Remember how I said we were considering skipping around on the blocks in order to leave all the applique blocks to the end but decided to just be brave and go in order? Well, that brought us to block #4 and the first of the applique blocks. I had never done machine applique in my life and certainly not with my new machine. Terry and ShaRee had limited experience and honestly, we were all shaking in our boots. It was ShaRee’s turn to be the team lead and she took care of us splendidly. We had previously chosen the fabric for this block so she traced all the patterns and even provided us with a sample tulip on scrap fabric so we could test out our blanket stitch. Those samples all turned out great and all our machines did a beautiful blanket stitch. [Read more…] about Ode to the 1930’s-blocks #4 & 5
Quilting
Ode to the 1930’s-blocks #2 & 3
After our first block, we were a teensy bit aggravated at the pattern. It’s awesome, but the designer mostly cuts squares into triangles and sews them together. This causes stretching on the bias and wonky squares, and doesn’t utilize all the quick half-square triangle and flying geese methods available. So Terry decided to work through block #2 in scrap fabric in preparation for our sewing day and see if she could identify some easy piecing techniques. It requires some figuring but she did a great job and the block went together much faster and straighter.
We selected a focal print for the centers and fussy cut them so that the flower really showed up and then used the suggested color scheme of yellow, pink and green. This block is kind of a star in a star as the green center pieces form a star and then the whole thing is a star. [Read more…] about Ode to the 1930’s-blocks #2 & 3
Ode to the 1930’s: A Sampler Quilt
You may recall that my quilting partner, ShaRee, and I spent 2014 making barn blocks into quilt tops. We have embarked on some new adventures that I will write about later. We meet every other week to sew so we decided we could invite a friend to join us and do a project with all three of us on the other week. I mean, YOLO, right? So in January 2015 we embarked on our grand adventure. We decided on “Ode to the 1930’s: A Sampler Quilt” by Lori Smith, www.frommyhearttoyourhands.com. It’s a challenging quilt with lots of piecing and (gasp) applique. But the purpose of working together is that two, or in this case, three heads are better than one and we all learn from each other. We each have different tricks to teach other and we can learn! [Read more…] about Ode to the 1930’s: A Sampler Quilt
Two Christmas quilt finishes
I finished two quilts on the same day. That is some kind of record. And I feel awesome about that. 🙂
Just in time for Christmas decorating, I got this quilt done.
The pattern is from the Moda Bakeshop and is called “Jungle Path baby quilt” by Jessica Kelly. I used the Doodlebug Designs by Riley Blake fabric line called “Christmas Candy” for the quilt. Scott gave me this fabric for my birthday two and a half years ago, so it’s been on my list for awhile to get done. I finished it a week before Christmas this year, so that was great. I pieced the back and hand-quilted it.
The finish was a jeans quilt for Mark. Due to circumstances, his original quilt was donated to the Festival of Trees Boutique and sold for lots of money for Primary Children’s Medical Center, our favorite charity. So I promised him a new one and got it done in time for Christmas this year. It is pieced in a diagonal row design from old jeans belonging to the four of us. The black jeans run down the center and pattern alternates randomly between light, medium, and dark jean squares. The backing was actually chosen by Mark and is a happy tropical pattern. I tied it with tan yarn using the awesome quilt stands made for me by my father-in-law after he watched me struggle tieing another quilt using folding chairs as stands. Real quilt stands make a big difference!
It was difficult to get a full photo because Scott’s arms didn’t stretch far enough and he wasn’t tall enough. Maybe I need a special clothesline only for taking photos of quilts……..
Barn quilt tops are done in 2014
With a sprint to the end, we both finished our quilt tops for the Barn project last week. So the entire thing got done in 2014! We are so proud of ourselves. The twelve blocks were sewn together in four rows of three blocks with the barns and silos alternating. Each block has a strip of sashing around it and there is an extra row of sashing around the outside so that each block has two strips of sashing on each side. The sashings alternate so that each block corner has a woven look. The four outside corners have small squares to finish it off. We dug through our stashes quite deeply to get sashing and I made some small purchases to finish us up so that all the sashing pieces are unique. That was a bit of a scramble! But we love the scrappy look to the finished project. We plan to sew backings and get them quilted sometime next year, then display them in the Alpine Days Quilt Show next August.
Team ShaRee
Team Sue
Our reflections on this project include:
- it was really fun to work on it together for support and mutual cheerleading
- we learned a lot about our machines during the project and as I acquired a new machine in the middle of it, that was also a learning curve for me
- we learned many new skills as we tried new blocks and techniques
- we shared tips and tricks with each other, thus increasing both our skill sets
- we just got better and better at piecing as we went along
We are now committed to sewing together and are busy planning projects for 2015. If you are on Pinterest, I have a board dedicated to this barn project.