Thursday, October 17, 2013

Some of This; Some of That

Giving a modern quilt guild program about hexagons, and teaching has been taking up a lot of my time, but I never give that time begrudgingly. I always enjoy sharing what I know - and don't know - about quilting. Even after 35 years of quiltmaking, I can pick up an occasional tip or new bit of knowledge. 

So, when I found some personal sewing time over the weekend (last weekend) I used it to catch up on some obligation sewing. 

This is Elizabeth's block for the October Mid-Century Modern Bee. We're "Mid-Century" because all 13 of us in the bee are 50 years old and better. Catch that word? "Better." For sure! 

Elizabeth selected a variety of blocks for us to sew, all of them in greens and Kona snow, because she's making Santa's Village. My block contribution is called Memory Star.
12-1/2" X 12-1/2" unfinished, and my signature block
Four of our Central Florida MQG chapter members are sewing BOM blocks being offered by Bay Area MQG. This month's block is Woven, and I like it.
12-1/2" X 12-1/2" unfinished
Also over the weekend I made a plain white bedskirt for the guest room bed. I've been wanting one since we moved here 16 months ago, and never got around to it. Yes, I could have bought a bedskirt, but I've seen only single-layer fabric ones that usually don't fit the bed very well. Mine's sewn with an old flat sheet in the middle (between the box springs and mattress). The outside of the skirt is white Kona, and it's lined with washed, bleached muslin. It took a little math to figure out how long to make each side, and then how frequently and how deep to sew each box pleat, but so worth it. At the end of this month, a special guest is visiting me from Switzerland and the room is ready for her! (The guest room quilt is Friendship Medallion, a free pattern from an Australian online shop that is no longer in business.)

Have you noted, as I have, that selvages are looking prettier? Riley Blake in particular is being creative with their color windows. When was the last time you saw a phone like that?!

Speaking of selvages... yesterday I led a three-hour workshop: "Salvage Those Selvages!" I shared with 11 women how to sew selvages to make two different, simple blocks. 
 

Some of the quilters came up with their own versions, admittedly "happy accidents," that looked better than the original! This is the kind of quilting creativity I really appreciate.

After sewing selvages to each 9" background square, the block could be trimmed to 8-1/2" for sewing into a square pillow. In this picture, not all the combination of blocks belong to one another, but they do look good, don't they? 

Such a nice group of women they were too! I went into the class previously knowing only one person, and left several hours later certain I made new friends. Thank you, quilters!

Now for something really random.

I have these metal bottle caps. They're from Seagrams "Great Escape" flavored beers. You know, the low-alcohol, super-sweet drinks that come in flavors like Black Cherry Fizz, Mango, and Strawberry Daiquiri? I've been saving them for months, for one obvious reason - those palms. The caps are too darned cute to toss out! But I can't think of a single thing I might do with them. Suggestions?

I will have more caps as I slowly progress through the case of Seagrams! Linda

20 comments:

  1. A special guest indeed!!! Have a lovely visit!

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  2. Beautiful! I have ordered many things from Ballarat - but never saw that pattern...I would love to make this one!

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  3. Alice, I would respond to your comment, but your blogger setting is "no reply," so I will tell you here that Friendship Medallion is NOT a Ballarat Patchwork design. It came from Therese Hylton of Pumpkin Patch.

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  4. Your blocks/work is wonderful...bottle caps are perfect for beading around...cuffs...jewelry...my friend makes wonderful jewelry from bottle caps...check out her work here:
    http://christinesbeadworks.blogspot.com/

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  5. Those selvedge blocks are amazing. I have a few tucked away, but not enough. Your guest room is wonderful! Enjoy your visit

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  6. Your guestroom looks so inviting and I'm sure Edith will be very comfortable in it. Your bed skirt looks very professionally made and you just whipped it up like that ;)!!! You are a clever one. I've just went to pin the woven block from the Bay Area MQG website. I love the look of woven quilts. Maybe one day!

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  7. HI - I was silly to assume it was Ballarat! They just had so many brilliant patterns (and they also just went out of business). Thanks for letting me know, though! I will try to sort out the 'no reply' thing, too.

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  8. I just love that quilt on your guest bed....so FLORIDA! Could you glue the bottle caps onto a serving tray and cover them with a piece of glass maybe?

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  9. The medallion quilt is so impressive on your guest bed, the white skirt adds to the charm (as well as the great headboard)! Your selvage blocks are wonderful, what a nice project to introduce to the ladies.
    The bottle caps? I at first thought of making magnets from them, but they would be cute as a table top for a side table or outdoor table top....
    :-}pokey

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  10. Everything looks fabulous !! Love the guest room.

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  11. Love the selvedge work and you're hosting Edith!
    Say hi from me please.

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  12. Linda I've been searching for a way to put together some Christmas blocks from an exchange and I think your star block might just be the perfect block to use for that...so glad you showed it. I have two small boxes of selvedges but haven't yet decided what to do with them. I don't need a pillow or a quilt either but am thinking more practically...a purse, an apron, etc. Something else I can't decide on! Blessings, Marlene

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  13. Hi Linda,
    Wow, what a bedroom. The quilt looks great. You're amazing-making a box pleated bed skirt.
    Also- google Lagerphone for something to do with your bottletops!
    Very Australian!

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  14. It looks great and Edith will enjoy her stay in "her" room. As for the bottle caps -- a serving tray or a table top would be neat to put them on under glass. Our new neighbors opened a wonderful bakery recently and their table tops are all done with bottle caps, coins, etc., underneath. They are really fun.

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  15. Your guest room looks beautiful and so inviting. Edith will simply love it. What a stunning quilt over your box-pleated bed skirt! You are really ambitious! The skirt completes the perfect look. I recognized the selvage block. Fun. I did a big Purple Zinger a few years back and love working with selvages, as you know.

    I like the idea of a glass top table or tray with the bottle caps. Perfect for a cocktail table on the deck/patio - especially at your place.

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  16. Hi
    Your guest room is gorgeous so bright and happy your guest will never want to go home.
    I love your selvage blocks, I have a whole box of selvages so maybe one day I will attempt one.
    Glad you are well and keeping so busy.
    Blessings Sandra

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  17. Idea for your bottle caps. If you have a small table top you can cover the top with caps and put a glass over it. Would make a cute table for your lanai!

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  18. O what a shame that Australian shop has gone out of business. I've always admired the Friendship Medallion quilt pattern and would have liked to do it one day. I wonder if I could still get their patterns from somewhere?

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  19. So that is why I never heard from her when I sent my quilt picture to her and requested the pattern for the final row. Your quilt looks very nice. Can you tell me how big to make the parts for the last row?
    The math of quilting always gives me fear!

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  20. Betty C - You are a no-reply commenter, so I am unable to answer your question. Please email me and provide your email address. (For future commenting, please consider changing your reply information in your profile.)

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