Fabric for a Quilt Using Janice's Cross-Stitched Blocks

Not long before she passed away, Janice, my sister-in-law, gave me 23 sixteen-inch blocks she had cross-stitched.

I designed this quilt in EQ7; it measures 100" x 124":

This afternoon, I went to Hobby Lobby and to our local quilt shop, Sew What, and bought the fabric:

Now I'm ironing the cross-stitched blocks, and next I'll make sure they're all square and exactly the same size.  I'm thinking I will give this quilt to my brother.  He's quite sentimental about the things Janice made.

Hotfix Crystals on Mosaic Sailboat Quilt

I tried out my new hotfix crystal applicator for the first time, putting crystals into the water on the Mosaic Sailboat quilt.  It worked nicely, and I like how it looks, so I'll be putting them on the Mosaic Lighthouse quilt when it's done.

Here are some picture of the crystals.  You can't see them very well... but in the light, they sparkle and twinkle.  I'll try some shots outdoors someday when it's sunny and bright.

Strata Star Table Topper, Completed

Today I sewed the binding on the Strata Star table topper.  It is all done now and already in the dryer -- I washed it with a couple of Color Catchers, since one of the darker reds wanted to bleed.

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Almost to the Half-Way Point on Strata Star

I got a little more quilting done tonight after we got home from the funeral (see Nature's Splendor).  I'll soon be to the half-way point.

Beginning the Quilting on the Strata Star

The first row is partially done.  First rows always take the longest, because I'm deciding what to do as I go along.  Once that row is done, I'm committed -- the rest of it has to match, like it or not.

Preparing to Load Strata Star Top on Frame

Some instructions for the Strata Star table topper say to layer backing and top right sides together, then put the batting on top, then sew all the way around, leaving a hole through which to turn it right side out.  Sew the hole shut, stitch in the ditch for quilting, and be done.

However, I wish to quilt it on my HQ16, and I can't do that if I do a turned quilt with no binding.  So I sewed pieces of muslin to the sides, making it square.  I used water-soluble thread in the bobbin, so I only need to mist the edges with water, and the muslin will come right off.  The muslin will be used in attaching top to leaders, and now it's ready to load on the frame.

And yes, I did remember to remove the water-soluble thread from the bobbin race.  I keep the bobbin in a bag with the cone of thread, and never mix it with the other bobbins.  When I use it, I also put a garish color of thread in the top, so that if I start to sew something else, I will see that gaudy thread and remember to change the bobbin thread.

A lady on a quilting group once told a story about a baby quilt she had made for a new grandchild -- and she'd forgotten to remove the water-soluble thread.  When she was done with the quilt, the night before they were to fly cross-country to visit that new baby, she tossed it into the washing machine.

Imagine her astonishment and dismay when, upon opening the washer, she discovered that the beautiful baby quilt had gone to confetti!

She stayed up all night resewing that quilt, and was done when it was time to head to the airport.

That horror story caused me to redouble my efforts to never forget about the water-soluble thread, or get it mixed up with other threads.

Strata Star Table Topper -- Top is Done

Tonight I finished the top of the Strata Star Table Topper.  This pattern is also called 'Crazy Eights' or 'Card Trick', although other patterns share those names, and 'Card Trick' more often refers to four squares 'overlapping', as opposed to eight.

I plan to put it on the frame and quilt it tomorrow.

Close-ups of fabric:

,,,>^..^<,,,     Sarah Lynn     ,,,>^..^<,,,

Can You Guess What This Will Be?

Today I completed four strip sets, each of which were 100" long and made up of 8 different fabrics.  There are two strips each of matching fabrics, put together in the same order.

I have cut two strips sets into triangles; the other two are pressed and ready to be cut tomorrow.  I've used 13 different fabrics so far.

This is the beginning of a wedding gift for Larry's cousin's daughter Emily and her fiancé Mitchell.  Do you have any idea what pattern I am using, or what this will turn into?

Fabric for Mitchell and Emily

I've picked out the fabric for ... something for Mitchell and Emily, Larry's cousin's daughter:

Her kitchen has red in it.  Maybe I'll make a table topper ... or a table runner...

Now to look through patterns and pictures and imagination!