{Post #947} Scrappy Trips Top Finished

I have been up since 4 AM (nap coming later this afternoon).  Rachel had to be at a meeting place at 6 AM for a competition some of our church children are attending.  So I've been sewing a little this AM.

Here is my completed Scrappy Trips top.  I used up some of my still leftover watercolor strips for the border.  

  
Now for a few close-ups.  When you see the diversity of these fabrics, you will wonder if I have another screw loose (thanks, Julie).

The point is...ANYthing goes in these scrappy quilts.  As I have preached in the past...just spread out the attention-getting prints.

The inner border is the BACK of a brushed cotton fabric.  It's 1/2" finished.  Then I cut my 6" watercolor border that was left over into 3 two-inch strips (and I still have some left over!).

My next task is to have the patience to cut an entire scrappy bargello out of plaids.  I have started using salad or spinach plastic boxes for storing kits in progress.  I will need to clean out from under my cutting table (I cringe at the thought) to make room for more storage boxes.  I am the president of the "Out of Sight, Out of Mind" club.  We meet right next to Procrastinators Anonymous.

This quilt top measures about 41-1/2" now.  After I finish my Florabunda quilting, I will pop this one on next.

~Joan

{Post #946} 12 Scrappy Blocks

My scrappy trips blocks are 12 strong now.  I am calling it a night as far as sewing.

Here's the barn raising layout with the same blocks:

Several things happened today that made me very happy.  I saved oodles of time and money.  


My sewing machine was malfunctioning.  I bought it y-e-a-r-s ago about 90 minutes from my home.  That's where I have taken it annually since we got it for a check up, cleaning, etc.  Recently I saw that a local vac/sew shop had a "sewing machines repaired" sign up.  I took it over there and found out that the man that repaired my other machines picked up and repaired the ones for the store.  I was not completely happy with that (for reasons I will not get into). 


A few days ago when I was sewing (it was on my Janome 6500), I broke a needle.  The bobbin case had jammed up under the little clear door that covers the bobbin.  It appeared that there was a problem with the bobbin case (over the years I have bought 2 others).  I found a company online that carried the parts for my machine (www.sewingpartsonline.com).  I had a question about a part not listed, and someone emailed me back within an hour.  I was impressed.


Well, back to my story.  My parts came today.  I ordered a needle threader (mine had mysteriously disappeared).  I was able to get that installed w/o bothering my overworked husband, for which I was thankful.  I also received a screw for my cover plate (which went AWOL with my threader at some point...maybe a vacation in Hawaii?).  The replacement screw was 1/4" longer than the one I had.  It would not go down into the plate all the way.    


Then I had a brilliant idea (only because it worked!).  I moved the existing screw to the other hole, and the new one went all the way down into the other hole.  Problem solved.  Well, one problem anyway.


I changed out the bobbin holder and put in a new needle.  I have not sewn for days and was so eager to have some machine piecing time.  First stitch--CRACK--my needle broke.  Same problem as before.  When the case for the bobbin holder rotated, so did the bobbin holder (it is supposed to be stationary).  After some close inspection (and wondering if I could go down to the shop 90 minutes away to drop off my machine tomorrow only to make the return trip in a few days)...I realized it had struck again...ENTROPY.  Our two water disasters of a short while back were caused by the same culprit.  I looked back and don't see where I posted about those...that was a dark day.


Entropy is the explanation for the breakdown within a system.  Loosened screws, pipes, stitches...all entropy's fault.


Anywho...if you are still with me...a screw had loosened that keeps a little tiny miniscule guard in place that keeps the bobbin case from rotating when the area encircling it does.  So with a simple turn of the screwdriver, I was back in business.


Those of you who have a Janome 6500, take heart...I fixed my machine today!!


~Joan

{Post #945} Scrappy Trip Piecing

I did some more machine quilting on my Florabunda.  The design is very small and it is slow going.  It will be worth it in the end, so I'm not complaining, just updating!


Somewhere I saw a pic of dear Bonnie Hunter with two scrappy trip quilts.  I just looked for it and cannot find it.  Some help with that?  One was a baby size made with 2" strips and the other was much larger, made with 2-1/2" strips.  I am in the process of making one from 2" strips.  It's a hodge podge of everything...plaids, florals, and the every-present Thimbleberries.  As with every other scrappy quilt though, it all goes when there's enough variety. 


I am going to have it set 4 x 4 blocks.  That will make it 36" square.  I might add a border and call it done for a baby quilt.

~Joan

{Post #944} Wowser Flower!!

Seriously, if you machine quilt with free-motion designs and do NOT have the Pajama Quilter DVDs, stop reading this and go order them.  I just quilted these beautiful flowers, leaves, and ribbons on my Florabunda quilt.

I cannot recommend Dawn's DVDs highly enough.  A little practice on a whiteboard, and dive right in.  Foolproof designs.

~Joan

{Post #943} Big Finish!!

Tonight at BYOC (bring your own craft) I finished my Highway Hearts quilt.  I have been hand quilting it and only worked on it at home a tiny bit.

It is in the washer now.  I can hardly wait to see it in all its quiltiness!

This one is not leaving, Julie, so don't even get your hopes up!!


~Joan

{Post #942} Quick I Spy

Just yesterday I got the BRIGHT idea of making a friend an I Spy quilt.  She has a son a year old and just found out he's going to be a big brother.  She lives far away, but an I Spy quilt spans the miles, yes??  Since I have lots of 4-1/2" squares cut out already, I just sewed this up last night.  I alternated novelty prints with bright blue squares right out to the edge--no border.  It is about 38" square.  Perfect for getting backing out of a width of fabric.


This AM I quilted it using a "Fern Ziggle" from the Pajama Quilter DVD.  I used a bright multicolor thread.  It turned out sooo cute.  My new frame makes quilting a breeze.  I have a couple other finished tops to quilt, so that is a good thing.


You can see the quilting best on the side view.

Can you see the little fish in the border of the top picture?  I pieced a section of the alternate block fabric between two pieces of that to have enough for backing.  There was a pinch left over, just enough to stretch the binding to go all the way around with left overs of the blue.  

I don't think the recipient reads my blog which is why this is on here and not my secret projects blog.

~Joan

{Post #941} Bow Ties Quilt Quilted

Last night I finished the quilting on my bow ties quilt.  I made up a continuous pattern for the blocks.  It left a space on the alternate blocks, but I'm OK with that.  These are taken outside.

I made a label for the back by making a cream bow tie block against the same background fabric as the backing fabric of the quilt.  I sewed it down on two sides as it is sewn into a corner of the quilt.  I will hand sew down the other two sides this afternoon then wash and dry it and take another picture of the whole thing.

~Joan