{Post 1,060} Northern Comfort Completely Finished

...and finished is GOOD!!

Size-wise, this covers the top of the mattress on my queen-sized bed. 

~Joan

{Post 1,059} Northern Comfort Border Quilting

Here are some shots from the back on my Northern Comfort quilt.  I did not practice the swirls, but from the front--seriously, they're nearly invisible.  I am giving this to our new pastor and his wife soon.  It's been bound and it in the washer right now.  More pictures of the whole thing later this afternoon.

I used black thread in the bobbin because I hate it when there are dots of the OTHER color of thread on the front or back when the tension is not perfect.  Even when it starts out being perfect, as one sews, it changes at times.  So I saved myself the horror of seeing spots.

~Joan

{Post 1,058} Northern Comfort Well Under Way

The Northern Comfort quilt is nearly finished.  I ordered some channel locks for my HandiQuilter and hope they get here soon.  I might wait for them and do a straight line about 1-1/2" apart in the outer border.  I'd like to master a twirl design, too.  The border fabric is busy, so that would be a good place to practice.

Here is the stencil I stitched in the tan blocks and my Quilt Pounce, which is great for marking the stencils on a quilt already on the machine.  The things on the left are the tension clamps.  So very handy!

I learn something new each time I use the HandiQuilter.  Since I was leaving the outside border for last, I thought I'd just baste around the whole edge of the quilt.  Well, that failed, and I ended up having to rip it all out.  It wasn't terribly difficult or time-consuming, but I thought that would make it easier and was disappointed.

But, all's well that ends well.  I will probably practice the twirl design on my dry erase board tomorrow and quilt the black border with that.  The fabric is busy enough to hide boo boos, and I'll do the spaced lines some other time.

~Joan

  

{Post 1,034} Happy Anniversary to Us! 40/80

My wonderful husband and I celebrate 24 years of marriage today.  Easiest 24 years of my life ;)

I did not get a picture of us (there's one on my phone if you want to stop by to see it).

Here are 40 out of the 80 blocks needed for Ryan's quilt (with the rest well under way):

As I saw and stitched these, my Northern Comfort top was hanging over my quilt frame directly in front of me.  I realized the blocks are identical except that NC has two more strips sewn onto it.  Check it out to compare:

They are also the same size pieces.  They look soooo different!  Which do you like better?  Shirts and muslin or Thimbleberries scraps?

~Joan

{Post 1,033} Northern Comfort Finished, Bricks Started in Earnest

This AM I got up bright and early.  Hubby and I had a "project" that was going to take most of the day.  He got up not feeling 100% and went back to bed.  Whilst I waited for him to get up, I put the inner and outer borders on this quilt, Northern Comfort.  It is in Scrap Bag Sensations by Kim Brackett.  I added another row on the top and bottom in addition to what is shown in the book.  I have measurements, but I left them downstairs!

I am selling a kit of this pattern to my friend A, in Australia.  Here is a close-up of the inner and outer border prints for her.  A brightish green tone-on-tone for the inner and a tiny flowers on a black background for the outer:

I also put some time into a Bricks in the Barnyard for a friend from church.  He picked out the pattern.  As I look at the small stack of squares and rectangles, it is hard to imagine that they comprise a whole large quilt top.  But indeed they do.  I have some more rectangles to cut out for the braid border, but that comes last anyway.  I'll piece the center blocks and use the border for a leader/ender in the meantime.  

I used the same pattern to make a baby quilt for my daughter's sister-in-law.  Just used fewer blocks.  Here is the baby quilt, then the piles and box of pieces.

{Post 1,012} Northern Comfort Center Finished

Here is the center of my Northern Comfort.  I will add the two borders soon.  I think a complete cleaning and reorganizing of my sewing room is on the horizon (and I shudder in fear).  I will add the borders for this and then decide if I'm going to keep it, gift it, or sell it.


It measures 49" x 64.5" now.  I added more rows than the original quilt pattern called for.

{Post 1,008} GFG Ready to Hand Quilt

The quilt top is basted and ready for hand quilting, and I went ahead and made then sewed the binding to the front.  The bright yellow thread is the basting.

I made my daughter a Kindle case.  I shall take pictures later.  I actually made two.  The first one was about 1/2" too narrow.  She requested a pocket on the back for the charger cord.  After I made the too-small one (not too small on purpose) we realized it would not be a good idea to have the charger stored with the Kindle, because it would be easy to crack the screen with a sharp-cornered smaller object being stacked up with it like that.


So when I made the new, larger one (same fabrics), I made a flat pocket for the back for her to put a credit card, license, etc. in if she wanted to.  It turned out very nicely.


I also sewed the vertical seams on these blocks:

Due to my recent I Spy and men's recycled shirt obsessions, I have not sewn with Thimbleberries in quite some time.  This top (above) is the first in a while.  Well, second if you count the apple pie quilt top, which I am happy to say is going to a good home on Monday.

Toodles!

~Joan

{Post 1,005} Northern Comfort Blocks Finished x 48

Since I was so close to having all the blocks for 8 rows finished, I went ahead and made the last 3 so I could take it off the design wall and start webbing...tomorrow!


Here are the blocks laid out:

It calls for a 2" border then a 6" one all around.  That will make the finished size 62" x 77" or thereabouts.  Large enough, I'd think, for a throw for a single guy.


~Joan

{Post 1,004} Northern Comfort

Last year while we were visiting in OH, I found a quilt book in JoAnn Fabrics that I really liked.  There were several quilts in it I wanted to make.  Yes, I'm on a start-a-new-project kick.  It's as if hand-sewing (bindings, etc.) does not count.  I want to be at my machine!!  I think I need a comfy chair down in the sewing room to sit and do hand sewing in.  


Anyway...I started a Northern Comfort quilt today and have made quite a bit of progress.  The original quilt only has 36 blocks.  I probably will add another row around the perimeter at least.  As is, it will measure 61" square.


Here is the progress from the first 9 blocks:

To 19 blocks:

To my final count of completely finished 28 blocks:

Except for 2 cuts from bolts, this is all from scraps.  It calls for 2-1/2" strips.  I even used up some 2-1/2" squares that I found in my pre-cut fabric drawer.  I keep 4 clear plastic shoe boxes on top of my bolt storage for scraps that are fairly small (smaller than a FQ).  


I really like this!  The blocks are 8-1/2" square unfinished.


Off to finish laundry and make some more blocks.


~Joan