Circuit Board Maze ~ Kona Highlight Color Of The Year

Its always nice to finish a quilt, especially one you have been working on for months!  When Kona came out with the color of the year ~ Highlight, I knew I need it!  I liked it, so I bought some.  It sat around, and sat around waiting for me to come up with a plan.  And it happened!

I had this vision of a circuit board in my head.  Why, I couldn't tell you!  But there it was and it wouldn't go a way!

Circuit Board Maze
45" x 68 3/4"

I played around in EQ7 until I came up with something I was happy with.  Because each square was going to be 2" finished, I decided paper piecing would be the best way to go.

The stack grew over time, with me doing a handful here and there.  I didn't want to push it.  I knew it would be a time consuming design and I didn't want to get bored either!  



I'd print a few pages, prep the fabric, chain stitch, iron and trim.  Over and over and over.  For weeks and months.  The pile grew slowly and when I thought it was where it needed to be, it was time to remove the paper.  Yes, that was another time consuming process but one I kind of enjoyed. It meant my vision would soon become reality!

I cut a gazillion (or so it seemed) solid blocks using Kona Nautical and began filling my design wall. Yikes!  What have I gotten myself in to?!  This was the first layout and I was sure it was going to work.  I was wrong.  

This is what each block looked like when finished.  I soon found out that I had to be very, very careful how I placed them, and I certainly couldn't connect the blocks like the layout.  A problem yes, but one that I could and would work around.

Once I figured out that I had to be super careful with the orientation of the blocks, I reworked the layout.  This time it was going to work.  Again, or so I thought!

The best way to deal with piecing the blocks together was to make big blocks first.  I made 16 patch blocks marking each one with a piece of tape so I wouldn't mess up the layout.  Honestly, my head hurt trying to make sure the flow was right, the blocks aligned the way they were suppose to, the design...it got to me after a while!  Cross-eyed is an under statement!

With each bigger block I made, I came across other little issues.  Like making sure it would line up with the next block to the right, left, upper and lower blocks.  It was a maze of crazy!  Eventually I thought I had it!  It was time to sew the rows together.  And it worked, almost!  Somewhere along the line I flipped two blocks during the assembly and it threw off everything!  I didn't realize it until many rows later.  I ended up spending a lot of time with my seam ripper!



























With the top finished, I couldn't help but marvel at the back!  I loved looking at it almost as much as the front!

So there it is, the long version of a long process!  Was it successful?  Yes, and no.  Yes, I love it and it was worth all the headaches and time put into it.  No, there are so many things I would do differently.  Like bigger blocks.  Maybe less is more comes to mind!

Is it perfect? Not at all!  Even with paper piecing I couldn't achieve perfection.  Is that okay? To me is it.  It was a huge learning exercise, we learn from our mistakes.  I'm not saying it was a mistake, it just could be better.  And I'm not being critical or harsh with myself!  I'm still thrilled with the finish!!

I used Kona nautical for the back as well as the front.  I even pieced a few paper pieced blocks into the binding.  Knowing this was a 'busy' quilt, I machine quilted in the ditch resulting in an all over 2" grid.  I didn't want the dark blue Aurifil thread going through the Highlight.

Let's break it down!  

24 x 37 = 888 Squares.  Each square finished at 2", 2 1/2" unfinished.

394 Solid Kona Nautical Blocks
494 Paper Pieced Highlight Blocks

3 Paper Pieced Highlight Blocks added to the binding for a grand total of 891 2" Blocks!

I hope to 'tweak' the design with the mindset of 'less is more' one day.  Not anytime soon!  This quilt was a monster in more ways than one!

As hard as I tried I still ended up with blocks that were going the wrong way, maybe having it so busy is a plus for that issue!

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It's Been A Week! Sunday Stash

The past week has been full issues with my forever nemesis...computers!  I have been saving, scrimping and dreaming about having my very first laptop for a long, long time.  It finally happened!  I have my MacBook Pro!  Easy, right?  Don't I wish!  



Anyone who has Mac anything knows you can have all your Apple devices synced up. Well, only if you have updated operating systems!  We decided to update the desktop with the same operating system as the laptop and boy oh boy!  Everything works.  But there are things that don't work the way I want or am use to!  It'll be fine, I know it will!

After computer chaos, I was certainly in the mood for surprises and goodness!  The stars must have aligned when I popped in to Instagram a few days ago, just at the right time.  The Fat Quarter Shop posted a flash sale on Aurifil thread boxes.  

     
The deal was too good to pass up and after trying half a dozen times, I was able to get my screaming deal!

Could you resist?!  Me either!  The colors are bright and beautiful!  I mean, rainbow heaven!



I also received my Cloud 9 Organic Cirrus Solids for the 2016 New Block Blog Hop.  This will be my third year participating and as always, I look forward to creating a new block showcasing the sponsored fabric.  Along with a block, there is a tutorial that goes with it.  

There will be 60-ish blogs participating, each with a new block and tutorial.  It's so much fun seeing all the creativity!  The hosts are: Yvonne @Quilting Jet Girl, Cheryl @Meadow Mist Designs and Stephanie @Late Night Quilter and, as always they put on a great event!  And let me just say, the Cloud9 fabric is amazing! 

Another fun surprise I received was 12 fat eights of Art Gallery Round Elements.  Gorgeous, right?!

Afton @Quilting Mod threw down a challenge!  Create a finished project using any or all of the fabric and blog about it.  I couldn't resist the challenge and I've got ideas...lots of ideas!  

 

It's been really nice getting new fabric!  If it isn't for backing, I don't buy.  (not usually!)  I'm working on using what I have.  It isn't easy, it isn't fun.  But it has to be done!  

Lastly, I was thrilled when I received an email with a picture of a quilt using my tutorial for Wonky Blocks.   Usually I squeal like a school girl when I see that one of my patterns or tutorials has been used!  This was no exception!



Sue who blogs @ Quilt Times, was kind enough to share her quilt with me.  I love the colors! The quilting made it even more spectacular!  She shared with me that this quilt will be making its way to South Africa soon!  A charity quilt for the Zoe Project!  I think this quilt will be forever loved and appreciated when it arrives to its new home!  Thank you for sharing this with me Sue!

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Main Crush

Crop Circles and Hand Quilting

When I made my first Six Minute Circle (here), I had a hard time stopping with just one. Even though I was only trying it out, and had nothing in mind when making them, one became two and soon after nine were laying on my table!  

Maybe deep down I did have something in mind.  After all, I used hand dyed Shibori fabric for them all.  Same story, one thing led to another and soon there was this finished piece of cloth.  

I found a stray piece of linen for the background thinking it would be fine for this practice piece that wasn't suppose to turn into anything.  Maybe the wrong color, but it was too late to change now!   

After I settled on the layout with the circles, I strategically (by the seat of my pants) added a strip here and there to make three rows of circles.  Which led to the skinny strip on the left between the circle rows.  I didn't feel quite right, so I added a few more elements.  

During the construction phase I knew this would get the hand quilting treatment!  I needed more practice and was itching to do more.  

Working a little bit in the evenings, it has been coming together beautifully!  Why did it take so long to give hand quilting a try?!  I'm excited with each stitch, each row, each new element added.  So excited in fact that I had to share it before it was finished!

I was wondering what a wide binding would look like when I'm finished?  I should research that!  

I still haven't gotten a thimble, or the proper needles or more perle cotton thread.  I'm working with what I have since its all trial and error.  Plus, I'm still learning!  

Do you work with what you have when learning a new thing?  Or do you get everything needed and then some before you start?

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Finshed or Not Friday

When An Idea Hits You ~ Go With It!

This is for real!  You know how you always have something to do?  A deadline, a WIP, blocks to piece, dinner to make, and idea to explore, but something comes up and changes your entire schedule?!  You know!  

I am totally putting the blame on Debbie at A Quilter's Table for yoinking me away from my schedule!  Kidding, of course!  The Crosscut Quilt-along on Instagram, hosted by Debbie, was actually the diversion I needed!   A quilt-along that was simply...fast, and low pressure!

Crosscut Quilt
20" x 20"

After all the blocks were finished and the rows assembled, I found I liked it just the way it was! And I have to cut it up?

I was hesitant at first because once you start there's no turning back!  And really, it is worth it!    

After day four, I couldn't help myself.  I needed to finish this quilt.  Not because I was tired or it, of over it...I was excited to see the results.  The results even shocked me.  Me!

I sliced and diced my squares, arranged and rearranged until I came up with the ideal (to me) layout.  The blocks were sewn together again and I was frothing at the bit to quilt it. And then... Screech!!!!  To a halt!!!!

I had an idea!  Heaven help me!  Where these thoughts and ideas come from is any ones guess, but it happened.  I enjoy putting the unexpected in quilting or trying something different.  

What I did, and it's nothing new in the land of quilting, is to insert and accentuate a detail.  I wanted dimension that reflected the block.  Most would call it Trapunto Quilting, basically stuffed or padded quilting.

I didn't find out the 'proper' method for doing Trapunto Quilting, not me!  I just made it up as I went along.

What did I do?  From scraps of batting, I cut two 2" strips batting, folding each strip so there were basically three layers and zig zag stitched from end to end to secure the strip together.

Once I decided where I wanted to place the 'X', I had to decide how I would keep the strips in place.  There were a couple of options from machine stitching, hand stitching to glue basting.  I went with the glue.

I put a fine line of glue under the strips and used a hot dry iron to set the glue.  I wasn't sure if it would work on batting, but it did.  The strips are secure and there won't be any shifting at all.  

After pinning the layers together, it was time to 'let the quilting begin'!  Something I was really looking forward to.  Would this unconventional method work? 

Yes!  This is the result I wanted!  A raised, defined element that works with the original design and gives amazing dimension.  

I first quilted as close to the batting strips as possible, and then quilted each section.  Doing the dense quilting accentuated the 'X' even more.  

Even before washing the detail is there, but I knew after washing and drying it would be even better.  No question.    

The back shows the quilting detail, the raised strips much better than the front.  It's kind of crazy!

This did not disappoint!  In one of the low volume fabrics there was a small touch of green, so I added a tiny piece of green to the binding.

I want to thank Debbie for hosting this quilt-along!  For making it a fun event, one that took me away from my every day responsibilities for just a moment!

I plan on exploring this 'stuffed quilt' detail even more.  I'm wondering what it would look like if I rolled it instead of folded it?  Mixing it with hand quilting, or more machine quilting?  Glue basting it or stitching it?  

Have you done this before?  Something similar?  I'm always looking to push the limits, thinking outside the box, pushing the boundaries!  I may not have done the traditional Trapunto method, but what I did worked for me. 

If we never pushed and experimented, we would never learn.   Or have all these wonderful new methods and techniques!

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