Quilt News, Log Cabin Blocks Inspired by Temecula Quilt Co Challenge, Summer Plaids Quilt Top Progress, New Hand Pieced Scrap Blocks..

 Log Cabin blocks close up.

 

Log Cabin blocks in b/w to help interview/arranging process.

 Lob Cabin blocks and Summer Plaids quilt tops.

 

 Orphan blocks and new hand pieced scrappy blocks.

 

 Summer Plaids in piecing process.

 

 Summer Plaids quilt top 28" X 29" as it now stands.

 

 

 

Log Cabin Improv blocks in final arrangement.
 

 

Hello Quilt Friends from the Valley!

Where it's been sunny but cooler, nice change. 

This last week a new grand daughter has been added to our family, very precious.

And I've had time to get some hand quilting and piecing done and thinking about how to finish a couple of quilt tops.

My Summer Plaids quilt top, started about 2 yr.s ago, is scrappy made of plaid shirtings, prints and solids. I want to make it at least 36" X 36" so more scrappiness will be added. I had it folded and stored away and then when getting something I needed for another project, I saw its summer colors and had to get it out to celebrate the end of summer.

Then I decided on the final arrangement of my newer Liberated Log Cabin block quilt top inspired by a Temecula Quilt Co 'Down Home Darling' challenge. The challenge called for traditional piecing but I had to throw in some improv design to make it more interesting for me. I made the center of the blocks all in red prints but in different sizes and so the logs (strips) are in different widths. The blocks are set in 'furrough' formation. And the next step will be to get all the blocks pieced together.

I've also been adding to my 'parts department' by hand piecing blocks from scraps.

And that, Quilt Friends, is the quilt news from the valley, where I'm remembering to be thankful.

'Count your blessings, name them one by one!' Do you remember that song?

I'll be by to visit!

 

 

Quilt News From the Valley! Happy September! Heat Wave, New Batik Colors, Walk in the Neighborhood Color it Green

A path in the neighborhood, notice the greens?

 

    I picked up some beautiful fat quarter batiks and a small floral in local fabric store.

 Time to press them getting ready for sub-cutting.

 

 

Hello Quilt Friends and Happy September!

This last couple of weeks has been hot around here so not much piecing has been done. I spent some time browsing the local fabric store, good sales and air conditioning. 

I did get some hand quilting done on my Orange X Block Quilt and pressed all the new batiks and the small floral fabric I got on sale. 

And I got some good quilt book reading time in, enjoying my copy of Sew Charming by Mary Etherington and Connie Tesene.

I browsed Temecula Quilt Co.'s website and enjoyed looking through their patterns and books. Sheryl Johnson's new book, Return to Temecula, looks like a great reference for inspiration.

So that is the quilt news from the valley where I've been staying in the shade and moving slow. I'm remembering to be thankful and praying for people in Louisianna suffering from Hurricane Ida.

How's your weather?

I'll be by to visit

 

Quilt News, Mostly Green Quilt Top Piecing Finished, Borders or Not?

Mostly Green 4in1 quilt top close view.

Pieced together, Mostly Green 4in1 Quilt top  48" x 48".

 

Hello Quilt Friends! Quilt news from the valley, where I'm remembering to be thankful!

I finished piecing Mostly Green 4in1 Quilt top yesterday.

Four Patch, Nine Patch and Sixteen Patch blocks are included.

This quilt is a combination of four different quilt challenges. In my previous post I explain that in more detail.

Now I'm wondering about borders, what do you think?

This is a quick progress report, I just had to share!

Have a good weekend and I'll be by to visit.

Quilt News 4 August! New Piecing for quilt 'Suppose', 4 Challenges in 1 'Mostly Green' Quilt Layout Progress, Hand Quilting Progress on Orange X Block Quilt, Garden Photos

A walk through the neighborhood.

I believe this is a Dutch Iris.

'Mostly Green' quilt layout possibility, deep brown 'Espresso' squares have replaced the 2 purple squares.

Garden lights.

More hand quilting progress on Orange X Block Quilt.

Mostly Green Quilt 'interviewing' layout possibilities in b/w.

Blocks and units that might be part of my new quilt 'Suppose.'

 

Quilt News from the valley!

Where it's August and summer temps are making life easy.

The last couple of weeks I've been hand quilting my Orange X Block quilt, pieced with left over parts and scraps. Hand quilting gives an organic, soft look to quilts, just lovely.

And I've been pulling out scraps and putting together units and blocks to be added or considered for my newest improv quilt, 'Suppose.' It's going to be the sampler kind and probably asymmetrical.

Then I finally finished the nine patches and four patch blocks that I wanted to go into my 'Mostly Green' quilt.

This quilt has been in progress for quite a while, it has a long history!

It first began as Sixteen Patch blocks for a green block challenge. I finished 9 sixteen patch blocks, mostly green, each block measures 8". What to do with them I didn't know so I put them away. Once in a while I took them out and looked at them.

Time went by and I noticed a challenge in AHIQ, I think it was, and it was making a quilt similar to one of the quilts in Rodney Kiracoff's book showing his collection of quilts, Unconventional and Unexpected.

Linda @ kokaquilts pieced up a great quilt using one of the quilts in his book as inspiration.

And the design idea of scale was an aspect of that particular quilt design.

Then another challenge came up in AHIQ, Scale, Aha! I started thinking, what if..?

Then wouldn't you know it another challenge comes up in AHIQ, asymmetrical/symmetrical.

Another Aha!

I thought, 'Why couldn't I combine 4 challenges into one quilt? Then I had a reason to solidify a design!

So the color green block challenge and the AHIQ challenge for making a quilt inspired by a quilt in Rodney's book and the challenge of using scale and the challenge of using asymmetry/symmetry is being met in my design of my 'Mostly Green' quilt!

Maybe I should call it 4 in 1 Mostly Green.

The blocks I have now, when pieced will measure 48 x 48".

 and that, Quilt Friends,  is the news from the valley!

where I'm remembering to be thankful.

I'll be by to visit.

New Improv Scrap Quilt, 'Suppose?', Orange X Block Medallion Quilt Hand Quilting Progress, Finished Photo of Improv HSTs & Broken Dishes Quilt

My newest improv quilt, 'Suppose?' with two more improv 'starts' on top.

I'm calling this one, 'Suppose'. Starting with the center medallion going out, I used scraps and fat quarter stash.

'Suppose?' borders in progress.

What if HSTs border next, using these solids and more scraps?

Hand Quilting in progress, Orange X Block Medallion Quilt.

Hand quilting progress on scrappy Orange X Block Medallion Quilt.

Finished last summer, photo of 'HSTs & Broken Dishes', my design.

This light is fairly accurate, 44" x 44", Orange X Blocks Medallion Quilt.

 

Hello Quilt Friends from the valley!

Where summer weather and bbqs make life easy.

I found three improv pieces, pieced from leftover strips and blocks, one square, two rectangles. I had stashed them away and now decided to start on one and get borders pieced around it. 

I ended up calling this one 'Suppose?' mostly because that was what I was thinking as I began interviewing scraps and orphan blocks for borders. Also in looking through my leftover squares I noticed that I had cut the squares to include as much of the Cotton & Steel selvedge as I could to include the words printed on it.

 And so one of the small hourglass blocks ( toward the top right hand hourglass border) has most of the word SUPPOSE on.

Kind of knit picky but sometimes little details are fun.

Then I've been hand quilting my Orange X Block Medallion quilt, 44" x 44", slow but steady.

And I wanted to remember my HSTs & Broken Dishes quilt, 15" x 16", I finished last summer. It says 'summer' to me. I like to remember finding the two cotton shirts in the thrift store and then sorting through scraps to see what would look best with the blue and yellow plaid shirt fabric. Then I cut out squares using scissors and began arranging. Some of it is hand pieced because at the time I didn't have access to my sewing machine. I have great respect for hand piecing! 

Now it is finished and on my wall saying ' Summer.'

Also if you haven't already, be sure to find Sujata Shah's beautiful quilt, 'Postcards from Thailand' in AmericanPatchwork & Quilting magazine, Show & Tell.

And visit her blog, therootconnection.blogspot.com

That is the quilt news from the valley, where I'm remembering to be thankful.

I'll be by to visit.

Quilt News! New AHIQ Quilt Challenge, Modern Art Quilt or Asymmetrical Quilt? Hand Quilting Progress on Orange X Block Medallion Quilt, June Wedding, Happy July!

One of my most asymmetrical art quilts, finished a few years ago.

My corsage for the June wedding in San Juan Bautista, Ca Mission.

A view of the San Juan Bautista Mission.

Another of my asymmetrical art quilts, this one was published, Santa Clara Rush.

This is one of my symmetrical quilt tops, Ponies.

Hand quilting progress on my Orange X Block Medallion Quilt.

 

Quilt news and happy July 4th!

June was the wedding month around here with a fabulous wedding in San Juan Bautista, CA, 

and with grand children running around and gorgeous scenery it was a blessing.

And 4th of July is here, we have so much to be thankful for!

Kaja put forth a new challenge for AHIQ, and then said that it would be fun to find our most asymmetrical quilt and then our most symmetrical quilt and show those, great idea and lots of fun Kaja.

And maybe I'll start a new asymmetrical quilt, or art quilt, as I like to call them. 

Lately I've been working on projects with a lot of symmetry which is good for a change but my heart will always be in art quilts.

Take time to visit Carol Lyles Shaw and see her classes and wonderful modern art quilts. Her quilt designs and classes look exciting!

And that quilt friends, is the quilt news from the valley, where we are enjoying summer.

I'll be by to visit!

Quilt News! Happy June, Log Cabin Blocks Final Column Pieced, Red and Blue Medallions Backing Finished, Teddy Sweater Finish, Cherries and What we See on our Walks

Close up of sweater I knitted for my Grandmuffin's teddy.

I plan on piecing a 3" border all around, it's now 42" x 54".

Final column is pieced onto my Santa Clara series 21 flimsy.

The backing for my Red and Blue Medallion quilt is pieced, now onto layering and pinning.

Teddy in his new sweater.

We walk down this path in the evening.

Cherries ripe on the tree outside our window, squirrels, robins and crows enjoy them.

 

Hello Quilt Friends!

It's almost summer and it's balmy around here!

Much business around here, hardly anytime to get away. But some progress has been made.

The backing for my Red and Blue Medallion quilt is pieced, another step checked off.

Layering and pinning next.

The teddy sweater is finished! My little grand muffin at first didn't like it on her teddy, the next day she warmed up to it.

Much action outside our window as the robins, crows and squirrels gorge on cherries.

And that is the quilt news from the valley, where it's warm and lots going on!

Visit Beth Shibley and watch her quilt tutorials on YouTube, excellent.

Remembering to be thankful. 

I'll be by to visit.