BINDING DEAR JANE

Before we get to the binding, here are my 2 Moda Block 25s.  It was a nice and easy block!

I finished quilting my Dear Jane quilt on August 17, 2017 and then went to the instructions given by Linda Franz on her web site.  I read over her instructions carefully and then I tried to follow them.  I have done a scalloped border before, but these scallops are much smaller and much more work.  Sewing the binding onto the quilt wasn't much fun, but I got it done on Saturday.  Linda recommended cutting the bias binding at 1 1/2".  I did that, but after sewing some of it on, I decided to cut the rest of the binding at 1 3/4" and that worked much better.

I started hand sewing the binding to the back Saturday night while watching TV.  As of right now, I am a little over half way on finishing the binding!  I can't believe I am almost finished!

Here's what the scallops look like from the front.  They really finish it off nicely!

My next post should show the finished quilt!

YAMHILL COUNTY FAIR

Recently I entered 2 of my quilts in the Yamhill County Fair, which is held right here in McMinnville, Oregon. 

I was fortunate enough to win a blue ribbon and a Judge's Choice on each quilt.  I also won "Best of Show" on the Vintage Tin quilt.  

There were several categories, so each of my quilts won a blue ribbon in different categories while both of them were in the "Made by one person" category.  

Vintage Tin was in the sub-category of hand embroidered quilt.

Vintage Tin

 This is the quilt I made for my DH and I finished it early this year.

Oak Leaves and Turkey Feathers was in the sub-category of machine appliqué.

Oak Leaves and Turkey Feathers

 I finished this quilt, which was designed by Jan Patek,  sometime last year.

Thanks for visiting!  It's hard to believe that my younger grandchildren start school this week.  Two are in 4th grade and my youngest is in 1st grade.  They grow so fast!  My 2nd grandchild will be a senior in college this year and his sister, my oldest grandchild, is married and will celebrate their 2nd anniversary this week.  DH and I will celebrate our 55th anniversary this week also!  Time is flying!!

QUILTING MY DJ QUILT

After taking a break, I'm back to quilting Dear Jane.  I have been agonizing over how to quilt some of the 5" blocks in the middle section.  I quilted a bunch of random blocks that I could make a decision on.  When I took it out this time, I decided to work on the border.  I saw someone's quilt that was quilted with feathers and decided to do that.  First, I had to mark the scallops and I found a bowl just the right size.

If you look closely at the bottom, you can see the printing which says, "Blue Bell Creamery, Handmade in Texas."  It's a perfect ice cream bowl!

 
So I marked the scallops with a pencil and then I indicated the half-way point at the bottom of the triangles with a dot.

First, I quilted the pieced triangles and I could go from one to the next without stopping and starting, which was great.

The solid fabric triangles are done the same way, but I quilted some short feathers in the scallops and I could also do these triangles without starting and stopping!

Here's what the back looks like.  I am quilting without marking the quilt except for the dot as shown.  The feathers are free hand and you can tell it isn't a professional job since they are irregular and squiggly.  

The bottom of the thread cone looks about right for marking the little extra corner scallop!  And, BTW, I'm using Superior Threads So Fine! #403 for the top and Essential Pro Natural from Connecting Threads for the bobbin.  The colors are pretty close, but I was afraid I wouldn't have enough of the Superior Threads cone to do both top and bottom with it.

So, now, I'm trying to come up with a name for the quilt.  Or should I just call it Dear Jane?

QUILT SHOW AT THE GREAT OREGON STEAM-UP, BROOKS, OREGON

Yes, the Great Oregon Steam-Up is an event held at the Powerland Heritage Park in Brooks, Oregon, and yes, there is a quilt show there.  At this event, antique steam engine tractors are powered up.  Also, a saw mill powered by steam is demonstrated along with many events such as tractor pull contests.  Plus much, much more!  I didn't see much of that part because I was a vendor at the quilt show which was held in the  new Truck Museum (air-conditioned)!  The quilt show was added to the event to have something special for the women who came with their husbands.  

Here are some of the quilts.

Grandmother's Flower Garden pieced in the 1930s.

Disappearing 9-patch

There was a Quilt of Valor booth there too.

Quilt of Valor

Raw Edge Appliqué

Quilts displayed on antique trucks!

Here's a picture of one of the many steam powered pieces of equipment that were on display and demonstrated.

The wood in the back will be burned to produce the steam.

Thousands of people came to this event and some of them came into the quilt show exhibit.  Of course, lots of men are fascinated with the old equipment, but it's intriguing for children and women as well!

IT'S HOT!!

As I was going through my quilting magazines, I came across one that Janet O.  had sent me along with some other things - I think I won her give-a-way.  It was a Miniature Quilts Magazine (of course).  She had also sent me the paper piecing pattern for the flags below which came from that magazine.  When I saw it in the magazine, I got the urge to make a couple.  The stripes are 1/8" and the whole flag measures 4" square.  Of course, I goofed and started with white at the top instead of red, but these were test blocks anyway.  I've never done any PP that had pieces this skinny!  Not even with my DJ quilt!!  I don't know what I'll do with them yet - possibly use them for labels on the back of patriotic lap quilts for veterans.

The latest Mode Blockhead blocks.  The appliqué pieces are ironed on, but not stitched yet.

This is the finished project that I showed part of in the last post.  This is also a "Test" and is a wall hanging.  I have more of the blocks that came in a panel.  Quite a few, in fact, so I am trying to decide how to use them.  I think I'll re-figure it if I make another one.  I do like the flying geese though!

It seems like a lot of my friends have seen that we are having a heat wave and it's supposed to get up to 106º today!  We don't like it that hot at all, but we're thankful that the hot weather doesn't last very long here.

One of the chores that has to be done here due to all the rain that we get, is to clean the moss build up on the roof and we had that done this week.  What a mess!!  You can see it on the driveway.  But it also got all over our flowers, and bushes that are along the front and back of our house.  I even had to wash off each of my geranium leafs individually as they were coated with black stuff.

Of course, the rain has many benefits too, which we appreciate.  Amazingly, it doesn't rain during the summer months and we haven't had a drop for the last 2 months at least.  I hope you are all staying cool this summer, or warm if you are down under.