The Latest AHIQ Stuff Going On Around Here

Just a quick round-up of the latest AHIQ work being done around here. No improv. piecing at the moment as I am mired in hand work. And no, I'm not the least bit upset about it! Chunky Crossroads below is moving on, gaining a border. All the prep work is sooooo tedious, but it is what it is and applique work cannot seem to exist without some effort.

Chunky Crossroads

That interesting border motif was inspired by a 'Mad About Folk Art' book {by Gerry Kimmel}. I found this oldish book in a collectible-type store bargain bin early in the year. Hello! Come to mama! My mind is busily considering whether or not the open leaves need a little addition of color--perhaps a round little flower bud instead of the single fabric print suggested in the book.

Improv. Wheels below is what is left of my improv. pinwheels, straight out of the Sujata Shah book that I can't seem to put down. After all the centers are sewn down, then we will start getting serious about a layout. I'm really hoping to keep the slight vintage feel to the blocks so probably won't get too crazy with the setting.

Improv. Wheels

The Tumbler Big Basket 'centerpiece' is all set, ready to go forward as well. I lumped it in with the other AHIQ projects because of the tumbler block experiment. Such an improv. attitude to take a full sheet of 'piecing' and cut it up! With the basket stitched down now, it just barely needed that little bit of 'framework-type' border to make me happy--set the stage for the rest of the quilt. And yes, it has a lot of open space around that big 'ol basket. Something I can work with later if turns out to be too white and bright!

Big Tumbler Basket

All these smaller baskets will be sewn onto the big basket {top and right sides only}, and are now totally completed. Would you look at that? A couple of them even get an extra pop of applique in the guise of a cheerful little flower. I know. Just can't seem to stop myself....

Little Baskets

Then I'm thinking maybe a long flowy vine thing down the left and bottom of that big basket. Hopefully with some roses and rosebuds too? I keep drawing lots of berries in my vague 'what-if'' drawings, then remember that no, this particular vine seems to need more of a flower shape. Do you ever do that?

The little block below is what I'm testing out for the bottom right corner of the quilt. Sort of a 'title or introduction' block for the quilt. I do love words on a quilt. So yeah, if the vine side of the quilt ends up being slightly wider than the little baskets, the entire quilt will present slightly asymmetrical. If all works out as currently envisioned of course!

Gather Ye Rosebuds block ready to applique

And the Improv. Woven Basket has been left on the wall. Still pondering border ideas so as to make that quilt larger without losing any of the current charm. It's something I worry about because little quilts are not nearly as 'usable' around here. I find myself constantly trying to push all these quilt projects into something more efficient for the long term, because in my world, quilts need to be well appreciated to make this all worthwhile!

So..., lots of applique work in the queue before moving on with any of these projects, but it's usually very intriguing to push through the steps. Right? Gotta love this wonderful process in quilt building: What's next? What works? What color? What shapes does it really need? My mind as always, is constantly working in the background, making those wonderful connections that can {hopefully} lead to a better, more individual, quilt.

Not Much To Look At, But It Is Progress

This seems to be my bit of sewing these days. A little progress but not so pretty around the edges. Just barely hanging on to my quilting mojo while other obligations pile up around me. If I'm not careful I can do the whole 'woe is me' thing and get pretty despondent all because poor 'ol me doesn't have quite enough quilting time to suit.

The tumbler basket centerpiece

Like that would be the entire reason I exist. Huh. But okay, facts being facts, I barely had time to take this picture and I've also been trying to do a quicky visit with all the ones who linked up to May Quilty 365. You know, without every single comment being a carbon copy. It's a challenge because I'm speed reading the posts and mostly just taking in the pictures in one big gulp. Love seeing the progress for each unique variation though and I think every one of us deserves a big rah, rah!

I also saw a fun new QAL floating around quilty blogland and want to be digging through my fabric now, dumping out my applique parts and pieces totes and joining right in. Like this minute. Starting a new project is always the very best way to get over the I-don't-have-enough-time-to-quilt blues. Right? I knew my readers would totally understand how that particular phenomena works.

Some applique basket blocks to add to the tumbler basket centerpiece....

But believe it or not, in the last couple days I am now completely blocked out of my quilting room. My husband moved several totes of his stuff into the opening {ie: doorway} and I am unable to access my sewing machine or alas, even enter the room. It's supposedly a very temporary thing and I am too busy to forcibly remove them at the moment. Thankfully I have a couple applique and hand quilting projects available to me in the corner of my bedroom where I stash them for those quiet evening moments. 

Aha. Yes. Those quiet evening moments which are so very few and far between right now seeing as how my son is still in possession of the hideabed and usually wants to go to bed at the hideous hour of ten pm. I am fast approaching a mutiny. Or a riot. Possibly a breakdown. There are nights where I just yawn and go right to bed without a single protest. And others where I just stare in disbelief at how little stitching I have accomplished for the entire day. This is not me. I have obviously been taken over by aliens.*wink

Playing With a Pieced Background

Do you ever end up with up with something that doesn't seem to work for anything creative at all? I had pieced these leftover 5" tumblers together ages ago, thinking they'd be a wonderful applique background. But it just never came together no matter how much I played with the idea. I had almost pitched the entire concept about a million times.

A background piece bites the dust

But I'm kinda stubborn and there was a tiny glimmer of something good in that piece. And you know how it {so rarely} happens, an idea just appeared out of practically nowhere. Finally. Next thing I knew, I was laying the larger tumbler piece out on the floor and wallah! cutting out a large basket. The tumbler background had quite suddenly become the {to-be appliqued} basket fabric! There was certainly no sleeping on it or carefully planning out of the details. It could have been terrifying, but frankly, I was having a ball. So very good of the tumbler piece to have enough left for the handle too. That's a good touch.

Liking it so much better as part of the applique

And once that was up on the wall, then of course I had to play with some applique. What is a basket centerpiece without a bit of applique? A dig through my applique leftovers and I was looking at the first flower. Too simple? Nahh....

There's always a flower

It just needs another one for balance. Maybe one that isn't even fully in bloom.

Or two....

And yes, it's that classic, red, white and blue look that I always go back to. It's a good, solid look that tides me over in times of low-intensity thinking sessions. I'm still playing around with the handle, stretching it out to make a taller basket, wondering and contemplating, trying to find the right red fabrics in my stash. These flowers will be too small once the seam allowance is turned under. Plus, I'm looking around my quilt room for the perfect background fabric. Why don't I figure out how to piece the tumbler basket into a background fabric you ask? Trust me, it's just easier to hand stitch. My brain hurts and I'm exhausted from last week. Hand stitching often goes a very long way toward easing out my very frazzled edges. And I'm addicted to it. Nuff said.*wink