Quilter’s Patch

Quilter’s Patch – the finished quilt!

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My Quilter’s Patch block-of-the-month quilt is back from being custom quilted. Now that the binding and the patch on the back is sewn on, I can finally blog about it. Thanks to Sally for using her awesome embroidery skills for the patch on the back!

Cindy Gravely did a FANATASTIC JOB custom quilting this quilt! When I dropped off the quilt top and backing several months back, I also included the Quilter’s Patch book, so Cindy would have an idea of the way the quilt could look. With so much going on in this quilt, I let Cindy just go for it! I am so happy with the results.

A little history … the quilt was designed by Edyta Sitar of Laundry Basket Quilts. The Fat Quarter Shop provided the monthly kits for sale and distribution in 2017. This is not a beginner quilt. I even had a love/hate relationship with some of the blocks … as in the greenhouse roof tiles. Those clamshell tiles nearly did me in. Then there was the bachelor button block. I never could get the blooms to lie flat. But Edyta Sitar’s directions were amazing. Even if you have never worked with hexagons (dahlia block), the directions were so clear, it gave me all the encouragement I needed to be successful.

The quilt as presented in book is quite large quilt … 75″ by 78″ with wide borders. I made a few changes in block order and left off the wide borders. Instead, I added a simple four-inch border which made the quilt more manageable for me to hang. I also left off the little bird on the greenhouse. No reason … just because.

A look back – 2017 quilting projects

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2017 wasn’t a banner year for completing quilt projects. I count only two quilts that were actually completed! That means binding sewn down and patch on the back! One was a charity quilt donated to the Village Learning Center, the day center my Mimi attends. A lovely lady named Clare won it in their silent auction. I always love it when someone is excited to have one of my quilts. Hildy won the charity quilt last year for the Village and reminds me whenever I see her how much she enjoys it.

The other quilt completed was the 2015 Row-by-Row quilt which was a lot of fun. Eight rows make an official row-by-row quilt which is a very LONG quilt. It is the reason I put three rows on the back. That way the quilt fits perfect hung in my quilt room. I worked on the rows whenever there was a little extra time between the month-by-month mailings and finally sent it off for quilting. I actually have all my rows for 2016 still in their little plastic pouches untouched. As for 2017, I also have all my eight rows and actually worked on a few of them. I’ll let you peek at them later.

I believe it was that block-of-the-month Quilter’s Patch quilt through Fat Quarter Shop that ate my lunch this year. But as a result of the monthly project, I also grew and stretched as a quilter. The things you can do by manipulating fabric. Who knew? The top is now complete and pictured above. I did not make the large borders and switched a couple of the flowers around by accident. This quilt will be added to my meager supply of seasonal quilts that I hang around the house. I’ve been wanting a spring quilt in my quilt menagerie for some time. This quilt is it! Please excuse the wrinkle-ness of the quilt top photo. I was running off to take it to the long-arm lady and realized I didn’t have a photo. Whenever it is finished later this year, you will be the first to see it up close and personal! It is going to be awesome!

2018 is going to be fun!

So what is up for 2018? Want a little peek? Working on another baby quilt! Due in May, my lovely daughter-in-law, Kate, and son, Ricky, are having a little bundle of joy. It’s a GIRL. Kate and I collaborated and I think we have a winning baby quilt in the wings.

I am also taking a collage class at Painted Pony in mid-February. Can’t wait. I’ve had this Elephant quilt pattern named “Lulu” for about two years and could probably figure it out myself. But then this class popped up and I thought, let’s do it! My only dilemma … I’m torn whether to make the elephant hot pinks and greens, or use my stash of colorful Kaffe Fassett fabrics and go wild. Any suggestions?

Quilter’s Patch – November fence and blocks together

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The November fence block with heart-shaped garden gate is finished! OK … so I know it is December … but only by a few days. Did I mention December is my favorite month of the year from a blog perspective? It’s the snow falling across the blog. I love that WordPress adds the snow in December!

The fence was an easy and fast block to piece! November’s block-of-the-month assignment also included several butterfly blocks, but I am not using them in the quilt top. I had so much time on my hands after the fence was finished, I put all the flower blocks together. Just for fun, I switched the order on two of the flower blocks. I’ll post a completed quilt top once the border is on. Decided to use a plain narrow border as this quilt will be hung. I anticipate the dimensions will be around 65″ by 65″. Can’t wait for this one to be machine quilted!

Quilter’s Patch – October block finished!

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October’s Quilter’s Block-of-the-Month is finally history … two weeks late! There was only one oversized Sunflower block this month using Dresden units with points. A little bit of machine-piecing for the stems and leaves … and a little bit of applique for the sunflower blooms. This block was actually fun.

On to the November block. I’m skipping the Butterfly blocks that is a part of this month. Not putting them in the quilt. They would make this quilt much larger than I wanted. My plan is to make this quilt smaller than the original size of 75″ by 78-1/2″. The Fence Block is my last one before putting the blocks together with narrow borders.

Quilter’s Patch – September block finished on time!

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September’s Quilter’s Patch block-of-the-month assignment, the Greenhouse Block, was finished in plenty of time before the October block hits my mailbox. Geez … I haven’t been this “caught up” since January! It was the perfect block to work on when horrible Hurricane Harvey decided to pay our Texas Gulf Coast a visit. Plenty of hand applique was involved attaching each clamshell shingle bottom edge to the roof. If you have yet to work on this block, Edyta’s tip to use interfacing as a stabilizer made my life so much easier. I found a lightweight black interfacing which really worked well with the dark fabric used for the shingles.

Looking ahead to the finished quilt top … I’ve decided not to add the borders on my quilt top. I like to hang my quilts and change them out seasonally. The quilt, as featured, will be just too large to hang in my house. I’ll add narrow borders … perhaps piece the watering can … it is adorable … and add it to the back with a butterfly.

Next month … a sunflower block!

Quilter’s Patch – July blocks are history!

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The two July blocks are history and clearly ate my lunch! First was the Sweet Pea block which contained over 70 pieces for the 12-1/2″ block. The “leaves” were paper pieced and easy peasy. I love the accuracy of paper piecing. The only thing that bothered me about this block is the top blooms do not meet with the stem. I thought it was me but when I checked the photo in the book … yep … those top blooms do not meet either. I thought about taking the top row apart and re-doing it … not gonna happen … at least not now. Maybe before I put all the blocks together.

The second was the Bachelor Button block which contained lots of set-in seams in the blossom part of the block. This was a first for me. Even with great directions, it was not a pleasant experience. I have to say my third blossom looks so much better than the first … so I have that going for me. Also, it was difficult to get the blooms to lie flat. As a result, the blooms want to crinkle. Not sure that is the look the author was going for … but I am. The whole time I was piecing this one block, I kept telling myself … no way I’d do a whole quilt with set-in seams. Not me. The “leaves” on this block were super easy since half square triangle paper was provided to copy from the book. For most of us, piecing triangles are to be avoided at all costs. Thankfully, the triangle paper provided made the work so easy to an accurate little 2-1/4″ block.

Looking ahead to the current month … we have just one block for August. Do I hear an “amen?” It is the Hollyhock block and is the largest so far … 12-1/2″ by 24-1/2″. Pretty pink blooms dominate this block. Looks tedious with lots of curves. Prediction … this one is destined to be finished well in September.

Quilter’s Patch – June blocks are done!

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The two June blocks for the Quilter’s Patch Block of the Month quilt … the Coneflower and Moon Flower blocks … were a bit of a challenge.

Now that there are twelve completed blocks in this block-of-the-month quilt, I am noticing my most glaring mishaps were made in these two. I cut the bottom of the flower bloom just a tad too short on the Coneflower block. I hate when that happens. Not a happy camper … but not re-doing this block. I will be considering this block a teachable moment in not being too quick to slice off a bit of fabric. Chances are good this block will be my favorite when the quilt is finished. I really love the color choices.

Then on the Moon Flower, I had to adjust the template on the petals since I was not doing needle-turn applique. The first flower took the longest getting the ending dimensions to cooperate. Didn’t want my petals to overhang past the seam allowance. That would have been tragic. Once the first flower blossom was complete, the other two were a piece of chocolate cake.

Looking ahead to the blocks in July … the Sweet Pea block sure has a bunch of pieces. Then there is the Bachelor Button block. Everyone is complaining about this one. I will have to step up my game as I just received August’s block in the mail.

Texas/Louisiana Row by Row Quilt … 2015 version is done!

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So today is the official start of the “Row by Row Experience” quilt season. I know … I’ve just lost a bunch of you! So let me explain. I believe the concept started with 20 shops in 2011. This year there are over 3,000 shops participating. I fell in love with the whole notion in 2014. Each year, participating quilt shops from all over the United States, and way beyond … think Canada and Europe … create a free row pattern … and fabrics for the row which you can purchase if you like. But you have to visit the actual shop … which … if you are road tripping this summer anyway … why not! Their website has maps for shop locations and photos of the rows so you can plan your route. I’m pretty picky about the shops I visit. They gotta have a row I wanna actually include in a quilt!

The theme this year is “On the Go” and interpretation by quilt shops is all their show. New this year is a “junior” division for youngsters. Not all shops are participating but this is so cool for youngsters interested in quilting! So eight rows sewed into a quilt makes for an official “Row by Row” quilt. There are also prizes involved if you stitch up 8 rows, quilt it and don’t forget to bind it. It has to be finished! Be the first to bring it into a quilt shop that participates in the project. I’m not so interested in that part. I just love the creativity of the project … and I’m slow!

The great thing about row by row quilts is friends and family that live far will sometimes acquire a row for you! I’ve already made my list of favorite rows and the Houston area has several I am considering to visit.

So let’s chat about this 2015 quilt. My adorable sister, Gretchen, who lives near Victoria, Texas picked up a row. My quilting friend, Michelle, picked up the two lovely rows in Louisiana. Then there was the ever awesome Sally. She and her husband did a row by row road trip and came back with the loveliest of rows. Of course, I put my order in beforehand and wouldn’t have found myself near Bandera, but for Sally!

So on to this just completed row by row for 2015. The theme for 2015 was “water.” Hence, umbrellas, fish, and seagulls, etc. I have a spot for it all picked out! I like to hang my quilts, so I made this one using 5 rows on the front and 3 on the back. Eight horizontal rows just makes for a very long quilt.

Sadly, since I have worked on this quilt for so long, I can’t locate all the photos I took while piecing the rows. Darn! I gotta remember to be more organized when I get around to the 2016 quilt.

So the great thing about this whole project is the skills you acquire while making each row. The row with the seagull and lighthouse from Louisiana was the most challenging. Small fabric pieces on the gull almost made me have to go to confession, but I LOVE how it turned out. Persistence paid off! Basically, each row is a mini-quilt with lots of lessons learned during the piecing. The easiest row was, by far, from Quilter’s Crossing in Tomball which, by the way, has a lovely quilt shop. The umbrellas were all pre-cut with the fusible on the back. Obviously, I did this row first!

Since my favorite long-arm lady moved away … come back soon Kim Norton … I had the lovely Taylor at Cupcake Quilts do an all-over design called “Sailboats.” She used Hobbs batting 80/20 and variegated thread called Signature 99151. I always use our local Personalize It Kingwood, store owner Tracey is awesome, to make my patch on the back.

If you are a quilter and considering participating in the Row by Row Experience … happy travels!

Quilter’s Patch – Block of the Month – April blocks are finished!

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This month I asked my special needs daughter, Mimi, to model the finished Day Lilly block. Both April blocks for the Quilter’s Patch Block-of-the-Month are done! The Tulip and Day Lilly blocks were easier than last month. I didn’t have to take out my seam ripper one time this month.

However, I started to sweat looking ahead to May’s blocks. The Dahlia block has lots of hexagons … and I’ve never gone near a hexagon in my life! The Honey Suckle block doesn’t look any easier … full of 60 degree triangles and bias edges. Looks like I will have to step-up my game!

Quilter’s Patch – Block of the Month – March finished!

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I got my lovely daughter, Katie, and grandson, Ben, to pose with one of March’s finished blocks. Last month I tried to get grandson Jacob to hold one of February’s blocks but he wasn’t having any of it. He’s nearly three years old and a man of action. After chasing him around the backyard for a few minutes I gave up. Maybe he will stand still long enough for a photo in April when he officially turns three!

My two blocks for March on the Quilter’s Patch block-of-the-month quilt are all done! Loved the fabric color choices and pattern on the “sidewalk and log cabin roses” block. It’s a really cute block! It amazes me how a block with well over fifty pieces can, in the end, measure the required 12-1/2″ by 12-1/2″. What did we do before there were rotary cutters and precision rulers?

The “petunias” block came together rather quickly! Easy block. Love the pinks.

I’ve probably got a week before April’s fabrics and instructions hit the mailbox. Time to work on unfinished projects while I’m waiting!