"Use It Up" and Other Adages

These are remaining squares from a recent project, not to be wasted they were sewn into a rectangle for another purpose. Not a lot goes to waste around here, leftovers are always welcome, both in the sewing room and also on the dinner table! 

I was able to stitch up a handy little tote from the patchwork.  I used this pattern, modifying it to fit what I had already constructed. Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without. 

Sew, you're probably wondering, what were these scraps left over from?

Ta-da! The "Be Attitudes" quilt top is an official flimsy! Again, the borders are made up from what I had left over. Quilting will have to wait a bit because, apparently, there was a fire at Quilter's Dream headquarters and my latest order for a big roll of batting is delayed as a result. 

    All good things come to those who wait.

...or sew they say... 😉

Life is Good!

Use It Up!

You've heard the old adage before: "Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without". Well, that's what I'm doing, with my batting strips. I buy batting on 30 yd. rolls, the width is either 93" or 122" depending on if it's a queen or king-size roll. When I cut batting for specific quilts I am usually left with ample sized strips remaining, they're never discarded; the proof is shown in the photo here. I have an upper cupboard in the sewing room FULL of these batting scraps, all labeled with their dimensions. Well, as we know, there has been a batting shortage with incredible delays in shipping thanks to COVID and the cotton going first to the manufacturing of PPE. So, it stands to reason, that if I don't "make do" with what I have on hand I may very well be "doing without" (or at least waiting for a good long time!) when it comes to batting. I had tried using the fusible tape for joining batting in the past but really didn't care for it at all; it left a stiff strip at the join that was detectable to me even after the quilt was sandwiched and quilted. I wasn't happy with that. I decided to try another method. 

I made a clean cut along the two edges to be joined together and lined them up exactly next to each other, being careful not to overlap them but gently pushing them to meet in the middle. I put on my walking foot and set my machine to a stitched zig zag (#16 on my Bernina) sometimes used as a mending stitch. 

I didn't pin anything but carefully helped to guide the two edges together by resting my hands on either side, I let the machine do all the work; I didn't push or pull on the batting at all, simply guided it smoothly under the foot.

Here's what to join looks like, it is smooth and completely undetectable inside the quilt sandwich. I don't use any of these cobbled-together battings on customer quilts or on any other than those for myself. And, naturally, I only join together identical batting weights; I typically only use Quilter's Dream Blend so that's not a problem for me. If you use a variety it would be helpful to label your batting strips and scraps with the brand and loft weight along with the measurements, that will save you time and energy in the long run when you're rummaging through your own leftovers. 

Undoubtedly there are many ways of accomplishing this frugal task 

with the same result, this is simply a method that works well for me!

 What do you have that you're USING UP or MAKING DO with?

Life is Good!

A Finish and Another Sew-Along

This finish has been a long time in the making. This small quilt is the result of the Temecula Quilt Co. 2015 Summer Sampler Sew-Along. I was diligent (in the beginning) about keeping up with the blocks as posted on their blog.  I decided to do mine using the black and white scraps (generously sized leftovers!) that I fell heir to after my mother finished her own black and white quilt. 
She passed the bin off to me, I sorted through its contents and set right to work. I decided to use flax colored Essex linen for my alternate, plain, blocks. This project stalled a few years later and was relegated to another bin and stashed underneath my cutting table; out of sight, out of mind. Late last year I unearthed the project, determined what was needed to complete it, and did just that.

I chose to quilt it with a custom-sized (4") Easy-Peasy Baptist Fan pantograph by Urban Elementz. The blocks in this sampler quilt measure 4", finished. I also decided to round the corners. 

Additional leftover scraps combined to form the backing.

I don't often round corners, mainly because I was afraid of bias binding; I'm not sure why. The binding went on flawlessly and smoothly. I hand-basted it in place before doing the handwork to join it to the back and was pleased with the results.

I'm going to do this again, I love the appearance of the rounded corners. I conquered my fear! There's no stopping me now.

Ultimately this quilt will be utilized as a table quilt on our breakfast table in the kitchen. 

Sew, what's next? I have decided to join in the fun with their latest Sew-Along; this one is called Temecula's Scavenger Hunt, this is block #1. I am using all my scraps-- I haven't lost sight of my guiding word for the year: VISION. I'll use up what I have already cut and stowed. Wish me luck!

On Thursday this week out youngest granddaughter, Lynnleigh, turned seven years old! What she really wanted for her birthday was to get her ears pierced. But, she explained to me that she "wasn't quite courageous enough, not yet". However, undaunted by the fact that her ears aren't pieced, she came to her birthday dinner wearing clip-on earrings. She was very proud of these! I couldn't help but stifle a giggle. She's growing up very fast, but sitting at the table with her wearing these earrings (like the type that my own grandmother used to wear!) was almost too comical to believe. She is precious. 

Life is Good!

Up next: Strawberries and Cream

Lent and Leftovers*

During the Sundays of Lent we have not displayed fresh flowers on the altar at church during worship; but, rather, twigs, reeds and branches. As we reflect on our need for  God's forgiveness through the sacrifice of his son on the cross, dried arrangements remind us that in our baptism, our sinful self dies and we anticipate the resurrection that we share with Christ as the celebration of his Resurrection approaches. Our congregation is currently being served by an Interim Pastor who has introduced us to this tradition. The concept is new to me, as long as I can remember I have attended or belonged to churches that have used fresh flowers every Sunday, regardless of the season. This has had a powerful effect on me, as a stark visual reminder of the solemnity of this penitent season leading up to Easter. Is this a tradition that you observe or have heard about? Our mid-week Lenten services concluded last night as we prepare for Holy Week. We have been worshiping on Wednesdays with the service of Holden Evening Prayer. I will miss it.

*Leftovers (small little topic posts):

I made up a big batch of my homemade granola, I do this about every six weeks. This is a breakfast staple for me; a third of a cup of this granola topped with plain, homemade yogurt and berries if we have them. I have been making this granola for the last fifteen years, I got the recipe from a bed and breakfast where we stayed in Occidental, CA. If anyone is interested, let me know, I am happy to share the recipe. 

My porch quilts weren't hanging well outside, they would wave and flop and warp. Mr. Goodneedle created a frame and I attached the April edition with velcro to the frame and will continue to add strips in the corners of these subsequent monthly porch-brighteners. A simple fix with a great result!

Spring has a tight grip now, I believe the winter temps. are behind us. Sapphire blue skies and the emerging green leaves yesterday set off the blooms on the Kwanzan Cherry in the background. This is the site of our future screened-in porch. As of yet, we still don't have a start-date with the builder. 

The first of our Iris in bloom. This plant came from my childhood home at least fifteen years ago, I have divided it already many times. It will be time to divide it up for sharing again soon.  

Yesterday I quilted all afternoon with the windows open. You might think that was to enjoy the fresh air and gentle spring breezes; well, there was that, and the fact that opening the windows acted as a deterrent to allowing the male bluebird of our nesting couple from attacking his reflection in the glass! He did it all day until I turned up the music and cranked out the windows. Today he has calmed down. I checked the nesting box this morning, a nest has been built but as of today we're still empty-nesters. 

Quiltkeemosabe gave me this book yesterday, ways to outwit my nemesis. We'll see. I have had plenty visiting our new feeders in our revamped perennial garden space. 😖  The new plants are coming along slowly, but they are growing and establishing themselves. We have discovered a problem with lack of drainage in the back corner of the bed. I have dug up and potted the Russian Sage for now, while we amend the soil and situation there. I am thinking about planting Cardinal Flower back there and moving the Russian Sage; apparently the Cardinal Flower likes wet soil. I am learning that it's easier for me to be flexible with my layout than to fight the conditions. Time will tell. Now, on to the task at hand-- stopping those pesky seed-stealing rodents with long tails. 😉

Enjoy these lovely spring days!

Life is Good!

The Begats

You know the "begats"--  long lists of unpronounceable names in the Bible of who begat who; the genealogical lists that seemingly never end. Those begats happened in the old testament. There are currently begats happening right now in my sewing space too! Let's start with "Out of the Blue". You may remember this quilt (prepared for binding, left) yielded a leftover box of background triangles, lots of them, when all was said and done.
"Out of the Blue" may have been nineteen years in the making but, even in completion, we're still not done; oh, no. "Out of the Blue" begat "Summer Breeze".

Those all-too-familiar pinwheel blocks are multiplying (leader-ender style) and coming into their own. "Summer Breeze" will be sashed, as shown in the layout above, with a tawny gold linen fabric to become a lap quilt measuring 50" X 66". But, the begats don't end there.  The recently completed "Jackstones" flimsy was also prolific, it begat this:

There are piles upon piles of leftover nine degree wedges. What else is a quiltmaker to do? If this isn't "The Circle of Life" for a quilter I don't know what is; quilt geneaology is being written, my work is cut out for me. Offspring just happen; then and now.

Life is Good!