A Productive Quilting Week

Hello Everyone! Have you ever had a day when you were sewing or crafting and nothing seemed to go right? That was Friday for me.

Last weeks progress

I started the morning working on Scenic Farm cross stitch as I usually do and was outlining the final sky color so it would be easy to fill in and I would not have to refer to the chart. I was almost finished and I came to a branch that wasn’t in the right place. No big deal, I took out about 6 stitches and finished up the sky color. I started working on the branch because I left out a small section so no problem to fix it. But it was. I stitched it twice and it still wasn’t lining up with the branch next to it. I finally looked at that branch and found that I had added an extra row below where I was working. So instead of stitching an additional 10 stitches, I had to rip out three branches and restitch them. In most things that I stitch, I would have left it and worked around it, but since this piece is almost full coverage and I’m working from top to bottom, I felt I needed to fix it. Needless to say, I spent a little more time that morning working on my cross stitch.

So I ate my breakfast, then it was time to add the setting triangles to the Quilty Stars mini I’m making.

I finished all the sashing this week and had it all laid out on the design board. I needed to determine the size of both the side triangles and the corner triangles. I read a few blog posts and found this size chart from All People Quilt. But I had sashing and couldn’t find much about that. I have certainly made quilts on point and if I’m using a pattern, it always gives the size. I also designed the on point layout of my Moda Blockheads quilt in Electric Quilt 8, but then it calculated the size to cut the triangles. I didn’t take the time to design the layout in EQ8 since I was only using 8 blocks, but as much time as I spent trying to figure it all out, I should have.

Once I figured out what size to cut everything, I needed to see if it would fit on this fat quarter from Sherri and Chelsi (that I really wanted to use) that was not a full fat quarter. I only needed 6 setting (side) triangles and the four corners. Besides working with the sashing, I didn’t want the cornerstones cut off on the ends. So I really put my math skills to use and actually tested fabric in place and took measurements. I finally cut into it for the setting triangles. What I thought was going to be the measurement for the corner triangles wasn’t correct, it was larger, so then I had to figure out if I could get the needed pieces out of the fabric I had left. so I ended up cutting just a slightly smaller square then needed and cut it half for the corner triangles. Before cutting the other two I needed to see if it would work.

So I took the corner piece and basted the two side triangles together, learning that the end sashing piece had to be attached first. Then I basted the corner triangle on and it worked and fit nicely! By this time, I was working with a too small strip of fabric and a piece of fabric that I could only cut one triangle from. I ended up cutting one triangle from the small strip so both outside edges will be on the bias. I will just have to be careful not to stretch it when adding the borders. By now it’s lunch time and I needed to take a break.

I spent a few more hours in the afternoon working on it; ripping, resewing and learning things along the way. I didn’t quite get it all together on Friday and didn’t have time to work on it yesterday. Today, I plan to finish this section and then decide on the borders.

So my Friday was full of trial and errors. I thought I was going to have to give up on that fabric several times, but I did persist and everything should work out. It would have been easier if I had used “more” fabric than I had. I haven’t given you any specifics here, but I took some notes on what I did and will write a separate blog post on making an on point setting with sashing. I couldn’t find too much that helped me before I started and I hope I can help you. I think the setting adds a lot more interest to a quilt.

Before Friday, I did get some other things accomplished, too.

I added the bindings to the baby quilts and they are finished. I think they are really cute and I’m glad I was finally able to use that cute fabric I had. I need to find out if they can be washed. I know some places are quite specific about what they can be washed with.

I needed some new fabric for my ironing mat. It’s a Steady Betty mat that I used for years until it got so beat up that I needed to cover it. To cover it, I layered batting then added heavier cotton duck fabric on top. I was out of what I was using, so I thought something pretty was in order. I ordered a couple of pieces of Lori Holt’s My Happy Place Home Decor fabric from Fat Quarter Shop and now I have a pretty ironing surface. Since this is 58″ wide, I just needed half a yard, so I will be able to get two covers from one piece, that is if I don’t use it for something else first. It’s so cute.

While I was making the sashing for Quilty Stars, I worked on the last four blocks for my County Fair quilt. I know my goal was to have them all made in June, then make the sashing in July, but I switched it up a bit. I made the sashing before finishing the blocks, just to make sure it got done. I’ll finish these this week. I have a lot of quilting to do, so I may wait until August to sew the quilt top together.

I actually got a lot accomplished last week. My son was here, but he and my husband fished every day but two. One of those days we spent with my parents and the other afternoon we went to the local museum that was exhibiting Normal Rockwell’s Saturday Evening Post covers. They had a good fishing week, but both need a good rest day today.

I hope you have a good and productive week and thanks for stopping by.