Quilting Cabin Fever

 Hi Quilty Friends!  The Cabin Fever quilt is coming along slowly due to all the ruler work.  To make the quilting really pop requires every seam to have stitch in the ditch which means using a straight ruler and that slows things down a bit.  The feathers, circles and arcs are free motion quilting.  Marking this quilt is also a little time consuming.  If you look closely at the right bottom corner of the picture you can see blue lines in the sashing. In between each line will be a circle.  I've watched quilters make perfectly uniform circles in sashing without marking.  I lack that skill.  Even with the markings they still are not perfect.

And those lovely borders, they too needed marking for the spacing of the arcs.  Of course, it's all ruler work except for the feathers.  Since this quilt is fairly small, about 56 x 64, it shouldn't take more than a week or two to complete.  Wish me luck!

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I'm In The Mood

 Yes Quilty Friends, I'm in a mood.  Not just any mood.  A lot of white space for quilting it to death kind of mood.  So, I pulled out the Cabin Fever quilt I shared with you a couple of weeks ago.  There's plenty of white space for feathers, swirls and whatever else my little ole quilty heart desires.

And since I'm in a wild and crazy kind of mood, I'm going to live a little dangerously by not adding more fabric it to the backing that is just a few inches larger than the quilt top.  I think it'll be okay as long as it's carefully loaded on the quilt frame.  Wish me luck!

A quick label was made.   And wouldn't you know it, there's two errors.  The date is wrong, and I misspelled the word DESIGNED.  

Guess what?  The label is staying as is because I didn't notice it until editing photos after the quilt was loaded to the frame.   The little errors give the quilt more character and adds to the story it has to tell, right?  

The quilting plan is coming along.  I'll play around with the quilting ideas a little more and hopefully start the quilting sometime today.  See you soon with a sneak peek of the quilting!

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Bumpkin Baskets Ready To Be Quilted

 After many years of on again off again quilt progress, this quilt is ready for the frame. My Bumpkin Baskets quilt is a variation of my original quilt using my original design of the Dresden Baskets block.  You can see the original block design and quilt design here and here.

The full border applique was glued to the quilt and then invisible machine applique was used to secure it in place.  And that's why this has taken so long to complete.  Wrangling a 90 x 90 quilt in a 7 inch throat space was just too much fun (sarcasm). 

Two different prints were pulled from the stash to make the backing.  It's not the ideal fabrics but it is the most budget friendly.  I'm trying to work with what I have most of the time.  Oh, I'm not claiming to be in a no buying phase.  I'm just trying to use my will power whenever possible.  It didn't work out so well last week while in the quilt shop picking up April's 2 bucks a block.  A few lonely fat quarters needed a new home.

To make the quilt label for this quilt I used the scrap from the backing fabric.

Then added the scrap from the basket handles to make a border on the label.  Yep, it's kind of busy with the stripes going every which way but it's and eyecatcher!

The binding fabric was also pulled from my stash fabric.  After cutting and piecing the strips and having a long quilt staring session, I don't like that shade of blue with this quilt.  I may need to dig deeper in the stash or start shopping for a new binding fabric.

For now, she has been safely wrapped in plastic and stored away until I decided what to do about the binding and how to quilt her.

I'm not exactly sure when I started this quilt but I did find this short video I made for instagram in 2019.  But I know I started it at least a year before this video.

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Old Pillow Makeover

 Last week while reorganizing the quilt closet, I found a few things needing to be fixed or freshened up a bit.  The first on the list was the 10 year old bluebird pillow.  ⬅️A link to the free bluebird embroidery can also be found at the previous link.  I changed the bluebird design a bit to suit me.  The pink lazy daisies were not part of the free pattern.

These first three photos were pulled from the original blogpost because silly ole me forgot to take pictures before starting the makeover.  As you can see there's a lot of hand embroidery and a beautiful piping edge on the pillow.  The scalloped around the dresden was hand drafted by me.  You can see my process for making the scallop here.  

I loved and still love the Shabby Chic look of this pillow.  However, it's a space waster in my quilt closet because I chose to make it a pillow and not a pillow cover. 

The new plan was to remove the piping and add an envelope closure to the back.  I knew there was still some of the floral fabric in my stash but wasn't sure if there would be enough.  Luckily, I had more than enough.  It was meant to be!

The pink gingham binding is another old fabric pulled from the stash.  It was a curtain bought at a thrift store.

She's been well loved and a little faded, but she still has a lot of life left in her. 

A quilt was also made a using a lot of the same fabrics as in this pillow.  You can find it here.

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The Quilt Closet Makeover

 One of the most frequently asked questions by non-quilters is, "What do you do with all the quilts you make?" In the early days of my quilting journey, most of them were given away. Nowadays, I keep more than I give or donate. What you see here is a small snippet of the quilt stash closet.

This closet was originally your average closet with a rod and shelf used for storing our coats and seasonal decor.  During my pattern writing years the closet was transformed into my office desk and shipping station.  The rest of the room was storage for my quilts, business supplies and quilt photo staging area.

After closing the business, the closet was used to store quilts and seasonal decor.  While the totes kept the quilts dust free, they are heavy and hard to move and stack when full of quilts. 

So, last week I decided to put a shelving unit in the closet to hold all the quilts.  I thought for sure they would all fit on one shelf.  They do not! The tote on the bottom left holds four quilts.  The other totes are full of decor and pillow forms.  I'm going to need another small shelving unit or one larger shelving unit.  

This isn't all of the quilts.  There're 21 quilts on display or in use throughout the house.  Sigh...I can see that in a few years my quilts will outgrow the closet.  I may need to make this spare bedroom a quilt storage room.  Oh well, for now I'm loving the easy access to the quilts and no more heavy lifting.

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What's Up Wednesday

 Hey Quilty Friends.  Just a little pop in to share my progress since my last blog post, which isn't much.  Well, I suppose it's all in how you look at things.  Below is the (300) scrappy 1.75" squares I cut last Saturday.  All of them where cut from the low volume scrap bins, and most of the time I could only cut one at a time.  It was a literal pain in the neck but in the end it's worth it. 

On Sunday I found a little time to make four more Old Town mystery blocks and add them to the design wall.  I need to put all my energy towards getting this one finished and off my design wall.  I'm tired of looking at it!  HAHA!

 

See you soon!

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Alternate Block For The Cake Stand Quilt

 Hey Quilty Friends!  The last couple of days have been scrap-a-licious!  Slicing and dicing through the scrap bins makes me one happy gal.

To be honest most of my time in the last couple of days has been spent outside the Studio taking care of this, that and the other.  That's what makes the little time spent playing with fabric so exciting and fun.  You know the old saying, "Absence makes the heart grow fonder".  That applies to anything in your life, not just your sweetie.  

In my playtime I decided to work on the alternate block for my Cake Stand quilt.  Many quilt blocks were auditioned and failed to tickle my fancy. They all seemed too busy for my little bitty Cake Stand block.

Ultimately, I chose the K.I.S.S. block. If you are unfamiliar with K.I.S.S., do not take offense; it stands for "keep it simple stupid" or "keep it simple silly" if you prefer. The block is not actually called K.I.S.S.; it is simply a basic 16-patch block.

Once the plan was set in stone, it was time to make a test block before cutting for all the blocks.

In just a matter of minutes the block was finished.  Some of you might be wondering "why would I not use just one 5.5" piece of fabric?"  Well, I think the 16 patch is more fun and adds an OMG to the quilt.  Yes, I want the OMG factor, even if I'm the only one to think it's OMG cute.

For this block I decided to press the seams open.  Open seams are not something I do often.  But if I don't do this, it might end up a pressing nightmare and bulky seams.  I would like to be able to rotate this block in the quilt if needed in order to keep matching fabrics from touching.  The only way I see to accomplish this is with open seams on both blocks.  I may regret it but I'm stepping outside my comfort zone and pressing both blocks open...oh this is so scary but I'm doing it! 

Here's the EQ drawing of the quilt.  It will finish at 91x91!  My little bitty blocks are going to be a BIG quilt.  I can't wait to see her finished!

This isn't a quicky quilt, it may take months because cutting the scrap squares for this block may take days or weeks.  Below is the (676) 1.75" squares for the basket blocks.  It took a few days to cut them due to my limited time in the Studio.  The alternate block requires 2304 scrappy squares! 

And let's not forget it's set on point so I still need to cut more than a few triangles.  As I plan this project and think about a timeline I need to consider the time of year.  My hope is for a mid-summer finish, but gardening season is quickly approaching.  Along with mowing as well as other outside chores. And of course, I like to project jump...so I'm thinking this could take months, maybe a finish by November or December?

An update for my fur baby lovers.  Miss Kahleesi's perianal fistulas are still an issue.  She started a new very expensive antibiotic ($198 for 30 days) this week and a new expensive topical antibiotic($84).  She will stay on the oral antibiotic for 6 weeks.  Then a vet visit will decide whether or not to start weening her off the antibiotic. 

The vet also suggested laser light therapy, it cost $75 a week and isn't guaranteed to work.  We're considering it.  I've done so much research on this autoimmune disease.  There is no set in stone treatment.  Each dog responds differently to treatment and foods.  

We feed my girl real food, meat and some veggies.  Going against everything I believe in, I've decided to change her diet to processed dog food that has worked for many other dogs with this condition.  Again, it's not guaranteed to help. 

 It's hard not to cry sometimes.  All I want for her is to be healthy, happy and pain free but no one seems to have the answer.

  You would never know her little bum has oozing open sores.  She acts totally normal except for excessive licking of her bum when not in a diaper.  We could put a cone on her head instead of diaper but I just can't do that.  The diaper keeps her from licking.

My hope is the expensive oral antibiotic will work magic and put her in remission.  We caught it early so the chances of it working are in her favor.

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The Quilters High

 Hi Quilty Addicts!  After my recent quilt finish, Delightful Daisies, I've been on a quilter's high.  I'm sure some of you can relate.  The quilt you've put so much time and effort into is finally finished and you LOVE LOVE LOVE IT!  The body puts out an intoxicating cocktail of hormones and before you know it, you're searching for the next high.  Wild eyed with quilt drool dripping from the chin, the dig for the next quick quilt fix begins.  I told myself to stop but the quilt finishing monkey on my back wouldn't listen until I found the perfect next quick quilt finish.  Oh yes!  This quilt designed by Gigi's Thimble is perfect!  

Perfect for many reasons. 

 

1. The (free) quilt pattern is called Cabin Fever and right now we are transitioning from winter to spring.  Perfect!  I don't get cabin fever in the winter but the quilt finishing monkey on my back had me feeling a little nutty and feverish.

2. It's small and will be perfect for a quick to finish, oh yes, the quicker the better.  I needed my quilt finish fix!

3. The first day of spring is March 20! Perfect!

4. The backing and binding were made and stored with the quilt years ago, perfect!

5. The backing fabric has daisies on it, my favorite flower!  Again PERFECT!

As the 70's tunes blared, the quilt top and backing were placed on floor to check for the quilt frame loading direction.  Oh, fiddlesticks.  The backing is too small.  The original plan must have been to quilt it on the sewing machine.  No worries, it's a simple fix.

As I boogied my way over to the stash cabinet, I realized the quilt finishing monkey on my back was barely hanging on.  Was this the result of the backing issue?  By the time I had found the perfect fabrics the quilt finishing high was gone. 

A quick look around the studio at the quilt blocks on the design wall and the new scrappy quilt on the cutting table and wouldn't you know it...that little monkey lost his grip and faded away.

Yes, I do love playing with my scraps.  The Cabin Fever project will need to wait.  Back into storage she went along with the fabrics to enlarge the backing.

Now that the quilt finishing high has faded it's back to the original plan for the week.

Today I think I'll work on the Old Town mystery quilt.  She's been singing to me all morning as I write this post...

Song sung blue
Everybody knows one
Song sung blue
Every garden grows one...

 

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