Sister's Choice Quilts

Putting a Quilt Top Together

This week I am focusing on putting a quilt top together. This quilt is "Peace and Healing" by Piecing the Past Quilts. The sew-along started this spring and each week I received the patterns for three or four blocks. The patterns were free at the time, but you can purchase all of them now for $19.99 from their website. I didn't care for three or four of the blocks and swapped out different ones.

Now it is time to sew the top together and I am making some changes to the layout.

The biggest change I am making is that the blocks are supposed to be "framed" before attaching the lattice. I suppose the reason for this is that the designer wants to be sure all the blocks can be squared up to the same size. My blocks all came out 9 1/2", so I don't need any squaring up, thus I am skipping the frames. I'm not bragging, I am just careful. It is amazing how accurate one's blocks can be when you starch your fabric first, pay attention to careful cutting, sew a consistent 1/4" seam, and trim up your units to the correct size as you sew. 

The lattice is pretty cute I think. It has little red and white four patches for the lattice posts. I am going to use the red (from the four patches) for a very narrow inner border, then add a wider border of the cream (same as the lattice). I think that will set off the blocks nicely.

I used all fabric from my stash, a mix of Primitive Gatherings, Pam Buda, and Julie Hendrickson. I did have to buy the lattice fabric, and got a ton of it, so maybe I can use it for the back as well.

Hope your week is going well!

 

Among the Stars Again Border

I finished the border units for the Among the Stars Again quilt. The piecing was kind of repetitive, but once it is on the quilt, I can tell it is going to be striking. The colors in the quilt are kind of subtle for a Christmas quilt, and this red and white border will really make a statement.

I have been also meaning to share the book holder I purchased from Fat Quarter Shop. It is designed by Lori Holt and is perfect for holding a quilting book or pattern instructions. I've been using it non-stop and can't imagine how I got along without it all these years. The bright yellow color is so cheerful and fun too. 

In a burst of energy, I also got the quilting done on my 5 mug rugs for June. If my health holds up (and I don't get COVID) I will attempt to sew the bindings on today.

Every time I make a new Mug Rug of the Month, I think it is my favorite so far. But this one is so cute and summery, it may be in first place. Pattern is Strawberry Social by the Pattern Basket.

Have a great weekend everyone!

Christmas Among the Stars: Blocks Done!

I can't quite believe it, but I have finished all the blocks for the Christmas Among the Stars Again quilt!! It is a quilt-along sponsored by Fat Quarter Shop and has been going on for 8 months. My Month 8 package of fabric is in the mail and will contain what I need for the lattice and a red and white border. I love the subtle look of these blocks. Christmassy, but not in your face. 

The pattern booklet is by It's Sew Emma, and the fabric collection is Christmas Morning by Lella Boutique. You can still find the fabric on Etsy, but it seems to be pretty much sold out elsewhere.  It was really a gorgeous collection. I still need to get backing fabric, so I had better get on it.

Have you ever done a monthly BOM kit/sew-along with Fat Quarter Shop? If so, you have probably noticed that they send you way WAY more fabric than you actually need. See those colorful pieces on my cutting board? See the little white strips of triangle piecing paper at the top of the photo? All I need out of each of those great big pieces of fabric is a smidgeon the size of one of those foundation paper strips.

That strip on the left is what I cut, and I used about half of it. The big piece on the right is just leftover.

My point is, with a Fat Quarter Shop BOM, you will end up with loads of fabric leftover. Plenty for a table runner, a baby quilt, zipper bags, or any other project you can dream up. I am going to use my extras for a table runner. Of course, if you tend to make mistakes when you are cutting and sewing, you would also have plenty of fabric for "do-overs".

I have had an absolutely splendid week. You may have noticed a lot of sewing going on. Every day I sewed this week, and it sure did put me in my happy place.

I sure hope you have had a good week too, and that your weekend will be splendid!

 

Flea Market Quilt Along Baskets

I decided to forge ahead with my Flea Market quilt. There isn't much point in waiting for the next step in the sew-along, since not much is being posted about it. I have completed my basket blocks for April and May. I suppose I will keep going with them and perhaps wrap up this project before the deadline. These basket blocks have been super quick to piece with their nice large units.

Caroll asked me about my sewing chair, which I had wheeled out of the way when I took pictures of my sewing room the other day. We got this one at Staples I believe. It wasn't the most expensive one on offer, but it wasn't a cheap one either. It is adjustable on many levels, and I appreciate the contour of the back, which is very supportive. It moves easily, even on the carpet. I think I have had it at least 7 or 8 years, and there have been no issues with it at all. Arm rests are probably not strictly necessary, but I find I do use them on occasion.

Hope your week got off to a great start!

 

Lost My Mind and Found Another

You all are going to think I've lost my mind, but I have joined another sew-along. Moda Fabrics is hosting a sew-along called Midnight Moon, based on Carrie Nelson's book/sew-along "Summer Moon". I have always, always wanted to make that quilt, but never have. Mainly because the quilt calls for a tremendous amount of fabric (half yard cuts of everything, plus more), and requires the sewer to make three different sizes of each block. 7 1/2", 6", and 4", if I recall properly. I get bored quickly, and just don't have it in me to make three of the same block at this point in my life. 

My approach to this sew-along is that I am going to only make one of each block, in the six-inch size. My quilt won't be large, but I think if I use a diagonal setting, or use a plain alternate block, it will be lovely.  The quilt with three different sizes of each block is just stunning, but it isn't for me right now. Each week I will make two different blocks (while everyone else is making a total of six). The sew-along has been going on for two weeks so I have four blocks completed.

You may notice that I am using an assortment of Fig Tree fabrics from a couple of their Halloween collections for the Midnight Moon project. I have a slew of fat quarters and will have plenty to make 24 or more 6" finished blocks for a Halloween sampler quilt. 

So, here's the thing. Remember this block? This was my supposed start on Moda Blockheads 4, block one. Using the same Fig Tree fabrics. 

I have switched gears totally. I am now using those Fig Tree Halloween fabrics to make the Midnight Moon sew-along, and have gotten different fabrics to make the Moda Blockheads project. I know this is convoluted but bear with me.

I bought three different fat eighths bundles of Linzee McCray fabric collections to make the Moda Blockheads quilt. Flour Garden, Flowers for Freya, and Morning Light. All in those gorgeous navy, grey, aqua, and yellow colors. Thelma from Cupcakes n' Daisies is using this same fabric to make her Blockheads quilt and I was blown away by how much I liked it, so I got some too. Thelma is planning a much more elaborate setting than I will do, and she is making her blocks in two different sizes. You should definitely follow her on Instagram and see what she does. It is bound to be way more interesting than what I come up with. Again, I may use a diagonal setting, and will probably leave out the pink/coral fabrics in my blocks. Our quilts will be very different, I am sure. I think it is fun to see the different results quilters achieve when using the same fabrics. 

Here are my first four blocks. They are all 9 1/2" unfinished. 

Eva will be out of school soon. Even with not being able to sew on the weekends when I am with my dad, I think I should be able to get in a lot more sewing time this summer than I have for quite some time.  I hope I haven't bitten off more than I can chew. I have a lot of UFOs at the moment and hope to wrap up a few of them when I have more time.

At any rate, I have been itching to get some sewing done and these new projects will keep me nicely occupied! 

Can You See Where I Am Going With This?

Like I said, baby steps. I only snagged an hour or so to sew yesterday, but I got two of the big corner pieces made. They are just pinned on the design wall, but I think you get the idea of where I am headed with this.

I really like how the star points pick up the aqua in the quilt blocks. I am liking this quilt top so much better now that I ditched the flower motif.

Eva and I made applesauce muffins yesterday, which were delicious. It was another Taste of Home recipe. They are so reliable. Here is a link, if you want to try them. That recipe is a keeper!

Just a quickie post today. Maybe tomorrow I'll have a quilt top to show you!

One More Border

This week's sewing is going to be in baby steps I think. I did manage to get another border on the center medallion of my Designer Mystery 2011 quilt. The next step will be to frame the four outside blocks that are not on the diagonal. After that, there is kind of a giant Cat's Cradle unit that will form a star around the center medallion. I won't be using my Creative Grids tool for that, so wish me luck.

I am enjoying the direction away from the pattern that has evolved with this quilt. I will be emphasizing the aqua colors in the remaining construction of the quilt, which I think will play well with the quilt blocks. In the finishing kit, the border fabric is a tan background floral print. The tan fabric coloration features only a couple of times in the blocks and only in the smallest ways. I am perplexed why they chose it for the border fabric. You can spy a touch of the tan in the top-most center flower in the center medallion. Seems kind of random, right?

I happened to have a good amount of the coordinating large aqua floral print in my stash (!), and I am making use of it in the star and in the border.  The large piece of tan floral in the finishing kit will go on the back of the quilt. I am not wasting anything! I have no recollection of where or why I bought a few yards of the aqua print, but yay me. I barely remember why I did something last week, much less back in 2011.

Hope you all enjoyed yesterday's book reviews. I was asked if "A Place to Hang the Moon" was a juvenile book, and I would categorize it as "middle grade". Suitable for young teens, but would be very much enjoyed by adults.

Hope your week got off to a great start! Our weather here is warming up and I am thinking of getting a pedicure....

Going In a New Direction

I am taking my Designer Mystery Quilt 2011 in a different direction. I decided I didn't really care for the flower stems. Too "cutesy" for my taste. I spent a lot of time looking over the past Designer Mystery settings and liked the look of the one from 2020. 

As you can see it has nine blocks set on the diagonal as a center medallion. There are a couple of narrow borders that will frame it, as you can see in the diagram below. 

It finishes with a star design and the four remaining blocks on each corner. I have enough fabric for a floral outer border, so that will increase the size of the top for me.

This quilt has the look of a girl's quilt I think. And I know a special girl who is turning 11 in July that might like it. And look what I can use on the back:

Thanks so much to those of you who made setting suggestions yesterday. It really made me rethink the pattern directions that came with the quilt blocks!

One Quilt Finally Off the Design Wall

Sewcialites is finally off the design wall! Woo hoo!  All the rows are sewn together and the borders attached. I have to say, those blocks all came together pretty perfectly. No fudging was required when sewing them together, which is unusual. I credit careful cutting, a strict 1/4" seam allowance, pressing seams open, and starching the fabrics before cutting. I love the way it came out. Once it is quilted, it will go nicely in my library/reading room.

And here is a new look for my sewing room design wall!

This is the Designer Mystery 2011 Sew Along. I am toying with layout ideas, which will be a bit different from what the directions say I should do. The official version of the quilt is 79" wide and 94" inches long. Now, if I put that on a queen-sized bed, I want the sides to drape over. The upshot is, I want a wider quilt than what the designers made.

I was thinking of doing four columns of three flowers instead of three columns with four flowers. Do you think that would be weird? Any ideas for a layout that is wider than 79" would be welcome!

I went to the Fat Quarter Shop website and searched for "Designer Mystery Quilt Finishing patterns" and came up with a good number of past layout patterns for the DM quilt alongs. Take a look and see if you think one of them might be a good choice. I am flexible for sure, and have a lot of fabric.

I've made 12 12" blocks, but could make more. I've got yards of finishing fabric, so there are lots of options. I could even scrap the stems and do a diagonal layout with alternate blocks....

 

I made one of the "stem" blocks to see how it looks, and I think it's pretty cute, but I'm not committed.

I invite you all to weigh in with suggestions!

 

Red Sampler Sew Along Week Nine

I feel as if I've been on vacation for two weeks. Today is the day I get back on a schedule though. I plan to make the most of any free time I have during the week and not lose momentum with my projects.

The red and white blocks above are week nine of Lori Holt's Red Sampler sew-along. Those cheerful red fabrics put a smile on my face. The little framed four patch is so cute.

I wanted to share a tool I have been enjoying a lot. It is called "Cute Cuts" and is a block square up trim tool by Lori Holt. You can buy the tools individually or in sets of various sizes.

If you love crisp, accurate blocks you might like this trim tool too. It is great for squaring up small 3 1/2 inch blocks, but I found it indispensable for trimming 3 1/2 inch block units in the 12-inch blocks I was working on recently. Looking at the photo above, you may think "Wow, Nicole was pretty spot on with her 3 1/2 inch unit".  Ahem, thanks, but check this out:

I was pretty close, and maybe it would have been just fine as is without trimming. However, if you love accuracy, you can see that there was a fair amount trimmed away to achieve the exact 3 1/2 inch measurement. My 2011 Designer Mystery blocks came out great, and I credit this trim tool and a lot of fabric starching for my good results.