The End of the 7 Days of New Year's and the Start of 2026!

First off, wishing everyone a safe, healthy and happy New Year!

"Gathering A Garden" Finish Recap

Today another "7 Days" quilt-a-thon draws to a close.  I had spent the last two days quilting my "Gathering A Garden Is A Snap" quilt with the grid quilting I had drafted back in the summer.  

It's easier to see it from the back....

Once the quilting was done, I could do the binding.  Except I had so many great fabrics compiled for this project (as well as what had been collected in the process of making the lavender-themed raffle quilt back in 2023) that it was hard to decide which to use.  I did audition all of them:

The floral at the top left, a dark purple, a stripe and a batik were all considered.

I liked them all for different reasons but also felt most took too much attention away from the center.  So at first I was just going to go with the floral that matched the border setting triangles which had been my original plan.  However, after cutting strips for that, I got a brain storm:  how about a flange binding?!?  I auditioned again and settled on using a combination of the dark purple sprigs print and the floral and am very happy with that result!

Surprisingly, a flange binding is really easy to attach being that it is fully done by machine and is attached on the back and finished by stitching it onto the front (I used the Fabric Cafe's tips to do it).  

So from the design that originally inspired me all the way back in 2010 (and it looks like it might even still be available).....

....I finally have a finish that I hope to hang up in the Spring! 

A Twist On Labeling a Quilt

Back in 2022, I had finished this quilt:

I had made it to use up leftover fabrics from this project and to participate in Angela Walters'  "Fabulous Feathers" free-motion quilting challenge.  At the time I had backed it with a wide back fabric designed by Kim Diehl so hadn't done my usual technique of piecing a label area into the backing.  In fact it wasn't until a year or so later that I realized I still needed to decide on a label for it.  

Then in 2024 I went to my first Quilt Con and went to a lecture on labels by David Owen Hastings.  He had an interesting and new-to-me technique where he prints his labels onto fabric where the label either matches or coordinates with the backing fabrics!  I thought that was a cool idea and knowing I had to still label this quilt I wanted to try it.  

This quilt has been sitting in my quilt space for months as another of those things it has taken me a while to tackle which made it a prime "7 Days" project!  So yesterday I took a picture of the backing fabric, imported the image into my wordprocessing program and following his instructions, set up the label information to print "on top" of it:

The contrast is better close up.

I had purchased the printable fabric based on his instructions although I could have also used Bubble Jet Set and prepared my own fabric.  Given the need to turn this around pretty quickly,  I was glad for having the prepared fabric!  After printing the text on the fabric sheet,  I used my Accuquilt eight inch circle die to cut it out and then followed the package instuctions for rinsing it (to remove excess ink) and letting it dry.  

David's instructions call for piecing the label into the backing and I agree that would look better however this quilt has already long been quilted so I decided to add a border to the new label before sewing it on by hand today.  So now that's done too!

I'd like to try that again if I could be sure that I'd actually finish a project close to the date printed on the label.  Something to shoot for this year! 

Update:  Flannel Rag Pillow

Back in November I talked about making a flannel rag pillow.  I had made it up but kept forgetting to throw it in with the wash to "rag it up" so I could post it to the blog.  I finally did so this week so here is what it looked like right after making it up:

And here it is once it's been "ragged up"!

I really like this technique!  So of course I just had to get this book with some rag quilt designs courtesy of a used book sale:

I also hope to make it a habit to make a coordinating pillow to go with flannel quilts whenever I make them.  Hmmm, now I am wishing I had more of the fabric I used to make the raffle quilt back in September.  If I come across some at a good price, I might just make good on that!  

Now on the agenda is to do some decluttering with Karen Brown of "Just Get It Done Quilts".

Yet another way to get a good start on the New Year!

To Do Tuesday: Not Long Before the Month Ends!

We are getting closer to Thanksgiving and the end of the year is already starting to feel like it's rushing to a close!  Heck, even Bonnie Hunter will be releasing the start of her annual Quiltville mystery a week early!!  So before the holidays step on the gas and I get run over, let me check in for another "To Do Tuesday" chat along with everyone gathering at Carol's over at "Quilt Schmilt"!  

I managed to stay mostly on track during the last week so moved a few of the things on my "To Do" list forward.  

So the plans from the last report were:  

1.  Continue stitching the "New York Skyline" cross stitch project.  I'm expecting it will take me until a little past next week's check-in to get through Page 4 of the pattern.  

It is moving along but in doing so I realized that "Houston, we have a problem"!  I am here on my fabric....

And like the year, the end is near!

... but I have this much more of the pattern left to do!

When I finish that building, I have a whole bridge still to stitch!

Oh no, what happened?  Well, what happened is that I am still a cross stitch-Noob and misread the pattern!  For some reason when I started this, I thought this was the last page and stitch count:  

So I started in the middle here:

But in fact the pattern is one page longer and the end stitch count is this:

As experienced (aka: not me) CS-ers know, most good cross stitch patterns have a marker that shows the midpoints (both horizontal and vertical of the pattern.  This one was no exception:

But of course I didn't look for that or even notice it until now, sigh!!  Needless to say I've already stitched too far to consider starting over and love it too much to abandon it.  

I actually think I may be able to save this by taking off some of the excess fabric I have on the left side and somehow attach it to the right side to extend it, even if it means I might have a visible seam on one side of the finished piece.  Another option is to leave off the bridge on the right side or stitch it split onto both sides.  I'm not sure I like either of those options.  

So I'm going to keep stitching and finish this page and then give some more thought to a potential solution before starting in on the last page.  Definitely a hard but very good lesson learned for future projects!!  

2.  Finish stitching the remaining three September "Alaska" BOM blocks.  If I can, I might also try to start the cutting for the October blocks but there's no pressure on getting to that.  

Done and Done!

September blocks completed.

Next up to bat!

I had some issues stitching the blocks this time around:  they were a lot harder to get flat in the center.   After stitching the second of the four blocks,  I went back to Marti Michell's instructions for making these Kaleidoscope blocks and followed them closely like I did when I began this project.  The last two came out a little better but still not as flat as my test block had been.  

One thing I did learn was that for these blocks with pieced triangles, it is actually better to piece the blocks a little differently than in Marti's instructions:

There are options when adding those corner triangles.

Marti instructs that you can add the last corners either to the corner triangles first (which she preferred) or add them after.  When using the plain triangles, adding them first works fine.  However, I found that for the pieced triangles, you had more flexibility on which way you can flip the seams to butt the intersections if you wait until the end to attach the corner triangles.  I also think that I was probably rushing to get these done so might have stretched some of the diamond points this time around which I didn't do to the test block.

Fortunately, the blocks I will be doing this week (technically the blocks I should have cut out and stitched up back in October) are also made with pieced triangles, so I will get another shot at improving my technique for making them.

In the course of sewing the BOM blocks, I also got a few more of the scrappy Kaleidoscope blocks I've been making done as leader/enders as well as another "Scrappity-Do" block too.

3.  Continue to think about plans for "fully finishing" the two Christmas-In-July cross stitch pieces. 

I'm thinking of continuing with the ribbon theme so now have to decide whether to go with a fabric strip to channel that or consider making another "pieced ribbon" to extend down from the bow.

4.  Start work on the new Fall wool wallhanging.  

The only thing done there was that I printed out all the applique templates onto freezer paper so now need to iron them onto the wool I'll be using and cut them out.

In addtion to the "To Do" list items, when I talked about the quilts I finished during Sept and Oct , I had mentioned a new project related to one of them.  I had made another quilt using Shelly Comisky's "I Love Sn'Gnomies" flannel fabric line for Henry Glass Fabrics and had discovered two rag pillow designs also using fabrics from that line.  I picked up a kit for one but when it came, I decided I wanted to incorporate more of the fabrics I had left over from the quilt just made since this pillow will reside with it.

Note the differences in the kit picture and the fabrics I've cut out.

Then when I realized I'd now have a bunch of the kit fabrics I wasn't going to use,  I also realized that the two Fat Quarters from the line sent for the pillow backing was another of the kit prints I'd like to preserve.  But then how to fill out the backing?  

Turns out it was not a problem as my flannel stash came to the rescue!  Actually in this case, it was once again leftovers from a long ago project in that stash that saved the day.  

I had used this fabric for the backing of my "Brrr!!" quilt back in 2013.  It was not only perfectly colored but also perfectly themed to fill the bill for this new project!  I did have to do a little "poverty piecing" so I could keep the integrity of the directional fabric to make the two pieces needed for the pillow back.

So everything for the pillow is now cut out.  I put the fabrics I took from the pillow kit with what I have left of one of the original set of fabrics I purchased and it looks like that will be the start of yet another stash of FQs for yet another "Sn'Gnomies" and/or 9FQ quilt!

And the FQ on the left will be added to my flannel stash.

So my plans moving forward for this week:  

1.  Continue stitching the "New York Skyline" cross stitch project.  The question is how will I resolve the issue of placing that last page?

2.  Stitching up the October "Alaska" BOM blocks.  If I can, I hope to also start the cutting for the next (November) blocks but like last week, there's no pressure on getting to that before next Tuesday.  

3.  Continue to think about plans for "fully finishing" the two holiday cross stitch pieces. 

4.  Start cutting the parts for the new Fall wool wallhanging.  Even though it already feels like winter, I'd love to get it made before the Fall season officially ends!  

5.  Construct the Sn'Gnomies rag pillow.

I know that a lot of people have been busy working on projects in honor of Fall or to prepare for holiday decorating and gifting.  I'll bet we'll both find many of them over at "Quilt Schmilt" for this week's "To Do Tuesday"!

To Do Tuesday: Quilt Projects for June

The start of a new month is a good time to do a "To Do Tuesday" planning post so I'm linking up with everyone over at Carol's Quilt Schmilt blog.

I already outlined my cross stitch plans for the Fat Quarter Shop's "Red, White & June" SAL,  so now I want to think about the slate of quilt projects that I want to work on this month under the same theme.  As a month-long list,  this will be a bit long at this point.  Hopefully I can try to keep up with shorter updates as the month progresses.  

UFO#1:  A Pillow To Finish

Quilted cover featuring the "Seeds of Glory" fabric line.

I had started this back in 2022 and all that needs to be done is the final assembly of the cover.  However that involves installing a zipper and working with a round pillow form so that may be easier said than done, LOL!  I've made a cover for this pillow before so hopefully it's like riding a bike and I remember how to do it.  I also sheepishly admit that I recently saw designs for two more pillows I'd love to make but I'm not committing to those until I can get this one completed.  

A New Start

Thinking about RWB projects, one that I am really excited about is to finally get around to making my long desired Laundry Basket Quilts "Alaska" project!   I had seen and liked the original Blue version that I believe premiered in 2019,  the Red and Green holiday version that, if I remember correctly, came out around the holidays later that same year and the Rainbow version that came out during the pandemic quarantine in 2020.  Then while reading Edyta Sitar's blog that year, I saw a version she had made that was Red, White and Blue!!  

Oh boy, RWB quilts are my jam so that pushed me over the edge to really wanting to make this design!  

I did try pre-ordering a pre-cut kit for it through Hancock's of Paducah that I saw in the Fall but my PayPal authorization timed out before the kits came in stock.  I thought that was the end of it for me but eventually I caught sales of her "Perfect Union" and "Sweet Sixteen" lines of fabrics.  Those were made up of Blue, Red and Pink prints from three of her previous fabric lines and she had used scraps from those lines to make her version.  When I found the same fabrics as the ones in the kit I had tried to order,  I gathered together what I needed to make my own kit. 

Edyta has  templates for this design and also has a Creative Grids ruler that was introduced in 2021.  However,  it always struck me that these were essentially Kaleidoscope blocks and I have long had and have yet to work with Marti Michell's ruler that makes those blocks.  

Marti is now retired but her books and templates are still available around the web.

So even though I am a Gadget Fanatic and love a new tool,  I am going to first try making the blocks with the ruler I have and only go the new ruler or template route if I can't make that work.

A Charity Project

When I had visited my MIL back in February, I joined her quilt guild: the Tar River Piecemakers Quilting Guild.  I've attended meetings with her when we've visited and even gone to a few of  their workshops and small group meetings so a long distance membership seemed like a good idea.  While there I also picked up two charity quilt kits to make and return to the guild for distribution.  One of them is for a simple Quilt Of Valor Staggered Bars Quilt.

The good news is that it's already pre-cut so it will be easy to get it started.  I had purchased the backing for it while I was down there since that has to be submitted with the top for one of their members to long-arm quilt it.  I would love to get this pieced up so I can send it down early enough to be finished before they need it for the award ceremony in November.  

UFO#2 But Not RWB

Lastly, I do have one non-RWB project that I want to also work on this month.  Ever open to prompts and encouragement to get through my UFOs,  I signed up for Rebecca's "Mission: UFO" group on her Sugar and Sand Quilt Company website.  There's no obligation to participate every month although you earn points towards prizes if you post projects you will resume work on and additional points for posting updates on them.  She also offers monthly prompts to help you decide on which UFO to work on.  The prompt for June is to work on a "Summer Bright" UFO.  That brought to mind my "Modern Bohemia" top.

It is one I've long wanted to get quilted so I impulsively threw my hat into the ring to try to get it moving!  I had planned this year to try to get a To-Be-Quilted-Flimsey done each month so I couldn't resist the opportunity to try to once again make good on that.   

Whew, I've gone back to the usual "full crafty plate" for this month!  However, I am ever hopeful of staying on track.  What I've learned in the past is that whatever gets worked on, even if only moved a little bit forward is still progress.  As always, Bonnie Hunter puts things in perspective:

Have fun checking out what everyone else has planned for the week (or even the month like me!) over at Carol's Quilt Schmilt blog.  Give everyone encouragement to get some things done! 

A to Z Quilt Challenge: A = Amish Quilt

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.  

* * * * * * * * * * 

Amish Quilt and Cake

Just recently found this cake recipe here.

In the summer of 2001 when I learned that quilting was still "a big thing", the style of Amish Quilts were a big attraction.  I went to my first quilt exhibit in December of 2001, a month before I started actually putting fabric and thread together myself.  

Fortunately one section of that exhibit was entitled "Ecstatic Geometrics" and contained a few antique (pre-1920) Amish quilts as well as some Mennonite quilts that were of a similar style. 

I've only made two quilts in the Amish style, one is a wall hanging for my home, made using the strip set method and machine quilted in 2006.  The other was a doll quilt for my Aunt who collects dolls.  Her quilt was started from the leftover strip sets from the wall hanging and was hand quilted in 2010.  

The same year I made the wall hanging, I also made a couple of pillow covers for my couch to coordinate with it.  

I continue to be inspired by the Amish quilt esthetic as my quilt library would attest.

I also have a pattern and solids stashed for another Amish quilt (a sampler) that I look forward to making up in the future.  

Photo Courtesy of Connecting Threads

Pattern available for download from Connecting Threads.

Check out the beautiful quilting on this  finished version.

Another great Amish Sampler Quilt design can be found here. 

Cross Stitch fan?  You'll love this one!

Do you like Amish style quilts?  Is there an antique or contemporary one that has inspired you?

Corona-cation Update: Somtimes it takes a pandemic....

....to recharge your sewing mojo!  So the good news is that I've been able to push myself back to the table --- the sewing table that is!  First off, I FINALLY was able to finish the Valentine's Day pillow covers.  Woo hoo!

The design was courtesy of Minki Kim's Bernina -Well All Sew tutorial from last February.

I am very happy with how they look and of course now can't understand why I was in such a twist about the binding.  Well no, I do remember -- even though the sliver of the pink faux piping looks good to me now, I had originally envisioned it being a little more visible but had major trouble trying to get it that way.

I'm now satisfied that I settled on moving forward with it as is.  I'm a little bummed I wasn't able to get good contrast with the stitching around the hearts.

While it's hard to tell unless you are right up on them, both are hand outline stitched and this was another part of this project that was done multiple times!  I started out doing it in a pink Perle 5 thread, first in Big Stitch style then pulling those stitches out to re-do them using smaller stitches.  Unfortunately, I found that either way the contrast just wasn't enough.

I felt that it was important to keep to the color scheme so if not pink then trying it with a rust or brown thread was the way to go.  I stitched one of the covers again starting with a Rust Perle 8 I had using Big Stitch (nope), then small.  It was okay but still not great.  Rather than pulling it out just yet, I went with an olive-brown Perle 12 thread (all I had) on the second cover.  Too thin,  so I redid it again with the thread doubled.  Again, just okay but still not great.  By this time I was tired of not moving forward on it and decided to leave both as is and move forward onto the binding because I could always go back and re-stitch them later if I wanted.

Well I already reported on the subsequent binding frustrations and hence why this (and everything else) wound up sitting for two  weeks!  However, right now I think they look fine and will have no problem pulling them out again next year for the holiday.  I'm thinking now that a true olive green Perle may be the ticket for the contrast stitching but right now that thread is bundled up with another project kit.  More importantly, the holiday has passed and these are done so will stay so until next year!

I also pieced together the backing of the Girl Scout Quilt adding in the label.

With that done, I'm hoping to quilt it over the weekend.  The Kente at the upper left will be used to make the hanging sleeve to be added after the quilting.  I will be making it so that they can either display the quilt or be able to carry it walking in a parade.

However, before I can get to the quilting, I want to get the past due BOM work out of the way.  That's a story for another post.......

P.S.  I had YouTube videos playing while sewing and I learned that Gudrun Erla of GE Designs will be hosting a live "Quarantine Quilt Along" this Sunday on Facebook!  She will have quilting guests visiting during the day, one of which will be Bonnie Hunter!  Gudrun will share a new pattern (which will be available Saturday) and have "quilty goodies" for those that tune in.  Check out her blog for all the details!