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

New project: Mini 9 patches

 In my last blog post, I wrote of making mini courthouse steps blocks for a doll quilt exchange.  That meant that I had a box of 1 inch strips of fabric out on my work table.

Yes they finish at 0.5 inches wide!  And I had recently read this blog entry from Repro Quilt Lover on making tiny 9 patch blocks.  So I shortened the stitch length on my trusty old Kenmore and started sewing.

Small, cute, adorable.  I limited myself to 25 of them and I am now setting them together on point:

This is as far as I have progressed, as of this morning.  No plans for this project, just fun.

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

Doll quilt top

 Good day, and welcome to my somewhat neglected blog.  I have been busy in my day job and haven't had time to do much sewing or quilting.  But i have a little top to share today.

I have signed up for the doll quilt exchange on Lori's Humble Quilts blog (The sign ups are closed now.)  In this you make a doll quilt that looks as though it has time traveled from the past, and send it out.  Another person makes a doll quilt for you.  So reproduction fabrics it is, and I have plenty of those.

I had in mind using leftovers from one of my recent projects, and I searched my disorganized sewing area.  I found only a few squares - much less leftovers than I thought.  But I did find a box of one inch strips left over from a Courthouse Steps quilt I made a long time ago:

Yes, one inch strips, finishing at 0.5 inches.  I also found 2 leftover blocks from that project, and the beginnings of two more blocks.  So I finished the two partial blocks, and now have a little top:

That will finish at about 15.5 inches square.  My hand quilting skills are not what they used to be, so I think machine quilting and machine binding for this little top.  I am ahead of the game - deadline for sending is early May.

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

New start: "Anything goes" log cabin blocks

 Good Day and welcome to my blog.  It is a warmish February day in the American Midwest.

In Fall of 2024 I had a cutting party.  I pulled out my reproduction fabrics, and what I had handy, and cut strips and blocks for several projects.  This past weekend I decided to do something with my 1.5 inch strips, hanging out in two shoeboxes - light and dark strips.

There they are: a variety of dark fabrics, light shirting prints (reproduction fabrics), and the red fabric I am using for the center block.  I have a lot of reproduction fabrics.

This past weekend I started on this project.  The lights are pretty light, and the dark fabrics are "anything goes".  I started a set of 28 blocks, and this is as far as I got:

Several more rounds to go.  Then I'll see how these turn out, then start another set.

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

Cups and Saucers quilt - a UFO finish

 Hello, and welcome to a cold bright day in the American Midwest.

Thanks for the kind words in the comments to my last post.  Grandma loved the quilt Sea Breeze.

Now to update you on a finish.  Cups and Saucers was started in 2022.  I finally pulled it out, found a backing, and sent it to the long arm quilter that I use - she does a great job.  74 by 88 inches, cotton batting, a curlicue quilting pattern.  Real feedsacks and vintage fabrics used in the blocks, Kona Snow for the background.

The overall view, above, and two close ups of blocks below, showing the vintage fabrics.

And a look at the quilting in the white areas.

No home for this one, yet.  Maybe I'll keep it!

Linking up with Sew and Tell at 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

Sea breeze: A quilt for Grandma

 Good Day and welcome to my blog.

My mother in law, grandmother to my children, has been feeling poorly lately.  So I decided to make her a quilt (of course, as that is what we quilters do).  She hasn't been able to go to her favorite beach in Florida for a few years.  So when I saw a jelly roll and fabric with watery fabrics, and shell fabrics, I knew that would work for her gift.

I wanted to make log cabin blocks, with more subtle value contrast between the dark and light logs.  And the jelly roll had a good number of medium value strips.

Darks in the middle but more medium fabrics to the top and bottom.  I started the log cabin blocks with a very light center, very light fabrics on one side, and medium fabrics for the 'dark' side.  And the lights moved towards medium values, and the darks moved to darker values.

I arranged the blocks this way at first:

No, I didn't like that.  So try a streak of lightning set:

Yes that is what I did, and the picture above shows the top with borders attached.

Now it is back from the long arm quilter I use.  Trimmed but not bound yet:

The binding will be the same fabric as the outer border.  No, can't see the quilting, which is a pattern of shells and sand dollars.  The fabrics are quite busy.

A peek of the back, shells on a beach wide back fabric from Backside Fabrics:

I hope to bind this tomorrow or the next day, and get this to Grandma soon.

Linking up with Sew and Tell at 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

25 patch blocks have depleted my stash

 Good day, and welcome to my quilting blog.

I have been pursuing my 25 patch blocks as a way to use up my 2 inch strips and squares.  I had two shoe boxes full, and the amount never seemed to go down.  What my boxes looked like at the beginning of the 25 patch project:

But I now have 56 25 patch blocks that have used up almost all this fabric!  That's 1400 2 inch squares for those who are counting.

Here are some of those blocks, laid out on my brown carpet:

All colors are here.  I plan on using a fabric the color of unbleached muslin as sashing.  It's leftover from a wide back.

Shoe boxes now, and leftover squares:

I threw away thin fabric strips and a few cotton-poly blends that had sneaked in there.  When this project is a top I will have no qualms about throwing the few 2 inch squares and strips away, and re-purposing the shoe boxes for another project.  There is always another project.

Linking up with 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

Still more squares: so 25 patches it is

 Good day and welcome to my quilting blog, where I document my progress on my many projects.

My last post was about the second top I made from a variety of 2 inch square scraps from 2 shoe boxes.  Two quilt tops depleted the shoe boxes somewhat, but there are quite a few scraps and strips left:

So, I started a series of 25 patch blocks.  I may have to make a big quilt top to use these all up.  Here are my stacks of 2 inch squares, ready to go:

Some strips were too skinny, and some squares too small or ragged:

 

But I have started:

Each block will finish at 7.5 inches square.  I have a long way to go.  I hope to vary my fabrics, and not have a bunch of ugly err, less loved fabrics at the end.  So these strips (below) went back in the shoebox, to be pulled out later, to brighten the selection.

Linking up with 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

Current progress on 2 inch squares projects

 Hello, and welcome to my blog.  After the rush of the holidays I was able to get back to my sewing area and make some progress.

I had two shoe boxes overflowing with 2 inch fabric strips and squares, and I made a a top using the Clean Up pattern, by Quilted Twins.  It is described in my previous blog post.  This did not deplete the shoe boxes very much, and I made another top using the 2 inch fabric squares and a constant sage green fabric.  It looks like this:

And a close up view: 

This top is now about 53 by 67 inches.  It used up scraps at a slower rate, so this is what my shoe boxes look like now:

Argh.  I am now prepping 2 inch squares for a quilt block 5 by 5 squares, with some narrow sashing, which ought to use these squares faster.  Let's make lots of blocks!  That's this week's project.

I also got distracted by a new project.  I purchased a jelly roll of ocean fabric and I am making log cabin blocks, along with my Stashbuster group.  The image below shows 15 bigger blocks, and a pile of 5 blocks that got lost behind the sewing machine, and need some more strips sewn on.  I am waiting on an infusion of more fabric from this fabric line.

The jelly roll had many strips of medium value, so it's been a fun challenge.  That's my update for this week.

Linking up with Wednesday Wait Loss, Needle and Thread Thursday, Put your Foot Down at the Quiltery, Nina-Marie, Finished or Not at Alycia Quilts, 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