Evening in the Garden Quilts

Adventures in Fabric Art

Category Archives: Uncategorized


by 1 Comment

Finishes, and the Final Stash Report

2016-12-28-12-58-03My last quilts for this year were these twin Maple Leaf quilts for donation to Margaret’s Hope Chest for a program called A Mother’s Hope.  (I heard about this from Amanda Jean of Crazy Mom Quilts.)

2016-12-28-12-59-06I didn’t piece these six-inch maple leaves, they’re from a top I brought home that my mother had pieced.  I knew she’d be glad for it to go to a good cause.  I was just going to add some borders and call it done, but it was already 48″ by 60″.  This drive is looking for really small quilts (36″ x 50″ or so), so I took the top apart in the middle and made it into two quilts.  These each finished at 40″ x 62″.

2016-12-28-13-00-43I quilted between all the blocks first with the walking foot and fine thread, so they have more quilting than might appear.  On one I quilted straight lines through the leaves and feathers through the blank spaces, edge to edge.

2016-12-26-16-12-44On the other, I quilted wavy lines to suggest wind, and then a feather border.

 

2016-12-30-14-58-54My other finish this week is twelve pillowcases (here are six) to donate to Case for Caring (which used to be Conkerr Cancer).

 

This week:  + 0 yards,  – 19 yards
This year: + 108.25 yards,  – 160.5 yards
Net destashed in 2016:  52.25 yards

So, I met my year’s goal, just barely, but I did.  We won’t discuss the vast amounts of fabric that are on order, but I’ll worry about that next year!


by 3 Comments

Design Wall Monday: Leaves

My mother had a lot of gathered projects or ones with cut pieces and a block or two finished, but I didn’t I didn’t bring any of them home.  I did bring this top of six inch maple leaf blocks (48″ x  60″).  I’m auditioning these fabrics for borders.  I may use them both.  I love the colors in the print, but it’s tropical, which won’t show if I use it for a narrow inner border.  The hand-dye print from Kona Bay is neither burgundy nor rust, which is why it’s still in my stash, but it’s perfect for this.

I’ll finish this up for donation, and I know my mom would like that.

I’m linking up to Design Wall Monday at Patchwork Times.


by 2 Comments

November /December Goals

Wow, where did November go?  Thanksgiving ate up a lot of it.  Well, I made this quilt, and some blocks.

November Goals

  1. Finish Christmas quilt.  Yes!  Here’s a photo, and I’ll do a post soon.
  2. Revamp fireplace screen cover.  No, but I’m going to do it soon.
  3. Work on Scrappy Stars Around the Corner.  No.  Maybe for Boxing Day Sew In?
  4. Make blocks for Kat’s November block drive.  Yes, I mailed those off to her.  

December Goals

  1. Revamp fireplace screen cover.
  2. Work on Scrappy Stars Around the Corner.
  3. Make donation pillow cases.
  4. Make December blocks for Kat (?)
  5. Pull scraps for Charlotte’s new mystery quilt.


Good luck on meeting your goals.


    by 3 Comments

    November/December Goals

    Wow, where did November go?  Thanksgiving ate up a lot of it.  Well, I finished this quilt and a few blocks.

    November Goals

    1. Finish Christmas quilt.  Yes!  Here’s a photo, and I’ll do a post soon.
    2. Revamp fireplace screen cover.  No, but I’m going to do it soon.
    3. Work on Scrappy Stars Around the Corner.  No.  Maybe for Boxing Day Sew In?
    4. Make blocks for Kat’s November block drive.  Yes, I mailed those off to her.  

     

    December Goals

    1. Revamp fireplace screen cover.
    2. Work on Scrappy Stars Around the Corner.
    3. Make donation pillow cases.
    4. Make December blocks for Kat (?)
    5. Pull scraps for Charlotte’s new mystery quilt.


    by 3 Comments

    WIP Wednesday: Christmas Stars


    Yesterday I finished taking apart the inner border blocks to add the red and white striped flanges.  Today I sewed the last of the chunks together for the top, and I pieced the borders.  Bad photo, but the light goes away early these days.

    I still have to cut corner blocks, and then I can sew on the borders.

    It felt good to keep busy sewing today.


    by 1 Comment

    WIP Wednesday: Stars


    Yesterday I finished these ten wonky stars, and I’m very happy with them.


    Here’s how they look in the quilt.  It’s supposed to be low volume, but I know it needs another pop or two of color.  It will have a bright binding, but I think it needs more. 

    I’m very open to suggestions, because the place I would add some piping will require lots of unsewing.


    by 3 Comments

    October/November Goals and Sunday Stash Report

    picmonkey-collage

    My October goals were very modest, but I did achieve them, more or less.

    October Goals

    1. Make string blocks for Kat’s October block drive.  Yes.  And I finally mailed them.
    2. Start the Christmas quilt.  Sort of.  I revised the design, and began the cutting.

    Bonus:  I made the lavender baby quilt.

    For November, I’ll  be healthy, but we travel for about a week, and I should probably start my Christmas shopping, so still modest goals.

    November Goals

    1. Finish Christmas quilt.
    2. Revamp fireplace screen cover.
    3. Work on Scrappy Stars Around the Corner.
    4. Make blocks for Kat’s November block drive.

     

    Stash

    This week:  + 0 yards,  – 3.5 yards
    This year: + 104.25 yards,  – 129.75 yards
    Net destashed in 2016:  25.5 yards

    How did you do this month?

    I’m linking up to Sunday Stash at Patchwork Times.


    by 2 Comments

    Sunday Stash Report: 10/16/2016

    2016-10-13-11-08-35Yes, sewing happened!  It was just twelve string blocks for donation, but it used two and a half yards (they were on foundation fabric).

    2016-10-13-11-10-14Some, um, fabric was acquired.  This collection of thirty-six half-yards of Grunge was on sale at the Fat Quarter Shop, and I needed it.  In fact, I’ve already cut up one piece for a new baby quilt…

    This week:  + 18 yards,  – 2.5 yards
    This year: + 104.25 yards,  – 126.25 yards
    Net destashed in 2016:  22.00 yards

    It’s a setback to my goal of destashing fifty yards, but think what I’ll be able to make with all these rich colors in my stash!

    I’m linking up to Sunday Stash at Patchwork Times.


    by 4 Comments

    A Little Sewing

    wp-image-932651337jpg.jpgThis week I began climbing the stairs up to my studio and sitting at the machine for half an hour or so at a time.  My knee is not pleased to be bent that long, much less push on the foot pedal, so I have to take breaks and walk around to stretch it out.

    I did succeed in making a dozen 10 1/2″ string blocks for Kat’s October drive.  A good way to get back into sewing.

    2016-10-13-12-22-18And yet, I can’t see any reduction in my strings…

    2016-10-13-12-22-58aMy Bernina machine has been away at the spa while I was healing (getting her back today!), so I used this one instead.  This is SueAnn, a White, from the ’30s, I’m guessing?  Help me out if you know.

    This is the machine on which I learned to sew.  When my parents were first married, my dad worked at the Boston Store in Erie, PA.  They took used machines on trade-in, and had a sale on treadles for, like, $10.  My mom had no machine, so she asked for one of those, but instead my dad brought home this used electric and the cabinet, which I don’t have.  All our clothes were made on this until my mom won a new machine when I was 11, and I started sewing on this one.

    2016-10-09-16-25-15aI had a moment of panic when I went to thread her, but I just went ahead and let muscle memory take over, which seemed to work.  It’s not much different from a modern machine, but on the end instead of the front, and the bobbin and needle are turned sideways as well.

    2016-10-11-12-22-33I have put the feet away somewhere, a very safe place, Jaye suggests, and I still can’t find them.  I used this walking foot, and, really, it wasn’t a bad choice for stitching the strings to a muslin background.  I like the way this machine purrs along.  In my dream studio I’d keep it set up in a cabinet.

    Now I’m working on the design of that neutral Christmas quilt, and hope to do some cutting and organizing until my knee wants to sew some more!


    by 2 Comments

    September / October Goals

    2016-09-29-10-43-59From the heat of the summer, our weather has turned suddenly chilly and rainy.  The cats tell me the best thing to do is to stay inside and take naps, so I’ve been listening to them.

    It’s a little less than three weeks since my knee surgery.  It went well, and I’m now walking unaided, but the pain had been a lot worse this time, for some reason.  I’m using ice and cats.

    September Goals:

    1. Take my machine to the spa.  Yes.
    2. Watch Craftsy classes.  Yes, one so far.  (Cut to It)
    3. Catch up on podcasts.  Not yet.  Soon!  Or at least get current.
    4. Heal from my right knee replacement!  Yes. Ice, cats, and physical therapy.  Ouch!

     

    Bonus: I finished that blue and brown quilt.  

    christmas-starsI bought fabric on line, then designed this Christmas quilt to make with it.  The background will be grays, not pinks.


    October Goals

    1. Make string blocks for Kat’s October block drive.
    2. Start the Christmas quilt.

    That’s all.  I don’t have my machine back yet, and I’m not yet climbing stairs, so I won’t be too ambitious.

    Thanks to all of you who have been sewing in my stead.  Keep it up!