{Post 1,021} Squares Surrounded

I only sewed for a little while on the machine today.  I added 4 more rows to my Squares Surrounded quilt.  The left edge measures 73" long.  I am going to set it by counting the pieced squares...9 x 11.  The left edge is 9 long.  I need to add 2 more rows before I hit a corner, if that makes sense.  All the blocks and setting triangles are pieced for this.  


Inspiration hit in the area of keeping track of on-point rows.  I used 4 daisy-head pins (shaped like a daisy, but flat...I use them for pinning my quilts onto my leaders on my quilt frame).  I numbered them 1-4 and pinned them onto the top triangle of the rows after I laid them out.  Then I pinned each block to the next in its row with a regular pin.  Pieced them, ironed them, and attached them to the mother ship w/o any mix-ups.  Grand!!

I hardly thought it possible, but I think we have too many large quilts.  Our quilt rack and my closet shelf overfloweth.  

So I was thinking about the gift-giving quilts thing again.  What if I contacted people I want to give a quilt to and showed them pictures (with measurements) and said, "I'd like to give you a quilt.  Which one of these would you like?"  Is that super tacky??

Lastly, I am putting up new curtains in my bedroom.  In this post I talked about the possibility of having a Christmas quilt in my room.  My curtains were a fall print.  A lovely fall print--quite possibly my favorite Thimbleberries print EVER.  My current bed quilt has a string of red squares down the center of each braid.  The Christmas quilt, obviously, would go better with red.  So I bought these two types of red valances.  The problem is that I like the color of one and the design of the other.  I am returning both sets.  I have another plan.  I am going to buy one panel of the color I like and make my own valances.

Here are the two that bombed:

I wanted something that looked like it went with quilts, but wasn't ho-hum old-fashioned looking.  I think what I really want is a dark mostly red homespun with a tiny cream plaid line in it.

~Joan

{Post 1,020} Fair & Square Finally Finished

You are probably soooo tired of seeing this quilt.  This AM I watched Mirror, Mirror and hand sewed the last of the binding down.  Then I washed and dried it.  Love it!


It measures about 78" x 92".  Very large.

{Post 1,019} Center Possibly Finished

I am going to let this one marinate for a while.  Meanwhile I am getting the measurements on here.  The quilt top measures 68-1/2" square now.  The pattern shows another 2" border then a larger border of the same print as the squares.


The pattern does not have a pillow tuck, so I'd have to make pillow shams as well.  


My decision is whether to quilt it like it is and use it for a throw or add the other borders and use it for my bed.  I am leaning towards the bed quilt, but then I'd have to make curtains as well :(


The quilt top goes out to the scrappy green border.

I found a few HSTs in my spare parts drawer, so I threw those into the mix.  The pattern called for 3-1/2" squares, but that was what my HSTs measured--is that fate or what?


I got border, binding, and backing fabric for my secret project last night, so I'll work on that in the meantime.


I really would only need to make curtains to go with this quilt, so I might do it.


~Joan

{Post 1,018} Repairing Stained Blocks

Today I dove into what I was in the mood for...meticulous quilt top repair.  This Christmas top was folded up in an open-topped plastic storage box in our garage.  It rained in the garage.  I don't remember when.  As in water leaked down through the floor above (which is where the master bathroom is...don't think about it too hard).  When Susie cleaned out the garage a while back, she brought the box in and told me I probably wanted to go through it sooner rather than later.  The box smelled like those ancient quilts that have been stored for a really, really long time.  Musty, slightly moldy-ish, yuck!


Here is was before the rainfall:

I pieced this in January 2010.  Two and half years ago.  Today I had the delight of unsewing and replacing many small portions.  Whatever leaked onto the folded quilt top was a strange substance.  It got caught in the seams on the tops of some parts and on the bottoms of others.  It caused a pink stain in some areas and a blue stain in others.  Not dwelling on it...much.

Here are a few shots of the reconstruction process.  I wish it hadn't happened, but I don't mind this type of work.  It is extremely challenging, but I like a good challenge.

See the upper left large cream square and the two adjacent smaller cream squares?  They must go.

Another unit removed from a different block (see the blue stain?):

Here is a shot after the blockectomy:

I didn't work on it a whole lot, but I got the center all repaired and a red border put on all the way around.  Tomorrow I'm going to cut lots of 3-1/2" green squares for a second border.

~Joan

{Post 1,017} Twister Quilt Finished GFG Update

Here is the finished Twister quilt from my sewing chair:

And a close-up head on (the walls are a light grayish green):

I didn't get as much done on my Grandmother's Flower Garden quilt as I thought I would.  

The first part of the trip I hand sewed the binding on my Twister quilt down.

Here is the GFG progress:

Quilting the diagonal lines really downplays the shape of the hexagons.  If I had the time (hahahahaha) and motivation (double the hahas), I'd like to make this exact quilt again and quilt 1/4" inside each hexagon shape.  I think the difference in the look of the final "product" would be surprising!  Well, if I ever make another one...

~Joan