WIP Wednesday

Yesterday was a soggy, rainy day. I have to force myself to be productive on days like that. I'd much rather spend the day on the couch with my laptop.  

I did manage to get two Wild & Goosey blocks done. That brings me to 20 out of 25 I need for my wall hanging. This riot of color was the perfect antidote for the crummy weather.

Quilting the Farmer's Engineer's Wife is at the top of my priority list. I have to add one more large piece to the back, then it can be basted. I will be trying Sharon Shamber's method of using boards to keep the parts square and flat. I haven't decided yet if I'll thread- or pin-baste.

In the finished column since my last WIP post, I have added another QOV for a cousin 

and a graduation gift for a friend's daughter.

I'm participating in the modern fabric postcard swap on Instagram. These are the 4x6" postcards I will be dropping in the mail later today. It was fun playing with the color and fabric choices of the recipients.

 I printed 4" New York Beauty blocks from EQ7 and added 2" of extra background on one side. I wasn't sure if I could piece such a small curve, but it wasn't too bad. I pinned a lot!

Have a great day!

Quilt of Valor for Tom

 I was very happy to present this Quilt of Valor to my cousin Tom at a family reunion last week.

I had been working on this quilt, on and off, for several years. You know how that goes. Once I finished Leo's QOV, I decided I needed to finish one for Tom, too. And you know how well I work under the pressure of a deadline!

I had a minor mishap while quilting the border and quilted through the tip of my machingers. At least it wasn't my actual finger!

I turned to my brother for help with the label. Tom has written a book about his experience in Vietnam, so most of the info came from there. He did not, however, earn a Bronze Star. I'm not sure how we got that wrong. I know a QOV label is supposed to just have the first name of the quiltmaker, but in this case, I thought it was fitting to include my full name. 

 My son, the Marine, presented the quilt to Tom while I read my presentation speech. Another cousin's son graduated from Marine Corps boot camp a few days ago.

Tom was totally surprised and rendered speechless, which is really saying something for a Martiniano and a prolific author. And, yes, our family is so big, we wear nametags!

WIP Wednesday

 It's been a very quilty couple of weeks. I've been obsessively stitching every chance I get. Quilting mojo has been high! I wish I knew why or how to keep up the momentum. I'm taking a necessary break, but I hope I can get back to that high level soon.

Last Wednesday I finished a Quilt of Valor that has been waiting for years to be finished. It will be gifted soon to a very deserving WWII veteran.

 

The next finish was my One Block Wonder, AKA the geranium Jekyll and Hyde quilt. Read more about it here, including its two sided binding.

 

I had collected our guild's donated blocks for Diana's Golden Needle. When I saw that we were just a few short of having enough for a full top, I stitched up enough blocks from donated strips. Not being able to stop there, I stitched them up into a top. I'll mail it off to her after I show it to the guild next week.

I got a call that I didn't have to go in to work on Monday. I should have used that bonus time to clean the house. Instead, I took out these spool blocks and finished the top. I took a class a few months ago and picked up some tips for easily piecing Y-seams. The pattern is similar to Debbie Mumm's spools at this link. Our blocks are slightly smaller and pieced with Y-seams. I can't wait to start quilting this one with a rainbow spectrum of thread colors.

My poor machines were probably ready for a break! Lately I've been doing all my piecing on the Featherweight and all the quilting on the Bernina. It's a nice division of labor.

QOV for Leo

How long does it take to make a quilt you aren't working on? Oh, about 7 years! 

This quilt had to ripen for a long time. I guess it was waiting for the right recipient. I started it as a class sample in 2008. The lattice pattern is from a book by Nancy Brennan Daniel called "Slice 'Em and Dice 'Em." It is a variation of a disappearing 9-patch.

A few weeks ago, a friend was cleaning out her sewing room and found her unfinished Quilts of Valor. I suggested that we both try to finish one by July 4th. She finished quilting hers on Friday night and was on the hunt for some binding.

I really enjoyed quilting this one. I wanted stars in the blue squares, and meandered around from one to the next. The inner blue border is quilted with "USA" over and over. 

The backing is a great flag print that I bought on sale at least a year ago.

This QOV will be presented to Leo, a WWII veteran and my coworker's dad. I hope it will bring him some comfort following a recent stroke.

Lattice Quilt of Valor

52" X 68"

Started 2008

Completed 6/24/15

Log Cabin UFO

This is an old UFO. The log cabin blocks were made during a retreat weekend in the mid- to late-1990's. The workshop was actually a Colorado log cabin pattern. I got as far as making the straight log cabin blocks, but never managed to get the Colorado star points pieced. Take a look at this quilt to see what I'm missing.

I played with the blocks for a while before deciding on this setting. I think it looks a little modern. I need to find some fabric for the borders, backing and binding which might require a trip to a local quilt shop's sale later today! Eventually, this quilt will be donated to Quilts of Valor.

Design Floor Friday

Eight more seams to go on the QOV Interlocking Windmills.
I used 7 different reds and 13 different blues, all from stash!


I wish I could keep sewing and attach the borders right now, but I need to clean the house for weekend guests. Poo. I hate cleaning. Sewing is way more fun!

Just One Star

Just a quick post to encourage you to make Just One Star to comfort a soldier. Visit Moda's blog for the details and to download the pattern. It take just a few minutes to make one.

Go on, make one today!

QOV Thank You

One of the Quilts of Valor that Julia collected for her Silver Award project was given to Colonel Mark Sheehan, just before he deployed to Afghanistan last November. We've known Mark and his family through school and church since our kids were all little.

Mark's daughter Mary was confirmed with Julia a few days before Mark came home. That night, her mom told me about this gift for Julia that would be coming home with him:
a mission-flown American flag!


The entire presentation case is incredible- the flag, a certificate with her name on it signed by the Commander, pilots and loadmasters of a C-130-J, and patches from the 143rd Airlift Squadron. When he delivered it today, he said he was the only one in his unit with a cool quilt!

We're so honored to have this amazing representation of our freedom in our home!

Veterna's Day

A Day to Honor and Remember.

Remembering my father,


Honoring my father-in-law.

Julia was honored to play Taps this morning for the Vietnam veterans.
I love seeing her in her Girl Scout uniform, playing with her friend Manny in his Boy Scout uniform. The veterans and their families were so grateful to the kids for being there.

Then we went to the parade.
Pete is playing the snare drum on the end, with his hat off-kilter.

I had to run across the street to catch Julia on the other side.

Following the parade, there is a ceremony at the memorial in a beautiful park on the river.
Veterans, dignitaries, clergy, a guest speaker, military color guard, and Civil War reenactors (with a canon!). What more could you ask for?

And the band plays again.

I love my band geeks!

Julia delivered this QOV to a teacher yesterday to give to her husband who was injured in Iraq.
She has 6 or 7 others to deliver soon. We're hoping to present them to people she knows - a cousin's husband, a cousin of a cousin, and friends' fathers.

This Veteran's Day, Honor and Remember the men and women who have sacrificed so much to keep us free.

Quilt Show Part 2

The whole family drove down to the show Sunday afternoon, but the boys had to rush home for the Patriot's game.

Julia did a great presentation of Quilts of Valor. She demonstrated Heartstrings and handed out QOV cards. Eight QOV's made by guild members were displayed. More than a dozen members participated in her Silver Award project. It was a huge success!


Julia is wearing my rainy day project: a selvage skirt! I saw a photo of Paulette's skirt on the Selvage Blog and had to make one. I'm planning to write a tutorial this week. The skirt was a huge hit at the show, and most of the selvages hold memories for Julia.


Josh had to visit his quilt. He'll be happy to get it back.

One of the founders of our guild, Barbara W Barber, has made a couple of series of people quilts. The latest series was made for a school presentation, so they are kids size. They all have cutouts to stick your face in for photos.

Pete as Harry Potter...

and Honest Abe.
(This kids cracks me up!)
Josh as Hannah Montana and Julia as Dustin Pedroia!

Our guild treasurer is moving to Arizona today, so I organized a signature block collection for her. (Hence the Super Simple Signature Block Tutorial.)
I couldn't just hand her a pile of blocks, so I thought I'd make a fabric box, like the ones in the book by Linda Johansen. I wanted a custom size, which I thought I could manage, but it was an epic failure!
Plan B: The Friendship Bag. It needed this fabric flower with a pin back, so she can take it off the bag and pin it anywhere. Perfect!
Sandy loves batiks, so we asked people to use them in the blocks. It is a wonderful assortment, and I hope she has fun putting them together.


One last show photo: my purchases. I tried to restrain myself because I already spent a lot on quilty things in the past 2 weeks. A guild member is an expert basket maker, and I had to have this one! I bought the fabric from a shop I haven't been to yet, Just Quilts. It's at the other end of Rhode Island- a full hour drive! I'd have to pack a lunch!


Julia and I helped take down the show, and as we left, she said how much she loves Ninigret. The show and the guild feel like home to her. The quilters have known Julia and Pete since they were born. They see Julia occasionally at meetings, but they were surprised to see how tall Pete has gotten. They love the fact that Julia is a quilter.

Well, it was a full weekend. Definitely inspirational. I'm ready to get started on Christmas gifts and stocking up for craft fairs.

Weekend Update

I started two new little projects this weekend.
Jack, from Happy Zombie, and some Kanzashi flowers from Diane's book.


I traced Jack onto a piece of linen blend, colored him in with crayons, then embroidered the outlines. I need to search the stash for cute border fabric and make him into a pillow.

The Kanzashi book is gorgeous! My first attempt at a flower was a failure. I'm not even going to show you. The orange and purple ones are mine. Julia made the purple one with black button and attached it to a headband. They are really fun to make. Go buy the book now!

Julia and I stitched our way through Pete's baseball double-header yesterday. She's binding the QOV, in the home stretch of her project.


Pete is awesome! When I realized how insanely dirty our windows were, I sent him out to wash the outside of the picture window, the kitchen windows and the french doors. Then he mowed the lawn. I love that kid!


Have a beautiful week,
Tina

Procrastinators Unite...Tomorrow!

Did you know that tomorrow is Fight Procrastination Day?! I can't wait! Hee hee. I crack myself up. I might need to buy the t-shirt.


Julia is getting down to the wire with her Girl Scout Silver Award project so she's busy sewing heartstrings blocks together. The apple didn't fall far from this tree! We do love a deadline.


I added white sashing to my three by three swap blocks, like Amandajean's layout. We really liked them all up next to eachother, but this will make it big enough to be useable.


I learned how to purl! There was a prayer shawl ministry meeting on Thursday night, and I decided I wanted to knit this new shawl, instead of crocheting. I knew how to do the knit stitch, but the pattern is K3, P3. So I googled "how to purl" and watched this video. I'm still getting used to holding the yarn in my right hand, but I'm enjoying the process.


Pete and I went to the Farmer's Market this morning and thoroughly enjoyed our lunch. I made a tomoato sandwich (tomato, mayo & salt) on fresh carrot, black olive and dill bread. YUM! Just look at that bread!


I'm happy to have some flowers on my tiny rose of sharon. It's at the back of the yard and the deer nibble on the new leaves, so it doesn't have much opportunity to grow.


Tomorrow, I'll be finishing up a Craig family block for the Union College 215th Anniversary quilt that has been on the list all summer. What's on your list for Fight Procrastination Day?