More thoughts on the damaged quilt...

brought on by several comments and emails. I realized that I may have given the impression that all POLY will do what this one did. And maybe they will, but I don't think so. Here's the boy who owns the damaged quilt. You can see there is no way I couldn't fix it and send it home to him. He is, after all, one of my Candy Corn Bandits *VBS*
And of course, Little Mr. Attitude!
 I given the damage quite a bit of thought,both before and since I posted the pictures. I believe the bottom line is that is WAS the poly, but specifically the black poly. As I told one reader, I have NO idea where it came from, it just got added to a pan of solid black scraps. Black alone isn't to blame, as the black cottons in there are still nice and black, and solid to the touch. The only time I've seen damage like this is in a very old quilt top. It was a rescued bow tie top, and the black lines in a plaid fabric would shatter if touched. I replaced those pieces by hand with vintage fabric. All the other fabrics seemed fine. Just the black lines. Someone said that factors in the black dye are probably to blame, and that sounds right to me.
 If you could touch the black in this picture, tiny splits in the fabric would occur right under your finger. You wouldn't even need to poke at it, just touch it. I am quite sure that the black poly ISN'T the only poly in this quilt. This was a group effort, the making of 9 patches to swap, and not every quilter uses 100% cotton. But I've found no other damage in the quilt top, just the black lattices. No splits, no seams opening, nothing fraying or pulling out or wearing out.
 
This old thing, probably my first(altho I don't remember for sure)Orphan Block quilt was made for the (above picture)boys Dad, my youngest son. That was 1985. Much of the fabric in this quilt was from other sources, some from used clothing, some new and alot of them were poly and poly blends. I'm absolutely certain of it. DD#2 had Strawberry Shortcake everything, and some of the white with red bumble bee fabric was used for sure. Believe it or not, this is the quilt that was on the bed the day after New Years when I was at his house! Still in use 26 yrs later and going strong. The backing was recycled(read 'really broke') from a rescued quilt, and is all poly. So... you don't have to rush to remove all poly type fabrics from your scraps, unless you want to. I'd be wary of solid black, or maybe all blacks in poly, but other fabrics I've used "way back then(when you don't know better) are still doing the job. On the record...I'm DONE with ALL poly fabrics, after hours and hours of repairing this quilt. Easier to eliminate it NOW, period! If you can't tell for sure, a hot iron brings an unusual smell from polyster when ironed. And if you are in a store, or yard sale, whatever, take a handful of the fabric and crumpled it hard in your hand. Cotton will hold the wrinkles, poly won't. Of course there is also the "burn" test. Poly melts when touched with a match, cotton burns and leaves ash. For some reason stores don't want you to test fabric that way, so please, crumple!!!

Color me blue....

Many of you will remember this quilt. Made years ago from a 9 patch project at a quilting retreat. I used my 9 patches(plus Betsy donated hers to me)and my tub of black scraps, to make the quilt. I liked it, and I utility quilted it. A couple of years ago, GS Nathaniel adopted it for his own. He's not hard on quilts like some boys are. It came home with me the day after New Years to be washed.
 And this is what washing revealed and what makes me blue on this January Monday. Actually, it would make me blue ANY day. Scrappy blacks and not knowing what could happen. This is what ALL the poly or poly blends are doing...shredding, or fracturing, if you prefer. In a few places they are gone completely except for the 1/4" seam and the row of stitching. On close inspection, the bad strips are outnumbered by the good cotton ones, so mending is my answer. I feel the quilt has many good years left, if I deal with the fractured ones.
 This is how I am doing that. Look close and note the PRINT pieces where lattice used to be. I don't see well enough to cover the bad ones in plain black. So I'm using print strips. I lay them over the rotted area, and sew down that first 1/4" by hand. Then I finger crease the other 3 sides and flip the patch into place and pin it. Using the same stitch as binding, I sew those 3 sides down by hand. So far I've patched roughly 12-15 spots..and have a few more to go. I'm happy that the cotton outnumbered the poly in those black scraps. It's slow work, but I've been doing it in the evenings as I watch TV.
 
On a happier note, I've joined the 2011 Rainbow Scraps Challenge at Super Scrappy. A color is assigned for each of the 12 months of this year, and you make whatever you want from scraps of that color. January is blue, and I'm using some of my blue scraps to make "you guessed it" 9 patches. I've gotten a late start since I just joined yesterday, but I'm ok with that. It is the result of a blog hopping trip last evening....love what turns up when you blog hop!!!

On a Tuesday, in the Valley....

 you may receive a gift from the Universe. The possibility of a sunny day after a week of rain.A beautiful sunrise for sure.
 Orphan block sorting has replaced "name that quilt and what part is this". I pulled out some orphans to become potholders and have been stacking the rest. Lots to work with here. The left pile is assorted blocks from several quilters, and the one on the right is from Susan, a WI quilter. I'm going to check Susan's closer,I think it might be enough for a small quilt all by itself.
 The Chippewa gathering basket I purchased in North Dakota many years ago came in hand. It's fulfilling it's purpose, a gathering of orphan blocks and "beguns". I often use the "row" method when working with orphans, joining same size or height blocks to form the width of the quilt. And last but not least...
 
I have a small FINISH!! Culled from the wreckage of multitude of UFOs and Beguns, a lone pumpkin block, pieced eons ago at a quilt retreat in Northern MN. The directions were in an old issue of American Patchwork and Quilting. I used what I had with me. Looking back, it seemed like a good idea at the time...LOL. With my focus in the "now", the block now seems perfect for over my kitchen sink. I added a border, quilted it up quick, and it's now over the sink!! Score ONE for Finn this week! FYI...the orange fabric with the strange witches and little green fellows is one of my oldest Halloween prints. A poly blend from the 1980's ala Ben Franklin, and yes, I think that's the last of it!

Checking in....

 with some progress to report for a change! As I mentioned in my last posting, I've got a tale to tell. A Tale of Two Containers. Funny how things work sometimes. Background information, I usually store projects in the shoe box size Rubbermaid containers. The 9 patch blocks in this top are from one such container. The sad part(or maybe mindblowing) is that they are made from the siggy blocks exchanged for the Y2K quilts. I was unable to decided what to do with them, so I sewed them into 9 patches with some of their 2.5" square neighbors. And thus they have sat since 1998, that's the oldest date on one of them...yikes! The setting blocks is a 6.5" version of Tonya and Bonnie's Fungly quilts....2 yrs ago..maybe? Ya! Time for something to happen to both of those containers with blocks in them. The Muse struck and I decided to "combine" them. It's 36" square and I will be adding a 6" border and using the last 4 siggy blocks as cornerstone. About time, right???
 For whatever reason, getting that "Container" project lauched, lit my fire! The Halloween quilt is now pieced. Not very exciting, but the grandkids won't mind, it's fun! A backing happens today.
 And a very quick "Cowboys" quilt, ala Strippy method. I cut what cowboy and related fabrics I had into 3.5" strips and this one is now just about a twin size, a backing and some quick machine quilting and it's outta here!
 
And while I was on my sewing jag, I took a few minutes to pin, machine quilt and add a binding to this elderly project. It's all ready for someone, and one less on my endless list. Lots of rain, rain, rain here in the Valley. Our small local river is in "flood" mode, and growing worse daily as the water from up north comes thundering down. Heard that some places in MN got 10" from this latest storm. Luckily I'm high and dry. It was dicey earlier this week, as all the units got new roof shingles. Mine was begun and finished on Monday, just in time for the rain Monday night. They shingled in rain off and on Tuesday and Wednesday, and wrapped up amid a shower late Wednesday afternoon...just in time for yesterdays all day DOWN POUR!!

Oh, When the Quilts come Marching In.....

mine will be among them...we stood up and challenged ourselves and we did good!! But that deserves a seperate post. This is my finish #4. It's a Love Ya! strippy made from a jellyroll that my sweet friend Julie Q send me last Valentines Day. Jellyrolls seem to work well with the strippy method.
 This is the backing flannel I chose. Betsy and I bought the bolt with a 60% off one "on bolt" item at Mill Ends. It's full price was $4.99 a yd. We got it for less than $2.50. We split the yardage.
 And this little doll quilt, a Fence Rail, is my 5th finish. I know, it sure doesn't measure up against the BIG finishes of others, but I'll take it and be happy!!
 
This is the backing flannel, a charming scrap sent by Granny Lyn. Thank you Lyn, everyone loves the litte "Love Bug Herbie" cars *VBS* And now, onward to our grand total finishes!

Tuesday in the Valley....

with a tale to tell *VBS* I have this little helper. She's got my time schedule down pat. She knows when and where and what I'm likely to be doing.  She's Queen Ebony, in charge of all she see. That does NOT include the quilts I'd like her to stay OFF OF. Doesn't everyone appreciate cat hair? Taking a picture of a quilt has become a challenge!
 Innocent as the driven snow, right?? Well, only if I'm watching ALL the time..
 and put the quilt on the couch for the picture. My first UFO Challenge Finish!! I got the last of the binding sewn down this afternoon. This a donation quilt and not one that really needed finishing in the "true UFO" sense....but, it's a finish and I'll take it!
 The last time you saw this one it was blocks. It's also the one that I made to fit the backing fabric...LOL. All those little green frogs are accounted for and will help keep some little one warm and snug.
I wanted to mention also, that Auntie Em has created a New Years Eve UFO Countdown and is willing to share it with all of us in the challenge. Hop on over and check it out *VBS*

Progress Report...

Beautiful September weather in WI *VBS* BUT...frost warnings tonight for the northern regions of MN and WI. Mother Nature is having things HER way this year. This is the project in progress. I've had the froggie flannel for awhile. It keeps getting set aside, as it's barely 40" wide. I love that DD#1 picks up flannel at JoAnne's, but she's still operating under the assumption that a backing is 44" X 54". And she's right. That's the size crib quilts I make. Unfortunately, flannel is no longer 45" wide. So... I decided to make a quilt to fit the flannel, rather than the flannel to fit the quilt. *VBS* This version of Gypsy Quilter's Kitchen Sink is all scrappy, scrappy yellows. There is no rhyme or reason in the piecing. I didn't specifically keep the 4 patches-2 light/ 2 dark. I have the blocks made and just need time to lay them out and join them up!
 And I got busy right away last week and found binding for this Purple Paisley piece. I was thinking "orange" or orange and purple.
 When I dug into the 1.5" strip bin, this strange red/green/purple/orange Christmas fabric caught my eye. I rather like the contrast of the dark binding against the light lattice.And dig that crazy vintage type backing....LOL. Yup, donations and stash!
I've found a backing for the Barbie quilt top, and that one will get pinned and quilted this week(I hope!)

Tuesday Tidbits.....

Here I am, keeping my promise to return with the quilt that is "under the needle"! This one doesn't have a name, as such. For me, it's another MAM quilt. Or maybe the Purple Pasiley Passion *VBS* I had gotten it pinned yesterday a.m. and by supper time, I finished the machine quilting and gave it some binding. Now comes the slow part, sewing the binding down by hand. A good job for evenings!
 On the reserve bench, no longer at batt, is this lovely pile! Done, done and done!
 This would be the finish shot of "All that jazz" that was under the needle last week. It has a soft cotton backing(sorry no flannel for this one) and only slightly crazy binding fabric. Seems to work for me!
 And the finished shot of Baby Bows. It does have a decidely "boy" flannel on the back since it's for a baby boy. He popped into the world last Tuesday, weighing in at 7 #s 7 ozs. He is a half brother to my youngest son's boys. The burp cloths are finished also, and I will be delivering both quilt and cloths this week to DS#3. We've worked it out so that his boys can do the presenting of the quilt and burp cloths for the baby...pretty sneaky huh?? *VBS*

Block Party !!!

And of course summer is the perfect time for a "block party". I'm here to report that my "block" had its annual block party,sponsored by management, last Thursday evening. Despite rain and a thunderstorm, we moved everything but the grill into a vacant garage and partied anyway. In our 16 unit neighborhood, one remains empty. Hopefully we will soon have a new neighbor living there. In the meantime, I've been having a block party of my own, every day! I purchased 4 little bundles of Barbie fabrics(FQs) from Carol E. of Giraffe Dreams. They had been donated to a fund raising effort. Blogging friends had a chance to purchase some of them. I took the last 4.
 Having exactly 1 yard of each it wasn't too hard to come up with a pattern. We can add this top to the very short list of quilts I've made that WEREN'T scrappy. I had a block party and got the blocks made and sewn together. It's 49" X 52" top and I do have some scraps left. I may add a row of 2.5" squares across the top to get them used and make it longer.
 I also, in my marathon block party mode, got all the blocks made from these fun fabric I received last year from Cher of Marathon Quilter. I've been liking the way this block looks, so I cut Cher's fabrics into 4.5" and 2.5" pieces and went to work! Only later did I discover that this "look" is the result of the "Disappearing 9 patch" block. That WOULD have been a whole lot easier than how I did it!! Live and learn. It will be a fun top very soon.
 And along with all the other block party happenings, I whipped up more of these string blocks. I showed a top,about a month ago, that looks like these. I made it the normal snuggle size, but liked it so much I'm making more and it will become a new bed quilt for the youngest DS.
The purple paisley latticed top in currently under the needle on the sewing machine, getting quilted. I took a picture, but am saving that for tomorrow *VBS* ! Happy Block Party Everyone!

Inching along....

Popping in on a hot, muggy Sunday to share my progress. WI is finally getting some summer-type weather...and how! The cool, sunny day that were so very "September like" have vanished, replaced with lots thunderstorms, rain, hail and temps in the 90's. Good time to stay inside and sew!!! Here's a Mile-A-Minute top I finished up last week. I have lots of MAM blocks from working with that hospital basin of "quilt seeds". The purple and white lattice was a donation,and already cut to 2.5"
 It wouldn't be my first choice ordinarily, but it was handy, and it sort of works. Betsy thought it was perfect with the really scrappy MAMs. The top is 49" X 57" and I got a backing made today.
 This poor sad picture! What am I doing to keep getting these out of focus pictures?? Mostly I'm validating that I"have a box containing 54 8.5" MAM blocks" in baby flannels. I'm going to start pairing them up this evening. I need 63 for the size I want, so I will have to scrounge up a bit more flannel.
 And last of all, I saved the best for last...A lovely new parcel of orphan blocks arrived a week or so back. It was during the time I was "missing in action" from blogland. They made my day! I do love those odd bits *VBS* This donation came from Emily of Em's Scrapbag. She and I met during the New Years Eve UFO Countdown last year...at least I think that was when. She said she gave them a bit of a "go", but they just don't tickle her fancy like they do mine. I'm super excited to have more to work with and its looking like I'd better get BUSY!!

Oldies, Newbies, and All That Jazz....

and here I am with the inside scoop *VBS* I know I've been missing quite a bit lately. It's not anything I really want to talk about right now. My vision and health are fine,thank you to so many who worry about me. *VBS* It's good to be liked! Thank you *VBS* You make me smile with my heart. Here's a newly finished "newbie", altho it's been around for awhile. I seem to work in stages. Finished up the quilting(with salmon perle cotton no less) Finally found a binding fabric I liked, and now it's D.O.N.E.
 And this is also an old "newbie". I started it years ago, hand quilting the clamshells that were so very hard for me to see the past couple of years. I marked them darker(to heck with the chalk showing) and now it's finished and bound. I'm 2 or 2!!
 On the "oldies" front, I've pulled this little number from the storage bin. It was one of the first ones with my new Doreen Speckman template set(back in the 1990). She had merchandises a set called "Peaky and Spike". Being a Doreen fan(she's a WI quilter*VBS*)Betsy and I both bought a set! Unfortunately, template free versions of almost everything quilty came shortly after and Peaky and Spike seldom get used any more. This one is hand quilted with various colors of perle cotton.
 And "all that jazz" is under the needle, as it were. I got the baby bowties machine quilted over the past weekend, and am in the binding process in the evenings. The baby it's for hasn't put in an appearance as yet, so I'm in luck! As of today, this scrappy kitchen sink variation got the last of its pins and is about half quilted just this morning. I'm making progress. I have another ready to pin, and a top on the ironing board for pressing. The "ready" top in is going to have to move over and let me quilt the strippy one first. I hope everyone is having a good go at summer in their corner of the world. Hugs for all, Finn