Beginning English Garden quilt --the layout

   Last year Deb at a simple life quilts and I discussed doing a Year of Floral quilts.  Life intervened and we never got to the planning stage.  I am starting my year off with a floral quilt, and have plans for a couple more that I will share with  my variations.

 In my last post I showed the block I was using for the English Garden quilt.  It is a variation of a log cabin.....and you need to pay attention to the assembly and add logs to the proper side.  Ask me how I know.....I had a few that had the light and dark small square switched and they had to be ripped.







   So I teased you with the layout description.   Here's the photo from the book of the layout.    Note: the original pattern was made with 1 1/2" strips....I am using 2".
   The layout for the English garden quilt is a little different than most quilts. The rows need to be assembled vertically since the blocks are staggered.   I had to study the diagram to see that each row lines up differently than the previous one.

   Here's the book photo of the quilt....can you see the twisted ribbon effect?  Again this would be a great two color pattern, or done in batiks.

 After making the blocks, I was overly anxious to see what a few blocks would look like.  So a layout test came next with just a few blocks and a couple of strips that will be part of the vertical sash.    This photo also gives you a chance to see the fabrics I am using.
  I also made an adjustment  to my fabric selection for the background....I'll share that when I get it cut......which is my next step for today.
   There's a forecast for freezing rain tonight....and also in the morning.  I may miss the Bible study group if the forecast is correct----you can't get down our hill or across the bridge safely with that slick stuff around.  Bad weather = more sewing time.
   Before I hit the rotary cutter, I want to say thanks for the support for my change in focus.  I had so many extra emails about it that I was quite surprised.  Many expressed the need for blogs with details and instructions rather than just photos of finishes, which are so great to me for inspiration.  These are young and older quilters that don't have access to a local shop or instructor.  Some are just plugging along, lost in trying to figure things out for themselves.   So sharing the wealth of knowledge and experience in our heads and hands  might be just what they need.   Renew your process pledge and pay it forward!  Happy stitching.   

Doing battle with feathers

    Before I forget.....do you like to read?  Do you tend to use a slip of paper to mark your place like I do.  Take a look at these really special bookmarks at Juanita's blog.  She does beautiful art quilts, and until recently all by hand--no machine!  She has a series of landscape book marks that are beautiful, and for sale.  Drop by and say  hello.

     I have been drawing feathers, and drawing and drawing for this month's tutorial by Diana Gaudynski  at SewCalGal .   This is about the 10th  page of practice and I thought I finally had a hand on it.  So on to fabric and thread.  I set my machine like she suggested and started.  Go slow and try for tiny stitches, no gloves, and keep the batt  straight--as in North and South with no flipping it around.  

This is round one.  First the thread kept breaking.  I tried a new needle and re-threaded everything.  It is hard to see white on white, so I switched to a red thread so I could see where I was going and had been.  Oh, boy...that was awful   Back to tan thread and another feather.  And trying to outline was even more frustrating.  She does not recommend gloves , just bare hands for FMQ, but I don't have control without them.  I was not pleased at all with the effort.   I don't like micro stitching.   I put it away....almost in the trash can. I quit!

  This is round two from this morning.  I decided that I would give it one more shot, as I am not a quitter by nature.  This time I set my machine up as I usual do.  I also drew the feather onto the fabric with a pencil before stitching.  You can still see some of the marks that I did not get erased completely.   I don't have or use the blue disappearing marker---one very bad experience and I threw them away.   Anyway, on with the gloves, adjusted my speed and tension and started on the feather spine.  Up, down, and onto the plumes......I did much better overall and even managed  to almost follow the drawn lines and the outlining sort of consistently.   I did not try for those tiny stitches, but instead achieved even  stitches.  

  Insight:  Practice creates muscle memory for drawing and free motion stitching.  When you get frustrated, stop!  Try again later.  

  So, if you are taking the Free Motion Challenge, I wish you great success with feathers.  I have a long way to go with them.   Happy stitching.  

   

FMQ Challenge

    I practiced a few leaves and vines this morning after watching a short video for the FMQ Challenge.  I only had 2 small practice batts ready, but they worked for this.  I started on paper and did a couple pages of leaves.  Then I read Leah's post about memorizing quilting patterns.....great info on using a doodle pad with lines to practice designs.

   The coins quilt and the water color quilt got pin basted  today.  I stretched the backing snugly to the kitchen island and taped it down.   Then layered the batting and top and got to pinning.  It takes a while, but worth it to keep the folds/tucks/wrinkles at bay.  I can do about 1/2 the quilt at a time, and  un-tape and shift everything to do the other half.   I know that some quilters thread baste--I won't use the spray stuff because the fumes give me a severe headache, but I have had more luck with the pinning process.  I really think the secret is to get the backing fabric secure and smooth before you layer the rest onto it, no matter which method you use.  If the backing can't shift, then you won't have a problem.  

      Pinning distance....my general rule of thumb is the hand span.  For me that is about 3 1/2" to 4" apart, and a little closer along the edges.  Several years ago, Sir Old Man was helping me pin a quilt, and he commented that I needed some new pins.  Why?  "Because most of your pins are bent."  ****giggle, giggle****   I finally told him, they came that way for a reason.....just a little help when pinning.  The  pin tip just naturally  comes through the layers because it is bent up.  I got more bent pins that year for Christmas.  

Happy stitching.

Bring on the new year!

  2011 in review......I began doing journal quilts to explore new techniques, I tried a few small landscapes, and tackled curves, and fell in love the the easy bargello technique.  I made a graduation quilt and one for a wedding gift, and found my comfort zone for machine applique.  Wow, 2011 was a great adventure and I proclaim it the year of exploration for me.  Why did I wait so long to try some of these things? 

Free My Spirit:batiks and curves;  bargello;  Higher Hope: scrap braid: art project and a landscape

Vertical strip quilt;  Cobblestone Lane: batik scraps; landscapes; 

Heads Up: watercolor with applique; graduation quilt

String me Along: scraps and applique; Coming and Going: watercolor art quilt; 

English Window: watercolor;

art projects;  Summer of Love: scrap quilt a la Bonnie Hunter; My bargello

   I don't do resolutions.  I won't stick to them.  I know that much about myself.  Instead, I review  my insights from the last year and hopefully learn a thing or two.  From 2011, my best insights to me.....

•  Be inspired to find your own way.
•  Step back and look at things a second time. They just might look different a few days later. If not, leave it on the design board or find the trash can.
•   Give a UFO a face lift, or  a re-do.  
•   Free motion quilting is like a signature.
•  Not every thing turns out the way it was begun. Live with it and learn. A good life lesson in this small project.
• Fabric is expensive. Leftover blocks and strings = $. Find a reason or way to use them. Somehow... that means I saved money!
•  Some things are to be enjoyed from a distance. The true worth and beauty lies beneath the surface. So stitch some Heart into your quilts and don't take things too seriously.
•  Seeing someone I love snuggled under a quilt I made for them, just priceless.
•  Exercise the body, relax the mind, release creativity!
•  If you see a need in your community, step up and offer to help. When others ask for help, lend a hand. And when you need help, ask for it. You might find that Mrs. Claus lives near you.

So what's in store for next year?   I have gone through my inspiration and ideas files from magazines---and added a few more pages.  I ran across things that I set aside to work on for this next year.  I put these into a separate folder to keep by my work area just in case I need motivation.  I am also renewing the process pledge to myself and to you to share how and what I do.  

•  I signed up for the Free Motion Challenge at Sewcalgal .  12 different teachers...one each month to share their expertise....work at your own pace.  I need to get some practice batts together.
• More color talk on the way.  I am working on a guest post on chosing a color scheme.  Wish me luck with this one.
• Watercolor wall hangings......I have a couple of ideas to explore, and several new packs of fusible intrfacing to work with.  Now if I can just find a bit more wall space to hang them on.
• At least one scrap quilt I have promised to make.  I have an inspiration...and lots of new fabric.
• T-shirt quilts.....Justin left me 2 huge piles of  T- shirts to work through.....help!
• Doll quilts....of course.  One for every project I complete.
• Ideas and a list made for gifts for next year.  

I think that's enough to get me rolling.  So, what do you have planned?

Happy stitching.

Starting a new scrap quilt

   While cleaning up the sewing room, I ran across a magazine  on scrap quilts from McCall's Quilting from 2010.   I had tagged a page with a simple but great layout for using up strips---remember I have boxes of them.  Here's the link to view  Plenty_of_Pomegranates---  that is my inspiration.  I plan on using the general layout, but not the pomegranates for the applique.      Sew ;), I am beginning a very easy project for the summer to use some more of those pesky strips that seem to multiply like bunnies! 

    One of the boxes of strips is full of pieces that are 3" to 8" long---too much to throw away with today's price of fabric, but hard to use.  So this box will be the first up.  I have been joining small bits to get a length of 15" to 18".  This strip is ready to be trimmed to 3" wide.   I need  at least 15  of these,  so lots more to put together.  And I also need 4 or 5  sections that are 8 1/2" wide.





 The quilt  is a vertical strip layout with  applique. 
You can see the photo of the magazine inspiration in the lower corner.
 I did a quick pencil sketch too, but decided I needed to play around with it in EQ7.  By doing a layout and figuring out the size I wanted for the vertical rows, I understood the over all design better. 
  I set up a vertical quilt with 5 vertical rows of 8".  I put 3 vertical blocks in the first and 4 in the second.  That created a dropped block effect in the second row---with 1/2 block at the top and 1/2 at the bottom.     I made the rows 48 " long, so with the borders added the quilt would end up about 56" by 60", a good lap size.     This layout would be very easy to size up or down by making the vertical row longer or wider, inserting more or less cross strips between the applique,  and/or changing the size of the rectangle for applique.  Wow, that is a lot of options.
   The other major change I am making is using a lighter background fabric.  The blue or black in the original is striking, but since it  is summer, lighter fits this better for me. 
   As for the applique...... I plan on using bias for the stems, using different greens, and adding blooms, birds and such.  I will be doing machine applique, but this would be a great hand work project.   And maybe a bit of applique on the border would be good, too.  Think I will wait till I get there to decide. 
   I think that covers the beginning of the plan and design.  Now to the fun part.......Happy stitching.

The process pledge

I stumbled across  The process pledge yesterday.  Yep, that is exactly what I have been trying to do with the blog.  It is to focus on the process and progress of what I do.  What inspires me,  how do I make color choices, and choose a layout for my designs, what emotions do I show,  successes and flops.  I have been working through the Art Quilt Workbook this year and learned from all the exercises and flops along the way.  And secondly, my insights list has been my way of  talking to myself about the process and the journey of learning.  
I love the intent of the pledge to put my thinking out there, even when it is not clear,  about the process and not  just the end product.    Maybe someone will  be inspired along the way---even from my mistakes.   And maybe I will remember not to make the same one over again.