may you live in interesting times..., top completed

"may you live in interesting times..."
Yes we do.

The top is done. I had this great purple to use to set it on point. On-point settings are all a bit difficult as I don't have enough room on my design wall so I lay it out on the floor of the living room. Because I sew in the attic, this is two flights up and down and pieces get out of order very quickly.

These blocks are based on the Tula Pink Summer Days.
Blocks finish 6 inches.
200 blocks.

I over-cut the setting triangles from squares cut 10 inches then cut diagonally into quarters. The corners are over-cut from 6 1/2 inch squares cut diagonally once.

The block is designed by Tula Pink.
The set is mine--use at your pleasure.

After 30 years in our wonderful house on our terrific block with our beloved neighbors, we are packing up with plans to move this summer to a one-level condominium downtown.
I do not anticipate a great number of on-point quilts in my future, but those that come will not involve running up and down two flights of stairs.

a change of scenery

About three years ago we started to seriously think about moving from our house, knowing to continue to live on 4 levels as we age was not a good idea.
We knew there was much to do before it could happen so we started with some home improvement projects. Redoing the yard, cleaning out the basement, fixing the garage, painting rooms. 

The past year has been a ramp up of activities as we have made plans to buy an apartment.  

In all this, I have thoroughly enjoyed my fool's errand of trying to sew my way out of the attic. The solids on prints series of quilts is a major part of it. I can use fabrics that have nothing in common other than I liked them enough to purchase them or take them off the hands of friends. 

They are rather mindless in their sewing techniques, allowing my thoughts to wander and contemplate many issues. And they are a riot of color that makes me smile. 

As I pack up my sewing space, I am so grateful for the creativity it nurtured. I cannot, and really, don't want to take everything with me. For a while I re-homed books and fabric and unfinished projects. Now, I am just binning up what I don't want and donating it. I will offer some old quilts I took in from friends' families to other quilting friends. I realize I have too many quilts of my own to add all of these to my children's duty someday, so it is time for others to take care of them. 

Thirty years. More thank half my life. Most of my adult life. 

I will enjoy these last months on LeClaire.  Several quilts yet to be made in the attic!

woven

While finishing up the needed blocks for the times quilt I am cutting for the next solids on prints quilt.
Going very simple here with a woven block. Block finishes 8 inches.
Solid: 2 rectangles cut 1 1/2 by 8 1/2 inches
Print: 3 rectangles cut 2 1/2 inches by 8 1/2 inches

Life is busy now with packing up the house, classes in full swing, trying to visit my mom, and just the day-to-day activities.

A simple quilt is just the sewing I need to help keep me calm.

circa 2016 Temecula Quilt Co. sew-a-long

Temecula Quilt Company sew-a-long Circa 2016. 
All blocks done. 
All rows sewn. 
Lots more work left to do.

Center blocks finish 2 1/2 inches. Others finish 3 inches. She gave instructions to make two of most blocks. I made four so I would have the option of making a bigger quilt and knew I wouldn't want to make a mass of them at the end. I only had to make 11 more to come to this size. 
Hers was set on point and was adorable. With the extra blocks I didn't want to think that much and mathematically a straight set worked with the center medallion, so I went with that.

The setting squares are a bit of serendipity.
The fabric is from my late neighbor Lorraine's stash. It is a civil war era reprint and I believe it is a mis-strike as the color is off a bit. Little rosebuds on a blue ground. I cut the piece into 3 1/2 inch squares thinking I would substitute in another fabric for where I didn't have enough. I had just enough for the exact number of squares needed. If I had squared up a strip 1/8 inch more it would not have worked.

There are several favorite blocks. Here are a  couple.

may you live in interesting times...

The plus/times quilt decided to be times.
On point is working out well, but is a pain in that I need to think as I put it together rather than mindless sewing that I usually enjoy in making blocks into a top.
I thought I had made too many blocks.
Apparently, not.

peripatetic quilts

My sisters and I have a deal.
If any of us sees something from home in one of the other's house that she wants, she can ask for it.
It doesn't mean you have to give it to her, but most often that happens.
You can always ask for it back later!

This is one of a pair of quilts we had on our beds growing up, pieced by our mom of her and her mother's sewing scraps, and quilted by our great-aunt Jen.
Mom enjoyed looking at the fabrics today and telling the history of them.
The quilts had wonderful ball-fringe that over time we pulled off and threw at each other.

Mom gave one to Beth and one to me a few years ago.
Because Andy and I are preparing to move, I offered mine to Beth so the quilts could be reunited.
Janna then asked if she could have them as she is setting up bunk beds for her granddaughters to use.
So, soon off to Wisconsin so Great-aunt Jen's great-great-great nieces can sleep under them!

Janna said she may sew on new ball-fringe.
If history repeats itself, there soon will be more late-night ball fights.

zip, top completed

Zip!
That was fun!
120 blocks, set 12 by 10.
Measures 72 by 90 inches
Block finishes 9 by 6 inches
Print: two rectangles cut 9 1/2 by 2 inches; six 2 inch squares
Solid: six 2 inch squares
My design--use at your pleasure!

I have to make backs for this and the framed nine-patch.
The shoo-fly, pinwheels, and geese in flight are at the quilter.
The ships and churn dashes are bound and complete!
In progress: the plus/times quilt.

Merry Christmas from the Dykstra women

plus? times?

When I am a ways into cutting the parts for a solids-on-prints quilt, I try to think of what I will do next, and start cutting for that one too. That way there is a bit of continuity in these quilts And, why not get going on that next one while I have some wild fabric out anyway?
At the moment, I am  far in cutting and sewing the zipper blocks, and have decided to finish out the year by starting a plus quilt, being 2016 was designated (by someone?) as the year of the plus quilt.

I found this very cute version by Tula Pink. She calls it Summer Days.
I can cut the prints from 17 inch 2 1/2 inch strips to yield a block that will finish 6 inches.

Thinking this would be nice on point--would that make it a times quilt rather than a plus quilt?

calico rose, quilt completed

About 72 by 96 inches.

Deanna at Wedding Dress Blue had a sew-a-long in 2015.
https://weddingdressblue.wordpress.com/calico-rose-quiltalong/

It used up a tremendous amount of my 2 inch cut squares bin (which is now overflowing again...).
I love quilts like this, every fabric has a memory attached. Both this quilt and the rail fence quilt include some scraps from my mother's sewing.
This quilt now belongs to my sister Janna.

Thanks, Deanna, for a great project. Any new ideas for that 2 inch squares bin?

The back uses up some of my remaining Lunn fabrics. Love how they glow.

rail fence, quilt completed

About 84 by 102 inches.

This variation on a rail fence has a 6 inch finished block, made from two rows of 3 squares each and one solid strip.
The scraps are 2 1/2 inch cut squares and the solid is a 2 1/2 by 6 1/2 inch rectangle.

http://kleinmeisjequilts.blogspot.com/2015/06/rail-fence-streak-of-lightning-process.html

Photographed on a windy Iowa day.
This quilt now belongs to my sister Beth.

On the back I used up some of my precious Hoffman fabrics--a nice way to enjoy them.

Merry Christmas 2016!

vintage block--quilt completed

Bonnie/Yankee Quilter over at Scraps and Threadtales posted a wonderful vintage block in 2009.
http://scrapsandthreadtales.blogspot.com/2009/02/playing-vintage.html

I immediately drafted it and made a top out of reclaimed plaid fabrics.
http://kleinmeisjequilts.blogspot.com/2009/03/vintage-block.html
The block is huge, 17 1/2 inches finished.

Then I lost the top.
For 7 years.
If you saw my sewing room you would understand.

A couple months ago I found it again, and had it quilted as a wedding gift for Andy's niece.
It really is a great block. Thanks, Bonnie, for sharing it--I hope you got your quilt made too!

framed nine-patch, top completed

Block made from 2 inch strips, finishes 7 1/2 inches
solid: five cut 2 by 2
print: two cut 2 by 8, two cut 2 by 5, four cut 2 by 2

120 blocks, set 10 by 12
75" by 90"

I am liking how the quilts made with solids-on-prints are cohesive, yet each has its own personality.
The zipper blocks are in progress for quilt #7!

madder fabrics

I participated in Lori's Humble Quilts madder sew-a-long and was the winner of random drawing for this lovely stack of madder prints.
An irony as my entry was the only one of the 34 made without madder fabrics. Because, in my stash that could fill a small house, madder somehow does not exist.
I am using my favorite of Lori's fabrics in my current quilt.
Thanks, Lori!

zip

I am nearly finished with the framed nine-patch blocks for the solids on prints and have been thinking what to do next.
Listening to the radio while driving the other day I heard Elaine Stritch do her wonderful "Zip" from Pal Joey, and thought the zipper pattern.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f6cvBb5R_Uo

I do not make it with 4-patches, rather in strips of two patches, press in one direction, then press the rows in one direction. This should lead to nesting of all seams
Squares cut 2 inches, rectangles cut 2 by 9 1/2 inches. Block will finish at 6 by 9 inches.

Solids on Prints: ships, churn dash, shoofly, pinwheels, geese in flight, framed nine-patch, and now, zip!

Not sure on orientation of the blocks yet--horizontal is looking good right now.

ll

summer about 1936

My mother on the left with her siblings and cousins.

When you are thinking of throwing away the less than perfect photos, think how precious they may be 80 year later.

churn dash--quilt completed

72" by 90"
Block finishes 9"
Quilted by Sue DiVarco
The churn dash quilt made in the solids-on-prints series is quilted and bound.
This is the second quilt made with solid fabrics on wild prints. The first was the ships.
Ready to be quilted are the shoo-fly, pinwheels, and geese in flight. Being pieced now is a framed nine-patch. I have plans for more!

Back uses up some wonderful florals.

a new grand-niece!

The quilt was made by her Grandma-Great and her Great-Aunts.

Welcome, dear Sybil, to the family!

I used the pattern County Lines by Kari Nicholes. 

It is a very well designed quilt, and I have used it several times over the years, with a variety of styles of fabrics. Every time I am so pleased.

I don't remember when I made this top--and was happy to realize it was waiting for our Sybil to come to us.

30's repro fabrics and aqua Kona cotton solid.

Measures 51 by 62 1/2 inches

madder sew-a-long at Humble Quilts, completed

Lori at Humble Quilts hosted another small quilt sew-a-long with a madder print theme.
I have maybe 2 madders prints, so instead decided to use the 2016 Pantone color(s) of the year, rose quartz and serenity. The pink is a Kona solid, I think peony. The blues are 30s repro. The colors are a bit more true in the progress photo below.

The whole thing has a 1950s vibe to it. It loses some movement of Lori's in my use of just one solid for the background, but it takes it in a different direction with the shapes having less to do with each other in blocks and gives more of an all over effect.

Measures about 24 inches square.
Machine quilted by manipulating the meandering stitch on my Bernina 1530.
Thanks, Lori, for another great sew!