Riverview Farmstsead (Quilts)

Fall is around the corner.
Are you ready?  I am not.  Would like to see a bit more summer.
Actually, we are having unseasonable HOT weather this past weekend.

Looks like this squirrel is getting ready for fall.

As you can see I have gotten a couple more quilts done!!
Believe it or not, these tumblers were left on our guilds
freebie table several months ago.  Well I could put them together!
The quilt has come and gone already.
This past weekend our son was the Best Man at his best friends wedding.
I had told Andy if he would like to give them a quilt, he could pick one.
Out of so many I have done, this is the one he picked.
It is a large lap.  Perfect for two to cuddle up with.

This quilt is a finish from the quilt cruise I took in February
of this year.  It was a class by Gyleen Fitzgerald.
The pattern is called "Quilt of the Century."

Just another view of it.

Now this is my prized completion. This is Jen Kingwell's pattern,
"Steampunk".  My friend Sandy, in Georgia, gave me the pattern and plastic
templates a couple years ago for my birthday.
Two years ago when I was visiting with her, we each started our own
versions of the quilt.  We cut out all the templates two times.  Each of us
put our blocks together different.  Sandy is still working on hers.
Once I got started, I kept on going strong.
I did sew the curves all by hand.  I found it too hard to sew them on the
machine.  I could do it faster by hand.
I did use Jen's idea for the gray as sashing and setting triangles. I have
never used gray before.
I love how it all turned out.

I am so pleased.
I did not use any rhyme or reason on setting it up.
Just laid them out and put it together.
 

Just a little showing for the traveling Monarch Butterflies.
Their journey has begun.

I did make a small tumbler quilt as well.
So much faster to do and instant gratification!

This is where these pictures were taken here in Illinois.

I am not done.  Still have two more quilts to finish the
binding on.  I am working on mug rugs too.  Almost time
for our fall retreat at the Siena Retreat Center in Racine, Wisconsin.

Hope you are having a great day.

Mary

Finishes for the month

At the beginning of the month I was busy sewing, at the end, not so much! Lots to do taking care of my Dad's things, and organizing everything.  I even got a little of the house cleaning done that has been much needed. 

Our sew days at the quilt shop are a great help in working on those projects that need finishing or even ones that need to be started!

This month I made these 2 pincushions from a Moda pattern using hexagons.  It looks like a cute little pattern. Guess what these puppies are huge!  They will hold a lot of pins!  Why do pictures make things look cute and petite and they turn out a lot bigger?  As you can see these are sitting on the end of my ironing board, and are 6 inches across.  I did say 6 inches across!  Imagine if I filled these with sand (actually crushed walnut shells).  I would have weapons I could use on the dust bunny invasion!

Finally got the shamrock wall hanging done. It is 26 x 28, and just needed quilting and binding.

These are 3 laundry bags that I added binding too.  Lori from Bee in your Bonnet, had written about doing these, which can then be purposed for a gift, or used as a project bag.  Great idea!

This is a project folder. ( Sorry, I can't remember where I saw this.) I did follow the instructions, and used Steam-A-Seam for the holding of front to insides.  It makes noice when you use it.  I think a pellon interface would have been a bit nicer.

Inside there is room on the left to hold the project. On the right is a place for needles, and the bottom has been divided for scissors, ruler, or pencil.  Oh, the left side could also be used to hold a small cutting board.

The twister pumpkin is also finally done.  As you can see I hand stitched the eyes, nose and mouth.  I quilted and bound it, too  Now I have a new Halloween wall hanging.  It is 21 x 21.

Here are two "older" projects I got done from scratch.  I have a calender quilt that was started in 2007 and was missing 4 months to be completed. Now it is only missing 2.  Here are September and July.  If you look closer, you can see I am practicing my machine echo quilting.  I am pretty pleased with how these turned out.  Just happened to have a few 4th of July type buttons to add for embellishment.  Oh, these two are about 13 by 12.

Now these are oldies but goodies!  Would you believe these have been sitting around, basted, but not quilted, probably from the 1990's.  I decided I would again practice machine quilting them. The one on left is 11 1/2 x 13 1/2. The one on right 11 1/2 square.
I am learning a lesson, it is a good idea to put binding with an unfinished quilt top, no matter what size.  I had no trouble finding the binding for the one on the left.  The one on the right, no way could I find fabric.  I did find 2 small strips, and I mean small, that I could sew together to create the mini binding.  It is the same pink in the quilt. 

Last but not least was another hexagon pincushion, tool holder.  This one has been sent to my secret pal, from the Dear Jane yahoo group, for July.

I do have the blue triangle quilt top put together except for the borders.  We finally determined what colors to use for the 3 borders that are going to go on it. Now to work on it.  I have picked up 3 quilts from Wendy, the lady that I have quilt my quilts.  So will by busy getting those done too.  I am working on my bowls project as well.  Oh, the ideas I am having for that.  I think my day to show the finished project is August 16. So stay tuned.

Have a great rest of the week.  Happy Sewing!

Mary

Accessory Bag Swap and more Sewing.

Here are the pretties I received from Mary Grace in the Accessory Bag Swap.  I love the bag she made me.  Mary Grace sent a cute handmade card along with new scissors and 4 fat quarters to make her pattern "Susie's Quilted Cinch Sack".  I can't wait to make it. Check out her blog, she made even more adorable bags.   What fun. 

Last Thursdays sew day I finished these 4 Dresden blocks for Edyta Sitar's pattern Dresden Star.  These were started in a workshop sponsored Prairie Star Quilt Guild.  I am trying to remember when this was started. I am thinking sometime in 2010.

When I opened the sack that had all the Dresden's in it, I found I had cut enough for 12.  I am going to make a wall handing using the for with the little inserts, and use the other 8 to make a lap size quilt. Now to pick out background fabric and shashing for the next steps.  This is the 3 and 4th top I am working on this year.

I came down with a head cold. I think it was starting on Thursday.  By Friday, I decided it would do me good to spend the day in bed.  Sure did sleep a lot.

Saturday I woke up feeling a lot better, and when you feel better what should a girl do?? SEW!!



I am still fooling around with the "Lil Twister" tool, and have been trying to figure out how to make a cute pumpkin.  I decided that appliquing black wool on for the face was the way to go.  I have not put the final borders on. It will still need to be quilted and applique the features on.  As you can see I used the scraps to start the mini one. So far, so good.



I found this pumpkin pattern at Four Twin Sister. It is 10 x 7 3/4.  I think it will make a cute mug rug.  Just need to applique the leaf down.  (my touch)  For some reason I was into pumpkins this weekend.  All three projects are using stash!!

Sunday, I got this little quilt done!! I hand quilted this one.  This was one of the "oldies" that I found in the UFO box.  It may go back to the late 80's.

This is a Dresden table topper I started last summer.  I knew I wanted to hand quilt this one. The last few nights I have been working on it.  I am doing free hand quilting.  It is just echoing the Dresden plate. I am pleased how this one is turning out. Another project almost done!

Until next time, happy quilting. 

Mary

Klosjes and Mini Quilts

Good morning. I was able to get some sewing done this weekend. My Klosjes are progressing quite well. 14 more to add to my stack. I have 8 more done for this week already. I carry my little box with me and seem to find a little time to make one or two. I can't believe how fast these are building. You almost feel like you need to keep doing them forever! The day will come when I can start assembling them into a quilt. It feels so nice to do handwork again.

In this past week I also got these little quilts finished. They were supposed to be for different projects, and I decided it was time to move them out of my sewing room, so I was able to creat 3 miniature quilts from them. The little tops sat for several months because I was afraid to machine quilt them. Well, I decided to take the bull by the horns and set up my machine and very carefully start to quilt them. I am so pleased with how they turned out! Just taking my time and not feeling rushed did the trick. All of them have been quilted in the ditch, which they tell me is the hardest to do.

I tried to rearrange some of the things in my sewing from, to make it look like there isn't quite so much to work on!! Basically I tried to hide them. While doing that I came across a quilt that I had started a couple of years ago and decided it was time to work on it. The pattern is "Quarter Turn" by Open Gate. I figured out how I can make enough half square triangle to make 2 blocks at a time. So yesturday and Sunday, I sewed pairs of trianagles to make 40 blocks. Now I just have to cut each set apart and piece the blocks. The block is based on a negative and positive use of fabric. (Plus there is a basket design in it) I love basket quilts. Now I am anxious to piece the blocks and put it together. I have my work cut out for me today!!

Got to go so I can make some of the blocks to show you. Have a good quilting day.

Mary

Klosjes and one more down

This is a miniature quilt I purchased at Quilt Festival last year from Prairie Stitches Quilt Shop in Oswego. I had it sewed together for a while, but not quilted. Last Thursday at an open sew, I decided to take the plunge and machine quilt it. It quilted in the ditch and took my time. The border has two lines of straight edge quilting. I did not get fancy, at least not yet. I am pleased with how sit turned out. One more done off my list. Yea for me!!!

Got 13 more klosjes done last week. If I have done my math right, I have 84 done and more one the way. Should be able to reach 100 this week???? At least 5 are done already this week.

I did work in my little garden yesterday before it got too hot. I had a flat of flowers that needed to get in the ground. I had to check to see if any seeds had sprouted. The doves have been loving the seeds I planted!! Some did manage to grow. Between the doves and baby bunny it is a wonder anything is growing.

When we moved to Oswego I dug up a lot of plants from my old house and planted them here. It is amazing how well they are doing. My husband does not like it that I just plant. He thinks everything should be orderly and grouped, and I just put them in the ground and hope for the best. I like the riot of colors that emerge.

I found a bunch of small basket blocks that were going to be made into something else, and never made it, and decided to put them together. I ended up getting 3 miniature quilts out of them. Now 2 of the quilts are quilted and ready for the binding. One still needs more quilting, ( I forgot to bring more thread for the stitching). I am pleased with how they turned out. I was being teased because of how slow I was stitching on my machine.

Yesturday I was working on a diamond strip quilt. I have been piecing the diamonds, but thought I should put a few together to see how they are looking. Next post I will have some pictures.

Monday I made some greeting cards. Two of my friends are having surgery on knees, and one will be having surgery on a kidney to remove a tumor, so I wanted to get cards in the mail. Looks like I need to take some pictures.

I have been busy!! Still feel like I should be getting more done though. My son was laughing at me on Monday when he got home from work. I was up at 6:00 am when he got up and had my sleep getup on, I was still in it when he come home from work!!! It is nice to be retired!

Enough for today, I will get those pictures taken and uploaded for my next post. Have a great quilting day!!