Am I Shouting Yet?

Finishing up my Project Quilting Entry

2012-01-28T14:06:00.001-05:00

This is the wrap up to my Project Quilting Making Music Challenge piece...if you are not familiar with Project Quilting, check it out at Kim's Crafty Apple blog.

After getting the elements fused and sewn to the field of the quilt, I chose this outer border...This is actually the reverse side of the fabric, the front side has LOTS of gold on it and I found it way too distracting for my quilt.

Then it was on to layering the quilt top, the batt and the backing together and start quilting! I chose to outline the heart and hands and do a radiating design from the heart to the red border. I put a freehand swirl in the outer border.

This is the back of the quilt to give you an idea of the quilting design...Yes, it has some coffee stains on it!

To get my lines to be straight and somewhat evenly spaced, I used a piece of thread pinned to the center of the heart. I measured specific spots on the red border and lined the thread up to give me a guideline of where to quilt.

After quilting, blocking and trimming the quilt, it was time for binding. I chose to do a binding of the same color as the last border, but with a flange of red to tie it to the center of the quilt (plus the batik just looked boring when used as the binding up against the border). This requires cutting two narrow binding strips, the flange strip being 1/4" wider than the binding color. Sew them together and stitch them to the back of the quilt with the flange color UP (as shown above). Attach binding, flip to the front and stitch in the ditch between the binding and flange and you are done!

And a detail shot of the hands, with a hint of the binding at the bottom:)

My second challenge has been met! I have named the quilt "Melody of Love"

Now back to work on the house...

Project Quilting Music Quilt part 3

2012-01-28T09:47:00.000-05:00

For the next element of the quilt, I needed hands. I took pictures of hands and gathered my supplies. You see, I remembered that long ago I read about using colored pencil on fusible interfacing...so I though this would work out just right! I imagined a bit of text being seen through the translucent arms/hands...

I dug out my itty bitty light table and started tracing the hands onto the fusible interfacing.

So far, so good! (ignore my hands, I've been working on prepping walls and painting and they are rough and a bit swollen). The tracing went well and the hands look wonderful!

So, I colored them in, working to get the shading right (double checking the photos frequently!). They looked so good!

And then I put them on the quilt *sigh*

They did NOT look good with the words of the text coming through. They faded to nothingness and all the hard work of hand coloring the hands was for naught.

I put a piece of white fabric under them, which helped, but they needed yet another layer, a layer of shadow to make them stand out from the background. It was the right touch, but by now those hands were stiff as boards and I found out a disadvantage of the fusible interfacing...it fuzzes. The more you work with it, the more it fuzzes. I am not happy with that! Maybe by writing it down, I'll remember to try some other method next time!

One the bright side, the dark shadowed outline really was the right choice :) I'm pleased with that!

I wish the hands wouldn't fade out so much in the pictures *sigh* They have more color in person!

Next post I'll finish up my quilt!

Project Quilting Music Quilt post 2

2012-01-27T20:25:00.000-05:00

For a major element of the quilt, I wanted a heart...remember the lines from the second stanza? "He put within my heart a melody, and I know its there to stay" Well, that told me I needed a heart element :)

I could have just cut a heart out of fabric, but what fun is that? And since I like to have my artier (is that a word?) quilts have parts that are a nod to traditional quiltmaking. SO I made two halves of a heart with assorted red fabrics and joined them to make a heart:

The plan is to applique the heart over the lyrics, using the method Eleanor Burns teaches, where you sew fusible interfacing to the front of the piece, turn it and stitch it down.

When I put the heart on the words and started to audition fabrics for borders, nothing made me very happy, they were too tame...so Princess Sunshine gave me the best design advice and I ran with it...she said it needed to have an inner border that was scrappy and like the heart. Give that girl a cookie! It was the perfect solution to my design dilemma :)

I pieced strips on some scrap paper and trimmed them up...

Perfect!

Next time I'll show another design element...

Project Quilting Challenge Two...where am I going with this?

2012-01-27T13:16:00.001-05:00

The second challenge for Project Quilting is Making Music. This was a happy challenge, because it meshes perfectly with our guild challenge for the year which is song/music. I've been thinking of various ideas and rejecting them as new ideas poke their heads into my imagination. Now that I am forced to choose and go forward it was almost a relief!

I laid in bed Monday night rolling ideas around in my head and this one came to the fore - I guess you could say, "I came up with it in a dream" (my kids will know what I'm quoting here).

I envisioned the song In My Heart There Rings a Melody done in Subway Art style, with elements that focus on the first line "I have a song that Jesus gave me, it was sent from Heaven above" and another line in the second stanza "He put within my heart a melody, and I know its there to stay."

So, first challenge is to work out the Subway Art element. I worked it up in Word, ironed my fabric to some freezer paper and sent it through the handy-dandy Epson printer...and it printed without a top margin :( I worked the file, prepped another piece of fabric with freezer paper and printed it off *whew!* it worked!

I now had a sample to cut up and play with before committing to using the one for the quilt. I couldn't find any tea, so I used some instant coffee. The fabric came out a uniform color and didn't have the blotchy/old look I was going for, so I put some granules on the wet fabric and let them blotch away:

It turned out!!!

Shoot, I didn't take a picture after I rinsed the excess off and ironed it...you will have to come back for more quilt process on the next post...it will have the rinsed and dried fabric in further stages :)

Preparing for Scrapbusting Mystery

2012-01-20T08:56:00.002-05:00

I am the Vice Chair of our Quilt Guild...meaning I'm in charge of the Vice, right? In our guild, that means I am in charge of the fun meetings and only occasionally have to deal with business.

So, I am giving them a mystery to work on in my last months at this guild. I'll share it here, too :)

No pictures on this preparing post, I promise pictures will appear in the clues :)

Scrapbusting Mystery Quilt
Shout4Joy©2012

Preparing for the Mystery
Quilt will finish at 60”square

All techniques are within the ability range of all guild members.

The first step is to dig through your fabric scraps. You will need:
1 ¼ yards assorted light background fabrics
2 ¼ yards assorted medium to dark fabric scrap pieces
NOTES:
*remember that in scrappy quilts the more fabrics you use, the better!
*you could control your color pallet by choosing scraps all in one color family
You will also need:
1 ¼ yards border fabric (this will be used in the quilt itself as well)
*Recommended strategy – choose this fabric later in the Mystery

Handy items are a sewing machine, fresh sewing machine needle, thread, marking
pencil, zip bags to sort and contain units, rotary cutter with fresh blade, rotary cutting ruler, iron, starch, quarter inch foot, scissors, seam ripper (unless you don't make mistakes) ...and some chocolate.

Please leave your OCD tendencies and inner Quilt Police someplace else as you work
through this mystery!

Shout4Joy©2012

EDITED TO ADD: clues will be posted approximately every two weeks...after I have a chance to share them with my guild members :)

Monday...Design Wall and Project Quilting

2012-01-16T09:18:00.000-05:00

My design wall has nothing new that I can show you...I am working on a mystery quilt for my quilt guild (I will post instructions here after I share them with my guild members). See some great design wall inspiration over at Patchwork Times.

And, to add to my craziness with our moving in a few months, I decided to take part in Project Quilting, Season 3! What am I thinking????

The first challenge for PQ was Architectural Elements, so I had to think what would inspire me to make a quilt? Our town has tons of Victorian homes and some very interesting buildings downtown, so I drove around and came across this building and was inspired by the art deco details.

So I designed a Square in a Square block and agonized over how to execute it. Do I dye fabric and use a resist to put the design on the fabric? Do I draw it in with fabric markers? Should I use raw edge applique? I ended up with raw edge applique...

First I drew the design on Freezer Paper and colored it in. I ironed the freezer paper to my chosen background fabric. Then I transferred the design to paper back fusible web and ironed that to my chosen fabric. I have to say that cutting those tiny lines was nerve-wracking! I was so afraid that I would cut one of the other ones as I was trimming!

After that, the skinny little pieces were ironed on to the background fabric, using the lines from the freezer paper as my guide.

I paper pieced the pediment inspired corners and assembled the block. This is what was on my design wall on Saturday, btw!

If I were to do this again, I would not iron on the pieces until AFTER the block was pieced. Even though I did everything possible to get those points to point at the corner, two were off when the corners were sewn on and I had to reposition them (not fun!!!!).

I chose to put diamonds in the corners of the block and put a narrow border around the block to set it off.

Choosing how to quilt it was also a hard thing for me. I prefer free motion all over designs and this quilt would not accept such a thing! It called for echo quilting. I used my walking foot for the straight lines but had to eyeball it for the center...and my eyeballs must be a bit wonky!

I am pleased with how it turned out (though the color is NOT right in this pic). And now that I am not so close to it, the quilting isn't as wonky as I feared (just don't look from 8 inches away!).

Hope your quilting week is a good one!

Monday? Hey, I have something to show!

2012-01-09T09:24:00.000-05:00

While I cannot show what is on my design wall (I have a secret that will be revealed later) here is what is on my design ironing board!

This is a block I made for a quilt someone else is making. The quilt is for The Ginger Ford Northshore (Louisiana) affiliate of The Fuller Center for Housing and they will be celebrating their 20th anniversary. Since housing is their focus...a house quilt is an appropriate raffle item!

For some delightful eye candy check out other design walls from Patchwork Times!

EDIT to say: the block is found on about and many other places on the internet. I just added details, a button for a doorknob, a wreath, window sashing and some flowers.

Long Time no Post

2012-01-04T11:53:00.000-05:00

and no pics to show today :(

I have been busy! I worked on Christmas Presents most of December and couldn't show them because some of the recipients read my blog (still need to post pics, eh?).

I spent some time out of state with my family over the Christmas Holiday :)

Most of all, The Army Guy got PCS orders...so we will be moving in the spring.

Now I'll be busy prepping a house to (hopefully!) sell and have been house hunting on line. I will admit that I did go and meet a realtor and look at some houses in our destination community while I was visiting with my family...couldn't resist since we will be only about 2 hours from "home" when we move :)

Hope your Christmas was a blessed one!

Design Wall Monday November 28

2011-11-28T09:28:00.000-05:00

I did get a little bit of quality time this week with my sewing machine and fabrics :) I completed one more "block" in the waterfall quilt (still has most of the paper on) and started playing with a big block to decide how to make it into a baby quilt for the local crisis pregnancy center.

What is on your design wall? Check out the links from Patchwork Times!

Have you put your tree up yet?

2011-11-25T21:21:00.000-05:00

The Army Guy and the Boybarian put up our tree this evening :) I love to see the tree up and the lights glowing!

Today I have a tip for all of you who still have artificial trees that are not pre-lit...

When you set up your tree, lay the lights on each row before you assemble the next row. This way they are evenly placed in the tree, you can get them inside the tree without scratching yourself, and it is just WAY EASIER all around :)

Hope this helps (if you haven't already got your tree up) make your tree assembly go smoother!

After it is decorated, I'll try to get some better pictures...

Design Wall November 21

2011-11-21T08:43:00.000-05:00

Not much...just the field of a doll quilt. And a lonely extra block along with the Waterfall quilt that has no more progress. The major progress of my week was getting some cleaning done in the Sewing Dungeon.

I put away quite a bit of fabric and there are a few spots that are cleaner than before. BUT it still needs a lot more work *sigh* And I'm trying to find a piece of fabric that I bought last year for a Christmas project (didn't happen) and I really want to get it done for this year!

For more design wall inspiration check out Patchwork Times.

Cutest little bag!

2011-11-18T18:15:00.000-05:00

I had a few minutes this afternoon and spent time folding fabric in the sewing dungeon, taking the stack down a few inches...but got itching to make something rather than just fold and put away fabric. For some reason making something (anything!) is SO much more satisfying than cleaning up!

In my stack of fabrics was a small piece of this purple clock fabric...I had a matching zipper in the right size...and so I made a bag! This is the Dumpling by Keyka Lou. It is not very big, but sure is cute!

I think I'll be making more for stocking stuffers (forget you saw this if you are on my gift giving list!).

Craft Show Day

2011-11-12T16:57:00.000-05:00

it was not a big craft show...I came home with more money than I took and I came home with fewer items, covered the booth fee, our lunch (the Army Guy came along) and some money to spare...

The Army Guy did Sudoku while waiting for the craft show to begin :) it was nice to have him along to talk to when it was slow...

Monday, November 7, 2011

2011-11-07T13:47:00.000-05:00

Where is the time going???? Maybe I'm just too busy for my own good...I am Quilt Guild Vice Chair, I am Chair of a Pastoral Search Committee at our church, doing two craft shows this month all while trying to be wife, mother and homeschool teacher. I'm sure I am forgetting a few hats in this mix...I'm just too busy to remember them right now!

On my design wall this week is the Waterfall quilt:

For those who can not see what is happening (hi, cousin!) here are some basic elements so far in the quilt:

I've been working hard at getting things ready for a craft show coming up...some sewn items and lots of soap:

Busy, forgot to take pictures!

2011-10-18T16:52:00.000-04:00

I was in the Chicago area over the weekend. Shopping with family. My mom, her sisters and some from my generation all got together and shopped for three days :)

I forgot to take my camera out of the bag :(

So, no pictures, just imagine shopping all day at Gurnee Mills Mall. Then imagine riding north to Cedarburg, WI and hitting a couple of quilt shops before finding some unique items in the other shops. Sunday morning we went to the Jelly Belly Factory and then an outlet mall in Kenosha...

Yes, I spent some money. But I did come home with some, too :)

Design Wall Monday 10 10 11

2011-10-10T09:46:00.000-04:00

I'm still plugging away at my Cynthia England quilt. It is going to be beautiful, but I am not sure that I will attempt another one any time soon!

Some of those pieces are SO tiny!

On thing I am doing differently is using a glue stick rather than pins. I could not get those pieces to line up with the pins, they were always a smidge off. It was ok with just two pieces, I could readjust one of the pattern pieces. But when I had an intersection I couldn't always adjust. Now I am ironing the seam allowance under on one piece and then gluing it to the other seam allowance and sewing on my ironed line. I am much happier with the results :)

For more design wall Monday posts visit Patchwork Times

Design Wall Monday

2011-10-03T09:12:00.001-04:00

Not much on my design wall this week...just some 6" blocks for a project :) I'll probably be making another set as I've had some requests to make it into a pattern and I have to keep plugging away to get it just so!

For more design wall inspiration visit Patchwork Times

Monday!

2011-09-26T09:50:00.000-04:00

My design wall is empty...if it were a sound, you were hear crickets chirping and maybe a loon in the far distance.

Instead, I have a picture of what is on my frame. I put the borders on the field of a Jelly Roll quilt I pieced last fall at a retreat and mounted it on the frame over the weekend. For the first time ever, I will try to use a pantograph. I have a quilt (for my aunt) begging me to do a Baptist Fan design, but I have to try it out on one of my own quilts before I do my aunt's quilt...

For some real design wall inspiration check out Patchwork Times!

Monday Again? Already?

2011-09-19T10:31:00.001-04:00

I've been plugging away at various projects and planning others in my head...and the time just keeps on slipping away!

My design wall remains the same as it was last week. I have made no more progress on the little quilt, it is still there, looking at me, giving me a guilt trip every time I sit down at the machine (even for boring things like mending the Boybarian's pants).

I have been working on a new project. It is a design by Cynthia England called Waterfall. I think I spent over a week just pulling fabric from my stash! I dyed a piece of fabric, had to buy a couple to fill some holes...and have now started. I have two sections pieced and a start on a third.

Have I ever mentioned that I am NOT a paper-piecer? It drives me batty. The only advantage this method has is that I am working from the front of the project, not the back, so at least my pieces are coming out right. I'm doing my best to "make it work" (said in my best Tim Gunn voice) as I love the way the pattern looks. AND it would go SO well with our guild quilt show theme for next spring - Nature's Beauty.

I'll keep plugging along on this quilt, though I will be taking some breaks to be inspired by other design walls linked up at Patchwork Times.

Design Wall Monday September 12, 2011

2011-09-12T08:16:00.000-04:00

Long time no blog! Life has become crazy busy here and I've just not had time to think out blog posts...yes, I do think long and hard before posting...and still edit after posting!

Today, on my design wall, is the Winding Ways quilt. I have the field totally pieced (those 3" squares did NOT defeat me!). Now I am trying to decide what to do for borders. I really don't want to bind it as is, even though the pattern showed it that way. What do you think of my fabric choices? A very thin off white batik border followed by the wine colored batik:

For more design wall inspiration check out Patchwork Times!

Design Wall Monday 8/22/11

2011-08-22T08:42:00.000-04:00

Something to show! My design wall actually has very little on it...these 3" blocks don't take up much room!

Only 4 more blocks and I can assemble the top :) As you might recall, I'm using these blocks as leaders and enders while making the Bento Box blocks:

These blocks have outgrown my tiny design wall, so here they are on my design (living room) floor.

What is on YOUR Design Wall? See lots more at Patchwork Times!

2011-08-20T19:57:00.000-04:00

I've been busy sewing Bento blocks, but haven't been taking pictures of the process as I am testing someone else's pattern. You will be seeing some more of the blocks on Monday when I update my Design Wall :)

Today I took some time out of my regularly scheduled Saturday and went to Staples to take advantage of their Teacher Appreciation Day.

On the way to the mall area I noticed how lovely the mist was on the river and we took a few minutes to snap some shots.

I found these photos very inspiring as I am starting to plan what to do for our next guild quilt show. Our theme is Nature's Beauty and I'd love to win the theme quilt category!

As you can see, each shot is really from the same place, just a different angle or a bit closer in.

I've been pulling natural colored fabrics out of my stash :) My quilt may not look like any of these photos, but they will be an integral part of my design process!

Design Wall Monday ~ August 15

2011-08-15T12:18:00.000-04:00

Nothing new on my design wall this week. I was prepping for starting up our school year and only looked longingly at the Sewing Dungeon as I walked past it on my way to the laundry corner. So here you see the lonely Bento Box blocks that are waiting oh-so-patiently for me to sew up more of them. I have the pieces cut...just need to sit down and sew!

I did unpack fabrics that I purchased on vacation, though...and petted them. I have some fabrics to make up another Amanda Baby Quilt (a gal at church is expecting, and if it is a girl, I'll have the quilt made!), some fabrics I couldn't resist (I love blue fabric), some teals to replace some teals I used for the wrong project, some textures, a baby quilt panel, a novelty for a casserole cover, and I'm not sure what I'm going to do with some of the other fabrics...

But my brain is whirling with ideas!

For lots more design wall inspiration, check out Patchwork Times.

It has been a while!

2011-08-11T17:24:00.000-04:00

I was on vacation in MI for a couple of weeks and have not gotten much time to sneak down to the sewing dungeon in our settling back into a routine, ordering the last few books to start our homeschooling year, and catching up on laundry...

What I have been doing this week is packing away last year's curriculum and books that we will use the next year to make room for this year's books. I've almost got the "old' books packed away in these boxes:

I am still looking for some stray books for the box on top...The Boybarian seems to have walked off with them. Pretty sad when your students keep wanting to read their SCHOOL books! All three of my students became voracious readers just like their parents.

I am unpacking books that we used with The Peanut and Princess Sunshine. But, since the curriculum was updated since we used it last time, I've ordered some new books...that way it will be a bit different than last time when he was just listening in on his big sisters' lessons.

While I'm setting up for school, I'm dreaming of quilt designs...

The Wall

2011-07-14T16:56:00.000-04:00

The wall is done except for cleaning up some smudges. I'll do that in the morning and it will be ready to greet the congregation on Sunday morning.

Whew! Now I can get back to the Sewing Dungeon ;)