This is not what I planned

I had this idea in my head for a beautiful quilt. It was really lovely. This quilt would evoke all the crispness of a late winter afternoon. But something just isn't right.

Granted I'm not even half way done with it, there is still WAY more to do on this bad boy ( I say bad because it just isn't turning out like I had planned) but already I'm a little disappointed.

The problem is, I can't figure out where the actual problem is. In my mind and on my pattern, such as it is, everything is a duplicate. It just doesn't LOOK right, or maybe I should say it doesn't FEEL right.

I know, I know, what can you say. You don't know what I was thinking of when I started this project, what look I was going for or even where I'm going with it now. But I just thought I would go ahead and share my disappointment for the day with you.

Should I continue or just cut my losses? I guess since it's not a disaster I'll continue and still finish this off. Think it will improve?

I guess since there is no way of correcting a problem that can't be found I can't make corrections to it.

Maybe I should have made the 2" strips more wonky. NOT all exactly two inches, angled more in the blocks.... Mmmmmm....

Cheers,

Dionne

Christmas 2009 ~ It's never too early~!

Nanette, over at Freda's Hive has had the wonderful idea of posting all kinds of great ideas for handmade Christmas gifts throughout the year. This is great because,

1) it will give us all kinds of wonderful new projects. And if you know Nanette, you know all her projects are really great! And,

2) maybe we'll (I'll) not wait until the last minute to get all my holiday sewing done!


And honestly, after the rush was over and the paper and baubles all put away. There were already thoughts to next year. Yes, I'm adding two more projects to my list.

• I want a Christmas runner. I really loved the Moda's Christmas line this year, so I'm going to make a runner out of the Merry and Bright jelly roll I purchased.
  
  I don't know why, but I really enjoyed these fabrics.
  


• I am going to make a bed-sized Christmas quilt for one of my Children. Two of them loved the Happy Howlidays (doggy) Christmas fabric from Moda. I used some of if on the back of THIS quilt, and she'll out grow the fabric soon enough. So I'll make this one for my youngest, I picked up the fabrics at GREAT post-season prices:
  
  
  I am hoping this will be a really easy patchwork project!
  

YAHOO! I'm a Winner!!

Yes, it's true. I won! I can't believe my good fortune.

Perhaps you heard me whining (click here to read post) about how much I loved my swap block and didn't want to send it away. But, of course I did the right thing and sent the block away.

Well, the day after my birthday I went to the mailbox to find a big envelope full of blocks (mine included), a yard of fabric and a lovely letter, I had WON!!

If you aren't familair with Stichin' Post's Monthly challenge, here how it goes: Every month, instructions are sent out along with a piece of fabric for you to create a block with the addition of your own fabric. Send it back to The Stitchin' Post before the end of the month and your block is entered for a drawing. Each winner receives 20 blocks. I think potentially you could go the whole year without winning. (But not me -- big grin)

I put them all out on my floor (didn't even want to wait to clear my design wall) It really looks nice. Although I was thinking I might lay them all out on-point with sashing. These blocks are pretty big. I didn't measure but I think they are 16 inches, and I got 20 of them.

Nice!

Old Tobacco Road - Step 2: Pinwheel Paradise!

Well, even with the Teacher's Strike and the summer that never ends, I am managing to move forward with my Big End of the Summer Mystery Bash!!


Now that part 1 is finished, I have several leftover 2" (inch) strips in blues and greens, and in cream. I actually have many leftover 2" chunks of blue/cream 2-patches so I am a bit worried that I've mis-calculated my sewing for part 1 and won't have enough fabric for the next step. But because it's scrappy, I can always find more greens or blues. (If it's creams I'm up a creek... but we won't think about that because it isn't going to happen!)

• For this step you need a million half square triangles. Oh, sorry, I meant to say 388 2" (1.5" finished) Half Square Triangles! Now, that is enough to drive me batty, except that I often forget just how much that really is. Anyhow, I decided to use my beloved 'Thangles'


• First put your 2" strips right sides together, one light and one dark. Then put your Thangle 1.5 sheet over the strip-pair. Just stitch on the broken line and cut on the solid line. Perfect triangles every time. No rulers, no thinking, no muss, no fuss!

• Thangle TIPS: You don't have to shorten your stitch to use Thangles, but I do. Why? Because it makes it just that much easier, and I'm all for easy! Also, it's helpful to keep your fabric borders and your Thangle sheet aligned nicely.

• Last step for Pinwheel Paradise (my own name for this step, Bonnie would have come up with something nicer, but instead gave us a lovely theme song by Dusty Springfield). Stitch up those pinwheels! 388 half-square triangles make 97 pinwheels!

FYI - I am actually going to sew until I get to 100 pinwheels (instead of 97) because once again we are going to need a few half pinwheels... and there is no way I'm going to make a half-pinwheel. I'll just sew it up and take the rejects and cut'em in half!

If the whole Thangles thing isn't for you, and you are interested, there is a nice little half-square tutorial at Mama Crafty's Blog

Old Tobacco Road - Day One, Fabric Selection

I am doing Bonnie's latest Mystery Quilt called 'Old Tobacco Road'. I got a bit of a late start on this one, so I am not answering (or reading my email) in a timely manner in an effort not to spoil the surprise!

If you haven't done any of Bonnie's mysteries, they are fabulous and a lot of fun. I will be posting all of my OTR (Old Tobacco Road) related activities and pictures here.

The Basics: This will be 56" x 78" - which is bigger than a throw size. I might add the optional borders segment, and then I'll end up with a full size quilt that measures approximately 81-inches X 104-inches!

Bonnie's directions allow for both a complete scrappy look, or a more controlled scrappy look. I tend towards the controlled colors and bearing that in mind here is what I've done:

Choose two color families:

• First in deep rusts and browns - Bonnie threw in some black for contrast, I replaced that with deep garnet.


• Next, a color family that will not clash with your rusts. I chose greens and blues.


• Lastly you need a selection of lights or creams. I chose not to go scrappy at all here but have one cream print that I will use throughout.

The black you see is for one of the borders. I don't know if I will only do one border or all three that she has fabric selections for.

Tree of life

This center medallion is called Tree of Life. I plan to finish this with nice borders in complementary colors. I hope I can find some more nice fabrics to work with.

July '08 Thangles Buck-a-Block

I'm a little late posting July's blocks. Actually they were done a few weeks ago, but I just plain forgot to post them until I was about to do the August blocks. My LQS (Local Quilt Shop) does the Buck-a-Block from July to June each year, and in two alternate colorways.

Last year I only did one colorway (the Batiks -- still a Work in Progress, but you can see it in the Labels). This year I decided to do both, I wish I would have done both last year as well, but I won't make that mistake this year.

Two colorways:

1. Brights


2. Blue, White and Yellow

UFOM #6 - The Really Big Kaleidescope Quilt

My last and final Miracle UFO! This was going to be a King Size Kaleidescope quilt. All done in purple. In retrospect, I find the color selection a bit dark. It's kind of funny how our tastes change over the years.

Everything was included here. All my notes, lots of fabric, Several finished squares, many more almost finished squares -- and even a marking pen.


Everything but the required ruler! The really irritating thing about that is that I remember seeing that ruler when we were moving. I remember thinking that it was out of place and ought to be with all my other sewing supplies. Then I got distracted, I didn't go investigate what the movers were doing. To this day I wonder if I would have stopped right then, would I have been able to salvage all my sewing supplies? All that fabric? All that work?

Now that ruler is gone, and so is everything else. Well, almost everything. Everything except my 6 little miracles!
Here I've placed the finished squares together on the floor (my design wall is already covered with my "real" work -- ha ha) I think it will look nice when it's all done. If I can find a ruler replacement, I might even make it a King size! Probably not though. We'll see!

UFOM #5 - Woodsy Center

This block I was making for someone I worked with, back when I was expecting my first child (who is 11 now). She and I were quite friendly.

Then one day, she just didn't come in to work. When I inquired about her, they said she called in to quit with no notice and said she was moving to Georgia -- Atlanta I think.

So there this sat, for ages. Of all the projects I had sitting in my sewing room, if I had to choose among any of them, I must say, this would be the very last one I would want saved. It's very much not my style.

In this close up you can see my four-patch is a bit wonky! Probably better I didn't give it out as a gift I suppose! Maybe I can find a center medallion swap or something, although, now that I've highlighted my wonky squares, perhaps I should rethink that!

Well, this one is a puzzler. I've promised myself to finish all my UFOMs. Problem is, what to do? What to do?

UFOM #4 - Almost, Almost Done Christmas Wallhanging

This one is nearly done. And I remember very clearly why I didn't finish it. I couldn't decide what to put in the green panel. If you look closely, I've used scrap from my very first quilt (UFOM #1) for two of the trees.

That and I didn't have enough buttons to finish the trees. Now that is a silly reason, I know, especially because you can pick up buttons so easily!

I remember wanting not only the skin color of the angels to be varied, but the shading on their wings. So I took the doily, and tea-stained them in different shades. Then I was disappointed because I thought the stained wings didn't show up quite as well from the background. It doesn't bother me so much now. Maybe that was the real reason why I didn't finish it.

Now, what to put in that green panel. Mmmmmmm....

UFOM #2 - Yes, its a QUILLOW!

Right out of another one of THOSE bags! Yes, you've haven't heard about quillows in years! In fact, I think they were all the rage the year I started quilting and then immediately died out.

Well, I'm not sure about that. But I had forgotten I ahd even attempted to make one. And from the amount of fabric I have, I think I wanted to make FOUR!

These fabrics aren't really my style, and I don't think they ever were. But they are nice and I know that my daughters will love them. So, I figure I'll make two for my daughters and finish the other two off for a Linus Project quilt.

The only problem is that I don't know how to make a quillow. It seems I took a class at a quilt shop in a town I haven't lived in for more than 15 years! Well, I didn't get very far in the class because I've not even cut the fabric. I only have one pillow panel with an added ruffle.

The sheet I saved from the class only gives yardage requirements, but directions. Why on earth would I save yardage requirements but not the directions. I must have thought the whole thing so easy that I wouldn't need directions.

Either that, or I thought it too hard and I would never attempt to make them. I have no idea, but there is PLENTY of fabric here!

Anyone out that know of a good quillow pattern??

UFOM #1 - My First Quilt

I've decided to call these UFOMs -- the M is for Miracle. (or You-Foms).

So my first find was this finished quilt top. It's the very first quilt I ever made. I was so very proud of it and I remember how much I loved the fabrics I chose. To this day I have a weakness for tree quilts and leafy fabric prints.

But the funny thing about this quilt is that I had sent it over to a long-armer (couldn't imagine myself doing the quilting in those days -- or even what a long-arm quilter was!)

Anyhow, the poor lady took one look at my quilt and sent it back! Said she couldn't do my quilt. I must have been her worst nightmare as a client (except that I was pleasant I'm sure)...

She had finished the edges on her serger for me and I just folded it up and dropped it into a bag. I haven't looked at it since.

It has some damaged bits, and if you look close you will see that the bag I kept it in has some mold on it -- never very good for a quilt.

Well I'm going to finish it up on my Pfaff machine. I grabbed some leftover novelty fabric of christmas pigs (Olivia if you have children) and it'll make a great lap quilt in winter for when the kids are watching t.v.

So that's it - My first UFOM is my first quilt! Ironic....

Postage Stamp Quilt

I'm trying to decide on a design for my Postage Stamp Quilt. I've decided to do large color blocks because I want to actually get it done sometime in the near future (of course that's all relative isn't it).

Here are my 3 PS (For Postage Stamp) designs:

PS Rainbow:

This is a so-sew simple pattern but I am not sure what to do with the border. Mmmmm.... any thoughts?

And here is my second idea: PS Braid

I don't think the braid pattern comes out well enough though. Kinda difficult when I am trying to make my pattern from color blocks. (To make it quicker in the construction)


And Finally this last one is a bit bigger and I called it: PS I Love you! Great name huh! :-)



I've set up a survey-style vote on my Right-Hand-Navigation bar. (--->)

Look What the Postman Brought

~Before~

What a pitiful little showing!

Oh tra, lalala la! Look what the postman brought me today! Generous, sweet Katie sent me such a wonderful selection of scraps! A few months ago, I thought to make a Postage Stamp Quilt. But I had not been saving the small 1 1/2" size scrap squares I needed, so my poor stash was pitiful indeed. (See my BEFORE picture, very sad isn't it). I knew that because of the sad state of a stash, my lovely Postage Stamp Quilt would be months and months away! Probably not even started until NEXT YEAR! But Katie came to the rescue and sent me a Veritable Fabric Feast! And now, my friends, I am happy to report that my Postage Stamp Quilt will be my very next Sew-Between! Thank you Katie! PS - If you don't know what a 'Sew-Between' is, it's the quilt you make with all your leaders & enders. If you don't know what a leader & ender is... well check out Quiltville and prepare to have your quilting time nearly doubled -- or at least increased dramatically.

Lots of Little Quilty "Legos"

Last night, while I snacked on some fresh goodies, I worked a little more on my Botanical Shop Hop Quilt. I call it that because it comes from a pattern I modified called Botanical designed by Jason Yenter (of In The Beginning Fabrics). Then I selected some limited run fabrics from the Western Washington Shop Hop.


I wish the fabric colors would have come out better in my snapshots. I really need to get a better camera, or get better at photography. The focus fabric has a deep burgundy color background, and a butterfly graphic pattern with WA state references. The fabric, also designed by Jason Yenter, is similar to his Floragraphix line of fabrics. (see link above).


With obligations elsewhere sometimes it gets hard to squeeze in my own, personal sewing projects. Thus the saga of UFO's continue to plague me!



Of course, I looked at the list I have of UFO’s (on my Right-Hand-Navigation Menu -->) and realize that I've mixed up personal projects with my other projects. I Left some things out and added items that might not be considered UFO's. But unless you are the Quilting Police, I won't worry about it!


One of these days, I’ll clean up my list and get really super organized! It's going to happen.... one of these days! :-)


Until then, just keep on quilting!

ps - You can see a better view of these fabrics on the 'official' Shop Hop poster on my earlier post: HERE

Botanical Shop Hop Quilt

This is a quilt I just started. I got the idea from the Western Washington Shop Hop Fabrics. This years fabrics are really beautiful:

I'm using the focus fabric and the top four fabrics in blues and greens, then I've added another fabric to the mix to add some additional interest.

I took a quilt pattern that was designed by Jason Yenter called Botanica and modified it. His pattern can be found in the book Floragraphix II. I think he might have also designed the fabrics as well.

I will post pictures of the quilt as I get further along.