Two more finishes

About a year and a half ago, I started this piece as a project for Modern 8 Create.  I decided to hand quilt it.  It had very irregular edges, and I wanted to keep them but wasn't sure how. I took the quilted piece to a Rebels meeting and facing was suggested.  That is what I ended up doing.  I finished it yesterday while trying to keep my cold germs away from Bella.  When I got home, I hung it in the hall next to the door to my studio.  I am very pleased with how it looks there.  Tom thinks I hung it too low, but he is much taller than I am, so it looks that way to him. Always something to consider when hanging wall quilts.

The other finish this week is this small AAQI quilt.  I have been a member of the quilt-a-month group since it started.  Each month, they send out an optional theme for color, design, and fabric.  I don't usually follow them, mostly because I am obstinate, but this month I decided I liked two of the themes: rainbow trout and plaid fabric.  I also decided to embellish this one with ribbon and beads.

You can see the beads better in this detail shot.  I really love piecing plaid scraps together, so this was great fun.  I am going to register it this morning.  Most of my mini-art quilts have sold, but there are a few still on sale. (numbers at the bottom of this post)  AAQI will close its site at the end of this year, having reached its goal of raising a million dollars toward Alzheimer's research.  There are still some great pieces for sale at the site, and it is for such a worthwhile cause.  To take a look - AAQI Quilts for Sale.

I am going to work on getting well this weekend, and I hope that includes some quilting time.

Joyful quilting, everyone.

 

 

Numbers of my AAQI quilts still for sale:  8832, 10897, 11132, 12030, 12326, 13101

 

 

 

Making progress

Today, I played around with the units I had pieced for this quilt, added where I needed to, and got it all put together.  I know this would have been more efficient if I had done it all on graph paper first, but I wanted to enjoy the process of putting it all together on the design wall.  I like that it is not all square within a square and that there are surprises here and there.  I also really like the ways the colors are playing nicely and bringing out the design in the focus "ugly" fabric.  I decided, however, that it needed some more purple.  I can almost hear the rapid intakes of breath, "Purple with red?"  It will work.

Once I got the purple up, I spotted a wonderful piece of fabric in a stack for another future project, and pulled it to audition for an outer border.  I think it is just the right thing to pull it all together.  The red and gold really do match those I have already used, but it is hard to see in the photo.  Presently, the center is 38" x 40".  I would like it to be a little bigger, so I will add the 1" purple, and 4" of the plaid.  I hope to get this one put together and off the wall tomorrow.  I stopped work on it today to start another challenge project.

For the April challenge on Modern 8 Create, we were supposed to take a photograph of something around the house, and crop it to an interesting place.  I took this while I was at Willa's and have been making small sketches for a small quilt ever sense.  I didn't want the quilt to be quite so symmetrical, or brown, so . . . . .

I took my small piece of Kaffe Fasset Targets, figured out how to cut the yellow, and machine appliqued it all together.  I was going to try and piece it, but these curves were a bit more of a challenge than I was looking for.  I like the way you get to peek through the "fence" to see something fun and exciting in the distance.  I want to keep that feeling going as I add a bit more color to this piece.  It is going to sit on the wall for a little while longer until I can figure out the next step.

The sun is shining here in the Pacific Northwest.  The peas are very happy.  The strawberries have flowers, as well as the blueberries.  The lettuce is finally growing a little.  Our robin is making hay while the sun shines.  It is a beautiful day to be living here.

Joyful quilting, everyone.

More play

I decided to quilt the mini I showed you Saturday.  I also wanted to do some thread drawing.  I started with the moth in the center using a Superior King Tut variegated thread I love.  You can see all the colors in the thread in the meandering on the light border here.

I drew these moths with water soluble pen before quilting them.  It was fun to put these little guys in each corner.

Here is the finished piece, binding and all.  I quilted the turquoise border with a deep wave line all around, and the leaf border with another meander.  As you can see, I put petals in the light triangles.  I wish they were a little more uniform, but that will come with more practice.  I now have it hanging with some of my other minis.

All these blocks came from my Stash Bee Hive 2 partners.  I still have one coming that I know of.  I am going to add more yellow, indigo, orange, and violet to make the quilt larger.  It has been so much fun to see all the incredible fabrics people have in their stashes.  This is the first time I have been Queen Bee and I really enjoyed it.  I get to do it again in August with another bee I belong to.  Whoohoo!

I am fighting a cold today, so I am not sure how much quilting I will get done.  I may hunker down with a good book, under a cozy quilt.  We shall see.  Yesterday, I made my plane reservations for a ten day trip to the Washington, DC area for the first week in April.  I haven't been back to visit Willa for a long time, and I am very excited about going, even thought Tom will be here minding the home front.  It will be great fun to explore more things quilty.

Have a fabulous week, and I will be back Friday.

Joyful quilting, everyone.

Another sneak peak

I am working on another mini quilt for an exchange.  For this one, we are supposed to make triangle trees.  The max size is 50" total perimeter.  This little quilt will be about 12" x 12".  I didn't think I would be making mini quilts when I started this adventure, but now I love them.  It is a wonderful way to practice different designs, piecing techniques, applique techniques, and quilting.  I also love exchanging them.  If any of you want to do a mini quilt exchange with me, just let me know.  I am always up for the fun and challenge. 

I didn't get much more done in the studio today.  I had errands to run and swap ornament blocks to sort and get into the mail.  I had my usual dismal experience at the local chain fabric store.  It is getting so bad, I have decided not to go there any more.  I am sure that many of you have JoAnn Fabric stores where the store is clean, warm, and the people are friendly and knowledgeable  That has not been my experience at my local JAF.  Today, they had at least 15 people waiting to be helped somehow, and two people working.  When I asked if there would be a better time to come back when more people would be working, I was told that the shifts were all filled and that she was sorry I was having a negative experience.  I will find another place to get notions and batting from now on.  One of my biggest pet peeves is poor service, and I have given these people enough chances.

Okay, enough soap box whining.  Tomorrow, I am going to be a Salvation Army bell ringer for the first time.  Our guild has been doing this for a few years now.  I have the first shift, so I have the buckets in the back seat of my car right now.  I am looking forward to ringing my bell and sharing Christmas greetings. 

Until tomorrow evening, joyful quilting, everyone.

Finished JL blocks

The last group of blocks.

The design wall with all 42 blocks.  There are 21 different florals in this project.  Here are some closeups of a few of them.

Now, all I have to do is sew all the blocks together and quilt it.

I also made a change on the warm and cool wall hanging from yesterday.  Have you ever decided not to finish something right away, but you didn't know why?  I knew I liked the wall hanging, but there was something keeping me from finishing it.  Then, I got an email from Margaret.  She pinned it right on the nose.  The block with the cross, while I loved it, was too big and detracted from the overall look of the piece.  Can you see how I fixed it?

The last thing I did was to play with making fabric from velvet.  I am thinking of using it in a project I am going to start in the next few days.  This may be the last look you get at it until after Thanksgiving.

I have one more day in the studio until my Bella week starts.  There are so many things I want to do.  Maybe I will actually get some Christmas presents made. 

Until tomorrow, joyful quilting, everyone.

Bella's quilt finished!

I promised Bella I would get it done, and I did!  I found a piece of backing fabric just the right size from my "I am never going to use that in a quilt" pile.  I loaded it all on Priscilla, and quilted away.  Then I trimmed it and got out the minkee, with great anxiety.  I have heard stories of just how difficult this can be to work with in a larger piece.  I spread the quilted piece and the minkee on the dining room table.

I took my time and carefully pinned it all around the edges.  I am sure I used more pins than I needed, but I really wanted this to work.  I pinned right sides together - quilt top to minkee.  Then, I took this very heavy piece to Betty Bernina.  Together, we sewed and pulled, pulled and sewed until we only had on opening at the bottom to turn it.  I back sewed at each corner to give them extra strength.  After I clipped the corners, I turned the quilt, sewed the opening closed, and put in eight small ties to keep the minkee where it needed to be.  Then I took it over to Bella's house.

She couldn't wait to get it on her bed with all her stuffed friends and her baby dolls.  I fit just right, and she was a very happy girl.  Hard to get a good photo with her bouncing with joy.  I am not fooling myself at all about her liking the fabric or pattern, even though she picked them out.  It was the minkee she fell in love with, 100%.

After I got home, I worked more on my October/November challenge at Modern 8 Create.

Currently, it is 40" x 18".  It makes a very nice wall hanging.  I will leave it up for a couple of days before I decide if it is finished or not.  Sure wish you could see the dark rich purple that is not black.

Tomorrow, I have more projects to work on.  What are you doing this weekend?

Joyful quilting, everyone.



More progress



Here is today's JL block.  I noticed yesterday, when all the blocks were on the wall, that I needed another pair of really dark ones.  I found this fabric in my stash, but don't know what it is because the selvage was missing.  I think it is going to work very well.  14 down, and 34 to go.

I wanted to tell you about my adventure with Tom at the local chain fabric store.  We went in to get ten yards of my favorite batting, Warm and Natural.  We went to the back, where it is usually hanging, and there was none there. There was Warm and White, and Tom suggested I get it instead.  I don't like the white, and there were not ten yards on the roll, but after looking at the other batting they had to offer, I decided to try it.  I was armed with my 50% off coupon, but of course the batting was already on sale at 30% off so the coupon was no good.  That always seems to be the way.  Tom was amused by this when I explained it to him.  Before we got the white batting cut, I asked the clerk if they had the natural in the back somewhere.  She informed me they don't carry it.  I was flabbergasted since they have always carried it before.  Another clerk, who overheard the conversation, said there was probably a bolt in a box in the back.  We went back and found it.  Hurray!  The first clerk set about measuring the batting and lost count about half way through.  Tom began to chuckle.  Check-out was just as much fun.  Only one register had enough cash to take cash customers.  Of course, we didn't know that until we got our turn at a non-cash register and had to go back to the end of the line for the cash register. It seems as if everyone used cash yesterday.  By the time we got out to the car, Tom was laughing out loud.  It was contagious.  From now on, I will be able to find the humor in my visits to this store.

When I was cleaning out a basket from an old project, I found these fun HSTs and built another quilt for AAQI.  This one is 11" x 7.5".  I love pinwheels, but usually don't make them because I have trouble with the centers.  This piece went together pretty easily.

I made this BOM block using some of the fabric I made yesterday.  Of all the BOMs, this one should be the easiest.  I managed to mess it up a few times before I got it put together.  Hmmmm.



Last, but not least, I did some more building on this piece.  I love these colors together, but I realize they are not every bodies taste.  I also realized I needed more lights.  I dug through the stash and found some pale purple batik.  I will add some in tomorrow.  I also need another dark, but don't have what I need.  Since my palette is limited, I think it needs to be purple.  Today, I added in some red/orange stripe fabric from another thrift store skirt.  I really love this fabric, so I am glad it works with this.

I guess that is all for today.  Who knows what tomorrow will bring.  

Joyful quilting, everyone. 

I love studio time

Here is today's JL block.  The floral in this one is the Western Washington Shop Hop 2011 design from In the Beginning.  I really like this fabric, too.  Each time I grab a floral from the stack, it seems to become my new favorite.  I have 12 blocks done now, so I decided I needed to put them on the design wall and see how it looks.

I am so excited with the secondary pattern that is emerging.  The background fabric is working so well.  I see so many things in the pattern - big fat arrows, chains, Xs, and squares.  I am 1/3 done with the blocks I need for the size I want.  I am so happy Freda decided to host this QAL.  Stop over and see what else she is doing these days.

Today, I also decided to start a project I have been putting off because I was intimidated by the challenge.  If you want to read more about the challenge, go here.

To see my palette inspiration, visit here.  To read more about the process I went through to get this far, read this post.

That is all for today.  I did make more fabric for the BOMs, but decided I wanted to make enough for all the rest of the blocks before I cut into what I made.  I didn't get any more blocks made for the Christmas quilt.  Tom took me to my local chain fabric store to pick up batting.  That was quite an interesting trip.  I will write more about that tomorrow.  Right now, the pizza is ready, and I am hungry.

Joyful quilting, everyone.

Bella's quilt progress

I have all the blocks for Bella's quilt pieced together.  I think I need to move some of them around before I sew all the blocks together.  I don't think I am going to quilt it with the minkee.  I will use some very ugly fabric I found to quilt the top, then sew the minkee on pillow case style and tie it in a few strategic places.  I am doing this for a couple of reasons.  I don't want to interfere with the total softness of the minkee with all over quilting, and I have heard that quilting with minkee is a bear.  I think it will work very well the way I am going to do it.

Here is today's Jacob's Ladder block.

I also pulled some fabric for a project I am doing over at Modern 8 Create.



So far, I am really liking the color combinations.

Right now, I am going to go put my feet up and relax for a while.

Joyful quilting, everyone.

Making more fabric

The first thing I worked on this morning was my challenge from Modern 8 Create.  I had to build another block like the second one I did.  As I was putting together the quadrants, I had a brainstorm about adding the inner border pieces as I went.  When I had all the quadrants together, I started playing with them and found at least four ways to put the block together.  Instead of choosing just one of them, I am going to make them all using different shades of the blues, purples, and greens.  I can even see more ways to change these blocks.  When they are all done, they will make an interesting quilt.

The second project was to finish Tom's birthday present.  I will post it here on Wednesday, after he opens it.  I sure hope he likes it.

After that, I started making fabric for the background for a small quilt.  Over at Quilters, Books, and Bindings, we all just finished The Lover's Knot by Clare O'Donohue.  Each of us is creating our own quilt that interprets the book, or some aspect of the story, in our own way.  My quilt will have flowers growing out of the red area.  Cathy did a wonderful AAQI quilt representing a place in the story.  This group is new, but I think it will grow as we read and post more.



As I started looking at the red, green, and gold made fabric blocks for my Christmas quilt, I had an idea about putting the Virgin of Guadalupe in the center.  I think I really like it.  I will leave it there as I continue to build fabric blocks.  I think she will add quite a bit to the quilt.

All in all, it has been a good day in the studio.  I have another studio day tomorrow.  Who knows what will happen then.  In the mean time, joyful quilting, everyone.



Farmer's Wife blocks and more quilting

I have been seeing several bloggers quilting along on the Farmer's Wife quilt blocks.  Here is a Flickr group where you can see a couple thousand of these blocks. I was sure I wasn't going to jump on this quiltalong. When I was at the library the other day, I saw the book was in  so I grabbed it to see what all the fuss was about.  The book is The Farmer's Sampler Quilt by Laurie Aaron Hird.  There are 55 wonderful stories written by farm wives in the 1920's as part of a contest.  There are also 111 six inch quilt blocks.  When I started reading the stories, I thought it might be fun to do the blocks.  The one above is #1 and it is called Attic Window.  The one below is #2, Autumn Tints.  I am going to redo #1 to get back my points.  There are templates on an attached CD, but I don't really like using templates, so I goofed on the measurements.  I know where I went wrong, so I will fix it tomorrow.

I also worked on my Lotta Jansdotter Echo fabric, but I don't want to show it until it is finished.  It has been quite the topic of discussion around here with Tom, Lisa (my daughter), and Bella all weighing in on what I might do to improve the overall design.  After weighing all their input, I added some design elements and I think it is much improved.  I will try and get it done tomorrow to share here and over at Modern 8 Create.

I started the day by practicing my free motion quilting.  I started yesterday with the sample on the left, and today I did the one on the right.  My hand was definitely steadier today, but I really do have a long way to go.  I am just glad I have started working on it. 

Enjoy your weekend, everyone.  Joyful quilting.

Modern 8 Create and a new challenge quilt

I have been invited to join with a group of seven other quilters to who will challenge and encourage each other to continue to explore the depths of our creativity.  We will have regular challenges posed by the members, and occasionally we will be given pre-release fabric to play with.  You can watch our progress over at http://modern8create.blogspot.com/.

Our first challenge is to use a small charm pack of the new fabric line by Lotta Jansdotter for Windham Fabrics.  It is called Echo, and it is very modern and exciting.  I have been playing with it a couple of days, and this is what I have on my design board so far.

Hop on over to Modern 8 Create to see what the others are doing.

It is warm and beautiful in the Pacific Northwest and we are finally enjoying our summer.  The strawberries in the yard are starting to get red.  The blueberries are turning blue.  The cane raspberries in the neighbors yard are getting ripe.  And the fuchsia has decided it is warm enough to bloom, finally.  Soon enough, the cool fall weather will arrive and my favorite season will begin.  I have a long list of quilts I want to get made over the next three months.  All is good with the world.

Joyful quilting, everyone.