The binding is on... we have quilts!

Diane and Avis

The last session of Beginning Quilting met Thursday night to learn how to make and attach binding. Mission accomplished! Laural couldn't join us, so I hope to have a picture of her finished quilt soon too! That first quilt is so much fun and these ladies did a wonderful job. They are hiding their happy smiles, but they were there!

I'm teaching a class today on the Modern Cathedral Window Pillow. I've taught this technique quite a few times but it's always fun. I will also demonstrate the traditional, hand pieced method, which is a mystery to most of us when we see a finished Cathedral Window quilt. A lot of work, but gorgeous in the end. 

Finishing touches...

Avis 

 I met with the Beginning Quiting class last night and we got one step closer to a finish! Part of making a quilt is finishing it, so I teach them the steps to piecing a backing fabric,  layering and pinning their quilts in preparation for quilting or tying. In this class we tie because it's something everyone can do, but they learn that the prepping for tying is the same as  if you were quilting it on your home machine or hand quilting it.

Diane

 They got a lot of tying done while I helped them baste the edges. ..a very important step!

Laural

We meet again in 2 weeks to make the binding and attach it.

Ahhhh, now we're getting somewhere!

Lots of smiles last night as the new quilters sewed their blocks into quilt tops. They had worked hard during the week in between classes to get their blocks finished. When asked if it seemed to take a long time, they all said yes!

Time is an interesting concept when making a quilt. Time can seem to go really fast while sewing, even when it seems like you aren't getting anywhere. I'm often asked how long it takes to make a quilt and that is a hard question to answer. I don't normally keep track, and sometimes sew in bits and pieces. I know it can seem like it's taking forever. And then you are finished. One thing I do know is that it's always worth it in the end.

Today is the last day to vote on your Blogger's Quilt Festival favorites! Go to this post for the links to take you there! Winners will be announced tomorrow.

Beginning Quilting, More Peas in a Pod rehash....

When I teach Beginning Quilting, I like to teach them to make a quilt from start to finish. So the students learn how to use the rotary cutter to cut and piece strips to make a lap size quilt top. They measure and cut their borders and layer, pin and baste the three layers in prep for finishing. I show them how to tie the quilt using embroidery floss, but they know that if they want to try quilting on their home machine or hand quilting, you layer it the same way. The final class is cutting and attaching their Double Fold Binding with mitered corners. I show them several ways they can hand sew the binding down by hand and they leave to go home and finish that last step to their finished quilt. 

It's an intense 6 week class, and sometimes they have "homework", but I think it's very satisfying for them to have a finished project when we are finished. It's fun for me to see them progress and to see the parade of More Peas in a Pod quilts in an array of different fabrics. 

The last class I taught ended the first week of June and I had two students who couldn't make it to the last classes, so I caught them up recently. Shirley (above) spent Monday with me finishing her last two sessions of class. She had some fabric issues and changed some of her fabrics midway through, but it turned out pretty in the end. That's another teaching moment...our first fabric choices aren't always the best. It's ok to switch them if they aren't working out.

 Martha missed a class too, so finished hers a few weeks ago. Everyone loved her fresh, bright colors.

The other four the night they finished their quilts. I posted this at the time, but thought it would be fun to put them all together in one post.

Most of us remember that first quilt....what was your first quilt? Did you take a class or teach yourself?

I will be drawing the names of the winners of the giveaways tonight...there is still time to enter, so go for it! Just go back through the week to the original posts and enter there! Thanks for helping me celebrate!

I'm helping my daughter with her yard sale again today. She will be moving in August so she is downsizing. It will be interesting to see how many people are out sale-ing on July 4th! Happy 4th of July!

Kids Camp 2014 and other class goodies

 I had so much fun yesterday working with this group of girls making the CarryAll Bag during Kids Camp. They all had such cute fabric and did a great job on their bags. They learned how to work with a pattern, attach inside pockets, and got really excited when they got to pull their bag through the hole in the lining and see it all finished.

 They all chose their favorite fabrics, we all know that that is part of the fun.

 The pattern I chose used purchased handles, so they got to coordinate the handles, with the bag and lining.

 We used interfacing to make it sturdier and made a casing for a piece of plastic canvas to make the bag bottom more defined.

I am so proud of what they accomplished! 

After a short break, I stayed at the store and worked on the SewCalGirl  Red and White Challenge quilt since I had a Sampler Club class last night. I'm happy to report that I have the rows almost all sewn together. I'm excited to be nearing the finish line with this top. 

Later in the afternoon, Martha came to learn how to bind her quilt. She had to go on vacation (poor thing, right?) and missed the binding portion of the Beginning Quilting classes I taught last month...so she learned last night. She layered her quilt with us during class, but wanted to try quilting on her home machine instead of tying. She did a great job! I love how bright and fresh her quilt looks! 

Kelli's new block -Upper right

 The Sampler Pick Club quilts are coming along nicely too. It's fun to see their finished blocks up on the wall and starting to look like a quilt. Many times they don't get the more complex blocks finished during class, so they show and tell the next month. This is the group of five that are each working on a different sampler quilt.

Lora V's new blocks...she had homework. top row

Dorothy's new block upper left.

Dorothy's block from last night, ready to sew together.

Lisa's block from last night.

George was MIA last night as he thinks it's ok to go on vacation!  Just kidding, it's always ok to go somewhere fun. He has a very large block to complete before next time, which I gave him last month to work on.

All in all, it was a very quilty day and I had lots of fun. Better go get busy....today I'm working on a pattern and then hopefully finishing the Red and White quilt. Are you sewing today?

Happy faces...finished quilts!

Last night four of the beginners met for their last class to learn how to make and attach binding (the other two are on vacation and will finish when they get back). They worked hard learning this new skill and are ready to sew it down by hand. I predict we will be seeing more from these ladies in the future!

This morning I am going to a brunch with some work friends, then plan on working on patterns. I am behind on writing patterns for the new sampler, so hopefully will get caught up this weekend. 

On to the finish line!

Nancy

Last night the beginners started the process of finishing their More Peas in a Pod quilts. They learned to piece the back to fit and layer it with the batting and their quilt tops.We talked about the fact that whether you are hand quilting, quilting on your home machine or tying your quilt, the layering process is the same. They pinned it securely to keep all of the layers in place. Nancy is all smiles as she starts to tie her quilt.

Debbie's quilt, Kathy helping

Debbie gets some help from Kathy as she bastes the outer edge of her quilt. Kathy is having her quilt machine quilted, but wanted to join us to learn the layering and tying process. She will bind her quilt next week along with the others. (yes, we know a very nice quilter who agreed to get it finished quickly!)

Deb

Deb had a directional print for her backing fabric, so they all learned another way to piece the back so that the fabric is going the direction you want it too. 

Martha and Nancy

I usually have some of the quilters come early to this class so that I can help one or two at a time, instead of all 6. There aren't enough tables to have them all laid out at the same time, either. Martha came early and just layered and basted her quilt. She is going to try to quilt it herself with her home machine. She will be out of town next week, so we made plans to meet on another date so she can learn to make and attach her binding.

Martha's quilt

Since she was finished early, she and Kathy helped the others with the pinning and basting of their quilts. It was like an old fashioned quilting bee! Shirley went on vacation so she and I will get together at a later date so she can finish hers.

I'm excited to see finished quilts next week!

Lots of busy quilters and eye candy...

 I had a busy week at work and lots of classes. This was my last week open in the library at school, so everyone needed a new book to read! We still have 7 days of school, but as of Tuesday the library will be closed for the summer and I begin the task of getting books back, shelving them and doing some rearranging. We have been back in our newly remodeled building for over a year, and I have some changes I want to make in the location of the books. I already moved several sections around midway through the year, but need to finish now so it all makes sense.

 As you can see, the beginners' quilts are coming along nicely and it was fun to see them put the finishing touches on the quilt tops. Next week, they layer, pin and start tying.

 Her borders really aren't ruffly, it's just hanging on the wall funny.

 Several of them spent some time looking for backing fabric and batting after class.

Wednesday night, the Sampler Pick group met. They are each working on a different quilt, so that's always interesting. There were also three of the beginners there making up last week's class, so we had lots going on and lots of eye candy.

We are all learning a lot about fabric choices from Lora...most of us have commented that we probably wouldn't have picked the background she is using (including her!) but she is making it for a young couple and they wanted something modern. Click on the photo above to see her geometric background better.

This is Lisa's second quilt and she is doing a great job with this sampler. She has six alternate blocks to make and  is going to work on them this month as homework.

Her dad,  George, is also making his second quilt. He started working on the large center Carpenter's Wheel block Wed. night. No pics yet, but hopefully by next time!

Dorothy and Kelli had all the sections made for their  blocks, but they weren't completely sewn together yet so we'll have to wait til next time to see the finished blocks. 

I don't think people always realize just how much time and energy goes in to making a quilt. As these quilters choose more difficult samplers to make, they are making more complicated blocks, learning new skills and perfecting those basic cutting and precise sewing skills as well (not to mention "how to fix it" skills!). They challenge me in lots of ways. I guess that is one of the things I really like about teaching...I have to come up with new ideas, and continue to learn new methods to encourage and inspire them. 

I haven't gotten much done in the way of cleaning the past few weeks, so hope to work on that today. I also need to get my tomatoes in the garden, too!  I'd much rather be quilting. 

I am heading up to my hometown to spend some time with my dad tomorrow, so I'm looking forward to that. What are your plans for the weekend?

Those first quilts are coming along....

 Last night the new quilters' blocks became a quilt center during the  More Peas in a Pod Beginning Quilting class. It was pretty exciting to see them come to life! We had time to start the first border, so learned how to measure through the center and near the sides and it was encouraging to see those measurements come out the same. As each quilter got to that point, we measured, cut borders the right size, marked each and pinned them on to sew. I think they are finding out that pinning is one of the most important aspects of precision piecing.

They did a great job and will finish putting this first border on before the next class. Three of the students couldn't come last night, so will come another night next week to make up their class before next Thursday.

Beginning Piecing, More Peas in a Pod

Last Thursday I started a new Beginning Piecing class, teaching More Peas in a Pod. We went over quilting basics, and I showed them how to cut using a rotary cutter. I gave them some fabric to practice on to get the feel of cutting with the blade and using their rulers.  They cut some of their new fabrics and sewed the center strips together.

Last night they cut them up into sections of  "peas" and practiced more cutting as they cut their coordinating fabrics for the pods. I think they are feeling more comfortable with the cutting aspect this week....it's pretty scary to cut into that new fabric the first time.

 It is fun to see the fabrics you chose start to come together as blocks in a quilt. I think they were surprised at their own talent! We had a few discussions about color and placement of fabrics.

It's really fun for me to work with beginners and see their excitement as they begin to build that first quilt. Next week they will start putting their blocks together.