Monday, Monday

So of course now is a great time to start a new project? I should be working on all the UFO's but for right now this is fast and easy. I also found out I do not have many dark fabrics......I wanted this to look different from what I usually do with light, bright, happy colors. Maybe this is a reflection of the times?

This is the state of my sewing room, last week. It looks much more chaotic right now! I am using a lot of big prints that can be hard to work with in a quilt. I am also not matching the 2 prints I am using. I want it to look unplanned, which we all know is impossible in the real world, but I'm trying!

This quilt started out as a bunch of blocks that were impossible to make into a quilt because they would not lie flat. I starched the heck out of them, used some of my vintage fabric to frame them and sewed them together. I just love the randomness of the blocks and how value was pretty much out the window when constructing these baskets. Some of the fabrics were pieced together to be able to use as one part of the block.
I like how this is now "my" quilt. I thought about this person as they made the quilt and wondered about their life. Was she disappointed that the blocks would not go together? Did someone tell her the fabrics were ugly?
I used straight line quilting to get the job done and it is soft and snuggly.

I started a Dear Jane quilt using modern color fabrics. These are Alison Glass from a few years ago. They are small 4 1/2" finished! It is taking a lot of patience, which I don't have a lot of right now.

These blocks are from a swap I did with Barb, from Fun With Barb  I love them and want to finish them up except I don't have enough fabric.....what to do......? Use random colors for the alternate blocks? That might require concentration and planning, I don't have that now.

Last week was my daughter's birthday. We did a birthday parade, which is not nearly the same as being with the ones you love. I love being home but it is getting old. It does't help that the weather has been cold, gray and rainy.

On the bright side, spring keeps going no matter what. My redbuds were spectacular this year! Notice it is against a gray and moody sky.
For most people I talk to, creativity seems to be hard right now. Yesterday I spent way too much time on a block that should have gone together very fast. I wanted to throw it in the trash. Instead the mistake is in the bock and it may stay there as a reminder of these weird days.

Kelly

Red and Green Applique

I love red and green applique quilts. No matter what that will never change!
I have not done a big applique project in a long time. I am now making one with 9, 30" blocks for my bed. It will also have an applique border, she says with conviction! Let's see if that comes true.

I am using the freezer paper method, mostly because I want the circles and flowers to be exact. If they are not, it will drive me crazy. Usually I am not so worried but for this one I will be.
So I fused 2 pieces of freezer paper together than traced my shape and cut it out. Next I placed this template, shiny side up on the wrong side of the fabric, cut out the fabric using about a 1/4" seam allowance. Next I ironed the edges around and onto the shiny side to hold it's shape. I left the paper in while I appliqued the pieces down.

I like this method because it makes it easy for me to follow the pattern exactly.

I pinned the ever living life out of each piece and then I machine basted them down. The reason is I want to be able to "travel" with this to bees and retreats without worrying about them falling off. I have done glue basting, but I really like this method too.

The freezer paper came out very easy. I think just be conscious of sewing the very edge and not the freezer paper. The bonus is the templates will be able to be used again.

I also made a big switch from silk thread to Aurifil #80 weight. So far I love it and it sews just like silk. I had an issue using silk with a quilt a made for my son and daughter in law. The silk started coming  apart on the applique! I have heard very good reviews for this so I am giving it a try

I have come to terms with the center. I am totally changing it. I will show it once it is sewn together. See all those pins!!!

Applique is time consuming yet very soothing. I have started a basket quilt, because life is short and I want to make all the quilts! The handles go very fast and the rest of it is sewn by machine, a perfect mix in my book. I will post pictures later with some finished blocks.

Kelly

Easter Monday

When your children are no longer in school you forget about holiday schedules. These are the Easter flowers that were on my table this weekend when the whole gang was here for dinner. I even managed to keep the shamrocks (oxalis) alive since St Patrick's day. I think it is a nice combination.

Last week Barb Vedder of  Fun With Barb came and stayed with me to do a workshop and lectures with our local guilds. These are the thoughtful hostess gifts she brought me. The bird even matches my plant pot!

Barb taught an English Paper Piecing class. Everyone loved it!

I will admit I am mostly self taught when it comes to EPP. Barb had such good tips that made it much more enjoyable and my stitches no longer show on the top (well almost), yay! I feel like this person is saying, "I can't find my hand"!

Every class member agreed the handwork was very soothing AND we didn't have to carry our sewing machines!

I was very inspired by her log cabin quilt and am going to make it in my colors. Those logs finish at 1/2".
Thanks Barb for the inspiration and good company, I am so happy you got to see Longwood Gardens! If you are looking for a speaker and a good workshop, send her an email.

I am also working on an applique quilt. I am not sure if I will follow the pattern and I am not sure how big it will be......

It does include some embroidery but I am not 100% sold yet.

I am delivering another recipe kitchen towel this week as a birthday present. So far I have given 2 away and been told this is the coolest present they ever received!

For all the local readers, the Penn Oaks Quilt Guild is having a quilt show, Friday and Saturday the 5th and 6th of  May. You can get all the information here Penn Oaks Quilt Show 2017.
These are a sampling of the mini raffle quilts you can bid on. Please come and support our guild!

Kelly

Baby Twister

Baby Twister 30" x 35"

You know it's been a while since I blogged when I had to go back and see what I posted because I couldn't remember!
At the end of last year Audrey of Quilty Folk had a quilt along where every day you made a circle block based on how your mood was that day. It's called Quilty 365, yes you are supposed to make one every day for a year. Mine is significantly smaller but I love it! I didn't exactly follow the rules but I don't think that really matters....
My husband Bob has named this quilt "Baby Twister".

There are a couple of blocks I really like and have been hoarding for just the right project.

Some vintage fabrics.

As you can see I did a grid quilting on this and love how it turned out. Next time I want to do it but have the lines at different widths. This quilting, it's 1/2" spaced apart.

I turned the edges under and appliqued them down by machine then cut out the background (behind the applique) to reduce bulk. I did not use any fusible.

Some of the fabrics are very light and fade out, I love that look!

Some are pieced and this one happens to be vintage fabrics as well.

I picked this out of my stash for the backing and love how the grid shows up.

This is a block I did for the Lancaster MQG, we are doing a round robin improv style. I used solids and some of my hand dyes for interest.

I accidentally sewed the blue triangle unit down instead of up. To keep it real I didn't change it!

I have had basket quilts on my mind and drafted this block. Even though it is a traditional block I will do it in modern colors, stay tuned!

Kelly

Monday, Monday

I made this little mini quilt on Friday when I couldn't decide what to work on. I had a table full of stuff that needed to be cleaned off, so I took them and added some scraps from my newly cleaned out basket and came up with this. Sometimes it is just fun to sew without any idea of what you want to make.

I used plain white thread to quilt it up, using a #3 stitch length on my Bernina and random widths.

I am also working on a basket block in the laziest way ever! I found this from a start and stopped project that was in my leftover basket.

next I dug out 2 leftover HST that were in the same basket.....

added some sides.....

and trimmed it.....not too bad, especially with all my leftovers!

Now I am appliqueing the  handle free form to give it an organic look.

Happy birthday to my grandson Elliot! He is 9 today!!!

Kelly