Red Random Plank....done.....

I got busy first thing in the morning yesterday to get the binding sewn on this Random Plank quilt.  I did it all by machine.  I tried to cut the dotted fabric straight along the dots and only one small area is off a bit.  It is on the left about a third of the way up from the bottom.  It ended up at 74.5" x 99".

I finished 2 blocks and started a third one while I watched 2 episodes of Doc Martin on Netflix.  I'm near the end of season 4 now.  I decided I will use the crazy pieced block (shown yesterday) in the Rattlesnake quilt, and maybe I'll try to sneak a second one in.  I have all of the fabric chosen now to complete 36 blocks and I have an idea for borders at the top and bottom to make it rectangular.

 

16 blocks........

I think the Rattlesnake quilt is coming to life with a little more red in it.  On the pattern Karen has 20 blocks with red corners but I'm not going to have that many.

I only got one block made yesterday.  I finished loading a quilt on my longarm in the morning and quilted a few rows and then met a friend for lunch.  We ended up talking for 3 and a half hours.

When I got home I finished the quilting and trimmed the extra batting and backing.  I'm planning to use the dotted fabric for the binding.

 

 

A little more........

I only got three blocks done yesterday.  I got sidetracked with some computer clean up.  I need to update the 'pages' on the right side bar and I made a little progress.  I hadn't added photos to any of the categories for so long.  There is more to do though.

I played around with meshing the blocks together.  I have to make a whole lot more of the small ones or cut some filler squares with fussy cut 7.5" squares of the big prints.

This is the whole group of blocks so far.  I have 3 more large blocks cut out and unless I decide I need a certain color added, that is all of the large blocks I will make.  Then I can get serious about a layout.

I also chose a backing for this quilt.  I originally had 2 Kaffe prints as contenders but I decided I need to save them for borders on future quilts and not waste them on the back.

This was my original first choice for the back but when I laid it out to double check how much I had, it was a couple inches short of what I needed.  That prompted me to look for other fabrics for the back.

Details......

I meant to take photos of the backs of the table runners for yesterday's post but forgot.

I was looking for a good green for the binding on this one and found one with both blue and green that looks really nice with it.

I also got the borders sewn onto the random plank quilt.  I put 7" borders on the sides and 5" borders on the 2 ends.  Actually I may trim down the end borders to 4 or 4.5" because it doesn't need to be this long.  Before quilting it is 78" x 106" the way it is.  It will probably shrink at least 2-3" with quilting.

 

 

Random plank #4

Random plank #4 measures 64" x 96" at this point.  I used 70 strips of Kaffe collective fabrics and 118 spacer squares (which = 5.5 strips).  Around 20 of the strips were left full length (42-44") and the rest were cut into half, quarters, or thirds/two-thirds.  This (plus straight joining seams vs. angles on the original) is what makes it into random plank instead of jelly roll race which is all full length (width of fabric) strips.

This quilt is almost twice the size of the jelly roll quilt and took me 6 hours and 5 minutes to sew it.  That doesn't count the time of pulling out 70 different fabrics and cutting 1 strip off each of them. 

I have a chart on this post which gives you an idea of how many strips makes what size quilt.

Random plank progress.......

I learned the hard way on the last one of these that I made that I need to stack the long strip so it doesn't get a twist at the end.

Then I turn the stack on its side and pull the beginning from each side and start sewing them together.

When I get to the end I slip my scissors in and cut the fold.

I restacked it neatly back and forth and once again pulled the 2 ends around and lined them up and started sewing them together.  At the end I clip the fold again.  Do this 3 more times and you are done.

I was too tired to press it last night but you can get an idea what it will look like.  There were a few places where the dotted spacers lined up with the previous row.  When I show the whole top tomorrow you will see where 3 lined up in one spot.

I took another photo of the arrangement on my wall while the sun was coming in the east window.  You can see the texture on the mirror frame better as well as the colors in the little art pieces.

2 more and a new project......

I made 2 more red mug rugs and then packaged them all for mailing to NC.  I drove to the post office and no double vision problems.  I hope that is an indication that the eye muscles have recovered totally.

Last night I started sewing the spacer squares onto all of the strips for my next Random Plank quilt.  I cut the Kaffe fabric strips into half or thirds and left about a third of them full length.  I sewed on 122 spacer squares so there are 123 individual strips/partial strips.  It took over 2 1/2 hours to get the spacer squares sewn on and the whole thing sewn into one big long strip.  Now I will proceed as in a Jelly Roll Race quilt and there will be 5 seams to finish it into a top.

Blooms and spacers..........

This cactus has 3 blooms on it now. A lot of the buds have dried up and fallen off of several of the plants but this one decided to bloom.  I have 2 buds on a red one too.

I asked my sister-in-law if she would get some bananas for me and while she was at the store she got me a poinsettia too.  I love the red flowers and they always last a long time. 

Here are the spacer squares I will use between the strips on this quilt.  It is a really dark green, almost black.  I cut them with my studio die cutter.

Sorting strips

I decided to pull green and blue strips from the box of Kaffe fabrics for another Random Plank quilt.  I have 86 strips which according to my directions to figure the size would make a quilt 64" x 113".  Since that is way too long for the width I'll eliminate half the length of several of the fabrics.  I like random lengths so some will be left full length, some will be cut in half, and some will be cut into thirds.

Here are both groups that will make the quilts.  I have 72 strips in the warm colors.  I have cut a polka dot square spacer to use between those strips so I may eliminate some partial strips from that group too so it won't end up too long.

I have double vision right now from the surgical procedure.  They have to stretch the muscles holding the eye in place to turn the eye to implant the radioactive seeding (and will be doing it all over again on Tues to remove the seeding) and it takes awhile for the muscles to recover.  According to reliable sources on the internet that could take up to a few months for the worse case scenario.  I am praying that mine will recover sooner.  Since my eye is covered with the lead patch right now it won't be a problem until next week.

3 a week.....3rd week.....

I quilted number 3 for the week yesterday afternoon.  It is small, just one width of fabric for the back.  This is Square Dance 2.  I had divided the blocks into 2 quilts and finished #1 for my show in June in North Carolina.  This is the smaller of the 2 quilts.  I used the same fabric as the outer border for the binding and finished it by machine.

I also put the binding on Random Plank 2.  After washing and drying it is 58" x 82".

The backing is not a batik but looks a lot like one.  I used a beige mottled batik for the binding and finished it by machine.

I also put the binding on the Stack and Slash quilt.  Then I washed 4 quilts, 2 to a load.  This one is washed and in my living room ready to use.  It ended up 55" x 68" after washing and drying.

I just love this fabric on the back.  It looks like it was made to go with the group of fabrics on the front.  I used the magenta print that looks a little like a stripe for the binding.  I finished this one by machine too.  Three quiled AND bound in one week!!

 

Another cactus picture just because they are so pretty.

Quilting, binding.........

I had to go for another medical test yesterday, so more waiting and wondering.  I got the quilt that was loaded on the longarm quilted.  I did wavy lines and loops down each strip.  I used a variegated light to med. green So Fine (by Superior threads) thread on top and it blended in well.  I got it trimmed too and now need to decide on binding.

At nine o'clock I switched to hand finishing the binding on this wallhanging.  I'm half way done.

 

A little sewing, a little prep work.......

I finished trimming the blocks, decided on a layout and sewed the blocks together.  It ended up 22" x 44".  At first I thought I might quilt it with close parallel lines with a variegated thread from top to bottom.  Then I started questioning whether I really want the narrow lines to have stitching running through them.  Then I thought maybe I would quilt each block with matching thread in lines parallel to the narrow strip.  Next I thought maybe I would just ditch quilt between rows of blocks and on each side of the narrow band.  I will let this all percolate until I can make a decision.

I loaded this quilt on my longarm machine on Monday night but didn't start quilting it yet.  I also cut the binding for one quilt that was quilted  last week and will get it sewn on today.

A 'keep busy' day...........

Yesterday I just needed to keep busy so I wouldn't think about my appointment today.  I cut batting for this random plank (also known as jelly roll race) quilt top and the backing fabric is at the left.  It isn't a batik but looks great with the colors in the quilt. 

The crosses quilt is 48" square so I knew I needed to add a strip to the width for the backing. I had a long strip of the fabric at the left that was a leftover from another quilt and I also had a larger chunk of it to cut the main piece from.  I sewed it together and it is ready to baste.  I will do this one on my Pfaff because I want it ditch quilted and there is a continuous line diagram in one of Kaffe's books.

I went through 3 boxes of miscellany in the basement too and filled a garbage bag with useless stuff.  It feels good to see some empty boxes.

 

QOV quilt finish......

For this QOV quilt I took all of the leftover 2.5" and 3.5" strips of varying lengths of red/white/blue and pieced strips that I cut to 68" length.  Then I alternated the 2 sizes in several different ways to piece a quilt the required minimum size for a QOV. I call this style random plank as it reminds me of hardwood floor planks.  I put the binding and label on yesterday.  I also sewed the binding on Sparkling Stars and printed labels for 5 quilts.  I am going to a group meeting today and will take the hand sewing along.

Liberated quilting?

Has anybody named free form quilting liberated yet?  This is one of the jelly roll race style quilts that I made back in July.  I wanted the quilting to just be fun, just like the piecing.  It might be a gift for a college girl.  I didn't want to have formal quilting on it.

This is going to be the binding.

This is the backing fabric.  I loaded this on my longarm machine on Tuesday but just didn't feel like quilting until yesterday.  I have 3 other partially quilted quilts to get back to now too.  First though I have to get ready for a program I am giving Monday night at the Plano (next town over) Library.  I have been typing notes and pulling quilts and have to finalize it soon.

Jelly Roll Race a/k/a Random Plank quilt

Some tips to figure out how big your quilt will be and whether the strips are vertical or horizontal.

Here are the 3 quilts tops I made in one collage photo.

Measure the length of all of your strips sewn together and divide it by 32 (the number of strips in one direction on every quilt).  This will give you the measurement in the other direction after sewing 5 seams.  The 32 needs to be multiplied by the finished width of your strips (2.5" = 2", 3" = 2.5")

Here are some average sizes if you pieced it Random Plank (straight joining seam) like I did.  If you want to do the original diagonal seam shown on the video, it will be a little smaller.

2.5" strips--- If the number in the left column is smaller than the one in the right column, the strips are horizontal.  When the left column number is larger the strips will be vertical or lengthwise on the quilt.

40 strips = 52.5" x 64"

50 strips = 65.5" x 64"

55 strips = 72" x 64"

60 strips = 78.5" x 64"

65 strips = 85" x 64"

70 strips = 91.5" x 64"

3" strips

40 strips = 52.5" x 80"

50 strips = 65.5" x 80"

60 strips = 78.5" x 80"

70 strips = 92" x 80"

80 strips = 105" x 80"

Disclaimer:  I am only human, I hope I didn't make any errors, and the numbers above are approximate.  Mine came out a little narrower than planned because my seam was a touch wider than 1/4".

Only 3 seams.........

All I accomplished yesterday was the last 3 seams of this Jelly Roll Race quilt.  It was made from a bag of various length strips with twelve 45" long strips of red or deep rose added.  I think it ended up 62.5" x 78.5" so it is a generous size couch quilt.  It has equal to 59 full strips in it.

I have a few new blooms in the front garden.

I had to move the pots that sit in front of the garage into the garage because of the excessive heat.  It looks like they will be in there for another 5 days.

The coleus can take the heat better than the sweet potato vine.  The tomato plants love hot weather so I'm expecting some results this week.  There are 9 tomatoes on my 2 vines and I would love to see one turn red.

One thing leads to another.........

This hot humid weather has me worn out even if I don't have to be out in it.  Yesterday I started the day out by carrying the 5 boxes of scraps that were in my studio down to the basement where my die cutter is.  I didn't intend to start cutting pieces from them yet though because they will all need to be ironed first and I didn't want to heat up the basement.

I did go out to fill the bird feeders though and finally figured out where the robin's nest is.  The robin has been 'warning me' as I walk to the back yard but I didn't find the nest in the usual place, the crook of the downspout.  If you look close you can see one adult and one baby with its mouth open.  The sun was glaring on the screen of the camera so I wasn't even sure I got this shot until I put it in the computer.

Then I was reading blogs and saw what Vicki Welsh is making.  I decided it was time to get out the fabric I have purchased from her over the last 2 years and USE IT!  But first....... I had to clean off the tables.

One table had a stack of blue jean legs ready to cut up for quilts.  I opened my 8.5" die and cut 46 squares.  One table cleaned off.......

Another table had the pieces of batik that I had sewn together last Wednesday for a Jelly Roll Race quilt.  I sewed the first 2 seams last night, the really long seams, so I have 3 seams left to sew this morning and then 2 tables are cleared off.

The star quilt is still waiting for its last 3 blocks but I can start dreaming about what shape I want to use for the hand dyed fabrics.  I love triangles but also considered a modular layout-lots of square and rectangular shapes.