Grand Illusion Step Two

I'm keeping up, for now!

Step two is complete, can't wait to start step three. But first I have to work, you know, so I can keep supporting this awesome habit. 

Happy Sewing!

GIMQ step 2

I've cut all the squares and rectangles that I need. And I sewed 3 samples to be sure I have the directions correct. Three wrong units would be better than the 40 I made on the first step. 

Now, I need to load bobbins and get crackin'!

Happy Sewing!

Grand Illusion Mystery Quilt

I'm really excited to try a mystery quilt. Maybe too excited. I sewed nearly 40 units incorrectly. 

Well, I'm sure it will turn out grand when I get it straight!

I have done most of them correctly. I can hardly wait for the next clue!

Still stitching.

I'm still working on the batik stars. When I complete these, I'll have a total of 20. That would be enough for a cute through size. But thirty would make a twin. Hmmmm.  Can't decide!!

Changed my mind.

Well, I thought my next quilt was going to be a drunkard's path. But when I pulled out my Accuquilt Go Cutter, I saw the Blazing Star die, and I had to admit that I had owned it for almost two years and hadn't used it. Not once.

What's a girl to do?

Now it's time for decisions. How many blocks?  What color for posts, sashing and borders?  If you need me, I'll be happily playing with fabric in the sewing room. 

It's getting there!

My red and white winding ways is almost ready to assemble. I just need a few more blocks.

I'm so surprised at how much I love curved piecing. I have a big drunkard's path planned next. 

Inevitable

When I finished my blue winding ways quilt, I knew I would just have to do it again in red.

I couldn't resist any longer and cut into my red and white fabrics. 

I'm so excited. If you need me, I'll be hiding in the sewing room. 

My sample block took a lot less griping than my blue and white one did. 

Happy sewing. 

Finished stars.

It feels so great to finish a quilt top. Now it's headed for the quilter!

Happy sewing!

Oh my stars!

This quilt is getting the best of me!  I think I will love it when it is completed, but right now it has me grumbling.

I am in the mood to make an easy quilt.  Of course, as I work on easy quilts I think I need a challenge.  

I am making the quilt on the cover of this book,  Sizzlin' Sixties.



I started it during a the polar vortex.  There was lots of simple sewing, pairing 2.5" strips.  Then cutting - which I always enjoy.  And using a fun tool made it even more fun.  I really like the Creative Grids 60 Degree Triangle.

Here is what I have so far on the "design floor".

I hope to have a clear floor and a finished top this weekend.

Happy Sewing!

Flimsy Progress

I am trying to concentrate on finishing. Like many quilters, I enjoy planning and playing with fabric.  Finishing is a discipline that is unnatural to me, but I am learning to love it.  It makes me so happy to see the finished quilt tops.  Here are some recent finishes.

The backing fabric is the same as the border, it has a softer look than the photo shows.  The inner border fabric has been in my closet for more than a decade.  It's so satisfying to shop from my own stash.  

I also finished this top, inspired by the LynneBobSquarePants quilt-along.   I cut my scraps larger, so my blocks are a generous 24".  The top finished at 72" x 96" which is good for the long, tall guys in my home.  I also have backing fabric to piece for this one.  I am eager to choose an all-over quilting pattern for this one.

I think all quilters know what finishing means, I get to start a few new projects!

Happy Sewing!

Reviving an old project.

I realized that I had 9 large scrappy blocks ready to assemble. They had been waiting for me for more than a year. I laid them out and remembered that I wanted to make three more blocks - I prefer rectangular quilts to square quilts. Don't ask me why, I can't explain it. 

So I'm digging in the closet for more fall scraps. I have piles to play with, these are my favorite quilty colors and my stash reflects that. 

Here's my design floor today. 

What are you working on?  Happy sewing!

So much purple!

I don't often work in purple, but I asked a special friend what color her quilt should be and she requested a light purple. It was so much fun working with this color range - and I think I needed to get out of a creative rut.

Again I am using my favorite "workbook", Scrap-Basket Beauties.  I have made most of the quilts in this book and I am considering a second round!  The directions make piecing easy and the blocks fall into rows that make pressing a breeze. 

All of those triangles are made from folded corner units, so the pattern looks complicated but the construction is actually simple.

And, no.  I did NOT keep the tiny triangles that were left over from the folded-corner units.  I like to use scraps but, sheesh, they are small.

I even pressed in purple.

I have border and backing fabric in the closet, so I hope to post a photo of the finished top next week.  

Happy sewing!

For Katie

I wanted to make a quilt to celebrate a sweet girl's high school graduation. She is headed for college in August and her colors will be purple and yellow. 

I hope she loves it!  I used the patten "Flowers for Nana Girl" from my favorite quilt workbook "Scrapbasket Sensations".

I would have finished it weeks ago, but my quilt advisors helped me decide to enlarge it from my originally planned size. It's good to have company in the sewing room!

My son and his girl Katie. I adore these two. 

Happy Sewing. 

A break from quilting

Well, to be honest, I took a break from just about everything and it was WONDERFUL!!

My husband and I took a trip in honor of our upcoming 25th anniversary.  The big day is actually in June, but since June is lovely where we live, we traveled a little early to get some bonus good weather.  The weather was perfect and so were the food, the water, the fresh air, the staff at our resort, etc.

This may have been the first vacation in a decade where I wasn't eager to get back to sewing.  There was so much beauty and relaxation.

And now, back to regular life.  Which I'll admit - is pretty darn good. 

Happy sewing!

Spring Flowers

Spring is trying to arrive in the Midwest. It has been gray and rainy this week. And we all know what April showers bring. 

These flowers will be blooming in a quilt by next month. I'll be sewing some leaves today. This quilt will be a graduation gift for a sweet young lady. 

Happy sewing!

Sewing with some sanity

Over the past few months, I have been sewing some strips on to rectangles to make simple blocks.  I had a pretty pile of fabrics that I wanted to use up.  Also, I was working on curvy seams and often needed to do some simple sewing to either warm up or settle down.

I used this pattern http://www.maryquilts.com/new-forest-bricks/ from one of my favorite "go to" sites.  Mollie's use of stash has been an inspiration to me (I am sure my husband appreciates her philosophy too!)

Lots of 2" x 6.5" blue pieces sewn to 3.5" x 6.5" bricks.

I'll bind with the same blue.  I'm sure if I dig in to the closet, I can find a few pieces to use for a backing.

Now to start another project.  Next on my list is Round & Round.  I plan to use sea glass batiks.  I can't wait to start cutting.

I'm doing a happy dance!

I finally assembled my Winding Ways quilt.  I'd like to thank my husband, my sewing friends and also my blogging friends for their encouragement.

Now for a little easy piecing.  I'm going to play with squares and rectangles for a week or so.  Then I think I'll do a Mariner's Compass. Or a Drunkard's Path. Oh, my mind swirls with possibilities!!

Finally!

Sixty-six blocks with blue backgrounds and sixty-six with white backgrounds.

I whined so much as I began these blocks. I'm so thankful that I have had so much encouragement to keep sewing!  I made peace with curved piecing. I caught myself wondering if the next one will be red and white or black and scrappy. Yes, I said it. The next one. Of course I want to make another!

Awesome quilting!

I was looking at a blog I like to read and found some familiar quilts - mine!!  Check out Abby's blog post here and see her beautiful work.

This weekend will be all about my winding ways blocks.  I have several in process.  And House of Cards Season 2 is available on Netflix.

I hope you are going to have a great quilty weekend too.

Still trying!

I'm going to get this monster done in 2014. I can hear my friend Heather's voice in my head, "finish the project!"

I'm a starter. It's good to have finishers around me for support. 

Quilting with friends

I have a couple of friends who are new to quilting.  Today we worked together so that each of them could learn to pin baste and then machine quilt their first quilts.  I was so excited to be part of their projects!  I'm so impressed by their eagerness to learn - and to complete a quilt.  I also benefitted from their encouragement.  I WILL FINISH my Winding Ways quilt this year, no excuses.