Setting Corners and Side Triangles, Maker's Mercantile, Shibori Dragon Quilt Shop Class

Half square triangles arranged for a small baby size quilt.

I've started hand quilting my 'City Sidewalks' log cabin block quilt.

Setting corners and side triangles are being sewn onto my traditional sampler blocks.


Happy Monday!

From the Pacific NW where we've had rain and today there's sun and clouds.
This is a good thing, cooler temperatures and rain will put out the wildfires.

I've managed to get time to get a little done here and there. I sewed together half square triangles with pink poodle fabric, yes, this is for a girl. I arranged them and they look great.

Then I've been able to get more hand quilting done. I'm quilting a grid on my 'liberated' log cabin block quilt, inspired by Tonye Phillips'  pattern, Welsh Fold Log Cabin Quilt. I roughly followed the pattern but added my own interpretation in color and block arrangement. I didn't hand piece as the pattern called for. I did use flannel to piece the blocks onto. I used Warm and Natural batting, so the quilt has a nice stuffed feel.

Today I'm sewing setting corners and triangles onto my traditional sampler blocks based on the free pattern, 'Times of Refreshing' by Piecing the Past Quilts. The blocks will be set on point.
It's going well. Sometimes I have to 'unsew' a seam but I've had lots of practice so I'm quick at that.

This Saturday at the Maker's Mercantile  in Kent Washington, just down the hill, there will be a Sew-In hosted by the Seattle Modern Quilt Guild. So I plan on going and bringing a little hand quilting in. It's a fun shop with knitting and sewing supplies and lots of classes and a cafe.

Then next Saturday I'm signed up for a class at the Shibori Dragon; 'Boro Stitching on Silk.'
The Shibori Dragon Quilt Shop is located in University, Washington, a small city, south of where I'm at and west of Tacoma. They have a big selection of batiks and Japanese fabrics and yes, good classes.

It's almost September! Last month of summer. Do you enjoy September like I do?
I feel like it's the start of my year.

That's the news from the shire, where plans are being made.
I'll be by to visit.

Adventures in Quilting! My Butterfly Quilt is Finished and Hand Quilted.

My butterfly quilt, 20" x 25", finished with final binding.

Butterfly quilt back view, fun white and black print.

This is the binding I had decided on but it didn't look right.

Happy Tuesday!

From the Pacific NW where wild fire smoke is in the air. Soon the rains will come.

This week I finished my butterfly small quilt, 20" x 25". I roughly followed Fig Tree and Company's  pattern, Mini Painted Ladies. I added my own border treatment, 3 borders in fact, and made the butterfly bodies the length of the block.

I had planned to use black and white striped seer sucker for the binding but once I got it sewed on and started hand stitching the other side down, I didn't like it, too dark. So I unpicked it and took it off. The binding in Kona cotton solid 'snow' looks much better. And it's finished!

I also like the hand quilted look on this small quilt much better than the machine quilting I first quilted it with. And yes, as I explained in an earlier post, I unpicked the machine quilting on this little quilt. A lot of work has gone into this but the results are worth it.

And that's the news from the shire, where company keeps us busy and projects are getting done.

I'll be by to visit.

Quilt Flimsy Done, Exciting New Fabric, Butterfly Hand Quilting, Color Theory Fun

Watermelon summer flimsy, 15" x 30".

Two new fun prints, orange floral and white and black postal prints.

Hand quilting almost done on my butterflies, one more round to go.

Happy Monday!

From the Pacific NW with cooler temperatures and some clouds.

And some smoke from the wildfires in eastern Washington. Yes, wildfires are common around here.

The wildfires in California are excessive this year, I pray for the firefighters and people who've lost their homes, very difficult time for them.

This last week has been a busy time with relatives visiting and leaving and more coming in. 

I did get more hand quilting done and my watermelon four patch on point flimsy, pieced of scraps, is now the size I wanted to get it. I might add a small border, I'm thinking that over.

Missouri Star Quilt Comp. had a sale on shipping last week, so with that and using my MSQC points on this order, I got a good deal on the orange floral and the white/black postal print.

They'll fit in nice with the colors I like to use. 

My favorite recipe for choosing fabric to piece quilt blocks is a good mix of solids, batiks and prints. There has to be contrast and some black and white is always good.

I like the shock value of orange, and I use other colors to hold down the fort, as it were.

Fun times, it might as well be an adventure. 

And that is the quilt news around here, where we are busy with summer activities with a little time tucked in here and there for projects.

I hope you have a good week, I'll stop by to visit.

Watermelon Colors, DMC Pearl Cotton #12 and Bird of Prey.

'City Streets" will be hand quilted with DMC pearl cotton in pearl grey #12.

I'm hand quilting my butterflies with DMC pearl cotton in ecru #12.

The back of my butterfly small quilt, don't you love the quilting making that crinkly effect?

Here are my four patch, on point blocks in watermelon colors. I'm playing with arrangement.

More possibilities in arrangement.

Neighborhood osprey, enjoying the evening.



Happy Weekend!
 From the Pacific NW where we have sunny skies and warm temperatures.

This week I've been hand quilting my small butterfly quilt with DMC #12. I like hand quilting with size 12 rather than size 8. Size eight is too thick and not as easy to thread or stitch with, in my opinion.
I ordered DMC pearl cotton #12 in pearl grey to quilt 'City Streets' with and it came in the mail last week. I'll start that soon.

And I pieced together more of my watermelon colors, four patch on point blocks. I'm using left over fabric from one of my other projects.
Use those scraps up!

We had an evening visit from Mr. Osprey who lives not too far from here. His/her nest is on high ground near the baseball field ( who would think of that?), probably to keep a good look out over the ponds and forest for potential meals.
He/she decided to spend some evening time in an old snag, just in back of the house. He announced his presence and then cleaned and arranged his feathers while keeping an eye out for rabbits. We enjoyed the visit, the rabbits were probably nervous and laid low. Then another announcement and off he flew.

That's the news from the shire, where progress is being made.
Hope you had a good week!
I'll be by to visit.