A Reveal!

Sorry I've been away from blogging for awhile. I hosted 2 women's events this week, and we got called to Columbus for an unexpected day of babysitting for our granddaughter, consequently tending to details here at JQR sorta' fell way down on my to-do list.

With that all behind me, let's get back to talking quilts.

I've been slow to restart my quilting gears this year what with that 3-month snowbird getaway. Finally, now in mid-May, I’m getting back into the groove and at last, I’ve got some projects and finishes to share! 

First, let's focus on the quilt that waited all those long 3 months strung out on the long-arm frame - Floral Explosion. I put it on the frame before Christmas with the hopes that I'd be able to quilt it and take it with me to Florida. The tension on my machine had other ideas, though, and I could foresee problems, so I left it. Just walked away all through the holidays and then all through those snowbird months.

 

I didn't even really try to address the tension issues for a good long while after we returned to Ohio. Troubleshooting tension requires tremendous focus which I was sorely lacking.

There comes a point in time, however, that one has to engage the 'mind over matter' mentality. I had so many quilts to get done! Baby quilts especially. I needed that machine to work properly. 

Yes, it was as aggravating as I expected. It actually took me a couple of sessions before I finished the quilt. I am not entirely happy with the results, but done is better than nothing, and a finish is something to celebrate.

I admit to having some ambivalence toward this quilt. There are definitely so many things to love. I love all the happy florals. I love the simplicity of the big 9-patches. I love that I shopped the stash for borders and backing. I love that I used a layer cake (below) with very little waste.

But for the poorly-managed tension, the quilt would be perfect. Alas, I will use it here for my own purposes, and ignore how dreadful the back of the quilt looks.

Details on the quilt: I bought the layer cake in 2022 at Mae-Lynne Makers while on retreat. Last year, at the '23 retreat, I made the 9-patch blocks and constructed the quilt center. (In re-reading that post, I mention that I wasn't planning to add borders; I am glad I had a change of heart on this!) This post focuses on border issues. The borders, backing and binding are all from existing stash, and are similar to the happy, spring-like flowers represented in the layer cake. The backing is pieced, and the binding is hand-stitched. The size is 67"x75". Nice for draping over the back of the couch.

I am happy to report that since correcting the long-arm tension, I have successfully finished 2 more quilts. I love how the quilting looks - both top and bottom threads appear to be perfect! It sure is satisfying to complete the quilting process when all systems are working properly. 

And, yes, I will definitely be sharing both finishes in upcoming posts! 

Happy Quilting, Friends!

Jayne

Small Stuff

 I've been in a bit of down time, lately, as my lack of posting here would indicate. I did plan to have several quilts quilted, and loaded Floral Explosion onto the longarm many days ago.

I made one pass across the quilt and had three thread breakages. wahhh! I believe the tension needs adjusting, and I just have refused to go back to make things right. My mindset isn't right, at the moment. Soon, I will be ready to face it. I hope!

Sharon came on Tuesday of last week, and I did accomplish one project that had been on my radar - a new pillow panel for the center of our bed. I wanted one that would pair nicely with the fall-winter look of Dusty Trails.

 Just to see what you think, here's a quick reminder of the quilt.

I also have pulled fabric for regular pillow cases to use with this quilt and the pillow above. I think they will all work nicely, and as I complete things, I will be sure to share here.

I really haven't been very focused on sewing and quilting lately. Consequently, that also means that blogging has suffered. I do take these spells of inactivity (moreso lately, it seems), but hopefully I will be back in productivity mode before too long.

Over the weekend, we had a special little guest to fill our every waking moment. Yes, Cate had her first solo overnight at Grandma and Grandpa's. We were in heaven. It was work, though, and we appreciate that raising kids is for the younger set!

Have you been more productive than I have? I read several blogs and follow several IG accounts. There are some fantastic quilts being made - just not by me, at the moment!

Happy Quilting, Friends!

A Floral Explosion

I intimated very recently that borders are like cryptonite to me. I really balk or stall out on adding them, and more often than not lately, I am leaving them off all together.

So today I basically made a liar out of myself.

Here's what I did. I added not just one border but 4 borders to a little quilt I made back in September.

Geesh.

 At the retreat in Nelsonville, I used 3" squares made from an entire layer cake to make this lap quilt. At the time, I considered it finished, and was totally pleased with it. I knew it would be a small quilt, measuring 45"x53", but I didn't mind. I would use it somehow, somewhere.

Well, earlier this month, I came across two similar floral prints in my stash that had no specific project assigned to them. Hmmm...maybe I would add borders to this little quilt, after all.

Laid out here next to the quilt, I liked the way these blend together so well. I had an idea that I would do a small off-white border between them and the quilt, and I would greatly increase the size by doing so.

I have increased a 45"x53" lap quilt to a whopping 67"x75". Mercy! To be sure, I was questioning myself as I added that final blue border - golly, what a lot of measuring and cutting and pinning. But now that it's done, I am glad I did it. The quilt is so much more appealing having the framing of the borders to set off  the center.

I still have no fondness for borders, but I definitely know that some quilts are better when they have them. Instead of being so eager to be finished and move on to the next quilt, I need to to what all quilters tell us -  enjoy the process! I do. Most of the time.

Happy Quilting, Friends!