Avaland's 2020 Quilts & Other Projects

Just preparing a new space for the new year.

I doubt I'll get to any projects before the end of the year. The last two months have had many more distractions than usual and that affected my ability to do anything creative (or read fiction, for that matter), but I'm looking forward to getting back into the studio.

Do I have any projects planned? Not specifically as of yet, but there is on of my random scrap quilts up on the design board waiting for me to assemble. That will be a good warm-up.

I'm looking forward, as always, to following the creative pursuits of all of you, too.

Well I hope you have a successful quilting year whatever projects you decide on. Need to start thinking of starting my new thread also.

>1 avaland: Your YYYY quilt threads are always among my favourites on LT, so looking forward to another year of following your exploits with your photographs detailing it all.

>2 dudes22:, >3 SassyLassy: Thanks. Thoughts are percolating.

New Year Assessment:

I was in the studio yesterday trying to dig it out. I made progress.

--I have four charity quilt tops ready to be assembled.
--I have one scrappy squares quilt (the kind I'm always making) partially assembled, and another on the design board.
--Cheryl the Quilter has the black-with-bright-solids quilt top but I haven't been able to decide how that should be quilted so that's in limbo.
--Melissa the Quilter has two quilts of mine (the 45 pc pineapple and the one made with scraps from all my quilts and sewing exploits over the years). All three quilts were put together last year.
--I've pawned the finished puzzle quilt (2019) off on my son. I gave him a choice of the smaller quilts scattered about the house; and that was the one that intrigued him the most.

I think my new year resolution—at least for the winter—is to continue to finish or re-purpose UFOs, and finish up the loose ends as reported above. Then I may take on something that might slow my production down! Perhaps another large quilt? Or maybe go back to garment sewing, as I'd like to make my own tops, perhaps using some patchwork, embroidery, and even some of the family handiwork & linens. Perhaps doing some Victorian crazy quilting again---I embroidered a label about a week ago and had no pain or problems, so the carpal tunnel surgery has been a great success (and even the arthritis has retreated some).

My knitting needles were all returned to me recently as my friend has finally found hers tucked away in storage. I doubt I will take it up again. My 37 year-old daughter knits very well, so I'll be content that it has been passed on to another generation.

Might do some wreath-making again, as I need to fix some wreaths in need of repair, and why not make some new ones? Not exactly needlearts but I have been saving old wooden spools of thread (empty or not) for a project like this....

I think I may put some things on Freecycle.com, too (like the 15 sweater boxes in basement that I used to use to sort my fabrics) Do you know about Freecycle? My daughter swears by it. I've been following two of the local sites but have not actually participated yet.

Well, I think you sound like you're in a great place to start the year. Glad it looks like your surgery went well. I haven't heard of Freecycle, but may give it a look. Took a quick look and it looks interesting. Would have been nice before I moved. I need to do some "minimalism" when we get back from FLa and will keep this in mind.

>6 dudes22: That's an optimist way to look at it. Safe travel down to Florida, Betty.

re: Freecycle.com Basically, it's a way to give away the stuff you don't want. Or get something you do want, for free. My community doesn't have it's own board but I joined the one for the small city east of me and the town north of me, and while I have not yet posted anything or picked up anything, I've watched it for over a year. It's fascinating — all manner of stuff being offered for free, and things requested. Only once did I see a user coyly trying to get collectible items to resale. After a few posts, he disappeared so someone may have reported him. My daughter does Freecycle in the DC suburbs in Virginia. I do have a Goodwill not too far away and there is a Savers that is much more of a schlep. They are for-profit-disguished-like-a-nonprofit so between the distance and for-profit status I try not to go there unless I'm desperate.

I have a cousin that gave her waterbed away on freecycle. The father and son came with their own tools to dismantle and empty it. She said it was the best decision about furniture she ever made. lol

I need to remember Freecycle next time we're decluttering. We recently got rid of a ping pong table via a Facebook neighborhood "marketplace" and it was okay, but we sold it for peanuts. We weren't looking to benefit financially from the transaction, just looking to find a good home for it. Shoulda used Freecycle!

>8 lesmel: I didn't know anyone was still using waterbeds!

ODE to KNITTING (with apologies to the early 17th century)

With fondness I let thee go; needles,
long and short, wood, metal, and a petroleum brew.
So many are thee!
Light clatter, chatter of big-eyed needles, small rings,
holders of colors, and hooks of crochet against each other
Fill my aged ears (or at least one of the them)
And sing a sad melody. For I and thee
Spent many hours together, both of us
Reveling in the soft touch of yarns
Destined to whisper our tales of love and
Friendship to others in receipt these decades, five and more.

Be not disheartened. Thy work is not done.
Thou goes to younger hands, 'tis a maiden
Of the greenest leaves on mine tree.
Hail the knit & purl Gods! For your roots run deep.

Now anon comes the time we must part,
Thou in your cardboard vessel and I here
On the crafting shore. Farewell, farewell.

I love this.

Looking forward to seeing your projects again, and I love the ode.

>13 mabith: Thanks, Meredith. I got a couple of quilts back from the quilter that I need to bind, so I'll post those soon (with out without binding).

Well, having mostly recovered from the autumn hangover and a week-long cold, I finally got into the studio. Two of the quilts mentioned in post#1 came back from the quilter a week or two ago. First, this wild goose chase that I dumped pieces of as many pieces of clothing, curtains, quilts and other projects since about '69. My thought was that if I memorialize all in a quilt, the rest of the fabric can become part of the normal stash, and so it has. Some was donated and some trashed.



In this picture I see fabric from a valance, and two sets of curtains, two maternity dresses, a one summer dress, 3 dresses from high school. Also, toddler or girl's flower-girl dress, summer shirt, a teen's dress, several quilted pillows, some potholders, a toy bag and a marble bag.

I have already found an error in this quilt (I have one of the blocks turned around), and some of the rows with light-colored fabric seems to disappear into the background. The fabrics used in quilts (quilts that weren't scrappy) is towards the outside of the quilt. Anyhoo, this was a method of "letting go" and it worked.

And here is an accidental photo that has some cool contrasts that I thought you might like:



I should note that I usually wash my quilts after binding as I believe in giving a quilt in the condition it will be enjoyed.

2nd quilt photos coming....

Here is the 45 pc. Pineapple quilt, quilted. I just cut about 30 yards of Laurel Burch fabric for the binding. This quilt also has not been washed yet. This quilt is 72" x 96" (I think)

(Photo updated below)

And a close-up:

(Photo Updated Below)

It's nice that you can get pictures that really show up the quilting. I like these a lot. That person that does your quilting does a nice job.

Now - are you sure about cutting 30 yards for binding? Do you do yours on the bias? Is that why so much?

>17 dudes22: Sorry, that's supposed to be 30 feet! It about 28 feet around, so with a bit extra... (no, I don't cut on the bias, it uses too much fabric :-)

>16 avaland: I'll be giving you my mailing address for that beauty. You don't even have to wash it. :-}

(Yeah, yeah. I know. Don't hold my breath.)

It's really wonderful.

>18 avaland: - ok that makes sense.

>19 Lyndatrue: ha ha, Thanks for the compliment.

Here are the Pineapple45 photos after binding & washing:





Harder to see the quilting but I love the bit of wrinkling because of shrinkage! It was indeed bound with a very colorful Laurel Burch print. Worked out better than I thought it would. This quilt is #72 of 76 quilts (#1 was in 1982).

>22 avaland: This may be one of my favorite quilts that I've seen (and I've seen a lot of quilts in my time). It's partly the color combinations, and the pineapple design really brings the colors out.

Quilts used to be one of the reasons I went to the county fair, but then they moved the entrance forms for quilt makers to online only, and most of the quilt makers quit entering. I actually wept over it, and I'm not usually so sentimental. I should find my old photographs, and make a thread here to show them off.

That came out really nice, Lois. I wish I had kept track of how many quilts I made and where they went. It's like books - I never really kept track before LT and I know people who have lists going back to high school.

ETA - You should make this the picture for the group.

>23 Lyndatrue: Thanks. I like it, too! I haven't been to a county fair in eons. I won two blue ribbons at one in 1986, one for a hand-quilted pillow, the other for a child's special occasion dress. Do they even take quilts now? Seems there would be far too many... probably that's why the changeover to online? YES! Do go find your old photographs!

>24 dudes22: Thanks, Betty. Maybe we need a QT! I kept photos and didn't make many in the 80s and early 90s because I was making more clothes, curtains...etc. Thus, it was relatively easy to create the early part of the list.

>22 avaland: Love that dark border and the colour bindings. They really bring out the inner colours.

I like the Pineapple quilt too!

>26 SassyLassy:, >27 sallypursell: 😋 Thanks! I’d like to say I’ve moved on to new projects but I haven’t yet.

Your pineapple quilt is really beautiful! The border really does set off the interior pattern so well.

>29 rosalita: Thanks, Rosalita.

Well, I have done little to nothing in the studio, or perhaps that should say, I continue to do nothing.... However, I was at the New England Quilt Museum yesterday getting re-orientated to resume my volunteer duties there in the library. Essentially, I staff the library on a weekend day, assist any visitors...etc. I'm very good at getting people to talk about themselves, and I love to hear stories. It's more than double the miles to get there now but I need to get out a bit more and this was always a good fit for me. I also like being in this small, historic city -- Lowell -- it's a lovely blend of history and culture.

I have had some ideas, though, so perhaps they will continue to percolate....

So, the Quilt museum is closed, the libraries are closed (take out only) so, I am inspired to put together a smallish quilt inspired by the pandemic. Thus, I spend part of yesterday, sewing some rows together of the scrappy block quilt that has been sitting there all winter, and the one on the design board got packed away. Then I played around with ideas and I think I know where I will go with this. I did two small online fabric orders this morning 1. to get something I need for background + two small pieces of paisley batiks that I did not need and 2. to get another fabric option for the backing + a bit of an off-white print & a sale backing both of which I did not need :-) The former was from Hancock at Paducah, the other from a shop in Mississippi via Quiltshops.com.

While I wait, I'll finish the scrappy top.

I'll be interested to see your interpretation of the pandemic. I too did a small order of fabric. I didn't have enough fabric for the binding of one of the quilts I made while in Fla.

>33 dudes22: I won't reveal it yet until I get it going. But the idea is percolating; I think I have a further idea for a border....

I think buying fabric is therapeutic, yes? A stress-buster.

I have a cross stitch stash. The store I use in Johnson City isn't open to the public, but they are open to the public for mail orders. I may need to look through some of the posts they made from the market earlier this month to see if there's something I really want. I don't need anything else. I have plenty to get me through. Also I'm still working so that makes it harder.

>34 avaland: Buying fabric is good for you, and only good manners. When I get started, though, I have a hard time stopping. There is so much beautiful fabric out there. That's the only cure for Quiltpox, isn't it?

The fabric should be here tomorrow.

>35 thornton37814: Of course, we all likely have enough to get us through, but a little more is okay:-) Are you expecting to be sent home in the near future?

>36 sallypursell: Quiltpox! ha ha. I am a recovering fabriholic. There is no cure, me thinks, so I intend to be "recovering" for some time.

>37 avaland: They are asking us whether we have Internet at home, if we have a computer at home, and whether we need access to resources behind the firewall. In other words, it sounds like we'll soon be working from home.

>38 thornton37814: That's a good thing, right?

>39 avaland: I was hoping it would be better news than it apparently is yet. I will be home Monday. I need to monitor reference chat 4-7 p.m. so I don't need to come in for the day. Still need to report Tuesday to Friday. Of course, there will be additional cases in our area at the update being issued about right now. I know there will be an additional case here in Jefferson County where I work, in Hamblen County where I live, and in Cocke County which neighbors us. So things could change over the weekend. I'm taking home my "work from home" stuff.

>40 thornton37814: I hope that changes for you, if you think that's best. We are all taking it day-by-day here. Not so bad for us as retirees and introverts, but my adult children & families are having a tougher time adapting. How to homeschool while trying to get work done...etc.

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I have been approached about making much-needed surgical masks for hospitals and other care facilities as evidenced by posts online from various medical facilities. These are made out of 100% cotton fabric (there is a 'pocket" in the design where the hospitals insert a filter), so have elastic and others have straps.

Here is one such pattern: https://www.craftpassion.com/wp-json/mv-create/v1/creations/19/print?fbclid=IwAR... (copy & paste into your browser if this doesn't link. The pattern itself is a link within the directions and has a 2" guide printed on it so you know if it printed the right size. The one here they would like is the one with a pocket for a filter. One can make them for various sizes....

I think I will do this, perhaps after making one and see how it goes, then making another 20 factory-style (at least to begin with). I have plenty of fabric, in delightful patterns so, why not. It will take some time to set the room up for factory-style sewing.

I'll be waiting to see how it goes for you. I'm not sure who I'd even approach about this. And I noticed that the cord from the pattern link is out of stock at Amazon. Looks like someone else had the same idea. Meanwhile I'll check around.

There are a variety of patterns and techniques floating around for the masks. People are saying you can use bias tape to make the ties.

Also, if anyone wants to volunteer, make sure you get with a group that is working with a hospital or medical group.

All of the cotton masks will most likely go to medical personnel not in direct contact with COVID19 patients. Cotton masks are not considered PPE.

There's an effort here (my metro area) to do 3D printing of various PPE. I worry some about quality control of these things.

Also, remember that most of these cotton masks will be sterilized (probably in bleach when washed).

>42 dudes22: I have some finished and many more in progress. I'm aiming for around 20 to begin with, all in the women's size.

I have a few packages of elastic in my stash, it's quite old but seems okay. Otherwise, I did one mask with 1/2 inch width bias ties that I made using that little quilting gadget that folds the sides of a 2.5" strip (bias or otherwise) so you can press them. But, it really needs to be 1/4 inch finished as 1/2 seems bulky.

The directions I posted will print as 18 pages, btw! For some reason I could not clearly follow her directions. Perhaps it was that the text didn't always print on the same page as the photo, or it was easy to mix-up the text above or below the photo...etc. In the end I just figured out myself (I'm left-handed, also, so that can add a challenge sometimes).

>43 lesmel: Yes, I've seen at least two other patterns via Facebook. And I never thought that they were going to patients with the virus, so much other personnel and perhaps other patients. One of the local hospitals is asking for these (as relayed by a state representative) so I figured I'd give it a go. Apparently, they have the filters to put in them. Heard about the 3D printing of masks -- my husband wonders if the plastics used in 3D printing can be sterilized. I don't think the masks will necessarily bleached but I suspect hot water (I was all my fabrics with a color catcher as soon as I bring them home from the store to avoid any surprises later :-)

Here are some of the (almost) finished mask (not all have the elastics yet). In one on the left, I was experimenting with bias binding straps but as noted in the above post the 1/2 in ties seem bulky. I tried a roughly 1/4" bias strip made from a 1.25 strip, but I had some problems not to mention folding over and ironing 1/4" on the edges. I shall soldier on and see what I can get done for the weekend. I have more than 20 cut out and in progress.

I think I mentioned before (or perhaps elsewhere) that two of these sewn together on one side resembles some of the bikini tops from the 70s!

Those are great, Lois. I'm so glad you're doing this.

Well done for making masks, Lois. I'm sure they'll be very appreciated by whoever gets them.

Those are looking really good, Lois.

Those masks look great. I need to make some for my friend and her co-workers who are vet techs. They've been asked to save their masks for hospitals/nursing homes. Now they're asking pet owners to stay in cars while they take the pets in alone for the most part, but masks wouldn't hurt. I'm struggling to find any elastic in my supplies so she'll definitely be getting fabric ties.

Thanks, all.

I'm about to run out of 1/8 cord elastic so I may switch to ties. I just sent for a 1/2 inch bias tape maker. I have the 1 inch one but the tape folded over is just too bulky.

I will make a few for family after, I think. Just in case.

I found the directions in the link too confusing so I've found another one where the front is pleated so it kind of stretches down over the nose and chin and goes over the other mask rather than sliding it inside. Still deciding what to do about elastic. I think my favorite fabric store has some but I would have to order some fabric too to make it worthwhile to ship.

>51 dudes22: I'm glad I'm not the only one who found those directions confusing! I eventually worked it out on my own after messing up several trying to figure it out. The local hospital preferred that pattern, so I went with it.

I didn't have a problem finding a few things to buy from the quilt shop I ordered the 1/2 inch bias binding maker from :-)

And, I had already done two small orders via Quiltshops.com because I was going to do that Covid-19-inspired small quilt...but that's been scoured completed from my brain by too many masks. And what a mess my studio is in from those masks. I do hope they will be used.

Trying a different mask pattern for family masks. For what we do, we really don't need the filter, imo. The tape maker works okay and I've only burnt my finger once while trying to coordinate the iron with it!

The day before I washed that huge box of fat-eighths I was given in December and two days ago I quickly cut some of the prints into large squares and put together a simple quilt top to add to the charity pile (which are piling up again).

>54 avaland: - Those are the style that I decided on. They just go over the filter masks. I saw one pattern that had a pocket on the top that you could put a pipe cleaner in to fit over the nose so it fits better. But who has pipe cleaners? I'll post some pictures in a few days. I've been working to get my taxes done and need to make some bias. How long did you make your ties?

>55 dudes22: I sent for an inexpensive package of 200 plastic twist ties that I imagine can be zigzagged inside on the upper mask but I haven't tried it yet. Did I offer to send you half of them? I will if you like.

re: ties. For these latest masks, I've just been cutting a 1 inch strip across the width some white/natural/black fabrics, so 42-44" but I make a knot in the end which uses up an inch or so (they can be shortened, if needed, by the user). The inch width makes a perfect size (1/4") tie, imo, but it's a bit hard to sew it over the thick mask edges (thick because of the pleating). A 3/8th width tie might work better (will have to see if there is a 3/8th gadget).

ha ha, I just got SIX emails from Hancock's at Paducah, advertising various sales--all sent within a few minutes.

I'll pass on the plastic ties, but thanks. I found some elastic cord and bias tape on Etsy today and ordered some of each. Since I never use these I hope what I spent wasn't too outrageous. So I'll just cut and pleat and wait to get it. I'll have to go check out Hancocks. I've been looking at a piece of red toile for the back of the red and white quilt. Maybe I can get a deal.

>58 dudes22: I will say that working with 1/4" finished bias tape is a bit crazy-making, especially if one is trying to squeeze it over all those pleated layers. But, it makes a much less bulky tie than the 1/2" (which being much easier, of course). Hmm, maybe I should send for a 3/8th and split the difference.

I haven't actually used the plastic ties yet. I couldn't figure out a good way to put it on the shaped masks, and while I can easily add one to the rectangular masks, I haven't because I don't want to change my machine's foot right now to zigzag.

I'm up over 50 masks now and I should probably slow it down some as it bothers my neck & back. I had hoped to get a 3/8th bias tape maker but the store I ordered it from was out (however, I did get some nice fabric). I'm making sure friends and family are kitted out, too. Just have my daughter & her family VA left to do on that list (she had thought she might make some but then didn't)

>60 avaland: The pleats and linings in those things are beyond my sewing skills (or at least I perceive they are) so I ordered some from Etsy. I still have a handful of surgical masks from a mold cleanup project in the library. The library didn't order us any supplies so I went to the pharmacy and bought masks and gloves. The leftovers have been very useful this year!

>61 thornton37814: You were lucky to find some!

>62 avaland: Yes -- but they were leftover from spring semester 2019 so I didn't find them this year.

>62 avaland: Oh, I see now. I guess I read that wrong.

I have to decide which hospital in the state will get this (last?) big batch of masks. How do I decide that? Divide them between the two hospitals we use most? or go instead for a seemingly more needy and often smaller facility. Then I see the lists for other facilities, everything from nursing homes, visiting nurse association, staff in a hospice facility, women's & homeless shelters.... The first 32 went to a State Rep who was collecting for one of the Catholic hospitals early on, this was early in the game, so to speak. Now, everyone wants them.

I never did get the 3/8th (8mm) bias tape maker, as they were all out. So, I have soldiered on with the smaller one.

I know you're almost done, but do you want some 1/4" elastic? I could mail you some.

>65 dudes22: Is it the 1/4" flat? If so, I'd happily take what you wish to give. I'm not sure if I'm done or not. Here are the last 50 pleated masks, after washing, and tied in groups of 10.



My machine has been acting up and I've taken it apart, cleaned it again (and again), but couldn't find the problem. I managed to eek out a last few to bring this latest batch up to 50. Then, I had to decide where the masks should go. There's the lists on the Deaconess website, but most of the larger hospitals are not there but have notes on their websites for masks. The first 32 went to Catholic Medical Center, north of me. They just happened to be the earliest I heard about before I discovered the Deaconess Hospital searchable database. So, after a bit of hand-wringing (knowing I could not help all, but wish I could) I decided to give 30 to Southern New Hampshire Medical Center, the hospital that we and the family use the most. Hubby drove me out this afternoon and I went in the public ER door as directed and left the masks on the kiosk (don't know where the security guy was, but there were a bunch of cleaning woman around it who seemed excited to see the colorful masks). Apparently, the public can no longer come into the hospital that way (ambulances have their own entrance, of course).

Another 20 will go to the Tilley Women's Shelter in Brooklyn. I thought I'd send some to greater NYC. I don't have any hospital contacts in the city, but the women's shelter caught my attention on the Deaconess list. When the machine gets fixed, I may make more. I have made 108 to date (not counting a few rejects). So, 82 to facilities, 26 to kit out family & friends. And I have to say, I've become damn good at using that bias tape maker (the tape folds to make those 1/4" ties. I would have prefer to go up to a 3/8th but it was sold out), but the ironing process can become tedious.

I spent part of the afternoon cleaning up the mess I've made in the studio over the last three weeks. I still need to reorganize all those colored-sorted piles on the shelves. I've pulled cloth out and stuffed cloth in the wrong places (can't have the blue green mixed in with the aqua or teal, you know).

>64 avaland: I see I've already posted my hand-wringing over where to send them....apologies for the redundancy!

Yes, it is the flat kind. I'll get an envelope together to send out tomorrow.

I won't be able to go to the PO today. Pouring rain and very high winds are expected. I'll get there tomorrow.

>69 dudes22: No hurry, Betty. I have ordered 200 yards of 1/8" elastic from a new seller on Amazon. Claims it will come by the end of the month; most places have dates well into May or June.

I took my machine in to the shop yesterday. They had taken in 11 machines that morning before I got there. "Oh, people making masks?, I quipped. "No," he said, people digging their machines out of their closets and attics and finding out they don't work!" They are giving mask-makers priority so hopefully it will be ready today. It was good to have a break, though. Yesterday afternoon during the heavy rain & winds I resorted and straighten out my fabric shelves, they were such a mess (and I do so like looking at the ordered colors--or ordered by kind i.e. plaids, paisleys, Asian, designer). There are a few more shelves to do. Plus, there is plenty of yard work and garden cleanout.

>70 avaland: Betty, if you haven’t set it why don’t you hold off. Amazon says my elastic has shipped already....

PS the sewing shop took in another 17 machines after I dropped mine off late morning (they got 29 total yesterday)

>71 avaland: WOW about the sewing machine repairs. I could imagine they welcome the business but the sudden surge is a bit of a mixed blessing.

I sent it off just about the time you posted. I think there's around 15 yds. I want to take my machine in. It's working but I'm sure it could use a general cleaning.

Did you get that snow the other day or are you far enough south?

>70 avaland: Who is your seller on amazon, if you don't mind sharing?

>72 lauralkeet: It certainly surprised me, too.

>74 lesmel: No, I don't mind sharing as I doubt I'd make another order (famous last words). It's someone/s called "Rock You Family" -- a bit sketchy sounding, isn't it? And there were no reviews because they were a new seller. "Elastic Bands for Sewing 1/8 Inch Elastic String Cord, Heavy Stretch Kint Elastic 1/8 for Sewing, Braided Crafts Elastic Rope for DIY Sewing Crafts (White, 200 Yards)" $17.99 + 5.99 shipping. The offer was for 100 yards, but I ordered 200.

My machine is ready (and they want me to pick it up as soon as possible because they need the room, they said). They did find two places that thread had gotten into, places I don't have access to. Plus, they did an oiling and general cleaning. In the meanwhile, I have cleaned some of the studio and resorted and neaten my shelves of fabric (it all get fairly messy). And I dusted! It has been good to have a forced break; my neck is thankful.

>73 dudes22: Thanks, I'll made some masks with the elastic and you can decide on a place for them to go; how's that?

RE: snow. I didn't, but my daughter, who lives two towns north of me, mentioned on a day when we had a downpours, that they had crazy, heavy snow that accumulated quickly. I want to say that was during the weekend, before the long day of rain on Monday.

You can send the masks where ever you think the need is greatest. One of our grandsons lives in Maine and got hit with 18". That's why I was asking. I wonder if I should check with the place that usually cleans mine. I was planning to send it when I got back from Fla, but then we quarantined and then I assumed they were shut.

>76 dudes22: Where does he live in Maine (I am a Mainer!) Just curious.

Well, the machine is up and running again! I've set up for finishing about 12 pleated masks until I have elastic. I think my neighbor across the street is making masks, too. Must remember to check with her.

He lives in Carmel.

>78 dudes22: Geesh, I had to look that up! I was up that way not so long ago, went to see someone in Dover-Foxcroft (and then there is a cousin who lives in Millinocket)

The elastic arrived today, Betty, thanks so much. I'm going to try to get these 20 +/- (12 became 20 pretty quickly!) pleated masks done first to get that mess out of the way.

You're welcome. Hope it works good for you.

ETA: Not sure if you'll use the other thing, but thought I'd send it in case you were interested.

>80 dudes22: Thanks,yes, I get a more thorough look at it when the mask era has ended. My machine is starting to act up again and I'm wondering if it just doesn't like going through so many layers of cloth (although it's been a workhorse these last 11 years). When I am sewing the ties on over the pleats and then folding it over the edge and sewing again, it's ten layers to sew through. Some quilting/shirting cottons are of course thicker than others. Perhaps I'll not finish the other 8 or so pleated and move on to the fitted and see how the machine responds (probably with a sigh of relief, ha ha).

I noticed on my FB feed several ads for "fashionable" masks.

I do not have a machine anymore. I am so impressed with everyone making the masks. They are so appreciated.

>81 avaland: My machine was acting up fighting through all those pleated layers, too. Hopefully they will be fine once we get back to sewing other things...

>82 mnleona: I'm sorry you don't have a machine anymore.:-(

>83 scaifea: Yes, I hope that, too. I've done 15 pleated since I got the machine back and I'm setting aside the other 12 I had ready to sew. Instead, late afternoon yesterday, I cut out 26 of the fitted masks. Once I cut out an equal number of linings, I'll begin those and see if the machine behaves.

Just wondering if some of the problems people are having with their sewing machines and masks is due to needles dulling much faster going through all those layers. Also, presser foot height settings could be too low. Too funny about the sewing machine repair people!

I changed needles and played with the pressure foot both before I took it to the shop and again this morning. Today, I took machine apart and did find a thread wrapped around where it shouldn’t have been, and it was fairly hard to get to it. It made it better, as did returning the fitted masks, but it’s still not entirely right. I will carry on. Perhaps I’ll retire from mask-making after the 30-something I have in the current pile.

>85 SassyLassy: I hope you do not live near where that shooting was....

I still need to make myself a mask, but I admit I enjoy using a bandana and pretending to be a bandit. Do you find the pleated ones more comfortable than the style you initially made?

>87 mabith: I'm back to the original fitted masks. I prefer to wear the pleated ones with the ties. When I have to go out, I tie both ties and then drop the upper ties (still tied with a bow) down so the mask hangs around my neck/upper chest. When I get out of the car I pull the mask and ties up. The fitted ones have elastic that go around the ears. I have a hearing aid and wear glasses so I don't need any more around my ears :-) However, I'm going to try the large elastic loop on some of them (sort of simulates ties).

Seems a bandana would work fine. I wear bandanas all the time to keep my fine, flyaway hair out of my face. My kids make fun of me for still wearing them (I've been wearing them since the late 60s) so I thought i would make a mask from one just to make them roll their eyes—but I haven't done it yet.

Update: I'm working on 40 +/- fitted masks now. The machine is less grouchy. Hopefully, the elastic will show up soon.

Then I may take a break (if I can do so without feeling guilty), but I need to do something else for a while.

>88 avaland: - My husband has hearing aids and glasses and didn't like the loop over the ear either. So I made him one with the elastic loops that go around the head. One thing I learned though is that I should have made one loop a little smaller than the other. The one on the bottom is a little looser than I would like.

>88 avaland: Lois, we've been wearing your pleated masks and are so grateful. Our routine is mostly for quick trips on foot, like dog walks or to get takeout food so we just need to put it on before leaving the house, and take it off when we get back. We found another way to use the ties, which is to tie them into loops that go around each ear (similar to the elastic ones). That leaves a lot of extra tie fabric that can be tucked behind a collar or just left dangling in a fashionable way (ha), but it does make the mask easy to take on & off.

>90 dudes22: Yes, that's the way I'm going to do some of these. I think it might work better with the flat 1/4 rather than cord. Amazon now says my elastic will arrive by Monday.

>91 lauralkeet: Yes, I've seen that mentioned in some of the mask pattern lit. You can just cut the ties to the length you like and re-knot (or re-knot and cut), seems one wouldn't want all that excess dangling down your neck. We tie them around the neck and up on the head but then slide the head ties still tied off so the mask hangs around our neck. When we need it we just pull it up and slide the tie over our heads. I'm going to see if the elastic loop on the fitted ones are better.

Another miserable day, cold and rainy, so a good day to finish this pile of masks!

It's Monday, no elastic. I am ridiculously hopeful it will show up today.

Meanwhile, we have agreed to take our five-year-old grandson for the day times Tues - Thurs, to improve the mental health of his parents (who really have been under great stress). We deem it low risk as they have been vigilant and sheltering at home for weeks. We go out a bit more than they do, but we always have masks, sometimes wear gloves, and hand sanitizer.

>93 avaland: Great for you, Lois. My Daughter-in-law went back to work today after her maternity leave, leaving my son home with the newborn and the two year-old. We have offered to help, but they are stern about the lockdown, and won't let us physically see the grandkids. That was the kid we used to watch 3 days every week, and we miss her so much. As far as her little brother, we have hardly seen him. I am glad for you, though.

I can't get over how many masks you have made! I spent so long in bed with the last flare, that I am having to build up my stamina again, being up for a little longer each day. I would never be able to sit at the sewing machine each day, but I am amazed at how quickly you can do this.

If your elastic doesn't come, I can send you more.

Betty, I haven't used yours yet because I thought this would come by the 27th like it said (it was a new seller, so I thought it might have stock instead of backorders). Now I look, and there are about 8 reviews all of which say they never got the elastic (but I think they may have ordered after me). I'm giving it through the first. I wasn't sure how the 1/4 flat elastic felt around the ears, but if the elastic doesn't arrive, I'll use what you sent me. And make straps for the others (I can put them through the same canal I would put elastic through).

>94 sallypursell: It's probably a good thing I stopped. We have agreed to take the 5 yo grandson from about 7:45 am to 5:30 pm Tues - Thurs, so his mom & dad can work and remain sane. The last two weeks have been very stressful for them both (I could tell, so we offered. I really thought one might have some kind of meltdown or worse). The risk is low.

OK - well just give a shout if you want more.

>98 avaland: Thanks.

Well, no elastic. In using the tracking number, it says that USPS has "created a label for it," so I suspect, since its coming from China, that it is sitting in a warehouse somewhere at a US entry point or an intake at USPS perhaps in some kind of quarantine. I will go for a refund, but if it ever shows up and I keep it, I'll re send payment to the sellers (if that's possible through Amazon).

I will do this pile of masks with the elastic kindly donated by Betty (I'm assuming the 1/4 inch flat is okay for going around the ears), some I will do with ties (I think). I will check with Rosie's Place in Boston (the first woman's shelter in the US) to see if they still need masks (they are on the Deaconess list) and send most there.

We did have the grandson for three days in a row. He is a nonstop whirlwind of energy, movement and ideas and we are recovering today (and maybe tomorrow, too LOL). Certainly, no sewing got done during those days. One evening when his mother asked him what happened during that day, he said: Pop-pop's hair exploded after a little bit of it caught fire!

Well the "burning" question is - did it?

I had gotten an email that Ryco's had gotten a shipment of elastic it which they bundled in 20 yd groups and they sold out all 175 in no time. I still have plenty if you want more.

>99 avaland: I ordered several from Etsy today. I really liked the way one of the masks I ordered last month fit. Since we will likely be in this for awhile, I decided I might need quite a few so I'm not washing masks every day. I'm going to need to put new elastic on one mask. While the mask fits the face fine, it won't stay over the years because the elastic was too short. Hoping I can find some at Walmart or at Hobby Lobby (which reopened).

I saw in an email this am that Equilter.com has elastic.

>101 thornton37814: Good luck. You could also run some shoelaces through the same channel the elastic runs through. Not as glamorous, of course. I have weird ears, too flexible or something -- it doesn't work well. Plus, I have glasses and one hearing aid, so I prefer the tied masks

>102 dudes22: Thanks for the tip, Betty. The elastic has still not come so I did the masks with your 1/4 flat elastic and hope that will work out fine (thanks again for the elastic contribution). I'm holding back a few masks, but sending 30 fitted masks and 20 pleated off to Rosie's Place tomorrow.

I need to do something else for a while. I have much outdoor work to do and I could use some "restorative" activities (including sewing) for a while.

Never did get to that sewing mentioned in the post above. Between endless outdoor work (enlarging on garden and putting in boxes made of our old decking) and the grandson three days a week, the studio seems far away. And to be honest, we have done a fair bit of sitting on either the front porch or back deck enjoying the many birds and the greening of the woods. There is a lot of activity going on with all the various nesting birds. And the next door neighbor had a big bear in her yard, so it could make an appearance as I have a wee seed feeder out along with the hummingbird feeders.

But, I have promised to make a friend some more seasonal masks. She made some for herself & family back in March with what she had on hand, with fabric now too hot.

I did check the Deaconess website to see if their database of who needs masks was being updated. It seems the contacts have taken down requests for masks when they are no longer needed. Still, there are care facilities/nonprofits still looking for masks (I have noticed a plethora of ads for masks on my FB feed when I stop in there).

Well you've been quite busy. Our gardens here are much more reduced than what we had before and that's ok with me. I do enjoy sitting on one of the porches reading and watching for humingbirds. One was fluttering in front of me the other day. I think he/she was complaining that I needed to make new juice.

I did get the additional masks made, and made a few extra for myself. I had to drop-off something at the hospital and on my way out, I was complimented on my ensemble. The new mask I was wearing "matched" the knit dress I was wearing (gosh, now I should make masks to coordinate with everything I wear, right?



Otherwise, I have ordered some techie-type fabrics from Spoonflower (digital print on demand, somewhat expensive) to make some more masks for the guys in the family. Motifs are computer code or circuit boards designs. I only ordered fat quarters and I can make linings out of a different fabrics. Should be able to get two pleated masks out of a piece, or if fitted, perhaps more.

I think I have that mask fabric. But no dress to match :( I need to make a few more for summer. I've been wondering about only making them one thickness, but am worried they might not be as protective. I wonder if I used batik if I could get away with 1 thickness. When my sister was looking for "guy" fabric to make some, I didn't even think of my batiks which would probably be guy-friendly.

>107 dudes22: I made one from some lightweight cotton shirting (very colorful and soft, from a women's plaid shirt) thinking it would be cooler. No go, it actually was hotter (I think it was a kind of brushed cotton). I have rosacea and the heat of any of the masks have been doing a number on my face (alas, the legacy of hundreds of years of pale northerners). I used men's plaid cotton shirting for some of the guy masks (I think my husband is wearing one of his old dress shirts on his face!)

----------

It's a hot week which reminds me that it will be too hot for me to work in the gardens after 9 am or so, but then I can retreat to the sewing machine for the hottest part of the day. I have been sketching while loafing on the porches or deck, so perhaps something will come from that...and I will finish up some charity quilts and perhaps make some more before I deliver them sometime in the fall. All my family and friends have quilts from me, time to adventure out...maybe.

While I didn't get in to sew, I did manage to go online and shop at two quilt shops, the nationally known Hancocks at Paducah, and the more regional Maine-ly Quilts. The first is always a bit hard to resist, and 2nd is a favorite brick & mortar store I like to stop at when I'm up to the lake or visiting relatives. I hope they are hanging on. I used to see the proprietor at various quiltshops but she retired from that. They have a decent online offering via the website which that works better than most.

Anyhoo, some of the shopping was for mask fabric and some was just for my own pleasure. The gardens are in good order so I hope to get back to some sewing this summer—on the days we don't have the grandson.

>109 avaland: I grew up near the first Hancock's (Tupelo, Mississippi) back in the day. Mom frequented it as she made a lot of our clothes. I found out years later many of my friends envied my clothes. I envied their store-bought brand-name clothes. The chain filed bankruptcy and closed all stores in 2016 (see https://www.al.com/business/2016/04/hancock_fabrics_closing_all_18.html), so the Paducah store must be independent.

>110 thornton37814: I believe "Hancocks at Paducah" is not connected to chain store Hancocks. When I first started to buy from there, there was some confusion. Growing up in New England, I think the fabric places we shopped at during the late 60s and 70s was a Sew-fro or a Beaconway fabrics. But, I know exactly what you are saying about envying the others' store bought clothing. If I wanted to be cool I had to make it myself, although my mother did agree to make a very, very short jumper out of wide wale purple corduroy for me at my request (with much tut-tutting). I made quite a few dresses for my girls, PJs for my son; back in the 80s & early 90s when it still more economical to do so.

My mom taught me to sew as a pre-teen, and when I was 12 she started teaching sewing classes in a chain store called Stretch and Sew, which carried exclusively knit fabrics. The emphasis was on easy patterns, with an almost cultish belief that you could make anything and everything from knits. This was the early 1970s so you can imagine the stylish patterns and fabric prints. My wardrobe included many Stretch and Sew designs, making me somewhat less than the coolest kid in my class. But I also learned to sew other garments in other types of fabric and made a set of coordinating pieces (skirts, blouses) to wear for a summer job during college. They didn't look as nice as ready to wear, but the price was right.

>112 lauralkeet: - Oh - I remember Stretch and Sew. My sister did a lot of their patterns. I think she still makes one or two occasionally. We used to get one new outfit for the start of school each year and one year I saw this dress that was sleeveless, with a square neck-line, that was a large blue and white plaid. (mostly white with skinny blue lines that formed the plaid.) I wanted it so bad, but my mother didn't like the idea that it was sleeveless and so not very practical going into fall. She gave in but I think as the weather got cooler, I had to wear it with a shirt underneath. And she embarrassed me by asking if it was on sale because it was sleeveless and the end of summer. I think I was about 12. But I learned to sew early and made a lot of my clothes also.

>111 avaland: - I haven't heard of those stores, but I remember a store called Weintraub's that I bought fabric from.

I remember Hancock's and we also had Minnesota Fabrics. I do not sew anymore. My granddaughter told me the other day I should sew some masks by hand since I do embroidery work and can hand sew. I have crocheted some masks but they are warm.

We had a Hancock's growing up but I remember this local fabric warehouse we always went to for bolts to make school clothes. It was where we were all sent to get measured for sports uniforms also. I think their specialty was upholstery fabric but the front of the store was clothing and quilting. I think it might even still be in business.

I'm always sad when a nice shop closes. There was a neat quilting store in Minnesota in an old schoolhouse (in the same building the ruby slippers were on display) but then the next time we went back, the shoes and the quilt shop were both gone.

>112 lauralkeet: Yes, knits were big around the late 70s. All the bridesmaids in my first wedding in '78 wore dresses made from double knits. I might have a few patterns left, ha ha, if you are getting nostalgic :-)

>113 dudes22: I wondered if we might have had the same store brands.

>114 mnleona: Oh, embroidered masks would be lovely! I'll have to think about that...maybe I'll haul out and dust off the embroidery cache!

>115 genesisdiem: I grew up in Maine and my mother was always going to one or two of the (dying) mills to by some kind of fabric by the pound. All of our bedspreads were ripcord bought this way and she just hemmed it.

And I just want to say here that I miss blankets with ribbons on them!

>116 avaland: I might have a few patterns left ...
Oh gee, how very generous of you. But no thanks! I actually did a little Googling after posting >112 lauralkeet: and, like most things vintage, patterns and such can also be found on Etsy. But I'm in no hurry to get back to sewing.

We had Hancock's fabric Warehouse, which wasn't really a warehouse, but it closed with the others. Those are different from Hancock's of Paducah, but once a read a piece that said two brothers started both of the stores, but eventually differed bitterly on the sales tactics used, and the younger brother went off to found the chain Handcock's. I used to visit it every year when I drove myself to the Quilt show in April. I also ordered lots of fabric by mail from them, and I love their catalogue, which I used to receive every season.

I also ordered some expensive, print-on-demand fabric from Spoonflower. Mine have coronaviruses and other pathogens on them, and are really cute.

>117 lauralkeet: Yes, I've seen them on Etsy. But nearly all of mine are used. I have a few from high school that I'm terribly sentimental about because they were favorite outfits.

>118 sallypursell: Are you talking about the old Hancocks at Paducah catalogs? If so, I loved them also. Have they stopped? I haven't got one for ages but I do have some older editions hanging about. I love flipping through the pages....

I've been in the studio cowering from the heat & humidity outside. Not doing anything special, just randomly sewing scraps together for more charity quilts but it's a nice warm-up for the next round of masks I'll be making. The Spoonflower fabric came, so that's been washed and edges trimmed. Those will make the geeky guy masks. I calculate I can, if I want, get 4 from each of the 4 pieces if I line it with something else. I have two more orders coming which includes some kid fabric to make masks for one of my grandsons, who will need extra for kindergarten.

Otherwise, there are a few ideas floating around in my head which may or may not come to fruition.

...so, I put together 100 - 6 inch random-scrap squares only to find I had stash of 227 blocks already, and 3 scrappy quilt tops waiting to be put together (and 5 other scrappy tops made for charity also waiting to be made into quilts). I had completely forgotten about this stockpile!

I usually send the random-scrap quilts out to a quilter, but the charity quilts I do myself.

You are the scrappy queen. Just curious - do you make BIG squares and then cut multiple 6 inch squares or just make one a little bigger than 6 inches and cut it down? I can see how you'd need bigger pieces/strips for bigger squares so maybe not that practical.

>121 avaland: Oh, jeez, I feel envy at the amount of fabric you must have at your place in order to have forgotten a stash that big.

>119 avaland: Yes, just those catalogs. I had wondered if they stopped sending them--they must be expensive, with all those color photographs of fabrics--but maybe they only send them with orders now. I'll have to test that! :) I need more fabric like a hole-in-the-head, but I have to treat my quiltpox somehow.

>124 sallypursell: Quiltpox! Haha!

>122 dudes22: I have sometimes made a big piece and cut 2 or 3 squares out of it but generally I keep going until it's clear a 6x6" square can be cut out of the piece. Any significant scraps leftover after cutting the square out goes back into the buckets!

>123 PawsforThought: Judging from my Jan. 7th post above many of those quilt tops were made before the first of the year! Looks like I put together a few more before Covid and the great mask-making era began. And yes, I have a lot of fabric. It gives me great comfort and pleasure. Very little of it is pieces of significant yardage; it's shelves and buckets of pieces, squares, strips and yardage under a half yard.

>124 sallypursell: I think you are right in that they no longer have the catalogs. Sad. I used to love them. They have a one yard minimum and I get why they do that, but it limits how much I buy from them. I like to buy random fat quarters, plus other cuts that are on sale. I like to mix the older fabrics with the new, and cotton fabric from clothing with "quilt fabric."

>126 sallypursell: A pox, indeed!

>127 avaland: I barely have anything at all (be it fabric or yarn or anything else related) in significant amounts per piece. It's nearly all small/short things, but they do add up somehow. I dream of converting a wardrobe/armoire into a sewing/knitting cabinet. Maybe then I'd know where my stuff is and *what* it is!

>128 PawsforThought:

"Maybe then I'd know where my stuff is and *what* it is!"

Aye, there's the rub!

>128 PawsforThought: That is a great idea. Why don't you do that and report your progress here? :-)

>130 avaland: I definitely will. I just have to find a wardrobe to transform first!

Have begun another round of masking-making. I lost count after I went over 200 last spring, but this stint is mostly for family and at least one friend.

I made 14 children's masks yesterday. The fabrics were chosen by my 5 year old grandson, according to his taste, since half of them are for him (in case he goes to school). He is into cars/trucks/vehicles. The light blue fabric is actually a holiday print but it had a truck full of presents on it...he liked that:-) The red print with the chefs and foodstuffs was a surprise pick.

These masks are adaptation, pleated but instead of ties, it has the elastics. His mother says the pleated fit his face better.



And here is a sampling of the some of the pleated adult masks. I got some geeky prints in fat quarters off Spoonflower* and when asked to chose, 3 out 4 guys in the family wanted the print with the old computer machine code (that has an error message among the code). Geesh, I thought the younger set would go for the Matrix print, or some others I have that is a print of circuits, but no love there. I picked up some other prints, too. I've also sent for a 3/4" bias tape maker, as the 1/2" makes me a bit crazy. Couldn't get one back when everyone wanted them.



*Note: the Spoonflower prints (digital on-demand printing) are a bit stiff because of the amount of ink on the black prints. I'm hoping they'll soften BUT since I've lined the back with a different, plain fabric, the stiffer fabric might serve to keep the mask from being to clingy.

Those are really nice. I need to make some more masks too. I'll ask my sisters if their grandkids might need some. I have a lot of kids prints. And I'd have to figure out how elastic I'd need so their not too tight or too loose.

>132 avaland: I love that greyscale flower print. These look really well made! I order from fabric.com but I usually get florals and those are easy to find most places. I need to look into getting some specialty prints. Also, there is more than one company that makes a plastic head strap so the elastic loops don't sit directly on the ears, if these rub him wrong while playing at school.

>133 dudes22: I use an 8 in piece on either side with a knot, so functionally it's probably a 6" loop or less. It seems to work for Oliver who is five. As it happens, 8" knotted is the measurement for the adult fitted masks, too.

>134 genesisdiem: Me, too! (obviously) I got that print from Hancocks at Paducah. I used to order from fabrics.com but then I they sent me some badly cut plaid flannel and I decided there were lots of other choices in quiltshops. I try to order mostly from individual stores either via quiltshops.com or websites for individual stores (so many have poor websites). Hancock at Paducah is my "big" store backup (and 1/2 my order is backordered). I could use some new florals myself!

Good to know about the head strap, thanks. The grandson was blessed with very accommodating ears and he seems pretty comfortable with the elastics.

Been making even more masks. So happy to FINALLY get an 8 mm (3/4") bias tape maker, what a difference 2 mm makes!!! The masks above were all made with 1/2 inch and what a booger to get that around the edges. 3/4 is perfect. Just sayin'

>136 avaland: What a relief for you to get to work with the better size bias tape. Do you have any idea how many masks you’ve made so far?

The first batch begun in mid March was over 200 when I stopped.

I started this most recent batch in late July and thus far totals 30, half of them children's pleated with elastics and all for family. I have another dozen or so in process as extras for those who already have masks (some are shown in #132).

However, I have checked the Deaconess Hospital web listing of mask needs across the country...

https://www.deaconess.com/How-to-make-a-Face-Mask/Mask-Donations

seems there are many who are still in need, many are requests from states who missed the first wave but are having it now, or they are 2nd line employees like this one from Eugene Kitchen in Atlanta, GA

While it may seem odd that a production kitchen is requesting masks I can tell you that we are in serious need., We are in the process of providing over 2400 weekly meals for frontline healthcare workers as well as providing over 1000 meals for displaced hospitality workers in Atlanta and we have no masks. We have built some from boot covers we bought at home depot but, as you can imagine, they are less than ideal. (they were looking for 25-50)

I was surprised to see some of the same listings for here in NH that were there a few months ago, but it's likely not everyone has thought to remove their older request. I wish they had dates. So, who knows, perhaps I'll make more for donations. We are in this together and it is, at least, something I can do.

I finally got the bias tape maker kit I ordered yonks ago and it definitely makes mask-making so much faster! I've always done 3/4" but making it by hand is such a bugger.

>135 avaland: Have you tried equilter.com? I could spend my whole income there.

I do not know if still available. I have not received mine yet. It may be helpful for some making masks. This is just one freebie site I use.

https://mysavingdeals.com/order-4-free-delta-faucet-ear-saver/

>139 scaifea: Oh, gosh, you made bias tape by hand! Most of my "bias" tape for masks is not actually bias. I think I did one or two fitted masks early one where I used actual bias tape.

>140 sallypursell: I used to show at equilter.com years ago.Not sure why I stopped. I think the last time I was there I thought the website was a bit clunky as compared to others.

BTW, I went over a great number of the mask request listings on the Deaconess site (there is over 1200) and jeepers my heart breaks for some who are struggling to keep people safe: shelters, schools, those who work with those who have mental illness or developmental difficulties, facilities for the elder poor. Trust me, there will be one or two listings at least that will touch you. Some parts of the country sound much like we sounded back in March and April, with things being on backorder...etc

Anywho, I copied 4 for 5 requests out and will decide what is possible. I really need to reach outside of myself and my current small circle, and this is a good start.

I have finished 90 young children masks, so now I'll move on to the "older" kids pile. The batch just finished are the same as the kids' masks in #132 above. They are based on a 6" x 6" square (an another for the lining/backing). The next set is based on 7" squares. The adult masks are 8" (technically they should be 8" w x 7" nose to chin, but I lost my way and did quite a few of them using 8 x 8, which just means it's an inch more from nose to under chin:-)

I'll probably divide them between 2 or 3 recipients (two of which I need to call and see if they are still in need) and send them out soon because I can't guarantee I won't get distracted from my work on the other batches.

Photo to come....

Wow! You just keep moving along. I made mine starting with a 8x16 piece of fabric folded in half and then pleated so just like your 8x8 squares. Lately, I've been doing an extra seam at the top so I can put a piece in that helps the top stay on your nose and hopefully stops my glasses from fogging. Someone told me to try the strips that come on the bags of coffee and they work very good. And another friend had one that had a pocket so you cold fit one of the commercial masks inside which I'm going to make us a couple of in case we go to Arizona in Nov. Our friends who live here in the summer have a winter home out in AZ and we're thinking of going for Thanksgiving. We'll wait till they go back in Oct to see how bad it is out there, but I figure we stay with them and there is lots of hiking and stuff where we don't need to be with people, so we'll see.

I don't really understand how you get so many finished. It took me two weeks to finish 7 masks for my husband and me. They are three-layered, including one layer that is bonded to the fabric and is a filter. They are pleated, not those shaped ones. I gather you make both kinds, right? I can only sit at the sewing machine 1/2 an hour or so, and only press for about the same length of time. I like to use that as an excuse for why I get so little done.

This is what 90 young children's masks look like. Three groups of 30. I put the elastic (8") through each side while watching the Dem. convention. And I did sew by hand some of the last seam on the elastic 'channel' when my machine seemed to struggle. I changed the foot and it seemed to help, so thankfully, only 20 or so needed the hand-tacking.

>144 dudes22: I have family around for the next week so that might slow me down. I tried twist ties; we don't drink coffee...but I know what you mean. I tend to put my mask under my glasses nosepieces. I had to have a 20 minute brain MRI Friday wearing a mask the whole time. Thankfully, they keep the room cool! I still like the masks with straps because I can flip it down as soon as I am able. (I'm going to worry about you if you go to Arizona! I can't imagine things are going to be great there...make sure you vote before/after you go though :-)

>145 sallypursell: Factory-style, of course! :-) In high school, during the summer, I worked in a clam chowder factory. Because I was one of two of the youngest (and more agile) women, I got shuttled around the factory to different areas and learned different skills (like how to pick up 16 steel cans with two hands and move them in one sweep to the metal conveyor belt, LOL). Which is all to say that I learned an appreciation for mass production (and much compassion for those who do such repetitive jobs routinely).

I made the fitted masks in those early months with what elastic I had but quickly moved over to the pleated when the elastic ran out. I made ties for those pleated. Now, because I dislike wasting fabric in the cut, I don't do fitted unless a friend or family member requests one. And since I do have elastic I am going to treat the larger pleated masks like the kid masks and add the channels for elastics. This is definitely (and hopefully) my last hurrah with mask-making. There are still at least another 150 of the other masks to do.

So impressive. Great work and I know so appreciated.

Did you have instructions or make it up, Lois?

>146 avaland: that's an impressive set of masks Lois. Well done!

That's a lot of masks! I'm impressed.

>146 avaland: Wow!

>147 mnleona: Thanks!

>148 sallypursell: I adapted these from the original pleated mask directions which came from here: https://www.deaconess.com/How-to-make-a-Face-Mask/Documents-Mask/How-to-Make-an-...

>147 mnleona:, >149 lauralkeet:, >150 dudes22:, >151 thornton37814: Thanks, all. What with all the angst in the area, both public and private, I find making these somewhat calming.

Like everyone else I'm in awe over how many masks you've made. Well done!

>153 PawsforThought: Thanks.

>152 avaland: Thanks, Lois. I haven't been happy with the mask pattern I've been using, and I'm really happy to have one that is time-tested. Your masks are just awesome, especially how many you have made, and the time you have donated to this.

>155 sallypursell: Thanks, Sally. I'm not sure how awesome they are, but they should do the trick.

Still working on masks, although I did send out 60 children's and 12 or so adult to the Wish project (which was all the adult's I had finished at the time). I have another 30 children's and 30 adult masks in a box to send to a shelter in Arizona as soon as I remember to call them. I still have easily another 100 in process and have ordered more elastic, just in case (and the elastic is arriving Monday!) Thus, all the children's masks shown in the photo messages above are spoken for. I swear I will not cut out more!

Strangely (or maybe not so strangely) I find making these somewhat centering. Have had other daughter & family from VA here for a week so production has been slow :-)

I am officially retiring from mask-making...(I think). I finished the last of them yesterday and boxed them rest up this morning.

Stats:

Somewhere around 526 masks divided between....

Round one
Two local New Hampshire hospitals
The Tilley Women's Shelter in Brooklyn, NY
Rosie's Place in Boston (another shelter)
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Round two
The Wish Project in Lowell, MA (nearby & a favorite non-profit)
Nashua Soup Kitchen & Shelter, NH (local)
Cross Country Outreach (Shelter), Tucson, Arizona
White River Women's Shelter in Newport, Arkansas

All the shelters were listed on the Deaconess site (with 1200 other listings!) I'm not sure many are removing their requests once their need is satisfied but they do all have contact numbers if one wishes to inquire. I chose shelters because the needs would be likely constant.

I suspect the total is under somewhat as I did not scrupulously keep tabs on the family & friends masks. I also have some useful "rejects" we'll use here.

I have chosen to ignore the pile of 20-something batik squares that have already been sewn to backing for more masks.They will be re-purposed. It's been a good activity -- good to do for others in need without regard to politics; and it was a good centering activity when too much was going on (inside or outside of my head). But, I'm done. Really.

And funny thing, my fabric stash, while a bit messy at the moment, doesn't look depleted!

>158 avaland: Wow, that's an incredible number of masks - you've been a one-woman mask-making factory these past few months!

And no obvious indentations in the fabric stash? That's both impressive and a little scary (just how much fabric have you got?)

Wow!! That's an impressive number, Lois. I only did some for family and some for a homeless mission that the church supports. I hear you about your stash. I've been making "kits" for when our charity group starts again and some reading pillows, but I still don't feel like I've made a dent in mine either.

>159 PawsforThought: Thanks. Yes, the second round was very factory-assembley-like. I tended to use fabric from larger pieces, remnants from nice some backings used, but I did go out and buy (and order) a few yards of novelty fabric as my stash there was a bit depleted. An. d once I decided I would make a lining; I had to buy some muslin for tha I do like to have lots of fabric around me when I work, and my stash has fabric in it back to the 80s (when some vintage stuff from my mother/grandmother). As soon as I clean it up and reorganize it, I'll take another photo and show you.

>160 dudes22: Call me crazy. Well, it felt good to be doing something to help the situation. And it's been good to have something to work on that was repetitive, calming and productive.

I go your 2nd package today. Oliver was very excited. We found a smaller pillow form (will need to chase down a larger one). When I say the pillow later he had stuff four books in the pocket and put it on top of his desk here, all ready for school to start next week. Thanks ever so much!

You're welcome, Lois. I really enjoy doing them. And I'm hoping it will help me reduce my stash a little.

>162 dudes22: Oh, come now, Betty. You really don't want your stash depleted (hmm, unless you are hoping to replace with newer stuff!?)

I truly am. I think when I first started quilting, I used to like to build my stash whenever there was a sale. Now I find that my tastes have changed a lot and I have no idea what I was thinking when I bought some of them. And there was a time when there were way tooo many children's/novelty/stripes/dots in my purchases. So projects that use up larger pieces are good.

Package it up and sell it on eBay? I see loads of fabric there, although I don't find the prices all that tempting.

>159 PawsforThought: Well, I promised a photo of my studio; such that it is. I've been putting together quilts I started in the winter destined for charity. I've been rummaging in the buckets as one can tell. I also recently rearranged this room so that my machine faces more NW than west, although I won't have a side view of the bird feeder anymore (the room is cold in the winter so the thermal shades are often down.

Disclaimer: This room represents over 40 years of sewing (and accumulation). I consider myself to be a conscientious accumulator not a hoarder :-) I do give stuff away.



Interior wall. (I see I have cut off a bit on the right, but you'll have the idea) You've probably seen this wall before. Floor to ceiling (the top shelf which you can't really see has very little on it as it is not easily reached –8 ft ceilings here). I recently neatened and re-sorted by color. It is my favorite wall, a kind of play area, but also I find a lot of comfort in meditating on it.



Exterior walls, the corner faces more or less W on the left and the sewing machine roughly NW, (I need to cut those annoying saplings in front of the double windows). I got those shelving units in the corners from Home Depot. All the buckets and open baskets contain scraps sorted by size or shape (thus triangles are in one open basket) or small cut pieces like 5" or 4" squares. I'm still not completely used to the new arrangement.



Interior wall. Ooo, this view is a messy one! I haven't re-sorted this wall. There is a window there but it's half covered by my flannel board extension. My table is on wheels and happens to be there at the moment. Tomorrow it could be somewhere else. The shelving on the right holds larger pieces of cloth, also sheets bought to use (hopefully) for backings. The stacked pizza boxes that you can't see hold unfinished projects, block samples...etc (most of the boxes are empty now). There is one big bucket of old family linens (I keep thinking I'll do something with these) and another two buckets related to Victorian Crazy Quilting. There is also some craft equipment and craft supplies unrelated to sewing. Recently I had to take a bureau out from that well and the only thing I had to put in there was some bookshelves. The top shelves of that open bookcase has all of the charity quilt tops and all of my scrappy quilt tops piled up, labelled with their dimensions, waiting for me to finish them. The bulletin board has pics of my friends and other happy things :-) The door into the house is on the right of this picture; on the back of this I have an old hanger for men's slacks covered with unfinished table runners and other orphan projects.

When I work, I don't mind being messy (to a point). I rummage through shelves, boxes and bins. It's part of the fun.

What I'm doing now: I've got one more quilt top worth of blocks to finish putting together; it's same pattern as the one pictured on the flannel board above. Then I need to try to get those two tops and the four or five others stockpiled finished in the next few months. I quilt them myself on the machine in a very basic grid pattern.

Then, I'll make on for the new not-yet-born granddaughter.

I have thought about returning to Victorian Crazy Quilting. I did have carpal tunnel surgery two? years ago now and the hand works great. But so much more sitting isn't good for me.

Personally, your messiness doesn't bother me a bit. I too tend to have piles of various kinds based on project they might be for. I still have a small pile of fabric I accumulated once thinking I might try crazy quilting at some time, but I'm thinking that's less and less likely. I was just thinking the other day that I might try putting together some scraps into blocks like you do. I'm finding the half square triangles aren't really very good for my leaders-and-enders because of stitching the diagonal so I thought I'd try something else.

My cleaning person was wearing a different mask when she came to clean last week which another customer had made her. She said it was very comfortable. I really liked it and ended up asking if she could get me the pattern. She sent me the link to a YouTube video and I made one yesterday and I really like it. I know you're not making masks anymore, but since we're going to be traveling (maybe) in Nov and my husband's elastic is stretched out on one of the ones I made, I thought I'd make a couple more. Now that I made a test one, I know where I can put a thing for the nose. It took me a couple of times watching the video to get it, but it should go faster now. They're not the pleated ones- they're sort-of like the shaped ones but easier to make than many of the patterns I saw.

>168 dudes22: Where do you hope to travel? On one of your long trips? Today we are traveling an hour and a half to my home town on the Maine coast. It will be the furthest we have been from home all year (110 miles). We are much closer to the NH coast but I'm being a bit sentimental.

I'd be interested to see what the pattern is. I stopped making the fitted ones because they were 'wasting' fabric because of the curved pieces. I have made a couple more masks for friends, and I do have one or two cut for us (just to have a variety). Everyone is selling them now; I just saw some in a catalog that came in the mail.

I had thought I might incorporate some of the family linens (or parts of them) in a crazy quilt. All that handiwork by the women in my family tree will soon be forgotten. Neither of my daughters have any interest. I'll label them and tell them to find other great great granddaughters via my tree on Ancestry and give it to them!

>166 avaland: Wow. The first pic looks like it could be from a fabric shop! And I don't think the other pics show messiness, just a room that's actually in use. I need to figure out some yarn storage idea now that I've bought so much yarn.

Your idea for the family linens sounds good. We have quite a lot of those things because my mum's saved almost everything from both her and dad's side. I'm thinking I'll make duvet covers and pillow cases out of the top sheets with hand-made lace. That way they'd get some use and can be admired instead of just lying in a cupboard.

I used some family linens to make a table runner for my niece when she got married. I did one for each month of the year - holidays, etc and I used the linen one for the month of June.

Here's the video for the face mask pattern: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DyaaoB69-Lo
I had to watch it a couple of times to write everything down. I was going to take a picture, but I can't get it to lay right for a picture. There's a tiny bit of waste where you cut off the corners of the rectangle, but not very much.

Our friends who live here in the summer, have a winter house outside of Tuscon, Az. They go back out in Oct and (right now) we're planning to go out for Thanksgiving. That could change depending on how they find things are when they get back. I'm planning to make a few more masks so we can change them out every couple of hours while we're traveling and I think we'll still wear disposable ones over the top of the ones I've made. I will admit, I'm a little nervous - we'll see how things are in a couple of months before we make a final decision. I can always cancel our plane reservations.

I *love* your workspace! I have a nice, big space for my sewing room, but it's in the basement, so pretty much no natural light. I envy your windows!

I am in love with that "sorted-by-color" wall. It's very pleasing.

> 171 My granddaughter flew from Texas to Minnesota a few weeks ago and said the plane was very clean. I had friends that used to have a place in Tucson Estates.

>166 avaland: I think you have a great room.

>170 PawsforThought: Thanks. Maybe in 2021 we should have a family linen challenge. We have to make something out family linens! (at this point I don't know who did what; except it was my mother's paternal grandmother who did the rickrack lace and her maternal grandmother did the Victorian crazy quilt. I also believe the former crocheted, and the latter knit. My grandmother on that side crocheted, my mother knit and I knit* and one of my daughters knits (makes one wonder how far back it goes!)

*I stopped because of carpel tunnel, but had the surgery in my left hand (I'm left-handed) so perhaps I could resume, but I still have problems with the right hand.

>172 scaifea: Thanks! (nice to see you!) They make some really good full-spectrum fluorescent lights these days. Worth the $. For me it's useful in winter when I tend to put down the thermal shades to keep out the c-o-l-d.

>173 lauralkeet: Oh, thanks! It does seem like something you would like :-) It can get really messy when I'm playing but the good thing is that I am also fond of sorting it. I'm thinking of letting go some of the really dark colors, especially batiks (don't know what I was thinking)

>174 mnleona: That's good. I've heard that the airlines vary in the level of their approaches.

>175 mnleona: Thanks. I finally had the space and time to make it a real home within a home!

>176 avaland: That sounds like a fun challenge!

I hesitate to say I do anything since I don’t feel like I have the skills (yet) that my elders do and did but I dabble in seeing and knitting, primarily. I find all textile crafts interesting, though, and many non textile ones, too.
Mum mainly sews but does knitting, weaving, lace-making, etc. Grandma was a superb knitter and made all her children, in-laws and grandchildren socks, mittens, sweaters, etc for decades. Somewhat unusually, we loved getting “soft presents” at Christmas and birthdays because it was grandma’s knitting.
My aunt mostly weaves, but also knits some. Another aunt used to be a milliner and also sews. Other grandma was super good at weaving. And on it goes. Someone nearly became a royal damask weaver but I’m not sure who.

I hope your hand lets you get back to knitting again!

I should add that my Nana also did a few quilts during the depression, and my mother took up quilting at the beginning of the 80s like I did, but separate from each other as I did not live home or near home during that time. She got stuck on log cabin patterns, but she also put together a quilt for the fire department's ladies' auxillary group, made up from individualized squares. As the years passed less and less women were about to make squares, so my mother would appliqué or cross stitch or whatever on squares so they would have enough.

>171 dudes22: - That link I gave you, Lois, isn't the one I ended up using. It took me a few experiments to get that one to work the way it should. There's a critical point that she didn't emphasize enough. But I did find another one that was excellent and yields a mask that sits a little bit away from your nose and mouth. I find it much more comfortable and have been making some to replace ones that the elastic is getting stretched out. (What DOES my husband do to them??) I need to figure out how to add in a piece to form around the nose (one of my goals for today).

>179 dudes22: I wear glasses so they often serve has that nose piece. Interestingly, the pleated masks I made from the heavily inked Spoonflower fabrics (has a lot of black ink in the designs), which is stiffer than ordinary fabrics, seems to stay away the face a bit better.

I been trying to get some things done outdoors so I haven't been in the studio much recently. I do want to get the charity quilts done and then I have a granddaughter who will be born in October....

All quiet in the Needlecrafts Group! I have managed to piece the tops of few charity quilts and have one top left to put together before setting up to layer and quilt them. Not sure how it will go, seems I have more distractions these days or perhaps I'm just more distractable.

Been thinking about after the charity quilts; I will have a new granddaughter in a few days, so there is a future quilt or two. But, I'd really like to do something creative....

Hey Lois - I know. I was just thinking the other day that nobody seems to be too busy. I've been making some of those new style masks that I like. I've been using the soft cord instead of the flat elastic. I find it more comfortable with my glasses and I think others do too. The new style seems to be popular. I made one for my sister for the library with ladybugs on it and her granddaughter wanted one because the style is so comfortable and not tight up to your face. The other small project I've been working on is adding labels to some of the quilts I've been making. I was always bad about adding labels to my quilts. And someday,(hopefully not soon) people will need to be able to tell them apart so they know which person gets which quilt.

>181 avaland: Good job getting the piecing of the tops done. I understand about being distracted, I’ve been starting things and getting distracted for weeks now. Hoping it’ll get better soon.

Congrats on the imminent granddaughter - must be a lot of fun making things for babies. I’ve been helping my mum clear out cupboards and storage spaces, and I’m hoping we’ll come across the quilt she made for my crib when I was a baby.

>182 dudes22: I still must use the straps because, besides glasses, I now have two hearing aids behind my ears.

Oh, I should add labels, too!

>183 PawsforThought: I'm glad it's not just me. I haven't actually made anything for the new baby yet. My daughter already has at least four quilts from me. Her favorite is an old lap quilt made quickly ages ago with that Yellow Brick Road pattern and some colorful fabrics. It's faded with washing but very soft. She'd like another.

>184 avaland: - That's an Atkinson design, right? I've done that one - a couple of times I think. I love Atkinson patterns. They have great directions and always work up great.

>185 dudes22: Yes, it is. I bought it seemingly decades ago. I think I photocopied it and sent the original to someone.

I have managed to sort the 10 charity quilt top, paring them with fabric or sheets for the backing and any batting. Usually, I piece leftover pieces of batting from other projects, but not sure how much I have from this year. As of yesterday, I have one quilt pinned up and ready to quilt.

I have so many distractions this year, but as the weather gets colder, the sewing (and reading) will see an uptick of activity in the studio. I'm also trying to do all holiday shopping NOW.

And as of Saturday, we are grandparents of a granddaughter! June Felicity. Hopefully, we will see her around Christmas. This was her leaving the hospital outfit, which is headband and blanket.

Oh, congrats!! What a beautiful baby!

Congratulations! She's adorable.

Wow! Ten tops! I too hope to see an increase in my reading and sewing as the weather gets colder. I can't believe I only finished 1 book in Sept. I too am trying to get my Christmas shopping done.

How sweet. Congrats to all.

Congratulations on your new granddaughter! How lovely!

And like everyone else I’m on awe that you’ve made so many tops. Good idea on starting Christmas shopping early - I’ve been in denial about how late in the year it is already.

Thanks re the new grandbaby.

The 10 tops has been over the course of the year. Different patterns, some as simple as just 10" squares put together, some more complicated than that but nothing difficult. Making the tops is more or less like doodling. They are all about 4 1/2 to 5 feet square (ok, maybe there is one or two more rectangular). They are meant to be a lap quilt/comfort quilt than a bed covering.

I bought some fabric for backing, but I also bought some sheets from either Goodwill or Savers, but it's hard to find primary colors or the kind of colors that go well with juvenile novelty fabrics.

I have one finished, and a 2nd nearly bound. I'm hoping to get them all done by the end of November (if I can restrain myself from making more tops). The charity I give these to is really hurting financially as they have not been able to do the public fund-raising events they usually do. And, well, demand for the services they provide has multiplied....

------------------------------
For all the stress we are experiencing, my extended family is doing relatively okay. But, I am always thinking about the people who have been laid-off, or evicted, or can't afford the headsets their kids need for school, nevermind food, heating .... well, you know.

Trying to stop beginning a new project is always a challenge for me. I see so many ideas for quilts that I want to try. I'm curious about you using sheets as quilt backs. I thought that was one of those unwritten rules that sheets weren't good for backs. I think because of the thread count? That they don't shrink the same as the top?

>192 dudes22: re: sheets. Really? I had not heard that. This year, I have generally used only the regular cotton sheets (probably older? they feel more like quilting cotton; percale not sateen), not high count Egyptian cotton ones. I think I used the latter for a couple of the charity quilts I made last year and didn't like working with them. I actually found a square good quality cotton tablecloth in the nearby Goodwill to use. I have used up my last 60x60" batting, so was shopping around for 5 more when it occurred to me that I have a King-sized one 122x122 (I think) that can be cut to make 4 of the 5.

Here are the three of the ten completed. I'm quilting the 4th today. They vary in size but most are something like 55 x 55"
1. Simple pattern of blocks consisting of 4 small squares and two long rectangles. This is backed with some 60" wide fabric I got at a quilt show (very had to find 60" wide fabric!)



2. Another simple pattern. An 8 x10" block usually of one large square, with an adjoining strip; the remainder is usually a smaller square, and a short strip and two very small squares, but I vary it. It has a red cotton sheet as backing.



I was given this collection of fabrics as part of a bigger collection given to me last year as a holiday gift. Most were prints I would not have picked out on my own. Not a lot of imagination in the arrangement. The border fabric is from the 1980s, something I was making for one of the girls or perhaps curtains (I don't remember). This is the quilt with the cotton tablecloth as backing (mentioned above).



----------------------
In between working on these I have been playing around with groups of fabrics (mixing with Kaffe Fassett prints, so not always easy) for one or two lap quilts for my younger daughter. I think I have mentioned somewhere earlier that she was looking for one.... I won't start it until the charity quilts are done though.

It's funny, that last quilt looks like it was only quilted in one direction....

You should go check. It does look like only one direction. Although, in all honesty, I have been known to only go in one direction. Those are looking great. Someday, I'll get to use my scraps for ones like that.

Oh yeah, when I zoom in I can see it.

>195 dudes22: Weird that it should show like that. These photos were taken before washing so it probably looks better now. Putting the binding on #4 tonight.

I had a surprise call from one of my quilters (Cheryl the Quilter). I had called a few times and left a message, and then sent a note but didn't hear from her since winter. I knew her mom was in a nursing home and things were bad at times in Massachusetts. Anyhoo, after a thorough catch-up, we got to talking about autumn-inspired quilts and I told her about my 2016 scrap quilt in fall colors that has never been quilter. I wanted it quilted a specific way with different threads and stitiches, so I figured I'd have to do it myself (which is why it's folded up on a shelf). She was intrigued so I agreed to get it out, have a think and talk to her about it.

>196 avaland: - That's great, Lois. I had a quilt like that. I knew exactly how I wanted it quilted and was afraid it was beyond my capabilities. It sat on a shelf for ages. I was in a quilt guild at the time and there was one lady who did long-arm quilting. I finally decided it was worth it to pay to get it quilted. She did a great job and it now hangs proudly in my hallway.

I've been thinking about your scrap quilts today, off and on, while I was driving. My leaders and enders haven't been working too well because they're HSTs. I was thinking using some of my cut scraps for a project like this might be good. A while ago while I was cleaning my sewing room, I decided to cut smaller pieces into scrap pieces. Except I forgot about adding in an extra 1/2" for seams. But they could work for quilts like this. Maybe I'll pull some out to start putting together.

>197 dudes22: HSTs?

I do process the scraps in a kind of addictive factory-style way which is why I end up with SO MANY squares. I still have several tops waiting to be made into quilts, and a couple hundred blocks piled up to make into tops. Watch out for some black prints, very vivid reds and solids as they tend to stand out/stop the eye running over the whole quilt.

Half-Square Triangles.

Good advice. I suppose one could do just red, white and black...

>199 dudes22: Red, white and black... that could be interesting....

Finished #5 of 10. My studio is going to need a good cleaning & reorganization after I'm finished with these quilts....

I was looking around mine the other day and thinking the same thing. Just need to finish a few projects first.

Did you get snow yesterday? How much? We got a dusting but weren't supposed to get any since we're so close to the coast. My morning walk was very chilly today - I even put on long-johns.

>201 dudes22: I might wait until after the holidays (not the holidays are going to be that big of a deal this year).

>202 dudes22: Yes, indeed! 3 or 4 inches of heavy, sticky stuff and we lost power for about an hour. I was disappointed to see it still here this morning, but the sun has come out and despite the low temps, the snow is coming off the trees. It's really quite beautiful with the sun shining through the snow-covered trees (the oak leaves haven't dropped yet).

I had to scrape my windshield this am before I went to the farmer's market. But we didn't have any accumulation.

Pillowcases:
I use 3/4 yd (27 inches) of one fabric and a 10-11 inch piece of another for the cuff. (WOF - 42). I make a "burrito" by pinning one edge (42 inch side) cuff and main fabric, right sides together, then rolling up the big piece and wrapping the cuff around and pinning it to the first edge. When you sew them and pull the main piece out from the middle it creates the cuff. Then I press it good. Then I put wrong sides together, cut off the selvages, and sew 1/4" seam on side and top. Then flip and press and sew right sides together with 1/2" seam side and top. Turn. All done! You can probably find a Youtube video if you're a visual person.

>204 dudes22: Is that last bit a French seam? Sounds like it. Thx.

I managed to get #6 quilt almost finished—still have the binding to do. But, I may continue with the next and save the binding (which I do by hand) for when I'm watching something on television. I'm going to be putting an extra gift in with these but I'm having a think about what. Most of the quilts I have deemed: boy 4 - 8 yrs, or girl 4 - 8 yrs (based on the motifs in the prints), but there is a big difference between 4 and 8.

We had some melting yesterday and the snow came off the trees (along with the oak leaves). The ground is still mostly covered; perhaps today will be warm enough to take care of the rest.

Yes - that is a French seam.

Happy election day to all. I voted back on Oct 3rd (absentee) as did my husband. One daughter outside of DC voted at her location just after 6 am when the polls opened. She said there were about 100 people waiting to get into the building when she left. The other daughter here in NH is a moderator in her town's polling place; and she had to be there by 6 am so it will be a long day for her (and I'm sure she will have some tales to tell). Haven't heard from my son (I best text him). New Hampshire polls close at 7 pm, one of the earliest states to do so. It's blustery and 40º here, and there was quite a squall of sleet/snow this morning (it somehow seems fitting).

I am now binding quilt #7 of 10. Three more to go!

Happy election to you too. We voted by mail and I've been checking to make sure they were received and certified. You're moving right along with those quilts.

Finished #7. After these 10, there is one for Oliver, and two for the daughter in VA, all about the same square footage (24-25 sq ft, some 5x5, some 4x6) as the charity quilts. And I'll quilt them myself in a simple "diamond" pattern which is fairly loose so the quilts are very pliable. Then...I really hope I can turn my mind to something more creative. At least that's the plan.

I'm such a type-a that I quilt almost all my quilts in some type of grid pattern. If I'm going to do a meander, I draw it on Golden Threads paper first and stitch through that. It means I have to remove it after, but that's a good TV project. I have a baby quilt I need to quilt and bind for a baby due in Dec.

I just discovered that I have only 9 quilts not 10! How did I count that wrong? So, today I'm dipping in to one of my bins (this one of 4" squares) and have started sewing them together....

I've not used Golden Threads paper for a long time; I use it mostly for quilting motifs. I've also used regular copy paper. I stopped doing meandering and various motifs quite a long time ago, certainly well before the neck surgery. I limit myself to straight lines these days. I usually draw the grid using the marking pencils, but on the most recent quilt I just eyeballed it!

I usually use the blue painter's tape and my ruler. Unless I'm going parallel to the seams.

>212 dudes22: I have used blue or green painters tape before (why didn't I think of that, hmm). I should pick up some new tape. I just did Quilt #8 (the quilt top I put together from 225 four inch squares) by eyeballing it. The finished squares, at 3.5, were easy to follow from corner to corner.

Might be the effects of the election, but I spent some time this morning cleaning up and somewhat re-organizing my studio. It's going to need an overhaul come January.

>213 avaland: - I know. Mine is looking somewhat a mess. So - did you feel the earthquake today up where you are? We had just gotten home from going out to breakfast when it happened. The weather channel says it was 3.6. Off New Bedford, I think. Said it might be felt in lower NH, so I thought I'd ask.

>214 dudes22: No, we didn't. But, I see on a NY Times map that someone in the area here may have felt it. If I felt it, I probably thought it was related to the election, LOL.

Binding quilt #9 now while watching Star Trek Discovery. I quilted it using what painters tape I had -- some wider stuff (not recommended, but got it done).

>215 avaland: - ha - ha - ha...

Charity Quilts 4-7.



Charity Quilts 8-10.

These photos are quite dark. Not a lot of variety here. Much done with various arrangements of squares. They are all quilted the same in a loose diagonal pattern which keeps them soft and very pliable. They all range between 45" to 60" on the sides, most are squares. Most have quilting fabric for backing but at least four have cotton sheets as backing (the red, navy and grayish). This simple quilts always make me think back to my Nana's depression-era autograph quilt, which was just different fabric blocks with embroidered signatures, but it was the "extra" blanket we got when sick and I spent a lot of time looking over that quilt.

I have put either a new stuffed animal or a mid-size toy vehicle, and in one case, a diary, in 8 of 10 quilts. The other two quilts could go to teens or adults so, didn't know what they might like.

i will print out the photos and tape them to the bag, with a note re: size and suggested gender (based on motifs). Also washing instructions.

(I had to put the photos into a document, convert the document to a PDF and then the PDF to JPG. This way I only uploaded two pages rather than 7 individual photos)

My 5 year old grandson came into the studio while I was bagging these up and reached over and grabbed the top that we made for a quilt for him and put it the table and said, 'and now you can do mine' and he also wants a toy with it, of course. He picked out the fabrics and put them up on the flannel board, and I sewed them together. I told him he could have it for Christmas.

I have his and one or two other simple lap quilts I'd like to get done before the end of the year but none come with any pressure (okay, maybe the 5 year old will put some pressure on me).

Anyone have any big, creative plans for the last month and half of 2020?

>217 avaland: The charity quilts look lovely and appealing!

>218 avaland: I might maybe if I can be motivated work on two quilts for Christmas presents. My brother and my nephew. My brother has never gotten his quilt; my nephew had a small quilt between a crib and lap size when he was maybe 3. I was looking at my stash. I probably need backing. I'm tempted to go your route -- bed sheets.

>217 avaland: I’m really impressed with how prolific you’re being. So many quilts!

I don’t have any big things planned before the end of the year - I’m making a hat for my nephew and am picking up the missing yarn tomorrow after work. Depending on how easy/difficult I find intarsia knitting to be (new to me) I should be done with the hat either this weekend or next week. I thought about making something for my other family members but don’t know what my brother and sister-in-law might want, and mum got socks for her birthday. I might make a pair of socks for dad - his feet are as permanently cold as mine. And I’d get to use up the grey yarn.

>217 avaland: - I'll be finished with pillowcases tomorrow to deliver on Sat. Then I'll need to make/finish 8 reading pillows for Christmas (or maybe 10, not sure). They can go pretty fast. You can see on my thread that I thought the blocks in quilt #2 (the one with 8x10 blocks) were a great idea for scraps and I'm going to work on some for the charity quilts our church group makes. That and "the great sewing room cleanup" as Laura called it over on my thread.

>220 PawsforThought: I had to look up intarsia knitting. Am I right that it's just a different way of carrying color across the back of your work? I quickly watched a Youtube video but I might do some further research.

>221 dudes22: It’s essentially inserting an image or shape in a different colour than the background (colour blocking, basically). The classic example of intarsia knitting is a kid’s sweater with Mickey Mouse’s face on the front.
As far as I know (and I haven’t actually tried it yet) you’re not supposed to carry the yarn when you switch colour. You twist it around the other yarn to secure and then continue with that (so there’ll be a lot of yarn ends to secure at the end). I’m knitting in the round so I’m going to try a technique that involves less cutting off the yarn.

>222 PawsforThought: - OOHH...I saw the twisting in one of the videos I saw, but I didn't realize you actually cut it off.

>219 lesmel: Thanks. If you go with sheets, go for a flat sheet bigger than what you think you need. I also had been collecting the lower thread count all-cotton sheets rather than the fine, "luxury" ones.

>220 PawsforThought: Thanks. The first of these were started early in the year, and quite honestly the quilt patterns are very basic. I hand sewn the binding to the backside. I finished several bindings while watching Star Trek Discovery :-)

>221 dudes22: I'll save your thread for tomorrow as I need to get off this computer!

The ten quilts are DONE! 7 I've included washing instructions inside the bags. I taped the size and suggested gender and age to the outside, along with a photo of the whole quilt (so maybe they won't have to open the bags?) I folded over the excess plastic bag and put a ribbons around the whole thing. I'm not sure the place is ready to take them yet; they only started taking clothes again this week. This charity doesn't do food generally (leaves it to the food pantries), but this year there have been a lot of requests so they are taking a collection of supermarket gift cards.

Now, I have three more small quilts to do, maybe in the next month or so.

Went into one of the local hospitals this morning to have some labwork done that couldn't be done at one of the satellite labs. The hospital is locked done now: no visitors. They allowed no more than five people in the lab waiting area (which is fairly large), others were either waiting in the lobby or in their cars to be called. Still, they've got the routine down now, so things went smoothly.

>222 PawsforThought: Intarsia knitting allows you to continue with one colour, (Mickey) from row to row, while you would have a ball of the main colour on either side of him, so you are working with three balls in this instance. This means there are only two ends to secure: the one you start Mickey with and the one left over when you finish him. (I'm pretending here that there is no contrast within Mickey himself.

So please save yourself some trouble and don't cut those ends!

Also, I don't think of the process as an actual twist, which can leave a bump, but more of a looping.

Oops -Just realised you are knitting in the round. This is more difficult for intarsia as it involves wrap and turn, but can be done. I probably wouldn't recommend it for your first time out.

Good luck!

>225 avaland: Amazing work.

That's great that you got them done. And I think a group makes it feel like a big accomplishment.

>226 SassyLassy: Thanks for the thorough explanation. I always feel hampered when talking about knitting (and other needlework) in English since I’m not used to using English terms - I sew and knit in Swedish.

I think I’ve decided to skip the intarsia, not because of the reason you stated, because I’ve found a good guide on how to fairly easily do intarsia in the round, but because I realised I’d have to not only make the shape of the leaf but also get it to work with the decreases. Too much work, so I think I’ll make a leaf separately and sew it on afterwards instead.

>228 PawsforThought: ...I think I’ll make a leaf separately and sew it on afterwards instead

Great solution!

I once saw a knitting translation dictionary with all the Scandinavian and Germanic languages represented and I've always wished I had bought it, as I've never seen it since. There are such amazing patterns in other countries. I do have a few books with patterns translated from Dutch and Norwegian into English, but none from Swedish.

>229 SassyLassy: Yes, the patterns from countries around the world is such a treasure trove. If I could pick one language to learn for knitting’s sake it’d be Estonian or Latvian - I love some of the patterns I’ve seen from the Baltic. Norwegian is so similar to Swedish that I could knit from a Norwegian pattern without really looking anything up, but almost all Norwegian patterns seem to be translated to Swedish since Sweden is a big market for the Norwegian yarn companies (they have more sheep in Norway than we do in Sweden).

That book sounds amazing, I hope you find it again some day.

>226 SassyLassy: Thanks. I'll stay out of the knitting discussion as I have stopped knitting, but I did love to do designs that carry the yarns (some fair isle, novelty figures...etc) :-)

>227 dudes22: Thanks. Would you believe one or two of the tops were made in the winter before the whole mask thing hit. I had hoped to avoid the end-of-the-year rush.

Having finished the donation quilts, I thought I might work on one of the two or three lap quilts I have promised family. My 5-yr old grandson is pushing me to finish his (I told him I'd have it done for Christmas), but my daughter says she needs a new lap quilt....

About 14 years ago I made a quick Yellow Brick Road quilt for her. The border was a Kaffe Fassett print, the center was fabric I had on hand. She has washed it so much over the years that it has become thin and the KF fabrics have faded.

So, I set out to do the same. I had given my YBR pattern away never imagining I'd make another, so I copied out the blocks from quilts online. But, I decided I could do much the same with blocks made out of three sub-shapes: 8.5 inch squares, 4.5 x 8.5 rectangles and 4.5 squares. I chose a newer KF fabric (that I love!) for the border.

Originally, I thought I would use most of the many colors from the border in the patchwork and, by trial and error, I decided less was better (there is at least, if not more than ten colors in that fabric). Sadly the pinks, yellows and others went back in the pile. I use all kinds of fabric, both other KF fabrics but also some Laurel Burch, select batiks and other fabrics. It was great fun. It's supposed to be a kind of messy mix, not too perfectly coordinated. I think to see what I can get away with....(there is a small square in there from an outfit I had in the early 90s!)

(photo removed)

The color here is too yellow (taken on the iphone, couldn't correct it The flannel behind the quilt is gray). To visually keep the craziness of the border and the craziness of the interior patchwork separate, I choose to use a solid for a 1 inch inner border, and in a color from the border that I hadn't used the patchwork. It's a deep red-violet. The border will be likely 8 inches (like the blocks) and I will bind it in another color that's in the border that wasn't already applied elsewhere.

She wanted the quilt 4 x 6 ft as she finds that perfect to cover her for naps. I have the pink version of the border fabric to do another one. I really enjoy playing with colors and patterns...it's kind of a drug :-)

Even if the color is off, I think I have a few of those KF fabrics - the big square with the blue & purple flower, the feathers, and the bottom second from the right. I like to put a small border around before the bigger border too. I think I might have that Yellow Brick Road pattern. I could scan it and email it to you. Or I could copy it and mail it to you. I'm going to check tomorrow and see.

Congratulations on your new granddaughter, Lois.

I've been both absorbed in the election, and in a massive sewing project, making lots of little dresses for my granddaughters. So far I have finished 5 for each of them, but I have at least 4 more for each. I've been having a wonderful time.

Everything here is beautiful, as always, Lois.

I'm going to try to make a YBR quilt for a friend soon! I've never tried one before so we'll see how it goes.

>233 dudes22: Thanks for offering, but I don't really need the pattern as I had drawn out all the blocks and it wouldn't be too much of a brain-buster to figure out the dimensions.

>234 sallypursell: Thank you. She's adorable and we hope we will see her before she turns one! But I want them to be safe.

>235 scaifea: Thank you. YBR quilts are easy-peasy quickies. Hmm. I wonder what one would look like in solids....(I have a pile of Kona solids).

>236 avaland: - Good thing - cause I don't have it. I looked but I must have it confused with one from the "Turning Twenty" book. Although the picture of it looks so familiar.

>236 avaland: Oooh, I bet it would look pretty great in solids, especially bold, bright ones.

>232 avaland: I think you just gave me the pattern for my dad's quilt!

OK, here is the finished top for what I'm calling the CircleBlue quilt. That one print stands out because of its white content, and it bugs me a little, but I don't like things too perfect so there it is.

{photo removed}

My iphone seems to 'enhance' photos so I fuss with the editing to try to get the fabrics more accurate....this is still darker than it really is.

And now perhaps, if you are willing, you can help me in the next (related) project

So, having the Circle blue project ready for assembly and quilting, I thought I might play around with the companion project, the Circle pink quilt. I planned to do the same pattern as the blue quilt, and pinned up the circle fabric and possible fabrics. I often take a photo of my projects and then look at in on there and decide this or that isn't working and so on, but it became very clear that the same pattern would not work at all. The pink is a brighter fabric, seemingly a few less colors (and it sounds crazy, but the colors seem to change depending on what you are putting with it!) by the end of yesterday I took the whole thing down.

Sometime during an episode of Star Trek Discovery, it occurred to me that I needed to turn the quilt inside out. The pink wasn't working as a border, but what if I made it the middle and put the various colored patchwork as the border. So, I did a mock-up (middle part is not what would be its full size). Let me know what you think....

{photo removed}

(gosh, I would have loved this in 1970!) The borders on the blue quilt are 8" wide, finished (same size as the interior blocks), but here I think I either have to have the borders wider than the blue quilt and make more use more of the smaller patchwork. As it happens I don't really have any large prints that would work well for an entire 8X8 block.... My brain is whirling....

The mustard colored piece in the bottom right needs to go, not sure about the blues in the bottom right hand. These fabrics are just pinned fairly randomly around the Pink to get a sense if they can work. There will also be a solid, narrow inner border to separate to movement of the inner fabric and the borders (not sure what color yet).

So, please, all input gratefully accepted, whether you quilt or not, and whether I go with it or not. Keep in mind that this quilt is not meant to be seen from afar, but across one's lap:-)

>241 avaland: I think inverting it like you did is brilliant. I've learned I'm terrible at color choices. Mom and I spent 2+ hours last night working out the colorway for my brother's quilt. How big are the squares on your design wall? I ask because just looking at the set up you have right now, I like the ratio of border to center.

Hmm. I could scale down the patchwork pieces to make 6" blocks ...

Those dark teal pieces are not quite that dark in reality.

I've thought about using just smaller squares for the borders, but then I think the eye moves better from color to color when there are blocks that are of varied sizes ....

Here is a photo from the web that is better with the actual colors:

>242 lesmel: Thanks for your input. The pieces of fabric stuck up there are folded fat quarters or partial ones, so roughly 5-5 1/2 wide (and various lengths). The small squares in blue quilt are 4 x 4 " finished.

Color is often something learned. None of us are born with it. I took oil painting classed as a teen and mixing colors teaches a lot, but I still love having a color wheel of one kind or another to play with.

>241 avaland: >243 avaland: Love the Kaffe circles! My one suggestion that jumped out at me right away you naturally anticipated further down in the post: the solid, narrow inner border. I was thinking of that smokey blue lavender (seen toward the bottom right in the large circle in the pink version), but then thought maybe a deeper value of the same colour, so more like the purple in the blue circles. I also wonder about that same beautiful mulberry from your completed Cercle bleu quilt. I like the idea of different sized blocks in the border, given the prints you are using. Do you have any more bits in the purple family?

Waiting for the paisleys!

>245 SassyLassy: You would be amazed at the number of colors that are the SAME in both fabrics but look entirely different in the differing backgrounds. That blue reads the same side by side but you'd never know that unless you examined it carefully. But, yes, the deeper value may work. In the previous quilt I picked a color from the focus fabric not otherwise used in the border. ha ha, I just put up a few blue-violets. I have lots of fabrics in the purple family....

I should indeed check the paisley collection and see if anything seems likely. Thanks for all your input.

>245 SassyLassy: None of the paisleys worked, but I did find some possible plaids. A few other odds and ends. Can't use most fabrics that have white in them, nor batiks as many tend to read white.

{photo removed}

That light blue is matched exactly with the fabric shown in the photo above, but at times it's almost a light denim color. It reads differently in the different circles, depending on what color he's put near it. It's crazy-making!

I think the border and the center of the Blue quilt is about the same amount of real estate, but it seems the pink wants more border OR perhaps reducing the scale of the pieces might work. The fabrics are just randomly stuck up there at the moment.

I have half a mind to keep that blue one for myself, LOL. (like I need another quilt hanging around the house)

I think I like the greens that you have in the top picture way more than those two turquoise at the bottom. I also was going to suggest using a few purples. I'm not crazy about the plaids, but maybe if they were small. I think the green floral at the top in the top picture and the lighter one in the bottom photo work great. I don't think that blue print next to the green is so bad, but you might want another of a somewhat similar color to balance so it's not all alone. Two cents...

I think it’s a great idea to flip the design around. I’d go for a blue or aqua/light turquoise border to have something with a strong contrast to the pink in the main fabric. Otherwise there’s a risk the border will fade into the pink.

>248 dudes22: Yeah, those blues at the bottom are gone now. Those florals are, of course, KF prints :-) The only purples that work are the blue violets in the 2nd picture. In my first adventure with this yesterday, I tried all manner of purples because it just seemed that they would fit, but as soon as they are together one realizes that the purple one can 'see' in the print is an illusion, one's eyes are blending the pink with the blue violet....

Thanks for that 'two cents', Betty. The fabrics are just pinned up more or less randomly at this point. I think I will decide on the scale and then cut some actual pieces to work with (what a mess I've made of my shelves!)

You may have to start your own "Great Sewing Shelf Clean-Up" ;)😉

I started pulling fabrics from my "fat quarter" shelf which also contains pieces left from other projects. I'm keeping those that are really fat quarters and cutting the rest for scraps. (There are also fat quarter boxes - they'll be later because they are out of sight.)

I cut 4.5 x 4.5" and 4.5 x 4.8" pieces from the chunks of fabric that were pinned up so I could get a better sense whether they would work. They didn't. I had too many single color overall prints and not enough multi-color prints (will come back and post a photo a bit later) and the arrangement really missed those 8.5" squares.

Frustrated, I dug deeper into the stash and found a few more KF prints I thought might work in the mix (I'm sure I'm over thinking this, but who ever said creative minds are always orderly). I pulled the whole thing off the wall and decided to try the quilt again the same way as the blue print, with the circles as border.

(Will also post a pic of this mock up). It needs some tweaking but I think it works well enough to just go with it. See what you think when the pictures are posted.

I do like the bottom one. I know you've already started, but what about something like one of these:



Not sure if you want to cut up the KF, but some of the blocks in this are larger. I could scan and send you directions for some of them.

I also found this which I think is similar to the YBR:



I could also scan and send you in an email.

I could also take some more pictures from the insides of various quilts, if you'd like a better idea.

>254 dudes22:->256 dudes22: Thanks for the ideas, Betty, but I don't think any of them would make a big difference (I think I have or had that 'Turning Twenty' pattern). The hot pink one is still up on the board while I'm finishing the purple one (just finished the quilting of it, today I'll put the binding on). I'm still not completely happy with the pink. I still like the idea of turning it inside out and putting the focus fabric in the middle... (back there in #241, but I also kind of like the irregularity of the border, LOL) but there are also some other not-yet-gelled-ideas lurking at the edge of my brain.

I may finish Oliver's lap quilt next, and leave the pink up on the wall longer.

I was thinking maybe that "around the block" might be an idea. Like the red one. Cut the circle fabric into big squares with that solid border and then your patchwork around that. Would you like some more pieces of KF purple/blues or some of his with pink? ? I could send you some Mon. If you've got other projects to keep you busy.

ETA: I know that's not your final arrangement, but maybe because there looks like there's a strip of green fabrics through the middle is throwing it off.

Saw a pattern today and thought of your conundrum. It was basically vertical panels of 5"w x 2.5"h pieces sewn together for whatever length you want, but the thing that caught my eye was that each panel was separated by a sashing 3.5"w. One version had the sashing and border in the same print, and your pink circles popped into mind. That would give you lots of focus on the Kaffe's highlight print, and lots of playtime with the other prints, even allowing you to modify the sizes in the "mixed" panels.

Not a very good explanation I'm afraid, so I just found an imperfect image:

>258 dudes22: Yes, something like that might work.... while working on marking the quilting lines on Oliver's quilt (not shown yet), various patches from the Circle Pink quilt fluttered down off the design board. It took me a while to notice it. When I saw the pile of patchwork on the floor, I thought, how appropriate and I took the whole thing down and bagged it. I'll bring it out again sometime later.

>259 SassyLassy: That would indeed solve the problem but it's far too controlled for me. Not 'messy' enough:-) I want to wander in the woods off the path and not listen to the person calling me to come inside for dinner....

Thanks, for the suggestions, everyone. You all are the best.

Photos of finished CircleBlue quilt in 'plein air'. Funny that in one pic, the fall leaves were pulling out some of the orange colors. Yeah, I know I technically should not have included that designer print with the sort of pop art flowers--because of the white, but it's a favorite fabric and, well, rules are made to be broken ;-)

I'll take down all the previous pics of this quilt (and probably the pink one, too) so as not to have so many pics in my 'junk drawer.'

Can I add two cents, please? I think color matching is over-rated. From my quilting--for about 40 years, I think color value is much more important. Use a red filter, or slit your eyes to look. Things can look very different, and I don't think what color something is matters much at all. Also, most quilts are better if the values vary from very light to very dark, or a least a good bit of the spectrum. I would be making your narrow border darker or lighter than the rest for it to stand out. Look at the narrow border on the blue one and how much the value differs from the others, which are mostly medium in value. The difference is what makes it a good border.

I need to clean up my junk drawer pictures too. I was just thinking that today. How far apart are your grid lines? About 4"?

>263 sallypursell: Another way to gauge color value is to take a photo and edit it to make it grayscale. In grayscale you can see the light, medium, and dark color values. This has been really helpful to me in choosing colors for Fair Isle knitting, especially when I need a color that "pops". Those colors should be dark in grayscale.

>265 lauralkeet: Oh, you are so right! I'd quite forgotten that.

>261 avaland: CircleBlue is gorgeous.:) I never see that pop art flowers print until you point it out.

>263 sallypursell: I agree about color-matching being somewhat overrated. I also have been quilting for just about 40 years and I do have a red filter or the grayscale on the iphone should I choose to use it. And I understand value very well. And you are right to remind me of it because somewhere in there that might hold the solution for that pink one.

But, I'm not making a masterpiece here, I'm making a lap quilt that will have a baby throwing up on it, or the labradoodle snoozing in it. It's not going to be hung on the wall; it will be crumpled into a pile on their sofa. They will love it to death just like the previous one, which is why I thought I'd make two. And to be honest, the making of quilts right now is all about relieving my stress level and soothing my psyche :-)

>264 dudes22: The quilting lines are based on the 8" finished interior blocks, corner to corner, so they should be 8" apart (I'll check that). Oliver's quilt, the one I just finished last night, has irregular patchwork (!) so I quilted that 5" - because the long ruler I use is 5" wide, ha ha.

>267 lesmel: Thanks!

>268 avaland: As long as you consider the color values of baby spit-up, you should be fine. 😂

>260 avaland: ...it's far too controlled for me. Not 'messy' enough:-)

Ah the two sides of my warring nature! There are times when I love the precision of geometrics and others when I just need to dive in and let my imagination take over. That's usually when I'm happiest with the work.

>269 lauralkeet: Too funny.

> 268 - I usually use my 6" or my 4".

>269 lauralkeet: LOL!

>269 lauralkeet: Too funny, Laura! It's been my experience that the color of baby spit-up is unlikely to coordinate with a quilt of these colors.

>270 SassyLassy: Amen.

The CircleBlue quilt is making it's way to Virginia now. I did not tell them its coming. I mailed out the Christmas presents at the same time and I did advise them two boxes were coming...

I also finished and washed the Oliver and Nana collaboration quilt. It's folded up and waiting for me to wrap. I told him I was giving it to Santa to put under his tree.

Yesterday, I spent a little time neatening up the fabric piles. I don't have the energy for a full re-do except for the Kaffe Fassett shelf. What to do now....

Not much to report. I've thought about reviving the Circle Pink quilt project, but will push it into the winter. Over the past week I've pulled out a number of quilting books to browse though, sometimes it helps the ideas to flow. It didn't really. So yesterday I brought out my big, bad-ass copy of Jinny Beyer's The Quilter's Album of Patchwork Patterns, almost five hundred pages that offer a zillion possibilities. The 'puzzle quilt' was the most recent I made from a block in the book. I can be very content flipping through those pages. I have sticky notes on about 20 pages ....

In the end I was sorting a bin of larger scraps into color piles. I have some wild things roaming in my head....

The blue circle quilt made it to Virginia and my daughter loves it. Its 2006 predecessor, worn & faded* will be relegated to picnics, she says.

*kind of sad to see KF fabric faded so.

Is that normal with KF or just well used? I've been seeing tons of ideas on Pintrest lately and downloading a few free patterns. But I too will wait til after the holidays.

>274 dudes22: I can't say whether it is normal or not. I think the quilt was washed a fair bit in the 14 years, can't be sure she didn't use a hot water cycle...

I'd be interested to hear what online stores you all use. I buy from online stores probably about half of the time.

Hancocks at Paducah ( https://www.hancocks-paducah.com) I have used this store sometimes, although it's not worked out that well during this last year. Things haven't been getting updated on their site, so I'd order things and hear later that's it's not coming or it comes a month later. Too many disappointments.

And I still try to use the smaller stores on quiltshops.com, although they have a much smaller number of stores these days. Still, it's kind of fun to do a search. It is frustrating however, when you find three different fabrics you want and no one store has them all. During the mask-making era earlier this year, through quiltshops.com, I used the Stitch & Frame shop in Mississippi (https://stitch-n-frame.net/cgi-bin/Store/store.cgi). They had what I needed and was quick to ship. There are others store listed on the site I have used before. And sadly there are several stores that have gone out of business.

I recently used a shop in San Francisco (www.thediyaddict.com) that came up on a search. She had KF and other designers, seems attracted to colors I like, and she was quick (as quick as you can be posting across country). Her prices are no higher that others for the same fabric, imo.

I sometimes use Backside Fabrics (https://backsidefabrics.com) when I want a really nice or cool fabric for the backside of a quilt and I've also bought batting through her.

I used fabric.com a couple of times in the past, but when I found out that Amazon has a piece of it, and after I got a badly cut piece of flannel from them, I stopped. They do clearly sell for less, though.

I was just thinking about this! I wanted to buy some Aurifil quilting thread. I found Hawthorne Supply Co has a large selection of colors and sizes and weights; but then wondered about other online shops. The biggest problem with the thread for me right now is that I need it to match which means I don't trust the screen color to be accurate.

The store locator at Aurifil.com gave me a list of 121 stores in Texas! Not all of them have a website, it seems. Still, now I can try some "local" quilt shops. I keep wanting to try MSQC; but just can't commit to buying anything -- nothing wows me or can't be found faster.

I too found that Hancock's has not been working for me. I still have a KF I ordered in Jun that I haven't gotten yet. (And probably never will). One thing I ordered and waited weeks for, I finally got a notice that they were out.

I used The Fat Quarter Shop a lot while this was going on. They have a great selection and they were really good about letting you know that they were going to be a little slower shipping than usual. And every package came with a note that apologized that their shipping was up to their usual standards. One time I got a 1/2 yard instead of a 1 yard piece and when I called they sent me another whole yard in like 2 days. They also carry a large selection of pre-cuts if you like those.

I used to use EQuilter a lot but I find their web site a lot harder to find what I'm looking for.

I did use a couple of stores on Etsy when I was looking for some particular fabrics that I couldn't find elsewhere (and the elastic) but I can't remember who they were.

I've bought from DIYaddict too. That's the site where I found the instructions for that hand project I worked on last year.

You might look at Heather Bailey too. I've bought some nice stuff from her and it's a good quality.

>277 lesmel: Is there a color chart you can get sent from Aurifil? I once got (maybe bought) a color chart for all of the Kona solids; still have it but I suspect some colors have been added or deleted over the years.

>278 dudes22: My experience exactly. I wonder if the problem is 1. the whole supply chain 2. Lack of employees to cut and or keep things up to date (although it seems things like available quantity would be computerized). Is 'Heather Bailey' under her name?

Her you go:
https://www.heatherbaileystore.com/

>279 avaland: Yes. They have a chart for $40 with thread samples. I am probably ordering it today.

>280 dudes22: Interesting shop, but she's a bit pastel for me, and many of the lines have a lot of white in them, which I seem to go low on.

>281 lesmel: That will be helpful. Do you have a quilting machine or do you do it all on your standard-sized sewing machine?

I think I may make a quilt with just solids, avoiding black, and perhaps bright reds. That batik quilt I made a few years ago is on my family room couch and that's what sparked the idea (plus Amber mentioned something looking good in solids back in msg#238, which also had me wondering why I've not done something all solids (because solids don't dance:-) It's not something that gets my blood going but I think it could be interesting. I think I will use the pattern I have used for several quilts and I will come back and post some photos as examples.

Past examples of the quilt I am thinking about doing in solids. They are easy to make, of course (the baby quilt shown is just the blocks laid out, not sewn together). The blocks are rectangles using 1--6.5 square, 1--4.5 square, 3--2.5 squares and 2--2.5x4.5 rectangles (this last you can certainly make one of the rectangles into two more small squares). I have the holiday one out now and it's mix of fabrics give me joy :-)



Cutting fabric is something to do during a snowstorm (whatever that turns out to be)...or I could address holiday cards....

>282 avaland: I only have my Bernina 440QE and portable Elna. I think if I did more quilting on large pieces, I would probably want a mid-arm or long-arm.

Looks like you might be getting snow today. We're going to be mostly rain with maybe a switchover late this afternoon. Maybe 1", they say.

>285 dudes22: It's been snowing since 10 am but has only accumulated several inches of monstrously wet snow thus far. Many hours to go. I imagine the power will go out at some point. Not sure the sewing room is on the generator (oh! turns out it is!). I baked bread this morning; it was that kind of morning.

I pulled out all my solids this morning and thought of doing the quilt pattern above in solids. The values of the solids may be less forgiving, a purple that registers dark may not play will with a yellow that registers much lighter. I'll have to think about the whole thing, but I have enough that I can cut pieces and put it up on the board to see if I like it.

>286 avaland: - Hours to go - yuck. But you can sew - Yeah!

I baked a couple of different kinds of Christmas cookies. They'll go in the freezer until I do my trays and tins. And I'm making a nice warm soup for supper.

I don't work with solids hardly ever. Maybe as a background but even then I tend to like tone-on-tones that read more solid than they are. I think I'm afraid the actual quilting will be less forgiving and will show all my mistakes. At least if you decide one doesn't go, you can send it to scrap piles for your scrap quilts.

>287 dudes22: I ended up fussing around with the solids for a while but didn't cut anything. Yes, I did think about the quilting, although I could have someone else quilt it in a nice curvy pattern which would soften the look a bit.... Ha ha, yes, much ends up in the various scrap bins (sooooo many scrap bins these days).

I used to do a variety of cookies and bars, but haven't done it in a number of years.

How much snow did you end up with? The rain changed to snow/sleet for a while and managed to cover the grass but it was gone by morning.

>289 dudes22: What a mess it was! Snow coating all the power lines and pines, snow with rain, rain, snow.... We ended up with about 5-7 inches of wet cement. First, early afternoon yesterday, my daughter reported her power was out (came on reasonably quickly), then my son said he had power but he had to cut up some trees blocking the end of his driveway. Our power went out about 2:30 pm. We reported it and waited. Around 5 pm the house was getting quite cool, so the hubby went out and started the generator, and switched the house power over to it. The power came back on at 8:30 pm. It was the whole area, 92 houses dark. When we went to bed the wind was picking up and soon the trees were pelting the side of the house (behind the bed, of course) with the snow & ice that was stuck to them and any twigs that came loose. Still, it was a little excitement in our fairly low-key world these day. That was the 2nd autumn snowstorm.

What to do during a Nor'easter? play with fabric, of course. Solids. I'm not particularly fond of solids, but I sometimes find them useful. Still, they don't really 'turn my on.' Maybe this project—such that it is—that will serve a kind of sewing palate cleanser...

Top is the pattern I spoke about (you can see the block sample in the upper right) This is an iphone photo unedited, so the colors are a bit more intense that they really are.



And, here is an illustration of what Sally was talking about back some messages ago -- color values. I probably won't do any with regards to the value except make sure they are spread out fairly evenly.



The picture in color makes me think of high rise apartment buildings, LOL. The second pattern near the bottom was just something I was playing around with. The block would be a 6.5 square on point, with 2.5 squares on two sides. I have more colors to cut from (and there is no black in this quilt, btw)

>290 avaland: - I guess winter's really here. Glad you didn't lose power that long. When we moved, we opted to put in one of those generators that switch over automatically. We're not getting any younger so it seemed prudent.

>291 avaland: - I don't work with solids at all and have very few in my stash. I did just buy two large solid yellows in different shades for a quilt I'm hoping to start next year. It was a project from a blogger I like who was testing a pattern before publishing and she was doing a "quilt-along". I got the fabrics I wanted but was too busy with pillowcases and reading pillows to get to it. I have all the pdf files and fabric ready to go. I've never tried that black photo thing but I do have one of those red plastic thingys that is supposed to do the same thing.

>292 dudes22: I think the red thing is a "ruby beholder" or something like that (mine is broken but I still use a significant piece of it from time to time. I also have a color tool that I love to just play with it (and it has both a red and a green filter in it).

I still have much more to cut and then I'll rearrange the colors so the dark and light values are equally distributed. Right now it's about the pattern (or perhaps I should make both),

I seem to have quite a lot of solids and I remember buying various Kona colors. I think I was planning to make something out of solids around my younger daughter's wedding...but didn't. Ha! maybe I should send a bunch over to Amber, she seemed enthusiastic.

Took a break for a walk. I have a package of graduated yellows (not sure the size) that I have no idea why I bought and a small stack of 1/8 yds that I might have won in a swap or a Secret Santa. And, of course, some blacks for background. I should probably buy some to use as that skinny strip of first border.

>291 avaland: this is really interesting, Lois. I often find myself unable to comment on quilt designs here, which I have attributed to general inexperience with color. I can now amend that to say it's color patterns I have difficulty with. Solids, I can deal with.

So ... I like the jewel-tone look of the pieces you've laid out. I would use the grayscale photo to, as you said, make sure things are spread out evenly. Looking at the piece at the top left, I see a a couple of areas where a few very dark pieces are next to each other. And, at the bottom, there's an area of medium-gray. I would suggest trying to break those up so there is more contrast, while maintaining a distribution of actual colors (i.e.; no clumps of similar colors).

Welp, I don't know that I have anything actually helpful or intelligent to say here (or...ever? but that's a different story), but I *will* say that I absolutely *love* the way it looks! It's so interesting (but makes sense) how using the grey scale can help balance things.

Smart move having the sewing room hooked up to the generator!

>276 avaland: Have you considered buying from Canada? The exchange rate is certainly in your favour. Here is a place I like just outside Ottawa which ships to the States: https://www.madaboutpatchwork.com

Someone closer to (my) home who has lots of KF, including "rare finds": https://www.thewoolworks.com/store/c78/FABRIC_.html
She also has fabulous yarn

The one store up that way I looked at a bit ago had their prices higher than down here here, so I thought the result would be a wash. I used this store in the Ontario area before to send a gift to someone in the area. I haven’t actually done the math on paper, mind you😝

And Ryco's has been working on a web site. Pat mentioned in her email today that they've been loading up all the Kona solids if you're looking for more. At $6.25. I haven't had anything shipped from there but they are really customer oriented. Or you an call in an order.

>299 dudes22: Oh, gosh no! (but thanks of thinking of me). Just using the array I'm using, I find myself thinking ...oh, I'm missing that tint or tone...and then I stop myself.

I'm doing a lap quilt using the block at the bottom of the photo in #251 above. A 6.5 square with 2.5 squares on the left and top. I starting using both the red and green filters to check my value spread and perhaps I'll do a grayscale photo before I sew blocks together; but, to be quite honest, I don't much care all that much about value here.

Solids seem not to trigger my cerebral pleasure centers in any way. I tend to like things messy and tend to want to break rules, and solids seem so ... crisp & clean, and obediant...which is why I have often used one-color all-over prints instead.

>300 avaland: I tend to like things messy and tend to want to break rules

The opposite of me, then! XD I like the simplicity of solid colours and non-messiness. I get stressed when there are too many colours and patterns happening so I tend to stick to the "crisp & clean" (probably also influenced by being Swedish, and we do like our borderline minimalism here in the Nordic lands).

>301 PawsforThought: That doesn't explain the character Pippi Longstocking (one of my favorite books from my childhood)

>301 PawsforThought: Pippi is the exception that confirms the rule. ;)

Well, here is the project-in-progress. The blocks are all there and I'm sorting out the edges and corners before sewing it all together. Need to cut more HST for the edges. Photo taken with iphone so I've edited it to attempt to make the colors more accurate (with a bit of success). There are no solid black pieces here, anything darkish is likely a navy blue, forest green, maroon....



I did play with value somewhat, just to make sure there were no large collections of light or darks together. I don't wish to over-engineer a lap quilt.

I like that. Although it's solids, there is a lot of movement to it. You've got more courage than I do to attempt solids.

>305 dudes22: Thanks, Betty, but you give me more credit than I deserve. No courage involved, maybe more stubbornness than anything:-)

>304 avaland: oh wow, I lurrrrve that! I'm impressed what can be done with solids.

>307 lauralkeet: Thanks, I intend to finish it but it's not the 'drug' I need these days;-)

In the process of putting together "the solids" quilt and it's driving me nuts. I keep moving blocks around last second, then I notice that, for example, there are three of the same purple shade in near vicinity to each other, after I've sewn them together.

At this point I want to put it together and move on! Not sure what I'll be doing in the new year.

I just reread #5 above where I wrote about what I might do in 2020. Ha! And then came some new health issues. And the pandemic. And having our 5 year old grandson here three days a week....best laid plans, eh?!

--The four charity tops became part of the 10 made and given to the Wish Project.
--The scrappy quilts came off the design board and are waiting to be quilted. I have a couple hundred more of the blocks that needs to be assembled and sewn together.
--I did not move back into garment making but I still think about it.
--Nor did I go back to Victorian Crazy quilting, wreath-making...etc
--However, I did make over 536 masks early in the pandemic.
--Cheryl the Quilter still has the black & solids quilt (she not be doing much quilting and I am in no hurry)
--I did get the two quilts from Melissa the Quilter before the pandemic.

Re the "Ode to Knitting" in #11. I still have the needles. Daughter has not gone through them yet.

I think I will be content to finish the year by assembling the solids quilt and leave it at that. Maybe I can come up with some 'plans' for 2021 and will post them on my new thread.

Happy holidays (such that they are) to the women of the Needlearts group. A clever, industrious and amiable group to hang around with. Thank you for hanging out here.

>310 avaland: Ooof. I don't think I have the mental/emotional stamina to look back on my 2020 plans. Ha!

Thanks for the lovely holiday wishes! I do love this group, too.

>310 avaland:, >311 scaifea: Lois inspired me to look back. I approached that with some trepidation but was pleasantly surprised to see I hadn't committed myself to much. Small victories.

I enjoyed your year-end post, Lois.

Happy holidays to you too, Lois!

Your craft year might not have turned out the way you planned it, but you've been remarkably busy! So many quilts and masks (over 500!?) I applaud you.
Hopefully next year will be better on all accounts, including the sewing front.

>311 scaifea:, >312 lauralkeet:, >313 PawsforThought: I hadn't expected this response! Thanks. It's always good to know that when I haven't an idea in my head or fail to feel any inspiration, that I can enjoy what everyone else here is doing.

And I realized while contemplating the year that Cheryl the Quilter has the quilt that was last project I did with solids!

Well now I think I'll zip over to my thread and see what happened this year. You've inspired me to try more with the scraps I have so I predict that will be a part of my next year's projects.

>315 dudes22: I am not opposed to acquiring new fabric, of course:-) In fact, I'm getting an itch....

>310 avaland: I love how you refer to the ladies that do your quilting. lol I always referred the lady I used in IL as Vicky from Rockford. I think I should have referred to her as Vicky the Quilter. Congrats on staying productive even through the pandemic!

>317 lesmel: Why, thank you.

I haven't touched that "solids" quilt for days! The holiday was only one baking episode (cranberry orange bread) and a Zoom call with all the (3) kids, their spouses, and the 3 grandchild who were often interested elsewhere.

Yesterday, among other things, I cleaned out my tiny office which had become overwhelmed with paper, old photos and you name it. We still have some snow in patches on the ground but it's amazing the big rainstorm melted 99% percent of it.

I think I might take a few days to clear my head of cotton and think about 2021, maybe make a fabric order just to treat myself.

Perhaps someone could open a general thread for 2021 for introductions, offers, invitations, notices, links...etc.?

See you all on the other side.

The rain got rid of all the snow we had here too.

And I did a small fabric order too.

I checked the Kitchen Hang-out thread and it's been going since 2018. Is this the one you're talking about?

>320 dudes22: I made a small order of about 8-1/2 yards from a shop on Quiltshops.com.

However....after being disappointed with the scrap offerings on both Etsy and Ebay (how do you tell how much fabric you are really getting?) I went back to browse through the quiltshops.com website. I found a shop who sold a lot of individual fat quarters and end-of-bolt pieces. The prices were reasonable, about what I'd pay locally so I kind of splurged and bought 20 pieces! (well, I had to get to the level for free shipping, right?) The shop is Bear Country Cottons. https://bearcountrycottons.com/ if anyone else is interested. The previous shop was the one in Mississippi I found earlier this year (Stitch-n-Frame).

I'm already thinking about how much fun its going to be opening both those packages (hubby & I no longer exchange gifts, so this will be fun).

I've been working on Ancestry.com and general ancestry work. Trying to get all my paperwork in order. I planned to write short vignettes about many of the zillion ancestors on my tree and pass that on to my kids and my brother's kids (although someone has to get the hard copies of the photos). So ambitious, ha ha.

I'm thinking of doing another paper-pieced Wild Goose Chase quilt in scraps like this one made a while back.



This hangs over one side of the recliner I sit in to read, so that I can pull it over if it's cold in the house. And just love looking at the hundreds of different fabric pieces, the endless colors and patterns. It makes me happy. I'm going to see how big I can enlarge the squares. In the one pictured the finished squares are about 6". We'll see if that is still appetizing after I finish putting the solids quilt together.

(I like to make plans, but then I also like breaking free of best laid plans....)

>321 avaland: That would be an absolute delight, tracing all those patterns and colours while you curl up. I love those kind of things. There are some beautiful scraps in there.

>322 SassyLassy: Thanks. There are some beautiful bits and some ugly ones...and everything in between. The scraps on this one were fairly random but I have quite a collection of florals that I could harvest from.

>321 avaland: Oh, I LOVE that! I'm all for lots of patterns and colors together, too.