Lord of the Rings/The Hobbit quilt

I haven't mentioned it before now, but our second grandbaby is due in August.  Our son decided that the nursery theme for this grandbaby will be Lord of the Rings/The Hobbit. 

There are some LOTR and The Hobbit fabrics available online, but you have to order each different piece from a different Etsy shop (what a pain) and when I tried to contact a couple different Etsy shops, I never got any reply (not good customer service).  Well, when none of the shops would reply to my inquiry's about their fabrics, I decided to see what Fandom in Stitches had available.  Fandom in Stitches had a block of the month quilt along back in 2011-2012 for Lord of the Rings, and another one in 2013 for The Hobbit.  Lots of blocks to choose from.

I choose 13 blocks (one for the back of the quilt) from those quilt alongs, but, the blocks were only 7 inches square (finished).  I wanted my blocks to be bigger.  After the Peter Pan quilts, I really didn't want to be working with those tiny pieces again.  Well, Jennifer of Fandom in Stitches has a tutorial on how to enlarge or reduce paper piece patterns.  I've spent a good part of March enlarging the paper piece patterns, then taping them together, cutting them out, coloring and folding all the pieces.  I finally started stitching last week.  Once again, I'm making 2 of each block.  Just like last time, there will be 2 identical quilts (one for the baby, and one to put in my quilt guild quilt show). 

original sized pattern, and enlarged pattern

Here is the first block(s) to be finished.  'The Precious'.

'The Precious' blocks

Since the paper I used to enlarge the patterns (11.5 x 14) is heavier than ordinary copy paper (and there is tape in places, holding parts of the patterns together), I've had to reduce my stitch length even more than I usually do.  I'm stitching about 25-30 stitches per inch. 

stitching on 'The Precious' pattern

teeny tiny stitches

I'm hoping the smaller stitches will help me remove the paper easier, when I'm done with the blocks. 

One of the blocks could be either paper pieced or done in embroidery.  The paper pieced block is rated a 5 out of 5 for difficulty, so I chose to embroider the block.  Embroidery is much more relaxing.

I had the problem with this embroidery block of trying to mark the embroidery pattern on a dark fabric.  I'm almost out of the Lecien Quick and Clear Transfer (sticky stuff) left, that I've been using on the Harry Potter blocks, so that wasn't an option.  I haven't been able to find any more online.  Someone had suggested I try Sulky Fabri-Solvy.  I bought some, but, it isn't 'sticky' like the Lecien is.  I can't get it to 'stick' to my fabric. I've even tried using spray baste, but it just doesn't stick well.

Sulky Fabri-Solvy and spray baste

after using spray baste (still wrinkled and loose in most places)

I've used Clover White heat erasable pens in the past.  I tried it on this fabric.  I could get it to show up on part of the tree trunk, but, not on any of the branches, no matter how many times I traced.  I dug around and found some Easy Mark crayon, and tried using that.

Clover White heat erase pen and Easy Mark Crayon

lines are not very sharp

Using the Easy Mark Crayon gives wide lines that are harder to follow as you stitch.  There was a lot of guess work in places.  Here is the finished block.

White Tree of Gondor, block 1 finished

I'm trying to decide if I want to try the Sulky Fabri-Solvy block, or just trace another block with the Easy Mark Crayon. 

Crazy Quilt and New Embroidery

I finished my Crazy Quilt the beginning of March, but never got a chance to take photos (raining too much).  Finally on Saturday, some friends held it up so that I could get a photo.

finished Crazy quilt

The backing is a sari that I found in a thrift shop.  I fused interfacing to the sari so that it would have more stability.  Not only did I add a hanging sleeve, but, I also added loops on the back to hold a wooden rod, to keep the sides from drooping (sorry, I didn't get a photo of the back). 

The Crazy Quilt was made for the challenge for the Camp Tuckabatchee Quilt Show this weekend.   The challenge was to make a Crazy quilt, no other rules.

If you want to attend the quilt show, then head to the Knights of Columbus Hall, 401 W. Main Street, Ottawa, IL.  Saturday, 10am - 5pm, and Sunday, 10am - 3pm.  I'll be there with 6 of my quilted projects and several of my vintage sewing machines. 

Way back in November of 2017 I ordered an embroidery quilt pattern from New Zealand.  I'd seen the quilt on Barbara's blog, Cat Patches.  I finally have started stitching on it.  Here is the first block.

1st block finished

Only 11 more blocks to stitch....

A few finishes

The Camp Tuckabatchee quilt show is coming up at the end of March. I promised to donate several project bags.  Here are the 7 project bags that I finished.

back of the last 2 project bags

I'd made these project bags last fall, but hadn't gotten the binding stitched on them.  Now they are DONE! 

My Treadle On vintage people powered sewing machine group has several block exchanges each year.  It's a great way to get people to use their hand cranks and treadle sewing machines.  Since some of the collectors are just learning how to sew with their machines, the Spring and Fall basic exchanges are a great way to learn.  This year, the Spring basic block exchange is Rail Fence blocks.  I made 4 sets (one set in each color), and they are waiting for me to get them in the mail.

Rail Fence TOBE blocks

These blocks were made on my 1927 Singer 15 hand crank. 

1927 Singer 15 hand crank

I have another finish, but I haven't gotten any pictures of it yet.  Hopefully I'll get pictures this week.  It is also for the Camp Tuckabatchee quilt show.

RSC blocks (February)

Yea, yea, I know I'm behind.  I finally finished my February RSC19 blocks last Saturday (March 2nd).  Only 2 days late. 

I'm stitching all of my RSC19 blocks on my hand crank.

1927 Singer 15 hand crank

My March (Green) blocks will also be late.  I'll be using them to teach how to web blocks, for my little quilt guild. 

Kevin the Quilter

Kevin the Quilter is coming to both of my quilt guilds in May.  Kevin will be the featured quilter at Pride of the Prairie quilt guild on May 16th.  On Friday, May 17th, Kevin will be teaching a class for Pride of the Prairie called Crazy Crumb Stars. 

Crumb Star (Kevin the Quilter)

If you will be in the Naperville, Illinois area and want to take this class, I think we still have spots available.  Let me know and I'll get you in touch with the ladies in charge of programs. Info about Pride of the Prairie workshops is here.

Way back in May 2015, Kevin came and spoke to my little quilt guild, Wego Quiltin'.  What a great presentation from Kevin.  This was in his early speaking days, and he didn't have any classes yet.  Well, since Kevin is already coming back for my larger quilt guild, we decided to have him stay an extra day and teach a class for Wego Quiltin'.  Kevin is going to teach String Star on May 18th.

String Star (photo borrowed from Kevin's blog)

I know that there are spots available for this class.  If you will be in Oswego, Illinois on Saturday, May 18th, and want to take this class ($25 per person, pot luck luncheon), then let me know and I'll sign you up.  My email address is listed under my profile (top right on this blog).

Kevin stayed with hubby and I last time he came.  We had sew much fun!  I can't wait till May, when I get to introduce Kevin to new places and people. 

Giraffe Baby Quilts, etc.

I've been busy the past few weeks, trying to finish up some Giraffe baby quilts.  I have one more to quilt and bind, but that baby isn't due until April.

First, hubby was invited to a diaper shower downstate.  The new to be father is a hiking buddy of hubby's.  This baby needed more than just diapers.  Everything but the backing fabric was already in my stash.

The backing is orange Minkee, and the binding is the same fabric I used for the binding for my son's wedding quilt.

The father to be's mother is also a quilter.  I was invited to come quilt with her during the diaper shower.  What fun!  I got to check out her vintage sewing machines, and also meet up with one of her quilting buddy's (Sharon) who also reads my blog.  What a fun day! 

I also finished another Giraffe quilt for my granddaughter's first birthday.  Gwendolynn loves Sophie the Giraffe on TV.  Since Sophie the Giraffe is in regular giraffe colors, Gwendolynn's quilt needed to be regular giraffe colors, too.  I'd found this great backing, minkee type fabric, at a thrift store, and had all the other fabrics in my stash, including the binding.

Since I don't free motion quilt, I decided to try some new things with my walking foot for the quilting on both of these quilts.  Really simple patterns in the blank spaces above the giraffe's heads, and I just outlined the inside and outside of the giraffe bodies.

The pattern is Lorna's from Sew Fresh Quilts. 

I've also been working on my Harry Potter: Project of Doom blocks.  I've finished these two blocks.

Week #3, 2nd block finished

Week #7, 2nd block finished

I've finished another block, but haven't washed the wash away product that I used for some of the embroidery.  I'll show it soon.

I'm almost finished with my RSC19 Yellow blocks.  Hopefully they will be done later this morning.  I'm also hoping to finish my Crazy quilt this week.  It will be in a quilt show the last weekend of March.  The Camp Tuckabatchee 'Little Cabin in the Woods' quilt show will be March 30 & 31, 2019 at the Knights of Columbus Hall in Ottawa, IL.  If you are anywhere near here, I'd love to have you come.  It's a great quilt show.  This is my first year to help with the quilt show.  I've attended the show many times over the past years.