I love my power tools :), Getting to know Miss. Belle!

Yesterday was the Possum Town Quilt guild Sit-and-Sew day. We will be hosting the MQA (Mississippi Quilter's Association) gathering in October. Today's Sit-and-Sew was dedicated to making goody bags. 

Sit-and-Sews usually involves gathering up all my sewing supplies... scissors, rulers, mats, rotary cutter, fabric, patterns, books... and any other items needed for the project. It all adds up and pretty soon it sometimes feels like maybe I'm moving out.

I have a wonderful Viking Emerald 116 sewing machine that I have loved from the moment I ran a piece of fabric under the presser foot. I love it so much that I took it with me the last time I visited my mom and dad in Colorado. Packing it up to take with me is very convenient, just cover it with the plastic casing and carry it away with the handle. Easy! .... And how it was left behind when I got into the car and drove home will forever be a mystery to me! 

I was blessed that the PTQ guild lent me a machine until I might get my Viking back. However, things don't work out the way we plan. A trip back to CO for a visit hasn't manifested and I don't dare have my Viking sent thru the mail.... and so I started searching for an inexpensive sewing machine.

Hahaha! I don't know what I was expecting! After looking at several stores, financially it would be cheaper to go pick up my machine in CO and bonus visit with my parents :)! 

And then, I walked into Robins Sewing Shop and mentioned my predicament and that I wanted a cheap used sewing machine. She gave me a doubtful look and sat me at this Sears Kenmore sewing machine someone had just brought in for a trade and quoted $50. (Maybe they just wanted to sell it quick because it wasn't a Bernina.) With the look she had given me, I thought maybe it skipped stitches or had a loud knocking sound when stitching or some questionable performance. I didn't have much hope... 

I took the sample fabric from the clerk, and lowered the presser foot, pressed my foot on the foot pedal.... It stitched much faster then I expected, but the stitching was even... straight... good tension... no bunching on back... no skipping... only straight and zigzag stitching, but that's all I need anyway...

..... best of all, it is much quieter than the one i was borrowing (my daughter had asked me not to sew after she went to bed because the noise from PTQ machine kept her awake).

 

Now the $50 machine sits in my sewing room and I can sew into the wee morning hours whenever I want :)!!

I have completed a few projects on this machine. This is the machine I've been free-motion quilting on.  I think it's fantastic! 

It's a VERY sturdy piece of machinery! (that translates to "It's VERY HEAVY) 

.... not something you would want to be toting in and out of the car, up and down stairs, on and off a table... definitely not for sit and sew days.

And so, my Heartbeat got me a 1950s Featherweight for our anniversary in January. 

I have named her Miss. Belle (short for Mississippi Belle), here's the original post A slight detour...

Miss. Belle is much easier to tote to a Sit and Sew. Yesterday was the first time for us to really sit down and start getting to know each other. Oh what fun! She looks quite dainty but she doesn't act like it! She likes to get the job done and done well :). 

There were 10 of us with our machines, at least two at the ironing boards and another 4 or 5 inserting ribbons... We completed 70+ fat quarter bags in about 90 minutes. We only stopped because we ran out of fabric. Looks like only 80 more to go, then we'll start on the next item to put into our goody bags :).

what's the name for this block?

 I participate in a Wednesday morning charity group. They call themselves the Maple Street Quilters because that's where the building is located... on Maple Street. 

Anyone is welcome to come in and help. Beginner or experienced, all you need is a desire to quilt.   At the moment, we have two ladies that machine piece quilt tops while a group of quilters are hand quilting and another group of quilters are tying a quilt. Both groups are set up with floor frames and quilting in quilting bee fashion. It is great fun! Most of our finished quilts go to charities like the Red Cross or Domestic Abuse Shelters and such. 

One of my favorite Maple Street Quilter group photos

Sitting and visiting around the quilting frame.
That's me on the far corner ;).

Two sewing machines are set up for piecing tops during the Weds morning meeting time. But sometimes quilt tops are donated, such as this beautiful piece. How anyone wouldn't  keep it is beyond me. The workmanship is phenomenal. The smallest pieces are 1" patches. All scrappy. I can't even guesstimate how many hours it took to make the top.... It's heartbreaking to me that piecer will be unknown forever... Thankfully, it was finished with love by the quilters at Maple Street :). <3

One of the ladies asked if I could write up instructions. I quickly accepted the request, possibly because I would love to make one of these too.

Once I picked out the main block, the construction was easy to figure out.

Here is the main block. A 3" nine-patch with two borders. Or a nine-patch block in a square in a square!

It took 60 blocks to make the quilt pictured above. The blocks were set on point with setting triangles on the sides. A quick Google search on "what size triangles for a 9" finished block " brought me to an excellent blog post on figuring the math for any setting triangle size you need!  Putting it "On Point" is the blog post by Quiltville. Thank you Quiltville!!!



And here's my directions for scrappy framed nine-patch Courtyard Garden. Disclaimer: It's still in rough draft. I haven't had any testers try it out yet. If you have any questions please feel free to contact me :).


I am not familiar with this block. I don't know if it has a common quilt block name. When I find out if it does I will update this post with the name.

(edit: I turned to Google and Pinterest in search of the name. Closest I found was a pattern that is for sale on Amazon named Courtyard Maze. Though it doesn't have the 9-patch in the center square and is not at all scrappy....  Anyway, the 9-patch reminded me of a garden that was in the middle of an apartment complex my uncle used live in and maintain. The garden was completely surrounded by the appartments. So I am naming this block "Courtyard Garden".... at least, unless I find out it is a traditional pattern with a commonly known name already.)

Mississippi Quilter's Association (MQA) Spring gathering

I finished the MQA 25" quilt just in time. I'm pleased with my free motion quilting, but not 100% pleased with the colors I chose. The quilting is not as noticeable on the green as I would have liked. But I am still proud to call it mine :). Maybe I'll add some kind of red embellishments to the green, that might do the trick

my artist statement was limited to 100 words. I tried to say how I've been influenced by my new Mississippi quilter friends. I love each and every one of them <3.


A presentation "From Tradition to Modern" was given by Theresa Pino and Cheryl Owens. They were quite amusing with their friendly banter as they shared with us their quilting journeys. I felt a connection as they told their story. They started out as hand-piecers and hand-quilters. As time went on, and with some resistance, they evolved to machine piecing and machine quilting. It gave me a giggle when Theresa said "then I told myself 'It's ok to machine quilt'." because I experienced a moment just like that very recently!

What I found most interesting, they brought to our attention how much quilters are labeling ourselves... Traditional... Modern... Fiber Artist... Contemporary... Machine quilter... Hand quilter... and how each category applies "rules" and outlines that dictate which category a quilt falls under. And still, with all the labels and outlines, it comes down to a matter of opinion... what I consider a "modern quilt" doesn't mean you would consider it so. Ahhh, such is life, huh? What I consider beauty may not be so to the next person... "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder." and "One man's junk is another man's treasure." Well,,, to each her own then! When it comes to quilting or creating, be yourself! Create as you please!  Set your own goals and expectations and when you achieve them, set new goals and expectations. Come to think of it, if your ideas change before you achieve those goals, so be it! Go with the flow!! Be Happy :)

OK, here are some of the quilts they presented and caught my eye:

Pieced circles are used for the large flower layers. Raw edge applique on top of a pieced background. It seems free motion quilting is what is attaching the applique. I love the whimsy of it.

Mini free-motion quilts that were mounted onto artist canvas. I really like this idea. Theresa Pino said she simply used tacky glue to attach the quilt. It would be a really great way to free-motion / doodle practice.

Another great way to use your free-motion / doodle quilting...

After doodle quilting, use the fabric medium Inktense to add color to your designs! These are the cute little tote bags they made. I love them!!

During this meeting, Julia Graber took over as President of MQA. She is a member of my local PTQ guild. She is an amazing self-claimed Fiber Artist and has been a great inspiration to me. Doesn't she look adorable and natural at the podium? 

Aileen Love and Marietta Johnson presented some of their “Missouri Star Quilting Company” quilts. This triangle quilt is going on my "wish to make list". It is pieced using the tube piecing technique, here's a Missouri Star Tube Quilt tutorial. It's really easy!! I need to check out the other quilting tutorials created by Missouri Star, there are tons of them!

I purchased tickets for three raffles! Wish me luck for this one especially! :)

When the MQA gathering was over, we went to view the Caryl Bryer Fallert quilt exhibit again. I had to get more close up pics of her awesome quilts. My original post was Quilt Artist Exhibit was the perfect inspiration.

Cattywampus Log Cabin #4, 2012
Caryl Bryer Fallert-Gentry

Bradford Fantasy #2, 2015
Caryl Bryer 

Chromatic Feathers #2, 2014

Caryl Bryer Fallert-Gentry

Fibonacci series #14, 2013
Caryl Bryer Fallert-Gentry

Cattywampus Log Cabin #3, 2010

Caryl Bryer Fallert-Gentry

Oops, I didn't get the name of this quilt, but I can't leave it out!

Today was a fantastic day with my quilting friends. I enjoyed every minute of it.
My quilting adventure continues :).

Distracted again...

Deadline for the MQA 25" Celebration quilt is this Saturday... And what am I doing?? Learning a new lace making technique.

Someone posted a YouTube video on one of the fb pages I follow that caught my eye. The artist is Turkish, but the videos are fairly clear without language. The maker calls it "iğne oyasıI" which my Google translated to "needle lace". I followed that video to this one: Needle Lace 

and it was my undoing. This work is gorgeous, I just gotta learn it!!

YouTube video I am using to teach myself.

 I have made progress on the MQA quilt up until my needle lace distraction. All the main quilting is done and I'm working on the fillers. Usually when I allow my work to get interrupted it's because I'm not pleased with something and I have to let it work itself out in my head. But I am really stumped on this one. Tomorrow, I'm going to have to sit myself at the sewing machine and get it done as planned. Maybe the solution will become clear. If not, I think it pretty good as is :).

 A few things I want to mention....
I REALLY like this Sewline Styla marking pen. It draws a fine line with hardly any pressure needed. This will be my marking pen of choice from now on.

Next, I must remember to flip the design when using paperbacked fusible web for applique. Ugh, twice I traced from the right side, cut out my pieces, only to realize the pieces were backwards and unusable.

Correct way. Trace from a reversed image.

And, iron the paperbacked fusible web to the wrong side of the fabric, not the right side of the fabric!! I'm not sure how i managed to do this step wrong twice too, but I did. I'm hoping that if I blog about it then I will NEVER do it wrong again!

Paper backed webbing fused to wrong side of fabric

All in all, I've enjoyed this project. I've learned a lot. Seeing how it has evolved from my original design. It is a piece of me. It's crazy colorful, has whimsy, and I believe anyone could see the love for what I do.

One last thing to mention...

Sometimes I need a little encouragement from friends to push me out of my comfort zones. Much thanks to my quilting friend Terry for nudging me to "write" on my quilts. I had to add that trick into this quilt... So much fun!!

Close up of my "writing".
In this photo,I haven't erased my marking yet
But it does come out easily with a damp cloth. 

Right side, wrong side

Progress on my 25" challenge quilt. Two borders are sewn on and I'm using fusible applique for feather plumes to be sewn down with quilting stitches. I took a break for dinner and a movie before going back to work on it....

I must be tired. When I went to iron the appliques onto the background I discovered I put the fusible on the right side of the fabric which is the wrong side :(. Ugh...  At least it's just a few. I'm going to bed and I'll start fresh tomorrow.

But I'm excited because it's almost ready to sandwich with batting and backing. The vibrance in the green is back, almost too much now, lol. I may use a yellow thread for the quilting.