Quilting Linda: A Quilting Blog by Linda West

May

3

May “Hello Sun”

Posted Thursday, May 3rd, 2012 in Hello Sun Block of the Month, Quilting | Read More

I’m on a roll this month! I completed the May block this morning.

I am enjoying these happy little blocks so much! I did change the grassy area because the first piece I cut was a bit short after I had pressed it to the background piece. I didn’t notice that the pattern was not reversed when I traced the flower and had to redo the flower and stem before applying it to the background.

It’s not too late to join this free BOM! Each block is fun and easy. You can find the patterns here.

May

2

May Craftsy BOM

Posted Wednesday, May 2nd, 2012 in Quilting | Read More

This month I finished  my blocks early! The names of the blocks are Modern Log Cabin and Wonky 5-Sided Log Cabin.  I made the first block following the directions but the second block is not as “wonky” as the block in the pattern. I had a lot on my mind while working on it and forgot to cut off the corners on the other side of the block. I still like the block and don’t plan to change it.

I had some strips left over from the March blocks but had to cut a few more to finish these blocks.

MODERN LOG CABIN

WONKY 5-SIDED LOG CABIN

The patterns can be found at Craftsy.

Apr

29

April Craftsy BOM

Posted Sunday, April 29th, 2012 in Amy Butler, Fabrics, Heather Bailey | Read More

Again I am just finishing the April blocks by the ’skin of my teeth’! I have had the first block finished for a while but couldn’t decide what to do for the second block.  To tell the truth, I did enjoy making the second block (flowers) more than the first. I’m not a big fan of doing hand work but this was fun. I used my machine to applique the hand pieced hexagons to the background fabric.

I won a drawing for a book and three packs of hexagons from Amy Gibson at Stitchery Dickory Dock. Amy is the instructor at the Craftsy Free Block of the Month.

Apr

28

April “Hello Sun”

Posted Saturday, April 28th, 2012 in Hello Sun Block of the Month, Quilt Blocks | Read More

I’m a bit late making my April  “Hello Sun” block of the month, but hey, it’s still April! The pattern has a smiley face on each raindrop which I did not add. The sun doesn’t look happy this month either. The pattern also has the sun rays cut off in the seam allowance and mine may have bit in the seam allowance when the blocks are joined but not as much as the pattern shows.

Apr

15

2012 Quilt for “Relay for Life”

Posted Sunday, April 15th, 2012 in Patterns, Quilting | Read More

Each year my small quilt group, Piecemakers, makes a quilt to be raffled for Relay for Life. The group was given a large piece of bright pink fabric to use in the quilt. We decided to use it with black and white fabric to tone down the bright pink color. Ten of us were given six squares of the pink to use with our own black and white prints. We each made 6 nine patch blocks with the pink in the center square. The nine patches were cut into quarters, turning two quarters 180 degrees and sewn back together. The block is called 9 to 4 or Disappearing Nine Patch.

We added a small flange of the pink fabric between the quilt top and the border. The flange was top stitched to avoid catching it on the machine foot while quilting.

I quilted it with white thread in a  loopy meandering pattern.

Mar

23

Craftsy BOM update

Posted Friday, March 23rd, 2012 in Amy Butler, Quilting | Read More

This has been a busy month for me. I am just finishing my March BOM from Craftsy. This is the first time I have made this type block. I got lots of exercise running to the ironing board. If I made a lot of these blocks I would set up an ironing station beside my sewing machine.

I cut about 30 different size strips from my fat quarters to make both blocks. The Craftsy site used a different colorway for each block. I had enough left when I made the first block that I decided to use the leftovers for the second. I had a few pieces left after finishing the both blocks.

Mar

22

Going Around in Circles!

Posted Thursday, March 22nd, 2012 in Fabric Stash | Read More

Bob gave me an Accuquilt Go cutter for Christmas in 2010.  I bought a seven inch Drunkard’s Path die because that is a shape that is difficult to cut with a rotary cutter. Wanting to try out the die, I went through my  stash and pulled out brown and green fabrics.

I don’t usually name my quilts but this one wants to be called “Going Around in Circles”. It has been made entirely from fabrics in my stash.  I like the way the circles seem to float on the quilt.

The finished size is 56″ X 84″ and consists of 96 Drunkard’s Path blocks.

Mar

21

He’s here!

Posted Wednesday, March 21st, 2012 in Quilting | Read More

Our first grandson was born on Sunday.

Mar

11

2012 Kids Quilt for Camp Watcha-Wanna-Do

Posted Sunday, March 11th, 2012 in Quilting | Read More

As a member of the Appleseed Quilters Guild, I am expected to make a quilt to be given to a child at Camp Watcha-Wanna-Do. The camp is for children who are cancer patients and their siblings.

This year the quilt I am donating is made with blocks from a Block of the Month that I pieced a few years ago.  The setting is from the BQ2 pattern.

Everything was going well as I started to quilt until I had to change the bobbin. When I began stitching again, I got a huge bird’s nest on the bottom of the quilt. I could not move the machine. I checked the bobbin area and found the thread was wrapped around the latch on the bobbin case. I clipped it and everything loosened. I haven’t figured out why it did that but everything worked fine after that experience.

Mar

9

Machine Embroidered Quilt Labels

Posted Friday, March 9th, 2012 in Embroidered Quilt Label | Read More

Every year our quilt group, Piecemakers, makes a quilt for the first baby born at Community Memorial Hospital in the new year. This year we forgot to put a label on the back. The mother of the recipient sent us a thank you note and asked for information about the quilt and if we would make a label for the quilt. This afternoon I embroidered a label for it on leftover backing fabric.

While I had the embroidery machine opened, I made a label for the quilt that the quilt group is making for Relay for Life.

Mar

8

Hello Sun – March

Posted Thursday, March 8th, 2012 in Hello Sun Block of the Month | Read More

This is the third block in the Hello Sun BOM at http://www.april-makingendsmeet.blogspot.com/ . I changed it up a bit by moving the sun to the corner and using a half rainbow. Actually the design change was drawn by my daughter. I told her I wanted to change it a bit and she grabbed a piece of scrap paper and sketched it for me. I love her version. Thank you Jennifer!

Mar

7

I won!

Posted Wednesday, March 7th, 2012 in table runner | Read More

I entered a drawing for a table runner on Sarah Craig’s blog http://confessionsofafabricaddict.blogspot.com/ and won! The package arrived in the mail while I was visiting my daughter last week so I had a nice surprise waiting for me when I arrived home on Monday. Isn’t it wonderful?!!!!

Feb

24

Hello Sun

Posted Friday, February 24th, 2012 in Hello Sun Block of the Month, My Projects | Read More

My friend Kris introduced me to this free Block of the Month at http://www.april-makingendsmeet.blogspot.com/ . I made the strata of yellow strips and put it away while I worked on another quilting project. Yesterday I got it out again and made the blocks for January and February. Doesn’t this just make you feel happy? I love working with the yellow fabrics.

I did all the appliques by machine by setting the stitch length to 1.5 straight stitch and using black thread. I made a few modifications to the pattern so that I would not have to do any hand work. I like that it looks like a child drew it.

January Hello Sun Block

February Hello Sun Block

Feb

20

Birthday Blocks from 2006

Posted Monday, February 20th, 2012 in Birthday Block Quilt, Quilt Blocks | Read More

When I went to the quilt show in Columbus, Ohio last year (2011) I found a pattern called BQ2.http://www.mapleislandquilts.com/images/Product/large/MIQ965.jpg I bought it because it is perfect for large print fabrics. It is also perfect for setting 12 inch blocks together and has directions for 9 and 6 inch blocks.

These are blocks I received in a birthday block exchange on the Quilting Forum in 2006. I will list the forum names of the people who made the blocks in each row, left to right.

Row 1:  Bon, Vanislegirl, Anne

Row 2: grammyp, Quiltdiva, bkfdwife

Row 3:  ColleenNY, hagar, Teresa nc7

Row 4:  Amy, benken, Jennifer in VA

There really are not any wrinkles in the blocks. I did not have the quilt top lying flat on the carpet when I took the pictures.

Feb

5

“Hooterville Quilt”

Posted Sunday, February 5th, 2012 in baby quilt | Read More

I made this quilt for our first grandson, Elijah Grayson who is expected in March. The pattern is named “Hooterville” and is shown with the owls made from lots of bright colored fabrics. I have had the pattern for a year and was waiting for a reason to make it. When Christina decided to decorate the nursery in brown and green it inspired me to make it in those colors. I bought 20  fat quarters in brown, tan, green, and orange along with green dot border fabric.

I satin stitched around all the owls and trees using Madeira embroidery thread.

I  embroidered the label and cut it out in the owl shape for on the back. The back is the green dot fabric with a pieced row of leftover owl fabric across the middle with the label in the center. (Sorry, I forgot to take a picture of the back!)

Jan

30

2012 Craftsy Free BOM

Posted Monday, January 30th, 2012 in Amy Butler, Fabrics, Heather Bailey | Read More

I am making the free block of the month quilt offered at craftsy.com this year. There will be two patterns available each month. The picture  shows the blocks I made for January and February. I am using  Amy Butler and Heather Bailey fabrics that I bought at Fabrics and Friends quilt shop in Roanoke, IN.

Three friends and I went to Roanoke together and we each bought one yard of seven different fabrics. We took it home and cut it into fat quarters. We then exchanged FQs to each have 28 different fabrics.

I am enjoying these fabrics. They are not the patterns and colors that I normally use in my quilts.

Jan

29

Twisting again…

Posted Sunday, January 29th, 2012 in Twister quilt | Read More

Last year I bought the Itty Bitty Primitive twister pattern and template at the quilt show in Columbus, Ohio. I used it for the first time this month. I cut a Moda candy bar into 2 1/2 inch squares to make this miniature quilt top. The finished squares are only one inch with the top measuring ten inches.

I bought two charm packs at Fabrics and Friends Quilt Shop when three friends and I went on a Saturday morning road trip. The charm packs were Ruby and  Moda Solid in white. I made a heart shaped twister wall hanging with the charm packs.

This quilt top measures about 24 X 24 inches. I plan to quilt it with loopy meandering and hearts.

Jan

4

Christmas Flowers from Tristan

Posted Wednesday, January 4th, 2012 in Quilting | Read More

We celebrated our family Christmas on Thursday, December 29, 2011. We were sitting in the family room, ready to begin opening our gifts when the FedX truck pulled in the driveway. Tristan had ordered these flowers for Bob and me. The timing of the arrival was perfect!

This picture was taken on January 4, 2012. Each day another bud opens!

Thank you Tristan! They are beautiful!

Jan

3

2011 Christmas Quilts

Posted Tuesday, January 3rd, 2012 in Christmas gift | Read More

The tree is down, the Christmas dishes are back in the cupboard, and the Christmas quilts are with their new owners. I started making Jeff and Christina’s quilt in November. I used a “Recently Arrived in London” jelly roll, 3 matching charm packs, and over 5 yards of background fabric using the Jacob’s Ladder block pattern. I was inspired by a quilt at the Moda Bakeshop. To make the quilt large enough, I had to make it considerably larger than the pattern. I eventually changed the placement of the blocks for an entirely different final design. I finished the quilt top in December. I put it aside to begin a quilt for Jennifer and Tristan.

Jeff and Christina’s 2011 Christmas Quilt

Jennifer and Tristan wanted a quilt they could use with the same colors as the Double Wedding Ring I had made for their wedding quilt. I had purchased extra fabric when I bought the fabrics for the DWR but I didn’t have enough to make an entire quilt. I took the brown and teal fabrics that I had left over from the DWR and went to Fabric and Friends in Roanoke , Indiana. Kent Mick helped me pick a few more fabrics and background fabric. I needed border fabric and fabric to make the teal half square triangles. I used the same block pattern as Jeff and Christina’s quilt but with a different setting.

Jennifer and Tristan’s 2011 Christmas quilt

By this time, it was getting close to Christmas. I did have some extra time because we were planning to have our Christmas celebration on December 29. I wanted to be finished with both quilts before the 25th so I could enjoy other preparations for the holiday. After working furiously for several days,  I had the second quilt top ready for quilting.

I loaded Jeff and Christina’s quilt on the frame on December 20th and quilted it.  On December 21 I loaded the second quilt on the frame and quilted it the next day. The final stitch was put in the last quilt on December 24!

Now, on to my next quilt. It is a baby quilt for our first grandson who will be born in March.

BTW, the quilt holders are Tristan on the left and Jeff on the right.

Dec

7

Double Wedding Ring Quilt – The Final Chapter

Posted Wednesday, December 7th, 2011 in Quilt Blocks, Quilting | Read More

I took the quilt to Kat Waterson of www.quiltingkat.com in November. She planned to quilt it the week following Thanksgiving. She called me on November 29 to say it was finished. (She started it earlier than planned.) We were experiencing some nasty weather that week. She and I agreed to meet at the next guild meeting on December 6 for me to get it. She was very pleased with the results.

We met at the meeting and partially opened the quilt so I could see the quilting on the back. I LOVE IT!!! Later in the evening when we had “Show and Tell” at the meeting, a friend and I opened it completely to show the guild members. The back is beautiful too!