RSC15, week 52

A WONDERFUL YEAR

This year of quilt blogging has been a truly special year for me.  It got me started back in quilting again after about 20 years since my last quilt.  It's been meeting so many kind and caring quilters plus giving me goals to work for and renewing my creativity.  

So I want to show you the last quilt I made back then, which had a great deal of meaning for me.  I call it Shekinah, the light of the presence of God dwelling with His people.

I cut each triangle separately and placed it on my design wall before piecing the first half and then duplicating it in reverse.  My goal was using the stars as the basis and turning some into crosses, as well as having the light glow from the center and fade outward.

I machine quilted it at 60x60 in one week in time for a show entry.  After that life intruded and I put away the machine.

Meanwhile this year is finishing well for me, which I hope to share with you next week as an end and onto the new year with more projects piling up quickly.  

I wish all you dear friends, and especially Angela, a happy and blessed New Year.

I link up with RSC15 at superscrappy.blogspot.com, Sew Cute Tuesday at blossomheartquilts.com and Making Monday at Love, Laugh, Quilt.

RSC15 week 51

TIME FLIES

So much to do, so much to look forward to.  I was so happy this week when my five yards of Kona aqua arrived from Craftsy.  It's going to make a fun backing for my 30 balloon blocks.

I've been busy piecing the rows with lime green sashing.  In fact, I got so excited adding side strips that I miscounted, attached too many and had to do a lot of ripping (they did not need a strip on both sides, only one.)  I've also made some progress on my secret gift, which takes priority for now. 

 I did not put up my little Christmas tree and entire Bethlehem village, just to keep things simple for me and my family without Chris. But one of my favorite antique quilts just speaks Christmas to me, so it comes out to enjoy.  It's a log cabin Courthouse Steps done in some kind of heavy twill fabrics, probably from around 1900.  It is done in red, tan, navy, dark green and a black, peach and white print.

From my home to yours a blessed Christmas, memorable family times and a Happy New Year!

I link up with RSC15 at superscrappy.blogspot.com and Sew Cute Tuesday at blossomheartquilts.com.   Come by and enjoy.

RSC15 week 50

WINTER COLOR

Well, yesterday broke the December record high temp, in the 50's here in Madison, WI. But Christmas is coming soon and I'm working on a surprise project for someone special.  It is my first kit project ever, from the Kaliedescope collection at Connecting Threads.  I really love the rich colors and the feature print.  The directions are clear and I was able to streamline the process, so the major portion is finished.

I did end up substituting the green for a drab olive print and the teal for a much darker blue that gave no contrast to the star points.  I was so happy that those star points are showing.

Finally I have started on the balloon block sashing.  I'm using 2-inch cut strips.  I got the green print on a great sale, and here is a taste of the color mix.  The total will be 30 blocks, a nice size.

One more important detail, the backing.  I looked online and found more of the balloon print available.  But the price would be more than I spent on the whole quilt.  Today I found a great bright turquoise Kona solid at Craftsy's sale, a 5-yard piece for  about $22 plus free shipping.  I have about 8 extra balloon squares, so I can do something fun on the back.  That's how I like to do things, for fun.

I link up with RSC15 at superscrappy.blogspot.com and Sew Cute Tuesday at blossomheartquilts.com. Please join us there.

RSC 15 week 49

STARTING TO FINISH

This week I've been able to make some progress on my balloons quilt.  The lime green fabric I ordered finally arrived and is exactly what I wanted at a great price.  I also squared up the 30 blocks to make a 5x6 block setting.  Here I laid some out on the uncut fabric.  Most of you who commented to me said the lime was the best color choice for sashing, so here's the proof you were right.

A HAPPY SURPRISE

I had wanted to make a disappearing 9-patch quilt for a long time. This was the result, as I posted in week 46.  It started with two charm packs based on butterflies and flowers, plus some batiks.

I finished making this butterfly quilt as a surprise for a very dear friend many miles away.  I knew she followed my blog, so I had to be careful what I posted about it.

  It had been a secret until Monday when it arrived at her post office.  She got the package and called me on the phone before she opened it, so we could share the moment together.  Her surprise and happiness overwhelmed her and she cried so much that she couldn't read the inscription. I was in tears as well.  She has been a faithful friend for more than 30 years and totally deserved it.

On Tuesday I received these photos from her.

  Z

That's the very best part of quilting, all the reward we need.

I link up with RSC15 at superscrappy.blogspot.com and Sew Cute Tuesday at blossomheartquilts.com. Come check them out, so many nice folks share their projects.

RSC15 week 48

,DEADLINES MET, LOOKING AHEAD

Last weekend I worked myself silly (as in making stupid mistakes) to meet two deadlines on Monday.  But I DID IT!  I finished two nearly identical table runners as thank you gifts for two very generous women, because the design spoke to me of Thanksgiving.

These were my Fruits and Veggies runners made with fabrics from the giveaway table at our quilt group meetings.  My friends were both delighted with their gifts and also really loved the backing/binding, an African theme fabric.  I quilted the panels in two diagonal crosses, simple but easy

 So now I was able to relax and enjoy Thanksgiving.  I hope you folks in the States all had a blessed day as well.

Now back to lime green.  For my balloon block sashing I ordered some lovely lime blender, a remnant of 2.5 yards, from Jelly Roll Quilts, and it just arrived today, one of several purchases I'm expecting.

Meanwhile I have laid out a sample block of my first choice for RSC16 with these 2.5 inch squares.

I have wanted to do wonky stars for a long time and recently I saw my favorite version on Deb's blog at VT Quilter.  I'm thinking of doing it in batiks, because their range of colors is so varied.  There are a couple of other patterns I'm also considering.  It's going to be an exciting year!

I link up with RSC15 at superscrappy.blogspot.com and Sew Cute Tuesday at blossomheartquilts.com.    Please join me for some fun.

RSC15 week 47

A  BUSY WEEK

Deadlines are a good thing for me and have kept me glued to the sewing machine this week, or so it seems.  On Monday I showed my finished butterfly quilt at our Monona Quilters meeting.

Now I am working on two table runners from the fruits and veggies fabrics, which are both to be given to friends before Thanksgiving.  I found exactly the right backing for them.  It is a very long deep valance with an African feeling.  After ripping miles of seams it was wide enough to also be binding as well as backing.  They are now ready for quilting.

Where is the lime green this time?  I have more than enough balloon blocks for a kids quilt.  So a friend and I  auditioned some sashing choices.

 I originally planned on using thin black strips, but the black was too depressing for a child's quilt.

What about white?

The white did nothing for me or my friend.  She liked grey, but it made me feel sleepy, not happy.

Then the BIG IDEA hit. Why not use lime green sashing instead of making some extra blocks which I won't even need?  Here is our trial photo.

Fortunately I have lots of extra lime green strips, so I will do 30 blocks for the front and a few extras on the back, but no lime green squares.  I will save my fun lime scraps on last week's post to use for my plans for the new year.  Will announce them next week.

I link up with RSC15 at superscrappy.blogspot.com and Sew Cute Tuesday at blossomheartquilts.

RSC week 46

LOTS OF GREEN AND A LOVELY FINISH

It was fun finding the lime greens in my stash.  I found more cute ones than I expected, so I decided to finish my balloons and get started on a new block for RSC16, to see how I like doing it.  Can't hurt to have a couple of lime green blocks on hand just because they are so pretty.  If and when I get the first new one done, you will be the first to know.

My big project this week was finishing the butterfly quilt I've been working on for months.  It is a throw size, disappearing 9-patch.  I used two charm packs with butterfly themes and assorted batiks.  It even has lime green in it.

I found a lovely raspberry batik in my stash, enough to add a nice border.  The backing was bought several years ago for a dress which never got made.  I quilted it on the diagonal, using lavender thread on the front and dark blue on the back. I bound it with the backing, finishing it yesterday morning.

Now I only have two projects with deadlines before Christmas,  in addition to trying to find a finish for my balloon blocks.  It's been a great experience, a good feeling to be part of quilt blogging this year, thanks to all of you.

I link up with RSC15 at superscrappy.blogspot.com and Sew Cute Tuesday at blossomheartquilts.com.   Please check out the good things to see there.

RSC15 week 44

MOVING ON

As far as brown goes, I have no more new projects in the works with brown that you have not seen.  However, there is a lovely pot of brown on my deck that has not died off yet.  It was a Mothers Day gift from my family and I have enjoyed the coleus, begonia and sweet potato vine combo all summer.  I even saw a hummingbird trying its flowers for nectar, and just an hour ago two birds were checking it out.  So it has given pleasure to many.

  

Now this new month excites me, not only for the light green, but for a book that has me ready to get started on another WIP to join the crowd.  However, I really do intend to get the quilting and binding done on the butterfly quilt, which is staring me in the face.  You all are my witnesses to this promise.

The 9-Patch Pizzazz by Judy Sisneros is the book I got on sale that has me hooked, and look what I found in my stash!  The perfect feature fabric for 12-inch squares and a nice blending fabric for the patches.  This is going to be FUN.  We will have to wait and see if I can keep my hands off it.

    Meanwhile, a happy November to all of you dear folks.

RSC15 week 43

BROWN, OLD AND NEW

About 20 years ago, in my antique quilt collecting days (which have continued with my daughter's help), I found this stack of old blocks nicely pieced in about 1870-1900.  They were waiting for someone to give them a good home, and I could not resist.  They had been pressed, but developed stains and some folds over the years, naturally.  

I thought this brown month was the time to share them.  I need some advice on how to handle them, i.e., wash or not, piece them,etc.  if you have some ideas or can point me to someone knowledgeable about treating antique quilts, I sure would appreciate any help you can offer.

Here is how my dark chocolate block looks with some of the others, very good I think.  In two months I will have 36 blocks, but I have no idea about turning them into one or more quilts.  I will have to get out the grid paper and do some designing.   Soon that will be one more WIP.  They seem to be stacking up on me, but I am quilting the butterfly D9P, just simple diagonals, so it won't take long.

Thanks again, folks, for all your encouragement and inspiration.

I link up with RSC15 at superscrappy.blogspot.com and Sew Cute Tuesday at blossomheartquilts.com. Please come join us, it's lots of fun.

RSC15 week 42

WHAT COLOR BROWN?

Well, after all the input I received about brown last week, I chose my absolute favorite brown, dark chocolate.  I love those Lindor Truffles in the dark brown bag, which have a luscious burst of dark, dark  heaven when you pop one in your mouth.  If you haven't tried one, you must!

So here are my balloons looking very happy in their rich dark frames.

I also stitched together my fruit and veggie panels.  I think I will make two table runners out of it.  I have a couple of friends in mind who might enjoy one. All they (the table runners, not the friends) would need are slightly wider gold borders. 

I finally got my butterfly quilt pinned and ready to quilt, which is my next major project.  It is throw size, not as large as the twin sized rainbow quilt.  I used the raspberry batik for a border and will bind it from the back, the navy print.

The best colors I saw this week were on a drive through a nearby cemetery on a perfect day.  Wish you could have been there with me.

I link up with RSC15 at superscrappy.blogspot.com and Sew Cute Tuesday at blossomheartquilts.com.  There are some good things to see there.

RSC15 week 41

A TRIBUTE

Here is a quilt for my son, Chris, which I began when he was in college.  He wanted a black quilt, but I said, "No way."  I decided on dark blue with a simple Amish style pattern.  I got it almost quilted when he got engaged and married.  She had a different color scheme planned, so I put it away all these years.  He lived through cancer and a divorce, then side effects in recent years.  I hoped to finish it for him, but he passed away in April at age 47.  

    Not long ago I read about Cynthia Brunz's idea for volunteers to finish a quilt for another.  I took the quilt to my local Monona Quilters and one of the members very kindly offered to finish the hand quilting and binding the quilt for me.

Here is the cable border and finished hand quilting beautifully done by Laura Gottlieb.

This quilt will be my small tribute to Chris, who was taken too soon.  I am grateful to have this new community of caring quilting friends, both near and far, who have helped me to focus on a way to give of myself and my talents now and in the future.

FRUIT AND VEGGIES

I have been working on this piece with shades of brown and other gorgeous colors.  I added a gold strip to the top of each 7-inch strip by WOF.  Here they are folded because my first idea was a tablecloth, but am thinking now about making two table runners.  Slow but steady on this one.

I'm also pinning my butterfly quilt tomorrow and will start the quilting.  It is more of a cuddle size, so it will not be a huge job.   Lots of WIP.  

I link up with RSC15 at superscrappy.blogspot.com, Sew Cute Tuesday at blossomheartquilts.com and Throwback Thursday at kristaquilts.blogspot.com. Come join the fun.

RSC week 40

WHAT COLOR IS BROWN?

Brown has finally turned up for our Rainbow Scrap Challenge, a month I have been dreading.  I have been wondering how to combine it with my bright primary balloon blocks, while brown is a mix of other colors. So I dug deep into my batik stash to try to find some brown pieces that would work well with them.  I'm still not sure what to do.

Here are three different groups of fabrics to consider.

1.  These are more or less dull brown tones, but there is a pretty good range from dark to light.

2.  This group is brighter and busier overall.

3.  This final group is softer, not as bright, but stronger in saturation.

So I will be thinking about this for awhile.  Any thoughts? 

    Meanwhile, I am working with a fun group of veggie and fruit fabrics, all WOF, and golden yellow strips to separate them.  This photo was before I trimmed the width to 7-1/2 inches, essentially a row design.  I love these prints that came from the group giveaway table.

Finally, one more photo as a clue to my posts on Throwback Thursday.  I hope that you

Will have a chance to check out my blog itself for Throwback Thursday on Sept. 24 and Oct.1 to see what these little men are up to.  It is a three part suspense story, so take a look.

I link up with RSC15 at superscrappy.blogspot.com, Sew Cute Tuesday at blossomheartquilts.com and Throwback Thursday at kristaquilts.blogspot.com.   Hope you will join me.

RSC15 week 39

This is the last week of orange and I'm looking forward to next month.  But I have another orange option for my row quilt.

I really like the orange bordered by the little pinwheels.  I only have about six pinwheel strips so I will have to be careful where I use them.  That is one of the reasons I have been going slowly with these rows, so I won't end up having to do any ripping and replacing.  The floor is only temporary, but I do make good use of the iPad by taking photos of all my ideas to look back at.

The other reason I have put this aside was to finish this Project Linus quilt, a WIP since last winter.  I machine tacked each block, which is lo-o-ts easier than pushing a needle through fleece.

Hooray, today i finished the binding, so here it is!  There are little bits of orange in it also.

The flimsy came very close to the 50 x 60 inch size of the fleece blanket backing, but with a little fudging I managed to get the binding on, not the neatest job, but the happy little girl who gets it will not care.

You can see how well the front goes with the fleece, which is how I design them, from a given back to a coordinating front.  I think this limitation makes them more challenging, which I love.

    This quilt will be collected in mid-October at our Monona Quilt group.

I link up with RSC15 at superscrappy.blogspot.com, Sew Cute Tuesday at blossomheartquilts.com and Throwback Thursday at kristaquilts.blogspot.com.  Come and join us, it's good fun.