A Finish: Two Pillows to Go with the Purple and Black Cultural Fusion Windmill Quilt

My pillow tops are 19 inches, the pillow form is 20 inches - the result is a firm pillow!

I sandwiched and quilt the top as normal.

For the back I used a method where I did not have to be exact with the zippers - there is a large flap that covers the zipper up.

I had to piece the second pillow, that is what I took photos of.

Thanks to Heather Kojan @ Moda Bake Shop for the directions on how to put zipper with flap on a pillow back.

First the backing is cut to either the same size as the front or just pick one direction make the same.  Cut at least the top section of the backing to size.

Make a flap that is about 4 inches wide and the same length as the width of the backing.  Press it in half with the good side showing.

Place the top section of the backing facing up, then put the flap so the cut edges are even with the top of the backing.  At this point I used pins to make sure these pieces would not move.

Then place the zipper upside down with the opening part on the left.  Then sew the three pieces together.  I did not have a zipper foot, but as I wanted some of the zipper to show this is not an issue to worry about.  I use a zipper that is longer than the pillow backing - this makes it easy to sew it down as I didn't have to fiddle with anything.

After it was sewn, I smoothed the fabric away from the zipper.

I added the bottom piece of the back so it was lined up with the other side of the zipper and the sides of the top of the backing.  I used pins to be sure things stayed lined up.

Then I smoothed the fabric again to see the zipper.  I checked to be sure the zipper still worked.

Then I sewed along the top of the fabric next to the bottom side of the zipper.

Then I pressed the flap down and sewed right next to the seam on top of the flap.

Tested to be sure the zipper worked.

Then I sewed by hand to be sure the zipper edge would be in the correct place.

Sewed just that end of the zipper with the machine.  I unzipped part way.

Then it was a simple matter of pinning the top to the zippered back.  I had left my piece of fabric a bit longer.  This was trimmed after the back and front were joined together.

Thanks to Chrissie D for the directions on how to get rid of the bunny ears on the corners of the quilt.

Then I marked each corner to show 1/2 inch from the seam and five inches from the seam.

Then I drew lines

And used the lines as my cutting guides.

Turn the pillow covers so the right side is out - done!

A Finish: Cultural Fusion Black and Purple Windmills

I finally put the binding on the black and purple windmill quilt that I started in the Sujata Shaw workshop in 2014 in Maryland.

Timeline:
2015-07 Take Sujata's Workshop and Start Piecing:  Mid-Appalachian Quilters July 2015 event 
2016-02 Sew Blocks Together: https://quiltquest.blogspot.com/2016/02/one-monthly-goal-feb-2016-sew-blocks.html
2016-02 Making it Larger and then Spray Basting: https://quiltquest.blogspot.com/2016/02/one-monthly-goal-feb-2016-sew-blocks_28.html
2016-03 FMQing: https://quiltquest.blogspot.com/2016/03/omg-march-2016-quilting-cultural-fusion.html
2019-03 Squaring up and applying binding

My quilting friend, K,  reminded me how to square up the quilt and get the binding on...

For squaring up we used a large square and a long ruler.  Put the square on the corner and use the longer one to then see the where the side is to be cut.  Using the larger square was new to me and really helped get the job done.

My binding is cut on bias at 2.5 inches.  I put on using an approx 3/8 inch seam - binding is full and nice.

The back is just black and the quilting does not really show up.

WIP: Red Charity Quilt - top done!

Took between three and four hours to sew this top up.  I did the sewing in two sessions....

Squares are six inches, I started with two blocks each with 36 squares.  I used the same fabric in the diagonal of the blocks, and arranged the blocks so the same fabric would not line up along any of the six inch seams. (I will bind using the same fabric as the diagonals.)

Then I cut each block along the diagonal, and then sewed on the edge of the diagonal cuts about 1/8 of an inch (to help avoid stretching).

Then I placed the resulting four pieces so the triangles were on the outside of a square. 

And I sewed the pieces together!  Magically I was able to nest all the seams. Only the final connecting seam had to be repressed so it was all in the same direction and flat.

The top is now 46 inches square.  A great size for a charity quilt.  It should be easy for me to quilt and bind.  Now I need to decide how to do the quilting!

But first I need to get back to the gifts for the upcoming baby shower!

I think this link will be a good place to start dreaming:

https://youtu.be/0EqnoFQpL4E

I see she is giving some workshops in CA soon - maybe a road trip is in order?

https://www.quintessentialquilting.com/schedule.html

Pi Day 2019: Blueberry Pie and Pizza Pie

Are you making pie for today?  I started last year - it was pretty fun so doing again this year.  

I have never made or eaten a blueberry pie - but my son put in his request for that so I gave it a try.  I think it will be delicious with vanilla ice cream tonight. 

Amazingly, it took twice as long as the recipe said it would take!
Recipe: https://www.inspiredtaste.net/23159/homemade-blueberry-pie-recipe/

Doesn't look that pretty after baking for so long.  Definitely makes the pie, as it says in the recipe "look perfectly humble and homemade".  

It took almost two hours to get the blueberries to bubble in all the little windows of the crust.  After an hour it started flowing out the edges, but the middle blue berries looked uncooked.  So I added a foil top and set the alarm on the phone to check it out every ten minutes...

I took the left over pie crust and coated it with the egg wash and covered in the coarse sugar and cinnamon and baked it for around 30 minutes until it was done.  My husband had some with coffee this morning and said it was very good - something that could be made for company!

My husband put in his request for pizza pie, so we are going to be making that together later on tonite.

The days, the years seem to be slipping away so I'm really grabbing on to creating rituals and memories with my family...

So I'll ask again - are you making pie for Pi Day this year?

WIPs in Progress: String Log Cabins, Red Charity, and Baby Gifts and Just Get It Done Winner!

Well, I have been busy.  But nothing is complete, yet...

I made more of the strings that will surround the UANDUQAL wonky log cabin with strings quilt.  Was all set to finalize the placement of the blocks, and then received an invitation to a baby shower of a friend's daughter second baby.  I wasn't able to attend the first shower a few years ago when I came down with the shingles (diagnosed when I went to the doctor to receive the shingles shot!).  I never finished that quilt and instead gave her a little gift meant to be a place saver until I finished the quilt.  I reread my notes and see that I used the wrong colors in the blocks I was putting together (but having trouble cutting the final square correctly so the seams would line up).

Here are the blocks I have completed for the wonky log cabin with strings. The log cabins  are placed on top of each  other since my design wall wouldn't hold them all.  Project UANDUQAL.

Here is the link to the post about the original baby quilt.  Notice in the words I say she requested (black, grey and if I had to use another color maybe some purple).   I'm not sure how I converted that to black white, and navy blue.  https://quiltquest.blogspot.com/2017/03/wip-baby-quilt-based-on-allpeoplequilts.html  But since I couldn't get the seams to line up I will save these strips and partially completed blocks for another project, another time.  The Wonky Log Cabin with Strings would almost be the correct colors, but the green and the blue knock it off in the running for the now three year old...

I want to have a quilt for both children for the baby shower on March 23rd.

I'm now thinking of finishing the purple, and black Cultural Fusion Windmill for the first child.
https://quiltquest.blogspot.com/2016/03/omg-march-2016-quilting-cultural-fusion.html
To finish it I just need to square it up and apply the binding.  Would be nice to make a pillow cover too.  I was going to send this to my Swedish friend, but since she doesn't know that was my plan I can make another one for her...  I see in my blog notes I saw a problem with the way I did the quilting as the outer lines will be covered by the binding.  Oh dear.

Then for the new baby (a girl) I may either combine my Liberated Floating Yellow Triangle Quilt:
https://quiltquest.blogspot.com/2016/07/a-variety-of-liberated-floating-yellow.html  This would be pretty easy to put together, but I'm unsure if the mom would like all the yellow and white...  Easy but since I'd have to continue inventing the directions it would be time consuming...

Perhaps better yet, use my newly won fabric from Karen at Just Get It Done Quilts (Blog) that I forgot to write about) and make either a square on point quilt or the Moda So Simple pattern.

The beautiful fabric that I won in a random drawing from Karen Brown is amazing!  30 fat quarters!  In her note she said she hoped I would use it in my next project...

I only need 12 fat quarters for the So Simple pattern though so I'm unsure which to use....  I didn't ask The new mother this time what colors she would like as there is a baby registry where I can see what colors she is liking now...  The fabric Karen sent me match all the colors I think!

Not able to come to any decisions on anything,  I have distracted myself with starting a square on point charity quilt...  Testing this will let me know whether it would be a good pattern to make for the baby girl.

Here are the directions I am doing for this quilt.

Cut squares (my long ruler is 6 x 24 so I cut 6 inch squares).  In doing some rough math since I wanted the quilt to finish at around 42 inches square with out any additional border fabric, I needed 72 squares.

I decided to arrange my squares so when finished there would be an outer border of all the same fabric.  So I needed 12 squares of one fabric, and then 60 squares of a combination of fabric.

Originally I was going to divide my fabrics into darks and lights, but then I added some middle shades and ones that were different as they had large designs.  I just added them in but by by coding them as light or dark the six inch seams never joined with the same fabric.  Once the two squares are together then I will cut each on the diagonal and sew together to get my top.

To work on where the squares would end up I put the pieces of fabric on my bed top:

I decided to try not to stress about it and just be happy if it ended up that two of the same fabric would not have a long seam next to another...

Here is what I have after my first sewing session...

So I have been busy, but nothing is completed.

Do make sure to check out Just Get it Done Quilts! 

Expenses: Thursday Club Rummage Sale

$21.82 Total

Nice way to spend the afternoon!  The roll at the top is beige canvas (same color as the paper) - will be nice I think for lining bags, etc.  The rest is corduroy!

I'll have to find out if I need to use special needles or thread for sewing this different kind of fabric...

https://thethursdayclub.org/annual-rummage-sale/  If you are in San Diego, there is still one day tomorrow!  (Items may be half price!)