Sister's Choice Quilts

For the Love of Quilting

What amazing discussion evolved from my posts of the past couple of days.  You quilting friends are marvelously thoughtful and intelligent individuals.  I got so much out of all your responses.  Many of you pointed out that it is possible to find a balance between taking your time to make a quilt, (including doing hand work or machine quilting), and on the other hand, doing the occasional "get it done" speedy project.  I spent the summer cranking out quilt tops which I now find I cannot afford to get professionally quilted.  It was truly too much, too fast.  I hardly remember my joy in constructing them or my pride in completing them.  It opened my eyes to the zen quality of quilting, which we sometimes loose sight of.  It is a Process; and good work sometimes deserves serious contemplation and a commitment of time.   And sometimes you need to get a gift made or want a seasonal quilt FAST, and you cut corners.  It works both ways and both are wonderful and Right.

Speaking of quilting friends----remember a couple of weeks ago I had stolen ran out of some fabric I needed to complete a Block of the Month project I am working on?  Jeanine kindly offered to send me the 3 1/2 inch square of fabric I needed.  I was thrilled at her generosity and looked forward to the postman's visit with a little envelope from her containing the scrap of fabric.  Imagine my shock when this is what arrived:

 

She sent me the fabric, pictured in the center, plus "some of her favorite quilting supplies"!!!!  A cool collector's edition Olfa rotary cutter, some pins and the neatest pair of Fiskars Short Cut Snip scissors!  Jeanine, you are incredible.  Thank you so much! 

I never would have dreamed, thirty years ago when I developed an interest in quilting what a fantastic society of people my hobby would introduce me too.  You are all so wonderful.

Quilting, Then and Now

     

Well, I had some very interesting comments on the subject of "Tie Offs", including some from a couple of heavy hitters in the Quilting World.  I appreciate all of what so many of you had to say.  It seems that the consensus is that leaving tie offs is not all that typical.  I certainly do not enjoy the process of working them into a quilt, particularly a large one, and many of you agreed with me.  However, that being said, I have been thinking.

Are we just lazy?  Is it our desire just to shop for fabric, piece the tops and have the other more tedious aspects of the quilting farmed out?  Quilting is supposed to be a lengthy process, and I see more and more quick piecing, enormous blocks, idiotically simple blocks and speedy techniques touted in the quilting magazines.  Today's quilting has moved very far away from the quilting that our grandmothers and great grandmothers did.  There are few of us who hand piece and hand quilt any more.  We are all eager for faster, easier, and assembly line methods.  I know I am always in search for the latest gizmo that is going to assist me in cranking those quilts out faster and faster.   The biggest change is that quilting used to be a Thrifty Activity.  Quilters a generation or two ago didn't go out and lay down $100 for a fat quarter bundle to make a designer quilt.  They used scraps.  Scraps from old clothes, curtains, tablecloths and feed sacks.  What ever has happened to us?  At least the tradition of women getting together to sew hasn't changed all that much.  We may not sit around a quilting frame stitching together, but at least we gather for retreats and regular Sew-Ins.

I realize that our lives today are much different than the lives our grandmothers and great grandmothers lived, but they were pretty much as busy as we are.  I know that sounds radical, but compare Great Grandma Higgins who had to pump the water for baths, laundry, and cooking out in the yard.  Who had to wash the clothes in a galvanized tub with a washing board and hang it all up in the yard.  Who had, yes it's true, 12 children.  Who had to bake bread, sew her own and her kids clothes, cook three meals a day, and tend to the garden.  I know my time is limited by having to get dressed in a suit and drive 12 miles to my 8 hour a day office job, but do I really have less time for my quilting than Grandma Higgins or Grandma Clark did?

Who ever would have thought that such a thing as tie offs would get me to thinking?

Can We Talk About Tie Offs?

 

After spending a gazillion dollars to get my quilts quilted, it would be ridiculously stupid not to do the finishing touches and get those babies on my beds, right?  One of the finishing touches is making the binding, machine stitching it to the quilt, and hand sewing it down.  On a big quilt, such as the one pictured above, this alone can take many hours of hand work.  I buckled down this weekend and launched into the quilt I am most eager to begin using. 

My favorite quilter does a magnificent job, and you all know how I sing her praises.  However, when she does a custom job, such as she did for me in the pictured quilt, she leaves numerous threads hanging that need to be tied and then buried into the body of the quilt.  The threads are at the points where she stopped one design and started up another.  With a custom quilt, you have quite a bit of this, which you do not have with an all over pattern that just loops along all over the quilt top, not stopping till the design has filled the entire top.

I felt a bit like the girl in Rumpelstiltskin, having to spin a room of straw into gold before dawn.  An impossible task.  I would finish a vast area of tie offs, think I must be done, and then my heart would sink, as I realized there was at least an acre more of the little rascals.  Tie the threads, thread them in a needle, bury them in the fabric of the quilt, clip the threads.  Over and over and over.

So, I am posing a question to all of you who are expert machine quilters.  When you custom quilt for others, how do you hand the issue of tie offs?  It is very time consuming to do the dozens, maybe a hundred tie offs that occur on a large custom quilted quilt.  Personally, I find it horrendously tedious work, and can't fault my quilter for pushing the job off onto me.  But is that what everyone does?   I haven't ever had to do this before when I have had custom work done, and wonder if it is "standard in the industry"?    What do the rest of you do?  Just cut the miserable little threads off?  Charge extra for doing the handwork?

I do not mean this in any way to be a criticism of my favorite quilter, who is worth more to me than a ton of chocolate, diamond earrings, or a dozen cases of chardonnay.  It is the way she does it, and I am content to live with it.   I know she doesn't do it to torment me.  I am just curious about this whole tie off thing.  It never came up ten years ago, so why now?  Let's talk.

The Secret Life of Bees

 

I didn't accomplish much sewing this weekend, but my husband and I did get out to a movie.  The first we have seen in quite some months.  We chose to see The Secret Life of Bees, which we both enjoyed enormously.  I had read the book by Sue Monk Kidd, and loved it.  I was so happy that the director had stayed very true to the author's intentions.  Queen Latifa, Alicia Keyes, Sophie Okonedo, Jennifer Hudson and Dakota Fanning combined to form a very strong cast of incredible women.  Don't you just love movies about women rising above their circumstances and succeeding against all odds?  This was such a triumphant movie.  Beautiful photography too.  Some of the scenes were like paintings, in that they captured the beauty of a moment so perfectly.

Queen Latifa seemed to be able to manage her bees just fine.  She made it look totally easy.  My daughter Sara, however, is having a devil of a time with her girls.  They keep stinging her.  This is turning out to be a problem because it seems she is allergic to bees.  The first few times they stung her, she had a fairly typical reaction, but this latest time, her arm swelled up as big as a bolster pillow.  She took herself off to the doctor, who warned her that this was just a small taste of what is to come if she continues to put herself in harm's way and continue to get stung.  Some people build immunity with numerous bee stings, others develop a sensitivity that can end up in a very severe (if not deadly) reaction.

So what to do, what to do?  The bees and their hive were an anniversary gift from her husband.  She wants to be a beekeeper.  She feels she has a "commitment" to the bees, as she put it to me.  Harumph.  I told her to get rid of the bees and start cheese making.

They Missed Daddy

My husband has been away this week on vacation in Palm Desert.  We have a time share down there and have weeks of vacation in the bank with Interval International.  I couldn't take time off from my new job and we didn't want to lose our week, so my husband went on his own, leaving me in charge of Ozzie and Sophie.  He left me a detailed list of instructions on how to care for the dogs each day and just as important, a lengthy discourse on how to tend to the lawn and garden in his absence.  Part of my duties were to hand water a gazillion rose buses and potted plants.  His last words to me as he drove off were "Oh, watch out for Sophie, she really loves to play in the water while you are watering....You might want to tie her up......"

Talk about an understatement.  Sophie is insane about water and getting wet.  She is a total water baby.  As I was trying to lug the hose around to do the watering, she capered about trying to bite the water as it came out of the hose, darting through the stream of water, pitching herself onto the wet grass as if it were a Slip N' Slide.  It was pretty funny to watch, actually, and I had to laugh to see her simple enjoyment.  I'm not sure how thoroughly the watering got done, but we did have a good time.  The picture above shows her victorious after the battle with the hose.

 

Both the dogs misbehaved the entire time my husband was away.  I let them sleep with me one night, and when I was deep asleep they got into the Kleenex and shredded an entire box. When I woke up it looked like it had snowed in the bedroom.  Has any one else been TP'd by their own dogs?  One of them chewed the fringe on the new throw rug I bought to cover the stains on the family room rug, another of them (or, just maybe the same culprit) chewed the wicker basket I keep magazines in.  I took Ozzie for a ride in the car to the drugstore with me (Sophie gets car sick, so she had to stay home), and when we got home, he got away from me and I had to get back in the car and chase him down three blocks away.  I tried to sweep the patio and you can see that they got the broom away from me.  Bad dogs, both of them.

By some stroke of amazing good luck, my husband came home on Wednesday, rather than Saturday when he was expected.  He claimed going on vacation wasn't as much fun on his own.  Truly, I think he missed Ozzie and Sophie.  Thank goodness.

We Are Eating Beans and Hot Dogs This Month

I recently had to pick up and pay for four quilts that had been sitting at my favorite quilters for far too long.  A word of advice:  Do not ever let quilts stack up at the quilter's.  The amount of money it takes to get them out of hock is enough to make your hair turn curly, grey, and fall out.  One at a time, that is my new mantra.  One at a time.

That being said, here are some pictures of a couple of the finished quilts.

   

This is Candle in the Window, made with Snow Blooms by Kansas Troubles for Moda.  It is going to be a Christmas gift for Grandpa Larry.  The quilting is terrific.  Here is a closer look.

 

This next one is a jelly roll pattern, and please forgive me, I have no memory of where the heck the pattern came from.  I know I made it bigger than the pattern called for, and that the fabrics are Moda, probably also Kansas Troubles by the look of them.  Brother, this is pathetic.  Too many quilts, I tell you.

 

This one will be a Christmas gift for Grandma Mimi.  Here's a close up of the quilting.

 

People are always telling me that quilting is a very expensive craft.  The truth of that came home to me when I had to pay for all this exquisite quilting.  But you know what?  Some things are just worth the sacrifice!

Sometimes Losing Your Memory Can Be Fun

While I was turning my sewing room upside down this weekend, looking for the 3 1/2 square of fabric I swear Sophie ran off with, I made a discovery.  I love it when this happens.

 

Usually I keep all my future projects in my stash closet where I can frequently admire, fondle and consider them.  Imagine my surprise when I opened a dresser drawer and under some fabric scraps and triangle papers discovered this complete quilt kit.  The fabric looks to be some past Kansas Troubles collection (they all look alike to me) and this easy, fun looking Miss Rosie pattern.  The fabrics are all arranged just so and the kit was contained in a sturdy plastic zip project bag.

I have way WAY too much fabric by Kansas Troubles, and have sworn off buying any more until I use up what I have.  I made two quilts this past summer to make Christmas gifts for the grandparents, and used up quite a bit of the stash.  I probably stuck this in the drawer out of guilt for purchasing more fabric from this designer.  Good Lord, I am like an alcoholic hiding bottles of Jack Daniels out of sight for a rainy day.  Or rather a "dry" day.  Sure wouldn't want to run out or anything.

Isn't that just a kick?  I don't remember buying this fabric, and I certainly do not recall putting it away in the dresser.  I may be losing my mind, but gee, it is kinda fun sometimes!

Designer Mystery Block of the Month Club

Still on the subject of Block of the Month Clubs, I want to share with you all another BOM I am participating in.  This one is called The Designer Mystery BOM and uses the fabric collection Peace on Earth by 3 Sisters for Moda.  I was late getting started with this project and had four blocks stacked up to make.  Determined to catch up, I dived into the project with gusto this past weekend.  I started in no particular order.  I think that is Block Three below.  Notice, as I commented yesterday how complete the instruction sheet is, and how it includes a color photo of what the block will look like.

 

A half hour later I had my block finished.

 

And then the next:

 

And the next...

 

I was so happy, zipping through these blocks in one day.  Only one more to make and I would be all caught up!

Oh no oh no oh no oh no.  I have turned my sewing room upside down and inside out. I have gone through the trash, looked under the bed, behind the sewing machine and I cannot find that one segment.  I thought Sophie had snatched something at one point during the afternoon, and got up and went into the family room and asked my husband "Did Sophie just dash by with something in her mouth?"  No, he didn't think so.

Now I am up the creek.  I only had enough of that green print fabric to make four green and white segments.  Help!  Can anyone send me a 3 1/2 square of that fabric so I can finish my block?  I will be in your debt forever!     I'll trade a charm pack of Dandelion Girl for it, how about that?

Block of the Month Clubs

Have you ever joined a Block of the Month Club?  I love them because regular as clockwork, a new block comes in the mail each month.  If you stay on task and make the block each month, at the end of a year you have a gorgeous quilt to put together.  The most recent BOM Club I joined is called Simply Sophisticated, offered by the Fatquarter Shop http://www.fatquartershop.com/Simply-Sophisticated-Mystery-Block-of-the-Month.asp?Store_id=499&T=1  The entire quilt will be constructed using the Harvest Home collection by Moda designers Blackbird Designs.  I received my fabric and pattern for the first block on Friday and got straight to work.

 

If you join a Block of the Month Club that is sponsored by Fatquarter Shop, you can be certain that the amount of fabric given for each block will be just right and that the instructions will be clear as can be.  They offer a color swatch sheet of all the fabrics in the collection, plus a color pattern instruction sheet that leaves no confusion as to what fabric to use where.  It is quite brilliant, and I am never disappointed with anything Fatquarter shop offers.  You can still join this BOM, so if you like the fabric collection, go on over and sign up.

This project is a mystery, in that you do know what fabric you are using, but the block you get each month is a surprise.  It will be a sampler kind of project, as each block will be different.  This first pattern yielded not just one block, but two!   Hmmmm, that is part of the fun--to see where the project might be going!

TGIF

It's Friday, it's Pay Day, I have no plans for the weekend except to sew, and life seems truly good. 

Sara told me she is missing Sophie and needed a dose of cuteness, so I took a few pictures of the dogs last night.  I was happy to oblige and had in mind that I would take some photos of the two dogs romping, racing, and being rowdy.

We had left Sophie and her brother Ozzie out in the back yard all day while we were at work and they had amused themselves by digging a big hole in the middle of the grass.  Not good.  After being scolded Sophie was a bit subdued, so I couldn't really get her to smile for the camera.  She has that "Gee, I get yelled at, and I didn't even do anything" look on her face.

 

Notice the new throw rug I bought at Bed Bath & Beyond?  It covers all the stains and camouflages new ones.

I tried to get the kids to look lively for a treat, but no go.

All that romping and digging must have been really hard work because after their dinner, both Ozzie and Sophie were totally zonked and just wanted a bit of a rest.  Here's Sophie, trying to keep her little eyes open.

 

Both of my pooped pups finally just succumbed to the desire to have an end to their hard working day.

 

Ozzie must have done most of the work, because even Daddy's bony knees feel comfortable.

 

The Princess prefers soft quilts for her beauty rest.

I tried, Sara.  Maybe this weekend I will have better luck photographing Ozzie and Sophie actually doing something!