Quilt for my Daughter

I asked my daughter to take a look at Fat Quarter Shop and see what fabrics she likes. The Moda Twiggy collection is one she chose and I ordered the 34 FQ set.

I've been thinking about doing a Feathered Star so I designed how to use the 5 color ways. I will probably revize the strips between the stars. The FQs are 22" and the stars are over 27" so I would have to piece the strips. I'm looking at simple star blocks, maybe a two color one, that I can use all around the stars instead.

Log Cabin

This top is about done, just waiting on the border fabric in the dark blue. The fabric is Moda Portobello Market and I use two jelly rolls and 6 fat quarters of just the lights of the collection.

This is such a simple pattern but very effective in how many ways the blocks can be put together. One of my favorites.

Made a quilt with my granddaughter

I've been in Washington state for the last week and I brought with me some charm squares that my granddaughter got at a school fair and fat quarters that I got to go with it. We went to Walmart and got batting, a 130 thread count sheet for the backing, a rotary cutter, mat, and clear 24" ruler.

I was going to do a disappearing nine patch out of it but we just didn't have time. She did some of the sewing after I put a piece of blue painter's tape to mark a 1/4 inch sewing line. Oh... I bought a Brother sewing machine at Walmart too, and an iron!

We layed it out how she wanted it and got it sewed together yesterday evening. Today I did the stitching with the yarn and when she got home from school I showed her how to cut between the stitches and tie each one. I posted the pics on a quilter's message board that I belong to and she is so happy with all the comments from the wonderful ladies there. She wants to do another one!

Ordered a quilting frame

I ordered a quilting frame on Wednesday and I am so excited! It has already shipped and is scheduled for delivery on Friday. I've used a large oval hoop stand since I started quilting and with the new one I won't have to baste the layers together before quilting. I might not be hand quilting every one that I do but it will be great for tying too.

It cost $440 for the Grace FF Z44 Pro quilting frame, a King leader set, 4 side tension bungee clamps, and a daylight swing arm lamp that clamps to the frame. I did searches and comparing and that was a good price for all of them. I got it at Kathy Quilts on eBay. Shipping was only $35 for all of it. I saw other web sites where the shipping alone was $75.

The first quilt I will do on the frame is the one for my brother and I'm going to tie it. I'll have to make a run to JoAnn's on Saturday to get the backing material, batting, and some brown embroidery floss. I have several other tops that need to be done and maybe just to finally get them DONE, I will tie those too. I have one that is tied now but only one edge is bound and I may take it apart and re-do it on the frame. I don't like the yarn that I used on it, it is thin and hard, kind of like string, and I want to use cotton batting instead of the polyester it has now. The Blue Dahlia that I am working on will be hand quilted so if I ever want to enter it in a show it will be worth it.

Disappearing Nine Patch

I just recently saw this block/quilt design (yeah, I've been out of touch!). I placed them in a diamond configuration that makes it look like an on-point setting. The material is Moda Penelope and I got eight sets of 25 charms for it. The background is from the Moda Portobello Market collection and I got 4 yards. For the border I wanted the lighter green in the Penelope collection but after searching the net and asking sellers of the collection if they had it, I settled on the brown floral and got 3 yards.

I made be a little off on the count of extra charms needed out of the brown floral but, I'll post an update to that if I find that am when I put it together.

Giant Dahlia Quilt

I love this pattern and decided to try doing one. I got the Marti Michel giant dahlia templates and it wasn't that hard to make. With the templates you line up reference dots along the curves so you know you are putting them together right. The fabric is called Gypsy Princess and I got it on eBay.

The dahlia center has been applique'd to the background, which is Hoffman, Love is in the Air. I have the applique for the pillow area laid out and one of the large flowers and half the vine is done sewing. The small flowers all have their centers sewn on and the 1/4 seam turned under and basted. The applique is hand done and the dahlia itself was done on machine.

My plan is to put a thin blue border around the body and then use the white for an outer border and applique vines and the simple flowers on the border. We'll see how that plan comes to fruition if I can handle doing that much applique.

My Grandmother's Quilt

I am not sure of the year this quilt is made. My grandmother told me that there was a neighbor lady who couldn't afford the material to make a quilt so she made a deal that if my grandmother would supply the material, she would make a quilt for herself and one for my grandmother.

The hexagons are 1" on each side and it is hand quilted around each one. There is a little yellowing in places on the backing but otherwise it is in brand new condition. I don't think it was ever used or washed as it still has the feel of new material.