{Post 1,478} Red Zinger Finished and Labeled

This is my Red Zinger quilt, made from selvages and a favorite red Thimbleberries print.  It is 74" square.

A pic of the front and back, then a close-up of the back so you can appreciate my amateur machine quilting skills (this is a joke!).  I used cream thread on the selvages in a tight stipple, a feather in the border, and a specially-designed-by-me freehand design in the X's.

{Post 1,476} Sew Many Posts in a Row!

Is this truly my third post in 3 days?  Maybe I'm back!!

Here is a quilt top I'm machine quilting to give as a gift to a friend who is going to visit on Friday from Colorado.  I haven't seen her for a couple years.  She's the kind of friend that I just continue a conversation with as if I'd seen her yesterday.

This is my Red Zinger selvage top.  Click on the link to see all posts about the Red Zinger.

I came up with a unique design to quilt in the red X's.  The same shape appears in all 4 "arms" and they connect in the middle of the X.  I used red thread on red fabric, so I have a flashlight shining on it to get a good picture.  Hope you can see it!

I like the quilting I've done so far.  I used cream thread first and went through and stipple quilted all the selvage blocks, with a big feather in the border selvages.  Now I'm going back and doing the above design in all the arms plus a back and forth kinda squared off chain in the inner border in red.  I'm pleased with it.  Will show a pic of the whole thing when I finish, which I hope will be tomorrow.

{Post 1,124} Scrappy String Selvage Spiderweb Quilted

Today this entire quilt has been quilted.  I did a simple design so it would not be so stiff (the selvages make it stiffer than usual anyway).  I did a Fern Ziggle (Pajama Quilter design) on the center, reverse curlicues on the gold inner border, and what I call a hook feather on the outside border.

I did the center and inner border with a variegated pastel thread.  After that was finished, I realized I didn't have any thread that matched the outer border.  I didn't really want to wait until the sewing shop opened tomorrow because I had time to sew TODAY.  I looked through my machine quilting threads again, and came across one that sorta matched, but it looked way too gray.  It was from a box my friend Sam sent me a long time ago.  She was getting rid of threads she didn't like and sent me a box.  Thanks, Sam!  After quilting, this one really filled the bill!  it matched so well that I had a hard time seeing it as I quilted.

I'm so grateful for the GOOD things the internet provides.  I have made many new friends through it.  I used a design that I saw just a few days ago on my friend's blog.  The pattern was easy to figure out and went so quickly.  

There was also time to sew on the binding to the front.  I am going to start sewing it to the back tonight.  My daughter's baby was due 2/28 but has not been born yet.  This will keep me busy until we get the word that she is in labor and we start the 8-9 hour drive to go see our grandson!

These are the best pictures I could get until it's washed and dried.

{Post 1,121} Scrappy Selvage String Spiderweb Top Finished

Pushed through yesterday afternoon to get both the outer borders on this quilt.  I already have a quilting pattern in my brain, so I might get started on quilting this soon.  It is about 80" square.

Here is an all-over shot and 2 close-ups:

My plan here was to 1.  use selvages.  2.  use up a bunch of the bright blue fabric (which the back will be made from as well).  3.  make a rainbow theme (please tell me you noticed the stars are red, orange, yellow, green, blue, violet diagonally).

Now to quilt and deliver.

{Post 1,118} Surprise Squishy!

Yesterday I received a squishy envelope from my b-friend at the Country Log Cabin.  She hadn't told me she was sending me anything, so that just increased the anticipation.  You know when you get an unexpected envelope from a blogging friend, it has to be good, right?

It was full of selvages (with lots of the fabric showing!).  How did she know I was working on these for my dear daughter in Wisconsin?  There are 6 rows total.  The leftmost row is folded under to make it fit on the design wall.  The 3 rows on the right are just lying there, waiting to be joined to the mother ship.

Below is my sad little selvage box...it's nearly empty!  My new selvages are going to beef it up quite a bit!  Thanks, Country Log Cabin lady ;)

{Post 1,072} SSSS First 2 Rows Together!

I have the first two rows of 6 blocks sewn together.  I need to make more green blocks before I can move on.  

Here it is so far:

{Post 1,071} SSSS Blocks

This AM while I was cooking grits, I tore off the papers from the back of my green units for the scrappy string selvage spiderweb blocks.  Here they are on the design wall.

A reader asked if I wanted her selvages.  YES!!

BTW, I mailed an envelope of fabric to someone today.  Let me know when it arrives, won't you?

The blocks are 11" square.

I cut out the purple sections for the next diagonal row.  Stay tuned!

~Joan

{Post 1,070} Spiderweb String Selvage Blocks

It's been over a week since I posted!  So much has been happening.

Quiltwise, I started a new project.  It's a spiderweb block made from selvages and is a string project.  Natasha--see any of your fabrics???  I do!

Here is a close-up of a finished "web" with the blocks just stuck to the wall, not sewn together yet:

I am going for a diagonal rainbow color look...red, orange, yellow, green blue, violet, then reverse back out to a red in the bottom corner.

Here's what I have pieced so far.  The selvage strips really multiply and go much farther than one thinks:

More updates later as time permits.

~Joan

{Post 1,063} Ornaments Finished

I finished the first batch of the selvage Christmas tree ornaments.  Now I'm wondering what to do with them!  I would like to sell some to support my habit (of quilting, that is).

Here are six of them:

As I was sewing the jute loops to the top with buttons, I was having trouble finding buttons small enough to use in my button box.  Then *aha* I remembered my small jar of buttons that I'd removed from the men's shirts I was using for quilts.  Perfect!

Making fantastic progress on my 3 identical secret Christmas projects.  Head on over to my secret blog to check them out.  If you need the URL, just email me.

~Joan

{Post #997} My World

Welcome to my world!  The above picture is a shot from my life yesterday.  I got a surprise package in the mail from Natasha.  She had told me it was coming, but what could it be?  SELVAGES!  She had cut into some new fabric and had selvages she saved for me.  How thoughtful is she??


This is a shot from my cutting table.  Starting on the left and going clockwise I have incoming mail, car keys (never far from my hot little hand), a set of I Spy squares I listed on eBay, Thimbleberries scraps, my camera case (also never far), a string setting triangle for my Squares Surrounded top, my water cup, and a 6" x 12" ruler.


Guess how long I've been using that water cup?  It is easy to remember.  My 1,000th post for this blog is coming up (how can THAT be?).  I will have a giveaway in honor of my upcoming 1,000th post for the person who can guess most closely how long that cup has been used by moi.  It is easy for me to remember because I got it on what some would consider a special occasion.  I will give away a set of Thimbleberries FQs to the winner.  Let's set the deadline for guessing as Monday at noon my time (east coast).


The cup has some special qualities.  It has a black interior (which you can't see in the photo).  That was important when I used to drink soda because I favored Diet Pepsi, Diet Coke, or Diet Dr. Pepper.  The kids couldn't tell WHAT I was drinking because even water (my current beverage of choice) looks black when in "the cup".  It is double-walled, so no condensation.  Most importantly, it is really big.  It is seldom w/o ice water in it for me.  


Funny memory...all my kids and DH know that this is MY cup.  Once when DH's father and stepmother were visiting from another state, she walked into the living room saying she had to take some pills and needed a little water to swallow them with.  She walked in holding MY cup, and the kids all collectively gasped.  It was akin to someone sitting in DAD'S chair!!  Thanks to their wonderful upbringing no doubt, none of them actually SAID anything.  


~Joan

{Post #926} Red Zinger

Below are the 36 blocks of my beloved Red Zinger quilt.  I admit it...I love selvage projects.  Having Sam and Pam here pushed me to finish the center of this.  I finished all the blocks this AM and have one 30" section of selvage piano key border finished for the outermost border.  


Yesterday I took out my stack of I spy fabrics to cut some squares and shave off all THOSE selvages.  So now my collection is big again, and bright as well.

{Post #901} Red Zinger and Youngest Son

Last night I wondered what I could sew when I got my next opportunity.  I stitched this earbud holder for myself:

This AM I was hampered by a gnarly cut right at the corner of my thumb nail of my right hand.  It is deep...looks like the skin just cracked because it's so dry outside.  Anyway...I didn't exercise this AM because touching it makes me want to scream.  So I cut out some background blocks for the Red Zinger and sewed 4 more.  


I used some newer non-Thimbleberries fabrics, so I will need to spread the bright colors out a bit.  Some were from I Spy prints and others from Christmas ornaments I put together or my kids for this year.  One strip was from the owl fabric in the above picture.  


This is so fun to sew...very little brain power needed and it's like using up strings, but no need to turn the raw edge under.  Each block finishes at 10". 


Here are pics including my new blocks and a close-up showing the owl print selvage:

That sky/light blue really stands out, doesn't it?  Will definitely need to keep an eye on the placement of those blocks.


My youngest...just time to update a picture of the little nipper:

Ta ta for now...


~Joan

{Post #897} GFG Progress and Selvages

I took my Grandmother's Flower Garden wall hanging to work on this AM while Rachel sold food at the flea market.  I got quite a bit finished because I also took it to the eye doc's waiting room while Isaac had an appointment yesterday.  All I did yesterday was baste hexagons to add later (which ended up being today).  Here' tis...

In other quilty news, I also trimmed off these selvages last night.  Wednesday night is a church service for us.  Mary Jo's is 15 minutes past our church.  I drop our children off early for youth choir, so I often head over to the city for an errand.  I picked up a few scraps and FQs for future block of the month quilts.  I harvested these selvages for future Red Zinger blocks.

I will be working on those in the coming weeks.  I even got some off of the scraps Julie sent me for my February "Count On It" block.  BONUS!!


~JoanG

{Post #851} Potholder Top

I wanted to bind this little potholder for my daughter, Emily.  Some of us are driving down to see her on Friday.  This is my only selvage project that has "Superman" fabric in it.  See the emblem just above the center of the potholder?  Her husband was nicknamed Superman when a little kid saw him on a cherry-picker truck or up on scaffolding or something like that.  I used the insulated fabric shown (made for potholders/oven mitts, etc.) to make it heat-proof and backed it with fabric that will match her kitchen.  Won't show it all because it's supposed to be a surprise.  I doubt she reads this.

Finished hand-quilting my Seeds of Kindness quilt today.  What I thought would be a "Big Deal" moment is more of a "Big Whoop" moment.  Very anticlimatic.  It's in the washer now.  It is a special quilt, but probably only to me. 

~Joan

{Post #850} More Selvage Loveliness

I really AM clearing off my cutting table.  But I'm sewing up the scraps and goodies as I go!  I found these cute potholders online, so I made up 6, 4 on the diagonal...

From the online source:

Mine (not quilted or bound yet, obviously):

I cut a "base fabric" (this is read yucky stuff I had a chunk of on my cutting table) into 6" squares and just made sure they were covered, then trimmed them down after sewing the selvages on.  This time I did not take the time to switch thread out every time...I just kept a dark wheat color in and let the stitches fall where they may.

Here is my next cutting-table-clearing project.  I used 10-1/2" square base fabric (the red).  Then I marked a dot 1-1/2" from the same corner and 5" from each side of the opposite corner.  I used a gray pencil to connect the dots from each 1-1/2" mark to a 5" mark on an adjacent side.  Then I drew a line 1/2" in from where the 5" mark side was to create sort of a triangle.  Then I just took a piece big enough to go from one side to the other and started adding selvages. 

I'm sure this is like any other sewing project...everyone has their own way of doing it.  I line up the selvage side of the fabric with a pencil line and sew as close to the edge as I can.  I do two blocks at a time so I can have a leader/ender thing going.  The next fabric is placed facing the same way so that the selvage is on the same side as the first one.  I overlap the previous raw edge only as much as I have to and then stitch closely to the selvage edge again. 

Here is one block that is 10-1/2" square.  Same sewing as the potholders...make sure some is hanging over and then trim to original size when finished.

Even though what I make is nearly always scrappy, I usually have some unwritten rules.  They are written in this case!  I didn't use a red strip for my first one since the center of the block is a red print.  I broke my own rule by using some very small pieces for the last print that don't have words on the selvages.  I repeated a fabric in a block a couple times, but once they are sewn to each other, it will be so busy that it won't matter.

After I got to where I didn't have enough selvages to start another 2 blocks, I moved something on my table and found 3 very long selvages.  After I do some baking for Rachel this evening (and clean up), I am going to do a couple more if I have the energy.  Wish me luck!

Here are all 8 I did this afternoon...each block finishes at 10" square.

Here is where I sort of got my inspiration (from an online picture):

I used a Thimbleberries red, so of course I am not in danger of burning my retinas out.  Isn't that cool?  Instructions for the Red Zinger are here along with lots of other patterns.

~Joan

{Post #849} Sew-y Tote Bag Gift

OK, so this should be on my secret projects blog, but I don't think the recipient will know it is for her.  I am not even sure she reads my blog any more.  A-n-y-w-a-y-s...I am uncharacteristically thinking ahead for some gifts for Christmas, birthdays, Christmas, babies being born soon, Christmas, etc.  I really wanted to sew tonight.  It's been a while since I've spent quality time with my Janome.

I got the bright idea to make this certain person a tote bag.  I was looking at patterns the other day.  I liked different things about different patterns, so I combined all of them into this bag.  It does not look that impressive in the pictures, but you know how sometimes pics just don't do an item justice?  My husband and dear-soon-to-be-17-year-old daughter both really liked it.

For the past few months I've been collecting selvages.  I had seen some cute ideas out there and thought I'd wish I had some if I ever saw a pattern I just had to make.  Being a scrappy quilter just overflows into other scrappiness.  I decided to make a band of selvages to fit at the top of my tote.  Here is a section close up...

I added a few non-Thimbleberries just to see who was paying attention!

For the handles, I took a 4" side piece of fabric x 25" long and ironed it in half lengthwise, wrong sides together.  I then ironed in a piece of (are you ready for this) IRON-ON interfacing 1" x 25" along the fold on the inside (I'm a little loopy tonight...don't know why).  Then I folded both sides in and ironed them.  I ended up with a 4-layer piece with no exposed seams with a piece of interfacing in there somewhere.  I topstitched it with 5 rows of stitching.  Cute.  Durable.  Not extremely stiff.  Matches the bag. 

One other "Joan" feature...I cut a strip from a leg from a pair of jeans from which I made another gift (pics to come) that was laying on my cutting table (are you following this?).  I used that to make the bottom of the tote bag so it would be more durable.  Genius, right??  Hee hee...

The whole shebang (except for the selvages) was meander quilted with a variegated heavy thread in primary colors.  It matches the spool fabric very well.

Here is a picture of the whole thing...

An hour and a half well spent.  Hope she likes it!!

~Joan