Sister's Choice Quilts

Progress on Pears

Despite an attack of Spring Fever, which is causing me to want to sit on the porch sipping iced tea all day long, I have gotten a bit of work done on my pear blocks.  If you recall, I had stacks of little bitty squares and rectangles labled from A to M that were to be sewn onto the various pear block units.  I am now down to the last three piles, so truly, much has been accomplished. 

The pear tops and bottom units are finished, and I have just completed the stem units.  These were made with the stitch, flip and trim method, which I think is pretty accurate.

Stitch.

Press and flip.

Trim.

Ta da.

I have some things going on this week, so probably no post from me tomorrow.

Complicated Cutting

Well, that isn't really true.  The cutting was simple, but all of those little squares and rectangles are weird sizes:  1 3/8", 1 5/8", 1 7/8", 2".  You have to keep your wits about you while you are cutting this pattern out, I tell you.  No chardonnay within a mile.  And once they are all cut out, my gosh, you had better be organized about labeling them or you will never sew the right square onto the right place!  The sewing is easy--basically just the sew a square diagonally on a corner, flip and trim.

What am I making?  An absolutely adorable pattern by Fig Tree Quilts called  Canned Pears.  I am using the new Fig Tree fabric line called Mirabelle.

This pattern works best if you use an assembly line process and complete each block segment one at a time.  There are four basic segments to each pear block--pear bottom, pear top, leaf, and stem.  I always have to make a test block first though, kind of like a carrot for a donkey, to keep me motivated.

How cute is that?  The fabrics are so yummy, and the block really is fun to make, once you get your head on straight and all your little pieces organized.  The quilt top calls for 18 pear blocks, but I am making 21.  The extra three will be made into a little table topper that I may give as a gift, if I can bear to part with it.

Here it is, on my small design wall.  You can get an idea of the scale next to my Dresden Plate blocks.  Which I am happy to say are coming along very well!  I am more than half done.

 

Ooops

Ooops.  This is what comes of having too many projects going on at once and having a messy cutting table.  Oh well, that tape measure was all chewed up from Ozzie munching on it anyway.  I had been measuring the top of an almost completed quilt with the measuring tape, and started cutting out a new project without clearing off the table. I have had a couple of things in the works the past week that I will share with you over the next few posts.

First, my almost completed Crumbler quilt top:

For this, I used various Denyse Schmidt collections, primarily Florence and Ansonia.  Definitely colors I don't typically use.  Eva has the walls in her bedroom painted green however, and this could be a fun quilt for her to use in the spring and summer.  Even though it isn't pink, her favorite color.  The pattern is a template called The Crumbler designed by Carrie Nelson of Miss Rosie's Quilt Co.  You can make this in just about any size.  Mine are around four inches I want to say.

Easy breezy super quick quilt.  If you love scraps and have the template, you can get this top together in no time.  I think an all over quilt design will work great for this top.  I have decided to add two more rows though.  The quilt is squarish, and I have the fabric all cut out and can easily add to it.  I think a more rectangular size will be more practical.

Watermelon Quilt

I have had so many inquiries about my watermelon quilt, partially shown in my blog header.  I made the quilt 10 years ago after a trip to Wisconsin to visit my sister Mary.  The fabrics for the quilt were mostly all purchased on that trip from a couple of quilt shops in Sun Prairie, WI.  I had forgotten that, but since I put a label on this quilt with that information, I was reminded!  That is one of the values of attaching labels, see?  I remember how much fun I had collecting those pinks and greens.  I even found fabric with little black ants on it.

The pattern came from a book called The Best of Black Mountain Quilts, and is called Watermelon Picnic.  Teri Christopherson is the author.  The book is out of print, but you can find used copies on Amazon.com. The book is terrific, and as titled, has a whole lot of Teri's best pattern designs.  Most call for pieced blocks and some applique.  I am so glad to have rediscovered that book---it really has some additional projects in it I would like to make. Especially since I have gotten over my fear of machine applique.

Teri's patterns are now sold by Quilters Warehouse, and when I checked, there is an individual pattern for Watermelon Picnic available on their website for $8.

The basic log cabin blocks call for 2 inch strips for the log cabin blocks, with blocks finishing at 7 1/2 inches.  The "seeds" are tear drop shaped pieces of black fabric fused to a light interfacing and machine appliqued onto the pink blocks.  The quilt has 28 pink blocks and 28 green blocks.   You could certainly make this quilt without a pattern if you can't find the book, using any size log cabin block and arranging them as shown.  Or try a different arrangement!

It is a great summer quilt and since it finishes fairly small, a perfect lap quilt or one to display on the porch.  This quilt is getting a lot of use at my house right now, as Eva has claimed it as her TV quilt.  She calls it "Bankie".  It has been washed a lot, and has gotten very soft and puckery.

Have a great weekend, everyone.

August Blooms by Brandywine Designs

Several people have asked about the pattern I used for the August Blooms quilt.  The pattern is in a book called Summer Haven, by Linda Hohag, published by Brandywine Designs.

The book was published years ago, but it is still available through the publisher, Brandywine Designs.  I think every pattern in the book is very pretty, and all involve piecing and applique.  The applique is very easy, using large pieces and very few tricky "innies and outies".  Everytime I add applique to a quilt, I am SO happy that I did and tell myself "You must do more of that". 

I did my applique blocks first, by machine.  I used fusible interfacing (probably Steam A Seam light), a machine blanket stitch, and matched my thread to the piece I was appliqueing.  I completed the applique blocks and about half of the pieced star blocks, then set the project aside for well over five years.  (We moved twice, had a new grandchild, took on the care of elderly parents, etc etc).  I pulled the project box out a few weeks ago and finished the star blocks and added the borders.

The fabric I used was mostly Buttercream and Figs by Fig Tree.  I doubt you will find any of that still around, but Fig Tree's newest collection Mirabelle, has a similar color palette.

The only thing I wasn't wild about in the pattern is that the outer border of triangles is all bias edges.  I solved that issue (I hope) by staystitching all around the edges of the quilt top, so maybe things will lay flat.  You could also add another border on the quilt, which would make it larger than the current smallish size of 56" square.  I will say that the instructions were terrific and all those bias border triangles did line up and fit perfectly without any fussing or fudging.  Love that.

Roses Roses Roses

Our roses are going bananas this year.  This big bouquet of yellow ones that my husband brought in the house didn't even make a dent in the profusion of blooms on the bush!  You couldn't even tell any were missing.  I am not the only one with beaucoups bouquets.  Everyone is remarking how amazing the roses are this year.  The first crop is always the best, but this year is astonishing.

I know it seems like bringing coals to Newcastle, but these red roses were from the florist in honor of our 45th anniversary.  Can you even believe I have been married that long?  Yes, I was married pretty young by today's standards, but that is a heck of a long time.  In five years I could be one of those old people who have their picture in the newspaper for their 50th.  (No, I won't be doing that).

Look at my Mickey Mouse water cup on the left.  I wanted a distinctive cup that no one else in the family would take, and this is what I chose.  No one in this house is very respectful of what I declare is MINE, but for some reason everyone leaves my Mickey Mouse cup alone!  Go figure.

Hope you are all having a splendid week!

Typepad Under Attack

Hi Everyone.  Sorry if you thought I dropped out of sight.  Typepad has been under attack the past week by evil gremlins and it hasn't been possible for me to get onto the site to post.  I think commenting was affected too.  The few comments I did get posted four or five times each, and most I couldn't respond to!  Hopefully the IT gurus at Typepad will have worked things out and gotten everything back to rights.  Honestly, who are these people who try to bring companies networks down?  Why, I wonder?

On the sewing front, there hasn't been much going on.  I have had my nose stuck in a book for the past few days, a very long book.  I don't usually go in for fantasy, but the Game of Thrones series has me hooked.  The author includes much violence and quite a bit of sex, which takes some getting used to.   No bad language, at least in words we use!  The author is so imaginative, honestly, I have never read anything quite like this.  There are seven kingdoms in this fantasy world, all fighting for power.  Each chapter is from the point of view of a different character in the book.   The characters are so well drawn, and develop over time, if the author lets them live, that is.  I have never seen an author for killing off main characters the reader has gotten fond of.

I used to read Elizabeth George's Inspector Lynley series, and when she killed off a main character, I put the book down and swore I would never read her again.  I felt like the Annie Wilkes character in the Steven King book Misery.  I wanted to meet up with the author and plead with her to bring the character back.  (Not cut his toes off like Annie did, until he promised to do what she asked).  Anyway, that put me off her books for good.

I am getting used to the main figures in the Game of Thrones books dropping like flies by now.  At least there are a lot of them who are interesting, so when you lose one there are others to fall back on.   George R.R. Martin, the author, is very democratic about who he kills off--sometimes it's a bad guy, so things even out.

The series is also a popular HBO tv show, with seven seasons slated to show.  The program is in its fourth season now, and George Martin has only written five of the books, so hopefully he will get cracking.  The books tend to be near 1000 pages, and are so full of detail and complex plot lines, I imagine they take a long time to write.   Don't fail us George.  You must finish this series so we all aren't left hanging.

 

Getting It Together

I hope you all had a lovely Easter weekend.  I sure did!  My husband was away on a hiking trip, so I took advantage of his time away to sew as much as my heart desired.  We did have a little Easter brunch and Easter egg hunt with my grand daughter, which was loads of fun.  Last year she was just a toddler, but caught on to the idea of finding hidden eggs.  This year, at going-on-three, she was definitely aware of the Easter Bunny, but to tell you the truth, I think she thought he was creepy.  We told her he was coming to the house and would leave her an Easter Basket, and she said, "Tell him he can't go in my room".  Yup.  I get it.  Same kind of deal as that Elf on the Shelf character at Christmas.

So, what did I get done?  You see my August Blooms quilt in the photo above.  I got the triangle pieced border on and the finished quilt top measures 56 inches.  Great lap quilt size.  It is such a good feeling to have this one finished.  I don't know why I let it languish for so long.  The fabrics are the first Fig Tree collection, Buttercream and Figs.  Practically vintage!

 The other thing I focused on was piecing backings for several quilts that are long overdue to get to the quilter.  You see August Blooms on the bottom, in the middle of the pile is my Kaleidoscope quilt (which I decided not to put borders on after all), and on the top is Paganini a recent Schibbles project.  I have one more backing to make today, and I feel so guilty that I haven't done it sooner.

I know, isn't that terrible?  That quilt was finished in January, and has been sitting there ever since.  It is a gift for someone and they probably think they are never going to get it.  It's coming I promise.  My first priority.  I am ashamed to say, this is just the tip of the iceberg.  I will be able to keep my quilter in business for the rest of the year!

Succulent Garden

This last weekend I had a chance to visit one of my sisters.  My husband and I had tickets to a play in the City, and we spent the night at my sister's place on Saturday night.  Sunday morning my sister and her husband took me to a local garden nursery that was simply amazing.  If I lived near it, I swear I would be visiting it at least twice a week.  I'd need a truck, and a gardener to plant all the stuff I bought.

Since money and space in the car were both tight, I had to content myself with the purchase of the makings of the little succulent garden you see pictured above.  I had such fun choosing the plants and the ceramic dish I planted them in.  It was hardly a bargain, but I know I will enjoy it all summer long and hopefully for seasons to come.

The little succulents that look like rosettes are called Hens and Chicks.  The lighter green and pinkish plant on the right is a Donkey's Tail Sedum.  I don't know what the shaggy looking specimin on the left is, but I think it will spill over the sides of the dish eventually.  I can't wait to see how this fills in!

 

About Those Plate Blocks

Several people asked me about the pattern for the plate blocks.  I had started this project quite a few years ago, using an old Gai Perry book, "Quilted Gems".

That is where the idea came from anyway.  I did not at all use the method Gai did in her book.  She used an octagon template for the center of each plate block, and pieced triangles for the half square triangle units and the plate center corner squares.  Oh dear.  Those methods seem so out of date don't they?  The book was published in 2003 by C&T Publishing, and is no longer in print, although you can get used versions for next to nothing on Amazon.com.  The book is full of wonderful ideas for projects, and is worth having, even if you change up the construction methods as I did.

Here is what I did to make the 11" plate blocks:

Cut out one 5 1/2" center square in a contrasting fabric for the plate center. 

Cut out four 3 x 5 1/2" rectangles, two 3 7/8" squares and four 2 1/8" squares from the fabric you want the outside of the plate to be.

Cut out two 3 7/8" squares of background.

Draw diagonal stitching lines on the four 2 1/8" squares and position them on the 5 1/2" square for stitching.  Stitch on the drawn line.  Draw diagonal lines on the background square and position it right sides together on the print fabric for the half square triangle units.  Stitch one quarter inch from the drawn line on both sides. 

After stitching, trim the triangles from the 5 1/2" block corners and flip open and press.  Cut the 3 7/8" squares apart on the drawn line.  Open and press to the darker fabric.

Your half square triangle units are oversized.  Trim them down to 3".

Lay the nine pieces out as shown and sew together.

And there is your finished plate block!

I will probably stop with eight blocks and make a table runner.  The blocks will have a cream colored lattice to separate the "plates" and show them off a bit better.  The book shows a version done in various blue and white "chintz" style prints.  Those plates look like a set of Blue Willow tea set dishes!