Dear Jane Hand Quilting

 Thought I would post some of the 4 1/2: block I have hand quilted.  I have only 22 more to go and then I can start on the borders.  It actually fun deciding how to quilt each block although it is hard on the fingers.  I have to masking tape my fingers, one on left hand that pulls the thread and one on the right hand that pushes the needle back up - Stab quilting.  I can't really wear a thimble on the bottom hand, but I do wear a little leather thimble on the top hand finger that pushes the needle through.

Owl and Hare Hollow Part 4

 Finished up Part 4 of the Owl and Hare Hollow quilt last night.  Two more Parts to go - 14 more blocks.

Also still quilting on my Dear Jane quilt - goal is three blocks a day, and hopefully by December I will be working on the triangle border.

Owl and Hare Hollow - Part 3

 I completed this part of the Block of the Month "Owl and Hare Hollow that is being published in the Homespun Magazine.    I actually completed it last week, and just did not get around to posting.  The following are the pictures of my Block 3 blocks.

These are all the blocks I have finished so far laid out on my design wall,  The open spaces are Parts 4,5 and 6

Delaford Progress

Tonight I completed another border on the Delaford quilt.  I am so enjoying about making this quilt.

I also completed the quilt top for the Lasting Legacy quilt block of the month sponsored by my guild.

 

Owl and Hare Hollow - Parts 1 and 2

 This morning I finished up Part 2 of the Owl and Hare Hollow quilt.  I am enjoying this project as it involves everything I love to do - Embroidery, Applique and English Paper Piecing.   I got a late start, but that's ok - just enjoying the process.  Here are the blocks have completed so far. 

The little round flower block placed in the corner where four blocks meet was just a random orphan block that I had on my design wall.  I like it there, kind of like a corner stone.  If I decide to add this to my project, I will need to make it smaller.  The blocks are currently 9 1/2" unfinished but are oversized according to the pattern.  They will eventually be trimmed to 8 1/2" unfinished and 8" finished, and then the flower will be too big.   Unless.............I decide to leave them at 9 1/2".

Dear Jane Quilting

I have finally started hand quilting my DJ Quilt.  This is my second one to finish, the first I machine quilted a very simple cross hatch pattern with a little bit of design on the triangles.  With this one I am hand quilting and using a different pattern for each block.  I noticed in close up pictures of Jane Stickle's quilt, that is the way it is quilted.  I read somewhere that 3 or 4 friends helped her do the quilting and I have told my friends I would let them quilt some on mine - but got no takers.  I had a long arm quilter baste it together for me - so much easier (and better basting) than me trying to do it myself.

I am not using sashing in connecting the blocks, but rather sewing a border on each block and then trimming it to 5 1/2" square, which seems to me to be the way Jane Stickle did hers.  She was one smart lady if you ask me, because if the blocks do not come out exactly right - you add the border then square them up - I do love this process.

I am enjoying the quilting but its going to take me longer to quilt it than it did to make the top - but hey, I am in no hurry.  Below are pictures of some of the blocks I have quilted.

And here's a picture of what is next in my hoop.   I started with the center block, and am working in circles around that one.  Thought I would get the ones in the center first as they can be the hardest since you have so much bulk to work with...with each round it gets a little closer to the quilt edge and easier to manage.  This quilt is a little harder to quilt in that the blocks being so small and having so many pieces, there is a lot of seams to quilt through.  Wish I had thought to use a light weight batting - the quilt is also heavy.

 

Beating the heat with a little stitching

Worked on the Delaford a little today.  attached the next borders, and marked the applique placement.  I have been working the last week or so getting all the applique pieces prepped.

Checking the placement of corner flower.  A real trick to get those mitered corners just right. Definitely not something I am very good at.  The border will be trimmed to 6 1/2" once the applique is completed.

One cornet completed.  I have all the other corners prepped - just need to get the applique down.

And of course, I have started another new project - The Owl and Hare Hollow from the Homespun magazine.  My good friend Martee is making this and I was inspired by her pretty blocks to give it a try.

These are the Wheel blocks from Part 1 - so far all I have completed.  There are 4 parts issued at this point, I have some catching up to do.

Delaford center

 Making progress on my Delaford quilt.   Completed the center panel, now on to the first applique border.

Quilting Hollis Quilt

 Its in the hoop and I am enjoying the process:

Using the big stitch with Coats and Clark Bold hand quilting thread.  Had a long-armer baste the quilt for me and that sure is nice way to have it sandwiched.

Hollis's Quilt progress

 This morning I completed the applique of Sun Bonnet Sue and added the embroidered bouquet of flowers.  Now all the hand work is done, and I just need to finish up the nine patches.  I am considering adding a border of flowers of some kind to the top to make a "pillow cover" as my daughter, who saw my progress this week, said Hollis will probably want it as a bed cover for her twin bed.  It will be wide enough, but right now it is going to be square, and I need to make it into a rectangle.  Sigh, so most likely more applique to do - but then I love to applique.

Americana Sampler

 I have finished my Americana Sampler quilt.  I did have Martee Patton to long arm quilt it for me and she did a beautiful job.  The following are some pictures of the finished quilt.  This quilt is designed by Fons and Porter.

Happy Independence Day!

Beginning Hollis's Big Girl Quilt

 I am having so much fun working on a quilt for my granddaughter - hoping to have it done by Christmas.  It is her Big Girl quilt (she will be 5 next month) that I make after they are out of the crib and sleeping in a big girl bed.  This is my layout design, but the flower designs and Sun Bonnet Sue are from EQ.  The Butterfly blocks are from a book called Granny Quilt Decor by Darlene Zimmerman.

Below is a picture of the center. Once I baste the applique in place, I am securing it with a small blanket stitch using 50wt thread. I do not have the SBS blanket stitched yet. The SBS is 14 inches high and the buttefly blocks are 11 1/4" square.  I will also embroider SBS some flowers  in her hand.

There will be 8 flower blocks surrounding the center, using two different flower patterns.

This is the first four blocks of the first pattern.

I am still working on the next flower pattern, doing the blanket stitch applique:

Nine-patches, measuring 3 3/4" will be the background through the quilt with solid white blocks between the nine-patches.  Thinking I might hand quilt hearts and flower on every other solid block.  Going to do big stitch quilting with a pretty soft variegated perle cotton.  So much fun! 

Two Finishes - woohoo

I have recently finished two long term projects - my Grandmother's Flower Garden and the Temperature quilt.  Thought I would share some pictures.

Before the quilt pictures, I must show another BIG finish.  My grandaughter graduated from High School!

close of EPP and hand quilting

Side borders

Border at top of quilt

Top corner

Quilt EPP Pieced, hand applique on border and hand quilted.  I think its my favorite quilt.

Temperature Quilt, quilted by Martee Patton.   She chose the pattern which I think is perfect - waves indicating highs and lows.

SCANFIL

 Recently I was approached about doing a couple small hand quilting samples by a Scanfil representative.   I enjoy doing things like this so was happy to try it out, especially since I am always on the lookout for new thread to try when hand quilting.  I think this thread has been around awhile, at least I did find it on a few sites when I did a google search, but it is definitely new to me.

 I received 100% Organic cotton fabric, bamboo batting and a very nice assortment of 30wt and 50wt Scanfil threads.  Instructions to do a pattern using the 30 wt thread and the 50 wt thread, just to compare how quilting looked different using the different threads.  I so enjoyed this project and do love the thread.  I also used the 50 wt thread in my sewing machine to sew on the binding as well as hand hemming the panel.  That also worked great.