This way and that way

 Hello all! Well, that was a long and unexpected blogging break! Not to worry, I am fine. It was all for good reasons. My Dad and my sister came to visit, and when that happens, you drop everything and spend time with them. Which of course meant that I didn't finsih off any of the projects that I planned to before we had approximately 300 meetings. So I'm behind on everything, but this is pretty much my normal state, so it's all good!

 

We had a great time showing them around Baltimore and just hanging out, so no machine time for a couple weeks, but after they left I did finally manage to finish off the second Positivity top for the Positivity quilt along sponsored by our friends Preeti and Bernie:

I really meant to have both Positivity quilts quilted by now, but you can blame my Dad if you want. Or my sister, though she really deserves a medal for driving Dad all the way here.

Check out all those leaves on the ground! These are coming off the neighborhood trees because of all the heat this summer. It is odd and no fun. As you can tell, I did not follow the pattern exactly for this quilt either. I just have to be different, you know? If you look back at what Preeti now calls "the pot quilt" you'll see that I really never follow directions. I think this one turned out great, plus it used up a bunch of my fall-like scraps, too.

You may not be able to tell, but there is a lot of variety in those leaves. Anything I could get a 2-1/2 inch piece that was long enough and looked vaguely fall-like went into the top. There are a bunch od golds, some purples, various greens, and even a couple of turquoises. And I love the background fabric, too! It looks perfect with those scraps.

Because I rearranged the layout of the vines, my quilt is a little smaller, about 56 by 72. I think it's going to be a fine size, though, and I plan to send it along just the same. I think I'll quilt it in just straight lines going across. That will accent the vine movement, don't you think?

So, there we are! A second Positivity top, done before Labor Day. I can't believe the summer is over, can you? I just realized today is the first of September! Yikes!

Hope everyone has a wonderful Labor Day weekend! It's supposed to be 98 degrees here, so this would be a good weekend to clean up the mess that is my sewing room, but I'll probably just take a nap. The last few weeks have been fun, but exhausting! Did I mention that classes started, too? No wonder I'm tired!

Sharing at Finished or not Friday, Confessions of a Fabric Addict, Brag About Your Beauties, the Patchwork and Quilts linkup at Quilting Patchwork Applique.

Positive thoughts

 Hi all! Hope you are having a lovely, lovely week. We got back from the conference, which was pretty good, and the air has cleared up quite a bit. I was still a bit hoarse for my presentation, but at least I had a voice! Glad to be home, though, no matter the weather.

When I got home and rested a bit, I started playing around with some colors and pieces for the Positivity quilt along, sponsored by our friends Preeti and Bernie. You can find all the info and directions for making this year's quilt right HERE.

Here is the first set of blocks I made:

Can you tell these are meant to be fall themed? I wanted to use a bunch of scraps that have been hanging around here forever. These are the darker reds and the golds that I very seldom use, along with a few dark greens and even a couple purples. There's even a really dark turquoise in there. Most of them are leftovers from old quilt projects, and I just could never throw the scraps away. I pulled out everything I had that was at least 2-1/2 by 9 inches and threw it into these blocks. I think they're turning out okay.

The background, which you can''t see very well in the picture above, is this fabric:

I got this from a destash and I'm really pleased with it. The leaves are a dark blue ( I think) and it's way better than a plain beige.

Then, because I'm just never happy unless I'm overwhelmed, I also made these:

Yes, a second quilt. I know, but I had two different ideas, and two separate sets of fabric that I wanted to use up, and the blocks are very, very easy, so why not? I just have some leaves right now, because I haven't settled on a stem fabric, but the leaves are made from beige and other neutral scraps. The green background is just a faux linen tonal that I got from Connecting Threads and intended to use for a backing but didn't. I'll know more when I get them put together, but I think it works so far.

Here's an important question I have about these quilts: I wanted gender neutral colors so that everyone can have a choice of a quilt that suits them, no matter their gender. Are these gender neutral? I think they are, but then I look again and they look feminine. I'm probably just second guessing myself, but what do you think?

And here's the question I know you're asking: how do you use scraps to make these blocks? It's pretty simple-- you make shorter tubes:

I made tubes from Preeti's directions, just shorter, then cut one leaf block from each tube. My tubes are about 9 inches long. There is fabric waste, and you won't have any blocks for a second project, but it works. I think you could probably figure out how to cut the different strip lengths for less waste, but that sounds like too much math for me. 

And those are my Positivity projects! You can still join in-- the quilt along doesn't end until Labor Day. And the blocks are really, really easy, too. And now you know you can use scraps, too!

Everyone enjoy the rest of the week!

Sharing at Midweek Makers and Preeti's Positivity linkup.

Another dose of Mercy

Hi all, and happy weekend! It has been a warm week here, and today it is supposed to be about 95 degrees. Yikes! It's only early June! We might get some rain, too, which is great because the grass is already turning brown. Thankfully, I have not yet shriveled in the heat, but I'm eating popsicles and drinking iced tea just in case. Wouldn't want to take chances!

 

You know what's a good place to be when it's very warm outside and you really can't be out there planting anything? In a basement sewing room, that's where. So you know where I hid out for much of this week. And look what happened while I was down there:

 

Yes, another finish! Happiness abounds, especially because this quilt gave me a few fits in the quilting process. It may not look like it, but this was a beast. And it took three bobbins to finish!

 

Some of you may remember this quilt from earlier this year, when I made the top during the Stay at Home Round Robin, a quilt along by Quilting Gail and friends. It was a fun project and I got a great top out of it. I knew all along it would be a donation quilt, and I'm quite pleased now that it's all finished and ready to send off.

 

Because there was so much going on in this quilt top, I decided to quilt it in straight lines so that the piecing could be the star. Truth be told, I also thought it would be the easiest for me to do because the quilt is about 62 by 72 and that's a bit big for me to wrestle with. Lines across the width of the quilt was probably the easiest way to go, but that was still a lot of quilt.

The problem, of course, is that this quilt did not have a grid of any kind that I could follow across the quilt, and that made everything extra hard for me, because my brain is very strange and just kept wanting to slide over and follow some seam lines. I ended up marking the first line across the quilt and then using the space bar attached to the walking foot. I still had to wrestle, and I still had to pay really close attention. I did rip out a couple of partial lines and start over. In the end, it did get finished, though. Hallelujah!

The backing for this quilt is a wideback piece with a pale beige leaf, and the binding is the same blue that is in the quilt. Every part of this quilt is a scrap or a leftover, except the binding, which comes from a saved half yard. I washed the quilt and it came out very soft and cuddly and overall worth the trouble to quilt it. 

Oooh, artsy!

This quilt is bound for Mercyful Quilts, which benefits a palliative care unit. Our friends Bernie and Preeti have just started the Positivity quilt along, which also benefits Mercy, and you can find all the details and links right HERE. It's a very cool and easy pattern, and you should definitely join in!

So, another quilt is in the books! Hope everyone has a great weekend and doesn't melt out there! I may wrestle yet another quilt through the machine. I've got it basted and everything threaded up, but there are some chores I have to get to as well. And those popsicles won't eat themselves, either!

Sharing at Confessions of a Fabric Addict, Brag About Your Beauties, Finished or not Friday, and the Quilting, Patchwork, Applique linkup.

Black and blue and quilted too

 Hello everyone! Well, the grading is over and I am experiencing this odd thing called "relaxation." So far I like it, but it's kind of weird. I still have a couple of meetings before this year is in the archives, but it's mostly done. I have a very full summer schedule, but I did plan for a couple of weeks of doing nothing, so I have a little time before I have to buckle down again.

I decided to start my vacation by tackling some of the many (too many) unquilted tops I have hanging. Some of them will require a long arm quilting reservation, but I've decided to tackle most of them with the walking foot. So, here is the first one:

It may not look like complex quilting, but this is a win in my book! Just about a year ago, I challenged myself to put together the black blocks I had without making any more of them. And I did it. And now I've finally quilted it!

Really, I'm surprised I persevered, because this was a bear to wrangle around. It's about 60 by 75, and that's pretty big for me to work on using just my machine. I quilted it in quadrants radiating out from the center where the four black blocks come together. Honestly, I did it this way because I thought that would be the easiest way to wrestle it through the machine, and it did work out pretty well. I used a pale blue Aurifil thread, which blends well with almost everything.

Instead of usng the straight stitch I used the serpentine stitch and I think it turned out really well. The only problem was the turning to make the radiating lines, but the only one who will worry about that is me. It just wasn't possible to make it flow perfectly, so there are a few wonky transitions. Oh, well. There are also a few places where the quilt dragged enough to make the serpentine lines a little straighter than they should be, but I'm going to give myself a pass on that. Quilts can be heavy!

The backing is a fabric from Fig Tree that I got on clearance a little while ago. I don't usually like the taupes and such, but they make great backings. With this particular one, you can barely see the stitches. There are two very tiny tucks in the backing, but I didn't even worry about them because they're so small. Once the quilt is washed, I don't think even I will be able to see them. The binding looks like a stripe but it's actually a very tiny text print.

Now that it's finally finished, this quilt is bound for Mercyful Quilts, which benefits a palliative care unit. I also have another quilt that I haven't quite finished quilting yet. I need some bigger backings! If you are interested in Mercyful Quilts, our friends Preeti and Bernie are running a free quilt along to benefit the palliative care unit. You can find more information and a lot of different mockups of the quilt right HERE.

So, one quilt down, about a dozen more to go! Good thing I like quilting, right? Hope you all have a wonderful weekend. And if you are wrestling a big quilt on a small machine, my sympathies!

Sharing at Confessions of a Fabric Addict, Brag About Your Beauties, Finished or not Friday, and the Quilting, Patchwork, Applique linkup.

Falling into spring

Hi everyone! How are you all doing? Here's how I am: my husband has a cold. Condolences gratefully accepted in the form of chocolate.

Meanwhile, I've been sniffling with allergies, reading papers, churning out the grades, and ordering books from the library so I can do some research this summer. And I also finally got around to taking some beauty shots of this finished quilt:

Hurray, another one done! I quilted this a while ago, then finally put a binding on it, and then it waited around for a bit until I finally took some pictures. I don't know why I waited so long, but it just got pushed aside in the shuffle of many things happening. Good thing I have it during this really busy week, though!

I took these pictures on a rainy day, which has happened a *lot* lately. Really, you should see the grass! But the clouds and the rain really have made everything green and have made for very bright photos. It helps that the colors stand out from all the green, too.

This was made from a pattern called Sunnyside by Myra at Busy Hands Quilts, and it is all from scraps. A friend gave me some gold fabrics, and I pulled the remaining colors from my scraps. I started it during the pandemic in 2020, finally finished assembling the top last year, and then quilted it this year. Hey, sometimes these things take time! 

 

 

As you can see, the quilt got quilted a large meander in a beige thread to make it stay nice and soft, and then it got an orange binding to coordinate with the oranges in the quilt. Not what I usually go for, but it works! With the riot of colors on the front, the backing is a nice calm beige. This quilt has been washed and is being donated to Mercyful Quilts for Hands2Help. I think it's pretty gender-neutral, it's the right size, and it's definitely cozy. I hope someone will find it comforting.

So that's another finish! And for all those of you who wanted to know why the azaleas from last week have to come out, check out the purple azalea that just bloomed:

 

It's really pretty, but I think you can see how incredibly overgrown and unkempt that whole area is. This plant is taller than I am, and there are no blooms or leaves near the bottom, and all of the plants in this area are really scraggly. It will look so much better when it's cleared. Not to worry, azalea lovers! The plan is to plant some new ones in the front of the house a little later this spring, where they can be seen and enjoyed and won't be choked by other plants.

 

Everyone have a wonderful weekend! I still have some things to finish up for the semester, then I plan to nap quite a bit. And of course, I'll be bringing tissues and drinks to the guy laying on my sofa who apparently has never before suffered like he is right now. Fun, hey?

 

 

 Sharing at Finished or not Friday, Brag About Your Beauties, Oh Scrap! and the Patchwork and Quilts linkup at Quilting Patchwork Applique.

Peaceful blue vibes

 Hi all! How have you been, besides really hot? I had a great week, mainly because we spent most of it with family, including both my parents and my grandkids. It was my dad's Covid-postponed big birthday bash, and it was a blast! A lot of us in this now-extended family were able to get there, and it was just great to be together. There may have been some tears, and not just from the teething one-year-old. The best part for me was getting to see my grandkids interacting with my parents, and listening to the five-year-old tell my dad all about his trip to the haircut store (which he loves.) We all had the best time.

We got home to find a pile of mail that was postmarked in December. (I am not joking.) Thanks for the Christmas cards, folks! I also got back to today's finished quilt top. I meant to take pictures before we left, but it didn't happen. Oh, well! That's what Friday mornings are for, right?  Here is a nice cool blue quilt top for those of you who are really warm right now:

 

 

Yahoo! This is my first quilt top for the Positivity Quilt Along, and this quilt is destined for Mercyful Quilts. You know I had to do something different from everyone else, so I set mine with alternate blocks and added borders. I kept it all monochrome so that it would feel peaceful and calm, and I'm happy with how it looks.

 

 

To tell the truth, I think the borders really make this quilt. When I finished the quilt center I was really in despair because it was just so bland. Not peaceful and calm, just blah. I added a pale blue narrow inner border and a wider outer border in a deeper blue and it came alive. I was so relieved!

 

 

This quilt used up a couple of pieces that have been kicking around here for a really long time. Every last bit of the primary beige in the quilt top got used, and I even had to piece the very last large square. All of the beige in the alternate blocks also got used up, and if you look really closely you'll see that there are four alternate blocks that use a different beige. I ran out of the first fabric and had to improvise. Nothing to be done, and it still looks good. Most of the two blues were also used up.

 

I've ordered a pale blue backing for this quilt, and I really need to have it finished before mid-August if I have any hope of making Preeti's deadline. I think the only way to quilt this is with a crosshatch that follows the chains in the alternate blocks. Thank goodness, because I am pretty sure I can handle that!

Hope you all had a great week and are looking forward to a great weekend. It's nice to be home, but I have more laundry to do,  and I'd better hit the grocery store because I'm pretty sure we'll want to eat sometime in the next 24 hours. Then there is that second Mercy quilt, which is calling my name, along with sixty more things. . .it never ends. Not that I want it to! Happy stitching, and I hope you all are having happy reunions, too.

 

Sharing at Confessions of a Fabric Addict, Finished or Not Friday, Brag About Your Beauties, and Preeti's linkup.