Design Wall Monday January 9, 2012

When I saw the Just Takes 2 project less than 2 weeks ago I knew I wanted to do it this year.  A wide variety of blocks will be published via email every 2 weeks throughout the year.  This is a tribute to the Infinite Variety Red and White Quilts exhibit that was held in New York City March 2011.   Brenda Papadakis of Dear Jane fame and Gay of Sentimental Stitches are the powers behind this project and both have great blogs too.  There will be "name that block" contests and other fun. 

Here are my first 6 blocks.  I am using a variety of reds and whites and look forward to doing all the blocks.

To see what lots of other people have been working on, check out Judy L's blog Patchwork Times. 

Have a great Monday--let's quilt!

Barbara

Teaching Texas Braid

We had a fun day yesterday.  I taught Bonnie Hunter's quilt, Texas Braid, at my local quilt shop.  The students varied from beginner to somewhat experienced piecers.  Learning the process for a quilt like this is the real challenge:  which way to press, which side to start with, how to keep organized, etc.

They did a bang-up job!  I love when the light comes on in a student's eyes and they "get it"!  I especially love to see this with a student who struggles at first, and starts to doubt she'll ever "get it".  The feeling of accomplishment for that person is almost tangible!  See how well they did:

Progress!



Come back tomorrow for Design Wall Monday--my 6 Just Take 2 blocks will be done.

Let's Quilt!

Barbara



Small Quilts Friday

Today I worked on the Tiny Bricks quilt, only bigger and here's what I got:

The bigger one is 14" x 16" while the tiny one is 6" x 7".   I'll hand quilt the larger one and don't have any more need to make another one of these.  This series of 2 is DONE! 

Then I finished the 12 Days of Christmas quilt from Temecula Quilt Co.  Each day for 12 days they posted a simple, 3" finished block, day 1 was 1 piece, day 2 was 2 pieces, day 3 was 3 pieces, etc:

This little quilt is 17" x 21", perfect size to use an old fat quarter for the back.  I'll hand quilt this one too, probably big stitch, since that's fast and works well with these little doll-size quilts.

I made 3 of the first 6 blocks in the Just Takes 2 project, more about that next time.  I love these blocks! 

Now it's time to get ready to teach a great class tomorrow, at Patches & Stitches, my local quilt shop.  I'm teaching Bonnie Hunter's Texas Braid quilt.  A stash-buster, there is lots of piecing time in this:

If you haven't found Bonnie's awesome blog, Quiltville.com, you need to hustle over there--I have learned a lot from her and get inspired frequently.  Her "leaders/enders" method has helped me make several quilts recently, with "found" time--it's really a brilliant idea!

Have an enjoyable weekend, whatever you do.  Let's quilt!

Barbara

Happily Creative

This is the end of my pre-tax season creative burst!  Just another week or so and I'll be back at it full-time, and then some. 

Here's what I've done this week:

I saw this on one of the blogs I follow, Taryn at Repro Quilt Lover and thought it was sweet. It is also  tiny. Those bricks were cut 7/8" x 1 1/4" and finish at .375" x .75".  Now I've cut out 61 more bricks, twice that size, cut 1.5" x 2.5".  It will be fun to see how much larger the second one is.

The other evening I started quilting, by Big Stitch, on the Courthouse Step Quilt.  It goes fast and I really like the way it's looking.  I might be sorry about that red chalk pencil I'm using; time will tell.

Here's what I did today:  I selected the fabrics for my red and white Just Takes 2 project:

6 yds red 9 yds white

It was fun shopping in my closet.  Do you think I should pre-wash?  HA!  You bet, I'm pre-washing.  With at least one Shout Color Catcher sheet in those reds--I'm washing them separately.  Every quilter needs Shout Color Catchers at hand at all times.  Remember to use one in the washing machine if you suspect some fabrics may run--I always use them with my husband's new plaid shirts, they often run.  Once the fabrics are washed and pressed, I'll make the first 6 blocks, tomorrow.

I've read all Leah Day's posts so far from her Free Motion Quilting Project and watched the video.  Bet it would help if I practiced the lesson!  Hopefully, tomorrow or Sunday.  She is making it look so easy--the mark of an expert!

And now I'm off to make Block 11 of the 12 Day so Christmas quilt--love this one! 

Barbara

Free Motion HELP!

I know, you already spend enough time on the internet, Facebook, Twitter, email--got it!  Me, too.  But I look at this as "research" and "educational opportunities".  Here are a few more places I've found.

But first:  The one quilting goal that is most important to me this year is to improve my free motion quilting skills.  I've been a quilter for more than 25 years and have driven a Bernina for most of those years.  So it's not the machine that's the problem.  It's all operator-error.  I know the secret--I've got to PRACTICE!  More than I do now.  On quilts I care about as well as those that don't have to be fantastic, just adequate.  (Note:  this goal is so important I forgot to write it on my list! It's OK, I'm over 50 so forgetting stuff like that is allowed.)

Leah Day has an excellent blog and recently finished her 365 Days of Quilting designs.  Now she's on to an educational project to help all of us who want to get better.  Her best advice:  Shut up and QUILT!  My advice:  if you keep telling yourself "I Can't", you'll be right.  I'm going to read everything she writes each week and practice lots and lots.  By the end of the year I'll either be able to quilt well enough to satisfy myself or decide I'm only using my feed-dogs from now on--after all, I paid for them, why shouldn't I use them?

The other site I've just learned about is SewCalGal and her 2012 Free Motion Challenge.  She'll have some of the top people in the quilting world offer tips on a monthly basis.  There is sure to be much to learn from this site in 2012. 

Today I got side-tracked with a sweet little project from Temecula Quilt Co. called The 12 Days of Christmas.  For 12 days they post a simple 3" finished block.  Block 1 is one piece, block 2 is 2 pieces, block 3 is 3 pieces, you get the idea.  It took me less than an hour and a half to do the first 9 blocks, including digging out the fabrics:

Three more days, three more blocks, then I'll have a little quilt to hand quilt in the evenings, when I'm not Big Stitching on my Courthouse Step Quilt.

I figure we all have the same 24 hours each day, it's just up to each of us what we do with it.  Me: I'm going to Quilt!

Barbara

Design Wall Monday--January 2, 2012

Judy L has a fun blog each Monday where she shows what is on her design wall and lots of other people show what they are working on.  If you see something you like, click on their link and take a look at their blog. 

Here is my most recent project.  It doesn't look like much yet but the fan quilting will greatly enhance this simple design.  It's from a lovely new book "Utility Quilting" by Carolyn Forster, from the UK.  I met her at Quilt Market this fall and was very taken with her samples and this upcoming book.  It has several excellent pages on how to do bindings--a common topic new to intermediate quilters always want help with.  The projects are simple so they are ideal for Big Stitch quilting.  I find that fast and fun, yet it still adds the beauty of hand stitching to the quilt.  I'm all for Fine Hand Quilting, and can do it, but some quilts just need a "little love", don't you think? 

Courthouse Step Quilt 72" square

While on Judy's blog, take a look at a new Challenge she has set up for this year. Color Palette Challenge She is working with Vickie Welsh of Field Trips with Fiber to do a monthly challenge using color palettes.  Color is one of the things I get asked about the most--how to choose, how to use, how to know what looks "good".  This would be a fun way to spread your wings with color just a little. 

Tomorrow I'll have a few more links to exciting places on the web to learn quilting tricks.  I know we can't do it all, but I've found 2 that will go a long way in helping me reach my goal to improve free motion quilting.  Stay tuned!

Barbara

Happy New Year!

OK, so that's the most lame title of all, but what else do you say on January 1? 

I dislike the question "What is your New Year's resolution?"   Because for years, since I was 13 or so, isn't it obvious?  My husband of 35 years has learned not to ask unless he wants to be glared at for a protracted period of time.  Yes, of course, lose weight.  I'm working on it, sometimes more diligently than others, but I'll get there. 

Here are my goals for 2012:

1.  Make more quilts--and give some away.  Currently, I'm working on a Pineapple quilt for
Quilts of Valor.

2.  Use the fabric I already OWN--I have a sinful amount of fabric--someday I'll show you the closets.

3.  Get back to thequiltshow.com 2011 BOM, Ruffled Roses--I got off course last year and need to get back to it:

This is the first 3 months.  I'm doing turned edge machine applique', very cool process, but the prep time is my stumbling block, now that it's tax season again.

4. Keep up with the new BOM being presented by Gay of Sentimental Stitches and Brenda of Dear Jane fame.  It's called JustTakes2 and I have a button down below so you can find it easily.  I just learned of this last night--they were smitten with the Red and White exhibit in NY last March and have designed a sampler style quilt of many different size patterns for 2012.  You don't have to use red and white, of course, but I am going to because I loved that exhibition too.  Should be fun!

5.  Keep up with all of you, as time permits and I have something of interest to say.

6.  Oh, yeah, lose 10% of my body weight by "the wedding", then, lather, rinse, repeat!

So I wish you all a Happy New Year, with lots of love, happiness and quilts!

Barbara