We must have 6-8″ of new fluffy snow and there’s more on the way according to our weatherman. I need taller barn boots for this kind of weather! Ha! Everybody in the barn is fine – in fact the temperature is 27 degrees — above zero!
I spent the morning cleaning my room upstairs, doing chores, laundry, you know – all those things that get in the way of SEWING! I sat down at the table to watch the snow and picked up these two books to look at closely.
Oh, what fun to decide which quilt to make – it’s got to be small. I am never going to make another bed quilt in my lifetime! It’s always interesting to see how other designers cut and piece but I always want to do it MY way. Both of these books explain cutting that allows for trimming. I don’t want to trim. I want to sew it the right size to begin with. So do I redraft the small quilt or do it their way?
So many of the hints in the shaded boxes are things that Connie and I do without thinking of it being a helpful hint that others might not know. We wash and dry all our quilts to make them soft and “puckery”. I would never give an unwashed quilt as a gift. First of all I want to know it will stand up to machine washing and drying and yes, I wash quilts in Tide because I know the recipient will also wash with detergent. (I know we’ve had this discussion before and many of you don’t agree with me so let’s just agree to disagree.)
I like Sheryl’s use of single fold binding for small quilts. My fingers don’t grip a needle very good anymore but I’d insist on finishing the binding by hand. I love her hand quilting but that’s not gonna happen in my life either. And you all know how I feel about lots of curlyques in the machine quilting.
I’ve decided to cut out a smaller version of Calico Cake Stands. The original quilt is 20 blocks and I only want to make 12.
Here’s some fabric choices already laid out, my favorite thing to do!
In Step Back In Time I would choose Wooden Ships or Mary’s Quilt. Here are several more stacks of fabric to choose from.
Laying out the possible fabric assortments is also something Reed enjoys. What can I say? Monkey see, monkey do, possibly? Haha! I love it. I miss Reed – our weather has interfered with our sewing lately. We just have to catch up!
I finished the Netflix series called “You” – another one that I got so involved in, I stayed up late watching! It was very good! I’m going to start something new tonite.
Connie is in Chicago with the grandkids and was planning on coming home today but we all urged her to wait till tomorrow. Stay safe, Everyone!
I love Mary’s Quilt. The fabrics you picked from your stash are awesome! I advise staying in and sewing during this weather. I’m currently putting a binding on a baby quilt that I will gift next week. Because of my arthritis I sew it on the back, flip it towards the front and do a beautiful serpentine stitch by machine. It’s also very durable for a baby quilt that will get washed and dried a lot! I use stitch #4 on my Bernina 830 and change the stitch length and width. I have it in my personal program on the machine, ready to go at all times!
Hmmm… That’s a good idea. I’m under the gun finishing up the binding (with some added lace for femininity) for my second granddaughter. We’re flying to see her early early Friday a.m. and I’ve been trying to not stress out about this binding.. But my arthritis has been giving me fits and I’m afraid I haven’t gotten very far. I think I’m going to take your advice and do what you do. I’m learning to shake off my perfectionism which keeps me from finishing things.
Thank you!! 🙂
I like that stitch for quilting too. Rather than stitching in the ditch, I stitch along the seam line with that serpentine line.
Beautiful fabric choices!! I, too, love to choose fabrics and play with the color combinations! I only hand quilt on small quilts anymore. Though I love handquilted quilts, it just takes too long and I want my quilts to be durable and I think machine quilting is somewhat more durable. Mine get machine washed as well, in Tide or maybe in Woolite if I’m feeling particularly gentle on laundry day!
We had gorgeous hoar frost this morning after a very foggy night. It’s so pretty!!
I just got back from the barn. Pete got another long walk out in the pasture and I could barely keep up with him on the way back in. I am so relieved. Jen will be home this weekend and wants to go out and give him another ‘spa’ treatment with cookies and a walk.
Diane Bauer – such good news about Pete! I had no idea he could “recover” from a stroke! Maybe not completely recovered but doing well. Will Jen be able to ride him again – someday?
We are definitely hoping to ride him again!
The vet apparently said she would not be surprised to see a pretty complete recovery. We are thrilled he has done so well!
Diane Bauer – such wonderful news! Wow!
Love looking at your fabric choices! Love them all. This is where I struggle the most.
Too much snow. Harry S. Truman just wants to be lazy and lay around. So do I!
Love all those quilts and your fabric choices ! Especially the reds : my favorite color . Speaking of Netflix, my husband and I are watching Bloodline, based on your recommendation. It has us on the edge of our seats ! I’m reading over Beyond the Battlefield today : love all the quilts and the stories that go with them . Thank you again !
I wondered how you were fairing with this latest storm. We watched the weather channel with 3:00 coffee and I thought of you when I saw northern Iowa getting snow. We were suppose to get icey mix but nothing yet. I would rather deal with the snow. Auditioning fabrics is the best part of starting a new quilt, I think.
I love making miniature quilts. My small miniature quilt group is called the Bikini Club. We have a challenge each year that we choose and then enter in the state fair. So much fun competing with each other, one year we won 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th places! This years challenge is a log cabin. Pattern and fabric of our choice, just has to be miniature within the state fair guidelines. Oh and I hate trimming blocks – if you cut and sew correctly, you should NOT have to trim. So there!
Diana – I’m with you, Sista’ – no trimming!
Oooh, love all your fabric choices. Looks like fun books.
Hate that it is so cold for you but love seeing the photos of snow. Snow is a rarity around here! Beautiful fabric choices.
Love the Calico Cake Stand quilt for a choice to. Also love your choice of fabric. When I first started quilting about 20 years ago an elderly friend told me that choosing fabric is a talent that comes after doing several quilts. Don’t know if I agree but she may have been right… haha…
We got about 10” of new snow. I’m north of Fairmont, MN. My patio wouldn’t hold anymore snow from shoveling my deck, so I took the snowblower and got rid of some of that snow. If we get more this weekend then I need to be prepared…
Kate Schloemer – we got quite a bit of snow, too, and a Rick loves to clear it, even the grassy areas which I don’t think is smart because the grass needs that insulation.
Mary, have you received a letter from me mailed from Tx? It had a check for you newest book in it. Mailed either Feb 6 or 8? Hasn’t cleared the bank.
Deb – we had been waiting for more books and they came this week however Connie has been in Chicago staying with grandkids. When she gets home to sign the books, she will also pick up the checks to deposit. The snow, wind, etc has hit us hard. If it was mailed on the 8th tomorrow is just two weeks. I know I wrote you a note inside your book so be patient for just a little longer. Remember we are semi retired and don’t go to the shop everyday.
All your fabric choices are wonderful. I see quite a few fabrics I have in my stash too. Question for you – when buying fabric, how much do you usually get? I usually just get fat quarters or half yard pieces unless I know I’ll need more for a background or border. At this point though, I’ll probably not live long enuf to use all of the fabric I have!
Tina W. – your question about buying fabric is so timely, I’ll write a post about it tomorrow- thanks!
Also interested, I buy a lot of fat quarters but now think I should do a yard at least of corrdinating fabric, and if there’s a nice large print, maybe more in case I want to do a border. I have loads of Moda fat quarter sets and sometimes wonder, what am I doing about the background? So I will look forward to your post.
PS, sorry, I’m a trimmer depending upon the quilt subunits.
I absolutely Love the Calico Cake Stand quilt. I love all the old basket blocks, too.
I am going to sew the rest of the afternoon and put the borders on Bulls Eye. Hopefully. We had a meeting to attend this morning, went to lunch, then went to Books By The Bay, our favorite used book store. I selected 9 new books and my husband got 5 used and one new one. We are ready to read again as we were both completely out of reading material.
I bought a cute little wooden sign that says “She who dies with the most fabric wins” It makes me smile everytime I see it.
I love the Wooden Ships pattern – maybe it’s the blues with an almost cheddar orange making it pop to my eye. Love the fabric choices you have pulled together; I’m such a hound with reds.
We had have had a lot of snow again today and a friend posted the following snippet on facebook
“I feel like we’re living in a snow globe and someone keeps shaking it” so appropriate for what mother nature has blessed us with lately. In spite of all the snow this year – winter is still my favorite time of year!
If you must be out and about stay safe in your travels.
I love hearing about the snow and seeing it in some of your posts! Although it must make life very difficult, there is the time when it’s clean and white and it makes the world seem so peaceful – as you are struggling to get to the barn…. I am in the south and we are having rain day after day – everything is moldy and muddy and mushy – maybe like your “snirt” but without the beautiful memory! Looking forward to see which quilt you choose to make with those beautiful fabrics! Oh! I vote to redraft the pattern. I am not so confident that I don’t check my piecing for correctness, but who wants to make something knowing you have to go back and trim everything you do!
I love the Cake Stand quilt. I made one several years ago but it may be time to do it again. The Mary quilt is a winner but it looks as if you’ve pulled enough for the whole quilt and not just twenty blocks! The two cheddars in the top picture under that quilt have my heart! I especially like the one with the red beans or footballs! I can hardly wait to see what you make!
Here in Northeastern Wisconsin we have had one snow storm after another. It’s snowing right now with about 6 inches of fresh snow since this morning. We are already at the point where everyone in the area is shoveling their roofs because of the accumulation of snow. My sister and I shoveled my Mom’s roof today. About three feet of snow on her roof.
Love all the fabric choices. My Bullseye quilt will go to the quilter this week…if it ever stops snowing.
Mary, I did an online sew a long with Sheryl a few years ago called Taryn’s Baskets. If I remember correctly Taryn brought an antique quilt to show her and Taryn’s Baskets looks like the Calico Cake Stands pattern from her wonderful book, Quirky Little Quilts! Excellent choice; selecting and auditioning fabrics for any pattern is also my favorite part.
I really like Mary’s Quilt ….all the alternate blocks!
It snowed a few times today along with some sunshine, but it is quite chilly. Doubt if we got above 24 degrees today!
Launa – yes, that’s the story in the book! It’s more fun auditioning fabrics than making the quilt – haha!
Coincidentally I have been going through my stash today, sort of reorganizing. Your piles of fabric so much like mine, amazing how fabric makes you smile!
We are having very cold and wintry weather here in North Carolina all week so good days to dig into things around the house.
I also am not a fan of trimming blocks. It’s just another chance to make a mistake.
I love Marys quilt! I have a terrible time picking out fabrics. If someone could pick them out from my stash i would have it made!
PS…4 ads today…
I just got pin pals and your new book in the mail so I have my TV side project for tonight. Another snow day.
Those all will make beautiful quilts. I like most all parts of quilt making even trimming because I like to see how close I am to the exact square😺. Today, one ad was for a long arm quilter about 10 miles from me!! I usually check them out and sometimes just click. I need to layer and quilt a few tops and table runners. I spray them in the garage. Does anyone else spray? It works for my small ones. Thanks for sharing today, Mary. We had about 5 to 6 inches of heavy snow overnight, then at 4 PM it started to rain. VERY wet here in Central Ohio.
Isn’t Dianne Bauer a different Dianne you asked us to send cards to. Did they both have a horse that had a stroke. I’m confused.
Linda – Dianne Cook lives in Canada and has breast cancer. Diane Bauer lives in Colorado and has Pete the horse who suffered a stroke recently. Dianne in Canada spells her name with 2 N’s.
Oh, wow, you have a lot of fabric!! And I bet that’s not even all of it! Makes me smile. I like the Wooden Ships pattern, very pleasing to my eye. Can’t wait to see your projects. Have you picked the quilt pattern from your Battlefield book for the quilt along? I ordered the book today and I’m excited to get it in the mail. I had 7 ads in this post and finally 2 were about quilting and sewing machines…I’m tired of mattress and insurance ads! LOL Stay safe and warm.
Wow, do I have fabric envy! I thought my stash was outstanding, but you have so many fabrics I have never seen. It’s like candy to me. I see some beautiful quilts in the future.
Tina W. When I started quilting, I bought FQs too.
Now I don’t buy any. I buy yardage…enough for a bed quilt and matching pillowcases.
Mary: you need fishing waders! I love your choice
of fabrics. I’m with you on binding. I never machine bind. I need a few more bed quilts and then
I’m finished. Table toppers, wall quilts, minis
For me!
Love,
Mary
I love the wooden ships pattern. Is the book it’s in new? Your chosen fabrics are beautiful. I have 48 bullseye squares quartered and finished. Tomorrow I’ll sew them into rows, then add the borders. This quilt project has been so much fun for me!
Gramapama – Yes, both books that I talked about yesterday are pretty new and I finally had the time to really look at them. Wish I had time to start right now and sew all day! So happy that you enjoyed the Bullseye sewalong. I did, too, but mine is waiting now to be quilted.
Loved looking at the fabric assortments that you have chosen for your quilts – you do such a nice job putting them together. Yes, snowy for sure. We, here in Rochester, have drifts so high now we can hardly find our homes, etc. Ha! But, they say more to come so…we will just move on! Getting to the barn to do chores is a bit tricky but, the animals want to be fed, so…!!
Kathy Hanson – I’ve been wondering about you and your animals! Can they get outside or too much snow? My goats have been in lockup for way too long now. Do you have to do the shoveling around the barn? How is Sunny?
Snowing in Las Vegas but only higher elevations like Summerlin. We are getting heavy rain here and the airport is delaying flights if you are coming our direction.
Rhoda Ebersole – you can join the “tired of winter” club!
Mary,
I appreciate your comments on piecing. I have several of your books and lots of patterns but I have a least one question if you don’t mind….do you ever use the two-at-a-time method for HSTs? Maybe I’m not careful enough but I try not to cut little squares in half and then piece back together as you and Connie instruct. Seems when I do it that way, my accuracy is off. Also, wondered if you starch? Maybe you’ve told us and I missed that post. You are an inspiration! I wish I had your talent for color choices-maybe Reed could give me pointers! My grands in Waukee have had just about enough snow. It’s bad when the little kids even get tired of playing in it! Thanks for your efforts with the blog, your posts are always looked forward to. Pam in NC
Pamela Blessman – I cut triangles because I love feeding them through the machine mindlessly but maybe I’m not as accurate as you strive to be. Connie always uses Thangles and her triangle squares are always perfect! She’s a much better piecer than I am. I am too impatient! Connie also uses light starch but not so much that the fabric is saturated.
Thanks Mary! I sometimes use thangles or some brand of papers if I want a lot of the same two fabrics. I appreciate you taking the time to respond! Have a good day!
I love that cake stand quilt. I may have to try that one. All you fabrics choices are yummy. I can’t wait to see what you choose. Keep warm!
So thankful that things are back to a more normal for you.
Thank you also for the goat coat report!!! I live in eastern SD and have had the snow you get first, most of the time. I now have hope spring might come. Otherwise, you will have to quilt a goat coat! Sorry to mention, we are getting 2 more storms in the next few days. Hopefully one will go NE from us!!!
A silly note on “stashes”. I renamed mine awhile back .I’m not “hoarding” or “stashing”. I am archiving!! I’m happy to say that my “archive”, has helped several people finish their projects!!! Ha, ha, ha!!!
PS Just watched the weather!! Looks like the first one goes north after here!!
Prayers