All That and the Kitchen Sink :: Ebb & Flow

No space untouched!  I really went wild with the quilting on this wall quilt!  Once I started I found that I couldn't stop.  It was so much fun coming up with ideas and executing them to the best of my ability using a combination of free motion quilting and my walking foot.

What didn't I throw in?!  There's the ever popular matchstick quilting, pebbles, straight lines, curvy lines, swirls and curls...and let's not forget about the thread!  I think I used 5-6 different colors.  Some sections were one thread color, while other sections have several different colors.  Why not?!  I threw everything in for good measure!

EBB & FLOW
15" X 18 1/2"

I had a hard time getting photos that show the colors accurately for my first go around.  The second time it seems the stars were aligned and the true reveal of color and design came to life!  For the most part.

This color combination is a winner in my book!  Teal, turquoise, aqua, chartreuse, green to name a few.  

I wasn't sure where I was going when I started.  Which is what I love about improv.  You can go one way and then abruptly veer to the left.  The pressure is off when I work this way.  I don't have seams to match, points to watch out for, accuracy is a non-factor.





While quilting I often am at a loss for what designs I can pull off especially when I free motion quilt.  When working with a small quilt like this its a chance to 'practice' and try new things.  

The back shows the quilting in more detail and you can see the crazy things I tried.  I added my usual method for hanging mini quilts.  This is the tutorial I use:  Hanging Mini Quilts, if you are wondering!



I can throw the kitchen sink and then some without feeling like I overdid it.  That is debatable though.  A personal preference.  Large quilts rarely get dense quilting because of the size.  I have a hard time managing and maneuvering on my domestic machine.

But the same is not so with a smaller quilt!  Which is why I often take it over the top!  

This quilt asked that it be bound with a pieced binding.  Do your quilts speak to you?!  It fit the design, colors and overall vibe.

It's going to be hard to reel myself in when it comes time to quilt my next quilt!  Thankfully it's a large lap quilt and my options will keep me in check!

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Blue HST Geo :: In the Bag!

Another finish!  Just when I thought I might never get to the end of quilting my stack, I made it through one more!

HST GEO LAP QUILT
51" X 67"

I don't particularly love the quilting process which is why I accumulated quite a stack that needed to be finished.  There comes a point, at least for me, that you have to do the dirty work before you can move on to the fun stuff.    



The kitchen sink of straight line quilting was added to this quilt!  We've got 1" grids and 1/2" lines inside the squares and rectangles, 3/4" randomly dispersed lines throughout the quilt and some other details that brought the entire quilt together and finished!  

I used two different thread colors: Aurifil 50 wt #1148 Light Jade and #2745 Midnight.  



I used Kona Celestial for the binding and the squares/rectangles.  I like having the bold color as the focal point in this design.  I considered doing a scrap binding, but in the end I went with Celestial as the binding.  The dark frame seems to pull it all together to me. 



I think next time I make this quilt, I'll take it down a notch with the quilting adventure!  While I love the effect of all the different lines it does take a lot of time.  I don't think the design would suffer in any way if I went with some sort of all over grid.  We'll see.  I might forget by the time I make another one!

The back of the quilt really shows graphic shapes with the darker thread.  Although it's difficult to see, you might be able to make out some of the other quilting for a better understanding of the 'kitchen sink' of straight lines.

It's no secret that in between piecing or quilting quilts I love to have a palate cleanser of sorts.  A small project to recharge my batteries.  Those kinds of projects are always so much fun and honestly, if I didn't have an 'intermission' from machine quilting I'd go stark raving mad!!  Not a pretty look I assure you!  

What do you do to keep refreshed or recharged when it seems there is no end in sight with a project?!  Maybe you buckle down and get it done, get a glass of wine, or toss it aside?  All of which I have done myself!

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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!

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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!

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Hits The Spot :: A Quilting Adventure

If you know me, you know quilting isn't my specialty!  I try and try again, always hoping the spark will take hold and I'll miraculously 'get it' and become a bit more skilled than I am now.  

That being said, this last quilting adventure left me feeling like I knew what I was doing!  

HITS THE SPOT
20" x 22"

I've become a bit obsessed with circles lately.  Just when I think I'm done, some new idea or a scrap pile calls my name and there I go making more circles.  Mostly I've focused on full or half circles, a skill worth mastering.  I'm not quite a master...but my time has been well spent and I love it!

We all have days where we just want to make something.  There doesn't have to be a reason or a plan, it's the process and need that propels us.  Such was the case with this quilt.  It had no future until one day...I decided to make it into a wall hanging that would test my quilting skills!



I've never been able look at a quilt as a whole and come up with a plan, it's always been section by section and hope for the best.  Instead of dwelling on it, I embraced it.  And to make it a little more difficult I was going to match thread colors too!  Why not, right?!

I used Aurifil 50wt in Neon Orange (1104), Peony (2440), Yellow Orange (2145) and Canary (2120).



I channeled some of my favorite quilters, focused on some details I love seeing and prayed I could pull it off!  It also didn't hurt one little bit that this is a very small quilt and I would easily be able to handle it without a struggle.

Once I started I knew I couldn't or wouldn't turn back.  I was in it for the long haul.  Mostly I used my walking foot, but there were a few sections where I used free motion quilting.  The center has the best of both quilting techniques.  I'm a huge fan of frames with dense quilting placed around them.  

 

I worked from the center and tackled each circle with a different design.  There was marking, measuring and many times I was bewildered!  What should the next round be?  Too much, too little?!  And there were times when I doubted I could even pull it off.  

I was not going to let anything deter me.  If it works great, if not it was a good lesson and I actually was having a fun time with it!  



Finishing it with a matched binding was always in the cards.  Some things just have to be!



The detail on the backs of quilts is sometimes better than the front!  For this backing I used Kona Salmon.  It really highlights the quilting just as I had hoped it would.



Part of my motivation for this quilting adventure was to see if I could do it, and maybe gain enough confidence that I would tackle this quilt:

Which has been hanging on my design wall for a month or more.  The good news is I did gain confidence...as long as it's a small, small quilt.  I don't think I can handle a large quilt like this.  SO, any takers?!  I don't have connections to long arm quilters and frankly don't know where to go to find one who would be willing!    



The upside is I love this goofy little quilt!  For something wasn't meant to be anything, it sure turned into something!  There were plenty of hours put into the quilting...but worth every second!

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Improv Finish :: Machine Quilting

I could have done better.  I could have been more creative.  I could have, should have!  I'll go out on a limb and say most of us have had at least one project we quilted that we knew we could have done more or wished we had done something differently.

16 1/2" x 26"

And of course, a finish is better than not finishing!  

What did I do and what would I have done differently?  

I began quilting random straight lines, but not straight as in ruler straight.  Let's call these organic.  The widths varied from 1/4" to maybe 3/4".  Dense, but not matchstick dense. 

If you recall from the previous post about this improv quilt:  Improv + Paper Pieced, I attempted to make a structured paper pieced improv (that's a mouth full!) frame that would highlight the center improv section.  While I do love how this one turned out, it didn't exactly come together as I had hoped.  That being said...



In order to delineate the center from the frame, I quilted organic lines horizontally.  It helped, but honestly it is a busy little piece and hard to see or focus on anything!



You can see it a little better on the back.  Dark blue thread on dark blue backing isn't easy to see!



I really didn't have the luxury of setting this aside until I could come up with the perfect quilting idea.  But if I could have what would I have cone differently?  

The possibilities on something like this are endless.  Had I had the time to stare at it for days on end...I'm pretty sure I would have busted out the darning foot and free motion quilted the center in tiny squares of all different sizes.  Something like this piece I did last year: Controlled Improv or Chaos.  The outside I would quilted the sides in horizontal lines and the top and bottom in vertical lines.  Or...I would have sectioned it out and quilted spiral squares.  Or...lots of pebbles!  You can see what I'm saying!  With enough time to think, there are a lot of choices!

I'm not saying I'm disappointed with this quilted finish at all.  It just makes me want to do better next time!

Have you had a quilt you just wanted to get quilted and be done with and were left underwhelmed?

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Concentric Circle :: Tutorial

I'm finally getting to the Concentric Circle quilting tutorial!  Funny how life and some warm sunny days get in the way!!

I don't know that my version is any better or any different than other tutorials.  The main thing to remember about concentric circle quilting is to take it slow.  Slow and steady wins the race...at least in the beginning.  

Here are a few examples concentric circle quilting I have done.  With all these examples, I wanted the circles to all be the same width.  In these cases, they are all 1/2" lines.  You can certainly make them wider or different widths throughout.

'Josephine's Quilt' was my most recent concentric circle quilting project.  And I'll be honest here, it was the only time I had issues with the quilt shifting.  I'm a pin baster and I think my problem was I didn't use enough pins.  Full disclosure!  I have never had problems before, so I'm going to chalk this one up to users error!  

This hand dyed baby quilt is another example of concentric circles.  (Bye Bye Hand Dyed) These three examples are also on baby size quilts.  I've never tried it on anything larger than that.  Not that it can't be done! 

'Baby Gears' was my very first attempt at concentric circles.  It was scary at first, but everything went smoothly.  On this one, I started my circles in a random off center point. Another great option for this method.

Start by picking your starting point.  Do you want the circles dead center?  Off center?  If you want them centered find your center point.  You can do this my measuring the quilt and dividing width & length my two, or if your quilt is made up of blocks you can easily pick the center by the grid of the blocks.

I use whatever kitchen item I can as a tool, in this case I used a glass that is about 2 1/2" across.  It's a pretty tight circle.  You can decide what size you are comfortable with.  I would suggest starting with a larger circle for your first time.  As you become more comfortable with the quilting, you can always go back and add circles to the inside.

To mark the circle, I use my hera marker.  Yes, I'm still freaked out about using any kind of pen or marker on quilts!  The hera marker gives me just enough definition to follow along with my walking foot and its the only time I mark my circles.



For the first circle, I go at a snails pace.  I take it slow especially if the circle is small.  If you reduce your stitch length it helps with control of the curves and allows a bit more accuracy.  

I bury my threads, meaning I pull the bobbin thread up to the top and tie a knot near the fabric.  Later I will take my needle and pull the knot through the thread hole between the fabric and the batting.  Here's a couple tutorials on how to bury threads:  Pile O' Fabric Video, and Crazy Mom Quilts.



Once I make it around the circle I'll pull the starting threads up and between my foot.  It's almost like a runway...it guides me in and makes it much easier to line up both ends of the circle.



I have decided on the width of my circles by the edge of my foot (dual feed/walking foot). It's nearly 1/2" and works perfectly for what I'm after.  I line the edge of my foot next to the previous stitches and follow around.  



There are options for different width of circles.  You can move the needle position to the left or right for different widths.  Or, if you have a quilting bar (above) your can use that as your guide to make any width you want. 



I continue the circles one after the other, staggering my starting and ending points.  I have never had issues with puckering going only one way around.  Take it slow for the first half a dozen rounds.  After that it goes much quicker and it does get easier!



You can see I'm not perfect!!  And I'm alright with that!  There are a few bumps and ends didn't line up...but really...we all know that washing/drying will take care of that!  



Continue working around and around and around...you get the idea!  You can change up the thread color for something different too!  



I work my way around the quilt in circles until I hit an edge.  

At that point I will keep with the same method and work half circles that eventually lead to quarter circles in the corners.  

I've come to love doing concentric circle quilting and it works so well with many different projects.  I am mesmerized with the results and can't lie...it's hypnotizing!  Oh, and it might be addicting!

I'm including another link to a concentric tutorial.  Blooming Poppies blog is the one that got me started!  Just in case mine makes no sense what so ever!  As they say...the more you know...

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