Virginia Star is COMPLETED

It is always fun to post about a finished quilt, but this one is EXTRA special. My grandaughter turned 11 this summer, in the middle of this project! She has worked all summer on this very large project!

The pattern, Virginia Star, was named for her by pattern designer Edyta Sitar of Laundry Basket Quilts this spring after the two met at the Ocean Waves Quilt Guild Quilt Show.

Virginia was fascinated by the lecture Edyta had given the evening prior, and wanted me to help with an introduction. Edyta and Virginia had a lovely conversation, with Virginia feeling very “star struck”. Edyta said she was looking for a name for her next pattern, and the next thing we knew, VIRGINIA STAR was named.

When the pattern and kit became available, I had my grandaughter choose which colors she wanted, and I ordered the kit. She chose the PRIMROSE collection for her kit. Work commenced the 2nd week of July, and the quilt was completed before she started back to school last week.

Once the top was assembled, we picked a nice chocolate brown for the border to “frame the quilt”. The brown fabric came from our local quilt shop, Church Street Fabrics in Selbyville DE.

Borders on

I ordered 3 yards of 108″ wide backing from Marshall Dry Goods, in Batesville AR for the backing. They have some lovely backing fabrics for under $10 / yard.

We cut a large piece of backing, and the two of us set her quilt up to be pin basted on my large work table. With a lesson in pin basting with safety pins, how to use the Kwik Klip tool, the two of us spent an hour getting the top basted.

Once the quilt “sandwich” was ready, we set Virginia up to start quilting. I quickly realized that the quilt was way to big for her to handle. So, I would start the long line of quilting and she would finish the line.

We used Superior Thread, Fantastico, Cashmere color 5035 for the quilting of the body of the quilt, and for stitching in the ditch on the binding. A complementary brown thread from my many embroidery thread spools was chosen for the straight stitching in the border area.

We elongated and widened the serpentine stitch built into my Janome 8900. Using the walking foot that has a guide, we followed along the seam line. I snap a photo to help me remember the settings in case I have to switch off and do another project before this is finished.

Snapping a photo to remember the settings

Once the quilting was completed with help from the StitchingGrandma, it was time for a label and binding and a hanging sleeve.

Virginia and I talked about various ways to do the binding, and using up some of the leftover strips from the project. The kit came with a stripe fabric that had a label on it indicating use for the binding. Virginia chose all the scrappy strips and put them together to make the “Susie’s Magic Binding“. This binding is attached to the back of the quilt, and rolled to the front and stitched in the flange.

Susie’s Magic Binding

After the binding was made, it was time to design and make the label. Virginia chose the wording and the design element and thread colors. It was stitched on my Janome 11000 embroidery machine, and she chose the fabric pieces to frame the label, and worked thru the process of construction.

Virginia Star label on the back of the quilt

I finished up the attachment of the binding, hanging sleeve and label on Labor Day, while she enjoyed a family day out before starting back to school. She hasn’t seen the “finished quilt” in person yet, only photos. I will take it to her when we go for Sunday dinner with the family.

Virginia Star, by Virginia Westphal, age 11

With borders and binding, the quilt is 60 x 60. Her mom is ordering a curtain rod for hanging it at home. I can’t wait to take a photo of it, hanging with Virginia next to the quilt. An amazing accomplishment for a young girl, and her first quilt ever! She told me as we were finishing up that the next thing she wants to do is a tiny quilt. She loves tiny things!

Quilting with a child gave me an opportunity to share my love of fabric, and some of the skills I have developed in the last 15 years. I can’t wait to see what she decides to do next.

What is happening in your sewing room this month?

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!!!

Another 2023 FINISH ! Scrap Dance TWIST

I am on a “self imposed” mission to get all these quilt tops off of hangers and finished this year! Did the last little bit of stitching on my Scrap Dance Twist, and it is now completed! (And in the washing machine with color catchers as I type……always a nerve wracking event for the first wash!)

Scrap Dance TWIST was a mystery quilt by Carole Carter – From My Carolina Home during 2020. (The pattern is available for purchase on Carole’s blog – https://frommycarolinahome.com/my-patterns/ )

I’m thinking we didn’t know where the world would be heading when we started this in January of 2020. The monthly “mystery clues” helped get us through a terrible spring. Once I had the top made, I did what I do with all my tops; give it a final press and delegated it to a hanger. I had so much going on with making masks and making do with life that spring.

In my endeavor to get this quilt top moving along into an actual quilt, all it needed was a “couple of borders”. I’ve said this before, my hangers that are full of tops, are there because they just lack a final border. When I pulled Scrap Dance Twist off the hanger and started looking at it a couple of months ago, I knew what border it needed, and got busy. I added a two inch white border, and then a nice “string border”….that I had already made.

Borders on Scrap Dance Twist

At some point in my scrappy life, I decided to do string blocks sewn to telephone book pages, join them all together and then there were 600 plus inches of borders, neatly folded on the cabinet shelf, just waiting for a quilt to call it’s name.

Once I added the string borders, I did some stay stitching around the outer edge and measured it up…..yep, a king size batting was in order, and I ordered some Warm & White from Amazon. I measured, and remeasured and made certain I had enough wide back grey backing, cut it and squared it up and took the quilt top, the batting and the backing to a local long arm quilter. We picked a lovely thread that reads off white for the quilting, and left it to Catherine on the edge to edge quilting design. You will see that it is a lovely open design with swirls and leaves. The turn-around time was terrific, and I picked up a trimmed, quilted top last week.

Of course, I had to remeasure for the 100th time and get busy with the binding. I had set aside enough of the grey fabric to use for the binding, and chose this lovely green for the piping. I keep a little spiral notebook with notes about sizes, and how much binding to make etc. Susie’s Magic Binding is a two piece binding, and I was lucky to have 108″ fabric to cut my strips from, so not too many joins!

Susie’s Magic Binding

I decided to add a hanging sleeve and label BEFORE I put the binding on, saving me some hand stitching too. I made the label on my Janome 11000 embroidery machine. I decided to put a nice frame of that lovely green around the label to tie it in with the binding.

Label for quilt made on Janome 11000

Once I had the sleeve (same color as the backing) pinned on, the label pinned on, I was ready to bind. It’s a big quilt so I split it up over the course of two days, and here is the final result.

Two sides of the label stitched into the binding

FINISHED Scrap Dance TWIST – 2020-2023

Susie’s Magic Binding on the Scrap Dance Twist.

The quilt, prior to washing is 91″ x 102″. When I picked up the Scrap Dance Twist, I dropped off another Scrap Dance Quilt (2016 era) for long arm quilting. So, more binding of a big quilt and labels in the future. I’ve got ONE more quilt from the Scrap Dance series that is king size to get ready for the quilter in the next week. I am also working on this years (2023) Scrap Dance mystery, and it is also “waiting on borders”. I don’t think it will be left too long to get finished.

What’s hanging around at your house waiting for a finish??? I know I am tempted by so many patterns and projects but I am holding firm on starting too many new things!

Shared on Quilting is More Fun than Housework – OH SCRAP and Song Bird Designs Monday Musings

Autumn Jubilee 2022 Quilt Along FINISH

If you have been following along, you know I left on a trip halfway thru October, and left my Autumn Jubilee 2022 quilt project partially made. Pattern details came out on Fridays on the blog From My Carolina Home so I couldn’t finish before I left.

Coming home from travels in early November, I was inspired by the fall colors along the way. Time to get my Autumn Jubilee projects finished.

The quilt along is the largest project, and I wanted to finish it first. When I stopped in October I had 8 blocks made and up on the design wall.

8 blocks on the design wall with one of the layout options

My method when I put the blocks together is to layout the pieces I want to use on my design board . I made my own design board by cutting a piece of foam core board, used some spray adhesive and covered in batting, and pretty tape around the edges. The blue tape was from another project, but it helped guide me for this size block. I keep the pattern info close so I don’t goof up the placement of the 16 pieces going in the block. I had baskets of pieces cut and ready to sew.

Arranging the placement on the design board

Trying to stay organized with all the pieces

At first, I thought I would make the blocks into a table runner, but then, I set them 3 by 5 and it was just too wide for a table. It was plenty long, but I didn’t want to “unstitch” a whole row. I decided to “make 4 more blocks”, and ended up with this.

Blocks set 4 across and 5 down

Then on to borders.

The first border went on to frame the blocks.

I deviated from the pattern at this point, because I didn’t want to cut up more yardage for the pieced border. Instead, I got out my “shoeboxes” of strings, and started making a string border or a “piano key” border. My method mimics Bonnie Hunter’s String Piecing on phone book paper. I decided how wide I wanted the border, and ripped out some phone book pages and trimmed them to that width with my paper cutter. I did a little math (gasp), measuring the diameter of the quilt and divided the length of the pages into it. That way, I knew I cut enough pages. My little local book phone book pages were about 9″ long. (Yes, we still get phone books here in Delaware, and I save them all on top of my sewing room cabinet).

When I make these blocks I do a lot of chain piecing, so when I go to the iron, I might have 6 or 8 blocks to press at once. Yes, the fabric hangs off the edge a bit, and I trim once all the blocks are made. Once trimmed, I take the paper off the back using my “purple thang” and a pair of tweezers. The paper comes off easily because you shorten the stitch length.

String Borders

I sort them out into a pleasing arrangement, joining the ends and before you know it….I have enough to go completely around the quilt. I cut them to length, and attach to the quilt.

String borders added bringing the project to 44 1/4 x 52 3/4

Because of the size, I either have to trim off a couple of inches or piece a backing. Giving it a little thought, I decided to dig in my bins and see what I could come up with. I came across some border print fabric that had been cut into 36″ widths. I did a little piecing and came up with a backing fabric that would turn this Autumn Jubilee quilt into a 2 season quilt.

I spent a couple of afternoons working on the quilting, using my walking foot. I used Superior Bottom line #653, tan, on top and a Superior bottom line # 622, silver on the back. The quilting shows better on the back of the quilt. It is simple but effective.

Simple walking foot quilting

I selected fabric for the binding and made the 2 piece “binding with a flange” also known as Susie’s Magic Binding. It goes on by machine on the back, gets rolled to the front and “stitched in the ditch” of the flange by machine. I like the effect it gives the finished quilt.

Gold binding with a green flange

The binding just shows the gold fabric on the back

Finished Autumn Jubilee Quilt

Last job is to make a label for the quilt. I am happy with the colors and the fun of making this two season quilt. The thing I love most about this quilt is the Autumn colors and the scrappy feel of it. If you know me, you know that I never met a scrap I didn’t love, and I love being able to put them into a quilt that feels cohesive. Sewing is for my own joy with colors and patterns I love. If a loved one looks at the project and express an interest, I am happy to give it away. I did that a couple of years ago with a bag I made during Autumn Jubilee. A dear friend was enamored over the bag, so I gifted it to her. We can’t keep everything, but I do want to make certain that the gift is always welcomed. We all have such different tastes, don’t we?

Time to go on to finishing another project. What is happening in your sewing space?

More placemat fun

In my never ending “clean up” I tripped over those batik placemats a month or so ago while picking things up and putting things away. Rather then shuffle them off to a new stack of UFO’s I decided to FINISH them. (The clean up is NOT finished I must report!)

In between all the Autumn Jubilee fun I worked on quilting the placemats with a variety of stitches available to my Janome 8900 sewing machine. I used my wonderful Superior Fantastico thread. It is a variegated blue and purple # 5021. You can see some of the stitches better on the BACK of the placemats.

The backing for 4 out of 6 was that deep indigo blue, almost looks black. I ran out of that fabric and switched over to this wonderful orange for the last 2 placemats.

Hubby’s favorite color!

We now have a total of 12 placemats in this collection all done in a similar style with batik. I made 6 last year for me, and 6 for each of my daughters. https://stitchinggrandma.wordpress.com/2019/05/25/a-week-of-finishes-and-fun/

These will come out during the summer and go on the table with my batik “Fire and Ice ” table runner. https://stitchinggrandma.wordpress.com/2018/08/27/fire-and-ice-batik-table-runner/

The binding is a very pale yellow green, and I used a burgundy for the flange strip.

I used my typical “Susie’s Magic Binding”. I think I made about 400″ for these 6 placemats. It is easy to finish them when it is all done by machine.

I’m sure there is more in the basket of batiks that could be made into table runners or placemats, but I think I can justify to myself that I am “finished” and can easily sort the basket out, putting the smaller pieces into my scrap storage and yardage back into the color appropriate containers. It will be nice to get that off the table so I can proceed to digging out what ever is next on my table.

I did a couple of little projects the other day after I finished my #AutumnJubilee tote bag. I got busy with that red polka dot fabric and made a 30″ square, hemmed on the sides, bandana. I could not get that hem foot to work for me and gave up. I quickly pressed a 1/4″ fold on each side, and then folded it in a second time. I have to say that CLOVER ironing ruler is a very handy tool when you are trying to get something close to straight !

One of my granddaughters is planning her Halloween costume and Rosie the Riveter needs this on her head.

I had some extra fabric left and I made a couple of headbands for the granddaughters. Marie Bostwick had given some instructions for https://mariebostwick.com/easy-diy-scrunchies/ on her blog recently and I just “expanded” the size a bit. I have one granddaughter who likes my headbands, and I hope she will enjoy this and share the other with her big sister.

That’s it for now. I am awaiting the next row for the #AutumnJubilee2020 quilt along which comes out on Friday morning and I have space on my table to work. I’ve “saved the whole day” for me to work on the next row !!

Anything fun on your sewing table ??

347,514 stitches

Do you gasp at that number? I did!! My wonderful sister-in-law, Carolyn, (AKA https://OneBlockWonderWoman.wordpress.com//) did the custom long arm quilting on my Allietare quilt.  She messaged me after the quilting was complete and told me how many stitches went into the quilting, 347,514.  That is overwhelming really. The quilt is 111″ wide by 99″ long.   I wanted the extra width for the sides of the bed. Those thick mattresses add to that width. 

I’ve posted about this quilt project in the past, but I would like to report now that the quilt is finished, ready for show & tell and for the bedroom!  To catch up, here is what has been going on this summer.

I mailed the quilt top and the backing fabric to her in July and I got it back last week.  I ordered  Quilters Dream Natural Cotton Select Mid Loft batting from the Fat Quarter Shop, and that took a while to arrive.  I usually use Warm & Natural, but I do like the feel of this mid-loft batting.  Quilters Dream is the batting that Carolyn prefers. She knows what her machine likes best!

Carolyn did an amazing job on the quilting and you can see some little peaks of it here and there in the photos that accompany this post. 

While I was waiting for the quilt to come back to me from California, I made the binding and some pillow cases from left over fabric.

I had enough fabric to make 4 queen size and 2 standard pillow cases.  

Want a peek at the quilting?

The texture of the quilting really shows on the gold on the back of the quilt.

Carolyn did a beautiful job quilting, free motion on her long arm, Greta the Gammill.  Each area of the quilt was custom quilted freehand.  I think she did an amazing job.  

I spent one afternoon trimming the quilt.  Then I made a hanging sleeve from the leftover backing fabric.  I attached the hanging sleeve at the same time as I put the binding on the quilt.

For some reason, I put the hanging sleeve too low, and it didn’t get caught in the first round of binding stitches, so I did a second run…..and those stitches were too wide, so out came my trusty seam ripper.   Took the binding off, moved the sleeve all the way up and reattached it to the back of the quilt. I got in too big of a hurry I think.  I needed to take a break and try again.

The burgundy is “flange/piping” part of the binding, and gets stitched to the back of the quilt first.  

Over 400 inches of binding going on.  I love those handy little clips.  I had enough clips to go 3/4 of the way around a king size quilt, which is fantastic.  That meant I didn’t have to stop stitching very often, and drag it all back to my big table very often.   

This binding is what I call “Susie’s Magic Binding” and is my GO – TO style of binding.  I love the pop of color you get when you have that little flange showing. I also love that you can stitch it down entirely by machine.  Check out the tutorial at the link above.  I use my walking foot when attaching the binding and on this machine, I have an extra help with a special “ditch” foot for the walking foot, that keeps my stitching “in the ditch” of the burgundy fabric.

Manhandling a big quilt to put the binding on is no easy job. The “shipping weight” was 10 pounds, and I can attest to that fact that it is heavy! I had to set up my ironing board next to me to help hold the weight of the quilt.  I also had a table behind my machine table to support the weight.  I am so glad my machine is set in the table and I didn’t have to ‘lift’ the quilt. 

I did the “final” hand stitching yesterday, making certain the label was stitched down and that the sides and bottom of the hanging sleeve were attached.  I put some fusible behind the label to make it extra tough for someone to “remove it”.  Two edges are encased in the binding too.  

Ready to see it?  Here is the back — where you can really see the texture. (Note – those pillowcases were made using some of these backing fabrics)

Can you “see” my hanging sleeve at the top??  It matches the backing and pretty much disappears.  

And this is what I told Carolyn was the “beauty shot”…..

Five years in the making and finally finished!!!  This is a Bonnie Hunter /Quiltville mystery quilt pattern and was presented in 2015.  The pattern is currently available at Bonnie’s store as a digital pattern – https://quiltville.com/shop.html#!/Allietare-Digital-Pattern/p/59334161/category=13038426

Want more details on my version?  Just use the search function for “ALLIETARE”  on my blog, and you will find all the previous posts. Be sure and check out this post and see why I chose the colors I did.  You will see a hint if you take a closer look at the label on the back of the quilt too. https://stitchinggrandma.wordpress.com/2020/06/03/progress-on-a-ufo-allietare-mystery-quilt-circa-2015-16/ 

What’s going on in your stitching life?  Any random acts of  quilting? 

Making Labels for Quilts

In the last couple of weeks I got motivated to make labels for projects that are “nearing” completion or are completed.  If you have been reading my blog in the last month or so, you know that I finished TWO of my Pat Sloan projects (Get to the Point and Mama’s Garden) that were started in classes several years ago.  I am also working toward completion of my Bonnie Hunter mystery quilt, Allietare.

I like to make a label for my quilt as the “final step” in the project. I use my embroidery machine to make a simple label, and fuse & stitch it on.  (More about the embroidery machine in a minute.) Often times I will use part of the backing fabric as a border on the label so it kind of “floats” on the backing. I learned a trick years ago for “making perfect circles for applique” and use the method when I add the fusing product to my label.  Basically, I lay the fusible product on top of my label with the fusing facing the wording and stitch all the way around, then I slit the fusing in the middle with my snips, and turn the whole thing “right side out” . This way there is a nice neat “edge” on the label turned under, and I have the added benefit of a “hard to remove” label. I do stitch around the label by hand, avoiding going into the front of the quilt, much the way you stitch binding. I will put a link to a video at the bottom of the page that gives you a better “visual” than my explanation.

If I am “efficient” I have the label ready, so when the binding goes on, two edges of the label are stitched down by machine. Like I said, “IF I AM EFFICIENT“.  That means in my life that I better make the label BEFORE I bind the quilt, and that doesn’t always happen, so SOME have to be hand stitched on all 4 sides.  When I hand stitch, I use a matching thread so my sloppy hand sewing doesn’t show.  

Let’s talk about making machine embroidery labels.  If you followed me for anytime you know that I have two embroidery machines. I have the Brother PE500 with the 4×4 hoop and the Janome 11000 with lots of hoops, including an adjustable hoop up to 6×12 or so.  For years I made my labels on the Brother machine, using the available fonts in the machine, typing one line at a time on the tiny screen.   The example below is one done on the Brother machine, one line at a time.  Around 2017 I was given a hoop that can be repositioned on the machine, so making a bigger label could be done with out “re-hooping”. Using it for the label below I could get a longer label, and still keep everything lined up straight.  I got “pretty good” at the alignment thing and figuring out where to start the next line using the plastic grid that came with the hoops.  

The yellow label was applied on the back of this project BEFORE the binding went on.  The beauty of using fusible on the back is that it will stay in place while you are working on the binding. 

When I made my label for the Mama’s Garden quilt, I was using a fabric piece that Pat Sloan had signed for me several years ago, either when I took her class or went to a guild lecture she gave.  I had to try to line up the wording on my Janome 11000 (again one line at a time), using built in fonts.  I had fun with this label as it is the first attempt at making a label on my Janome, and I got to use some larger fonts.  I wish I had pushed the words pattern by a little farther to the left, but, I can live with the final result.

This label was stitched on after the binding went on. I used green of the backing fabric for the edge of the label, but set it opposite of the backing so it does not completely disappear.

I have a couple of “free software” programs for embroidery, and decided I would try one of them to make my next label, using the software on the computer.  The program I chose to use was called Embrilliance Express and I used the fonts in the program.  I was really pleased with the result on the screen and with the stitch out.

I haven’t figured out how to tell the software to cut the jump stitches between letters, but I can live with them.  If you use Embrilliance Express and know the secret, do share!

  I hooped this fabric in my 8×8 hoop and got a nice size label.  I did the fusible trick and got nice edges and corners when I turned the label out right. I fused it on and hand stitched it down on all four sides.

I had such good success with the creation of the label in the Embrilliance Express software on the computer that I got busy and made another label and stitched it out for my Allietare quilt.

For this label I used my inspiration fabric on the edges of the top and bottom.  I will add the fusible after I get the quilt ready to bind.  I still need to get busy and make that backing and ship it all off to my favorite sister-in-law, One Block Wonder Woman

She has graciously offered to quilt it for me on her big long arm machine, Greta the Gammill.  Go take a look at her blog I linked and check out her adventures. 

So, that is my adventure in making quilt labels this month, and over the years. I need to learn how to import fonts into the Embrilliance program, and hope I can do that without buying something else.  I am so tickled with how the last two worked out and am writing about it to encourage you to use your embroidery machines if you have them.  Even if you just have a 4×4 hoop, you can make a multi line label!  Embrilliance is free in the “express mode”, and it is not to hard to navigate, which is perfect in my life!

Do you label your quilts?  What information do you like to include on the label?  How do you make your labels and apply them?  Love to hear what your methods are, as I like to continue to learn new tricks.

Here is the link Making perfect circles for applique  for the method I use for adding the fusible to my label and getting a nice clean edge.  The not only works for circles, it also is useful for rectangles or squares.  I tend to get a more “rounded” corner instead of a sharp 90 degree turn, which is fine for a quilt label in my life.

 

Mama’s Garden nearly finished

Last week, we left off with the applique pieces all fused on, and ready to stitch. https://stitchinggrandma.wordpress.com/2020/06/05/2015-was-a-good-year/

Fun with blanket stitching

Playing with variegated threads

Top stitching completed

Once all the applique was stitched down, I had to start thinking about borders. I re-read all the instructions, and I looked at lots of “other quilters projects” that had been made, including Pat Sloan’s. I decided to dig out my container of Pat Sloan “Bobbins and Bits” fabric by Moda and lay it all out around this project. In doing so, I shared photos on Facebook and got input from some friends.

Each of the potential border fabrics was in the background

Decision time

Tough decision for a 4-5″ border

The favorite by far was the red background sunflower. However, I listened to the advice of three people, one non-quilter and two quilters, and decided to follow their suggestions.

I went with a fabric that was NOT in the project, and did so to give a frame to the busy piece. The recommendation to NOT use a piece already in the project was strong and the logic was it would draw your eye directly to it’s matching bit instead of framing the project. I think the advice was exactly what I needed, so I changed direction entirely. My non-quilting daughter suggested finding a color that was in the project but not overwhelmingly so. That was also great advice. My other quilting buddy said pick a fabric that will give your eye a “resting spot”.

Border is on – ready to quilt

The green was a good choice, and I was quite happy to fold up the remaining fabric for another project.

I had fun with the quilting and thread choices on my domestic sewing machine. I did mostly “walking foot” but some free motion.

 

fun with the quilting

The back of the project – hanging sleeve

I used the same fabric on the back of the project as I did for the borders and had “just enough”. It is a neat fabric and I love the way the quilting shows on the back. I made color choices for the front with the thread, but stuck with Superior bottom line silver in the bobbin.

When I put the binding on, I will stitch down the hanging sleeve by machine along the top edge, and hand stitch the bottom and sides of the sleeve. I even have the label finished. I did it on my embroidery machine, and still have some “alignment learning curve” to get past, but I had to try and do the label and preserve the signature that was already on the fabric.

Pat Sloan signed this fabric 5 years ago!

When I made this label, I added a strip of the backing fabric to the white on the top and the bottom, so it would fit in my embroidery machine hoop. I trimmed off the excess when I was finished with the stitching. Then, I used a technique I learned from Pat Sloan years ago for making circles. I laid a piece of fusible interfacing with the sticky side facing the label stitching, and stitched all around the edges of the label. I slit the fusing and turned it around to the back of the piece. Now, I had a nice finished edge along my label, and I could press the label to the back of the project. I will add some hand stitching to the label after the binding is finished.

Ready to bind

Overall I am very pleased with the project. The binding will be put on today, using my favorite Susie’s Magic Binding technique. This has been a fun project.

What have you been working on?

UFO Complete — Get to the Point!

Not too long after I retired, I signed up for a series of “beginner quilt classes” at the local quilt shop.  We used two books by Pat Sloan, and made several patterns from “I Can’t Believe I’m Quilting” and the advanced book .  One project has been “fermenting” on my shelf. The pattern was called Get To The Point, and  I originally wrote about it in an early 2013 post- A Good Sewing Week.

A few weeks went by and it got mentioned – https://stitchinggrandma.wordpress.com/2013/02/03/on-point-with-borders-wip-still/  . 

Later in 2013 I started to feel a little bugged by “unfinished class projects”  – https://stitchinggrandma.wordpress.com/2013/11/25/unfinished-projects-starting-to-bug-me/ . 

That doesn’t mean I finished them all, because a few years later I mentioned this quilt again again – https://stitchinggrandma.wordpress.com/2015/11/08/such-a-follower/   and then again early the next year –https://stitchinggrandma.wordpress.com/2016/01/16/on-point-and-setting-triangles/

Looking back at all those blog posts (do that later), I realized I had multiple projects going on, and a lot of indecision about how to proceed with many of these projects. I’ve learned a lot with those projects, and one thing I learned about me is l love to piece quilt tops, but get stuck with the borders and the “finishing”.   

With this project, I decided to try my hand at “free motion quilting” not long after I put the top together and I hated the result, so the project got folded up and put on the shelf.  A few years later, it was one of my UFO challenge projects, and I took it off the shelf and worked at removing all of the free motion quilting. Oh, my seam ripper and I became very good friends.  Back on to the shelf it went to continue the fermentation process.  

This past week, I went out to my sewing room thinking I would work on my Vintage Christmas blocks, but somehow, that project caught my eye and I pulled it off the shelf and unfolded it to have a look.  I’d done some basic “stitch in a ditch” after removing the free motion quilting (or maybe that was before the free motion, I don’t remember). Anyway, I decided I could tackle this top and clear it off the shelf for good. 

Because the quilt had been well anchored with the “stitch in the ditch”, I started with the borders. After the borders I moved into all the setting triangles, while thinking about how to quilt the sashing blocks.

These big squares got a squared off spiral, starting on the outer edge of the block and working around to the middle.  The quilt had poly bat and I remember the disaster I had with “not enough quilting” on another project, so I went with a lot of stitching to really anchor this top.  (No I don’t use poly batting any longer, but I didn’t want to totally take this apart).

I spent a lot of hours at my machine this week, with the walking foot on, and did a lot of “straight line” quilting. I used at least 4 bobbins of Superior Bottom Line silver thread, as I worked my way across the quilt, down the borders and around and around the triangles points. I also used Silver (Masterpiece by Superior) on the top of the quilt.  I like the silver because it pretty much disappears into the quilt and you see the texture but not a lot of the stitching.

The back of the quilt really shows off the quilting. The original “stitch in the ditch” quilting was a different thread, so it tends to be more visible on the back, but I am ok with that. 

 I finished the last block, trimmed the quilt and got the binding on yesterday, too. 

I am SO happy that I had tucked away fabric for binding inside the folded quilt to use for the binding.   I did my favorite “binding with a flange” also known as Susie’s Magic Binding.  (The purple for the flange came from a scrap leftover from the Senior Quilt 2020 backing).

It finished at  57×74 (who knows why? Not me).  It is a great throw size for snuggling under in the recliner or on the back of the couch.  In this photo it is on top of the queen size bed in the guest room which currently has (gasp) a comforter on it, not a quilt. (It made a nice neutral backdrop.)  Before the evening was over last night, I ran it through the washer and dryer, and was able to sleep under it !  Ok, still needs a label, and I will try to do that today. 

Oh, one more thing — I assembled the Scrap Dance TWIST and put on one narrow border.  It is now an official UFO/waiting on borders! The pattern is by Carole Carter on her blog From My Carolina Home

It is 86×98 and I plan to put a 6″ border of some kind all around, but it needs some thought (oh geez) and a good pressing! (Shooting for a generous king size of course).

If you are interested in the Scrap Dance Twist pattern, it is available on Carole’s blog for another week or so, before she takes it down and publishes it for sale. Honestly, if you like scrappy patterns, this is a great one to make.  

Speaking of UFO’s….I took down off of hangers in my sewing room a bunch of them yesterday, to do a little show and tell during a zoom quilter chat.  There are a bunch, and when my friend asked how many I didn’t count the ones in bins.  Borders seem to stop me. I don’t know why, searching for the perfect fabric to set things off?  Realizing I have been making KING SIZED quilt tops (at least 5 or 6), and the idea of quilting them maybe is what stops me.  I ordered some grey wide backing in February, and have enough to finish at least 2 king sized. Perhaps my next UFO will be one of the oldest tops .  I’ll have to get back to you on that. Don’t hold your breath!  

Disclaimer….if you go back to those old posts that I shared in the links at the top of this post, the CROSSROADS and the 9 patch CUPCAKES, Friendship Star table runner are really finished!  The Allietare is still “waiting on borders”, as are several other “Scrap Dance mystery quilts”. 

What are you working on this week?

Senior Quilt 2020 (A peak)

Every year I coordinate a project for my church which involves making quilts for our graduating high school seniors.

I started my quilting journey in 2008 when the Pastor handed me a ziplock bag full of 8.5″ squares, gave me some basic instructions and sent me on my way. (I was NOT a quilter, and had only “bound” quilted panels with the help of You Tube and Google).

One thing led to another and at the end of that Spring, I had made 5 quilt tops, and learned to layer and tie the quilts too.  Then Pastor John retired and I was asked to coordinate for the coming year.

Thankfully, with the guidance of an experienced quilter, Kristin S.,  I learned all about cutting and chain piecing and much much more.  My first official quilt shop class didn’t come until 4 years later.

Over the years we have made a lot of those “senior quilts” with a team of willing volunteers.  One year we had as many as 15 students graduating.  The next year, I took a year “off” from coordinating and Kristin stepped up to manage everything that year. (Burnt out?  Probably).  Sometimes you need a new perspective, and new energy and new leadership.

This year, is quite different, with just ONE senior.  When I gathered together with my quilt making volunteers in February, we had a great time selecting fabric from “accumulated stash”.  One church member had donated her entire sewing room of fabric and we had a lot to choose from.  A feature fabric was chosen, and the quilters chose companion fabrics, picked out two blocks that they wanted to make.  This was the first year we didn’t do a basic 8.5″ block for our quilt.  One graduate, and lots of sewers, and big ideas.  A little work on EQ8 and we had a pattern.  (I was tickled to get to use those skills I learned in my January class).

In the process of working with the fabrics, I discovered that one of the colors was bleeding all over my ironing table as I was steaming the fabric. I stopped what I was doing, took the strips into the kitchen and soaked them in Retayne and rinsed them clear.

I was thankful I had a small bottle of Retayne that came in January with an order, and was amazed how it worked. The picture above is just after I put the strips in a glass bowl of warm water.  The picture below is after the recommended soaking time and after I rinsed with clear water.  I threw a color catcher in the bowl for “good luck”.

Thankfully they were only strips, not pieced into the blocks with the white fabric adjacent.  Did you know that your salad spinner is a great place to wash and “spin” pre-cuts and small pieces like fat quarters.  This experience has made me a big believer in pre-washing.  I put the larger piece of yardage in the washer and did a similar process with the Retayne too.

We got together two more times to cut and sew as a group.   And, as anyone who has ever worked on a group project, sometimes there are other problems.  Working with the “same 1/4” can cause construction challenges, so I made sure to mark with tape and a seam guide everyone’s machine. Several people worked on making half square triangles and others cut various fabric units.   Our feature fabric got cut the wrong size for the pattern and in desperation to replace it, I went in a frantic search online. I finally found it for sale on ETSY and bought all they had, just in case.  A little recutting and reconstructing, and all was well again. The “miss-cut” will get used somewhere else along the line and working together, we adapted and overcame the challenge.

Then in mid March, the concern about COVID-19 stopped us from meeting and sewing together. Our last group sewing day was a very productive day.  Luckily most of the blocks were either finished or near completion.  I finished up the last few blocks and one willing quilter took the blocks, and a photo of the layout, and put the top together.  Thanks to Judy M.G. for that big job! She did that in between making masks for the local nursing home and her family, while waiting on the outcome of her own COVID-19 test results. (Negative thank goodness!)

 

When I got the assembled top back from Judy M.G.,  I added the borders, the embroidery blocks and photo of the church.  Using our best “social distancing (across the width of three banquet tables), two of us got together in the empty church fellowship hall to layer and tie the quilt.

Usually we have 4 or 5 people doing this, and can tie a quilt in an hour, but in order to “be safe” we had to limit how many and stay on “opposite” sides of the banquet table.  It took the two of us nearly 3 hours.  But, we got it done!

I brought it back home, and did some machine quilting on the borders to anchor them, trimmed the quilt and got the binding on.

The quilt is ready, 2 weeks ahead of my “scheduled deadline”.  (Yes, that is Susie’s Magic Binding that I always do, completely by machine!)

There are 3 verses on the quilt this year. Again, we only had one quilt to make, and thought this would make it extra special.  This students parents picked the verses back in January.  Many thanks to Designs by JuJu embroidery company for their wonderful ministry , making these digitized verses available for free.

And now, we have to wait again.  Ordinarily it would have been out in church on Palm Sunday, Easter Sunday and the remaining Sunday’s in April for the members of the congregation to sign and write messages of love and inspiration. Just as soon as we are able to gather again for services, we will have the quilt out to have the members sign.  I hope they fill those big wide white borders with wonderful messages.

Our time line has turned upside down, but we are going to make certain our one graduate knows how special she is and that she is loved by her church family.

Presentation normally would have happened in mid May, but that timeline is a bit fractured too.  Our Pastor will work with the family and determine an appropriate time to present the quilt.

The service where this is done is always very moving.  Parents wrap the quilt around the shoulders of the student, just like they did when they were young. Prayers are said asking God to guide the young graduate in the coming years, and to help them know that the church family is always with them as they go off to college and start new lives.  The quilt has a photo on it of the church, and the parents picked a verse that they felt was important to be remembered. It is our hope that the student will always feel wrapped in the loving arms of Christ, and when they may need a boost of faith, they can wrap up in the quilt which is covered in prayer and messages of inspiration.  Many prayers get sent heavenward during the creation of the quilt, and I always want the graduate to know that their church wraps them in God’s love as they go onward in life.

Once our graduate has a chance to see the quilt I will post more photo’s so you can really see it.  The quilters who have gathered together every year to work on this ministry vary from year to year and new quilters have joined in this year. All together there was Judy M.G.; Judy S., Kristin S., MaryLu W., Karolyn H., and Lydia P. and myself working on this project.  It was fun to do something very different than any quilt we had done in previous years.

Do you do a special project or have a tradition at your church for graduates to honor them as they move ahead in life?