I finished a quilt top!!!... it might come as a little bit surprise, but can you guess which one?
I was able to make a good amount of progress on my "planned creativity" goals during our summer vacation time, and since I've been working on THREE quilts at the same time, there's about a 33% chance at guessing which one is now a finished quilt top... so, what's your pick?
1.) The "Swell" quilt?
2.) The "Facing East" quilt? or
3.) The "Scrappy Windmill" quilt?...
If you follow me on Instagram, then you might have a pretty good idea already, but if not, how about a little hint?... the quilt top is the smallest of all three quilts that I have been working on, and it's the one I started last!?!... dromroll, please for my Scrappy Windmill quilt top!
The fact that I had decided to make a baby quilt, which was smaller than the orginal version, really helped things come together so quickly. (wow, can you believe that I actually decided to make a quilt smaller instead of making it bigger?!?) The paper piecing seemd to whiz by, not to mention that I had already gotten a lot finished before I left for vacation. What actually felt like it took the longest was peeling all those papers out of the back once it was all put together! NOTE: this is the point where I discovered the BIG downside of paper piecing.
On my Facing East quilt I just charged through without completely reading through the part of the directions that said to leave the paper in until the blocks are sewn together... it was only first on this pattern that I realized that little, but important detail! On one hand, I understand that leaving the paper in helps keep the shape of the block together nicely without stretching the design, but I have to say, that peeling the papers out of the seams was just downright UNPLEASANT!
I had actually tried peeling the paper away from the outside edges of the blocks before stitching them together, but this was also not the best solution. I did notice a slight difference, and I probably could have pulled it off, but decided to stick with the "if it's not broke, then don't fix it" rule. I also tried shortening the stitch length, but from my opnion, it didn't exactly make a world of difference with the paper removal either. Hmmm... definitely some things to think about before jumping into another paper piecing project!
Size: Finished quilt top size approx. 50 x 60 inches (ca. 125 x 150 cm)
Fabrics: Kona Cotton White, Lizzy House, Heather Ross, and other various scraps
Backing: Planned pieced backing with bright prints, waiting for batting
Pattern: Scrappy Windmills by Judith Dahmen as featured in Issue 10 of Love Patchwork & Quilting magazine
They say that hindsight is twenty-twenty... do you have any "the picture is clearer" after-the-fact stories to share?
Linking up this week to WIP Wednesday, Let's Bee Social, and Scraptastic Tuesday.
First there was one... and one became two. Two became four, and then things slowly started to come together...
Color experts, where are you?... I really need your help!
I've been debating back and forth whether I should continue my Scrappy Windmill quilt with some of my dark brown snippits or not. Somehow when I look at the individual blocks, it feels like it is too dominant and takes away from the fresh and juicy feeling that I am going for since I am using lots of greens, pinks (of course), oranges, and yellows.
For the second photo I took the dark blocks out to compare. Does the quilt need the dark contrast to make the other colors pop, or does it look brighter and fresher without them? Any thoughts?
I really am using several of my all time favorite scraps that I had so much fun rediscovering when I did my major scrap sorting earlier this month.
As silly as it may sound, pulling some of them out again was like running into old friends that I hadn't seen in a long time... and I thought, oh, I remember you... it's so nice to see you again... where have you been hiding all this time?!?
Are there any seasoned paper-piecers out there too?... I'm a little unsure as to whether you really have to leave the paper in the blocks until the rows are sewn together? I had a big "oops" moment when I realized after reading through the pattern directions that you are actually supposed to leave the paper in... I didn't do this with my Facing East blocks, but so far so good.
Linking up with WIP Wednesday.
Since properly sorting my scraps by color, I have had it in my head to start a scrappy quilt to make some kind of dent in my piles. I am pleased how well I have managed to stay on track with both of my current WIP's. I even have all my pretty little stacks of pre-cut fabrics for my two quilts in progress waiting to travel with me... just sit down and start sewing, right?
... and then I walk into my sewing room.
Well, now what?!? If I pull out all of my prepared snippits, then what will I work on during vacation? I'm the kinda girl that would actually take her sewing machine to the beach if I thought there was an outlet somewhere... and the thought of a solar powered sewing machine - pure genius! If you've ever done any take-along-sewing, then you know that is not exactly easy... one must be EXTREMELY planned, and if you forget just one thread, bobbin, seam ripper, sewing foot, or small, but important, scrap of fabric, then you are shut down faster than a dirty ol' restaurant.
What IS a girl to do?...
I've had my eye on the Scrappy Windmills quilt from Judith Dahmen featured in Issue 10 of Love Patchwork & Quilting magazine, released last June. (does that at least indicate the control I've shown over the last year NOT to start yet another WIP?)
When sewing, I get a big kick out of pretty little stacks... whether it's stacks of cut squares, stacks of sorted colors, stack of hexies, or stacks of paper pieced blocks. And with the paper still in, it really looks like a nice significant stack and real progress.
What are you stacking today?
Linking up this week to WIP Wednesday and for the first time to Let's Be Social!
