I'm not making any for what I did today. I bought items for six projects! First of all, I went to Bakersfield for a medical appointment and stopped at JoAnn's. You know the store. The one where you get really great coupons and then everything is on sale for 25%. I went in to buy buttons for the tree wallhangings, and those egg-shaped styros to make a couple of holiday ornaments.
After I got back to town, I stopped in at the fabric store to get 1/3 yard of the blue I needed for Jake's Bird Quilt sashing (originally, I didn't get enough) and bought several FQ's in blue. I am working on a blue and white sampler quilt, plus that Diamond Dash quilt. I'll cut them up into the pieces needed for all three projects. It just really bites not to have the right colors or amounts and I get to thinking I can quilt until I need to shop.
The basket is part of a bday gift for my Daughter-in-Law and will make a nice holder for the small things I bought her. Lots to work on for the next few weeks.
Some of the packages were 'findings' for the two wallhangings. I started sewing them on and only have half of one of the trees on. So glad I started early.
Someone once told me to make sure that my burning desire was the light at the end of the tunnel.
And so I spent 4 hours cutting scraps. I discovered how hard it was to find what I needed for the holiday Twister, and my next project (blues for the Diamond Dash). Some of these fabric scraps in my stash have odd pieces cut out of them, so cutting them down even more, and into larger squares or rectangles helps with storage. Of course, now they need to be put in the same size squares container. Organization is a process that never ends.
When I first started quilting, it was to embroider 50 state birds and flowers x2. Yes, x2. I thought I would make each of my Sons a full quilt using the kind of embroidered squares my maternal Grandmother made each of her Grandchildren. She gave me her patterns and I bought white fabric, lots of embroidery floss and a hoop. It took me a week to make each square. I figured I could have the squares done in a couple of years, and because my Sons were still living at home, I thought it would be easy-breezy.
Didn't happen that way. By the time I was actually getting close to done, they had both married and had children of their own. And Gramma Lizzy had passed. These squares came with me across the country. I re-calculated what it would take to do SEVEN smaller quilts so that each of the Grands could get one. If I added five more squares, each small quilt got 15 blocks (3x5 =15). And making five more California blocks would put one on each small quilt and bring my total squares to what was needed.
However, when I first did this, I knew nothing about fabric. And when the embroidery was done, every shop owner I spoke with let me know that it wouldn't work as a functioning quilt. Except one. She drew out the pattern I needed to use, and I started making tops and backs to them. Jake's is the last. First I put together red sashing and then had that awful bleed-experience with another quilt, so ripped this one out even though the red fabrics were pre-washed. I did not want to take the chance that this young man's quilt would turn pink! And the project sat. I re-purposed all the reds. And it sat. UFO.
The other day I went back to her store and bought blues shown above, pre-washed and cut them to size. Today I started piecing it. Now that I have had more experience, I can see what other quilters were saying. The fabric might not hold together, so I think I will top stitch around each square. It might even make sense to reinforce the whites with something. I wish I had done these differently, but they have to be fine the way they are. I'll put sleeves on all the backs so they can be hung, and at this point, am in no hurry to finish them. The goal for 2016 is to get them all reinforced and basted. That's it. I will be happy to get them to that stage.
Last night I started another of the Comfort Quilts I would like to make in 2016. It is a way for me to use up the scrappy squares I've cut in various sizes. I had been thinking what I will do is ask folks to 'nominate' someone in their lives whom they think would enjoy a quilt, and who moreover needs the comfort snuggling under it would bring.
This is the first one I made from 10" squares using the Twister template. Luckily, there is a pattern to go by in the packaging that gives the amount of squares used, as well as what is needed for the first and second borders and backing. I was surprised how hard it was to come up with 36 blocks that coordinate. Obviously, folks who want to buy more fabric would take the easy way out and purchase a Layer Cake package from all the manufacturers out there. Then, everything coordinates without having to think about it. I discovered that its like auditioning what I have both for which colors will work as well as how much I have in the bins.
Its really important to me to use what I have on hand. And funny thing is, it seems like so much; That is, until I go looking for fabrics that coordinate. It made a dent in the holiday bin and yet there is a lot more to use up. (I just got contributions from two friends that were snapped up in this project...thanks to both of you again.)
I also found a quick pattern tutorial called diamond-dash-quilt that is also incredibly easy and would use up a lot more of those 10" squares. Key to this one is gathering and coordinating squares and purchasing the solid sashing and a focus fabric. I am thinking that I will try it in blues with a white sashing and some gorgeous blue & white border.
Yes, I see that it is probably long-arm quilted or has that free motion on the smaller machine. I am not sure how I will handle quilting at this point. First things first. I want to get projects going that I can do and if that means only finishing the tops for this coming year, then so be it. The more options I find, the easier it will be for me to stay on point with the concept.
When I go through the bins again, I suspect that there will be other comfort quilts waiting for the big finish. One such is a scrappy golf quilt I made with leftovers from two quilts that went out this year. I really want to try my hand at free motion quilting on it.
I've been trying to come up with ideas for how to give them away as comfort. While there are plenty of organizations that take those kinds of quilts, my first thought is to pay close attention to people I know who could feel the value of one around them. Yes, I could ask for folks to nominate someone, or even hold a raffle. Not sure yet. I have a feeling there will be a lot of personal growth in this project for me.
After laundering Jake's quilt and giving it a cool press, I turned my attention to the aprons. AND I CHANGED MY MIND. Both Granddaughters are not really settled in their lives and so having an apron, which is so very domestic, might not work for them. I think they can go in the bin for next year and be higher on my list of things to make.
My attention for the coming month will be for paper projects, including the dollar rolls, the little package in the photo. It looks like there are about 20 bills rolled up in the baggie and mine might hold a dozen bills (closer to 10 and not to 20) for the little Great-Nephews and Great-Nieces. The teller gave me a pack of ones to get started on, and said they only get new bills around Thanksgiving for gifts.
The two Color Catchers did catch some loose dyes for the International Sampler, and my plan is to send them along with a few more for the next wash. I am really a fan of how they work. This way, Jake's Daddy can see what they did and be more committed to using them. Some people always pre-wash quilts they give to others and I usually do not.
I was able to finish binding the quilt. This means all the holiday gifts that need to go out the week before T-day are completed and I can relax. Aprons and cookbooks are next. As I found out last time I was in to mail, the PO deadline for shipping-on-time-for-the-holidays is December 11, which means there is a little over 5 weeks remaining to get those two projects done. Its not that I can slack off because one of them isn't even cut out.
This quilt has proven to be difficult to photograph. Its one row longer than most lap quilts and is about the size of a twin. However, this is a good idea of what the blocks ended up looking like together. Before sending it, I want to round up the notes from my partners that were with each block they sent. And as a last part of sending this, it will go in the washer today with a couple of Color Catchers, just to make sure the colors don't bleed. After it is dry, I will check seams and look for loose threads. I am pleased with the green for the sashing and binding. The outside border is a golden fabric with Cardinals on it. Everything looks like it was planned!
I scrounged around the house and shifted some boxes so I don't need as many as I thought. I had a good size box that was holding those cut snippets of fabric, so made Rico another cat bed, which he claimed right away. I'll make a run later this afternoon and stop at one of the fabric stores in town. The owner tosses the boxes she gets out her back door and they are perfect. They are clean, free of adds outside the box and lighter weight.
Lately, my experiences show me how I make my life. Not a living by working and getting paid. I guess I never put a lot of value in that process even when I was actively living it. What I mean is how I make my life by what I do that brings me joy and maybe brings a smile to the lives of others. That is making a life.
I am at the stage or age in life where people around me are lifting off this plane of existence and moving on. I believe in re-incarnation and so believe that we transition and will see each other again. Especially if we have work to do together. I am not saying that it doesn't hurt to have someone leave, because it does. I am not saying it isn't scary to think of leaving myself, because it is.
What I am saying is that sooner or later things change and the real option we have is to make the best of every day and every relationship. Jake's quilt is almost finished. Soon enough, it will get wrapped for shipping and go off to him. Like most quilts I make, there are two sides to it. Mostly, what is seen is the back with all those cardinals. Cardinals to remind him of me, of times we stopped to listen and look for them.
As I worked on the quilt, I discovered a few seams that needed reinforcing and KNOW that because of the nature of this work, over time, the seams will come undone, ravel and make it look worn. I call this loving to shreds.
Books have been written that show us how this happens. And yet, in this culture, we forget sometimes.
The first quilt I made is fading and starting to fray. It is really cozy-comfy and in colors I LOVE. Yet, with all the ones I continue to make, I wonder if I will make another one and toss this one away?
These are the stitches of hand work, over and over and over again. As I made stitches all day and into the night, I thought how like forgiveness is a also a similar process. Its not a once-done-forever-Done kind of event but something that we make progress in much like hand binding a quilt or hand quilting it. We may be willing to forgive but not want to do it. Yet, if we keep doing it over and over until it becomes part of body memory, part of emotional memory, part of mental memory, it then becomes part of our spirit.
All of a sudden, like finishing a quilt, we find that forgiveness has been accomplished, even though it wasn't sudden and took work. Sometimes, like quilting, we feel a sharp pain. I finished the two blue table toppers and these brown and green tree wallhangings. Of course they need some button charms for the finishing touch. I plan to be in Bakersfield on Friday so will stop at JoAnn's for a couple of packages. Sewing them on might take a night and will add to their charm.
Jake's quilt is almost there too. The quilting is done on it and I thought I had fabric for the binding. That is my last step for this one and then its ready for shipping next month.
