Scrap Happy Little Wishes FINISHED

Circa 2015 quilt, finished in March 2024! My efforts to finish quilt tops that have been hanging around for YEARS continues.

I had a delightful time back in September, 2015 making blocks and turning them into stars, and eventually setting them with narrow black sashing. I wrote about it here – https://stitchinggrandma.wordpress.com/2015/09/11/scrap-happy-little-wishes-30-blocks/

and here – https://stitchinggrandma.wordpress.com/2015/09/14/just-a-border-or-2/

During the years in between, there was a point when I took the quilt top off the hanger and added orange borders. My grandaughter said her “MOMMY LIKES ORANGE”. With that in mind, I finished the quilt in the last week for her mommy’s birthday.

I knew my daughter would enjoy a “snuggle quilt” that was cozy and cuddly and warm, so I used flannel on the back. She is a woman who is not afraid of color, and with that in mind I thought she would enjoy this quilt.

I opened my bin of flannel, and pulled out the “leftovers” from the pajama projects I have made for the grandkids. My hope is when she snuggles on the sofa she will feel the hugs of all those kids.

I think the quilting shows up well on the back. I used Superior Bottom Line SILVER in the bobbin. I quilted with my walking foot. I used the serpentine stitch on my Janome 8900, and adjusted the length and width for this project. I always snap a photo, so I can replicate the setting if I want to come back to it later.

Serpentine settings on Janome 8900. Widened and lengthened from preset settings

Orange embroidery thread for the borders Variegated for the main quilting

I used the serpentine stitch across the blocks in both directions and on the border. Around the stars I used a straight stitch. I was hoping that stitching around the stars would make them pop a bit once the quilt was washed. I used orange embroidery thread for the borders, and for the rest of the quilt I used Superior Fantastico # 5114. It’s name is PLAYHOUSE, and is variegated green, yellow, red and blue. It almost disappears on the wide variety of colors in the quilt.

When it came time to trim and make binding, I had to really find something that would work against that orange border. I made 318 inches of Susie’s Magic Binding for the quilt.

Susie’s Magic Binding.

Of course, a label needs to go on the back of the quilt!

label made on my Janome 11000 embroidery machine

Scrap Happy Little Wishes 2015

I think the stripe binding worked well and I love how it finished the quilt.

Flannel back for a cozy quilt.

I always like to “WASH” my quilts before gifting, especially when the top has been hanging around a while! I have a top loader, with no agitator, and threw in some color catchers for good measure. I took a peek at the water after a couple of minutes and could immediately tell I was going to have a problem. I threw in a total of 5 color catchers, and 1/4 cup of DAWN, and a beach towel with white stripes. I crossed my fingers and hoped for the best.

Check out the results –

The quilt came out just fine, with only a tiny amount of pink showing around the quilting in one area. I think there were hand dyed fabrics used for star points. They are scattered around the quilt and the color catchers did their job. My daughter is well versed in the benefit of color catchers in the laundry.

Quilt details – Before washing the quilt was 70 x 84. Shrinkage happens, and even though all the flannel was previously washed, the quilt top /batting did shrink, and the finished washed quilt is 67″ x 80″. All scraps except for the inner & outer border and the binding.

Scrap Happy Little Wishes is a free pattern from Pat Sloan. You can find it here – https://blog.patsloan.com/2015/09/pat-sloan-quilt-show-scrap-happy-little-wishes-free-pattern.html

It feels good to know that gifting a scrappy project will be well used and enjoyed. It is big enough to snuggle under on the sofa, or in my daughter’s case, in her hammock on the porch! She LOVED the flannel back. And, because she enjoys color, I think she will have fun with her fingers wandering over the blocks looking at all the random fabrics.

Lessons learnt – Since I made this quilt top in 2015 I know more about color and saturation. Some of the stars in this quilt disappear because I made poor choices in the contrast fabric. At the time I was making the blocks, I was just sewing “whatever came to the top of the scrap heap”.

These days, if I were to make this pattern again I would ensure more contrast. I would even break out YARDAGE (gasp….) to ensure a better distinction in the stars and surrounding pieces.

I’ve been making a lot of STRING BLOCKS in the last few weeks and working in very specific color groupings. They are still very scrappy, using up the bits and pieces, but very pleasing to the eye. I cleaned up all my green scraps yesterday and put everything away nice and tidy. Watch for my next post on Green String Blocks!

What are YOU working on this month? Have you cleared out any old quilt tops?

Sharing this post with OH SCRAP today! Go take a look at what is happening in the world of scraps.

The Best finish of 2023 ! Talkin’ Turkey -2016

note – PHOTO intense ! Warning!

When writing about my finishes in 2023, the greatest finish of all (in my opinion at least) is my Bonnie Hunter Quilt, Talkin’ Turkey. The pattern is available in Bonnie’s book – STRING FLING .

I started this quilt in a class at Helping Hands Quilt Guild in Dover DE in the fall of 2016. (Lots of great chatter about that class here – https://stitchinggrandma.wordpress.com/2016/09/29/fun-with-bonnie-hunter/ )

I’ve been a “Bonnie” fan since I first came across her in 2012. She ( Bonnie Hunter ) has a very prolific blog and has fed my addition to scraps. Check out her blog posts at https://Quiltville.blogspot.com// . When I heard Bonnie was coming to Dover,Delaware, I joined the guild there 2 years beforehand so I didn’t miss out!

When the time came, Bonnie gave a lecture and taught 2 days of classes. It was during that class that I learned the 1/4″ setting on my Janome 8900 was NOT accurate. I remember the frustration and the rippin’ of stitches; and buying a little measuring tool (https://quiltville.com/shop.html#!/Seam-Guide-3-Pack/p/57454042/category=13129325 ) on the spot from Bonnie. I used her trick of building up a tape line or using a hotel key card to ensure my fabric was lined up properly. Over the years I have used that little tool countless time, at quilt bees, helping others find the true quarter inch. It is so important to have your blocks “measure up”.

Now, back to the story…..I made that fantastic quilt, all but borders, as is my norm. Then I got busy, as usual, with some other wonderful project, and Talkin’ Turkey hung, front and center on a hanger, on my fabric shelves, along with ALL the pieces of the border hanging there too. I remember taking it to a retreat in 2018 or 19, but it was so big, there wasn’t enough room to lay it out and get those pieced borders attached.

So, Talkin’ Turkey waited, and was the FIRST of my UFO quilts I worked on finishing in 2023. On April 10th, I finished attaching the 3 pieced borders. (Remember, they were all made, just hanging on the hanger.)

Border #1 – flying geese

Border # 2 was made from String Blocks

Border 3 – another round of flying geese

Border 3 going on

And finally – it made it outside to the sunshine for a photo !

Pieced borders attached…after 7 years!

After I took that picture I knew the quilt “needed” to have just one more border to finish it off; and I took a strip of those string block shopping, and found the “right” red fabric for the final border.

I shared this photo on social media and my wonderful sister in law, Carolyn, (also known as the https://www.oneblockwonderwoman.com//) offered to quilt it for me in exchange for some machine embroidery work . What a deal! (I wrote about the embroidery project here – https://stitchinggrandma.wordpress.com/2023/06/21/fun-embroidery-machine-projects/ .)

I think the final border fabric really worked with all the shades of red and anchor the quilt.

Ready for quilting

Once I got the embroidery project done, I packed up my quilt top, with the backing fabric and shipped it out to California; where it got in Long Arm Line with my sister in law’s quilts. I ordered wool batting for this quilt and had it shipped out to California too.

While the quilt was away to be quilted, I got busy and made the binding (408″ of Susie’s Magic Binding) and the label, so I would be ready to go when it came back to Delaware. And, then I started focusing on all those Scrap Dance Quilts that needed finishing.

I got some “sneak peeks” of Talkin’ Turkey as it was being quilted. Greta, the Gammill long arm quilting machine, guided by Carolyn’s skilled hands does lovely work.

Hand Guided custom quilting

Talkin’ Turkey took 390,468 stitches of custom quilting; all hand guided

I could hardly wait to see it, and when it came home, I was over the moon. Carolyn did such a beautiful job with the quilting and deserves a ribbon in my humble opinion. Of course, Talkin’ Turkey got in line with two Scrap Dance Quilts for binding, and had to wait until I was recovered enough to manhandle the quilt, the clips etc. Thankfully Carolyn had offered to trim and square it up for me, and that was a big blessing with my hand recovering from surgery still.

Putting the binding on the last week of 2023

And yes, the binding was finished on Dec 31, 2023. Only 7 years for this quilt!

If you click on the photo you can zoom in and see some of the amazing quilting

Outside for the final “beauty shot”

Talkin’ Turkey 2016

I absolutely loved making this quilt, and have several friend whom have made it in a much “timelier” manner than me. The quilting by Carolyn, is just outstanding. She is so generous with her talent and kindness to me. Her quilting really sets the block elements off. Making the quilt reinforced my love of string blocks. The final size finished was 90 x 102.

So, that’s my final quilt report for 2023. Finishes of UFO’s included – Scrap Dance Minuet 2019; Scrap Dance 2 Step 2017, Scrap Dance Twist 2020, Scrap Dance Tango 2016, Scrap Dance Quadrille 2023, Talking Turkey 2016. Of course, if you have followed along you know there were lots of embroidery projects and smaller quilt projects and other sewing project over the course of 2023. Take a look back over 2023 for blog posts about all of these projects.

Now, time to move on to those “small quilts” that are still on hangers. Watch this space…there are several in the line up waiting for borders and quilting. One or two might be from classes I took about the time I started this blog in 2012 or 2013! More to come, but nothing that has to go out for long arm quilting.

How is your “backlog of quilts” ? Are you keeping up with a UFO Challenge? (Not me, just my own personal goals, as the “list thing” intimidates me!)

Happy quilting!

Scrap Dance Tango 2016 is FINISHED

I’m still wrapping up “finishes” on the blog from 2023. I got busy over the holidays and didn’t post about this one. Scrap Dance Tango was started in 2016, as a mystery quilt. The pattern was created by Carole Carter, on her blog From My Carolina Home. The pattern is still available for sale on Carole’s blog. Here is a link. https://frommycarolinahome.com/my-patterns/

During 2016 I wrote several “progress posts” about this quilt, and the very first post in the series is here – https://stitchinggrandma.wordpress.com/2016/01/24/scrap-dance-tango-mystery-quilt/ . If you happen to read it, you will see that there were “other” big quilts happening that year. I’ll be updating on those “other” big quilts later this month. (Yes, I was crazy with multiple KING SIZE quilts going on at the same time!)

Now, given it is January of 2024, and I started it in January of 2016, I don’t want that to scare someone from buying the pattern. It is a GREAT pattern, and can be made in various sizes. I made the top in 2016, all but borders, which is what I do. Scrap Dance Tango went on a hanger in my sewing room because another mystery quilt by another blogger caught my interest. And as time and more mystery quilts came and went, it got deeper in the hanging stack. 

I committed myself in mid spring of 2023 to getting some of those quilts FINISHED, and this is the LAST of the Scrap Dance quilts to cross the finish line. 

When I got ready to work on it, I took it off the hanger, measured it, then made a narrow white border to frame the piece work, and measured again. I wanted to add that “last border”, and I opened my cabinet and pulled out a very long “already pieced” string border. 

String borders are a favorite of mine to sew when I just can’t focus on sewing anything else. I bet that stack of borders was sewn at least 2 years ago. I had several stacks and this was the “least” pastel group of the bunch. By July 29th, 2023, the borders were on and the wide backing had arrived, and I had delivered it to the long arm quilter, Catherine. This was one of the biggest quilts I had taken to her at 100 x 116. (Those extra borders I had to have….well…sigh….it all worked out).

I picked the quilt up a month later, and it went into the queue to be trimmed and bound. My surgery and recovery kept me from taking it “out of the stack” until December.

After trimming and binding it measured 98 x 114. I made 455″ of binding, using my favorite technique – “Susie’s Magic Binding” creates a flange. I use the method here – http://www.52quilts.com/2012/05/tuesday-tutorial-susies-magic-binding.html

I made the label on my Janome 11000 machine. I enjoy making “big labels” that credit the designer and the quilter too.

Label and binding complete

Usually I wash my quilts before I photograph them, but this one makes me nervous. There are some hand dyed fabrics I used in this quilt and I am so afraid they will bleed like crazy. With all that white in the background, that purple hand dye scares me. So; might be one of those quilts that “doesn’t” get the lovely crinkly look. 

As usual, I took it outside for a photo shoot when the light was “just right”.

It feels great to have ANOTHER finish for 2023, even though I am late blogging about it. I love looking at this quilt from different angles and seeing the secondary patterns.

Zoom in on the above photo to see some of the quilting in the border

It really is a 2 block pattern, but it looks very complex. My favorite part about making it was all those half square triangles. :) They have become my favorite unit in quilting to make. Everyone has their “favorite method” and in that post from 2016 I show mine!

Have you got any big projects hanging around? I have a lot of friends who are “start to finish” quilters. I admire that trait. I have to say, it takes a big weight off of me having these projects finally finished. I know I have reached my “big quilt” limit, and will be working much smaller projects in the future.

I’ll be posting about another “vintage” top next time. I’ve got 2 more to tell you about! Until next time, may your bobbin last until you are finished!  

December Projects in the Sewing Room

I couldn’t talk about any of these projects until after the gifting in December. When I finally determined I was able to get back to sewing, I surveyed the grandkids and asked if they would be interested in the annual Christmas flannel pajamas. I made a road trip to the nearest JoAnn Fabrics to make my flannel selections. ( I really have a hard time ordering on line from JoAnn’s because I need to “feel the softness” of the fabric.)

Purchases made, and flannel home to be “pre washed/pre shrunk” before sewing! The “cuddle flannel” at JoAnn’s is very soft on both sides of the fabric.

The first pair of PJ bottoms I made a mens size small. These were intended for my teenage grandson. But when his 2023 measurements were given, I determined they would be too small for him. Turns out, he had shot up several inches in the last year. I had to make a quick decision on purchasing replacement fabric, on-line from JoAnn’s and proceeded with the remaining items.

Yeti fabric, Men’s size small ((without the elastic/waiting on measurement)

Next on my list were 3 nightgowns, 2 size 10 and one size 14. Because it was a pattern I had made previously, they only took me a few days to make.

Size 10

Size 10

size 14

My on-line re-order of flannel became a cause for concern after several days, while the computer just kept telling me it was “processing” . After about 6 days, I made another road trip (50 miles each way) to JoAnn’s for a back up purchase. Once that fabric was in hand, home & pre washed and pre shrunk it didn’t take terribly long to get the remaining PJ bottoms made. In fact, I made 1 extra pair for a visiting college student who had once been a foreign exchange student with my daughter’s family.

Men’s size Medium

Men’s size Medium

In between nightgowns and pajamas, I worked on a couple of table runners for my two daughters. The one below is comprised of blocks made in a class almost 10 years ago. The class was taught by Heather Kojan, Baltimore Modern Quilt Guild. I added a bit to each block, trimming to size and set with orange sashing that worked well with the other fabrics in the Modern Log Cabin blocks. I was so pleased to find in the project box plenty of fabrics to work with, including the silver fabric for borders and backing and “just enough” of that green to use for my favorite binding with a flange (aka Susie’s Magic Binding). I had enough in the project box to make 8 coasters to go along with the table runner.

Modern table runner aproximately 16×60″

Wine bottle table runner 16 x 88″

The wine bottle runner is from a pattern in a Mc Calls magazine several years ago. A friend of mine made several last Christmas I decided I needed to give it a try. I started collecting the batik fabrics in early spring and in June cutting out the wine bottles during a quilt bee. I was only able to work on it during our quilt bees and it took me some time to cut them out and put together. This project was also a case of going to Joann’s for just the right fabric for the back and binding.

All the gifts finished in time for wrapping and Christmas. And that “spare” pair of pajamas, I made a wild guess on the waist size and gave them to my daughter for “appropriate distribution” to one of the smaller kids. (I call it the spare pj’s – if it fits you, it’s yours, if not…pass along to your sibling.)

Oh, and that online order from Joann’s……finally showed up right before New Years. It’s now all washed & dried and up in the sewing room for Christmas madness sewing 2024! I usually start a lot earlier gift sewing, but I was out of commission from September to the end of November.

I keep wondering how many more years I can sew for the grands, but when I see this child enjoying her “cozy” nightgown, it makes it all worthwhile! 

When do you plan your holiday gift sewing? 

Back to the Sewing Room with Scrap Dance Quadrille 2023 – A FINISH~!!~

What a great ending to 2023 and a good start to 2024. Those of you who have followed me for a while know that a lot of times I leave off when the top is completed. In early 2023, I made it a goal to take all my Scrap Dance quilt tops off of hangers and move them to the finish line! I finished Scrap Dance Quadrille – 2023 in the SAME year I started it, which was a great thing in my opinion. 

If you have been following along, I had surgery on my dominant hand in September, and have been pretty much laying low in the sewing room. I had Occupational Therapy 3 times a week starting just 4 days post op.  My personal goal with therapy was to get back to rotary cutting. 

I had quilted 90% of my Scrap Dance Quadrille before surgery in September, and because it was a small top, (throw size), I first worked on finished the quilting. I needed to be able to lift and carry the bulk of the quilt and rotate at the machine

Getting the border stitched

Trimming the quilt really took all the strength I had in my wrist and hand, and my dear husband helped me greatly. What would normally take 45 minutes took a couple of hours, but I got it trimmed. I tried two methods of cutting. One was using the Fiskars ruler with cutter built in, and the other was with the Martelli rotary cutter. My strength in my wrist had diminished while being confined to a brace. Once the size of the brace was reduced and I could bend at the wrist, I gradually gained some strength.

Once that was done, I was ready to give cutting binding a go. Letting my hand rest for a couple of days, I moved on and used the Martelli rotary cutter for the binding. 

At the end of November I was released by my surgeon from therapy and to start getting back to normal, no brace! My number one goal was to be able to rotary cut. I worked really hard to gain strength back in my hand and wrist and can report now that I had success rotary cutting. It wasn’t pretty at first, but gradually I gained strength and control. 

Scrap Dance Quadrille 2023 – Susie’s Magic Binding

Taking things slowly I stitched the binding to the back of the quilt, along with the hanging sleeve and label. 

Label made on my Janome 11000 sewing/embroidery machine

The next day I pressed the binding toward the edge of the quilt, and turned it for top stitching. I like to fully clip the binding before going to the machine for the final stitching. Squeezing those clips, with my thumb and forefinger was a lot of work, and I knew it would take me another day of rest before doing all the stitching. The burgundy flange and hanging sleeve were caught in the top stitching process. Only a little bit of hand stitching on the label and the bottom of the hanging sleeve was needed. Once that was all done I popped the quilt in the washer and dryer. I love how it crinkles after the wash. Luckily no color bleed! 

Flange of the binding matches the hanging sleeve on the back of the quilt

Of course, I love to take the quilt outside for a photo. 

Scrap Dance Twist and Scrap Dance Quadrille

The quilting really crinkles after washing

Washed and dried, and out in the sunshine. The sunshine when I took the photo was just too bright, but you have seen plenty of this quilt with the pretty colors while it was under construction .

As a final wrap up on this quilt, here are some of the “details” – The pattern was a mystery quilt sew along with Carole Carter on her blog From My Carolina Home. The mystery ran from January 2023 to July 2023. I made the throw size quilt, measuring 66×78 with borders. It had 308″ of binding, and I quilted it on my domestic Janome 8900 sewing machine using the much loved serpentine stitch, slightly adjusted in width and length. Quadrille was finished on November 29, 2023, all but stitching down the sleeve and the label, which took me until Dec 6, 2023.

I have another Scrap Dance “FINISH” for 2023, and will feature it in my next post, so stay tuned! 

Did you have any big “finishes” for 2023? How about big “starts” for 2024? Do you do a UFO challenge every year? Do you count projects as UFO’s if you have all the fabric set aside for, but nothing is cut yet? 

My goal for 2024 is to continue working through my “hanger quilts” and get them across the finish line. Then I will delve into those projects in bins that are still just blocks, including class projects from prior years. I do like to sneak in a small project in between these older quilts, so I feel like I’m also creating something new along the way. I’ll share some of those I did in December in a future post. Lot’s of content coming as I have made my way back to the sewing room at the end of 2023.

 Happy New Year. May 2024 bring you unexpected enthusiasm for your favorite hobby, and may your creativity get a kick start this winter as well. I wish you joy as you spend time with your hobby, and peace in the rest of your life. Good health requires you to take care of yourself, so get those check ups and get your walk in too! Be well.

A quilting week

This has been quite the week in my quilting life, and in my ordinary life too. Beyond the quilting is a tribute to my friend June, and to others who reside(d) at Brandywine Assisted Living.

Community Service Sewing Day

Last week was the Ocean Waves Quilt Guild Community Sewing day on Monday. I signed up to do a “quilts of love” baby quilt. When I arrived I picked up a kit and got to work. When I left, I was still stitching the rows together. Thankfully I had done the webbing method for the project, so it was easy to finish at home. Part of the fun of Community Sewing Day is visiting with people around the room. I may have chatted more than others who finished their project. (Note – webbing is a way to keep things in order while you are joining the pieces into columns and rows. Check out this you – tube video if you need to know “how to do it” https://fb.watch/mqED8ltCG9/

Quilts of Love, ready to finish

It didn’t take long to finish up at home, and I was on to quilting using my Janome 8900 and the serpentine stitch. Yes, I flipped that one block over before I layered it with the provided batting and backing.

Trimmed and ready to bind

The group, Quilts of Love, usually does “self binding” baby quilts, but I can never get that to look right. So, I managed to get the quilt top over far enough to the side and save enough backing to make the binding. Of course, I did Susie’s Magic Binding and found some green fabric for the piping in my stash. Check this link for video instructions if you like a binding that is all done by machine! NO hand sewing!

Susie’s Magic Binding (Sometimes called “binding with a flange)

I just loved the backing fabric!

Special afternoon of sewing

My granddaughter and I had a sewing afternoon to work on the Virginia Star Quilt. We picked up the pace, and I pinned as fast as I could while Virginia stitched. After nearly 4 hours, we had made great progress on 3 more blocks.

4 rounds on each block, 4 more to go.

The blocks are growing

Since we finished the first big block, it was easier to understand the construction and Virginia worked on all 3 at once. This coming week we will get the last 4 rounds on the remaining 3 blocks. We did a “floor photo” because I still didn’t have my Scrap Dance Quadrille (2023) off the design wall. While she was in my sewing room, we chatted about the backing, the fabric that came with the kit for the binding, and the quilting. When she comes this week, I think I will have her make the final selection on the backing fabric. We have made a lot of progress over 4 sessions!

Time for Scrap Dance Quadrille

After she left, I thought it was time to get the first round of borders on Scrap Dance Quadrille and it looks quite nice.

54″ x 67″
Once the pieced border (3″) was on, it was time to decide if more borders would be added, and what fabrics and how big. I decided to add a 2″ border (finishes at 1.5″) in green, and another border (5″) in pink floral. That will still be a manageable size for me to quilt myself.

2″ green border

considering the final border

I have about 4 or 5 yards of the pink floral, and may have enough for the backing too. It is pretty vintage fabric, from my dear friend June’s stash. I pulled it out to use because it was “so JUNE!”. She loved flowers ! I will be cutting the next round of borders and putting it on this week.

Remembering June

I’d like to just say a few words about my friend June today. She and her husband moved into assisted living long before COVID struck in 2020. My hubby and I packed up her sewing room, including the furniture and brought everything to our house. For the last few years, I have been sorting the boxes, and measuring and folding her fabrics and boxing by colors. Prior to COVID, I used to go as often as once a week to work with the residents and sew. In the photo below, they were on a “field trip” to our local quilt shop. They are holding placemats that they created, and were donating at the quilt shop to the “Meals on Wheels” drive. The photo is from August, 2019.

June, Trish, Anna and Stella

My dear friend, June, in the red top passed away on Sunday, August 13, 2023, at the age of 90. In the back row, on the far left is Trish who died last year. I haven’t kept up with the other two ladies since the lockdown, and because of privacy, the facility can’t “tell me” their status.

I am really going to miss June. I have known her since before I married Bill. June has treated me like a daughter and she reminded me so of my dear great aunt. Family dynamics are strange. June was my husband Bill’s mother in law, and she loved him like a son. He has been part of her family since the mid 1970’s. June and her hubby Walt were at our wedding in 2006. Bill always said “she adopted you” when she lost her daughter years ago. I believe June died of a broken heart. Her beloved Walt left this earth on their 75th wedding anniversary, less than 2 months ago, the day before her 90th birthday. It still gives me chills to think of the connection being severed, even for just a short time.

The last couple of years

June hadn’t really sewn in the last couple of years, but in the past she loved to make things. I have some of her wall hangings in my sewing room, and I think of her when I see them. I enjoyed making small projects for her. One thing I did love was to make something using her fabrics, and then gifting it to her. I would point out when the fabric came from “her” stash. She loved a handmade gift, and she loved showing off the gifts I made for her. I made her a new “walker bag” a couple of years ago, and she really treasured it and told me at every visit how it was a conversation starter. I used her stash, and had fun with my embroidery machine making that bag. I know I have shared a lot of projects on this blog that went to her.

I was sewing with these ladies at Brandywine Assisted Living, because June had asked me to come and we all enjoyed the companionship. I even had my husband helping, and Trish had taken quite a fancy to “Mr. Bill”.

Bill and Trish

When Trish passed last year, I was told to come and collect the fabric she wanted me to have. It took me two SUV trips to bring it all home. Trish was quite the lady too.

One of the last projects I worked on with the group included helping June to finish up a “block of the month” from a kit she had purchased. I was pleased to see it on her coffee table at every visit after she finished it.

June – Dec 30, 2019

June was a real sweetie. She always had a smile and was so glad to have visitors. She loved my Bill, and I couldn’t help but love her too. I will miss how her face lit up when I came to visit.

Remember to plan –

Many of the items that came from June’s sewing room and Trish’s apartment have been donated to other groups who can use them. It is so important to make a plan for disposition of your crafting items, so they don’t end up “in the trash” because someone doesn’t appreciate or know the value .

Remaining days —

If you are lucky to still have your elderly loved ones, don’t let the chance to call or visit as often as possible slip by. I am cherishing the time I am spending with Virginia. She will be grown up in the blink of an eye, and we baby boomers will be the “elderly loved ones” in our own right in the next 10 years. Plan a visit while you can. And go have some fun while you are still fit and able!!!

I want to be like June, to the last week of her life, where she still wanted to go outside, take a walk and smell the flowers! On our last visit, she said to me multiple times “Let’s go somewhere”. Of course, we couldn’t take her at that point anywhere, but I did enjoy in prior times, taking her to quilt shows and the fabric store, the yarn store, and just out “to lunch”.

What’s on your list of things to do in your “last week” ?? My list includes going out and having fun! Make plans, and go enjoy every day!!!

Working on Virginia Star

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The story behind the quilt

In April, my almost 11-year-old granddaughter met Edyta Sitar at the Ocean Waves Quilt Guild show. My granddaughter, Virginia, had attended the lecture on Friday night and sat on the edge of her seat while I took notes in the program. She was most impressed with Edyta’s “reasons for quilting.” The following day, she asked her mother to bring her back to the quilt show, where she got to meet Edyta in person. Edyta and Virginia, had a lovely conversation, and the next thing I knew, the child was being gifted a charm pack. Edyta was so taken with this young girl’s interest that she said she would name her next quilt after Virginia. Edyta said we were to make her into a quilter!

A Quilting Star

Later in the month, Edyta was showcasing the Virginia Star quilt on her live YouTube program, and also featuring the available kit. At some point in the video, she talked about meeting Virginia, and why she named the quilt for her. Before that video concluded, my cell phone was buzzing with text messages from my quilting friends who had been at the quilt show and wanted me to know about the program!

After seeing the show, of course, I couldn’t resist getting the kit myself. You can find the kit on the Laundry Basket Quilts website. Don’t forget to purchase the pattern too!

The kit for the “Virginia Star” quilt was available in a couple of colorways, and my granddaughter chose the one using the “Primrose” fabric collection by Edyta Sitar for Andover. The fabrics are lovely, with small, medium, and large-scale prints in both the dark and light. That went right along with the points in Edyta’s lecture at the quilt show.

Learning the process

My granddaughter Virginia and I started working on her quilt pattern in July. It was interesting to watch her as she decided which fabrics she wanted in each position. We labeled each of the neutrals with letters and the darks with numbers. We found it helpful to keep the colors clipped together with the paper marking their identity, placed in baskets.

I worked with her to cut the strips for the first block, as well as all the various pieces. She allowed me to work as her quilter’s assistant and let me expedite the cutting of strips in between sewing sessions. My goal was to teach her as much as possible, from cutting to pinning, stitching, and pressing. At the same time, I thought it was important for her to be successful and complete the quilt during her summer break.

Learning to make this quilt required her to understand how the pieces would be laid out and how the sewing would proceed. Each step of the way, she would consult the pattern and make sure she had her pieces arranged properly.

Safe Sewing

Sitting in my office chair was not ergonomic for this young lady, so we opted for a rolling stool that we could change the height.

She was sewing, but struggled with pinning the seams. Poking your fingers with pins is something we get used to, but not a pleasant event for a young lady at the beginning of her sewing career. I stepped in to help as her assistant. I would pin the longer sections while she made sure the seams were aligned.

She learned to use the Purple Thang to keep her fingers out from under the needle, and to help guide the fabric along in a straight fashion.

Machine set at medium speed

She learned to press so the seams would nest.

Learning how to press and not burn your other hand in the process.

By the END of our 2nd session, she was pleased as punch with her block.

3 rounds, 5 to go

And at the end of the 4th sewing session, the entire first block was complete. This block is 1/4th of the quilt.

Block # 1 of 4. About 27 1/2 ” square.

During our 4th sewing session, I taught her how to speed up the process by using chain piecing. My friend Nancy and I helped by pinning small dark squares to dark strips, while Virginia did all the sewing. We quilters help each other as need be. It was a productive day, and Virginia is looking forward to coming back next week for more sewing.

Next time

In the upcoming sewing session, we will work on all three blocks simultaneously to make the quilt-building process faster using “chain piecing.” Before that session, I will take my Scrap Dance Quadrille off the design wall and put the borders on it. The Virginia Star needs a place to land while it is under construction!

Proud StitchingGrandma

I’ve enjoyed watching Virginia gain confidence while she has spent some time with me this summer sewing. I am amazed at how quickly she picked up safety concepts with the rotary cutter and iron and sewing machine. Once I was confident of her understanding, I was able to back away and observe from a distance. It is a joy to see just how delighted she is with her Virginia Star project.

Your experiences

Have you been sewing with children or grandchildren this summer? What kind of projects have you been making? How young of a child have you sewn with?

Making a new Sundress

A few posts ago, I mentioned I had to take a bit of a break to “make a sundress” on request of one granddaughter. My seven year old granddaughter wanted a new sundress “just like” the one I made for her when she was very little. Back in 2018 I made a series of sundresses for 3 of the granddaughters, and I wrote a post about them here – https://stitchinggrandma.wordpress.com/2018/07/07/little-girls-sun-dress/

When she was here for a few hours, we went out to the sewing room and she went through my container of “sundress fabric”. She chose the exact fabric that I made one dress for her previously. She loved the colors and flowers and butterflies, and thankfully, there was enough.

When I measured her, and studied the pattern, I realized that the size 8 might not fit. She got together with her cousins, and was able to try on this dress, which I had made in a size 8. And, it was too small in the bodice.

The Burda pattern, number 9994 only goes up to size 8. I am so glad I took the time to measure the granddaughter requesting the dress. She needed a size 10 according to her measurements! I am also glad I hadn’t charged forward and cut fabric!! I needed to enlarge the pattern bodice slightly.

I looked at the printed pattern, and the various sizes on it and how they increased. By increasing the bodice front and sides by 1/2″ all around, I think I have a winner.

I learned a long time ago making things for the grandchildren to never cut the actual pattern at one of the smaller sizes, but to instead, TRACE the smaller size with tracing paper onto plain butcher /printers paper. I have a big roll and use it quite often. In this case, because I was increasing the size, I used a quilting ruler and traced around the original pattern.

Once I had a larger pattern, I made the bodice out of muslin. I used muslin to line the bodice when I made the dresses back in 2018, so I figured it would make a good test piece. When my granddaughter came over last weekend to go swimming, I had her “test fit” the muslin bodice. It FIT!

I am glad I took the time to test fit, as the grandchildren are growing in leaps and bounds. Once I knew the test bodice was fit, I was able to get everything done to make the dress. The test bodice made its way into the dress as the lining.

Back of the bodice

The dress went together rather easily. I’m glad I read back over my blog posts from 2018. Somehow the pattern instructions had disappeared over the years, but since I made this dress multiple times, I just had to take my time and think it through! I think this is the 5th dress I’ve made in this pattern.

I had to get out my manual for my Janome 8900 and “read” a bit to remember how to make button holes and how to sew the buttons on. I did a few practice buttonholes, then marked where they were to go and went right UP the line, starting with the very bottom. Same thing for the buttons. I did stitch the buttons twice on the machine, so they withstand the rigors of machine washing. I put an extra button hole on each strap so it could be more “adjustable”.

9 buttons, 11 buttonholes

I didn’t realize that the blue buttons holes were non-standard. Every other button I have sewn on by machine the holes were exactly the same. I’m glad that I tested the button hole with the needle manually, rolling the needle down and up and realizing I needed to move the needle a few millimeters to the right for the 2nd hole. Once I got it set, I still tested each time I started a new button. Nothing worse than breaking a fresh needle by striking the button and potentially doing a bit of damage to your machine. Took me less than 2 hours to make all the buttonholes and sew all the buttons on, all by machine. Technology is great when you read the owners manual!!!

Special note – This pattern, Burda 9994, from 2018, is no longer available on Burda’s website. I did find it in a couple of EBay listings and Etsy stores. The pattern goes from size two to size eight. Of course, I was hoping to find it in a companion size, but did not. It is an easy pattern to make…as I am NOT a skilled garment maker!

Before next summer, I am taking my granddaughter to one of the big box stores that have pattern books, and help her to pick out a couple of “new” sundress patterns in those larger sizes! She will be of an age to do more serious sewing and if we start in the spring, we might have a finished dress or two ready for summer. I’m hopeful that I added enough to this current dress that it will still fit come next summer. Fingers crossed.

My lesson learnt sewing for children is to always measure them, and not trust “store sizes”. Double check the pattern you are using for chest, waist, hips and length. They grow so fast, and non-stretch fabric is not forgiving. Giving the child a choice of the fabric, and the pattern ensures they will like the finished item and happily wear it. When they were very young, you could get away with a favorite color, but as they grow up, they do like to chose, and feel the fabric.

Do you so for children or grandchildren? What types of things do you like making?

Scrap Dance Minuet 2019 FINISH!!!

My mission to finish up some of my long hanging Scrap Dance quilts continues.

I got a phone call on Thursday last week that my Scrap Dance Minuet was finished at the long arm quilters.

I wanted to finish working on Scrap Dance Tango 2016 on Friday and take it with me when I picked up my king sized Scrap Dance Minuet. I did a LOT of ironing on Friday night and Saturday morning before I traveled to pick up and drop off Scrap Dance quilts.

Scrap Dance Tango 2016 ready to go to the quilter

I love how I can see the quilting on Scrap Dance Minuet, even while it is folded up in the bag to go home.

Ready to take home and bind Scrap Dance Minuet

Steps to finish

As soon as I got home I got busy measuring and calculating how long the binding needed to be and cutting the strips. I needed 376″ to go around the quilt, and I usually increase by about 20″ to allow for corners and joining the tails. I cut them all out of fabric that was wide backing, so not a lot of seams in the binding.

Ready to make Susie’s Magic Binding

I started on Monday to attach the binding, and stopped to make a hanging sleeve and label. The hanging sleeve is the same turquoise as the backing and kind of disappears on the back. The label I stitched out on my Janome 11000 embroidery machine, while I worked on the sleeve. I attached the label to the back of the quilt while stitching the binding.

Scrap Dance Minuet label

When I made the label, I used a design from OH MY Crafty Supplies , called Four Flower Floral Pattern. I think the design is retired. The font came from Designs by JuJu and is a half inch font, which I find works best with labels. I made my label the way I have been doing lately, with a piece of batting behind the fabric. The green that I bordered the label with is the same green as the flange on the binding.

I still have to stitch down two sides of the label by hand and the sides and bottom of the hanging sleeve by hand, but I think I can say Scrap Dance Minuet is complete!

Scrap Dance Minuet 2019 (88″ x 100″)

I love how the quilting still shows on the back even with the busy fabric pattern

SCRAP DANCE FINISHES –

If you are keeping track, Minuet makes the third Scrap Dance finish so far this year! The last large Scrap Dance is Tango at the quilter, and it is from 2016. It will be a few weeks before it comes back.

I still have this year’s Scrap Dance Quadrille (2023) hanging on the design wall, waiting for borders. And for big quilts waiting for quilting, I have my Summer in the Park from a retreat in 2014, I believe. Yes, it’s on a hanger now. I took it out of its storage tote a couple of days ago and hung it up. I think I have a plan for the borders, but it may have to “air out on a hanger” for a few weeks!

Every one of these Scrap Dance quilts have been a joy to make. All credit for the wonderful patterns goes to Carole Carter. The patterns are available to purchase from her on her blog – https://frommycarolinahome.com/my-patterns/

Lessons learnt!!

I’ve learned a lot in the time all these big quilts have been hanging around, and that is, they are not going to get finished if I don’t get them off the hanger. I’ve always gotten distracted by the next quilt, and the large quilts intimidated me from quilting them. Last year I started buying wide backing and thinking ahead to getting them quilted, and 2023 is going to be my year of clearing up the big ones. Having them professionally quilted was a hard decision for me. While dealing with a massive quilt in the process of binding them, I think I made the best possible decision for me. It’s a weight off my mind getting them done!

Going Forward –

Someone asked me what was I going to do with all of these quilts, and at this point, I think I will start rotating them between the guest room and the master bedroom and simply enjoy them. I look at them each with all their scrappiness and find joy in knowing I saved every little bit I could from being tossed in the trash, and turning that scrap into a thing of beauty.

What is happening in your sewing room this first week of August?

Scrap Dance Two Step label & Donation quilt label

Finished my Scrap Dance Two Step a bit ago and mentioned that I wasn’t happy with my label. I got so frustrated because my threads just kept breaking. I decided to let it rest a couple of days and “try another thread”. I re-worked through making the label this past week and am now pleased with the result.

I use my Janome 11000 embroidery machine and made the label in the 8″ x 8 ” hoop. . If you look back at that post, you will see I did a little damage to one of my fingers and had to take a little break. That injury is healing, stitches are out and bandaids are finally all off!

One thing that “saves my hands” is only hooping the stabilizer. Those frames are tight and my hands are full of arthritis and hooping hurts my hands. Add an injury to the mix, and I was out of commission for a few days.

When I make my labels, I put a piece of quilt batting UNDER the the fabric, between the stabilizer and the top fabric and”float my fabric” using a basting stitch to hold it down in the hoop to the stabilizer. If you have an embroidery machine and it DOESN’T have a basting stitch, leave a comment and I will point you to a couple of resources where you can get a free basting box stitch. Game changer for me at the embroidery machine.

The second label I made for Scrap Dance Two Step turned out very nicely. It was definitely the thread, but I did put in a new needle. I used a circle frame that was built into my machine, and set up the wording using Embrilliance Essentials (free software) and a half-inch font from Designs by JuJu.

Do you see the basting stitches?

Once I took the label out of the machine embroidery hoop, I did some trimming of threads, added a fabric border to the label and got it ready to stitch on the quilt back. I used the same fabric for the border as I used in the piping on the binding. I am pleased with the final result.

Ready to hand stitch to the back of the quilt.

Usually I tack down two edges when I put the binding on, but because I didn’t have the label ready when I bound the quilt, I had to stitch around 4 sides.

My Quilt Bee, the Queen Bees has a project in progress to donate to the Friends of the Library, and I made this label along with a hanging sleeve to go on the back of the quilt. There will be a few people getting together to bind the quilt with the blue and white polka dot fabric.

Two edges of the label will be stitched down by machine when the binding goes on, but I did hand stitch this all the way around as well. I’m just glad that others are doing the binding! This was a fun project to make and donate to show how much we appreciate the library allowing our small group to meet there once a month without a charge.

I’ve enjoyed making labels on my embroidery machine for my projects. I love that they tell a bit of the “story of the quilt” as well. I’ve had fun helping one of my old friends learn how to use her newly acquired embroidery machine, and going to spend time with others at the Embroidery Club that meets once a month in Ocean Pines Maryland. I’ve learned a lot from others and am happy to share what I know along the way.

Are you tracking along with all my Scrap Dance finishes in 2023 ??? I’ve got 3 finished and bound, one at the quilter and one in the process to get quilted SOON. (I’m rushing now as my long armer is selling her building, and her machines!!) More soon….Quadrille is still up on the design wall Scrap Dance Tango (2016) is next up for borders and quilting. Have to take a brief break and make a granddaughter a sundress!

Happy stitching everyone.