Hello Luv Finished

Hello Luv all pin-basted and ready to quilt:

For this quilt, I chose to print a couple of quilting designs from Electric Quilt. I like to cut out enough blocks of tracing paper to equal the blocks on the quilt.

With the design on top, I have the layers of paper stapled or pinned together.

I free motion quilt with a large, old needle and no thread in the sewing machine.

After I peel apart the papers, I pin them to the quilt top, thread up the machine and free motion quilt the design.

I use tracing paper and it peels off easily.

I admit that I wanted to get this project done, so I didn’t think through the rest of the quilting.

I am not happy with how I finished the border. Finished is better than perfect, but I could’ve done better; I was in a hurry to be done.

Even so, I have a nice seasonal table topper for Valentine’s Day.

And really good news!

Betty Boop is home from the hospital! She helped me finish this project, and there are a couple of applique projects waiting just for her. It is wonderful to have a sewing machine back that can do zig-zag and decorative stitches!

Quilt On!

Hello Luv Update

I am making Pat Sloan’s Hello Luv pattern as a table topper for my dining table. I have the blocks sewn together and I am deciding whether or not I’d like to add a border.

I had lots of bonus HST’s and I pieced them into pinwheel blocks.

Since I have two accent tables in the living room, I decided to make placemats for them.

I used a washable marker to mark a simple grid for quilting the placemats.

I used a light pink thread; it blends in well.

I’m happy with how these turned out!

Quilt On!

Hello Luv

I have spent considerable time immersed in genealogy the past couple of weeks.

I need to come up for air!

Now seems like a great time to make Pat Sloan’s pattern “Hello Luv”.

I am making a larger version…a table topper for my dining table.

There will be lots of bonus half-square triangles!

Cutting, pressing and squaring up!

Ready to sew into blocks!

I am going to sew those bonus half-square triangles into pinwheel blocks.

Quilt On!

Bats and Boos Update

Here is where I was when I last posted about Bats and Boos:

I needed to make four star pumpkin blocks:

And set all of the blocks together:

One of those pumpkin star blocks is not like the other (I was not happy when Hubby pointed that out to me). Jack the Ripper helped me to fix that.

My Bats and Boos somehow came out bigger than the pattern said that it should. I guess my seam allowance isn’t the same as everybody else’s. So…I added a spacer border to make my personal math calculations work for the next border (which is very much influenced by Pat Sloan).

How come I don’t see such obvious mistakes until I have sewn it all together and I am looking through the camera (even then it is sometimes questionable that I will notice)!

What would I do with my best buddy Jack?

I don’t intend to add another border, and I have the backing pieced. The frankenbatt is pieced as well. I won’t be quilting until Betty Boop comes home from the hospital. I assume her much needed part is somewhere offshore on a cargo ship.

Quilt On!

Garden Baskets Update 3

I have been working on the borders for the Garden Basket quilt.

I used my soapstone marker to mark the center length and width of each border. 

I also mark the quarter measurement of each border.  All of those marks will help to place the vine and appliques.

I used a flex ruler to help draw the curves of the vine.

I used the Quilter’s Strip Ticket (I have had this handy reference chart for a lot of years) to help me calculate and cut the amount of yardage needed to make the bias vine.  I am sure that if you want one, you can find this chart in several places…I just did a quick search and found it at Soft Expressions (no affiliation).

In the picture above, you can see a Clover bias tape maker.  I find these to be useful little tools and I have several sizes.  I did not take a photo of actually using it to make the vine.  Oops.  If you are unfamiliar with a bias tape maker, there are lots of tutorials when you do a search, including on You Tube.  Here is one by Pat Sloan.

I chose to glue baste the vine onto the border.

I will be machine stitching the vine to the border, and I don’t want to deal with a lot of pins!

What tools do you like to use when you applique?

Garden Baskets

Garden Baskets Update and a Gif

Garden Baskets Update

Quilt On!