A Big Quilting Plan

If I announce it here, it is more likely that I will be compelled to follow through, so let's just get this out there:

I am pledging to quilt at least 5 big quilts before the end of the calendar year.

I did well just before the knee surgery to quilt 2 quilts rather hurriedly and with little advanced planning - impulsive, actually. It was weird how I just marched myself upstairs, found backings, battings and quilt tops and went to it. I wanted to have something to show for myself while recovery kept me a bit out of action. Here are the 2 quilts I quilted. The larger one is still awaiting its binding.

Lydia's Lace layer cake quilt

9-Patch Strippy

 

In the time I was recovering out of the quilting room, I reflected on the progress made in the first 10 months of 2025 - goals accomplished; quilt tops made; UFOs tackled; longarming done; unplanned, impromptu projects. 

One sorely lacking area of real progress: longarming. I am not quilting as many quilts as I ought to be!

Now, how did I come up with this magic number of 5 quilt, you ask? That's how many backings I ordered from a Florida quilt shop, after seeing an email announcing a 50% off sale.

Quilted Twins, the shop in Dade City which I frequent while we are in Florida, sends regular emails announcing sales, specials and deals. I usually don't look at these emails (remember, my stash is substantial), but one that announced a sale on 108" backing fabrics, interested me enough to click on the link.

The five backings came last week, and are neutral enough for me to use on any number of quilt tops I have hanging in closets upstairs. I will probably work on matching tops to backs as soon as this afternoon. All the backs are 3-yard cuts and I got them for 50% or more off. I couldn't resist.

One problem needs to be solved before I can begin. I am in the process of rectifying a tension issue right now. Before ordering these 5 backings, I'd put a little wall hanging on the long arm with the intent of quilting it up real quick - uh, no. Fix that tension first. I still haven't successfully worked it out. The wall hanging is a freebie project made with leftovers from Paris Flea Market Find, which I made in 2024. Here's a link to the freebie wall hanging.

 

Stay tuned and keep me honest! I simply have to achieve this goal!

Happy Quilting, Friends!

Jayne 

Easy Layer Cake Throw

Back in April at our retreat in Jamestown, Sharon made an impromptu quilt from a layer cake which has inspired several of us since then.

Here is Sharon's quilt and a link to the post with more details.

Helen also made one and shared it at one of our Friday gatherings. These are just so satisfying in a couple of ways. First, there's no waste of fabric, as the entire 10" block is used. Second, they make up so fast, since a layer cake only has 42 pieces of fabric, you know from the get-go that it will be quick.

Within a month or so, I had one of my own made. I used a Betsy Chutchian layer cake from her line Lydia's Lace. Here's a link back to that.

About a week ago, I quilted it. Yay! It's such a small quilt, and it gave me good practice at perfecting my freemotion skills. Each quilt I do is giving me more and more confidence.

I determined from the start that I was going to be non-fussy about how this worked up. I would try to do my best, but also improvise a bit and be inventive, if possible. Grow my confidence, definitely.

I've got a binding pulled from my box of scrap bindings. Believe it or not, I have more than enough of a perfect burgundy binding all ready to go, and will be more than enough to bind this small quilt.

 Happy Quilting, Friends!

Jayne 

Quilting for Abby

Don't you just love a happily ever after story? I think I've got one in the works here at Jayne's Quilting Room. 

A month ot two ago, my niece Abby and I worked out a little bartering situation. She had two old benches that she wanted rid of. They look like park benches from back in the day. The wrought iron sides hold slats for the seats and backs.

I sorta' wanted them, but just couldn't pull the trigger. She had a yard sale, and they didn't sell, so she was at the point that she just needed them gone. Knowing I'd expressed interest, she asked if we could trade benches for quilts.

Bingo! My eyes lit right up with that possibility. If anyone really wants a quilt, then they should get a quilt, right? I have so many made and ready to finish, I surely could come up with something that'd suit her taste.

We took delivery of the benches about 3 weeks ago. They are wonderful to have around out by the fire pit, and we have used them for several bonfires throughout these recent cool evenings.

In determining what suits Abby's taste in quilts, I learned that she likes  simple, traditional designs made with muted reds, whites, and blues that become soft and cushy and snuggly over time. She sent several pictures of quilts she like as well as a picture of one her family is currently enjoying.

I searched my closets and found some strong candidates for her. I sent her pics of these two quilts.

She went for them straight away. Now all I needed to do was select backing fabrics for them and quilt them up.

Easier said than done, with the way my brain works. I dithered for many days on what to use as a backing. I ended up using a large piece of batik I had on hand for the blue one, even though in my mind I don't generally think of batik as becoming soft and cushy over time. Hopefully, it will. The blue one is quilted and ready for binding. 

I loaded it Friday and quilted it Saturday. Whew! It was fun, and I really got along great. I know that using a dark backing with dark bobbin thread and a light top with white top thread is not recommended, but I think that with a laundering, the 'pokies' that show through on each side will diminish. 

I have the binding prepared for this quilt, and I will be putting it on straight away. 

The red one will go on next. I have the backing already loaded on the machine. I will stay-stitch around the quilt then load it on. I plan to use the exact same curly-que and loop-d-loop free motion design that I used on the blue one. 

Maybe by week's end I will have them both ready for delivery! 

Stay tuned!

Happy Quilting, Friends!

Jayne 

 

Newsflash!! - I Used The Long Arm!

In what appears to be a most monumental hiccup in the universe, I have actually quilted a whole quilt in the last 24 hours. If this doesn't call for some massive celebrating, then I don't know what does!

Yes, I decided to at least clean, oil, change the needle, rethread top and bottom. I then needed to see about fixing the issue I'd been having (all the way to last fall!) - upper thread breakage. 

My guess was that I needed to loosen the tension knob. I did this, and I now have a fully functioning long arm machine. Yay!

Because I knew I might have to do some experimenting with settings, I wanted to use a quilt that really wasn't that special to me. I made this Good Life Tag Sale a couple of years ago, and had sort of earmarked it as a quilt suitable for a picnic blanket. I added a 6" border at the top. I planned to use this for testing the settings. It was a good idea!

I was also glad for that extra border for another reason, too.  Because I was a bit rusty, I needed that bit of practice space for recalling my muscle memory. 

 

Tag Sale is a pattern by Carrie Nelson that I have made previously. Good Life is a fabric line by Bonnie & Camille for Moda. I added random extra fabrics in to have enough for the quilt which is roughly 80" square. This version turned out to be so very busy! I typically like a little more orderliness, so that is why I designated this quilt as a suitable picnic or beach blanket.

I am so happy that I finally have faced this problem (which wasn't as huge as I'd been thinking it was), fixed the machine and finished a quilt! Now I can load on one that I'm super-duper crazy about!  

I will take the quilt out of the machine this weekend, figure out what to use for binding, then finish her up. I am so eager to get many more done!

Happy Quilting, Friends!

Jayne 

Helen's Pink Quilt

About the same time Hettie asked me to quilt her new grandson's baby quilt, Helen asked me to quilt a small quilt, too. I'd had such good success with quilting some of my own quilts, I had no qualms at all at quilting for these two friends.

Well, my machine gave me all manner of fits while doing Hettie's baby quilt. In the link above, I shared some of my frustrations and how I totally fixed the problems all by myself! It gave me hope that I would have complete success with Helen's quilt.

And I got along great. It quilted up like a breeze! Gives me a little confidence boost, for sure! 

I believe Helen had purchased a quilt kit for this pink beauty. It wasn't too large - maybe a nice lap size. I used two bobbins, if that can be any sort of reference.

The center element is a heart-shaped design. Looking at it from the other end helps to see it better.

To get a real good look at the entire quilt, I like to spread it out on the bed. I left all the trimming to Helen. There would be a good bit of backing fabric available for binding, if Helen intends to go that route.

I am still reluctant to take on quilting for others, but for close friends who understand I am still very much a rookie. I suppose I am willing to take that leap of faith that they will be gentle and kind with me. I need so much more practice, and believe me, I HAVE the quilt tops ready to go for plenty of practice!

I actually spent yesterday making the backings for THREE quilts, and they will be going 1-2-3 onto the longarm this week.

Happy Quilting, Friends!

Quilting Two Ways

In the last 24 hours I have hand quilted and machine quilted. I want to do more on each, but I need to focus on the one with the deadline. 

Cate's growth chart is nearly finished, and I needed to consult with my daughter on how far above and below the ending numbers she wanted me to quilt. I will add two or three more rows of quilting on each end. Then it is ready to be bound and finished. Just in time to hand it off to them when they visit this weekend.

Obviously, this is where I need to shift my focus, and I would love to have this done and checked off my list.  So, yes, this comes first.

Remember, though, the quilt I loaded onto the longarm machine yesterday? I have made one pass along the quilt using a tighter or more dense free-motion design than I normally do. I like it! I am super stoked to continue this design - not only are the meandering stitches more dense with less of the quilt's surface remaining unquilted, but the curves and undulations are lots smaller than most of the quilting I've done to date. It's good practice for me. I hope that when I get back to it I can replicate the quilting I've already done.

Extending myself by trying different styles of free-motion designs is easier to do when the quilt is smaller. This quilt is in the twin or maybe even lap quilt range, so I thought it seemed logical to try a new style. It's far from perfect, but I am definitely feeling more and more confident with each quilt.

Hope you are having a wonderful Thursday! It's sort of a perfect fall day around here - it's gorgeous!

Happy Quilting, Friends!

Long Arm Goals

NOTE: Since I didn't provide any quilt pictures yesterday, I have gone overboard today.

Here is the current quilt on the long arm machine - Alpine, which I made a few months ago - June, maybe. It is not large at 58"x64" and should quilt up really fast. In fact, I may try to do it later today.

If it seems like I am getting more long arm quilting done, here's the reason.  In January, I always make a yearly goals list, sort of in the same vein as a new year's resolution list. This is the first year, however, that I made two classifications of lists - one for piecing quilts and one for quilting quilts.

The quilting quilts side of the list was very brief with just three items.

        1. Quilt every new quilt as I make it. 

        2. Quilt 2 quilts per month from the older quilts in the closet. 

        3. Move handles to the back of the machine to try pantographs.

Frankly, until just a few weeks ago, I'd forgotten that I had set these goals, so not surprisingly, I am woefully behind schedule. I don't honestly think I will get anywhere close on #2, so I won't even stress about that. I have done a few, and I am thrilled with those accomplishments.

Here are the ones done from the closet, i.e. the #2 goal.

Cobalt Stars

Economy Blue

Snowflakes at Dusk

 

Dusty Trails

Four quilts according to the goal I set means I was on pace for 2 months. I could quilt like crazy from now to the end of the year, and maybe I could do it, but who needs that kind of pressure? A goal (likely) unmet is not the end of the world.

Next, let's get up to speed on the #3 goal - trying the pantographs. I am totally willing (and eager!) to do this, and even began one day not long ago. However, I soon learned that my laser light isn't working and I couldn't see moving along any further until I got that fixed or replaced. I have done some online searching today and discovered that I likely have a light which is battery operated. In other words, this is probably a quick fix. If so, I will definitely move forward here.

Finally, the #1 goal - quilt every new quilt I make this year. Now believe it or not, while I am nowhere near to being caught up with this goal, it will be loads less effort to get caught up because I've made fewer quilts. I might normally bemoan this fact, but in light of quilting them, fewer quilts is perhaps a good thing.

I have both pieced and quilted these quilts this year. Not a lot, but hey, they're done!

Red 9-Patch Scrappy

Henry Ludwig Baby Quilt

Jelly Filled

If I try to accomplish the goal of quilting all tops pieced this year, assuming Alpine will be done, only 7 more need to be quilted. (Autumn Leaves, Layer Cake Flowers, Posies and Polka Dots, Buffalo Check, Baby Girl Shoemaker Quilt. William Morris Economy, and Floral Diamonds)

Gosh, I believe it's possible. Wouldn't that be something?

So, I march along here on the 11th day of October (already!), attempting to achieve some goals while continuing to enjoy every aspect of this quilting journey.

Happy Quilting, Friends!

Long Arming Activity

 Last week, much to my surprise, I quilted two quilts on the long arm machine. I had no advanced plan to do these quilts. Rather, a sudden impulse propelled me to these quilts, and once begun I didn't want to stop.

First, I put Dusty Trails on the rails. I have always wanted to use this quilt for the fall season on our bed, so I just got busy and quilted it! I shared my doing this quilt in this post from last week.

Just a few days later, I loaded Jelly Filled, the jelly roll quilt I made rather impulsively last month. 

I alluded to taking this giant step in my long arming game when I shared my September collage, but now let me take a moment to go into a bit more depth.

One aspect of making long arming easier is that for both quilts, I used backing fabric that I have on a bolt. Yes, I bought an entire bolt of backing in a very agreeable neutral. By having this on hand, I do not have to cut and measure and piece together backings for quilts. Also, I am not wasting time deciding what fabrics to use for backing. It simplifies things in a major way.

Both quilts are stacked above, and a bit of that neutral backing is peeking through the folds. I also cut the binding from the backing; yet another simplifying tactic. Yay!

Dusty Trails looks so very nice on our bed; it simply exudes all the autumn vibes. I don't have any decent pillow shams to complement this quilt, so that may soon be a quick project to whip up.

Jelly Filled is more of a couch quilt or throw. It will soon have a full reveal here on the blog, but not just yet.

One of my 2023 goals was to quilt every quilt I made new this year. So far I am in the vicinity of 3/11. That's only three quilts quilted and 8 quilts currently NOT quilted.  

Hmmm. I have been wondering if I could push myself to get those remaining 8 quilts quilted by years end. Agghh! I really ought to try.

Whatever I manage, I will certainly have plenty to keep myself busy.

Happy Quilting, Friends!