A Weekly Update ~ Sugar -N- Spice Quilt

 Hello Quilty Friends!  If plan A doesn't work, there's 25more  letters in the alphabet.  In the last week all 25 were needed...and more.  It wasn't a bad week, I could think of far worse things that could have happened.  So we'll just call it an eventful week.  The picture below is the Sugar -N- Spice quilt.  The top three borders have been finally been quilted.

I should have said they have been quilted several times.  You can see the ripped out stitches in the picture below.  The circles and arcs were suppose to line up.  I made a couple circles too small and thought it look okay.  After completing the entire top white border I stood back to admire my quilting.  YUK!  I could leave it as is, rip it all out and start over or rip out some of it.  As you can see I decided to rip out the arcs.  For now I'm happy with change and will continue to quilt the rest of the border the same.

Below is the backside of the quilt.  See that big ole pleat?  In all my 12 years of quilting on a frame I have never had this happen.  The only reason I looked under here is because my machine made a odd noise as I was quilting the inner red border.  To fix the pleat I would need to rip out quite a bit of the quilting on all three borders.  

Y'all, I ripped out the stitches on the top red border earlier in the week because I didn't like the design or thread I chose.  I'm not ripping out anymore stitches unless it's absolutely necessary. So the pleat is staying in the quilt. Sigh...it's been a week.

Other happenings last week.

1. The needle bar shifted on my quilter.  Three hour fix.
2. My dog has a UTI and is incontinent. She's leaking all day and night.
3. Got a flat tire on my car while it sat in the drive.  They are brand new tires, about a month old.
4. Car wouldn't start, something was draining the one year old battery.
5. The handle on the microwave broke.

Well, that was my week.   A good week because I didn't pull out my hair or slap anyone, so all is well!

 

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Spicing Things Up

 Hello Quilty Friends!  It's time to spice up the studio.  I can't take one more day of playing with denim and flannel.  It's like I'm creating my very own gray cloud right here in the studio.  We've had enough of that outside for the last few days.  No sunshine, just gray clouds, muddy landscape and cold winds.

You would think my brightly decorated studio would be enough happy colors to keep me happy.  Nope I need to play with bright fabrics.  That's what feeds my soul during yukky cold winters here in Indiana.  

The UFO drawer is full of sunshine.  This one was right there on top waiting to brighten the day.  The bright happy colors of my Sugar -N- Spice quilt turned Mud-day Monday into Merry Monday.  

This was a kit purchased way back in 2014, from the LQS, Back Door Quilts.  What drew me in and made the sale was those tiny yo-yo's.  Seriously, too cute!  The pattern instructions suggested the yo-yo's be hand sewn to the quilt.  But I wanted to finish this in my lifetime so I decided to try invisible machine applique.  The worse thing that could happen is having to rip out the stitches and do them by hand.

To accomplish the invisible stitch I used Superior Threads Mono Poly.  This is the best of the Monofilament threads.  I've used many different brands over the years and this one is the only one that passed all the tests.  It works above and beyond what it claims. The biggest test was the melting.  Most will either melt in the dryer or when ironed on a higher heat than suggested.  Now let me say all irons and dryers are different, so you will want to do your own tests.  My results were...I can dry them on a normal dryer setting and I can iron them on a cotton setting.  I did not try steam because I never use steam when quilting.

  Before stitching the yo-yo's to the block, I first stitch them together with a tiny zigzag stitch.  So what do you  think?  Can you see the zigzag stitch between these two yo-yo's?

The stitch holes can be seen on the outer edge but I think once this quilt is washed and dried they will disappear.  We will soon find out!  Yep, as soon as this girl is quilted and bound I'll do an update to let you know.  The needle holes have gone away on other quilts I've made so I'm pretty sure they will on the this one as well.

If you are interested in seeing how I sewed them, here's a short YouTube video I made at the time.  You can see better if you click on the words YouTube, that will take you to the video on YT. Or it will go full screen if you click on the square in the bottom right corner.

If you are considering purchasing the pattern and making this quilt you need to know the original quilt was made with only two borders.  A yellow inner border and a wider outer border. The outer border looks like two borders but it's a "cheater" print. 

Here's my THREE borders and they aren't mitered as the original above.  I think the quilt shop made the change to the pattern in the kit.  I might have made the change and have forgotten. 

Oh well, it's time to get back to my sun filled Studio and get busy!

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Squaring up Quilt Blocks with Embellishments

 Squaring up quilt blocks is not something I typically need to do.  But with applique blocks it's the best way to ensure your blocks will finish at the correct size.  Even the best of quilters can have some shrinking of background fabric during the applique process.  So as a general rule applique background fabric is cut 1-3 inches larger than the finished size of the block then trimmed to the correct size after the applique is stitched in place.  Most the time the trimming down is fairly simple process. Just press the block and square up to the correct size.  This cute little dresden with yo-yo's will take a little extra effort.

I have the correct size square up ruler but it's not going to work.

The problem is the yo-yo's.  They will not allow the ruler to make contact with the cutting mat.  In the image below the ruler is sitting on top of the dresden block and I can slide a pair of scissors between the ruler and the block.

Did it stop me from trying to square up a block?  No.  And as you probably already guessed the ruler slid, causing me to cut the block a little wonky and too small.  Thankfully the error is not huge and I can still use the block.  It's nothing that a little pinning and "easing in" can't hide.

The June Taylor 12.5" Get Squared Ruler would work great for squaring up this block.  The fussy cutting 6.5" window would have nested perfectly around the yo-yo's.  Sadly I only own the 9.5" version.  I could order it and wait for it to arrive.  Or make the drive into town and hope that Joann's really has it in stock.  The website says its in stock but I've been fooled by that nonsense one to many times.

Plan B:  Use a smaller cutting mat, cut one side at a time and rotate the mat after each cut.  I have a rotating mat that is the same size as this blue Westcott mat but I want to use this blue mat because it's a prettier color and I rarely use it.  I can rotate it without shifting the block.   By the way, I love this little $6 mat I purchased at WalMart.   This normally sets beside me at the sewing machine.  It's used for trimming and squaring up quilt block units.  She's holding up much better than my rotating mat that cost $30.  So if you see one at WalMart it's a great bargain mat.

This is one time I wish my applique had caused some shrinking to the background fabric.  I can't trim the block if I can't see the lines on the mat.

I can faintly see the numbers through the fabric.  Maybe they would be easier to see with a ruler on top of the block.  HAHA!  No you silly girl.  I wish I had a medium sized cutting mat. A medium mat could also be rotated to make the cutting easier. Unfortunately all I have is this small mat and the 24 x 36 mat.  

Plan C: I made a 12.5" square on my large cutting mat with painters tape. Marked a centering line on each side of the square.

Next I folded and creased a center mark on all four sides of the block.  On this block I've used a water soluble marker to make it easier for you to see.

To square up the block I can use the lines on the ruler and the lines on the mat extending out past the tape. The tape is a little outside the cutting line I need to use to make the cut.

This was a little bit harder than a rotating mat but it works.  Where there's a will there's a way.   

Let's see if measures up okay.

Looks pretty good!  Yah!  It's smooth sailing from here.  All I need to do is trim up the rest of these and then I can sew together the quilt top.  Woohoo!  Another UFO soon to be completed.  Now to start thinking about the quilting design.   The yo-yo's are going to add a little extra challenge to that part of the process too.  Oh well, that's part of the fun, don't you think?

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Simple Chain Blocks

 Well yesterday didn't go quite as planned.  The 15 easy chain blocks could have easily been put together.  But you know how it is, you can plan but sometimes the powers that be have other plans.  Not that it was a horrible day, nothing bad happened.  Since it's just us I'll tell you a secret.  I screen phone calls.  There's a handful of people at the top of my list of "you must answer".  Almost everyone of them called yesterday.  So that's my excuse and I don't regret it but it was a little disappointing.  Three quilt blocks is better than no quilt blocks.  

I could have sewn one or two more blocks had I not used a separate project for my leaders and enders.  But I wanted to stay true to the leaders and enders method of sewing two quilts at one time.

I was all set up and ready to have a stitch marathon today and then.....I took a nap this morning.  Well you now I am a grandma, and grandma's take naps every now and then.  I can still get these done today.

I think I can

I think I can

I think I can

WOO-WOO!  CHUGGA CHUGGA CHUGGA CHUGGA  WOOWOO!

Wish me luck!

With the help of Investigation ID I'll have the next twelve blocks completed in no time. Provided the phone doesn't ring.

Hopefully my batting order will show up today.   I like having a quilt on the frame and a quilt top being made at the same time.  This allows me to stand awhile and sit awhile.  I can't wait to get this girl quilted and on display.

My word of the year

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Quilting Paused for a Minor Surgery

 The progress of the Sugar and Spice quilt is moving along at a pretty good rate. I'm not used to working with a kit so I'm being very careful when cutting the fabrics. Included in the instructions is a cutting warning added by the quilt shop not the quilt designer.  Most of the fabrics in this can not be found anymore.   All of the background fabric is cut and I have about 10" x WOF leftover.  Yah! Adding it to my stash.   

Today I 'll start the strip piecing and subcutting for the chain blocks.  This method of piecing I find to be not so easy.  They can get wonky really easy.   Over the years I've learned tricks to keep the strips accurate but I still think aren't as accurate as one piece at a time.  I too write quilt patterns with this method because most quilters like quick and easy ways of making a quilt top.

The blocks should have already been on the assembly line but me and my girl had a little playtime yesterday.  The weather here has been really cold and snowy.  Little Miss Pris has decided this year she isn't as fond of snow as she used to be.  This means she's spending more time inside and wanting to be entertained.

We got a little carried away.  Now pink piggy is going in for a minor surgery.

This happens often with Khaleesi's stuffed toys.  She's a big girl but loves little girl plush dog toys.  We've purchased more durable toys for her to rag doll and play tug of war with but she has almost no interest in them.  So I do a lot of mending.  Maybe I should start reinforcing them before she gets them.  

The only heavy duty thread I keep on hand is blue jean thread due to the ever famous.....Hey you quilt?  Can you fix my jeans?  I know this makes sense to those who ask me to fix their pants, but you and I know this is an eyeroll moment.  Anyway Pink Piggy might end up looking like a Franken Piggy.

My poor girl.  She's on the couch pouting as I preform the surgery.  From this position she can watch me at my sewing machine in the Studio.

Perhaps hand sewing would be better. It would be easier to see what I was doing but I'm going for speed.  Khaleesi doesn't care what it looks like and neither do I.  The chances of me needing to do the again(multiple times) is pretty good.  I can't see a thing!  The hair on her other toys isn't this long.  I'm flying blind, hope I don't crash!

Huh?  Well would you look at this.  The ugly brown thread doesn't even show.  I'm feeling like a sewing rock star.  

However Khaleesi   is not so impressed with my sewing skills and has taken the pouting to a whole new level.  My goodness she is so spoiled rotten.  Oh well, we love our sweet spoiled rotten girl even if she is a little overly dramatic from time to time.  

Since there has been a lot of response on my Sugar and Spice quilt I thought it would be nice to share a little more detail about this pattern.  The pattern release was way back in 2011 by Black Cat Creations.  Here it is at displayed at Quilt Market.

The pattern says the original quilt was made using Flower Sugar 1 and 2.  Oh how I wish I had known about this quilt and this fabric way back then.  

My kit from the local quilt shop came with this mishmash of fabrics.  Several designers and brands.  But still cute as can be.  At the end of this blog post is a video posted on Facebook by our local shop called Back Door Quilts. It a quick look at part of their shop.

It was not easy finding more information on this quilt.  I lost count of all the different searches phrases.  But I did find this beautiful picture of the quilt done in mostly blue.  Can anyone guess the fabric manufacturer in this quilt?  Clue 1....it made me squeal to see this fabric.  Clue 2...I collect these fabrics.  

LAKEHOUSE DRYGOODS!  

It just doesn't get any better than dresden's and Lakehouse.  My two favorites all rolled into one.  I wish Pam and Holly would design fabric again.  Some try to mimic their fabric but none can seem to get the colors right.

Oh well back to reality.  Finding the designer wasn't very easy either.  I finally found Amy on Instagram.  And wouldn't you know it the last picture she posted was of this quilt.  She's selling it on Etsy.  Not the pattern, THE QUILT!  I'm interested but my budget is not.  So here's a link to her quilt for sale.

The border fabric makes the borders look like a lot of work but its a panel print.  The red and white is one fabric but looks like two.

And that background fabric....I love multi colored dots....sigh....heaven.  

I assumed since she is selling the quilt that the pattern was being retired. I was wrong.  Amy has a website and yes this pattern is still available.  Just click right here to go to both the PDF and mailed pattern.  Let her know Podunk Pretties sent you!  Not it will matter but I'm sure she'll wonder why the sudden interest in this pattern.

Thanks for stopping by my little spot in Podunk!

Moo-ving along the Sugar and Spice quilt.  Moo-ve, word of the year, read more about it here.

My local quilt shops most recent video on Facebook.  Back Door Quilts is known for their project samples and huge selection Civil War Reproductions.  This video covers a small section of the store, but does not show the Civil War Reproduction fabric section.   This is the shop where I purchased the Sugar and Spice quilt kit.  I don't think they carry it anymore but you could ask.

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