Here she is, Tealorange! She's finished!
You may remember that this quilt grew from two years worth of bee blocks. I asked my bee members to make 6 inch finished blocks that were teal, orange, and cream.
I could never have made this quilt by myself. I love that the blocks are a mix of measured and liberated piecing. I love the mix of fabrics. I love everything about it.I quilted it with parallel straight lines about 3/8 of an inch apart. It took a while to get it quilted but I think it was well worth the effort.
The binding is made of scraps of fabrics that I used in the star blocks that I made.
And the back uses some fabrics that have been in my stash for quite a long time, along with some Thomas Knauer jelly beans.
The finished quilt measures 60 by 73 inches.
This quilt is headed to someone who is a HUGE fan of orange.
Tealorange - quilting progress
I decided that the Tealorange quilt needed simple quilting. I started with stitching in the ditch between all the blocks and then added some parallel lines close to the ditch like I did on this quilt (but only in one direction).Then, I decided that I needed to fill the whole space with lines.
I have to say, I think the result is well worth the hours it took. I am thrilled with the results on the whole quilt.
I'm going to put a scrappy binding of orange and teals around it and will share a full view photo when it's really finished.
It has finally gotten warm enough to be outside without sweaters so we've also been working on some outdoor chores. Yesterday we went out in the fields hunting for morels and asparagus - we didn't find any of those but we did come back with a big load of garlic mustard. Today we'll plant some more things in the garden any maybe even have a field fire. I tell you, the fun never ends around here!
What projects have you been working on?
Tealorange!
This is what I've been working on the last few days. TEALORANGE! You may remember me posting some of the blocks over the last two years. These blocks were made by my quilt bee members two years in a row. Aren't they cheery?
This quilt has been a real "pick me up" this week. I needed that.It is too rainy and gloomy to get a good full view photo so, you'll have to wait for the final reveal because I now have it basted and ready for quilting. I hope I don't agonize too long over how to quilt it.
Blue Garden Dress
Miss P has a new dress and she calls it her "Blue Garden Dress".
The fabric, from Jennifer's Happy Land line, was leftover from the backing of one of the quilts I made for her. Miss P loves the fabric so we zipped out a dress this week. She chose the pattern from my vintage collection.
She likes that it is pretty enough for "fancy" wear but also looks great with jeans. Since it was SNOWING yesterday and warm weather seems to be taking its time this year we need some dresses that look good paired with pants. Miss P doesn't like to have "freezy legs" on the playground at recess and I don't blame her. I love her practical style.It is also a great dress for playhouse time.
I used an old Simplicity 6764 pattern but instead of using a facing, I lined the bodice for a more "finished" inside.
I love that these old patterns never seem to go out of style.
Super Hero: Behind the Scenes Look at a Quilt Blogger's Son
He is my super hero.
His special skills involve being tall enough to hold
and help display quilts for photo sessions.
And being patient with the elements (strong winds, rain, snow etc.)
while I try to squeeze in multiple photo shoots
on brief and sometimes rare visits home.
It can be exhausting
and sometimes he thinks he's my butler.
What a ham.
What a ham.
He often has great artistic suggestions on how to show the quilts.
However, I think those ideas are just an excuse to use his super hero skills to go climbing in the rickety loft of the barn.
However, I think those ideas are just an excuse to use his super hero skills to go climbing in the rickety loft of the barn.
Here's a big thank you to M, my supermodel super hero.These photos are outtakes from the photo shoot for my Atomic Pinwheels pattern.
It's Atomic!
As much as I like the Atomic Pinwheels quilt that I made from the atomic fabric, I think I like this version of the Atomic Pinwheels pattern in solids more.
I had fun with the quilting on this one too.
This quilt is the "throw" size of Atomic Pinwheels and measures 58 by 70 inches.
Listed below are the Robert Kaufman Kona solid colors and the matching Aurifil 50 wt threads that were used in this quilt.Eggplant 1240Peapod 1231lagoon 2810papaya 2140The Atomic Pinwheels pattern includes directions for five different sizes crib through queen and is available in my website shop.Next, I want to try a scrappy version.
Atomic Pinwheels
I am thrilled to announce my new quilt pattern, Atomic Pinwheels.
I think this print was perfect for the atomic design of the quilt that features pinwheels spinning in opposite directions. The pattern includes directions for five sizes from crib to queen. This, the smallest version, is 46 by 58 inches.This eye popping design is made possible by the use of curved piecing and partial seams construction.
The pattern includes detailed instructions on how to sew curved seams and how to sew the blocks together using partial seams. This is a project for an experienced quilter.My friend Ann did all of the wonderful computer graphics in the pattern including a full page colorsheet for each of the five quilt sizes. I have to say that this pattern would NOT have happened without Ann's computer graphics wizardry. She even came up with this snappy cover design.
The pattern is available as an instant download pdf on in my shop.Stay tuned for another interpretation of the pattern in solid fabrics.
Mini Stars!
I mentioned earlier that I've been having fun making tiny two inch stars.So much fun that I whipped out a mini stars mini quilt.
Mini stars should be quilted with mini bubbles, right?
I like it. I made it for my friend Lynn, I hope she likes it too.
The finished size is 14 inches square.The queen size version will be set with alternating plain blocks and star blocks set in a ninepatch as seen in the last photo here. I don't think I'll be quilting the queen size quilt with mini bubbles, though. I'll probably get stuck in the quilting decision stage for months on that one.
Working Small
I've been working on the tiny stars again. This involves lots of cutting of tiny pieces.
I like that I am including scraps from some of my recent projects.I see some Frippery, Circa, and New Leaf, and even a bit of Miss P's first day of school dress in these stars.I'm getting close to having enough...
Circa, Curry, and Cerise
This latest quilt I made for Jennifer Paganelli features her new Circa line. 
I added a touch of Kona Curry and Kona Cerise for a little continuity in the design.
I do love the old fashioned feel to these fabrics.
I actually finished this quilt a while ago but had to wait for some photo help. The chickens just weren't tall enough to do it justice. Neither was miss P. I thought you might want to see a better image than this, although I DO like this photo.
Finished size 60 by 84 inches.
The squares finish to 6 inches.
Grand Right and Left
Did any of you get to see the Infinite Variety show in New York in March 2011? As soon as I saw all the photos from the Infinite Variety quilt show, I knew I had to make a red and white quilt.Two years on the "to do" list isn't bad.I had a bit of a time getting photos of it. It has been dark and windy this winter. Here's the top before it was quilted.
Oooh, the wind stopped for just a second.
I love the electric energy this quilt has. It seems to be dancing.The lovely people over at Fairfield sent me some of their 50/50 organic cotton and bamboo batting to use in this quilt. It is soft and I love the drapey feel of it especially after it's washed.I have some directions on how to make this quilt over on the Fairfield site. Pop over there to see my "designer of the month" pattern for Red and White - Left and Right.
The quilt block is called Grand Right and LeftI used Kona Rich Red and Kona PFD fabrics.Finshed size - 42 by 55 inches
Butterfly Basting
I made enough progress on some other projects that I decided to pull out an old WIP. It is pressed and ready for pin basting.
I am eager to have this quilt on my bed! It is so bright and colorful, AND it will actually be big enough to cover the sides of our super thick mattress.
I plan to quilt in in a pretty brown/tan thread with something that looks breezy. I'm not sure what that is yet, though.Do you have any thoughts on breezy looking quilting designs?Previous posts on this project:Spring Butterflies - Miss P paired the fabrics for the blocksColor Play - arranging the blocksMore Color Play - a different lookButterfly Migration - the quilt that inspired this one.
Dear Stella Frame Purses
I was thrilled when Dear Stella asked me to make frame purses from their new line, Piper. Just look at the inspiration for this line. Isn't it delicious? It really has some wonderful rich colors.
I'm guest blogging on the Dear Stella blog today. Head on over there to read a little "how to" post about these frame purses I made for them.
Red and White
Yesterday I spent the day cutting fabric into little pieces. I cut up all this lovely fabric and also a fair amount of red and white fabric.Let the sewing fun begin!
New Fabrics and a Design Wall
Jennifer Paganelli sent me her new Circa line for a commission quilt. I'm going to add a little Kona Curry and Kona Cerise.Also, my happy news from this weekend is that I now have a design wall! You have no idea how thrilled I am to finally have a design wall - a floor to ceiling design wall! I am hoping that the design wall will help me work through my unfinished projects and keep the new ones moving along.This is the next long standing work in progress that I want to finish. B's aunt made these applique and embroidery blocks while her husband was overseas during World War II. I sashed them together ten to fifteen years ago but they've been sitting in a pile since then. There was some yellow fabric with the blocks that I was originally going to use for the backing but I am afraid that it might be too fragile. I have ordered some Kona curry for the back. I plan to hand quilt it.I also have some basket blocks that B's aunt made. When she gave me the blocks so many years ago, I didn't know it would take me this long to finish the quilts.
I love that there is a window right next to the design wall. Just look at that light!We still have a bit of rearranging and organizing to do in the sewing/craft room but I am making progress!Miss P is working on a "habitat diorama" for her research project on penguins. I'll try to share a photo of that when she's finished. She's made some pretty cute paper penguins.
Medallion - quilted and bound
I finally quilted the Medallion quilt that I made at Gwen's retreat in September.
The center section was quilted before Christmas. I started in the center and outlined the applique, then I stitched in the ditch around the saw teeth and stars. Then, I was paralized with indecision for quite a while on how to quilt the corners. I knew I wanted something curvy in there. I tried drawing branching feathers, I searched the web for ideas, I spent a lot of time agonizing over it.
Finally, this week I decided to go ahead and quilt some largish feathers to fill the corner. I think they turned out OK. I'm not sure sure that the large scale feather goes with the smaller scale of the rest of the quilt. Maybe I should have done a branching feather with smaller lobes. Hmmm.I'm happy to have it finished and move on to the next thing. Do you do that? Do you go ahead with something knowing that it may not be the best choice for the quilt just to keep things going. I don't like to be stuck. This quilt really had me in a pickle. I didn't want to move on to another project and have this quilt sitting around unfinished for who knows how long. Yep. I'm glad to have it off my mind. I think this design, although not perfect for the quilt, is good enough.I still may add a little more quilting around the applique, but then again, maybe not.
The finished quilt measures 40 by 40 inches.I have another quilt basted and waiting. I only know how I want to quilt parts of it...so I may be back in the same boat pretty soon. I hope not. I hope I can get inspired and finish it quickly because it's a quilt that I'm really eager to share with you!
Crafting in 2012
It's fun and always makes me feel more productive to look back and see what I made during the year. Do you do that?I've been feeling very unproductive the last week or so. I've enjoyed having lots of family time but I haven't spent any time at all at my sewing machine. I pulled out a couple of long lost knitting projects to work on in the evenings because I can be a bit more social while still "making". Mostly I've not been crafting. I'm really feeling the itch.This is MOST of what I did this year.
1. ladybug mittens, 2. Crazy Love quilt, 3. estonian-socks-colorwork, 4. Abbey-Road-outside, 5. Pinwheels-and-Strings-close, 6. Lynn's hexagon quilt, 7. baby quilt whole, 8. happy drawing pattern, 9. Nancy, 10. bluebirds of happiness, 11. Paris on a Shoe String, 12. pixie hat side, 13. pixie hat girl, 14. hexagon flowers, 15. rug, 16. slip n slide 1, 17. Bento bag, 18. frame purses first, 19. frame purse monkey, 20. Flower Power close, 21. new dress action, 22. Washi front, 23. birds and the bees washi, 24. Anna Maria Horner Washi, 25. frippery washi, 26. ruby finished, 27. pink pixie, 28. Point Me big, 29. skinny tee P, 30. Cloud 9 frame purses, 31. Little Stitches embroidered, 32. Happy Land close, 33. Swiss Chard close, 34. chick on mushroom, 35. medallion top, 36. sneak peek
Holiday Sewing
I've been busy with some holiday sewing. I made another Flashback Skinny Tee for miss P and then added a bit of embroidery from Aneela Hoey's Little Stitches. The shirt is made from a thrift store woman's top and I was able to save the neckline and sleeve hems. Yay for quick sewing projects.
The design was one that P had marked in the book so I'm pretty sure she'll like it. Since this is a knit fabric, I left the interior of the bird free of stitching. I didn't want the fabric to become stiff from the extra stitching.
Miss P has been doing a little holiday sewing of her own.
Now, I must get back to Santa's workshop...Are you working on any special holiday projects? I'd love to hear about them.
Swiss Chard - Rossie Made Me Do It
This week I finished the Rossie Made Me Do It quilt. You may remember that I chose this group of fabrics as a blogger bundle for Pink Castle fabrics. The pattern is from Elizabeth Hartman's Modern Patchwork: 12 Quilts to Take You Beyond the Basics
I tried my hand at quilting pebbles. I had attempted this before but wasn't happy with the results. On this quilt I quilted the pebbles in the white background fabric. I was having fun with it and not rushing and I think the pebbles turned out pretty good. I have to keep reminding myself not to hurry with the quilting. I'm always happier with the end product when I take my time.
I really liked the way the colored hexagons seemed to float above the background pebbles or bubbles sort of like lily pads on a pond. In an effort to keep that look I just stitched in the ditch around each triangle piece.
The binding was a little fussy but also worth the effort. I used straight cut binding strips like always but did inside and outside miters. The inside miters required a little bit of origami-like folding before stitching them down but I love the look.
Here's the whole thing.
And another look at some of those miters.
Decisions, Decisions
I have a couple of quilts pin basted and ready for quilting but I've been struggling with just HOW I want to quilt them. I don't want to do an all over design on them, I want to do something that really complements the piecing.In my lack of decision and procrastination on the quilting I got into a cleaning frenzy in the sewing room and found a pile of old Christmas fabrics. Do you see that selvedge? 1993!
A few hours later and I have a stack of gift bags. I made them in all different sizes depending on how big the fabric pieces were. I went through the suitcase of trims and found bits of ribbon that I used for ties. I just folded a bit of trim and stitched it into the side seam. Then you can just tie it around the top of the bag to close it.
I still haven't decided how to quilt those quilts but at least I have a stack of gift bags to show for my time. And, the sewing room is a wee bit tidier.
What have YOU been working on?
