Last night I started pulling quilt UFO’s to work on this long three day weekend. Here are some pictures of quilt blocks I started putting together of blocks I’ve made over the past 7 years. Some were practice paper piecing blocks and others were leftovers from projects that are finished and gone. All paper pieced. Hence the Name “Paper Piecing Madness”.
Sorry, there are two of the same. The “38”.
Rodezzy, Fiber Artist
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Wow - on the quilt & using the camera! Good job! I love paper piecing. I had to take a class a couple of years ago, as I just couldn't understand the books' instructions (& I have several books on it). I was amazed at how easy it is to do & always getting good results, too, really helps. You'll laugh, though, when I tell you about trying to work out instructions in the book. They just didn't make any sense. I thought they'd be too much work! & Why all the strips of fabric? & Why couldn't I just cut out all the little pieces with a 1/4" seam allowance & sew them together? But then, I couldn't figure out how to sew on the little bird's beak without getting that wee bit of fabric caught in the feed dogs :), etc. etc. ha, ha. Well, that course was worth every penny - instant lightbulb in my mind! It's amazing how our minds work, eh? Hope you have a nice, productive, relaxing long weekend. Happy Easter!
Gloria
Ha ha ha, I know what you mean. Paper piecing was confusing to me to at first, but I saw it done on Simply Quilts and got it. Good show, you got it. It's fun. I am going to put this one together for the quilt show in Oct. 2008 quilt display for our guild.
In our quilt show of 2004 I made a miniture quilt for the Silent auction and mini blocks about one and one half inches each to make a small wall hanging. I never took pics, but with the new camera, I will always take pics of my quilts. Happy Easter weekend.
What colours & pattern will you use for your show quilt? For sure, you'll have to post pics. Are you working on the Lone Star this weekend?
Gloria
No I won't be starting any new quilts except the one baby quilt I haven't even cut out yet. I will be quilting over the quilt tops I have made already.
The quilt in the pictures is one of the quilt tops I will working on this weekend. It must be finalized and sandwiched with bat and backing then quilted.
You'll be happy to have the quilting finished - it's the most boring part of quilting (& time-consuming), but worth it. Happy sewing!
Gloria
I love the photo that shows the top of the bed I love the purple with the green like long green grass. NICE !!! Is that a pattern you found or one you made your self ? That is just so nicely laid out. :~) tera
Gorgeous! Gorgeous! Gorgeous! Gorgeous! Gorgeous!
And you say I have talent!!!! I've only completed 1 quilt and it was done the 'lap quilting' method...with the lap frame, the quilt the blocks together. I still don't want to mess with the wedding ring one...its queen size, BTW....I know one of these days I'll have to take all that quilting I've done out and used the correct batting....but not now...gonna wait for cold weather again...LOL...Oops..gotta go...bread machine is beeping...Raisin bread for DH in the AM.
Deb
These are fabulous. Paper piecing has always intrigued me. Your paper piecing is incredible. You are quite the quilter, Missy!solo
Thank you, yes I do love paper piecing. My Betty Boop was a log cabin paper piece pattern, and I've finished it as of Sunday. I worked on her all weekend. I was off Friday, so I quilted her put some lace in with the binding and started beading with silver sequins and black & white beads I purchased at a craft convention. Took her to show & tell at our quilt guild mtg. Sat. and finished beading and put on a final trim Sunday. Will post pics soon.
Wow - what progress you made over the weekend! I knew you could do it - & it'll be beautiful, as usual :) I meant to mention earlier when you first showed the Betty Boop top how cute you made it with Betty just peeking out every here & there (like in the hearth square of your log cabin squares) & the black, white & pink were nice choices. Can't wait to see the finished product. Hope you enjoyed your weekend.
Gloria
Thank you Gloriasews: So glad to hear from you. I see Cherrypops name here and there. Glad to hear from her too.
Yes, I had a fruitful weekend. Marching towards some of my March goals. giggle!
Edited 3/24/2008 3:29 pm ET by rodezzy
Yes, Cherrypops & I are still hanging around the threads :). Now the people we don't hear much from are Maggiecoops & JanF in Great Britain - guess they are busy like we are.
Gloria
Yes, you're right, I was trying to remember who else...that's why they say "two heads are better than one"...giggle.
I miss "Blondietosew", she's so busy with her girls and the classes she teaches. Hello to Connie, Jan, and all you gals that haven't been here for awhile! We think of you! Mary
I see you are quite the expert with that new camera of yours already! Great photos! Great paperpiecing too, wow, you are such a prolific artist! You must be able to work at the speed of light, like Superwoman!!! You accomplish so much in so little time, you inspire me!
I saw Betty peeking out, I really like the sail boat piecework! I think my favorite is those spiky ones. too cool.....
Thanks for the cudos, but those blocks were made over the past 6 years that I have been quilting. Not recently. I'm just now putting it together for the 2008 Needles and Threads Quilters Guild Quilt Show. I started putting that quilt together last year this time. I've just pulled it out again. Our show is every other year.
Yes, Betty is peeking out from a window of a house block I made four years ago. I was going to make a house quilt for my cousin, but made something totally different for a wall in her house. She has a big house with cathedral ceilings.
So, I'm no superwoman, I have more blocks from practice and projects around that didn't get into this quilt. Maybe another one. I have quilt tops that you haven't seen that I may pop out to be finished. Remember, we crafters have UFO's everywhere. giggle.
Then again, like the Betty Boop quilt, there are quilts lurking around in my mind that may press me to be made. Betty just refused to wait. It was on my mind since October of last year. She just wouldn't leave me alone. giggle, quilts do talk you know.....he he he
You're right - they do talk to us, as other projects do, too - some things just HAVE to be done NOW, eh? That's probably why we have so many UFOs, as they do get set aside when something else becomes more important.
Gloria
Hey there sweetems, good to hear your voice everytime I read you. giggle.
Hope everything is better for you, are you still moving or are you settled now.
We're still purging & packing - moving the end of April, but panic is setting in, as we don't know yet where we will go. As well, because we don't know yet where we'll be, how much do you get rid of? Might need some of that stuff. Decisions, decisions, decisions. :)
On the bright side, I tried my mother's old 1947 electric Singer sewing machine (in a walnut table, with matching stool & small storage cabinet & several attachments) that's been sitting in my basement since 1997. Surprisingly, it still works! (unlike my Kenmore portable that seizes up if I don't use it for 6 months). The Singer was a loyal workhorse for both her & me. Now I have to find out how much it's worth (after I clean & oil it) & see if I can sell it or Singer may take it on consignment. In the stool was an old Simplicity sewing book marked $ .65 - which is more detailed than the one I bought in the 1980s, so I'm keeping it, old & yellowed as it is).
Gloria
Oh my goodness, I pray every thing will turn out all right. I'm going to claim it as true. "Everything will work out just fine and on time". There, now I'm going to click my heels three times - ha ha ha ha ha. Just looked at that movie for the umpteenth time. Just trying to help keep it light. But honestly, my heart goes out to you guys with prays and well wishes.
Thanks so much for the kind thoughts & wishes - hopefully your heel-clicking will be the clincher, eh? We love that movie, too. I smiled when I read your post - thanks again :). Now, back upstairs for me to sort through my quilting & sewing mags (I've decided to keep only the paper-piecing patterns I REALLY like & the sewing articles that I MUST have. How is that for trying to be ruthless???) :)
Gloria
Good morning precious: Ruthless you shall be, did you do it? I hope so. Giving them to a local quilting guild? School? Not just chucking in garbage? I know I'm being nosey, but some of the books I have are from guild members downsizing.
Good morning to you, too (it's still morning here). No way would I throw those books in the garbage! Most are like new. The seniors centre is having a book sale next week, also the Raise-A-Reader group. And the library appreciates all donations, so getting rid of them isn't a problem. It's the sorting through that is time-consuming, but I'm getting there. I was considering sending some of the better things (collectibles, etc.) to an auction - maybe they'd take boxes of quilting books, too. I'll probably just end up giving them away. I'm still keeping a bunch, though - especially the paper-piecing ones & sewing & knitting/crocheting ones. I like book sales, too, & have picked up scads of books that way (the keepers) - so I'll refrain from checking over what they have at their sales this time or I'll be bringing more in instead of getting rid of :). I've found that the books are harder to part with than the dishes, gardening stuff, etc. O well, that's life, eh? Have a great weekend.
Gloria
Yes honey, books are hard to part with. I was hugging a crochet book when I went to sleep last night. Woke up in the middle of the night to put it by the bedside table. Pityful - giggle. I have purchased a few new books in the past month and just love them. Knitting and crochet, mostly crochet though. I read them and stare at the pictures a lot. giggle. I'm hooked on crochet at the by and by. Can't help myself. I'm on a roll.
You're something else, Rodezzy - always good for a laugh now & then, especially about sleeping with the crochet hook. Yes, unfortunately, it is a bit pathetic - good thing you didn't stab yourself in your sleep :). I can understand where you're coming from, though. Once you get a crochet hook & yarn in your hands, you can really 'go to town', compared to the slowness of knitting. I want to get a couple of the crochet books you already have, but am hanging tough right now - maybe in a couple of months.
Now I've ABSOLUTELY got to get off this blog & get things done around here. This is just too addictive, eh?
Gloria
It was a crochet Book, not hook.....giggle, ha ha ha. But the hook wasn't far from me. ha ha ha. Size H for hot!
Sorry about that - my eyes must have been playing tricks on me. Now, every time I use my H hook, I'll think of you - 'hot' is pretty good! And why not, eh? :) :) :).
I'm getting out of these gatherings NOW. See you Monday - have a great weekend.
Gloria
Happy Monday, Rodezzy! I noticed in the new Sew News that there is a big quilt show in Chicago in the next week or so - classes, too. Do you plan to attend? I thought about you immediately when I read about it. The article didn't say exactly where the show was being staged, unfortunately, just that it is in Chicago (that's where you live, isn't it)? Have a great day!
Gloria
Speaking of books, I'm up to 4 boxes of quilting/sewing/knitting/craft books already in my purge (& 4 boxes of other varied books) - & it's not made much of a dent on my shelves! Maybe I'll have to go through it all again :(, & here I thought I was being ruthless. And those boxes are SO heavy (& they are not big boxes, as I know how heavy books are). So I'd better get back to it, eh? Have a great day!
Gloria
Dozens and dozens of books, OH MY! giggle
Well, I guess you will. You can't take them with you, will you not have enough room for them?
Actually, I am taking a lot of books with me - we'll just have to put up more shelves :). Are you going to that quilt show I mentioned?
Gloria
Oh that's good about the books.
What quilt show?
I'm a Quilt Angel at the International Quilt Show in Rosemont, IL on the 9, 10 and 11 of April. That's next week.
This will be my third year working the show. I help organize, hang and guard the quilts in the show with my best friend and a group of wonderful ladies from different parts of the United States.
We also assist the models for the Bernina Fashion Show, so we get to see, touch and feel the wonderful quilted garments in the show, and see the construction first hand.
It's a fun and hard working three days.
OH to be the fly on those walls ! Have fun my dear - take pictues if you can. Share as much of it all with us all - sounds like so much fun. I love the fabric already - it takes me back when I was a teenager in a Cloth World Sewing Contest and seeing all the different garments and how they were constructed and the different fabric that were used. OH and the bonding time you will have with your friends, how neat ! Again take care & have fun for us all & report back ! :~)
I'm assuming that your message was meant for me. I just happened to see it today while I was quickly trolling through the posts.
You're right - it's the International Quilt Festival, April 11-13 in Chicago (so stated Sew News - they didn't state where exactly [address] the show was being held). Could be Rosemont - is that a suburb of Chicago? They said you could get more info on schedules & classes on quilts.com - so check it out there. If you're only being an Angel from the 9-11, you may be able to fit in a couple of classes or demos. Bet you can't wait. Something to look forward to. Enjoy.
Gloria
Yes. it was mainly for you, but I wanted others to know about the quilt show. Yes, it is a suburb of Chicago. It's right round the corner from O'Hare Airport.
I will be working all day, hanging and arranging the quilts for display. Putting up barriers, placing the quilt information stands, putting up and arranging the barriers, and guarding the areas. On Friday I will be assisting in the dressing of the models during the fashion show.
I won't have any time for classes or such. When you work the quilt show, you are expected to work. You are assigned areas to work in and are expected to help anywhere help is needed. We are literally taking the quilts out of their shipping crates and positioning them in their places for the show.
I received my instruction packet last week. Where to go, who to see, parking permit, what to wear, and confirmation of the hours I will be working.
Edited 4/3/2008 4:41 pm ET by rodezzy
I thought you would have 1 day at the end to enjoy yourself - too bad. But on the other hand - all those lovely quilts you get to handle & the people you get to meet . . . You'll be tired by the end, with all the responsibilities you'll have, but you will be happy & really inspired, eh? Will you be taking the time off from work for those days? (or do you still have holiday time left)? Have a great weekend!
Gloria
Yes, I will be taking off from work. I really enjoy this, so I'm happy. It's tiring but fun and interesting and yes, I've met some nice people.
Gloria: I join Rodezzy's wishes for a happy landing for you. We all hate uncertainty and change and your life is certainly a double whammy of both right now. Keep your sewing machine even if you have to keep it in the bathtub and move it for the daily ablutions. We are all with you in spirit, but I know that doesn't help as much as we would like it to for you.
Take care and do keep us posted. We are your support community for life as well as sewing. Scrubble4
You guys are so darned nice!!!! Thanks for the support - it does make me feel better. You're right - we all do hate change, but mostly it's for the better - so I'm thinking positively. As for the sewing machines, I'm keeping 2 of them (both portables, but I'm keeping my sewing desk, so I hope I don't have to store one of them in the bathtub :). I do hate to see the old Singer go (for sentimental reasons, of course), but I know I won't use it, so why keep it? Somebody else will certainly be happy to get it - maybe, if I can't sell it, I'll see if a women's shelter could use it. So, back to the fray for me . . .
Gloria
Rodezzy: I am experiencing indifference from the wireless network I am currently, occasionally connected with. I can't upload the pictures, so I am going to assume they display your usually attention to detail and thank you for sharing them. When I get back to a better connection I want to have a leisurely gambol through your pictures. Scrubble4
O.K. great. Look forward to talking with you.
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