Commentary about works in progress, design & creativity
Cyndi brought the Social Justice Sewing Academy top to the meeting a few weeks ago for us to see.
The sashing fabrics are not fabrics I would choose, but they really provide a great background for the blocks. I think the blocks really shine.
Ends n.13 is finished! I got to see it briefly at the meeting 10 days ago. It is such a hodgepodge of fabrics! Erin quilted this one as well and said that she enjoyed quilting happy looking quilts. This one is certainly cheerful.
Ends n.13 has been languishing long either. I finished the top and back in March of 2022.
We had a discussion of how many quilts we have given away and are in the neighborhood of 130 for the year. That is really great for a small guild like ours.
I went the last BAM meeting of the year the other and got to see some of my donation tops finished. This one, was quilted by Erin and I was so pleased to see it finished.
It didn’t even languish for that long. I finished the top and back in April.
The quilting is really hard to see and I didn’t take the time to look at it up close at the meeting, but I am sure it is great. Thanks, Erin, for collaborating!
Cyndi invited a group from the Social Justice Sewing Academy to our Sew Day. Some of our group had finished blocks, so those were turned in. Sara, the organizer, brought a different group of blocks that were to be made into a quilt.
People worked together to put sashing on the blocks and sew them together.
I was tired and stayed in my corner working on the Half Hexies. I wasn’t up for a group project that day.
The group achieved a lot. They put thin sashing around each block and then worked on larger pieced sashing (no photo). They decided to put the larger pieced sashing on backwards so the raw edges show. I am not sure the point, especially after quilting, but it was definitely a design choice.
The themes of the blocks varied. I might have put all environmental blocks together in one quilt and all animal blocks together in another quilt. I can see the appeal of varying the themes as it makes people really look at them to see what else is there.
My favorite block has a fantastic design. The design is very simple and clear IMO. It also has a graphic quality and provides a lot of scope for discussion. Whoever designed this block should get an award. Great job.
It was fun to see the blocks up close and contemplate the messages. If you want to participate, check the SJSA website for more details
A long time ago, I made the Double Spiky 16 Patch #1. At Sew Day the other day, Lindsay brought it back quilted. I was pretty excited to see it done an in reality it was only February of 2021 that I finished it.
She quilted it really well. I love the designs she chose. I am so pleased this was a group effort.
Joelle asked us all to make blocks with lines through them in bright colors.
These are mine. I didn’t follow Joelle’s directions for inserting the lines. Typical, right?
I’ll be interested in the quilt she ends up making.
My pace of making donation blocks has slowed because of my mania to clear my to do list. I am, however, still making a few. Many in the guild have gone off this pattern, so I may have to start making something else. I find it easy, inoffensive and easy to make. It’s great for leaders and enders.
I am preparing the door prize bag for the October meeting. I didn’t have enough time to make a bag myself, so I put a call out to my team. Mary C. came through and I picked up the bag at Sew Day.
It isn’t a shoulder bag, but would be great for carrying a magazine or a small hand project.
In order to sew along, you will need to:
You can find more information at the following links:
Additional Supplies**
Notes:
I was not able to find a 12″ separating zipper so I used a 10″ and it worked fine. you might be able to find one the right size at Wawak.
Use E8 pieces for this step. The zipper flanges (fabrics surrounding the zipper) should be exterior fabrics ifyou want them to match the outside of the bag.
Tutorial:
Use a 3/8″ seam allowance for this step.
You will be using the pattern starting on page 20. Use the exterior fabrics for the fabrics surrounding the zipper (E8-zipperr flanges). Match thread to those fabrics.
Take the zipper apart. Keep all the pieces oriented as if you are going to zip them back together.
Make a zipper sandwich
Look at the images on pg.20 of the pattern as they will help.
Install the zipper. Stitch to the end of the fabric.
Stitch both short ends closed. You have, basically, sewn around the zipper lining/edges in a U shape so that the ends are closed and three sides are finished.
Make sure the end of the zipper is OUTSIDE of the seam allowance. You want to stitch as close as you can to the stop, then match the seam allowance on the second side of the zipper.
Turn the piece right sides out and press. Top stitch the U after you have finished the second side.
Throughout this step:
Keep checking.
N.B.: Quiltessa Natalie calls these zipper tabs, but I have never heard of zipper tabs being applied to the sides of the zipper. I call them zipper flangesI have also never used a separating zipper, so who knows?)
Previous Tutorials:
**Obviously, you should shop at local fabric, knitting shops or quilt shops. However, if you can’t, please know that I use affiliate links. I may be paid for your purchase of an item when you click on an item’s link in my post. There is no additional cost to you for clicking or purchasing items I recommend. I do not recommend items I don’t like. I appreciate your clicks and purchases as it helps support this blog.
I made a few more blocks for the guild in addition to finishing the Rainbow Strip donation quilt and starting then finishing the Creamsicle donation quilt.
I finished the vertical orange donation blocks into a quilt. I did it on a day when I was really annoyed and needed some straight piecing – no pockets or zippers – that could soothed my jangled nerves.
These blocks were made from the strips I cut off of the Orange You Glad backgrounds. Waste not want not.
I am pleased with the way this top turned out and also glad it is done.
I put the back together quickly so I could give Peggy a whole package. Nothing special. There certainly has been a lot of orange in my life lately.
I finally FINALLY finished this quilt!
I am pretty pleased with the way it turned out and will be really glad to see it finished.
This piece seemed like it was on my design wall for years, but when I went back and looked, it wasn’t. I seemed to have started the layout in March 2022. In the grand scheme of things, it is only 5ish months ago. Why does it feel like this quilt took so long?
I dipped into my stash of dots for fabrics for the back. These are mostly dots I bought before I refined what I like in dots. I do like the prints, but probably wouldn’t use them in the foreground of a quilt and they are too large or too diffuse for the background. I think they make a really cheerful back.
I have more scraps, which is probably a super obvious staement. I have a lot of pink scraps, so that will probably be my next quilt in the series, after the orange vertical strip donation top.
I finished the center of the Rainbow Strip donation top using the leaders and enders technique as I worked on the Project Bags.
I am pleased with how it looks, though it does need a border. I am thinking white, but that may not finish the quilt enough. It could be if there is a colored binding applied. I don’t have control over the binding unless I make one to go with the top and back. Hhhhmmm.
I made good progress over the weekend on the Rainbow Strip donation top.
I still have some seams to sew. I feel like this shouldn’t be taking as long as it is. I have to remember that I was stuck for several months and since I got going on the project again, it hasn’t been very long.
I spent the last three days at Sew Day, well, 2.5 days as we started Thursday at 1pm. Saturday was the busiest with about 16 people. Thursday was the least busy with about 8.
I arrived a little early so Mary and I could set up the tables, irons and food. We had help from Sue S and some others. Then we started sewing. I started off basting La Pass Month 14. Yep, Month 14 is here and Nope, I haven’t finished Month 13. Like Month 1, however, Month 14 is the outer right of Month 13, so I can sew them together at the same time. It makes hand sewing a little easier that I have not finished Month 13 yet.
My station is on the other side of the sewing machine in the first photo (above). That is Friend Julie’s machine in the bottom right of the photo. She joined the guild and I was able to convince her to come to Sew Day. I am almost more excited about what she got done than my accomplishments! 😉
She worked on finishing her Kitchen Sink quilt, which she started in a BAM class with Maria Shell. She had already quilted most of it, but did a little more quilting then made and attached the binding.
I think the quilt looks really good and quite cohesive. The colors are fun and interesting, too. There is also a lot to look at. This is one of the projects on Julie’s September to do list and I am excited she made such great progress.
Another project on Julie’s September To Do list is her Japanese houses. She worked on making the back, which turned out really well, but could be another top! I forgot to take a photo, so you’ll have to go look at her blog for more info and a view.
I had a little more basting to do when I arrived on Friday. I had left one of the fabrics in the dryer at home. After I finished the last few small pentagons, I started cutting out other projects.
First I worked on cutting out pockets for the Brocade Peony UCAB. Remember I cannibalized the pockets I made for that UCAB for my improved UCAB? I was able to finish all the pieces and parts for the pockets on Saturday, I think.
As soon as I finished the pockets, I started cutting out the fabrics and vinyl for the Sew Hungry Hippie Essential tote pattern. I was able to cut out all the pieces except the exterior, because I am waiting for another piece of AMH’s Glow to arrive and I forgot to wash the other AMH fabric (left) I bought. I wanted to use that Spanish Rose vinyl (photo left) and I wanted to use it with Anna Maria’s Glow colorway. I know it is a shocking pink. I just bought it recently and I want to use it while I am excited (and not horrified) about it.
I didn’t mean to make two of these totes, but now I am. The webbing won’t be super comfy, but it is glitter webbing and super fun. One good thing is that I used up most of my regular vinyl with all of these projects, so now I can switch completely to glitter vinyl. Yay!
Once I finished cutting what I could for the Essential Totes, I started cutting for the ByAnnie Project Bags. I need more holders for in process projects. I know I am a glutton for punishment since I started making 5 of these. Yes, FIVE. I am a lunatic.
I had to lay out the cut pieces on a free table, clipped together, so I could be sure I had cut all the pieces for each different bag.
I was able to finish cutting out all of those Project Bags pieces on Saturday before lunch. As soon as I finished lunch, I started quilting the main panels. Somehow quilting at Sew Day is less terrible than quilting at home. I quilted four of the main panels, which leaves one left to quilt, then I’ll be done and ready to put them together. I kind of wanted all the quilting done at Sew Day, but we don’t get everything we want.
A lot was going on at the event. I don’t know why Maria had eggs next to her sewing machine, but she did. I didn’t get a chance to ask.
You can see Patti and Anna talking in the background. Their table was pretty full, though people moved around the room quite a bit so it looks pretty empty in this photo.
New Mary came and got her door prize bag. There was a lot oohing and aahing over the contents. That made me feel good.
Sue S has a grandson who is interested in quiltmaking. He has made a quilt, which we were pleased to having hanging on one of the design walls at Sew Day.
I was impressed with the sophistication of the design. It is all half square triangles, but the design is quite elaborate. I kind of want to make that design in different fabrics.
He joined us for Sew Day via FaceTime and got to see what we all were doing.
Maria basted a quilt on the wall. I tried that technique a few years ago and it didn’t work for me, but she was very successful. I love the quilt, too. She did a nice job choosing fabrics.
I came home on Friday exhausted. It was a result of walking back and forth to the cutting table all day. That was hard. I took a break from my daily walk on Saturday and didn’t feel the exhaustion as much, though I was still tired.
All in all, I am pleased with what I accomplished. I don’t know that I can cross anything off my to do list, but I’ll soon be able to do so.