Progress for September

   The house is quiet now....company is gone and the laundry is caught up. This week has flown by, yet even so I managed to get a bit done on my September list.
  The Scrappy Trip Around the World is ready to put together...yea!  I will web the rows together and add a simple border to this one.
  What I learned on this one......Follow the plan on pressing the seams.  Bonnie's hints on this make it so easy to get things to match up.








    Between loads of laundry I was cutting up fabric.  Now the cutting is done for the first Faux Braid --my NewFO--using floral fabrics from the stash.   I can't wait to see what they look like.  So some stitching is planned for them over the weekend.  For the instructions to this....click here  for Tutorial at VroomansQuilts. 

  And lastly, I put together a quick doll quilt....or two!   I had a pile of floral units pieced and put them together in a zig-zag pattern.   This is the one for Sydney, the twins sister.

  And more doll quilts arrived in the mail.  I am heading outside to take some photos and post them tomorrow.
Happy stitching.

About that Faux Braid

   I lovingly snitched Sharon's photo of her faux braid quilt last week.....which is made from Quarter Log Cabin blocks.  She did a very good tutorial on her construction method , which can be found here, at Sew We Quilt a couple of years ago.  I suggest you click over and print it out or at least read it to understand the simple changes she made.
 A little update:  Sharon of Vroomans Quilts re-posted her tutorial , so we can easily find it!  Thanks.


   A traditional braid, or friendship braid, or French Braid have an inherent problem, namely dealing with bias edges. This faux braid takes care of that...no bias, just one block to work with.  The key or secret that Sharon found is in the color placement!  Read that as working with value, and you know you have my attention.
  I promised to share a few ideas---from my list of about 30 ideas, so here they are.

•     A two color quilt.  Maybe blue and white, or a green and white quilt.
•     Sunset color:  red, gold, purple against a very pale blue as the light side.
•     A modern quilt:  use yellow and grey prints and a simple white as the light.
•    For a little girl:  Pink prints and very light green as the light.
•    Ocean waves:  colors of sea glass--blues, and greens and teal----with  white as the light.
•    Midnight moon:  dark blues and a silvery grey/white for the light.
•     Desert sands:  Rust, brown, and turquoise and teal with sandy tan for the light.
•    Coffee break:  brown, and mocha prints with creamy tones for the light.
•    Autumn leaves:  gold and rust and greens and browns with tan for the light.
•    Floral garden:   floral prints on lighter background with creamy white and tan for the lights.

Here's a quick assortment of fabrics I pulled from the closet that would be a great fall theme quilt in the

 red /gold tones.  

  Think of all those fall tone batiks.....they would be perfectly happy in this design.

A second quick selection I found.  These are 4 fabrics from the Willow line by McKenna Ryan  from a few years back.  Why am I still saving them?  I think they would be perfect for this quilt design.  I like that the background of the prints has darker and lighter areas that will blend into the beige/tan light.

Matter of fact....I think I will be cutting into them for this!

  Second idea.....this faux braid creates a diagonal layout.  That diagonal design would lend itself well to some applique in the light areas!  If you are doing a fall quilt.....how about some leaves appliqued there?  And ocean theme could have sea shells appliqued in some of the light areas.  Or no applique, and plan some special quilting on the diagonal.  

   Third idea.....if you don't want the diagonal layout, just put the blocks on point.  That will give you vertical rows of light and dark area.  And idea two would still apply.
   A simple block with lots of design possibilities.  Just what I love to play with and see what happens.  

  So as for me....I have some cutting to do, just as soon as I am passed the next batch of company....out come the florals and the Willow fabrics!   I plan on cutting and working on two different ones--probably lap size, just to see what happens.    Happy stitching.  

Mrs. Claus has been stitching!

Packages have been arriving quite regularly......and most have a very special name in the return address area.  I wonder what the postal delivery person thinks when they drop off all these soft packages from
 "Mrs. Claus"?

  From Mrs. Claus in Minnesota comes the cutest kitten print and 9 patches.  Simply tied with pink yarn, it is just so sweet.   This was made by Lois of the HGTV Message Board.

  An added benefit of organizing this project....the cards that often accompany the doll quilts.  Such is the case this time from Lois.  A vintage pattern note card and pattern piece envelope were tucked in with the doll quilt.  Can I just say....love it!  



I began to sew when I was about 10 years old, and I remember patterns from this era.  Thanks, Lois, for this added touch.

 
  Kelli, aka Sprmom on the HGTV Message Board, made 2 doll quilts to represent West Virginia.  I think of these two as Cinderella Dreams.  I know 2 little girls will enjoy these pretty ones featuring our favorite princess.

   Two doll quilts to represent the states of Colorado and Alaska were sent by Mrs. Claus of CA, aka Nancyc20 at the HGTV Message Board.   I remember that this Mrs. Claus made several last year, too.  I love pinwheels and both are really cute.  Thank you.

  Aliquilt, Mrs. Claus in Ohio, sent a triple play of cute ones.....a bright and bold scrap quilt, a 9 patch of red and butter gold, and a panel print of Noah's Ark. A really great variety and all so cute.










  There are a pair of Mrs. Claus sisters that live in Maryland.

   Patricia  Anne sent these 2 beauties in blue and yellow.  The colors are so beautiful!  She is representing the states of Delaware and Maryland.

  And Mrs. Claus of Maryland is Angela from the HGTV Message Board.  A bright zig-zag, and a beautiful blue 9 patch came from her.

  I know these two sisters had a great time making the doll quilts.

 The last package to arrive yesterday was from Mrs. Claus in Texas.   But by now we all know who she is......from Nicki of the HGTV Message Board. She is one terrific organizer and help! And I can see she even found time to make a trio of doll quilts, too.....  scrappy  4 patches, squares of pinks and brown, and a cute rail fence doll quilt.  Thank you, Mrs. Claus, this project has grown because of your involvement.

What a great assortment of doll quilts!  Nothing says love like a little fabric and thread.

Big hugs and thanks to all the participating Mrs. Claus.

End of August and NewFO

   Time to bring all the August projects together and see where I ended up.  I am cutting this month a day short because of family coming in for the weekend.   Holiday weekend, too.....and the last hurrah for Summer.
   The partial section of watercolor that was a UFO became Renewed.  Turned on end, added to, some thread painting and done.  I am enjoying this daily now, as it is in the sewing room.











   Twin Chevrons----for Maria's twin boys---are pieced and quilted.  Some how I knew I needed these to be done sooner than later....and sure enough, the twins arrived early.   The boys are thriving and still in NICU .  Maria is home and recovering.  We dropped a meal off to them yesterday and while I visited with Maria, Sir Old Man made friends with Sydney, her young daughter.   When we left, Sir Old Man had an insightful idea......give a doll quilt to Sydney so she doesn't feel left out when the chevron quilts are given.     Absolutely brilliant idea......add a NewFO for September.

 An unexpected project...NewFO, begun and completed in August.
This is for my older nephew's birthday tomorrow, as a memento/reminder of his trip to Alaska this summer.
  I detailed this process here.

   The scrappy TAW, a  NewFO started a couple of months ago,  is large enough now for the design wall.  I am still sewing strips and making strata to cut apart in between other stuff.  So this one could just go on and on.  But I will stop when it is large enough for a large lap quilt.  This is going to be for Habitat for Humanity  project at guild.

   As for the other project that was on my list for August.....mainly the Buzz Saw quilt.  The borders are on.  It is pressed.  Now to tackle the pinning to ready it for quilting.  I have that planned, so it is just the pinning to do....when Sir Old Man is able to help!


Plans  for September:

Photo snitched from Vroomans Quilts!

•   Quilt the Buzz Saw.  I know everyone is tired of hearing about it!
•   Make a doll quilt for Sydney....a small NewFO.
•   Continue with the Scrappy Trip around the World.
•   Start a NewFO.....see photo I snitched from Sharon at Vroomans Quilts.  She created this using a jelly roll and getting the look of a faux braid.  I love the diagonal design, and the easy assembly of the quarter log cabin block.    I have a few ideas for this that I will share soon.  

Linking to Cat Patches for   NewFO.
Enjoy the holiday weekend......I will hold the doll quilts to share for another day or two.  Happy stitching.

Another round of doll quilts

  I'm late getting these photos up.....yesterday was gray and rainy, or the usual  it seems.  But today....it was beautiful, glorious weather.  I saw really blue sky and puffy clouds and the humidity was much, much lower.  A picture perfect day, or a perfect picture taking day.

Kim at Seeing Stars sent this beautiful little quilt.
  She also participates in the HGTV Message Board, and she sent this quilt to represent North Dakota.
   I had to look at the design a little while to see the positive and negative.  Do you see it?  The top row has light wings, and the second row has the dark wings in the corners.  I love her ingenuity.  Thanks.












  Shelia,  a friend from quilt guild and blogger  delivered these 3 cuties.  Let me be more specific in that......she was chauffeured over by her hubbie in his new/old '55 Chevrolet.  I think he wanted to show off his ride to Sir Old Man, and along the way another "car guy" followed them over here!  So it was hot rod night in the driveway for a while.
  Shelia loves pink and these 3 were great to use up some of her leftovers.  They also gave her some free motion practice time.  Thanks...I love them.

Mrs, Claus from OK sent this wonderfully soft quilt.  Marion2 is also a member of the HGTV Message Board.
This country homespun quilt is backed with fleece.....that is why it turned out so soft.  Thanks.  I know a little girl will love this.

 

 These 3 were made by Nancy, aka Catwmn27, from the HGTV Message Board.    The pinwheels are just delightful.......and I am so glad you worked to share in this project again.  Thank you.
  She is covering three states.....MA, RI, and VT!

   This Mrs. Claus loves miniatures!  Wonder how I figured that out?
Lori, is from the HGTV Message Board.  She claims to have made two of these just to use up fabric!  They are tiny works of art and I know little girls will love them dearly.




   Mrs. Claus from Michigan......aka TCMay at the HGTV Message Board has been busy, too.    A wonderful red, white and blue quilt.....just the cutest thing,  and an adorable Sun Bonnet Sue dressed in turquoise  came from her.   Thank you.

  Such a great variety of styles, and colors.  Thank you all.....for being willing to help.  And another big thank you for a wonderful "recruiter" in the person of Mrs. Claus from Texas, aka Nicki.  This project would be such a struggle without her help.
   That's the doll quilt round up for the week.....first deliveries go out right after Labor Day.  Labor Day, did I really say that......where has this year gone to?  
  I better get busy, I have miles to go before it is done.
Happy stitching.

No vacuum here

     Nature abhors a vacuum and I do too......even the kind you push and pull around.   Since the design wall was empty, I  pulled out the on going Scrappy Trip Around the World.   I was curious as to how this one would look..... given the wild variety of fabrics.  Yesterday I had 9 blocks completed.  And right, it looks like a huge mess.
   Last night while getting caught up on a few episodes of Project Runway, I put together a few more blocks and sewed together a lot more stratas to cut apart.

    Project Runway......sometimes I love it and sometimes it's a disaster.  This season is more personalities and disasters.  I see only 2 stand outs in the whole lot of them....Dom is right on the mark, I think.
    So why do I watch?  I know I will be shot for expressing this........but for years all I heard from my daughter was fashion design.  We struggled to get her into the right school,  lived through the ups and downs,  and watched her fulfill her dream.  With every challenge on the show, I remember her calls about the current assignment......and the un-conventional sources, her design vision,  and things she had to do.
     There was one dress she did that had to feature "closures"----like zippers, hooks, and such.  She created a futuristic dress of red pleather with a 50 inch +  double ended zipper on the diagonal  (quite a feat and quite revealing  when both ends were unzipped :)    The sleeves attached with D-rings.  It was a success and featured in articles for a fashion show event in Philly.  
  So I watch for the memories it brings, and because it gives me a good time to stitch.  And that brings me back to last night.


   Three more blocks completed and a little re-arranging and this one is taking shape.  Even with all the strange, crazy color and fabric combos, it is working!  I kind of like the off-set trip....but don't hold me to it until it is done.
  Each block is 6 fabrics of 2 1/2" strips, so the blocks will finish at 12".   20 blocks will make a nice lap size, but 30 would be a good size one.  I  will just keep going to see where it ends up, or when I get tired of it.  
You can find the directions at Quiltville......thanks to Bonnie Hunter.

   Happy stitching.

Over the weekend

  My weekend plans were slightly altered by a phone call.  The type of call that  takes you to your knees.....the twin boys were on their way, seven weeks early, and their Mom was encountering problems in surgery.  With grateful heart, I can now say that  miracles happen.  All are doing well..... tiny boys,  but thriving.
   Time to get those welcome to the world quilts ready to quilt......The chevron pattern is pieced and pinned ...times 2!    Quilting to follow.



    And for the big  nephew's birthday.....There's a Moose is ready for binding.   It took longer to stitch down the black silhouettes---they are tiny--- than  to quilt this one.   I used straight lines along the seam in the bargello portion, and swirls for the ground and in the dark sky.

  I wish I could get a distance photo that really shows the glow.   I  got the illusion I wanted.....mountains in the distance, moose on the hill and the lights dancing in the background.  I only hope this is not too "arty" for him.....but I did put orange in there (for Clemson), so he should be happy.
 
  My design wall is empty....void......naked.......and badly in need of thread bit removal!  I look forward to cleaning it up and sharing some more progress.  Till then, happy stitching.