Post Retreat: Prioritizing WIPs

Retreat was wonderful! Due to a date change beyond our control, we had a different configuration of members, and two guests from the Jacksonville (Florida) MQG), for a total of 15 retreats. Each of us had opportunities to get to know new people, and become better acquainted with those we already knew. 

Also, something different for us this time was sharing dining room space with three other groups: 1) a small quilt group (I knew them from Big Cypress Quilters); 2) homeschool parents and kids (we've never retreated with children around!); and, 3) a church leadership group from South Florida.

II accomplished most of what I wanted, in between taking pictures of members who had "tah-dah" moments when I snapped their picture and put it on Instagram. Go here if you'd like to see some finished quilt tops, and our great group photo. Everyone posed with a rotary cutter or scissors, "cutting" themselves or their neighbor! 

In three whole days of sewing, my only tah-dah was this completed Plus Quilt top, an easy piecing job. I'll be sandwiching, quilting, and binding it to donate to Children's Home Society of Florida.

I pieced more Sunny blocks and I love how they look! I need to make 100 more blocks!

The first blocks were foundation paper pieced through newsprint paper, so when I ran out of those, I tried Tara Faughnan's method of using regular printer paper, a dab of glue, and folding back on the lines to edge stitch (no paper to remove). I'm not sure which method I prefer, but I do have a lot of newsprint I need to use-up.

I also pieced all 98 blocks for the Bonnie Lass quilt. Setting triangles for the sides need to be cut before I can complete that top. 

Assessing where I'm at, I now have EIGHT WIPs! Good grief!

Needing to prioritize these projects, the modern potholder quilt (on the design wall) is number one on the to-do list. Binding each block is taking more time than I anticipated - 15 are bound; 26 to go.

The reason it's taking so long is that I'm piecing Pewter-color fabric into many of the bindings, so the Pewter curve appears continuous. It's tedious to do this, getting the curve right, and making it single-fold. There's been as much unsewing as sewing. 

Block made by Maureen @maydecemberquilts

But I know, in the end, this will be worth the effort. 

Top block by Jane @gonequiltinginfl
Center left block by Maureen @maydecemberquilts with my hand appliqué added
Center right block by Betty @zcabed

As for the other WIPs...

• I've been hand-quilting the 2023 "30 Days of Improv" since last fall.
• Last week I pin-basted two quilts (Minimal (Ha!)), and an Honor Flight quilt top I was asked to quilt. 
• To piece Glitter and Bonnie Lass into tops I need design wall space. One design wall is not enough!

Book Recommendations

Bewilderment by Richard Powers is about a special nine year-old boy, Robin, who's the son of astrobiologist Theo. They're both struggling through life changes since the sudden death of their mother/wife. Robin is not coping well. Several incidences at school cause school administrators to recommend psychoactive drugs. For a while, Theo copes with Robin by homeschooling him, but then turns to a friend of his wife whose experimental neurofeedback test might be just what Robin needs. 

Using recorded tests of Robin's mother, Robin's treatment gradually turned him into a changed boy who's energetic, engaged, artistic, inquisitive, and full of potential. When government control and investigation conspire to shut down the testing program, everything changes. 

Though much of the scientific and technical aspects of this story went over my head, and political perspectives were woven into the story, it was a compelling listen.

Linda's score: 4.1/5.0

Darling Girls by Sally Hepworth is about several young girls in child welfare. Jessica, Norah, and Alicia stayed at Wild Meadows, an English farming estate with a foster mother, Miss Fairchild. The three are now grown women whose experiences with Miss Fairchild forged their relationship of protecting one another, and made them sisters in every sense of the word.

The house at Wild Meadows has been demolished to build a McDonald's, and a child's body is unearthed. All three women must leave Melbourne and return to Port Agatha to meet with police investigators. Each of them is dealing with some life difficulty of their own making - drug use; relationship avoidance; lewd behavior - all of which are coping responses to what Miss Fairchild put them through decades ago. 

The unexpected plot twist at the end, once again proves Hepworth skill at delivering an engaging tale of wrong behavior, mistreatment, and it consequences.

Linda's score: 4.2/5.0

Something Different

While on retreat I learned about the Mountain Dulcimer Club where my quilt-y friend, Anne plays her dulcimer. Intriguing! On Tuesday I skipped Big Cypress Quilters and visited. I didn't know what that instrument(s) sounded or looked like, so if you're curious like I was, take a quick look/listen. I created this 32-second YouTube clip of a regular dulcimer followed by a hammered dulcimer.

At this time, I'm not planning to join the club, but I'm considering attending a beginner class where I can borrow a dulcimer to try. For now, playing the ukulele is enough. Linda

Three Day Retreat Plans

Whenever I'm going on retreat, I assess which WIPs are candidates for taking along. Over the years I've learned that it's best not to machine quilt while on retreat because there's never enough even surface space to support a quilt. I've discovered - to my dismay - that quilts I've quilted while on retreat finish distorted or wonky. My home set-up is ideal for domestic machine quilting (large tables to support a large quilt) so it's best not to mess with a good thing.

And not wanting to haul piles of stash on retreat to cut out projects, I've been cutting and cutting so I can simply sit and sew during most of retreat. 

Always on the look-out for a good scrap quilt - so I can "scarp my scraps" 😀 (lookin' at you, Char!) - I opened my copy of the book Quilt Lovely by Jen Kingwell, and quickly chose the design "Bonnie Lass." Entirely from my scrap bins, I cut 400 low volume neutrals, and 400 prints in all colors. I should end up with a 59" X 67" quilt.

Also, as luck would have it, Tara Faughnan (Did you know she'll be the keynote speaker at QuiltCon 2025 in Phoenix?) released a new pattern for a quilt I have admired for several years.

"Sunny" is foundation paper pieced. Honestly, when I first saw it, I liked it so much I attempted to duplicate it in EQ8. Well that was a futile attempt! Happily for me, the pattern was released last Thursday - on sale too! - and I snatched it up. 

It's felt very rewarding to dig into my almost-empty large bin of solid fat quarters, some remaining from 2022 when I won all 100 colors of Benartex Superior Solids, to cut pieces. I'm also using-up leftover chunks (bigger than scraps) of other brands of solids. I feel so frugal! 😉

I sewed these blocks during Central Florida MQG's Saturday Sew-In, and I sure like them.

I'll be taking along parts to make 34 "Sunny" blocks.

Since I'm participating in Jeni Baker's (In Color Order) Quilt Along to make a "Plus Quilt" I cut blocks to piece. I'm not following Jeni's table of block size options, but have cut all my pieces 5" X 5". I should end up with a 40½ " X 54" quilt -a nice size for a child. 

After three full days of retreat sewing (I tend to burn the midnight oil) I hope to come home with two completed quilt tops: "Bonnie Lass" and "Plus Quilt"; and make a good start on "Sunny."

As quilters do, everything for sewing time is prepped and packed - including cleaning and oiling, and putting a new needle in my Bernina 440. Now it's time to pack clothes and personal items! Ha! Don't admonish me! Priorities, right? I know you get retreat-ready the same way I do.  Linda

End of April

I used up more stashed fabric in April than I took in. The 8.14 yards I took in were:

• one-yard of Kona from Hancock's of Paducah (when I visited that store), and
• fabric that was on sale from Linda's Electric Quilt in McKinney, Texas.

From Linda's, I bought in advance of need but I now have a wideback (orange-yellow swirl) so I can sandwich my 152-block Glitter Quilt (when I get the blocks joined), and aqua Grunge yardage to back the Like Totally Quilt (the Seattle MQG's BOM I'm participating in) when it's a quilt top. 

Fabric used-up was for piecing the blue ("Minimal, Ha!" - That just might become its name!) quilt top and backing; making the Vetch Pillow; and piecing BOM blocks for a total of 10.69 yards of fabric used. So my net fabric used-up was 2.54 yards. I'm still headed the right direction!

Did you know that Jeni Baker of In Color Order is hosting a Quilt Along to make a "Plus Quilt"? It just started. The Plus Quilt Along Week 1 post was about selecting fabrics. 

I decided to join so I can make a quilt to donate to Children's Home Society of Florida when Big Cypress Quilters hosts its annual baby shower in October. I often keep boys in mind, when I make a child's quilt.

If you want to join the Along, it's not too late. Plus Quilt Along Week 2 instructions about cutting were just released this morning. You can also find info on Jeni's Instagram account: @jenib320 

This past week I have been helping my quilty-friend in Oregon, Martha at QuilttotheEdge.blogspot,com make her first Kawandi! I gave her instructions, and she really took off, stitching her first round in just a couple days. She plans to make several place mats.

Martha's Kawandi start

While there are several positive outcomes from sharing something new with a quilter - particularly with a quilter who's also a friend! - one aspect is that the teacher often learns from the student. Martha did that for me when she shared a picture of how she's keeping herself organized, using a 12" X 18" Omnigrid Foldaway Cutting and Pressing Station as a work surface while she's stitching. And it's a storage spot when she isn't work on it. I love it! 

Using Martha's idea, I'm stitching along with her to make my 14th Kawandi.

Mine uses solids-only scraps in colors that coordinate with an Anna Maria Horner print on the back. 

Book Recommendations

From Hoopla, I checked-out a “boxed set” that are the first four books (11 hours) in the Lexy Baker Cozy Mysteries by Leighann Dobbs. These mysteries are about Lexy who owns the local bakery, and manages to regularly find a dead body.

She lives in her grandmother’s house because Nans has moved into a retirement home. There, Nans is a member of the Ladies Detective Club, a group of four women who solve cases using their iPads, decoding skills, and occasional car trips.

In book one, Lexy meets the handsome detective Jake, who happens to be her backyard neighbor. As their relationship develops, Lexy has as "in" on cases, but she has to keep her sleuthing from Jake who reminds her that what she’s doing is dangerous.

All the books are little too-o sweet and predictable, like a Hallmark story. Even the outcome of the Las Vegas baking competition, in book three, is foreseeable. My favorite parts are the recipes given at the end. I jotted down two of them to try: Black Bean Brownies, and Biscotti.

Linda’s score: 3.6/5.0

The Vaster Wilds by Lauren Groff follows the path of a teenaged girl who's fleeing a fort on the St. James River where the harsh winter has left people diseased, starving, and resorting to cannibalism to survive.

The girl, who's a servant, is sure she's being pursued, so must depend on the few possessions she's stolen - new boots, a hatchet, knife, flint, two cloaks, gloves, and a veil - and her wiles to plunge into the wilderness and escape. The entire book follows her course, as she's starving, freezing, resourceful, and unfortunate.  

For my tastes, this story was too esoteric, soley aimed at observing the great outdoors and the whims of nature. I kept anticipating the moment the girl's situation would improve or resolve, but the end was more of the same, though with some insightful reflections on life and how we choose to live it.

Linda's score: 3.7/5.0

In April, of the seven books I listened to, I gave these a score of 4.0 or higher:

• Go As a River, Shelly Read, 4.4
• Things You Save in a Fire, Katherine Center, 4.3
• Heart Land, Kimberly Stuart, 4.2

Saturday, April 27 at 8:37 in the evening, we stepped outside and looked to the skies over our house to see another Falcon 9 rocket launch at Cape Canaveral. 

It was a good view, but within seconds it had traveled quickly away from our location. It's still remarkable to get to see. 

I'm prepping for an upcoming quilt retreat, so lots of rotary cutting is happening here. Linda

Modern Potholder Quilt

In January I posted about organizing a Modern Potholder Group Quilt. I invited 15 US quilt makers to make improv rectangle and square blocks using a specific color palette of five Painter's Palette solids. 

All 15 quilt makers came through for me by the April 12 deadline I set! Those quilt makers are:

Karen @sunrayatplay
Jane @gonequiltinginflorida
JoElla @jemquilter
Betty @zcabed
Rosemary @franticquilter
Cassandra @cassandra.beaver
Kathy @kathycookquilts
Maureen @maydecemberquilts
Patty @elmstreetquilts
Debbie @aquilterstable
Candi @candipursuits
Charlotte @kirkenoll
Sherry @otterbeequilting
Elizabeth @apiecefullife
Clara @bimbambuki_blog

According to instructions I provided, each of them made one or two rectangle-shaped blocks. They're improv-pieced, and improv big stitch hand quilted (with white thread), and are not bound. I received 22 blocks. 

They also made one or two square blocks which are plain with only improv hand quilting. I received 20 of those.

Then I spent ten days arranging, and rearranged and rearranged blocks every day, coming up with nine different layouts. A few of them are...  

I think most of the designs didn't look appealing because of the square blocks. Those darker Sulphur-colored ones (at the bottom) have been troublesome.

After angsting over each layout (designing still does not come easily to me), I finally came to the conclusion that those square blocks were not helping. When I removed most of them from the design, I felt much better about the layout. So, for now I'll focus on this section. I anticipate using the squares around the perimeter in a different way. More to come about that! 

Each potholder block needs to be bound, so for now I'm starting with that. After reading-up about making a potholder quilt, I learned that weight can be a concern when hand-stitching blocks together. For that reason, I'm making single-fold binding. I'm cutting binding 1¼" wide.

At first I thought to choose binding colors to suit each block, similar to this.

But the more I played with blocks and thought about the trend we're seeing - using stripes in modern quilts - I consider striped binding. Wouldn't a gray and white stripe binding look good? Better than black and white stripe, a gray stripe would suit the Pewter-colored curved insert in each block. But I don't have a gray stripe in my stash.

However... 💡

When I looked at the back side of a black and white striped print, I knew it was "just right." And the fact that this striped fabric is printed on the diagonal is a bonus. 

So this is what I'm working on now. Sewing lots of binding to blocks with the wrong side of the black and white stripe showing! (Don't ask me how many times I've already sewed a strip upside down and had to unstitch!)

The bound block on the left is JoElla's. The bound block on the right is Maureen's.

I'm using my favorite "No Tails Binding: Mitered Corners by Machine" method. If you're an MQG member, you can view the webinar to learn this method, HERE.

Can I just say... I'm getting pretty good at binding! It helps that I custom-made a ⅝"-wide cardboard template so I can draw and sew the perfect mitered corner. 

These are ready for hand-stitching binding to the back. 

A special thanks to Rosemary @franticquilt who suggested I piece Pewter-colored fabric into some of the bindings. Well this is gonna be extra work fun! 😀 

After a consultation with members of Central Florida MQG, during our Saturday Sew-In, I am also considering adding strategically-placed appliquéd bias tape to some of the blocks. In the meantime, you'll find me happily making binding! Linda

Pillow Finish, Backing Pieced

I'm delighted with my finished "Vetch Cushion," so-named by Jo Avery of @joaverystitch. I took Jo's online Organic Improv Appliiqué lessons to piece this 20" X 20" square pillow. The background is improv-cut and pieced, followed by hand cut (no template) leaves and rotary cut bias stem that are hand-appliquéd. Quilting is also by hand using several colors of size 12 Wonderfil Spagetti perle cotton. 

The texture created by perle cotton is just yummy. 

I quilted through the pillow front and a single layer of Quilter's Dream Request batting. Here's what the pillow top looked like from the back. I quilted an improv plaid pattern by following straight lines randomly drawn  with a Hera marker at 45-degree angles across the pillow front. 

For the pillow back I used a pretty speckled aqua-blue linen. And of course, I bound the pillow with a black and white stripe.

As I finished making this pillow, I realized it's the third one I've made following one of Jo's patterns. All three are improv designs and include linen. Each pillow has a different place in our home. 

Lately, I pieced a 70" X 76" quilt back for the "minimal" (ha!) quilt top I recently finished. Inspiration came from Kelly Young's My Quilt Infatuation book Perfectly Pieced Quilt Backs. This backing design is called "Toppling Tower." I'm delighted to have used another 3.81 yards of fabric to make it.

Must ask... did you notice the blue spot in the middle-lower left? 

Apparently, as I was rotary cutting a strip of fabric, another already-cut strip was underneath. Eek! I accidentally made a small cut in that strip.  

But I fixed it! I used an Applipop ring to cut and turn under the edge of a fabric circle from a scrap of Blueberry Park. I hand-appliquéd it over my boo-boo. Doesn't it give the quilt back a spot (ha, ha) of character! 

Book Recommendation

A Thousand Heartbeats by Kiera Cass is a fairy tale about Princess Annika living a cushy but challenging life since the disappearance of her mother, and her father's change to a sullen, demanding king. For the sake of their country, he wants her to marry a man she doesn't love. Annika's brother, her maid servant, and the castle's librarian are her closest friends who understand what she's facing.

Not far away, Lennox is a young man who is determined to prove himself to the ruthless man who's leading their country. Lennox's father is dead, and his mother seems to have abandoned him. Yet Lennox is loyal to his country and wants to restore the kingdom that was stolen from them. 

When Annika and Lennox cross paths, swords are drawn. A battle ensues. Each is determined to defend her/his countrymen. It isn't until a storm rages, and Annika and Lennox are forced to seek shelter, that they learn about each other's past. Both have a different perspective on their country's history. Feelings aroused, they realize they need each other, and eventually learn they have more in common than they were told.

I intentionally selected a Kiera Cass book to read because several years ago I enjoyed her series called The Selection. While I liked that series better than this stand-alone book, A Thousand Heartbeats was still a nice break into utter fantasy. And refreshingly, without cussing, and sexual relations. 

Linda's score: 3.9/5.0

Have you ever Googled your own name to see what comes up? I did recently and was surprised to see a number of my quilts on various sites, with a few on Pinterest.

I came across this picture posted to the eQuilter blog by Luana Rubin. She superimposed my maximalist quilt, Feelin' Groovy (she gave me credit) onto a fabric line of 24 "Gradation" ombré fabrics by Caryl Bryer Fallert-Gentry. Doesn't it look cool? Note that she "bound the photo" with a black and white stripe.

Luana commented "The black-and-white-and-color trend is ongoing and mutating."

I couldn't agree more. For my Feelin' Groovy quilt, I used many different colors of stripes in the body of the design, and two different widths of black and white stripes as binding. Apparently she noticed.

I'm just now realizing how often I'm turning to a stripe to add pizazz to a quilt. What I'm working on now has a stripe. I'll share more in my next blog post. Linda