Friday, August 12, 2016

Another Friday Finish

Again, two, in fact!

The best thing about unexpected time off from work is, a lot of quilts get finished! This week, I bound two.

The first one is winging its way to Idaho. A former classmate needs a heart transplant, and this quilt will be raffled at my class reunion next month to raise money for the surgery.


This was a fun quilt to make, started in a class at Sew-ciety in Castle Rock. The pattern is Dash in a Box from Quilter's Dream. Here is the post where I introduced this quilt -- in 2013!


I bound it using Susie's Magic Binding, with orange as the main color and bright blue as the accent.  Thank you to all the staff at Ruth's Stitchery for helping me decide on binding colors!

The second finish is the September Jelly Roll Party sample for Ruth's Stitchery. The pattern is Leaf it to Me from Cozy Quilts. I loved the colors in Daniela's sample so much, I tried to copy them the best I could. I used a Hoffman Bali Pops in the "Nirvana" color for the leaves, and another Hoffman Bali batik for the purple borders.


The border on this one is "Jean's Genius Binding," which makes the quilt look like it has no binding at all. I love it!

Which reminds me, I'll be teaching both Susie's Magic Binding and Jean's Genius Binding at Ruth's next Saturday, August 20. If you're in the neighborhood, bring a ready-to-bind-quilt and we'll bind it that afternoon!

Back to work on my "Ugly Christmas Sweater" quilt. Winter is coming!


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Tuesday, August 9, 2016

WIP Wednesday: All the Blocks are Finished

One of the best things about a quilting vacation is getting caught up on blocks of the month!

I really dialed back the number of BOMs I signed up for this year ('cuz, you know, I have so many from previous years!). One I couldn't resist was "Park Bench" by Julie Herman of Jaybird Quilts.

I picked up the kit with the same fabrics Julie used at Quilt Essentials in Laramie, Wyoming -- maybe two years ago?  So when Beth announced she would teach this quilt as a BOM at Ruth's Stitchery this year, I was ready!

Remarkably enough, I kept up with the monthly assignments. And while watching the first days of the Rio Olympics, I finished the last three blocks!


A word of caution: don't try to piece complicated blocks while watching TV. I mis-pieced two of the 15 blocks -- but really, only someone who has already made the quilt using the same Carolyn Friendlander "Botanics" fabrics would notice. Right?

Friend Betty designed an alternate layout. So as soon as I get a photo of her quilt, I'll make the background blocks and get this baby sewn together. I love the fabrics, and Julie's directions are excellent. Really! The mistakes are entirely due to me watching the TV instead of the pattern!

Two quilts bound today -- photos to follow on Friday!



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Monday, August 8, 2016

Something New: Design Wall Monday

I believe the word is "meh." 

According to Wikipedia, " meh" is defined as:
Meh /mɛ/ is an interjection used as an expression of indifference or boredom. It may also mean "be it as it may".[1] It is often regarded as a verbal shrug of the shoulders. The use of the term "meh" shows that the speaker is apathetic, uninterested, or indifferent to the question or subject at hand. It is occasionally used as an adjective, meaning something is mediocre or unremarkable.
And that's just how I felt when I put the first three blocks of this quilt up on the design wall. [The fabric license plates above are from my Row-by-Row trip to Idaho. Not part of the quilt!]

Meh.


I've mentioned before that I make a quilt for each of my Mother's great-grandchildren when they turn 12. The last male great-nephew turned 12 this month. His Dad told me the celebrant likes "yellow and orange, but not prints. And he really likes lions."

So I pulled  out every yellow and orange in my solids stash. I originally planned to make a "Jelly Roll Race" quilt from them. But then I saw this tutorial from Rob Appell of Man Quilting. It looked like so much fun, I decided to give it a try.

Rob is right: sewing curves is really easy when you use the Man Sewing technique!

Now, I love quilts in which the colors, or shades, progress from light to dark. I made these three blocks from shades of yellow. When I hung them and asked the men in my house (DH and Elder Son) what they thought, both were -- to say the least -- not impressed.  Elder Son recommended mixing the colors rather than using shades of a single color.

And this is the result:


The DH suggested having all the block oriented in the same direction, rather than alternating as in Rob's sample. I think his idea was spot on!

I moved some of the blocks around to get a better color spread:


The carpeting in the Mexican restaurant where we had lunch yesterday has a curves-and-circles motif that I think will make a perfect quilting design. I ordered a Lion print fabric for the backing. Can't wait to put the blocks together and start the quilting!

So, what do you think? Will Luc like it?



From the desk of your auntmartisignature

Sunday, August 7, 2016

Sunday Stash

A Summer of travel means a lot of Stash Enhancement! 

Here are some of the goodies I brought back from my trip to Idaho last month.

One shop I don't get to visit often is the Sun Valley Fabric Granary. It's not the largest shop in Idaho, but I think their selection is the best curated! Here's a view inside the shop:

(Photo lifted from Sun Valley Fabric Granary website)

 Doesn't this just make your fingers itch to get inside this shop?

I picked up this "Alation" kit just because I liked Bonnie Christine's "Winged" fabric collection for Art Gallery. I failed to note it requires using quilter's grid interfacing, so the odds of it actually being made are not great. Maybe I'll try it without the interfacing method.


Have you hear about "double gauze" fabric? It is yummy soft, and really double-layered. This pretty cut is going to become a summer top -- probably Amy Barickman's Asymmetrical Tunic from  Indygo Essentials.


Here's a closeup showing both layers:


You know I'm a "cat person," so I couldn't/didn't resist this Cotton  Steel panel "A Tiny Piece of Portugal" by Sarah Watts, plus the companion print. Someone will love the wall hanging it will make!


Anna Maria Horner is one of my favorite designers -- and her "Loominous" collection is among her best. I must love it, because when I got this pretty fuchsia piece home, I realized I have the same print in turquoise! 


Of course, there's more to show -- come back next Sunday to see!

From the desk of your auntmartisignature