Tuesday, May 5, 2020

hands 2 help - the november quilt

Back when I was keeping track of what quilt was made in what month (before the Project Quilting assignments caught me up and derailed the keeping track!), this quilt was started in November of 2019...



(There are a few more in-progress photos, but less interesting, so we'll leave it here.)

I added borders in green and never did get a photo of just the top WITH the borders.  But in my defense, it gets nasty around here about that time of year, so photo ops are reduced.

Then, a few weeks ago, I decided it was time to get these quilted.  And loaded this one!


I had decided I was going to do an overall pattern because this quilt is busy enough that it won't show much anyways.  Unless I used contrasting threads, which meant a lot of thread changes.  I opted to just to black thread (the back is dark) and let it contrast in the green, but not really anywhere else.

(This sounds like a great idea until you nearly go blind doing it.)


I tried to tweak the color here so you could see the quilting detail, but it just wasn't working as well as I wanted.  But you get the idea.  And you can see the back peeking out - this is (obviously) the wrong side, but I think this may be the only back photo I have!

I was quilting along, knowing my spool of black was getting low when I started, but also knowing I had a full one and as well as an almost full spool sitting right there.  No worries.

But, as I was quilting along, my machine was like "NOPE!" and I was like "WHY?" and then I looked up...


Oops!  Thankfully, this was an easy thing to fix.  And off I went to finish the last pass or so.


I was excited to be done.  As I mentioned, this was difficult to see where I had been, and I manged a few times to catch myself running into a motif that had been quilted earlier.  Thankfully, this design is very forgiving if I decided to change directions to avoid making the overlap worse.  And the back (peeking again here - both sides!) is also busy, so very forgiving.

Last week, we had some nice days, so I ventured out to get a photo on the clothesline!


A little dark here, but you can really see the whole quilt well.

But, as it blew out a bit more, into the sunshine, you can see the texture better here.  Also, I feel like the colors are the most true of all the photos here.


So, another quilt finished.  And blogged.

5/11/20 edit to add:
This quilt is called Garden Glory and the pattern can be found in the book "Patchwork Palette" by Donna Lynn Thomas.

Last week, I also loaded another Hands 2 Help quilt top onto the longarm and got it quilted.  The binding is waiting, but I DID finish the castle binding.  No photo of that yet...oops!  Soon, I hope!

I knew my Hunter's Star quilt back was a mish-mash and there was likely a right way and a wrong way to match it up to the non-square top.  So I decided, after running the vacuum, to lay it out on the floor.


Oh.


Oh no!

I did get it figured out, loaded and quilted.  The binding is waiting for me to hand-sew the second side, but I'm not sure if that will happen tonight or not.  I worked a 9 hour shift today and my head is throbbing.  It wasn't as busy as some days - at least not until after lunch - but it was still a long day.

Sunday evening, I got a text from my sister-in-law.  The rules for staying home are easing up a bit in our state, but masks are expected/required.  Her family has a few, but now the food pantry at their church is opening up and other things and they need a few more masks, masks that will fit her 8 and 11-year-old boys, particularly.  So I dug through my stash and picked out fabrics to make each of their family of 5 two more masks.

While digging, I found some to make me a fourth...


I wore this today.  Got a few compliments.

I ran out of interfacing for the masks, though, but my mom rescued me!  She had a whole bolt, purchased a while ago with the intention of making a t-shirt quilt (hasn't happened yet), and since she was bored, decided to drive to the halfway point between our houses - hubby's workplace - and drop it off for me.  (We had a $50 gift card to a steak house I gave her in exchange - whenever THAT can be used again! - so it seems a fair trade!)

So, while some of the masks are made, some are in process.  But this photo of the ties I made, waiting to be sewn into the first round of masks, makes me happy.


Very rainbowey.  The second set have been pressed and are ready to sew, but are not nearly as pretty.  I'll get a photo of the set of 10 when I've got them done.

But honestly, I thought most folks had figured out masks by now.  If they were going to.  But I guess some folks hunkered down more than I was allowed and are realizing they need them now, so, to help my family, I'm making them.  (And I don't want to get into an argument about whether you think they work or are needed or whatever.  I've done some reading and, as always, you can find science or statistics to prove anything you want to prove.  Make your own choice.  I'll make mine.)

I've also been working on the purple quilt.  I finished all the blocks and determined a layout late last week, but since the request for masks came, my day off yesterday was spent working on those.  And making cookies.  Because everyone at work loves cookies.  And we're all stress-eating our way through the crazy.  So who wouldn't love a homemade cookie (or six - not a joke) to help that along?!

I also cut pieces for the macaroon cookie part of the quilt that includes the cats and stand mixer from last week, but again, my sewing was derailed yesterday.  No complaints.  I'll get to them.  I have the next three days off and little on my calendar, so once I get a good sleep tonight, I'll be unstoppable!

(I should have taken some photos, but I didn't...)

Off to heat up some leftover tortellini alfredo (sauce from scratch - yummo!) and relax.  If the headache subsides, I'll work on binding or masks.  If not, I'll just give myself an early bedtime.


Happy quilting!
Wash your hands!
Katie

5 comments:

---"Love" said...

Glad you got that pretty first quilt quilted! It is really nice, and interesting! After looking at that picture of the second quilt, I think I would have been making plans for cat funerals! I know you love them, but I wouldn't have much patience left after something like that! Seems like you stay really busy all the time, even when you are tired. Do take some time to just sit and rest sometime! ---"Love"

Rebecca said...

On the mask front I stopped counting at 200...I am trying to keep a dozen done and ready to go to family friends or for people who need to work in public. What I did not know is how many people did not sew...or maybe just will not admit to any sewing.
I thought everyone had at least one machine stashed away and knew how to tread it... WRONG... Oh well..

Marsha B said...

Ohhh, hope the headache went away quickly! I love the quilt you finished, the colors are great. I really like the dark background in the blocks. The kitties are such great help with laying out the quilt top! I love the little ninja fabric and it is such a cute mask. The colorful ties laid out together are so pretty, if you have to make more masks at least they can be pretty fabric. I always heard numbers don't lie but I do know they can be manipulated to "prove" anything the subject is looking for. There is always bias in what we are being told. I feel better wearing my mask out in public. I don't mind the mask rules but I do want to be able to go out again. I will take personal responsibility for my decisions and everyone one else can do the same. I am hoping the warming temps will help tamp down the virus for now until a treatment or vaccine can be developed. I hope you get some fun sewing time in, I am looking forward to seeing the macaroon quilt and photos of the princess quilt.

A Left-Handed Quilter said...

Beautiful quilt - and Hunter Star! I'm so glad Finn and Freddie helped you with that - LOL. Your mask is cute - ;))

a good yarn said...

I remember those blocks and wow, didn't that quilt turn out nice! I'm just wee bit envious of your long arm quilter but I haven't the space (or funds) for one. I do like all the wonderful patterns you sew on your quilt - especially swirly ones. Funny kitty helping Mama sort her quilt. Some work needed on the technique but plenty of enthusiasm on display there. I like the ninjas on your mask.