Walking On Sunshine :: Finally!

I put off dealing with this quilt for too long!  By dealing with, I of course mean quilting it.  I had big ideas about how I'd like it to be quilted, but in the end I just needed it to be done.  

'WALKING ON SUNSHINE'
49" x 71"

I think I started making this quilt in June or July.  So much time has gone by I can't be quite sure!  The colors are probably one of my favorite combinations to play with.  Yellow, orange, pink in various shades and various brands were pulled until I had the right combination.

Each circle is 12" and the block is more rectangle than square at 12" x 14" finished.  I borrowed the 12" Glam Clam ruler from a friend  (Glam Clam template by Latifah Saafir) and with very little trouble began making 12" half circles.  

When it came time to pair the halves, I took an enormous amount of care to match the seams.  I did use glue on the seams to ensure I would be accurate.  The results were well worth the time and I believe I achieved some pretty accurate seams.

My initial plan was to have someone else quilt this for me.  I had ideas, but didn't feel I could pull off a show stopping finish in the quilting department.  The passing off of the quilting duties didn't pan out.  That left me with the only other option...me.



Once you start you can't stop!  I totally had to commit to it.  I tend to bite off more than I can chew, but I decided this wasn't the time for that.  First, I quilted in the ditch of all the seams including around each circle.  Then I quilted 1" vertical lines from top to bottom.  



I choose four blocks to keep blank so I could do something special on the inside.  I perhaps should have put a different design in each blank block, however I wasn't feeling that adventurous!  Instead, I did this circle design in one block.

 

And this square design in the remaining three blocks.  Please, please don't look at the stippling too close!  Now your looking, aren't you?!  

May as well share to good with the bad.  Like I've said numerous times, I'm not perfect.  And I don't mind sharing the not-so-good.  

On the back I used Kona Orangeade.  I just love that shade of orange!  And the binding is Kona Bright Pink.  

I used Aurifil 50wt #2145 Orange Yellow which seemed to be the perfect compromise.  I worked well with all the different colors in the quilt.

While I didn't take the quilting over the top, I did manage a finish.  I can't complain with how it turned out.  I'm just happy it's finished!  

I don't feel like I've had many large quilt finishes to share.  I've spent the past couple weeks getting down to business with quilting and finally have a few more to share.  One more is left, but at this point I'm not going to go there!  I wanna make more quilt tops!

Onward and upward!

LINKING:

OH SCRAP! ● MAIN CRUSH MONDAY ●  MONDAY MAKING 
LETS BEE SOCIAL ● MIDWEEK MAKERS ● NEEDLE & THREAD 

PEACOCK PARTY  ● TGIFF ● WHOOP WHOOP FRIDAY

BRAG ABOUT YOUR BEAUTIES ● FINISHED OR NOT FRIDAY

1/2" Hexie Kaleidoscope

I've been semi feverishly trying to finish up a small stack of quilts.  Quilting is going well, yet there are still a couple more to get to.  It always seems to take longer than I'd like for this process!  

In between the large quilts I've tried to work in a mini or a wall hanging just to break up the monotony...it's working for the most part.  

After I finished the first 'Hexie Heart' wall hanging I was determined to make another.  The process of hand stitching the hexies together goes super fast and you end up with a fun design.  For the second go around I decided to use solid fabrics, stay in the rainbow theme, but use 1/2" hexies instead of 1".  I'm so glad that I did!  It's ten times as adorable!

KALEIDOSCOPE
18" X 18 1/2"   

Oh the magic it makes!  I decided to use a dark background for a change of pace.  The fabric is Kona Gotham and I think it makes the hexies electrified!  They stand out in the best way possible.

 

With my hand as a reference...you can see just how small the hexies are in real life.  



Once all the pieces are together it measured 10" x 10", that will also give you reference to the size.



And what would a English Paper Pieced project be without a shot of the papers on the back?!  I made myself a chart of the design with each color section labeled.  Once I had that figured out along with my fabric choices, I wrote a corresponding number on each hexie so that I could get the colors in the right position.  A simple guide that makes sewing the pieces together much easier.

  

When I made the first one, I actually pieced together hearts to go inside the circles.  This time I decided I'd quilt a design in the centers instead.  It made it so much easier.  Plus, you can quilt some pretty great designs especially when you use colored thread.  



I grabbed my Aurifil rainbow mix of colors and proceeded to quilt some geometric stars.  They aren't the most perfect starts, but I love when I can use my walking foot instead of free motion quilting.  The walking foot wins out every time!



I stitched a tiny zigzag around and inside the hexies using a variegated rainbow thread (see back photo!).  I like that look better than the first go around with this design.  I then quilted 1/2" lines in a hexagon around the center using a dark gray thread.  From there I did a few rainbow 'flower' rounds and finished with many more concentric gray rounds. 



Why I don't use a dark background with rainbow designs I'll never know!  White backgrounds feel crisp and clean and you think they will make the colors standout, but a dark background seems to enhance the colors.  I'm a fan and I'm drooling just a bit!   



With every design (this one included) I tend to figure out better ways to accomplish or enhance things.  The center design, the quilting design, background colors, quilting...just to name a few.  And when that happens you know there will be another project along these lines.  I'm always trying to make it easier or faster or better!  Some things are hard to resist!

LINKING:

OH SCRAP! ● MAIN CRUSH MONDAY ●  MONDAY MAKING 
LETS BEE SOCIAL ● MIDWEEK MAKERS ● NEEDLE & THREAD 

PEACOCK PARTY  ● TGIFF ● WHOOP WHOOP FRIDAY

BRAG ABOUT YOUR BEAUTIES ● FINISHED OR NOT FRIDAY

A Little Bit of Everything!

I recently got back from a five day trip to visit family.  It was quick, but we had a nice visit right up until our return trip flight was cancelled!  Turns out Denver was in for a snow event!  We had to rush to the hotel, pack and drive to the airport in order to catch a red-eye flight back home.  Not exactly the leisurely pace we wanted, but we made it home bleary eyed and safe!

All that being said, the few days before we left I was in a sort of limbo with what to do with myself.  I really couldn't start an actual quilt, so the next best thing was to focus on a few mini mini quilts.  That way my itch was scratched.  I could surely finish one or two and be happy!

DOUBLE GOOSED
6" X 6"

I love the intricate process of paper piecing!  Thankfully there are creative people out there that know how to draft patterns that we can make.  This little beauty is called 'Double Goosed' and is the creation of Jeliquilts.  You can find all of Kelly's patterns in her Payhip shop here:  Jeliquilts.



These tiny geese were a challenge to be sure, but oh what fun!  I was determined to finish it before we left on our trip, and I did.  It finished at 6" x 6", and as you can see those center geese are teeny tiny!



Once I got home I quilted it up and put on the skinny binding.  Here is a tutorial for the binding method I use just in case you'd like to try it out:  Mini Mini Binding



The Rubber Ducky and Fishy Bones was pieced before I left as well.  These two patterns I always reduce the size when I'm printing because...I like to go small!

Fishy Bones is a Unicornharts pattern, and Rubber Ducky is a Zephyr Skies pattern.  Click on the links and it'll take you to their Payhip shops!

The log cabin blocks were a last minute after I got home project.  Something fun, easy and I could use scraps.  

I'm still trying to focus on quilting some quilts and writing a pattern, but between a trip, day light savings and fall weather I haven't made much progress!  Yesterday was a beautiful day which meant it was time to deal with falling leaves!  There are still plenty more that have yet to fall and I'll be back out there before long doing a repeat of yesterday.  It's always a feeling of accomplishment when the yard is neat and tidy this time of the year...at least for a couple hours!

LINKING:

OH SCRAP! ● MAIN CRUSH MONDAY ●  MONDAY MAKING 
LETS BEE SOCIAL ● MIDWEEK MAKERS ● NEEDLE & THREAD 

PEACOCK PARTY  ● TGIFF ● WHOOP WHOOP FRIDAY

BRAG ABOUT YOUR BEAUTIES ● FINISHED OR NOT FRIDAY

HST's to the Rescue!

There is no denying HST's (half square triangles) make amazing quilt designs.  With so many possibilities for layouts it can be hard to settle on one...but we manage I think!

I've been revisiting several of my designs lately trying to revamp and remake them because sometimes it's just worth it.  It also lets me see if they are worth further exploration or let it go and move on. 

HST BABY QUILT
36" x 48" 

There are several reasons I love HST's.  Possibilities, color options, design, and for me it makes choosing a quilting design is so much easier to come by.  How to quilt something has always been a struggle for me.  With the geometric design I feel comfortable and often eager to get down to business right away!



It's no secret that my favorite color the past couple years has been pink.  So it was an easy choice to try out this baby quilt design using loads of pink and a splash of coral/peach.  

I used two shades of pink for the square and rectangle shapes.  They add interest visually and give this quilt that geometric design that I love.

I think I used 8 -10 other pink/coral colors for the background.  I like to have a variety of shades...the more the better in my book!



The square and rectangle has concentric 1/2" to 3/4" lines quilted using pink thread.  I think there are numerous possibilities for how those could be quilted.  I just haven't gone there yet!

The centers have a 1" grid, but the fun didn't stop there!  I have a bit of everything thrown in.  Diamonds, rectangle/square grids, 1/2" lines, e/4" lines!



I may go a bit overboard when it comes to quilting geometric!  I love the texture and interest it creates.  Also, there's no denying it looks pretty fabulous after it's washed!

It isn't easy to see the quilting on the back of the Kona Bright Pink, but I think you can see just enough.  You can see the madness and then some!

Here is a close up of the back for a bit more clarity.

This isn't the best picture, but this is a lap size of the same design.  For the lap size I added one more square and rectangle to fill the space.  The background HST's are a combination of teal, aqua, green and lavender.  I love that combination!

As of today I still have to quilt the lap quilt, quilt my Shoo-Fly quilt, quilt my Half Circle quilt, write a pattern or two and fill my Etsy shop with holiday favorites!  It didn't help that I had to leave town for a week to visit relatives...but I'm doing my best at this point to keep my head above water!

 LINKING:

OH SCRAP! ● MAIN CRUSH MONDAY ●  MONDAY MAKING 
LETS BEE SOCIAL ● MIDWEEK MAKERS ● NEEDLE & THREAD 

PEACOCK PARTY  ● TGIFF ● WHOOP WHOOP FRIDAY

BRAG ABOUT YOUR BEAUTIES ● FINISHED OR NOT FRIDAY