GFG and Borders

The long saga of the completion of my Grandmother's Flower Garden quilt is nearing its conclusion. So many times over the last couple of years I have considered that this quilt was finished, yet before long an idea for "one more thing" presents itself and so I return to it and do a bit more. 

 

The latest chapter of the saga has been adding borders. I auditioned several colors of solids and decided on this pale yellow. I wanted to applique the hexie center to the border, but couldn't be sure how I would secure it sufficiently to prevent shifting as I stitched. So I basted the border to the hexie center. That worked really great for the two straight sides of the quilt.

The other two sides are curvier, so I used a glue stick to hold the borders in place while I stitched. One side is done; one side remains. I think it will be done by the end of this week. 

While straightening this quilt out on the bed, it occurs to me that I am likely to have the waviest border ever. I plan to trim off a good portion, so that may soften those ruffly bits, but I doubt it's a total fix. I expect that quilting will cover up some of the fullness; I also think I can improve things with a carefully measured binding. 

Getting that last border on is my next concern. Then trimming. Then it will likely be put away for awhile - like until I am ready to quilt it. This entire portion has been done by hand. It makes such perfect sense to hand quilt it, too, but that is such a hefty decision. I just am not ready to commit to that. Maybe I will, eventually. 

We will wait and see.

Happy Quilting, Friends!

Jayne 

 

Stash-Busting Project

From deep within the depths of my stash, I found these three fabrics that look like they should have been bought with a single project in mind. No, they were not. They were bought at various times over the last several years. How they happened to meet up this past fall, I do not recall, but I sure am glad for this happy accident!

The neutral fabric is by Andover. The yellow is by Joanna Figueroa/Moda. The peach is by Marcus. I can't be any more specific because I've tossed all the essential info with the selvages. My guess is that they are pretty well aged.

Like I said, they were all matched up back in the fall, but I didn't get around to doing anything with them. I brought them with me to Florida in the hopes that I'd have time for a quickie project. 

I cut out a 3-Yard Quilt yesterday called Modern Charm. I cannot tell you which specific book because I only took a picture of the cutting instructions. But I'm sure I borrowed my friend Jan's book; so I can identify later, if I need/want to.

Obviously, with only 3 yards of three fabrics, this will be a small quilt, and I have in mind yet another quilt for new grandbaby Dillon, arriving in April. She already has one quilt prepared; this will be #2. (I have a sneaking suspicion that I will be making quilts for grandchildren for years and years.) *smile*

I have sewn and cut all the sub-units. Now to stitch the remaining churn dash blocks. They will alternate with the yellow dot fabric. I am hoping that the resulting quilt will be a gentle, calming quilt for a new baby girl.

I have already made a couple of 3-Yard Quilts - click here to see one - and all the Frankfort Girls have made them, as well. Some have made quite a few! 

I am motivated to keep going on Modern Charm, so look for a fast finish!

Happy Quilting, Friends!

Jayne 

 

 

A New Quilting Community

One thing I miss terribly by being away from Ohio for three months - besides family! - is my quilting friends. We have such a good time when we are together, and we boost each other's productivity with inspiration and encouragement.

Friends gathering for a quilting retreat.

 

Slowly, my sewing Florida sphere is widening as I have been drawn into a new group of quilting friends that I am eager to know better.

Nobleton ladies putting out lunch.

 

Charlaine, a woman I met through shuffleboard, is a quilter! I discovered this fact at the very end of our first winter here. She's now a full-time Florida resident, and has cultivated some friendships with fellow quilters. I joined her last Thursday for the weekly fiber arts sewing circle in the nearby town of Nobleton. 

 

Stitching and socializing; networking at its finest!

The building is large, a community center with space for many activities, the most common being bingo, from the looks of things. Charlaine also goes to a Monday night craft session where more non-sewing activities are featured. For example, she is working on weaving a basket with pine needles. 

Lunch looked really good!

 

I met about a dozen ladies on Thursday. They were so welcoming. I tried to speak with everyone, but I fear some latecomers slipped past me. I will go again this week to see if I can remember folks. One gal, Polly, is 99! She is the liveliest little gal, and what a hoot! Her parting sentiment as she prepared to have someone drive her home was "Be jolly!" 

While Charlaine worked on EPP hexies, I worked on appliqueing the borders of my Grandmother's Flower Garden. It was nice to have a needle and thread in my hand.

Border is being attached!

 

Working on a project among like-minded folks really makes for a fun and rewarding day.

Happy Quilting, Friends!

Jayne

 

Is This Madness?

Two years ago, I sewed along with Taryn's Tiny Nine Patch Challenge. It was so much fun to use my scraps and create a gorgeous quilt that I simply adore. I also enjoyed the community of other quilters as I saw the wide variety of quilts they were making along with me. Taryn hosted the quilt along on her Repro Quilt Lover account over on Instagram.

A new quilt along has begun called Fancy Four Patch Challenge. I printed off the introductory packet and made my first block. If I continue with this challenge, I very well could be mad. These pieces are so tiny! The finished block measures just 5 inches, and I need 152 of these to make the full quilt. 

 

I just don't know if I'm up for it. 

This block is just as cute as can be, however I question whether or not this is a good use of my time. What do you think? When Sharon and I sew together, we always talk about projects with bigger pieces and less fussy stuff. This goes against all that in a big way. There are some positives, though.

I have saved lots of cut-away HSTs from previous projects. I suppose there may be as many as a dozen baggies of these HSTs stuffed away in various spots throughout my sewing room. When I get back home, I may find that I can use them to speed up block completion. Wouldn't it be great to use of all those HSTs  in this challenge? It would definitely lend to making a scrappy quilt, which I love.

While I think on this 'do I' or 'don't I' conundrum, here are some pics from the construction process for this little block. Use the 1" squares on my cutting mat to judge the size of the tiny bits.

 

I did not bring a great variety of neutrals with me to Florida. The finished quilt should have a variety of neutrals in lots of mismatched tones, sometimes mixed in the same block. The print I've used here is a remnant from those little snap wallets I made a week ago. It definitely doesn't take much fabric to make this 5" block.

Bottom line: I am not saying I am all in for this challenge; nor am I all out. Riding the fence currently. I might make a few more blocks while here in FL. I will definitely go to those HSTs at home and just see how it goes. It could be a great way of using them and I guarantee I'd love it. Those projects were good ones; those fabrics were pleasing. Revisiting all of them through participation in this quilt challenge would be satisfying. 

Are any of you doing this challenge with Taryn? Do you have opinions on whether a block it too fussy and small? Have you any better ideas on ways to use saved HSTs? 

So many quilts. So many decisions. But such satisfying activity any way you look at it!

Happy Quilting, Friends!

Jayne 

 

Welcome February!

And just like that, January 2026 is history. The months go faster and faster, don't they? A lot of folks complain about how l-o-n-g January seems to be what with all the nasty weather present in many areas, but I've never minded the month, regardless of where I am. Admittedly, January is a lot more agreeable in Florida, than in some places! *smiles*

 I have a January wrap-up collage to share, and a whole bunch of new stuff to tell you about. Let's get the collage out of the way first, and then I will share the new stuff in some upcoming posts.

TOP ROW: The first finish for 2026 was hand quilting and binding this single block that came from my Aunt Margaret's stash. She passed in 2016, and my cousin passed along her quilting stuff to me. This sweet block was hand-pieced and tucked in amongst quite a lot of interesting fabrics, blocks and unfinished projects. Next is my annual jigsaw puzzle, which was quite the challenge. I generally do one or two every winter, but this was so tough, I decided one would suffice for this year. At 1000 pieces, that orange foreground took forever. The first quilt flimsy of the year is this layer cake baby quilt. I am planning to finish it in time for the birth of our next grandchild in early April. 

MIDDLE ROW: I've watched loads of tutorials for making bags and pouches and wallets, and this particular one just looked too easy. After acquiring the snap kit, I have gone nuts making a bunch of these, and continue to make more - 2-3 at a time. It's a very satisfying fast finish. We took this selfie to send to granddaughter Cate, just to remind her of who we are - ha! We sure do miss those kiddos! The second flimsy of the year is my Wensleydale quilt. I absolutely love this quilt, and look forward to quilting it ASAP. 

BOTTOM ROW: We have a farmer's market near us where we get our eggs and select produce. They also have quite a nice array of flowers and herbs. This cheery table full of blooms is a sampling of their offerings. I have met a new group of quilter friends through a shuffleboard buddy, Charlaine. I went with her to a nearby community center where like-minded fabric enthusiasts meet and share and sew. I look forward to this becoming a regular feature of my Thursdays. Last, one of our favorite restaurants is The Freezer in Homosassa. Steamed shrimp fresh off the boat! Eight of us met for a leisurely outdoor lunch last week and stuffed ourselves full. Delicious.

Our winter in Florida is one month down, and two months remain. February is a short month, but it will be packed with fun, I'm sure!

Happy Quilting, Friends!

Jayne

Wenselydale Flimsy!

Slow and steady, according to the old Aesop's Fable, and sure enough, slowly and steadily I have managed to put all the pieces together for Wensleydale. What a beauty she is!

The progress on this quilt has had some pauses of the planned variety. The foundation-pieced blocks were completed last spring and summer. I intentionally put them aside to be sewn together while in Florida. Following through on that plan in the first month! Yay!

Some of my very early work on the blocks.

Each new block instantly became my favorite!

So, the stack of blocks traveled down I-75, and here we are on Moonrise Lane. I went straight to work on the Layer Cake quilt for our coming granddaughter (arrival in April!), then I put Wensleydale on my radar.

I laid the blocks out on the bed and found a pleasing arrangement with very little fussing. Originally, I planned to sew the blocks together with the papers still attached to the back, and I did with the first and second rows. (I was strip sewing in Eleanor Burns' style.) 

It became evident that I would never be able to sew that whole quilt with the papers on, so I took a couple of days to remove all the papers while managing to keep all the blocks in their proper places. What a messy job! I had paper scraps everywhere. (And no photo evidence, but trust me on this!)

Then back to stitching. In the course of the last few days, it all came together. I pinned rather carefully at all the triangle points. Most matched just fine; a few are a bit off, but not so egregious that I am going to re-do them! I can handle a missed point here and there. 

 

 

The Tilda fabrics do all the work in this quilt. There's not a single block that I find objectionable. The eye is happy wherever it lands. 

The quilt contains 60 blocks, is 6 blocks x 10 blocks, and measures 77" x 66". I have given a bit of thought to how I will quilt it, but have not decided on a backing or binding, so those are some considerations I must work out. None of that will happen in the next 2-3 months, so I have time for those details. Somehow these things always find a way of coming together.

What next? I have two very important hand applique WIPs to work on, and I have additional new baby things, as well. Stay tuned to see what direction I take. 

Happy Quilting, Friends!

Jayne 

Small Card Pouch

I don't know what it is about bags and purses, but I am a total hoarder of any that come along. As my friend Jan says, 'I never saw a bag I didn't like.'

Likewise, I collect patterns and tutorials for making all manner of bags. One that has been worming its way through my brain for over a month is this tutorial for a small snap bag to hold cards - gift cards or business cards or credit cards. I saw it on Instagram, saved it, and have watched it a gazillion times.

Finally, I had all the materials for making this little card holder.

My test attempts are the blue and pink ones in the middle of this array. Actually, another blue one is already in use in my purse, and the other pink one turned out to be sewn - and cut - wrong, so it was a loss.

 

Hoping that I would have a chance to try making these, I brought a stack of random florals with me to Florida. I then ordered a snap kit which includes an rather intimidating device for securing snaps into fabric. On a recent trip to Hobby Lobby, I bought a yard of medium-weight fusible interfacing. 

Then I dove right in to creating some little bags! They are so fun. And after my initial bumbling efforts, I became rather proficient with the snap tool; I streamlined the cutting and folding and I also incorporated some cutting and turning tricks. These sorts of things weren't shown in the tutorial, but any experienced seamstress knows these tips - grading seams and clipping curves, for example. 

The snap kit I bought has a wide variety of colors, and it was fun to pull out snaps for these few pouches. And it came with so many; I'll have to make several hundred before I run out! You can see a few of the color options in the top photo.

I will definitely be making more. I can think of so many ways in which to use them. The one in my purse is keeping a few random gift cards secure. I don't carry very many business cards, but I'll likely use one for keeping a few essential ones in place. 

I'm thinking of how nice these would be at Christmas time or other gift-giving occasions. 

This was a fun little diversion after finishing the layer cake quilt top. Next up, I will pull out the Grandmother's Flower Garden and get to work on appliqueing the border. This will be a worthwhile activity for evenings. Machine time will likely find me pulling out the Wenselydale blocks and beginning to stitch together that quilt top.

Happy Quilting, Friends!

Jayne