a start

Spring is just too busy!  I've been scrambling to find time to get started on my new applique project.  I want to make Radical Rose & Reel a pattern from Collector With A Needle by Dawn and her daughter.  It was a big decision to settle on what to start next and I deliberated many choices. I went over to Dawn's website to consider Harrison Rose that Hilda is making and as soon as I saw Radical Rose & Reel it was love at first sight :0)

I ordered background fabric - I love appliqueing on Moda Bella Solids and they can be hard to find where I live.  I settled on Eggshell - I feel it is a bit of a gamble to order fabric online but I'm really happy with how it looks - not as stark as white but not yellowy either.

Then I chose the other fabrics.  I love, love antique red and green quilts but I just couldn't picture myself appliqueing the exact same block 9 times with only 3 fabrics so I decided to go scrappy with prints.  I think they are all similar enough to pull off the look of the antiques I love.



I usually applique with the freezer paper-on-the-top method but I thought this pattern might work better with backbasting.  For that I had to draw the pattern onto the back of the fabric.  The 24 inch block is BIG!  The only window large enough was the livingroom window.  (the pattern has a full size 30 inch drawings too)  I am finding the pattern to be fantastic - it has the quilting lines marked on it too! Of course I can't wait for that part either!!

Today I started with some backbasting... prepping for it goes really slow... I hope I like it.  I can always switch back to my freezer paper-on-the-top if I don't.  Maybe tonight I can take my first applique stitches :0)

There has been a very little bit of machine sewing as well.  I am following along with the Thimblecreek mystery quilt and I have my 40 -  six inch blocks ready for the setting instructions.  Shown here is one of each of the block patterns. Anyone following this mystery will notice that I didn't make the house and tree blocks - I'm pleased with the blocks I substituted them with.  I hope I like the setting!

 I've been quilting away on my Bird of Paradise quilt.  Outline quilting goes fast and is so relaxing.  So far I am very happy with the basting - don't miss the vertical lines at all.  I will try some background fill quilting when I get 4 blocks outlined.

 

I have about 3 1/2 blocks done now so it should be soon.  Every once in awhile I feel a little bit guilty about abandoning my 1/2 quilted Lily Quilt - I tell myself I will get back to it when the novelty wears off of quilting this one.  I wonder when that will be?

Happy Quilting!!

a bit of this and that

March has been a busy month!  I don't have a lot to show for myself but I have been sewing - a little bit every day.  

I've been trying to focus on this last border for my Bird of Paradise quilt.  It's almost finished.  I was very pleased to applique the last of the squirrel/bird feet!  I'm going to stay clear of projects with feet like this in the future :0)

 

I've been sewing along with the Thimblecreek mystery quilt this year.  The blocks today are so much fun - little beach balls :0)  Three more to go.

 Here are the rest of my blocks.  I'm mixing in some Dutch chintz fabrics - I love sewing with them.  I've been sewing them with my Featherweight machine. I had a problems with my main sewing machine for a few weeks (happily it was fairly easily resolved with a new foot pedal) but in the meantime, I had pulled out my Featherweight.  I am rediscovering how fun it is to sew with.

 I also was rummaging through my ufo bin and found a handful of these leader/ender blocks.  I've been working on them again and enjoyed playing around with them this weekend.  I'm not sure what they will become.  They sure are good way to use up little scraps but a distraction from other sewing...

 I hope to have something more exciting to show for myself next time.  Until then -

 

Happy Quilting!!

small decisions

I've been working on my Circle game quilt some more.  I drew another block this week and it was kind of exciting to see it progress from paper to fabric.  I'm trying to make blocks that fit in with the rest from the pattern without being too similar. When I planned this block I intended to make the star centre red.  As I rummaged in my template bags I found this beige centre that is the perfect size.  I was surprised at how much I like it. 

 I went ahead and basted a red centre too. I had to be sure.

 And now I can't decide - lol!

 Surely if I laid out all the blocks together the quilt would tell me which colored centre to use.

But no - I still like them both :0)   I'm sure I'll decide soon and just sew one of them on.  2 more blocks to go!  I found the perfect border fabric in the sale room at a nearby quilt shop.  I'm excited this will be a completed top.

 

I also made the Clue #2 of the Thimblecreek Mystery.  I even managed to cut into some of my Dutch chintz fabric.  The first cut has to be the hardest right?



Happy Quilting!!

intersection of time and inclination

I should be working on my Bird of Paradise border.  I'm so close to finishing it- over 5 years I've been working on it but instead I have been working on is this.  Audrey posted on her blog Quilty Folk about the magic intersection of time and inclination for working on things.  Clearly there has been time what is lacking is the inclination.

 I am loving appliqueing these blocks though! My teenaged daughters recently discovered Downton Abbey for themselves and are watching their way through all of the seasons. How can I resist sitting down with them to watch and do some handwork?  Somehow I doubt this will be a 5 year project...

I got back to working on my Circle Game quilt.  I decided to make 4 more blocks and make a rectangular quilt that someone in the family can use on a bed.  I drew this fairly simple block on freezer paper, made templates and sewed it last week.  Now I only have 3 more to come up with.

 And I thought I would never need to use a geometry set again once I finished high school  :0)

After watching others make the Halloween Thimblecreek mystery quilt last year I could not resist joining in on the mystery for this year.  These are the first 4 blocks.  What is it about 6 inch blocks - so irresistible :0) 

Happy Quilting!!