Quilt News! New Log Cabin/Court House Steps Improv Blocks, Sashiko/Boro and Traditional Hand Embroidery Projects

I finished another 'tray cloth' for my kitchen with Traditional and Sashiko stitching.

Boro Stitching on the front piece of my new book/shopping bag.

New project, Log Cabin improv blocks being 'interviewed'.

 

Hello Quilt Friends! 

News from the valley where we are enjoying the summer breezes making everything feel fine!

I finished my latest 'tray cloth' or glass drying towel with Traditional Hand Embroidery and Sashiko Stitches. They work well together. The fact that it's useful is a big plus with me.

And another new, useful project is my book/shopping bag, it will measure approx. 18" x 17". I had some leftover triangle pieces trimmed off another project and they were too colorful to throw out so I'm stitching them onto the front piece with boro stitches which is also called Japanese Running Stitch. One of my favorite books on Boro is by Harumi Horiuchi, Mending with Boro, Japanese Running Stitch & Patching Techniques. Harumi's book is beautiful and she writes about stitching and mending with your own unique style as an art form. Yes to that!

My new Scrappy Log Cabin/Court House Steps Improv Blocks are going to be about 10" square, most of them are there now. I'm deciding on the final layout. I do seem to favor log cabin blocks, I know. Mary Hogan's book, Log Cabin Improv: Quilts with a Twist on Tradition, has been a great inspiration for me. 

That Quilt Friends is the news from my sewing room to yours. And what new projects are you working on and what summer adventures are you planning?

I'll be by to visit!

Quilt News! 2023 Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show! Log Cabin Quilt Top in Furrow Variation Ready for Basting, 56 Four Patch in a Square Blocks Finished Piecing Today, Quilting by Hand by Riane Elise Book Review

Log Cabin Quilt top with batting and backing ready to be basted.

Sisters, Oregon is a beautiful scenic town and the quilt show is fun.

This morning 5 more Four Patch in a Square blocks in process.

2023 Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show poster up on my wall.

56 Four Patch in a Square Blocks, finished piecing the last 5 this afternoon.

 

Hello Quilt Friends! Summer officially starts this month. The birds are already there.

This week I finished piecing the backing for my Log Cabin Improv quilt top in Furrow Variation and cut out the batting. Now on to basting them together for hand quilting. It will measure 44" x 44".

Speaking about hand quilting I found a great book at my library, Quilting by Hand by Riane Elise from Quadrille Publishing 2021. It's a classic with clear instruction on piecing and hand quilting designs. It's a beauty in every way.

Just today I finished piecing the last five Four Patch in a Square blocks to make 56 blocks in all. The blocks will measure 6.5 square when trimmed and the top will measure 42" x 48". I haven't decided to add a border yet, must think about it....

And the Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show is coming right up, second Saturday in July. Will you be there? I'm thinking that I might like to go, now to talk my driver into it! 

 And that is the news from the valley where progress is being made and I might be out of town soon, viewing volcanoes and quilts. There's a good coffee shop in Sisters too I remember. 

Hope you're making plans for vacationing and making progress on your projects.

I'll be by to visit.

Quilt News! Hourglass Medallion #1with Sawtooth Borders finish! Improv Log Cabin Quilt top Finish, Sashiko Projects Progress, Delightful June!

My Log Cabin block Improv quilt top, getting the batting and backing measured.

Hourglass Medallion Quilt #1 with Sawtooth Borders binding just finished.

I finished this first, Hourglass Medallion Quilt #2.

We took a trip to Kanasket State Park to see the Cedar River.

My Sashiko Projects. I added buttons and ribbon for closing my pouch.

 Hello Quilt Friends, Happy June! This is the month where summer kicks in and Swallowtail Butterflies are everywhere. Roses are blooming and wild rabbits are enjoying the warm weather here in the valley.

This last week I sewed the binding on my #1 Hourglass Medallion Quilt with Sawtooth borders. I made 2 small quilts to work on piecing sawtooth borders using Mary Hogan's technique in her excellent book, Improv Log Cabin Quilts. I enjoyed the process and highly recommend her book.

I pulled out my Log Cabin Improv Quilt top from the closet and unpicked the previous borders I had sewed on. The borders were the wrong color and did not work for me. The new borders fit with the colors in the blocks and are a better width. So I have cut the batting and backing to fit and onto getting it quilted. I was inspired by Temecula Quilt Co.'s Down Home Darling design. I didn't follow the design perfectly but used my own colors and made the centers 2 different sizes instead of just one size. I figured that would add interest and it did! Temecula Quilt Co is full of color and design ideas.

My Sashiko projects are fun for me, I like the stitching process. I embroider traditional style and I have been big stitch hand quilting, Sashiko fits right in with those. The emphasis on Sashiko/Boro stitches is practical and of course looking beautiful at the same time. I get that! I finished my sashiko stitched pouch with mother of pearl buttons and a silk ribbon to tie closed.

Last week we drove to Kanasket State Park to see the wilderness and Cedar River up close. The Swallowtail butterflies were making a good appearance and loved the bushes along the river in bloom. The wild roses were also blooming, fabulous.

And that is the quilt news, what spring/summer delights are you enjoying? What are you working on?

I'll be by to visit.

Quilt News! Pineapple Block Piecing, Big Stitch Quilting Finish on my #1 Hourglass Medallion Quilt , Lake Wilderness Arboretum is Blooming, Hello June!

Spectacular orange Poppies at the arboretum.

Yellow Iris and blue Columbine.

My Pineapple Block so far.

Big Stitch hand quilting done, ready for binding now.

Lake Wilderness, with yellow Iris.

 

Hello Quilt Friends! 

Warm spring weather with a large side of blossoms here, please. We've been walking by the lake and enjoying the burst of blossoms and new green.

This last week I finished up big stitch hand quilting my #1 Hourglass Medallion Quilt with Sawtooth Borders, 30" x 30". I hand quilted it using #8 perle cotton. Now onto the binding then it's done.

 I have other projects I'm currently working on and I do read a lot of books on textile art, quilting and history. And with daily walks there is always something going on, that's why my projects don't get done super fast.

Also I have to add, I just read a super interesting book, Fabric The Hidden History of the Material World by Victoria Finley. History and Fabric, a fascinating read! I couldn't put it down until I was finished.

My first Pineapple block has progressed and I like it. Pineapple blocks devour a lot of scraps which is a good thing. It also takes practice to get comfortable with Improv Pineapple block piecing. Mary Hogan's book Log Cabin Improv Quilts has excellent tutorials on Pineapple Block quilts.

And that Quilt Friends is the news from the valley. I hope you're enjoying spring blossoms and reading some good books. What's your favorite blossom this time of year? Poppy, Iris, Peony?

I'll be by to visit.

Quilt News! Big Stitch Quilt Finish, Two Scrappy New Improv Quilts Started, More Four Patch in a Square Blocks Pieced, Happy Mother's Day!

New Log Cabin/Pineapple Improv blocks started, using lots of scraps.

Another scrappy start with left over Hour Glass blocks in the center.

My Hourglass Medallion #2 w' big stitch hand quilting.

Fourpatch in a Square blocks number 48. Unfinished blocks 6.5".

Finished !  Hourglass Medallion #2, 30" x 30".

 

Hello Quilt Friends, Happy Friday!

And it's almost Mother's Day! Happy Mother's Day to all moms. I hope you enjoy the day and the spring weather.

This last week I have been busy with piecing scraps together for two new projects and finishing big stitch hand quilting and binding my Hourglass Medallion #2 quilt.

I was influenced to start big stitch hand quilting by reading this excellent book, Big Stitch Quilting by Carolyn Forster. Carolyn's tutorials and photography are the best.

Log Cabin Improv by Mary Hogan, another excellent book, encouraged me to piece Sawtooth borders for my Hourglass Medallion #2. Her directions and photography are clear and precise.

With tutorials from Susies-scraps and Log Cabin Improv I've started piecing one of my newest projects, Scrappy Logcabin/Pineapple blocks. I have the logcabin centers pieced and will start the 'pineapple' process in the next round or so, Improv!

I also have to mention that I pieced a few more Fourpatch in a Square blocks for a total of 48. I'm taking my time and I plan to get up to 56 blocks for a quilt 42" x 48".

That is the news from the valley where warm sun is a treat after spring showers.

Have you started any new Improv projects? I'll be by to visit.

Quilt News! What's on Your Sewing Table? Log Cabin Blocks Runner, Four Patch in a Square Blocks a Sashiko Project and Scrappy Pineapple Blocks at Susies-Scraps

My Sashiko Rice Stitch wallet/purse project.

Lining is a silky Liberty print, 5" x 6.5" closed.

'Albersesque' 9" Log Cabin blocks with 1 1/2" borders as a runner.

FourPatch in a Square blocks 6" finished, number 38 now.

Finished Sawtooth scrap pieces as a sampler to remember the process.

 

 

Hello Quilt Friends! April showers bring May flowers the saying goes...

What's on your sewing table? My sewing table has some finished and some in progress projects on it. And also a Peter Rabbit children's book, great colors and to celebrate spring.

 

I finished piecing into a sampler my Sawtooth border scraps left overs from my finished quilt top, Mostly Green. Big stitch quilting and binding in Kona Zucchini made it a done deal.

 

Then I finished stitching my Sashiko project, a small wallet/purse in pink linen, lined with a silky Liberty fabric, stitched in rice stitch using #8 perle cotton in indigo blue. I'm still deciding how I want it to close, maybe with a ribbon or buttons. I found the inspiration in one of my library books written by Karen Kim Matsunaga, Japanese Country Quilting; Sashiko Patterns, published 2012. Amazon is selling her book at a high price, that's why I check it out from my library. I wish it would go into reprint then the price would probably come down.

And why do I think Karen's book Japanese Country Quilting is one of the best for Sashiko? Because Karen is Japanese and writes an excellent history/background of Sashiko and Japanese design. There is a well known European author on Sashiko and her ideas and methods are fine for what she is trying to do, but I feel she doesn't address the very important soul of the art. 

Then I decided to make a runner out of the four 9" Log Cabin blocks made from being inspired by Debbie Jeske's post and challenge of 'Albersesque' blocks. Her idea of course was inspired by Josef Albers, an influencial modern artist specializing in the relativity of color. And so my runner top is finished.

My FourPatch in a Square blocks, scrappy, now total 38. My inspiration is from Beth Shibley's YouTube video, Four Ways to Finish FourPatch Blocks. Beth has good ideas.

Susie @ Susies-Scraps has a great idea and tutorial in her last post, Scrappy Pineapple Blocks.

I'm ready to dive into another project! Oh wait! I have to sit down and plan it out in my notebook first.

When I take the time to do that the project suddenly becomes doable; just a little planning really helps.

And that Quilt Friends is the quilt news from the valley.

I'll be by to visit.

Quilt News! New Block Challenge, 'Albersesque' by Debbie Jeske, Saw Tooth Border Scraps, Four Patch in a Square Blocks Increase, April Calendar Page

'Albersesque' blocks, 9.5" my rendition..

My Four Patch in a Square blocks increase!

Color samples I keep around for inspiration.

My April calendar page, look at those colors!

Hand quilting progress on my #1 Hour Glass Medallion Quilt.

I pieced together sawtooth border scraps into a small sampler.

 

Hello Quilt Friends!

Tulips and camellias are blooming and birds are singing in the early morning.

This week I pieced more of my Four Patch Squares together. I have 20 blocks @ 7"x7" now. My goal is 42 blocks. Little bit at a time.

And Debbie Jeske has a new challenge for one of her quilt groups and she is calling it Albersesque in honor of Josef Albers, his work and theories on color. One of the ideas he had was that color is relative, he used geometric shapes to show his ideas. Well I got inspired to whip up a couple of blocks 9.5" square in the liberated style, showing how colors can look as though they are receding or advancing. I'm not sure where that will lead but I'm considering the possibilities.

Hand quilting progress is moving forward. Like Audrey at Quilty Folk says it is important to hand quilt regular if you're going to commit to it, because then your hand stays supple and in shape. I wear my quilt gloves too and that makes a difference, the warmth.

Saw Tooth border scraps got pieced together as a sampler to remind me of what I've done. It will have binding in the Kona Zucchini, the yellow/green in the lower right of the photo.

My April Butterfly Calendar page is gorgeous with saturated color I had to share it! 

And that is the quilt news from the valley, where spring is in the air and allergens too.... it's all beautiful.

I'll be by to visit!