::Shattered Again::

Pulling sample fabrics for my Shattered Quilt Starter Workshop tonight.  Wanna join us?  There are spots!

(Photo by Rendy Tucker)

I loved playing with the recreation of this quilt in Carolina Chambray and Osnaburg.  The texture is fabulous with the velveteen on the back.

But now it’s time to try something new.

I wanna stick with the textured fabric, so I’m going with the Essex Linen, but I have some ideas with all this Echino that I’ve collected over the years.

I won’t have time for this idea anytime soon, but it might jettison to the top of the list a little faster now that I have a fabric stack.

Maybe I will see you tonight.

Tomorrow I’ve got a quilt top to show you!

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::Block Head::

Sometimes cast-off blocks discover their destiny all on their own.

I made a row of these stepping stone blocks when creating quilt backs for Roan’s Unknown Direction quilt.

I have a whole tote under our bed and two more picnic baskets full of these sorts of blocks, the unfinished, the ‘I don’t know what to do with you,’ and the ‘cut, but I’ve lost interest’.

They all rest in their own little bags conveniently provided by fabric shops with more flair than others with creative packaging.  I’ve found that these unfinished cast-offs make the best step outs and samples for classes.

I’d pulled the strip of blocks out from hiding and was contemplating a baby quilt until this pillow shape/size and the strip of blocks stuck in my head as a match for tomorrow night’s Stepping Stone Workshop at Make*Mend*Do studio.

I set to work this afternoon on quilting and as usual, my thoughts were that I would have this done by the time Roan walked off the school bus.  Why is it that I sew so much faster in my head?

I haven’t quilted anything with a stitch in the ditch in awhile, but the strip piecing that log cabins the blocks needed some.

Tomorrow I’ll change out thread to stitch the ditch down on the outside of the stones and fill in the blue with the same quilting design.

Hoping to have a pillow by Wednesday, but like I said, I sew faster in my head…regardless, I have something other than the quilt to show in the workshop.

Happy Monday to ya.

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::A Value Quilt of My Own::

Wow, you all really came out of the woodwork on that last post!  It was delightful to explore some new blogs and I hope I didn’t miss anyone.

Don’t you wish everyone wanted to talk about quilts as much as us?

The quilt on the end of my bed received so much attention that I thought it was time I posted it.

It is the first quilt I’ve EVER made for myself back when I did the Value Quilt Quilt-Along using my Value Quilt Tutorial.

I’ve seen the same design recently on blogs as warm/cool.  From how I understand it, the same designs work with warm and cool half square triangles, because warm colors appear to move forward and cool colors tend to recede.  This contrast makes the design appear, but you still need value or the two triangles will appear blended.

You can learn a little more here.

My value quilt contains a load of larger prints and a high proportion of fabrics that would likely fall under the category of medium value if judged on their own.

Larger prints will generally have a mix of light, medium and dark values, and mediums next to darks or lights will create a less defined line.  These two elements created a quilt where the contrast is low, creating a less defined or blended design.

I also turned some squares to make some of the diamonds one color, ignoring value, which skewed the design in some areas.

I love that it showcases my fabric stash, especially since some of these prints are long gone.

But what I wanted to mention, due to all the comments on the last post was the quilting that was done by the fab and artistic Angela Walters (Quilting Is My Therapy).  I was able to meet up with Angela last Summer when I was visiting Jacquie.  The quilting is dense and amazing.  I only wish I would have made the quilt larger.

From the back the quilting really shines.

The flannel back really showcases it nicely.  I’m glad I only put a few spare hsts on the back.

I chose this print for the binding and never auditioned or doubted it.

My friend Chara did some headshots for the book and we thought it would be fun for some photos even though it didn’t make the final run.

(photo by Chara Michele Photography)

It’s perfect, in every way.  And best of all, It’s mine all mine!

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::Oh Get On With It::

Do you ever just over think a quilt’s quilting?  And finally just jump in?

I get sick of them all basted and taking up my limited design wall space (and I need those basting pins to move on).

I finally just decided to go for the effervescent design that I was procrastinating on.

I almost ripped it out at the start, wavering on whether I liked it or not.

Now that the quilting is nearly complete I’m glad I persevered.  I love it so.

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::Modern Snippets Improvisational Coin Quilt::

 

I added a coin quilt class to my teaching schedule and needed a sample for those that choose to go with a more modern or improvisational design.  An improvisational design will give students a chance to practice free piecing, angle piecing, strip piecing and design layout.

I still have a place in my heart for traditional design when it comes to this quilt and am going to raid my scrap bins to recreate my Colorway quilt too, but first things first.

I wanted to show you my original fabric picks for this quilt.  I think it’s important to audition snippets of fabric on your design wall when planning a quilt and I can’t think of a time when all the prints I pick in the beginning work their way into a finished project.

I actually cut into my fabrics and stand back from my design wall to see how they are mingling.  This is especially easy when working with one solid background color, I simply pin that up first.

If they don’t work the bits go into the scrap bin and I go back to my stash to try to find something new.  As I’m digging in my stash I think about leaning a bit more toward one color or another, eliminating distracting prints, do I need larger or smaller pieces to make the print work, or whether I have the values I need to create more or less contrast.  Then I cut some more.

In this instance only the elephants stayed and I went with a different color way of the spiral.  Sometimes I even sew up a block and end up with the rotary cutter or seam ripper.

As far as the design…that generally just evolves.

Don’t be scared to jump in and experiment!

That’s how this quilt came to be.

Little loops and circles meander along the quilt.  I let it develop rather organically and filled in where needed.

For the binding I went with a subtle print that reads solid from a distance.  I’ve had it in my stash for a while and since it is a sock monkey textured look it seemed to fit the elephant theme.

I loaded up on the Alexander Henry Entertaining Elephants from an Etsy seller at $5/yard for backings and easy whole cloth quilts.

Of course with improvisational piecing you general have some leftovers.

Those are nice for adding some interest to the back.

Yeah!  It’s so happy.  Off it goes to the shop as the sample.

I hope your day is sunny.  I’ve got a friend coming over for a visit to sew and going to try to quilt this quilt.

Happy Tuesday!

 

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::Snippet Improvisational Coin Quilt::

FYI, yesterday was National Kissing Day, so if you didn’t get your kiss on I believe today is the day to make it up.

Anyway, with all the family around there hasn’t been much time for quilting.

I managed to fill the calendar with classes though, one of which is a modern improvisational or traditional coin quilt.  With that needing to be done as a sample I did manage to get it basted today.

I’ve been in love with these little elephants snippeted in here since I first laid eyes on them.  I bought enough for the backing too.  I think I’ll just go loop-d-loop for the quilting.

I’ve made plenty of more traditional coin quilts, though not stacked coins.  In fact they were some of the first quilts I ever made and a good choice because of the simplicity of their construction.

I wanted the class to have the option of traditional or improvisational designs.  I think I’ll remake this one that I called the Colorway Quilt with my current fabrics for the traditional quilt sample.

I’ve made some where I fussy cut the fabrics, I guess you would considered it an I-Spy quilt.  I love any scrappy quilt that allows you to showcase your fabric stash.

Perhaps the easiest is the strip pieced method.  I prefer the fabrics all be different, but this technique is quick!

Now I’m thinking I might need a stacked coin example too.  Might be a cute use for those Heather Ross fabrics I’ve been stashing.

Hope you all had a great fourth!  I went shopping in my pajamas.

Check out the bounty from Pink Chalk Fabrics.

And speaking of Pink Chalk Fabrics, look what fun Kathy has whipped up for us all?  Click the button and see!

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::Twin Value Quilts::

Twins.

One Value Quilt in a Zig Zag design for Baby Boy.

One Value Quilt in an off-set diamond design for Baby Girl.

Free-motioned zig zags are fun.

So is echoing a single flower.

Loads of medium, low contrast and a few spots that kinda lose it.  I like that.

All goodness.

Except for needing that picture of them together.

Go make yourself a Value Quilt with that overwhelming amount of fabric you’ve been hoarding.

Took these pictures a few weeks ago, and although the weather hasn’t been great, it looks a hell of a lot less dreary around here.

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::You Gotta Know::

When to hold them and when to fold them, and I’m folding on the Anything Goes Quilt for awhile.

All that work on this with the extra blocks and I just couldn’t force the inspiration.  I came back full circle to what I started with.  I might just eventually off-set it and make it into a baby quilt.

I felt I needed to stick to my unfinished project list.

It’s neatly stored…again.

I have another I’m going to give a go on.  These are the blocks from my Ten make Two bee that haven’t seen the light of day in awhile.

Each came to me a different size.  Which forces me to think outside the block I guess.  I have a few ideas and this might become the picnic quilt I’ve been wanting.

And thanks for all the kind words about my HST Love Quilt.  I love it too!

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classes

destash

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::HST LOVE Done::

I’m so in LOVE with this quilt.  Perfect for my half-square triangle class and value class coming up in a couple weeks.

One of my favorite quilts E-V-E-R for sure.  Maybe a hair behind Split Decision.

I did remove some of my first quilting and went with horizontal lines at 1.25″ apart.

It really allows the design to shine.  And while we are on the subject of design, I’ve been asked about the layout for this quilt.  There was no plan, seriously.  Make your half-square-triangles and then put them up on the design wall.  Don’t over think it.

However, if you want to play with value you could come up with some stellar designs.

I think I’ve found my go-to wedding gift for sure and already have a bevy of color combos nestled on my pin-board.

I was happy I used the Lush print for the back, it added a softness that can disappear with denser line quilting.  I finished it off with binding made from the same purple shot cotton that forms some of the triangles on the front.

Pretty plain Jane and pretty pretty.

Hope everyone has a great holiday weekend.   Don’t spend all your money on fabric sales.

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destash

quilting and sewing classes

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::Half Rectangles or Something::

I messed with Half Rectangles today, or at least that’s what I call them.

Has anyone else played with these?

Tucking them aside, but will play more later.  They do weird things.

I made some progress on Anything Goes.  The pictures are not good and I’m at a standstill.

When I stall out on the direction of an improvisational quilt design my general default solution is too make more blocks.  However, this involves buying more linen, so I might stick with the original design option above.

That sounds like I’m unsatisfied with it, but I’m not.  It’s that large neutral space.  I have to let it sink in my brain that the right quilting can transform that space into part of the overall design.  I know it will be simple quilting, but beyond that I’m lost.

Or I could just throw the fabric budget to the wind and start going in another direction with more blocks.  But wait, I already threw the budget to the wind…

Sewing with a friend tomorrow, and if I’ve learn anything from my collaboration with Jacquie, it has been that sometimes you need a new set of eyes to see the vision clearly.

I embrace that.

I’m trying hard to stick to my list of unfinished projects, but I’m really itchin’ to ditch it all.

I have a pile up of ideas and am in the mood for a sunny, picnic sort of Summer Love Quilt.

Oh, I think it already has a name.

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classes

destash

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