Read--post 2

Project to determine the quilting

Goal number three on my June list was to determine the quilting for Read. I started stitching the center of the ribbon. Eventually, I stitched on each edge of the ribbon. I knew I wanted to do some dense quilting on the book and around "Read." 

Space divided; ghost strings quilted

I was stuck with what to do in the rest of the space. While I pondered, I stitched in the ditch around the strings at the top of the project. I was still stuck. When that happens, I divide the space. This time, I was stuck with how to do that! 

Gertie, my inner squirrel, and I had a conference. I thought, "What is already in the project that I can use as my guide?" My eyes lit upon the strings. I could divide the space into segments the size of the string blocks! Using a chalk pencil, I divided the space like that. 

I stepped back. I liked what I saw. I had some thoughts about what to put into the rectangles. Gertie chimed in with why not create ghost strings? Good idea, I replied. Gertie raced off doing her happy dance.

Filler stitches behind Read

I pulled a grey thread that was similar in color to the background and began stitching lines. I used the lines from the strings as my guide. Except, I matched the lines at the intersections because it lends better fluidity to the piece. It didn't take long to stitch the lines. I did use a ruler and ruler foot to quilt the lines.

Fillers used to quilt the book cover

After the lines, I stitched a couple filler stitch designs behind the word Read. A few pebbles within the word and some swirls in the background felt right. Then, I began quilting the book cover. I quilted pebbles down the spine. I used a darker gray cotton thread to quilt the floral motif. To make the design standout, I stitched over the lines three times. I switched thread to the lighter gray and quilted leaves in the background. I quilted a few pebbles in the space above the book as a fill. I quilted straight lines in the curved small sections at the top of the book to represent pages.

X's were a no go

I had considered hand stitching X's in the bottom four rectangles to represent the people that the character read to during the air raids. I didn't like how the X's looked so I switched to a simple running stitch. 

Back view of the hand stitching

I used one thread of black Aurifil 30wt thread that I doubled so I could begin the stitch without needing a knot. I popped the knot into the batting when I finished a line. I started with a no knot technique. I chalk marked some lines and I used masking tape to mark other lines. I still couldn't manage to stitch straight with either marking method!

Stitching the lines 

The hand stitched lines leave my mark as the maker. I decided the lines represent the text in a book.

The project waiting for facing

I hand washed the project in the sink to remove the glue basting. I blocked it. I was surprised at how wonky one side of the project was! 

The sleeve

After trimming the project, I added a facing. I had enough of the gray fabric to make the facing. I did make an inside mitered corner for the facing. 

Sleeve stitched in place

The sleeve was a fabric that arrived in my stash around the same time as the backing. I had considered using it as a neutral; but, decided it was too busy a print for that purpose.

The leftovers after adding the sleeve and facing

The little bit of gray leftover went into my Rainbow Scrap Challenge tub to use next month! I cut the leftover sleeve fabric into five inch squares.

Label

I added the label. Yes, I picked it up from the free table! Now I have another finish! I realized that this is number seven in my line series. I need to add that information to the label!

Thread used in project

I did give the project a final steam. The project measures 24 x 33 inches. 

View of the finished back

I used one and a half yards of fabric for this project. I have a net loss of 11 and half yards of stash this month!

View of the finished front

Linking to: Oh Scrap, Sew & Tell, I Quilted This and Finished or Not Friday.  

Rainbow Scrap Challenge Pastels--post 7

First a shout out to Chantal over at "The Corner of Scraps and Quilts" who mentioned my scrap organization in her post as she was sharing sewing small scraps into fabric. Her posts inspire me to dig into my scraps and use them. 

Second, a shout out to Linda at "Texas Quilt Gal." She e-mailed me for permission to use a statement I had made to her as well as a photo from my Triple Treat post in her upcoming blog post. I said YES to both requests. To make it easy for her, I e-mailed her the photo.

Many quilters have assisted and continue to assist me on my quilting journey. I've smiled from ear to ear as their requests are two examples of giving back to my quilting community. I am humbled and honored that two fellow bloggers, whom I respect and follow, would share my thoughts! I believe sharing your knowledge with others makes the world a better place. Thank you Chantal and Linda, my heart is full of gratitude!

Yellow strings

Goal number seven on my June list was to make the Rainbow Scrap Challenge (RSC) blocks in the color of the month. This month, Angela at Scrap Happy picked pastels as the color for the RSC. Don't misinterpret me, pastels are great. I've used some lighter values of the color in my block. I thought, "this is going to be a challenge." Gertie, my inner squirrel, agreed. It was. I pulled pinks that were pastel and when I stood back and looked, it was blah. I pulled blues and had the same result.

Beginning the piecing

What to do? Gertie, my always busy and always at the ready with an opinion "friend," replied, "No problem. Choose yellow." So that was what I did. Next month or in a few months, yellow could be the color picked. When that happens, I'll have to figure out a different color!

Rectangles pieced

It took me a couple sewing sessions to finish piecing the yellow part of the block. I've found that piecing the color of the block first works best in my sewing space. I sew four rectangles at a time. I clip these together. This group will eventually become a block.

Leftover strings

I used a lot of strings; but, I still had strings leftover! Still, I had less than when I began!

One block finished

After I added the gray and black sections. I trimmed the rectangles. I sewed the group of four rectangles to make a block. Finishing each block is like mini reveal. 

Auditioning which four blocks to stitch together

I placed the blocks on the design wall. I determined which four blocks I wanted to combine. Then I stitched the blocks together ending up with two super blocks!

View of the blocks

I added the blocks to most of the other blocks on the design wall. I didn't mix the yellow blocks with the other blocks. I like the addition. I like the interest that the gray/black sections of the blocks provide. This project has outgrown my design wall. Future block additions will be photographed from my floor!

Linking to Finished or Not Friday, Patchwork and Quilts, Rainbow Scrap Challenge.

Triple Treat Blocks Becoming A Top--post 3

Blocks made as Leader/Enders

Goal number 11 on my June list was to figure out which Bonnie Hunter project I would work on when my Mavens group meets the first and third Monday of the month. I decided that I would begin putting together the blocks for Triple Treat. This was Bonnie's Leader/Ender project for 2022.

Every July, Bonnie releases a new Leader/Ender project each July. The idea behind Leader/Ender is to begin sewing on a short piece of fabric. This is the leader. When the end of the fabric approaches, begin piecing the unit of your pattern. Chain stitch 10 repetitions of that unit. End the chain with another strip of fabric. This is the ender. 

Twenty blocks kitted and ready to go

Starting and stopping in another fabric, helps fabric from being pulled into the hole in the throat plate. It helps me start and end with a better quarter inch seam. For big projects, it is an easy way to count how many units you've completed. 

Many people use a scrap of folded fabric as their Leader/Ender. Bonnie decided that since she was stitching anyway, why not make a second quilt and make a better use of thread and scraps!

One block laid out

I started Triple Treat in 2022 because this block was a good way to use the 2 1/2 inch colorful scraps that I couldn't categorized as one specific color. It also used some 1 1/2 squares which I had a lot. I cut enough parts to make 20 blocks. 

Four blocks ready to stitch into one unit

Many of these parts came from my friend Martha's scraps. I kitted these parts which I stored in a zip lock bag. When I sewed on my project, I had one block of the Leader/Ender next to the machine. As I reached the end of a section, I'd stitch a unit of the Leader/Ender. 

It didn't take long to cut the block pieces because I used the scraps that I had saved from other projects. Bonnie's Scrap Users System is a good way to process the bits at the end of a project. When a pattern calls for a specific size unit, I check my pre-cuts to see what I can use. Over time, I cut and organized many kits. I did cut strips from neutrals; but, otherwise, all the pieces in this project are project leftovers. 

Progress at the end of the sew day

I bundled 12 blocks together as an easy way to track how many blocks I had made. I had about 120 blocks made so I decided it was time to begin setting the blocks together to see what size quilt I could make! This is the point in the project when the Leader/Ender becomes its own project!

I started selecting four blocks that had enough variety to sew together. As I finished a unit, I put it up on the design wall. At the end of the day, I had pieced 22 units and used 88 blocks! Stepping back from the design wall, I was amazed at how great all these bits looked together! 

My friend Martha would be impressed with how many of her scraps went into this project She would also be shocked that I sewed such scrappy blocks! While I had 28 blocks remaining, I knew I wanted to make enough blocks so that quilt would be about 60 x 72 inches. This meant that I needed to cut 20 more blocks. I cut the parts and kitted them. 

I'll sew them at our next Mavens Sew day. Now, I have a new Leader/Ender at the ready. Four Patch Fun is the name Bonnie gave it when she released it last July. My Mavens group is calling it Pink Lemonade. We exchanged pink and yellow strips to make this project. 

Linking to Oh Scrap , Sew & Tell and To Do Tuesday.

Kaffe Challenge (AKA Dash) Is Complete--post 8

Simple meander quilting in the print fabric sections

The quilting is finished on my small group challenge using the Kaffe fabrics. I chose to stitch a simple Mander in the printed fabric sections. Quilting these areas went much faster than the arch lines I quilted in the solid fabrics!

Thread used

After I finished the quilting, I took a photo of the threads that I had used to quilt the project. While I preferred cotton thread, if I didn't have the color I needed, I used what I had. I am determined to use what I have on hand! Sometimes that mantra leads me on a whole other journey!

Overall quilting texture

The texture of the quilting is balanced and I like it. I did take the photo in low light because when standing away from the quilt, you don't see the quilting. I hope the color and design on the quilt will draw people for a closer look. I hope the quilting will draw their eye to linger on this project a minute or two longer!

Label

A friend gave me the label at least two decades ago! I'm glad to see that it has a home now! I name the piece Dash because the purple inserted strips reminded me of dashes.

View of the binding

Because I was unsure if I had enough of the purple scrap left for binding, I cut the binding at two inches instead of my usual two and half inches. This time, I machine attached it to the front and hand stitched it to the back.

Finished back

The sleeve is pieced from leftovers of the wide backing. I have a few strips left of that backing which makes me smile. The more I can use and not store, the better!

Previous posts were: Fabric Palette; Challenge Block; Challenge Block post three; Making a Back; Piecing A Back Take Two; Basted; Quilting Begun;

Finished front

I used seven yards of fabric which brings the total yardage used this month to yards. I have a net loss of stash for the year of 90.25 yards! Finishing Dash was goal number five on my June list. It was goal number 2r on my Annual list. I am happy that I have now finished six projects from my annual list. Five finishes were my goal! There will be more finishes to come!

Linking to I Quilted This, Finished Or Not Friday and Patchwork and Quilts.

Piecing Strings

The string bag

Goal number nine of my June list was to begin piecing the strings from my two gallon zip lock bag containing strings in the sizes of 2 1/2, 3 1/2, 4 1/2 and 6 1/2 strings. A quart size zip lock bag contains each size of string. Cynthia at Quilting Is More Fun Than Housework, Chantal at At The Corner Of Scrap and Quilts and Angela at Scrap Happy inspire me to use scraps the scraps that I've "harvested" after completing a project..

Contents of the 2 1/2 inch zip lock bag

The bag is almost at capacity so it was time to begin making "fabric" out of the strips. The largest amount of "precuts" was the 2 1/2 inch zip lock bag. I cut newspaper strips that were 2 1/2 inches wide and began piecing the strips to the foundation.

Piecing away

Our oldest granddaughter came for a visit. She wanted to string piece. She has experience string piecing. I gave her my seat! She created  fabric strips for about half an hour. I noted that since she had a machine, she could sew these at home. Which she replied that she didn't have fabric to sew! What she really meant was that she didn't have a project! I asked if she wanted to work on these at home because we could make a project bag for her. She said yes! So that was how I lightened the amount of 2 1/2 inch strings out of the bag!

K's string progress

In the week since, she texted me a photo of her progress after her first sew session. She was excited that she was able to remember how to use her machine! She was excited to be using her packet of paper strips and strings! She knows that next time we see one another, she can take home more strings. I do have ideas to run by her should she desire to turn her strips into blocks. Do I dare hope that she will become a quilter? My fingers are crossed!

Celebrating commencement 

Speaking of the granddaughter, she was one of ten students in her eighth grade class to speak at her commencement. We proudly watched her speak. Last week, we took her out for a birthday lunch. She choose the restaurant. It was a great day. We decided since she is 14, she is old enough to know when she "needs"  a coffee, a pastry, a lunch or a time away. All she has to do is call or text and set a date. She seemed excited about that option. Let's see if she takes advantage. I know she has another restaurant in mind!

Three and half inch strips trimmed and ready for paper removal

Back to the strings! The next fullest bag was the 3 1/2 inch strings. I found that I wasn't using the two inch by 3 1/2 inch scraps that I saved early in my scrap saving journey so I had added these to the bag. I had at least five quart size bags that were partially full of scraps by color! I pieced the 3 1/2 inch strings on a piece of newsprint that was about 18 inch long. I sewed a lot of strings!

Bag at the end of piecing

I created about 240 inches of 3 1/2 inch string fabric! I still had strings left; but, the variety wasn't great so I'll wait until I have more strings in that size! I did like seeing one bag with lots of room at the end of the piecing session!   

6 1/2  inch strings

I tacked the 6 1/2 inch string bag next. I actually had two of these zip lock bags. I cut more foundations from news print and began.

Piecing the 6 1/2 inch strings

So many bits! Yet, and this I found hard to believe, wasn't enough! There was plenty regarding amount; but, there wasn't enough variety. So after piecing five strips, I located one of my friend Martha's scrap bags. 

A scrap bag of Martha's collected in August 2018

This bag was almost 15 inches high and weighed five pounds and eight ounces! It is full of rectangles, squares, strips, triangles and bits! That five pounds converts to about 16 yards of fabric!

View of the inside of the bag

I have no idea how many projects are in that bag; but, I did begin to pull the strips from the bag. After I had pieced eight strips of 6 1/2 inch strings, both Gertie and I were ready to give this project a rest! 

Pieced 6 1/2 inch string units

The string bag looks as full as it did when I started. The completed strips are in the bag so that is the reason why there isn't a change in the amount of strings in the bag! 

String bag at the end of piecing

Gertie and I do have ideas of how to use the strings; but, we need lots more inches of pieced strips.We will return to this project later in the month or next month. In the meantime, I've some Rainbow Scrap Challenge blocks to make and quilting to do!

Linking to Oh Scrap, Sew & Tell.and To Do Tuesday.

Good Fortune Finished

Quilting pattern--Growing Things

Goal number two on my June list was to finish Good Fortune. This was the Bonnie Hunter mystery in 2018. It was the first of her mystery sew alongs that I actually started.

 I had watched Bonnie's mystery for at least three years prior before I decided I could try! When I didn't get it to the finish, I knew that while I liked doing the mystery, I needed a village closer to me to support me to the finish. I saw many Facebook posts about groups doing the mystery together. They seemed to have a blast!

Label

In the fall of 2019, I started a small group to have fun and to get our Bonnie projects to the finish! We are called the Mystery Mavens. There are about twenty active members. We work on Bonnie's mystery. Sometimes it is the current one and sometimes it isn't. Bonnie's patterns have a lot of pieces! Sometimes, we work on one of her patterns and sometimes, we work on a different project all together. It is a personal choice each one makes.

With their support, I have now finished all the mystery quilts I've started. Good Fortune 2018, Frolic 2019, Grassy Creek 2020, Rhododendron Trail 2021, Chilhowie 2022, Indigo Way 2023, Old Town 2024 and Lupine and Laughter 2025. Additionally, I finished Unity 2020. You can see those finishes on this page.

Pieced back

Quilting texture on the front

I've a couple weeks to decide which Bonnie Hunter project I will move toward the finish next. I have blocks started for three leader/enders:Triple Treat, Four Patch Fun and Jewel Box Stars. I also have started three projects: string geese, complimentary block exchange and Smith Mountain Morning. I plan to work on one of those projects when our Mastery Mavens meets until it is finished or until the next mystery begins.

Good Fortune returned from the longarmer at the end of May. I chose a swirl pattern with a flower shape. The pattern was called Growing Things. I like the texture it provided. I chose a tan thread. 

The label came from the guild free table. That dark green background, even using a Lightbox, was difficult to see where I wanted to write! 

The binding was a piece of solid fabric that I had in my stash as I didn't have enough of one of the leftover red fabrics to cut a binding.

I thought that I would use a piece of orange fabric for the sleeve; but, a scrap that remained from the backing was large enough so I used it instead. It blends with the backing so you don't know that it is there! I do like the interest that piecing the back created. It could be a two sided quilt.

Finished Front

I used 21 yards of fabric for this project. That brings my total of stash used for the month at 21 yards. It brings my net stash used for the year at 83.25 yards! 

This is my seventh finish for the year. Gertie and I already pieced together the leftover batting chunks and sorted the remaining fabric scraps into my scrap saving system. 

Linking to: To Do Tuesday; Finished Or Not Friday and Patchwork and Quilts.