Another Tiny Treasure

I meet once a month with a group called Tiny Treasures-not that we are tiny treasures but everything we make is on the small side.  This piece was supposed to be made with 5"squares and I cut them down to 3 1/2".  After putting in the stripe, I then cut it to 3" and it finished at 2 1/2"-so the 6x6 setting makes it 15"x15".  I also changed the positioning of the stripes-they were supposed to criss-cross but I changed them to go in one direction.  I like the finished piece.  Don't know if I will add a border or not yet.

Playing with 1.5" HST's-need to play some more.  6.5" unfinished

Sally Collins Workshop

Sally did a 2 day workshop for our guild and she was wonderful.  Even if you are not a fan of small scale, her techniques apply to all sizes.  Measure, Measure, Measure-I got it!  It really does make a difference.

The centers of these quilts are 7x7 inches.  Squares are 1/2 inch finished and the quilts are called "Circle of Stars"

This is 1/4' of the pattern done at 1" instead of 1/2" scale

Except for Susan who is using the 1/2 inch scale

Lots of thinking going on!

Really love the colors in this one-Cecelia's

Machelle had to change out all her fabrics-think she has a winner!

Sally sharing the importance of measuring after every seam.

 I didn't actually do the workshop, but I took lots of notes and can't wait to try her methods on a small piece.  Too many UFO's and too little time!

We have the line-up for next years workshops and I am excited:  Karen Brow, Norma Whaley, Catherine Wilson, Catherine Redford, David Taylor, Mary Lou Weidman and Pam Buda.  A good variety I think.  I met Catherine Redford at a mini retreat that I attended.  A cute little English lady with that awesome British Accent. After being charmed by her I found out : she teaches on criuses, will be teaching at Houston in October, has been raved about by Bonnie Hunter and has a new book out about using your walking foot in quilting.  She will be coming after Houston next Nov. and is really reasonable.  I signed her up for 3 classes as she has a large variety to choose from.

Finished and hung at The Crazy 9 Patch

Both the double sized quilt and wall hanging/table topper flimsey hanging in the Crazy 9 Patch for the quilt run:

Now I am working on 2 projects-the first a wall hanging from the Tiny Treasures class:

There is a narrow border that goes around the middle block of squares

Secondly, I am working on the BOM class samples for a class that starts the end of April.  It will be a class in precision piecing as there are a lot of pieces in each 12 inch square.

I guess I have 3 projects going (at least)-this last one is from my art class:

An encrusted piece.  I decided to make a new name tag-it will be 4.5 square when done.

Back to work again for 3 weeks-I really love subbing.  I got to meet wit 8th graders today and talk about their futures.  They are so cute!

Back in a Groove!

I will commit to 30 min. sewing a day.  I just got 15 snowball blocks and 3 chevron blocks completed in 30 min. and now I have to run.  Helping 2 friends on 2 projects today and then home to finish cleaning for my sister and nephew's visit tomorrow.

Not ironed or trimmed to 3 1/2 yet- seams really do meet:)

I am taking a fiber arts class that meets every other Monday and our last 2 assignments were a Dr. Jekyll/Mr Hyde doll and an encrusted quilt.  My doll is done except the beaded hair:

My Responsible side

My dreaming side

My encrusted quilt is still in my head-better get moving on it!

Stepping Stones in the Garden Preview

I have been on a Sabbatical.  The short term, full-time job wiped me out.  I have 2 days of subbing this week and then I think I may be done for awhile.  There is some stirring in the district about a new school venture and I was asked to be aware that there may be a need for some consulting work in the near future so I want to get as many of my projects done as possible.

I just got SSitG back from the binder.  My first green quilt.  I love it!  The quilter, Dawnell Muelke did a wonderful job and so did the binder, Marilyn Hersey.  It will go up in the shop in March and I will get a picture of it on the wall.

SSitG is an Irish Chain with a strip pieced border.  There are only 2 blocks: a double 4 patch and a 4 patch triangle added to a strip pieced triangle.  This ended up to be a full size quilt-didn't realize it was so big until all the blocks were done

My husband turned 70 this last weekend.  He does not look his age.  We went to a play, had 14 people in to play games and share Chinese food, had breakfast with some best friends and took him out to dinner last night-surf and turf.  I also made him this cake on Saturday and booked a train trip to Seattle as a surprise for him.  He was well birthdayed.

Chocolate cake, raspberry cream cheese filling, chocolate ganache (sp?) with a dark chocolate ribbon around the outside.  It was really good!

Class Prep for Stepping Stones in the Garden at Crazy 9 Patch April 18

Part 1

To be done before class if possible:)

 Stepping Stones in the Garden
Cutting instructions for double size (80"x96")
other sizes follow at the end 

This quilt can be totally scrappy or controlled scrappy.  For totally scrappy, you will need (160) 4.5" light squares and  (10) 2.5" WOF light fabrics and approximately 4 yards of dark 1.5" strips (WOF)

20 different lights and 20 different darks

Controlled scrappy:
20 different lights: cut as shown out of a fat quarter or .25 yd. each

1/4 yard (9"x42") will yield 4 Double 4 patch blocks (D4)and 2 double 4 patch triangles(T)

Fat quarter yields the same as the 1/4 yd but is easier to cut

Top to bottom is 18", left to right is 22.  Cut two strips off left at 4 1/2", then 1 strip at 5", then 2 (or 3) at 2 1/2

Cross cut first two strips at 4 1/2, second strip at 5" and 2 1/2", and leave rest of fabric at 2 1/2"strips

Cut the (2) 5" squares into triangles

(20) 2.5" strips for center blocks and (50) 1.5" strips for Stripe border

20 different darks: cut a 2.5 strip off of each for center blocks and another (50) 1.5 " strips off the darks for  striped  border. (I used more strips of the darker of my darks for sharp contrast.)

 

Stack pieces in 2 piles: 4 triangles and (4) 2 1/2" squares each for your 20,  4 patch triangles and (8) 4 1/2" squares with a  neutral  2 1/2" strip and 1 dark 2 1/2" strip from your stack of 20 for 80 blocks.

You will need (2) 2 1/2" dark squares for each of the 20 triangles, but we will cut those later as you might have scraps left but keep that in mind.

 If you have the above done before class, you will be able to get a lot done in class.  The quilt is made up of 3 components: Double four patch blocks, 4 patch triangles and striped triangles.

Bertha approves of the color choices

If you have time, and want to be further ahead, sew 1 Dark 2 1/2" strip from 20 strip stack to light strips from one cut set (butting lights along the dark to fill it.  Press toward dark.  Cut into 2 1/2 segments-you need 16.  Stack with the (8) 4 1/2" squares. Do this for each set=20 sets ready to sew.

 

For Wall or Table Topper: 48" sq

You need 16 double 4 patch blocks and 20 striped/ 4 patch triangle blocks.  Layout is 6x6

4  fat quarters or 1/4  yard lights and 6 different darks  (1) 2 1/2" strip off each dark and (4) 1 1/2 " strips off each dark ( 1/4 yd of each dark-WOF)

Backing 3yds, batting 54x54

For Twin/Lap: 64x80"

You need 48 double 4 patch blocks and 32 striped/ 4 patch triangle blocks.  Layout is 8x10

12 fat quarters or 1/4 yd assorted lights and 12 different 1/4 yd darks (WOF). Cut lights as shown above.  Cut (1) 2 1/2" strip from each of the darks.  Cut (4) 1 1/2" strips off of each dark

Backing 4 7/8, batting 70x86

See you in class on April 18th, 10:30-3:30 at the Crazy 9 Patch! I am providing a large salad and a baguette and maybe something chocolate.

And Now it is New Year's Eve Already

I realize I have not responded to the comments on the last post-and I will-working is just interfering with my free time:)  Also, I had been feeling so tired I couldn't put one foot in front of the other.  I spent the day on Monday in PJs and back and forth in and out of bed.  In between I packed up the 3 plastic bins of Christmas things and brought out the one bin of winter reds and redid the shelf over our slider in the dining room.  I have been wanting to use the antique corbels we bought in Maine at least 10 years ago but didn't know where they dissappeared-but, my husband did and hauled them in for me.  The red tray I bought at a Paris flea (puce) market several years ago.

We are having 16 people in addition to ourselves in tonight to play Skipbo, eat dinner and pray in the New Year when the NY ball drops-at 9pm for us-Thankfully!  We have a tiny home but if we set up 3 card tables and use our dining table scattered through our living room, kitchen and dining room it works.  However, on Monday every part of my body hurt and I couldn't imagine NY eve happening.  I read the side effects of my 3 meds and one of them listed how I was feeling under the side effects so I notified my doc and took myself off of it.  Went to work on Tuesday at 6am and didn't get home till 5:30 and felt great.  HMMM . . . . . ..

I met with the owner of Paradise Quilting and we clarified timelines and the quilt we will do for the block of the month.  It is from the fabshophop website:

 

I will make one of the blocks in several colorways and then choose 1 and make the top for the shop sample.  I am pretty excited about this venture. Neither of us have done a block of the month before-I usually don't like them because they look to me like grandma's sampler quilts-but I like this one! The class will start in April and run for 6 months.

Please have an amazing last day of 2014.  Even with a few health issues, this has been a blessed year.  I am so thankful for so many things this year and they include you :). 

Christmas Eve

A quiet day here.  Had friends over for breakfast, took Lizzy to Petco to pick out her present (a Frisbee of course) and am cooking the turkey we will have tomorrow.  We are trying something different this year.  My friend, Julie is a great cook and for Thanksgiving she cooked her turkey, dressing, potatoes and gravy the day before then layered a bit of gravy, turkey slices, dressing and potatoes in a 9x13 pan. Popped it in the fridge, cleaned up the mess, reheated it the next day, and had a nice, quiet unmessy Thanksgiving.  I think that is a great idea-so I am going to try it.  We are having a couple over who don't have family here either and I am hoping it will not be an unpleasant surprise for them.  For sides I have fruit, cranberry sauce, rolls and a roasted butternut squash salad with warm cider vinaigrette which I have made before and it is really good.

I have made progress on the shop sample for the Crazy 9 Patch.  I have chosen my fabrics and have cut the darks and am doing a tutorial of the process so the students who take the class can have a reference after the class is over.

A couple of last Christmas pictures:

Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!

Merry Christmas!

It is time to get back to quilting!  I am still working but we have had our Christmas with the grands in Seattle and I have a few days to sew.  I am teaching a block of the month class at Paradise Sewing in Poway and a regular pieced quilt at Crazy 9 Patch in Ramona in 2015.  I have pulled fabric for the C9P sample and made an appt. to talk to the owner, Jinny, about the block of the month.

Some Christmas Pictures:

I think we were supposed to be watching the kids-Jack the cat is an opportunist!

A Trip to the nursery that turned into a reindeer farm.

Christmas jammies from their aunt.

Too much Christmas?

Love this picture and these girls!

Merry Christmas 2014!

Raspberry Sherbet

The only quilting I have done since starting work is the prayer quilt for my friend, Jackie's daughter, Robin, who has a life threatening condition and whose favorite color is yellow.  This has been a labor of love and I am so thankful for the quilter, Dawnell Muelk and Marilyn Hersey the binder who helped me get this done in a timely manner.  When I heard about Robin from my friend I took her to my studio and we pulled fabric.  I had a sample of a quilt made by Julia Zgliniec that was square so I measured the pieces and drafted a larger size.  The block is an old one call "Children of Israel". It is a two block quilt and fun to make using a Kaffe Fasset large print for the center squares and the border.  I will give it to her tomorrow.

Still working full time  so will check back in when time permits.  Happy Thanksgiving!