29 July 2013

Finished! Oh My, Scrappy Stars! Just under the wire!

Ta, Dum!

This is my first time participating in the A Lovely Year of Finishes.
It is hosted by these talented ladies.... 
Shanna of Fiber of All Sorts and Melissa from Sew BitterSweet Designs.
Since it is my first time, I decided to keep it simple, and only set one goal....
To finish my Oh My, Scrappy Stars! quilt top and get it quilted on my tiny Janome!

This quilt is designed to measure 100" x 100",
made using 2356 - 2" finished size squares and 9 - 8" finished squares in the center of the star blocks.


It's a good thing that I did keep it SIMPLE!  That quilt just about did me in!

Quilting detail on 5 of the 9 star blocks...

And quilting detail on the other 4 of the 9 star blocks

I used the same fabrics for the backing as were used in the quilt top.
 
Quilting detail from the back

So for August.... my new motto is KYSS as in #KeepYourSewingSimple


My preliminary August "String Thing" goals are:
  • A sewing room wall hanging
  • A gal themed beach quilt
  • A guy themed beach quilt
Linking my July finish at Elizabeth's blog (Such a Sew and Sew) for the A Stitch in Time linky party!  July Finishes

Keep on, Quilting on!


27 July 2013

Liar! Liar! Quilt's on Fire!

As tired as you may be of hearing about this scrappy quilt, you can't be as tired as I am, working on it..... There was an annoyingly slight problem with a puffiness of the large squares in every one of the 9 star blocks.  So, I thought long and hard about it and came up with a solution.  I did what any one of you would surely have done....

I got out a pack of matches and I burned it!

How do you make that report in your Lovely Year of Finishes for July?



It has been difficult to keep myself motivated to work on this HUGE scrappy quilt.  I started working on it May 23rd.  More than two months spent on one project???  This certainly has been an exercise in futility patience.  I don't think I will be doing any more of that for a good long time.

I brought the variegated thread on July 17th.  But put off doing any more quilting until the 21st.

I quilted the 36 warm coloured portions, first using the yellow, then the red thread.

Then I quilted the 36 cool coloured portions, first using the green, then the blue thread.

Today I began quilting the beige sections.  I was dreading this last and final step in the finishing of this quilt. 


It is difficult to see the quilting in this pic, but I knew the puffiness had to be squashed.  I went with a design by Leah Day called Pebble Ripples.

When the fabric rippled on the left, I quilted pebbles all along the edge of that ripple.

The backing part is NOT puffy, just the quilt top.  I have one square completed.... 8 more to go.   No, I did not burn the quilt in real life, just in my imagination, and in the design of the quilting in the warm coloured sections.

Haven't hidden the matches yet though.


Four more days till August!
Keep on quilting on!

25 July 2013

Next Stop... on the Plum and June Summer Blog Hop

Hello to my regular readers and a special welcome to all those visiting my stop on Plum & June’s New Blogger Blog Hop for 2013!


Here we are at the tail end of the schedule already!  I would like to thank the lovely Beth for organizing this Hop.  It's been a great summer visiting all the fabulous blogs throughout the previous weeks.   And I appreciate the many friendships developed between us bloggers and those who have been visiting!
Plum and June
If you missed it.... Don't feel left out!  You can find links to the guest posts and the full schedule of participating bloggers by clicking on this cute button.





Now, in case you don't know me, my name is Lorna.

I'm a farmer's wife and mother of two.

And we live in Ontario, Canada.




If I was to asked to define my quilting style,
          or as they say...
force a square peg in a round hole,


I would likely say, "Ouch!" and then go on to describe myself as a Modern Traditionalist.

I like fresh colour.  I like original design.  And I like taking the elements of traditional quilting and making them into something never before seen.....

 


As I develop my quilting style, it is my dream to be one day be remembered as a quilting legend.
       Someone who was way ahead of her time.....               Well, HEY!  It is my dream!





For me...

It all started out innocently enough...


Inspired by my love for her
 (and her love for her cat)
I designed, made and quilted my first quilt...

for my daughter.

You can read more about that here.


Following that rousing success, I began doing a lot of applique work...




I was a little intimidated by all the talk of scant 1/4" seams and matching seam points.

And of white gloved old ladies in horn rimmed glasses,
                                               staring down their noses as they scrutinize your work.

But scariest of all were the visions of Quilt Police dancing in my head!!!


Merely the mention of Quilt Police - for me -
                                                      brings to mind a previously long forgotten place and time...

Cheap Trick's Dream Police...
And this portion of the lyrics...

"The dream police, they're coming to arrest me, oh no!"


Perhaps I am aging myself, just a bit?  But if you watch the video, you will readily agree, "That's some traumatizing stuff!"  And in this case - it is far better to leave the past buried deeply in the past!


So...  back to the present and to quilting....

Thankfully, as I gained experience, I also gained confidence.









I now enjoy challenging myself to learn and develop new piecing techniques.

Once you have overcome your fear of the Quilt Police - you realize that curves, too, can be mastered.  From there you realize that designing your own curved piecing can be easily accomplished.

This quilt was my first attempt at curved piecing.  And the entire quilt is made using the Drunkard's Path block and patchwork squares.









And - Coming in the fall...

 a remake of this quilt!


I submitted the pattern to the Moda Bake Shop and it was approved.  Exciting for me!

This quilt is also made with curved piecing for the petals and leaves.

I have adjusting the pattern to include the use of a jelly roll, which I have yet to have ever seen in real life.  Not including the edible kind, of course.  Those I am quite familiar with...


I have now started making tutorials, and recording any handy tips or clever methods I have discovered, on a new tab found beneath my blog header, titled Tutorials.



Right now,  I am hosting a Quilt Along where we are working on this big baby...

You are welcome to join us at any time!

I have been linking all the relevant posts, which can be found by clicking on the tab beneath my blog header, titled Quilt Along.

Please also accept my invitation to view all the lovely pictures of our group's progress by clicking on the Quilt Along Flickr Group tab on the right sidebar.




You know, when I started this blog on Christmas Eve of 2012, I never imagined how much I would enjoy posting here and sharing with others.  I have, surprisingly, become quite a social butterfly!


Aside from visiting other peoples' blogs and leaving comments, and taking part in Linky Parties, I find the most enjoyable method of interacting with others has been through my Sew Fresh Quilts Facebook page.

Well, if you made it this far - I am pleased!  And I must apologize for the video.  Really - if you were around when that was going on - and lived to forget about it....  I had absolutely no right to put you through that pain again.  However, should you find yourself humming when next seated comfortably at your machine....  Or waking in the night in a cold sweat....  I claim no responsibility!!!

I do hope you will considered using one of the options provided on my sidebar to follow along on my quilting journey.  I am looking forward to hearing from you and having the chance to connect with you!

I honestly don't know where I would be, if not for all those quilting bloggers.

For those who do share... truly inspire!  And I am sew thankful for that!


Happy Quilting!



24 July 2013

Spool Block

Just a little something I whipped up on a whim last night....  A 9" (finished size) spool block.



I have been working on my current quilt for quite some time now.  And am almost finished.  But I needed a little distraction.  So, I sat down with a pad of grid paper and drew up this block.  I have seen some around on the interweb, but I did a search for a pattern and came up dry.  Do you know if anyone has made a pattern like this?

It felt good to get the bins of fabric out and choose some scrappy bits to go with the plan.  Can't you just see a whole quilt of these?  Well.... at least a mini quilt for hanging in the sewing room?  What do you think?

20 July 2013

Oh My, Scrappy Stars! quilt entry

Although I am not quite yet finished the quilting,
I entered my Oh My, Scrappy Stars! quilt at the Quilting Gallery.

Please take a minute to vote for me (or any 6 quilts that you like)!

There are 67 beautiful quilts entered, so you will definitely be finding some scrappy quilt inspiration during your visit!


Also make sure you leave a comment to be entered for a chance to win this week's give-away!

Here is a link to the Quilting Gallery page!


I did manage to get to a fabric shop this week and pick up some variegated thread to finish quilting the star blocks....  But have not had a chance to do any of it yet!

Summer is in full swing here. Swim team practices, baseball games, and a swim meet this morning have been keeping me busy. Time enjoyed with my kids! But away from my Janome:(

Hope you are all having a wonderful weekend!
Lorna:)


16 July 2013

Oh My, Scrappy Stars! - Assembly Finishes

Last week I posted the instructions for assembling the quilt top and gave directions for rows 1 to 31.  Today's post will cover the remaining rows - Rows 32 to 50.



ROWS 32-34


This is a breakdown of Rows 32, 33, and 34.  You will need....
  • 2 Neutral 2.5” single squares
  • 6 of the 10 Neutral strip sets
  • 3 of the 12 Neutral strip sets
  • 4 Pale Orange HST’s and 4 Pale Yellow HST’s
  • 2 of the OBO strip sets and 1 of the BOB strip sets
  • 2 of the YGY strip sets and 1 of the GYG strip sets
  • 8 Feature Fabric HST’s
  • 4 of the Feature/Brown Accent/Feature strip sets and 2 of the Brown Accent/Feature/Brown Accent strip sets
Lay out the pieces in the rows, as shown below, aiming to ensure no two same neutrals are touching.   Use your finished Rows 1-31 as a guide to ensure Row 32 has no two same neutrals touching.

Here is the same section, as above, made larger for easy viewing, and split into two sections.




Sew each of the pieces in Rows together.  Press all seams open. Now sew the rows together and press all seams open.

ROWS 35-38



This is a breakdown of Rows 35, 36, 37, and 38.  You will need....
  • 6 Neutral 2.5” single squares
  • 2 Pale Green HST’s and 2 Pale Blue HST’s
  • 4 Feature Fabric HST’s
  • 2 of the 7 Neutral strip sets
  • 2 of the 6 Neutral strip sets
  • 4 of the 5 Neutral strip sets
  • 2 of the 4 Neutral strip sets
  • 2 of the 3 Neutral strip sets
  • and 12 of the 2 Neutral strip sets
  • 24 of the Red/Orange/Yellow (ROY) HST’s
  • 12 of the Blue/Green (BG) and Neutral HST’s
  • 8 of the BG and Accent Brown HST’s
  • 36 of the ROY 2.5” single squares
  • 18 of the BG 2.5” single squares
  • 4 of the Accent Brown 2.5” single squares
Lay out the pieces in the rows, as shown below, aiming to ensure no two same neutrals are touching.   Use your finished Rows 32-34 as a guide to ensure Row 35 has no two same neutrals touching.

Here is the same section, as above, made larger for easy viewing, and split into two sections.




Sew each of the pieces in Rows together.  Press all seams open. Now sew the rows together and press all seams open again.

You can now sew the Row set 32-34 onto this Row set 35-38 and press the seam open.
Then you can now sew the Row set 1-31 onto this Row set 32-38 and press the seam open.



ROWS 39-42


This is a breakdown of Rows 39, 40, 41, and 42.  You will need....
  • 8 of the 5 Neutral strip sets
  • 4 of the 4 Neutral strip sets
  • 4 of the 3 Neutral strip sets
  • 24 of the Blue/Green (BG) and Neutral HST’s
  • 16 of the BG and Accent Brown HST’s
  • 32 of the BG 2.5” single squares
  • 8 of the Accent Brown 2.5” single squares
  • 4 of the 8.5” Feature Fabric squares

Lay out the pieces in the rows, as shown below, aiming to ensure no two same squares are touching.  Use your finished Rows 1-38 as a guide to ensure Row 39 has no two same neutrals touching.

Here is the same section, as above, made larger for easy viewing, and split into two sections.



Because of the large 8.5” Feature Fabric squares, the rows will be sewn together in each section, then sewn to the feature fabric.  Sew each of the pieces in each row together.  Then sew the rows together for that section.  When you have sewn each section together, then sew them onto the 8.5” Feature fabric squares.  Press all seams open.


ROWS 43-46


This is a breakdown of Rows 43, 44, 45, and 46.  You will need....
  • 6 Neutral 2.5” single squares
  • 2 Pale Yellow HST’s, 2 Pale Blue HST’s, 2 Pale Green HST’s and 2 Pale Orange HST’s
  • 2 of the 7 Neutral strip sets
  • 2 of the 6 Neutral strip sets
  • 4 of the 5 Neutral strip sets
  • 2 of the 4 Neutral strip sets
  • 2 of the 3 Neutral strip sets
  • and 12 of the 2 Neutral strip sets
  • 24 of the Red/Orange/Yellow (ROY) HST’s
  • 12 of the Blue/Green (BG) and Neutral HST’s
  • 8 of the BG and Accent Brown HST’s
  • 36 of the ROY 2.5” single squares
  • 18 of the BG 2.5” single squares
  • 4 of the Accent Brown 2.5” single squares
Lay out the pieces in the rows, as shown below, aiming to ensure no two same neutrals are touching.   Use your finished Rows 39-42 as a guide to ensure Row 43 has no two same neutrals touching.

Here is the same section, as above, made larger for easy viewing, and split into two sections.
 



Sew each of the pieces in Rows together.  Press all seams open. Now sew the rows together and press all seams open again.

You can now sew the Row set 39-42 onto this Row set 43-46 and press the seam open.
Then you can now sew the Row set 1-38 onto this Row set 39-46 and press the seam open.



ROWS 47-50



This is a breakdown of Rows 47, 48, 49, and 50.  You will need....
  • 8 of the Neutral 2.5” single squares
  • 6 Pale Yellow HST’s, 6 Pale Blue HST’s, 6 Pale Green HST’s, and 6 Pale Orange HST’s
  • 6 of the 12 Neutral strip sets
  • and 6 of the 10 Neutral strip sets
Lay out the pieces in the rows, as shown below, aiming to ensure no two same neutrals are touching.
Use your finished Rows 1-46 as a guide to ensure Row 47 has no two same neutrals touching.

Here is the same section, as above, made larger for easy viewing, and split into three sections.



Sew each of the pieces in Rows together.  Press all seams open. Now sew the rows together and press all seams open again.

Then you can now sew the Row set 1-46 onto this Row set 47-50 and press the seam open.

Congrats on the big finish!  You have now completed your quilt top! 

See you next week when I will post about making a backing, basting and quilting this.
 Hope to see you then!








 



Quilt Along - Update 4

It has sure been a busy summer!  And we've got sew much going on!

Plum and JuneI have been enjoying this year's Let's Get Acquainted Blog Hop by Plum & June!  There are so many talented people participating.  I have added all them to my Bloglovin' feed and each new week I have been rewarded with great posts filled with gorgeous quilts!  I am in the lineup for a post introducing myself and my work during the last week of the blog hop.  You don't want to miss out on the fun!  For the full schedule click on the first link. And to visit our generous hostess, Beth, click on Plum & June link!



Between doing dishes and cutting the lawn, and running my kids to their friends' homes, to baseball games and practices and swim team practices and meets....  I have found some time to work on the quilting for my Oh My, Scrappy Stars! quilt.

I tied and hid the last knot for the quilting of the neutral background this morning!  Whoop, whoop!

 After quilting the background from edge to edge, I trimmed and bound the quilt last week.

Up next... I quilted around each of the nine star blocks.
 
I then quilted the space between the points of the stars to complete the background quilting.  That was extremely time consuming.  Lots of knots to tie and bury in the batting!

Before I begin to quilt the stars, I must finish up the instructions for assembling the rows and post those instructions on the quilt along page.  So that is my next task!

If you are interested in making this quilt, the free pattern and instructions can be found here.

New for me this month... I signed up to participate in Fiber of All Sorts - Lovely Year of Finishes.   This post will be added to the mid-month link-up.  Click on the link to see everyone's progress on their July goals!

Linking up this week to Marelize's Anything Goes Quilt and Sew and many other fun linky parties which can be found on my Linky Party page at the top of my blog under the header!

I have also entered this quilt in the Show & Tell at the Quilting Gallery.  I will add a new link when the voting begins!  Please take a minute to vote for me on Friday and enter for a chance to win this weeks great prize!

Keep it quilty this summer and have fun!


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