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Sunday, February 16, 2014

Plugging Along

I have been a bit quiet, but I have been plugging along. I have been working on my Tula Pink Pineapple Slices pillows.
I don't know that I am convinced that her instructions are the best, but what do you expect from a free download. The pattern is a pdf and I can't figure out how to give you a link. It is from Free Spirit Fabrics.
I bought a jelly roll instead of trying to find 1/8 yard cuts of the appropriate fabrics. I bought the larger cuts of fabric from Fat Quarter Shop. Here is the light colored background pillow top.
This is the first one I sewed and it turned out great. Here is the blue version:
This did not turn out so well. I don't know if you can tell, but it is not nicely square. I took sections apart and resewed. Despite all of my resewing, the center is not laying very flat. Maybe I was overconfident because of the first block. I don't know what my problem was. I have the pillow forms and zippers, so it is time to quilt these babies. They are way too small to quilt on the Lucey, so I will quilt them on my domestic machine.

I also completed the next installment of the Designer Mystery BOM. This is another house block.
Very cute. I love the fabric in this series. I have also signed up for next year's mystery. The fabric will be from Edyta Starr. I love the blues and can't wait to start on that one.

I am linking up with Anything Goes Mondays. The link is at the right. I am also linking up with Freemotion by the River. Link at right.

Thanks for stopping by.





Sunday, February 9, 2014

Gen X BOM February Blocks

It seemed like forever waiting for the second installment of this BOM. This month's assignment was HST's. I hate HST's. Everyone else in the world seems to be fascinated with them. I understand that they are extremely versatile. BUT, where do you press the seams? The ubiquitous instruction is 'press to the dark side.' Ok, then what? When I assemble the HST's that goes out the window. Every intersection is a big darn lump. I try to press them so I can nest the seams, but that doesn't always work out, depending on the arrangement. When I press that blob of seam allowance it tends to bury my beautiful points...even when I have accomplished beautiful points. I just hate them.

Nonetheless, here are my blocks. First the positive.
Here is the negative.
See what I mean? Even though I have very carefully pieced the triangles, the bulk that I have to deal with when I press messes up my points. Very disappointing. Here they are together.
I do love that the instructions give generous measurements that allow for trimming to size after piecing. This really helps for accurate piecing. Here are my trimmings for the 32 HST's in this month's BOM.
January and February BOM blocks

I am looking forward to next month's BOM assignment. I have to wait until the first Friday in March.

I am linking up with WIP Wednesday. You can find it here.

Thanks for stopping by.


Saturday, February 8, 2014

Another 2014 Finish

Another finish. Yeah! I sewed this top in May 2013 and it has waited a long time to be quilted.
Hashtag was designed by Camille Roskelley. I took her Craftsy class and made this quilt. I learned her method of lining everything up. I am very proud of the way each hashtag aligns even though they are separated by sashing. Camille is a great teacher. The fabric was a jellyroll of Lilified from Kanvas.

Of course, I quilted it on my APQS Lucey.

It is labeled and finished.
I am linking up today with Anything Goes Mondays. Link on the right. 

Thanks for stopping by.


Monday, February 3, 2014

First Finish of 2014

Yeah! First Finish of 2014. First real quilt on my long arm machine.
I am really happy with the nice square corners. I followed detailed instructions on Kimmy Brunner's DVD for Beginning Quilters. It is really great. She gives step-by-step details that I haven't seen anywhere else.

I had a great time using my APQS Lucey. It worked flawlessly. Me, not so much. Everything is a learning experience. I just really had to stop practicing by making play quilts for the grandkids and start putting my completed tops on the machine.

I used one of the pantos that came with my machine. It is a lot harder to follow a pre-printed line than it appears. I will definitely use this one again, though.

The quilt is labeled and completely finished. Happy, happy. Cross that one off my list. Next!

I am linking up to Anything Goes Monday. Link at the right. Also linking up to Quilt Story: Fabric Tuesday. You can find it here.

Thanks for stopping by.



Saturday, February 1, 2014

Rabbit, Rabbit!

It is the first day of another month. Yeah! I have a pile of student work to correct, so I don't know when I will get back to the sewing machine. The first thing I will do is put the binding on the woven quilt. The binding is cut, ironed, and rolled up waiting to be put on.

It is kind of hard to show the quilting details. I only have my iPhone to take pictures. I used one of the pantographs that came with my machine.

Thanks for stopping by.