Round Robin #1

Here is the first round of the Paducah Round Robin 2013 I am doing with 2 quilting friends.

The center applique' block was done by Ellen, who loves to applique', and I added this first set of pieced borders.  It is currently 24" square.  It now goes on to the 3rd friend who can do what she wishes to it. 

Lesson learned:  be sure to check the measurements AND quilt block carefully before proceeding.  I did all the math figuring to trim the applique' block to 18.5".  I actually did carefully trim the block to 18.5".  Then I made all the borders.  As I went to add the first burgundy inner border I discovered there was still .5" of selvedge showing on the block.  Oh, my, back to the drawing board! 

SO, I changed the block to 17" finished, trimmed it carefully again, to 17.5", recut the inner borders which now had to be wider, and put the smaller burgundy border on the outside.  It worked out fine and Sharon, the next person, can make units that finish at 2", 3", or 4" or add another floater border if she needs to. 

While working on this I decided what my own center block will be:  a Feathered Star!  Surprise!  I'm still in my "feathered star" phase, apparently.  And I need a sample for a class I am teaching in October so it's the perfect time to get the pieces cut and use my block for class demo. 

This kind of project is how the 3 of us celebrate/remember our road trips--we went to Paducah this spring and bought our fabrics on that trip.  Each of us bought 2 fat quarters for each other once we saw the colors/fabrics each wanted to use.  There are no rules beyond that--do what you want when it comes to you.  And we do have to use the fabrics that were purchased but can add to those if necessary.  I added one green this round.  Don't know if I'll get this one back for another go--we don't usually get them back.  We're pretty fluid about the rules...

Here is one of our earlier Round Robins--mine. 

I bought 3 different fabrics on a cruise/tour of Alaska in 2004 and gave 2 of them to these friends as a group "challenge".  I was thrilled with how it looked when I got it back and decided it needed to be larger so I added the large applique' border and put lots of hand quilting into it.  It took seven years to complete but it was worth it!  It won Best of Show at our guild show in 2011 and has been selected to appear in a new book, 500 Traditional Quilts, due out in 2014.  You never now what a little challenge might bring!

 

Be sure to check out Judy L's Blog, Design Wall Monday to see what others are doing.

 

Let's quilt!

 

Barbara

Over One Hundred!

I just noticed this is my 102nd blog post.  That slipped right by me.  I enjoy sharing my quilt life with you.  If you like what you see, please spread the word to your friends--I'd love to have over 100 followers too.

Here's what I've been working on this week:

These blocks are part of an X-block Swap Group I put together in my quilt guild.  There were 6 of us who made 12 blocks for each of the six.  Finally got around to trimming them to 8" and putting them on the wall.  Now to add the black sash with cheddar cornerstones--maybe later today after my outside chores are done.  I'm not sure if any of the others have played with their blocks yet.  Mine are done in 1800s reproduction fabrics--everyone chose what they wanted and it was fun to work on.  Here is the blog post I did earlier showing the other colors:  X Block Swap.

I decided to get on this for two reasons--the design wall was empty so it was easy to get started and I plan to hand quilt this and that will take some time.  Our guild quilt show is October 2013 so those entries are already a done deal.  The next show will be in 2015, most likely, and I'll be ready for that one.

While working on this one, I came up with another quilt that needs to get made--a Christmas gift for a young woman.  I spent some time yesterday looking at photos of Modern Quilts, on flickr.com and Pinterest.  I am eager to get started on that one--just as soon as this quilt is sashed and off the design wall. 

Here are my helpers:  Stitches and Patches.  Most of the day they sleep but at 10 pm the Kitty tussle begins--they are wild for about 30 minutes--then they crash!

Let's quilt!

Barbara

Might Be Done...

This Scrappy Trip might be done--it's 48" square and that just might be enough.

 

There are lots of groups working on these fun and fast Trip Around the World quilts.  There are Flickr Scrappy TripAlong groups with lots of photos and the pattern is a free one from Bonnie Hunter.  A fun way to use up scraps. 

My next project will be to add a few borders to this little gem: 

It's the latest round robin I am in with my 2 best quilting friends--this center was made by Ellen and I get it first to do with as I please.  We bought our fabrics at Paducah in April, all different and there aren't any rules--we can do what we want for the center and the other two can add whatever kind of borders they want.  Stay tuned to see what I do with this.  And, of course, my center block hasn't even been figured out yet--love my fabrics but no idea what I want to make for the center.  Here are my fabrics:

 

 

Check out Judy L's blog to see what others are doing.

 

Let's Quilt!

 

Barbara

Grandmother's Choice--Fini!

I managed to get my Grandmother's Choice top finished this week:

Grandmother's Choice, 74" x 74"

This is a block of the week created by Barbara Brackman, quilt historian extraordinaire, to tell the story of the fight for voting rights for women, in this country and England and Canada.  The patterns are still available here:  Grandmother's Choice.  Each week for 49 weeks there was a block pattern and a history lesson--very interesting and educational.  The colors I chose were the colors used by the English Suffragist movement--purple and green, right up my alley.

Don't know what I'll do with this top--let it rest for a while, I suppose.  Another project I can mark "done".  Yes, I'm a "topper" sometimes, more than a "quilter". 

Thought you might enjoy seeing an antique top I bought at Long Beach from Cindy Rennels.  It is not in perfect shape but is a great collection of old fabrics and the price was right.  I love how the maker add those much smaller squares on the right side.  I'll just protect this one and use it to study the old fabrics.  I might even replicate it because that's the best way to honor the maker:  "anonymous" was a woman.

 

And here's a new project I started, easy hand work I can take with me when traveling or work on at night while listening to TV--if I can keep the kittens from helping:

They are just stuck up on the design wall--as I get more done, I'll start sewing them together.  The blocks are 6" square.

Patches and Stitches--always in constant motion, unless they're asleep!

Check out Judy L's Design Wall Monday blog to see what others are doing.

Let's Quilt!

Barbara

Traditional Treasures 2013

Here are the quilts on display in Long Beach.

My Few Days in the Light

This Special exhibit is here at Long Beach and I am thrilled to have two quilts in the exhibit.  These are the words I'd like to have on my tombstone, a very long time from now, of course.  Except that would cost a lot so my husband won't do it, I'm sure.