Baltimore Progress

Working on Block 8 - "Mistletoe Wreath"

I find that I'm having trouble getting smooth curves using the backbasting technique. Any advice from the backbasters out there?

Baltimore Christmas - first block done!

Minus the eye. Still figuring out how to tackle a teenie circle.

(Estimated time spent making this block: 25 hours)

The Appliqué Station

Complete with TV remote and M&M's.

A little obsessed

Still having fun with back basting.
The block is a little wrinkled from all the handling. Maybe I should use a hoop.

Many people have asked about back basting. I thought I'd write a tutorial when I get the hang of it, but why reinvent the wheel?
Marjorie has an amazing tutorial on her blog: http://appliqueaddict.blogspot.com/
Just look in the top right corner. Thanks for sharing your knowledge Marjorie!

I really need to focus!

I used to be organized and focused but in the last year or so I've become a little scattered with a very short attention span.

Last night I played around with my new iPad (love it!) and a free sketching app.

I'm no artist but I don't think this is too bad for an hour or two's work.
Maybe I should just embrace the "new me".

(If you have an iPad, I used the free version of Sketchbook Pro but I may buy the full version. I love it so far.
I did all the line drawings as well as the coloring on the girl with my finger. Don't you just love how her hair and her hat become one?
I bought a stylus and colored the spools using that.)

Hand Appliqué

I've been on a quest to find the best and most accurate hand appliqué technique for a couple of years. Unsuccessfully.

When I started the Baltimore Christmas quilt back in March, I decided to try using plastic templates. Bad idea. The pieces are so small that the little bit of bulk the plastic adds enlarges the sections so much that they won't fit.

I was very discouraged. And gave up.

This weekend at our local quilt show, I spoke to a lady who was working on a beautiful hand appliqué project. And had actually made this quilt.
She recommended that I try backbasting.

I think I may have found the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.
I've got a couple of kinks to sort out (thread, needles, etc.) but I like it. I really like it.

Back from Houston

I'll be sharing photos soon. In the mean time, this is what I spent every spare moment in Houston working on.  Because I've become an expert procrastinator.

It's a challenge quilt for my local quilt guild's show this weekend. And it was due yesterday.
The inspiration is supposed to be the "Red Poppy" painting by Georgia o'Keeffe. Not sure how successful that was.

Please excuse the poor photo quality and the magnets. It's dreary outside and the only white surface I could find with some decent-ish light was the refrigerator.

Hexie Happiness

Making wonderful progress on the mini hexie challenge quilt.
This is the top basically done. I'm going to remove all the white hexies. They're really distracting.
It's supposed to be a little art-quilt-y, so I think it'll work.

Tiles or Scales?

I had to make a fish-themed block as part of a gift quilt.
Trying to find appropriate fabrics, I found these yellow "Roof Tiles".

Amazing how taking something out of context can sometimes change your perception.

Getting distracted

I have SO much to do. A quilt to finish for a quilt show. Getting ready for Houston. Finding/making a Halloween costume. Cleaning the house.  Doing the dishes. Redoing the guest bathroom.

Instead, I make hats.
I was at the store looking for blunt-nosed scissors to take on the plane, but got distracted by this lovely cotton yarn.
And had to make something.

(It's a baby hat.  Size 12-18 months.)

Little Storage Binder

I have had a couple of questions about the little binder in the photo in yesterday's post.

I love that little binder.
I received it as a gift from Brenda (the Dear Jane lady) a couple of years ago.

The little "ziplocked" pockets are 8.5" x 5" in size and perfect for little projects like my 1/2" hexies.
(The poppy is my inspiration picture for the little challenge quilt.)

So, you want to know where Brenda found this little binder?

Bass Pro Shops.  That's where!
It's a little worm/tackle binder.

I looked around on their web site and I think mine is the large bag here: $11.99!
If this was a "quilting accessory" it would probably cost $29.99 at least.
I hadn't seen the double bag until I started scouring the web site and I think I may need one.

After Brenda sent me the little binder, I did buy myself a bigger one.  This one. It has bigger zip bags (7.5" x 9") and more storage for scissors, thread and such but only has one handle which makes it kind of hard to carry.
(You want the "Finesse" bag, not the "Extreme".)

If you hop over to Bass Pro Shops, tell them I sent you. Maybe I'll get commission...
Yeah right!

Off to go order the double bag now, since I have the page open and all.

Edited: OMG! Search for "hard tackle boxes". I think I need this.

Getting things done

My current small WIPs. It feels so good to be sewing again!

A New Project

I seem to be starting a lot of projects lately and not finishing many. Maybe it's time to get working on the WIPs...

This one I have to finish because it's my challenge entry for our local quilt show. Yes, I know it seems a little back-to-front, but I entered it before making it. Yes I did.

The challenge is to make a small quilt inspired by a painting.
I'll share the inspiration soon.

Batik Jane

I'm not doing much myself right now, but a friend and I went "Stash Dashing" on Friday.
As you may or may not know, I'm a little obsessed with Dear Jane quilts.
This one is made with batiks.
Stunning!

(It is on display at Heirloom Quilts in Poulsbo, WA.  The lady who made it works there but did not want to pose for a photo. Hats off to her for this absolutely lovely work of art!)

It's Fall Y'all!

There's no more denying it.

This was my Saturday project:

I used my pattern for the Street Scene pillow.

Here's the trick for fussy cutting.

Make a template frame with an opening the desired size of your finished section. I taped two pieces of card stock together.

Move this around on your fabric until you find a "picture" you like.

Use a disappearing marker to trace along the inside of the template. Remove the template and cut the fabric 1/4" outside the marked lines.

(Center and border fabrics are from the Farmyard collection. Red and green sashings are Wee Woodland stripes.)

A Little Busy

It's done though. And I'm OK with it. I think once it's quilted it will be very pretty.
In the end I decided to use the striped fabric as sashing rather than borders for the blocks. This involved some seam ripping but made it a more manageable size.
Now I just have to decide on a border.

These Blocks are Ginormous!

They started off at 15" but then I found a fabric that coordinates SO perfectly that I felt the need to add a 1" border all the way around.
Now I have 17" blocks!

I wasn't planning on making a twin sized quilt. Without sashing or borders this will be 51" x 68" and I'll have to add sashing.

Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!

UPDATE: I think I found somewhat of a solution. Let's just say that, if stupidity was a disease, I'd be dead. Stay tuned.

(Fabric used: http://www.etsy.com/listing/82324772/12-days-of-christmas-quilt-fabric-bundle & http://www.etsy.com/listing/82877305/bright-striped-cotton-quilt-fabric-1)

Still Sewing

Two posts in one day!

I just had to share my completed blocks and layout!

I LOVE it!

(If you're trying to purchase the fabric bundle and it's sold out on Etsy, please convo me or send me an email and I will list another one.  Thanks!!!)

Sewing!

Woohoo!
I'm SO happy to be sewing again. My sewing machine seems a bit foreign to me. I haven't seen her in a while.

I've decided to tackle the WIPs, starting with Christmas since it's around the corner. Really!

This was a quilting bee project with my quilt group. The blocks shown here were made by the group members. I'm hoping to add the missing ones today.

The blocks are 15" x 15". There will be 12. I'm using a fabric panel as the centers and just a random log-cabin-ish design. (I probably should have ironed these before I took the photos...)

The 12 Days of Christmas!

Twelve drummers drumming...

Eleven pipers piping,

Ten lords a-leaping,

Nine ladies dancing,

Eight maids a-milking,

Seven swans a-swimming...

Six geese a-laying,

Five golden rings,

Four calling birds,

Three French hens...

Two turtle doves...

And a partridge in a pear tree!

Merry Early Christmas!!!

(I've added a listing for fabric bundles to my Etsy store.  These contain enough fabric to make all the blocks although I haven't quite decided on sashing yet.  Probably white.)

On my way back...

Wow, I've been MIA for a long, long time! I won't bore you with the details.
Suffice it to say that my "new life" starts on Monday and my plan is to be back on a very regular basis.

I'm a guest designer in the "Celebrate Christmas" quilt-along over at the Quilting Gallery.

It started this week.  It's not too late to join in. 36 free Christmas Block patterns over 12 weeks!