A Detour And Back On Track With The Framed 9 Patch

I was starting to cut the backing sections for the Framed 9 Patch quilt when I decided to move some things out of the way in my sewing room. I needed to move my table away from the wall so I could work around it when I started to layer up the sections.  I piled some things on a chair and pushed them into my bedroom. I looked at one corner and it struck me that maybe a 16 x 22 tall chest that is in my sewing room closet would just fit in that corner. I made the mistake of asking Jack what he thought, fully intending to think it over and do it another time (or maybe not at all). The next thing I knew we were moving furniture. That involved more than moving one chest because we had to move his bedroom dresser and desk a few inches. We could not budge the dresser without taking the drawers out so we did and moved things over. He measured the space for the chest and then I measured a slightly different way and we discussed it. Hmm!!   There is baseboard heating that runs along the wall and turns the corner that had to be taken into consideration and we each had a different idea about how to measure. We decided it would work and began the process of moving the chest after taking all the drawers out and emptying one drawer that was too heavy to take out with all the stuff in it. We had to move some furniture in my sewing room in order to get the chest out of the corner of the closet We finally moved the chest and IT FIT.  This was a no small thing for us to do.  We are both over 80. It's done and we are both no worse for wear but next time I want something moved I will ask one of our kids or grandkids.

It took me two hours to get the sewing room in order, not perfect but I gained a some closet space that will make things easier.


I cut all the backing sections and got the 3 bottom sections of the quilt layered up and pin basted. I even got started on the quilting. This morning I finished one section.

I quilted in the ditch between the blocks in both directions. On this section, I quilted all the way to the edge on all 4 sides. I will trim away the batting and backing on all 4 sides when I am ready to join it to the next section.



























This is a close up of 2 adjacent blocks.

I quilted inside the frame strips and on the diagonal across the solid squares in the 9 patch.  After quilting a couple of blocks I determined the best way (for me) would be to quilt around the 9 patch and across one diagonal and then decide which side I would stitch over to get to the diagonal line that would take me closest to the next block, about 2 inches. I quilted inside of one block at a time and I stopped and started my ditch stitching with tiny stitches.  I do not be bury my threads I cut them after the tiny stitches and I have never had anything come apart.  It looks good on the front and the back.

Now that I have some of my basting pins free I am going to layer and pin baste the left top section. I want to get the left top and bottom together so I can determine the exact length of the side borders. I want to alternate between the quilting and the other things that need to be done to finish this quilt. I helps to give my fingers a rest from the pinning and my neck a rest from the quilting. I will want to give myself a break once I start doing the hand sewing on the back when I get as far as joining the sections. I will also be taking bits of time for adding things to my laundry basket of things to say goody bye to, We'll see how it goes.

Epiphany

When I revisited Melody Johnson's post from October 17 I had a moment of clarity. I have too much stuff,  leftover pieces and parts, EVERYWHERE. They need to go. I have so many half square triangle blocks in various sizes and vintages that it would be a way bigger project to use them than I want to handle. The same goes for 4 patch blocks and most of the odd blocks that I have. They are taking up time and space. They are taking away my creative energy.

I have been trying to make myself work on the backing panels for the Framed 9 patch quilt sections. I can't stick with it because it just sucks up all my energy. It is not fun or even mildly satisfying.
I have used up a lot of left overs over time and almost of of the fun stuff has already been used.


This is what I have been wrestling with the last few days. I got as far as the side strips and stopped. I didn't sew the top and bottom strips. I am not going to try to make this work. I didn't use these border strips when I made them because they were a mistake. I should have kept each set of strips together instead of mixing them up. They weren't cohesive when I made them years ago and they still aren't.













I found this fabric at Joann's on their clearance shelves, at 70% off. It has a nice hand and it washed up nicely. I bought all of it, over 9 yards. I have enough for the back of the quilt and I hope that there will not be much left over.










So what to do with all my pieces and parts. I am pretty sure this borders on hoarding. I started to go through some if it.  I put it all away again.I found myself picking out parts that would make a block or two that were all ready to put together or that maybe needed another square of HST. I am not going to look at any more of it.  I can't do this myself, I need help to do it.

For now, I am keeping some of my odd scraps that I use for improve blocks. I find those fun to  make. I will also keep strips for piano key borders. There area few projects that I want to finish for which I have actual plans. There are some things that are long term projects that I work on from time to time. Maybe I will finish them up in a smaller size and maybe I will pass them on as is.
I have a lot of fabric I like that is less than a yard or half yard, that should satisfy my need to make scrap quilts. There are some pieces and parts for which there are plans.  However, I will not keep anything that does not speak sing to me.

Backing Sections

I seems as though everything I do lately gets bogged down while I am either waiting for something or doing something I have to do that has nothing to do with quilting. Of course sometimes I am wavering over what I want to do or how to do it.

I am working on the backing sections for the Framed 9 Patch quilt. I will be quilting it in 6 sections so I planned to have a scrappy back.  I pulled out a bunch of pieces but nothing was big enough or looked good together. Some fabrics looked good but there wasn't enough to make anything cohesive for all six sections. I will be quilting separate border sections as well. I am really serious about using up everything I have but sometimes that just doesn't work out.

I found some picket fence borders that I had planned for another quilt several years ago. I didn't use them because they looked like they belonged on a different quilt. That was my thought when I tried them out and when Jack said that, without my prompting, I knew they didn't belong on that quilt.  I drag them out every time I try to use something from my odds and ends but they never work.

This is one border section.




 This is 2 sections showing the pattern in the  way I will sew them together.
The borders are sewn in long strips and I will be taking them apart in short sections.




This is the way the sections will look when I get them made. At this point I am not worrying about the colors. Random is random and this time it is really random and it looks like it.

I went shopping and bought the floral fabric, it was on sale and I bought all of it. I will have enough to frame all the picket fence sections and for the borders and even enough to change my mind.




Years ago, when it was my turn, I asked the Friendship Group to make 71/2 inch HST blocks; probably 3 blocks using different fabrics in each. I sliced them in 2 1/2 inch strips and rearranged them. I mixed up all the colors and if I remember correctly I had quite a mixed up time getting them in the right order. It would have been easier to keep each original block together like the one here. However I wanted random. I am counting on the floral fabric to make it all come together.

I would have felt guilty if I didn't use the blocks I requested, like I was rejecting their efforts. These have been hanging around chastising me. I will be really happy to get them off my conscience and out of my Odd Blocks Box.

Table Toppers and Piano Keys

I finally finished my autumn table mats for my mismatched end tables. I had been waiting for a walking foot for my lightweight Brother that I bought for a "take along" machine. I never expected to use it for quilting. I ordered the foot from Amazon and after 2 weeks they informed me the order was lost. I ordered  it on line from Walmart and got it in two days.
 I also finally got my Bernina out to the sewing center for service this week.  I was waiting for  family member to drive me there. The walking foot worked OK on the Brother but I really miss my Bernina and I hope it will be coming home soon.


So the mats are finished, they are on the tables  adding some color. I didn't even bother with a photo of the one on the table next to Jack's chair. It is pretty much covered up by an assortment of things he wants within arm's reach.

 This little 8 x 10 quilt on the other table is slipped over one of those clear plastic stand up sign holders. I made several of these for my mother in law when she was in assisted living. Some were for a month, some for a season or holiday. I have some of them now and I remembered to get this one out since the theme here right now seems to be leaves and pumpkins.

This is on my front door. Everyone else on our apartment hall had something seasonal and my door looked neglected. I wanted something that is not so big it covers the number on our door.  I used MS Paint to cover my apt. number in the photo (that is the brown rectangle above the leaves). This covers the peep hole on my door but I can see through a little space looking from inside. I feel like we are now decorated for autumn with various pumpkins sitting around and table toppers with leaves and wall hangings in autumn colors.

My Brother machine is very nice for piecing so I haven't been idle while waiting for the walking foot. I worked on the piano key borders for the Framed 9 Patch quilt.

 I have been sewing strips of different lengths together together. Most of the strips are around 2 inches some a bit more narrow, some a bit wider. The longer sets will be cut in sections that are the needed size and the sections joined with other sections. 

If there are pieces left when I cut the long sets into sections I often get one or two  narrow widths that I turn and use between sections like this little strip on the right side of the set. I think it adds a little interest.
A few days ago I went through my scrap bins and pulled out strips that were in with all the assorted odd pieces and sorted them into similar lengths.









I still have to decide on the backing for the 6 Framed  9 Patch sections. I don't know if I want them all different, all the same, or some pattern of 2 or 3 different fabrics. I don't know if I want to quilt all the border sections separate or add them to the outside edges of the sections. These things are in the back of my mind and I haven't had much chance to bring them to the forefront and finalize my plan.