Quilt News Friday, the Color Gray, the Color Blue, This is Alice 2

Meet Alice 2 in blue, 17" x 17", I like this size.

Redondo Beach, afternoon sun peaking out, south.

View looking north, sun warming it up.

 Rabbits in the neighborhood, plotting to take over the world.

Happy Quilt News Friday!!

It's Father's Day this weekend and summer officially starts the day after!
Oops! That's wrong! Summer starts the 21st of June.

Happy Father's Day Dads everywhere.

And the weather here is still gray, once in a while the sun peaks out. We went to Redondo Beach yesterday for dinner and to enjoy the sun while it lasted.

I pieced Alice 2 together last week. I've decided to do a few improv small Liberated Medallion Style blocks for the challenge, for more on that see previous post. This block sewed up fast except the part where I had to unpick a border that wasn't working out. Editing carefully is always a challenge for me. I often get lost on rabbit trails and forget goals.

Speaking of rabbits, the local rabbits that live along the beach trail and on the golf course are reproducing like crazy and I'm sure they're planning an uprising of some sort. Maybe they'll figure out how to charge an entrance fee to walk the trail or some sort of added golf tax that will be charged to golfers for infringing on the rabbit's home territory. I'll let you know if that happens.

That Quilt Friends is the news from the rancho, where progress is happening and walks are being enjoyed. What projects and plans do you have lined up?

I'll be by to visit!

Quilt News Friday, the Color Gray the Color Red, Meet Alice

This is 'Alice' my new improv recipe, more versions to come.

I'm piecing more HSTs for new projects in Spectrum Reds by Cotton & Steel.

Redondo Beach volleyball game.

South end of Redondo Beach.

North View, not many people out this morning.

Happy Quilt News Friday!

It's a gray, cloudy day not cold or windy, just over cast. And it's been that way around here for a couple of weeks now.

This morning we went to walk along the beach. It was quiet and relaxing. There were some surfers on the south end waiting for waves and a volleyball game in progress. Often it's more crowded on the weekend.

This week I've got more HSTs pieced and very soon it will be time to sew rows together. I've made a big pile of them to go into several planned projects. 

I've also started on a new improv quilt I call 'Alice' because some of the fabrics I'm using are from the Wonderland Collection by Cotton & Steel. I've wanted to start using themes and 'recipes' in my designs just changing out color but using the same basic design. And yes, this way of working is of course influenced by Gwen Marston and her book, 'Liberated Medallion Quilts.'

You can get a better price on her book if you are an AQS member and you buy it from them.

And that my quilting friends is the news from the rancho where projects are being moved forward and walks are being enjoyed.

What's your quilt news?

I'll be by to visit.

Quilt News, A Finish, A Greek God and a Hike, More Cotton & Steel Spectrum Reds

Neptune with his trident, at Olmstead Place, Palos Verdes CA.

Neptune's consorts.

Italian influenced architecture at Palos Verdes city center.

Decommissioned Nike Missile site, White Point, San Pedro CA.

Catalina Island and Pacific Ocean view from the park trail.

'Accounted 4', small improv quilt, 20" x 37", hand quilted, finished.

I'm piecing more HSTs using Cotton & Steels' Spectrum Reds, for a couple of projects.

Happy Friday from the Pacific Coast!

Where we have cooler weather with clouds, still spring!

This week we hiked and did a little sight seeing around. We drove north along the coast to the city center of Palos Verdes. Palos Verdes was designed by the American architectural landscaper, Frederick Law Olmsted Jr. . It's like a park, beautiful and relaxing with businesses and a cafe that makes a good chicken salad sandwich. 

Then driving south along the coast we drove to White Point, San Pedro. There is a beach park on one side of the road and the other side is a nature park where you can hike trails and one of the trails, the one we took, takes you up to the decommissioned Nike Missile site, quite a monument to the cold war. There are decommissioned Nike Missile sites all up and down the west coast, interesting bits of history.

Last week I finished my small improv quilt, and I call it 'Accounted 4'. The fabrics I used reminded me of the records that might be kept in a private small business. I hand quilted it to add more hands on personal detail, like you'd get doing business with people you knew.

And that my quilting friends, is the buzz around the rancho. Exploration is being carried out and projects are being worked on.

What have you been accomplishing this last week?

I'll be by to visit.

Quilt Improv Colorful, Two Finishes, Kona Cotton Wasabi Border, Flowers

Piecing small improv Log Cabin blocks here.

Apron finished and in the mail!

Wild Daisies and Mariposas along the beach cliff walk.

My Mother's Day flowers, note the yellow-greens and violet-blues!

Improv Log Cabin Blocks in border.

Borders and corners on.

Happy Friday from the coast!

We're having spring weather with showers, wind, clouds and sun.

Last Sunday was Mother's Day and I'm still enjoying my flowers, the color mix is lovely.

I got my apron project done and it's in the mail to DDIL. The ruffles add lots of fun.

The borders on my Improv Log Cabin quilt are sewn on and I think I'll name it 'Beach Cabins.'

I used Kona Cotton solids, batiks and prints in this quilt. This is another quilt inspired by Gwen Marston and her book, 'Liberated Medallion Quilts', publisher AQS. This top is finished.

And here's a tip, if you are or become a member of AQS you can buy some of Gwen's books from AQS at a good price. I think the membership is worth it just for that. I don't want to forget to mention you will also get a discount on the classes they offer.

That's the progress report from the rancho, where we're wearing sweaters and hats.

And remembering to be thankful.

I'll be by to visit.

'Ponies' Quilt Top Finish, Improv Piecing for my Medallion Style Log Cabin Quilt, American Quilter Magazine and a Rainbow.

Piecing improv border for my Log Cabin quilt below.

My Log Cabin improv/liberated quilt waiting for another border.

'Ponies' medallion style quilt top finished, my design.

I'm making HSTs for a new idea I have, inspired by Gwen Marston's book, 'Free Range Triangles.'

'Color Fade Quilt in Reds' piecing directions, this looks like another good idea.

We hiked after dinner and got showered on and then treated to this rainbow.

Happy May, another beautiful spring month!

I've been improv piecing a border this week, to add to my low volume Log Cabin Quilt.

Medallion style, a center with borders, has been my focus lately.

I should name this quilt something else, Like maybe 'Cabins on the 

Beach,' I'll give it some thought.

Then I finished the 'Ponies' quilt top, again, it's medallion style. I enjoy the fabric border with ponies in the print. It's by Cotton + Steel Rifle Paper Co. It will make a little girl smile.

HSTs are stacking up for a new design idea of mine, inspired by Gwen Marston and Carol Jones's book 'Free Range Triangles.'

Red in all it's glorious variations will star. The Color Fade Quilt directions came with the layer cake stack of Spectrum Reds by Cotton + Steel. That would make up a nice quilt too.

Then there's the beautiful rainbow we saw on our after dinner hike after being showered on. You can see the Pacific Ocean in the lower right with the Catalina Islands in the background. Living on the coast is an adventure.

Have you picked up and read the new American Quilter Magazine published by AQS? Or the newest Quilting Arts Magazine published by Interweave?

Both are packed with great design, ideas and quilters adding their exciting take on making quilts.

Lots of inspiration in those two publications!

That's the news from the rancho, where I'm remembering to be thankful, getting things done and enjoying the spring.

I'll be by to visit!

Kona Cottons, New C&T Block Tool Reference, Hand Quilting and Getting Ruffled.

My hand quilting projects, small and large.

Apron project gets ruffled.

New handy reference guide for block layouts and yardage, it was on sale.

Kona Cottons were also on sale, Citrus, Coral, Red, they were speaking to me.

Hello and Happy Friday from Rancho Palos Verdes!

Where we have high clouds, a little wind and it's cool today.

I'm making progress on my hand quilting projects and being careful not to let the tension get too tight. The idea of course, is not to let the stitching gather the quilt fabric.

The apron I'm working on for my DDIL, is getting ruffled along the lower edge and ruffles can be a little fiddly but I enjoy the challenge.

There was a good sale on at JoAnn Fabric, I got a deal on the reference book, 'Quick & Easy Block Tool! by C&T Publishing. My blog friend, Cathy @ saneandcrazy.blogspot.com recommended Lady's Art Company Block Tool, as a reference guide. I haven't found that one for a good price yet.

And the Kona Cottons were on sale so I brought home Citrus, Coral, and Red yardage.

Just the colors to add warmth and contrast. 

What are your favorite 'signature' colors for contrast?

That's the news from the rancho.

Where I'm remembering to be thankful and keeping warm.

I'll be by to visit.

Quilt/Sewing News, Kona Cotton 'Splash', Bright Modern Sampler Hand Quilting Progress, And Happy Easter!

I've started sewing an apron for my DDIL.

Apron pocket detail here.

My afghan/blanket project is coming along, for another DDIL.

More hand quilting is getting done on my Bright Modern Sampler.

Here it is in 'flimsy' stage.

Happy Easter to you and your family!

Happy Almost Easter!

From Rancho Palos Verdes, where we have mild spring weather, sun and clouds.

How do you and your family celebrate Easter?

This last week I worked on a sewing project/apron, and more crochet on my Afghan project, both are for DDILs.

And hand quilting progress has been made on my Bright Modern Sampler. I stretch it out on my bed during the day so I can enjoy looking at it, it's bright and cheerful after all, might as well appreciate it during the process.

Have you seen Robert Kaufman's new Kona Cotton color of the year? It's a turquoise they're calling 'Splash!'

I do love a good turquoise and a lot of my current projects have turquoise in them.

That's the news from the rancho,

 where I'm remembering to be thankful and spring is in the air.

I'll be by to visit.