Winter Blues

Not quite winter yet, but we had a really nice (and much needed) rainstorm over the weekend, which was perfect for hunkering down in the sewing room.


I pulled out these sampler blocks from an exchange I took part in earlier this year, and started playing around. I really did try to avoid going so dark with this, but wanted to pick up the madders/cheddars and blues which are predominant in many of the blocks. I was inspired to try this setting and ended up going with it - as opposed to the bug fabric I had auditioned several months ago.

bug fabric

The fabric I'm talking about is really tossed leaves, but someone said they thought they looked like bugs and I've thought of it as the bug fabric ever since.

The bugs will, however, grace the back of the quilt. Sorry, but I love this fabric! Its also very soft, as well as pretty. IMO. 

Anyway, the colors felt warm and cozy to me, and I was in the mood to move ahead with this, so  I went to work.

I laid it out on my design wall, and approached the construction in vertical rows. I took each block down one at a time, attached the triangles, then put them right back on the wall. Many people seem to be able to lay out stacks beside the machine and just sew, but with this setting that would be way too confusing for me. I often wonder how anyone can work without a design wall (or floor, if you have room, which I don't).

 I even had to mark the "top" with a pin, to help me avoid installing the unit upside down. Which I managed to do once anyway, don't ask me how.

I pressed and trimmed as I went along.

Units were then peeled off one at a time and joined to one another.

And you know me, I had to fan the intersections to avoid bulk.

You may notice its a little wide across the top. Its not entirely the photo. Upon measuring, I had almost two inches difference from the top to the center to reconcile, and about an inch at the bottom. Silly me, I didn't think through how I cut my triangles, and they're all on the bias at the edge.  Well... I measured my borders the way you're "supposed" to (meaning I rarely do this) across the middle of the quilt, then cut the borders to that measurement. Then you have to ease the quilt into the borders. I was astonished this actually works!

So here it is, ready to baste and quilt. I'm going to try out a 100% bamboo batt I bought at PIQF last month, by Winline. The plan is to machine quilt this on my Janome, in some kind of all-over design. I'm thinking, large arcs, like a Baptist Fan gone wild. Wish me luck!

Meanwhile, I finally finished hand quilting my little Basket Quilt.

Judie Rothermel Dressing Gowns line, combined with some Cocheco Mills prints.

oops... looks like a dog ear on the top left corner. Interesting how some of these goofs don't show until you look at the photo. Can I fix this? Maybe....    needs blocking at any rate.

I have a few more things in the works, but that's enough for one post!

love,
Sandy