Artful Homemade Quilts Have A Way

[freedombecki]

Here's one one of our ladies at Charity bees specializes in, and her scraps are all sizes--one inch, 1 3/8 inches, 2 inches, even 3/4 of an inch (leaves only a 1/4" piece at the end using a 1/4" seam allowance). Hers go from straight strip pieces to angled pieces, and they're always just beautiful. The other thing I wanted to say is that you can make these using typing paper, which works as well as specialty papers if you use a teeny-tiny machine straight stitch 20 to the inch (that's a lot of stitches on one end.) Then when you get ready to remove the paper from behind, they pop right off if they haven't already done so from handling! I like the quilt behind her that uses 1.5" strips, but again, you just use what looks good to your eye and that's a good answer for a scrap quilt. This video is pretty good except for omitting the use of tiny stitches to pop the paper off the back best. That way, you can do it yourself in seconds rather than hours it takes if you forget to set your stitch super short to perforate the paper.

[ame=http://youtu.be/iZ02NM9-USw]Quilting with scraps - Foundation Piecing to make the String Quilt! - YouTube[/ame]

 

[freedombecki]

Finally got the information shot done on the red and black tall ships to be given to a shelter child after quilting by the Charity bees. Thanks to cereal killer for the color choice & I know some little boy or girl will love the warm quilt other people contributed to comfort in cold weather.

And if they sell it for buying batting for other quilts, I'm just gonna make another one.

Oh, yes, this is quilt #28 for the year of 2013 so far. This year my goal is to make every quilt one a child would like to have and not 100 quilts like last year. It's been a merry chase so far. *sigh*

 

[freedombecki]

I enjoyed the Tall Ships in red and black so much, I've decided to make another while I've still got so many red strips cut to size for the project.

However, because I want this one to show mainly red with white with red print "sails," about 200 more strips were cut this morning before sunrise. It will be a daylight quilt. I'm just playing with theme.

I'm sorry I couldn't show it due to being 10 thumbs with a camera, but the quilt is a knockout. I hope the white sails day ship is a brighter color for a younger child or even a toddler.

The sails presented a different problem to me, after making probably well over 70 log cabin quilts, I tend to get in a groove and stay there--6 lights and 7 darks. On the sails, 7 of the fabrics have to be sail positives, and 6 are whatever the sky is--and in both cases, red on this quilt.

Anyway, I had so much trouble sewing strips on wrongfully on both light and dark sails, I decided to show my work so if anyone here wants to make sails on a ship and liked the way mine looked on the mockup sheet placed on an above post a couple of days back, if they, too, were in a log cabin groove of any kind, my primer study would help them not screw up and spend half their time in front of the machine taking stitches out and re-sewing logs back on the right way.

I'm seeing that we have a few visitors here, and I'm thinking some of them are quilters. Well, I'm retired, so people are encouraged to use them to teach their students if they would like. You can isolate a post on USMB by clicking on the Post number (i.e., #1512 or whatever you'd like,) and have just one post on your page. Then when you print, just click on your printer's icon for "fit on one page" and that should help you print what you'd like.

Also, if you join USMB and friend me, you can access my Albums. One of them has a copy of ABC Animals to free motion machine embroider, applique, paint by number, (hahaha), stencil, copper stenciling etc. you are welcome to use. There are 42 animals, plus I think I posted another animal back a few pages--a seal, which has the outline for applique, but not the machine embroidery lines that show you how to do satinesque side-stitch, free motion style as on the ABC Animals. All I ask is that you credit me with their use, since I spent quite some time designing them a dozen or so years back when there just wasn't an ABC Animals quilt book out there, and I wanted to make one. It is copyrighted for my lifetime with the Library of Congress, which I did myself. Back then they were really nice to tell you if you made a mistake or had questions about why it took you a year to make the quilt and another year to write the book as you taught classes that date back a couple of years. They liked stuff nice-and-tidy back then, and that's just not my style. I have to mull and move slow and wait for inspiration when I design. I love people whose style is swift, but I have to mull and think too much, which is really silly to people who are time misers (also wiser than me, I think).

Here's my primer for making a sail block for the ship at sea from the standard log cabin square. You will need to make 19 half blocks for the quilt--17 for the sails, 1 for the bow and 1 for the stern. If you differentiate sky and water, the 17 for the sails should probably be sky, and the 2 blocks attached to the back and front of the sailing ship could be water. Of course, if you're making a horizon to be further back, you could also put water fabric as part of the lower sails to where you choose to have the horizon line.

This will probably take 4 posts, hope it all gets on the same page.

If you pose your mouserly arrow over the thumbnail, you will see a number at the beginning. The strips are 1 1/2 inches (1.5"), and cross cuts are listed as the first number (i.e. 1.5, 2.5, 3.5, 4.5, 5.5, 6.5, and 7.5" respectively.

Scan 1 - picture of strip of light and dark; a cross cut that measures 1.5" x 2.5" after pressing out the quarter inch seam.

Scan 2 - Add the 2.5" dark log

Scan 3 - Add the 2.5" light log

 

[freedombecki]

All strips are 1.5" and all seam allowances are 1/4" (a quarter of an inch)

Scan 4 Add 3.5" Light Log

Scan 5 Add 3.5" Dark Log

Scan 6 Add 4.5" Light Log

 

[freedombecki]

Scan 7 - Add 4.5" dark log

Scan 8 - Add 5.5" Dark log

Scan 9 - Add 5.5" Light log

 

[freedombecki]

The Schema -- each "triangle" is actually a log cabin square like the one in Scan 12 below. I'm putting this here, so anyone who'd like to make one of the quilts can see the exact placement of the log cabin squares. I apologize for the too-light-red color, but had to use a colored pencil that just didn't bring out a dark, deep red like the log cabin square in Scan 12.

Scan 10 - Add 6.5" dark log

Scan 11 - Add 6.5" light log

Scan 12 - Add 7.5" light log

Again, all strips are cut 1.5" and the seam allowance is exactly 1/4".

 

[freedombecki]

Got a design done on the waves that swell in a storm at sea, often preceded by a red sky at morning. They're done in log cabin style piecing:

 

[freedombecki]

This morning went well. Water, sails, and sky blocks were sewn into rows to go around the hull, which was done an earlier day. So far, 4 complete horizontal rows are assembled with the 4 upper ones needing about 16 more sky (all red) blocks to frame the sail areas. It would take quite a bit of good luck to complete this quilt top today, but it's sure make for a good Friday to see it to its completion!

My mother said it was bad luck to start something new on a Friday and good luck to finish all the week's progress by the end of the day. I guess that probably fits somewhere between old wives tales and common sense. That way, you can put your workweek behind you and enjoy the leisure weekend unless you are retired, in which case most every day is the same as the one before.

This quilt is 6 blocks wide (which measure 7" each when done), and 8 blocks long to equal 48 total 7" blocks.

Here are some scans of the joined blocks:

 

[freedombecki]

Three more scans before going back to being before the mast of my good sewing ship to make the rest of the sailing ship.

Poise mouse arrow over thumbnail to read a brief description of the thumbnails below:

 

[Spoonman]

This morning went well. Water, sails, and sky blocks were sewn into rows to go around the hull, which was done an earlier day. So far, 4 complete horizontal rows are assembled with the 4 upper ones needing about 16 more sky (all red) blocks to frame the sail areas. It would take quite a bit of good luck to complete this quilt top today, but it's sure make for a good Friday to see it to its completion!

My mother said it was bad luck to start something new on a Friday and good luck to finish all the week's progress by the end of the day. I guess that probably fits somewhere between old wives tales and common sense. That way, you can put your workweek behind you and enjoy the leisure weekend unless you are retired, in which case most every day is the same as the one before.

This quilt is 6 blocks wide (which measure 7" each when done), and 8 blocks long to equal 48 total 7" blocks.

Here are some scans of the joined blocks:

i love the tall ships. as a kid, i always loved any movies that featured them. I loved to build models of them. the were always so hard to do with all of the rigging and inticate little parts, but so rewarding when they were done. In my 20's I always took these windjammer cruises where part of the cruising experience was helping sale the ships. you were actually part of the crew. one of the most beautiful sights I ever saw was mystic port with the sune rising up over the ocean behind the tall ships. we were returning home from a friends house in weekapaug RI. on our motorcycles. we were passing through mystic seaport just as the sun was rising. the ships masts and sails where silhouetted against the sky. it was a breath taking sight

 

[freedombecki]

Thanks, Spoonman! I read your post, and hit the ground running to see if the top could get finished. The 48 squares are all joined now.

It took a couple of hours to find red and white fabrics--I found red waves on white for one border and a redwork galaxy, enough to do the outer border. Where the ships end, red is needed, and I found this ancient bright red that is 36" wide (last made in the late 50s or early 60s, when all the manufacturers of fabrics went to 45". I wish they'd kick it up another 9". People are bigger now than they were a generation ago, and we were bigger than mom and dad's generation.

It won't take much longer to get the border pressed, cut, sewn and finished--maybe 2 or 3 hours. It will be done tomorrow, because 10 hours before the sewing machine is about as much as I can do with fibromi-oucho.
'

 

[freedombecki]

It's done & I love this quilt!

Scan 13 ~ Lower Corner and Borders of small roses and seafoam waves in red on white

Scan 14 ~ Upper Left Corner of Tall Ships, Red Sky Morning.


The quilt top is #29 for the year 2013 and measures 48 by 64 inches, more or less. It is designated to Charity Bees of the Tall Pines Guild, Walker County. It will be remembered by me as such a happy little quilt top.

I hope it brings a measure of warmth and love to a small child who needs a warm wrap at night.

 

[Sunshine]

It's done & I love this quilt!

Scan 13 ~ Lower Corner and Borders of small roses and seafoam waves in red on white

Scan 14 ~ Upper Left Corner of Tall Ships, Red Sky Morning.


The quilt top is #29 for the year 2013 and measures 48 by 64 inches, more or less. It is designated to Charity Bees of the Tall Pines Guild, Walker County. It will be remembered by me as such a happy little quilt top.

I hope it brings a measure of warmth and love to a small child who needs a warm wrap at night.

Still pluggig along on the cross stitch one. Almost half done with those edges. Still plan to finish before I retire.

 

[Sunshine]

I just replaced my Premax Optima blue stork embroidery scissors. Lost them last week. I really think I bumped them off the night table into the waste basket even though I went through the trash and didn't find them. Replacement pair was $21.95. Dang. You shouldn't like something so much.

My grandson gave me some little plate thingies that I decided to use as coasters on my night table. A couple nights ago I heard one hit the floor and knew I had accidentally bumped it off. Now, how it got on the floor on the other side of the bed, I couldn't say.

Anyway, I feel like I will find the scissors and feel really stupid about it. But those things were hard to find and replace. I have a gold pair which you can even get locally, but for some reason even though I'm not wild about blue, the blue ones speak to me. (Not literally, LOL)

 

[freedombecki]

I just replaced my Premax Optima blue stork embroidery scissors. Lost them last week. I really think I bumped them off the night table into the waste basket even though I went through the trash and didn't find them. Replacement pair was $21.95. Dang. You shouldn't like something so much.

My grandson gave me some little plate thingies that I decided to use as coasters on my night table. A couple nights ago I heard one hit the floor and knew I had accidentally bumped it off. Now, how it got on the floor on the other side of the bed, I couldn't say.

Anyway, I feel like I will find the scissors and feel really stupid about it. But those things were hard to find and replace. I have a gold pair which you can even get locally, but for some reason even though I'm not wild about blue, the blue ones speak to me. (Not literally, LOL)

Those are beautiful, Sunshine. I had a pair of those once, but I may have left them at the shop OR they're in one of my old sewing machine catch-all trays. I'll have to look them up. I think if I hand embroidered as much as you do, I'd have to have a pair of those. I have another few years of quilts to make, though. My stash is likely top ten in the nation, and I need a warehouse.

Oh, and that's absolutely nothing to brag about. It comes in handy, however, when I'm doing a landscape fiber collage or a monochromatic log cabin work in any specific given color range.

 

[Sunshine]

I just replaced my Premax Optima blue stork embroidery scissors. Lost them last week. I really think I bumped them off the night table into the waste basket even though I went through the trash and didn't find them. Replacement pair was $21.95. Dang. You shouldn't like something so much.

My grandson gave me some little plate thingies that I decided to use as coasters on my night table. A couple nights ago I heard one hit the floor and knew I had accidentally bumped it off. Now, how it got on the floor on the other side of the bed, I couldn't say.

Anyway, I feel like I will find the scissors and feel really stupid about it. But those things were hard to find and replace. I have a gold pair which you can even get locally, but for some reason even though I'm not wild about blue, the blue ones speak to me. (Not literally, LOL)

Those are beautiful, Sunshine. I had a pair of those once, but I may have left them at the shop OR they're in one of my old sewing machine catch-all trays. I'll have to look them up. I think if I hand embroidered as much as you do, I'd have to have a pair of those. I have another few years of quilts to make, though. My stash is likely top ten in the nation, and I need a warehouse.

Oh, and that's absolutely nothing to brag about. It comes in handy, however, when I'm doing a landscape fiber collage or a monochromatic log cabin work in any specific given color range.

Before I moved away from here and went to Nashville, th church had a 'living nativity scene.' There was a woman who owned a fabric store, decided to close, and to get rid of her stock really fast, she donated it all to the church. It was quite a production. There were enough costumes for two complete casts. They rotated out one at a time about every 30 minutes so as not to disrupt the look of it.

 

[freedombecki]

I just replaced my Premax Optima blue stork embroidery scissors. Lost them last week. I really think I bumped them off the night table into the waste basket even though I went through the trash and didn't find them. Replacement pair was $21.95. Dang. You shouldn't like something so much.

My grandson gave me some little plate thingies that I decided to use as coasters on my night table. A couple nights ago I heard one hit the floor and knew I had accidentally bumped it off. Now, how it got on the floor on the other side of the bed, I couldn't say.

Anyway, I feel like I will find the scissors and feel really stupid about it. But those things were hard to find and replace. I have a gold pair which you can even get locally, but for some reason even though I'm not wild about blue, the blue ones speak to me. (Not literally, LOL)

Those are beautiful, Sunshine. I had a pair of those once, but I may have left them at the shop OR they're in one of my old sewing machine catch-all trays. I'll have to look them up. I think if I hand embroidered as much as you do, I'd have to have a pair of those. I have another few years of quilts to make, though. My stash is likely top ten in the nation, and I need a warehouse.

Oh, and that's absolutely nothing to brag about. It comes in handy, however, when I'm doing a landscape fiber collage or a monochromatic log cabin work in any specific given color range.

Before I moved away from here and went to Nashville, the church had a 'living nativity scene.' There was a woman who owned a fabric store, decided to close, and to get rid of her stock really fast, she donated it all to the church. It was quite a production. There were enough costumes for two complete casts. They rotated out one at a time about every 30 minutes so as not to disrupt the look of it.

That was cool.

 

[freedombecki]

This morning went well. Water, sails, and sky blocks were sewn into rows to go around the hull, which was done an earlier day. So far, 4 complete horizontal rows are assembled with the 4 upper ones needing about 16 more sky (all red) blocks to frame the sail areas. It would take quite a bit of good luck to complete this quilt top today, but it's sure make for a good Friday to see it to its completion!

My mother said it was bad luck to start something new on a Friday and good luck to finish all the week's progress by the end of the day. I guess that probably fits somewhere between old wives tales and common sense. That way, you can put your workweek behind you and enjoy the leisure weekend unless you are retired, in which case most every day is the same as the one before.

This quilt is 6 blocks wide (which measure 7" each when done), and 8 blocks long to equal 48 total 7" blocks.

Here are some scans of the joined blocks:

i love the tall ships. as a kid, i always loved any movies that featured them. I loved to build models of them. the were always so hard to do with all of the rigging and inticate little parts, but so rewarding when they were done. In my 20's I always took these windjammer cruises where part of the cruising experience was helping sale the ships. you were actually part of the crew. one of the most beautiful sights I ever saw was mystic port with the sune rising up over the ocean behind the tall ships. we were returning home from a friends house in weekapaug RI. on our motorcycles. we were passing through mystic seaport just as the sun was rising. the ships masts and sails where silhouetted against the sky. it was a breath taking sight

What color stood out most to you about the sky that day, Spoonman?

 

[Sunshine]

The Schema -- each "triangle" is actually a log cabin square like the one in Scan 12 below. I'm putting this here, so anyone who'd like to make one of the quilts can see the exact placement of the log cabin squares. I apologize for the too-light-red color, but had to use a colored pencil that just didn't bring out a dark, deep red like the log cabin square in Scan 12.

Scan 10 - Add 6.5" dark log

Scan 11 - Add 6.5" light log

Scan 12 - Add 7.5" light log

Again, all strips are cut 1.5" and the seam allowance is exactly 1/4".

On the lake we used to say, 'red sky at night, sailor's delight, red sky in the morning, sailors take warning.' I recall one day when I was in high school, a friend and I were (foolishly) swimming in the middle of the lake, which is really a river with rough currents, and a storm came up. It was blowing the boat away. There were white caps on the water, and we couldn't swim fast enough to catch it. The adults in the boat were trying to get it close enough for us to get on, but were fearful of the wind blowing it so the propellor would get into us, cutting us up. We learned a lesson that day!

 

[Sunshine]

Here is a pic of them. I think it's just awful to like something so much you feel lost without it. Things aren't supposed to be that important!

Here are the gold which I have and know where they are~! LOL. I should be happy with just these, but I want the blue as well:

In the process of searching for these, I found some very interesting little embroidery scissors. I may start watching for them and start a little 'collection.' My intention to collect nursing pins never really panned out! LOL.