Booking It for August

  I started this project earlier this month to de-stash...read it here.    I am claiming it as my Let's Book It project for August.
   I originally planned to work using value as my guide.  I wanted some blocks to be high contrast, and some low contrast, and then set them together based on the major value of the split square.  sounded good, right?  Well, just take my word for it, the setting was bad......way bad.  It was choppy and yet contrived.  On to plan 2.
    I found myself getting just a little too matchy-matchy when selecting the inset strip.   I forced myself to use what I picked up first as long as it did not absolutely clash or hurt the eyes.   What I discovered.......it worked much better!


 I have about 60 or so blocks ready, and I began to play around with another setting with half of them.  I am liking this much better now.  Yet, I do think I need more variety!

  This sort of makes me giggle.  Here I am throwing everything including the kitchen sink into one quilt,  and I was just reading a couple of blogs that discussed the problem of using multi-color print scraps.  Think I should ask for their cast offs?
  So what do I mean when I say variety?  To me, that means having a variety in scale of prints....large and small and geometric prints.  I see a lot of tonal and 2 color prints here, so I need to add in  prints with 3 or more colors.  Right now, these are mainly from my box of leftovers from charm square exchanges.  Looks like it is time to really de-stash my real stash.   So August's project will be on-going for a couple of months, I think.

  And June's Book It project.......is now a flimsy!   A colorwash version of the  scrappy trips.

  I stopped at this size.....it is so heavy already.  You forget how much fabric is in those seam lines.   And I see a couple of blocks that got flipped when I put the rows together.   Or did I mean to throw in a curve ball just for fun!  I can live with it.






  I am debating on a border, or not.  I kind of like it as it is, and just use a dark binding.  I will think on it, and get to it soon.    For now, I am happy.....this one is not going anywhere but here.

Linking to Let's Book It at Vrooman's Quilts.

Stash busting

  I decided to start this next project as a "leader/ender" while I am finishing off the Scrappy Trips blocks.  Originally, I thought it would be my Let's Book It project for next month...so I am jumping ahead I guess.
   I am sure you have seen or made this one.....published in McCall's Quilting in 2007 by the Gingham Girls.   I waded through my bin of pre-cuts and decided to make a few adjustments to their original pattern.





   I chose to use 5" squares with a 1 1/2" inset strip.  My unfinished square when trimmed is 5".  I am including everything.....kitchen sink method...on this one.  Rather than concentrate on color, I wanted to play around with value when adding the inset strips.  So some blocks with be high contrast and others will be less distinct with low contrast.
 
   I sliced the 5" squares from corner to corner on one diagonal.  Note I am working in batches of 4 or 5 at a time, so the bias edges don't grow to much and get away from me.  So as I am sewing the Scrappy Trips rows together, I pick up one triangle and add the inset strip to one side.   By the time I get a block together, I have at least 4 of these units ready to press.  


   Time to match up and add the second side.  I discovered by taking a couple of seconds to align the corners to match up  before I sewed that my block units stayed squared up.  Once pressed then the trimming was quick and easy.  I trimmed to 5" square.

   I got 5 more Scrappy Trip blocks done and a stack of about 20 of these done too.

  Then as I was reading blogs this morning, I saw that  Wanda at Exuberant Color was doing a different inset project.    She is working with color---of course---on her project.  Check it out as it will be beautiful as always.    Either style block is a great stash busting /de-stashing idea.  Happy stitching.

Good things

 It's May already?  I think my "mojo" has been on vacation without me, as I have been very un-productive recently.  I seem to get this way seasonally or after a huge push to finish things up.....so it may be both reasons this time.  Plus a little technical difficulties with this aging computer over the weekend  just did not help improve my short attention span.


  The Charming Bricks is finally up on the wall.  It is now hanging over the Tiara.   I added a mixed fabric binding in darker florals to finish it off.
    I know it is not my typical style, but it just makes me smile.  I love having a floral brick wall to view.   Stepping out of my comfort zone proved to be good this time.  And finished is a good thing.

Insight:  Reminder....Do what you love.  Throw away the rest.  Listen to that voice in your head.














 
 So I needed to fill my time in the sewing room doing something.......I cut strips.  I cut lots of strips.  I need to de-stash and so I cut strips.  Now  I have two shoe box bins full of floral strips.  I have one more shelf to cut my way through and I should have enough strips for a year of floral quilts.  I have a couple patterns that I am working on  /planning / adapting.  De-stashing is a good thing.



 

   And there is nothing like a little free motion practice to lift my spirits.  I put on some music and just go for it.  I let everything else fall away.  I find that zone in my head where thread and fabric blend and these wonderful feathers emerge.  Finding that "zone" is a good thing.  So are feathers!








 The Blogger's Quilt Festival is almost here.  I just ran across this on Amy's Creative Side.  Get a post ready for your entry as this goes live on May 16.  Viewing so many quilts in one place is always good for inspiration.    Ah, maybe I will enter The Whopper.....guess I need permission from Sir Old Man on that!


I am off to do more de-stashing....Happy stitching.

Stash reducing and a quilt tale

  I promise I have been busy....just little I can show right now.  My evening stitching has been on the big blocks I gave the formula for earlier.  The pattern is from Bonnie Hunter's article in Quiltmaker from 2009. (The article is now a dead link.) Her version was done in tropical colors.
Click here for an earlier post on this with pattern shown in EQ5.    I do think this one would be great in batiks or a planned color way. This  is a variation of her Star Struck block.  Bonnie gave me permission to share my changes to the measurements for the sizes.
  I have 4 blocks ready to sew together, and about a dozen of the pinwheels done.  I need more large squares to complete the other strip sets I have sewn.
  This is  my "kitchen sink" method for fabric selection .....anything goes. It's not really a scrap quilt----more a multi-print quilt---because I am stash reducing for this one.     I have fabrics that have been hanging around too long, as well as fabrics given to me in huge trash bags from someone's clean out.  I have been cutting  anything less than a fat quarter  into strips and squares. I need to make some room in the drawer bins as I can barely get them closed.  I probably will end up with 2 of these quilts.....one to keep and one to give.  And it looks like I will have enough leftover short pieces for a rail fence quilt too.
  Quilt tale.....of a sort.
 I had a touching email this morning.  Thank you, Cassie, for sharing this link.  Check out the story of   An amazing quilter  from Texas who is blind and sews like she doesn't know it.   Her spirit and attitude are the best tribute to a full and rewarding life.
Happy stitching.  

Doll size quilts

  I've been cleaning and clearing things out, and not much sewing has gotten done lately.  But my husband was telling me about the toy project going on at his Woodworkers Guild.  Richard is heading the toy project up this year, and has 32 doll cradles--besides all the trucks, cars and planes-- ready for distribution in December.  These will go to Shriner's Children's Hospital, and to The Meyers Center for  Development, and the Police Departments,   among other places.  And guess who opened her mouth about doll quilts?   Never mind, you know I did.  I probably won't get 32 done, but  I hope to make a few more.

  These 2 are very bright and colorful.  I found the 2 center blocks  in the orphan stack and added strips around the block to get the size I needed--12" by 18".  No binding on them either, just sewn and turned right side out and quilted.   I don't have much assortment of kids fabric, so bright and cheerful will work for me.   I am piecing together batting scraps for a few more.  I think I will do  "sew and flip"  strings for the next ones. 

  If I make a few more, do you think I will make a dent in my scrap boxes?   Nope, I don't think so either.

 Thank you , Lord, for scraps.  They make me pieceful.  Keep paying it forward.
  Remember the giveaway....ends on Wednesday.   Happy stitching. 
Update:   This post was pre-scheduled  (we are off to the mountains today), but wanted to add a bit of good news I got today. 
  I'm a Ghastlie Winner from the Ghastlie Blog Hop!   Dana at Stormy Days  sent me an email that I won a gift cetificate from I have a notion.  Yay!!!  Thank you, thank you.  Knock me over with a feather.

Stash or Collection?

 
  Our speaker at guild last night commented that she had a stash---fabric to be used--- not a collection---fabric to be passed on--- and  that struck me as a good one to remember.   Especially since I had get DH or Sir Old Man to drag in more shelves for the stash closet.  I promptly filled them up with mini bolts that had been stacked on the floor and those pesky boxes of strips.  The stacks are off the floor for now, but it does make tight quarters in the closet.  I need to put the needle down and get to sewing!   

 
    As I started quilting on  String Me Along---photo before quilting,  I kept thinking that it would be a good design for a table runner.    Very adaptable for size and length by just adding a block and some pieced strips.  And maybe featuring just thread painted motifs from a fabric I "re-discovered" in the stack on the floor.  Guess I've just added a future project to the list!
  I've got to clean house today as Ryan, step-son, is coming to visit a few days and we are heading to Charlotte on Friday;  deliver snacks to church for camp; catch up on laundry; and maybe get a few minutes to quilt, I hope. 
   Happy stitching.....do you have a stash or collection?  Just asking.

Using leftover strips

A little more de-stashing was required to put these leftovers block pieces and strips to good use.  I had a request for a quilt for Jinny's Rainbow, which is a project that makes  lap quilt for  cancer patients.
 I had a stack of leftover cuts from the pastel quilt I put together for our guild President this year.  I found just enough of the light green to sash the long rows together to get enough width.  By sashing the long rows, I hope it isn't too obvious that each leftover set is a different length.  I pieced several leftover binding strips to finish it off.   I keep all the leftovers from bindings in a big baggie...just in case I have a project like this.  The batting is pieced also.....using the fusible tricot strip.  It worked like a dream.  Garden of Hope is very scrappy and ended up 37 inches by 60 inches. 

De-Stashing....

What do you do with a box of 3 1/2" squares?

You make something quick and easy. 

That means 5 squares and 3 seams = a 3 -D Bow Tie  block! 

One evening stitching  produced about 20 blocks.  You need 2 squares for the background and 3 squares for the bow tie.  On a few of my blocks, I actually used a co-ordinating print for the "knot" of the tie because I only had 2 matching squares.   You can use any size squares you want or have.  Larger squares to begin will end up a larger block.  Very quick and scappy and will be a great quilt for charity.

I set a few together-- on the design wall-- in a ring formation.    I need to "de-stash" some more lights for the background by cutting them into 3 1/2" squares. 

Rather than re-invent the wheel or tutorial,  here's a tutorial at Stash Manicure.

Off to de-stash and finish laundry....happy stitching.