Garden Window Sampler Finish

I'm not sure what I've been doing the past few weeks. Seems like I stay busy, but my house isn't spotless and my sewing isn't all caught up. Do you feel like that too? I think I get more done when I have a schedule of classes to teach and some 'at home time'. I have been working on my Etsy Shop, however. I've been trying to get it up and running since Craftsy closed. It would seem like it wouldn't take that long to list patterns, but finding multiple pictures, making sure the pattern is updated and in the right format...it all takes time. I don't have all my designs there yet, but a good portion of the newer ones are there now, including the Circle and Spin series quilts. 

 

I have been doing some gardening. Have some tomato plants getting used to being outside. They are ready to plant, but we have had a few cool nights with frost warnings (can you believe that?) so I have only planted the Early Girl so far. I don't do any canning anymore, but like to have them to eat and share.

I bound an oldy but goody yesterday. Garden Window Sampler #3 is one of the first quilts I designed after I started teaching classes and I've taught it many times. It introduced the 3D sashing that students learned to make as well as an easy paper-pieced birdhouse.  I used to hang quilts on the walls of the classroom when I taught at Hancock Fabrics, so it was better if they weren't quilted. (That's my story and I'm sticking to it.) My friend Cindy quilted it recently so it was almost to the finish line. 

I love the springiness of this quilt and it was fun taking it outside for pix on the grass. 

A few finishes...

I finished the binding on the new Circle and Spin to the Moon the other day. I think I have a new favorite! I have spent some time this summer working on others in this series, and have two more tops finished...now to get them quilted. I really enjoy making these not so perfect circles, so I have a few more ideas yet to do. 

 Pat brought in her finished Red, White and True QAL quilt top...it's a beauty!

Christine brought her Garden Window Sampler to show us the other night during class.She embroidered some antennae on the butterflies which really adds to the charm.

I taught two sampler classes this week, but was bad about getting pictures, so I will have to make up for it next time.

I got side tracked yesterday. I was planning on getting a quilt quilted...I have to do it in spurts because if I quilt too long my back starts complaining. So my plan was to quilt, sew, quilt, sew. I started out sewing and then just never stopped til I had all of the blocks finished. I couldn't stop! So I ended up quilting a few passes late in the day, but not as much as I hoped. Since I got all of the blocks finished yesterday, I want to put the quilt together today, but will quilt in between. I really will.

I go back to school tomorrow...

Hard-sewing quilters!

The Garden Window Sampler Club had an extra class this month and what a great surprise to have them all bring their finished quilt tops Monday night to show and tell! Judy's is above, I forgot to have her peek out so we could see whose quilt it was.

They all did a great job. This is their second sampler quilt, they have been quilting for about a year.

Marilyn had worked on Gathering Around during this club, and she brought her quilted quilt to show...I was fascinated by the quilting on this one. The use of the black/white thread made some interesting designs as the triangles wove in and out of the black.

Dorothy started a month later than the others, hence the extra class. I had given her the last block of her quilt last month so she worked on getting the setting triangles in place and started to sew together her diagonal rows.

Carolyn and Judy brought their Turning Cartwheels quilts to work on the on point setting as well. This was a new technique for them so it worked out well that they could bring them and learn how to do it.

Carolyn

Judy decided she didn't like the fabric she had cut for her setting triangles, so is going to rethink them, but sewed her rows together without them for the time being. How many times has this happened to you? Many times I get a fabric that I think will work perfectly and then it doesn't. We can't always foresee every nuance of color and how it will play with the others. 

Judy

All in all it was great fun an I look forward to helping  most of them start a new sampler next month! 

Getting close to the finish line

Marilyn

 I met last night with the Sampler Pick group...there are five quilters doing three different sampler quilts. Marilyn is working on Gathering Around, and had multiples of five different blocks. She did her last block last month, so started putting her borders on. She finished them last night so we got a picture of this gorgeous quilt. I don't always get to see the tops finished. She also showed me a picture of her last sampler quilted and on her bed. I need to get that picture too!

Judy A

 Three of the ladies are working on the Garden Window sampler and worked on their last block last night. This birdhouse is a paper piecing block meant as an introduction to that technique. They all did very well and had fun adding some birds to make it look inviting.

Judy A

I was excited to see that they had all been working on the attic window sashings for this quilt and some had the rows partially sewn together. I'm not sure if you can see the 3-D effect very well in these photos, but it definitely shows up in person.

Carolyn

Carolyn

 They had to make multiples of several of the blocks to make it twin size, so Christine decided to make a few different blocks instead. Now she has one too many, so will have to decide which one to leave out! She said she would make a pillow out of it. She has also stitched antennae on her butterflies, which looks really cute. She does have a little "unpicking" (as she calls it) to do as she set her half square triangle in at the wrong angle on her sashings. Luckily, she hadn't started sewing the squares together, so will just have to undo the one corner on the blocks. You can tell her 3-D window panes are going to pop when she gets that finished.

Christine

 Dorothy is working on the StarLuna sampler and worked on the Astra block last night. She has to make four of these, so didn't get them finished, but you can see how pretty it will be. The four blocks will be set into the center of the quilt.

Dorothy

We put it on the design wall placing the other 3 of 4  blocks in this quilt to the center for the picture. They will be on the outside edges in the final layout. She has one more block, Pentas, to make and took the pattern home so that she can make it this month and work on the setting triangles and start sewing it together next time.

Dorothy

 It's exciting to see these quilts coming together and I look forward to next month as I think the Garden Window people might have finishes too. It's getting harder to keep up with these quilters!

I meet with a group starting the new sampler, Hightlights, tonight. I can't wait to see their color choices and get them started on a new quilt.

Sewing with friends...and other catching up

 I can’t believe that I have been MIA for a week. It’s been a busy, but enjoyable week of work, classes and family.

 I spent last Sat. sewing with a couple of friends. Dianne worked on her Turning Cartwheels quilt…it is looking so good. She just needs to decide on a final border.  I saw her again on Tuesday night for Sampler Club and she had started on the pieced backing.  I love her floral fabric!

 I worked on some samples for my demo tomorrow at Cut UP and Quilt last Sat. and then finished all of the blocks for the new sampler (as yet unnamed). I spent Sunday sewing the blocks together. I auditioned several fabrics for the borders, and have decided on the two in the picture. Now to get them on!

 Both Sampler Clubs went well and here are pictures from both nights of classes. It’s fun to put the blocks on the design wall and get a preview of how the quilts will look. The students are not making the same quilts. Some are and some chose to make a different quilt design. That’s why there are so many different blocks from only 2 clubs. So it’s fun and busy for me!

 My daughter and I spent the yesterday with family in my hometown, so it was a wonderful Thanksgiving. I haven't decided if I am going to go shopping or stay home and sew. I would love to get the borders sewn on the new sampler so sewing might win out! Are you shopping today?

A new beginning....

 Last month the Sunbonnet Sue Sampler Club finished their last blocks. They started a new sampler last night, but 2 of them brought their Sues to show and tell. The third quilter has her top finished, but forgot to bring it. They did a great job and were excited to start the Garden Window Sampler (you can see it behind Judy in the upper picture).

 Wildflower was their first block and they got those done quickly. Fresh and pretty!

 Marilyn joined this group and she is working on Gathering Around, a medallion style sampler. Her first block is a 24" Bear Paw, so she got it part way finished. She is using a black background for this quilt.

 Two of the three got their second block, Tulip, finished too. These will definitely make pretty gardens! For this sampler they need to make four doubles of blocks...these are two that I used for those doubles on mine.

 I finished the quilting on Scattered Thoughts yesterday. Now to decide on binding fabric and finish it and the pattern. I'm going to the Tuesday Sewing group today for the last time for awhile...it's back to school for me tomorrow. Today I want to get the back ready for the new version of Miss Tess and work on some labels for quilts. I haven't done very well about getting them put on lately.