Joyfully sharing my quilting journey and other bits and pieces that make up daily life.
Tuesday, February 28, 2017
Pizza Box Challenge
Okay...I did it....thank goodness! I was really stumped with this box and I really had no idea what to do. I did some brainstorming with my sister Cheryl and the result is this 'ghost of clothing past' in my closet. You know the clothes I am talking about - the clothes we keep holding onto thinking we just might fit into them someday. ;)
These are all of the blocks in the pizza box including the one I just finished. I hope the next person to make a block for this box has an easier time of coming up with an idea than I did.
Making this block caused me to use something in my sewing room that I have not used in a few years. I uncovered it when I tidied my sewing room and this is the first opportunity that I have had to use it. I did a zig zag around the ghost and I think it turned out okay even without practice. The problem I had is that because I hadn't used the machine for so long I needed the manual to help me navigate and all I could find is the French version. I don't speak or read French but thankfully pictures work in any language!
Tomorrow is my Guild meeting and I have quite a bit of stuff prepared for the actual meeting but I need something to work on at the social sew that takes place beforehand. I think I will work on a Midget Block...gasp! I will do one that requires hand work so I need to get that together tonight and then I am off to bed.
Friday, February 24, 2017
Preparing for March Guild Meeting
Happy spring colours |
All ready for the members! |
Carol's Cuddle Quilt - 'A Warm Hug' |
Celtic Solstice |
sample block |
I guess I am all ready for the March meeting except for my Pizza Box Challenge block and I am certainly struggling with it this month!
Thursday, February 23, 2017
The Last Batch
Rocky Mountain Chain, Bears Paw and Road to California |
Independence Square |
All 12 blocks mashed together! |
Wednesday, February 22, 2017
More Blocks = More Fun!
Courthouse Rock, Sage Bud, Chimney Rock |
My Chimney Rock block looks nothing like the block that Barbara Brackman showed on her blog. I used the alternate method to make this block to avoid those crazy seams and I got my dark and light triangles in different positions. It just goes to show that fabric selection and placement can give the same block a whole different look. I think it looks pretty good though!
My photo skills just don't do these blocks justice! |
I am so lucky to have so many repro scraps to choose from because I ordered a lot of reproduction scrap bags from here quite a while ago. I see now that they don't seem to offer the reproduction only scraps any longer - too bad. Because my repro collection of fabric is mostly scraps it can be a challenge to find just the right fabric in the right quantity. It is almost like a scavenger hunt and it is so rewarding to find just the right bits and to put them together. I want to use mainly cream/beige, brown, blue and red in these blocks and I am finding that I do have less options when it comes to the blue family, but so far so good!
Tuesday, February 21, 2017
Westering Women Blocks
Platte River, Hill and Hollow, Independence Square, Indiana Territory, Lone Elm and Sweet Gum Leaf |
No problem, out came my trusty seam ripper and after a bit of this and a bit of that and then re-ripping and resewing because I made the same mistake....voila!
Oh that is much better. Today I plan to carry on with my journey...
Monday, February 20, 2017
Blue Cheese is Ready for Quilting!
Finally, a finished top! |
It was like an assembly line, but a fun one and I enjoyed the process immensely! I would finish so many quilts and pass them on to their recipients and I felt really good about it. It worked perfectly for me. Over the past few years, I have taken on and started so many quilts that I have been feeling really bogged down and I don't like it. I don't like it one bit so I am going back to what worked best for me.
In January, I had hoped to finish three quilt tops - I did get the Ugly Christmas Sweater quilt turned into a top but then I decided it needed a border - so not finished. I needed some time to think about how I wanted to proceed and I think I now have a plan. Blue Cheese did get some attention but was not completed and I didn't even touch Westering Women. So in the end I didn't get any of them to the finished quilt top stage in January but stuff happens in life and I will just keep moving forward with the plan.
The good news is that I have finished my Blue Cheese quilt and it is ready for quilting. February is not January but I am happy none-the-less! I am thinking of using blue for the backing but if I don't have any blue fabric that works for me then I just may use a beige/cream fabric.
In January, I had hoped to finish three quilt tops - I did get the Ugly Christmas Sweater quilt turned into a top but then I decided it needed a border - so not finished. I needed some time to think about how I wanted to proceed and I think I now have a plan. Blue Cheese did get some attention but was not completed and I didn't even touch Westering Women. So in the end I didn't get any of them to the finished quilt top stage in January but stuff happens in life and I will just keep moving forward with the plan.
ready and waiting for a border |
I just want to see some finished quilts coming out of my sewing room!!
Friday, February 3, 2017
Pizza Box Challenge
I am so glad that I am finally getting my energy back! I didn't bounce back from the flu as quickly as I had hoped but it seems that I am definitely on my way now.
Wednesday was my Guild meeting day but I just didn't have the energy to attend but I did manage to get my Pizza Box challenge block done. Thankfully, one of the Guild members delivered it to the meeting for me. The theme for this box was 'In My Garden' and I worked on my block off and on all day Monday and I had it finished for Tuesday morning. I am so happy that I was able to get it done and have it delivered because it really would have messed up the exchange for the other participants.
These are the blocks that were already in the box including the one I added. I used Lite Steam-a-Seam 2 and it has a permanent bond so I didn't need to stitch the applique down. Honestly, I just didn't have it in me anyway. I think that the recipient of this box of blocks can stitch it down later if they feel the need.
The rules are that we must use some of the focus fabric, which in this case is the flowery piece, and we must also use some of the background fabric. I followed everyone else's lead and used the background fabric as a frame for my block. I cut my flower blossoms from the pink sections of the focus fabric. I found the hummingbird on-line but I can't for the life of me remember where. It was in an image of a block and I printed it and cut the hummingbird out to use as a template - a big thank you to the creator. I am pretty happy with how it turned out!
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