Random Sampler Is a Finish!

Things always slow down in the fall, that's what I've been telling myself for months. So here we are and it still feels like we are careening from one week right into the next. I ended up in Portland this past weekend and snuck in a little visit to my youngest sister. Did I do any hand work that was prepped and sitting in my bag?

Random Sampler

Um, no. I was too busy trying to keep from shivering half to death. It's usually 10 degrees warmer in Western Oregon than what we deal with here in Eastern Washington, but that cold damp air! Brr...

Can you believe how far we are into November? I keep walking around in a fog just blown away by how close we are to Thanksgiving already! This quilt was one I was absolutely determined to get finished up this year and it's always had an expected Thanksgiving deadline--at least in my mind. Yikes! So, knowing this quilt was so crazy close to a finish, I knuckled down and finally got the binding figured out and all sewn on. Love the leftover binding tote for quilts like this--didn't have to dig into the stash at all and the work is half done already!

So good to have this one finished!

This is definitely one of my oldest unfinished quilt tops. Started sometime in 2012 from one of the first online QAL's I ever joined up with and one that almost got sidelined completely. It got bogged down sometime after most of the original blocks were finished {how to put the puzzle together and have it look good???} and then it was quite awhile before the quilt top itself was finally sewn together. The large applique basket block was an orphan block that just begged to be incorporated into the quilt and I've never regretted that. It helps give the quilt personality! Also, it's good to remember that all through the making of this particular project, I constantly referred to Gwen Marston's 'Liberated Medallion Quilts' book. It's a lovely, wonderful book to have on the shelf if you like to do your own thing.

A little bit of hand quilting on the applique basket...

I still love the calm, cozy colors in this quilt. Somehow that creamy white just helped make the quilt glow instead of  getting overwhelmed by the dark undertones in most fall fabrics. It's a trap I fall into a lot of times, loving these colors but not quite get the balance right. And I adore the use of plaids, something you'll see me gravitate to over and over again. Overall, it just feels like an inviting quilt and that feels like a win.

Love seeing then hanging off the railing....

Because it was such a busy, busy quilt, I ended up machine quilting it in simple vertical lines and then went back and hand quilted the larger basket block with perle cotton. There was one big pucker in the back of the quilt that I tried to think would be okay to ignore. I even took the colored thread off the cone and replaced it with my usual white thread. But no. It was just too bad to wink at. Couldn't leave it be! Ugghh.. Hate having to rewind the other thread and change out the bobbin again and just for a few inches of thread. The funny thing was, somehow I ended up folding another part of the quilt into the 'fix' and then had a horrible mess on my hands. No I did not take a picture because I was just too furious! lol  In the end, I had two fixes {well, actually three after fixing the place where it was caught} and it took lots of extra time that I was sure would have been better spent elsewhere.

But now I can be happy with it and thankfully it washed up beautifully. I'm always bracing myself for red dye issues these days! So glad I went ahead and pushed myself to get this one done by this fall. It's too nice to be sitting folded up in a drawer for years. And yes, I have bounced around a lot this year, from project to project and all different looks and styles. It's all about having different projects in different stages so as to always have something to work on--no matter the crazy things going on in my life. And getting things finished up. Doesn't it feel wonderful to wrap up a years-in-the-making sort of project?

Latest in the Hoop and a Finished Quilt Top!

A little bit of hand quilting on my Quarter Circles quilt. I am stitching around the inside of the circles and then doing a 1 1/2" cross hatch throughout the 'background' of the quilt. Looking at it like this, I can see that I may have to go back and fill in another couple circle repeats as it is looking a bit puffy in the circles. Not sure I like that.

Quarter Circles getting hand quilted

And then of course I worked on my Random Sampler quilt over the weekend. Are you getting tired of this quilt yet? It really needed to get off the floor of my quilting room and out of the way. I finally got all the blocks sewn into five big units--4 vertical ones and one that goes about three fourths across the top of the quilt. Sorry I couldn't spread the quilt out a bit more so you could see it better. Maybe if you click on the picture, you'll get the idea?

Random Sampler sewn into 5 big units

The only place I needed to add more piecing was at the top right corner. Not surprising as that is the panel I started with. Since I didn't graph it out on paper, there had to be a starting point for ascertaining length of the entire quilt. By the time I moved on to the other panels, I was already sure the original unit would be a little too short. Much easier to fix it at the end though, then fix it again and again as the quilt develops.

A little short on the right unit. What to do, what to do....

I was worried that my block placement wouldn't properly camouflage where the vertical units began and ended, but the end result seems fine. The last thing I wanted was a random sampler quilt with 4 obvious vertical rows. Ughhh!

And finally it's all sewn together!

If I had a large enough design wall, there definitely would have been blocks that I would have turned 90 degrees etc. during the quilt making, but those are the sorts of things that it's difficult to 'see' while working on individual units. The block I really regret not turning is the tree block on the right bottom of the quilt. How cool would it have been to have the tree block in the top left facing a totally different direction than the one on the bottom? Oh well. Not getting the seam ripper out again for this quilt. I don't think we're on speaking terms at the moment.*wink

Random Sampler a finished quilt top

And now it's done. {But not ironed.} A finished quilt top! Big sigh of relief to get this one to this particular stage of completion and off the UFQ list! Crazy of me I know, but some day I think I'll try to make one with more complicated piecing....

Lots of Irons in the Fire as Usual

Still working on my Random Sampler, although more in bits and pieces now. It's right smack in the middle of where I walk into the quilt room, prodding me all the time to work on it. I try really hard not to fall into the trap of working on something 'I don't wanna' because that seems to suck all the creative juices right out of me. That being said, there are ahem!, ways to increase the interest....

More to do on the Random Sampler

And really, it's not nearly as difficult as it was in the beginning. Which helps tremendously. There is a rhythm to the effort that helps take away most of the frustration. Sew a few blocks together, fill in with a couple squares or random strips and then sew together the larger parts. It all works because the more that gets done, the more obvious it becomes that the little bits are just background, and therefore less important.

For something different, I sewed the binding onto my Scrap Attack #2 quilt, moving it ever closer to an actual finish. Just taking this picture though, I saw an area on the binding that needs a bit more stitching. Just a square shape there to the right on the border. It will probably take more time to match the thread than to do the actual stitching!

The first step for the binding 

I've also been slowing pecking away at the applique on these two units of my Fire Quilt. I'm not entirely happy with the flames on the Pateros part, but for now it will have to do. If it keeps bugging me, then changes can be made later. I find it interesting that at times working on this quilt makes me feel agitated and stressed. It took me awhile to realize it was the memories and I don't always want to 'go back'.

The first two parts to the Fire Quilt

I played with ideas for the rest of the quilt, throwing fabric around in wild abandon until I felt comfortable moving ahead. There is already a 'foundation' fabric sewn onto the bottom of the green/blue center of the quilt and next I need to make two foundation panels for the two sides. I say 'foundation' because they will be having more applique pieces stitched onto them too. On the left I intend to do some sentences in reverse applique {some feelings about what took place} and on the right, a compilation of simple shapes. Then there will be more applique work on the bottom as well. Whew! This is turning out to be a very labor intensive quilt. I just hope I can do it justice and maybe even have it ready for the annual town quilt show next year? Fingers crossed that I can sustain the momentum.....

Making a Random Sampler is Not For the Faint of Heart

I am not entirely a happy camper working on this particular quilt. Mostly because it's a very frustrating way to work. So many options and variables, it just makes my brain spin. And even though it looks all random and casually thrown together, that is so far from the reality. Gah! I've second guessed myself until I'm quite positive brain tissue is melting.

Two sections (mostly) finished up

I had to go back and refresh my memory of WHY I thought this quilt was a good idea. Oh yeah. I actually like these kinds of quilts. Go figure. My heart still likes to have this {naive} idea that random samplers are refreshing and honest looking.*sigh  Having had a (little) experience with these types of quilts, I divided the quilt into five sections to start with--making sure the larger parts were somewhat evenly spread throughout. That decision being made, I try to work solely on one section at a time thereafter. Best to establish boundaries for the chaos right from the start.

Working on another section. Had to stop when I ran into a set-in seam...

Some parts go together very well and I have big smiles on my face and beautiful humming sounds coming from the sewing machine. Other areas are a morass of obstacles. Think quicksand. Chunks of blocks getting sewn together upside down. Or sideways. Times I suddenly run into {dare I even say it?} a set in seam. grrr... Best to look at it like it's just a big puzzle to sort out, starting at one end of a section and sewing down or sideways. Wherever I have empty spaces, the challenge is how to best fill them without making the entire quilt look like a lump of scraps that the baby was playing with. And no I don't have a baby.

If it could all go together this easily...

Here's a pictures of the layout I finally settled on after about two hours of brain cells fizzling and I'm sure, dying. It didn't help that the carpet is so dark underneath, but my design wall is not near large enough to accommodate this quilt. Honestly, if I had that big of a design wall, this quilt would be soooo.... much easier. I could work off and on for days and weeks. And probably years knowing me. This way I feel very motivated to finish up and get it well out of the way.

It isn't going to be exactly like the picture of course. Too many little bits added in and seam allowances getting scrunched into the piecing. That's the beauty of laying it out (ta da! it works!) and then after. Trying to piece it all together like what I imagined. Those lovely disappearing seam allowances... I have a stack of 2 1/2" squares ready to use as filler (experience is good for something), but I've already had to make one little pinwheel block. Chances are I'll make a lot more as the balance of the quilt demands. Love that word 'balance'. It almost makes me laugh like a crazed hyena, but I'm sure the little bit of balance I do establish will help make the quilt look a lot more cohesive in the end.

The original layout

Because I have a family and they like to use the living room too, eventually I had to pick up all the parts and pieces and move them out of the room. I so did not want to do that but already, the youngest son was making long jumps over the right corner of the quilt. First I made myself a quick hen-scratching-type-plan of attack. Less than two hours later, I could barely make out the code and started sewing the right section of the quilt according to the instructions scratchings for the top part of the quilt. Don't even ask me how that happens.

My plan of attack. Sort of.

But things are going better now. I'm definitely getting in the flow of things and taking less time to agonize over the itty bitty details. And as soon as I recover the lost seam ripper, we'll be right back in business.*wink

Random Sampler Parts and Pieces

I've been not working on this quilt for a very long time. It's probably the UFQ that hangs over my head the most-- like a dark cloud of reproach. I don't have a problem with unfinished projects in general {check out this great post if you want validation that it's perfectly normal}, but there comes a time when it is time.

Working late in the evening

You know, finish it up or send it down the road? So.. since I still love the fabrics, am intrigued by the (un)pattern and think there are still things to learn from this project, I've established a deadline for finishing the quilt top: Thanksgiving weekend. If I still can't get motivated to pull it all together by that date, then I will fold in the towel on the entire project.

Making a couple more sawtooth stars just because I like them....

I also managed to finish up the applique stitching on my eagle centerpiece. I like how the flowers frame the eagle and yet soften it too.

The Eagle Centerpiece

After putting it up on the wall, I spent over an hour trying to decide what my next step will be with the eagle quilt. The colors are not cooperating with me at all! For some reason, everything I thought was happening with this quilt is suddenly in a free fall. Oh well. Some of the best quilts can come about because of re-design. I just have to be patient while it all gets sorted out....

Random Monday

A total of eight envelopes have arrived for my mother just since Friday! Very exciting to see all the lovelies that are being sent. Wouldn't you know, she actually got on my blog and read about what was happening on Thursday night? Mind too troubled, couldn't sleep etc. So not a TOTAL surprise, but still--she didn't read the comments so has been completely bemused by the amount sent. Already. lol

Sorry the pic isn't better, I think the yellow manila envelopes
affected the color in the entire picture!

I keep telling her there will be more, but she gives me that look. Hm. hm. We'll see. Yep. We will see!! I can tell she is finding this very fun even if she's a bit bewildered to be on the receiving end for once instead of being the giver. I'm also trying to tell her a bit about the person sending fabric if I recognize the name and/or blog. It's all very touching and again--such great fun! Thank you to all the participants for that! For now I am just gathering the names of people who want one of my brown fat quarters in return. Will send them all out at once to be more efficient!

My lovely win!

I also got some fun mail of my own. Barb from Fun With Barb sent me some gorgeous fabric {and thread} I won from her latest giveaway! I am already busy dreaming up news quilt projects for these beauties. Really. I LOVE this kind of fabric and rarely get a chance to buy it around here.

In the spirit of working my way through the UFQ list, I threw my Random Sampler quilt up on the wall this weekend. All I've done so far is sew the half square triangles around my large basket block. Originally this was going to be a queen size quilt, but now, I'm thinking to downsize a bit. Will need to make a few more random blocks and then work on the connector bits to tie it all together. Mostly I need to work on the length as I prefer quilts to be longer than they are wide.

Random Sampler

I also pulled out this old quilt top and made a very drastic decision. Yep. I'm unpicking this quilt. Every single time I pull this quilt out of the drawers to consider putting it in the hoop, I absolutely am not interested. 'Not worth the effort' is pretty much my thoughts.

Mini Cake Stand quilt

So.... that's how is has to be. I've slept on this decision for oh.... well over a year? And my feelings toward this quilt never seem to change. I love the blocks--hate the way I set it together. And the birds, while whimsical, annoy me. I fell in love with the brown and cream floral print and was determined to use it even though my gut was telling me that it wasn't going to work out.

Starting to take it all apart--maybe just to the 9-patch units?

Me, being stubborn, pushed on through and sewed it altogether, then added in a bit of applique to distract from the big 'ol mess I'd made. It's a large quilt so this will take awhile.*sigh  I really have no idea what I'll do to 'fix' things but almost anything will be better than what I had. Bottom line: the baskets are too sweet to lose to an good experiment gone bad.

Around the World Blog Hop

Welcome to my little corner of the blogging world! Nina, a wonderfully, talented Norwegian quilter tagged me to answer some questions for you. They go along with this 'creative' blog hop currently making the rounds around the globe. This was after Debra (she of the gorgeous pictures blog) tagged me back in July and well, you know how my July and August went. 

1.What Quilting thing am I working on?

Wowsers, do I have a lot going on around here! Never content with project monogamy, I tend to bury myself in enough projects to induce eye twitches in the more practical minded. I believe every project deserves the very best from me and that often takes time. Time to simmer. Time to breathe. Time to talk. And really, the best use of my time during the 'down time' is for me to work on something else entirely. Which often gives me an answer to a /question/dilemma/problem on yet another quilt--and around and around we go.... 

This is my Pickle Dish/Wedding ring quilt, started approximately two years ago. I just recently pulled it out again to start sewing the background fabric onto the melons. Apparently it involves ironing with starch, pulling the foundation paper off the melons and carefully lining up and pinning all the bits. It's gonna take awhile 'cuz I'm definitely not a fan of tearing off foundation papers.

Pickle Dish/Wedding Ring

This next quilt (Geese Tracks) is actually almost finished. A little more applique work on the border and wallah! I will be back here exclaiming over a finished quilt top. I am so very glad I forced myself through the I-really-don't-have-a-clue-what-I'm-trying-to-do-here pains that I kept experiencing with this project. It's starting to feel very exciting in terms of being better than I ever planned or dreamed. Always a good feeling.

Geese Tracks

The lovely little blocks below are a result of following along with Wendy's Basket Galore BOM. After I persevered through some terribly complicated piecing efforts, I wanted to make sure this quilt had a little distraction from my ahem.. (minor!) mistakes. And also that it reflected how special I really think the baskets are. There are still four flower blocks I need to get figured out and sewn together before things can move along toward a completed quilt top.

Red/Green flower blocks and Basket Galore BOM blocks

This orange and blue quilt is made from partial St. Paul blocks. I liked the simplicity of leaving out the added piecing and was really looking for an excuse to use up some of these fabrics. I loved seeing them all stacked together but didn't know quite what to do with them as a whole. It still needs a border added, but so far the quilt is not being very communicative. Talks will resume later.

My St. Paul quilt

I started making these cactus basket blocks after completely blowing the piecing on one of the Basket Galore blocks. I could not believe how badly I had bungled that little 8" block! Being the stubborn sort that I am, I immediately started making plans to 'better learn' a proper technique (in this case, hand piecing). Somehow it morphed into making 13 of these blocks, making other blocks to play along, and now I'm waiting on a pattern from Karen before I move on. I'm seeing applique added onto the quilt top and other fun stuff in this quilts future.

Cactus Basket quilt

Okay, this quilt is still obviously in its infancy but I have most definitely committed to making it. Check out our blog over at Quilt Like an Eagle if you want to play along. By July of next year, each of us on the list intend to proudly display a completed eagle quilt! You are going to be so jealous....

My Eagle quilt

My Sunburst quilt is very much a long term project. The main part of the quilt is going to be entirely appliqued and each step is, quite frankly, a bit mind boggling in our present state of controlled chaos. Mostly because I over-think everything I'm sure. It's a blessing and curse.

The Sunburst quilt

I almost didn't include this UFQ because it's been so very long since I've done anything with it. The thing is, I rarely truly abandon any project and I don't intend to leave this one behind either. The rare times that I actually take the time to reacquaint myself with this project, I always melt at the colors and style. It could be a really great quilt right? That's why I keep it on my UFQ list. It helps keep me accountable.

Random Sampler quilt

2.  How does my work differ from others in its genre?

I'm reminded of the comic where there are hundreds of penguins and the one is dressed sort of clownish--definitely standing out from the crowd--saying 'I just wanna be me'. Everyone of us out here in the big bad quilting world is doing our level best to make quilts that appeal to ME. When other people like them too, that's just bonus! I used to make quilts in a kind of whimsical fashion, making quilts for gifting, from patterns that caught my attention and for other various reasons such as including myself in a group challenge with friends. At some point I realized that I had gotten very far from my original intention--which was to make quilts that were deeply satisfying to ME. Through a lot of trial and error, I have slowly, slowly learned how to include the important elements that make me fall in love with my quilts{often many times over} throughout the process of making. Are they different from other peoples quilts? Sometimes I think yes. Other times, eh.. not so much! And yes, I still include myself in challenges etc. but only when it also coincides with something I'm currently trying to learn/make or do.

3.  Why do I write/create what I do?

I write because I wanted to have a journal of what was being made and the journey it takes to get there. So many of my quilts have an 'emotional' start or maybe an unexpected detour. Then there are the oh-my-goodness-I've-ruined-this-quilt! type of hurdles to get through. After awhile the details start to blur together and I didn't want to forget about those important moments. So mind boggling during the making, but really kind of funny later.

I create what I do because it's important. To my sanity. And to the well being of my immediate family! I'm a much nicer person when I'm involving myself in creating and I'm not the least bit ashamed to say so. I can't even fully explain what it does to soothe the ragged edges of what life does to us just by being a full participant. Playing with fabric and color is incredibly rewarding don't you think? And how wonderful to pour ourselves into something beautiful, then fold it up and give it to a special someone.

4.  How does my writing/creating process work?

I write when I have something to take a picture of. If I can take a picture (of whatever progress I've made) and not feel like I'm 'reaching' to find something to say, then I just go for it. I used to worry that I'd run out of things to say about quilting, but so far that hasn't happened! It must be true love.

My creative process is almost always about DOING. That is absolutely key for me. I keep a lot of projects going so I don't get bored or stuck on any one phase. Apparently I have a low threshold for both of those particular problems and I discovered a long time ago that I can seriously jump through three (or more) quilt projects in one day lickety split--making up really good excuses for why I can't work on any one of them. Having more than three UFQ's makes it much more likely that I'll cue in to my little avoidance issue and finally settle down with something. It does take actual progress to get to a finish and sometimes that progress is quite tedious ie; easily avoidable.

I make time to get in the quilt room almost daily (even if it's only for 15 minutes). I allow myself permission to play with fabric if that's really all I feel there is to give on that day. I try to remember that there's always something to learn. Always! Why not learn before it's vitally important to the outcome of any one quilt?

Occasionally I make a new list about the things that I LOVE to see in a quilt, whether it be a particular block, color, style or feeling. This helps keep me a little more focused and if I get to feeling like I'm just recycling old stale ideas? I find time to lay out every single quilt top waiting in the drawers. Some times I have to do the same thing with my finished quilts--sort of like shaking off the blues. By viewing one quilt after another I can usually see that my quilts are ever evolving and changing, even if it's a subtle thing. It helps tremendously to see that I'm moving forward, ever progressing toward a more personalized style. {See, now I'm being that clownish penguin I talked about earlier!}

The other important thing about my creative process is that I try very hard to make time to include slow quilting in and amongst all the other quilting I do. I always have a quilt in the hoop. And I always have a hand work bag prepped and ready to go. These two things make sure that no matter what is going on in our busy, crazy life, I can also choose to pick up a needle and thread at a moments notice. I sometimes stitch when I have company, in the car, at the basketball game or even when I'm helping out a sick friend or family member. This 'lost' time then becomes cherished time because the outcome (in quilty terms) doesn't matter any longer and I'm able to keep my hands busy and thus enjoy the moment.

Okay, enough with this endless post about me! In order to keep this Blog Hop moving I chose to tag two other talented ladies who each agreed to write a post next Monday the 22nd. Interestingly enough, I met both of these gals through the Bloggers Quilt Festival!

First off, I'd like you to meet Anne who has a fascinating way of making the kind of quilts that I'd love to own. I am always intrigued by her 'process' and her fearlessness in admitting to changing her quilting/sewing plans. Then there is Diane who is one of the most enthusiastic quilters I know. She is the reason I dared to start my Pickle Dish quilt even though I was so apprehensive about it, that I chewed all my fingernails off for steps 1, 2, 3 and now 4. For some reason she thinks Pickle Dish quilts are EASY and they are NOT. lol  So... please go check out these ladies wonderful blogs now and then, hopefully next Monday too. I know you won't regret it.

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!

Random Sampler QAL Blocks and More Pickle Dish Progress

I always seem to get behind with my Random Sampler QAL blocks. They're so easy that when I do finally get to them, I'm left kind of scratching my head and wondering why I keep putting them off all the time?

Random Sampler QAL blocks

I'm not happy with the heart block at all, just so you know.  Somehow I managed to pin it well enough to get it all sewed together, but there's some stretching that makes it looks terrible.  I do see that and yes, I may have to redo it, but for now I'm calling it good.  Mostly because it's done and that relieves my slacker guilt. We'll work on the perfectionist guilt later.*wink

2 more Pickle Dish sets

Last week I got a lot of encouragement to keep on 'keeping on' with the Pickle Dish quilt. I am taking the very good advice to move the iron closer to my sewing station at least while I'm foundation piecing.  Chain piecing kind of spoils you to doing the ironing in big chunks and that is pretty tough to do with foundation piecing. Also, there was a comment with a very interesting link about foundation piecing if anyone wants to pursue that.  All of my fan pieces have been generously pre-cut for this particular project so for right now I think it's just a mental block in my very stubborn mind.

7 completed Pickle Dish sets out of (I think) a total of 48
YIKES!!

I piled up all of the completed Pickle Dish melons I have completed so far. Then I admired them for a few minutes before snapping this picture in hopes that recorded progress would help increase motivation.  Now I'm thinking that maybe it's time to dig up the money to buy the background fabric and maybe incorporate that into the process too?

Random Sampler QAL Progress

So... It was time and I knew it.  Time to dig out the Random Sampler QAL blocks and check things out.  Honestly, I have almost bagged this project a time or two. When I look at everyone else's work, it makes me think I'm trying to run with the wrong crowd or something!  Most of the QAL work I see on Flickr is very modern and mine is, well, what it is.

Random Sampler QAL

I flipped through my Gwen Marston book once again (Liberated Medallion) and tried to remember what it was about this QAL that hooked me in the first place. Oh yes!  I LOVE and adore Gwen Marston's free spirited method of putting together quilts and I just knew this could be a great way to slowly work up to a great quilt.  If I can use some of my leftover parts and pieces at the same time, then all the better!

Crown & Star block difficulty

AND if I can stay on track and not get sidelined by my own issues with piecing?? Is it really necessary to use 16 pins so that my block is lining up properly? Oh, and I keep getting bogged down with the details of each months suggested block. This months Crown & Star block (Anita calls it a squash blossom) was one I actually liked, but last months was a foundation pieced wheel block.  Ughhh...  I really, really don't like doing foundation piecing no matter how pretty the block.

A bit of insanity....

Why is why, in the interest of full disclosure, I need to admit to starting a foundation pieced project clear back in ahem, December.  No worries as it's not getting much attention! I've always wanted to make have a wedding ring or pickle dish quilt and in a moment of obvious insanity, I launched into the start-up of one.  It's all Diane's fault of course.  She made it sound like there was absolutely no reason in the world a determined quilter couldn't make one if they put their mind to it.  Clearly, I'm not very determined thus far.....

All caught up for now with Random Sampler QAL

Anyway, no foundation piecing happening with this QAL, at least here on my end. I have to draw the line somewhere!  I'm hoping the shoe fly blocks will provide a little bit of that similar circular motion as the QAL suggested wheel block and they did go together so very sweetly.  (Unlike foundation piecing which obviously does not go together at all around here.)

Random Sampler QAL parts & pieces

In fact, after looking at all of the parts and pieces that are assembled so far, I'd say I could use a few more traditional looking blocks.  I love how the background fabric peeks through the triangles pieced blocks especially.  You know the old saying 'Comparison is the thief of joy'?  It's important to remember that there is a kind of comparison that is actually healthy and beneficial.  Let's not get caught up in the other.*wink

Checking Some Hand Work Off the List

Lots of hand work for the Slow Sunday Stitching link-up over at Kathy's Quilts.  I still have the leaves etc. to add to my applique block but here's what's finished so far.  It's a Ginger Cookie Co. pattern I started a couple years ago and decided to add in with my Random Sampler QAL blocks.  Hopefully once I add the leaves and berries on it will look better.  Right now it's a little stark looking!

Applique block for Random Sampler QAL

 I've been peck, peck, pecking away on the handles for the baskets in my vertical basket quilt project I started way back when.  I tend to find time to sew, do prep work or hand quilt, but the applique?  Not so much.  I do enjoy my needle turn applique though and it feels so very good to see a finished project.

All the handles on my baskets finally.

I had to completely clear off my sewing counter to put the bottom row of baskets on my design wall.  It's always piled up with small project totes, quilt magazines and fabric stacks that look promising.  No where else to put them, so I don't see the point in a quilt room clean-up.  lol

This is the setting I intend to go with I think.

Then I decided to take advantage of the cleared off counter and look at the baskets in a vertical setting which is what I intended to do with them all along.  There are more baskets of course, but this is all my design wall could hold in this arrangement.  Hmmm....  We'll have to think this one over.  Wouldn't want to make a rash decision.*wink