Wonky, Wacky and Wild

Time to share my latest!  I have been hanging on to a group of Shot Cottons waiting for inspiration to hit me.  The colors are amazing!  From the lightest of pinks to a dark plum and everything in between.  I did add a few hand dyed fabrics just to round it out and they were so perfectly matched!  I have been immersed in Half-Square Triangles for what seems like months and months, and I was itching to go in the opposite direction.  Get wild, let loose and just go crazy!

Inspiration smacked me upside the head one day and I went for it!  These are the 12 blocks I ended up with.  My disclaimer:  The colors of these mosaics are brighter than in real life!

I wanted 12 blocks in random sizes.

Each one needed to be different.

I wanted one thing (besides the fabric) to tie all the blocks together.  I decided a 1" square somehow incorporated in each block was the answer.

I honestly felt like Edward Scissorhands while making these blocks!  Fabric flying, scissors and rotary cutter snipping and shaping!  Edward and I have a few things in common.  While I don't have the facial wounds, I do sometimes have wild hair and most definitely have the dark circles around my eyes!  

I knew I was going to frame the blocks with a gray.  I went with a lighter shade ~ Kona Shadow.  I also incorporated the same gray in each block.

After deciding on a layout, I framed each block and assembled them in horizontal rows.  I wanted each block to be not only different, but different sizes as well.  Grid like, but keeping it random.

Once the front was finished, I went to work on the back.  I'm a pieced back kinda girl ~ so I went for it!  The back is Kona Iron and Pewter with a little Shadow left over from the front. The blocks were some test blocks that had to go somewhere.  I don't know about you, but I cannot ignore, toss or save blocks for later use!  Its now or never!!

I really like the back.  So much so that it has me thinking of new quilt design!  Imagine if we could make each and every design we think of!  It never ends...

And so, this brings me to the quilting of this wacky goodness!  I was seriously going to attempt some free-motion quilting.  I actually tried it on one block.  After seeing it I knew I would totally ruin this quilt if I went any further.  I wish I had the confidence, skill and patience for FMQ.  I know I would love it if I just let myself go.  One day, right?!  

I decided staying in my comfort zone was the best option!  Once I decided on a quilting design, it was thread picking time.

These 4 colors were perfect.  I planned on alternating thread colors throughout the quilt.  I don't often go with pretty colors with my quilting.  Usually a good neutral does the job.  In this case, color was screaming out to me.

And so it began.  Machine quilting.  Thread changing.  Quilt turning.  Pin removing.  Over and over again!  

I divided the quilt into 4 sections.  I wanted to mimic a block design that is in the quilt.  Log cabin-ish was the plan.  I intentionally did not use a ruler during the quilting process.  I'm just going with it.  Very random, very dense, very not perfect.  Organic.  Don't you love that word?!  It fits most of my quilting adventures!   

It may take a while to finish the quilting.  I have time.  I love getting half way in and feeling good about it.  Getting excited to finish it.  Looking forward to seeing it after it has been washed.  I think that's when the quilt comes alive.  The cherry on top!

I was hoping the thread colors would show up in this picture.    

I have more quilting to do today.  Half left to go.  Half done.  Half a pot of coffee.  Time to get in the zone...the quilting zone!

LINKING:

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CRAZY MOM QUILTS

Blogger's Quilt Festival ~ Modern Quilt Entry

I know how excited I get when I see a beautiful quilt.  For me, I start to drool (figuratively speaking) and then my imagination goes in to overdrive!

Now imagine seeing page after page of beautiful quilts!!!  The best of the best!  It makes my pulse race just thinking about it!  

Which brings me to this incredible event ~  Blogger's Quilt Festival ~ Hosted by Amy from Amy's Creative Side.  It is always a well attended event, no pushing or shoving ~ just good old fun!  This is a wonderful event that gives bloggers a chance to show and share their beautiful designs.  The hardest part is choosing just the right one!

I decided to enter this lovely quilt in the Modern Quilt Category.  One of my favorite half-square triangle quilts.  I blogged about this quilt here: Graphic HST

45" x 62"

This quilt features Hand Dyed and Shot Cottons.  I machine quilted 1" geometric lines throughout and 1/2" lines in the graphic squares.

Back

 

Thank you to Amy for giving bloggers a place to come together and share what we do!

Voting begins November 1st and runs through November 7th.  You can cast your vote for this quilt here:

Modern Quilt Category

October 24-31:  Linky's Open and Viewer's Choice Voting

November 1-7:  Vote for your favorites in all categories

November 8:  Winners will be announced

Blogger's Quilt Festival ~ Original Design Entry

My second entry in the Blogger's Quilt Festival in the Original Design Category, my first ever Bed Runner Quilt.  Making a bed runner had never crossed my mind before!  When I was contacted about a custom request, I was intrigued.  After brainstorming and having a plan of attack, I came up with a three panel theme:

SAND, SEA & SUNSET

22" x 88"

 I machine quilted horizontal organic wave, lots and lots and lots of them!

In it's new home!

In the end, I think making a super sized runner for a bed is a fantastic idea and I was so happy with this one!  Seems to me this is a perfect way to add some color, texture and spice to any bed!  Plus, it will keep those frosty toes warm!

You can read about it in a previous post here: 
It's Good To Be King (bed runner that is) and here: Bed Runner WIP

Voting begins November 1st and runs through November 7th.  You can cast your vote for this quilt here:

Original Design Category

October 24-31:  Linky's Open and Viewer's Choice Voting

November 1-7:  Vote for your favorites in all categories

November 8:  Winners will be announced

Cluster Bleep In It's Glory

Yay! It's all finished!  I had fun quilting this one!  And I can safely say...I'm done with HST's at least for a little while! 

47" x 70"

The gray sections I machine quilted with gray thread and 1/2" lines.  I love how it adds visual interest to the HST's.  Geometric quilting is so fun to experiment with!  The center are 1" lines, which I quilted in a few different sections.

I really, really love freshly washed quilts!  Crinkles, crinkly, crinkled!  Plus, they make for great pictures!

Here is the link to my last post about this quilt.  You can see that I did vary the original design slightly during construction!  HST Cluster (Bleep!)

I think that's normal, at least for me!  I seem to do that a lot when working with my designs or even a pattern.  Sometimes it just feels better!

I finally got my sidebar Social Media Buttons figured out on my blog too!  Thanks to my daughter who did her magic!  HTML scares me!  However I will say I did a little magic of my own!  The buttons were HUGE.  Britt's suggestion...Google it...you can change the size. Thank you Google for the wealth of info you share on a daily basis!  I did it all by myself and there seems to be peace and harmony lurking throughout my little blog now! Whew!

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HST Cluster (Bleep!)

Here I go again!  Half-Square Triangle madness!  Will I ever get enough?!  Yes...and No!  

My 4" mass of squares ready to pair up and sew together.

This is some serious gorgeousness!

The beginning of many, many diagonal sewing lines.  And then squaring up.

Alas, I'm doing something a little different.  I was playing on my iPad and came up with this design.  I am affectionately calling it:

Cluster F*#K

Yes, I am and I apologize for my Sailor/Quilters mouth!  I have always said the old saying 'swears like a sailor', really should be 'swears like a quilter'!!  

My fabrics aren't as bright at this and I did change up a few things on the actual quilt.  

Hand Dyed and Shot Cottons.  The gray is Moda Bella Solid.  

Another example of what you can do with pounds and mounds of hand dyed fabric!

I am pretty sure I will do geometric quilting.  It always floats my boat!  Thankfully my machine has been serviced and is ready to take on some good old quilting again!

Please tell me I am not the only quilter that sometimes can't control her mouth!!  I'm very good at cleaning it up when I go out in public though!

And I am still in the progress of fixing my blog mess.  Still haven't figured out the HTML for my sidebar buttons!  (secretly swearing right now :)

LINKING:

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CRAZY MOM QUILTS

Quilt Art ~ Amazing!

I meant to write post yesterday.  Good intentions and all...and then I opened up my blog!  

WTH?!  What was going on?!  My header, pictures, buttons all gone.  Nothing but a big circle with a minus sign.  I'm still working on getting the sidebar buttons back. And pictures.

It's true, I am not computer savvy at all.  Not one little ounce of tech in me.  You can show me over and over how to do a computer related something or another, but in the end my eyes glaze over and it is soon forgotten.

What did I do, you ask.  I thought I was being smart by signing up for google +. Sharing, following or whatever it is you do with it.  When I say my imported photos, I thought 'who wants to see the same photo over and over'?  I deleted and deleted some more.  

When I saw what I had done I panicked.  Mentally kicked myself.  And quickly opted out of google + forever!

So, today will be spent trying to figure out codes and HTML.  Big ICK in my book! But first I want to share some Quilt Art!

I love seeing buildings with quilts painted on them.  Barn art is pretty amazing too!  I saw these pictures on Pinterest and thought they should be shared!

This is Garnet Hill Park in Glasgow.  Way amazing, don't you agree?!  What better way to 'dress' up a big brick building!

It's Good To Be King! (bed runner that is)

As I'm sitting here watching the torrential rain, not wanting to venture out for the much needed thread or that trip to the dreaded grocery store.  It seems a good time to blog about a project that has been finished!

When I first received this custom request, the first word I saw was KING.  My eyes glazed over for a split second until I realized it was a King Bed Runner.  I was intrigued, as I had never made a bed runner, let alone ever thought about it.

When Rachel first contacted me and let it be known that she had been quietly 'stalking' my shop and my quilting style seemed right up her alley, I knew I had to work with her! After a little back and forth with ideas, size and colors we came up with a plan!  

22" x 88"

The finished bed runner!  Sand, Sea and Sunset.  Perfect for condo living on the beach! Rachel was amazing to work with.  I loved making each intricate panel for her, but really loved that I had been given creative control to do what I do.  

The gray back ground lets each panel and color stand out.  I was a quilting demon with the waves!  Lots and lots of horizontal organic lines!

Creative photography...I love shooting pictures from crazy angles just to see how it turns out.  This shot was my favorite!

Besides the runner, there was a pillow cover in the mix too!  

20" x 20"

Of course staying with the theme, I incorporated all three panels in to one lovely pillow! Classic envelope closure in gray and again, lots of quilting.  Except for the pillow I used different thread colors. 

You never really know if someone is going to like the finished product in person.  Selling on Etsy has been amazing for me.  Perfect solution to my quilting obsession.  That being said, the majority of people do not come back to let you know how they liked something. Even when you make custom quilts for them!  I know...I maybe a little insecure!  

Rachel came through!  Not only did she let me know right away that she loved her new bed jewelry, she sent me pictures!  

I kinda want to live here!  Gorgeous room Rachel!  I am ecstatic with the finish and that you love these.  Thank you again for having complete confidence in me!  

...and it is still raining...

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Itajime Cross Body Bag

Itajime Shibori.  What?!  Itajime Shibori is a shape-resist technique.  The cloth is sandwiched between two pieces of wood or plexiglass shapes and clamped together very tightly.  The shapes prevent dye from penetrating the fabric, creating some amazing designs. 

I received this Itajime fabric from my daughter, Britt.  When she was first starting her Fiber Education she was required to try many different techniques.  This was not her favorite, but she came out of the class with some pretty gorgeous pieces of fabric.  This piece has been sitting around for way too long!  

10" x 10"

I mustered up the courage to attempt a new purse.  I am not known for making bags and frankly, I'm not comfortable making them.  They never turn out right!

So, I decided yesterday to kill two birds with one stone...use this fabric and make myself a small bag. You can't get any simpler than this one!  But could I pull it off?! 

The piece of fabric was not large.  I had to work with the width and that was fine.  I wanted smallish.  One piece for the outside, solid for the lining, fusible fleece...oh, and a little pocket too!  I lightly quilted the outside, but I didn't want to go overboard.  

For some reason I decided to square the corners.  Which I'm fine with.  A long skinny handle was the final decision.  Super easy, super fast and in all honesty...I had fun, I like it and plan on using it!

I will admit that it took me awhile to figure out how to assemble this!  I know, like I said I am 'bag challenged'!  I looked several patterns from bags to buckets!  Seriously!  I got this! Give me simple!

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Bed Runner WIP

Have you ever made a bed runner quilt before?  This will be my first time.  I have never ever considered it before, it never crossed my mind...never.  I'm always up for something new, so when I was asked if I could make one, well heck...why not!

I guess if I look at it a little differently, I could just say it was a large table runner!  I'm not sure why I didn't think of that before!

The theme will be pretty evident.  The design will be familiar if you have followed me.  

SAND

OCEAN

SUNSET

The sand panel design is a new one.  I wasn't sure if I could pull that off or not.  About half way through I had my doubts (which is normal when I do this kind of work).  But I have learned to keep going.  You never know where it will end up or how it will turn out.  And really, its only fabric...bite my tongue!!

The three panels will end up being about 18" square and the finished runner (for a king size bed) will be roughly 22" x 88".   I hope, hope, hope that the gray will pull it all together.  And then quilting. Usually I would quilt tight wave lines in several different thread colors.  I'm leaning towards the same quilting technique, but using gray thread and quilting from one end to the other.  Thinking on this one!

And since I was in the improv wave piecing mode ~ 

I tried one combining ocean and sand!  This was good practice for the pillow I need to make that will coordinate with the bed runner!  I plan on adding a little sunset to the pillow! I think it will tie everything together pretty nicely!

LINKING:

LET'S BEE SOCIAL

WIP WEDNESDAY

FABRIC FRENZY FRIDAY

CAN I GET A WHOOP WHOOP