Happy Trails

Hello from snowy Wisconsin!  This was officially the snowiest Halloween on record here.

Here's the view out my front door Thursday morning.

And out back.  Little Buddy's chair and tractor were practically buried.

But his snowsuit still fits!  So we went out for a little while.  Honestly, I am not a fan of playing in the snow.  I'd rather quilt!

This is what I was doing Sunday--marking the border on my Wagon Trail quilt.  I cut and marked the Golden Threads paper with a stencil, and pinned it on.
Doing this is well, a pain.  It reminds me of painting a bedroom.  The prep work takes way more time than the actual painting.  Getting this border ready to quilt took forever, but the quilting was relatively quick and easy.

And now it's done!  It's quilted and bound, and on the bed.

I started this quilt in January of 2018, as a Rainbow Scrap Challenge quilt, using my 1800s reproduction fabrics.  (Click HERE for the first post.)

The quilt was made in two sections, quilted separately.  I had been procrastinating on the quilting, ever since I finished the sections and joined them.  I was afraid the motifs in the middle would be very tough to quilt on my domestic machine, but it wasn't as bad as I thought.

The binding is a black and brown plaid, and came from my stash.  I sewed it on by machine, which is a thing I do now.
So that's that.  It's a big one, 89 in. x 99 in.  Another quilt done, courtesy of the Rainbow Scrap Challenge.  I think I'll call it Happy Trails.  If you're as old as I am, you might hear Roy Rogers and Dale Evans singing right about now.
In other news, applesauce.

From a half bushel of Cortland apples, I got 17 pints of applesauce.  They're made from local apples, local honey, and cinnamon from far, far away.

I'm using the cores to make vinegar again.  Doesn't this look fancy?  The rag I have covering the crock is part of an old pillowcase.

Here's what it looks like inside.  In a few weeks, it'll be vinegar.

Last week's zigzag quilt posed on Little Buddy's nap bed.  After lots of ripping and re-pinning, I got the rows to line up right.  Now I just need to quilt it!

Happy November to everyone this week.  Let's stay warm and quilt!
Cheers for reading,
Sylvia@Treadlestitches

Linking up with:
Alycia at Finished or Not Finished Friday
Sarah at Can I Get A Whoop Whoop 
Angela at So Scrappy
Cynthia at Oh Scrap 

In the Middle

I'm happily sewing again this week, working on a Rainbow Scrap Challenge quilt from 2018.

Do you see one of my purple blocks from last year?  These were really fun to make.  The blocks are set so that a large plain space occurs where four blocks come together.  I knew I wanted a stencil quilted into that spot.
As a rule, I quilt my own quilts on my Pfaff Select machine (yes, electric, even though the quilts are pieced on a treadle).  In order to quilt something this large, I pieced it in two sections.  This made it possible to quilt the stencil design without screaming my head off.  (We wouldn't want to alarm the neighbors.)

I've always loved the graceful shapes of leaves, so I chose my stencil for this kind of look.

Here's a quick tutorial on how to use a stencil with Golden Threads paper.

You need the stencil, a PERMANENT INK pen, and the paper.  (Do not use anything but permanent ink.  Otherwise, the marks will transfer to the quilt, which defeats the purpose of using the paper.)

Trace the stencil onto the paper.  Note here, the paper comes in several sizes.  I find the 12 in. size the most useful and least wasteful.

Place the stencil on the quilt, and pin.  I use safety pins so I won't be constantly stabbing myself with straight pins.  (Just respecting the peace and quiet of the neighborhood.)  You can see through the paper, which helps in positioning the stencil.
The next step is quilting through the paper.  It really helps to trace the lines with your fingertip before starting, so you can plan where to start and stop.  This design is continuous, at least for the larger leaves, but I quilted each set of smaller leaves separately.
Lastly, tear off the paper.  The quilting will be done, and there will be no marking lines on the quilt.

I used a thread that matches the area to be quilted.  At a distance, the shapes stand out (but not the thread).

In the half blocks at the sides of the quilt, I quilted half the motif.

Two corners ended up like this.  I used one section of the stencil to quilt them.

It's taken quite a while to get this far, but each of the two sections is now quilted, and I have joined the sections, by machine on the top and by hand on the back.

Now what?  I have to quilt the middle!  This will be harder, as I will have the whole bulk of the quilt to maneuver.  If it's too tough, I might hand quilt the stencil motifs.

In other news, we went to a book sale at the West Bend library on Thursday.

Little Buddy didn't want to leave!

Under our feet was this colorful rug.  Isn't it great?  I wish I had fabric like this!

Have a wonderful week!  Can you believe October starts on Tuesday?
Cheers,
Sylvia@Treadlestitches

Linking up with:
Alycia at Alycia Quilts:  Finished or Not Friday
Sarah at Confessions of a Fabric Addict
Angela at So Scrappy
Cynthia at Oh Scrap 

Fly Away Home

OMG, the top is done!  My twin-sized Fly Away Home blocks are all sewn together.  This was my goal for May.  The blocks were made as part of the Rainbow Scrap Challenge in 2018.

Here it is, laid out on the floor.  I just couldn't seem to keep the cat and dog away from it this morning.

Both of them had to get into the act!
By the way, the pattern is by Kate Henderson, and is from her book Strip Savvy.  I made more blocks so it would fit on a twin bed, or just be a good cover for a child. 

The original quilt in Kate's book doesn't have a border, just a binding, and that's what I'm going to do as well.  I'll want a color that will stand out and define the quilt edge.  Maybe dark blue or red or purple.
I also need to figure out how I'm going to quilt it.

In other news, we went to a big flea market last Sunday.  This one marks the beginning of flea market season around here, and although rain was predicted, we decided to go for it.  Our luck was in, and it didn't rain at all.

I bought this bundle of fabric for $5.  Want to see what's inside?

Everything!  Bright stuff, old stuff, vintage stuff, even cut up old clothes.  Some will go to Goodwill, some to a friend, but most to my bins.

The same vendor had this bundle for $8.  With Kaffe Fassett fabric right on top!  So of course I bought it too.

There were some big pieces of good cottons here, plus vintage scraps, flannel, etc. 
Both of these bundles had fabrics dating from the 1880s to today.
How could I pass them up?

I didn't buy any quilts, but I did take this picture of an old quilt, now relegated to use as packing material.  Can you see all the tiny triangles?  An amazing amount of work.

I bought our first fresh asparagus of the year from one of the vendors.  I got enough for eight meals for the two of us.  Seven are blanched and in the freezer, and one was a lovely treat for dinner.

In other news, the garden is coming along.  Little Buddy helped me plant potatoes in the larger pots, and we got basil and tomatoes from the garden store.

It looks like a good year ahead for the raspberries, both red and black.  I can hardly wait.

Every time we go outside, Little Buddy wants to check on the rhubarb.  We'll probably cut it on Tuesday, when he's here next.  Rhubarb pies (and cakes) are on the way!

I've got lots of goals for this long weekend--setting up a raised garden bed, sorting through my antique quilts, cleaning out the linen closet, etc.  Actually reaching a goal, like this quilt top, gives me more energy for attacking other chores.  So thanks again, Patty at Elm Street Quilts, for the OMG!

This week, I'm wishing all Americans a Happy Memorial Day.   Remembering those who sacrificed for us is appropriate every day of the year, for everyone.

This is my great-great-great grandfather, Lewis Beck.  He fought for the Union in the Civil War.
Thank you, Grandpa Beck!
And thanks to all who served and serve.

Cheers,
Sylvia@Treadlestitches

Linking up with
Patty at Elm Street Quilts for the OMG
Angela at So Scrappy
Myra at Busy Hands Quilts
Sarah at Confessions of a Fabric Addict

Quilting Like Mad

Has anybody else got an OMG deadline you haven't yet met?  ACK!  I've got til Thursday to finish this little redwork quilt for the One Monthly Goal February challenge (click HERE for details), so I'm hand quilting until my fingers bleed, or at least hurt. 

Two of the borders are done, so I do have an actual chance to finish if I keep after it.  I'm using this rope design.  I chose it because a) I had it already; b) I don't see how I could use this stencil for machine quilting; and c) it's an old fashioned design for an old fashioned quilt.
I've been working on this quilt during my Little Buddy's naptime, and sometimes in the evening when watching TV.  The best programs for hand quilting, in my opinion, are on PBS.  No commercials.  We record nearly everything we watch, and skip the commercials when we play it back, which means grabbing the remote every few minutes to buzz through all the people trying to sell us luxury cars, medicine with truly terrifying side effects, financial services we don't need, and delicious-looking food we shouldn't eat.  Time spent buzzing is time not spent stitching.

And of course, I have more than one project going on!  Having (finally!) decided on a backing, bought it, washed, and pieced it, I am at last machine quilting my Wagon Trail quilt, one of last year's Rainbow Scrap Challenge quilts.  Above is the design I chose for the open spaces.

I'm using Golden Threads paper to get the design on the quilt.  I mark a square of the paper with the design, using a permanent pen, pin it to the top with safety pins, and then twist and turn (and possibly swear a little), quilting this on my domestic machine with the built in walking foot.  I'm liking the look of it, but I am very glad I'm doing this in two sections.  As a complete quilt I would not be able to manage this design at all.
So that's the quilty stuff I'm up to!  Also, this:

I got this book from the library--Modern Quilt Magic, by Victoria Findlay Wolfe.  (Click HERE to go to her author page at Amazon.)  It was fun to read and to look through the colorful quilt pictures.  She is an inspiring artist, and I actually got to meet her once.  I hear from acquaintances that she is an excellent teacher.
When not reading or quilting this week, I was having fun with my Little Buddy.

This is my youngest grandson on the giant pile of snow at the side of our driveway.  I have a similar photo of his mother doing the same thing.

Little Buddy loves the snow!  (Can you tell?)
This week, I'm wishing you this kind of joy, in the simple things.  Like a four foot snow drift.  (But just the joy, not the snow.)
Cheers for reading,
Sylvia@Treadlestitches

Linking up with:
Myra at Busy Hands Quilts
Angela at So Scrappy
Sarah at Can I Get A Whoop Whoop
Cynthia at Oh Scrap

Time to Sew

Bella, our dog, says hi.  She's worn out today, but she has had an amazing week.  She loves Christmas, for several reasons.  There are children's faces to lick, food scraps to snarf up off the floor, more kind hands to pet her, a present or two, and maybe even some Christmas ham in her bowl.  She even loves the mailman who brings packages to the door.  January might seem kind of flat to her.

But not to me!  It's all done--the shopping, wrapping, cleaning, baking, hugs and laughter and merrymaking.  Time to reveal the secret sewing, and to get back to making the needles fly.

Here's the little wall hanging I made for the Brown Bag Challenge at our quilt group.  Each participant puts a fat quarter and a slip of paper with their name on it in a brown bag, and we exchange bags.  We make something (pretty much anything goes) using the fat quarter for the person who brought it, which we give as a gift at Christmas.

The fat quarter in the brown bag I got was the white-on-white fabric I used for the background.  On the slip of paper with the person's name was a request for a Christmas table runner or a wall hanging, with cardinals if possible.  I delivered the cardinals, courtesy of Connecting Threads.com, seen here in the border.  I also made a matching pot holder, but didn't get a photo of that.

I added these corners on the back, to assist in hanging.  Have you done this?  Was it useful, or not very?  I've never done this before, and I'm not sure.

I don't make a lot of sewing projects for Christmas gifts.  It increases the stress, which I can do without.  I did make each grandchild a new pillowcase.  It was fun choosing the fabrics for them.  My granddaughter got vintage kittens, Little Buddy's has tractors (of course), my second-oldest grandson got a Minecraft print, a video game he loves, but I was stumped on the oldest grandson, Big Buddy.  My husband reminded me that Big Buddy will be in high school next year (!!!), so we chose a manly plaid.

I love my family, and I feel like I'm the luckiest person on earth, but I don't mind that the holidays are just about over and I have some time off babysitting.  I have so many UFOs to finish, and I'm hoping to make a dent in them during this long weekend.
The top above was inspired by a lady in my quilt group (the amazing Laverne) who brought a similar top to show and tell some months ago.

It's very simple, just charm squares with 1.5 in. rectangles sewn to two adjacent sides.  Mine is a lot smaller than Laverne's was, because I ran out of the fabric I was using for the narrow pieces.
Everything for this charity quilt comes from the stash.
I'm not sure if I'm going to quilt it myself, or give it to the long armers in the group so they can do a more professional job.

My Rainbow Scrap Challenge quilts from this year are STILL in progress.  I'm adding brown print borders to the Wagon Trail quilt sections.  This is the big "half".  Once the borders are done, it's on to the quilting!

I hope to get this one done soon, but we'll see.   My 2017 RSC quilts are still waiting to be finished.

But that's not stopping me from thinking about RSC quilts for 2019!  This is my current idea--8 pointed stars made from two fabrics in the designated color, plus a white background.  I love all the rainbow star quilts Angela and others have made for the RSC.

This was the view out our back door on Christmas morning.  It's a White Christmas!  Never mind that it all melted by the next day.
Little Buddy is really hoping for more snow so he can build another snowman.  Eventually I'm sure he's going to get his wish.  This is a Wisconsin winter, after all.

With snow, or without, may your days be merry and bright.  Happy New Year!
Cheers for reading,
Sylvia@Treadlestitches
Linking up with
Angela at soscrappy
Sarah at Confessions of a Fabric Addict
Myra at Busy Hands Quilts
Cynthia at Oh Scrap