A UFO finish: Jelly roll race quilt done

 Good day, and welcome to my blog.

Happy Spring if you are in the Northern Hemisphere.

I have a finish to report.  I could not find this project reported on my blog, but I must have started it in 2017 sometime.  This is a Jelly Roll Race quilt, using a batik jelly roll (40 strips, width of fabric).

I followed the instructions given by Wee Folk Art.

I know the borders were added more recently, in 2024 or 2025.

 I layered the back, batting and top on my bed, and put my rotary cutting mat underneath, and pinned the quilt sandwich.  I then machine quilted using my trusty old Kenmore.  Alas, when I turned the quilt over, I found this:

How mortifying!  But I am not making this quilt for show.  So, dear reader, I left it in.

I sewed the binding (same fabric as the border fabric) onto the back of the quilt sandwich, then folded it over and top-stitched to the front.  I found a great thread in my stash, to match:

It's a King Tut thread.  And finally, a close up of a corner, showing the fabrics used:

I marked those outer quilting lines in white chalk, and some remains on the top.

Linking up with Monday Musings, Sew and Tell at Melva Loves Scraps, Wednesday Wait Loss, Put your Foot Down at the Quiltery (she featured my quilt top - thank you!), Nina-Marie, Finished or Not at Alycia Quilts, From Bolt to Beauty, Frederique at Quilting, Patchwork, Applique, 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

Simplicity II in batiks now a top

 Good day, and welcome to my blog.

I have been busy in my sewing nook, and I have a new top.  I have been working with a set of batik strips from a Bali pop, as described in this Blog Post.  I have used the Simplicity II pattern from Jordan fabrics, and it works great with 2.5 inch strips, purchased or otherwise.

One makes the blocks and assembles them in a pleasing way, adding borders if you wish:

I like the 3-D look.  A closer look at a corner:

I have set this top away for the moment.  It may be quilted by me on my own machine (a trusty old Kenmore).  I am distracted now by a new start - but that is for next week, when I am a little farther along on it.

Linking up with Monday Musings, Sew and Tell at Melva Loves Scraps, Wednesday Wait Loss, Needle and Thread Thursday, Put your Foot Down at the Quiltery (she featured my post - thank you!), Nina-Marie, Finished or Not at Alycia Quilts, From Bolt to Beauty, Frederique at Quilting, Patchwork, Applique, 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

Simplicity II pattern in batik fabrics

 Good day, and welcome to my blog.

My last blog entry discussed a project using the Simplicity II pattern available on the Jordan Fabrics website.  I liked the pattern so much I have started it again, using a collection of batik 2.5 inch strips:

I believe I ordered this Bali pop to fill out my order of a specialty ruler, so that I wouldn't have to pay shipping costs.

I have sewn the blocks together, and auditioned settings.

Not the final setting, as it turns out.  I am currently assembling the blocks into a throw-sized quilt.  Borders will be cut and added later this week.

This pattern does have a bit of leftover fabric strips, after cutting for blocks.

In other news:

Simplicity II in Christmas fabrics is quilted, bound, and washed with color catchers.  It was quilted with a Holly leaf and berry pattern, which maybe you can see below, on the back of the quilt.

A straw-colored thread was used for the quilting by the long arm quilter, at my request.  As mentioned, this will go to a departing minister and his family this coming week.

Linking up with Monday Musings, Sew and Tell at Melva Loves Scraps, Wednesday Wait Loss (she featured my Christmas Simplicity II top - thank you!), Needle and Thread Thursday, Put your Foot Down at the Quiltery, Nina-Marie, Finished or Not at Alycia Quilts, From Bolt to Beauty, Frederique at Quilting, Patchwork, Applique, 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

Almost a top: Diamond Pops

 Good day, and welcome to my blog.  It's a cold December morning in the American Midwest.

The quilt guild I belong to has smaller interest groups that meet every other month.  The one I recently joined is a group of quilters exploring patterns for pre-cuts, such a jelly rolls, layer cakes, etc.  The challenge put out two months ago is to use jelly rolls (rolls of 2.5 inch fabric strips) to make the pattern Diamond Pops, a free pattern available on the Jordan fabrics website.

I picked up a pack of Hoffman batik strips, called Bellingham Bay, thinking of a quilt that would be OK for a guy.  Plus white batik yardage and blue-green batik yardage for the pattern and borders.

You sew up jelly roll strips to make the inside block:

The temptation is to trim these down to 12.5 inches - Don't!  

Then work with your yardage and build these blocks out to a larger size:

Assemble blocks, alternating blocks with light color on the outside edge, dark color on the outside edge:

This is where I am now.  Borders have yet to be added, which is why this post is called Almost a top.

Thoughts: It may be manly but the colors are a little dull and muddy.  At the quilt store where I purchased the Hoffman Bali pop and the yardage, I think I asked for 2 yards of the white batik, and 2 yards of the blue green batik.  The clerk misheard me and measured out 2.5 yards of each.  This is actually a good thing, as 2 yards would not be enough for the blocks, borders, and binding.

The quilt group is meeting next week, and we are showing off our tops (or finished quilts).  It will be interesting to see how different the pattern looks, done up in different fabrics. 

Edited to add:

I have now added the borders.  A picture of the whole quilt, on the floor:

Hard to see the dark outer border, so here is a close up of a corner:

------ ------- ------------ ------------ -------- ------------ ----------------- ----------------

Linking up with Monday Musings, 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, Frederique at Quilting, Patchwork, Applique, 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

Tidepools project now quilted and bound

 Hello and welcome to my blog.

I have a finish to report - Tidepools, based on a pattern by Scott Flangan.  He calls the pattern Plateau.

The start of the project is described HERE.

A finished top is described HERE.

The top looks like this:

I bound the quilt with binding that's the same fabric as the outer border, and top stitched it with olive green thread, which looks kind of gray:

Here is a corner:

As for my last post and last project, I am a bit disappointed in the long arm quilting.  The top tension is off, and the bottom thread is pulled up, especially where the quilting changes directions.  See the blue arrows in the picture below (I know, hard to make out - click on the picture to enlarge).

But it is done and it's on my bed.  I love the teal and green colors.

Linking up with Monday Musings, 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, Frederique at Quilting, Patchwork, Applique, 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

Quilt done: Contessa pattern in bright batiks, for Mom

 Good day, and welcome to my blog.

I am a reporting a finish from this year, a project I started in August and blogged about HERE.

It is a pattern called Contessa and I chose it and the fabrics in consultation with my mom, as the quilt is for her.

The overall quilt, after washing:

I washed it with 5 color catchers and it's a good thing too, as the catchers were bright pink when they came out of the washer.

A view of the backing:

I have to say I'm a little disappointed with the long arm quilting.  The top thread over all the quilt is too tight and is pulling the bottom thread up to the top.  On the points of the leaves in the quilting pattern, it's pulling the bottom thread way up.

Look at the leaf shape nearest the center of the picture.

There is not much to be done about it now.  I have added the binding (same eggplant batik as the outer border) by machine.  Then washed it as noted above.

Linking up with Monday Musings, Sew and Tell at Melva Loves Scraps, Wednesday Wait Loss (she featured by Over and Down Under top - thank you!), Needle and Thread Thursday, Put your Foot Down at the Quiltery, Nina-Marie, Finished or Not at Alycia Quilts, From Bolt to Beauty, Frederique at Quilting, Patchwork, Applique, 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

Top done: Over and Down Under in batiks

 Good day and welcome to my blog.

I have a top finished, soon to go to a local long arm quilter that I like.  When you are retired, there is plenty of time to move projects forward.

I used a purchased pattern called Over and Down Under, and a roll up of bright batiks 2.5 inch strips:

My start on the project is described in this Blog Post.

You have to keep close track of the squares you are sewing together, and their order.  For example:  this set of squares is sewn together in the wrong order:

I had to rip this unit down to the individual squares and resew.  But, hurrah, I got the center section finished!

And then added borders:

The background fabric is a Kona solid called Charcoal.  A close up of one corner:

I really like this roll of batik fabrics.  Unfortunately, I don't think it's available anymore.

I am getting back from my long arm quilter 2 quilts today.  I'll blog about them next week.

Linking up with Monday Musings, 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

New start: Over and Down Under in bright batik fabrics

 Hello and welcome to my blog.

For National Sew a Jelly roll day (Sept.20) I started a new project using the pattern Over and Down Under, which I have used before.  On the 20th I just cut and prepped fabric, and started sewing on the 21st, continuing into yesterday.

The pattern and the jelly roll/roll-up I used:

The fabric is cut according to the directions, & laid out:

The gray squares on the upper right are my background fabric. There are doubles of most the colors.  I decided to have a rainbow gradient running sideways and up and down.

I pulled out a table to lay out my borders, so I wouldn't have to stoop down to the floor.

Starting on the upper left corner, I laid out the fabric squares on my sewing table and sewed them together, paying close attention to keeping them in order.

Here is one fourth (upper left quadrant) sewn together, not attached to the border yet.

The interwoven pattern is clear, but there is a bit of a mish mash in the middle where like colored squares come together.  I wonder if I should have set warm colors (dark red, red, orange, yellow) going sideways and cool colors (green, blue, purple) going up and down.  Well, it's too late for that now.  I will continue sewing this up this week.  When the center is done, the borders will be added.

Linking up with Monday Musings, 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

Contessa pattern: a quilt for Mom

Good day, and welcome to my blog. 

I have been busy in my sewing room!  I am making a quilt (now a top) for my mom, and have been consulting with her every step of the way.

She likes bright colors: yellow, orange, red, even to magenta.  I found a set of 2.5 inch strips in these colors, and bought other fabrics to match, as my initial pick of a pattern required extra fabric for background and borders.

The package of strips is from CinBarDesigns on Etsy, and the other matching fabric, including the eggplant batik, came from Creekside Quilts.  CinBar Designs doesn't have this fabric set any more, but she has lots of other pretty batiks.  And Creekside Quilts has a great selection of batiks, and great customer service!

The pattern I chose, with Mom's input, is the Contessa pattern, available for free from Moda.  

I used the eggplant-colored batik, not white, for the background.

The pattern as written makes a top finishing at 60 inches by 70 inches, but I added borders.  A thin eggplant-colored border, then a warm yellow, then a wider eggplant border.  Here is what the top looks like now.

And a close-up of a corner:

I also consulted with Mom as to backing fabric.  The back of this quilt will be as bright as the front.  Our pick, from Backside Fabrics:

This will be arriving this week or next, and then it's off to the Long arm quilter I use.  I have plenty of time to get this project done for Christmas.

Linking up with Monday Musings, 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

Tidepools project is now a top

 Good day, and welcome to my blog.  I am writing with current updates on my Tidepools project.

This is a pattern by Scott Flanagan called Plateau from one of this books, Charming Jelly Roll Quilts.  The start of this project is described in this blog post.  I have been sewing away and I now have a top:

The blue-green colors - I love them.

The blue and green fabric strips are from an Island batiks pack I purchased at Karen's Quilting Corner in Williamstown MA - she still has some for sale on her website.  The border fabrics I purchased online at Creekside Quilts.  Creekside Quilts has a great selection of batik fabrics - check them out.

A corner of the top, showing the border:

Linking up with Monday Musings, Sew and Tell at Melva Loves Scraps, Wednesday Wait Loss (she featured my Snowball quilt finish - thank you), 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

For National Quilting Day: A new project

 Welcome to my usual Wednesday posting.  March 20 was National Quilting Day, and even though I have several projects ongoing, I decided to start a new project.  Hey why not?  And in different colors and fabrics than my usual Civil War and 1800's reproduction fabrics.

I had saved in my files a free pattern called Three at a Time:

https://www.fatquartershop.com/three-at-a-time-quilt-free-pdf-pattern

And decided to start on it.  You need a Jelly roll with 40 strips of fabric, and at least 2 yards of background fabric. though more would be better.  I had this Jelly roll from Lunn fabrics:

A beautiful array of blue, green, lime, yellow and orange batiks.  Following directions, this is as far as I have gotten:

Love the movement in this one.  The background is a dark charcoal gray, slightly mottled fabric.  The quilt is assembled in long columns and I have yet to sew them together.  You get the sense of where this is heading however.

I like this pattern - I may try it in 30's reproductions and unbleached muslin next!

Linking up with Midweek Makers, Put your foot down at For the love of geese, Needle and Thread Thursday,  Can I get a Whoop Whoop, 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 posts at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Viridian61/347674418583948?ref=hl

Viridian