Finished Or Not Friday: May and June Recap

I am happy to be once again joining in over at Alycia's weekly "Finished or Not Friday" link up!  As I had reported earlier this week, I had spent May and June away from blogging but not from quilting!  What follows is a review of the things I have been working on in the last two months.

For the "Finished":

I had a good time participating in Frédérique's  ABC Quilt Challenge for the month of April.  Needing to find blog topics for each day and each letter of the alphabet not only let me look back at completed projects from the past but it also encouraged me to get back to work on a long over due UFO project.  So as a result of the challenge, I finally finished up my "Bouncing Colorblocks" quilt in May!  Woo hoo!!

In my post on "Swapping Blocks", I talked about this quilt that had been started all the way back in 2009 when Margaret Solomon Gunn hosted the “Four Seasons Summer Block Swap” and provided a tutorial for the block to be used for submissions.  I did manage to get the top made up the next year and finally started to quilt it in 2012.  However, the main reason I didn't get the quilting done was that I wanted to do this:

It was hard to get a clear shot of it....

...so here's a close up.

My plan from the beginning was to quilt the blocks in the same color thread on both the front and on the solid white backing I used.  My confidence in my ability to do that was just not there in 2012 or in the subsequent years!!  However, by now enough time had passed that I was finally ready to just go for it!  I'm happy to say I think it came out pretty good.  Now the back is a calming contrast to the busy front but you still get the effect of all the colors used.  I finished the quilt with a scrappy binding pieced from the same solid fabrics I had used for the sashing squares in the front.  It is a big load off my UFO list to finally put this one to bed!

In the last of the April ABC Challenge posts, I tackled the topic of "Zippered Accessories".  Not too long before the challenge I had seen a cute pattern for a sewing accessories tote and decided to make it for this topic.  So this was my version of Teresa Weaver's (of  Your Sewing Friend) "Catch-All Cutie" .

I loved the way it came out but also thought it could use just one more thing.  A while back, my MIL had made me a Pincushion Jar and I thought it would be the perfect addition to the "Cutie" carrier.  

However, when I put it in, I felt the jar was just a little too tall for the tote.  I also realized that it might not be a good idea to take a glass jar out in my travels.  So the challenge then became finding a smaller jar made of plastic to use instead.  I found just what I needed at Joann's,,,,

....and using this tutorial, crafted this!

Exactly what I was looking for.  I even had the perfect print to fussy cut the word "Pincushion" for the top of it, LOL!!  

In June we were supposed to travel down to visit my MIL.  I had planned to take a hand work project to sew on during the drive down.  Well, that prompted me to take a look at another of  Teresa's patterns:  a travel caddy for the car!  

This is the Travel Sewing Caddy, another of Teresa's easy-to-make sewing accessory designs.  The strap is held by your glove compartment so the caddy can hang open for access as you sit and stitch.  The parachute buckle clasp allows you to also loop the strap around a headrest if you are sitting in the back seat of a car or on a bus.  

I even purchased  little pink embroidery scissors to use in the scissor loop next to the pin cushion in the caddy.  The caddy instructions say that the scissors will fall out of the loop when you fold the caddy up so should be stored in the zippered pocket while in transit.  Since they are sharp it meant it was time to make another one of these:

I had made the green  Mini Scissor Case  from a Bernina-We All Sew tutorial back in January after my last trip to see my MIL in December.  I had traveled by train that trip and took a felt applique hand work project for the ride down.  Afterwards, I wished I had a sheath for the serrated scissors I had carried on that trip and found it in this tutorial.  Since the pink embroidery scissors are smaller, I used my printer to reduce the original pattern template to make it fit the smaller scissors.  Now the embroidery scissors can be safely stored in the pocket!

In other travel sewing:  In May I got to go for an overnight weekend visit at the home of a long-time friend.  We both celebrated 60th birthdays this year and we have another friend that will also reach that milestone later this summer.  So I decided to make us all a little gift for the occasion after I saw this Ruby Star Society "Pep Talk" panel back in March:

Since I was going to see one of the friends in person, I decided that now was the time to make up these tote bags for the three of us.  

Mine of course is the one on the right, LOL!!

The Etsy vendor I purchased the panel from also had the perfect coordinates for the backs and insides of the bags and the handles in coordinating webbing were sourced from Joann's.

And the "...Or Not Finished":

I had hoped to be putting the finishing touches on a seasonal decorating quilt finish by today.  This project got started because I had hoped to make good on a long held desire to make a bunch of log cabin quilts this year.  To start it off, I decided to make the Hometown USA wall hanging by Country Threads for decorating during the summer season:

An example of my "Planning" Word of the Year

To get this one in gear, I decided to add it to the "Daily Blocks" sewing I was already doing.  Back in March, Pat Sloan had done her "Hope" project by sewing up one block a day for one month.  Since the block she used was similar to a block I was interested in using for a scrappy project, I decided to do my smaller blocks the same way but make mine a year long project.   I had gotten the idea for making the block from Cathy over at Sane, Crazy Crumby Quilting and then was further inspired by her and a few posts at Vireya's blog to also finally get in gear on APQ's Trail Mix design and added that to the daily sewing mix too.  

Well, in for a penny, in for a pound!  In April I added the CT log cabin blocks to the daily queue. I started by pulling any red squares and white or blue strips I already had in my Log Cabin Strips storage box.  Then I added to that with more strips cut with my Log Cabin Die using scraps or fabrics from my RWB/Quilts of Valor stash.  Believe it or not it was not all that difficult to make one block for each project each day since they all could be sewn as leader/enders to each other.

The good news was that by the end of April, I had all the log cabin blocks I needed for this wall hanging.  The plan was to spend the first week of May making the remaining house blocks for the project.  However, I wound up getting those done in one day (!) and then taking a second day to make the flag block.  The next week I layered it up and started on the quilting.  However, I then stalled because I envisioned feathers in those blue and white areas and the first attempt using Paisley Feathers turned out to require way more dense stitching than I preferred to do.  It has taken me until this week to re-group and get it back in gear but another stab at stitching a different type of feather still isn't floating my boat. So alas, this one is still sitting under the needle.      

Now I need to decide whether to rip, or work around what was already stitched.  Unfortunately, I will not get back to work on it until next week since I will be starting on a new project:  Tonight I will be preparing for Gudrun Erla's "Hey June" Quilt Along going on all day tomorrow.  Having done her "Elvira" and "Hope" QALs last year, I can't wait to load up her Spotify playlist and check in every few hours for construction tips and guest interviews as I get to make up another fun GE Designs project.  Should be a blast!

Once I'm set up, I'll be heading back over to Alycia Quilts and see how everyone else's "Finished Or Not Friday" week went!

A to Z Quilt Challenge: Z = Zippered Accessories

 For the month of April, I have taken up Frédérique's Quilting Patchwork and Applique challenge to blog daily (except Sundays) on a quilt topic related to a letter of the alphabet.  

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In order to corral our tools and supplies, quilters will often make their own storage accessories.  I will admit that many of the ones I've liked or made utilize Zippers in their design.

A few years ago, I made a zippered project pouch using a pattern by Amanda Jean Nyberg of Crazy Mom Quilts.  The pattern was originally available from Connecting Threads and later Craftsy.  Amanda is no longer designing and the pattern doesn't seem to be online anymore.  However, a similar pattern is available on the Moda Fabrics website.

At the time it was storing my "Scrappy Trips" blocks in progress.

I even got to use an old zipper I had from my grandmother's sewing box for this one!

Last year (pre-pandemic), I finally got around to making a little tote for a micro-mini iron I've had for years.

Having come from a clothing sewing background, I am familiar with inserting zippers.  However, some zippers are easier to install than others!

This topic was an opportunity to get right to work on a new pattern I had just purchased last month: The "Catch-All Cutie" by Teresa Weaver of Your Sewing Friend.

Open

Can be closed and carried!

I couldn't resist this really unique design and its "cutie" moniker is apt!  This one is easier to make than it looks.

Maybe one day, I'll try using zippers as an embellishment in a quilt.  This Bernina We All Sew tutorial shows how it can be done.  

Do you use zippers in either accessories or your quilt projects?  Are you scared to insert them or an "old pro" at putting them in?

So that's it for me, I've gone from A to Z!!  I've enjoyed spending this month looking at some of the many things that I love about quilting.   I'll be linking up one last time with Frédérique and the other Challengers at Quilting Patchwork and Applique.  Bonne journée!

A to Z Quilt Challenge: Y = Yellow

 For the month of April, I have taken up Frédérique's Quilting Patchwork and Applique challenge to blog daily (except Sundays) on a quilt topic related to a letter of the alphabet.  

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When I first started quilting, if you had asked me if I liked the color Yellow, I probably would have said "not particularly".  Then this project came into my life:

My darling Floribunda!

After working with a scrappy selection of yellow solids to make Bonnie Hunter's "Floribunda" quilt, I was hooked on yellows!  Ever since, I have been stashing yellows for that "one day" all-yellow quilt project.

I've also been stashing inspiration but haven't settled on what I will make yet. 

Piecing? Applique? Add other colors?

Whatever it is it will be scrappy!  I'm definitely looking forward to see where the Quilt Muses will point me!

Edited 5/5/21 to Add:  Just came across this post from one of my favorite scrappy quilters, Cathy of the Sane, Crazy and Crumby blog.  She did a post last fall where she used her yellow scraps to make up a number of different blocks.  If you'd like to see yellow hard at work, go check out her post!

Do you like working with the color Yellow?  Have you used it extensively in a quilt?

Linking up with Frédérique and the other Challengers at Quilting Patchwork and Applique.  Bonne journée!

A to Z Quilt Challenge: X = X Blocks

 For the month of April, I have taken up Frédérique's Quilting Patchwork and Applique challenge to blog daily (except Sundays) on a quilt topic related to a letter of the alphabet.  

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I thought it would have been hard to find a topic for the letter "X" except that right before I was making up my topic list, I had been looking at this quilt.....

...made up of these blocks called "Anita's Arrowhead".  I made them from a kit and using the shortcut cutting methods of Anita Grossman Solomon (a list of her books is here). 

Edited To Add:  In September, 2024 Accuquilt released a new die for this block!  Their die makes a nine inch finished block. 

I had also just recently caught a special sale on Barbara Brackman's Blockbase software.  When I looked up the "Arrowhead" block....

...turns out it is in the category of blocks called " Four X Blocks"!  While I recognized many of the blocks, I hadn't known that the blocks were actually grouped as a category.  Some other blocks in this category are:

Quarter Square blocks

Spiderweb and Hummingbird blocks

I see "Old Maid's Ramble" from the first Moda Sampler and the "Starry Patch" block which is available as an Accuquilt BOB die.

Another X block I plan to make is the block for Kathleen Tracey's "Soldier's Cot Quilt" from her "Civil War Sewing Circle" book.

Janet at the Rogue Quilter blog made a mini quilt using that block.  She called the block  "Old Italian" and linked to Barbra Black's instructions for making it. 

Have you made any of the X Blocks shown here?  Are there any on your "To Do" list?

Linking up with Frédérique and the other Challengers at Quilting Patchwork and Applique.  Bonne journée!

A to Z Quilt Challenge: W = Wool and Felt Applique

 For the month of April, I have taken up Frédérique's Quilting Patchwork and Applique challenge to blog daily (except Sundays) on a quilt topic related to a letter of the alphabet.  

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I was definitely attracted to Wool and Felt applique projects for their ease of execution.  Unlike doing applique with regular quilting cottons, wool and felt applique don't require you to turn under the motif edges or apply them with fusible.  You just cut them out and stitch them down!  

While many people view their wool applique projects as another opportunity to experience the joys of hand work, at least initially, I liked the fact that if your machine could perform a blanket stitch, it was just as easy to execute it by machine.

Some of the wool and felt projects I have done over the years are:

"Warm Heart" (also discussed in yesterday's post on quilts for Valentine's Day).

A Christmas table mat design by Debbie Busby of Wooden Spool Designs.....

....turned into a pillow cover.

One of the rare times I have actually enlarged a design to work with it!

One year, I purchased this Primitive Gatherings table mat kit that also included backing and binding.  

Although this one is technically still not finished, it has already been in service for years as a cover for this basket display.  It may not ever get finished now!  

I've also always wanted to make an Easter display using that same basket and the bunny below.  To complete it, I'll need to buy some pretty wool in Spring colors and pastels and make some embroidered wool eggs to display with it.  

At the end of last year, I finally finished all the sets of felt ornaments I have made from Rachel Pellman kits:

These were all done by machine.

This set and the three above it were done by hand.

Another finish last year was the long desired "All In A Days Work":  

This one was also done by hand while recuperating from surgery.

This is a pattern for a table mat that I reduced and made into a header for a wall hanging to hold note pads in my kitchen.

The very first and the biggest wool project I embarked on is the "Heart & Home" wall hanging  designed by Kathi Campbell of Heart To Hand.   It was offered as a Block of the Month by Primitive Gatherings back in 2012.

I didn't finish this top until 2015.   I was really attracted to this BOM because it not only introduced me to working with wool but it also was a chance to work with woven Japanese Taupe fabrics.  It is yet another UFO that really needs to be quilted, completed and displayed.  Maybe this is the year I'll finally get it done!

Wool can be expensive to purchase but you can also source it from old clothing.  Just remember that for applique, you will need to "felt" the wool by washing it in hot water and drying it.  For some tips on choosing garments and processing the wool, check out this Quilting Daily article.  

Have you made any quilts using Wool or Felt?  Are there any on your "To Do" list?

Linking up with Frédérique and the other Challengers at Quilting Patchwork and Applique.  Bonne journée!

A to Z Quilt Challenge: V = Valentine's Day Quilts

 For the month of April, I have taken up Frédérique's Quilting Patchwork and Applique challenge to blog daily (except Sundays) on a quilt topic related to a letter of the alphabet.  

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Next to quilts for Christmas, Valentine's Day has been the holiday I have made the most quilts to celebrate.  I think that is because much like for Christmas, there are always so many inspiring designs to make under the Valentine's Day theme.

My first V-Day quilt is called "Vintage Cherries for Valentines".

Believe it or not, the quilt design came from the same "Tis the Season" book of Christmas quilt designs that my "High Strung +2" quilt came from.  It was also a fun quilt to make because I finally got a chance to make "jar blocks" and buy a fun set of novelty fabric squares that featured various candies.

I also made this little wool table mat to accompany the quilt.

"Warm Heart" by Zenith Petersen, Quiltmaker magazine Jan/Feb 2008

Since the "Vintage Cherries" quilt was made to hang on the back of my couch when decorating for the holiday, the next logical step was to also make covers for a couple of the pillows on the couch.  Those were made up last year as an early-in-the-pandemic project.

This year, the Fat Quarter shop had the cutest little scrap buster wall hanging project and I just had to make that one up too!

Ironically, I'm not done with Valentine's Day projects!  I have a table runner for our dining room sideboard to finish up that I started when making the pillow covers.  I also have a bench pillow that sits on my couch that I've made a Christmas cover for in the past.  I would like to make this cover for it next year:

The debate is whether to go with the pattern and my stash or the pre-cut letters kit?!?

Have you ever made quilts to celebrate Valentine's Day?  Do you like to make quilts to celebrate other holidays?

Linking up with Frédérique and the other Challengers at Quilting Patchwork and Applique.  Bonne journée!