Liberated Shoo Fly Top Done

I just finished the quilt top of Liberated Shoo Fly.  It will be quilted by my friend Deb S., and I don't know if I'll get the quilt back for binding, so I'm displaying it as is now.

Liberated Shoo Fly Quilt Top

65" x 85"

All from stash

Began the quilt during my October quilting retreat in Pacifica, California

Original design called for 16 Shoo Fly blocks.  Later I decided to donate the quilt top to an orphanage and plain fabric blocks plus a couple more Shoo Fly blocks were added to make size requirements.

Liberated Shoo Fly Block

Purposely uneven triangles, giving each block a different personality.

All Shoo Fly blocks have the same star fabric in the center, which provided the color scheme.

I designed the quilt to be male-appropriate, and it turns out boys' quilts are in need at the orphanage where the quilt is headed.

My plan is to see if I can put the binding on myself, after which I can take a picture of the finished quilt.  The completed quilt will be donated to Rancho Santa Marta, an orphanage in Mexico, about 60 miles south of Ensenada in Baja California.  Delivery of this quilt and many more will be made by my church during two missions trips to Rancho Santa Marta, one in January and another in April.  I plan to make a few more tops for the April trip.

Recent Finishes 12/30/2010

Here are three quilts that I've made during the past few weeks.  I will write detailed entries with more photos and design notes later.  But for now, enjoy!

It's Been a Delight, Betty

For fellow church orchestra member Betty D., who plays violin.

Betty's Delight quilt blocks

58" Square

Original design

Finished November 28

Betty's Delight quilt block with music print

The Commish (formerly Mystery #3)

For Ken H., an attorney in my office who recently became Commissioner/Judge

Features Minnesota (Ken's home state) and Courthouse Star quilt blocks;

 the color navy (he served in the Navy);

medium blue represents the background of the Minnesota state flag (perhaps not the authentic blue, but close).

58" x 70"

Original design

Finished Dec. 22

All Kinds

(Bucket List Quilt)

For my brother Wayne, who loves all kinds of sports

All Kinds quilt block and variations

Features multi-sport print

56" x 78"

Original design

Finished Dec. 27. A few hours later I traveled over 300 miles to Los Angeles area to deliver quilt personally.

All Kinds Block with multi-sport print

Rockin' Christmas

Personalize funny videos and birthday eCards at JibJab!

This is way too fun!

Reghan and The Magic Wall

One activity that my four-year-old granddaughter Reghan and I do when she comes to visit is The Magic Wall.  It's actually my design wall, a large piece of felt in my studio.  I keep a collection of fabrics nearby, and Reghan usually puts one fabric on the wall at a time.

The last time she came over she tried something different.  Below are her creations.

Basically the same layout, with a few more pieces added

Reghan may be a quilt designer in the making!

All Kinds Quilt

With Mystery #3 done and delivered yesterday (more on that later) I'm starting another, very quick, quilt.  It's for my brother Wayne, who according to my sister-in-law Monica, loves all kinds of sports.  I chose All Kinds quilt block and found a multi-sports themed fabric.  At first my design was 25 blocks, half of them All Kinds, a somewhat complicated block.  Due to time crunch I modified the quilt design to 9 larger blocks, with one central All Kinds block.  The remaining eight blocks are simplified variations of All Kinds, which should be quick to make.  I'm paper-piecing all the blocks.

Last night I washed/dried the fabric and drew my paper-pieced patterns.  Tonight I'll make the All Kinds block--the most difficult.  With the new design I may need a little more of one of the fabrics.  I'll have to see in the morning after I piece some of the other blocks.  Joann's is sure to close early on Christmas Eve.

My deadline is looming, so I've got to boogie!

Update 12/21/2010

Last night I finished the quilt top on Mystery #3.  It's beautiful.  Tonight I'm doing a pillowcase finish, edge-stitching and tying.  My goal is to finish the quilt tonight for tomorrow's delivery.

Update 12/20/2010

Mystery Quilt #3--I've finished the blocks as well as the checkerboard borders for the top and bottom.  Last night I got the quilt top sewn into three long vertical sections.  Tonight I'll finish assembling the top, attach the outer border and get the quilt ready for tying.  I would love to finish the quilt tonight, but I don't think I can pull it off.  I'll finish it Tuesday for sure for Wednesday delivery.

The quilt is looking good!

Update 12/14/2010

Last week I finished the blocks for the Liberated Shoo Fly charity quilt.  I added a couple more Shoo Fly blocks than originally planned, plus a lot of plain fabric blocks to make 35 blocks.  I've set aside the project to work on a more pressing quilt--Mystery #3.

Mystery #3 is for a co-worker.  I'm using a block named after the recipient's home state as well as a block whose name is related to the person's occupation.  I finished the components for the home state block last night, and will have those blocks assembled tonight.  Then I'll begin working on the occupation-related blocks.  My goal is to have the quilt completed by the end of the weekend for delivery early next week.

Memory from France

I just had a memory from when I went to France as a teenager and stayed with a French family for a few weeks during a study trip.  Just now I was putting a bowl of milk in the microwave to heat up for hot chocolate.  I wondered how weird it would be to drink the hot chocolate out of the bowl.  At that instant I remembered how every morning at the French family's home I had a bowl of hot chocolate with my breakfast of French bread with butter.  "Maman" would keep a kettle of hot milk on the stove in the morning.  She would scoop out a bowlful of milk and add chocolate.  I would drink the hot chocolate from the bowl and eat my bread at the little kitchen table.

I hadn't thought about that for nearly 40 years but I can still see it in my mind's eye.  What a pleasant memory.

Liberated Shoo Fly Quilt

Shoo Fly blocks -- Liberated Quiltmaking style

I'm working on a charity quilt made of Shoo Fly blocks in the Liberated Quiltmaking style, all from stash. Originally the quilt was to be made up of sixteen 12" blocks, with a border to make a lap sized quilt. It was to be given to my church and distributed to someone going through a difficult time.

I had about half of the blocks made up, when I heard about the need for quilts to be given to an orphanage in Mexico. The quilts would be delivered as part of two church missions trips in January and April.

I talked to the organizer of the quilt project and found out that the quilts needed to be 66" x 88" to fit nicely on bunk beds. So, I had to alter my original design, as the quilt would not be large enough. The new design is 35 blocks--19 more than I had planned. With other quilts pending soon, I didn't want to make a whole lot more Shoo Fly blocks. So I will piece just a couple of extra blocks, and will fill in with plain fabric blocks. Hopefully I have enough fabric without having to piece. A narrow border will bring the quilt top to the required size.

I'll have the blocks finished tonight, and will assemble the quilt top tomorrow. That will be the end of my part of the quilt, as another participant in the project will quilt with her longarm machine.

By the way, there is a need for more boys' quilts, as there are plenty of girls' quilts already made.  My original intent for the quilt was that it would be appropriate for a male.  That worked out, didn't it?

Recent Finishes 11/22/2010

I've finished several quilts in the past couple of months.  I've been so busy sewing that I haven't taken the time to post photos or to write as detailed as I usually do.

That being said, here are photos of the finished quilts.  I'll post more details about each of them in the near future.

Superman

For my son Robbie--a Superman fan for most of his 30 years

Features Superman themed print

Blocks:  Heroes and Rockets, Bed of Stars, Sky Rocket

63" x 75"

Original Design

Partly from stash

Completed mid-October

Superman fabric

Baby Q

For newborn daughter of co-worker Albert Q.

Fussy cut centers frame a chandelier-like motif

Modified Square in a Square blocks

54" square

Original Design

Completed early November

Close up of modified Square in a Square block

Center fussy cut

Road to Half Moon Bay, California

For my supervisor Lena R., who loves to explore the tidepools at Half Moon Bay, CA

Road to California blocks

Features large scale tidepool print

54" Square

Original Design
Completed mid-November

Tidepool fabric

Betty's Delight - Quilt Blocks Finished

Betty's Delight Block

Tonight I finished the blocks for It's Been a Delight, Betty.  Betty plays violin in the church orchestra, so I used music fabric in the block.

Blocks laid out on design wall

Four quadrants sewn together

I chose a setting that is quieter than the one I found at QuiltersCache.  I think it's more suitable to Betty's personality.

Next I'll add a narrow border of black, then a wide border of the pink tone-on-tone.  The back will be plain white.  I'll do a pillowcase finish and tie the quilt with embroidery floss in pink and white.

My goal is to finish the quilt in time for Betty's going-away party tomorrow night.  I'm home all day tomorrow, so I should be able to pull it off.

Betty's Delight Quilt

I'm working on a quick quilt for Betty, a fellow church orchestra member.  Betty has been playing violin in the orchestra for over 30 years.  She will be moving soon to Southern California with her daughter, son-in-law and family.  We're having a going-away party for her on Tuesday evening.  Of course, I need to make a quilt for her.

I found a block called Betty's Delight, which I'll be making in 12" finished blocks.  The blocks will be made with a white-and-black music-themed fabric as well as a pink tone-on-tone, and more of the pink will go in the border.  I've named the quilt It's Been a Delight, Betty.

I started sewing the blocks on Saturday and they are nearly done.  I'm on a sort of furlough from work this week, so I have all day today and tomorrow to finish the quilt.  I think I can pull it off.

Road to Half Moon Bay, California Quilt

I finished the Road to (Secret) quilt last night and gifted it this morning to my supervisor Lena R.  Lena loves to go to oceanside Half Moon Bay, CA and explore the tidepools.  About two years ago after hearing about a couple of Lena's trips to the tidepools, I decided to make a quilt for her.  The design would include Road to California blocks, a print that showed seashells and such, and the title Road to Half Moon Bay, California.

Lena's quilt features a large print that looks like tidepools; I used the print in the border and two good-sized leftover pieces on the back.  The quilt has 9 large Road to California blocks and some four-patch blocks in the border.

Lena was surprised to get the quilt, and she seems to really like it.  I'll post photos and details about the quilt, now known as Road to Half Moon Bay, California, in the next few days.

Enjoy your quilt, Lena!

Almost Finished

Last night I got Road to (Secret) quilted.  Tonight I should be able to get the binding attached, and it'll be a done deal.  My plan is to deliver the quilt tomorrow or Thursday.  Can't wait to see the surprise on the person's face!

Update 11/15/2010

I made some progress on Road to (secret), a quilt based on Road to California blocks.  While I was piecing together the quilt top, I started thinking about how I would handle the back, which would be pieced using leftover theme and solid fabrics.  Originally I had planned to divide the quilt top vertically for quilting in sections, but in the end I decided to split the quilt horizontally.  I think this plan will maximize the amount of theme fabric on the back.  The theme fabric will be oriented toward the center area of the quilt, surrounded by the same solid blue from the front.  After sewing together the back sections, it looks good and I really like how the large print is featured in two good-sized pieces.

Last night I got one of the two quilt sandwiches spray basted.  It was pretty late by the time I was ready to begin machine quilting, my machine is pretty loud when I quilt and I have common walls with neighbors in my condo.  So I set it aside to do tonight at an earlier time of the evening.  I hope to have the quilt fully quilted by bedtime tonight.

Sewing Quilt Top for Road to (Secret)

I woke up at 6:00 this morning and couldn't get back to sleep.  I am not a morning person, but I figured I'd might as well make good use of my time.  So I started sewing together the quilt top for Road to (Secret).  I got one quadrant sewn together, including theme fabric border pieces.  I'll have the rest sewn together shortly.  As usual I'll machine quilt in sections.  I've divided the quilt roughly in half vertically.  The sections are wider than I like to deal with, but I'll get through it.  I'm planning to do an enclosed seam to join the sections.

I'm without a car at the moment, have been for about a week.  I'm not sure how long that will last, but hopefully not too long.  People have been wonderfully generous about giving me rides.  I work in a large office, and two co-workers who live within a few blocks of me have been getting me to and from work.  My son and daughter-in-law took me to and from church on Sunday.  A fellow church orchestra member gave me a ride to/from rehearsal last night. 

Today I needed to go to Joann's for extra backing fabric and some thread for the Road quilt.  Fortunately I live near the mall where many buses are.  I missed a bus to take me the half mile to the mall area, so I walked.  Not a big deal.  Among my errands, I needed to go to two banks which were by the mall and across the street from one another, so that worked out.  I stopped at a nearby restaurant and had lunch, then went back across the street to wait for the bus that would take me to Joann's.  Things went pretty smoothly.  I did my research before I left home, so I knew which bus I needed, what time the bus stopped, etc.

All the public transportation I've done on vacations paid off in my own home town today.

Catching up 11/10/2010

I'm working on Road to (secret).  I've completed all of the half-square triangles and most of the four-patches.  Tonight I'll finish the last of the four-patches, then lay out the quilt top on the design wall.  I don't think I'll sew the Road to California blocks together in the usual fashion because I'm doing something different with the border, which I'll assemble as an extension of the quilt blocks. 

Here's my plan for the border:  I'm using a large-scale directional theme fabric and the 1.5 yard piece isn't long wide or long enough to cover a side.  So I'm planning to piece the border with sections of theme fabric, broken up with small blocks.  For example, for the top border I'm planning to cut a width of fabric, split it in the middle, and insert a solid colored square or a four-patch.  There should be some continuity between the left and right sides, almost like a tryptic.  It works in my head.  We'll see how it goes.

Update 11/2/2010

I plan to finish Baby Q tonight and deliver it tomorrow.  Tomorrow night I plan to continue working on Road to (secret).  I don't expect it to take too long to finish...hopefully sometime next week.

Catching Up 11/1/2010

This past week I made a Little Bo Peep costume for my granddaughter Reghan for Halloween.  The outfit didn't cost much, since I used fabric from stash and lace given to me by quilting friend Judy P.  I spent less than $10 on a zipper, spool of ribbon and elastic to make an outfit which included a dress, pantaloons, skirt and a bonnet.  Not bad!  Reghan looked really cute as Little Bo Peep.  Her baby sister Piper was darling as a lamb.

Last night I started working on Baby Q again.  It's a baby quilt in a square in a square pattern.  I pieced together the backing using leftover chandelier fabric and solid pink, both used on the quilt top.  I should be able to finish the quilt by Tuesday night at the latest.

Later this week I plan to get back to the Road to California quilt which I started on my quilting retreat.  I expect it to be a quick finish.  The next step is to create lots of four patches, then assemble the Road to California blocks.  I made the half square triangles on my retreat.

I haven't taken the time to upload photos of my son's Superman quilt yet.  I'm hoping to post about it this weekend.