Island Batik Steam Engine quilt is done!

August's Island Batik Beat the Heat blog hop quilt has been completed!

I'm linking up with Elm Street Quilt's One Monthly Goal.  

My main goal for September was to finish this quilt.  It's a queen size, as you can see on this bed.  86 by 103, I think.  It took a while to do the quilting, and there are minor problems, but since I'm new to long arming, and this was a very challenging design, I'm giving myself a break.  I used the same border fabric for binding, and used a 108" wide back I purchased, grey floral, for the backing.  I use Hobb's Black cotton blend batting, and it looks great.  I was hoping it would not be too dark under the whiter diamond shapes, but it's fine.  

The panto pattern is Steampunk Gears by Intelligent Quilting.  

The block is Double Windmill on EQ8, but I played with the colors and designs to make it work for my project.  

I did an inner black solid border, then the teal outer border.  I think it frames it nicely.  I did have another eye doctor appointment in Scranton, so I got to take more photos with the trains.  One of the State Park Rangers was surprised, and wanted to take a photo to show his wife, who has also made a quilt or two.  (I think I'm over 100 now, but...)

I love Engine 790!  I didn't pay to go inside, but that number is the same as my home, the house I grew up in, and still live in.  

You can get an idea of the size of the quilt because that's me, holding it.  The ranger took this for me.  And the train is HUGE!! 

There was a large connector on the front of this train, which is what pushed out the quilt, but I still like how it looks.  

Thanks again for visiting.  The park is Steamtown National Historic Park in Scranton, PA. 

If you've checked back on my other goals, the Island Batik September challenge is almost done.  I used Petal Pushers and the Accuquilt GO! Spider Web die.  I'll share more in the next post.  I also still need to make an octopus! lol  I haven't started quilting the blue and yellow one, either, because I'm still trying to find a little of the blue fabric with yellow flowers.  I'll give it a few more weeks.  

Mom's been in the hospital and rehab again, because she pushed away from me because she was mad I was making her use the bathroom, and she fell and cut her head.  It's been another wild month.  When she comes home this time, I need to hire aides.  I can no longer take care of her alone, since she doesn't remember how to stand, and needs assistance of 2 people for everything.  It's sad, but I can still get her to laugh on occasion.  That's all that matters.  Alzheimer's stinks.  

Thanks!

My Favorite Quilt Block Blog Hop

Welcome to my day.  This hop is hosted by Carla of Creatin' in the Sticks.

**Please note, contest is now closed.  Random.org picked comment 21, and I've notified the winner.  Thanks again for commenting and reading!  

Welcome to day 2 on My Favorite Quilt Block blog hop!

It's so hard to pick a favorite thing.  My favorite color?  Purple, blue and fuchsia.  Favorite ice cream?  Triopolitan Chocolate, which is by Turkey Hill: dark chocolate, chocolate with mini chocolate chips, and chocolate with fudge swirl.  That's only if we don't have Tillamook Mudslide, or Turkey Hill Candy Box.  Favorite quilt block??  Who can choose?  I made a Double Windmill block and it's a great one, with a great secondary design.  See my post here   It was a favorite while I was working on it, and it's now on Vanna, the Handiquilter Amara long arm, almost done.  

I love lots of blocks.  But a favorite??  Who can pick just one?  So, I didn't.  I picked 2.  And it's been on my list to make for quite a few years.  More than 5, at least, and I haven't done it yet, until now.  Yes, last minute, but it's a block. 

I LOVE star blocks.  All kinds of star blocks.  They are fun to make and provide quite a punch in a quilt.  I also love Log Cabin blocks.  They have a light and a dark side and can do so much in a design.  Plus they are pretty easy, just keep sewing strips on.  The block I picked is called Orion's Star, and the book is by Eleanor Burns and Quilt in a Day.  

Have I mentioned I love Quilt in a Day?  All of their designs are great.  Fast, easy, accurate, lots of examples, and my favorite way to make flying geese, half square triangle units, and more.  My first official quilting class was their Log Cabin, way back in the early 1990s.  There was a little quilt shop near my new home, and I wanted to make quilts for our beds.  

Anyway, back to the design, and the more recent past.  I was working with friends who owned a fabric store, Bernie and Paul Enright.  They had this great collection, that I thought would look great in this quilt, and my notes in the book pertain to this fabric.  When they retired and closed, I took some of these to sell in my Etsy shop, because I always wanted to make this quilt in these colors.  So, I finally have my first block done (and some of the fabric is still available in my shop.)  Bernie and Paul call it their retirement fun fund.  It's an older collection by Marcus called Heartland.  I loved the vintage look and the flowers.  I mixed it with some other fabrics from my stash (I may change out one when I do the rest of the blocks, and replace it on this one, not sure it works.)

 I love the quilt colors on the back cover!  So elegant.

And the blue and yellow ones are gorgeous.  These are a few of the layouts available if you make enough blocks.  I really like the curved look, but it's not curvy, the the effect of the star in the center and how it's placed on the layout.  So cool!  I do have some blue and yellow fabric from Island Batik that I may use for this.  It's a Strip pack, with 2 1/2" strips, which is what this book uses.  When a design is a favorite, you can't make just one, right?  

Please follow along on the hop to see the other great inspiration.  Here's a link to yesterday and today's, plus the rest of the week.  And if you leave a comment for me, about your favorite block, and follow my blog by email or Bloglovin, I'll enter you to get a little prize from me.  It's probably going to be an assortment of Fat Quarters from Island Batik, but I'll surprise you.  Please be in the US, or be willing to cover the difference in shipping to you, and make sure I can contact you.  

Thanks so much for stopping by.  I hope you find some inspiration, and have some fun.  

Monday, September 9th

Just Let Me Quilt

Words & Stitches

VroomansQuilts

PamelaQuilts

Songbird Designs

Days Filled With Joy

Quilted Delights

Tuesday, September 10th

Quiltscapes

Melva Loves Scraps

Stitchin At Home

Homespun Hannah's Blog

Mary Mack Made Mine

Just Because Quilts

Den syende himmel
Selina Quilts

Wednesday, September 11th

MooseStashQuilting

Elizabeth Coughlin Designs

Kathleen McMusing

Karrin's Crazy World

April Grace Quilts

Hazel’s Daughter

Seams To Be Sew

Limeleaves

Thursday, September 12th

Websterquilt

Cynthia's Creating Ark

Nutz 4 Redwork

Quiltsbyjoanne

Ms P Designs USA

Pampered Pettit

Hill Valley Quilter

Friday, September 13th

For the love of geese
Life in the Scrapatch

Kathy's Kwilts and More

Alycia Quilts - quiltygirl

Domestic Felicity

The Joyful Quilter
QuiltFabrication
Creatin' in the Sticks

Maryellen

September One Monthly Goal

Elm Street Quilts One Monthly Goal

It's time to link with Elm Street's One Monthly goal.  If you haven't checked it out, you can join any month, and if you post your finish, you have a chance to win prizes.  I'm always looking for prizes, so here are my goals this month.  I know, more than one, but at least I'll get one done.  

First, I need to finish the Island Batik Steam Engine top from last month.  It's on Vanna the Longarm as we speak, stitching away.  I finally called Handiquilter and their wonderful education department helped me get the Steampunk Gears design from Intelligent Quilting set up for the quilt.  There were a few extra steps that I hadn't learned, and after trying to do it alone, and asking for help on Facebook, I had to call.  Next time, I'll call first. It would save me lots of frustration and about 3 days of time, lol.  I'm hoping it's done for next weekend, which is Spirit Day at St. Anne's Church.  I have a craft booth there, and hope to sell a lot of quilts.  The binding is already made, but I have to make a label.

This was the instruction page.  

I'm still hoping to get the blue and yellow quilt done, and I'm also working on my Island Batik September Child's Play project using Petal Pushers, and the Accuquilt GO! Spider Web Block on Board.  I'm hoping it's done by the end of the month.  I've started sewing blocks.  

But I also have a custom order Flag, and the Funky Friend's Octopus to make, and I can't show the Octopus.  And a costume to finish.  I also have a design chosen for the Island Batik catalog next year, and need to get that started.  So glad I can have Vanna the Longarm quilt while I work on things, too.  

Just keep sewing, just keep sewing...
Thanks for stopping by.  

Maryellen

PBJ Monthly Color Challenge September

Hi, and thanks for stopping by! 

Jen, a fellow Island Batik Ambassador has a monthly color challenge block on her blog.  It's been a fun group of blocks in pretty colors that are flower based.  She gives access to the free block for the month, and there will be a setting suggestion post soon, so you can put all your blocks into one quilt. 

I did a few months, but fell behind and need to catch up.  But I'm sharing for September, because the color is Lilac, and it's one of my favorites. 

I do like this block, and would love to play with it in EQ8 and possibly make a quilt from it.  I can't wait to see what the corner blocks do. (I love secondary designs.)
So, here's my version.  I used 2 Fat Quarters that I felt were pretty together, and fit the Lilac theme. (Are you surprised they are not batik?? lol  I do have other fabrics.)  At my house in Pennsylvania, I had 3 different lilac bushes, a pink, a purple and one that was almost plum.  Mom's is traditional purple, but I've also planted a pink one here.  So, since Lilacs come in other colors, so can your block.  Go to the link above for Jen's instructions on how to make your block, and share on her post at the end of the month. 

It's a quick block to piece.  Just a note, when I'm making 4 Half Square Triangle units, as for the center pinwheel, I cut one piece of fabric, in this case 3x6", and draw a line on the 3" line (half) and V line from corner to center to corner.  I sew both sides of the V, then cut on the drawn lines (V and center), and then square using my Quilt in a Day ruler.  4 perfect units.  If I need 8, I make the square and follow the basic Quilt in a Day directions and chart with the ruler.  I love only having to trim 2 sides, then press open.  

Thanks for visiting, and please check out the other bloggers who have made the block.  The links are on Jen's page.

I'm also doing an Island Batik blog hop, and my last post has a give-away that's open until September 3, so if you have a moment, please go back and check it out.  

I also appreciate it if you follow me by email or Bloglovin, and find me on Facebook.  

Happy Labor Day Weekend!  

Maryellen