A Really Old UFO Top Completed

This quilt was a LQS BOM club / program that was designed and done by a quilter that was trying to break out into the professional quilt pattern designer world.  She eventually went on to getting published and I have made a couple of her designs, mostly because she is a local designer.  Her name is terri Staats, and her pattern design name is Sweet Treasures.  The sun had gone down by the time I got outside to get the picture.  The only place I have to take a picture of a quilt this big (85" X 95") is out side on my lawn.

Here is a close up of the quilt top to show the colors and background of this quilt.  Each big star block is a different pattern, as it was a way to build skills building stars and making points come together correctly.  Then the solid red stars are all the same throughout the quilt that were used as setting squares for the big focal star blocks.  This red dot on white print that is used as a background is one of my favorites that I have ever used as a background.  Not plain, not too busy.  Just right.

I had the top completed, but had not put on the borders yet.  Part of the problem was a couple of the setting triangles were too short along the outer edge.  So I opted to tear it out and add about an inch to make the sides all around even.  Then  I added the three borders, solid red, the pink print, and then the background red polka dot print.

This last picture shows the binding (red) and the backing, the pink floral stripe.  Just yummy!  The pictures don't do it justice.

I am sending this off to a Long Arm Quilter, as I want it to be nicer than what I can do on my domestic machine.

I will post completed quilt in a couple of weeks.

Warmest...

Plodding Along with the Cheddar Bow Ties

I have come a long way on this little project, since I last wrote a post about them.  I have about 500 little blocks done of the 700 I originally wanted to accomplish for a double size bed.  I have since changed my mind and want to do two twin sized quilts, so I calculated I would need 600 for each quilt.  So, to look at it on the positive side, I have the blocks almost done for one of the quilts, and then I just have to start over for the other one.

This is a pile of chain piecing.

A set of piles of pieces needing to be sewn.

And a pile of pieces needing to be added to the first part of the block.

I have piles of various different stages all around my sewing machine at any given time.  I am now working on sets of 50 in my chain piecing, so I feel like that I am getting big chunks of the blocks done at any given time I can work on them.

What is so nice about this type of scrappy project, it allows me the ability to just sit down, even if it is only for 10 minutes or so, to make progress.  It's repetitive work that doesn't require the need to look at a pattern, or be so precise in the stitching or joining of the pieces in the block.  

Warmest...

Home Again

I'm back home with my parents.  We have spent the first few days unpacking and settling in to the spaces I have made available for them.

My garden over flowed and I had to can tomatoes one day, while unpacking boxes.   I ended up canning seven batches for a total of 35 quarts.  I am glad summer is coming to and end and the tomato crop is slowing down.

I finally unpacked the last box today, and things will get back to some normalcy and I hope to be sewing again shortly.  Especially since I have joined the Farmer's Wife 1930's Sampler Quilt Sew-Along that begins September 28th, 2015 and lasts for a year.  If you want to participate, click on the button at the top right of my blog and join in the fun.  There is weekly newsletters to sign up for with this group, they have their own FB page, and several guest bloggers involved.  Once you click on the button, you will be directed to all the places to sign up and like and join.

It has been all the rage over the FB page to have the book hole punched and wire bound, so for the first time, I had this one done.  What a difference it makes!  Hubby had them add frosted plastic front and back to help protect the book, and it makes it really nice.  I also picked out my fabric from my stash.  If you remember, I have a rather large stash of 30's reproduction fabric, so I pulled from it as I want to stay true to the book of the 1930's era.  

Stay tuned!

Warmest...