Greetings, Quilt Fans

I partially figured out my problem, so let's see if I can add some pics today.

First, some hand piecing.  From the back...

From the front.

My first applique label.  I only had a bit of selvage left so I machine stitched that onto the label first, inked the rest of the label and then appliqued it.  You can biggie size any of the pictures by tapping with your mouse.  A doll quilt for a little girl named Arabella from the Arabella fabric line a bit ago.  She got it yesterday and she was very happy even though she did not understand about the incredible story of having a fabric line named for her. 

Will quit here for today.  Hope you are well.  Oh, by the way, There is a glitch somewhere for Hummingbird Highway, so please click on Hummingbird Highway on my blog list, then find Winging It blog on her site to get the new postings.  I updated all the info, but it does not link to the new site.  Sorry!  Also I added Susan Branch--love her stuff--very down to earth, cool stuff.  Check her out! 

See you again soon!💖

Blissful, if distant. hugs,

Sharon

Happy New Year!

Although long silent, I am glad to report that I am still here.  While still some lasting (so far) impairment, I have made progress! For the moment I cannot figure out how to add photos, so I will describe what skills I am glad to see a glimpse of.

First, I've been able to hand APPLIQUE my sleeves and complete labels to my quilts and to hand finish binding.  It takes a bit longer than before...but it's better than nothing and looks like my old stitching.

Second, I hand pieced a full hexagon block with pass-throughs, circled eight seams to finish another block. Again, very slow going but the points and stitches are the same as before the stroke.

I am able to pin better, which has increased my accuracy.

I can rotary cut better, still only right handed, but it's easier to leap frog my left hand on the ruler and hold it; I rarely use the flat iron to hold the end of the ruler, and that is only on my 24". 

Counted cross stitch is keeping me entertained. Getting more control and a better looking back.

Still knitting but better.  Shawl started again and looks much better.

Have made close to 400 masks.  I remember joking about Halloween fabrics when we started making them in March!  Who knew we would need Christmas, too.

Had a bit of mask fabric in my bag and have started a mask quilt using 3.5" squares of all the mask fabrics alternating with a light blue speckle.  60 x 72 inches and about half done.  No borders, just blocks to the edge.  

As soon as I can figure out the pictures I will show you all this stuff and more.  Also updating Hummingbird Highway's info on blog.  She has moved her blog and you can read all the posts we have been missing.  I'll try to be more frequently here this year. 

Stay safe, wear your mask in public (correctly), socially distance and stay home when you can.  Let's get rid of Covid 19 in both iterations early this year.  All the best for 2021 to you and your family.

As Arnold Schwarzenegger says:  "I'll be back."  Threat or promise to be determined!

Distant, blissful hugs,

Sharon

Six More

Blocks cut and marked. Lots of fussy-cutting...yippee!

Fussy Cutting

Why is it that I never tire of fussy cutting fabric?  These horses were a perfect fit for these 1.5 inch hexagons.  I am embarking on a hexagon journey to make almost 200 3-inch finished hexagon blocks for a fairly large quilt.  I am using the theme of "These are a few of my favorite things" and this was the first block I did.  I have around 50 done now.  The fabrics for each block are chosen independent of others that have been made.  If variety is the spice of life, this quilt will be TANGY!

Enjoy your Labor Day!

Blissfully,
Sharon

A Tumbling Blocks Flimsy

Tumbling Blocks.  Super easy to do by hand, even with the "dreaded" Y-seam.  It's so easy to get a 3D look with just one template!

These diamonds finish at 1.5 inches per side.  They are assembled into units of 3 (easy to take with you) and can then be arranged and sewn together.  

The best part?  The neatness on the back!  Did you know that if you press each 3-piece unit exactly the same (clockwise or counterclockwise) the units fit together with opposing seams?  Who knew!?!?

Notice the furling of the seam allowances where six seams meet.  No bulk!

Even the unit seams furl (see furl at right below).  Notice the "trimmed" seam allowances?  Again, no bulk, and no shadowing of a dark fabric under a light.  I do trim both light and dark to reduce bulk and to make it easier to quilt (hand or machine).  Just be sure to NOT trim light and dark on the same seam.  That just gives you the same problems with less seam allowance ;-)  

Have I mentioned how much I love hand piecing?  Contrary to popular opinion, it's faster than setting in seams by machine and it's so portable.  Have you tried it yet?  (This is not EPP; no whip stitching involved or basting over paper, etc.)

Blissful hugs,
Sharon

Even Smaller Thimbles

These things are so much fun!  This is hand pieced with 1-3/8 inch finished thimbles (measuring from top to bottom), and machine quilted in turquoise thread.  Because of the smaller scale, I decided to quilt 1/8 inch from each seam line.  (Note:  On the larger thimbles/tumblers, I machine quilted 1/4 inch from each seam line.)  The fabrics are from Juniper Berry by BasicGrey.  (Love that line and their new Christmas one as well!)

The back.  A bit more "Christmas-y" than the front (Jingle by Kate Spain).  Because I had cut the front so that the directional fabrics all faced the same way, I needed to make some kind of hanging method, but I also needed something that would lie flat if I decided to use it on a table.  Check this out!

While checking out a new-to-me blog, I took a look at the tutorials of Laurraine Yuyama.  The directions for adding these quick, easy, and flat hangers are linked here (just click on her name to go directly to the directions).  The only things I did differently are that I didn't topstitch the folds, and I only added the triangles to the top edge.  I stuck my ruler in so that you can see where a dowel can be inserted as a hanger!  Works great on smaller pieces, but I wouldn't do this on something too wide (not enough support in the middle).

In the second photo above, you can just barely see the corner triangles when they are not filled with the dowel.  Perfect finish for those of us who can't make up our mind on hanging or not hanging a piece!

While you are Laurraine's site also check this out:  https://patchworkpottery.blogspot.com/2016/09/hollyhocks.html.  This was my introduction to Laurraine's blog and I still love it!  

Okay, that's it for today.  It's been hot and humid with even more of both forecast for tomorrow.  Stay cool (in the temperature sense; you are already too cool for words in real life!).

Blissful hugs,
Sharon

Something New

I just can't help myself!

Another start

A Small Flimsy

Small is good...and fast. I've finally learned to do small projects when I need process pics for handouts. The processes are exactly the same whether big or small. So this afternoon I cut, marked and hand pieced this pretty and have all the pictures done.

Not to mention making and basting five quilt labels. Now I can hand sew them as I have time.

Not too shabby for a Monday!

Solstice

This piece just needed the binding and a label at the end of last year.  So it has become my second finish of 2017.  

Using 1.5 inch hexagons, this was hand pieced (not EPP) and hand quilted.  It uses the Solstice line of fabrics from Kate Spain.  All the fabric is from that line.  

Solstice, the black horse, was my original healing horse and I thought Solstice fabric was perfect for her.  Along came Willow, who is also a healing horse, but the name of the quilt will stay Solstice.  (Who knew that I would find one healing horse, let alone two!)

The label is actually the last 5" square that I had left from a charm pack.  I used the wrong side of it to make the label.  In this case, I machine stitched the right and bottom sides of the label in with the binding and hand stitched the other two.  Quick and easy.

Thanks for visiting!

Blissful hugs,
Sharon

What's In Your To-Go Bag?

I know it's a not so well kept secret that I love hand piecing (okay, hand applique and hand quilting too).  Having recently changed to a larger purse, I wondered if I could make a hand piecing kit that was not bulky, but carried everything I needed, without resorting to a tote bag.

On Etsy, I found this Open Wide zipper pouch.  The horses were a bonus!  It's extremely well-made.  Here's the link to Denise's shop: Hot4Handbags.

When opened, look how well you can see in!  No more Braille method of finding what's in my bag!

A bit closer look inside.  And still room for the project to grow or to add other things.  I am not adding cutters or markers, templates, etc. to this bag.  Everything is ready to go and sew.

And here is what was in it.  Post-its and a pen, rows of cut and marked pieces clipped together, one row ready to pin and stitch, a small tin, and a dumpling bag.

In the tin are a spool of thread, small scissors, a finger pincushion with my favorite hand piecing pins, a thimble and a packet of needles.  Neat, tidy, no rummaging in the bigger bag for what I need.  In the dumpling bag are Clover Mini Clips.  Also note how small this piece is and yet how wide it opens.

The whole big bag fits in my purse and I can sew anywhere!  My suspicion is that the bag is just big enough to lay in my lap and be used to elevate my work or park things on.

What do you carry in your to-go bag?

Blissful hugs,
Sharon

P.S.  I actually cropped all these photos very nicely and now cannot find them.  Oh, well.  Technology.  Did you know that I hand sew quite a bit ;-)

P.P.S.  Jocelyn, time is running out to claim your prize!  Please email me.