Long Term Projects Number 3

 Sarah's Revival

Nothing says "long term" like a Sue Garman pattern.  

You can read previous posts here and here.

If you haven't read previous posts, here is a very short recap.  I started this project in June 2020, and thought 4 blocks per month was an achievable goal.  After finishing 2 or 3 blocks, I realized that 2 blocks per month was far more reasonable (as each block was a total of 7-8 hours) and that was my plan going forward.  Reality was about 1 per month as I'm on month 33 and I'm working on the four center blocks right now.

Partial applique with back basting all in the orange thread.

In Sept of 2020, while I quarantined for two weeks, I got a lot of prep work done.  All the backgrounds were cut, stay stitched around the edges and I drew out each motif for my back basting applique. Nothing says commitment than cutting up several yards of your favorite background fabric. (RJR French Vanilla)

 My reds were all picked out and cut into the sizes I needed and I would baste the reds onto 2 - 6 blocks at a time.  Next up was doing the back basting.  Since this part doesn't require much concentration, (you are just following the stitching lines on the back) it could  be done any time, and I picked it up and set down with no need to get into any rhythm of stitching. 

 Here is what 1/2 way looked like.  16 blocks done and 16 more to go (minus the center 4)

All the blocks were kept on a pant hanger, in order of when the back basting was done.  When I was ready to applique the next block, there was ALWAYS a prepped block ready to go.  This was my "go to" bag of stitching for travel.  2 -3 hours on a plane, 1 -2 hours sitting in an airport, an early morning waiting for a ride, a doctors appointment (always some waiting time). By having things prepped, it was one needle, one bobbin of red thread and little snips.  A perfect purse project.

One thing I do is put up my blocks on a design wall and admire them.  I used to think I was wasting valuable sewing time, as I would put the blocks up, stand back and admire them, snap a photo, then take them down and put them away.  In hind sight, this was very motivating.  Once I started to see how far I had gotten, I would become re-energized on the project.  After crossing over the half way point, the applique got a bit easier, I had all but 4 blocks prepped, and was starting to see an end to the center being completed.

26 blocks were completed by Nov. 2021  

So here we are in April 2023 and 32 blocks are finished and I'm working on the four center blocks.  I took a break from the project (but never packed it away) and now I'm onto the 4 center blocks that are all identical.   By slowing bouncing in and out of this project and having it ORGANIZED, I've managed to keep it moving forward.  I also decided to make the appliqued border.  I did a Study Group through AQSG in Sept 2022 on Quilts with Borders, and knew this one had to have the border included.  It may take several more years to work that out, but it's all in one bag, I've chosen the applique method I'm going to use for the swags, and I've been advised that it's best to practice the appliqued sawtooth edging before diving right in.  

So keep organized and keep stitching, every time you work on a project you are that much closer to finished.

Sharon

Simply Scraps

This whole quilt has been made with left over blocks and scraps. Even the batting was cobbled together from leftover pieces. The fabric for the sashing and binding was cut from pieces in my fabric bin but one of them was the last remaining piece of wide backed fabric from my first bolt that I bought in 2005 when I got my longarm. The back was fabric I've had since about 2009 and the bolt was finished once I made this back.  And to be completely honest, the bobbin thread was lots of different cream/white last bits on bobbins that kick around a longarm quilters studio. 

Credit to ModaLissa as she posted a quilt on her IG that was my inspiration!

What I started with.  A bag of 1/2 sq triangles that were off cuts from quilts made from Bonnie Hunters Pineapple Blossom pattern that is free on her website.  I had hundreds of red and blue ones and all had been pressed and trimmed to 2 1/2"

Working out ideas on the design wall.  The 4 patches in the corners were from a stack of assorted cream 3 1/2" squares that are also used in the Pineapple quilt.  A 4 patch of them made for a perfect 6" corner.

Pondering ideas for the center of the blocks. Notice the pinwheel center didn't make the cut.

This pre quilted photo shows the border on both sides.  I didn't have enough 1/2 squares to make a top and bottom border and I was also trying to stretch it a bit wider.  After getting the sides on, I threw away a handful of 1/2 squares that were left over.  Yes, I truly USED up all that I had in the bag.

The binding was hand stitched while I was in my isewlation in BC.  I traveled there to see my family and literally packed up my sewing room and took it with me.  Trust me, 14 days isolation is a VERY long time when you are healthy and not recovering from anything.

I went to town with feathers on this one.  I haven't had a customer request for feathered wreaths in a long while, so I thought I'd keep my skills sharp and load up on this one.

 The end result makes me smile.  A true scrap quilt.  And do you see the mistake?  I did, but I certainly wasn't going to get out the seam ripper for that!  One more bag out of the closet and another quilt finished for a future trunk show.  Now to figure out what to do with the green and brown bags of these off cuts that are hanging out in my studio closet.  A tree styled block?

Are you getting any UFO's out of the closet and finishing them?  I hope so.  Get them finished and if you don't still 'love' them, they just might make a perfect donation quilt.  Winter is coming!

Keep stitching,

Sharon

Just Takes 2 - Revisited

This on going project has been on life support for a few years. I've taken it out, put it on the design wall, and packed it up.....several times. I've helped others get started on the pattern, I've helped someone finish her top and have quilted a few of these. Mine, not so much.  It was retreat time again, so I packed up this box of blocks, fabric and an odd assortment of pages that remain from the pattern. This is what I had to put up on the wall in some manner of organization.  Yes, there are 2 feathered stars, along with two pineapple blocks that were not part of the pattern.

 These below blocks are stragglers that I couldn't seem to fit into the above layout. Trust me, I'm not even close to having a working pattern anymore. It's digital somewhere, maybe on that pc that was two devices ago.  Or maybe on a thumb drive.  I'd have to search through a bowl of those!   What you can't see in this picture is that the bottom block, Goose in the Pond is 11" unfinished.  It's supposed to be 12 1/2" unfinished.  It's been foundation paper pieced and I still remember taking over 2 hours to make this block on a sew day a few years ago.  I kept asking myself, "why would one make a 5 patch block into a 12" finished block?"  Why not rotary cut and piece it into a 15" block? 

Once I had listed all the blocks that were made, I came home and started cutting them up on graph paper.  That seemed to be a design nightmare for me.  I went to Sentimental Stitches, where the pattern came from.  (btw, it's still available for purchase and it's on sale).   I found this spread sheet listed on Gay's site; I hit the motherlode.  All I had to do was figure out how many blocks of what size I had already made and then make more blocks in the remaining sizes.  Then I could put the quilt together in the same order, by block size, that the original pattern showed.

I needed one more 15" block.  That Goose in the Pond?  A perfect candidate for a block that size. I quickly drafted out the measurements, and got to piecing it. Super easy, every seam nests together when it's not FPP, no paper to tear out and no hair to pull out!

In the few pages of patterns that remain, I saw these three circles, so super cute and fast and easy to make. I did reverse applique for the white circle and hand appliqued the red ones.  Stitched together they look darling!

I pulled out my Red and White Bible book of quilts, listed a plethora of pages for block ideas and I now have a workable plan to finish this quilt top. My blocks won't be the same pattern as the original pattern and I'm ok with that.  It will be MY quilt, inspired by Just Takes 2 (much time) and at this point, I am confident this plan will result into a finished quilt top. 

There is a Drunkards Path block on one of the pattern sheets.  This one is supposed to finish at 9" and it's a 4 patch.  The method used in the pattern was applique.  I've made this block before, it's included in my very first sampler quilt.  I pulled out my trustly first quilt book, found my bag of templates, and marked out the sections for a 12" finished block.  I got 14 sections hand stitched last night.

This will definitely become a quilt top.
It won't happen soon, but it will happen.  Maybe on my next retreat I'll get a few more blocks picked out and sewn together.  Maybe I'll already have the blocks stitched (doubtful).   The Red & White  show continues to inspire me and flipping through the book brought so many 'good' quilt designs back in front of me.

The moral of this post? If you love the project, you will finish it.  It might take longer than expected, it might not look like the original piece you started to make, but you can re engage.  It just has to be the right time with the right circumstances.

What project do you want to bring back to the sewing table?
Keep stitching,
Sharon

A Few More

Since I've been asked to share my blocks at our guild meeting this Tuesday, I got a few more blocks finished this weekend.

  I've got a few rows of flying geese to put together, and I still haven't printed the patterns from the 15th!  That one will be hand pieced, for sure.
I'm sure the patterns I looked at today were April Fools? Yes? No?  Good lord, the designers must think we have a lot of time to work on this one project.  I, for one, will not be staying up to date, but I shall continue the journey.  I think it's going to be a spectacular quilt when it's all together and a great memory quilt for me.
I had to chuckle at Nancy over at Tattered Garden  Take a peek, her block is worth seeing!
Hope you all got to work on your favorite projects this weekend.
Sharon

Residuals

Infinite Variety, Three Centuries of Red and White Quilts. 

 (click to see youtube of the last day)

 651 pieces from the collection of Joanna Rose.

A year has passed since I packed my bags and took the red eye to The Big Apple.

It was a trip that included a lot of firsts. The first time I dared to take a trip like this.

People thought I was crazy, travelling across the country to NYC to see some old quilts.

Really!

What I didn't know at the time was how this trip would change my life. I, like most of you, are passionate about quilts and quilting. To see a show of this magnitude was amazing and beyond words. Reflecting back on it, it almost seems surreal.
This show has sent ripples through the quilt world. Yes, world. Linda from Quilts in the Barn is working hard on a Red and White exhibit for her annual quilt show. Just Takes 2 is working hard at reproducing blocks from many of the displayed quilts. All over the world, R and W quilts are quietly being made again, all because of this one show.

My version of Just Takes 2.  A work in progress that will deviate from the published patterns. I just don't know when that will happen, but I'm sure it will.

Making 1/2 square triangles that finish at 1"  I really like using Triangles on a Roll

Can you guess what block I"m making?  So far I have one of 4 sections togher for the corner squares. 

 Slow and careful will win this block.

I had to stop for this!  I wind 10 bobbins at a time. 

Aurifil, can you please make pre wound bobbins for my machine?

Then I do this.  10 bobbins and it's time for a new needle. 

And for one last shot, here is my next block, #23 of 25 for my BTCT. 

I hope you take some time to reflect back on this show, it was truly an amazing experience.

Sharon

Wordy Wednesday

I've got nothing! Well, nothing to show of my own.  I've been putting the borders on my 30's reproduction BOM, 2 done and 2 more are cut and ready to pin and sew. Then to make the binding and put it in "the pile".  line to get quilted.

Finished a large quilt for a customer on Sunday, 100+ x 100+. Yes, it was big. Loaded up another one for M.

Just Takes 2 is in progress, I made 3 blocks last night, so two more to go and I'll be on track. I'm going to demo Back Basting Applique at our first JT2 meeting at Fabric Etc.  This is a fun project so far and it will definitely get people outside their quilting box with the variety of techniques that have appeared in the first two installments of patterns.

A few years ago I taught my boss DebS to quilt. When someone wants to learn how to make a quilt, I won't teach them how to make a specific quilt. What I teach them is how to quilt, so then they can go and make anything they want. Here is Debs first project she did. After grumbling about the hand work that I insisted she do on this project, it is now hand quilted. Oh, and she has hand quilted several pieces in the meantime, has made numerous Hawaiian appliques and she now loves the hand work!

Great job Debs!

Hope you are all staying safe and warm with all the snow. Winter has arrived here in the NW.....brrrrrr. It was 11 in my little town last night!
Sharon

Are you "Taking 2" ?

I need a 12 step program, I admit it. I'm addicted to quilting and but I really don't want an intervention. I like to enable others so Carol and I have organized a Sew Along for the Just Takes 2 project that the Sentimental Stitches and Dear Jane ladies are doing this year.

9 yards of Kona Natural and 6 yards of Kona Rich Red and I'm off and running. If you live in my area, Whatcom County, and you want to join a group to keep you motivated or get help with any blocks, contact the amazing team at Fabric Etc in Bellingham and sign up for some monthly 2 color fun. You don't have to do red and white, cheddar and cream, blue and white, muslin and scrappy browns, whatever makes your skirt fly up! Check out the green and white one already posted.  You all know for me it's the Red and White.

We are going to meet on the 1st Sat of the month, starting in February.  You can sew or ask questions or come for coffee and a visit and show off your blocks.  Patterns will be supplied via the Just Takes 2 website, for free, on the 1st and 15th of the month.  After 4 months you will get the setting layout for that section of blocks, and at the end of 12 months, you will have completed all four quadrants of the quilt.  So come on, what's stopping you, I know you want to join in the fun.  The first set of blocks are cute, and fairly easy to construct.  It's going to be the 2 color combo that's going to make this quilt shine.

What 2 are you going to pick?

Sharon

Red & White LOVE

Finally, this is finished. Well, it needs a label but my friend is making one for me, I just have to get her the information.

This quilt is for my bed and here are the particulars.
Bonnie Hunter pattern,  Pineapple Blossoms  Bonnie is the ultimate scrap quilter, but I tend to be more controlled with my fabric choices. 
Blocks constructed using her method of making the corners results in "bonus blocks"  You get 5 from each block so this quilt generates 550 1/2 sq triangles.

This quilt finished at 90 x 100  For batting I used a layer of Warm & Natural AND a layer of Hobbs Wool. 

**UPDATE** I used two batts, W & N on the bottom for the density and weight, it's a flat batt, and wool on top for the warmth and loft.  I like heavy blankets on me in the wintertime. **

Thread used was King Tut hombre reds on top and Signature Cotton in Holiday Red for the back. 
A scrappy binding finished it off.

I'm calling this my LOVE quilt.  I love red and whites, I used a triple heart motif on the quilting,

it's the first quilt I've made specifically for my own bed, and I absolutely fell in love with all the Red & White two color quilts while in NYC this spring.
What's your favorite color combination?

Sharon

To the Wall

Remember these? 110 blocks of red and cream?

Half of them have hit the design wall. Then work got busy this week and I haven't been back to the storage room. I need to find my painters tape to mark the rows.

I always use a black and white shot to help me spread out the values. Some of these blocks are darker and this is the best way to see what needs moved. Sometimes it's as simple as rotating a block.

Hope you get to stitch this weekend.
Sharon

Red and White Revisited

Life has been busy lately.  As much as I've tried to keep up reading my favorite blogs and commenting here and there, I haven't been able to keep up with my own blog, or my housework or yardwork.  But that can wait while I get in some quilting time this weekend.
I've been working on my Red and Cream Pineapple Blossom pattern as there isn't much brain power needed for these blocks. 

I've had the strips and squares pre cut so I wasn't even needing to measure anything.

And now I have 80 blocks finished and the remaining 30 have all been started.

I also got my mini Red & White finished but I didn't get it sent off to Temecula for their R & W show. Did you all see pics of it? Check it out here.

Tonight I am machine quilting for a customer, I'm excited to work on this as it's a special quilt for her DH.

red and white

This post wasn't supposed to be wordless and I am just seeing now that I didn't go back in and finish it before the auto post took place. Same as previous one too! Bad blogger, bad!
This little piece is getting hand quilted and I'm hoping to finish it in time to send digitally to Temecula Quilt Co
for their online red and white show!

This piece is small, 16 x 16 so I think I might make the deadline of Sept 15th!
Sharon

Mini Quilt

This is a mini version of a pattern called Surrounded by Four Paws Quilting  I made a full size quilt, but it sold before I even got it off my longarm.  This is one of my favorite patterns, I made a second one in greens and creams. 

24" x 30"

I'm loved this little mini and just got it back from a quilt shop.  I'm going to send it in to Temecula Quilt shop's Red and White virtual show.  This shop is one that I'd love to visit!
Road trip anyone?  hehehe
Sharon

Stop now if you don't want to see another red and white quilt athough this post is more about design rather than color.  Walking through the Red & White show was overwhelming and I didn't focus on specifics.  Now that I've had some time to go through my photos, I was intrigued by the Pineapple quilts.  One piece was hanging at City Quilter, made by Anita Grossman Soloman and the others were at the show.

One pattern

Same two colors

Three different quilts.

This makes me want to make a two color pineapple quilt. And yes, I'd like it to be red and white. My ten yards of Rich Red Kona has arrived, now I'm waiting for a bold of Antique Kona. I bought a yard of each to see how they would play together. I think they get along very well.

This piece is 15 x 15. I'm going to hand quilt it, with all the hockey on for the next month, I'm confident I'll get it done by June. That's my goal for this piece.
Sharon