A little Progress

I seem to be busy doing all the daily things that need to be done but never find the time to get any sewing squeezed in. A big part of the problem is that I still have not managed to make my sewing space more used friendly.  I have made a little progress in passing along some things but I am still hanging on to too many things I am never going to get around to using.  Oh well.....................

I did make a trip to the local quilt shop where I found another yard of the fabric I used for my last Framed 9 Patch inner border and binding. I have used a green monochromatic print for narrow inner borders on many quilts with piano key borders. Green always works well with multi fabric quilts especially if there a lot of floral prints. This green fits these two F9P quilts particularly well.  I also ordered some batting and fabric the backing. So I am set to move ahead. 

Today I sewed on piano key border to the green inner border and sewed it the outside edge of the right side quilt section.

This is the entire right section of the quilt, ready to layer up for quilting.

This is a closeup of a section of the piano key border showing where I used a 2 inch left over piece of a strip set after I cut 2 - 5 inch sections. I didn't intend to put it right next to the 5 inch strip but when I realized that was where I placed it I saw it as a good example of how I can use up all the little pieces.

It is also a good example of how things you didn't plan happen when you are interrupted and don't get back to something for a while.

This is the first time I am using the new blogger format after having gone back to the old format for a while. I don't really like it and I guess that is just "too bad".  So..... it's  "get used to it" or move on.  I'll see how it goes.

Borders

I finally got around to sewing piano key sections together. No matter what I tell myself, or anyone else, about random being RANDOM; I always end up agonizing over sections that don't look right to me. I even fuss around using my seam ripper and "improving" an offending area. I spent a lot more time working on the two side orders than I needed to. Working with scraps is not necessarily mindless. However I did get them together and layered up and quilted. I need to pin a note up reminding myself that I have never been unhappy about the piano keys once the quilt has been finished.

This border is 82 inches long and this is about half of it. I am still thinking about adding another row of wavy quilting between the 2 rows that I've done so far. If I had quilted in the ditch over all the vertical seams or even quilted feathers I think the stitching would have been too dense for the body of the quilt. I am not gong to rip out the quilting but I am thinking about whether I might add something.


I need to trim the backing and batting and that is a process that requires Trimming away the batting and backing edges different widths and there is a lot of fussing around. I know think I can eliminate at least one step. I am going slow and rethinking my process.

In the meantime these top and bottom borders are still in sections up on my wall. One of the narrow green borders is between them so I can work on both of them at the same time.  I will be putting 7 inch blocks on both ends so the piano keys are able to fit across the wall.  I can agonize over them every time I look in that direction.











Maybe I need to pin up that note reminding me to think about the PK borders on the finished quilts.

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.