Bohemian Churn Dash :: At Long Last!

Let's just say this quilt has been moved from here to there on numerous occasions the past 15 months!  Once the blocks were finished, the top pieced, the back pieced ... I was over it!!  

First I'll give you a little back story about this quilt.  I first made this quilt for myself way back in 2010.  It saw the pattern in an issue of American Patchwork and Quilting 2/2008 and knew I had to make it.  These days I don't make many patterns from magazines or designers, back then it never occurred to me that I could design my own.  This design is one that I've always wanted to make again.  

When I was planning on what projects to take to our Guild Retreat in February 2018, I decided it was time to give the pattern another go!  The plan was to use Anna Maria Horner prints from my stash and solids for the background.  Which I did. 

BOHEMIAN CHURN DASH II
76" X 93"

One of the main reasons I put of finishing this quilt was the size!  It's large twin.  There is a reason why I love making lap quilts...a lap quilt this isn't!  I do not enjoy quilting big quilts regardless of how simple the quilting design is.  It just isn't fun!

That being said, it's finished!  It's quite the scrappy specimen and my itch to remake it has thoroughly been scratched forever!



The Anna Marie Horner prints are mostly older prints that I have been hoarding for a very long time.  The days of holding on to what I considered 'sacred' fabric was over!  If you think about it, what's the point of having it if you don't use it?!  Preaching to the choir!



The pattern uses four sizes of the Churn Dash block: 16", 10", 6" and 4", and it all magically fits together within the quilt.  It's a puzzle!  With each print I made one of the four sizes of blocks, but used a different color for the background.  Why make it too easy right?!  My goal was to use a different color for each block as to not have any repeats, but there might be a couple duplicates.



Like I said, I did not want to quilt this!  With no alternative in sight, no quilting fairy popping in to surprise me over night with a beautifully finished quilt, I had to suck it up and get to it.  

Since it was literally all on my back (or shoulders!), I didn't try to do anything fancy.  Horizontal and vertical lines were my best friend!  I used my 6" x 24" ruler and marked on each side, from the left line I marked in 3", from the 3" line I marked in 2" which then left me with a 1" line.  I'm here to confuse you...you know that!  Doing that method vertically and horizontally I ended up with a grid of sorts, like a lovely plaid!

With this finish I have my first Christmas gift of the year checked off!  Come on guys...December will be here before you know it!  I am not an early shopper or maker when it comes to Christmas, so you still have time!
  

  

I am relieved to have this quilt finished!  My next 'anything larger than a bread box' quilt is certainly going to be sent to a professional!  I haven't got the desire or muscles these days!

LINKING:

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

PEACOCK PARTY  ● TGIFF 

BRAG ABOUT YOUR BEAUTIES ● FINISHED OR NOT FRIDAY

Churn Dash :: Bohemian Revisited

This quilt was one of my very first 'real' quilts I ever made.  By real I mean, one that was preplanned, one that turned out beautiful, one that really pushed my newly discovered quilting passion.  It's a quilt that to this day lives on my bed and is one I am still proud of.  

CIRCA 2010
78" x 96"  

I made this quilt back in 2010 with my daughter.  Britt was by my side to guide and encourage me, and was actually my 'sou chef' who cut (prepped) all the fabric and held my hand throughout the process.

 

   

















I have always wanted to make this quilt again but never quite got to there.  That was until I was struggling with projects for our guild retreat.  I thought it was good time to give it another go.  At first I was going to reduce the size and make more of a lap quilt, but figured I may as well go for it.  This time around I would use solids instead of tone on tone for the background.

 

The more solids the better and it was the perfect project for my beloved Anna Marie Horner fabric stash.  I spent so much time piecing the blocks at the retreat that I was sure I would never get them done.  I had to finish up a good portion when I got home.  

Cutting 1/8" and 5/8" really is not my favorite thing to do and this pattern was full of them!  I'm just glad I decided to cut everything before I left!



There were four sizes of blocks for this quilt: 16", 10", 6" and 4".  When I decided to make this quilt again, I was so tempted to cut the corner squares larger, sew the diagonal lines and then trim to the correct size.  That's normally what I do with my HST's.  However, I decided to trust that I could do this without having to trim.  I'm so glad I did!  



I had to trust myself!  I won't say that every one was perfect, and I won't say that this quit will be perfect.  Points will be compromised!

It took a while to layout the blocks in just the right places.  I used my side by side design walls and it still wasn't enough room for the length of this quilt!  I found some amazing color combinations of prints and solids!  Out of all the blocks, there is only one block that I wish I had replaced.  Can you guess which one it is?  Look to the left...bottom...purple...brown.  

For now it will hang on my design wall.  It's big!  Like so big that I don't have the desire to quilt it big!  I know why I got my first version long arm quilted!  The more years that go by in my quilting life, the more and more I really don't like to quilt the tops!  Smaller one, sure.  Large ones, not so much!  I'll get it done one of these days!

LINKING:

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Mid Week Makers

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TGIFF

Finished or Not Friday

Crazy Mom Quilts 

Back From Retreat :: Refreshed and Replenished

What a wonderful couple days full of nonstop quilting and a lot of fun!  You wouldn't believe just how exhausting it is to spend an entire weekend quilting!  I left on Friday and came home on Sunday.  We sewed, we ate, we laughed and we had fun.  What more could you ask for?  Okay, well fabric shopping and we did that too!

I did make progress on the two quilts I brought, but didn't get close to finishing either of them.  One has four different sizes of Churn Dash blocks and it it so time consuming.  The other I didn't start until late Saturday.  In between a stack of blocks I would do a paper pieced block as a way of 'cleansing'.  It helped!  I hope to share all of these projects in various stages as I work through them.  For now, I'll share my fabric haul and a few tidbits from the retreat!



It looks pretty empty in this picture!  It was early in the day on Friday, many people had yet to arrive.  The room was huge as you can see.  Plenty of space for everyone and a fully functional kitchen it the back.  

The lighting was pretty awful though!  I highly, highly recommend bringing a small lamp just in case.  It didn't help that there wasn't a ray of sun until the last day either.  We ended up binging in lamps from our cabins and rooms!

There was enough food to feed an army...we did not go hungry!  Fridays was our 'Social'.  Food, wine and wild, wild women...maybe not the wild women part!  I think everyone had fun.  I know I did.  I enjoyed the laughter, the projects, the fabric and the company.  I hope we do it again next year!

  

Each attendee received this little pin cushion jar filled with treats and tricks!  The thread donated by Aurifil fit perfectly inside the jar!



Clips, thread, pins, chocolate and band-aids!  All the essentials for a quilting retreat!

We were so, so lucky to have Elizabeth bring fabric to us from Craft South!  It was so much fun to touch and feel, and drool a little bit!

 

There was the newest Anna Maria Horner Collection 'Sweet Dreams', Carolyn Friedlander 'Gleaned' and some Cotton + Steal to round it out.  Also, solid bundles and even some yarn!

Emily took time away from her sewing machine to be the designated cutter...and she cut a lot of fabric that day!

My haul is pretty amazing!  I have to say if you haven't seen 'Sweet Dreams' in person, you can't appreciate how amazing the colors are.  It's a beautiful collection!

You can't tell much from this picture!  I am not quite ready to bust it open!  One day, right?!

 

I did buy yardage of these two prints.  The first will eventually be used for a backing.  Mmmm...just delicious!



I picked up a few pieces of 'Gleaned' for my stash.  The second and third cuts are pretty amazing in person.  They appear to shimmer, yet they are not metallic.  Very, very pretty!



Lastly, some solids.  The bundles were too pretty to pass up!  Plus, there is some purple/violet shades that may work for the Pantone Color of the Year Challenge:  Ultra Violet.  Thinking ahead!

That's about it!  There is nothing better than getting home after time away.  I was sad the retreat was over, but happy to get back to my space!  Sewing, bathroom and bed!  As with any trip, getting a good nights sleep the first night is nearly impossible!  I tossed, turned and actually had a nightmare!  My scream actually woke me up!  So strange...sorry roommates!

Worth it?  Oh, hell yeah!  There is something about being in a room with so many like minded people.  I learned, listened, laughed and lounged!  What more could you ask for!

Retreat :: Packing :: Swag Bag

I'm so excited to be heading to our Guild Retreat!  Today didn't come soon enough for me.  Our last Retreat was two years ago, which means we're all ready for another one.  This one promises to be even bigger and better than the last!  

There are a few things I learned from the last one.  Bring your own pillow!!  By far the greatest piece of advice I can give!  You will thank me for this, your neck will thank me for this.  

We all know how long it takes to cut out pieces for a quilt.  I highly suggest you pre-cut your pieces before leaving home.  One reason is, it's easier to cut where you are comfortable.  Another is you don't have to spend all your time cutting and very little sewing.  

That being said...I have been cutting and cutting all weekend through this week!  If I hadn't I'd would easily have spent my entire time at the retreat cutting!  Honestly!

I'll show you!



I have a quilt on my bed that I made eight years ago.  Recently I've wanted to make it again and figured there is no better time than now.  The quilt requires 4 different sizes of a Churn Dash block.  The first time I made it it was under the guidance of my daughter Britt.  (she taught me to quilt BTW)  Back then she cut all the pieces for me.  Today...I had no idea how much work that was!!

I decided it was high time I use as much of my Anna Maria Horner stash as I could for this quilt.  Which is exactly what happened.
  


The original quilt was designed with a tone on tone background for each block.  This time I decided I'd go straight solids.  I might be taking a risk, but what the hell!  It's only fabric!  YIKES!

Side note:  We will have a Pop Up Shop on Saturday featuring fabric from Craft South:  AKA Anna Maria Horner.  My source says her new line will be available...good thing I cleared out my stash!



I hope I'm not making a big mistake!  Time will tell!



Another quilt I cut was my latest design that is chock full of Flying Geese!  My goal here was to use my fat quarter bundle of Alison Glass Handcrafted that I've had for years!  

I spent far too much time searching for just the right pattern that incorporates a variety of sizes of Flying Geese.  Frustrated that the search wasn't yielding what I was after, I gave in and decided I'd design my own!  Let's hope it works since I've already cut everything!



But if it turns out...I could be a genius!

Another tip for a retreat:  bring a small project that will break up the tedium of a quilt.  A quick change, a quick project and chance of pace.

For me, I pick little blocks that I've wanted or want to make, but haven't taken the time to do so.



This paper pieced 'Fishy Bones' by Unicorn Hearts recently popped up on Instagram.  I cannot wait to make it!  And then she came up with 'Mr. Squeak'...there is no end to the cuteness!  Best part is they both are free patterns!



Mr. Fox is also a free pattern by Stars & Sunshine.  My son's girlfriend loves a good fox, so I thought I'd surprise her with this 5" mini. 



Yes, another paper pieced project!  This one isn't a free pattern, but I thought it would be really simple to throw down!  I'm going to make a 'J' using Quiet Plays Geometric Alphabet.  She has some of the best paper pieced patterns! 

Have I overwhelmed you yet?!  

Lastly, is the swag of all swags!  Aurifil thread!!  Some of you may know that I'm an Aurifil Artisan.  I'm among a very talented group of people who love to quilt and are supported by Aurifil thread.  It's a wonderful honor and Aurifil has been amazingly generous is my personal ventures and now with our Retreat!

I reached out to Hilary Jordan (Aurifil's Social Media Coordinator) and asked if Aurifil could sponsor something for a swag bag or just a giveaway item.  Imagine my surprise when this arrived at my front door!  Big, beautiful spools of thread!  I imagined small spools...this blew me away.  I'm sure everyone attending the Retreat will be just as surprised as I was!  I cannot thank Hilary and Aurifil for their generosity!



The past week I have been trying not to quilt a darn thing!  What would it be like to go to a Retreat and be burnt out from quilting?  Doesn't make sense to me either!  I know I'm getting super excited to have two uninterrupted, action packed and being around people who have the same passion as I do!

Which brings me to another very important tip:  Take time to chill out!  By that I mean, don't put your nose to the grindstone and try to get as much quilting done as you can.  Take the time to talk and interact with others.  My first retreat, I admittedly spent too much time trying to knock out as many projects and being as productive as I possibly could be, but I didn't take enough time to have FUN!  

Fun, connecting, enjoying each others company is where I want to take this retreat for myself personally.   

What are you best tips when you go on Quilting Retreats?    

EPP ~ WIP ~ AMH

Believe it or not, I did not touch my sewing machine yesterday!  Not once!  Instead, I cleaned the screen porch and basement/garage.  Fun stuff!  It's amazing how much schmutz accumulates.    

Today I thought I'd share with you my EPP ~ WIP ~ AMH project!  Translation: English Paper Piecing, Work in Progress, Anna Maria Horner.  

I'm always on the look out for a new EPP project.  The hardest part for me is finding a design with templates I can print myself.  When I saw that Jodi from Tales of Cloth was doing a Shape Family Design Challenge, I jumped in.  

The first thing you need is a pile of shapes.  I purchased two Hexie Shape Family packages (100 pieces per package).  What's great about these is that all the pieces work together. You are only limited by your imagination.  



I played around with all kinds of designs until settling on this one.  Deciding on fabric presented far too many options!  Do I use prints?  Solids?  A mix?  In the end I settled on two prints.  Anna Maria Horner's 'Pretty Potent', which are so perfect for EPP.  Any of her fabric works well!

 

Once I figured out which parts of 'Pretty Potent' I wanted to use, I carefully cut the shapes needed.  It was tricky, but I was able to get what I needed from two fat quarters.

I basted each shape with thread, my preferred method.  There is glue basting, but I find that it's harder to pull the templates out when the piece is finished. 



The joy of fussy cutting!  The center came together surprisingly quick.  I really wanted to use Kona Wasabi, which coordinates with the center.  The bright pink...I couldn't resist throwing that in the mix as well.



All my pieces were basted before I stitched them together.  I used three different print areas from the pink fabric, so it was a bit complicated and confusing.  Having the basted pieces done first, I could make sure each section around the center was in the right order.



I wasn't sure how I should group the shapes around the center.  I ended up making sections and stitched each one before putting the puzzle together. 



I may have went a little crazy on making sure I had each piece it the right place!  I numbered each section so they would be in the right order, I only had to redo one piece!  And then number each section to its proper place on the center piece.  



This is where it stands.  The big question(s)...what to do next?!  I could applique it to a piece of fabric.  I could add more pieces.  What color for the background?  What will it be?  

I was thinking of making it into a pillow.  I still have three 'ugly' pillow covers from my couch that need to be changed.  I'll stew on it for a bit...it will be something...some day...soon!   

 

Do you have a favorite fabric you like for fussy cutting?  One that has the best designs and shapes that no matter how you slice it, it's perfect?  Anna Maria Horner comes to mind, and Denyse Schmidt too!

LINKING:

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Seahabilitated

I don't know about you, but I think we all need a tropical vacation!  Imagine the salty water, the mist from the waves, the tropical ocean blues...now back to reality!  As much as we would love sunsets and palm trees, we have to be practical.  A vacation like that takes months and months of planning!  Thankfully with a little imagination, the perfect color combination and maybe a glass of wine or two, we can at least dream!

This colors in Seahabilitated has me pining away!  Bring on the surf!!  Kona Lapis, Sour Apple and a hint of Breakers!  Add in to the mix Anna Maria Horner's Loominus and honestly...I can't get enough!

Once I settled on a design, I ended up expanding on it with a bright border to tie in with the center.  Adding the geese and having them 'chase' around the quilt was an easy choice. 

It was fun to use some fabric that has been sitting around.  The colors are just strange enough together to work.

I'm becoming less scared of free motion quilting and much more willing to take chances. I'm not sure what you would call the quilting design, but it was fun to do.  The random funky flying geese came to me towards the end.  A little twist!

I have to say that I love the combination of of the green thread against the backing!  It may be my new favorite color combination!

Way back when I bought a scrap pack of Loominous at Anna Maria Horner's shop ~ Craft South. I've used it in a couple projects (small ones), but was lucky enough to have enough of four different colors to put in to this quilt.  Isn't it amazing how far you can make a few scraps go?!  I guess it helps when you are being frugal with them!

I'll bask in the fantasy of laying on a beautiful beach while looking at this one.  

Seahabilitated
36" x 36"

I rarely ever go anywhere, let alone on vacation.  My first choice is always the beach, tropical and sunny.  Where would your dream vacation be?  

LINKING:

Let's Bee Social

Needle & Thread

TGIFF