Evening in the Garden Quilts

Adventures in Fabric Art

Tag Archives: modern quilt


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Finish It Up Friday 1/18/13

WinterWinter Nine Patch

Love it!  I finished my Winter Nine Patch today in time to wash and photograph it on this cold be sunny day.

winter flakesThis quilt is best seen in person, because the fancy quilted snowflakes probably don’t show well in the pictures.  In  person, though, they are a subtle frosting all over the quilt.  The term “surface embellishment” comes to my mind with these.  No beads or buttons or spangles, just slightly shiny, etherial snowflakes.

Winter flakes 2I quilted this by stitching in all the ditches on the front with Superior’s Bottom Line thread.  This gave me a nice, stable, flat, square quilt.

Winter back
Then I flipped it over and quilted from the back.  I quilted the large batiked snowflakes of the backing fabric, and added smaller ones in the gaps between.  I used Bottom Line in the top, and a very heavy, shiny, white rayon thread for the bobbin work.  I think it is YLI, but the bottom cap and label are missing, so I’ll never be sure.  The thickness is similar to Superior’s Razzle Dazzle.  I got very lucky in sewing with this.  I left my top tension alone (4), and loosened the bobbin a half turn, and my first sample was perfect.  I wasn’t really sewing with the rayon, I was just letting it ride on the surface while I caught it with the top thread.  Even with the top-stitch needle, this thread was way too heavy to ever really form stitches with.  That’s okay, it showed more this way.

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The batik snowflakes were harder to quilt than I had guessed.  They were irregular and unsymmetrical.  To do it over, I would use a marker to trace better patterns over top of the prints.  Instead, I improvised and “improved” them as I went along.  I am happy.

Winter chair

You know what I’ll be snuggling under on this wintery evening!

Winter yuri

Linking up with Finish It Up Friday at Crazy Mom Quilts and TGIFF at Celtic Thistle Stitches.


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WIP Wednesday 1/16/13

WIP Wed

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Time to begin quilting my Winter Nine Patch!

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I’m going to start with stitching in all the ditches from the front with my walking foot.

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Then I want to turn it over and quilt the giant snowflakes from the reverse.  I have some very heavy (lost the label) white rayon that might work for that.  We will see.

I’m linking up with WIP Wednesday on Freshly Pieced.


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Border Confessions

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I want to come clean to you all about my border technique.  It’s something I need to get off my chest.  Then you can decide if you want to unfollow me or report me to the Quilt Police, or whatever.

I cut my borders to the size they are supposed to be.  To the finished dimensions of the quilt plus half an inch.  To the size they are on the EQ design.  No measuring, no averaging.  In this case, I had four 9-inch blocks across the top of the quilt.  I cut the border 4 x 9 plus 1/2″, or 36 1/2″.

Every time a new quilter asks about borders, I cringe a bit when I hear the measuring and averaging advice.  Maybe first, second, third quilts are so “off” that they need some averaging to try to get borders on them.  Certainly, no one should just start sewing on a strip of fabric and see where it ends up!  But after you’ve done this for a while, shouldn’t your quilts be the right size?

No one could ever accuse me of perfectionism, but I do like a square quilt.  It looks nice, lies flat, and is a whole lot easier to quilt.  I cut my pieces as accurately as possible without stressing.  I piece them together accurately.  When I put blocks together, I do the best I can.  Often, there are some plain blocks in the setting that I know I have cut to the correct size, so I fudge the pieced blocks to match them.  That’s what that little bit of gathering is for that happens on the bottom layer of fabric as it goes through your machine.  Use that to your advantage, and certainly don’t let it make things worse!  Pins are good, too.  I hate to pin, but I use a few to make sure things match.

I don’t want to measure the “field” of my quilt.  It had better be the right size, or very close.  That “close” we take care of with the feed dogs again.  All the 216 little 3 1/2″ squares on this quilt came out just a tad larger than they should have (like a quarter- to half-inch tad).  I discovered that when I pinned on borders cut to the correct size.  I pinned ends, centers, and again between the centers, distributing any fullness. I made sure that I had the larger, pieced side down when I sewed on the borders, and that took care of it.  Now I have a very square, stable top, hemmed in by borders of the correct size.  That teensy bit of fullness in the middle will quilt out completely.  It will also lie flat and square when I go to spray baste it.  I’m good.

So, am I the only one who does this?  No teachers or books ever say this.  Is it a secret?  What do you do?

Feel free the call the police now.  I’m going to go baste.


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Design Wall Monday

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Sometime I’m going to make more intricate blocks.  Really.  I have.  I can.  I just don’t feel like it right now.  Have I mentioned how much I love nine patches?  I’m still not done with them.

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This quilt was inspired by this large-scale snowflake batik from my stash that will be the backing, since I can’t possibly cut it up.  It is a pale aqua, with creamy snowflakes that hold just a hint of yellow.   Now that Christmas is put away, I have no winter throw quilts for the couch, and the spring one looks silly, so this is for me.  I first thought of feathered star blocks for the front to be “snowflakes”.  The more I looked at these and other star-like blocks, the more I knew I wanted to reach for my simple nine patches.

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I pulled favorite fabrics from stash for this:  some aquas that are a little “off” and don’t play well with the others; two kinds of birch trees; some batiks and a Grunge;  some snow-capped trees; and the last of a favorite floral neutral in gray, white, and tan.  Then I coordinated scraps from my 3 1/2″ bins.

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I find the result cool, snowy, and happy.  Twenty-four blocks done, ready to sew together today.

Hope you’re playing with some fabric today!

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


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My Quilt in Southern Weddings Magazine

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One of the exciting things that happened to me in 2012 was having a quilt selected to appear in Volume Five of Southern Weddings Magazine.  This is Hot Summer Cabins.  It was inspired by a charm pack of warm toned batiks that I used for the oversized center “chimneys”.  I kind of thought of it as a beach sunset.

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See if you can find the quilt here, right in the center.

 

The editor spotted it in my Etsy shop, and now that we can see the color scheme for the wedding shoot, it makes a lot of sense.  The colors sure are great together.  Unfortunately, that lovely tall bride stood right in front of it….  I hope it shows up better in another shot.

Hot back 1500

Lara Casey just let me know today that all three quilts in that photo are being given away on the web site today.  I can’t tell how long the giveaway will be open.  A few of the commenters are saying nice things about my quilt and requesting it as their prize.

Hot Summer chair 1500So, I’d like my next brush with fame to be a little more prominent, but this was still fun.  If you’re looking for wedding ideas, Southern Weddings is a very enjoyable and inspiring magazine.


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WIP Wednesday 1/9/13 QOV

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I am making good progress quilting my Quilt of Valor.  I almost have the quilting designs outlined on all of the blocks.  Then to tear off the paper and add the interior lines and decide if I want to stipple the background behind the motifs.

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I’m trying not to be lazy about it, but I don’t know if it needs it.  Any opinions?  Then I want to put stars in the borders.

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The paper hasn’t been too hard to rip off.  I used newspaper and also the Shumway garden catalog.  They tore about the same.  The difference was that as I sewed on the Shumway pages I began to read the descriptions and to think about this year’s garden!  I wouldn’t recommend all this newsprint on a light colored quilt, but it’s working fine here, I just have to wash my hands occasionally.

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I marked the pages by sewing through many layers with an empty needle, which worked well.  It would probably be easier to see these if a) they weren’t in the sun, and b) there wasn’t a cat standing on them.  There wasn’t when I reached for the camera.  Really.

I’m linking up to WIP Wednesday WIP Wedat Freshly Pieced.


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Finish It Up Friday 1/4/13

Does it count if I just finished the top of the quilt?  I hope so.  One of my January goals can now be checked off.

IMG_1402This is the Quilt of Valor top I was supposed to piece on New Years Day, and it only took me four days to do.  I have excuses, but you probably don’t want to hear them.  It’s based on Judy’s design, but much simpler.  I had all the six inch squares of Alexander Henry (and other) firefighting prints, scraps from my pillowcases.  I was impatient about the small borders, and had two yards of this large scale flag print, so the border is also six inches (finished).  Simple, but bright, and I think the quilting will add interest.

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I was surprised by how poorly the flag print photographed (indoors).  I guess the gold in it reflects a lot of light.  If my studio had an extra foot of space, I could have perhaps photographed it from an angle or something, but that is just not happening.  The quilt top is 62″ x 82″.

How are you coming on your goals?

I’m linking up with Finish It Up Friday at Crazy Mom Quilts.


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Sunday Stash Report 12/30/12 (The Last One!)

Final Stash Report of 2012!  I love my numbers!  I love that I’ve largely stopped buying and am really using from my stash.  My numbers are so positive, I considered checking out the sales and stocking up (a little!), but I decided against it.  I do love a sale, but I have plenty.  I know I’ll buy more in the new year, but hopefully that will be mainly to complete projects.  They will have sales next year, too.

This week:  +0 yards,  -10 yards (for donation pillowcases)

YTD:  +116 yards,  -240.5 yards

Net stash used in 2012:  -124.5  yards!

How are you doing?  Do you have goals for the new year?  I think I know mine, but I’ll share next week.

See more Stash Reports at Patchwork Times.


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Wrapping Up The Year 2012

It’s that time to look back over the year in quilting and think about what was made and what was learned.

In 2012, I made about 31 quilts or other projects.  Here are most of them:

2012 Quilts

In 2012, I began selling on Etsy.  I’ve made 27 sales so far.  (I also sell on Artfire, but I’ll be ending that.  I did sell in a shop here locally, which was an interesting, if not lucrative, experience.  I stopped that this summer, but kept up the friendships I made there.)  I’m paying for all my fabric and supplies, and showing a profit, so I can’t complain.  I’ve learned about postal rates and customs forms.  Most importantly, I’ve “met” so many nice people, and found homes for my work all over the country and around the world.  I know they’ve gone to new babies, sick friends, nursing home patients, and favorite relatives, and to brighten people’s homes and offices.  I like that.

In 2012, I’ve given quilts and pillowcases to several charitable causes.  I’ve given two to convalescing friends.  I had one appear in Southern Weddings Magazine. (I’ll post more about that when I actually see the magazine and can show you pictures.  So far I’ve only glimpsed a peek online.  The quilt is there, just hidden behind a bridal party.  The nerve!)

In 2012, I got involved with quilters/bloggers/podcasters on Twitter, and I’ve really enjoyed it.  We’ve shared Sew-Ins and holiday preparations and pets and weather and new additions and illness and our quilt successes and questions, etc., etc., etc.   Mostly it’s just a lot of nonsense and love, and it never fails to bring a smile to my face, if not an outright laugh.  So fun to have friends around the country, and a few across the world. If you’re looking for me there, I’m @scooquilt.

And in 2012, I started this blog.  This is really pretty “out there” for me, but I dove in and did it anyway, and I’m glad I did.  This is my 40th post!  I’ve learned a lot from it, and had a lot of encouragement from nice people.  I haven’t begun to meet my goals with it, but it’s a start.  It’s helped me destash 100+ yards of fabric, and pushed me a bit to finish projects and keep working.  I refuse to be a slave to it, but a little structure is a good thing.  I like being part of the wonderful quilting community.

IMG_0004So that’s what I can recall of my quilt life this year.  How was your year?

2013, here we come!


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WIP Wednesday: Boxing Day Sew-In

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BDSII’ve spent a lot of today participating in the Boxing Day Sew-In on Twitter with the quilty folks.  If you’re looking for me on Twitter, I’m @scooquilt.  Follow the conversation at #BDSI .  We’ve watched the weather advance across the country, done a minimum of cooking, and cheered each other on as we’ve made progress on our goals.  All in all, a very pleasant day, and it’s not over yet.

I cut out fabric for ten donation pillowcases.  I already sent two off for the Sandy Hook kids.  I have an email in to the Quilter’s Corner in New Milford, CT to see if they still need more.

Urbana-20121226-00534If these aren’t needed there, I’ll donate them to ConKerr Cancer as I did last year.

Urbana-20121226-00536So far I have these three cases finished.  I’d love to finish the rest before I quit today, but we shall see.

Urbana-20121226-00535While I was at it, I took all the bright, novelty fabric that was too small for even pillowcase cuffs and cut it into blocks so that I can piece some kind of donation quilts soon.  I have them neatly in zippered plastic bags awaiting time and/or inspiration.

Hope everyone is staying warm and safe, and that you are able to sew peacefully.

I’m linking up to WIP Wednesday at Freshly Pieced.