Window on World--OOPS!

Well, I took a deep breath cut into the panel.  Little did I realize that I was cutting it wrong!  After looking at the photo of the quilt and the measurements of the quilt (41 1/2 x 32) and the first cut of the quilt (24 1/2 x 22 1/2) I had assumed that the panel was to be cut with 24 1/2 as the width and 22 1/2 as the length. 

So when I was at the stage above I realized when I added the top and bottom frame to the five sections on the right, it would be too long and not match up with the framed panel on the left.

 So, I sent an email to the magazine editor.  What did we do before email?  They quickly explained that there is a note that the quilt uses directional fabric and the first cut was parallel to the selvage edge. I had assumed...that only applied to the frame and border fabrics.  Oh rats...I had cut it wrong!

So with a little creative trimming of approximately 1/2 inch from four of the side pictures, I was able to stitch it all back together and the left section is now the same length as the panel!

Window on the World progress & process

Making good progress, so thought I would continue to share the process.  Have you ever struggled to cut a large panel?  Here's my process:

--View panel on design wall, deciding which portions you want to focus on. 

--Make preliminary marks at approximate edges, being sure you are not cutting key design elements.  For example, not chopping off the head of a major bird, etc.  Sometimes it just can't be avoided.  One of my pet peeves!  But that is a  topic for a different day!

--Straighten at least one to two edges, using rotary cutter and ruler.  Be sure you are outside of your final cutting marks.

--Using a 24.5 inch ruler and marking pencil (I like the white, green and red ones pictured above) draw cutting lines at the exact location.  Be sure to start by using one of the straight edges as a reference point.  My pencils came from the Tokyo show, but I now see them in stores here.

--Next step is to draw all four cutting lines using the same process of using what you know is a straight line.  Be sure you have included seam allowances in your measurements.

--Then using the largest square ruler you have, check all four corners, to ensure you have a square panel, not a wonky one. 

--If not square, remeasure and remark as needed...that's where multiple colors come in handy!

--Final step, using ruler and rotary cutter, take a deep breath...and cut out the panel.  This is always the scariest part for me, as I am always wondering if I will mess up this panel!

When I purchased this panel, they had half of the previous panel, so of course I wanted that too!  Good thing since this pattern calls for five 4.5x6.5 additional pieces.  I hate to destroy the second panel with fussy cuts!  So, I still have several good sized scraps to include in other projects.

When I need to fussy cut images, I often will use sticky notes, attached to the ruler, to identify the actual size of the piece I am cutting.  It is a quick way to be able to view only the final image.

All the blocks and borders are cut for this quilt.  I have even cut the binding and set it aside...a trick I learned to do long ago, so that I don't accidentally use up the binding fabric in another project!  Hope to be sewing this evening!

Fall quilt project--Asian Fabric Magazine Number 20

Recently as I was blog reading, there was a discussion about writing more about the process rather than just the final finished project.  Sorry, I can't locate who wrote it...but it definitely struck a cord for me...So here is an attempt at process writing:

I fell in love with this panel just a few weeks ago while shopping for some binding for a 30's fabric quilt (yes, the real stuff) and looking for possible borders and lattice for the 50+ butterfly blocks discovered during our estate clean out trip last summer. 

Of course it is a Kona Bay...nothing else would be that beautiful.

Last Tuesday, the latest Asian Fabric Magazine arrived in the mail.  That's what I call a great mail day...either a new magazine or fabric arrivals!   On page 58 is the WIndow on the World Quilt, a great use of a panel and then 5 smaller cuts from the same fabric.  Immediately, I knew just the panel I wanted to use and amazingly have discovered the other fabric in my stash. 

I had to force myself to finish the baby quilt below and do some basic household stuff (Laundry, pay bills, clean up the kitchen) before I could start the new Asian quilt.  I've learned to force my self to do some things, otherwise I would just be starting new project and never finishing anything!!  It's all done now, so when I return from Cardiac Rehab, it will be time to start!  I'll post pictures as soon as it is in progress!

Also in the new magazine are the details for the September 25th event at the Kona Bay Warehouse in Redmond, Washington.  Let me know if you are going, as I would love to connect with some other bloggers!

The borders are on the baby quilt, so it is ready to go off to the long arm quilter. 

Little quilting, lots of touring Oregon

Not much quilting going on this past week.  Here is what is currently on the design wall...another quick baby quilt for a neighbors first grandchild!  Seems like we are having a mini-population explosion on our street as babies are born and kids move back home!  This was all from scraps...hoping to find a good border for it later this week.  I am on a shopping freeze...only allowed to buy something to finish projects...no new projects and no new stash fabrics!!  Let's see how long that lasts!

These next three pictures are from King Estates Winery near us.  It is one of my favorite places to take out of town guests and to buy wine!  We are so blessed to have so many choices in Oregon.  We had dinner on this patio, after a tour and lovely wine tastings...

Check out the web site at http://www.kingestate.com/

View from the patio of the vineyard.

We spent one afternoon visiting many covered bridges.

A beautiful day at the Oregon Coast!

With all the visiting family moving on to other parts of the country, I was back to working on binding the sunflower and pumpkin quilt from last year's Fonz and Porter Magazine last weekend.  My wonderful wife (sister from N. Carolina) started the binding while she was here as I recovered.  I finished it on Friday evening.  I will post a picture once I get it hanging!

Since we are in the middle of a heat wave...all of 98 degrees for 4 or 5 days, I won't be spending time reading on the deck in the evening...I am hoping to work on binding the blue Asian quilt I posted on awhile back (see April 28, 2010).

Catching up with LIFE!!

I'm a grandma!!

My first grand child!!! Levi just a few hour sold, born on July 13, 2010.  Everyone says being a grandma is great...but it is even better than expected!

Levi's first quilt before it was quilted!

The back of Levi's quilt.

A minkie and flannel scrap quilt from odds and ends of leftovers for a friends grand daughter.  Every time I work with Minkie, I tell myself never again, due to the mess it makes and how it slips on the machine...but I seem to keep coming back to it!

Yes, this is usually a quilt blog...but a few things have happened since my last post that have kept me from quilting or blogging much this summer.  Most important is the addition of Levi Craig to our family in July.  He currently is living here with his parents, so I am thankful for lots of opportunities to hold him, then pass him back to mom and dad!

My surprise for June was my second open heart surgery in 2010.  Definitely not part of my low key summer plans that had no traveling, but lots of rest, gardening and quilting planned.  I even had planted extra flower boxes and planters to enjoy on the decks this summer!! 

In March I had an aortic valve replacement and double by-pass.  For some unknown reason one of the new grafts closed off and after some significant chest pain and several days of tests, there was a second surgery,  I now have two additional new grafts.  I'm glad that is all over and am progressing well, returning to work part time this week, along with continuing in Cardiac Rehab.

A special thanks to my wife (sister from N. Carolina) who was out here for 5 weeks to drive, cook, do laundry and most importantly shop for quilt fabric and help sew on binding!!

 I'm just playing around with the new tools on blogger...So, what do you think of the new design of this blog?  

Hoping to have lots of quilting progress to report very soon...heading to my sewing room NOW!

Purple 9 Patch Pizzazz -- Two versions

My Purple 9 patch version.

My sister Jayne's version.

Details of quilting on Jayne's quilt.

It is always fun to work on the same quilt, starting with the same center panel and basic pattern concept. I decided to focus on the purple and fuchsia, while my sister added more light pinks and greens, along with a Japanese red inner border. Yes, there was some stash raiding, so you do see some fabrics in both quilts. We have been known to raid each other's stash via email requests and then boxes arrive on our door steps. So much fun when we both live on opposite sides of the country!

Not a lot of quilting going on as I still recover from surgery and am back to work. Working and cardiac rehab takes most of my energy during the week, then it is recovery time on the weekend. I am currently working on three baby quilts. The first and most important one is for my first grandchild who is due to arrive in late July. The other two are for grandchildren of a dear friend. I have two of the three ready to go to a local long arm quilter by the end of the weekend. So, I need to get busy and finish the third one!

And now the question of this posting...do you ever wonder what happened to the authors of blogs that no longer have current postings. I have several on my side bar that I will removing soon, but I continue to wonder...

3 Quilts from the same pattern in Asian Fabric Magazine

All three of these quilts are from the pattern "Picturesque Wall Quilt", page 56 of Asian Fabric Magazine, Volume 10 from 2007. I made the first one and my sister made the other two. While she was here in Oregon, as I recovered from surgery, they were long arm quilted by Jean from Santiam Quilts. Check out Jean's beautiful work at www.santiamriverquilts.com.

You may remember my posting from August 20, 2008 when I was trying out various versions of the blocks around the center panel. Click on date on the right hand side to see the original posting.

Since I am just returning to regular blogging, some days it feels like I am starting over...there was a comment about being set to "no reply". Anyone know how to change that?

It is going to be a very good mail week around here! This weekend I ordered five missing Asian Fabric magazines for my collection. Now, the only one I am missing is issue number 1!