Quilt News! Four Patch in a Square Blocks, Tim Holtz Fabric, Sashiko Hand Stitching Project Finish, Spring is Coming, Can You Feel It?

This is what I'm after, Four Patch in a Square blocks, this one featuring Horticulture by Tim Holtz.

Flowers from the local market, imported but lovely.

Stacks of fabrics and Four Patch blocks....Tim Holtz fabric upper left stack.

My glass drying towel finish, using Sashiko and regular embroidery stitching.

 

Quilt News from the valley! 

Where we have rain off and on and temperatures are a few degrees warmer. And spring is coming, every morning the sun comes up a bit earlier. Day Light Savings switch soon...

Last week I had time for my 4" Four Square blocks. I found them after storing them away because no  inspiration was forthcoming as to what needed to be done with them. Then I came across Beth Shibley's You Tube tutorial on Four Ways to Finish Four Patch Blocks, the light came on, simple yet profound. One of her suggestions is to use a four patch in a square. Great idea and it will use up a lot of scraps and odds and ends.

For my Four Patch in a Square project I'm using some of my Tim Holtz fabric stash, Horticulture and From Camden, two of my favorites, from his Eclectic Elements/Foundations collection.

My glass drying towel with Sashiko and hand embroidery is finished and being used, practical is the word!

And that quilt friends is the news, a finish and a start.

Does spring inspire you to new projects?

Quilt News! Fun with Quilt Borders, Hand Stitched Sashiko Project in Use! 2023 International Scrap Festival by Ann Wood! Susie @ Susies-scraps.com!

Sashiko project finished and being used in my kitchen.

Hour Glass Medallion #1 with String and Sawtooth Borders got a final 1.5" border!

#1 close-up, approx. 30" square.

#2 with final 2.5" border close-up.

#2 Hour Glass Medallion with Sawtooth Borders (on top), 30"x 30".

 

Hello Quilt Friends! Cold but mild weather in the valley.

And my two Hourglass Medallion small quilts with String and Sawtooth borders are officially done with final borders. I thought they both needed a final border for a neat finish. 

Also finished is my Sashiko hand stitched kitchen mat. We keep our water jugs and coffee makers on it. It soaks up water and quiets the kitchen counters. Visit Sashiko Lab for great online classes and ideas.

Also for fun inspiration and a great reason to have a festival, you must visit Ann Wood's 2023 International Scrap Festival! Lots of inspiration for using all those scraps too precious to throw out. 

Ann also links to Susie @Susie-scraps.com. I had a wonderful time going through Susie's tutorials and I  might have to try her Granny Squares Scrap Quilt and/or her Economy Squares Quilt. Both are superb for using tons of scraps.

And that, Quilt Friends, is the news from my sewing room to yours. I plan to celebrate 2023 International Scrap Festival with gusto, how about you? 

I'll be by to visit.

Quilt News! Hour Glass Quilt Blocks Medallion #2 Experiment Progress, Mary Hogan's Book, Log Cabin Improv is Excellent!

Mary Hogan's book, Log Cabin Improv.

I'm testing out border arrangements for my #2 Hourglass Medallion .

Checking for contrast here, hourglass blocks are finished 2".

 

And more Christmas & Kaffe hourglass blocks for another project.

Hello Quilt Friends from the valley where we have cold temperatures and sunny skies.

I'm working on my sawtooth borders for my Hourglass Medallion #2 small quilt. It's an experimental/practice project. Often I don't want to make a big quilt but I want to work out a technique or color arrangement so I make a small piece. The sawtooth border technique that Mary Hogan  explains in her book is one of the best I've seen, good explanation and photos. 

And I'm piecing up bigger Hourglass Blocks, 3 1/2" finished, for another project. Using Christmas & Kaffe fabrics with Kona solids and Moda Grunge for fun contrast. 

That is the quilt news from the cold NW where I'm indulging in color and working out some piecing experiments. What new projects or color combinations are you considering?

When it's cold outside being inside is a good thing, right? I'm thankful.

I'll be by to visit.

Quilt News! Finished Double Challenge Quilt Top, Finished Hand Quilting Scrappy Sawtooth Border Runner Size Quilt, Sashiko Stitching Fun Project

I finished Hand Quilting my Scappy Sawtooth border runner.

Love the big stitch quilting, 37" x 18".

This book by Carolyn Forster is an excellent reference for hand quilting!

My Sashiko project, to be used in my kitchen, each square is 4".

Mostly Green Quilt top finished! 2 challenges in one top! 60" x 60".

Hello Quilt Friends!

We have mostly clear skies this morning after a few weeks of drizzle and rain, refreshing!

And Happy New Year to you!

I've finished hand quilting my Scrappy Sawtooth border runner size quilt, 37" x 18". I used Perle Cotton size 8. And I was inspired and encouraged by reading through Carolyn Forster's book, Hand Quilting Techniques for Farm House Style, A very useful and practical reference/inspiration book.

And my Sashiko hand stitching project is almost done, the backing will be pink linen same as what the front squares are. It will be used in my kitchen to bring cheer. I've been inspired by Sashiko.Lab and a few good books, Sashiko for Making and Mending, by Saki Iiduka, from my local library and my book by Erin Eggenburg, The Mending Directory. Erin's style is what I call a 'hybrid' version of Sashiko. I love the useful, practical aspect of Sashiko.

Also finished my 'Mostly Green' quilt top @ 60" x 60". I started it in response to 2 challenges, a block of the month in green, and I made not just one but many green four patches, sixteen patches and nine patch blocks, with a few reddish squares thrown in to loosen it up a bit. The second challenge was using scale, so starting with 2" squares for the sixteen patch blocks, then on to 4" squares in the four patches and 2 2/3" squares in the ninepatch blocks, each block finishing at 8". I was inspired to finish my quilt with saw tooth borders by reading Mary Hogan's excellent book, Log Cabin Improv. Her section on improv techniques is the best. She explains improv curves, angles, string sets and improv shapes: stack, slash, shuffle and sew and lots more!

Now onto hand quilting!

 

 

And that quilt friends, is the quilt news from the valley where we are enjoying sun and praying for peace.

What projects are you finishing up? I'll be by to visit.

Quilt News! Saw Tooth Border for My Mostly Green Challenge Quilt Piecing Begins, More Fun Sashiko Stitch Sampling

My Mostly Green Challenge Quilt in sawtooth border 'interview' process.

A stitch sample from my book The Mending Directory by Erin Eggenburg.

More of my Sashiko Stitch samples from Sashikostitchlab.com.

Peace on earth, good will to men!

Hello Quilt Friends!Quilt News from the valley where we have frosty nights and sunny days.And Christmas Cards and gifts are being mailed out, almost done!

 

This week I'll be piecing my sawtooth border for my Mostly Green Challenge Quilt. I'm excited with the progress.

And I'm sampling Sashiko Stitches from Sashikolab.com and from my books using Sashiko Stitches in mending, The Mending Directory by Erin Eggenburg and Creative Mending by Hikaru Noguchi.

Excellent reading if Sashiko/Darning/Stitching techniques interest you.

And that is the quilt news from the valley where I'm keeping this short because there's a lot of seasonal busy stuff happening around here.

I'll be by to visit. 

Merry Christmas to you and yours!

  

Quilt News! Hour Glass Medallion with String and Sawtooth Borders Quilt Top Finish, Star Ornaments for the Holidays and an Excellent List of Good Quilt/Stitch Books

Hour Glass Medallion with String and Sawtooth borders finished at 27" square.

 

My Holiday Stars with sparkles!

Quilt news from the valley, where we had a little snow this morning.

I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving. The simple attitude of giving thanks is powerful, clears your mind and opens your heart and don't we all need more of that?

This last week I finished my Hour Glass Medallion w' String and Sawtooth Borders quilt top @ 27" square. It's a practice run for finishing my Mostly Green Quilt top that has been stalled for way too long because of lack of inspiration. After reading Mary Hogan's book, Log Cabin Improv, I was very inspired to begin piecing string borders and sawtooth borders to finish up several quilt tops. Her book is practical and packed with excellent photos and tips.

Then at my local quilt guild meeting one of my fellow guild members offered to put on a quilt ornament class. At the last meeting she did a presentation of the Christmas ornaments she had made over the years and they were amazing! Later I went to her class and enjoyed myself and had a great time with my quilt guild friends learning to make a Christmas Star. It can be made with double sided fabric or medium weight paper, (I've done both.) It's folded and made with four strips. It is also called Danish, German, or Froebel's Star or Origami Folded Star. I'm going to be making more because they're lovely on the Christmas Tree.

And I wanted to share some excellent books that you will appreciate if you need inspiration or just enjoy reading about color and process in the quilt/stitching/art world. Read and enjoy!

#1 Mary Hogan's book, Log Cabin Improv.

#2 Jan Dowson's book, Expressive Stitches.

#3 Carolyn Forster's book, Hand Quilting Techniques for Farm House Style Quilts.

 And that quilt friends is the quilt news from the valley where it's the season to be merry and spread good will! How absolutely daring, right?

I'll be by to visit.

 

Quilt New! New Improv Quilt with Hourglass Block Medallion & String Border Started, Hand Quilting in No. 8 Perle Cotton, Embroidery/Sashiko Samples

My design,  Hourglass Medallion with String Border, more to be added.

My scrappy runner with sawtooth border is in hand quilting process.

Samples of Sashiko stitches, for the 24 Days of Sashiko 2022 Challenge.

 

 

Quilt News from the valley! 

Temperatures have dropped and we've had a few frosts, leaves are falling fast.

I'm piecing my new improv Hourglass Medallion Quilt with String Borders, it's 16" x 16" so far. Have you tried piecing string borders or sawtooth borders for any projects lately?

And progress has been made on hand quilting my Scrappy Runner with Sawtooth Border, 18" x 36".

SashikoLab.com  has a challenge currently in progress, 24 Days of Sashiko in 2022. I'm following along and enjoying the process. Christmas ornaments maybe?

That is the quilt news from the valley where I'm looking forward to the Holidays!

Hot cocoa anyone? I'll be by to visit.