Commentary about works in progress, design & creativity
No, I am not finished with the White Improv Strip Donation quilt, but I needed some leaders and enders, so I started sewing bits of white fabrics together to start the improv version in my series.
Some of the bits were not used for the strip blocks and some were long enough to be added as the shard grew.
A few weeks ago, I cut out some pouches. I used the Persimmon Dumpling Pouch pattern, a free pattern, from Sew Sweetness for two of them. The pattern has three sizes, small, medium and large, included. This is the small version.
I LOVE this pattern. It went together really quickly after I sat down and just worked on it. It has about 5 seams and the pouch is together. My first try took me awhile, but after finishing it, I thought of a couple of ways I could make this project go faster.
It is so interesting how this pouch opens almost all the way flat. I suppose that could be a problem if the owner had a lot of small items inside.
I have seen this made with two zippers that come together in the middle. Doing that is a skill I have not yet mastered – or even tried. I doubt it is difficult. I’ll put it on the list.
The pattern uses strips to make the exterior. It would be a great pattern to use with some improv piecing, but I just used one piece of fabric for this one and the one I have not yet completely sewed. There is a lot of scope for imaginative fabric use in this pouch pattern (and most, I suppose).
I made this one for the raffle baskets as a test to see if I would want to keep making these as gifts. I think it will be a great pouch to hold all the little gifts. Of course, I have other patterns I can and want to try as well.
It also has a great way of finishing the ends of the zippers. There is no cutting off the zipper ends or making new stops. The ends are tucked into the bottom seam and hidden between the lining and exterior.
I was thinking I would like to add a leash and a lobster clip to this pouch, but since there are side seams, I am not sure if it is possible. I have another one cut out, so I will think about it some more as I make the next one.
Stay tuned for more! If you try this pattern, let me know what you think.
I have enough of the white scrap donation blocks now to make a quilt. This set of blocks has seemed to take forever, though I know it probably has not been as forever as I think.
In looking at this set, I am not sure I want to alternate the blocks with plain blocks. I get the sense that those plain blocks can overwhelm delicate piecing. On the other hand,a plain block, might set off the piecing. Hhhhmmm.
I am also not sure I want to add skinny sashing. It would be difficult to piece and keep straight because of the all the seams and layers in the block. I am unwilling to go on an amazing design journey with these blocks so I have decided that I have three options.
First, is alternating my pieced blocks with plain blocks. Second is a skinny sashing with (or possibly without) cornerstones and, third, is a slightly larger width sashing with cornerstones. I’d like to have a top ready for Sew Day or the November meeting. I am leaning towards the last option.
My next problem is the sashing color. I would default to light, but that would blend in with the blocks. Perhaps some dots?
I saw the Mega Pinnie pattern in an older issue (issue 6, 2016) of Today’s Quilter. It caught my attention, partially, because I have some squares leftover from the Jen Carlton Bailly workshop and they were on my mind. It turns out they are slightly larger than I need for the Pinnie, but worked just fine. I was also looking for something that would be interesting for a swap gift.
I like this magazine as it has practical and interesting articles that teach people something. I have found good projects, like my favorite pincushion, in Today’s Quilter sister publication, Love of Patchwork and Quilting, but this is the first time I have made something from TQ.
This pattern caught my attention as something different, but also useful. I decided to make it as a swap gift. It is essentially a giant pincushion with pockets for other tools. It will work well for someone who wants to keep a few things together at Sew Day.
While I am not quite finished, the project doesn’t take very long to make. I am almost done after working on it Sunday in between other projects. One of the sites I found said it took her two hours. I didn’t keep exact track of my hours, but this sounds about right.
In the pattern, the pockets are pieced. They look kind of fun pieced, but I also want to try them not pieced. The project will go faster and will be just as interesting. I also think I can add a placket for WonderClips, as in the pincushion that I have made as gifts.
I found a version of the pattern at the Stitch Gathering website.
I am ridiculously delighted by this concept. I want make a couple more as gifts and I can’t wait to sew this one together!
Resources and Inspiration:
I have been sewing – sewing – sewing and never getting anywhere with these blocks. The other day I finally was able to cut some new blocks out of the piecing I had been working on.
These blocks are less about strips than about chunks. I have some strips in the white drawer, but mostly weird shapes. I have about 24 blocks now and haven’t even made a dent in the scraps in this drawer.
It seems to be taking me forever to get this quilt top finished. It isn’t done yet, but I am making slow progress. My progress is slow because I am using other bits and pieces for leaders and enders.
I need approximately 9 more blocks to make a quilt top the size I usually make them. I’ll get there.
Sew Day was small and I got there late, but I did accomplish something. The Mondo Bag is looking like a project that will never die. I work on it at Sew Day in September, but I started it at Craft Night back in March! I didn’t think it had been laying around THAT long, but the blog doesn’t lie.
I arrived at Sew Day after 2pm, because I was enticed to go to CQFA first. The enticement was lunch with Julie afterwards. I didn’t have much in my bag, but the Mondo Bag project pieces and the stuff to cut out another Running with Scissors tote.
I decided to work on the Mondo Bag, so I laid it out and looked at the layout of the squares on the fusible. I rearranged and replaced some of them. Finally, I was happy. Fortunately Amy was there. She had everything including a mini iron, so I was able to fuse the squares to the interfacing.
When I got home, DH was watching football, so I was able to sew the squares together.
I am really glad I spent so much time arranging and rearranging the squares. I think the layout looks really good. I am not done by any stretch, but I did make progress. I am thrilled.
I talked about the Ultimate Carry All Bag the other day. After that, Lynette and I got together and decided to lead a Bag-a-Long for the guild. We both want to make the bag and we want to lead other guild members over to the dark side. 😉
We rolled out the project on Saturday. We aren’t completely prepared, but prepared enough and we really only have to stay ahead of the rest of the group.
I was gratified that 20 people are participating. I did a group order for the pattern and sent 19 of them off to the participants.
Lynette is creating a cutting layout and I am going through the pattern and creating a list of what fabrics are needed for which piece. If you are creating a pattern, take the time to give your patterns a label and be consistent about referring to that label.
I don’t know that I will do a Bag-a-Long on the blog. Natalie, the designer has a series of mini how-to videos and you can buy a full length how-to video on Bluprint.
I volunteered to take over for Lynette creating raffle baskets for the monthly giveaway. I was a winner a few months ago and was blown away by the amazing array of things in the bag. Lynetee is amazing and I am not sure I can live up to her standards. I recruited a team
Sue S. was the winner at the meeting on Saturday. I love the pouch. It has a handle/leash on it (not sure you can see it), which is really fun. I took a picture so I would have another data point.
I already have a plan and some supplies to make Persimmon Pouches, a free pattern by Sew Sweetness’ Sara Lawson. That will ensure there is something handmade in the basket/bag. I also found 4 books at Tuesday Morning for $4 each! They are great books for quiltmakers and I am pleased with that find. There is definitely some shopping that will need to be done.
If you win a prize at a quilt show or guild meeting, what do you like to win?
White donation blocks are probably not the best idea. I am thinking dirt. Still, I have a lot of white scraps and something has to be done with them. The first two are from a chunk that was large so they look very similar, if not the same.
These, once in a quilt, will fit with the others in the series.
Yes, I sewed the last piece (bottom row??) to the top and it is done. I need to make a back, but I haven’t done it yet. The top is 41 in x 43 in, slightly smaller than the others, but in the range.
The funny thing is that I have, perhaps, 5 orange scraps left and they are super tiny shards. I might as well just toss them out.
I needed something for leaders and enders at the Retreat. While there, I made donation blocks for the Community Giving Project at BAM.
I didn’t have it in me to gather up and bring the pieces I needed for my new strips donation blocks, so I grabbed my bin of 2.5 inch squares and used those. Peggy always appreciates more blocks and I have been wanting to make more for her. Since I have been focusing on my strip quilts and improv quilts for the community giving project I haven’t made as many of the postage stamp donation blocks.
I had a slow start, but eventually ended up with 6. I made these while I worked on the Running with Scissors tote.
I put another border (row??) on to the Orange Improv Donation top. I am nearly out of orange scraps. Truly, I have some large Philip Jacobs flower scraps and a few very small triangles left. This is the goal but the top isn’t square and I would like it to be, at least, square-ish before I hand it in. While figuring out what to do, I made those new donation blocks I talked about the other day.
I am not quite finished with the Orange Improv Donation Top, but I had to start on new blocks for leaders and enders reasons.
I won’t have enough strips in these colors to make the number of blocks I need for a quilt top, but it is a start. I will either make chunks like I did for the Red Chunk Donation top or put the blocks aside until I get more of the right color scraps. I could also combine these blocks with the greys, but that might muddy the brightness of the quilt.
Sew Day for September was Saturday. I know I always say this, but I really enjoy seeing what other people make. I was focused on a couple of projects of my own, so I didn’t even really get a chance to see everything that people were working on.
Patti’s Project caught my attention right away. She had the pieces from the guild’s recent Latifah Safir class on her table and I loved the look of the block! I loved what she had done, because of the HRTs I have been playing with on and off over the past several months. I know the design is not original and came from a Latifah Safir pattern. It is cool and makes me wonder if I could do something like it with the Split Recs ruler by Studio 180 Designs.
The class must have been great, because a number of people had brought their pieces to work on. I haven’t seen that before at a Sew Day – or I hadn’t noticed.
I worked on cutting out pieces for the Running with Scissors tote. I had pulled all of the fabric on Friday after work, so I got the whole thing cut out except for one piece, which I will cut next weekend. I hope to work on this at the mini-retreat I am attending next weekend. I am thinking of making a couple of them as gifts depending on how the project goes.
So far, the directions are very clear. I have some experience with bag directions so I was pleased. I don’t think I have made a ByAnnie’s pattern before and perhaps the good directions are a sign of quality. There are a lot of aspects to this bag, so I was a little worried. I was surprised that there was less to cut out than I though.
Lee Anne is a major donation quilt maker and she was working on a really cool quilt at the retreat.
As you can see this is a lozenge quilt. I am not sure if she had the fabric or used fabric from the Community Quilts stash. It is a great looking design and wonderful quilt.
Another member, who we call Baguette, and I are planning a Bag-a-Long for the guild. We had a meeting during Sew Day to organize ourselves for the next meeting. We will all make the same bag using the same pattern. Baguette and I will stay ahead of the others (or try to!) and offer clarifications and modifications to the pattern. The pattern is the Ultimate Carry All by Quiltessa Natalie. I wrote about it a little bit in my Quiltmaking Go Bag post a few weeks ago. I will definitely talk about this bag in future posts as we make it. The creator, however, has video tutorials, so I probably won’t do a Bag-a-Long on the blog.
I also had a meeting with Mary about the retreat this weekend. It will be held at the church so we had to coordinate.