From Trash to Treasure! The Process.

Not really trash!  I would never call fabric trash or scraps for that matter!  From one a little pile of scraps my mind always races with ideas.  But if you have visited me and my blog before, you probably already know that!

Early in May I made a placemat.  Sixteen to be exact!  These Geometric Placemats also got me thinking of other ideas, maybe even a pattern at some point.

Before I share the finished quilt, I thought I would share my process.  What I started with, where it took me and the flimsy finish.  Hold on to your hats...



Lovely, right?!  If I hadn't made sixteen place mats, I'm sure I wouldn't have kept any of the pieces.  The gauntlet was thrown down...the challenge began!

 

I put together several other blocks, added pieces of fabric to existing scraps and figured out ways to use pieces that were 'iffy' to begin with.

The plan wasn't to make each of these triangles the same shape or size.  I went with what I had when adding fabric and trimming them up.  That being said, I still wanted consistency with the shapes for whatever direction I was going to go in.  There wouldn't be perfection.  



I had to made a few extra of the triangle pieces (above) in order to get nine blocks for the quilt.  After those were finished I put them on my design wall for a few days to figure out my next move.  

The 1/4" dark grey lines are the connecting lines or the thread that binds it all together.  It made sense at the time for everything to link together.  Perhaps that's because there was sure to be a lot of negative space and I didn't feel like floating blocks would work.



You can see the inconsistencies of the pieces.  The blocks, the lines...like I said nothing would be perfect.  And I think that's okay.  There are times when things don't need to be. Then again there are times when perfection has to be spot on.  Either way, it's your choice.  



Of course there are places where I wish my seams had lined up better or perfect.  It just didn't happen and I didn't push it or myself.  Call me lazy!

Connecting the dots!  That's where the magic happens.  After days of planning and working on a quilt, getting it together feels so good!

I thought by adding the 1/4" grey border around the center would put the finishing touch on it, or contain the design.  My mind could only think horizontally when piecing the sections to make the top.  Maybe not the best way to go about it, but there's no turning back once I get a thought or idea!

I decided a simple pieced backing would be just fine.  Grey, pink and a rusty orange.  Now to make a quilt sandwich and get the quilting juices flowing!

I love a beautiful close up shot of most anything!  This quilt inspired me to get 'up close and personal' with it.  

After sitting pinned and primed, this quilt eventually made it to my quilting table.  It can take a very long time for me to figure out how I should quilt most anything.  Especially longer when I have negative space on a big project.  Quilting on a domestic machine has its limits, so coming up with something that I can do myself takes time.  

I'll be sharing the finished quilt very soon.  Because I'm still in Oregon, I don't have my notes on the fabric with me!  I know I used Kona Graphite, Shadow and dusty pink.  The orange and pink orange is a Shot Cotton.  Not a lot of info to go by...sorry!

Stay tuned!  More to come!

LINKING:

TGIFF

Finished or Not Friday

Oh Scrap

Main Crush Monday

Let's Bee Social

Needle & Thread

Let Me Tell You A Tale

I am so in love with the 'Tall Tales' paper pieced block!  I made a several of these blocks for my round of our Round Robin.  This pattern is so much fun period!  Regular or reduced.  Deciding what fabric for the front cover can be as simple as an all over print or a fussy cut motif!



I had a couple special ladies in mind when I made these two Tall Tales mini quilts.  My daughter Britt and her best friend Anne.  Childhood friends with a life long connection.  In fact, it was Anne's Mother who taught Britt how to quilt, and Britt passed her knowledge and love of quilting on to me.

 

This one is for Britt.  I reduced the pattern to 50% and picked a piece of fabric that I bought ages ago!  The block measured 2 1/2" x 3 3/4" before the border.  I loved the lime green monkeys and especially the one with the little pink bow tie. 

With this one, I wanted to have a title for the spine.  Something that related to her.  When I found 'Sketchbook', I knew it was the perfect, perfect title.  She's my little artist!  From the time she could hold a crayon she drew and filled many sketchbooks.  It was very appropriate!



Anne's was a little more difficult.  This one was reduced to 75%, or 3 1/2" x 5 1/4" without the borders. Mission #1 was to find a title for the spine.  It took a while but I found another perfect one! I paired it with Heather Ross' Briar Rose and viola!  Perfect pairing!  

The title is fitting because little Annie just got married!  And you know they are both feeling the 'everything's better with you' feeling!  They can write their own book together chapter by chapter!

 

Even though each book is tiny, they needed some kind of special quilting.  I took this opportunity to try a new thread option.  I've seen so many other people using different weights of thread that one normally wouldn't try.  Yvonne at Quilting Jetgirl has done this often with amazing success.  She inspired me to give it a try.  My little mini's are not on the level she does, but I had to start somewhere!



My quilting is as simple as it gets on these!  Organic straight lines.  I grabbed a spool of Aurifil Off- White 12 weight Wool (#8021) for the top and Aurifil Light Beige 50 weight (#2310) for the bobbin.  I was curious, worried and pleasantly surprised at how well it worked with my machine and very pleased with how it looked on the top.

On Anne's book, I added a few lines of Aurifil Bright Pink (#2425) and Spring Green (#1231), both 50 weight. Britt's has the Wool and the Bright Pink.



You can get a better sense of the quilting from the back.  I kinda of love this pink and green combination!

5" x 7"

4 1/4" x 5 1/4"

I'm telling you!  You gotta give Tall Tales a try!!  Even at full size it's adorable! 

LINKING:

Main Crush Monday

Freemotion By The River

Midweek Makers

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Needle & Thread   

Sweet Dreams, My Friend

This has been an exceptionally hard couple of weeks.  Loss is never easy, never kind or never anything that can be taken lightly.

Losing someone or something you hold dear to you is cuts deep.  The wondering if you could have done something or something more nags at you constantly.  The grief grips you like a vice and squeezes your heart.



My little lady Mary.  Mary came to live with us ten years ago.  My daughter rescued her, brought her back to health and eventually because of numerous reasons she ended up in our home.  She quickly became part of the family and stole our hearts.  We have often said when she came to us she won the lottery!

She was tough and stubborn!  A mind of her own is an understatement!  She would literally drag us around the block in record time leaving us gasping for breath!



She had a million quirks.  Her own Mary idiosyncrasies.  We loved every one of them.  Once she was comfortable with us, it didn't take long for her to be my TV buddy.  She'd hop up in my chair with me and snuggle under the quilt.  This girl loved to burrow and be wrapped in quilts!  



For ten years she was my constant companion.  My loyal friend.  That one constant that kept me on track.  She put up with all my quilting adventures.  And when she was ready for me to give it a rest...she let me know!  She would walk in circles around me, pawing at my leg, often unplugging my foot pedal or jumping at my side until I quit.  She knew when enough was enough for her and me!

She listened to me talk to myself.  She listened to me sing songs about her and call her all kinds of 'cute' names.  Mary Muffin took it all in stride!  I found myself singing about her yesterday...and I'm sure it will happen again.  

The memories are there.  The constant reminders will be seen at every corner for a long, long time.



She started her decline in health six months ago.  He little mind was going bonkers and her little body was letting her down.  The last couple months were the hardest as she required 24/7 supervision.  

If you knew Mary you knew she wasn't one to like a hug, or to be held or coddled.  The last months were different.  It was like she needed that contact and I was more than happy to grab her up and love on her.

The decision to let her be at peace and let her go was excruciating.  I struggled with that.  I clung to her, hugged her, cried with her...and eventually came to the decision that it was time.  

With heavy hearts we let her go with dignity, love, humanity and surrounded by the people who loved her with every ounce of our being.  

While our hearts are broken, we take comfort in knowing she is better now.  She has her spunk back and her wings!  

I'll remember her forever.  I'll keep those memories forever.  And I'll miss her forever. 

Sweet Dreams Mary Christmas!

In Memory

I rarely share a lot of my personal life on my blog or any social media.  It's something I keep to myself, and frankly it isn't all that exciting!  Today, I'm choosing to share the saddest of events.  As a therapy, as a remembrance, as a way to honor.

Friday me and my family learned that my oldest brother Michael had passed away from an apparent heart attack.  



The shock was terrible.  The grief unbearable.  My heart is heavy.  I don't have adequate words to express myself and how we or I feel.  We just got our Mother settled a couple weeks ago back in Portland, where she would be closer to many of her children.  She was looking forward to being with her son once again.  My heart is broken for her.



Michael was a grumpy old man!!  A grumpy old man with a heart of gold!  It was all part of his charm to me!  My children use to call him Uncle Bubble Gum because he would often stop by after work and drop a package of bubble gum through the mail slot for each of them.   
This photo is one of my favorites.  Gruff, but with a twinkle in his eye.  I loved him so much and he will be missed.  



Our family has a void that will never be filled with the loss of Mike The Spike! (a name bestowed upon him by our Grandpa)  

We will grieve together as a family.  We will come together as a family.  We will never forget our dear brother.  

Take the time today to tell someone you love them.  You could put if off until tomorrow...but don't.