Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Nuts and Bolts


Working on slowly progressing projects can be frustrating.  I am at a stop and think point for at least two of my projects.... But I can't show them to you just yet.

Consequently,  I needed to do something that reached near completion... and brightened the sewing room and my spirits a bit against the gray winter we've had here. (I shouldn't complain about the weather, as it has been unusually balmy here.  So far no major snow storms or ice storms, and relatively warm temps.)  I didn't want to feel like I was spinning wheels and getting nowhere.

Anyway, I poked through some of Kaffe's books and really liked his bow-tie quilt in Simple Shapes, Spectacular Quilts.   I decided to go ahead and make it, but not copy it or use his fabrics.  Instead, I was influenced by a color combination that he has for one of his fabrics,  the yellow-green lotus fabric.



















I pulled all the fabrics from my stash that fit the color scheme .  This is a picture of the "left overs".




















Here's what I made:












I like the way the yellow centers seem to float over the quilt.









It measures 72 x 48.  It is now waiting for quilting... a finished flimsy, at least.



Thursday, January 12, 2012

I kept it a secret

The cat is out of the bag.  With the reveal of Victoria's Festive Cheers quilt, I can now show you how her pattern inspired one of my recently finished quilts.  (My delay in posting is due to the lack of internet service at my home right now.... I'll be back on board by the end of the month.)

Before V knew that her pattern had attracted the eyes of the editors of Quilt Almanac, she had posted a tutorial on her blog.  It was there only briefly, but it caught my eye and I immediately sat down and made up a sample and sent a photo to her, as I wanted to give her proper credit.  Not long afterwards, I received an excited note saying that the pattern had been selected for publication and she had to keep things hush- hush. She even suggested that my quilt might be shown with hers... but by then my quilt had morphed to something a bit different.    I promised I wouldn't spoil the surprise. Furthermore, I wanted to wait until I had a way to link back to V's quilt and pattern.   Thank you to an ever inspiring Victoria!

Here is the sample picture I sent V.






Here's the final quilt.  It morphed into this form because I wanted to use and show more of Kaffe's fabrics than the sliver's that would show between the petals of the flowers.  I call this quilt "Daisies in Kaffe's Garden."    It was quilted by my friend,  Marilyn Lange.


















Tuesday, January 3, 2012

making slow progress

Happy New Year to all!

Over the holidays I've been doing stuff in the sewing room.  I've not completed anything, just plugged away at on-going (slow moving) projects.

Here's a sneak peek of one project.

I've been using Tonya Ricucci's book Word Play Quilts as guidance for making the letters.  She also provides several examples of what not to do.  (I need to remake one of these signs as the letters are somewhat lost because the fabric I chose is a bit too busy and pretty much the same value as the background.  Can you spot it?).  I have two more place names to make before I move on to the next phase of this quilt.  It will be complex, unlike any I have ever made.  I love the challenge and I know that its recipients will cherish it; for me, it won't be "a lot of work" as some are prone to say, it is a lot of fun.











I made the 4th block for the Bloggers BOM.  Pat Sloan designed the block.  I have been making 4 of each block, playing with various similar backgrounds and color combinations.


















I've been mentoring a young lass as she made her first quilt. She loves going to the thrift stores. She purchased fabric whenever she could find it, plus received some fabric from a quilting friend.  In two weeks she made a twin quilt top of scrappy nine-patches and snowballs.  It is now at the quilters. She is so excited about it and about having reached her goal of making it in time take it to the University.  She is entering this semester.  I hope to get a picture or two once she gets the quilt back.  We still have to put the binding on it.