Knowing when to Stop

For those of you that don't know that I tend to quilt the snot out of my quilts, it's a big deal to learn when enough quilting is enough. I keep trying to add more stitches, when they really aren't needed.  I have been working on some FMQ samples for my Layers quilt and I think I finally have it.

I'm also getting the hang of writing with my machine. LOL, it looks way better than my normal hand writing. But the thing I like about this is less is more. The spaces between the writing really don't need more quilting. I like the puffy feel of the batting (Quilters Dream Puff).  I think I'm ready to start quilting the real thing, just need to get the squares basted.

I'm linking up today with Leah Day for FMQ Friday, can't wait to see what everyone's been up to this week.

Color Me Quilty!

Pat

Storms and WIP

I don't think I've ever gone this long without posting, exactly a week. But it has been a bit of a hectic week with work and family and a few spectacular storms. On Sunday afternoon, I finally sat down at my sewing machine and an amazing storm blew up. Needless to say, we lost power for over four hours. So much for getting any sewing done.

The creek next to our house that outlets into the lake normally has dried up and closed off by this time of year.

We got over two inches of rain in just over an hour, which got the creek really rocking and rolling and seriously muddy

 I did get to play with some more FMQ samples for my layers quilt. I think I'm going in the right direction, but just not quite there yet.

 I wrote a poem a number of years ago, that I thought would look cool on this quilt. So I practiced writing on the quilt. I started by writing in chalk first, but it's really hard to follow.

 Then I just tried writing with no pre-marking. It worked much better. Now, I just need to decide if I want any other quilting. I see more samples in my future.

The one thing I do like is quilting with orange. I like it on the top and that the writing on the back, blends well. It's hard to tell it's backwards writing.

 I also finished stitching in the ditch on my Grandma's quilt.

The quilt is now ready to FMQ down each open strip.

It does look like another crazy week coming up, but hopefully I will get a little sewing time.

Here are this week's stats:
In-process: (3)
Express Your Love
Layers quilt
Grandma's Quilt
 
New projects: (0)

Finished (0)


I'm linking up with  Freshly Pieced for WIP Wednesday!

 

Color Me Quilty!

Pat

Slow WIP Wednesday

I like WIP Wednesday for many reasons, but sometimes when I haven't done much, well I feel a bit like a slacker. But progress is progress, no matter how slow.

Last night I pulled out my grandma's quilt and started stitching in the ditch.

 I've had this quilt basted for a couple of months, it's a good project to work on while I'm thinking about some design issues with some other projects.

 Unfortunately, stitching in the ditch with this quilt was a bit challenging since not all of the square lined up neatly. I decided to just split the difference and stitch on. The straight lines will show up more on the back anyway.

I got most of the stitch in the ditch done, just a few more lines to do. Then I get to the fun part, FMQ!

The only other thing I worked on this week was a test sample for my layers quilt. While I like the sample, I have some other ideas swimming around in my head that I'd like to test out.

Here are this week's stats:
In-process: (3)
Express Your Love
Layers quilt
Grandma's Quilt
 

New projects: (0)

Finished (0)


I'm linking up with  Freshly Pieced for WIP Wednesday!

 

Color Me Quilty!

Pat

Peas, Strawberries, Spinach and Tomato Sauce

Sugar Snap Peas

As much as I would rather be quilting, sometimes you have to make hay while the sun shines. Or in other words, pick peas and strawberries when they are ready. This weekend was spend picking, stringing, hulling, washing, chopping, freezing and canning. I'm a member of a CSA (community supported agriculture). I get a share of the crops that the farm produces, fresh, organic and seasonal. Yes, it's a lot of work to put this food up for the rest of the year, but it is food I feel good about. No pesticides, chemicals or preservatives, but filled with nutrients from nature that our bodies need.

Crushed strawberries waiting for shortcake! Yum!

I also washed, chopped and froze spinach. Just think how nice that will be to put into soups and stews this winter. I also canned a batch of spaghetti sauce, unfortunately I had to use canned tomatoes. Tomatoes aren't even close to in season here, but this will hold us over until they start. I was able to add the pesto that I froze from last year. Yummy!

I hope that you all had a wonderful Father's Day weekend!

Color Me Foodie!

Pat

P.S. Here's a recipe for sugar snap peas: Wash and string peas. Preheat oven to 425 degrees (F). Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with lemon zest, minced garlic and sea salt. Roast for five minutes, stir, roast for another three to four minutes or until just starting to brown. The peas should be tender, but still crisp. Serve.  Even my carnivore husband loved these!

Testing Layers

In my minds eye, I THINK I know what I want to do with the quilting on my Layers quilt. The question is, will in look good in real life. Solution, stitch out some samples. That's what I did last night.

The front

The back

I decided to try a version of flowing lines with trapped paisley. I want to write names, but have them not obvious on the back. I want to try a few more variations, but I think I'm on the right track.

I'm linking up today with Leah Day for FMQ Friday, can't wait to see what everyone's been up to this week.

Color Me Quilty!

Pat

[I'm] WIP[ped] Wednesday

 I finished my Make It Right challenge quilt, in the nick of time (11:00 p.m., 1 hour before it was due.) Unfortunately, the pictures looked like it was 0'dark thirty and somewhat uninspired. So yesterday, even though it was a bit overcast, I took some pictures outside..

The winner is chosen by how many "likes" and "pins" from the Art Gallery Fabrics "Make It Right" board on Pinterest. While I don't think I have a shot at winning, I don't really want to be "skunked" with hardly any likes or pins. Sadly, I currently only have 4 repins and 8 likes. Click here to see the Pinterest Board (you must have a Pinterest account). I'm pathetically asking for your "like".

I also started back up on my Layers Quilt. All nine blocks together (untrimmed), ready to sandwich and quilt. This will be a QAYG project using the technique here. I'm hoping that this will turn out to be a very special and meaningful quilt.

Stratified Layers of Earth - Do you see my inspiration?

My stepdaughter is a Special Ed teacher in a residential program for troubled youths. She asked me to hem a pair of suit pants for one of her students that is graduating from the program. I don't normally like to do work on clothing, but I really felt that this was a good cause. So I broke out my blind hem foot for the first time ever.

Strange little foot and a bit of a puzzle to figure out how to fold the material correctly, but oh so much easier to do than hand stitching.  I think it turned out pretty good.

Since I spent so much time on my garden this spring, I thought you might like a couple of pictures in bloom.

Black Lace Sambucus (ornamental eldiberry)

Humphrey sitting in front of the Corgi garden.

Here are this week's stats:
In-process: (3)
Express Your Love
Layers quilt
Grandma's Quilt
 

New projects: (0)

Finished (1)
Make It Right Challenge

I'm linking up with  Freshly Pieced for WIP Wednesday!

 

Color Me Quilty!

Pat

Stratified Layers

Well, I've finally picked back up on my layers quilt. I got the nine blocks pieced, but they are not trimmed yet and look kind of strange. I'm planning on large sashing strips between the blocks.

 The design is meant to look like stratified layers of earth.  The layers represent different times and events in life and the separated blocks represent different components in life (i.e. family, job, hobbies, etc.)

 The curves were all done free-hand. I created blocks of oranges strips and stacked the navy block on top, cutting gentle curves. It really wasn't as hard as I had feared.

I'm planning on quilting each block first, trimming it and attaching the sashing using the wide strip method of QAYG.  Of course it goes without saying, that I will be FMQ the snot out of this. Let the fun begin.

As you can see, I was also able to get my design wall up this weekend. Good thing, because this quilt is big! Each block is over 20" square, it will be queen sized when I'm done.

Sew what have you been working on this weekend?

Color Me Quilty!

Pat

P.S. Linking up with Design Wall Monday at Patchwork Times
Fabric Tuesday at A Quilt Story
Linky Tuesday at Free Motion by the River 

Make It Right - Color Me Textured

I did it! I finished by Make It Right Challenge quilt at 10:30 p.m. last night, which was an hour and a half before the deadline. I decided to name my quilt Color Me Textured. I'm quite pleased with the results.

I used "Faux Piped Binding". Check out my tutorial, if you're interested.

Of course I used Aurifil Thread. Just love this stuff!

Besides using every bit of the Right Angles panel, I used Pure Elements Lemonade, Linen White and Moonstone.

I used Quilters Dream Puff batting and my method for pin basting using 1"x3" boards

The quilt ended up to be 54" x 63", with lots and lots of texture.

I'm planning on giving this quilt to my husband for his birthday on Sunday. I hope he'll enjoy it on cold winter nights watching TV.

I'm linking up today with Richard and Tanya Quilts for Finish Friday, Quokka Quilts for TGIFF and The Free-Motion Quilting Project for FMQ Friday. Of course I entered my quilt into the challenge and I'm shamelessly asking for your "Pins", once they have it posted. Click here to check out all of the quilts.


Color Me Textured and Color Me Quilty!

Pat

Gardening and Quilting

The perennial bed

Well, summer's here in upstate NY. How do I know?? Because it was 90's last week and 60's this week. AAAHHH, life in the Finger Lakes. All the gardens are weeded, pruned and mulched (4 1/2 cubic yards), which is no small task. I also dug up a ton of perennials and put in shrubs.

My newly re-done stone garden

New front corner

 

New front shrubs.

Not to worry, I still have been quilting every night on my Make It Right challenge quilt. Although I'm STILL not done, I'm almost there. Here's some pictures from the back side.

I'm linking up with A Quilt Story for Fabric Tuesday and Free Motion by the River for Linky Tuesday.  

Color Me Quilty!

Pat