As you know from the Sampler Quilt class tutorials, I am very fond of people learning all the quiltmaking techniques. It is a way to be free from the tyranny of always having to use a pattern.
NOTE: I am not against quilt patterns and I feel we should all support quilt designers.
Y Seams demo sample
However, at some point quiltmakers will want to make a quilt design they have thought up themselves. To do this, we need to know all the techniques. Thus, I couldn’t say no when SueS asked me to do a Y Seams demo for the guild. As usual, I had to overachieve. I posted a handout to the guild members only site*. Most of the information is in the Y Seams tutorial.
I made a whole bunch of step outs and notes to tell people. I won’t be actually sewing. That didn’t work out well when I tried to show a demo of leaders and enders, thus the step outs.
*N.B. If you are in the Bay Area and want to join, click the join button on the guild site. We also have a Zoom option, though the demos and Bag Club are not always available via Zoom.
We are thanking Laura, a longarmer in Half Moon Bay who has been longarming donation quilts for us for a year or more. Carrie is gathering gifts to make a nice basket for her.
Stella Pouch for Laura
After seeing the Center Street Quilts video on IG showing the making of a half vinyl pouch, I decided to try and make one. I actually made two. One will be for a guild swap. I thought I could probably make the pouch after watching the video, but decided to buy the pattern, the Stella Pouch from Center Street Quilts just to make the process a bit easier.
Stella Pouch for Laura – vinyl side
I looked for more specific directions on the Flying Geese and the vinyl, but didn’t find any. Even with the pattern, I still had plenty of figuring out to do. I knew I could do it. That is one reason I enjoy making bags. There is always something to figure out.
I think I forgot to trim the height, so the pouch is taller than the pattern states. Still, I think it will be useful. Small project bag?
One of the good things about using vinyl for this bag is I was able to use a very pretty lining fabric. Having a good fabric show through the vinyl is an added bonus.
I think I might have a few more of these pouches in my future.
**N. B. : Obviously, you should shop at local quilt shops and support small businesses. However, if you are too busy or can’t find what you need there, I use Amazon affiliate links and 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 appreciate your clicks and purchases as it helps support this blog.
As I work through some sewjo challenges, I decided to make another Ends donation top. I have already handed in two donation tops this month, but an empty design wall doesn’t work for me.
I had various ends laying around the workroom and slapped a few up on the wall to see if I could make anything.
Ends n.18 was finished in September, so it is time for another one. I want to use a background fabric with the pieces shown, but I haven’t decided what color yet.
My brown and beige bin was out so I used a beige dotty sort of fabric that has been hanging around for a long time. The sashing uses various cream fabrics, so I thought it would coordinate. The backing was another plain brownish and white fabric. Nothing special, but a large enough piece so I only had to piece one seam. My stash of large fabrics is getting low, so borders and backs are becoming more work.
I said I would make a few additional Ribbon Friendship Stars to make up where someone bailed out. I was supposed to make another 5, but only had the fabric for another four. I hope that is good enough, though I can whip up one on the special Sew Day next week if we need an extra.
I made good progress on my Rectangle quilt, though it does seem to be taking forever.
I am not sure why I am sewing so slowly, but I am. I plan to put a border on this one. I haven’t decided what kind of border or what color yet.
I like the idea of using larger scraps for this type of quilt. I might start collecting such shapes again as I come across larger scraps. It’s a good way to use them up.
These are the two sunflower blocks I made for the Wrap the World in Quilts project to make quilts for Ukraine. Posting the patternlast time generated a lot of interest in making the block. I hope that means people are contributing to the project.
I am also including some blocks people sent me.
Julie’s sunflower
Some of my friends took my pattern and made some sunflower blocks. Friend Julie took my pattern and worked on this block. I am always so excited to see the fabrics people choose. Julie wrote about her blocks (she picked another to make as well) in her blog while I was away.
I really like the center of Julie’s block. It is different, but gives the impression of a sunflower center.
She finished two, one of which I didn’t see in the original post. The one that doesn’t use my pattern is fantastic as well. I am so glad I put up the pattern. It has inspired people to make blocks for a good cause!
Carrie’s Sunflower blocks
Carrie also took my pattern and tried to make some blocks. She struggled with the ‘flip & sew’ sections of the center as I did. Her blocks will be good for the project anyway.
I hope posting the pattern has enabled people to make a lot of blocks.
I started this rectangle donation top informally awhile ago. I decided to clear off some of the lingering, half finished projects and this was one of them.
It was a collection of rectangles I had cut from larger scraps. I used the same 4.5 x 8.5 Creative Grids ruler** I use to trim my strip donation blocks. As I cut them I pinned the rectangles randomly to my design wall. Over the weekend, I got myself together to organize them and the few additional cut the few additional pieces I needed.
For once I used the one fabric for the cornerstones. I had enough of one fabric and it had a lot of variety so I thought ‘why not?’
I am in the process of sewing, but it has been slow going. I’ll get there.
*N. B. : Obviously, you should shop at local quilt shops and support small businesses whenever possible. However, if you are too busy or can’t find what you need there, I use Amazon affiliate links and 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 appreciate your clicks and purchases as it helps support this blog.
Back in April I started cleaning out my green scrap drawer. While I didn’t work exclusively on this project, it was a constant companion. I made progress through the summer. Finally, I have cleaned out my green scraps as much as I can. The pieces left, which I have sewn together, are not big enough to make anything, but will be the basis for a Journal Cover or the next Color Improv donation quilt.
Of course, this clean and clear state of affairs won’t last for long. As I work through other projects, this drawer will fill up again in a never ending cycle. It’s the nature of the beast, I guess.
Green Strips Donation top #2
Green Strips #3 donation top
Green Improv #2 (The Swamp Thing) top
The good part is that I made a few quilts, mostly from the scraps in this drawer, for people in the community. These aren’t super large quilts (approximately 40×40 inches), but there are still three of them. These three help me meet my goal of 12 donation tops for the year.
In another part of the never ending cycle, I need to decide which color is next. I might want to work with blue, for example, but really need to choose the drawer that is the fullest.
I finished the Swamp Thing (Green Improv #2), which puts me close to 50 yards used (net). Yes, I have sewed quite a bit in the last 2.5 months. I am pleased.
It is mostly green, but very light. I thought it might be the photo I took, but I took a second one and I think it just looks light. As mentioned before, I seem to have a lot of light greens and yellow greens.
This is finished which means it is time to select another color.
I don’t consider FQ size pieces of fabric to be scraps. My scraps are small. I have had some larger pieces of fabric that get lost in my fabric bins, so I have cut them up into as many of my normal sized pieces as I could. With additional large-ish pieces, I have also, now, cut some rectangles.
Rectangle pieces for donation top
These rectangle pieces have been hanging around for awhile. I finally had enough to make a donation quilt.
So far, they are just on the design wall. I need to cut white or background pieces, hopefully from scraps also, to put the top together.
Slowly, but surely I am making progress on this green improv donation quilt. I am exclusively using it as leaders and enders so I can finish it for the guild Community Quilts project.
It is about 40 inches wide and I want to make it that long as well. That is about the minimum useful size for a baby quilt, I think.
It is fun to remember quilts and bags I have made with the various fabrics in this piece. I am pleased to be cleaning out the random bits of green, but it is hard going. Piecing ‘made’ fabric takes time.
One of our guild members hosted a special sew day at her house last week. I was deputized to get there early as the hostess ended up having an appointment that day. I got there super early as traffic wasn’t bad, so I had time to stop at the GF bakery near SueS’ house. Sadly, they didn’t have many breakfast items. They had a lot of cupcakes! I bought a blueberry muffin, which was very tasty.
I set up a lot of the chairs, and other things we needed while waiting for SueS to return. The tables ended up being too heavy for me to manage alone, so I set them up when Carrie arrived to help.
SueS’ Sew Day workspace
The workspace was good. SueS has a very open plan kitchen, so we were able to set up a cutting station on her kitchen island. A few of us worked on the kitchen table.
Tim, Sue and I worked there. Sue worked quite a bit on EQ8 as she is working on a project. She also worked on a Mariner’s Compass quilt that she wanted to finish up. It was all foundation paper pieced on a special printed interfacing. I didn’t hear the brand, but I did hear a discussion of the Midi and Mondo bags. It was similar to this QuiltSmart pattern/kit**, but is actually from a company called EZ Piecing. The pattern is called Ruby’s Star. SueS made it her own with an added border from the same company.
Tim was working on something with strips. It is called the Dreamlines Project. I missed getting a photo, but it looked very cool.
I decided making this block would be a good use of my time at Sew Day. I went searching for block ideas and found a similar one to this one. I made it because I love Sawtooth Stars and I thought I could make it quickly.
In general, I like the block. I am not 100% happy with my sewing of the block, however. EQ did not print out the instructions for the center and I cut it too large. I ended up cutting off more of the yellow corners than I wanted when I trimmed the center. It isn’t terrible and will work for the project. I may make another one just to make myself feel better. You can make a similar block using my pattern. It works with scraps, except maybe for the center.
SueS’ Sew Day workspace
The living room gang were laughing up a storm the whole time.
Julie talked about her work on her blog the other day. I love the shapes she is making.
Maria picked up work on a quilt from a Libs Elliot class. I didn’t see what Joelle was working on before she left. I’m sure it was great.
Of course, we had plenty of food. 😉 I made a lemon pound cake. Carrie made some of her excellent chocolate chip cookies. There were chips and banana bread and all sorts of things. Even some fruit!
It was a great day and I really wish I could spend every day sewing with friends.
**N. B. : Obviously, you should shop at local quilt shops and small businesses. However, if you are too busy or can’t find what you need there, I use Amazon affiliate links and 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 appreciate your clicks and purchases as it helps support this blog.
More blocks for more happy people who need quilts. I am eeeking out green strip blocks as I work on the Green Improv piece. I don’t have many strips of the right size left, so every green strip block I get is a bonus.
There are very few blocks this month as I have been focusing on using up scraps in the Swamp Thing. I did hand in three donation quilts, however.
