Feeling Loopy....

Over the weekend I did a bit of basting....

For years I only hand basted.  But with machine quilting and the discovery of safety pins - I have converted from hand basting to pin basting {sort of}.   Hand basted stitches get in the way with Free Motion Quilting - they get caught in the foot and pull.  Yikes!

Most of the time, I actually use a combination of basting techniques.  I usually lightly spray with temporary {basting} adhesive and then pin baste.  I like the smoothness of the basting spray, but I don't trust it completely to hold my quilt in place until I am finished quilting.  Crazy right????

I did decide with this quilt to take Nicke's suggestion....she said I deserved a quick finish....I like that thinking :)

This will be a shoppe sample so I used my usual Denyse Schmidt Loopy Quilting Design...hee hee!

It is very simple.  The most difficult part is keeping the lines of loops straight....

    

To keep my lines straight - I use masking tape to mark my stitching line.  

  

   Normally, I move the tape with each line of stitching....but last night I did a couple of rows without the tape and had a bit of an oops....a little drifting at the end of a row.

But I decided it wasn't critical enough to unpick all those stitches!

For the back of this quilt I am using a fantastic organic fabric - new to the shoppe!

I cleverly pieced had to piece a top spotted border on the back.  When I cut the fabric I did not take into account that the flowers had stems and a direction.  Another oops! 

But maybe it was a happy accident....I love this spot fabric with the floral.

I am quilting with Gutermann 100% cotton in Natural....in both the top and bobbin threads.

Happy Monday All!

mary

Wordless Wednesday....



A Working Tuesday....

It has been a beautiful day here....crisp and sunny!  My kind of day!

today....I managed to line up all my arrows and get this quilt top together....

On to the quilting....I think I will machine quilt this one.  I have a pile of hand quilting to work on.  If I do machine quilt it would just be large loopy lou's..... 

But on the other hand, I do love the look of perle cotton on white.  Any thoughts????

I also began piecing my Rose and Star blocks together.  I have decided to use this delicate red on white dot....

English Paper Piecing is so relaxing....at times, while living with my mom, I would actually nod off while stitching....

This is a Lecien dot....the fabric has a sweet scalloped border....I may try to incorporate it in this quilt somehow...

   

About a month ago I purchased Denyse Schmidt's new quilt book.  It is a lovely book....well worth the price.

It is full of traditional quilts.  My favorite :)

Happy Tuesday Everyone!

mary

A Better Point....

As I mentioned in my last post....I found a better way {for me} to piece the arrows in the Point Me quilt. 

Not to belabor the point, but I truly found this way of piecing so much easier and with better results than those in the instructions.

So to briefly recap....I had already cut all my little triangles....I simply made half square triangles by stitching a patterned triangle and a white triangle along the long straight edge.  For each "arrow" you will need 10 half square triangles.

Then I pieced the hst together in diagonal rows.  A single triangle is added to the end of each row.

Once all the rows are pieced {each row is one hst smaller than the previous row}....I pressed the seams for each row in opposite directions....

     

By pressing in opposite directions I can butt my seams so they end up sitting where they should and my points are nice and pointy.

After my rows are stitched together...I simply need to add one more single triangle to the lower right hand edge of my "arrow".

If you have this pattern on your "to do" list....I think it is worth a try to piece it this way.  I found it worked out much better :)  Hope this helps.

I wonder if anyone else has used or is regularly using bobbin thread in your bobbin?  Bobbin thread is a specialty thread designed for use in the bobbin.  It is thinner thread and, I think, it produces less lint.

   

I try to keep a supply of bobbin thread on hand.....and I was just curious to know if anyone else uses bobbin thread in their bobbin for piecing. I have not found that my seams are any less strong with bobbin thread, but I do think it creates a little less bulk in the seam.  I do not use it for machine quilting....just for piecing.

   

Finally, I have some pretty wonderful news!!! It is good to have wonderful news!!!

My sweet girl, Molly, is engaged to be married!  She has dated her guy, Kyle, for almost 7 years.   We couldn't be happier!

I will snap a pic of the ring the next time she is home....

for now here is a picture of Molly with us {in case you forgot my mug - hee hee}

    

And here she is with her handsome boy....

    

Happy Monday!

mary :)

Changes....

Please, humor me if I am a bit wordy in this post.....I feel the need to explain {through the tears} a bit of the struggle of late.

I don't like change.  I know this about me.  I lived all my wonderful, happy childhood in the same house....until the age of 24.  During my college years, I tried for almost a year to live at school, but even though I was only 15 minutes away....I wanted to go home.  Every Saturday night, I looked forward to watching old musicals on TV and studying.

I lived at home with my mom and dad...older sister and brother....my little brother....and my grandfather { who was dying}.  I loved every minute of it.  I am old skool.....I went from my parent's house to married life and my own home....I have lived here for 26 years.

My sister, who is 6 years older, has always been my best friend.  I wanted to be her as a little girl....I wanted to be with her everywhere she went.  She married when I was in High School and traveled all over the country with her Air Force husband.  I missed her every single day.  

I don't like change.

My life changed about 2 months ago.  My mother was diagnosed with a brain tumor and had surgery.  I was with her in the hospital every single day.  My sister and I took her home and lived with her for 3 weeks.  

She died last week.  And now I am forced to live with the change.

There is so much to say about the struggle of the last 2 months, but I will never regret taking her home and living with her. 

I know this is a quilting blog {and I have some of that for you} but I have to thank every one of my bloggy friends for all your emails and prayers.  Even though I have not been good about replying to comments...please know I have appreciated each and every one.

Most of you know that I have 3 wonderful girls.  They were all born within a 4 year span.  My girls have been best friends to each other.  And fantastic daughters to Mike and me.

Well, my sweet Molly has moved to her own apartment. 

Change.

I am so happy for her ...and it has been sweet to see the excitement of setting up your own place mixed in with the grief of all that has been happening.  Life goes on as it should.

my finished pyramid quilt....just the binding to go....my mom's old skyway luggage :)

I began this quilt a while ago.  At this point I don't even remember when.  It was inspired by an Anthropologie quilt. 

I only have the binding to complete. This one is hand quilted with wool Aurifil thread....Essex linen on the back....

I began the Point Me quilt while at my mom's house.  This is one of Denyse Schmidt's new patterns. 

I don't know if it was me and the lack of sleep or the pattern, but I had a very difficult time getting this arrow of triangles pieced together with pointy points and clean edges....

So I decided to piece it in a different way.  Rather that piecing horizontal rows, I chose to piece the next one on the diagonal.....

Since I had already cut all those little triangles...I pieced a patterned triangle to a white triangle along the long straight of grain edge...creating a half square triangle.

Then I pieced my squares together.....adding a single patterned triangle as the last piece in each row.  

  

Each row is one half square triangle smaller than the row before it.  Then I simply pieced the rows together on the diagonal -  matching the seams.  

For me, this was a much easier way to piece the 'arrow' and get more pointy points where they should be....

A change I can embrace....hee hee!

hugs,

mary

Patterns....

I have snapped a fe pics of patterns and colors from my mom's house....

a beautiful rug from my great Aunt....the rug is well over 100 yrs. old.

corner of a quilt made by me {probably 20 yrs ago} for my mom and dad....hand quilted......

her pretty green glasses in a mid-century modern cupboard hanging in the kitchen.....

cup and saucer, reminds me of a cable stitched sweater.....

glass block windows in her living room....I didn't think I would like these, but I have grown very fond of them.....

a quilt from my sister's bed.....

a dresser pull from the dresser in my room....

stacked tea cans..... 

my latest Rose and Star Block....complete with a coffee stain {oops}....

Happy Easter!

mary

A Beginning.....

A sweet little guy traveled from Australia to Ohio....just in time for Easter.

He was lovingly stitched by my dear friend Susan at Patchwork n Play!  I can't get over how perfect the embroidery is!!!  Such tiny perfect stitches!  

He came tucked in his own brightly colored shell....

Thank you so much Susan - we are loving this sweet little guy!  He has traveled from Columbus to Coshocton and is keeping us company :) 

I visited the local fabric shop here yesterday.  Lots of wonderful fabric and notions.  They have a great selection of special rulers as well as a large selection of 30's fabrics.  It was good to get in a bit of retail therapy...hee hee!

    

 And....I began a new quilt!!!

Just a beginning.....

Happy Thursday!

mary

Have Machine....Will Travel......

As most of you know, my mom has been very seriously ill.  Last week my sister and I brought her home to take care of her.  We have moved into our mother's house....we have very understanding husbands :) 

My sister is a nurse {very helpful} and we have plenty of folks willing to lend a hand.  The past two weekends have been full of grandchildren visiting and sleeping in every nook and corner of this house.

My sister has her computer and I have my machine.  We sit opposite each other....sharing memories, stories, coffee and snacks and lots of love....

I managed to get a wee bit of cutting and stitching done today.  The first time since February that I have been in front of my machine.

So I just wanted you to know where I am and what I am doing.  Thanks for not abandoning me.....I will be back on track one day.  Tomorrow my sister and I will get to go out for a bit while a volunteer sits with my mom.  I am going to the local quilt shop!!!  Yippee!  My sister will be at the library....and then we will have lunch out together.  Life is Good.

Happy Tuesday All!

mary

PS....tomorrow I have a sweet little visitor to share with you all....he arrived in Ohio from lands far away!!!