It's no secret that I'm a project jumper. While it was my original goal to work on a quilt that I could turn out quickly and easily, I'm still pleased with how long it took to finish this charity baby quilt (story here)... especially considering all the in between sewing. Yeah, another quilt checked off my 2016 FAL list for this quarter! If you're curious about all those other in between projects, I added a "Finished Quilts" tab to share how far I've come... not too bad for just two years of quilting, huh?
This
quilt is packed full of favorite fabrics... come on now, who didn't
fall completely in love with Heather Ross' Tiger Lily fabrics when they
first came out?!? I waited for this bundle for a really, REALLY long time (too long of a story to go into), so it's fun to see it finally made up in this quilt!
Remember this pretty little stack of Lizzy House and Heather Ross Spoonflower additions from last summer?... you might recognize several of these prints.
"Becoming Frog" is one of my favorites... not only the print, but the color is the absolute perfect shade of pink, with just a hint of coral in it.
For the quilting, I decided on straight line quilting (of course), radiating from a focal star. I'm glad that you can't see from the pictures how croooked my stars got as they radiated out. Please note: this not my way of fishing for a compliment... I really was frustrated at how wonky they had gotten along the way. But I suppose washing and the magic of the crinkle should help, right?
The backing is, as always pieced, with the addition of Cori Dantini's Daisy Chain fabric and a few others in the mix.
The layout of this quilt was actually the first one that I got to put my Christmas present to good use. It's been part of my ongoing/yearly goals list, to learn the ins and outs of the EQ7 program. Obviously there are a few things off, but this really gave me a good idea about color placement. I've been experimenting more recently, and hope to share some secret sewing sooner rather than later.
Quilt Inspiration: "Super Star" from V and Co.
Blocks: "Simple Star" from Farm Girl Vintage book, in both six and twelve inch blocks. Additional flying geese arrows.
Started: December 2015
Fabrics: Heather Ross, Lizzy House, and various stash fabrics. Low volume background
fabrics.
Backing: Cori Dantini, Heather Ross, Cotton & Steel, Blend Fabrics
Finished quilt size: ca. 48 x 60 in. (122 x 152 cm)
Linking up to Let's Bee Social and Sew Cute Tuesday.
Finishing my Farm Girl Vintage quilt means that I get to check the last thing of my quarterly goals list for the 2016 Finish-A-Long. When I first started this, the blocks actually came together pretty quickly, but waiting for sashing fabric meant getting pushed to the backburner... then there was, of course, the issue of how to quilt it?
I really had to think long and hard about how I wanted to quilt this since this was my first border quilt, and I only quilt with my walking foot. I had originally thought about an all over pattern, but decided that it was not the best solution for this quilt. I eventually ended up quilting in the ditch around each motif, then addressed each block individually. (yup... that was a whole lot of turning under the machine!) Since each block is quilted differently, I thought it would be fun to also share them individually.
Fresh Pears Block: (My first block and still one of my favorites in this quilt)
Scrappy Strawberry Block:
Welcome Block: (I loved the way this block looked after I had made the first one that I ended up making two for this quilt! This goes into the blocks-to-repeat category for me!)
Patchwork Pumpkin Block:
Crops Block: (This is another favorite block... not necessarily to sew, but the end result)
Baking Day Block:
Kettle's On! Block:
Farmhouse Block: (When I first saw this block, I knew Cori Dantini's "The Makers" needed to be in the windows happily working away)
Spring Star Block:
Pie Cherries Block:
Welcome Block:
Canning Season Block:
Quilt pattern: Various blocks from "Farm Girl Vintage" book by Lori Holt
Started: August 2015
Fabrics: Alison Glass, Cotton & Steel, Basic Grey Grunge yellow border, and selected scraps from stash. Low volume background fabrics.
Finished quilt top size: ca. 51 x 62 in. (130 x 158 cm)
Linking up to Let's Bee Social and Sew Cute Tuesday.
I've been whittling away at my 2016 goals list, slow and steady like a carpenter, and I have to admit that I am pleasantly surprised (an amazed) how much I've accomplished this quarter! These past weeks have been
whirlwinds of colds, sniffles, birthday parties, and anything and
everything but time at my sewing machine. With
a little luck, and some concentrated time, I hope to finish up
my Farm Girl Vintage quilt, which is the last thing to be completed for my quarterly goals! Hmm... still contemplating that border!
I'm right on track with my bi- monthly goal of finishing my bee blocks early instead of waiting until the last minute. I have to admit that what I have enjoyed the most is that everyone's taste's are so different... it's nice, and sometimes a challenge, to work with colors and combinations that are a little outside my "norm". Magda is a master of manipulating a softer and more neutral palette.
Speaking of a softer palette, the blocks for my Penny quilt have been done for a while, but I just had to put them together. I was needing some mindless sewing a few weeks ago, and straight line connecting blocks did it! This came together rather quickly, but that was also kind of my intention with such simple blocks.
I'm still pinching myslef on having finished my major milestone, aka Facing East quilt top.
I honestly never dreamed that I would have the top done so early in the
year. I just finished the quilt back this week, and it actually feels
like a doable goal for the second quarter! (mind you, I put this wopper
of a quilt on my yearly goal list)
Where are you on your quarterly goals list? Do you finish early or do deadlines push you to finish just in time?
Linking up with Let's Bee Social, Sew Cute Tuesday, and Modern Patch Monday
When I had first shared my Scrappy Windmill quilt finish it was perhaps not expected that it would be such an emotional post. The story behind it, if you have not read it, is a beautiful one of a long time desire coming to pass. Even though I was only the giver of the quilt, it was still totally emotionally satisfying to touch others lives with something that I had made.
For a long time, I have been asking myself, why am I sewing?... what is my purpose? While the idea of growing my blog to generate income is a nice thought, the reality of it is that I'm not sure that I can keep up with the constant posting, emailing, and all the social media that is demanded of a full time blogger. Of course I get fulfillment in creating, but how does that make a difference in others lives?
And when I took a closer look at things, I realized that I've gotten more fulfilment in knowing how one small quilt deeply touched others in a way that moved them to tears than anything that I could make for myself. So with that feeling in mind, I started what I am calling the Penny Quilt Project.
Penelope, or Penny for short, is the name of the sweet recipient of my Scrappy Windmill quilt, and I thought that it was totally fitting to name this quilt, and my concept of giving quilts in her honor. Isn't if fun to know that her name means weaver
(worker of a loom), or also "pene" - thread (on a bobbin) and the
Greek verb "lepo" - to unroll.
Since I have several quilts in the works, I wanted to work on something that I could quickly finish. Heather Ross, Lizzy House, and favorite colored low volumes with dashes of soft color have been my fabrics of choice... much softer than usual. I was inspired by V and Co's Super Star quilt, and used the Simple Star block from Lori Holt's Farm Girl Vintage book in 6 and 12 inch blocks, and added a few V's like in my inpiration quilt. It might perhaps seem that this just popped up out of no where, but I've been sharing a good bit of my progress on Instagram.
Currently I don't have a specific recipient for this quilt, but I really would like to perhaps find a family with a sweet little girl that has been struggling with health issues, and such a quilt might bring life and light into the situation. I have found that often when I have such inspirations, that if I start on it, it's not long before I stumble on the need.
Have you done any charity sewing? Did you work with a charitable organization or with a local quilting group? Do you know of any charitable organizations in Europe?
Linking up this week to Let's Bee Social and Sew Cute Tuesday.
It's a good feeling to be making real progress on projects, don't you think? Even though I have so many, none of my quilts in progress have even gotten to the point where I have actually packed them away, where they run the risk of being forgotten while working on the next best thing. They've always somehow remained on the front burner... well, at least in my mind anyway. But, I'm a juggler quilter with creative ADD who needs do a little bit here until I get bored with that, and flip to the next project until I run into something, and still have a backup project in the wings.
Despite being juggled around back and forth, my Farm Girl Vintage quilt has finally made it under the machine to be quilted. Since I added the border, I feel a little limited as far as an all over quilting design goes. I know that there are a million FMQ possibilities, but for now I'm a walking foot gal, so I have decided to quilt block by block despite so many pivots.
... and some really big news is that I finished the last block for my Facing East quilt! Wheh... I started this thing last year about the same time. It had to be put on hold because I decided to enlarge it and then on hold again because I wanted to add the new Basic Grey grunges... and boy, am I ever glad that I did! This soft Fressia color has now been added to my favorites.
Well, when I say that the blocks are finished, I really mean that the paper piecing is done. I still have to finish the center circles, but because I am using this technique instead of needle turn applique, it should come together pretty quickly.
But that's not all that's been going on this past week... some time ago I met Mell on a WIP Wednesday, another newbie quilter in Germany. We started meeting on a regular basis to sew and have been working towards starting a monthly modern quilting group in Hamburg. Saturday was our first time as four, and it didn't take long to realize that it's the input from an outsider's viewpoint that is so
valuable. When one person had run into an issue on a project,
the other person had an idea of how to fix it, combine it, quilt it...
you name it! It's funny that
everyone was surprised how little they had gotten accomplished, but
it's no wonder with so much chatter going on.
I took several projects with me, including my Penny's quilt blocks, which I've not fully and properly introduced, but one thing at a time, right? You'll be seeing these blocks come together quite soon. (or if you can't wait then pop over to Instagram)
I've used a lot of Heather Ross and Lizzy House fabrics for this one, and really wanted to tone down my usual strong colors with soft pinks and greens with pops of orange.
So, needless to say, I'm plugging right along on my 2016 Finish-A-Long goals. How is your January looking? Any finishes so far for the year?
Linking up to WIP Wednesday and Let's Bee Social.
Since living in Germany, I've learned to get used to... waiting.
The average worker here usually has about six weeks of vacation, which sounds so strange to the standard two weeks of vacation, three if you're lucky, American ears. If you call a company and need to have a certain person take care of an issue, but they might be on vacation for the next two weeks... what do you do if you need the answer now?... wait.
Grocery stores are closed here on Sundays, like they used be if you are old enough to remember the "good 'ol days" in the States. If a holiday falls on a Saturday or Monday here, or even worse on all three, then you might have to do some serious planning to have everything needed for a recipe, or... just wait.
(raspberry kiss block for a secret project, tutorial found here)
So, perhaps it wouldn't be any surprise what I have learned to live with over the years when it comes to quilting supplies. When I looked at several of the projects on my list, it hit me that many of them were either stopped because I had to wait on supplies, or were started because I had to put that project on hold because I was waiting... hmmppff!
Now that I have my list of things to work on for the 2016 Finish-A-Long, I am more than motivated and have actually made a good amount of progress on a couple of them including finishing my Farm Girl Vintage quilt top, but now I have to... yup, you guessed it... wait. I shouldn't even tell you how long I have had to wait for the batting, because it's almost shameful, but it is what it is.
But since they say that good things come to those who wait, I'll just have to sit on that for right now while I... wait.
How are you FAL projects coming? Do you have any projects on hold because you are waiting for supplies, or do you purchase all supplies before you start on a qult?
Linking up to WIP Wednesday, Let's Bee Social, and Scraptastic Tuesday
Since sewing and quilting is a hobby for me, I've actually approached it as something without boundaries and deadlines... you know, just letting it happen. I'm not exactly an organized mouse... in fact, I fall under the chaotic creative category. One cannot imagine how hard those of us who fall into this category have to work to bring structure and planning into things.... but even with that being said, I recognize the benefits of a plan, which is why I've decided to join the 2016 Finish-A-Long. It made it easier for me to divide things into quarterly goals and then yearly/ongoing goals.
Quarterly Goals:
1. Last year I joined A Quilty Circle of Bees, a new quilting
bee with other German speaking members. For this month, Daniella picked blocks for an Amsterdam quilt, inspired by this version. Knowing that if I don't start on a
project immediately, I run the risk of procrastinating and missing my
deadline all together, I have made it my Bi-Monthly Goal to finish the
blocks as soon as they are announced. This one can already be checked off this quarter's check list!
2. If you've been around a while, then you might have seen bits of my mini mini craze... well, I have just one more to make, and it's long overdue. Tracy made these two beautiful mini's for me, and her story behind them is so beautiful and touching. I ran into a few snags while working on hers, but now that that the holidays are over, this is top of the list!
3. My Modern Beauty table runner is one of my "basket projects", which is meant to fall under the slow stitching category, but I'm in the home stretch of finishing the orange peel appliques, and just need to connect it and quilt it.
4. With my Farm Girl Vintage quilt,
I'm just a sashing and border away from being ready to quilt. I have contemplated
waiting to quilt a couple of projects all at once, but I suppose one thing at a time might be a smarter choice.
Yearly/Ongoing Goals:
1. When I started my Facing East quilt, I never considered it realistic to finish in a year. I actually wanted to start small with just a few blocks to test paper piecing to even see if I liked it... well, needless to say, 22 blocks later, I think it is sufficient to say, that I am smitten with the technique. A pieced top, including inner circles, is my end of year goal. This one will probably go to a longarmer.
2. My Alison Glass Butterflies project is another "basket project", which I started with no real plans in mind. It got shifted to the backburner because I wasn't sure how I wanted to finish it, but it's coming back out again this year!
3. This one goes back a bit. I have one side finished, and then I ran into unbelievable design issues with the second side. Needless to say, it's time for a Super Tote finish!
4. A new project that I am calling "Penny's Quilt" is an idea that was inspired by my Scrappy Windmills quilt post. Right now, I have a few sneak peeks on my Instagram feed, but I want to knock out a few other things before I do a full introduction and explanation of my concept.
5. Santa was kind to me this
year with the well known and highly praised EQ7 quilt design software.
There's a lot to learn, so this is an ongoing learning by doing goal
that I hope to have mastered by the end of the year.
I'm sure that there will be plenty of other things to work their way onto this list, but having this in black and white is a pretty good motivation for me to make things happen.
Have you linked up of a Finish-A-Long before? Did it motivate you to finish those UFO's, or where you distracted to work on other projects?
Linking up this week to WIP Wednesday, Let's Bee Social, and for the first Time 2016 Finish-A-Long
When I start a new project, very rarely do I plan everything out from start to fininsh down to the last stitch. Perhaps that's why I always run into bumps, ditches, hiccups, and roadblocks all along the way. First threre are size issues, then the issue of whether to follow the pattern as is or add to it, border vs no border, and let's not talk about the nightmare of the long wait if you need additional quilting supplies shipped to Germany!?!
Even though I have several projects in the works, despite how it might appear, I really am conscious of bringing all those backburner projects to the front again once each issue is sorted out. Usually if I put it on hold for a while, then somehow that "break" gives me the time to process the direction that I want to take it.
I was finally able to connect my Farm Girl Vintage blocks, but you can imagine how frustrated I was when I had run out of the sashing fabric right in the middle of trying to finish it! So when I had to re-order the sweet swiss dots fabric, a "few" stowaways just happened to mysteriously fall into my cart... I'm still trying to figure out how that happened?!? Does that happen to you too?
In addition to some Erin Michael low volumes that I've been drooling over, I added a few jewel tone colors from the 2015 Basic Grey grunge basics. I've been in the home stretch of finishing my Facing East blocks for some time now, but had decided to put that too on hold until they came in... and now I've even been able to whip up four blocks with the new colors!
... well, now there's nothing to hold me back from some finishes! (except maybe for Christmas, life with kids, and a flooded basement where I keep my quilt design wall!... you know, life!)
Do you plan your quilts start to finish? If so, do you find that you run into less snags? Or are you more spontaneous with your quilting projects? If so, do you find that run into more snags?
Linking up this week to WIP Wednesday and Let's Bee Social.
