Finishing the Applique on the Last Block

The final block for this little wallhanging - working on the twisting vine now so lots of stops and starts.  

All nine of the blocks laid out on the bed.  

Look what I found at Kroger today!!  Another mandevilla!  And it was only $10.00 - there had to be a mistake.  The girl told me they were $15.00 but when she rang it up it came up $10.00.  By golly, I'll take it and enjoy it all summer. 

Pretty, pretty color.  I'm tickled pink!!!  (Click to enlarge)

Busy Day

My day wasn't what I thought it would be even though it wasn't all that bad.  Today was one of the three days that quilters gather to spend most of the day "sitting and sewing" but with lots of talking and laughing thrown in.  Decided not to go this time and spend the day getting my flowers planted.  I ran around most of the day on Tuesday finally getting my posies purchased.  Then it rained for a couple of days but none for today.  Pretty chilly, though, which I actually would rather work in than too much heat.  After lunch, I decided I needed some more plants, got in the car and got tothe end of the street--the car was acting weird.  Turned around, stopped in front of my house, got out, flat tire!  Oh, me o my - what's the next step.  Called the insurance fellow and I do have tow coverage.  Ended up, I rode in the towtruck to the garage where they found a nail in the tire.  It didn't take them long to fix it and I had them change the oil since I was there and it was overdue as usual.  So I would not have been able to go sit and sew today after all.  I did go out and get a few more flowers but it is really kind of chilly to finish this evening - supposed to be warmer tomorrow.   

As for the picture at the beginning of this post, I now have three of the blocks finished and you can see kind of how they will look together.   Will do some more fusing this weekend.  The blocks stitch up pretty quickly.

I also just did the buttonhole stitching on this block (block shown before stitching) and have two more to do and that group will be finished and ready to be put together with the sashing and borders.  Eventually things get finished. (Click to enlarge) 

Spent Lots of Time with my Bernina

You have seen this little hanging before - but it is now all quilted and ready to be bound.  I love it except for the two light "boards" under the roof.  How I wish I had used darker fabric, but  not enough to  start over!  I may do a little more quilting on the roof and maybe come up with something to put on either side of the Home Sweet Home. 

My project for the little baby is ready to be made into a quilt sandwich and be quilted.  I spent most of last week working on that and I am happy with the way it turned out.  There will be another quilted project to decorate the nursery and that is a jointly planned project with Norah.  I think I am going to get my son in on it, too, for some drawing.  He's a whiz at that.

Everything is finally greening up here in Michigan!!  Feels good out there.  (Click to enlarge)

Final Folk Art Blocks Ready to Applique

Just finished cleaning up the mess in the bedroom where I have my good sewing machine.  Normally,  I do all my cutting, fusing and block preparation in the basement where there is lots of room for fabric and paper to fly.  Pretty close quarters in the bedroom and it was an absolute mess.  Didn't want to clean it up until they were all done and I finished them today. 

Now I can do my applique.  I think there are three done and six to go and all of the patterns are easy ones to work on. 

The color in the pictures isn't the best but you can get the idea.  Sashing and border will be the white of the black dotted print that I used in the large quilt top I just put together.  I just bought about five yards of it for backing so will have plenty for this little wallhanging which will only measure about 36" square.  Promise no more posts on it until together and quilted!  (Click to enlarge)

Two More Blocks

 Yes, you've seen this one in the post before but it's all fused down now ready to machine applique - and

here is the sixth one all fused, also. I have just enough of the fabric that the birdie is made of to do the birds that are in two of the last three blocks. I like the way it looks. Originally, I was going to use lots more colors from the Kaffe Fasset fabrics (actually these are all in his line except for the black and white) but it just became more of a controlled scrappy piece. So many times doing applique, I use a focus fabric and pick my other fabrics to go with that. This has turned into that sort of project. However, I am pleased with it.
(Click to enlarge)

Folk Art Blocks

I worked on this little piece part of yesterday and today.  This block is ready to be buttonhole stitched - I may change the centers of the flowers but will see how that goes when I get to that point. 

This one is ready for stitching except for finalizing the three flowers.  That doesn't take much time just cutting little bits and auditioning them.  It is turning out differently than I thought it would but I like it.  When I was working on it yesterday, I got to a point where nothing seemed to work so just walked away and left it.  When I went back in there today, it just kind of fell together.  That seems to happen a lot.  Kind of like working a jigsaw puzzle.

Here are five out of the nine that I plan to do.  All the backgrounds are oversized and will be trimmed down after they are appliqued.  The center block will be like a bouquet and the other three blocks will be wreaths.  The baskets will each have a corner.  I so love color!!!!    (Click to enlarge)

It's Back!

At the left of the picture is the railing the little robin sat on just the other evening.  I wonder where that little bird is right now.  Winter was not through with us, but at least it's snow and not ICE!   

They came through yesterday morning and cleared the snow - but they were back sometime during the night or early morning and cleaned again.  We pretty much had snow and blowing all day yesterday.  Pretty - but even I (who doesn't mind winter) am ready to have it go away.  

Over my front door it looks like the icing on a cupcake!  That will land right on the stoop when it finally thaws some.  The forecast doesn't call for any thawing for a spell, however.

Now, here is the cabin with the dark border!  I really like it and thank you, my blogging buddies, for your input.  Next is the embroidery after which I will make the sandwich and quilt the piece.  And for Sue, it is from Edyta Sitar's book.  This is mostly all batiks which came from a box of scraps.  Hard to throw out even small pieces.  (Click to enlarge)

Undecided

Just about to wind this little piece up but can't make up my mind on the border.  Thought I would ask what you think - which should I go for - the dark or the light?  One minute I am loving one, and the next minute the other.  Regardless of which one I use, the binding will be the dark like the narrow sashing.  I am also going to embroider "Home Sweet Home" beneath the cabin.  Might add my initials and year.  Decisions, decisions!  Would love your input!   (Click to enlarge)

My Projects

Here are all 80 of the blocks that I have been making.  The first two rows at the foot of the bed are sewn together - the remaining six rows are complete and ready to join the first two.   I am loving the beautiful reds, oranges, hot pinks, golds,cerises and the occasional bits of green and blue with the black and white. 

And the cabin is coming along.  Instead of piecing the squares on point, I have fused them and will machine buttonhole applique them along with the other shapes.  Still have a bird, heart and leaves to fuse.  And also two windows.  Then will come a narrow border and a wider border to be picked out yet.  May do a border similar to the cabin by piecing with lots of pretty batiks.  Kind of thinking that's the way I'll go.  Beneath the cabin on the original piece there is "Est. 1969"  - I could be wrong on that date.  I take it that is for the year a couple was married and established their home.  I may just applique a little spray of leaves and berries.  Will figure that one out later.  This is a fun one!  (Click to enlarge)

Working on Two Finishes

Here is the table topper I have been working on - quilted and it was in need of binding.  This shows the facing that I put on instead of binding.  Actually, it was pretty time consuming and I don't think I will do a repeat of this particular pattern but I actually like the way it turned out.  First of all, I found a good tutorial on Youtube - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lwPe_84GBfY  that was good and quite clear.  I did it that way but actually did it in six sections.  Now that I think of it, I probably could have done in with one long piece by mitering on the six edges that are straight.  However, this worked okay.

When I had it all sewn, trimmed, turned and pressed, I topstitched about 1/4 inch from the edge.  I figure that the trimming was pretty close and probably could come loose and fray.  The topstitching should help.

Then this is all ready to be quilted and I did the center block.  I think I will eventually have to learn more than loop-de-loops!  The thread is The Bottom Line and it's very fine so doesn't show a lot and I like that.  Shows even an old dog can learn new tricks!  Never too late.  Haven't decided how I will do the strips in between but hope to come up with something pretty.  I like this little piece a lot.  I also started quilting the wallhanging with the four applique blocks on white tone on tone.  I am not enjoying what I have done to that so it's going to get put back and I will go on to something that is fun then hopefully back to it at a later time.  I started ripping out the stitches and got to thinking--life is too short to be working on something that kind of agitates you and that you really don't need.  It has hung around here unfinished for a long time so a while longer won't make any difference at all.  It's nice to read that some of you have UFO's tucked away - just think of the fun someone in the future will have when they find all that neat stuff tucked in boxes under the bed or the back of the closet.  (Click to enlarge)

One More Retreat Post

Here are two of the blocks that I worked on at retreat.  I think I did more talking and laughing and, yes, even eating, than I did laying out my blocks.  That's okay, though, since I had such a good time with all the gals there.  It was probably one of the coldest periods of the winter and the coldest weather I can remember in my 18 years in Michigan.  Sunday morning it was -17 and that is very, very cold.  I didn't go back for Sunday brunch, but I had not planned on that anyway.  As for the wallhanging these blocks are a part of, there will be 7 more to make.  Will keep you posted.  (Click to enlarge)

Quilting on an Old Project

Here is what is left of a project that started out sometime in about 1996  and that was going to be a full size quilt.  The idea came from a really lovely 1997 calendar with  wonderful embroidered blocks and the chain blocks.   After I had it started and was working on it a lot, my life went through a big change with the loss of my husband, selling our home and moving into this little condo.  Everything for this quilt was in a big plastic bin and it just kind of stayed in the basement waiting for me to get back to it.  I would get it out and work on it once in a while but just never really could get too enthused with it again.  So here it is about 15 years later and during the past year I got it out and put this much together for a wallhanging.  The rest of it I bundled up and put in our bazaar we have in connection with the guild's quilt show.  One of the Q2 members bought it and I even found some more of the background fabric for her so hopefully she will be able to make something out of it also.  Today, I layered and pinned it and have started quilting. 

Here is a closeup of one of the blocks.  I have used this pattern several times in my quilts - I think it is so pretty.

Here is the little bird block - note all the older fabric in this piece.  It would be much different if I laid it out today.  However, I still love the look of the little old prints and think they add a lot of interest.  (Click to enlarge)

Winter Work - Love It

Every year Janna, one of the gals in our guild, sponsors a retreat at a college here in town. She actually has two of them this month. I am signed up to go but will just go for the day and come home after dinner then back next day. I really don't like hauling my sewing machine and all that goes with it so decided to just do hand work.   Kathy, who is going also the same weekend, said she is bringing along everything necessary to fuse some applique blocks. Great idea!! Me, too! The above two pictures are what is swirling around in my mind.  I have been following the blog http://gloriousapplique.blogspot.com/ for some time now and just in awe of all the beautiful quilts being made and the progress posted by the various quilters. They are all working on quilts that have been designed by Kim McLean. They are all her version of some very famous old applique quilts and in the folk art style. Just gorgeous. I am not wanting to make a big quilt, but I am ready to do another smaller wall hanging with Kaffe Fasset prints. The second picture is one group of patterns I could use, but I also have two others that I like so will make that decision soon. I am wild about the piece of fabric I picked up the other day at the new quilt shop. It is the stripey dots - isn't it splendid? So for the retreat I will cut out some blocks, pack up fusible web, fabric, iron and ironing surface, scissors and just join Kathy in being regular cutups at the retreat. I can also take some embroidery along so won't even miss my Bernina. All my life I have always liked January and February and being in where it's cozy and just doing my thing.

 

 

Here's the Merry-Go-Round table topper pieced and ready to be put in a quilt sandwich after pressing.  I said it was easy-peasy, right?  Well, not quite right!  Putting it together in rows was kind of dicey but I am not the best piecer among quilters and piecing isn't my favorite part of the process.  However, it's together and looks just fine and I do like it.  Was discussing the binding of it at our little group that gets together several times a month (that's a lot of fun) and my friend, Kathy, suggested making a facing for it.  How cool is that and much easier than binding!  That is what I will do.

I got to thinking about backing fabric and found this down in my stash - there is a lot of it and it looks to me like it will be just about perfect.   Keep warm!  (Click to enlarge)

 

Stained Glass Hanging

The other day I decided to hang my paper pieced star that I have shown earlier on the blog.  I really like it so much and thought it might be nice to be able to see it.  This little wallhanging has been hanging over my basement stairway for a long time so I took it down as that is a great space for the star.  It's the one and only stained glass project I have done.  It was from a Dover book of actual patterns for the glass projects and I took the pattern out to Staples and had it enlarged to about  maybe 20 x 24.   It's been so long that I made this that I can't even recall exactly how it was done, but I do know when I sewed the tape down, that did the quilting.   (Click to enlarge)

Another Embroidered Wall Hanging

This will be a small wallhanging - these are small 4 inch blocks bordered in one inch sashings and I am using a beautiful Moda charm pack that I just love.  I am going to change out the cornerstones on this block and have them all scrappy.

 Here are some more of the blocks being embroidered.  I'm using a really dark brown-black that was always used for backstitching on crossstitch.  I could even remember the number of the DMC floss - 3371.  How's that for trivia?

A few more of the blocks done except for some running stitching around them.  There will be 11 blocks and the middle row will have a half block top and bottom on which I will find a little spray to embroider on that.  Maybe I will do my name and date - will have to see.  For some reason, I am excited about this one - probably because I love this fabric so much.  We'll see how it turns out.  (Click to enlarge)

My Star

I just finished quilting the paper pieced star that I did in Linda's class a few weeks ago.  Just pretty much straight machine quilting with the walking foot except for some of my loopy things between the star and sashing.  The border is just lines an inch apart quilted up and down.  With the background fabric I used (really like it) you can't really see the quilting so I just went all around each stripe in the star with invisible thread and quilted it in the ditch.  I think it makes the star pop and I am pleased with it.  Below is a picture of the piece right after I pinned it to the bacground fabric which I had had for a very long time.  Guess this is what I bought it for!  (Click to enlarge)

On Halloween!

Another very old wall hanging  I made this in the early 90's with some of the homespun fabrics I had at the time.  You don't see as much homespun being used anymore, but I still rather like the look.  This was machine appliqued with the invisible thread and the little quilting that I did was with the same thread.  It is pretty puffy and could certainly stand more quilting to flatten it out, but I will just let it stay as it is.  This probably would be cute in some of today's fabrics.  I have no idea who designed it so cannot give credit. 

Happy Halloween from Funoldhag!!  Hope you get good treats!!  (Click to enlarge)

Two Things This Morning

Here is what the green ladies look like now - I just wasn't happy with all the little spotty green hearts so I took all of them off.  She who sews rips!!   Much more comfortable with it now.  If you do enlarge it, you will see I haven't cleaned it up yet by getting all of the little green threads and glue residue off.  However, I think it can be fixed up without too much problem.

The second thing - my computer is running like a little rabbit now!  I called Charter and a fellow came out and got it downloading and hopping from one place to another just quick as a wink!  WOO HOO!!  I was getting pretty frustrated.  We do get so spoiled!  Now if the wind would just get to where it is going!!  
(Click to enlarge)

Primitive and Really Old

This is a very old wallhanging - about 15 years old - and it was made when I still was doing satin stitch machine applique.  From one of the Red Wagon books written by some women in Liberty, Mo., I  really like this primitive style - but then there are soooo many styles that I like!  I had just hand quilted around the figures and that was all so therefore it was puffy with lots of unquilted space.  At the time, my machine quilting was minimal and I was not about to put anymore work in the piece.    It's kind of cute but didn't merit hours of hand  quilting.







It didn't take too long to do some quick and not really very good  loop-de-loop quilting in the background, some lines on cornstalks and pumpkin- - but then I decided to do some pumpkins on a string in the borders and completed one side.  WRONG!  They looked terrible - so spent quite a while ripping them out and then doing my usual wavy lines which went quickly.  So the little old wallhanging is now finished albeit not really very well.  However, at a distance it looks okay and it does look like autumn.   (Click to enlarge)



My Star

I have been rather obsessed with this the past three days and and have just now finished the middle of the paper pieced star and am kind of pleased with myself.  It isn't perfect but I did pretty well in matching the seams when putting it together.  Have made a decision not to put the pieced border around it - it is pretty on it's own  and I don't have enough of some of the fabrics.  Instead I will add the orangey swirl sashing and the background as the border and binding.  I would have changed a couple of the fabrics  but rather like the orange and blue that predomoniates.  In case you are wondering about the size, right now it is about 18 inches square so when finished it would be a good size for a table topper or a wallhanging.  Now I will square it up and add the sashing and borders and soon do some quilting on it.  Taking the class from Linda gave me some really good tips even though  I was only there half the day!!  (Click to enlarge)