Cut It Up

Several days ago I was working

on a block for a Quilts of Valor block drive.

It needed to be 10.5" and mine was too small.

So I thought I could increase the size 

by adding in a cross.

(top block)

That was not working to my satisfaction either.

Instead of tinkering with it further, I chopped it all up to make 

15 minutes made-fabric.

Voila!  A whole new block

which I happen to think is more dynamic!

(bottom block)

2015 Word

Well, I thought it was not going to happen this year. 

But finally I've come up with a meaningful word for me for 2015.

A neighbor of mine put out a popular monthly in the recycle bin

and I picked it up and read a feature article.

Initially it was the graphics that caught my eye 

but then there was content in the piece

that resonated with me.

I knew immediately that this was my word!

Yesterday I was so excited and involved making my quilt, 

that until I read Nathalie's statement on her word before posting this, 

I hadn't realized that I, too, forgot about using made fabric!

So, I'm being bold and posting anyhow.

As soon as I finish sewing the facing it will go on the table

where I grab my keys as I head out each day.

Spring Challenge Finished

I had lots of trouble resolving this little quilt and in the end just wanted to get it finished.  I liked the layout of the original block in these first two pics but did not like the leaves.  Originally each leaf was a different fabric and fused on because I was unhappy with my applique skills. Not liking the leaves, I tried making them all the same.  

Then I tried my second preferred layout both with
the different fused leaves and with all the same leaves.  I opted for the different leaves but not being happy with the fused look, tried machine applique around each one.  I didn't like that either.

After some thought I removed all the leaves and settled on four fabrics for the leaves and hand appliqued them.  Here's the final quilt with a self-facing.  Ah-hhh!
                                    
                                     HAPPY SPRING EVERYONE!

Spring Challenge Progress

Before I begin to applique the leaves

(my skill definitely needs improvement),

I need to decide how to sew these blocks together.

Spring Challenge

Today I had a chance to play around with

the Spring Challenge block.

Since nothing says Spring to me more than flowers

I plan on using four of the blocks to make

a 12" mini with blooms.

Maybe I'll choose one of these layouts:

Fixed-Finished-Sent

Hoping everyone is warm and safe.

This mini is on its way to another sister-in-law

celebrating a birthday this month.

I wonder how many folks are as lucky as I am

and have four fabulous sisters-in-law?

2014 is the year I make each of them a little mini for their birthday.

Playtime

 When my plans for today

were unexpectedly cancelled,

I sat down at my machine for some fun.

I've been wanting to make another heart mini.

This is what was developing when ...

... I noticed something poking out over the top.

After stopping & turning it over-

how funny!!!

Now a little seam ripper action is in order,

don't you think?

Hearts Challenge

One of my sisters-in-law

is celebrating a milestone birthday

so I made this 12"x12" mini for her.

 It's hard to see what's

going on in this photo.

(The real thing is better!)

I wanted to put some "lace" and "beads"

around the the center heart

and used perle cotton #8

to chain stitch an irregular

ruffle-like design and then added french knots.

Before these touches, I machine quilted

channels using red thread.

R E S O L V E

CONSCIOUSNESS

ATTENTION

ACTION 

CHOICE

These are the words I considered for 2014.

In the end I chose RESOLVE.

It's really a cue for all of the above words; 

a daily reminder

to make fixed, firm intentions

requiring discipline of mind & body.

A Little Comparison

Not quite the same.

Do you see the difference?

The blocks on the left and right are of made fabric

while the center one is not.

When I first started working on the holiday quilt below

it seemed static.

Then the idea came to add a "snowflake" block

and so I made the one above that's in the middle.

That still didn't do it for me

so I sewed up a made fabric one

and that was that.

Problem solved!

My Second Miniature

After deciding that  the 2" cornerstone stars

were not working in this project ...

I decided to use them to make another 12" mini.

Glad I did that

instead of just putting them away in a box!

The HSTs in the border are made fabric finishing at 1" ...

and today I'll start on the quilting.

Mini ... Fini

There were a few changes from the original idea:

the skinny b/w border...

the pattered border instead of a solid ...

the corner Xs instead of windmills ...

Usually I like to put some hand-quilting touches on a quilt

but I couldn't see how it would enhance this one ...

Loved the challenge, V ...

I needed a break from my other projects!

Mini Progress

 Oops! Paying too much attention to seam matching and none to block direction!

                                                                             

                                                                                                     

Fixed!
Notice pins to help matching seams.

Lots of pins needed here to match up every seam. 

Voila!

And ready for the next go-round!

Progress ...

Won't have time to work on this today :(

but here's how it's looking so far ...

I've found the lumpy seams troublesome to rotary cut;

 have learned to press down really hard on the ruler so the

fabric doesn't slip.

Idea for a Mini

Yesterday morning I was working on a quilt

 when I was  focused on this

and 

Bingo!

This idea came to me.

So then I played around with some scraps

to see if I could actually

sew up some blocks that would finish at 1.5"

Next I will try sewing them together

to see if that works, too.

Postcard Challenge

Oh oh oh

How right you were, V ...

Couldn't stop at one!

Not even sure I will stop at two!

Scrap Swap Update

Haven't abandoned the project I began 

when Miki and I swapped scraps back in May or was it April ...

Slowly it's progressing ...  between a few other projects.

You can see where I'm going with the next go around.

And what do you do when you have 

only a scrap of what you decide is perfect 

and nothing else in your stash is even close?

You go online and order some more!

And then you wait patiently because it's out of stock! 

Architecture Challenge

This is my almost completed top at the point where I decided to make a big change.  For me the dark part of the loop was not dramatic
enough (even though proportionally it was in keeping with the inspiration photo); and I didn't like the way the edges of the dark loop were stitched and, why, oh why, was I too lazy to change the thread color when I was piecing it!

So I covered it with sheets of tracing paper taped together and sketched out a wider loop ...   

... and then pinned fabric to my sketch to see 
if it was more the way I wanted it to look.

Here is the finished top and if I can drum up more patience (this was more labor intense then I anticipated), I will take out that loop again and make it using made fabric ... so that it would look more like the pinning job above ... and also fix a slightly flat edge in the loop which doesn't please me.  I didn't see these subtleties while I was in the process.  For now I will leave it on my wall and think about how to proceed.  At least the deadline has been extended! 

Starting ...

Here's my sketch to help with the correct size ...

I've condensed and edited the original photo.

Starting to fit chunks of made fabric into the sketch

and sew together parts ...

Architectural Challenge

Architecture Challenge

This past January I had the opportunity of visiting the Dali Museum

in St Petersburg, FL.  What an experience!

The building is dynamic inside and outside.

It excites your eye as well as your mind at every turn.

The concrete stairs energetically rotate upwards to the geodesic dome.

Professional photographer, Joe Drass,  Photography by Joe Drass,

gave me permission to post his photograph here and to use it as my inspiration.