Under The Quilting Needle

Based on my last post this is not what you would have expected to see under my quilting needle.  The Urban Table Runner is still in the quilting queue.  I put it away so my son would not see it while he was here for our Thanksgiving feast.  In between cooking and preparations, I spent some time organizing my quilty stuff in my new sewing room.

I came across this UFO.  

This tablerunner was started in the winter of 2010 according to this  February 2010 blog post and it was left sandwiched and ready to quilt. Apparently I must have been distracted by other projects, including a challenge and some Round Robin borders, and then I must  have caught spring fever and put the winter stuff away.  The fabrics came from a ...

"Snowpeople Layer Cake Swap"

... that I ran on Block Central the previous year. I had a difficult time even remembering where I found this block pattern.  Then I did some quilty sleuthing and came up with this great little book from Atkinson Designs called Confetti in the Corner.  It has many projects all based on three block units.  I found the book with another UFO, a sampler quilt from a local quilt shop BOM.

I am using a metallic silver thread for the quilting.  To figure the tension and needle settings for this unfamiliar thread I made a quick
 little mug rug ...

Snowman Mug Rug

 

To quilt this I did straight line quilting and outlined the square and then did some free hand five pointed stars and six pointed snowflakes. I am doing the same quilting on the ...

 "Snowpeople Table Runner"  

I will need to get back to the other table runner soon, as it is intended as a Christmas gift for my son.

I did also take down my fall quilts yesterday and take out my holiday quilts.    One of the other quilty goodies I found is this ...

Advent Calendar Wall Hanging 

... that just needed a little work to get it hung. It is made from an "I Believe in Santa" panel from Nancy Halvorsen  This one is hanging on my front door waiting for December 1st.  It is beginning to look a lot like Christmas around here.

I did not go Black Friday Shopping. I may do a little local Small Business Saturday Quilt Shop venturing today, but is is mostly to just go fondle the fabric.   I have enough stash and projects to last a very, very long time.

Have a happy quilty ... and shopping ... day!

 

:-)

Happy Thanksgiving!

May you and yours have a safe and happy day with family and friends.

 

 

 

Helix Table Runner Ready for Quilting

Ready for Quilting

The table runner I made with extra fabric from my son's tablecloth and my new quick curve ruler and pattern is ready for quilting.  It is destined as a gift for my son for the center of his table in his new home.  I blogged about this tablecloth and starting this runner here.

 I am calling this my "Helix Tablerunner."  My son is a biologist.  I am hoping he will get my quirky quilty analogy. ;)

This is the runner that was under the needle in the picture above when the lights went out during Sandy's assault on the northeast.  When the lights came back on, I had already started the hand sewn hexagon table topper, which I decided to finish first.

These are the fabrics I started with ...

I am also using the free table runner pattern that came with the ruler. When I decided this pattern resembled a double helix, I looked up images on google and most of them have lines running from curve to curve, so I had to find some striped fabrics in my stash to match the colors.  I found two fat quarters in an old stack that were perfect, one green and one aqua, so I cut the centers from these ...

Piecing and squaring these blocks was made easy with the quick curve ruler.

I decided to make a slight personal design variation from the original pattern by making only one long strip instead of two, which would have made a double helix, I guess, but he has a narrow table and I just want this run down the middle.  I also alternated the colors in the centers.  I sewed four of each color blocks. 

When I pieced the runner, I ended up with one extra block after I checked it with the measurements I had for Jon's table. I am going to use this extra block as practice for my quilting to make a rounded table mat.

I have had this runner hanging in front of my sewing machine for the last few days waiting for my quilty muse to whisper in my ear and tell me how to quilt it.

I think I have a plan.

 

Time to quilt ... BBL

 

:)

Making a Sewing Room Home, Part 2

The valance for the windows in my new sewing room is up.  For this valance I used the leftover pieces from the two Sisterhood of Quilters panels that I cut up a few years back for the quilt.  To this I added other extra fabrics from that quilt.  I had saved the fabric for just such a purpose. 

Also I re-oriented my sewing machine table now that the wall quilt is hung.  I like the new set-up.  My sewing machine now faces the open door to the dining room for easier visiting with family when they pass through.  My quilty kitties seem to like the new set-up, too.  I have a quilt down at sill level for each to claim a window seat.  So far they are still vying for the same window.

Butterfly  reacts to Katniss claiming her spot by jumping up out of reach and looking down on her. Butterfly has always been a climber.  No place in the house is too high for her to jump.  Katniss still has a bit of a problem with the use of her back legs which we think may have been from an old injury from her life as a stray.  Katniss cannot jump up to Butterfly's lofty perches. As you can see from this photo, this has created a bit of hero worship in Katniss.   I think Katniss is definitely wearing down Butterfly's resistance and making inroads to her feline heart.

I have gotten some sewing done in my new room.  Besides the valance, I made some window scarves that Jon requested for his wide sills in his loft. I also got a table topper ready for quilting.  I also made some block for a Quilt and Needle Quilt of Valor for a veteran ...

and some baby blocks for a Q and N Quilty Auntie Project ...

 

These are destined for a Dissapearing 9-Patch baby quilt which the piecer will be cutting and assembling.

Next up: some swap block for next month.

Have a happy quilty day!

 

:-)

Making a Sewing Room a Quilty Home

My Sisterhood of Quilters
are now keeping me company in
 My New Sewing Room

 

Miss Dorian knows me sew well. :)

 

This quilt is one of my favorites.  I started it when I went to the Quilt and Needle Retreat in Texas in March, 2009, so that I could meet some of my online quilty friends.  It is a very special quilt for many reasons.  It is one of Jess Smith's Mystery patterns.  Jess kitted it especially for me from fabrics from her shop to which I added one fabric from my stash from home.  I got to start sewing this one with her and her Mom, Miss Connie, and Miss Cindy, Miss Nancy, Miss Jami, Miss Milica, and Miss Lizzie.  I also got to meet some of my other quilty friends and their families.  The sisterhood of quilter's panel is signed by them.  When I sew now in my quilty room, they keep me company. 

 

To read more about this quilt when I finished and entered it in a Q&N Challenge in 2010 read here.

 



I have always loved the colors in this quilt. 

It was a big job to hang as it is a big quilt.  It takes up the entire wall.  I do have more plans for this wall, too.  These are "coming soon."

I am also adding some easy and inexpensive touches to make my sewing space more efficient and organized.  Some of these items, like the thread racks, I actually won in a basket at a quilt show a few years ago and have never had a place to hang them before.

My quilty kitties are settling in, too ...

Butterfly says "Mine!"

 

Katniss says, "No! Mine!"

 

... while attempting to claim "the best spot" and other feline jostling for position.

Obviously, they both want the nice soft flannel bed by the window. There is some hissy fitting but the fur is starting to settle.  Both are assertive and territorial cats, but they are big marshmallows. The may hiss and growl but their fur does not stand on end and they do not go for the neck. If you do not have cats, this means they are not really fighting.

 Pat says, "Excuse me. Mine!"

 

I am working on "Making a Sewing Room Home Part 2"

 

Have a happy quilty day!

 

:)

 



Clued In!

I am participating!

 

This Blog Hop is being sponsored by Madame Samm at Sew We Quilt

 

To hop into this super sleuthing quilty fun, Read This Clue from Carol at Just Let Me Quilt.

 

Hope you will be joining us!

 

Have a happy quilty day

 

:-)

 



Sewing Room Move-In Day!

Today was moving-in day.   It has been rainy and dark.

 

I am using a large molded plastic folding table for now for my sewing machine and have it surrounded by my old plastic drawer units.  These rolling drawer units were used in my dining room sewing space. They were rolled away for storage during the holiday season. 

 

Once I had a semblance of order. Some fabrics were organized by color, some by type.  I started a scrap system with some cut scraps organized in drawers by size.  Some fabrics I tucked together in a  drawer with the pattern I had thought to make with them. Eventually some of the drawers became just randomly filled. I have a lot of swap fabrics in the big closet.  I also have a few boxes of accumulated patterns, magazines.  I know I have at least one box that is all "UFOs" that need some finishing.  I now have to take everything out, see what I have and how best to reorganize.  Well, I now have plenty of space to this.  Someday I hope to have a built-in storage wall for my fabric.  For the moment I am very happy to make do with what I have. 

My new sewing space

Although I have plenty of good lighting for sewing in the new room,  I may have my hubby add some track lights later.  I have a lot of "later" ideas. The first thing I know I want to make is a design wall of some type. I have never had a design wall and this is the one "must have" that need to add in my new sewing space.  I have left one big wall open for this purpose. 

My Butterfly Moves Back In, Too

 

Seeing her sitting in this window again makes a gray day bright. Butterfly always thought of this as "her room" as she was my daughter's cat and spent many happy hours in here cuddling with Our Girl. For the past few months Butterfly has not even wanted to go in this room since my daughter moved out. At 12 years old, she does not like change. I am happy to see her back in one of her favorite windows on the world. Now Butterfly will keep me company while I sew in "our room".  Katniss has plans to make this room hers, too.  Some fur may fly over the quilts.

 

More picture progress coming soon.

 

I need to go put a hanging sleeve on a special sewing room quilt.

 

If anyone can guess which quilt I am taking about before I hang it, I will send them a special prize.

 

Hint #1:  it is one that I made a few years ago.

 

:-)