Thursday, March 31, 2022

Even more ditch quilting -

 
 
On my Antique Squirrel - BIG BROTHER version

After I did a couple of the outside rows all the way around - 

I took it to the kitchen island - 

To trim off some excess batting and fabric - 

Which should make it easier to handle - 


There is some puffiness in some areas - 

But that's OK - 

It will be fine - 
 
It's not going to be entered in any contest - 
 
And I'm not going to rip it out - 
 
Speaking of which - 

Yesterday's comments on the seam ripper video were interesting -
 
Gene said - 
I already knew that too. I do that most of the time. However, I have cut the fabric a few times. The seam ripper is sharper than you think.
=== 
 
Jeanna said -
Yep, that's the way I do it but there are times when I still manage to cut into a section I didn't intend to. Thanks for sharing :)
===
 
Barbara said - 
Same here, I manage to cut the fabric no matter how I do it. So I’m happy to take my time.
=== 
 
Exuberantcolor/Wanda S Hanson said -
I'm with the majority here. I have used that method and cut my fabric accidentally. I think there is more to the tip on exactly what angle you have to hold the ripper but maybe that just comes with experimentation and practice.
===
 
My response to everyone was - 
I have accidentally cut the fabric many times - which is probably why I "forgot" about it in the first place - LOL - ;)) 
===
 
So then - 
 
Just for giggles - 
 
I thought I would try it again - 
 
On a "test" strip - 
 
I was OK for the first little bit - 
 
 
And the next little bit - 

 
But - sure enough - 
 
When I got to the end - 
 
I ripped the fabric -

So I'm going back to the HARD way -
 
It may take me longer - 
 
But better that -
 
Than ripping something - 
 
That I don't WANT to rip - LOL - ;))


 
Talk to you later - gotta go - gotta sew - 

Wednesday, March 30, 2022

More ditch quilting - and a sewing tip -

 
 
More of the same - 

Ditch quilting on my Antique Squirrel - BIG BROTHER version-

 
And - because that is probably getting boring - 
 
I thought I would add a link to a video of a handy tip - 
 
That you may or may not know -
 
The Correct Way to Use a Seam Ripper (with the Red Ball)
Cucicucicoo - Eco Sewing and Crafting - 
 


I don't know about you - 

But I learned that a LONG time ago - 
 
When I got my first seam ripper - 

Then - through the years - I forgot all about it - 

And have been doing it the HARD way for years - LOL - ;))



Talk to you later - gotta go - gotta sew - 
 

Tuesday, March 29, 2022

Ditch quilting -

 
 
Has begun - 
 
On my Antique Squirrel - BIG BROTHER version
 

 
This sucker is HUGE - LOL - ;))



Talk to you later - gotta go - gotta sew -


Monday, March 28, 2022

Prep work -

 
 
Has been done on this one - 
 
And it's layered - basted - and pinned - 
 
Ready for some "ditch quilting" - 
 
 
It's my Harmonic Convergence
 
From last year - 
 
So it's about time - LOL - ;))
 


 
I ran out of "pin moors" - 
 
So will have to ditch quilt the other one first - 
 
To free some up - 
 
Then be careful unfolding this one -
 
So I don't get "stuck" -
 
When I add them where they are needed - LOL - ;))
 
 
 
Talk to you later - gotta go - gotta sew - 
 
 

Sunday, March 27, 2022

Playing -

 
 
With the sleeve for O Happy Christmas
 
Which is still not finished - 
 
Since I can't decide if I want to make it all one piece - 
 
Or two separate pieces - 
 
With a gap in the middle - 
 
To make it easier to hang the dowel on a single nail in the center - 
 
 
So I took a break - 
 
And sewed together - 
 
A couple of pieces of batting - 


 
To use on another project - 

 
I figured that I might as well layer and baste another one -

While I'm still in the mood - LOL - ;))



Talk to you later - gotta go - gotta sew - 


Saturday, March 26, 2022

Friday -

 
 
Was a good day - 
 
I decided to play with layering and basting - 
 
My Antique Squirrel - BIG BROTHER version
 
And cut my pressing time in half - 
 
When I realized that I could/should fold the HUGE backing - 
 
In half - 
 
And press it that way - 
 
 
It was easy enough to smooth it out on the ironing pad on my kitchen island - 
 
And press the double layer up to the fold -
 
But not to actually press a crease in it - 
 
Then open it out - 
 
Press the center portion out flat -
 
And layer the batting - 
 
And the top - 

 
Press those to fuse them - 
 
Working in sections - 

 
Then turn it sideways - 
 
To finish up the last row - 


I pressed and pinned as I went along - 

And took breaks when my back started complaining - 
 
So now it's all pin basted - 

And ready for the "ditch quilting" - 
 
After I get the "base lines" quilted - 
 
I can trim off the excess backing and batting - 
 
And practice some more Free-Motion Quilting - ;))
 
 
 
Talk to you later - gotta go - gotta sew -
 
 

Friday, March 25, 2022

Thursday -

 
 
Was another "chore" day - 
 
With no sewing - 
 
But I have plans for Friday - LOL - ;))
 
This stack has the left-overs from all of the squares - 

That I used on my Colorwash 360
 
Each aluminum pan has left-overs - 

 
So - before I sort through all of those - 
 
I thought I would finish up O Happy Christmas
 
 
I have some GREEN scraps for the label - 
 
And some muslin to put on the back of that print strip - 
 
To make the sleeve - 

Then - 

I can see about pressing more of the backing - 

For my Antique Squirrel - BIG BROTHER version -
 
If I'm in the mood - LOL - ;))


 
Talk to you later - gotta go - gotta sew - 


Thursday, March 24, 2022

Before -

 
 
I can layer and baste -
 
My Antique Squirrel - BIG BROTHER version
 
I need to press the backing - 
 
 
And considering that it's HUGE - 
 
And unwieldy - 
 
It might take me a while - LOL - 

 
And - 
 
As far as the Heart is concerned - 
 
For my Colorwash 360 - 
 
I think I'll just use a "representative" sample of the fabrics - 
 
And not try to get EVERY one in the Heart - 
 
I tried that once - 
 
LONG ago - 


And pretty much vowed to never do that again - LOL - ;)) 



Talk to you later - gotta go - gotta sew - 


Wednesday, March 23, 2022

More tidying up -

 
 
I chose the thread I want to use to "ditch quilt" -
 
My Antique Squirrel - BIG BROTHER version
 
 
And I chose the next two that need labels made - 

 
Harmonic Convergence - 
 
Which also needs the Heart and Scrap Card made -  

And is in the pile to layered/basted and quilted -
 

 
And O Happy Christmas - 
 
This one has been quilted/bound - 
 
And the Heart and Scrap Card have been made - 
According to my spreadsheet - and my blog - LOL -
But I have misplaced them - somewhere - somehow -
So they will be probably be found -
When I'm looking for something else - LOL - 
 


Then I want/need to make the Hearts and Scrap Cards for -
 
My Antique Squirrel - BIG BROTHER version
While I still have everything out -
(And I might as well include making the binding - LOL -) 

And my Colorwash 360 - 
Which has over 100 fabrics - 
So may take me a while - 


I made the label already -
For the Colorwash 360 - 
But I haven't sewn it on yet - 

 
Tomorrow - 

I plan to alternate between layering/basting - 

My Antique Squirrel - BIG BROTHER version
 
Which is HUGE - 
 
And going to be hard on my back -
 
And some sit-down sewing - 
 
That will tidy up some more loose ends - 
 
So - bit by bit - 
 
I can catch up with my Scrapbooking - 
 
And FINISH some quilts - LOL - ;))
 
 
 
Talk to you later - gotta go - gotta sew - 
 
 

Tuesday, March 22, 2022

Labels -

 
 
Have been sewn to these three - 
 


 
 
Finally!! - 


I don't know why it takes me so long - 

To get around to making and attaching labels to my quilts - 

But I think it might have something to do with - 

Chasing SQUIRRELS - LOL - ;))



Talk to you later - gotta go - gotta sew - 


Monday, March 21, 2022

Tidying up -

 
 
Before I play with the backing - 
 
And layering -
 
My Antique Squirrel - BIG BROTHER version
 
 
I thought I would tidy up some loose ends - 
 
So I made the label for Ladies
 
And for No Rules
 
 
 
Then I made the Label and Scrap Card and Heart - 
 
 
Which is in the pile to be quilted - 

 
Then I made the label for Colorwash 360
 
I still have to make the Heart and Scrap Card for that - 

 
But I decided to work on the Heart and Scrap Card - 
 
For my FMQ Essentials -  Practice Quilt first - 

 
And finished those up - 


It's a nice break from my Antique Squirrel - 
 
And is easier than trying to layer a large quilt - 
 
Which I will try to do tomorrow - 
 
After I actually sew the labels on the quilts - LOL -;))
 
 
 
Talk to you later - gotta go - gotta sew - 
 
 

Sunday, March 20, 2022

Glamour shots -

 
 
My Antique Squirrel - BIG BROTHER version
 
Quilt top has been sewn together - 
 
And pressed - 
 
It came out to 72" x 90" - 
 
And is bigger than the floor space between my cabinets - 
 
So the left side is folded over/scrunched up a bit -  

But it's a top - 

Ta Dah!! - ;))
 
Top left corner - 

 
Top right corner - 

 
Right middle - 

 
Right bottom - 

 
Left middle - 

 
Left bottom - 

 
Middle - 

 
And upside down - 

 
I like the optical illusion - 

That makes it look like the block is made - 

With the four Square-in-a-square units - 

And the bar units are the sashing - 

With another Square-in-a-square unit - 

As the cornerstone - 
 
At least - that's what I saw - 
 
When I first saw the original antique quilt  - 
 
Until I realized that the block was made like this -
 

It's much easier to assemble this way - 

And is set block-to-block - 

With no sashing at all - ;))



Talk to you later - gotta go - gotta sew - 


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