QCR QAL Blocks 5 and 6: 4 and 9-Patch

 

Scrappy version.  I tried to jazz my blocks up a bit this time and made the center curves a contrasting color.  I like it!

 

Official version.  This time I turned the darker patches away from the center.  Gives it a bit if a different look!  This was the trickiest block to do so far.  But it wasn't too bad. 

 

But then here's the next block- 9-patch.  I guess the 4-patch was just practice! 

 

Scrappy version. 

 

I sometimes have a hard time finding big enough chunks of fabric in my scraps for these blocks.  They measure 16.5 inches square.  Since the yellows matched really well, I had to piece my plaid strips to make them wide enough.  Works for me! :)  So making the scrappy block usually takes me longer than the official version.

 

Official version.  I really like how it turned out!

 

I've shocked myself that I've been able to keep up with the QAL so far.  Especially over the holidays.  But we still have a long way to go, so there is still plenty of time to get off track.  ha ha.

 

Happy New Year!

 

Embroidered Quilt and a lesson in thread quantity

I am still holding out on posts of my handmade Christmas gifts. Another week yet! 

 

 

So here's a quilt I did up earlier this month.  Pat made this one including the embroidery.  It was huge!

 

She requested the suggested quilting lines from the pattern. 

 

 

I modified them ever-so-slightly to minimize the number of stops.

 

The back.  Pat provided the thread for this one- 2 little 250 yard dark red spools.  I was concerned that wouldn't be enough.  Especially since this one measured 105 by 107 inches.  But since I just used it for the top sashings, there was plenty.  Granted my quilting was not too dense which helped.  But this was a good little lesson for me.  I really don't pay much attention to how much thread a quilt uses.  I know I can do several quilt tops with a 3,315 yard spool, but I don't think I could come within 100 yards if I had to guess. 

 

So now I know: 500 yards should do a queen size (not including the bobbin). 

Crossroads

 

Joyce made this one.  She calls it Crossroads. 

 

 

I quilted something kind of new for me.  Kind of an all-over feathered paisley swirl thing going on.

 

I think it's a keeper!

One Christmas Gift Done!

 

I have been doing some Christmas gift sewing lately, as I'm sure most of you have been too.  Most of my little projects I will have to post later.  Don't want any spoiling going on!  But here is one that I can share.  I made a little bag for our niece using a piece of vinyl/cloth stuff. 

  

 

And I even put in a recessed zipper!  And check out my snazzy zipper pull.  Those poor square beads have been waiting since the early '90's to be re-purposed from old stretched out hair-ties.  All those years in a button jar have finally paid off!  The colors matched perfectly! 

 

 

Inside are the real goods.  I'm kinda clueless as to what  9-year-old girls are into these days.  But I happened upon a Scholastic book fair at the local library and found this passbook thingy that looked pretty fun.  You pass it to all your friends and classmates and there are tons of fun little things to fill out like your favorite books, websites, and songs, and goofy stories you might have about the books owner.  And how fun is that mustache pencil-topper eraser?!

QCR QAL #3: Rail Fence blocks

 

Block #3 in the Quick Curve Ruler Quilt-A-Long: Rail Fence!  I made this block while visiting my folks for Thanksgiving, which means I totally raided Mom's Kaffe stash!  (it was her idea!) 

 

I was curious how the units would look turned this way.  I like it!  But Mom voted for the suggested layout and I obliged. 

 

So this is my scrappy version. 

 

(no fingers were injured in the making of this block)

 

The other version I made back at home, but not without some "help".  My little guy likes to sit on my lap and help me sew.  He even runs the backstitch!  (usually where it's not necessary...)  And he likes to pull pins and is really good at finding the seam ripper and my sharp scissors.  Oof.  Gotta stay alert with this kiddo!  If I can sew these curves with a squirmy 11 month old on my lap, anyone can do it!

 

 

 

Not quick enough with the camera...

 

 

The "official" version.

 

 

And here's everybody together so far!  Top row is my "official version" and the bottom is the "scrappy practice version".  Lookin good!  I am just LOVING this QAL.  Rumor has it the next block we are "curving it up" is the 4-patch.  Hmmm.  Can't wait to see it and make it!

 

You can see everyone else's blocks in the Flickr group.  There are links to all the tutorials there too!

 

 

 

 

 

What is Black and White and quilted all over?

 

A team of ladies made this quilt for a niece that just got married.  Isn't this a cool quilt?!

 

 

They looked through my binder of doodles and drawings and picked out a couple they liked.  They decided on this butterfly ribbon design with a few flowers here and there for the border. 

 

 

In the center I did flowers, swirls and leaves.  It's hard to see the quilting in the busy-ness of the fabric.  I had to really pay attention to where I was quilting with this one!

 

 

I quilted some loops and butterflies, then a flower (maybe every 12 inches or so).  Then I would double back over my loops until I got back to where I started.  Then I would "jump" back to my last flower and do it all again. 

 

A farm quilt & QCR block #2

 

Joyce made this farm themed quilt out of scraps.  I think she's got every farm animal in here somewhere! 

 

 

Swirls, a leaf and a few feather elements E2E.

 

The back.

 

 

And here are my second blocks in the Quick Curve Ruler Quilt-

a-Long.  (tutorial is here)  This one is the scrappy version.

 

And my other version. Block 3 is already out and I've got 1 of them done so far (a curved rail-fence) and I already can't wait to see what the next block is going to be!

 

An Embroidered baby quilt and a "win"

 

At the AQS show last month the DMAQG always has a mini quilt silent auction.  There are some pretty neat little quilts in there.  I made a bid on this one and "won"!  I love how the manger looks like a basket :)  I just have to hand sew a little sleeve on the back so I can hang it up this Christmas. 

 

 

This girly embroidered quilt was from Karen. 

 

 

Those blue markings will wash out later.  They wanted the block to be a bit smaller. 

 

E2E Flowers and swirls.

 

Hope everyone has a Happy Thanksgiving!

 

Hello Kitty & Curious George

 

Peg made 2 more little quilts for her grandkids with her embroidery machine.  How cute is this Hello Kitty one?!

 

I don't usually do much quilting with hearts, but they seemed pretty appropriate here. 

 

 

Oh the cuteness.

 

 

 

 

And then Abram has Curious George doing all sorts of silly things. 

 

 

I was at a loss coming up with something to quilt in the spacer blocks...what goes with monkeys?  Well I thought monkeys live in the jungle and there are lots of leaves in the jungle.  So a leaf is what I did. 

 

 



 

Loops and random leaves are quilted in the border.  Well, now all Peg's grandkids have a little quilt.  (Clara's and Thea's)  What will she do next?? 

 

Karen's BOM Sampler

 

Karen made this quilt- such a pretty sampler!

 

I did a swirl/flower/feather edge to edge combo. 

 

 

I liked the basket block :)

 

And the back.  I like it a lot. 

Thanks for having me do your quilt Karen!

I'm nuts! QCR Quilt-A-Long. Times two.

I am joining in on Jenny & Helen's "Curve It Up" Quilt-A-Long!  Using her Quick Curve Ruler (QCR) they have taken traditional blocks and "curved them up".  There will be 16 blocks total.  Jenny is posting blocks on the 22nd of each month and Helen on the 8th of each month.  Yep, 2 blocks a month.  I'm pretty excited for this QAL because I know these blocks are going to be so cool!  These two are doing some really awesome quilts with this ruler.  Another reason I'm excited about this quilt is to see how Jenny is going to quilt it.  She does some pretty epic quilting with her longarm. 

Want to join along??  Start here. 

(one of my green curves somehow ended up a bit wider than the rest.  But it's staying that way!)

And I decided not only to do one quilt, but TWO!  One will be made using a group of matching fabric I've had for a while.  I actually started to use it for a different QAL, but fizzled out after a few months into it.  I don't know what makes me think I can actually keep up with this, since I don't have a very good track record with QALs so far.  I mean, it's not just 1 block a month, it's 2!  And I'm doubling it?!? 

And the other blocks will be completely different- using up some of my old scraps.  And some muslin.  I bought a bolt of muslin at a garage sale last year for about 50 cents/yard!  I couldn't pass that up!  This way I can make a practice run of the block with my scraps before I do it with my "good" fabric.  My thinking is that if I start out really ambitious with this QAL and slowly fizzle out, I should actually end up completing at least one quilt top by the end of it all.  :O)

Check out the flicker group too!

100% Feathers: An embroidered quilt

 

When I saw the embroidered feather wreath in Mary's quilt, I knew I would be quilting a few feathers...

 

 

But I didn't think I would be quilting it ALL in feathers!  But that's just what seemed to work best. 

 

And why not?  They fill in all the corners and the center of the wreath just perfect.

 

 

And even the wide border and sashings too. 

 

 

 

A solid white back shows off the quilting really well.  This was one quilt I hated to return!