Quilted: 9-Patch Strippy

Continued use of the Tin Lizzie longarm machine feels like productivity on overdrive. I rather like the feeling that things are getting done, and the growing stack of completed quilts is definite evidence.

The latest off the longarm is 9-Patch Strippy, made about 10 years ago. I believe it was a UFO that I finished in 2017; before that, it had lingered over several years.

 Do you prefer it with the vertical strips or the horizontal strips? I prefer vertical, but the quilt works so much better considering the overhang if I use the horizontal direction.

I have always loved the way this quilt looks. The pale blue setting triangles used around the 9-patch blocks do a nice job of setting them off and also looks good with the vine-y red floral in the strips. It's cool to see the combinations of fabrics I used in the 9-patches - so many previous projects come to mind, as these are mostly scraps from other quilts.

If you have noticed an increase in the number of quilts coming off the longarm, then you have very astute observational skills. It became clear a few months ago that I was woefully lacking in my goals toward quilting on the longarm. Two closets in my house are packed full of ready-to-quilt tops. I have been attempting to make a dent in this backlog.

We had a sewing day yesterday at Terry's house. My first order of business was to prepare the binding for this quilt. I now have 2 quilts quilted and awaiting binding. Both bindings are ready to go. I just need to sit down and stitch them on.

What quilt will go on next? I feel like I might be on a roll here with this quilting business, so I have to keep my focus.

However, I will have a bit of an interruption as of tomorrow. I will be getting a new right knee at around 7:30am tomorrow, and will likely be away from not only the longarm machine, but also the entire quilting room for the foreseeable future. Wish me well with both the surgery and the recovery. 

Happy Quilting, Friends! 

Jayne 

Sharon Quilts!

In between the quilts I've been doing, Sharon brought one over to finish. The two of us have a history with making one particular Thimbleberries pattern called Harvest Mix. I've made one, she's now made three! 

Since her daughter has recently moved into a country cabin in the woods, Sharon wanted to make a quilt that would enhance her rustic setting as we head into the fall season. And does any quilt look like it will work any better than this one? It has such a rich, fall-toned vibe! It will look great in Amanda's new home.

Sharon opted for a wavy, vertical line across her quilt, which was a really fast way to finish it. I might give this option a try on a quilt; I've never done it, but it does look good and finishes fast.

Here's a clearer view of the wavy quilting lines. They run the length of the quilt.

The colors in this quilt are simply the most wonderful combination of browns, yellows, golds and deep reds - very evocative of autumn here in Ohio.

 

To see my version of Harvest Mix, click here. 

 

Short and sweet today, Peeps!

Happy Quilting, Friends!

Jayne 

 
 

 

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!

December Wrap Up

It was not especially productive in the sewing realm, but December was full of family, fun and frivolity. My December collage contains more non-quilting things than usual, and I am perfectly okay with that. Let's get into it, shall we?

TOP ROW: I quilted and bound the pretty pink single 9-patch quilt that was made for granddaughter Cate. And speaking of Cate, look at those sweet little 'tootsies' tucked up while Grandpa Kevin holds her close. The final photo is a close up of the hand quilting project I continue to work on in odd, spare moments.

MIDDLE ROW: Christmas with our daughters occurred on the 17th; as the day wore on, Baby Cate had had just about all the reveling she could handle, so Grandpa and I worked at trying to calm her down. In the center is the Mondo Bag I made for the gift exchange with the Frankfort Girls. And the last photo is of kitties Rocky and Betty, grandcats who stayed for a week over Christmas. They were entertained by the birds at the feeder out our kitchen window.

BOTTOM ROW: Just before Christmas we had a frigid weather system that left us with temps in the negative numbers and about 5" of snow. We were basically house-bound - by choice - for two days, before venturing out on Christmas Day. The center pic is my Scrappy Red 9-Patch that is finally entirely pieced and currently on the long-arm - yippee!! And  finally, the last pic is from Christmas afternoon at my sister's house. We are full up on little people this year! This Santa-hat-clad child is Archie, my sister's grandson, wrapped in his mother's arms and taking in all the sights and sounds of the day. 

Today, as I mentioned above, I finally put the Scrappy Red 9-Patch on the long arm, and I am nearly finished quilting it. I interrupted the quilting to get my walk in, and now to write this post. I will get back to it shortly.

Still working on the goals for the new year, as well as some doable goals for this month. Maybe tomorrow? We shall see.

Happy Quilting, Friends!

November Wrap-Up

I won't let November get too distant in the rear view mirror without sharing my collage of highlights. With a 1-month-old granddaughter to delight us, the collage leans heavily in her direction.

TOP ROW: The pine tree quilt has begun but not gotten very far. This block and 3 others have been constructed, and I stopped. I am back in the pondering stage as I am not so sure I'm loving this excess of greens. Next we have Auntie Emma holding a very newborn Cate. And last, Grampa Kevin and I planted a tree at our house in honor of Cate.

MIDDLE ROW: I quilted a baby quilt and gifted it to nephew Donnie and his wife Elisa as they welcomed their third baby boy in August. Baby Cate is resting on a Granny-made quilt that I whipped up at the last minute just before her birth. Read about it here. And yes, that's another Baby Cate picture, this time with me.

BOTTOM ROW: My mother, fondly known to all the grandkids as Granny Jeannie, met Cate at our house when we hosted Thanksgiving. Mom has three new great-grandbabies this year. How special! Another adorable picture of Cate - she is definitely changing fast! And at the end of the month, I quickly quilted up this colorful quilt, which I've yet to blog about. (That's coming soon!)

We enjoy weekly visits with our daughter and granddaughter which has cut into my sewing time, for sure, but I do not mind in the least! A baby is only tiny like this for such a fleeting moment - I want to enjoy as much of her as possible.

Have no fear, though! I continue to stay busy in the quilting rooms. I am thrilled to report that I've quilted another quilt to get December off to a good solid start. That long arm machine is intimidating me less and less all the time.  To see the quilt I worked on yesterday, click here.

And here is a quilt I hope to load on next - Snowflakes At Dusk. It's a Thimbleberries pattern, and I recall it as the first quilt completed after retiring from teaching. Made in January 2010, it goes back quite a ways. It's a whopper! I will have to build my resolve and determination to do it.

I am off to Frankfort for a morning of socializing and stitching with the Frankfort Girls. It will be so nice catching up with all of them!

Happy Quilting, Friends!

Long Arm Action!

Back in January, I made a goal to quilt at least 2 quilts per month on the long arm machine. In just the last weekend, I did #22 and #23, so that means I am right on target for achieving my goal. Hooray!

I loaded a special quilt for a Frienzie on Sunday afternoon, then quilted it that evening. Since I plan to write a full post on it later, I will just provide a little peek at it now.

These are all batik fabrics, as is the backing, which you can see in the upper left corner. It's definitely a bright, cheery quilt.

I bound the quilt on Monday morning, then loaded another quilt that afternoon, and then quilted it! Gosh! Two quilts in two days! What kind of animal am I?

Earlier in November, my friend Pam asked me to quilt this for her, and I decided I needed to stop procrastinating and "get'r done!" So I did. The blocks are all from her husband's Aunt Margie. They must be orphan blocks, and Pam simply sewed them together. Pam seems to think that Aunt Margie was practicing some new techniques on a few of these blocks - curves, applique, etc. So the look is really random, but for Pam and Charlie's families who knew Aunt Margie, I am sure this will be a special keepsake.

 

 Pam didn't need me to bind this, so it was super easy to fold it up and take it to her this afternoon. 

It feels good to have an item checked off my to-do list. 

It also feels good to know that I am on target to meet my goals of quilting 24 quilts this year.

I only have 93 more stored in my closets yet to quilt. *yikes!*

Happy Quilting, Friends!

There's Always Tension

Just like the plot of an excellent novel, my story with this Tin Lizzie continues to offer up dramatic highs and lows. It's safe to say, however, that I do believe I am becoming master of this plot, and soon (hopefully) I will be able to resolve this tension and feel the master of the machine.

Ironically, (to continue with the literary theme) the tension is the very thing that gives me fits! That tiny little disc on the side of the machine does a whale of a lot of work. It controls how taut the thread is as it goes through the needle, into the quilt, and to ultimately clasp the bobbin thread to create a stitch. 

To prepare to quilt on Thursday, I loaded the machine and began stitching. In less than a foot of quilting I knew I had troubles. I could feel it in the way the machine hesitated. Rather than to go on, I had the good sense to stop and remove the top of the quilt from the take-up bar.

 

What a mess! Eyelashes everywhere! My tension troubles were epic. I am getting really good at stitch removal lately. But remove I did, and just look at the pile of thread taken from just a few inches of "quilting." What a waste.

Next, I went over that machine like a maintenance madman. Like any good plot, the action became frantic at this point.  Rising action?? Yes. I changed the needle. I re-threaded the machine. I dusted the bars. I cleaned lint from every orifice I could access. I oiled the necessary spots after consulting the owner's manual. I was thorough - very, very thorough. 

 

Obviously, a practice quilt on which to set the tension properly would be required. I grabbed a nice long scrap which I cut in half and sandwiched with some scrap batting. I loaded this practice quilt the same way I would load a real quilt. Then I began making adjustments. And do you know what? (Climactic point coming...) With ever-so-careful fine-tuning, my stitches began to get better and better! I got to a point where I was making beautiful stitches - both on the top AND the bottom of the quilt! (Cue the jaunty music!) Tension resolved! And boy-oh-boy, did I ever feel accomplished!

 

After reloading my quilt onto the Tin Lizzie, I went back to the beginning and quilted with confidence! It was a joyous thing, I tell you. This drama had a happy ending; your heroine faced and conquered the machine.

I now have this quilt bound and ready to reveal. I will share that tomorrow when I have some decent pictures. 

With this exceedingly satisfying victory, in her happy position as master of her machine your heroine loaded another quilt onto the Tin Lizzie the very next day. Strike while the iron is hot, as they say. And guess what? This process appears to require further character building.  While I won a single victory in my quest for mastery, more challenges await me. (Who am I? Bilbo Baggins?)

I am currently working on my resolve, and I will continue my journey. Enough for now with grumbling and complaining.

Have a great week, dear readers! It's a dreary day here, and I feel quite lazy. Hopefully, I will be able to accomplish some small thing today.

Happy Quilting, Friends!

A Long-Arm Quilter Is Emerging!

By gosh, dear readers, I think I am going to conquer this long-arm machine. I had two issues arise this week as I attempted to quilt the baby quilt. First, the timing had gone way, way off. I fixed it! I thought then that I was ready to go, but I discovered after one pass of the machine over the quilt that I had tension issues. And I fixed that, too!

How did I know I had a tension issue, you ask? Well, here are some pictures and explanations.

This is a photo I snapped just after completing the first pass. I was rolling the quilt onto the bar at the top when I noticed the unsightly stitches where I tacked it down across the top. The actual stitches I see on the quilt top look pretty decent, but generally, if there's trouble, it shows up on the underside. And yowza! What a mess!

Here is a closer look at just a few inches of the back. I have orange arrows pointing to three places where the unsightliness is worst. I knew immediately that these would all have to be removed and redone.

UGH.

Instead of taking the entire quilt off the frame, I decided to fix the tension and keep on quilting. Since that single pass was narrow, I figured I could strategize my correction while I finished the remainder of the quilt. This next picture shows the stitching lines from the removed stitches along with the new, and correct stitches.

After the entire quilt was quilted, I cut away the excess batting and re-rolled the entire quilt onto the backing bar. When I was in a position to re-quilt the problem area, I left the original stitches and tried to quilt right alongside them. This effort was mostly successful. Then I took the quilt off the long arm entirely, grabbed the seam ripper ("Get the ripper!" I can hear my mother now! Haha!) Over the course of a couple of tv programs, the stitches were out.

Today is binding day. I have it ready to attach, and a book queued up on the phone. I plan to sit in a quiet place to listen and stitch all afternoon.

Now, about that title - a long-armer emerging - I really feel as though I am! This is the 29th quilt I have finished on the Tin Lizzie, and after all those other quilts, I still experienced a daunting feeling, a reluctance and ambivalence to loading the next one. 

Finally, I am actually looking forward to doing the next quilt! I am becoming a master to the machine; no longer timid and uncertain, but confident! 

Geesh. Took me long enough. Go back here to see how long it's been since I took possession of this machine from my friend, Sharon O. It has been quite a journey - one that has seen me move the machine from the basement to a former upstairs bedroom. There have been several visits to repair shops, way too much down time, yet, in the end, I appear to be prevailing.

Shall I say it? Okay, yes. Perseverance does pay off! Yay!

Happy Quilting, Friends!

Locked And Loaded

I think that phrase locked and loaded has referenced a lot of things other than quilting, but by gosh, I have finally loaded this quilt top onto the long-arm, and I am locked in for a finish.

The quilt in question is the special request quilt from DD Emma last Christmas. She wanted a quilt to serve as her bedspread, and preferred that it be entirely neutral. After a few months of back-and-forth on designs and fabric options, we came up with the quilt I made back in August. Here's a post explaining the fabric and the single block.

Yesterday afternoon, I finally loaded the top onto the longarm. Yeah, you all know what a pro I am at procrastinating, so the fact that the top has been waiting since the end of August should surprise no one.

Because there are no quilt blocks to use for gauging my stitching and meandering, quilting this offers me a bit of a challenge. Yes, I have some imperfections, but the earlier quilts I've done have given me ample practice, so I feel as though this will turn out fine. I am taking my time ensuring that I am meandering evenly.

This last picture shows that I am approaching the single Ohio Star in the upper left corner of the quilt. Or the bottom right corner, depending on how she puts it on her bed. I am about half done, at this point, I'm guessing. 

Back to it! I want to have this off the long arm today, and ready to bind tomorrow! 

Happy Quilting, Friends!