Tag Archives: USA

Jessica’s Patriotic Quilt Final Update

Posted on March 18, 2023 | 34 comments

I have procrastinated so much, simply because I just could not come to a decision on how to quilt this quilt!

To recap: I first posted about this quilt in December 2021. Way back, when my little girl really was a little girl, she wanted to make a patriotic quilt. Together, we designed and chose the fabrics, and then she cut and pieced. And then it sat for a very long time. A lot of life happened.

My not so little girl finished the applique in early 2021 (Or was it 2020?) and sent the quilt to me. I was supposed to quilt it.

We haven’t been in any hurry up to this point, so why hurry now?

Thus…procrastination.

I finally got around to pin basting by December 2021.

Jessica's Patriot

My goal in February 2022 was to get the stitch-in-the-ditch quilting done.

Jessica's Patriot

By the end of March 2022, I had finished the SITD quilting.

More procrastination.

In January 2023, I made up my mind to get this thing done!

By January 16, I had a plan for some of the blocks and set to work making stencils and machine quilting the pieced blocks.

Jessica’s Patriot

More life, and more procrastination (Are you getting a theme here?).

What to do with the appliqued blocks?

Jessica’s Patriot

Jessica’s Patriot

I am happy to say that I came up with a plan and I have my part finished!

Jessica’s Patriot

Jessica’s Patriot

I find it difficult to photograph black thread on black fabric.

But I think I took enough photos so that you get the general idea.

Jessica’s Patriot

I had to work out some tension issues.

Jessica’s Patriot

Jessica’s Patriot

Disaster struck when I washed out my chalk marks.

Jessica’s Patriot

My daughter and I are pretty sure that back in the day, we washed all of these fabrics before using them.

Jessica’s Patriot

But, doggone, if a red and the black didn’t bleed profusely and turn most of the light areas a plum color!

Jessica’s Patriot

Jessica’s Patriot

I have managed to get most of that bleeding out. What’s left doesn’t really look all that bad.

My daughter has a tub that she can soak it in, so she can circulate Dawn soap and water around much better than I can with my washing machine. She will try to rinse the rest of the bleeding color out.

I think it is okay if she can’t.

Jessica’s Patriot

Jessica’s Patriot

The quilt needs to be bound, and Jessica will do that.

The quilt will live with her.

Quilt On!

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Jessica’s Patriotic Quilt Update

Posted on January 16, 2023 | 28 comments

I thought that some of you might be interested to know how I go about machine quilting stencils using a domestic sewing machine.

I opened up EQ8 and found a stencil that I thought would work for the pieced blocks in Jessica’s Patriotic quilt. I altered it a little bit, and then printed it to the size that I needed for the quilt blocks.

I also cut sheets of tracing paper the same size as the stencil and stapled the stack together. One sheet for every block, in this case, 15 sheets.

Jessica’s Patriot

Using a dull unthreaded needle, ‘trace’ around the stencil. Doing this not only creates multiple copies of the stencil, but allows me to become familiar with the design, and to plan out a way to continuously quilt it.

Jessica’s Patriot

Yes, I could simply print out multiple copies of the stencil. I prefer to use tracing paper because it is not as thick as copy paper, and I find it easier to remove when I am finished quilting.

Jessica’s Patriot

I pin the stencil to the block and free motion quilt following the holes that were created when making the stencil.

When I finish, I will tear away the tracing paper.

I pin and stitch one block at a time. Again, the tracing paper is thin and tears easily. Maneuvering one block at a time keeps me from tearing other blocks. I found this out the hard way!

Jessica’s Patriot

Jessica’s Patriot

I have no idea how I am going to quilt the rest of the blocks!

Jessica’s Patriot

I am definitely open to suggestions!

Jessica’s Patriot

In other news, I am spending almost all of my time working on genealogy. The plan is to work it hard until my subscription to Ancestry runs out (in a couple of months). As much as I enjoy the research, I will not be renewing. It is way too time consuming (and pricey), and I need to come up for air!

I am linking up with Kathleen’s Tips and Tutorials. You might want to click over there for some helpful hints!

Quilt On!

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Happy Independence Day!

Posted on July 4, 2013 | 8 comments

“You have to love a nation that celebrates its independence every July 4, not with a parade of guns, tanks, and soldiers who file by the White House in a show of strength and muscle, but with family picnics where kids throw Frisbees, the potato salad gets iffy, and the flies die from happiness. You may think you have overeaten, but it is patriotism.” ~Erma Bombeck

The4th of July

My son-in-law, Chris, serving in the US Coast Guard, with Hannah, his daughter.

Thank you to service men and women of all military branches, who have served, and are serving, to preserve liberty for our children, and future generations.

You are awesome!

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