2nd Bonnie Hunter quilt top finished!

I finished the 2nd quilt top from the Bonnie Hunter workshops.  Woohoo!  I took this Tulip Fields class on Wed, May 18th.  I did do prep work before the class.  I redrafted the pattern to make the blocks 'supersized'.  Bonnie's blocks finish at 7.5" (4 flower blocks with sashing) while mine finishes at 15".

my redrafted pattern

The Tulip Fields pattern is found in this book.

String Fling by Bonnie Hunter

Bonnie's version has LOTS more tiny blocks

Here is the center of my quilt (no borders yet).

76" square center of quilt

I made 70 string blocks for the border and also, for another project,  The border took 42 string blocks.

70  8.5" string blocks

string border strips, ready to be stitched onto the center of the quilt

Here is my finished Tulip Fields quilt top.

Tulip Fields quilt top

my son holding the Tulip Fields quilt top

I'm going to stitch the extra string blocks together to make a long, narrow quilt, to cover our pillows.  Hubby doesn't like pillow shams, so, this will make the pillow area of our bed look nicer.  I haven't decided if I want to make a few more Tulip blocks or not.  I have enough material.

All the fabric in this quilt, except the rust colored sashing, is from my stash.  It didn't make a dent.  I've used up most of the background fabric, but, I have yards and yards of the red left (and all the other colors, too). 

up close so you can see the background fabric better

 This quilt top was stitched on my purple Featherweight, Betty Sue.

Betty Sue, stitching on borders

It was fun using an electric machine, since I usually use hand cranks.  I gave Betty Sue a good cleaning and oiling before I started stitching the borders on.  This quilt will be for ME!  Other than some small wall quilts, or quilts from block exchanges, I don't have any of my quilts.  I always give my quilts away.  Not this time! 

Both quilt tops, from both Bonnie Hunter classes, finished, in a month!  That may be record breaking for me;)

Here is the other quilt I finished last week.

Happily Scrappily Irish

I have a mammogram in the morning.  I may take the day off from sewing.  I do have some things I need to get ready for the Michigan TOGA (Treadle On Gathering & Academy) June 10th-12th.  If you want to know more about the TOGA, here is a link to last years post.  

Happily Scrappily Irish

Happily Scrappily Irish is a quilt top!  I finished the last two seams today!  I took the class, from Bonnie Hunter, 8 days ago.  I should have finished it yesterday, but, I didn't get any stitching done on Friday.

Happily Scrappily Irish

 

My hubby and son had to help out, since the quilt top was trying to blow away. 

Whoop! Whoop!

A Finish, Exchange Blocks, Some New Things....

I haven't had a chance to post about my latest finish.  I made a quilt for our youngest nieces high school graduation.  We delivered it to Albuquerque a little over a week ago, while we were there to attend another nieces wedding.

Ashley and her quilt

Here is a picture of the bride and her bridal party.  I didn't get a picture with the groom.

part of the wedding party

When I got home, there was an envelope waiting for me.  My Treadle On group had another block exchange, using our treadles or hand crank sewing machines.

These are the blocks I sent.  I used some of my sewing themed fabrics.  I sent 4 sets of blocks, using 3 different machines to make the blocks.

my blocks

I received 32 blocks from 18 cities in 14 states.  19 different people made these blocks on 24 different machines. 

Treadle On Spring 2016 TOBE blocks received

Also waiting for me when we got home from the wedding was my new June Taylor Shape Cut ruler.  I already had a much smaller June Taylor Shape Cut ruler, that I'd used for cutting the fringe on fleece blankets, years ago.  I'd never used the ruler for anything else, until Jocelyn at Happy Cottage Quilter started talking about how great her Shape Cut ruler is.  I finally pulled mine out, and used it to cut lots of 2" squares for my Happily Scrappily Irish quilt, AFTER I'd used a friends Go cutter.  OH MY!!!  The Shape Cut ruler was so much easier and quicker!!!!!

new June Taylor Shape Cut Pro ruler

both Shape Cut rulers together

Another friend has the Shape Cut Pro, and it cuts 2.5" strips on full width fabric, folded in half.  After using the little Shape Cut ruler, I just had to have the larger one, too.  I used it to cut the sashing strips for my Tulip Fields quilt.  My Tulip Fields strips are 3.5", and it was easy to line it up with this ruler.  It didn't take me very long to cut all my strips.

sashing strips for Tulip Fields quilt

On Tuesday, after I took Bonnie a machine to use while she was in town, I stopped at a few thrift stores.  I hit the jackpot for quilting DVD's.  Only one of these quilting DVD's has been opened.  I'll try to get them all watched over the next few months.  Not sure if I even have the books that go with the DVD's.

quilting DVD's

I've been stitching away on my Happily Scrappily Irish quilt.  I've gotten lots done, so far. 

6 rows completed

There are only 12 rows in this quilt (11 blocks per row).  I'm working on the last 20 patchwork blocks.  This quilt top will soon be finished!

Of course, I can't sew alone.  My little dog insists on being with me.  She even has a bed under one of my machines.

Katie, my sewing supervisor (taking a nap)

Of course the large dog also thinks he needs to supervise, but, he isn't allowed in my sewing room (he takes up all the extra space).  Instead, he lays at the top of the stairs, where he can keep an eye on me, and make sure no one comes up and bothers me.

Ratchet, blocking the stairs

It's nice to have 'helpers' but, I wish they'd keep their fur off my fabric ;)

Bonnie Hunter Part 3

Friday was the Happily Scrappily Irish class with Bonnie Hunter.

Bonnie Hunter by her Happily Scrappily Irish quilt

 It was fun to see all the different ways everyone was putting their quilts together, fabric wise.  Susan sat across from me, and Sharon sat behind me, with her Featherweight and Featherweight table.  Us vintage machine girls stuck together ;)

Sharon with her Featherweight and table

Susan and I, at our tables

I love how Susan is making her quilt (it's RED).  She also carefully chose her center piece and surrounding red pieces in the scrappy blocks.

Susan's red blocks, see the 'cross' in the center of the scrappy blocks?

We all had fun sewing together today.

I took a hand crank to this class.

1927 Singer 15 hand crank

 I got several blocks put together, but, for some reason, the pictures didn't come out.  Today was Ladies Crafting day at church, so, I had Kelly take a picture with me and one of my rows.

the row I completed at the workshop

I worked on this quilt at Ladies Crafting day, today, too.  I got lots accomplished.

this is how my rows will look

this is what rows I've done so far (lots more to do)

I got about 15-20 more scrappy blocks done today.  The alternate blocks were done before the workshop.

finished blocks, so far

This is all I have left to turn in to scrappy blocks.  The box is starting to look empty now.

what I have left to assemble

I'll meet up with Bonnie in the morning, and pick up my Singer 301A and table, that she is borrowing.  Bonnie has also gotten lots of sewing done these past few days.  You can see her posts here, here and here (so far).

I hope that everyone else is having a great week, too!

Lots of Stitching

Bonnie Hunter is coming to one of my quilt guilds in less than 2 weeks.  I'm taking 2 of the 3 classes. 

The first class, I've had the book for, for a very long time.  I'm using it as my 'Let's Book It' for May at Vrooman's Quilts. 

I've had this book since it came out

Tulip Fields quilt pattern

I've known about this class since last October.  Bonnie is great, but, she loves tiny blocks.  Me, I prefer much larger blocks, so, I re-drafted the block, to make it bigger.

my re-drafted block

finished block, with sashing (re-drafted)

 Bonnie's blocks finish at 3", mine finish at 6".  Fewer blocks, and a larger quilt. 

I started sewing the string blocks for this quilt.  All my string blocks are done, and sub-cut.  Woohoo!  I do have a few strings left, for more string blocks.  I think I 'over cut' a bit ;)

whole 12"x12" box of strings left to be used

So far, I've finished the strings, and also stitched the triangles together for this block. 

what I've stitched so far

The only thing I haven't cut is the fabric for the sashing.

sashing fabric

The sashing fabric is the only fabric in either quilt that didn't come from my stash.  It is a 'rust' color (the picture doesn't show it well).  'Cheddar' was a bit too much for me. 

I'm making this quilt on Betty Sue, my purple Featherweight.

Betty Sue

 Hubby made me something to use with the button controller.  I don't like the button controllers.  I keep 'missing' the button.  This wooden piece works GREAT!  I spray painted it purple, to match the machine.  Now hubby needs to make me another one, to use with my other machines.

button controller with it's new 'foot control'

open foot control

Hubby made indention's where the 4 'feet' are on the controller, so that it doesn't slip.  It works great! (Thanks Sweetie!)

Oh yea, I told you about the great spool pin doily that Gina made for Betty Sue, at the TOGA.  I finally took a picture of it. 

shuttle tatted spool pin doily that Gina made

The second class I'm taking, I didn't find out about till about 2 weeks ago.  I thought I had the book, but, I can't find it, so, I ordered one.  I'm using the same blues and greens in both quilts, with some added for the 2nd quilt.

book for 2nd class

Happily Scrappily Irish

I'm actually making this quilt in the sizes it calls for, but, instead of using all colors, I'm limiting mine to whites and creams for the lights and blues/greens/teals for the dark fabrics.  I pulled out 30+ blues/greens/teals for this quilt, and, at least a dozen different whites and creams. 

This quilt calls for almost 2000 2" squares.  LOTS of cutting.  I have no clue how many 2" squares I've cut out, but, I have almost enough to make 2 quilts, I think.

these are my extra squares

I started out making the connector pieces.  It takes 264 connector pieces for the quilt.

more than 264 connector pieces

Next is making 4 patches.  You need 264 4 patches.  So far, I've only stitched lights and darks together.  I still need to turn them into 4 patches. 

567 2 patch parts, that need to be 264 4 patch units

There are 2 different blocks for this quilt.  I started on the 2nd block, too (the large white areas).  Each one has strips with 2" blocks in the corners. 

some have been stitched (or partly stitched)

many more are still waiting to be stitched

I've spent 3 full days, and this is all the stitching I've gotten done for this quilt.  This won't be a 'quick' quilt to make. 

I'm making this quilt on a hand crank.

1927 Singer 15 hand crank

I really should be in my sewing room, working on these quilts, but, we are finally having a warm, sunny day, and I don't really want to sew, at least till later.  I think I'll go 'mess around' some, instead. 

Hope you all have a great weekend.  We're expecting more rain, tomorrow. 

Happy Mother's Day! to all the mother's out there.