Works in Progress – Page 16 – Artquiltmaker Blog

Spiderweb Again

Nothing for years and then a blast of Spiderweb posts. When it rains it pours, right? Thursday I wrote about working on the Spiderweb and how that felt. I mentioned the 7 blocks I had done and thought I should post about those.

From this picture you can get an idea of what the quilt will look like. In order to complete the whole section, I will need 5 more border blocks and 1 center block. I have labelled the photo below so you can see what I mean.

As usual, what I am trying to do is to complete the plates. I want each of the plates to be complete. I don’t want any of them to be cut in half or just show a quarter. There is nothing wrong with those types of layouts, but they are not for me at this time.

Sometimes the border blocks take too long and I need to make some progress, get a little bang for my buck. At those times I grab some center blocks and sew them together. I think that alternating keeps me from getting bored. When I sew some center blocks together, I feel like I am making real progress.

I walked by my Sampler quilt, the first one I ever made and saw the Spiderweb block in that quilt and it made me think that the first Spiderweb block in the Sampler quilt was just a taste or precursor to this quilt. OR I might be getting just a bit too philosophical.

Spiderweb Feelings

I really hope you can understand this when you read it. I stayed up too late watching the election Tuesday night and, as I write this, the exhaustion is taking over.

The last time I wrote about the Spiderweb was last December. Nearly a year later, something is finally happening. But the worst part of the story is that I started this project in 1998. I looked at the blocks many times and my tastes had changed and I didn’t really want to work with dark backgrounds. The project languished, but the 26 Projects list has forced me to get to it. Forced is a strong word. I could have donated all of the blocks to the Charity Girls and been done with it, but something prevented me from doing that.

I started small by buying some Carol Doak foundation paper. Then I continued by printing the main foundations for the border blocks. Then I started sewing and found I printed the foundations the wrong size, so I started over. Finally, I was able to sew enough to get some blocks put together.

In the process, I found something really remarkable. I feel really good making these blocks. I don’t know why. They don’t seem especially gorgeous, though they are pretty. I get a warm glowy feeling inside each time I work on them. It is so odd.

I have all of the center blocks done, but, like the Flowering Snowball, I needed to make special border blocks so the border plates weren’t cut up. I wanted them to be finished.

In the photo, right, I have put numbers on the border blocks. You can see the differences, if you compare them with the center blocks.

The border blocks are definitely brighter and more cheerful, because of the newer fabrics I am using. I hope there isn’t a big disparity when the quilt is finished.

My biggest problem, however, is that I have nowhere to lay this quilt out. My design walls are full and the quilt, since there is foundation piecing paper on the back of the blocks, wouldn’t stay on the design wall without pins anyway. For the moment it is on the floor in front of a design wall and blocking the closet. This isn’t going to last long, but I don’t have a solution right now.

At the moment, I have 7 border blocks complete and one needing some trimming and pressing. The quilt will be 8 blocks wide and 10 blocks tall. I have about 32 more blocks to make and I hope I don’t run out of the border fabric. If I do, I will have to make the quilt smaller and donate a few of the leftover blocks to the Charity Girls.

26 Projects – October Update

I skipped September, because I was sewing slowly due to the rotator cuff injury. I didn’t feel like I was making any progress. It was a good idea. I feel like I am back in the saddle.

Original Bullseye: needs border, backing, quilting and binding, which are all hard to do if you can’t find the project. It is lost. I know it is in there somewhere. As I mentioned, I did a test and found that my original idea didn’t work. I think a plain border will set off the blocks fine IF I ever find the top. Bleah!
A-B-C (A-Z) BAMQG Challenge – I finished all the blocks and a few extras. I have a total of 30 and they are all sashed. I have a couple to trim and may have done that by the time you read this, then I will make some decisions about sashing.
Aqua-Red Sampler – Frances contacted me about getting back in the saddle. We met yesterday! Hooray!
The Tarts Come to Tea: I haven’t quilted on this since April 2011. I need to work on the quilting. I was making good progress and then got sidetracked. Quilting the Whole Cloth quilt is getting me back in the swing of quilting, so perhaps there is hope for this piece.
Garden: I started this piece in a class with Pamela Allen in 2006. As mentioned, I used this piece for my beading demo for the 2012 EBHQ Voices in Cloth show (March 17), which means that I added some beads. I finished machine quilting this piece, removed some of the beads and have started to put beads back on to it. I think it might be done with the few beads I have put on it. I have to look at it and decide. If it is done, then I need to put a facing and sleeve on it.
Pointillist Palette #4: Fourth is a series of 6 quilts; needs tiny square patches sewn together. Mrs. K. gave me more PP fabric. I think it is a sign to work on this.
See: needs satin stitching.
Self Portrait: started in 2006 at a class at Quilting Adventures in Richmond, Virginia. I like the piece, but don’t know where to go from where I am. Mouth? Hair?
Spiderweb: I woke up one morning thinking I would work on this project. I found that I had already designed the border blocks! Yay! I want to sort through the blocks and make sure I have just enough to make a quilt for my bed. That means I will have extras. I could make a quilt that would cover my house with the number of blocks I have already made. Progress. Hooray!
Under the Sea: class project; like the design, but not the colors much.
Flower Sugar Hexagon: sewed more hexagons together. Sewing Y seams is a bit of a chore, so I get tired of doing it after awhile.
Young Man’s t-shirt quilt: have cut up the t-shirts and am still in the process of applying fusible. He cleaned out his drawers and found some more t-shirts to add to the quilt. Oh Yay! <– just a bit of sarcasm
~~New: Super Secret Project~~: top, back and binding made. Ready to go to the quilter. Stay tuned. 😉
~~FOTY 2011~~: at the quilter, needs binding.
~~Flowering Snowball~~: Back from the quilter; need to hand stitch the binding.
~~Stepping Stones~~: at the quilter, made binding, which she will sew on for me and then I need to stitch down the binding.
~~New: Wonky 9 Patch~~: needs quilting and binding.
~~Corner Store~~: Top and back are made. It is ready to go to the quilter.
~~New Super Secret Project #2~~: Top and back are made. It is ready to go to the quilter.
~~Infinity blocks~~: blocks sewn together into a quilt top, borders on. Back and binding made; ready to go to quilter.

Finished or Abandoned projects that were on the list:

Stars for San Bruno #2: Finished! YAY!
Pavers. Finished! YAY!
Kissy Fish: Finished! Yay!
Stars for San Bruno #3: Finished! YAY!
Food Quilt: Finished 5/24/2012. YAY!!!!
Renewed Jelly Roll Race Quilt: Finished 9/9/2012 YAY!!!
Whole Cloth Quilt: Finished 10/5/2012 YAY!!!

Abandoned

Flower Garden: The flowers were too spiky. This is going to Pam for a cat bed.
Pineapple: will remake blocks at a later time with more care.
Moon and Stars: This quilt was barely a quilt and was not interesting. I realized I didn’t want to devote time to it. So, I finally just decided to give up and get it off the list. I will send it to Pam for a cat mat?

Hunting and Gathering

Spin Wheel: really not started, but supplies gathered. Cutting fabrics as I go. TFQ does not consider this a UFO, which is why I have moved it to the Hunting and Gathering section. She says, and I have to agree, that quilts are not ‘projects’ until the sewing starts. OK. I’ll go with that.
Windmill quilt.

I am pretty pleased. I have 6 projects off the list and 8 with a definite plan.

26 Projects – August Update

I said, last time, that I am sick of this list, that it felt a bit tyrannical to me. I decided that I would ignore the list for awhile and see what happened.

What has happened so far is I am designing a whole cloth quilt. I have a rotator cuff injury that may have been exacerbated by my manic quilting marathon. I started the actual quilting, am am excited about the design, but have to take frequent breaks.

I also woke up one morning thinking it was time to work on the spiderweb again. I was pleased to find that I had already designed the border blocks, which means I am farther ahead than I thought. I haven’t actually done it, but am still thinking about it, especially thinking about getting some Carol Doak paper.

The other thing that happened is that TFQ got into Big Sister Bossy Mode (BSBM) and gave me a talking to about this list. She really thinks I need to get rid of the class projects. I will think about that.

Original Bullseye: needs border, backing, quilting and binding, which are all hard to do if you can’t find the project. It is lost. I know it is in there somewhere. As I mentioned, I did a test and found that my original idea didn’t work. I think a plain border will set off the blocks fine IF I ever find the top. Bleah!
A-B-C (A-Z) BAMQG Challenge – I am actually not sure if this should be considered a WIP (Please say no!), because I just barely have enough blocks with which to make something. I am making good progress. W and X blocks are done and Y and Z blocks are next on the list- due in October. I tried about a bunch of different options for the sashing, because the blocks need to be a uniform size.
Aqua-Red Sampler – steady progress has stopped and the class more than the quilt is really weighing on my mind. As far as I know Frances has finished her Dresden Plate, so perhaps we will start up again soon. The next class was going to be fusible machine applique’, but I haven’t gotten past cutting out the templates. Perhaps I should skip to machine piecing curves? TFQ also does not think this is a project. She considers this to be a teaching sample.
The Tarts Come to Tea: I haven’t quilted on this since April 2011. I need to work on the quilting. I was making good progress and then got sidetracked. I have been quilting another quilt and that is getting me back in the swing of quilting. I thought that now that my machine is happier it might a good time to take this piece out again, but then I got sidetracked with the whole cloth piece again. I would like to finish it.
Garden: I started this piece in a class with Pamela Allen in 2006. As mentioned, I used this piece for my beading demo for the 2012 EBHQ Voices in Cloth show (March 17), which means that I added some beads. I finished machine quilting this piece, removed some of the beads and have started to put beads back on to it. YAY! Handwork!
Flower Garden: I still find the ‘flowers’ too spiky. I think I need to soften them up a bit. I was thinking of putting larger petals over the spikes to soften them.
Pointillist Palette #4: Fourth is a series of 6 quilts; needs tiny square patches sewn together. Bits of this quilt keep falling off the shelf on which I have them stored. While I was machine quilting the Garden quilt, I kept finding bits of piecing stuck to various parts of my clothing. This is a good leaders and enders project and perhaps the patches jumping off the shelf was an omen.
See: needs satin stitching.
Self Portrait: started in 2006 at a class at Quilting Adventures in Richmond, Virginia. I like the piece, but don’t know where to go from where I am. Mouth? Hair?
Spiderweb: I woke up one morning thinking I would work on this project. I found that I had already designed the border blocks! Yay! I want to sort through the blocks and make sure I have just enough to make a quilt for my bed. That means I will have extras. I could make a quilt that would cover my house with the number of blocks I have already made. Progress. Hooray!
Under the Sea: class project; like the design, but not the colors much.
Flower Sugar Hexagon: sewed more hexagons together. Sewing Y seams is a bit of a chore, so I get tired of doing it after awhile.
Young Man’s t-shirt quilt: have cut up the t-shirts and am still in the process of applying fusible. He cleaned out his drawers and found some more t-shirts to add to the quilt. Oh Yay! <– just a bit of sarcasm
~~New: Super Secret Project~~: top, back and binding made. Ready to go to the quilter. Stayed tuned.
~~FOTY 2011~~: at the quilter, needs binding.
~~Flowering Snowball~~: Top and back finished 5/13/2012; ready to go to the quilter
~~Stepping Stones~~: at the quilter, made binding, which she will sew on for me and then I need to hand sew.
~~Jelly Roll Race~~: Quilted. Binding being applied, needs sleeve.
~~New: Wonky 9 Patch~~: needs quilting and binding.
~~Corner Store~~: Top and back are made. It is ready to go to the quilter.
~~Super Secret Project #2~~: Top and back are made. It is ready to go to the quilter.
~~Infinity blocks~~: blocks sewn together into a quilt top, borders on. Back and binding made; ready to go to quilter.

Finished or Abandoned projects that were on the list:

Stars for San Bruno #2: Finished! YAY!
Pavers. Finished! YAY!
Kissy Fish: Finished! Yay!
Pineapple: Abandoned; will remake blocks at a later time with more care.
Stars for San Bruno #3: Finished! YAY!
Food Quilt: Finished 5/24/2012. YAY!!!!
Moon and Stars: Abandoned. This quilt was barely a quilt and was not interesting. I realized I didn’t want to devote time to it. So, I finally just decided to give up and get it off the list. Perhaps Pam can use it as a cat mat?

Hunting and Gathering

Spin Wheel: really not started, but supplies gathered. Cutting fabrics as I go. TFQ does not consider this a UFO, which is why I have moved it to the Hunting and Gathering section. She says, and I have to agree, that quilts are not ‘projects’ until the sewing starts. OK. I’ll go with that.

26 Projects – July Update

I have been in Chicago for work for a week and have had no opportunity to sew. I thought about bringing some handwork, but, in the end, just brought a book, my journal (especially to do studies for the Creative Prompt Project) and my iPad.

Prior to leaving, I saw a clear theme in my work style which manifested in me by picking up a UFO-type project and intensely working on it until it is finished. I don’t know if that strategy will work for me long term, but right at the moment I am getting projects completed.

I am, however, sick of this list. It feels a bit tyrannical to me. I really think these feelings come from the fact that I am mostly just finishing, e.g. only doing specific tasks and not working through the whole process. I am not not doing much designing of new projects.

This list, as mentioned before) wasn’t part of my plan for the year. It just evolved, which makes me tempted to bail. Alternatively, I could scratch items off of of the list, but I really want them to be completely finished before I do so. It is a good exercise, however, and provides good focus for my work. There isn’t a lot of down time when I have a list staring me in the face. though, without downtime, I don’t get to dream about creativity and new ideas. I have made a lot of good progress, but perhaps I need to take a break from these projects and make something fun that I want to make? Perhaps I need to remember that there is value in taking my time and doing good work? I have made more good progress since last time, which is good.

I am thinking that I may need to abandon another project or two that are languishing and going nowhere. There is no shame in being realistic, right?

Enough with the existential art angst, here is the list, again, still in no particular order, except that I have put some of the “mostly finished” projects at the end. This time, like last, I have moved the finished pieces off. Still 23 WIPs left, but only 17 that need intensive work to get them to the quilting stage. I am making progress. Really. I am.

Original Bullseye: needs border, backing, quilting and binding, which are all hard to do if you can’t find the project. It is lost. I know it is in there somewhere. As I mentioned, I did a test and found that my original idea didn’t work. I think a plain border will set off the blocks fine IF I ever find the top. Bleah!
Spin Wheel: really not started, but supplies gathered. Cutting fabrics as I go
A-B-C (A-Z) BAMQG Challenge – I am actually not sure if this should be considered a WIP (Please say no!), because I just barely have enough blocks with which to make something. I am making good progress. S and T blocks are done and now U and V blocks are next on the list. I am really thinking about just making all the blocks, putting sashing around them and then trimming the sashing a bit so the blocks are all a uniform size. It occurred to me today that the grey Half Moon fabric with big white polka dots might be an interesting sashing for this piece. They are not wildly off, but they are a bit off… I could bring them to BAMQG as the blocks are due. We’ll see.
Aqua-Red Sampler – steady progress has stopped and the class more than the quilt is really weighing on my mind. As far as I know Frances has finished her Dresden Plate, so perhaps we will start up again soon. The next class was going to be fusible machine applique’, but I haven’t gotten past cutting out the templates. Perhaps I should skip to machine piecing curves?
The Tarts Come to Tea: I haven’t quilted on this since April 2011. I need to work on the quilting. I was making good progress and then got sidetracked. I have been quilting another quilt and that is getting me back in the swing of quilting. Now that my machine is happier, perhaps it is a good time to take this piece out again? I would like to finish it.
Garden: I started this piece in a class with Pamela Allen in 2006. As mentioned, I used this piece for my beading demo for the 2012 EBHQ Voices in Cloth show (March 17), which means that I added some beads. I finished machine quilting this piece, removed some of the beads and have started to put beads back on to it. YAY! Handwork!
Flower Garden: I still find the ‘flowers’ too spiky. I think I need to soften them up a bit. I was thinking of putting larger petals over the spikes to soften them.
Moon and Stars: need to finish hand quilting. This quilt is not interesting. This is month 2 that I have thought this is a candidate for abandonment.
Pointillist Palette #4: Fourth is a series of 6 quilts; needs tiny square patches sewn together. Bits of this quilt keep falling off the shelf on which I have them stored. While I was machine quilting the Garden quilt, I kept finding bits of piecing stuck to various parts of my clothing. This is a good leaders and enders project and perhaps the patches jumping off the shelf was an omen.
See: needs satin stitching.
Self Portrait: started in 2006 at a class at Quilting Adventures in Richmond, Virginia. I like the piece, but don’t know where to go from where I am. Mouth? Hair?
Spiderweb: need to make sure that I have the right number of blocks for the size quilt I want to make. Need to make sure I have the border pattern and start sewing border blocks.
Under the Sea: class project; like the design, but not the colors much.
Flower Sugar Hexagon: sewed more hexagons together. Sewing Y seams is a bit of a chore, so I get tired of doing it after awhile.
Young Man’s t-shirt quilt: have cut up the t-shirts and am still in the process of applying fusible. He cleaned out his drawers and found some more t-shirts to add to the quilt. Oh Yay! <– just a bit of sarcasm
~~New: Super Secret Project~~: top, back and binding made. Ready to go to the quilter. Stayed tuned.
~~FOTY 2011~~: at the quilter, needs binding.
~~Flowering Snowball~~: Top and back finished 5/13/2012; ready to go to the quilter
~~Stepping Stones~~: at the quilter, made binding, which she will sew on for me and then I need to hand sew.
~~Jelly Roll Race~~: at the quilter. Needs binding, quilting, sleeve.
~~New: Wonky 9 Patch~~: needs quilting and binding.
~~Corner Store~~: Top and back are made. It is ready to go to the quilter.
~~Super Secret Project #2~~: Top and back are made. It is ready to go to the quilter.
~~Infinity blocks~~: blocks sewn together into a quilt top, borders on. Need to make back and binding and take to quilter.

Finished or Abandoned projects that were on the list:

Stars for San Bruno #2: Finished! YAY!
Pavers. Finished! YAY!
Kissy Fish: Finished! Yay!
Pineapple: Abandoned; will remake blocks at a later time with more care.
Stars for San Bruno #3: Finished! YAY!
Food Quilt: Finished 5/24/2012. YAY!!!!

Inifnity Quilt

I want to give up on the 26 Projects List and do something fun, but somehow after finishing the backs last week, I pulled out the blocks my SIL and I made and started putting them together.

These blocks are on the small side and I thought I would have to make more, but, as you can see, the blocks I have will make quite a large quilt.

My first idea was to just lay them out the way they came out of the box and, then, move them around. I didn’t have to do much moving around, though. They came out pretty well when I laid them out. There is a quite a lot of variety in the fabrics and also a good balance of light and dark. There were a few places where I switch a couple of blocks so that a print was next to a tone-on-tone rather than next to another print.

The adjustments I made were very small adjustments.

This is pretty much the layout I am using for sewing.

I did have to move the row on the far right to the bottom to make the ‘wreaths’ finish on the bottom.

I have not yet completed the borders as of this writing, but will do that later. I put on a Pure Elements Grey border, but will also put on another border of blue stripes as well.

I was amazed at how fast this top went together. I am also very pleased with the movement created by the different fabrics. My SIL has a different palette than I do and the combination of her floral blue-greys with my aquas and turquoises is a great combination.

This will be another large quilt, but will be good for a boy to grow into.

Garden Machine Quilting

I worked, over the weekend, on the Garden quilt. I am machine quilting it. I hadn’t really planned to work on it since I have a back for the Corner Store to finish, a back to make for the Super Secret Project #2 as well as a binding and some other miscellaneous random finishing tasks to accomplish. I also have some bags and smaller projects I could work on to keep my mind off of things. Still, I sat huddled over my machine and machine quilted for hours.

Yes, I am in avoidance mode over the Corner Store, but at least I am accomplishing something while I am avoiding something else. That can’t be all bad, can it?

This is the first time I have done any free motion quilting in a long time. Admittedly, I didn’t do much on this piece, but I did some and I am pretty proud that a) I am still able to free motion quilt and b) my machine could handle it.

I am really pleased with the servicing the store down south did. The machine works like a charm and I have stopped having traitorous thoughts about replacing it.

I didn’t free motion quilt (FMQ, FMQing) this entire piece, but I did some FMQing in some key areas. In the photo of the sun, I did some FMQing in the ball of the sun.

I have annotated the last photo so I can try and show you the differences in straight line quilting vs. FMQing. You will have to make the photo larger to see what I have written.

26 Projects – June Update

This list is really funny. I want to scratch items off of it, but I don’t want to rush through them either. I find that, now, I pick up a project and intensely work on it until it is finished. Any projects on this list are projects I have decided I want to work on. At least I want to work on them at the moment. If I decide I don’t want to work on them anymore, I will abandon them.

Here is the list, again, still in no particular order, except that I have put some of the “mostly finished” projects at the end. This time, like last, I have moved the finished pieces off. Still 23 WIPs left, because I added the Wonky 9 patch. Darn you inspiration!

Original Bullseye: needs border, backing, quilting and binding, which are all hard to do if you can’t find the project. It is lost. I know it is in there somewhere. As I mentioned, I did a test and found that my original idea didn’t work. I think a plain border will set off the blocks fine IF I ever find the top. Bleah!
Corner Store: All blocks are made (an additional 11 were made on 6/17). I have now sewn all the blocks together in groups of 4. On 6/17, I also started sewing the groups of 4 to each other.
Spin Wheel: really not started, but supplies gathered. Cutting fabrics as I go
Infinity blocks: Am starting to think this would make a good nephew quilt.
A-B-C (A-Z) BAMQG Challenge – I am actually not sure if this should be considered a WIP (Please say no!), because I just barely have enough blocks with which to make something. I am making good progress. I have S and T blocks on my mind. I am really thinking about just making all the blocks, putting sashing around them and then trimming the sashing a bit so the blocks are all a uniform size. They are not wildly off, but they are a bit off… I could bring them to BAMQG as the blocks are due. We’ll see.
Aqua-Red Sampler – steady progress has stopped and the class more than the quilt is really weighing on my mind. As far as I know Frances has finished her Dresden Plate, so perhaps we will start up again soon. The next class was going to be fusible machine applique’, but I haven’t gotten past cutting out the templates. Perhaps I should skip to machine piecing curves?
The Tarts Come to Tea: I haven’t quilted on this since April 2011. I need to work on the quilting. I was making good progress and then got sidetracked. I have been quilting another quilt and that is getting me back in the swing of quilting. Now that my machine is happier, perhaps it is a good time to take this piece out again? I would like to finish it.
Garden: I started this piece in a class with Pamela Allen in 2006. As mentioned, I used this piece for my beading demo for the 2012 EBHQ Voices in Cloth show (March 17), which means that I added some beads. I started on the machine quilting late in April and am almost finished with the background. I was kind of stuck on the flower petals, but may FMQ them now that my machine is feeling better.
Flower Garden: I still find the ‘flowers’ too spiky. I think I need to soften them up a bit.
Moon and Stars: need to finish hand quilting. This quilt is not interesting. This is month 2 that I have thought this is a candidate for abandonment.
Pointillist Palette #4: Fourth is a series of 6 quilts; needs tiny square patches sewn together. Good leaders and enders project. I wonder if I cut the squares accurately?
See: needs satin stitching.
Self Portrait: started in 2006 at a class at Quilting Adventures in Richmond, Virginia. I like the piece, but don’t know where to go from where I am. Mouth? Hair?
Spiderweb: need to make sure that I have the right number of blocks for the size quilt I want to make. Need to make sure I have the border pattern and start sewing border blocks.
Under the Sea: class project; like the design, but not the colors much.
Flower Sugar Hexagon: sewed more hexagons together. Sewing Y seams is a bit of a chore, so I get tired of doing it after awhile.
Young Man’s t-shirt quilt: have cut up the t-shirts and am still in the process of applying fusible. He cleaned out his drawers and found some more t-shirts to add to the quilt. Oh Yay! <– just a bit of sarcasm
~~New: Super Secret Project~~: top, back and binding made. Ready to go to the quilter. Stayed tuned.
~~FOTY 2011~~: at the quilter, needs binding.
~~Flowering Snowball~~: Top and back finished 5/13/2012; ready to go to the quilter
~~Stepping Stones~~: at the quilter, made binding, which she will sew on for me and then I need to hand sew.
~~Jelly Roll Race~~: at the quilter. Needs binding, quilting, sleeve.
~~Wonky 9 Patch~~: needs quilting and binding.

Finished or Abandoned projects that were on the list:

Stars for San Bruno #2: Finished! YAY!
Pavers. Finished! YAY!
Kissy Fish: Finished! Yay!
Pineapple: Abandoned; will remake blocks at a later time with more care.
Stars for San Bruno #3: Finished! YAY!
Food Quilt: Finished 5/24/2012. YAY!!!!

Garden Progress

It is monumental that I am quilting. I hope you appreciate the momentousness of the occasion. 😉

Really, I do quilt small things, but most of my larger pieces are quilted by someone else. Part of the reason is an old injury, which doesn’t allow the pushing and tugging a quilt through the machine required. I also have an older machine (though I bought it when it was a top of the line machine) and the arm is the old normal size, not one of the super sized free arms that look so fantastic. The other part of the reason is that I quilt very densely. I quilt about 1/8th – 1/4 of an inch away from the nearest line of quilting. I don’t know why, but it takes a long time.

Still this is a small piece, perhaps 18×24″ and I wanted to quilt it myself. I have been working on the background in small increments. I am really nearing the end of that part of the project, which makes me want to jump for joy. There are parts that I would have free motion quilted, but my machine is not up to it, so I just did straight line stitching. I like the quilting to melt into the background so it works for me.

In order to melt the quilting into the fabric, I needed to quilt the sky in three different sections using different color thread.

Another reason I quilt this way is to reward the ardent viewer. If a viewer comes up and puts his/her nose to my quilt, s/he will get the reward of seeing some additional details. I like to try and layer my pieces in an overt way, above and beyond the textural quality of the quilting.

I don’t really use special thread. I have a number of different colors of Aurifil and I use those to quilt with. I like that the they are thin.

I was particularly pleased with the blue background. I used some of Libby Lehman’s Bottom Line purple thread and it just melted into the background. I get good results when I unwind the thread from the spool and lay it on the area where I plan to use it. I find that the color on the spool – when the threads are laying nicely next to each other – is very different than the color of one strand.

I am sure more experienced machine quilters have better tips for you than this, but this post describes what I do and since I am pleased with the results, I thought I would share.

I am pleased that this project, which is on the 26 Projects list is moving forward!

June Progress on Corner Store

It is hard for me to sew during the week, but I am making some progress.The iron issue is not resolved, so I have to figure that out (return current iron, which stinks to high heaven when on), but I am trimming and arranging blocks. My design wall is starting to be too small, but I will have to make it work.

I have 289 blocks to work with and I may make more. I don’t know what size I am aiming for, but my mind keeps saying “BIGGER!!!!”

I probably have enough triangles to make at least 50 more blocks, I don’t plan on making 50 more blocks, however you never know what the muse will scream at me.

Stay tuned.

Various & Sundry #8

Around and About the Web

I just wanted to remind you about the Skillbuilder Series. I haven’t been by in a month or so and I can’t believe how much they have beefed up their class list. If you need basic skills or a nice refresher on a technique, take a look at Sandy and Jeanne’s blog.

I stumbled on Katie’s From the Blue chair blog on a day where she posted a truly fabulous project: a gorgeous, spiny New York Beauty. It is a pillow and has the most gorgeous quilting. Nice job!

You know I love Danny Gregory’s work. He posted a video recently that I really enjoyed. It is a short video, but shows him drawing and made me realize that his drawings aren’t perfect in the sense that all of the lines are straight. The lines are a big crooked and he goes over some of the other lines and makes them different. Very inspiring! He also, in the course of report on a visit to RISD gives some great insight into making art AND going to art school. It is one of those posts you need to read every once in a while to get back on track.

Lyric Kinard has the Kindness Chronicles. In a recent post, she shows a heart made by Beth Wheeler who has project called Joy Jam. Not only do I like the heart pictured in Lyric’s post, but, I also like the idea of it. It is a good way to spread some joy. It is a good way to just make something. The hearts are probably fast to make and you could use any technique, which means it is a small commitment to try out new techniques. The Kindness Chronicles post includes a recipe for White Bean Chili, FYI.

There are a plethora of pillow and piping tutorials posted on Katie’s Quilting Corner website. Great way to see different methods. Remember my pillow top tutorial as well.

Pam, of Hip to be a Square podcast, posted a video of her Timeless Treasures Plume quilt. Well done video, lovely quilt.

Jackie of Tallgrass Prairie Studio is starting a feature called Walking Foot Wednesdays to follow up on her post called Straight Line Quilting Hints and Tips. Want to get better at using your walking foot? This might be a great place to start.

Make Good Art by Neil Gaiman.

Quilt Market

Quilt Market was held last month. I did not attend, but will some time on a blogger press pass. I’ll put it on the list. Lots of great tweets and the blog posts are showing up as people return and get back to normal, download photos off their cameras and find their notes. Here are some:

I keep thinking of this blog as Diary of a Mad Quilter, but it is really just Diary of a Quilter. Really like the photos in her Market post.

Great photos: Pokey Bolton blog post.

Camille Roskelley’s thoughts. She also has a video and more photos of her booth. Lots of pretty pictures of fabric. Marmalade is her newest line. I’ll get some charm packs and see if I like it.

Little Bluebell slideshow definitely highlights Adrianne’s style.

Thanks to Oliver +S, here is a radio show about Quilt Market.

Little Red Hen’s post is up close and personal.

I love the Martingale shots of their crates. I can’t even imagine dealing with something that size filled with things I really needed.

Fabric, Tools, Spools & Machines

Amy of Amy’s Creative Side wrote a blog post for the Accuquilt newsletter and website. I never knew that Accuquilt had diamond dies. I am hoping to be done with diamond quilts, but if not, I have a perfectly good ruler. The thing I didn’t like about this post, which has nothing to do with Amy, but with Accuquilt is that they refer to the diamonds in the post as 4×4 diamonds. I don’t know what that means. I know what 60 degree diamonds are. I know what 45 degree diamonds are, but 4×4?

I like the look of this Paper Panache Design. I am not fond of the colors, but the design is great. Thanks to Gretchen for sharing!

People & Places

Sometime ago I reported the loss of Jean Ray Laury. I think of her fondly as starting me on the path to art quiltmaking. Recently, I read an article where a quote of hers from February 1985 was quoted. At that time Ms. Laury said

“Women in particular seem to have difficulty setting values on their quilts. That comes, I think, from the fact that so many of our major life works are not equated with income or price.”

I find this quote to be so profound, and also sad. What do you value in your quiltmaking?

I was irritated not to have my quilt chosen for the Modern Showcase Challenge, but I was very excited for Ruth, a fellow BAMQGer to have her quilt, Two Margaritas chosen. She must have shown this quilt at a meeting I didn’t attend, because it is new to me. I really like the curves and the way she used the color. Her blog post includes a list of all of the quilts chosen.

Other

A few posts ago, I talked about making a pillow top. My SIL and Mrs. K both, helpfully, commented on how to fill out the corners. Mrs. K found a tutorial to describe what she was talking about. the tutorial talks about about a completely enclosed pillow, e.g. not an envelope style finish, but I am sure you clever people could adapt it if you wanted the envelope style of closure. You can find it at Dixie Mango.

Deanna Raybourn, whose books about Julia Grey and Nicholas Brisbane I enjoy immensely, wrote a blog post recently on two kinds of people in the world: diminishers and enhancers. This theory might be a bit simplistic, but her words are worth thinking about.

In case you didn’t notice, I am making some little changes to the blog. Hope you find them and like them.

More Corner Store

I was more exhausted that I thought I would be yesterday after getting home late from celebrating the Golden Gate Bridge’s 75th birthday. Over the weekend, I worked hard on the Corner Store blocks and I couldn’t work on them anymore. I didn’t have a clear path moving forward on the project and needed a break.

Between Saturday and Sunday, before we went to see the fireworks, I made an additional 60 blocks. The blocks are now covering my portable design wall. I think the piece is large enough, though I did consider sewing another 34 blocks for two more rows. I have to decide what I will do for a border, if I will add a border.

The blocks are very easy to make, as I have said, but I wonder about the colors. I have a sneaking suspicion that ROYGBIV just does not provide enough colors for me. OR I could be forced to confess to the fact that I buy fabric in a small range of color families. In putting the new blocks up, I saw that similar colors ended up next to, or near, each other. Some weird quirk of quiltmaking fate?

After taking the photo of the new blocks, I put up all of the blocks and was pleased to see that the quilt is now starting to be large enough. It might actually be larger than a placemat, e.g. large enough, especially if I decide to put a border on it.

What would you do for a border?

Corner Store Progress – Mid May 2012

What I want to rant about is a very bad and getting worse customer service experience that has nothing to do with quiltmaking. I need to get over it (or at least put it out of my mind), delve into the happiness that is Quiltland and tell you all about the Corner Store.

I was truly despairing of every finishing this piece. The blocks are small (3-7/8″) and I wanted to make something larger than a placemat. I thought I could just make blocks until I was 90 and then have a table runner.

Oh me of little faith. As I said before, I get more on this project finished, when I don’t focus on it. You know how you see things out of the corner of your eye, but if you look straight at them they disappear? That is what is going on with this quilt. I used the C.S. blocks as leaders and enders for the Wonky 9 Patch, as I think I mentioned.

Guess what? 68 (or so) blocks done!

No kidding. I do not jest. You can see, in the above picture, that I have made a total of 168 blocks. The piece is bigger than a placemat and a tablerunner now.

I thought the blocks I finished before I started the W9P would be the end until I got some more Kona Snow. As luck would have it, I found a piece of Kona Snow, clearly labeled (damn solids for not having a selvedge with words on it!) and about 14″ wide. I promptly cut it all up into 4″ squares and came up with about 75 squares. I was off. I thought I would never get through that many, but I don’t have very many of the squares left.

The new batch of Kona Snow is here and washed, so I am ready to cut some more and continue sewing.

I don’t think I am nearly done. I am thinking that I need to make at least another 121 blocks and then the border. I am thinking of the spiky border Gwen Marston talks about in Liberated Quiltmaking.

Anyway, progress is being made.

26 Projects – May Update

Here is the list, again, still in no particular order. This time I have moved the finished pieces off. 23 WIPs left! I had to add two more projects to the list. I can’t believe I forgot about the Stepping Stones. Also, I have a Super Secret project that I did, but it took me such a short time that I don’t know if it really counts.

Original Bullseye: needs border, backing, quilting and binding. Went rummaging through my fabric closet to find this top, because I was fired up to put the border on. I couldn’t find it. It is lost. I know it is in there somewhere. I am also working on my border idea and have definitely decided not to put that particular border on this quilt, if I ever find it, but I am glad I am doing the test.
Corner Store: 106 blocks made, need to cut more foundations with the little bit of Kona Snow fabric I have left. Waiting for more Kona Snow. Need to continue to pin triangles to new foundations, then sew.
Spin Wheel: really not started, but supplies gathered. Cutting fabrics as I go
Infinity blocks: Am starting to think this would make a good nephew quilt.
A-B-C (A-Z) BAMQG Challenge – I am actually not sure if this should be considered a WIP (Please say no!), because I don’t really have enough blocks with which to make anything yet. I am making good progress. I made Q and R blocks and am thinking about putting sashing around all of the blocks and then trimming the sashing a bit so the blocks are all a uniform size. They are not wildly off, but they are a bit off…
Aqua-Red Sampler – steady progress has stopped and the class more than the quilt is really weighing on my mind. As far as I know Frances has nearly finished her Dresden Plate, so perhaps we will start up again soon. The next class was going to be fusible machine applique’, but I haven’t gotten past cutting out the templates. Perhaps I should skip to machine piecing curves?
The Tarts Come to Tea: I haven’t quilted on this since April 2011. I need to work on the quilting. I was making good progress and then got sidetracked.
Garden: used this piece for my beading demo for the 2012 EBHQ Voices in Cloth show (March 17), which means that I added some beads. I started on the machine quilting late in April. Haven’t done anything since I started working on the Flowering Snowball.
Flower Garden: I still find the ‘flowers’ too spiky. I think I need to soften them up a bit.
Moon and Stars: need to finish handquilting. This quilt is not interesting.
Pointillist Palette #4: needs tiny square patches sewn together.
See: needs satin stitching.
Self Portrait
Spiderweb: need to make sure that I have the right number of blocks for the size quilt I want to make. Need to make sure I have the border pattern and start sewing border blocks.
Under the Sea: class project; like the design, but not the colors much.
Flower Sugar Hexagon: sewed more hexagons together. Sewing Y seams is a bit of a chore, so I get tired of doing it after awhile.
Young Man’s t-shirt quilt: have cut up the t-shirts and am in the process of applying fusible.
New: Super Secret Project: top, back and binding made. Ready to go to the quilter. Stayed tuned.
~~FOTY 2011~~: at the quilter, needs binding.
~~Flowering Snowball~~: Top and back finished 5/13/2012; ready to go to the quilter
~~Stepping Stones~~: at the quilter, made binding, which she will sew on for me and then I need to hand sew.
~~Food Quilt~~: sewing binding.
~~Jelly Roll Race~~: at the quilter. Needs binding, quilting, sleeve.

Finished or Abandoned projects that were on the list:

Stars for San Bruno #2: Finished! YAY!
Pavers. Finished! YAY!
Kissy Fish: Finished! Yay!
Pineapple: Abandoned; will remake blocks at a later time with more care.
Stars for San Bruno #3: Finished! YAY!

Corner Store Progress

I know I am trying to finish the Flowering Snowball, but the hand piecing is slowing me down. Since th cut squares and triangles were sitting right by my machine, I just started sewing them together. I just needed to sew. In between sewing the Swoon, I made 20 of the Corner Store blocks.

These blocks are fairly easy to make if you have everything cut. As I have said, I like the variety of different sizes of triangles. I think it creates movement across the design field, but I think the viewer can see it better if the blocks are sewn together.

Lots of red in this group, but really awesome reds. I found another container of triangles with some more variety of color. The blocks will look different when I put them all up on the design wall and move them around.

I am not sure how many blocks I am going to need for a finished product, but I think the height of the piece will be 15 blocks down. If I make a piece that is 15 blocks x 15 blocks, I will need 225 blocks not counting the borders. I don’t have any idea of what type of border to add at this point. We’ll have to see.