A Friday Finish

Not Quite

My One Monthly Goal (OMG) was to finish the center portion of what I'm calling Poppies.  I posted on my progress here.

Poppies

Well, I made great headway at the beginning of the month, as evidenced by the above photo, but I felt it needed a little elongation top and bottom.  So I cut more diamonds for the sashing ...

... and that's as far as I got.  Two trips out of town and minor crises at home slowed me down.  So I came close to accomplishing my goal and I'm OK with that.  It should only be a matter of days before I can call it done.

I'm reporting in with Patty at Elm Street Quilts for the month-end talley.  Hop over there to see how other quilters managed their OMGs.

When to Say "When"

How many?

Convinced a navy batik would be the "ideal" background for Rainbow Radiance, I stopped at Twisted Sisters Quilt Shop in Maryville on my way to Pigeon Forge last week and found this:

I washed it once in the hotel laundry with two Color Catchers and they came out just about as blue as the fabric.  So I decided to go with my original plan of a gray background.

Rainbow Radiance - Donna Lynn Thomas design

I certainly didn't want all the effort of those tiny HSTs to be ruined by a bleeding blue background!

Now home, I have washed it twice more, each time with two Color Catchers.

There's still blue coming out of the fabric.  So here's my question:  Would it be better to use more Color Catchers at one time?  I've heard people say they use as many as 5 or 6. I don't understand the science of how they work at all.  Or should I use another product?

Monday, Again

Last Week of March

Wow, does anyone else feel like this year is speeding past?  I do think the older you get, the faster time flies, but .. REALLY?

On Wednesday I headed east again to A Mountain Quilt Fest in Pigeon Forge, TN.  Having skipped it last year, I was excited to return to one of the nicest, most relaxed, quilt shows in this area.  And it's free!  (except the classes and dinners)

Adding to the excitement, I was introducing The Joyful Quilter to several of my S'mores friends for the first time.  On Thursday Joy and I did the show and Friday we both had a class. 

The show was expansive and had a lot of variety, even though it was mostly local entries.  I'll try to put together a post of the quilts later this week.  I couldn't get online at the hotel so I have a lot of catching up to do.

In my class I had a refresher course with Donna Lynn Thomas on her On-Point Ruler.  I managed to get one block done and three more cut out.

Rainbow Radiance

Well, I guess I could have given it a little press before I photographed it!  I'm thinking I'll put the 4 blocks into a table runner and call it done.

The ruler is designed to take the math out of on-point settings.  The measurements on the ruler are calculated from the diagonal measurement of a square which is 1.414 times the side of a square.  It's not often that measurement comes out to something exactly on a standard ruler.  Frankly, I don't think I'd go to the trouble with just a block; I'd find a way to make things fit.  But where I think the value of the ruler comes in is when you want to put on-point squares in a border (or Seminole or some other similar on-point unit). In that situation all you need to know is the length of the border and a unit it is divisible by.  The ruler does the rest.  

In the evenings we ate prime rib, burritos, and fish & chips.  I haven't even had the courage to step on the scale since I got back home!  One of the more interesting places we ate was Quaker Steak and Lube.  I have no idea it it's a chain or local but the food was good.

There was definitely an automobile vibe there!

I did not venture up into the hills around Gatlinburg; I just didn't want to see the devastation from the fires last Fall.

Another Mountain Quilt Fest is history.  Well worth the trip.

AWOL

or MIA?

Maybe some of each.  Thanks to those who checked on me.  I just lost my mojo for a while.  I needed to prep for a couple of upcoming trips and didn't feel like I had big enough blocks of time to get any sewing done.

Then we had that short-lived snow.  Negotiating our driveway is impossible in bad weather so I dithered (catatonic is probably more accurate) about whether DH and I could even get away for a little planned R and R.

As it was, we delayed our departure till Monday last week, then spent a couple of days in Kingsport and Johnson City looking at houses.  Oh, I forgot -- last you heard we were looking for property to build on?  Well, a couple of recent health issues convinced DH and me that life is too short to wait on construction.  Wouldn't this be a cheerful place to sew?

Dream Studio

This trip was only to familiarize ourselves with the more desirable neighborhoods.  It will still be quite a while before we can make a move and there's no guarantee this place will still be available.  I can dream, though ...

Once back home, I spent some time in the sewing room playing with red strings ...

... looks like a February leftover slipped in when I wasn't looking ... and another HST 9-patch.

I also spent some time cutting for an upcoming class.  Mountain Quilt Fest is happening this week in Pigeon Forge, TN and I will be working on Rainbow Radiance with Donna Lynn Thomas.

Donna Lynn has developed a ruler for on-point blocks that simplifies the math. 

I took a class with her two years ago but didn't follow through with the project.  I hope this time the concept sticks!

 Batiks are my fabrics of choice this time, but I'm having trouble picking a background.

I really wanted a navy blue batik.  Needless to say, there will be vendors, not to mention local fabric shops, where I might find a better choice.  But we'll only be working on  two blocks in the class, not much has been cut, so if I have to wait till I can shop at home, I'm not concerned. I just want to learn how to use the ruler -- not so much for this particular project, but the way she explains the concept it could be beneficial when I try to design something on my own.

Don't forget to check out the Orphan Adoption Event at Quilting is More Fun Than Housework.  You have until Saturday to put in a bid for my two orphans up for adoption here and here.

Please Adopt Me, Two!

Sports Themed Squares

Auction is closed. The winner has been notified.

Cynthia Brunz over at Quilting is More Fun than Housework is hosting an Orphan Adoption event this weekend. She does this twice a year. Go check it out and then find someone's UFO to adopt!

Some young sports fanatic would be happy to get a quilt made with these sports-themed squares.

There are fifty 5" squares altogether.  Half of them are basketball

Another 12-13 are baseball,

And the rest cover multiple sports

There are no restrictions on how you use these squares, but it would be nice to see what you have done with them.  Simply leave a comment below.  Please, include your email in your comment; last time I had so many "no-reply" comments that I had no way to contact.  If you are concerned about security, type "sewandso (your address) at (instead of @) some carrier dot (instead of a period) com."

This auction is open to US participants only until midnight CDT on Saturday, March 25.  Selection will be by random drawing of names in a hat. I will pay postage.

Good luck!!  

Adopt Me!

Cruise Blocks

Auction is closed. The winner has been notified.

Cynthia Brunz over at Quilting is More Fun than Housework is hosting an Orphan Adoption event this weekend. She does this twice a year. Go check it out and then find someone's UFO to adopt!

Up for adoption:  Eleven 12" (more or less) challenge blocks with a Fall/Cruise theme.

Package includes 5 additional 14" squares of this challenge fabric.

 

Participants in a 2007 Quilt Seminar at Sea were challenged to make a 12" block to commemorate our cruise to New England and Canada using the challenge fabric.

Two winners, as judged by the teachers, each took home half of the blocks.  Miracle of Miracles, my block was a winner!

I've used half of my blocks in this quilt:

Since I don't really need two commemorative quilts, I've decided to part with the remainder. Please note each block was made by a different person, not me.  As often happens in swaps, the quality and size varies.  

There are no restrictions on how you use these blocks, but it would be nice to see what you have done with them.  Simply leave a comment below.  Please, include your email in your comment; last time I had so many "no-reply" comments that I had no way to contact.  If you are concerned about security, type "sewandso (your address) at (instead of @) some carrier dot (instead of a period) com."

This auction is open to US participants only until midnight CDT on Saturday, March 25.  Selection will be by random drawing of names in a hat. I will pay postage.

Good luck!!  

No Accumulation

Sure ...

This is what "No Accumulation" looks like in Middle Tennessee:

Thirty minutes transpired between the next two pictures.

An hour later and the driveway is clearing.  If you don't like the weather, just wait an hour!

Anatomy of a Quilt

Poppies

(Credit to Kate at Life in Pieces for naming my quilt.)

Several years ago I purchased this fabric.

I was attracted to its graphic quality, but I also fell in love with the way it felt -- soft and slick.  I just can't resist fondling fabric in the store, on my shelf, on a friend's back .... I digress.  I purchased a couple other black/white/red pieces at the same time with the thought they would go together in a quilt.  Not to be.

After this fabric had "matured" sufficiently, I was inspired to use it for a stacked repeat project, specifically 4-patch posies for which I had an upcoming lecture and class to teach. That is where four identical cuts of fabric are stacked and cut into squares.  The four identical squares are then arranged kaleidoscope style.   I thought the graphic print would yield some interesting results ... and it did.

This ...

... and this ...

But mostly what I got was ...

Bland and boring!

Fast forward a couple of years, the blocks had marinated in the box long enough, and it was time to either DO something with them or pass them on to someone else. (Need I remind you the Orphan Adoption Event, sponsored by Cynthia at Quilting is More Fun Than Housework, is coming up March 16-19?)

The blocks definitely needed some type of sashing to perk them up.  After thought and some research, I decided a diamond sashing would be dynamic enough to offset the blandness of the blocks.

Poppies -- in progress

In fact, it almost looks like the sashing is the star (pun intended) and the blocks are the backdrop!  A row more of sashing top and bottom (don't have enough fabric for the sides) and the center will be done and I will have accomplished my One Monthly Goal for March!  Still thinking about borders. 

Looking at it now, I think I might have chosen a different arrangement of the posey blocks, but there's no time to second guess.

Scrap Happy Saturday

Radical Red

I'm so glad Angela picked RED for the March Rainbow Scrap Challenge color!  My red scrap bin overfloweth!

But I'm mostly glad because I already had red on my design wall!

Work in Progress

Knowing that my sewing time this month will be cut short by two weeks of travel, I jumped right in, using a few strips and squares to make some rainbow blocks.

Chunky Churn Dash blocks

Scrap Jar Star

The Rainbow Scrap Challenge is a fun way to use up scraps.  You can join in at any time so hop over to soscrappy for details.

Something Old, Something New ...

... Something Borrowed, Something ... Red!

I know, this is coming out of left field ... I've put the Pantry Challenge (warm/fall colors orphan blocks) on the back burner this month because I have an idea for a new layout but with two weeks traveling this month I don't think I'll have the time to devote to it.

Sew, in the meantime I have a new-ish project on the design wall.  And it's RED, the RSC  color for March.  How convenient!!

The blocks are old -- 4-patch posies from a graphic black/white/red floral print.

The setting is new, an inspiration I got from 101 Fabulous Rotary-Cut Quilts.

The black fabric in the diamond sashing has been borrowed from another project.

Progress to date:

Needs a name

I'm officially declaring my One Monthly Goal (OMG) for March:  Complete the center of ... well, it needs a name.  Any suggestions?

Linking up with Patty D at Elm Street Quilts for OMG and whooping it up with Sarah at Confessions of a Fabric Addict because I'm happy to get these 35 old blocks out of my Parts Department!.