Floral Baubles--post 1

Floral baubles #1

 I need to have my head examined. For months, I've been able to talk Gertie, my inner squirrel, out of beginning a new project. Last month, she twisted my arm and I started THREE new projects. This post is about the second project that I started. 

Melisa at Pinker n Punkin Quilting and Stitching, showed her start and I thought it was super cute. Melisa designs the cutest little stitchery projects that she offers free to her readers. Check out her blog. There is always fun items to see!

Star points, sashing and corner stone fabrics

At any rate, I went to the link that Melisa shared and was introduced to Floral Baubles by Days Filled with Joy. It is a free sew along with nine designs coming in nine months. Joy, the designer, released the first design in June. I downloaded it and thought it would be a great design to collect to stitch at a later date.

Gertie, wasn't having any part of waiting! I traced off the design after adding stabilizer to the back of the square. She even convinced me to trace the second design. Eventually, the redwork becomes the center of a sawtooth star.  I did stitch the first design. 

My granddaughter was visiting and we selected fabric for the star points, sashing and corner stones. All fabrics came from stash and scraps! She helped me prewash each one which she thought was a lot of fun. She was surprised to see a fabric bleed red and other bleed green. Although she did tell me that the water was way too hot!

How often I will post about this project is a mystery. I don't have many plans other than down loading and stitching the rework as I have time. The project will come together. . .eventually!

Selecting the supporting fabrics for this project was goal number two on my August list. Linking to To Do Tuesday.

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.

President's Block

This year for the Clark County Quilters President's block, the colors were white, black, red and gray. The pattern was a Sawtooth Star with with a plain center or any design that you desired. The unfinished size of the block was to be 12 1/2 inches.

Selected scraps 

I went to my scraps and selected fabrics. I decided I would piece a checkerboard for the center using gray and black 1 1/2 inch squares. I cut a red and a white 3 1/2 strip of fabric for the background and star points. I used Bonnie Hunter's Essential triangle tool to make the geese units.

Finished block

I forgot to take in process photos. The process went quickly! There are a few less scraps in the studio and this block is on its way to be given in June to the outgoing guild president. Making a block is a way that the members say thank you to the president. Randy is our current president. He will like this block. I hope he has fun putting together his president's blocks into a quilt!

You can view what I did with my president's blocks here. Linking to Oh Scrap and Sew & Tell.

Virtual Retreat Review

WARNING:

Fabrics for a charity block

This is a text heavy post. Feel free to scroll and skim!

Last weekend, I. along with Rosanne, Riza and Alvera who are members of my small group, The Four Amigas, hosted a virtual retreat through the Portland Modern Quilt Guild. Thirty nine participants registered from eight states and three Canadian provinces.

Lots of stitching happened, as well as visiting and there was some learning too! We played games, awarded door prizes, stayed up late, got up early and were inspired by three great speakers. We even included a charity block activity. Being virtual was similar to an in person retreat.
We've received lots of positive feedback 

The first layout

from the attendees making our event a success!

I can't imagine putting on a virtual retreat without being part of a group! Rosanne was our chair. She interacted with the board as we needed.  Budget approval, invoice payments and publicity chair interaction was behind the scenes important work. Our guild publicity chair put together terrific posts for social media which drew people to sign up for the event.

A second layout option

Alvera worked out the schedule. Riza came up with a game that we could play virtually called Blank Slate. Riza modified it to have a quilting theme and only exact matches were awarded one point. People were on their honor to tally their scores. I found a link to play virtual Bingo. It was fun and easy. 

We used Cynthia's (Quilting Is More Fun Than Housework)  Scrappy Chains block as our charity block. I wrote a tutorial for making the block and included information on how to mail it. 

A third layout option

Rosanne made a block a few days before the retreat. She texted me a photo and wrote that her block read purple. The original directions were to use solid or fabrics that read as a solid in one color way. Rosanne's block did not meet the fabric requirements. I let her know about the solid fabric. She said she didn't remember that part. I laughed. She was the one that wanted the solid fabrics!

Riza happened by Rosanne's and echoed the same sentiments about her fabric choices. Rosanne was excited to have used her scraps to make the blocks as now she had made more than one. Riza read the directions out loud and Rosanne immediately replied, "you know I can't follow directions and you know I don't read. This wasn't in Audible!" Rosanne listens to a lot of books! We laughed. 

Adding more blocks to the design

We laughed again when Rosanne discovered she put together her block using the photo of the back of the block rather than the front of her block. She was going to employ Jack and rip out the block

I said leave it. I stated that we would likely receive more blocks with that orientation and it wouldn't matter. We would have the strong pattern of the chain blocks which would carry the design.

Lupine and Laughter as a flimsy

In the end, seventeen people made blocks. We haven't received all of them. We did receive enough before and during the retreat to play with different layouts. The top will be sewn vertically; but, horizontally was the best way to display the blocks. That errant block stitching actually works well with the layout that we chose! Now, we are wishing we had more! We are all laughing!!

Rosanne has volunteered to sew the blocks together and quilt it. The finished quilt or quilts will be given to the charity group at PMQG. I love Riza's layout. Those blocks are super happy!

I also was the contact for the speakers that we hired.  Our speakers were, Sarah Goer (Rules and Options of Planned Improv Piecing), Karen Bolan (Collaboration Is Fun) and Sarah Ruiz (Inspiration to Quilt). Feedback from the participants was that they not only liked the speakers; but, were inspired by the topics.

Green string prewashing and processing

The retreat was open from 5pm Friday until Sunday at 1pm. Most hours of the retreat were hosted. Rosanne managed the Zoom session most of the time. Rosanne is a night owl. Alvera lives in an earlier time zone so she logged on 4am our time which was 7am her time. Riza and I filled in as needed. 

After paying the speakers, we used the remaining money as prize money. Our goal was not to spend money on postage or "things" so we could have more prize money to award. We also knew that a number of our participants didn't have access to a printer, so we wanted all the information able to be used digitally with printing as an option. 

Rosanne set up a number generator program and drew names for our drawings which were $25 electronic gift certificates that were from businesses that support PMQG. If the winner lived outside the business area, the winner chose their favorite area quilt shop.

Quilt waiting for more stitching time

In between, we had breakout rooms. One was for quiet. .. when the conversation became too much and you wanted to sew with a smaller less talkative group for a bit. This was requested during the planning stages; but it wasn't used. 

We had a social issues breakout room. We had a participant from Minneapolis and ten people went there to learn about the happenings in the city. That happened as the retreat opened and all members were back by the time the speaker was ready to present. No one else requested going to the room. 

Some progress is made

The third breakout room was for demonstrations and small group chatting. This room was used once for chatting and twice for demonstrations. One demonstration was two methods of applying a facing to a quiltIt and the other was how to achieve a quarter inch seam. The breakout rooms were available 24/7. To join a room, you needed to ask the host to assign you to the room. All participants were invited to join when a breakout room was requested.

It was a fun experience and I would do it again. I can't say I accomplished much. I did finish the flimsy of Lupine and Laughter. I did finish prewashing and prepping some strings for my RSC blocks. I even spent some time quilting my 2022-2023 Temperature quilt. 

Making progress on the quilting of the temperature quilt was goal number four and attending the retreat was goal number eight on my February list. Linking to Oh Scrap and Sew & Tell.

President Block

Fabric scraps selected for the block

I make an effort to stitch the President's block when it is released to the members. I belong to a couple of guilds that ask members to make a block for the president. As a past president, I was moved by the blocks that I received.

This block requirements were blue for the sky, a purple tone on tone that read like a solid for the bird wings, a contrasting tone on tone fabric for the bird body and black for the legs and beak. Did I exactly follow the fabric directions? No. . .but, what I chose will work. It will be a great quilt!

Finished block

The block instructions were lengthy. I imagine a lot of people will be challenged with the legs. I did like that there wasn't a set place to put them so every block will be different. I never did quite figure out the directions regarding the beak. I liked the block. It did come out to be exactly the measurement that was requested. 

One member, Tomme F. made a paper pieced pattern. The paper pieced pattern is much easier to understand and the results will be more consistent. The paper pieced pattern is one that I might want to make more birds. . .someday! Goal number ten on my June list was to document making this block. 

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

Baking More Sourdough with A Scrappy Chain Bliock --post 2

My last sourdough post was November 2024. While I've baked some waffles and pancakes since that post, I haven't made any other recipes from the "Artisan Sourdough Made Simple" by Emilie Raffa. The lack of baking was partly due to my knee recovery, partly due to not needing to eat those calories and partly because I wasn't motivated to bake! 

Rustic Pumpernickel

At the end of January, I pulled out my cookbook and settled on the Rustic Pumpernickel bread. My pantry didn't have fennel seeds. I used anise seeds instead. The bread was delicious. I really liked the flavor and aroma the anise seeds gave the bread. Eaten warm, the texture was  coarse; but, I liked the chewy crust. I remarked that it would be delicious toasted and topped with goat cheese.  I ate it the next day, toasted and topped with goat cheese, it was delicious! I would make this recipe again.

Overnight Danish Rye 

At the beginning of February, I made a couple recipes. First, I baked a loaf of Overmight Danish Rye bread. This recipe contains sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds, slivered almonds and flax seeds. It is a dense loaf. A slice is filling and delicious with goat cheese. Pickled onions, smoked salmon and cream cheese would also be great toppings for this bread.

Soft Share and Tear Rolls

Then, for Super Bowl Sunday, I made Soft Share and Tear Rolls. I was surprised at how light and airy these rolls were. As per the recipe, I used the dough hook on my mixer to knead the dough. Of all of the recipes that I have made from this cookbook, this was the first one that didn't require the dough to raise overnight. These were delicious with a little butter. I will definitely be baking these again!

Easy Bread Basket Rolls

When two of the granddaughters came to spend a little time with us during Spring Vacation, I baked Easy Bread Basket Rolls. They were easy and they were also delicious! They were even delicious the following day. I paired these with homemade chicken noodle soup. I made a double batch so that the granddaughters could take home some for their dinner. I will make these rolls again!

Roasted Garlic Sourdough Knots with Parmesean

With Easter approaching, I decided it was time to try another roll recipe. This time I baked xx rolls. What makes these rolls different is the way the rolls are shaped. You stretch the dough into a rectangle and then tie it in a knot. Think of the first step in tying your shoe. When the rolls come out of the oven, they are drizzled with butter and rolled in parsley and Parmesan cheese. I didn't have Pecorino cheese on hand so substituted Parmesan. These were delicious!

Toasted Sunflower

In May, I baked a loaf of Toasted Sunflower. It contained semolina, rye, whole wheat and bread flour. I got us use a proofing basket that my mom gave me for Christmas. It was a pretty loaf. I forgot to take a photo before I cut it. It was good and so filling!

Toasted Sesame Semolina

Also in May, I baked a loaf of Toasted Sesame Semolina, This time, I remembered to snap a photo before I cut into it! It was delicious! The sesame scent while it was baking was divine!

Make Ahead Stuffed Spinach and Artichoke Dip Bread

For Mother's Day, I baked the Make Ahead Stuffed Spinach and Artichoke Dip Bread. It was a little time consuming with steps to prepare the filling. It was good! Although, I could go with less cream cheese next time! We tried it warm and again at room temperature. We liked room temperature better. I didn't snap a photo of it whole as I forgot! It was a pretty braid and would be a good conversation starter at a potluck!

Layout of the block pieces

Now the second part of this post. . .after all, this is a quilting blog! Cynthia over at Quilting Is More Fun Than Housework posted her next block drive pattern which is a scrappy chain. I have patriotic fabrics and figured why not make a sample block because maybe later I can make another Quilt of Valor.

Two blocks stitched 

These strips all came from my scraps. Stitching one block went so quickly that I decided to stitch a second block; but in a blue color way. The scrappy chain blocks went together like a dream. I had no issue with getting it to the 12. 5 inch measurement when I finished the block.

Some tips that I have learned over the years. . .cut with the ruler line on the edge of the fabric not the line straddling the fabric edge ; sew with a thin thread. . .Aurifil for example. Pay attention to the 1/4 inch seam mark. I do a test before I start the block. I check my seams after each press. Yes, it is time consuming; but at the end I know that I will have the correct sized block.

I will be making more of these blocks. I look forward to seeing the variety of layouts that Cynthia, her crew and her readers will use. Making a block was goal number 12 on my June list.  Linking to Cynthia at Oh Scrap and Carol at To Do Tuesday!

Sweet Tooth--Clues 2, 3, 4, 5 and part of 6--post 2

Clue number two

On the last day of April,  I finally made progress on Clue number two! I watched the video that Bill and Weeks made regarding this clue three times! I cut the pieces for one of the seven blocks I needed to stitch. May 1, I stitched it. It wasn't as difficult to do as I had told myself! I marked the units and stopped at six blocks instead of seven. It wasn't until I was working on clue four that I realized my error. 

Revised recipe

Since I thought I had completed clue two, I felt like I was on a roll. I watched the video for clue three. I reviewed the written instructions. The first step was to audition additional fabrics which created a transparency. I played with the pieces, second guessed myself and played some more. At one point, I thought let me look to see what Bill and Weeks did. . while that was good thought, it didn't help because my recipes are different from their recipes! I did complete the step in spite of my trepidation.

Clue three blocks

I spent parts of three days stitching the blocks. Stitching the blocks for clue three wasn't hard; but, I forgot to pay attention to the end size of the blocks.The day after I finishing the clue, I measured the blocks. I needed to amend two of the plaid like blocks and two of the rail fence blocks. Whew!

Part one of clue four blocks

Stitching accurate blocks is important because in the last mystery, we cut the blocks apart. In clue four, we cut the blocks from clue two! I was one block short. I cut it out and stitched it. Then I cut it apart and made the final blocks for part one of clue four. I'm happy with the transparency that I achieved.

Part two of clue four blocks

The second part of the clue four was to create more blocks cutting up the blocks I had made in clue three. I mostly achieved transparency. 

Part one of clue five blocks

I restitched part one of clue five several times as I was challenged getting close to the end size of the blocks. I hope that these will work into the final design. These were made cutting up clue four blocks.

Part two of clue five blocks

The second part of clue five blocks was to cut apart the blocks from clue one and to sew them back together. 

Part one of clue six

The first part of clue six was to cut part the blocks of clue six and sew those back together. Finally, I had sewn all the blocks. I put them on the design wall and will play around with the various options to find the layout that pleases my eye. 

Making progress on this mystery was goal number seven on my May list. Linking up with Carol at To Do Tuesday and Frédérique at Patchwork and Quilts!

Patriotic Block

Some of the fabric selection

Goal number seven on my January list was to sew a patriotic block for the Clark County Quilters guild show in March. This year, the block contest is to make a 12 and half inch block patriotic block using red, white and blue fabrics on a light neutral background. A Quilt of Valor group will make the blocks into quilts for veterans.

Pattern pieces

I chose an Entwined Star pattern by Wendy Russell that I saw on Pinterest. I cut out the pieces and while piecing them together, I decided that the two red fabrics were too close in value so I replaced one of the reds with a bright blue fabric. Initially, I planned to use it; but, thought the two reds would be okay. Gertie, my inner squirrel, wanted to use the bright blue fabric all along. She was right and she delighted in telling me so as I cut into the bright blue scraps!

Finished block

I like how it turned out. It is an interesting block to make. For once, I didn't make any stitching mistakes. The block went together easily and measured 12 and a half inches. Gertie, my inner squirrel, thought I should make a second block. She reasoned that I had already cut one of the fabrics and a quarter of the background fabrics. I acquiesced. 

Finished second block

Now, I need to mail the blocks to the chairperson who is collecting the blocks! Linking to Alycia at Finished or Not Friday!

Love Makes A Family -- post 1

Multicolored scrap bits

Our book club is reading, "Before We Were Yours" by Lisa Wingate. I knew I wanted to include the word, Love, in my project. I also knew that I wanted to incorporate the leftover multicolored scrap bits from the opportunity quilt that I will share in April or May.

In the book, Rill, a young girl, tries to hold her family together; but, they are all taken to the Tennessee Children's Home Society to be adopted. Georgia Tann operated the home. She single handed corrupted the adoption system. My heart wrenched at the crap the kids endured.

A couple other books that are related to the subject matter follow "The Baby Thief" by Barbara Bisantz Raymond is the untold story of Georgia Tann. "Before and After" by Judy Christie and Lisa Wingate provides real life stories of children who lived in the Children's Home.

The scrap bits represent the chaos Rill encountered. I knew I wanted at least the word "Love" in the project. Saturday, I listened to Bill Kerr and Weeks Ringle share their knowledge in My Word a mini quilt along. 

One of the words

Bill is a college professor who is a graphic design specialist. He teaches a class in typography. He also calls himself a nerd when it comes to typography. 

He developed a unicase alphabet meaning some letters are upper case while others resemble lower case; but, the letters fit well together. The lecture that you can listen to in the link was so interesting. There is a part two as well; but, I've only linked to the first part of the quilt along. In part two, Bill and Weeks answer questions.

The quilt along was free. All Bill and Weeks asked was for those who participated to purchase the pattern and to use the alphabet according to the pattern. I had a blast making the letters. Then, my little squirrel, Gertie, decided I needed to make a phrase. 

Auditioning background fabrics

Once I had constructed the phrase, I decided I needed to pick a background color. I tried a variety of fabrics before settling on a red fabric leftover from Indigo Way. A yellow was a close second. I may incorporate a few yellow strips to signify the courage and bravery that Rill exhibited.

The background or field fabric of the words is a light purple and the works are eggplant purple. I don't want to use those colors anywhere else in the project. I also don't want to use white or black because Tann was a master at treading in the gray areas of the law.

In the end, I pieced the phrase, "Love Makes A Family." Rill experienced love from her mom and dad as weak as from her adoptive family. Of course, she loved her sisters and brother.

Progress after piecing the phrase

I played around with different configurations of the words before settling on three lines. My next step will be to decide the size of the project. At that point, I will remove all the extra bits leaving the words. 

I will employ Irene Rodrick's technique of dancing with the wall which means placing a piece on the wall before stepping back to see if it "fits." Once it "fits," I leave it and work on another area. I'll be working in an "improv" format.

While I had planned to work on this project again this week, I might not get back to it until next month. Goal number three on my January list was to participate in the quilt along. Goal number six was to work on the project for the book, "Before We Were Yours," by Lisa Wingate. I have a good start!

Linking to Alycia at Finished or Not Friday.

Transparency Quilting(post 5)/Another Detour/Quilt of Valor (post 2)

Ditch quiting

Goal number one on my August list was to begin quilting Transparency. I sure thought that I'd begin the month with this project; but, there were other to-dos on the list that snuck in ahead of it! Let's see how far I get before the month ends!

Block for comfort quilt

I did have another detour. Friday, I received an e-mail regarding the husband of a guild member. He was diagnosed with cancer and a comfort quilt was in the making. . .would I contribute a block? Of course! Colors were chosen based on their Scottish heritage AND fabrics were to be sourced sustainably. . .which means no purchasing! All of these fabrics were scraps from previous projects so no yardage was used!

I used the templates to piece the block which came as an attachment with the e-mail. There was a paper piecing  and an appliqué option. The block finishes at 12 inches.

Adding the blue log cabins

Honestly, making progress on the Quilt of Valor was easier than I expected. I'd work on a step and then I'd move on to the next step because I wanted to see how my fabrics were going to look stitched into the next set of blocks!! 

Blue star

I finished the blue log cabins and moved on to stitching the blue stars. There were only four to stitch so these stitched quickly!

Blue stars added

As soon as I had two finished, I had to see what the stars added to the other blocks. I liked how these looked with the log cabins!

More red log cabins

It was down to a few more red log cabin blocks. I cut my fabrics and began stitching. Before long, all the blocks were stitched and added to the design wall.

Red star

Then I needed to stitch the red stars which were only two so those stitched even faster than the blue stars! I added those to the design wall and enjoyed the view.

All block complete

Next month, I'll stitch these into a top! This pattern is available for purchase on Alycia's Esty store. All the fabrics are from my stash. Mostly, I used scraps which was even better! Linking to Carol at To Do Tuesday and Alycia at Finished or Not Friday.