Making a quilt with the Ladies of Downton Abbey

I'm in the thick of it now, the Downton Abbey 4th season.  And, you can tell because I wait on baited breath for the next episode to appear on Masterpiece Theatre each week.  I know that I will be just a bit sad when the season's over.  I will miss the people there.  I'll wonder how they are getting along and won't be able to find out for almost another year. 

I don't know if any of you watch the show?  I didn't watch the 1st and 2nd seasons, kind of with my nose in the air saying, "What IS all the fuss about?!  I don't want to start watching something and feel compelled to keep watching...that's just a lot of hoooey and nonsense".  And, yet, here I am!  All decked out in "hoooey and nonsense"!! 

I dunno am I strange to think that I have any kind of minute connection to the people on the show?  Yet, I do. (okay, it's already been well established that I AM strange!)
 It seemed logical that I would be excited when a line of fabric was created to commemorate the main ladies of Downton. The fabrics are from Andover.  They are grouped by colors in a theme to celebrate each Lady individually.

In all honesty, I wasn't really overjoyed with many of the colors used.  In seeing the different groupings, I wasn't sure that I could make a quilt with just one Lady's theme.  But, taking a few from each group to put into a quilt also seemed a bit daunting. 

THEN...I was visiting the Fat Quarter Shop one day to glance over the Downton Lady's fabrics, and I came across the pattern for this quilt.

Ladies of Downton Abbey quilt pattern by Tiffany Hayes using

Downton Abbey fabric by Kathy Hall. Click the link below for

more info

(I think this quilt was displayed at the Houston Quilt show/market 2013.)

 

Pattern below can be purchased at several online shops.

I purchased mine at Fat Quarter Shop (click here).  You can also purchase

a kit from them.

 

Sooooo....on my way home from the Post Office yesterday, the thought came to mind,

...what could it hurt to..."just drop in" a local quilt store for some warm friendly

fuzzies and to check on what might be new there?  The store is only a couple of 

blocks from the Post Office. It's one of my favorite family owned stores!  In many

ways, when you walk in, you feel taken back to a variety store of the early 1900's.  But,

there are lots of things for modern times (modern quilters)as well.   If you are ever

 in the area...I would heartily recommend you stop in... Broadbent's in Lehi, Utah

 

My thoughts were to just drop in and LOOK.  I guess I didn't listen to myself.

Because...Boy-HOWdee, I got into some fun trouble!  Somewhere during my

browsing, I forgot my original intentions.  I know exactly where the forgetting started

...in the corner where all the Downton Abbey fabric was invitingly displayed!

With a closer look, I was very excited to see that Broadbent's had the WHOLE line

 IN stock.  ALL of the different Downton fabrics for the quilt pictured in the pattern

above!  But, it gets better.  I was able to use a 25% off coupon.  No driving all

around to find more in the line and no shipping from online stores.  Yep, I did leave

with a smile on my face and hugging the "small" bag as I walked to my car. 

 

Here are my fabrics for the quilt...

 

 

 

I was able to get enough of the main fabric with the Downton Abbey to do the back. 

I was able to also get all I needed, plus plenty extra, of the beige/feather print for

the sashing.   These two prints are running low on the bolt tho.  I bought an extra

2 yards of 2 of my favorite prints for binding and borders on the back.  I'm really

excited!  ...now to "cool my jets" until the pattern arrives in the mail. 

 

 

Are any of you watching Downton Abbey?  Are any of you sewing items or making

quilts...projects with any of  the Downton Abbey fabrics?  

 

 

Turning Miss Ida Innova... ON

YEP...she's all wrapped up,

with a 70's themed quilt top from last year.  I'm not crazy

about making square quilts.  But, I ended up doing some

 "jimmy-rigging" to the pattern (some of you, who know me are

NOT suprised with my changing things a bit)...The changes

 kind of created a "square effect" ... oh, well...

 Thread is chosen, and bobbins wound

The backing is a bright green, almost the same color

as this bright lime green varigated thread.  The Thread

is King Tut by Superior Thread Company.  It's one of my

favorites for quilting on the Innova.  =)

I generally use all of 3 bobbins on a queen sized
comforter quilt....this one is about 75" square.

"Wake up...Ida..."  She's sleeping under her new cover

I'll peel back the covers slowly...so as not to startle her...

...maybe tomorrow, I will get her threaded.

I will need to plug her in.  I never keep Ida plugged in.

An electrical storm or strong wind could happen while

I wasn't around to unplug.

 When she does get plugged in...it's into a surge protector.

I don't want to have a power surge to give her the

"hibbie-jeeebiez" while I'm in the process of quilting.

SO...my goal is....

to get IDA turned ON tomorrow. =)

Today, I'm linking up with WonderFULL,

stupendous, awesome SARAH...at...

Confessions of a Fabric Addict

I know...Ida's not really turned on, yet.  And, I don't actually

 have the quilt quilted or finished.  But,...HEY, I did get it ALL

ready to BE quilted... so, purdy...please???

Click on this button to see LOTS of linkys with

fun things to show you.  =)

Do YOU have any Projects in Progress (PIPs)?

Maybe YOU might want to link up at Sarah's too?

YOU could get a "Whoop-Whoop"!

Stitchin with DD...day 2...

Well, I hope you weren't putting any bets on

my daughter finishing her top today...'cause it

didn't happen.  She did get quite a bit more done.

But, there is still borders needed to go on each of

the 15 blocks and then, those need to be sewn together.

There are 7 of the blocks on the left...they will be

bordered by the black strip.  There are 8 of the blocks on the

right and it will get the grey strip border.  I will show

more pictures as the quilt progresses.  Maybe next week.  =)

That was Stacie's stitchin today...and my WIP is...

the blue in the above picture... really is

periwinkle like the below picture.  I dunno why

the lighting makes the color show up so "unreal".

 The back is mainly an orange flannel with

border of black flannel.

I found this fun strip in my stash...

imagine that?

I will be working on this completing this striped

binding by hand...this weekend.  =)

I know...it's a bit early for spooks and

pumpkins.  But, I move slow!  At my rate of pace,

I might have 3 more Halloween quilts finished for

the adult kids by Halloween 2011...

well...

may...beee



Stitchin with DD #4...Simply Charming...day 1

Yesterday was a VERY fun day! I always enjoy sewing

with Stacie!  Its fun to see how a fairly new quilter

sees things...and it's fun to share my thoughts.

I very hard to be careful NOT to inject to much

of my "seasoned" opinions...

It's important that she develop her own style..

I just want to be a "safety net".

Several weeks ago she looked through LOTS

of my quilt books and found this particular one.

by Konda Luckau from

Moose on the Porch

I pretty much have every one of her books!

Check out her other fun books

HERE

The pattern that my daughter chose is this one.

and...she is going to add 2 more rows to make it

twin size. 

We used the studio to cut all the 5" charm squares.

OMGosh...does it go fast! 60 squares cut at one

WACK!

These are the fabrics she chose...just a weee beeet

different than the book's example.

With the help of this...

the Ruby Beholder

(and, nope...I didn't design this...wish I had..$$$)

Stacie put together some blocks like these...

This is as far as we got yesterday....

I say "we" because she hates ...(or maybe she is just nervous?)

 to cut.  So, I do most of the cutting.

I'm happy to do it!  It's a good way to get her

to come sew at my house...

I will post more of the progress later...she will be

visiting again today to see if she can get the

whole top completed...check back later to see

if...she does...

a finish and a WIP

This is my first time to swap doing a 12x12 the "Bumble Bee" way.  I was a bit nervous...

at first.  But, once I dug in...I was having a barrel of fun!...yeah, literally digging

out of my scrap "barrel".

Don't be too "hard" on me...I'm still a real beginner when it comes to

machine quilting... =(

I sent this off Tuesday...I hope my swap recipient likes it!

         ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

kay...now for the WIP

I really apologize for this picture! It is a photo of a not-so-good photocopy.

(not a "stolen" copy...a free "quilt store" hand-out)

It is pretty in the colors suggested...BUT, well, if you know me...

I've got to change things up a BIT.

Below are my color changes...

...just a weee beeeet diff, right?

While on our "create-your-own" (CYO) shophop when

Pam (Mamasparks) and Pauline (Quilt n Queen) were here in Utah for Quilt Market...

I fell in LUV with this cute VW bug fabric!

Last night while cutting the strips...I decided to switch out the black

for a Kona White.  I think it will look much more summer-eee.

What do you think?

Oh, and a terrible thing happened while cutting...I cut WRONG! OMGosh!

I was so mad at myself...I wanted to just chuck it all in a box.   Then, I thought,

it can't be all that bad...it creates the opportunity to go back to

Thimbles and Threads quilt shop...yipeee! It's one of theee friendliest places in town!

MS. Bea is yelling in the other room..."YOU better NOT take your credit cards!"

She is such a party pooper!

I had a goal...a dream... it's FINISHED!!

Oh.. yes... I finished the top!

It's all thanks to YOU!!

It's blogging that held my feet..

to the FIRE...umm... maybe that's not

where the fire was...maybe it was under me!

I felt so lucky to find the border!

The Asian fabrics in the quilt are about

2 years old.  And, you know how

colors schemes in fabric change?  I was

having a hard time matching the lavenders,

creams, and greens...the new Asian fabric

colors were just a few shades different...

but...LUCKY...I was!

Now it's ready for IDA...

my Innova longarm...

Just a few days ago, the pieces looked a little

bit like a "sows ear"....

now...maybe it could be in contention for a...

"silk purse"?

Thank you again for all of your support in

helping me to get this done!!



Ida's been hummimg

~ IDA  ~

She's one of my "helpers"

 in the sewing studio

She is a "sweet" 22" Innova

 Longarm Quilting machine

Ida and I finished this one

on Tuesday earlier this week

and it awaits binding

 The quilt below

is ready to roll-up onto Ida's arms 

I'm not a fancy quilter.  I'm just learning

tension, bobbins, threads and loading onto

Ida's arms

for now, it's just ......... 

loops-up -  loops-down

and  loop-tees all around

Wonderful Wednesday!!!

Good Morning and welcome to "Wonderful" Wednesday.  I didn't get the "widget" posted but, WW can go on anyway....     




Wednesdays are a great day in the middle of the week.  We can still have time to catch up on things that we need to do by the weekend.  Or, if we are all caught up, we can take a weee break to do something fun before the busy weekend hits us.

What is something you can or would do if you had the time.............to make this Wednesday a Wonderful day?

Please, take a minute and share.  It just could give someone else an idea or brighten someone else's day!!

I am going to try to get in a bit of sewing on Ida (my Innova longarm).  This is a quilt started last year during the small retreat I hosted at my house.  It was a mystery when I bought the fabrics.  I felt lucky that it turned out as nice as it did.  =)

This was the best choice of thread from my supply.  It is a bit thinner/slipperier (if that's a word)  - than what I usually use, Superior's King Tut.  Hope I don't have to struggle with the tension too much.

PIP - Nickel quilt

Ten layers of fabric laying on my Studio die cutter and......

.........Wah-la, its all cut!

I was able to cut 200 -  5" squares in about 20 minutes!

after sewing 2-5" sqs together and cutting, then you take the half sq triangles and sew to a full 5'sq

my goal - the Liberty Star from one of Pat Speth's Nickel Quilt books

Quilt - Halloween

This was a pattern that i bought and changed so that i could stack/cut with freezer paper.  Next time, I think i will make a freezer pattern a bit smaller. This one is 10"