Where Did October Go?

Here we are at the end of October already!

Fall has arrived,

although the leaves in my area are turning

brown and falling off of the trees.

It's less than two months until Christmas

and then another new year begins.

YIKES!!

One day at a time, Ramona.

One day at a time.

My sewing machine has been quieter than usual these past couple of months.

We are having major work done on our house

and things are a huge mess.

I thought I would be hiding in my Hidey Hole more,

but my days are too disjointed.

One thing I have been working on is the challenge quilt

for the History of Quilting group I belong to.

This session's challenge is to make a medallion quilt.

Our leader gave us a pattern to use if we chose to, 

and I decided to use it.

The fabric choices took a bit longer

until I remembered that I've had some Christmas fabrics

in my stash for several years, just screaming to be used.

Out they came.

For the medallion I fussy cut birds from one piece of fabric

and began building from there.

It was suggested to add sashing in between the blocks,

but if I had done that, the birds would have been cut in half.

The medallion blocks are block 2.

Block 1

Block 3

Block 4

Block 5

 

Block 6

 

Block 7

Block 8

 (This block is my favorite one.)

I added the two grunge fabrics and the

light fabric with the lines to my stash fabrics. 

It's a busy quilt without the sashing,

but I like the designs and colors moving through the quilt.

I wanted the colors to show more than the individual blocks.

(I may turn one of the bottom middle blocks before sewing them together.)

Once the blocks are sewn together,

I'll decide on the borders.

 

It will be nice to have a new Christmas quilt to put out this year.

Hopefully it will be finished before then!

I am linking to Design Wall Monday.
 

Happy Quilting!

Tie Blocks 1/3 Finished

I am giving myself a

WOOHOO!!

today!

The neck tie blocks are 1/3 of the way finished.

It seems like it's taking forever to get these blocks done,

but I think it's because I have had limited time in my

Hidey Hole lately.

All is well and I am making progress.

The blocks will not stay in this arrangment.

As I finish them, they are added to my Design Wall.

 

I thought the cotton shirting I'm using for the sky

was a really dark blue,

Well, I had to order more and it turns out it's black!

 

The friend for whom I am making this quilt

(they are his ties)

is a very conservative person.

He did have a couple of fun ties, though.

I could not cut these two up to make the

Flying Geese.

 They are going in as rectangles.

 

Onward and upward!

I'm linking to Design Wall Monday today.

Happy Quilting!

Pilot Stocking Finished

The other day I realized I had not finished the

Pilot stocking for my son in law.

I made this from a Bucilla kit, 

but instead of using the felt piece provided for the back,

I make a quilted stocking and stitch the finished front to the stocking.

As I was making the stocking,

I took photos to show what I do.

First I make a little quilt,

using fabrics that will coordinate with the

stocking on the front and the back.

This is the felt back provided in the kit.

I trimmed the edges to smooth them out

to make the binding process easier.

 The back was used as a pattern for the quilted stocking pieces.

I cut one side out first and then turn it over to cut the other

piece. This way the plaid fabric will show on the front and the back

and the dots will be on the inside of the stocking.

The stocking pieces were then sewn together,

polka dot fabrics (inside fabrics) facing each other,

with a 1/8" seam allowance.

This is what I have after stitching around the edges,

leaving the top open.

The 2 1/4" binding strips are cut on the bias

because of the curves and stitched to the front of the stocking.

The binding is turned to the back and machine stitched in place.

I use an extra piece of the binding,

folded in fourths and stitched on both sides,

for the hanging loop.

The loop ends are finished and sewn to the corner of the stocking.

After the stocking is finished,

I stitch the felt front to the stocking,

using an applique stitch.

Now we have a sturdy stocking that can be stuffed with

little goodies to be opened on Christmas morning.

You can see that the quilted stocking is a bit larger than the

felt front, but it doesn't really matter.

The felt design is the focus and the fabric is barely noticeable.

Now this is ready for Christmas!

Happy Quilting!

Tie Blocks Grow

This past week was a pretty busy week,

but I was able to get a lot done on the

neck tie quilt.

All of the ties have had interfacing

ironed to the backs

and the shapes have been cut out,

ready to assemble.

It takes a while to make each block

since they are paper pieced.

This is where having a sewing machine with an

automatic thread cutter would come in very handy.

 I don't have one. :(

 

I'm using the same fabric for the sky on each block...

a very dark blue shirting.

 Initially, I found a photo of a quilt like this on Pinterest,

not realizing that it was from a book called

NeckTie Quilts Reinvented by Christine Copenhaver.

I happened upon the book one day and ordered it.

There are some beautiful quilts in this book made from ties.

This combination is one of my favorites so far.

I haven't decided if I will just keep making these blocks

until I'm finished with them,

or if I will intersperse these with blocks for another quilt.

It took me over two hours to make six blocks yesterday.

Not my usual rate of production, for sure!

Right now I'll keep moving forward on this quilt.

I'm linking to Design Wall Monday today.

Happy Quilting!

Tie Quilt Pattern Decided

A week ago or so I wrote a post about a new project

I was starting.

A quilt made from a dear friends' ties.

I debated over and over about the pattern to use,

perused the internet and Pinterest

and went back and forth.

Finally I decided on what I would do.

I am paper piecing Flying Geese.

(I know!! I know!!

I said I wouldn't do paper piecing again for a long, long time,

but these pieces are larger and won't be as

difficult to tear out.

Plus, with the silk fabric,

it's easier to get a more accurate block.

Remind me of this when I am cursing myself

for doing this again.)

Here are four blocks I made to make sure

I like the design.

I do!

I even like the one that isn't matchy, matchy.

There will be some of each....

color coordinated and those that aren't.

 

More pieces have been interfaced and are ready for trimming.

Now I need to make 86 copies of the paper part!

It's going to be a slow process,

but there is no deadline.

Happy Quilting!