Evening in the Garden Quilts

Adventures in Fabric Art

Monthly Archives: January 2015


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Patriotic Finish

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This quilt seemed to take a long time to finish, but I think it was mainly because I had to wait for some background fabric to arrive in the middle of assembling the top.  It was also tricky to lay out.  At one point I sewed a couple of blocks in wrong and had to fix them, so I asked the Twilters to look at it before I sandwiched it, just to be sure.  Sometimes you’re just too close to a project.

IMG_2223pdI found this design at Sew Excited Quilts when Jackie was working with her strings.  She worked out all of these great layouts, and when I saw the one with the stars, I knew it was what I wanted for this Quilt of Valor.  I calculate that my quilt  56″ x 81″) has 1120 pieces of fabric in it!  This has, finally, made a bit of a dent in my strings.

IMG_2225pMy stash has reached the point where I no longer have large backing pieces in every color, so I purchased this backing fabric on sale from Fabric Shack.  I look the water color-like print!

IMG_2224pI used white Bottom Line to stitch in the ditch and for all the stippling.  I used a heavy Coats and Clark variegated thread for the stars and the hearts.  I have mixed feelings about the way the stars turned out on the white areas.  I really like tone-on-tone quilting, where the shadows do the work, but I also like pretty thread.  These do add interest.  What do you think?

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I’m linking up to Finish it up Friday at Crazy Mom Quilts.


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Quilting in Progress

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This week I have been plugging away at quilting my current Quilt of Valor.  I can’t seem to get very large chunks of time, but I get a few blocks done every day.

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While I was putting together this top, I cut and started sewing my first “leaders and enders” project.  Do you make quilts this way?  How do you manage them? I’ve never felt organized enough to try it before, but something clicked, and I think I can manage these simple blocks.  Its just going to take a very long time.

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In other news, I was excited by the arrival of these Interdesign containers to use in my storage lockers.  These spaces are both tall and deep, and I’ve been frustrated for years trying to find something to fit them and use the space well.  Even pricey vintage locker baskets aren’t the right size.  I only bought four, but they’re perfect, so I may slowly aquire more.  It’s the little things!

Hope things are going your way this week!  I’m linking up to WIP Wednesday at Freshly Pieced.


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Sunday Stash Report: 1/25/15

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The bad news (sort of) is that a box of fabric arrived from Fabric Shack.  The good news is that the Kona Snow inside allowed me to finish this top, and there’s a beautiful (and sale!) backing, too.  So the numbers will change again quickly.

This week I finished two pillowcases, and a pair of arm protectors for the upholstered chair in my kitchen.

This week:  + 10.5 yards,  – 3 yards
This year:  + 26 yards,  -12.25 yards
Net fabric destashed added in 2015:  13.75 yards

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Also added to my studio is this pretty bale jar from the antique mall.  From the pins, it sure looks like it has some sewing experience, doesn’t it?  I’m using it to hold fabric markers.

Hope you’re either destashing, or adding really good stuff!  I’m linking up to Patchwork Times.


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Sunday Stash Report: 1/18/15

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Some sewing this week, but the only finish was this second elephant baby quilt.  See both of them here.  I tried to buy fabric, but no place close to me had what I needed, so I couldn’t.

This week:  + 0 yards,  – 3 yards
This year:  +15.5 yards,  -9.25 yards
Net fabric destashed added in 2015:  6.25 yards

Not bad, but yes, I have ordered the solids and backings that I need. Just that time of year, I guess.

Hope you’re using your stash this week.  I’m linking up to Sunday Stash Report (or whatever Judy’s calling it this week!) at Patchwork Times.


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Elephant Adventures

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Today I got out the fabrics I had cut in November?  October? for Scrap in the Box, this year’s Scrapitude mystery quilt by Charlotte.  Many of us #Twilters on Twitter are doing this.  You can certainly join in- this is only the first clue.

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There were teeny, tiny pieces to put together, but I got them pieced in a few hours, so now I’m waiting to see what everyone elses looks like, and for next month’s clue.

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Some of the sale fabrics I bought were these two adorable elephant prints.  What’s so cute about elephants?  I don’t know, but I had a great time sewing up these two baby quilts.
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The primary colored one is just the whole fabric (I did a bit of piecing on the back), but it was good practice free motion quilting it,
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and I finished with a special binding.

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The teal elephants are a brushed cotton/linen blend, my first time using one.
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Continue reading →


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Sunday Stash Report: 1/11/15

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Cold, cold, cold its been here!  I have done lots of sewing, but the only finish is this elephant baby quilt, 2.75 yards.

My eQuilter order arrived with 15.5 yards, so the numbers will be lopsided for a while.  But it is beautiful fabric (and I’ve already used some of the elephants).

This week:  +15.5 yards,  -2.75 yards
This year:  +15.5 yards,  -6.25 yards
Net fabric destashed added in 2015:  9.25 yards

Keep warm and keep sewing!  I’m linking up to Sunday Stash Report at Patchwork Times.


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WIP is a QOV

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This week I’ve been sewing 6 1/2″ string blocks, about a million of them.  No, yesterday I finished the seventy-seven little blocks, trimmed the last few, then removed all the paper while watching tv.

My insiration came from Jackie at Sew Excited Quilts.  When she posted these amazing layouts for HSTs, I knew I wanted to use one of the star designs for a QoV.

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I think this is my favorite.  Now I just have make the rest of the 154 HST units…  No, they’ll go pretty fast.  I’m drawing a line down the center of each Kona Snow square, then sewing on each side before cutting down the center of each pair of blocks.  Very easy and stable for the string blocks.

On what are you making progress?  I’m linking up to WIP Wednesday at Freshly Pieced.


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Sunday Stash Report and January Goals

IMG_2208aThe first report in a fresh year!  And I have a finish to start the year!  No new fabric came in, but I have ordered some, so the numbers will probably be bouncing around.  This year I’ve set my destashing goal at 50 yards.  (Here are the rest of my goals for 2015.)

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This week:  +0 yards,  -3.5 yards

This year:  +0 yards,  -3.5 yards

Net fabric destashed:  3.5 yards

January Goals

1.  Sew a Quilt of Valor from stash.

2.  Order supplies for surface decoration on quilts.

3.  Design and begin a winter-themed art quilt.

4.  Deliver quilts I’ve designated for donation.

5.  Audit Jenny Beyer BOM Craftsy Class.

6. Complete Step One on Charlotte’s Scrap in a Box Mystery Quilt.

This is more items than I usually focus on, but January is prime sewing time, and I truly do expect to get a lot done!

Hope you are off to a great start in 2015!  I’m linking up to Sunday Stash Report at Patchwork Times.


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Bright Baby Finish

IMG_2206aThis week I got off to a great start by sewing up a little quilt that was easy, fun, and all about the scraps.  I sewed it up quickly before I could over-think it, and I enjoyed every step.  An auspicious start to the new year!

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At Christmas, I went through my 6 1/2” scrap drawer to find pieces for the tissue holders, similar to these, and spotted these six different prints, all from different projects, I think.  I pulled 28 squares, paired them with 28 squares of Kona White to make half-square triangles, and tossed them up on the design wall.  The first try was a slight fail, but was soon adjusted to make a light, airy quilt of girly prints against a white background.

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The stash also yielded this perfect piece of batik for the back.  Not only is it gorgeous on its own, but it saved the quilt from being too pink.  I used the trimmings from the back to bind the quilt, careful to offset the colors so that it contrasts a little with the back.

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This time I didn’t begin the quilting by stitching between the blocks, or by basting it with water-soluble thread as I have with the other chevrons.  I reasoned that it is a small quilt, and that my feather spines would serve to stabilize it instead. Apparently, it worked, because it all turned out flat and square and fine.

For the feathers, I marked the spines and then quilted the rest free-hand.  For the vines, I drew one side of each vine and traced a circle every place a flower would go, then free-handed the leaves and flowers.  On largish flowers, I need that guidance or my flowers don’t turn out very round.

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I quilted that part with a pretty variegated thread from Signature that gave my a few fits.  It wasn’t the thread so much as the way the spool was made.  I solved it in a low tech way.

I didn’t add any extra batting to poof the feathers, and I really like all the crinkly texture that resulted.

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I hope all of you are finding time to sew things that give you pleasure in 2015!