Another UFO (2011) finished! Place Mats

How are you all doing? I have been MIA for some weeks... I felt a bit 'burnt out' after finishing Johnny's BD quilt. It took me some time after he left to get into quilting again, but over the last couple of weeks I have been clever! :) 

I don't know how many times I have pulled those place mats out from the shelf! They have been sitting there for months... I remember I ran out of fabric - about one year ago - to finish them. I wanted to finish them before Christmas last year.... took me one year to finish! :) When I finally got the fabric, I was already working on another project so had to put it aside. I have been working on them off and on; did all the binding some months ago. 

What took time is that I couldn't decide what to do with the Santa's and polar bears... To leave it undone was not an option; it had looked unfinished... I finally decided to outline all the details, using the sewing machine, which I do not regret at all! They look so much better now! :)

 

Tedious job to do, but now it's finally done! :)

 

 

 

Being on a SSD (Strict Stash Diet) this year - I have sinned!!! 

When I saw the panel of 'Too many men' - I couldn't resist! Those snowmen are just too cute, hiding here and there! :) I didn't buy one panel only, but TWO!!! :) 

One panel consists of one big 'picture' and four smaller ones. Out of the latter, I've made four place mats. 

 

 

Just too cute! Hiding there, behind the tree - and believes no one sees him!

 

 

All details are outlined using my sewing machine. 

Love how it turned out! 

 

 

I'm afraid it won't be much quilting this month.... We're having visitors again from middle of this week.... :) Can't wait!

Before they land here, I have to finish some mug rugs that I started working on a couple of days ago... Almost done, just left to hand stitch the binding...

 

  

Quilting and needles

Today I finally decided to start quilting the stitchery quilt.

I have spent more than half the day quilting and now it feels like that is enough for today! When I decide on quilting, I can sit the entire day, but of course with many (coffee) breaks in between. :) Now I have yet to decide on how to - if? - quilt the stitchery blocks... 

 

 

I started out with SCHMETZ Quilting needle 90/14, but by experience I knew it wouldn't work as it should. I'm using Superior Threads King Tut #40/3 and Masterpiece 50/3 for the bobbin. Superior Threads recommends needle 90/14, but it seems to me the needle is too thick? For this quilt I'm using Quilter's Dream batting and flannel backing.

Every time I have used needle #90/14, it skips some stitches - and (of course) that happened today too...

Do you see the long stitch? That is what happens... :( This was the 3rd or 4th time I had to unpick - far from happy about that! :(

I changed the needle to GROZ-BECKERT #75/11, which does not cause any skipped stitches at all!

Why does it happen only with the #90/14 needles? Are they really too thick for the three layers? Anyone knows?  

 

 

Can't wait to get this quilt done! I said in an earlier blog post I should not be tempted to start any new projects this year, but then I had to buy some very cute whimsical Christmas panel and fabrics... :) Want to make 4 place mats and one wall quilt out of the panel.... :)

 

Click here, and it takes you to one of the places we went together with my friend J.

 



Birthday Quilt Revealed

10 wonderful days have passed by - my very best childhood friend Johnny stayed with us - and it is time to reveal the quilt I made for his 50th birthday (later this year).

When I started working on the quilt earlier this year, the plan was to make blocks representing our happy childhood. After making two blocks only, the idea to do a NYB block for the center piece popped up...   

 

 

 

It took time to decide how to proceed, but I ended up with 'flying geese' blocks.

I had some yards of black solid and decided to frame each block. I wanted to add a black solid border before the binding, but I didn't have enough fabric and only a few days to finish it, so it ended up with the black binding only.

I have free-motion quilted each block making loops, except the NYB center piece and the flying geese, which is stitched-in-the-ditch.

All fabrics are from my stash, except the four blocks with the boy and the girl... When I first saw it, I knew I HAD to purchase it for this quilt!

 

 

Elks, carrying home a spruce for Christmas, just being friends, chocolates, trees and of course; Sunbonnet Sue... :)

 

 

...just being friends, boat, cats, sweets, snowmen, ducks...

 

 

... the red cup, more ducks, gone skiing, more cups...

 

 

...elks, house, friends, card trick, trees, Overall Sam...

 

 

...and here he is - the BD-baby! :)

 

 

Johnny left for Norway last night. I'm missing him tremendous already - but that's life!

Today I'll have to do some housework and later on start quilting the 'stitchery quilt'. I managed putting it together and finished thread basting it just a couple of days after Johnny arrived. Had to tidy up the dining table, you know - lol!  This - and a few other projects will keep me busy the next four weeks, before another dear friend lands here! :)