Sewing surrounded me as a child. I mentioned the women in my life being adept and prolific needlewomen. what I didn’t mention is that my dad was just as adept. I distinctly remember our house being filled with goosedown feathers as he and my aunt sewed sleeping bags, parkas, booties for a winter backpacking trip. Recently he pulled out the sewing machine on which I learned to sew and sewed up some curtains for his new guest room.
Dad sewing
He doesn’t have the best ergonomics, but he did a great job.
I have no idea where he got the quilt. He has never mentioned it to me and I have never seen it before. I should say that I didn’t make it. It looks pretty, though.
I talked about sewing the really long seam the other day. I have, as you might have expected, continued to work on the Jelly Roll Rug.
Jelly Roll Rug -Fabric Quesadilla
In one of the videos I watched the presenter showed how to butt the batting together as you clip, then sew the edge of the jelly roll sandwich – really it’s more of a quesadilla- closed. Check out time stamp 10:46-11:25, approximately, for that gem. I started out using the strips I had sewn some weeks ago* so they wouldn’t be laying around waiting for some other project that would never happen. When I sewed the quesadilla closed. I got to the point with the batting strips where I didn’t even have to open the Bosal roll of 2.5 inch strips.
Jelly Roll Rug Ball
One challenge I had was with the tapered end. Fortunately, the second video, from Quilt Addicts Anonymous, I watched showed what to do (timestamp 8:55-10:31-ish). You have to buy the pattern to read about the tapering process, but once you have tapered the end the video shows what to do with it. The pattern is a little vague, or I couldn’t decipher what it meant. Basically, you have to create the jelly roll quesadilla with that tapered end as well. I started sewing the end of the long seam rather than the beginning (the piece that would be in the middle), so I could create a ball and would have the beginning on the outside of the ball. That means that the tapered end was at the end of the long seam. I had to unpick 8-10 inches of the long seam in order to do the tapering. Also, I had to re-cut the taper, because I had messed around enough with the fabric comprising the taper to make the end fray beyond repair. So the rug will be an inch shorter. I don’t think anyone will die.
First attempt at sewing the rug together
My first pass at beginning to zigzag the rug together ended up with a kidney shaped piece. That is to be avoided, so I ripped out the zigzagging and will start again. Stay tuned.
*I decided to only buy one of the 2.5 inch Bosal batting roll strips and augment the one roll with batting strips of my own. My idea was to use up what I had rather than buying something new. I cut an approximate number that I thought I would need.
The Red Improv top is finished. No back yet, but I will do that soon.
I am pretty pleased with the way it came out. It doesn’t have those bold graphic lines that the purple improv top did. I like that better, though it might look a little chaotic as well.
This is the last of the red scrap quilts for now. My red scrap drawer isn’t completely empty, but it is much less full than it was. Essentially 3 quilt tops came out of the drawer. Amazing.
Maybe orange next. Stay tuned for your break from red.
Sew Day was Saturday and I went with the Jelly Roll long strip batting and 4 wound bobbins in my bag.
Amy and I pretty much got to it as soon as we got set up. She is making the rectangular rug and I am making the oval version.
Jelly Roll Rug strip-ready to sew
Since I already had my strips sewn together, I started closing up the jelly roll’s seam. It took me several hours to make headway and I didn’t even finish that one step. I had grand illusions of getting the whole rug finished because I had sewn my strips together. HA!
This is not a difficult project. It is slightly tedious, but great for Sew Day because I could easily talk and sew and not make mistakes.
I used up one whole bobbin already. One seam one bobbin. It’s crazy since I am not even finished with that seam.
Green Strips quilt top and back – finished 1/16/2019
Green Thing donation top and back – finished 2/2019
Libs Elliot donation top – finished 2/2019 – Cheryl actually did the quilting and the binding. She made me feel good by saying she really liked the quilt. I should try the technique using stripes instead of making stripes and see if I feel differently. I should do a lot of things.
In Process
The ‘In Process’ is used to denote projects on which I am actively working or are on the design wall waiting for me to stitch. I try not to put away projects, because that will ensure I never work on them
English Paper Piecing Project– half hexies – I have a big stack of stars ready to sew into the quilt. I am still thinking of my friend Faye whenever I work on it. She says that I have to think of this as my slow project.
Still WIPs
I still have WIPs. Who doesn’t, after all? A project in the ‘UFO’ category means I am stalled. A nicer way of saying UFO is a WIP. The list is a lot shorter and the projects are newer, for the most part.
FOTY 2018 – this has to be on the list now as I have cut a ton of squares and need to arrange and sew it together. As I am still working on FOTY 2017, I haven’t made a start on this yet.
Handbag Sampler – this is still the forgotten project. It should be on the UFO list. Too bad I don’t have one. The blocks were teaching samples when I taught a sampler class the time before I started writing the quilt class sampler tutorials. I found one block recently, but otherwise I actually don’t know exactly where the blocks are hiding. I have an idea and still have to crawl up in the far reaches of my fabric closet soon and see if I can find them. I haven’t even found a picture of all the blocks. Sad.
Lobster – I still have more stitching to do and then I need to quilt it. Probably also a UFO, but it nags at me from the small design wall.
Pies and Points from 2016 Victoria Findlay Wolfe class. The last time I worked on it was when Julie and I had a playdate in April 2018. I brought this piece with me so I could cut more elements (Julie has a Sizzix). I lost my excitement about this piece shortly thereafter and still have to get it back. Thus, I had to move this to the WIPs area.
Pointillist Palette #4: Fourth is a series of 6 quilts; needs tiny square patches sewn together. No progress.
Black and Red quilt – This came about because of two other projects. I made a whole bunch of bias tape as part of my failed attempt at doing the Mighty Lucky Club a few years ago. Another part of the inspiration came from my class with Tina of Little Blue Cottage fame. This was going to be for a nephew, but I think it will be for one of my SILs and BILs. I have rectangles cut and some bias tape ready. My next step is to sew the bias tape to the rectangles like pickup sticks. I don’t have any photos of this, so you’ll have to use your imagination.
Who Am I? – This piece is off my design. I have lost momentum, but I think that just has to do with the amount of satin stitching I am facing.
BAMers made fidget quilts at the last Sew Day. I was there as I was in Portland celebrating the YM’s graduation.
BAM Fidget quilts detail – May 2019
I was really impressed with Peggy’s preparation and for all the work that went into these pieces that will help people with dementia and other memory challenges as well as kids who need something to calm their restless bodies.
I spent a couple of days working on the Red Improv donation top in between the Chubby Charmer and other projects. I am getting towards the end (perhaps one more row along the bottom?), but making the rows takes time, because they are made from small bits of fabric that have to be sewn into larger pieces.
I have done a good job clearing out the red scrap drawer. There is definitely a lot less left. I do have a couple of pieces that were already sewn together that I may not use in this piece. I am thinking about cutting some blocks out of it and making a multi-colored donation top when I am done with all the colors.
As mentioned, I have been working with red scraps. As I dived into the drawer, I found several pieces of fabric that had already been made from scraps.
Since I have a few Miquelrius journals that need covers, I decided to use some of the scraps to make a journal cover. It was fun to look at all of the made fabric and decide which pieces to use. I felt like I was picking out commercial fabric. It was nice to have a choice.
Red journal cover closed – May 2019
Because I had already done the hard work of making the fabric, I just had to make the piece large enough to fit the journal. (Sizing info can be found in the journal covers tutorial). It went really quick, which was great, because I was in need of a quick finish. I am pleased with the chair print on the front as well as the disbursement of dot fabrics.
Red journal cover front open – May 2019
I use flannel instead of batting for the center of the journal covers. It gives the cover a little bit of body, but doesn’t make it bulky. I’d like to just use ShapeFlex, but it doesn’t stick very well to made fabric because of all the seams. If I am using a favorite commercial fabric and there aren’t a lot of seams, then I will use ShapeFlex.
Red journal cover back open – May 2019
I always cover the batting the another cotton fabric, but I forgot to do that this time, so the flannel serves as batting and backing. It is on the inside and doesn’t show much, so I think it will be ok. I haven’t been carting my journals around as much as I have in the past, so I think the flannel will stay clean. I am glad, however, this is just for me. I think I will need to read the tutorial again before I make the next one.
I finally finished the Chubby Charmer I started making for myself a few weeks ago. I am really pleased with how it turned out. I started filling it with supplies for the Jelly Roll Rug class almost as soon as I had finished with it.
Finished: Batik Chubby Charmer
I used a violet batik for the handles and I am pleased with the choice.
I also did a few different things with the inside pockets. I didn’t make smaller pockets or slip zipper pockets. I even forgot to add Shapeflex to the pockets, but I did add a lobster clasp and a special pen holder.
Batik Chubby Charmer: Lobster clasp
Batik Chubby Charmer: pen holder
All Rolled Up Tote – pouches (back)
My idea for the pockets had to do with the pouches I discussed when I made the All Rolled Up Tote. Yes, there is no D-ring like I discussed, but I didn’t have a D-ring that would fit with the lobster clip. I have a lot of those lobster clips. I will need to get some D-rings to go with them, but at this point I thought a lobster clip could still be clipped to a lobster clip.
Looking at the pictures now, I might just make a pouch to go with this Chubby Charmer as well.
I started my Jelly Roll Rug, finally. I started on Wednesday by watching the official Jelly Roll Rug video. As I watched, I made a list of to do items and also of supplies I needed. The first item on the to do list was to find the pattern.
I also had a brief exchange with Gretchen. She has made a few Jelly Roll Rugs and is a good support for me. She has a post that includes a different video from the “Official video” linked above. Having different videos gives the maker different perspectives.
There are differences in the two videos. One suggests using batting tape to join the strips of batting. The other says just to butt them up together. I threw some batting tape into my bag just in case, but intend to butt the pieces up against each other.
I used a video I won in the Libs Elliot class I took at QuiltCon in 2018.
Jelly Roll Rug strips – sewn
After watching the first part of the video, I decided to sew the strips together and get a bit of a head start. For some reason I didn’t want to do the sewing at Sew Day. I think I wanted to maximize the time I have there. I won’t be able to sew on Sunday, so time this weekend is important. I have to admit, also, that I am much more confident sewing in my workroom where I have everything I need and can concentrate.
It took me awhile, but I sewed the strips together and then cut off the triangles. I sewed the strips diagonally positioning the strips perpendicular to each other (in an L shape so my strips) so i could sew them together with a diagonal join, like I do binding.
I normally wash even jelly rolls, but decided to take a chance since there was very little ironing. I didn’t have a reaction when I pressed the seams open, which was a good thing.
I don’t think this project will take me very long once I really get going. Stay tuned.
_____
Resources
Video: Ultimate Jelly Roll Rug Tutorial by Quilt Addicts
I finished the Red Chunk Donation Top and back on Monday morning. Hooray!
I am pleased with how it came out. I thought the border was rather perfect. I would have preferred to have enough fabric, so I didn’t have to have different corners, but it looks nice, so it is all good.
Another top for the BAM Community Quilt Project and another 3 yards used up this year.
I wanted to look at these three quilts together. I can’t actually see them since I don’t have them anymore. I am interested in the differences in these tops as well as the similarities.
Green Strips Donation Quilt quilted
Purple Strips donation top
Red Strip Donation Top- Finished
These tops display one reason why I love quiltmaking so much. Essentially, these are the same pattern. They, however, look very different. They don’t look so different that you can’t tell they are the same pattern, but they still look different enough for the viewer not to be bored.
Last month, the guild had another class with Sarah Goer. As you may recall, I took the Planned Improv class with her and really enjoyed the process as well as the end result. I also really like seeing people be excited about a class project.
All About Angles Class work – May 2019
Due to travel (did you see the Thimble Towne and Calico Mermaid reviews?), I wasn’t able to sign up. Although I was home, I would not have had time to pack for the second trip and I needed a bit of a breather. I still was able to admire the work of the other students at the guild meeting on the 18th.
Last year I let you know what projects I entered into the fair. I saw the post by accident and can’t really believe another year has gone by. I didn’t wait until the last minute this year. Cyndi was kind enough to collect a bunch of entries at the BAM meeting to take to the fair. I gave her mine since it is much easier to have someone else drop them off. I think I’ll have to give her a gift or take her to lunch, because she really does save me a lot of time and energy.
I didn’t enter as much this year as I only wanted the free tickets. I know it is pretty callous, but it is true. There are so many quilts in the pieced-by-one, quilted-by-another category that I have no hope ever of winning for a quilt. I can usually win in the paper category, but didn’t finish the piece that I started with Nancy and Maureen.
SIL2 figured out that the embellishment category was the least populated so we had the best chance of winning, thus I had incentive to finish Under the Sea.
Under the Sea Pillow Finished- front
Under the Sea Pillow Finished- back
Under the Sea was entered.
Metroscape – finished
Since Metroscape is pretty unusual, in that I haven’t seen a lot of finished quilts using the Quick Curve Ruler, I thought I might have a tiny chance, despite it being in that overcrowded category.
Aqua-Red Sampler finished
Aqua-Red Sampler back – finished
I really ended up liking the Aqua-Red Sampler. It is a striking quilt. Though I have no hope of winning anything with it, I wanted someone to see it and entered it anyway.
I started it in 2014 with high hopes of having a fun joint experience with Julie. Of course, it was fun to work on it at the same time, but the whole experience was not that great. I had problems with my seam allowance. Coupled with the small pieces in a lot of the blocks, many of the blocks came out the wrong sizes. I think of myself as a competent piecer, so this problem was extremely frustrating especially when I couldn’t diagnose the cause of the problem.
Finished: City Sampler- back
Also, I do not like log cabin blocks. I don’t know what it is about them, but I don’t like them. This book had a ton of log cabin-like patterns. They just felt like torture to me.
I finally decided to suck up the suffering and get this off of my list. As you know, I worked on it at the CQFA Retreat and that event provided the hours I needed to get over the hump.
What makes this quilt is the quilting. Colleen outdid herself with masterful work. We have a true collaboration and it shows in this quilt.
You can find more posts about the making of this quilt by clicking on the City Sampler tag.
