Yet Another New Project

I have fallen behind on my MSBHQAL blocks because I got sidetracked with yet another new project.

Here are my Broken Herringbone Blocks to date.

I want to make 12 blocks so I have another 5 to go.  Purple, light teal and dark blue fabrics are all cut out and ready to go so they will not take long.  That leaves 2 blocks to prepare.  I plan to do a magenta/mulberry coloured block but I do not know what the last block colour should be.  Maybe lavender or something in darker shades of green.  Any suggestions?

What has sidetracked me is a quilt I am making for my niece who turned 21 last month.  She is having a big party in 3 weeks so I haven't got long to get this done.

Ms S is not a fan of pretty girly colours so I have chosen the following fabrics:

(Forgot to take a photo of the fabrics before I started cutting).

This pile turned into this:

Which turned into this:

Which turned into this:

I have 36 x 12.5" blocks and I have run out of fabric so I am trying to decide on layout using what I have. Option 1 is to lay the blocks 6 x 6 which will give me a 72" square quilt.  Option 2 is to lay them out  5 x 7 which will give me a 60" x 84" quilt.

I think either of these sizes will make an adequate lap quilt. I didn't really want to put a border on the quilt but if I want it to be larger I may have to. The decision needs to be made quickly because I plan on putting the quilt top together this week so that I have 2 weeks to quilt it (quilting is always the longest part of the process for me).

We are expecting lovely weather this weekend so if I can just keep myself away from my garden (which is soooo overdue for some attention) I will stay on track.

Watch this space.

Sue

No Will Power!!

Ok, so I caved!!  I have not even finished quilting the first of my flimsy's when a new project just had to be started.  I tried and tried to ignore the lure of the Molli Sparkles Broken Herringbone Quilt A Long  (MSBHQAL) but the temptation was just too great.

I have been reading and adoring Molli's blog for about 7 months now.  He brightens my world with his infectious wit and writing style.  Let's say he spreads the love and his glittery goodness filters it's way into my world making it just that little bit brighter every day.

We are using Anne at Play Crafts Broken Herringbone Block Tutorial to make the blocks.  At first I was quite intimidated but Anne's instructions and copious number of pictures made it achievable. My practice block turned out so well that I will probably use it in the quilt.

I have completed a further 3 blocks -orange, pink and turquoise.

I love the orange block, the turquoise is ok but I am still undecided on the pink one.  Pink is really not my colour so it may just be personal preference.  I will wait until the end before I decide if I am going to use it in the quilt.

I have also been distracted making string blocks for an online quilting group swap. I love making string blocks and crumb blocks.  It is so liberating not having to be matchy, matchy and not having to worry about points and seams meeting.  Just grab, sew, iron, grab, sew, iron.  I can push through about 10 of these 8.5 " blocks in one evening so it is also quite productive.

And finally, this week I made 3 baby receiving blankets for the Obaatan Pa Hospital in Ghana, Africa. You can find out more information on this charity here.

Now to catch up on my Broken Herringbone blocks and my String blocks.  Oh and of course to try and finish the quilting on flimsy no.1 which was started 2 weeks ago and promptly pushed aside and ignored as other temptations got the better of me.

I am linking up with Freshly Pieced WIP Wednesday.  Check it out.

Till next time.

Sue

WIP Busting Progress

My enthusiasm has waned a bit...I am still very keen to complete some of the WIP's I have but the process is proving to be a bit slower than I first thought.

I decided to quilt my Blue Ridge Beauty with an orange peel design.  First I made a little sandwich to practice and I like how it turned out.

All enthused I started on the quilt but progress is SLOW.  It is such a huge quilt and it is taking a lot of effort to push it through my domestic machine.

Two Harry Potter movies down and I am still not half way through.  I have gone a bit wonky a couple of times as I wrestle the quilt through the machine and the stitch length is not as consistent as it should be but once it is washed and 'crinkles' a bit I hope it wont be too noticeable.

So what I thought might take one or two nights is going to take about a week to complete but at least it will be one more project off the list.  What's that saying?  "Slow and steady wins the race".

I am linking up with Freshly Pieced WIP Wednesday where some not so slow quilters are sharing their awesome work.  Make some time to have a look.

Till next time.

Sue

WIP Busting

I have about a gazillion projects found in magazines and on the internet and another gazillion ideas for quilts floating around in my head.  Problem is that my head is spinning and I just don't know what to start first.

I am usually a one project at a time kinda gal but lately I find myself flitting between several projects and ideas for quilts and it is doing my head in.  Commence WIP Busting 101.

I am trying to avoid starting a new project until I complete some of the WIP's I have laying around. Most of them are completed quilt tops just waiting to be backed and quilted.  So that is my priority and focus for the time being.

This quilt top is Bonnie Hunter's Blue Ridge Beauty pattern. It took me 2 years as a 'Leader/Ender' project and has been completed for some time but something about it just didn't sit right with me.  I finally decided it was the borders that I didn't like so I took them off and used them in the backing. It is all basted up and ready to quilt.  I have decided on an orange peel quilting design which I hope to complete this week.

Next up I pieced a backing for this modern star quilt using left over fabric from the top and some solids in just the right colour that I happened to have in my stash.  Once I finish quilting Blue Ridge Beauty, I will baste this and quilt it with concentric circles ready to be donated.

Two down, 7 or 8 to go.  I probably wont get all 8 finished  before I am compelled to start a new project but I feel better having made a start.   I also want to redesign my sewing space with a new paint job, new curtains and cabinetry so that may be my next WIP!

I am linking up with Marelize Anything Goes Monday and Freshly Pieced WIP Wednesday.  I love looking at the wonderful projects everyone is working on and I will try my best not to add anything new to my 'To Do' list.  No promises though!

Sue

Finally a Finish

I feel like I have been working on these mini quilts FOREVER.

It started as a whim making the string blocks, then indecision over what layout to use lead me to doing 4 mini quilts.  Once that decision was made I got the quilt tops finished and sandwiched pretty quickly and there they sat for a couple of months.

Other projects got in the way and then I couldn't decide how to quilt them.  Well last week I bit the bullet and just went for it.  I love how a couple of them turned out and I am a bit 'iffy' about the other 2 but YEAH they are finished.

They measure 28" square and now I am left with just one more decision.....what to do with them! They will probably sit for another couple of months whilst I ponder.

I would like to say that I am moving onto completing some of my many WIP's but alas another whim has taken control of my sensibilities.  I have a large pile of scraps - crumbs and tiny strings so l started to make some crumb blocks and I am completely hooked.  They are quick, easy, fun, no measuring or accuracy required.  Now that's my kind of sewing.

I started 2 nights ago and I already have about 25 blocks (4.5").  What am I going to do with them? Who knows but I am having a blast making them.

I am linking up with Leah Day's FMQ Friday and Marelize Anything Goes.  Until next time.

Sue

To wash or not to wash???

There are those who passionately believe you should always prewash fabric to remove chemicals, dyes and shrinkage.  Then there are those with their foot firmly in the do not prewash camp.  I have always been in the second category.  I like the feel of unwashed fabric and I think it is easier to handle, cut and piece.

But everything changed the other day when I succumbed to Swoon madness.  After seeing pictures all over the net of such beautiful Swoon quilts with incredible colour combinations I wanted in on the action.

There I was happily piecing my first block.  I marked my white fabric with a blue soluble pen to make half square triangles.  I have always used a blue pen for this process.  When it comes to ironing the pieces I give them a quick spritz of water to remove the blue and away I go. This time though I happened to be joining a white square with a red patterned square and when I pressed the red pattern was transferred to the white fabric.  NOT HAPPY JAN.  After careful soaking I have managed to remove most of the red transfer but some of it is still faintly visible.

This led me to the conclusion that I had to wash all of my red fabric to remove the dye so this does not happen again.  Then I read that batik's also have a tendency to run, so I washed all of those to. Hmmm, what about indigo, dark green and purple?  You can see where I am going with this can't you?

Three days later I am still washing fabric.  I decided to wash every single piece that I own.  Every scrap, every fat qtr, all yardage....everything.  That way I won't have a mix of washed and unwashed fabric that will shrink at different rates in a finished quilt.

So washing fabric is my WIP this week. It is a long and arduous process.  My back and shoulders are killing me from all of the bending, snapping and folding fabric and my next power bill is going to be HUGE because my washing machine and dryer have been running non stop for 3 days!  But I am determined to get it done before I do any more sewing.

Here is the block that started the washing madness.

I absolutely love the red fabric but the irony is that after everything I won't be able to use this block in the final quilt.  I used a new 1/4 inch foot that turned out to be highly inaccurate.  Of course I didn't realise this until after I finished the block.  It measures nearly 13 inch square instead of 12.5 inch.  (I am making my blocks smaller than the pattern).
I tell ya, that red fabric was cursed from the start!  I guess I can use it on the back of the quilt.

After ditching the foot and marking a scant 1/4" on my machine bed, I quickly pieced one more block.

This one finishes at exactly 12.5".  Phew, finally something went right.

So before I can do any more sewing I'm off to put in another load of fabric into the washer.

Where has the time gone?

Has it really been 2 months since I last posted?
Seriously, I cannot keep up with this blogging thing.  I read several blogs every single day but forget to post on my own.  I really have to rectify that (she says knowing it will NEVER happen).

We have been busy spring winter cleaning.  Plenty of cleaning out cupboards, garage, garden waste etc. which meant sacrificing sewing time.

I have made some progress quilting my mini string quilts.  I am really dragging my feet on these so they are now on the top of my 'to get finished' list.

I also managed to finish several tote bags and zipper pouches for swaps and gifts.

And I have just about finished a couple of quilt tops to be sent to USA for victims of the tragic and devastating fires in Colorado.

These should be on their way in the next few days.

Now to get onto one of the many WIP's I have before I start a new project.  Chances of that???

Till next time.