Strawberry Fizz and Lime Pop

It was slow quilting the past couple weeks to finish 78" X 78" "Strawberry Fizz and Lime Pop." Actually, it isn't completely finished, as three sides of binding remain to be hand sewn down.

The problem with this quilt is that I lost the love I initially felt when I made the spontaneous decision to join the Blogger's BOM in September 2011. In the beginning, being uber-enthusiastic, I decided to make two of each month's 12-1/2" X 12-1/2" block!

When I chose fabrics, I was just beginning to explore modern quilting. Hence, my decision to use Kona Ash and Kona White as background. Important decisions arose when it came time to put the blocks together. My first thought was to join the blocks with sashing - the usual ho-hum. Then, trying to push the envelope toward modern, I thought to "float" the blocks with sashing fabric that matched the block background.

Thinking about modern being asymmetrical, I decided to arrange the blocks like this. Some are on point and some are not.

The quilt center languished until it was my turn to choose a block for the Mid-Century Modern Bee. In May 2013, I asked for this 9-1/2" X 12-1/2" block with Kona Ash, Kona white, and assorted strawberry and lime prints. Again, I was aiming for a more modern finish to the quilt.

Using my bee mates' blocks as borders, I completed the quilt top. Again, it languished.

I finally began quilting in May. Using my Pfaff Grand Quilter and the ruler work foot, I quilted straight lines with my Fine Line Ruler.

The rest of the quilting was entirely free-form. No marking whatsoever to make the job faster. I've been all about getting this finished!

I'm breathing a sigh of relief to have this off my UFO list. Though I don't have a purpose for the quilt, maybe after enjoying it for a while, I'll donate it... hoping that MCM friends who contributed to the quilt won't mind.

Quilt back, with signature blocks

In spite of my determination to finish this project, I still procrastinated about sitting at the machine to quilt. A couple evenings ago, because I had the strong urge to sew something, I made this pillowcase dress.

It's a size 2-4 following this tutorial. I intend to donate it, and a few more, to Dress a Girl Around the World. Making this was so satisfying, not only because I used stash fabrics and it will go to a child in need, but it was just plain fun to make something girly. I don't have a reason to do that. Ever.

Later today I'll be welcoming DIL Lyn, and two grandsons for a week-long visit! I bought this darling Bernina Artista 230 sewing machine from my friend, Lora, as a gift for Lyn, who has never sewn. I can't wait to give it to her. I only hope I can refrain myself from wanting to teach her everything at once!

Getting ready for their visit, I thought you'd like to see how flexible my sewing room can be.

Sewing room

I intentionally chose changeable pieces like this, rather than built-ins, so when needed this room becomes a nursery! Seventeen month-old LJ will sleep here. His changing table is my ironing table, raised higher on Ikea saw horses, and covered with a colorful quilt. I love it, and even the woman who delivered the rented furniture (crib, high chair, and a car seat), commented on how cute it is. 

Nursery

Oh! And if you haven't yet voted in the Blogger's Quilt Festival, please do so by May 29. You can vote for three quilts in each category, and I'd appreciate your votes for domestic machine quilted, Shapes; and small, Flower Ball; and modern, Ad Libbing quilt that Lora entered for us. Thanks! Linda

Two Finishes

Life has been in full swing around here as I find myself more and more involved in quilting activities. Besides teaching two, five-week First Time Quiltmaking classes in July and September, I'll also be teaching two, one-time, six-hour free motion quilting workshops in September and October. All four of these classes are through the Lifelong Learning College. Classes are open to anyone - you don't have to be a Villages resident.

As well, I am in the midst of writing and getting photo permissions for a magazine article about modern quilts inspired by artwork. It's expected to be in the November issue of American Quilter magazine.

In between times, there's still twice-weekly line dancing, stitchery group, Bible study, occasional visits to the pool, and activities related to two quilting guilds - including the Central Florida MQG of which I am now acting president. CFMQG has just announced a different meeting location, a meeting date move to the second Monday night of the month, and we're in the midst of finalizing and voting on bylaws. Whew.

This wonderful stuff means time away from sewing room progress, so I squeeze in what I can.

After seeing this Spicy Spiral table runner in blog post on SewWeQuilt, I found a YouTube video showing how to make it, and figured it out for myself. It's not identical to the pattern, but close enough, and I definitely like how it looks on our table.

We're accenting our great room - entryway, living area, chat corner, kitchen and eating area - with spicy orange, and I like that color pop. In the runner you'll see some Carolyn Friedlander "Architextures," Denyse Schmidt prints, and Laura Gunn "Painter's Canvas."

Again, I used that great 505 basting spray, and then quilted simple, straight lines near all the long seams.

A couple weeks ago I finished this hand embroidery following an Australian magazine pattern using linen fabric and six strands of Cosmo embroidery thread for backstitching. 

Matryoshka doll pillow, 11" X 13"

I used Derwent Coloursoft pencils to color-in the embroidery, giving the dolls some depth.

I don't have any June BOM blocks to sew (I'm the Queen Bee this month in my Mid-Century Modern Bee) so I decided to surprise Susan by sending her a 12" block I made according to her recent blog post about another bee she's in. I'm not in her bee, so I hope she doesn't mind! The block is so pretty, and I just couldn't resist sending her a little bit of Florida.

Healthwise, I'm doing great. The keep-cancer-away drug I'm on (Arimidex) hasn't cause any noticeable side effects, and I've been able to maintain my weight - and even lost a couple pounds - after the doc told me that Arimidex would likely cause a six to eight pound weight gain by July. I'm closely monitoring what I eat, since this is the only thing about breast cancer I can control.

To focus more on the nutritional value of what I eat, I've become "a juicer." The juicing machine was a big investment, but a Bed, Bath and Beyond 20 percent off coupon helped a lot - like $76 off! I chose this Omega 350 after much online reading and watching a Youtube demonstration.

The first time I used it, I managed to clog it, but "reverse" worked to easily back out of it. That taught me to be more careful about the size of the celery and carrot pieces I put in. One of the first drinks I prepared was this Dr. Oz Green Smoothie. With a few shakes of salt (I have low blood pressure, so salt is okay) it was yum! And it was really this green! Pretty, isn't it? Other drinks, made with kale, don't look as good. I'm still trying to figure out how to put the pulp to good use. I've tasted "crackers" made with pulp, and they're quite good, but don't want to buy a dehydrator.

Thankfully, there's no uncertainty about anything quilt-related! I'm gung-ho on a new quilt by one of my favorite designers, Emma of Ballarat Patchwork in Australia. Emma is so talented! She designed "Snowflake Medallion," the quilt for which I won a Bernina sewing machine last year. I'm hoping this new pattern will have the same magical effect on my quiltmaking! I'm really happy with the colorful fabrics I pulled for it. More pictures as I progress.

Linda

Friday Flaunt - Apron and Stockings

From the title of my post, you might think I'm making clothes for myself! Perhaps I am making clothes if you call a handyman apron clothing. I do expect the apron to prove so useful it will be something I regularly wear. I came across the "Retro Handyman's Apron" pattern on the Olfa website.

Being a bit barmy for palm trees, this print, purchased last year at Rainbow's End quilt shop in Dunedin, Florida, proved perfect for the apron pockets. The blue tone-on-tone fabric is another favorite: "Satinesque" by Patrick Lose. I'm pretty sure I thoroughly own it... in eight colorways! Rick-rack adds a nice touch. As I often do, you'll note I made the striped binding on the diagonal.

I sewed several sizes of pockets on the front, customizing them to suit the tools I want handy: rotary cutters, snips, tape measurer, 1" X 6" ruler, wash-out marker, and Chaco-liner. I'll probably poke a pencil in too.
If you make this pattern my suggestion would be to cut the pocket as a single piece, then fold it wrong sides together. The instructions have you cut two fabric pieces and in the next step sew them back together again making a top seam onto which you top-stitch rick-rack. (Huh?)

As for the stockings part of my post, it's another of the "Season of Grace" BOM by author Emilie Richards and quilter Pat Sloan. September's stocking is "redwork." Stitched words could be anything we choose, so my BOM-swap partner Mary and I agreed on "Peace on earth" (her words), and "Goodwill to all". Instead of redwork, our work is DMC #3799.

I've learned that when you're embroidering small words, the stem stitch doesn't work so well. Yes, I completely stem-stitched "Goodwill" and then unstitched it. Small words such as these are more legible in backstitch. There's always something new to learn, isn't there?

A post script for those of you who may be curious about my "Friday Flaunt." Friday Flaunt is the brainchild of Cinzia White, an Aussie who belongs to the Yahoo chat group, "Quilting Down Under," as I do. Cinzia suggested that QDU bloggers post a weekly flaunt of their quilting projects. Knowing that every Friday other quilters will be looking for one's weekly quilt-y productivity is great motivation!

Find links to all 19 Friday Flaunters here.

A Season of Grace Christmas BOM #5

My Tuesday "I can't wait" happened. Summer arrived. And with a vengeance! The temperature reached 90 F (32 C) and today the forecast is 91 F (33 C). Now that may not sound too awful, but add to the temperature humidity at 91 percent and you have the makin's for misery, as soon as you step outside. This wavy head of hair has turned to complete frizz.

To avoid turning on the air-conditioner for as long as possible, I hunkered down in my cool basement sewing room. Though not quite ready to think Christmas, the Emilie Richards/Pat Sloan June BOM of the "A Season of Grace" needed making.

As usual, I made two identical blocks: one for (Blogless) Mary and one for me. Will this do, Mary?

Fingers in Many Pies

My body is slowly, reluctantly, flip-flopping to US time. Gosh, I even slept in this morning until 4:00 a.m! Thankfully, my productivity levels are still running high, so I've been able to dabble in a variety of things. Perhaps it's time for me to create a WIPs (Works In Progress) blog list to hold me accountable for finishing all I've begun.

I've cut out the "Snowflake Medallion," quilt from Ballarat Patchwork in Ballarat, Victoria, Australia.

I'm playing catch-up with the Season of Grace BOM (Block Of the Month) "Advent Christmas Stocking" quilt by author Emilie Richards and quilter Pat Sloan. It began in February.

I'm creating a home i-Movie production, combining photos and video from our five weeks in Australia and New Zealand. "Australia Revisited" is an hour and a half long. Watch for it at your local theater.

And I'm working, writing two articles. One piece is for "Quilter's Newsletter" magazine about the February 7 Victoria, Australia bushfires, and the quiltmaking relief efforts that are underway.

These are some of the quilts that have been collected at Eaglehawk Primary School in Bendigo, Victoria.

The other piece is about New Zealand, for the travel section of the "Des Moines Register" newspaper.

New Zealand has the most magnificent, varied scenery on earth. Here we are tramping on the beautiful Franz Josef Glacier on the west coast of New Zealand's south island.

This is where I was when I tore ligaments in my knee. Five weeks ago, and it's still a swollen ouch.

Sitting in a chair to sew and write doesn't sound like a bad idea.