Something liberated, something traditional

As I looked at this traditional red and white center on the design wall, I could see where I turned two four patches the wrong way.  Since it doesn't affect the overall circular illusion, I decided to leave it.  At this point, this piece is 18" square. I am going to add at least one blue border to make this a red, white, and blue piece. 

After I played in the traditional world for a while, I decided to play with my liberated medallion some more.

My quilting friend, Sally, who has gifted me with wonderful fabric scraps in the Provencal color, gave me these wonderful roosters, and I had to add them to this piece.

One of the things I like about this liberated method is that I can use traditional pieces to create something really whimsical and fun.  I decided to make the quarter square triangle blocks scrappy instead of matchy matchy.  I wanted to keep the scrappy feel I started in the center.  I also used what Gwen Marston refers to as the Martha Washington corners.  If you don't have a long enough border, just add fabric strips at the end.  One of the skills I learned recently was how to measure properly for attaching borders so they don't get wavy.  I measured precisely across the middle both ways, up and across.  I created the borders to be exactly that measurement and made them fit.  It really worked well.  I think the next border will have some liberated triangles.  I also want to bring that red back as well as some of the bright blue.  But it will have to wait a bit.

Why?  Bella's birthday is at the end of the month and she has asked me to make clothes for a couple of her favorite dolls.  It is really fun to make doll clothes, but it is time consuming.  All that pinning and cutting, and making tiny seams.  Can't wait to get started.

Check back tomorrow to see who won the fat quarter bundle of Flea Market Fancy from the H2H drawing over at Confessions of a Fabric Addict. 

Until then, joyful quilting, everyone.

Progress on the International Robin

Meet Gaea. I posted the faces for this piece here.  I made the background a couple of weeks ago, and posted it here.  Since then, I have scratched my head about how to marry the parts.  Sharon is a wonderful quilt artist and I didn't want to mess up her great pieces.  After playing around with the different parts, I settled on this layout. I wanted to use all three faces, but I just couldn't figure out how to in a small piece. Then, I had to figure out how I wanted to attach them.  I decided to use really small stitches and attach the lighter green leaves first.  Then, I put the face with her already attached leaves down.  I only sewed around some of the leaves, leaving parts three dimensional.  Lastly, I attached the leaf garland so it hung down over her forehead.  I really like the way it all works together.  It is very earthy.  Maybe one of the other members of the international robin group will be able to brighten it up while still keeping the earthiness.  It will be fun to watch this grow.  I am just happy I finally caught up on this.  All I have left for this month is the doll quilt, and that is layered and ready to quilt.

Tomorrow starts my three days this week with Bella.  I will be back in the studio on Friday.  Until then, joyful quilting, everyone.

H2H 2012 Quilt finished

I got this years H2H quilt done in the nick of time.  I wanted to make a scrappy rainbow quilt this year, and when I was queen bee at Stash Bee Hive 2, I asked for these blocks with this design in mind.  It is so much fun to see all the different fabrics people used.  There are no repeats in the bunch, which I think is amazing. I used a purple batik to bind it. This quilt will be going to Em's Happy Chemo Quilts.  It is lap sized and just right for staying comfortable and cuddling.

I also had some time to play with a piece for my international robin.  I can't show you much, but I did play with making one border using Gwen Marston's method of setting in narrow lines.

Can you see them?  I wanted them to be subtle.  These are very addicting to do.

I also had a brilliant idea about using a piece of Kaffe Fassett fabric my table mate Karen shared with me last weekend.

If you look carefully, you can see that I cut out around the two red leaves past the seam line so I could pull them out and leave them over the top of the piece I was attaching it to.  I still have to stitch them down, thus the pins.  I was very pleased that my idea worked.  I just hope Willa is okay with my adding something on top of her center piece.  It doesn't cover much, and I really like the depth it adds to the whole piece.

Tomorrow, I need to figure out how to do the next step in the other international robin piece I am working on.  I am a little behind there.  I also need to finish my May doll quilt and get it ready for mailing.  Who knows what else will come up.  I am going to just enjoy the process.

Joyful quilting, everyone.