It seemed like a good idea to practice my new FMQ skills again. I used the same design on the nine patches as the first quilt. The outer tans have a new-to-me dot-to-dot from Angela's video. The middle one had the same problem as the previous quilt - it needed a "centered" design. This one didn't turn out as well as I'd hoped but it was still good practice. The red and blue squares got figure eights this time but I rotated the design for the two colors. {Just for fun.} Thread on each of those squares had to be started and stopped but all the others traveled or ended in at the edge.
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| Four-Patch Nine-Patch baby quilt 2 with quilting ideas from Angela Walters |
I forgot to SID at the beginning so had to add it as a final step. Note to self: if you're going to SID, do it first.
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| Back of Four-Patch Nine-Patch baby quilt 2 with quilting ideas from Angela Walters |
Despite a box full of solids, none of them worked for binding except a tan twill. Because it was a bit thicker than quilting cotton I wondered if it would work at all. I sewed the binding to the back first then pressed it - an important step to make the binding smooth. After folding the binding to the front and pinning every few inches, it was easy to sew close to the edge.
Quilt Specifics
Size: 40" x 40"
Design: Four-patch nine-patch
Batting: Mountain Mist Cream Rose 100% cotton
Thread: grey, red and blue Gutermann 50 wt cotton
Quilting: FMQ based on Angela Walters videos and walking foot SID
Approximate Yardage: 4 yd
Revisions
Clara has been bothering me quite a while because she looks like a tart. When I couldn't stand it any longer, I removed her heavy red triangles of blush and added two small peach hexagons instead. She still has false eyelashes and they will stay. The hussy!
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| Clara collage quilt with a facewash |
Travel
I hope your Thanksgiving was as delightful as mine. Lots of family gathered together. My daughter suggested I purchase a Spiralizer apple peeler for the pies and crumbles. They are a lovely company out of Wyoming with great personal service. How did I manage all these years without it? We all took turns coring, slicing, and/or peeling the apples and potatoes. This little machine lets you pick and choose among these features plus it has an additional appliance that juliennes. I have a food processor but this little hand-turned machine works much more easily.
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| Spiralizer apple and potato peeler |
You know you're a Texan if you think Blue Bell makes the best ice cream. I hadn't been to Brenham since the children were in grade school. Things have changed.
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| Blue Bell Creamery |
Family left in stages and almost everyone missed the weather delays. Now it's so quiet. Good thing I have some projects to keep me busy or I'd be crying.
Enjoy the day, Ann
25 comments:
That's interesting. My grandchildren went when they were little. I will have to tell them to visit again to see the difference. I live near Houston, so Bluebell is a big thing. My husband is still waiting for them to bring back the big red popcicle bullets!
You’re baby quilt loos absolutely wonderful! Great job with the FMQ! Isn’t it fun? As you continue practicing and trying new motifs, you’ll find the ones you love to do best and they will become your 'go tos'. I love Bluebell Ice Cream the very best!
I like how your baby quilt turned out, Ann..We occasionally see Blue Bell ice cream here--mostly we get Hood and Friendlies...
We got 3" of snow overnight and it's not even Winter yet--unusual for us on the coast here...staying inside and warm...;))) hugs, Julierose
The quilt turned out lovely; another finish! Yeah! I have never had Blue Bell ice cream. I forgot to look for it when I was in Austin years ago. I guess I need to go and visit my brother in Texas! I know what you mean about how factories change. I remember when I was a kid we took a tour of the Hershey's factory. We walked by the workers and the floors were wood! I mean you could have reached out and grabbled a handful of kisses! It is not like that anymore!
you had me at cow. SID is the hardest as one little glitch stands out. Your quilting is great, makes the quilt very pretty, thanks for reminding us where to get a lesson from a fun teacher. Dolly parton said she grew up admiring the sparkly quality of floozies with their colorful faces and clothes and big hair... I laughed when you took off the blush. It's a good change, and the eyelashes are great on her. I like her even more now that she got a make-under. It's a good lesson to know when to go back and change something so you like it more. LeeAnna
Congratulations on your baby quilt finish! Great machine quilting and colors.
And Clara is a little more subdued. I like the bits of red floating in the background and then the blues/greens in her dress, nice
contrast.
I had to smile when I read your comment about Clara. She looks very demure in her reduced (in color and size) new cheeks. The baby quilt turned out great.
Love the baby quilt, and yes I did check out the quilting link by Angela, very helpful. I tend to practise moe over the holidays.
It's always a fun trip because you still get ice cream in the parlour (currently $1/scoop.) It's interesting to watch the way the varieties cycle although it's always difficult when our favorites are not being stocked. A friend posted a joke when Bluebell was available again that she'd sell some for $30/half gallon and got several takers. They were disappointed to say the least.
Thanks, Karen. FMQ is fun and these should get easier if I continue to practice. The difficulty is that she uses many more solids than I. Go, Bluebell!!!
Brr, that's cold. Stay in and drink cider under your quilts by the fire. That's my prescription for you. Free of charge.
Thanks, Patty. It's always good to finish another, isn't it? Sometimes it's hard to understand why locals like "whatever it is" but I hope you remember to try Bluebell on your next visit.
The old Hershey's factory sounds fun. I think we could have put our fingers in the ice cream slurry under the old touring system. How things change.
I didn't realize you were such a cow fan. SID is usually easy for me. If you have trouble getting offline you might try nylon monofilament in top. It hides many mistakes. You would enjoy Angela's videos.
Love that Dolly Parton story. Old Clara would fit right in. I kept fighting going back because it was "done and dusted" but am very glad I took the time to make this small, belated change.
Thanks, Janie. The quilting isn't perfect but it never is. Certainly fun to try all her techniques. I wish I'd gone out and purchased a cocoa brown thread that could have worked across all those fabrics. Next time...
Clara looks better to me, too. Some of the red bits were printed on the fabric; I added those on the right and think it was the right decision. I'm glad you agree.
Oh, Robin. I think she still looks like a strong-willed woman but perhaps not a woman of the night. Ha.
It's always good to have a baby quilt on hand, isn't it?
I'm glad you found the videos. She has a pdf for each topic summarizing the moves. So helpful and kind of her. Enjoy your practice time.
There's just something about 9-patch quilts that melt my heart, especially when they have a good sparkle and yours definitely do. I thought I liked this one better than the first, but then I went back and looked to make sure. Nope, they first one is my fave. It's the red I think. Love that punch! Your machine quilting is really coming along. I admire that you are challenging yourself to grow in it. The effects are wonderful!:)
Thanks, Audrey. I go back and forth which I like best, too. My granddaughter wanted this one for a car quilt so it's already in a new home/car. How's that for fast? I was lucky to have them on hand for quilting practice since I would never have made a top just for that. I enjoy learning new to me designs although my old standbys are always available.
Clara is very cute and the baby quilt is very pretty, Great finishes all round! I love my spiralizer! We have 2 prolific apple trees and we could't get through Apple season without it! I never thought to use it to prepare potatoes but it must do a great job on Scalloped potatoes! Great idea, Thanks!
Thanks, Claire. It was good to finish these things and get them right. I love scalloped potatoes and this tool makes the prep so much easier. I wish I'd bought one years ago but we certainly enjoyed it over Thanksgiving.
And here we have another stunning 9 patch! I find the blue and the red squares create a pattern all of their own and sit beautifully within the other squares.
Clara seems much happier with her new blush cheeks!
I've been thinking of you since I saw the news about Whakaari. There are enough natural disasters like this without humans creating more. I hope the ash is not troubling you or that this eruption doesn't indicate additional problems closer to settled areas.
This was all of the blue and red. The quilting made the design more cohesive; it hints at a weave. And it's off to a new home. A grandchild chose it as her new car quilt. Hooray.
Thank you Ann, yes the eruption is a tragedy but we haven't had any issues here in Auckland with ash. I am waiting to hear the news shortly hoping that they may have been successful in locating the remaining two bodies.
I had never heard of Blue Bell (I'm a Chicagoan) until I moved to Brenham in 1975. I quickly learned! Back then the manufacturing plant was on the edge of town and there was no such thing as a visitor's center. My last visit was in the fall of 1990. If I ever get to the Houston Quilt Festival I will make a side trip.
For a long time it was a Texas-only treat. QS and her husband always stopped at the border to load their RV with Blue Bell before returning to Colorado. It would be a good side trip with the Quilt Museum in Giddings. Lots of driving, though.
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