A Little More Hand Work

Don't forget! Only one more day to link up your Quilty 365 circles! There is so much progress being made and tons of great ideas being implemented. Love it! The first two blocks for my Solids Challenge quilt are completed below. The red circles in the second block are a bit rough looking, but I'm strangely pleased with that. The stitching was done while I was a passenger in my husbands work truck one day, bump, bump, bumping along because the weight of the trailer. It just makes me smile.

My Solids Challenge quilt blocks

I need to get the March block fleshed out and all the applique bits prepped so it can be done for March. Still wondering where exactly this project is going, but it's a fun personal challenge already. I'm discovering that solids are quite a bit different to work with than prints. Wowsers! I am enjoying how quickly they 'pop', but finding it a bit nerve wracking as the color choices seem that much more critical!

I also finished up the hand quilting on my Flowers and Flying Geese quilt. It's been a great quilt to work on during this end-of-winter season. Hand quilting is so deeply satisfying to me, I can't even imagine not making the time for it somewhere in my week. I'd say it doesn't even matter what quilt top I'm stitching on, but that's not true. It always matters. That's why I don't necessarily grab the 'next quilt on the list' to put into my hoop. It has to be one that I'm excited about, challenged by, or maybe has certain colors that are currently speaking to me. Occasionally I choose one out of guilt for the fact that it's been languishing so long in the drawers. That can work too, but I have to be careful as guilt only goes so far.*wink

Flowers and Flying Geese nearing completion....

And on a different note, Stephie has the next post up in her new series 'How long does it take to make a quilt?'. Such a fascinating topic! The first two articles are about Ann and Kaja, two wonderfully creative quilters, and then will be me. Ack! Is it good or bad that I'll be at the end? Stephie asked some very thought provoking questions which make me anxious to see how the others responded. There's always more to learn!

Linking up to Kathy's Slow Sunday Stitching. I may be late to the party, but there is almost always progress around here....

Slow Stitching on Flowers and Flying Geese

Just a quick post 'cuz the guys are busy with Superbowl stuff. I've been stitching on Flowers and Flying Geese here and there. It's always a bit of a tentative start for me, especially with an applique quilt like this.

Flowers and Flying Geese

How much is enough? Would an all over stitch work better? Always wondering if the stitching is good for the quilt. Or the quilt is good for these stitches....Those of you who hand quilt probably know what I'm talking about.

Making a good start

Then there's that wonderful rhythm and flow that slowly develops. Everything in the hoop sort of takes care of itself and all you have to supply is the hand/eye coordination.*wink

Slowly working through the center of the quilt

Once in awhile I realize the thread is starting to run very low, so I have to panic and find a good on-line source. My home grown sources don't like to sell my favorite threads! So this time I ordered from Bunny Hill Designs. I was looking to match one particular brand, color, and number of thread. Good things have been said about this company and it was time to check them out. Imagine my dismay when the order arrived missing three little balls of my very precious Valdani thread. I immediately left a phone message and a follow up email. Trying not to sound hysterical and/or accusatory is difficult when it comes to things you're passionate about.

More Valdani from Bunny Hill Designs

The owner, Anne Sutton, emailed me back within several hours {after business hours in fact} and told me the rest of my order would be mailed out the very next day. When my missing thread arrived in a timely fashion, there were also two gratis balls of perle cotton. Yay! I'd say that's excellent customer service. No having to argue about what I actually received, no justifications for what might have happened, just a quick make-it-right package. Ahh... Now I can relax. And stitch the rest of this quilt without running out of any more thread.....

Linking up to Kathy's Slow Sunday Stitching just because I can.

A Few Odds and Ends

I've been piddling around in the quilt room trying to get some things figured out. Turns out that I don't want to put another border on my Flowers and Flying Geese quilt after all. I think instead of a blue border, I'll wait and use it for binding. Anything else just feels unnecessary at this point, although 60" x 67" is a bit smaller than I'd hoped for this quilt.

Flowers and Flying Geese

Nice to get something cleared off the UFQ list and so easily too! All the eyes for the pickle dish/wedding ring quilt are finished up now--been sewing several a day. I've read through the pattern and think I probably understand the next step. Not feeling quite ready to attack it though, so on to the next project for now...

Pickle Dish/Wedding Ring quilt

I'm not a big fan of working with parallelograms, but that Cactus Basket in the Basket Galore BOM kind of got me intrigued. Why oh why do I do this to myself??? Machine stitching it didn't work out so well with the BOM basket, so I'm prepping these for hand piecing. Hopefully I won't mangle them too much.

Prepping for some new blocks

I drew the outside edges with an ink pen, but the inside stitching marks were marked very lightly with pencil. That should help me end up with a more precise looking block.

More prep work

My plan is to make this variation of the Cactus Basket that I drew up for a 14" block.  With the help of my very magic rotary cutting book, I think all the pieces should go together properly.

Cactus Basket variation

I'm going to start with 12 blocks, but who knows? They may be so much fun I end up wanting to make more...... lol

Loving This Scrappy Dresden Border!

Late last year I almost started the Love Entwined applique BOM. Almost. I even printed out the first two months directions. Then I just sort of kissed it goodbye in an effort not to tie myself down with such a huge, detailed, applique project. Someday I am going to make a very special quilt like that, but for now I'm enjoying the freedom to go my own way.

Flowers and Flying Geese

Like these scrappy pink Dresdens. I just sort of stumbled into this idea after seeing the pink fabrics fanned out next to my quilt--me sitting there thinking, 'What next? It's gotta be pink!'

It worries me occasionally that all all my ideas will dry up and blow away before I can even get a solid fix on what they are. So silly when I think about how I work. It's not like I draw out an entire quilt idea before even getting started! (Okay, once in awhile that happens, but it's a very rare thing.) For me it generally starts with the fabric. I love to dig into my totes of stash fabric for the unlike-lies, the less than lovable and the ones that are so very shy they are easily overlooked.

If I dig deep enough, there are usually fabrics to be found that have been lurking around for a very long time. Then I have to wonder why they're still there! What is wrong with me that these fabrics haven't been given their special moment in the sun a quilt! Eventually I gather a neat little stack of fabrics together and the quilt starts taking on a life of it's own.

Take this Flowers and Flying Geese quilt. So far I've haven't had to buy any new fabric for it at all. Which just makes me so very happy.  I have finally managed to use the last little bit of fabric bought for a baby quilt for my youngest son (he's now 13). There are a couple fabrics given to me by an aunt at least 8 yrs. ago--originally from the late 80's maybe (a particular ugly time in the life of calico). Then there are the flying geese units which are from the baby quilt I made for a niece (going on 8 yrs? now). The modern looking pinks are from a quilt top I made for my sister back in 2005? And I know the blue flower fabrics are from a challenge project I attempted at least 10 yrs. ago.

A closer look

We should never be afraid of our stash fabric. I can't emphasize that enough! Mostly, stash fabric is just patiently waiting for the right blend of components to help us love them all over again. Sometimes it takes a new piece or two of fabric to help boost them into the limelight, but not always. One of the greatest merits of blending the old fabrics with the new is how the shades and tones change through the years. If you can figure out how to get past the fact that certain colors don't 'match' anymore, you might be pleasantly surprised by how your quilt starts talking to you, maybe even singing. It's brilliant and we have it all right here at our fingertips!

In the interest of full disclosure, I think it's only fair to admit that the biggest challenge usually ends up being the process. Uh huh. How do we make those oldy fabrics blend with the newer ones and still get a quilt that looks 'present'? (And what if we inadvertently make a quilt that takes everyone straight back to the 90's? Ack!) Obviously we have to find block patterns and layouts that resonate with us as well as our fabric choices.

All I can say is TRY, TRY, TRY. Success comes with experience, which is only possible when effort is expended.*sigh  If I find the magic formula I'll be sure and let you in on it. In the meantime, I'm still digging around for some unlikely blues for the next border....

Loving These Dresdens!

It's been crazy busy around here, but not so much on the quilting front. I guess all the Valentines Day stuff finally motivated me to start sewing the Dresdens on my Flowers and Flying geese border.

Flowers & Flying Geese border

I can totally see why people fall in love with Dresdens after working on these scrappy pink ones. Loving how this looks so far! Only three more borders to go, but it isn't going super fast for me. Probably because I went ahead and tacked the bottom of the Dresdens down to the border fabric. There's just too much stretch from the bias to cut the back out of the applique just yet and I need it nice and secure when I sew it to the main part of the quilt.

Why Having Several UFQ's Generally Works in My Favor

I don't consider myself to be {naturally} creative. My mind gets full of the busyness of life and I go to the quilt room to escape. When fabric and color work their wonderful magic on me, everything gets better in my world almost instantly! Instead of having to start from scratch (cue the panic!), lots of times it's better for me to dive into something that I know exactly what to do with.

The Pickle Dish/Wedding Ring quilt

Even when I'm not comfortable with the process or it's not my favorite piecing method. (ie: foundation piecing) there is still a plan of action to follow. It's usually just a matter of deciding what I want to work on that particular day and getting on with it.

Here's where it gets interesting for me. When I'm practically numb from sewing my 4th or 5th foundation piecing arc (or whatever other tedious sewing I'm doing), my mind starts doing calisthenics trying to convince me that there are other more fascinating things to be sewing. 'Hey, what about making a few Goose Track blocks--you know you've wanted to make them forever!!' And so it goes.

Geese Tracks

However, when it gets to the point that I feel like I'd rather chop off all my fingers than sew another set, I make myself sew another set. I know. Very perverse of me. But I try to ensure that whatever brilliant idea going on in my head is not just from the fugue state. Think of it as a two-fold preventative measure: 1. Play time has to be earned and 2. There's plenty of time to wake up and think while being tortured.*wink

Partial St. Paul blocks

So.. when I finally pack that project away for the day (big sigh of relief), I often take a moment to look at one of my unfinished quilts. Hmm... What to do? It's nice to check in with where I'm at in the process occasionally. Does it need sashing or another border? Am I stuck over making a fabric/color choice? Sometimes I take the time to audition a few ideas and then, more often than not, I put it all back in the tote without doing anything physical to the project at all. Yep. I know what you're thinking. All I did was look at it, play a little and think. Ha! Not so fast with the criticism there! Now it's very fresh and clear in my mind. What do you think my very curious and puzzle-solving subconscious is going to be doing the next several days while I go through my daily routine?

Random Sampler

And yes, there are projects that are waaay back on the back burner. I check on them occasionally too so they know I still love them. It's good to reassure myself that I'm still feeling the love for the fabric. Hmm... Project ideas? Maybe some more basket blocks, you can never go wrong there. Hey, what about that Basket BOM from Legend and Lace? Can I combine the two projects? Hmm... something to think about although those baskets probably deserve a quilt of their own. I wonder if I'm doing too many medallions right now--maybe this quilt should be more of a puzzle-piece type sampler? Ugghh... so not in the mood for that at the moment. Move on, move on, leaving the decisions for yet another day!

Flowers and Flying Geese

There are projects that I know exactly what the next step is going to be. I even have it all prepped and ready to go, especially in the case of applique work. Just waiting for the right mix of motivation and time.

Muddy Creek

Once in awhile I notice that my applique projects are piling up on me and still there's no burning desire to find the time to do the work. That's a very dangerous area for me. I've noticed that sometimes it takes a brand new project to jump start finishing the work for another. Uh huh. I make deals with myself that I can't start on the NEW work (applique, piecing etc.) until I finish off what needs done for an older project. Talk about brilliant reasoning--you have no idea how much that can motivate me!

Happy Flowers

Ahem. That's how I started my Happy Flowers actually. I wanted to make them soooo much that it made perfect sense to me to do some other applique work that had grown a little tedious to me. What's ironic is NOW I have the Happy Flowers projects hanging out in the wind all because I can't make up my mind about the setting triangle fabric. What if I get it wrong? Then they won't be happy anymore. It's a dilemma.

Hand Pieced Bow-ties

There you have it. Me and my wonderful justification for having a whole lot going on in the quilting room. Most of the time if I'm whining about not starting a new project (because of all the UFQ's piling up), it's because I know I'm procrastinating about something. Seriously, it's rarely about the number. The decision has probably been made, the fabric is no doubt available, and I'm just being a cowardly lion. lol Oddly enough, working on several different projects at once allows me to be more creative as the ideas seem to bounce off of each other, project to project as I work. Whatever works the best, I'm all for it!