Art, Craft and Needlework, January, 2010

[Nancy]

Thanks Harriet! Love the idea of using this info. you found in my journaling!

I've ripped out more of the granny squares and have a bit more to undo.
and I've been thinking and woke up with the idea to add another round to
make these squares bigger and see if I can get a throw out of them
I have black yarn for it and it will be striking!

[Harriet]

Nancy, I'm so glad. I tried to answer them and learned from them, I think.

"I've been thinking and woke up with the idea..."

That happens to me, too. I find I can be very clear-headed on creative projects just after I awaken.

Things that have happened to my creative life:

I found this article on tips to get yourself to finish projects, and decided that 2 projects ONLY at a time is the answer for me. I will not even glance at the others until one of these is done. I chose 2 with the sense of urgency the article talks about.

I've decided the first is ds and ddil's (Forest) quilt, and the second is a child's quilt (I'll choose between 2 UFOs for this depending upon whether we find out the new grandchild is a girl or boy).

I took a photo of the design wall holding the parts I've finished of the Forest quilt, plus some fabric choices stuck around. Then I was free to change everything around, knowing I could come back to the previous choices. Kinda like a "save" of a document! I did a lot of "auditioning" of different fabrics for the center medallion. The very center is finished, but fabrics for the area around that are a puzzlement.

I also made a second template out of a cereal box for the triangle that's in the medallion. I wasn't going to use a template for this triangle, and just rotary cut it. But now I have decided to make a "strata", or joined strips of fabric, from which to cut some of this piece, so I'll need it.

Today has been full of creativity. Very happy day.

[Harriet]

Here's the UFO I chose as first to finish in 2010, the Forest quilt. I've been working on this since ds got engaged, but haven't been able to get back to it for so long. All the fabrics are tree, earth or leaf images.

Decided to post this for accountability and just to show where I am so far on this long-term project.

Here is the design wall early today with the parts I have already done, plus some fabrics up there "auditioning". I need to make two more blocks to match the 12 I have (can you see the gaps at the bottom), and stitch up the outer part of the compass medallion, then sash it all together. I haven't got a plan yet for the border.

[Harmony]

Hi! Harriet that is so absolutely beautiful. I wish I could do that. Well, I could, I know how but I do not have the time. Maybe not the patience either.

So tonight I decided to get my knitting needles out and dust their cobwebs off. Gee it's been so long. Gee, DGD is almost 3 and hers was the last thing I knitted, a baby blanket.

All this non-stop paperwork has me wanting to explore something very different. So as I was knitting away at a square, perhaps a dishcloth? I began to think, yikes, we have a new baby grandson due in May. So what am I going to do? A quilt? A blanket?

A quilt would have to be very simple, maybe relying on different colored squares for pattern rather than intriquite piecing. Or more knitting? My last 2 baby quilts were 9 patch interspersed with fussy-cut squares with printed teddy bears. I hand quilted little animals on the borders. No time for that now though.

Does anyone have any suggestions?

Nancy I don't know how to do granny squares, wish I did. I don't know how to change colors, never learned. I'd love to make a baby blanket of those.

[Harriet]

Yep, getting to do something creative makes for relaxation and is good for the brain!

Harmony, here’s my opinion – make the quilt top you like and send it off to be quilted. Or even have the lady bind it, too. If you feel strongly about wanting to add some of your own hand quilting, ask that the borders be left open and do those yourself when you get the quilt back. Some longarm quilters out there who say they do “custom” work are even able to leave other areas open for you, like I requested on the character squares for my dstepgd’s quilt. But that gets pricier.

Alternately, if it is the quilting you really love, shop ebay and etsy for sellers of quilt tops only, and plan to quilt it yourself.

I have had good luck with buying just fabric squares from ebay – did that for my dbabyneice’s quilt and it speeds things up. I bought a big pack (don’t remember how many) squares of 1930s fabrics and put that with a near-white near-solid and that was about all the fabrics I needed. SuzLew had asked me to post the photo of that one again and it is in October ’08 thread, but if you look at that one remember I got carried away – the fabrics would have been beautiful in a nine patch. If you ever wanted to buy darks in squares, look for ones that have been prewashed - it's tedius to prewash after they are cut.

[Harmony]

Gee, Harriet, how do you know who to send your quilt to? There is a quilter's club around here, I suppose I could check that out, someone there would know.

I do know this, if DD's baby turns out to be a girl, there is nothing I can do but make a sunbonnet sue one. Been wanting to make one of those for ages!

My greatest joy is hand sewing. I will patch things by machine as I think they're stronger, but I really loved having my baby quilt in a big frame, sitting there hour after hour quilting away. I did a top to something once with appliqued hearts and I've had people ask if I did that on the machine the stitches are so perfect!

Now I know a frame takes up a lot of room, but isn't there something homey about having a quilt laid out somewhere?

[Nancy]

Harmony I do a round and just tie it off and start a new color.
There is a website from the t.v. show on pbs called knit and crochet today I think.
That showed tips and tricks and one was makeing granny squares that you don't have to sew
together I would love to learn!
http://knitandcrochetnow.com/

Got the rest of the squares taken apart last night yea!
Harriet thanks for showing us that!

[Harmony]

Nancy, what do you do with all the knots, then? Don't they show? Do you use double knots? And then I guess you weave the ends in? Did you see the little knit bunny on that website? So cute!

Harriet, what size baby quilt did you make? I'm finding everything from 26 x 48 to 36 x 54 to 45 x 60. also 28.5 x 28.5.

I looked at some already made quilts today just for inspiration, also wandered around in the fabric store. So much to consider.

[Nancy]

Harmony no the knots do not show that much,
yes I just weave them in just like joining on yarn from the same color.
Yes I do use a square knot.

Last night got the black border on three of these granny squares
and they turned out really nice! It feels so good to rescue the work I
had in 'em! Yea!

I now have 5 of them done.

[Harriet]

1) Is it appropriate to name someone's ebay seller/store name here? I guess it is since they are possibly looking for business? Anyway, it is a way I can see to point someone out without giving real name or address. The simple machine quilter I used once is called cramdeb on ebay. She is very honest and fast, but I notice she has not had an auction in a year, though she is still an active ebay-er. I don't know whether that means she is well-established now and doesn't need auctions, or whether she's stopped quilting for others. Anyway, she still has contact info there.

2) The custom machine quilter I used for dstepgd's quilt has a website at thequiltersstation.com, and her "prepare your quilt" page is helpful for understanding what machine quilters need you to send and about how she can help the quilt to lie flat or square up. She is more expensive, but also honest and fast, and she left the open places just exactly as I requested.

3) If anyone ever needed a perfect hand quilting service, I'd say Quilting Plus, which has kept a classified ad in the back of the larger quilt mags for decades - one Amish lady takes each quilt home and it may take a while. They are in Minn. and the houses can be isolated from town for weeks, so don't expect a deadline to be met.

Size is very personal and there's no wrong answer. "Baby quilts" that are only 36 inches square are definitely out there in use. Some turn into favorites that are dragged around for years. Also, at that size the parents can easily choose to make one a wall hanging for decoration. If it is one to be machine quilted, a regular sized width of 45-inch fabric will do any 36/37" measurement without piecing, btw.

But if much real bedtime use is expected of the quilt for a toddler, it probably should have no measurement less than 40 inches or it's just not going to help keep the child warm. I see a lot of approx. 40x60 and 48x48 measurements in patterns for children.

I believe my dbabyniece's quilt was 44x56. DangerBoy's was narrower and longer, and I remember that bothered me, but I didn't hear any complaints.