Row by Row 2015 - Finish and a Win

I decided to see if I could get a quilt completed for the Row by Row experience this year. I had picked up a cute row pattern with cabanas on a beach from the Quilt Patch and made it over the next few days after work.  I then had time to get to a bunch of other local stores and over the past two weeks have worked diligently on them in the evenings after work.

I machine pieced the rows and used fusible applique. Some "firsts" for me during this process:

• Applique by machine using hte buttonhole stitch - not as difficult as I thought - need to work on turning those corners
• Fusible applique - tried several different types and found one I like - now I need to figure out which type that one is!
• Used the Quilt as You Go technique between the rows to practice longer seams before I put the rows together on my Dear Jane quilts
• Attached binding by machine rather than hand-stitching the back - if I am going to do this, I need to make my binding strips smaller since I like a nice tight binding.
• Machine quilting the entire thing - yes, you really should tape the backing down before pinning - I'll say no more

All in all, I had a lot of fun. I was the first to bring a completed top to Kelly Ann's Quilting in Warrenton, VA so I got to pick out 25 fat quarters. In addition, since I used the row from KAQ in the quilt, I received a gift certificate...which I promptly spent!!

Here is the result of my labor, which will be hung at Kelly Ann's for the duration of the Row by Row - through September, I think.

In order to keep myself from obsessing over what order to put the rows in, I chose to put them in alphabetical order by shop name, as listed on the label. (Yes, hand-written - I was in a hurry and it was 2am!)

Black & White & Bright All Over Jane - Border Options

I am working on the final layout for the Dear Jane quilt I am making using black and white fabrics as the background, and bright fabrics for the pattern.  I have decided not to make all of the pieced border blocks for this one. Instead, I will make the pieced version of the corner kites and I will piece a border triangle for the middle of each side. Other than that, I will alternate the black on black polka dot I'm also using for the sashing with black & white triangles.

Here are the options:

Option 1

Option 2

I thought I would like option 2 best, but now I'm leaning toward option 1.f I choose option 1, I will need to remake that corner kite with a black and white background -- which may be enough for me to decide on option 1!!  There will be a scalloped or straint border beyond the triangles - haven't decided that part yet.

Decisions, decisions, decisions. Which option do you like, and why? Well I have decided it isn't close and the clear choice is option 1. Off to remake that corner kite.

(Updated) Modernism in fabric and style

Wow over a year since I've written. I've been busy with those crazy Dear Jane blocks, amongst other projects. But I'll post those on another day.

Today, I have finally put together the blocks I made as part of Barbara Brackman's Austen Family Album Block of the Week last year.

I used Barbara's Modernism line for this BOW, combining it with other fabrics. For he first 12 blocks I used Modernism fabrics, tea stained muslin and vintage handwork and hankies; for blocks in weeks 13 through 24, I used Modernism fabrics and tea stained muslin; for the final 12 blocks, I used Modernism fabrics, tea stained muslin and fabrics from Paula Nadelstern's Metallica line to mix in some contemporary fabric with the more traditional.

I followed Barbara's Historically Modern blog and there she posted descriptions of elements of Modernism design. One of these elements is scale - think about the huge flowers painted by Georgia O'Keefe. So, I decided that I would use scale in my design for this quilt using the Modernism fabric, and made my version of a giant 9-patch block. It so far measures 99" square, and I am considering adding borders to take it to around 120" sq.

I hope to get a full size picture if I can lay it out at the library where my guild is having a sew-in tomorrow.

BOMs, BOWs and a Cruise, Oh My!

It has been a while since I have posted but that does not mean I have not been busy sewing away! 

I finished the Month 4 of the Barbara Brackman Threads of Memory BOM:

Here's the first four blocks in a collage format:

I had been working steadily on the Dear Jane blocks, but I took a break this weekend and started the Barbara Brackman BOW - Austen Family Album.  For this one I am using the fabric Ms. Brackman sent me in her Modernism line. I adore it.  I am adding to that line a tea-stained muslin and various snippets of neutral handwork -- edgings, lace,  and whatever else I find.  Here's the three blocks I finished this weekend:

 And I've worked  on Pat Sloan's Globetrotting BOM - here's the first 4 blocks in the relative position they will end up in the quilt. It will be a series of small blocks around the large on in the middle.

Along with continued travel for business, I snuck in a cruise with my quilter friend Suzanne. We went on a quilting cruise sponsored by Kelly Ann's Quilting and The Swirly Girls. We had a fantastic time, and I even finished the quilt top:

I love this pattern and I will make it again. It was designed with a white background, but I decided to change it up to black, as did one other person on the cruise. Suzanne used a beautiful blue batik for the background.  The next one I will do will be in patriotic colors for Quilts of Honor, but that's another post.



More on Dear Jane as soon as I catch up with taking pictures of all of the blocks.



And that's all folks for now.

Well Hello, Dear Jane

I am finally back home, hopefully for a few weeks before  I travel for work again. I was able to get to my Dear Jane club meeting today and I'm so inspired to get back to working on my quilts.

I chose a fairly simple paper pieced block to get back in the swing of things with the Dear Jane quilts I am working on -- block A5 in both of my color ways is done!

I have also decided to try the "quilt as you go" method with the black and white version, and I purchased the fabric for my sashing on the front and back. I will use the same black & white print as the backing as was used in the block. The sashing on the front is a black on white swirly print, and on the back I will use a black on black polka dot for the sashing. I think it will be fun to try this method and I hope to broaden my skills with machine quilting by doing this.

I hope to work on more of these tomorrow -- I have missed having time to work on them.

Globetrotting Month 2

This month, we visit Venice and gondolas are Pat Sloan's inspiration for Month 2 of the Globetrotting BOM. I got back from a business trip last night around 7 or 8 after a looong drive - a tunnel was closed and added at least an hour and a half to my trip. I needed some sewing therapy, and this block fit the bill perfectly!  It is pretty and was simple to put together.

Venice, Italy:

I am trying to follow the fabric patterns from one of Pat's color schemes and I am interested to see if that multicolored zigzag becomes too busy. There is plenty of neutral around so far to calm it down, so I will continue with it for now.

Threads of Memory 1

Barbara Brackman is hosting another of her wonderful Block of the Month projects. This time it is Threads of Memory, as she explains on her Civil War Quilts blog:

The theme Threads of Memory refers to the Underground Railroad. Each month you'll get a block named 

for an important place in the story of the network that assisted slaves on the road to freedom. We'll explore true stories of people who lived in slavery, escaped on the "Liberty Line" or helped the fugitives.

The twelve blocks will finish to 12" and each is an original pieced design for a star block.

(No applique!)

The first month tells us about Ona Judge Staines, a slave who belonged to George Washington and her saga through escape and remaining free.  Read more on this very interesting story here.

The first block is call the Portsmouth Star, and here is my version:

I will be using a variety of stripes, reds, white and gray. My initial fabric pull from my stash:

I need some medium tones, and maybe another light. I have already added a very light grey, used in the block above.  I am working on technical aspects with these blocks along with honing my design skills by incorporating lights/med light/medium/medium dark and darks/bright.  As you can see from the fabrics I like dark, light and bright! But the mediums add the depth I really like. 

I think I will use red in the star points as we move forward. This is just month 1, though, so that's is subject to change at my slightest whim!