Two finishes in addition to more masks

I quilted Blue with Yellow Jelly Roll Race while we were waiting for more interfacing to make face masks. I just finished hand sewing the binding down.

The jelly roll, Butterfly Effect from Benartex fabrics, has been in my stash for a long time. I grabbed it to take to a retreat in March. That retreat seems like it was years ago.

I decided to add yellow between the strips to add a little pop of color.

This donation quilt is 55" by 65". I quilted it with a walking foot, stitching on each side of the seams using Aurifil 50-weight, #2715 light blue thread.

I had the backing, a water spot, light blue, in my stash.

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My other finish is a short sleeve sweater that I began a year ago. I frogged it (ripped it out) 6 months ago and started over. 

The color is off in this photo - the sweater is navy.

I had it almost finished in February but did not like the side detail on the bottom. A couple of weeks ago, I decided to just finish it. What a surprise - the bottom sides weren't done! The LAST line of the pattern had one more instruction. Now it looks fine!

The pattern is Sunbird Top by Quenna Lee and I absolutely love my sweater. I used Berroco Summer Silk yarn (Dk yarn with silk, cotton, and nylon). It is so soft.

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We continue to make face masks. Our inventory went to zero a few days ago. Since then, we have made more. In addition to doctors and hospitals, we have sent masks to family and friends. 

Our newest design is using a casing for the strap. The loop goes behind the head above the ears and then the two ends are tied below the ears behind the head. This design uses a 4' strap versus four 18" sewn on straps. That saves 2 feet of material. Materials are hard to come by so we are doing our best to conserve what we have.

When things are bad, remember:

It won't always be this way. Take one day at a time.

When things are good, remember:

It won't always be this way. Enjoy every great moment.

-Doe Zantamata

Stay safe and wash your hands.

A Quilt Finish on Easter Weekend!

I doubt that I've ever had a quilt finish on a holiday weekend. Of course, this is a different kind of year. I actually finished the quilt this morning but I think that counts since today is Easter Monday.

I quilted Black/White with Teal on Saturday afternoon. Using a walking foot, I stitched 1/4 inch from the vertical seams on both sides. It was easy and quick, reminding me of the first time I made a string quilt. I quilted it the same way but by hand and our youngest son jokingly told me that was cheating - it was too simple!

This donation quilt is 52" by 59". I quilted it with Aurifil 50-weight black thread. I really wanted to add a teal border but didn't like it. Then I decided on black binding but didn't like that either. I settled on a teal faux piping (which is just a bit narrower than faux flange) with the black binding.

The piping/binding is stitched to the back, turned to the front and sewn down with the machine. There is no hand work. I did a pretty good job of sewing from the front; at least you can't really see the stitching on the back. Whew!

The backing is from my stash. It is black fabric with bits of color.

The black and white strings were made years ago. I've used them in a few other quilts and still have more. This is the first time that I added color within the strips.

I hope you had a nice Easter. Ours was okay. I must have eaten whatever I'm allergic to so the afternoon and evening weren't the best. Now, over 24 hours later, I'm doing much better. I spent some time in the sewing room this afternoon working on a quilt with tiny pieces. It's an ongoing process and I enjoy working on it every so often. I'm enjoying my break from making masks.

Wear your mask

Wash your hands

Stay at home

And I pray you stay well

Flannel Baby Squares

I bought a flannel layer cake called Animal ABC Flannel when we were at Missouri Star Quilt Company in May, 2017. I used the layer cake and other fabrics in a baby quilt in June, 2017. Of course, I had pieces left. Recently I decided to use the rest of the layer cake in a donation baby quilt. 

There were already a few pieces cut so I cut the rest of the layer cake 10" squares into 5" squares. When I realized the layer cake was not a true 10" square, I resized the pieces to be 4.75" squares.

The quilt is small, just 43" square but cuddly. 

I used a piece of teal cotton from my stash for the binding and the back incorporating the last of the pieces from the layer cake. I used a walking foot to cross hatch the quilt with white Aurifil thread. 

 It's nice to have another finish for the donation pile.

Most of our time is spent making face masks. 

We ran out of interfacing again last night. Hopefully a new supply will arrive this coming week. In the meantime, we will enjoy our time doing other things.

Although life seems to change each day, I feel blessed that Ray and I are weathering this together. Tomorrow we'll celebrate Easter. It won't be the same but when we were first married,we celebrated holidays alone and we did survive. We found that anticipating the day was so much worse that the actual holiday. Our church service will be online complete with music. Happy Easter.

Courthouse Steps

A while back I decided to make some scrappy, wonky courthouse step blocks from Bonnie Hunter's tutorial. When I went looking for scraps, I came across some fabric left from a backing. There was enough for the blocks so I changed directions a little and made non-scrappy, regular courthouse step blocks. 

Yes, it was folded.

I finished the top a while ago and finally finished the quilting just before I began making face masks. It then took a while to get the binding sewn on. And now it is finished!

This donation quilt is 56" square. 

I free motioned a feather 'circle' in the white areas using  Aurifil #2600 Dove thread,

some horizontal meandering in the colored areas using Aurifil #2785 navy, 

and a loopy meander in the borders using the Dove thread.

The backing is from my stash; I thought the colors went well with the front and I really like wild, colorful backs.

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I'm taking a break from making face masks since I'm waiting for supplies specifically non-woven interfacing. Hopefully it will be here tomorrow. In the meantime, I've pinned a few quilts and quilted two that now need to be bound. I have two to put borders on and a few others in various stages of construction. It's time to get the piles cleared! Of course, when supplies arrive, all of the quilting will be halted again.

How are you holding up with this Staying At Home? I really thought it would be easier than it is because  I like being home. I guess I also like the freedom to go wherever, whenever I want and spend time with people. Even going to the grocery store is strange - only one of us goes now and wears a mask. We also only buy groceries every 10-14 days. We see very few people and although I'm not one to spend much time talking on the phone, I talk on it most if not all days now. Ray has a doctor appointment for his shoulder on tomorrow - it will be done by phone. 

Take Care and Stay Safe!

Face Masks

Have you been making face masks? It seems to be the thing to do during this coronavirus crisis. 

I've been looking for places that need masks. I contacted the two hospitals that we use but neither has a call out/need yet. I signed up with Relief Crafters of America and was trying to figure out their mask pattern and how to sign up to make masks when an urgent plea came my way.

An anesthesiologist that live in the greater Chicago area contacted a friend who immediately set up a group of sewers. The doctor grew up in out village so we all know her. The 50 anesthesiologists in her group have been told to wear bandanas when their masks run out in the near future. Any masks will be better than a bandana; so the sewing began.

We are under a Shelter-In-Place state order in Illinois, aka house arrest, so we could not get together to sew. I was very lucky to have Ray around - he was VERY helpful!

He cut, turned and pressed most of the straps, traced patterns, cut out pieces, pressed masks, measured and cut elastic, threaded elastic, and fixed meals for a couple of days!

I made my prototype out of one fabric for both the front and back. My research says one should easily be able to tell the front from the back so I made all of the donation masks from two fabrics. I used softer, less bright fabrics for the inside/back of the mask.

The pattern I was using has a pocket for an N95 mask or a filter. That took a bit more time but I thought it might be useful.

Then more research said that a non-woven inside layer helps to filter germs. It still is nowhere as good as an N95 but I'll do what I can to help so I added a piece of a t-shirt inside each mask. Maybe you can see it in the picture. This one is  yellow. Sewing the t-shirt in really slowed me down but again, if it helps,...

The first 13 masks have straps. Yes, more research said straps are preferred by most doctors. So 13 masks means 52 straps - that took some time! I'm so grateful for Ray's help.

 

Late yesterday at about hour 16 into this project, we found out we had another 24 hours. So today Ray and I made 7 more masks. These all have elastic that goes around the head, not just the ears. I did use elastic instead of straps and I do know the pattern so these only took the morning to make!

People in our group used a variety of patterns. I like this one which I got from Relief Crafters of America but it was strange to understand at first. I caught it in the middle of changes. It works well but I will tweak it before making it again. I also might investigate other patterns.

I hope you are doing well and handling the social distancing.  I really didn't think it would be this hard and maybe it's just knowing that you can't go see a grandchild or a friend or take a drive. In any event, it really helped me to do something that was useful and needed. My mental state is much better and it looks like there will be more mask making.

Orphan Improv is finished and other news

Orphan Improv is done!

Quilt just came out of dryer and is wrinkled. Guess it will be another rinse and dry.

The orphan bin was overflowing so I took out some of the brighter pieces and matched them with other pieces, stitched them together and then trimmed down to squares. 

I used quite a few pieces but I have plenty left. Improv stitching - no rules stitching - is fun to do every so often. 

This donation quilt is 54" square. I did the straight line quilting with a walking foot and Aurifil #1133 orange thread.

The back is an orange waterspot fabric from my stash.

And in other news...

Ray is making progress. He has a couple more weeks before his next visit  to the surgeon. The shooting pain is lessening but he still has pain. It will be interesting to see how this visit happens - maybe a televisit?

I still haven't resolved my food allergy or whatever. The allergist visit did not go well - that is one doctor I won't return to. Thank goodness I usually find good doctors. I'm feeling pretty good so I'm not pursuing it right now.

Last weekend, I attended our annual spring retreat in Oregon, Illinois, at the Lutheran Outdoor Ministries Center. It was our last retreat there. (We lost dear Ann this year and two others are no longer able to attend.) Our small group enjoyed our time together. Even though the weekend began with some restrictions due to Covid-19, everything changed while we were there - Illinois began taking action and our schools all closed and restrictions were put in place. One member of our group is a fourth grade teacher. What should have been a restful, fun weekend turned into a very stressful time for her.

I did get a few pictures of projects; I missed lots.

I took pictures of my projects when I got home.

We are staying home and keeping busy. I keep thinking I should do some spring cleaning but the sewing studio keeps calling my name! I have been doing some cooking and replenishing our freezer meals. 

To go with lunch on this rainy, dreary day, we'll have some fresh bread.

Please stay home if you can, 

do the social distancing, 

and wash your hands!  

Take Care!