Asian Cranes FINISHED!

Decided on the more copperish colored fabric for the smaller borders.  Probably not my most favorite quilt ever...not really sure why. But it will great on my walls during the fall.  In my house I always have at least five quilts hanging on the walls and one to two over the stairway railings.  For several years, I've been working on having enough quilts to change them all out during different seasons or holidays.  That is how I started working on this quilt due to the fall colors and trying to find something to use the outer border fabric on.

Since I had plenty of fabric for this, I convinced my sister to buy an extra panel, when we saw them on sale this summer.  Now there is a pre-cut kit waiting just for her in my sewing room to make this same quilt, but with the gold smaller border next time she is here!

Enjoyed the long Thanksgiving Holiday, but little sewing due to a great visit with my niece!  I am so thankful for the many blessings in my life!

Someone has had a good mail day

My sister and I joke that good mail days are when we go the mailbox and discover a new quilt magazine (isn't it about time for a new Asian Fabric?) or when fabric arrives via mail.  So, I decided to try sending fabric from my stash, or from shopping trips, to my sister at least once a month. 


Well the first few times went off without a hitch!  She had some good mail days and I had fun picking out fabrics to share.  Recently, while I was at the local quilt store, I fell in love with this fabric!  Have you noticed that the majority of Asian fabrics tend to be on the dark to medium side?  It is rare to find a good light that is not overly busy.  Of course, having gone to Mt. Fuji the last time we were in Tokyo made this the perfect one to send to my sis.  However, this last envelope has disappeared in the mail...So someone has had a good mail day...sorry sis!


It has been a crazy month since I last posted.  Still having some health issues...am back to work full time, but come home exhausted, so not much quilting has taken place.    Decided to start this Saturday backwards from what I normally do.  I usually start with all the regular stuff... laundry, picking up the house, etc., and by the time the afternoon is here, I'm out of energy for blogging or quilting!  So, started today with this blog update, next stop my sewing room!

Accurate stich widths

Recently after working on several quick projects, I realized that my blocks were smaller than expected.  It didn't really matter, as they were simple square blocks or triple rail fence blocks.  However, before I started on my next project (Window on the World from Asian Fabrics #20)  I decided to double check my stitch width.   

Everything looked fine on my machine, the needle was in center position, etc.  Then I realized I had changed feet awhile back, using # 34 (Bernina), which I purchased after a Ricky Timms seminar recommended for machine applique.  The clear foot makes it much easier to see the edges and your stitches.  However, the width is 3/8 of an inch rather than 1/4.

So, switching back to my favorite # 37, I was quickly back to an accurate 1/4 inch seam allowance.  Isn't it amazing how a little thing like a foot can make such a big difference!

Not much quilting has occurred, as I am back to work full time and come home exhausted.  It takes the weekend to just catch up on rest and get the basics done...hoping to sew this weekend!

Little Progress



I have made very little progress since I last posted, as I was in the hospital again. What I thought was going to be a quick trip to the doctors office turned into a week in the hospital that included two trips to the cath lab and a new stent !  I can truly say I am glad to be home!!

My wise sister suggested after my last posting that I put the borders on the quilt on the design wall before changing the blocks.  I normally would do that...but just not  thinking normally! 

Above is the quilt with a gold inner border fabric that was used in my last project.

Below is the original inner border which is a deeper gold/rust with small ginko leaves. 

Which inner border do you prefer?  The gold or rust ginkos?



Sorry to say, I won't be traveling to the Kona Bay open house in Washington next weekend.  I just not quite up to traveling yet.  Would love to hear from those of you that do go!



Weekend Project...now what??

It's been a good, quiet and relaxing weekend.  Have hemed pants for work, held the grandbaby lots, napped and even worked on a quilting project! 

I've had the panel below for some time and decided it was the project for the weekend...nothing too difficult, had lots of possible fabrics to use with it and even had a pattern set aside to try.  The pattern is Sidelights by Monutainpeek Creations.  Here's a link so you can see some of their other fabulous patterns.
http://www.mountainpeekcreations.com/patterns.aspx

Knowing that I tend to over work the design process, I challenged my self to use what fabric I had and to just put the blocks together without too much fussing or thinking...Now that the blocks are together, I'm not all that crazy about the outcome.  So I am rethinking the blocks. 
Here are the options:
A.  Change out the light border blocks for more dark and medium border blocks.
B.  Change out the dark border blocks for more light border blocks.
C. Rearrange a few blocks (they are sewn together).
D.  Leave it along and move on!

What would you do?

Window on the World from Asian Fabric # 20 is FINISHED!!

Window on the World from Asian Fabric # 20 is finished.  It is actually straight, only the photo is a bit wonky from being taken while it hangs on the design wall.  I'm pleased with the color combinations and looking forward to sending it on to my favorite long arm quilter Jean.  You can check out her work at http://www.santiamriverquilts/. com . 

Yesterday, as I was checking what is in my stash, I realized I have the same fabric as used in the magazine, but in a brighter blue colorway.   Perhaps I'll make the one up with this pattern some day.

So what is next?  Here are some possibilities:
--Pumpkins gone wild panel and coordinating fabrics from last year.
--Asian crane with golds and browns, with just a hint of blue.
--Michael Miller giant poinsettias to be used in a 9 patch pizazz.  Plan to play with doubling the block size.
--Bright green flannel bug quilt for the most wonderful little grandson...
--Two minkee strip quilts that were suppose to Christmas presents last year...I never promised when they would arrive...
--Batik squares from Sisters, Oregon with black lattice for my awesome niece in Olympia...sorry even if I start now it won't be ready by my visit later in September on my way to Redmond.
--Asian lady panel project picked up last year at the Long Beach show...
--Make more Japanese blocks from the book purchased in Tokyo with traditional blue fabrics
--Piecing a top from butterfly squares found last summer during cleaning out a family estate.  There are 50 plus butterflies in various states...
--Hemming three pairs of pants for work  :-( (You can see what I think about that chore!)

These are just the ones that come to mind off the top of my head...I'm sure there are others if I went to my sewing room!

So which one do you think I should start?

Thanks sis for the good mail day...a package with fabric butterflies from N. Carolina arrived today.  Now I will have 12 red ones to put together for the red and white quilt.

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!