'30s Thursday

I found a baggie of 3 inch (finished) nine patches in '30s reproduction fabrics. Some of them were from a long ago swap. There were 235 of them. Remember a few weeks ago when I mentioned I still had some 3.5 inch scraps left after making Economy Blocks from scraps? (If you don't remember it was the last sentence of my Nov. 19 '30s Thursday post). Well, I will now cut those into 3.5 inch squares and make some Snowballs to go with my little nine patches. 

I figured if I used 225 Nine Patches and alternated with 225 Snowballs I could set them 18 x 25 for a quilt 54" x 75". 

So I'll keep some 3.5 inch squares and some 1.5 inch muslin squares cut and near the sewing machine and sew and make a few Snowballs here and there in between other piecing. 

 I keep a notebook near my sewing machine and one near my computer. All kinds of things get jotted down here and there in my doodle books.  This page is full of secret code for UFOs I have found that use '30s reproduction fabrics and what I might do with them. I've been trying to work on something in '30s fabrics every week and blog about it on Thursdays in order to keep focused on moving these UFOs forward. 

One of the UFOs involves embroidery. I think it was two years ago that I used some 3 inch scraps left over from a Triangle Squares quilt to make these blocks with 8 inch muslin centers.  I then used vintage embroidery transfers of whatever suited my fancy and embroidered the centers. 

I have 8 blocks that have the embroidery finished, one block in the hoop almost finished and one that has been stamped for embroidery. I was thinking this would be a nice summer project - handwork for when it is too hot to hand quilt- but I never got around to doing any embroidery last summer. 

I had a baggie of those 3 inch scraps and some muslin in the project box so went ahead and made 10 more blocks and I'll stamp them later. I was originally thinking I would make 30 blocks for a quilt 62'' x 75" but the scraps and muslin only made 10 blocks for a total of 20 blocks. That will make a quilt 50 x 62.5 and that's okay with me.   So,  now you may not see this '30s project again until summer when I start stamping and embroidering. 

 

A Few More Embroidered Blocks

 The border on the blocks are scraps left over from making my Triangle Tiles quilt.  The center is muslin. I have a collection of old and new iron on embroidery transfers that I've been using for the centers. I've been using two strands of floss for the embroidery. I like to use variegated threads.  

When I use up the rest of the scraps I'll probably make a different size of block to use up other thirties reproduction scraps. 

Slow Sunday Stitching at Kathy's Quilts

Oh Scrap! at Quilting is More Fun than Housework

Embroidery for Eavesdropping

I've been using the scraps left over from my Triangle Tiles quilt to frame some muslin for embroidery.  I've finished the embroidery on another block and have more prepped with embroidery transfers. My husband has had a lot of diagnostic testing done lately and this has been a nice take along project for me. I've tried reading a book but I'm so nosy I have to listen in to all the conversations in the waiting room. I can't do that while reading but I can do that while embroidering. 

More later. 

Hand Embroidery

 I finished the embroidery on four more blocks...

...and I have another block in the hoop. 

It has been a nice take along project. 

Slow Sunday Stitching at Kathy's Quilts

It's About Time I Started Something New

 A quilty friend asked me if I'd like a bunch of old embroidery transfers that belonged to her grandmother.   They arrived last week and I couldn't wait to look at them all. And then I couldn't wait to use some. 

I immediately whipped up a quilt block with an eight inch muslin center and some scraps, picked a transfer to till the spot and I had it embroidered in no time.  I liked it. 

 So I made a second block. 

 I've had these 3 inch scraps laying next to the sewing machine ever since I finished a Triangle Tiles flimsy in January.   I was trying to figure out what to do with them. Several ideas have gone through my head but nothing got started. Then I almost cut them all in half to use in my Spider Webb quilt that I'm making with 1.5 inch scraps. But that didn't get done either. 

 I have enough of those scraps to make 23 blocks that finish at 12.5 inches.  I'm aiming for a large quilt so after I use those scraps to make these Puss in the Corner blocks I'll probably use other sizes of 30s reproduction scraps to make a variety of smaller sized blocks - still with places for  embroidery.  I think I may even use odds and ends of rick rack here and there in the blocks. I used to pick up a lot of it at thrift stores.  I've also picked up a lot of embroidery threads at thrift stores over the years. 

I've made a few blocks and have them stamped and ready for embroidery. I have a few short trips in my future and this will make a nice little take along project. It will also make a nice summer project for when it is too hot to hand quilt. 

I have another quilt with embroidery planned - a Crochet Fusion type quilt with rose themed scraps on the front and embroidered squares on the back but first I have to finish my Blind Man's Fancy Tea in the Rose Garden quilt so I have those rose themed scraps. 

Thank you, quilty friend! 

I'm having fun. 

Oh Scrap! at Quilting is More Fun than Housework

Slow Sunday Stitching at Kathy's Quilts

Miscellany

My hand hurts after all that hand quilting on Wild Thing so for hand stitching projects  I'm working on a variety of different projects and won't be hand quilting any quilts for a while. 

I just finished the embroidery on a dishtowel.  This one will probably be for me and not make it to the Christmas gifts box.   A couple of cherry themed hot pads and a red crocheted dishcloth should complete the set. 

I'll probably stamp a few other dishtowels to work on when the urge strikes.  I think I need to wash up a package of towels first.  The transfers work better on laundered fabric. 

And in my bag of crochet I have a shawl I've been working on for one of the granddaughters for Christmas.  Sometimes I take it to work to work on during lunch break.  When this one is finished I'll be making a pink one for the other granddaughter.  

And finally, I'm going to start working on my version of the The 1718 Coverlet.  I want to make it all by hand like the original.  I thought it might be a good summer project for many summers to come. 

Slow Sunday Stitching at Kathy's Quilts. 

I'm Finished With Crazy Cravings!

Crazy Cravings

50 x 62

It's definitely not your grandma's crazy quilt.

The 12 inch blocks were all hand pieced, embroidered, embellished. 

Then sewn together by machine. 

Then the seams were embellished.

I think normally crazy quilts are tied; however, I added batting and backing and then kind of free form hand quilted it with #10 crochet thread. 

I do love chocolate. 

And now I can cover myself in chocolate. 

This was fun to work on. I think it's been in the works for a couple of years. 

I like handwork and embroidery so a crazy quilt is a great way to mix the two...

...and end up with something yummy! 

The back. 

Can I Get a Whoop, Whoop?

Finish it Up Friday. 

What to Do...What to Do

I've finished the embroidery on 3 napkins.

I don't think I'll be able to finish the fourth one today (and I'm so close) because I'm about out of thread and don't want to drive into town after a skein of floss.  Gas is just too expensive. I'll just pick some up on my way home from work tomorrow.  

I picked up a package of these napkins stamped and ready for embroidery at the thrift store for $1.95. The original sticker price was $9.50.  They were stamped for embroidery and have serged edges. According to the directions - after embroidery they are ready for use. 

I tried to keep my embroidery on the back neat. Well, that's REALLY neat for me.  But, I don't think I like the napkins with all that embroidery showing on the back and I really don't like the serged edges either.  So I was thinking about adding a solid white backing.  I think the napkins will look more elegant that way - no serged edges; no embroidery back showing.    These will be a Christmas gift for my daughter. 

What do you think? 

And since I don't have enough embroidery thread to finish my napkins I stamped some pillowcase cuffs with HIS and HERS.  When finished I will store them in the hope chest for my granddaughter along with the Double Wedding Ring quilt I made her. 

Strange thing...notice how there is a vine under the HIS that goes along the edge of the pillowcase?  It's not there for HERS. I looked at the package again and see it's not in the example on the envelope either.  I tried to fit the vine in the same space as HERS but it didn't fit so the letters must be a little bigger on HERS. Very strange.  Wish I had noticed before I had HIS all stamped.   Well,  it will give my granddaughter something to wonder about  in the future when she receives the gifts. 

Are you slow stitching on something today? 

Join the virtual Slow Sunday Stitching bee at Kathy's Quilts. 

By Hand

I've finished up 6 of the 7 days of the week and hope to finish the last tonight.  I'm somehow going to use them in my Tea Towel Challenge quilt. 

I've finished up 6 more butterflies for the quilt I'm making like the one I inherited from grandma.  I need to count how many more I need. I'll prep some more today to applique and stitch during the week after work. 

And if I get bored I can always work on embellishing some of the seams where blocks join on my Crazy Cravings lap quilt. 

And, also today I hope to pin baste a Double Wedding Ring quilt I'm making for my granddaughter's hope chest. I'm going to try my hand at some old fashioned quilting.  Maybe you will see something on that next Sunday. 

Join in with other hand stitchers for Slow Stitching Sunday at Kathy's Quilts. 

Throwing in the Towel...

...a hotpad or two, a crocheted dishcloth and a refrigerator magnet and wrapping it all in a bow so I can get a bunch of these sets sent off to family and friends. 

I like to embroider on dishtowels and give them away every Christmas. 

And make my own hotpads, nice and thick and full of Insulbrite and an old terrycloth towel (chickens on the back and 16 patch on the front)  

I previously blogged about some dishtowels I embroidered with veggies and so made some veggie hotpads to go with those sets.  I had also bought some cute vintage looking veggie fabric for the backs of the hotpads but, for the life of me, couldn't find it when it came time to get these made. I had some of the jar fabric in my scraps so that's what I used. And then when I was finished I found the cute vintage looking veggie fabric I had intended to use. 

Sometimes I make quilt sandwiches of fabric scraps, Insulbrite and whatever (cotton batting, terrycloth, etc) to practice some freemotion stitching on my DSM. So, while I was making hotpads I decided to get these bound for some personal hotpads.   I practiced a couple of feathers which I never did use on any quilts, and some leaves which I did use on a couple of quilts...

...and some flowers which I've used on several quilts. 

Peace!

I Have Another Crazy Craving

This is my third Crazy Cravings lap quilt block I've finished in October.  Only 6 more to go before assembly of the 12 inch blocks into a lap quilt 4x5.  This has been my Crazy Quilt Journal Project for the year.  

Cupcakes!

On the left I attached a piece of ribbon with laced running stitch.  On top the seam is embellished with a simple x and - the bottom seam is a piece of rick rack attached with herringbone stitches. And the hearts on the side are chain stitched with variegated silk thread and I kind of wove straight stitches inside. 

Here I did some free form chain stitching with some variegated thread that matched the cupcake frosting. I think I've mentioned in the past that I LOVE variegated threads!

And finally I stitched this seam with feather stitch and buttonhole stitches. 

I wish I had a design wall. I'd show all of the blocks so far up on the wall. Instead I pinned them together  in no particular order and hung them on the line outside for a picture.  I think the border will be pink gingham with chicken scratch stitched on it.  Crazy, huh? 

I made Halloween cutout cookies with the grand kids yesterday so my craving for sugar cookies with icing has been satisfied. 

My CQJP 2012 crazy lap quilt, was Crazy Basket Case.  Sign ups are going on now for CQJP 2014 and I already know what my lap quilt will be next year!! 

To see what others are slowly stitching this dreary October Sunday visit Slow Stitching Sunday at Kathy's Quilts.   

Slowly Stitching on Sunday

Still working on embroidering dishtowels for Christmas gifts.  I finally found my chicken embroidery transfers after I went and bought another packet of them so there will be some chicken dishtowels coming soon.  I have some chicken refrig magnets and some cute chicken and egg fabrics for potholders I'll make to go along with the kitchen gift sets.  I finished the one above for my friend Marsha and I'll probably have to make her a second one. 

Later on tonight I will probably do a little work on one of my 3 October blocks for my lap quilt Crazy Cravings which is my 2013 Crazy Quilt Journal Project. 

I finished embellishing this October block except I probably will have to do something to make the words "Icing on the Cake" show up a little better. I used one strand of pale pink embroidery floss and one strand of metallic pink but am not really satisfied with it. I will probably lace it or wrap it with something a little darker. 

I laced the backstitches on the actual icing on the cake so maybe that's what I'll do with the wording too. 

One of the seams has double herringbone (kind of uneven too I see) done in variegated perle brown and variegated perle pink. I happen to like variegated threads in case you haven't noticed.  Another seam is done in red/white/blue variegated floss running stitches and chain stitches. 

On this seam I did some straight stitches in pink and blue and brown and below the gingerbread boy button I mimicked the pastry sprinkles on the seam 

I think this lace was in a baggie of stuff I picked up from the thrift store. I attached it with running stitches and some french knots and below it I did some lazy daisy stitches which I see are also not very even but I'm going for the fun factor not the perfect factor and so it stays as is. 

And finally the seam next to the cupcakes is just a piece of polka dot ribbon attached with cross stitches. 

Crazy, huh? 

And what's everyone else hand stitching today? Well, you'll just have to visit Slow Stitching Sunday at Kathy's Quilts to find out.