Commentary about works in progress, design & creativity
I have made good progress on the Half 16 Patch Sashing Donation top. I used the 2.5 inch squares as leaders and enders as I worked on Old Town. It was getting too big for the small design wall and that helped to spur me on to get Old Town finished. I wanted to see this top on the large design wall. I feel like I am almost finished!
DH was out of town all week with the Native Sons at Grand Parlor. I didn’t go as I had to work and hold down the fort at home. Instead of cooking dinner (hooray for microwaves!) I sewed and the Old Town second border is now complete.
I keep looking at this piece and marveling at how different it looks with borders. OMG! So much better. Who knew a border could do so much?
I went out to lunch with Sue and Carrie before the guild meeting last week and came home with a great pouch that now keeps a lot of random things in my handbag organized.
One of the things I love about Carrie’s adventures in bagmaking is the discussions we have about the process. This time we discussed installing the zipper for a long time. Carrie brought a Dollar Store pouch to show as an example of how she would like to do the zipper in the future and we were able to compare the two pouches.
Carrie shared the pattern she is using for a few tote bags. When I saw it, I realized it was the pattern we discussed and she bought at Golden State the last time we visited together. Then she shared the bag she made.
The pattern is very similar to the Essentials Tote I made for Cyndi and Sue S.
Carrie’s bag uses some lovely textured fabric that looks like it would wear well. The handles are also nice and wide.
I am so proud of her. Her bag making skills have really taken off and I am so inspired by her fearlessness at trying new things.
I spoke about the pillowcases I wanted to make for ‘new’ family members that have joined since the last time I made pillowcases for the nieces and nephews. I gathered the fabric and was planning on slowly working through the 8 I needed to make when I had time.
Well, I had time at work when I had to listen to a meeting, but didn’t need to participate. I was able to cut and trim. It is really good, because my hands are busy which helps me pay attention.
Then, while I was sewing the endless bits for the Old Town borders, I used the pillowcases as leaders and enders. Suddenly, the pillowcases were done! More than 6 months early! WTH?
Now they get to hang around waiting for November. I plan to write cards and package them up now so they are ready to go.
I continued to work in dribs and drabs to get another border on Old Town. This one is a pieced checkerboard border.
I considered stopping work on this quilt at the plain border. I decided to soldier on because I already had made hundreds of 4 Patches.
I am amazed at how different the quilt looks after adding that checkerboard border. I know I only photographed half of the quilt. I stood and looked at it for a long time trying to figure out why that one border made such a difference.
This quilt showed up at the guild meeting on Saturday. I didn’t make the top, but I think I made all of the blocks. I would have to look through all of my donation blocks posts. They all look like familiar fabrics.
I really like the turquoise with the blacks and whites.
Yes, I got through all of my goals over the weekend, including putting a border on Old Town. This is the first of three borders, so don’t celebrate too much yet, but I am making progress!
As mentioned, we are all about starting projects here at AQ!
Yes, I am doing the Latifah Saafir Mystery quilt. My time has not become more free, but I am doing it anyway. It uses the HuRTy and this is a good way to get the tool into my bag of tricks.
It is a little unclear to me whether you can still join, but here is a link and you might be able to navigate your way from there.
Latifah is at H&H in Chicago (whatever that is!), so participants have a little time. I have two selections of fabric that I am contemplating. The quilt needs 7 fabrics including a contrasting background.
First, is all fabrics that I bought recently.
Most of them are from Guicy Guice, but there are a few from Alison Glass and that white is Seasons from Figo fabrics.
This is mostly cool colors, which should come as no surprise. I am not sure if there is enough contrast, but I like all the fabrics, so I am willing to go with it.
The second option is an old fabric pull for which I am still seeking a project.
I still really like this group of fabrics. I am just not sure if pointy HRTs would work with the Coneflowers & Chrysanthemums.
I do feel like there is something missing and I can’t quite figure out what. Dots, maybe?
I am very pleased with how this experimental quilt is coming out.
All the pieces are not in their final location yet, but seeing them start to look like something is very gratifying.
This may turn into two of these as I think I need to have a bit of red in each sashing piece.
Yes, you might recognize some donation blocks that I unsewed so I could use them in this quilt. LOL.
Well, the Rose Petrillo sort of returned. I found the project bag in which I put all the pieces.
There are a couple of pieces missing like the strap. I’ll have to find some good fabric for that.
The fabric pieces are all interfaced with SF101, but no foam is cut out. It could be that I didn’t have foam at the time I cut out the pieces. I really don’t remember.
I finished the Vervain belt bag the other day. This is definitely a bag I need to make again to improve my skills.
I did find that the bag went together more smoothly than I anticipated. It made me happy and it made me confident enough to try the Allium bag soon.
This bag is really making me consider buying a rivet press. I got the magnetic snaps in with no problem, but it was a bit of a struggle. What is stopping me from buying a press is space. Where would I keep such a huge piece of equipment? Not sure, so I need to clear some things out to make space.
So this bag has a flat front pocket. The snaps are on the front and don’t meet when the bag is as it is shown in the first photo above. The snaps are uneven so the pocket can fit something with more dimension.
I was able to fit my phone in that pocket, but not very well. I wouldn’t store it there on a regular basis. I would use that pocket for lip balm, wet wipes and other flat items.
The back has no pockets, though I could have included a vertical zipper pocket. I might if I make this again.
I also used a really nice parachute clip for this since it is for my aunt. The clip is a little heavy and that is a concern, but we will see. I hope it doesn’t prevent her from using it.
Inside is where I would put my phone, if I were using this bag.
It has a zipper that closes the bag completely and also an interior zip pocket for more security.
CW took the Butterfly Superbloom out as soon as she got it.
She took it with her to a winery. I hope the bag held at least two bottles!
This is a great picture and I really hope the bag was useful.
I decided that making a pencil roll would fit in with the upcoming Organizer swap and would be good to enter into the fair. I had nothing to enter and needed to make something. Time grew short and my free time became a precious commodity, so here we are.
I spent some of last weekend sewing the strips together after cutting them out at Sew Day. It didn’t all go as smoothly as I would have liked, but it has been about 6 years since I made one of these so some bumps in the path are to be expected. I am thinking black and white for the other pieces. Dots and stripes.
I hope to finish this sometime this week so I can hand it in at the meeting next weekend to be taken to the Fair.
The Orange Peel circles are back!
Why? I don’t know. I have had a desire to make a few more recently. I bought a fat quarter of fabric specifically for this project and decided that this week was the week to make them. I was able to cut four circles out of a fat quarter and will have a few scraps left to make some donation blocks.
I also used some of the fabric I bought after Sara’s February or March live show. It’s been sitting out taunting me and this was a good way to test the waters.
I started out with the 8 inch Clammy**. I will also work on some with the 6 inch Clammy** next. I am just playing now. I don’t yet have a design or know what my background fabric will be. I have been thinking about it and will probably select a solid. Stay tuned.
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