Autumn Braids now a top

 Good day, and welcome to my blog.  It's a hot few days here in the American Midwest.

I have been busy in my sewing room, sewing on the Autumn Braids pattern. One makes the braids, cut them to length, add accent borders, and assemble into long columns that will run the length of the quilt.  The first two braids were exactly the same length and I sewed them together easily.

The next two braids were a bit short: 0.5 inches and 0.3 inches and had to have coping strips added to the bottom.

But finally, I added outer border strips and it is done.

The border fabric is the featured fabric of this Middleboro Road collection.

I managed to also cut strips for binding from the leftover yardage, sewed them together, and set the binding aside on my bookshelf.  No, it won't get lost.

Now to bind a UFO (Un-Finished Object).  Enough of these new starts for now, even though they are fun.

Linking up with Monday Musings, Sew and Tell at Melva Loves Scraps, Design Wall Monday, Wednesday Wait Loss, 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

New Start: Autumn Braids

 Good day, and welcome to my blog.

A new start is always refreshing, isn't it?  And this one is a form of "Homework".

In my local quilt guild, there is a spin off group that concentrates on projects using pre-cuts: jelly rolls, charm packs and so on.  The project chosen for this summer is the pattern Autumn Braids.  Google "Autumn Braids quilt pattern" and you'll see it for sale in various shops or on etsy.

Start with a jelly roll of 40 strips, in this case the fabric line Middleboro Road:

I admit I purchased this jelly roll to add to an online order so that I would get free shipping.  

Cut strips into sections and make 4 braids.  When the braids get long and unwieldy, roll up and pin them.

Cut into sections and border with an accent fabric.

Make a long column, following directions.

The blue fabric in between sections will also be used to separate the columns and for the borders.  So buy enough for this, and don't use a directional fabric (no stripes).

This is as far as I have gotten in the last week.  I will continue on this, and possibly trim and bind a UFO.  I have a quilt back from the long arm quilter I use, and it is ready for finishing.

Linking up with Monday Musings, Sew and Tell at Melva Loves Scraps, Design Wall Monday, Wednesday Wait Loss, Put your Foot Down at the Quiltery (she featured my finish reported in my last 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

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

Simplicity II quilt top in Christmas fabrics

 Good day, and welcome to my blog.  It's a cool day in the American Midwest, but lots of sunshine.

I'll tell you today about a project I have that has a deadline.  It is for the departing minister of our church, who is leaving at the end of January.

Dec. 20, 2025:  I decide to make a quilt using the Simplicity II pattern, available at Jordan Fabrics.

An older Hoffman jingle pop would be nice.

I opened and admired the fabrics.

On to making the blocks.  There is a tutorial video on the Jordan fabrics web page.

After a break for family and Christmas visiting, I was back at it this past weekend.  Center complete:

And with borders attached.  Alas, they are a little wavy.

I had only the package of Hoffman fabrics in my stash, and a trip to a local quilt store was necessary to find border fabric.  I found the Hoffman green inner border fabric (yeah) but the outer border is a Moda fabric.  It is black with gold stars and fits in well, as you can see.

Now it must go to the long arm quilter I use, and I hope she can get it done rather quickly.  I need to then trim, bind, and wash it with color catchers.  Before the end of January.

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

Voyager: I received my fabric and I have a top

 Good day and welcome to my blog.

In my last blog entry I was waiting on some fabric from the Sun Valley fabric line to get going on my Villa Rosa Voyager blocks.  I did receive my fabric and I have been sewing away.  Here is one block:

I was waiting on the center yellow-orange fabric.  Here is the quilt top laid out on the floor, with some keystoning in the pic:

The top is about 58 inches, by 70 inches in size.  And a close-up of one corner:

I am calling this the Autumn Gold quilt.  Autumn colors, yes, but also a lot of gold highlights on the fabric used.  Binding is made and stored, and this top is waiting its turn to go to the long arm quilter that I use.

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

Villa Rosa Voyager: A start but waiting on fabric

 Good day and welcome to my blog.

A jelly roll/rollup of fabric (Sun Valley) surfaced in my sewing room.  I think I purchased it 2 years ago.

Beautiful shades of brown and gold, with gold highlights, perhaps more highlights than I normally like.  The fabric strips definitely look better released from the packaging, rather then rolled up.  And I have a pattern from Villa Rosa called Voyager, that would use the 40 strips in a full roll:

But a center fabric is needed for each block.  I ordered a yellow-gold fabric from this fabric line, and I am waiting for it to arrive.  However, I have started sewing strips of fabric together.  I sorted the strips into dark-dark, dark-medium, medium-light, and light-light groupings.  There needs to be some contrast between the two strips, but not much.  I paired the dark-dark strips with the light-medium strips, and the medium-dark strips with the light-light strips.

And cut them to the length specified.

And now I wait.  If the fabric doesn't come today, I will set this aside and start on another project, so that I have something to blog about 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

Mom was right!

 Good day, and welcome to my blog.

I have started a new project, using a jelly roll of fabric from a line called Georgia by Moda Fabrics.  I was at the local quilt store and felt a jelly roll was a more economical purchase than a half yard each of the entire fabric line, looking so wonderful on the shelf.  😊

So, what jelly roll pattern to use?  I have a pattern called Over and Down Under, purchased a few years ago:

You need one jelly roll of 40 strips, and a background fabric.  I bought a deep purple for the background.

I ran this idea past my mom: sending her the image above of the pattern, and sending her to the website by Moda of the Georgia fabric line.  (You can click and see it too.)

Mom is a retired art teacher, and knows color, hues, tints, shade, contrast etc.  She gently pointed out, that although a set of beautiful fabrics, the pastels would not have much contrast, and the 'woven' look may not develop.

I cut the fabric, and started anyway.  Here is part of the border:

And here is the top left corner, partially sewn together:

Mom Was Right!  6 rows together and the fabric blends together!  Well except for one strong lavender column on the right.

I will persevere and continue... (the fabric is cut) ... but this top may never be quilted.

I still like this pattern.  I have a jelly roll of bright batiks (no pastels) in a rainbow of colors, and yardage in a charcoal color for background.  That will be my next project, and I'll share it to this blog when I have some progress.

Linking up with Midweek Makers (she featured my log cabin project - thank you!), 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