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Friday, September 20, 2019

Quilter With a One Track Mind!



And then all rows were ready!

I didn’t web this top.  I built it in rows.  And during the assembly process, I wish I had webbed it.  WHY??

Because finding the exact place where one block ended and the next began was kind of a crap shoot with this much chaos.  Some of those strips were really narrow – was it THIS seam I was matching or the next one?

There was much unpicking of seams and readjusting as all rows should END evenly – they were the same number of blocks, the same length after all, right?

So take it from me – WEB this top.  Then there is no guessing of which seam needs to be matched to its neighbor in the next row.  Just trust me!

Yes, I know I was on a roll with this one.  It’s been a project that grabbed me and just wouldn’t let go.


All rows laid out and ready to roll.

They really ARE the same length. 

It just doesn’t look like it here!

I was thinking of calling this quilt Plague Week.  LOL.  That’s how it all started – something brainless to sew while recovering from the longest running crud in history.  It’s been 2 weeks as of today that I first felt the tickle with dread.  I’m still coughy and chasing my running nose.  It’s not to be trifled with, this stuff.  But a girl can’t just do nothing on the couch for two weeks on end, can she?

I plan on doing a full out tutorial for this one and putting it under the Free Patterns tab, so be watching for it.  All the nitty gritty of block size, etc will be there.  I just need a completed quilt first.


Top together, stay stitching around the edges.

I’ve been on a “Quilts Without Borders” kick recently as well.  This was big enough and didn’t need borders as is.  I’ll bind it with something strong to finish the edge to stop the “busy.”

Do I ALWAYS stay stitch my quilt tops?  If the piecing goes all the way to the edge of the top – YES.  If there is a plain fabric border hemming everything in, NO.  But when putting on plain borders, I make sure that I back tack at the beginning and ending of those long seams.  The whole point is to keep seams tight so nothing pops open during the quilting/binding process.


Ready to Lock & Load at the QPO!

It was mid afternoon before Sadie and I toodled our 7 miles up the road.  The fabric I wanted to use for backing was at the Quiltville Post Office, and it is easier for me to measure for a backing when I can lay the quilt top over the machine rails to measure.  I can do it standing, not crawling on the floor.


And before I knew it – I was quilting rows!


Something loopy and curly with feathers and circles!


The name of this panto escapes me at the moment.

But I’ll have all the info when I do the tutorial.

But in the mean time – look at all these scraps in their happy place! I loved making this quilt, and I can see myself doing another one.  It would be really fun to do it in a color planned kind of way – maybe each row could be a different color theme like a rainbow?

Seam allowance didn’t matter – as long as there was enough to hold the pieces together.  Strip width didn’t matter as long as I had at least 1/4’’ showing.  The number of strips per side didn’t even matter – it was however many strips took me to build the block to unit size, and then trim down.  Some blocks end with a dark strip, others with a light.  It just does not matter and adds to the happy chaos of the whole.

I was home by dinner – after putting only 3 rows of quilting in.  The rest can wait.

I am declaring today a NON-QUILTING DAY!  Yes, you heard me right.

Today I am heading out with my friend Martha for some antiquing and lunch out and to rejoin the life of the living now that I feel more and more human.  I’m not sure what we will see or what we will find, but I need to be away from a machine for at least today.

I’ve put some chicken breasts in the crock pot with some cream of chicken soup, some herbs and spices, some onion – and it will simmer on low while we are away all day. (Reminding myself to turn it ON before I leave the house!)

Tomorrow?  I am not sure!  The Hubster arrived home from China last evening and we may have some painting or retreat work ahead.  A meet up with the electrician is in the plans so we can get that going – the last big “hired out” job.  And then it’s painting, decorating, and cosmetics to bring this house into a QUILTER’S HOME!


Quiltville Quote of the Day -

Your creativity not only feeds your own soul, but is how you share yourself with the rest of the world.

Let your creativity shine!

Happy Friday!


31 comments:

  1. You made me a new project :)

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  2. Enjoy your day off. Lucky Martha. Glad to see the Quilting design whatever it is. I love Feathered Quilting on a quilt.

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  3. Happy you are feeling more human. Enjoy your day with Martha. Your description of piecing this quilt and being unable to stop is similar to my experience with Crumb Jumble. I could not make those wonky squares fast enough. Now I'll have to do Plague Week to use up more scraps.

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  4. I love the quilt! But, what does it mean to "Web"?

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    1. Caroline, you can find the answer listed in the "Tips and Techniques!" tab at the top of the blog. It is under "Webbing the Top".

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    2. Thank you for telling how to find out about web.

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  5. What a fun, colorful and healing quilt, glad you are feeling better, have a great weekend.

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  6. Glad to hear you are on the mend and able to get out with a friend for the day. I'm sure you two will have a great time.
    Your timing on the background quilt for the quote today is unbelievable, I recently found a UFO Orphan Block from about 30 years ago, but couldn't remember where I got the pattern for the block...it took me days of searching the web to find it... I'm sure it was meant to be a pillow or table topper..too funny
    Have a great day, and thanks ever so much for your great blog....BTW I grew up in San Jose, and now live in Oregon...
    MaryAnn

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  7. ....they are kinda like nothing ever seen before..."Extraterrestrial visit"

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  8. I see one of these quilts in my near future. Glad you are feeling better!

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  9. Love this quilt! Looking forward to the tutorial.

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  10. What is web? Glad your on the mend.

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  11. Happy Day, can hardly wait to see what you discover on THIS trip. So glad to hear you are feeling more like yourownsweetself! It's beginning Fall on the southern California coast! You may need a sweater on your trip! Love the wonky steps, kind of a "controlled" strip quilt.. so many scraps, so many wonderful ideas... keep breathing all that creativity, in and out... love from Cats in Carlsbad CA

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  12. Have a fun day! Love your quilt. I was seeing Chinese lanterns when it was on the floor.

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  13. I was wondering what webbing was also. I've never heard the term use before

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  14. I am ready to web mine!! Thanks for the inspiration. So glad that you are feeling 'human' enough to venture out with your friend. Thanks for all you share.

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  15. Nobody can accuse you of making boring quilts! That is a whole lot of happy, smile-making fun.

    I love the last photo - there's a block near the center that has a strip of 80-90's dusty blue, a famous-designer green in the middle, some shirt plaid, some Christmas fabric in the lights.... happy chaos. Proof that anything can go with anything in a quilt like this.

    Is this one destined for a bed in the Inn, too? I didn't comment the other day, but Jewel Box Stars turned out great, and looked so nice on one of the guest beds.

    Glad you're starting to feel better!

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  16. what do you mean by saying that you wished you had "webbed" the quilt? I have never heard that term before. Thank you....love the quilt!

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  17. What do you mean by "webbed"? I have never heard that term before. Thanks!

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  18. What a beautiful example of making lemonade when life gives you lemons! I do love this quilt! Thank you for all that continuing inspiration.

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  19. Ooh I like it �� I hate to hear you've had the crud. My granddaughter has had the flu already this season. I've heard it's moved in early and y'all are proof positive. Feel better

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  20. As always, a beautiful quilt. I will have to make this one. Thanks for all you do for me and other quilters. You definitely inspire me. Have a great weekend!

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  21. Glad to hear you are getting better. Enjoy your day out.

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  22. Bonnie, if you like galid, even if you don't, make yourself some galic soup. It needs lots of galic cloves, lots of onion and chicken broth as it's base. You can find recipes on the web, but if you want mine, let me know, I will share it. I found this reicipe when everyone in my house was sick, my kids were quite young to, and it's a smooth soup. And, when my kids would feel sick, they would ask me to to make this soup for them!! Also, the day after I made this, everyone felt better, and me who had not been feeling ill at all, woke in the middle of the night sweating and I never did get there cold/flu thing!! Get better. Glad you have taken a day for yourself just to be....

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  23. WOW!!!! That is a beautiful quilt. I think you could call it "Optical Illusion". Because it sure does not look like the bottom of it is straight across. Your quilting design is beautiful with the quilt. I am wondering what you mean by web when putting all the blocks together. I'll bet you were happy to see your husband home. Congrats on being so close to having the house finished.

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  24. That quote from Brene Brown is accurate for me. I put myself into my quilts, while being less vulnerable elsewhere.

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  25. Hope you are on the mend dear Bonnie! You are special and appreciated.
    Blessings!
    Sue

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  26. Have fun out there, it is so warm this week-end. Keep hydrating
    My hubbs got the same plague. We picked up my daughters van from Dulles airport and brought it here to the house ($$ too expensive to sit for 10 days at Dulles, times have changed)
    Anyway, daughter and son in law and both babies had this crud thing two weeks ago. Hubbs drove the van home and I was quite happy driving my own car. Hubbs got sick two days later.... He had not been anywhere else.
    Well, the first cool breezy day I opened up the van and washed it down with Lysol - some fruity smell, it's nice. and then I sprayed it too.
    Then I left the doors open for about an hour.
    We are picking them up with the van (me in my own car) in about an hour. They can have their car back. I am happy I did not get the plague. It is out there, but I am taking care of my daddy and I do not need to be sick near a 95 year old
    Your quilt top looks marvelous

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  27. This really turned out lovely a fabulous stash buster I’ll definitely be loo out for this pattern when you do it thank you Bonnie
    Enjoy your day off with Martha, you need some fun after your nasty viruses
    Love and quilty hugs
    Anne xxx

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  28. I never tire of hear updates on the retreat center. At the beginning it seemed so far away and now you are ready for the cosmetics, doesn't seem possible.

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