Sashing Grassy Creek--post 8

Chaos while figuring out a piecing system

The first and third Mondays of the month are the days that our Mystery Mavens group meet. I try to work on a Bonnie project during those days. I've been working on Grassy Creek. The first Monday, I planned to get started on the sashing. 

I made quite a mess while I was figuring  out a system to build the sashing. I decided to make the churn dash elements with the same fabric in each churn dash.

To ensure the blocks stayed as I had laid them out on the design wall, I pinned the sashing on top. This turned out as not the best solution; but, it got me started with the process.

Sashing in progress

Because working on this project takes up so much space in my sewing area. I made the decision to sew on it until I had the blocks together in a top. 

I'm pleased with how the parts are coming together. I'm also pleased with the overall effect of the sashing. Although the first photo of the sashing in progress doesn't show the effect!

At the end of my second sewing session, I had made a little more progress. My design wall isn't big enough to hold a full row of the blocks. Consequently, if there was a way to sew the blocks together differently from the directions, I tested it! I found that moving the blocks to the floor netted a whole lot less unsewing! 

Progress after the second sewing session

Even though  I haven't sewn but a few rows together, I'm liking the emerging design! The light background pieces sure pop in this design. It is easy to sew bits together that creates a pattern other than the one that I want! I plan to be mindful as I stitch each seam. 

Working on the other half of the blocks at the end
of the third session

At the end of session three, I had sewn four rows together. I also had laid out two thirds of the second half of the quilt. I did need to cut a few bars for the churn dashes so that I had the same fabric in the four sections of the churn dash. 

Progress at the beginning of the fourth session

At the beginning of the fourth session, I thought that I would be able to complete the center. Even though I had sewn half of the quilt into rows and even though I had begun the layout of the last half of the quilt, I was too optimistic!

Lower third of the second half of the quilt

There are 24 points to match in each row. Sometimes, the matches went well and sometimes they didn't. I was short one HST and I had one extra string pieced sashing. I sure removed a lot of stitches in that last row because I kept turning the HSTs in a direction other than was directed! By the end of the fourth session, I had three more seams to sew! 

Close up view of the churn dash sashing

On the fifth session, I was sure that I could finish the center. I had three seams left to sew and I had pinned two of them. I did it! WHEW! I like it. It measures about 84 inches square which is too big for me to get an accurate photo of the center. 

Finished center

There is a skinny inner border and a string border left to add. In the coming weeks, I'll think about when I will work on those sections. I need to get to other items on my November list. I'm glad that I've made progress on this project which was goal number seven on my list.

Linking to Finished or Not Friday.

Pulling the Fabrics for Lupine & Laughter--post one

Fabric pull for Lupine & Laughter

Last month, Bonnie Hunter released the introduction to her 2025 mystery quilt along. She is calling it Lupine & Laughter. She released the information a week early because she would be traveling to Oregon to assist her son's recovery from brain surgery. 

If you want to participate, clink the link for more information. I participate because it is an opportunity to use from stash, to play with different color ways and to become more accurate with my cutting and piecing. 

Purple fabrics starched in the shower

In 2019, I started a group to work on the mystery. We call ourselves the Mystery Mavens. We gather the first Monday of the month in a hybrid meeting. We meet the third Monday of the month via Zoom. 

A couple of our group moved to other states so we added the third Monday meeting to stay in contact with them. After a few months, I realized there was WiFi at our in person meeting space so that meeting turned into a hybrid meeting. 

Dried fabrics ready for the iron

Several of our members who met in person don't want to haul their supplies to our first Monday meeting so they Zoom into the meeting. Several of our members don't Zoom. It is nice to have options! It is also great to be able to stay in touch with our members who have moved to Kansas and Alabama.

The reason that I started the group was because working on my own with Bonnie's mysteries, I didn't finish. Sometimes, I never got past the choosing fabric stage! Often, I would get stuck and the project ended up as a UFO. From watching Bonnie's FaceBook page and reading her blog post comments, I could see how much fun it was to stitch together in a group setting.

Some of the prepped fabric

There are 25 members in our group. You do have to be a member of the local quilt guild to join our group. Some members only work on Bonnie projects during our time together. Others are working on the mystery.  It could be a past mystery or it could be the current mystery. Once members complete the mystery, they work on other projects. Often, they work on another of Bonnie's patterns.

Fabrics prepped and in the project box waiting
for the first clue

As am aside, I have had several people say they want to join us; but they have no interest in working on a Bonnie project. I encourage these people to start their on group. I. explain how to set up a group. Each time, I've been told that the person didn't have time to start or maintain a group! 

This year, we are planning to work on Bonnie's Leader/Ender challenge, Four Patch Fun. Because some of us have little pink or little yellow we are going to exchange strips in December. We tried to do it at the end of summer, but, some of us (like me) forgot! Those that live out of state can participate too. It will be fun to have fabric in this project from other members of the group!

We have a FaceBook page where we post photos and exchange information. They are a wonderful group of women. Frolic was our first mystery together. Then it was Grassy Creek, Rhododendron Trail, Chilhowie, Indigo Way and Old Town. I am working on Grassy Creek; but, I will finish it in 2026! The other one I haven't finished is Good Fortune which was the mystery before Frolic.

It's been awesome to share fabrics. I've been inspired by members' color way choices to go "rouge" which I did with Rhododendron Trail. I've been awed with members'
creativity in putting blocks together in different layouts and using alternate sashing options. The best part is the support of the group. Without them, I'd likely have more unfinished projects!

Eleven of us in December 2023

For Lupine and Laughter, I pulled fabrics from my chunks of scraps. Most of the pieces are between an eighth and a quarter of a yard. I hope that the bits I have will work into the project. I have so little pink! In Rita's Rhododendron Trail box, there were a few pink chunks so that helped me with my fabric pull! The plaid fabric in the photo was leftover from a skirt my oldest granddaughter stitched in 2016!

The purples also came from the chunks scrap drawer. I emptied it by about half! Again, I hope that the size pieces I have will work well with the project. I did have some light creams in my neutral pull; but, I switched those out so that the neutrals are white as per Bonnie's suggestion.

Ice blue fabrics were not many in my stash either. I had to stretch what constituted ice blue to me! But, the great news was that all the fabrics came from my stash. I did order and purchase the half rectangle ruler that Bonnie suggested. I understand that these are sold out everywhere. Amazing that one woman could have that much influence in the quilting world!

Once I had chosen the fabric, I tested each one to be sure that it wasn't going to bleed. Pre-washing takes some time! I dried the fabric in the dryer to ensure if shrinkage was going to occur it did! Next, I sprayed each fabric with a mixture of one part starch to two parts water. I have a few containers of Stay-Flo; but I understand that Linit Starch is a good alternative. Purex stopped making Stay-Flo some time ago. Stay-Flo was starch in concentrated liquid form.

I dilute the concentrate with a ratio of one part concentrate to two parts water. I use a spray bottle to distribute the starch on the fabric until the fabric is soaked. I spray the fabrics in the shower because clean up from the overspray is easy! I hang the fabric to dry, then I iron the fabric. It takes a long time to complete the fabric preparation; but, it is important because I find my accuracy is better if I use starch. The prepped fabric feels stiff like thin cardstock. 

My fabrics are prepped and I'm ready for the first clue to be released November 21! Are you playing along with Bonnie this year? 

Pulling the fabrics and prepping them was goal number two on my November list. Linking to Oh Scrap.

House Blocks at the Longarmer--post 3

 

Stitching around the appliqué with
monofilament thread

Goal number one on my November list was to press the backing and top of the house quilt so I could get it to the longarmer. I took the pre-washed wide back to an in person sew day. Pressing a wide back isn't my idea of a fun time. Being able to do it amidst laughter and conversation made the task so much better!

Later, as I was pressing the top, I realized that on three of the raw appliqué blocks, the edges were only pressed in place. Some of the fusible was lifting so I needed to stitch down each of the pieces. My original plan was that when I quilted the piece, I would stitch down the appliqués in the process. I totally forgot about that plan now that I'm sending the piece to a longarmer! I used monofilament thread in the needle and a cotton thread in the bobbin. With my free motion foot, I stitched around the block parts.

The back and top ready for the longarmer

Next, I realized that two of the blocks had hard embellishments. . .button door knobs! I removed those. I will add them back after the project is quilted. I had a quilting pattern in mind, but, I didn't see anything close to it in the panto list. I selected a few options and encouraged the longarmer to choose one that would work. I also thought that a medium gray or dark grey thread, of the options available, would blend the best; but, again, I asked the longarmer to make that decision. 

It's been a long time since I worked on this quilt. It took some digging to locate the previous post which were in September of 2023. It is no wonder that I had forgotten about the buttons and the appliqués!

Linking to Finished Or Not Friday and Patchwork and Quilts.

October Recap and November Goals

Quilting back of temperature quilt

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--pin basted in September

✒c. Martha's House blocks--purchased backing in May; determined a quilting design in August;

Clamshells--front of temperature quilt

✔d. Positively Grows--pin basted in February; started ditch quilting in July, finished in August, documented in September.

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

f. Butterfly number four 

Fabric Summary:

Fabric in this month: 0 yards   

Fabric in year to date: 64 3/4 yards

Fabric used from stash this month: 4.75 yards 

Fabric used from stash year to date: 107 yards

S

Squirrel antics

Net loss/gain this month: -4.75yards

Net loss/gain year to date: -45.75 yards  

Books:

"New" quilting pattern

My favorite listen of the month was: "The Spoon Stealer" by Lesley Crewe. Often a spoonful of kindness is all one needs to set issues on the right path. The main character "Em" lifts spoons to remember the people she met, assisted and loved during her life. She is one strong, wise and witty woman!

My favorite read of the month was: "Together in Manzanar: The True Story of a Japanese Jewish Family in An American
Concentration Camp" by Tracy Slater. I was familiar with the Tule Lake "relocation center." I had not heard of Manzanar and I had no idea that the camps were indeed concentration camps. This story is written using the diaries of the mom and dad before, during and after the war.

My October goals were:

✔1. Post about my sourdough baking.

✔2. Share my progress with the Triple Treat Leader Ender Project.

Pre-washing garment fabric

✔3. Make progress on Grassy Creek.

✔4. Make the Rainbow Scrap Challenge blocks. 

✔5. Make more 2025 Temperature Quilt blocks.

✔6. Finish of Stitch By Stitch.--It lacks a
sleeve and blocking.

✔7. Prewash challenge fabrics that one of my small groups is doing.

✔8, Make a knit skirt for my granddaughter.

✔9, Piece the batting for Beyond the Surface.

✔10. Begin quilting the 2022-2023 Temperature quilt. I did begin the quilting. Photos are at the top of this post! While I liked the clamshells in the border, I did not like them on the boxes so I ripped about 15 rows. . . .sigh. . .Gertie, my inner squirrel, tried to tell me to

Making progress on the Temperature quilt

stop; but, I didn't listen!

✔11. Document the QOV presentation.

✔12. Continue working on the virtual retreat. Speakers have said yes. The guild president has signed the contracts and retuned them to the speakers. The treasurer has paid the deposit fee one speaker required. Charity block directions and photos are complete. I also know how much it costs to mail one block or two blocks. Our committee is working on games/activities. if you have an idea, please share!

I made great progress last month. Now  my goal is to keep up the momentum!

My November goals are:

This fabric destined to be a backing

1. Get the backing pre-washed, pressed as well as the house top pressed and to the longarmer.

2. Gather and prepare fabrics for the Bonnie Hunter mystery. This year it is Lupin & Laughter.

3. Make more 2025 Temperature Quilt blocks.

4. Make progress quilting the 2022-2023 Temperature Quilt.

5. Make a garment for my middle granddaughter.

6. Gather and cut strips for the Bonnie Hunter leader ender.

7. Make progress on Grassy Creek.

8. Begin cutting and piecing fabrics for the small group challenge.

9. Make a back for the 2025 RSC top. I did choose one fabric as a start! 

Linking to Oh Scrap and Show and Tell and To Do Tuesday!

More Strings and Blocks for Grassy Creek--post 7

String blocks in progress

The third Monday in August was a Zoom sew day with my Mavens group. I try to work on a Bonnie Hunter project when we meet. Since June, I'be been making progress on my Grassy Creek mystery quilt which I started in November of 2020. I made another dozen string blocks.

Trimming

Somehow, I managed to make them all in the same direction. Since I needed just as many blocks that slant ed right as slant left, I made the next dozen that slant the other way! I marked the newsprint with the lines and made a note to remind myself what I need. I cut a few more strips/strings so I had a good variety.

Lighter gray strings cut for piecing

Labor Day, our Mavens group met via Zoom. I made good progress string piecing. The following day, I finished the string piecing. I had few pieces left from the pile of strings that are in the above photographed.

The blocks

I finished trimming the blocks. I will remove the papers when it's time to sew the blocks together. 

Side view of the string blocks

In September, I managed to sew a portion of the blocks. Now that it is October, I've continued to sew blocks. Last Monday, I sewed the last one together. I put them all up on the design wall. I found two I had sewn incorrectly. I fixed the issues. 

Four of the blocks

The blocks are fun! I'm glad I'm this far. I will have at least two more sewing sessions in November to make progress. The next step is to add the sashing. There is a little sewing of the units before adding the string blocks. My fingers are crossed that all will go well. The plan is to add a skinny border strip and a a string border. Three sewing sessions won't get me to a top; but, I will make as much progress as I can! This was the mystery for 2020.  I'm pleased with the progress I've made!

All of the blocks

Bonnie already realized the introduction to the next mystery. My goal is to gather and prep (pre-wash/starch) the fabrics before Bonnie drops the first clue on November 21! Making progress on this project was goal number three on my October list. 

Linking to Finished Or Not Friday and Patchwork and Quilting.

Beyond the Surface Is Pin Basted--Post 2

Pieced batting

Goal number nine on my October list was to piece the batting for Beyond the Surface, my project for the book, "Lula Dean's Little Library of Banned Books." I had a leftover piece of polyester batting from my Sweet Tooth mystery quilt that looked to be about the right size. By the time I got it pieced it was. . .just barely! When success happens with so little waste, I call it, "Meant to be!"

Pin basting in progress

I pulled a backing piece of fabric and I gave glue basting the backing to the batting a try. I read about the process on another person's blog; but can't remember who posted about it! It was easy to do. I probably didn't wait long enough for the glue to dry because when I tested to see if the two layers were connected, they weren't! 

Finished basting--the batting just fit

I ended up pin basting the layers together. When I finish quilting the 2022 though 2023 Temperature quilt, this project will be next. I used a piece of backing fabric that has been in my stash for about 20 years. I will have almost enough of it remaining to make a sleeve for the project.

Backing fabric

It feels great to have exceeded the goal of piecing the batting. It feels even better to have used that backing fabric! I remember purchasing it when a shop owner was closing one of my favorite quilt shops. Isn't it funny how we can remember such a purchase!

Linking to Oh Scrap!

The Last Blocks for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge of 2025

Brown selvage squares

This is the last month that Angela will pick a color or colors to make blocks from our scraps. She chose dark. . .and if possible to include brown and black! I made some of each!

Black selvage squares

After I stitched the last block, I was curious how the blocks would look together. I chose to layout out the blocks sort of in rainbow order. Brown and black are not in the rainbow. I didn't have enough blocks of some colors to make a true rainbow; but, I like the modern take on the layout.

I  might call this project "Hidden Seven." One of my friends saw it right away. (Check out the placement of the yellow blocks.)

Possible block layout

Gertie, my inner squirrel wanted me to sew these blocks together. Because I need the design wall for a challenge project and Grassy Creek layouts, I agreed with Gertie and stitched the top together! It measures 62 inches by 72 inches.

The top

Making the blocks was goal number four on my October list. Linking to Finished Or Not Friday, Patchwork and Quilts and Scrap Happy!

One Sweater Body--Upcycled Into a Skirt!

Sweater body

I've had this sweater body in my stash. It previously lived for decades in my mom's stash. My mom would pursue the Jantzen fabric outlet for "buys." She bought a lot of fabric. She made a lot of garments for my dad, my brothers and even some of their friends. She made clothing for herself and for me. Although, I was stitching my own clothes so I didn't receive that many items! 

There was no fiber content available regarding the sweater body; but, I would venture to guess it is a wool and polyester blend. When I pressed it, it smelled like wool! It was 31 inches long by 72 inches wide.

Serged back center seam

I did bring it to the free table at a September guild meeting; but no one took it. Rather than put it in the landfill, I decided I would make a usable garment from it. Since there was no trim with the sweater body, I didn't want to make a sweater or a vest. I pondered what I could make with the supplies I had on hand. I looked on Pinterest. I searched Google and You Tube for ideas.

Center back seam with edges secured

A skirt for my oldest granddaughter seemed to be the best option. I could use the ribbing as the waistband and I could serge the edges of the fabric for the one seam. To make the skirt couture, I whipped stitched the seam allowances to the skirt body. Those seam allowances will remain as they are!

Waistband from sweater band

I used the sweater band as the casing for the waistband. The knitted waistband was wide enough that I folded it in half. I used a zigzag stitch to secure the casing. The stitch isn't visible from the front and the finished edge of the sweater band made a neat finish for the inside of the garment!

Hem

There was a finish along the lower edge of the fabric. I decided I could turn the edge and hand stitch the hem. The skirt finished about 28 I/12 inches or about four inches below my granddaughter's knee. I'm thinking this skirt paired with boots would look great. Miss K loves to wear boots. I will invite Miss K to go shopping for a blouse and/or a sweater or a vest to complete the outfit. I hope she likes it!

Finished skirt

I am rounding to the nearest quarter of a yard so I used three quarters of a yard of fabric to make this project. This brings the total used from stash this month to 4.75 yards and the total used from stash this year to 45.75 yards!

Linking to Oh Scrap and Sew and Tell!

Stitch By Stitch, The Finish--post 4

 

Lots of sort of straight lines

This project was inspired by the book: The Dressmaker of Khair Khana by Gayle Tzemach Lemmon. The book is about how one women helps her six siblings survive and thrive when their parents and older brother leave Afghanistan during the first Taliban takeover.

More diagonal lines

I began the quilting by quilting in the ditch. This is tedious; but, it is a good way to secure the layers. My goal with quilting this piece was to add texture and to keep it "modern."To that end, I quilted a lot of sort of straight lines. I used a thread that matched the background.

Oval motif for background; vertical lines on letters

I repeated quilting diagonal lines in several areas of the quilt. The diagonal lines represent how the women were "allowed" so few areas to be out in public. Of course, they had to have a male member of their family with them. If not, they were subject to being beaten.

View of the various quilted lines

Vertical lines on the letters represent the strictness of the Taliban. The oval motif in the background of the letters represent the decorative stitching the women did one the higher end dresses.

Cotton and polyester monofilament threads completed the quilting.

Thread used to quilt project

The horizontal lines in the piece represent what a women wearing a burka can see. The area is small, two and a half inches by about five inches. I can't imagine not tripping over the hem or an uneven sidewalk let alone picking out food from the market with such a narrow field of vision. 

View after completing the quilting

I made a quilted facing for this project. I used bias tape from my grandmother's stash to finish the inside edge of the facing. 

View of the back

I removed a seam from a pieced pinwheel that I didn't use on the front. I put one half of the block on each side of the label. 

Label

There was almost enough fabric for the hanging sleeve; but, not quite. I found a strip in the green chunk drawer that was large enough. This piece is 41 by 58 inches. I used four yards of fabric for this project. This brings the total net fabric used from stash to 45 yards this year.

Finished front

Previous posts were: Strings from a Scrap Bag; It's a Flimsy; Piecing the Back. Goal number six on my October list was to document the finish of this project. Linking to Finished or Not Friday and Patchwork and Quilts.