APQ 2016 August UFO

The August UFO, my jelly roll race quilt, was a good selection for me after my harried time of getting my hand quilting project finished by the end of July.  This new UFO project was not part of a class nor was it a gift so there was not the usual pressure to get it done in a timely manner.  I made it because I was intrigued with the jelly roll race process that was all the rage at the time.  It was already pretty far along in the construction stage only needing borders to complete the top.  I had all the fabrics on hand, not only for the borders but for the backing and binding as well. I started this jelly roll race quilt when I saw a video of the process on You Tube. I was just starting to watch quilting tutorials on You Tube and saw several on the jelly roll race quilt. Then I saw the tutorial by Jenny Doan on the MSQC site. I knew then I just had to make one.  This type of quilt was made from one jelly roll and could be done is less than an hour, or so "they" said! This was my kind of quilt!  

When I researched the origin of the jelly roll race quilt I learned that the jelly roll was invented and trademarked by Moda Fabrics in September of 2010 according to The Sewing Directory blog.  I had not yet gotten hooked on the precuts which were now appearing on a regular basis along with all kinds of quilt patterns for them.  I must admit, I was getting very intrigued by them.  

In the previous post on my UFO Challenge projects I stated that my jelly roll race quilt was started last year, but when I looked back at the history of this project, it was actually started in in July of 2014 - time flies!  I did spend some time looking for a jelly roll that I liked and that had yardage that would make nice borders and backing.  I found them on the MSQC site and ordered them shortly afterwards.  I really did complete the strip piecing part of the top in about an hour!  The joining of the 42 strips end-to-end took a good portion of the time.  But then the sewing of the strip units together went along smoothly.  I liked the process! I would do it again!

When I was at the decision point for the border fabrics, I changed my mind from what I thought I would do and put the project aside for a while. I finally chose the alternative fabrics and placed the order for them.  But by that time, I had moved on to another project.  I added this to the UFO Challenge to get it completed since it was so far along and the challenge would inspire me to get it done in time to use it during the cool nights at our mountain cabin. This is a very young UFO for me! 

At this point, the top is completed and double bordered.  I have the pine-cone themed backing ready to go.  I also have the binding fabric ready but not yet cut (shown at the bottom of the picture below).  I originally thought I would do a flanged binding but I am reconsidering that method for a more traditional hand-sewn binding.  My other decision to make is whether I want to machine quilt it myself or send it out.  I am leaning more towards quilting it myself right now.  The quilt will finish at 60" x 75".  The fabrics used are from the "Through the Winter Woods" line by Holly Taylor for Moda. Stay tuned to see the quilt in use on a cozy couch!  

So, what did I learn from this project?  Well, even though there was very little cutting involved, it was important to sew my 1/4" seams so the strips did not "elbow".  I was also very careful about pressing the seams - there were a lot of them!  

Now to wait to see what project is chosen for the September UFO!  Eight down, four to go!  

APQ 2016 July UFO

I have always loved the double wedding ring pattern.  I took a class to learn how to create the blocks.  I had not worked with curves before and I thought the class would educate me on that technique.  I did learn quite a bit in this class and I decided to make this a hand sewing project.  I decided to make the table runner with 3 rings.  I used 1930's fabrics and cut my templates from cardboard, another new technique for me.  

The class used a book by Rodale Press called "Wedding Ring Quilts".  I liked working with the ring and melon pieces and found the value of using pins - lots of pins!  This class was held over 3 sessions at the Quilter's Barn in Allentown in October and November of 2000, (I found a receipt for fabric in the book with this date on it!) another oldie but goodie.  I did not work on it on a continuous basis as it was a good mobile project that I could take on long car rides or when I could not do a machine quilting project.  It was so convenient to just take a small bag with the fabrics, some pins - lots of pins, some sewing needles, a needle threader, small pair of scissors and a spool of thread.  I worked on it here and there and got it to a point where it was ready to be finished.  That's when I added it to my APQ 2016 challenge.  

It is the smallest of any of my UFO projects but it was chosen as the July project at one of the busiest time of my year!  I did not want to rush through the finishing process just to get it done.  I wanted to finish it the way I had always intended - hand pieced, hand quilted.  I was clearly out of runway on this one! So, I decided to at least get the hand piecing completed.  I also intended to do a bias binding on the curves so I spent some time on you tube on how to make the binding and what size square I would need to cut.  That is probably a full day class in itself!  But I am ready to take that step.  

So, here are some photos of how this project has progressed over the last few multiple years:  

This is early on in the process.  You can see how many pins I used to attach the ring to the melon!  

Finally getting to the end of the hand piecing.  You can see the orignal pattern that was provided in the class.  This was for a 3 ring table runner.  A 4 ring wall hanging pattern was also provided.  I was glad I chose the table runner!   

This is the completed top.  It looks pretty good on my dining table in our mountain house! I don't think it will be used when food is on the table however!  





The project for August is a full size quilt but I think will be a lot easier to finish compared to the small table runner!  It is my first Jelly Roll Race quilt and was was started last year.  It needs borders, backing and quilting.  This will be a totally machine project, including the quilting.  I am thinking of using a flanged binding which can be attached by machine as well.  If you don't know about this type of binding, you can google flanged binding or magic binding.  

I hope to get this completed in time to use it at our cabin since it is made with all woodsy themed fabrics.  Here is where it stands right now.  The picture shows the top with the fabrics for the borders (burgandy and green) and the binding.  The pine cone fabric is the backing.  Looking forward to seeing how this one comes together!  

Stay tuned!  

APQ 2016 June UFO

When I first started quilting in the mid-90's, I loved to take classes to learn new techniques and to enjoy the company of other quilters.   I took lots of classes, some I enjoyed and some, well, not so much.  But enjoyed or not, I always learned something new and always came home with a completed project of some sort.  Oftentimes, the classes were just a few hours so I was able to make 1 or 2 completed blocks or part of a quilt top.  The rest of the project was completed at home or stored away for a future activity.  If I was not confident with the technique or just decided it wasn't something I would use anytime soon, the supplies and class instructions were packed away.  That was the case with my June UFO.  

This class was taken in July of 2002.  No, that is not a typo, it was in 2002.  It was my first experience with 5" squares.  They were not yet being called "charm squares".  This class was focused on using 5" scraps to make "Nickel Quilts" although the book also provided instructions for 4" and 6" scraps.  It was also my inauguration into the world of HSTs, half square triangles.  There was not one project to do for this class, there were two!  Each with their own cutting instructions, fabric requirements and layouts. I very quickly became overwhelmed.  As often happens with one-day classes, time was limited and the pace was quick.  The foundation unit for each of the 2 quilts was made from a 2 color HST which was then combined with a 3rd color square to make what was called a combination unit.  When these units were completed, there was a right handed version and a left handed version.  One class quilt used the right handed units and the other class quilt used the left handed units.  I did manage to make one block for each quilt before the class ended but I was beyond confused.  I like making the HSTs and was glad I learned that technique.  I was not enthusiastic about completing the two quilts simutaneously, one of which needed 35 blocks and the other which needed 16 blocks.  I packed everything away and moved onto other things.  I was still working full time and had limited quilting time so I wanted to work on things I could complete and enjoy doing.  

Several years ago, I did unearth the class materials and the book.  I had retired by then and I was taking inventory of my fabrics and projects in various stages.  I read the book instructions several times and finally had that "light bulb moment".  At this point I understood what I needed for each quilt, which units were complete and which units still needed to be cut or sewn.  I took lots of notes and added this UFO to my list for a future time.  

Fast forward to December 2015.  I read about a UFO Challenge being sponsored by APQ (All People Quilt).  It required me to list 12 unfinished projects and list them on Instagram.  Nothing needed to be purchased.  On the 1st of each month in 2016, APQ would chose a number between 1 and 12.  That number would identify the number of the UFO I needed to finish that month.  I could do that, I thought.  This project was number 10 on my list and it was chosen for June.  I had already completed 5 UFOs for January through May.  I knew this one would be the most difficult so far because of the two quilts involved.  I had no idea......

Here is what this project looked like when I started:

This shows the 2 blocks that were planned in the class.  The whirly gig is in the back and the pin wheel is in the front.  All of the units are cut and assembled at this point.

As I started to investigate what needed to be done to get this UFO completed by June 30th, I realized that the primary purpose of the class was to learn how to work with HSTs.  I did that.  It also hightlighted that the leftovers from making one quilt could be used to make a second quilt so the fabrics were not wasted.  I got that.  What I needed to wrap my brain around was that this class produced 2 UFOs, not just one and I didn't really need to physically finish 2 quilts to comply with the challenge.  So, I decided that I would make the larger of the 2 quilts this time (this one was my original objective from the class) and save the leftover units for another time.  That certainly simplified the process for me, more than I realized!  

As I got further into the construction of the 15 blocks needed to make a lap sized quilt, it became very clear that there would be tons of cutting, sewing, more cutting, more sewing and then squaring up of everything that was cut and sewn.  Each of the 15 blocks took 4 units and each unit took 4 squares to make.  
The most difficult of the construction was the size constraints.  The 60 units needed to be squared up to 4.25 inches.  Each block also needed center squares cut to 23/8 inches.  Each block also needed 8 rectangles measuring 4.25 by 23/8 inches.  Lots of unique cutting requirements.  The squaring up was the most difficult because these were combination units, not just HSTs.  

Two gadgets that proved invaluable were a 2.5" x 6" ruler from MSQC (Missouri Star Quilt Company) which was great to cut the pieces that needed to be 23/8 inches because of the clarity of the ruler markings and a Tucker Trimmer for the squaring up of the combination units.  I already had a Tucker Trimmer but it was designed for squaring up squares in 1/2" and whole number increments.  Then I saw that they also made one in 1/4" and 3/4" increments. Amazon next day delivery is fabulous!  This worked like magic on the combination units!  

These pictures show the completed top and the quilting on the front and back.  I kept it simple doing a SITD around the outside of each star and a cross hatch in the borders.  

I was pleased with how this project turned out - and on time!  I have named it "Seeing Stars" for several reasons.  It will live at our cabin and will warm my legs when I sit and read on the porch or in our summer room.  I am really glad this one is done.  I will make the second one with the leftovers at some point this year.  The fabrics will not be put away but will just be put aside for now.  

So what did I learn from this one:

Read the instructions until you understand every step.
Measure twice and cut once!
Square units make square blocks.  
Use the appropriate tools. 

So, I bet you are wondering which UFO is next on the list. Well, the number drawn for July was #4, or my Double Wedding Ring project.  I don't quite remember when I started this one but it is an all hand sewn project, hand cut with templates and hand pieced.  This picture was taken in 2011 so it does qualify to be an "oldie but goodie".  It served as my go-to project when I traveled which is partly the reason it is not yet done.  That's my story and I'm sticking to it!  

Stay tuned.........

APQ 2016 May UFO

The UFO for May was a table runner I had started for my daughter.  She loves these colors!  Her home had rooms painted in these colors.  Going there was like walking into sunshine.  She has since moved from that home but I think when she sees this, it will get used in her new home.  

This is the state of the runner when I moved on to other things.  i don't know why I left it but it was probably because she moved.  When I started checking through my UFOs to see which 12 would go on my list, I was glad to see this one and it went immediately on the list.  The top was finished and the backing was constructed.  I needed to create the binding and then sandwich the pieces and get it quilted and bound.  I am glad it is now finally finished and I will be so happy to present it to her - in her new home!  

So, the Hubs and I had a quiet week planned at our mountain house and I thought it would be a perfect place to work on this project while he was fishing in our lake.  I was up against my May deadline so this would give me uninterupted quilting time.  I packed the pieces, my Bernina with all her feet and attachments, my bag of supplies like scissors, thread, sewing needles, rulers, a seam ripper and my brass stiletto.  I have cutting mats, an iron and ironing board already there.  I was all set - until I went to put everything together and discovered that I could not make a quilt sandwich without any filling - the batting!  Yikes!

The closest quilt shop had recently closed down and the only other one I could think of was a good distance away.  But, there was a Walmart in a near-by town that was about 40 minutes away.  We were on our way to go grocery shopping anyway so I asked the Hubs if we could add a trip to Walmart to our day's travels.  Of course he agreed when he understood my dilemma.  I had no idea if this Walmart even had a fabric department but I kept my fingers crossed the whole way there.  

Well, success!  They carried a nice selection of fabrics as well as everything sewing related - including batting!  

I had a wonderful view from our cabin while sewing, don't you think?

Here are pictures of the finished runner.  I love the backing fabric but I had a special love of dragonflies!  The runner finished at 16" x 46".  A nice size for my daughter's table or breakfast bar.  I wish I could remember the pattern name though, thinking it was an Atkinson design, but not sure.  Hopefully it will come to me and I can give credit where credit is due.  

The project for June is going to be a real challenge to get finished in what is now 25 days.  It is from a class I took on Nickel Quilts, using the book of the same name by Pat Speth and Charlene Thode. The intro to the quilt to be made in class said "It's really fun to make two quilts at the same time, and it's easy when you make combination units because the process also yields enough for the blocks in a second quilt".  We will see how "fun and easy" this turns out to be.  This is what it looks like now.  

Stay tuned and watch for the results.  This should be good........