Virtual Quilting Weekend -- March 10 - 12, 2017
 

Welcome to Virtual Quilting Weekend. I hope lots of you can join this weekend. What will you be working on? Organizing, shopping, UFOs, start something new, or maybe you're even starting Christmas presents! :) Whatever it is, we would love to hear about it and see pictures if you would like.

I'm actually at my first ever quilt retreat. I brought several WIPs and am slowly making progress. I will check in throughout the day to see how you're all doing.

Next VQW will be April 14 -16.

I'll be working on another one of the collaborative art pieces that I've got going with a musician/painter friend. if I get enough progress on that I'll pull out a UFO that needs to have one long seam frogged and resewn so I can sandwich and quilt it. I would also love to work on a whole cloth mini quilt-- I used a couple of coupon codes to purchase both of Lisa Calle's Iquilt courses and really want to try out her design process, but I am trying to be disciplined and not start anything new until I get either a WIP or a UFO finished....but first out to the barn to meet the vet who's going to be thereto give our horses their Spring shots... wouldn't you know it's in the middle of the day, so probably no quilting for me today...

Thanks for setting this VQW up Heather!

Rob

Joining in. Thanks for setting up this one and posting next dates up front. Already put on calendar. Today is a sewing day with my Guild. Organizing and cutting out blocks for the 100 Modern Sampler Blocks by Tula Pink. I have 35/64 with borders using one of her setting. A LQS is doing a challenge so that is also motivating me to finish.

I'm in! I am working on Edyta Sitar's quilt pattern, Trail Mix. It will use up a lot of my scraps. Oh... who am I kidding; it will just create more scraps!!!

Well the weather outside is frightful so I guess I will be hand sewing a binding and attaching labels to 3 quilts, actually this is a good thing so I can move on to a new project.

I'm in! Thanks for hosting this weekend again.

Enjoy your first retreat! I haven't had that experience but I hear it's a lot of fun.

Connie

I'll be heading to my quilt retreat on Sunday afternoon. Right now Jenny Doan and her daughters are there.......darn it, will probably miss them by the time I get there but maybe another time. Anyway, I'm just getting my projects all put together to take there. Been working on 2 stainglass wallhangings, new placemats using scraps, a pillow with an embroidery on the front and then of course have all my fabrics ready for a class project there. Can't wait to get there. Had so much fun at my 1st one in September 2016 so am now trying to go every year.

I'm going to start out with a trip to my LQS after noon (when I get off work). I bought the patter "catch me if you can" and need to get some bright colors. My LQS has a lot of the "crayon" fabric that is out now, and I plan on using that. I'm not a fan of batiks so won't go that route.

I won't be able to start that for a while, as I've been working on some scrap busting projects - I'll share pictures of them later. I've also got three quilts that need binding.

Been watching for the "VQW" and just a couple projects, wish I could show pictures (have not figured out the technology). Will be watching all weekend to see what produced.

I'm hoping to join in. I'm working on a mystery quilt that is almost done, borders for a pineapple, and then I'm not sure what's on the list. Ideally it would be longarm quilting something, but I have a sew-day to attend on Sunday so I'll to pack up a project to take with me.

I have this drawer with many small hand and machine embroideries in it. You know, those woolen ones on linen? I am slowly making quilted projects with them. The latest one is a tiny kitty stalking a butterfly my sister made when she lived with me many years ago in the mid-eighties. I have it quilted up to make a pillow with it, so I am hoping to finish it up as a neck roll for our niece sarah's bedroom. She adores her and will love it.

I'm in! I'll be working on my Meadow Mystery quilt, trying to finish at least a few more blocks.

Really spoke too early this morning, I was trying to type that I did finish a couple of projects while looking for the VQW. Now I'll have to find something else to work on. Wish I could show the pictures of it. Enjoy yourselves everyone that join in. Have a good VQW.

I'll be practicing some LA fillers and avoiding the cold and snow while I'm waiting on the backing to get here from Backside Fabrics. Just got the borders completed and the label made for this quilt for a forever friend from high school who has a love bug!

[ATTACH=CONFIG]569696[/ATTACH]

Cindi!!! I love the Love Bug!!! Is there a pattern for it?

Yes! It's from Applique Elementz. https://www.urbanelementz.com/patter...n-pattern.html

I also got the bird and peace sign patterns from there.

Cindi! That is sooo cute! I am seconding Maryb--is there a pattern for it?

I will be in my sewing room this weekend but not to sew. We are moving in 17 days and my goal is to get as much of my sewing room packed as possible. (Plus that takes away the temptation to sew instead of pack:( ) My sewing machines--all 5 of them--will be traveling with me.

But wait!! I do need to make a block for a sewing group member who is having a milestone birthday. Yay! I will get to sew--a little--this weekend!

Looking forward to seeing lots of photos.... not sure if I can do much but hopefully a little hand quilting on my snow ladies.

Cindi, Wow. Love the love bug.

Have u ever had a quilt plan that went in another direction? Well that happened to me. I planned on organizing my 100 Modern Sampler, but instead worked on 9 blocks from a Row quilt and 2 Appliqué blocks from Bloom by Lori Holt.
Gi

I made this block from Amy Gibson's book The Quilt Block Cookbook. It is 12.5" unfinished.

Connie

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I'm in ..... I'll be working on finishing the last 3 blocks for Bonnie Hunter's Allietare and putting the borders on my niece's quilt and of course some hand applique while the college basketball games are on.

I'm in, I just started a simple table topper, blocks are done, just have to trim and do the sashing between them:

[ATTACH=CONFIG]569703[/ATTACH]

I'm in--FINALLY got the top all put together of my version of Ricky Tims Kool Kaleidascopes--they went together just fine, but the quilt had to be 83x83" for a contest for KC Regional Quilt Fest and the background piecing about did me in! Finally just hand stitched 2 Y (or is that why!?) seams that would just not play right. Spent the afternoon putting together some samples for the last beginner class tomorrow of sashing/corner stones, borders and binding--so 3 littler quilts to use as sample. After the beginner class tomorrow I'm taking a class. And then Sunday plan to quilt a charity quilt to get my "groove" back on the LA as haven't LA for at least a week.

i'm excited for this - I will actually be finishing a quilt for my sister - i have 12 more inches to quilt on the border, then i can sew on the binding to complete it. I have to add a border on my next project and get that sandwiched, so that it can go on the frame. I call this "transition weekend" - bringing off the old and putting on the new. :D :D

Well, I have tried twice to upload pictures but the tablet has locked up both times on me. I'm having a great time at the retreat. The Doubletree Hotel has been fabulous to our group. I've made progress on a few different projects. I'll try uploading pictures when I get home tomorrow since the tablet isn't cooperating. I was hoping to get the top done on a king sized Walkabout. Unfortunately I discovered I was missing four blocks and that's the only fabric I didn't bring with me! I want to get that done so I can hand it off to the longarmer :).

retiredteacher, are you doing the Cookbook block of the week? I'm all caught up except for this week's block. That's on agenda for Sunday afternoon.

Oh Wow! Groovy quilt Cindi!

Rob

Raggiemom: Yes to Cookbook block of the week. I have 7 done and I am doing them from scraps. I plan to use them in baby quilts and not as a big sampler. I skipped the first curved one but still plan to do it. I'm just behind. :). So I need to do 6, 9, and 10.

I finished sorting a box of scraps by color and thought I would call it quits for tonight. Then I thought one more copy paper box and that turned into 2 boxes. Now I need to bag it all. Ugh! :) I had some youth sort a couple boxes and a big tub for a service project last week at church so now I want to get the rest of the scraps sorted by color. I think 2 boxes are left. I'm such a procrastinator when it comes to sorting the scrap donations!

I really need to say "No thanks" to my volunteer groups to fabric scraps but I like sewing with them and donating the quilt tops back.

Connie

Still working on a GFG. I had all the flowers done in sections and then lost the middle section. So I am making more flowers to fill the gap. I want to get the top done so when I go up north this summer, I can get it sandwiched. My sister insists that it be hand quilted so that's next winter's project.

I will be working on making a scrappy binding...cutting the strips and joining them. My quilt is 53" x 63".
This is my first time making a scrappy binding. I wondered what length strips are best to use or does it matter?

Hello to all your quilt retreat friends! Enjoy your first retreat!

Cindi...what a wonderful quilt! I hope you post another picture after you have it quilted. I am working on a few spring table runners and have a few flimsies that need to be sandwiched so I'll see how much I can get done this weekend. I am resisting the temptation of starting any new projects until I get "caught up."

hi Rob,
i just noticed in your post that you have the Brother PQ 1500S. Do you have any problems with large skipped stitches.
If so, do you have any advice. It is so frustrating, to the point that i have stopped FMQ with it. It works so beautifully in its other function. Any input greatly appreciated.
Adrienne

I hope to finish piecing and putting the border on a quilt I have been playing with for the past week. Since I put myself on a fabric ban, and did not have anything to blend for the sashing, I have been making do with decorative stitching on a little off color fabric. Seems like it is helping to blend the different color. Then I have to figure out what I have that I can use for the borders. Not a show quilt, but for MY bed.

This is the first time in forever that I've even had something to work on; correct timing to be be able to join in! I'll be finishing up the last block of a 3 yr old sampler UFO. After finishing up that block I need to go to the LQS to find some sashing fabric as I didn't get that at the time of the sampler class...grrr. I also want to check out a class at the LQS to see if I can 'observe' what I think is part 2 of the class. And if I'm really ambitious - I'll do some hand quilting on another ancient UFO that keeps laughing at me from the ottoman!

My weekend was actually Wed thru Friday, since I had to go to work on Sat. Even though if a stranger walked into my house he'd think what a mess, I'm very happy with what I did get done. I haven't been able to sew in my Sewing room for over a year, for most of the year I couldn't get into sewing anything due to losing my grandson. Last fall I started taking my serger classes again but decided to try and get back into garment sewing since I couldn't get my quilting mojo going. I had one machine set up in my spare room another in my dinning room just because for the year that I was doing nothing it seemed my sewing room became a catch all. Plus the dust, I have bad allergies. I started going thru stuff and organizing, I got rid of a few things, found a missing how to CD, I got most of my machines set up in there and even managed to do a little serging last night in my room. I did go to serger class where we learned how to make a heirloom bolster cushion, its very pretty. I still have lots more to do but at least my sewing, etc will be done in the right room. I'll still do most of my sewing in the spare room only because I have a large dinning room table set up in there and its more my height than the one in my sewing room.

I usually start my work week being frustrated by getting nothing done or at least in my view nothing done but I feel good this week. Even my 6yr old granddaughter noticed how much I'd done. I hope everyone gets lots done this weekend.

Cindi, great quilt. My granddaughters would all love it. We hit it lucky, we were supposed to have lots of rain Tue night thru Friday, it only sprinkled on Tue night. Then they were calling for snow this weekend and now its been down graded to a possible flurry. This is the best winter we've had in a long time. Only one snow that really counted. Its cold but at least its dry and no frost on the car this morning.

Copycat - I did a scrappy binding with 4" strips on the bias. I really liked how it turned out. I wasn't sure how much I'd end up with, and still have about 7 yards of it for another project (I guess I made a bit more than I needed).

I cut the strips, sewed them together, cut on the bias and then attached those strips together into one long one.

This is the quilt it went on - made from fabric I got from my sister, each 5" block is a different one. The binding was all from the different solids she had.

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...psakuvod1z.jpg

Very pretty Macybaby.

Yesterday I spent an hour at the LQS and picked out colors to fill in what I couldn't find in my stash - only had to buy 6 out of the 26 fabrics needed. It also takes plain black - I have plenty but didn't put it in the picture. This is getting put away until I get some other things wrapped up. (no batiks, I'm not a fan of them)

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...psqd2da2zj.jpg

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...ps7vsmhx0o.jpg


the last few weeks have been devoted to getting a handle on my scraps. When I started quilting several years ago, I bought out a scrap collection at an estate sale. Ended up with 5 laundry baskets of fabric after I washed it. I gave away about 2 baskets of stuff I knew I wouldn't use (lots of flannel) and sorted the rest by color.

I did the 365 challenge last year, and had resorted the scraps into dark and light, and had a large tub of each. By the end of the year I was ready to be done with scraps!

I've been working on cutting them up - this is a set of 1.5" squares, one of each fabric, though I expect I've got some duplicates in there.

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...psht7hgtuo.jpg

And 2.5" set

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...psy1sm6ltw.jpg

I also want to do a HST quilt, so this is 3.5" squares and Half squares for that, I've got 2-3 of each fabric for this.

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...psqzcxobah.jpg

And then 2.5" strips, 1.5" strips, and "strings" - at least 3.5" long, but less than 1.5" wide

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...psfmdknelp.jpg

While cutting them up, I saved out a chunk of each for the last project - along with all the bits and peices that couldn't be cut into strips.

I ironed them and sorted by color, and put the groups together into bags and have been assembling them into 8.5" blocks. Once the blocks are done, I'm going to sash around each on in a coordinating solid, then sew them together.

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...pslfahf2at.jpg

I can get two blocks out of most of the bags - and have 25 more bags to sew up.

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...psgv8xktea.jpg

Here is what I have done already - 44 of them. I'm aiming for 80-100 blocks.

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...ps871ridm6.jpg

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...psukhwaeib.jpg

Hi Adrienne,

When I'm having problems with stitch formation while FMQ these are the things I try:

1. New Needle- sometimes a needle that has gotten dull, slightly bent or a burr on it will cause skipped stitches and thread breakage.
2. Topstitch needle in size 90/14 or 100/16- Topstitch needles are very sharp and strong which helps them go through all the layers that make up a quilt sandwich. They also have a larger eye and a larger scarf both of which help to protect your thread.
3. Check your top threading to make sure you haven't missed one of the guides.
4. Check your top tension, I find that my PQ needs a slightly looser top tension when FMQ than for regular sewing.
5.Check your bobbin case to make sure your bobbin is inserted correctly and that your bobbin tension is correct.
6. Feed dogs down and presser foot pressure adjusted to lightest.
7. If you are using a floating foot instead of a hopping foot you may need to adjust the foot down so that it is closer to the surface of the fabric. A foot that is tooo high off the fabric will cause all kinds of stitch formation problems including skipped stitches.

Hope that helps.

Rob

My oldest DGD keeps telling me that St. Patricks Day is the only holiday she doesn't have a pillowcase for. So what is a Gram Gram to do? Went to JoAnn's yesterday when I was in town and picked up some shamrock fabrics so today will be pillowcase day one for each of the 2 DGDs.