13 Years Old ~ Partially Quilted Lone Star UFO

 Over the last month I've been watching the "Quilty Christmas in July" series on the Sew The Distance Youtube Channel.  Kris has been posting a video a day with great tips and ideas for sewing up Christmas gifts or projects for yourself.  One of the tips she shared was to finish up those UFO's and give them as gifts.  Most of the work is already done so it would be quick to finish.  

As you all know I recently went on a quick finish quilting spree for a couple of months and thoroughly enjoyed the feel-good boost I was getting from finishing them.  Kris's video reminded me of a couple Christmas projects in my UFO stash.   The first one is this Lone Star quilt I started back in 2012.  It was pulled off the quilt frame about halfway through the quilting because I was not happy with the quilting I chose for the border.  When I decided to pull it out of storage the other day, I thought I still needed to rip out the border stitches but much to my surprise I had already ripped out all the stitches!  YAH!

All it needed was a lint roller to remove a few stray threads.  I also needed to relax the creases left from the previous quilting.  The cutting table was cleared off for this monster sized quilt (96 x 96).

The best way to remove those lines is to spritz them with water and give it a gentle rub with your hand. 

This is before...

...and this after it dried.  TADA!  Works like a charm!

The next hurdle was the thread.  Remember, I was new to quilting on the frame, so I was still learning and trying new things.  At the time I was using embroidery thread for quilting, the same thread I used with my embroidery machine.  Seemed like a good idea at the time and I liked the way it looked on this quilt.  Unfortunately, I don't think there's enough of this light-colored thread to finish this quilt.  No problem, I'll order more.  Guess what?  In my online search for this thread I found out this company no longer exists.  OH NO!  The online search began.  Searching Ebay, Etsy and any shop that mentioned ARC thread.  Somehow, I stumbled upon a PDF for ARC Poly to Isacord chart.  Yippee! The thread was quickly ordered and should be here sometime next week.  I don't plan on quilting this up anytime soon, but I would like to have it finished by Thanksgiving of this year.  Just in time put on the bed during Christmas.

The quilting around the applique is a bit heavier than I would do these days but I'm not ripping it out.  The applique was my design and was machined stitched in place with clear thread. These days I use Superior Threads Mono-Poly for invisible machine applique but I'm pretty sure for this quilt I used whatever they had at Joann's.

Before loading this back onto the frame, I need to add a quilt label to the very busy back.  My goodness, that backing is awful....LOL!  I'm not a fan of poinsettias but it's what I had on hand.  It's fun to go back and look at our older quilts.  Styles change and so do our taste in fabric and quilt designs.  Just wait until you see the other Christmas themed UFO quilt, it's a hot mess!  But at the time I thought it was just too cute. More on that in a week or two.

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One Goal Completed and One Not

 Hello Quilting Friends!  Last night(the wee hours of this morning 12:30ish A.M.) the Lone Star was bound and considered done.  Today, I slept in until 7:30, got a cup of decaf, took these pictures, and now I'm writing this post.  Today I'll make and add the label then throw her in the washer.

Let me tell you, my little goal list did not go as planned.  Wednesday, Thursday and Friday were a complete busts. Friday I did get in a little quilting time but not enough to check of anything on my list. 

I could give you all the details of each day but really it was just life, nothing worth mentioning.  So, I decided Friday night to ditch the list and quilt till you wilt.  I wanted this quilt done by Sunday night.  Taking breaks was a must due back issues.  So instead of playing with pretty red, white and blue fabrics in my down time, I opted to just sit and relax for a few minutes at the computer.  I know me and I know I would get lost in the pretty fabrics and time would be lost.  So, they were set aside but in plain view.  Maybe by the end of today I can put together this cute little block.

This Lone Star is almost exactly like the other four I've made in the last year.  The other quilts had red or maroon borders.  This orange border was due to I didn't have enough red or maroon fabric.

I also opted to use white thread on the back when quilting the star.  On the other quilts I used black thread but here again I was running low on black thread so white it is.  It worked out and adds a nice design to the back of the quilt.

Well, it's time to get this day started so I can have a little much needed playtime in the Studio later today.

Until next time...

I hope you find time to stitch up something sweet!

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Finally a Sew Day!

 Hello Quilting Friends!  Can you believe it's been over a month since I last stepped foot in the Quilting Studio?  To be honest it's been more like two months since my last stitch.  There's been a couple blog post about playing with fabrics but no stitching.  Well I'm happy to say I hemmed a pair of curtains a few days ago and it tickled the quilting bone a bit.  So here I am working on this Lone Star again. 

There may be one more in the near future.  For now I just trying to stay focused on getting this one finished.  The other four Lone Stars all had a red or maroon accent border.  This one will have orange for no other reason than I don't want to purchase more fabric.  The next one will also be made from what I have on hand.  ORANGE seems to be the wrong color for this quilt but it was the best option from the fabrics on hand.

Being thrifty sometimes can lead to other problems.  Like when I decided not to purchase more black thread for piecing the quilt.  In my defense there is no color that will perfectly match.  Even when using the black thread it can be an issue with the lighter fabrics.  I lowered my stitch length in hopes of it helping to hide the white thread...it did not work 100%.  There's a fix for the white thread showing in a couple of the seams.  A black Sharpie to the rescue!  

As you can see it works like a charm.  Once the quilt is washed and everything shrinks a bit it should be fine.  And as long as no harsh detergents are used to wash the quilt the ink should stay put.

The Studio is a mess.  The cutting table has looked pretty much the same since last November  The stack of fabrics being used in the star quilts just keeps getting bigger.  How does this happen when I've made five quilts from this pile? And the rest of the mess is just me being a slob.  I need to come up with a better system for my computer speakers and charging cable.  

But for now staying focused on the quilt is my best plan because once I start cleaning I know it will become a deep dive into another rabbit hole.  

Now this is embarrassing but I have to show you reality.  If you have been following this Lone Star project you know that these quilts are for family and friends.  The are in memory of my 29 yr. old son who died in an accident last October.  Well as you can imagine when I started making these quilts last November my mind and heart was just a bit of mess and to be honest is still.  So when your brain isn't right a lot of mistakes happen.  This basket holds all the accidents and scraps.  90% of the fabric in here is miscuts and piecing errors.   

However, I think I might be able to use some of the scraps anyway for the last Lone Star.  

If not, I need to come up with a plan for using them.  Maybe an Improv quilt?  Improv isn't my style but I can't let these go to waste and I sure don't want to store them.  Using them up and getting them out of the Studio sounds like a better idea.  And I'm sure someone will love it and want to take it off my hands.  Plus it's a good way to get out of the comfort zone and learn a new skill.  Improv quilting looks easy but it's not when we are used to using or making a pattern.  Going willy-nilly is scary to this ole gal.  So I've been researching Improv quilting via the internet and considering getting a book or two on the subject.  First things first, make the last quilt and pick out the trash I threw in the basket.

They say it's never too late to teach an old dog new tricks, we'll see about that!  If you have any tips or suggestions on Improv quilting PLEASE share them in comments.  I need all the help I can get!

Until next time...

I hope you find time to stitch up something sweet!

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Lone Star Quilt Progress

 Hello Quilty Friends!  Just a quick pop in to share the progress on the Lone Star quilt.  It was another busy weeks so I didn't get as much done as I would have liked.  Only three of the six strip sets were pieced.

Hopefully this afternoon I can finish the other three and subcut them into strips.

This quilt will be exactly like the last four Lone Stars I made last year.  I used EQ8 to help with the color placement.  The only difference is the background will be black instead of white.

I'm such a visual person.  In order to keep the color placement correct I cut out one section of the star and number them.  

This basket of scraps is from the first four quilts I made.  So many piecing errors.  It was quicker to make more strips sets than to rip out stitches so I have a ton of scraps.  Not sure what I'll do with them, maybe an improv quilt.  It's not my thing but it'll use them up quick...someday.

Until next time...

I hope you find time to stitch up something sweet!

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Getting the perfect picture

Yesterday morning I put the final stitch in the Lone Star quilt.  It's been washed and ready to be delivered today.  But first some pictures are needed.  I'm always on the look out for photo props.  This old wagon down the road looked like a good idea.  But the lighting was all wrong.

 I didn't have time to go on a road trip looking for the perfect spot, so I enlisted 

Mr. Podunk.

The wind wasn't as cooperative as Mr. Podunk.

 Finally a good shot

Oh but it's so much fun watching Mr. Podunk struggle with this quilt, lets take another just for giggles!

No!  Mr. Podunk the photo shoot isn't over, I need pictures of the back. 

He's such a good sport.

We better try a different lighting just in case...and because ...(snicker, wink). 

~ Lea Anne ~

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Ready to quilt

I hadn't planned on writing a post today until one of my followers asked how I planned to quilt the Lone Star.  As a general rule I keep the quilting simple on all the Lone Stars I make.  Only one of them has custom quilt it death and that's because it's mine.

I've found that non quilters don't really care for quilt it to death quilts.  They want a quilt that feels like what Grandma used to make...cuddly, cozy, and comforting.

Even though the quilting is simple, it took me 4 hrs to get the lines drawn for quilting on the domestic machine.  Not because it was a hard design, it was because I kept changing my mind....Imagine that....me...fickle?   Surely not!  

The corners and triangles will all have 7 quilted lines, those were easy to draw.

I'll stitch in the ditch on both sides of the dark blue frame border.   And the star will be straight lines that follow the seams.  Simple and as quick as possible.  

~ Lea Anne ~

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The Moment Of Truth

In every quilt there's a moment of truth.  The truth of how well their peiced.  Sometimes it's when we add the next piece to the block....oh that tricky quarter inch can cause some hair pulling moments.  And then there's the truth when adding borders.  And I think the one that is the most disappointing is when it's all done and being loaded to a longarmers quilt frame only to find out our quilt is a longarmers nightmare.  As a long time quilter I've had all of the above happen.  But with each one a lesson was learned...  ACCURACY at all times.

With the Lone Star the truth isn't when it's on the wall but when you lay it on the floor.  Holding my breath I toss it on the floor....Perfection!  No mushrooming center! Yeah she's laying flat!   I can breath now and add the borders.

So I thought today I'd share my process for accuracy when piecing a Lone Star.  It may seam like a lot of work but really it's not.  Remember I just started this quilt a few days ago, and one day was spent in the garden and one day shopping with mom.  

I can't stress enough that before cutting your fabric 

STARCH YOUR YARDAGE...STARCH THE DAYLIGHTS OUT OF IT.  Mine is so stiff it feels like paper.   

When cutting your strips make sure to line up the fabric at the top and bottom with the horizontal lines  on your cutting mat.  Don't worry about the far corners(red arrow) they never line up, and they are scrap anyway.  After every second strip cut, you need to make an accuracy cut.

To make an accuracy cut just line up the 45 degree lines on your ruler to the lines on the cutting mat, don't forget to check your fabric at the top and bottom to make sure it's still lined up with the horizontal lines on the mat.

Here's what I cut off.  Quite a bit of difference from the top to the bottom.  This would make a big difference in the quilt.

Now that my strip set is trimmed I can cut another strip, careful not to shift the fabric.  

After making the cut I move my ruler over on top of the remaining strip set to keep it from shifting, then I pick up the cut piece.

With any ruler that has a quarter inch line I mark the seams with a small mark a quarter inch in.  I like using a smaller ruler because with the larger one I was trying to line up all the seams at once and stretching the fabric.   Notice the quarter inch line on the ruler is setting outside the fabric.  The red dot's and lines show where to place your marks.  Some quilters will make these marks on the back side of the strips.  I get more accuracy by making them on the front.  They never show  because I sew over them.  If I can see them it means my quarter inch stitching was wrong.

With right sides together I put a pin in the marks.

That pin will keep my marks together as I slide another pin in at an angle.  Now I can remove the first pin.   This step may seem silly but it's very important.  If I were to just pull the first pin down and pin it, the fabric would shift about a 16th of an inch or more.

For the corners put a pin through the middle of the crossed lines.  Sometimes this takes more than one try to get it right, it could be my old eyes!

Again the first pin is just there to hold my seam markings accurately.  The second pin is slid in at an angle as close to the first pin as I can get.  

One last tip

 NEVER EVER IRON A LONE STAR QUILT

  PRESS ONLY with a light hand.  

The more you handle these pieces the wonkier they will get.  I don't even smooth them on the design wall, I press them in place.  

Hope this has been helpful without being overwhelming.  It may seem like a lot of work but it's worth every extra pin!

~ Lea Anne ~

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