Quilting Sudokuists

Hi fellow quilters. I thought people might get bored with this subject on the main or SA pages, so asked for this page.
I'm a very part-time quilter these days. I have a cupboard full of UFOs (unfinished objects) also known as PIPs by some people (projects in progress - so what if it's been 10 years!!). I mostly work miniature quilts - some hand-pieced, some machine-pieced, all mostly hand quilted.
I have a brain full of projects I can visualise, but not ''do''.

I have knowledge of a Canberra based virtual guild, I'm checking it out for overseas members, will post details later.

CP, thanks for the quilters page. My avatar is actually a quilt I want to use for inspiration to make myself a small quilt some day. It is called DAY STAR, and I fell in love with it.

I have about 4 WIP's (we call them Works in Progress topside) and I try to do something every year on them so they do not become UFOs :>). One is hanging on my quilt wall now, a quilt as you go, it needs borders and I have not touched it in so long I need to take it down fore it gets distorted from hanging. I have one UFO because it is hiding from me somewhere in my sewing room, have not seen it in 2 or 3 years now.

Hope to meet more quilters here and hear about your UFO's and WIP's.

Have set up a new email account I'm happy to have on site if anyone wants to send me their email addresses, or share quilt photos. It's:
cp_canberra@yahoo.com.au

I have two quilts my MIL started for Amber before she passed away. One just needs the border and I don't quilt but I do sew. How do I finish it? I'll ask about the other one another time as I can't remember what needs to be done. I have to dig it up and look.

Thank you CP for the quilter's page. I have started my stash & have2 UFO's and am starting a quilt for my daughter's birthday (hopefully will get it completed in time!).

Hi CP - I have just noticed your quilters page & although I am not a quilter myself, I do love & admire them. Rob & I even went to a quilt show up in NC when we were there last month. There were entries from all over the U.S. & Canada, some really amazing work! I had no idea quilts could be such works of art. I took some pictures & will try to send them to your e-mail address. Maybe you can start a Flickr page for this section of Sudoku? Also, I have become friends with Celia from Toronto who is a quilter & Chalkboard from MA/FL, too. I will be sure to let them know to come & find their fellow quilters here!

RENA, give me a day or so, and I will copy you directions on how to bind a quilt. There is more than one way to do it, I will tell you the way I do it.

First, is the quilt square corners or rounded edges? You have to do differently for rounded corners.

Oh good luck, I found a online tutorial for binding. I kept running into broken links, all the places I once visited have closed thier websites or changed to charging for information.

OK, about.com has been reliable in it's information, but they changed quilting guides, and the old one removed all the information she had assembled. I have not read ALL of this tutorial but it lookes like a good place to start.

http://quilting.about.com/od/bindingaquilt/ss/binding_st rips.htm

See how this works for you and let me know if you have any questions.

I do the french fold, or double binding, more fabric to the edges and I cut my strips crosswise of the fabric and join with mitered seams. I do the mitered corners binding, but there are ways simpler if that is intimidating to you.

Hope this helps.

Thanks MizT. I will check it out and let you know how it goes.

I am so happy to find a group who work in my two favorite hobbies, quilting and sudoku. I have many UFO's in my sewing room and I dream about having time to do the sudoku pattern I just saw. Can't wait for updates!

wow, this is a great page. i, too, am a quilter. i have made a quilt each for my 2 DILs, one for my mom for her 70th birthday with all the great grandkids names and birthdates(i used sunbonnet sue and sam for each block) and i have been workin on a sunbonnet sue for my only grandgirl. it's on hold right now, since we moved and i don't have a place to set up my quilting frame. (oh yeah, i have another WIP too just for me, so that definitely waits until other projects are done - it's the fan pattern. lol!)

SANDRA, I love Sunbonnet Sue and Sam. Your quilt with the Sue's and Sam's and names and birthdays of the great grands sounds like a wonderful quilt! Would love to see a picture if you have one.

My Mom made a Sunbonet Sue quilt, appliqued down with black buttonhold stitches. I was still small enough I played under the quilt frame when neighbors got together for the quilting bee once Mom had finished the quilt top!! I always wanted that quilt on my bed!!

I made a lap quilt for my Mom' birthday a few years back, using emmbroidered Sue and Sam blocks, Sue done in redwork and Sam of course in bluework. the old fashioned transfer patterns that were available back when I was growing up! That quilt stayed on the foot of Mom's bed when she was not up in her chair, and she asked for it to be on her bed her last week even. It is hanging on my quilt rack in my living room now. If I can remember how to put up photos on flickr, I will see if I have a picture of it to show.

I’m not a very good quilter, because I can’t sew with a machine worth a ****. However, I made a lap quilt for my dad of 4” squares front and back (from a Hawaiian swap meet) with a border. My first quilt ended up being a 72” x 72” comforter: this is the quilt I will describe because it is unique.

There was an article in a magazine about a woman making a quilt for her daughter going off to college from her daughter’s favorite T-Shirts.

I had recently moved to So. Oregon and had a lot of T-shirts from floats I had worked on for the Tournament of Roses Parade and had just worked on the 20th Anniversary float for La Cañada Flintridge. 16 T’s were in “fair” shape with different designs & colors; also had 21 patches. I found an additional 4 old T’s of various colors with blank backs to make 4 sets of 3x3 squares.

From each of the 16 T’s a 10 ½” square was cut from the front and back, along with a square from the back of the other 4 T’s – for a total of 36 squares. These were separated into 4 groups with 4 front designs & 5 blanks, to make up 4 - 3x3 (30 ½”) squares.

Top Left 3x3 – Blanks across top & down left side
Top Right 3x3 – Blanks across top & down right side
Bottom Left 3x3 – Blanks across bottom & up left side.
Bottom Right 3x3 – Blanks across bottom & up right side.

To make it a little “classy”, I embroidered around each of the float designs on the 16 fronts, and on the 20 blank backs sewed on the patches. When laid out the 20 patches by year went clockwise around the outside and will be next to border, with the 4 floats on each group on the inside.

Since T-shirts are stretchy material and I’m not a good seamstress (hand sewing), a backing was used on each 10½” square in creating the 4 - 30½” squares. The back of the quilt matches up with the front by using 4 - 30½” squares of material. I found a nice vine of pink roses design.
The Center Posts (front & back) and Borders were made of a solid color (gold).
8 – 4½” x 30½” for Center Posts (front & back)
2 – 4½” x 4½” to connect Center Posts (On the one for the front the TRA Patch was sewn on, on the one for the back embroidered my initials.)
4 – 8 ½” x 72½” for Borders attach to front and back and mitered in at corners.

I got carried away with the batten (this was my first quilt), that is why it ended up as a comforter, it was also heavy because of the backing used on the 10 ½” squares. You probably figured out that a ¼” salvage was used in sewing the squares, posts & borders together.

Finishing it off:
Basted front and back together along the 30” squares – basting only between the 30” squares & borders and 30” squares & posts;
In place of ties, I used 16 buttons with red silk roses on the front and 16 buttons with pink silk roses on the back strategically placed between the 4 inside corners of the front 3x3 squares on the front and matched in placement on the back.

Needless to say, I am quite proud of this comforter.

I tried posting to the quilting page as General Chat & also as Other. Neither posted.

I'll try again & break it up into several posts.

I’m not a very good quilter, because I can’t sew with a machine worth a ****. However, I made a lap quilt for my dad of 4” squares front and back (from a Hawaiian swap meet) with a border. My first quilt ended up being a 72” x 72” comforter: this is the quilt I will describe because it is unique.

There was an article in a magazine about a woman making a quilt for her daughter going off to college from her daughter’s favorite T-Shirts.

I had recently moved to So. Oregon and had a lot of T-shirts from floats I had worked on for the Tournament of Roses Parade and had just worked on the 20th Anniversary float for La Cañada Flintridge. 16 T’s were in “fair” shape with different designs & colors; also had 21 patches. I found an additional 4 old T’s of various colors with blank backs to make 4 sets of 3x3 squares.

From each of the 16 T’s a 10 ½” square was cut from the front and back, along with a square from the back of the other 4 T’s – for a total of 36 squares. These were separated into 4 groups with 4 front designs & 5 blanks, to make up 4 - 3x3 (30 ½”) squares.

Top Left 3x3 – Blanks across top & down left
Top Right 3x3 – Blanks across top & down right
Bottom Left 3x3 – Blanks bottom & up left
Bottom Right 3x3 – Blanks bottom & up right

To make it a little “classy”, I embroidered around each of the float designs on the 16 fronts, and on the 20 blank backs sewed on the patches. When laid out the 20 patches by year went clockwise around the outside and will be next to border, with the 4 floats on each group on the inside.

Since T-shirts are stretchy material and I’m not a good seamstress (hand sewing), a backing was used on each 10½” square in creating the 4 - 30½” squares. The back of the quilt matches up with the front by using 4 - 30½” squares of material. I found a nice vine of pink roses design.
The Center Posts (front & back) and Borders were made of a solid color (gold).
8 – 4½” x 30½” for Center Posts (front & back)
2 – 4½” x 4½” to connect Center Posts (On the one for the front the TRA Patch was sewn on, on the one for the back embroidered my initials.)
4 – 8 ½” x 72½” for Borders attach to front and back and mitered in at corners.

I got carried away with the batten (this was my first quilt), that is why it ended up as a comforter, it was also heavy because of the backing used on the 10 ½” squares. You probably figured out that a ¼” salvage was used in sewing the squares, posts & borders together.

Finishing it off:
Basted front and back together along the 30” squares – basting only between the 30” squares & borders and 30” squares & posts;
In place of ties, I used 16 buttons with red silk roses on the front and 16 buttons with pink silk roses on the back strategically placed between the 4 inside corners of the front 3x3 squares on the front and matched in placement on the back.

Needless to say, I am quite proud of this comforter. Took it over to Hawaii to show my MIL before she died a couple of months later. Several years ago, I suggested a T Shirt quilt for the volunteer coordinator for Britt Festivals, where I volunteer. Some one much better than me put it together with a collection of T’s from over the years at Britt. It was not done with squares, but more like a collage. It came out very nice and is being cherished by Teddi, who has worked at Britt for around 20 years. So make those old T’s a memory in the form of a quilt.

EVE, that sounds like a really great comfortor with the Rose Bowl Float T shirts on it! I love quilting, and I love the Rose Bowl Parade too, so espically interested in that. yes, T shirt material is stretchy, and some stabilizer is usually used on those quilts. Lots of options for that, as long as it works it is fine in my book.

Would love to see your quilt in a photo. If you joined with a free membership, you could have your own page and could put up Photos to share. If you need help joining, just ask, many on here are willing and able to be of assistance.

PHOTO OF ONE OF MY QUILTS . . . SHOW AND TELL

I put a photo of one of my quilts on my page yesterday. I was asked about this quilt, so easy way to explaine was to SHOW AND TELL. Check it out if you are interested. I shall leave it up for a few days, then move it back to flickr.

Eve, I am with MizTricia, I would LOVE to see a photo of your t-shirt quilt.

Hi, everyone, I am hoping you can help. My daughter needs to explain 'what meant by traditional quilting'

SHOW AND TELL:

You are invited to a show and tell of quilt photos.

I have put up a few of my quilt photos on my page, in gallery. If you are interested, check them out! I shall put up more as I find the photos and the time to shrink, save and up load them!

ANDREA, I knew what a traditional quilt was, but had trouble putting it into words. So I consulted Mr Google and found this definition:

''Traditional quilts

Traditional quilts have styles that have been around since the days of covered wagons. Traditional quilt blocks are made up of pieces of cloth cut into different geometric shapes that end up fitting in a square. You can have different types of triangles, rectangles or small squares comprise a particular block design, or you can just have one big square. As long as it ends up square, you can do whatever floats your boat.''
from the internet article SOYOUWANNA Learn the Basics of Quilting,
at

http://www.soyouwanna.com/site/syws/quilt/quilt.html

I disagree that all blocks were squares, but most were, some were rectangles, diamonds, hexagons or other shapes that could be fitted together.

I would add, Most traditional style quilts made now are made from patterns that have been around for many years and passed from generation to generation, and the block patterns have very interesting names at times. They are also in the public domaine, no copywrite, because of thier age.

HOLE in the BArn Door
Churn Dash
Buzz Saw
log cabin
mariners' compass

puss in the corner
broken dishes

many made political statements in the USA.

Drunkards Path, used in the temperance movement.

some commerated historical events.
Rocky Road to Kansas, for the covered wagon rides west.

many were named for states.

Carolina Lilies

Ohio Star

some were religious

Jacobs ladder
Crown of thorns

there were all kinds of stars,
Lemoyns Star, friendship star,

OK, probably more than you need to know, but hope this helps.

Thanks, MizTricia1. Laura had supposedly googled but I think sometimes there are too many options.

Yes, Andrea, sometimes you get too much information and you need to know where to look. I find that by checking the URL addresses I can tell which sites are more likely to give me the information I want.

I assume this is for school and I hope we get a good grade heheheh

Quilts have stories, mine are no exception. If no one objects, I shall put up a few stories to go with the pictures of my quilts. Pictures can be seen on my page. This can be the TELL part of show and tell :>)

My birthday quilt, made from blocks sent to me on my birthday by far flung friends, has a lot of stories.

The most noticeable one is the bright yellow background block. Looks like a wad of yellow fabric is stuck to it. Well, that is cause there is a wad of fabric on it!

My friend Bertie made a lovely block, Sunbonnet Sam leading a dragon. Her story about the block, Sam is courting Sue, took her to the Orient, and bought her this dragon as a sign of his undying love (Dragons have been around a LONG time, you know) The block is appliquéd and has an embroidered signature. Appliqué is done on an over sized block, and trimmed to fit later, just in case all the stitching 'takes up' some of the fabric. When I trimmed the block to fit, I could not get all of the signature and all of the dragon both on the block! I was not about to cut off the dragon, so trimmed away part of her signature. Then I wrote her and confessed, and asked if she would send me another signature I could sew into her block. THAT new signature is the wad of fabric pinned onto the block at the time this photo was taken.

BTW, that was only the quilt top when that photo was taken. It is now a proper quilt, the new signature has been sewn in, but no new photo has been taken.

MizTricia1 - what a lovely story. I think the best part about quilting is the collection of memories. I recently finished a quilt with fabric that my sister bought for me from Germany and I had combined them with fabrics I collected from our road trip to Perth (the other side of Australia - a long trip).

Andrea, do you have a photo of that quilt? We would love to see it, I love show and tell! Love your story about this quilt!

Pattern was in a quilt magazine and it was ALL ragged edge. I made a few bocks, and hung them on my quilt wall, to look at them. Huumm, that was getting a bit busy, so I made some blocks with the smooth seams around the circles, and hung those, yes, much better! So my adaptation of the pattern immerged. Shoot a pattern is just a suggestion for me, the few times I buy a pattern. I even change my own designs mid stream, when my emerging quilt tells me it needs something different.

the lovely batik fabrics in shades of green and lavender, were a bundle of fat quarters given to me on my birthday by a non quilting friend who loved to buy fabric!! I chose purples from my stash to go with. ( a Fat Quarter is 1/4 of a yard, but a yard cut in half first horizontally, then vertically, so it is about 18''x22''. More versatile for cutting shapes than 1/4 yard which is 9''x44'')

YES, I am wearing the same clothes as the photo with my birthday quilt and with my friend on Stone Mountain. it was the same day, and in Atlanta. Friend is from Australia, and was visiting cities in USA. I went to Atlanta to spend a couple more days with her, as we had met at an Internet quilters' gathering about 4 weeks earlier. Been knowing her for YEARS, first meeting.

So we are at my sisters house and having show and tell as many quilters do when meeting. My sister saw that wall hanging and said, 'that would go perfectly with my bathroom, Hubby and I saw it in your bag this morning while you were gone, and looked at it. it would be perfect, we tried it out.' So Dots in the Cabin now resides at my sister's house. It did not go with my house's color scheme anyway, I just made it cause I liked the colors!

the part below should have been at top of above post!

OK, another story, this time about Dots in the Cabin, the small one with the ragged edge showing in places. I am holding that quilt up for this photo.

Anyone reading these quilt stories? I have lots more, but do not want to bore you!

MizT, although not a quilter personally, I come here regularly to hear about the hows and whys of the quilts. I then go straight to your pages and look at what I've read about. I love the story of the quilts and then being able to see the finished product. I am in awe of you all.

Hi MizTricia1, am reading the stories - just don't get here that often.

Wow, you guys have been busy whil I wasn't looking. I went to my quilt group today - and knitted. My group gave me some lovely small quilts for my workplace (I am a midwife) for the babies who leave us too soon.

Hi everyone, went to the Quilt and Craft show on Saturday. the quilts there are beautiful. Managed to pick up some lovely fabrics for my daughters quilt.

Just uploaded some photos from the Canberra Quilt Show to my page.

I thoroughly enjoyed the show and will resize and upload a few more photos in the next couple of days.

I am off to Sydney on Saturday for a Stitches and Craft Show but it doesn't have an attached Quilt Show.