My 'New' Sewing Machine, Stash Report

We spent 8 days in Vancouver, and had the best weather ever: temperatures between 55-75, no rain, no humidity.  Vancouver has to be one of the most beautiful places in North America.  We did as many touristy things as we could:  Stanley Park, Butchart Gardens, Gastown, Victoria, Mundy Park, Capalino Suspension Bridge, Wreck Beach (clothing optional), UBC botanical gardens.    Before we went on vacation, I took my sewing machine in for service.  I wanted to get it cleaned and oiled while we were away, so I wouldn't miss any sewing time.

 I decided to try a different Bernina technician than the one we have in this town because this guy is super slow.  The last time I brought my machine in for a small repair and cleaning, he repaired it, but he didn't clean it.  And it took 3 weeks!  That's a long time for me to go without sewing.  The first technician I called was an hour away.  He could not guarantee he would have the work done by the time I got home from vacation.  The second technician I called was an hour and 15 minutes away, but he said he would have my machine done by the time I got home, so I decided to go there.

When I got to the store, I mentioned to to technician that I wanted my machine ( a twenty year old Bernina 1260) to last forever.  There were a couple of things I wish it had, but I've been very happy with it.  He mentioned that he had just gotten in 2 Berninas in trade that were the same vintage as mine.  One of them was a lower end model and did not have the knee lifter for the presser foot.  The other one was a step up from my machine.  You can probably tell what's coming:  I bought a used Bernina, a 1630.

I have never had a back up sewing machine before, and this one may become my primary machine if I can get used to having a computer screen.  My sew steady table, walking foot and other feet will fit this new machine.  The bobbins are different, but this machine has an empty bobbin warning, which will be nice to have.  I am thrilled that I won't have to plan my cleanings around vacations anymore, and I won't be at the mercy of a slow repairman.

Used this week:  0.5  (Dogs In Sweaters binding)
Used year to date: 63.625 yards
Added this week:  8 yards (white for Joe's quilt)
Added year to date: 104.125 yard
Net Added yards: 40.5 yards

Rolling Waves

I have been working on Rolling Waves for the past three weeks.  Rolling Waves is a pattern I have wanted to make for a long time.  It is free download from McCalls Quilting, and there are many variations online.   http://www.mccallsquilting.com/free-easy-bed-sized-quilt-patterns  Most people have made it in two colors, and it looks great that way.

The color in my pictures isn't accurate.  My background is not black or gray but a teal/blue/green batik with a swirly pattern on it.  I like the illusion of curves using only squares and rectangles.  All of my blocks are done, but the top isn't sewn together yet.

This pattern is easy, but not particularly fast.  There is a lot of piecing!  The smallest squares finish at 3/4".  

Linking up:  http://smallquiltsanddollquilts.blogspot.com/2017/06/design-wall-monday-june-26-2017.html

Used this week:  0

Used year to date: 63.125 yards
Added this week:  3.75 yards (4 charm packs, strips for Ring Cycle)
Added year to date: 96.125 yards 
Net Added yards: 33.0 yards

Shaggy One Block Wonder, Stash Report

I got my Kaffe Fassett Shaggy yellow one block wonder top together.  I have been playing around with the arrangement of the hexagons for over a month and had intended to add some cubes.  They didn't add much to the design of  the quilt, so they were omitted.  This is my fourth OBW, and my first without cubes.

The colors in my pictures aren't true to the fabric. In person, they are much brighter, more like https://www.fatquartershop.com/kaffe-fassett-collective-yellow-shaggy-yardage

Used this week:  13 yards ( Talkin' Turkey, backing and binding, Shaggy OBW top)
Used year to date: 63.125 yards
Added this week:  16.75 yards (black for Joe's quilt, Rolling Waves fabric)
Added year to date: 92.375 yards 
Net Added yards: 29.25 yards

Linking up:

https://sewfreshquilts.blogspot.com/2017/06/lets-bee-social-180.html

http://crazymomquilts.blogspot.com/2017/06/socks-for-z.html

Talkin' Turkey, Quilted and Bound

My Talkin' Turkey quilt is finally finished!  Here it is quilted and bound.

There is only one spot in my entire house I can lay this quilt out on the floor and get a picture of it.

Vicki Johnson of Threads that Bind Us did the longarm quilting.  The top is so busy that you don't even notice notice the quilting except for in  the borders. Vicki suggested a pantograph that mimicked a flower in the backing.  http://www.threadsthatbindusquilting.com/

This quilt was almost 2 1/2 years in the making, and I'm so pleased to have it done!  Next step is a trip to the laundromat to get it washed since it won't fit in my machine.

Linking up: http://persimondreams.blogspot.com/p/scrap-quilt-challenge.html
http://crazymomquilts.blogspot.com/2017/06/pink-flamingo-gingham-quilt-top.html
http://www.shecanquilt.ca/2017/06/june-scraptastic-tuesday-last-call.html

O Canada Done and Stash Report

I'm making slow quilting progress.  I am in the middle of binding Talkin' Turkey, in the middle of piecing my OBW, and need to put borders on Surrounded by Scraps.   I did finish the binding on O Canada and was waiting for the sun to come out to get a good picture.  Unfortunately, the past few days have been gray and rainy, and today isn't much better.  Here is O Canada, quilted, bound, labeled and ready to give.

This was a very fun quilt to make.  I feared the two bears would take a long time to piece, but the whole thing went together very smoothly.

The quilting is a swirly pantograph.  My longarmer and I considered a maple leaf pantograph but didn't like the idea of the animals with maple leaves on them.

I bound this quilt by machine since the recipients are quilt muggles and won't know the difference.  I also took a chance and washed it.  I was concerned that the red would run since I didn't prewash the fabric,  but it didn't.

 Thanks to Lorna at Sew Fresh Quilts  for the excellent pattern, and thanks to Vicki for her longarm quilting.

Used this week:  0.5 yards (O Canada binding)
Used year to date: 50.125 yards
Added this week:  10.75 (backing, Christmas red Kona, 10" Kaffe squares)
Added year to date: 75.625 yards 
Net Added yards: 25.5 yards

Linking up: https://sewfreshquilts.blogspot.com/2017/05/lets-bee-social-178.html

http://crazymomquilts.blogspot.com/2017/05/big-nines-completed-quilt.html

Surrounded By Scraps, Stash Report

I spent the morning watching Camelot and working on Charlotte's mystery, Surrounded By Scraps.  Camelot is a long movie, and I was able to get the sashing on all 12 blocks and the top mostly put together.  I still want to do two borders, one that is just like she sashing and another one that will probably just be plain. Here is a very bad picture of my progress so far:

It was almost dark by the time we got home from dinner, and I didn't think to take one earlier.

Used this week:  2.0 (DIS top)
Used year to date: 49.625 yards
Added this week: 2.75 (binding for O Canada, solids for OBW cubes)
Added year to date: 64.875 yards 
Net Added yards: 15.25 yards

Linking up:  http://www.patchworktimes.com/2017/05/14/stash-report-may-14-2017/

http://www.joscountryjunction.com/ufo-progress-27/

Janie's Dogs

I'm making a throw for my good friend Janie.  We call her the dog whisperer. She always has a pocketful of treats and time to spend with her canine friends.  If she is watching your dog, she doesn't just go to your house and let your dog out in the backyard for a few minutes.  She will take your dog for a walk if your dog likes to walk.  If you dog likes to run, she runs.  If you dog is a couch potato, she will sit outside in the grass and scratch his belly.  If you dog is afraid of thunderstorms, she will sit with him and watch TV until they are over.  All the neighborhood dogs love Janie, and she loves them.

I finished this top, Elizabeth Hartman's Dogs In Sweaters,  for her.  My plan is to back it with brown minky.  Janie's dogs' names are cross stitched using DMC soluble canvas.

Each dog on the quilt represents one of Janie's dogs.

Henry was Janie's childhood dog, the only one of them who was actually a dachshund. This dog wasn't friendly, but he loved Janie.  He was an aggressive little thing who picked fights with bigger dogs and was eventually killed by another dog.  This was back in the day when people allowed their dogs to run free, and their were no leash laws.

Alex,  a mixed breed of uncertain parentage,  was the dog who once ate a whole bag of chicken manure and vomited it up on Janie's rug.   It has been long enough that Janie can laugh about it now.  Alex was a shy dog who didn't like to leave her yard.  She was well loved by their whole family.  Janie said when they had to put her down, her husband sat on the floor and cried.  

After Alex, Janie's family got Skye, a rescue dog who got off to a bad start when he lifted his leg on the Christmas tree.  Eventually he learned the rules of the house and became Janie's shadow, following her from room to room.  Skye looked like a large beagle mix with beautiful slanted eyes.  Janie didn't know he had advanced kidney disease until she took him to the vet to get his teeth cleaned, and his bloodwork was abnormal.  Skye only lived a few months after that.

Then came Maggie.  Maggie was a feral dog until she was about 9 months old.  The group that caught her and took her in said that her brother had been shot by some kids.  Maggie was afraid of lots of things, but she loved my dog Chase.  For several years, my dog  Chase spent most of his days in Janie's back yard playing with Maggie.  Maggie is 12 years old now, and Chase is 13.  They don't get to play together any more because Maggie has terrible arthritis.  She has had surgery on both of her back knees.  My dog is slowing down, but he still will walk a mile or two each day.  On a good day, Maggie will walk around the block.  On a bad day, she has a hard time standing up.  Maggie is part long haired German Shepherd.  She is one of the smartest dogs I've ever known, hence the glasses.

I hope Janie will like this quilt.  I've enjoyed planning and making it for her!

Linking up:  http://crazymomquilts.blogspot.com/2017/05/nine-mini-nines.html