What's Next?

The Double Irish Chain is complete.  I might add borders if    it becomes a back.  This is a partial shot of the top.  The top is square - 13 blocks.                   




















          

So, what's next?  I pulled two projects from hibernation to marry as front/back.  The Old Maid's Ramble has a lot of dark blue fabrics which are hard to discern in the photo.  The blocks finish at 17", so I only need 25.  This will be the front.  The shirting top is an antique quilt Bonnie Hunter posted on her blog years ago; she graciously gave me permission to recreate the quilt.  I'm targeting early September to get these to the quilter.                        

 Look at the great BD present from hubby!  The shop owner took buying trips to PA - I'm guessing that's where the doll bed originated.

 

Four Patch Roulette

The quilt bug found me in April.  Unfortunately, I only had scrap strips at hand.  I decided to make four patch blocks and worry about design when I was reunited with my stash.  The project became a Double Irish Chain.  I threw 340 four patch blocks in a large bag and left selection to chance (for the most part :).  The blocks went together quickly - each block constructed from four 'four patch' blocks, five constant patches and four selected patches.  The top is over halfway constructed!

Cutest Baby Contest

These blocks would win the 'Cutest Baby Block' in most community Fourth of July contests.  Have you joined the Temecula Quilt Company July Cakestand Challenge?  The block is a bit fiddly, but so cute - finishes at 2"!  Jan, this looks made for you. 

 My blocks aren't perfect, but I'm OK with that.  I'm all caught up - one block a day for the month of July.


In fact, I'm a block ahead.  I had a mishap in placement on my first block and thought I'd use if for the center of the back.  Now, I think I'll use it on the front - give 'em something to talk about.

Who's Your Neighbor?

This doesn't look like much of a quilt block.  But, join a few together and the pattern emerges.  This wasn't the placement I originally planned - a mistake in my sample block took me in a different direction.  Each of the units at left have nine combinations, so you have to know 'who's your neighbor'?  This isn't a quilt to work on while enjoying a glass of wine, but it's not really hard to keep straight.  I'm over halfway done constructing the top.  I've decided to do the original plan (inspired by an antique quilt from the Arkansas book posted about here) for the back with hst's finishing at 2.5".  The top hst's finish at 2".  I'm lovin' the chrome yellow!

Thanks to evening hours, I visited Thistle Bee Quilt Shoppe (featured in Quilt Sampler Fall/Winter 2011) in Goldsboro, NC - a great diversion from work.  The shop is almost totally repro's and has great samples.  Following are a few pics -

Bits and Bobs

Two blocks done from the quilt I posted about last time.  I'm using bits and pieces of my skimpy hotel scrap bin - I think it will make for interesting blocks.  The blocks will be set together with alternate muslin (not this distracting background).   The fabrics in the left block are hard to see - too much sun when I was taking pics.  Here are close ups -   

I've also been working on the Ocean Waves variation I posted about here.  I think I've got all the hst for the blocks sewn.  I need to do a count - I might be short one.  This is the stack that remains to be sewn into four units of four -

And what's left to trim - I've brought these with me to finish up in the hotel this week.  I'm hoping to have this one ready to play on the design wall soon!  Feels like ages since I've made major progress.










Thought you might like to see one of my purchases from my day at Mt Dora.  Isn't she sweet?

Miscellany

My current project (started in Shipshe) is an Ocean Waves variation from Arkansas Quilts.  There are 49 blocks.  I need 28 hst for each block, so I'm using the method that yields 8 hst from each square (3 of these plus 2 of the normal square that yields two makes the cutting and sewing speedy).  That's alot of hst's to trim!  I sew four sets of four and then add them to the storage container.

 
You need to know the block neighbor when constructing the block - at least the way I'm putting it together.  I'll admit I don't always make block construction easy (just ask Jan).  I'm more than half way there!  I'm anxious to start sewing some blocks together. 



I checked out Oklahoma Heritage Quilts from the library in the town where I'm working.  I think I have this book at home, but I love having quilt books in the hotel to peruse at night.  I found something for the project list.  Trouble is, I need a visual filing cabinet - a saved photo or note gets lost.  So I made a sample block.  The quilt was full-sized, but I'm thinking doll or crib size.  The 9 patch in my sample finishes at 1 1/2" - cute!  I'm happy to find something for the 1" scrap strips.  It's fun digging thru my meager hotel stash to make something work.  How do you keep track of all the ideas?

 

It occurred to me yesterday how lucky that we can spend stolen minutes making progress on a project.  This came home to me when visiting a painter's studio and thinking of all the preparation required to 'make the magic'.  Like Kathie from Inspired by Antique Quilts says - always leave something to sew tomorrow (or in my case, hst's to trim). 

Catch Up II

Me again - Blogger and Jan have been having words, so I'm sneaking in for a post.  We had a wonderful time in Elk Rapids, MI at Gwen's retreat - it's been about five years since we've made the trip.  Mother Nature blessed us with a sampler of weather - sunny warm temps to driving rain.  We visited favorite haunts and made new acquaintances.  The Elk Rapids Library is an idyllic spot on the edge of Lake Michigan.  It's filled with servicable antique chairs and tables and a wonderful sun porch overlooking Lake Michigan with a jigsaw puzzle scattered on an antique oak table waiting for attention.  We always find treasures in the basesment booksale room.  I'll miss the Elk Rapids Library!  Another favorite haunt is McLean and Eakin independant bookstore in Petoskey - love to explore the 'staff pick' section.  Bowties were my leader-ender project.  I added a nice group to my total.  I'm getting close to the target number to complete this top - Woo Hoo!

Liberated Medallions was the retreat topic.  Spending time with Gwen is a gift!  Jan was a 'smart cookie' and brought projects-in-flight.  I, on the other hand, added one more to the in-flight total.  I worked in solids, which I've collected over the years but have been hesitant to tackle.  My progress doesn't look impressive (since I made the star segments in advance), but those Y seams ain't easy.  The next border will be 'Corn and Beans' (making a zigzag around the center), but the scale of the two border blocks pictured is off - the blocks in the pic are 6 3/4" and the rescale is 4.5" (I think - need to recalculate).  The background of the center is an 'attention' color, but I plan to surround it with saturated darks.  I think the piece is successful because DH's comment was, "It doesn't look like you."

I always want to sew large Flying Geese at this time of year even though I have no project in mind.  Today I made a 6 x 3 sample.  I used the quick piecing method (1 large square for nose and 4 smaller squares for wings).  Considering the large size, I think I'll use the waste method and save the throw aways for a doll or crib quilt.  I'm thinking the Flying Geese will make a great back!

  
I've done a little seasonal decorating this weekend - Autumn is my favorite time of year.  Enjoy this beautiful season! 

 

 

Finally, Some Piecing!

There's been alot of antique quilt inspiration for me lately.  Long dry spell with no sewing, but a quilt from the Elizabeth Richardson quilt exhibit in Bowling Green, KY inspired me to ignore the long list of 'projects in flight'.  My garbled notes needed to be deciphered quickly while still fresh in my mind's eye.  It's been refreshing moving out of my Civil War repro comfort zone - the antique quilt is c 1840.  Fun digging thru stash to find fabric appropriate to the time period - I seldom use solids (and never muslin). 

The quilt has a deep mid-scale border and I found the perfect fabric at Whittle's not one hour after leaving the exhibit.  The time period of the border fabric is later (1876), but the color and scale are a match.  The constant alternate was from stash - Judie Rothermel Old Sturbridge Village Collection.  I'm half done with the pinwheels!

  

Jan and I visited the Quilter's Hall of Fame in Marion, IN to see the antique PA quilts from the collection of Pat and Arlan Christ. 

What a wonderful border on this quilt, c 1890, from the Kreider Estate of Lancaster Co.

And look at this backing fabric!  I'll take six yards, please.

This crib quilt, Sunbonnet Lassies made by Marie Webster, was featured in Ladies Home Journal, Aug. 1912.  It was inspired by the Sunbonnet Babies book illustrations by Bertha Corbett.  The quilting includes picket fences and flying birds. 

Hope there's alot of quilt inspiration influencing you!

In Defense of Stash

I've been collecting fabric for a long time.  During some of my fabric buying years, there wasn't time in my schedule for sewing.  Didn't stop me; I continued to add to stash.  Quilting has become a higher priority for me - family demands are lighter and the years aren't slowing down.  At times I've felt guilty about the size of my stash, but not anymore.  My stash is one of my favorite things!

Anne (Blue House Quilting) did a quick turn-around on Lexie's quilt.  Picking binding fabric was a challenge - finding a fabric that worked with both the quilt front and back was difficult.  I just kept digging thru the bins until I found a fabric I was happy with (close-up at left).  The binding is complete and the quilt has run thru washer/dryer.    

Pinwheels close-up 

    

Quilt back (sorry for the shading)  

Toile close-up

Back binding 

With Lexie's quilt complete, I focused on Jared's during the sew-in.  First step was to pick a design.  Windy Sister by Country Threads was the winner.  I wanted to cut the pieces from leftover strips (lots of pinwheels and 4 patches), but I never have enough lights.  So, back to the stash to find four complementary lights.  I've made good progress, but there are alot of blocks.  A 4 patch is turned wrong in the pic - no worries, just stuck up on the design wall.

 

"You've Got Mail"

Snuggle quilts have been requested by my grands in Texas (one boy/one girl).  I've always loved the quilt from "You've Got Mail" - perfect for 'my girl' and a great opportunity to action one from the list.  I worked on it last weekend (selecting fabric, cutting, sewing).  By Sunday night, I had a good start.  I should complete the last of the pinwheel blocks this weekend.  I was hoping to start putting rows together, but that was too ambitious (when factoring in spring bulb planting). 

Here's the beginning laid out on the spare bed.  At the bottom, you can see the fabric I've selected for the setting triangles and corners.  The pinwheel blocks finish at 7" (approx 10" on point).  I'm planning 7 rows of 6 pinwheels.  The quilt should finish 70" x 60".  It might be a tad big for a snuggle quilt, but it can be folded at the end of a twin bed for double-duty.

Off to finish the last of the pinwheels (15 to go!) and plan the quilt for 'my guy'.