Around the World Blog Hop

I was tagged by Karen at Karen’s Quilts, Crows and Cardinals for the Around the World Blog Hop happening in Blogland.  I discovered Karen a while ago when she posted the most beautiful project:  "Redbird and Berries" for the Moda Bake Shop. In fact it has been so popular, she is now teaching a couple of classes on it in Ithaca, NY nearby to where she lives. That’s what I love about the NET – you can make friends around the World, learn so much, and see so much to inspire one. 

The point of the blog hop is to introduce ourselves, share what we do, how we do it, why we do it – you know that creative process that drives our quilting.  Then after posting our writing on this, I tag three other bloggers (they don’t have to be quilting bloggers) who have agreed to do the same. 

So let’s get started.  I’m Angie and I live in Southern California.  I’ve been sewing since I was six years old when my mom bought me my first sewing machine.  It was a toy one, but it did the job and stitched a pretty seam.  Wish I still had it, but we moved a lot in those days and sadly somewhere it got left behind.  Mom then let me use her Singer.  I should tell you my mom has been a professional seamstress all her life.  And at 88 she is going strong still doing alterations and whatever they ask of her – she says it keeps her in mad money and busy.  As life happened, I didn’t get into quilting until 1986.  My first project was two 20” pillows my neighbor talked me into making.  They were Virginia Reel blocks and the method was stitch and flip.  It went so well, I decided to do another project and like most beginning quilters, I thought nothing of starting a queen sized quilt for our bed.  I did get the blocks put together after cutting templates out of cardboard.
The color is off - more teal and pink.

  I didn’t pick the friendliest of patterns – lots of set in seams and triangles. Not sure but I think it was called Dove in the Window. Twenty-three years later I have yet to finish it. In those days everyone was hand quilting.  Here’s the back. 

Think I’m about two-thirds of the way done.  Some day!

As to the creative process, I've never thought about it much.  As you can see from my second project, I tend to find something I like and just start on it and try to learn something along the way( think leap before I look).  I like to make blocks, and I think making a flimsie is probably my favorite part of the process. After many charity quilts, I learned that I like to simplify the process wherever I can, not necessarily to make a simple quilt, but to make them faster.  I’m a promoter of the Quilt As you Go Method.  Here’s one of my first ones, and it came from a yard sale find of a bag full of fabric and this remnant of a quilt that had been cut up. I essentially had to take it apart and re-size the blocks and then put them back together again. One of my few with sashing.


Then a friend of mine gave me a pile of her orphan blocks she had made and I decided to give them right back to her as a completed quilt –

-  even the back turned out to be blocks she had made. Again a QAYG.  It was the only way I could have quilted it.

Then I did a BOM for a Yahoo group I belong to and also put that together as a QAYG.


I don’t often do the sash type of QAYG as you can see here in one of just a couple of years ago.

I just recently taught a class on QAYG – the simplest form – to guild members my latest charity quilt and it took only 4 hours to make - again no sashing.

With time, my creative process has sent me down different pathways, away from samplers for the most part.  I tend to want to make quilts now without outer borders or with an interesting border. 
What am I working on now?  I’m learning to quilt my quilts, became intrigued with hexagons and EPP (needed a sit down project to take when waiting somewhere), and in love with applique.

I’m finding with each pattern I attempt – there is always something I change to suit what I envision.

Okay, enough about me.  I want to thank Karen for nudging me to think about my creative process and I invite you to visit those tagged next Monday, Sep 8th  ,  when three of my blogging friends will  continue this Around the World blog hop.

First, there’s Rhonda at Ravely1 who lives in Texas on an old farm homestead – such an artistic lady!  I first found her doing a search for chicken patterns for a friend who raises chickens. Hers are so cute, I had to go and read her blog.  She has some wonderful patterns that she shares with her readers.

Then there’s Susan at CQ4FUN in Knoxville, TN.  I love her book reviews of all kinds, her embroidery projects. Susan also has a wonderful BOM blog where you can find many ongoing BOMs for 2014 in one place.

And last, but not least, do visit Jennifer of Curlicue Creations who also lives in an old farmhouse. This one is in NC. She has such fun patterns (several published in leading magazines) and has an eclectic collection of quilt projects she is working on.  I feel very attuned to her process of quilting.

Again, these ladies will be sharing their creative process on Monday, Sep 8th. Do go and see them and learn more about this trio and their creative process.  

I love to read comments, so please leave me one and I’ll come see your eye candy,read your blog/see your photostream, and reciprocate.

Bye for now and blessings!

Hexie Weekend

Wednesday, I went to the doctor and took my Hexie kit with me to finish up my yellow flower from last week and start another, but I was hardly there enough time in the waiting room to even do one side of my last hexagon.  I was in and out of the office in 35 minutes.

So, as I'm always saying when I open the linky that we love all kinds of eye candy, I'm going to show today a couple of no hexie  finishes:  one a piecing finish and one an FMQ finish.
Here's the latest rag quilt top I made for St. Anne's after fellow member clipped and washed it.  These blocks were a donation to our ministry.

Finished Monday is the second baby panel I transformed into a quilt for a worker at the library where I volunteer.
 This is my third quilt I have finished on my MS Juki. I'm loving trying FMQ with it.
 There were some large spaces empty of picture elements so I extended the panes in the window as criss-cross lines on the wall.
 For the bunting the bunny was wearing I chose to do vertical line to anchor the quilt as well as around him.
 More of the cross hatch in the carpet.
 It was serendipitous that I had a Peter Rabbit fabric for the back.
And here is the finished, bound quilt - now with expectant mom waiting for Ezra Jeremiah's birth.  He's due Sept 9th.

What are you working on? Would love to see your eye candy - hexies or otherwise. See blue button below.
I'm linking to Richard's Link a Finish Friday, Amanda's Finish it up Friday, and Amy's Free Motion Quilting Adventures.  See you there and here too, I hope.  Have a blessed weekend.


Applique Tuesday

Well, school has officially opened.  What that means for me is that I'm back to kids Tuesday, Wednesday, and possibly some Thursdays. Don't get me wrong:  I love interacting with them - I just won't be sewing as much (if any) on those days.  I do have a bit of applique to share.  First I machine appliqued the circle to my Block Lotto block.  You can see it in my previous post entitled Sunday, Sunday.

Today while Alan was napping:
 Had lunch, then assembled the tools I need to start turning back the seam allowance on this BB* block.
Turned back the seam allowance in the center using the starch/freezer paper method.

 Here's how it looks in the front.  Playtime over - Alan has awakened after an hour and a half nap.
That's all for today.  Leave me a comment and I'll come see your eye candy.    BB= Benjamin Biggs

Sunday, Sunday the 24th

First, Hexie Weekend is still open.  We'd love to see your eye candy - Hexie or otherwise - it's all great to see.

Coming off my design wall is a block lotto block. I'm calling it my purple cone flower.  The center is not really black, but the darkest brown with some squiggly yellow and green circles.
I'm months behind on my Block Lotto blocks because of this block.  My least favorite method of making a block is paper piecing.  But I got it done - measures 14 1/2" square.  On to the July and August blocks

I found 2 more yards to give away. Used a fat quarter's worth of fabric for the block above and a yard for the back of a charity quilt I taught at the workshop, Saturday, for our guild.  I showed how to make a simple quilt as you go with no sashing and a solid (all one piece) back.  Four of us made a 32" neonatal quilt in 4 hours.  I was so proud of them.  I'll show photos later.  I took pics with my phone and I haven't figured out how to download them yet.

Lastly, I found a candy cane rose while watering.  One of the few to bloom during our drought.

I'm linking to Judy's Patchwork Times and Lyn's BOMs Away.  Check them out.

Hexie Weekend!

Two hexie projects to show you.

First one was on my design wall.  I got it put together after I watched this You-Tube video:

Such a neat trick she has - no marking corners! Sorry this was from 2012 so probably no kits left - LOL.
Here's my finished top:

 I still have to decide if I will square it or leave two of the borders zig zaggy.
AND I've almost finished another hexie flower.

What have you been up to?  Link up and show us your eye candy - hexie or otherwise. Linky below.
I'm linking to Crazy Mom Quilts Finish it Up Friday since I finished putting together my top. See you there.


Applique Tuesday

Still no applique. Alan here today, and yesterday, I drove two hours to the store where I bought my Juki.  After several calls to the service dept, we both realized that there was something not quite right about the TL 2010Q and they needed to see it.  I got there a few minutes after the store opened.  They helped me unload and set up my machine.  I then began with the walking foot issue.  I put that foot on and started to sew.   After about a minute, both the sales rep and I noticed a definite change to the noise the machine was making.  Right away she sent for a technician.  Mario, a very nice and patient tech, listened to my concerns and my machine and said, yes, it needed fine tuning.  First, the walking foot was getting hung up on the screw that holds the needle - happens sometimes - he bent the arm and now seems to be working and adjusted the needle to go down directly in the center of the whole of the throat plate - thus making the bobbin hook consistently catch the top thread and stop the skipping of stitches.  Took it home and have been sewing with it for about 2 hours and it looks like the problems have been solve. Thank the Lord!

And today, Alan is here so no sewing being done.  I am presently quilting another baby quilt that I need to gift by the end of the week. I'll take a photo for Friday.

In the meantime, here's a tip about applique fabric I learned from Marguerite Tate at the workshop she gave for my Guild.

Keep your bits and pieces of fabric to which you have ironed Soft Fuse, Steam a Seam, Heat and Bond, or any fusible in a air tight plastic bin.  She has multiple bins with a different color in each.  Mine is not that extensive of a collection so they are in one.  This makes it so easy to find fabric already fused for my LE.  You know how many fabrics are needed in tiny pieces for that WIP.  Marguerite said keeping them away from air makes the fusible last longer until you need to use it.

In closing I have a question for those of you who machine quilt on a domestic.  What size needle do you use with Superior Bottom Line or any #60 weight thread?  Look forward to your replies.  Blessings!

Sunday, Sunday 8/17/14

First, the linky party for eye candy of any kind is still on til Monday, 3PM, PDT.  See the previous Hexie Weekend post.

Second, going through more boxes found about 20 yards to donate to the Lutheran Church for charity blankets.  These are big pieces that will make great backs.  I also used 1.5 yards to make my next charity top for St. Anne's.  I bought a JayBird Quilts Hex N More ruler and decided to try it today (I just got it yesterday).
Will measure about 32"by 37".  Good for infant, stroller or car seat use.  These blocks are actually on the wall on an actual design wall.  I bought a block butler way back in 2004.  It's been buried behind a pile of boxes, and I couldn't reach it.   I was able to take it down today, wash it and put it back up again in a new place.  I'll probably buy some flannel to go over it as plain unsewn blocks stay up, but once I have blocks that are sewn together or have seams, they don't stay up too well.

Numbers on the right sidebar.  I'm linking to Judy's Patchwork Times and Lyn's BOMs Away. See you there. And thanks for stopping by.

Hexie Weekend

At last a hexie flower to show.  Sat down to watch the first of the Lord of the Rings movies and got it done.
The little lizard is actually a blue color, but that's what I get taking a photo at night.  Started another one, but the movie was so interesting I was doing more watching than sewing - hehe.

What have you been up to?  Would love to see you link your hexies or otherwise so we can all see your eye candy.  Linky below.  Ends Mondy, around 3pm.

Blessings!

Applique Tuesday

A process I'd like to share with you -and it does involve applique:

 I did finish that block you saw in the previous post.  It is a block from a BOM from a 2010 blog hop.  I had no choice in the fabric selections, though I love the collection they used.  You got the blocks as kits.  This paper piecing one I have been putting off for a long time.
 Above you see the finished and joined 4 units.  Phew, that took me a while to do!  I then pulled off the paper at the seams I pressed open and the seam paper allowance around the outside of the circle formed by the units.
 Next, with a dry iron, I ironed over the seam allowance onto the paper.  This was to make it easier to starch the seam allowance in the next step.  The copy paper was stiff enough that I could use it for the freezer paper in the starch method.
 Next I got out my spray starch, spritzed a little in a dish and with a brush proceeded to starch/press down the seam allowance on the outer edge.  Above is what it looks like once starched in place.  I then took out all the paper, turned it to the front and pressed one more time to get the seam allowance to lay flat again.
I then placed it on the black background and sewed it between the black fabric and the ground (black with green dots).  Then I added the river and sky.  It is now ready to hand applique around my half circle.  Think I now have 22 blocks of this series done.  Maybe 2 or 8 more to do.  Can't remember how many of these 8" blocks are left.

So not an applique block per say, but one in which I incorporated applique because I either lost or never got the template for the black piece to put these two parts together in the normal way - sewing a seam.

What are you up to?  I'd love to see your eye candy!  Leave me a comment and I'll come and visit to take a peek.  I'm linking to Connie's Linky Tuesday Party.  Blessings to all.

Sunday, Sunday

Still sorting through boxes and found this project.  It;s from way back in early 2000s when Sally Robbins released Spring Mix at P & B Textiles.  I only had the very center done and some yardage of the stripe.  I was going to just add the stripe, however it was overwhelming yellow that way, so I knew it needed something.  Going through the stash found one of the greens used in the colorways and used that for an inner border.  I wanted to miter the corners but didn't have sufficient stripe fabric for that so I did the partial seam sew around thingy.  Was just enough.  Another UFO from the boxes done!  Now I need to sandwich and quilt. How would you quilt it?

I'll be using a yard and a half from the stash for the back. That's my stash report for this week.  Numbers on the right sidebar.  Oh yes, filled a box with fabric for the Lutheran Church sewing group and a box for the guild - about 20 yards there.
And on my design wall is a block from a BOM from 2010.  It's paper piecing block.  It took me almost three hours to do just this little bit!  Most of that time was doing the first section.  I've learned I need to cut the pieces with at least a half inch seam allowance around the sides to get it right the first time.  I want to thank Karen of Faeries and Fibres for her excellent instructions on how to paper piece.  Couldn't have done it without her.  Now to do the other two sections. This plus that other half will make up most of an 8 inch (finished) block. The easy part will be appliqueing it to a dark piece and then adding strips to come up to size.

I'm linking to Judy's Stash Report and Lyn's BOMs Away.  See you there.

Hexie Weekend 8/8/14

No hand work for me yet - maybe I'm in a hexie funk, I don't know.  Still going through boxes.  I'm happy to report, I have three boxes of stuff to go away.  So I'm down to 16 boxes, geesh!  In going through those boxes, I found projects I definitely know I don't want to work on.  So , I put the fabric back in the stash and added the sample blocks to my orphan block pile. It felt kind of good to make 3 PIGs (projects in grocery sacks) disappear.  Very liberating.  What I did find is this stack of hexie like shapes- or diamonds if you wish.
Haven't a clue as to how they go together.  I was trying out something, I guess.  Any suggestions?

Here's a close-up of the fabric.  Betty, did you give these to me?  A real puzzle.  What has you puzzled?
Linky below - you can link any kind of eye candy - not limited to hexies or quilting.  My plan for this week is to actually DO some hexie work during hexie weekend.  I've been telling myself to do it ahead of time in the days  before and then POST my hexies, but that isn't working. So will now try the reverse.  Wish me luck.


Applique Tuesday

again has no applique for me to share.  I had to get this baby quilt done for tomorrow as baby Eliana is three weeks old already.  Liz, a sweet employee of the Library where I volunteer, told me she was decorating the nursery in Pink, White and Black, and that's what I picked:
for the back at least.  And the front does have the trio, but looks a little different:
I like the black binding.  Now to clip a few threads and wrap and it's ready to deliver tomorrow.  Hope you had time to applique.  Kerry at Simple Bird showed a lovely block on her blog.  You can see it here.  Tell me about your project and I'll come over to visit.  Blessings!

DWM and more

First, the Hexie Weekend Linky party is still open til midnight, today.  Share what you did this weekend.
Second, my stash report is on my right sidebar.  Added yardage from orphan blocks from my stash, borders for my Orphan block quilt, charity donation, and fat quarter to winner of my giveaway.
Thirdly the weekend was busy as I had grandkids over from Saturday through this morning.
They live 45 miles away and I don't see them as much as Alan and Will.  Lily and I made a mug rug for her Mom - her birthday is coming up. Little Frank (he's almost 5' at 10 years) kept beating me at dominos. Our son, Frank, came to pick them up. Of course no quilting of mine was done during this time.

I finally finished part 6 of my Happy Scrappy Orphan Block Quilt (just before they got here). This is still on my design wall as it is an ongoing project.  I have so many blocks that read light that I have enough I think for the next two parts of the BOM:
Need to check what Rosemary wants us to do this month.  And that reminds me, better check all the other BOMs I'm following as it is the first of the month. How many did you start?

I'm linking to Judy's Patchwork Times and Lyn's BOMs Away.  Take care!

Hexie Weekend

Yes, it's that time again, and no, I don't have hexies to show you.  I'm so far behind on several things that I decided to get caught up on at least one:
Well, almost made it.  I have just July's part to add to this BOM - which is the top 12 inches and THEN, I'll be caught up.   I have it ready, but Life is calling. This WIP is the Happy Scrappy Orphan Block BOM.

So I didn't show you hexie eye candy, but would love to see yours or whatever you'd like to share - even if it's a vintage post.  Linky below.  Remember, any eye candy will do, whatever you're working on or place your visiting.  I love to see what you're up to.


An InLinkz Link-up

I'm linking to Sarah's Can I have a Whoop, Whoop as I finally made some progress on a WIP,

SAHRR Round 5 and 6

  Ready to show rounds 5 and 6. Actually, the prompt for 5 was make 4 of something. So I chose four patch, and actually since that made my q...