DWM - Geese on the Move

... Flying ve-e-ery slowly

In spite of the Thanksgiving holiday festivities I've been making steady progress on Geese Migration. So far I've kept up with my goal to make one block a day.

Geese on the Move - Day 4

A flock of four blocks and a gaggle of the flying geese units completed ...

Each block consists of five flying geese with the same solid sky/wings (I'm never sure what to call the pieces/parts) flanked by five rows of three assorted squares.

In studying the pattern picture, it seemed that the maker made most of the blocks in graded values of a single color, so that is the approach I am taking.  I am using my Japanese taupe collection enhanced by other fabrics in my stash that have "the look" of Japanese taupes.

Even though the nature of Japanese taupes is very subdued, there is a surprising amount of color in those prints. Still, it has been challenging to keep the subtle "mood" while inserting color to make it more interesting. I am really looking forward to seeing this finished, but Christmas projects will be taking priority over the next few weeks.

The Cardinal Rule
Wilmington Prints

Today I need to get started (and hopefully finish) a small wall hanging for SIL's mountain cabin.

The pattern I planned to use will make it too big to fit in the space between her living room windows so I will probably just add some borders and callerdun!

She had requested something for Christmas but I thought this panel was not so in-your-face-Christmas and could carry over into the winter months.



Check out what others are working on at Patchwork Times.

WIP Wednesday

The picture I didn't have yesterday:

The pattern is "Geese Migration"
 by Cynthia Brunz who blogs at QuiltingIsMoreFunThanHousework.  The pattern and a tutorial, available through Mary Fons' Dear Quilty, can be found here.

Even with everything else I need to accomplish today, I managed to stitch a test block.






Senior grocery shopping is done; now to put everything away and vacuum-pack the meat to make room in the fridge for Thanksgiving essentials.  I'm going easy this year -- just the three of us for Turkey Day. Son-1 and family will come Friday afternoon and stay for a casual potato bar dinner.

Yesterday, a horrible crashing sound came from the Queen Mother's Suite.  As I raced in to help I found the sitter propping up the antique secretary and saw items from the secretary, including a Christmas tree and a bag of York Peppermint Patties, in bed with Mother! I'd have laughed if the sitter hadn't been in obvious need of assistance.  I guess this afternoon we'll be swapping some furniture with pieces in the storage unit.

Maybe I should title this post "Why Is It? Wednesday."

Why is it that calamities happen at the worst possible time?

Why is it that all the toilet paper rolls run out just before company comes?

Why is it the grocery is out of the key ingredient needed for the Thanksgiving menu? 

Why does the washer have an error message when there's no chance of getting a service call on a holiday?

That's my Wednesday!

Hop over to Freshly Pieced  to see what others are working on this WIP Wednesday.

I take it back ....

... every word!

Or, at least the "lugubrious."  I didn't bother to look up the meaning. Nann, I'm surprised you didn't catch me on that! I had a former boss who'd ask me if I'd had a lugubrious weekend and I'd say "if that means well-oiled, then yes."

So let's just stick with having a PLEASANT Thanksgiving!!!

Design Table Monday ... on Tuesday

..As if I need another project!

The Japanese taupes I purchased at Lolly's in Shipshewana were calling to me.  I had recently found a pattern in a magazine that I felt would be a good match.

Looking at the picture (which I forgot to photograph) it appears the designer used three different fabrics in five values (light to dark) in each block. And it looks like there is very little repetition in the 25 blocks.  That's 375 fabrics!!  Fortunately I had purchased a roll of 40 strips as a starting point!

You probably know how it goes.  Inspiration strikes and you start searching the stash for what might go with recent purchases and before you know it you have a pile of potential candidates.

Such was my case and I decided rather than earmark/isolate a large collection of fabric for this project or, worse, put it all back on the shelves and lose track of it, I should just go ahead and cut what is required. THEN put it back on the shelves.

 So this was my "design" cutting table on Monday. 

Cutting table - unnamed project - 100+ fabrics

I have cut eight 2-1/2" squares from each strip. (As it turns out, three  times what I need.) My plan is to start construction as leaders/enders as I finish up some end-of-year sewing obligations over the next few weeks.

Then, and only then, will I attack the flying geese....

Safe travels to those on the road this week.  I hope everyone has a pleasant and lugubrious Thanksgiving!

This is it!!

The Sashing Saga

For weeks I've been blogging about the pineapple blocks

made using Karin Hellaby's technique from Sew Simple Pineapple.

In case you missed it, I posted a brief tutorial here.

It all started with a small pack of fat sixths (12" x 22") of yellow and gray prints that I was using in the sample step-outs for my Exploding Pineapple class at Quilt Camp at Cedar Lakes.

The Sashing Saga begins

The resulting blocks were so pretty I decided to make a whole quilt, but the sixths were not big enough. Several shopping trips later, I was set to go bigger.

More grays and yellos

With 81 blocks finished, I was ready to pick a sashing/lattice fabric.  At the risk of repeating myself, I wanted to sash the blocks because the casual construction method doesn't guarantee points are going to match.  Plus all edges are on the bias and I feel sashing will stabilize them. AND I wanted the quilt to be a bit bigger.

Six of 81

My first choice was the plaid in the bottom right block. Several of the fabrics came from that collection so it had all the right colors ...

First Choice - too busy

...but it is a bit busy and blends too much.  My second choice was too heavy.

Second Choice - too heavy

My final choice is just right!

Just Right

I've added it to the right side of all the blocks.  Once I decide on the final arrangement I'll add the left side sashing on the first block of each row.

I will wait until the S'mores Christmas retreat where there will be a large enough design wall to do a complete layout.

Where in the World ...

... is Libby?

Actually, I'm home now. Guess where I was last week!

Hmm, need a hint?

Too subtle? How about this ...

 

Row-by-Row kit from Yoder's Department Store

Yep, Indiana Amish Country!  I HAD to go for a meeting of the Midwest Fabric Study Group.  (Umm, ri-i-ight, an 8-hour drive JUST for a meeting in Shipshewana, Indiana. )

One can't go to Shipshe without allowing time for shopping. And shop I did!  Five quilt shops in one day.  My wallet is busted!  The stash report is so busted I'm not even going to count anymore! 

I did get the one critical thing I was looking for -- a sashing fabric for my gray/yellow pineapple blocks.

Current pineapple sashing choice 

But I couldn't stop there!  Selections include more clear grays ...

 ... some luscious taupey grays/tans ...

... and a FQ pack of Kaufman solids ...

 Several large cuts of backgrounds, two 3-yard wide backs, and a roll of taupe strips round out the purchases.  I am trying to convince myself that it all has a purpose ... OK, if I live long enough.  But it sure was fun!

The gray/yellow pineapple blocks will go back up on the wall today with the latest sashing option.

More on the sashing situation later.

Hop over to Patchwork Times to see more design walls this Monday.

A Quick Note

It pleases me to announce that Not Your Grandmother's Log Cabin revised edition will be released next week and is available for preorder here.

Like many authors recently, Marci Baker and Sara Nephew have affiliated with C&T Publishing. The revised edition includes six new quilt patterns as well as a "design your own" section.