Last Pictures - I Promise!

Seeing as I could snag my 4-footed quilt holder, I took two last pictures of the Bull's Eye quilt before it goes into family circulation (that means I may never see it again!). It measures about 96" x 86". I can't express how much I like this quilt. Leeanne got it just right in the comments. She said she liked it because it looks antique, but it's new.

Off to do some more cleaning up and decorating.

~Joan

The Bull's Eye Quilt--She's Finished!

I am happy to say that this quilt is labeled, washed, and dried! I hope you can see the quilting I did in the cream areas. First I used my walking foot and did straight lines through the bull's eye block centers in both directions (with dark brown thread). I used a variegated cream/taupe/tan to quilt freehand circles in the center of the background blocks. It went so well, and I was done in a flash. I love the way the edges of the raw edge applique circles curled up gently after it was washed and dried. What a wonderful and fun quilt to piece!

~Joan

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

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

What on Yonder Design Wall Do I See?

I was just sitting down in the sewing room, waiting for my clothes to dry, when I decided to start sewing a Texas Braid quilt from Bonnie Hunter's new book, "Adventures with Leaders & Enders". Truth be told, I had been cutting "bricks" as she calls them. Two-inch by five-inch rectangles. They were for this project, but I wasn't going to start them for a while. I had spools to sew, by cracky. Once the newly cut spool blocks were pieced, I just put a few braid pieces together. Wow--those clothes sure took a long time to dry! (insert sound track of evil chuckle). My clothes finally dried, but then I had to wait up for my two Chick-fil-A closers to get safely home.

I laid out another spool quilt row. I've decided to make this queen-bed size...MY queen-sized bed. I want to add a border like Elaine's. My Australian blocks did not arrive today. Another day of straining my ears listening for the U. S. Post Office jeep tomorrow.


Here's a close-up of the braid. I have many projects going now. I need to finish another one. Hmmm...which will it be? This pattern used to be free on Bonnie's site, but now it's in her book. Her books are so "her"...light, fun, colorful, and easy to follow!! How's that for a plug, my friend??

Another somewhat-of-a-finish today...I finished piecing my Bull's Eye Quilt. Put borders on and pieced a backing. My sweet Susie said she'd pin baste it for me, so I'll get some pictures soon.

It is now officially tomorrow, so I'm going to bed.

Good night!

~Joan

Bull's Eye - The Center is Finished!!

This quilt has so many hideous blocks in it. But it is beautiful in its own way. This would be a great group project because nothing has to match. I want to put on a thin and then a wider border. The problem is finding something that looks good with it!! I'll be auditioning fabrics soon. It measures 56" x 72" right now.

I think it will look so neat after it's washed and the seam allowances are curled up a bit. If you didn't know, this is done raw edge applique. The seam allowances are on the top of the quilt!

~Joan

A Few More Background Colors for Light Bull's Eye

I've been having so much trouble with my neck being out of line and causing terrible headaches and neckaches. So yesterday I went to the chiropractor to stay ahead of the game. It was noticably uncomfortable, but not out of control...yet. Felt like a million bucks last night. So, to celebrate, early this morning I slipped on a wet tile floor and rammed my head and shoulder into the door jamb while catching all my weight (and that was significant) on my right thumb and wrist. I felt like my right shoulder had been shoved into my neck. So, back to the chiropractor for me today. I do feel better now.

I sewed a few more of these leftover light bull's eye blocks today. I added in the remaining background square colors I plan to use. As with any scrappy quilt, I am liking it more and more as additional blocks are added.

Hope your day is accident free!!

I had heard house cleaning could kill you, but I don't usually risk it!

~Joan

Must Hand Sew...NOW

Here is an I Spy I am making for my sister's family. The colors are much more appealing in person. The orange stretched stars are a nice tangerine-ish orange color. I am going to put two borders on this eventually.

Here is a project that Rachel started from my leftover Bull's Eye pieces. She has lost interest in it (yippee), so I pieced a few blocks. Each quarter block is 4" square. This is an inverse of the coloration on my larger Bull's Eye quilt, and all the background squares are Thimbleberries (so far). The blocks are one inch smaller than my original. I am using the trimmings from the background blocks for my circles on this one. Couldn't just pitch them!!

What I should be doing is finishing up some of my hand-sewing projects. I allow them to languish while I work on other things. Why?? Why do I do that? I guess because machine piecing is satisfying because it goes so quickly. Unfortunately, that results in even more unfinished quilt tops and UFOs.

I'm going to spend the rest of my free time tonight hand sewing on my Seeds of Kindness top. It is fairly close to being finished. I am thinking about appliqueing the wavy border onto a rectangle, then hand quilting it. Susanna has already offered to baste it for me. What more could a girl ask for??

Soon I need to pick up my children from the nursing home ministry, then I think we are having two college girls join us for supper, then my oldest daughter will be home from work. I can't understand why I don't have an hour here and there to hand sew!!

~Joan

Bull's Eye Blocks on Design Wall

Here's what we have so far. I think this should be called "Where's the Kitchen Sink?" It's dizzying up close with all the different prints, but from afar, how beautiful (like it's maker, hahaha). The farther away you get, the better it looks!

I laid these atop my apple core quilt, so you see it showing through on the bottom right corner. The blocks finish at 8" square, so this section is about 40" wide by 48" long.

I think I'm going to sew these together to keep them sort of orderly. Yes--that will be my project for tonight.

~Joan

Progress on Bull's Eye

My Bull's Eye buddy came over for a couple hours last night. We finished about 15 more blocks, which means 30 more units for each of us. We are a little over halfway with completed units and have a few backgrounds and circles cut out as well.

I made a stacking error when I put things away a couple months ago. I thought I had over 180 units (we need 252 each). When my friend arrived, we remembered that she left some of her blocks here (not a good realization). She only brought 50-some with her. After we straightened things out, we both had 91. But after last night's time, we have 131 each.

My design wall is layered with several quilt tops and pieces...the bottom-most layer is my spool quilt, then my Seeds of Kindness, and then this, made by my Susanna.


Off to another fun-filled day.

~Joan

11-20-09 Bull's Eye

Here is my Bull's Eye quilt so far. There will not be much progress on it for the foreseeable future. Something about a scavenger hunt, girls' Sunday school party, breakfast guests, extra play practice, feeding 20 on Sunday, and I think there is a major cooking holiday coming up, too. At least that's the word on the street.

So...I did the unthinkable and stored away all my parts and pieces for this quilt until my lovely friend can come over and play again. I might call this the potato chip quilt...just one more block...just one more...SO addictive. Each quarter block adds a little more flavor, a little more za-za-za-zing!! How much more can it take? About twice as much since this represents only half of the blocks of the finished quilt. Yes, it will be a feast for the eyes. To think that this is made up primarily of fabrics for which we could see no future.

~Joan

11-12-09 Bull's Eye Progress

Diane came over to sew again today. Here is a picture of our progress so far. After just two sewing sessions, we are nearly halfway finished with our blocks. These are just the completely finished ones. We have lots more in various stages of completion. Not too bad for fabrics we were ready to pitch, huh?

Luke made me a new design wall this morning that is far superior to my old one, although it did the trick for a many years. The old one was formerly screwed into a wall in our home. Now I don't have the wall space, so the most important characteristic of the new on is that it must be portable. We went to Lowe's and had several funny moments just being us. We got a sheet of 1/4" plywood and a piece of 3/4" foam insulation board. I had gotten a flannel-backed tablecloth on clearance yesterday for $3. I didn't realize you would be able to see the apples through the back, but oh, well.

Luke stapled the plywood to the insulation, then wrapped the tablecloth with the flannel side out and stapled it in to the plywood on the back. With the insulation board on the front, I can pin blocks in place if necessary. The plywood on the back makes it much better for leaning against a wall or bookshelf. Thanks, Luke! Oh, and yes--the Lowe's guy DOES speak English!

~Joan

11-11-09 Bull's Eye

I was up at 6 with a horrid headache, so I decided to sew a few half blocks. They take next to no thought, and I had my iPod playing the end of the book of Judges and then Ruth. Naturally I wanted to see what the addition of those blocks would look like, so I added them to my design wall to get the full effect.

Diane, I put half of the half blocks in your stack!

~Joan

Bull's Eye Progress

Had our first sewing session for the Bull's Eye quilt last night. Here is our progress for the night (only two hours). We got a lot of cutting done, of both background squares and circles (which are hand cut). We spent quite a bit of time sorting through fabrics. My friend brought all HER uglies, and coupled with mine, the above is our results. The best part of the night was having time to chat!

~Joan

Bull's Eye Quilt Top Blocks

I commented on my last post that I was making a raw-edged seam allowance quilt top with a friend. This is one of the easiest and most relaxing quilts to be made! I don't want to plagiarize the instructions, but just answer a few questions. The blocks are made by laying a large circle on the square, then stitching a seam allowance with a sewing machine. The back is cut out and the next smaller circle is then centered and sewn, and finally the smallest circle. The circles are to be cut out free hand, too, but I make mine really close to perfectly round. I can't take THAT casual!! After all the blocks are made, you cut them into fourths and mix them up and resew them. Very easy, great stash buster, and even greater when done with a friend.

~Joan

New Fall Table Runner...

...it's still in the quilt top stage, but I pieced a new fall table runner for us. I used up all scraps except for the black for the chain running diagonally through the top. Quick and easy. I originally had 6 blocks, but it ended up being too long for our table for twelve. A little frog stitching, and I was all set! It's very large (don't have an exact measurement). My daughter is standing on a chair in the pic, and it's barely off the floor.

I also pieced a few blocks for a quilt I'm going to be piecing with a friend. It's the 21st Century Bull's Eye from Quilts from Aunt Amy by Country Threads. I wanted to make a few blocks to show my friend what it will look like on a small scale. The seam allowances are on the top, so they curl up slightly after washing and add an interesting dimension to the quilt. Another stashbuster!

~Joan