It was not my intention to be MIA for so long. Good intentions are sometimes just that... which is why my summer vacation whisked me away without so much as a peep. Traveling for long periods of time and blogging don't exactly fit together, not to mention lugging sewing supplies here and there... (although I did a little of that too)
... so I'm back from my vacation, and it looks like I have a lot of cacthing up to do. I had planned my Zen Chic Contrasting quilt as a present for my parents to match these pillows, and had a deadline to get it finished before I flew in. There was a point when I thought I might have to bind it once I got in. Luckily I was able finish it and snap a few pictures before I left, but didn't have enough time to share them here... and then the laziness and business of summer set in.
I used the different meeting points in the quilt for my quilting lines, and it seemed natural to keep this with simple straight line quilting. Like my Facing East quilt, I varied the widths of the lines for interest, and if I'm being completely honest... it gets done faster than if I had quilted them all the same width.
... and what else would you expect, but a pieced back? I suppose that it's turning into my trademark. Sometimes it does feel a little like making a second quilt top, but I like putting those leftover bits to good use.
... are you somehow hearing the song "Fields of Gold" in your mind about now? I loved shooting a few pictures in these wheat fields. Hmmm... it makes me think that I should plan all my quilts to match whatever is blooming in the fields outside.
Stay tuned for a few more catch up posts... so, how was your summer?
Quilt: Pattern: Contrasting from Brigitte Heitland for Zen Chic
Started: May 2018
Fabrics: Basic Grey Grunge fabrics
Finished quilt size: ca. 57" x 65" in. (ca. 145 x 165 cm)
Despite the fact that my Prism bee quilt was already on my Finish-Along list for this quarter, I've actually had it in my head that I needed to get this one done before I start with another "queen bee" project. It just so happens that this meets that just-in-the-nick-of time deadline for both... it is my turn again already in July/August with my Summer Smoothie Block and the FAL quarter ends in June! Talk about killing two birds with one stone?!?
It all started with a jeweled color palette inspiration that I just coulnd't get out of my head... you may remember my Jeweled Kaleidoscope quilt and this improv project? While I was waiting for my busy bee members to finish thier blocks, other quilts just "skipped line". When you pack away a project
for too long, then there is a real danger that something else moves up on the to-do list.
This quilt really only really started to make sense to me when I started grouping the diamonds together by color... it was quite a challenge since I hadn't planned it this way, otherwise I would have given my bee members different instructions. Once
I had re-arranged, there were a couple of blocks that had to move to the back, but I really
like the single "flower" shape that came of it. I kept it simple and did straight line quilting echoing some of the lines within the design.
Quilt: Pattern: Prism from Brigitte Heitland for Zen Chic (free quilt pattern)
Started: June 2016
Fabrics: various prints in jewel colors, low volume fabrics
Finished quilt size: ca. 62" x 62" in. (ca. 160 x 160 cm)
Thank you @blockmquilts @iloveneutrals @machenundtun @mellmeyer @qvilted @venivedivicky for all your lovely blocks that went into making this quilt!
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Since I only have just one finish from my FAL list, pretty much everything goes back on the list. Hey, better one finish than none, right?
AMH Quilt – basted, partially quilted, but I took the stitches out. My second
quilting attempt wasn't a hit either, so I will most
likely invite my good friend, Mr. Seam Ripper, to the party, and hope that the
third time is the charm. These were my very first quilting blocks, and needless
to say it makes straight line
quilting a little difficult.
My third quilt pattern top is FINISHED, which
I’m pretty excited about since it was my pre-packed, take-it-with-you basket project.
The back is partially pieced, and this has moved up to a top spot on my
priority list.
My fourth quilt pattern top is ALMOST finished... just two side borders for a flimsy finish. This is another high on the list project as well as pattern writing. I consider it an accomplishment since I only started it last quarter, and the quilt is pretty heavy on applique.
My Patchwork Treffen group has a small little trip planned this fall to go to Denmark for a quilting weekend. As far as projects go, it really takes a lot of planning to have enough to do, even though at such get-togethers you never accomplish as much as you think you can. Seeing as how I can't take my sewing room with me, I really want to make sure that I carefully plan all my projects because there's no going to the favorite stack for a forgotten snippit.
As far as my my quarterly goals list goes, my bee quilt has not exactly taken top priority since I am working on my second and third patterns right now. But it is actually the perfect kind of project to put together when we are snuggled up in a cozy cabin, sewing machines humming, and chattering happily away.
I have to admit that at first I really struggled with this layout. With so many shades and tones, when I first laid this out randomly, it really wasn't coming together as I had envisioned. At some point I had the idea to cluster the diamond points according to color. Once I shifted blocks a bit, I knew it was my "that's it" moment.
Sometimes you just need a sew-without-thinking project, and I would say that this will be a perfect snuggle up on the couch, and pull the papers out after a long day of sewing... don't you think? But you'll have to wait until after the trip to see this one put together.
Any sewing retreat/quilting group stories to tell? Any unfortunate forgotten snippit tales?
Linking up this week to Let's Bee Social.
Don't miss out... I'm celebrating the release of my Jeweled Kaleidoscope quilt pattern with a GIVEAWAY on Instagram! (link here) Be sure to hop on over to win these fabrics and my newly released pattern:
- 8 - 1/4 yards/meters of #modernbackgroundfabrics sponsored by
Brigitte Heitland of Zen Chic
- a downloadable PDF copy of my Jeweled
Kaleidoscope quilt pattern
- and
40 pre-cut favorite fabric triangles in jewel colors as seen in my quilt.
NOTE: Unfortunately blog comments do not qualify for the giveaway. For details how to win, see my post on Instagram! (this
giveaway is open internationally)
I can hardly belive that it's my turn to be the queen bee in our quilting bee, and it couldn't come at a more perfect time.... just before our move! Even as early as February, I have been thinking about what block I would like for my bee quilt. I ended up "auditioning" three possible blocks, but was not really sure if I wanted to impose curved piecing or a 100 piece paper pieced block on my other bee members. The most likely candidate, the Churnstile block from Stitchery Dickory Dock, was top of the list, but after I had made a few blocks, I realized that I had very specific ideas about the direction I wanted to go with the colors.
I knew that I wanted to do paper piecing because... well, I just love the accuracy of it, but I had used up all my other free pattern ideas. So, I decided to search some other quilting bees to get some inspiration. When I first saw this block, I was a quite puzzled. Hmmm.... very simple and it really did nothing for me.
... that is until I saw the blocks put together! I thought ahhh... now I see it - wow, what a fantastic design! There are several versions of this block out there, but I used Zen Chic's free pattern Prism, and printed it at only 85% (the original is huge!)
So, you might now recognize that pretty little stack of jewel tone fabrics that I shared last week... here they are again, all cut up and worked in with some colored low volumes. This is not my only project planned with this palette!
... and now I get to sit back and enjoy while all my busy bee members do the rest of the work for me ; )
Linking up this week to Let's Bee Social and Sew Cute Tuesday.
One of my Dad's all time favorite phrases for when someone is going to do something regardless is: "well, it was like trying to hold back a hurricane with a palm branch"... you get the picture right? I guess it would be safe to say that this pretty much sums up my stash explosion fabric shopping spree while in the US. Believe it not, there has actually been a method to my madness, and it's been a lot about basics and fabrics that I have coveted for too long:
In addition to my previous stacks, I've added several low volumes to my stash, but I really wanted to add a few low volumes with color. I love this pastel mix and can't wait to make something sweet and delicate with them.
While I find so many solid quilts to be beautiful and just plain brilliant, when it comes working with solids myself, I feel completely at a loss. Somehow creating with a fabric that is almost solid is more my to my taste. Zen Chic's city map and Carolyn Friedlander's crosshatch fabrics are just perfect for that work-like-a-solid-look without actually being solid.
And what would a shopping spree be without one little splurge? This hard to find, OOP (out of print) little bundle of fabrics again from Carolyn Friedlander completed my stash. I justified the price by figuring that this would essentially be the normal price that I would pay for fabrics in Germany anyway. I'm pleased to say that these have not landed into the "fabrics to pretty to be used" category (or in this case to expensive)...
... and here they are in the works: For my Facing East quilt, I currently have two blocks that feature designs from one collection. While I have generally avoided sticking with all one collection for each block segment, I opted to feature two of my favorites as a whole.
What are your stash building strategies? Do you build with basics, and add in fun prints here and there, or do you build project by project?
Linking up this week to WIP Wednesday & Let's Bee Social.
