Decisions, Decisions

 I haven't cut or sewn the remaining sashing on the Amalfi quilt yet, but my thoughts have already moved on to figuring out what I will use for the border. I will need to add an inner border to separate the busy sashing from the outer border.

 As a reminder, here is what the blocks look like, although they are now put together and pressed and don't look as chaotic.

What say you?

 

Solid inner border, floral outer border.

Dark inner border with polka dot outer border.

Lighter inner border, polka dot outer border.

Dark inner border, lighter outer border.

 

Here are the same photos, smaller, so you can see them side by side to compare.

Or some other combination thereof?

What about the binding? What I don't use in the border can be used for binding.

Robin wanted to see the dark border with the floral.  It is taken in different lighting conditions, but hopefully it still gives you a good idea about how it will look.

2021: Weeks 19 of 15 Minutes to Stitch

 

2021:  Weeks 19 of 15 Minutes to Stitch

This week, I put together the rooftop blocks to make the Almafi Coast quilt top. The top is put together, but I still need to add sashing to two of the sides. 

I bought some pool noodles because I have heard good things about using them to layer quilts and I want to layer and baste the Quote quilt.

15 minute days this week --7 out of 7

15 minute days this year -- 129 out of 129 days

Success rate  = 100%

 

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15 Minutes to Stitch

 

Week 18 of 15 Minutes to Stitch

 

These Amalfi Coast blocks are so much fun - I really like the blues I am using - that I am extra motivated to work on them. 

2021:  Weeks 17 of 15 Minutes to Stitch

 

15 minute days this week --7 out of 7

15 minute days this year -- 122 out of 122 days

Success rate  = 100%

 

I was at 95% at this time last year. I am ahead of last year, but I will be working overtime this spring and hope to have more work this year, so I have a feeling that I will eventually fall behind. If I wind up at the same place as last year, I will be happy.

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15 Minutes to Stitch

 

Quilt Reveal: Blue Shirts Quilt

 

I put the last stitches on the shirts quilt this week. It is strange to give you a quilt reveal without showing it all to you, but it is a very large quilt and  I will need help to show the whole thing to you. For good lighting, the photo has to be taken outside, and I don't want to get it dirty by laying it on the ground.

Maybe we will take the quilt for a walk so you can get a complete picture.

The quilt is made out of shirts that my brother-in-law wore until they were declared unsuitable for wear. We both like the idea of extending their life by turning them into a quilt. He isn't a lounge under a lap quilt guy, so I had to make a bed quilt. It has a 8 x 8 block layout, so it is approximately 80 x 80 inches.

Did you notice the row of one inch squares on the bottom left?

I made the quilt by cutting different size squares that would become ten inch blocks. There are a few rectangles in there too. I quilted it with an all over simple pattern meant to disguise the blocks.

I even used a shirt to make the label. I used shirts that had stains on them and I was looking for something to explain why. Mostly, I just wanted to tell the history of the shirts and show how well-loved they were.  This was the best I could find:

 

We leave a stain. 

We leave a trail. 

We leave an imprint.

 

2021:  Weeks 17 of 15 Minutes to Stitch

 

This week, using only 15 minutes at a day, I stitched the rest of the binding and label of the shirts quilt.

15 minute days this week --7 out of 7

15 minute days this year -- 115 out of 115 days

Success rate  = 100%

 

I was at 95% at this time last year, because I slipped this week last year. I haven't made a small quilt this month, but am trying to think of a quick one I can finish before the end of the month.

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15 Minutes to Stitch

 

Continued Progress on Two Quilts

 

Work has been gearing up for our peak season, and my time is going to be very limited soon.  My lawn mower has a burning smell so I decided to give it a rest, which gave me some more quilting time. I received my second vaccine, and I tolerated it better than the first one.

2021:  Weeks 16 of 15 Minutes to Stitch

 

The photo shows the books I bought during the AQS clearance sale. Buying them in a big batch like this makes it difficult to savor each one individually, but I am going to try.

I finished sewing down the binding of the shirts quilt and made great progress with the hand stitching part. That part usually takes me a while. The photo at the top shows the four fabrics used in the backing and the binding.

I also cut more sashing for the Amalfi Coast quilt.

15 minute days this week --7 out of 7

15 minute days this year -- 108 out of 108 days

Success rate  = 100%

 

I was at 100% at this time last year too.

Linked with:

15 Minutes to Stitch

Off the Wall Friday

 

Progress on Two Quilts

 

This week, for the Amalfi Coast quilt, I added sashing pieces to two sides of the rooftops blocks. The sewing machine speeds them all through, and now I need to cut more sashing pieces.

I also made the binding for the blue shirts quilt. I couldn't find a blue fabric I liked, and I didn't like the way a dark binding cut off the calmness of the blue front, so I chose this grayish piece. It really closes off the quilt while keeping the mood. I made the binding extra wide since this is a big quilt. I've sewn the binding on two of the sides and will be able to finish the machine sewing today.

2021:  Weeks 15 of 15 Minutes to Stitch

 

My allergy medicine is trying to keep my allergies at bay. Work is gearing up, and the yard work has resumed for the year so stitching time is harder to come by, but I am eager to make progress on my quilts and managed to find the time.

15 minute days this week --7 out of 7

15 minute days this year -- 101 out of 101 days

Success rate  = 100%

 

I was at 100% at this time last year too.

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15 Minutes to Stitch

 

 I'm not sure what this sign is trying to say, but it sounds like a good motto overall.

Happy Easter

 

 

This is a quilt I made in April 2019. 

2021:  Weeks 14 of 15 Minutes to Stitch

 

This week has found me with a rotary cutter firmly in hand, trimming the shirts quilt and cutting the sashing for the Amalfi (formerly known as sea glass rooftops) quilt. I have doubled up on quality control and safety checks so the process is slower than usual.

The diamonds in the sashing fabric are not the same size, so there is fussy cutting involved, which has slowed down that process tremendously. I don't like the way it looks without the fussy cutting and I bought a lot of that fabric just for that reason, so I will take the time to fussy cut. The first column cut is the way I want, the second is a smidgen off, and I will use it that way, and then the third column winds up being an inch away. I can use the extra inch in a strip quilt so I am not worried.

15 minute days this week --7 out of 7

15 minute days this year -- 94 out of 94 days

Success rate  = 100%

 

I was at 100% at this time last year too.

Linked with:

15 Minutes to Stitch