Three Scrappy Quilts

I have an overflowing bin of scraps. Well that is not true. I have three "snowboard boot" size boxes of ready cut scraps, an under the bed size  box of surplus or orphaned blocks, and a smallish laundry basket overflowing with scraps.  I also own  (or perhaps they own me) a box of dark strings and a box of light strings.  Another story those strings!!

My latest mission is to use some of the aforementioned.

Blue Bits.

These three small quilts use about 6.5 m. in total  of scraps, that amount includes the backing which are also pieces left over from other projects.

The quilt on the left is a jelly roll quilt cut again, so that it got some life.  I also added a bit more contrast. A design exercise for me.

A 'before' picture of the Jelly Roll flimsy.  Oh ick!  what was I thinking?  A decent save, eh! 

 Front and back of  4 " squares.

I have three more larger tops, ready to be quilted, also from the scraps and  the orphaned block supply.
 Oh oh, look at  Gudrun go.... yes! I used bits of batting in these wee units, basted them together with a large whip stitch.
Keep on keeping on, its almost the weekend.
Happy Thursday,
gudrun

A Lost Project

I have lost a project or two.  I have even held on to some lonely projects, hoping that some day .....well.

Here is a project brought to me a few months ago. I would suggest this project was one of those lonely ones, waiting for that some day.  I was chosen to make this lonely thing into something   :)  

There were two blocks that required finishing, both appliques.

A border was needed to even-out the sides

Three blocks required trapunto. 

I opened the blocks up while on the frame, as these blocks showed themselves to be mountainous,
once on the frame.I knew there would be
issues.  
The quilt is flat and the corners are square.  I had an opportunity to show it to a couple of friends, the feed back was positive. I hope my client is well pleased with her new quilt.

Oh yes, this is a large quilt....too big for this Qsize bed.
Happy Thursday.
gudrun

Machine Applique.... a new adventure.

I made this from a commercial pattern, I purchased while on a Fat Quarter Neighbourhood Tour. See this post for an explanation of Fat Quarter Tours.

This Cat is called Stalker, he went to a new home with a friend, who recently lost a cat to heart failure.

Stalker was a lot of fun in the making :)  I hope he likes his new home.
I  put some parts from a quilt I started called Orca Bay in the border, only several
100 pieces to go.
Happy Sunday,
gudrun

New Picture

I was sent the header picture, and I am totally taken with it.  I am heading out to see those mountains really soon.  In the meantime, I have several quilts that need finishing.  Also want to take some made  gifty things, and there is a project with Community Quilts in my Guild that needs doing.

Yesterday I had a machine mishap. I always test tension, and in doing so run any oil residue off on to a scrap, imagine my surprise after starting the quilting about 10 inches into the work I see a black 'thread' for about 3".  Of, course I am looking at white thread on white fabric.  Ohohwhyme!

• First cover this in cornstarch, go away and eat a giant piece of cake and drink a soothing cuppa.
•  Vacuum the cornstarch.  
•  Unsew the offending section, carefully so as to not to get more smudges. 
• Locate yellow laundry bar soap, water, clean white terry towel, clean soft tooth brush, then gently rub soap on and dab off with damp corner of terry cloth, don't rub too hard or the fabric will show a wear spot.  Do this twice, insure soap is out, dab back with water and cloth.
• Think happy thoughts and all will be well.    And it was.
• This is not the quilt, this is a happy scrappy practice piece for quilting patterns. 

Happy Friday,  gudrun

Numbers and Colours a Question.

2013!  Some days I am startled,  or is that I startle when that number 2013 rolls across my brain.
I wonder what it is about that number?
So here's an odd question, do any of you 'see' or associate a colour with a number?
Wishing everyone an exemplary 2013!   On to quilting  :)
 This quilt is called Rose Cottage, lots of sweet applique, lots of buttons. This was stitched freehand from the front. The piecer knows about the pros & cons of sewing on the buttons before quilting...her choice.

Here it is displayed on a queen size bed

The colours are not very clear in this picture of a crib size quilt.  I find  it a very pleasing green, looks a tad grey here.  A very quick all over large stipple is all this needed. 

Wahoo....I am sure enjoying having the long arm in a warm room in stead of the very cool Attic.

Happy Wednesday...good ol hump day...weekends almost here.

gudrun

A Finish.

This quilt  has occupied most of my personal quilting time of late. Finally it is finished.  Okay truth is the label isn't on, but it has "idendifiers" quilted into it.
The pattern is my version of  a Butterfly Log Cabin.  It is not entirely batik fabrics, but mostly.  It is  a wedding gift.  I don't believe the wedding couple :) visit my blog, but if they do they will see it for the first time.  I decided to take the chance and post the pictures anyway.

And as I won't be seeing the  happy couple for awhile, I have the quilt hanging in The Fabric Shoppe, the place where I purchased the fabrics.

 Quilted with a plethora of vines and feathers.

A soft green back.

I am quite fond of this quilt, although it has stilled my desire for repetitious piecing. Next up is something without a lot of planning or measuring. Happy Friday Folks,
 gudrun

Another finish

Quality control on this quilt was challenging. It wasn't LM's piecing,(she's good :)) the quilt was and is flat and square. The fabrics are painted, and this was the issue. Needle holes are so not easy to get rid of...and knots are created when I speed up the stitching....not keen on going real slow, then things look wobbly.

One can see the heavy paint here, how the thread looks as it it is just lying on top in places.
But as you know when one is this close to the stitching none of it looks very impressive  :))

I am off to work on a couple of my items for a few days.  After all there is a family wedding in

August for which I must prepare things....TGIF.

Happy Friday,

Gudrun

Scrappy Strings

A young lady is going to receive this lovely quilt her Grandmother made for her. You guessed right, she's moving into a big bed.
It was quilted  E2E (edge to edge) with flowers and butterflies. The variegated thread shows up beautifully in the solid sashings and border, back is a solid blue thread.

It was a bright sunny morning, so the quilt pictures appear a bit washed out.  And on that note here is what is happening with real flowers at our back door.

We are back to seasonal temperatures, so after several days of 25C + temps. The growth of things is again slowing down, and hopefully no harm will come to precious fruit trees that show buds beginning to swell

.

Happy Monday,

gudrun

Winter and Summer

We have been experiencing another blast from Father Winter. I watched it snow while I quilted this little Quilt, which celebrates winter. There is a second batt in the body of the quilt to facilitate extra 'poofy'. I believe this extra batt made for some thread issues, so I changed thread mid stream and all ended well. Apparently I was using a thread recommended for piecing....I have used it before.

This one should be finished today.  It was snowing while I worked on this one.  But, it had me thinking about a forth coming wedding in August...wondering if the mother of the groom (me) would be able to wear flip-flops.(grin)


  I had to do some frog stitching on one side of this quilt.  I didn't notice the fullness, did not like the way it looked.  If I am not pleased with the result how can the client.
More on this one that later......

Happy Tuesday,
gudrun

Jelly rolls

Many quilters are purchasing "precuts" called Jelly-rolls, layer cakes etc. I don't recall all the names but I do recall the names to be bakery like. The names are puzzling to me...is it because quilting like other sedentary occupations can be / is girth spreading like the bakery bits or.... well that is one idea,  just wondering  :)) Where is this going....a smallish quilt made from a fabric jelly roll. Strips 2.5 in. and here ya go...sweet quilt in a trice.

 I quilted straight lines in the stars, except the middle, feathery bits on the lights. I'd love to hear how you would have quilted this one. ( wind blew just as I took the pic...in case you were wondering)

I took a liking to the backing fabric.

the middle star was quilted with a double 16 point star and a couple of circles in the centre.

Hope you are all enjoying a happy Saturday.

gudrun

L's Huge Sampler and more

This quilt has been hanging about in my studio longer then usual...my most prolific topper bumped this one for some others....she wasn't fond of it.   Or more specifically she was more fond of some other quilts. Sometimes when quilts are this large it's hard to grasp it all. This  has some wonderful blocks and is a very large quilt. I quilted an open feather for the body and and a veined feather  for the borders. It is a great looking quilt...quilting makes it a quilt.

This next one is very metallic with golds, taupes and browns.  It's quilted with a golden brown PolyNeon thread by Madeira 

Fussy cut Oriental Motif

And you all thought I was taking it slow....ha! Happy Quilting,
  gudrun

Outline quilting with stars for filler.

Mission Complete

Once upon a time, I made a log cabin quilt for my eldest son...as the story goes I worked late into the night before Christmas because I had made a rather gross error in calculating the # of blocks required for this quilt. Then came the January sewing room clean up time.  What to my wondering eyes did appear but all the blocks previous miscalculate. Hiding!! doh! Eight years later the blocks are a quilt....plus part of a tote bag (see this post)

I used a whole lot of green bits for the back.

I quilted it with a few medallions using a Circle Lord motif template, and filled  with a filigree style swirl, that I wanted to try...needs work :)) 

I added the binding while on the long arm, and stitched it down using the Horizon with the dual feed foot.

I tried a number of stitches...liked this the best.

Sunlight these days is at a premium,  so these photos don't do the quilt much justice, the colours are soft, and comfortable.

Anyway I am a happy quilter to finish my first UFO of the year.

 it aint great, 

it aint square 

it aint going to hang anywhere,

 it will make someone happy,

 heck it makes me happy!

Oh yeah this quilt was done completely by machine.  'Machine bindings' yeah!  I need to get a better fabric glue to assist with binding.  It was a successful mission.

Happy Wednesday,

gudrun

Applique - Marie Antoinette

Oh boy, these are my least favourite quilts to quilt....but I do think applique is a wonderful thing.  I do find all that open space intimidating. How to do the applique justice, as well as fill those big spaces...  this quilt has a lot of empty space/canvas.

Well it had a lot of canvas, it is finished.

Happy Tuesday,

gudrun

I call it yummy......William Morris Prints

I had the pleasure of quilting an original design using William Morris prints. This was very enjoyable to quilt.... though doing a pantograph,  keeps me at the back of the machine.  Long armers know this means one doesn't have as intimate a relationship with the fabrics :(   When I work from the front I can really look at the fabric (So know you know my secret !)    Who likes  Wm. Morris prints.....me!

I am also looking forward to quilting a little Kaffee Fassett does W. Morris number hanging on my to do wall. It too is a yummy piece.
Happy Monday and Happy Quilting,
gudrun