Projects - Past, Present, and Future

 

This is an organizational post.  I’m losing track of what I’ve done, what I’m working on, and what I want to do. I loved so much how the small backpack - Sew Sweetness Park Sloan pattern - turned out that I made the bigger version.  What I’ve discovered is that this bag is not cross body for me - instead it is over one shoulder, which works fine. The  other discovery is that unlike other back packs, this one is not meant to carry heavy books.  It can.  But my great niece is using hers as a dance bag, and I think it’s perfect for that use!  Does this mean I have to take dance classes? 

This scrap quilt, started last winter at a CMQG quilt retreat, has been completed, bound with a scrappy binding, and hand quilted.  It is on its way to former Hyde Park student Bridgette,  she who motivates me daily to get out and walk or elliptical or do weights, with monthly  challenges to her team of warriors.  I’m committed to walking 130 miles a month.  Last month I almost made it. This month, even with a soft issue issue on the top of my foot. I think I’ll make it.  I’m thankful for her daily support and her friendship.  

Buddy Lauren gave me a lovely pack of Cherrywood fat quarters, and this top has been pin-basted and has had some machine quilting.  Now I’m adding some handwork to each one of the blocks, following the subtle shadow line.  Instead of using wool, I’ve used Quilters Dream, a poly cotton batting.  And the quilting is a bit slow.  There’s nothing like sewing with a wool batting. But wool batting is pricier.  

My red door just needs an outer border on three sides.  And then?  Perhaps some hand quilting.  I think I’ve identified where I want to hang this, despite objections from the other person in this house.

The remaining fabrics I need for the Windham fabric challenge using their artisan shot cottons have arrived.  So now I need to make more of these twisted pleat blocks and figure out a layout and finishing techniques.  Some quilters in my guild are so good at sketching things out and having a plan from the beginning.  Although I can work like that, usually I don’t.  And with this project? It’s taking shape as I go.

  

I love working with jelly rolls because they let me touch various fabrics that I normally wouldn’t buy.  And look at this Jelly roll pattern.  It’s striking!  And the pattern was a free download. This is on my to do list and would be perfect for retreat sewing,  and we just happen to have a retreat coming up in November! 

Last spring we stopped in Paducah on our way to Atlanta.  This pattern was at the check out counter.  And of course there was a kit to go with it.  I picked up the pattern and have been looking through my black and whites to see if perhaps this pattern might work.  These blocks are mosty a variation of a log cabin, just set on point.   To be determined…

These fabrics from Zen Chic are lovely, just not in my house.  I am reverting to my favorite pattern, Trip Around The World.  Who will this be for?  Like most of what I do, I don’t know but somehow quilts find their way to owners. 

So what is this mess above?  It is a box of scrap strips that will eventually used for a design like these scrappy blocks.  These blocks are for a charity quilt organized by guild member Jane.  And I loved making them.  

Ok. This post helps me to keep in mind what I am doing and what I want to do.  The end! 

So Many Projects: A Good Thing

Sometimes I’m happiest when plotting what projects I want to work on next.  And I’m also aware my stash is dangerously close to being out of hand.  Wait.  Let me restate the truth: my stash is out of hand.  See all these 2” strips?  Leftovers from a community project.  These aren’t my favorite colors to work with, but they are lovely.  I’m looking at a Fence Rail  design that will create a woven effect.  

Throw stuff on the wall and see what sticks…

One of the quilts that drew me into the modern movement over a decade ago was Double Plus Good by Rossie Hutchinson.  So I’ve been looking at background fabrics and plus fabrics.  I started making plus signs, after really editing the fabrics to use, but knew I didn’t want to create something so precise and symmetrical.  Look closely at the design wall, and you’ll spot a design featuring two different size plus signs and arranged sort of randomly.  This is a new pattern by Zen Chic.  And I like it so much more.  So I know where is quilt is headed.  Unlike what’s below…

Speak of Zen Chic, the middle fabric above is from her Lower The Volume collection.  And I love it,  I’ve been examining two-color quilts and looking for a design I want to do,  I’ll continue to look because no design is calling my name just yet.

And always always always I think about Sew Powerful purses.  I have several in process and five finished, preparing for a local demo.  I have a shelf of fabrics to use for purses.  But these fabrics came across my radar, and I had to buy a yard of each.  With the work in our condo finally complete, it's time for a "normal" schedule focusing on walking and sewing and cooking, making time for each with no excuses.  I miss the destination walking of LaGrange, but I do love the small hills and paved paths that are so accessible here.  And when the weather is icky I have the luxury of the workout room here.  Sewing?  I sew almost daily so it's not that difficult to schedule that in.  Cooking?  John is great, but I must do my share.  So I'm focusing on healthy recipes I want to make and that John will eat happily.  

This first summer here is wonderful.  My studio is well-lit, thanks to my LaGrange electrician, and airy.  We love this condo.

Crushing on Fabric

Sometimes when looking at fabrics, I fall pretty hard.  Designer Janet Clare did some wonderful stuff for Moda with a line called Wordsmith.  I've made several quilts simply because I love working with these fabrics.  Grandson Sam has one of these quilts, and I can't even remember who has others.  When I got low on one of these fabrics, I would look at Etsy and buy more.  This line is way out of print, and it's time to simply let them go.  I think I may have enough for one more quilt, not counting the one that is below.

Recognize this pattern?  Of course you do.  It's a Trip Around the World.  Granddaughter Natalie is graduating from Iowa State next month and starting a job in Moab, Utah soon after.  I'm hoping she will take this quilt with her.  It's light but warm and will be entirely hand quilting within another week.  

I love off-center spiral quilting, and this is being finished just as the weather turns warm.  

Another set of favorite fabrics is this line from Marcia Derse.  I discovered these at QuiltCon years ago, and as I recall one of my guild mates put these fabrics on my radar.  I now have two bed quilts made from these fabrics.  Now I'm working on a headboard.  How it will be mounted and hung is a question for another day.  But I do think it's going to complete our bedroom.  I'm always looking for new fabrics to crush on.  Brigitte Heitland of Zen Chic comes the closest to a designer I crush on.  Her fabrics are for another post!

Quilting. Literally...

 

While I’m working on current projects, I’m always scheming future ones. These fabrics are a Japanese linen - I’m not sure how they will quilt and wash.  Their feel is so much different from the meaty softness of peppered shot cottons.   But the colors...I love them.

During 2019 I participated in a one block a week sew-a-long with the Canadian Quilters Association - #52blocks52weeks.  The weekly instructions were all in greyscale, which suited my scrap stash perfectly.  At the beginning of 2020, with a couple of extra blocks, I put what I had into a layout with generous sashing to make a napping quilt - 60” x 80”.  The quilting is simple, it’s batted with wool, and the backing is a wonderful soft muslin.  I like how it turned out.  And I may have a buyer. 

The other quilt I just finished quilting is from a charm pack of Zen Chic’s new line Quotation.  I love the other fabric lines she has, and playing with a charm pack lets me see all the fabrics without a huge financial investment.  This pattern was a fun one to do: cut each charm in half, mix up the halves, and insert a one-inch strip.  I think I will add some more border quilting based on what I’m seeing.  

While quilting at my Brother 1500 straight-stitch machine (which I lovingly refer to as my fake Juki), I worked at my Husqvarna on a paper-piecing project for Laura, one of my Chicago Modern Quilt Guild bee mates. I’m not crazy about paper-piecing, but you just cannot get more precise than with paper-piecing.  Speaking of bee projects, here’s a tentative layout of my tuning forks quilt - still missing blocks from a couple of mates...