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.

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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 :)

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Barbara said - 

Same here, I manage to cut the fabric no matter how I do it. So I’m happy to take my time.

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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.

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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 - ;)) 

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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 - 

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 - 

HERE -  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aw0ZG_oPN0s

 

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 - 

 

Ditch quilting -

 

 

Has begun - 

 

On my Antique Squirrel - BIG BROTHER version - 

 

 

This sucker is HUGE - LOL - ;))

Talk to you later - gotta go - gotta sew -

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 - 

 

 

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 - 

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 -

 

 

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 - 

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 - 

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 - 

 

 

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 - 

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 - 

 

And for my FMQ Essentials -Practice Quilt - Craftsy Class - Christina Cameli -

 

 

Then I made the Label and Scrap Card and Heart - 

 

For "I Used to Be Placemats" - 

 

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 - 

 

 

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 -