Wednesday, November 17, 2010

Feeling Fuzzy

The last week or so, I've been piecing these flannel blocks...I'd make a set of 3 fabrics each night. The pattern is called Fat Quarter Squares. There were 21 fat quarters in the kit, each one making 3 blocks that finish 9-1/2" square. I have not sewn with flannel for some time, and it was...was...different. The flannel swallows up any stitches. I'm thankful I didn't have to rip any out. Don't think that would have gone very well. The finished quilt is 63" x 81"

I am bartering yardage of fabric in exchange for machine quilting service by a friend. I don't think I could wrestle this in all it's fuzzy puffiness under my domestic machine. Notice how if you twist each block the opposite way, the only seams that need to meet are the corners of the blocks?

Here is a look a little farther out. Pretty colors. Most are Thimbleberries. I bought this as a kit so long ago that I don't even remember if I lived in this house at the time.

And even farther back. My camera was left in GA two weekends ago. I just found out that it was mailed yesterday. So I snagged my son's to take the pictures.


I will sew the blocks to each other soon. Stay tuned...
~Joan

Sunday, November 14, 2010

Steps and Stars Just Needs Hand Sewing

I know--the above picture isn't a quilt. But it is one of my lovely offspring! Wearing my cow apron! And my chef's hat. What is going on there? Cookie baking, of course. Just a pic for my post. I left my camera in GA last weekend so I borrowed this from my daughter's blog.

I did a lot of sewing this past few days. I machine quilted a quilt for a customer (Ruby Slippers) and made then sewed the binding onto the front by machine. Then I also finished the quilting on my Steps and Stars quilt. I have about 1-1/2 sides hand-sewn to the back, so that is coming right along.

I tried to get my ancient Singer free motion quilting machine up and running, but the thread broke after just a few inches of stitching over. and. over. and. over...very exasperating. I am debating about whether to try to get it repaired (again!) or just pitch it.

Anywho...pics to come when my camera arrives home. I wish I had taken a pic of the Ruby Slippers. I just did loop-de-loops on it, but it did look lovely.

~Joan