Yep, I finished the top and back. I feel much lighter now that it is done.
I am also pleased with how it turned out. I don’t kn ow if I will make this pattern again, but it is possible.
I am sure I said somewhere when I worked on the Metroscape quilt or the Mod Lights tablerunner that the Quick Curve ruler projects come out really well. Not all of my points match up in this quilt, but they are close enough in most cases.
Metro Twist back
I put the back together relatively quickly. The label is a little lower than I normally sew it, but I wrote Colleen a note about in case I forget to tell her if I ever see her again. 😉
Another project off my list. My pile of quilts for Colleen is growing.
I pressed and trimmed all the blocks I made at Cyndi’s. Then I spent a few hours putting them on the design wall and preparing the final layout. I am ready to get sewing.
I went over to Cyndi’s the other day to sew. This is not Cyndi of the bag, but Cyndi of the Guild. At first, we were going to work on the Enigma Bag together, but she hadn’t had time to cut out her pieces, so we’ll do that another day.
Metro Twist in process
I took three projects over to her studio and ended up making good progress on Metro Twist. I sewed about 40 blocks, most of which I was able to trim as well. I am super happy that I got back to this project.
Metro Twist ready for the big push
I put all of the existing blocks up on the big design wall (I had to take Scrappy Celebration down temporarily) and took a look.
One reason I am making so much progress, aside from taking the time to select the fabrics, is that I don’t mind the (almost) paperless foundation piecing as much as I mind regular foundation piecing.
You can see also that the fabrics are relatively bright and cheerful.
The other day I talked about selecting a large print fabric to add to the Metro Twist. After that whole selection process, I pieced some blocks using one strip of fabric to see how they would look.
Here is the before and after:
Metro Twist – July 2023
Metro Twist After Veggies
The veggie print makes the quilt look darker. The quilt will be given to one of my nephews so I think the darker look works.
Friend Julie has been diligently handing me groups of blocks whenever I see her.
Here is the latest batch. While it may look paltry compared to my bonanza, keep in mind that she has been keeping up and I haven’t. She gives me a few at a time whereas I procrastinate by making bags. I tried to work on a block or two during my lunch hours and after work. That works pretty well when I have the colors already matched to the postcards.
I set myself a goal during the past two weekends of making progress on this quilt. I didn’t make much progress, but progress is progress.
First, I made this orange block. There is a little too much orange in it and I may change the centers of the mini-9 patches to something else. Maybe blue like in G2. We’ll see how I feel.
Scrappy Celebration, E8
I really like this block. I think I might have made all of them the pattern calls for, but I really like it. I may have to make more. I kept looking at D6 and wanting to make the same block with the center and corner fabrics reversed. I really like that violet and the emerald green. I don’t use a lot of green in my quilts, so that is odd. I might like this block, because I get to use big amounts of that Shaggy Chrysanthemum print. That is definitely a favorite even thought those autumn colors aren’t my normal colors.
Scrappy Celebration, E5
Scrappy Celebration, D3
Scrappy Celebration, G6
Yes, I am making the blocks that are the easiest to get as many of them done as possible. Then I get mad at myself for being ridiculous and make a block with a lot of pieces. None of these blocks are difficult; some of them just have a lot of pieces.
Scrappy Celebration – August 2023
In total, I made 5 blocks. I am now up to 28/56 total. I have enough blocks completed to make a good sized lap quilt, which is what I will do if (when) I run out of background fabric.
I took a break from making bags, Metro Twist and Scrappy Celebration to make some progress. Thus, I made some good progress over the weekend on making Pantone blocks.
Pantone Mutt & Jeff Left
I had already chosen quite a few fabrics, which made the task easier. Foundation piecing, not my strength, gave me pains on the first block.
The background of this fabric, a Martha Negley fruit and floral print from a few years ago, was the right hue for Pantone 4545 (not all the colors have names. Some only have numbers, which is a little annoying). I only had a half yard of this fabric and these fruit and florals don’t always have a lot of background. In this case, I only had a few bits to work with.
Martha Negley Fruit & Floral for Pantone 4545
Of course, I cut a piece that was the wrong shape (remember: foundation piecing needs backwards and upside down pieces), so I had to Swiss cheese cut the last bit of background. Sigh. Fortunately, I don’t have enough of this to use for a back or a bag, so it really shouldn’t matter. Still it is painful to see one of these prints with a hunk out of the middle. Fortunately, this project (and Friend Julie) are worth it.
As an aside, you know how Tula Pink is doing Deja Vu prints? I wish Free Spirit would do them for Martha Negley as well. Maybe I should start fan club for Martha? I love those fruit and veg prints.
Half Night & Noon
One Peaky Left
One Peaky Right
Center Diamond
Center Diamond
Storm Corner
Storm Corner
Storm Corner
I went to town making blocks. I got into a rhythm that was only interrupted by not having selected anymore fabric. I thought I made a wider variety, but, looking at them like this, apparently not.
Storm Corner in Pantone 3985
I was planning to make Flying Geese for Pantone 3985, a kind of olive green, but ran out of fabric. When I selected the fabric, I didn’t realize I only had about half of a fat quarter, so mid-block, I pivoted and made another Storm Center, which would work with the size triangles I had already cut.
I needed a template, so I cut the Pirate Black Storm Corner so I could use the triangles as a template, thus I ended up with four of these. In the grand scheme of the whole quilt it will be ok. It just looks a little odd now.
Pantone colors left to make
I suppose I shouldn’t have called this “August Progress” as it assumes I won’t make any additional progress, though I hope I do. I still have a number of colors to match and turn into blocks. Note they are all kind of dull, though looking at them like this reminds me they are not all beige.
I am also happy I made some good progress as I was feeling quite guilty at my tardiness. The hardest part of this project is selecting the fabrics. Aside from hauling the fabric bins down from the top of the fabric closet, the inks on the postcards seem to be different from the dyes used in fabric. I know that is true, however the actual hues and shades seem to be really different.
I finished this top last night! I am pretty excited even though I still have a long way to go to finish it.
I rushed to get a photo as I went to bed, so it isn’t the best photo. You can see some of the details in the post I published before.
I have been working on this quilt since August of 2012! I thought I had started it in 2016. Time really flies.
I can’t tell you how pleased I am to have made it this far! Assuming I can get the piece prepped to be quilted and make a date with Colleen, I will enter this in the President’s Challenge for the guild.
I made a few more Scrappy Celebration blocks last week when I was off of work. I think they are coming out nicely. The colors are an interesting combination.
Scrappy Celebration D6
I really like the way this 9 Patch/ 4 Patch combination came out.
I was really good about making several of these blocks last week, but have been off my game on them since the weekend.
I am working to make ongoing progress on the Scrappy Celebration. I now have two full rows and ideas for more blocks.
9 Patch with large center
Scrappy Celebration, 9 Patches within a 9 Patch
I made the 9 Patch with large center with a different fabric this time. I wanted to do it before and I may switch this particular block with the D2 block. I was inspired by the other 9 Patches within a 9 Patch block to use the orange for the larger patches.
