WIP Wednesday 4.17.2024

I am continuing work on using the Twister Ruler for the MelonHeads. I was able to sew the pinwheels together (correctly!).

pattern: Twister Ruler staring with 10 inch squares and 6.25 inch border

I needed to add 'a little bit' to the eagle panel to make it wide enough for the pinwheel piece. I was deciding on inner/outer border. Should I 'go light' or 'darker'. This is pretty much even, although it doesn't look it.

I made the decision to use the white and medium blue with stars.

pattern: Twister Ruler

I'm actually liking this quilt. It is something a little different than 'what' you normally 'see' with panels. Thanks to Marilyn of the MelonHeads who needed someone to use the Twister Ruler blocks in a quilt sample. Otherwise, I never would have combined the two! :)

Sharing today with Susan at MidWeek Makers.

Design Wall Monday 4.15.2024

My friend, Mary volunteered us to help with the Twister Ruler demonstration at the April 24, 2024 meeting. Since I had the smaller and larger Twister Rulers, I offered for Mary to pick which one she wanted to make as the demo when she couldn't locate hers.

Guess what?! She responded neither! She wasn't grooving to the idea of sewing bigger blocks together and then cutting into smaller blocks to sew together again. Plus she thought there would be a lot of waste.

She's NOT wrong! LOL

I decided to use the larger Twister Ruler that starts with 10 inch squares and partner it with a QOV panel because, you guessed it! Another panel challenge due date is May 1, 2024. How do those due dates come around so quickly?!

This is my fabric pull and inspiration photo. Of course, I can't find my original link. grrr. I'm making twister stars on the left in the photo. I thought I had a different horizontal panel but I have two of this eagle print.

Here are the 10 inch blocks sewn together with the border. Looks a little blah...

I'm going to have to make another one to show 'how' the Twister Ruler goes on the pieced piece. I'll add that when I do it, okay? I was so excited to cut and twist that I didn't take the process pictures to post.

EDIT: This is an example of how I move the Twister Ruler for the first three blocks on the initial pieced piece.

Here are the twisted pieces on the design wall.

pattern: large Twister Ruler, star arrangement

As I type, I am washing more patriotic fabric. I seem to have used all the backings I had ready to quilt. (That is simply 2 yard cuts that have been washed waiting for ironing and sewing together into bigger chunks.)

Sharing today with Judy at Design Wall Monday.

This and That 4.14.2024

Last week, I went to my son's new apartment in Bay City, Michigan twice.

The first time, I was waiting for his couch delivery on Monday. After the delivery, I was happy to discover a quilt shop about a mile away. I'm like, for real?! So I went on a little adventure to The Dragonfly Quilt and Yarn Studio.  I was happy to pick up the magazine for the all state Michigan Shop Hop happening in June/July 2024.

On Friday and Saturday there was a quilt show at the Kochville Veteran's Hall. I asked DH if he wanted to go to the show and then visit with our son. We went to the show first. I was so excited that I almost forgot to take pictures. Here are the girls manning the entry as I was leaving.

This is the view that greeted us...such lovely quilts! It was a small intimate setting and I had fun looking at the quilts and talking to the vendors. DH did buy a microwave quilted caddy to give to our son as a housewarming gift.

This is the entrance hallway to the show.

After the show, we went over to our son's and since it was lunch time, I suggested the 'hot dog' place that was closed Monday for lunch on Saturday. It is called Mr. Hot Dog and is a converted older McDonald's. It did NOT disappoint! In fact it was some of the best coleslaw ever.

We then went shopping to buy miscellaneous things for the new apartment and when we got back, the boys put together the outdoor fireplace table unit. Sorry...no pictures. :(

When we arrived home, this little beauty was waiting in the mailbox. A very sweet, fun, quilty day spent with my two guys! only DD and her dog were missing. 

I think I might have to work extra hard this week to make up for my two days of playing hookie this past week. LOL

SoScrappy Saturday 4.13.2024

Today is the third Saturday of April of the color yellow.

Time for my main block from the Stash Buster 2024 Challenge.

pattern: 2024 Stash Buster Challenge main block

Sharing with SoScrappy Saturday.

Finish or NOT Friday 4.12.2024

My finish this week is a flimsy. 

I picked up this QOV from my night guild in March and have been procrastinating quilting it. 

I wasn't certain which color thread to use and my available colors are limited to the colors Permacord thread produces post Covid. I did find in the very back of the thread drawer a cone of gold. Eureka! But is it so old that thread breaks would be a problem? I was also worried about DD's new wheels. The wheels are very responsive compared to the old and I now tend to wander off the panto lines...

pattern: no information given but Friendship stars in the top row. :)

panto: serpentine

Good news: the gold thread quilted just perfect with no shredding or breaks. My control is getting more steady with each quilt I quilt with the new wheels on DD. 

DD ~Dinosaur Diva ~ is my long arm's moniker now. She's a dinosaur at 18 years old and a diva about thread tension.

Sharing today with Alycia at Finish or NOT Friday.

WIP Wednesday 4.10.2024

Yesterday I spent the afternoon in the sewing room working on my umbrella placemats. The first picture is on the design wall. The second picture is 'in the wild' on the kitchen table.

pattern: umbrellas by Kelli Fannin, no longer available

quilting: squiggly lines on Baby Brother, no pattern.

I have 4 more to quilt and bind for the Meals on Wheels. This guild meeting is Thursday night so I better get busy. I was surprised that my muscles were achy after quilting up the six placemats. I also loaded a QOV for the Thursday night guild but I am seriously procrastinating on quilting it. That will be Thursday morning's activity...Just in time....

Sharing today with Susan at MidWeek Makers.

Design Wall Monday 4.8.2023

Happy Solar Eclipse Day! Bell Creek Quilts is in the 99% viewing path but I received a request to go to my son's new apartment and wait for his new furniture delivery! (I wasn't planning on viewing the eclipse...I was going to hide away in the sewing room. LOL)

I did finish my umbrella wall hanging. First picture is on the design wall. Second picture is 'in the wild' aka my kitchen.

pattern: Kelli Fannin's umbrellas...sorry, no link available

panto: vertical serpentine

I also pieced together 6 placemats for my kitchen table.

And while I was piecing umbrellas, I made 4 for the Meals on Wheels program.

I'm going to baste spray the placemats and then quilt on Baby Brother. I'll put in a new needle and wind about 10 bobbins! I already made the binding for my table placemats, so I'll work on the quilting and finishing this week. 

But right now, I am enjoying the new couch!

Sharing today with Judy at Design Wall Monday.

SoScrappy Saturday 4.6.2024

Today is the second Saturday of April of the color yellow.

Time for my Hollow Nines. I really am liking this block and how easy it comes together!

Sharing today with SoScrappy Saturday.

Finish or NOT Friday 4.5.2024

 I have a finish!

A leftover from the March 2024 RSC color of purple. My Purple Plus with purple binding!

pattern: plus with 5.5 inch cut squares (public domain)

panto: vertical serpentine

I decided to make yellow (the April 2024 Rainbow Scrap Challenge color) umbrellas (the April 2024 Table Scraps Challenge shape). Somehow, this simple concept morphed into using novelties for the umbrella canopies! LOL and now, I'm heading to the store because I used all my book and dog fabrics. Yikes.

Here is my wall hanging. The other umbrellas will be pieced into placemats.

This is a pattern form Kelli Fannin but she passed away and her website is closed down so it is no longer available.

Sharing today with Alycia at Finish or NOT Friday.

WIP Wednesday 4.3.2024

I'm making progress on a couple of projects. 

I quilted the Purple Plus.

I also made the purple binding for the Purple Plus.

I'm making yellow umbrellas for my kitchen April wall hanging. This will also double as my 'If My Birthday was in April, I would make...' Birthday Bash Challenge. I was able to piece the bottom portion of 8 umbrellas.

pattern: umbrella by Kelli Fannin 

                I saved this on Pinterest but now it's a broken link. 

Upon further search, I discovered Kelli passed away in November 2023 after battling cancer. This is so sad as she designed very cute quilts and quilt blocks. I wished her family would have kept her blog on file so that her quilting legacy would live on.

Sharing today with Susan at MidWeek Makers.