I spent part of Sew Day transferring my go bag organizers to the Everything But the Machine bag I made at a class a few (? several?) weeks ago.
I have been busy and hadn’t been able to take the time to reorganize my To Go bag. Sew Day was a good opportunity to do so. Well, I made a start. I haven’t moved everything.
Tupperware Go bag with tools
It was hard. I am very attached to my Tupperware box. I have been using it for my quiltmaking tools since before I got married!!!
It was good to clean it out. I found a House of Fabrics loyalty card from the late 1980s! it was issued as part of my class.
There has been a lot of change in the workroom this month. II am trying to give myself a little space to get used to everything that is new.
I spent almost a whole day before my trip prepping fabrics and interfacing for 15 Mini One Handle Totes. As I have mentioned, these are an easy project and I wanted to cross them off my list.
I went through the Sorbet fabrics and pulled out pieces that were large enough to cut the pieces I needed, then I went through and cut the interfacing. I spent several hours on the project, but it made the sewing so much easier.
Once I got to MaryM’s I started sewing a couple of them. We were talking about bags, which I really enjoy, so I didn’t plan on getting a lot of them done. One problem I ran into immediately was turning the bags through the tiny handle. The problem is the DecorBond. I am still paying for and kicking myself for accidentally buying a bolt of this stuff. I was stuck, though since I decided to plow through some of this bolt by using it for this project.
I yanked and pulled and swore under my breath as I tried to turn the bags I sewed so I could make progress. I didn’t actually resolve this problem until I got to Portland. I tried to buy hemostats as mine were at home, but failed. Sidebar: Google lies, so don’t believe it. Google said three stores had them and none of them did.
Gaggle of Mini One Handle Totes
I solved the problem eventually by stuffing the ProFuse side through the hole first. I still could have used the hemostats, but I was able to speed up the process of turning the bags through this method. Also, I felt relieved since I could make some progress. I finished 10 of them and four more nearly done. I’ll be able to finish them soon.
I am pleased with how much of this project I was able to complete. I was not happy that this was pretty much the only project I almost finished.
The guild organized a workshop with Claudia Shearer. She called it Post Modern Jukebox. It was very similar to a workshop with Virginia Schnalle I took years ago when I made the Eye of God quilt.
Initially, we had a hard time getting enough people to participate, but invited some other guilds and got enough people not to lose money. Always a good idea.
Everyone was able to make at least a dozen blocks. There were a lot of solids, but people, like me, used prints as well.
At first, when I was thinking about what fabrics to bring, I thought I would bring my box of cool solids. A solid, if predictable choice. I read something about really thinking about your fabric choices. I often grab my most recent fabric purchases as they are the most accessible. Whatever I read made me stop and think.
I knew I would be making a table runner. They are large enough projects to have some design options, but small enough to finish sooner rather than later. My dining room is painted red. I have also been thinking about how I don’t seem to have used much red lately. I got my red bins and also a bin of low volume text prints. I made my fabric decision and stuck with it.
Post Modern Jukebox class workMy Post Modern Jukebox class work
I am pleased with the fabrics I chose and how the piece is coming out.
Yes, I have too much of the pinky red dots I found when cutting out the Mini One Handle Totes last week. I am working on diluting their influence with other fabrics. I used a lot of that pinky red dot fabric and am working on not using so much of others. It would be find if I were making a quilt,but for a table runner, I need to restrict the amounts, I think.
Also, I have not played around with the layout at all. The teacher, Claudia Shearer, played around with the layout a bit. She turned on of the blocks upside down to show how making the blocks the other way would add to my layout options. I need to pretty much make all the other blocks with the high part of the curve starting on the right. I think I need to do some layout work, though.
I have done a lot of ‘free cutting’ in various workshops, most of which were before I started writing posts for this website. Aside from the Virginia Schnalle workshop, I took a class at Fort Mason with Sonya Lee Barrington and she also showed us how to cut improv curves.
I wasn’t excited about this workshop, but feel like I have to be a good guild citizen. I also firmly believe that I can get something out of each workshop no matter how many times I have done a similar technique. In this case, the key tip was a registration mark! This helps a lot with the piecing.
I made quite a few at the beginning of the month, but other things got in the way of making more. My bin of 2.5 inch squares is overflowing, so something has to give.
I missed the unveiling of Creative Play #2 at the meeting last week. I am very sorry I did, because it has turned out so well.
It is so great, especially after still being in pieces the last time I reported on it.
I truly had no expectations when I started off the project. I really just wanted to inject some creativity into the guild and have some fun. This piece is beyond what I could have imagined.
I hope we can enter this in the Fair as a group project.
While I can see that I am slowly emptying my pink scrap bin, I find it harder the more empty it gets.
I am past the point where I can add a strip and have the block grow quickly. I have to put smaller pieces together to make larger strips and chunks before I get a large enough piece to cut a block. It is a little tedious to sew small bits together. I keep reminding myself that this is my choice.
I have over 60 of these strip and chunk blocks and would like to get to 80 so I can make two donation quilts and really clean out this scrap bin. I could start on one; I just have to cut some blacks.
I am trying to avoid making another improv scrap quilt so this is what I get. I am also putting larger chunks together to make the exterior of a needle roll (needle case?) for a holiday swap.
All of the blocks for the guild Block of the Month are done. We will have the layout party at Sew Day in November. I decided to put my blocks up on my design wall to see what I could do with them.
I am thinking I would like to get the top sewn together so I can focus on helping other people get theirs laid out during the layout party.
The blocks shown are the major blocks, mostly. This doesn’t now show anywhere near all of the blocks. I just wanted to get something up on the wall to get started. Each iteration provides information.
BAM BOM on the design wall – 8
I am not going to bore you going through all the permutations and changes that I made.
Version 8 is the best one so far. You can see some of the ideas that stayed, most notably the upper right hand corner.
I am thinking of making four more Birds in the Air blocks and at least one more Sawtooth Star. The bottom left hand corner is very light feeling and the whole piece is a little top heavy.
I am also thinking I won’t use the grey Pearl Bracelets as the background. First, I may not have enough and second the pearls make the background really confusing when parts are sewn together. I am thinking of a similar color in a solid. I need to look through my greys and at my color cards.
A few months ago, I made the first version of this block, which I really like. This is a block that I explored in Flying Around. When I made the first one I knew it wasn’t right.
Friendship Star Wreath #2 – BAM BOM
Later, I got some more of the grey Pearl Bracelets fabric. Recently, with the end of the project nearing, I remade the block so that it fits in better with the rest of the blocks. I like it much better.
There isn’t as much contrast between the star fabrics and the background. Perhaps that will make people move in closer and look more carefully at the quilt.
Now I need to think about how I will put the quilt together. We have a layout party scheduled for the November Sew Day. I don’t know if I want to have mine put together or if I will work along with the others. I think I will need it put together to show that it can be done. I also think I won’t have time to work on my own project while everyone else needs assistance.
I used up the last of the Four Patch Fun blocks to make a donation quilt. I haven’t made as many donation quilts as I normally do, because of my other volunteer duties in the guild, so this one felt good to finish.
First, I finished a donation quilt after a few months of not making one.
Four Patch Fun Column donation- back
Second, I used up the last of the Four Patch Fun blocks in a way that I think is interesting. I ended up using white for the plain columns even though I tried to think of another color that would look good with the blocks.
The back is very simple. I am working through larger pieces of fabric that have been hanging around for awhile.
I didn’t quite make the 30 I like to make, but I am making progress clearing out the pink bin. It is still pretty full, though I have used most of the strips that I pre-cut. Now the blocks are more chunky. I kind of don’t want to make an improv quilt from the smaller chunks, but may end up doing it.
As mentioned, I finished up a couple of Four Patch Fun blocks. These, along with the leftovers I didn’t use in the Cool Four Patch Fun quilt or the Warm Four Patch Fun quilt will make a nice donation quilt.
Four Patch Fun columns
I am contemplating different layouts. My first idea was a kind of column quilt.
This layout works because I have an extra couple of blocks that I cannot make into a Four Patch evenly. This layout incorporates those half blocks evenly.
Boring Four Patch Fun layout
I did try another layout, which I thought was just too boring. I would also have to make a few more blocks into order to make it even and I really just want to be done with this design.
This quilt was made by members of the guild for Dennis Gene “Buck” Bandy, who served in Vietnam in the 42d Bomb Wing, Strategic Air Command (SAC) of the Air Force, 1966-1968 in appreciation of his service to his country.
This quilt was made in August-September 2026 by members of the Bay Area Modern Quilt Guild, SueS., Marty C., Laura M., Friend Julie, Lee Ann F., Melinda R., SueG., and Carrie P. I made the large block on the top left.
Carrie found a bolt of Pacific Blue at her other guild’s fabric sale, which was used for the back.
I made and sewed the label on. I prefer it to be quilted in, but there wasn’t enough time.
Quilt for Valor – back
The blocks were chosen to reflect his service in the Air Force: Flying Geese, Birds in the Air and various star blocks. People picked out the blocks they wanted to make and all of them were done by the September Sew Day where members of the team worked on putting the quilt together. Laura quilted it and Marty transported it back and forth.
It was a true team effort and I am incredibly grateful.
These are the last blocks for the BAM BOM 2025-26 project. I know I showed them on Tuesday, but they turned out not to be the last blocks. I decided to re-make the Friendship Star Wreath block with the darker background.
To make these Flying Kite blocks, I used the Fat Quarter Shop directions from a sponsored 2014 (2013??) sew-a-long. I thought the directions made cutting pretty easy, despite the leftovers generated.
BAM BOM Flying Kite
I have made this block before and it was always a pain to piece, so I was willing to deal with the leftovers / waste / extras if the cutting was easier. I have a lot of respect for people who figure out how to cut blocks out more easily.
I cut a few extra pieces and decided to make a second block for the top. I may make more, but for the moment I need to finish all the ‘required’ blocks.
I also wanted to show all of the blocks I have made for this quilt.
BAM BOM HSTs
BAM BOM Month 2 blocks
BAM BOM Checkerboard, month 2
BAM BOM Friendship Star
BAM BOM Month 4: Flying Geese
BAM BOM: Sawtooth Star
BAM BOM Friendship Star Wreath
BAM BOM March QSTs
BAM BOM Drunkard’s Path
BAM BOM Lozenge Plus
Bow Tie – BAM BOM
BAM BOM Birds in the Air blocks
BAM BOM Flying Kite
BAM BOM Flying Kite
I looked over the combinations my sister and I worked on to get some ideas about a top. I don’t know if I will try to finish a top before the Layout Party or if I will work with everyone else on my layout.
On Sunday, I did some clean-up projects. It seemed like a good thing to do after finishing the Pandora Charisma #2. I needed to tidy up my workroom any way.
First, I made a label for the Quilt for Valor quilt. I haven’t shown that one here yet, so stay tuned.
BAM BOM Flying Kite
BAM BOM Flying Kite
Next, I got out my BAM BOM fabrics to make the last block. This is the Flying Kite (AKA Spinning Wheel) pattern. I made two and I really like them.
Leftover Four Patch Fun blocks
Leftover Four Patch Fun blocks
Leftover Four Patch Fun blocks
Leftover Four Patch Fun blocks
Leftover Four Patch Fun blocks
Leftovers from the Four Patch Fun quilts have been laying on my cutting table. I finally decided to get them into blocks. I have a few leftover blocks from those quilts and plan to make a donation top with them. Getting these leftovers pieced will add to the donation quilts.
I also tidied up after finishing the Pandora Charisma #2. I put the pattern, leftover fabric, etc away as well.
In between the above photos, I continued to work on the Pink Color Strip donation blocks. I think I have made 60 so far!!! Twenty more and I can make two Sidewalk quilts.
