Pin in the Quilt - YIKES!

Finally! A UFO is under the needle!

This quilt was a result of the RSC - Rainbow Scrap Challenge 2023.

I had all those purples I wanted to use and ended up making two purple quilts. 

After the tops were done, both were put away. The main reason I wasn't sure how to quilt them. 

2-3 weeks ago I pulled the tops out from their 'hiding places' and got both sandwiched. The biggest one, the one I'm currently quilting, has a partly pieced backing (to use up more purple). It wasn't enough for the backing (no other fabric in my stash suitable), I did purchase a 108" wide backing, just enough for both quilts. 

To get a pieced backing straight can be a real PITA! 

Fortunate I have a big dinner table turned into my sewing table. I tape part of the backing to the table, mark the center and the four sides. I mark the backing center with a long pin, then add the batting and top. Since I always thread baste quilts before quilting, I have figured out long pins are much better (for me) compared to safety pins to hold the three layers together before thread basting. 

I don't have any photos from the preparation for this quilt. However, I did a blog post some years ago, for another quilt. To get an idea how it works for me. 

I'm very careful to remove all the pins after the quilt is thread basted.

I thought I had removed all pins on this one, but to my surprise and horror (!), the pin in the center of the backing was overseen! Yikes! It was between the batting and backing!

I noticed the pin when I started quilting (I start quilting from the center). Thank goodness I discovered it before the quilting was done at that specific area! 

I had to open up some of the thread basting from one end to the center, put my hand between the backing and batting to get that darn pin out! 

(the photo shows the pin after it was removed from inside the layers).

This quilt seems taking F-O-R-E-V-E-R to quilt! 

I decided on straight seams, which I think suits the quilt. It is made of HST (Half-Square-Triangles) in scrappy white / cream and a variety of purples. All the white /cream is quilted.

 I decided to quilt inside each purple HST! My goodness me! Why did I decide on that?! Because I know it'll look good when it's done! 

Variety of purple Masterpiece and King Tut being used for the HST.

(Sneak peek of the backing).

Threads to be buried by hand, because I don't like the look done on the sewing machine. 

My goal was getting it done by April. That didn't happen! New goal date; middle May! 

 

 

RSC Week #12 - No Purple Sewing this Week

HAPPY EASTER EVERYONE!

This is my delicious Easter treat; Choco Balls! 

I don't buy Easter Eggs here, I don't like the taste. If I'd been in Norway, that's another story; the marzipan Easter Eggs are to kill for! 

The week switching between rainy- and sunny days, which meant more yard work (when the weather permitted before noon)! Living in the tropics, yard work / weeding is a never ending task! April is just around the corner, the days & nights are getting cooler and the worst growing season is over (for this time!). Most households employ a yard worker. We don't. Our philosophy is as long as we are fit and can manage, there's no reason why we'll get other people doing the job. At any age, it is important to keep fit and yard work is good exercise! Well, enough of that and over to sewing!

As stated in the title; no purple sewing this week. 

I haven't got the purple thread yet. The Customs is waiting for missing papers from the sender, which seems to take some time. I may not get it until end of next week. That's OK. 

In addition to yard work and other tasks, I'm spending the evenings quilting the green table quilts. My goal is to get them done in time for April 1st, when a new color-of-the-month - RSC - is announced. The straight seams quilting is a bit tedious, but I love the look of the finished quilt.

Update: Table Topper quilted, except the border. 

Oh, I almost forgot to mention the Norwegian Flag table runner; it's finished!

I had some leftover binding and other red scraps from making the table runner, decided to make a few coasters

I talk about yard work, but never post any photos from the garden. 

Cloudy today, the perfect outside photo weather. We don't have a lot of blooming trees/plants, but here are a few. You may recognise bougainvillea and croton. The one top right is called 'Miss Hong Kong' here, not sure about its Latin name. 

 Edibles: guava berries and taro leaves, called brede songe in French/here. Very popular here, served together with curry. 

Taro leaves touffe recipe, click here

Green bananas and its flower

The roots from this plant are edible, not the leaves. Roots are boiled and can be prepared same way as mashed potatoes or just eat it boiled. Locals call this plant 'corn flour', but it doesn't have anything to do with the real corn plants. Most probably it has got that local name because it is possible to make flour from the roots? I don't know. MIL doesn't know another name for it either. 

Do you see those 'antennas'? It's a tiny dragon fruit (pitaya) plant grown from a seed! We got it from our dear South-African friends (they moved back to SA last year). I'm thrilled this little 'baby' made it and is growing! Don't ask me when it will give fruit! lol Well, it does say 1-2 years, so let's see. What I need to do is to transfer the plant to a bigger pot and eventually to a sunny spot in the garden. 

It's Easter Weekend

It's cloudy

Weather forecast: heavy rain and thunderstorms (typical weekend weather! LOL)

Best weather for staying comfy inside and SEW! 

Linking up with Angela and the RSC - Rainbow Scrap Challenge

 

 

RSC Week #12 - Purple UFOs and Green Split-9s

How did it happen it's weekend again?! I hope you all had a good and creative week.

The week started with more rain (as if that was a surprise!), but got better midweek. What's better staying warm and comfy inside playing with fabrics?! Purple and green, that is. 

Not much playing with purple since all the blocks I needed to do are done. If you missed it, click here and here. 

However, I did cut the backing for the two purple UFOs (from last year).

When I made the big quilt, I had enough purple to make a pieced backing, but needed to purchase more for the sides, top and bottom. 

For the smaller quilt, the backing is one piece. 

Both quilts are thread basted and ready to be quilted. I went through all the purple threads I have and 'of course' there's not enough of the color that matches the backing! More is on its way, should get it within two weeks. 

What else have I done this week? 

I sold an XL Norwegian Flag table runner (Etsy Shop) and since I have all the fabrics, I decided to make another one. Thread basted too and ready for quilting. 

I'm working on two scrappy green and white/cream table quilts to a dear friend in Norway. Green is his favorite color and I think these 'split 9' blocks look great in green. Here's the table runner

...and the table topper. I love the scrappy look! The blocks are made using 2" and 2.5" squares, all from my already cut squares. To use up more green; the back and binding will be Moda Marbles from my stash. 

I'm writing this post early Saturday morning. Coffee mug is almost empty, I think that means 'get to it', which means add border to the table runner!

 

Afternoon update: added border to the table runner, went grocery shopping, had lunch. I needed a short nap, woke up two hours later! I guess I needed it. We took advantage of the nice weather (from midweek) and spent three days long overdue yard working. So glad we did, today we have rain showers off and on. Same weather is predicted for tomorrow = sewing day! Happiness!  

Linking up with Angela and the RSC - Rainbow Scrap Challenge 2024 

HAPPY  SCRAPPY QUILTY WEEKEND! 

 

 

RSC Week 11 - More Purple and Catch Up on Keep the Home Fires Burning

 Another week has passed. March is still 'PURPLE', meaning working with purple fabrics for the RSC (Rainbow Scrap Challenge 2024).

I've made the remaining 9-patches 

for 'Keep the Home Fires Burning'  

The pattern calls for 15 9-patches. I'm making them in RSC colors and may need another purple depending on the other upcoming colors. 

A little progress on the purple quilt I mentioned in my previous post:

When I pulled it out, I had forgotten I made two quilts! Just a little pre-senile! lol Part of the backing for the big quilt is pieced, I just had to add more to the sides, top and bottom. The backing for the small quilt is one piece, cut too, as well as the batting for both. (No photos today). 

I made only a few 4-patches in red and green for the above quilt. A bit marathon sewing last weekend (it was raining! Surprise!) and I'm all caught up with those colors. Easy-peasy, since I already have the required square sizes cut and HST (half-square-triangles) from other projects. 

Bowties, 9-patches, friendship stars, another 9-patches and pinwheels in green.

I couldn't resist that cute bunny in two blocks! 

...and here they are in red.

Linking up with Angela and the RSC - Rainbow Scrap Challenge

HAPPY CREATIVE WEEKEND! 

Seeing PURPLE all week!

 Angela over at Superscrappy has chosen PURPLE for March' RSC (Rainbow Scrap Challenge).

Purple has never been a favorite, hence there's no stack of purple in my stash. Either one likes purple, or not. After I started quilting, I must admit I'm growing on purple, with all its shades. Interesting history about purple here. 

Last week, we had 4-5 days glorious weather and when that happens this time of the year, we always ask 'what's wrong?' We took advantage of the sunny days and spent a couple of days yard working. It feels good being outside, dig in the soil and get dirty hands! I love that! It's a nice break from quilting. However, after 11-12 a.m., it is usually too hot working outside.

After a couple of days break, another few hours were spent in the garden. I did some weeding and cut off all the branches on two lemon (Rodrigues lemon) trees. Both trees had been attacked by some bugs and the only way was to remove the branches. They are a pain to cut, with all its thorns. 

Except from yard work (I don't have to mention house work, do I?! lol) and a couple of walks to the neighbor village Rose Hill (3.7 miles / 6 km return), I've been playing with purple. 

Scrap Jar blocks in PURPLE

I used some of my own cut 2 inches purple and some from swaps to make each 16-patches unique. 

Split-9 blocks were made too

...and some Zipper Blocks

Purple has a lot of shades, and I must admit I'm not good at some of them. For example, #3 from left (last row) is a Moda Marbles 'Currant', I've had a hard time deciding whether it is purple, or red? It looks more red on this photo than in real life... 

Oh well, if it is red, it doesn't really matter, does it?! It's scrappy!!! 

Bowties and pinwheel blocks for 'Keep the Home Fires Burning'

4-patches, 9-patches and Friendship Star blocks for same.

For this one, I have to make some bowties, pinwheels, friendship stars, 9-patches in red and green.

... and there's a new BOM block from Sherri McConnel, 'A Quilting life'. 

I don't have a big variety of purple left, after I made this quilt last year. 

I thought I had a photo of the flimsy, but can't find any, except the last photo is this post. OK, let it be a secret! lol 

My goal this month is getting the three layers together and quilt it (she said hopefully!). 

About 3 weeks to go, so let's see how that pans out. 

Linking up with Angela and the RSC - Rainbow Scrap Challenge 2024

HAPPY CREATIVE WEEKEND! 

Finished UFO and Other Finishes, No progress on Purple

 I took some days finishing several small items sitting on the table and taking up space.

Two scrappy green table toppers are done

These green pieces were scraps left from RSC March - the GREEN month - after I finished the green Churn Dash quilt. All batik, except the green Moda Marbles backing. These two small table toppers are for the kitchen; top of microwave oven and cupboard.

Out of approximately 30 yards green fabric, I have about 11 yards left, mostly Moda Marbles. Yeah me!

I've finished the custom order for my friend in Norway

Table runner

Two pillow covers

Placemat / table topper

Mug Rug

Placemat and mug rug are made from table scraps

A finished UFO! 

This is the one that popped up AFTER I had done my UFO list!

(UFO list to be updated end of June)

Made another patriotic table runner for my shop

...and coasters from table scraps

No progress on the purple quilt, except that I received the charm packs. 

These squares are soooo yummy! 

The idea was to use mostly tonal purples, but now I don't know what to do?! These purples and greens are so beautiful and I think they would brighten up the quilt. I may not use the greens, but maybe the tonal purples and those with greens. What do you think? 

So, the color for May is ORANGE. That's not an easy one for me. I may have a few, but not enough for anything, I think... I will have to go through my stash this week, searching for orange! 

 

RSC Week 15 - Purple Progress and a Few Finishes

 It's Saturday again and time for RSC

I completely missed last Saturday and now we are already halfway through April! How did that happen?! Cooler days (beginning 'cold season') although the last days have been HOT and humid with thunderstorms. 

Slow progress on the purples. First I did was to make the blocks for the Swirling Stars quilt 

The small blocks (not very clever to photograph white on white!)

The big block

Do you remember the bunny fabric? 

A little purple here too and part of the bunny stripes has become placemats, mug rug and tea cozy. I used Moda Marbles 'Iris' for the binding, just enough for these items. 

Set of 6 placemats

Mug rug

Insulated tea cozy, same both sides

When I purchase fabric (from the US) I usually add one or two quilt magazines. What caught my eyes was Quiltmaker's cover photo in the May/June '22 edition; the blue and white coffee cup quilt, hence I bought the magazine. Don't you love quilt magazines? I do! What's better to snuggle up on the sofa enjoying a cuppa and reading a magazine? I love that! 

So, now you may believe this is the quilt I chose for the purple? Nope! I chose 'Bases Loaded' by Becky Rico (scroll down to the green / cream HST quilt). I thought that would make a nice purple and white/cream scrap quilt, using up some white/cream scraps too.

I have 5 blocks (16 inches finished), and a little helper today! I realized there are some purples I won't have enough and I don't want to end up with several HSTs in the same fabric for the last blocks. I ordered a charm pack with a variety of purples, should get it in about two weeks. I needed thread to finish binding on a few pink items too. The thread I have is not even close to matching.  

Linking up with Angela and the Rainbow Scrap Challenge RSC