A Quilt For a Sister

I recently gifted a quilt to my sister, who came shopping in my closet of quilt tops. You may recall that I blogged about it here.

So here are some pics of her bedroom update with the quilt adorning the end of the bed. Looks pretty spiffy, wouldn't you agree?

This was her son Will's room, and since he's been out on his own for quite awhile now this room got an update. Nice! I am so glad one of my quilts gets to help out in the refresh effort.

The quilt was started in 2014 when Fat Quarter Shop hosted a sew-along called Wishes. I made a block a month until October, then stopped. In 2017, I finished the quilt top as one of my UFO completion efforts. Now, in 2020, it is quilted. 

Happy Quilting, Friends!

Long Arm in Action!

I am overcoming my timidness toward the long arm quilting machine. In the last week I have loaded on a quilt, begun the quilting, encountered some issues, addressed the issues, and finally -- HAVE FINISHED A QUILT!!!

Loading the machine is getting easier. I have watched a ba-zillion You-Tube videos and IG stories, and I am feeling much more confident. This quilt showed my success as there were no tucks or puckers in the backing. I'd had a few of those issues in some previous efforts, sadly.

My troubles appeared in the stitching mechanics; I don't know enough about the stitch regulator or the speeds. I do know that I was stitching uncontrollably a couple of times and it did not want to stop! I wonder if lint/dust had built up? Anyway, I stopped by unplugging and went back later to make whatever adjustments I could. The job is done, and it is my best effort yet, despite the runaway stitches.

I didn't want to leave the quilt laying around without a binding, so I went straight to work on that last night, and finished it off - I even included a label.

And today, I have taken its official picture spread out on the bed. The quilt is a sampler quilt that I started back in January of 2014. It was a sew-along sponsored by the folks at Jolly Jabber. I stayed on track with the sew-along until about the 10th block, then I stopped. I finished it in 2017, the marathon year of finishing UFOs. In checking back, I see that this was the designated UFO for July '17.

I could spend some time critiquing all sorts of things on this quilt, but I think I won't. I am so pleased to have it done, and the imperfections are not at all deterrents to its beauty.

Are you wondering why I selected this quilt out of all the dozens lined up in the closets awaiting quilting??? Well, my sister requested a quilt, and when she came to "shop" the quilt closets, this is the one she picked. Good taste! 

Hope you are having a lovely day, dear readers! The unseasonably warm, pleasant weather continues today, and I think it's time for some outdoor activity. 

Happy Quilting, Friends!

July UFO - DONE!

Whoa! I am back on track with my goal of finishing UFOs in the month in which they are assigned. I missed out, sadly, on finishing the June UFO - and I still plan to get 'er done - but I went ahead with July and now I can boast a finish. Let's check it out.

This is Wishes - a quilt begun in January of 2014. The Fat Quarter Shop and its accompanying blog Jolly Jabber hosted a quilt-along in which each month quilters were given a block to make along with directions on setting and border. I was all in on this until October of that year, and then I just plopped it all in a tub and stored it away. I think I got busy with Christmas-oriented things, and found that I just had no time to keep up. Here are a few links to read about the progress made previously: January '14; October '14.

Fast forward to January of 2017 when we Frankfort Girls decided to do a UFO-each-month challenge. This came up as my task for July, and now it is done - hooray!

I spent the most aggravating time on doing these borders, made to look like checkerboards. I sewed one on wrong, and you'd have thought I needed to call in a support team because I just could not get the final border to fit properly. Eventually, after nearly wearing out that seam ripper, I did get it right. Whew. It might be a long time before I think to do another checkerboard border.

Here are some additional looks at Wishes. The fabric is an early line by Fig Tree Quilts/Joanna Figueroa and Lisa Quan for Moda called A Day in the Country. I mostly followed the pattern provided. My changes are in the use of cornerstones, the placement of two blocks and the color separation in a block or two. With a sampler quilt, those concerns don't really matter much, and I am pleased with the results.

Now what to do next? I sometimes get that lost feeling when I finish a quilt, as if I will never decide on my next project. This time, however, it is all decided. I must finish the second of this summer's commissions, and then I will truly be free to work on whatever I want.

Hope your day is productive!

I've linked up with Amanda Jean and her Finish It Up Friday party at Crazy Mom Quilts.

Happy Quilting, Friends!

Can I Do It?

What do I want to do?? Finish the July UFO, of course. Early each month I am full of optimism that I will be checking a UFO of my list and I have been successful in accomplishing that 5 of 6 months so far this year. I had planned to show more of July's UFO a couple of days ago, but a slow internet was thwarting my efforts. Today, things are running more smoothly, so let's have a quick look. This was a quilt-along I worked on in 2014 called Wishes; it was sponsored by the folks at Fat Quarter Shop. The fabric is a line from Fig Tree and Co. called A Day In the Country; I had a collection of fat quarters from this line.

January Block

February Block

March Block

April Block

May Block

June Block

July Block

August Block

September Block

October Block

Remaining to be done: November and December's blocks; the checkerboard border; then putting all the parts together into a flimsy! Easy-peasy, right? My optimistic nature tells me I can do it!

Happy Quilting, Friends!

July's UFO

The Frankfort girls met at Jan's on Friday and we drew our number for the July UFO. The magic number this month is 3 - on my list that is to finish the quilt-along I began in 2014 called Wishes.

My internet - or possibly my aging cell phone - is not cooperating very well with sending photos to my laptop. So the long, informative post I had hoped to share is not going to happen. I can, though, give you the link to one of the 2014 posts describing this project. Why not click here to go have a look.

I can show you the wonderful vintage fabric I am using on this project - A Day in the Country by Fig Tree. It excites me to pull each completed block from the storage tub; it's so subtle and soft, just as soothing as can be. I will be really glad to be able to call this a finish. 

Happy Quilting, Friends!

Two More Wishes Blocks

I've been gadding about - flitting from one project to another and finishing nothing. But, hey, I'm having fun, so there you go. About a week ago, I finished the August block and the October block for the Wishes Quilt Along. This brings me up to date on 10 months of blocks. Here they are parading across my wall.

I print off the pattern, then cut the entire block out. Then I know I have enough fabric to get it made. Some of these fabrics are running low, so I am having to be frugal.

The August Block was fast and easy, but I did take some liberties with the fabric placement. The directions called for more variety in the fabrics, but because I am running low, I had to conserve a bit. I don't think it matters since it's my quilt! August's block is called Mrs. Taft's Choice.

The October block is one I've seen made up in lots of color options at various places, especially on Pinterest. I was really glad to get a chance to make it. It's called Idaho Beauty.

So now if I want to I could go ahead and get started on the outer border which is a checked 4-patch that looks very nice. It will require pieces of all my fabrics, so I hope I have enough left to finish. I also need setting strips and an inner border, and I may have to pull a creamy white from my stash, depending on the amount required.

Happy Quilting, Friends!

Wishes Quilt Along - Block 9

It has been a super-long time since I've done anything on the Wishes Quilt Along which I started in January. A block is offered each month and folks participating are asked to make a donation to Make A Wish Foundation since all block patterns are free, as are the finishing instructions. Here is a link to the website, which is on the Jolly Jabber blog from Fat Quarter Shop.

I sat down last night and made block 9 - the September block - called Dove In the Window. I'm using a very, very old line from Fig Tree Fabrics called A Day In the Country.  I have done eight blocks; I think I must have skipped last month. I need to see which one I'm missing. The setting instructions have also been posted, so I could be getting ahead on some of that. I might actually have this quilt top finished by year's end. That would surely be something.

If you'd like to see my previous blocks, click below.

January
February
March
April and May
June and July

I now know the blocks I still need to make - August and October. I must get on it!
Happy Quilting, Friends!

Wishes QAL Through July

Here it is August, and I have another block to make for the Wishes Quilt Along. But I thought I'd show you all the January through July blocks that are tacked up on my wall.

They aren't in order, so don't try to figure out which is which. Although if you are really interested, you could click on this link to see June and July. And if you click right here, you will be taken to a post about April and May. Likewise for March block; February block; January block. 

The big reunion is today, so I must be off!

Happy Quilting, Friends!

More Catching Up

Steadily, I am getting caught up on that big ol' list of things I needed to work on. Last week while at Terry's sewing, I managed to get both June and July blocks done in the Wishes Quilt Along sponsored by Fat Quarter Shop.

Needs a good pressing, but I sure am liking how these Fig Tree fabrics are looking in this project. This is the June block.

The July block turned out great, too. This is the first of the 7 blocks in which I've not used the yellow.

That's all for today, Peeps!
Happy Quilting, Friends!

Wishes Quilt Along

I am managing to stay caught up with the 2 quilt alongs that I have joined. The one sponsored by Fat Quarter Shop and their Jolly Jabber blog has been fun and fast. Here is the April block, which I've not yet shared. And I also have the May block completed, too! (I know! It's only the 6th of the month, and I have it done already!! Surprises me, too!) This quilt along is called Wishes, and it is to benefit the Make A Wish Foundation. Participating in the quilt along is free, but we who are  participating are asked to make a donation.

April

May

Happy Quilting, Friends!