FLYING GEESE ?

I am a pattern tester for Erica Jackman, Kitchen Table Quilting.

She sent out a call for testers on a new pattern that will drop mid-June 

I was intrigued by the white diamonds in this design.

How the heck did that happen?

I accepted the challenge to test this pattern with this fabric pull.

I love using my stash for pattern tests.

I cut out the pieces using various FQs from my stash.

What I cut from my fabric and what the pattern says to cut from the fabric

selections she uses...may vary just a bit....it all comes out ok,

with the correct number of pieces cut.

I like to pull my blocks together before I begin sewing.

The units are simple...one rectangle, two flying geese.

Oh there were LOTS of Flying Geese to be sewn and pressed.

THEN the most important part of my testing came into play.

The pattern said you could PRESS SEAMS OPEN or TO THE SIDE.

I don't like to press seams open, sew I pressed to the side.

HUGE MISTAKE because when you sew the

Flying Geese on each end of the rectangle are sewing points turned inward.

There are way too many layers of fabric to sew thru.

PRESS SEAMS OPEN!

She took this advice and made the pattern change

to PRESS SEAMS OPEN!

And then came the layout on the design wall.

This was fairly easy...

And here is my  finished lapsize top.

It's not really my style. I am not cazy about it.

I really don't mind the time I put into this.

My Flying Geese skills are improved

and I don't want to see any Geese for awhile!

But the good news is...

I used up lots of stash that I have had for years.

The Stitching Sister's charity will have another top

to make a quilt for a cancer patient.

Oh and one other tip, should you make this top.

I tried using the web technique for sewing the rows vertically.

I didn't like it for these small 4 1/2 x 12 1/2' rectangles.

I had better luck sewing the blocks horizontally. 

I have donated this too to The a stitching Sister, a local charity that

Makes quilts for cancer patients. 

I found the perfect backing. 

It will be long arm quilted by another volunteer at

the Sewing Center 

Being a pattern tester is fun.

If you ever need someone to test for you...

give me a jingle!

@kwiltypleasures on Instagram

kwilty.pleasures@gmail.com

BACK PAIN

I have back pain...its not fun.

It can range from the arthritis to disk degeneration to a 

a muscle hitting a sciatica nerve. 

Sometime one or the other, sometimes all at once.

However, there is a back pain in quilting that is NOT physical

but mental and it involves fabric. 

I like to piece the backings for my modern quilts.

Sometimes it is painful.

This is my Beachy Showers Quilt

and this is the process I used to make the backing...

using only fabrics I had in my stash.

I hang the quilt top on my design wall to determine how I am gonna use

my stash fabrics to cover it all up. The largest piece I had was 2 yards

of the B&C Umbrella print.

Here it covers the middle of the quilt. Not nearly enough to

give me 5 inches at top and bottom and a few inched on each side.

I had some B&C April Showers charm packs in my stash.

Sew I will sew them into more fabric.

I tried laying them out in various designs

but it isn't working for me.

Nothing pleasing to my eyes AT ALL!

Sew I try something else...a large unit of charm packs

and add some solid gray into that design.

The Umbrella print will be at the top and bottom of the backing.

And, crap, 2 red squares are too close together!

NOPE! not gonna work.

ssqq

I had to walk away and just leave it alone for a day or two.

Then I had an ah-ha moment.

Sew all the charms into one vertical strip unit.

Add a navy vertical strip to each side of that!

Sewed the Umbrella print to each side of the navy strip!

STILL not big enough!

CRAP...I am NOT gonna buy more fabric!

I found more solid navy.

Made two more larger vertical strips

CUT the Umbrella Prints to insert the navy pieces.

and I had to add some gray to the bottom to make it big enough

to cover the entire top!

NOW I am happy.

And did I say how much I love the solid navy background 

for this CAKE WALK pattern by Thimble Blossoms.

Beachy Showers is now being quilting with a wavy pattern

by Long Arm Quilter, Patty Estaad.

I can't wait to get it back and bind it.

THEN I will find a perfect garden for a photo op.

CONSERVATORY COLOR DIVE

I am happy to report I survived my 70th birthday.

My husband bought me a membership + one to 

The Franklin Park Conservatory, here in Columbus, OH

I could show you all the beautiful flowers and Chihuly installations

at this amazing garden...but today

you will see my Anna Marie Horner, Color Dive quilt

made with Alison Glass and Guicie Guice fabrics

It was a perfectly overcast day and I knew the vibrant colors of my

 Quilt in the Wild...would be stunning.

Enjoy the tour!

Where is your favorite place to photograph you quilts?

SOPHIE IS SUCH A SWEETIE

I actually forgot all about this baby quilt!

I made it for a friend who was gonna be a first time Gramma!

I knew Kim (gramma) likes Winnie the Pooh

and just sew happened, I had some in my stash.

This is the Perfect Ten pattern, by Swirly Girl Designs.

This top is my GO-TO baby quilt pattern.

It's simpler than it looks to make

and uses novelty prints sew well.

And the back was pretty simple.

I couldn't believe I had this polka dot print in my stash.

Let alone, enough for backing!

I always like to use some of the front fabrics in the backing.

Isn't it adorable!

And the baby was born in December of 2020.

Sophie Rose is a darling little girl!

WHERE BEACHY SHOWERS HAPPEN

When I am at the beach...

I make quilts.

When it rains at the beach...

I make quilts

The fabric in this quilt is called

April Showers

I named this quilt, Beachy Showers

for all those reasons.

And the first picture is a photo op

at the Beach Showers...how cool is that!