Piecing the Backing for Sweet Tooth--A Start--post four

Goal number five on my July list was to figure out the backing and binding for Sweet Tooth. I've looked at the bag of scraps which is not called SHIB (Squirrels Hiding in Bags) because was there one, two or more projects in there!

The small scraps

First, I took out the bag containing the small scraps. The larger bag which I didn't photograph, contains all the chunks. I separated the scraps into colors and then into sizes. I had a lot of 3/4 inch, 1/1/4 inch scraps. Granted, many people would call that size waste and throw it away. I am not one of those people! Instead, I began sewing the bits into sections of about 20 inches. 

The sorted piles

Choosing 20 inches was arbitrary. Since I have no clue how I will insert these strings, I can sew them together or cut them apart later! I randomly stitched the bits together trying not to sew the same fabric to each other was my only "rule."

Strings ready for pressing

After a small amount of time, I had a number of strings ready to press. I will be pressing the seam open to eliminate bulk. Whether these strings are part of the back or its own project is a mystery. I'll put the pressed strings on the design wall while I stitch the next group of scraps.

The next group of scraps

I'm thinking I want to piece the additional blocks that Bill and Weeks each week released as a way to play more with transparency. I'll see what sizes the block parts need to be and check the scraps to see what fits. I can use the chunks if I need more fabric. Some of the fabric sizes could come from the next group of scraps.  

Gertie in her "How about that?" mode

Gertie, my inner squirrel, has been quiet regarding my stitching. Although, she has been enjoying  viewing all the fabric prints. I haven't seen her "How about that?" mode or her "Why not?" mode. I do miss that tail swishing that precedes the "Why not?" mode!

I haven't met the goal I gave myself; but, I would say that I'm making progress toward it!

Linking to Oh Scrap and Melva Loves Scraps.

Grassy Creek clue 7--post 6

Available strings

Goal number four on my July list was to work on Grassy Creek at least twice. Sunday, I spent the day piecing more string blocks. By the end of the day, I had pieced and trimmed a dozen more blocks. Most of the available strings became blocks!

String blocks

I did cut and mark more more foundation papers so that the next time I work on this project, I will be closer to stitching. The following day, I cut a whole bunch more strings from the gray fabrics I had gathered for this project!

More strings cut and ready for more blocks

Because Monday was our in person Mavens sew day, I loaded my supplies to stitch more blocks for this project. Last month at Mavens, I stitched the center of the blocks together. At Mavens, I stitched seven blocks.

Blocks sewn so far

I pressed the blocks yesterday and discovered that I had mis-sewn a pair. Jack and I had a date. I corrected the error. Stuff like that happens while giggling and visiting with my in person friends; but, I don't mind the date with Jack. Times with friends is precious. At any rate, I have eight finished blocks!

I might work on this project one more day this month. If I don't, I still feel good that I've moved the project forward a little bit! At the rate I'm going, I might have the blocks finished by October!

Linking to Finished or Not Friday and Patchwork and Quilts.

Purple Rainbow Scrap Challenge Blocks 2025 Complete

Making purple blocks

Goal number one on my July list was to make the blocks for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge. This month, Angela chose the color purple.  When I pulled out the squares, I learned I was one set short. I made another set of four squares and constructed the blocks. I almost made a grave error as I almost forgot to stitch the squares along the selvage edge as I had only glued them! Whew, I avoided a journey that would not have been fun!!

Purple selvages in blocks

Linking to Oh Scrap and Scrap Happy and Sew and Tell.

ReCap of June and July Goals 2025

Pre-washed all of these scraps

First a shout out to Melva at Melva Loves Scraps. On Monday, Melva featured my post Stitch By Stitch. I've followed Melva for years because she loves "making" with scraps. When she notified me that she was featuring my post. . .well, I was shocked, awed, humbled and honored all at once! So again, thank you, Melva, your acknowledgment made my year!

My Annual Goals are:

✒1. Have a net loss of 100 yards of fabric from my stash.

✒2. Finish six UFOs

✔ a. Temperature 2021--pin basted and ditched quilted started in January;  progress made in February. Almost finished the quilting in March. Completed the project in April. Hooray!!!! 

b. Temperature 2022-2023

c. Martha's House blocks--purchased backing in May

✒ d. Positively Grows--pin basted in February

✔e. Maze top--purchased backing in May; longarmer quilted and I added the binding, sleeve and label in June!

f. Butterfly number four 

Scraps bagged and ready for stitching

Fabric Summary:

Fabric in this month: 12 yards  (I bought two three yard wide back bundles.)  

Fabric in year to date: 38 yards

Fabric used from stash this month: 28 yards 

Fabric used from stash year to date: 83 yards

Net loss/gain this month: 26 yards

Net loss/gain year to date: -45 yards  

I'm glad that this year I'm tracking how much fabric I have used year to date. The number is growing! I will need to purchase fabric for my current Temperature quilt. I am pleased with how I have changed my shopping habits to purchase when I need rather than because it was a good buy or because it caught my eye. 

Paper piecing house blocks for the
2025 Temperature quilt

Best read of the month: "Represent! Embroidery" by Bianca Springer. If you wanted to embroider curly, braided or stylized hair, check out this book. Best Audio of the month: The Music of Bees by Ellen Garvin. How a bee keeper hobbyist comes into her own with the help of two young men who carry their own issues was such a good story. I plan to look for other books by this author.

My June goals were:

✔1. Share my sourdough baking as it's been awhile!

✔2. Document Sweet Tooth as a top.

✔3. Finish quilting the Santa Tree skirt.

✔4. Make progress on Stitch by Stitch. It's now a top!

✔5. Make the Rainbow Scrap challenge blocks--orange is the color for June.

✔6. Unearth Grassy Creek and figure out how to make progress on it two times per month.

✔7. Sew some 2025 Temperature quilt blocks.

Beginning of a row

✔8. Get the Maze top paired with a back and batting to the longarmer.

✒9. Spend 15 minutes before each sewing session tidying. 

✔10. Make the Mt. Hood Quilt Guild President's block.

✔11. Prewash the bits of the latest SHIB project.

Two rows sewn together

✔12. Make one of Cynthia's Many Hands block of the current block drive. I made two blocks!

✔13. Continue with knee rehabilitation. The acupuncture sessions have helped. Two weeks ago, he cupped a couple sections of my knee. The purpose was to break the adhesions (scar tissue) that has built up

More rows sewn together

which restricts movement. I still have pain and swelling; but, I believe both are a little less. 

I am gaining a little on the range of motion as well. Walking is still not comfortable; but, I am increasing my pace a bit. I've cooked more meals in the last couple weeks than I have in many months. My husband is enjoying the switch. Honestly, it hurt to stand and prepare a main dish. The pain several hours after wasn't any picnic either! I continue to be hopeful that I will continue to improve.

All in all, I had a GREAT month!

My July goals are:

1. Make the Rainbow Scrap Challenge blocks. This month the color is purple!

2. Make some 2025 Temperature quilt blocks each Friday of the month when possible.

3. Continue with the knee rehabilitation. Last May, I was able to schedule two PT appointments this month. I hope the visits help! My fingers are crossed.

4. Work on Grassy Creek at least twice.

5. Figure out the back and binding for Sweet Tooth.

6. Begin quilting Grow.

7. Piece the back to Stitch by Stitch. Layer and pin baste it. Begin quilting it. 

8. Spend 15 minutes before each sewing session processing scraps--prewashing, cutting, etc.. and/or organizing drawers.

Linking to Finished or Not Friday and Patchwork and Quilts.

Sweet Tooth. . .Is A Flimsy!--post 3

The layout 

In my last post regarding this mystery, I had stitched the blocks. I spent some time playing with layouts on the design wall. I decided to go with a symmetrical layout. Per the pattern, I needed to add some spacers to the center column which I did.

The flimsy

Then, I sewed the blocks into columns and then I stitched the columns together. Once the center was stitched, I added the borders. Taking care to ensure the blocks measured what they were supposed to measure meant that the top went together well. I only had one point that was a challenge to match.

The leftovers

There were a lot fabrics leftover. Whether I piece a back, make a new quilt and or play more with transparency is a conversation for another day. Honestly, I'm feel like I'm looking at a SHIB. (Squirrels Hiding in Bags) I will audition fabrics and determine what fabric feels right for a binding. 

I do plan to quilt this project via my checkbook. Documenting the flimsy was goal number two on my June list.

I am linking to Cynthia at Oh Scrap and Melva at Melva Loves Scraps.

aMAZEd is Finished--post 3

Backing and top 

Goal number eight on my June list was to get the backing, batting and top to the longarmer. In May, I purchased a wide back for this project. I prewashed the fabric and took it as well as the top to an in person sew day. I spent the first part of my time, ironing the fabric. My plan was to come home; trim the back; cut the batting and take the bundle to the longarmer the following day.

Pantograph quilting pattern on the back

Tomme was at the sew day and said she would take the bundle to the Senior Center. I decided I would pay for the batting as this would save me a trip. We talked about quilting patterns and batting. I chose a pantograph that reminded me of a maze. I haven't tried a polyester batting so I chose that.

Front view of the quilting pattern

At the end of the week, Tomme let me know it was quilted so I picked it up from her house on a Sunday morning! The polyester batting wasn't big enough for the quilt so I got 80/20 batting which I love! I liked the quilting pattern too!

The label

I created a label and cut the binding from the leftover backing. I machine sewed the binding to the quilt. I used a lot of scraps in this project! I did purchase a wide back. I'm finding it so easy to deal with the quilt bundle using a wide back! 

The back

This project, which measurers 64 inches wide by 95 inches long, used 21 yards of fabric! 

Finished front

Fabric in this month: 12 yards  (I bought two three yard wide back bundles.)  

Fabric in year to date: 38 yards

Fabric used from stash this month: 28 yards 

Fabric used from stash year to date: 83 yards

Net loss/gain this month: 28 yards

Net loss/gain year to date: -45 yards  

I exceeded goal number eight on my June list. I had only planned to get the project to the longarmer. Finishing this project was goal 2e on my annual list.

The design is a true maze. There is one way in and one way out! 

Previous posts: post one; post two.

Linking to Alycia at Finished or Not Friday and Frédérique at Patchwork and Quilts.

Stitch By Stitch Is A Flimsy--post 2

Pieced words

In April, I posted about my SHIB (Squirrels Hiding In Bags) project. I put some of the pieces together and played around with some layouts. In May, words were calling to me so I pieced some. 

Fewer words

The words took over the project. I decided to use fewer words on the front. I planned to piece the word "she." The words, She transcended, may go to the back because I don't want to make a big project. This is the project for the book, "The Dressmaker of Khair Khana" by Gayle Tzemach Lemmon. I also want to hang this project in my home so that was the reason to nix the transcended line. Gertie, my inner squirrel, protested mightily.

HSTs from leftover background triangles

As the piece marinated, I decided that my string pieced strips didn't show well. The purple that I liked wasn't doing much to add to the overall design. I pulled both from the design wall. I decided to sew HSTs from the leftover background triangles from the original SHIB with leftover triangles from another bag. (Can you tell that I have a problem er challenge with bags?)

Layout of words as per Gertie

Gertie continued to talk to me about the "words." I removed all of the pieces from the design wall. I added the words. I played with different configurations until one felt "right." I placed a few of the scraps around the words. I auditioned two orange scrap fabrics that were about half a yard each. These were leftover from a previous project. I liked it better than the purple.

Progress at the end of session one

I liked the darker orange; but, because I didn't have enough, I decided to augment it with the lighter orange. I also realized that I could use the strings, if I sashed them with the background. With the limited background fabric, I knew getting this project to a flimsy would be like solving a 1500 piece puzzle!

Progress at the end of session two

At the end of session two, I had incorporated some background fabric and the lighter orange fabric as well as the darker orange. I liked the direction of the progress. Gertie, while supportive, wanted to change "Transcended" so that it began the second line. I agreed to consider her request. 

It doesn't look like I did much from session one to session two. Placing a section, stepping away, replacing it in another orientation takes time. Irene Roderick calls this process "Dancing with the Wall." She wrote a book about improv piecing with that title.

Progress at the end of session three

At the beginning of session three, I did change the order of the second line. I liked the change because the words have more impact. Where it was possible, I added strings to fill in the spaces. For such a simple project, I ripped a ton. I let my mind wander and learned every way possible to stitch the rows together incorrectly!

The leftover strings

I had some strings leftover. These will go into another project. The extra pinwheel will become my label. I  used all but two pieces of the background. I had little of the other fabrics remaining as well. This project measurers 56 1/2 inches wide by 40 inches high.

Other leftovers

Goal number four on my June list was to make progress on this project. I'm planning to make a pieced back to use some "parts" (sample blocks) I stitched long ago just because I was curious as to how they would look in different sizes. I'm linking to Cynthia at Oh Scrap and Melva at Sew &Tell.

Santa Tree Skirt--post 3

Ready for basting 

Over the years that I've made this pattern, the useable width of the fabric has decreased. I found that I adding a 4 inch strip to the backing made it much easier to layer this project. I used long pins to pin the layers together. 

Stiched around the edge and pin basted

Then I hand basted the sticking area. I added this time consuming step because doing it will decrease my chances of stitching in a tuck. A tuck would mean having to rip and restitch an area. 

I trimmed the excess batting and backing. I carefully stitched around the edges leaving an edge open for turning. Hand basting was worth the effort because I had no tucks! 

It was a beast to turn inside out; but, I did it without as much angst as I had anticipated. 

I pressed the turned edges and topstitched them to hold the layers in place. Then I pinned basted the layers to ready the project for machine quilting.

I stitched in the ditch with monofilament thread. In the first stitching session, I completed the ditch stitching and more than half of quilting the six belts.

Belt and Santa suit quilting

In my second stitching session the following day, I finished the belts and stitched half of the Santa suits before my body cried, "ENOUGH!"

Detail of suit and boot quilting

In my third session, I finished the Santa suits and started on the boots and dark fabric on the arms. I finished two before my body needed to stop.

Continuous curves stitched in the green part of the arms

In my fourth session, I finished the boots and the arms. I used a curved ruler to stitch a continuous curve in the green section of the arms. 

Defining the eyes

I stitched the outline of the eyes to provide a little more definition. I added a straight stitch around the mustache.

Paisley motif quilted in the beards

Using a paisley free motion motif, I stitched five of the beards. My body was super tired after that session!

Loop motif quilted in the background

The following day, I stitched the last beard and started quilting the background. I used micro quilter thread by Superior to quilt the background. I used Aurifil 50 weight cotton threads to quilt the Santas. I needed two more sessions to finish the quilting. 

Thread used in the project

I added the label, sashing it with the last of a Christmas fabric I purchased early in my quilting journey. I finished the tree skirt! Finishing this project was goal number three on my June list. I used seven yards of fabric; but, I've purchased some more wide backing so my net stash numbers are not increasing as much as I had hoped! 

Label

Fabric Summary:

Fabric in this month: 12 yards  (I bought two three yard wide back bundles.)  

Fabric in year to date: 38 yards

Fabric used from stash this month:  7 yards 

Fabric used from stash year to date: 55 yards

Net loss/gain this month: 5 yards

Net loss/gain year to date: -17 yards 

Ring of Santa's finished

This is a gift for my niece whose wedding is in July. Previous posts: cutting it out; piecing the skirt. Linking to Alycia at Finished or Not Friday and Frédérique at Patchwork and Quilts.