Wednesday, July 7, 2021

July Is Here! How Did That Happen? OMG, Block Count, And Finally Finished!

July already? How did that happen! I don't know about you, but the older I get the faster the year goes! This month is, for me, an anxious month. My hubby starts his new job in Franklin Ky and we have be looking for a home somewhere around the Bowling Green area. We've been packing everyday and now have a house full of boxes! I'm embarrassed to say I don't feel like I've made a dent in my art studio!

I make a point to sew everyday, it calms me...most days! I say most days because I'm working on Jelly Snowflake again and again it's giving me fits! I had this as my OMG for March and didn't finish because my Tiara 3 Long arm wouldn't cooperate. I decided to try again to get it out of the way for the tentative move and I've found a way to make it work most of the time. I'm making this my One Monthly Goal, to finish the quilting on the snowflake quilt! Next month my OMG will probably be to hide all those threads! 😆

Here's a close up of some of my stitches. I saw this pattern on Angela Walters Free Motion Challenge, the link takes you to her video. If you are wanting to learn how to quilt or add more variety to your repertoire check out Angela's videos! And don't forget to print out the diagram and tip sheet. She really is great at helping new quilters!

 Look at all those threads! EEEK I think that will be a good distraction on our ride to Bowling Green. It's at least 2 hours away and hubby will be driving, a great way to spend my time productively and get my daily sewing in!


Here is another close up of my Paisley Feathers. Not as smooth as I would like, but considering having to deal with skipped stitches I'm fine with it.
As much as I would love to say I will have the binding put on too, I don't want to push it! I think I'll be lucky to get it quilted!!!

I want to say if you are on the fence about playing along in OMG, you really should! I find it helps keep me on track, motivated and gets me blogging, introduces me to other quilt bloggers and there are prizes!!! I'm happy to say I won a $25 gift card to Fat Quarter Shop!!! I feel like I'm a winner ever time I get a project complete!I 

Here are updated posts of my journal pages for tracking "my sew everyday" and projects in the works.

These 2 pages are my new starts for 2021.

This page gives me a more detailed snapshot of the projects.
My pages with all my WIPS! How embarrassing!

Do you keep track of your daily habit, like sewing everyday?

Last months block count is 4! Yes only 4 blocks, but I did get 4 shirts done and finally completed the Out Of This World quilt!!!! I've also been sketching, doing the ICAD Index-Card-A-Day by Daisy Yellow. In the next couple days I'll post what I have done so far. I must admit I haven't worked on it everyday, but the last few days I've been getting better!

I hope you had a productive June and your July is even more eventful!

Sheila 

Duke had a hard day hiding for the noisy booms of fireworks.
 I'm sorry to say I missed out on the OMG for this month. Hopefully next month!!!



Tuesday, June 29, 2021

My OMG Finished Early And A Tutorial On Binding

 I'm so happy to say I finished my OMG!!!! Early in fact! I also took the time to take photos so I could give a tutorial on binding a quilt. I know, I know there are so many tutorials out there but It seems to be the one thing that people are looking for the most. And since I don't put binding on near enough to remember, having it posted here will help me find it easier!!! 😆

Here is my finished Out Of This World Quilt bound and ready for college! 

Check others finishes by heading to Elm Street Quilt!


This post is heavy with photos in hopes to help you as much as possible.

From the very first quilt I made I have done the binding with a flange, extra color is always a good thing!!! It's also done with the sewing machine...no hand sewing! I'm not good at hand sewing (but I'm working on it this year!) and I want to get the quilts done as fast as possible so I can get on with the next one!

I had the binding already done so I don't have photos of the making of that, but it's two strips the wider one is the flange color and the narrow is the binding. The flange is 1 3/4" and the binding is 1 3/8" sewn together the length of the strips. Iron the flange up to the outer binding. Fold your binding, wrong sides together and have the raw edges line up, iron to give it a crease and hold the fold. Your flange should be peeking out when looking at the top of the binding. 

The dark blue fabric is the outer part of my binding and the orange is the flange.

Starting at the middle edge of the quilt and having a tail of about 8" to 12" of the binding free (you'll need it to attach it to the other end) lay the outer part of your binding (raw edge) to the backside raw edge of your quilt. What you see is the flange and the back of my quilt. I use clips to hold it all the way around the quilt.



At the first corner (actually all the corners!) you fold the binding so that it is even with the edge of the quilt and crease the 45 degree fold.

Then you fold it back so that the next fold is even with the first edge of the quilt.

See how it the binding follows the quilt>>>

Below I show how I use the clips to hold the corner in place.


 

 Continue around the quilt doing the other 3 corners the same way.


 

 

 With the binding clipped on and having a gap between where you started and ended attaching the binding, about 12" you should have extra binding on both ends. Starting around where the clip is, sew the binding to the quilt using 1/4" seem allowance and back stitch in the beginning and end. Remember don't sew the gap to give you room to work on attaching the ends.

 Now here is the part that I need a refresher every time I bind a quilt! Attaching the ends!!!

  Cut a section off (it doesn't have to be very big). We are going to use the piece to give us the width of the binding and help connect the ends.

Lay the tails of the strips over each other (the bottom strip is peaking out to know where it is) and unfold the piece you just cut off. Place it vertically (notice the fold) over the two strips.>>>

One end of the piece will line up with the bottom  strip that is peaking out. 

 

You will cut the top strip where the other end of the piece is...Be sure to cut the top strip and not the bottom!



<<<Here is the binding after cutting the strip. The cut piece is laying on top to the right.


 

 Unfold the binding end and fold the one end 45 degree so that the top corner folds down to the edge. Finger press to make a crease. Notice that your outer binding is the small triangle at the top.

Open up the binding ends and pin the top flange corner to the top main binding corner, right sides together.

Notice where my fingers are pinched in the photo below.


To make sure you have it right before sewing, pin along the crease and open. The binding should line up.


I use clips to hold the binding in place.


Sew along the crease. Notice you are sewing like you sewn your binding together. If you see the binding is forming an "A", you are sewing the line that crosses the A! 


Notice the bottom corner is following the center line of the 1/4" washi...This stuff works great! I love it for HST!!!



The "A" is crossed! The other crease you see is when I did it wrong! Thank goodness I pinned first and fixed my mistake before sewing!!!!


Fold the binding back together and check that the flange is lined up and the binding fits against the quilt.

 

 

<<< I love when the flange lines up!!!

 

Unfold the binding again...

 

it's safe to cut the excess off.


 Then open seam and iron flat.

 

 

Lay flat against the quilt and continue/finish sewing the binding down.


Fold the binding over to the front of the quilt, clipping it down as you go around. You want the binding to be right up against the edge of the quilt.

To miter the corner fold flat past the corner.

 

Then finger press the other side over to give the nice finished corner. Clip to hold it in place.

 

Continue around until it's all folded over and ready to sew down.

Your top thread should match the flange color and the bobbin should match your backing. I'm using Aurifil #2277 Light Red Orange on top and #2783 Medium Delft Blue in the bobbin.



 

You will stitch on the flange close to the outer binding. On this quilt the flange is the orange and the blue to the right is the outer binding.

 

 

 

 

 

Sew all the way around until you come to the beginning.


 

 

And you are done!!! On to the next project! who am I kidding, I have several going at a time! Doesn't everyone!!!


I hope you find this technique useful! I would love to hear how you do yours and if you ever tried to do it all by machine.


This is the You Tube video I watch when I try and remember how to join the binding...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P1srfubwAIQ&list=PLGlIVNYaoGssyqUp9ZHIiUmQBCei_J1XO&index=7

Thank you for visiting and I hope to see you again!

Sheila

 


Monday, June 7, 2021

June's OMG, My Block Count So Far And Sewing Clothes

 One of the things I wanted to do better was blogging...I failed! I missed the last couple months of joining OMG. But it just means I need to try again and harder to stay on track! 

For my OMG I want to get my son's Out Of This World Quilt finished. All that is left is trimming and binding. I figure if I want to get it done in time for him to take it to college with him this fall I need to get it done and out of the way now!

Since I have it on the table I might as well get started and get it trimmed! I also noticed I still have threads that need to be hidden. I had a lot of trouble with the thread breaking so there is more than usual. The OMG is run by Elm Street Quilts and I strongly urge you to play along. It helps me complete projects and get those ducks back in a row. Until the next squirrel comes running by!!!

 
This is a page from my 2019 journal.

Did you catch what I said... My son starts College this fall! I'm not dealing with it very well. Last month was prom and graduation. Here's my sweet boy at the prom...

 

They had their prom outside so we opted for a sports jacket instead of a tuxedo. We figured he could use it later.


The size of his class was 135 and that was also held outside. I'm so proud at how well he has done. He graduated with a weighted GPA of around 5! We'll know for sure when he gets his grades.

The next months coming up will involve packing and getting him ready for his next chapter. 😭

and ours.



 

 I'm playing along with Prairie Moon Quilts and I am keeping track of my block count for the year and as of the end of May I have only made 95 blocks. 

But I did complete a 42" Square table topper/wall hanging that I was a tester for Jen of Patterns by Jen. She's taking time off and I'm not sure when she will post the pattern and the testers quilts so I won't post it here yet. I also made several blocks for Home Is... by Pat Sloan. I am behind, I need to finish 5 more blocks. So hopefully I can get that done this month too.

I've also made 6 shirts! I found Love Notions Sewing Patterns and they make clothing patterns. I haven't made clothes since I was in my 20's and it wasn't many. So I consider myself a beginner. But these patterns are easy to follow and I feel so proud of myself! One of the last shirts I made was the Rhapsody...

I love it! And so does Gracie, or maybe it's just the attention she was getting.

As for my PHD progress...Lets refer to the squirrels! I was distracted and didn't complete any of my projects, but I have moved them along! 

I think that's about it for now. I'll try to do better at getting my blog out. I have several new quilt ideas I plan on writing up and making them, maybe I should get a tester or two? So for now, Have a great day, week, month!

Sheila

Saturday, May 1, 2021

Color Challenge For May, Easy Potatoes O'Brien And A Month Distracted

 

First I have to show off May's Color Challenge block. Yes! I was last months block ambassador for Jen's Monthly Color Challenge and I'm doing it again this month!!! Her patterns are very beginner friendly and come together quickly, which for me is a plus since I'm such a slow sewer! This month block is brown and Potatoes is the produce that goes with it! I'm using batiks in brown and cream, just like a potato!

Did you ever look at a block and think that would be cool as a quilt? That's what I thought of this block. So I got on EQ8 and played around and here is the results!!!

I love it when one block can give you so many extra designs! I may have to make this quilt!!! To get the instructions for this block visit Jen's blog. The pattern is free for the month and you still can get previous months for $1 each block! Not bad!!! Just head to Jen's blog!

May Bloggers

Bea - Bea Quilter

Kathy - Kathy's Kwilts N More

Raylee - Sunflower Stitcheries and Quilting

Andi - True Blue Quilts

Crystal - DayBrook Designs

Ashli - Quilt 2 End Alz

Joanne - Everyone Deserves a Quilt


Sponsors

Jen has gathered together a bunch of wonderful sponsors. They are broken down into quarters and winners are chosen quarterly; April 1, July 1, Oct 1 and Jan 1, 2022. To enter you simply add your block to the Link Up at the end of each month. One entry per quilter and it needs to be the block from the current month. Finish each month and you will have 3 entries each quarter and at the end of the year you'll have a wonderful quilt!!!





Bea Quilter - PDF Pattern

For the Love of Geese - PDF Pattern

True Blue Quilts - Book: Monochromatic Quilts Amazing Variety*

Make Modern Magazine - 6 month subscription

Island Batik - Fat Quarter Bundle*

Benartex - Fabric Bundle*

Quilters Dream Batting - 60 x 60 Dream Poly*

The Warm Company - 90 x 108 Warm and Plush 100% Cotton

Appliques Quilts and More - $10 gift certificate

Fat Quarter Shop - Gift Certificate

DayBrook Designs - 2 PDF Patterns

Patterns By Jen - Tucker Trimmer 1® ruler*

Those marked with * are for US residents only. Prize laws vary throughout different countries.


Potatoes O'Brien
I make these on a sheet pan and in the oven set at 500.
 Southern style O'Brien Hash browns (I use Walmarts Great Value brand)
1 Tbls melted butter
Olive Oil
2 Tbls Italian Seasoning
Paprika
Onion Powder
Garlic Powder
 
1. Spread the Hash Browns in a single layer on a baking sheet and pre-heat oven to 500.
 
2. Melt the butter and add olive oil to make about 1/2 cup. Mix in Italian Seasoning.
 
3. Drizzle the melted butter mix on the hash browns to cover evenly. Mix the hash browns and butter and spread it back out. If there is dry areas you can you a little olive oil.
 
4. Pop in the oven for 20 minutes or until the desired crispness, stirring every 5 to 10 minutes.
If I'm in a hurry I will skip step 2 and put slices of butter on the layer of hash browns then sprinkle with seasonings. After about 5 minutes I stir up the potatoes and spread them back out.
 
 

Now for my distraction... Let's just say I had a very confusing month! I had no idea what day it was! I didn't get many blocks done, but I did sew! I joined with a group on Instagram (< follow me!) and they were having a month long sew a long of Tilda Dolls. I never heard of them, but I had a wonderful time making these little dolls!

My first one is this cow...so cute!
Here is my second one. I had to make it look like my Duke!!!
Duke doesn't like when I take pictures of him with my phone! Which made for funny pics of him!!!
I did make a pair of overalls for "Duke" too along with a bandana. Then I made Tilda's Beach Bella.
Here are all three, but there is more that are in different stages of completion. You can find the patterns for these three and many more at Tilda's World just go to the Free Pattern tab. She has quilts, pillows too. Each cuter than the other!!!


I hope your month was more organized than mine! But the next few months don't look much better for me! We plan on moving soon!
 
Sheila