More fun in the studio

I really get upset when I can't get the colors right on the screen.  Oh well.  This is really much cooler in person.  The teal in the stars is much more vibrant, and the red in the strips is not so vibrant.  Very frustrating.  Anyway, here it is so far.

The other thing I worked on today was for the International Round Robin.  Here is what I started with.

After looking at this for a long time, I decided to make some diamond stratas and add another piece of applique.  See that piece of KF, third wedge up on the bottom right?  I had another piece of that so decided to make a curvy shape to put on top of the border to bring it all together.  Here is the result of that idea.

This piece goes to one more participant before it goes back to the originator.  As it is with round robins, it has been really interesting and fun to see each piece change from beginning to end.  I already have the last piece I will work on for this robin.  I have no ideas about what to add, but I am sure something will come to me after I look at it for a while.  If you want to see all the pieces, just hop over to our flickr page.

Who knows what tomorrow will bring.

Joyful quilting, everyone.

Seeing stars

I don't know if you can see how stunning this fabric is from the photo.  It is "Flowering star of Ghana" from the 2001 Alexander Henry collection.  When I was visiting my friend Sharon in her studio, she was pulling fabric from her basket of silks and brocades when she casually set this one aside.  I fell in love with it, and she gifted it to me.  It was a one yard piece, with a small 9" square cut out.  Not her colors, she told me.  I have been looking at if for a few weeks now, pulling other fabrics from my shelves and putting them back.  Then, I found a 1/4 yard piece of the teal flowers from Sandy Gervais Tranquility and knew that was it.  I spent a few minutes doodling, and then set to work.

At this point, this is what I have.  These will all come together as a liberated medallion of sorts.  The hsts are left overs from the stars I showed in the last post.  I am also going to use strips of the orange fabric to fill in.  I may use some narrow strips from the dark teal in the hsts.  I want to make sure the liberated stars really stand out when all is said and done.  I have only made these a couple of times before, and I really like them, even though they take much longer than regular stars.  Sometimes, it takes more thought to be liberated.

This is going to be another one of my process, or intuitive, quilts.  So far, all I have is a seed of an idea for the middle.  I have to dig through my stash and see how much teal and orange I can find.  That will dictate the final size of this piece. 

 Joyful quilting, everyone.

A star for a hero, and building more fabric

Yesterday, I got a small package from Victoria that included small small pieces of camouflage fabric.  She invited 24 of us to use camo scraps to build a 12.5" square that she will include in a Quilt of Valor.  This is my block.  I love the idea stars for hero quilts, so I designed this star so I could use as much of the camo I got as possible.  That is how I started my day today.

Then, I decided to tackle a new challenge Victoria put up on 15 minutes Play.  The goal is to find an inspiration shirt with colors I don't use that often.  Then find scraps in those colors and build 6.5" squares of made fabric. I picked this thrift shop shirt that I just love.  It was well loved and has a very soft feel, but it is still strong.  I started pulling reds and greens, and decided to make a Christmas quilt without actually using any Christmas fabric.  I am going to try and use the inspiration fabric in every block.  Here are my first six blocks. 97 more to go. This is going to take me a while.

Before I left the studio, I pulled the fabrics I am using for a quilt for our son and daughter-in-law.  Aren't these yummy?

I printed out a couple of copies of my Bella's Star quilt pattern and started coloring in the blocks.  It got very confusing, so I cut the little pieces up and had Hugh, Cyrielle, and Tom put them the way they thought the quilt would look best.  Amazingly enough, they were all very different, and different from all the ones I did.  I took photos of each of their designs and will post them later. 
Hugh and Cyrielle are staying with us for a few days before the move to France, Cyrielle's home.  Tomorrow, we are going to drive up to Sunrise on Mt. Rainier.  It is always beautiful up there.  Hopefully, the predicted fog will lift by the time we get there.  That means I won't be in the studio for a few days.  Maybe, I will post some photos of our trek.
Have a joyfilled day, everyone.

Square in a star tutorial

This is a tutorial I did over at 15 minutes play.  I thought I would share it here for those of you who don't visit that blog.

Welcome to my square in a star 12" block tutorial.  I am excited to be the first one to do the BOM making traditional blocks using made fabric the 15 minute way. 
For this block, you need to make fabric that is at least 9" x 16", or the equivalent.  You will also need a piece of background fabric (the blue batik here) that is 11" x 15".  There will be a bit left over of each, but I think it is better to have enough.

From the made fabric, cut:

a - one 3 1/2" square
b - six 3 7/8" squares

cut two 3 7/8" square on the diagonal to get 4 triangles.





From the background fabric, cut
c - one 7 1/4" square
d - two 3" squares that are cut on the diagonal to make 4 triangles
e - four 3 1/2 inch squares.

I will refer to each piece by its corresponding letter in the piecing instructions.



You are going to make the flying geese units first.  There are many different ways to make flying geese, but this is the method I prefer when I am using them in stars.  You will get four geese without any waste.
1.  Mark diagonal lines 1/4" away from the center diagonal line on  each b square. This is a little bit of a challenge on made fabric, but I am a marker and pinner, so I made it work.
2.  Place two b pieces on opposite corners of c. 



3.  Sew just a thread toward the center from marked line.  Some people draw a line along the diagonal, then sew 1/4" away.  That works if you have a good foot that measures 1/4" for you. 
4.  At the end, turn the piece and sew down the other side.

5.  Cut these pieces in the middle between the sewn lines.

6.  This is a very important step.  Turn and press the points away from the background.  I pressed the seams toward the background for bulk sake.  Do this on both pieces.

7.  Put the remaining two b pieces right side down as shown in the top piece at left. 

8.  Stitch along drawn lines as before.

9.  Cut each in the center between the sewn lines. 

10.  Press out and trim the extra points.  This is all the waste you get with this method of making flying geese.

Now, set these four geese aside, and let's make the square within a square for the center.

1. Find piece a and the four d's.
2.  Place one d right side down with edges together on a.  It is important to try and get the point in the center between the opposite sides. There will be some overlap on the edges.
3.  Sew using a 1/4" seam.
4.  Sew another d on the opposite edge.
5.  Press open.

6.  Sew the remaining two triangles on opposite edges, and press them open.

If you have cut and sewn right, you will end up with a 4 1/2 inch square.  That is what you are looking for at this point.  Now, you are going to add the made fabric triangles.

Sew them on in the same way you did the d pieces.  Try and make sure the points are in the center before you sew.  This will give you a nice even square.

Of course, if you don't mind a bit wonky, eyeballing everything works well.  I did try to stay traditional for this block, however.

At this point, you have a 6 1/2" square and four flying geese, and you are ready to assemble the 12" block.

I find  that if I don't lay things out before I start sewing, I usually make big mistakes.
Here you can see I have put the last unused background squares (e) in each corner.  I pieced this together by making the rows first.
e + goose unit + e
goose unit + square within a square + goose unit
e + goose unit + e


Here is where you can really practice your traditional piecing.  You have points on the geese, so make sure you are paying attention to where they come together.  Pinning helps.  You also have seams to match.  Pinning helps here, as well.  I did have some trouble with pressing on this one because of all the seams on the made fabric.  My guide line was to try and avoid bulky areas.  For me, that meant some are to the left, some to the right, and some upon down the middle.  You will have to make your own decisions on this because each piece of made fabric will be unique. Once you have everything sewn together and pressed, you should have a 12 1/2" block. 
I hope you find this useful and have fun making this block.  I am really looking forward to see what other blocks we will be learning.  If you have any questions, or something is not clear, please let me know.
Joyful quilting, everyone.

A new block and a fun book

I am in charge of finding the block of the month for my guild this month.  I was looking through Quilter's Cache and found this one, Crossed Roads, a 16 inch block.  If you haven't been to Quilter's Cache, you owe yourself some time to spend over there.  There are thousand of traditional and original blocks with great directions.  When I present this, I am going to ask people to use purples with a floral theme and cream for the crossed pieces.  I think it will turn out great.
I also did a few other things in the studio.  I worked on my design for my Ricky Tim's style Rhapsody quilt, sewed blocks together for the D9P and squared them up, and I started making copies of foundation pieces for a few of Carol Doak's stars of the states.  I finally got a copy of 50 Fabulous Paper-Pieced Stars by Carol Doak, and I am pretty excited about making more of these foundation pieced stars.  I love the first one I did and am looking forward to creating companions.  If you want to see more of Carol's work, and find some very cool free patterns, take a look at her web site.

Ta Da! The Intuition Quilt Top is Done

Creating this quilt top has been a wonderful journey.  It started in January with this block.

I played with many techniques and colors along the way.

The process of creating this quilt without planning ahead was new to me, and very enjoyable.  I love that I only used fabric from my stash.  I am sure I will walk this path again.  I will keep making the small blocks for fun.  Who knows what will grow next,

My husband, Tom, took the great photo of the finished top, and the next few closeups of some of my favorite parts.  Joyful quilting, everyone.



Friendship Stars by the dozen

Today, I spent the time in the studio creating these wonderful friendship stars. I used all scraps that I have been using for the intuition quilt and for my D9P. I really like this little stars. They are 6.5 inches and will be used as part of the next border on the intuition quilt. It is amazing how long it took to make these beauties.

I got two wonderful packages of fabric in the mail today, and a fantastic envelope from Victoria at Bumble Beans filled with beautiful cards she made with photos of her quilts and other great stuff. I saw a quilt at Harbor Quilts in Gig Harbor that I fell in love with. It is very simple, but they didn't have the fabric. Then I saw that they were putting together kits, so I asked about one. I ordered one and it came in the mail, and it is very wonderful fabric. The other package contained two Moda Rhapsody charm packs. I am going to use these to make another D9P for a friend. I am also getting close to finishing the blocks for the Grab Bag bonus quilt. That will be going to a little girl who was just diagnosed with a brain tumor and can use it to wrap in during chemo. All in all, the studio is a rockin' place these days.

I won't be posting much until Saturday, as I will be away from the studio for the next four days. Joyful quilting until then.

Starting the star quilt

Today, I started sewing the BOM from Planet Patchwork, Oh, My Stars by Diane Hundley. In the original quilt, Diane used primary colors with a black ground. That is just not me. I also wanted to make this strictly out of my stash, so I went with teals, turquoise, and golds and a light ground. This first section looks like a bit of a hodge-podge where nothing goes together. I have cut out the pieces for sections 2 and 3, using some of the same fabrics, and hope it comes together better when those are done. I love all these fabrics, so it will be something I like in the end. My favorite fabric in this section is the teal with peach flowers in the lower right flower block. I really wish I had more of it, or at least a manufacturer. I will just have to keep my eye out.

I was going through the bin of teals and turquoises when I found a very small amount of the fabric in the middle of this block. I fell in love instantly with this moth. I dug some more and came up with this white with a small blue print the same blue as in the moth. Then I snagged some scraps from the above project, including the rust corners, and put this together. I am not sure what I am going to do with it yet, but I really like it. It is about 8" square. I think it may become the center in a table topper for my end table. I will post it when I finish it.

Tomorrow, Sunday, I am going on an adventure with my husband. We are going to take some photographs for his stock photo business. Of course, there is a quilt shop on the way. Hopefully, we will have great photos and tales of Harbor Quilts in Gig Harbor, WA.

Stars and 9 patch blocks

I finally finished the 2000 Member Star created by Carol Doak. I am very pleased that it came together with only one big pattern glitch on my part. Can you see it? I also need to plan my colors a little better next time. I love all these colors, but wish I had spaced the lights differently. I will still use it in my star sampler quilt that I am working on. I guess I will have to go through my stash and find colors I can use, then save my pennies to go to the quilt store again.

Speaking of quilt stores, my local quilt store is shutting its doors very soon. This makes me very sad. In this time of difficult economics, many small independent book and quilt stores are having a very difficult time. Another nearby store that I used to really like moved in with a bead store and a Bernina shop. They carry fewer fabrics, and the selection is really not what it used to be. The closest fabric store is the chain store I was complaining about the other day. I think I will have a very hard time going back after my last visit. In addition to the fact that they don't have great fabrics, they have lousy service. I was standing in a long line at the check out counter, where there was one person working. There were three people standing at the cutting table helping one customer, but mostly chatting about some reality TV show. I really don't like bad service. I guess I will have to venture further afield to the shop in Auburn, or Puyallup, or Gig Harbor. I feel a field trip coming on.

The last thing I did in the studio today was to organize the squares for my disappearing nine patch. I even got four basic squares sewn together. I am loving the colors. I am using a purple piece in the center of each block that I will make the pattern around. I love that it has radiating circles.

Starting a new quilt block

I spent much of my time in the studio cutting fabric for a new quilt and for a star block, that I started stitching. I really enjoy foundation piecing. I always see these wonderful complicated stars, and know that I could never make them because I can barely get the seams matched right on a basic nine patch. Then I discovered Carol Doak and her fabulous patterns. She has quite a few free ones at her website, Carol Doak.com. This one is from the 2000 member celebration quilt designed to celebrate the 2000th member of her Yahoo group. I selected colors that will go with my intuition quilt so the completed block will be another unit in that project. I am pretty pleased with this corner of the star.

I also put together three small squares highlighting my favorite reptile, the lizard. In my stash, I found a fantastic border print with a southwestern motif. I noticed the colors were almost perfect for the intuition quilt project. I quickly played around with some other fabrics until I came up with these. Such fun. I never know what I will find to add to my project. I am glad I found these.

A Quilt for a Hero

Before I got my quilt frame and new sewing machine, I made a list of all the things I would like to do this year with them. One of the charitable quilts I want to make is an American Hero Quilt. This project is a big one that was started by a Washington resident. Today, I decided to make the first block for this quilt. The quilts need to be blue, red, white (or off white), with some gold. The completed quilt will have five of these stars altogether. This pattern is mostly paper pieced, which I really enjoy. It took me a long time to do this one, but I am pleased that I took my time. I am happy with the results. The pattern is #121 in Quiltmaker's 101 blocks vol. 2, and is by Chloe Anderson and Colleen Reale. Toadusew is the name of their blog.

One of these days, I will get out of the studio with enough energy to add a list of all the quilting blogs I check regularly. Each day, I find one or two more that I add to the list. There are so many great quilters out there who are willing to share tips and patterns. It is fun to take a look at what others are doing.

Today's 12" block

Today, I worked with the pink again and added a bit of turquoise. This block was from a quilt designed by Gerrie Robinson. I am very pleased I got the points to come together in the middle. I am getting better with practice.

Another 12" Star Block

I finally got a 12 inch block I am pleased with. All the points are in the right spots. The measurements came out right. I like the colors, even though they do not show up well in this photo. I took it in really poor light at the end of the day in the studio. The orange is not nearly as muddy at this looks.
Before I started this, I spent time figuring out what size to cut squares to get the half square triangles the size I want. The method I use is to put two squares together, front sides facing. Then I sew a 1/4 inch seam all around the block. Then, I cut from corner to corner twice. I learned this method from Jenny Doan at Missouri Star Quilters. Some people don't like that the resulting squares are on the bias, but I have not had any problems with that so far. I learned that I need two five and a half inch squares to make four three and a half inch half-square triangles. It was worth the time to figure this all out.
Tomorrow, another 12 inch block, and more fun with fabric.

Quilting Fabric Choices

Here is the preemie quilt with the borders. I am wondering if I should have done a dark green border to match the sashing before I put on the yellow. I like it this way, and I have a size constraint, so this works for this one. I will have to try it differently next time. I could do six 8" blocks with sashing and borders next time and stay within the size limits. By the way, I have decided to embrace the wonkiness, so I have called this Wonky Zoo, which brings me to the fabrics.

I chose not to use my stash for this one because I didn't really have anything for babies. I went shopping at my local large chain fabric store. All the fabrics in this quilt are from their line, and I am not thrilled with the quality. The overall animal pattern on the light fabric is cute, but the fabric is hard to work with. It constantly sheds along the edges. The dark green has an overall dot pattern that is very wonky. Just when you think you have figured out a straight line, it has a tilt, like a screen was used and turned very slightly every time it was moved. I think this could be effective if done a little better. I guess you get what you pay for. In the long run, you make quilts to last. It is worth spending the extra money to get really great fabric. There are always sales online if you look.

Here is the first in my larger block practice stars. This one did not quite work out. I think if I had actually followed the measurements on the pattern, it might have worked better. I, of course, had to resize it. From now on, I will either look for patterns in the size I want, or change the size I make to the pattern size. Lesson learned. I will learn how to resize as I improve, I am sure. For now, I will find another star to practice on, and find cut fabrics for a disappearing nine patch I want to make. So far, I have found the inspiration fabric and a few to go along with it. I will show you what I come up with when I find the fabrics.