Quarter Triangles Sewn

I began sewing the Raiders quilt tonight. I got a couple of quarter triangles put together. I’ll sew some more of them tomorrow.

See more progress on: make Raiders quilt for housekeeper's boyfriend

Side seams done

Just finished sewing the side seams of my denim pants. The openings for the pockets are good.

See more progress on: sew jeans

Fabric for Raiders quilt ironed

I got the fabric for the Raiders quilt ironed tonight. I’ll start sewing in a day or two.
Photo: fabric collection for the quilt

See more progress on: make Raiders quilt for housekeeper's boyfriend

It's fun!

I am a big fan of Food Network. I watch this channel more than any other. I live in California, and when a restaurant in my state is shown, I Google the restaurant, then save it to my Favorites on my computer—in case I visit that area some day. I have accumulated quite a list of restaurants that are within my reach. I love to travel and I live within a couple of hours of San Francisco and Sacramento. Southern California is a half-day train ride away.

So far I’ve been to Guy Fieri’s Tex Wasabi in Santa Rosa and Gorilla Barbecue in Pacifica, as well as Langer’s Deli and Philippe’s Original—both in Los Angeles.

It’s fun to go to a restaurant I’ve seen on TV. I plan to go to many more.

See more progress on: Visit restaurants shown on Food Network

Pockets sewn

I sewed the pockets to the pant legs tonight. I had to re-do one seam when I found I had sewn a pocket to the inseam edge of the leg instead of the side edge. LOL! It took me longer to rip out than it did to sew in the first place. Oh, well…
That’s enough for today.

See more progress on: sew jeans

A little at a time

I’ve had fabric cut for a pair of denim pants for months, and just haven’t taken the time to sew yet. It seems that there’s always a quilt needing to be made, and the pants keep getting pushed aside.
Just now I came up with the idea to do one stage of the pants before I begin a quilting session. If I can spend a half hour or so each day doing that, my pants will be done within a couple of weeks. Hopefully sooner!

See more progress on: sew jeans

Fabric washed and dried

Tonight I got the fabric for the Raiders quilt washed, then dried it at the laundromat. My dryer died a few weeks ago, so a couple of times per week I go to the nearby laundromat and dry stuff. Oddly enough, it’s usually fabric for a project! Fabric dries pretty fast. Twenty-five cents and 7 minutes later, it’s a done deal. Clothes and towels I don’t worry about getting all the way dry. Maximum 21 minutes…just enough to get the sogginess out of them, then I let the stuff airdry overnight at home.

I’m all set to start sewing tomorrow night.

See more progress on: make Raiders quilt for housekeeper's boyfriend

Shoo Fly Quilt Top out for Quilting

Last night I took Liberated Shoo Fly quilt top to my friend Deb S. for quilting. I also left an $8 Wal-Mart sheet for backing, plus batting that I got at 40% off. That way Deb, who has volunteered to quilt all of the quilts for the orphanage project, only has to pay for thread. When the quilting is done I’ll get the quilt back for binding, which will allow me to get a photo of the finished quilt. Yay!

See more progress on: give 6 quilts to orphanage in Mexico

Fabric shopping done

Last night I bought a little pale gray fabric for the Raiders quilt. I should have enough to make the quilt top now, although I will probably need some black for the border. I’m washing the fabrics now, and will go to the laundromat to dry them in just a bit.

See more progress on: make Raiders quilt for housekeeper's boyfriend

More Fabric Bought for Raiders Quilt

I picked up a couple of solid gray fabrics today for the Raiders quilt I’m working on, to add to the two Raiders theme fabrics I bought recently. Beverly’s had a sale of 25% off all fabrics. Yay! I need one more pale gray fabric and then I’ll be ready to go. I’ll look at Joann’s tomorrow.

The quilt is for my housekeeper’s boyfriend. He plays poker, so I chose Four Queens quilt block for the quilt design. I’m using two Raider themed fabrics, one with a black background and the other with white background.

See more progress on: make Raiders quilt for housekeeper's boyfriend

Design notes

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?