FINISHED BROKEN BRICKS

 I made some binding and got busy sewing onto the recently quilted Broken Bricks quilt.

So, it's officially finished now.  That's finish number 12 for the year.  

Close-up of the quilting.

For those of you that inquired, here's a few of my tips for machine top-stitching the binding on the top. 

First, I like a tight binding.  I cut the continuous bias binding at 2-1/4" wide and press it in half.  Then I sew it onto the backing with a 1/4" seam allowance or so.  After, I give it a good press to the outside.

A lot of folks use those little clips all around the quilt.  Not me.  I use a couple of them, one to get it started and another when I get to the corners.  But, my secret weapon is my wonderful little awl.

I use it to hold the binding where I want it as I go, stitching a few inches at a time. 

When I get to the corner I trim away the corner of batting and a little of the batting to the approach and some from the next side, so the bulk of the binding will have a place to go.  

Then I fold it the way I want and keep it clipped as I approach the corner.  I remove the clip, which has pressed the binding into submission, then hold it in place with the awl.  Sew up to fold, making sure I get just one stitch into the fold and then leaving the needle down I raise the foot and turn the corner.

 Continue on around the whole quilt.  

Those are my best tips.  You can do it.

FINISHED PLAID BRICKS QUILT

I made the binding yesterday. I auditioned several colors and settle on a Kona Stone. Today I sewed it onto the Plaid Bricks quilt.

It's done!  

BROKEN BRICKS QUILTED

 I finished the quilting on the Broken Bricks quilt.  I used the same pantograph I used on the Plaid Bricks quilt, but I made it a little smaller.  It quilts out really nice.  

FINISHED BIRDS IN THE AIR

 I made the binding and sewed it onto the Birds in the Air quilt today.

So, it's officially done.  It is my tenth finish for the year.

This quilt top was made in 1994.  Included are blocks made by some of my friends in the Issaquah Quilt Guild on which most signed their names and the date.  

PLAID BRICKS DONE QUILTING

 I finished up the second half of the quilting on the Plaid Bricks quilt.

It looks great.  This pantograph stitched very nicely and it looks great with the straight lines of the quilt.

QUILTING BRICKS

 I loaded the Plaid Brick quilt onto the longarm and set up a pantograph, "Jax", and got it going. It's quilting out very nicely and looks great.

BIRDS IN THE AIR IS QUILTED

 I set up Birds in the Air with a pantograph and finished it up today.

DECK TABLE IN USE

Coco approves of her new hangout under the Deck Table.  It was designed with her comfort in mind after all.

 

LOADED ONTO LONGARM

 I loaded the Birds in the Air quilt onto the longarm.  It will get quilted with a pantograph.

BACKING FOR BIRDS IN THE AIR

 This month's UFO Challenge with Quilting Mayhem in Snohomish, Washington, is #9.  My #9 is an old quilt top made in 1994, Birds in the Air.  The top is ready to go, but it needed a back and to be quilted and bound.

I've spent the last few days making the backing.  I'm using only fabrics from my stash, mostly greens with a few oranges.  

Today I finished it, label and all.

WHALE POUCH FINISHED

 I sewed it all together this morning, included installing a zipper,  and now the Whale Pencil Case pattern by JotDotShop on Etsy is finished.  And it's so cute!

Now I'll be on the lookout for jeans with rounded pockets!

WHALE PENCIL CASE BEGINNINGS

I bought a pattern for a pencil case that looks like a whale from JotDotShop on Etsy.

Today I started putting some of the pieces together.  I'm using some cast aside used-up work jeans of Darrell's.  

CUSHION FOR NEW DECK TABLE

 Darrell has been busy designing and making a new table for our deck.  And of course, we wanted to incorporate a place for the cat or dog to hang out underneath like they did with the previous table.  I made a custom cushion to fit in the space.

Cutting out the pattern piece from paper

I sewed in a zipper, back view

Finished zipper, front view 

Sewing on the sides

Both top and bottom sewn to sides, along with some ties to keep it in place

Finished!  Just needs stuffing.

Cushion in place - table still waiting for glass top to arrive.

BACKING FOR PLAID BRICKS

 I stopped at Carriage Quilts in Des Moines looking for a backing fabric for the Plaid Bricks quilt.  I had an idea of what I wanted exactly.  But, I know how difficult it is to find that perfect fabric.  But, I was surprised that my ideal fabric was right there by the front door.  Easy Peasy.

So after prewashing and pressing out the wrinkles, I made the backing.  

BRICKS QUILT TOP

 I've been sewing the Plaid Bricks together over the last few days.  I first sewed them together in pairs.  Then I sewed the pairs together.

When I got about two thirds of them sewn together I noticed the top four rows were longer than the rest.  

I let the whole thing sit for a few days while I figured out what to do.  

I finally decided to unsew a few of the rows and 'fix' them.

I hadn't pinned or worried about the how the rows were going together when I sewed them into pairs and subsequently that led to the length differentials, probably because the fabrics are so 'stretchy'. 

Only a few rows had big problems and I needed to adjust and even replace some of the bricks.

Then I measured each block and marked the center so I could line it up with the seam on the previous row.  That worked.  The rows were now the same length.

And I finished it.

 There's something very satisfying and comforting to me about some of these 'traditional' quilts, especially the ones made with plaids.