Commentary about works in progress, design & creativity
Use for home decor items that cover the buffet, coffee table. Also use this tag for table toppers.
I am zooming right along on finishing my quilted projects.
I finished this one in time to use it on the first really sunny day of the year. I also decided that it was very Easter-ish (Springy) and would be good for the next few weeks.
I quickly finished this project, which was great.
The top is pretty subtly shaded, e.g. very little contrast. I guess that is ok. The nook where the buffet is located is a little dark, so I hope what light there is will reflect off of the light colors.
I am sending this to Colleen to quilt.
I have wanted to make another tablerunner for our buffet for awhile. I found the charm pack I used for this project at Sunshine Quilts in Medford. It was an impulse buy, but I was determined not to let the pack sit around.
I cut the pieces for this project at Sew Day and started sewing them together last week.
OMG! I can’t tell you how much I loved just sewing pieces together – no applique’, no fighting, no drama.
I know I finished pretty fast considering the quilts were returned to me not that long ago, but, yes, I finished the Lobster. It is now on my dining room buffet protecting the surface. It also brightens up the space.
I want to use it for the July timeframe, but I still have so few non-holiday tablerunners that I will use it for awhile and then switch it out for another. I guess I need to work on tablerunners for all the holidays like I made napkins for many holidays.
I finished the Cha3 table runner pretty quickly. It is already on my buffet, replacing the Red Text table runner I made during the Journey to Nebula. I was getting sick of looking at it.
I realized that I really didn’t follow the directions very well. I explained a little about why in a previous post, but I also could have made the edges of the center a little more wonky. I have more of the squares from the charm pack and maybe I have enough to do that. We’ll see.
I even quilted it myself. The quilting isn’t as good as Tim’s or Colleen’s, but I am happy with it.
I had to unbaste it, because my first attempt was terrible. The second time was better. Lesson: use masking tape not painter’s tape.
I made good progress over the weekend on the Cha Cha Cha table runner. That name is a pain to type so when you see Cha3 you will know what I mean!
It looks a little static. I probably should have used the black for those small 1.5″ strips instead of using more of the colors. I still like it and think it will be a cheerful addition to my table runner collection.
I ended up buying the pattern for the Cha Cha Cha table runner. Aside from wanting to support independent designers, I didn’t want to spend time trying to figure out how to make the table runner with the required supplies.
After reading the directions, I decided to make it a different way. Mostly I am not cutting the border up into a 100 pieces. I will put it on in long pieces so as not to break up the motifs of the fabric design.
What that means is that instead of cutting 100 border pieces I cut only the pieces I need to fill in the gaps when I skew the lines of pieces, then I will cut longer pieces for the border. I haven’t cut the borders yet.
I did all of the cutting after work and before dinner. I wanted to be ready to sew today. I will cut the border pieces when I am ready for them. I am also still fiddling with the layout of the fabrics.
The fabrics are Birthday by Sarah Watts of Ruby Star Society. There are some dots I am tempted to buy more of for future projects. I’ll try to use up my other favorite dots first.
I finished Rock Candy over the weekend, but still needed to do the binding. That is always a good hand task to work on at Craft Night, so I finished the binding on Monday night. This has been a banner week for finishes: Rock Candy plus 3 donation tops and backs.
On to Candy Dish, which is the next Journey to Nebula project
The Red Text table runner is finished. I finished sewing on the binding on Monday during Craft Night. I had already machine sewed and the hand stitching went surprisingly fast.
As I mentioned, I machine quilted it over last weekend. I am pleased, even after several days of looking at it, about how it came out. I am also really pleased that it is done since the new project came out on Tuesday, the Lucky Charm pillow.
I am more than a little thrilled that I finished the two table runners in time for the new project.
I really don’t want these Journey2Nebula projects hanging around clogging up my UFO list. Since the next project started yesterday, I sat down on Sunday an did some simple quilting on the Red Text table runner. It will be for my buffet (if I didn’t mention that before) and I would like to get it done so I can use it for a little while before I need to set up the decor for Thanksgiving.
I quilted most of it while talking on the phone to the YM. I used the Rotary Even foot rather than my usual clear applique foot. I wasn’t happy with it for other uses, but thought it worked pretty well for quilting straight lines. I definitely didn’t have to worry about the layers shifting. I also liked it because it was quiet. Unlike the walking foot, this foot didn’t clang and make a ton of noise while I was sewing.
I don’t like quilting that much, but it was a good task to do to stay off my foot.
I also made the binding, but it was a little too big, so I need to adjust it then hand stitch the binding to the back of the table runner. I am excited to have it finished!
I finished the binding of the first Seaside Table Runner on Friday. I am pleased with the way it came out and pleased that it is finished.
I have wrapped it with a piece of fabric and a note, so it is ready whenever I feel like going out again.
This is the first project in the Journey2Nebula and I am on pace. I haven’t finished the second table runner yet, but stay tuned for that. I don’t want any of these small project languishing.
As I mentioned, I cut out two sets of diamonds to make two Seaside table runners. Last week I sewed together my table runner and basted it. On Saturday, I worked on the second one, which will be for Amy as a thank you for loaning me the rulers.
One of the things I did was use the Rotary Even Foot for some of the quilting. Although, it didn’t work very well for the binding, I think it worked pretty well for the quilting I did, so I plan to try it on my version of this pattern.
Once the rows were finished, I decided I would quilt the piece as I sewed the rows together. It took me a good portion of the day Monday to put the thing together, but once all the rows were together, it was quilted as well. Bonus!
After I took this picture, I trimmed it, made the binding and started binding it. I used a 2″ binding, which is pretty slim, but is working.
I basted my Seaside table runner over the weekend TWICE!
Yes, I did wall basting the first time hoping I wouldn’t have to crawl around on the floor. Then I went to show my fabulous basting job and found that the back was not flat. I wanted to believe it would be okay, but I knew it wouldn’t. I decided to do it over again.
We are setting up for a new puzzle and needed to bring our folding table into the living room. Before I dragged it upstairs, I set it up downstairs and basted.
Now I just have to quilt it. I plan to do some simple quilting, but you never know with me. I might lose my mind.
I made good progress last week on both Seaside table runners. I am moving forward.
I have to say, though, that I am out of practice with diamonds and my brain rebelled at the directions for this project. You can see from the photo that the rows point in different directions (look at the ends of the rows). This means the different units were not interchangeable and I had to piece them in different directions. My brain did not like it. Finally, I had to put the rows up on the design wall and look at them as I pieced. It took, what felt like, forever.
I also decided that 6 strips for each Seaside table runner was a better number so that the fabrics could be alternated. I was too late to add them to my red text table runner, but will add another fabric to Amy’s blue version.
I did decide to join the Journey 2 Nebula project / Sew-a-Long (?) / Quilt-a-Long(?). As mentioned previously, this is a skill-builder for learning to use the Jaybird Quilts rulers, Hex N More** & Super Sidekick** (or Sidekick**) to prepare for the Nebula Quilt-a-Long. I am not planning on making the Nebula quilt, but I thought the skill-builder was interesting. I also thought it was a good idea to have a series of small projects so people could get used to using specialty rulers
When I gathered the supplies, I also got our non-Jaybird rulers that I thought would work. I borrowed the rulers from a guild mate because I didn’t want to buy them without trying them. Usually I jump at the chance to buy specialty rulers, but I am saving money and I have several rulers that do the same thing as the various Jaybird rulers. I am not adverse to buying one or more of them in the future, but we will see.
I did have to buy all of the patterns, but Pink Door had a bundle with a slight discount, so it wasn’t horrible, though I probably don’t really need the patterns for the projects. I certainly won’t need them long term. I count it as supporting a woman-owned small business.
This skill-builder was, I think, more popular than expected. There is a lot of grumbling about not getting patterns in a timely manner, not getting rulers and having the various fabrics (people seem to want the same exact colors as the samples) sold out. My patterns arrived on Monday, the day before the start. And, of course, there is no shortage of fabric at my house, so I was ready to go.
The first day was Tuesday and despite my plans to get the top of the Black Windmill finished, I started this skill-builder project. The first skill is diamonds – Super Sidekick** or Sidekick**ruler – and the project is the Seaside table runner. I am no stranger to diamonds after making the Fabric of the Year 2010 quilt. I had my strips prepared, read the directions and started cutting using thee Super Sidekick**. Julie of Jaybird Quilts (not Friend Julie) made a video as well.
It wasn’t difficult to use the ruler. There are pictures in the pattern and I was able to quickly cut two sets of diamonds for the table runners I want to make. Amy didn’t have the Sidekick, so, as I said, I used the Super Sidekick**. It is a big ruler, approximately 15×8.5 inches. I think the Sidekick** ruler would have fit my hand better, but beggars can’t be choosers.
I wondered the whole time I was cutting diamonds how the Super Sidekick** compared to the Split Recs Ruler **? I think they can both cut HRTs, but I didn’t’ try that. I’ll have to do some more research later.
Once I was comfortable with the Super Sidekick**, I got out my Creative Grids Turn-a-Round Diamond ruler. This ruler, which no longer seems to be available, cuts both 45 and 60 degree diamonds. I had to line it up differently, but was able to cut the same diamonds with it. I didn’t know I was cutting 60 degree diamonds until I started cutting with the CG ruler. The Jaybird Pattern doesn’t say anything about that.
My 2.5″ strips vs. the Super Sidekick** vs. Creative Grids Turn-a-Round Diamond ruler all measured 2.5″ differently. I am not worried about putting the table runner together, but I thought it was interesting.
I did start to sew, but I didn’t get very far. Stay tuned for more info.
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