Quilty doings

In a post last May, I showed my completed 2018 quilts: three for weddings and five as "good-bye" gifts for co-workers.

Since then, I've finished (finally) a quilt for my own bed.  The top for this was completed (or so I thought) over a year ago, but after looking at a photo I'd taken, I discovered that several blocks were sewn together wrong!   Funny how seeing something through a lens can draw your attention to details that you miss when you look directly at it.  So I had the tedious task of taking apart the mis-aligned blocks and re-sewing the seams correctly.  Not fun when you're manipulating a queen-size quilt top!  Came out nicely, though, if I do say so myself.  Now to make the matching curtains from the patterned iris fabric.  

A couple of odd blocks made from scraps made a cheery and useful comfort/healing baby quilt, I think.  Quilted this one myself.  

Also quilted this variation on what I call my "SIBQ" -- Standard Issue Baby Quilt, which is always made of 1930's reproductions and white, usually alternating 9-patches and plain blocks, but this one is a little different.  It was shipped to California for the first grandchild of a friend there.  

I have a couple throw-size projects in the works, but mostly, in the near future, I want to concentrate on finishing up about half a dozen smaller, mostly scrap quilts, that would be suitable for baby quilts and that I can machine quilt myself.   Watch this space. 

Random catch-up post

My goal for blogging was two posts per month, plus one progress report.  If I count my Day Zero list as one, I'm still behind one for May.  Since I was away and mostly "off the grid" for almost two weeks, I'm giving myself an extension.

Haven't had time yet to organize my photos and memories of my trip so instead, I'll pull out a few photos of last year's (2018) quilts, as the second post for May.

My daughter had several friends get married last year.  For one, I put together some swap blocks as a wedding gift from her.  The blocks were bright churn dashes on a black background and had been well-aged in my stash.

Another friend was a young woman I had also known for several years.  My daughter was maid of honor for her and I was invited to the wedding, so this was my present.  The pattern is called "Reticular" and my version is a variation that used six fabrics and one background instead of the four colors and two backgrounds called for in the original.

My nephew also tied the knot and he and his lovely new wife received this one, of my own "design".  Though not complex (and mostly put together as "leader-enders"), I was quite pleased with the way it came out.

Finally, as I had known my office was closing about a year ahead of time, I made quilts for all of my co-workers.   The colleague with whom I regularly traveled to conferences is fond of penguins and the color orange.  Hence:

The color palette preferred by the sole woman in the group is similar to my favorite shades, so this one was fun to put together for her.

The three other men in the office (known collectively in my quilt log as "the LTI guys") received quilts made with Civil War reproductions, as these fabics are, IMO, appropriately "masculine."

 

Now that I have a lot more time for quilting, I hope to catch up on some WIP's that have been hanging out in my closet.  Photos will be shared when available.

Next up will be progress report for May.

W.I.B.W.O.

I had planned to finish up with one or two non-quilty posts and, by then, dump the photos of the most recent from my camera's memory card so I could show all the finishes from the past few months. But somehow a "draft" got posted with photos and temporary text so, rather than take it all back, I just added the correct text to the pictures. 

Graduation quilt for D#1's boyfriend.  He's from Seattle, spent a semester in India, and went to school in Washington DC.   The quilt, called "Oh, the Places You've Been" is made up of fabrics representing these places and was quilted by my usual long-armer.

The back is pieced from yellow (his favorite color) polka dot fabric with a strip of green for his environmental studies degree.  There's also a scrap of London fabric relating to the time he spent with us there over Christmas, and a strip with the Canadian flag (a late addition since I didn't find it until the back had been pieced) because he was born in Canada.

Our hand-sewing group made baby quilts for the Baby Bureau as a summer project.  Nancy posted photos of them here.  I'd forgotten to take mine to the meeting, but had finished up three small projects that were in process when we'd decided on the summer goal.  All of these were quilted by me.

My personal challenge from a while back.

Center was from sample blocks from previous quilts, bordered with a lot of scrap 2 1/2" squares.

Yet another way to use the "V-blocks" which I made by the hundreds!

I didn't put a label on these but did embroider my initials on the corner of the backs. 

More posts (and quilts) to come.

W.I.B.W.O.

When I get my act together (no breath-holding, please!), I hope to do a couple of posts with actual writing.  Want to finish up my London trip, and put up a few photos of subsequent travel.  Till then, here are some of the quilts I've finished and photographed.

The pattern for the main part of the quilt below became known as "The Quilt From Hell" as it flummoxed blog-free Honna, one of our White Oak Group, a while back.  Consequently, I gave her some small assistance so she could finish the large one she was making as a gift.  I just knew that, with the right fabrics (contrast, contrast, contrast), it would be lovely.   Last year, I decided to make it in purples and pansies for D#2's "new" room.  (We've only been in our house ...um... 3 years now...).  When I asked Honna if I could borrow the pattern, she graciously rescued the pattern from the trash and gave it to me for keeps!  I lengthened so it would fit D#2's bed and designed the pieced borders, using actual math!  Unfortunately, when I started to put them together, I discovered that my "actual" math was wrong.  I therefore named the borders "the borders from Hades"!   But, when it was FINALLY completed, I was mostly happy with it!   Size is a touch small to be the generous bedspread I wanted, but it still covers the mattress and box spring.

An office colleague has two daughters, each of whom announced in January that he would be a grandfather!  Their due dates were just one week apart and the babies' actual birthdates were back-to-back!  "Standard issue" baby quilts for both!   His favorite color is orange, so a nod to granddad on both bindings.

The organization "Quilts for Kids" hosted the Philly Modern Quilt Guild for a sew-in a while back.  I went along as the guest of my friend, Bobbi.  There I started putting together a pre-cut kit of fun Laurel Burch cat fabrics.  Finally finished it so it could be returned to QfK.  This photo was taken before I added some additional quilting, per the organization's request. 

Years ago, a pattern called "Pointless Wonder" was floating about -- one of those stack-and-slash patterns where end up with all the fabrics mixed up in each block.   Not long after 9/11, I'd made one in red, white, and blue, one of many delivered to the families of the firefighters killed that day.  

Last fall, I brought to a close (temporarily at least) my relationship with a therapist who had seen me through the worst of my "annis-es horriblis-es".   I wanted to make her a "parting gift," so to speak). I decided this pattern, with stars whose points were all chopped off, would be appropriate, partially as a representation of my struggle to break free of my perfectionistic attitudes. I chose the fabrics because she and I share the favorite color of purple, she works with many women, hence the pink, and green is the color of growth.  Thought I'd call it "Perfect Points are for Perfect People", but that was way too long, so I settled on just Pointless Wonder, and included a note about the rejected name as well as the color scheme. 

The last of my purple trio -- a free pattern from Susan Mallery called "Land of Happy Endings." Oddly, though I am known for my love of purple and I own a ton of fabric in those tones, I'd never made a purple quilt!   Then, for a while, I had three in progress -- the purple pansies for D#2, PW for T, and this one.... just because.  Currently a quilt with no owner, it was made of scraps, with the yellow and white 9-patches my leader-ender project for some time.  I was so excited when I found that polka dot border fabric!  You may be able to see it more closely if you click on the photo.   

I've already had a couple of offers to take it off my hands....

... has got up and went.

I've lost my "get up and go."  Anybody know where I might have left it?

I suspect it's a case of post-holiday, post-vacation, post-you-name-it letdown, complicated by my being sick with a major case of British bronchitis.  Doctor prescribed steroids (couldn't talk her out of it) which always make me feel terrible, even if they are making me better.   I have no energy for anything, except eating, but the food doesn't taste right because of the drugs.  Can't win.  Had car trouble on Monday, and retrieved Violet just today, so I've had to rely on friends from rides to and from work, which always makes me feel like a burden.  Don't feel like doing anything except killing time on the computer (Cubis 2) or watching DVDs or TV.   Serious case of the blahs.  Whine, whine, whine.

The quilt project that I'm stuck on is the t-shirt quilt for D#1.  The top is a.l.m.o.s.t -- but not quite -- finished.   This has been a labor of love, with the emphasis on "labor".  Not content with the standard form of a consistently sized block, I put together assorted pieces of shirts ranging from about 4" square to 12" square, along with many different rectangles, squaring them out into blocks I could then arrange into larger chunks. You'd think that with it all assembled into 3 main strips, lacking only sashing to join them, that I could get my act in gear to finish, wouldn't you?  You'd be wrong.  Here's what it looked like a few steps ago:

D#2 returns to the states tomorrow and we're planning to visit family in York on Saturday, staying over until Sunday.  Maybe her being home will give me a jolt of energy or motivation. 

Suggestions welcome.

W.I.B.W.O.

Finishes, actually.  Just late in posting.   Hand quilted baby quilt.  Recipient to be named at a later date.

This "mystery quilt" turned out to be "just right" as a wedding gift for someone who has been an important part of D#2's recovery.  

She and her new husband loved it!   Don'tcha feel good when someone truly appreciates the gift of a quilt??

W.O.W. -- White Oak Weekend: October 2012

A fine time was had by all.  No surprise there.  I'll be a woman of few words (for a change), since a picture is supposed to be worth a thousand of them.

Pat  was making a classic triple Irish chain in an up-to-date modern color palette:

Kathy put together another of the "sniper" quilts she is making for her Marine son and his platoon.  They are all solid red and solid white, each using a different pattern.   This churn dash made some of us see secondary patterns, which, oddly, are not so clear in the photo.

Nancy put together and bordered a queen-size quilt in blue batiks and white.

Our favorite over-achiever, Ruth, had several projects with her, including a good sized string-quilt and a small hand-pieced wall hanging.

Though I managed to get the first border on the main top of the Quilt from Hell, I discovered problems with the pieced border I was planning.  First, I was short of the two fabrics I had wanted to use, and, second, to use the background I chose, I would need to redesign the entire method of making it.   Forgot to take photos and am still struggling with what to do.   /complaining

I had brought with me twelve "pointless wonder" star blocks for another project destined for someone who has been very supportive during the past few years.  Got the blocks laid out and sashed, ready for a border.  Didn't like any of the possibles I brought with me, though.   (This seemed to be the retreat without borders for me!)

Saved the best for last.  Our dear Judy, was assembling some swap blocks of "cool" batik sawtooth stars on white using a setting that made small stars in the sashing.  The picture does not approach doing it justice.  It is an absolute STUNNER!  Lucky bride and groom who will receive it as a wedding gift!

As usual, I didn't take photos of a number of other projects. But, also as usual, we laughed, we sang, we danced.    These retreats are always a place to share, and to show we care.  I am blessed to have these opportunities to do so.

The Quilt from H*** claims another victim

Some time ago, our friend, blogless Honna brought a project to White Oak that has become known as The Quilt From Hell.  It's official name was "Simple Gifts" and while it was intended as a gift from her to several friends, it turned out to be anything BUT simple. 

While none of us liked the colors or fabrics in the photgraph, it was pretty clear that it relied for its impact on the contrast among the two framing fabrics, the feature fabric in the center, and the background.  Honna's fabrics (chosen by the recipients) had nearly no contrast at all.  Strike one against her.  She had also been  increasing the size from the generous throw of the pattern to one for a queen bed!   So the numbers of units had about doubled.  Strike two.

The top itself is assembled in units that are put together as diagonal strips.

Most of her time at the retreat had consisted of cutting and sewing together the separate units.  But it was just not going well at all for her.  I spent some time working with her  The biggest problem was the placement of the little triangles, but the only way to complete fix that was to take apart all the segments she'd assembled -- a larger task than she was prepared to undertake.  So we concentrated on how to put together what was already done. Along around Saturday night of the retreat, it became clear that she was just at the end of her rope.  I promptly picked everything up, told her to do something else that she enjoyed, and that I would take it home and get the top together.  A week or so later, I gave her the quilt top.  The lattice didn't "wind" correctly, but the lack of contrast in the fabrics concealed that flaw. 

Unfortunately, as I analyzed what went wrong, I found that I liked the pattern and decided to use it to make the new quilt for D#2's room.  At my request, she fished the book out of her discard pile and gave it to me with her blessing.  My first step was to find fabrics with sufficient contrast, and, in Paducah, I bought these:

After working on a lot of scrap quilts, cutting into these lovely, cheery fabrics, all in my favorite colors has been such a treat!  I have been happily sewing along, preparing all the units (5 more than in the pattern to increase it to the length of a twin bed mattress top) and planning to assemble the top before the upcoming W.O.W. (White Oak Weekend).  There I hope to add borders -- at least one of them pieced -- so I can send it off to be quilted!

Today I began to put the finished diagonal units together.   Here they are, all spread out and ready to go.

SCREECH.... HALT!!!

Why weren't my lattices winding correctly???   I'd been so careful (or so I thought).  The directions had cautioned that this was wrong:

But somehow I'd found (and used) an equally wrong arrangement:

 The triangles needed to meet here:

 

Looks like the Quilt from Hell has won the first round from me, too.  Not giving up, though.  I have a lot of "un-sewing" or "frog-stitching" (rippit, rippit) to do before Friday!   Honna....  I know JUST how you feel. 

W.I.B.W.O. -- O.B.S. version

Time for a catch-up on What I've Been Working On -- Obsessed By Scraps version.  In the past few months, I finished one quilt that was made from block-swap blocks, made another that began as a leader-ender project, made a dozen blocks from scraps and put them together in another quilt, and finally started digging out blocks that were made out of scraps and put away.  I had become obsessed with working with the pieces/parts that were already done.

For several years, I made different units out of scraps.  Either I stored the units (whatever they were) "as is," or I sewed them into blocks and put the blocks aside.  In my zeal to use up things I'd already begun, I've managed to finish 3 more tops.  The first was made of more the the "v-blocks" used for the baby quilt I'm currently hand-quilting.  This will made a nice "snuggle" quilt for a young boy (stereotype, I know, but check out the novelty prints) either through children's hospice or through another organization.  I bought flannel to back it and I will quilt it myself, probably without batting. 

Another habit of several years' duration was to sew scrap triangles into half-square triangles (mostly) of various sizes into 12.5" blocks.  I had accumulated 24 of these before I made myself stop.  For some unknown reason, I drug these out of the drawer and decided to set them into two tops.

Pretty wild, huh?  If nothing else, these two tops illustrate about any possible way that HSTs can be used.  I think I'm going to call these "Too **** Many Triangles", Parts 1 & 2.    Someday I'll put a thin, near-solid border on each one and call them done.  Right now, they're put away for later.  

In a drawer of "sample blocks", I found 9 that fit together fairly well, in size and color scheme:

This whole center piece is just 18" square, so I thought a border of small squares might work, though it first needs a small border to frame the center. (This was my "audition" green, but I ended up with a different shade..)

Needs something other than squares to finish out the corners, maybe, so I'm considering scrappy log cabin blocks.  This will be a "companion" to the boy quilt above, also backed with flannel and quilted with no batting. 

In between, I detoured to make another of my "standard issue" 30's repros baby quilt.  This is for the second grandchild of a friend.  The first grandchild (a girl) was given the usual 9-patch version, so I wanted something a little different for the second grandchild (a boy).  I like to make up the repros into traditional blocks so I did 9" churn dashes.  The colored parts of the border were (yep!) scraps. 

Finished this top yesterday at UDLC's Quilt Day. Another for me to quilt on Lizzie.  Baby's due in late November, so I have a little time. 

I realize that, in some ways, I've begun to feel like I can't have my dessert until I've finished my dinner, that is, I can't start a new project until I've completed the many projects for which I already have some or all of the blocks -- something neither practical nor desirable!  Unfortunately, for me, the attempt to be a good steward of my resources (use up my scraps) can morph into that obsession that says I have to save the "good stuff" for later.  This easily transfers into my life in general and brings fear and stress.  Years ago, I heard a sermon that has always stayed with me.  It addressed whether we give out of a sense of scarcity or out of a sense of our abundance.   One type gives what's left, but only after other needs/desires/whatever have been satisfied, the other gives first, recognizing the many gifts that have been received.   Sometimes -- not often, I hope -- but sometimes, I forget the abundance in my life. 

So I'm walking away from any more (new) scrap projects for now (even thought those crumb blocks are calling me...and I even have the sashing picked out!). Very soon, I will cut into these luscious fabrics to start a quilt for D#2's "new" bedroom. 

W.I.B.W.O.

An update on a couple of finishes.

The past few years, members of our monthly hand-sewing group/guild have each taken on the summer goal of finishing a healing/comfort quilt for a given organization.  This year's designated group was "Rebuilding Together Philadelphia."  Previously, I had planned to make a zig-zag pattern which used scrap nine-patches alternating with plain cream-on-cream squares, as shown in a book I own.  So, as a leader/ender project, I had already made a bunch of nine-patches from scrap 2.5" squares -- you name it, it was in there: novelties, florals, batiks, everything.  To move the project along, I decided that this would be my donation quilt -- after all, I already had I had I-forget-how-many dozen blocks ready to use.  I tried out the arrangement on my design wall.  Didn't like it.  At All.  My re-thinking process told me that half-square triangles lent themselves to so many possible arrangements that I was sure to find something I liked.  So I paired the plain squares with the made bunches of HSTs.   On the last St. Paul's Quilt Day, I laid out the top in this barn-raising setting.  Machine quilted this one myself, first on the neutral, echoing the seamlines several times, and then zig-zag across the sliced nine-patches.   As I still have a lot of these nine-patches left, I will eventually make up more HSTs and try another arrangement. 

The entire gallery of Uvulati quilts is found on Nancy's blog.

Last spring I caught granny-square fever (it was going around) and dropped my then-current project in favor of making a dozen blocks out of scraps, each with a single color and a coordinating small print background.   My original plan was to sash with a stripe of some sort to frame the blocks strongly.  I took this project to our spring retreat to audition some stripes from my stash, and even ended up purchasing some additional fabric, based on comments and advice from fellow White-Oakers.  (Yeah, I know, it was a chore to shop...)  

But somehow, whenever I'd put the blocks up, nothing that I tried "felt" right.  One day a few weeks ago, I was reorganizing my stash, happily fondling fabric, when I discovered a yard of white fabric with large brightly colored dots.  Excited, I spread it out and put the granny square blocks on top, and it was clear that I had a winner for the sashing!    More prowling in my "geometrics" drawers provided the check that had been a recent acquisition on my first trip to a new LQS.  They were having an end-of-bolt sale and the bolt with the last piece of this bright summery check just jumped into my arms!  The result is, I think, a much more "airier" quilt than if I'd used a stronger or darker sashing with any of the stripes I was considering.   My talented long-armer quilted "bubbles" (circles of different sizes) on this, which I absolutely love!   "Sherbet and Gum Balls" is a gift for a friend who has had some recent health problems.  Hoping it will both add some cheer to her life and stand in for some warm hugs from me.