Taking Stock of Works In Progress

It's Monday morning, and I need to get organized! 

I find myself in the position of having too many irons in the proverbial fire. So many projects clutter my brain space (and my workspace!) that I just need to step back and take stock of it all. My most effective method is to make a list. It both frees up brain space and sets me on a path to finishing these WIPs (Works In Progress) and PHDs (Projects Half Done).

First, finish Tag Sale. I have all the big 9-patches and small 9-patches made. The small 9-patches now need to have the economy triangles added, and I am in the process of doing that. (Photos above.) Then I will make the 4 star blocks to complete all the blocks for the quilt. Follow that up with completing the top and then adding borders. It is all very straightforward.

Second, finish Cate's dress. I cut out a little wrap dress for granddaughter Cate, and I could actually finish it in the time it takes me to write this blog  - that is how simple it is. I bought a digital download on Etsy, so for this first use of the pattern, I want to really understand the one part that could be trouble: turning it right side out. I will share, so stay tuned.

Third, do some long arm quilting. I put a quilt on the long arm machine before Christmas and it is still there. I made one pass of the machine only to discover some wonkiness in my stitches. All the hustle-bustle of Christmas and then the packing for Florida took my attention away from fixing the problem. I must now address whatever issue was involved here, and then get this quilted and bound.

Too many quilts are waiting in the wings to be loaded and quilted! In other words FINISHED!! I'm feeling a greater urgency to finish my quilts, which leads me to the next item on the list.

Fourth, catch up on baby quilts. I have two baby quilts made and ready for the long arm and one more baby quilt needing to be made. Nieces and nephews are having grand nieces and nephews, plus my own children's friends are having babies. I am a bit behind, as per my usual.

Fifth, Lake Effect. 

Oh, Lake Effect! I want you done, yet I rarely take you out of the basket! 

I almost don't want to admit how long I've neglected this quilt - surely multiple months, sadly. I go so long between spurts of working on it that I forget what I was working on and then when I do take it out again, I spend half a day figuring out where I was. Duh. So dumb. 

Okay, This gives me some focus, and I promise to make progress (a little or a lot!) on ALL of these this week!

Of course, plans are afoot for a couple brand new quilts, but those will definitely be waiting until I accomplish some of the tasks listed here. Oh, how I love to start new projects! No wonder I have so many WIPs and UFOs. 

Happy Quilting, Friends!

Jayne

Design Choices

Weighing out various options concerning a design choice can sometimes be all-consuming while at other times it can be blatantly simple and straightforward.

I made a design choice over the weekend and even though it was kind of a big deal, no dithering occurred. I just knew what had to be done.

 

Brief back story: I sewed these 36 haphazard 9-patch blocks while at the quilt retreat a couple weeks ago. They are for a pattern called Tag Sale by Carrie Nelson. Even though the pattern said to make the orderly, 2-fabric blocks, I figured it would be fine to go with a less structured look. So I made all 36 blocks and stashed them away to finish here at home.

 

 

 

Tag Sale is in this (much) older book Miss Rosie's Quilt Collection (2005). My original Tag Sale was a delight to make and I even hand quilted it. Making a new Tag Sale just seemed appealing to me - this time using a brighter, sunnier, cheerier fabric collection.

The Book

  

My Fabric Collection

On Saturday afternoon,  I returned my attention to Tag Sale. Almost immediately, I was regretting the decision to make my blocks this way.

I had not hesitated a moment when deciding to break away from the pattern, nor had I questioned the choice in the intervening days, yet when I sat down to continue working on Tag Sale this weekend, I just knew I should have followed the pattern.

And without a moment of painful decision-making, I proceeded to pick apart all 36 blocks and stitch them up properly.

I’m not usually prone to making such drastic decisions, but it just felt ‘right’ to change my mind with these blocks. I didn’t wallow in self doubt or self pity. I simply took ripper in hand and spent a few hours deconstructing. 

It's at this point I should insert a picture of my thread-covered shirt, pants, socks, floor and table. Alas, I didn't take that picture. But I imagine you quilters surely can envision it. *grin*

Ahhh, yes, this decision was exactly correct. I just know I am going to be happier with the finished quilt for having made this correction. 

I will confess that a couple factors played into making this deconstruction/reconstruction process somewhat more palatable than it might otherwise have been.

First, it was a chilly, gray day, and who wanted to do anything outside? Not me! Second, I had a super-long audio book on loan from the library which was due in 2 days. I still had 12 hours of listening! Picking stitches is the perfect activity for audio books. 

Finishing the re-sewing of those blocks completed, I've moved on to the next step - sewing the smaller 9-patches which will go into an economy block. Stay tuned for progress updates.

Oh, you might like to see my original Tag Sale. Can you tell how perfectly crinkly it is? It's been laundered a few times over the last 20 years, so it is perfectly soft and cuddly.

 

Happy Quilting, Friends!

Jayne

Jan’s Reveal

The Frankfort Girls gathered yesterday at Terry’s house. We'd been mostly all together at the quilt retreat the previous week, and we were mostly all together at Terry's. It has been challenging getting 100% attendance lately. 

Anyway, that is neither here nor there . . . what I really want to do is show you a finish from Jan who was both at retreat and at Terry's. I shared in my retreat wrap-up that Jan was truly gnashing her teeth over the fussy piecing suggested for these panels. After about 4 done by the book, she decided to take liberties and simplify things. This made her much happier, and definitely sped up her finish rate.

Just look at all she’s accomplished one week post-retreat! Quilted and bound! It looks fantastic, and we all agreed that her altered blocks look just as good (if not better!) than the by-the-book blocks. If you've followed here long enough, you know Jan is our over-achiever, so it surprised no one that she had moved this project along so quickly. While we were together yesterday, she was stitching binding.

My Paris Flea Market Find quilt top was the only other show-n-tell item for the group. Since you saw all about it yesterday, I'll only re-run a quick photo. *wink*

Here on the homefront, I've not touched the long-arm machine in the 3 weeks we've been back from Florida. That NEEDS to become a priority - SOON. I am behind on about 3 baby quilts, plus several recent quilt tops that I want to finish off.

It is a gorgeous Saturday here in southern Ohio, although a bit on the chilly side. Breezy conditions are keeping temps in the mid-50s. Clear, cloudless skies, though, sure are a welcome sight! The trees are leafing out and flowering trees are bursting forth!

Have a great Saturday!

Happy Quilting, Friends!

Jayne

Finally - A Reveal!

It sounds pretty pathetic, but I'd like to introduce my first quilt top of 2024. It has taken me until beyond mid-April to finally produce a quilt top. I have never taken so long to share one with y’all! Those three months in Florida really stunted my early-year productivity.

I began working on Paris Flea Market Find (PFMF) at the retreat last week. I made all the 25-patch blocks and all the sashing strips. I hadn't brought the cornerstone fabric or the border fabrics, so the finishing up has been happening this week.

You know what? The long wait for a 2024 flimsy was totally worth it. This is one gorgeous quilt top, I tell you. The fabrics in the 25-patches is from a jelly roll I had called, coincidentally, Paris Flea Market by Moda/3 Sisters. The red star points fabric is from my stash - a 1-yard cut of Paris Flea Market. The light sashing fabric is a Laundry Basket Fabrics neutral which I'd found in a bin at Old Town Fabrics. The floral inner border is Sanctuary by Moda/3 Sisters. That was left over from a quilt I made in 2021. The cornerstones and outer border is Promenade by, you guessed it, Moda/3 Sisters. I just love that these designers keep similar colorways so that various lines can be combined.

As I said, Paris Flea Market, Sanctuary, and Laundry Basket were all fabrics in my stash. I must credit my dear friend and best sewing buddy, Sharon, for coming through with a most amazing Christmas gift - over a half a bolt of Promenade. Not only is this the cornerstone and outer border fabric, there is enough remaining to use as backing! And Sharon even came through with the pattern! Lucky me, right?

And here is Paris Flea Market Find, a completed quilt top - her coming out party. Ahh, I just love how delicate and soft it is. What a cozy quilt this is destined to become!

Hopefully, all my quilts this year will come together as effortlessly as PFMF has. I will be one satisfied quilter if they do.

Happy Quilting, Friends!

Jayne

Local Shopping

When we got to Florida in January, I began my scrap stitching using my newer, smaller Bernina 220. By mid-February, I'd used it so much that it began giving me troubles - you know the typical problems: broken threads, bobbin snafus, poor stitch quality.

 

Fortunately, because I had anticipated trouble (neither machine had been recently serviced), I had both machines with me. I wrapped up the little one and brought out the trusty old Bernina 1010, finishing out March with this 35-year-old model.

 

Back now in Ohio, I needed that machine serviced. In nearby Chillicothe we have a sweet, full-service quilt shop that sells and services Bernina. One of my first orders of business was to take my little 220 to Old Town Fabric Shop for a thorough cleaning and servicing. Store manager and co-owner Kelly is a former student of mine (11th grade English!), so we go waaayyy back. Kelly is trained by Bernina to do the mechanical, technical stuff. I love that I have a convenient place to have my machines serviced. The store is a spacious former canal warehouse. Kelly and her mom Cindy have created a quilter's paradise featuring filled-to-the-brim shelves and cubbies packed with scrumptious fabrics for every quilter’s taste.

 

Because it'd been awhile since I last stopped in, the current store samples were a delight for the eye. I thought I'd give you all a peek at the gorgeous offerings on display. Perhaps you'd be tempted to take a visit yourself?

 

In the foreground of this bottom picture is an Around The World quilt that caught my eye both when I dropped off my machine and again when I picked it up. Gosh, I would love to make one, but the intimidation factor is way off the chart. What a labor! Those fabrics, though, make it entirely too tempting. If only you could see it in person! The pattern is called Wildflower by Laundry Basket Quilts. Maybe...

Why not consider a little drive to southern Ohio? This shop is a great place to while away a few hours! I did a bit of shopping - not much - but a few little bits to enhance the stash. Some I've already cut and sewn, if you can believe that!

Hope you enjoyed the little shop tour! 

I will share a brand new quilt top in the very near future. Hope you'll come back for the big reveal.

Happy Quilting, Friends!

Jayne

Retreat Report #2

Retreat sewing. That's what y'all want to see, right? So let's get right into it! 

 

First up, we'll see what Sharon was stitching. She and I are doing the same pattern; it's by It's Sew Emma called Paris Flea Market Find. Sharon is using Etchings fabric by 3Sisters, augmented with some other 3Sisters lines from her stash.

 

Those sashing strips left a great pile of cut-away corners, so Sharon saved them for some eventual HSTs and a project yet to be determined. (I saved mine, too!)

 

Making the 25-patch blocks was lots of fun and so very satisfying as they came together quite speedily. 

 

Becky had two very different projects - one for machine piecing and one for hand work. Below is the book from which her applique pattern comes. It's hard to discern, but it's called Fresh Picked from Blackbird Designs.

Her other project is one that just boggles my mind in its intricacy. Circa 1880 Nine Patch by Pam Buda contains 6,268 pieces, many of which finish at 1/2 inch. Yowza.

Becky had completed this tubful of tiny uneven 9-patches, and her work at retreat involved attaching the setting triangles and forming the long strip of blocks.

 

 

 

The neat stack on Becky's table shows a significant portion of both her projects - the applique on tip and the strips of uneven 9-patches under them.

 

 Jan brought one project to this retreat, very unlike her normal mega-productivity at previous retreats. Her efforts were of the Herculean variety as she finished this overly-involved panel quilt.

 

Each panel required a rather extensive border; after gnashing her teeth on about 4 of these, she began taking short cuts which required fewer seams and fewer fussy bits. We all agreed that the simpler borders were actually better, as they did not deter from the cute panels.

 

Sheryll had two main focuses - these intricate blocks for a quilt she's had under construction for awhile was one of them. 

 

 

 

Her other focus was making HSTs using Primitive Gathering HST papers. I should have asked how many she ended up making, but gosh, that stack was looking mighty intimidating! I think that Jacob's Ladder (above) is also for a Primitive Gatherings project.

Susan (who you met yesterday with her brand new machine) had lots of variety in her week at retreat. First, she made this owl quilt.

 

Next, she worked on this Ohio University table runner. I love the way this looks, and since I have an OU grad in the family, I would very much consider making something like this for her.

 

From the OU project, Susan moved on to this Folk Art/Patriotic house quilt. It was looking mighty fine as we finished out the week.

Susan also shared a 3-yard quilt finish from last summer's retreat. Several of us have made quilts from one of the many 3-Yard Quilt books.

Terry was a busy girl, too, with several finishes to boast. She already had a good start on this Civil War Legacies quilt called Remembrances. It is impressive with all those famous faces highlighted in the center of each block.

She then moved on to this quilt, but I can't tell you anything about its name or pattern. I do know that we discovered an error after this photo was taken, and she did get it all fixed before we left retreat.

Next, Terry moved on to making an OSU quilt for her grand-nephew who attends there. She used a sheet for the center of the OSU blocks, and a variety of theme-related fabrics to build this out. It is quite the impressive flimsy after just a day's hard work.

Our final seamstress is Helen, who worked so hard to get her Alpine quilt cut out. The thinking was that she'd cut here at retreat, then Becky could take the ruler home to cut hers later. Helen got far enough along in the process that she made one block just to be sure that she was on the right track with this project. I think she might have been more than just a little intimidated with these angles. I'm sure she'll get it all squared away.

Another project Helen brought to work on was this kit from Maywood Studio. It is going to look so happy and cheerful, with hints of vintage 30s sprinkled throughout.

And yes, Helen had one more kit - this happy little neighborhood called Farmer's Daughter by Moda. She has quite a bit of this finished!

Here are some final shots of my version of Paris Flea Market Find - I'm using (primarily) Paris Flea Market fabrics along with some stash yardage.

That's it!! A 4-day retreat at Needles and Pines in Nelsonville, Ohio, is all we need to have a fun and productive week. We highly recommend this facility to quilters in the southern Ohio area.

Happy Quilting, Friends!

Jayne