7 million stitches

Seven million…..7,000,273 stitches on my sweet 16 machine.  I bought it in January of 2013.  How many miles of thread would that be? How many spools of thread? Those would all be interesting numbers and bigger numbers than my brain can handle.  How many quilts have I quilted on it since 2013? That was a number I could find, I went through my blog and counted 135 quilts! Those are the quilts I pieced because I took pictures but I quilted a few for friends that I don’t have pictures of proof.
 By the time I finished the square in a square quilt my counter was 7,016,824 stitches.  The just swing an arc from point to point in the squares and stars.  Simple but effective free motion quilting.  —Ann—

Square in a Square

I feel like I have worked on this quilt all summer.  Hubby was off fishing last week so I had a staycation……..the things I can get done when I don’t have to stop and make meals. My pile of plaids has been greatly reduced I used all the fabric for the side triangles and had to find something else for the corners.  As I was trimming the blocks I noticed I could make a cross if I put the right corners together. I had everything laid out right on the design wall and somehow next to the sewing machine blocks got reorganized. I’m not ripping. It is what it is almost done. —Ann—

Square in a Square

 Sometimes I don’t want to make any decisions I just want some mindless sewing time. A basket of cut parts was sitting right where I left it months ago maybe as many as 24 months ago, the pandemic days were so monotonous they are a bit of a blur except that I did sew a lot and cut a pile of strips for more blissful days of sewing.  Sewing these square in a square blocks is mindless except that I need to center the square on each triangle, pinch a crease on each side……. Mindless sewing, off wanders my mind, how can I arrange these boring blocks so I don’t need so many of these boring-to-sew blocks?  Turn them on point and add some tri- rec stars, the math works. I’m starting to get excited about this quilt. —Ann—

Another lovely weekend

 

Another lovely weekend with DD and a lot of laughs, the weather was fantastic for a home football game.  Hubby's nieces came for the game so DD and I went to tailgating to visit with them (hubby was off hunting/fishing again) so we didn't go to the game but did watch some on tv. DD wanted to sew her blocks together because someday soon she is going to want to curl up with this quilt. She did feel a little guilty working on her quilt because it is the color of the opponents but we "pounded" them when she asked her phone for the final score.  SDSU Jacks won 28 - 3 USD coyotes.

Its a rag quilt the seams are on the right side of the fabric.......when the blocks are arranged on the wall I couldn't pick them up and stack them the way I always do which is flip the right over the left picking up the top pair always on top or the way my brain works close the book keeping the first book on top.  I thought to be able to "close the book" and pick then up as I always do we should flip them over to have the backing side together. Well the first 2 row were sewn together but the rows were flipped and 2 other blocks were turned

around.  She had them arranged red / black. She wanted the plaid with the white background in the corner because one of those plaids was centered in the square, flip all the squares over again to the plaids, she could turn the row set around and rearrange blocks or move it to the other end of the blocks -- that was the easiest.  Next pair of blocks......I want to turn them over again DD who is so much smarter than me says why don't we pick them up this way pinch the raw edges together and pull them off the wall.  I'm a visual learner so the book is laying open face down on the table and you pick it up by the spine and stack them keeping the first pair on top.  Yes that worked so much better.  I told you she was smarter than me.  But I added a clip to each pair of blocks so she would always start sewing at the clipped edge. Everything is going swimmingly just a few ripped seams but nothing major.  Now its time to sew the row sets together.  She tried sewing the long row without pinning oops needed to rip.  I pin the intersections for her to sew then she can ease in any fullness because its a rag quilt and all those little inconsistencies will come out in the wash.  She asks me to help pin the next 2 row I'm pinching the seams together and she is handing me the pin I start laughing because I thought she was going to start pinning from the other end. She hands me another pin. (I was trying to sew quilt labels while she was working on this quilt.) She does pin the last two seams by herself.  And wouldn't you know that white plaid that was centered that she wanted in the corner of the quilt is now in the center right edge in the top photo.  No girl in her big girl panties going to cry over that!!  A lovely weekend --Ann--

Bow Tie

 

Bow ties are rich with fall colors, blacks and dark browns like fresh turned earth from digging root crops, potatoes, carrots, onions and parsnips. Reds like fall leaves and jars of preserves current jelly, cherries, plums and apples. Yellows and oranges like pumpkins and squash. Cool blues to match the sky and grays like the clouds threatening rain and snow to come. I was a few inches short with the backing fabric so I inserted a few leftover bow tie blocks to fill in the gap.  Another quilt done and now all those decisions to start something new.  ~~Ann~~

Another one done

The second quilt of 2022 completed yippee. Just a few distractions during the process first a tipped over a glass of water on all three tables in my sewing room.  They butt up against each other and were covered with my mass of plaids so quick grab some towels to mop up the puddles then spread out all those fabrics to dry. The next day I fold all those plaids into two neat stacks. Believe it or not they were shorter than when I brought them out of the stash last fall. I'm just glad it was water.  Glance at the pile while I stitch on the poppies hmmm put back in the closet or continue cutting the plaids hmmm. Put them away until next fall! Next what to use for the binding. Go dig in the stacks of plaids, there were two pieces of the black stripe….do the math for how much I need. Start cutting, oooops remember to late to draw a chalk line around the perimeter because a woven stripe has no distinction between the front and back of the fabric. Sew the seams the press…right side, right side wrong side.  Don’t you just hate it when your seams are on the wrong side of the bias tape. I never make that mistake if I mark the fabric with chalk.  Make a quick trip to the grocery store ha! They are doing a complete reset of the store.  Who Moved the Cheese I want to scream as I'm looking for soup crackers (reference to a book dealing with change from 20 years ago). Then there is basketball.....our Jackrabbits won the Summit championship! My problems are so insignificant in the great scheme  of things but loving the finished poppy quilt.  —Ann—

Pairing #2

Poppies and more poppies. Rich robust reds combined with earthy greens and a cozy plaid. Aged in an oak cask, particle board shelves in a couple different  large closets for years maybe a decade or two before they were planted and bloomed. The stark white of the backing contrasts greatly with the front of the quilt but it seemed the appropriate place for the fabric.  Does that sound like I have been consulting wine labels? Echo quilting around the flowers, still thinking about the stepping stones and borders. —Ann—

Bow ties

When I quit trying to cut strips for three different quilts and gave the bow ties my full attention it started coming together and I wished I hadn’t cut all of some fabrics into strips and segments because I could have used a couple of those fabrics in the border. Then I had to make do just like grandma would have done.  

The wind is blowing here today, strong and cold out of the northwest. Some little house finches are struggling to keep ahold of the branches of the spruce tree, they always sit at the very top. Seems to me it might be easier to hang with onto a branch a couple feet further down where the branches are thicker and a little less wind. And then they are gone. And for me to go to my sewing room it’s a great day to quilt —Ann—

Bow Ties

Some days and weeks are just not all that blog worthy. I spent a day or two in my sewing room doing math figuring what size strips and how many I need for a couple different quilts.  I did that months ago but my notes didn't make much sense last week.   Then I did some cutting and pressing because cutting flat fabrics works so much better than fabrics with wrinkles.  Anyway slow slow progress on sewing bow tie blocks,  I had to consult my own blog on how to sew them  click  I learned some tricks and what worked best for me and I did try every possible way of sewing them together in 2015.  I have been cutting plaids and finding that just one or two of each plaid for a bow tie is enough.  The colors and values are going to transition from dark to light with a round of bow ties with dark background for the border. It is barely putting a dent in my stack of plaids.  Ten more blocks for the center and 30 for the border..............Hope you are staying warm   -- Ann--

Quilt top finish

 

My not so instant gratification project took a couple more hours to piece the piano keys or garden walk then add the borders but my first quilt top of 2022 is together!! The black piano keys between the rows of poppies adds a layer or richness. I cross cut the borderstrips and did not stress about matching the plaids or even cut them perfectly straight.  One side of the fold was pretty straight but the other side had been stretched as it was rolled on the bolt.  I tried to square it when I cut the flower strips but it didn't stay straight.   I did notice after I sewed the borders on that there was a right and wrong side to the fabric the black lines of the plaid are much bolder on one side than the other.  It jumped out at me while I was pressing but by the time I machine quilt it I will probably have forgotten the difference of the black.  Its together and I'm pleased with it.  --Ann--

Sewing time

 

The mess from last year is still on the table in the sewing room, I go downstairs and look at it and where should I start?????  I was cutting all my plaids into strips an parts for a couple different quilts but not enough of any one to make a day of sewing.........  I like my scraps well mixed like a good soup with lots of vegetables and lots of flavor.  Some times I need instant gratification so I pressed my poppies and looked at the book for border instructions, they didn't make much sense since I made this smaller than the instructions so settle on some measurements that will work and get busy cutting.  Then a little time sewing  time.  That felt so good just putting two pieces of fabric together then four then eight then sixteen and check to see how many more I need............and it was time to make supper.  Tomorrow I'll get it together.  --Ann--

poppies

 

These poppies are so slow stitiching even on the machine.  I am using the heavy buttonhole stitch I did try the lighter version of the stitch which was across and back then forward a stitch, 1- 2 -3, 1-2-3, 1-2-3,  like a waltz,  but the bold version looked so much better:  across and back across and back 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 then forward and back and forward and back and forward 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5.  It takes forever and then all those turns in the leaves.  I keep telling myself all those stitches and thread will be worth it.  In between stitching  time I'm cutting parts from my plaids: bow tie parts, square in a sqare parts -- same measurements as bow tie, 1 1/2 inch log cabin strips and 3 1/2 inch strips for tri rec stars to mix with the log cabin blocks,  goal here is to use all the plaids and be done with plaids until I spy the next round of fabulous plaids in the quilt shop.  --Ann--

Playing with plaids

A new quilt started, I have admired this quilt for a very long time. It’s in the 12th anniversary book by Red Wagon Gerry Kimmel-Carr, it was published in 1999. I’m making it much smaller than the book. 60 x 20 inch backgrounds for the poppies reduced to  width of fabric by 13 inches, same size blossoms but shorter stems and a variety of plaids. I just love plaids. Another cold front is moving in. Those lazy afternoons on the deck with a book are gone replaced by busy afternoons with the sewing machine. —Ann—

Checkerboard

I finished this months ago but was waiting for fall to post it. The last of the 3 inch squares from wedding quilt I made for son and daughter-in-law in 2019.  All the blocks but one or two are miss matched.  I can see two little girls playing checkers or some made up game on this quilt someday.  Just a simple arc from corner to corner in all the little squares. And now all the strips and squares have been used!! However there might still be some yardage left in the stash.  --Ann--

A little progress

 

We had unseasonably warm weather here for a week.  I did what any sensible person would do.................. I sat outside on the deck and read for hours.  The sun felt so good!  The birds were singing their happy songs it just felt good to be outside in the sun.  Then the weather changed overnight and it rained all day then turned to snow.  Ah a good day to sew.  I just couldn't waste those lovely warm days in my sewing room even though it has big windows that let in lots of light.  Just isn't the same as sitting or walking outside.  Now we are back to normal March temps the snow is almost gone again but more is coming.  Its March!!  I got this much done on the angle iron quilt, piano key borders next.  Spring has been teasing us --Ann--

Quilt seeds

 

I always cut too many parts when I make a quilt.  I put those leftover bits in a bag, sometimes I add a note to identify the block or measurements and because those little bits are too good  to just throw away. They are frequently the inspiration for another quilt.....seeds. Earlier this year I pulled out my pile of plaids then I dug through my box of quilt seeds, I had a dozen or so of these blocks and parts for a couple dozen more. I have always called this block the angle iron because it is so simple and versatile. Sew a few more blocks and decide how big I want to make this quilt and what colors I want to add, then cut some more parts. Sew, cut, press, cut, sew, count, cut some more, I need side triangles and border strips. Now  it’s time to play with the blocks.  --Ann--