Hunter's Star

Yesterday I finished cutting all of the pieces I think I will need to put together the Hunter's Star blocks.  I used my AccuQuilt Go Baby die cutter, and it really went fast.   Putting the pieces together is fairly easy, and the machine cuts off all the dog ears.

My Viking 100 is not too accurate without lots of pinning, but I did manage to make a couple of blocks.  I don't really know how big this quilt will end up being, but I have about 30 blocks waiting to be sewn and 16 all made.  

I think I've mentioned that I don't usually like to cut all the pieces before sewing.  I'd rather cut, sew, cut, sew, etc. to vary whatever I'm doing.  Still, this and the fact that the pieces fit together so easily, will make it go quickly when Elna returns.  

Based on the blocks I've made, I figure I will most likely need to make a few more.  Some of the grays I'm using seem to overshadow the prints even though I've been choosing what appear to be bright colors for the most part.  Sometimes the contrast with the gray results in a dull block.  I will probably replace them toward the end and use the dull blocks on the back.

The last Dear Jane block I made this week, "Gloriae," is also visible in this picture.  Today it's rather gloomy, so after grocery shopping I actually worked on and filed my income taxes, both federal and state!!  It feels good to have them done and out of the way.  This afternoon, I'll try to finish knitting the toe on my sock (just 8 rows to go) and maybe do a little more big stitch quilting on the guild challenge I'm working on.

Happy Sunday!

More quilts for VQF

After a few years of virtual shows, the Vermont Quilt Festival is going live and in person once again.  I have missed the classes in particular, but the show was always a great place to gather ideas and visit vendors with new gizmos and fabrics.  This June's show will include a special exhibit of quilts from the various guilds around the state.  As I mentioned in an earlier blog, the Green Mountain Quilters Guild, the statewide organization of which I am president, will show a small group of quilts by members.

Carol used a set of antique Japanese kimonos to make "Log Cabin Suprise."  Jane's "Sudoku 2022" quilt is a new twist on a sampler, with the same nine blocks rearranged in each section.

Tess' "Ode to Ash" is one of the prettiest quilts I've seen in a long time.  She's a retired naturalist and a fabulous quilter.  The quilt is stunning in person.

Life without Elna

We drove to the Burlington area and back on Saturday to deliver my Elna for service.  It may be ready in a couple of weeks.  I was happy to see Lisa minding the shop.  She used to own a shop of her own, quilted a few of my quilts with her long arm, and also taught math at a local high school.  She's now happily retired from all that and was substituting for the shop owner.  

This time without Elna will be spent doing some clean up of the sewing room and, if I get lucky, starting work on my taxes.  I cut out a bunch of Hunter's Star blocks this week and just couldn't resist the slow process of sewing them together on the trusty Viking 100.  It isn't as smooth or precise but the blocks don't looks as bad as they might.  My seam ripper was close at hand, though, as it is wobbly.

I also thought I'd spend more time hand appliqueing some Dear Jane blocks and did finish "Gloriae" (G-12) with all of its sharp angles.  My fingers are definitely not as dexterous as they were ten years ago, but I will keep going with the tiny appliques or add some fusibles.

This week I gathered the state quilt guild's entries for the special guilds exhibit at the Vermont Quilt Festival, including the guild banner, hand appliqued, embroidered, and quilted by a member in 1984.  It is really something to see in person.  The maker even quilted the name of the guild founders in the area with the guild name.  

My machine pieced and quilted wall quilt that mimics the center block is also going in.    It uses hand-dyed fabric by Ricky Tims and was part of a 1999 challenge in the guild.

The other quilts submitted are really beautiful.  I'll share them in a future blog.

Limping along

I don't know when I'll be able to drive over to Burlington to drop my machine off for cleaning/service.  Replacement screws arrived in the mail but do not fit, even though the online ad said they would.  I will let the service people know that the screw is inside the machine so they can put it back after cleaning.  At any rate, the machine is working OK these days so I'm gently using it to make some Dear Jane blocks.  That's what I mean by "limping."   I put the six blocks from last week away and have started on a few more.  I love the way they're turning out, using brighter scraps on various black and white backgrounds.

Yesterday was raw, gloomy, windy, and just plain cold, but I did get out to walk around delivering flyers about the neighborhood women's lunch next week with fellow organizer Sue.   I'll be thinking about what I can do or make for each person to take home - candy? a flower? something else?   It's supposed to be a little warmer today so I hope to get out to walk at least once.

Tonight is our monthly guild meeting, and I'm on the program "team."  That means bringing some refreshments, helping with set up/clean up, and, in my case, doing some of the program about UFOs and how to deal with them.  "Do as I say, not as I do!"  I have one hand quilting project from the mid-1980s but I do work on it, albeit slowly.  I get distracted by other projects, and of course that's what generates many UFOs.  I have a bagful of these to show and, I hope, a couple to give away for others to finish.

I've decided there are a few kinds of quilters:  (1) those who work on one thing at a time until it's finished, (2) those who work on several projects at a time (maybe using different techniques) until they're finished, (3) those who work on several projects at a time but are easily distracted by other projects.   I've read that the key to finishing is to set goals, but I find it's harder to set them now that I'm retired.  I like to goof off sometimes!

I may be one of those in the #3 category, but I do usually finish things... eventually.  The ones I don't finish are things I get frustrated with or don't like as I work on them.  The Austen Jubilee mystery quilt I worked on last year from Quiltmaker using Bonnie Hunter blocks is a case in point.  As I started to put it together after the reveal, it just looked too busy to go queen-sized.  Eventually, I saw that making two quilts - baby-sized and twin - would work better.  The twin is ready for long arming, and the baby one was being quilted until my machine got cranky.  It will be the first thing I work on when the machine comes home from cleaning.

Keeping busy

My way to a good "diet" is to stay up in my sewing room, far from any snacks, or to do hand sewing.  I've been busy with both, although I'm skeptical that I've lost much weight.  It's a process.  I had my annual wellness check on Tuesday afternoon and received a "clean bill of health," a direct quote from the physician's assistant I see.  She even said that she isn't concerned about my weight because I am healthy.   Still, my clothes are tighter than before, indicating a post-holiday need to reduce.  

Fussy little Dear Jane blocks took center stage this week.  There are some sites online with paper piecing patterns, and I found myself extremely frustrated with one of them.  Every block I made ended up far too small, requiring the addition of 1" coping strips to two sides.  It just looked sloppy.  I ended up throwing two blocks away.  

The other site purports to end up with blocks that are 5.5" unfinished, but as I sew them, they are just right.  And making my own patterns based on the drawings in the book still seems very viable and fun to me.  I guess I'll do a combination of things, which is typical for Dear Jane.

When I first decided to work on another Dear Jane, I joined a couple of Facebook groups with "assignments," both weekly and monthly.  I thought they'd be good to get me started and so I wouldn't just work on the easier blocks.  The monthly group suggests making 12 blocks a month in order to finish within the year.   I guess the people who do achieve this goal don't work on anything else!   The other group seems more my style, suggesting one or two blocks a week.  

Here are my first six blocks, including the two I made before.  I made G-7 (Indianapolis) over again and then discovered that the center circle for A-2 (Sweet Tater Pie) was the same size.  So I gave it a whirl.   

I may get around to making a couple more today... or not!  Yesterday we drove over to Burlington to Paul's eye specialist, so I didn't get a lot done, and today we have already gone to the grocery store over somewhat slick streets.  There's a mix of snow, ice, and rain and gray sky making it a lazy sort of day.

Back to Jane

When I read that a new 25th anniversary edition of Dear Jane was being published a few months ago, I got very nostalgic for the days when I worked on those tiny blocks and triangles.  It was such a skill builder.  

I bought the book and was a little disappointed that it isn't a whole lot different from the original.  But I did locate some online resources that weren't available when I was making my variations on Jane, including a couple of paper piecing sites.  

I have Asian Jane, made quite a few years ago, hanging on the door of our bedroom.   I love the high contrast the black background offers these somewhat glitzy fabrics.  This quilt includes some blocks from Dear Hannah, Brenda Papdakis' followup book with more small blocks.  I also made variations in Christmas fabrics, 1930s reproductions, and red/white/blue.  

I resolved to embark on another Jane journey in 2023 and spent time in December gathering black and white prints for the background.  I also joined a couple of groups on Facebook for tips and inspiration.  Friday I made one FB group's assignment for the week, C-10, Patriot's Lantern.  I started out paper piecing it but found it could more easily and accurately be made by rotary cutting.  I want to use brighter colors for a modern look this go 'round, and deep teal seemed perfect for this block.

Next, I worked on a multi-colored A-1, Pinwheel Gone Awry, which is best paper pieced.  I can't remember how I made it last time, but I do remember it wasn't easy!  When I make these blocks, I marvel at the thought of Jane working in the evenings with the tiniest bits of fabric and candle or oil light rather than LEDs.   The paper piecing pattern I used is true to Jane's original, so the parts aren't perfect, just like hers.

As in the past, I am writing the date each block was finished in the book as a diary.  I still have my old copy that I took apart to use for patterns for the blocks which I assume I'll be making for months, maybe years, to come.  I'm looking forward to a slow, steady journey with Jane, destination unknown.

Gray skies

 

We took a run over to Montpelier this morning to deliver another box of Paul's latest book.  The bookstore staff said it's a best seller and the books we brought won't fill their stack of orders.  Paul will be getting more soon to take to the bookstore and the state historical society gift shop.

While we were there, we went over to see an exhibit in one of the store windows.  It is based on an article Paul wrote a while back; there are three large panels quoting from the article as well as several signs.   All give credit to Paul so I took his picture.  Unfortunately, you can see also the reflection of the buildings across the street.  It's a gloomy day but not too chilly.

On the way home we stopped for milk and went to the bank, but there was still time to sew before lunch.  I made some Hunter's Star blocks yesterday, and then today I made six blocks for Aby Dolinger's row by row quilt along this year.  In both cases, I used blue because the tote that holds my blue stash is bursting at the seams. 

 Luckily for me, the Rainbow Scrap Challenge color this month is bright/dark blue.   
I didn't connect the row by row blocks yet so I could take a picture of them.  I've found that wide, skinny rows don't always photograph so well.  

After I finished those blocks, I started back on my Arboretum blocks for the online swap.  I was surprised to see that I had already made so many several months ago.  I think I need to make 14 to swap for 7 people.  Will have to check my email to be sure.  At any rate, any new blocks I make will be for me.  Nice!