Progress on Polka Dots, Prints and Pinwheels

Last week I pulled out a UFO project that had been gathering dust for over a year and figured out where I should re-start the project

I must say that my sewing skills have definitely improved since I started this project.  My half square triangles are not very well constructed or consistent.  But I have decided to keep working on it and get it finished.

I also discovered that when sewing the half square triangles into pinwheels that I switched the squares and did not sew them all together correctly.  This caused me to have to pull apart about 7 of the pinwheel blocks and re-sew them together the correct way.

Tonight I used my design wall and laid them out into rows. 

The picture came out a little dark. I am happy with the layout and did sew together the first row.

With my inconsistent half square triangles the first row is a little wonky but I hope to fix that when sewing the rows together. 

More later as I continue to plow through this project.

Austen Family Album Quilt - Block 17 Waterwheel Done

This weeks block is called Waterwheel for Jane's Uncle James Leigh-Perrot.  James suffered from gout and visited Bath often to see if the waters could help him.  

This week I used more of my blue fabrics and actually made the whole block out of fabrics from my mother's stash!  My mom loved blue as much as I did so even though I have made several quilts from her stash fabrics I still have plenty of blue fabrics left.

Sorry that this picture is a little at an angle.  I am not totally sure about the fabric combination this week but going to leave it as is.

Be sure to go to either the Austen Family Album Quilt blog or the flicker group to see more about this project.

Polka Dots, Prints and Pinwheels - UFO

I had started this quilt at least a year ago and for some reason stopped working on it.

Yesterday I pulled it out and determined where I had stopped in the instructions.  So now I have decided to start working on it again.  

I have all of the half square triangles made - I just need to sew them into pinwheel squares and assemble them into rows.  

I did not have this in my plan for this month but am going to see how far I can get on this.

Craftsy Class - Re-Piecing the Past - Blocks Done

A year or so ago, I purchased a Craftsy class taught by Kaye England called Re-Piecing the Past Civil War Blocks.  I did not have many fabrics that could be considered Civil War so spent the past year purchasing fat quarters here and there of Civil War type fabrics.

Two months ago I started making the blocks - there are twelve in total.  This weekend I devoted all of my free time to completing the last of the blocks and did finish them tonight.  

One block I had to do twice as the first time I cut the fabric pieces two small.  Unfortunately I did not have enough of the original fabrics to use them for the second block so had to dig out some more fabrics to make the new one.

Here are the completed blocks laid out as suggested.

Two of the blocks are 14 1/2 unfinished with all the others 12 1/2 unfinished.  

The block in the upper right is the one I had to make twice.  The block in the lower left I had to alter as the center portion came out too small - so I added a border of the pink fabric to make it the correct size.

The pattern calls for four square blocks, nine patch blocks, flying geese and lines of scraps in between these blocks but I am not sure that I want to do that.  I am actually thinking about just sashing between them with one fabric and then adding a border of scraps - maybe four square blocks.  

What do you think?

Austen Family Album Quilt-Block#16 Lucky Pieces done

Block #16 is Lucky Pieces for Jane's Aunt Jane Leigh-Perrot (her mother's sister).

I continue to use blue fabrics from my bin and incorporated yet another of my mother's fat quarter fabrics into this block.  My reason is two-fold: I try to include my Mom's stash in every quilt I make and my mother's sister - my lovely Aunt Bonnie is very special to me.  

The sparkle in the outer fabric does not show in the picture - but the sparkle is in honor of Bonnie - she is an always sparkly person who brings love and support to all she knows.

Love how this block came out!!!

Garage Sale Find!!!

On Saturday morning I walked around my neighborhood and stopped at a garage sale.

I what did I spy but one of the tabletop ironing boards!!  I have wanted one to have for quilting classes and retreats but never got around to buying one.

Best part about this is that it was marked $5 but they were running a half-off day so I only paid $2.50!!!  Saw one of these in the Nancy's Notions catalog today and it was $35 plus shipping.

I love garage sales but finds like this are few and far between.

Austen Family Album Quilt-Block #15 King's Crown - Done

This week's block is called King's Crown for the Regent Prince of England that reigned during Jane Austen's lifetime.

I continue to dig into my Blue Fabric Bin and pulled out some of my favorites.

The heart fabric in the center is from my mother's collection - she was a heart patient and collected heart fabrics to use in her projects.  I have used the heart fabrics on my projects also and I am glad that I could use it again.  

Combining my love for my mother and my love of Jane Austen is sweet!!!!

Wedding Quilts Delivered

We had a bridal showed for my niece Kelsey and niece in law to be Sierra out in Freeport, IL at my brothers house.  

My Aunt Bonnie and I had made both of the girls quilts as gifts. Bonnie and I each made half of the blocks and then we combined them together.  

Bonnie finished the Charmed Pinwheel quilt for Sierra which included sewing the blocks together with the sashing, quilting on her long arm machine, making the label and binding the quilt. 

I finished the Anita's Arrowhead quilt for Kelsey which also included sewing the blocks together, machine quilting on Bonnie's Longarm and binding. Bonnie made the label for this quilt which includes a picture of the lighthouse painting that Kelsey had done for her grandmother when she was a child.  Also the backing material of lighthouses was part of her grandmothers stash. 

Bonnie and I love doing these projects together. Not only does it give us a chance to be with each other but they help to use up our own personal stashes of fabric!!!

Best wishes to both Kelsey and Sierra for many happy and healthy years with their future husbands !!

Austen Family Album Block #14 Home Comfort Done

This weeks block is called Home Comfort for Jane's brother George Austen II.  George apparently had a mental condition and did not live with the Austen family for most of his life.

Continuing the use of blue fabrics and combined two floral fabrics that are from my mother's stash.  Also used another of the sparkle fabrics from her stash - I love using them!! 

Go to Austenfamilyalbumquilt.blogspot.com to see this and other blocks 

There is also a Flicker group for the Austen Family Album where myself and others are posting pictures of our finished blocks.  Join and see all of the unique blocks!!

Tell it to the Stars - Clue #7 July Done

This months clue had us making six blocks of the same design. 

In my usual manner I figured out how to chain piece almost all of the sewing. 

The finished blocks are kind of plain but I am sure they will fit in the quilt top design very nicely

Getting it Done - June Status and July List

Getting it Done - June Status

Things I really want to get done:

Clue #6 for Tell it to the Stars - done

Austen Family Album - Make Weekly Blocks - Blocks #9-13 done

Quilt and bind Hearts Afire quilt - not even touched!!

Quilt and bind Anita's Arrowhead quilt - quilted and binding on but need to sew down and put on label

21st Century Bulls Eye - sew together 24 blocks - 28 blocks are completed

Finish Boy Baby Quilt for Naomi - done and given

Things I might get done:

Five blocks for Re-Piecing the Past quilt top - only 1 done (another done on July 1st)

Work on girl baby quilt for Kei - not touched

Start work on Disappearing Four Patch blocks - not touched

Continue work on Square Deal blocks - not touched

Getting it Done - July List

Things I really want to get done:

Complete binding and label for Anita's Arrowhead quilt

Make Shower Gifts

Clue #7 for Tell it to the Stars

Austen Family Album - make weekly blocks

Make Shower Favors

Things I might get done:

21st Century Bulls Eye - complete 20 remaining blocks

Work on Girl Baby Quilt for Kei

Five more blocks for Re-Piecing the Past quilt top

Quilt and bind Hearts Afire quilt top

Hope to use the Holiday weekend to get some sewing done in between biking and spending time with family.

Happy 4th everyone!!!