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.

A lap quilt finished

This is my newest lap quilt.  It is made of 12" blocks from the BOMs over at 15 Minutes Play.  The background is Kona Jade (I know, it is blue, not green).  The sashing and binding is a Kaffe shot cotton with red warp and maroon weft.  There is a little bit of green Batik, that drives Tom crazy because it is not balanced.  The rest is fabric I made by cutting up my favorite Kaffe's and making fabric with them.  It is quilted with a large overall stipple in a King Tut variegated red by Superior on top, and a variegated gold/brown on the back.  While I love excellent quilting, I love seeing the fabric and the patterns created by the fabric more.  I think that is why I have not been really motivated to learn more about machine quilting.

Here is the back.

Originally, I was going to use a very colorful sheet I found at the Goodwill.  When Bella was over last week, she wanted the room darker for her nap, so I put the sheet up over the window.  It looked so beautiful, we decided I should make curtains out of it instead.  Then, I didn't have any idea what I would use, so the quilt sat.  I was going through a bin looking for something else, when I found this piece I had been saving for just the right thing.  I guess it was waiting to be found for this quilt.  I have a noren ( traditional Japanese fabric dividers, hung between rooms, on walls, in doorways, or in windows) that has these three ladies on it leading into my studio.  I bought it in Japan, and was really excited to find the fabric last year.  But I digress.

The quilt is 42" x 52"", just the right size for my lap.

Just a little snow this morning.  We are told we will get quite a bit tonight.  It will be interesting.

Joyful quilting, everyone.

Making a doll and contemplating a finish

 Bella has asked me to get her a pink soft doll with pink hair and pink clothes.  I bought some pink flannel a couple of weeks ago and a pattern for a 15" baby doll.  Today, I decided to begin the process.  I had to iron on interfacing which I was worried about with the flannel, but it worked okay.  I have not followed a commercial pattern for a long time.  I would not recommend this pattern for beginners.  It is not user friendly.  I got called away before I was able to finish stuffing her, but I think she is looking cute.  I have to figure out how to create the required pink hair.  I think I am going to use yarn.

I don't think I have posted these blocks all together.  I have until mid-January to figure out how I want to finish this and get it completed.  I am thinking of using a Kaffe shot cotton in purple with red undertones and Kaffe print cornerstones.  It will all really depend on what I have in my stash.

Tomorrow night, I am going to see my husband, daughter and granddaughter in the Polar Express.  Tom has been playing Santa in this dance adaptation to the story for a few years now.  Until then, I am going to keep working in the studio.  Only one week to Christmas.

Joyful quilting, everyone.

A finished top and playing with my Kaffes

(Please excuse the crooked photo.  The quilt is straight)

It is amazing what a difference a border can make.  I heard recently that adding a border to a quilt automatically makes it old fashioned looking.  Since I really don't care about that, I ignored the comments, but I am in amazement about what personality changes a quilt can take on with the right border.  When I started this quilt, the mystery quilt for our guild, I decided to use some fat quarters I had on hand.  I really liked the color combination, so didn't mind that the pattern got lost in some areas.  After a while, however, I decided it was just too bland.  As I finished piecing it together today, I thought about a piece of fabric somewhere in my stash that had fall leaves in bright colors.  When I found it, I thought it might be too bright to use.  I decided to try it anyway.  Unfortunately, it is hard to show how bright, fresh, and sparkly it is now with its new border. The new border makes this quilt 49" x 61".  It is now in the pile with the other two quilts I need to quilt for BASICs.  Please read Victoria's post today about the BASICs program.

What in the world?  How could anyone in their right mind purposely cut up some very beautiful Kaffe fabric just to sew it back together again in random patterns?  Good questions.  I love all these fabrics separately, but I really wanted to combine them to make new fabric for my 15 Minute Play BOM quilt project.  I started this project with very different colors before I discovered these.  Now, I am redoing it all to make a really bright and fun quilt to cuddle under this winter.  As I was making all this fabric (so far it is 24" x 32"), I was thinking about what color background fabric I could use.  I have a nice piece of KF shot cotton in persimmon, but that was just too much red.  I then started looking at Kona solids.  I finally narrowed it down to two - Aloe and Jade.  They came today.  The Aloe is beautiful, but not strong enough to stand up to the reds, so  . . . . .

. . . . Jade it is.  Tomorrow, I will start cutting into both to start making the BOM blocks.  I need to have this quilt finished by December 1.  Think I can do it?  I am going to give it my best shot.

I am going to use the Aloe for the Jacobs Ladder Quiltalong.  I am still gathering florals for that, but I have enough to get started now.  That is a longer term project.

It was very nice to be back in my studio today.  I oiled Betty before we started, and she ran like a dream.  I need a new blade for my rotary cutter, so I need to find my JoAnn coupons.  I think I have one blade left in the case.  I will have to check that out tomorrow.

Until then, have a joy filled day, everyone.