Just Before Mabel Came Home -

My Hopes & Dreams String Star FINALLY made it to the basting stage, after being "mostly a top" (minus a few bits of applique) since 2008.

Funny things happen when you resurrect old projects.

You discover just WHY they ended up in time out in the first place! LOL!

Mostly - I remembered why I didn't think this quilt was a good candidate for machine quilting, and would fare better with quilting by hand.

Basting with large stitches in a serpentine pattern.

I have had questions as to "WHY" a serpentine.  It helps to take up any fullness instead of pushing it all from left to right.  It places stitches horizontally and vertically preventing shift.

I have had better results with a serpentine than I ever did with  basting in straight lines across the quilt.

There are volcanos in the center of my string stars!

Only small ones.

Like - maybe just an "A" cup? LOL!

2008 was the border finish.  The string stars were made earlier - likely before I knew much about testing 1/4'' feet.  These small volcanos are the result of a seam allowance that is a hair too wide, and edges of string diamonds that are on the bias.

If my seam allowance was a bit too wide when joining the diamonds together, and insetting the setting triangles and corner squares - the triangles and corner squares become "just that much" too small for the star to lay flat.  I hope that makes sense.

Any time anyone has told you "Just be consistent and it doesn't matter" is WRONG.  Dead wrong. That only works when sewing squares to squares.  Add in other unit sizes and shapes and it can really throw things into a.....well, volcano-like mess.

This is where "It will quilt out!" is going to come into play with hand quilting, which is much better at easing in fullness than machine quilting, which will likely just push pleats over everything.

We learn as we go, right?

I still love this quilt so much!

Even if it is so very "early 2000s" LOL!

It's cozy and exudes a warmth I am drawn to. It fits my cabin living.  I'm looking forward to hand quilting it over the next many months.

Off the rails.

Poofy star centers and all.

The backing -

Not enough of either "Civil War" repro fabrics to do the whole thing, but I was able to eliminate about 6 to 7 yards off of my stash shelves by centering that stripe between the two half-widths of the other tan/brown print. 

With this basting chore finished - I got the hankering to check the shelter page to see what dogs they had, and from there it was down the rabbit hole and I was on my way, not knowing that Mabel would become a member of our family.

The quilting has begun!

Batting:  Hobbs Heirloom 100% cotton, no scrim, no poly.  It needles fairly easily.  I like the loft.  Just enough, not too flat, not too much.

I'm marking fans with the stencil I talked about HERE. I'm using the blue washout pen as it is easily visible against the tan border fabric, but when I get to the darker inside areas of the quilt, I'm going to have to use something that I can see a bit better.  

I'm looking at the Clover white wash-out pen. These fans have 12 arcs, and I'm afraid if I use chalk that the lines will brush away before I have quilted them.

I'm quilting with brown thread, and I am loving the density and texture of the quilting!

And just what was going on while I was trying to quilt?  Click to Play:

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This is the first time I watched them play!

Mabel is coming out of her shell just a bit.  I'm so happy that they are getting to know one another, and actually liking each other!

They both need interaction and stimulation - and good old play activity.

There has been a growl or two when one crosses the other's comfort zone boundaries, but that's to be expected.

This morning I stepped out of the shower to find BOTH of them in the bathroom watching me.  LOL!

The February Quiltvillians are in the house!

Retreaters started arriving around 4pm yesterday -

Just as shadows became long and the sun was heading over the mountain.  I couldn't stay past dusk due to my new driving restricted life, but I am so excited to head back over this morning and see how everyone fared through the night.

There were a few arriving after dark that I haven't seen yet.  But this morning I will greet a full house.  YES!

Look at these shirts!

Each year Rebecca makes the shirts with a new theme for the year.  Last year's theme was "Quiltville Inn...It's better than home!"  This year is "Quiltville is my therapy."  I love it!

These are not available to the public, the group took care of them themselves.

In between playing with the quilters, I've got a desk day ahead - guess what releases next Tuesday?

The PDF pattern booklet for Rhododendron Trail, completely rewritten into standard pattern format (No more scrambled mystery clues!) including all of the options, helps, tips, tricks we went through during our 8 week mystery run.  It's about 28 pages.  It's got EVERYTHING.

I'm also working on finishing up the PDF pattern for Cabin Corners.

This one is 100% foundation paper pieced and the pattern will include the needed printable templates so you can print them off on your own printer.

I spent a good 6 months working on this one.  It was pure pleasure to sew up the smallest of scraps into something so beautiful.

Don't Forget: We've got a gift-away for Bruce Leonard's Amazon kick off with his new quilt genre novel, Quilt City Murders!  I'm giving away a paperback copy and our winner will also receive a PDF pattern for my Cherry Crunch quilt.  Enter to win ON THAT POST.

Quiltville Quote of the Day -

Every day, do something that will lead you closer to where you want to be!

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Okay, so far I've only showered and brushed my teeth but it's a start, right!?

I'm off to the inn - have a wonderful Thursday, everyone!