I also had a special order that I put together this week.   I usually turn down special orders because they add a little unwanted stress to my life, but this one turned out to be a fun project -- I enjoyed playing in my pink stash again.

Hopefully I'll be back again in August -- maybe even sooner.