Quilt News, January 2020 Calendar Color White, AHIQ Challenge Hour Glass Blocks

My 2020 new calendar, featuring a color for each month.

Torrance Beach in the morning. Yes, there are surfers in the water.

This photo looks north, the San Bernadinos have snow.

Blue and white are good colors for January, I think.

Sampler Project in Neutrals, I'm slowly getting it together, I'll add hand embroidery.

I pieced some hour glass blocks, for the new AHIQ challenge.

This is a pile of pieced units I like to arrange and unarrange for fun.

Hello from Rancho Palos Verdes and Happy New Year!

We had warmer temperatures last week but it's supposed to get cooler again in a few days.

I managed to get bits of time for small piecing sessions. I'm looking forward to the AHIQ challenge which is using Hour Glass blocks. I've already pieced some blocks together, precision style, and next I plan on piecing some blocks improv style. I think the two together will be fun.

And I'm using greens which I don't usually do.

If you are new to improv piecing or design, check out Debbie Jeske's blog and quilts for great examples.

I found a 2020 calendar featuring a color each month. The January color is white. The photo shows a white staircase leading up to a gate, which I think, symbolizes looking ahead with hope to the future.

Color is exciting!

My Sampler Project in Neutrals is close to the final layout. It started as a challenge last year, but as I began working on it I knew it was going to take a while for me to finalize it. I dropped out of the challenge and just let the project takes its time. I was getting frustrated with the process and about ready to throw the whole thing out. It dawned on me the pressure of the dead line was killing my creativity. So instead of throwing out the project I 'threw' out the deadline.

And I like keeping units of piecing experiments and orphan blocks around to experiment and play with, arranging them this way and then that way. When there is no pressure I learn more and remember what works and doesn't work for me.

I do realize competition can be a good thing.

That quilt friends is the quilt news from the rancho, where looking ahead is a big deal.

And I'm remembering to be thankful.

I'll be by to visit.

'Spare Parts' Quilt, Sharing Process and Hand Quilting Started, Merry Christmas!

Hand quilting started on 'Spare Parts', I'm using flannel for the batting.

This was a couple of months ago, before final border.

Part of the process, spare parts collected for the final border.

View of final border.

And corner view, final border.

Merry Christmas quilting friends!

Just a quick note of progress here. I've started hand quilting my 'Spare Parts' quilt and the photos show some of the process. And yes, it is designed using spare, left over pieces and blocks from other projects.

And for a winter treat, I recommend visiting Penny @ Tanglewood Threads where you will find beautiful winter scenery and amazing modern embroidery.

That's the news on the rancho. 

Where I'm remembering to be thankful.

Merry Christmas to you and your family!

I'll be by to visit.

Quilt Top Finish, Red HSTs with Borders, Windy Day and Christmas Wish

Red HSTs with borders, 54" x 60", outside in the wind.

A little wind here..

And still windy...

I finally took it inside and draped it over the sofa.

New hand quilting on Grey Star.

Rejoice! We have so much to be thankful for.

Hello quilt friends!

This is the quilt news from the rancho.

Hope you're enjoying the season. I'll be by to visit!

Quilt News, Improv Quilt Finish, 'Tis the Season for Classic Blue, Color of the Year

Grey Star, small improv quilt finished.

Back view of Grey Star, small floral print, Kona Cotton solid.

The Pacific Ocean is grey.

More grey sky over the peninsula.

Hello quilt friends from Rancho Palos Verdes! 

It's almost the weekend and time for quilt news.

I finished my small improv art quilt, Grey Star. It's put together with extra units I'd pieced for experiments with color and scale. My plan was to keep the quilt small but it kept growing and growing.

Finally I realized it was getting out of control and needed some serious editing. With unpicking and rearranging the design got manageable. 

The small floral print is the focus and blue, taken from the floral, is the main color, with red and yellow spicing it up. 

I used various prints, Kona Cotton solids and some shirting plaids. The batting is poly fleece I had on hand, working with it is fiddly but doable (using what I have).

Machine quilted in an informal grid.

The binding is single fold 1 1/4".

It measures 26" x 20".

Are you in need of inspiration and beauty? Visit Karen Ruane's blog for exciting embroidery, embellishment and design. 

And then stop in at Debbie Jeske's blog for Pantone's "Classic Blue", color of the year news.

That's the news from the rancho, where I'm remembering to be thankful.

How are your projects coming along? 

I'll be by to visit.

A Finish, Improv Small Quilt Borders Removed, Inner City Street Art

Grey Star improv quilt is back to this photo, I decided to keep it small as planned.

Street Art Panel, photographed near Venice Beach, left side of panel.

Street Art Panel right side, the saturated colors are exciting.

My Watermelon Summer Quilt runner finished.

Back of my Watermelon Summer Quilt runner, finished.

Hello Quilt Friends! from Rancho Palos Verdes, CA.

We've had rain and clouds for a few days, a wonderful change.

I finally finished machine quilting my Watermelon Summer Quilt, it was started last summer.

I like the Four Patch Squares on point and how the batiks, solids and prints work together.

And Grey Star Improv Quilt is now back to the first photo. I decided I wanted to keep it small and so removed the borders I had added.

This last weekend we drove through the Venice Beach area on an errand, (not for the faint of heart). And I spied some street art that I had to get a photo of. Great example of vibrant modern art.

Stop by Pamela's blog  to see her exciting vacation in the Mediterranean Ocean, boat cruise and stitching!

That is the news from the rancho where it is almost Thanksgiving!

What are you thankful for?

I'll be by to visit.

Torrance Beach in Fall Light & JoAnn Fabric Ready for Holiday's!

Art quilt 'Grey Star' with new borders added this week.

Walking along Torrance Beach in fall light.

Looking north across Santa Monica Bay. 

And south toward Palos Verdes.

I visited JoAnn Fabric in Torrance, CA this week.

Christmas has arrived at JoAnn's!

And more Christmas displays.

Hello quilt friends and happy Friday from Rancho Palos Verdes!

Where we have cool sunny fall weather, perfect for hikes in the hills and walks along the beach.

Torrance Beach is a good walk. The City of Torrance keeps their section of the beach and city up well; clean with good planning.

I pieced more borders onto my art quilt 'Grey Star.' I started it as a challenge, the AHIQ challenge, floral. I chose a small blue floral as the main fabric, then chose the color blue, from the floral, as the focus color with yellow and red adding spice, forming a triad color scheme. Then I pieced units and arranged them until I was mostly happy, keeping it small. That's the plan so far.

If you want to see an exciting piece of improv quilt design visit Ann and see her happy work.

She was in one of Freddy Moran's recent classes and Freddy, as we all know, has a wonderful way with color and design.

And that's the news from the rancho where I'm remembering to be thankful and we're enjoying walks in the cool weather.

I'll be by to visit.

Modern Quilt 'Grey Star', Rob Appell of Man Sewing, Fields From Above

'Grey Star' modern quilt design as of today.

Grey Star came from these units.

Happy November 1st from Rancho Palos Verdes!

We're enjoying sun and cooler temperatures, the winds have slowed down and humidity is higher,  so the wild fires have slowed way down around here.

Northern CA had a huge wildfire in Sonoma County, hopefully that's been contained today. What a mess. God bless everyone living in that area.

This week was busy but I managed to get some time in arranging, unpicking, repiecing and naming my latest modern art quilt, 'Grey Star.'

Yes, I do plan on paper first but arranging with the actual colors and prints always looks different and suggests other possibilities. My design inspiration here comes from the concept of layering. The thought being that at least a couple of different themes are going on in the design and they combine to make a unique statement.

One of my inspirations in the quilt world is Rob Appell of Man Sewing. He does a wonderful example of layering in his YouTube video tutorial, Fields From Above. 

What's your current project inspiration?

And that my quilt friends is the news from the rancho, where bits of time are being used to experiment and further the progress of modern art quilting!

Taking walks and keeping life rolling takes up the rest of it.

I'm remembering to be thankful and I'll be by to visit.