Alphabet Quilt

This is the panel that drew me away from paper crafting and back into my sewing space.

For a long time I’ve wanted to make an alphabet quilt.  But I didn’t want to make the letters and I wanted them to look artsy.  When I bought this panel, I didn’t know it was a Marcia Derse design.  No wonder I love this panel.

(Not to worry, all those prewash wrinkles will disappear as I work with the panel)

I didn’t need to worry about wonky with this panel.  The alphabet is intentionally somewhat wonky so any further wonky added during printing the panel would not be an issue.  Looking closely at the panel, the letters are collaged on notebook pages.  First thing I did was cut the notebook pages apart. 

I wanted the letters to be separated from each other, so I cut them apart.  That left raw edges very close to most of the letters.  I cut 1/4” strips of Wonder Under and fused it to that raw edge on the wrong side.

    

I then fused that raw edge to a strip of another fabric and stitched a zig zag to applique the two pieces together.  That would allow me to have a seam allowance for piecing.

I arranged the letters in rows, staggering them somewhat.  I then began a rather measured improv piecing to make them into uniform length blocks.  But within each block itself, if it was wonky, I left it that way.  You can see what I mean in the closeup below. (The a, B and C are the most obvious).



A close up of the first row.

After getting the quilt body all sewn together, I added a narrow 1/2” purple border and a scrappy neutral border outside that border.

I almost forgot to get the selvedge into the quilt!  My panel didn’t have any color dots (sad face).  As the finished quilt top waited on the design wall for me to get a backing, I decided I didn’t like the narrow purple framing border.

I started thinking about how I could change that.

A bit of a wild idea came to mind.  So out came my overflowing storage box of selvedges.

Continuing with the measured improv, I trimmed and stitched selvedges over the top of the purple border.



I think I’m figuring out my style...eclectic.

When I pin baste my quilt layers together, I don’t leave much backing and batting extending past my quilt top.

Quilting with a walking foot has proven that the backing and batting don’t pull inwards, so I stopped wasting extra fabric for the basting and quilting process.  I mostly just quilt with straight lines as this look is my favorite.  

Now look at the fun mistake I made and discovered halfway through the quilting.

I set the Z block upside down.

I began to panic!  What about the H?  What about the I?  What about the N?  What about the O?  What about the S?  All just fine.  Then I got to the W and I noticed a portion of the map was upside down and I thought I used the M upside down!  Then I remembered the m was lower case.  Whew!!!

So just the Z is flipped.  I decided it is a fun mistake and I’m embracing it.

Now I know my ABCs ... and flipped Z!

Costume Maker’s Ball Wall Quilt

This was another gifted panel.  The designs by J. Wecker Frisch are quite unique and whimsical and they all make me smile.  This is the panel as it can be purchased.

I cut apart the images.  I dug into my stash to see what I had in the way of black and white checks.  There were more than I thought and I decided they didn’t all need to be white.  There is even a harlequin print in the mix.  

And then the evils of a panel came to life.  One reason I am not a big fan of panels is that they never seem to be printed or woven straight.  Or maybe that’s just my luck.  Then I added insult to injury choosing to frame each image with the checks.  I liked them...even without sashing.

But sashing won out.  It bothered me all during the making that the quilt might turn wonky and prove to be undisguiseable or unforgiving.  I kept along with it anyway...hoping...

This panel was really fun to work on despite its challenges.

Binding choice was easy.  No surprise here, right?!

I had to include the words that ran alongside the panel.  

I can’t believe that I forgot to work the selvedge into the quilt design!  How fun is that selvedge!

This wall quilt is quite large, measuring 51” X 30”.

Ta-Da!  All done.  If you don’t look too close, the wonk isn’t too noticeable.

(At the time of the photo, I hadn’t yet gotten a dowel for hanging)

Did you notice the panel has a sewing theme?

On to the next project...........

Bunting

I was gifted four very fun fabric panels.  Now that the sewing bug has bit me again, I began with this sweet bunting panel.  (It is actually a panel and a half).  I’m sure these triangular shaped prints can be made into many things, I wanted buntings.

The panel is a Riley Blake Design by J. Wrecker Frisch, Joy Studio

I cut the pieces apart with some almost-as-old-as-me pinking shears.  Then I stitched the pieces to batting and a backing and then trimmed the backing. As I began sewing the first piece, I realized that pins were not helpful.



You could make a very long bunting with these pieces. I chose to make 3 separate buntings.

Next I chose some button options to embellish the pieces.

I connected the pieces to a length of striped fabric.  Machine stitching the front and hand sewing the strip to the backs (like binding)

    

I added buttons by tying them with Perle Cotton threads.

(My ball spools say “Coton Perle”)

The first finished bunting hangs here on my half wall.

It makes me happy to see it there.  



I pinned sewing themed charms between the pieces using safety gourd pins.

This first bunting is for a special friend.  The second one now hanging on my half wall is for me.

It makes my happy space feel even happier.

My buntings measure 80” in length.

To catch up with my calendar journals, here is January and February.

We get closer and closer to Spring!  That too makes me happy.

Snowman Challenge

Thanks to a new challenge I found, I have my first Christmas card for December 2022!  

This is a monthly themed challenge at the blog of   The Joyful Quilter. The link to the challenge rules: https://thejoyfulquilter.blogspot.com/p/2022-table-scraps-challenge.html.

January’s challenge is snowmen/red.  

I loved the Christmas tag I made in December, shown here, with the snowman and wondered how well he’d make into a Christmas card.  I’m combining my fabric scraps with my paper crafts to make cards this year.  At least that is the plan.  It will depend on how well the monthly challenge fits with that plan.  Fabric postcards are always an option too.

I began with fabric scraps backed with Wonder Under and cut using cutting dies.

    

I then chose a background fabric (red) cutting it and a piece of cardstock to a 4X6 inch size.  I fused the pieces to the background and stitched them down.  Adding a section of selvedge for a scarf.

    


I then began embellishing with foil paper punched circles on the holly and paper punched circles for buttons, a snowflake punched from glitter paper and a heat embossed message. I stitched the finished panel to the front of a folded card.

I sprayed ink through a stencil for the envelope.

    

Inside the card is a heat embossed message stitched to a background paper then taped to the inside of the folded card.

I love mixing sewing with paper crafts.  I can’t wait to find out what the February challenge will be.

December 2021 calendar journal

I don’t normally show progress photos, but this is what has been keeping me quite busy for the past month.  A massive cross stitch.  350 stitches X 349 stitches.  I have completed the first 39 rows...13,650 stitches.  Only 108,500 stitches to go!

Happy stitching of one type or another!

Christmas Decor Tags and Cards

I love when there is time during the Christmas season to create with a Christmas theme.  I managed a couple of decor tags to add to my collection to hang around the house.

Front and back

      

Both tags began on craft paper embossed with an embossing folder that I inked with red inks before running it through the embossing machine.  Then embellished with die cuts and stamping.

Front and back
    

Following are Christmas cards I managed to get made this year.

    

    


    

I wish a very merry little Christmas to one and all!

Be safe and be happy.

May the world have the happiest New Year ever!