"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jer 29:11 (NIV)

Saturday, July 26, 2014

August block for the Block of the Month

The next week will be a little crazy as I get ready for the first day of school (teachers report back on 8/1, students on the 4th), have visiting family and friends, and still work extra hrs at the store.  

So I'm posting the BOM block for August a few days early.    This block is called "Ninja Star" because it reminded me of the metal stars that you see used in movies.

I hope you enjoy making it!

You can find the block located on this page of my website - http://thequiltedsnail.com/bom2013-14.html.

Gratitudes:

1. For the jobs that God has provided for me.

2. For the fun that I have when designing my quilts and sewing.

Friday, July 25, 2014

Binding strip quilts finished

The binding strips and COC strips that I sewed together a couple of days ago became two donation quilts for Sunshine Quilts, and nope I didn't quite use all of the green binding up.   All fabric in the quilts, with the exception of the border fabrics were from scraps.   The borders were two pieces from my stash that were less than 1/2 yd in length.

Still have blues/purples/blacks, and reds/pinks/orgs/browns/yellows in the leftover bindings to use up.   Am thinking about what I want to do with them.  

Gratitudes:
1. Found some great bargains at the goodwill sale today.
2. My parents are due to arrive tomorrow for a short visit, followed by a visit from friends from Phx on the 5th.

Wednesday, July 23, 2014

So what do you get.....

.......when you decide to do something with all the pieces of leftover binding from long ago projects and a stack of precut strips of COC fabric?   Enough fabric for a couple of scrappy quilts!   After sewing only the green binding leftovers together I ended up with a 3" wide strip of fabric 15.839 yards long.   And the COCs ended up 2" wide by 16.722 yards long.  

Have started two different scrappy quilts from these and am working on them at the same time (I know silly me.....lol).   the first one is based off a pic that I saw somewhere and puts the two strips together in a spiral.   Haven't figured out how bit I'm going to make it yet, but what I've got done so far is shown here.   I'll finish this one off with a couple of borders around it and it will be a donation to Sunshine Quilts.

The second quilt will be made from at least 4 log off-set log cabin blocks using the same strips that I'm working with now.    And given how much yardage there is in these strips I may end up making another quilt as well.   This second quilt will also be donated to Sunshine.

What do you do with your leftover pieces of binding?

Gratitudes:
1. Cool, rainy day weather
2. Still have a week left till the start of school.

Sunday, July 20, 2014

Almost done with challenge quilt.....

Have finished up quilting my wallhanging for the challenge.   Stretched myself on quilting patterns and overall am happy with how it has turned out.

First pic on the right shows a close up of the quilting in the sky.   My frame was being a pill so it's a little more jerky than I wanted.   thankfully the worst will be covered up when I add the fabric with the verses written on it to the quilt.

The bottom pic shows the quilting that I did in the water and the look that the tulle gives to the piece.  I like the extra dimension that the tulle gave to the scene and will use this technique again in the future.

Still to be added to the quilt is a piece with the two verses from Jeremiah 17.   I need to dig through my scraps and stash to find something that will work.   Will do that tonite, or might grab something from the store tomorrow after I get work.

So what new techniques have you tried with your quilts lately?

Gratitudes:
1. Challenge quilt is almost done and even a little (very little) early.

2.  Still have 2 wks of summer vacation to go.

Wednesday, July 16, 2014

Uncooperative challenge quilt....

Most of the challenge quilt has decided to cooperate.   But the wording that I need to add to it just is not being cooperative.  

What is working  ---  

The quilt will show a forest that comes right down to the waters of a lake/stream and then are reflected in the water.   I have the material ready to fuse for all of that, and will be using a royal blue, shiny tulle overlay over the reflected trees and water to delineate where and what they are.  The tulle will be scrunched and bunched to show the surface of the water, and will be quilted down as I quilt that part of the quilt.   I have a plan for the quilting, and will do that on my mid-arm machine.  

What isn't working ---

The upper part of the quilt will have a large letter 'T' on it, and then a Bible verse (Jeremiah 17:8).   I'd planned on doing the verses in cross-stitch on linen and then stitching them down on the quilt, however my attempts at the cross-stitch are now working out the way that I want them to.   So plans are continuing to evolve.  At the moment, I'm probably going to cross-stitch a large letter "T", and then applique it onto the quilt top.   Then will write the verses either directly onto the quilt top or onto a piece of linen that will then be added to the quilt top.

Friday, July 11, 2014

Finishes - Wedding quilt and one for Sunshine

I finished the wedding quilt for my nephew and his lovely bride earlier in the week but couldn't post pics of it because my computer was in the shop to see why it was overheating and shutting down.   Computer is back, so now I can actually post pics.

The wedding quilt finished out at 90" by 98"   I used extra wide muslin as the backing and gold/tan tonal print for the binding.   Label was written directly onto the backing of the quilt.   It will be delivered this weekend and I'll take more pics (and hopefully better ones) when it is delivered.

The last quilt completed is one for sunshine made from blocks that someone made with fabric that I sent and a few scraps of other fabrics.   It finished out at 48" square.

Gratitudes -
1. Computer is back and is working great again.
2. I get to spend time with my GF, her family and her new DIL this weekend.  =)

Monday, July 7, 2014

Finishes.....

Finished off the quilting on the wedding quilt on Saturday.   Have it off the frame and to find the fabric for the binding today so that I can get that started.  Just need to go find some fabric for binding and I'll be able to get that under way.   New pic will be coming when the quilt is finished.

I've also put together a little quilt top using up scraps from a long-ago commissioned scrub top and other assorted scraps.     This will be donated.  =)

Gratitudes:
1. Cooler weather
2. The quilting on the wedding quilt went smoothly.  =)

Saturday, July 5, 2014

New Mystery Project.......

One of the things I've been mulling over this summer is what I want to do as a project for next year for posting on my blog.   Should I do a new BOM, or should I do a mystery twas the question.   I haven't decided yes or no on the BOM, but if I do that it will be smaller than this years BOM.  =)   In addition this will be something that is out of my normal style of writing / designing patterns, which is the reason why i'm testing it first.   But I'm looking forward to making it.

In the mean time, I did decide to do a mystery.    I've got it written up and am testing it with one of my best quilting friends.  =)   Some of the fabrics I've chosen to use for the test run are shown to the right.  I've pulled others to use as well, but won't make final decisions until I work through each step.  
This mystery quilt will be similar to one that I've done in the past where the participants were told, in general terms, how to add the next part to the quilt, but they were not what it had to be.   Instead they were given a technique and size.  

For this quilt I'll have steps that tell what is to be added in general terms, but will not tell how it is to be added.   Any person making the quilt will be able to pick their own techniques to use and truly make the quilt their own.  Finished size will be a toddler or lap quilt size once it is together and borders are added to it.

Sound like something you'd like to try?   I hope so!  Any questions, leave me a comment on this post.

Gratitudes:
1. For being able to design patterns and have fun while doing it.

2. For the beautiful weather we are having at this time.

And I'm off.............

....Off and quilting the wedding quilt that is.    I took the easy way out for the backing and bought a high quality, 108" wide muslin for the backing because I didn't want to dig through the totes of backings that I have in order to find something that would work for it.  Not what I would normally use, but this coordinates well with the front so I'm happy.

Am using two colors to quilt it - a dk burgundy that totally blends in to the border fabric.   As in can't be seen at all, which of course makes it hard to see where I've actually stitched.    Ooops.......lol.   The other is a dark cream and blends with all of the background fabrics in the top and looks ok with the greens in the quilt.

Current plan is to get the quilting finished tomorrow so that I can get a lot of the binding sewn down on Monday when I'm off work.   I am going to deliver it Friday night/Saturday Morning next week when the bride is in town and shopping with my nieces for bridesmaids dresses.

Gratitudes:
1. I had a packaged batting that was big enough for the quilt already on hand!

2. My back has settled down after trying to totally freeze up.


Wednesday, July 2, 2014

One of those days.........

Ever have one of those weeks where there is a lot going on, you come home tired and just don't want to deal with what you know you've got a deadline to get done?   Well that would be me right now.   Been working lots of hrs at the store (7-8 hr shifts at the store during teh day) and feeling brain dead by the time I get home from work.

So guess who hasn't gotten the backing for the wedding quilt on the quilt frame so I can start quilting it?   I have dug out a packaged batting tho that is big enough for it so I'm getting closer.   I would take and even up the backing edges, but I'm too tired to be trusted with a rotary cutter and fabric.

I will need to get busy on it so that I can get it completed before next weekend when I hope to deliver it.

I have tho put together two quick quilt tops yesterday and today before heading into work.   The first one was made with the leftover backing fabric from the commissioned rubber ducky quilt.  The coordinating was all from my stash.    The second quilt top I finished this week uses the last 64-patch blocks made with a whole mess of 2" squares that a friend sent me about 4 yrs ago.   I added the two center blocks to them and made the quilt shown here.

Both quilts are slotted to be donated to a couple of different groups.



Gratitudes -

1. Finding a packaged batting that is large enough for wedding quilt.

2. For God always being there and providing what I need, even when it seems like I can't feel him.

Tuesday, July 1, 2014

Finished Commissioned Quilt

You never know where a commissioned job will come from.   In this case I ended up with a commission for a quick baby quilt from one of the gals that I work with there.  

This quilt started when we both saw a really cute flannel print featuring yellow rubber duckies.    It was just calling out to be made into a baby quilt.   With the addition of mottled blue and red flannels this baby quilt was born.   The blocks are elongated 4-patches alternating with the yellow duckies.  Final measurement was about 40" by 52".  backing fabric and batting came from my stash.

This commission will be delivered today at work.

Next up is getting the backing for the wedding quilt onto the frame so that I can get the quilt loaded on to the frame.   My plans are to get it quilted quickly so that I can deliver it next weekend when my nephew's bride is down in the Indy area because I won't be able to make the wedding because of the start of school for the kids.  

In between quilting the wedding quilt and doing it's binding, i'll be working on more of the commissioned scrub tops.   I have 16 of them cut out and the gal wants them sewn up next.  Eight different fabrics for the 16 tops, good thing I sew them up assembly line style.

Gratitudes -
1. Lots of work at the store this summer to help the financial situation - God is good!

2. Time to sew and quilt!

New BOM Block Posted

The July block for the BOM has been posted.   You can find the pattern here http://thequiltedsnail.com/bom2013-14.html.


Gratitudes -

1. Extra hours at the store during the summer.

2. Being paid for the commissioned sewing that I've finished so far this summer.