Wednesday, August 28, 2019

Christmas Table Runners

I took a little time to get a stack of table runners quilted for my church sewing group, Mission Stitchers.  We are coming down to the wire on our October fall market.  I worked with a small group of ladies this year concentrating on Christmas themed table runners and tree skirts.  We were also trying to cull through our bins of donated Christmas fabrics.  I think we came up with some nice projects that will sell.  All the money collected goes to charities in Houston who serve women, children and babies.


Lots of traditional prints in these table runners


This is a fun table runner with some newer prints & color scheme! 

Working on these reminds me I probably need to think about upcoming shows & what I am going to sell.  Sigh. 

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Have a Creative Day, Y'All! 



Saturday, August 24, 2019

Orange and Blue Collage: Available for Purchase


Orange and Blue
Mixed Fabric Collage
Machine Sewn 
38 x 29 inches
$300

PayPal Available
Shipping extra

 





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Tuesday, August 20, 2019

Raw Edge Collage: Orange and Blue

This is how it all started.
Over the weekend I sorted and organized a lot of fabric with the idea of picking pieces for promised charity quilts.   I've been evaluating my stock carefully.  I gave a huge stack of drapery weight fabric to another sewing group at church and sewed a big pile into heart pillows.  Mindless sewing but so satisfying to see those fabrics sewn into service for recovering patients. 

I still had those 4 big boxes of upholstery samples staring at me & taking up precious space.  Sunday I culled through them again removing the samples with a rubbery backing or just too stiff for a quilt; their original intent was for outdoor furniture.  That left 2 boxes that might be suitable.  The top of one box had the colors I like so I moved it closer to my worktable.  I even returned fabrics to the storage room from the worktable.  That means progress!

My hands have been very sore lately.  I may have overdone the rotary cutting a few weeks ago.  I decided to sew on my domestic machine which amounted to meditatively pushing fabric under the pressure foot; not much hand work.  I managed to finish my 20 log cabin blocks for a charity quilt.



Then I had the brilliant idea that I could sew quilts with very large patches.  It would save my hands from a lot of cutting and use fabrics quicker.  I could get improvisational with the machine quilting and just have some fun.  Sunday evening I built a new Pinterest board with some ideas to remind me.

Monday morning  I was eyeing the box of samples again.  I decided to piece a very wide stripe I could position as part of a composition for this new "big pieces" quilt idea.  I used colors I like.  Even with a heavy press, the seams were awkward and bulky.  A few good sized patches into the project I knew I wasn't going to continue down this path.  I have enough cotton fabric I don't feel I have to make these polyester samples work for my projects.

BUT, I had a nice composition sewn.  I measured it for a spot on one of my walls.  It would work.
I have enough pieced work for that spot to last a long time.  I recently changed one of my wall hangings and reminded myself then to change them more regularly.   I don't need to make another one.

I put the piece on the longarm and decided to add raw edges and new patches to break up the spaces more.  If I wasn't convinced beforehand the seams were too bulky, then I really was sure when I broke 2 needles.  It always scares me a little to break longarm needles.  I feel like that leads to timing issues.

I sewed the rest of the day on the composition.  It's ready for trimming and binding.
I remembered 2 fundraising opportunities in September so I'll likely donate it.  I like it!






Below is the top section



Below is the bottom section



The piece measures roughly 30 x 39 inches.
I really love the worn out/faded/wrinkled fabrics more than the samples. 

I've finally acknowledged the solution for these samples.  I'll pull the colors I absolutely like, the rest will be donated.  I'll use those colors for raw edge work.  The romance of free fabric that I "might" be able to use is over with these pieces.  I really need to be more selective about what I accept as free fabric.  It has a tendency to clog my creative space and mind.  It's OK to pass it along to another creative person or group.

Here are the questions?
Continue sewing some raw edge work with the small amount of remaining pieces?  (No deadline!)
Machine quilt the 20 Angel Tree quilts waiting for me?  (December deadline!)
Machine quilt the sewing group projects waiting too?  (October deadline!)

Yea, that pendulum just keeps swinging back and forth, doesn't it?  😀😀

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Thanks for sticking with me here! 

Have a Creative Day, Y'All! 



Thursday, August 15, 2019

Fabric In & Fabric Out

I'm still assessing my fabric stash.  I decided instead of spending the effort and energy to dye those fabrics I would pass some along to another stitching group and sew what is left.  There is probably only a few quilts in the piles.

At my sewing group today I talked with a few friends who sew in another group making totebags and comfort pillows for the hospital district.  They can use the drapery weight cottons I am eager to move out of my stash.


I was at a meeting Tuesday night and one of my friends gave me a shopping bag another friend gave her who had asked if she knew anyone who sewed.  I came to mind immediately.   So another pile of quilting cottons.  There are some nice prints and more of what I am trying to use of my own stash.  It's all good for the twin quilts for the Houston Furniture Bank. 




Everything is going to work out well.  I like that! 

It's been really hot here in Houston!  I received an energy alert from the utility company this afternoon to conserve energy from 2-7 pm.  I took the initiative and turned my air conditioning off & have been using a large fan.  So far it's been OK.  I usually turn off my air conditioner at night & just sleep  under my ceiling fan.  I hope you are enjoying the summer & not sweating to death! 


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Have a Creative Day, Y'All!

Monday, August 12, 2019

What I Did this Weekend!

I have a very generous offer on my sewing table.  One of my friends & charity quilt supporters has pledged a roll of batting for my work.  This has opened up my thinking!  Now I can use the lighter colored fabrics I've been ignoring because I didn't have any batting to use under them.  Yea!  What a blessing!

Some of my old friends saw the light of day this weekend.  Combined with the newly arrived sewing group fabrics I spent the weekend cutting & sewing 9 patch blocks.   Down for the count 45 blocks sewn!
For now I am keeping the pattern as : middle square different + 4 corners alike + 4 cross squares alike
Some blocks have low contrast, some blocks have higher contrast.  In the total composition I think it will work out fine.  Or not.  Oh well! 😎😎   Isn't that Llama fabric cute?  Those 5" charms were given to me the other day.



I cut a whooping pile of 5" charm blocks paired together for 40  9 patch blocks.  


I discovered the other evening that if I spent about 15 minutes, I could sew about 10 blocks.  I anticipate these being sewn very shortly. 

The little scraps leftover from these blocks turned out to be 5" wide (well, duh!) so I cut an 88" length of fabric to use as a base.  By the end of Saturday I had 2 lengths sewn with all those little scraps.  Phew!  those kind of scraps can get on my nerves after awhile.  Now they are ready for a coins quilt.


The leftovers from the charm squares were sewn into lengths of strips.  I like to take similar widths and sew them end to end.  I keep the top edge straight.  These are great for scrappy stripes when I am sewing a quilt top on the longarm.  It's very similar to the jelly roll quilt idea. 


Once I get all of a given width sewn together I roll them on a cardboard.  Now they are ready for use.


I have a few lengths to roll this morning.  


Last night while watching Grantchester (love that show!) on PBS, I dug through my scrap box & found some blocks that will never be sewn.  The main piece had this 4½" central square.  I pulled it and will use it for the middle of 15 log cabin blocks.   I have a small stack of narrow strips I can sew for the logs.  I'll concentrate on that today.  I need to give my hands a rest from all the cutting this weekend.



Only a quilter will probably understand how victorious I feel getting these miscellaneous scraps under control.  It started with my friend's generous offer.  I feel like I can walk into my storage space and pull any fabrics I want to sew.  One kindness leads to another one.  This weekend's work probably represents 5 - 8 twin sized quilts for children. 

Here are  2 thoughts percolating in my brain:

1. Buy a Go Cutter!   My hands are not going to last much longer with the repetitive motions from 50 years of sewing.

2.  I have some stacks of pastel colored solid fabrics.  Like all the fabric in my stash, they came from a variety of sources (not all purchased ones!).  I don't think pastels will be as useful for charity quilts as other tones might be.  I'm thinking about dyeing them.  Maybe orange (I love orange!) or deep turquoise or ????

I've had some of these fabrics 20+ years.  I know the stack of dusty pinks came from a design source in the late 1980s.  Time to move them along, don't you agree?  😎😎



That purple is ghastly & it's stiff. It's probably more suited for totebags for grocery shopping rather than quilts.
Whole lotta pink going on there.
I lived a long time with households full of males.  I think I just wanted some pink to remind me of my femininity.  


I'm quickly tiring of these colors.  



These yellows aren't too bad but I would like them to be brighter. 


These dusty pinks/oranges would be the 1st I'd dye.  They need a new purpose besides hogging shelf space.

I should probably dye the 3 foot locker sized tubs of white and beige fabric I have too.  Come to think of it.  I have an old school style washer with the center agitator so dyeing should be easy.

Please join the conversation!  💬💬
I love your stories and suggestions.  
They often give me the nudge I need to think differently about my humongous stash. 

Have a Creative Day, Y'All!


Edit:   One of those '80s chintz fabrics volunteered to be the backing fabric for the log cabin blocks.  My fabrics are nice like that; they realize not every piece will be the Star!  Some fabrics need to be Supporters!   ðŸ˜ŽðŸ˜Ž

Friday, August 9, 2019

Sure, I'll buy that!

On Fridays I have a standing appointment near a very good Goodwill store in an upscale neighborhood.  I make a point of stopping & I can usually find something to buy.  Today was no exception.  My main focus lately is accumulating fleece blankets for batting.  Once inside the store I headed straight to the bathroom.  I have to get that out of the way for my power shopping, right?

In the staging area ready for distribution to the floor was the household goods rack.  Of course I'm going to take a look & then take what I want.  I like to help the merchandise stockers that way!  Less for them to put out, you know!

These are both brand new Michael Miller fabrics.  The cowboy print is 9 yards (in 3 lengths) and the sports print is 6½ yards (in 3 lengths).  I paid about $18 so that averages about $1.20/yard.  Michael Miller fabrics retail about $10/yard. 

Sure, I'll buy that! 



Not too shabby in the fleece blanket department either.  
Four Large lap sized blankets
and a King sized blanket!  
(I use blankets for batting in my quilts.) 

Total $16.00  

Sure, I'll buy that! 



What's your best sewing supply score from the thrift store?

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Thursday, August 8, 2019

Well Because Why Not?

As I drove to the church sewing group meeting today, I was in such a panic.  I was feeling like I was running out of fabric.  Then as I opened the door to the meeting room sprawled out in front of me was a long table of fabric piled high.  One of the founding members of the group recently died.  Her daughter asked the group to come to the house and take all the sewing supplies.  Her mother had a 2 car garage full of her sewing supplies. 

Oh my heart was full of joy again!  Some of the fabric was being earmarked for the group's yearly projects.  Most of it was being given to any members that wanted it.  Hello?  that would be Me!  I tried not to appear to overzealous & let others choose first.  Then I neatly filled my boxes with the leftovers.  From what I understand we'll be doing the same next week & maybe the following week too. 

Everything looked good to me for charity quilts.  There's a big variety and lots of prints for masculine quilts.  I'm feeling very blessed at the moment!



This fabric along with the roomful I already own will be great for scrap quilts.  

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Do you ever receive free fabric?  How do you feel about it? 

Have a Creative Day, Y'All! 


Tuesday, August 6, 2019

Angel Tree Quilts: 2 for the Girls & 2 for the Boys











From my generous friend Deborah and the lovely ladies in my church sewing group for the kids of Angel Tree. 

I love how a humble 9 patch block can be worked so many fabulous ways! 
I pieced a few of the backings so I can use up some short pieces of fabric.  I ended up sewing binding for these because well, I did.  Keeping the quilting simple.

Here's the Official Angel Tree count:

Goal:  75 - 100
Finished:  40  
Ready for Quilting: 14
Promised: 10 - 12
Need:  35-40

If you would like to send a top, the size is 45 x 60" and any pattern is fine. 
 Darker colors and gender neutral are preferred but not required.

We are well on our way to making the December Christmas goal!  

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Your comments are great to read!

Have a Creative Day, Y'All!