Very little progress

It's been more than a month since I last blogged.  Even though I've been quilting a lot, there has not been much to show for my work.  So, here is what I've been doing.

One of my table runners exactly fits my new buffet!

This is part of a very involved hand-appliqued project that my mother started many years ago.  This corner is almost done.

This second corner is barely started - have almost finished the stems

Our Modern Quilt Guild issued a challenge to make a quilt that embodies the spirit of modern quilting, especially using negative space.  Really a challenge for me, since I've never done that!  The only requirement is that one side be at least 40".  So this is my idea - based on a quilt I saw on Pinterest.  I haven't decided the width, so I've used rick rack to define it on my design board - and keep changing it!

Here is the Pinterest picture I'm basing it on - I've forgotten where I got it.

I've joined a class - "Circle Games" - that uses paper-piecing!  I have only done this once years ago, so I'm learning all over again!  Here are roughly cut circles from the first 2 blocks.  I'm using bright primary colors, and auditioning the setting fabric.

Here are my first 3 months of the online BOM I'm following.  I have a lot to catch up on!  April's project is English paper piecing, which I've never done!  Bright colors here also...

This is a small pigma-penned drawing I traced onto fabric - looks pretty anemic!  I'd like to make all 4 seasons - and put some life into them.










I have a Welcome banner in progress from Mickey's class also.

I worked on my small quilt book - measuring quilts, taking more pictures.  It will be awhile before I'm up-to-date.

One of these days, I'll have something finished to write about.

Scrapbooking Quilts

Well, shoot!  I can't seem to watch The Bone Collector while scrapbooking.  The movie is way too compelling.  I spent 3 great days at a scrapbooking retreat and wanted to continue at home while I'm still in the mode.  I can watch recorded Letterman but not this movie.

I've taken shots of my quilts and making a book to record my progress.  Some of the pictures I need to take again - I'm not that good with a camera.  This book will contain all the quilts, table toppers, and wall hangings that I've finished, and I've finished more than I remembered.  Fortunately I snapped pictures of my first few that were given away - the one I made for Mama and given to her on her last Christmas and the baby quilts I've made for friends and family that needed to be finished before the baby was born

Since then, while I was still working, I quilted a bit on some that Mama had started, but I never finished one.  I'm a starter but not a finisher.  Now I have more time and am working on actually completing some quilts - some that Mama  began and some that I started.

No pictures this time...

Hanging Gardens progress

I worked all week adding more machine quilting to my Hanging Gardens quilt - 'meandered' along all the sashing, and added a sort of angled paisley on each lantern/garden.  I'm really pleased with the result and plan on hanging it in my living room - as soon as I add a sleeve...

This is the 'before'- very baggy!

Bugsy takes every opportunity to get into the picture!

In our friendship group meeting last night, we decided to share our skills and I think I got signed up for needle-turn applique!?  I'll have to check!  and review!  Next month Fran is going to show us how to work with felt - something I've never done.  Sounds like fun!

I plan on working more on my BOTM blocks today - maybe I'll be caught up and be prepared to share them at our Modern Quilt Guild meeting next week.  Sometime this week, I'd like to work more on Picaso 3 before posting again so that I can display a group of photos instead of 1 at a time.

Spring birthdays in our family!  Daughter-in-law, 2 granddaughters, and daughter!  My daughter 'repinned' several quilt ideas, so that gives me an idea what she likes and what to make for her birthday.  Pinterest comes in very handy sometimes.

New Blocks

I've begun making blocks as part of an online BOM QAYG - all 3 of which are new to me!  It's Pile O' Fabric's Block of the Month Skillbuilder, and we use Flickr to show progress, which is also new to me!  I'm very excited about this class!  A member of my new guild showed blocks she had made as part of this class, and Christa on her blog also started it, so I had to check it out. 

Choosing fabric took forever as usual.  Lately I've been trying to use from my own stash and I've only had to buy 2 fat quarters so far to supplement my colors.  Of course I needed to buy the background fabric.  Just finished piecing the 2 blocks from January - got some catching up to do - and they aren't quilted yet.

I've been looking at my hanging gardens quilt, and have decided it needs more quilting.  It's such a pain to maneuver it on the machine that I stopped and figured that was enough, but I can see large places where the fabric hangs, and I know I need to make it right.  Bugsy wanted to be in the picture too!




A quilting friend is coming over today.  We do handwork and talk together, and I'm looking for something to do by hand - maybe more beadwork on the Christmas tree that I started last  year.

A New Guild

This week I've joined a new quilt guild - my 4th! - Modern Quilt Guild.  I can see I will like it a lot!  Contemporary fabrics and designs, make-up-your-own patterns - can't wait!

In the meantime, I've been working on my plank quilt.  I didn't like it at all when I first made it - but I'm feeling better about it since adding the borders.

 The hanging gardens quilt top is almost done - the inner part is squared up ready to add the borders.  The inner dark border is the same as the accent on the quilt body, and the outer border is similar to the background - just a bit darker.  The pattern called for the borders to be more elaborate but I ran out of the right fabric to do that.  The back will be the patterned fabric and the soft green.

I have finished (almost) 3 tops in the last couple of weeks - time to layer them so they don't turn in to UFOs!


Also thinking about what to start next!  Fun!!

Plank Quilt

This has been a frustrating few days  and a productive one.

The productive part was making the binding and backing for the streaky city quilt.  The binding is the same taupe as the borders, and the backing is a strong aqua just perfect for the strong brights in the quilt.  I found the aqua in my stash that I inherited from mama - there are about 8 yards of it so I guess she was planning for a backing too.

I saw on blogs beautiful plank or jellyroll quilts and thought I'd try it.  I didn't use a jellyroll, but cut all florals that I liked and a small dark floral for spacers.

It isn't difficult but took a really long time to sew all those strips!  I chose a medium dark floral for the 5 inch border.

The thing is - now that I made it, I don't like it and I don't know quite why.  I like all the fabrics.

There are a lot of places on the quilt that mirror the strips near it and the ones I see on blogs don't do that.  The lighter fabrics ended mostly in the middle too.

Another possible problem is not using the same value for the strips.  It makes me feel that I'm not at all good at selecting fabrics for a project.

There's no use in finishing and adding borders to this quilt.  I'd like to make another one - I could make it from a pre-made jellyroll, but I'd like to grow in my ability to select fabrics on my own for a project.

I'm not sure what project I'll attack next, but I hope it turns out better than this one!

Lost City

I feel very productive!  In the last 2 weeks I have finished 2 quilt tops!

This UFO was begun about 7 years ago, and now the last bit - the borders - are done too.  I'm very pleased with it!  I will quilt each edge of the blue sashing, and am still undecided if I need to quilt at all inside the 5x8 monster blocks.

 I spent a little time machine quilting a block - part of the Lovebird Lane hanging - also a UFO.  Lots of quilting to do yet.






I began this throw (55x55) a week ago.  It's not a UFO - just part of my quilting chronicle.  It's Cuzco Lost City by Kate Spain, made during CutLoose class at Sewing Party.  My design wall was essential placing these blocks.






Now trying to decide my next challenge.