crafting for a better 2021 - lesmel

Questo è il seguito della conversazione let's craft out the decade - lesmel - 2020.

Questa conversazione è stata continuata da crafting for a better 2021 - lesmel - part 2.

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crafting for a better 2021 - lesmel

1lesmel
Gen 2, 2021, 1:36 am

2021, here I come!

First projects of the year:

Brother's quilt
Niece's apron

We'll see where the rest of the year takes me.

2dudes22
Gen 2, 2021, 4:55 am

So - did your dad like the quilt?

3avaland
Gen 2, 2021, 11:26 am

>1 lesmel: Ditto to Betty's question. And Happy New Year!

4lesmel
Gen 2, 2021, 12:25 pm

>2 dudes22: & >3 avaland: He did! His reaction was muted due to family circumstances; but he said it was lovely.

The 2020 holiday has been very rough. My step-sister had a massive stroke the Tuesday before Thanksgiving. She died on Christmas morning. My step-mother had been by her side nearly non-stop. My step-sister's funeral and visitation is this evening. 2021 for my step-family is not going to be any better (probably worse) than 2020, unfortunately.

5dudes22
Gen 2, 2021, 1:02 pm

I'm so sorry to hear that. I'm sure it made your holiday even more difficult.

6lauralkeet
Gen 2, 2021, 1:14 pm

>4 lesmel: oh ... I am so very sorry.

7PawsforThought
Gen 2, 2021, 1:34 pm

>4 lesmel: Oh, no! I'm so very sorry to hear that, and feel for your family.

8scaifea
Gen 2, 2021, 2:34 pm

Adding my thoughts and gentle hugs to the pile.

9lesmel
Gen 2, 2021, 3:53 pm

Thanks to everyone for the kind words. My step-sister was 7 1/2 years older than me. We never ran in the same circles even in our smallish town. I feel for my step-mother and dad and her siblings. It was so sudden and traumatic. Of course, no parent wants to outlive their child.

10avaland
Gen 4, 2021, 2:07 pm

>4 lesmel: I'm so sorry to hear of the loss of your step-sister. My thoughts go out to your whole family.

11lesmel
Gen 4, 2021, 3:03 pm

While driving home (5 hours) after the holiday, I listened to an episode of Quilt Buzz (https://quiltbuzzpodcast.com/). Specifically, the 11/19 episode with Erin of The Blanket Statement (https://quiltbuzzpodcast.com/podcast/episode-017-erin-of-theblanketstatement). The show is interesting; but I'm put off by the lack of sound quality. In this day and age, it's not that hard or expensive to have a decent set of mics and some sort of sound proofing set up. Even when a colleague and I were running a weekly 30-minute video training session, she could sit in her closet (not ideal at all) to get better sound than her bunny room/office (yes, she has a vicious cardboard-killing bunny).

I also tried an episode of American Patchwork & Quilting Podcast (https://www.allpeoplequilt.com/magazines-more/quilting-podcast). Specifically, the 11/16 episode "The Power of Precuts" (https://www.allpeoplequilt.com/magazines-more/quilting-podcast/episode-489-the-power-of-precuts). Also interesting, also off-putting for the opposite reason. It's over-produced and almost sounds preachy or like one long advertisement.

So, no middle ground. Anyone tried other podcasts?

12avaland
Gen 4, 2021, 4:52 pm

>11 lesmel: I have not.

13PawsforThought
Gen 4, 2021, 4:58 pm

>11 lesmel: I listen to tons of podcasts but none on sewing or crafting of any sort, I'm afraid.

14lesmel
Gen 4, 2021, 5:14 pm

>13 PawsforThought: What do you listen to?

15PawsforThought
Gen 4, 2021, 5:55 pm

>14 lesmel: Mostly history but a few others things as well. A detailed and mostly exhaustive list:
The Allusionist (language), Stuff You Missed in History Class (history), Criminal (crime, obviously), The News Quiz (news and comedy), The British History Podcast , The Infinite Monkey Cake (science and comedy), In Our Time (history, culture, science, etc.), The Inquiry (current affairs), Sawbones (medical history), Myths and Legends (mythology), Something Rhymes With Purple (language), The History Hour, The Soundtrack Show (movie soundtracks), You Must Remember This (Hollywood history).

16lesmel
Gen 4, 2021, 8:07 pm

>15 PawsforThought: Oh! Have you listened to Song Exploder? I watched the Netflix episodes. So. So. Sooo good! I may start listening to the podcast.

What about Dolly Parton's America? After listening to that podcast and watching the Netflix docu, I want to be Dolly when I grow up. She's such an amazing woman.

I listened to the first season of Serial about Adnan Syed. Lord that season made me so mad!! I've listened to a variety of other true crime podcasts, including the season of Truth & Justice about Sandra and Jaime Melgar. That also made me incredibly angry.

I listened to No Such Thing as a Fish from the very beginning. It's a hoot. I'm behind again because I don't commute any longer.

I've also listened to: The Shrink Next Door, Dr. Death (season 1), Someone Knows Something (season 1), Park Predators, Last Seen, Rodney vs. Death from RadioLab -- it's about rabies and it's FASCINATING (https://www.wnycstudios.org/podcasts/radiolab/articles/312245-rodney-versus-death), The Clearing, To Live and Die in L.A., The Root of Evil, In the Dark.

17lesmel
Gen 5, 2021, 4:55 pm

I went through the entire collection of "Quilting -- Patterns" titles at my local library. I put 35 of the 137 on hold. This should be interesting. I'll post a list of everything I requested later.

18sallypursell
Gen 5, 2021, 5:13 pm

I am so sorry to hear about your sister. A death on Christmas would be very rough. Do you think there is a plus in that? As in, maybe when it is not so new, it will make Christmas a day you think of her?

I'm very curious about your many pod-casts. I did listen to NPR when I drove around to see patients, but I don't listen at home, much.

19dudes22
Gen 5, 2021, 5:14 pm

>17 lesmel: - I never thought of looking it up like that. I go try that later tonight.

20PawsforThought
Gen 5, 2021, 5:39 pm

>16 lesmel: I've heard the ads for Song Exploder just not felt drawn to it.
I love Dolly Parton but don't feel like listening to a podcast about one specific person.
I listened to the first two seasons of Serial but the second was wasn't interesting at all to me. I thought the first season was good, though. I find most true crime shows to be too gory or even glorifying violence to an extent. I like that Criminal is a bit milder. They do cover murders and other horrid things, but it's other things too, like identity theft and what it's like working as a mortician.

I should probably listen to No Such Thing..., because I've seen every episode of QI multiple times, but I'm behind on podcasts as it is and I've already promised myself I'm going to listen to at least a few episodes of Criminalia (with Holly from SYMIHC). We'll see. Maybe when I get a new job and have to fill up my commute.

21dudes22
Gen 5, 2021, 6:43 pm

>17 lesmel: - You are a bad influence :) I went to look at our library system and there were 612 to look at. When I log onto my library, it connects me to the state library system not just the ones at my library which is why so many. I didn't ask for any yet, but I noticed there are some that are available as e-book, so I might look at a couple of them first since I wouldn't have to go pick them up and return them.

22lesmel
Modificato: Gen 6, 2021, 12:34 pm

>18 sallypursell: My grandmother died on my brother's birthday 12 years ago. He still hates celebrating his birthday. I'm pretty sure he dislikes any mention of that day. I would guess that Christmas will be forever bitter with little sweet for my step-family.

>20 PawsforThought: I've promised myself at least 1 hr of walking every day no matter what for 2021. Podcasts will feature heavily on those walks! I didn't mention Bear Brook which is also about murder. I highly recommend the Last Seen podcast. It's about the Gardener Gardner Museum heist.

>21 dudes22: Muhahahahaha! There's still lots of other subject headings to look at. If I do a keyword search for "quilting" in the subject headings at my library, there are 400+ titles. ~300 are books. Apparently, my library has a subscription to CreativeBug now, too. Hmm, I think I finally hit my request limit. Guess I should go pick up 15 of my titles so I can request more books. lol

ETC: It's Gardner. I had to look it up. I knew there was something wrong in my spelling!

23lesmel
Gen 6, 2021, 11:45 am

Listened to an episode of Quilt & Tell (https://www.quiltingdaily.com/category/quilt-podcast/) with Jenny Doan: https://www.quiltingdaily.com/building-a-quilting-empire-quilt-tell-podcast/. I'm endlessly fascinated by Jenny Doan and her children. Also found out they have two other companies: Let's Make Art (https://www.letsmakeart.com/) & One Big Happy Yarn Co. (https://onebighappy.com/) I found out over the Thanksgiving holiday that MSQ Co had purchased Nancy's Notions and are reviving the store. One thing I didn't know is that Jenny Doan only owns a small portion of the MSQ Co. Her children are the majority owners! This episode is totally worth the listen because her enthusiasm for creatives and creativity is infectious.

24PawsforThought
Gen 6, 2021, 12:27 pm

>22 lesmel: Ooh, the Gardener heist! I have a soft spot for heist stories in general and that's such an interesting one. One of my favourite episodes of SYMIHC was about that.

25lesmel
Modificato: Gen 6, 2021, 12:35 pm

>24 PawsforThought: Isn't that heist crazy?! How does that art just disappear forever? Will it really be gone forever? Who ordered the heist? Also, Isabella Stewart Gardner is a fascinating woman. I want to read about her life.

26lesmel
Gen 6, 2021, 12:38 pm

>25 lesmel: OH! There's a documentary from Oct 2020: The Billion Dollar Art Hunt -- "The trove of works taken from the Boston-based Isabella Stewart Gardner museum could be hidden in a house in Dublin..." duh duh duuuuuuuhn!!

27dudes22
Gen 6, 2021, 12:59 pm

We live in RI and took the train up to Boston - I was going to say last year - in 2019 and went to the museum. It's very interesting to try and find the empty frames as you tour the museum. She had a ton of art. I also read The Gardner Heist by Ulrich Boser. It's about how he tracked leads hoping to find the art. Of course, knowing that it hadn't been found, makes it a little anti-climatic.

28PawsforThought
Gen 6, 2021, 1:06 pm

>26 lesmel: Ooh, I'll try to see if I can catch that documentary. It would be amazing if they could find the art. There was some art found in an attic a year or two ago but I can't remember who it was by (one of the big names, at least). Google only points me to the Gurlitt collection and it wasn't that, but I think it was also in Germany. Oh, well. It's interesting anyway.

29lauralkeet
Gen 6, 2021, 2:20 pm

>27 dudes22: I've been to that museum too, in 2015 when my daughter had a summer job in Boston. I really enjoyed it.

30lesmel
Gen 7, 2021, 8:24 pm

I went for my 35 requested titles today. One of the library workers was kidding me about needing my own room for all my requests. I told her I needed my own book truck. It was nice talking to a person face to face even from 6 feet away.

31lesmel
Modificato: Gen 8, 2021, 8:22 am

Twenty to Stitch, Forster -- Tiny little pamphlet almost. The blurb says there are 80 mini quilts blocks measuring 5 inches. Really, there are 20 blocks with four colorways. I might use some of the patterns to finish the mug rug project I'm still in the middle of.

Tula Pink's City Sampler -- I have wanted this book for ages. A friend bought this, took it to OfficeDepot, and had then put a spiral binding on it. I can see why. It's a shame this book isn't already available in a spiral bound format. Overall, I'm glad I didn't buy it. Not because it isn't interesting; but because it's a project book. All of the blocks finish at 6 inches. The second chapter with color choices, tools, quilt top options, and finishing options is a nice bonus.

1, 2, 3 Quilt, Baker -- Spiral bound (always appreciated). Includes loose-leaf patterns in a pocket (also appreciated). This is a skill-builder collection of projects. There are a variety of projects: apron, placemat, tote bag, pouch, etc. Of everything in this book, the pixel pouch appeals...a lot.

32thornton37814
Gen 8, 2021, 7:47 am

>30 lesmel: I'm impressed you were able to check out 35 at once!

33melannen
Gen 8, 2021, 9:25 am

>32 thornton37814: We have a little blue wagon at my library just for bringing out curbside holds for people with 30+ books! You have to be one of the best patrons to get the wagon.

34mnleona
Gen 8, 2021, 9:34 am

I am sorry to read of you loss. Take care.

35lesmel
Modificato: Gen 8, 2021, 9:49 am

>32 thornton37814: Our limit is 50 items.

36dudes22
Gen 8, 2021, 11:06 am

I'm not sure what our limit is, but since the checkout time without renewals is only 3 weeks, you have to read fast. And you can only renew if no one is waiting for it.

37lesmel
Gen 8, 2021, 12:31 pm

>36 dudes22: Our system has two week loans with two renewals. The system will renew automatically if no one has the book on hold. After the final renewal, I have to bring the book back for a re-checkout or a return. This is probably the first time I've checked out this many titles at once. Although, I did check out a ton of cookbooks all at once a few years ago.

38PawsforThought
Gen 8, 2021, 12:58 pm

Our library system is very generous. You can have 100 loans at the same time, with no limit on how many of those are checked out at the same time. Standard loan is four weeks (2 weeks if there are holds) and you can renew five times.
The 100 limit is fairly new (five-six years?) - it was unlimited before that, but someone took advantage and didn't return anything ever.

39lesmel
Gen 8, 2021, 2:27 pm

Testing spoilers tag

40dudes22
Gen 8, 2021, 2:29 pm

>37 lesmel: - I can see cookbooks or craft books. You can take a quick look-over and if you don't find anything, you can just bring them back.

41lesmel
Gen 8, 2021, 11:45 pm

Little Bits Quilting Bee -- An odd little book packed with a lot of info. For some reason the difficulty key is in the back of the book instead of the front. There's a nice section with resources (like other books, blogs, websites, etc). I found two patterns that I liked enough to make note of.

42lesmel
Gen 9, 2021, 9:25 am

Captain Sassy Pants would like you to know reviewing books is hard.

43rosalita
Gen 9, 2021, 10:46 am

Captain Sassy Pants is adorable! How lucky you are to have an editorial assistant like that. :-)

44dudes22
Gen 9, 2021, 11:38 am

But she can read upside down! How clever!

45lesmel
Gen 9, 2021, 11:59 am

Maverick Quilts -- Never in 5 million years would I make anything out of this book. The book isn't terrible; but it's not my style at all. Having said that, there are some really good tidbits in here about choosing fabrics, working with novelty fabrics, how to chain piece and then lace piece (which is chain piecing multiple rows of blocks), and a really great tutorial on how to cut and match prints to make bigger pieces of fabric when you need to (and how to make mistakes and still move forward). Overall, this is a great brainstorming book. Borrow it, don't buy it.

46lesmel
Gen 9, 2021, 12:01 pm

>43 rosalita: It's a good thing she's adorable. She snores like a lumberjack!

>44 dudes22: Cleverest puppers ever. No, I'm not biased as all. 😂

47lesmel
Gen 9, 2021, 1:51 pm

I have an order in my cart at Hawthorne Supply Co. This is after AllBrands screwed up my thread order over the holidays and some how refunded me my entire purchase.

Added much later (because I have been running around the house trying to tidy & move book donations to my car): I clicked the button on the Hawthorne Supply Co cart AND the Missouri Quilt Co cart.

Now I have to run to the library to drop off donations, some of the quilt books, and pick up some new quilt books!

48dudes22
Gen 9, 2021, 2:01 pm

>47 lesmel: - You really have given me a great idea about quilting books from the library. I think I'll wait a couple of weeks until I really finish reorganizing all my holiday stuff. I was looking for one book that is out of print a while ago and no one had it, but there was another by the same author, so I got that to take a look at and found almost the same quilt (or the same one but different colors). Anyway, now I know how to make it.

49lesmel
Gen 9, 2021, 8:45 pm

Create Your Own Improv Quilts
No thank you. I think I'd rather be stabbed with a spoon...repeatedly...than own this book. That's harsh. Improv quilts are very arty and definitely are not my thing. At all. This isn't a pattern book (hint: improv); but it is a theory and technique book. There's a lot of theory and technique packed into this very slim volume. (Also, I'm irrationally irritated that the author calls a square a fat rectangle).

50lesmel
Gen 9, 2021, 9:29 pm

Make Your Own Quilting Designs & Patterns
Well beyond my abilities; but fascinating. Covers the techniques and methods for quilting patterns in whole cloth quilts, thread painting, and developing quilt patterns (that aren't blocks).

51lesmel
Gen 9, 2021, 11:26 pm

Quilt Fiesta
If you love appliqué, this is the inspiration for you! I like the process the author provides; but I'm not going to do extensive appliqué on a big quilt.

52dudes22
Gen 10, 2021, 7:12 am

>51 lesmel: - I admire those quilts I see that are appliqued or have appliqued borders. I saw some gorgeous ones when I went to the Houston Quilt Festival a couple of years ago. I have a wall hanging that I started many years ago. I did the background and got it quilted. Now I just need to add the applique. Which is on my list for this year.

53avaland
Gen 10, 2021, 10:17 am

Very interesting to hear how generous your library is. And I like your little reviews. They remind me of my own thinking when I have browsed through most quilt books. I still have a fair number of quilt books but I've let a lot go. I like to keep the bigger "anthologies" around for comfort browsing.

54lesmel
Modificato: Gen 10, 2021, 1:27 pm

I need to be working on my brother's quilt; but my attention span is about as long as minute. Podcasts aren't really helping the process any. Pretty sure it's the weather. It's cold, grey, and wet out. I feel trapped in my house today.

55PawsforThought
Gen 10, 2021, 12:07 pm

>54 lesmel: Aw, sorry to hear that. Grey weather is the worst.

56lesmel
Gen 10, 2021, 4:22 pm

Finally made some progress on the quilt. I have a feeling my blood sugar has been low most of the morning. The lack of focus was a clue; but I suddenly got the shakes. My whole body was vibrating; my hands were shaking so much I couldn't manage the quilt. Cue a can of ginger ale (the only soda I keep with real sweetener), some cheese, some taco salad... Next thing I know, I am almost 3/4 through the first round of quilting.

57rosalita
Gen 10, 2021, 6:46 pm

Glad to hear you're feeling more like yourself!

58avaland
Gen 11, 2021, 6:09 am

>56 lesmel: Glad you have recovered and are back at the quilting!

59lesmel
Gen 11, 2021, 8:46 pm

Mini Quilts : Fun Patterns to Quilt in a Snap
An interesting book. I'm not sure I'd try out any of the projects; but I like the detailed steps and tips. It would be easy enough to adapt any of the patterns or projects.

60lesmel
Modificato: Gen 13, 2021, 10:12 pm

350 Quilting Tips, Techniques, and Trade Secrets
I love this book. It's packed with practical advise and tips across a wide variety of topics. I don't think it's the kind of crafting reference I would keep; but I would probably make notes in my crafting journal.

https://www.librarything.com/work/23222403

Argh! Touchstone won't work! (Yes, I know this is a known bug)

61lesmel
Modificato: Gen 12, 2021, 9:57 pm

or not...

62lesmel
Gen 12, 2021, 10:03 pm

Modern Log Cabin Quilting
I really like log cabin quilts and this book just makes me want to dedicate 2021 to making log cabin quilts. This book includes quilts, aprons, pincushions, etc. I find the chapters (1-2) about the different log cabin designs and the "anatomy" of a log cabin quilt very appealing.

63dudes22
Gen 13, 2021, 5:58 am

>62 lesmel: - I've seen some variations of log cabins on Pintrest lately that have me thinking about making one too. My very first quilt was a log cabin. Because I was a sewer already, I thought "How hard can it be". I had wanted a quilt for my bed at Christmas and decided this would be easy enough. I knew nothing about squaring up your blocks before putting them together. I didn't put in any batting because I was only going to use it at Christmas and didn't want it too bulky for storing. It never lay flat and was just plain awful. I finally threw it away a few years ago.

64lesmel
Gen 13, 2021, 5:02 pm

Fresh Quilting : Fearless Color, Design, and Inspiration
Interesting book to browse. Nothing really caught my eye.

65lesmel
Gen 13, 2021, 5:02 pm

Dare to Be Square Quilting : A Block-by-Block Guide to Making Patchwork and Quilts
I love this book -- not so much to own as to refer to. The projects are really neat. The blocks all appeal to me and my need for tidy lines. Also, when the intro starts talking about Metallica and quilts, you know the book is going to be interesting.

66lesmel
Gen 13, 2021, 5:02 pm

Modern One-Block Quilts : 22 Fresh Patchwork Projects
I like this book; but definitely not enough to try any of the projects.

67lesmel
Modificato: Gen 13, 2021, 10:38 pm

I can't decide on the additional quilting in the zigzag/chevron quilt. Mostly because the quilt is really cumbersome to work with on my machine.

68lesmel
Gen 14, 2021, 7:07 pm

I've started the second round of quilting. I've gotten a little smarter and rolled up the quilt. Now I just need the appropriate litany...

I must not fear.
Fear is the mind-killer.
Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration.
I will face my fear.
I will permit it to pass over me and through me.
And when it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path.
Where the fear has gone there will be nothing. Only I will remain.

FEAR NOT THE QUILT WORM!

69lesmel
Gen 14, 2021, 8:28 pm

Fresh Fabric Treats
I really want to like this book; but there are problems. The projects vary in instructions because each project is from a different crafter. The first project wastes an entire layer cake on foundation piecing. The second project has detailed instructions; but they aren't very well laid out. The rest of the projects vary in waste, instructions, etc. The only projects I'm interested in are the tote and the kit.

70lesmel
Modificato: Gen 14, 2021, 9:18 pm

Baby Times: 24 Handmade Treasures for Baby & Mom
This is a cute book with a mix of projects. They range from really easy to advanced. If you have a baby in your life, this is a great choice for making some handcrafts they can cherish. The only thing that bugs me about this book is the gendered blankets. The book was published in 2012. One would think we could be beyond pink is for girls and blue is for boys.

71scaifea
Gen 15, 2021, 7:14 am

>68 lesmel: Ha! I love it!

*whispers*SPICE*whispers*

72lesmel
Gen 16, 2021, 7:01 pm

S Is for Stitch
I would have given this four stars; but it's gendered. In this day and age, there's zero reason to do this sort of thing. Other than that, this is a really nice project book with a lot of stitches, a lot of guidelines, and really nice detail for two alphabets.

73lesmel
Modificato: Gen 16, 2021, 7:15 pm

Brave New Quilts
I love this book. It delves into art movements, art & design theory, process, methodology, etc. Each project includes alternate colorways & suggestions on how to make the pattern your own. I've already reviewed Ricketson's Little Bits Quilting Bee in >41 lesmel:. There was one kinda odd thing I noticed, there was a lot of intro for a quilting book. Then I got to the end of the book & discovered Kathreen Ricketson had died the same year (2013) this book was published! Tragically, she and her partner Rob both drowned.

74lesmel
Gen 16, 2021, 9:34 pm

Rounds 1 and 2 of quilting are complete. You can see how faint the thread color is. Which do we like? Charlie Brown or Star Trek?





75lesmel
Gen 17, 2021, 10:44 am

Mixing Quilt Elements
I like this as an inspiration book, not a project book. There's a ton crammed into this book. It's a little overwhelming; but the pictures are beautiful.

76lesmel
Gen 17, 2021, 10:45 am

Quilting with a Modern Slant
Another inspiration book. The photos are lovely. The projects are...not basic. Read this for the history, knowledge of the movements within quilting, and contemporary movers and shakers in the quilting world.

77lesmel
Gen 17, 2021, 10:46 am

Nautical Quilts
I would give this four stars except the print is tiny and there's not a ton of contrast between the page and the text. I love the semaphore quilt; but I don't know that I'd ever make it.

78lesmel
Gen 17, 2021, 10:46 am

Paper Pieced Modern
I've had this on my TBR for ages. I really want to try paper piecing even though it's totally foreign to me and intimidates me. Spoiler alert: Don't start here 😂. This book has fabulous quilts in it; but there are no "starter" projects.

79avaland
Modificato: Gen 17, 2021, 1:16 pm

>74 lesmel: Very nice!

I don't shop much for quilting books these days. Usually I have either bought larger books with many different patterns OR have bought books that illustrate a new technique of some kind. But, that said, I haven't bought a quilt book in ages. I love my Jinny Beyer encyclopedia of blocks -- I love just browsing it and imagining all the possibilities.

>78 lesmel: I'm starting another paper-pieced quilt currently! I think my first paper-piecing was a very simple tulip block (I made coasters). It was yonkers years ago!

80dudes22
Gen 17, 2021, 4:39 pm

I've done a few paper-pieced projects. I think one of the first projects I attempted was a paper-pieced one.

81melannen
Gen 17, 2021, 5:28 pm

I want to try paper-piecing too! It sounds restful, though I would probably get irritated at having to cut all the paper. Maybe when I finish my current hand-piecing project.

82lesmel
Gen 17, 2021, 8:58 pm

The part about paper piecing that might irritate me is the amount of wasted fabric. Yeah, I should be able to use scraps; but that means sorting my scrap bin. That is one of my goals for 2021. Maybe. Eventually. I still worry about fabric waste. Still, I want to learn paper piecing because I have GOALS. I want to make the Violet Craft elephant quilt. It's large scale paper piecing!

83lesmel
Modificato: Ago 14, 2021, 2:53 pm

By a vote of 3 (including me), I've gone with Star Trek as Round 3 of quilting. It's been slow going.
1. I've been tired all day -- like someone didn't charge my batteries overnight.
2. Painter's tape sucks on a quilt this size.
3. I finally bought some Frixion pens (I had to run to the grocery store anyway).
4. I finally gave up quilting for the night and marked the whole quilt instead.

The little quilting I've done tells me Star Trek was definitely the way to go. Yay!

84avaland
Gen 19, 2021, 6:00 am

>83 lesmel: Please explain the Star Trek bit, I think I missed something :-) Old or new?

85lesmel
Gen 19, 2021, 12:58 pm

>84 avaland: Star Trek logo vs. Charlie Brown stripes vs. my quilting options. Chris Pine Star Trek all the way. I have always been a huge Spock fan and Zachary Quinto nails the Spock vibe perfectly; but rebel Kirk is pretty hot. Plus who can say no to Karl Urban?

86avaland
Gen 19, 2021, 7:57 pm

>85 lesmel: We're talking "New" Chris Pine not vintage Chris Pine, right. And yes, Quinto does do the young Spock very well. Wait! Are we talking the movies or the current series?

87lesmel
Gen 19, 2021, 8:48 pm

>86 avaland: There is a Chris Pine-Zachary Quinto ST series? I don't watch the TV series. I have a passing knowledge of original ST, the spin-offs, and the original ST movies. The reboot movies I could probably recite entire sections. What do you consider vintage Chris Pine?

88lesmel
Gen 19, 2021, 9:31 pm

Brother's quilt is done; but I'm pissed. The spray baste spot (bottom grey row -- fourth triangle) has not come out. I'm washing it again after soaking in spray-n-wash. I may be remaking this quilt entirely. This is so dumb.

89sallypursell
Gen 19, 2021, 10:58 pm

Oh, no! Here's hoping you find a solution.

90lesmel
Gen 20, 2021, 12:22 am

Second round of washing didn't fix it. Neither did third round with scrubbing and 60 minutes of soaking. Though, it's getting smaller. A friend suggested I try rubbing alcohol. At this point, if someone promised that cutting off my pinkie toe would work; I'd at least flirt with the idea.

I can't even find my calculations page I used. I know I did the easy 8 method and the squares have to be 18 inches; but where is my graph paper where I wrote that all out?

If I have to start over, it means I start over with all new fabrics because I don't have enough of anything to make the pattern.

I'll probably start work on Niece's apron tomorrow. I have to decide if I want to fabric shop after work or on Saturday bright and early.

91dudes22
Modificato: Gen 20, 2021, 5:45 am

There's a stain remover called "Grandma's Secret Spot Remover" that I use and it works wonders on almost everything. Even spots that have gone through the dryer. Not sure if it will work on that but it is available online if you can't find it near you.

ETA: I have to ask since I've been thinking of trying spray baste - how did it get there?

92lesmel
Gen 20, 2021, 1:21 pm

>91 dudes22: A dumb moment of inattention. The can I was using was malfunctioning, instead of chucking it and using a new can, I persisted (don't do it, it isn't worth the aggravation). Also, I had glued my finger to the nozzle (see "malfunction").

I have exclusively used spray baste for all my projects. Never once until now have I ended up with a stain/permanent glue mark.

93dudes22
Gen 20, 2021, 2:07 pm

I've wanted to try it, but am afraid of the overspray gumming up floor, etc. BTW - I have an extra bottle of that spot remover. I could send it to you.

94lesmel
Modificato: Gen 21, 2021, 11:57 am

>93 dudes22: Thanks for the offer. I'm on a deadline (luckily, I now have 2 more weeks!) and have to get the spot out today or tomorrow. Otherwise, I have an entirely new quilt to make after I make the apron. Fun times. There's always the chance if gumming the floors and overspray on the project itself; but it's worth testing to see if you like it. The things I learned for sure is to have a light hand, wait several minutes for the glue to get tacky instead of wet, and spray toward the center of the project.

In other news, my cat helpfully tried to "gather" the apron pattern for me. I nearly levitated off the couch (very Wile E Coyote) and made her mad when I swooped in to steal her new crinkly toy.

95avaland
Gen 21, 2021, 6:05 am

>87 lesmel: I think I am conflating Chris Pine the actor and Christopher Pike the ST character! (and now the hubby says it isn't Quinto playing Spock because the actor would be too old. He's right, of course). My apologies if I got you overexcited. "Star Trek Discovery" is on NBC, it just finished it's third season. It's set before the original series. It's very good (not as good as "The Expanse" now on Amazon Prime, but very entertaining).

https://www.cbs.com/shows/star-trek-discovery/

>88 lesmel: Oh no! I hope something works!

96lesmel
Gen 21, 2021, 9:49 am

>95 avaland: Oh! Christopher Pike -- that's Bruce Greenwood (also a hottie) in the reboot movies. Original ST Christopher Pike was Jeffrey Hunter (who sadly died very young). I had to look him up in Wikipedia. Hunter is also very handsome! Star Trek Discovery's Spock is Ethan Peck.

97lesmel
Gen 21, 2021, 10:01 am

Soooooo, quilt has been saved! I think I washed the quilt 8 times last night; but the spot is nearly invisible.

This is where I was right after finishing the quilt about 5pm on Tuesday.


This is where I left it Tuesday night about 11pm. At that point, I had tried hot wash-hot dry, spray-n-wash, spray-n-wash with scrubbing and 1 hr soak, and alcohol from pre-packaged swabs (all I had in the house).


This is where I left it Wednesday night about 10pm. This was Grandma's Secret Spot Remover, 91% isopropyl alcohol, and 100% acetone. Acetone won the day. I'm hoping to look at the quilt in sunlight to see if the spot should have one more round of acetone. Unfortunately, the clouds are not cooperating with my plan.

98melannen
Gen 21, 2021, 10:15 am

Acetone is a magical thing. The quilt looks great though - I sure can't see the spot in the last photo!

My mom would also tell you to use butane lighter fluid as a last resort for any type of glue, but that always scares me a little, especially when I've already poured a bunch of other chemicals on it.

99PawsforThought
Gen 21, 2021, 10:24 am

>97 lesmel: Phew, great work getting the stain up. I think I would have given up long before - and I've never tried acetone on a stain before (but then I don't keep acetone at home, so that might be why).

100lesmel
Gen 21, 2021, 11:56 am

Technically, this really wasn't a stain. The glue from the spray baste had permeated the fabric and the batting. It was essentially a large glue spot. As soon as I started to think of it as needing to remove glue instead of a stain, I started to think about better ways to dissolve the glue.

>98 melannen: I never would have thought of lighter fluid; but now I wonder about turpentine, too. I'm not sure I could bring myself to dousing a quilt with either. Although, as desperate as I was, I probably would have said a prayer and done it anyway!

101dudes22
Gen 21, 2021, 1:57 pm

That's really looking good. I forgot - the other thing I used to use before I started using Grandma's spot remover was Simple Green.

102lesmel
Gen 21, 2021, 3:39 pm

I'm cutting the pieces for the apron today. I'm worried about the next to last piece I have to cut -- the two back pieces of the apron. I'm trying to figure out how to fit them on the fabric appropriately. Yes, the placement diagram says to do X; but X isn't working for my fabric, for some reason. Have I mentioned I hate sewing clothes? lol

103lesmel
Gen 21, 2021, 4:16 pm

Whew! Crisis averted. I went back to the placement guide and realized I was laying the piece wrong for the second cut. We are back to Defcon 5!

104lesmel
Gen 21, 2021, 7:18 pm

Apron parts cut! Time to start sewing!!

105lauralkeet
Gen 21, 2021, 9:58 pm

Great work on getting that stain out. I can't imagine how gut-wrenching it must have been when you discovered it. Whew!

106lesmel
Gen 22, 2021, 9:35 am

Apron mostly sewn together. I have 200+ pins holding the ruffle to the apron. I think I will be running a basting stitch before I try to bind this monster. I'm not super fond of the raw edge left from joining the yoke and the main part of the apron, so that may be getting a little bit of binding, too. Can I just tell you how weird it is to sew with a 5/8" seam allowance?!?

107avaland
Gen 22, 2021, 2:57 pm

>97 lesmel: That's amazing! Hurrah! Glad you are moving on.

108lesmel
Gen 22, 2021, 10:51 pm

It's taken three tries to get the binding pinned to the apron. First, I only had 3 yrds of binding. Nope, not enough! Then I bought some really pretty rainbow binding. Nope, too wide and too stiff! Finally, I got the right size and amount of binding.

My left hand is killing me. I still have probably 2 feet of binding to pin on the apron. From there, I have to decide if I want to start sewing now or wait until morning.

I'd like to get the apron mostly done. I have 2 pockets to add. Do I really want to add pockets? Does an apron really need pockets? LOL

109scaifea
Gen 23, 2021, 9:21 am

Oh, I'm *so* glad you were able to get the glue out! Yay!! And the quilt looks amazing!

110avaland
Gen 23, 2021, 10:51 am

Be kind to your hands, you want them to be functional for a long time.... (however, carpal tunnel surgery works great, too!)

111lesmel
Gen 25, 2021, 1:55 pm

Vintage Quilt Revival
Solid project book. Good for inspiration.

The Best of Fons & Porter Scrap Quilts
Solid project book. Good for inspiration.

Modern Bee 13 Quilts to Make with Friends
I like this for the projects/ideas; but not for the bee/project swap parts.

Quilting Line and Color Techniques and Designs for Abstract Quilts
Meh. This is exceptional; but for me it's like visit the MOMA. I get that it's art; but it doesn't move me.

Fat Quarterly Shape Workshop for Quilters
It's a shame Fat Quarterly no longer exists as a zine. I would be tempted to subscribe. This book is interesting because each shape is color coded and all the tutorials use white and that color (squares = red, e.g.); then, there's a section with actual projects.

The Handmade Quilt
This is hand-piecing, hand-quilting...neither of which I'm ever going to do for anything larger than a 12 x 12 project. However, I loved looking at the techniques and tips for handwork.

The Modern Medallion Workbook
I like this book for the mix and match aspect! All the blocks are interesting apart and together.

Fearless with Fabric Fresh Modern Quilts from Traditional Blocks
This is the title that compelled me to start checking out all these titles. I like the tidbits in the margins

Kaffe Fassett's Sew Simple Quilts & Patchworks
I like this book for inspiration rather than actual projects. I think Kaffe Fassett fabrics are exquisite; but are incredibily busy and overwhelming. If you love color and design inspiration, this (and the other Kaffee titles) are for you!

Kaffe Fassett's Quilt Grandeur
Like the other Kaffe books, I like this for inspiration rather than actual projects. The photo settings and the quilts are equally beautiful.

Kaffe Fassett's Quilts in Morocco
Like the other Kaffe books, I like this for inspiration rather than actual projects. This book makes me want to see Morocco rather than make the quilts.

Kaffe Fassett's Quilts in Sweden
Like the other Kaffe books, I like this for inspiration rather than actual projects. I love reading how the projects are picked/designed to match some of the settings. I also appreciate the fabric overview.

Modern Quilts
Really great review of projects that have come from contemporary makers of modern quilts.

Shots and Stripes
Like the other Kaffe books, I like this for inspiration rather than actual projects.

Unconventional & Unexpected
Exceptional coffee table book. This pass through was for the photos; but I'd like to spend more time reading the text.

Comfort and Glory
Excellent coffee table book and reference. The quilts in here are amazing. The history of quilts and quilting in Texas is pretty spectacular. I may check this book out again and spend more time reading the book as well as inspecting all of the photos of the quilts.

112avaland
Gen 25, 2021, 2:05 pm

Glad you got a couple of 4 star ones to enjoy....

113lesmel
Gen 25, 2021, 2:32 pm

The apron is done. Also, it fits like it should on someone that wears the right size. I left the pockets off. I tried pinning the cut out pockets with the eyelet and binding. Unfortunately, the pockets pull the apron out of a proper drape. Also, I worry the pockets will eventually rip from the apron.

This is the pattern:


This is the result:


I'm still worried about the size. Everyone seems to love it, though. :)

114lesmel
Gen 25, 2021, 2:43 pm

Now that craftmas 2020 is done, I will be working on the mug rugs from craftmas 2019 (or was it 2018?). I have seven mini quilts to complete. I've dithered about this for months (years?) because I couldn't pick designs for each month. On Friday, I buckled down and picked some blocks. Over the weekend, I drafted the blocks on graph paper with some cutting instructions.

115lesmel
Gen 25, 2021, 2:47 pm

Also, I was supervised most of last week...

116rosalita
Gen 25, 2021, 3:09 pm

>115 lesmel: Goodness, what an adorable pupper you have! I would be honored to be supervised by such a sweetie. What's her/his name?

117avaland
Gen 25, 2021, 3:14 pm

>113 lesmel: Oh. that's lovely!

>114 lesmel: A good start....

>115 lesmel: A great friend to have along, I bet:-)

118dudes22
Gen 25, 2021, 4:21 pm

>113 lesmel: - That's really cute. I'd hate to spill anything on it.

>115 lesmel: - Great looking dog too.

119lesmel
Modificato: Gen 25, 2021, 4:49 pm

>116 rosalita: Her name is Crickett. She's 13. Just in the last two years she's turned into an old lady -- sleeping a lot, not wanting to walk as much, snoring like a tiny old man. She still loves to chase squirrels in her yard.

120rosalita
Gen 25, 2021, 4:57 pm

>119 lesmel: Well, please give Crickett some ear scritches from me!

Also her recent years sound disturbingly similar to mine — minus the squirrel chasing!

121PawsforThought
Gen 25, 2021, 6:12 pm

>113 lesmel: I love that fabric!

And it's good to know you were supervised, wouldn't want you to make any mistakes.
My kitty has aged a lot in the past two years, too. He was very active and going out on patrol day and night. Now he mostly just sleeps. I'm just glad I get to keep him for a while longer.

122scaifea
Gen 26, 2021, 7:53 am

I love the apron!! And Cricket is adorable.

123sallypursell
Gen 26, 2021, 9:25 pm

>113 lesmel: The ruffle is adorable.

124lesmel
Gen 28, 2021, 6:10 pm

As >110 avaland: said, I need to be kind to my hands/wrists. I've been on self-imposed sewing hiatus. We hates it, Precious!! Still, I can tell my left wrist is still not thrilled with me. In the meantime, I started on a scrap sorting project. Sorting shouldn't inflame my wrist, right?! I don't have a ton of scraps to sort. If I have space left over in my new bins, I may put some of my larger chunks of fabric stash in the appropriate bins. Hopefully, I will be ready to finish my mug rug project starting on Saturday. I have the seven remaining squares drafted. I haven't found all the fabrics for all of the MRs yet; but that's part of my evil scrap-sorting plan.

125lesmel
Modificato: Gen 28, 2021, 6:41 pm

Patchwork City 75 Innovative Blocks for the Modern Quilter
I love this book. I'm not sure I would ever tackle the projects in here; but I want to. Maybe if I join a quilt along. Still, I like the detail for each block and then the projects for using the blocks.

I think this concludes my current hunt for crafty books.

126avaland
Gen 29, 2021, 8:12 am

>124 lesmel: I suggest you get a neoprene wrist support for your left hand. It's not too bulky and you will be able to do more with it on. Some of the early braces I had for both hands were vinyl & netting with a shaped metal brace to keep my wrist bent correctly (very limiting). If it's not something you can afford (or you would rather spend your money on fabric, LOL), I'm fairly sure I still have mine from post surgery and would be glad to send it.

127melannen
Gen 29, 2021, 9:27 am

>126 avaland: I got a pair of the metal-and-netting ones after blowing my wrists out ten years ago crocheting hundreds of items for an event in one week. They really do help my wrists recover faster when they're angry from overuse. Especially after I took advice from a friend of mine with Ehlers-Danlos and started wearing them at night to sleep in. I wouldn't have thought I was straining them a lot at night, but I guess it really helps them rest properly.

128avaland
Gen 29, 2021, 1:31 pm

>127 melannen: I used to wear those when I slept also, because I tended to sleep with my hands tucked up under my chin, hands bent inward at the wrist. In the middle of the night I would peel them off and throw them down to the end of the bed. ha ha. But it did help for a while. The habit I had—working at the bookstore—where we moved books around by grabbing 3-4 books at a time, was not at all helpful and probably hastened the day I needed the surgery.

129PawsforThought
Gen 29, 2021, 3:14 pm

>128 avaland: Oh, you were good who only grabbed 3-4 books at a time. When I worked at a library, I'as many as would fit between my thumb and little finger. It's probably a good thing they cut my position.

130melannen
Gen 29, 2021, 5:35 pm

>129 PawsforThought: ...I work at a library and carry as many as will fit between my hands and my chin. That probably is easier on the wrists though!

I have a bad habit of sleeping on my front with my hands tucked under my hips, especially when my wrists are hurting, which I'm sure doesn't help them at all.

I hope what I have is just recurring tendonitis, but part of the reason I swap between so many different handcrafts is that if I do the same one too intensely for too long my wrists tell me when it's time to stop.

131PawsforThought
Gen 29, 2021, 5:47 pm

>130 melannen: yeah, I'd do that too - once I'd lifted them off the shelf/desk/cart. Stack them on the inside of my lower arm and keep adding until I reached the chin. I got a supportive wrist thing fitted but since I couldn't move my hand much when I had it on, it got in the way a lot and as a result, I didn't use it much.

132lesmel
Gen 30, 2021, 1:08 am

My left wrist is a lot better. I decided to work on my scraps box anyway. I spent the week prepping for scrap sorting -- bought some plastic bins, cut some paper to glue to the containers, etc.

Tonight, I started sorting. Let me just tell you how boring scrap sorting is. Watching grass grow, might be more interesting. Also, handling all the fabric keeps making my face itch. I have a weird, inconsistent "allergy" to dyes and chemicals. It could be dirt, too.

Also, I had a little "help."



I'm probably going to need a bigger boat...



I have no idea why I have kept some of these scraps. Really tiny scraps (I'm not going to hand sew), odd cut away bits (leftovers from squaring up), and selvage (why!?). I have a feeling this is going to be at least a week or more project.

133dudes22
Gen 30, 2021, 5:36 am

I did this a couple of years ago and felt a lot like you do. So easy just to put everything in a bin. I accepted that there are sizes I am just not going to use and "let it go". If they were big enough I kept some for some strips on muslin blocks that I occasionally work on. But that is a "grass growing" type of project too. I'm becoming better at cutting left-overs into different sizes and then letting the rest go. So much fabric, so little time.

134avaland
Modificato: Gen 30, 2021, 8:00 pm

>132 lesmel: I was going to ask how you chose to sort your scraps, but then I saw the next photo. Good job. My smaller scraps are currently sorted by shape in quite a few bins. For the quilt I'm working on now, I have the fabrics a cookie sheet in color piles (from which I pick 6 pieces for each block), and the larger triangles I need are in file folders by color group (!) About once a year I'll put some costume drama on the TV and sit and sort, but will toss anything I deem too small (my threshold is about 2x2 inches.

135melannen
Gen 31, 2021, 10:30 am

Oh, I love sorting scrap! Let me do it for you!

I keep thinking I should get rid of the very small pieces and then think, but what if I finally go back to hand sewing doll clothes??

136lesmel
Gen 31, 2021, 1:23 pm

Round one of scrap sorting is done! Huzzah. Sadly, I still have round two. Round two consists of hunting through all of my drawers. I've already started round two. I've gone through two of three large dresser drawers. I still have one more large drawer and I think one small drawer. Then I need to go through the drawers in my little carts. I'm pretty sure not everything that is scrap will go in the bins because I need fabric for the mug rugs.

Depending on what doesn't fit in the bins, I will probably start planning one or two new projects.

Currently floating in my brain:

* green HST project that is half cut -- I was practicing my HST cutting technique before working on the chevron and spiral quilts. Turns out, I like the color choice & there's enough fabric to make a lap quilt.
* giant block double star quilt -- I want something that fits on my king bed with no drape (76 x 80 +/-). I'm still working out the sizing. I want a single very large star with one thin and one wide border. http://www.blossomheartquilts.com/2015/04/the-bee-hive-double-star/
* plaidish (maybe) http://www.kitchentablequilting.com/2019/06/plaid-ish-scrap-quilt-and-tutorial.h...

137avaland
Gen 31, 2021, 1:25 pm

>136 lesmel: I'm willing to send some scraps if you need a variety or more of some color or another.

138lesmel
Gen 31, 2021, 9:48 pm

Got about halfway through round two sorting and hit the motherload of scraps for one of my mug rugs. I knew the scraps were probably in one of the cart drawers; I just hadn't gone hunting until now.

I may have to reorganize my browns bin. It's overflowing; I need to pull some of the larger chunks of fabrics to leave room for real scraps.

139lesmel
Feb 6, 2021, 10:23 am

Scraps 100% sorted. I had to pull and reorder some of the browns. Turns out that's my largest bin of scraps. I should think of a project involving lots of browns!

Ordered a ridiculous amount of fabric. Already have most of the fabric earmarked for at least two projects. I gave a friend a quilt years ago. Some asshole kept breaking into her apartment stealing her meds. Turns out, he also stole her quilt. She was so disturbed by the whole thing, she never made any demands for the quilt to be returned after she's filed a complaint, broken her lease, and moved. Of course, the police never followed through on charges.

All this to say, I am making her a new quilt. That's one of the projects. Though, I don't know what the quilt will look like. Probably HSTs. 2021 seems to be the year of the HST.

The other project is a quilt I can use during a regular outdoor hangout. I don't have a design in mind; but I think I have the start of that fabric.

My brother opened his quilt yesterday. They stopped by on their way from FL house to TX house. He had a huge grin on his face. Direct quote: I'll _use_ my quilt, unlike somebodies I know!

I swear, what is it with my family not using their quilts!? Mom has hers (and my grandmother's) on a wall. My niece and SIL keep their quilts "protected." I have no idea if my aunt even has hers. It could have been lost in the house fire. I should ask. I can make her another quilt. Not sure about my cousin's quilt either. Not sure about my nephew's quilt either. Or my 2nd cousin -- although, like I've said before, I want to make another quilt for him once he's beyond the waffly, teenage interest stage.

140dudes22
Feb 6, 2021, 12:36 pm

Sounds like you'll be busy. I find that I have become fixated on HSTs lately too. Seems like every project I want to make features them.

141lesmel
Feb 8, 2021, 9:50 pm

I'm down to two more mug rugs on the list. I'll post pics when I get them all finished. I stayed up too late last night getting mug rug #5 done. It was worth it. Two more and I can mail them to Mom. Then start work on my next project -- the large-scale double star!

142lesmel
Feb 10, 2021, 12:04 am

Penultimate mug rug done! Last one should be finished tomorrow. Then I will mail the pile and a couple bags of homemade marshmallows to Mom (and StepDad, of course).

While on our weekly video call, my niece was cracking me up. She saw her dad's quilt (and her grandfather's). Now she wants a quilt for every room in her house. She's already starting a list! This is all because my SIL asked if I would be willing to make quilts for their beds. I said yes, if they would buy the fabric. I have a feeling there will be some sticker shock when they start fabric shopping. I already told them we have to plan the design, then the size, then the fabric shopping.

First though, MY QUILT. Mine. Mine. Mine!
Then the green HST.
Then my best friend's.

143melannen
Feb 10, 2021, 1:16 pm

>139 lesmel: Isn't terrible when you make people things and then they don't use them because they're "too nice", and they mean it? I have been making quick crochet dishcloths for gifts lately and I still get people saying, "Oh, I can't use those for dishes, they're too nice." They're cotton dishcloths! I made them so you'd use them up and I could make you more next year!

144avaland
Modificato: Feb 10, 2021, 1:26 pm

>139 lesmel: I made a brown scrap quilt a couple of years ago and I had to go out and see what I could find to add to my meager (relatively speaking) brown scrap collection.

Psssst! There is no "ridiculous" amount of fabric. Do you want to make us all look bad. It is all extremely essential to our mental health.

Sooooo nice you are making your friend a new quilt! I hope she loves it! Sounds like you've kitted out the whole family..

Yes, make yours first! I was a long time before I made a quilt for myself (or for "us"). Too long. Now everyone has one, including me. Plus, I have made a few I am unwilling to part with.

145lesmel
Feb 11, 2021, 12:23 pm

>143 melannen: YES! Drives me nutso. I told my brother and SIL -- that quilt has been washed about 18 times. It's bomb proof. Hot water. Cold water. Does. Not. Matter. Use it. Of course, I didn't tell them it took 18 washes to get the glue out. LOL

>144 avaland: Oh good because I bought more fabric. LOL

146lesmel
Feb 13, 2021, 8:37 pm

Behold! The mug rugs!



I shipped them today with homemade marshmallows.

147lesmel
Feb 13, 2021, 9:51 pm

I bought even more fabric. This time for my double star quilt. The fabric is Jane Sassaman's Hand Crafted Cotton in 16 colors. It's gorgeous fabric in remarkable colors. I've changed my mind about the quilt pattern, though. I found another quilt pattern that resonates with me. The quilt should be 80 x 80. Plenty large enough for my bed.

I didn't work on a thing today other than errands and post-vaxx resting.

I bought some quilting apps and have been playing with them. I think I'm going to like them a lot.

QuiltPaper is a graphing/coloring app. It took a few tries for me to finally figure it out. I'd like to see some updates on some functions; but overall, I like it.

QuiltSize is weird. I think it's just lack of experience on my part; but I don't think I will be using this app as much as I thought.

QuiltSandwich is the golden goose. You can basically enter everything for your quilt project -- fabric, pieces, notions, etc. The app will give you cutting diagrams. You can make project notes. I wish there was a way to synch it with my laptop. I'd pay for that Mac app and synching function.

I'm hoping to work on the green quilt top tomorrow. I have eight blocks made. I think I have enough fabric for at least eight more blocks, maybe 16 blocks. I think I have enough backing left over from Dad's quilt. If I don't have more than eight more blocks worth of fabric, I'm thinking about what I can add to get a slightly larger quilt. 32 x 32 isn't big enough for anything than a baby. There are no babies in my life.

I think I know what I'm going to do with at least one set of layer cakes from the collection called "Library" from Elizabeth Hartman for Robert Kaufman. I'm going use the Double Slice from MSQC: https://www.missouriquiltco.com/land/tutorials/quiltsnips/double-slice-block/ind.... I think we have talked about this. It's very similar to Yellow Brick Road.

One layer cake makes a 56 x 74 quilt. I could make that bigger by adding more blocks or by sashing and border. I saw a photo of one on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/p/B6qfiVHF79d/.

I've decided I need to find a long arm quilter because I'm done quilting anything larger than 36 x 36 on my domestic.

Argh! Just now remembered I don't have a backing or binding plan for this quilt. Why is it I never think about backing and binding when I'm thinking of projects?! Ugh. I need to be better about that.

I also need to go back to journaling my quilt projects. That way I can get all my ideas down...even if I never make the quilt. lol

I just realized also I have jelly rolls I bought for two projects that came from one of the quilt books I borrowed from the library. See. I need my quilt journal habit back! Which reminds me I have no idea where my regular journal is. Hmm. Pandemic has made hash of my habits. All of my habits.

148dudes22
Feb 14, 2021, 6:00 am

Those mats are really cute. I love the ladybug and the flying geese. I've seen that one with a different background fabric on one side of the geese than the other and am going to try it for a wall hanging at some point.

I looked at some of the Sassamen fabrics and she has some great prints. I have a couple of Layer Cakes that I think I'll checkout that pattern. Once I finish a couple of UFOs.

149lauralkeet
Feb 14, 2021, 6:53 am

I love the mats! I like the idea of journaling to keep track of your ideas.

150scaifea
Feb 14, 2021, 8:25 am

Oh, those mug quilts are great!!

151melannen
Feb 16, 2021, 11:32 am

Oh, the mug rugs are so cheerful!

152avaland
Feb 18, 2021, 11:56 pm

>146 lesmel: My favorite is the pinwheels!

>147 lesmel: One can never have too much fabric. You sound very busy!

153lesmel
Feb 19, 2021, 1:50 pm

Everything came to a screeching halt this week. As many of you probably know, Texas froze over. Fun times for all. I only lost power for 24 hours as part of a rolling blackout. I also had one frozen pipe that did not break. In fact, so far *knock wood* my pipes are fine. I will try to make an appointment in the next couple weeks to get someone out to test my sprinkler system. That's the one set of pipes I am never sure about.

Because of the freeze, all of my packages with fabric got stuck on trucks. Fabric I needed for my next projects. Everything should show up today or tomorrow and I can continue with my double star.

While in my holding pattern, I decided to try to tidy up the house and tidy up my project list and catch up on my quilt journal. Here's my project list for now:



I already have another project to add to the list. I've been window shopping (so to speak) fabrics; but nothing appeals. A coworker is retiring in March. He and his wife are avid birdwatchers. I want to do a bird quilt for him/them. I love the Charley Harper fabrics; but most have directionality I don't want to work around. So, I'm still on the hunt for bird-ish fabrics. I've looked at a ton. If anyone has ideas, I'm open to them!

154dudes22
Feb 19, 2021, 2:38 pm

How good that you only lost power for 24 hours. My husband has a cousin in Houston (where I went a couple of years ago for the Quilt Festival when I couldn't manage to get together with you - next time) and one in Dallas who mentioned the rolling brown-outs.

I have a pattern that has applique birds with green half-square triangles I've always meant to do, but I think that is probably not good if he is retiring next month. What about some paper-pieced birds. Maybe a table topper. Or wall hanging. Something a little smaller than a lap quilt would be faster.
https://www.quilterscache.com/ has a bunch of paper pieced blocks. I notice there is a birdhouse one. And/or I also have a Debbie Mumm pattern book of birdhouses I could send you.

155PawsforThought
Feb 19, 2021, 3:34 pm

>153 lesmel: Glad to hear you're doing okay despite everything. I've been really rather worried about people I know (and sort-of-know) who live in Texas. I hope your pipes turn out to be alright - I have unfortunately experienced what it's like to have a pipe freeze and burst and it's definitely not something I'm keen to re-live and wouldn't wish on anyone.

I feel overwhelmed just looking at your project list. My list keeps getting longer but they're all fairly small projects and nothing near as big as a quilt, and you have 10!

156lauralkeet
Feb 19, 2021, 6:15 pm

I'm so glad you're doing okay, and I love that you made the most of the "downtime" by using it to get organized. Well done you!

157scaifea
Feb 20, 2021, 9:28 am

I *love* your project chart! Such a good idea to organize it that way!

158lesmel
Feb 20, 2021, 12:10 pm

>154 dudes22: Here's hoping the cousins have power and water without broken pipes! Plumbing supplies are scarce at the moment. Food supplies are scarce. It feels like post-hurricane all over again.

>155 PawsforThought: It's funny, having a list has helped my crafting "anxiety" -- as in, what design(s) is in my head that I'm considering but don't have short term plans to finish? Right now I have my quilt and my coworker's quilt on tap. I have a lot more fabric I could develop projects for; but that's not usually how I run my projects. Also, it helps when I have a design in my head to at least get the idea down even if I eventually never make it.

>156 lauralkeet: It's funny that I even did that. I was using the least amount of light possible while also keeping the house as cold as I could tolerate.

>157 scaifea: Thanks! I've tried it before without success; but I'm trying harder this time around.

159lauralkeet
Feb 20, 2021, 12:36 pm

>158 lesmel: having a list has helped my crafting "anxiety"
Oh, yes indeed, lists rule. They help my anxiety in all facets of life. If I put something on a list, I stop worrying about forgetting to do it and it stops rattling around in my head. If I feel overloaded, I can make a list and then, if need be, break those items down into manageable steps, and then I start making progress instead of spiraling. Long live lists.

160lesmel
Feb 20, 2021, 1:08 pm

I'm waiting very impatiently for my fabric to show up today. It's scheduled to be here by "end of day" which could mean anything from noon to 9pm. *sighs* Mother Nature is hard on my crafting this week!

161lesmel
Feb 22, 2021, 12:26 am

All of my fabric is finally here. I started cutting for my Double Star quilt. I've hit a snag. I am following a pattern; but I tweaked the colorway and the order of the colors. Unfortunately, that tweak means I didn't account for two additional 10" squares I would need. I either buy more fabric (and wait) or I readjust the colorway to the original pattern order. Readjusting means I have to figure out if I can live with the change. This is my quilt. The one I'm going to see every day on my bed. The one that will be the biggest thing I've made for myself ever.

Opinions?

Colorway #1:


Colorway #2:


I'm pretty sure I know where I'm going with this; but I need to sleep on it before making a decision.

Also, this fabric is glorious. I can't stop petting it. It's Jane Sassaman Hand Crafted Cotton. She has more colors coming out this year. I don't think I've ever loved solids more than I love these fabrics.

162dudes22
Modificato: Feb 22, 2021, 5:33 am

Please don't hate me - but can I suggest a third? Not knowing what it would do for your fabric amount? What if you put the inside colors directly opposite the outside colors. I like photo one better, but shift the colors over so that the red is inside the turquoise. That would move all the colors opposite their outside color. If not - I like one better.

163SassyLassy
Feb 22, 2021, 9:15 am

>161 lesmel: I like 1 for the way the inner star shifts and reverses the colourway in the outer star.

Can you order more fabric and get the other stars done while you are waiting, or are you too quick for that. I would be nowhere near finished by the time my order arrived - or a year later for that matter!

I admire anyone who can do all these points.

Do the colours in >153 lesmel: have a code, or are they different for easier reading? Great idea for organizing by the way.

164avaland
Feb 22, 2021, 12:15 pm

A belated note to say I'm so glad you weathered the outage reasonably well. We, here in the north (i pronounce that like in "Game of Thrones", ha ha) are equipped for such things (most have generators and alternate heat sources. And I've filled the bathtubs with water in the past .Our outside plumbing is drained before winter, and we have more quilts and blankets than we probably need...etc.) The coverage was horrific to watch. I hope the electric companies will be pressured (shamed) to winterize the equipment.

Your new quilt project is going to be so wonderfully colorful!

165lesmel
Feb 22, 2021, 1:29 pm

>164 avaland: Biggest issue for most of us Southlanders isn't the outside pipes. It was the pipes in the attics. Attics that people might look in once a year. For the most part, the better answer for everyone would have been "turn off the water at the main, drain your lines, and just wait." Waiting sucks; but it's a lot better than the thousands of homes with water damage and the plumbing supply shortages.

>163 SassyLassy: The colors are just for easier reading. I went through some variations in my head before just picking whatever color. I am trying to stick to one hue in use at a time, though.

>162 dudes22: Your 3rd option should work for cutting with the fabric I have. It even preserves my colorway for the most part. I considered it last night, but didn't mock it up until now.

166dudes22
Modificato: Feb 22, 2021, 2:16 pm

>165 lesmel: - I know I suggested it, but I really like the look of that. I think it's the symmetry of it.

ETA: Except for all those seams meeting in the middle, I'd consider doing a smaller version for a wall hanging for myself.

167lauralkeet
Feb 22, 2021, 6:05 pm

>165 lesmel: ooh! I am completely unable to make suggestions about color but I know pretty when I see it. I like that.

168sallypursell
Feb 22, 2021, 10:50 pm

I still like the arrangement in #1. It has such dynamism, whereas the others look more "arranged" and less dynamic. The third looks static, and I don't like it as much. I like them in order: #1, then #2, and last, #3. I think it is important to avoid "obvious" arrangements. They can be boring.

169SassyLassy
Modificato: Feb 23, 2021, 9:08 am

>164 avaland: Same storms preparations here sans generator. Bathtubs filled, jugs of water available, coolers ready to take on freezer duties outdoors if the power is going to be out too long, wood for the stove, batteries for camping lights and radio, and more knitted afghans, sweaters, scarves and fingerless gloves than you can shake a stick at, plus the odd quilt. You can never have too many of these last - what if others had to share the space with you unexpectedly?

If the outage is relatively short (6 -8 hours), it's kind of fun, with the anticipation beforehand and the back to basics living of it. But oh, that first relief when the stove beeps that it is back on, and the furnace kicks in.

Added note for those not used to these things - There is a surge protector on the electric panel, and the computer, router, and all associated things are unplugged after the power goes out until it is reliably on again.

Despite my perverse enjoyment of these events, I must say that I feel a real anguish for people who live in areas where winter doesn't normally happen, when it actually does happen. Without these preparations, I would be reduced to snivelling huddled in a corner, and Texans have done so much better than that.

>165 lesmel: That version works well too.

What are pipes in the attic for?

170lesmel
Feb 23, 2021, 11:18 am

>169 SassyLassy: Almost all our water pipes run through the attic. Here's a definite difference in building from Northlanders to Southlanders -- we like big, open, airy spaces for better heat management. Airy spaces = fewer walls = pipes in the attic or under the house if you are on pier and beam. Also, makes it a bear to heat in the winter; but for most of us winter is like 30 days max over 4 months. Granted, that isn't a general standard for all of the houses in Texas let alone the Southern states; but if there are pipes in the attic, they are most likely water pipes or venting pipes.

The pipe in my house that froze a bit runs through my poorly insulated north wall. That entire wall of the house drives me crazy. The tub is like ice in the winter no matter the temp. It shouldn't be that cold if the wall had appropriate insulation. The wall that is ALWAYS going to be the coldest because, HELLO! IT IS THE NORTH WALL.

I have been flirting with the idea of custom building a house. Something a little smaller than I have now. Something that fits my lifestyle -- I don't need a breakfast area and a dining room, thanks; but I do need a huge crafting space with lots of light and storage. I have always loved my grandmother's house. It is a two-bedroom, one bath with a built-on den. I'd love to build that house with some modern updates.

171PawsforThought
Feb 23, 2021, 4:42 pm

I think my preference for the star quilt is 3-1-2. But I like order and balance and symmetry.

I'm slightly horrified at the thought of pipes in the attic because I can imagine the consequences of it if we were to have it here. Our "highest level" of water in the house is the bathroom sink. All pipes run along the bottom part of the walls here (and outdoor pipes are in the ground and very insulated).

Custom building sounds like a good idea if you know what it is you really want I dream of an old house (turn of the century) but that's probably never going to happen.

172avaland
Feb 23, 2021, 5:04 pm

>169 SassyLassy: Yep, that's been our routine. I this house we have a hook up for the generator to the main electrical panel, so it runs most things. In the 80s/90s in another lifetime with a different husband, we didn't have a generator, but we had a wood/oil/coal furnace and we knew to fill the bathtubs and other contains with water ahead of time. We had lanterns...etc.

>170 lesmel: I was going to ask about those pipes in the attic, but Sassy has beat me to it. Like Paws, I'm more than a little horrified at the idea of that.

My daughter and son-in-law has just hired an architect from Maine to design a small house to their wishes. I get the play by play of this adventure. They already have land about an hour north of us and will build in two years or so. They are outside of DC in Virginia currently. His employer has permanently done away with the office space, they all work remote, so why not be remote from New Hampshire?

173lesmel
Feb 27, 2021, 3:27 am

I didn't want to stop sewing tonight; but it's 2am. I'm going to start making mistakes if I try to continue.

LOOK! LOOK LOOK LOOK!!!



I'm giddy with relief and joy that the hardest part of this quilt has almost perfect points. I'll know for sure tomorrow as I piece the rows together. I honestly am stunned by how much I love these solids. I can't wait to see the top finished.

I'm a little worried about the quilting. I'm going to have it professionally done. The piece is just too big for me to manage on my machine. Sending it out means giving it up for 2-3 weeks. Can I really do that? *sighs* I know I can; but there's something about this quilt that makes me want to growl at anyone that might come too close.

174dudes22
Feb 27, 2021, 5:39 am

That's really looking good. You're right, those are some nice solids.

175lauralkeet
Feb 27, 2021, 8:00 am

Oh wow. That looks fabulous! I can't wait to see the whole thing come together.

176scaifea
Feb 27, 2021, 8:27 am

I. LOVE. It. So bright and gorgeous! And well done on those points!! I'm in awe.

177dudes22
Feb 27, 2021, 9:11 am

ETA: Thought I'd come back and say that I have to admit I'm afraid of solids even after all these years of quilting. I think I can say that I probably only have white and black solid fabrics. And one small group of fat eighths that someone gave me. I really admire your confidence in using them.

178avaland
Feb 27, 2021, 5:05 pm

>173 lesmel: Wow! That's eye-blistering! (but I love it!) And yes, wonderfully perfect!

179lesmel
Feb 28, 2021, 10:26 pm

Top done and I cannot be happier!!



Now I'm going to indulge in a stiff drink to celebrate. Then I might come back to tell the saga of the day.

180dudes22
Mar 1, 2021, 6:37 am

That's great looking. Very nice points. Did you say this was for your bed? How big is it? I'm looking forward to seeing how you decide to quilt it.

181lauralkeet
Mar 1, 2021, 7:25 am

>179 lesmel: Oh, wow. Stunning. I hope you enjoyed your stiff drink -- you deserve it!

I have the same questions as Betty about whether it's a bed-sized quilt.

182BillyDodd
Mar 1, 2021, 7:38 am

Questo utente è stato eliminato perché considerato spam.

183scaifea
Mar 1, 2021, 8:38 am

>179 lesmel: Oh gosh, I love that so much! Well done!

184lesmel
Mar 1, 2021, 1:12 pm

>180 dudes22: & >181 lauralkeet: The quilt is 80 x 80. It will be for my bed. I actually already confirmed it fits exactly like I want on the bed. I have a huge four poster rice bed. I have no clue what to do with the quilting. Since I am sending it off, that makes it a little harder to choose.

185dudes22
Modificato: Mar 1, 2021, 3:18 pm

Maybe once you decide on a quilter, you could send off a picture to get some suggestions (and prices).

186avaland
Mar 1, 2021, 5:39 pm

Great job!

187sallypursell
Mar 1, 2021, 10:05 pm

I never use solids, but that really is gorgeous!

188lesmel
Mar 3, 2021, 4:41 pm

le sigh. I double checked my math for Charley Harper Birbs (what I am calling my coworker's quilt) and discovered I am about 2/3 short on background fabric. This is the struggle with designing my own patterns. I'm terrible about figuring out yardage needs. I bought more fabric but now I have to wait for it to come in. I can go ahead with cutting everything else and maybe start on the piecing.

189dudes22
Mar 3, 2021, 6:37 pm

>188 lesmel: - I hear you. I've seen patterns that seem so simple, I should be able to figure it out myself, but then have trouble deciding how much fabric I would need.

190lauralkeet
Mar 4, 2021, 7:06 am

Sorry about your fabric woes. I love Charley Harper though. I assume your quilt is based on one of his works?

191scaifea
Mar 4, 2021, 8:38 am

>188 lesmel: Oh boy, I hear you about miscalculating. I'm terrible at it and always have my physicist husband check my numbers for me.

192lesmel
Mar 4, 2021, 9:55 am

>190 lauralkeet: If this wasn't a lap quilt, I think I would have done something similar to the wall hanging I did a couple years ago of Erté's Spring Showers. Instead, I'm doing a simple set of squares and rectangles that showcase the different bird fabrics.

Erté: Spring Showers


I bought EQ8 last night knowing I will be making a lot more of my own designs. Especially since my niece has already started her campaign for me to make quilts for all of her beds in her new house. I told her and her mother that I will make all the quilts they want if they buy the fabrics.

I tested EQ8 with this Charley Harper Birbs quilt. It confirmed I needed 2 1/8 yards of fabric. Which is what I calculated the second and third times I ran my math. Actually, I just rounded to 1/2 yard because I never know how straight the cuts are coming off the bolt.

193lauralkeet
Mar 4, 2021, 10:19 am

I'm really looking forward to seeing the Charley Harper quilt in process. I just went down a rabbit hole on the CH website, looking first at the fabrics (oooh) and then the needlepoint designs. The latter are beautiful but expensive. In my mind I toy with getting back to needlepoint, but realistically that's not going to happen anytime soon and I already have a large William Morris design in need of attention ... but new designs are so tempting.

194dudes22
Mar 4, 2021, 1:43 pm

>192 lesmel: - I remember that quilt. I looked at the CH website too since I wasn't familiar with the name. There is some nice stuff on the website.

195avaland
Mar 5, 2021, 10:12 am

>192 lesmel: I'm glad you asked your relatives to buy the fabrics. A wise move.

196lesmel
Mar 5, 2021, 7:02 pm

I'm still waiting for the background fabric for the CH quilt. I think I will cut the squares and rectangles of the bird fabrics. I'll also probably cut the first sets of strips of the background fabric I have.

Then, there's a chance I'm going to do something I never do -- start another project. I'm not sure I can do this. I am a single project completionist. I not only LIKE running start to finish; I need that structure.

Sure, I will stack up several tops before I send them off for quilting; but piecing a top means there's only one project on deck at a time.

197lesmel
Mar 5, 2021, 8:22 pm

Ok. Cutting was a terrible idea. I messed up the cut on the first bird fabric. Luckily, it's a smaller cut so I could fix the mistake.

I have a sinus headache that is making my face throb. I thought I could work through it since I've done that all day; but no. Cutting and face-throbbing headache are a terrible mix. I did label everything and write out the cutting for each piece. Now, I'll just sit here on the couch watching more Cabins in the Wild.

198avaland
Mar 6, 2021, 5:55 am

I guess it's not the mistakes we make, it's how we fix them.

Sorry about the sinus headache. Hope it passes.

199scaifea
Mar 6, 2021, 8:32 am

Oh dang, I'm sorry about the headache. I can't work through head pain, either - I make big mistakes if I try. I hope you're feeling better this morning!

200lesmel
Mar 6, 2021, 3:03 pm

Sometime around 11am: Headache is still lingering (I want to use the word malingering...but that's totally the opposite of what is going on. 🤣) It's stubborn. I've taken a single caplet of Excedrin Migraine (which I'm not supposed to take because it is an NSAID and that's a no-no for bariatric patients). At this point, I'll take the risk.

In other news, I am happily playing away with EQ8 and learning more things. I want to take some in person classes eventually. I know they have online classes; but I want to be able to sit with people and talk about quilts and design and crafty things.

Sometime after 2pm: Went for a long lunchtime walk. Headache finally died. Also, my background fabric showed up! WOOT! I'll work on the birbs quilt after all! First, I have to pry myself away from EQ8. Also, I may take a nap before I do anything because I'm feeling lazy now that I've done my lunchtime walk.

201scaifea
Mar 6, 2021, 3:07 pm

Yay for the headache being gone and yay for the fabric arriving!

I had a look at the EQ8 website and now I want it. *sigh*

202dudes22
Mar 6, 2021, 3:26 pm

Glad you've finally gotten rid of your headache. and glad your fabric is here.

203lesmel
Mar 6, 2021, 4:43 pm

>201 scaifea: I have been stalking the software for months now. I've known about it for years; but I haven't ever been compelled to buy it until now.

204avaland
Mar 7, 2021, 5:57 am

Glad to hear the headache is gone. I used to have migraines so I can commiserate.

205SassyLassy
Mar 8, 2021, 12:47 pm

Interested hearing your EQ8 experiences. It always looked very tempting, but wasn't at that time available for Apple without partitioning your hard drive, so I passed. It sounds like a great programme though.

206lesmel
Mar 8, 2021, 9:17 pm

A friend gave me a new hashtag: #QuiltFighting -- as in, that's what you do when you & your project are NOT in synch. That's me with this birbs quilt. I got all the bird pieces cut. I got the background squares cut.

Putting it together is fairly simple; but not if you A) sew Row 4 upside down and below Row 5 and B) forget to trim Row 4 Block 3.

However, with all of that, I got the main part of the top sewn!



I have to decide on the border options. Do I want mitered, long verticals or long horizontals? I designed it for long horizontals; but I like the look of mitered borders -- even ones that aren't stripey.

207lesmel
Modificato: Mar 11, 2021, 12:33 pm

Mitered borders wins!



ETA: it helps if I use the correct image. That's what I get for trying to post when my brain had stopped working for the night. Or maybe it was never working on Tuesday.

I've already designed the back. At least, I think I have. I've got to double check my yardage. Yeah, I might be doing some creative fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pants piecing for the back. I think I JUST have enough length -- since I'm not going to be sending this to a long quilter. The width isn't a problem at all.

208avaland
Mar 11, 2021, 5:41 am

Another cool bit of quilt language! (Sassylassy has another more general one on her thread).

I'm beginning to think you like on some level flying-by-the-seat-of-your-pants...:-)

209SassyLassy
Mar 11, 2021, 8:48 am

>207 lesmel: Glad you went with the mitres. They add interesting contrast to the straight lines of the body of the quilt. I like your prints.

210lesmel
Modificato: Mar 12, 2021, 12:07 am

>208 avaland: Apparently, I love FBTSOMP (flying-by-the-seat-of-my-pants) b/c I swiftly effed up my backing design by cutting my fabric exactly in half instead of the 1/4 vs 3/4 I was supposed to cut. This quilt is going to be the death of me.

>209 SassyLassy: I plan on doing more mitered borders. I like the look.

211lesmel
Mar 12, 2021, 12:14 am

I've grudgingly adjusted my backing design for my stupid cutting mistake. Turns out, it's fine. I thought it would be a little too matchy-matchy; but I think it will be fine.

I'll cut the rectangles of bird fabric tomorrow and get those pieced. Hopefully, I will have a back tomorrow. That way I can sandwich and get quilting on Saturday. I want to be binding by late in the afternoon on Sunday.

Honestly, I hate this project I'm not sure why. I've never really clicked with anything other than the fabric. Even that I'm starting to hate because it is lightweight poplin. Feels fantastic. Total bear to sew into a quilt.

212lesmel
Mar 13, 2021, 12:13 am

This is where I left the progress last night:



I wasn't quite ready to tackle the middle section.

Tonight, I got the back done.



Not sure you can see them, but I had to use wonder clips to keep the backing on my design wall. For some reason, it has lost the static cling. Maybe the backing is too heavy or too many seams. Can you yank electrons off when you yank fabric A away from fabric B? 😂

Tomorrow, I will sandwich the thing. I'm going to need to piece the batting because I am trying to use up everything I have before buying more and creating more scraps.

At some point, I have to stop to read my bookclub book. I couldn't find it on audiobook. *sighs*

213avaland
Mar 13, 2021, 6:01 am

That's quite a backing!

I piece leftover batting, too. The last few years I have used the leftovers in my charity quilts.

214dudes22
Mar 13, 2021, 6:05 am

That's a great back. I think some quilts are just too heavy to stay up. I usually stick a few pins in to hold stuff up.

Lois got me into piecing batting together for some of my quilts too.

215sallypursell
Mar 14, 2021, 12:31 am

>212 lesmel: I like the backing a lot, I think more than the front. I piece a lot of my backs, or do something special, anyway, but I've never pieced batting.

216lesmel
Mar 18, 2021, 2:32 pm

Birbs quilt is NEARLY DONE! YAAAAY!! I have to bind it, photograph it, and wrap it. Then, I need to figure out the best way to get it to my coworker. He's working on-site most of next week. His party (via Zoom, sadly) is next Thursday.

217lesmel
Mar 19, 2021, 12:19 am

Did not get the quilt bound. I did get the binding made. I think I've got enough. I hope. I not quite hate making binding. I usually burn my fingers on the iron while pressing it. I also have a tendency to be just a little bit short and way way way too long. There is not middle ground with me for binding. I will say that my binding skills have improved a lot. Also, I've started to glue baste my bindings...it makes a world of difference.

I'm already considering my next project. I want something fast. I'm pretty sure the double slice with the library layer cake will be it. I have to decide if I want all prints or I want to mix in solids.

218avaland
Mar 19, 2021, 6:41 am

I'm sure your co-worker is going to love it. I understand the need to do something that comes together quickly from time to time.

re the binding. Have you tried those gadgets that make binding? You put the strip through it and it folds the sides in as you iron. I bought a few when we started making masks. It's not something I'd probably use to make binding, but it was kind of cool.

219lesmel
Mar 20, 2021, 10:59 am

DONE DONE DONE





I threw my back out yesterday morning while scooping the cat boxes. Fun times. It's the same thing every time I do this. Crippling pain and stiffness in my left hip/lumbar region. At first, sitting was a problem, then it wasn't, then it was. I eventually moved to my bed on a damp towel and heating pad. Then I was worse, then I was a little better. Finally, this morning, I'm probably 90% back to normal. I'm also exhausted from the pain and only sleeping 4 hours last night. I'm sure this was brought on by the quilt yoga (sandwiching the quilt) and weeding some of my backyard this week. Bending over to scoop litter was just the tipping point.

Next project I'll be working on: Double Slice Library. I might need a nap first. :)

220lesmel
Mar 21, 2021, 1:10 am

Napped almost two hours. Spent some time trying to remember it was a good idea to stay awake the rest of the afternoon. Finally started in on the Double Slice Library quilt.

This pattern is SPEEDY. I liiiike speedy! I probably will have a complete quilt top tomorrow. I need to decide on backing for the quilt. I already have the binding fabric chosen. I also need to see if I have enough pieces of batting that I can piece it all into this throw-sized quilt.

Can I just tell you the number of times I have wanted to buy batting by the bolt? Just buy that giant bolt and stick it in my craft room and use it for all the quilts. It seems like it would be easier than buying precut batting that leaves me with scraps. Not that the bolt wouldn't leave me with scraps; but maybe fewer scraps?

221dudes22
Mar 21, 2021, 7:36 am

>219 lesmel: - Your co-worker is sure to like that quilt. I love that backing fabric.

>220 lesmel: - One of the quilt shops I frequent has batting on the bolt that you can buy by the yard instead of in packages. (But they have those too). I still feel like there's some waste when you buy it that way. And they have a bunch of different ones. I wonder if your local quilt store could order one for you? And at what cost?

222scaifea
Mar 21, 2021, 8:50 am

>219 lesmel: That looks great!!

>220 lesmel: I buy interfacing by the bolt because I use it so often and it's just nice to know that I already have it when I need it. I suspect in the end it comes out costing less.

223lesmel
Mar 21, 2021, 6:39 pm

And here we are...





I'm letting this percolate a little. I've already made four swaps based on the greyscale. I've also finalized the border, backing, and binding fabrics. Again, I will need to piece a back; but that's always fun. I need to decide on how the piecing will go. I'm using two fabrics. I could just do a giant four patch. I could make a giant equivalent of this double slice -- that's actually not a bad idea. Hmmm. Have to think about this.

This quilt pattern is incredibly fast. Fast enough to make a collection of charity quilts with very little effort.

224dudes22
Mar 21, 2021, 6:45 pm

I know you said you've already made changes, but I notice that the bright green is only in the middle and on the right. Great that it's so quick.

225lesmel
Mar 22, 2021, 11:20 pm

>224 dudes22: I'd caught a couple of those blocks in my first swap. After you pointed it out, I went back and swapped a few more blocks. Thanks!

226lesmel
Mar 23, 2021, 12:24 am

Well, here we are!



I need to work on calculating the backing. The top is 58 1/2 x 67 1/2 at the moment. I'll need at least two inches around, I think, for the backing. The plan is to make oversized double slice blocks out of two fabrics for the backing. Although, four fabrics may be a better option.

227dudes22
Mar 23, 2021, 6:10 am

Much better with the swaps. I'm not that familiar with that block, but could you make one BIG block for the back. Or would that be too much waste? Or too many seams. Or too much math? ;)

228scaifea
Mar 23, 2021, 6:54 am

Oh, I love that! Such happy, bright colors!

229lauralkeet
Mar 23, 2021, 6:57 am

>226 lesmel: very nice! You did a great job with the colors, getting them to play nicely together.

230melannen
Mar 23, 2021, 5:39 pm

Both those quilts are gorgeous!

My mom has bought batting by the bolt for her church quilt group. It seems to work fine! I don't know if there's more or less waste, but I suspect it overall costs less than pre-cut. She only uses it when they're out of donated blankets and comforters to use instead.

(My mom does not do art quilts. But she is the kind of person who has been known to piece the *batting* if she has to.)

231arubabookwoman
Mar 23, 2021, 6:09 pm

Finally finding time to visit needlearts threads after joining a few weeks ago. Your double star quilt is beautiful. I will have to check out the Jane Sassanian fabrics.
In a case of serendipity a friend was just telling me a few weeks ago how much she liked Charlie Harper, so I had already googled him. The quilt for your coworker really showcases the fabrics, and I'm sure he will appreciate it.
I clicked the link for the "double-slice" quilt instructions, and that looks like a quick and easy pattern for a "grandchild" quilt. I like the fabrics you used (I love 10" fabric square packs), and I've already sourced it for possible purchase.
I admire your discipline in working on only one project at a time. I'm all over the place with usually dozens of projects going on at once, although at any one time I'm usually focusing on only 3 or 4.
Do you live in Houston? My daughter is there, and I've gone to the quilt show there every year since 2001, until the last two years when circumstances prevented. As soon as the world is covid-safe, I hope to go again.

232lesmel
Mar 23, 2021, 7:27 pm

>231 arubabookwoman: https://www.freespiritfabrics.com/fabric-lines/just-released/hand-crafted-cotton... -- there are more colors coming this year, I think. :)

I am in the Houston area. I've gone to quiltfest once. Normally, I go to Nutcracker Market. I can't manage both since they used to be back to back weeks & I'm not a fan of crowds. If the quilt show is held this year, I'm going.

233lesmel
Mar 24, 2021, 5:25 pm

Argh! I hit a combo of keys on my keyboard and lost my post. *le sigh*

I'm nearly done with the double slice quilt. Mentally, I'm trying to not jump to my next project. I have a few seams I need to sew and I can call the project done. Maybe 45 minutes of work. I'll be using this quilt as a test piece for a long arm quilter. If I can crank out two more quilts, I can send one quilt to each quilter. Then I can decide who gets the honor of quilting my double star quilt. *grins*

234lesmel
Mar 24, 2021, 10:35 pm

Top and back are done! Well, maybe the back. I think I need to add a strip to one side. When I lay the top over the back, the back is wide enough for long arm quilting; but not long enough. Luckily, I have enough fabric to add two strips of additional fabric if I had to.

235avaland
Mar 26, 2021, 9:40 am

>219 lesmel: Oh, that sounds awful. I hope you have fully recovered now!

>226 lesmel: So simple, but so lovely and cheerful.

As you have probably noticed over the years we've been together here that I always have multiple projects ongoing, some are on the machine, some on the design board, some roaming in my head. At times I do envy those who can constrain themselves to a one at a time work habit (or even two at a time!)

236dudes22
Mar 26, 2021, 1:57 pm

>235 avaland: - I'm with you, Lois. I'm constantly trying to stop myself from starting something new.

237lesmel
Mar 27, 2021, 5:25 pm

>235 avaland: Mostly recovered. I still have some twinges and get stiff if I sit one particular way.

If I didn't keep myself to one project at a time, I don't know that I'd ever get a project finished. It's one of the reasons I have a quilt journal and a quilt list. That way anything that pops in my head can get tabled for a future project -- or maybe never.

238lesmel
Mar 27, 2021, 5:36 pm

The double slice library quilt back is done. I nearly burned the thing and started over. Overall, though, I'm happy with how it turned out!

I've moved on to a totally impromptu project. At last week's family dinner night (which was really just a chat), my SIL asked me if I happened to have enough fabric left over from my brother's quilt to make a smaller quilt for their dog who has taken a fancy to my brother's quilt. My brother who said to me that no one was allowed to touch the quilt or sleep under it. My brother who now fights the entire household for his quilt -- that's a wife, son, three cats and one dog (for now).

So...dog quilt it is!



If I'd planned just a little better, I wouldn't have ended up with the orangey-coral fabric (between the purple and teal fabrics) to end up next to the orangey-red fabric (between the maroon-y and green-y fabrics). It is almost done. I am working on the binding now.

239lesmel
Mar 29, 2021, 1:08 am

Finished the dog quilt and got 1/4 way through the piecing of a second double slice quilt. This time with the colorful cats layer cake. At this rate, I may burn through the majority of my fabric stash before the end of summer. Well, no. Not really. I have too much novelty fabric that doesn't match anything to burn through it all that fast. However, I do think I maybe be creating some charity quilts from my stash using this pattern. It's fast and lends itself to a variety of fabrics.

Anyone know the name of this block? I've seen it named "Around the Block;" but I'm wondering what other names it goes under. Encyclopedia of Pieced Quilt Patterns says it's called Bright Hopes from Farm Journal.

240avaland
Mar 29, 2021, 9:10 am

I don't see anything in the big Junny Beyer encyclopedia under the 3x3 grid section.

I like the dog quilt! Lucky dog!

241lesmel
Mar 29, 2021, 10:09 am

>240 avaland: EPQP considers this part of the square in a square pattern category. It took me a couple tries to find it since I first thought about it like a modified nine patch.

242sallypursell
Mar 29, 2021, 10:12 am

>236 dudes22: Oh, that's a real fault of mine. In the middle of any project I can find something I want to start **new**.

243lesmel
Mar 31, 2021, 2:42 pm

*mutter*mutter*grumble*Dog quilt*mutter*mutter*grumble*Stupid quilter*mutter*mutter*grumble*Ripping out the binding*mutter*mutter*grumble*

I have *gasps* two project on my table. THE HORROR.

I am currently ripping out binding on the dog quilt because I forgot the batting is pieced and therefore MUST BE QUILTED. I tried being "cheap" about the quilting by trying to quilt with the binding on -- and promptly made the ripping out necessary. I'll need to finish the rip out, the quilt the long way, the fix the binding.

The colorful cat quilt is sitting on my ironing board. Ready to be pieced into blocks. I stare at it forlornly while ripping out stitches.

244sallypursell
Mar 31, 2021, 5:30 pm

245dudes22
Mar 31, 2021, 6:32 pm

While I was sewing the binding to the back of a wall hanging, I couldn't turn one corner because it seems like I've caught another bit of the binding while I was sewing it on. So it's sitting on a table waiting for me to rip out that corner. Not as bad as having to do the whole thing, but I still feel your pain.

246lesmel
Mar 31, 2021, 10:10 pm

Dog quilt finished (again). Started back up on the colorful cats double slice!

247avaland
Apr 1, 2021, 5:06 pm

>243 lesmel: I can commiserate. I've been ripping out stitches today also. Not my favorite thing. We all make mistakes, so go light on yourself :-)

Looking forward to seeing the finished products!

248lesmel
Apr 5, 2021, 3:49 pm

Almost ready to start piecing the top for Colorful Cats Double Slice.



I'm pretty sure this is the order I'm going with. I need to look at it one more time at least.

Here it is in greyscale:



Honestly, I can't remember now. I haven't done anything with the quilt since Friday evening. I may have moved a bunch of block around to get a better distribution of lights. I probably won't do anything tonight. I have book club and I'm REALLY tired from lack of sleep.

In other news, I am making a couple aprons for a friend. She made me laugh out loud after she saw the price of fabric and was like "I think I'm in sticker shock. I thought making the aprons would be cheaper." Ha ha ha ha ha ha hhhaaaaaaaaa. I was kind. "That's what everyone thinks." I don't think anyone has any clue what handmade quality clothing really costs. Even knowing my own worth at my skill level and the cost of fabric (from just "decent" to "high quality"), I'm not sure I really grasp the cost -- but I know it is never cheap. I also know high quality handmade can outlast the owner.

249scaifea
Apr 6, 2021, 6:43 am

Oh, I love those colors, and you've got a great mix of solids and patterns!

250SophiaBurns
Apr 6, 2021, 6:55 am

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251avaland
Apr 9, 2021, 7:02 pm

You have been busy! Love the cats!

My mother made sooooo many different kinds of aprons. I may even have some of her patterns here. It is costly nowadays to make clothing but once upon a time, it was less expensive to make clothing than to buy it....

252melannen
Apr 12, 2021, 12:33 pm

>248 lesmel: I thrift or salvage 90% of my sewing fabric and every time I have to go to buy some new it's total sticker shock!

253lesmel
Apr 19, 2021, 4:31 pm

Finished the colorful cats top and back:





I don't think the photo of the back does the polka dot fabric any justice. It's a really pretty brown. I've had the fabric for ages and ages.

254lesmel
Apr 19, 2021, 5:17 pm

I tried to start the 3rd and final (for now) double slice project; but realized there's just not enough variation in the layer cake to make the pattern work.



The top and middle row of squares have 5 each, the last row has four each. I'd like 1 more yellow fabric and 2 more white fabrics at a minimum -- that would be 3-4 squares each of 12 fabrics. It took me almost a week to decide this after hunting endlessly for coordinate fabrics. I've found another pattern I like for the Just Lemons layer cake; but I need to scale it down. I don't want another 80 x 80 quilt (I already have another in my projects list...maybe).

I decided to use my petals & pots layer cake instead. I still need to figure out border and backing; but at least I can get started on that quilt.

Once the 3rd double slice is done, I can send them to the quilting services to evaluate the process and skill and whatnot. Then, dooo dooo doooo, my double star will go to someone. Of course, I may need to sell a kidney to pay off the first three quilts. This is one reason I will probably rarely make really big quilts. Quilting is never the fun part for me. I'm not even sure if I had a long arm machine it would ever be fun; but that means quilting is pricey. I may -- eventually -- at least learn so that I can try a long arm on a project. There are a handful of places that offer that type of service -- rent time to quilt your own projects.

255dudes22
Apr 19, 2021, 6:49 pm

>253 lesmel: - I love the colors in this. Great light and dark distribution.

>254 lesmel: - I also do not enjoy the quilting part. And for the price of a long arm machine, I figure I could pay for a lot of quilting. Not to mention the space it takes. The place where I like to buy my fabric has machines you can rent, but it's @ an hour away so not that practical for me. To find the time to go and learn and then spend hours going back and forth to do it is just not for me. The new Bernina I'm looking at (if mine can't be fixed) can do somewhat more with quilting designs using a hoop - not really embroidery but on that idea. Still, I'm sure I still won't like that part. Deciding on a pattern and then a thread color just stresses me out. Probably why I have so many unfinished projects.

256lesmel
Apr 19, 2021, 10:53 pm

>255 dudes22: I have flirted with the idea of buying the table top frame from The Grace Company: https://www.graceframe.com/en/machine-frames/cutie-tabletop-fabric-frame. It's a reasonable price. It's compact. It's a good way to learn and practice FMQ -- and decide if going a step up is even worth it. At least, these are all my current arguments. It's a tough sell when I have mostly spent all my quilting time turning the air blue and throwing quilt rings across my table.

257dudes22
Apr 20, 2021, 5:36 am

Oh yeah - I have seen ones like that. You're right - that's not too bad a price. I wonder still how much fabric you can fit between the needle and the back of the machine. Is there somewhere that you could try one first? Even when I do FMQ on some small quilts, I still draw the design out on Golden Paper and sew over the design.

258lesmel
Apr 20, 2021, 9:54 am

>257 dudes22: For a machine like my Bernina, I'm not sure you could fit a lot of quilt; but surely enough for the size quilts I'd mostly make -- no larger than twin. I'm hoping I'll get a chance to play at quilt fest this year. Assuming it is in person. I'm planning on going even if I have to triple mask. It's in late October. I'm hoping we will have tackled the biggest hurdle -- vaccination -- and are resuming post-pandemic life. Notice I did not say "back to normal" -- is life ever going to be "normal" again?

Alternatively, there's John Flynn's quilt frame system:
https://www.flynnquilt.com/shop/Flynn-MultiFrame-System/p/Flynn-MultiFrame-x1884...
https://www.flynnquilt.com/shop/Flynn-MultiFrame-System/p/Flynn-MultiFrame-Kit-x...
His system is affordable and highly adaptive!

259dudes22
Apr 21, 2021, 1:22 pm

Was it you who was saying that you heard Bernina had stopped making foot #57 - the quilting one? I remembered to ask when I was dropping off my machine and the girl told me that they're still making it. I can't remember when we were talking about it or who said it.

260lesmel
Modificato: Apr 21, 2021, 2:52 pm

>259 dudes22: Yes, that was me! It's not on Bernina's site for sale any longer. Maybe they just stopped selling direct to customers? I looked everywhere for it. I vaguely remember seeing something about the foot being discontinued in favor of the #57D, #97, or #97D

261dudes22
Apr 21, 2021, 7:05 pm

>260 lesmel: - I hadn't heard of those. The 57D does look like the 57 with a light(?) on the side. If you still want one, I can check with my dealer or give you their name and number.

262lesmel
Apr 21, 2021, 8:36 pm

>261 dudes22: I found the foot online in the same week I found the straight-stitch plate. They've both made a big difference in my piecing skills!

263avaland
Apr 22, 2021, 8:46 am

>254 lesmel: I like the blue and yellow set-up. You have been very busy (and you don't really need two kidneys, do you? :-)

>255 dudes22: I had done some of my own quilting back in 90s and early otts; okay with straight lines and small patterns, less good at freeform. I still quilt in a diagonal grid all the charity quilts and sometimes the baby and other small quilts. I like to take the quilts that are gifts OR ones whose lines can be 'softened' by a curvy quilting finish to a machine quilter. Yep, it's pricey but worth it, imo. Like both you and Betty, I have entertained the idea, from time to time, of buying a longarm, but have always talked myself out of it.

264lesmel
Modificato: Mag 9, 2021, 9:26 am

Worked on two aprons for a friend today yesterday. I love a deadline. Especially self-imposed tight ones...like seeing said friend tomorrow later today. I should be exhausted & asleep. Instead I am wired & wondering if I should work on the 3rd double slice quilt. I haven't worked on anything in two weeks. I was taking a sewing break; but I am totally jazzed to get back to it!

No pics of the aprons yet. I need J to try them on so I can pin the pockets where she wants them. The pattern has them placed weird. It is why I didn't put pockets on my niece's apron; but J wants the pockets.

265lesmel
Modificato: Mag 23, 2021, 10:06 am

Finished the aprons! Woot! I'm a little annoyed that I just now have noticed that the pockets are NOT* even with each other. *huffs*





edited to fix my missing word...

266PawsforThought
Mag 23, 2021, 4:38 am

>265 lesmel: Nice! I really like the patterns on the fabrics.

267dudes22
Mag 23, 2021, 5:40 am

Those are cute. And great fabric choices.

268avaland
Mag 23, 2021, 5:47 am

>265 lesmel: Those are fabulous! I like the first one best :-)

btw, soon I'm going to start a new thread, a continuation thread as mine has gone over 200 posts (a common practice on book discussion threads, as you probably know). I find my thread hard to navigate when it gets that long. You might consider one also as it's not even half way through the year yet and my post here is #268!

269AbbieSanders
Mag 23, 2021, 8:17 am

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270scaifea
Mag 23, 2021, 8:19 am

Oh gosh, I love the aprons so much!
Questa conversazione è stata continuata da crafting for a better 2021 - lesmel - part 2.

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