Wednesday, March 14, 2018

Doing the Quilting Shuffle


An Embroidered Beauty

One day early this winter I visited my friend, Irene, and we put our heads together on different ways to finish up some of her numerous 'outstanding' projects. I saw this top across the back of her chair, and asked what she was going to do with it. It was headed for a local longarmer that only did pantographs, she said. Hmm. I thought and I wavered. I was not taking any customer quilts at that time, but I positively could not allow someone to quilt over top of that embroidery either. On the way out the door I told her I was taking it, I was quilting it, and that was that.




Monday: As spring arrives next week, and I was feeling guilty for capturing said quilt, I called Irene to tell her it was going in the long arm that day. She stopped in to see what I had decided to do with it, and I will say she was very excited. (Truthfully, I imagine she would have been thrilled with anything to get it done and back.)

Irene's 75" square quilt is a mix of vintage and traditional fabrics sashed with hand embroidery. I prudently stayed out of the embroidered areas as much as I could as they were all just a little different. A simple design using 3 rulers was enough to add interest, and stabilize the quilt. 


Three days of quilting, and I'm on the last row. This should be a finish tomorrow.



The quilting on this Scrappy Trips Around the World is done, and ready for binding.


I use this design a lot, but it always makes me smile to see it.


On the Design Wall

I pulled this set of blocks from the PUP's pile (Pile of Unloved Projects). The links below are from 2015 making these 3 years old. I don't think this is the oldest project in the pile yet either. (gasp!) Find more information about the blocks below.

Sewing with Abandon a.k.a. Guilt Quilting




Tucked in with the blocks was all this coordinating fabric, and, Yes, for real, a paper with diagrams, measurements, etc. on how I intended to use it. That may change now from a bed size quilt to a throw, but it's still very useful as a reminder.

Just so you know, this isn't always easy to share. It feels a little like a public weigh in each time I pull out another old project. Some of the fabric is even looking dated after just a few years, and that's a shock for me. 



This is how I feel at the end of long days working through back projects. I'm trying hard not to look at quiltalongs, new projects, patterns, etc. There is still no real light at the end of the tunnel 2.5 months into this clean up, but I'm keeping the faith. 

If you're spring/fall cleaning your own sewing space, how are you staying on track? Throw me a bone, please.


Come on, Doxie girls.

19 comments:

Barb Neiwert said...

The embroidery is so sweet on that quilt - you're right: there's no way to have edge-to-edge quilted it! It was deserving of your special treatment. I love your flower motifs, and especially love your sleepy puppy dog. Reminds me of myself some days, lol!

Stitchin At Home said...

i am glad you took that top and are not stitching over the embroidery it would have been a real shame to just stitch over it.

audrey said...

What a pretty quilt. The embroidery definitely needed to shine without having stitching lines over and through it! Great quilting on your own too--that pattern goes really well with the quilt. If I lived closer to you I'd try to make a deal, quilt one of my quilts and I'll take one of your UFO's and finish it for you! lol It's amazing how fast a great idea and wonderful fabrics can age when set aside for shinier projects. I think the trick is to add just a couple new fabrics to help deflect that aged-in look! And as far as attacking and finishing up older projects? Wowsers, that's a tough one. The only thing that has ever worked for me is the carrot and stick approach. Once I finish {to the quilt top stage only} then I get to work on something new, even if it's something already started. Have to have the new work to keep the inspiration flowing!

Lisa in Port Hope said...

I'm with you Julie! I started by getting blocks assembled into tops. Currently I'm quilting one of the smaller tops--once that is done I'll baste another and get it done, and just make slow and steady progress!

Sandra Walker said...

Just LOVED this post from seeing Irene (yay, finally a face to her name!) with her lovely quilt (good job on the quilting, you) to Minnie(?) upside down at the end! Thank you for keepin' it real (I think these are the best posts IMHO, which is a shameless nod to my Cat-Eye-doscope post where I 'fessed all) and oh yeah I have older than dirt UFO's that I should drag out too... There's your bone! Go chomp on it! ;-)

O'Quilts said...

The quilts are special...but oh...the dog..the dog..

Angie in SoCal said...

Liking the embroidered top and how you're quilting it. Love those PUP blocks!

Maggie said...

Springcleaning my sewing room is simple. I have an Honest List of all my works in progress, they total 77. For each one I have everything to make that project in one bag or box. Next step, no stress and definitely no Guilt. This is who you are and why you are happy, your bit of stuff, which may contain a whole room or two full of the bits which you have collected. They are yours and you get to paly with them, just like GrandMa's button collection. Easy to lose track of what you wanted to do and it happens when you start to organise it all. Just put everything that go, with each project it is intended together. That clears up about 80+% of all of it. Then there are the leftovers: Fabric scraps, they are the pot you dip in, when you need an extra bit here and there. The notions and then the threads. Books and magazines, any other crafts. Knitting, decoupage,scrapbooking..... You feel so much better, when you get to this stage. Then start to work on the project you hate the most, do a little bit on that one every day, about twenty minutes. Before you know it, you will be finishing more projects and feel as light as a feather. It works everytime, did this exercise in 1999. Doing it all again in 2018, colouring the world with creativity and quilts.

Unknown said...

You can do it! At the beginning of the year, I made a written list of my UFO's. Kinda scary! I have managed to complete three quilts and a baby afghan. I love crossing stuff off the list, lol.

Miaismine said...

I'm so happy that you took the embroidered quilt home to quilt! How thoughtful of you! I am working through some UFOs, but alternating with new projects. As my daughter was cleaning out her sewing area, she found one of my UFOs from the late 90s! :o

Myra @ Busy Hands Quilts said...

Love the scrappy trip!

mangozz said...

I am the last person who should tell you how to stay on track. I'm sure I have some type of ADD. I'm going to continue to read the comments for some ideas. I love the fabrics in the scrappy trips quilt. It looks like maybe some Bonnie and Camille? Those quilts are so much fun to make and they always seem to look good.

Bonnie said...

Really, a UFO from just 2015? That's not all that long. I know I have some blocks from a swap from the early 90s! I've got a plan for that set of blocks. But I need to actually do something. I like what you did with Irene's quilt. I wish you had shown a full picture of it. Good luck with working through the PUPs. (Love that Pile of Unloved Projects!) Snazzy bed for a cute dog. (One of the doxies, yes?)

KaHolly said...

You are doing an amazing job cleaning up and out! Don’t be afraid to say I really, REALLY don’t want to work on this project any more, and donating the blocks to someone who makes donor quilts that would love them. I recently sent Louise, of A Quilt Odyssey, some fun panels and coordinating fabric that had been languishing in my bin for 5 years. She was so excited to receive them, she made a donor quilt almost instantly! In 5 years, all I managed to do with them was send them to her. I’m so glad I did! Irene's quilt is going to be fabulous! I can’t wait to see it when it’s finished up. You are a Doll. Your dog's picture is so funny! My daughters dog strikes the funniest poses when sleeping, too, and I laugh at her all the time. They are so sweet and innocent when they are asleep. Enjoy your afternoon! Keep up the good work!

The Joyful Quilter said...

Love, love, LOVE those Scrappy Trips!!

Glenda said...

Well you made me smile as I’m trying to do the same for the last 2 years and 3 months, have had some finishes but started far to many new Quilt tops LOL. So glad you rescued your friends lovely embroidery it stopped me in m. Tracks so gentle and full of spring. Cheers Glenda.

Sandy Panagos said...

I'm glad you confiscated the quilt so it could be finished properly. It's so special. The embroidery is lovely.

Anja @ Anja Quilts said...

That was kind of you to take the quilt so to save the embroidery. I hope you share a picture when you're finished.

dq said...

Oh do I love your Trip Arouond the World!