Playing With Scraps

While I'm waiting on a brilliant idea (or any idea) on how to quilt my Drunkard Path quilt, I decided the best thing I could do was play with the scraps and see if I could make something out of nothing!

When making Drunkard Path blocks there is always a lovely pile of scraps that happen no matter how careful you are not to waste valuable fabric real estate!  Orange peel shapes seem to be the predominate shape scrap left after it's all said and done.  My mission was to take the scraps and see what I could construct, configure and imagine.  I think most people might have thrown the scraps out, but not me!  

ABSTRACTION
16 1/2" x 22"

Instead, I worked through the pile and created a fun quilt that let my imagination go wild!  Which after making a quilt that's all about accuracy and precision it can be a nice diversion and clears the mind.

The fabric in this quilt is Kona Ash Gray and Michael Miller Neon Pink.

I really enjoy the process of mindless sewing.  Most of the time I don't really have any expectations or clear ideas when I start a project like this.  I cut, sew and repeat until it's time to puzzle pieces together.  At that stage ideas start to form and I can begin to figure it out.  Perhaps that's a crazy way to work, but who's to say!

You can see how the orange peel shapes were used to create some of the shapes.  I didn't want the neon pink to overwhelm the space so I tried to keep it at a minimum.

When I finished the center I decided I'd inset it into a large Ash Grey piece.  I did a wonky oval shape and did just that...which worked but I didn't like it.  It was too stark.  Not only that but by the end I could have saved a lot of inset circle headache and just added strips on all the sides.  

The left side really brought it together for me.  That's the beauty of improv!  Don't like where it's going?  Cut it off and do something else!

I'm not a great free-motion quilter and my capabilities are limited, but I'll never back down or shy away from it especially when it's a small quilt like this.  I can do whatever I want, and in the end be very happy about it!

I didn't quilt on any of the pink, just the gray.  I might have had I had a matching thread or something close.  

Lastly, the binding.  I considered doing a faced binding for a minute or two, and then thought better of that idea.  Half and half with the neon/gray but take the time to match one little spot!  Matching the binding was the only precision skill in this quilt!

Now that this is finished and all the scraps are used I can move on to quilting the Drunkard Path quilt!  I don't plan on doing 'crazy' with the quilting, so expect straight line geometric quilting!

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

PEACOCK PARTY  ● TGIFF ● WHOOP WHOOP FRIDAY

BRAG ABOUT YOUR BEAUTIES ● FINISHED OR NOT FRIDAY

Time Warp!

Where did time go?!  I cannot believe it's the end of February already and I also cannot believe I spent 8 days with zero, zilch, zippo sewing!  And then let's not forget there was the virtual QuiltCon Together show going on as well!

Many of you know that we quarantine for two weeks in order to spend time with my daughter's God-Children.  There are three of them including the mom ranging in age from 7-1 1/2 years old.  We take Covid very seriously and both our families take extra precautions so that we can all have visits.  

We usually spend three or four days together and then they go back home.  However this time we had the added bonus of snow!  Snow and ice to be exact!  Now, Mid-Tennessee doesn't often see snow except maybe a dusting once in a while.  This time was a bit different and frankly, a very nice surprise!  

It was a beautiful scene!  I love watching the snow falling and how quiet it becomes outside.  Inside was a different story!!  With the roads too treacherous to drive, our 3 day visit turned into 8 days!  The good part was there was snow for the children to play in!  They loved it of course, and it helped getting them outside to play.  

I think we all had a blast and we sure love having the children here!  We are always thankful for our visits.  However...when you aren't use to it...it can be exhausting!  We look forward to the next visit of course, this time without snow!

All that being said, I didn't have one second of sewing in 8 days!  Truthfully the first several were a welcomed change.  But I was going through withdrawals by day 4!  Luckily those days were spent tooling around QuiltCon Together!

I was luckily enough to have two quilts in the show.  QuiltCon is the only show I enter quilts in mostly because don't know any others to enter! 

VITALITY

BEHIND THE SCENES

I understand why a virtual quilt show had to happen and not that I would have been able to go the the show had it been in Atlanta like it originally should have been, but it was nice to see the quilts.  I didn't sign up for classes or lectures...I just looked at all the quilts!  They were great eye candy, but it was a little bit of a let down.  There is nothing like seeing people, their quilts and all the detail in person.  Next year...I hope!

Now that I was finally able to get back to sewing I got to start a project that I've been thinking about for a while now.  Neon pink, Cotton + Steel and Kona Ash!  Couldn't be a better combination in my book!

And of course circles AKA Drunkard Path blocks!  I don't have a lot of the old Cotton + Steel fabric with neon pink left, but it was time to use it.  It just was.  The neon Pink is a Michael Miller fabric that is no longer available.  I bought several yards when I saw it on sale and then realized it was not going to be around for long.  

I drew up a couple blocks in EQ8, printed the templates and began cutting.  By the way, there are a couple prints in the mix that aren't Cotton + Steel, but have neon pink in them!

The blocks are suppose to be 5" finished and an 8" circle.  I always have issues with the edges of the blocks lining up.  I do the crease in the center, often glue my blocks, but they don't always end up perfect.  

I think in the end it might because I don't manipulate (pull!) the fabric enough.  Truth is, in the end it doesn't matter because I'll trim all the blocks to whatever size they need to be.  

Many of my designs aren't set in stone so I'm able to go with the flow.  I make it up as I go!  Which seems to be my way!

Hopefully I can make progress today and soon enough have a finished quilt top to share!!

LINKING:

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

PEACOCK PARTY  ● TGIFF ● WHOOP WHOOP FRIDAY

BRAG ABOUT YOUR BEAUTIES ● FINISHED OR NOT FRIDAY

Purple Majesty :: Graphic Log Cabin Quilt

I'm in love with this design!  From the design to colors to quilting, it hits all the high notes for me.  I've been itching to use purple in a quilt for quite awhile and it feels good to finally get that off my plate!

PURPLE MAJESTY
46 1/2" X 61"

It took two weeks to receive the background fabric after I ordered it.  Far too long when you just want to finish a quilt!  

I ended up washing the fabric three times until it was free of dye on my color catchers.  I had an issue years ago with purple fabric bleeding and I didn't want it to happen again.  Once the quilt was completely finished I washed it again and the color catcher was free of purple, so it worked!

Once the background fabric was washed and pressed it took very little time to assemble the quilt top.  I wanted a quick finish when I first started this quilt and then had to sit on my hands for two weeks!

I used matching thread to quilt lines in four (4) of the blocks.  Each one was identical, so at least I didn't have to come up with a new idea each time!  For the last two (2) I quilted 1/2" diagonal lines to break it up a bit and give a little unexpected twist.

For a better visual of the different thread color and quilting design the back always reveals the truth!

All in all I couldn't be more pleased with this quilt or the design.  Plus, I've knocked purple off my list!  Not that my list ever gets smaller...it just changes on occasion!

It was a fun quilt to make and I will make it again.  Perhaps using different shades of gray!

LINKING:

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

PEACOCK PARTY  ● TGIFF ● WHOOP WHOOP FRIDAY

BRAG ABOUT YOUR BEAUTIES ● FINISHED OR NOT FRIDAY

Illuminate :: Pantone Color(s) of the Year

Often I put off quilting a quilt for multiple reasons.  It's big and daunting, I haven't a clue how to quilt it or I just plain and simply don't feel like it!  When your only option is to quilt on your domestic machine it can be overwhelming.  Then there are those times when you know exactly what you want to do.

This quilt falls somewhere in between.  I knew I need a quilting redemption quilt and this was the piece I thought might be the one.  Geometric line quilting was the first and only idea I had.  

ILLUMINATE
17" x 17"

It's playtime!  With a quilt this small I can play with lines without having a bulky quilt to shove, push and pull through my machine.  Always a welcome change and one that I tend to enjoy a lot!

I started with the dark grey using a dark grey thread.  Simple 1/4" lines that are either straight or angled to different points.  Geometric wizardry!

I found the perfect thread that matched the Kona Bright Idea fabric.  It's a Coats & Clark thread that is nearly neon, but worked very well.  

When I'm doing this kind of quilting I focus on one section at a time.  I'll take a look at the section draw some lines with my hera marker and duplicate the design to each mirrored section.  If that makes sense!!  Sometimes I might delete a line, add more or angle a line to different points.  There can be a lot of 'dot-to-dot' with a geometric quilting design. 

Working from the center to the outside helps with this kind of design.  I can use the ideas from the center and apply them to the outside creating a more cohesive design.  

The back...the truth teller!  The best part of sharing the back is you get to see all the quilting without having to look past the actual design on the front.  

And the cherry on top is the matched binding!   It isn't much, but I think the perfect touch to bring the quilt to life.  Matched bindings are a labor of love!  They aren't always easy and take much longer than you think they will.  I'll admit that I had to use my seam ripper a few times until I was happy with the results!  

With this finish I got my quilting redemption!  

LINKING:

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

PEACOCK PARTY  ● TGIFF ● WHOOP WHOOP FRIDAY

BRAG ABOUT YOUR BEAUTIES ● FINISHED OR NOT FRIDAY