Shade Garden

  Things got away from me this week and I forgot to finish up this post.
     In November, I began playing with 16 patch blocks.   I was having fun with floral fabrics and contrasts of more solid/tonal fabrics.   The 16 patch block is quite addictive and I just kept making sombinations. 
   Along the way, I realized that I had two distinct moods to the blocks I was creating.  I referred to them as "shade garden" and "country garden'' blocks.  I had a hard time merging them into one quilt.  So they became 2 different projects. 







   I decided I wanted to make a bed runner for different seasons.  This is the first, "Shade Garden". 
    The floral fabrics are like spots of sunlight that peek thru the shaded garden.  This version has  the accent/contrast on the darker side for this runner.











  The block size is 6'' when using 2'' strips.  The runner is 18'' wide.....and 66'' long. 
  Photo on the right shows the different combos of fabrics that I used. 

 


    Simple swirl quilting all over and one of the abundant florals in my collection for the binding. 


   The Country Garden version is ready to bind and will be finished soon:)  Then I can do a better comparison.
Happy stitching. 

Watercolor place mats and values

  The place mats generated a lot of emails and comments.  I put together this collage that includes:

•  the work in progress,
•  the finished place mat and 
• a couple of guides for layout of the values.   

I am hoping you can click on the photo and open it in a separate window to print for reference.    Remember this is a guide for achieving a blend, not an absolute.  Every fabric combination will give different results.  The look will be different with the same fabrics depending on how each one is cut and how you place them.  

  Basically I used about 5 values of floral fabrics.  The very lightest fabrics create the focal point of light.   Next lighter value  has an obvious print on a light background.  

Then the medium value prints  on tan, cream, light green or pale yellow background.  Darker medium values that tend to be darker overall and usually have little background showing come next.  The darkest values have dark backgrounds and dark prints.  

     So if you wish to try this technique on a small project, head to the stash and cut some squares.  Prints ---floral, paisley, swirly fabrics work great and are the easiest to blend.  Here's a post on selecting fabrics.    And a post on value.     You don't need a lot of any one fabric.....one or two squares are fine.  But you will need variety...the more choices the better.  

For full details on using the gridded interfacing see the tutorial  Design a Watercolor page under the banner.  

 And for added inspiration visit Wanda at Exuberant Color for excellent details on how she sorts values, and works her magic in colorwash with batik fabrics.  

I will pull some fabrics and hopefully have more insight to share next time.  So let me know if you have more questions. 

Happy stitching.  

Project progress

  Everything in the sewing room seemed to be so long term.  And this week I needed, absolutely required, a quicker project that could be finished. 




   And nothing soothes me like working with floral fabrics.   I decided on  a couple of place mats as a quick project. 
   I worked these up using 10  2'' squares across and 8 squares down.   This would be excellent practice or a first project for anyone wanting to work with values.   I enjoyed playing with squares again that I made 2 more smaller ones for the kitchen island.

  Quilting was simple straight lines---easy and fast.











  I had questions this week about the mixed bindings that I carry on about using on my quilts and projects. 
Maybe this photo will give an idea of what I used on the mats.  I used two floral prints that were mainly blue.  Just joined and stitched down.....they just seem to blend and work well together. 
  On a larger project or quilt I will often have 5 or 6 different prints in the binding.  I will sew them together based either on color or value.   For example, I might begin with a light strip, then on to medium value, and then a darker strip.  Other times I could just mix the whole shebang together and let it rip.  I am not going for a prize but enjoying and using what I have. 

  Other questions came about the quilt rack Sir Old Man made for me about 7 years ago.  Unfortunately, the question was from a no-reply blogger.....so no return comment from me.  Please, if you want questions answered, we have to have an email to respond to.   Link your email to your account, or ask questions directly via email.  And yes, I can direct you to the plans for the quilt rack, but I have no way to tell you that. 

  Much nicer weather this weekend....sun is out.  We still have snowy patches, but that we can live with.   Like most everyone else I am looking for spring already :)  Happy stitching.

    I never expected to be so quiet for so long.  A month can slip away in a blink of an eye for me it seems.  The busy times of Christmas took a toll on me and I needed about 4 days to recover from than, and another couple of days to get the house set back in order.   Just when I felt better the first Arctic blast arrived and elevated my pain level beyond what I could tolerate.  Mornings of 6 degrees and days that barely got above freezing are not my friends.  I don't do pain meds, and rely on things like Tylenol to get by.   So I read a lot, and then read some more,  and just waited it out.

  This week warmer days came, the sun returned, and I spent a couple of hours each day just soaking in the warmth and Vitamin D.  I pulled out projects that had been cut and began some simple piecing.  My finger tip nerves are hindering me a bit, as I have a great deal of problem feeling the fabric.


 Just picking up pieces for pairing takes forever.  I had parts for this Crossroads pattern cut and sorted so that is where I began.  It is a forgiving block and my lack of accuracy in spots can be worked in.  It's from Connie at Freemotion by the River....here's her tutorial.  
   I have made this one several times---scrappy, floral, fall theme prints---and in different sizes.   Crossroads to printout from Connie.  




 
   It took a few days  but I got parts cut for a Boxed Square throw.  The pattern is here  at Mary Quilts.    This one is just florals---dark versus light values.  I plan on sewing these  leader/ender style as I put the rows together for the scrappy Crossroads top. 

   My two 16 patch bed throws are pinned and sitting by Hot Legs for a quilting session.   We have another blast of very cold air blowing in tomorrow, so I really should get one done.


   Sir Old Man is down for a week or so.  He thought it was a sinus infection.  I thought he had pneumonia.  We were both wrong.  He is on steroids, and an inhaler for now for allergic bronchial reaction to inhaling wood dust----so so we think.  He was at the guild sanding on a donation project and forgot his mask.  First mistake.  On donation projects they use common/lower grade/overseas import products.......between the lines read  non-native species that we have not been exposed to can cause allergic reaction.   He is no worse, and has been able to rest better now.    It was still scary for him.

  Rather than a recap from last year, I updated the quilts for 2017  page.  As for 2018.....who knows?  I have no big plans, I have a couple things to quilt, a couple things I want to make.   I'm not running a race this year.

The baby quilt

  Quilted, bound, and finished......ready to be in the mail next week.  I know the baby is not due for 6 more weeks, but it feels good to complete this one for Chad and Amber's new little one.                                                                   
  The colors speak to me of summer days,  sherbet ice cream,  and happy times.  A medium green border to hold the design and let it float across the sunshine colored background. 
 

  The blocks are large at 12 1/2'' with orange peel sections machine appliqued.  I enjoy making these using fusible interfacing.  Here's a good tutorial for this technique.  

  The quilt finished at 42''  by 54''.  A bit larger than I originally planned....I say that is some growing room for her. 
  Quilting inspiration was vague.....I resorted to my usual swirl and curl and it turned out soft.  It is what I wanted anyway. 

















  We have errands to run today, and my brother arrives tonight.  Tomorrow is cookie making day with Remy, along with other required baking.  So most else is done until they begin the un-wrapping stage.  I will wish all a Merry Christmas and send blessings to each one who stops by.  I will be back next week when the dust settles. 
Merry Christmas and happy stitching. 

Absence explained

  I have been absent, not away, with too much going on.  And I never did get cookies made.  Things I did accomplish include......a double batch of Chex mix for the nephews and Sir Old Man to munch on, shopping is finished, packages mailed, Christmas notes sent,  side dishes for Christmas dinner assembled and frozen, small amount of stitching, and birthday brunch out.  Yep, I am a year older and almost forgot about it:) 

    Sir Old Man didn't......He decided to make my life even easier and got me a Surface Pro, you know the fancy thing to replace a laptop or a tablet.    So it is learning time for me.  I called our IT friend and he will help us get all the settings right and set up sharing.  And that's all I really know to date. 

  I did catch the HQ live video on it for this month.  Feathers with Jane Hauprich was excellent!   It's an hour video and worth the watching.  She uses the HQ sit-down machine, but her techniques work even for LAs.   I loved being able to sit in my chair, feet up with  the tablet to watch it. 



  And a second video I watched today from Janome.  Anna Maria Horner shared a pattern for her Turn It Up quilt.  Lots of scraps went into this one as well as a good lesson on using value in our quilts.  You know that was right up my alley.  It's very simple, squares and HSTs .  And she offers a PDF to download. 


   My last to share today is from C and T Publishing.  Click here to get the Carolina Chain quilt pattern from Bonnie Hunter.   They are sharing full instructions for the on-point layout.  This photo is one I made with a straight set several years ago. 

  Stitching.....a bit more to do as I assemble the 16 patch blocks into two narrow foot warmers for the bed.  And I finally decided on a quilting motid for the baby quilt.  Now I just need a few hours without interruption or distraction.    Maybe today.......happy stitching.

More from the 16 patch farm!

  The baby quilt is pinned for quilting and the binding is pressed and ready for finishing.  Just the quilting needs to be done.  I am seeking inspiration on that part or I will be resigned to meandering.  But I have a few days to contemplate it all. 


  So I visited the 16 patch farm.....the blocks were sitting by the iron and needed the final pressing.  I put up a crop of the darker blocks--shade garden blocks---to the left.  To the right went the second crop of the lighter blocks that jumble together like a country garden. 
  I could see a couple of blocks that needed to be switched to the other side.  Why so  narrow, you ask?  My thought here was to make narrow throws for the foot of the bed---foot warmer style.  I sort of thought they would be more useful for us. 
  Since the blocks will finish at 6'', I need to make a few more to have enough length.

    Over the weekend I made more  blocks while watching a movie.  Then I began playing on the design wall....and everything got jumbled and moved around.   Seeing the photo now, I think I made a mistake.  I like this better on the design wall but not in the photo. 

Insight:  Remember this trick....a photo does not lie.  I need to like the photo and the design wall layout!
 
That's okay, I can take it all down and add a few more blocks to the mix.  Then I can see what the farm crop yields the next time:)

  Two small trees are decorated and a few bit of Christmas decor spread around.  A small bit of shopping is done, and list made for food items to buy and bake.  Now if the weather would cool off enough to be able to heat up the ovens for cookies.  Maybe next weekend. 
Happy stitching.