Jan 28.. Hand quilt along

I’m so doing the happy dance! 💃 I finished the Fire Island Hosta quilt 100″by 100″ that is for my daughter. I wanted to have it done awhile back but I’ve been slow at times in working on it,as it has been a little over a year since I’ve put it in the frame!😳

It is now ready for her to see when she gets back from Puerto Rico! Here it is for you to see today….

This is where I was three weeks ago ,that last Black border to do. Now …

It is even washed ,and is wonderfully quilt soft.

The back fabric up close that really is black in color, I wanted the flora pattern to show more than the black…

Some of the quilting after washing…

I also got the next Fire Island Hosta that’s for my son and his new wife into the frame with a small part of the corner worked on. This will now be included in with my three projects that I’m working on.

Sorry to say that the other projects suffered… so much so that’s nothing to report.

Please check out what the others are doing, wonderful inspiration you will find!

Kathy,http://livinginrapidcity.wordpress.com/

Lori,http://www.quiltingneeds.com/

Margaret,http://www.thecraftycreek.com/

Kerry,https://lovethosehandsathome.wordpress.com/

Emma,http://emmacraftprojects.wordpress.com/

Tracy,https://itsatsweetsday.blog/

Connie,https://stitchingirlblog.wordpress.com/

Deborah,https://adailydoseoffiber.wordpress.com/

Susan,https://desertskyquilts.wordpress.com/

Jessica,https://myhappycountryfarm.wixsite.com/website

Sherry,http://www.bookshookssticksetc.blogspot.com/

Nannette,https://doitrightquilter.wordpress.com/

Sassy,http://farmquilter.blogspot.com/

Edith,http://ediscraftinglife.blogspot.com/

Sharon ,https://piecinglifetogetheronestitchatatime.wordpress.com/

Bella,http://createdbybella.wordpress.com/

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Jan.7.. hand quilt along

I have so enjoyed seeing what everyone has been doing, makes my eyes so happy!

My update on my three projects. The one that got the most attention is the Fire Island hosta

Three weeks ago …

I was working from the bottom of photo to the top quilting the black and red points and the white piece right above it. Now I just have to finish the border and the rest of the red and white point piece.

Maybe by next update I will be able to say finished!🤞

Now the double wedding ring… last update here

Two rings done… today’s update

Over quarter of the way done. I’m founding out why I may have put this top in the bottom of the bag for so long I forgot I started it..the navy fabric wrinkles awful,and it is rather hard to quilt.

The back

And the Cathedral windows …. last here

Now here…

Thanks for dropping by!😀

Deb

And if you need some inspiration or ideas for a hand project check those post out!

Kathy,http://livinginrapidcity.wordpress.com/

Lori,http://www.quiltingneeds.com/

Margaret,http://www.thecraftycreek.com/

Kerry,https://lovethosehandsathome.wordpress.com/

Emma,http://emmacraftprojects.wordpress.com/

Tracy,https://itsatsweetsday.blog/

Connie,https://stitchingirlblog.wordpress.com/

Deborah,https://adailydoseoffiber.wordpress.com/

Susan,https://desertskyquilts.wordpress.com/

Jessica,https://myhappycountryfarm.wixsite.com/website

Sherry,http://www.bookshookssticksetc.blogspot.com/

Nannette,https://doitrightquilter.wordpress.com/

Sassy,http://farmquilter.blogspot.com/

Edith,http://ediscraftinglife.blogspot.com/

Dec.17…hand quilt along

So what have I got done in three weeks on my three hand work projects…. let’s see.

First the double wedding ring..

The update..

A little done …two rings…

The Fire Island Hosta….

Went from the right corner to the way to the left corner….working on the black spikes now working back to the right corner.

With left corner closer to finished

Happy with how much I got done here. Now on to the Cathedral windows…

I did get several blocks done and some added to the main body of the quilt.

I discovered I really enjoy tucking those old blocks in.

Check out the others following the HQAL.. they are doing lovely ,talented pieces.

Kathy,http://livinginrapidcity.wordpress.com/

Lori,http://www.quiltingneeds.com/

Margaret,http://www.thecraftycreek.com/

Kerry,https://lovethosehandsathome.wordpress.com/

Emma,http://emmacraftprojects.wordpress.com/

Tracy,https://itsatsweetsday.blog/

Connie,https://stitchingirlblog.wordpress.com/

Deborah,https://adailydoseoffiber.wordpress.com/

Susan,https://desertskyquilts.wordpress.com/

Jessica,https://myhappycountryfarm.wixsite.com/website

Sherry,http://www.bookshookssticksetc.blogspot.com/

Nannette,https://doitrightquilter.wordpress.com/

Sassy,http://farmquilter.blogspot.com/

Edith,http://ediscraftinglife.blogspot.com/

Nov.26.. Hand quilt along

My how time flies! These last few weeks have been busy with caring ,visiting with my Mom. Then family coming home for thanksgiving. It hasn’t left much time for quilting or sewing. I was surprised at just how much I did get done when I sat down to post my progress. Here’s the update on the fire island hosta …

A few more stitches…

I did get my double wedding ring quilt top marked and started on….

I started another project when just sitting with my Mom ,I needed something small to work on. I have been wanting to do a cathedral window quilt for awhile with these old scraps that came in a bag of other scraps. I think someone took the bigger blocks from these border pieces,these were cast offs.

I believe they are fabric pieces from the late 1800’s to early 1900’s. Some of the fabric is too thin and old to use ,some can still be lovely displayed in a little window. I have just what is in the bag to take apart with this stack already done.

Here is a few blocks with the old pieces…

It has given new life to the oldies.😀

Now off to make more food for dinner,there’s to be twenty sitting around my dinner table .

Oh , and check out what some others are doing by hand….

Kathy,http://livinginrapidcity.wordpress.com/

Bella,http://createdbybella.wordpress.com/

Lori, http://www.quiltingneeds.com/

Margaret, http://www.thecraftycreek.com/

Kerry, https://lovethosehandsathome.wordpress.com/

Emma, http://emmacraftprojects.wordpress.com/

Tracy, https://itsatsweetsday.blog/

Connie, https://stitchingirlblog.wordpress.com/

Deborah,https://adailydoseoffiber.wordpress.com/

Susan, https://desertskyquilts.wordpress.com/

Jessica, https://myhappycountryfarm.wixsite.com/website

Sherry, http://www.bookshookssticksetc.blogspot.com/

Nov. 9 … Quilt marking

Every quilter as they are working on a top start to wonder how they wish to quilt whether it is to be machine quilted or hand quilted. I’m a hand quilter so this post will be focused on hand quilting.

First it is important that the top’s seam be ironed neatly ,you don’t want untidy or twisted seams like here as it will not lay or look right when quilted.

You want the top to lay nicely for you.

Then some things to consider.. well let me show you…

Here I wanted a traditional grid but added just a little to the fans to give a lacy fan look…

This bear paw block I wanted to give a soft pad to the bears paw. You can see it a little better on the backside.

Then this broken star quilt had lots of plain open spaces to show off lovely designs..

To make these I use paper with black marker then placed under the fabric. If you have a plain light color fabric you can trace it with very little problem.

The grid work I use a ruler or yard stick.

For a foundation pieced quilt,it is harder to quilt because of many seams, quilting over seams is hard on fingers. The hosta quilt I did has lots of stitch in the ditch work.

To add interest to this quilt , I did rays,and a scribble around the spikes to soften and showcase the spikes.

Sometimes the fabric will give you a pattern to follow

Today I worked on marking this top

I laid some designs on the top for ideas. The top design I think is to large ,the middle is to round it will just be adding more circles, the last one will give it a nice floral design. The rest will not need to be marked as I will do stitching about a quarter inch away from seams in each ring patch.

I use a chalk pen from Fons&Porter and a school pencil for marking.

There are many idea inspirations to be found online,magazines or books. For beginners I would suggest simple work like grid,clam shell or parallel lines not to may twist and turns until you learn how to handle your needle with confidence. Then just be creative ,that’s what quilting is about.😀

If you have a tip be sure to comment to share it.

Deb

Nov.5. Hand quilt along

For starters on this new hand quilting sharing, I have two quilts that I want to share .

First this quilt I would like to finish before to long as I have another one waiting to be done,just like it in different colors.

I have just a few more rolls to go,here’s the corner that I’m working on.

The next one ,I need to finish ,mark then I will hand quilt it in a lap hoop . It is a lap size quilt perfect for relaxing in the evening with family,the other quilt is a queen size and in a frame in the sewing room.

I have one row to sew on yet,and am thinking of putting a flower design in the center navy space.

Here’s a few more sites you might like to check out to see what they are hand quilting

Bella http://createdbybella.wordpress.com/

Lori http://www.quiltingneeds.com/

Margaret http://www.thecraftycreek.com/

Kerry https://lovethosehandsathome.wordpress.com/

Emma http://emmacraftprojects.wordpress.com/

Tracy https://itsatsweetsday.blog/

Kathy http://livinginrapidcity.wordpress.com/

June 26 th,Tumbling block vintage quilt

I do not own very many old quilts. One reason is .. I only have so much room in my small house, the other reason .. Often they are priced over my budget.

The quilt I am going to share today is a vintage 1930-40’s quilt. It was found while walking though a flea market with my daughter. The red caught my eye.. So I walked over to take a look ,maybe take a picture ,not even dreaming of buying it . Can you imagine that?!! Well, I didn’t have much cash in my wallet for I was only there with my daughter who was looking for boys clothes. I was more interested in watching my grandbabies. Until.. 

As I was looking at the old quilt, totally lost in all the lovely old fabric,I’m a very one tracked brain person who can get very lost in my own thoughts, when I heard this quiet voice saying ….. Here’s how that conversation went..

Ma’am,do you quilt?

A startled me.. Me? You asking if I quilt?!

Yes, you see the quilt needs some mending. The quilt was found in an attic and the mice got into it, also some staining.

Oh yes I quilt, the mice holes aren’t to bad ,it could be repair .

You would like to buy it?

Oh ,would I . It’s very beautiful. ( by now I’m holding my breath)

You can have it for $2.

2.00 dollars!! My mouth I know had to be wide open..

Yes, she sweetly reply. 

I have never pulled out $2 so fast out of my purse! 

With a kind” enjoy”,she handed me the quilt.

I rested assured her I would.

And still am! 

More lovely fabric scraps

Some repair work

Biggest stain mark..

The quilter did a stitch in the ditch around the little diamond

Whole quilt view..

Who ever the quilter, it was done beautifully.

Now for some heat loving plants . Crepe myrtles do really good in the south,as do the lantana. The last week, temperatures have been really warm in the high 90’s to low 100’s. I believe the thermometer read 104 today. These beauties love that heat while other plants back off blooming.

Have a lovely week friends, Deb

May 22nd, a soldier’s cot quilt

I enjoy history ,and if it has the word quilt in it ,I really get excited. So for in remembrance of Memorial Day,I want to share a quilt that is a reproduction of the soldier’s cot quilt that I did some years ago, with its history

These quilts were made to fit a cot for the soldiers of rhe civil war. The size 4′ by 7’4″. They were made from scraps, donated blankets cut in half, the north made as many as 250,000. The southern ladies had more of a challenge for calico fabric was very pricy costing 25 dollars a yd towards the end of the war,so they cut up carpets,and mattress were torn apart for fiber to spin. There were so few of the quilts that survived as they were used hard, sometimes being used as a burial cover.

As I look upon this cot, my mind’s eye sees a group of northern ladies sewing together sharing news, good and bad, sad at times with the sewing needle becoming blurred … Southern ladies ,black and white “hopefully putting color aside “to work though the hard task of finding means to make a quilt or comfort for their men, also sharing worries and good times.

I’m so thankful for all soldiers sacrifice in service whether it was years ago or today. May many prayers be offered up for each one!!

My lilies are blooming, they smell wonderful!

Have a blessed week, Deb

Jan.8th, 2016… This weeks projects

I have a finish up , an hurry up and a waiting to be done, on my list.

First the finished one . It is a rag quilt… I called it “now that’s purple”

  
Here is the back

  
Then I remembered that I needed to get busy on the top that I was making for my mother in law using her mothers scrap fabric. I want to work on this one really hard for Mama is 77. That is the hurry up one that’s to be completed..hand quilted included! 

  
It is half way pieced.

And the one waiting to be pieced…. 

My daughter in law gave me those pieces of fabric ,that she came across knowing I would use  them somehow.

  
I was able to get 12″  blocks cut from the pieces. I want to make a rag quilt out of this . I laid the top and bottom out on the bed.

  
  
I stacked them like this until I sit down to sew them.

  
We have had lots of dreary,rainy days,so this lady  needs a little  color from the summer !😊

  
Have a lovely week friends! Deb

Dec.4th, Fire Island Hosta Queen ..quilt number 2

My daughter is a real fan of black ,red , and white, Her room is of those colors,when she ask me to make her a Fire Island Hosta , it came as no surprise as to the colors. I have worked on it, would like to have the center put together for her for Christmas .

  
I added silver in with her colors, as I don’t think I’ll have enough of the white that I have on hand. It goes well with the silver in the leaves, it should blend in well when the quilt is finished.

When I feel a little overwhelmed with the piecing of the Fire Island Hosta, I am working on blocks that didn’t turn out like they should of….. I wasn’t paying attention close enough!!😖 I hate when I get a real brainless moment. I was sewing stripes of fabric together … 

It should of looked like this..

  
Instead it went like this…

  
Now any one would know that when you leave off a 1.5 inch stripe it is going to mess up a pattern. Which it did! Now being sorta lazy… Didn’t feel like ripping out 4 sets of these stripes,I decided to just go with it. Here are the two blocked finished. I will need to put sashing in between for if you put them together like the original pattern called for the design doesn’t go right.

  
  
Thanksgiving day had some very special moments…. Coffee would appear magical beside me when I would go to relax in my chair! And then two sweet little boys brought me these dandelion seed fluff.

  

These two little fellas were also helping me pick up more pecans, but I think I cracked more for them to eat then we picked up!😄 Brendan gave me the excuse that he was shaking the tree for pecans to fall when ask why he was up the ladder. 

And I’m half way done quilting on this quilt!! 

Keep warm one and all! Deb