I started making “Going in Circles” on December 20th – I finished the top today, this evening actually. It took 12 days of steady work on this top to finish appliqueing the border. I barely worked on any other project wanting to get this top finished.
Here it is folded in quarter size as it is too big to lay out on the floor - Now it will sit aside for most of this year most likely as I finish up other quilts. This quilt is 100 x 100 inches so it will be quilted on my big hand quilting frame and right now there is another quilt on it. I am in no rush - it will wait until I am ready for it. The border is all needle turn applique although I did make the circles using the technique that I showed in early December on the blog and then appliqued in place - which was easy as the ends were already turned under.
Now that this top is finished I am ready to get busy quilting. I have a small stack of tops waiting for me to get quilted. Counting this one that I just finished there are 4 quilts to be quilted plus the Christmas Quilt that is on the big frame in progress. I thought I would select the smallest top and get started on that one on my 14 inch hoop. I will be quilting two quilts at the same time and in between working on the 2 applique quilts I have gotten started on this year – 1 block finished on each, I will also continuing working on the BOM Star Crazy and the second Dear Jane quilt which I have barely touched in the last month. Way too many projects in the works!!!
This top is called "Devil's Puzzle" it is a small one for me, most I make are much larger than this. This one measures 38 x 38 inches and will be used for a table topper.
A close up of the backing fabric that I found in my stash. This whole quilt will be made from scraps right down to the batting - I will be basting 3 pieces of batting together tonight to use for this quilt. I will finally have to order some more batting though as I am down to small pieces and way too many pieces to baste together for the next quilts I have waiting in line which are about 50 by 70 inches I think. I would have to baste about 7 or 8 pieces together from here out so I think they will be put aside for small projects once again.
I will need to continue making scrap quilts next year as I have barely made a dent in my scraps and that is after using them in the big scrappy quilt too besides these smaller quilts that I have made this past year. For the most part for the last year I have mainly just bought fabric for the backgrounds and backings.
Now I am off to watch more Olympics and baste that batting together. We were really pleased with the Men’s Figure Skating last night and really I thought they all did a terrific job - Oh and could not believe it got up to 60 degrees today!! and no I do not think spring is on its way early – I just bet we will have another cold spell with the way this winter has been.
After making more circles last night and earlier today the top is ready for the applique stitches. I will be working for the next several week on this border to get it done. I couldn’t lay it all out for you to see as I don’t have enough floor room so I had to fold it a little.
better than nothing but I wish I had room to lay it out totally flat.
Here it is folded in half
To work on it neatly and have it not end up a wrinkled up mess I fold it so that the border is on top.
then I fold it in half again and again. This is an easy size to work with. As I get the applique finished I keep refolding it so that the border is always on top. I have found from past experience that it works out best folding it like this - other wise you tend to start tripping over it when you get up to move and also it gets very wrinkled this way it stays nice and neat.
I periodically will bring it back to the sewing room to match up threads as closely as I can. Now you can see why I say this thread cabinet was one of my best quilting investments. I can't always find a thread to match but most of the time I can. When I do not have a thread that matches closely I use a beige color silk thread that usually doesn't show up with the tiny stitches that I use. I will probably match up thread for about 6 to 10 circles at a time and then I put the threads back in the cabinet and match up more. It will be time to refold it about then anyhow.
I tend to do more of my applique work in the living room while watching tv and I have a lamp that extends out over my work so I am comfortable and have a well lite area.
I might have a new photo to take of the daffodils tomorrow – they might be in the snow! Yes they say winter is back tonight and we might be getting a little snow during the night and all day tomorrow. I don’t think they expect we will get a lot though, most of that will be north of us. I guess it will be a good day to make progress on the applique.
Our snow fall will not be anything like what one of my sisters and one of my brothers had – they both live in northern Maryland and they had about 30 to 36 inches of the white stuff the other day!!
First I will explain the “spring is coming” comment on the top. I know a lot of you are under snow and getting more as I write – I’m talking about all of you out east – I know you are in the midst of a strong winter storm I imagine others of you in the northern areas are too. But here – in north central Arkansas look what I discovered today when I went to get the mail out of the mailbox! I think the groundhog of the south (located in Georgia) is right – spring is in the air (even if it feels like winter 
at times )
the earliest variety of our daffodil bulbs are budding out. This always happens in February it seems, sometimes we have them popping open with snow around them. You always know that spring is really on its way when we see these.
And another clump - we still have a little bit of last weeks snow on the ground in places in the shade. I would not be surprised though to see a little more snow come our way before spring is actually here though.
I told you all I was going to be working on the border of my circles and four patch quilt which I am now naming “Going in Circles” I think it is appropriate. I have been taking some photos as I go along with it to show how I do it. I do not follow any particular rules this is just design as I go.
The first most important step in my opinion is protect your work surface especially if this is your new dining table! I have a large cutting mat 30 x 36 and I use that for the protection. The table is being protected from any glue leaking through.
I start in a corner so that is what I lay in place first.
The supplies - the circles, the nine patches, vines, glue, scissors, and a photo of the border that I am using for inspiration.
I forgot to take a photo of my first corner as I was doing it so this is a photo of the second corner - put your corner segments in place first - one corner at a time is best but you can do all corner first then go to the sides, up to you. These are glue basted in place.
put glue dots on circles as you are ready for them. I put about 2 feet of the vine down first with glue dots on the back, press them in place with your fingers, curve them as you desire. Then I put a circle on each side of the vine, I wasn't going to measure but then I decided I needed to as some were to far apart (they peel up well if the glue is still damp), I am putting the circles about 3 1/2 inches apart on each side of the vine.
getting ready to lay out more of the vine - the vine is all in one piece on each side of the quilt border.
When I got about 2 to 3 feet from the end of the border I laid the next corner pieces in place and glue basted them down. This is so I know where I want my vine to meander and end. Then I cut the vine to the right length ( I will trim a little more off when I get it all basted in place. I glue baste this portion of the vine in place and tuck the end under the 9 patch. The 9 patches also will be needle turned appliqued in place. Using the glue is an easy way to baste also if you need to make adjustments you can gently tug a piece up and reposition as you are working.
One side of the border is done and the second is almost done. Enough done so I can take this photo so you can see what it will look like. Now back to making more circles - I thought I had plenty! LOL I ran out before I finished the second side - talk about not judging correctly!! I had at first done some circles in two different sizes but the larger size was too big I felt so I am going to cut those smaller to begin with and use them to make more of the smaller size circles. That will let me finish the second side of the border but then I will be back to making more circles. Maybe I will get this done late tomorrow or Monday instead of today!
This sure adds a colorful finish to the borders doesn’t it!
Continue reading about Going in Circles and Spring is coming!!
Today it rained all day – so what do most quilters do on a rainy day? They tend to stay in and sew like me if they are able to. I did run out to the fitness center and then it was back home to fabric and a book
I made my vines today for the border of the quilt. I cut the bias strips yesterday and today I prepared that long, long piece of bias that I had sewed together yesterday – all 420 inches of it!! I don’t know what method most of you use but here are the steps I use once it is sewn together. I forgot to take photos yesterday of me cutting the strips and sewing them. To make my bias strips into vines or stems I use the product from Clover – it comes in various sizes. ( I have not ordered from this link given but I linked it to the Clover site) There is a fusible tape that you can use with this tool also and iron your stems and vines down. Sometimes I use it other times I don’t. There has been a time or two when I could see the fusible through the fabric and it didn’t look good. Other times it doesn’t seem to stay ironed on. Most of the time in the last couple years that I have used it I just press it and then when I put it on my quilt top I use the Roxanne Glue Bast It to hold it in place until I stitch it down. In this case I will continue to do my hand stitching as so much of this top already has hand stitching in it (the circles) and also because for me it will be neater!!
this is my bias stem/vine maker. It is by Clover and this one is 1/4 inch wide.
I lightly spray with starch (in BACK of the maker - don't spray the area that has already been pressed or it will open back up), give it a second or two to dry slightly and then start pressing the seams down with the iron as you pull/push the maker the opposite direction. I constantly move the iron to keep up with it to press the seams under. I don't even lift the iron up but a kind of push the maker with the iron as I press.
I cut a piece of cardboard off of things in the kitchen cupboard for winding the vines to keep them neat - in this case a large box of microwave popcorn came into use.
400 inches of bias piled up on the floor
420 inches of vines neatly waiting for me to glue baste in place on the border - maybe tomorrow?
Tonight I have gotten some little 9 patch blocks ready and have some more to make. After that it is more circles – I’m making 2 different sizes from scraps and they will go on the sides of the quilt border most likely on both sides intermittent along the vines.
Yesterday I just about completed 2 Dear Jane blocks for the “Insanity Revisited” quilt, I finished one up this morning. The two done:
Block number 8 from row 10
Block number 9 from Row 10. It seems that at times on this quilt the original maker Jane Stickle must have enjoyed making certain kinds of pieces in this case oval shapes, these two and the next two have them. They are a pain to make in my opinion!
Now I am back to making the patchwork blocks for the border until CSI comes on at 8 – how do you all like CSI lately – I haven’t enjoyed it as much the last two seasons now that they replaced the Grissom character with Lawrence Fishburns character – he just doesn’t seem to go with the other cast members as well I think and also not the same since they killed off Warrick last year, or was that two years ago? Too many changes aren’t good for a show at times!! In my opinion
I have decided on my border – thank you all for your opinions. I am going to put the vines on the border like the one I showed you on the baby quilt. I will put nine patches in the corners also in pretty much the same arrangement and then on the sides of the borders I will put circles here and then instead of the patches shown in the baby quilt. I was busy today cutting bias strips to make the vines but that is all the further I got with it today.
Someone asked in the comments on yesterday’s post how I plan to quilt this quilt — by hand of course! I do not quilt any other way. I think she mainly wondered because of all the seams. For me when hand quilting I go with the design of the quilt. I would not try to do anything fancy – wreaths or what not on the main part of the quilt because of all the seams. Around the circles I will quilt circles (outline) and on the squares I will have a diagonal line run through them. Yes the seams make it a little harder but there will just be a couple bigger stitches there. This is for me not a show or whatever, the size of the stitches do not matter to me, consistency does. On the border I will do outline stitch around the vines, circles and blocks and then the diagonal lines from the squares will run through to the border – that is what I am thinking right now. Another questions was why did I have a baby quilt — I’m not sure why that question was asked – don’t all quilters make baby quilts? This particular baby quilt was given to one of nephews on the birth of their baby about 4 years ago, I take pictures of most of my quilts and have a computer file to pull photos from. I have made a lot of baby quilts over the years. I used to try to make them for all the babies in the family but I come from a very, very large family and can no longer keep up with them. I still make baby quilts now and then, sometimes for charity and sometimes to sell.
I spent part of the day finishing a book I was reading so I could get my books back to the library before they were over due. Of course seeing as I was at the library I checked 3 more out. I also made a cake earlier – Mike’s birthday today – we will go out for supper later – steak for him – I don’t make a good steak and I don’t care who knows it steak is not a favorite of mine as I know it is for so many people, maybe that is why I don’t make one well?
We actually get a little more snow I hear over the next two days! I am amazed – this winter seems to be drawing out longer than normal for us. The temperatures are not bad though and what we have on the ground is melting.
I have a book I want to share with you all. I’m giving it a great review. I wonder how many of you quilters have this handy reference? This is a great little book. I picked it up at a quilt shop on one of our travels someplace – the sticker on the book says “Hearthside Quilt Shoppe”. We have stopped at plenty of quilt shops when we travel, it could have been anywhere! The book is by Peggy Scholley and it has a ton of information stuck into 30 pages. The book: “The Quilters Pocket Reference” I do not know if Peggy has a website to order the book from, the link I gave goes to Amazon. Com
The Quilter's Pocket Reference by Peggy Scholley
An example of the inside pages. This book gives you information and measurements. How big do you need to cut a piece of fabric to make a 3 inch half square triangle block? The book tells you. Run your finger down the column of numbers and you will find what you need. Anything from figuring out how much the fabric will cost to make you quilt to hst's and borders, how to cut and measure for quilt backs, calculate yardage for squares. You name it the little book has it. I really think it is one of the handiest books on my shelf - in fact I don't even keep it on my book shelf among the other books I have it on the shelf right above my cutting table where I can access it easily and always know where it is!
This is a very handy book and I recommend it to all quilters – especially if you are poor at math like I am
One more Insanity Revisited block is finished, actually I almost finished two last night but the one not shown I have several pieces to applique on to it and will show it another day.
Block # 7 Row 10 "Insanity Revisited"
As you all know (if you read my blog that is LOL ) I finished a big quilt top last week – my circles and four patches. I have been pondering how to finish off the border. I had thought to just scatter some circles around but I’m now thinking of another idea light bulbs are always going off aren’t they. Here is the picture of the quilt with the incomplete border in case you haven’t seen it.
The four patches and circles quilt
Now what do you think of this border on this baby quilt that I made about 4 years ago – only on the big queen size top.
I really like this border. (I think I found this pattern in a McCall's magazine - maybe about 6 years ago? I no longer have the magazine I just cut the pattern out)
Maybe put the four patches in the corners and then circles in other places – or all four patches as this one has? Actually I think 9 patch would be better color wise. Because it is a queen size quilt and this was a baby size, more patches would go on the sides of course. I don’t know why I happened to think of this baby quilt earlier when I was looking at the border. I will make vines using the darker of the two aqua colors that I used in the Dutch Treat quilt. I have plenty leftover and would be able to make bias stripes easily from it. That color has been used here and there in the four patches and will go well with the light aqua stripe in the border.
I will get started making bias strips for the vines and see what you all have to say and decide later on patches and circles.
Of course now that I have been looking at this baby quilt so much today I have of course thought how great it would look in a queen size too LOL — maybe next year
Some people have commented that part of this quilt looks familiar but not quite like one they saw someplace. I posted a post last month that I got a pattern from Bunny Tales, the pattern is called Yo-Yo’ville but I kind of changed it up and wonder why I bought the pattern to begin with! As you can see at the link I kept the body of the quilt kind of the same. The change I made in it is that they have all the color squares on a diagonal setting where as I kind of zig-zagged them around a bit. After I got the pattern I decided that the house border was not “me” that is why I am thinking of appliqueing circles on the border. The house border is cute, don’t take me wrong it is just not the type of applique I do – I don’t do “cute” very well no insult to the designer intended as we all have our own taste of course.
I have the border sewed on to the body of the quilt. Now I will take a break from it and then decide if I am going to applique circles on it – just plain scattered. Here is what it looks like now. It is 100 x 100 inches and I have no space to lay it out completely on the floor without moving furniture even more than I did! So just use your imagination to picture it completely flat!
Tried to get most of it flat for the photo, but just not enough room.
a close up of one of the corners so you can see the strips in the border better. The aqua strip is from the Dutch Treat quilt -- I had a lot of left over fabric from that one and it will be included in a few quilts down the road I think The yellow is a Michael Miller Fairy Frost fabric - I have a red and an orange in the same line but when lined up together I didn't like them for it.
I tried to get a better photo of it laying on the bed but I don't think it really helps any. The circles that are on the main part of the quilt are about 1 1/2 inches I think -- the ones on the border if I do them will be about 2 to 3 to maybe even 4 inches - maybe a combination of both sizes and just scattered around. Or I could just leave it and do a nice quilted border or something like that? I will decide later. Like I say I need a break from it and will be working on other projects for a week or two I think.
Block 4 Row 10 Insanity Revisited. Made this easy block this morning.
We are still being warned of a possible ice storm for Thursday late in the day and snow on Friday. Each day they change the outlook a little bit. Yesterday’s report sounded bad so this morning we moved the motorhome to in between the house and the work shop where it is protected from trees. Where it is normally parked is by some pine trees – if we get ice we could have broken branches and do not want to chance it. Luckily the area Mike had to drive through was dry enough and he didn’t sink in to any mud — we have had a lot of rain in recent weeks and it is very muddy in places. We are ready with firewood and a generator in case we loose power – the refrigerator is full (well be plugged into the generator if needed) so I am ready – now lets keep our fingers crossed that it passes us by!!
I am so glad to get done putting the main part of this quilt together! I literally feel like I am going in circles!! This part of the quilt measures 76 x 76 inches. Now to figure out a border (that will wait for tomorrow) right now I am leaning towards 3 thin strips of colorful fabric – red, yellow and orange and then a white border about 8 inches wide with some scattered circles on it. I’m thinking circles a little larger than the ones on this part that is done. That is just an idea right now, I’m going to think on it over night or maybe a day or two.
this part finished. Took up the whole design wall and overlapping somewhat.
This last week I have been working on my first Little Brown Bird block in between work at the sewing machine. I am really pleased how this block turned out. Right now I have it measured at 9 1/2 inches. In the book it says to trim to 8 1/2 inches. I decided to go with the more muted colors for the flowers (I also enlarged the flowers a little bit - they were so tiny) but I changed out the center green for a brighter green instead of the one I first chose. This is block #13 from the book. I am still not sure if I am going to make all of the blocks from the book. I really don't like all of them and I think I really like this more lacy look to this block than flowers and baskets or vases. I might look and see what I can find in this similar look. There are 3 more in the book something like this, but as you can see it is really a quilting design (a wreath) and there are plenty of those kind of patterns out there. The accent embroidery on this block I used 1 strand of embroidery thread in a free flowing pattern that I drew on with a light gray fine point chalk pencil.
Oops sorry - I forgot to make sure there were not any smudge marks before I took the photo and I'm too lazy to take another one! This is the new microwave that we got the other day. Bigger than I had planned on getting - what can I say hubby was along and this is the size he thought we needed. It is nice that it has 10 levels of power -- so instead of heating leftovers and having over done veggies and just right pasta or whatever -- all heated evenly on medium! Now of course I have to keep looking at the instruction book to figure out what to heat what on. If even "talks" to you when done - the control reads "your meal is ready" or something like that.
We are having a good soaking rain today that started awhile ago and might go through to evening. Can’t say I’m happy about that, we just had 2 inches the other night and the ground is still wet from all we had last month and months before that! We will go out later and go shopping for the microwave. Thought we would go out to supper too and then get that done before or after.
My design wall is handy. I decided though to put the quilt on the lower half of the wall right now though so I can work from the top and not bend down — lazy is what I call it – but what the heck the purpose is to not have to work on the floor right. I am a little more than half way finished now. I have 15 of the 25 rows finished. When it is done it should cover the entire wall. I have found that the bigger and heavier it gets the more I need to stick a couple stick pins in it to keep it on the wall. I think I have 3 holding it on. I suppose it is actually just a little too big for it as the ends are sticking out a little. To bad I won’t be able to use it for the whole thing as it will end up being about 100 x 100 inches. It will be back to the floor for part of it and a final photo.
Getting there, more to do and I have little bits of thread all over the floor and myself. Isn't if funny when you go shopping or out to eat and hubby is plucking threads off your back that you didn't know where there I have several pretty Michael Miller fairy frost fabrics that I think I will use in strips for a border around the patches - skinny strips. I have 3 of them - a reddish type of color, orange and a yellow. Then maybe more scraps of some sort - thin strips maybe from the stash.
I also have worked on the Little Brown Bird block and got done with the reverse applique now it is supposed to have 4 flowers appliqued scattered over it with embroidery – little tendrils out from the flowers and a little black embroidery on the flowers for accent. These blocks will all be set on point.
sitting in it's storage box. I am auditioning these flowers right now - I'm not sure if I like the colors and might go brighter. The centers of the flowers could be embroidered also if desired in a green satin stitch. I'm not sure, I will look at it this evening when we get back home and decide. Keep in mind the centers look large because the seam allowance is there as they are not stitched in place.
It was nice to have so many people drop by this week and participate in my give away. So many have contacted me during the week with e mails and it is very interesting to hear about what everyone is working on and to find out where you are all from. The only problem with a give away though is that not everyone leaves an e mail address for contacting you back. When you leave a comment if you want an answer you need to have your settings right. So far I have not heard back from Rebbecca Potts Baker one of the winners from my give away. Rebbecca I have no way to get in touch with you as you didn’t leave a e mail address. Hopefully you will come back to check who the winners of the give away are and claim your prize. Contact me at k@pddoc.com If I don’t hear from Rebbecca in five days or so I will go through the random number selector and pick someone else.
I took a day off from working on my patches and circles yesterday and got back to it today. Making progress but anything to do with me and sewing machines moves slowly because I keep taking so many breaks here is what I have so far:
this is 25 blocks across right now and nine rows finished. I have another 3 rows in the process of as you can see. The total body of the quilt will be 25 rows by 25 and then some kind of border around that. I plan to get a little more work done on it this weekend and hopefully get the main part of this quilt done next week and then start on a border.
Here is the progress on the Little Brown Bird block that I started working on the other day. It will have some flower blossoms scattered on it over the wreath and a little embroidery. Right now the brown background shows through the light side a bit but I don't think this will be noticeable when I get the flowers on it too. Once it is quilted for sure I think it will be fine. This is a 9 1/2 inch block.
I’m not sure what we are doing this weekend. Sounds like we might have more rain tomorrow – I hope it waits until evening and the day will be pleasant. I need to start looking for a new microwave oven. Ours technically is not really all that old but it has not been working well recently and last night burned a hole through the bag of popcorn on the same setting it is always set at!! That shouldn’t have happened. Also some other things have not been cooking at the normal amount of time and I have been having to constantly adjust the time. I looked briefly at some a month or so ago but held off. I think this weekend we will find a new one. I don’t need anything fancy – we only use the microwave for reheating leftovers and making popcorn, defrosting frozen items and things like that. This is only the second microwave we have had! The first one lasted forever it seems, much longer than this second one did.
