Commentary about works in progress, design & creativity
The stripes in this piece are really striking. The rainbow stripes from Chain Link make this piece less depressing than it might be if I had excluded them.
I am pleased that I finally finished this piece. It has been on the design wall for more than a year and it is a relief to get it to the Community Quilt team.
I am pleased with the way it came out. Most of these improv quilts are hard to pass along.
The latest Patchwork Palooza block came out on Friday and I am pleased that I finished it. I didn’t finish it until last night, but I don’t want to get behind again.
This block is called, by the Patchwork Palooza people, Set Sail. Historically it has several different names, including Old Maid’s Puzzle or Hour Glass or School Girl’s Puzzle. You can find this block in Barbara Brackman’s Encyclopedia of Quilt Patterns** as #1317.
The name Old Maid’s Puzzle is from Ladies Art Company #25. Not very P.C., as many of these names tend to be.
The Hour Glass name is from Grandma Dexter .I had never heard of Grandma Dexter and had to look it up. Grandma Dexter is listed in the bibliography of the Encyclopedia of Quilt Patterns** as a “series of booklets published in the early 1930s from the Virginia Snow Studios, apart of the Dexter Yarn and Thread Company and the Collingbourne Mills in Elgin, IL. Hmm. Interesting. More puzzles as I have never heard of that company either, but I am just interested and not an expert.
The School Girl’s Puzzle name is from Needlecraft Supply 1936, n.12.
This is a block that I have always admired. I know I made one for the Handbag Sampler. I don’t think I have ever made it otherwise, so it makes me glad to have the opportunity to try it again.
I have also made a few of the alternate blocks. I think there will be another piece of sashing, but for now, I have a few of the blocks laid out without it. I just chose some random blocks, though I see now that two of them are Sawtooth Star types. I’ll choose some others once I get more of the alternate blocks made.
**N. B. : Obviously, you should shop at local quilt shops and small businesses. However, if you are too busy or can’t find what you need there, I use Amazon affiliate links and may be paid for your purchase of an item when you click on an item’s link in my post. There is no additional cost to you for clicking or purchasing items I recommend. I appreciate your clicks and purchases as it helps support this website.
We had another fun Sew Day on Saturday! It was super lively. We had a new member join and another new member join her first Sew Day.
Amy showed two quilts she has recently finished. The flower quilt has a great block. I really like the rectangular block format.
Amy also showed the lime and teal quilt. She called it her Halloween quilt. I couldn’t really understand that and didn’t hear the explanation, but I like the fabric. I think maybe the fabric, with its bell jars, test tubes and poison jars and flasks of eyeballs might be the reason.
Mom finished the binding on the White Strips #2. Tim held it up for me and then it got turned in.
I cut up most of the leftover Half Hexie strips for the Four Patch Fun blocks. I am pleased about that, except that I have a boatload of pieces and need to cut some backgrounds for them. I keep reminding myself I don’t have to do it all at once.
I also cut out an apron I have been planning for the AirBnB house I rent when I go to Portland.
I had an exciting discovery the other day. As I was doing through my quilt books, I took a look at Judy Martin’s Cookies and Quilts book. I found a fantastic quilt called American Spirit to use with these blocks.
One of the things I like about this quilt is the combination of 4 Patches with the Four Patch Fun blocks. I really like 4 Patches and don’t get to use them enough. I’ll have to resize the pattern a little, but I think I can use some of the 2.5 inch squares I cut when I process my scraps.
I have made quite a few FPF blocks since my last update. I still have more strips from the Half Hexie Star to cut!
BTW, I emailed Judy through her website and asked if I could use a photo. She very kindly offered to send me one. I am glad I took her up on it, because the photo in the book is much more brown than the one she sent. The photo Judy sent is much more cheerful.
I am excited that I finished the Sleeping Bag pouch. I put it aside, but picked it up again last week to finish the binding and the handle.
Overall, I am pleased with the way it came out.For a project with no pattern it was fun and my success spurs me on to think about other bags I want to modify or create.
I want to make some changes to the Ultimate Project Bag and this pouch has made me feel more confident.
There are things I want to change, so I will be making another one of these. I want to refine the way I finish the edges of the binding. I worked hard on those ends, but wasn’t super happy with the finish. I plan consult Bag Club about other ways of finishing the edge.
I am thinking about whether the zipper pull would be better closer to the handle when it is closed. I don’t know if it is possible to install it that way. I think I would have to use a regular zipper – use both halves of a zipper instead of one side as a continuous piece as I did with this one. Another topic to discuss with the Bag Club.
I may try another one with selvedges since I have a seemingly endless supply. I want to place the selvedges 180 degrees from the way I placed them this time. I’d like them to be right side up when I carry the bag. I don’t think it makes much of a difference since the selvedge words will be upside down if it is laying on the table or being carried depending on how they are placed. I’d just like to see the difference in how they look. I may as well do it since I have another half zipper anyway!
This will be a useful bag regardless. If I don’t give it to someone else, I have decided that I can use it as a small handwork bag. Maybe I’ll keep it in the car or in my suitcase? I plan to put the pincushion Amanda made for me along with a small EPP project. It is also quite the statement bag!
I finished block 4 last week after making block 3. I really want to catch up so I am heads down making blocks as I can.
The designer of Patchwork Palooza calls this block Whirl & Settle. It is a classic Sawtooth Star based block. In Barbara Brackman’s Encyclopedia of Quilt Patterns**, this block is called Indian Star. It was originally published in the Kansas City Star in 1937.
**N. B. : Obviously, you should shop at local quilt shops and small businesses. However, if you are too busy or can’t find what you need there, I use Amazon affiliate links and may be paid for your purchase of an item when you click on an item’s link in my post. There is no additional cost to you for clicking or purchasing items I recommend. I appreciate your clicks and purchases as it helps support this website.
I went with Mom to the bank where she fumbled around inside the Pearce looking for her bank card. The vertical credit card pockets I added at the last moment are ok, but not positioned well. I thought a small wallet where she could stash her bank cards would be helpful.
I quickly found and started a little wallet. I couldn’t find my Little Wallet pattern. I didn’t want to buy a new one so I found a freebie, the Fold & Stitch Wallet by Caroline Fairbanks.
The nephew is at college. He took a year off and has gone down to SoCal. I sent him the September pillowcase and got a nice text back saying that he was getting settled. Of course I haven’t heard anything else, but I assume he is doing well. I’ll get an update sometime.
It turns out this is the last pillowcase. He has gotten more than any of the other nephews. I hope they are getting used.
No quilt finishes this month.
I had to change this from “July Projects In the Finishing Process” to just “Projects In the Finishing Process”, because the projects might linger here for a few months.
WIPs are projects on which I am working. This means that I am past the cutting out of pieces stage, some sewing has taken place.
I still have UFOs. Who doesn’t, after all? A project in the ‘UFO’ category means I am stalled, it hasn’t been worked on in awhile or it is waiting its turn to be worked on. The list is a lot shorter and the projects are newer, for the most part.
I am annoyed that some of these are still UFOs. I have to give myself credit for completing some of them last year.
Thank you for reading!
I worked on the Black Improv a lot, which doesn’t really have blocks, so that means fewer for this post. I added a few blocks in green and white to my stash of pieces for the next Sidewalk.
I finished working on the Black Improv top quicker than expected. Since it was already out and not completely empty, I kept the Black-Grey-Brown scrap bin out and made a few blocks from brown and grey. I just wanted to lighten the box up a little bit more. I don’t have much brown and I used all the strips to make the brown strip blocks you see below. I also made a couple of grey blocks and one black strip block. I’ll save these for another rainbow strip quilt or when I get enough Black-Grey-Brown strip blocks.
Once I was done with the Black-Grey-Brown strips, I got out the white bin, which was overflowing – again- and started in on white strip blocks. I don’t know whether I’ll make a white strip quilt like the last one or make a Sidewalk quilt with a color for the background. I like the idea of a blue background.
I have numbered the black strip block as #10, but I don’t really know what number it is. I suspect it is about #41 since I made one black strip donation quilt. Still, the other blocks aren’t numbered, so here we are.
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Projects, Classes, Patterns, Techniques & Tutorials
I got a free pattern for a Mini Tote from Olfa on Instagram. That led me to a new website/blog called Flower Sew. WOW! Someone else who updates a blog and provides tutorials. She is marketed as an Olfa expert. I see cool, useful projects like a mat carrier and a car trash bag. It turns out that you don’t have to go through the IG rigamarole to get the Mini Tote pattern. It is available on the Olfa blog.
Tools, Books, Fabric, Notions, Services & Supplies
Remember last month I talked about not finding the Whisper color way in the Alison Glass fabrics? Instead of being sensible and moving on with my life, I emailed them. They had forgotten to add the link or something. The assistant gave it to me and I bought the FQ pack. I even found a pattern I am going to use with those fabrics. It is from a recent Today’s Quilter issue (129) and satisfies my desire to make a Basket quilt. It isn’t a complicated Basket quilt or a Sampler basket quilt but I think it will go quite well with these fabrics. The description from the website is “Brilliant Baskets – Use up fabrics scraps to create a striking Basket block quilt” I don’t think I need to follow the pattern exactly. I really like Basket blocks, but I don’t know why. I always put one in my Sampler quilts, or almost always.
Tim and Cyndi went to South Carolina for a retreat. I recently got on the mailing list of the company, Jittery Wings, who puts on the retreat. I was super excited to see how many of the Art Gallery solids they have. The Pineapple color is gorgeous, as is Verve Violet, Cherry Lip Gloss, Raspberry Rose, Sweet Pink, and Maldives. And more. I love these Pure Solids.
Kaffe Fassett has come out with another book, Quilts in London**. When does that man sleep? The quilts and images in this book were photographed at Camden Lock. The quilts look similar to quilts in other books, but the photos, as usual, are colorful and inspiring.
For Canadian readers, though they ship tot he US as well, check out Atelier Fibre Arts. They have a wide range of zipper tape colors.
Dashwood Studios has a tone-on-tone called Twist. Great colors and a small, but fun design.
Stash Fabrics now sells Soft & Stable off the roll and by the yard. The S&S off the roll is 58 inches wide, which is GREAT. I thought at first it was another shop selling rolls of S&S, but I don’t see that as an option. If you get it in the package (36 in. x 58 in.) it is $23.95, so you get a slight discount for getting it off the roll.
Red Thread Studio has a Pure Solids bundle of the month program. I am sorely tempted as I am feeling a bit of a lack of solids lately. My first thought was what if I get brown and burgundy and navy? After thinking about it, however, it might be better for me just to buy a few solids whenever I place an order or see them in the shop.
I used the Snap Setter the other day and was reminded of this video, which shows you how to install the snaps. I like the Snap Setter to install snaps.
Exhibits and Organizations
BAMPFA has the Routed West: Twentieth-Century African American Quilts in California on view through November 30.
Media & Articles
The Pleasure of Patterns in Art: The interplay between repetition and variation is central to how we perceive structure, rhythm, and depth across mediums- this is an interesting article, which talks about repetition and its effect on the brain. It shows you how to look beyond the images in a work at “hidden” repetition.
NQR
For those of you who contributed to my sister’s Recovery Ranch Sanctuary project, your money has not gone to waste. She lost the place where she was going to set it up, but thinks she found a better place. She is also nearly through with the 501(c)(3) paperwork. It is moving forward, if slowly, and it is not too late to contribute.
**N. B. : Obviously, you should shop at local quilt shops and small businesses. However, if you are too busy or can’t find what you need there, I use Amazon affiliate links and may be paid for your purchase of an item when you click on an item’s link in my post. There is no additional cost to you for clicking or purchasing items I recommend. I appreciate your clicks and purchases as it helps support this website.
I started Sidewalk #4. As you can see from the photo, I am using my design floor. The design walls are full. I can’t take Country Revival/The Sad Quilt off the large design wall until I get more sewn.
Sidewalk is too big for the small design wall so design floor it is. Not my preference, but needs must. Too many projects on the go, so I needed to get one of them off my list.
I have been randomly sewing Half 16 Patch blocks to the white background pieces as leaders and enders, so I have a small start. I have a lot to do, however. The Community quilt team for the guild really needs backs, so that is an extra step. I know I normally do it, but was considering being lazy this time. More fabric used, however.
I finished another one of the Patchwork Palooza blocks that I skipped. This one is called “Light Keeper” by the project designer.
I might have used lavender instead of the blue, but I like it. As mentioned, I am concerned I will run short of the lavender. I didn’t decide not to use the lavender because of that, but I need to make sure I don’t make decisions like that. If I do run out of the lavender, I can either buy more or consider it a design challenge.
Julie’s block looks great and very different from mine. That is the thing I love about block projects.
Yay! I finished the Multi-Pocket Organizer for my handbag! That is the intention anyway. More and more I have been thinking of sending this to a friend. It isn’t that I don’t like and don’t think it will be useful, but it is telling me it wants to go to my friend. We’ll see. I can always make another even with the same, or similar fabrics.
Above is the front of the organizer. It has a divided slip pocket that can be useful for pens or other item you need quickly.
The back of the bag has an interior zipper pocket.
I used the Heather Bailey flower fabric as the exterior. If you look at the front and the back, you will see that I used the exterior fabric for the slip pocket. I was trying to give the most space to the large print. The Tula dot print on the front is sort of like a tone-on-tone and I thought it would work under the slip pocket. I am not sure I was successful. The only thing I don’t like about the heather Bailey fabric are the flies. I didn’t notice them until I cut out the pieces. If they were bees it would be different.
Inside are a lot of pockets. The first one I made, according to the directions, after assembling the exterior was the divider pocket. In the photo, left, it is wide open. The inside is made from one of the Tula neon fabrics. The taupe/grey (?) background was a bold choice for me, but I wanted to use the fabric and it went with the dots I used on the exterior.
The ruffly pockets are sewn to the lining and made with elastic. I was looking for a tool I have, the Clover Clip & Glide Bodkin**, which is great for slipping something like elastic through a channel, but couldn’t find it. I am sure it will turn up when I don’t need it.
The photo, right, shows the inside with the divider pocket mostly closed and a bit of the exterior. I used the exterior fabric on the divider zipper pocket, though lining fabric would work as well.
One thing I learned is to make the handles and zipper tabs out of the exterior fabric. They would blend in better.
This is a good project and it doesn’t take very long to make. Again, the pattern is from Sotak Handmade.
**N. B. : Obviously, you should shop at local quilt shops and small businesses. However, if you are too busy or can’t find what you need there, I use Amazon affiliate links and may be paid for your purchase of an item when you click on an item’s link in my post. There is no additional cost to you for clicking or purchasing items I recommend. I appreciate your clicks and purchases as it helps support this website.
I have been working diligently on the Black Improv. Surprisingly it is getting quite large. Not king-sized or anything, but large for one of my donation quilts.
After having this piece languish for a long time, I thought it would be a chose to finish it. Even though I am not finished yet, I am having fun working on it. So many stripes!!
I am using the strips I cut for color strip blocks to make the quilt bigger and to make the piecing a little easier. I know I will make more black scraps at some point, so why not?
At the widest and tallest points in the photo above, the piece is 38w x 35l. It is getting to be the size I like giving to the Community Giving project.