More Feathers

I tried making feathers a little differently this time. My intent was to fill the whole triangle with a graceful feather.  This wasn't very easy for me. That spine seemed so long while I was quilting it! So easy to veer off track. They're the first ones I had courage to try on an actual quilt.  I've been practicing on a small practice piece and it seemed so much easier! The quilt is heavy and gets in the way. Due to the size, the quilt sort of drags the whole thing as I quilt.

However, I'm glad I did it. The results are not too terrible.  I suppose we all have to start somewhere!
So, this is where I started. I'm hoping I only get better from now on! I'm getting so close to finishing up Blogger's BOM. It's been such a great learning experience for me.  And when I'm done, I'll have another completed quilt! Love when I actually finish something. (Doesn't happen as often as I'd like!)

I'll be linking to Leah Day's blog which you can access here. There is always some amazing machine quilting going on over there!

Have a wonderful weekend!!

Summer Sewing

 

It's been hot and humid here. I guess summer has finally arrived.  I've been working on a few quilt tops that may turn out to be gifts so I can't post them yet. Due to the heat, I've been working on smaller, somewhat cooler, projects! This is my latest hexagon.  I love working with stripes! I thought it gave the hexie quite a bit of movement!

 

I also started another shawl. I have no idea why! I just love making them! I'm using a book that uses sock yarn to make all the shawls.  I have plenty of sock yarn! This shawl won't be terribly large so it shouldn't make me any hotter in this weather.

Here's the book, if anyone is interested.  There are some really beautiful shawls in this book.

Still trying to figure out how to continue machine quilting my Blogger's BOM.  I should practice the ideas I have but I decided to sew the quilt tops instead. There's only so much time! Hope everyone keeps cool!

First Feathers!

I took the plunge! I tried quilting feathers onto the Blogger's BOM. These feathers are in the corner triangles that surround the pieced blocks featured in the quilt. They're not too big so I thought this style of feathers would work best. I'm happy with the way they came out. I have room for improvement but overall, they look okay! I was expecting much worse! I bought the Angela Walters Craftsy class, Free Motion Quilting Feathers. I really love her method of teaching. She made quilting feathers seem a little easier to me. I'll be linking up at Leah Day's Free Motion Quilting Friday which you can access here.

There are 8 larger triangles that also surround the blocks. I'll be trying different feathers in those. Still trying to decide exactly how to make them. I'll practice a bit before I try it on the quilt.

I'm going outside to read for a little while before supper. It's rather hot. I've been helping my parents out today and feel I need to relax for a bit. Hope you all enjoy your first weekend of summer! Have a wonderful weekend!!

Summer Shrug

 

I have a few projects in progress but I did finish one! My summer shrug is in the process of being blocked. I think it will be a nice little sweater to have handy during the summer when air conditioning gets too cold. It was fairly easy to knit. Due to the loose fit, I didn't have to worry too much about proper fitting. I'm not very good at fitting knitted items. I'd rather knit a scarf or pair of socks where fitting isn't so crucial.

 

We've been watching the Boston Bruins during Stanley Cup finals. I finished this cute little hexagon last night while watching the game! I think hexagons are great projects during the summer. They're nice, small and not too hot! It's storming out so I think I'll stay in and find something else to sew!

Sashing has circles!

 

I started quilting the sashing today. I had a hard time trying to decide just what pattern I should quilt.
The fabric is so busy. I really just wanted something easy and fast. I don't think I will ever think circles are easy. Some of them are round and some of them really aren't very round at all! I thought the circles would be a nice contrast to the basket weave lines on the fabric.

As usual, I'm viewing this as a learning experience and a great way of practicing circles. I hope I'm much better at circles when this quilt is done!!

I'm just sewing diagonal lines over the corner squares. I still love machine quilting! It's so fun once you relax!

The Blocks are All Quilted!!

I'm happy to report that I've finished quilting the individual blocks that make up Blogger's BOM. I used a different design for each block. I liked some of the quilting designs better than others and I also quilted some way better than others! I thoroughly enjoyed the process and felt I learned a lot.
I feel more comfortable trying new quilting designs now. I did have to rip out some of my quilting so I feel I can try something new and not have to worry. My stitching is better so even ripping out is easier.

Here are close ups of the blocks.

Of course, this quilt is not done yet. I still have to quilt the sashing, set in triangles and the border. Just a few more decisions to make! I'm getting there.

Our quilt guild is having the last meeting of the year tonight. We'll be having a banquet and a speaker. I'm looking forward to a great meal with some wonderful quilt friends! So nice to not have to cook.

Summer Quilt

I didn't realize that I haven't posted in awhile. I've been busy with 4 different projects at various levels of completion. I didn't want to post any pictures of any of them yet. They're just not ready for their blog debut!

The 4 projects are:

1-I'm still plugging along trying to get the Blogger's BOM finished. I have 4 blocks left to go! But then I'll have the sashing, borders, etc. Getting there but not quite yet!

2-I'm almost done my little summer shrug sweater. It's partly sewn together while I add ribbing to the edges. It would look like a mess if I posted any picture of it right now.

3-I've got the Electric Quilt Summer Series for June in pieces. It's being paper pieced so it really has to be worked on a bit more.

4-My last project is a quilt I'm designing. It's my first time doing something completely on my own so I'm very slow! I'm still constructing blocks which will have to be sewn together in correct order, if I ever get to that point!!

I have to go Father's Day shopping which also happens to be my husband's birthday this year! I'm lucky I only work part-time. I seem to have too much to do all the time!

However, it seems it's finally summer so I thought I'd share a quilt with you. This quilt was made by my husband's grandmother, Blanche Dickinson. She passed away in the late 80's. After she died at the age of 94,  her few possessions were distributed among the family. I wasn't a quilter then but always admired the quilts she had made. I got to keep her summer quilt which I just love!

Being a summer quilt, it has no batting and she tied it with embroidery thread. Each butterfly is hand appliqued onto muslin using the sating stitch in a contrasting color. The edging is finished with prairie points. It measures about 62" X 72". The backing is also muslin. It's machine pieced. I actually have her old Singer sewing machine. I learned to sew on that machine when I first got married. She made this quilt during the 1930's. My father-in-law remembers her working on it when he was a small boy. No one knows where she got the fabric. Was it old clothes? Did she actually buy the fabric?  I wish I could have asked her. I didn't know enough about quilting back then.

Lily liked hanging around the quilt. Can you see her??
Back to working on my projects! Have a great weekend!!