Thursday, April 04, 2024

Scrappy Journal on Free Motion Mavericks

Hi and welcome. ⛄ Are you under siege with snow? I'm sure that it won't stay, but it's here. At least it will be Spring again eventually! I have a spring-like project to share.

Scrappy Journal Challenge

A few weeks ago I participated in another Vintage Page Designs Challenge. We made a Scrappy Journal. It took me longer than a week to make but I love how it turned out. I've cut up paper to create more of these in different sizes. Hopefully I'll play with them soonish.

Scrappy Journal - a Spring-like cover

You may remember this photo while I was making the cover.

Cover hanging up to dry

I was supposed to add more images and stitches to the cover but that didn't happen. That's why we make many versions 😊.

Front of the Scrappy Journal

I have 4 signatures (sections), each with a cover page

The binding of the book is a zig-zag stitch

Back cover of the journal

Poppy modeling the journal 😍

What I learned

In my previous post (see Related links) I mentioned that I had used a thinner watercolour paper to make this cover and glued on a second paper to it. It worked out ok, but for the next two that I've started, I used the proper watercolour paper weight and just changed the sizes of the journals.
The cover can also be done on canvas fabric. I bought some very reasonably priced printed canvas that looks like it's been stenciled. I'm hoping to glue various papers onto it to create something unique.
I've been collecting paper napkins when I go out for supper and find cool ones. This cover was done using some napkins illustrating the 12 days of Christmas, as well as a few favourites that have flowers. I'm always on the look-out for interesting paper napkins to make journal covers.
In my next versions of this scrappy journal cover, I'll be stitching on fabric. That will be a lot of fun 😀
I used printed paper to make a cover for each signature. However, I would love the scrappiness of these journal to extend to the paper used inside, and not only the cover. I've made a few artsy journals (see Related links) so mixing all of this together would be a lot of fun.
I want to play with the idea of a scrappy journal so that I can use this as part of the playdate for the Out of the Box (OOTB) Fibre Artists. It will be held in June, so I have some time to figure it out.
The zig-zag stitch that was used for this journal was a bit complicated for beginners. I want to make more journals with the zig-zag stitch, but I'll find a simpler alternative for the playdate.

Great news! Hubby had a look at my scrappy journal and would like me to make him one! 😊

Related links

Scrappy Play on Free Motion Mavericks, March 21, 2024
Fall Fling Market on Free Motion Mavericks,(hour-glass binding with paper fabric) October 26, 2023
Catching up on posting projects, February 08, 2021
More Stitchers' Journals, February 11, 2021

Linking parties

I'll be linking up to many fun linking parties. Why not check them out - and please remember to link up below 😊Put your foot down, Off The Wall Friday, Finished (Or Not) Friday, TGIFF, Patchwork & Quilts, 15 Minutes to Stitch 2024, Design Wall Monday, Sew & Tell,

Project details

Scrappy Journal

made for the Scrappy Journal Challenge with Vintage Page Designs

Size: 9" x 4"

Materials: watercolour paper, napkins, scrap paper and fabric, printed craft paper, glue, printer paper, waxed cotton string, ribbon

Techniques: book making techniques with zig-zag spine and scrappy cover

Free Motion Mavericks

It's week 476 of Free Motion Mavericks. Let's see what our quilters are up to!

DonnaleeQ quilted a Raider's runner as well as a cute Sun Bonnet Sue quilt that she started 20 years ago with her granddaughter.

Raider's runner by Donnalee

Sun Bonnet Sue quilt made by Donnalee

Gail of Quilting Gail didn't have a finish this Friday but she showed us a photo of her quilt top being quilted using Silly Moon rulers.

Quilt top getting quilted by Gail

Gail quilting her top using Silly Moon rulers

Chris of ChrisKnitsSews was able to finish her grandbaby's quilt since he's now made an appearance. Chris made the curved lines using rulers, did some stitch-in-the-ditch and Point-to-Point stitching. What a beauty!

Baby C's quilt, made by Chris

Stitching details by Chris

It's now your turn!

Saturday, March 30, 2024

March Table Scraps Challenge finish and April's OMG

Hi and welcome 😎 I got to play in my back yard today - it's cool but sunny and the bulbs are just coming out - so the perfect time to clean up leaves and dried plants. One more afternoon and it'll be done! Today I'm sharing my finished Table Scraps Challenge 2024 and April's One Monthly Goal (OMG).

Purple Scrappy Improv Placemat Finish

I'm sorry that I've been dragging this out but it's finally done 😍. I hope that Sarah will love it cause I really love it and will steal it from her is she doesn't 😁! What's not to love about so much purple?

Purple scrappy improv placemat finished!

Over the last two years I've used the Table Scraps Challenge to make a set of placemats. The first one was mine (blue), then my daughter (yellow) and Hubby (green). Now Sarah gets the purple and whenever we reach neutral, that will be for my son.

All four scrappy improv placemats

I made the table smaller so that I could take a good picture!

All four placemats on the small table

You can see the evolution of my improv piecing through the placemats. The first blue one was only scrappy. The yellow and green one were a little more improv but the purple is much more improvisational. It was fun to work with shapes other than squares and rectangles.

Evolution of the improv in the scrappy placemats

Here are some pictures of the free motion quilting (FMQ).

More FMQ with a variety of thread

FMQ a sun or flower

FMQ the outline of a bird - this month's theme

I used many different thread to FMQ this piece. It didn't start off as intentional. I started with a darker variegated King Tut but it was more red than purple. I then switched to a lighter variegated King Tut. I then remembered that I had this new Fantastico polyester thread. Unfortunately it didn't play nicely with the cotton bobbin thread, so I switched to a Madeira polyneon in both the bobbin and top. That was different but lots of fun!

I used 5 different type and colour thread

I found a long piece of solid dark purple binding in my binding box. Yeah - that's twice now that I get to use up binding from my stash.

Purple binding from my binding scrap box

April's One Monthly Goal (OMG)

At the beginning of May, the Out of the Box (OOTB) Fibre Artist group will be having our annual Fibre Fling. Since we had a Fall Fling, I only have one piece for the show. I've got a great idea (I hope) for the second piece. It will involve a vase of tulips that is partially quilted and partially 3D, using wire and fibre with glue and hand-stitching. The piece needs to be finished by the end of the month and I'll share what I have - hopefully a successful finish but always about learning!😉

Tulips in motion

Tulips in a vase - inspiration for my art piece

Possible supplies for April's OMG

What I learned

Fun and small projects are perfect for learning by trying things out - from

choosing scraps that work together,
trying different improv piecing,
playing with FMQ designs
practicing machine binding, and
and working with different thread.

Wednesday, March 27, 2024

Celebrating 12 Years of Blogging

Hi and welcome 😊. Today is my blogging anniversary. Twelve years ago I wrote my first post. It was probably read by my family and friends. I didn't care if anyone else was reading it, I just wanted to record my quilting journey. And what a journey it's been. I want to thank all my readers for sharing this with me.

Twelve Years Ago!

My first post! 😊

Scrappy Purple Placemat

It's still a work-in progress (WIP).

Purple placemat - almost done!

It started with a couple of blocks made up of squares and rectangles. I then found the batik triangle and a great strip to work with it. That made a lovely triangle block.

Original blocks sewn together

This block was larger than I needed, so it got chopped up! I always feel empowered when I do that😁

Only half of this block made it into the placemat

At the bottom, you can see my first two blocks and half of my other block. I then decided that long, slim lines would be nice.

Original 2 blocks sewn together with half of the other block.
Long slim strips added after the blocks

On the top of those original blocks, I stitched many wonky blocks. I love it when the fabric is a weird shape within the block.

A few wonky blocks thrown in!

A couple of wonky blocks inside this block

Once the major blocks are stitched together, it's a matter of adding strips of fabric to make the placemat wide and high enough. I needed a couple of extra inches on the top, so just added the one batik fabric strip. The right side also got a few strips sewn in.

Blocks assembled to the right size

I'm sorry that the pictures are not in order. I didn't take many photos as I was putting things together. Most of the photos were taken tonight with the placemat partially FMQ.

What I learned

On 12 years of blogging

It's amazing what I've learned in 12 years!
I now have a format that I follow and that works for me.
I often refer to my previous blog posts when I'm making something that is similar.
I do wish that I had a better labeling system but as the search function in Blogger works well, I can still find things.
One of my goals is to post at least as many posts in the year as the last year. I started my first year with 8 posts (when I had no idea what to say!) I'm now writing about 68 posts a year. At this time I can't imagine writing more, but who knows. I write when I have something to share.😊
I try to update the look of my blog, at the very least the header, once a year (which I haven't done yet).
I plan to update my "Projects from Books, Mags & Patterns" page to include other media such as YouTube videos, etc.
I will also be creating more specialty pages for things such as Hand-made books.
I love the wonderful community of quilty friends that I've made through the years. It's so great to be able to share my passion with others who "get" it😁
Thanks so much for being there, for reading, commenting etc. I appreciate it so much 😍

Purple Placemat

This purple placemat is much more of an improv piece than my other placemats. It seems that my improv piecing is getting bolder. What fun!
I love alternating between larger fabric pieces and tiny ones.
Too many tiny pieces make the whole too busy, so adding strips vertically and horizontally pulls it together.
It's funny how the last piece of FMQ has influenced this piece. When I started FMQ the placemat, I was drawn to quilt the same gentle curves that I had quilted on my girlfriend's quilt.
After I realised what I was doing, I started to change it up by more intentional in my quilting.

Free Motion Mavericks

This is week 475 of Free Motion Mavericks' linking party. Last week was very busy with some wonderful quilting going on! Let's check them out.

Preeti of Sew Preeti Quilts has created another beauty! Her latest quilt is called Lula May and it was created as part of the Ambassador's Choice with Island Batiks. Below is a photo of her quilting.

Lula May by Preeti

Preeti used her favorite squiggle stitch with her walking foot.

Next we have Denise of A Quiltery with her amazing quilt that she created for the Give It A Whirl block hop. Those pinwheel look great among the many, many nine patch blocks.

Denise's pinwheels surrounded by many lovely nine patch blocks

A picture of Loki with a close-up of the FMQ

We have another participant of the Give It A Whirl block hop. Gail of Quilting Gail has created a whole quilt of pinwheels - some in colourful fabric while others are FMQ. What an wonderful fun quilt!

Look at Gail's intricate FMQ pinwheels

Here's a close-up of Gail's FMQ pinwheels

Deb, A Scrappy Quilter, has fashioned two cuddly little quilts for the grandkids to use around the campfire. They are made from many baby sleepers.

Boy sleepers used to make another cuddly little quilt by Deb

A sweet cuddly little quilt made by Deb

Kathy of Hazel's Daughter blog made a beautiful runner for Project Quilting 15.6: Irish Chain. If you're curious about her Irish Chain variation, read up on it here.

Variation on the Irish Chain by Kathy

A close-up of the quilting by Kathy

Sandra of mmm quilts finished FMQ her Rainbow Fish Stay At Home Round Robin (SAHRR). Her quilt and her FMQ are amazing!

Here's a close-up of some of the quilting by Sandra

Sandra's Rainbow Fish in front of a local mural

It's now your turn!

Sunday, March 24, 2024

Irish Chain - Project Quilting, Challenge 6 of Season 15

Hi and welcome! A quick and short post to join in the Project Quilting (PQ) 15.6, Irish Chain.

Scrappy Irish Chain Cuddle Quilt

Scrappy Irish Chain cuddle quilt

It's done with less than an hour to spare. And now I'm quickly writing up this short post 😎!

Cuddle quilt ready to be handed in to my local guild

This is where I left off on Thursday - the flimsy of the Irish Chain cuddle quilt. Of course, I got involved in other fun scrappy projects and only remembered yesterday that the cuddle quilt needed to be finished by Sunday noon!

Scrappy cuddle quilt top

Here's the cuddle quilt, with the Irish Chain blocks stitched-in-the-ditch. I wanted to make sure that they would show up well. I also attached the binding by machine at that time.

Stitching-in-the-ditch around the 9 patch or Irish chain blocks

Since I still had a couple of hours left, I free motion quilted (FMQ) in the large white blocks. It needed to be simple and quick. My daughter suggested the sun, clouds, etc. So that's how I started. Here are a few of the blocks.

FMQ a sailboat on the water and a fish

FMQ a house, tree and flower

FMQ Sun

FMQ an evergreen tree

FMQ a tree and tulips

FMQ Moon

I thought that I was finished but then added some swirls and loops in the small border.

Thanks so much Trish and Kim for another great Project Quilting year!

What I learned

I should have started quilting this piece last night but I was near the end of a book and decided that the listening to the audiobook is what I wanted to do. I'm retired, so I can do that!
Of course this morning I sort of regretted my decision but oh well, it was a great book! 😊
The Irish Chain piecing went well and I'm happy with my accuracy - it's really not bad!
It was less fun FMQ in a hurry but that's ok. The cuddle quilt is done and looks fine. I'm sure that the baby will be happy!
This is the last of Project Quilting, Season 15. I did join in 4 of the 6 challenges. The hourglass challenge was started but I forgot about it. I hope to finish it some day (another mini UFO)!