Log Cabins

After our meeting I decided I had better go actually USE some of the fabric I have been hoarding.  Strictly speaking, what I did is NOT  log cabin as my colors go all the way around the square, but check out the top  made the other day: k's boxpleat blog

In other news, the meeting falls firmly on another day off school again this month.  (Remember how we got our "Cursed Quilt" name?!?  sigh!)  Taking nominations for a better choice of day..... k.

A Finished Baby Quilt.....FINALLY!

In what is surely a sign of the Apocalypse, I finally, finally, FINALLY finished this quilt.

Are you as amazed as I am? You really should be.

Here's the front in all its red, white, and blue glory.

And here's the back. I've been debating about whether or not I wanted to quilt the stars around the border, but I thought that was maybe a little bit too ambitious and then the quilt really would never get done. So after nearly a year of planning, prepping, sewing, and stewing, I'm declaring this quilt officially done.

David has been after me for many many months to finish the quilt. But, as with any large quilting project, I grew really sick of looking at the dang thing. I didn't love the fabrics anymore, I made too many mistakes. There were things about it I wanted to change but just couldn't. I wasn't sure how I wanted to bind it and I had had one too many fights with my sewing machine over quilting the center squares. So it sat in my tub of fabrics for many months, imcomplete and untouched while I had a baby and pursued other sewing projects.

But since my goal for 2011 was to set aside time every week for sewing, I knew I couldn't start a whole bunch of new projects (of which I have many ideas) before I finished the ones I'd already started. And since I like to make arbitary schedules for myself, I decided that Sunday would be my sewing day. With David off at work and a moderately well-behaved baby playing on her mat, I set to work this past Sunday binding the quilt. I was so energized by that successful endeavor, that I spent the majority of Monday morning finishing the actual quilting of the blocks. I got into a good groove, and before I knew it, I'd finally accomplished what had been eluding me for months.

And what once filled me with disgust, now fills me with profound joy. I finished something. Sure, there are things I still don't love about the quilt, there are things I wish I had done differently, but ultimately, now that the finished product is in front of me, I can't help but marvel at what I created. There is real joy in the process of creating--and finishing--something to be used and loved by my family.

A few things I learned along the way:

- Be patient. I often wanted to cut corners or speed through certain steps and would then be disappointed by my less-than-perfect output. When I actually slowed down, and took my time, my results were always better.

- Don't worry about perfection. I am a classic perfectionist and it is often difficult for me to accept results that are less than stellar. But now I look at my quilt and all its tiny flaws, and enjoy them because they were my mistakes and no one else's. Meaning, I made this quilt; I didn't buy some mass-produced product. And so every flaw is a testament to my work and effort and I can see very clearly how I improved as I went along.

- Plan ahead and visualize the finished project but don't get so caught up in that vision that you can't accept when changes must be made. The finished project will always be different than you imagined, but no less amazing once it's complete.

- It's okay to walk away when you are frustrated. You won't hurt the quilt's feelings.

- Use fabric that you love. Even if you love it when you start it, you'll find yourself hating it while you're making the quilt but when it's done, you'll love them all over again. But the fabrics I only moderately liked still have not grown on me. And now I will forever have to look at them and wish I'd picked something different.


- And always remember: the intended recieptent is going to love it, no matter what.

A quick idea

Rail Fence Pattern

I follow this blog.....she does some amazing work with Quilts of Valor.  They are just starting up this project and I thought if anyone wanted to quilt along it should be pretty accessible. ;)

In the meantime, the DARE for the sewing group is "Completion" this month so I promise I am going to get my blocks done.  I don't know why I am feeling so unmotivated.  sigh!

May there be many hours in the days ahead for quilting.  The next meeting will be on the 15th. k.

80%

Ruth here - I married into the Liddel family, but really I'm a Liddell at heart. In the Liddell family, the running joke is that we are all eighty-percenters. We start a project (could be a remodel of a kitchen, or a repair job, or a craft), we get 80% done, and then we leave it. Apparently, this habit has transfered seamlessly (pun intended) into my quilting world, with a varying degree of percentage:) We started out with the hand quilting project. I finished quilting mine, and was quite pleased with the result.
But I have yet to do anything with it. What I'd really like to do is make 2 more and then frame them.....some day. I need to finish that. A side note here - the thimble protected this finger

But nobody warned me about this finger.

Do you see the end of my finger and the hundreds of needle pricks? I think I need another thimble. Next up was my own quilt. I worked hard and got about 2/3 of the blocks made, and then stopped. Here is my pile of blocks, sitting in my room, collecting dust.

What I'd really like to do is to finish this quilt and put it on my bed for the winter. I need to finish that. Then came the dreaded hexagons. I slaved away to make this way cute top for a placemat (copying Kimberly's idea)

I love it, but it almost killed me, and I never made the actual placemat. What I'd really like to do is make 6 placemats (what's wrong with me?). See, I even have all the hexagons sorted out into baggies.

I need to finish that. Back in May (or was it April) I issued a challenge to everyone to make blocks to make a quilt for Quilts of Valor. Everyone did that, and then the blocks sat for a month at Kimberly's. Then she put together this top with half the blocks.

Then she left for her summer vacation and gave everything to me to finish the other top and take it in to get quilted. By the time she got back from vacation, I still hadn't done it. Yeah, I'm good. So I finally finished my top a couple of weeks ago. Here it is.

Those who were at the quilt group today saw these. Afterwards I took them in to get quilted. As soon as they are quilted, I will pick them up and we can finish them off. I wonder how long that will take me:)

I have to side note here again - when I dropped the quilts off today, the other quilting group went NUTS! They completely loved our quilts, and totally drooled over each one for about 10 minutes. They even took pictures. First of all, they couldn't believe that we were donating them to Quilts of Valor. Second of all, they were very impressed with our "skill". I told them that most of the people in our group are newbies, and have never made a quilt before. They were trying to recruit all of us to join their, big time, like a military recruiter. I told them that most of us have small children, and it's easier for us to meet at a home so our children can play. They immediately started trying to think of ways to work around this. I didn't want to hurt them and say that OUR quilt group is really just the best, thank you very much:) However, Kimberly and I talked about it and we thought it might be fun to have a "field trip" in November and go and work with them one time. So you should all be proud of what you contributed to this quilt, and know that there are people out there who are jealous of your skills!

The only thing I can think of that I have completed 100% was the wall hanging for the orphanage. Go Me! Wow, that's totally pathetic. So now we're working on our blocks for Darsha's challenge of a Korean Friendship Quilt. Here are the one's that have been made so far.

Joanna

Nicole

Kimberly

Lindsay

Darsha

I know that Karen has made some of hers too. I'm not sure about anybody else. Oh, and here's mine.

It says, "Cursed Quilt" in Hangul. When Joe asked his Korean tutor how to say cursed quilt in Korean, it took him a long time to get her to answer him - she just couldn't understand why you would ever want to say cursed quilt, hehehe. I have made, you guessed it, 80% of my blocks. But if all of you don't make your blocks, I won't have to make any more of my blocks, and you will be enabling an eighty-pecenter. Do you really want that on your conscience? Of course you don't, so make your blocks!:)

Sorry for the novel here, but now I can say that I have blogged 100% of all that I've done for the quilting group!!!

August Meeting

It was a wild time and very raucous but also very fun. We discussed the blocks everyone is working on for the memory quilt. We already have too many people wanting to participate and not enough people actually getting their blocks done! hehehe

If you are participating in the Korea quilt block project, please please please get some done. Lindsey, who actually has her blocks done(!) will be leaving in October. Blocks will only be "traded" so if you want one of her kimchi pot blocks you are going to have to have something to show for yourself by next month's meeting!

The blocks we did see, and the plans we heard all sound wonderful. I think this will be a great project. (If we ever get it done!)

I also showed how to do the top band on a pillowcase (if you are interested in making fun pillowcases either for gifts or charitable giving.) It is very easy. There are a million tutorials on youtube. Here is one: tutorial And here is a review in pics: pics And here is an excellent blog: blog

The blog also reviews how to do the dreaded french seam so you have no raw edges inside or out. Don't be scared, just try it. It is easy and there is something really lovely about FINISHING something. heheheh.

If you are not up to sewing even that today, take some time to tell everybody what you did for summer vacation sewing or post about your Korea blocks (even if all you have so far is a plan!)k.

My first quilt finished!!!!

Here is the finished product of my first quilt. I am very happy with it. Thanks to all of you for your encouragement and help in the process. It feels great to accomplish something. :)

Korean Quilt Material

Hi all! Since Kim will be gone this summer, I have the extra material for the Korean quilt. If you forgot yours or weren't there today, let me know and I will get it to you. I also have Kim's Accuquilt machine and stencils (if that is what they are called). Let me know if you would like to use it.

Half-Square Triangles Tutorial

I have finally figured out this blogging thing, so here is what I taught at our last quilting mtg. This is a nice way to get a lot of squares done quickly and they look good!

The instructions will have you cut 2 different colored strips of fabric. You will then put those fabrics together with the right sides facing eachother.

I then measured 2 7/8" squares (just as my instructions told me to) and marked it. I usually use a pencil but I did a blue marker so you could see it better. After you have marked your squares, then you will make a diagonal line just as seen below.

Now with your foot on the edge of your diagonal line you will sew an 1/4" seam on both sides of the diagonal. Sorry it's hard to see in the picture. The first picture shows it a little better. After you've sewn on both sides of all your diagonals, you will cut on all your pencil marks. (straight and diagonal)

After you have cut on all the lines you will have several triangles that look like this.

Open then up and press them to make your squares.

Here is the finished product. All the squares that have brown and the green together were done this way. Once you've done it one time, you'll love it. It really does help to make your blocks turn out better and more evenly. HAVE FUN!!!

Easy - Traditional - Cool? Sure, why not?

Log Cabin Loco

Quick, go look at that link! It is for a "pattern" called "Log Cabin Loco" and is a great way to get interest without having to bend your brain. :) I think I might try it using my strip cutter...now I just need more fabric (That is my evil laugh by the way. heheh)

I was also cruising THIS blog and thought they had some lovely things to inspire us. I "think" they do the strings by the same technique used in our first ever block. (And now that everyone has some experience, we can review it again if you want to try this technique.) This seems very versatile and a good way to use stash fabrics. :) k.

city skyline block

We were talking about maybe a Seoul sklyine/skyscraper block.  Maybe the upper half could be used to get it started...
Karen J

Quilts of Valor - Spring 2010

We still haven't decided quite how these will go into quilts...since we have so many we will try to do more than one. :) In the meantime, I have to say, I am really pleased with the way they ALL turned out. Congratulations to all the ladies who challenged themselves while working on this challenge! And Thanks to Ruth for choosing such lovely base fabrics and challenging us. More later on this project when it is closer to completion. Enjoy.

Paper piecing by Karen

Since my little paper piecing intro was so short this morning, and possibly not as clear as it could have been, here are two online primers that are very clear: www.mytimepatterns.com/basics.html
  (using the fold down method), http://www.winnowing.com/ppp.html
(no folding down)
 and also my own account of following the first primer:
 

Left, I've already cut the two longish strips of fabric, 2" wide for the black, and 1 1/2" wide for the white.  I've cut out a 2X2 square that matches the center square on the block pattern, plus 1/4" margin on all sides, and attached the back of the paper to the wrong side of the fabric with a tiny dab of glue stick. 

Then, I folded the paper 1/4" above the line separating #1 and #2.  Left above pic is the back (of the paper).  I lined up the white fabric, unfolded the paper, flipped it over, and sewed on the line. 

Then I folded the paper down again and trimmed

both fabrics even with the fold. (right)

Below, I cut the strip even with the edge of the black square. Then I opened it up, and ironed.

I did the same with the other three sides (following the order of the numbers as always), then started with the corners.  Below, the first corner placed on the back (of the paper - right side of block), flipped over and stitched on the line.  This pic is the back of the paper again.

Below, I turned it over, folded down the paper again, and trimmed all of the fabric in line with the fold.

Below, all four corners done. 

I flipped it over and trimmed along the outer lines of the paper pattern, and that's it.

Below, finished, except for the removing of the paper, which Kimberly told us should wait until the whole piece is completed.  If using computer paper, carefully tear each section out along the sewing lines so you don't tear out the stitching.  Also, using a smaller stitch and/or doubling back at the ends will help with this. 

The Box is on its WAY!

As of yesterday, the box with our completed wall hangings is on its way to the Humanitarian Aid Center and from there to Orphanages around the world.  I am very proud of the number and quality of the products we have been able to make.  I know they will be enjoyed for their bright colors and beautiful designs and that the children seeing them will feel a whisper that God loves them.

If you have additional projects you would like to donate to this cause, I will still send them.  I just wanted to get this group on its way.  (I know I have a few more projects that I would like to make and send...)

The Challenge for this month was issued by Ruth to make 12 inch blocks (with the base fabrics of her choice...I have an extra packet if you didn't get one. :)  These blocks will eventually be put in to a Quilt top and sent to "Quilts of Valor" for individuals who have been injured serving in the armed forces.  We have a local quilt organization (Yongsan Quilters) who do a lot of donations with this organization.  They also do lots of quilts for the ladies who have to stay at the Stork's Nest when they have their babies.  If you want to help out with their charitable giving as well, let me know.  I have contact information for them.

They also are the group that has access to the longarm quilting machine here at Yongsan.  I will update you as we get more information on what services are available.  I hope to see it in action Friday.

I hope everyone is having a great week and finding joy in whatever it is they endeavor. k.
P.S.  Isn't anyone else going to post?  You don't have to make it fancy.....