Floribunda Is Done!

 

 

 

Added For the Tuesday Archives

 

This was a Bonnie Hunter Quilt-A-Long project from last year that is now finally quilted and bound.  I finished it up on Monday after having a binding crisis over the weekend.  The striped fabric used around the edge was the original binding I picked but wanting it on the diagonal (candy-striped) I realized too late that I didn't have enough.  Having bought the fabric over a year ago I didn't think I'd be able to get more and didn't want to wait to try order more.  So the solution was to alternate some solid yellow (the one featured on the back) with the stripe to make it stretch.  I like it although my first choice would still be to have it all in the stripe.

 

Added For the Tuesday Archives

 

Here's the back:

I got the idea for the "framed" design from Lerlene Nevaril's book "Over Easy: Creative Ideas For Pieced Quilt Backs".  The small floral print that comprises most of the back had been purchased years (and years and years) ago so had to also be stretched to fill out the back.  The simple solution was to add the yellow insets.  Then I decided to add some of the front background florals as well, partly to use up the scraps and partly, well just for fun!

Fun facts about this project:  it has survived three weather extremes:  I had started this project shortly before the earthquake that hit the east coast last year and continued working on it when Hurricane Irene came right behind that.  It was shortly after Hurricane Sandy that my tax class ended and I could go back to this.  Ah, memories!

When it didn't get finished last year as hoped, it went on my 2012 UFO Challenge List.  It was my #2 which Judy pulled in May.  Well, better late than never!  And at this point it's my only completed Challenge project (although a couple of others were layered or worked on).  Can't wait to throw this antique inspired bit 'o sunshine over the end of the bed (or my legs) in the spring (or perhaps on one of the cold dreary winter days ahead).

Next challenge: to make some of these cute crocheted pillows to go with it.  The design is by Beata who blogs at RoseHip and the pattern for the squares can be found here (or from the link on her sidebar).

Healing & Progress

Well, the bandages and the tenderness of the thumb wound were down enough this past weekend to attempt to go back to the quilting tasks.  First up, I decided to try my hand at hand quilting "Pink Ginger Lemonade", the second of the two minis I had made back in January.

I had figured the hurt finger was actually an opportunity to try to perfect a technique. When I had decided I wanted to learn to hand quilt, I had heard all the stories about the need to develop a callous for your under side hand to protect against the needle pricks. Then sometime in 2008 or 2009 I saw the video of Jean Brown showing Shar Jorgensen (of Quilting In the Heartland) her hand quilting technique using the "Aunt Becky" finger protector and a thimble with a recessed tip. It made perfect sense to me (and you can see the video and the tools I talk about here). But when I took a hand quilting course in the Fall of 2010 at Quilt University, I found it difficult to just use my middle finger with a thimble to drive the needle and the thumb just to balance it. Instead I used my middle finger and thumb to drive and a leather thimble on my pointer finger to push the needle through.  This time I figured that my bandaged thumb might actually prove to be a better fulcrum now so tried the technique again.  Here it is in the hoop:

I used a cotton batting so my stitches are still pretty huge but I did get a better feel for the way Jean does the stitching.  Although another review of the video tells me that I've still got some adjusting to do:  I have been using the traditional rocking motion with my needle but if you watch the video, with the Aunt Becky tool you don't need to do that.  Well the good news (for another post) is that I already have another project where I'll soon be able to try it again.

In any case "Ginger" got finished and now hangs with its buddies.

By mid week, the gauze bandages and finger tip splint were reduced to just a couple of band aids so after I finished "Ginger", I decided it was time to go back to the DWR I was piecing when I got injured. I was wrong in my last post: not being able to pin is not what makes working on a DWR slow going, it's all those durn curved seams and intersections!  I can see that this one will take some time to get the top completed but every piece added makes me more excited about seeing it done.  So a couple more melons were added with many more to go:

Remember, this Saturday is the annual "National Quilting Day".  On "Quilty Pleasures", Quiltmaker magazine's blog, they made some great suggestions for how to spend the day.  But you can also just head to your sewing space and do what you like best!  Happy Quilting to all and to all a good night!

NewFOs, a UFO and a Donation

Two finishes this week and both for a good cause.  Back in August 2011, Victoria Findlay-Wolf of BumbleBeans, Inc. and quilt designer Pat Sloan put out a call for more quilts for the BASICS organization that helps transition the homeless to new housing.  I've contributed before and knew I wanted to send another donation.  I had a top on hand that I was willing to donate so figured it would be a cinch to get it quilted up by the late November deadline.

Best intentions aside, that didn't get done.  So I promised Victoria that for the next distribution event, I'd send two quilts.  Of course, then the challenge was what to make.  Fortunately Joann's had a big Winter Warm-up sale in mid Januay at which I found a 2-1/2" strip set of mottled solids and some coordinating background and backing fabric perfect for a new project.  It also helped that right opposite the fabric display was the quilt book display and I was able to find a pattern I liked and even better, it was in a book I already owned.  That resulted in my NewFO for February:  Spinning Tops & Flowers!

It is my variation of the "Spinning Tops" design from Pam & Nicky Lintott's book "Two From One Jelly Roll Quilts".  The Lintott's design had the blocks set right next to each other but I had to add sashing to mine to make the variety of colors I used work.

The second part of the promise was the top I had on hand (the UFO) called "Flowing Silk".

It was a Connecting Threads kit for their "Sweet & Sour" line that I had purchased in 2010 to re-purpose one of the orignal kit fabrics for use in another project.  The replacement fabric, the one in the dark purple columns, and the backing were purchased at Hartsdale Fabrics and worked perfectly with the CT fabrics. 

So I feel good:  a NewFO, a UFO and a quilt donation -- it's a triple play!  I had to work right down to the wire because the distribution day is Friday.  I finished up the binding on both and had to launder the quilts on Wednesday and just barely made it to UPS to ship them off for delivery today.

In other NewFO news:  one of my January NewFOs is also finished and has been placed in its designated spot.

I quilted the Civil War Mini Twister quilt on the Sunday before Valentines Day and hung it up right away.  The other January NewFO mini "Pink Ginger Lemonade" is still awaiting hand quilting but hopes are it will also get done and get to join its pals soon. 

Hopefully now I can get back to what I really need to be working on: the PHD and Patchwork Times UFO Challenge projects!


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