WIPs Be Gone and 6 + 6

Okay, I got started on the UFO (which I call WIP) that Judy pulled - #10 - my Mod Quilt.  It's sandwiched and pin basted - now to quilt it.

Then I worked a bit on My Small World  -my new project for 6 + 6.

Afterwards I sneaked in a quilt block.  This is for the 2018 RSC Challenge and Angela's Squared Away Sampler.

She has a button for it: 

and last but not least, I got the first four of the next round of my hexie circle done. I'd shown you the hexies with the fabrics I was going to use - here they are all finished with their curvy bits.

Only 5 more sets of 4 to go and then I can sew them to the center.  I should mention that this quilt finishes at about 58" by 75".

All of the above are long term projects except the Mod Quilt.  I'd like that to be my WIP gone for the month.

What are you up to?  I'd love to see your WIP or UFO or ??  Here's the Linky:



I'm linking to Amanda Jean's Finish it Up Friday, Sarah's Can I Get a Whoop Whoop?, Myra's Finished Or Not Fridays , and Jennifer's Wednesday Wait Loss. Do go by and see all the lovely postings. Blessings.

I've Been Somewhat Busy

It's been a quilty week - two projects I can't even show you because they're just off the germ stage at this point.  I did work on my scrap bag quilts.

Got this 30" top done by adding two borders. Sorry for the poor photo.  Hope to quilt it soon.

This second quilt from the scrap bag just needs borders now. Think I'll add two and miter the last one.  We'll see.  It will be a 36" one for St. Anne's.  Probably another member will assemble and quilt it. 

Got another 6 done!  Working on the last 6 now and I did have enough fabric (will be scrappier blocks than these). May sprinkle them among the others to see if they blend in.

Here's a project I forgot to update in my 2017 review.  Made 4 blocks in 2017!  40% done now - woohoo.

Last, but not least, stitched my circle of curvy hexies to its center. I like how the purple makes that circle shape.  However, I haven't a clue what to use next (fabric-wise).  Any suggestions?

I'm  linking to Amanda Jean's Finish it Up Friday, Sarah's Can I Get a Whoop Whoop?, Myra's Finished Or Not Fridays , and Jennifer's Wednesday Wait Loss. Do go by and see all the lovely postings. Blessings.

Back to the Hexies

My circle is growing.  The diameter is around 20".  Have a half of a seam on the one at the to sew, and then I can add the four I've done to my circle.  I don't add them to the former rounds til the whole 'donut' is done.  That's my slow Sunday stitching for today and Help for Hexie-aholics. 

And here's DG#4 (he's 6) with the potholder he made (mostly) for his Mom.  I'm so proud of him. I only did the cutting and ironing plus the changing of the feet on the machine.  He did the rest.

I'm linking to Kathy's Slow Sunday Stitching, Oh, Scrap, Sara Did it, and others as Alan's project was just from scraps.  Linky Parties under tab More above.

What are you up to?  Let me know and I'll come by.

Slow Sunday Stitching & Some of That

I'll be finishing this one and hope to start on hand stitching the last two.  That is my goal.

As far as the stash report, I used only .03 yd this week by making an RSC block, little bits for my applique block, and that teeny, tiny sampan.  I did pull a piece, 3.25 yds worth, to donate to the guild. New YTD total of use/donations now stands at 10.08 yds destashed! 

Where I did use fabric was in putting together this top from another bag of scraps.  This one has mostly strips in it.  But since it is St. Anne's fabric, I can't count it toward destashing.  The three columns on the right aren't attached yet.  Need a few more columns to make it the right size - 36" square.  The letters are four the parish children colored at the June festival. So for now it is on design wall #2.

Off to bed - read that by getting an extra hour of sleep each night you can lose 10 pounds in a year. Sounds like an easy way to diet.  I don't get enough sleep - 6 to 6.5 a night is not enough.  

Nighty - night.

Third Time

the charm - or mark the seam and save yourself stress!
I've hand stitched this hexie to my ring three times because I didn't mark it.

See the hexagon at the end (at lower right)?  First I sewed it to the blue pink line. Wrong, Then I sewed it to the all blue line except it was with an all green line. Wrong again.  Note to self - mark which lines go together to save the seam ripper -lol.  I'm now working on another six piece hexie.  But the St. Anne Workshop is over, so I'll have time for other stuff now. Yeah, I've survived my very busy second week of the month. Linking to Kathy's Slow Sunday Stitching and some other linky parties - see my tab above.

Oh, and I finished prepping that block:

Blessings!

Some of This, Some of That

First off, stash report.  I actually bought something which is stash enhancing (lol -meaning I have no plans for it, however it does have purpose).  The 1 yard large print is to start a special collection for my first Susan Carlson inspired wall hanging.  I so admire her work.  She's planning on having an online class and I so look forward to it. I think it is the only way I'll ever get to take one of her classes.  The second piece (2.66 yards) is to start replenishing my neutrals.  I've seemed to have used up most of them in the past year.  This situation gave me the go ahead to buy something for a change - bliss!

I've pulled 4.26 yards from my stash for the back of a commission quilt.  Yeah!  It will be a long time quilting project, but that's okay.  I'll use it to practice FMQ for at least 15 minutes a day.  It is a t-shirt quilt.  So, my first stash report is 0.6 destashed.  

Today was the fourth and last day of the Quiltathon (see sidebar) and I got zero sewing done because it was Three Kings Day here at our household.  We had 11 family members gather for this holiday event which closes the Christmas season for us.  Presents were exchange and we played the steal game.  Fun was had by all. And yes, that's a hexi flower you see in the photo.  My daughter had me over for a day last week and asked me how to make hexies.  She took to it effortlessly. And that's her first flower - fussy cut even. Did I mention that she can make clothes without patterns?  Just like her Grandmother.  So while we were having dessert she was prepping hexagons. She's making a swap piece due soon.  I know she'll get it done.

Yesterday was spent getting ready for today.  It was busier than I thought, but I did make a small start on my next applique block.  Here it is as the final photo from my first Quiltathon weekend.  

While this is not actually hand stitching - it is prepping to start hand stitching in 2017.  I hope you had a good day. Blessings,

Some of This, Some of That

As to stash, I used 2 yards for part of the front and all of the back of the latest baby quilt, and a 1/3rd yd to finish a preemie quilt top. My YTD total now stands at 4.34 yards destashed.

Here's the next to the last baby quilt with the top all finished.

If I made this pattern again, think I'd make the square in the center a square in a square so th it would be a solid block and show off the print more.  Now to sandwich and quilt. BTW:  this pattern is from Moda's Big Block 2  booklet.  It has some really nice 32" blocks. You can easily make a big lap quilt with four of these blocks.  I make one block for a neonatal quilt.

As to slow Sunday stitching, I'm happy to report I was able to do some every day of last week and today also.  So:

I only have one side of a diamond left to whip stitch to my large hexagon and I can show it to you.

What are you up to?  Would love to know.  Leave me a comment and I'll come by and see your work.

Blessings!

Some of This, Some of That - Invisible Thread Report

Used 1/4 yard to make binding for baby quilt. Yes, I finished the FMQ.  New YTD total is 96.32 yards  de-stashed.  Now to bind it - lol.

Finished my Hexie medallion.  I've been using invisible thread to put these hexies together.  When I first started doing EPP, all the tutorials suggested one use thread closest to the fabric of the shape. But what about when one is putting two disparate colored hexies together? And I just don't have that many different shades of thread.   I didn't like how the thread stood out on those.  I use invisible thread for machine applique. So why not for hand sewing? So I got out my spool of thread and a needle, some hexies and began.  It wasn't the easiest thing to do at first until I discovered some steps:

1. Use Superior Invisible thread - it supple, soft and strong.  The light version will work will fabrics of light and medium values; the smoke with the dark values.

2.  Use a good lamp to backlight your work.  That means it's in front of you not over a shoulder.
The backlighting makes the thread pop into view.



3. Invisible thread tends to curl from how it is wound. Be sure to thread it onto your needle as it came off the spool. You'll have less knots form and can control it better.  Hold the thread and needle up to the light so it is backlighted - a piece of cake to thread that needle. Also a 12 - 16" length of thread to lessen snags formed.

4.  Since the invisible thread is an extra fine polyester monofilament, do 5 turns around the needle to make a knot big enough to not go through the fabric.

5.  Once you've started your stitching on a hexagon pair:

• make your stitches 1/16th apart. 
• use your fingers on your left hand to control the thread.  (of vice-versa if you're a lefty)
• once the needle has gone through, pull the thread away from you laying it over your index finger. (I'm using black thread here so you can see it better)
• Give a tug for a tight stitch. Bring your third finger up and over the thread to have it snug on your index finger
  
• This will keep the thread behind your work and less likely to snag. Also with the invisible thread lying snug on your finger you'll be able to see (or feel) where the next stitch starts. As you see in the photo the needle is just to the right of the black thread.
  

Here's my medallion with the border round done. It now measures 15.75" high and 14" wide.

I'm linking to Kathy's Slow Sunday Stitching.  How about you?  Leave me a comment and I'll come see what you're up to.  Remember sewing even for 15 minutes will calm your day.

Some of This, Some of That

Used about a .01 yard of fabric on my next round of hexagons - So my new YTD total is 93.56 yards  de-stashed. 

Have been hand stitching and added a round of hexies to my new project:

It's now has a diameter of about 8".  I'm linking to Kathy's Slow Sunday Stitching - have some more hexies prepped and ready to sew the next noodle.  I'm also going to link to Judy's Stash Report.

What are you up to?  Leave me a comment and I'll come by.  The hip is progressing. Today I went to an Anointing of the Sick mass. It was good to be out after a month being home.  I was way tired by the time we got home.  It reminded me I have a ways to go to normal.

Blessings.

Applique Tuesday Week 33

I prepped for applique this past week as I'm in Colorado this week and have no access to a machine. I needed a hand stitching project. It's WIP #13 I'm working on and I call it Hexie Baskets. I found the pattern for the blocks in an old Quilter's Newsletter magazine, issue 260 - March 1994 - way before I took up making hexagons or discovered Karen at Faeries and Fibres .  Stars in the Loft is the one that stunned me into the possiblities of hexies beyond Grandmother's Flower Garden.

So I pulled out the pattern and began assembling the hexagon flowers in 2012 after reading Karen's tutorials. I decided to only attempt a 9 block version.  The hexagons are 1/2" .  I brought with me 7 baskets and 7 handles to applique onto the 13" squares of muslim I cut.

When I get back from CO, I'll add the finished flowers  to the blocks, and they will look like this:
                                       
Then it will be time for more hand stitching, or maybe I'll do it with the machine - stitching around the flowers and leaves that is.

Bye for now,
Angie in SoCal

Those leaves

Sarah of Sarah Did It asked, Did you create the shape or is that a pp.com pre-made shape?

Yes, I did create the shape, Sarah.  Here's how I did it:

Took a hexagon paper, folded it in half to make a half hexagon, and then cut a gentle curve from the lower left point to the topmost point. That's my template.  You can attach in two ways.  Sew to the sides of the hexagon flower as you would attach any hexagon, or leave those two bottom side seams flat and slip under your flower when you go to attach it to a background.  I sort of did the latter with my bullseye quilt, but they were raw edge applique leaves where I wanted to add some texture to my top.

Thanks for asking, Sarah.  Still haven't found that stabilizer.  Wonder what this was about? Scroll down to my last WIPs Be Gone post.  Blessings!

WIPs Be Gone again

I decided what to do with my hexie flowers now that I have all 36 made.  Here's my notion how to proceed for now:

I'm going to add leaves to a few of them that will extend to the block on the sides of it, so those tips will have to be sewn down once the top is put together. Another step closer to getting WIP #3 done.

 It's sitting on one of the two quilts I'm quilting right now. It's another baby quilt I have to finish by Tuesday.  I'll show you more when I'm done.

What are you up to? Would love to see whether finished or WIP progress. Share your goodness. Linky below that ends Monday, midnight.

An InLinkz Link-up

I'm linking to Sarah's Can I get a Whoop, Whoop?and Lizzie's Free Motion Mavericks. Lots of goodies there.

Slow Sunday Stitching & Giveaway

Spent the day, Saturday, with my cousins.  Since the wineries were super full for Father's Day weekend (we tried two and they were way over capacity), we stayed at Moms and did a mini Hexagon project by hand.

They were naturals at making hexies.  I like them all.  We're going to make mug rugs out of them. It was fun introducing them to hexagons. They fly out today for Houson.  I'm sure going to miss them!

Now as for the giveaway -
To thank you for all the eye candy you've been posting this year, I have a book giveaway.  

I was looking for a quilt book on my shelves and found I have two copies of this.  I haven't gotten to it, but I want to make a quilt out of it.  Don't let the blocks on the cover intimidate you - mostly fussy cutting really and very easy.  They have great paper templates inside.  

To win this copy, all you need to do is link a post with some eye candy to have a chance for it to be yours.  It doesn't have to be a WIP - all sorts of eye candy is eligible and very welcome - even projects you finished a while ago, haven't started, or are even dreaming about - it'll all be new to me. You can (1) link a blog post (an old one will do) or a photostream address. Or you can go to Michele's blog, and (2)leave a comment on what you think of her Visual Overload. Then (3) let me know.  New to her blog? Become a follower of hers and (4)let me know and you'll have four chances.   You'll find the linky party at my previous post - the one before this one. So just scroll down and you'll see it.  I'll pick a winner Tuesday morning after the linky party closes today, the 22nd, midnight.  Open to all.

Tut - Continuously Sewing A Hexie Flower

I recently figured out  how I can continuously sew my hexies when making a flower..  This saves me time as I don't have to stop and start with each hexagon I add.

Here's a few set out to use for this tutorial.

Layering my first two hexagons, right sides together, I first bury the thread knot under the seam allowance at the point where I am starting.. I'll be using red thread so you can see it better. Pardon the blurry photo - forgot to use the macro feature.  At the end of the first seam I make a loop and put the needle through it to form a knot in the two hexagons.  I do this twice. Now I bury the thread under the seam allowance where I finished.

Now I place it back in the donut shape facing up.  

I fold over the next loose hexagon on top of hexie #2  that I sewed together. (disregard the arrows on the paper - that was from another use.

I place an applique pin in the seam allowance of the side I am going to sew. Believe me, I can get easily confused as to which seam to sew.

Going under the right corner seam allowance of the wrong side, I position my needle in the corner. I pull the thread all the way from the old seam to the new one. It will form a triangle with two sides (as seen below). I do two knots here and sew the seam. At the end I do two knots.

 Again,  I bury the thread at the end of this seam, lay open next to my remaining hexagon, placing  it on top of the last one. I clasp the pair in my left hand (as in 5th photo) and go under the seam allowance to come up at the right corner to start the next seam and then do two knots and sew the seam. I always finish with two knots.

 Once I'm all done the back of the hexagon flower will look like this - with thread crossing from one side to the other.

Now I clip those threads right at the seam allowance - that way the tails are hidden.

The back shows no threads. And it was much faster to assemble.  Hope this was clear enough.  It's really just remembering to knot at the start and end of seams to use one thread  to join your hexagons.
Thank you to Karen at Faeries and Fibres for sparking my thinking on this.  You can see how she puts the center in.  Click here to go to her site. 

Good till March 21st

Jo-Ann's is having a 50% off on their entire stock of papercrafting supplies and tools and that includes:

This is a Fiskar hexagon punch. The sides measure 1" and work great for making English Paper Piecing pieces for making hexie quilts.  I got mine for $8.  Now I have the 3/4" one and this one above.  Woohoo!