If January is any indication of what this year will look like, then 2018 will be "The Year Of The Quilt Top"... perhaps a small step up from last year's "Year Of The Pillow". In any case, January will boast at least THREE finished quilt tops... last week I shared my Summer Smoothie finish, today is Green Smoothies' turn, and the next flimsy finish this month, thankfully has nothing to do with smoothies... I just picked up on the repeating theme myself.
With that being said, it looks like 2018 will also be "The Year Of Quilting"... with so many tops, what is a girl to do? I suppose I've been collecting so many quilt tops because quilting is my least favorite part of the whole process. I put it off, and I find that I really have to push myself and get mentally geared up to even get started.
... but January is the moth of goals, planning, resolutions, and good intentions, and since I've missed out on the last two Finish-Along quarters, there's no time like the present to get back on track... wanna a preview of what you'll be seeing with me?
The first half of my year is pretty full and pretty planned out. The next quilt top you'll be seeing is my Home Sweet Home applique sampler quilt. This is my only quilt with a deadline... just in case you missed it - if you are in Germany (or close by), I am planning this quilt release parallel with teaching two classes at the Nadelwelt in Karlsruhe in May. It should be a good push to get this one quilted and written up by then, especially considering the fact that Lovebirds' Garden (also on the list) will be released in March - lots of corrections to do until then, but just to keep your appetite whet, check out what my pattern testers are doing in Instagram... don't you just love the diversity of projects?
The next pattern to be released will be Whirly Girl.... I suppose I better get a move on with this project considering how much progress Mell has made on her pattern testing version. Once I get a little further with the pattern, I will be looking for testers - no applique on this one! (how else do you think I could get Mell on board!?!
Lovebirds' Remix, which is a spin off pattern from my Lovebirds' Garden, is the next project lined up for a flimsy finish. My applique shapes are finished and just have to be glued on and stitched down... more than halfway there. Hmmm... maybe "Year Of Pattern Releases" would be an appropriate title to throw into the lot?
For fun, just to over promise, and under deliver, I'll throw my HST project on the to-do list... notice another recurring theme for one more title? "The Year Of Purple" Four purple quilts in one year, how did that happen?!? Seems a little fitting since it's Pantone's color of 2018, don't you think? Trust me, I couldn't have planned it even if I'd tried.
Linking up with Finish-A-Long... so, what's on your 2018 list?
Are you the same as me, that you almost feel as if you are walking just a little bit lighter when you first start seeing those spring buds appear everywhere? It's no secret that green is my favorite color, or that spring is the season where I feel the most alive. I would say that it is more than obvious where my color affections lie when you look at the projects I've been working on this week.
Backing for my Penny quilt? Check. I'm hoping this will go rather quickly... especially since I am using this method to baste it.
So far I have been able to sew all the leaves for my Green Smoothie quilt either from scraps or fabrics in my stash. I realized that I needed to add some additional prints to really give it the depth and variety that I am wanting. And besides... adding more greens to my already green heavy stash is just so much fun!
It's been helpful to me to lay this out on the bed to see the progress that I've made.
It's been on my wish list now for far too long to make some new curtains for our bedroom.... why does it take so long to motivate me to do a little practical sewing?!? Tja, I guess because it is not very creative, but wow... did these light colored curtains ever make a huge difference in the room.
April showers bring May flowers... what are your spring projects?
Linking up to Let's Bee Social and Sew Cute Tuesday.
Somehow as my list of WIP's gets smaller, it makes me feel unsettled when I come into my sewing room. While it feels great to have knocked several biggie projects off my list, somehow it leaves me feeling a little lost when there are not multiple projects in the works. I've come to realize that am totally moody when it comes to sewing. While logically it makes the most sense to complete one project at a time, creatively I find that I am inwardly frustrated when I don't have options of what to sew. One day I feel like curves, the next day it's traditional piecing, and quilting days are like fish days... I really have to be in the mood to enjoy it.
Oddly enough, now that my design wall is starting to fill back up again, I feel at ease with so much flipping potential. What started out as "audition blocks" have made it to WIP status and are now growing. While I know such project flipping is not for everyone, somehow it's what works best for me.
The Green Smoothie quilt (leaves) is actually planned for our bed, and I have decided to make only one row of leaves offset to one side... lots of white space on this one! This will be, at least size wise, my biggest project yet... a king size quilt! I'm a little hesitant when I think about stuffing this through my machine, but very simple straight lines should help a lot.
I have decided that my Churnstile blocks will stay as a basket/backburner project, and it's nice to know that I don't have any additional prep right now when we have our monthly Patchwork Treffen meetings. I was able to add a few more blocks since our last meeting and I'm still trying to decide how big I want to go with this.
Well, I suppose that this quilt cannot stay on the backburnner for too long since we have another get together next weekend... I'll keep you updated on my progress.
Linking up to Let's Bee Social and Sew Cute Tuesdays.
I have to admit that I've really enjoyed having a project in the works that is already cut and ready to go. For our Modern Patchwork Treffen in February, I ended up cutting almost all of the fabrics for my Churnstile quilt blocks... so when we met again in March, all I had to do was just sit down and sew! Ok, ok... so I think it's safe to say that this will not be my bee block, which is ok since it seems as if I've developed very specific ideas about the colors and fabrics.
I thought that I needed to add a few blocks with softer tones to give this a little more balance... this shade of periwinkle is just perfect!
For a lack of a better word, I've also been making a few "cornerstone" blocks too. (I'm sure there's a quilting term for these smaller blocks) It's been fun work on a few placement ideas to see how they would look best when integrated in with the larger blocks... always open for feedback! (hint, hint)
Since this had officially been labeled another "basket project", you'll see little bits of progress here and there. I've got a pretty big basting project to start on!
Linking up this week to Let's Bee Social and Sew Cute Tuesday.
Did you ever try out for anything in high school?... for a cheerleader, a sports team, or even a main character of a play? I guess we all know how important auditions can be... really getting to see who fits the open spot the best.
I notice that after I finish a major project, I find that I need some kind of quick sewing project as a way to catch my breath from the mountain that I just climbed... and after having made it to the top of my Mt. Everest, I thought that playing around with some possible blocks for when I am queen bee would be a nice little distraction before I take a deep breath to gear up for some finishes.
There are three quilts that have captured my attention recently, and even though I am not the "queen bee" until summer, I like having the time to really think about what I want to work on then. The first blocks that I have been auditioning are from Stichery Dickory, and are from her January Sugar Block of the Month series. I first fell in love with her Churnstile quilt, but after playing around with placement options, I decided that I prefer the blocks set straight rather than on point... the responses that I've gotten on Instagram confirmed my gut instinct. I think that this could be a fun block since other bee members are not limited to one color palette.
My second block audition is inspired from Gigi's Thimble's pineapple quilt. I love everything about this quilt... especially the colors! This is actually an 18 inch block, and I hesitate asking my fellow bee members to make a 100 piece paper pieced block! I have decided that even if I do not choose this one, that it would still make a stunning pillow.
The last quilt that just has my heart pounding is the Green Smoothie quilt that Sew Kind of Wonderful released in thier latest book. I love the simplicity of this quilt, but am also asking myself if curved piecing is the right thing for a bee block. It's a lot for me to finish, and I'm not sure that I want to do that to myself either!
Well, in any case, which ever block I decide to pick, you can be sure that you will find a few of these Alison Glass lovelies worked in somewhere. I just adore the Endpaper fabrics from her latest Sun Print series... swoon!
So, do you "audition" blocks before you decide on making a whole quilt?
Linking up this week to Let's Bee Social, Sew Cute Tuesday, and Modern Patch Monday
