design wall stuff

I made another group of stack in slash blocks.  After piecing a few more I think I will play with arrangements and adding some larger white pieces.  I'm thinking this will be a baby quilt or if I get carried away a lap quilt.

I like it.

 A lot.

I was gifted with these gorgeous batik FQ's at quilt retreat by my secret sister.

There were enough to use for my next Quick Curve Ruler pattern Urban Chained

I'm using a light blue print for the background.

My first test blocks.

I also have the binding on Urban Candy, just need to do the hand sewing.

I have 60 yo-yo's made (of the 409 I need) for this one.

Curve it up Block 10

The scrap X's are growing 

Urban Candy is a flimsy

I took a bit of time to sew 2 of the blocks for the guild BOM

there are a couple more six inch block options but guild is Monday night and this may be it for now.

Last Saturday I met with a group of quilters from the guild to explore modern quilts.  It was a fun afternoon.  Well how could looking at quilts, books, patterns and discussing quilts NOT be fun. 

So inspiration struck while I was making our bed a few mornings ago.  I was folding a stack n whack quilt that we use as an extra quilt in the winter.  It's Meghan's college quilt.  Reversible-blue and gold (Pitt colors) on the one side and   red/lt. blue/ beige scrappy on the other side.  Flannels on both sides.  It's dang warm and snuggily.

When I made it I thought that if the Pitt colors got old before the quilt did she could use the other side.

So as I'm folding it, I'm thinking how the block is modern looking and what if I used white in some of the layers.   

So I went downstairs and found a piece of white and cut four 5 inch squares and layers them with 5 batik charms I had.  

The blocks trimmed up to 3 3/4. 

I like it.  I'm going to make another one using 5 white charms.   I will have to get some more white fabric, it's sadly lacking in my stash.

If I do decide to make a quilt, I will be making the blocks bigger, these are a bit too small. 

As I look at this the ideas are jumping around like crazy...

quiltin' and quiltin'

Libby picked up her quilt today.

and the back

another quilt done, all-over hooks to go with the backing...

I finished the squaring up and then spent a long time moving these blocks around.

the final layout for Urban Candy, random wins! And I've started sewing the rows together.

woot-woot

Curves on the Design Wall!

I have the blocks up sideways since my wall is wider than longer-but you get the idea.  

This quilt has 10 rows.  

All the green blocks and grey blocks are up there.  The rest, which I am still in the process of squaring up are the pink/red ones.  

I have used up all of the fabric and have made exactly 90 blocks.

I am not happy with the 5 darker grey blocks.  I had to add them from my stash as I didn't have enough of the lighter grey stripe to reach the 90 blocks.  You can see I made a green block from my stash as well, it's the far right bottom row of green ones.  It's a little too green but not enough to scream at me so it stays. 

The pattern shows a very random placement.  

I am going to compare this layout to a random arrangement and then if I like this better, I guess I'll have to go searching for some a lighter grey or grey stripe and swap out those 5 dreary solid reading ones.  

When I first started putting these up, I was doing it randomly but didn't like how it was looking; hence the change.

******

This weekend I am going to the first meeting of a new small modern quilt group forming in my guild.  

The email asked us to bring whatever we might have to share.

So Modern Misfits is finally getting the binding finished.  

Nothing like a deadline to light a fire under my butt. 

 *grin*

Fun Times, fun times...

Life is Good.

Retreat!!

The Quilt guild I belong to had it's annual retreat over the weekend.

I'm always a bit negative about going on retreats.  It seems like such a bother gathering up all my stuff and taking it to a strange place to sew. When I already have an organized routine at home.  

But after getting settled in, I'm happy I did.

Of course:

I packed too much!  

I ate too much.

I laughed too much-no that's not possible! But you know what I mean.

I made some new friends. (Hi Mary Lynne!) and got to know some of the other guild members a little better and attached a few more names to faces. 

And I got a lot done.  

I thought I would get much more done but isn't that how it always is?

The two latest blocks in Jenny's Curve it Up Quilt along were first.

Here's all my blocks so far.

I pieced all 85 of the 90 blocks I need for Urban Candy.  I didn't finish the final five because I didn't have enough of the colored curve pieces cut!  How the heck did that happen!

They are cut now and I will post a picture soon.

They need pressed before I put 'em up on the design wall.

Although I'm not thrilled with the colors, this quilt is not for me and I'm excited to see all the blocks together.

And finally, I pieced 8 of these X blocks.

Four blocks (12 inches each) make an X.  I'm using my strings to make the centers. After all the curved piecing I did, it was very nice to slip back into mindless sewing.

I've finished quilting a huge quilt for Libby and can't wait until she picks it up so I can show a few pictures.  She says she hasn't been on the blog for a while but just in case I want her to see this one in person first.  

Oh and I got a new pattern.

oh my gosh! I can't wait to make this one!!

January 8th

My house is almost un-decorated but that is another story.

At the beginning of 2012, I thought I had made  a very do-able goal list.  But as the year wound down I could not finish (quilt) the 3 tops that I have had on the list for the last two years now.  I'm bummed about this but hey that's how it goes!  

They are:

Chloe

Aster Manor
I can not find a picture of the completed top--yikes!

Jonquil & Stars

They are all big quilts full/queen size and I have the backing and batting ready too.

Chloe was loaded on Saturday.

I was back and forth over how to quilt it-always a dilemma! The thoughts of custom quilting it just makes me tired.  Of course I really wanted to do feathers on it but was thinking it was too busy.  Then I was making my bed later, um I still have my Christmas quilt on it.

I did all over feathers on it and it's a darn busy quilt and I love it.  Love the texture, love the feathers.  Decision made!

So now I just need to get started on the quilting.

My goal list is much smaller this year.

4 tops need quilted. The 3 above and Modern Misfits too.

I have 5 WIPS:

2 embroidery pieces – finish as pillows, frame etc.

Swirled Christmas tree wall quilt (applique)

Bunny Hill Designs BOM “Dresden Plate”

New York Beauty

Curve it Up Quilt Along (Blog) BoM

I did get my Christmas Swirls top fused.

I may save this for the quilt guild retreat. It might be a good little project to take along in case I get tired of one of the other things I'm working on.

For "NEW" projects this year I just have 

"use my Quick Curve Ruler." 

I've started making Urban Candy already. 

I have 10 blocks made.  It calls for 90.  

Making these modern quilt patterns is so far out of my norm and curves so out of my comfort zone that I shake my head over this change in me. A few years ago I would never have thought I would ever make a quilt like these.

So I start this year hopeful that I will finally finish up my UFO's and WIP.  I didn't even mention the 70+ block a day blocks that are still aging to perfection in a box under my cutting table (oh yes! I know exactly where they are) don't want to overwhelm myself. *wink*

****

In other aspects of my life I need to

- get back into a routine; this creature of habit needs it ....badly. 

-continue my walking and good eating; got away from me a bit this holiday season

but I'm back in the saddle again.

-s.l.o.w. down  

I'm a fast person, I do everything fast. Not as warp speed fast as when I was younger but still pretty fast. I move fast, I talk fast, I eat fast, I get ticked off fast (but I also get over it fast)

 :)  

I'm starting to get a little tired.  

*****

fun times, fun times.

Life is good.