A finish for May 2024.................

I needed a break from my other project so I sewed the binding on this Shoo Fly quilt. (directions for the block on Lynn's blog, Solids on prints on her label list.)

I'm considering this a child's quilt because I used several novelty prints in the blocks.

It is 36.5" x 56" so it could be a big sister or brother quilt when gifting a baby quilt.

I used Hobbs 80/20 batting.

I have had the backing fabric for quite awhile and I'm sure it was on sale for a good price.

There are several novelty prints in this group of blocks. (Click on the photos to enlarge them) 

The white with black fabric has several animals in it. 

I like the little stripe I chose for the binding.

More of the novelty prints in the blocks.

There were 2 sessions of sewing on this Interweave quilt top.  The first 10 columns are sewn together so I'm a little over a third done.  It will probably take me 2 days to finish it because this is the boring part.  I have some vacuuming that needs to be done today.  Another boring thing.

Finally yesterday morning we got over a half inch of rain and then the sun came out later in the afternoon.  I think the tomato plants grew about 3" because they were so happy.  I think I see 2 volunteer tomato plants coming up in the raised bed too.

#5 finish for December..................

The binding is finished on I Spy 1 and now I just need to inspect it for any stray threads and then get it ready to be mailed.  This one ended up at 64" x 80.5".  The novelty print squares are 4" finished.

The backing is flannel that I bought at a year end sale 2 years ago.

The batting is Warm and Natural because I wanted a flatter quilt.  I didn't want rolling puffs through the novelty prints.

I found 4 more green Kaffe fabrics to use in the Rosy quilt.  The 2 on the left will be for the big squares and the other 2 in 9 patches.

I meant to get a daylight photo of my orange cactus blooming but next thing I knew it was dark.  I rarely use the flash on my camera and it takes forever for it to warm up.  I finally did get it to work.  All of the blooms are on the side that faces my west picture window.

I started my Christmas gift baking yesterday late afternoon.  I started with the English Toffee bars.

Then I made a batch of fudge.

Last was a double batch of shortbread cookies.  These are a favorite of my great-grandchildren.

Spritz is probably next.  I also make homemade Chex mix for everyone and I haven't purchased the supplies yet.

Working on two...............

In the morning yesterday I trimmed I Spy 1 and looked for a binding fabric.  I finally decided on this bright red/orange.  I started sewing it on the quilt last night but didn't get it finished.

After lunch I went through some early Kaffe fabrics for more greens for the Rosy quilt.  The stripe might be the binding.  I cut strips for 9 patches from 5 of them and 6.5" squares from 2 of them.

I sewed the new 9 patches last night and then decided to see if I had enough variety.  This is layout one.

I still had three 9 patches and about a dozen squares left so I added a row on the right and partial row to the bottom.  I need to make 5 more 9 patches if I stay with this size.  I have too much dark at the bottom so the layout will change.  I might look for more greens and take out the some of the really dark squares.  

Meanwhile I need to get the binding finished and start baking for gifts to mail.

 

Nothing but trouble..............

The same top thread was used on this I Spy 1 quilt that was used on the last 3 quilts, no problem on them.  I had at least 12 thread shred/breaks on this one.  I changed the needle in the middle of it but that didn't help.  But, it is done.

This is one of the oldest fabrics, from somewhere in the 1991-95 time range.

I love the tractor print.  My dad never had a tractor that looks like that but I saw many tractors in my childhood.  We also had a windmill like that over the outside water pump.  We didn't have an inside bathroom until I was 2 and I don't know if there was plumbing in the kitchen until then either.  Eventually the windmill was taken down when I was young and the pump closed off. 

Finish # 4 for December 2023...........

I Spy 2 is officially finished.  It is 67.5" x 79".  It will be for my 2 youngest great-grandchildren.  I originally intended to make an I Spy quilt for my grandchildren and they range from 27 to 36 now.  Better late than never.

I used Warm and Natural batting and a flannel backing on this quilt.

I got the backing and batting for I Spy 1 loaded on the longarm and draped the top over it.  

Last night I went through the pile of 6.5" squares and the box of 2.5" strips as a first pull for the Rosy quilt.  A lot of these are too dark though if I want the same feeling as the one in the book.

I pulled out most of the dark pieces and now it is more of a starter kit for this quilt.  I need to cut some more greens when I decide I'm ready to make it.

I couldn't resist buying a new cactus with red and white flowers.  I used to have one like this many years ago.  My other red is just solid red.

# 3 finish for December 2023............

I finally got the batik star quilt up on the double design wall.  The batting is Quilter's Dream cotton that I had a package of and it was thicker than I usually use so the quilt is heavy.  I finally resorted to using a chair to support the weight of it while I got the first 5 pins in the top edge and then it was pretty easy the rest of the way across.  It measures 73" x 99" now.  I forgot to take a photo with the backing showing so I'll add that photo later.

I took this photo while it was waiting for its portrait.  You can see the quilting that Robin did on it.  I still believe that meandering is the most evenly distributed quilting design and that it doesn't add an obvious secondary design to compete with the piecing.  This quilt was made of all batik scraps in the stars and although each block is the same layout, the value changes make them look like a variety of block patterns.  The triangles are 2" finished size.

I trimmed I Spy 2 and cut the binding and started sewing it on all by machine.  This is a kids' quilt and the binding needs to be sturdy.  I have a couple sides to finish the stitching on and then I'll photograph it. 

Quilted..........and binding done...........

I Spy 2 is quilted.  I did straight line with the channel locks farther apart than normal.  With Warm and Natural the quilting doesn't need to be as close as with Hobbs 80/20.  I didn't want a lot of quilting lines going through the novelty prints.

I used the same medium tan thread that I used on the 2 flannel baby quilts.  No thread breaks or shredding on this quilt.

Then I finished the hand stitching on the batik star quilt.  I'll try to get it up on the double design wall for its photo.  It is around 74" x 100".  It probably lost an inch or so in quilting so I'll measure it today.

I also need to sew the seam on the blue flannel backing for I Spy 1 today and get it loaded on the longarm.  It needs to be mailed out before the weekend. 

Progress..........

The seam was pressed and red bear print flannel backing was loaded on the longarm.  I also pressed the blue flannel for the other I Spy quilt and it is ready to have the seam sewn.  Maybe I can get the batting and top loaded and the machine threaded today.  Hopefully I will also be inspired to turn on the machine and do the quilting.

I had 3 sessions of hand sewing on the binding of the batik star quilt and now 3 sides are finished.  One long side to go.

Two readers alerted me to the name of the Kaffe quilt in yesterday's post, and yes it has been published in his books.  I hadn't noticed the pieced border on the earlier quilts.  It is his "Rosy" quilt and each one has a different name referring to the color of the quilt.  The 3 quilts in "Glorious Patchwork" aren't made with his fabrics because they wrote that book while he was only designing the yarn dyed woven stripes.  It is also in "Quilt Road" with stripes used. In "Kaffe Quilts Again" and "Quilts in an English Village" with the border changed.  I haven't looked through the hard cover books to see if it is in any of them.

2nd quilt top for November.............

I Spy 2 top is sewn together now.  All I need to do now is get both of the I Spy quilts finished for Christmas.  There are 120 unique novelty prints in this quilt top, each square finishing at 6".  The top is 68.5" x 80.5".  I'm planning on putting flannel on the back of both of the I Spy Quilts.

When I went out to check the rain gauge I noticed the pansy is still hanging in there.  It has been there even on the nights it was down to the mid-20s.  I knew they liked cooler weather but now I know they like cold weather too.  We got a half inch of rain overnight Monday night.  That is the only measurable rain this month so far.

Today I will be trimming the 2 quilts I got back yesterday and cutting and sewing on binding.

Borders on.................

I did everything I could think of to delay sewing the border on this I Spy quilt.  Borders are always a time for procrastination for me.  They aren't that hard, just not the most fun part of assembly.  Eventually I pressed the top and border fabric and got busy on it.  I decided on a 4.5" cut border. I'll press it and photograph it today.  I think it should be about 68" x 80".

I'm going to get the 2 quilts I sent out for quilting back today.  There will some binding time in my future.  One will be all by machine, the other might get hand finished.

Border chosen..................

I went through 3 shelves of fabric and finally decided on this stripe for the border of I Spy 2.  I bought it way back in the late 1990s with a kid's quilt in mind for it.  I might use it for a border on I Spy 3 also.

I was looking through the rest of the 6.5" Kaffe collective squares that I pulled all of the red/pink/orange from for the red quilt top I just finished.  I don't know if I want another all squares quilt with so much high contrast.

I ended up with quite a few of the red group too because I only used a maximum of 2 of each fabric and there were as many as 6 of some them.  With all of these reds mixed back in it would make a nice multicolor quilt top.

While trying to make a decision on that I worked on 3 dishcloths.  2 pairs of needles, 3 projects.  This way I can pick up whichever one interests me and they will all get finished about the same time. 

Center panel sewn............

Nothing else was on my schedule so I had 3 sewing sessions yesterday and got the center panel of I Spy 2 sewn.  Today I'll look for border fabrics.  I have several pieces with letters and numbers but also have some bright stripe fabrics.    

I'm enjoying this display so much.  The 2 cacti that aren't in the photo still just have buds but should bloom soon.

In the morning light these blooms look like lavender but they are really pink.  The ones on the left are pale pink and the ones on the right deeper rose.

 

First quilt top finish for November.................

I'm so glad my idea of an inserted border 2 rows in worked as well as it did.  By making it from segments the same length as the squares, there were no long strips to sew in.  The quilt top is 68.5" x 86.5", larger than I had originally intended to make it.  The more reds I found in the Kaffe collective, the more I wanted to add.

This is the final layout of the I Spy 2 quilt.  I decided on 12 rows long instead of 13 because I plan to put a border on it.  I got the first 3 webbing seams sewn last night while I watched TV.

 

One new, continuing on red............

I started laying out the second I Spy quilt on the double design wall in the basement.  This one is 6.5" squares with a dark/light alternating with mediums thrown in wherever I like them.  I need to still add 3 rows to the length but 10 squares is the width (60").

Now back to the red Kaffe squares quilt top.  This is the worst instersection, done when I was in a hurry to finish the second half.

Now that is better.  I can live with this.  There were 5 places altogether that I picked out and re-sewed.  I'm much happier with the top now.

Now the top is all sewn together and waiting to be pressed today.

More blooms yesterday.  The top left is white, the top right is pale pink.  Bottom left is champagne and middle row right, medium rose.  The other two in the lower right still just have buds.  I know one is champagne color, not sure what the other one is.

As much as I love all of the colors, the white ones are so elegant and I always look forward to them.