Quilt News! #4 Komebukuro Style Draw String Bag Finish, New Improv Quilt Project from Leftover Pieces/Fabrics, Garden Party Inspiration, Happy June!

Scrappy orphan borders and blocks pieced together 14" x 18" so far.

My finished draw string bag with boro applied patches (running stitches.)

Fragrant Azaleas in the Wilderness Lake Arboretum.

Piecing 'orphan' blocks in progress, Rail Fence formation.

Iris at the arboretum, beautiful....color is important to me....

Close up of sashiko/running stitches, by hand...

My newest finished Komebukuro style draw string bag #4 open.

 

 

Hello Quilt Friends! 

Summer is right around the corner. The neighborhood pool is now open and excited kids are enjoying the water and sun, marvelous.

More flowers are blooming at the local arboretum, colorful and inspiring.

And projects are getting finished and started here. I finished my 4th Komebukuro style draw string bag. I applied colorful patches with boro style stitches, (running stitches), using scraps and left over fabric from other projects. They make handy storage for sewing supplies. Working in series is a skill builder!

My newest Improv quilt challenge to myself, keeping creative juices flexible and flowing, is this: using left over border pieces and fabrics I pieced/trimmed them into blocks adding strips of color here and there. Now I want to add two more blocks and more strips of color. The big question in this new project is 'What if?'... more blocks, sashing, borders, how big, more pink? The blocks now are approx 5" square.

Also visit Linda @ kokaquilts for a gorgeous finish, her Garden Party quilt top. With all the flowers in bloom I'm feeling like a Garden Party would be just the thing!

That is the quilt news from the valley. What are you working on, any finishes?

I'll be by to visit....

Quilt News! BB2 Quilt Improv Design Challenge Update, Challenge by Audrey @ Quiltyfolk...In the Quiltosphere?

BB2, 4 Tiles Medallion Quilt with second border, piecing not finished.

I started with these 4 'Old Italian' type quilt blocks, influenced by Audrey's prompts. I'm calling them Tiles.

My BB1, 'Three Cone Flowers' in progress with 1st border.

 

This is my BB1 Three Cone Flowers with 3 Borders top finish.

Hello Quilt Friends! 

More spring showers and more May flowers here in the valley.

I've had some fun with Audrey's BB2 newest challenge following up my BB1 Three Coneflowers with 3 Borders quilt top finish. Audrey suggested 'solid connections' between the two challenge quilts using leftover scraps/pieces and again using 'languishing' fabrics. 'This looks like it could be interesting,' yes!

And so because it's the right time of year, spring, I pulled out my 'languishing' but beautiful Cherry Blossom fabric scraps made in South Korea (South Korea manufactures some beautiful quilt fabric). Then I mixed the cherry blossom fabric with left over scraps/pieces from my BB1 challenge quilt top. I also decided to use the sawtooth border design again.

I liked Audrey's improv blocks but I decided to be a little less improv and did not cut free hand but used a modified stack and whack approach to cutting the blocks. And to me the blocks are the 'Old Italian' block design so I'm calling my blocks 'tiles'. I'm choosing to make smaller projects rather than full size bed quilts. I don't have time or space to commit to more big quilt projects. The smaller size quilts look good on tables.

These projects are certainly loosening my 'design gears,' which in turn lets the ideas roll out smoother, as Audrey said would happen.

That is the BB2 progress news! What are you working on or dreaming up in your corner of the quiltosphere? Did I just make up a new word or what?

Have a great Memorial Day weekend! I'll be by to visit.

Quilt News! Curating Scrappy Quilt Orphan Blocks, Color and Why it Matters, Fleur Woods, Rhododendron Species Botanical Garden Tour, Federal Way, WA

Peonies in the Rhododendron Species Botanical Garden.

Bonsai display in the RSBG, one of many...

Splendid yellow Rhododendron...

The Untamed Thread by Fleur Woods, slow stitch goodness and inspiration!

'Interviewing' scrappy, left over blocks, fun with design...

 

 

Hello Quilt Friends! 'The season of singing has come,'

Enjoyment of spring has been the top priority around here. Walks in parks and botanical gardens high on the list. 

We toured the Rhododendron Species Botanical Garden, located in Federal Way, WA, yesterday. In the garden is an amazing display of Bonsai in the Pacific Bonsai Museum, they are works of art. And the garden has growing many other plants that naturally grow with rhododendrons. The azaleas perfumed the air and we kept our distance from the bees. Gorgeous garden scenery everywhere.

I saw a review of the book by Fleur Woods, The Untamed Thread Slow Stitch to Soothe the Soul and Ignite Creativity. And yes, reading it did in fact ignite creativity! Specifically in the category of color. Fleur is a virtuoso with color and encouragement, her book is unbeatable for reference.

Rachel @ Roxy Creations interviewed Fleur Woods in one of her videos. All of Rachel's videos are super for stitching  and color. Take time to go through them and you'll be transformed from not knowing what to do with color and stitching, to suddenly, ' Yeah, I can do that!'

This last week I've been arranging my left over scrappy blocks from my latest project, Sunflowers with Borders. I like letting the blocks 'talk' to me, dialogue with color.

And that is the news from the valley where birds start singing at 4 AM, slow at first, then they insist on waking everyone up. That's okay:)

I'll be by to visit!

 

 

Quilt News! Improv Log Cabin Blocks Process, Orphan Blocks and Leftover Pieces Now Leading Useful Lives, Plus General Busyness....

Orphan blocks sewed into new 'family' to add color to the kitchen.

My Improv Log Cabin blocks as of today... blocks are approx. 14" sq.

Log Cabin blocks ready for piecing on more logs/strips...

Extra blocks/pieces now pieced into useful table mat.....

 

 

Hello Quilt Friends! More spring showers and busy stuff going on here in the valley. 

I've made progress on my Improv Log Cabin Blocks by adding onto blocks and auditioning placement etc. Most blocks are now about 14" square. I started this quilt last summer, challenging myself to use up small scraps. I started with small squarish pieces and decided to piece the blocks into Court House Steps configuration and most of the blocks are just that, one is not, just for fun. Now I ask myself, 'Should I add borders?' and my other self says, 'no.' 

Mary Hogan's book Log Cabin Improv has been my inspiration lately. I love her fearless exciting way with color and design! Her tutorials are excellent.

And visit Susan Stuklis @ susies-scraps.com to see her latest post titled Quickstep Two Four Six Eight Block, which is a Log Cabin block in Court House configuration tutorial made easy. If you want directions for Court House Steps blocks spelled out clear and easy this is it!

Last week I began piecing orphan blocks and left over bits/pieces into table mats, coasters and table runners, very useful items for the kitchen/dining room and they're washable. 

So I've made progress with projects and in between times I've watched the little Grand Muffin. Children are very creative aren't they?

That's the news and I'll be by to visit.

Quilt News! Sunflowers with Borders Quilt Top Finish, Komebukuro/Rice/Drawstring Bag finish #3 in a Series, Happy April!

My newest drawstring bag finish. It's embellished with running stitch, sides are 5" square.

Sunflowers with Borders close view.

Here are the 3 rice/drawstring bags I've made this year, I'm keeping sewing supplies in them.

Sunflowers with Borders quilt top finish, 35 x 57".

 

Hello Quilt Friends! 

'April showers bring May flowers' and that is what we have in the valley. The sun does manage to peak through, lovely, and the birds sing rain or shine.

My blog friend, Carin @ queeniepatch.blogspot.com sent me an interesting link to a great article on Komebukuro, which is traditional Japanese rice bags, and their cultural history. Here is the link; https://tatter.org/komebukuro/ . There are also some beautiful examples of vintage komebukuro in the article. Thank you Carin!

The fabric I used for my 3 drawstring bags was leftovers/scraps and extra fat quarters, (bought too many on a sale.) And the drawstrings on two were made of extra ribbon and I used the same fabric for drawstrings on my last bag as the the body of the bag. I'm hooked on these little bags, I have fun changing up the sizes and using different fabrics. And I enjoy embellishing them with sashiko/running stitches. They are also very useful and make good gifts.

This week I finished piecing the final borders onto my Sunflowers with Borders Quilt top. I bought the panel at The Quilt Barn in Puyallup, WA. The Quilt Barn has a wonderful selection of color, I always find what I need and what I didn't realize I needed. :)

Next on my agenda is to finish piecing my Log Cabin Improv quilt top.  

Linda @ kokaquilts has a gorgeous Housetop Log Cabin variation that she has pieced. If you want to see a fabulous quilt visit her blog.

And that is the quilt news from the valley, where progress is being made.

What are you finishing up this week? I'll be by to visit.

Quilt News! Sunflowers with Borders Quilt Top Progress, Sashiko Embellished Rice Bag Finish, Spring Blossoms...

Another Rice Bag variation with Sashiko on pink linen....

White Hellebore at Lake Wilderness Arboretum.

My Sunflowers Panel with Borders quilt top, one more dark border to go.....

White Quince blooming at local arboretum.

Border choice interview... dark, light, dark, light and so forth....

Cherry blossoms ready to open..

 

Hello Quilt Friends, I hope you had a good Easter. 

It's spring and we're enjoying walks in the local arboretum, things are sprouting, birds are singing and blossoms are opening.

I finished another Rice Bag, I found a slightly different method and I wanted to see how it would turn out. I was happy with the outcome but I had to tweek the drawstring casing to work with the ribbon I had on hand. I always try whenever possible to use up what I have when making new projects. The bag now functions well but I had to take it apart a few times to get it there. The challenge met!

And good progress is being made on my Sunflowers Panel with Borders Quilt top. I bought the Sunflower Panel at the Quilt Barn in Puyallup, WA, last summer when I saw it on display. There were little bits of blue and purple tucked in among the sunflowers, 'I know what I could do with that!'... And it was on....

Walks in the Lake Wilderness Arboretum are stupendous this time of the year. The Hellebore and Camellias are fading out, the Magnolias are taking turns, their blossoms are super fragrant. I could  go on and on but I won't. 

What new color and project challenges are you in the middle of? 

Have a great day and I'll be by to visit.

Quilt News! Three Coneflowers Medallion with Borders Quilt Top Finish, Spring Flowers Up, Log Cabin Blocks in Housetop Formation

Jonquils...

Wind Flowers...

My finished quilt top, Three Coneflowers with Borders....

 

Hello Quilt Friends! 

Of course spring officially starts on the 20th of March but here locally in Lake Wilderness Arboretum, Jonquils and Windflowers/Anemone are blooming now. Also blooming are Camellia shrubs, Crocus and Hellebore, etc. It is colorful and exciting.

This last week I finished up the top of my Bramble Blooms l QAL project. I call it Three Coneflowers Medallion with Borders. I wanted to keep the outside border dark to contrast with the light border preceding it. I had a difficult time trying to decide how complicated to piece that final border. But finally inspired by Linda at kokaquilts and her housetop logcabin quilts, because they look so fun! I realized that the BBl qal project just had to get finished so I could move onto something else! I tried new techniques (raw edge machine applique) and got some good tips from Audrey at quiltyfolk. Thank you Audrey.

Now did someone say Log Cabin blocks in housetop formation? Here I come!

What projects are you finishing up?

I'll be by to visit.