Bull's Eye Quilting

Finally started machine quilting this baby tonight. I have had the borders on for some time. Tonight I pin basted it using my Little Gracie frame. I pinned it so that I could stitch in the ditch one way in the center through the middle of the pieced circle blocks and remove MOST of the pins. I use straight pins. Safety pins would be, well, SAFER, but they are a pain to put in and take out. As it is, I just wrestle with the porcupine, fling the straight pins towards the pink magnetic pin cushion in front of the serger in the picture, and get a few scratches.

Making this used up so many ugly prints. Plus I used a piece of backing that someone sent me way back when that I forgot I had. Win-win!


Here is a close-up of the border fabrics. The inner border is chocolate brown and the outside is an orangy-red (the color of tomato soup). The quilting thread matches the border soooo well that it's hard to see.

I am quilting loops and hearts in the border. I also made a scrappy binding using up even more of the ugly fabrics that we used in the center. Also pictured are the Machingers (machine quilting gloves). They are wonderful. Not hot and give one great control. Plus they were only $7!!

That's enough for tonight. Off to bed soon. Hope you enjoy a quilty day.

~Joan

CHECK This Out

FRONT:

INSIDE:COVER OPEN AND LYING FLAT:

So far I have not caved to the "make something with your fabric selvages" rage that I've noticed here and there. Until last night, that is. I saw the pattern for this checkbook cover on a blog. Seeing as my cover was split, it seemed like the perfect opportunity to try it out.

The amazing thing here is that I had some non-Thimbleberries selvages to include.

This whole project took about 30 minutes to make, and that included changing threads to match and cutting the selvages from fabric edges.

~Joan

Need New Shoes?

The other day when I showed this quilt, did you think, "I'd like to have one just like that"? Well--now is your chance. I just listed this on eBay last night. It was one of those I'd-really-like-to-try-that-pattern moments. Now I've got that out of my system.

Go to www.ebay.com and search for Ruby Slippers Quilt. Or you can look to the left and click on whistlersmother10's auctions.

~Joan

Moving Piano Playing

Last night my DH, son, and two college guys moved our piano from upstairs to downstairs. We are in the midst of some major (and I do mean major) furniture rearranging and general household organizing. God only knows what's been thrown out in the past month. And He's not telling...neither is Susanna!

We are hoping the move makes it better for all, contains the piano playing noise in a different room and level of the house, and allows for more space in the desk areas.

Upward and onward...

~Joan

New Footwear?

Ruby Slippers...this is a two-color quilt. The pattern is from Atkinson Designs. I pieced this during several evenings of insomnia. It lacks an outer border yet. Soon...very soon.

This is "baby" size...with the border, it will be about 65" x 45", I think.

A close-up of the center...very fast and easy. The blocks finish at 6" square.


A busy day of laundry, weeding, cooking, and possible some painting later...if it all comes together!

~Joan

Two Tops Ready to Machine Quilt

I am going to be getting machine quilting thread for the borders of these two quilts in a few minutes. I can't find a picture of my 20th Century Bull's eye with borders, but they are dark brown inner border and a orangy/dark red for the outer. Stay tuned--it will be machine quilted before you know it. Hahahahaha...

Here is the center of my Steps and Stars...I added the outer two borders this AM...

I will be looking for a matching green thread for the outer border.


This measures about 70" x 90"...much bigger than I originally anticipated.

Eager to get started on these, but first, a trip to the quilt shop for thread.

~Joan

As The Stomach Turns

I am writing this post at 2:37 AM. Yes, that's right--AM. No--I don't know why. I think it has to do with the change of life. Seeing as I've been sleep deprived for nearly 22 years now, this hardly constitutes a change. Usually I am awakened during the night by someone or something. Now I just can't fall asleep. So I guess that IS a change. Any suggestions for making this stop would be greatly appreciated.

As I lay in bed earlier--much earlier--staring into the inky blackness, I kept thinking about Ruby Slippers. That is the name of the quilt pictured above. The one I have cut and pieced since midnight tonight. After I looked through all the patterns I have pulled but not made over the past ten years. The ones that live in clear page protectors in my bookcase in a magazine file. Now I at least have refreshed my memory and can dream of others that have suffered neglect for far too long. Like this one that I only had the pattern for 14 years or so before making it this fall.

I only cut up the red scraps still in a pile on my cutting table from the huge mother load I bought from my sister and the cream from a bolt. The quilt top is half-finished if it's a twin size. I might make it larger. This truly worked up sooooo quickly. The pieces are larger than I usually use. It's an Atkinson Designs pattern, so there is no pinning...all the pressing assures that the units just fall into place.

The reds run the gammit from pinkish to bright red to rust to barn red. One has tiny bits of green, but you sure can't see it from the distance from which the picture was taken. All Thimbleberries naturally. Gotta use what you have.

Instead of Ruby Slippers, this might be Insomnia Solution.

~Joan