Weekend Quilting Update...

Well, My oldest son Josh is in Nevada racing with my Father.  (I'll do a post on that when he gets back with photos!)  Trish took Jonathon and Mary to a concert and then took Mary home (2 hour drive there and back), and Chyenne went to bed.  Dinner was cooked, the kitchen cleaned and I was ready for Survivor Finale'... And I decided to sew while I watched TV.

I have been looking for three weeks for the right material to sash the "Stars and Stripes" quilt for my boss, and Friday I finally found it, so that top is now complete and ready to be quilted!! I really wanted a blue, but I am coming up on the deadline, and I settled for a red that I found with rows of Stars... I also found the perfect binding fabric for this quilt (but I forgot to take a photo of it).  Hopefully, I'll get this quilted and bound this week and then I'll post Finished photos.

Close Up showing rows of small stars

Stars and Stripes, Top Completed!!

I also whipped up a few Wonky Blocks for a Japanese Relief Charity Quilt being assembled by the Columbus Modern Quilt Guild. 

And I cut the fabric for the Japanese Fabric Swap.

 

While I was ironing Stars and Strips Sashing, it jumped at me, and attacked my feet.  I put the iron down and grabbed a camera, 'cuz I knew who it was... Yes, Frappe' once again getting in on the quilting action!!  That goofy kitten just can't resist the temptation...

Until Next Time,
Paul

Thursday's Sewing Night # 4

Thursday Night is QUILT NIGHT in my house and this week I got a lot “finished”… That is until I bent a needle at 12:30 AM and then immediately remembered what it was I forgot to get the last time I was at the craft store!  So my night was cut short, but it was probably for the better, as I did get some much needed organization done since I couldn’t sew anymore…

So, here’s what I did last night:

FIRST – I finished my QFK (Quilts For Kids) Quilt.  I started this one around the first of the year, and I finally got it done.  I tried a new binding technique called “wrap around binding” because that is exactly what you do.  You leave 1” extra backing material all around the quilt.  Then you fold that 1” in half and iron it well, then you fold that over the front and you have thus “Wrapped” the backing around to the  the front.   Pin it in place and quilt down the Binding.  It worked.  The corners were a little tricky, but I got it done and I don’t think it looks that bad.  I don’t know if I’ll do it again, but hey, if you don’t try it, you can’t knock it…

Finished QFK Quilt (can you see my error??)

Close up of the binding front and back

Binding process

SECOND – I wanted to finish my Mug Rug for the Columbus Modern Quilt Guild Swap… and I almost did, but I did not finish the binding.  I need to do the final part which is to hand stitch down the binding on the front of the quilt.  It was a week for new binding techniques for me.  On this Mug Rug, I decided to add a little flange to the back of the quilt to set off that yellow binding.   Here is the completed Mug Rug (notice the binding still needs to be stitched down)…

The Flanged Binding on the back

I also used a new trick to get my lines straight in my quilting… Frog Tape!

Tape in place and follow the edge of the tape. 

The tape does not leave a residue on the fabric.

And you get nice STRAIGHT lines!!

The Flange Binding went on after the quilting was done…

Then the regular binding… I did not think of the additional layers caused by the Flange or I would have added an 1/8^th of an inch… There are two spots where I am going to be lucky to completely cover the stitching from attaching the Binding.  Next time I will definitely add at least 1/8^th of an inch, maybe a whole 1/4 of an inch.

Then literally as I was stiching the last half inch of binding, my machine made a funny “CLANK” noise, then it rattled, and then it made and even louder clunk.  My needle came up bent big time!  Thank goodness I managed to finish getting the binding on, but it’s also kind of frustrating…  I just cleaned it last week when I was done using it…

139

Hopefully this isn’t indicative of a bigger problem…

Next week is Guild Meeting night, but I plan to get some quilting in when I get back!

Until Next Week, or maybe sooner,

Paul

Thursday's Sewing Night # 1

Thursdays are usually my night to sit down at the sewing machine and quilt.  My wife works on Thursday nights, both of the kids who still live at the house have activities on Thursdays and aside from a need to run out and pick up Chyenne, I have the night to myself and I usually use it to quilt.

This week however, I split my free time and attended the Columbus Modern Quilt Guild's monthly meeting.  I was as usual, outnumbered.  The only guy in the room, but the ladies I sat with welcomed me and I enjoyed the evening.  We did a material swap for some "Mug Rugs".  I packed some scraps in a bag, as did everyone else.  We then all then grabbed someone else's bag and committed to making a "Mug Rug" from the other person's scrap material to give to them at the next meeting.  We then met with the person whose materials we picked and the person who picked our material and chatted a little bit to build an idea of what the other person would like.

 My Mug Rug Scrap Bag...

I did get a chance to sew when I got home.  Two weeks ago I took Jonathon and Maryaha to the store and they each picked out 13-15 Fat Quarters of fabric they liked from which I will make each of them a quilt.  Last Thursday I did all of the cutting for Jonathon's Quilt top, and this week I got to sewing it.  Step 1 & 2 complete!  Woo hoo!!!

Chain Piecing Jonathon's Quilt

More next week, or maybe sooner...