Wow Quilt stacks

Small runner for the bathroom that needs a layer of batting and a backing. This looks odd but the clusters of colour match the bathroom shower curtain.  AND, this is moi, leaving traditions behind!  ;)

Little bit bigger runner that I made after finding a little bundle of precut squares. Ditto.

And the youngest grand kiddies nap quilt. awk!  I messed up something because those pattern squares are not supposed to be in the same row. :(  Not changing it now.  At least I don't think I will! ;)

Brrr!  I'm off to babysit.  Too bad I didn't get this done as I could have done the binding while I  was sitting around watching the girls play. Ha!

I have conquered downloading pictures from my tablet.  Hmm, what can I challenge my grey matter with next? 

I have a stack of quilt tops ready to go but this will suffice for this TN&TN day.  I wonder what they have stacked up for this week?

So, just who is this chick???

Chickens in a flock are somewhat hard to distinguish from one another.  This would be true of me.  I'm not particularly noteworthy but then a good keeper of the flock begins to know the individuals.  I would be the noisy, excitable one who is all about rearranging the straw in the nest and trying to landscape the chicken yard.  I'd be doing this at inappropriate times and with considerable dust and squawks!  But there is a pecking order in a flock and I'm learning to find my place and be productive.  I've lost a few feathers in the process but I'm a wiser hen who has learned that some things can't be rushed and brooding is not something to be disparaged.  The chicken/egg cycle just can't be rushed.

My creative endeavours took place in my home. I so badly needed to express myself.  Quilts covered beds, draped over the arms of chairs, hung on walls,  marked place settings on tables and even complimented the wardrobe.  I began traditionally and eventually learned that I am not traditional.  But I didn't understand that creative expression needs time to evolve and be perfected.  I wanted instant results.  Today, this ol' biddy, has begun to learn to enjoy the process and then the project will reflect that joy. 

My journey:

A dear friend introduced me to quilting with the scissor and template method.  This actually shows how badly I wanted to do this as I have rather a short attention span.  I over estimated the number of pieces and made rail fences for the crib, the 2 bunks, a queen for my sister, various pillows, etc. until I finally gave away the rest.  My math is terrible, The actual sewing was reasonably accurate but the quilts were a stretchy assortment of poly cottons and cotton.  Utility would be the way I'd describe them.

The Irish Chain introduced me to the modern tools of rotary cutters, rulers and mats.  This was better.

Our quilt group, Country Roads Quilters, was small and we tackled all kinds of things, some good, some not so good but we learned lots because for the most part we had no idea what we were getting into.  lol For this wall hanging we designed house blocks to represent our home and then made them in the colours each of us chose to work in.  This was my neutral period!

I began to identify what I liked. 

I prefer quilts without the traditional borders around them.  I wish I'd not lined up with my fellow quilters to buy yards and yards of lovely florals.  It was wonderfully freeing to donate a huge amount of it to charity recently.  I just kept the more whimsical and stylized designs. Backings, you know!

                                                            I had a country period.

                                                   I passed through a folk art period.

         
                                                                Even a crazy period!

                           

A Thirties period

A 'let's get them married' period.

                                                      A 'what if I did what I want' period.

                                                          Also a 'go with the flow' period.

                                                            I've made all sizes of quilts. 

When I began learning about quilts I thought their history was fascinating and I wanted to make examples of every kind.  I quickly realized that full size was impractical so I embraced miniature.  I then realized there was not enough time in my time line!  lol

Then I thought I'd make a quilt to give away and keep one for myself but on a smaller scale.  When our first son married I made a queen size from a wall hanging picture. Then I made the wall hanging for myself. 

I became part of a collaboration with some gals out west.  They sent me their leftovers and I had such a good time making this.  It is called Turn Right at the Leftovers.  It made me begin to think about art quilts.

                                
                                                 If its art, where do you put it?

I do have a goodly variety of quilts and I haven't even brought out the 3 sets of applique blocks that need finishing and to be set in a top.  I do like hand applique but they are pretty traditional and so not me anymore.  I have learned my lesson about finishing projects before I lose interest in them and find something much more exciting to start!    I also think that my days of full sized quilts is about over and I'll be sticking to lap size. 

                               Fibre will always be my first luv but I want to try so many other things. 

If all the various parts of a chicken's meal were set out individually, the chicken has the amazing ability to take the best balanced ration they can.  How smart is that?  I need to learn how to balance everything that I want to do.  It has dawned on me that I can NOT do it all, at least not well.  Now I just have to figure out what I want to do most and the best way to do it.

Chickens are raised for various reasons, egg layers, meat production or exotics.  I'm too old for egg production.  I'm more a soup bird than the fried chicken variety.  I figure that only leaves: cute!  I'm going to be going for old age as the cutest chick I can be!

Now The Needle and Thread Network  is a site for Canadian Blogs to link up and show their stuff.  There are regular WIP Wednesday posts and bi weekly Featured Friday Artists.  It is a pretty big thrill to be featured this week.  If you'd like a quick history of where I came from, where I am, and where I'm going please check here or by clicking directly on the Canadian flag feature button.   I quite enjoy seeing various parts of Canada and what my fellow Canadian artists are making.  I hope you'll enjoy it as well.  Thanks for visiting!

Away we go!

The zig zag star quilt was bound, washed, dried, and sent on its way. This is probably the truest colour representation.

It was approximately 54" wide by 72" long. This is the size of a double bed but it will be meant for a couch quilt.

The navy Bali was my starting point. I made the stars with a variety of teal fabrics but the star itself is a soft aqua with some mauve shadings. The centre square was a bright aqua. The zig zag was squeaked out of a mottled fabric that had some teals and touches of purple. It went well with the Bali and I did a bit of piecing to get my last triangle. You cannot cut a pieced block in half for the edges. You lose the seam allowance so they were especially made as half blocks.

The quilting was done with a variegated blue thread. I'd have preferred a better, more subtle blend of the blues but I had 2 spools of it and I wasn't as smart as I am now. lol A touch with a permanent marker fixes up a few troublesome stretches of the very light blue on the very black background. ;^) The quilt needs to be soft. I use cotton batts but kept the quilting about 2 inches apart so the quilt is pretty cuddly.

The backing was pieced and I would pay better attention to the fabric edges as the backing thread needed to change colours. Toile is such an excellent backing as the thread just disappears whether it be light or even the darker thread colour. This was left over from another quilt backing and it was really wide. I wish I had more and other colours but who knew how great it would be!

I hope I've answered a few questions about my process. The wee bit of pieced block peeking out from my design wall is probably my next project after I get my WIP blocks all pieced and the layout confirmed. Something to look forward to as spring approaches.

I'm off for a winter weekend away. I'll be thinking about my weekly journal quilts and the possibility of making them colour studies. I'll post this weeks quiltlet next week because I won't get to it till then.

Finding the right setting

I need to think of a name for this top.

Part 2 of Finding Things:

I put the blocks up on my newly cleared design wall.

Just a thin sashing around doesn't seem to do very much.

I tried a cranberry.

And then a gold which is showing lighter than it is.

Then I tried to follow the diagram shewing the placement of the inset pieced triangles. Because some are sewn and some are not things aren't quite lining up. It made for some confusion and "oh, NO; I've done it wrong." But it all looks like it will come together.

I would definitely stop with no more borders and perhaps bind with the theme fabric of fruits.

I didn't try any other options because I couldn't think of any. Am I missing something?

Finding Things

I keep forgetting about this project. It survives my purges. It was a mystery quilt that has to be at least 15 years old. I liked the colours, the block but then I lost steam at the finish. I now know it is because I really don't like borders and this was requiring the typical thin border and then the big strip of wide theme fabric to finish it off. I lost heart.

Time to review my options.

1) It still has an appealing colour scheme and the traditional blocks and colours go well with the winter theme for the dining room. It can hang behind the black stove. Heck, it actually fits in a lot of my rooms.

2) I can stop and use the diagonal squares as the border and use a red binding.

3) Leftovers can be assigned to place mats.

4) I can set the 19 (???) in an entirely different setting. I have adequate fabric as it is mostly scrappy. For every colour I needed I used dozens of variations except for my theme fabric which has leaves and fruit.

What would tradition with a twist look like?

Recovering

My dolls are still prone and in recovery, I need to find glue for the teapot, the toys are back in the box, the fort building supplies recovered, the laundry is processing, the dust bunnies are settling, the chickens should begin laying again soon, and it is Q U I E T. shhhh I shall be saying the alphabet backwards before I agree to 4 kids for 3 days again anytime soon. whoa!

We did manage to use up some of the hours by designing the next baby quilt. I'm not sure about the purple nor the present arrangement.

I sent my farmer out to the field with visions of my studio shed in his head. I mean what else would he want to think about as he goes round and round. I found a library book with Pottery Barn Work Spaces. If anyone can make a silk purse out of my sow's ear...

I luv this picture of my grandson running thru their corn patch. I doubt we'd see him now as the corn is high and ready. num But it did jolt me to the realization that summer is on the downward slide. I do hope the weather has settled and we'll have a busy, productive fall.

I know it'll be pedal to the medal to get everything done before green, or yellow is no longer the predominant colour and a white blanket covers a ground that will be resting and recovering from another year of production.

Respite

I'm back inside for a bit. I'll be doing some respite for a few days. So that meant a bit more work in the Sunshine room. I adapted some sheets and we fixed the bookcase. Not the best quality but the shape is exactly right.

I am also starting to gather the squares for the grandkid's quilts. I need to decide how busy I want them. These are supposed to be nap quilts! 8)

Friday Finish

This is definitely a rush job! 8^)

I sewed the border sections.

Then I layered batting backing and the top so I could do a quick envelope finish. The fusible interfacing is showing.

This went well. I pinned so I could machine quilt along the sashing. I used a neutral on the back and a pink quilting cotton for the front.

This is hot from the dryer!

Making Hay while the sun shines...

Finally we are off and running. Well, my farmer is. My lawnmower broke a belt and it isn't a good time to ask for a repair! ;^) The grandson got a few rounds with his Grand Farmer.

Raking the cut swaths together is a fun and fast jobs for new young farmers!

So while the hay is growing on my lawn I worked a bit on the beds. This morning there is a fog and the humidex readings are gonna be up there.


The focus for the week is PAINT. There are a few secondary things that I can possibly incorporate or slot in as alternatives should the weather predictions prove true.

I shall be plunking the new shrubs in first thing and checking out the shade available at the coop. I need to sort old/new, clean/unreadable, outside/inside paint cans and a jumbled box of supplies which is part of the secondary 'clean the basement' job. I need to just start. What is it about new projects that makes me hesitate? ss (slight smile) I seem to have no problem leaping into new quilt ideas and slashing up perfectly good yardage into slivers to do it! LOL Another secondary job is the baby quilts and I had no problem starting the 2 extra ones!

It is only paint, it is Only paint, it is only Paint. And washable at that!

Colour Me Happy

Colour Me Happy

This is a Canadian Interior Designer who I've been following for a few months and she teaches as she blogs. I luv it. I have been encouraged that I am on the right track and I'm gathering the confidence to jump in right up to my chicken neck!

So as a result I'm finding this quilt very blah but it is intended for a conservative family and their first girl. It will meet its intention. I really dislike solid fabric borders so I hit on using up more leftover fabrics for a scrappy border. It'll work.

Then I'll do a pair for my own poor neglected grand kids. They are both be in the same room. Jungle is the theme, turquoise, lime green, yellow are the colours. So the girl will get some bright fuchsias on the front, then purple, green and yellows on the back. The boy will get the turquoise, yellow, and green on the back and bright blues on the front. I have my hand dyes for the fronts and I'll grab a strip of the print for some accents. I'm kinda excited about these.

And FYI I do believe there are a few wild cows running around in the jungle. That's my story and I'm sticking to it. I also could not find a bright jungle theme for animals to suit my needs.

Monday morning I'm shaking up the paint cans and come rain, shine, or mosquitoes, I'm painting the coop.

Then I'm moving towards the painted furniture list in the house.

Today I'm rotating around the grass and figuring where to put 2 bright red rose and 1 yellow green elder (shrub) which is as close to a Japanese Maple as I'm ever going to get. I got 4 rhubarb but I know where they are going. The golden cut leaf elder needs hot and dry and that has me revising the original plan. Yay, I actually am learning from the gazillion mistakes I have buried away in this yard. 8^) Now I need to learn to stay away from those 'come take me home' places. They are as bad as fabric shops!

Two down (done), how many to go?

The sister quilts were washed. That always makes me nervous when the deadline is approaching. But they always come out well worth the wait. They leave tomorrow.

This third one seems to photograph oddly. It needs a border as it really is too small. No forward planning at all here as I have only a smidgen of the sashing and only a near match for the solid. And I KNEW I shouldn't have cut the backing but I so wanted to be done.

And when I lifted some stuff I found quilt material collected for my grandkids and had a very remorseful stab to my heart that theirs weren't done but these were. So...