Design Wall Monday - April 29, 2024

 

Good Morning Quilters!

I saw this paragraph on the internet last week, and wanted to share it with you:

     Some people get addicted to chain-smoking their problems. They spend all day going from sorrow to sorrow. It doesn't have to be that way. You can live each day going from joy to joy—like a sunflower that turns to face the sun as it moves across the sky. It's not about having a problem-free life, but about focusing on the light. Sunflowers still have shadows, but they are always behind them.

Today is a day to look toward the sun, and enjoy my blessing and not dwell on problems.  This past week has been a slow progress week in quilting for me.  There are two quilts that need binding, and I am working on one of them.  It is a quilt I made from the "Grandmother's Choice" quilt blocks from the Barbara Brackman's blog about women's rights.  She put out a series of 49 blocks and very interesting stories about the history of women's rights (or lack thereof).  Her blog is (Here)  This quilt is now an almost completed UFO that was started back in September of 2012.  My, how time flies when you are having fun!

My quilt is made of fall colors, with lots of black and cheddar,  and the quilting pattern is fall leaves.  I plan to display it this fall, for Thanksgiving.  Thankful for all the rights women have today.  Here is a picture of my progress in hand sewing the binding to the backside.

The backing is a dark brown/black color, and  you can see the fall leaves design:

The batting is black - first time I used a black batting, and it seemed the right choice for this quilt.  I will take a picture of the completed quilt next week, when the binding is sewn down.  Another UFO bites the dust!

What is happening in your world this week?  Any design wall pictures to show us?

Please join in our Design Wall Monday Linky Party below and we can see your blog posts and pictures.  Thank you so much for participating.  You are appreciated.

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Design Wall Monday - April 22, 2024

 Good Morning Quilters!

Last week I started a tutorial on how I made my fabric baskets, and didn’t get very far into my instructions before I had to stop to get to bed.  I told you I’d continue the instructions this week.  Well, writing instructions are a lot of work, and after looking at some youtube videos, I decided to direct you to some good instructions there - and not try to reinvent the wheel.  One video that I really liked was (Here)

The basic concepts are the same, no matter the measurements.  I started by making a “turning inside out” space in the bottom of the lining seam.  Then I switched to leaving a “turning inside out” space on one of the side seams….so the  lining wouldn’t have an obvious extra seam where I closed the turning hole.  But this video leaves a space for turning right in the seam around the top of the basket.  And it is sewn shut with the final top stitching of the seam around the top of the basket.  Sweet!

So I hope you forgive me for not continuing my tutorial.  But, I know when I’m trying to do something that has been done better many times on the net.

My retreat in Shipshewana was heavenly, and I had such a great time.  Having my daughter with me made it extra special, and the quilts these women make are spectacular!  

Here are my contributions to the  Friday Night Show ‘n Tell:

And my daughter, Christa showed the apron she made at the retreat, and two white geese that she crocheted.

The men who were holding up the quilts for display had fun making the geese “fly” for us.  

I had a birthday Tuesday, April 16th, after I returned home.  Now I am 81.  If I was dyslexic, I could be 18!  Many friends called, some stopped by, and others filled my Facebook page with well wishes. Plus the usual cake and candles.  I felt really blessed. 

So I’ve had some very full days since we last talked.  I hope you have been blessed too.  Please share your post below in our Design Wall Monday Linky Party so we can read your post.  Thanks to all who participate, you are appreciated.

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Design Wall Monday - April 15, 2024

 Good Morning Quilters!

Some of you wanted instructions for the little bags that I gave to fellow quilters at the retreat last week.  Here’s what I did:

Cut 4 outside pieces (two for body and two for lining) at 10 inches X 12 inches.

Cut 2 pieces of batting the same size, 10 X 12

Place an outside piece with a piece of batting behind it, and quilt it with an easy crosshatch pattern.  I start at the upper left corner and sew a line diagonally to the lower right corner.  Then I lay a strip of scrap fabric the width that I want to have the lines be (apart from each other) and sew next to it, in the same direction.  I keep adding straight lines, using my scrap fabric guide for making the lines even with each other.  Then I start in the opposite corner and repeat the whole process until the crosshatch quilting is complete.  Do this with both outside pieces.  See example below:

In the above case, I didn’t even have to use my fabric strip to guide where the next line of stitching went - I just used the fabric motifs as my guide.  

Do this until the grid is complete.  Repeat this on the second outside fabric with a batting piece behind it.

After the 2 battings are quilted to both the front and the back pieces, put them right sides together and sew around three sides…..Down a 10 inch side, along the bottom 12 inches and up the other 10 inch side.  Set aside.

For the lining put the lining 2 pieces right sides together and sew the same as above  EXCEPT leave open a “turning space” of about 2.5 inches in the middle of one side. 

Folks, this is as far as I got with the directions before I left for the retreat.

I’m back home now and am very tired.  The retreat was wonderful, and I will finish the directions next Monday, when my brain is more alert.  Right now I am home safe and sound, very happy, and had a wonderful time with my daughter.  She flies home this afternoon.

I’m looking forward to seeing what you have accomplished while I was away playing.  Please join our Design Wall Monday Linky Party below and show us.  Thank you so much!

Hugs, Judy

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Design Wall Monday - April 8, 2024

 Good Morning Quilters!

This week I have been preparing for a week’s quilting retreat in Shipshewana, Indiana.  The special treat for me this time is that my daughter is flying in to go with me.  That is making it really special.

Getting ready involves making lists of what to take, changing my mind about what to take, and making more detailed lists.  We leave on Wednesday, after I pick her up at the airport.  My daughter does a lot of crocheting, but she may do some sewing, so I am taking two of my sewing machines.

This group of women often wear old fashioned aprons while they sew, so I washed and ironed all the aprons that I have inherited.  I am ready to be “stylin” in my pretty aprons.  Here’s a picture:

Five are made by my mother and I remember her wearing them all.  The one in the upper right was made by my younger sister in home economics class in probably 1963 or 1964.  It screams “made in the 60s” with the lovely purple and orange print!  I think it’s so ugly that it’s cute.  

Also this week I worked on a small gift for some of my friends at the retreat.  I found instructions on the internet for a small fabric bag that they can use to put supplies or scraps in while they are sewing.  The pattern is really easy and if anyone is interested, I can share the instructions with you another week.  I had fun choosing two coordinating fabrics to make each one.  Sometimes I couldn’t choose which fabric should be the liner vs. the outside.  See?

Here is a picture of ones I have made so far:

They are made with two outside pieces of fabric cut 10” by 12”,  to give you an idea of their size.  They are fun to make, and very easy.

What are you making this week?  I am looking forward to seeing your pictures and reading about them.  Thanks so much for faithfully linking up with our Design Wall Monday Linky Party.  You are appreciated.

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Design Wall Monday - April 1, 2024

 Good Morning Quilters!

Here’s one of my Dad’s corny jokes for you:

He walks slowly into the kitchen, draggng his feet on a morning like this one and says….………..….”Boy, am I TIRED!”.

 And either my brother or I would answer…..”Why?”

He would very slowly explain….……”Well, who wouldn’t be, after a March of 31 days!”

As an Army infranty man, serving in WWII, he especially enjoyed his yearly joke for us.

My week has been one of travel.  And today I will be traveling even more.  We are driving from Grand Rapids to Chicago and back to help a friend who needs transportation.  So this post will be short and sweet.  What is sweet about it?  How about finishing the binding on a quilt….actually two UFOs in one.  Hurrah!

The front view:

Back view:

This quilt has signature blocks on the front from a 2023 group exchange from the Jane Stickle Quilt Retreat ladies.  The back has signature blocks from the same group from 2015.  I am glad to have both sets of blocks into a finished quilt, and I will use this one on my couch so I can be warmed by my friends.  

 Close-up pictures of the blocks on each side:

What are you working on this week?  Please join our Design Wall Monday Linky Party below and show us.  Thank you for faithfully participating.  I appreciate you.

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