Vacation Over

Mardi Gras Weekend is over and our visiting family heads back to Texas. We had so many places and sites to see, including several parades, the unique Chauvin Sculpture Gardens, replica's of Columbus' Nina and Pinta, and craft projects. Sadly, still no sewing.

For scale, imagine each of these life forms human size. The light house was amazing. I wonder what the artist was thinking when he created each piece.

The young lady playing the harp was one of my favorites. All of the faces had these expressions that I cannot even describe.

For the crafty projects, the kids were given wooden letters to paint and then decorate with buttons. Above, "A" for 10-year old Austin, painted his like a "quilt". Each of kids were also given a very special button from the military uniforms of their Great-Great Grandfather.

The next one is "A" for 5-year old Alexis. Her pink puppy on the right is playing with her special button. I asked them to sign and date their projects when they finished .... Alexis was so cute, she signed and dated "Today is Tuesday".

With my fingers crossed, the broken part needed to fix my Janome 6500 machine has been identified, ordered and will arrive very soon. All of my projects started for the Janome were put aside for the last 5 weeks so as to not mess with the consistent seam -- and of course, a complete stall on quilting tops. I came very close to buying another Janome (1600) to have as spare -- but regrettably talked myself out of it twice. With only weeks away from buying the mid-arm, it just did not seem reasonable.

"Amor" - Desperate Housewife's Quilt

Late last year, Quilt Jane of "Want It, Need It, Quilt" asked me to design a block for her 50 week adventures of "The Desperate Housewife's Quilt". Because my week would fall around Valentine's Day, I knew exactly what block would tickle the fancy of any "Desperate Housewife"!!

So here we go -- the "Amor" Block.

I pulled out several fat quarters from my stash and cut out a couple of samplers. For each block, I used 6 different floral pinks and 1 background color:

From Background:

• (4) 1 1/2" squares -- draw a light diagonal line on each.
• (1) 2 1/2" square

From the 6 pink colors:

Color A -

(1) 2 1/2" square

Color B
(1) 1 1/2" x 2 1/2" strip

(1) 1 1/2" x 3 1/2" strip

Color C

(1) 1 1/2" x 3 1/2" strip

(1) 1 1/2" x 4 1/2" strip

Color D

(1) 1 1/2" x 4 1/2" strip

(1) 1 1/2" x 5 1/2" strip

Color E

(1) 1 1/2" x 5 1/2" strip

(1) 1 1/2" x 6 1/2" strip

Color F

(2) 2 1/2" x 6 1/2" strips

Starting with the 2 1/2" square (Color A), join the strips (Colors B - E) using the pictures as your guide until the unit is 6 1/2" square (unfinished).

Add the 1 1/2" squares to the top right and left of each of the two 2 1/2" x 6 1/2" strips (Color F), sewing on the diagonal line, cut away the excess, flip the corner and press to complete 2 units. Using the picture as your guide, add the 2 units to the top and left side, with the 2 1/2" background square in the corner.

As many of you know (because I have whined a few times), my sewing machine has been in the shop for a few weeks. One of the advantages, my sewing room is very clean, all the fabric is stacked so neatly and I have been playing with EQ -- and actually getting better at it!

Below is the block and 5 different ways to set these simple little blocks. I am sure when my sewing machine comes home, I will make several of these blocks and maybe have something by next Valentine's Day - 2013.

A BIG thanks to Quilt Jane for inviting me to join her special project.

Palette Challenge

January Color Palette Challenge for me was "artsy". I needed something small for an area in my newly remodeled master bath. The quilting of the top came to an abrupt end when I was almost finished, when my sewing machine gave up. She has been in the shop since then and I truly miss her. My handy backup is great for piecing -- but nothing more.

Thanks to Judy, Patchwork Times and Vicki, Field Trips in Fiber who have challenged their readers -- I am looking forward to February -- another "artsy" top(?). We will see.

Monday Design Wall - BOM Progress

This has been a challenging couple of weeks for me -- with my favorite sewing machine in the shop, I have been going through withdrawals, then sadness, then cleaning (watching too much of the hoarder shows). I did manage to finish the January BOM at the very top above, designed by Quilt Dad, but had to rip -- when you change machines, always test your 1/4" first. Thanks to Jackie at Canton Village Quilt Works, this is the perfect little BOM for using a Layer Cake.

For other design walls -- visit Judy at Patchwork Times and say hello.

Vintage Block #1

Tuesday, I showed an old block from my Great-grandmother's stash. Here is the block re-created in EQ. If I find the official name for the block, I will come back and update this post.

My main sewing machine will be in the shop a little longer, so I am still going through boxes and cleaning out my room. There are so many projects that I would like to work on, but they will have to wait. If I start getting withdrawals, I can always sew on the spare -- just not as much fun.

Vintage Blocks

While my sewing machine is in the shop, I have been cleaning my sewing room and visiting some of the vintage blocks left behind by my Great Grandmother Mary, "Granny". I was 13 when she died (in her 80's), however I was very blessed to have inherited her love for quilting. As a child, I remember her always sewing (by hand). In her later years, the quilt tops accumulated and then passed on to her oldest daughter (my grandmother) for finishing.

Many of the quilts tops finished were given to family members over the years. Following my grandmother's passing, my sister Phyllis and I now have several of those unfinished tops and blocks ready for assembly. Some are beyond use and very fragile -- mostly because the fabric came from worn clothing. What better use of these treasurers? Inspiration for new quilts.

I love the little block above made from shirtings and gingham. Looks like something else loved it too as a snack. Using EQ, I have sketched the block and will save for a special quilt in the future.
The partially made block above must have been a practice block. All hand-pieced, this scrappy block was used many times in Granny's finished quilts -- if only someone had thought to take pictures of them before giving them away.

Although I have already set up one of my spare sewing machines, I have been enjoying this time visiting these old blocks -- not to mention a cleaner space.

Monday Design Wall - January Color Challenge

A couple of months ago, we redid our master bathroom shower. We now have fresh painted walls -- NO MORE WALL PAPER!!! I have yet to hang anything, not wishing to have holes in the wall. Judy at Patchwork Times and Vicki at Field Trips in Fiber have teamed up for a 2012 Color Palette Challenge. I am working on a small little artsy quilt for one of the master bath walls. The blocks will finish at 4 1/2". Although the lighting in my room is a little off, every color in the palette has been used, plus one light neutral. I am undecided on a border -- so time will tell.

Most of us can label our quilting style by now. I am a piecer -- I love cutting fabric up into pieces and sewing them back together. Not "thrilled" with paper-piecing, not "good" with applique'. Let me clarify -- my fingers are not good with hand applique' -- practice does not always make perfect -- it makes sore joints. I have also tried iron-on applique', but not happy with the stiffness.

Recently I decided to try a simple "Starch Applique", which was graciously shared by Natalia Bonner at Piece N Quilt. Let me just say, this girl has it going!!! Natalie is a young mother and wife, a long-arm quilter, pattern designer etc, etc, etc! I love her method of using starch. It washes out, making the quilt so snugly and soft.

I have been enjoying a three-day weekend, which is almost over. DH and DS are hunting -- ahhh quiet -- so I am heading back to sewing, but first I need to check out other design walls at Patchwork Times.