I am Retired! And sewing progress

Hello, and welcome to my blog! 

I am happy to report that I am retired from my full time career job; over 30 years in this position.  No details here, 'cause I like to maintain my privacy.  Sleeping late!  Reading books and magazines! And more sewing and quilting!  That's what I hope to do.

I am also happy to report a little more progress on my Hamilton Gardens project.  This is a Bonnie Hunter pattern.  The start of the project is described HERE.  Many small pieces need to come together and this is what I have now, set on point:

You have to imagine white or light sashing between the blocks, and cornerstones helping to connect the blocks, instead of the brown carpet in my sewing area.

Many more blocks to go, but I have the time now.

Linking up with Monday Musings, Melva Loves Scraps, Wednesday Wait Loss, Needle and Thread Thursday, Put your Foot Down at the Quiltery, Nina-Marie,  Finished or Not at Alycia Quilts, From Bolt to Beauty, Oh Scrap at Quilting is more Fun than Housework.

I have a page on Facebook: keep up with my infrequent quilt and stamp posts at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Viridian61/347674418583948?ref=hl

Viridian

Hamilton Gardens: new project start

 Good Day, and welcome to my blog!

I was perusing Bonnie Hunter's Quiltville Blog, and noted she had a group of retreaters working on her pattern, Hamilton Gardens.  I was struck by the pattern and purchased it right away.

In my sewing room, I pulled various 1930's - 1940's reproduction patterns in pastels for this, with sashings of white fabric.  But I needed more variety.  On my shelves of my overstuffed sewing nook I spotted two more boxes of these fabrics.  Inside were cut strips of the reproduction fabrics.  I couldn't remember the project I cut them for!  Or maybe they were leftovers?  

In any case, they are now part of this Hamilton Gardens project.

I sewed some blocks together, to see how they look:

I like this!  They are laid out on my sewing room floor, and will have white sashing between them.  They look even better on point, as shown in the front page of the pattern.

Back to my day job today, but I hope to get more done in the evenings this week and next.

Linking up with Monday Musings, Melva Loves Scraps, Wednesday Wait Loss, Needle and Thread Thursday, Put your Foot Down at the Quiltery, Nina-Marie,  Finished or Not at Alycia Quilts, From Bolt to Beauty, Oh Scrap at Quilting is more Fun than Housework.

I have a page on Facebook: keep up with my infrequent quilt and stamp posts at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Viridian61/347674418583948?ref=hl

Viridian

Mini 9 patches assembled, partially quilted

 Good day, and welcome to my blog.

I am reporting on some progress in my sewing area last weekend.

In my last blog post, I showed some mini 9 patches I had assembled.  And they are miniature - each little patch finishes at 1/2 inch.

I now have a little top:

I thought about sending this as my contribution to the doll quilt swap I am part of.  But the borders are wavy - I must have stretched them when sewing them on.  I am too lazy to take them off and redo them.  The center lays flat at least.

A close up:

And partially quilted, by machine:

About 17 inches square.  Not instant gratification, but pretty quick gratification!  And easy to manage on a domestic sewing machine.

Linking up with Monday Musings, Melva Loves Scraps, Wednesday Wait Loss, Needle and Thread Thursday, Put your Foot Down at the Quiltery, Nina-Marie,  Finished or Not at Alycia Quilts, From Bolt to Beauty, Oh Scrap at Quilting is more Fun than Housework.

I have a page on Facebook: keep up with my infrequent quilt and stamp posts at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Viridian61/347674418583948?ref=hl

Viridian

Over and Down Under in pastels is done

 Hello, and welcome to my blog!  I have a finish to report.

In August 2024 I blogged about my project using the pattern Over and Down Under, and the Georgia fabric line, specifically a jelly roll and a purple background fabric.

The pattern:

The soft pastel fabrics of the Georgia line did not lead to such a woven look.  But I decided this Spring to have the top machine quilted by a local long arm lady that I use - she does great work.  I picked a pink wide backing fabric.

Now to trim and bind.  I sew the double fold binding onto the back of the quilt, fold over to the front, and top stitch down.  I have gotten better at this, but my stitch length varies.  What thread to use to disguise my stitches in the purple fabric?

Purple thread on the left, but probably not enough to go around the perimeter.  King Tut variegated thread in the middle, but will it show up too much?  Medium blue thread on the right.  I ended up using this, and it blends in well!

The overall quilt, 56 by 56 inches:

And a close up of one corner, showing the quilting and the binding and how the blue threads blends in:

And it is done!  No home for this quilt throw yet.

Linking up with Melva Loves Scraps, Wednesday Wait Loss, Needle and Thread Thursday, Put your Foot Down at the Quiltery, Nina-Marie,  Finished or Not at Alycia Quilts, From Bolt to Beauty, Oh Scrap at Quilting is more Fun than Housework.

I have a page on Facebook: keep up with my infrequent quilt and stamp posts at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Viridian61/347674418583948?ref=hl

Viridian