Hand quilting, it's not that bad

I had stayed away from doing hand quilting since I started quilting. I kept coming up with excuses on why I couldn't do it. I've got man hands ( which I do) there's no way I can manipulate that needle or it takes way to too long. I do have patient problems. Well this past year I had decided to bust all of those silly reasons & just jump in & give it a go. Through trial & error I found the method that works for me. I do not use a hoop. I use an embroidery needle & pearlized 8 or 12 cotton thread. This was a block I had made & I slapped a border on it, found a backing & some batting. 

The stitches aren't perfect & that's what makes it wonderfully unique to me. 

This is going to be the year for me to bust through these techs that I had always thought was too hard or not for me. I'm not going to let fear stop me from trying. I hope yall are having a great day. It's awfully windy here but it's been a good day. More later on,

Vicky

Trying to decide which was is up

The last 2-3 weeks have been about survival for me. During my FILS hospital stay my world was consumed with his care, taking care of my MIL, keeping occupied/busy during the slow times & figuring out who would be at home when the kiddo gets off the bus. 

We've hit the one week at home Anniversary & it's been a rough week, though it has gotten better as the week has gone on. I've been sleeping at my in laws because he has needed me but the last two nights they've done well & haven't needed me. So tonight I'm going to be sleeping at home ( our houses are 60' apart so I'm not that far away) & I'm hoping all goes well. I spend my mornings over there so my MIL can take a nap or do whatever she needs to do & I sew while he sleeps. I was able to get the Y seams quilt done! 

I'm thrilled that's it's done. Now I'll need to figure out how to get it to my LAQ. 

Since this project was done what was I going to work on next? I grabbed a bag of scraps this am & headed over. This is what it looked like

There were so many goodies in this bag. Lots of zip lock baggies of HST! Some were just cut out, some were already sewed & I got really lucky & some were already pressed & ready to go. 

I sewed up 2 baggies & am working on getting them squared up. I was getting very excited about some quilt block ideas & then for some reason which I haven't figured out yet it's like the wind has been let out of my sails & my quilting mojo has left the building. I've pulled out my hand quilting project that needs to be finished & maybe I can work on that & get it completed. I think that the quilting mojo will come back when I start getting more sleep. I hope y'all are doing well & have a great night,

More later on

Vicky

It's Monday & I'm working on a finish!

I think the end is in sight for this quilt. This is my "Y" seams project. Have I made it just like the pattern is written, nope, I've made it my own & that is ok. 

 

I've got one more row to put on & then it will be on to borders. It won't be as big as I generally make my quilts. I bought this yardage years ago & my chances of finding more are slim. I have completely used up all of the purple yardage that goes around the hexies. There's only itty bits left that have found their way into my string bin. I've got more yardage that goes with all of this & I'm hoping that through the borders I can use some or a lot of that up as well. 

I've been doing my sewing over at my in-laws house. They are 60feet to the west of my house. My father in law come home from a week in the hospital last Tuesday & is now on hospice. My mother in law & I are his primary caregivers. We are finding our new "normal". I do know that quilting will definitely be a part of that new normal. I've set up my featherweight on their dining room table & I can look right up & see him in the living room. I believe that his generation (those born in the 20's) are extremely resilient & have an incredible will to live. I hope that y'all will bear with me as there might be time between posts. I'm going to do my best to post as often as I can. I am continueing to do my presentations. I've got 2 this week. Tomorrow night I'm with the Kansas Capital Quilters in Topeka Ks & Thursday night I'm with the Northland quilters guild in North Kansas City. If you're in the area I'd love  for you to come. I'd better cut this off. I need to get my fabric cut & head back over. I hope y'all are having a great day. More later on,

Vicky

Waiting room quilting

I was called a busy body yesterday. I guess I kinda am. My father in law is not feeling well so my mother in law & I have been in a series of hospital waiting rooms

Since yesterday. I'm glad I had my handwork/knitting bag already to go because it was a life saver for me. I broke my embroidery needle yesterday & I thought jeepers I don't know my own strength, LOL! 

Well the nurse came back in & I had switched to my knitting & that is when she said I was a busy body. Today I've brought along my Y seams project so that I can mark my 1/4".

 That way when I get to sew I won't have to stop & make those marks. 

I also brought more yarn & more needles so I should stay busy & productive while I wait. I hope y'all are having a great day!

More later on,

Vicky

Piecemakers Quilt Guild of Ottawa KS

Thank you! I had a great time with you last night. For the quilters who inquired about my seed packet quilt

This is the book the pattern is in

This is the pattern

Thank you again for a fun night & I hope you left inspired. More later on,

Vicky

It's Monday & there are lots of irons in the fire!

It's a busy Monday here. I've got my car loaded up & ready to go to a guild presentation in Ottawa KS tonight. Every time I load the car I try different ways to put the quilts into the car. This time I've tried to keep them in order so that they are easy to set up. We'll see how it goes. I've got 50 quilts packed into the car, It'll be a fun time & I'm looking forward to it. 

I've not done much sewing since Friday night 😢. Life has been way too busy for me to sit down to sew. I did have a few minutes this am but I decided to finish up the latest scarf.

I decided not to make it an infinity scarf mainly because I ran out of yarn. I really love variegated yarn. The designs you get are so fun. This is a 100% Peruvian highland wool. I used my size 15 needles that are 14".  It's warm! I've got my next skien & needles packed up & they'll go with me tonight along with my needle work. I try to make the best use of my time to get any kind of hand work done. 

On the sewing front I'm working on the Y seams project that I started Friday night & I got my friend Liz's paper piecing project out. They both need to be finished. Here's a pic of the the pp quilt. 

There are four different sections that will make up the star. That & the Y seams quilt will have to wait until tomorrow. It's time to start getting ready to go. I hope y'all are having a great day. It's beautiful day here in the middle of the USA. Check out patchworktimes.com to see what other quilters are up to. More later on,

Vicky 

Learning something new

Y seams. They've got a horrible reputation in the quilting world. I'm not sure who gave them this reputation but they were very effective. I've been quilting for 12 years & it's only been in the last year and a half that I've learned how to do set in seams, curved piecing & now Y seams. It's all about that 1/4" seam allowance, don't get greedy & get into it. I've never taken a class before & my Friday night sewing group wanted to take this one. I had a great time with my friends & I learned a few things. 

I used yardage not scraps for my project. My friends were in shock that I even had yardage. I have purchased yardage before. It's just not something I do very often anymore. Here's my project from last night

I really like it & so does my best friend Liz. She likes the prints, the colors & she likes the design. I asked her if she'd like this quilt instead of the other quilt I'm making her & she asked me if there was enough fabric to make it big. Yes there is.  I've never calculated yardage well plus I'm worried that I won't have enough & so I've always over purchased.

 I'll keep yall updated on its progress. It's time to do chores & I'm having breakfast with a friend who's come from out of town. It should be a great day. More later on,

Vicky