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 

 

Retreat - The Handwork of Becky and Sheryll

Two sewists at retreat came without their sewing machines. They are so dedicated in their handwork these days that machine sewing was just more than they wanted to manage. When you see their fine workmanship, you'll agree it was the right call.

Sheryll enjoys working with wool and flannel applique. This design is one she's had for quite a few years, and it was originally intended for a sweatshirt. She opted to turn it into a wall hanging and intends to frame it, if possible. She has alternate plans if framing doesn't work out. She needs to add fine details - more leaves on the trees, a bird or two, and other bits of embellishment.

Becky's handwork of choice lately has been EPP. She has several projects underway, and rotated through them as she needed variety.

She's been making this beautiful star quilt for awhile. Becky's fabrics of choice are reproductions, and she has a vast supply with which to make these stars.

The remaining EPP projects from Becky involved 1-inch hexagons. There are no less than 3 projects in the works. This first one is a single flower. 

This next one is a double flower - that is, two rounds of color around the center. This is a jell roll-friendly project; Becky is using a line by Minick and Simpson.

This last project will be diamond-shaped hexies. She'g got a good start, and a tub fill of fabric for making more. 

Like I said in a previous retreat update, I am quite unreliable about recording all that everyone worked on. There is a strong likelihood that everyone worked on more than I share here. 

Happy Quilting, Friends!

Jayne 

Repairs and Handwork

I have mentioned several times here in recent weeks (months?!) that we are remodeling our master bedroom. Funny how redoing one room ends up affecting three other rooms plus a bathroom, but suffice it to say, our entire upstairs has been rather a chaotic mess for awhile now.

Here are a few pics taken throughout the process which depict the upheaval.

Top of the stair; look to the left.

Top of the stairs; look to the right.

Top of the stairs; immediate right.

So, while digging for space in my sewing room, (moving old shelves out - see pic above; better shelves from bedroom in) I came across two quilts given to me for repairs. One I have had for probably 20 years; the other for perhaps 6-8 years. Yeah, I'd sorta' forgotten about them. It made sense for me to just stop rearranging things for awhile and fix these quilts so I could GET THEM OUT OF MY SPACE! I will free up valuable space if I just fix these and pass them back to the owners.

First, I worked on the larger item - a scrap quilt that was so very well-loved. It was worn and threadbare in many places. Longtime family friend Shirley had asked me to do what I could with it and gave me an old flannel shirt to use for patching. The binding was so threadbare that I cut the original binding off and adding a new one from my binding scraps. Then I began cutting squares and rectangles out of that flannel shirt and hand-stitched patches over places that were most worn. These two bits below are examples of what I patched.

I have returned this to Shirley who reminded me of the history of this quilt. Her mother had made it from scraps and it was a particular favorite of her son Tim (Timmy to me, as I babysat him when he was little). Making this even more special is the fact that several months ago, Timmy was killed in a freak accident at age 47. Far too young. Returning this to his mother all these years late, might have been a comforting salve for Shirley. She did seem thrilled to have it back.

The second repair quilt was much smaller and given to me maybe 20 years ago to repair. As I worked, I realized that my daughter Erin made it when she was about 12 for her little cousin Will. Back then, all the cousins were into those I-Spy and Where's Waldo books that came out in the 90s. We shared books and studied those pictures for hours! Will was especially taken with them, so Erin made this I-Spy quilt for him using squares of novelty fabric. I'd totally forgotten that Erin made it; seeing this block jogged my memory. (A reminder of why we should label our quilts, ladies!!!)

Some of the seams had come undone, and my sister had handed it over to me for fixing. I just popped it into a storage tub and forgot about it. A mere, brief stitching session while watching the Tour de France and it is ready now for delivery back to Sandy and Will ... and Will's 2 little ones, who will be the next generation to enjoy "I Spy."

So I've done a bit of hand stitching and I have rid my sewing room of things that I needn't have had in there in the first place. 

Linking with Kathy's Quilts and her weekly party, Slow Sunday Stitching. 

Happy Quilting, Friends!

Jayne

Slow Stitching- Lake Effect, Again

A right, fair mess exists in the Lake Effect tub. I doubt that any one place in my quilting room is in as great a tangle as this project bin.

Yes, I've taken up working on Lake Effect again. Perhaps in the coming days I will make some real and readily apparent progress?!

Way back in May, I laid all these parts out to assess my next step: attaching the appliqued border onto the hexie section. I fiddled and scooted and rearranged the panels to get the best result. I know my efforts have strayed drastically from the original pattern, but it still looks pretty good to me, so I am moving ahead with this.

I am now hand stitching the border to the central section. It is not taking long at all, and I find myself wondering why I don't just stick with this thing and get it finished.Why, indeed?

Most of the hexies still have the cardboard templates in place, but sewing has not been hindered by that. My thinking was that the shape would remain truer with the papers in. After I finish connecting the borders, I will go to the back and remove the papers.

Some problem solving will be required when I get to the corners of each panel. The instructions were very clear about leaving the outer ends of each panel 'unsewn' yet I see that I am going to have to rework all the corners. Theoretically, those vines swoop in an effortless meander around the corners, gracefully sprouting out leaves and berries along the way. The jury is out my creating this same look.

For now, I am content to stitch to within a few inches of each corner, then move on to making whatever applique corrections necessary. I might even have to remove a few elements, and I do have the fabrics for replacement parts if it comes to that.

My 2023 goal for this quilt, Lake Effect, is to have the entire quilt top connected into one piece. It still seems like an attainable goal, so with several audio books queued up, I plan to do a whole lotta' hand stitching in the coming days.

I will link up with Kathy and her Slow Stitching party today. I love seeing the variety of projects these folks are creating.

Happy Quilting, Friends!

Hexies and Hand Quilting

In this post from just a few days back, I announced that I thought I'd stop working on these hexie flowers. 

Then I changed my mind. 

I needed something to keep my hands busy while on the road. With plenty of hexie cardboard templates at my disposal and, of course, fabric - these only take scraps! - I am picking them up and getting back to work. This little plastic container is perfectly portable.

I  made an entire flower and prepped a few additional hexies on this recent trip.

Having that snap-on lid is necessary for keeping all the little parts together - scissors, beeswax, thread, earbuds, templates and fabrics. Here is my little plastic basket of templates cut recently using friend Becky's die-cutter. I grab a handful to take along in the lidded container.

And so, it appears hexies will be another of my ongoing projects. (I do remember that I have Lake Effect waiting patiently for my attention!! )

Now back at home, I find time each evening to take a few stitches on Fall Foliage. It has been nice getting back into hand quilting, and, unlike previous years, I can see myself staying with this to a finish. Keeping it simple helps make the stitching go faster.

My agenda today has been getting ready to host an impromptu bonfire with some friends tomorrow night. Fall bonfires with good friends - what a great way to start the weekend!

Happy Quilting, Friends!

My Projects for Florida

As you know if you follow regularly, DH and I are spending the month in Florida. I could just not bear the thought of facing a month without sewing, so I put together a collection of hand projects that would be doable for me while on the road - from the passenger seat while in the car, from hotel rooms, and from the comfort of homes in which we'll be staying.

Hey, a quilter's gotta' do what a quilter's gotta' do, ya' know!?

I forced myself to limit the projects to what would fit in this collapsible tote. Of course, items that stuck out the top didn't count, so this mess is what made the cut.

It looks somewhat neater turned the other direction.

I've shared previously the cross stitch baby quilt I am working on for my niece's upcoming new addition. I worked on this just a bit on the drive down. That's why this is sorta' stuffed into the top of the tote.

My Lake Effect Quilt came along for the trip. This post is from about a year ago, so my progress moves at a snail's pace. All that applique still needs some finishing touches, and then, should I get that done, I can continue working to attach all the panels to the hexies. Those are folded into that see-through Missouri Star bag underneath.

And, if those two projects bore me, I have fabric and supplies for making EPP flowers. I even thought to bring a small iron and hot pad for pressing fabric.

So, I am set for a variety of hand work - cross stitch, applique or EPP. If I discipline myself (i.e. put the phone down), I can work on any of these while visiting with our hosts, sitting quietly in the evenings, or soaking up some Florida sunshine.

We arrived at my brother- and sister-in-law's last evening after dark, so we've spent today visiting with them and acquainting ourselves with the surroundings. We will be here about 10 days, then move on to see more of the state.

Happy Quilting, Friends!