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Sunday, November 29, 2015

Bindings done

Okay so I didn't get lots of tops completed during my time in Oregon. What I did get done, though, are things I've been avoiding. Don't ask me why I am loathe to do bindings.

Anyway, I'm feeling great that these are done. 


These are very tiny blocks which I made via a swap with my Wisconsin friends. We called this "X's and O's". This was a pattern we found in a Quiltmania issue. I love it and am probably the last to get it done. Oh well. I love it!

This other one is from this past spring. Not too old!!
M
Of course I love the colors!
But I'll bet you can't tell the secret of this quilt!!

It's a cheater top!!  I couldn't believe it when I saw this on the bolt. 

I think it's really hard to tell. I loved the fabrics so I figured it'd be great as a sofa quilt!!  How comfy does this look on my navy love seat, for my sewing room!!

I head home tomorrow so maybe I'll get something done this week. The swap is happening this week. I can't wait to see all the blocks!

Saturday, November 28, 2015

Stars for a swap

I'm not sure how many blocks are going to be exchanged in the upcoming swap, so I made a bunch. They are so easy and fun!!


Then I started working in putting together blocks that a friend gifted me in Wisconsin. It needs a few more but she did most of the work! 



I'm Hoping to get it done before I head home on Monday. I'm also hoping to get my bindings sewn down too. Optimistic. Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving!!!!

Wednesday, November 25, 2015

Time out for some snow play

Central Oregon got hammered yesterday with a huge snow storm. It was beautiful to watch from inside and I got lots of sewing done. 

Today, though, I went out to play in the snow. We have snow shoes and I took Max for a romp through the woods. I thought you'd enjoy a little winter in a blog. Blocks tomorrow!!

I was stumped when I went to mail a letter!!

Our trusty snow blower wasn't so reliable today and wouldn't start so my dh and I started trying to clear a path to get my car out. He's from Minnesota and truly loves shoveling!  Me? Not so much. Luckily, a friend came by with his snow blower that was working. Ours is at the shop having its carburetor soaked!! Who knew??!!

I took Max out and he was loving it. Sadly I wound up on my butt more times than I'd like to admit. Fortunately I was able to get up!!  But not without a fair amount of effort!

See how deep the snow is? Max is a big boy, too!!



Have a glorious Thanksgiving everyone. I'm so grateful for every day, every opportunity to be with friends, my darling grands and my kids, and of course my sweetest husband Mark. 

Tuesday, November 24, 2015

Sewing room additions

I finally had a chance to shop for my new sewing room in our Oregon cabin. A good friend from Wisconsin was in Portland so I took a day trip to see her and we ran over to Ikea. She is a great shopper!! "Buy this" or "You have to get this" came from Bonnie McQueen's mouth every time we turned a corner!! She was actually a tremendous help in figuring out which table to get. 

First addition was a new machine, courtesy of shopper extraordinaire Debbie Dodge who negotiated a killer price for 17 of us to score this beauty!! It's a Juki model 2010Q. I'm serious! She got 17 of us to buy the machine just because she got one and insisted that we all had to have one too!



I must admit I was skeptical at first but this machine sews beautifully!!  I even put on bindings for 3 quilts which have been patiently awaiting attention!


Now for the Ikea purchase:
New table to sew on:

Notice the cabinet to the left side?? Perfect to hold everything I'll need to sew. 

I also got a chair:

So I'm almost set. I'm waiting for the cutting table to arrive from North Carolina!

I'll have to wait until January or February for that, though. 

I'm busy sewing my sawtooth stars for the swap. I'll post photos tomorrow. 

Wednesday, November 18, 2015

Healing quilt

I think my all-time favorite use of my quilts is to give one to someone who is sick. Over the years, I've gifted many healing quilts to cancer patients who have almost all recovered!  I lost one friend but feel that I helped save over a dozen others, some of whom I've never met. 

So when my daughter told me yesterday that am she saw a photo of a high school friend undergoing chemotherapy with a rag of a blanket over her, I sprung into action. 

I had made this last spring and I think it'll be perfect. She's got a couple of young kids who I figure will enjoy the doll fabric!!

So off I go to mail this and hopefully make someone's day when she gets it Friday!

Doesn't that feel great???




Monday, November 16, 2015

Stars

I've been lucky enough to watch the grand kids recently so have done no sewing. I did manage to catch up on my stars in a time warp, which is almost over. Sadly!!

This is using cloud prints. I think I may have used this in another block too   

The light is a provincial print, dating back maybe 20 yrs!!

I'm heading up to Oregon tomorrow for the next couple of weeks so I hope to be getting lots of sewing done before the family arrived next week!

Monday, November 2, 2015

Sawtooth star instructions

You'll need to have two fabrics with contrast between them. Light/dark is easy; medium/dark can work too.

You'll need the following:
Background:
4 x 2" cut
1 x 4-1/2 " cut twice on the diagonal 


Dark:
1 x 3-1/2" cut
4 x 2-3/4" cut once on the diagonal 


This is what it will look like:

You're going to sew the navy triangles onto the larger  white  triangles. Match the corners:
Then press the  seam towards the dark:

Repeat on the other side and press the same way:
These are the 4 flying geese units which, when trimmed, will measure 2 x 3-1/2" unfinished. This is where the flying geese rulers come in handy to ensure the center angles are intact after trimming!



I trim the top and bottom first; then the sides. I find the Quilt in a Day ruler is a little easier to trim the sides. 

This method gives larger units which are easy to trim down. I hate having my pieces too small!! You can use any method you want to make these units. I sometimes even paper piece them using the Triangulations cd.

Now comes the assembly part:

Most important!! Make sure your seams are a scant 1/4" so the block will measure 6-1/2" unfinished!!

You can do it in reverse:

You can mix up the fabrics a little too:

A set consists of 5 blocks placed into a zip lock Baggie with your name on the bag. The 5 blocks can be different or the same. Up to you. You may make as many sets as you'd like. 

What is a reproduction fabric? Generally more muted colors. Not neon!  Not bright!  Not 1930s! 

Please send your packages to me along with a self-addressed stamped envelope. If you weigh the whole thing at the post office, they'll give you a stamp for the return envelope. 

Email me for my address 
Randyiris@gmail.com

Please let me know when they're on the way. Deadline is Nov 30!! 


Any questions? Don't hesitate to ask. 
Most important thing is accuracy in a swap. Nothing is worse than receiving blocks that are the wrong size!! So please measure measure measure before sending them out ! Did I say measure ??
Vbg

Thanks for participating!!

Sunday, November 1, 2015

Sawtooth swap!!

Okay, ready??
this is who I have signed up:
Doniene
Cyndi
Laura
Cecile
Lynda
Wendy
Kim
Grace
Jane
Joanne

Did I miss anyone??  Can you please be sure to send me your email address?
randyiris@gmail.com

Fabrics:
We are making 6" sawtooth stars in groups of 5 (five)!!
We are going to use civil war reproduction fabrics.
You can do them with dark backgrounds or light backgrounds or mix them up. that'll be fine!

Dates
Have them to me by November 30th... that's 4 weeks from now. If I have them all in time, I'll get them off to you by Dec. 3rd.  I'm going to personally delivery them to Cecile!~! 

Directions:
I use two flying geese rulers:  Open Gate (Fit to be Geese) and Quilt in a Day.
http://www.amazon.com/Quilt-Small-Flying-Geese-Ruler/dp/B0018N7ED4/ref=sr_1_1?s=arts-crafts&ie=UTF8&qid=1446418211&sr=1-1&keywords=quilt+in+a+day+flying+geese+ruler


http://www.opengatequilts.com/catalog/i61.html

You do NOT have to have those rulers.  They only make measuring/cutting the flying geese a little bit easier.

I will post directions tomorrow, with photos!
Once you see how I recommend doing them, you can decide if you want the rulers or not.  But definitely they are not required.

Tune in tomorrow!!
Anybody else??? I can tell you that each star takes about 10 minutes total.
So five will take you less than an hour.  You can make a cute table runner with 5; or a small wallhanging!