Commentary about works in progress, design & creativity
In between putting together En Provence, I made some more Triple Star blocks. I have about six done and have to cut some more pieces to make more. I have ten more to make. They are sewn together pretty quickly with all the pieces cut.
This pattern is from Scrap-Basket Beauties by Kim Brackett. Frances turned me on to this author. There is at least one other scrap quilt in this book I would consider making.
I made another cutting mistake on the Triple Star and decided it was time to make a test block. I laid out two blocks so I could see what I was working on and came up with some great blocks.
I fooled around with the colors until I was happy and began sewing.
I am really happy I made the test block. Even laying it out on the design wall would have been helpful. This block is not difficult, but it is confusing. Still, the effect is really great.
The block came out really well. I am not sure about that mustardy color and may limit it. I am hoping that it will enhance the other colors. Not sure sure yet.
Finished 2017 Quilt Projects
Finally! I have at least one finished project! I finished the Peacock and entered it into PIQF.
The art quilt is nearly finished, but I can’t put it in the done pile yet.
Finished 2017 Non-Quilt Projects
While finished quilts are thin on the ground, as you know, I have been sewing and I have finished a lot of small projects. I am working on quilts and t I plan to make more small projects this year.
Shockingly, the above along with donation blocks and tops is about XX yards of fabric this year and I am not in the black in terms of usage.
Doing Good
In Process
The ‘In Process’ is used to denote projects on which I am actively working or pretending to stitch. I try not to put away projects, because that will ensure I never work on them.
Still WIPs
I still have WIPs. Who doesn’t, after all? A project in the ‘UFO’ category means I am stalled. A nicer way of saying UFO is a WIP. The list is a lot shorter and the projects are newer, for the most part.
Ready for Quilting
In Quilting Process
Binding
Down the Drain – the binding was machine sewed on last week and now I need to hand stitch it.
Hunting and Gathering
Other
What’s on your list?
I had a few minutes to sew on Friday night after work and I blew through about 30 pieces for the Triple Star quilt. Not tons, but some progress, which felt good.
I have to admit I was avoiding quilting on the art quilt. I had taken off the walking foot in order to finish the star donation quilt and just drifted over to piecing rather than be disciplined about quilting. I have to give myself a break. This is supposed to be fun and I have been driving myself.
I was pleased to do some piecing. I received the Chroma finally, so I could cut the rest of the large rectangles. Now I am in the process of sewing (using the flippy corners method) 2.5″ squares onto two sides of the rectangles to make a parallelogram. I need a lot of them so it is taking forever. I might sew a sample block just to ease the mindlessness. I have no excuse to be bored 1) because I can switch to other projects and 2) I just started!
Other Posts on the Triple Star:
Triple Star Progress – July 6, 2017
Triple Star – June 20, 2017
A few weeks have gone by since I finished this top. I am not sure why I didn’t post it, but I am now.
The piece, as I have said a million times is HUGE. This means that it is hard to photograph. It further means that you get a glimpse of some of the furniture that needs to be recovered in the photo. 😉
I am pleased with the way it came out. The back is done (no photo, sorry), the binding is done and I am working on a sleeve.
I made The Peacock sleeve this week and thought it would be great to just make the Carpenter’s Wheel sleeve as well. It would be ready for hand sewing and I wouldn’t have to stop what I was doing to make a sleeve. I haven’t completed it yet, though it is in process.
Lots of prep this week.
I suppose that is what has to happen at some point. I know I mitigate massive bouts of cutting by breaking it up, but occasionally, I can’t get away from it.
In addition to everything else I did at Sew Day, I also cut background squares for the Triple Star.
This was a task I really needed to do to make anymore progress on the piece, but was also reluctant to do due to space considerations. At Sew Day, I commandeered a large mat and table. I was able to lay out the book, the finished pieces, my rulers and still have space to cut. It was great and I got the job done quickly.
I still have foreground fabric to cut as I have been focusing my cutting on the 2.5″ x 6.5″ rectangles and using the Alison Glass Sun Prints layer cake. Before I can do much more I need to cut some of the smaller foreground pieces from other pieces. I don’t want to make a one fabric line quilt. I want it to be more controlled scrappy like the version I saw at Back Porch.
I did a little piecing using the pieces I cut and they are looking good so far. I am using the Janome 6600, which I talked about yesterday. They came out perfectly. There was no fighting with the machine. I used the “flippy corners” method and the machine did not eat the corners. It was a relatively painless experience.
Finished 2017 Quilt Projects
Still no finished projects quite yet. The Peacock binding is finished almost puts me back in the black in terms of fabric usage. I have to make the sleeve and that should take some yardage as well. My fabric used list is still really suffering from being away from my sewing machine, tempting new quilt shops and just generally fabulous fabrics.
Finished 2017 Non-Quilt Projects
While finished quilts are thin on the ground, as you know, I have been sewing and I have finished a number of small projects. I am working on quilts, but I plan to make more small projects this year.
Shockingly, the above along with donation blocks and tops is about 50 yards of fabric this year and I am not in the black in terms of usage.
Doing Good
In Process
The ‘In Process’ is used to denote projects on which I am actively working or pretending to stitch. I try not to put away projects, because that will ensure I never work on them.
Still WIPs
I still have WIPs. Who doesn’t, after all? A project in the ‘UFO’ category means I am stalled. A nicer way of saying UFO is a WIP. The list is a lot shorter and the projects are newer, for the most part.
Ready for Quilting
In Quilting Process
Binding
Peacock Quilt – finished quilting; have to pick up from my quilter, so I can bind.
Hunting and Gathering
Other
What’s on your list?
Finished 2017 Quilt Projects
Still none yet. Still sad, though I am getting the Peacock back soon, which after binding, should put me back in the black in terms of fabric usage. I hope. My fabric used list is still really suffering from frequent travel, tempting new quilt shops and fabulous fabrics.
Finished 2017 Non-Quilt Projects
While quilts are thin on the ground, I have been sewing and I have finished sewing a lot of small projects. I think that trend has mostly ended, but I expect to make a few more small projects this year.
Shockingly, the above along with donation blocks and tops is about 50 yards of fabric this year and I am not in the black in terms of usage.
Doing Good
In Process
The ‘In Process’ is used to denote projects on which I am actively working or pretending to stitch. I try not to put away projects, because that will ensure I never work on them.
Still WIPs
I still have WIPs. Who doesn’t, after all? A project in the ‘UFO’ category means I am stalled. A nicer way of saying UFO is a WIP. The list is a lot shorter and the projects are newer, for the most part.
Ready for Quilting
In Quilting Process
Binding
Peacock Quilt – finished quilting; have to pick up from my quilter, so I can bind.
Hunting and Gathering
Other
What’s on your list?
Well, hello! It has been awhile since I confessed to my UFO and WIP list. February, as a matter of fact.
Finished 2017 Quilt Projects
None yet. Sad I know. My fabric used list is really suffering.
Finished 2017 Non-Quilt Projects
Shockingly, the above along with donation blocks and tops is about 50 yards of fabric this year and I am only a little bit in the black in terms of usage.
Doing Good
In Process
The ‘In Process’ is used to denote projects on which I am actively working or pretending to stitch. I try not to put away projects, because that will ensure I never work on them.
Still WIPs
I still have WIPs. Who doesn’t, after all? A project in the ‘UFO’ category means I am stalled. A nicer way of saying UFO is a WIP. The list is a lot shorter and the projects are newer, for the most part.
Ready for Quilting
In Quilting Process
Binding
None
Hunting and Gathering
Other
What’s on your list?
The other day I talked about making the two sections of section 2. After I did that it took me a few days to sew section 2 together and then sew that large piece to section 1.
I still need to make and add Section 3. I have barely any 4 patches left for the background, so I have to sew those blocks together first.
I am stupidly pleased with this section. Even more so because the feeling of having crossed a huge hurdle is even stronger now that I can see this section laid out. Of course, I may never be able to see the entire top as it is so large. I might have to move the dining room table and get a ladder to take future photos.
With two more seams, section 2 will be finished and attached to section 1 making one large section.
To get there, I have to sew two seams. Before that I finished all of the section two background blocks. As a bonus, I feel like I surpassed a major hurdle. The feeling of slogging through and never making progress was strong, but finishing this section made the light at the end of the tunnel visible.
It is so odd how I can feel like a project will never end, then suddenly, with no warning, I see the end coming.
I think it might have been last November that I did a design wall post. I am a little short of content, not having finished or really worked on anything worth showing recently. Some projects are actually worth showing, but not in a recognizable stage. I kind of feel like this whole year, so far, has been dedicated to process and some mindless sewing.
I had to work hard yesterday to fill it up so it would be interesting for you to look at. Not that I hadn’t planned to sew a lot anyway, but you gave me true purpose.
I was pleased and a little shocked that none of the major projects on my design wall were there last November. I am pleased that I have made some progress.
Hard on the heels of the Peacock was a deadline for the Carpenter’s Wheel. Since I had started thinking of the background for each block in terms of low volume prints, there was a lot of text fabric included.When the text Challenge was announced at my modern guild, I immediately thought of this piece. It wasn’t exactly made specifically for this challenge, but it fit the theme and the blocks were just hanging around, so Text challenge quilt it was.
That meant that I had to get some of it done before the big reveal, which was Saturday. I couldn’t be there due to #politicalwifery. Still, I had options for showing it.
I used some mini charms, which I bought in Oregon, to get the ball rolling, but picked up other text fabrics along the way as well. A few weeks ago, I spent some quality time with the Accuquilt and the 2.5 inch die cutting, what I hoped were, enough squares to make 3 background blocks.
I refused to compromise my vision, which started with the layouts I worked on in the spring of last year. I wanted some good texture int he background, so multiple squares, rather than big squares of fabric it was to be. I began using the 2.5 inch squares as leaders and enders as I finished the back for The Peacock. I made a stack of 4 patches, which later turned into 3 background squares.
I wanted to see how 4 inch squares would look mixed in. I chose the fabrics carefully and fussy cut in some cases. I thought they fit in and didn’t scream, so I used a couple in each block. This make the piecing go a little faster and add a little relief to the background.
I had to sew into the evening on Thursday in order to give it to my SIL on Friday to take to the meeting. I succeeded and still got to spend time with DH. I have gotten some very nice comments on Instagram and hope, even if unfinished, it is well received at guild.
I finally finished the Peacock top. The photo looks a little odd, because my design wall isn’t large enough for the whole top so it is bent around the corner and taped to the fabric closet door. Still, done is done albeit large.
I also finished the back this past weekend. I knew it would take awhile so I started after I returned from the CQFA meeting and the BAM Sew Day. I spent about 4 hours and got about half of it done. The rest of it took me all day on Sunday. I thought about this and decided that the smaller the pieces I have to work with the more time the back takes. I had used most of the large-ish pieces on Saturday, so I was left with rather small pieces. I thought I would be annoyed, but I sewed, actually, quite happily on the back.
I needed to get it done before the CQFA Retreat, because someone wanted to buy my design wall. That didn’t work out so my Pind design wall is available for sale, if you are interested. It works great and is in great shape; it just isn’t large enough for me. Let me know if you are interested.
I am clearing up my workroom a bit after taking down my large design wall and finding a plethora of odds and ends behind it. In the course of cleaning, I am assembling fabrics to donate, which count in the ‘used’ (e.g. no longer in the stash) column of my fabric spreadsheet.
Finished 2017 Quilt Projects
None yet
Finished 2017 Non-Quilt Projects
Doing Good
In Process
The ‘In Process’ is used to denote projects on which I am actively working or pretending to stitch. I try not to put away projects, because that will ensure I never work on them.
Still WIPs
I still have WIPs. Who doesn’t, after all? A project in the ‘UFO’ category means I am stalled. A nicer way of saying UFO is a WIP. The list is a lot shorter and the projects are newer, for the most part.
Ready for Quilting
In Quilting Process
Binding
None
Hunting and Gathering
Other
What’s on your list?