Quilt News, A Tale of Three Red Quilt Tops, Improv Neutral Log Cabin Quilt Progress

1st Red HST Medallion Quilt top with HSTs inYankee Puzzle formation with borders. Final border in orange print.

Same as above, different lighting, 58" x 54".

2nd Red HST Medallion Quilt top with HSTs in Barn Raising formation with borders, 55" sq.

 Same as above, corner detail.

Fun mix of prints, solids and florals.

The orange floral, used in quilt top above, is Havanna by Patty Young, Riley Blake Designs.

3rd of my Red HST Medallion quilt tops, the HSTs are in Yankee Puzzle formation,  50" sq.

Same quilt top as above, with pink print final border and hourglass blocks in the corners.

More hand quilting progress on my improv Neutral Log Cabin quilt, 32" sq.

Hello quilt friends and happy MLK day from Rancho Palos Verdes!

Lots of this and that has been happening around here but I managed to squeeze in some project time.

I finished my 3rd quilt top in a series of Red HST Medallion quilts last week. I started them in 2017 when I bought a Red Spectrum layer cake (10"sq.s) by Cotton & Steel. At first I thought about making a giant quilt using all the squares, but decided against that. Then I decided on making them all into HSTs and then using those in smaller quilts.

After reading Gwen Marston's book, Liberated Medallion Quilts, I knew I wanted to use HSTs in medallions and then add borders. 

And so the fun and deliberating began. 

It's great to have the tops done. The binding on all three will be a red floral.

More hand quilting has been accomplished on my 32" sq. Improv Neutral Log Cabin quilt with flannel batting.

The binding will be Kona Cotton solid Khaki or Natural.

And you must visit Julierose  and see her recent quilts, they are fabulous! The Franken Flimsy and her Green Sampler are really amazing.

And that is the news from the rancho where it's a vacation/break day so I'll wind this up and go out and take a long walk by the beach, remembering to be thankful.

I'll be by to visit.

Quilt News and Hour Glass Blocks Big and Small, Kona Cotton Solid Wasabi Yellow Green.

More of this (hand quilting) on this, my improv neutral log cabin quilt.

I used flannel for batting, I prewashed and dried it twice.

And I like the improv log cabin borders for sure!

More hourglass blocks and improv units made.

Happy Quilt News Monday from the Rancho!

Where we have sun and warmer temperatures today.

This week I managed to get some different size hourglass blocks pieced up and some improv units that look good with the pile, so far so good. I'm trying real hard not to use 'gaudy' colors, must be careful to not overload those of a more sensitive nature.

Also I've made progress on hand quilting my neutral improv log cabin small quilt, 32" x 32". The green in the border is actually Kona Cotton Wasabi, a yellow green, not chartreuse. Chartreuse has more green in it. They're both very close but wasabi is closer to yellow. I enjoy color, can you tell?

And that is the news, quilt friends, from the coast where I've been walking in the sun and remembering to be thankful!

I'll be by to visit.

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.