Update!

I really enjoy blogging most of the time, but it is sometimes difficult to maintain daily posts that are interesting. I know that people are viewing the blog since I have the visitor meter, but I get so few posts, I sometimes start to think what difference does it make if I don't post. I have to keep reminding myself that blogs are actually journals and since most journals aren't meant to be read by anyone other than the author, it really doesn't matter if no one reads them, yet along comments. So my commitment is back up.

I am feeling a bit melancholy since I am really wishing I was in Jacksonville. They are having the Quiltfest that, when I lived there, I attended and really enjoyed. Diane is there with some friends and we have been talking daily. I am in the process of living varcariously through her. We do enjoy each other and it is such fun to go to a quilt show with her. We are very much alike, but very much unlike each other, so it is a good mix. She is "shopping" for me as well, but boy do I wish I were there!!!!

I have also been working on "Spontaneous Combustion"---see above. Three more blocks and it will be 50% done! I must say it is a bit like eating potato chips. Once I start I really want to keep going---I start digging through my scrap bins looking for more goodies. I found some really cute fabric in mine and the bag that Diane gave me----frogs!!! It is a bit like looking for "Waldo". Lots of fun!!!! It doesn't look like it is very big but it is queen size. I think I am going to put some letters on it via Lazy Gal Quilting style. I bought her book the other day, so I am thinking of putting the name of the quilt via a letter block. Since the entire 'theme" of the quilt is "spontaneous", if they are a bit unconvential looking, it should be okay. I just have to figure out how I will make them stand out so they will be noticed----maybe on a white background. I will have to "dream on it" a little more.

I have also been contemplating purchasing a new addition to my quilting tool box! I really love "custom" quilting, but I can't do it. I tried buying some "cheater panels" and it was a huge diaster. I know I need to "practice", "practice", but I am by nature not a "practice" girl. When I knit sweaters (when I did) I NEVER made a gauge swatch----always wanted to jump in and start!!!! The results were often pretty good, but could have been better had I followed the rules! Anyway, I had heard about this tool when I first purchased my longarm (midarm), but felt I should learn to use the machine before I started to get attachments, plus, since we have made a commitment long ago to try to not charge, I needed to save some more money. Since there is no way I will be able to afford a computer guided system (it cost as much as some new cars), I am going to invest in a Circle Lord! I have been reading about them and contacted Deb (Rags n Quilts) who teaches some computer courses about it via Quilt University, and from what I hear it is a good investment and is user friendly. I am not going to be able to afford nearly as many templates as I would like, but the owner, Michael, is very helpful in helping me to determine the appropriate one for the first purchase. I am not going to get it until the first part of October, but at this point, I am pretty commited to carry through with my decision. If any of you have the CL and would like to offer your recommendations and share how you like it or the difficulties you might have or had, please do share!!!!!! I don't want to spend money for something that is going to sit in a box ("been there, done that, got the t-shirt").

Until then, I am going to plug along! Have a great day. It is so beautiful here---fall is in the air! The sun is shinning bright and is a perfect outside day. We are "babysitting" three of our grandbabies, who tell me that it is "World Play Outside Day". Great idea!!!

Happy quilting /or playing outside day!!! BTW--for some reason, spell check isn't working, so if there is a misspelled word, forgive me.

Finished!

All completed!!!! I really agonized over that skinny 1st border but decided to use the green stripe. The polka dot border really gives the quilt an updated look. The border looks sorta wavy in the picture. I think it should be okay though. I must admit, I am not a "presser", but am more of a "ironer" so the top is a little stretched out in places since I was working with a LOT of bias edges. I was going to use a panto but have found when I have a top that has some stretched places, it is much better to quilt from the front so I can "quilt" out those bad places. The pattern is also busy, so it would benefit from a simple meandering pattern rather than a fancy panto. The backing is a lime green tie-dyed flannel and I will use a turquoise thread. Sounds weird I know, but I really think it will look nice.

I now have three tops that need to be quilted so I am going to stop working on quilts and quilt at least one of these quilts. I think I will do this one first since it is going to be a gift.

Have a great evening and thanks for stopping by!

Progress!

I have been working on "Peaceable Strips" AKA "Hidden Well" and am almost finished with half of the queen size top (see above). This is going to be a Christmas gift, for a different person than originally thought of since it seems more "female" than "couple". I really like the strip and polka dot, so when I make it again, I am going to really look for the strip first and then build the other 6 fabrics around that.

The weather here is absolutely beautiful. I love summer and fall often makes me feel kind of melancholy since everything is getting ready to die off and the environment becomes all grey and sad looking. The fall weather though is perfect. I really haven't gotten a chance to dye very much at all, only once, so I think I will try to get a little dyeing in during the next couple of weeks while the weather is a perfect 80 degrees.

Well---have a wonderful day! Happy quilting!

More Progress!

I now have 11 blocks completed (45 more to go). It is going slower (I think) than I thought. I am trying really hard to not become obsessive about what color strips I match---just try to get a variety and am finding that although I "think" I am cutting all strips 1.5, it appears sometimes that I might be off a bit. This is a "liberated" quilt however and I just slice or add (as needed) and move on. I am also putting those "crumb" blocks that I posted a week or so ago in there as well (you can hardly tell the one that is already mixed into a row). I just surround them with the strings and they blend in well (see the one long block). I still like this quilt, but I might have to put it aside for a minute. I forgot I have a Guild Challenge I have to work on, so, "first things first", but I am going to work on this "honey bunny" daily!.

Progress!!!!

I have made some progress! This is 5 blocks and I have decided to make them 12 inch's unfinished. I increased the size of the one block I had made, putting the strips in a "Log Cabin-Like" manner. It didn't seem to make any difference in the ability of that block to fit in. Some of the rows end up a little "wonky", but again, that doesn't seem to matter. I am liking this---my DH just looks at it and says, that is really "bright". Sometimes when I show my quilts at one of the Guilds I belong to, the ladies often remark about the brightness of my quilts and in fact one lady said one of my quilts made her "eyes jump". This is going to be another "eye jumper". I think I am going to call it, "Spontaneous Combustion". What do you think?

The Lego Block AKA Compost!

Like so many of you, I get inspiration from the web. I am also a "scraper". I LOVE scrap quilts. There is something so spontaneous and non-traditional about them. I think that is why so many people love the Gee Bend Quilts---they are a reflection of just plain fun (at least to me). There are no rules, it is just an example of "happening". Anyway, Tonya posted an antique quilt. I absolutely loved it. She began a project to re-create it and called it the Lego quilt. Several others began to do the same thing (see my sidebar). Now I wasn't going to do this----1.5 inch strips (the original is 5/8 finished) and 6.5 inch blocks! One blogger is doing hers in 12.5 inch blocks and I thought I might just try it. Above is my first block. I am going to do 1.5 inch strips and although I considered 12.5 inch blocks, I think I am going to keep with 10.5 and see how it goes. Of course I am going for about 100 blocks since I really want a queen size, but then again we will see how it goes. My next test may be the 12.5 since the bigger the block the less I have to make. I might change my mind and go for the bigger one. This is certainly not going to be a quilt I finish soon, maybe not even this year, and I will work along with it daily, but not really have a completion goal. What I don't want to do is to make yet another UFO, but then again, this is about spontaneous so again we will see.

I also put up the first "Peaceable" blocks (AKA Hidden Wells). This is going to go to a son for Christmas so I have a goal here of completing it.

It is cool and rainy here---so it looks like we will grill in the garage today. I have two quilts I need to quilt so I might also load a quilt. I also have a test I have to create, so I have a sorta busy day. Oh well--"so is life". Whatever you have planned today, have a GREAT day!

Another Quilt!

My pact with myself was to finish one UFO before I started another quilt. Originally I had the exact quilt I wanted to begin in mind---in fact I had already made a couple of "test" blocks. Unfortunately, I have had this quilt (pictured above) in mind for much longer. I belong to a quilting "chat" group and they were talking about "Hidden Wells". This quilt was designed by Mary Ellen Hopkins in 1989. The directions are on the web but it is a LOT of pages and although I had downloaded it, I never really got around to starting it. It wasn't however availabe anymore so I had to rely on the internet copy.

I was browsing the other day and saw "Peaceable Strips". It was Hidden Wells!!!!!!....now I had seen the original Hidden Wells pattern on e-bay for something like $50---a lot of money for essentially a pamphlet......so I (of course) purchased it. I have also decided to make as many quilts as possible from my stash. This pattern calls for 7 different fabrics (all no more than 1.5 yards). I had purchased some fabric for another quilt (I don't really like the pattern anymore), so I pulled those pieces from my stash and (fantastic), I had 7 coordinating fabrics and all in more than enough yardage! The fact that I had fabrics from one line is rare for me since I hardly ever make quilts that "match" that much.

I cut all the strips this morning and have begun to put the top together. I am still not sure about the color (per se), but I am plunging on because I think it will be okay in the end. Unfortunately, I didn't have enough of any one of the fabrics for the border (I am making the queen size---remember I don't do small), so unfortunately I have had to order 2.5 yards for the border. I just hope they have it in stock----I choose two different ones so if they don't have one, hopefully they will have the other. I am finding that this pattern is like putting a puzzle together. You have to be very careful and pay attention to make sure you don't get things turned around. I had to make a little "legend" of which fabrics were A, which B etc. to keep myself straight. If this quilt turns out nice, I think I will make it in taupe's and greys---don't ask me why, since I am NOT a taupe and grey girl, but for some reason I think this quilt would look nice in those quiet subtle colors. I will keep you posted on the progress.

I have loaded a quilt I am quilting for a friend as a donation quilt, and my house (as usual) needs a little straightening, but I am determined to get some quilting in today.

Take care and thanks for stopping by!