Such a Good Finish!

 The HaHa quilt is totally finished up! So hard to believe after all these years that everything is done {except for a label}. It's been such a long time coming!

The HaHa Quilt is done!!!

As most of you know, I've always been just a little bit doubtful about the addition of the outside triangle border. Did it need it or not? I thought the added color would help make the center 'pop' better and give the entire quilt a bit more of a solid feeling. Then later I just wanted to rip it off because something about it didn't sit exactly right.

Looking so much better than I ever dreamed

Once again, I am tremendously relieved to see that yes, this design decision was meant to be. Every time I wavered or questioned, I ended up leaving it 'cuz what was going to replace it? With the hand quilting doing that lovely texture thing, it all suddenly makes perfect sense!*sigh  Did you notice the scallop hand quilting in the center area? First time I've ever done this motif and though I adore the look there in that spot, I'm very glad that I didn't end up stitching scallops over the entire quilt. Which I definitely considered doing for five or ten minutes. Hmm... No. Not today. So tempting and yet, it just didn't quite resonate with me at the time.

Loving the scalloped stitching texture

The color in the pictures is a little weird. The contrast between the creamy white fabric and the grayed down cream sections is very hard to get a proper representation of. And yes, I know it's not everyone's preference to blend all these shades of creams and whites into one quilt, but I personally love the juxtaposition. Looks so, so good close up and in person. No regrets there at all!

We'll all just laugh together...

I still have to laugh at the idea that the 'Ha Ha' portions of a quilt were due to me totally and completely miscalculating the measurements of the outside border. Obviously by a lot! Now I can say with absolute conviction--That was the very best mistake ever made around here!

So glad that I stuck it out with this project!

At this time that this quilt was started, zeroing in on solid colored fabrics and using lots of  'white' fabrics seemed very challenging to me. Lots of decisions felt excruciatingly difficult in terms of trying to 'see' through to the [imagined} end result. 

Testing out the look in the guest room

I wanted a quilt that gave off a whimsical vibe. Something cozy, not in the least bit cold or contemporary looking. The very last decision made, using the large, old fashioned red/white gingham fabric for binding? That almost seems like serendipity. One of those moth ball smelling fabrics given to me by my aunt last year. You know I would have never in a million years thought to go looking for that exact fabric, and yet it works wonderfully in that position. This turned out to be such a sweet, happy looking quilt. So thankful to see it finished up at at last!

The perfect binding

And 'Seedpod Flower' is next up in the hoop. I've been anxiously awaiting the time that I could spend with this beauty in my lap.

The new quilt in the hoop!

There's just something about the mixture of colors that makes this little heart of mine feel mushy and sentimental. Maybe it reminds me of colors that my grandmother used in her quilting? I did manage to slip one tiny fabric of hers into the quilt so there's that....

Scrappy, scrappy

It's been the usual CRazy around here so it took a couple nights to hand quilt the centerpiece of this quilt. Nothing flashy or extra special, just some basic big stitch diagonal lines and a little bit of echo quilting here and there. Next up will be the same, same, same throughout the rest of the quilt so mostly having to figure out colors of thread.

Just getting started with the hand quilting

All of my sisters have been in town this week, so yep, the six of us have been up to all kinds of trouble! Just kidding. Some hiking {not me}, celebrating moms birthday, thrifting, eating out, lots and lots of visiting. The thrifting stuff is right up my alley of course, and now I'm continually looking for shirts to repurpose for use in quilting. 

Adding some shirts to the fabric stash!

I try to leave the out-of-town family plenty of time to visit the parents on their own and not crowd in every moment of the visit. It's difficult not to want to be in on all the fun, but mom and dad are getting older and need some time for those good visits which only tend to happen during the quieter moments. 

So proud of her!

On a different note, mom had recently finished the machine quilting on her Improv. quilt and I had assured her that I could put the binding on for her. Just like I always did in prior years. Can you believe this is the very first quilt that my mom has completely finished since their house burned down in a fire back in 2014? She has definitely started several quilts in the ensuing years, but something changed after that event and she became very insecure about her quilting, often forgetting many of the things she knew about the process. She had difficulties with her new sewing machine. Her vision would get bad at the times she wasn't feeling good, which was often. Or her design wall too small to bother with. Long story short, we believe she has been dealing with Alzheimers for many years now, no doubt set off by that trauma. 

She was extremely excited to take part in the Improv. meetings I held earlier this year. Crazy happy to have a plan of attack. Often trying to jump ahead with the project even though she had zero experience with this method! Early on I determined that if it was remotely possibly, we were going to make sure that mom ended up with a true blue finish at the end of this effort. And so it happened. Just take a look at her proud smile! Lots and lots of hand holding and seam ripper sessions. Me trying to give suggestions and/or talk her out of something she was determined to do. Sometimes mom got mad at me or ridiculously irritated with 'Improv.', blaming all the mistakes on the method, her machine or 'the thread'. Other times she went ahead with the way she wanted to do something and then I had to come in and help her out of a bind. 

I am positively blown away by how much this quilt looks like a 'mom' quilt {colors etc. she would have used years ago} but still holds true with the improv. formula everyone used. Her memory might be a little tricky these days, but she remembers more than she knows that she knows. This was a very sweet moment, her getting to hold and peruse a quilt that was made by HER. She gets all the credit. Then she got to show it off when her daughters came to town. How perfect is that?

How The HaHa Quilt Came to Be

Yay for me! This Solids Challenge quilt is finally, finally, finally at completed quilt top stage. Whew! It only took 2 1/2 years. If you remember, back in June, I mentioned cutting the border triangles a little too large. That promptly took me to the next challenge, what to do for an intermediate border?

The middle border

Somehow I ended up with the idea to sew a HaHa border based on a gorgeous quilt over at Nifty Quilts. That left me with a small coping border in between the HaHa's and the middle of the quilt that had to be addressed.

Contemplating using red...

I auditioned different colors, quickly realizing that it was going to have to be a neutral to play nice. Red was definitely a no go.

Black is too stark

 As was black and gray.

Gray is too 'meh'

And much to my internal resistance, white was the obvious choice. You may think that my instinctive balking is odd, but I'm just not into all those stark 'white' quilts that are so popular. Like the only color that responds wonderfully to COLOR, is a non-color.

And white makes perfect sense....

 So I earnestly set my biases aside and sewed the quilt top together with the white inner coping border. Honestly, I almost just left the entire triangle border completely off! Doesn't the first picture look wonderful 'as is'? But then the quilt would be too small to do anything much with and the thought of all those wasted triangles just made me feel queasy.

Another square quilt!

So I forged ahead and yes, it felt good to have the triangles sewing together nicely. Sometimes I seriously start doubting my math skills and it's good to have a reminder that I can occasionally do something right! lol

It looks positively lovely in some light....

And the more I looked at my quilt, the more it started feeling okay again. Maybe the outside borders weren't a giant mistake after all.

The HaHa border was a good decision

I've changed the name of this quilt to the 'HaHa' quilt. It sorta named itself and seems more appropriate now than ever. Such a challenge all the way through! My family thinks the HaHa blocks are very weird and strange, but then they don't get the connection to an antique quilt or my crazy fumbles and missteps through the entire evolution of the quilt.

I think it might already be growing on me....

I wish the green triangles framed the quilt all the way around as they look best next to the HaHa blocks. That's what happens though when ideas have to be changed and tinkered with halfway through! I'm very excited to fold this quilt up and have it languish a good long while in the quilt top drawers. Maybe when I pull it back out in a few months or a year, I'll have a new found appreciation for it? In the meantime, I'm making a big 'ol check mark next to one of my most prioritized goals for this year. The Solids Challenge quilt top is DONE! Never, ever give up or you'll never get where you're going.....

Slow, Plodding Progress on the 6in6 in 2018

I only have one applique project on the go at the moment and for some reason I am very resistant to working on it. This past weekend I finally got it out and stitched five more petals. Since there are 80 in all, this didn't even make a dent. But it did serve to remind me of why I started it in the first place--the colors are just yummy...

Melon Patch quilt

You can see that I tend to grab whatever thread that will best match the fabric, regardless of brand. While there are most definitely superior threads that glide through fabric 'like silk', matching color is important too. {For those that want to know, DMC machine embroidery thread is still my absolute fave for hand work. The problem is, local supply is extremely limited!}

Another project which continually gets shoved off at the least provocation is my Solids Color Challenge quilt. As my measurements were way off for the last border addition, I thought to add an in-between border solution. Do you remember the HaHa quilt over at nifty quilts? Such a fabulous quilt. I'm using that as the inspiration to create one row of HaHa blocks. While the original quilt had more somber beginnings, my blocks are a good poke at my seeming inability to get math right lately. I'm hoping the gray background fabrics will serve as a good transition between the center and more colorful triangle border that comes after. Trust me to be the one to work completely backwards!

Another border for the Solids Challenge quilt

This overlarge basket was the third in a series of what was vaguely intended to be four large basket quilts. The first one was Gather Ye Rosebuds and the second one was Woven Basket. This one ended up being just a little larger than I expected it to be. And the chances of there being a fourth largish basket? Probably not happening anymore as I am getting increasingly tired of this series, but we'll see. Stranger things have happened around here!

Auditioning a border for Another Big Basket

 All the border ideas I came up with ended up with a potential freakishly large quilt. You know--in order for everything to be 'in proportion'.  I briefly toyed with the idea of not adding anything to it and finishing it as a wall hanging for my bedroom. Hmm... Not exactly the colors I want to hang on my bedroom wall for the next 20 years. So finally, I did some creative brainstorming with that process that most of us call throwing fabric on the floor next to the quilt. It's a very simplistic way of attacking the problem, but sometimes has surprisingly good results. When you've drawn up a hundred ideas and thrown them all away because they don't 'look right', it often helps to engage a different part of the brain.

A finished quilt top!

Once I got the basic idea/look solidified for the border piecing, then I spent an hour and a half trying to figure out how to add more applique. Of course I did. {Because I can never seem to leave well enough alone.} Eventually I reached the point of complete exasperation and realized that it was all just a little too much. Off came all the applique parts and pieces and when the border was finally sewn on, it proved out to be the very best solution of all. Yes! Simple and sweet was exactly what was needed for my ginormous tipsy basket with the odd side handles. Sometimes we just don't know when to quit until we hit our head against the brick wall enough times to finally wake up.

Sunburst finally moving forward again!

And yes, here's the next quilt to go into the hoop. I have a couple bindings needing attention on others, but can't leave that hoop empty for long! Sunburst was started back in 2014 but didn't reach finished quilt top status until spring of 2016. It was the first quilt that I had ever done with such a large centerpiece sewn completely of applique parts and pieces.

Sunburst in the hoop

As per usual, that much applique earnestly compels me to take the extra time to hand stitch the quilt top. To honor and respect the effort, hehe.... So in the hoop it went, finally reaching the top of the queue. After thinking through many stitching options, I am once again going with a freehand style of Baptist Fan quilting--trying to keep the curves approx. an inch or slightly more apart. I want it to have a 'background' look and feel {thus the black perle cotton}, but also an airiness to it when all the stitching is completed on the quilt {why I'm keeping the curves spread farther apart than usual}.

At this point I am almost finished stitching two rows across the bottom of the quilt, but my oh my, has it been a panicky, nerve-wracking start. Working freehand always feels hairy-scary starting out and I second, third and fourth guessed myself. Now, here at the end of the second row, it's starting to feel like it might, just might be the look that I intended in the first place. 

Of course I'm still drawing the lines prior to stitching {all in a freehand, eyeball-it sort of manner}, but once I get more comfortable and into a good rhythm, then I won't need to mark quite as much. Freehand stitching is not for everyone, but all the quirkiness that results from this sort of quilting still totally melts my heart and makes me feel true sisterhood to quilters from long years ago. Linking up with 6and6in2018. It has been slow, plodding progress, but I've made things happen on three different projects and even crossed of them right off the list! Woohoo!

Committing. Resolutions. Intentions. Keeping the Dial Down on Low....

 January seems to be the perfect time for reflection, organization and focus. Like everyone else, I see the many wonderful QALs cropping up and wonder if this is the year. So many are tempting for any number of reasons, including things such as accountability, efficiency, being frugal, using up scraps, being charitable, committing to something on that bucket list, etc. etc.

Solids applique blocks

Not to mention the wonderful lure of camaraderie and the potential to have like-minded projects! Mostly I just have to step away. Although I can cheerfully work on ten different projects in a single month, too many 'commitments' {in the form of QALs and other similar resolutions} seem likely to cause a great deal of anxiety. I start to feel great pressure to make deadlines, play by the rules and/or conform, spend lots of extra time commenting on others progress, and just generally start having a really lousy attitude about my own quilting endeavors. Sometimes just from the constant, inadvertent, comparison factor. I know it's probably irrational, but hey, it can be very real.

Another Big Basket needing more stitching 

So I break it waaaaaay down. Ask myself questions like, 'How does this lovely, tempting QAL benefit me?' 'Will it help me learn/grow/flourish?' 'How will it effect time spent with all the other wonderful projects I'm literally dying to get started on?' 'What is the real, base reason I want to join up with this specific challenge?' When I start getting to the root of what I'm trying to accomplish for the year ahead, it gets easier to know these answers and then, know more clearly which QALs will work in my favor as opposed to those that will work against me. At least for this particular point in time!

Two older quilt tops waiting for quilting!

So that's why I keep the dial down on low and don't get too many elaborate plans going. There are a LOT of projects simmering in the back of my brain and on my quilty countertops. These are important to me and don't deserve to be an afterthought or lost in the cacophony of 'keeping up'. After much thinking, signing up for Meredithe and Anne's 6in6 in 2018 Challenge feels right. It should fit in well with some ideas already ring circled for priority in 2018--I'm just plugging those priorities into a slot now. Progress, a little bit of motivation to deliver, open ended deadline? How hard can it be?  Of course, you have to know that I'm interpreting this in my own special way! For the 6 old projects there will be 2 particular ufo's that I want to see reach completed quilt top stage: Solids applique project carried over from last year and also, 'Another Big Basket' from the big basket series worked on last year. I previously started on the framework of the basket, but then allowed it to get shuffled to backburner status. Both are still very solid projects, but need some love and attention.

In a little twist to the spirit of the challenge, I will also be taking 2 orphaned parts and pieces sets {pictured below} and trying to make a quilt top out of them as well: a stack of cream, quarter circle cut-aways from a prior project and also, this set of patchwork triangle trim offs. The intention is for them to end up being two very separate projects. Working with such seemingly obscure beginnings is always especially intriguing to me and oftentimes gets the creative juices flowing in unexpected ways. It's time for this sort of challenge and I like the idea of submitting ongoing progress to a deadline.

For the 4th and 5th projects on the 'old' side of the challenge, I dug through all the completed quilt top drawers and grimly settled on these dark quilt tops pictured above. It is beyond time they have been addressed. This is my resolute intention, haha, whether I hand them off to my longarm friend or whatever else I decide {honestly, I have thought about just giving them away as is!}. These need to be true-blue finishes by the end of 2018! Do not misunderstand my intentions. There will most definitely be other quilt tops stitched and brought to a lovely finish. These are just two that I don't want to see remain at the bottom of the list for a whole 'nother year! Both were important parts of my creative journey and need to see fruition.

2 sets of orphaned parts and pieces

 And since the second part of the year includes 6 lovely new starts! Wowsers! How easy is that? My first one for the year will be this 'Melon Patch' quilt. Inspiration was found in an old book that has caught my fancy before, 'The Standard Book of Quilt Making and Collecting' by Marguerite Ickis.

Melon Patch, a brand new start!

This project is intended to be a long term hand applique project, which no doubt will be interrupted many, many times by other more pressing hand stitching matters. The green plaid is a shirt that I rescued from my youngest sons Goodwill donation bag and will be represented in all 20 blocks. I love that sentimental touch. Most of the pieces are drawn out on other appropriate fabric selections and now need cutting and clipping before further work can commence. This little start was my way of properly finalizing the first new start of 2018. Now I can 'see it' and yes! It definitely makes my motor run!

And as always, I will still happily be working on any and all current projects already in motion that are not listed. Plus--don't kid yourself. I'm not. There will be many more new projects than a measly number of 6. Really, who does that?

17 in 2017 Still Moving Along

Still working on the 17-ufos-in-2017. For the Peachy Cameo Medallion, I have been working on a scalloped border. Couldn't find the right border fabric and then stumbled upon this funky print in the stash. I feel in love with it not knowing how it would end up being used and so this is a surprising choice to me.

Peachy Cameo Medallion

Overall though, the entire quilt has been surprising. It seems odd to still be incorporating more red and blue into this quilt instead of branching off into other colors like usual! Still have two border units left to go before this scallop border will be complete and also the corner blocks--not sure what's going to happen their either. For now I am contemplating a little applique addition to what I already have going on, perhaps add a bit more spice to the quilt...

Auditioning another idea for the border

The solids challenge quilt is on the list as well and finally, I went forward with a plan that's been in the works for months now. I drew this triangle sashing plan out in a rough sketch, but didn't know if I like it or not. Well, you know how that goes. Sometimes you just have to sew it together to find out! And so the first three blocks are up on my wall for all to see. Hmm... I think adding in more of those solids is probably the right choice and I am happy they won't all be the same. Still, am I making more work for myself just because I can? 

Looking at the new sashing detail

 And then there is the Eagle quilt. It's definitely in the hoop and after a very rough start {ripping out thread colors I didn't like}, we are well on our way to something positive. It's often hard to 'see' the best way forward when getting started. This one would have looked fine in many different stitching patterns, but there's always one we seem to prefer, right?

In the hoop...

As usual, we have had very busy times here--a cousin wedding last weekend with lots of family in town. So much fun but now I have been hit with the flu. Ugghh... Will hopefully be back to my normal routine very soon....

A Weekend of Applique

Two more blocks finished up for my solids challenge quilt. The goal is to finish one a month and though I was behind with the March block, I quickly made up for that by finishing it and the April block over the weekend. Woohoo! I had to add a tiny bit of print for the birds eye 'cuz all the solids looked odd.

March and April blocks done

So far it's been a fun, simple project. Not nearly as stressful as I thought it could be, working with pure solids combined with applique! I've also finished up the applique bits for my gold and blue improv. string blocks pictured below. Still need to sew the rectangle units with the applique to the string blocks, but in the meantime I've been playing with them on the wall.

Just playing

Hmm... Not sure what I'm doing with this particular quilt, but the fabrics are definitely working their charm for me. I will have nine blocks in all which feels like a good start for something. Something quite nebulous for now as I can't quite picture where I'm going! It's been a different kind of project for sure. The applique addition was an impulsive move, but one that felt right. And for now, that's all I have to go on. What feels 'right'......

Linking to Moving it Forward Monday!

A More Thoughtful Process

The giveaway is still open through tomorrow, don't forget to leave a comment! So... This past weekend was a time for thoughtfulness. I tend to be a thinker and there were {are} many, many things on my mind. Hand quilting often helps me solidify those thoughts and clear out the clutter taking up unnecessary space.

Hand Pieced Bow-Ties

I spent as much time with my hoop as I could squeeze in, but it's never enough. Decided that no, it doesn't matter if all my gold Perle Cotton balls are all a slightly different shade. I'm good with that, especially with this particular quilt. It will just accentuate the 'vintage' look if anyone ever bothers to notice the thread differentiation and really, how picky to even make a fuss over that sort of detail!

In the hoop

I also played a little bit with another fast, easy sort of project. It seems to be an extension of a common palette I've been drawn to lately. So many times I keep doing a re-run of sorts with a certain color palette, trying different things in an effort to make it ever better and 'more me'. I used to get quite frustrated with this urge of mine to work in a similar palette over and over again, but now I'm happy with the premise. It's really the only way to 'perfect' what we are seeing in our mind and often can't get quite right on the first or even second try. I'll show more of this at a later date though. Still trying to nail down the details and I don't want anyone to sway my decision making.*wink

A new project

You can see that there's another block prepped for my Solids Challenge quilt. All the pieces are cut out and ready to sew now. I do it all completely freehand. Just draw the individual pieces onto a piece of paper and then modify as needed to help it fit better in the allotted space. Sometimes it takes several efforts with my paper and a pair of scissors, but eventually the block and I come to an very affable agreement.

March Solids Challenge block

Obviously, after the seam allowances are tuned under, it will fit on the background a little more comfortably too. This is my absolute favorite way to do applique. I urge any applique aficionado to give this method a go. It's really quite addictive! Linking to Moving It Forward Monday!

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....

Sunburst Getting Another Border

So I dragged out the Sunburst quilt and gave it another whirl. What to do, what to do. It just doesn't look finished to me, something is lacking and I just can't give it up.

Sunburst center before

The middle has always kind of bothered me. A little too stark for the rest of the quilt maybe. So I played with a couple of small additions and finally settled on adding the pink centers to the blue.

Sunburst center after

It makes more sense when you see what I've decided to do with the next {and hopefully last} border. I finally got it all prepped and waiting in my handwork bag for that magic intersection of time and inclination. If you only knew how many times I've played with this border, contemplating, scribbling ideas down and basically beating my head against the wall. So I'm still not 100% sure, but this time I actually cut out the pieces--that's major progress. I feel like there's a hundred different ideas that would work with for this border and how egotistical of me to think I could possible land on the very best one.

Border prep

I stitched the January block for my personal solids challenge just to relax and unwind. I'm absolutely, 100% sure about that at least! Next up, getting the February block prepped and ready to go.

January Block

It's good to have hand work. Honestly, it's a challenge not to have ten projects going all the time.*wink

I'm Still Here!

Wowsers, have you seen the January Linkup for Quilty 365? We have 49 links! Thank you to everyone sewing along. It's so much fun to see all the different interpretations. I am still sewing circles, only one behind as of today, but honestly the past week has been a lot overwhelming to me.

My new solids applique project I've dreamed up
This is block 1 out of 9--all with the same non-solid background

Earlier last week, the older cousin I sometimes sit with for the past year has passed away. It was very sad as she's been in my life forever, but also somewhat a relief as the quality of her life had really gotten to her sunny good nature. Her funeral was Friday and then on Saturday my mother fell and broke her leg. It's sounding like it will take at least 8 weeks for her to be up and around, so quite a challenging next couple months ahead of her. {And probably for the rest of us as we try to keep her off her feet and out of trouble.}

Just playing around with the antique block I bought on our trip last summer
I dug through the leftover applique and have this to stitch together for a mini quilt....

And last but not least, my husbands aunt whom I was helping take care of back in October/November, has steadily been going downhill as well. Last week saw her having more mini strokes and now she is a complete invalid. Which means I will be needed there as well since most of her family lives elsewhere or is practically useless. Oh, did I really say that out loud?

So... the moral of this story is that I am going to be taking my little handwork bag out at odd random moments, hopefully still circling even if I'm not staying current day by day and yes... being a slacker on this blog. I'm hoping to find time to have something to post about at least once a week and YES, I will still be doing the circle linkup at the first of next month. Please bear with me until my very chaotic life has a chance to settle down once again. As my husband is so fond of saying, 'This too will pass'.