Commentary about works in progress, design & creativity
This quilt design has exploded out of my workroom. I made quite a few this year using different techniques for the 8.5 x 4.5 inch unit.
This tutorial also inspired others to make this design.
Remember that I found a similar pattern from Jennifer Jones of Penelope Handmade for the Dorothy Quilt.
My donation block making has stalled a bit. I am working feverishly on other projects, some in preparation for the holidays and some just because. Still, I have a few to show.
I started another Sidewalk quilt with 4.5″ x 8.5″ panels I cut when I processing scraps a month or so ago. I haven’t made a ton of progress, but I like what I have done so far.
While the ‘panels’ are the same size as the pieced units, this top feels like it is going together much more quickly.
I finally found that someone else had created a pattern for, what I call, the Sidewalk Quilt. Jennifer Jones of Penelope Handmade has a pattern for the Dorothy Quilt, which is, essentially, the same as the Sidewalk quilt. She has a long blog post from 2023, which includes links to her YouTube Channel. She uses all solids in her examples – at least the ones I saw – and they look quite good against a white background.
Almost immediately after finishing her quilt, my Mom took a donation quilt from the BAM selection to finish.
I didn’t really look at it until we got home and she took it out to start the binding.
The first thing I noticed is that it smelled bad. I took it outside and hung it on a bush to air it out. That didn’t work well, so I ended up washing it (yes, in the machine on delicate and in the dryer on low). It smelled better after that. Before I washed it, I sewed around the edge so the edges wouldn’t ravel more than they already were.
As I worked on the quilt, I noticed how amazing it is. It is hand pieced and hand quilted and the work is beautiful. It is also in great condition. The maker knew what she was doing.
I think I might want to make this quilt design using EPP.
I forgot to show the gift I received at the recent BAM swap. I had to choose for three people and my choice kind of got left in the dust.
This pouch was made by Cyndi. it made from the mesh that is more stiff than the mesh I use for bags. It is kind of like screen, but not sharp. I remember buying some of this (or Friend Julie buying me some?) for a jewelry storage project we were going to make together. I never made mine and don’t think she made hers. Perhaps we need to revisit that project?
I wasn’t sure what I would do with, but got a brainwave when all of my doublefold elastic exploded on the floor of the fabric closet. I put it into this pouch and now it is nicely corralled in one place. The excellent thing about having it in a pouch is that I can grab the pouch and go and then decide on a color later.
I started off the month continuing to make white strip blocks. The bin really was not organized well and I found a whole new selection of strips I could use to make blocks partway through. I was up to a total (not just the ones made in October) of 40 white strip blocks early in the month, but continued to make them. I like my scrap bins to be as empty as possible. The white bin is proving to be a challenge to empty.
We introduced the BAM BOM last weekend at the guild meeting.
The first block is the HST and these are mine. For this block, I am using some fabric from a member who passed away.
The rule is at least 6 seams, so I knew I had to make more than one HST. I used the 8-at-a-time directions I give to my students and made 8.
I have an idea in my mind to use HSTs in more places around my quilt. For now, I will stick with these, but I might make more later.
SueG and I have been working for a few months on organizing a block-of-the-month (BOM) program for the guild. It starts in a few days. If you want to join, buy a membership in the guild. We will make the BOM program available in the group’s forum as well as at the meetings.
We wanted this to be a different kind of BOM. The participants won’t be getting one block that they have to make in a certain size each month. We are going with a “Choose Your Own Adventure” style. People will get a pattern, but there will be choices of sizes. They can use any technique to make it and change the size if they want.
I have started to choose my fabrics. These aren’t all of them. I think I need some kind of citrus or sunshine type warm color and a turquoise as well. Stay tuned for the additions as I evolve the fabrics in my own mind.
I finished Sidewalk #4 very quickly. I wanted to turn it in at Sew Day since the pieces were clogging up my workspace.
This is partially because my design walls are full. I have a lot going on (Country Revival/Sad Quilt, Patchwork Palooza, Four Patch Fun, 2 other Sidewalk quilts, Circle quilt). I even had to use the floor since there is no room on any design wall. Very hard on my back, but I was on a mission.
I definitely need to think about less white in the Half 16 Patch blocks. This quilt is VERY white and you don’t really get the sidewalk effect with so much white.
I have been working on some green and blue Sidewalk blocks with white and I may use a different color for the background.
I was very surprised at how well this back went together. I didn’t worry about eeking every little inch out of the fabric. I got enough pieces out and cut there where I needed to. It means I have more scraps to cut up as well as a finished back.
The stripes in this piece are really striking. The rainbow stripes from Chain Link make this piece less depressing than it might be if I had excluded them.
I am pleased that I finally finished this piece. It has been on the design wall for more than a year and it is a relief to get it to the Community Quilt team.
I am pleased with the way it came out. Most of these improv quilts are hard to pass along.
We had another fun Sew Day on Saturday! It was super lively. We had a new member join and another new member join her first Sew Day.
Amy showed two quilts she has recently finished. The flower quilt has a great block. I really like the rectangular block format.
Amy also showed the lime and teal quilt. She called it her Halloween quilt. I couldn’t really understand that and didn’t hear the explanation, but I like the fabric. I think maybe the fabric, with its bell jars, test tubes and poison jars and flasks of eyeballs might be the reason.
Mom finished the binding on the White Strips #2. Tim held it up for me and then it got turned in.
I cut up most of the leftover Half Hexie strips for the Four Patch Fun blocks. I am pleased about that, except that I have a boatload of pieces and need to cut some backgrounds for them. I keep reminding myself I don’t have to do it all at once.
I also cut out an apron I have been planning for the AirBnB house I rent when I go to Portland.
I worked on the Black Improv a lot, which doesn’t really have blocks, so that means fewer for this post. I added a few blocks in green and white to my stash of pieces for the next Sidewalk.
I finished working on the Black Improv top quicker than expected. Since it was already out and not completely empty, I kept the Black-Grey-Brown scrap bin out and made a few blocks from brown and grey. I just wanted to lighten the box up a little bit more. I don’t have much brown and I used all the strips to make the brown strip blocks you see below. I also made a couple of grey blocks and one black strip block. I’ll save these for another rainbow strip quilt or when I get enough Black-Grey-Brown strip blocks.
Once I was done with the Black-Grey-Brown strips, I got out the white bin, which was overflowing – again- and started in on white strip blocks. I don’t know whether I’ll make a white strip quilt like the last one or make a Sidewalk quilt with a color for the background. I like the idea of a blue background.
I have numbered the black strip block as #10, but I don’t really know what number it is. I suspect it is about #41 since I made one black strip donation quilt. Still, the other blocks aren’t numbered, so here we are.
I started Sidewalk #4. As you can see from the photo, I am using my design floor. The design walls are full. I can’t take Country Revival/The Sad Quilt off the large design wall until I get more sewn.
Sidewalk is too big for the small design wall so design floor it is. Not my preference, but needs must. Too many projects on the go, so I needed to get one of them off my list.
I have been randomly sewing Half 16 Patch blocks to the white background pieces as leaders and enders, so I have a small start. I have a lot to do, however. The Community quilt team for the guild really needs backs, so that is an extra step. I know I normally do it, but was considering being lazy this time. More fabric used, however.
I have been working diligently on the Black Improv. Surprisingly it is getting quite large. Not king-sized or anything, but large for one of my donation quilts.
After having this piece languish for a long time, I thought it would be a chose to finish it. Even though I am not finished yet, I am having fun working on it. So many stripes!!
I am using the strips I cut for color strip blocks to make the quilt bigger and to make the piecing a little easier. I know I will make more black scraps at some point, so why not?
At the widest and tallest points in the photo above, the piece is 38w x 35l. It is getting to be the size I like giving to the Community Giving project.
I haven’t made much progress on this piece, but I haven’t given on it either. After I posted about the most recent Color Improv finishes, I got some nice feedback and decided to get back to this piece.
I had a couple of the strip blocks and I decided to add them to the piece so as to make it larger sooner.
It has been a struggle, because I have the half 16 patch blocks for the next Sidewalk quilt as leaders and enders as well as the Four Patch Fun piecing.
So much quilty goodness!!