Wrapping it Up -Finish!

After finishing all the quilting, it is time to bind the little quilt.   I chose a 2 1/4th inch double fold binding for this one.   After cutting the strips,  I decided to try using a tool to cut the ends for joining. I have this set of Fons and Porter triangle trimmers that I bought and used one time.  

There are other binding trimmers that you can get. I already had this set.  I decided that the blue one would be perfect for cutting the ends of the binding for joining.  The strips were folded so I cut both ends of a strip at once. (FYI - I have NOT tested this with print fabric. I know it works with fabrics where both sides are "good." )   Then I sewed it all onto the quilt and clipped it down. 

I have found that one smaller quilts (i.e. table runners/toppers and smaller) I enjoy sewing the binding to the back by hand.  I tend to work right to left. 

I taught myself to hand stitch it to the back. So I have no idea which is the "normal right handed" direction.  This is what works for me.  Once I get it all stitched, it will be ready for spa day (washing and drying to really pop the texture.) 

Then it was down to just this bit left to sew down. 

I sat down to work and put on a Latino game show on the Roku channel. 

Before long the table topper was all completed.

I think that I mentioned in a previous post that I made this in a quilting workshop with the Gee's Bend quilters.   The fun part is that it is largely scraps and cast off pieces of fabric.  Honestly, I would love to see yardage of my focus fabric.  You see when we arrived in the class, the first day, there was a table piled high with all sorts of fabric. Some pieces were small some were much larger. Interestingly,  the smaller pieces seemed to be the most prized by all the students.   Here is a photo of the table - AFTER- it had been ravaged by 18 or so quilters. 

You can see that in addition to all the fabric on the table, there were boxes, bags and even a plastic bin of more fabric. 

I am linking this post up with Table Scraps on the Joyful Quilter's blog. 

Until Next Time,  

Stay Creative 

Comments are welcomed. I will reply when possible. Of course if you are a "No Reply Blogger"- I can not reply. Links in comments will result in the entire comment being deleted.

Last of the Quilting on This One

What fun this little quilt has been.  The quilting is finally finished.  And there is a lot of texture in it.  One fun thing that I did was create a grid to quilt another checkerboard pattern.  To do that I use a  Triangular Engineer and Architect Scale Ruler to mark the lines.  I learned that from Lori Kennedy in an online class. 

I simply start with the ruler against a seam and mark the other side of the ruler.

The width is one inch which works well for this.  Once it is in position, 

I press down on the top to anchor the ruler -it won't move while marking.

That is why this is a great tool for doing this. 

Once the grid is marked you are ready to stitch. 

I like to sew along all the lines of the grid -I do that as I am traveling from square to square. You may notice that the left side is special (different ha ha.)  I realized that I had messed up the pattern, so rather than rip stitches (a pain when you are doing this) I  repeated it and made it work. Now it is a design choice!

This quilt has lots of TEXTURE quilted into it.

I love the raised places in the focus fabric. The Hobbs Silk batting really makes them pop. 

Did I have fun quilting this?  Of course I did, because the rules were partly ignored as

long as the quilting looked good.  I have fun playing with design. 

I hope you play with your quilting and find joy in it also

Until Next Time,  

Stay Creative 

Comments are welcomed. I will reply when possible. Of course if you are a "No Reply Blogger"- I can not reply. Links in comments will result in the entire comment being deleted.

More Quilting on the Topper

Working slowly is so nice on these blistering hot summer days. Even with air-conditioning, my body wants to slow down on these hot days.  This table topper has been the perfect project to "do a little at a time."  

All of the "blue" areas are done. I don't really remember which ones I have shown,  but I know there are some with simple zigzag lines (or maybe open triangles?) that I didn't photograph.  

Here are the latest three photos that show some of the quilting on the purple sections.   First up is the odd bit of purple in the outer border. 

Next up are the swirls in one of the thin purple strips.  You may notice some of the zigzags

on the far right side in that bit of purple.

In the wide purple strip,  I decided to use some chalk and mark it into 

squarish shapes.  Then I could do different designs in each "square."

I should have used a damp cloth to remove the chalk before I took the photo. 
Ha ha. 

I really love the "checkerboard" with the "bean shapes" in the alternate squares. 

I have a few sections left to quilt.  There are still decisions to be made on what 

goes in those spaces. And there is a big chunk of the focus fabric left.  I am considering

how to quilt that - and what areas of it to leave unquilted. 

Until Next Time,  

Stay Creative 

Comments are welcomed. I will reply when possible. Of course if you are a "No Reply Blogger"- I can not reply. Links in comments will result in the entire comment being deleted.

Fun Quilting Patterns

The topper made in the Gee's Bend class is progressing nicely.  Going slowly on it is allowing me to enjoy the process.  It is fun to try new designs as well as old favorites.  

This branching leaf design is one that I have used many times. It works in a line or you can pivot the leaves and make it fill a larger space.  I love the versatility of it. 

I call this one "the maze"  because it looks like a maze. But if you start trying to follow the maze you find that it is almost all dead ends.  I think this is one I started doing based loosely on a Leah Day design. Essentially, it is random lines that turn at 90 degrees.  Of course all my corners aren't square - and that is fine with me. 

This one is "Beads on a String" - on the outer strings I put pebble type beads, the inner row has square beads.  I matched the interior line (used to avoid traveling around the design) to the shape.  If I use this again, I will put the zigzags in the circles and the wavy lines in the squares.   You can use any shape for the "beads."  I have done this one in the past with triangle beads. 

This last one is my take on "Baptist Fans" - my fans are more "random" and disorganized because, again, I was making it up as I go. I have never quilted Baptist Fans, but this version will go in my quilting "toolbox."  I think I like it. 

Until Next Time,  

Stay Creative 

Comments are welcomed. I will reply when possible. Of course if you are a "No Reply Blogger"- I can not reply. Links in comments will result in the entire comment being deleted.

A bit of Quilting

The fun Gee's Bend class table topper was sitting on my sewing table. So the temptation to do a bit of stitching had me searching the thread box.  There were only two likely candidates for the blue that I wanted. Actually there was a third but it was a 28 weight - just too thick for what I wanted here. 

Unspooling a bit of thread onto the fabric really helps to choose.  It was quickly obvious that the 

darker thread would blend in best.  So the machine and bobbin were threaded with that one. 

As the quilt is ditch quilted -at least to some degree - it was fine to start anywhere.  I started at one edge and did a sure-fire simple (for me) design - Pebbles. 

If I can start with a design I am sure of, it seems to set the "mood" for better free motion quilting. They aren't exactly perfect but they are good enough to make me happy.  

Then, I worked around the corner to do some "ribbon candy" - It didn't come out as nicely but it got that strip quilted and it will look find in the finished piece. 

As I was at the corner of the focus fabric, I decided to do some of it with the same blue. I didn't do a "planned pattern" but decided to use curved lines and fill in the area.  I took a picture but it didn't show well.  Later in the afternoon, I saw the light from the window falling over it and got this one. 

After seeing it in this light, I am considering leaving that orange bit as well as some other areas in the focus fabric un-quilted for some raised texture on this.    The silk batting really makes it flatten where it is heavily quilted, and the pops up where it isn't.

I guess we will wait and see what happens as I go forward with it. 

Until Next Time,  

Stay Creative 

Comments are welcomed. I will reply when possible. Of course if you are a "No Reply Blogger"- I can not reply. Links in comments will result in the entire comment being deleted.

Another Glorious Table Topper

While going through some things, looking for the next project, I found a piece that I made in a class years ago.  The year was 2013 to be precise.  The class was a Gee's Bend quilting class at the Alabama Folk School.  Here is the picture from that time.  The piece is up in the window at the top. 

It needed a bit of pressing.  Then I needed to find batting to use.  There was enough Hobbs silk batting left over from a previous project, so that became the middle layer.  I found a piece of aqua/teal family fabric for the backing - and maybe enough to bind the quilt topper too. 

After it was layered up and spray basted, it went to the machine.  There some ditch quilting and a row of stitches around the outside of the top and it is ready for quilting.  

There are a few slightly puckered areas,  but  that will all quilt out just fine, don't you think?   Now, the BIG Decision....... What color thread(s) to quilt it with? And what quilting patterns?   That one interesting focus print will be the real challenge. I may quilt each shape in that piece separately - although I will not change thread for that piece.  Errr....at least I don't think I will.   I may go with a neutral blue (used for ditch quilting this) or a medium gray for that section. 

I think those white pieces on top and bottom really need a white quilting thread.  Choosing the threads may take some time.  Luckily, I have a decent selection of threads to choose from. 

And because someone is sure to ask,  the piece is 25" by 23"  

Until Next Time,  

Stay Creative 

Comments are welcomed. I will reply when possible. Of course if you are a "No Reply Blogger"- I can not reply. Links in comments will result in the entire comment being deleted.

Big Boxy and Cool

Saturday morning was a good time to finish my "big boxy hand-dyed" shirt.  As you may remember I used a scrub top for the basic pattern shape.  I think I made this one a smidge larger because I forgot that I have lost a few pounds.  But it is big, boxy and cool for this steaming hot summer in Alabama.  
My favorite color of all time is blue, so of course it has blue in it.   Blue is a lovely cool color. 

Quite a while back I dyed some white yardage when I was just playing with fabric dye.  I really liked the result and put it aside to make something for myself --someday.    When I started this project,  I decided not to be "precious" with the fabric and just go for it.  I am so glad that I did. 

I  even managed to get the pocket to "match" by aligning it slightly off kilter.  I call that artistic license. Ha ha.   I know that I will enjoy wearing this for casual summer days.  

Next project?????  I am just seeing what speaks to me next.  Of course if I see a squirrel......

Until Next Time,  

Stay Creative 

Comments are welcomed. I will reply when possible. Of course if you are a "No Reply Blogger"- I can not reply. Links in comments will result in the entire comment being deleted.

Am I crazy? Maybe!

It has been years and years since I attempted to make clothing for myself.   Ages ago, I had a pattern for a dashiki shirt.   I used that pattern to make several shirts for work.  At that time I worked in a factory and needed something cooler than a T-shirt.  (It was hot on that assembly line!)  The pattern is long gone. And anyway, I am no longer that size since I matured.  (I was a skinny twenty year old. )  

So I decided to take some yardage that I dyed and just go for it.  If it fails,  I have instant scraps for quilting,  right?

I cut two pieces using the back of the scrub top below as my pattern.  I will adapt the front piece into a "dashiki style" neckline.  (If I can remember how!)   

                                            Here is that scrub top that I used as a pattern. 

I haven't decided if I will use the serger.  I am thinking that I will sew the seams first and then use the serger to finish the inside edges.  The neckline was done with a facing in the original dashiki pattern, so I am going to attempt to replicate that part of the design.   If it works well, I may make a couple more.  I think it would be fun in batik.  

Oh yes, I have to sort out placing the pocket - because a guy needs a shirt pocket. At least this guy does.

Until Next Time,  

Stay Creative 

Comments are welcomed. I will reply when possible. Of course if you are a "No Reply Blogger"- I can not reply. Links in comments will result in the entire comment being deleted.

A Surprise Find

Let me start off by saying that the heat in Alabama has been a major deterrent to my creative process.  But some other things play into that also.   

I have started (slowly) to cull things that I don't need to keep.  As I was cleaning excess from a bookshelf, I found a surprise.   I don't remember doing this at all, but I know by the signature that it is my work.  

I believe that the medium for this is watercolor pencils.  However, it could have been watercolor crayons.   I am sure that it is a water based medium.  

As I look at it, I think "wouldn't this be a great design for an art quilt?"  I think that raw edge applique and thread painting would be needed to create this in fabric. (Unless of course fabric paints came into play.)    

Will I do it?  Only time will tell.  If you wish to use this as a starting point for your own art quilt, you have my permission to do so.  I do ask that you credit me on it.  If you make something with this as the starting point, please share it with me.  I would love to see your work that is inspired by my art or my work.  

Until Next Time,  

Stay Creative 

Comments are welcomed. I will reply when possible. Of course if you are a "No Reply Blogger"- I can not reply. Links in comments will result in the entire comment being deleted.

Table Scraps - A Table Topper

My "liberated quilting"  table topper is complete.  Because the top and the backing would need different thread colors for the binding,  I chose to hand sew the binding to the back. 

I have to say that the binding looks a lot better than if I machine stitched it in place. This little quilted topper makes me really happy.  It ticks all the boxes.   

Scrappy/using up scraps ✅ 

Fun and random piecing ✅
Colorful  ✅

Random quilting designs  ✅

Finished!  ✅

Here is the finished piece, although it has not been in the wash yet.  That is my final step before I consider it "really finished."  

In the borders, I used two different styles of triangular design.    Both were inspired by the quilting I saw in a photo from the Liberated Quiltmaking II  book by Gwen Marston.   Here are some closeups. 

In the skinny insertions in the borders,  I did pebbles. In the one wider blue insertion, I quilted swirls.  All of that shows up well in the above three photos.  

My next project????? I haven't decided.   I suppose I should spend more time learning my lines for the play I will be in in September - unless we have another quarantine lockdown. 

I am linking up with the July 2021 Table Scraps Runner Topper Challenge.

Until Next Time,  

Stay Creative 

Comments are welcomed. I will reply when possible. Of course if you are a "No Reply Blogger"- I can not reply. Links in comments will result in the entire comment being deleted.