Another inspiration photo

  I love getting emails from like-minded quilters -----who love floral fabrics.

Cynthia sent a photo of her recently completed water color quilt.  Look familiar?

 Scrappy Trips is done in floral fabrics.  The pattern is available at Quiltville under the free tab with a full tutorial on the block.   Cynthia was careful to keep a very light and a very dark fabric next to each other when laying out the strips for piecing.  That is how she achieved the distinct design.

  I have explained this before, but once more for new readers.  This pattern is made in blocks that look like a large Trip Around the World.  The block is strip pieced and made up of 6 different fabrics.  When you look at the quilt, the distinct "block" you think is the pattern is really made of 4 blocks.  Here is the link to my post   that explains it in more detail. 

  I asked Cynthia is she had a large floral fabric stash or had she been on a big buying spree.  She acquired the floral fabrics from searching----wait for it--- thrift shops!  She used  curtains and sheets she found there.  What a super way to create a stash for this project!    And she did a really great job on the quilt.  She says this is the first of many more watercolor projects to come.  

  I am delighted to share these photos from others.  It  inspires me to keep at it.  And I hope it inspires and motivates you to jump in and try a project you love.  

Thanks for a great start to a very warm week.

Happy stitching.  

Layouts

  After messing around/playing with settings to fix the comment problem with the home grown fix from Amity Quilter post,  I was glad to get to the sewing room. Pat is our home grown, genius quilter/blogger to have found and shared this fix.  And we are all happy!

   In the sewing room......it was bitter sweet to put together the last, the very last garlic knot block that I had in the rope bowl.    The blocks have been in the processing line for a couple of months and I was addicted to pairing them up.  I had developed a system for assembly to keep things straight, and to stitch up a couple of leader/ender 4 patches in the process.





   And now to get a look at the design wall.....colorful knots of scrappy goodness!   I have one more row to sew into the 4 block unit to add to the wall.

   Then on to the joining and pressing to decide on borders or not.











   I had an email  from Lesley who has found my blog and begun a strip pieced water color creation.  She was wanting a layout to create a heart design.  I had to really go back thru the photo files to find my original heart.  This was from 2003 I believe.  I cringe now when I see it....so many things I could have changed, but that is how we develop .

  Anyway, I can see how the layout happens, but was not sure anyone else could.  I turned to EQ7 to set up a layout design to follow.



 The layout is based upon HST block with a light side and a dark side, much like a log cabin block that is half light and half dark.  This will mimic the strip pieced watercolor block, like in this photo.

 
   Here is the guide to layout the blocks for creating a heart  using a 6 block by 6 block design.  You can see that an extra 2 blocks in the center area are needed.  These need to be all light to medium with no dark.

 
   Enough for today.....I have goodies in the mail.  Can't wait to see them.
Happy stitching!

No test.....this fix works!

Please comment because I believe the solution has arrived to our email/comment dilemma.  Big Thanks to Pat at  Amity Quilting    This is a link to her "home grown fix" to our communication problems. 
  You must change your settings and then change them back to where you really want them to be.  It took me a few tries but I got it finally. 

  From Amity Quilter  blog......" from Gayle of Mangofeet blog.  She advised that she has fixed her Blogger comment issue by going into the settings and adding a gmail address into the email comment block.  She received an email at that address requesting confirmation of this as a new 'subscription' for comments, and once she confirmed she started receiving comments again!"

Once you confirm and get email at the "other address", repeat the process and change it back to your original email.  And all should be restored to our original programming :)

  I am so glad that quilting bloggers are so resourceful because our Blogger support is on another planet.  Thanks, Gayle and Pat. 
Happy stitching.  

A finished star

   The star made from leftover string blocks is done!

   The blocks were 5 1/2'' string blocks pieced on light weight shirting fabric.  Some were  all light fabrics, some were half light and half dark, and a few were all medium dark to dark fabrics.  I really played around with the layout to effectively use all the combinations.

  A note on the odd size block and a hint:
  My light weight shirting foundation blocks were actually 5'' square.  I had a big stack leftover from a project with a string border.  So I wanted to use them up.
   Hint:   When I sew strings to the foundation, I intentionally allow them to extend an extra bit, about 1/2'' on either end.   When I square the blocks up, I am not trimming to the foundation size, but rather an 1/2'' larger overall.  The 5'' foundation will stabilize the block but not be sewn into the seam as I join the blocks......to eliminate bulk in the seam.  There is enough weight and such with the string piecing, so I try to reduce any I can. 
   It ended up 42'' square.....only because I ran out of blocks. 





  I used leftover strips for binding.

  Quilting was simple.....large curling loops meandered across it edge to edge.

   It is much too hot to sit outside very long, but the colors of the quilt look great thrown across the bench.

   Humidity is excessive and everything looks wilted outside.  To think we were just having so much rain and cool weather a few weeks ago.  Such is summer in the South:)

   I will be inside and staying cool....and stitching away on things to come.
Happy stitching.

Across continents

  With all the problems Blogger has given us in hindering our comments reaching inboxes of email,  I wondered if our blogging days were numbered.  I am really rebelling and not willing to even pretend to go along with the new "so called rules".   Other than to state this time only.....I don't make money from this blog, I don't collect email addresses to sell or share, I don't use cookies.  You are free to comment on my posts, and I am free to respond, or delete them if I feel they are spam, or etc. 
  With that said, I love my blog time, and reading of others lives and activities.  I have made some very special and sweet friends during my years here.  They have held me up, held my hand, sent me cards and gifts.  Just become part of my life. 

 On my blog I share my passion....you know me as the "one who does water color quilts".  LOL....yeah, that is me.   The one who still buys floral fabrics, the one others send floral fabric to.  So I lavish my talent and learning on my blog.  I have tutorials, and details, lots of information to help, to lead, to guide.  I have taught on line, as well as locally, and shared every tidbit I have gleaned from the experiences.  I expend energy just passing on what I know or have learned.  It satisfies my soul.

  Today was one of those "off" days for me---health wise.  Things are rarely easy for me now since I deal daily with much pain, and peripheral neuropathy.  Energy drain gets thrown in and often I deal with "brain fog".   You get the general drift.  So little things mean a lot to me.  I look for those small things that are miracles to me now.   

   So a little while ago, I had a wonderful surprise.   I felt I received a  gift, a validation freely given that lifted me up.   In my email was a note from Evie.   I can't remember when Evie first asked questions about the watercolor quilts, but I remember giving her info and directing her to Whims for fabrics.    



  Well, her note was short and included a photo of her first watercolor project recently completed.    You see, Evie took the challenge up and did this on her own.  She learned by doing on her own......in Vienna!

  Evie ordered fabric from Whims and turned this project into her own special creation.  I love her hummingbird applique.  She claims it is not perfect....who is....but loves it. 
  She challenged herself by adding the inset (red) border, and solved the special problems that arises from it.  And she put some shadows in the outer border.  I so love the effect.   I think she did an outstanding job on it and hope to see more from her. 

 


 Across the ocean on another continent, I touched someone to try.  That fills me with happiness and lifts my spirits.  It makes me get back up and fight another day.   
  Sending hugs from South Carolina to Evie in Vienna!  Thanks, you made my day.
Happy stitching. 

Of knots and strings

Spider web by Duane Walker

  Once again I got inspired to do something with my over abundant strings.    This quilt was made by Daune Walker  who was our featured speaker at guild this month.  It has a very vintage feel, in part due to the black and white prints, I think.   It has been ages since I did a spiderweb quilt, so I wanted to test her technique.

  I did a quick search on Pinterest for spider web blocks and quilts.  At  Quilterscache  I found the style block she used....in a different size.    And at Quiltville,  I found Bonnie's technique for the block, again in a different size.    The difference in the two versions, other than the size, is how the blocks are joined. 

  My test block parts.....I used a 12'' foundation paper for the web units.   First, I am not a fan of piecing on paper, but it really is necessary for this to keep things from warping and stretching.   Secondly, the paper triangle becomes your pattern for trimming up. 
 What I really hated was joining the two halves to form the block.  Note:  The paper was removed before joining, which made it worse.  So much movement on those bias edges. 
    So this size on tissue weight paper is not for me.  I would be lucky to finish up enough to make a table runner. 

  The next test will be a smaller size and use newsprint paper from a doodle pad.  And I am going to join them together a la Bonnie's method to form the "star" shape in the block. 
 

  In the meantime------

 Things are growing on the design wall.  I began putting blocks together into 4 patch units.  My garlic knot blocks are 6 1/2'',   And I love the variety.  I still have a small basket of them to sew together and another 30 or so ready to be joined in 4 patch units. 

  Summer heat is here all at once.  The featherweight is set up and I have plenty to sew on.  By the way....has anyone seen this table for the featherweight?     It is so tempting, if I could figure out a spot to set it up.  It would be nice to have a flat surface.    Happy stitching. 

Summer arrived

  Well, summer arrived after so much rain.  The heat moved in this week.  I have been loafing and working on small projects.   I survived both doctor's appointments and tests.  Good news as I have improved enough for the cardio vascular surgeon to say "See you in a year!"  That is great news for me not to fret over every 6 months.    Small steps.....it just takes forever.

 

   I wanted a lighter weight bag for summer.  In fact, I wanted a roomier one that I did not have to fight to stuff things into:)  Enter the idea for a zippered tote.  I found the tutorial on  the blog at Sewcanshe.   And I loved the handles she used---she linked to tutorial on creating them. 
   I had a panel print that screamed spring/summer.  Just meant for me as it is a Monet inspired watercolor print.  And I loved the colors.
  Of course, I ran out of fabric for the handles.....lol!  I introduced a design element by piecing two fabrics.   I just used straight lines for quilting and added a long inside pocket for my keys and phone.  Size is 12'' by 15''. 





   And another basket......smaller to hold leader and ender pairs.  Plus I wanted to try a different ending.  I found an idea for a loop that tucks the end under.....it works better than the knot. 

   This basket is slightly warped.  I realized I was pulling on the rope to straighten it as I was attaching it.  Don't do that as it will draw the basket in and not have a pretty shape.  So once I realized what I was doing, I  relaxed and just kept sewing.  The end result is okay, only a bit off kilter. 

 

   I have lots more sets of garlic knot blocks to stitch up.  So now, I have a handy place to toss them as I trim scraps and strips and make up sets. 


   I haven't tackled any quilting in a month.  I have one small quilt pinned, but have lacked the motivation.  Next week is free of appointments and commitments, so I am hoping to move me in that direction. 

Happy stitching.