Progress…
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@MistressJennie, I really like the new layout!
I have finished my latest I-spy quilt top for my nephew whose birthday is later this month. I’m drawing a complete blank on clues for the back though.
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It’s beautiful! I love the teal sashing.
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Your I-spy quilts are adorable. That border fabric is really cool, too!
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I am frankly terrified of the rotary cutter every time I use it. I have some of those uncuttable gloves but they are not comfortable or snug fitting. They were expensive too! I found a pair of no-slip grip cut resistant gloves at the office supply place, has anybody had luck with something like this? The medium size might be a better fit for me and better grip on the ruler too, I hate when it slips.
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Got the quilt top pieced together, and even managed to quilt it this afternoon! Just need to bind it tomorrow. But for now… Date Night! Hoping you are all having a great Friday night.
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@magpie, I haven’t used any sort of glove protection, so I can’t offer an opinion on that. But if you’re interested in an alternative, there are rulers that have a protected rotary cutter attached (similar to paper cutting tools). I’m sure they are probably all more expensive than the gloves you linked to, but it might be worth it if you use it often enough. I have this one by Fiskars. I don’t use it very often, but it is easy to use once you get the hang of lining up your fabric.
Thank you, @MistressJennie and @tendstowardschaos for your compliments on my latest I-spy quilt. I am happy to report that I now have 42 clues to accompany the quilt! I hope I don’t run into issues trying to fit them into a column of 7 squares on the backside. In the past, I only needed 35 clues and they all fit the back squares perfectly without much room to spare. I tried to write shorter clues, but I’m not sure how successful I was. We’ll see…
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@Magpie, I have to ask… Have you had a mishap with a rotary cutter, that makes you nervous to use it now? You don’t seem to be a clumsy person, and you’re a master of so many crafts, that it would seem like you should be rather sure-handed when it comes to using bladed crafting tools. (Please note, I am not trying to sound condescending or rude, and I’m really hoping the lack of tone in reading text online doesn’t come off that way!)
As for rotary cutters, I remember when my costume students asked if I could teach them more sewing skills, particularly quilting. I ordered kits from Quilts for Kids, and each college student put together and quilted a kids/baby sized quilt. They were simple 4-Patch designs, and I showed the kids how to strip piece the long strips, then cross cut with the rotary cutter. They were nervous too, but I made them try for themselves. I grabbed some scraps from the scrap bin, and stood beside them while I made them practice. Showing them how to weight the ruler so it wouldn’t slip and such.
If wiggly rulers add to your apprehension, there are two things that might help you feel more stable:
An Olipfa ruler, which has a lip at the bottom edge, that you butt up against the edge of the mat. (Think a T-square and drafting table.) The lip on the ruler helps keep it straight, but doesn’t completely solve the problem. Omnigrid InvisiGRIP is a clear substance you put on the back of your ruler, that helps it grip the fabric underneath, rather than slip across it while you cut. You can also put a small hand weight (like for weight lifting, 3 lbs is great), on the far end of the ruler, while you place your non-cutting hand on the middle. Kind of like holding it with 2 hands, it will also help prevent wiggling. That might make you feel more assured when slicing and dicing. If it’s the feeling of having your non-cutting hand’s fingers spread out across the ruler, with the cutter having to go past them, then maybe try a ruler grip. They are a handle, shaped like an old fashioned telephone receiver, so your fingers are curled around the grip, rather than laying out for the cutter to somehow nick as it goes by.
Finally, perhaps it’s the style of cutter you have? My mom used to use the straight handled ones in the 80’s. They always felt more unsafe to me. Something like this, which automatically retracts the blade when you’re not holding it, might be a good fit for you. Kind of like a nail gun, you can’t cut anything with it unless you are actively pressing it, so the blade engages.
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-I MistressJennie , offer Zoo Quilt for January’s prompt
My mom sent me 2 boxes of pre-cut fabric. It’s certainly surrounding me in my studio right now! So I put together a simple baby quilt using 1 pack of jelly roll strips (4 each of 5 designs), 2 fat quarters, and 1 1-yard cut for the backing.
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Thanks for your kind words @MistressJennie. I am actually fairly clutzy. Something that seems to run in my family, both sisters are similar. My poor dear middle girl broke her elbow & collarbone in 2020, yikes. We’re all always covered in mystery bruises from bumping into stuff & I ofter hurt my hands. I remember my mom severing a fingertip washing dishes when I was little, sharp knives have been banned in a soapy sink for my entire family since then. And still, I got the end of my index finger on the dominant hand with a mandoline one time. It’s an issue.
I have a few suction cup ruler grips but they just feel awkward to me. Maybe I’ll invest in that grippy stuff or a different ruler. Anything that gives me more cutting confidence would be great.
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First of 2 lap quilts top pieced today. I still need to add a border. I cut all the sashing for the second one so it should go fast. Each one has a cat, so this one is “Felix”.
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Finished number two top. I have to go see if I have enough to frame and border these AND have enough of the darks for binding.
So, better pics. Oskar and Felix.
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These are fantastic!! 
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@marionberries!!! these are FIRE! 
The colors, the shapes. I love how you integrated [what i consider] modern squares, with more "traditional’ squares. And achieved such harmony.
++ chef’s kiss ++
Your esthetic is always so strong.
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I really like both quilts! You made some great fabric choices - the batiks give the quilts an extra depth that I absolutely love!
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A question for the more experienced quilters here! I hand sewed a massive quilt top that I’m quilting by hand as well. It’s going to take ages. I sent it off to the longarm quilter to be basted and she did a thorough job - basting it in a 2" wide grid pattern throughout the whole quilt. She also sewed the top on to the borders and then she sewed down the edges of the borders on to the batting/backing.
Now, on the sides the “flaps” of fabric hanging to the sides are quite short but on the top and the bottom they’re about 10 inches. They’re annoying me. I was thinking, since everything is already sewed down, is there a reason why I can’t bind it already? I would of course leave the basting stitches in place, take some time (honestly probably a year or so) to finish hand quilting and then take out the basting stitches. They can easily be removed. I don’t have a frame or something, I’m just slowly quilting it while sitting under it and watching Netflix. It would be easier if there are solid edges to grip on to and it would make the quilt just a little less big.
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I just wanted to show you guys the awesome prize @AudiobookLover sent me for last quarter’s drawing…
A lovely quilt pattern and a layer cake of the fabrics for it! Thank you @AudiobookLover!!!
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Pretty and fun. Lucky you!
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-I MistressJennie submit this as my January BOM entry.
I varied mine by swapping out the teal center square for a bright pop of color. While again I wouldn’t have picked these fabrics, I do at least like how the block came out. Now to finish the other 13 I cut when I was on a mad cutting spree, trying to clear out fabric… All 13 are in progress. The 9-patch centers are done, and the star points are done, they just need to be added to one another.
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Ohh, I love the colors in that block, @MistressJennie!
I, tendstowardschaos, offer my economy lap quilt for my medium personal finish.
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