Color Inspiration Everywhere, Debbie Jeske's Improv Quilt, Color Wow!

Photo of moss in rain, color inspiration for my 'Uptown' quilt.

A color/design influence on "Uptown'.

'Uptown' also inspired by a Tonye Belinda Phillips' pattern, 28" x 28".

'Attract' quilt top 30" x 38".

Close up, Kona solids, navy blue, purple, yellows, oranges, pink etc.

'Attract', my improv design with final borders, started last summer.

Mt. Rainier, a definite color inspiration in the Seattle area.

The snow last Christmas 2017, an influence of grey and white.

Fall pumpkins, look at that orange and the colors that go along with it!

'Open wide pouch', pattern by Anna Graham. I finished it today, 7" x 10".

Better lighting. The fabric is machine quilted and pieced by me.

Hello! From Renton, Washington highlands where we are have sun and warmer temperatures.

This week I've been thinking about color inspiration and about what has influenced my color choices in some of my improv quilts. I started going through photos of last summer, fall and winter and it's easy for me to see where my ideas have come from. 

I finished my 7" x 10" 'Open wide zippered pouch', free tutorial by Anna Graham, see link above.

I used my left over machine quilted fabric practice pieces. The machine quilted fabric was a little bulky to work with and didn't need lining. And it makes up cute pouches for storage.

If you want some 'wow' in your day, stop by Debbie Jeske's blog to see her amazing new improv quilt, 'All In'. She's got both great design and color in that one. And she's used some exciting Kona solids, always a good choice. She'll be teaching a class for her improv techniques with her new quilt.

I've taken an improv class with her, it was excellent.

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

'Uptown' Log Cabin Blocks, Double Water Wheel Block Piecing, Temecula Quilt Co. Sewing Tool Organizer

'Uptown" Log Cabin Blocks arranged, 28"x 28".

I foundation pieced the log cabin blocks on flannel.

Piecing, pressing, and arranging Double Water Wheel block for my traditional sampler.

Vintage style sewing tool organizer, 8" x 2 1/2", from Temecula Quilt Co.

Hello from the Pacific NW! 

Where we have spring weather; clouds, rain and cool temperatures.

This week I worked on arranging my 'Welsh Folded Log Cabin'  style blocks. My inspiration came from Tonye Belinda Phillips' pattern of the same name, 'Welsh Folded Log Cabin.'

I had my log cabin blocks sewn together but I wasn't happy with how they looked. So blocks were unpicked, moved around and turned upside down. Then I sewed them back together and I think I'm happy with it now. I'll give them a few days before it's final.
I'm naming the log cabin block small quilt 'Uptown'.

Design should be slow, as Rayna Gillman says in her book, Create Your Own Improv Quilts . This is a great book for design ideas, not to copy but how to get your own ideas cooking.

I also did some research on Welsh Quilts and found a lot of information at http://www.welshquilts.com by Jen Jones. Jen has written books on the Welsh quilt and quilting tradition.

And I had time to cut out, sew together and press the pieces for my Double Water Wheel block, from a free traditional quilt pattern called 'Rest and Refreshing' by Piecing the Past Quilts.

My sewing tool organizer came in the mail. It fits perfect in my sewing drawer and holds scissors, seam picker, small ruler, marker etc. all those important things that can get tossed around and jumbled, not any more! It's 8" x 2 1/2" x 1". Temecula Quilt Co. sells them,  in other sizes too.

It's a fun online quilt shop, with great patterns and fabric, traditional with a fun design spin.

That's the news from the shire, where progress is being made and we're using umbrellas to stay dry.

Share a smile and brighten someone's day!

Wasabi #3, Sew Stitch Snap Share, and Needle Book Finish

Time for pin basting.

Now finished, the back of Wasabi 3 with left over HST's .

Front of Wasabi #3, started last spring, finished.

Quilted/Kantha stitched needle book with ribbon ties.

Opened out with felted, dyed, wool needle keep, and pocket.

Hello from the Pacific NW where we have grey clouds and rain.

Last week I finished my small quilt, Wasabi 3.

We were staying with family last year in Rancho Palos Verde, CA, right next to the Pacific Ocean when I began piecing the blocks together from scraps. It turned spring while we were there and the colors I used in the quilt remind me of the cliffs and spring colors there. 

I was inspired by Gwen Marston's 'liberated' style and I was inspired by one of the blocks in co-author Amanda Jean Nyberg's book, 'Sunday Morning Quilts.' The blocks have horizontal strips with one vertical strip to finish the square. The squares in my small quilt are 5" finished. Then I used borders/HST's to fill it out. 

Also last week I finished a needle book made from a linen/cotton/muslin cloth 'sandwich' I had filled with kantha stitch. It's linen with cotton batting in the middle and muslin on the other side. The stitching was too beautiful to throw out so it's now repurposed. Making sewing accoutrements is one of my favorite fiddly things to do.

I'm linking up with Linda and Julie for Sew Stitch Snap Share, where fun projects are shared along with lots of inspiration. Stop by to visit and be amazed!

Thanks Linda and Julie for hosting.

That's the news from the shire.

I'll be by to visit.

A Finish, AHIQ #31, Kantha Stitched Needle Book Finish.

Wasabi 3 finished, 25" x 30", washed and dried.

Wasabi 3 back view, I used left over HST's.

Hyacinth, blooming in the backyard, fragrant and cheerful.

I finished my needle book, 4 1/2" x 9", opened out.

Linen outside, muslin inside, with dyed, felted wool needle keep.

I used a Kantha stitch practice piece of fabric I was finished with.

Hello from the Pacific NW where spring is blooming!

This week I finished my small quilt, Wasabi 3.

We were staying with family last year in Rancho Palos Verde, CA, right next to the Pacific Ocean when I pieced the blocks together from scraps. It turned spring while we were there and the colors I used in the quilt remind me of the cliffs and spring colors there.

I was inspired by one of the blocks in co-author Amanda Jean Nyberg's book, Sunday Morning Quilts .

The blocks are horizontal strips with one vertical strip to finish the square. The squares in my small quilt are 5" finished. Then I used borders/HST's to fill it out.

This whole little quilt was ad hoc, and I'm linking up with Kaja  and Ann  who are hosting AD Hoc Improv Quilts #31. Make sure and stop in to see what's going on and get inspired. 

Thanks Kaja and Ann for hosting.

Also this week I finished a needle book made from a linen/cotton/muslin cloth 'sandwich' I had filled with kantha stitch.

It's linen with cotton batting in the middle and muslin on the other side. The stitching was too beautiful to throw out so it's now repurposed. Making sewing accoutrements is one of my favorite fiddly things to do.

That's the news from the shire, where spring rains are making everything even greener!

I'll be by to visit.

Two Finished Quilts, Little Helper, Debbie Jeske's 'Color Rush' Block

Two baby quilts for my two grandsons finished, 42" x 48".

Backview, notice the fun map panel, both quilts are the same.

Binding in red Moda Grunge Dot.

My grandson doing some 'work' on his quilt.

I finished this quilt top last summer, now pin basting it for machine quilting.

Happy spring, it's official!

The birds are singing, the early flowers are starting to bloom and it's raining.

I finished the two quilts for my grandsons this week. One is on its way to New Hampshire and the other is being thoroughly appreciated. I started them last summer, in fact I started quite a few projects last summer. It felt good to get them done.

Also this week I pin basted a quilt top I had finished last summer, 26" x 31". It was made of pieces and scraps from other projects. I pieced it 'Liberated' style as in Gwen Marston's ideas in her book Liberated Quilt Making II. The back is pieced with some left over blocks, next post I'll have a photo of the back.

Debbie Jeske @ A Quilter's Table  has sewn together a knock out of a block, you must have a look and be prepared to 'ooo and aahhh'.

Karen Ruane @ Contemporary Embroidery  has ongoing classes in embroidery, embellishing and art books. 

Her work was been published in Elizabeth Healey's book, Stitch, Fabric and Thread .

All excellent resources.

I'm linking up with Linda  and Julie for Sew, Stitch, Snap, Share #22 where there's lots of beautiful projects and inspiration being shared. Stop in to see.
Thanks Linda and Julie for hosting.

Hope you're getting some work done and enjoying the fresh spring air.

I'll be by to visit.

Stitch, Fabric & Thread by Elizabeth Healey, A Finish, Binding Progress on Two small Quilts

Getting the binding, in Moda's Grunge Dot red, ready for the final 'sew down.'

Mt. Rainier on a sunny afternoon from the Kent valley, last week.

My Violet Sampler, finished 2018, started in 2015.

It's been gently washed and pressed lightly from the backside.

Happy Thursday, from the Renton, Washington highlands. Where we've had frost at night and clear sunny days. And it's almost St. Patrick's Day, Happy St. Patrick's Day to you!

I've been slowly working at getting the binding pressed and pinned for the final 'sew down' on both baby quilts. Yes, I take time to press and pin, I like the results doing it that way. Some people, I know, don't pin or press binding as they're sewing it on. That's fine, everyone has their own go to method and reasoning.

I finished the Violet Sampler started in 2015. I ordered it from the French Needle, which specializes in beautiful counted cross stitch patterns from France. I'm happy about finishing and soon I'll ship it off to it's new home, DD's, on the East Coast.

Queenie , my blog friend and stitcher extraordinaire, recommended this book, Stitch, Fabric & Thread by Elizabeth Healey . I agree with her it's a beautiful inspiring book for all those curious about or enjoying all things having to do with stitching, a great buy.

That's the news from the shire, where the young deer and rabbits are making appearances on the edge of the wood. 

Have a great day and remember to share a smile.

I'll be by to visit.

Baby Quilt Binding, Block Arranging, Barbara Brackman's Material Culture at QuiltCon 2018

Final arranging, now to trim blocks to size, then sew them together.

I'm sewing the binding strips together for the two quilts for my grandsons.

Binding in Moda's Grunge Dots made for both quilts.

Squared and ready for binding, 48" x 42".

Close up, trucks, trains and cars.

Happy Friday!

From the Pacific NW where we are staying with family, helping and sightseeing on the side.

This week I made progress on details for three quilts. Binding was made for 2 baby quilts and final arrangement of log-cabin blocks decided on and those trimmed to size before sewing them together. That was a long sentence.

I also visited Barbara Brackman's blog, Material Culture. She went to QuiltCon 2018 in Pasadena, CA with her sister, who has an art degree, and gave fun comment on what she found there. Barbara's blog is a good read and I enjoy her research, historical facts and insight into quilt history. She is a great resource, stop in to see.

And I'm linking up with Linda and Julie for Sew Stitch Snap Share #21. Where progress of the stitching and sewing kind are featured, stop in to share and be inspired!
Thanks Linda and Julie for hosting.

That's the news from the shire where things are getting done, slow but sure.
Have a great weekend and I'll be by to visit!